history of the mackenzies-第54章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　successful　result　of　this　expedition　encouraged　Angus　so　much　that　he　began　to　think　fortune　had　at　last　turned　in　his　favour；　and　he　set　　out　and　called　personally　upon　all　the　chief　and　leaders　of　the　various　　branches　of　the　Macdonalds　in　the　west；　soliciting　their　assistance　against　　the　Mackenzies；　which　they　all　agreed　to　give　him　in　the　following　spring。

This　soon　came　to　Mackenzie's　knowledge；　who　was　at　the　time　residing　in　Ellandonnan　Castle；　and　fearing　the　consequences　of　such　a　　powerful　combination　against　him；　he　went　privately　to　Mull　by　sea　to　　consult　his　brother…in…law；　Hector　Og　Maclean　of　Duart；　to　whom　he　told　　that　he　had　a　commission　of　fire　and　sword　against　〃the　rebels　of　　Glengarry　and　such　as　would　rise　in　arms　to　assist　them；　and　being　　informed　that　the　Macdonalds　near　him　（Maclean）　had　combined　to　join　　them；　and　to　put　him　to　further　trouble；　that；　therefore；　he　would；　not　only　　as　a　good　subject　but　as　his　fast　friend；　divert　these　whenever　they　should　　rise　in　arms　against　him。〃　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇　　Maclean　undertook　to　prevent　　the　assistance　of　the　Clan　Ranald　of　Isla　and　the　Macdonalds　of　Glencoe　　and　Ardnamurchan；　by；　if　necessary；　invading　their　territories；　and　thus　　compelling　them　to　protect　their　own　interests　at　home。　　It　appears　that　old　　Glengarry　was　still　anxious　to　arrange　a　permanent　peace　with　Mackenzie；　　but　his　son　Angus；　restless　and　turbulent　as　ever；　would　not　hear　of　any　　peaceful　settlement；　and　determined　to　start　at　once　upon　an　expedition；　　from　which　his　father　told　him　at　the　time　he　had　little　hopes　of　his　ever　　returning　alivea　prediction　which　turned　out　only　too　true。

Angus；　taking　advantage　of　Mackenzie's　absence　in　Mull；　　gathered；　in　the　latter　end　of　November；　as　secretly　as　be　could；　all　the　boats　and　great　galleys　within　his　reach；　and；　with　this　large　fleet　loaded　　with　his　followers　passed　through　the　Kyles　under　silence　of　night；　and；　　coming　to　Lochcarron；　he　sent　his　marauders　ashore　in　the　twilight。　　The　　inhabitants　perceiving　them；　escaped　to　the　hills；　but　the　Macdonalds　　cruelly　slaughtered　all　the　aged　men　who　could　not　escape；　and　many　of　　the　women　and　children　seized　all　the　cattle；　and　drove　them　to　the　Island　　of　Slumbay；　where　their　boats　which　they　filled　with　the　carcases　lay。

Before；　however；　they　had　fully　loaded；　the　alarm　having　gone　through　the　districts　of　Lochalsh　and　Kintail；　some　of　the　natives　of　those　districts　were　seen　marching　in　the　direction　of　Lochcarron。　The　Macdonalds　　deemed　it　prudent　to　remain　no　longer；　and　set　out　to　sea　pursued　by　a　　shower　of　arrows　by　way　of　farewell；　which；　however；　had　little　effect　　upon　them；　as　they　were　already　out　of　range。

The　Kintail　men；　by　the　shortest　route；　now　returned　to　　Ellandonnan；　sending　twelve　of　the　swiftest　of　their　number　across　　country　to　Inverinate；　where　lay；　newly　built；　a　twelve…oared　galley；　which　had　never　been　to　sea；　belonging　to　Gillecriost　MacDhonnchaidh；　one　of　　Inverinate's　tenants。　　These　heroes　made　such　rapid　progress　that　they　　were　back　at　the　castle　with　the　boat　before　many　of　their　companions　　arrived　from　Lochcarron。　　During　the　night　they　set　to　work；　superintended　　and　encouraged　by　Lady　Mackenzie　in　person；　to　make　arrangements　to　go　　out　and　meet　the　enemy。　　The　best　men　were　quickly　picked。　　The　Lady　　supplied　them　with　all　the　materials　and　necessaries　for　the　journey　within　　her　reach；　handed　them　the　lead　and　powder　with　her　own　hands；　and　gave　　them　two　small　pieces　of　brass　ordnance。　　She　ordered　Duncan　　MacGillechriost；　a　powerful　handsome　fellow；　to　take　command　of　the　　galley　in　his　father's　absence；　and　in　eloquent　terms　charged　them　all　with　　the　honour　of　her　house　and　her　own　protection　in　her　husband's　absence。

This　was　hardly　necessary；　for　the　Kintail　men　had　not　yet　forgotten　the　　breach　of　faith　which　had　been　committed　by　Macdonald　regarding　the　　recent　agreement　to　cease　hostilities　for　a　stated　time；　and　other　recent　sores。　　Her　ladyship　having　wished　them　God…speed；　they　started　on　their　　way　rejoicing　and　in　the　best　of　spirits。　She　mounted　the　castle　walls；　and　　stood　there　encouraging　them　until；　by　the　darkness　of　the　night；　she　could　　no　longer　see　them。

