history of the mackenzies-第78章

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e　Government　he　would　use　his　influence　in　the　next　Parliament　to　procure　a　remission　for　their　chief　and　his　followers；　and　we　　find；　that　〃through　his　means；　and　the　action　of　other　minions　of　Court　　（Tarbat　was　then　in　power）；　Seaforth　received　a　simple　pardon　　by　letters　patent　in　1726；　for　himself　and　his　clan；　whose　submission　was　recognised　in　the　sham　form　of　delivering　their　arms；　a　matter　of　the　less　consequence　　as　few　of　that　generation　were　to　have　an　opportunity　of　wielding　them　　again　in　the　same　cause。〃

General　Wade　made　a　report　to　the　Government；　from　which　we　　take　the　following　extract：〃The　Laird　of　the　Mackenzies；　and　other　chiefs　of　the　clans　and　tribes；　tenants　to　the　late　Earl　of　Seaforth；　came　to　　me　in　a　body；　to　the　number　of　about　fifty；　and　assured　me　that　both　they　and　their　followers　were　ready　to　pay　a　dutiful　obedience　to　your　　Majesty's　commands；　by　a　peaceable　surrender　of　their　arms；　and　if　your　　Majesty　would　be　graciously　pleased　to　procure　them　an　indemnity　for　the　　rents　that　had　been　misplaced　for　the　time　past；　they　would　for　the　future　　become　faithful　subjects　to　your　Majesty；　and　pay　them　to　your　Majesty's　　receiver　for　the　use　of　the　public。　　I　assured　them　of　your　Majesty's　　gracious　intentions　towards　them；　and　that　they　might　rely　on　your　　Majesty's　bounty　and　clemency；　provided　they　would　merit　it　by　their　　future　good　conduct　and　peaceable　behaviour；　that　I　had　your　Majesty's　commands　to　send　the　first　summons　to　the　country　they　inhabited；　which　　would　soon　give　them　an　opportunity　of　showing　the　sincerity　of　their　　promises；　and　of　having　the　merit　to　set　the　example　to　the　rest　of　the　　Highlands；　who　in　their　turns　were　to　be　summoned　to　deliver　up　their　　arms；　pursuant　to　the　Disarming　Act；　that　they　might　choose　the　place　they　　themselves　thought　most　convenient　to　surrender　their　arms；　and　that　I　　would　answer　that　neither　their　persons　nor　their　property　should　be　　molested　by　your　Majesty's　troops。　　They　desired　they　might　be　permitted　　to　deliver　up　their　arms　at　the　Castle　of　Brahan；　the　principal　seat　of　their　　late　superior。　who；　they　said；　had　promoted　and　encouraged　them　to　this　their　submission；　but　begged　that　none　of　the　Highland　companies　might　　be　present；　for；　as　they　had　always　been　reputed　the　bravest；　as　well　as　the　　most　numerous　of　the　northern　clans；　they　thought　it　more　consistent　with　their　honour　to　resign　their　arms　to　your　Majesty's　veteran　troops；　to　　which　I　readily　consented。　　Summonses　were　accordingly　sent　to　the　　several　clans　and　tribes；　the　inhabitants　of　18　parishes；　who　were　vassals　　or　tenants　of　the　late　Earl　of　Seaforth；　to　bring　or　send　in　all　their　arms　and　　warlike　weapons　to　the　Castle　of　Brahan；　on　or　before　the　28th　of　August。　　　　On　the　25th　of　August　I　went　to　the　Castle　of　Brahan　with　a　detachment　of　200　of　the　regular　troops；　and　was　met　there　by　the　chiefs　of　the　several　clans　and　tribes；　who　assured　me　they　had　used　their　utmost　diligence　in　　collecting　all　the　arms　they　were　possessed　of；　which　should　be　brought　　thither　on　the　Saturday　following；　pursuant　to　the　summons　they　had　　received；　and　telling　me　they　were　apprehensive　of　insults　or　depredations　　from　the　neighbouring　clans　of　the　Camerons　and　others；　who　still　　continued　in　possession　of　their　arms。　　Parties　of　the　Highland　companies　were　ordered　to　guard　the　passes　leading　to　their　country；　which　parties　　continued　there　for　their　protection；　till　the　clans　in　that　neighbourhood　　were　summoned　and　had　surrendered　their　arms。　　On　the　day　appointed　the　several　clans　and　tribes　assembled　in　the　adjacent　villages；　and　　marched　in　good　order　through　the　great　avenue　that　leads　to　the　Castle；　　and　one　after　the　other　laid　down　their　arms　in　the　court…yard　in　great　　quiet　and　decency；　amounting　to　784　of　the　several　species　mentioned　in　　the　Act　of　Parliament。　The　solemnity　with　which　this　was　performed　had　　undoubtedly　a　great　influence　over　the　rest　of　the　Highland　clans；　and　　disposed　them　to　pay　that　obedience　to　your　Majesty's　commands；　by　a　　peaceable　surrender　of　their　arms；　which　they　had　never　done　to　any　of　　your　Royal　predecessors；　or　in　compliance　with　any　law　either　before　or　　since　the　Union。〃

