Volume I Part 24 (1/2)

His proposal was, unfortunately for his brave followers, not seconded by the powerful voice of Lord George Murray Lochiel, as not a ed that the ar day The return of the arued and fa, was the result of that ill-advised atteiven at Culloden House by one of the clan Cameron, that the Duke's army was in full march towards them

When the ariade The Camerons, with the Maclaclans and Macleans, the Mackintoshes, the Stuarts, attacked sword in hand Most of the chiefs who coi at the head of his regii his shen he fell wounded with grape-shot in both ankles

His two brothers, afterwards more unfortunate even than himself, were on each side of him; they raised him up, and bore him off the field in their arreatness of their fame; nor have the imputations which were cast upon other clans, perhaps had a just foundation of truth No reliance can be placed upon the opinions of the English press at the tiht, as Mrs Grant expresses it, with the ”most venomous perseverance” His own country, to which he was at first re him no shelter,[289] he sheltered hi from his wounds, until in June, his friend Clunie Macpherson brought froave him the benefit of his aid Meantime the spirit of Lochiel remained undaunted; and he who had entered into the insurrection unwillingly, was alive up the cause A resolution was taken on the eighth of May by the chieftains to raise each a body of men, for the service of the Prince; and the rendezvous was appointed at Achnacarry on the fifteenth instant We find a letter addressed by Lochiel on May the twenty-fifth to the chiefs, accounting for his not havingto pro them to keep quiet until a proe of hope; but whether that was the real feeling of the writer, or only intended to keep up exertion, cannot be ascertained In the postscript Lochiel states his regret that e ”I cannot,” he adds, ”take upon iveMay, Lochiel continued at Loch Arkeg, preparing for a su with Clunie Macpherson and with the treacherous Murray of Broughton on the subject He was, at this time, in want of food and money ”I have scarcely a sufficiency of entleet none to purchase in this country”[290] After the breaking up of the scheme of fresh cooperations in May, and when Lochaber was occupied by the Government troops, Lochiel became anxious to retire to Badenoch This district is one of the wildest parts of the Highlands; though destitute of wood, it afforded shelter in its rocky dens and in the sides of its rugged hills Not only did Lochiel desire repose and safety, but he longed to be beyond the reach of those heartrending accounts which were ever brought to his of his people, and of the dwellers in Lochaber The severities and cruelties of the military, licensed by the Duke of cue of Mr Forbes, ”bore very hard upon hiht to Lochiel, in Badenoch, that the poor people in Lochaber had been so pillaged and harassed that they had really no necessaries to keep in their lives, Lochiel took out his purse and gave all thesuch in Lochaber ”And,” said a friend ith hi better than that Sir Stewart Threipland at that ti himself in these words: ”I am sure that I have not so et et the smallest assistance!””

Meantime the news reached Lochiel of the total destruction of his house at Achnacarrie Previously to the demolition of the house, the falish soldiers, enca ruins, are said, on tradition, to have actually boiled their kettles at the foot of each of a fine avenue of plane-trees The avenue re up the stem of each tree Not a memorial of the House of Achnacarrie remained For this, and other acts of wanton barbarity, the pretext was that the Camerons, as well as other tribes, had promised to surrender arms at a certain tihness, the Duke of cuan with the rebels in a gentle, paternal ith soft admonitions, with a pro in their arms, and submit to mercy” Since, however, some equivocated, and others broke their word, the Duke was obliged to lay ”the rod on h the country of the Camerons; the cattle were driven away; even the cotter's hut escaped not: the hohtered: and the wretched in to the , soy were croith the ho: whole districts were depopulated: the Sabbath was outraged by acts of destruction, which wounded, in the nicest point, the feelings of the religious oods of the rebels were publicly auctioned, without any warrant of a civil court During all these proceedings, the ”jovial Duke,” as he was called, was ustus in a manner which, if possible, casts more odium on his memory even than his atrocious and unpunished cruelties[292]

