history of the mackenzies-第89节

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o　be　found　on　Loch　Tolly　Island；　along　with　his　second　wife；　two　of　his　sons　by　the　first　marriage；　and　a　daughter。　The　　brothers；　having　reached　Gairloch；　took　up　their　abode　at　the　old　Tigh　　Dige；　a　wattled　house；　surrounded　by　a　ditch；　whose　site　is　still　pointed　out　in　one　of　the　Flowerdale　parks；　a　few　hundred　yards　above　the　stone　　bridge　which　crosses　the　Ceann…an…t…Sail　river　at　the　head　of　Gairloch　　Bay。　　Next　day　the　murderous　barbarians　crossed　over　to　Loch　Tolly。　　On　　the　way　they　learnt　that　Allan　was　not　then　on　the　island；　he　having　gone　a…fishing　on　the　Ewe。　They　at　once　proceeded　in　that　direction；　found　him　　sound　asleep　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　at　〃Cnoc　na　Mi…chomhairle；〃　and　　without　any　warning　〃made　him　short　by　the　head。〃　　Then　retracing　their　steps；　and　ferrying　across　to　the　island　where　Allan's　wife；　with　two　of　her　　three　step…children　were　enjoying　themselves；　they；　in　the　most　cold…blooded　manner；　informed　her　of　her　husband's　fate；　tore　the　two　boysthe　third　being　fortunately　absentfrom　her　knees；　took　them　ashore；　and　　carried　them　along　to　a　small　glen　through　which　the　Poolewe　Road　now　　passes；　about　a　mile　to　the　south　of　the　loch；　and　there；　at　a　spot　still　called　〃Creag　Bhadain　an　Aisc；〃　the　Rock　at　the　place　of　Burial；　stabbed　　them　to　the　heart　with　their　daggers；　and　carried　their　bloodstained　shirts　along　with　them　to　the　Tigh　Dige。　　These　shirts　the　stepmother　ultimately　secured　　through　　the　　strategy　of　one　of　her　husband's　retainers；　who　at　once　proceeded　with　them　to　the　boys'　grandfather；　Alexander　Mackenzie；　　VI。　of　Kintail；　at　　Kinellan　or　Brahan。　Hector　Roy　started　immediately；　　carrying　the　bloodstained　shirts　along　with　him　as　evidence　of　the　　atrocious　deed；　to　report　the　murder　to　the　King　at　Edinburgh。　　His　　Majesty　on　hearing　of　the　crime　granted　Hector　a　commission　of　fire　and　　sword　against　the　murderers　of　his　nephews；　and　gave　him　a　Crown　　charter　to　the　lands　of　Gairloch　in　his　own　favour　dated　1494。　　The　　assassins　were　soon　afterwards　slain　at　a　hollow　still　pointed　out　between　Porthenderson　and　South　Erradale；　nearly　opposite　the　northern　end　of　the　Island　of　Raasay；　where　their　graves　are　yet　to　be　seen；　quite　fresh　and　　green；　among　the　surrounding　heather。　＇Mackenzie's　History　of　the　　Macleods；　pp。　342；　343。＇

One　of　the　family　historians　says　that　this　was　the　first　step　that　Hector　Roy　got　to　Gairloch。　　His　brother…in…law；　Allan　Macleod；　gave　him　　the　custody　of　their　rights；　but　when　he　found　his　nephews　were　murdered；　he　took　a　new　gift　of　it　to　himself；　and　going　to　Gairloch　with　a　number　of　　Kintail　men　and　others；　he　took　a　heirschip　with　him；　but　such　as　were　　alive　of　the　Siol　‘ille　Challum　of　Gairloch；　followed　him　and　fought　him　　at　a　place　called　Glasleoid；　but　they　being　beat　Hector　carried　away　the　　heirschip。　　After　this　and　several　other　skirmishes　they　were　content　to　　allow　him　the　two…thirds　of　Gairloch；　providing　he　would　let　themselves　　possess　the　other　third　in　peace；　which　he　did；　and　they　kept　possession　till　　Hector's　great…grandchild　put　them　from　it。〃　＇Ancient　MS。＇

