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While examining the
papers connected with a case already mentioned, I came upon a letter
from General Macleod of Macleod, written immediately after his
appointment as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Battalion just raised
of the 42nd Highlanders. From being in a damp place, the concluding
two or three lines of the letter have worn away and disappeared. The
letter is addressed to and docquetted by Provost John Mackintosh of
Aberarder, "Col Mackleod of Mackleod London, 27th September,
1779."--
"Dear Sir,-I have the
pleasure to inform you that I have been appointed Lieutenant-Colonel
to the 2nd Battalion of the 42nd which is going to be raised. As I
cannot obtain leave to repair immediately to Scotland, I have begged
my friends in Skye to begin recruiting my quota in my absence. I
have lodged £700 in the hands of Mr Alexander Anderson, Lothbury,
London, as a fund for this service, and I have directed Tallisker,
and my factor, Mr John Macdonald, to apply for any sum they may want
to you. You may draw on me at Mr Anderson's, and depend on having
your bills duly honoured. Captain John Mackintosh of the 42nd is
appointed major, and I am desired by Lord John Murray to spur his
friends in recruiting for him. The rank of officers depend on the
speedy comp—." (here the paper becomes illegible.)
Captain John
Mackintosh, above mentioned, got his majority and was the last of
the Mackintoshes of Corrybrough Mor, in Lower Strathdearn, having
sold the property to the Balnespick family, who still possess it.
It is well known that
Skye sent out hundreds of men and scores of officers who served in
the Indian and Peninsular wars, and, judging by their letters, fine
fellows they were in every respect. For instance, here is a kindly
letter from Lieutenant William Macleod of Glendale, dated the 23rd
of March, 1787 :-
"Glendale House, 23rd
March, 1787. The bearer, a poor though honest fellow, has this
moment got the enclosed summons from our ruler, your namesake. For
the love of God do exert yourself on his behalf. What prepossesses
one most in his favour is that he and the rest of the tenants of the
farm had a tack of the lands which our factor got a reading of; and
thereby made away with it. My opinion of the matter is that you
should summon the person who had the tack in keeping to produce it,
and he will then tell how he gave away the other people's right.
This will bring things to light in the proper colours. He will pay
himself what he is able to spare, and moreover, you will yourself
get renown.—Yours affectionately. (Signed) "WM. MCLEOD."
One further
illustration. Lieutenant John Macleod of Unish, I should fancy a
retired veteran under petticoat government, sends to an Inverness
merchant for a trifle for himself, and for a young boy three or four
primers, both modest purchases; but for his wife 2 dozen large
yellow buttons for a riding habit, a hat to the value of eight or
nine shillings, with one black feather, and a pound of pins.
MACLEOD OF BAY
ASSAULTED BY AN IRISHMAN.
ANY one going from
Fairybridge towards Stein and Waternish will observe a tall, gaunt,
roofless building at the head of the lake, the walls whereof
indicate that substantial people once lived there. Why it has become
a ruin, unless it was accidentally burnt, seems rather strange. Here
lived a century ago Captain Alexander Macleod, natural son of Norman
Macleod of Macleod of the '45, a veteran who had seen much service
abroad. In 1775 he met Dr Johnson and Boswell at Dunvegan Castle,
and is described as one of the influential clansmen of Macleod. He
married Anne, eldest daughter of Flora Macdonald, and one of their
children was the ill-fated Lieutenant Norman Macleod, who was killed
in a duel by Glengarry in 1798.
In connection with
this duel Sir William A. Mackinnon, K.C.B., one of Skye's most
gallant sons, sends me the following information relative to an
incident which occurred several years after—
Many years after the
unfortunate death of Lieutenant Macleod killed in the notable duel,
Glengarry went to Skye on a Visit to Lord Macdonald. He appeared at
Portree on a market day where there happened to be a large gathering
of Skye gentlemen, including many of the Macleod Clan, among whom
were several relatives of the unfortunate Lieutenant Macleod.
On Glengarry's
arrival at the Market Stance, he at once had a cask of whisky placed
there, where in the old Highland style drink was served all round.
Thereafter the gentlemen assembled in the inn to dine, having
Glengarry present as their guest. After some time, as the whisky
began to have its effect on the people attending the market, and
particularly among the Macleods, a cry for revenge for Lieutenant
Macleod's death was raised, which was taken up by the Skyemen
generally. While the dinner was going on an angry and excited crowd
gathered outside the inn, and demanded Glengarry dead or alive, as
they were determined to avenge Macleod's death. Lachlan Mackinnon of
Corry was in the chair, at the time holding the office of Sheriff of
Skye. Corry vent outside and made a speech to the crowd, praying
them not to forget the laws of hospitality, or so far forget
themselves as to cause injury to or insult the guest of the great
Chief of the Island. Still the crowd clamoured and insisted on
having Glengarry at their mercy. Corry then, seeing that matters
were becoming serious and that the crowd meant mischief, got
Glengarry smuggled out by the back door of the inn, where a horse
was ready for him, and he rode off to Kylerhea, and thence out of
Skye, to which he never again returned.
The Skyemen, however
had the gillies with Glengarry's stag-hounds still in their hands.
They did not touch the former, but mutilated the stag-hounds by
cutting off their ears and tails, and in sending away the men and
dogs a message was sent to their master that if he ever came back to
Skye his head would come off.
The above account was
given to me, says Sir William, by my father, late minister of Strath,
and my mother, Corry's sister, many years ago.