On　their　way　towards　Kylerhea　they　met　a　boat　from　Lochalsh　sent　out　to　inform　them　of　the　enemy's　arrival　at　Kyleakin。　　Learning　this；　they　　cautiously　kept　their　course　close　to　the　south　side　of　the　loch。　　It　was　a　　calm　moonlight　night；　with　occasional　slight　showers　of　snow。　　The　tide　　had　already　begun　to　flow；　and；　judging　that　the　Macdonalds　would　await　　the　next　turning　of　the　tide　to　enable　them　to　get　through　Kylerhea；　the　　Kintail　men；　longing　for　their　prey；　resolved　to　advance　and　meet　them。

They　had　not　proceeded　far；　rowing　very　gently；　after　placing　seaweed　in　　the　rowlocks　so　as　not　to　make　a　noise；　when　they　noticed　a　boat；　rowing　　at　the　hardest；　coming　in　their　direction；　but　from　its　small　size　they　　thought　it　must　have　been　sent　by　the　Macdonalds　in　advance　to　test　the　　passage　of　Kylerhea。　　They　therefore　allowed　it　to　pass　unmolested；　and　　proceeded　northward；　looking　for　Macdonald's　own　galley。　　As　they　　neared　the　Cailleach；　a　low　rock　midway　between　both　Kyles；　it　was　　observed　in　the　distance　covered　with　snow。　　The　night　also　favoured　　them；　the　sea；　calm；　appearing　black　and　mournful　to　the　enemy。　　Here　　they　met　Macdonald's　first　galley；　and　drawing　up　near　it；　they　soon　　discovered　it　to　be　no　other　than　his　own　great　birlinn；　some　distance　　ahead　of　the　rest　of　the　fleet。　Macdonald；　as　soon　as　he　noticed　them；　　called　out　〃Who　is　there？〃　twice　in　succession；　but　receiving　no　answer；　　and　finding　the　Kintail　men　drawing　nearer；　he　called　out　the　third　time；　when；　in　reply；　he　received　a　full　broadside　from　Mackenzie's　cannon；　　which　disabled　his　galley　and　threw　her　on　the　Cailleach　Rock。

The　men　on　board　Macdonald's　galley　thought　they　had　been　　driven　on　shore；　and　flocked　to　the　fore　part　of　the　boat；　striving　to　escape；　　thus　capsizing　and　filling　the　birlinn。　　Discovering　their　position；　and　　seeing　a　long　stretch　of　sea　lying　between　them　and　the　mainland；　they　　became　quite　confused；　and　were　completely　at　the　mercy　of　their　　enemies；　who　sent　some　of　their　men　ashore　to　despatch　any　of　the　poor　　wretches　who　might　swim　ashore；　while　others　remained　in　their　boat　　killing　and　drowning　the　Macdonalds。　Such　of　them　as　managed　to　reach　　the　land　were　also　killed　or　drowned　by　those　of　the　Kintail　men　who　went　ashore；　not　a　soul　out　of　the　sixty　men　on　board　the　galley　having　escaped　　except　Angus　Macdonald　himself　still　breathing；　though　he　had　been　　wounded　twice　in　the　head　and　once　in　the　body。　　He　was　yet　alive　when　　they　took　him　aboard　their　galley；　but　he　died　before　morning。　　Hearing　　the　uproar；　several　of　the　Lochalsh　people　went　out　with　all　speed　in　two　small　boats；　under　command　of　Dugall　Mac　Mhurchaidh　Matthewson；　to　　take　part　in　the　fray；　but　by　the　time　they　arrived　at　the　scene　of　action　few　　of　Macdonald's　followers　were　alive。　　Thus　ended　the　career　of　Angus；　　younger　of　Glengarry；　a　chief　to　whom　his　followers　looked　up；　and　whom　　they　justly　regarded　as　a　bold　and　intrepid　leader；　though　deficient　in　　prudence　and　strategy。

The　remainder　of　Macdonald's　fleet；　to　the　number　of　twenty…one；　following　behind　his　own　galley；　having　heard　the　uproar；　returned　to　　Kyleakin　in　such　terror　and　confusion　that　each　thought　his　nearest　　neighbour　was　pursuing　him。　　Landing　in　Strathardale；　they　left　their　boats　　〃and　their　ill…cooked　beef　to　these　hungry　gentlemen；〃　and　before　they　　slept　they　arrived　in　Sleat；　from　whence　they　were　sent　across　to　the　　mainland　in　the　small　boats　of　the　laird。

The　great　concern　and　anxiety　of　her　ladyship　of　Ellandonnan　can　be　easily　conceived；　for　all　that　she　had　yet　learnt　was　the　simple　fact　that　　an　engagement　of　some　kind　had　taken　place；　and　this　she　only　knew　from　　having　heard　the　sound　of　cannon　during　the　night。　Early　in　the　morning　　she　noticed　her　protectors　returning　with　their　birlinn；　accompanied　by　　another　great　galley。　　This　brightened　her　hopes；　and　going　down　to　the　　shore　to　meet　them；　she　heartily　saluted　them；　and　asked　if　all　had　gone　　we