The　　following　account　of　Donald　Murchison's　proceedings　and　of　Seaforth's　vassals　during　his　exile　in　France　is　abridged　from　an　　interesting　and　valuable　work。　＇Chambers's　Domestic　Annals　of　Scotland。＇

It　brings　out　in　a　prominent　light　the　state　of　the　　Highlands　and　the　　futility　　of　the　　power　of　the　Government　during　that　period　in　the　North。

As　regards　several　of　the　forfeited　estates　which　lay　in　inaccessible　situations　in　the　Highlands；　the　commissioners　had　up　to　this　time　been　　entirely　baffled；　never　having　been　able　even　to　get　them　surveyed。

This　　was　so　in　a　very　special　manner　in　the　case　of　the　immense　territory　of　the　　Earl　of　Seaforth；　extending　from　Brahan　Castle；　near　Dingwall　in　the　east；　　across　to　Kintail　in　the　west；　as　well　as　in　the　large　island　of　the　Lewis。　　　The　districts　of　Lochalsh　and　Kintail；　on　the　west　coast；　the　scene　of　the　　Spanish　invasion　of　1719；　were　peculiarly　difficult　of　access；　there　being　　no　approach　from　the　south；　east；　or　north；　except　by　narrow　and　difficult　　paths；　while　the　western　access　was　only　assailable　by　a　naval　force。　　To　all　appearance　this　tract　of　ground；　the　seat　of　many　comparatively　　opulent　tacksmen　and　cattle　farmers；　was　as　much　beyond　the　control　of　　the　six　commissioners　assembled　at　their　office　in　Edinburgh；　as　if　it　had　　been　amongst　the　mountains　of　Tibet　or　upon　the　shores　of　Madagascar。

For　several　years　after　the　insurrection；　the　rents　of　this　district　were　collected；　without　the　slightest　difficulty；　for　the　benefit　of　the　exiled　　Earl；　and　regularly　transmitted　to　him。　　At　one　time　a　large　sum　was　sent　to　him　in　　Spain。　　The　chief　agent　in　the　business　was　Donald　Murchison；　　descendant　of　a　line　of　faithful　adherents　of　the　〃High　Chief　of　Kintail。〃

Some　of　the　later　generations　of　the　family　had　been　entrusted　with　the　　keeping　of　Ellandonnan　Castle；　a　stronghold　dear　to　the　modern　artist　as　a　　picturesque　ruin；　but　formerly　of　serious　importance　as　commanding　a　　central　point　from　which　radiate　Loch　Alsh　and　Loch　Duich；　in　the　midst　　of　the　best　part　of　the　Mackenzie　country。　Donald　was　a　man　worthy　of　a　　more　prominent　place　in　his　country's　annals　than　he　has　yet　attained；　he　acted　under　a　sense　of　right　which；　though　unfortunately　defiant　of　Acts　of　　Parliament；　was　still　a　very　pure　sense　of　right；　and　in　the　remarkable　　actions　which　he　performed　he　looked　solely　to　the　good　of　those　towards　whom　he　had　a　feeling　of　duty。　　A　more　disinterested　heroand　he　was　　onenever　lived。

When　Lord　Seaforth　brought　his　clan　to　fight　for　King　　James　in　1715；　Donald　Murchison　and　an　elder　brother；　John；　　accompanied　him　as　field　officers　of　the　regimentDonald　as　Lieutenant…Colonel；　and　John　as　Major。　　The　late　Sir　Roderick　Impey　Murchison；　the　distinguished　Geologist；　great…grandson　of　John；　possessed　a　large　ivory　　and　silver　〃mill；〃　which　once　contained　the　commission　sent　from　France　　to　Donald；　as　Colonel；　bearing　the　inscription：〃James　Rex：　forward　and　spare　not。〃　　John　fell　at　Sheriffmuir；　in　the　prime　of　life；　Donald　returning　　with　the　remains　of　the　clan；　was　entrusted　by　the　banished　Earl　with　the　management　or　estates　no　longer　legally　but　still　virtually　his。　　And　for　this　task　Donald　was　in　various　respects　well　qualified；　for；　strange　to　say；　　the　son　or　the　castellan　of　Ellandonnanthe　Sheriffmuir　Colonelhad　been　〃bred　a　writer〃　in　Edinburgh；　and　was　as　expert　at　the　business　of　a　factor　or　estate…agent　as　in　wielding　the　claymore。　＇For　a　short　time　before　　the　insurrection；　he　had　acted　as　factor　to　Sir　John　Preston　of　Preston　Hall；　　in　Mid…Lothian；　then　also　a　forfeited　estate；　but　of　minor　value。＇

In　bold　and　avowed　insubordination　to　the　Government　of　George　　the　First；　Mackenzie's　tenants　continued　for　ten　years　to　pay　their　rents　to　　Donald　Murchison；　setting　at　nought　all　fear　of　ever　being　compelled　to　　repeat　the　payment　to　the　commissioners。

In　1720　his　Majesty's　representatives　made　a　movement　for　　asserting　their　claims　upon　the　property。　　　In　W