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THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


\\ 


REV.  A.  MACDONALD,  MINISTER  OF  KILLEARNAN. 
REV.!A.TMACDONALD,  MINISTER  OF  KILTARLITY. 


THE    CLAN    DONALD 


.  A'^MACDONALD, 

MINISTER  OF  KILLEARNAN, 


REV.   AY  MACDON  ALD,  p-*T3 

MINISTER  OF  KILTARLITY. 


VOL.    III. 


The  sovereignty  oMhe  Gael  to  the  Clan  Cholla, 
It  is  right  to  proclaim  it." 


THE  NORTHERN  COUNTIES  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,  LTD. 
1904. 


TO  THE  MEMORY 
OF  THE  LATE 

ADMIRAL  SIR  REGINALD  MACDONALD 

OF  CLAN  RANALD,  K.C.B.,  K.C.S.I., 

21ST  IN  DIRECT  MALE  DESCENT  FROM  SOMERLED,  KING  OF  THE  ISLES, 

AND  15TH  IN  DESCENT  FROM  REGINALD  (ELDEST  SON  OF  JOHN, 

LORD  OF  THE  ISLES), 

FOUNDER  OF  THE  PRINCELY  HOUSE  OF  CASTLETIRRIM,  OF  WHOSE  RACE 

AND  NAME  HE  WAS  THE  UNDOUBTED  CHIEF  ;  WHOSE  CAREER 

HAS  ADDED  FURTHER  LUSTRE  TO  THE  ANNALS  OF  AN 

ILLUSTRIOUS  LINE,  AJsD  IS  CHERISHED  BY  EVERY 

MEMBER  OF  THE  CLAN  OF  WHICH  HE  WAS 

SO  BRIGHT  AN  ORNAMENT, 

THIS  CONCLUDING  VOLUME 

OF  A  WORK  IN  WHICH,  WHILE  HE  LIVED,  HE  TOOK  SO  DEEP  AN 
INTEREST,  IS  WITH  PROFOUND  RESPECT 

DEDICATED 

BY 

THE    AUTHORS. 


PREFACE. 


IN  issuing  the  third  volume  of  this  work,  the 
authors  are  much  concerned  at  the  long  delay  that 
has  occurred  in  its  preparation,  and  they  feel  that 
an  apology  is  due  to  their  subscribers  as  well  as  to 
the  general  public  who  are  interested  in  the  subject. 
The  protracted  interval  between  Volumes  II.  and 
III.  has  been  due  to  a  variety  of  causes  more  or  less 
connected  with  the  extensive  and  complex  character 
of  the  work,  the  numerous  branches  that  sprang 
from  the  parent  stock — many  of  them  never  before 
dealt  with—and  the  many  sources,  public  and 
private,  from  which  they  endeavoured  to  elicit 
authentic  information.  These  and  other  causes 
tended  to  delay  the  appearance  of  the  volume  to  an 
extent  that  was  never  anticipated  by  the  authors. 
Though  the  volume  is  in  the  main  genealogical,  it  is 
not  entirely  so.  The  first  two  chapters  are  taken 
up  with  the  history  of  the  House  of  Sleat,  which 
the  exigencies  of  space  did  not  allow  of  being 
incorporated  in  Volume  II.  ;  the  third  deals  with 
the  thorny  question  of  the  chiefship,  and  the  fourth 


Vlll.  PREFACE. 

takes  up  more  or  less  exhaustively  the  social  history 
of  the  clan  from  about  the  middle  of  the  1 6th 
century.  The  Volume  also  contains  chapters  on 
the  Bards  of  the  Clan  and  other  outstanding 
Clansmen.  The  interest  and  attractiveness  of  the 
volume  are  greatly  enhanced  by  a  number  of 
portraits  and  signatures  of  prominent  clansmen. 
The  authors  acknowledge  gratefully  the  kindness 
of  many  representatives  of  the  various  families  in 
placing  at  their  disposal  original  portraits  and 
miniatures,  and  often  taking  much  trouble  in  sup- 
plying reproductions  of  pictures  which,  from  their 
character,  were  not  adapted  for  removal.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  the  Right  Honourable  the 
Earl  of  Antrim,  the  Right  Honourable  the  Lady 
Macdonald  of  the  Isles,  the  Honourable  Lady 
Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  Mrs  Macdonald  of  Sanda, 
Miss  Macdonald  (of  Dalchosnie),  Barnfield  Hill, 
Southampton,  Mrs  Macdonald  Stuart  of  Dalness, 
Mrs  Head  of  Inverailort,  Mrs  Aylmer  Morley, 
Angus  Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  J.  R.  M.  Macdonald 
of  Largie,  Colonel  John  McDonnell  of  Kilmore, 
J.  A.  R.  Macdonald  of  Balranald,  Allan  R.  Mac- 
donald (of  Belfinlay),  yr.  of  Waternish  ;  Professor 
Arthur  A.  Macdonell  of  Lochgarry,  Oxford  ;  Dr 
Duncan  Macdonald,  Oban ;  Alexander  Macdonell 
Stewart,  Lynedoch  Place,  Edinburgh  ;  Allan  Mac- 
donald, LL.D.,  Glenarm  ;  and  Andrew  Macdonald, 
Sheriff-Clerk  of  Inverness-shire. 


PREFACE.  IX. 

The  authors  also  desire  gratefully  to  acknowledge 
the  assistance  rendered  by  many  members  of  the  clan, 
and  others,  who  placed  family  genealogies  and  relative 
records  at  their  disposal,  or  otherwise  helped  in  the 
preparation  of  this  volume.  In  this  connection  they 
acknowledge  their  indebtedness  to  the  Honourable 
Lady  Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  Miss  Macdonald  of 
Dalchosnie,  Mrs  Head  of  Inverailort  (representative 
of  Barisdale),  Miss  Josephine  M.  Macdonell,  London, 
Miss  Susan  Martin  of  Glendale,  Angus  Macdonald 
of  Clanranald,  Captain  William  M.  Macclonald,  late 
of  the  Cameron  Highlanders  ;  the  Rev.  R.  C. 
Macleod  of  Macleod,  Admiral  Robertson  Macdonald 
of  Kinlochmoidart,  Colonel  Martin  Martin,  Ostaig, 
Skye  ;  Lachlan  Macdonald  of  Skeabost,  Dr  Keith 
Norman  Macdonald,  Edinburgh  ;  H.  L.  Macdonald 
ot  Dunach,  Dr  Duncan  Macdonald,  Oban  :  Allan  R. 
Macdonald,  yr.  of  Waternish  ;  Allan  Macdonald, 
LL.D.,  Glenarm  ;  Graeme  A.  Maclaverty  of 
Chanting  Hall  ;  the  Hon.  William  Macdonald, 
Senator  for  British  Columbia  in  the  Dominion 
Parliament  of  Canada  ;  Rev.  W.  J.  MacKairi, 
Clifton  ;  Mr  Murray  Rose  ;  and  the  late  Evander 
Maciver  of  Scourie. 

In  a  work  involving  so  much  minute  genealogical 
research,  errors  no  doubt  have  unavoidably  crept  in; 
but  these  will  be  found  to  be  few  and  of  little 
importance. 


X.  PREFACE. 

The  authors  desire  finally  to  record  their  grateful 
sense  of  the  never-failing  kindness  and  courtesy  of 
Mr  R.  M.  Grant,  the  Manager  of  the  Northern 
Chronicle,  while  the  volume  was  passing  through 
the  press. 

December,  1904. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SLEAT. 

Hugh  the  founder. — Invasion  of  Orkney. — Charter  from  Earl  of  Ross. — 
Hugh  and  the  forfeiture  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles. — Grant  of 
Superiorities. — Barony  of  Troternish.— Hugh's  Charter  of  Confir- 
mation.— His  death.— John  Hucheonson  succeeds. — Scatters  the 
patrimony. — Royal  Charters  to  Macleods. — Sinister  influences. — 
John  resigns  Sleat  and  North  Uist.— His  death.  — Donald  Gallach 
succeeds  to  the  Chief  ship.— The  Chief's  brothers.  —  Black  Archibald. — 
Murders  of  Donald  Herrach  and  Donald  Gallach. — Archibald  as 
pirate. — Angus  Collach  in  North  Uist. — His  death. — Death  of 
Angus  Dubh. —  Donald  Gruamach  and  Ranald  Macdonald  Herrach. — 
Death  of  Black  Archibald. — Donald  assumes  ChieMiip. — Bond  with 
Cawdor. — Alliance  with  Mackintosh. — Expels  Macleods  from  Troter- 
uish. — Is  summoned  to  Edinburgh  and  submits. — Death  of  Donald 
Gruamach. — Donald  Gorme. — Donald  Gornieson. — Archibald  the 
Clerk's  tutorship. — Donald  Gornieson  in  Lewis  and  England. — 
Tack  of  North  Uist.  —  Charter  of  Troternish  to  William  Macleod  of 
Dunvegan. — Archibald  the  Clerk  signs  Commission  for  Donald 
Dubh. — His  Death. — Grant  of  Troternish  bailiary  to  Argyll. — Charge 
against  Donald  Gormeson  by  Kintail. — Commission  of  fire  and  sword 
against  Sleat. — His  attitude  towards  the  Crown. — Adopts  Reformed 
tenets.— Claims  Lewis. — Contract  with  Argyll, — Joins  Sorley  Buy. — 
Makes  friends  with  Kintail. — Receives  gifts  and  promises  from  the 
Crown.  —  Donald  Gorme  Mor  succeeds  as  minor. — James  Macdonald 
of  Castle  Camus. — Obligation  to  Bishop  of  Isles. — The  Clan  Gil- 
lespick  Clerach. — Their  position  in  Troternish. — Hugh  MacGil- 
lespick. — His  outlawry.— His  ambition  and  treachery. — Donald 
Gorme  Mor's  Feud  with  Maclean. — Skirmish  at  Inbhir  Chuuic 
bhi-ic. — Donald  Gorme  summoned  to  Edinburgh. — His  Bonds  with 
Huntly  and  Mackintosh. — Invasion  of  Mull.— Battles  of  Craualich 
and  Bachca. — End  of  Feud  with  Duart. — Donald  Gorme  goes  to 
Edinburgh. — Imprisonment  and  fine. — Summons  of  treason. — Goes 
with  500  men  to  assist  Red  Hugh  O'Donnell. —  His  return. — Pro- 
posals to  Crown. — Receives  Charters  and  infeftment. — Donald 
Gorme's  feud  with  Macleod  and  its  causes.— Macleod  invades  Troter- 
nish. — Dornhnull  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumais. — Battle  of  Cuilean. — 
Donald  Gorme  invades  Harris. — Macleod  invades  Uist. — Battle  of 


Xll.  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Carinish. — Privy  Council  intervenes. —  Surrender  of  hostile  chiefs. — 
Keconciliation.  —  Hugh  MacGillespick  Clerach. — Conspiracy  and 
death. — Donald  Gonne  at  Aros. — Bond  for  Improvement  of  Isle-".  — 
Statutes  of  I  Coluuikill.  -  Charter  to  Clauranald.— In  ward  in 
Glasgow. —Ordered  to  Dunnyveg. — New  Charier. — Taken  ill  at 
Chanonry. — Death  of  Donald  Goruie  Mor. — Donald  Gorme  Og 
succeeds.  -Settles  with  Rory  Mor. — Obtains  titles. — Baronet  of 
Nova  Scotia. — Royalist  sympathies  in  Civil  War. — Summoned 
oefi're  Commission  of  Estates.  —  Death  of  Sir  Donald  Gorme  Og., 
Bart.  .  1 


CHAPTER     11. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SLEAT. 

Sir  James  Macdonald  succeeds  his  father,  Sir  Douald. — His  attiiu<le 
towards  the  cause  of  King  Charles  I. — Supports  the  cause  of 
Charles  11. — The  men  of  the  Isles  at  Worcester. — Sir  James's  con- 
duct under  the  Commonwealth. — His  domestic  policy. — His  relations 
with  the  Government  of  Charles  II.  at  the  Restoration. — Receives 
a  Crown  Charter  of  his  lands  in  Skye  and  Uist.  —  Appointed  Sheriff 
of  the  Western  Isles. — Troubles  in  Lochaber. — Domestic  difficulties. 
— Sir  James  matriculates  arms. —  His  death.—  Sir  Donald  Macdonald 
succeeds  his  father,  Sir  James. — He  supports  James  VII. — The 
Sleat  men  at  Killiecrankie. — Their  subsequent  movements. — For- 
feiture of  the  young  Chief  of  Sleat. — Sir  Donald  refuses  to  submit 
to  the  Government  of  William  of  Orange. —  Defeats  the  Government 
force  sent  against  him  to  the  Isle  of  Skye. —  Sir  Donald  finally  takes 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  submits  to  the  Government. — Death  of 
Sir  Donald. — Succeeded  by  his  son,  Domnull  a'  Chogaidh. — Sir 
Donald  joins  the  Earl  of  Mar. — The  Sleat  men  at  Sheriffmuir. — 
Forfeiture  of  Sir  Donald. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  sou, 
Donald. — Sir  Donald  enters  into  possession  of  the  Estate. — His 
death. — Succeeded  by  his  uncle,  James  Macdonald  of  Oriusay. — His 
conduct  at  the  time  of  Spanish  Invasion  of  1719. — Death  of  Sir 
James. — Succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Alexander,  a  minor. — The  Estate 
purchased  frcm  the  Forfeited  Estates'  Commissioners  for  behoof  of 
Sir  Alexander. — Sir  Alexander  ;vt  St  Andrews. — His  relations  with 
his  tenants. — Soitheach  nan  Daoine. — Sir  Alexander's  conduct 
during  the  Rebellion  of  1745. — Death  and  burial  of  Sir  Alexandtr. — 
Sir  James,  his  son,  succeeds. — Educated  at  Eton  and  Oxford. — His 
travels  on  the  Continent.  —  His  reputation  for  learning.  —  His 
relations  with  his  people. — His  popularity. — His  accident  in  North 
Uist. — His  death  at  Rome. — Succeeded  by  his  brother,  Alexander. — 
Sir  Alexander  as  a  landlord. — His  quarrel  with  Boswell. — Created  a 
Peer  of  Ireland. — Raises  a  regiment. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his 
son,  Alexander  Wentworth,  as  second  lord. — Raises  the  Regiment  of 
the  Isles. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  brother,  Godfrey. — Con- 
troversy with  Glengarry. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  son, 
Godfrey,  as  fourth  lord. — Somerled,  fifth  lord. — Ronald  Arcnibald, 
sixth  lord 58 


CONTENTS.  Xlll. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  SOCIAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLAN  DONALD.— 1545-1800. 

PAGE 

Fall  of  Lordship  of  Isles. — Feudal  and  Celtic  tenures. — Bond  of  Kindred. 
—  Differentiation  of  offices. — Legal  system.  -  The  Cinn-Tighe  and 
their  holdings. — The  tribe. — Agriculture.  —  Trading.  —  Fishing. — 
Arms  and  clothing. — Statutes  of  I  Columkill. — Modern  Tacksmen 
merging. — Incidence  of  Cowdeicheis  and  Calpes. — Social  state  of 
chiefs.  Hunting  and  arms. — Restriction  on  chiefs'  retainers, 
Galleys,  Arms,  unsuccessfully  attempted. — Hereditary  and  other 
offices. — Marischall-tighe,  Cup-bearer,  Bard,  Harper,  Piper,  Physician, 
Armourer,  Miller. — Celtic  Customs. — Handfasting. —Marriage  Con- 
tracts.— Fosterage. — Rise  of  modern  Tenures. — Tacksmen. — Wad- 
setters.  -  Feu-farmers. — Steelbow  tenants. — Small  tenants. —Intro- 
duction of  Kelp. —  Of  the  potato. — Educational  condition  of  Isles  in 
16th  century — Donald  Dubh's  barons.  —  Gaelic  culture. — Carse- 
well's  prayer-book. — Legendary  lore. — Educational  policy  of  Govern- 
ment.— Culture  among  Tacksmen.— Attitude  of  Clans  to  Crown. — 
Mistaken  policy  of  appointing  Lieutenants. — Change  of  Islemen's 
attitude  explained. — Abolition  of  Heritable  Jurisdictions. — Dis- 
arming and  unclothing  Acts. — Dissolution  of  Clans. — Rise  in  land. — 
Commercial  policy  of  chiefs.  -  Emigration. — New  townships  on 
Clanranald  Estates. — Formation  of  Fencible  Regiments  in  the  Isles  .  104 


CHAPTER     IV. 

THE   CHIEFSHIP. 

The  Chief  ship  of  a  Highland  Clan  not  a  feudal  dignity.— Held  by  the 
consent  of  the  Clan.— The  family  of  Dougall  of  Clauranald  excluded 
from  the  headship  of  the  Clanranald  branch. — Ranald  Gallda  and 
John  of  Moid  art. — Deposition  of  Iain  Aluinn. — The  Chiefs  of  Sleat 
hold  their  lands  without  feudal  investiture  defended  by  the  Clan. — 
The  Law  of  Tanistry. — Issue  of  Handfast  Marriages  and  bastards 
eligible  for  Chiefship. — Instances  of  Lachlan  Cattanach  Maclean  of 
Duart,  John  of  Killin,  Angus  Og  of  the  Isles,  and  Donald  Dubh.— 
History  of  the  Chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  traced  from  early 
times. — The  family  of  Alexander,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  excluded  from 
the  Chiefahip. — Succession  of  Donald  of  Isla. — Celestine  of  Lochalsh 
and  Hugh  of  Sleat.— Claim  of  Lochalsh  family  to  the  Chiefship.— 
The  Earldom  of  Ross.— The  Chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  in  the 
family  of  Sleat. — The  Glengarry  claim  ,  .  .  ,  .  .155 


xiv.  CONTENTS. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN   DONALD. 

PAGE. 

The  Lords  of  the  Isles 173 

Tin-  Ma.-ruaris  of  Garmoran  and  the  Norfh  Isles 183 

The  Macallisters  of  Louy 184 

The  Alexanders  of  Menstrie .189 

The  Earls  of  Caledon 192 

The  Macallisters  of  Strathaird,  Glenbarr,  Torrisdale,  &c.  ,  194 

Tli. -Chin  Donald  of  Ulster 199 

The  Clan  Donald  of  Leiuster .         .202 

The  Macdonald.s  of  Ardnamurchan    .        .        .        .        .        .         .         .  210 

The  Macdonalds  of  Glenco  and  Cadets       .......  212 

The  Mai-donald.s  of  Dalness        .  216 

The  Macdonalds  of  Achtriuchtan 221 

Descendants  of  Allan  Dubh  Mac  Iain  Duibh 225 

The  Macdonalds  of  Clauranald 226 

•  The  Macdonalds  of  Knoydart 238 

The  Maceacheu-Macdonalds 239 

The  Maceachens  of  Howbeg  and  Glenuig 248 

The  Maceachens  of  Peninuren    .........  250 

The  Macdonalds  of  Morar 251 

The  Macdonalds  of  Bornish 258 

The  Macdoualds  of  Geridhoil,  in  Uist 260 

The  Macdonalds  of  Drimore       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  262 

The  Macdoualds  of  Glenaladale          .         .         .         .  .         .         .263 

The  Macdonalds  of  Benbecula    ...         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  277 

The  Macdonalds  of  Milton          .         . 279 

The  Macdonalds  of  Dalelea 282 

The  Macdonalds  of  Rammerscales      ........  285 

The  Macdonalds  of  Belfinlay 287 

The  Macdoualds  of  Boisdale 291 

The  Macdonalds  of  Kinlochmoidart 298 

The  Macdoualds  of  Gleagajry 308 

The  Macdoualds  of  Shian .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .316 

The  Macdonalds  of  Lundie .         .         .318 

The  Ma?donalds  of  Scotus          .  320 

The  Macdonalds  of  Lochgarry  .         .          •         .  ....  328 

The  Macdonalds  of  Greenfield Jgg£: 

The  Macdonalds  of  Barisdale      .         . 336 

The  Macdonalds  of  Ardnabie 345 

The  Macdoualds  of  Leek    .         .         . 347 

The  Macdoualds  of  Aberchalder          .         .   -     ."        .         .         .         .         .  350 
The  Macdonalds  of  Culachie       .........  355" 

The  Clan  Godfrey .         .         .359 

The  Macdonalds  of  Dunnyvep  and  the  Glens 374 

The  Macdonalds  of  Largie          .........  380 

The  Macdonalds  of  Sanda "...  387 

The  Macdonalds  of  Colonsay      ..,..,...  396 


CONTENTS.  XV. 

PAGE. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Antrim 408 

The  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch 418 

The  Macdonalds  of  Bohuntiu 4?4 

The  Macdonalds  of  Tulloch 429 

The  Macdonalds  of  Dalchosnie  .........  431 

The  Macdonalds  of  Aberarder    .                                    .....  442 

The  Macdonalds  of  Cranachan 446 

The  Macdonalds  of  Tullochcrom 448 

The  Macdonalds  of  Gellovie        .........  450 

The  Macdonalds  of  Fersit 454 

The  Macdonalds  of  Murlagan     .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .456 

The  Macdonalds  of  Achnancoichean   ........  457 

The  Macdonalds  of  Cliauaig 458 

The  Macdonalds  of  Tirnadmh 459 

The  Macdonalds  of  Inch     ..........  461 

The  Macdonalds  of  Killiechonate 463 

The  Maedonalds  of  Lochalsh      .........  464 

The  Macdonalds  of  sTeatTT 467 

The  Claim  Domhnuill  Herraich 479 

Macdonalds  of  Balranald 487 

The  Macdonalds  of  Heisker  and  Skaebost 494 

The  Macdonalds  of  Castle  Camus  (-V(\A^lrvA.«^       \         .         .         .         .499 

The  Macdonalds  of  Cuidreach    .........  511 

The  Macdonalds  of  Ostaig  and  Capstill 513 

The  Macdoualds  of  Rigg  and  Balvicquean 515 

The  Macdonalds  of  Camuscross  and  Castleton    .         .         .         .         .         .517 

The  Macdonalds  of  Glenmore     .........  523 

The  Macdonalds  of  Totscor,  Bernisclale,  and  Scalpay  >  528 

The  Macdonalds  cf  Sartle 531 

The  Macdonalds  of  Totamurich  and  Knock -   .  533 

The  Macdonalds  of  Balishare 536 

The  Macdonalds  of  Aird  and  Vallay 540 

The  Macdonalds  of  East  Sheen 548 

The  Maclavertys 550 

The  Mackains  of  Elgin 553 

The  Darrochs 555 

The  Martins  of  Beallach  and  Duntulm 558 

The  Martins  of  Marishadder 567 


The  Birds  of  the  Clan 570 

Alastair  Mac  Colla 596 

Flora  Macdonald 610 

Marshal  Macdonald,  Duke  of  Tarentum 619 

Sir  John  Alexander  Macdonald 626 

Sir  Hector  Macdonald 633 

George  Macdonald,  Novelist  and  Poet 639 

Signatures          .........    Insert  at  page  643 

Addenda    .  .  643 


XVI.  CONTENTS. 


APPENDICES. 

PAGE. 

Panegyric  on  the  Macdonalds.  C.  1500 647 

Contract  of  Marriage  between  John  Macdonald  of  Clanranald  and  Marion, 

daughter  of  Roderick  Macleod  of  Dunvegan.  1613  ....  648 
Tack  by  Sir  Donald  Mardouald  of  Sleat  in  favour  of  Neil  Maclean  of 

Boreray.  1626 "  .  .  650 

Tack  by  John,  Bishop  of  the  Isles,  of  the  Teinds  of  Troternish,  and 

others,  to  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat.  1630  .  .  .  .  651 
Declaration  of  Chiefship  in  favour  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat  .  .  654 
Declaration  of  Chiefship  in  favour  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  by 

Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch 655 

Contract  between  Donald   Macdonald  of  Clanranald  and  Roderick  Mac- 
donald of  Glenaladale.     1674      ........  655 

Commission  by  King  James  in  favour  of  John  Macdonald  of  Bor- 

niskittaig.  1689 .  .  .  658 

Judicial  Rental  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald's  Estate  of  North  Uist.  1718  .  659 
Attestation  by  the  Gentlemen  of  Troternish.  1721  ....  663 
Attestation  by  the  Gentlemen  of  North  Uist.  1721  ....  664 
Testimonial  by  the  Presbytery  of  Uist  in  favour  of  Alexander  Macdonald 

ofBoisdale.     1746  .  664 


ILLUSTRATIONS,   &c. 


PAGE. 

Rev.  A.  Macdonalcl,  Minister  of  Killearnan  .  .  .  Facing  Title-page 
Rev.  A.  Macdouald,  Minister  of  Kiltarlity  ....  Facing  Title-page 

Sir  Donald  Macdonalcl,  1st  Baronet  of  Sleat 54 

Sir  Donald  Macdonalcl,  4th  Baronet  of  Sleat 79 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald,  7th  Baronet  of  Sleat         .         .         .         .         .85 

Sir  James  Macdonald,  8th  Bart,  of  Sleat    . 97 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale  .  .  .-  .  .  .  .  .  202 
Captain  Reginald  S.  Macdonald,  R.A,  (Vallay)  .  .  .  .  .  .202 

Hercules  McDonnell,  Dublin      . 202 

James  Thomas  Macdonald  of  Balranalcl .  202 

Robert  McDonnell  (Tynekill)     .         . 202 

Ewen  Macdonald  of  Glencoe      .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  212 

Major-Gen.  Alex.  Macdonald,  Invercoe 212 

Captain  Macdonald,  Invercoe     ..        ..        .         .         .         .         .         .         .  212 

Major  D.  C.  Macdonald  of  Glencoe     .......         •         •         •         •  212 

James  Macdonald  of  Dalness       .         ,         .         .         .         .         .  .  212 

Admiral  Sir  Reginald  Macdonald  of  Clanranald         ....         .  226 

Alex.  Ruadh  Macdonell  of  Glengarry .  238 

Captain  Macdonell,  R.N.  (Glengarry)          .......  238 

Gen.  Sir  James  Macdonell  (Glengarry) 238 

Allan  D.  Macdonalcl  of  Clanranald '     .         .238 

Angus  R.  Macdouald  (Clauranald)      .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  238 

John  Masdonald  of  Glenaladale. .  263 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale       ........  263 

Colonel  John  A.  Macdonald,  C.B.,  of  Glenaladale 263 

Archbishop  Angus  Macdonald  of  St  Andrews  and  Edinburgh  (Glenaladale)  263 

Bishop  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Aberdeen  (Glenaladale) "263 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Belfmlay  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .287 

Major  Allan  Macdonald  of  Wateinish         .         .         .         .         .         .  287 

Captain  Allan  Macdonald  of  Waternish 287 

Allan  R.  Macdonald,  yr.  of  Waternish 287 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Staffa,  afterwards  Sir  Reginald  Steuart  Seton  of 

Allanton,  Bart.  .         .         .' 287 

Colonel  Donald  Macdonald,  Boisdale 291 

Hon.  William  Macdonald  of  Vallay    . 291 

D.  J.  K.  Macdonald  of  Sanda 291 

Hector  Macdonald-Buchanan  (Boisdale)  .  .  •...'.:  •  •  ,  •  ^1 
Admiral  Robertson  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoiclart  .  .  .  •  •  291 
Alastair  Dearg  Macdonald  of  Glengarry  .  .  _  . .  •  •  •  •  308 
Alexander  Macdonell  of  Glengarry  .  .  .  •  •  •  •  "15 

Colonel  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Lochgarry 328 

Captain  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Lochgarry      .         .         •         •         •         •  328 

Professor  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Lochgarry 328 

Archibald  Macdonald  of  Barisdale •  ^28 

William  Macdonald  of  Sanda  .328 


XV111.  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PACK. 

Largie  Castle 381 

Tomb  of  Ranald  Bane  Macdonald  of  Largie        ......  381 

John  Macdonald  of  Largie 387 

Archibald  Macdonald  of  Sanda  . 389 

John  Macdonald  of  Sanda 389 

John  Macdonald  of  Sanda .'  389 

Sir  John  Macdonald  of  Sanda    ....  ....  389 

Arch.  Macdonell  of  Barisdale 389 

Dr  James  McDonnell  (Colonsay) 396 

Dr  John  McDonnell  (Colonsay) 396 

The  Hon.  Sir  Schomberg  K.  McDonnell     .  396 

Sir  Alexander  McDonnell,  Bart.  (Colonsay) ,396 

Colonel  John  McDonnell  of  Kilmore  (Colonsay) 396 

Randal,  4th  Earl  of  Antrim ;      .         .         .         .409 

Alexander,  5th  Earl  of  Antrim 412 

Randal,  6th  Earl  and  2nd  Marquis  of  Antrim 417 

Ranald  Macdonell  of  Keppoch 418 

Major  Alexander  Macdonell  of  Keppoch 418 

Major  Alexander  Macdonell,  brother  of  Keppoch 418 

Richard  Macdonell  of  Keppoch 418 

Sir  Claude  Macdonald 418 

Lieut.  Alex.  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 431 

Captain  James  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie)      .......  431 

Captain  John  Allan  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 431 

Captain  Donald  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 431 

Hon.  Alex.  Macdonell  of  Culachie       ........  431 

General  Sir  John  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie 441 

General  Alastair  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie 441 

William  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 441 

Captain  Charles  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 441 

Captain  Donald  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie) 441 

Alexander,  1st  Lord  Macdonald 467 

Godfrey,  3rd  Lord  Macdonald 473 

Godfrey,  4th  Lord  Macdonald 478 

Ewen  Macdonald  of  Griminish  (Vallay) 487 

•  Douglas  Macdonald  of  Sanda      .........  487 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Balranald     ........  487 

J.  A.  R.  Macdonald  of  "Balranald 487 

Richard  McDonnell,  Provost  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin  (Tynekill)     .        .  487 

Major  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Courthill 507 

George  Macdonald,  Novelist 507 

Captain  Allan  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh 507 

J.  R.  M.  Macdonald  of  Largie 507 

John  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Sanda 507 

Dr  K.  N.  Macdonald 540 

Alex.  Macdonald  of  Vallay .  540 

Sir  Richard  G.  McDonnell  (Tynekill) 540 

Colonel  Alex.  Macdonald  of  Lyndale  and  Balrauald 540 

Captain  Alex.  Macdonald,  Knockow  .         . 540 

Sir  Archibald  Macdonald,  Bart.,  Lord  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer        .  548 
Marshal  Macdonald,  Duke  of  Tarentum 619 


LIST    OF    SUBSCRIBEKS. 


Macdonald,  The  Right  Honble.  The  Lady,  of  the  Isles,  Armadale 

Castle,  Skye. 
Macdonald,  The  Hon.  Lady,  of  Clanranald,  A!  Ovington  Square, 

London,  W.  (large  paper). 

Atholl,  His  Grace  the  Duke  of,  Blair  Castle,  Blair- Atholl. 
Antrim,  The  Right  Hon.  The  Earl  of,  Glenarm  Castle,  County 

Antrim,  Ireland. 

Lovat,  The  Right  Hon.  Lord,  Beaufort  Castle,  Beauly. 
Macdonald,  The  Hon.  Hugh  J.,  Winnipeg,  Manitoba,  Canada. 
Aylmer  Morley,  Mrs,  Whiterdine,  Founhope,  Herefordshire. 
Baillie,  J.  E.  B.,  Esq.  of  Dochfour. 
Bain,  James,  chief  librarian,  Public  Library,  Toronto. 
Barret,  F.  T.,  Esq.,  Mitchell  Library,  Glasgow. 
Barron,  James,  Esq.,  "  The  Inverness  Courier,"  Inverness. 
Bethell,  W.,  Esq.,  Rise  Park,  Hull  (large  paper). 
Beveridge,  E.,  Esq.,  St  Leonard's  Hill,  Dunfermline. 
Blair,  Sheriff,  Ardross  Terrace,  Inverness — deceased  (3  vols.). 
Brown,  W.,  Esq.,  bookseller,  26  Princes  Street,  Edinburgh. 
Buchanan,  A.  W.,  Esq.,  Larkhall,  Polmont. 
Burns,  W.,  Esq.,  solicitor,  Inverness. 
Cameron,  Donald,  Esq.,  Lochgorm,  Inverness. 
Cameron,  Duncan,  Church  Street,  Inverness — deceased. 
Campbell,  Alex.  D.,  Komgha,  Cape  Colony. 
Cazenove,  C.  D.,  bookseller,  26  Henrietta  Street,  Covent  Gardens, 

London,  W.C. 

Chisholm  of  Chisholm,  Mrs,  Erchless  Castle,  Beauly  (large  paper). 
Clark,  Lt.-Colonel  J.  Gumming,  Ballindoun  House,  Beauly. 
Clarke,  G.  T.,  Esq.,  London — deceased. 
Colquhoun,  Sir  James,  of  Colquhoun  and  Luss,  Bart.,  Rossdhu, 

Loch  Lomond  (large  paper). 

Constable,  T.  &  A.,  11  Thistle  Street,  Edinburgh. 
Cooke,  Mrs  Raeburn,  Boscombe,  Bournemouth. 
Cunninghame,  John,  Esq.  of  Balgownie,  Culross. 
Darroch,  Duncan,  Esq.  of  Torridon,  Auchnasheen. 


XX.  LIST   OF   SUBSCRIBERS. 

Dow,  Rev.  John,  Knockbain  Manse,  Munlochy. 

D'Oyley,  The  Most  Hon.  The  Marchioness  (3  copies,  large  paper). 

Drayton,  Mrs  Theodore  Drayton  Grimke,  Clifford  Manor, 
Newent,  Gloucestershire. 

EUice,  C.  H.,  Esq.,  Brompton,  London  (large  paper). 

Ferguson,  Rev.  John,  The  Manse,  Aberdalgie,  Perth. 

Fletcher,  J.  Douglas,  Esq.  of  Rosehaugh  (large  paper). 

Fraser,  A.,  Esq.,  of  Messrs  A.  Fraser  &  Co.,  Union  Street, 
Inverness. 

Fraser-Mackintosh,  Charles,  Esq.,  LL.D.,  of  Drummond,  Inver- 
ness— deceased. 

Gibson,  Rev.  John  Mackenzie,  22  Regent  Terrace,  Edinburgh. 

Hay,  Colin,  Esq.,  Ardbeg,  Port  Ellen,  Islay. 

Henderson,  Rev.  George,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  The  Manse,  Eddrachillis, 
Lairg. 

Henderson,  W.  H.,  &  Son,  St  Andrews. 

Hunter,  R.  W.,  Esq.,  bookseller,  19  George  IV.  Bridge,  Edin- 
burgh. 

Lacourt,  Randolp  Macdonald,  Chili. 

Lawlor,  Henry  Cairnes,  10  Wellington  Park  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Livingston-Macdonald,  R.  M.,  Esq.  of  Flodigary,  Skye  (large 
paper). 

Mainwaring,  Charles,  Esq.,  Feugh  Cottage,  Banchory,  Abea-deen. 

Maitland,  Mrs  J.  Keith,  Theresia,  Ceylon. 

Martin,  Adam  W.,  Esq.,  Knock,  Belfast. 

Martin,  Colonel  Martin,  R.E.,  Ostaig,  Skye. 

Macalister,  Major,  C.B.,  of  Gleiibarr,  Kintyre. 

Macallister,  James,  Esq.,  wine  merchaait,  Ballymena. 

M'Connel,  Wm.,  Esq.,  Knockdolian,  Colmonell — deceased. 

M'Crindle,  John,  Esq.,  Auchinlee,  Ayr. 

Macdonald,  Lieut. -Colonel  A.  H.,  More  ton,  Benbridge,  Isle  of 
Wight. 

Macdonald,  A.,  Esq.,  Commercial  Bank,  Thurso. 

Macdonald,  A.  R.,  Esq.,  Ord,  Isleomsay,  Skye. 

M'Donald,  Rev.  A.,  F.C.  Manse,  Ardclach. 

Macdonald,  Alex.,  Esq.,  65  Oswald  Street,  Glasgow. 

Macdonald,  Alex.,  Esq.,  solicitor,  Portree — deceased  (ordered 
vols.  I.,  II.,  III.). 

Macdonald,  J.  A.  Ranald,  Esq.  of  Balranald,  Eden  wood  House, 
Springfield,  Fife. 

Macdonald,  Capt.  A.  W.,  Invernevis,  Fort- William. 

Macdonald,  Rev.  Alex.,  Napanee,  Ontario,  Canada  (large  paper). 


LIST  .  OF    SUBSCRIBERS.  XXI. 

Macdonald,  Alex.,  Esq.,  Shannon,  Wellington,  New  Zealand. 
Macdonald,  Allan,  Esq.,  LL.D.,  Gleiiarm,  Co.  Antrim,  Ireland. 
Macdonald,  Andrew,  Esq.,  sheriff-clerk,  Inverness. 
Macdonald,  Angus,  Esq.,  Cunambuntag,  Benbecula. 
Macdonald,  Captain,  of  Waternish,  Fasach,  Skye  (2  copies,  1  large 

paper). 

