history of the mackenzies-第74节

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e　officers　in　the　　two　companies　should　be　appointed　according　to　Mackenzie's　recommedations；　〃without　any　further　consideration　than　that　you　judge　it　　right；〃　and　he　desires　to　see　Sir　Alexander　of　Fairburn　for　an　hour　next　　day　to　carry　a　proposal　to　his　Lordship　for　future　operations。　　〃I　think；〃　he　　adds；　〃it　would　be　right　to　assemble　still　more　men　about　Brahan　than　you　now　have；　the　expense　shall　be　made　good　and　it　will　tend　to　make　　Caberfey　respectable；　and　to　discourage　folly　among　your　neighbours。〃　　In　a　letter　of　6th　November　the　President　says；　〃I　supposed　that　your　　Lordship　was　to　have　marched　Hilton's　company　into　town　（Inverness）　on　　Monday　or　Tuesday；　but　I　dare　say　there　is　a　good　reason　why　it　has　not　been　done。〃

On　the　8th　of　November　Mackenzie　informs　the　Lord　President　　that　the　Earl　of　Cromarty　had　crossed　the　river　at　Contin；　with　about　a　hundred　men　on　his　way　to　Beauly；　〃owing　to　the　neglect　of　my　spies；　as　　there's　rogues　of　all　professions。〃　　Lord　　Macleod；　Cromarty's　son　came　　from　Assynt　and　Lochbroom　the　same　day；　and　followed　his　father　to　the　　rendezvous；　　but　after　traversing　the　whole　of　that　northern　district　he　did　　not　get　a　single　volunteer。　　〃Not　a　man　started　from　Ross…shire；　except　　William；　Kilcoy's　brother；　with　seven　men；　and　a　tenant　of　Redcastle　with　a　few　more　and　if　Lentran　and　Torridon　did　go　off　last　night；　they　did　not　　carry　between　them　a　score　of　men。　　I　took　a　ride　yesterday　to　the　　westward　with　two　hundred　men；　but　find　the　bounds　so　rugged　that　it's　　impossible　to　keep　a　single　man　from　going　by　if　he　has　a　mind。　　　However；　I　threatened　to　burn　their　cornyards　if　anybody　was　from　home　　this　day；　and　I　turned　one　house　into　the　river　for　not　finding　its　master　at　　home。　　It's　hard　the　Government　gives　nobody　in　the　North　power　to　keep　　people　in　order。　　I　don't　choose　to　send　a　company　to　Inverness　until　I　hear　　what　they　are　determined　to　do　at　Lord　Lovat's。〃　The　Earl　of　Loudon　writes　to　Marshal　Wade；　then　Commander…in…Chief　in　the　North；　under　date　of　16th　November；　saying　that　150　or　160　　Mackenzies；　seduced　by　the　Earl　of　Cromarty；　marched　in　the　beginning　　of　that　week　up　the　north　side　of　Loch…Ness；　expecting　to　be　followed　by　　500　or　600　Frasers；　under　command　of　the　Master　of　Lovat；　but　the　　Mackenzies　had　not　on　that　date　passed　the　mountains。　　On　the　16th　of　　December　Fortrose　writes　asking　for　？00　expended　by　him　during　two　　months　on　his　men　going　to　and　coming　from　the　Highlands；　for　which　he　　would　not　trouble　him　only　that　he　bad　a　very　〃melancholy　appearance〃　of　　getting　his　Martinmas　rent；　as　the　people　would　be　glad　of　any　excuse　for　non…payment；　and　the　last　severe　winter；　and　their　having　to　leave　home；　　would　afford　them　a　very　good　one。　　He　was　told　by　the　President　in　reply；　that　his　letter　had　been　submitted　to　Lord　Loudon；　that　both　of　them　　agreed　that　his　Lordship's　expenses　must　have　been　far　greater　than　what　　he　claimed；　〃but　as　cash　is　very　low　with　us　at　present；　all　we　can　possibly　　do　is　to　let　your　Lordship　have　the　pay　of　the　two　companies　from　the　date　　of　the　letter　signifying　that　they　were　ordered　to　remain　at　Brahan　for　the　　service　of　the　Government。　The　further　expense；　which　we　are　both　　satisfied　it　must　have　cost　your　Lordship；　shall　be　made　good　as　soon　as　　any　money　to　be　applied　to　contingencies；　which　we　expect；　shall　come　to　　hand；　and　if　it　should　not　come　so　soon　as　we　wish；　the　account　shall　be　　made　up　and　solicited；　in　the　same　manner　with　what　we　lay　out　of　our　　own　purses；　which　is　no　inconsiderable　sums。〃　　This　correspondence　will　　show　the　confidence　which　then　existed　between　the　Government　and　　Lord　Fortrose。

