Harper's Round Table, November 17, 1896

Copyright, 1896, by Harper & Brothers. All Rights Reserved.

THE BATTLE OF GLEN FREON, BY THE MARQUIS OF LORNE. The Beginning of the Battle between Highlanders and Lowlanders.

This is how the country people still tell the story of the Tragedy of the Youths, an incident of the time of James VI. of Scotland and I. of England, about forty years before the sailing of the Mayflower to America:
It was therefore no wonder that the young lads were badly received, for they had not disguised their names, and no man would help them to get home. They consulted together and determined to try to get across the loch, and went to a place called the Caolaig, where a boat was kept by a man who, when payment seemed assured, undertook to ferry people over to the other side. The boys begged that they might be put across the water, but the night threatening storm and the ferryman disliking to cross, they were refused. They begged for shelter, but this was also denied them. Food there was none for them at Caolaig any more than at Luss. Left by this harsh treatment to shift for themselves, they looked around for some place where they might find refuge, and at last they found a goat shelter, and went into this, and lay down in the cold and darkness, waiting in fear until they thought every one had gone to rest before they dared try to make a fire. When they thought that they would not be seen they made search for fuel, and happened on an out-house where a farmer had left some agricultural implements. The shafts and handles of these the boys took, breaking them up for fire-wood. A plough that had a good deal of wood in it they destroyed for fuel, and lit a fire, and having caught a young goat, killed this and roasted it to satisfy their hunger. All this had been done, as they supposed, without any one having been able to notice them, for they had hidden their fire as much as they could, and the snow and storm made them think themselves secure. But some one saw the light, followed them, and seeing what they had done, went to Rossdhu, and told Sir Humphrey Colquhoun that the MacGregors were at their old work again. A band of men was quickly got together, and the two youths were caught and taken to Sir Humphrey's place, and there put in prison. A court was held, witnesses were examined, the case against them fully proved, and they were sentenced to be hanged on a day that was named. Whether any of their kindred were present at the trial is not known, but in a very short time the news spread through the country that the lads were to be executed, and the men of Glen Gyle and Croigchrosdain resolved to go in a body under their chief to the place of punishment and ask for the corpses of the lads to take them back with them for burial in their own district. When the day arrived Sir Humphrey had a large force of men besides those from his own estate. He caused the two prisoners to be brought from the prison of the House of Rossdhu to a knoll called in the Gaelic Tom-Na-Cruaich (Knoll of the Gallows), a short distance from the Light Grey Brook, by the side of the highway. The Colquhouns selected a fir-tree, which grew on the mound, to serve as a gallows, and the two lads were made to stand up to be hung. But something went wrong with the withes of the gallows, and the two lads fell as soon as their weight was on the ropes, and were not much the worse. Then a great shout went up from the MacGregors and Curries who had come over the loch. The sentence of the law is fulfilled. Let the prisoners go. They rushed to the gallows, intending to rescue the lads, but their numbers were small in comparison to the followers of Sir Humphrey, whose men spoke insolently and contemptuously to them, while they barred the way, and prevented any nearer approach to the place where the lads lay. Meanwhile new withes or ropes had been adjusted, and the prisoners were hung up again, and left to die, amid the cries of their friends, who shouted and yelled beyond the crowd of the men Sir Humphrey had closely surrounding the mound. When it was evident that the lads were dead they were let down, and their heads were cut from their trunks, and the heads were placed on stakes, one on each side of the gate of Rossdhu. The men who had demanded their pardon went away full of anger.