The Government in Disarray as Charlie's Army Make Their Move.

Given that Charles Edward Stuart landed in Scotland in a very remote place, where historically Jacobite sympathies were strong, the government's "intelligence services" in Scotland were at that time woefully inadequate. When there were strong reports of Charles' arrival in Scotland, there were many in high places who refused to accept the reports as true. Even as Charles was preparing to sail to Scotland, intelligence was reaching the Hanoverians of his every move. I think that even then the English had little concern for the "Young Pretender" in a hired boat. But that boat did reach the Isle of Eriskay on the 23 July, albeit with a handful of supporters, no money and no weapons. The main players within the Scottish government at this time were 1.The Marquess of Tweeddale, Secretary of State for Scotland. Top position in Hanoverian Scotland. 2.Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton, The Lord Justice-Clerk. 3.Duncan Forbes of Culloden, Lord Presidentof the Court of Session. 4.William Grant, the Lord Advocate. Between Eriskay on 23 July and Glenfinnan on 19 August we have records of letters involving the four lumenaries mentioned above. 30 July. Letter from the Marquess of Tweeddale to Lord Milton, the Lord Justice-Clerk dismissing reports that Prince Charles had left the port of Nantes on July 15th ".... it was said that he was actually landed in Scotland , which last part I can hardly believe ...." 4 August. Letter from Lord Milton to the Marquess of Tweeddale. " I do not yet hear any surmise of the Pretender's son having landed. My colleague the Lord Advocate (William Grant) likewise discounts the rumours. 10 August. Letter from Lord Milton to the Marquess of Tweeddale. " Regarding the Pretender's eldest son having landed in Uist, I have heard nothing further worth your Lordship's knowing." For the rest of August conflicting reports of Prince Charles' whereabouts, went back and forth, with little or no action taken by the government or the army. On the 7 August a 'credible' report was received from the Reverend Lauchlin Campbell, Church of Scotland Minister in Ardnamurchan(A Whig and a Protestant) to say that the Prince was now living in his parish, and that "all my Jacobite members were in high spirits." What Lord Milton wrote to Tweeddale in late August left no doubt that Prince Charles had landed and was raising an army of Highlanders. Lord Milton had received an eye-witness report from James Mor Macgregor about the raising of the Jacobite Standard at Glenfinnan. This man, the son of Rob Roy Macgregor, was a government informant who travelled easily through the Highlands,and was generally well received by most Highlanders. His reports were always reliable, for which he was probably well paid. In addition a government soldier who had been taken prisoner and witnessed the Rising at Glenfinnan, passed this information on to the relevant authority. As if to rub a little salt in Old Tweeddale's wound, and clinch matters, Lord Nimmo was bold enough to mention that Charles Stuart "was dressed in a white coat and a brocade vest and that he had the Star and George, and a broad-brimmed hat with a white feather, and other small ornaments unworthy of mention here." In Scotland, where immediate action was required, the man responsible "for the defence of the realm" was General Sir John Cope, recently appointed Commander-in-Chief, Scotland. He had less than 3000 men under his command, with dragoon squadrons untried in battle and scattered across the country, and their horses out at grass. He had three infantry regiments under strength and a few weak companies of the newly raised Highland Regiments (Hanoverian) under Lord Loudoun. The Government and the army in Scotland were ill-informed and ill-prepared for any rebellion by a sizeable force, Jacobite or otherwise. Things had been quiet for many years and the army and its horses were literally put out to grass. And before Eriskay, who could have blamed Tweeddale for ignoring this "fly in the ointment" to continue his pleasant, carefree existence in his comfortable quarters in Edinburgh.

The Royal Standard is Raised at Glenfinnan.

Locheil was ushered into a large room looking out over the Sound of Arisaig, and there at a window stood His Royal Highness, Prince Charles Edward Stuart. He was wearing a grey brown coat, scarlet-laced waistcoat and breeches and a fair round wig. The door to the room was closed leaving them alone. It must be appreciated that if Prince Charles had any hope of starting a rebellion, he had to persuade Locheil and his Cameron men to come onside. Locheil suggested in earnest that the Prince return to France, but the Prince reminded him that he and other clan chiefs had given solemn undertakings to rise in his support, while the Prince was languishing in France. He then told Locheil that if he wished he could stay at home, and read in the newspapers about his Prince's fate. That was enough for Young Locheil who there and then pledged every Cameron man under his command. Nevertheless as he returned to Achnacarry, it was with a sore heart he saw how the future lay. On Sunday 18th August, Charles left Kinlochmoidart heading for Loch Shiel with a large guard of Clanranald's men. They camped there overnight, and next morning they travelled by birlinn up the loch to Glenfinnan, where the clans were to gather. The next day (19th August) the Prince and a coterie of his followers foregathered on a hill above Glenfinnan awaiting the arrival of the clans. With him were the chosen few, among them the seven who travelled with him from France. Alongside the Prince stood Locheil, Macdonald of Keppoch, a man called Murray of Broughton, the old Gordon of Glenbucket and Father Colin Campbell, a priest from the Scots College in Paris. Finally,as "a witness from the opposition", looking rather forlorn, was the English Captain Swetenham who had been taken prisoner in a earlier skirmish with some Highlanders. They had to wait well into the afternoon before the sound of bagpipes announced the arrival of some clansmen. Over the piece. 700-800 Camerons arrived, along with 300 Macdonalds of Young Clanranald, another 300 Macdonalds of Keppoch,a further 150 Macdonalds of Glencoe. Stuart of Ardshiel arrived with 250 Stuarts of Appin. In all, around 1700 or 1800 came to fight for Charlie. All of the leaders and other 'dignitaries' had to sign a paper swearing their allegiance to the Cause, for as long as the Prince remained in Great Britain. The Royal Standard of 'white, blue and red silk' was blessed by Bishop Hugh Macdonald , and then Duke William of Atholl, aged and gout-ridden, supported on either side by two attendants stepped forward to unfurl the flag. The Prince was overjoyed at the rapturous cheers of the clansmen, and at the sight of their bonnets flung high in the air. Finally we had Atholl proclaiming Charles as Regent in place of his father King James, and declaring war on the House of Hanover. Most of the clansmen could not understand the English of Charles' short speech which promised success for the Stuart Cause. In the circumstances it was as well. There were large clans who did not support the Cause, mostly along religious lines. Macleod of Macleod was at this very time raising a body of men for the Government side. The Mackenzies had bitter memories of their outing for the Jacobites in 1715. They would not support the Stuart Cause this time. The Macdonalds of Sleat in Skye would maintain their allegiance to the Hanoverians. The northern clans, the Munros and Mackays were solidly opposed to the Stuarts, and, as for the Lovat Frasers, no one knew where they stood, but Lovat was actually recruiting other chiefs for the government side, or failing that, dissuading them from joining the Prince. I think we all know that the Campbells were big supporters of successive British governments, and had been handsomely rewarded for their sterling service, Neil and Donald sent this their third report to Miss Grant at the Inverness Courant via a hired express horseman, who carried the sealed papers in a leather satchel. She could only be delighted with what the Dalmore boys were sending to her. The major papers in Britain struggled to understand how this small journal, the Courant,was able to report events in the Jacobite camp as they happened.