On　the　9th　of　December　the　two　Mackenzie　companies　were　　marched　into　Inverness。　　　Next　day；　accompanied　by　a　detachment　from　Fort…Augustus；　they　proceeded　to　Castle　Dounie　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　Lord　Lovat　to　account。　　The　crafty　old　Simon　agreed　to　come　in　　to　Inverness　and　to　deliver　up　his　arms　on　the　14th　of　the　month；　but　　instead　of　doing　so　he　of　course　made　good　his　escape。　After　the　battle　of　Prestonpans；　the　Government；　on　the　　recommendation　of　the　Earl　of　Stair；　forwarded　twenty　blank　　commissions　to　President　Forbes；　with　orders　to　raise　as　many　companies　　of　100　men　each；　among　the　Highlanders。　　Eighteen　of　the　twenty　were　　sent　to　the　Earls　of　Sutherland　and　Cromarty；　Lords　Fortrose　and　Reay；　the　　Lairds　of　Grant　and　Macleod；　and　Sir　Alexander　Macdonald　of　Sleat；　with　　instructions　to　raise　the　Highland　companies　in　their　respective　districts。　　　The　Earl　of　Cromarty；　while　pretending　to　comply　with　the　instructions　of　the　Lord　President；　offered　the　command　of　one　of　the　companies　to　a　　neighbouring　gentleman；　whom　he　well　knew　to　be　a　strong　Jacobite；　and　　at　the　same　time　made　some　plausible　excuse　for　his　son's　refusal　of　　another　of　the　commissions。

When　Lord　John　Drummond　landed　with　a　body　of　Irish　and　　Scotch　troops；　in　the　service　of　the　French；　to　aid　Prince　Charles；　he　wrote　　to　Mackenzie　announcing　his　arrival　and　earnestly　requesting　him　to　　declare　at　once　for　the　Stuart　cause；　as　the　only　means　by　which　he　could　〃now　expect　to　retrieve　his　character。〃　　All　the　means　at　Drummond's　　disposal　proved　futile；　and　the　Mackenzies　were　thus　kept　out　of　the　　Rising　of　1745。

That　Prince　Charles　fully　appreciated　the　importance　of　having　the　Mackenzies　led　by　their　natural　chief；　for　or　against　him；　will　be　seen　　from　Lord　Macleod's　Narrative　of　the　Rebellion。　＇Printed　at　length　in　　Fraser's　Earls　of　Cromartie。＇　　〃We　set　out；〃　his　Lordship　says；　〃from　　Dunblain　on　the　12th　of　January；　and　arrived　the　same　evening　at　　Glasgow。　　I　immediately　went　to　pay　my　respects　to　the　Prince；　and　found　　that　he　was　already　set　down　to　supper。　　Dr　Cameron　told　Lord　George　　Murray；　who　sat　by　the　Prince；　who　I　was；　on　which　the　Lord　Murray　　introduced　me　to　the　Prince；　whose　hand　I　had　the　honour　to　kiss；　after　　which　the　Prince　ordered　me　to　take　my　place　at　the　table。　　After　supper　I　　followed　the　Prince　to　his　apartment　to　give　him　an　account　of　his　affairs　　in　the　North；　and　of　what　had　passed　in　these　parts　during　the　time　of　his　expedition　to　England。　　I　found　that　nothing　surprised　the　Prince　so　much　as　to　hear　that　the　Earl　of　Seaforth　had　declared　against　him；　for　he　heard　　without　emotion　the　names　of　the　other　people　who　had　joined　the　Earl　of　　Loudon　at　Inverness；　but　when　I　told　him　that　Seaforth　had　likewise　sent　　two　hundred　men　to　Inverness　for　the　service　of　the　Government；　and　that　　he　had　likewise　hindered　many　gentlemen　of　his　clan　from　joining　my　　father　（the　Earl　of　Cromarty）　for　the　service　of　the　Stuarts；　he　turned　to　the　　French　Minister　and　said　to　him；　with　some　warmth；　Hc！　mon　Dieu！　et　Seaforth　est　aussi　contre　moi！〃

