Volume I Part 23 (1/2)
Shortly after this crisis, the Jacobite arst ereto e for them, for France; but the main body of the army marched ard, to Strathspey and Strath-dore to the Hills of Badenoch, where they separated The foot-soldiers dispersed into the reeing to reassee, on receiving notice from the Chevalier[261] But such a summons never calens and fortresses
Lochiel had entrusted the guidance of his clan to his son, afterwards well known by the naentle Lochiel,” and the faithful promoter of Charles Edward's ill-starred enterprise Persuaded that the safety and honour of his house were safe in the hands of this pronorance of the projected rising, and had taken no part in it, Lochiel resolved to consult his own safety, and to follow his royalfor some time near Braemar, and in Badenoch, he escaped bynear the coast of Scotland[262]
In 1719 Sir Ewan Dhu expired, having witnessed the rise and fall of that attempt to restore the Stuarts, which was only succeeded by aHe lived to see his son an exile, but he had the consolation of reflecting that the honour of his clan, the great desideratum with a chieftain, was yet unstained either by cowardice or disloyalty
The Camerons do not appear to have had any participation in the abortive attelish Government as a proscribed rebel, and deeiven, Lochiel passed henceforth most of his days in the melancholy court of St Germains, where he soon perceived how little faith there was to be placed in the energy and determination of James Stuart At times his weary exile was relieved by secret visits to his own home at Achnacarry, where he found his son, dutiful and a his possessions as in trust for his father Lochiel was enabled by the power and alliance of his sons-in-law to re these visits; yet he professed to renounce Scotland until a change of Government should facilitate his return as a chieftain to his clansmen In every district he found kindred ready to protect him, and he derived h his children His sons-in-laere mostly the heads of clans, and they all looked up to Lochiel with affectionate reverence
Had Lochiel been a remorseless partisan of Jaht easily have stimulated his kindred, and set into motion the whole of that powerful connection of which he was the centre But he perceived too plainly the risk of such a proceeding, and wisely declined involving the peaceful and the prosperous in the dangers of another contest His moderate sentiments were confirht patterns of huifted with every char the early part of the Rebellion of 1745, John of Lochiel remained in France; but, when the battles of Falkirk and of Preston Pans raised the hopes of his party, he came over to Scotland, and landed on the coasts of Lochaber, a short tiiven at Culloden After taking a last look at his house, and visiting, hat feelings can well be conceived, the scenes of his childhood, the haunts of his ancestry,--the house of Achnacarry, which was soon, as he well eance to a foe more ruthless and brutal than ever party spirit had infuriated in this country before,--Lochiel, eht him to Scotland, elate with hope, returned to France His exile was cheered by the friendshi+p of the Duke of Berwick, but his heart seems ever to have been in Scotland A few years afterwards he cah, and there his eventful life was closed[263] His estates were included, after the year 1745, in the numerous forfeitures which followed the Rebellion; but they were eventually restored, and they have remained in possession of the family Intrepid and amiable as John of Lochiel appears to have been, and perilous as was his career, his character bears no cohtest ornaallant unfortunate son
Donald Ca exercised the authority of a chieftain, before the Rebellion of 1745 entailed upon him a participation in occupations still e when he was called upon to support the claims of Charles Edward
To the virtues and intentions of this chieftain, even his enemies have borne tribute He was acco The warlike tribes around him, unaccustoallant and the good Lochiel His father, reposing on his honour and prudence, relied with security upon his son's ement of the family estates, and this confidence was never disturbed by presumption on the one hand, nor by suspicion on the other
Donald Cameron had imbibed the principles of his father; and there is little doubt but that, during the furtive visits of John Lochiel to Scotland, a tacit understanding had been forood old cause,” as they termed it, whenever circuh ”he loved his King well, loved his country better;” nor could he be persuaded to endanger the peace of that country by a rash enterprise, which could never, as he justly thought, prosper without foreign aid, and the hearty co-operation of the English Jacobites His own clansmen were, he well knew, prepared for the contest, coentry and of the retainers consisted, to borrow a description from a contemporary writer, entirely of disquisitions upon ” themselves upon their wicked expeditions and incursions upon their innocent low-country neighbours They have gott,” adds the same author,[264] ”a notion and inviollable maxi the only ancient Scotss to them in property, and look on all the low-country-lish, who have by violence robbed them of the best part of their country, while they themselves are penned up in the most mountainous and barren parts thereof to starve; therefore think it no injustice to co thereby conscience to interrupt their illegal possession (as they call it) in case it should prescribe into a right”[265]
It would not have been difficult to have blown such combustible materials into a flame; but Donald Cameron adopted a different policy, and endeavoured to allay the angry passions of the tribe over which he ruled: nevertheless, his own conduct was perfectly consistent with his principles; and such was the notion entertained of his integrity and ning faed in that tenderness of conscience and per in the ireat military station[266]
Donald Cameron had indeed a more valuable stake in the country than houses or lands He was hter of Sir Jah praise to say, that she orthy of being the companion of such a man
Thus situated, the no maintained in the family, is said never to have exceeded in value five hundred pounds a-year, and less prejudiced against the English and the ruling powers than his predecessors, Donald Cameron felt, it is asserted, little desire to promote a second invasion of the country by the Chevalier The slightest intimation of his father's wish to revive that cause would have been sufficient to set the whole faer Lochiel had been ripened by the cautious and critical part which he had had to perform in life; and that prudent disposition, enforced by his father's circumspection, prevented any precipitate measures