In the Bosom of the Jacobites

Donald and Neil had been invited to join Young Locheil for dinner at Fessiefern, the home of his younger brother, John Cameron. John's older brother, Donald Cameron, commonly referred to as Young Locheil or the Gentle Locheil was acting Chief of Clan Cameron, one of the largest Highland clans, famed for its loyalty to the Stuart cause. Locheil made a striking figure as he dismounted from his horse, accompanied by eight clansmen, mounted and fully armed. He wore a beautiful dark green satin jacket, edged in broderie anglaise, tartan trousers supported by a wide leather belt and a silver buckle. Like other young Highland chiefs, he favoured the French fashion. Many of the Highland 'aristocracy' were educated on the European mainland, in the universities of Rome, Paris and Heidleberg, as Catholic students were barred from British colleges. Young Locheil was educated at the University of Paris, where he received the finest education, and in doing so accrued a wide circle of friends from all over Europe. He was described as cultured, and a 'well rounded man.' The table talk was lively, but in the middle of this the Dalmore lads managed to address Young Locheil about their journalistic ambitions. "You are both welcome to accompany me to Borrodale," said Locheil, " and I will arrange introductions for you to various personages gathering at Moidart, for what some are calling a 'wappenschaw'." The next morning on the 10th August, the entire company of Young Locheil, his eight Cameron men and the Dalmore 'press corps' of two, made their way west towards Lochailort and further on to Borrodale. They stayed off road, riding a parallel route through known forest tracks. They wanted to push on, without having to deal with any Redcoat details. The Prince was staying at Borrodale House near Arisaig or on board the Du Teilley, the French ship he arrived on, which was now at anchor in Loch nan Uamh (Gael. Loch of the Caves). Neil and Donald, when properly introduced, found people able to give honest views on this great adventure. Many persons were amazed at how little money and arms (some said none at all) the Prince arrived with, and he intent on a Great Rising ! The people who accompanied him on board the Du Teilley, and absurdly named "The Seven Men Of Moidart" were a motley lot, hardly able to further the Prince's cause. A young Macdonald officer had this to say. " It might tell you something if we take a look at the 'Seven Men.' 1.William Murray, elderly and unwell, was formerly the 2nd Duke of Atholl, who lost his title after the 1715 Rebellion and was in exile in France these 30 years. He now bore the title of the Marquess of Tullibardine. 2.Colonel Francis Strickland, the only Englishman in the group, from a loyal Westmorland family 3.Aeneas Macdonald who was a banker in Paris, now banker to the Jacobite cause. 4.Sir Thomas Sheridan, an Irishman over 70 years of age, who fought on the losing side at the Battle of the Boyne. 5. An Irishman, Reverend George Kelly, an Episcopal Minister 6. Sir John McDonnell Irish and elderly, had served in the French cavalry in Spain. 7. Colonel John William O'Sullivan, an Irishman who served in the French army. "This is a group of the old and infirm, and an unusual number of Irish," he continued. "God alone knows why the Prince and his Seven Men came to these shores to win back the crowns, for the Stuart cause. Of course, the West Highlands and Islands are strongly Catholic, and have a long history of supporting the Jacobite cause, and whose people made great sacrifices to that end. Even the most ardent of the clan chiefs have great reservations of Prince Charles' mission, and will tell him so. They know that Britain as a whole is prospering in the peace that has been enjoyed these last 30 years. Whatever we might think, Britain would not entertain the return of the Stuarts. Personally I think that this is a lost cause, which can only rip the Highlands asunder. It does not bode well, and if you are quoting me, please have me down as 'a Highland Gentleman' We may speak together again." While Donald and Neil travelled to Kinlochmoidart to join the large group of adherents, Young Locheil was summoned to Borrodale to meet with Prince Charles Eduard Stuart. Note: At this point in time, the Prince was 25 years old, while Young Locheil 'was not so young' at 45.

Young Locheil, Chief of Clan Cameron.