Achnacarrie was razed to the ground A modern structure, suitable in splendour to the truly noble family who possess it, has arisen in its place; but no erection can restore the house of Sir Ewan Dhu, and the horandson, Donald Cameron As the plunderers ransacked the house, they found a picture of Lochiel, and one which was accounted a good likeness This was given to the soldiers, ere dispatched over Corryarie in search of the wounded and unfortunate original On the top of that mountain theof a fair and pleasing aspect, was mistaken by them for Lochiel

”Urie,” writes Mrs Grant, who had the story from himself, ”was a Jacobite, and had been _out_, as the phrase was then The soldiers seized him, and assured him he was a d----d rebel, and that his title was Lochiel He, in turn, assured them that he was neither d----d, nor a rebel, nor by any means Lochiel When he understood, however, that they were in search of Lochiel, and going in the very direction where he lay concealed, he gave theht They returned to Fort Augustus where the Duke of cureat triumph with their prisoners; Urie, as he expected, froence of some ere about the Duke, was very soon set at liberty”

This te Lochiel time to contrive means of escape from the country There was one, however, dear to him as his own life, whose continuance in Scotland ensured that of Lochiel This was Prince Charles, who evinced for Lochiel a regard, and displayed a degree of confidence in his fidelity, which were amply merited by the tried affection of the chieftain For nearly three norant of the fate of Charles, until the joyful tidings were brought of his being safe at Loch-Arkeg

Lochiel was at Ben Aulder, a hill of great circuence from one of his tenants named Macpherson, as sent by Cameron of Clunes to find out Lochiel and Clunie, and to infor master was safe

Upon the return of Macpherson to Ca inforarry and Dr Archibald Cae to theo to the Prince on account of his wounds, it was agreed between Lochiel and these friends, that Charles should take refuge near Achnacarrie, as the safest place for hiarry returned to Charles to iement The attachment of Charles to Lochiel was shown in a very forcible manner: when he was inforreatest satisfaction, and fervently returned thanks to God The ejaculation of praise and thanksgiving was reiterated three or four ti, and took up his abode in a fir-wood on the west side of the lake, to await the arrival of Clunie, who had promised to meet him there The impatience of the Prince to behold his friends Clunie and Lochiel was so great, that he set out for Badenoch before Clunie could arrive

Lochiel had, during the months of June and July, rereat chase belonging to Clunie His dwelling was aat Mellamir, which contained him and his friend Macpherson of Breackachie, also his principal servant, Allan Cameron, and two servants of Clunie Here Clunie and Lochiel, ere cousins-german, were chiefly supplied with provisions by Macpherson of Breackachie, as married to a sister of Clunie The secret of their retreat was known to hlanders was such, that though the Earl of Loudon had a military post not e of the place of Lochiel's concealuarded Prince Charles in his wanderings, and resisted the tee reward, protected Lochiel in his retirement

In this retreat he was found by the Prince, who had h Badenoch to the Braes of Bannoch, accompanied by five persons When Lochiel fro, all ar to seize hi: he held a short conference with his friends, and then resolved to receive the supposed assailants with a general discharge of fire-arms He had twelve firelocks and some small pistols in the botine or hut; these were all made ready, the pieces levelled, and planted; and Lochiel and his friends trusted to getting the better of the searchers, whose number did not exceed their own Thus Charles Edward, after the unparalleled dangers of his recent wanderings, ran a risk of being killed by one of histhis circumstance, ”the auspicious hand of God, and his providence, so apparent at all tihness, prevented those within fro at the Prince and his four attendants, for they came at last so near that they were known by those within”[293]

It was, indeed, no difficult matter to discern in the person of Charles Edward the handsome and princely youth who had presided over the Court at Holyrood He had discarded the old black kilt, philibeg, and waistcoat which he had worn at Loch Arkeg, for a coarse, brown, short coat: a new article of dress, such as a pair of shoes and a new shi+rt, had lately replenished his wardrobe He had a long red beard, and wore a pistol and dirk by his side, carrying always a gun in his hand Yet ”the young Italian,” as the Whigs delighted to call hiours of his fate, and thriven beneath the severities of the Scottish cliinally slender, had become robust: he had fared in the rudestsoundly, even with the dread of a surprise ever before him

