history of the mackenzies-第47节

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which　existed　between　the　two　families；　but　Sir　John　〃retired　at　　Monar；　growing　faint…hearted　before　he　saw　the　enemie〃。　　Andrew　Munro　　of　Novar　also　accompanied　Kintail　on　this；　as　on　several　previous　　expeditions。　The　Macdonalds；　hearing　of　Mackenzie's　approach；　drove　　all　their　cattle　to　Monar；　where　they　gathered　in　strong　force　to　guard　　them。　Kintail；　learning　this；　marched　straight　where　they　were；　harried　and　wasted　all　the　country　through　which　he　had　to　pass；　defeated　and　　routed　the　Macdonalds；　and　drove　into　Kintail　the　largest　booty　ever　heard　　of　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland；　〃both　of　cows；　horses；　small　bestial；　duinuasals；　and　plenishing；　which　he　most　generously　distributed　amongst　his　　soldiers；　and　especially　amongst　such　strangers　as　were　with　him；　so　that　John　Gordon　of　Embo　was　at　his　repentance　for　his　return。〃　Mackenzie　　had　only　two　men　killed　in　this　expedition；　though　a　few　of　the　Kintail　　men；　whom　he　caused　to　be　carried　home　on　litters；　were　wounded。

Several　instances　are　recorded　of　the　prowess　and　intrepidity　of　　Alexander　of　Coul　on　this　occasion。　　He　was；　excepting　John　MacMhurchaidh　Mhic　Gillechriost；　the　fastest　runner　in　the　Mackenzie　country。　　On　his　way　to　Kintail；　leading　his　men　and　driving　the　creach　　before　them；　he　met　three　or　four　hundred　Camerons；　who　sent　Mackenzie　　a　message　demanding　〃a　bounty　of　the　booty〃　for　passing　through　their　　territory。　　This　Kenneth　was　about　to　grant；　and　ordered　thirty　cows　and　a　　few　of　the　younger　animals　to　be　given；　saying　that　it　〃was　fit　that　hungry　　dogs　should　get　a　collop；〃　whereupon　Alexander　of　Coul　and　his　brave　　band　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　followers　started　aside　and　swore　with　a　　great　oath　that　if　the　Camerons　dared　to　take　away　a　single　head；　they　　would；　before　night；　pay　dearly　for　them；　and　have　to　light　for　their　collop；　for　he　and　his　men；　he　said；　had　already　nearly　lost　their　lives　driving　them　　through　a　wild　and　narrow　pass　where　eighteen　of　the　enemy　fell　to　their　　swords　before　they　were　able　to　get　the　cattle　through；　but　he　would　now　　let　them　pass　in　obedience　to　his　chief's　commands。　　The　messengers；　　hearing　the　ominous　threat；　notwithstanding　Kenneth's　personal　　persuasion；　declined　on　any　account　to　take　the　cattle；　and　marched　away　　〃empty　as　they　came。〃

Before　starting　from　home　on　this　expedition　Kintail　drove　every　one　of　Glengarry's　followers　out　of　their　holdings　in　Lochalsh　and　　Lochcarron；　except　a　few　of　the　〃Mathewsons　and　the　Clann　Jan　Uidhir；〃　　and　any　others　who　promised　to　submit　to　him　and　engaged　to　prove　their　　sincerity　by　〃imbrowing　their　bands　in　the　enemy's　blood。〃　　The　Castle　of　Strome；　however；　still　continued　in　possession　of　the　Macdonalds。

Mackenzie；　after　his　return　home；　had　not　well　dissolved　his　camp　when　Alexander　MacGorrie　and　Ranald　MacRory　made　an　incursion　to　　the　district　of　Kenlochewe；　and　there　meeting　some　women　and　children　who　had　fled　from　Lochcarron　with　their　cattle；　he　attacked　them　unexpectedly；　killed　several　of　the　defenceless　women；　all　the　male　　children；　slaughtered　and　took　away　many　of　the　cattle；　and　〃houghed〃　all　they　were　not　able　to　carry　along　with　them。

