Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

ii4 THE ROMANCE OF THE HIGHLANDS.
across, had to run the gauntlet of English ships prowling
about. This was with difficulty accomplished, and one
wet and dismal night he landed on the small island of
Eriska, belonging to Clanranald. The party spent the
night in a miserable hut, and the next morning were
visited by MacDonald of Boisdale, a brother of Clan-
ranald, who was away at the time. We can imagine the
interest with which the Prince questioned Boisdale as to
the loyalty of the islands to his father's family. He must
have felt dismay when that chieftain informed him that
the cause was hopeless. Prince Charlie mentioned
several names, supplied no doubt by his father, but this
was met by the Highlander asserting that some at least
of those quoted might as soon fight against as for him.
He implored the Prince to return at once. This was bad
news, but being so near the mainland the Prince and his
companions (who afterwards became known as the seven
men of Moidart) set sail again and soon cast anchor in
Loch-nan-Uamh, opposite the district of Moidart,
Inverness-shire. The Prince, dressed as an ecclesiastic
and accompanied by his friends of the voyage, landed
there on the 25th July.
He was met by MacDonald of Kinloch-Moidart and
some others, to whom he confided his project. All refused
to have anything to do with such a perilous scheme. The
day was long passed, they informed him, when the
country would rise to his assistance. They implored him
to turn back and not bring them all into trouble. Charles
tried to argue the point but he found this unavailing.
Things were looking desperate for him when, on
glancing around, he thought he saw more encouragement
in the looks of a young man who was rather in the back-
ground. "Would you help me?" the Prince asked him.
The young man, who was Ranald MacDonald, the
younger brother of MacDonald of Kinloch-Moidart, drew