With their magificent horses, Donald and Neil made good progress travelling south from Inverness along the eastern side of Loch Ness. They passed through the hamlets of Boleskine and Foyers and at the far end of Loch Ness, they rested their horses, and had themselves the cold mutton they had packed in their paniers. This was a strategic location for an English fort, built as the result of previous Jacobite insurrections, the last major one being in 1715. The fort bore the name Augustus, after one of King George's sons, a habit which endured in naming other new forts. At Fort Augustus they rested a while, which gave them time to look again at some things and make changes where necessary. The red coats and white breeches of the young British soldiers on guard duty across the road, reminded them of colours which they absolutely could not wear as they advanced towards Moidart. The British "Redcoat" was feared and loathed in equal measure. On the other hand, the lads disavowed the wearing of any tartan, and for fairly obvious reasons, the carrying of broadsword or targe would be difficult to explain to a couple of Highland-hating cockney lads, even if they were only 'innocent' trophies. For that matter, it might be misunderstood by some 'Angus of the Glens.' They had already discussed the apparel which would identify them as the unbiased and neutral reporters they purported to be. They wore naturally brown deerskin trews which blended with the chestnut of their horses and high calf leather boots of the latest Italian fashion. Their coats(ie, jackets) were of a tweed woven in Harris, and waistcoats of sheepskin. With their trademark long black capes and grey tricorn hats, this singled them out as gentlemen, surely, but not Hanoverian nor Jacobite gentlemen. Looking neutral was as important as being neutral. They each were equipped with pistols, short stabbing swords and sharp knives for cutlery. They checked their paperwork, the important one at this time being the document relating to their employment as reporter/journalists with the Inverness Courant. Hopefully this would be viewed as a statement of their neutrality by both armies, and which might gain them access to persons in their high command. They felt as prepared as they could be as they mounted their horses once more. Travelling south from Fort Augustus by the side of Loch Lochy, they decided to give their horses a rest beside the gentle waters of the River Gloy. Donald and Neil, as they looked west towards the magificent country of mountain, river and forest, would have been unaware that these were the ancient lands of Clan Cameron, one of the largest and most loyal Jacobite clans in all the Highlands. After the failure of the 1715 Rising, Old Cameron of Locheil was forced into exile in France, and it was his son, Donald Cameron, Young Locheil, who now resided at Achnacarry House,and who could raise an army of at least 800 fighting men, should the need arise. The lads could see another fort in the near distance which had been named Fort William, after William of Orange (William III) who had defeated the forces of the Catholic King James, at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland. This was a large fort, commodious and of extreme strategic importance. As they passed the fort, Neil and Donald could sense the order and readiness of the troops within, and the ferment of general activity . Before the fort was built,the village was known as Inverlochy. Having travelled south for many miles along what was known as the Great Glen, the lads headed due west where the Jacobite clans were said to be gathering behind the Stuart cause. A little way along Loch Eil, the lads stopped at a small tavern, which didn't have a name. After seeing to their horses, they entered this building no more than a hovel, thick with peat smoke and smelling of urine. Only hunger and thirst would have anyone order meat, bread and whisky in a place like this, but the beautiful young lass who served them made the place a little more tolerable . Her name was Catriona Cameron, and at their invitation, she joined them in their humble lunch on the shores of Loch Eil. Miss Cameron listened to Neil and Donald as the recounted their story, and how as reporters of an important newspaper, the "vox populi of the Highlands", their immediate mission was to find the Jacobite army and interview some of their leaders. They couldn't believe it when young Catriona said that she could most certainly help them. Later that day, all three travelled a few miles further west until, partially hidden by tall pine trees, this magnificent house came into view. Catriona said that this was Fassiefern, owned by John Cameron, the younger brother of Donald Cameron of Locheil, chief of Clan Cameron. Fassiefern was at home, and after Catriona made the introductions, they all repaired to a large airy room overlooking Loch Eil. As they drank superb wine, John Cameron (Fassiefern) explained that he only stayed here a few months per year. Normally his business was in Glasgow, of which he was a burgess. He was in "the West India Trade" which Donald and Neil knew to be a lucrative business, depending totally on slavery. It would not be in their interest to dwell on Fassiefern's West India business. When John Cameron invited them to stay for dinner, and for the second time in a day, they were astonished that his brother Locheil would be a fellow guest at tonight's dinner. He was, John said, on his way fom Achnacarry to Borrodale for a gathering of "like minds." At this Fassiefern smiled and raised his eyes to the ceiling. " I'm sure Locheil will be sympathetic to your mission, and will represent you at the highest levels." "T0night," said Neil," We will meet a real Jacobite, and that's for sure."

Air Lorg Tearlach ( Searching for Charlie )

Neil and Donald found the "presses" of the Inverness Courant very easily on asking just a few people. Being the first newspaper in these parts, it had been well received by those who valued it for its forthright opinions and its no-nonsense written style. Just off the Wellgate, through the Bull Close, they happened on a long one storey white house which could only be where the Courant was published. A young lady came over to meet them and introduced herself as Mary Grant. NEIL: " I am Neil Macleod and this is my brother Donald. We are genuinely happy to meet you Miss Grant, and in doing so, be assured that we have come a long way to make you acquaintance. We are from the Isle of Lewis, and have come here with a certain proposition in mind." Mary Grant told the boys that her people own farms near Elgin in Morayshire and this has allowed her to travel around Scotland. She spent two years in Edinburgh, and it was here she took an interest in printing. She spent most of her time in the printing works of Mr. Creuch on the High Street. This was not an apprenticeship as such, but she learned a great deal under the watchful eye of Old Creuch. She believed he was amused that a young woman might be interested in the printing trade, and he would tease her when her hands and face were covered in printer's ink. She then invited the lads to tell her about their proposition. DONALD: " Miss Grant, There are few around who have not heard the rumour that Charles Edward Stuart has landed on the Scottish mainland to regain the three crowns for his father, King James III, known in Hanovarian circles as "The Old Pretender". Alerts at some garrisons and the sight of troop movements throughout the west suggest that Charles Stuart is indeed here and seriously contemplating rebellion. He has landed in Moidart, as this region of the West Highlands is staunchly Catholic, an area seemingly untouched by the Reformation two hundred years ago." NEIL: " Assuming Charles can rouse the Jacobites to his cause, it has been our desire to follow in his army's wake to report on the state of the army, their hopes and ambitions, and hopefully conduct interviews with the main protagonists of this Jacobite army. Mary, we thought that since your paper was one of the few north of Edinburgh or Glasgow, it would be ideal to carry these stories of rebellion. The Courant would gain a wide circulation, well beyond Inverness. We would meet our own expenses, and the only thing I ask is that our names appear in all the reports we send you." MARY: "If you are willing to go through with this, and meet your own expenses, then I will publish all the reports you send me. I might be persuaded to publish what you send in special supplements. Life with the Jacobite army could be onerous and at times dangerous, so I would ask that you take care of yourself, as best you can. Do not place yourselves in life threatening situations. If needs must, you have two fine horses which will get you out of any immediate danger. Being fluent in Gaelic should help you get close to the Highlanders, who will be the greater part of the Jacobite army. Donald and Neil, take care and God Bless."