In　the　following　autumn；　Alexander　MacGorrie　made　a　voyage　to　　Applecross　in　a　great　galley；　contrary　to　the　advice　of　all　his　friends；　who　looked　upon　that　place　as　a　sanctuary　which　all　Highlanders　had　hitherto　　respected　as　the　property　of　the　Church。　　Notwithstanding　that　many　took　　refuge　in　it　in　the　past；　he　was　the　first　man　who　ever　pursued　a　fugitive　to　　the　place；　〃but；〃　says　our　authority；　〃it　fared　no　better　with　him　or　he　　rested；　but　be　being　informed　that　some　Kintail　men；　whom　he　thought　no　　sin　to　kill　anywhere；〃　bad　taken　refuge　there　with　their　cattle；　he　　determined　to　kill　them；　but　on　his　arrival　he　found　only　two　poor　fellows；　　tending　their　cows。　　These　he　murdered；　slaughtered　all　the　cows；　and　took　away　as　many　of　them　as　his　boat　would　carry。

A　few　days　after　this；　Glengarry　combined　with　the　Clann　Alain　of　Moydart　（whose　chief　was　at　the　time　captain　of　Clan　Ranald's　men）；　the　　Clann　Ian　Uidhir；　and　several　others　of　the　Macdonalds；　who　gathered　　together　amongst　them　thirty…seven　birlinns　with　the　intention　of　sailing　to　　Lochbroom；　and　on　their　return　to　burn　and　harry　the　whole　of　the　　Mackenzie　territories　on　the　west　coast。　Coming　to　an　arm　of　the　sea　on　　the　east　side　of　Kyleakin　called　Loch　na　Beist；　opposite　Lochalsh；　they　　sent　Alexander　MacGorrie　forward　with　eighty　men　in　a　large　galley　to　　examine　the　coast　in　advance　of　the　main　body。　　They　first　landed　in　　Applecross；　in　the　same　spot　where　MacGorrie　had　previously　killed　the　　two　Kintail　men。　　Kenneth　was　at　the　time　on　a　visit　to　Mackenzie　of　　Gairloch；　at　his　house　on　Island　Rory　in　Loch…Maree；　and　hearing　of　　Glengarry's　approach　and　the　object　of　his　visit；　he　ordered　all　his　coasts　　to　be　placed　in　readiness；　and　sent　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Achilty　with　sixteen　men　and　eight　oarsmen；　in　an　eight　oared　galley　belonging　to　John　Tolmach　Macleod；　son　of　Rory；　son　of　Allan　Macleod；　who　still　possessed　　a　small　portion　of　Gairloch；　to　watch　the　enemy　and　examine　the　coast　as　　far　as　Kylerhea。　　John　Tolmach　himself　accompanied　them；　in　charge　of　　the　galley。　　On　their　way　south　they　landed　by　the　merest　chance　at　　Applecross；　on　the　north　side　of　the　point　at　which　MacGorrie　landed；　　where　they　noticed　a　woman　gathering　shellfish　on　the　shore；　and　who　no　　sooner　saw　them　than　she　came　forward　and　informed　them　that　a　great　　galley　had　landed　in　the　morning　on　the　other　side　of　the　promontory。