The　Earl　of　Cromarty；　and　other　MS。　historians　of　the　family　fully　corroborate　this。　　The　Earl　says　that　Hector；　incited　to　revenge　by　the　foul　　murder　of　his　nephews；　made　some　attempts　to　oust　the　Macleods　from　　Gairloch　during　John　of　Killin's　minority；　but　was　not　willing　to　engage　in　　war　with　such　a　powerful　chief　as　Macleod　of　Lewis；　while　he　felt　himself　insecure　in　his　other　possessions；　but　after　arranging　matters　amicably　　with　his　nephew　of　Kintail；　and　now　being　master　of　a　fortune　and　　possessions　suitable　to　his　mind　and　quality；　he　resolved　to　avenge　the　　murder　and　to　〃make　it　productive　of　his　own　advantage。〃　　He　summoned　　all　those　who　were　accessory　to　the　assassination　of　his　sister's　children　　before　the　Chief　Justice。　　Their　well　grounded　fears　made　them　absent　themselves　from　Court。　　Hector　produced　the　bloody　shirts　of　the　murdered　boys；　whereupon　the　murderers　were　declared　fugitives　and　outlaws；　and　a　commission　granted　in　his　favour　for　their　pursuit；　〃which　he　did　so　resolutely　manage　that　in　a　short　time　he　killed　many；　preserved　　some　to　justice；　and　forced　the　remainder　to　a　composition　advantageous　　to　himself。　His　successors；　who　were　both　active　and　prudent　men；　did　　thereafter　acquire　the　rest　from　their　unthrifty　neighbours。〃　　The　greatest　　defeat　that　Hector　ever　gave　to　the　Macleods　〃was　at　Bealach　Glasleoid；　　near　Kintail；　where　most　of　them　were　taken　or　killed。〃　　At　this　fight　　Duncan　Mor　na　Tuaighe；　who　so　signally　distinguished　himself　at　Blar…na…Pairc；　was　present　with　Hector；　and　on　being　told　that　four　men　were　together　attacking　his　son　Dugal；　he　indifferently　replied；　〃Well；　if　he　be　　my　son　there　is　no　hazard　for　that；〃　a　remark　which　turned　out　quite　true；　　for　the　hero　killed　the　four　Macleods；　and　came　off　himself　without　any　　serious　wounds。　＇Duncan　in　his　old　days　was　very　assisting　to　Hector；　　Gairloch's　predecessor；　against　the　Macleods　of　Gairloch；　for　he；　with　his　　son　Dugal；　who　was　a　strong；　prudent；　and　courageous　man；　with　ten　or　　twelve　other　Kintailmen；　were　alwise；　upon　the　least　advertisement；　ready　to　go　and　assist　Hector；　whenever；　wherever；　and　in　whatever　he　had　to　　do；　for　which　cause　there　has　been　a　friendly　correspondence　betwixt　the　　family　of　Gairloch　and　the　MacRas　of　Kintail；　which　still　continues。〃Genealogy　of　the　MacRas。＇

The　massacre　of　Island　Isay　followed　a　considerable　time　after　this；　and　its　object　was　very　much　the　same　as　the　murder　of　Loch　Tolly；　　although　carried　out　by　a　different　assassin。　　Ruairidh　〃Nimhneach〃　　Macleod；　son　of　Allan　〃Mac　Ruairdh〃　of　Gairloch；　and　nephew　of　the　　Loch　Tolly　assassins；　determined　not　only　to　remove　the　children　of　John　　Mor　na　Tuaighe；　brother　of　Alexander　Macleod；　II。　of　Raasay；　by　Janet　　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　but　also　to　destroy　the　direct　line　of　the　Macleods　of　　Raasay；　and　thus　open　up　the　succession　to　John　na　Tuaighe's　son　by　his　　second　wife；　Roderick　Nimhneach's　sister；　and　failing　him；　to　Roderick's　　own　son　Allan。　By　this　connection　it　would；　he　thought；　be　easier　for　him　　to　attain　repossession　of　the　lands　of　Gairloch；　from　which　his　family　was　　driven　by　the　Mackenzies。