A New Career.

Having left Gairloch, Donald and Neil found themselves travelling alongside the most beautiful of lochs. It was Loch Maree. "There is nowhere in Lewis as splendid as this," said Donald. " Look at the mountains and the tall trees as far as you can see. Truly wonderful, Neil?" They had a mileage reckoner which gave the distances between towns throughout all of Britain. The distance from Gairloch to Inverness was about 70 miles. There was no way that the lads would push themselves and their horses to reach Inverness that night. They rode through Glen Docherty to the small hamlet of Achnasheen, and then headed down the long river course called Strath Bran, towards the end of which they determined to rest up for the night at a small place called Achanalt, ( Gael. "field by the stream" ) - perfect for their horses ! Neil and Donald got lodgings that night with a family of Mackenzies. Over a dram or two, Old Mackenzie eventually broached the subject that was on everyone's mind, the arrival in Scotland of Charles Edward Stuart. " I cannot see Scotland and England coming to his aid," said Mackenzie. " Some of the Highland clans may be persuaded to join him, but only from those areas which remained Catholic after the Reformation. The Clan Mackenzie who hold these lands here and the Isle of Lewis are firmly in the Government camp, and they are Protestant, of course. What about you lads ?" Donald replied that they were from Lewis, were not Catholic and hadn't thought much about Charles Stuart landing on our shores. "You don't believe, Maighstir Mhic Choinnich, that they are capable of fomenting rebellion," said Neil " We are here only to attend some markets to see what price our Highland black cattle can fetch, if we ship them over from Lewis. There is nothing for any of us to fear, I believe. Rebellion ? I don't think so ! Let's have one more dram before we sleep." Passing onwards through Garve and Beauly they arrived in Inverness mid afternoon. Donald and Neil spent some time on horseback taking in the "sights of Inverness." The majority of the houses, laid out in streets, were low, stone built and with thatched roofs and cold clay floors. They were the same as the 'black houses' to be found all over Lewis. There were a few 'white houses' of which the most beautiful example was the mansion called Balmain House, built by a rich Invernesian, which would not have been out of place in fashionable London. The foundations of a garrison called the Citadel were still extant. This had been built by Oliver Cromwell in the mid 1600s, and which could hold 1000 soldiers (for another pacification programme beloved of Cromwell.) It only stood for seven years before being pulled down and its stones used by General George Wade to build Inverness Castle. Inverness in 1745 was a busy port and market town where the recently built Citadel Quay fostered the export trade. Wool was the main foreign export along with locally woven textiles. Brewing now flourished in the town, whose taverns could now offer a thirst quenching cask conditioned ale. As they watered and rested their horses by the River Ness, one could surmise that this town was to their liking. Yet, they had business here in Inverness, which if successful, could alter the course of their life. You will recall the two men from Inverness that Neil and Donald met in that tavern in Stornoway, with whom they shared their ambition of reporting on outcome of the growing Jacobite activity in the West Highlands and where the ambitions of Charles Edward Stuart might take them. Neil and Donald were told that a new journal, "The Inverness Courant" had just been launched, and unusually the owner was a young lady of some means. They decided they would seek a meeting with this lady who might set the Dalmore boys on a new career path.

Air Tir Mor ( On the Mainland )

Neil and Donald were now eager to get to the mainland, but with two large horses accompanying them, this posed a real problem, which they had to address. They walked the length of the inner harbour, and examined the piers and quays of South Beach and North Beach to see if there was a vessel which might serve their purpose. The sgoth (Nordic skiff) and the regular fishing boats were incapable of transporting two horses across the Minch. They would require a large cargo boat, and at that time there were none in Stornoway harbour. Later, as they stood on the pier at the head of South Beach, they were amazed to see this large three masted barque preparing to tie up along side the pier. This was a substantial cargo vessel called the Wild Rose, which could easily ship two horses to the mainland, assuming the captain was in agreement. This vessel carried general cargo along the length of the British west coast. The lads sought out the captain, a Mr. Cardew, and intimated that they might have business for him, which would pay well. They invited him to dinner at Mrs.Sinclair's and later to the Anchorage for some whisky and claret. They hoped that the captain would be sympathetic to their business proposal as outlined by Donald. " Captain Pardew, we must get ourselves and our two bay horses to the mainland as soon as possible, and your ship is the only one in harbour which is capable of that. If you agree, you will be well rewarded for your trouble." The captain answered the lads as follows. " With the general cargo I am contracted to carry, I fear that it would be difficult, if not nigh impossible, to transport these large horses across the Minch". " Captain, what if we contracted you to carry us and our horses to the mainland, and then you could return to Stornoway to deal with your normal cargo obligations. It would take only one, perhaps two days and we would ensure that you were well rewarded," said Neil. The thought of all these gold sovereigns was to Cardew like a strong wind in the billowing sails. Their contract was by word of mouth, but a little purse of gold sealed the bargain, the rest to follow at journey's end. " I'll give it some thought, boys, but in any case you have your horses here on Pier No.2 at 7am tomorrow when we have the next high tide", said Captain Cardew. The next morning the lads turned up as instructed with their horses and baggage to see the gunwhales of the Wild Rose up against the top of the pier. The high tide must have raised the barque a good ten feet. Cardew next asked Neil and Donald to follow him over to where lay a large gangway with high sides, obviously used to load cattle and sheep. With the gangway straddling the side of the Wild Rose, it was easy for the boys to lead their horses on board. The captain suggested that for their time on the ship, the horses be tethered midships, accompanied by their riders lying on a bale of fresh hay (dual purpose hay !). They had asked the captain to steer a course for the port of Gairloch, if weather and tides permitted. Fortunately it was a calm crossing and before long they were approaching the small pier at the Gairloch, very slowly and very carefully. When they came to rest, the horses began to whinney gently, as if it were a prayer of safe deliverance. The horses and the Dalmore boys came safely ashore at the Gairloch, and it was good to reach terra firma here on the Scottish mainland. The boys expressed their gratitude to Captain Cardew and his crew and a purse of sovereigns handed over as agreed. The horses were watered and allowed to eat the green grass at a nearby meadow. At last the boys mounted their fine chestnut bays and trotted off in the direction of Inverness, where they hoped their great adventure would begin. It was the 2nd of August, 1745.

