history of the mackenzies-第77章

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dious　charge；　which　　is　not　corroborated　by　any　other　writer；　must　be　looked　upon　as　highly　　improbable。〃　＇Fullarton's　Highland　Clans；　p。　471。＇　　If　any　proof　of　the　untruthfulness　of　this　charge　be　required　it　will　be　found　in　the　fact　that　　the　Earl　returned　afterwards　to　the　Island　of　Lewis；　and　re…embodied　his　　vassals　there　under　an　experienced　officer；　Campbell　of　Ormundel；　who　　had　served　with　distinction　in　the　Russian　army；　and　it　was　not　until　a　　large　Government　force　was　sent　over　against　him；　which　he　found　it　　impossible　successfully　to　oppose；　that　he　recrossed　to　the　mainland　and　　escaped　to　France。

Among　the　〃gentlemen　prisoners〃　taken　to　the　Castle　of　Stirling　on　　the　day　following　the　Battle　of　Sheriffmuir　the　following　are　found　in　a　　list　published　in　Patten's　RebellionKenneth　Mackenzie；　nephew　to　Sir　　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Coul　Joh　Maclean；　adjutant　to　Colonel　　Mackenzie's　Regiment　Colonel　Mackenzie　of　Kildin；　Captain　of　　Fairburn's　Regiment；　Hugh　MacRae；　Donald　MacRae；　and　Christopher　MacRae。

The　war　declared　against　Spain　in　December；　1718；　again　revived　the　hopes　of　the　Jacobites；　who；　in　accordance　with　a　stipulation　between　the　British　Government　and　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　then　Regent　of　France；　　had　previously；　with　the　Chevalier　and　the　Duke　of　Ormont　at　their　head；　　been　ordered　out　of　France。　　They　repaired　to　Madrid；　where　they　held　　conferences　with　Cardinal　Alberoni；　and　concerted　an　invasion　of　Great　　Britain。　　On　the　10th　of　March；　1719；　a　fleet；　consisting　of　ten　men…of…war　　and　twenty…one　transports；　having　on　board　five　thousand　men；　a　large　　quantity　of　ammunition；　and　thirty　thousand　muskets；　sailed　from　Cadiz　　under　the　command　of　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　with　instructions　to　join　the　　rest　of　the　expedition　at　Corunna；　and　to　make　a　descent　at　once　upon　　England；　Scotland；　and　Ireland。　　The　sorry　fate　of　this　expedition　is　well　known。　　Only　two　frigates　reached　their　destination；　the　rest　having　been　dispersed　and　disabled　off　Cape　Finisterre　by　a　violent　storm　which　lasted　　about　twelve　days。　　The　two　ships　which　survived　the　storm　and　reached　　Scotland　had　on　board　the　Earl　of　Seaforth　and　Earl　Marischal；　the　　Marquis　of　Tullibardine；　some　field　officers；　three　hundred　Spaniards；　and　　arms　and　ammunition　for　two　thousand　men。　　They　entered　Lochalsh　　about　the　middle　of　May；　effected　a　landing　in　Kintail　and　were　there　　joined　by　a　body　of　Seaforth's　vassals；　and　a　party　of　Macgregors　under　　command　of　the　famous　Rob　Roy；　but　the　other　Jacobite　chiefs；　　remembering　their　previous　disappointments　and　misfortunes；　stood　aloof　　until　the　whole　of　Ormond's　forces　should　arrive。　　General　Wightman；　　who　was　stationed　at　Inverness；　hearing　of　their　arrival；　marched　to　meet　them　with　2000　Dutch　troops　and　a　detachment　of　the　garrison　at　　　Inverness。　Seaforth's　forces　and　their　allies　took　possession　of　the　pass　of　Glenshiel；　but　on　the　approach　of　the　Government　forces　they　retired　to　　the　pass　of　Strachell；　which　they　decided　to　defend　at　all　hazards。　　They　were　there　engaged　by　General　Wightman；　who；　after　a　smart　skirmish　of　　about　three　hours　duration；　and　after　inflicting　some　loss　upon　the　　Jacobites；　drove　them　from　one　eminence　to　another；　till　night　came　on；　　when　the　Highlanders；　their　chief　having　been　seriously　wounded；　and　　giving　up　all　hopes　of　a　successful　resistance；　retired　during　the　night　to　　the　mountains；　carrying　Seaforth　along　with　them　and　the　Spaniards　next　　morning　surrendered　themselves　prisoners　of　war。　＇The　Spaniards　kept　　their　powder　magazine　and　ball　behind　the　manse；　but　after　the　battle　of　　Glenshiel　they　set　fire　to　it　lest　it　should　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　King's　troops。　　These　balls　are　still　gathered　up　by　sportsmen；　and　are　found　in　great　abundance　upon　the　glebe。　Old　Statistical　Account　of　Kintail。＇