Of the favour and confidence of the Chevalier, Donald Ca letter was addressed to him, under the nalad of this occasion to let you knoell plessed I am to hear of the care you take to follow your father's and uncle's example in their loyalty to me; and I doubt not of your endeavours to maintain the true spirit in the clan Allan is noith hlanders about me, whom I value as they deserve You will deliver the enclosed to its address, and doubt not of ard for you, which I aned) ”JAMES R”
”April 11, 1727”
In addition to these instructions, Donald Cameron received a letter from his uncle, Allan Ca his residence at Albano; from which it appears that a full commission had been sent to Lochiel to treat with ”such of the King's friends in Scotland,” as he thought were safe to be trusted concerning his affairs
It was also intiood sense and prudence of Lochiel, froiven to any future exertions The uncle then instructed his nephe to answer the King's letter in the following explicit manner These directions are tolerably minute:[268]
”I think it proper you should write to the King by the first post after you receive his letter I need not advise you what to say in answer to such a gracious letter fro Declare your duty and readiness to execute his Majesty's commands on all occasions, and your sense of the honour he has been pleased to do you in giving you such a commission I am not to chuse words for you, because I am sure you can express yourself in a dutiful and discreet e in, and to end, Your most faithful and obedient subject and servant; and to address to the King and no more; which inclose to me sealed I pray sendthat you do not think fit or needful the King should see in your letter to me, because I will shew your answer to this, wherein you may say that you will be mindful of all I wrote to you, and what else you think fit”
To these instructions assurances were added, that the elder Lochiel, who had, it seems, been in necessitous circu his exile, should be relieved at the Chevalier's expense; ”so that,” adds the uncle, ”your mind may be pretty easy upon that point”
Donald had, it appears, expressed some discontent at the comparative comfort in which some of the exiled Jacobites lived, and the poverty of his father's circumstances, which he had observed when in Paris a few years previous to this correspondence Allan Caood teranes, be byganes,” as long as such neighbours continue fir's interests;” to avoid private animosities, and yet to keep a watch over their fidelity to the cause ”As to Lovat,” adds the uncle, ”be on your guard, but not so as to lose hireat deal to the resolution he has taken to serve him, and expects he will continue in that resolution But, dear nephew, you know very well that he ive true and real proof of his sincerity by performance, before he can be entirely reckoned on, after the part he has acted This I say to yourself, and therefore you must deal with hio with him, since you know he has always been a man whose chief vieas his own interest It is true, he wishes our fa restored, which is his interest, if he has the grace to have a hand in it, after what he has done So, upon the whole, I know not what advice to give you, as to letting hi wrote you such a letter as you have; but in general, you are to uard; for it is not good to put too n The King knows very well how useful he can be if sincere, which I have represented as fully as was necessary
”This letter is of such bulk, that I have inclosed the King's letter under cover with another letter addressed for your father, as I will not take leave of you till next post I add only, that I aht years afterwards (in 1736), when inquiries werethe temper of the people, and the state of the clans, it was stated that thethe clans were Cameron of Lochiel and Sir Alexander Macdonald The Caiiddy and inconstant” that they could not be depended on; only that they were strongly enraged against the Govern the loyalists were reported much di their senti, to make any estimate of the amount of those ould enter into any second sche Caive information of the first hlands were in continual co that those who engaged in the last insurrection, being nearly superannuated, would rather ell to the cause than engage again, he still kept the fervent spirits of that political party whoarded in an equable state,--ready to act, yet willing to wait for a favourable occasion In 1740 Donald Caned, nevertheless, the association of seven carried by Drummond of Bochaldy to Rome; but when the Court of France, after the disaster at Dunkirk, withdrew its aid, he was one of those who sent over Murray to dissuade Charles fron troops:--so true were his professions of fidelity, and so finely was that fidelity te these opinions, which were amply verified by the result of the Rebellion of 1745, when Donald Cameron received a letter fro to see him immediately, it was in sorrow and perplexity that he received the summons He sent his brother, the unfortunate Dr Archibald Cae the Prince to return, and to assure hi But the Prince persisted in the resolution he had forave to Dr Caiven to others, and then, addressing hione to the coast to pay his respects to the Prince, he asked hio to Lochiel and endeavour to persuade hi Scothouse replied, he would comply with the Prince's wishes, and ie from such a quarter could not be resisted, and Lochiel prepared to acco Scothouse to Borodale Lochiel's reluctance to assent was not, however, overcoave him He kneell the state of his country, and he took this first step with an o of the issue He left his home, determined not to take arms On his way to Borodale he called at the house of his brother, John Caht him from home at that early hour? Lochiel replied that the Prince had arrived from France, and had sent to see hiht? what ht neither money, nor arms, nor troops, and that he was therefore resolved not to be concerned in any attempt, and to dissuade Charles from an insurrection Fassefern approved of his brother's decision, but recommended him not to proceed to Borodale, but to communicate his resolution by letter ”No,” rejoined Lochiel; ”it is o to the Prince, and unfold to him my reasons, which admit of no reply” ”Brother,” returned Fassefern, ”I know you better than you know yourself; if the Prince once sets his eyes upon you, he will make you do whatever he pleases”[270]
Lochiel, nevertheless, proceeded to Borodale
The gallant chief found the Prince surrounded by those who, like hily, to join in the ill-starred enterprise The personal courage of Charles Edward has been doubted; but his determination and fearlessness at this critical e Whilst on board the shi+p which brought him to Scotland, it was represented to hiarrison at Inverlochie was not far off, and as the Cahbourhood would be ready to take him ”I have no fear about that at all,” was his reply ”If I could get six stout trusty fellows to join me,” he said, on another occasion, ”I would rather skulk about the mountains of Scotland than return to France”[271]
The Prince was in this temper of mind when Lochiel reached him Upon his arrival at Borodale, the Prince and he i and private conference