Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

HISTORY OF THE MACDONALDS. 255
Austin saw liow matters -went on, and tliat Jolm had resigned all to the
king, he goes to Edinburgh, and takes his charters from the king for all
his patrimony which his father and motlier bestowed on him formerly, in
favour of his heirs-male, legitimate or illegitimate ; which patrimony con-
sisted of Xorth Uist, the parish of Hough in South Uist, Canna, Benbi-
cula, Slate, Trottenish, and Lochbroom. But Angus Ogg, his nephew,
continuing his former pretensions, resolved not to surrender any of his
father's lands to the king or to his father himself. The Earl of Athole
was ordered with a party against him. He joined others in the north,
who had the same injunctions from the king, viz., the Mackays, Mac-
kenzie, the Brodies, some of the Erasers and Rosses. Angus Ogg came
from Isla and Kintyre to the West, and raising some of his own name '
viz., Alexander Macdonald of the Braes of Lochaber, John of Glengarry,
the Laird of Knoydart, and some of the Islanders, he goes to Ross, where,
meeting Athole and his party near Lagebread, he gave them a defeat,
killing 517 of their army. Mackay was made prisoner, Athole and Mac-
kenzie made their escape. The Earl of Crawford afterwards was ordered
by the king to go by sea, and Huntly Avitli a party to go by land, to
harass and discourage Angus Ogg's adherents ; but neither of them exe-
cuted their orders. Argyll and Athole were sent to the Islanders, desiring
them to hold of the king, and abandon Angus Ogg, and that the king
would grant them the same rights they had formerly from Macdonald. This
offer was accepted by several But Avhen the Macdonalds, and heads of
their families, saw that their chief and family was to be sunk, they began
to look up to Angus Ogg, the young lord. About this time Austin, his
uncle, died, and was buried in Sand, ISTorth Uist."*
Skene informs us that after the resignation of the Earldom of Ross,
and after the late Earl was created a Peer of Parliament by the title of
Lord of the Isles, the Earl of Athole was despatched to the north to re-
instate Ross in his former possessions, now re-granted to him by the
King, where he was joined by the Mackenzies, Mackays, Erasers, Rosses,
and others ; but beuig met by Angus Og at a place called Lag-a-bhraid,
the Earl of Athole was defeated with great slaughter, and it was with
great ditiiculty that he managed to make his escape. Two expeditions
were afterwards sent north — the first under the Earl of Crawford by sea,
with another body under the Earl of Huntly by land ; the other, under
the Earls of Argyle and Athole, accompanied by the Lord of the Isles in
person. But these expeditions proved unsuccessful against Angus Og.
Argyle, however, managed to pursuade several families of the Isles to join
him ; but failing in the object of their mission, the two Earls soon returned.
The Lord of the Isles^ however, proceeded south, through the Sound of Mull,
accompanied by the Macleans, Macleods, Macneils, and others, and again
encountered his rebellious son in a bay on the south side of Ardnamurchan,
near Tobermory, where a naval engagement immediately took place between
them, which resulted in the complete overthrow of the father and in the dis-
persion of his fleet. By this victory, at " the battle of the Bloody Bay,"
Angus was completely established in the full possession of the power and
extensive territories of his clan, " There was one called Edmond More
Obrian along with Ranald Bain (Laird of Muidort's eldest son), who thrust
* Collectanea de Kebus Albanicis, 315-316.