history of the mackenzies-第49节

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oing　down　to　the　　shore　to　meet　them；　she　heartily　saluted　them；　and　asked　if　all　had　gone　　well　with　them。　　〃Yea；　Madam；〃　answered　their　leader；　Duncan　　MacGillechriost；　〃we　have　brought　you　a　new　guest；　without　the　loss　of　a　　single　man；　whom　we　hope　is　welcome　to　your　ladyship。〃　　She　looked　into　　the　galley；　and　at　once　recognising　the　body　of　Angus　of　Glengarry；　she　　ordered　it　to　be　carried　ashore　and　properly　attended　to。　　The　men　　proposed　that　he　should　be　buried　in　the　tomb　of　his　predecessors；　〃Cnoc　　nan　Aingeal；〃　in　Lochalsh；　but　this　she　objected　to；　observing　that；　if　he　　could；　her　husband　would　never　allow　a　Macdonald；　dead　or　alive；　any　　further　possession　in　that　locality；　at　the　same　time　ordering　young　　Glengarry　to　be　buried　with　her　own　children；　and　such　other　children　of　　the　predecessors　of　the　Mackenzies　of　Kintail　as　were　buried　in　Kilduich；　saying　that　she　considered　it　no　disparagement　for　him　to　be　buried　with　　such　cousins；　and　if　it　were　her　own　fate　to　die　in　Kintail；　she　would　　desire　to　be　interred　amongst　them。　　The　proposal　was　agreed　to；　and　　everything　having　been　got　ready　suitable　for　the　funeral　of　a　gentleman　of　his　rank…such　as　the　place　could　afford　in　the　circumstances…he　was　buried　　next　day　in　Kilduich；　in　the　same　tomb　as　Mackenzie's　own　children。

This　is　not　the　most　generally　received　account　regarding　Angus　Macdonald's　burial；　but　we　are　glad；　for　the　credit　of　our　common　humanity；　to　find　the　following　conclusive　testimony　in　an　imperfect　but　excellently　written　MS。　of　the　seventeenth　century；　otherwise　remarkably　　correct　and　trustworthy：〃Some　person；　out　of　what　reason　I　cannot　tell；　　will　needs　affirm　he　was　buried　in　the　church　door；　as　men　go　out　and　in；　which　to　my　certain　knowledge　is　a　malicious　lie；　for　with　my　very　eyes　I　have　seen　his　head　raised　out　of　the　same　grave　and　returned　again；　　wherein　there　was　two　small　cuts；　noways　deep。〃　＇Ancient　MS。＇

The　author　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。　informs　us　that　MacLean　had　　actually　invaded　Ardnamurchan；　and　carried　fire　and　sword　into　that　and　　the　adjoining　territory　of　the　Macdonalds；　whereupon　the　Earl　of　Argyll；　who　claimed　the　Macdonalds　of　those　districts　as　his　vassals　and　dependants；　obtained　criminal　letters　against　MacLean；　who；　finding　this；　sent　for　his　brother…in…law；　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　at　whose　request　he　had　　invaded　the　country　of　the　Macdonalds。　　Both　started　for　Inveraray。　　The　　Earl　seemed　most　determined　to　punish　MacLean；　but　Mackenzie　　informed　him　that　〃he　should　rather　be　blamed　for　it　than　MacLean；　and　　the　King　and　Council　than　either　of　them；　for　he　having　obtained；　upon　　good　grounds；　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword　against　Glengarry　and　such　　as　would　assist　him；　and　against　these　men's　rebellious　and　wicked　　courses；　which　frequently　his　lordship　seemed　to　own；　that　he　did　charge；　as　he　did　several　others　of　the　king's　loyal　subjects；　MacLean　to　assist　　him。〃　　So　that；　if　Maclean　was　to　be　punished　for　acting　as　his　friend　and　as　a　loyal　subject；　he　hoped　to　obtain　a　hearing　before　the　King　and　　Council　under　whose　orders　he　acted。　　After　considerable　discussion　they　　parted　good　friends；　Argyll　having　agreed　not　to　molest　MacLean　any　　further。　　Mackenzie　and　MacLean　returned　to　Duart；　where　his　lordship　　was　warmly　received　and　sumptuously　entertained　by　MacLean's　　immediate　friends　and　kinsmen　for　the　service　which　he　had　just　rendered　　to　their　chief。　　While　thus　engaged；　a　messenger　arrived　at　the　castle　from　　Mackenzie's　lady　and　the　Kintail　men。