In The Footsteps Of Prince Charlie.

The lads were happy to be home in Dalmore again. They had bought presents for all their family, nothing special, but where possible things you could get only in town and certainly not on the West Side. Their father never really expected a present from anyone, but he was happy to accept from his sons a few ounces of tobacco and a large flask of French brandy ( makes a nice change to whisky ). For their mother, they had purchased a perfume, a tincture of rose oil dissolved in cologne. It was Margaret, madame in the House of Joy, who had acquired the perfume for the boys. Their mother was delighted with the perfume, and decided to wear a small dab on her wrist when she went to the prayer meeting in Shawbost. Even Calvin would not have objected to this tiny vanity. Donald and Neil took a walk down to the beach at Dalmore, where as children they had passed many happy times. As they sat on the golden sand, their conversation inevitably turned on the news that Charles Stuart, claimant to three crowns, had landed in Scotland. "Frankly, it beggars belief, said Neil. "If he can rally the Highland clans and the Jacobite sympathisers, which we are told are many and far flung, then God help us. The future will be uncertain and war is possible." The British government had spies in France keeping a close eye on Charles, and recently they were reporting that he was preparing to sail for Scotland. " Like me," said Donald, "you must realise that this heralds life changing times. I propose that we travel to the mainland to see first hand what is happening there, purely as observers, of course." "Observers ? How in hell do we manage that?" exclaimed Neil," Stick a large sign to the rump of our horses?" "No, Neil, but that's not such a bad idea! We should try to obtain papers of accreditation signed by a lawyer or minister of the cloth stating our neutrality in this affair, only reporting on what we see, in an honest and unbiased manner. Well, we are notionally Protestant but not adherents to any church in Lewis. I hope that this will not work against us, in our dealings with the Prince and his followers, all of whom are of the Catholic persuasion." " We will need to establish our credentials very early on," said Neil," assuring everyone we talk to, that what they say will be reported verbatim and sensitively. However, any secret information gained during interview will be treated as such, a secret, and not revealed in our despatches." Of course, doing otherwise would end their career in journalism, if not their young lives. They would need to speak to their father about their plans, and hopefully he would agree to finance them, until they "found their feet", a strange metaphor for two horsemen to choose. Their father was no Jacobite, and wondered at his sons' interest in this affair, They had shown no interest in affairs of state or anything of a serious nature, and concluded that they were hungry for adventure. This might be the making of them, he hoped. It was time that they made their way in the world, but for the time being he would help to "launch their boat." Their mother was told that her sons had a notion to travel widely on the mainland, to explore worthwhile opportunities in business or commerce. This was as near the truth as their mother could bear. In the next few days, Neil and Donald made preparations for leaving. They had received their letters of accreditation and credit notes from their father's banker, both of which would be useful in pursuing their grear adventure. They bade farewell to their family in Dalmore, and headed out the Mullach Mor without looking back.

The Gathering Storm.

