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

-340 History of the Clan MacLean.
more expressive than words, passed between them. The harper remained un-
suspicious, and when the storm abated all started together, the stranger assist-
ing Barabel, while the harper walked in front breaking out the path. The
stranger's attention now became so marked t»ward Barabel, that the harper
became uncomfortable, but did not think it worth while to show any annoy-
ance. * When they came in sight of the sea, the stranger's boat was seen in
waiting. At that moment Barabel complained of being thirsty, and begged
her betrothed to go and bring her a drink from a spring some distance away.
The unsuspecting harper cheerfully went to the spring, but when he had re-
traced his steps, he was transfixed with astonishment at seeing his faithless
Barabel in full flight with the stranger, rowing rapidly from the shore. He
realized that he had been robbed, insulted, and mocked. He never saw her
again; but soon after received a message from her begging his forgiveness,
and explaining that in the stranger she had recognized her former lover, Neil
MacLean ; that she was now married, and only wanted the forgiveness of her
injured betrothed to complete her entire felicity. At the same time, she
begged his acceptance of a fine new harp, which she had sent in place of the
■one he had destroyed on her account. The harper sent back the proffered
present, saying he should never play on any instrument again ; that his heart
was broken as well as his harp ; but he would freely forgive her for the wrong
she had done him. He kept his word ; his gentle spirit had received too cruel
a blow, and he lived a solitary, listless life for a few months, and then died, a
broken-hearted man.
Sir Walter Scott has preserved * the following tradition concerning Sir
Allan, nineteenth chief of MacLean, although it is more befitting some of the
older chiefs. "Allan MacLean, chief of that clan, happened upon a time to
hear one of his favorite retainers observe to his comrade, that their chief grew
old. 'Whence do you infer that?' replied the other. 'When was it,' re-
joined the first, ' that a soldier of Allan's was obliged, as I am now, not only
to eat the flesh from the bone, but even to tear off" the inner skin, or filament ? '
The hint was quite suificient, and MacLean next morning, to relieve his fol-
lowers from such dire necessity, undertook an inroad on the mainland, the
ravage of which altogether effaced the memory of his former expeditions for
the like purpose."
Browne f preserves a letter of iEneas MacDonald, a banker in Paris, in
* Note to Canto III. of TIte Lady of the Lake. '\ History of the Highland Clans, Vol.
XY., p. 92.