history of the mackenzies-第84章

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　was　　consequently　the　means　of　his　ultimate　escape　in　safety　to　France。

Charles　had　been　pursued　with　the　most　persevering　assiduity；　but　Roderick's　ruse　proved　so　successful　on　this　occasion　that　further　search　was　for　a　time　considered　unnecessary。　　Mackenzie　was　a　young　man；　of　　respectable　family；　who　joined　the　Prince　at　Edinburgh；　and　served　as　one　of　his　life…guards。　　Being　about　the　same　age　as　his　Royal　Highness；　and；　like　him；　tall；　somewhat　slender；　and　with　features　in　some　degree　　resembling　his；　he　might；　by　ordinary　observers　not　accustomed　to　see　the　two　together；　have　passed　for　the　Prince　himself。　　As　Roderick　could　not　　venture　with　safety　to　return　to　Edinburgh；　where　still　lived　his　two　　maiden　sisters；　he　after　the　battle　of　Culloden　fled　to　the　Highlands　and　lurked　among　the　hills　of　Glenmoriston；　where；　about　the　middle　of　July；　he　was　surprised　by　a　party　of　Government　soldiers。　　Mackenzie　endeavoured　to　escape；　but；　being　overtaken；　he　turned　on　his　pursuers；　　and；　drawing　his　sword；　bravely　defended　himself。　　He　was　ultimately　shot　by　one　of　the　red…coats；　but　as　he　fell；　mortally　wounded；　he　exclaimed；　　〃You　have　killed　your　Prince！　　You　have　killed　your　Prince！〃　whereupon　　he　immediately　expired。　　The　soldiers；　overjoyed　at　their　supposed　good　　fortune；　cut　off　his　head；　and　hurried　off　to　Fort…Augustus　with　their　prize。

The　Duke　of　Cumberland；　quite　convinced　that　he　had　now　obtained　the　　head　of　his　Royal　relative；　packed　it　up　carefully；　ordered　a　post…chaise；　　and　at　once　went　off　to　London；　taking　the　head　along　with　him。　　After　his　　arrival　the　deception　was　discovered；　but　meanwhile　it　proved　of　great　　assistance　to　Prince　Charles　in　his　ultimately　successful　efforts　to　escape。

Shortly　after　the　battle　of　Culloden　a　fleet　of　ships　appeared　off　the　　coast　of　Lochbroom；　under　the　command　of　Captain　Fergusson。　They　　dropped　anchor　at　Loch…Ceannard；　when　a　large　party　went　ashore　and　　proceeded　up　the　Strath　to　the　residence　of　Mr　Mackenzie　of　Langwell；　　connected　by　marriage　with　the　Earl　of　Cromarty。　　Langwell　having　　supported　the　Prince；　fled　out　of　the　hated　Fergusson's　way；　but　his　lady　was　obliged　to　remain　at　home　to　attend　to　a　large　family　of　young　　children；　who　were　at　the　time　laid　up　with　smallpox。　　The　house　was　　ransacked。　　A　large　chest　containing　the　family　and　other　valuable　papers；　　including　a　wadset　of　Langwell　and　Inchvannie　from　her　relative；　George；　　Earl　of　Cromarty；　was　burnt　before　her　eyes；　and　about　fifty　head　of　fine　Highland　cattle　were　mangled　by　the　swords　and　driven　to　the　ships　of　the　spoilers。　Nor　did　this　satisfy　them。　　They　committed　similar　depredations；　without　any　discrimination　between　friend　or　foe；　for　eight　days　during　　which　they　remained　in　the　neighbourhood。　＇New　Statistical　Account　of　　Lochbroom。＇

It　is　well　known　that　Mackenzie　had　strong　Jacobite　feelings　although　his　own　prudence　and　the　influence　of　Lord　President　Forbes　secured　his　support　for　the　Government。　　〃Though　many　respectable　individuals　of　the　Clan　Mackenzie　had　warmly　espoused　the　cause　of　Charles；　Lord　Fortrose　seems　at　no　time　to　have　proclaimed　openly　for　　him；　whatever　hopes　he　might　have　countenanced　when　in　personal　communication　with　the　expatriated　Sovereign；　as　indeed　there　is　cause　to　infer　something　of　the　kind　from　a　letter　which；　towards　the　end　of　　November；　1745；　was　addressed　by　Lord　John　Drummond　to　Kenneth；　　pressing　him　instantly　to　join　the　Prince；　then　successfully　penetrating　the　　West　of　England；　and　qualifying　the　invitation　by　observing　that　it　was　the　　only　mode　for　his　Lordship　to　retrieve　his　character。　　Yet　so　little　did　　Fortrose　or　his　immediate　followers　affect　the　cause；　that　when　Lord　Lovat　　blockaded　Fort…Augustus；　two　companies　of　Mackenzies；　which　bad　been　　stationed　at　Brahan；　were　withdrawn；　and　posted　by　Lord　Loudon；　the　　commander…in…chief　of　the　Government　forces；　at　Castle　Dounie；　the　　stronghold　of　Fraser　and；　with　the　exception　of　these；　the　Royal　party　　received　no　other　support　from　the　family　of　Seaforth；　though　many　　gentlemen　of　the　clan　served　in　the　King's　army。　　Yet　it　appears　that　a　still　greater　number；　with　others　whose　ancestors　identified　themselves　with　　the　fortunes　of　the　House　of　Kintail；　were　inclined　to　espouse　the　more　　venturous　steps　of　the　last　of　the　Stuarts。　　George；　the　last　Earl　of　　Cromarty；　being　then　paramount　in　power；　and；　probably　so；　in　influence；　　even　to　the　chief　himself；　having　been；　for　certain　reasons；　liable　to　　suspicions　as　to　their　disinterested　nature；　declared　for　Charles；　and　under　　his　standard　his　own　levy；　with　all　the　Jacobite　adherents　of　the　clan；　　ranged　themselves；　and　were　mainly　instrumental　in　neutralizing　Lord　　Loudon's　and　the　Laird　of　Macleod's　forces　in　the　subsequent　operations　　of　1746；　driving　them　with　the　Lord　President　Forbes；　to　take　shelter　in　the　　Isle　of　Skye。〃　＇Bennetsfield　MS。＇