The Dalmore lads rode out to the Braighe to clear their heads, bringing their fine horses to a slow canter through the small waves. They discussed the events of last night in the Anchor, saying how amiable were the two men from Inverness. "The Eagle Has Landed," shouted Neil, with more than a hint of irony. "What in the hell was that man on about? Donald shook his head and answered " I don't think anyone in that howff knew or cared what he said. No one pays attention to what a drunk man says, except perhaps another drunk, and he will remember nothing next morning." Neil still wondered about the very words that man used, and the number of times he uttered the same words," The Eagle Has Landed." Two days later a company of marines and government soldiers were landed on South Beach from a ship in the harbour. 'Redcoats' in distant Lewis made the townsfolk very uneasy as peace reigned in Lewis and trade was now flourishing. Cromwell's troops were in Stornoway in 1653 to settle some local issues and to strengthen defences there during the Dutch Wars. In any case the present proprietor of Lewis was Lord Seaforth, Chief of Clan Mackenzie, a supporter of the House of Hanover, and with good reason, it was said. So, what were government troops now doing in town ? The officer in charge of the soldiers was meeting with Seaforth and the bailies of Stornoway. The townspeople were naturally anxious about this situation, and were desparate to discover what lay behind the military's presence, albeit small. Later that evening it was announced on 'a need to know' basis, that the son of the titular King James VIII of Scotland and III of England had landed somewhere in the Southern Hebrides with a handful of followers. He had been transported to Scotland on a French frigate, which had been engaged by a British man-of-war shortly after leaving France. No doubt the word was out, and this French frigate would have been shadowed all the way to the Scottish islands. At that juncture they were not to know that on board that frigate was the 25 year old Charles Edward Louis Casimir Silvester Maria Stuart who was intent on claiming back for his father the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, which the Jacobites (Latin Jacobus=James) claimed had been usurped be the House of Hanover. Charles Edward Stuart was referred to as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" or "The Young Pretender", depending on where your loyaties lay. Neil and Donald were as amazed as others that a Stuart had come to these shores to reclaim the three crowns of the kingdom of Britain. Neil said that the people of Lewis would have no truck with Charles Stuart,they being fiercly Protestant and also supporters of the government in England, so long as they did not interfere in the prosperity which came with these settled political times. Donald was in thought " Neil, the drunk man in the inn ? When, he kept repeating the phrase "The Eagle Has Landed", do you think he was sharing a dark secret, alluding to the arrival of a Stuart Prince in the land of his royal forebears, after more than half a century?" "You may be right in your conjecture about the Eagle and Prince Charles," said Donald, " but who was the man in the Anchor,and how was he appraised of such dangerous infomation?" It was said that as Charlie stood on the deck of the French frigate at anchor off Eriskay, a companion excitedly pointed to a golden eagle circling above the ship, an omen for sure, said he, that Prince Charles' enterprise would be successful. "The Eagle Has Landed." Strange, makes you wonder about the Second Sight. The militia on the island was put on alert, and drilling and musket practice were taken very seriously indeed. Neil and Donald decided to return home to see their parents in Dalmore, as they felt they had important matters to share with them. They would also be able to gauge the feelings of the country folk at the arrival of Young Charles Stuart, not so many miles away in the Southern Hebrides. It left people feeling uneasy, as they could sense the approach of a gathering storm.

The Eagle Has Landed.

Donald and Neil had enjoyed their night at Taigh a' Gaireachas (House of Joy), but fearful of their reputation throughout the island, and especially back home in Dalmore, I don't believe they sought comfort from the ladies of Newton after that, but I can't be sure. Lewis in 1745 was almost entirely Protestant, in the grip of a dour unforgiving Calvanism, It is a recorded fact that in the year 1590 there was only one person of the old Catholic faith in the whole of the Island of Lewis. Why this person had stayed on in Lewis is not known. It would seem that at the time of the Reformation, the people of the island had fairly quickly abandoned their old religious practices for the 'certainties' of the new Protestant faith. Some of the 'missionaries' may have been local, but I think outside church people were invited to Lewis to preach the new faith, at the behest of clan chiefs or the lairds. There had to be a powerful catalyst to bring about such a change in half a century. It goes without saying that the Dalmore Lads were Protestant, but they were not strong adherents to religion just like their father. Their mother, from Ness, had been schooled in the most extreme, unforgiving form of Calvanism, whose dictats were as uncompromising as the Catholicism it had supplanted. When their mother enquired about life in town, Donald and Neil found it difficult to be truthful, preferring to relate and expand on the soirees and dances which they had attended and the young ladies to whom they had been introduced. Their mother's strict Calvinism was compromised by her sons' empty pleasures, but mercifully she was spared the realities of the Seaforth Vaults and the House of Joy. As usual their father would want to know whom they had seen during their time in Stornoway, as he himself was acquainted with a number of farmers and merchants there. Father and sons would seek out the privacy of the barn where they might have a few drams, after which their father would fill their sporrans with German Geordie's sovereigns. Even in the farmhouse, a distance from the barn, "Nighean gras Dhe" could smell the whisky and hear the sound of money. "Nighean gras Dhe" (daughter of divine grace) was what Old Macleod called his wife when he had an audience, but never in her presence! Donald and Neil enjoyed the mix of people they found in Stornoway, and endeavoured to seek their company. Some of them were from the Scottish mainland (fishermen,coopers and traders) and a few from further afield. The lads, in conversations with such people, learned a lot, made future contacts and had their horizons greatly expanded. In the company of two men from Inverness, who were ships' chandlers, they repaired to the "Anchor Tavern" on the west end of town. It was a pleasant evening towards the end of July, and it being market day,the shops and hostleries were busy. Neil and John with their friends from Inverness, found a small neuk within the tavern next to an open window through which a cool breeze entered. The Anchor was not that busy, which was a pleasant change from the usual hubbub in the Seaforth. Our Dalmore Lads were interested in what the Inverness men told them about their jobs as ships' chandlers, and the places their jobs had taken them. If Neil and Donald had reason to visit Inverness, they were told to get in touch with their new found companions. Across from them, there was this tall man leaning heavily against the bar rail, with his back hunched and his head only inches from some spillage on the bar. There were two large glasses of whisky lying untouched beside him, which were unlikely to whet his whistle further. The man was very drunk but mumbled something from time to time. At times his voice was loud enough for the Dalmore lads to realise he was repeatng the same words, as mangled as they were. Raising his head enough to catch the boys gaze, the man, in a clear voice now, uttered these words " The Eagle Has Landed", which he repeated a few times. Finally he stood tall and erect and in a very loud voice he addressed the entire clientele of the Anchor Tavern, "Gentlemen, be advised that the Eagle Has Landed."

Town and Country.

