Life of Flora Macdonald and her adventures with Prince Charles

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verdict of the company as ridiculously small. However, the
dress finally condescended upon was one almost entirely
made up that same evening by all who could handle a
needle in the house. It consisted of a flowered linen gown,
sprigged with blue, a light-coloured quilted petticoat, a large
cap, and broad apron, and a mantle of grey-coloured camlet
with a large hood, such as Irish girls were in the habit of
wearing. Next day being the 26th of June, when every-
thing was carefully prepared, Lady Clanranald, Flora, and
Niel MacEachainn, the latter of whom carried Betty Burke's
dress in a well-packed bundle, were cautiously conducted by
O'Neal to the miserable abode where the Prince was con-
cealed, seven or eight miles distant from the mansion-house
of Ormiclade. At length they arrived in safety, and found
His Royal Highness alone at the time in his wretched cave.
The elegant youth, the descendant of a line of kings
stretching back to the remotest antiquity, was here found
roasting kidneys and the heart and liver of a sheep for his
humble repast. The sight, which was most affecting, moved
the party to tears; but the natural, cheerful, and affable
demeanour of the Prince soon restored his affected visitors
to calm composure of mind. At his request, they all sat
down to partake of his cookery. The table was a flat stone
resting on a pillar of turf, while the seats on which they sat
were bundles of heather closely packed and tied together.
Though the fare consisted of no great variety, yet it was
very substantially supplemented by a large supply of pre-
pared meat and roasted fowls, as well as by an abundance of
wine, brandy, and other acceptable eatables and viands that
had just arrived from Ormiclade, as requisites for the in-
tended voyage. While thus seated at his primitive and rude
table, the Prince greatly amused his guests by racy anecdotes
and facetious remarks. Indeed he made himself so agree-