His royal highness at parting with the Lady Clanranald thanks her for her great trouble about him. They[316] go to sea about 8 o'clock at night, and as they had but a small breeze in their sail they made but a very little progress; so that about one o'clock afternoon next day they were inclosed with a prodigious thick fog which made them think it dangerous to continue rowing for fear they might err in their course and perhaps unawares approach the coast of Skie, which they were informed was all hemmed with guards of the enemy to prevent [fol. 597.] his royal highness's landing, and being safe. So it was thought proper to drop in the oars till the mist dissipated; and soon afterwards the fog disperst by a feeble caver (i.e. a breeze) of north-easterly wind against them. They mistook the point of Snod for the point of Watternish; but as they were obliged to row close to the shore for a shelter from the wind that blew sidling, they descry pretty near them, about a musket-shot, a number of men under arms, and to the number of fifty armed men sallying out of a formall guard-house, all rushing to the shore, crying vehemently to land upon their peril. Upon this they only changed their course a little further from the shore and did not much pull their oars better than before for fear of suspicion.
29 June
Lieutenant John MacDonald (nephew of Captain Alexander MacDonald) sat at the helm, and the other four MacDonalds wrought most strenuously at the oars, pulling them most industriously but without the least disorder or hurry. But as the guard saw no appearance of their obeying orders they let fly a thick volley at them, which made more noise than harm. [fol. 598.] His royal highness rubs up their courage not to fear the villains. The people replied they maintain'd no fear upon their own account if Providence should rescue his royal highness. He repeats no fear of him. Indeed the people were apt to believe all he could say, God aye working on patent passages for their safety from time to time. But having seen three[317] boats on the shore, they were mighty apprehensive they would pursue them. However, they wrought the boat to the utmost of their endeavours, doubled the tedious point of Watternish, and by this they left all MacLeod's country behind them. And though Sir Alexander MacDonald did not join his royal highness they were sure to meet with greater favour among the worst of his men than among the cold MacLeods. Besides that, MacDonald of Kingsburgh was trysted[318] to meet his royal [fol. 599.] highness upon the shore of Modhstot, Sir Alexander's habitation. They landed upon the 29th of June, Sunday, at Modhstot Bay, where Kingsburgh met them exactly as soon as they footed Skie. He directs Miss MacDonald and Mrs. Burk[319] to his own house; Clanranald's people that brought his royal highness from Uist were desired by himself to turn home.
30 June
His royal highness lodged that night at Kingsburgh. From Kingsburgh he went to Portree,[320] where Captain Malcolm MacLeod received him and conducted him to the Island of Raisa, and from thence back again to Skie, where he delivered him over into the hands of the old Laird of MacKinnon, who without loss of time provided him in a boat. The old Laird and four of his men, viz., John MacRory VicLauchlan, Calum McEan Yairs, etc., ferryed his royal highness over from Skie to a place called Buarblach in Glengary's lands. He was but two or three nights upon the MacKinnon's lands. Here it is [fol. 600.] to be observed, though he happened to be landed upon Glengarie's lands, that he would by no means go to Knoydart, which was very near him, nor to Lochabar, but chused to strike directly to Clanranald's[321] continent to a place called Cross in Morror, from whence he was received and conveyed by Angus MacDonald of Boradale,[322] the first house he entred in the Highlands at his first landing upon the continent.
Veir mi niosh a chorrahimain yuit
fein, gos a faidh mi tuillad Gaosid.
i.e. I leave you the Thrawcrook
till I get more hair.[323]
10 July