Kenneth　married　on　the　11th　of　September；　1741；　Lady　Mary；　　eldest　daughter　of　Alexander　Stewart；　sixth　Earl　of　Galloway；　with　issue

I。　　Kenneth；　his　heir　and　successor。

II。　　Margaret；　who　on　the　4th　of　June；　married　William　Webb。

III。　　Mary；　who　married　Henry　Howard；　of　Effingham；　with　issue。

IV。　　Agnes；　who　married　J。　Douglas。

V。　　Catherine；　who　on　the　1st　of　March；　1773；　married　Thomas　　Griffin　Tarpley；　student　of　medicine。

VI。　　Frances；　who　married　General　Joseph　Wald。

VII。　　Euphemia；　who；　on　the　2nd　of　April；　1771；　married　William　Stewart　of　Castle　Stewart；　M。P。　for　the　County　of　Wigton。

His　wife　died　in　London　on　the　18th　of　April；　1751；　and　was　buried　at　Kensington；　where　a　monument　was　raised　to　her　memory。　　Kenneth　died；　also　in　London；　on　the　19th　of　October；　1761；　and　was　buried　in　　Westminster　Abbey；　when　he　was　succeeded　by　his　only　son；

XIX。　　KENNETH；　　SIXTH　　EARL　　OF　　SEAFORTH；

Viscount　Fortrose；　and　Baron　Ardelve；　in　the　Peerage　of　Ireland。　From　his　　small　stature；　he　was　generally　known　among　the　Highlanders　as　the　　〃Little　Lord。〃　　He　was　born　in　Edinburgh　on　the　15th　of　January；　1744；　　and　at　an　early　age　entered　the　army。　　As　a　return　for　his　father's　loyalty　to　　the　House　of　Hanovar　in　1745；　and　his　own　steady　support　of　the　reigning　　family；　George　III。；　in　1764；　raised　him　to　the　peerage　by　the　title　of　Baron　　Ardelve。　　He　was　created　Viscount　Fortrose　in　1766；　and　in　1771；　Earl　of　　Seaforth；　all　in　the　peerage　of　Ireland。　　To　evince　his　gratitude　for　this　magnanimous　act；　he；　in　1778；　offered　to　raise　a　regiment　for　general　service。　　The　offer　was　accepted　by　his　Majesty；　and　a　fine　body　of　1130　　men　were　in　a　very　short　time　raised　by　his　Lordship；　principally　on　his　　own　estates　in　the　north　and　by　gentlemen　of　his　own　name。　　Of　these；　five　　hundred　were　enlisted　among　his　immediate　vassals；　and　about　four　　hundred　from　the　estates　of　the　Mackenzies　of　Scatwell；　Kilcoy；　　Redcastle；　and　Applecross。　　The　officers　from　the　south　to　whom　he　gave　　commissions　in　the　regiment　brought　about　two　hundred　men；　of　whom　　forty…three　were　English　and　Irish。　　The　Macraes　of　Kintail；　always　such　　faithful　followers　and　able　supporters　of　the　House　of　Seaforth；　were　so　　numerous　in　the　new　regiment　that　it　was　known　more　by　their　name　than　　by　that　of　Seaforth's　own　kinsmen；　and　so　much　was　this　the　case　that　the　well…known　mutiny　which　took　place　in　Edinburgh；　on　the　arrival　of　the　　regiment　there；　is　still　known　as　〃the　affair　of　the　Macraes。〃　＇The　Seaforth　　Highlanders　were　marched　to　Leith；　where　they　were　quartered　for　a　short　　interval；　though　long　enough　to　produce　complaints　about　the　　infringement　of　their　engagements；　and　some　pay　and　bounty　which　they　　said　were　due　them。　　Their　disaffection　was　greatly　increased　by　the　　activity　of　emissaries　from　Edinburgh；　like　those　just　mentioned　as　having　　gone　down　front　London　to　Portsmouth。　　The　regiment　refused　to　embark；　　and　marching　out　of　Leith；　with　pipes　playing　and　two　plaids　fixed　on　　poles　instead　of　colours；　took　a　position　on　Arthur's　Seat；　of　which　they　kept　possession　for　several　days；　during　which　time　the　inhabitants　of　　Edinburgh　amply　supplied　them　with　provisions　and　ammunition。　　After　　much　negotiation；　a　proper　understanding　respecting　the　cause　of　their　　complaint　was　b