After　the　funeral　of　young　Angus　of　Glengarry；　she　became　　concerned　about　her　husband's　safe　return；　and　was　at　the　same　time　most　anxious　that　he　should　be　advised　of　the　state　of　matters　at　home。　She　　therefore　despatched　Robert　Mac　Dhomh'uill　Uidhir　to　arrange　the　safest　　plan　for　bringing　her　lord　safely　home；　as　the　Macdonalds　were　still　　prowling　among　the　creeks　and　bays　further　south。　Robert；　after　the　　interchange　of　unimportant　preliminaries；　on　his　arrival　in　Mull；　informed　　his　master　of　all　that　had　taken　place　during　his　absence。　　MacLean；　　surprised　to　hear　of　such　gallant　conduct　by　the　Kintail　men　in　the　absence　　of　their　chief；　asked　Mackenzie　if　any　of　his　own　kinsmen　were　amongst　　them；　and　being　informed　they　were　not；　Maclean　replied；　〃It　was　a　great　　and　audacious　deed　to　be　done　by　fellows。〃　　〃Truly；　MacLean；〃　returned　Mackenzie；　〃they　were　not　fellows　that　were　there；　but　prime　gentlemen；　　and　such　fellows　as　would　act　the　enterprise　better　than　myself　and　　kinsmen。〃　　〃You　have　very　great　reason　to　make　the　more　of　them；〃　said　　Maclean；　〃he　is　a　happy　superior　who　has　such　a　following。〃　　Both　chiefs　　then　went　outside　to　consult　as　to　the　best　and　safest　means　for　　Mackenzie's　homeward　journey。　MacLean　offered　him　all　his　chief　and　　best　men　to　accompany　him　by　land；　but　this　he　declined；　saying　that　he　　would　not　put　his　friend　to　such　inconvenience；　and　would　return　home　in　　his　own　boat　just　as　he　came；　but　he　was　ultimately　persuaded　to　take　　MacLean's　great　galley；　his　own　being　only　a　small　one。　　He　sailed　in　his　friend's　great　birlinn；　under　the　command　of　the　Captain　of　Cairnburgh；　　accompanied　by　several　other　gentlemen　of　the　MacLeans。