Neil and Donald spent more time with Seamus Macdonald who had acquired the rented cottage for them near his father's farm in Stornoway. The three of them would go horse riding on the Braighe, or even further out, past Coll and Gress to Traigh Mhor Tolstadh, whose long white sandy beach is among the most beaautiful in Lewis. The horses broke into a gallop for this twelve furlong 'race' through the surf, at the end of which all were thoroughly wet, but flushed with excitement. During these outings they might buy bannocks and cheese at a house on the way, and a small jar of whisky that the revenue men had overlooked. Illicit whisky distilling could be found on every moor and by every loch and burn throughout the island. The gaugers (customs officers) had a tough time policing the illegal whisky trade that flourished in Lewis in the mid 18th century. There was no doubt that depite what the label said, the whisky in the taverns in the town would have dripped from the 'worm' (copper coil) of some local 'micro' distillery. There were few, if any, licensed distilleries anywhere in Scotland in 1745. Now with some shooting and fishing, the boys had a full sporting programme. Sadly, this left little time for work, if they were so inclined. It could be hot and tiring, all these exertions, and in the summer the lads would find a river pool in which to relax and cool off. Often they would sleep on the river bank for an hour or so. In discussing what they might do that night in town, Seamus said that everything was in hand for an enjoyable evening, and alluded to one place they would be of paricular interest to the Dalmore lads. In preparation for a night out, they all repaired to Annie Sinclair's place on Cromwell Street, where the fare was simple but plentiful - fresh and salted herring, that day's ling and turbot,and sweet Lewis mutton, all served with a large terrine of potatoes. Annie Sinclair came from the Orkney Islands, but I'm sure we all know where Cromwell came from ! They went to a few taverns, but spent the latter part of the evening in this lively hostlery called the "Seaforth Vaults", whose host was a tall, heavy set man called Alex. Whisky was the drink of choice with the older Gaelic speaking men, but the younger clientele, including our lads, drank claret served in pewter pots. You might say that the drinks sold here embodied the old alliance between France and Scotland, impotent since the Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707. Many of the wars and insurrections which took place against the English were on the strength of the "Auld Alliance" between Scotland and France. I don't think that it was ever likely that the French would come to Scotland's aid by landing forces on British soil. I think the lads quaffed a good deal of claret, before rounding their evening on "uisge beatha", the 'water of life'. Big Alex kept a fatherly eye out for the boys, helping them avoid trouble in what was now an ugly heaving morass of violent drunks. Eventually Alex ushered them outside and steadied them as they wandered off into the dark of the night. They made their way across South Beach to what is now called Newtown, and Seamus stopped in front of this large two story white house. There was soft candlelight coming from every window at the front of the house. " This had better not be another bloody soiree which you didn't mention earlier," said a tired, disgruntled Donald, "because if it is, I'm going home." Seamus smiled and shook his head, and beckoned on the Dalmore Lads to follow him. The door of the house opened, and in front of them stood a stout woman of questionable age, draped in a colourful gown, shod in embroidered slippers from the Orient. Her hair was big and very shiny, and her cheeks were as red as a ripe apple. "Hello, lads. My name is Margaret, and I hail from Glasgow." The way she said her name, it sounded like 'Mag-ret' They were seated on a chaise longue covered in a rich purple satin, and offered a drink from a fancy bureau. Neil and Donald were amazed at what they saw, but had no wish to leave. Margaret said that the boys looked tired,but assured them that in her house, known in Gaelic as "Taigh a' Gairdeachas" they would be comforted. At a signal from Mag-ret, three young women entered the room and stood in front of the seated lads. They were quite alluring in their own way, but different from any women from the West Side. They wore diaphanous gowns which left little to the imagination, and like Mag-ret, their cheeks were painted a bright red. Each offered a hand to one of the boys, who followed them upstairs with a puppy-like obedience. Next morning. on their way home to Manor Park, they discussed their night in Newtown. Neil's soft smile said it all. "Comfort and Joy," he whispered, "Comfort and Joy."

Stornoway Delights.

After growing up in Dalmore, Neil and Donald thought they knew everything about the Island's West Side, and when they sallied forth in search of excitement , they knew that they were merely repeating ad nauseum the same entertainments, as pleasurable as some were. They could not alter circumstances surrounding their father's wealth and position and this kept them somewhat apart from the youth of the district whom they genuinely embraced. They often felt that when they got all dressed up, there was nowhere to go. Their thoughts turned to the town of Stornoway ( the only town on the island), which the lads had visited on occasions, but where they had rarely stayed overnight. They were acquainted with certain people of their own age in the town, and had been introduced to their parents. Neil and Donald had received much of their education there, often with the same tutors as the town's youth. They were aware of the social milieu which existed among the town's professional and trades people. It would be among such people that the Dalmore lads must imbed themselves. Stornoway was a busy little town of no more than a couple of thousand souls. A lot of industry centred around its quays and piers, as fishing and fish curing were by far the town's main activity. Catches of herring and ling were abundant, and a large part of that was exported to Russia and the Baltic ports as pickled or salted fish. This trade had made some Stornoway citizens rich on the proceeds, and it was noticeable that not all of them were Lewis born. People followed the shoals, and it was not unusual to hear fishermen and coopers speak in a 'foreign tongue', the slow lilt of the Skye man, the sing-song cadences of the Buckie lads or the strange accent of an Orcadian . The lingua franca of trade in the town was English, or some approximation thereto. Gaelic was still spoken in the streets,the shops and the taverns or anywhere Lewis folk would meet. Their old school friend, Seamus Macdonald, whose people owned the Manor Park Farm, arranged for the Dalmore lads to rent a small cottage near the farm with stabling provided for their horses. Neil and Donald were young farmers, if in name only. Now that they were 'townies', agricultural matters could be dismissed from their mind. They were here to sample the delights of Stornoway, and would not be hurried in their pursuit. The town of Stornoway, originally a small port, had spread as a series of parallel roads and streets where you could find churches, small shops and a fair number of tighean osda ( hotel or pub ). The lads were caught up in the excitement of townlife - new faces, new sights and some pretty strong smells. The sound of boats disgorging their catches,the raucous call of seagulls as they fought over fish spillage were in themselves sounds new to the boys from Dalmore. The fish curing bays, and a couple of kippering sheds were responsible for a very powerful odour in the port area. There were genteel gatherings organised by the matrons of Stornoway to which Neil and Donald would be invited, intimate buffet dances and song recitals all of which seemed to fall under the collective name 'soiree'. Out of politeness, and in order to seek some introductions, preferably with the young ladies, the lads attended some of the soirees to which they had been invited. However they did receive a strange and different invitation, and in the strangest of places. A very gauche approach was made to the lads in the piss house of a tavern on Bayhead. A very drunk man asked them if they believed in God, and, after looking quite bemused, the lads left the man to his drunken rant. They discovered later that they had escaped a life of Freemasonry. The lads had secrets of their own and had no wish to to be embroiled in the secrets of others. Was this drunk the best ambassador for the Masonic cause or was he the only man available that evening ? But perhaps it takes a lot of whisky to utter the name of God in the piss house of a tavern. Neil and Donald were not much taken by the events organised by the Stornoway matrons. It was hard to see these events as anything other than an attempt to find husbands for their daughters, in a town of few young gentlemen. There were a few families in Stornoway who looked on themselves as gentry, but in reality most were nouveau riche on the back of the herring. Donald and Neil would seek out soirees of a different kind, in venues unknown to the good men of this town.