This　they　at　once　suspected　to　contain　an　advanced　scout　of　the　enemy；　　and；　ordering　their　boat　round　the　point；　in　charge　of　the　oarsmen；　they　　took　the　shortest　cut　across　the　neck　of　land；　and；　when　half　way　along；　　they　met　one　of　Macdonald's　sentries　lying　sound　asleep　on　the　ground。　　　He　was　soon　sent　to　his　long　rest；　and　the　Mackenzies　blowing　up　a　set　of　bagpipes　found　lying　beside　him；　rushed　towards　the　Macdonalds；　who；　　suddenly　surprised　and　alarmed　by　the　sound　of　the　Piob　mhor；　and　　thinking　a　strong　force　was　falling　down　upon　them；　fled　to　their　boat；　　except　MacGorrie；　who；　when　he　left　it；　swore　a　great　oath　that　he　would　　never　return　with　his　back　to　the　enemy；　but　finding　it　impossible　single…handed　to　resist；　he　retired　a　little；　closely　followed　by　the　Mackenzies　who　furiously　attacked　him。　　He　was　now　forced　to　draw　aside　to　a　rock；　　against　which　he　placed　his　back；　and　fought　right　manfully；　defending　　himself　with　extraordinary　intrepidity；　receiving　the　enemy's　arrows　in　his　　targe。　　He　was　ultimately　wounded　by　an　arrow　which　struck　him　under　　the　belt；　yet　no　one　dared　to　approach　him；　but　John　Dubh　Mac　Choinnich　　Mhic　Mhurchaidh　noticing　his　amazing　agility；　observing　that　his　party　　had　arrived　with　the　boat；　and　fearing　they　would　lose　Glengarry's　galley　unless　they　at　once　pursued　it；　went　round　to　the　back　of　the　rock　against　　which　the　brave　Macdonald　stood；　carrying　a　great　boulder；　which　he　　dropped　straight　on　to　MacGorrie's　head；　instantly　killing　him。　　Thus　died　the　most　skilful　and　best　chieftainhad　he　possessed　equal　wisdom　and　　discretionthen　alive　among　the　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry。

The　Mackenzies　immediately　took　to　their　boat；　pursuing　　Macdonald's　galley　to　Loch　na　Beist；　where；　noticing　the　enemy's　whole　　fleet　coming　out　against　them；　John　Tolmach　Macleod　recommended　his　　men　to　put　out　to　sea；　but　finding　the　fleet　gaining　upon　them；　they　decided　to　land　in　Applecross；　where　they　were　nearly　overtaken　by　the　　enemy。　　They　were　obliged　to　leave　their　boat　and　run　for　their　lives；　hotly　　pursued　by　the　Macdonalds；　and　were　it　not　that　one　of　Mackenzie's　men　　John　Mac　Rory　Mhic　Mhurchaidh　Mathewsonwas　so　well　acquainted　　with　the　ground；　and　led　them　to　a　ford　on　the　river　between　two　rocks；　　which　the　Macdonalds　missed；　and　the　night　coming　on；　they　would　have　　been　unable　to　escape　with　their　lives。　　The　Macdonalds　retraced　their　　steps　to　their　boats；　and　on　the　way　discovered　the　body　of　Alexander　　MacGorrie；　whose　death　〃put　their　boasting　to　mourning；〃　and　conceiving　　his　fate　ominous　of　additional　misfortunes；　they；　carrying　him　along　with　them；　prudently　returned　home；　and　disbanded　all　their　followers。　　In　the　flight　of　the　Mackenzies　Alexander　of　Achilty；　being　so　stout　that　he　　fainted　on　the　way；　was　nearly　captured。　　John　MacChoinnich；　who　　noticed　him　falling；　threw　some　water　on　him；　and；　drawing　his　sword；　　swore　that　he　would　kill　him　on　the　spot　if　he　did　not　get　up　at　once　rather　　than　that　the　enemy　should　have　the　honour　of　killing　or　capturing　him。　　　They　soon　arrived　at　Gairloch's　house　in　the　island　on　Loch…Maree；　and　　gave　a　full　account　of　their　expedition；　whereupon　Kintail　at　once　decided　　upon　taking　active　measures　against　the　Macdonalds。　　In　the　meantime　he　　was　assured　that　they　had　returned　to　their　own　country。　　He　soon　returned　home；　and　found　that　the　people　of　Kintail　and　Glengarry；　tiring　of　those　incessant　slaughters　and　mutual　injuries；　agreed；　during　his　absence；　in　the　　month　of　May；　to　cease　hostilities　until　the　following　Lammas。　　Of　this　　agreement　Kintail　knew　nothing；　and　young　Glengarry；　who　was　of　an　　exceedingly　bold　and