The mutilation of his
dogs must have been a severe blow to the old Chief, as from his
history it is well-known how much he prided himself on his
stag-hounds. In old times deer were chased and run down by the dogs,
and I believe Glengarry was one of the last who continued the
Ossianic method.
Sir William A.
Mackinnon never forgot the story, and it is probable that he is the
only living Skyeman who knows the facts here narrated.
It seems singular
that Captain Alexander Macleod had been an officer in Glengarry's
regiment, as is seen by the following extract from the letter of a
creditor of the Captain's, dated Portree, 1795, afraid of his
money:- "Mr Alexander Macleod of Lochbay has joined Glengarry's
Volunteers, and has left the country in my debt without informing
me."
It was Captain
Macleod's daughter Mary who lived at Stein, and gave so much
valuable information to the late Rev. Mr Macgregor, which he
utilised in his excellent work on Flora Macdonald, published by A. &
W. Mackenzie, Inverness.
Stein was one of the
most pretentious undertakings of the Fisheries Society, and how its
officials conducted themselves towards the natives may be gathered
from the letter after quoted, written by Captain Macleod, from
Gillin, 30th July, 1801, and backed as from "Captain Macleod, Bay."
The Captain writes—
"A most violent
attempt was made upon my life by William Porter, surgeon, and agent
for the British Society at Lochbay. At said place, upon Saturday,
the 6th day of June last, the said William Porter, having taken a
walk upon the shore of Lochbay, upon the said day, in company with
his wife, was there met by me and Captain Norman Macleod of the
Waternish Volunteers, and without any altercation whatever he, in
the true style of an Hibernian, struck me over the head with a stick
he had in his hand, at the same time grasping my face with the
other, and by the appearance of my eyes afterwards, his intention
was to have pulled either one or both of them out, with his
fashionable talons. Not satisfied with this, he wrested a hazel
stick from me, which had a heavy head carved like a man's, which he
took by the small end and continued to strike me on the head, till
the stick flew in shivers, and the blood ran in torrents down my
shoulders. Captain Macleod's right arm, like my own being disabled,
it was impossible for him to have saved me, and if people upon the
beach employed in riddling sand had not interfered, there is no
doubt he had taken my life, which he most certainly wished to have
done These people declared, though they observed the Doctor strike
me repeatedly, they concluded we were diverting ourselves as they
always knew us to be on very good terms. When I found myself
relieved by the workmen, and finding three large cuts in my head, I
took up a stone and flung it at the Doctor, which did not hit him. I
also acknowledge to have called him a bloodthirsty Irish scoundrel,
and that none but an infamous coward would have used a man he well
knew had only the power of his left hand, in the manner he had done.
Captain Macleod stood all this time with his hand upon the hilt of
his sword, fearing, as I was told, that one of us might pull it from
him. After he had gone away, the Captain observed he struck me with
his whip, and that he believed it still remained where he dropped
it. I told him it was no whip but the stick he first struck me with,
and which he broke over my head, in which state it appeared to him
like a whip, on which I took it up and let him see it. I do not know
but his using me in this manner, knowing me to be one of the
Justices of Peace for this county, aggravates the crime. My holding
this office he cannot pretend to be ignorant of, as he employed me
more than once in that capacity. With great difficulty I endeavoured
to walk home, the distance being about a short mile, and took boat
immediately for Grishernish and showed Sheriff John Macdonald the
situation I was in. lie pretended he was sorry for my usage, but
could do nothing in the case until the matter was judicially brought
before him, and suggested the propriety of my applying to
Livingstone, the innkeeper at Portree, his Procurator-Fiscal, and he
was uncertain when he could hold a Court on account of the sickness
of one of his daughters—She, being a patient of Dr Porter's, and the
Fiscal distant about fourteen miles, and having despaired of any
redress, I returned home the same evening. The afternoon being
chilly, and getting cold, I found myself feverish, and being next
morning much worse, my wife and some others who were present deemed
it necessary to send an express for Dr Macaskill, who arrived Monday
the 8th of June, and found my head very much swelled, and cut to the
bone in three different places, and the glands of my neck so much
swollen and pained, that I could hardly move my head on the pillows.
Thus, I was unable to stir out of bed for eight days. I was obliged
to apply last week to Dr Macaskill, who was so kind as bring some
camphor and other things to reduce the swelling in my neck, which I
am sorry to say does not seem to yield to his application, but
rather increases and becomes worse. Since the above accident, or
rather premeditated assault, I am very sensible of a defect in my
sight. During four days, from the blows given, all objects appear to
me red, from which I am inclined to think that the organs of sight
have been impaired.
I want damages of
£200, and whether the Sheriff allows so much or not, I hope he will
put a stop to the arbitrary proceedings of the British Society's
agent—he like his predecessor in office, acting more like a Spanish
Viceroy than a man employed to encourage the natives of this country
to industry, and to direct their attention from emigrating to the
States of America."
The above presents a
singular state of matters among the "Upper ten" of Waternish a
century ago. The representative of law and order behaves like a
savage; a Captain of volunteers goes about wearing a sword which he
cannot use, reminding one somewhat of the resultless duel between
Lord Chatham and Sir Richard Strachan - The Earl with sword full
drawn, stood waiting Sir Richard Strachan Sir Richard, tho' longing
to be at him, Stood waiting for the Earl of Chatham."
It will not surprise
the reader that a lady of mature charms, but well preserved, was at
the bottom of the business. The Procurator-Fiscal of Skye was an
innkeeper, and the Sheriff of the day used to hold Courts within the
Change-House of Dunvegan. |