Macdonald,  Charles,  New  York. 
Macdonald,  Charles,  22  York  Street,  Glasgow. 
Macdonald,  Charles  D.,  Esq.,  Bank  of  S.  America. 
Macdonald,  Rev.  Colin,  The  Manse,  Rogart. 
Macdonald,  Rev.  D.  J.,  The  Manse,  Killean,  Muasdale,  Kintyre. 
Macdonald,  Rev.  Donald,  Baleloch,  Lochmaddy. 
M'Donald,  Donald,  Esq.,  F.L.S.,  Cleeve  House,  Bexley  Heath, 

Kent. 

Macdonald,  Donald,  Esq.,  Rainmerscales,  Lockerbie. 
Macdonald,  Dr,  7  Wellington  Square,  Ayr. 

Macdonald,  Duncan,  Esq.,  2  Herriot  Row,  Edinburgh — deceased. 
Macdonald,  D.  R.,  Esq.,  R.H.  Academy,  Woolwich. 
Macdonald,  Miss  Ellen  T.,  Box  48,  Blacksburg,  Virginia,  U.S.A. 
Macdonald,  E.,  Fruit  and  Flower  Depot,  39  Donegall  Place, 

Belfast. 

Macdonald,  Ewen,  Esq.,  Ardmor,  Lyminge,  Kent. 
Macdonald,    Rev.    Finlay    R.,    The    Manse,    Coupar-Angus — 

deceased. 
Macdonald,   Frank,   Esq.,   P.O.   Box   761,   Montgomery,   Ala., 

U.S.A. 
Mrs  Macdonald  of  Sanda,  Rosemary  Lane  House,  The  Close, 

Salisbury. 

M'Donald,  George,  Esq.,  Southall,  Middlesex. 
Macdonald,   Captain   H.,   of  Kingsburgh,   King  Edward  VII. 

Hospital,  9  Grosvenor  Gardens,  S.W. 
Macdonald,  Harry,  Esq.  of  Viewfield,  Portree. 
Macdonald,  H.  A.,  370  Great  Western.  Road,  Glasgow. 
Macdonald,   H.   M.,  Esq.,   34  Broad  Street,  New  York  (large 

paper). 
Macdonald,  H.  L.,  Esq.  of  Dunach,  Dunach  House,  Oban  (large 

paper). 
Macdonald,  James,  Esq.,  W.S.,  4  Whitehouse  Terrace,  Edinburgh 

(large  paper). 

Macdonald,  James,  Esq.,  Moss  Cottage,  Benbecula.. 
Macdonald,  J.  M.,  Esq.,  Harley  Street,  London. 
Macdonald,    Colonel   J.    A.,    of   Glenaladale,    Glenfman,    Fort- 
William. 


XXli.  LIST   OF   SUBSCRIBERS. 

Macdonald,  J.  R.  M.,  Esq.  of  Largie,  Largie  Castle,  Kintyre, 

Argyle. 

Macdonald,  J.,  Esq.,  Bank  House,  Comrie,  Perthshire. 
Macdonald,  John,  Esq.,  Keppoch,  Roy-Bridge. 
Macdonald,  John,  Esq.,  39  Broadway,  New  York  (3  copies). 
Macdonald,  Miss  lone,  of  Milland  Place,  Sussex. 
Macdonald,  Dr  Keith,  21  Clarendon  Crescent,  Edinburgh. 
Macdonald,  Lachlan,  Esq.  of  Skaebost,  Skaebost  Bridge,  Isle  of 

Syke. 
Macdonald,  Miss,  Arderslate  House,  Hunter's  Quay,  Kirn,  by 

Greenock. 

Macdonald,  Miss,  Barnfield  Hill,  Southampton. 
Macdonald,  Rev.  Mosse,  M.A.,  The  Vicarage,  West  Malvern. 
Macdonald,  Mrs,  of  Keppoch,  60  Sternhold  Avenue,  Streatham 

Hill,  London. 

Macdonald,  Peter,  Esq.,  4  Carlton  Place,  Glasgow  (large  paper). 
Macdonald,  Rev.  Peter,  11  India  Street,  Glasgow. 
Macdonald,  Admiral  Robertson,  1  Mardale  Crescent,  Edinburgh. 
Macdonald,  Roderick,  Esq.,  22  York  Street,  Glasgow. 
Macdonald,  Ronald,  Esq.,  solicitor,  Portree. 
Macdonald,  Ronald,  Esq.  (now  in  South  Africa). 
Macdonald,  Ronald  Mosse,  220  Ashley  Gardens,  S.W. 
Macdonald,    Rev.    Thomas    Mosse,    M.A.,    Canon    of    Lincoln 

Cathedral. 

Macdonald,  T.,  Esq.,  H.B.M.'s  Supreme  Court,  Shanghai,  China. 
Macdonald,    The   Hon.    W.    J.,    Armadale  House,    Vancouver, 

British  Columbia. 
Macdonald,  Captain  William  Mosse,  late  3rd  Batt.  Queen's  Own 

Cameron  Highlanders,  Bank  of  England,  Birmingham. 
Macdonald,  William,  Esq.,  publisher,  Edinburgh. 
Macdonald,  W.  Rae,  Esq.,  1  Forres  Street,  Edinburgh. 
Macdonell,  A.  W.,  Esq.,  2  Rectory  Place,  Guildford. 
Macdonell,  Arthur  Anthony,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  Boden  Professor  of 

Sanskrit  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  and  Fellow  of  Balliol 

College,  Lochgarry  Lodge,  Banbury  Road,  Oxford. 
Macdonell,  Dr  D.,  17  Crumlea  Road,  Belfast. 
M'Donell,  Captain  Wm.  Joseph,   of  Dunfeirth,   Royal  Dublin 

Fusiliers,  Co.  Kildare,  Ireland. 
Macdonnell,  Hercules  H.   G.,  Esq.,   4  Roby  Place,   Kingston, 

Ireland — deceased. 
Macdonnell,  James,  Esq.  of  Kilsharvan,  Murlough,   Drogheda, 

Ireland. 


LIST    OF    SUBSCRIBERS.  Xxiii. 

Macdonnell,  Colonel  John,  of  Kilmore,  Glenariff,  County  Antrim. 

Macdowall,  Rev.  James,  The  Manse,  Rosemarkie,  Fortrose. 

M'Grath,  D.,  Esq.,  postmaster,  Beauly. 

Macgregor,  D.  R.,  Esq.,  104  Queen  Street,  Melbourne,  Victoria. 

Macinnes,  Lieut.-Colonel  John,  Glendaruel,  Greenock. 

M'Kain,  Rev.  W.  James,  28  Palmerston  Place,  Edinburgh. 

Mackay,  Eneas,  Esq.,  bookseller,  Stirling. 

Mackay,  Eric,  Esq.,  7  Royal  Exchange,  London,  E.G. 

Mackay,  John,  Esq.,  C.E.,  Hereford  (2  copies). 

Mackay,  John,  "  Celtic  Monthly,"  1  Blythswood  Drive,  Glasgow 
(33  copies). 

Mackay,  Win.,  Esq.,  solicitor,  Inverness. 

Mackeachan,  J.,  Esq.,  133  St  Vincent  Street,  Glasgow- 
Mackenzie,  Andrew,  Esq.  of  Dalmore,  Alness. 

Mackenzie,  Colonel  Burton,  of  Kilcoy,  Kilcoy  Castle,  Muir  of  Ord. 

Mackenzie,  H.  H.,  Esq.,  Balelone,  Lochmaddy. 

Mackenzie,  Rev.  Kenneth,  LL.D.,  Kingussie. 

Mackenzie,  N.  B.,  Esq.,  banker,  Fort- William. 

Mackenzie1,  Thomas,  Esq.  of  Daluaine  (large  paper). 

Mackenzie,  W.  Dalziel,  Esq.  of  Farr,  Inverness. 

Mackenzie,  Willia.ni,  Esq.,  secretary,  Crofters  Commission,  Edin- 
burgh. 

Mackillop,  James,  jun.,  Polmont. 

Maclaverty,  Rev.  A.,  Llangattock  Manor,  Monmouth. 

MacLaverty,  Gra?me  Alex.,  Esq.,  Chanting  Hall,  Hamilton. 

Maclean,  Alex.  Scott,  Esq.,  31  Bank  Street,  Greenock. 

MacLean,  Charles,  Esq.,  Milton,  Lochboisdale. 

Maclean,  R.,  Esq.  of  Gometra,  Arcs,  Mull. 

Macleay,  Murdo',  Esq.,  Broom  Cottage,  Ullapool. 

Macleod  of  Macleod,  Dun  vegan  Castle,  Skye. 

Macleod,  John  N.,  of  Kintarbert  and  Saddell,  Glensaddell,  by 
Ca^mpbelltown. 

Macleod,  Mr  Neil,  Torran  Public  School,  Raasay,  Portree. 

Macleod,  No^rman,  Esq.,  25  George  IV.  Bridge,  Edinburgh. 

Macquarrie,  Rev.  A.  J.,  The  Manse  of  Ferintosh,  Conon. 

Macrae-Gilstrap,  Captain  John,  Northgate,  Newark-on-Trent. 

Miller,  Miss  J.  Macdonald,  Courthill,  Hermitage  Gardens,  Edin- 
burgh. 

Milne,  A.  &  R.,  299  Union  Street,  Aberdeen. 

Morrison,  Dr,  Kinloid  House,  Larkhall. 

Morrison,  Hew,  Esq.,  Public  Library,  Edinburgh. 

Munro,  Sir  Hector,  of  Fowlis,  Bart.,  Fowlis  Castle. 


Xxiv.  LIST    OF    SUBSCRIBERS. 

Pearson,  Dr  A.,  4  Middleton  Terrace,  Ibrox,  Glasgow. 

Perrins,  Mrs  Dyson,  of  Ardross,  Davenham,  Malvern. 

Philip,  Rev.  A.  M.,  The  Manse,  Avoch. 

Pilkington,  H.  W.,  Esq.,  K.C.,  Tore,  Tynellspass,  Co.  Westmeath, 

Ireland. 

Pryor,  Mrs,  Armadale,  Cecil  Road,  Boscombe,  Bournemouth. 
Rankin,  Rev.  E.  A.,  Kilmorack  Manse,  Beauly. 
Rawlins,  Rev.    J.    Arthur,    St   Andrew's   Vicarage,    Willesden, 

London,  N.W. 

Roberts,  Mrs  Vernon,  Springwood  Hall,  Marple. 
Robertson,  George,  &  Co.,  17  Warwick  Square,  Paternoster  Row, 

E.G. 
Ross,  D.  Charles,  Esq.,  Ardvarre,   39  Maxwell  Drive,   Pollok- 

shields,  Glasgow. 

Ross,  John  M.,  Esq.,  2  Devonshire  Gardens,  Kelvinside,  Glasgow. 
Ryan,  Mrs  James,  Glenomera,  Ceylon. 
Shaw,  Duncan,  Esq.,  W.S.,  St  Aubyn's,  Inverness. 
Sinclair,  The  Venerable  The  Archdeacon  Macdonald,  of  London, 

The  Chapter  House,  St  Paul's  Cathedral,  London. 
Sinclair,  Rev.  A.  Maclean,  Belfast,  P.E.  Island,  Canada. 
Smith,  Dr  J.  Pender,  Dingwall. 
Stechert,  G.  E.,  bookseller,  2  Star  Yard,  Carey  Street,  London, 

W.C. 

Stuart,  Hugh  Macdonald,  220  Ashley  Gardens,  S.W. 
Stuart,  Mi's  M'Donald,  of  Dalness,  Taynuilt,  Argyllshire. 
Sykes,  Harold  P.,  Esq.,  2nd  Dragoon  Guards. 
The  International  News  Coy.,  5  Bream's  Buildings,  Chancery 

Lane,  London,  E.G. 

Tod,  Ewen  M.,  Esq.,  35  Norfolk  Square,  Brighton. 
Tolmie,  Rev.  A.  M.  C.,  M.A.,  The  Manse,  Southend,  Campbell- 
town,  Argyle. 

Young,  Messrs  Henry,  &  Sons,  12  South  Castle  Street,  Liverpool. 
Yule,  Miss  A.  F.,  Tarradale  House,  Muir  of  Ord. 


THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SLEAT. 

Hugh  the  founder. — Invasion  of  Orkney.  -  Charter  from  Earl  of 
Ross. — Hugh  and  the  forfeiture  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles. — 
Grant  of  Superiorities.  —  Barony  of  Troternish  —  Hugh's 
Charter  of  Confirmation. — His  death. — John  Hucheonson 
succeeds.  —  Scatters  the  patrimony.  —  Royal  Charters  to 
Macleods.  —  Sinister  influences.  —  John  resigns  Sleat  and 
North  Uist. — His  death. — Donald  Gallach  succeeds  to  the 
Chiefship.  —  The  Chief's  brothers.  —  Black  Archibald. — 
Murders  of  Donald  Herrach  and  Donald  Gallach. — Archibald 
as  pirate. — Angus  Collach  in  North  Uist.-  -His  death. — Death 
of  Angus  Dubh. — Donald  Gruaniach  and  Ranald  MacDonald 
Herrach. — Death  of  Black  Archibald. —  Donald  assumes  chief- 
ship. — Bond  with  Cawdor. — Alliance  with  Mackintosh. — 
Expels  Macleods  from  Troternish. — Is  summoned  to  Edin- 
burgh and  submits — Death  of  Donald  GruamacK — Donald 
Gorme. — Donald  Gormeson. — Archibald  the  Clerk's  tutor- 
ship.— Donald  Gurmeson  in  Lewis  and  England. — Tack  of 
North  Uist. — Charter  of  Troternish  to  William  Macieod  of 
Dunvegan. — Archibald  the  Clerk  signs  Commission  for 
Donald  Dubh. —  His  death. — Grant  of  Troternish  bailiary  to 
Argyll. — Charge  against  Donald  Gormeson  by  Kintail. — 
Commission  of  fira  and  sword  against  Sleat. — His  attitude 
towards  the  Crown.  —  Adopts  Reformed  tenets.  —  Claims 

1 


2  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Lewis.— Contract  with  Argyll.— Joins  Sorley  Buy.— Makes 
friends  with  Kintail.— Receives  gifts  and  promises  from  the 
Crown. — Donald  Gorme  Mor  succeeds  as  minor. — James 
Macdonald  of  Castle  Camus.— Obligation  to  Bishop  of  Isles.— 
The  Clan  Gillespick  Clerach. — Their  position  in  Troternish.  - 
Hugh  MacGillespick.--His  outlawry. — His  ambition  and 
treachery. — Donald  Gorme  Mor's  feud  with  Maclean.— 
Skirmish  at  Inbhir  Chnuic  bhric.— Donald  Gorme  summoned 
to  Edinburgh. — His  Bonds  with  Fluntly  and  Mackintosh. — 
Invasion  of  Mull. — Battles  of  Cranalich  and  Bachca  — End 
of  Feud  with  Duart. — Donald  Gorme  goes  to  Edinburgh. — 
Imprisonment  and  fine. —Summons  of  treason. —Goes  with 
500  men  to  assist  Red  Hugh  O'Donnell. — His  return. — 
Proposals  to  Crown. — Receives  Charters  and  infeftment. — 
Donald  Gorme's  feud  with  Macleod  and  its  causes.  — Macleod 
invades  Troternish. — Domhnull  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumais. — 
Battle  of  Cuileau. — Donald  Gorme  invades  Harris. — Macleod 
invades  Uist. — Battle  of  Carinish. — Privy  Council  inter- 
venes.— Surrender  of  hostile  chiefs.-— Reconciliation. — Hugh 
MacGiliespick  Clerach.  —  Conspiracy  and  death.  —  Donald 
Gorme  at  Aros. — Bond  for  improvement  of  Isles  — Statutes 
of  I  Coluinkill. — Charter  to  Clanranald. — In  ward  in  Glas- 
gow.— Ordered  to  Duunyveg. — New  Charter. — Taken  ill  at 
Chanonry.— Death  of  Donald  Gorme  Mor.  -  Dona'd  Gorme 
Og  succeeds. — Settles  with  Rory  Mor.— Obtains  titles.— 
Baronet  of  Nova  Scotia  — Royalist  sympathies  in  Civil  War. — 
Summoned  before  Commission  of  Estates. — Death  of  Sir 
Donald  Gorme  Og,  Bart. 

THE  Macdonalds  of  Sleat  are  descended  from  Hugh, 
younger  son  of  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross  and  Lord  of 
the  Isles,  whence  the  tribal  name  of  the  family  is 
Clann  Uisdein.  The  first  notice  we  have  of  Hugh 
is  contained  in  the  traditional  histories  of  MacVurich 
and  Hugh  Macdonald.  We  are  told  by  the  Sleat 
Seanachie,  who  goes  more  into  detail,  that  Hugh, 
accompanied  by  William  Macleod  of  Harris  and  the 
young  gentlemen  of  the  Isles,  went  on  a  piratical 
expedition  to  Orkney.  The  Orcadians,  who  seem  to 
have  had  notice  of  the  impending  invasion,  encamped 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  3 

on  a  certain  promontory  on  which  the  foe  was 
expected  to  disembark,  and  where  they  hoped  to 
defeat  them  on  their  attempting  to  land.  The 
Western  Islesmen,  like  skilful  strategists,  adopted 
different  tactics  from  those  expected  or  desired. 
Observing  another  promontory  separated  from  the 
defending  host  by  an  arm  of  the  sea,  Hugh  landed 
his  men  there,  and  marshalled  them  in  order  before 
the  Orcadians  could  change  their  position  and 
manage  to  attack.  The  Earl  of  Orkney,  on  coming 
up  with  the  invaders,  attacked  them  with  great 
fury,  but  the  onset  was  repulsed  with  much  Joss  to 
the  defenders,  who  were  compelled  to  retreat,  the 
Earl  himself  being  among  the  slain.  Hugh  pro- 
ceeded to  ravish  the  country,  and  carried  off  much 
booty.1  On  his  return,  he  landed  at  Caithness,  and 
became  the  guest  of  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Clan  Gunn,  who  was  at  the  time  the  Crowner  of 
that  region,  and  with  whose  daughter  the  young 
Islesman  formed  a  matrimonial  alliance.  By  this 
lady  he  had  a  son,  afterwards  known  as  Domhnull 
Gallach,  on  account  of  his  connection  with  Caith- 
ness, which,  by  reason  of  its  Norse  population,  was 
of  old  and  still  is  in  the  Gaelic  language  called 
Gallabh,  that  is,  the  land  of  the  stranger.  At  the 
time  of  his  invasion  of  Orkney,  which  took  place  in 
14GO,  it  does  not  appear  that  Hugh  possessed  a 
feudal  title  to  any  of  the  lands  which  were  after- 
wards in  the  ownership  of  his  family.  4s  a  matter 
of  fact,  we  find  that  in  1463  the  Earl  of  Ross  gives 
a  grant  of  the  28  merklands  of  Sleat  to  Celestine, 

<) 

Hugh's    older    brother,    in    addition    to    extensive 
estates  which  he  had  given  him  the  previous  year 

1  Hugh  Macdonald  MS.  in  Coll.  de  Reb.  Alb.     MacVuricli  in  Relicj.  Celt., 
p.  213. 


4  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

on  the  West  of  Ross.  To  both  these  grants  the 
Royal  confirmation  was  given  on  2 1st  August,  1464. 
In  1469  Hugh  received  from  his  brother,  the  Earl 
of  Ross,  a  grant  of  lands  which  at  once  gave  him  a 
leading  position  among  the  barons  of  the  Isles. 
This  grant  consisted  of  the  30  merklands  of  Skeir- 
hough  in  South  Uist,  the  12  merklands  of  Benbecula, 
and  the  merkland  of  Gergryminis,  also  in  Benbecula  ; 
the  2  merklands  of  Scolpig,  the  4  merklands  of 
Tallowmartin,  the  6  merklands  of  Orinsay,  the  half 
merkland  of  Wanylis,  all  lying  in  North  Uist ;  also 
the  28  merklands  of  Sleat — all  these  lands  forming 
part  of  the  lordship  of  the  Isles.  Hugh  was  to  hold 
these  lands  of  the  Earl  of  Ross,  and  they  were 
entailed  on  his  heirs  male,  lawfully  or  unlawfully 
begotten  or  to  be  begotten,  between  him  and 
Fynvola,  daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of 
Ardnamurchan,  all  of  whom  failing,  to  the  heirs 
male  of  Hugh  and  any  other  woman  chosen  by  the 
advice  of  the  Earl's  Council  or  relations.1  If  the 
MacVurich  Seanachie  is  correct  in  saying  that 
Celestine  died  in  1472,  then  it  is  apparent  that 
he  must  have  resigned  the  lands  of  Sleat  in  his 
brother's  favour  before  1469,  though  of  this  there 
is  no  trace  in  the  State  Records  of  the  age.  The 
earliest  residence  connected  with  the  barony  of 
Sleat  in  occupation  of  the  Clann  Uisdein  was  the 
fortalice  of  Dunskaich,  lying  on  the  Sound  of  Sleat, 
and  a  place  of  considerable  strength. 

:'  Hucheon  of  the  His  of  Slet"  appears  as  one  of 
the  Council  of  the  Earl  of  Ross  in  February  1 474-5, 
probably  in  succession  to  Celestine,  who  was  by  this 
time  dead,-  and  we  gather  that  he  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  proceedings  that  led  to  the  forfeiture  of 

1  The  Great  Seal.         2  Act.  Dom.  Con, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  5 

the  Earldom  in  1476.  The  fact  has  been  hitherto 
overlooked  by  historical  writers,  but  we  find  that 
Hugh  of  Sleat  greatly  facilitated  the  action  of 
George,  Earl  of  Huntly,  in  securing  the  surrender 
of  the  Earl  of  Ross.  He  did  this,  we  are  told,  by 
"  the  expulsion  of  oure  said  rebellis  and  optening  of 
oure  Castle  of  Ding  wall/'  This  was  apparently  in 
antagonism  to  his  brother  John,  but  in  the  desperate 
position  of  affairs  it  may  have  been  the  best  service 
he  could  render.  As  a  reward  for  his  conduct  the 
King  promised  Hugh  a  grant  of  "  twenty  pundis 
worth  of  our  landis  Hand  in  competent  places  in  the 
north  partis  of  our  realme  and  infeft  him  heretably 
therein  be  charter  and  seasing  before  the  feast  of 
Witsonday  and  attour  we  sail  gev  deliuer  and  pay 
to  the  said  George  fifty  rnerkis  and  the  said  Hucheon 
ten  pundis  of  silver,"  &c.  This  was  given  under  His 
Majesty's  Privy  Seal  at  Edinburgh,  23rd  October, 
1476.1  We  find  Hugh  in  Edinburgh  the  same  year 
at  the  drawing  up  of  letters  of  agreement  between 
Duncan  Mackintosh  and  Sir  Alexander  Dunbar,  in 
which  he  is  described  as  brother  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Isles. 

Whether  Hugh  ever  got  the  20  pounds  worth  of 
land  which  was  promised  him  by  the  King  we  have 
been  unable  to  ascertain.  There  is  a  tradition  which 
appears  persistently  in  Hugh  Macdonald's  MS.  that 
the  early  barons  of  Sleat  claimed  the  lands  of 
Kishorn  and  Lochbroom  on  the  West  of  Ross. 
These  lands  became  the  property  of  Celestine  by 
charter  from  the  Earl  of  Ross  in  1462,  and  it  is 
possible  that  Hugh  held  them,  or  part  of  them,  as 
the  reward  of  his  services  either  directly  from  the 
Crown  or  as  the  vassal  of  the  chiefs  of  Lochalsh. 

1  Gordon  Papers. 


6  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Besides  the  lands  granted  him  by  the  Earl  of 
Ross,  Hugh  appears  to  have  received  from  him  the 
superiority  of  lands  in  South  Uist,  Arisaig,  and 
Morar.  Yet  while  we  find  him  in  1495,  on  the  fall 
of  the  Lordship  of  the  Isles,  confirmed  in  the  grant 
of  1469,  of  the  grant  of  superiority  we  do  not  find 
any  confirmation,  though  it  remained  in  the  family 
for  many  generations. 

The  barony  of  Troternish,  though  claimed,  and 
actually  possessed  by  Hugh's  descendants,  does  not 
appear  to  have  belonged  to  him  by  any  feudal  title. 
It  is  interesting,  however,  to  notice  that  in  the 
recently  discovered  cha,Her  by  Angus  Og,  son  of 
John,  last  Lord  of  the  Isles,  to  the  monks  of  lona  in 
1482  (reproduced  in  Vol.  IT.  of  Clan  Donald),  Angus 
is  styled  "  Master  of  the  Isles  and  Lord  of  Troter- 
nish." Angus  died  in  1490,  and  the  family  of  Sleat, 
after  the  final  forfeiture  of  the  Island  lordship, 
claimed  with  much  show  of  right  to  be  the  heirs  of 
his  property  and  position  by  asserting  and  finally 
vindicating  their  right  to  the  barony  of  Troternish. 

The  lordship  of  the  Isles  was  finally  forfeited  in 
1493,  and  vested  in  the  Crown,  and  Hugh,  in  order 
to  secure  his  lands,  obtained  in  1495  a  royal  con- 
firmation of  the  grant  bestowed  on  him  by  the  Earl 
of  Ptoss  in  1469. a  Hugh  would,  by  this  time,  have 
been  advanced  in  life,  and  his  son  John  appears  the 
same  year  that  the  confirmation  was  granted,  giving 
his  submission  to  the  King  at  the  Castle  of  Mingary. 
Hugh  died  in  1498,  and 'was  buried  at  Sand,  in 
North  Uist.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 
who  appears  in  contemporary  records  as  "  John 
Hucheonson."  His  career  as  Chief  of  Sleat  was  brief 
and  inglorious.  Having  apparently  no  heirs  of  his 

1  Keg.  Mag.  Sig. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  7 

own  body,  the  chief  aim  and  purpose  of  his  life 
seems  to  have  been  to  alienate  the  patrimony  of  his 
house  from  the  just  and  lawful  successors.  The 
very  year  of  his  succession  he  resigned  lands  and 
superiorities,  inherited  from  his  father,  to  the  Crown. 
The  lands  of  Kendess,  Gergryminis,  the  21  merk- 
lands  of  Eigg,  and  the  24  merklands  of  Arisaig  were 
immediately  after  this  resignation  bestowed  upon 
Ranald  Bane  Allanson  of  Clanranald  in  two  separate 
charters,  while  the  merklands  of  Benbecula,  Eigg- 
Arisaig,  and  the  12  merklands  >  of j  Moror  were 
bestowed  upon  Angus  Reochson  of  the  Clan ranald 
family.1  We  also  find  the  lands  of  Troternish  dealt 
with  by  royal  charters  after  Hugh's  death  j  but  there 
is  nothing  to  show  that  they  formed  part  of  the 
territory  resigned  by  his  successor.  In  June,  1498, 
the  King  and  his  Council  being  in  the  town  of 
Stirling,  granted  to  Alexander  Macleod  of  Dunvegan 
—known  in  his  day  as  Alastair  Crotach— along  with 
many  other  lands  in  Harris  and  Skye,  two  unciates 
of  the  barony  of  Troternish  with  the  office  of  bailiary 
of  the  whole  lands  thereof.  In  October  of  the  same 
year  the  King  granted  to  Torquil  Macleod -of  Lewis 
and  to  his  heirs  by  Catherine  Campbell,  sister  of 
Archibald,  Earl  of  Argyll,  the  very  same  office  of 
bailiary  of  Troternish  which  in  the  previous  June  he 
had  granted  to  his  namesake  of  the  Slot  Tormoid 
with  4  merks  of  the  Terunga  of  Duntulm  and 
4  merks  of  Airdmhiceolan.2 

The  extraordinary  facility  with  which  charters 
for  the  same  lands  and  offices  were  thus  given 'to 
different  individuals  within  a  limited  period  of  time 
seems  to  suggest  that  anyone  who  came  with  a 

1  Clan  Donald,  vol.  II.,  p.  238. 
a-Dunvegan  Charter ijhest. 


8  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

plausible  story,  with  prima  facie  evidence  of  its 
truth,  to  the  King,  with,  perhaps,  a  bribe  to  the 
leading  Councillors,  would  have  a  good  chance  of 
obtaining  a  sheep-skin  right.  The  number  of 
charters  given  of  lands  in  the  Highlands,  and  par- 
ticularly in  Clan  Donald  territory,  which  proved 
utterly  valueless  because  of  the  impossibility  of 
taking  sasine  and  receiving  infeftment,  seems  to 
suggest  that  sinister  influences  must  have  often 
been  at  work.  Many  such  instruments  of  tenure 
were  granted  during  the  minority  of  the  Stewart 
Kings  in  the  1 5th  and  1 6th  centuries,  and  we 
are  by  no  means  surprised  to  find  James  IV., 
on  attaining  to  his  majority,  revoking  in  1498  all 
the  charters  given  during  the  period  of  his  non- 
age, including  the  whole  of  them,  righteous  and 
unrighteous,  in  a  common  condemnation.  Return- 
ing to  John  Hucheonson,  we  find  him  on  the  23rd 
August,  1505,  resigning  the  lands  of  Sleat  and 
North  Uist,  with  the  Castle  and  fortalice  of 
Dunskaich,  to  Ranald  Allanson  of  Island  Begrim. 
The  reason  for  this  wholesale  impoverishment  of 
his  race  is  not  easy  to  guess,  but  it  has  very  natur- 
ally been  conjectured  that  there  was  little  love  lost 
between  himself  and  his  half-brothers,  whom  he  thus 
desired  to  rob  of  their  lawful  patrimony.  Doubtless 
much  of  the  territory  resigned  by  John  consisted  of 
superiorities  of  lands  of  which  his  ownership  was 
more  nominal  than  real.  But  the  abandonment  of 
Sleat  and  North  Uist  must  be  viewed,  in  the  absence 
of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  as  betokening  a  craven 
spirit  with  little  regard  for  the  honour  of  his  house. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  proceedings  by  which  they 
were  alienated  seem  entirely  incompetent.  John, 
Earl  of  Ross,  entailed  these  lands  of  Skeirhough, 


THE    MAC!DONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  9 

Benbecula,  North  Uist,  and  Sleat  upon  Hugh's  heirs 
whatsoever,  legitimate  or  the  reverse,  and  whatever- 
view  may  be  taken  of  the  legitimacy  of  John's 
brothers — a  point  to  be  considered  hereafter — the 
terms  of  the  charter  were  sufficiently  wide  to 
cover  all  possible  contingencies.  Hugh's  charter 
afterwards  received  a  royal  confirmation,  and  no 
subsequent  events  occurred  to  disturb  its  validity 
or  force.  It  was  on  this  charter  that  Hugh's 
descendants  continued  to  insist  upon  their  rights, 
and  as  no  forfeiture  had  taken  place,  John's  resig- 
nation and  the  Crown  confirmation  to  Clanranald 
might  well  be  regarded  as  irregular.  Even  the 
Crown  cannot  legalize  an  illegal  act,  and  Hugh's 
charter  and  confirmation  maintained  their  validity 
in  the  face  of  all  other  instruments  that  were  or 
could  be  devised.  On  the  death  of  John  Hucheon- 
son,  which  is  said  to  have  occurred  without 
issue,  the  Chiefship  of  the  Clan  Uisdein,  and  the 
legal  ownership  of  the  estates,  vested  in  Donald 
Gallach,  the  second  son  of  Hugh  of  Sleat.  Owing, 
however,  to  the  manner  in  which  the  family  inheri- 
tance had  been  disposed  of  by  his  predecessor,  this 
Chiefs  name  has  no  place  in  those  public  records 
which  detail  the  tenure  of  lands,  and  our  entire 
information  regarding  him  is  based  upon  tradition. 
The  first  notice  we  have  of  him  is  at  the  battle  of 
Bloody  Bay  in  1484,  where,  according  to  the 
historian  of  Sleat,  he  fought  on  the  side  of  Angus 
Og.  Master  of  the  Isles,  and  against  his  father,  John, 
Lord  of  the  Isles.  Though  his  title  to  his  father's 
estates  was  largely  discounted  by  John's  action,  he 
and  his  brothers,  some  of  whom  were  of  a  turbulent 
and  ferocious  disposition,  managed  to  retain  actual 
possession  of  their  patrimony  both  in  Skye  and  Uist. 


10  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

The  interest  of  Clan  Uisdein  history  at  this  period 
centres  largely,  not  in  the  relation  of  that  tribe  to 
other  claimants  to  their  inheritance,  but  in  those 
domestic  broils,  conspiracies,  and  assassinations  which 
have  cast  so  terrible  a  stain  upon  the  early  annals  of 
Sleat.  Donald  Gallach  resided  in  the  Castle  of 
Dunskaich,  in  the  barony  of  Sleat,  where,  notwith- 
standing Clanranald  parchment,  he  exercised  the 
powers  of  a  great  Highland  Chief.  His  father  had 
several  other  sons,  of  whom  some  notice  must  now 
be  taken,  as  they  were  involved  in  proceedings  which 
bulk  largely  in  the  history  of  Clan  Uisdein  in  the 
early  part  of  the  16th  century.  One  of  these  was 
Donald  Herrach,  or  Donald  of  Harris,  so  called  from 
the  fact  that  his  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Macleod 
of  Harris,  where  Donald  probably  passed  a  portion 
of  his  early  life.  There  -was  another,  known  as 
Angus  Collach,  whose  mother  was  the  daughter  of 
Maclean  of  Coll.  Another,  whose  name  was  Archi- 
bald, was  the  son  of  a  daughter  of  Torquil  Macleod 
of  the  Lewis,  and  one  of  the  name  of  Angus  Dubh 
was  by  a  daughter  of  Maurice  Vicar  of  South  Uist. 
In  the  continuation  of  Hugh  Macdon aid's  MS.,  as 
yet  unpublished,  there  is  the  following  reference  to 
Donald  Gallach,  the  chief,  and  some  of  the  other 
sons  of  Hugh  : — "  Donald  Gallich  was  a  moderate 
man,  inclined  to  peace,  black  haired  and  fair  skinned, 
and  lived  in  the  time  of  King  James  III.  and  IV. 
He  divided  all  his  lands  and  possessions  with  his 
brother,  Donald  Harrich,  when  he  arrived  at  his 
majority,  by  giving  him  North  Uist,  the  upper 
Davach  of  Sleat,  and  the  Davach  of  Dunskaich, 
with  four  Davachs  in  west  side  of  Trotternish,  and 
kept  the  rest  of  the  lands  and  estate  of  Lochbroom 
to  himself.  Two  of  their  brethren  were  allotted 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  11 

particularly  for  their  patrimony  for  each  of  them. 
Donald  Gallach  was  to  provide  for  Archibald  and 
for  Angus  Collach,  Donald  Herrach  was  to  provide 
for  John  and  Angus  Du."  We  have  here  the  uncon- 
firmed tradition  that  the  Sleat  family  possessed  lands 
on  the  west  of  Ross  and  in  the  region  of  Lochbroom, 
but  for  the  accuracy  of  the  statement  it  is,  of  course, 
impossible  to  vouch  in  the  absence  of  more  reliable 
authorities.  There  seems  to  be  still  less  foundation 
for  the  assertion  that  Donald  Herrach  possessed 
lands  in  Skye,  as  both  history  and  tradition  connect 
the  Clan  Domhnuill  Herraich  with  North  Uist 
exclusively.  That  Donald  Gallach  made  provision 
for  John,  the  son  of  Hugh,  who  was  dead  by  the 
time  the  former  became  head  of  the  house,  is,  of 
course,  absurd. 

Archibald,  the  son  of  Hugh,  known  as  Gilleasbuig 
Dubh  or  Black  Archibald,  appears  to  have  been  dis- 
contented with  the  provision  made  for  him  out  of 
the  family  inheritance,  and  the  flame  of  discontent 
was  fanned  by  his  foster  father,  Mackirmon,  who 
taunted  him  by  saying  that  the  whole  of  his  father's 
estate  was  divided  between  the  son  of  the  Crowner 
of  Caithness's  daughter  and  the  son  of  Macleod's 
daughter.  We  have  this  on  the  testimony  of  the 
traditional  historian,  who  further  states,  what  later 
events  were  to  confirm,  that  from  that  day  Archibald, 
the  son  of  Hugh,  whose  soul  was  as  dark  as  his  com- 
plexion, resolved  to  put  both  Donald  Gallach  and 
Donald  Herrach  to  death.  The  dreadful  resolution 
was  ere  long  put  in  force.  His  two  half-brothers, 
Angus  Collach  and  Angus  Dubh,  were  instruments 
ready  to  his  hand  for  carrying  out  the  inhuman  and 
unnatural  scheme,  and  he  promised  that  if  they 
aided  him  he  would  greatly  increase  their  patrimony. 