Seaforth；　Marischal；　and　Tullibardine；　with　the　other　principal　officers；　managed　to　effect　their　escape　to　the　Western　Isles；　from　which　they　　afterwards　found　their　way　to　the　Continent。　　Rob　Roy　was　placed　in　　ambush　with　the　view　of　attacking　the　Royal　troops　in　the　rear　and　it　is　　said　of　him　that　having　more　zeal　than　prudence　he　attacked　the　rear　of　　the　enemy's　column　before　they　had　become　engaged　in　front　　his　small　　party　was　routed；　and　the　intention　of　placing　the　King's　troops　between　　two　fires　was　thus　defeated。　＇A　Statistical　Account　of　Glenshiel；　by　the　　Rev。　John　Macrae；　who　gives　a　minute　description　of　the　scenes　of　the　　battle；　and　informs　us　that　in　constructing　the　parliamentary　road　which　runs　through　the　Glen　a　few　years　before　he　wrote；　several　bullets　and　　pieces　of　musket　barrels　were　found　and　the　green　mounds　which　covered　　the　graves　of　the　slain；　and　the　ruins　of　a　rude　breast…work　which　the　　Highlanders　constructed　on　the　crest　of　the　hill　to　cover　their　position　still　　marked　the　scene　of　the　conflict。＇　　General　Wightman　sent　a　detachment　　to　Ellandonnan　Castle；　which　he　ordered　to　be　blown　up　and　demolished。　　General　Wightman　advanced　from　the　Highland　Capital　by　Loch…Ness　and　a　recent　writer　pertinently　asks；　〃Why　he　was　allowed　to　pass　by　such　a　route　without　opposition？　　It　is　alleged　that　Marischal　and　Tullibardine　had　interrupted　the　movements　of　the　invaders　by　ill　timed　　altercations　about　command；　but　we　are　provoked　to　observe　that　some　　extraordinary　interposition　seems　evident　to　frustrate　every　scheme　　towards　forwarding　the　cause　of　the　ill…fated　house　of　Stuart。　　Had　the　　Chevalier　St　George　arrived　earlier；　as　he　might　have　done；　had　William　　Earl　of　Seaforth　joined　the　Earl　of　Mar　some　time　before；　as　he　ought　to　　have　done；　and　strengthened　as　Mar　would　then　have　been；　had　he　boldly　　advanced　on　Stirling；　as　it　appears　he　would　have　done；　Argyll's　force　　would　have　been　annihilated；　and　James　VIII。　proclaimed　at　the　Cross　of　　Edinburgh。　Well　did　the　brave　Highlanders　indignantly　demand；　‘What　　did　you　call　us　to　arms　for？　　Was　it　to　run　away？　　What　did　our　own　King　come　for？　　Was　it　to　see　us　butchered　by　hangmen？'　　There　was　a　fatuity　　that　accompanied　all　their　undertakings　which　neutralised　intrepidity；　　devotedness；　and　bravery　　which　the　annals　of　no　other　people　can　exhibit；　　and　paltry　jealousies　which　stultified　exertions；　which；　independently　of　political　results；　astonished　Europe　at　large。〃　＇Bennetsfield　MS。＇

An　Act　of　Parliament　for　disarming　the　Highlanders　was　passed　in　1716；　but　in　some　cases　to　very　little　purpose　for　some　of　the　most　disaffected　clans　were　better　armed　than　ever；　although　by　the　Act　the　　collectors　of　taxes　were　allowed　to　pay　for　the　arms　given　in；　in　no　case　were　any　delivered　except　those　which　were　broken；　old；　and　unfit　for　use；　　and　these　were　valued　at　prices　far　above　what　they　were　really　worth。　　　Not　only　so；　but　a　lively　trade　in　old　arms　was　carried　on　with　Holland　and　　other　Continental　countries；　and　these　arms　were　sold　to　the　　commissioners　as　Highland　weapons；　at　exorbitant　prices。　　General　Wade　　afterwards　found　in　the　possession　of　the　Highlanders　a　large　quantity　of　arms　which　they　obtained　from　the　Spaniards　who　took　part　in　the　battle　　of　Glenshiel；　and　he　computed　that　the　Highlanders　opposed　to　the　Government　possessed　at　this　time　no　less　than　five　or　six　thousand　arms　　of　various　kinds。

Wade　arrived　in　Inverness　on　the　10th　of　August；　1723；　and　in　　virtue　of　another　Act　passed　the　same　year；　he　was　empowered　to　proceed　to　the　Highlands　and　to　summon　the　clans　to　deliver　up　their　arms；　and　to　carry　several　other　recommendations　of　his　own　into　effect。　On　his　arrival　　he　immediately　proceeded　to　business；　went　to　Brahan　Castle；　and　called　　on　the　Mackenzies　to　deliver　up　their　weapons。　He　took　those　presented　　to　him　on　the　word　of　Murchison；　factor　on　the　estate　and　by　the　　representation　of　Sir　John　Mackenzie　Lord　Tarbat；　Sir　Kenneth　Mackenzie　　of　Cromarty；　and　Sir　Colin　Mackenzie　of　Coul；　at　the　head　of　a　large　　deputation　of　the　clan；　he　compromised　his　more　rigid　instructions　and　　accepted　a　selection　of　worn…out　and　worthless　arms；　and　at　the　same　time　promised　that　if　the　clan　exhibited　a　willing　disposition　to　comply　with　the　orders　of　the　Government　he　would　use　his　influence　in　the　next　Parliament　to　procure　a　remission　for　their　chie