Sutherland and the Reay country

56 SUTHERLAND AND THE REAY COUNTRY.
the Earl of Caithness signified a wish to hunt in the Reay
forest. Hugh at once declined to give him leave, and the
affair ended at that time in some bragging on either side.
But in 1 60 1 matters became more serious. Under pretence
of hunting, the Earl of Caithness convened his forces at Ben
Griam, Sutherlandshire. Earl John returned, and with the
aid of his allies encamped within three miles of the Caithness
host, and proposed to fight on the morrow. There was a
tradition that at this very spot a battle should be fought
between the Caithness men and Sutherland and Strathnaver,
where Sutherland men should have a great loss, Strathnaver
greater, but Caithness greatest of all. This made the
Sutherland forces eager for the fray, but the Earl of
Caithness thought it safer to retreat by night into his own
country. A cairn was erected on the spot to commemorate
the event, and it is known as Cam Teichidh — The Flight
Cairn.
It is pleasant to turn from these warlike operations to
more amicable events. In the August of 1602, we find the
Earl of Orkney entertaining a company of the mainland
magnates in his island castles. These included the Earl of
Sutherland, the Mackay chief, Sir Robert Gordon, Earl
John's brother, the laird of Assynt, and others. After a
fortnight's stay, they returned to Cromarty whence they had
embarked, highly pleased with their splendid reception.
Up to this date it was the custom of the Highland chiefs
to settle by force of arms such differences, and they were not
few, as occurred among them. But now they adopted the
modern fashion of lodging complaints with the Privy
Council, and seeking redress by the aid of the law. By this
process it happened often that the real offender escaped