12  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

The  circumstances  attendant  on  the  murder  of 
Donald  Herrach  may  be  more  appropriately  detailed 
in  connection  with  the  cadet  family  of  Griminisb  and 
Balranald.  Suffice  it  to  say  here  that  Archibald, 
Angus  Dubh,  and  Angus  Collach  compassed  his 
murder  on  the  Inch  of  Loch  Scolpig  in  a  barbarous 
and  revolting  manner. 

Archibald  having  carried  through  one  part  of  his 
desperate  resolve  went  from  Uist  to  Skye  for  the 
purpose  of  completing  it.  On  his  arrival  at  Dun- 
skaich,  the  chief — Donald  Gallacb — was  delighted 
to  see  him,  and  after  dinner  brought  him  out  to  see 
a  galley  that  he  had  on  the  stocks,  and  wherewith 
he  had  purposed  to  pay  him  a  visit  in  Uist  as  soon 
as  it  should  be  ready.  After  a  careful  inspection  of 
the  boat,  Archibald  bent  down  to  examine  the  stern, 
and  observed  to  his  brother  that  there  was  one 
faulty  plank  at  least  in  the  galley,  namely,  the  keel 
plank.  Surprised  that  such  should  be  the  case, 
Donald  bent  down  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the 
correctness  of  the  observation,  when  Archibald  drew 
his  dagger  and  stabbed  him  in  the  back.  The  blow 
was  not  immediately  fatal.  Donald  fell,  but  had 
time  to  remonstrate  with  his  brother  as  to  the 
fiendish  atrocity  of  his  conduct.  The  latter  stared 
for  a  moment  at  his  victim,  dropped  his  weapon,  fell 
on  his  knees,  and,  struck  with  remorse,  poured  out 
his  lamentations,  regrets,  and  self-reproaches,  and 
would  give  the  world  that  the  deed  was  not  done. 
Seeing  this,  the  dying  man  begged  of  him  to  spare 
his  son,  who  was  a  mere  boy,  and  the  murderer 
assured  him  in  the  most  earnest  manner  that  he 
would  rear  him  with  the  same  care  as  if  he  were  his 
own  son.  Singular  to  say,  this  promise  appears  to 
have  been  kept.  Archibald,  who,  though  married, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  13 

had  no  family  of  his  own,  lived  in  the  island  of 
Oronsay,  in  North  Uist,  and  brought  up  the  sons  of 
the  two  murdered  brothers,  Donald  Gruamach,  the 
son  of  Donald  Gallach,  the  heir  to  the  chief  ship  and 
patrimony  of  the  House  of  Sleat,  and  his  cousin 
Ranald,  the  son  of  Donald  Herrach,  as  if  they  were 
his  own  offspring.1  He  was  evidently  satisfied  in 
having  the  control  of  the  Clan  and  the  possessions 
of  the  family,  and  not  having  a  son  of  his  own  was 
content  that  in  due  time  his  nephews  should  enter 
into  their  kingdom.  Not  long  after  the  double 
tragedy,  which  seems  to  have  taken  place  in  1506, 
Uist  appears  to  have  become  too  hot  for  the  blood- 
stained Archibald,  and  he  was  forced  by  Ronald 
Bane,  the  laird  of  Moydart,  to  betake  himself  to  the 
Southern  Hebrides,  where  he  joined  a  band  of 
pirates,  and  was  for  about  three  years  engaged  in 
the  congenial  employment  of  robbery  on  the  high 
seas.  Archibald  did  not  possess  the  honour  which 
is  said  to  exist  among  thieves,  for  at  the  last  he  won 
the  favour  of  the  Government  by  rounding  on  his 
partners  in  crime,  John  Mor  and  Alister  Bearnich, 
of  the  Clan  Allister  of  Kintyre,  taking  them  by 
surprise  and  handing  them  into  custody.  After  this 
he  returned  to  the  Clan  Uisdein  country,  assumed 
the  leadership  of  the  Clan,  and  obtained  the  bailiary 
of  Troternish,  all  with  the  consent  of  the  Govern- 
ment, who  seemed  to  have  winked  at  his  previous 
enormities.  He  was  acting  in  this  capacity  in  1510.2 
During  the  period  of  Archibald's  piratical  career, 
the  history  of  Clan  Uisdein  in  Uist  is  a  tale  of 
violence  and  lawlessness.  Angus  Collach,  the  son 
of  Hugh,  who  had  a  hand  in  the  murder  of  Donald 
Herrach;  paid,  according  to  the  Sleat  Seanachie,  a 

Island  tradition.  "  Privy  Seal. 


14  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

notable  visit  to  the  Island  of  North  Uist — a  visit 
which  proved  to  be  his  last.  This  hero  travelled  in 
state,  taking  a  considerable  number  of  followers 

o 

in  his  train.  Sunday  coming  round,  Angus  and 
his  "tail"  attended  divine  service  in  the  Parish 
Church  of  Saint  Mary's,  though  the  sequel  does 
not  suggest  the  possession  of  profound  piety. 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Balranald,  a  gentleman  of  the 
Clan  Gorraidh,  was  at  the  time  from  home,  but  his 
wife,  a  lady  of  the  Clanranald  family,  was  present 
in  Church.  Angus  Collach,  meeting  her  after 
service,  proposed  that  he  and  his  followers  should 
partake  of  the  hospitality  of  Balranald  for  that 
night,  as  it  was  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  Church. 
This  was  cheerfully  agreed  to,  but  when  other  pro- 
posals inconsistent  with  the  marriage  vow  were 
made  by  Angus,  the  lady  of  Balranald  had,  in  the 
first  instance,  to  dissemble,  and  afterwards  contrive 
by  stratagem  to  make  her  escape  to  her  friends  in 
South  Uist.  The  result  was  that  60  men  were 
sent  to  North  Uist  under  Donald  MacRanald,  who 
collected  a  further  large  contingent  of  the  Siol 
Ghorraidh,  with  whom  he  surprised  Angus  Collach 
at  Kirkibost,  killed  18  of  his  men,  and  took  himself 
prisoner.  Angus  was  sent  to  Clanranald  in  South 
Uist,  where  he  was  tied  up  in  a  sack  and  cast  into 
the  sea.  His  remains  afterwards  turned  up  on  the 
shore  at  Carinish,  where  also  they  were  buried. 
Such  was  the  violent  end  of  a  lawless  life.  Angus 
Dubh,  another  son  of  Hugh  of  Sleat,  seems  to  have 
been  involved  in  the  irregularities  of  his  brother, 
and  was  about  the  same  time  apprehended  by  Clan- 
ranald, arid  kept  for  a  long  time  in  close  custody. 
One  day  he  was  let  out  of  ward,  and  permitted  by 
his  guards  to  run  on  the  Strand  of  Askernish,  in 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  15 

South  Uist,  to  see  if  he  could  do  so  as  swiftly 
as  before  his  incarceration.  Angus  finding  that  his 
fleetness  of  foot  was  almost  unimpaired,  attempted 
to  outrun  his  keepers,  who  closely  pursued  him,  and 
one  of  them  hitting  him  on  the  leg  with  an  arrow, 
and  the  wound  being  considered  incurable,  he  was 
put  to  the  sword. 

By  this  time  almost  all  the  sons  of  Hugh  of  Sleat 
have  come  to  a  violent  end,  and  as  the  years  are 
passing,  the  dark  shadow  of  retribution  is  falling 
deeper  and  darker  on  the  first  villain  of  the  Clan 
Uisdein  tragedy,  the  treacherous  and  unnatural 
Gilleasbuig  Dubh.  Soon  after  his  return,  we  find 
him  taking  a  terrible  revenge  upon  the  descendants 
of  Godfrey,  who  were  concerned  in  the  capture  and 
punishment  of  Angus  Collach,  by  putting  a  large 
number  of  them  to  death,  but  Nemesis  was  no  less 
surely  drawing  nearer  to  himself,  and  was  destined 
in  the  end  to  overtake  him,  however  S!OWT  and 
deliberate  its  tread. 

The  story  of  the  events  that  led  up  to  the  final 
catastrophe  in  the  life  of  the  Captain  of  the  Clan 
Uisdein  is  told  with  very  circumstantial  detail  by 
the  Sleat  Seanachie.  According  to  this  authority, 
Donald  Gruamach,  son  of  Donald  Gallach,  was  at 
the  time  of  his  coming  of  age  resident  in  the  house 
of  the  Earl  of  Murray,  and  his  uncle  Archibald 
sent  for  himself  and  his  cousin  Ranald,  son  of  the 
murdered  Donald  Herrach,  to  go  to  see  him  in  Uist. 
Another  traditional  account  culled  from  the  best 
Seanachies  in  Skye  and  Uist  between  40  and  50 
years  ago,  and  which  appears  to  us  the  more 
reliable  of  the  two,  states  that  the  two  young  men 
were  all  along  under  their  uncle's  guardianship,  and 
as  they  both  approached  manhood  occasionally  dis- 


16  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

played  slight  symptoms  of  disaffection  towards  their 
uncle — symptoms  which  were  perceptible  only  to 
Archibald's  wife — he  himself  being  so  far  put  off  his 
guard  by  their  uniform  gentleness  and  obedience. 
[t  was  a  beautiful  day  in  summer,  and  Gilleasbuig 
and  his  nephews,  with  their  crew  of  Gilliemores, 
were  on  a  hunting  expedition  in  the  hills  called 
Lea,  which  lie  to  the  south  of  Lochmaddy.  While 
their  attendants  were  beating  up  the  hill,  the  Captain 
oPClan  Uisdein  and  his  young  kinsmen  were  stationed 
at  the  pass  between  the  two  Lea  hills  called 
"  Bealach  a  Sgail,"  waiting  until  the  game  should 
be  driven  through.  Overpowered  by  the  heat  of 
the  day,  Gilleasbuig  Dubh  stretched  himself  on  the 
heath,  and  fell  fast  asleep.  This  sleep  was  to  be  his 
last.  His  two  nephews  immediately  planned  his 
destruction,  and  the  question  was  who  would  be  the 
executioner.  Donald  Gruamach  appears  to  have 
had  scruples  against  having  a  hand  in  the  deed,  but 
on  Ronald  consenting  to  undertake  it,  he  is  reported 
to  have  spoken  these  words — "Dean,  dean,  agus 
cuimhnuich  m'  athair-sa  agus  t'  athair  fein  "  (Do,  do, 
and  remember  my  father  and  your  own).  The  blow 
v\as  struck  with  fatal  effect,  and  this  man  of  blood 
paid  the  penalty  of  his  crimes  by  death,  while  tradi- 
tion loves  to  record  that  on  the  spot  where  his  blood 
flowed  out  neither  grass  nor  heather  ever  grew. 
Such  was  the  detestation  in  which  not  only  his 
fellow-men  but  even  inanimate  creation  held  the 
memory  of  Gilleasbuig  Dubh. 

On  his  uncle's  death,  which  probably  took  place 
about  1515-20,  Donald  Gruamach,  who  was  prob- 
ably now  of  age,  assumed  the  leadership  of  the 
Clan  Uisdein  as  the  third  chief  of  his  line.  We  do 
not  find  much  of  his  history  in  the  State  Records, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  17 

but  it  is  clear  that  he  did  a  great  deal  by  his  bravery 
and  force  of  character  to  raise  the  status  and  repair 
the  fortunes  of  his  house.  He  had  a  difficult  part  to 
play  in  view  of  unfriendliness  in  high  places,  and  no 
doubt  the  "grinmess"  from  which  he  derived  his  name 
stood  him  in  good  stead  in  those  troublous  times. 
On  3rd  July,  1521.  "Donald  McDonald  Gallych  of 
Dunscayth  "  entered  into  a  Bond  of  manrent  with 
Sir  John  Campbell  of  Cawdor  "to  be  commyn  man 
and  servand  to  ane  honorabyll  man  Sir  John  Camp- 
bell &c.  Knycht  both  meself  and  my  broder  and 
John  McKorkyll  Mcloid  &c.  signed  with  my  hand  at 
the  pen  at  Castle  Mear."  The  following  year  Colin, 
Earl  of  Argyll,  assigned  to  his  brother,  John  Camp- 
bell of  Cawdor,  a  Bond  of  Manrent  which  had  been 
given  to  the  Earl  by  "  Donald  Gromach  McDonald 
Gallach  and  Alexander  McAllan  Mcroyrie."  This 
assignation  was  signed  at  Inveraray,  but  the  par- 
ticular day  and  month  are  blank. 

The  year  1523  seems  to  have  been  a  somewhat 
eventful  one  in  the  life  of  Donald  Gruamach  His 
Bond  of  Manrent  to  Cawdor  bound  him  to  the 
service  of  that  chief,  and  this  appears  to  have  led 
him  into  courses  which  do  not  reflect  lustre  on  his 
memory.  The  Chief  of  Sleat  seems  to  have  followed 
Cawdor  in  the  campaign  of  the  Duke  of  Albany 
against  England  in  1523,  which  had  a  somewhat 
inconclusive  and  inglorious  termination,  for  we  find 
him  among  a  number  of  notabilities,  who,  along  with 
Cawdor,  received  a  remission  for  quitting  the  field, 
or,  as  it  is  called  in  the  Act  of  Remission,  "  le  name 
seek  in"  while  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Wark  Castle. 
It  was  probably  while  on  their  way  home  from  the 
borders  that  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Cawdor  and  his 
accomplices,  among  whom  was  the  Chief  of  Sleat, 

2 


1  8  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

assassinated  Lauchlan  Cattanach  of  Duart.  in  the 
burgh  of  Edinburgh.1  For  those  and  other  offences 
Donald  Gruarnach  received  a  remission  in  Edinburgh 
on  the  15th  December,  1523.  In  1524  he  entered 
into  an  important  alliance  with  the  Chief  of  Mackin- 
tosh, and  in  1527  he  formed  a  bond  of  a  similar 
nature  with  Mackintosh,  Munro,  Foulis,  Rose  of 
Kilravock,  the  inevitable  Cawdor  of  course  heading 
the  list.2  Donald  Gruamach  authorises  his  sign 
manual  to  be  adhibited  as  "  Donal  I  His  with  my 
hand  at  the  pen."  These  various  Bonds  of  Manrent 
and  alliances  in  which  Donald  Gruamach  was  con- 
cerned with  mainland  chiefs  not  in  his  near  neigh- 
bourhood, show  that  his  support  and  co-operation 
were  greatly  prized,  and  that  the  Clan  Uisdein, 
though  technically  ''  broken,"  were  a  powerful  and 
influential  community  to  be  seriously  reckoned  with, 
and  whose  assistance  was  greatly  prized  in  those 
unsettled  times.  Donald  Gruamach  received  con- 
siderable aid  from  his  half-brother,  John  Mac- 
Torquil,  Chief  of  the  Clan  Macleod  of  Lewis, 
in  his  efforts  to  vindicate  his  rights,  and  in  1528 
their  joint  forces  were  successful  in  expelling  Mac- 
leod of  Dunvegan  and  his  vassals  from  the  Barony  of 
Troternish.  In  return  for  this  the  Chief  of  Sleat 
afforded  valuable  aid  to  the  Chief  of  the  Clan  Torquil 
in  obtaining  effective  possession  of  Lewis. 

Macleod  of  Dunvegan  naturally  objected  to  being 
driven  out  of  Troternish,  and  at  his  instance  a 
summons  was  issued  that  same  year  by  the  Council 
against  both  the  offending  chiefs  for  this  wrongous 
ejection.  As  the  disturbances  in  the  Isles  continued 
to  increase  instead  of  diminishing,  the  Privy  Council 

1  Clau  Dunald,  vol.  I.,  pp.  336-7. 
-'  Thanes  of  Cawdor. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  19 

in  1530  ordered  the  tenants  of  the  Isles,  and  prom- 
inently among  them  Donald  Gruamach  and  Macleod 
of  Dunvegan,  to  appear  before  the  King  on  24th 
May,  1530,  to  commune  with  him  for  the  good  rule 
of  the  Isles.  In  the  course  of  the  same  month 
these  two  chiefs  and  seven  others  of  the  principal 
island  chiefs  sent  an  offer  of  submission  to  the  King, 
who  granted  them  a  protection  against  the  Earl  of 
Argyll,  provided  they  came  to  Edinburgh,  or  where- 
ever  the  King  held  his  Court  for  the  time,  before  the 
30th  June,  and  remain  as  long  as  the  King  required 
their  attendance,  the  protection  to  last  20  days  after 
their  departure  on  their  way  home.1  In  the  following 
year  both  the  chiefs  and  Ewen  Mackinnon  of  Strath- 
ardill  were  frequently  cited  before  Parliament,  but 
failed  to  appear.  After  1530  Donald  Gruamach's 
career  seems  to  have  been  peaceful  and  uneventful— 
at  anyrate  we  do  not  again  find  his  name  appearing 
in  any  of  the  State  records  of  the  time  until  his 
death,  which  appears  to  have  taken  place  in  1537. 

Donald  Gruamach  was  succeeded  in  the  chiefship 
of  Clan  Uisdein  by  his  son,  Donald  Gorme,  whose 
brief  but  brilliant  career  was  terminated  by  his 
death  at  the  siege  of  Islandonan  Castle.  This 
having  been  already  recorded  in  the  first  Volume  of 
our  History  obviates  the  necessity  of  dealing  with  it 
in  the  present  chapter.  Donald  Gorme  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  chiefship  of  his  clan  by  his  son 
Donald,  who  was  a  child  at  his  father's  death,  and 
who  always  appears  in  subsequent  historical  notices 
as  Donald  Gormeson.  The  leadership  of  the  Clan 
Uisdein  during  the  minority  of  its  young  chief 
devolved  upon  his  grand-uncle  Archibald,  surnamed 
the  Clerk,  son  of  Donald  Gallach.  This  Archibald— 

1  Acts  of  Lords  of  Council, 


20  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

in  view  of  his  designation — must  have  received 
training  qualifying  him  for  holy  orders,  but  GUl<-<^ 
buig  (Uireach  does  net  appear  to  have  exulted  in 
his  attainments  when  he  exchai  ged  the  pastoral 
staff  for  the  sword,  for  he  allows  his  name  to  appear 
in  the  list  of  Donald  Duhh's  barons  as  signing  like 
the  rest  with  his  "  hand  at  the  pen,"  always  an 
avowal  of  illiteracy.  According  to  the  traditional 
historian  of  Sleat,  a  strong  effort  was  made  by  the 
Privy  Council  to  get  hold  of  the  person  of  the 
young  Chief  of  Sleat.  In  view  of  his  near  kinship 
to  the  Lords  of  the  Isles,  and  his  father's  pretensions 
to  the  forfeited  dignity,  as  well  as  in  view  of 
subsequent  events,  the  seanachie's  statement  has  the 
stamp  of  credibility.  He  further  informs  us  that 
the  young  chief  was  first  of  all  conveyed  for  safety 
to  his  uncle,  Roderick  Macleod  of  the  Lewis,  when 
for  greater  security  he  was  for  a  while  kept  in  a 
fortified  island  named  Barvisaig,  lying  to  the  west 
of  Lewis.  Afterwards  his  uncle,  Gillesbuig  Cleranh, 
took  him  to  England,  where  he  lived  for  some  years 
at  the  English  Court,  enjoying  the  protection  and 
apparently  the  hospitality  of  Queen  Mary,1  and 
for  this  reason  he  was  in  later  life  known 
among  his  countrymen  as  Donald  Gorme  Sassenach. 
Archibald  the  Clerk  was  evidently  recognised 
by  the  Government  as  the  representative  of  the 
family  of  Sleat,  for  in  1540,  the  first  year  of 
his  tutorship,  we  find  the  whole  of  the  island  of 
North  Uist,  amounting  to  45  merklands,  exclusive 
of  the  Church  lands,  let  to  Archibald  on  a  lease  of 
five  years  for  a  yearly  rent  of  66  pounds.  There  is 
evidence  in  1542  that  Archibald  the  Clerk  made  his 
annual  payments.  We  have  also  notice  of  an  inter- 

1  Vide  Clan  Donald,  vol.  II.,  p.  760. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  21 

esting  and  somewhat  remarkable  fact  to  which 
allusion  is  made  in  the  Exchequer  Rolls  of  1542. 
It  is  stated  that  the  whole  Island  of  North  Uist 
extends  to  60  merklands,  of  which  twelve  belonged 
to  the  Church  and  the  rest — 48- — to  the  King.  Of 
tht;se,  however,  it  was  observed  that  two  merklands 
were  destroyed  by  the  inroads  of  the  sea,  thus 
leaving  46  merklands  claimed  by  the  Crown. 

In  1542  a  charter  is  given  by  James  V.  to  Alex- 
ander Macleod  of  Dun  vegan  in  liferent,  and  to 
William  Macleod  in  fee,  of  the  lands  of  Troternish, 
Sleat,  and  North  Uist,  for  good,  faithful,  and  free 
service.  The  reasons  for  the  grant  it  is  impossible 
to  fathom,  for  during  the  previous  two  years  it  does 
not  seem  that  the  Chief  of  Dunvegan  was  in  any 
greater  political  favour  than  the  rest  of  the 
Hebrideari  chiefs — in  fact,  he  shared  their  captivity 
in  1540,  the  year  of  the  King's  voyage  round  the 
Western  Isles — an  occasion  on  which  the  Captain 
of  Clan  Uisdein  was  allowed  his  freedom.  The 
charter  was  never  followed  by  infeftment,  and  the 
King's  death  shortly  after  it  was  given  rendered  it 
still  further  inoperative.  In  1545  the  Captain  of 
Clan  Uisdein  appears  as  signatory  to  the  Commission 
granted  by  the  Barons  of  the  Isles  to  the  two  Com- 
missioners who  were  to  treat  on  behalf  of  Donald 
Dubh  with  the  English  King.  From  this  date  we 
lose  sight  of  Archibald  the  Clerk,  who,  according  to 
the  Seanachie  of  Sleat,  was  murdered  by  his  own 
nephew,  John  Og,  son  of  Donald  Gruamach.  We 
still  further  gather  from  the  unpublished  portion  of 
Hugh  Macdonald's  MS.  that  John  Og  had  before 
then  been  appointed  by  the  Clan  Uisdein  tribe  to 
the  tutorship  of  the  young  chief  of  Sleat,  as  the 
Clerk  must  have  by  that  time  been  advanced  in 


22  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

years  and  unable  to  lead  the  clan  in  battle.  John 
Og  probably  acted  in  loco  tutoris  until  Donald 
Gormeson  came  of  age. 

We  are  not  aware  of  the  year  when  the  young 
chief  attained  to  his  majority,  or  whether  he  was 
still  a  minor  in  1552,  when  a  grant  of  the  bailiary  of 
Uist,  Troternish,  and  Sleat  to  Archibald,  Earl  of 
Argyll,  was  subscribed  by  Queen  Mary.  The  tirst 
notice  we  have  of  Donald  Gormeson  in  history  is  in 
1553,  when  Mackenzie  of  Kintail  charges  the 
Government  "  not  to  suffer  McGorme  ane  broken 
Hielandman  to  tak  ony  tymber  furth  of  his  boundis 
for  making  of  lar.gfaddis."1  From  this  and  other 
sources  we  gather  that  the  feud  between  the  family 
of  Sleat  and  the  Mackenzies,  in  which  the  late  chief 
lost  his  life,  was  still  unabated. 

For  some  time  prior  to  1554,  the  factions  in  the 
State  were  a  source  of  great  weakness  to  the  Scot- 
tish executive,  and  disorder  and  anarchy  prevailed 
to  an  unusual  extent  in  the  Highlands.  In  that 
year,  however,  the  Queen  Dowager  took  the  reins  of 
government  with  a  strong  hand,  and  steps  were 
taken  for  the  restoration  of  peace  and  order.  The 
Privy  Council  ordained  that  the  Queen's  lieutenants, 
Argyll  and  Huntly,  in  their  respective  districts, 
should  pass  with  fire  and  sword  to  the  utter  exter- 
mination, among  others,  of  Donald  Gormeson  and 
Macleod  of  Lewis  and  their  associates  who  had 
failed  to  present  hostages  for  their  good  behaviour. 
Donald  Gormeson  appears  to  have  submitted  to  the 
Government  shortly  after  this,  and  for  a  period  of 
eight  years  acted  the  part  of  a  peaceable  subject. 
Towards  the  end  of  these  years,  however,  we  find 
himself  and  his  clansmen  at  variance  with  the 

1  Compota  Thesaurie  Scotie. 


THE    MACDOKALDS    OF   SLEAT.  23 

Macleans  of  Duart,  for  in  1562  he  and  James 
McConnel,  hi»  uncle,  Donald  McGillespick  ChU:rich, 
Angus  McDonald  Herraich,  and  others,  received  a 
remission  from  Queen  Mary  for  fire- raising,  her- 
schipps,  and  slaughter  committed  in  the  Maclean 
territories  of  Mull.  Coll,  and  Tiree.  The  nature  and 
causes  of  the  quarrel  leading  to  these  outrages  do 
not  appear  to  be  known,  unless  they  were  connected 
with  the  quarrel  of  the  Clan  Iain  Mhoir  with  Duart 
regarding  the  Uranus  of  Isla,  which  seems  to  have 
broken  out  about  this  time. 

In  1565  the  Earl  of  Argyll  and  vassals  were 
involved  in  the  rebellion  of  the  Duke  of  Chatel- 
herault  and  the  Earl  of  Murray  as  regards  the  pro- 
posed marriage  of  the  Queen  and  Henry  Lord 
Darnley.  Commission  was  given  to  the  Earl  of  Athole 
to  proceed  against  the  rebels,  and  Donald  Gormeson 
was  among  the  chiefs  who  took  an  active  part  in 
quelling  the  insurrection.  Though  the  Chief  of 
Sleat  on  this  occasion  stood  by  the  party  of  the 
Queen,  he  appears  to  have  adopted  the  tenei.s  of  the, 
Reformation,  and  was  of  much  service  to  the  party 
of  James  VI.  during  the  Regency  of  Murray  and 
Lennox.  He  became  a  great  favourite  with  these 
two  noblemen,  and  obtained  from  each  of  them  a 
promise  that  when  any  lands  in  his  neighbourhood 
happened  to  fall  into  the  King's  hands  through 
forfeiture,  he  should  obtain  a  grant  of  them. 

In  1566  there  arose  a  somewhat  peculiar  episode 
in  the  history  of  the  Chief  of  Sleat.  In  that  year  he 
advanced  a  claim  to  the  patrimony  of  the  Macleods 
of  Lewis,  a  claim  which  arose  out  of  a  curious  page 
in  the  history  of  the  Siol  Torquil,  and  must  now  be 
briefly  referred  to.  Roderick  Macleod  of  Lewis  was 
first  married  to  Janet,  daughter  of  John  Mackenzie 


24  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

of  Kintail.  The  supposed  issue  of  this  marriage  was 
Torquil  Conauacl),  so  called  from  his  residence  among 
his  maternal  relations  in  the  region  of  Strathconun. 
This  Torquil  Conanach  was,  however,  disowned  and 
disinherited  by  his  father,  on  the  ground  of  the 
infidelity  of  his  wife,  that  is  Torquil's  mother. 
Roderick  Macleod  of  Lewis  consequently  divorced 
his  first  wife,  and  married  Barbara  Stewart,  by  whom 
he  had  another  son  Torquil,  designated  "  Oighre  " 
or  heir,  to  distinguish  him  from  Torquil  Cunanar-h. 
That  the  Chief  of  the  Clan  Torquil  had  good  grounds 
for  his  action  there  cannot  be  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 
On  the  22nd  August,  1566,  a  declaration  was  made 
before  Patrick  Miller,  notary  public,  by  Sir  Patrick 
Me  Master  Martin,  parson  of  Barvas,  to  the  effect 
that  "  Hucheon  Breve  of  Lewis  "  confessed  on  his 
death-bed  to  his  being  the  father  of  Torquil 
Conanach.  In  1566,  the  very  year  of  this  strange 
disclosure,  Torquil  Oighre,  the  rightful  heir,  was 
drowned  at  sea  on  the  way  from  Lewis  to  Troternish, 
and  Donald  Gormeson,  as  nearest  heir  through  his 
mother,  the  heiress  of  "  John  MacTorquil  Macleod," 
advanced  his  claim  to  the  succession,  in  which, 
apparently,  he  was  not  opposed.  Donald  Gorme- 
son's  territorial  ambitions  were  destined  to  be 
disappointed.  The  baron  of  Lewis  was  not  to  be 
thwarted  as  to  a  successor  through  an  heir  of  his 
i-'.vn  body,  and  his  second  wife  dying,  he  married  as 
h:«  third  wife  a  sister  of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Duart, 
by  whom  he  left  Torquil  Dubh  to  contend  with 
Torquil  Conanach  in  future  years  for  the  possession 
of  his  father's  estate. 

During  all  these  years  Macleod  of  Dunvegan  had 
been — so  far  as  recent  charters  could  constitute  a 
right — the  legal  holder  of  the  Clan  Uisdein  lands, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  25 

though  the  Macdonalds  enjoyed  possession,  which  is 
nine  points  of  the  law.  This  anomalous  state  of 
matters  seemed  in  a  fair  way  of  being  remedied  in 
1567,  when  Donald  Gormesori  entered  into  a  contract 
with  the  Earl  of  Argyll  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
legal  titles  to  his  estates.  The  contract  was,  in 
brief,  as  follows  : — ( L)  The  Earl  of  Argvll  was  to  get 
himself  infefted  in  the  lands  of  Troternish,  Sleat, 
and  N.  Uist ;  (2)  he  is  for  various  good  causes, 
particularly  for  future  service,  to  make  Donald 
Gormeson  and  his  heirs  vassals  in  these  lands,  they 
paying  him  a  penny  more  duty  than  the  Earl  was  to 
pay  to  the  Crown  ;  (3)  Donald  was  to  pay  1000 
merks  to  the  Earl  as  soon  as  ha  should  be  received 
as  the  Earl's  vassal,  with  500  merks  additional  to 
form  part  of  the  dowry  of  Mary  Macleod,  grand- 
daughter and  heiress  of  line  of  Alexander  Macleod, 
to  the  gift  of  whose  ward  and  marriage  Alexander 
had  acquired  right;  (4)  he  is  to  deliver  to  the  said 
Earl  at  the  same  time,  under  penalty  of  all  the  other 
proceedings  being  declared  void  and  null,  a  bond  of 
man  rent  and  service  from  himself  and  his  successors 
to  the  Earl  and  his  successors  in  the  most  strict 
form  and  against  all  and  sundry,  the  royal  authority 
only  excepted,  and  upon  their  failure  to  serve  the 
said  Earl  with  their  whole  force  whenever  they 
shall  be  required,  all  the  provisions  in  their  favour 
contained  in  the  present  contract  shall  become  null ; 
(5)  lastly,  the  said  Donald  is  to  concur  with,  assist, 
and  defend  Tormod  Macleod,  uncle  of  Mary,  heir 
male  of  the  family,  when  he  shall  be  required  to  do 
so  by  the  Earl.  The  contract  is  dated  4th  March, 
1566-7,  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  the  provisions 
were  ever  implemented,1  though  the  document 

1  Gen.  Reg.  of  Deed&  IX.,  20. 


26  THE    CLAN    DOiN'ALD. 

Uiro\vs  valuable  light  upon  the  favourable  position 
occupied  by  tlie  Chief  of  Sleat  in  the  esteem  of  the 
powers  that  were. 

Donald  Gormeson  appears  to  have  been  regarded 
in  his  day  not  only  as  the  lineal  descendant  of  the 
Lords  of  the  Isles,  but  as  the  actual  possessor  of  that 
dignity.  In  1568  he  joined  Sorley  Buy  in  his 
campaigns,  and  in  the  Calendar  of  State  Papers  he 
appears  on  more  than  one  occasion  as  "  Lord  of  the 
Oute  Isles."  The  following  year  we  find  Donald 
Gormeson  at  feud  with  Colin  Mackenzie  of  Kintail, 
the  old  enmity  having  doubtless  been  intensified  by 
the  connection  of  the  Sleat  family  with  the  Macleods 
of  Lewis,  with  whom  the  Mackenzies  were  at  daggers 
drawn.  The  two  Chiefs — Macdonald  and  Mackenzie 
—appeared  before  the  Council  at  Perth,  and  the 
settlement  of  their  quarrel  was  referred  to  the  good 
offices  of  the  Earl  of  Murray.  They  agreed  to  forgive 
each  other  and  forget  the  past.  Donald  was  to  cause 
Rory  Me  Allan,  alias  Nevynauch,  to  cease  from 
molesting  the  Laird  of  Gairloch's  lands  ;  Mackenzie 
was  ordained  to  cause  Torquil  Conanach  to  cease 
from  molesting  the  lands  of  Donald. 

In  1571-2  Donald  Gormeson,  who  by  his  loyalty 
had  risen  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  King  and  the 
Protestant  party,  began  to  reap  the  fruits  of  his 
discretion,  He  had  already  promises  of  gifts  of  land 
that  might  fall  vacant  through  forfeiture,  and  now 
further  favours  were  bestowed.  He  received  the 
patronage  of  the  Bishopric  of  Ross,  while  out  of  the 
Bishopric  of  Aberdeen  1000  merks  a  year  were  voted 
to  him,  pending  the  fulfilment  of  the  royal  promise 
as  to  the  bestowal  of  landed  estates.  On  the  16th 
January,  1572,  and  at  the  Castle  of  Duuskaith,  the 
Chief  of  Sleat  entered  into  an  obligation  with  the 


THE    MAC  DONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  27 

Bishop  of  the  Isles  regarding  arrears  of  teincls  due 
by  him  to  that  dignitary,  an  obligation  which  after- 
wards devolved  upon  the  guardian  of  hie  successor. 
This  is  the  last  notice  recorded  of  Donald  Gornie 
Sassenach,  his  death  having  taken  place  in  1573. 
The  succeeding  Chiefs,  as  well  as  the  whole  Clan 
Uisdein,  owed  much  to  his  sagacity  in  having  brought 
the  prestige  and  prosperity  of  his  house  to  a  higher 
pitch  than  they  had  enjoyed  since  the  days  of  Hugh, 
the  first  Baron  of  Sleat. 

Donald  Gormeson  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest 
son,  Donald  Gorme  Mor,  who  was  a  minor  at  his 
father's  death.  The  young  Chief  was  placed  under 
the  guardianship  of  James  Macdonald  Gruamach, 
his  grand-uncle.  This  James  Macdonald  was  styled 
of  Castle  Camus,  and  was  known  in  his  time  as 
Sen  may  a  Chaisteil.  He  was  the  founder  of  the 
Kingsburgh  family.  In  1575,  James,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  House  of  Sleat,  subscribes  an 
important  obligation  to  the  Bishop  of  the  Isles 
respecting  the  payment  of  dues  owing  in  the  lands 
of  North  Uist,  Sleat,  and  Troternish,  that  he  had 
intromitted  with  since  the  death  of  Donald  Gorme- 
son.1 This  obligation  to  pay  church  dues  proves,  at 
least,  that  the  family  of  Sleat,  though  technically 
unconfirmed  in  their  estates  by  the  Crown,  were  still 
regarded  as  the  legal  possessors.  We  gather  from 
the  tenor  of  this  obligation  that  the  granter — James 
Macdonald  of  Castle  Camus  and  the  Clan  Gilleasbuig 
Cleiich,  the  descendants  of  his  uncle  the  clerk — had 
made  a  division  of  the  lands  belonging  to  the  late 
Chief,  and  that  the  accounting  for  church  dues  was 
to  date  from  his  death  down  to  the  division  referred 
to.  The  principle  of  the  division  can  only  be 

1  Coll.  de  Reb.  Alb.,  p.  9. 


28  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

gathered  inferential!}7  ;  but  it  seems  quite  clear  that 
the  Gilleasbuig  C'lerach  Sept  were  in  occupation  <»f 
Troternish,  with  Donald  MacGilleasbuig  as  bailie  of 
that  region,  vvhil^  James  Macdonald  of  Castle  Camus 
held  the  bailiary  of  Sleat.  How  North  U'st  was 
held  we  cannot  exactly  say.  It  appears  that  the 
Bishop  had  suffered  loss  at  the  hands  of  John  Og, 
son  of  James  Macdonald,  the  tutor  of  Sleat,  who  in 
March  of  the  previous  year  had  broken  the  "  blak 
boitt "  belonging  to  the  same,  and  the  Bishop  was  to 
be  satisfied  and  recompensed  as  to  the  damage  thus 
inflicted. 

In  1580  there  is  evidence  that  the  intromltters 
with  the  teinds  and  other  dues  pertaining  to  the 
Bishopric  of  the  Isles  and  the  Abbey  of  Icolumkill 
were  behind  time  in  their  payments — so  much  so 
that  an  Act  of  Council  and  Session  was  passed 
ordaining  that  a  summons,  which  had  already  been 
issued  more  than  once,  should  again  be  raised 
against  the  tutors  of  Donald  Gorme — among  others— 
that  is  to  say,  Donald  and  Hucheon  MacGilleasbuig 
Clerach.  Although  the  name  of  James  Macdonald 
of  Castle  Camus  does  not  appear  in  the  list  of 
defaulters,  we  must  not  infer  that  his  intromissions 
were  regularly  conducted,  for  the  following  year  he 
and  the  Clan  Gilleasbuig  tutors  were  declared  rebels, 
put  to  the  horn,  and  forfeited  for  failure  to  pay,  and 
their  escheit  was  granted  to  the  Bishop  of  the  Isles. 