In　the　meantime；　the　Macdonalds；　aware　that　Mackenzie　had　not　　yet　returned　from　Mull；　〃convened　all　the　boats　and　galleys　they　could；　to　　a　certain　island　which　lay　in　his　course；　and　which　he　could　not　avoid　　passing。　　So；　coming　within　sight　of　the　island；　having　a　good　prospect　of　　a　number　of　boats；　after　they　bad　ebbed　in　a　certain　harbour；　and　men　also　　making　ready　to　set　out　to　sea。　This　occasioned　the　captain　to　use　a　　stratagem；　and　steer　directly　to　the　harbour；　and　still　as　they　came　forward　　be　caused　lower　the　sail；　which　the　other　party　perceiving　made　them　　forbear　putting　out　their　boats；　persuading　themselves　that　it　was　a　galley　　they　expected　from　Ardnamurchan；　but　they　had　no　sooner　come　forgainst　the　harbour　but　the　captain　caused　hoist　sail；　set　oars　and　steers　aside；　immediately　bangs　up　a　bagpiper　and　gives　them　shots。　　The　rest；　finding　　the　cheat　and　their　own　mistake；　made　such　a　hurly…burly　setting　out　their　　boats；　with　their　haste　they　broke　some　of　them；　and　some　of　themselves　　were　bruised　and　bad　broken　shins　also　for　their　prey；　and　such　as　went　　out　whole；　perceiving　the　galley　so　far　off；　thought　it　was　folly　to　pursue　　her　any　further；　they　all　returned　wiser　than　they　came　from　home。　　This　　is；　notwithstanding　other　men's　reports；　the　true　and　real　narration　of　Glengarrie　Younger　his　progress；　of　the　Kintail　men　their　meeting　him　in　　Kyle　Rhea；　of　my　lord's　coming　from　Mull；　and　of　the　whole　success；　　which　I　have　heard　verbatim　not　only　from　one　but　from　several　that　were　　present　at　their　actings。〃　＇Ancient　MS。　The　authors　of　the　Letterfearn　and　　Ardintoul　MSS。　give　substantially　the　same　account；　and　say　that　among　　those　who　accompanied　Mackenzie　to　Mull；　was　〃Rory　Beg　Mackenzie；　　son　to　Rory　More　of　Achiglunichan。　Fairburn　and　Achilty's　predecessor；　　and　who　afterwards　died　parson　of　Contine；　from　whom　my　author　had　　the　full　account　of　Mackenzie's　voyage　to　Mull。〃＇

Mackenzie　arrived　at　Ellandonnan　late　at　night；　where　he　found　his　lady　still　entertaining　her　brave　Kintail　men　after　their　return　from　　Glengarry's　funeral。　　While　not　a　little　concerned　about　the　death　of　his　troublesome　relative；　he　heartily　congratulated　his　gallant　retainers　on　the　　manner　in　which　they　had　protected　his　interests　during　his　absence。

Certain　that　the　Macdonalds　would　never　rest　satisfied　until　they　wiped　　out　and　revenged　the　death　of　their　leader；　Mackenzie　determined　to　drive　them　out　of　the　district　altogether。　　The　castle　of　Strome　still　in　possession　　of　Glengarry；　was　the　greatest　obstacle　in　carrying　out　this　resolution；　for　　it　was　a　good　and　convenient　asylum　for　the　Macdonalds　when　pursued　by　　Mackenzie　and　his　followers；　but　he　ultimately　succeeded　in　wresting　it　　from　them。

The　following　account　is　given　in　the　Ancient　MS。　of　how　it　was　taken　from　them：〃In　the　spring　of　the　following　year；　Lord　Kintail　gathered　together　considerable　forces　and　besieged　the　castle　of　Strone　in　　Lochcarron；　which　at　first　held　out　very　manfully；　and　would　not　　surrender；　though　several　terms　were　offered；　which　he　（Mackenzie）　　finding　not　willing　to　lose　his　men；　resolved　to　raise　the　siege　for　a　time；　　but　the　defenders　were　so　unfortunate　as　to　have　their　powder　damaged　by　　the　women　they　had　within。　　Having　sent　them　out　by　silence　of　night　to　　draw　in　water；　out　of　a　well　that　lay　just　at　the　entrance　of　the　castle；　the　　silly　women　were　in　such　fear；　and　the　room　they　brought　the　water　into　　being　so　dark　for　want　of　light；　when　they　came　in　they　poured　the　water　into　a　vat；　missing　the　right　one；　wherein　the　few　barrels　of　powder　they　had　lay。　　And　in　the　morning；　when　the　men　came　for　more　powder；　　having　exhausted　the　supply　of　the　previous　day；　they　found　the　barrels　of　　powder　floating　in　the　vat；　so　they　began　to　rail　and　abuse　the　poor　　women；　which　the　fore…mentioned　Duncan　Mac　Ian　Mhic　Gilliechallum；　　still　a　prisoner　in　the　castle；　hearing；　as　he　was　at　liberty　through　the　house；　having　promised　and　made　solemn　oath　that　he　would　never　co