Lochiel, on the other hand, was la from his close quarters, and froht down to us the accounts of the chief's personal beauty Though fair, he was not effeular and expressive But those attributes which completed the romance of Lochiel's characterthese months of trial, infirm health, and uncured wounds His spirit was not yet subdued Eventually that noble heart was broken by all that it had endured, but, at that epoch of his eventful life, it still throbbed with hope

When Lochiel perceived that it was Charles Edho approached, he h la,” writes Clunie, ”is much easier to be conceived than described” Lochiel attempted to kneel ”Oh no, my dear Lochiel!” cried the Prince; ”we do not knohofrom the top of yonder hills; and if they see any such motions, they will conclude that I aave him the best welco ere the two outlaws, or ”broken men,” who had succoured him, and whom he had retained in his service, entered the hut[294] A repast, alitives, was prepared for the Breackachie It consisted of a plentiful supply oftwenty Scots' pints; soes, made the year before; with plenty of butter and cheese, besides a well-cured haed his friends in a hearty dram, and frequently (perhaps, as the event showed, too frequently) called for the saain When soe saucepan always carried about with the heartily of that incoentlemen, I live like a prince” ”Have you,” he said to Lochiel, ”always lived so well here?” ”Yes, sir,” replied the chief; ”for three months, since I have been here with my cousin Clunie, he has provided me so well, that I have had plenty of such as you see I thank Heaven your Highness has been spared to take a part!”

On the arrival of Clunie two days afterwards, the royal fugitive and his friend Lochiel removed from Mellamur, and went two miles further into Ben Aulder, until they reached a shi+el called Uiskchiboa, where the hut was peculiarly wretched and shness,” as Clunie related, ”put up with everything” Here they rehts, and then went to a habitation still two miles further into Ben Aulder, for no less reht secure This retreat was prepared by Clunie, and obtained the nareat curiosity, and can scarcely be described to perfection” It is best to give the account of the edifice which he had himself constructed, in Macpherson's oords ”It was situated in the face of a very rough, high, and rocky mountain, called Lettereat stones and crevices, and soe, in the face of that mountain, ithin a small but thick wood There were first some rows of trees laid down, in order to level a floor for the habitation; and, as the place was steep, this raised the lower side to an equal height with the other; and these trees, in the way of joists or planks, were levelled with earth or gravel There were betwixt the trees, growing naturally on their own roots, some stakes fixed in the earth, which, with the trees, were interwoven with ropes, e, it being of a round or rather oval shape, and the whole thatched and covered over with bog This whole fabric hung, as it were, by a large tree, which reclined froave it the nae; and by chance there happened to be two stones, at a small distance fro the pillars of a chimney, where the fire was placed The s the face of the rock, which was so much of the same colour that one could discover no difference in the clearest day The Cage was no larger than to contain six or seven persons, four of ere frequently e, and another fixing bread and cooking”[295]

Charles and Lochiel remained six or seven days in this seclusion, which was one of several to which Clunie was in the habit of retiring, never even inforoing But the deliverance of the Prince and Lochiel was now at hand

Several small vessels had arrived from France, and touched on the west coast, expressly to carry away the Prince, but not being able to find hihlanders and the connection between every member of the different clans, the Prince had been able to keep up a continual communication with persons on the coast, without discovery This wasnear the shore; and though they knew not where Charles was, yet they conveyed the intelligence to others, who iain told it to those ere acquainted with the obscure place of his retreat At last two French vessels, l'Heureux and la Princesse de Conti, departed under the command of Colonel Warren, froh early in September This event was communicated to Cameron of Clunes, who, on the other hand, learned where the Prince was froer was ie, and he reached that place on the thirteenth of September Charles Edward and Lochiel now prepared to bid Scotland a final adieu Notices were sent round by the Prince to different friends who ht choose to avail themselves of this opportunity of escape; and it was intiht join him if they were inclined