The  fact  that  James  Macdcnald  of  Castle  Camus, 
the  tutor  of  Sleat  after  the  death  of  Donald  Gorrne- 
son,  consented  to  divide  his  authority  with  the  Clan 
'Illeasbuig  sept  of  Troternibh,  was  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  power  and  influence  the  latter  possessed 
in  that  part  of  Clan  Uisdein  territory.  This  influ- 
ence and  prestige  were  of  course  largely  owing  to 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  29 

the  long  period  during  which  Archibald  the  Clerk 
exercised  sway  as  the  Captain  of  the  Clan,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  long  minority  of  Donald  Gormeson. 
This,  in  addition  to  the  fact  that  Archibald  the 
Clerk  was  assassinated  by  John  Og,  son  of  Donald 
Gruamach,  and  that  the  reins  of  government  passed 
to  a  large  extent  from  the  Clerk's  family  to  another 
son  of  Donald  Gruamach,  necessarily  embittered  their 
mutual  relations  and  sowed  the  seeds  of  discord 
which  was  prolific  in  future  trouble. 

We  have  seen  that  in  1581  the  leading  members 
of  the  Clan  'Illeasbuig — Donald,  bailie  of  Troternish, 
and  Hugh — had  been  put  to  the  horn  and  denounced 
as  rebels.  By  that  time,  however,  Donald  was  dead, 
and  Hugh  was  the  leading  surviving  member  of  the 
sept.  When  Donald  Gorme  Mor  steps  on  the  scene 
in  1585  as  the  leader  of  his  Clan — that  probably 
being  the  year  of  his  majority — Hugh  also  appears, 
and  is  then  and  for  some  time  thereafter  the  evil 
genius  of  the  House  of  Sleat.  According  to  some  of 
the  authorities  Hugh  was  the  nephew  of  Donald 
Gorme  Mor,  and  the  younger  son  of  Archibald  the 
Clerk,  son  of  Donald  Gormeson.  We  cannot  enter 
here  into  the  full  details  of  the  genealogy,  but  it  is 
clearly  impossible  that  Donald  Gorme  Mor's  nephew 
could  in  1585,  and  several  years  previous,  have 
been  of  an  age  to  act  the  part  that  was  played 
by  Uisdein  Mac  'Illeasbuig  Chleireich,  who  must 
have  been  either  the  son  or  grandson  of  the  original 
Archibald  the  Clerk,  the  son  of  Donald  Gallach.  In 
the  latter  case  the  designation  Mac  'Illeasbuig 
Chleireich  must  have  been  simply  a  sept  name  or 
patronymic  rather  than  a  description  of  whose  son 
he  was.  It  is  not,  however,  by  any  means  impossible 
that,  the  former  supposition  is  correct. 


30  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

The  outlawry  of  Hugh  which  commenced  in  1581 
seems  to  have  continued  for  several  years.  This 
might  in  other  circumstances  have  been  quite  con- 
sistent with  friendliness  towards  Donald  Gonne 
Mor,  but  the  unscrupulous  and  treacherous  clansman 
seems  to  have  inherited  a  rich  legacy  of  hatred 
towards  the  descendants  of  Donald  Gruamach,  and 
no  motives  of  loyalty  to  his  Chief  would  prevent  him 
from  doing  him  as  much  injury  as  lay  in  his  power. 

In  1585  Donald  Gc/rme  of  Sleat,  being  on  his 
way  to  visit  Angus  KacDonald  of  Dunnyveg  with  a 
considerable  retinue,  was  forced  by  contrary  winds 
to  take  shelter  in  the  Island  of  Jura,  which  was  then 
•divided  between  the  Chief  of  Clan  Iain  Mhoir  and 
Maclean  of  Duart.  The  portion  of  the  island  on 
which  Donald  Gorme  and  his  men  landed  happened 
to  be  that  which  was  owned  by  Maclean  of  Duart. 
Hugh  Mac  'Illeasbuig,  who  seems  to  have  been  still 
under  sentence  of  outlawry,  and  engaged  in  piratical 
excesses,  had  associated  with  him  in  these  nefarious 
pursuits  Angus  Macdonald  of  Griminish,  the  head  of 
the  Clan  Domhnuill  Herraich.  These  two  worthies 
evidently  kept  their  eye  upon  the  movements  of  the 
Chief  of  Sleat,  and  having  like  him  been  driven  by 
stress  of  weather  to  land  in  a  creek  in  his  neighbour- 
hood, they  readily  embraced  the  chance  of  doing 
him  an  injury  by  carrying  off  by  night  a  number  of 
cattle  belonging  to  Maclean's  vassals,  and  as  soon  as 
the  weather  moderated  making  for  the  open  sea, 
correctly  judging  that  their  Chief  would  be  blamed, 
and  might  probably  be  embroiled  in  a  quarrel  with 
Maclean  for  the  perpetration  of  the  outrage.  Their 
expectations  were  not  disappointed.  In  the  course 
of  the  following  night  the  warriors  of  Sleat  were 
attacked  by  a  large  body  of  Macleans  at  a  place 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  31 

called  In^hir-a-Chnuic  bhric,  and  it  is  said  that  60 
of  them  were  slain,  while  the  Chief  only  escaped 
captivity  or  death  by  the  fortunate  circumstance 
that  he  had  slept  on  board  his  galley.1  This  was 
the  beginning  of  a  sanguinary  and  disastrous  feud 
that  lasted  several  years. 

Donald  Gorme  Mor  was  deeply  incensed  at  what 
appeared  a  gratuitous  and  unprovoked  insult,  and  it 
is  certain  that  he  left  nothing  undone  to  inflict  sum- 
mary vengeance  upon  Maclean.  The  records  of  the 
time  are  neither  definite  nor  reliable.  A.11  we  know 
as  to  the  earlier  stages  of  the  conflict  is  that  the 
Macleans  appear  to  have  been  reduced  to  great 
straits,  and  that  in  September.  1585,  James  VI. 
wrote  Roderick  Macleod  of  Dun  vegan,  earnestly 
requesting  him  to  assist  Maclean  of  Duart  against 
the  Clan  Donald,  who  had  done  him  much  injury, 
and  were  threatening  to  do  more.  It  was  probably 
about  this  time  also  that  Donald  Gorme  and  several 
other  Chiefs  were  summoned  before  the  Privy 
Council  to  commune  regarding  the  good  rule  and 
pacification  of  the  Isles  and  Highlands  under  pain  of 
rebellion. 

On  the  20th  May,  1586,  Donald  Gorme  Mor 
entered  into  H  Bond  of  manrerit  and  maintenance 
with  the  Earl  of  Huntly  at  Elgin,  an  arrangement 
which  seems  somewhat  unintelligible  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  Chief  of  Sleat  was  in  the  very  middle 
of  his  feud  with  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  presumably 
not  in  the  best  favour  with  the  Crown  or  Executive 
Government.  The  mission  of  Angus  of  Dunriyveg 
to  Mull  to  effect  an  amicable  understanding  between 
the  contending  Chiefs  of  Sleat  and  Duart  and  the 
disastrous  consequences  that  ensued  have  already 

1  Seanachie's  History  of  the  Macleans,  p.  50. 


THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

been  detailed    in    Volume   II.   of  this  work.      The 
interest   of  these    events    for    our    present  purpose 
consists  in  the  fact  that  the  Dunnyveg  Chief,  from 
being  a  sympathiser  with,  became   an  active  helper 
to   Donald   Gorme.      The  quarrel   of  Sir   Lanchlan 
Maclean   of   Duart    with    the    Chiefs   of  Sleat  nnd 
Dunnyveg  united    these    two   Chiefs   in   a  common 
cause,  and  a  strong  confederacy  of  Western  Clans 
was  formed  to  support  them.     The  two  Macdonald 
Chiefs  numbered  among  their  auxiliaries  the:  Clan- 
ranald,  the  Clanian  of  Ardnamurchan,  the  Macleods 
of  Lewis,  the  Macneills  of  Gigha,  the  MacAllisters 
of  Loup,  the  Macfies  of  Colonsay,  and  other  minor 
septs.       We    find    Donald    Gorme    and    Angus    of 
Dunnyveg  also  strengthening  their  position  in  the 
north  of  the  Mainland  Highlands  by  entering  into 
a   bond   of  alliance,   offensive    and    defensive,   with 
Lauchlan  Macintosh  of  Dunachton,  Captain  of  the 
Clan  Chattan.     The  bond   was  drawn  up  at  Inver- 
ness  on    the    30th    May,    1587,    and    was   directed 
specially  against    Mackenzie    of  Kintail    and   Rory 
Macleod  of  Harris,  whose  hostility  was  to  be  guarded 
against  in  the  then  condition  of  affairs.1 

The  story  of  the  war  of  vengeance  conducted  by 
Donald  Gorme  is  much  less  clearly  indicated  in  the 
records  than  the  feud  of  Angus  of  Dunnyveg.  It  is 
no  doubt  referred  to  in  great  detail  in  the  history  of 
the  Clan  Maclean  by  SeannachaifUi,  and  by  other 
more  recent  historical  writers,  who  have  unquestion- 
ingly  incorporated  his  tradition.  Like  all  accounts, 
from  a  clan  point  of  view,  based  upon  unsupported 
tradition,  the  Maclean  historian's  account  of  these 
troubled  years  must  be  received  with  the  greatest 
caution  and  reserve.  The  Chief  of  Sleat,  accom- 

1  Charter  Chest  of  Sleat. 


THE   MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  33 

panied  with  much  unwillingness  by  his  vassal, 
Maclean  of  Borreray,  is  said  to  have  invaded  the 
island  of  Mull,  probably  in  the  latter  part  of  1587- 
and  this  in  the  face  of  a  Privy  Council  prohibition 
against  gathering  in  arms.  In  this  invasion  Donald 
Gorme  and  his  allies  appear  to  have  scored  the  first 
successes  at  a  place  called  Cranalich,  but  on  the 
following  day,  at  Leac  Li,  the  Macdonald  host  is 
said  to  have  been  completely  routed.  Not  long 
after  this  there  was  a  fresh  levy  of  the  Macdonald 
confederacy,  and  a  rendezvous  was  appointed  to 
take  place  at  a  small  island  on  the  coast  of  Lorn 
and  South  of  Kerrera  named  Ba3hca,  being  a  con- 
venient place  of  meeting  between  the  Clan  Donald, 
North  and  South.  Maclean,  on  learning  of  these 
preparations  for  renewed  hostilities,  determined  to 
assume  the  offensive  on  the  very  first  opportunity. 
He  summoned  to  his  aid  his  own  and  other  friendly 
clans,  but  still,  according  to  the  Maclean  historian, 
there  was  a  great  disparity  in  point  of  numbers 
between  the  two  sides,  the  Macdonald  host  number- 
ing 2500,  while  Maclean's  followers  were  only  1200. 
We  are  not  disposed  to  deny  the  defeat  of  Donald 
Gorme  on  a  priori  grounds,  even  in  the  face  of  his 
numerical  advantages  ;  but  the  circumstances  as 
detailed  by  seanachie  make  rather  heavy  demands 
upon  the  historical  imagination.  We  are  told  that 
Sir  Lauchlan  attacked  the  Macdonald  warriors  at 
the  principal  landing  place  of  Bachca  early  in  the 
morning,  the  archers  driving  them  back  with  flights 
of  arrows  upon  their  interior  defences  at  the  centre 
of  the  island.  Here  the  attack  was  pressed  home 
with  such  vigour  that  340  Macdonalds  were  killed, 
and  many  prisoners— including  Donald  Gorme  him- 
self—  were  captured,  while  the  Macleans  only  lost 

3 


34  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

two  men  killed  and  one  wounded  !  The  1800 
Macdonalds  who  were  not  killed  or  captured  man- 
aged to  make  their  escape.  All  this  is  recorded 
with  the  utmost  gravity  by  seanachie,  who  seems  to 
think  it  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  that  a 
force  of  Macdonalds,  twice  the  number  of  their 
opponents,  should  meekly  submit  to  being  massacred, 
captured,  routed,  without  striking  a  blow  in  self- 
defence.  Unfortunately,  we  have  no  means  of 
testing  the  historian's  fidelity  to  truth  except  the 
inherent  absurdity  of  the  tale,  and  the  fact  that 
there  appears  to  be  no  record  whatsoever  in  the 
muniments  of  the  age  verifying  the  imprisonment  of 
Donald  Gorme  and  several  hundreds  of  his  friends 
and  vassals  on  this  particular  occasion. 

The  terrible  feud  between  Donald  Gorme  and  Sir 
Lauchlan  Maclean,  entirely  the  result  of  a  misunder- 
standing, seems  to  have  terminated  in  1589.  In 
that  year  the  Chief  of  Sleat,  his  brothers  Archibald 
and  Alexander,  his  grand  uncle  and  former  guardian, 
James  Macdonald  of  Castle  Camus,  and  Hugh  Mac 
Gillesbuig  Chleireich,  received  a  remission  for  all  the 
crimes  committed  by  them  against  the  Macleans. 
On  the  strength  of  this  dispensation,  Donald  Gorme, 
along  with  Sir  Lauchlan  Maclean  and  Angus  Mac- 
donald of  Dunnyveg,  were  induced  to  go  to  Edin- 
burgh to  consult  with  the  King  and  Council  for  the 
good  rule  of  the  country.  On  their  arrival  the  three 
Chiefs  were  apprehended  and  imprisoned,  and  the 
King  and  Council  turned  to  advantage  their  dis- 
honourable manosuvre  by  imposing  heavy  fines  as 
a  condition  of  their  liberty.  Donald  Gorme  was 
mulcted  to  the  extent  of  £4000,  and  had,  besides, 
to  procure  security  for  his  obedience  to  the  Scottish 
Government,  as  well  as  to  the  Irish  Government  of 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  35 

Elizabeth.  Campbell  of  Cawdor  is  said  to  have 
acted  in  the  required  capacity  of  surety  for  the 
Chief  of  Sleat.  The  amount  of  the  fine  shows  that 
Donald  Gorme  was  regarded  as  a  chief  of  consider- 
able wealth  and  importance. 

Campbell  of  Cawdor  was  assassinated  in  1592, 
and  his  death  doubtless  removed  a  restraint  which 
might  have  kept  the  restless  scion  of  Clan  Uisdein 
in  law-abiding  paths.  As  it  was,  he  did  not  seem  to 
be  much  concerned  about  obeying  the  behests  of  the 
authorities,  or  providing  securities  for  his  subjection 
to  the  laws  and  the  payment  of  his  Crown  dues.  It 
was  probably  in  consequence  of  Cawdor's  death  that 
a  summons  of  treason  was  produced  against  Donald 
Gorme,  duly  executed  ;  but  no  sentence  of  forfeiture 
seems  to  have  been  executed.  While  these  pro- 
ceedings occupied  the  attention  of  those  in  high 
places,  Donald  Gorme  was  busy  making  preparations 
for  military  adventures  across  the  Irish  Sea.  The 
security,  demanded  in  1591  for  good  behaviour 
towards  the  Government  of  Queen  Elizabeth  in 
Ireland,  was  no  superfluous  measure,  though  we 
cannot  trace  the  causes  of  suspicion  against  the 
Chief  of  Sleat  at  that  particular  time.  In  company 
with  Roderick  Macleod  of  Dunvegan,  he  resolved  to 
respond  to  an  invitation  to  go  to  the  help  of  Red 
Hugh  O'Donnell,  who  was  then  in  rebellion  against 
Queen  Elizabeth.  Each  Chief,  at  the  head  of  500 
warriors  of  his  clan,  crossed  over  to  Ireland  in  1594. 
Landing  on  the  shores  of  Lough  Foyle,  and  being 
informed  that  O'Donn«ll  and  his  army  were  then 
besieging  Inniskillen,  they  sent  a  messenger  to  him 
to  intimate  their  arrival.  When  O'Donnell  received 
this  message  he  left  Inniskillen,  which  was  being 
besieged  by  his  army,  and  met  and  entertained  the 


36  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Skye  Chiefs  for  three  days  and  nights.  Donald 
Gorme  does  not  seem  to  have  stayed  long  in  Ireland. 
He  left  his  clansmen  under  command  of  his  brother ; 
but  the  subsequent  history  of  the  Clan  Uisdein 
contingent  in  Hugh  Roe's  rebellion  seems  to  have 
been  uneventful. 

In  1595  there  was  a  resumption  of  amicable 
relations  between  Donald  Gorme  and  the  Crown— 
and  the  Chief  of  Sleat  is  in  treaty  with  King  James 
over  the  lands  occupied  by  him  in  the  Isles.  He 
desired  that  His  Majesty  would  be  graciously  pleased 
to  grant  him  such  lands  as  he  presently  occupied 
upon  such  reasonable  conditions  as  he  might  be  able 
to  perform,  or  as  should  be  granted  to  others  in  the 
Isles.  He  declared  at  the  same  time  that  he  pre- 
ferred dealing  directly  with  the  King  according 
to  his  ability,  rather  than  through  the  medium 
of  any  of  His  Majesty's  subjects  who  might 
desire  to  interfere  in  the  matter.  The  following 
year  Donald  Gorme  Mor's  proposals  received  the 
most  favourable  consideration.  He  came  volun- 
tarily to  Court,  and  entered  into  an  agreement  with 
the  King  and  Exchequer,  by  which  he  succeeded  in 
acquiring  considerable  property  in  heritage,  which, 
since  the  time  of  his  ancestor  Hugh,  had  been  held, 

r^      7  7 

partly  in  lease,  by  force,  or  on  sufferance.  In 
accordance  with  a  decision  of  the  King  and 
Privy  Council  in  1594,  a  charter  was  granted 
him  of  the  lands  contained  in  the  old  charter 
of  1469  to  Hugh  of  Sleat,  and  which  were 
now  claimed  by  Donald  Gorme  as  his  heir  male, 
under  the  reservation  of  lands  to  the  extent  of 
40  shillings  in  North  Uist,  and  providing  that  the 
Castle  of  Camus  should  in  future  be  always  open  to 
the  King  or  his  successor?,  their  lieutenants  or 


THE   MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  37 

chamberlains.  The  grantee  paid  2000  merks  for  a 
discharge  of  all  feudal  casualties  due  from  these 
lands,  and  the  annual  feu-duty  to  be  paid  was  £146 
On  17th  August  Donald  Gorme  received  a  lease  for 
five  years  of  the  Crown  lands  of  Troternish  8  merk- 
lands  of  which  were  reserved  to  the  King,  and  it 
was  agreed  that  if  the  King  did  not  place  Lowland 
tenants  in  these  and  the  lands  reserved  in  Hist, 
Donald  himself  should  be  preferred  to  any  other 
Highland  tenant.  A  precept  of  sasine  followed 
upon  this  charter  in  December,  1597.1  This  favour- 
able settlement  of  his  affairs  saved  him  from 
molestation  by  the  Act  of  Parliament  of  this  same 
year,  which  ordered  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Highlands  and  Islands  to  appear  before  the  Lords 
of  Exchequer  and  show  the  title-deeds  by  which 
they  claimed  right  to  the  Crown  lands. 

Donald  Gorme  does  not  seem  to  have  been  con- 
tent to  settle  down  upon  his  estates  to  which  he 
had  now  obtained  so  secure  a  title,  and  we  soon  find 
him  mingling  iii  some  of  the  intrigues  that  entered 
so  largely  into  the  relations  between  England  and 
Scotland  at  that  time.  In  1598  offers  are  made  in 
his  name  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  which  he  seeks  to 
bind  not  only  himself  but  the  whole  of  the  island 
chiefs  to  her  service.  He  describes  himself  in  the 
preamble  of  this  lengthy  document  a3  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  by  which  title  he  also  designates  his  late 
father  in  another  communication  he  makes  to  Her 
Majesty.  He  undertakes,  if  the  Queen  should  so 
desire,  to  create  much  trouble  in  the  realm  of 
Scotland,  as  well  as  great  expense  to  the  King  in 
putting  down  rebellion.  He  also  undertakes  to  do 
duty  in  Ireland  against  Her  Majesty's  rebels,  and 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


38  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

promises  various  secret  services  which  it  is  un- 
necessary to  detail.1  It  is  hardly  possible  to  believe 
that  Donald  Gorme,  who  at  this  time  had  been 
newly  put  in  legal  possession  of  his  lands  by  King 
James  VI.,  should  have  been  actively  conspiring 
against  his  authority.  On  the  other  hand  the 
document  contains  internal  evidence  of  having  been 
concocted  by  Sir  Lauchlan  Maclean  of  Duart,  the 
greatest  diplomatist  arid  schemer  among  the  High- 
land chiefs  of  his  day,  and  who  did  not  long  survive 
its  composition,  as  it  is  marked  by  the  year  of  his 
death.  That  Donald  Gorme  was  earnest  in  his 
desire  to  take  service  in  the  Irish  war  is  proved  by 
a  letter  written  from  the  Antrim  Glens  on  the  3rd 
August  of  this  same  year  and  addressed  to  the  Lord 
Deputy.  He  promised  that  on  being  guaranteed 
sufficient  recompense  he  would  serve  the  English 
Queen  against  all  and  sundrie,  the  Scottish  King 
excepted.  This  exception  in  'King  James'  favour 
throws  still  further  doubt  upon  the  authenticity  of 
the  offers  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  which  made  no  such 
reservation. 

The  Chief  of  Sleat  does  not  seem  to  have  received 
any  encouragement  in  his  search  for  Irish  adventure, 
and  as  the  sinews  of  war  were  not  forthcoming,  he 
soon  returned  to  the  Isles.  It  was  probably  not 
long  after  this  Irish  visit  that  a  feud  arose  between 
Donald  Gorme  of  Sleat  and  his  neighbour  Rory 
Macleod  of  Dunvegan,  which  convulsed  the  extensive 
regions  over  which  they  both  held  sway.  The 
merits  of  the  controversy  are,  like  many  other 
historical  questions  relating  to  the  Highlands, 
clouded  with  much  obscurity.  The  accepted  version 
of  the  story  has  been  that  Donald  Gorme  Mor 

1  Clan  Donald,  vol.  II.,  p.  757. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  39 

married  Mary  Macleod,  sister  of  the  Dun  vegan 
Chief,  that  after  some  time  he  divorced  and  sent 
her  home  to  Dunvegan,  and  immediately  thereafter 
married  another  lady.  This  story  has  been  further 
embellished  by  a  tradition  that  did  service 
before,  namely,  that  the  Macleod  lady  was  blind  of 
an  eye,  and  that  she  was  sent  home  on  a  horse, 
followed  by  a  dog,  and  accompanied  by  an  atten- 
dant similarly  afflicted.  There  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  actual  occurrence  was  somewhat  different 
from  this.  The  practice  of  handfasting — of  having 
wives  on  approbation — had  not  quite  died  out  in 
the  Highlands  in  the  time  of  Donald  Gorme  Mor. 
It  was  still  regarded  as  Celtically  legal,  and  the 
Church  of  Rome  recognised  its  validity  and  the 
legitimacy  of  the  offspring,  but  not  being 
celebrated  before  the  altar,  it  was  from  the 
feudal  standpoint  irregular.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  the  union  between  Donald  Gorme  and  the 
sister  of  the  Dunvegan  Chief  was  of  this  loose  and 
irregular  description.  In  1601,  after  much  blood 
had  been  shed,  an  obligation  was  given  by  Donald 
Gorme  to  Rory  Mor,  to  which  reference  may  now  be 
made  by  anticipation,  because  it  contains  an  allusion 
to  the  repudiated  wife.  It  is  somewhat  significant 
that  she  is  alluded  to  in  that  document  as  Mary 
Macleod,  lawful  sister  to  Rory  Macleod  of  Dunvegan, 
without  a  word  to  indicate  that  she  had  been  the 
lawful  wife  of  Donald  Gorme.  What  led  the  Chief 
of  Sleat  to  cast  oft'  this  lady  is  a  mystery  upon  which 
no  light  is  shed  either  by  history  or  tradition; 
suffice  it  to  say  that  it  proved  the  casus  belli  in  a 
bloody  and  disastrous  feud.  Roderick  Macleod  of 
Dunvegan,  or  Rory  Mor  as  he  was  called,  having 
failed  to  induce  Donald  Gorme  Mor  to  take  back  the 


40  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

repudiated  wife,  embarked  on  a  policy  of  revenge. 
Assembling  the  fighting  men  of  his  clan,  he  carried 
lire  and  sword  int'>  the  district  of  Troternish,  so  long 
the  bone  of  contention  between  the  rival  families, 
while  we  are  informed  that  the  Clan  Donald,  by 
way  of  reprisals,  invaded  Harris,  slew  many  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  carried  off  a  spoil  of  cattle.  This 
feud  between  Donald  Gorme  Mor  of  Sleat  and  Rory 
Mor  Macleod  of  Dunvegan  was  the  occasion  for  the 
emergence  out  of  obscurity  of  one  of  the  bravest, 
most  powerful,  and  skilful  warriors,  as  well  as  one 
of  the  most  interesting  characters  in  the  history  of 
the  house  of  Sleat,  Donald  Macdonald,  known  in 
the  songs  and  traditions  of  the  Isles  as  '"  Domhnull 
Maclain  'Ic  Sheumais."  He  was  the  grandson  of 
James  Macdonald  of  Castle  Camus,  late  tutor  to 
Donald  Gorme  Mor,  to  whom  he  stood  in  the 
relation  of  second  cousin.  While  part  of  the  story  of 
his  life  may  appropriately  fall  under  the  genealogical 
section,  we  must  make  some  record  of  the  large 
part  he  played  at  this  critical  period  in  the  history 
of  the  Clan  Uisdein. 

The  traditions  of  the  Long  Island  and  Skye  are 
at  issue  with  Sir  Robert  Gordon,  author  of  the  Earls 
of  Sutherland,  as  to  the  sequence  of  the  two  great 
fights  that  signalised  this  feud,  namely,  the  battles  of 
Culeen  arid  Carinish.  Differing  from  the  authority 
just  referred  to,  there  is  good  reason  to  accept  the 
tradition  that  it  was  at  the  battle  of  Culeen  that 
Domhnull  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumais  made  his  first 
appearance  as  the  Achilles  of  the  Clan  Uisdein. 
This  warrior  spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  in  Uist, 
and  the  traditions  of  that  region  have  the  best  claim 
to  credibility  as  regards  the  earlier  portion  of  his 
career.  At  the  battle  of  Culeen  the  Macdonalds  were 


THE   MACDONALDS   OP   SLEAT.  41 

under  the  command  of  Donald  Gorme  Mor  of  Sleat 
and  his  younger  brother  Archibald,  surnamed  the 
Clerk  ;  while  the  Macleods,  in  the  absence  of  Rory 
Mor,  who  was  away  in  Argyll,  were  led  by  his 
brother  Alexander.  The  Macleods  encamped  besids 
Ben-na-Culeen,  and  awaited  the  attack  of  the  Mac- 
donalds,  on  whose  arrival  the  battle  commenced. 
Both  sides  fought  with  great  bravery  and  resolution 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  day.  According  to 
our  traditional  account,  Donald  Mac  Iain,  who  at 
that  time  lived  at  Eriskay,  a  small  island  south  of 
South  Uist,  arrived  at  the  Culeens  just  as  the  battle 
was  about  to  commence.  It  was  his  first  serious 
engagement,  and  at  once  his  soul  was  filled  with 

"  That  stern  joy  which  warriors  feel 
In  foemen  worthy  of  their  steel," 

and  laid  about  him  with  his  broadsword  to  such 
purpose  that  his  efforts  contributed  materially  to 
the  victory  of  his  Clan  and  the  total  rout  of  the 
enemy.  Alexander  Macleod,  the  leader  of  the 
Dun  vegan  men,  and  30  of  the  chief  heads  of  families 
were  taken  prisoners.  The  hero  of  the  conflict, 
Donald  Mac  Iain,  who  courted  the  muses  almost 
as  successfully  as  he  wielded  his  mighty  brand, 
celebrated  the  battle  of  Culeen  in  lines  which  still 
linger  among  the  people  of  the  Western  Isles — 

"  Latha  dhomh  's  a'  Chuilthionn  chreagach, 
Bha  bcul  sios  air  luchd  nan  leadan  ; 
Bha  larach  am  brog  san  eabar  : 
'S  iad  Clann  Domhnuill  rinn  an  leagadb  ; 
Lamh-dhearg  Dhomhnuill  lamh  Ghilleaabuig." 

The  next  noteworthy  phase  in  this  feud  was  the 
battle  of  Carinish,  which  must  have  been  fought  not 
many  months  after  the  Macleod  reverse  at  Culeen. 


42  THS^CLAN    DONALD. 

liory  Mor,  exasperated  by  the  continued  success  of 
his  opponent,  and  wishing  to  strike  him  unexpectedly 
at  the  part  which  was  at  the  time  weakest,  invaded 
the  island  of  North  Uist,  the  property  of  Donald 
Gorme,  at  the  head  of  60  warriors  of  his  clan,  all  of 
them  expert  bowmen.  They  landed  at  Loch  Ephort, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  island,  where  the  chief 
remained  with  a  small  body-guard,  while  his  kinsman 
and  second  in  command,  "  MacDhomhnuill  Ghlais," 
went  on  a  raiding  expedition  through  North  Uist  at 
the  head  of  the  remainder  of  the  force. 

Meanwhile  tidings  of  the  invasion  and  "  spulzie," 
sgeula  nan  creach,  reached  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumas  in 
his  island  home  at  Eriskay,  and  no  sooner  did  they 
come  to  his  ears  than  he  took  prompt  and  immediate 
action.  Accompanied  by  his  twslve  gillemores,  the 
stalwart  band  that  always  manned  his  galley  and 
followed  him  to  battle,  he  started  for  North  Uist, 
and  although  his  force  was  numerically  but  a  tithe 
of  that  which  he  expected  to  oppose  him,  he  was 
neither  disheartened  nor  dismayed.  During  his 
progress  towards  Carinish  his  force  was  augmented 
to  15.  and  as  he  approached  the  mainland  of  North 
Uist,  early  in  the  forenoon,  he  learned  that  the 
Macleods  were  assembled  with  their  spoil  in  the  old 
temple  of  Trinity  at  Carinish,  after  having  break- 
fasted on  a  cow,  part  of  the  proceeds  of  their  foray. 
No  sooner  did  the  Macdonald  warrior  learn  the 
position  of  the  Macleods  than  he  placed  his  men 
in  the  most  advantageous  positions.  The  Macleods 
had  no  idea  that  danger  was  so  near.  Up  to  this 
time  they  had  it  all  their  own  way,  had  encountered 
no  opposition,  and  were  expecting  none.  Maclain 
Ic  Sheumas  was  too  skilful  a  strategist  to  attack 
the  Skyemen  in  so  strong  a  place  as  the  Temple,  and 


SLEAT.  43 

being  well  acquainted  with  every  inch  of  the  ground, 
he  disposed  his  men  as  follows  : — Dividing  them 
into  three  detachments,  he  concealed  the  first,  which 
consisted  of  seven  men,  behind  the  rising  ground 
north-east  of  the  Temple,  and  south  of  the  rivulet 
called  Feithe  na  fala — the  bloody  brook  ;  the  next 
division,  consisting  of  four  men,  he  placed  in  conceal- 
ment behind  a  knoll,  half-way  between  the  position 
of  the  first  detachment  and  the  Temple,  and  the  last 
(consisting  of  the  remaining  four)  was  appointed  to 
proceed  towards  the  Temple  and  give  the  alarm  to 
the  Macleods  that  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumas  had  arrived. 
Each  division  had  its  definite  instructions,  and 
Macdonald  himself  took  up  an  elevated  position  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  where  his  first  division  stood. 
Thence  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  little 
band  carrying  out  his  instructions  to  the  letter. 
The  alarm  having  been  raised,  the  Macleods  rushed 
out  of  the  Temple  in  great  confusion,  and  before  they 
were  aware  of  the  imminence  of  the  peril  four  of 
them  were  taken  down  by  the  cool  aim  of  the 
Macdonald  archers.  These  having  carried  out  so 
much  of  their  orders,  fell  back  with  all  speed  upon 
the  second  party  and  awaited  the  approach  of  the 
enemy.  The  latter  hurrying  on,  not  in  the  best 
order,  were  suddenly  checked  by  another  shower  of 
arrows,  which  made  eight  of  them  to  reel  and  bite 
the  dust.  The  Macdonald  second  and  third  divisions 
now  together  retired  to  the  position  in  which  the 
first  or  main  division  was  concealed,  and  waited  as 
before  until  the  enemy  was  within  range,  when  all 
suddenly  springing  up  and  letting  fly  a  third  dis- 
charge of  arrows  with  the  same  galling  effecc,  rushed 
across  the  hollow  through  which  the  road  now 
passes,  and  took  up  their  position  for  the  brunt  of 


44  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

* 

the  day  a  little  below  where  their  leader  stood. 
The  Macleods,  now  perceiving  the  force  which 
opposed  them,  pressed  on  with  great  fury  to  contend 
with  their  adversaries  upon  even  ground.  At  this 
moment  it  is  said  that  Macdonald  received  a  further 
accession  to  his  strength  from  an  unexpected  quarter 
in  the  person  of  a  foster  brother  who  had  crossed 
with  the  Macleods,  but  on  a  favourable  opportunity 
arising  came  over  to  Madam's  side  and  gave  him 
valiant  assistance  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  There 
was  one  circumstance  that  militated  greatly  in  favour 
of  the  Macdonalds,  and  which,  as  soon  as  discovered 
by  their  leader,  was  insiantly  taken  advantage  of. 
Early  in  the  fight  Donald  Maclain  observed  that 
the  bows  of  his  opponents  were  much  less  powerful 
than  those  of  his  followers,  and  that  consequently 
their  range  was  much  more  limited.  Greatly 
desiring  to  preserve  the  members  of  his  little  force 
as  much  as  possible,  he  caused  them  to  retrograde 
gently  during  the  course  of  the  action,  so  that  while 
their  arrows  told  with  deadly  effect  upon  the 
Macleods,  the  arrows  of  the  latter  were  falling  spent 
at  their  feet.  MacDonald  Glas,  the  Macleod  leader, 
saw  his  ranks  gradually  growing  thinner,  without  a 
gap  being  made  in  the  small  band  of  his  adversaries, 
for  though  he  was  gaining,  and  his  foes  retiring,  this 
was  achieved  at  terrible  cost.  The  disparity  in 
numbers  was  now  so  much  reduced  that  MacDonald 
Glas,  seeing  the  day  assume  a  more  and  more 
unfavourable  aspect,  and  that  the  line  of  his  retreat 
to  Skye  was  in  danger  of  being  cut  off,  made  a 
furious  onset  upon  the  Macdonalds.  He  was  met, 
however,  with  the  most  stubborn  resistance,  which, 
combined  with  the  same  skilful  tactics,  still  further 
reduced  the  number  of  efficient  Macleod  warriors. 


THE   MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  45 

Donald  Maclain,  who  was  now  apparently  on  the 
eve  of  victory,  approached  nearer  the  enemy  than 
was  prudent,  and  received  a  wound  from  an  arrow 
which  laid  him  on  his  length  in  the  brook,  called 
from  this  accident,  Feithe  na  fala.  The  Mac- 
donalds,  seeing  their  loved  leader  laid  low,  got 
exasperated,  rushed  furiously  upon  the  foe,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  cut  them  all  to  pieces.  Five  or  six 
managed  to  make  their  escape,  and  took  to  their 
heels  in  good  earnest.  One  of  these,  who,  from  his 
spare  lean  form  and  extraordinary  swiftness,  was 
called  "  Glas  nam  beann,"  made  for  the  fleet  at  Loch 
Ephort,  and  was  the  first  to  carry  the  woeful 
intelligence  to  the  Dunvegan  chief.  The  latter 
refused  to  believe  the  news,  and  threatened  to  hang 
the  bearer,  but  another  fugitive,  covered  with  sweat 
and  blood,  repeated  the  tale  of  misfortune,  and 
Macleod,  seeing  that  matters  had  come  to  the  worst 
possible  pass,  took  to  his  boats  and  held  off  the  land, 
The  other  fugitives  were  not  so  fortunate.  The 
Macleod  leader  and  two  or  three  of  his  men,  finding 
their  retreat  cut  off,  made  for  the  island  of 
Baleshare,  but  were  overtaken  by  some  of  the 
Macdonalds  and  slain  upon  the  strand,  which  is 
known  to  this  day  as  Oitir  Mhic  Dhomlinuill  ghlais, 
the  strand  of  MacDonald  Glas.  From  the  effect  of 
the  wound  he  had  received  Maclain  soon  recovered, 
for  he  is  not  many  weeks  thereafter  on  his  way  to 
Skye  to  visit  his  chief  in  the  Castle  of  Duntulm. 
Such  was  the  battle  of  Carinish,  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  fights  in  the  history  of  Highland  warfare. 
The  feud  between  Donald  Gorme  and  Kory  Mor 
had  now  assumed  such  disastrous  proportions  that 
the  Privy  Council  actively  interfered,  and  the  rival 
chiefs  were  ordered  to  disband  their  forces  and 


46  THE    CLAN   DONALD. 

desist  from  further  molestation  of  one  another. 
Macleod  was  enjoined  to  give  himself  up  to  the  Earl 
of  Argyll,  Macdonald  to  surrender  himself  to  Huntly, 
and  both  were  strictly  charged,  under  penalty  of 
treason,  to  remain  with  these  noblemen  until  the 
controversies  between  them  were  settled  by  the 
King  and  Council.  It  is  said  that  a  reconciliation 
was  brought  about  by  the  good  offices  of  Angus 
Macdonald  of  Dunny  veg  and  other  friends,  and  they 
agreed  that  their  differences  should  be  adjusted  by 
the  peaceful  arbitrament  of  the  civil  power.  During 
the  course  of  these  negotiations,  the  two  chiefs 
entered  into  an  understanding,  first  at  Ellandonan 
and  afterwards  at  Glasgow,  in  which  it  was  agreed 
that  the^  peace  should  be  preserved  ;  but  this  was 
not  to  prevent  Mary  Macleod  taking  such  civil  action 
against  Donald  Gorrne  as  she  might  be  advised  to 
do.  The  quarrel  appears  to  have  been  definitely 
adjusted  in  1601. 

