Life of Flora Macdonald and her adventures with Prince Charles

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needed refreshments were liberally supplied, and as liberally
and thankfully used.
Late in the evening Sir Alexander's cattleman entered
the servants' hall at Monkstadt, in a very excited state, and
said in his own vernacular — " A Dhe, gleidh sinn ! chunnaic
mi boirionnach mor a' bras-shiubhal nan raointean, eadar so
agus an Dun, le lorg fhada 'na laimh, le currachd neonach
air a ceann, agus le eididh iongantach m'a coluinn. Cha
n'eil teagamh nach aon i dhiubhsan a ghlais na Sithichean
'nan seomraichibh 'san Dun, agus a f huair cothrom teichidh.
Chan fhaca mi a leithid riamh ann an cruth neach saogh-
alta." " Lord, preserve us ! I saw a large female quickly
traversing the fields betwixt this and the fort, with a long
stick in her hand, with a curious hood on her head, and
with a remarkable dress on her person. Undoubtedly she
must be one of those whom the Fairies had locked up in
their chambers in the fort, who contrived to escape. I
never beheld one to be compared with her in the shape of a
worldly creature." Kingsburgh related this anecdote to the
Prince, who heartily laughed at it.
Previous to this Niel undeceived the astonished cattleman
in the hall, as well as the other menials present, by telling
them that the gigantic female in question was no fairy
prisoner in Scuddeburgh Fort, but an Irish spinning-maid
whom they had ferried from the Long Island, on her way
to the residence of Flora Macdonald's mother, at Armadale.
The Prince was now left for the night in a recess on the
shore to which Niel had carried blankets and other coverings
to afford him comfort.*
* It has been stated by some that the Prince had removed to some con-
cealed place near the garden at Monkstadt, but this was not the case. He
never left the shore and the adjoining fields that evening. It is true that
Lady Margaret was very wishful to see his Royal Highness, but could not
venture to approach the shore at such an untimely hour in the evening.