History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

An Independent Clan — 1598 to 1746. 177
MacLean proprietors in Morvern, not willing to hazai'd their own safety with
a government at whose hands they could not hope for much justice, felt an
unwillingness to commence hostile measures of retaliation against the depre-
dators ; at length, however, after many suft'erings, they entered into a bond
■of self-defense, and consulted their chief as to the measures of protection
most advisable to be pursued. In a foray of the Campbells of Ardnamur-
chan, into Morvern, in the year KJSl, they carried off a considerable number
of cattle belonging to the j\IacLeans. Sir Hector complained to Argyle of the
depredatory conduct of his people, and demanded peremptory and immediate
satisfaction. Campbell not showing due willingness to give the required satis-
faction. Sir Hector, called together his people, and, entering Ardnamurchan,
seized upon two of the principal offenders, whom he immediately ordered to
be hanged at the castle of Drimnin, in Morvern : and after forcing the plun-
derers to make ample restitution for their depredation upon the MacLeans,
and terrifying them into a promise of honest behavior for the future, the
young chief marched into Lorn, where he also made such reprisals upon the
Campbells as compensated his jjeople for the injuries suffered by them so long.
"While these reprisals were being inflicted, the marquis was at Inverary, and
gathering a force marched westward toward Lorn, and meeting Sir Hector on
Lochawe-side, imperiously inquired how he dared to enter his lands, or com-
mit the injuries upon his people of which he was lately guilty. " Daring, my
lord Argyle," answered the young chief, " is a quality to which I well know
you are a total stranger, and of which it does not, therefore, become you to
speak. But as I dare be an honest man myself, I dare also to punish the dis-
honest; and since it appears you dare not or will not keep your unruly rob-
bers in order, I am resolved they shall keep clear of my people, or the dis-
trict of Lorn shall within a month exhibit the spectacle of a Campbell thief
hanging to every tree in it."
Although Sir Hector might well dispute the validity of the bond thus ex-
torted from his father, as already noticed, his extreme notions of honor would
not permit him to argue its illegality or refuse its payment. It appears to
have sufficed the noble young chief to see his father's name attached to that
unsavory document to authorize him to pay it. He at once set about doing
so, and in one payment advanced Argyle £10,000 to account. Yet even in
this transaction Argyle managed to dupe the youthful lord of Duard, by giving
him a common receipt, instead of indorsing the amount on the original bond.
This receipt, as was generally believed, was purloined with other papers from
Duard Castle by some emissary of Argyle at a future period, not a farthing of