It  was  probably  not  very  long  after  the  events 
just  recorded  that  the  conspiracy  of  Hugh  Mac- 
Gillespick  Clerach  against  his  Chief  came  to  light. 
The  powerful  position  of  this  MacGillespick  sept  in 
Troternish,  and  their  hostility  to  the  family  of  the 
Chief,  have  already  been  alluded  to.  A  few  inci- 
dents in  Hugh's  career  since  he  caused  the  embroglio 
with  Maclean  of  Duart  may  now  be  referred  to. 
We  find  him  in  1586  molesting  those  engaged  in  the 
fishings  of  the  North  Isles  and  adjacent  mainland, 
for  which '^conduct  he  was  summoned  before  the 
Privy  Council.  In  1589  we  find  him  bailie  of 
Troternish,  and  receiving  a  remission  for  crimes 
committed  against  the  Macleans,  but  his  bailiary 
seems  to  have  been  very  unacceptable,  and  was 
probably  very  lawless,  for  in  1596,  when  Donald 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  47 

Gorme  was  coming  to  an  understanding  with  the 
Crown  regarding  his  property,  and  it  was  ordained 
that  the  Castle  of  Camus  should  be  a  royal  fortress, 
there  is  the  strict  stipulation  that  "  Hucheon 
McGillespick  Clerich"  should  be  "  plaige  and  none 
other."  This  proves  that  he  was  no  longer  bailie  of 
Troternish.  and  that  his  dangerous  character  was 
clearly  recognised.  Indeed,  in  the  King's  letter  of 
Tack,  granting  the  8  merklands  of  Troternish  to  the 
Chief  of  Clan  Uisdein,  the  bailiary  was  meanwhile 
reserved.  It  does  not  appear  that  Hugh  was  long 
detained  in  captivity  as  a  pledge,  for  the  traditions 
bearing  upon  the  dark  deeds  of  his  latter  days 
imply  his  personal  liberty.  There  are  hints  in  the 
records  of  1600  which  seem  to  suggest  a  total  breach 
in  the  relations  between  Hugh  and  his  chief.  In 
April  of  that  year  he  is  accused  along  with  others  of 
robbery  on  the  high  seas,  and  receives  the  designa- 
tion of  "  Hugh  M'Gillespick  in  Waternes."  The 
fact  that  the  locus  is  no  longer  in  Troternish,  but  in  a 
district  belonging  to  another  chief,  is  a  very  signifi- 
cant comment  upon  Hugh's  relations  at  the  time  to 
the  chief  of  Clan  Uisdein,  a  state  o^  matters  which  is 
confirmed  by  the  whole  trend  of  "island  tradition. 
It  would  appear,  however,  that  after  the  peace  was 
made  up  between  Donald  Gorme  and  Bory  Mor, 
Hugh  was  once  more  received  into  favour  at 
Duntulm.  He  was  permitted  to  build  a  residence 
for  himself  at  a  place  called  Cuidreach,  and  also  a 
strong  fort  at  the  sea  side,  the  ruins  of  which 
survive,  and  are  still  known  by  the  name  of  "Caisteal 
Uisdein."  About  the  time  this  stronghold  was  on 
the  eve  of  completion,  Hugh  was  forming  a  con- 
spiracy for  the  destruction  of  Donald  Gorme  and  the 
leading  men  of  the  Clan,  after  which  he  himself, 


48  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

with  the  support  of  those  who  were  with  him  in  the 
plot,  would  assume  the  chief  ship. 

The  bold  and  treacherous  design  was  to  be  carried 
out  at  a  feast  which  was  to  celebrate  the  completion 
of  Hugh's  new  residence.  His  own  hand  forged  the 
weapon  which  wrought  his  doom.  While  in  Uist  he 
wrote  two  letters — one  to  William  Martin,  a  tenant 
of  Donald  Gorme's,  at  Eastside  of  Troternish,  in 
which  he  solicited  Martin's  assistance  in  his  nefarious 
scheme — the  other  to  the  Chief  of  Sleat,  con- 
taining warm  professions  of  affection  and  fidelity. 
By  a  strange  oversight  the  letters  were  wrongly 
addressed,  the  Chiefs  letter  going  to  Martin,  and 
Martin's  finding  its  way  into  the  hands  of  Donald 
Gorme.  The  Chief  at  once  decided  to  take  effective 
measures,  and  sent  a  strong  party  to  apprehend  him 
under  the  command  of  that  pillar  of  the  House  of 
Sleat,  Domhnull  Maclain  'Ic  Sheumais.  Hugh,  who 
knew  that  such  emissaries  were  on  his  track,  took 
refuge^in  an  ancient  fortress,  called  Dun-a-Sticir, 
situated  on  a  lake  at  Newtown  in  the  Sand  district  of 
North  Uist,  communicating  by  stepping-stones  with 
the  shore.  There  Hugh,  who  was  a  man  of  immense 
physical  strength,  was,  with  some  difficulty,  seized, 
and  carried  prisoner  to  Skye,  where  he  was  incar- 
cerated in  the  dungeon  at  Duntulm,  and,  as  tradition 
reports,  allowed  to  die  in  an  agony  of  thirst. 

The  first  decade  of  the  17th  century  was  a  some- 
what quiet  and  uneventful  period  in  the  annals  of 
the  House  of  Sleat.  In  the  month  of  August.  1604. 
we  find  the  Chief,  with  Sir  Kanald  Macdonald  of 
Antrim,  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  at  the  head  of  seven 
score  men,  but  on  vs  hat  errand  it  is  impossible  to 
guess.  Donald  Gorme  seems  again  quiescent  until 
1607,  when  he  is  found  co-operating  with  Angus  of 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  49 

Dunnyveg  in  his  efforts  to  save  his  inheritance  from 
Campbell  rapacity,  and  fears  were  entertained  by 
Queen  Elizabeth's  deputy  in  Ireland  that  an  invasion 
of  that  kingdom  was  contemplated.  The  movements 
of  the  two  Macdonald  Chiefs  did  not  go  beyond 
a  demonstration  in  force.  The  year  1608  was  an 
important  one  to  the  Highland  Chiefs,  for  it  was 
then  that  the  Statutes  of  I'Columkill  were  enacted, 
and  a  fresh  chapter  was  opened  in  the  social  history 
of  their  country.  Donald  was  summoned  by  Lord 
Ochiltree  to  meet  him  at  Aros ;  was  involved  in  the 
somewhat  shabby  trick  by  which  a  number  of  the 
Highland  Chiefs  were  inveigled  on  board  the  Govern- 
ment ship  "  Moon,"  arid  was  placed  in  durance  vile 
in  the  prison  of  Blackness.  He  was  one  of  the 
signatories  to  the  petition  to  the  Privy  Council,  also 
subscribed  by  Maclean  of  Duart  and  Macdonald  of 
Clanranald  at  Blackness,  praying  to  be  restored  to 
liberty,  and  promising  good  conduct  for  the  future. 
Donald  Gorme  was  liberated  some  time  afterwards 
on  condition  of  finding  security  for  returning  to 
Edinburgh  on  a  certain  day,  arid  for  concurring  with 
and  assisting  the  Bishop  in  making  a  survey  of  the 
Isles.  The  survey  was  completed  in  the  summer  of 
1609,  and  in  the  last  week  of  August  the  Bishop 
held  a  Court  at  I'Columkill  of  the  Chiefs  and  gentle- 
men of  the  Isles.  On  the  23rd  August  the  Statutes 
of  I'Columkill  were  formulated,  and  on  the  following 
day  Donald  Gorme  and  eight  other  principal  Isles- 
men  signed  a  bond  declaring  their  adhesion  to  the 
Protestant  religion,  and  binding  themselves  for  the 
improvement  of  the  Isles.  Although  there  are  no 
evidences  of  hostility  to  be  traced  between  the  Chief 
of  Sleat  and  his  great  rival,  Rory  Mor  Macleod,  since 
the  peace  was  made  in  1601,  there  is  strong  reason 

4 


50  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

to  suspect  that  the  relations  between  them  were  by 
no  means  of  the  friendliest,  otherwise  it  would  not 
have  been  necessary  that  on  the  very  next  day  after 
the  Statutes  of  FColumkill  were  enacted,  and  very 
appropriately  on  that  holy  isle  so  long  dedicated  to 
the  doctrines  of  peace  and  brotherhood,  they  should 
be  made  to  enter  into  a  contract  of  friendship  and 
mutual  forgiveness  of  injuries.  What  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  injuries  were  that  made  such  a 
bond  necessary  at  this  particular  time  we  have  no 
means  of  ascertaining. 

During  the  remainder  of  Donald  Gorme's  life 
much  of  the  history  of  Clan  Uisdein  consists  of 
annual  statutory  compearances  and  exhibitions  of 
chieftains  in  Edinburgh,  which  do  not  in  themselves 
demand  detailed  notice.  In  the  summer  of  1614  we 
find  the  Chief  of  Sleat  in  the  Scottish  Capital 
engaged  in  the  transaction  of  important  business. 
On  the  21st  July  he  received  a  new  charter  for  the 
lands  of  Sleat,  North  Uist,  and  Skeirhough,  with  the 
reservation  to  the  King  of  Castle  Camus  and  40 
shillings  of  the  lands  of  North  Uist.  The  rents 
payable  to  the  Crown  as  superior  were  fixed — with 
augmentation — at  the  gross  sum  of  £257  6s  8d. 
Why  Donald  Gorme,  who  had  been  duly  infefted  in 
all  these  lands  in  1597,  should  have  sought  fresh 
titles  in  1614  is  explained  by  a  new  move  on  the 
part  of  his  neighbour,  Rory  Mor.  In  1613  this 
somewhat  grasping  and  ambitious,  though  able, 
Chief,  who  had  by  this  time  been  knighted  by  James 
VI.,  got  himself  served  heir  to  his  uncle,  William 
Macleod  of  Harris,  for  the  lands  of  Troternish,  Sleat, 
and  North  Uist,  and  on  the  llth  December  of  that 
year  obtained  a  charter  for  the  same.  A  precept 
of  sasine  followed  on  the  12th  June  of  next  year, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  51 

and  sasine  was  actually  taken  at  the  principal 
messuage  of  Duntulm.  The  charter  of  1542  by 
James  V.  to  the  Macleod  of  that  day  is  quoted  as 
the  chief  ground  for  these  proceedings,  and  it  is 
provided  in  the  new  charter  that  corporeal  and 
actual  seizure  of  earth  and  stone  at  Duntulm  would 
suffice  for  possession  of  Sleat  and  North  Uist,  as 
well  as  for  the  Barony  of  Troternish.  Speedy  action 
was  evidently  demanded  by  the  exigencies  of  the 
case.  How  it  was  found  practicable  to  obtain  sasine 
even  at  Duntulm  without  any  hostile  movement  on 
the  part  of  Donald  Gorme  is  somewhat  inexplicable. 
This  attempt  on  the  part  of  Rory  Mor  to  wrest  from 
the  grasp  of  the  Chief  of  the  Clan  Uisden  the  bulk 
of  his  patrimony  explains  the  steps  which  the  latter 
took  shortly  thereafter  to  secure  his  inheritance  by 
a  new  Crown  charter.  Sasine  followed  upon  this 
charter  on  the  14th  August,  1614.  The  Barony  of 
Troternish,  of  which  Donald  Gorme  obtained  a 
lease  in  1596,  probably  continued  to  be  effectively 
occupied  by  himself  and  his  clan,  notwithstanding 
the  charter  and  infeftment  granted  to  the  Chief  of 
Macleod. 

During  Donald  Gorme's  visit  to  Edinburgh  in  the 
summer  of  1614  he  appeared,  like  other  chiefs,  before 
the  Council  for  the  renewal  and  ratification  of  the 
Acts  passed  for  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the  Islands 
in  1609.  Being  required,  like  others,  to  name  a 
domicile  in  which  he  was  bound  to  remain  until  he 
received  liberty  to  depart,  Donald  Gorme,  either  on 
his  own  initiative  or  perforce,  chose  Glasgow  as  the 
scene  of  his  compulsory  sojourn,  for  on  the  14th 
September  he  received  permission  to  go  from  thence 
to  Islay  to  assist  the  Bishop  of  the  Isles  in  the 
reduction,  or  in  procuring  the  surrender,  of  the 


52  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

fortress  of  Dunnyveg.  The  Bishop  was  probably 
calculating  on  the  former  friendship  between  the 
families  of  Sleat  and  Dunnyveg  to  bring  about  a 
voluntary  surrender ;  but  the  attempt  ended  in 
failure,  and  Donald  Gorme  and  his  escort  returned 
to  the  North  Isles. 

In  January,  1G15,  Rory  Mor  Macleod  is  still 
casting  hungry  eyes  at  the  lands  of  Sleat  and  North 
Uist,  out  of  which,  he  complains  to  the  Council,  the 
Clan  Donald  had  most  violently  "  detrude  his  for- 
bears." He  requested  "justice"  against  Donald 
Gorme  ;  but,  as  this  meant  that  the  Chief  of  Sleat 
should  virtually  be  stripped  bare  of  all  his  lands, 
such  one-sided  equity  was  not  likely  to  be  carried  out. 
This  was  the  year  of  Sir  James  Macdonald's  escape 
from  captivity,  and  in  the  course  of  his  movements 
through  the  Isles  he  is  said  to  have  visited  Skye 
and  had  an  interview  with  Donald  Gorme.  The 
latter  did  not  personally  join  Sir  James,  but  many  of 
his  clansmen  actively  espoused  his  cause.  In  a 
letter  from  Sir  Rory  Macleod  to  Lord  Binning, 
dated  June  18th,  1615,  he  accuses  the  Sleat  family; 
the  Chief;  Donald  Og,  his  nephew  and  heir,  and 
their  wives  and  vassals  of  receiving  and  entertaining 
Coll  Mac  Gillespick,  a  leader  in  the  Dunnyveg 
rebellion.1  No  doubt,  in  making  these  repre- 
sentations the  astute  Rory  had  Sleat,  Troternish, 
and  North  Uist  in  his  mind's  eye.  The  reader 
may  be  reminded  that  the  five  years'  lease  of  Troter- 
nish granted  to  Donald  Gorme  in  1596  had  long 
expired,  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  it  had  been 
renewed,  or  that  a  more  permanent  title  had  been 
bestowed.  About  this  time  Donald  Gorme,  like  a 
numbsr  of  the  other  Highland  Chiefs,  was,  no  doubt, 

1  Macleod  Papers. 


THE    MAC  DONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  53 

under  suspicion  of  complicity  in  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald's  rebellion — an  event  that  had  so  disturbed 
the  politics  of  Celtic  Scotland  that  the  annual 
compearance  of  the  chiefs  before  the  Privy  Council 
in  Scotland  was  for  some  time  interrupted.  In  July, 
1616,  they  were  all  summoned  to  Edinburgh  to 
subscribe  new  and  more  stringent  conditions  of 
feudal  tenure.  Donald  Gorine  was  on  his  way  to 
Edinburgh  when  he  was  seized  with  sudden  illness 
at  the  Chanonry  of  Ross.  A  certificate,  signed  by 
the  Chancellor  of  Hoss  and  others,  testifying  to 
Donald  Gorme's  sickness,  and  his  being  still  laid  up 
at  Chanonry,  was  forwarded  to  the  Council,  and 
received  on  the  llth  July.  His  absence  was,  in 
these  circumstances,  excused ;  but  he  was  ordered, 
if  his  health  permitted,  to  come  to  Edinburgh  before 
his  return  to  the  Isles.  It  appears  that  he  had  to 
remain  for  some  time  at  Chanonry ;  for  a  fortnight 
later  the  names  of  his  chieftains  were,  according  to 
statute,  given  in  to  the  Council,  not  by  himself,  but 
by  other  chiefs.  By  the  26th  August  the  Chief  of 
Sleat  seems  to  have  so  far  recovered  from  his  indis- 
position as  to  have  got  the  length  of  Edinburgh,  and 
implemented  the  proceedings  that  had  been  taken  in 
his  absence.  He  found  the  sureties  required  for  his 
peaceable  conduct ;  was  allowed  a  retinue  of  six 
gentlemen  ;  an  annual  consumption  of  four  tun  of 
wine ;  was  every  year  to  exhibit  to  the  Council 
three  of  his  principal  kinsmen  ;  and  named  Duntulm 
Castle,  in  Troterriish,  as  his  principal  residence. 
This  last  arrangement  is  a  strange  comment  upon 
the  value  of  charters  in  that  age,  as  it  will  be 
remembered  that,  only  two  years  before,  Troternish 
and  its  Castle  of  Duntulm  had  been  granted  by 
Crown  disposition  to  Rory  Mor  Macleod.  This  was 


54  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Donald  Gorme's  last  visit  to  the  Scottish  Capital. 
Though  not  by  any  means  advanced  in  years,  he 
already  shewed  signs  of  breaking  up,  a  fact  to  which, 
no  doubt,  the  broils  and  troubles  of  his  early  life  had 
materially  conduced.  As  a  chief  he  was  bold,  rest- 
less, and  ambitious,  but  it  evidently  took  him  all  his 
force  and  resolution  to  hold  his  ancestral  acres 
against  his  grasping  and  ambitious  neighbour.  He 
died  in  December,  1616.  He  left  no  heirs  of  his  own 
body,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  son  of  his  brother, 
Archibald,  "  Domhnull  Gorm  Og  Mac  Ghilleasbuig 
Chleirich." 

In  the  summer  of  1617  the  young  Chief  of  Sleat 
attended  the  Court  of  James  VI.  in  Edinburgh,  and 
must  have  been  knighted  shortly  before  then,  for  he 
is  described  in  the  contemporary  Privy  Council 
Record  as  Sir  Donald  Gorme  of  Sleat.1  There  was 
every  need  for  his  taking  precautions  to  secure  the 
property,  for  Sir  Kory  Macleod  was  again  beginning 
to  show  symptoms  of  aggressiveness  regarding  the 
Macdonald  lands  in  Skye  arid  Uist.  As  early  as 
April  Sir  Donald  complains  to  the  Council  that 
Macleod  has  begun  to  give  trouble  in  those  regions, 
and  he  asks  the  President  to  protect  him  in  his 
rights.2  It  is  singular  that  he  bases  his  right  on  the 
charter  of  1597,  and  not  on  the  more  recent  one  of 
1614.  On  6th  May,  1617,  Sir  Donald  was  served 
heir  to  his  uncle  in  the  lands  which  had  been  owned 
by  the  latter-  in  Skye  and  Uist,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Barony  of  Troternish.  The  following  year 
there  was  a  settlement  of  the  litigation  which  had 
gone  on  for  so  long  a  time  between  the  late  Chief 
and  Bory  Mor.  On  12th  March,  1618,  the  Chiefs  of 

1  Kec.  P.C.,  17th  July,  1617. 
2  Act  Dom.  Con. 


SIR    DONALD    MACDONALD,    1ST    BARONET    OF    SLEAT. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  55 

Sleat  and  Dunvegan  resigned  into  the  King's  hands 
the  lands  of  Sleat  and  North  Uist,  of  which  both  had 
charters,  and  Sir  Donald  resigned  the  lands  of  Skeir- 
hough  and  Beribecula.  Upon  this  resignation  a  new 
charter  was  given  to  Sir  Donald  Gorme  for  all  the 
lands  he  possessed  in  Skye  and  Uist,  with  the 
exception  of  Troterriish.1  It  was  decreed  that  a 
certain  sum  of  money  should  be  paid  to  Sir  Rory 
Macleod  in  lieu  of  all  his  claims,  and  that  he  should 
have  possession  of  the  lands  of  Troternish  until 
these  claims  were  satisfied.  Thereafter  the  lands  in 
question  were  to  revert  to  Sir  Donald  and  his  heirs. 
In  February,  1621,  Sir  Donald  Gorme  and  other 
chiefs  were  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Privy 
Council  to  give  security  for  the  peace  of  their  clans 
and  for  future  obedience ;  but,  owing  to  a  severe 
illness  from  which  he  suffered  at  the  time,  his 
presence  in  Edinburgh  was  excused.  In  1622  a 
serious  difference  arose  between  the  Chiefs  of  Sleat 
and  Clanranald  over  the  lands  of  Skeirhough,  of 
which  the  former  was  superior ;  but  the  settlement 
of  this  dispute  has  already  been  fully  detailed.2  In 
1625  Sir  Donald  was  created  a  Baronet  of  Nova 
Scotia,  with  a  clause  of  precedency  making  him  the 
second  of  that  order,  though  several  others  were 
created  before  him,  Sir  Robert  Gordon,  tutor  of 
Sutherland,  being  first.  In  1633  we  find  Sir  Donald 
receiving  a  grant  of  the  Island  of  Canna,  which  had 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Monastery  of  lona ;  but  it 
does  not  appear  that  he  or  any  of  his  successors 
enjoyed  actual  possession.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  great  Civil  War,  in  1639,  the  King  signed  a 
Commission  appointing  the  Earl  of  Antrim  and 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 
2  Clan  Bonal'd,  Vol.  II.;  pp.  320,  321. 


56  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Sir  Donald  Gorm  Macdonald,  "  conjunctlie  and 
severallie,"  His  Majesty's  Lieutenants  and  Com- 
missioners within  the  whole  Highlands  and  Isles  of 
Scotland  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  the  King's 
enemies  throughout  the  kingdom.  This  Commission 
was  issued  by  Charles  from  a  place  called  Birks,  near- 
Berwick  on  the  Tweed,  where  he  had  encamped  to 
await  the  result  of  a  deputation  from  the  Covenanting 
Army,  which  also  lay  in  that  vicinity.  In  the  King's 
letter  to  Sir  Donald — accompanying  the  Commission 
—he  promised  to  bestow  on  him  the  lands  of  Ardna- 
murchan  and  Strathordill,  with  the  islands  of  Rum, 
Muck,  and  Canna,  which  were  to  accrue  by  the 
expected  forfeiture  of  Argyll  and  the  Chief  of  the 
Mackinnons,  "  seeing  that  the  said  Sir  Donald  Mac- 
donald of  Sleat  stood  out  for  the  good  of  His 
Majesty's  service,  and  was  resolved  to  undergo  the 
hazard  of  his  personal  estates  for  the  same."  This 
promise  His  Majesty  undertook  to  ratify  to  Sir 
Donald  and  his  heirs  in  anv  manner  they  might  think 
proper,  provided  he  used  his  best  endeavours  for  the 
King's  service  at  this  time  according  to  his  Commis- 
sion.1 Soon  after  this  time  the  Scottish  Committee 
of  Estates,  having  written  a  letter  to  the  King  of 
France  requesting  him  to  mediate  between  King 
Charles  and  them,  Col.  John  Muriro  of  Assynt,  to 
whom  the  delivery  of  this  letter  was  entrusted,  gave 
it  up  to  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  by  whom  it  was 
handed  to  King  Charles.2  This  Col.  Munro,  having 
been  afterwards  imprisoned  by  Parliament  for  his 
breach  of  trust,  presented  a  petition  desiring  to  be 
set  at  liberty  ;  but,  before  this  was  granted,  a  Com- 
mission of  four  noblemen  was  appointed  to  examine 

1  Lodge's  Peerage.     Hills  Macdoualds  of  Antrim.     Appendix. 
2  Balf.,  Ann.  HI.,  76. 


THE    MACDONAS&S    OF    SLEAT.  57 

Sir  Donald,  who  was  cited  to  appear  before  them  for 
that  purpose.1  This  was  not  the  only  reason  for 
bringing  Sir  Donald  before  Parliament.  In  1640  he, 
along  with  other  Scottish  noblemen,  went  to  England 
to  countenance  and  assist  His  Majesty,  and  this  at 
the  King's  own  request.  For  this  alleged  offence 
also  he  and  others  were  charged  to  appear  before  the 
Covenanting  Parliament  in  Scotland  to  answer  as 
incendiaries  and  deserters  of  their  country.  What 
further  active  part — if  any — Sir  Donald  took  in  the 
warlike  proceedings  of  these  troubled  years  history 
does  not  record,  but  his  action  does  not  seem  to  have 
entailed  more  than  one  compearance  in  the  Scottish 
Capital  in  1641,  after  which  he  was  permitted  to 
return  home  without  further  molestation.  In  1642 
Sir  Donald,  along  with  other  islanders,  was  sum- 
moned to  appear  before  the  Council,  when  the 
obligations  that  were  in  force  in  the  reign  of 
James  VI.  were  renewed.  He  died  the  following 
year — 1643.  He  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  first 
of  his  family  who  was  an  out-and-out  supporter  of 
Scottish  nationality  as  represented  by  the  Stewart 
dynasty,  and  he  transmitted  the  same  spirit  of 
unflinching;  loyalty  to  several  generations  of  his 
house. 

1  Act  Parl.  V.,  412. 


58  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   MACDONALDS   OF   SLEAT. 

Sir  James  Macdouald  succeeds  his  father,  Sir  Donald. — His  attitude 
towards  the  cause  of  King  Charles  I. — Supports  the  cause 
of  Charles  II. — The  men  of  the  Isles  at  Worcester. — Sir 
James's  conduct  under  the  Commonwealth. — His  domestic 
policy. — His  relations  with  the  Government  of  Charles  II.  at 
the  Restoration. — Receives  a  Crown  Charter  of  his  lands  in 
Skye  a.nd  Uist. — Appointed  Sheriff  of  the  Western  Isles. — 
Troubles  in  Lochaber. — Domestic  difficulties.  —  Sir  James 
matriculates  arms.  —  His  death.  —  Sir  Donald  Macdonald 
succeeds  his  father,  Sir  James. — He  supports  James  VII. — 
The  Sleat  men  at  Killiecrankie. — Their  subsequent  move- 
ments.— Forfeiture  of  the  young  Chief  of  Sleat. — Sir  Donald 
refuses  to  submit  to  the  Government  of  William  of  Orange. — 
Defeats  the  Government  force  sent  against  him  to  the  Isle 
of  Skye. — Sir  Donald  finally  takes  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  submits  to  the  Government. — Death  of  Sir  Donald. — 
Succeeded  by  his  son,  Domhnull  a'  Chogaidh. — Sir  Donald 
joins  the  Earl  of  Mar. — The  Sleat  men  at  Sheriffmuir. — 
Forfeiture  of  Sir  Donald. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  son, 
Donald. — Sir  Donald  enters  into  possession  of  the  Estate. — 
His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  uncle,  James  Macdonald  of 
Orinsay. — His  conduct  at  the  time  of  Spanish  Invasion  of 
1719. — Death  of  Sir  James. — Succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Alex- 
ander, a  minor. — The  Estate  parchased  from  the  Forfeited 
Estates'  Commissioners  for  behoof  of  Sir  Alexander. — Sir 
Alexander  at  St  Andrews. — His  relations  with  his  tenants. — 
Soitheach  nan  Daoine. — Sir  Alexander's  conduct  during  the 
Rebellion  of  1745. — Death  and  burial  of  Sir  Alexander. — 
Sir  James,  his  son,  succeeds. — Educated  at  Eton  and  Oxford. — 
His  travels  on  the  Continent. — His  reputation  for  learning. — 
His  relations  with  his  people. — His  popularity. — His  accident 
in  North  Uist. — His  death  at  Rome. — Succeeded  by  his 


THE   MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  59 

brother,  Alexander.  —  Sir  Alexander  as  a  landlord.  —  His 
quarrel  with  Boswell. — Created  a  Peer  of  Ireland. — Raises 
a  regiment. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  son,  Alexander 
Wentworth,  as  second  lord. — Raises  the  Regiment  of  the 
Isles. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his  brother,  Godfrey. — 
Conti'oversy  with  Glengarry. — His  death. — Succeeded  by  his 
son,  Godfrey,  as  fourth  lord. — Somerled,  fifth  lord. — Ronald 
Archibald,  sixth  lord. 

SIR  JAMES  MACDONALD  of  Sleat  had  barely  succeeded 
his  father,  Sir  Donald,  in  1644,  when  the  civil  com- 
motions of  which  the  Marquis  of  Montrose  was  the 
central  figure  broke  out  in  Scotland.  He  appears  to 
have  held  aloof  at  first,  probably  more  from  con- 
siderations of  prudence  than  any  lack  of  loyalty  to 
the  cause  of  King  Charles.  He  was  accused,  how- 
ever, by  the  partizans  of  the  King  of  not  being 
very  hearty  in  his  support  of  the  royal  cause 
at  any  time,  and  it  is  certain,  whatever  his 
reasons  may  have  been,  that  he  did  not  appear 
personally  in  the  field.  On  the  arrival  of  Alastair 
Macdonald  with  the  Irish  auxiliaries  of  the  Marquis 
of  Antrim  on  the  West  Coast  in  the  autumn  of 
1644,  he  offered  the  command  to  Sir  James,  but  the 
latter  excused  himself  from  accepting  this  honour  on 
the  ground,  as  he  alleged,  of  the  smallness  of  the 
Irish  force.1  Alastair  Macdonald  appears  afterwards, 
while  on  one  or  other  of  his  recruiting  expeditions 
to  the  West  Highlands  and  Islands,  to  have  prevailed 
upon  Sir  James  to  send  a  contingent  of  his  clan  to 
join  the  royal  forces.  After  the  engagement  at 
Inverlochy,  Montrose  marched  northwards.  From 
Castle  Stewart  he  writes  to  the  Laird  of  Grant, 
shortly  before  the  action  at  Auldearn,  informing  him 
that,  among  others,  400  of  Sir  James  Macdonald's 

1  MacVuirich. 


60  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

men  had  joined  him.1  As  to  who  commanded  the 
Sleat  contingent,  or  what  part  they  played,  during 
the  remainder  of  the  Montrose  campaign,  family 
records  and  the  historians  of  the  period  are  alike 
silent.  The  probability  is  that  they  fought  under 
the  immediate  command  of  Donald  Macdonald  of 
Castleton,  Sir  James's  brother.  The  Sleat  men 
continued  in  arms  for  some  time  after  the  defeat 
of  Montrose  at  Philiphaugh.  When  he  again  came 
North  to  re-organise  an  army  for  the  King,  Sir 
James's  men  were  among  the  few  that  rallied  to  the 
royal  standard.  They  took  part  with  the  Royalist 
leader  in  the  siege  of  Inverness,  which  Montrose 
was  obliged  to  abandon  on  the  approach  of  the 
Covenanting  Army  under  Middleton.  When  the 
King  surrendered  to  the  Scottish  Army  at  Newark, 
and  ordered  Montrose  to  disband  his  forces,  the 
Macdonalds  of  Skye  and  Uist  returned  to  their 
homes.  Sir  James  Macdonald  now  made  terms 
with  the  Committee  of  Estates  for  himself  and 
his  principal  followers  who  had  taken  part  in  the 
late  insurrection.  Major-General  Middleton,  in 
pursuance  of  the  powers  given  to  him  by  Parlia- 
ment, gave  an  assurance  to  Sir  James  and  his 
friends  that  he  and  they  "  sail  be  free  of  all  censure 
pain  or  punishment  in  thair  lyffes  or  fortunes  for 
anie  deed  done  by  thame  or  anie  of  tharne  in  the  late 
rebellion."2  Sir  James's  friends  and  followers  who 
had  been  conspicuous  in  the  late  rebellion  were 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Castleton,  Donald  Macdonald 
of  Arnishmore,  Angus  Macdonald  of  Sartill,  Neil 
Maclean  of  Bore  ray,  Ronald  Macdonald  of  Bar  rick, 
Somerled  MacNicol  of  Dreemyl,  Alexander  Mac- 

1  Chiefs  of  Grant.          -  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  61 

donald    of    Skirmish,    and    Kenneth    Macqueen   of 
Orinsay.1 

Middleton,  in  so  readily  remitting  the  penalty 
due  to  the  political  transgressions  of  Sir  James 
Macdonald  and  the  captains  of  his  host,  had,  no 
doubt,  in  view  the  securing  of  their  services  for  the 
Scottish  Committee  of  Estates  in  their  now  changed 
attitude  towards  the  royal  cause.  The  King  had 
opened  negotiations  with  them,  and  "engaged"  to 
become  the  covenanted  monarch  of  his  Scottish 
subjects.  Cn  return  for  his  concessions,  the  Estates 
espoused  the  King's  cause,  and  an  army  under 
the  Duke  of  Hamilton  was  sent  across  the 
border  to  rescue  him  from  the  grip  of  his 
English  enemies.  In  his  "  engagement  against 
England,"  as  it  is  called,  Sir  James  Macdonald  was 
deeply  implicated.  The  men  of  the  Isles,  who  had 
mustered  in  large  numbers,  joined  Hamilton's  force, 
and  shared  his  defeat  at  Preston.  After  the  expedi- 
tion against  England  had  failed,  the  engagers  were 
replaced  in  the  Government  by  a  new  Committee  of 
Estates,  composed  of  the  Church  Party,  with  Argyle 
at  their  head,  and,  at  a  meeting  early  in  1649,  Sir 
James  Macdonald  was  cited  to  find  caution  for  his 
good  behaviour.2  Of  this  citation  Sir  James  took  no 
notice,  and  only  waited  for  another  opportunity  to 
strike  a  blow  for  the  royal  cause. 

King  Charles  II.  arrived  in  Scotland  in  the 
summer  of  1650,  and  being  acknowledged  by  the 
dominant  faction,  he  was  crowned  at  Scone  in  the 
beginning  of  the  following  year.  Charles  now 
appeared  for  a  brief  period  in  the  character  of  a 
Covenanted  King.  In  expectation  of  Cromwell's 
advance,  he  appealed  for  support  to  his  Highland 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.         -  Ibid. 