In The Beginning

Dalmore and Dalbeg are adjacent villages, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Their golden beaches in the past provided sand blow which gave rise to very fertile machair lands. This made the Dailean very desirable to cotters and farmers throughout the ages. And for that reason there are various written references to land tenure in Dalmore and Dalbeg. Macleod is the most common name in Lewis, but in Carloway and its satellite villages, Garenin and Dalmore, there is high proportion of people bearing the name Macleod. One must remember that for hundreds of years, until 1610, Lewis was owned by Clan Macleod of Lewis. There is a written record of 1615 stating that the Macleods of the Carloway area are descended from one, Tormod Uigeach (an illegitimate son). Tormod (Norman) held the "farm at Dalmore". He was given the tack at Dalmore by his proud father, Rory Mor. Murdo, another bastard son of Rory Mor, by the sister of Uisden (Hugh)the Brieve, was given the tack of Shawbost. It has to be said that these two bastards did alright for themselves. In the year 1745, the Macleods, descendents of that same Tormod Uigeach, now rented Dalmore and Dalbeg from their overlords, the Mackenzies, enobled later as the Earls of Seaforth. The rental for this tack was much higher than any adjacent place. There was a good living to be made on this farm, which grew barley and oats, and which could support a large number of cattle and sheep. You could say that the Macleods of Dalmore were well-to-do, with a lifestyle which reflected their relative wealth. The present incumbent of the farm of Dalmore and Dalbeg was Murdo Macleod whose wife was Margaret Murray, and she came from Ness, in the far north of Lewis. They had a large family of five daughters and four sons. The eldest of the family were the brothers, Neil and Donald who were respectively 23 years old and 22. The nature of this story only involves Neil and Donald, and with no disrespect to the rest of his family, they hardly feature at all. Neil and Donald were adored by their parents,and these lads wanted for nothing. They had travelled in the Hebrides and much of Scotland, and had visited Edinburgh and Glasgow, two fashionable cities of the times. They had beautiful bay horses, adorned with the most exquisite harnesses, presents from their parents. Riding breeches and knee length leather boots spoke to the sartorial elegance of the Macleod lads. With a long riding cape and a tricorn hat, many pieces of their expensive apparel could only have been bought in the big cities. For all their wealth and position, Neil and Donald were very popular with the ordinary people of the village, and were known for the helping hand they gave to anyone falling ill, or experiencing hard times.

A Small Pond.

Margaret Murray, the matriarch of the family, was raised in a home of strict Presbyterian values, and she never faltered in living her life by these principles, even after twenty five years of marriage to Murdo Macleod, who was not remotely religious, like most of the people in Dalmore and Dalbeg. Even one hundred years into the future, when great tides of religious revival were sweeping the whole of Lewis, it seems that they always bypassed the villages, so much so that they were the only villages on the island where no prayer meetings were held. This was a serious business in the eyes of the great revivalists such as the Reverend Alexander Macleod, who referred openly to Dalmore and Dalbeg as "fithich nan Dailean" (Gaelic 'ravens of the Dales'). So what, one might ask, persuaded Margaret Murray to remain in the Dales and dine with the ravens. The boys, Neil and Donald, were always referred to as "Balaich Mhurchadh" ( Murdo's Boys )and frankly they were supernumerary on the farm, but for entertainment value, they could not be bettered. The stories of their exploits in other villages, and especially in the Big Town of Stornoway, had the other village lads ( and a few lasses ) in tears of laughter. They could spin a good yarn, but were careful to be the models of decorum around their mother. In truth, their mother often wondered why her "balaich" were often the cause of great hilarity. Handsome and rich, Balaich Dhalamor were looked upon as 'good catches' by young girls and their mothers. But Neil and Donald had no intentions of being caught, and in that matter they were very careful in the company of young damsels, especially in their bed. There was a custom in the Hebrides at that time and since, called "ruith nan oidhche" (Gaelic literally 'running the night'),a form of courtship in which the partners lie in bed together with their clothes on. Elsewhere, this custom was called "bundling". In some cases, the couples were not necessarily "a suirghe" (Gael.'courting'), and often pieces of apparel were removed in the friendly tustle. In most cases the young man would be known to the parents as a future son-in-law, but sometimes this tryst would have been arranged by a young couple without the knowledge of her parents. To make it into the maiden's bed required a subtle approach and all the arts of the cat burglar. Tall horsemen in long capes and tricorn hats were not common on this windswept isle, and Neil and Donald had to use all their guile to flee a taigh dubh (thatched house)in all states of dishabille. There were discarded tricorns to be found in peat bogs up and down the west coast. The Dalmore Lads, "Balaich Mhurchadh", would have to find a bigger pond to fish in. Distance, opportunity and anonymity were all to be found in Stornoway. Very few people from the west side had reason to go to town. Donald and Neil would blend in with the variety of people that inhabit this bustling fishing port, at least at weekends.