At　this　stage　a　hero　named　Mackenzie；　who　had　done　good　service　to　the　Prince　in　his　wanderings　through　the　Highlands　after　the　battle　of　Culloden；　may　be　mentioned。　Such　a　small　tribute　is　due　to　the　gallant　　Roderick　Mackenzie；　whose　intrepidity　and　presence　of　mind　in　the　last　　agonies　of　death；　saved　his　Prince　from　pursuit　at　the　time；　and　was　　consequently　the　means　of　his　ultimate　escape　in　safety　to　France。

Charles　had　been　pursued　with　the　most　persevering　assiduity；　but　Roderick's　ruse　proved　so　successful　on　this　occasion　that　further　search　was　for　a　time　considered　unnecessary。　　Mackenzie　was　a　young　man；　of　　respectable　family；　who　joined　the　Prince　at　Edinburgh；　and　served　as　one　of　his　life…guards。　　Being　about　the　same　age　as　his　Royal　Highness；　and；　like　him；　tall；　somewhat　slender；　and　with　features　in　some　degree　　resembling　his；　he　might；　by　ordinary　observers　not　accustomed　to　see　the　two　together；　have　passed　for　the　Prince　himself。　　As　Roderick　could　not　　venture　with　safety　to　return　to　Edinburgh；　where　still　lived　his　two　　maiden　sisters；　he　after　the　battle　of　Culloden　fled　to　the　Highlands　and　lurked　among　the　hills　of　Glenmoriston；　where；　about　the　middle　of　July；　he　was　surprised　by　a　party　of　Government　soldiers。　　Mackenzie　endeavoured　to　escape；　but；　being　overtaken；　he　turned　on　his　pursuers；　　and；　drawing　his　sword；　bravely　defended　himself。　　He　was　ultimately　shot　by　one　of　the　red…coats；　but　as　he　fell；　mortally　wounded；　he　exclaimed；　　〃You　have　killed　your　Prince！　　You　have　killed　your　Prince！〃　whereupon　　he　immediately　expired。　　The　soldiers；　overjoyed　at　their　supposed　good　　fortune；　cut　off　his　head；　and　hurried　off　to　Fort…Augustus　with　their　prize。

The　Duke　of　Cumberland；　quite　convinced　that　he　had　now　obtained　the　　head　of　his　Royal　relative；　packed　it　up　carefully；　ordered　a　post…chaise；　　and　at　once　went　off　to　London；　taking　the　head　along　with　him。　　After　his　　arrival　the　deception　was　discovered；　but　meanwhile　it　proved　of　great　　assistance　to　Prince　Charles　in　his　ultimately　successful　efforts　to　escape。

Shortly　after　the　battle　of　Culloden　a　fleet　of　ships　appeared　off　the　　coast　of　Lochbroom；　under　the　command　of　Captain　Fergusson。　They　　dropped　anchor　at　Loch…Ceannard；　when　a　large　party　went　ashore　and　　proceeded　up　the　Strath　to　the　residence　of　Mr　Mackenzie　of　Langwell；　　connected　by　marriage　with　the　Earl　of　Cromarty。　　Langwell　having　　supported　the　Prince；　fled　out　of　the　hated　Fergus