62  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

adherents,  and  to  Sir  James  Macdonald,  among 
others,  he  gave  a  commission  to  levy  a  regiment  of 
his  clan  in  Skye  and  Uist.  Sir  James  completed 
his  levy  in  January,  1651,  and  his  regiment  in  due 
course  joined  the  royal  standard.1  Whether  Sir 
James  led  his  men  in  person,  or  delegated  the  com- 
mand to  one  of  the  cadets  of  his  family,  does  not 
appear,  nor  can  it  be  ascertained  with  any  degree  of 
certainty  what  the  subsequent  movements  of  the 
men  of  the  Isles  were.  On  the  disastrous  day  of 
Worcester  they  formed  part  of  the  Highland  wing 
of  the  royal  army  at  the  head  of  which  the  King 
himself  fought  with  great  bravery.  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald's  regiment  and  the  Macleods  suffered  severely 
in  this  engagement,  only  a  small  remnant  of  both 
regiments  returning  to  the  Isles.  The  defeat  of  the 
royal  forces  at  Worcester  was  followed  by  the  rule 
of  the  Commonwealth  in  Scotland.  Cromwell  was 
now  master  of  the  situation,  and  King  Charles  fled 
to  the  Continent.  The  affairs  of  the  King  being  in 
a  desperate  state,  Sir  James  Macdonald  accepted 
the  situation,  and  yielded  with  the  best  grace  he 
could  to  the  rule  of  the  Usurper.  After  this  he 
remained  quietly  at  home,  and,  although  much 
pressed,  refused  to  join  in  the  attempts  of  the  Earl 
of  Glencairn  and  others  in  1653.  He  is  obliged, 
indeed,  to  ask  the  protection  of  the  Government 
against  the  threats  of  his  former  friends  and  allies. 
Glengarry,  above  all,  made  himself  conspicuous  as  a 
loyalist,  and  strenuous  efforts  were  made  by  him  in 
the  Isles  to  impress  Sir  James  and  others  into  the 
King's  service.  Sir  James,  writing  from  Duntulm 
to  Colonel  Fitch,  Governo~  of  Inverness,  informs 
him  that  "  Glengarry  and  others  are  drawn  to  an 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  63 

head  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  country."1  Neither 
he,  nor  any  of  his  followers,  has  any  such  intention, 
and  he  hopes  he  may  be  protected  by  the  Govern- 
ment in  the  event  of  an  invasion  of  his  island 
territories  by  the  Royalist  forces.  In  reply  to  this 
communication,  the  officer  in  command  at  Inverness 
assures  him  of  his  receiving  every  consideration  at 
the  hands  of  the  Government,  and  in  proof  of  this 
he  sent  him  a  written  protection  in  the  following 
terms  : — "  These  are  to  require  you  to  forbear  to 
prejudice  any  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Island  of 
North  Uist  belonging  to  Sir  James  Macdonald  of 
Sleat,  either  by  taking  away  of  their  horses,  sheep, 
cattle,  or  goods,  or  offering  violence."2 

Sir  James  Macdonald  commended  himself  to  the 
Cromwellian  Government  by  the  great  prudence 
and  ability  with  which  he  behaved  in  a  difficult  and 
delicate  situation.  His  correspondence  and  inter- 
course with  that  Government  leave  no  doubt  as  to 
the  high  estimation  in  which  he  was  held.  By  one 
high  in  authority  he  is  referred  to  as  "  the  great 
man  in  the  Hebrides,  a  man  of  very  great  ability 
and  judgment."  In  a  letter  full  of  pious  expressions 
by  Argyle  to  Lilburne,  one  of  the  Cromwellian 
officers,  he  commends  Sir  James  for  his  sincerity 
and  desire  to  live  peaceably,  and  concludes  by 
declaring  his  high  estimation  of  his  character  and 
ability  :  he  is  "  considerable  in  the  Highlands  and 
Islands."  In  spite  of  all  the  efforts  made  by  Glen- 
garry, and  others,  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the 
Highlands,  the  Cromwellian  Government  succeeded, 
by  a  combination  of  firmness  and  lenity,  in  main- 
taining order  among  the  clans.  Of  all  attempts 
ever  hitherto  made  by  the  English  to  rule  in  Scot- 

1  Clarke  MSS.        2  Ibid, 


64  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

land,  that  of  Cromwell  was  without  any  doubt  the 
most  successful.  It  would  be  indeed  difficult 
to  find  anywhere  or  at  any  time  a  military  govern- 
ment whose  conduct  in  the  administration  of 
justice  and  the  maintenance  of  peace  and  order 
was  so  humane.  Though  often  greatly  provoked, 
no  harsh  proceedings  can  fairly  be  traced  to  the 
officers  of  the  Cromwellian  Executive.  They  only 
demanded  security  for  the  peaceable  conduct  of  the 
chiefs,  and  readily  accepted  their  bonds  for  one 
another.  Sir  James  Macdonald  was  apparently  the 
most  highly  respected  of  these,  and  the  one  in  whom 
the  Government  placed  the  greatest  confidence. 
While  he  required  no  security  for  himself  he  was 
obliged  to  find  security  for  others.  In  September, 
1653,  he  became  security  in  the  sum  of  £6000 
sterling  to  the  Keepers  of  the  Liberties  of  England 
for  the  personal  appearance  of  E/orie  Macleod  of 
Dunvegan  before  Colonel  Lilburne,  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  in  Scotland.1  Sir  James  at  the  same  time 
bound  himself  in  a  like  sum  for  the  good  behaviour 
of  the  Chief  of  Clanranald,  while  later  it  required 
the  combined  assurance  of  Sir  James,  Macleod, 
Clanranald,  Morar,  and  Benbecula,  to  satisfy  the 
Government  for  the  good  conduct  of  Glengarry2 
Glengarry,  who  had  in  the  interval  "  deported 
himself  peaceablie  and  quytlie  and  given  all  due 
obedience  to  his  Highnesse  Oliver  Lord  Protector," 
gave  his  bond  of  relief  to  Sir  James  in  1656.3 

Sir  James  Macdonald's  affairs  appear  to  have  been 
in  a  flourishing  state  at  this  period.  The  family  of 
Clanranald,  who  had  not  been  so  fortunate,  had  now 
become  deeply  involved  on  account  of  the  part  they 
had  acted  during  the  recent  civil  wars  and  other 

1  Sleat  Chaiter  Che.-t,         ''  H.i.l.         3  IbR 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  65 

disturbances.  The  friendly  assistance  which  Sir 
James  was  able  to  render  to  his  kinsmen  at  this 
juncture,  and  his  prudent  example  and  wise  counsel, 
had  the  effect  at  least  of  keeping  them  out  of  the 
Glencairn  rising.  To  relieve  them  of  their  pecuniary 
embarrassments,  and  "  for  the  weel  and  standing  of 
their  house,"  John  and  Donald,  elder  and  younger 
of  Clanranald,  were  obliged  to  wadset  to  Sir  James 
their  lands  of  Moidart  and  Arisaig  for  the  sum  of 
£40,000  Scots.1 

Taking  advantage  of  the  security  afforded  by  the 
Cromwellian  Government,  Sir  James  Macdonald 
turned  his  attention  to  the  affairs  of  his  family  and 
estates.  In  1657,  he  executed  a  deed  of  entail  of 
his  lands  of  Skye  and  Uist  in  favour  of  his  eldest 
son,  Donald,  failing  whom  and  the  other  sons  and 
brothers  of  Sir  James,  in  favour  of  the  nearest  male 
heir  of  the  family  of  Macdonald.  The  lands  detailed 
in  this  deed  were  the  20  pound  land  of  old  extent 
of  Sleat,  the  40  pound  land  of  old  extent  of  North 
Uist,  and  the  30  merkland  of  Skirhough.  The 
money  rent  of  Sir  James  Macdonald's  vast  estates 
at  that  time  amounted  only  to  £6050  Scots  yearly, 
as  the  same  were  valued  by  the  Commissioners  of 
Assessments  of  the  Sheriffdoms  of  Inverness  and 
Ross  at  Ohanonry.2  In  the  year  1644,  when  Sir 
James  succeeded  his  father,  Sir  Donald,  the  money 
rent  was  £10,133  Scots.  In  addition  to  this  there 
was  the  rent  paid  in  kind,  besides  military  and 
other  services.  The  population  of  these  extensive 
estates  was  estimated  at  12,000,  in  consequence  of 
which  Sir  James  occupied  a  prominent  position 
among  the  chiefs,  while  the  command  of  so  large  a 
following  made  him  a  power  to  reckon  with  in  the 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.          2  Ibid. 

5 


66  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Highlands.  In  his  letters  and  other  papers,  pre- 
served in  the  Charter  Chest  of  Lord  Macdonald, 
there  is  abundant  evidence  of  his  outstanding  ability 
and  business  capacity,  and  of  the  high  estimation  in 
which  he  was  held  by  his  neighbours. 

The  restoration  of  Charles  II.  to  the  throne  of 
his  ancestors,  an  event  which  occasioned  great 
rejoicing  among  royalists  everywhere,  can  hardly 
have  been  a  welcome  change  to  Sir  James  Macdonald 
of  Sleat.  While  his  kinsman,  Angus  Macdonald  of 
Glengarry,  was  rewarded  with  a  pesrage,  Sir  James, 
in  consequence  of  his  acquiescence  in  the  usurpation 
of  Cromwell,  and  especially  for  his  supposed  luke- 
warmness  towards  the  cause  of  the  exiled  monarch, 
was  fined,  it  is  said,  in  a  large  sum,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  Earl  of  Middle  ton.  Middleton,  according 
to  Douglas  in  his  Peerage,  got  a  grant  of  the  fine. 
Of  this  there  is  no  evidence  to  be  found  in  the 
Charter  Chest  of  Sleat,  although  there  is  ample 
evidence  of  many  pecuniary  transactions  between 
Middleton  and  Sir  James,  nor  is  any  evidence  of 
such  a  fine  having  been  imposed  in  the  proceedings 
of  the  Parliament  held  immediately  after  the 
Restoration,  which  include  a  record  of  the  fines  and 
forfeitures  of  the  period.  Whether  Sir  James 
experienced  the  King's  displeasure  to  the  extent 
of  being  fined  at  the  Restoration  or  not,  it  is  certain 
that  immediately  thereafter  he.  was  so  far  favoured 
as  to  have  received  from  Charles  a  Charter  of  Con- 
firmation of  all  his  lands  in  Skye  and  Uist,  dated 
July  22nd,  166 1.1  As  further  evidence  of  the  good 
relations  between  him  and  the  Government,  he 
received  a  commission  in  1665  to  apprehend  the 
murderers  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch  and 

]  Sleat  Charter  Chest, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  67 

his  brother,  a  service  which  was  performed  by  a  party 
of  Sir  James's  men  from  Skye  and  Uist,  as  already 
related  in  the  preceding  volume  of  this  work.  For 
his  services  on  this  occasion,  Sir  James  received  a 
special  letter  of  thanks  from  the  Privy  Council,  and, 
as  a  further  proof  of  his  being  in  high  favour  with 
the  Government,  he  was  appointed  Sheriff  of  the 
Western  Isles.1 

Sir  James  Macdonald's  jurisdiction  appears  to 
have  extended  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  Western 
Isles.  VVhether  it  was  in  acknowledgment  of  his 

c5 

claim  as  chief  of  the  whole  Clan,  or  because  he  was 
looked  upon  as  the  most  prudent  and  capable  among 
the  principal  men  of  the  name,  or  both,  he  was 
certainly  held  responsible  for  the  good  behaviour  of 
the  Clan  in  the  Isles,  and  on  the  Mainland.  And 
the  Clan  was  not  at  this  time  on  its  good  behaviour, 
especially  on  the  Mainland.  A  desperate  feud  bad 
broken  out  between  the  Macdonalds  and  the 
Camerons  in  Lochaber,  and  both  Sir  James  and 
his  son,  Donald,  were  required  to  repair  to  Edin- 
burgh to  receive  the  Privy  Council's  instructions 
with  a  view  to  a  speedy  termination  of  the  quarrel 
between  the  clansmen.  Owing  to  tempestuous 
weather  and  indisposition,  Sir  James  failed  to  put 
in  an  appearance  at  the  Council  meeting.  Mean- 
while Donald,  younger  of  Sleat-,  is  requested  to 
present  before  the  Council  the  person  of  a  notorious 
clansman  and  Lochaber  leader,  known  as  the 
"  Halked  Stirk."  In  due  time  Sir  James  succeeded 
in  restoring  order  in  Lochaber,  and  the  "  Halked 
Stirk,"  after  being  presented  before  the  Council, 
was  liberated,  though  not  without  misgivings.2  Sir 
James  further  produced  several  persons  of  his  name 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.         2  Acts  of  Privy  Council. 


68  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

who  were  obliged  to  give  their  bond  for  the  peace  o 
the  Highlands.1  The  Lochaber  troubles  had  barely 
been  settled  when,  in  1G74,  Sir  James's  services 
were  again  in  requisition  as  chief  of  the  Clan.  In 
April  of  that  year,  a  missive  was  directed  by  the 
Privy  Council  to  Sir  James  setting  forth  that  it  had 
been  represented  to  the  Council  that  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Glencoe,  who  had  been  committed 
prisoner  within  the  Tolbooth  of  Inveraray  by  order 
of  the  Earl  of  Argyle,  had  succeeded  in  effecting  his 
escape.  Glencoe,  who  was  destined  afterwards  to 
perish  at  the  hands  of  the  Campbells  in  the  notorious 
massacre,  had  been  incarcerated  for  certain  crimes 
which  are  not  specified.  Since  his  escape  from 
prison,  he  is  accused,  with  John  Macdonald  of 
Achtriachatan,  and  their  accomplices,  of  having 
committed  "  several  murders  and  depredations"  in 
the  County  of  Argyle.  Sir  James  Macdonald  is 
required  by  the  Council  to  assist  in  apprehending 
his  clansmen,  but  nothing  further  is  heard  of  them 
in  this  connection.  In  the  summer  of  1676,  Sir 
James's  restless  clansmen  of  Lochaber  again  broke 
loose,  and  with  their  neighbours,  the  Camerons, 
committed  great  depredations  on  the  lands  of  the 
Campbells  in  Perthshire,  but  Sir  James,  although 
appealed  to,  does  not  appear  to  have  exerted  himself 
in  bringing  them  to  justice,  and  he  now  finally 
disappears  from  public  view. 

Sir  James  Macdonald's  latter  days  were  some- 
what clouded  by  domestic  difficulties  arising  through 
the  "  irrecileable  disseniones  betwix  him  and  his 
sone  Donald  with  the  vast  debtes  upon  the  esteat." 

For  "  eviteing  these  confu&iones,"  the  wadsetters, 
who  were  almost  all  cadets  of  the  family,  banded 

Acts  of  Privy  Council, 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  69 

themselves  together,  and  drew  out,  and  signed  a 
formal  document  dated  February  1,  1678,  in  terms 
of  which  they  resolve  "  before  God  Almightie  with 
all  singleness  of  heart  and  without  any  mentall 
reservation  or  equivocation  qt.  somever"  to  preserve 
the  estate.  Besides  their  loyal  desire  to  preserve 
the  estate  for  the  family,  these  wadsetters  had 
themselves  considerable  interest  in  it.  In  a  letter 
addressed  by  them  to  Lord  Tarbat  at  this  time 
they  propose,  owing  to  the  "  discrepancies"  between 
Sir  James  and  his  son  Donald,  to  deprive  them  both 
of  the  estate  until  the  debts  are  paid,  allowing 
meanwhile  a  competency  to  each.  "  The  estate," 
they  inform  Lord  Tarbat,  "  stands  severally  engaged 
to  us."  The  wadsetters  acting  up  to  their  resolution 
succeeded  in  staving  off  the  impending  ruin  of  the 
family  and  preserving  the  heritage  of  the  Clan 
tlisdein.1 

Sir  James  Macdonald  some  years  before  his 
death  matriculated  arms  which  are  found  to  be 
in  some  respects  different  from  those  afterwards 
adopted  and  borne  by  his  family.  These  were  : — 
"  First,  argent,  a  lion  rampant,  gules  armed  or  ; 
second,  azure,  a  hand  proper  holding  a  cross  patee 
of  Calvary  sable  ;  third,  vert,  a  ship  ermine,  her 
oars  in  saltire  sable  in  water  proper  ;  fourth,  parted 
per  fess  wavy  vert  and  argent,  a  salmon  naiant ; 
crest,  a  hand  holding  a  dagger  proper  ;  supporters, 
two  leopards  proper  ;  motto,  '  My  hope  is  constant 
in  Thee.'  "  Sir  James  Macdonald  died  in  December, 
1678. 

During  the  decade  following  the  death  of  Sir 
James  Macdonald,  we  find  little  worthy  of  notice  in 
the  annals  of  the  family  of  Sleat.  Sir  Donald,  the 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


70  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

heir  and  successor  of  Sir  James,  was  in  ill  health, 
and  appears  to  have  led  a  quiet  life.  The  affairs 
of  the  family  besides  were  not  in  a  prosperous  state. 
The  first  notice  which  we  find  in  the  family  records 
of  Sir  Donald  in  his  capacity  as  chief  is  in  a 
Commission  granted  by  him  to  Lachlan  Mackinnon 
of  Strath,  and  Lachlan  Mackinnon  of  Gembell, 
empowering  them  to  "  persew,  apprehend,  and 
incarcerat  all  thives,  robberis,  and  sorners  within 
the  bounds  of  the  parish  of  Strath."1  The  abortive 
attempt  made  by  Argyle  in  the  West  in  1685  in 
conjunction  with  the  Monmouth  Rebellion  in 
England,  brought  Sir  Donald  and  his  Clan  into 
prominence  as  supporters  of  the  reigning  family  in 
the  person  of  James  VII.  The  Privy  Council  being 
informed  that  Argyle  with  several  others  had  landed 
in  the  Western  Isles  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a 
commotion  there,  they  directed  a  missive  to  Sir 
Donald  requiring  him  to  raise  300  men  and  be  with 
them  at  the  head  of  Lochness  by  the  9th  of  June. 
Sir  Donald  loyally  obeyed  the  summons  to  arms, 
and  marched  at  the  head  of  his  men  to  the  place  of 
rendezvous.  The  Argyle  insurrection  coming  to  an 
abrupt  end  by  the  capture  and  execution  of  the  Earl, 
the  men  of  the  Isles,  after  remaining  in  camp  until 
the  end  of  June,  returned  to  their  homes  without 
striking  a  blow.2  The  state  of  affairs  at  the  accession 
of  King  James  indicated  a  troublesome  reign  for  the 
unfortunate  monarch,  both  in  England  and  in  Scot- 
land. At  length  the  inevitable  crisis  arrived,  and 
James  could  remain  no  longer  in  a  situation  which, 

O 

by  his  unkingly  conduct,  he  had  made  untenable. 
The  sympathisers  of  the  unfortunate  monarch  in 
Scotland  were  confined  almost  entirely  to  the 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.         -  Ibid. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  71 

Highlands.  It  is  difficult  to  imagine  such  men 
as  Lochiel,  Glengarry,  and  Sir  Donald  Macdonald, 
all  of  whom  were  Protestants,  attached  to  the  person 
of  such  a  man  as  James.  But  these  chiefs  were  firm 
believers  in  a  hereditary  monarchy,  and  James, 
notwithstanding  all  that  had  happened,  was  still, 
in  their  estimation,  the  legitimate  King.  And, 
besides,  their  hereditary  enemies  were  all  arrayed 
on  the  other  side.  When,  in  these  circumstances, 
Dundee  unfurled  the  standard  of  James  in  the 
Highlands,  and  appealed  to  the  chivalry  of  the  High- 
land chiefs,  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  was  among  the 
first  to  join  him  at  the  head  of  500  of  his  Clan. 
Sir  Donald,  however,  who  had  been  in  broken  health 
for  some  time,  had  barely  reached  Dundee's 
camp  in  Lochaber  when  he  suddenly  took  ill  and 
was  obliged  to  return  home,  leaving  his  son,  Donald, 
in  command  of  the  Clan.  At  Killiecrankie,  Sir 
Donald's  battalion  was  posted  on  the  extreme  left  of 
Dundee's  army,  where  it  fought  with  the  courage  and 
bravery  characteristic  of  the  men  of  the  Isles.  The 
Tslesmen  were  led  by  the  young  Chief  in  person,  who 
is  described  as  "  the  noble  offspring  of  the  great 
Donald,  Chief  of  the  race,  and  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
illustrious  in  war  beyond  his  youthful  years."1  The 
young  Chief  is  still  further  described  as  a  man  of 
commanding  personality,  wearing  a  scarlet  coat,  and 
"  conducting  all  his  actions  by  the  strict  law  of 
religion  and  morality."  The  regiment  of  the  Isles 
suffered  severely  at  Killiecrankie,  being  opposed 
to  the  only  portion  of  Mackay's  army  that 
behaved  well  on  that  day.  Among  the  slain 
were  five  of  the  principal  officers,  all  of  whom 
weie  cadets  of  Sir  Donald's  family.  The  fall  of 

1  The  Grameid. 


72  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

the  gallant  Dundee  in  the  act  of  bringing  the 
Clan  Donald  to  the  charge  rang  the  death -knell 
of  the  cause  of  King  James.  The  subsequent  move- 
ments and  conduct  of  the  Highlanders  under  Cannon 
first,  and  afterwards  under  Buchan,  were  such  as 
might  be  expected  under  such  leaders.  The  young 
Chief  of  Sleat  remained  at  the  head  of  his  men  until 
the  King's  affairo  became  desperate,  and  all  hope 
was  lost.  Whsn  the  tide  turned  in  favour  of  the 
Whigs,  General  Mackay,  who  had  suffered  so  severe 
a  defeat  at  Killiecrankie,  made  overtures  to  the 
chiefs  with  the  view  of  bringing  them  into  line  with 
the  new  order  of  things.  Their  answer  was  a  digni- 
fied refusal  to  treat  on  any  terms.  At  a  meeting 
held  at  Birse  on  the  17th  of  August,  1689,  a 
document  was  drawn  out  and  signed  by  all  the 
chiefs  present,  in  which  they  showed  unmistakably 
their  attitude  towards  the  Government  of  William 
of  Orange.  "  Wee  declare  to  yow,"  they  informed 
Mackay,  "  and  all  the  world  we  scorne  yor  usurper 
and  the  indemnities  of  his  Government."1  At  Blair- 
Atholl,  they  signed  a  bond  on  the  24th  August, 
pledging  themselves  to  continue  in  the  King's 
service  and  assist  one  another  to  the  utmost  of  their 
power  in  that  service,  Donald  of  Sleat  agreeing  to 
augment  his  battalion  by  bringing  200  more  men  to 
the  King's  standard.2  At  Tomintoul  they  renewed 
their  bond  on  the  1 5th  January  following,  and 
vowed  to  "  stike  and  bid"  by  one  another.  It  is 
evident  from  these  bonds  that  the  chiefs  were  not 
only  united  among  themselves,  but  also  most 
enthusiastic  in  their  support  of  the  King's  cause. 
It  would  have  been  well  for  that  cause  if  they  had 
chosen  a  leader  among  themselves.  No  man  was 

'  Acts  of  Parl.,  Appendix.          3  Ibid. 


THE   MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  73 

better  fitted  in  all  respects  to  lead  a  Highland  army 
than  Sir  Ewen  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  but  a  Highland 
chief  would  not  serve  under  another  Highland  chief. 
The  experiment  had  not  been  ventured  upon  since 
the  days  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles.  The  King's 
cause  would  have  fared  better,  to  say  the  least,  if  it 
had  been  tried  now.  It  was  not  tried,  and  every 
other  effort  to  retrieve  the  fallen  fortunes  of  the 
fugitive  monarch  was  doomed  to  failure.  The  star 
of  the  unlucky  Stewart  race  had  set  for  ever. 

In  a  Parliament  held  in  Edinburgh  in  June,  1690, 
a  sentence  of  forfeiture  was  passed  against  the 
young  Chief  of  Sleat,  and  other  adherents  of 
Dundee.  Nothing  daunte:i,  the  young  Chief 
remained  steady  in  his  loyalty  to  King  James,  and 
the  King,  as  a  mark  of  appreciation  of  the  services 
rendered  by  the  family  of  Sleat,  kept  up  a  constant 
correspondence  both  with  Sir  Donald  and  his  son. 
Finally,  when  success  seemed  no  longer  possible, 
and  the  Highland  army  dispersed,  Cannon  and 
his  officers  found  their  way  to  the  Isle  of 
Skye,  and  put  themselves  under  the  protection 
of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald.  Efforts  were  now 
made  to  treat  with  Sir  Donald.  While  the 
young  Chief  appeared  willing  to  submit  on  certain 
terms,  old  Sir  Donald  continued  inexorable,  and 
would  have  no  parley  with  the  emissaries  of 
King  William.  Lord  Tarbat,  a  friend  of  the  family, 
used  his  best  endeavours  to  persuade  the  old  Chief 
to  accept  the  inevitable,  but  he  adhered  stubbornly 
to  his  resolution  not  to  submit  to  the  Government  of 
the  usurper.  At  length  the  Government  of  William 
took  steps  to  force  the  Chief  into  obedience.  Two 
frigates  were  sent  to  Skye,  under  the  command  of 
Captains  Pottinger  and  Douglas,  each  with  its  full 


74  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

complement  of  men,  with  orders,  if  persuasion  failed, 
to  use  force  with  the  stubborn  Chief.  Letters  passed 
between  Captain  Pottinger  and  Sir  Donald  with 
no  satisfactory  result.  The  latter,  according  to 
Pottinger,  "  belched  out  defiances  to  authority  and 
power."  The  gallant  old  Chief  was  evidently  not  in 
the  humour  to  pick  his  words,  and  the  paper  duel 
resulted  in  a  more  serious  engagement.  Pottiriger 
brought  his  guns  to  bear  upon  two  of  Sir  Donald's 
houses,  both  of  which  appear  to  have  been  garrisoned. 
These,  besides  the  Chief's  birlinn,  he  succeeded  in 
turn  in  burning  to  the  ground,  and,  according  to  the 
Captain's  own  account,  the  garrison  in  Sir  Donald's 
house  of  Sleat  fled  to  the  hills.  If  they  did,  they 
soon  returned,  and  engaged  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight 
with  the  Lowlanders,  who  meanwhile  had  landed 
from  the  Government  frigates.  After  a  short 
struggle,  Captain  Pottinger's  men  were  driven  back 
to  their  ships,  leaving  twenty  of  their  number  dead 
on  the  field,  and  Sir  Donald  remained  master  of  the 
situation.  Sir  Donald  afterwards  condescended  to 
discuss  terms  of  submission  with  the  Government. 
He  sent  a  messenger  of  the  name  of  Campbell  to 
Lord  Tarbat,  offering  to  submit  on  condition  of  his 
receiving  a  peerage  and  a  pension,  and  the  removing 
of  the  sentence  of  forfeiture  passed  against  his  son. 
Lord  Tarbat  replied  in  behalf  of  the  Government, 
by  pointing  out  that,  now  King  William's  affairs 
being  more  prosperous,  absolute  surrender  would  be 
the  best  argument,  and  he  ended  by  advising  Sir 
Donald  to  throw  himself  on  the  King's  mercy.  This, 
however,  the  stubborn  Chief  was  not  yet  prepared 
to  do.  The  defiant  attitude  of  Sir  Donald  is  best 
understood  by  reference  to  a  letter  written  in 
October,  1690.  and  addressed  to  the  Chief  by  his 


THE    MACDOISTALDS    OF    SLEAT.  75 

cousin,  Hugh  Macdoiiald,  a  captain  in  Major-General 
Mackay's  regiment.  The  writer,  after  pointing  out 
to  Sir  Donald  the  utter  foolishness  of  any  further 
resistance,  urges  him  to  make  terms  with  King 
William,  and  write  "  a  very  obliging  letter"  to  Major- 
General  Mackay,  showing  his  willingness  to  submit. 
The  writer  had  been  informed  that  the  Earl  of  Argyle 
had  received  a  commission  "  to  reduce  him  if  he  does 
not  speedily  surrender."  "  Were  there  no  other 
motive  to  induce  you,"  the  captain  proceeds,  "  but 
the  slavery  you  are  into  by  maintaining  of  Irish  fugi- 
tives it  might  make  you  wearied  of  your  life.  Lord 
Morton  appears  in  your  interest  and  advises  you  to 
write  to  Argyle  an  obliging  letter,  for  he  assures  me 
that  Argyle  professes  much  kindness  for  you.  This 
will  not  only  keep  Argyle  from  invading  your 
country,  but  likewise  make  him  befriend  you  at 
Court.  I  beseech  you  not  to  bring  ruin  upon  your- 
self by  papists  and  desperat  people  that  resort  to 
your  island.  Lord  Morton  would  go  on  foot  to 
London  on  condition  that  your  peace  was  made."1 
His  cousin's  earnest  appeal  appears  to  have  had  no 
effect  on  Sir  Donald.  His  principal  followers,  how- 
ever, are  now  willing  to  submit  to  the  Government. 
Lord  Tarbat,  in  a  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Melville, 
expresses  the  opinion  that  the  example  set  by  the 
gentlemen  of  his  clan  will  have  a  good  effect  upon 
Sir  Donald.  Captain  Hugh  Macdonald,  in  a  second 
letter  to  his  chief,  assures  him  that  he  will  no  longer 
dissuade  him  from  his  principles.  "  There  is 
nothing,"  he  writes,  "  I  wish  more  than  that  you  be 
reconciled  to  King  William,  yet  I  shall  be  sorry  if 
Argyle  be  the  instrument  of  forcing  you.  Certainly 
you  might  make  a  more  honourable  capitulation.  "- 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.        2  Ibid. 


76  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

But  Sir  Donald  would  not  yield,  and  he  was  now 
greatly  encouraged  to  persist  in  his  opposition  by 
the  appearance  in  June,  1691,  of  four  French  men- 
of-war  on  the  coast  of  Skye  with  ample  provision, 
aims,  and  ammunition,  to  put  the  island  in  a  proper 
state  of  defence.  In  a  letter  from  Colonel  Hill  of 
Fort-William  to  .the  Earl  of  Melville  he  states  that 
the  Frenchmen  give  out  that  the  Dukes  of  Gordon 
and  Berwick  are  coming  from  Ireland  with  5000 
men,  and  that  Buchan  and  Glengarry  have  gone  to 
Skye  to  stir  up  Sir  Donald's  people.  This  fresh 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  Jacobites,  however, 
came  to  nought.  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  made  his 
peace  with  the  Government  of  William,  but  we 
know  nothing  of  his  mariner  of  doing  so,  or  the 
terms  on  which  he  surrendered.  Lord  Breadalbane 
was  the  person  entrusted  by  Government  to  negoti- 
ate with  the  chiefs,  but  the  chiefs  had  no  confidence 
in  him,  and  if  all  that  is  alleged  against  him  be 
true,  they  were  justified  in  not  trusting  such  a  man. 
He  is  described  by  a  contemporary  as  a  man 
"  cunning  as  a  fox,  wise  as  a  serpent,  and  slippery 
as  an  eel."  He  held  a  meeting  with  the  chiefs  at 
Achallader  on  the  30th  of  June,  1691,  which  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald  excused  himself  from  attending 
on  the  score  of  ill  health.  In  October,  the  Earl 
sent  an  express  to  Sir  Donald  on  business  of 
importance,  no  doubt  his  submission  to  the  Govern- 
ment, urging  him  to  repair  to  Belloch  without  delay, 
or  if  his  indisposition  should  prevent  him  to  send  his 
son  Donald.1  Whether  Donald  answered  the  Earl's 
summons  does  not  appear.  The  Government  had 
issued  a  proclamation  requiring  all  the  chiefs  to  take 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  77 

the  oath  of  allegiance  in  the  presence  of  a  civil  judge 
before  the  first  day  of  January,  1692,  and  little  time 
was  now  left  if  Sir  Donald  was  to  avoid  sharing  the 
fate  of  Glencoe.  King  James,  to  whom  the  chiefs 
had  submitted  the  order  of  Government,  counselled 
compliance.  This  was  at  the  eleventh  hour.  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald  succeeded  somehow  in  satisfying 
the  Government,  and  ceased  to  give  further 
trouble. 

Affairs  in  the  Highlands  began  to  settle  down 
gradually  into  their  normal  condition.  The  Govern- 
ment of  William  showed  some  anxiety  to  conciliate 
the  chiefs,  and,  on  the  whole,  acted  fairly,  and  even 
leniently  towards  them,  especially  after  the  affair  of 
Glencoe.  It  was  a  critical  time  for  the  Government. 
There  were  certain  economic  and  social  problems  the 
solution  of  which  weighed  with  the  chiefs  more  than 
any  mere  personal  attachment  to  the  Stuart  princes. 
There  was  a  slumbering  discontent,  not  directly 
attributable  either  to  William  or  James,  which 
threatened  to  burst  forth  into  active  hostility 
whenever  the  opportunity  arose.  It  was  possible 
for  the  Government  to  avert  many  of  the  troubles 
which  loomed  ahead.  Subsequent  events  will  show 
how  far  it  came  short  in  this  respect.  As  for  the 
Chief  of  Sleat,  he  quickly  fell  into  line  and  made  the 
best  of  what  was,  no  doubt,  to  him  a  very  bad 
situation.  His  affairs  were  far  from  being  in  a 
prosperous  state,  while  his  state  of  health  rendered 
him  unfit  to  take  any  practical  share  in  the  manage- 
ment of  his  Clan  affairs.  As  evidence  of  the  relations 
in  which  he  stood  to  the  Government,  reference 
may  be  made  to  a  petition  by  him  to  the  Privy 
Council  in  the  autumn  of  1692.  In  this  petition  he 


78  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

begs  to  be  relieved  of  the  hearth  money  which  had 
been  imposed  upon  him,  pleading,  as  an  excuse,  the 
involved  state  of  his  affairs.  The  Council  granted 
the  prayer  of  the  petition,  and  remitted  the  tax.1 
Sir  Donald's  relations  with  the  garrison  at  Fort- 
William  were  also  satisfactory,  as  may  be  seen 
from  a  correspondence  between  the  Governor, 
Colonel  Hill,  and  Sir  Donald.2  It  was  far 
otherwise  nearer  home,  and  where  it  was  least 
to  be  expected.  The  attitude  of  Sir  Donald's 
neighbouring  kinsmen  of  Knoydart  towards  him 
appears  to  have  been  the  reverse  of  friendly.  The 
Chief  and  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Camuscross  were 
obliged  to  make  a  joint  complaint  to  the  Supreme 
Court  in  1694  against  Alexander  Macdonald, 
Younger  of  Glengarry ;  ^Eneas  Macdonald,  his 
brother  ;  and  several  others,  their  tenants  in  Knoy- 
dart. The  complainers  allege  that  the  men  of 
Knoydart,  having  conceived  "  ane  deadly  hatred  and 
evil  will "  against  them,  continue  to  molest  them  in 
the  peaceable  possession  of  their  lands  by  com- 
mitting several  acts  of  violence,  and  "  lying  in  ways 
and  passages  where  they  have  occasion  to  resort."3 
Glengarry  and  his  brother  were  required  "  to  find 
sufficient  caution  that  the  complainers  and  their 
tenants  in  the  parish  of  Sleat  shall  be  harmless  and 
skaithless."  The  relations  between  the  clansmen  of 
Glengarry  and  Sleat  as  shown  in  this  case  furnish 
a  picture  of  the  state  of  society  in  the  Highlands  at 
that  time  so  vivid  as  to  require  no  comment.  Of 
Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  no  more  is  heard  in 
the  annals  of  the  clan.  He  died  at  Armadale  on  the 

'  Sleat  Charter  Chest.         2  Ibid.  3  Ibid. 


SIR    DONALD    MACDONALD     4TH    BARONET    OF    SLEAT. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  79 

5th  of  February,  1695,  much  lamented  by  his  clan, 
and  highly  eulogised  by  the  bards. 

"  Leoghanu  fireachail  aigh, 
Muinte,  spioradal,  ard, 
Umhail,  iriosal,  feardha,  treubhach. 

Tha  do  chinueadh  fo  phramh, 

Do  thv.ath,  's  do  phaighearan  mail, 

Uaislean  t-fhearainn,  's  gach  lan-fhear-feusaig." 

