Scotland/Scots > Black's picturesque tourist of Scotland

500
KINGSBUKGH—CIO.
From Uig the road is carried round the northern point of
Trotternish by Duntulm Castle, Aird Point, and Loch Staffin.
Instead of returning by Uig, pedestrians or those with ponies
may join this road at the farm-house of Stanchel, situated at
the head of Loch Staffin, which is a mile and a half from Quir-
aing, eight from the Storr, and sixteen from Portree ; from
the average time occupied by the excursion (when a vehicle is employed), is eleven
hours. The road is comparatively uninteresting. About midway between Portree
and Uig we pass the house of Kingsburgh (Donald Macleod), where Dr. Johnson and
Boswell were entertained by Flora Macdonald in 1773.
The old Kingsburgh mansion, which sheltered Charles Edward in 1746, and
afforded entertainment to Pennant and Johnson, has, we regret to say, been removed,
but some venerable plane-trees mark the square of a large garden that was attached
to the house. One of these grew close to the house, and at the time of our in¬
quiries the respectable tenant of Kingsburgh (Mr. Macleod) was sending part of the
timber to a lady in England, to be made into a frame for a picture of Flora Mac¬
donald. This may be considered part of the bright reversion of fame which has
waited on the memory of the Celtic heroine. In 1750 Flora was married to Allan
Macdonald, young Kingsburgh, who then lived at Flodigarry, in Skye. The gallant
old Kingsburgh died in 1772, and his son succeeding him in the farm, Flora became
the mistress of the house of Kihgsburgh. The family seems to have emigrated in
the year following Johnson’s visit. They went to North Carolina, and Kingsburgh
joined the Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment, or 84th, embodied in 1775. This corps
was defeated by the Provincial forces in February 1776, and parties of men were dis¬
persed over the colony apprehending the Royalists, and disarming the Highlanders.
Among those committed to Halifax gaol was “ Kingsburgh Macdonald.” He after¬
wards served with the regiment in Canada, holding the rank of captain, and at the
close of the war returned to Scotland on half-pay. The vessel in which Flora and
her husband sailed was attacked by a French privateer, and while Flora, with char¬
acteristic spirit, stood on deck, animating the seamen, she was thrown down, and
had her arm broken. The wanderers, however, arrived in Skye, and never left it.
Flora died on the 4th of March, 1790, aged sixty-eight, and was interred in the
churchyard of Kilmuir, in a spot set apart for the graves of the Kingsburgh
family. Her funeral was attended by about three thousand persons, all of whom
were served with refreshments, in the old Highland fashion. Kingsburgh died on
the 20th of September 1795. Flora had seven children, five sons and two daughters;
the sons all became officers in the army, and the daughters officers’ wives. The last
surviving member of this family, Mrs. Major Macleod, died at Stein, in Skye, in
1834, leaving a daughter, Miss Mary Macleod, who resides in the same place. One
of the sons (the late Colonel Macdonald, of Exeter), sent a marble slab, suitably
inscribed, to be placed near his mother’s remains to point out the spot; but it was
broken before it reached Skye, and the whole has since been carried off piecemeal by
tourists. Thus the grave of Flora Macdonald remains undistinguished within the
rude inclosure that holds the dust of so many of the brave Kingsburgh family.”—
BoswclVs Tour to the Hebrides'—Edited by Robert Carruthers.
We are indebted for the view, and part of the description of Quiraing, to the
late Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, who kindly allowed the writer the use of his interest¬
ing sketch-books, and the perusal of his MS. journal.