Roderick's　name　appears　as　〃Rory　Mac　Allan；　alias　　Nevymnauch；〃　in　a　decree…arbitral　by　the　Regent　Earl　of　Murray　between　　Donald　Macdonald；　V。　of　Sleat；　and　Colin　Mackenzie；　XI。　of　Kintail；　　dated　at　Perth；　the　1st　of　August；　1569；　in　terms　of　which　Macdonald　becomes　responsible　for　Roderick　and　undertakes　that　he　and　his　kin　shall　〃desist　and　cease　troubling；　molesting；　harming　or　invasion　of　the　said　　　Laird　of　Gairloch's　lands　and　rowmes；　possessions；　tenants；　servants；　and　goods；　while　on　the　other　hand　Kintail　shall　see　to　it　　that　Torquil　　Cononach　shall　cease　to　do　the　same　in　all　respects　to　Macdonald's　　lands。〃　　In　1586　Roderick　is　described　as　〃of　Lochgair；〃　but　another　　person　is　named　in　the　same　document　as　〃Macleud；　heritor　of　the　lands　　of　Gairloch；〃　which　proves　that　Roderick　Nimhneach　was　not　the　actual　　proprietor　of　even　the　small　portion　of　that　district　which　was　still　left　to　　his　family。　　He　was　the　second　son；　and　one　of　the　objects　of　the　massacre　　on　Island　Isay　was　to　cut　off　his　father's　only　surviving　son　and　heir　by　his　　first　wifea　daughter　of　Mackenzie　of　Kintailwho　escaped　the　previous　　massacre　on　the　Island　of　Loch　Tolly。

With　the　view　of　cutting　off　the　legitimate　male　representation　of　his　own　Macleod　relatives　of　Gairloch　and　of　Raasay；　he　invited　all　the　　members　of　both　families；　and　most　of　them　accepted　the　invitation。　　　Roderick　on　their　arrival　feasted　them　sumptuously　at　a　great　banquet。

In　　the　middle　of　the　festivities　he　informed　them　of　his　desire　to　have　each　man's　advice　separately；　and　that　he　would　after…wards　make　known　to　　them　the　important　business　which　had　to　be　considered；　and　which　　closely　concerned　each　of　them。　　He　then　retired　into　a　separate　　apartment；　and　called　them　in　one　by　one；　when　they　were　each；　as　they　　entered；　stabbed　with　dirks　through　the　body　by　a　set　of　murderous　　savages　whom　he　had　engaged　and　posted　inside　the　room　for　the　purpose。

Not　one　of　the　family　of　Raasay　was　left　alive；　except　a　boy　nine　years　of　　age；　who　was　being　fostered　from　home；　and　who　had　been　sent　privately　　by　his　foster…father；　when　the　news　of　the　massacre　became　known；　to　the　　laird　of　Calder；　who　kept　him　in　safety　during　his　minority。　　He　afterwards　　obtained　possession　of　Raasay；　and　became　known　as　Gillecallum　Garbh　　MacGillechallum。　　Macleod　of　Gairloch's　sons；　by　Hector　Roy's　sister；　　were　all　murdered。　Roderick　took　his　own　nephew　to　the　room　where；　　walking　with　his　brutal　relative；　he　heard　one　of　his　half…brothers　cry　on　　being　stabbed　by　the　assassin's　dirk；　and　saying　〃Yon's　my　brother's　cry。〃

〃Hold　your　peace；〃　Rory　replied；　〃yonder　cry　is　to　make　you　laird　of　　Gairloch；　he　is　the　son　of　one　of　Mackenzie's　daughters。〃　The　boy；　　fearing　that　his　own　life　might　be　sacrificed；　held　his　tongue；　〃but　　afterwards　he　did　what　in　him　lay　in　revenging　the　cruel　death　of　his　　brothers　and　kinsmen　on　the　murtherers。〃　＇Ancient　MS。＇

In　acknowledgment　of　the　King's　favour；　Hector　gathered　his　　follow