During  the  decade  following  the  death  of  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald,  the  annals  of  the  family  furnish 
little  material  for  history.  His  successor,  Sir 
Donald,  known  as  Domhnull  a'  Chogaidh,  had  dis- 
tinguished himself  as  leader  of  the  clan  in  his 
father's  lifetime.  From  the  beginning  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  to  the  eve  of  the  rebellion  of  1715, 
he  lived  for  the  most  part  in  Glasgow,  "  holding," 
as  he  afterwards  affirms  in  his  own  defence,  "  no 
correspondence  with  his  people  in  the  Isles."  There 
is  sufficient  evidence,  however,  to  show  that  he  had 
been  during  these  years  in  close  touch  with  the 
Jacobite  party.  In  1714,  he  acquired  by  purchase 
the  estate  of  Frankfield,  in  the  parish  of  Culross, 
formerly  called  Blair.  He  had  been  but  three  nights 
in  possession  of  his  newly  acquired  property,  when, 
as  he  complains  to  the  Duke  of  Montrose,  he  was 
carried  off  prisoner  from  his  Castle  of  Blair  by  order 
of  Government,  being  strongly  suspected  of  Jacobite 
designs.  As  subsequent  events  proved,  the  Govern- 
ment had  good  grounds  for  their  suspicion,  in  spite 
of  Sir  Donald's  protest.  Sir  Donald,  too,  had  signed 
the  address  by  the  heads  of  families  in  the  High- 
lands to  King  George  I.  on  his  accession  to  the 
throne,  but  from  a  letter  to  the  Chief  of  Sleat, 
signed  by  Lochiel  and  Stewart  of  Ardsheal,  it 


80  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

appears  that  the  object  of  the  address  to  the  King 
was  to  disarm  suspicion,  while  in  reality  the  chief's 
had  already  secretly  resolved  to  stand  together  and 
do  their  utmost  to  restore  the  House  of  Stuart. 
Sir  Donald's  forced  confinement  as  a  political 
prisoner  in  Glasgow  was  of  short  duration,  and  he 
was  released  through  the  friendly  intercession  of  the 
Duke  of  Montrose  in  the  autumn  of  1714.1 

Sir. Donald  was  not  present  at  the  great  Jacobite 
gathering  at  Braemar  in  September,  when  the 
standard  of  the  Royal  House  of  Stuart  was  raised 
by  the  Earl  of  Mar.  Being  in  the  secrets  of  the 
party,  and  acting  in  concert  with  the  Earl,  he 
proceeded  to  the  Isle  of  Skye  to  raise  his  followers, 
variously  estimated  as  being  on  this  occasion 
between  700  and  900  men.  The  whole  North  was 
soon  in  a  ferment  of  rebellion.  The  beginning  of 
hostilities  was  signalled  on  the  13th  of  September 
by  Mackintosh  of  Borlum  proclaiming  King  James 
from  the  Market  Cross  of  Inverness.  About  the 
beginning  of  October,  Sir  Donald,  at  the  head  of  his 
men,  joined  the  Earl  of  Seaforth  at  Brahan,  and 
with  him  proceeded  to  Alness,  where  they  put  to 
flight  the  Earl  of  Sutherland,  with  the  Sutherland 
and  Reay  men,  the  Munroes,  Rosses,  and  others. 
Proceeding  further  north,  Lord  Duffus,  supported  by 
the  men  of  the  Isles,  proclaimed  King  James  at 
Tain.  After  assisting  in  dispersing  the  Northern 
combination,  Sir  Donald  marched  South  and  joined 
the  Earl  of  Mar  at  Perth  about  the  end  of  October. 
Here  he  took  suddenly  ill,  and  was  carried  away  in 
a  litter  when  the  forces  of  King  George  entered  the 
city.2  From  Perth  Sir  Donald  was  carried  all  the 
way  to  the  Isle  of  Skye,  but  his  brothers,  James  and 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.          -  Ibid. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  81 

William,  remained  at  the  head  of  the  Sleat  men  and 
fought  in  the  right  wing  of  Mar's  army  with  con- 
spicuous bravery.  From  Sheritfmuir  the  Sleat  men 
returned  to  the  Isles  and  stood  out  for  some  time, 
but  when  King  George's  troops  were  sent  to  Skye 
under  Colonel  Cholmondely,  Sir  Donald  retired  to 
North  Uist.  In  a  letter  dated  20th  April,  1716,  and 
addressed  to  General  Cadogan,  Governor  of  Inver- 
lochy,  Sir  Donald  offered  to  surrender  himself  in  terms 
of  the  Act  of  Parliament  recently  passed,  enacting 
that  if  he  and  others  did  not  surrender  before  the 
last  day  of  June  they  should  stand  and  be  adjudged 
attainted  of  high  treason.  Sir  Donald  pleaded  that 
by  reason  of  his  continued  indisposition  he  was  not 
in  a  fit  state  to  travel  to  Inverlochy  to  surrender  in 
person  as  the  Act  required.  Having  failed  to  appear 
personally,  Sir  Donald  was  adjudged  guilty  of  high 
treason,  and  his  estates  were  accordingly  forfeited.1 
The  Commissioners  of  Forfeited  Estates  proceeded 
to  make  a  survey  of  the  estates  of  Sir  Donald,  and 
appointed  \Villiam  Macleod  of  Hammir  as  judicial 
factor.  Macleod,  as  might  be  expected,  was  far 
from  being  popular  in  his  official  capacity,  either  in 
Skye  or  in  Uist.  The  people  were  in  extreme 
poverty.  The  state  of  matters  in  North  Uist  and 
in  the  extensive  district  of  Troternish,  in  Skye,  was 
deplorable.  From  a  document  attested  by  the 
wadsetters  and  tacksmen  of  North  Uist  and  given 
in  by  Macleod  of  Hammir  to  the  Forfeited  Estates 
Commissioners,  it  appears  that  the  tenants  had 
lost  by  a  plague  among  their  live  stock  745 
cows,  573  horses,  and  820  sheep.  The  sea,  too, 
had  "  overflowed  several  parts  of  the  country, 
breaking  down  many  houses,  to  the  hazard  of  some 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest. 


82  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

lives  and  the  impairing  of  the  lands."  On  the 
Macdonald  estates  in  Skye  the  state  of  matters  was 
no  better.  "  The  gentlemen  of  Troternish  "  testify 
that  by  a  similar  plague  among  their  live  stock  they 
had  lost  485  horses,  1027  cows,  and  4556  sheep.  If 
to  these  losses  be  added  other  and  unavoidable 
hardships  consequent  on  the  troubles  of  the  time, 
the  condition  of  the  people  must  have  been  truly 
pitiable.  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  dying  in  March, 
1718,  his  only  son  and  heir,  Donald,  succeeded  him 
in  the  representation  of  the  family.  Immediately 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  young  Sir  Donald, 
taking  advantage  of  an  Act  passed  in  the  fifth  year 
of  George  First's  reign  for  enlarging  the  time  to 
determine  claims  on  the  forfeited  estates,  presented 
a  petition  to  the  Court  of  Session  setting  forth  that, 
as  his  father  had  surrendered  to  General  Cadogan, 
it  ought  to  be  adjudged  that  he  obeyed  the  Act 
of  Parliament,  and  consequently  had  not  been 
attainted,  nor  had  his  estate  been  forfeited.  The 
Court  decided  in  favour  of  the  petitioner,  finding 
that  the  deceased  Sir  Donald  did  surrender  to 
General  Cadogan,  that  his  surrender  was  accepted, 
and  that,  therefore,  he  had  not  been  attainted,  nor 
had  the  public  any  right  to  his  estate.  Against 
this  decision  the  Forfeited  Estates'  Commissioners 
appealed  to  the  House  of  Lords,  on  the  ground  that 
the  Act  required  a  surrendering  of  Sir  Donald's 
person  ;  that  a  submission  by  letter  to  the  Com- 
rnander-in-Chief  could  never  be  called  a  surrendering 
of  the  person  ;  that  his  pretended  surrender  was  at 
the  best  a  submission  to  prevent  a  military  execution 
against  his  estate ;  and  that,  though  he  complained 
of  being  unable  to  travel  from  Uist  to  Inverlochy, 
yet  he  did  actually  travel  shortly  thereafter  to 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  83 

Bernera  and  Duntulm,  which  did  not  appear  to  be 
the  way  to  Inverlochy.  The  House  of  Lords  gave 
judgment  in  favour  of  the  appellants  in  May,  1720. 
By  this  time  young  Sir  Donald  was  dead.  In  the 
interval,  however,  between  the  date  of  the  decision 
of  the  Court  of  Session  in  his  favour  and  his  death, 
early  in  the  year  1720,  Sir  Donald  assumed  pro- 
prietary relations  with  the  family  inheritance  and 
intromitted  with  the  rents  of  the  estate.  In  a  letter 
to  his  agent  in  Edinburgh,  giving  him  a  particular 
account  of  the  state  of  his  affairs,  he  says  : — "  I  have 
just  done  with  my  sett  of  Sleat  and  Trotarnes  in 
both  which  countrys  I  have  been  obliged  to  abate 
a  great  part  of  the  money  rents  with  the  entire 
casualitys  because  of  the  poverty  the  loss  of  their 
cattail  has  reduced  the  people  to."  The  death  of 
Donald  in  the  bloom  of  manhood  was  much  regretted 
by  his  clan  and  friends.  Educated  at  the  University 
of  Glasgow,  he  appears  to  have  been  a  young  man  of 
considerable  culture,  and  to  have  possessed  in  a  large 
measure  the  large-heartedness  and  considerate  kind- 
ness towards  their  dependants  characteristic  of  the 
Chiefs  of  Sleat.  The  death  of  their  beloved  young 
Chief  at  so  critical  a  time  in  the  history  of  his  family 
was  looked  upon  as  a  great  calamity  by  his  clan  and 
dependants. 

Sir  Donald  Macdonald  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  of  Sleat  by  his  uncle, 
James  Macdonald  of  Orinsay,  who  survived  him 
only  for  a  few  months.  Sir  James,  besides  fighting 
at  Killiecrankie,  had  led  the  Sleat  men  at  SherifF- 
muir,  and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that,  notwithstanding 
his  rebellious  conduct  on  these  occasions,  he  behaved 
with  becoming  loyalty  to  King  George  at  the  time 
of  the  Spanish  invasion  of  1719,  which  ended  in  the 


84  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

affair  of  Glenshiel.  In  the  A.ct  of  Parliament  making 
provision  for  the  children  of  Sir  James,  it  is  stated 
that  he  not  only  refused  to  join  those  who  were  then 
in  rebellion,  but  used  his  best  endeavours  to  prevent 
Sir  Donald's  people  from  joining  in  the  insurrection.1 
The  family  inheritance,  however,  was  not  restored  to 
him,  and,  before  any  steps  were  taken  in  this  respect, 
Sir  James  died  in  the  autumn  of  1720.  The  affairs 
of  the  family  were  greatly  involved,  deprived  as 
they  were  of  their  estate.  In  these  circumstances, 
a  petition  was  presented  to  Parliament  in  behalf  of 
the  children  of  Sir  James,  when  an  Act  was  passed 
authorising  the  King  to  make  a  grant  in  their 
favour  of  £10,000  out  of  the  estate  of  the  late  Sir 
Donald.  Provision  was  made  at  the  same  time 
for  the  widow  and  children  of  Sir  Donald.2  Pre- 
parations were  now  made  by  the  friends  of  the 
family  with  the  view  of  acquiring  the  estate,  which 
was  advertised  for  sale,  for  behoof  of  the  heir-male. 
The  wadsetters,  to  whom  the  estate  was  in  debt  to 
a  large  extent  in  sums  advanced  by  them  for  their 
unredeemed  wadsets,  banded  themselves  together, 
and,  in  their  own  interest  as  well  as  "  for  the 
preservation  of  the  family,"  as  they  put  it,  offered 
to  become  security  for  the  purchase  price.  The 
estate  being  exposed  for  sale  on  the  23rd  of  October, 
1723,  Kenneth  Mackenzie,  Advocate,  Edinburgh, 
instructed  by  the  wadsetters,  purchased  in  his  own 
name  the  three  baronies  of  Sleat,  Troternish,  and 
North  Uist  for  the  sum  of  £21,000  sterling.  The 
rental  of  the  estate,  as  surveyed  by  Sir  Peter 
Strachan,  was  £1550.  After  deducting  the  pro- 
vision to  the  families  of  Sir  Donald  and  Sir  James, 
and  the  debts  due  to  the  wadsetters  and  others,  the 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.         2  Ibid. 


>'•*#   >  •:'  •  *; 


SIR    ALEXANDER     MACDONALO,     7TH    BARONET    OF    SLEAT. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  85 

purchase    price    of    the    estate    was    very    nearly 
exhausted,  and  only  £4000  went  to  the  public.     In 

1726,  a  contract  of  sale  was  entered  into  between 
Kenneth  Mackenzie  and  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald, 
the  heir-male,  with  consent  of  his  curators,  whereby 
the  whole  estate  that  belonged  to  Sir  Donald  Mac- 
donald was  sold   to   Sir  Alexander.     In   February, 

1727,  Sir   Alexander  Macdonald  received  a  Crown 
charter  of  his  lands  erecting  the  whole  into  a  barony 
to  be  called  the  Barony  of  Macdonald.1 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  was  a  minor  when  he 
succeeded  his  father  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  in  1720.  Sir  James  shortly  before  his  death 
appointed  as  tutors  and  curators  to  his  son,  William 
Macdonald  of  Borniskittaig,  Alexander  Macdonald 
of  Glenteltin,  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sarthill,  Donald 
Macleod  of  Tallisker,  and  Norman  Macleod  of  Gris- 
ernish.  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  was  sent  to  school 
at  Leith  in  1721,  and  afterwards  to  the  University  of 
St  Andrews,  which  he  entered  in  1726.  During  his 
college  curriculum  at  St  Andrews,  which  extended 
over  a  period  of  three  years,  much  deference  was 
paid  to  him  as  a  Highland  chief,  arid  he  kept  up  an 
establishment  befitting  his  station,  which  included 
Charles  Macarthur,  the  family  piper.  The  journal 
kept  during  Sir  Alexander's  attendance  at  College 
gives  vivid  glimpses  of  the  society  of  the  ancient 
academic  city.  The  entertainments  given  by  the 
young  chief  to  the  College  professors,  and  others, 
were  conducted  on  a  very  sumptuous  scale,  taxing 
the  professional  capacity  of  Charles  Macarthur  to  its 
very  utmost  in  the  earnest  if  vain  endeavour  to  please 
the  ears  of  his  critical  Fife  audience.  Sir  Alexander 
was  made  a  burgess  of  St  Andrews  in  1727.  At 

1  Sleat  Chatter  Chest. 


86  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

intervals  between  his  college  sessions,  he  travelled 
extensively  through  Highlands  and  Lowlands,  visit- 
ing in  turn   many  of  the  families  of  note  in  both 
regions.1     On  his  coming  of  age,  he  settled  down  on 
his  property  in  Skye,  and  being  a  man  of  great  tact 
and  ability,  he  set  about  vigorously  to  improve  the 
family  inheritance.     In  a   memorial  relating  to  the 
management  of  the  property,  it  is  complained  that 
the  wadsetters  are  flourishing  at  the  expense  of  the 
proprietor,    are    extravagant   in    their   habits,    and 
unkind  to  their  sub-tenants.     Taking  advantage  of 
the  relations  between  them  arid  their  chief,  they  are 
generally  slow  in   making  payment  of  their  rents. 
They  spend  far  too  much  money  on  brandy,  tobacco, 
and  fine  clothes.     Sir  Alexander  is  to  do  all  in  his 
power  to  discourage  these  habits,  but  he  is  in  the 
grip  of  his   wadsetters.     They  had  advanced  large 
sums  of  money  for  their  wadsets,  and  these  would  take 
some  time  to  redeem.     Sir  Alexander,  however,  was 
resolved  to  relieve  the  estate  of  these  burdens,  and 
free  the  sub-tenants  from  the  galling  yoke  of  the 
wadsetters,  under  which  they  undoubtedly  suffered." 
In  this  connection  it   may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
make  a  brief  reference  to  an  affair  which  caused  no 
little  stir  at  the  time  throughout  the  Western  Isles, 
and  to  some  extent  even  in  the  South  of  Scotland,  a 
plot  in  which,  in  the  estimation  of  the  public,  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald  was  deeply  implicated.     The 
real  part  acted  by  Sir  Alexander  in  this  affair  has 
probably  never  been  told.     He  was  accused  of  giving 
countenance   to  the  forced  emigration   of  many  of 
his  own  people  to  the  American  Colonies.     It  was 
reported    that     Norman     Macleod,    eldest    son    of 
Donald    Macleod   of  Bernera,  had    brought   a   ship 

1  Sleat  Charter  Chest.          -  Ibid. 


THE   MACDOtfALDS    OF    SLEAT.  87 

to  the  Isle  of  Skye — ever  since  called  "  Soitheach 
nan  Daoine " — and  that  at  the  head  of  a  ruffian 
band  of  young  men  he  had  captured  many  men  and 
women,  and  forced  them  on  board  with  the  view  of 
transporting  them  to  the  American  Colonies,  and 
selling  them  there  as  slaves.  It  was  believed  that 
both  Sir  Alexander  and  Macleod  had  connived  at,  if 
they  had  not  actually  given  countenance  openly  to, 
these  presumably  outrageous  proceedings.  Lady 
Margaret  Macdonald,  writing  to  Justice  Clerk 
Milton  in  1740,  denies  warmly  that  Sir  Alexander 
was  concerned  in  any  way,  act  or  part,  in  the  affair 
of  "  Soitheach  nan  Daoine,"  nor  did  he  know  any- 
thing of  "  thiss  wicked  scrape  till  the  ship  was  gon.'* 
Lady  Margaret,  very  probably,  was  not  in  the  secret 
of  the  plot.  The  real  facts  of  the  case  may  be  briefly 
told.  The  estates  of  both  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald 
and  Macleod  had  been  for  several  years  infested  by 
thieves,  and  other  pests  of  society,  and  all  efforts  to 
extirpate  them  having  failed,  the  chiefs  took  counsel 
together,  and  resolved  on  the  novel,  if  laudable, 
expedient  of  shipping  them  with  all  possible  secrecy 
to  the  new  world.  This  daring  and  difficult  task 
was  proposed  to,  and  accepted  by,  Norman  Macleod, 
who,  at  the  head  of  a  band  of  resolute  young  men, 
chosen  by  himself,  succeeded  in  forcing  on  board  a 
ship  provided  for  the  purpose  this  superfluous 
population  of  the  Islands.  All  the  parties  to  the 
transaction  being  sworn  to  secrecy,  the  real  facts  of 
the  case  probably  never  reached  the  ears  of  those  in 
authority  ;  but,  in  any  case,  no  action  was  taken  in 
the  matter.  "  Soitheach  nan  Daoine,'T  in  the  course 
of  its  voyage,  was  driven  by  a  strong  gale  on  the 
North  Coast  of  Ireland  and  wrecked  there.  Several 
of  the  "  emigrants  "  afterwards  squatted  on  the  lands 


88  tfifc    CLAST    DONALt). 

of  the  Earl  of  Antrim.  So  far,  and  no  further,  was 
Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  implicated  in  the  affair  of 
"  Soitheach  nan  Daoine. ' 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald's  conduct  during  the 
great  crisis  of  the  '45  has  been  criticised  with  some 
severity  by  partisans  on  both  sides.  Sir  Alexander, 
as  is  well  known,  refused  to  join  in  the  rebellion. 
Several  reasons  may  be  given  to  account  for  the 
attitude  he  assumed,  and  the  first  thing  to  be  con- 
sidered was  whether  or  not  the  enterprise  was  to 
succeed.  It  appeared  to  be  utterly  hopeless.  Sir 
Alexander's  real  attitude  towards  the  Prince's  cause 
may  be  inferred  from  the  answer  he  gave  to  young 
^Clanranald,  whom  Charlefe  sent  to  him  to  persuade 
him  to  rise  in  his  favour.  There  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  he  spoke  sincerely  and  honestly  when 
he  told  young  Clam  anald  that  he  wished  well  to  the 
cause,  but  that  seeing  the  attempt  was  inopportune, 
the  Prince  so  slenderly  attended,  and  the  probability 
of  success  so  remote,  he  could  not  support  him. 
There  was  another  matter  which  must  have  weighed 
with  Sir  Alexander.  He  could  not  well  forget  the 
favour  formerly  shown  to  him  by  the  reigning  family 
in  restoring  him  to  his  estate,  and  the  present 
prospects  of  the  Prince  were  not  such  as  to  tempt 
any  level-headed  man  to  stake  vast  interests  upon 
them.  Even  Lochiel  hesitated,  and  required  the 
assurance  of  Charles  that  his  estates,  or  the  value  of 
them,  would  be  secured  to  him.  Glengarry,  Clan- 
ranald,  and  Lovat  kept  out  of  it,  and  sent  their 
eldest  sons,  but  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  had  no 
eldest  son  fit  to  lead  the  clan.  It  has  been  repeatedly 
stated  that  Sir  Alexander  was  won  over  to  the 
Hanoverian  cause  by  Forbes  of  Culloden.  Forbes's 
influence  with  the  Highland  chiefs  has  been  much 


THfi    MACDONALDS    OF   BLEAT.  89 

exaggerated.  It  is  as  clear  as  anything  can  well  be 
if  Sir  Alexander  could  only  have  seen  his  way  to 
espouse  the  cause  of  the  Prince,  which  was  his 
inclination,  Forbes,  whose  sympathies  were  entirely 
Lowland,  would  not  have  influenced  him  for  one 
moment.  As  it  was,  Forbes  did  his  best  to  confirm 
him  in  the  attitude  he  had  decided  to  take.  No 
Highland  chief  worthy  of  the  name,  and  especially 
one  like  Sir  Alexander,  with  Jacobite  tendencies 
and  Jacobite  traditions,  would  have  been  guided  by 
President  Forbes  in  a  matter  such  as  joining  or  not 
joining  the  Prince. 

Sir  Alexander  has  been  accused  of  being  in  the 
Prince's  counsels,  gaining  his  confidence,  pledging 
himself  to  support  him,  and  then  violating  his 
pledge.  But  Sir  Alexander  promised  to  join  pro- 
vided the  attempt  was  made  with  such  an  auxiliary 
force  from  abroad,  and  such  necessary  supplies  of 
money,  arms,  and  stores,  as  should  give  the  insur- 
gents some  chance  of  success.  He  refused  to  join 
when  the  Prince,  without  any  of  the  assistance  he 
had  engaged  to  him  and  other  Highland  chiefs  to 
bring,  landed  in  the  West  of  Scotland,  against  the 
advice  of  many  of  his  devoted  followers,  and  engaged 
in  that  rash  enterprise  which  Sir  Alexander  distinctly 
foresaw  would  fail  for  want  of  means.  Had  the 
promises  made  to  Sir  Alexander  been  fulfilled,  he 
would  have  adhered  to  his  engagements  ;  as  it  was, 
the  course  he  followed  was  perfectly  justified  by  the 
circumstances.  As  further  evidence  of  the  consistent 
attitude  maintained  by  Sir  Alexander,  Murray  of 
Broughton  declares  that  the  Prince  wrote  a  letter 
to  him  the  winter  preceding  his  landing  desiring  his 
assistance.  Sir  Alexander,  in  reply,  refused  to  make 
any  positive  promise,  but  said  that  whenever  he  saw 


90  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

a  well-concerted  scheme  he  would  readily  join  him. 
"  I  can  say  with  certainty,"  Murray  further  declares, 
"  that  from  that  time  he  came  under  no  further 
engagement."  It  is  difficult  to  see  how,  in  the  face 
of  this  definite  testimony,  Murray  could  afterwards 
say — "  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  so  bad  an  opinion 
of  mankind  as  to  think  any  of  them  capable  of 
attempting  an  apology  for  him." 

Donald  Roy  Macdonald,  afterwards  an  officer  in 
the  Prince's  army,  was  at  Mugstot  with  Sir  Alex- 
ander when  Charles  landed  on  the  mainland.  Sir 
Alexander,  Donald  Roy  informs  Bichop  Forbes, 
detained  him  for  a  month,  being  all  the  time  in  a 
state  of  suspense  about  raising  his  men  for  the 
Prince.  There  was  little  likelihood  of  Sir  Alexander 
hesitating  at  this  stage.  Even  after  the  victory  of 
Falkirk,  when  the  prospects  of  the  Prince  were 
brightest,  Sir  Alexander  stood  unflinchingly  to  his 
resolution  not  to  join  him.  At  that  time  Donald 
Roy  Macdonald  was  sent  to  Sir  Alexander  by  the 
Prince  with  a  letter  subscribed  by  the  chiefs  praying 
him  to  raise  his  men  immediately  and  join  the 
Prince's  army.  The  written  message  was  not  in  the 
least  likely  to  suffer  by  the  verbal  glosses  put  upon 
it  by  the  zealous  Donald  Roy,  yet  Sir  Alexander 
remained  firm  in  his  determination  to  go  his  own 
way.  Donald  Roy  himself,  on  his  way  back  to  the 
Prince's  camp,  feasted  for  three  days  at  Kyle  .on 
King  George's  beef  and  President  Forbes's  Ferin- 
tosh  whisky,  under  the  hospitable  auspices  of  Sir 
Alexander  and  the  officers  of  his  independent 
companies. 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald's  sympathies  were 
undoubtedly  with  the  Prince,  and,  as  proof  of  this, 
he  did  what  lay  in  his  power  to  protect  him  when 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  91 

he  was  a  fugitive  within  his  bounds.  Charles  could 
not  possibly  have  escaped  if  Sir  Alexander  had 
been  anxious  to  arrest  him.  On  the  contrary,  he 
encouraged  his  dependants  to  facilitate  his  escape. 
The  principal  instruments  employed  in  effecting 
his  escape  were  all  closely  connected  with  Sir 
Alexander's  family,  such  as  Hugh  Macdonald  of 
Arniadale,  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Baleshare,  Alex- 
ander Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh,  Lady  Margaret 
Macdonald,  and  Flora  Macdonald. 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  was  obliged  to  do 
something,  and  he  did  as  little  as  possible  to  help 
the  Government  Two  independent  companies 
raised  by  him  to  guard  the  passes  were  maintained, 
at  least  for  some  time,  by  himself.  These  were  more 
of  a  hindrance,  after  all,  than  a  help  to  the  Govern- 
ment, as  they  were  all,  officers  and  men  alike,  with 
the  single  exception  of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Knock, 
in  entire  sympathy  with  the  Prince,  After  the 
Battle  of  Culloden,  Sir  Alexander  on  several 
occasions  ventured  to  remonstrate  with  the  German 
Butcher,  Cumberland,  for  his  own  savage  cruelty, 
and  for  the  wanton  outrages  committed  in  his  name 
on  many  innocent  persons,  whose  one  fault  was  that 
they  were  of  one  blood  with  the  rebels.  Sir  Alex- 
ander did  all  that  lay  in  his  power  to  mitigate  the 
horrors  of  that  dark  and  doleful  time.  Yet  when  he 
died  shortly  thereafter  some  Jacobites  had  no  better 
epitaph  to  commemorate  his  generosity  and  their 
own  gratitude  than  this— 

"  If  heaven  be  pleased  when  sinners  cease  to  sin ; 
If  hell  be  pleased  when  sinners  enter  in ; 
If  earth  be  pleased  to  lose  a  truckling  knave  : 
Then  all  are  pleased — Macdonald's  in  his  grave." 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald,  on  his  way  to  London 
to  wait  upon  Butcher  Cumberland,  took  suddenly  ill 


92  THE    CLAN    DONA.LD. 

at  Glenelg,  and  died  there  on  the  23rd  of  November, 
1746,  greatly  lamented  by  his  many  friends  and 
followers.  On  the  8th  of  December  he  was  buried 
with  great  pomp  and  ceremony  at  Kilmore,  in  Sleat, 
all  the  pipers  of  note  in  the  Isles  officiating  at  the 
obsequies.  Retainers  and  friends  of  the  family  from 
all  parts  of  the  Highlands  attended.  These  were 
entertained  at  Armadale  with  a  hospitality  on  a 
scale  befitting  an  occasion  so  important  as  the  burial 
of  the  representative  of  the  ancient  and  illustrious 
Kings  of  Innsegall.  It  may  be  interesting  to  know 
that  the  funeral  expenses  amounted  to  the  large  sum 
of  £2645.  Sir  Alexander's  character  may  be  summed 
up  in  the  words  of  a  highly-intelligent  gentleman  of 
his  own  clan,  and  one  who  knew  him  well : — "  He 
was  a  downright  honest  man,  true  to  his  friend  and 
firm  to  his  word.  By  his  death  we  of  his  clan  have 
lost  a  father  and  the  King  a  good  subject." 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald's  eldest  son  and  heir, 
Sir  James,  was  a  minor  only  five  years-  old  when  his 
father  died.  During  his  minority  his  estates  and 
the  affairs  of  the  family  were  managed  principally 
by  Lady  Margaret,  his  mother,  a  lady  of  many 
accomplishments,  who  acted  a  prominent  part  in  the 
life  of  the  Western  Isles,  and  who  was  worthy  to  be 
the  mother  of  so  distinguished  a  son.  With  Lady 
Margaret  were  associated  in  the  management  of  the 
estates,  Alexander,  Earl  of  Eglinton  ;  Alexander 
Mackenzie  of  Delvin,  James  Moray  of  Abercairney, 
Professor  Alexander  Munro,  Edinburgh,  and  Alex- 
ander Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh.  Sir  James 
Macdonald  was  at  a  very  early  age  sent  to  Eton, 
from  which  he  passed  to  Oxford  in  1759.  In  both 
places  he  had  an  exceptionally  distinguished  career, 
and  gained  a  reputation  for  learning  and  other 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  93 

accomplishments  which  won  him  early  recognition 
from  men  of  talent  both  in  his  own  country  and  on 
the  Continent.  His  extraordinary  gifts  attracted 
men  of  genius  and  culture  wherever  he  \\ent,  while 
his  refined  manners,  no  less  than  his  amiable 
disposition,  were  the  admiration  of  all  with  whom 
he  associated  in  the  high  and  cultivated  circles  of 
society.  Shortly  after  leaving  Oxford,  Sir  James 
travelled  through  many  of  the  countries  of  Europe 
in  the  company  of  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch  and 
Professor  Adam  Smith,  the  well-known  author  of 
"  The  Wealth  of  Nations."  He  was  everywhere 
received  with  the  utmost  respect.  At  Paris  he 
discusses  Hume  with  the  French  philosophers  and 
divides  his  time  between  the  literati  of  the  city 
and  the  Court  of  Louis  XV.  Dr  John  Maclean  of 
Shulista,  himself  of  considerable  reputation  as  a  man 
of  learning  in  the  Western  Isles,  writing  to  John 
Mackenzie  of  Delvine  at  the  time  of  Sir  James's 
visit  to  the  Continent,  refers  to  his  reception  at  the 
Court  of  France.  "  It  must  give  exceeding  joy  to 
us  all,"  he  says,  "  to  hear  that  Sir  James  is  parti- 
cularly distinguished  at  so  great  a  Court  as  that  of 
France  ;  but  what  gives  me  infinite  satisfaction  is 
that  he  studies  to  apply,  as  much  as  possible,  what- 
ever he  sees  to  the  interest  of  the  country  and  the 
happiness  of  his  people."  John  MacCodrum,  too, 
the  unlettered  bard  of  North  Uist,  scanning  from 
afar,  "  amid  the  melancholy  main,"  watches  the 
progress  of  his  patron  and  sings  his  tuneful  rhyme— 

A'  neach  a  shiulas  gach  rioghachd, 
Gheibh  do  chliu  arm  am  firinn, 
Eadar  Louis  na  Frainge  's  am  Papa. 

It  was  the   custom  at   that  time  for  gentlemen 
who  made  the  "  grand  tour"  to   be  furnished  with 


94  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

introductions  to  eminent  and  distinguished  for- 
eigners, and  on  their  reception  by  these  abroad 
depended  very  largely  the  consideration  and  respect 
with  which  they  were  received  at  home.  Young 
gentlemen,  therefore,  entered  on  their  travels  abroad 
with  far  different  views  and  intentions  than  prevail 
at  the  present  time.  So  far  from  passing  their  time 
in  places  of  entertainment,  and  travelling  from  place 
to  place  in  quest  of  gross  pleasures,  they  spent  it  in 
the  society  of  foreign  families  of  taste  and  dis- 
tinction, amongst  whom  they  were  expected  to  cut 
a  creditable  figure.  So  far  from  approaching  the 
tour  with  feelings  of  contempt  for  the  foreigner, 
they  were  taught  that  Europe  as  a  whole  was  the 
large  school  of  taste  and  good  manners,  and  that  in 
a  wider  field  than  our  Island  can  afford  lay  the  test 
of  the  success  or  failure  of  the  education  they  had 
previously  received. 

Sir  James  Macdonald,  on  his  return  from  his 
Continental  tour,  took  the  management  of  his 
extensive  property  into  his  own  hands,  to  the 
improvement  of  which,  as  well  as  to  the  social  and 
material  advancement  of  his  people,  he  devoted 
himself  with  much  energy  and  ability.  Ill  health, 
unfortunately,  soon  stayed  his  improving  hand,  and 
the  plans  which  he  had  devised  for  the  benefit  of 
his  people  were  frustrated.  To  what  extent  the 
enlightened  schemes  which  Sir  James  had  formed 
for  ameliorating  the  condition  of  his  people  took  any 
practical  shape  does  not  appear.  The  family 
archives  furnish  no  clue  as  to  what  the  improve- 
ments were  which  he  had  contemplated.  His  plans 
were  probably  never  even  reduced  to  writing.  The 
young  chief  undoubtedly  deeply  interested  himself 
in  all  that  concerned  the  welfare  of  his  people.  He 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  95 

valued  all  that  was  best  in  the  social  system  which 
had  been  nourished  under  the  fostering  segis  of  his 
family.  The  language  and  literature  of  the  Gael 
were  not  to  him  what  they  have  become  too  often 
to  Highland  chiefs  since — things  to  be  despised. 
Though  an  Oxford  bred  student,  his  was  too  robust 
a  personality  to  be  spoiled  by  an  English  education. 
No  one  took  a  deeper  or  more  intelligent  interest  in 
the  controversy  that  raged  round  the  Blind  Bard  of 
Selma.  He  was  well  versed  in  the  lore  of  the 
Feinne.  For  hours  together  he  would  listen  to 
John  MacCodrum  and  other  reciters  of  Ossianic 
ballads  pouring  out  their  wealth  of  tale  and  song. 
Such  a  man,  and  he  a  Highland  chief  of  the  first 
importance,  could  hardly  fail  to  commend  himself  to 
a  people  so  loyal  and  warm-hearted  as  the  people  of 
the  Isles.  He  appreciated  the  institutions  of  the 
Gael,  and  had  he  been  spared  he  would  have  been 
foremost  in  defending  them.  "  Though  I  can  do 
little,"  he  writes  Dr  Blair  of  Edinburgh.  "  nothing 
shall  be  wanting  to  fight  Ossian's  cause  that  lies  in 
my  power." 

Shortly  after  he  came  of  age,  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald,  as  an  earnest  of  his  appreciation  of  native 
talent,  appointed  John  MacCodrum  as  his  family 
bard  in  succession  to  Duncan  McRury,  in  Troter- 
nish,  the  last  family  bard.  The  song  composed  by 
MacCodrum  on  his  appointment  as  laureate  in 
praise  of  Sir  James  is  struck  in  a  lofty  key,  and 
fully  justifies  his  patron's  selection  of  him  for  that 
office.  The  emoluments  bestowed  by  Sir  James  on 
his  bard  amounted  to  the  annual  sum  of  £2  5s,  with 
5  bolls  of  meal,  5  stones  of  cheese,  and  a  croft  rent 
free  for  life, 


96  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Sir  James  Macdonald,  though  a  man  of  hand- 
some appearance,  began  early  in  life  to  show 
symptoms  of  a  delicate  constitution,  not  improved, 
it  may  be  surmised,  by  his  studious  habits.  An 
accident  which  befell  him  while  on  a  visit  to  North 
Uist  in  1764  so  undermined  his  delicate  frame  that 
he  was  obliged  finally  to  seek  refuge  in  a  warm 
climate  abroad.  While  out  shooting  with  a  party 
of  Skye  and  Uist  gentlemen  in  his  own  forest  of 
Mointeachmhor,  in  North  Uist,  Sir  James  was  shot 
in  the  leg  through  the  accidental  discharge  ol 
Colonel  Macleod  of  Talisker's  gun.  He  was  at  once 
carried  across  the  hill  to  the  house  of  his  cousin, 
Ewen  Macdonald  of  Vallay,  where  he  was  attended 
by  Neil  Beaton,  surgeon,  in  North  Uist.  The 
North  Uist  people  showed  their  warm  attachment 
to  Sir  James  on  this  occasion  in  a  remarkable  way. 
Hearing  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  accident,  and 
suspecting  foul  play,  they  proceeded  in  a  body  to 
Vallay  and  demanded  the  life,  no  less,  of  Colonel 
Macleod  of  Talisker.  Ewen  Macdonald  of  Vallay, 
and  the  other  gentlemen  of  Sir  James's  party, 
laboured  in  vain  to  convince  them  of  the  entire 
innocence  of  Colonel  Macleod  of  any  intention  to 
injure  Sir  James.  They  would  rot  be  satisfied  until 
Sir  James  himself  was  brought  in  a  blanket  to  the 
window  of  his  room  to  assure  them  that  no  blame 
was  to  be  attached  to  Colonel  Macleod,  and  that 
the  affair  was  entirely  the  result  of  an  accident.  On 
being  assured  that  the  accident  was  a  slight  one, 
and  that  Sir  James  would  soon  be  well  again,  the 
North  Uist  men,  after  partaking  of  copious  libations 
of  "  Ferintosh,"  found  their  way  home  the  best  way 
they  could.  Sir  James  was  confined  at  Vallay  for  a 
considerable  time,  during  which  Ewen  Macdonald 


SIR    JAMES    MACDONALD,    STH    BART.    OF    SLEAT. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  97 

beguiled  the  tedium  of  the  sick  chamber  by  com- 
posing several  piobaireachds  and  playing  them  witli 
admirable  taste  on  the  bag-pipe.  Two  of  thsse 
have  been  preserved — "  Cumha  na  Coise,"  and 
"Sir  James  Macdonald  of  the  Isles's  .Salute,"  both 
of  which  are  reckoned  by  competent  judges  to  be 
excellent  tunes. 

