On the 20th of July at night, Glenaladale met with the foresaid Angus Macdonald at the place they had formerly agreed upon, from whence he was conducted to his royal highness. On the 21st, Angus MacDonald got a letter from a son-in-law of his own, acquainting that it was whispered about the country that his royal highness was with them, and representing how dangerous it was for them to stay any longer there, and making an offer of a place he had prepared, where they might be more secure for some time. Accordingly Ranald MacDonald [fol. 604.] was sent to reconnoitre the place.
22 July
July
Upon the 22nd of July, Lieutenant John MacDonald being sent to view the sea-coast and to learn something of the enemy's motions, he returned with the news of their seeing a small boat, something like one of the enemy's tenders, which allarmed that side of the coast. Upon which his royal highness judged it proper to remove from his grotto (without waiting the return of the quartermaster he sent the day before to take up his lodgings) in order to repair to the place prepared for him in the Glen of Moror. His royal highness, being accompanied by Major MacDonald of Glenaladale, Angus MacDonald of Boradale, and his son, John, junior, when they came to a place called Corrybeinicabir, they were met by Angus MacDonald's son-in-law, who, as above mentioned, had a place prepared for them in the Glen of Moror,[329] and who informed that young Clanranald was within a few miles of them, who had come to where he then was, in order to conduct his royal [fol. 605.] highness to a safe place he had prepared for him: but his royal highness and his small party having gone on too far towards their designed quarters, and it being late to go where Clanranald was or to send for him that night, they went on, supposing they would have time enough next day to send for Clanranald. Accordingly they pursued their journey to the Glen of Moror, and sent Angus MacDonald to provide some necessaries. Upon his royal highness's arrival at his quarters,[330] an information was brought that General Campbell, with six men-of-war, well furnished with troops, had anchored at Loch Naives (the place where his royal highness landed from Skie in Glengary's country), whereupon two men were sent off by Loch Moror to Loch Naives to observe General Campbell's motions. But before they had time to return, Angus MacDonald came back upon the 23rd early, without waiting for the necessaries [fol. 606.] he went for, and brought intelligence that Captain Scott had come to the lower part of Arisaig from Glengary's Moror.
July
His royal highness and the small company that was with him, finding upon this information that Clanranald's country was surrounded on all sides by the troops, and that in all probability there could be no further security for his person in that country, it was resolved that his royal highness should leave it with the utmost dispatch, especially since it was impossible to join young Clanranald,[331] the enemy being already between them and the place where he was. Accordingly he sets out, accompanied only by Major MacDonald of Glenaladale and his brother (Lieutenant John MacDonald), and the other Lieutenant John MacDonald, junior, Boradale's son, being obliged to part with Angus MacDonald of Boradale, and his son-in-law (Angus MacEachine), surgeon formerly to Glengary's regiment, that they might the more easily pass undiscovered by the guards placed on their way,[332] and by twelve o'clock they came to the [fol. 607.] top of a hill in the outmost bounds of Arisaig called Scoorvuy, where having taken some refreshment it was thought proper to send Lieutenant John MacDonald (Glenaladale's brother) to Glenfinin, the outmost bounds of Clanranald's country, and Major MacDonald of Glenaladale's property, as well for intelligence as to bring two men Glenaladale kept still on guard there, and appointed them to meet him about ten o'clock at night on the top of a hill, above Lochharkaig in Lochiel's country, called Scoorwick Corrichan.
Lieutenant MacDonald being sent off, his royal highness set out, and by two o'clock came to the top of a neighbouring hill called Fruighvein, where, observing some cattle in motion, his royal highness and the other Lieutenant MacDonald stood back, and Major MacDonald of Glenaladale went to examine what that might mean; who upon examination found this to be some of his own tenants removing with their cattle from the troops, who by this time, to the number of five or seven hundred, [fol. 608.] had come to the head of Lochharkaig, in order to inclose his royal highness in Clanranald's country, while the search was going on very narrowly within it. This being the route they were resolved to hold, pretty much disconcerted their measures. Major MacDonald of Glenaladale bringing back word to his royal highness of what he had heard, they resolved to alter their course, and accordingly the Major sent off one of his own tenants express to Glenfinnan about a mile off, to call back Lieutenant MacDonald and the guard if he had found them, and sent another of his tenants to an adjacent hill for one Donald Cameron of Glenpean,[333] where he had removed with his effects upon the approach of the troops, in order to learn from the said Donald Cameron the situation of the forces that were at Fort Augustus, and if he would undertake to guide his royal highness by their guards, if possible.
23 July
24 July
While his royal highness and Major MacDonald of Glenaladale, with Lieutenant MacDonald (Boradale's son), waited the return of both the expresses, one of the Major's tenant's wives, regreting the condition she saw him in, and willing to refresh him the best she could (she suspecting nothing of his [fol. 609.] royal highness being in company with him), milked some of her cattle, and brought the fresh milk to them. Upon observing the woman coming up to them, the Prince covered his head with a handkerchief and passed for one of the Major's servants that had got an ache in his head. Notwithstanding the refreshment was very seasonable, the day being excessively hot, they could very well have dispensed with the good woman's compliment. However, the Major thanked her and used some policy to dismiss her, having first taken care to have some of the milk reserved for his royal highness, which he drank with pleasure. Soon after the express sent to Glenfinnan returned, but could find neither Lieutenant MacDonald (Glenaladale's brother), nor the two men, they having run express with intelligence to where they expected to have found the Major. The said express brought word that a hundred of the Argyleshire militia had come to the very foot of the hill where his [fol. 610.] royal highness stayed; whereupon it was thought proper to tarry no longer there; and, as there was no time to wait for Donald Cameron, their expected guide, trusting in the great Guide that directs all, his royal highness, full of courage and confidence, set out about sun-setting with his small retinue, and travelled pretty hard till about eleven o'clock at night, when, passing thro' a hollow between two hills, they observed a man coming down one of the hills. Upon which his royal highness and Lieutenant MacDonald (Boradale's son), stept aside, and Major MacDonald of Glenaladale[334] went to the man to examine whether he might be a friend or a foe, and as Providence would have it, found him to be their intended guide, Donald Cameron, whom after some short conversation he conducted to his royal highness. Donald Cameron gave a relation so far as he knew of the situation of the forces, and undertook to guide them by the guards. Upon this they [fol. 611.] pursued their way through roads almost impassable even in day light, and travelling all night they came at four o'clock in the morning upon the 24th of July to the top of a hill in the Brae of Lochharkaig, called Mamnynleallum, from whence they could (without the help of a prospective glass) discern their enemy's camp, being not above a mile distant. But being informed by the guide that that hill was searched the day before by the troops, they supposed there would not be a second search that day, and therefore they resolved to pass the day there; and choosing the fastest place in the hill they took a little rest. After two hours sleep the Major, Lieutenant MacDonald, and the guide got up to keep sentry, and by ten o'clock of the day they observed a man at a distance, and as the guide (Donald Cameron) being in his own country, and very near his own place of residence, knew the inhabitants best, he was sent to converse with that man, and upon examination [fol. 612.] found him to be Lieutenant MacDonald, Glenaladale's brother, who not meeting his royal highness at the place appointed and getting no intelligence of the enemy's being so near till he himself came within sight of their camp, he turned apprehensive of what might happen to be the case, and regretting his misfortune in parting with his royal highness, went on wherever Providence directed him, which (most happily) brought him directly to the place where the Prince was, who was well pleased to find the lieutenant safe, as the whole company had given him over for lost.