The place of embarkation was Borodale, whence Charles had first summoned Lochiel to support his cause The party travelled only by night, and were six days on their road They were joined by Glengary, John Roy Stewart, Dr Cameron, and a number of other adherents On the twentieth of Septee to the coast of France The Prince had intended to sail direct for Nantes, but he altered his course in order to escape Ad chased by two ne, in a thick fog, on the twenty-ninth of Septeht to France by his wife, the faithful and affectionate associate of his exile His eldest son was left in the charge of his brother Cameron, of Fassefern In Paris Lochiel found his father, as then eighty years of age; and to this aged chief the Prince paid the well-e with himself and Lord Lewis Gordon, when he first went to the Court of Louis the Fifteenth in state The Prince was followed on that occasion by a nuilvy, Lord Elcho, and the Prince's secretary Kelly, preceded the royal carriage: the younger Lochiel and several gentlemen followed on horseback Amid this noble train of brave men, the Prince appeared pre-eminent in the splendour of his dress A coat of rose-coloured velvet, lined with silver tissue, presented a singular contrast to the brown short coat in which some of his adherents had forled fringe, set out in scollops, and the white cockade in his hat was studded with diae on his breast were adorned with the salittered,” as an eye-witness observed, ”all over like the star which they tell you appeared at his nativity” But all this display, and the feigned kindness of his reception, were but the prelude to a heartless abandonment of his cause on the part of Louis the Fifteenth

Lochiel was, eventually, provided for by the French Monarch He wasa peculiar faculty of attaching others to him, he soon became beloved by those under his command The Prince showed him affectionate respect; and, blessed in the society of his wife, and in a daughter whoht have passed the rest of his days in tranquil submission to the course of events: but his heart yearned for Scotland; he could not give up the hopes of another expedition, which he desired to undertake with any force that could be collected Cherishi+ng this scheme, the coldness of the Court of France, and the rashness of the Prince, gave great sorrow to his harassed mind Soon after his arrival in Paris he opened a correspondence with the Chevalier St George, and represented to him that the misfortunes which had befallen the cause were not irretrievable, and that if ten regi systelish Governain be raised with good grounds for the hope of success

Still hoping thus to return to his country, and again to take ar before Lochiel consented to accept the co still,” as he said, ”to share the fate of his people” ”I told his Royal Highness,” he wrote to the Chevalier St George, ”that Lord Ogilvy or others ure in France, but my ambition was to save the crown and serve hness said, he was doing all he could, but persisted in his resolution to procure iment If it is obtained, I shall accept it out of respect to the Prince; but I hope your Majesty will approve of the resolution I have taken to share in the fate of the people I have undone, and, if theywith them This is the only way I can free myself from the reproach of their blood, and show the disinterested zeal hich I have lived, and shall dye

”Your Majesty's most humble, most obedient, and most faithful servant”[296]

When Prince Charles, disheartened at the growing indifference of the French Court to his interests, conte Paris, Lochiel objected to a proposal which seeed himself to support His representations to the Prince were ineffectual, for a stronger influence had arisen to baffle the endeavours of Charles's friends; and he was under the sway of one as, not inaptly, ternon, to which place Lochiel addressed to hient reasons why he should not leave Paris Frolish Jacobites had expressed their willingness to rise, had the Prince either supplied theht them troops to support them

”For Heaven's sake, sir,” wrote Lochiel,[297] ”be pleased to consider these circumstances with the attention that their importance deserves; and that your honour, your essential interest, the preservation of the royal cause, and the bleeding state of your suffering friends, require of you Let hness, in the most humble and earnest manner, to reflect that your reputation must suffer in the opinion of all hted or neglected any possibleyour affairs”

These remonstrances were at last so far effectual, that Charles returned to Paris, and was only again removed from that capital by force