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The storm which drove Charles with such rapidity upon the
distant shores of Benbecula continued for fourteen hours after he had landed.
Accommodating himself to the new situation in which he was placed, he manifested no
symptoms of dejection at his reverse of fortune, partook cheerfully along with his
companions of the homely fare before him, and with an old sail for a bed, reposed upon the
floor of his lowly dwelling. In Benbecula the prince was visited by old Clanranald, to
whom the island belonged; and having afterwards had an interview in South Uist with
Boisdale, Clanranald's brother, Charles was advised by him to proceed to Stornaway, the principal seaport in the
island of Lewis, and there give out that he and his company were the crew of a merchant
ship belonging to the Orkneys, which had been wrecked on the isle of Tiree, and under the
pretence of returning home, hire a vessel for that purpose, and escape to France.
Accordingly, after passing two days in Benbecula, Charles and his party set sail for
Stornaway on the 29th of April; but in consequence of a strong gale of wind from the
south-west, they were obliged to put in next morning at the small isle of Scalpa or Glass,
near Harris, about half way between Benbecula and Stornaway. They landed about two hours
before day break, and were conducted by Donald Macleod to the house of Donald Campbell, a
farmer, know to Macleod, to whom they were introduced as merchants shipwrecked on their
voyage to the Orkneys. The prince and O'Sullivan took the name of Sinclair, and the latter
passed off as Charles' father. The whole party was hospitably entertained by Campbell, who
lent Macleod a boat with which he proceeded next day, the 1st of May, to Stornaway to hire
a vessel, leaving Charles and his friends behind.
Having succeeded in hiring a small vessel of forty tons, Macleod sent an express to
Charles announcing his success, and requesting him to proceed to Stornaway. This message
was received on the 3d of May, and the prince left the isle of Glass next day; but the
wind proving contrary, he was obliged to land in Loch Seaforth, in the island of Lewis, a
considerable distance from Stornaway. Here Allan Macdonald took his leave. Accompanied by
O'Sullivan, O'Neil, and his guide, Charles set out on foot for Stornaway, over a wild and
trackless waste, in a very dark and rainy night. The guide lost his way, and the party did
not reach the neighbourhood of Stornaway till next day at noon. This mistake, on the part
of the conductor, was a fortunate circumstance, as the advanced hour of the day prevented
Charles from entering the town, where he might have been seized by the inhabitants, who
having received information from the Presbyterian minister of South Uist, that the prince
had landed in Lewis with 500 men, with a design of burning their town, carrying off their
cattle, and forcing a vessel to carry him to France, afterwards rose in arms to oppose
him. Charles stopped at the Point of Arynish, about half a mile from Stornaway, and sent
in the guide to acquaint Macleod of his arrival, and to bring out some refreshment, as he
and his fellow travellers had been eighteen hours without food. Donald immediately
repaired to the spot with some brandy, bread and cheese, and found Charles and his two
companions standing on a moor extremely fatigued and all wet to the skin. Donald then took
them to the house of Mrs Mackenzie of Kildun, at Arynish, where the prince went to bed.
Returning to Stornaway, Macleod was quite amazed to find the town in commotion, and above
200 men under arms. Unable to comprehend the meaning of this sudden rising, Donald went
directly into the room where the gentlemen who had taken upon them the rank of officers
had assembled, and inquired the cause of such a strange proceeding. He was instantly
assailed with abuse by every person present: they informed him of Charles's landing, and
of his alleged intentions, and they accused Macleod as the cause of the calamity with
which they were threatened. Unable to deny the fact of Charles's arrival in Lewis, Macleod
at once admitted it, and to allay their fears he informed them, that so far from having a
body of 500 men along with him, as represented, he was attended by two companions only;
"and yet", said Donald, with an air of defiance, "let me tell you farther,
gentlemen, if Seaforth himself were here, by G-- he durst not put a hand to the prince's
breast!". The gentlemen present then declared that they had no intention to do the
prince the least harm, and the only thing they required of him was to leave the island.
Donald offered instantly to comply, and requested them to give him a pilot, but they
refused; and although he offered the most liberal payment he could not obtain one. Alarmed
for the consequences of being privy to the prince's escape, the master of the vessel which
had been hired, either suspecting the object, or let, as is supposed, into the secret by
Macleod, refused to implement his bargain.
Returning to the prince, Macleod informed him of these disagreeable occurrences. A
proposal was made to fly to the moors; but Charles, thinking that such a step would
encourage his enemies to pursue, he resolved to pass the night at Kildun. Here the party
killed a cow, for which the lady refused payment, but being pressed by Macleod she at last
took the money. Edward Burke performed the duties of cook; but the prince, on the present
occasion, superintended the culinary department, and with his own hands prepared a cake of
oatmeal, mixed with the brains of the cow, and baked it upon a stone before the fire. At
daybreak next morning the party left the island, carrying along with them a small stock of
beef, two pecks of meal, and abundance of brandy and sugar. At this time the prince,
O'Sullivan, and O'Neil had only six shirts amongst them, and being often drenched with
rain, they were frequently obliged to take off the wet ones before the others were half
dray. Conceiving that he would be more secure on the mainland than among the islands,
Charles resolved to return thither, and ordered the boatmen to carry him to Bollein in
Kintail; but they refused on account of the length of the voyage, which they considered
dangerous in an open boat. They, therefore, proceeded southwards along the coast; but they
had not proceeded far when they observed two large vessels at a distance sailing
northwards, and making towards them. To avoid these ships they put into the small isle
called Eurin or Iffurt, near Harris, a little to the northward of the island of Glass. On
landing, the prince and his attendants went to the summit of a little hill to observe the
ships. Charles thought they were French, but his companions considered them English. He
was desirous to ascertain the fact, but the boatmen could not be prevailed upon to go out
and reconnoitre them. It is probable that these were the two frigates from Nantz, which
arrived in Lochnanuagh the day after Charles's departure from that place, and having
landed the money, arms, and ammunition they had brought over for his service, were
returning to France. |
