1747] MISS FLORA MACDONALD 305 Miss could recollect the contents of said letter as exactly as 23 Nov. possible, in order to give a narrative of the same. Answer. The substance of the writing which Armadale sent to his wife, was as is already mentioned in Miss MacDonald's own journal.1 4. Ask what particular songs he chaunted in crossing from the Long Isle to Sky? if she can give the names of them? ANSWER. He sung 'The King shall enjoy his own again,' and The twenty-ninth of May,' etc. 5.-Ask whether or not Lady Clanronald furnished the Prince and Miss MacDonald with some bottles full of milk as part of their provisions on board the boat in the passage to Sky? And whether or not the Prince did put the bottle to his head, and drink in common with those on board? ANSWER.-Lady Clanronald did furnish them with some bottles of milk, and the Prince (in the passage) putting the bottle to his head, drank in common with those on board Jock-fellow-like. Lady Clanronald had but one half-bottle of wine (there being so many demands upon her, particularly from parties of the military) which she likewise caused to be put on board the boat. The Prince in the passage would not allow any person to share in this small allowance of wine, but kept it altogether for Miss MacDonald's use, lest she should faint with the cold and other inconveniences of a night passage. fol. 543. 6. To the preceeding questions Dr. Burton was pleased to add one of his own, which is what length of time there fo!. 544happened to be betwixt the Prince's leaving Kingsburgh's house and Captain Ferguson's coming thither to search for him? ANSWER.-About six or seven days; so that the Prince behoved by that time to be actually upon the continent. N.B.-Miss Flora MacDonald was upon the 28th of November 1746 put on board the Royal Sovereign lying at the Nore, and upon the 6th of December following, was removed to London and put into the custody of Mr. Dick, a messenger, in whose hands were likewise Dr. Burton, Æneas MacDonald, Malcolm MacLeod, Clanronald, senior, Boisdale, etc. But Lady 1 See f. 525. U Clanronald was not allowed to be in the same messenger's house with her husband. 1 Francis Townly, Esquire, of an honourable family in Lancashire, was Colonel of the Manchester regiment, and one of the nine English gentlemen that suffered first upon Kennington Common, July 30th, 1746. [See Scots Magazine for July, pp. 326-330.] The verses are printed with some variations in Manchester Collectanea, Chetham Society,' vol. lxviii. p. 235. 3 Alluding to the capitulation at Carlisle. Copy of several remarkable NARRATIVES taken from the mouth of Dr. ARCHIBALD CAMERON'S lady,2 by Dr. JOHN BURTON, when in Edinburgh. 3 THE Prince in going into the hut where the thieves were 1746. July. (being forced to do it), having been eight and forty hours 3 Meaning here I suppose the Glenmoriston men [see f. 172], for these men (as I have often heard) were such infamous thieves and noted lifters of cattle, in a word, such remarkable banditti by profession, that the country people who knew them would not drink with them. And yet they proved most faithful and trusty friends to the Prince in his greatest dangers and distresses. These very men (consider and wonder!) that could at any time risque both body and soul for less than the value of a single shilling, were found proof of thirty thousand July. without any sustenance, was discovered by one of them who knew him well.1 This trusty fellow, knowing the Prince's condition, fol. 548. and at the same time, not daring to tell his companions who their new guest was, had the presence of mind to call out, ‘Ha, Dougal MacCullony, I am glad to see thee.' By this the Prince found that he was known to this man, and that the man behoved to be a friend by the expression he had now used. The Prince took the hint and humoured the joke so well that he owned the name given him, and accordingly sat down and ate very heartily of some boyled beef and pottage. The man who knew the Prince found (after talking privately with the Prince) that it was necessary to inform his companions who their new guest was. Upon knowing of this they rejoiced greatly and made it their study how to serve him in the best manner they could, two of them being always employed by turns to keep sentry or a good look-out, and to bring in provisions, which they did in plenty. In short they behaved with the utmost fidelity and respect to him while amongst them. 3 When the Prince and, I think, Cameron of Glenbean or Glenfol. 549. pain were travelling together, one day the latter after going about three miles,2 missed his purse, wherein he had forty guineas and would needs go back for it. But the Prince was not at all for his returning upon any account. However, Glenbean was positive not to want the purse, and therefore he desired the Prince to wait behind a hill near the place where they then were till he should come to him again. The Prince was obliged to comply, and Glenpean had not gone far before a party of soldiers appeared and marched the very road they should have gone had not Glenbean left his purse; by which means the Prince must inevitably have been taken. The Prince lay snug and watched the road the soldiers went, waiting Glenpane's return. Glenbean found his purse and returned with joy, the Prince at that time having no money, which was pounds sterling, and generously despised the tempting bait, whilst others (gentle- See this point corrected afterwards, f. 820. 1746] SOME NARROW ESCAPES 309 the chief reason that made Glenpean so positive on return- July. ing to seek for the purse. The Prince told him what he had fol. 550. seen, on which they took a. different route, heartily thanking Providence for so lucky and so seasonable an accident. The Prince, not many days after his return from Sky to the continent, sent one to Glenbean1 (I think) desiring Glenbean to meet him at such a place. But before the messenger and Glenbean came to him he was obliged to remove from the place appointed upon seeing some soldiers approaching towards it. Glenpane and the guide coming to the place and not finding the Prince, parted and went different roads in order (if possible) to find him out. After the Prince had left the place appointed for the meeting, it became so very misty or foggy that a person could not see a yard before him. During the continuance of this fog Glenbean walking up a vale accidentally met with the Prince, being so near as to rub upon one another before the one could discern the other. The Prince in a bold manner asked the other who he was, the Prince being ready for a defence provided it had been an enemy. The answer being given, the Prince said, You are the man I sent fol. 551. for, and I am such an one. Soon after this, another guide being got (for they never heard any more of the former guide, who parted from Glenbean when both of them were endeavouring to find out the Prince), they set out for the place whither the Prince was a-going; and the fog still remaining as thick as before, the Prince happened to fall, and was going headlong down a precipice of above twenty fathoms deep, when the guide most happily catched hold of his foot. But the Prince's weight brought him down also, and both of them must inevitably have had their brains knock'd out had it not been for Glenbean's seizing fast hold of the guide who still kept fast hold of the Prince though in so much danger himself. By the help of Glenbean and some shrubs growing on the side of the precipice they recovered themselves and were both preserved. As soon as the besiegers of Fortwilliam left the place, a fol. 552. party of Caroline Scott's men from within the fort went to the house of Cameron of Gleneavis and plundered it, and stript 1 See ff. 569, 608. |