Series 2 > Origins of the 'Forty-five

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PRINCE CHARLES’S WANDERINGS
what it was, who told it was fresh creme, he not doubting
but it was really so, and at the same time believing it
to be solid, pushed his hand to the very wrist in the
scalded milk, which made him draw back his hand in the
greatest hurry, all full of wrath, and dropt his spoon
in the pot. Neil had all the difficulty imaginable to
keep his gravity, to hear him curse the wife and her pot
a hundred times, calling her a vile witch for (says he)
she contrived it a purpose that we might burn ourselves.
Neil, seeing him altogether out of humour, in order to
pacify him, told he would take a stick and labour her
to an inch of her life with it, and immediately ran to an
oar of the boat that was lying before him to knock out her
brains. The prince, believing him to be serious, begged of
him not to touch her, for, if he came to do her any hurt,
she would certainly run off and bring a party upon them.
After this repas, the prince inclined to sleep a little,
as he rested none the night before ; but to get a bed
for him was the question—in short, there was no better
shift than to take the leaf of the door, and lay it down
upon the floor, and spread an old ragged sail over it,
which Neil found in the house ; there he slept some hours
wrapt in his wet plaid. The guide, who went with O’Neil
the night before to Clanranald’s house, returned towards
evening, who brought along with him a rosted fowl, and
a couples of bottles of wine, and a letter from O’Neil to
the prince, the contents of which I could not find out,
though it’s very probable he excused himself for not
returning, under pretence to hasten all matters for leaving
the country. The prince supp’t very heartily upon what
the lady had sent him, and afterwards slept soundly upon
a heather bed, which Neil made for him.
Next morning the prince wrote a letter to O’Neil by
the same post that brought the former, desiring him to
come to him that night; but O’Neil contented himself
to return him an answer by the same bearer, telling him
he could not come by reason that he waited Miss Mc¬
Donald and the Lady Clanranald, who was to come next
day without fail.