The  remainder  of  Sir  James  Macdonald's  life  may 
be  briefly  told.  In  the  winter  of  1765  the  state  of 
his  health,  which  had  been  precarious  for  some  time,, 
obliged  him  to  seek  relief  from  the  severe  climate  of 
his  own  country  in  the  more  genial  air  of  the  South 
of  Italy.  His  illness  at  length  taking  a  serious  turn, 
he  found  his  way  to  Rome,  where  he  obtained  the 
best  medical  skill  which  the  city  could  afford.  He, 
however,  gradually  grew  worse,  and,  after  suffering 
much  pain,  borne  with  great  resignation  and  forti- 
tude, he  died  at  Rome  on  the  26th  of  July,  1766,  in 
the  25th  year  of  his  age.  During  his  stay  in  Rome, 
the  most  distinguished  members  of  the  Papal  Court 
vied  with  each  other  in  their  respectful  attentions 
to  the  invalid  Chief,  and  after  his  death, 
"  notwithstanding  the  difference  of  religion,  such 
extraordinary  honours  were  paid  to  his  memory  as 
had  never  graced  that  of  any  other  British  subject 
since  the  death  of  Sir  Philip  Sydney."  During  his 
illness  the  Pope  himself  sent  a  messenger  daily  to 
enquire  for  him,  and  when  he  .died  he  commanded 
that  he  should  be  buried  in  consecrated  ground  and 
accorded  a  public  funeral.  Cardinal  Piccolomini 
composed  a  Latin  elegy  in  memory  of  Sir  James. 
The  death  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  was  much 
lamented  by  his  family  and  people  in  the  Isles,  who, 
with  good  reason,  looked  upon  it  as  the  greatest 
calamity  that  could  happen  to  them.  Dr  John 

7 


98  THE    CLAN    DONALD, 

Maclean  of  Shulista,  writing  to  John  Mackenzie  of 
Del  vine  on  receiving  the  news  of  Sir  James's  death, 
gives  expression  to  feelings  which  all  experienced  at 
the  time.     "Your  letter,"  he  writes,  "bringing  the  sad 
accounts  of  Sir  James  Macdonald's  death  T  received 
in    course    of  last    post.     What    a  disappointment 
after  the  great   happiness   which   we  promised  our 
selves  by  his  return,  poor,  unfortunate  people  tha 
we  are,  and  very  few  of  us  sensible  of  the  loss  we 
have  suffered.     The  youngest  of  us  will  never  see  a 
person  of  a  warmer  heart,  better  principles,  or  more 
inclined  to  do  all   the  good    in    his   power.      It  is 
natural,  indeed,  for  me  to  wish  all  his  family  well, 
hut  sure  I  am  that  I  shall  never  see  any  nian  for 
whom  I  can  have  such  a  strong  attachment,  as  I  do 
not  expect  to  be  acquainted  with  such  a  person  all 
the  days  of  my  life."     Many  similar  tributes  have 
been  paid  to  the  memory  of  Sir  James  Macdonald, 
both  by  his  own  countrymen  and  by  distinguished 
foreigners,  and  all  agree  in   according  to   him  the 
distinction    of    having    been,    in    the    language    of 
General    Stewart    of    Garth,    "  one    of    the    most 
accomplished    men    of    his    own    or   almost   of   any 
other    country."       For    his     learning    and    many 
accomplishments,  Sir  James  is  usually  styled  "The 
Scottish  Marcellus." 

Lady  Margaret  Macdonald,  "  in  testimony  of  her 
love  and  the  constant  tenderness  and  affection  which, 
even  to  his  last  moments,  he  showed  for  her,"  erected 
a  beautiful  monument  to  the  memory  of  her  son  in 
the  Parish  Church  of  Sleat,  bearing  a  suitable  inscrip- 
tion written  by  his  college  friend,  Lord  Lyttleton. 
A  more  lasting  monument  by  far  was  that  raised  in 
the  lofty  rhyme  of  John  MacCodrum,  the  peasant 
bard  of  North  Uist,  whose  beautiful  elegy  in  memory 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  99 

of  his  patron  is  surpassed  by  few  such  compositions 
in  any  language, 

Sir  James  Macdonald  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  and  in  the  estates  by 
his  brother,  Alexander.  Sir  Alexander  was  educated 
at  Eton  and  in  the  University  of  St  Andrews,  and 
had  a  distinguished  career  at  both  places.  In  1761, 
he  received  a  commission  in  the  Coldstream  Guards, 
but  he  retired  from  the  army  on  his  succession  tu 
the  property.  To  his  new  duties  as  a  landed  pro- 
prietor Sir  Alexander  devoted  himself  with  much 
energy  and  ability.  He  took  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  his  estates  upon  himself,  and  held  the  reins 
with  a  very  firm  hand.  He  made  no  attempt  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  predecessor.  He 
appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  an  altogether 
different  temperament  from  Sir  James.  His 
sympathies  and  tastes  were,  if  not  wholly  English, 
at  least  entirely  anti-Celtic.  For  nothing  dis- 
tinctively Highland  did  this  chief  care.  In  his 
relations  with  his  tenants  he  looked  upon  him- 
self simply  as  a  landlord,  and  in  no  sense  as  the 
chief  of  a  clan,  unless  indeed  that  position  was  to 
be  held  as  merely  honorary  and  conveying  a  certain 
dignity  to  the  holder  of  it.  So  far  as  that  dignity 
bestowed  any  social  advantage  in  England,  or  any- 
where out  of  the  Highlands,  did  Sir  Alexander 
value  it  and  no  further.  He  never  made  the  least 
attempt  to  perform  any  of  the  duties  of  chiefship. 
No  other  than  those  of  strictly  commercial  relations 
can  by  any  ingenuity  be  discovered  as  existing 
between  him  and  his  clan.  At  the  very  outset  of 
his  career  he  made  himself  obnoxious  by  raising  the 
rents  of  his  principal  tenants,  all  except  those  who 
held  their  lands  by  wadset.  He  was  no  less  exacting 


100  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

with  his  smaller  tenants.  Many  of  these  were 
evicted  from  their  holdings,  while  several  of  the 
tacksmen,  both  in  Skye  and  in  Uist,  were  obliged 
to  give  up  their  leases  arid  emigrate.  When  Bos- 
well,  in  company  with  Dr  Samuel  Johnson,  visited 
the  Isle  of  Skye  in  1773,  he  found  an  emigrant  ship 
at  Portree  ready  to  carry  away  Sir  Alexander's  tacks- 
men  and  their  families.  Boswell  discovered  that  Sir 
Alexander  was  considered  anything  but  an  ideal  chief; 
he  even  accuses  him  of  want  of  hospitality  when  he 
and  the  great  lexicographer  visited  him  at  Armadale. 
Boswell  afterwards  got  into  considerable  trouble 
over  statements  he  made,  both  in  public  and  in 
private,  reflecting  on  Sir  Alexander's  social  char- 
acter, and  a  duel  was  averted  at  the  eleventh  hour 
by  the  ample  apology  which  the  Prince  of  Biog- 
raphers made  to  the  "  English-bred  Chieftain." 

In  1776,  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  was  created  a 
peer  of  Ireland  by  the  style  and  title  of  Lord 
Macdonald  of  Sleat.  In  the  following  year  he 
offered  to  raise  a  regiment  on  his  estates  in  the  Isles 
for  His  Majesty's  service,  and  his  offer  was  accepted 
by  the  Government.  Letters  of  service  were 
accordingly  granted  to  him,  and  the  regiment  was 
finally  embodied  in  March,  1778,  and  inspected  by 
General  Skene  at  Inverness.  The  total  strength  of 
the  regiment,  which  was  named  the  76th,  or 
Macdonald's  Highlanders,  was  1086  men,  750  of 
whom  were  raised  by  Lord  Macdonald  in  Skye  and 
North  Uist.  His  lordship  was  offered  the  command 
of  the  regiment,  but  he  declined  it,  and  recom- 
mended John  Macdonell  of  Lochgarry  for  the  post. 
From  Inverness  the  regiment  removed  to  Fort- 
George,  where  it  remained  for  a  year  under  the 
command  of  Major  Donaldson.  In  the  spring  of 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF    SLEAT.  101 

1779,  the  regiment  embarked  for  New  York,  and 
after  serving  with  distinction  in  the  American  War, 
it  returned  home  and  was  disbanded  at  Stirling  in 
March,  1784. 

Lord  Macdonald,  who  was  keenly  interested  in 
politics,  became  a  candidate  in  1782  for  the  repre- 
sentation of  Inverness-shire  in  Parliament,  but  he 
was  not  successful  in  securing  the  seat.  He  con- 
tinued, however,  to  take  an  active  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  county,  and  in  1794  he  raised  three 
volunteer  companies  in  Skye  and  Uist  for  i^he 
defence  of  the  country  and  the  relief  of  the  regular 
army.  Lord  Macdonald  was  a  highly  cultured  and 
accomplished  gentleman,  and  though  unpopular  in 
the  Isles  on  account  of  his  ariti- Celtic  tendencies  and 
hard  dealings  as  a  landlord,  he  was  respected  for  his 
high  character,  tact,  and  business  capacity.  He 
was  reckoned,  among  his  other  accomplishments, 
one  of  the  best  amateur  players  on  the  violin  of  his 
day.  He  composed  several  pieces  of  music  for  this 
instrument,  some  of  which  have  been  very  popular 
in  the  Western  Isles,  such  as  "  Lord  Macdonald's 
Keel,"  "  Mrs  Mackinnori  of  Corry,"  and  "  Mrs 
Macleod  of  Ellanreoch." 

Lord  Macdonald  died  on  the  12th  of  September, 
1795,  a  comparatively  young  man,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son,  Alexander  Wentworth,  as  second 
lord.  This  Chief,  like  his  father,  was  educated  at 
Eton  and  St  Andrews,  and  was  kind,  generous,  and 
amiable.  Being  naturally  shy,  and  of  a  retired 
disposition,  he  associated  but  little  with  his. people 
in  the  Isles,  though  the  relations  between  him  and 
his  tenants  were  of  the  most  cordial  kind.  Anything 
that  had  for  its  object  the  comfort  and  advancement 
of  his  tenantry  had  his  hearty  support.  There  is 


102  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

only  one  sense  in  which  Lord  Macdonald  is  to  be 
held  responsible  for  the  evictions  which  took  place 
in  his  time  in  Skye  and  Uist.  He  should  have 
made  it  impossible  for  the  managers  of  his  property 
to  evict  tenants  without  his  knowledge  and  consent. 
Lord  Macdonald  knew  nothing  of  the  disgraceful 
evictions  of  Clachan  and  others  in  North  Uist  until 
the  evicted,  who  were  the  most  prosperous  tenants 
on  the  estate,  had  been  already  driven  out  of  the 
country.  Lord  Macdonald,  it  should  be  added, 
lived  for  the  most  part  in  England,  and  sometimes 
abroad. 

In  1798  Lord  Macdonald  received  permission 
from  King  George  III.  to  raise  for  His  Majesty's 
service  a  regiment  on  his  estates  in  the  Isles.  The 
Islanders  were  somewhat  slow  in  responding  to  the 
call  to  arms  on  this  occasion.  Very  considerable 
pressure,  indeed,  was  brought  to  bear  upon  them 
before  the  full  complement  of  men  required  was 
obtained.  The  Highlanders  as  a  body  never  enlisted 
willingly,  though  when  they  did  take  up  arms  they 
fought  like  heroes.  "  The  Regiment  of  the  Isles," 
as  it  was  very  appropriately  called,  was  embodied  at 
Inverness,  and  inspected  there  by  General  Leith- 
Hay  on  June  4th,  1799.  It  saw  no  active  service, 
and  was  reduced  at  Fort-George  in  July,  1802. 

Lord  Macdonald  spent  large  sums  in  improve- 
ments on  his  estates,  and  erected  the  fine  mansion 
house  of  Armadale,  in  the  parish  of  Sleat,  the 
principal  residence  of  his  family.  His  lordship  died 
unmarried,  in  London,  on  the  19th  June,  1824,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Godfrey. 

Godfrey,  third  Lord  Macdonald,  entered  the 
army  in  1794,  saw  a  good  deal  of  service,  and 
finally  attained  the  rank  of  Lieutenant-General. 


THE    MACDONALDS    OF   SLEAT.  103 

Very  soon  after  his  succession  to  the  family 
honours  and  estates,  he  was  dragged  into  a  some- 
what exciting  controversy  with  Glengarry  over  the 
chiefship  of  the  clan.  The  aggressor,  it  need  hardly 
be  said,  was  Glengarry.  A  fierce  epistolary  corres- 
pondence took  place  between  them,  both  privately 
and  in  the  newspapers.  The  result  might  have 
been  disastrous  to  one  or  both.  The  controversy 
at  length  came  to  such  a  height  that  Lord  Mac- 
rlonald  had  all  but  called  Glengarry  "out,"  when 
friends  on  both  sides  interfered,  and  the  dreaded 
duel  was  averted.  In  1826  Lord  Macdonald  stood 
as  a  Parliamentary  candidate  for  Inverness-shire, 
but  was  defeated,  Charles  Grant  of  Glenelg  carrying 
the  seat  by  a  large  majority.  Lord  Macdonald  died 
on  the  12th  of  October,  1832,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  Godfrey  William,  as  fourth  lord.  Large 
portions  of  the  family  inheritance  were  sold  by  this 
Chief,  including  North  Uist,  and  Kilmuir  in  Troter- 
nish,  with  its  ancient  Castle  of  Duntulm.  He 
died  in  1863,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 
Somerled,  as  fifth  lord,  who  was  succeeded  in  1874 
by  his  brother,  Ronald  Archibald,  the  present  peer. 


104  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  SOCIAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLAN  DONALD,  1545-1800. 

Fall  of  lordship  of  Isles. — Feudal  and  Celtic  tenures. — Bond  of 
Kindred. — Differentiation  of  offices.  —  Legal  system. — The 
Cinn-Tighe  and  their  holdings. — The  tribe. — Agriculture. — 
Trading.  —  Fishing.  —  Anns  and  clothing.  —  Statutes  of 
I  Colurnkill.—  Modern  Tacksman  emerging.  —  Incidence  of 
Cowdeicheis  and  Calpes. — Social  state  of  chiefs. — Hunting 
and  arms. — Restriction  on  chiefs'  retainers,  Galleys,  Arms, 
unsuccessfully  attempted, — Hereditary  and  other  offices. — 
Marischall-tighe,  Cup-bearer,  Bard,  Harper,  Piper,  Physician, 
Armourer,  Miller. — Celtic  customs. — Handfasting. — Marriage 
contracts. — Fosterage. — Rise  of  modern  tenures. — Tacksmen. 
— Wadsetters.  —  Feu-farmers.  —  Steelbow  tenants.  —  Small 
tenants. — Introduction  of  Kelp. — Of  the  potato.  —  Educa- 
tional condition  of  Isles  in  16th  century. — Donald  Dubh's 
barous. — Gaelic  culture. — Carsewell's  prayer-book. — Legen- 
dary lore. — Educational  policy  of  Government. — Culture 
among  Tacksmen. — Attitude  of  Clans  to  crown. — Mistaken 
policy  of  appointing  Lieutenants.  —  Change  of  Islesmeu's 
attitude  explained. — Abolition  of  Heritable  Jurisdictions — 
Disarming  and  unclothing  Acts.  —  Dissolution  of  Clans.— 
Rise  in  land. —  Commercial  policy  of  chiefs. — Emigration. — 
New  townships  on  Clanranald  Estates. — Formation  of  Fencible 
Regiments  in  the  Isles. 

AFTER  the  fall  of  the  lordship  of  the  Isles  and  the 
failure  of  the  last  efforts  to  restore  it,  the  various 
tribes  within  the  Clan  Donald  confederacy  came  at 
once  into  historical  prominence.  What  occurred  on 
the  mainland  in  the  case  of  the  ancient  Mor- 
maordoms  is  now  repeated  in  the  Isles.  The  Clan 
Donald  families  while  under  the  shield  of  the  parent 
house  were  largely  influenced  by  Celtic  ideals,  and 


SOCIAL   HISTORY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  105 

the  various  attempts  to  restore  the  fallen  dynasty 
sprang  from  reluctance  to  come  under  a  different 
and  alien  type  of  culture.  After  the  fall  of  the 
House  of  Isla  the  social  and  political  life  of  the 
great  offshoots  were  modelled  on  the  parent  stem. 
During  the  greater  part  of  the  16th  century  the 
Clan  Donald  North  were  destitute  of  regular  titles, 
and  their  tenure  of  the  lands  they  occupied  was  less 
upon  the  system  of  the  feudal  charter  and  more  upon 
the  patriarchal  principle  of  "  cluchas"  or  "  kyndness" 
as  it  was  styled  in  the  lowland  tongue  of  those 
times.  It  is  clearly  stated  in  the  charter  to  Donald 
Gorme  of  Sleat  in  1597  that,  owing  to  troublous 
times,  the  titles  and  evidents  were  destroyed,  which 
means  that  from  the  time  of  John,  the  son  of  Hugh, 
who  alienated  the  estates  about  the  end  of  the 
15th  century,  the  family  of  Sleat  had  no  feudal 
tenure,  while  in  the  case  of  Clanranald,  though  John 
Moydartach  got  a  charter  in  1532,  it  was  annulled 
ten  years  later.  Hence,  during  a  great  part  of  the 
16th  century,  hoth  these  great  houses  and  their 
Clans  lived  their  own  life  and  fulfilled  their  own 
ideals  according  to  the  unwritten  laws  of  the 
ancient  tribal  system  which  was  at  the  basis  of 
their  political  existence. 

Of  course  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  feudalism 
Avas  entirely  absent  either  from  the  lordship  of  the 
Isles  or  the  subordinate  families,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  former  certain  obligations  of  service  were  con- 
ditions of  holding-  land  from  the  Crown.  Further, 

^7 

these  two  types  of  culture  possess  a  good  deal  of 
superficial  similarity.  There  was,  however,  this 
radical  distinction  between  them.  The  feudal 
system  was  maintained  on  the  principle  of  service, 
Ward  and  Relief  and  other  casualties  payable  by 


106  THE    CLAN   DONALD. 

the  vassal  to  the  superior.  The  Clan  system  was 
maintained  on  the  principle  of  kin  or  blood  relation- 
ship, and  the  interests  of  one  were  the  interesis  of 
all.  In  one  respect  the  two  were  alike,  and  in  the 
course  of  ages  showed  a  tendency  to  coalesce, 
namely,  that  the  feudal  baron,  as  well  as  the  High- 
land chief,  exercised  an  hereditary  jurisdiction,  and 
exacted  service  from  their  vassals.  Beneath  the 
general  resemblance  the  differences  of  organisation 
were  deep  arid  marked,  and  proceeded  on  principles 
radically  opposed. 

Despite  the  power  of  feudalism  and  the  frequent 
absence  of  legal  charters  during  the  16th  century, 
the  Clan  Donald  adhered  to  their  position,  and  they 
did  so  on  the  principle  with  which  they  were  most 
familiar ;  they  occupied  their  "  kindly  rowmes " 
just  because  it  had  been  the  land  of  their  kith  and 
kin  for  generations.  This,  in  fact,  was  the  claim 
advanced  by  Donald  Gorme  Mor,  and  admitted  by 
the  Crown  authorities  in  1597.  The  Chief  and  his 
Clan — Tuath  and  Tighearn — were  connected  by 
nature's  bond  of  kindred  which,  unlike  the  feudal 
bond,  was  incapable  of  dissolution.  Both  were  alike 
knitted  to  the  soil,  and  no  Government  attempted 
so  revolutionary  a  measure  as  to  uproot  or  dissolve 
the  social  organism.  Thus  it  was  that,  despite 
Crown  Charters  to  the  family  of  Sleat  for  lands  in 
Benbscula  and  South  Uist,  and  to  the  Macleods  of 
Dunvegan  for  the  lands  of  Sleat,  Trotternish,  and 
North  Uist,  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  ever 
gained  real  possession  as  against  the  Clanranald  on 
the  one  hand  or  the  Clan  Uisdein  on  the  other. 
The  Gaelic  principle  asserted  itself  triumphantly  in 
the  face  of  feudal  titles. 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  107 

Primogeniture  was  a  cardinal  tenet  of  feudalism, 
yet  in  the  16th  century  we  find  it  again  and  again 
broken  through,  the  feudal  heir  being  set  aside  for 
one  more  acceptable  to  the  community.  Questions 
of  legitimacy  or  the  reverse  were  not  too  critically 
scanned.  If  the  claimant  to  the  chiefship  \vas  brave 
and  princely  and  of  the  blood  of  the  nobility,  he  met 
the  necessities  of  the  case,  and  secured  the  con- 
fidence and  safety  of  the  Clan.  In  the  families  of 
Clanranald  and  Keppoch  the  feudal  principle  of 
succession  was  repeatedly  broken  through.  We 
dwell  on  these  well-known  facts  simply  to  illustrate 
our  contention  that  the  predominant  element  in  the 
social  life  of  the  Clan  Donald  was  Celtic  in  the 
16th  century,  and  that,  although  their  position  was 
feudally  precarious,  their  occupancy  was  practically 
unassailable. 

The  occupancy  of  land  among  Celtic  peoples  in 
early  times  being  on  the  principle  of  communal 
rather  than  individual  or  private  ownership,  the 
relation  of  the  heads  of  families  or  tribes  to  the  land 
was  official,  the  Mormaors  being  greater  and  Maors 
or  Thanes  lesser  officers.  This  principle  we  find  in 
later  times  in  those  bailiaries  or  Stewartries  which 
afterward  developed  into  actual  proprietorship.  All 
the  power  was  originally  vested  in  the  head  of  the 
race,  but  offices  in  time  became  differentiated  and 
transmitted  on  the  hereditary  principle  which  so 
deeply  coloured  the  entire  Celtic  organisation.  The 
affairs  of  clans  were  administered  by  a  Court  or 
Mod  composed  of  assessors  or  jurors,  consisting  of 
the  heads  of  families,  like  the  elders  of  the  Israel- 
itish  tribes,  of  a  judge,  deemster,  or  breitheamh,  for 
whom  a  portion  of  land  was  hereditarily  provided, 
and  in  later  times  a  clerk  of  court,  who  kept  a 


108  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

record  of  the  business.  So  much  akin  to  this  was 
the  baron  and  his  court,  with  his  power  of  pit  and 
gallows — the  capital  punishment  of  drowning  and 
hanging — that  the  two  systems  easily  amalgamated. 

A  complete  legal  system  existed  under  the  lord- 
ship of  the  Isles  with  a  supreme  court  and  a  series 
of  inferior  judicatories.  In  the  charter  by  Angus 
Og  to  the  Abbey  of  lona  in  1485,  we  find  the  name 
of  Hulialmus,  the  "  Chief  Judge  of  the  Isles,"  as 
witnessing  the  deed,  and  the  presence  of  such  an 
official  in  the  entourage,  of  the  Master  of  the  Isles  is 
both  interesting  and  suggestive.  Gaelic  Courts  of 
Assize  were  held  on  hillocks  to  make  them  more 
imposing  in  the  people's  sight.  These  were  the 
moothills  or  gallows  hills,  but  it  does  not  appear  that 
hanging  or  drowning,  prescribed  by  feudal  custom, 
was  invariably  the  mode  of  doing  away  with 
criminals  followed  by  the  island  chiefs  even  in 
feudal  times.  In  the  Parish  of  Killean,  district  of 
Kintyre,  the  ancient  territory  of  Clan  Iain  Mhoir, 
there  is  Dun  Domhnuill,  a  fort  very  strongly  posted 
on  the  top  of  an  isolated  rocky  mound  of  consider- 
able height.  Here,  according  to  the  traditions  of 
Kintyre,  the  ancient  lords  of  Dunnyveg  held  their 
courts  of  justice,  and  criminals  condemned  to  death 
were  hurled  from  the  top  of  the  Dun  and  despatched 
by  executioners  at  the  foot. 

It  is  obvious  from  the  foregoing  considerations 
that  the  heads  of  the  clans  occupied  the  double 
capacity  of  chiefs  and  barons,  and  that  Celtic- 
customs  and  usages  prevailed  in  the  practical 
administration  of  the  feudal  law.  Their  legal  courts 
were  not  conducted  on  the  Lowland  model,  but 
entirely  as  the  chiefs  and  their  advisers  thought 
proper,  and  they  exercised  both  legislative  and 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  109 

judicial  functions.  They  enacted  statutes  for  the 
regulation  of  morals  and  the  management  of  all 
kinds  of  estate  business,  while  the  criminal  juris- 
diction seems  to  have  been  carefully  exercised,  and 
its  decisions,  which  were  accepted  as  just,  were 
usually  received  without  a  murmur.  Dnring  the 
16th  arid  a  great  part  of  the  17th  centuries  the 
statutes  and  decisions  of  these  Courts  were  seldom 
if  at  all  reduced  to  writing,  and  the  code  appears  to 
have  been  transmitted  in  the  traditional  form  char- 
acteristic of  Celtic  custom.  Amid  the  invasion  by 
feudalism  of  the  Celtic  system,  the  latter  preserved 
its  essential  features.  Apart  from  any  position  the 
chief  might  have  as  landowner,  the  clan  owed  him 
loyalty  as  the  head  of  their  race,  and  the  confidence 
they  reposed  in  him  was  seldom  misplaced.  But 
his  rule  was  neither  arbitrary  nor  despotic,  and 
there  were  times  when  stern  necessity  compelled  his 
deposition,  such  as  in  the  case  of  Ranald  Gallda  of 
Clanranald  and  Iain  Aluinn  of  Keppoch,  to  which 
reference  has  already  been  made  in  another  con- 
nection. 

The  modern  tacksman  holding  from  the  chief  by 
a  written  instrument  of  tenure  fulfilling  certain 
duties  and  enjoying  certain  privileges,  is  little  if  at 
all  in  record  evidence  during  the  16th  century. 
We  know,  however,  that  when  this  class  appears  in 
documentary  history  they  do  so  as  kinsmen  of  the 
chief,  and  consequently  we  conclude  that  they  were 
part  of  the  social  system  when  there  is  little  or  no 
record  of  their  existence.  They  were  the  Cinn- 
tighe,  nobles  or  gentry  of  the  clan,  who  were  styled 
"  Ogtiern"  or  "  lesser  lords"  in  more  primitive  stages 
of  Gaelic  society.  In  1596  Donald  Gorme  of  Sleat 
received  from  James  VI.  a  letter  of  Tack  for  the 


110  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

lands  of  Trotternish  "occupied  by  him  and  his  sub- 
tenants." These  sub-tenants  were,  for  one  thing,  the 
class  afterwards  described  at  Wadsetters  and  Tacks- 
men,  the  gentry  of  the  Clan  Uisdein.  Holdings 
under  the  chiefs  were  not  always  though  they  were 
nearly  always  confined  to  the  chiefs  own  blood.  In 
Skye  there  were  septs  and  tribes  in  occupation  long 
before  the  Clan  Uisdein  became  a  numerous  com- 
munity, and  we  find  Nicolsons,  Macqueens,  and 
Martins  in  the  position  of  Tacksmen  in  pretty  early 
times.  In  the  Island  of  North  Uist  the  Macqueens 
are  said  to  have  had  a  verbal  tack  from  the  lords  of 
the  soil  of  the  lands  of  Orinsay  and  others  expressed 
in  the  words  "  Fhad  's  a  bhios  baine  aig  boin  duibh 
no  Cnogaire  Mhic  Cuinn  na  bhun,"  a  tenure  which 
was  extended  in  more  modern  forms  early  in  the 
17th  century. 

The  position  of  the  Tuath  or  Commonalty  of  the 
Clan  Donald  in  the  latter  half  of  the  16th  century 
is  at  least  as  difficult  to  determine  as  that  of  the 
intermediate  class  of  Tacksman,  though  they  were 
doubtless,  under  the  term  "  sub-tenants,"  included 
in  Donald  Gorme's  Charter  of  1596.  On  the  prin- 
ciple of  kindred  by  which  all  belonging  to  the  same 
race  as  the  chief  had  a  position  on  the  land,  the 
Commonalty  had  certain  rights  of  their  own,  though 
these  were  subordinate  to  those  of  the  gentry. 
How  foreign  septs  came  into  the  community  and 
privileges  of  clans  alien  to  them  in  blood  is  illus- 
trated by  a  certain  class  of  bonds  of  man  rent  which 
form  so  important  a  feature  in  the  political  life  of 
the  ancient  Gael.  The  Bond  of  Clann  Domknuill 
Riabhaich  to  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  in  1632 
is  but  a  specimen  of  many  similar  bonds — probably 
unwritten — which  would  have  been  formed  in 


SOCIAL    HISTORY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  Ill 

previous  generations  between  the  native  men  of 
Skye — the  earlier  inhabitants  of  the  island — and 
the  chiefs  of  Clan  Uisdein,  who  entered  into  effective 
occupation  in  the  first  half  of  the  1 6th  century. 
Tradition  says  that  the  Clann  Domhnuill  Riabhaich 
were  a  family  of  hereditary  bards  to  the  Macleods 
of  Dunvegan,  and  that  the  Macleod  chief,  having 
for  some  reason  dismissed  Mac-Ghille-Riabhaich, 
Macdonald  of  Sleat  received  him  and  his  sept, 
giving  them  lands  on  the  farm  of  Kilmorey  in 
Trotternisb,  which  for  long — perhaps  to  this  day— 
retains  the  name  of  Baile  Mhic  Ghille  Riabhaich. 
It  was  the  ancient  principle  of  kindred  as  the  root 
idea  of  Gaelic  society  which  rendered  this  system  of 
Bonds  of  manrcnt  necessary  in  the  case  of  tribes 
seeking  the  protection  of  a  more  powerful  clan 
community. 

The'  conditions  of  life  among  the  Tuuth  or 
peasantry  of  the  Isles  after  1545  are  not  easily 
ascertained.  The  oldest  system  of  cultivation  that 
is  known  to  have  prevailed  may  throw  light  upon 
the  subject.  This  was  termed  the  Runrig  system. 
Under  this  arrangement  there  was  no  individual  or 
isolated  tenure,  a  feature  that  was  germane  to  the 
principles  of  Gaelic  society.  The  peasantry  lived  in 
a  village  or  township,  and  the  surrounding  lands 
and  pasture  were  held,  the  latter  in  common,  and 
the  former — the  cultivated  part — was  divided  every 
year,  under  the  supervision  of  a  village  officer  styled 
maor,  but,  in  later  times,  constable.  Ihis  system— 
which  is  akin  to  the  villein  tenure  of  Saxon 
England — is  probably  a  survival  of  the  ancient 
tribeland  customs — the  fearann  tuatha  of  early 
Celtic  Scotland. 


112  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

In  the  16th  century  agriculture  in  the  Isles  was 
doubtless  of  a  very  primitive  description.  Root 
crops  were  unknown,  and  probably  the  cas-ckrom, 
or  crooked  spade,  does  not  date  from  a  period 
anterior  to  the  introduction  of  the  potato  into  the 
Isles,  in  the  18th  century,  as  it  is  unsuited  to  any 
other  kind  of  culture.  A  primitive  kind  of  spade, 
however,  has  survived  in  the  Outer  Hebrides  down 
to  the  latter  half  of  the  1 8th  century,  and  has  been 
found  in  St  Kilda  in  the  19th,  called  the  ceib.  The 
St  Kildian,  when  leaving  his  tillage  for  the  capture 
of  the  fulmar,  was  wont  to  say  "  Bhuam  a  cheib  's  far- 
mo  rib,"  leaving  the  agricultural  implement  for  the 
rope,  by  which,  in  his  harrying  of  wild  fowl,  he  was 
suspended  over  the  rocks.  Two  ploughs  were  in  use 
in  the  Isles  in  those  early  times — one  to  make  an 
incision  in  the  ground,  to  be  followed  by  the  plough- 
share, which  turned  the  furrow.  The  former  was 
called  crann  rmlaidh.  The  idea  of  combining  the 
ploughshare  and  the  coulter  in  one  implement  had 
apparently  not  dawned  on  the  agricultural  mind 
of  that  age — or  perhaps  the  roughness  of  the 
ground  that  used  to  be  cultivated  may  account 
for  the  division  of  labour.  Methods  of  manuring 
were  equally  primitive.  The  old  verses  composed  in 
one  district  of  Skye  to  satirize  another  doubtless 
conveyed  a  fair  idea  of  the  ancient  modes  of  enriching 
mother  earth  : — 

"  Am  fasan  a  bh'ac'  aim  an  Uigc 
Cha  'n  fhaca  mi  riarnh  'nam  dhuthaich 
Gabhail  dhe  'n  bhat'  air  mo  chulthaobh 
'S  smuid  as  a'  chliabh  luathadh." 

The  primitive  system  lately  prevalent  in  the 
Isle  of  Lewis — reaping  the  corn  by  uprooting,  and 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  113 

thatching  the  houses  with  the  straw  not  used  by 
the  bestial,  to  be  applied  to  the  ground  in  some 
future  spring  when  saturated  with  peat  reek- 
prevailed  in  the  lordship  of  the  Isles  over  three 
hundred  years  ago.  This  is  evidenced  by  a  verse  of 
a  song  composed  by  his  foster-mother  to  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald,  first  baronet  of  Sleat  :— 

"  Ge  lionmhor  dris  air  an  draighionn 
No  sguab  cheann-bhuidh'  air  achadh  foghair, 
No  sop  seann  todhair  air  ceann  taighe, 
Tha  'n  cuirt  Dhomnuill  Sgiath  'us  claidheamh." 

In  view  of  the  great  strides  that  modern  civiliza- 
tion has  made,  we  are  apt  to  picture  too  darkly 
the  social  conditions  of  those  bygone  times.  The 
necessaries  of  life  and  some  of  its  comforts  were 
largely  produced  in  the  Isles.  They  had  cattle,  and 
sheep,  and  goats,  hardy  breeds,  easily  reared,  and 
before  there  was  much  demand  for  stock  in  Lowland 
markets  their  flesh  was  used  for  home  consumption. 
They  grew  their  own  wool  and  flax,  and  both  were 
manufactured  within  their  own  community,  while 
they  also  produced,  tanned,  and  manufactured  their 
own  leather.  Before  the  days  of  large  sheep  farms 
and  deer  forests  much  more  land  was  cultivated  and 
corn  raised  than  now,  and,  as  the  great  industrial 
centres  had  not  arisen  to  raise  the  price  of  labour, 
by  increasing  the  demand  for  it,  the  land  could  be 
wrought  with  the  minimum  of  expense.  Hence 
land  that  would  not  now  pay  a  fraction  of  the  cost 
of  tillage  could  then  be  profitably  cultivated,  the 
food  it  produced,  though  small,  being  valuable  in 
proportion  to  the  labour,  which  was  infinitesimal 
in  market  value.  Rent,  in  the  modern  sense,  was 
unknown,  but  various  casualties  were  paid  in  kind. 

8 


114  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

In  ordinary  years  the  produce  of  the  land  was  quite 
sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  people,  while 
the  spoils  of  the  chase  and  the  products  of  river  and 
sea  increased  the  means  of  subsistence.  Trading 
was  also  carried  on  in  marketable  commodities  with 
the  South,  the  principal  items  of  exportation  being 
horses,  cows,  sheep,  goats,  hides,  and  dairy  produce. 
Attempts  were  sometimes  made  to  interrupt  this 
trading  with  the  South,  for  in  1566  a  proclamation 
was  issued  by  the  Privy  Council  prohibiting  any 
molestation  of  the  Highlanders  resorting  to  markets 
in  the  Lowlands.  There  were  fairs  held  by  license 
from  the  Crown  at  different  centres  in  the  Isles,  the 
principal  market  being  held  at  Portree,  and,  money 
being  scarce  throughout  the  country,  various  com- 
modities were  taken  in  exchange  for  the  cattle  arid 
other  native  products. 

During  the  latter  half  of  the  16th  century  the 
fishing  industry  was  a  source  of  considerable  wealth, 
not  only  to  the  islanders  themselves,  but  to  the  rest 
of  the  country,  as  well  as  to  the  Crown.  Subjects 
of  foreign  nations  were  prohibited  from  fishing  in 
the  Island  seas,  but  men  from  other  parts  of  Scot- 
land were  permitted  to  do  so  on  payment  to  the 
Heritors  of  small  dues  for  ground  anchorage.  Loch- 
maddy,  in  North  Uist,  was  the  principal  centre  of 
the  herring  fishing  in  the  Outer  Islands  for  at  least 
a  hundred  years  from  the  middle  of  the  16th  century. 
It  is  on  record  that  the  chiefs  and  people  of  the  Isles 
showed  much  unfriendliness  towards  the  Southern 
burgesses  who  came  to  fish  in  their  lochs,  and  that 
they  manifested  much  greater  partiality  to  foreigners, 
both  Dutch  and  French,  than  to  the  "  slayers  of 
herring  "  who  came  from  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland. 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  115 

There  was,  no  doubt,  a  dark  side  to  the  picture 
of  the  "  good  old  times."  Bad  seasons  would  mean 
a  half-starving  population,  and  would,  doubtless, 
incite  many  a  creach  and  spulzie.  Disease  some- 
times attacked  the  flocks  and  herds,  and  reduced 
whole  districts  from  comparative  affluence  to  poverty. 
Medical  skill  was  in  its  infancy,  sanitary  science  was 
unknown,  and  the  ravages  of  smallpox  and  other 
epidemics  at  certain  periods  decimated  the  popula- 
tion. This,  indeed,  explains  what  happened  to  the 
surplus  population,  for  which  in  those  days  there 
was  no  outlet  but  the  gates  of  death. 

So  much  has  been  written  elsewhere  as  to  the 
clothing  and  arms  of  the  Highlanders  in  the  1 6th 
century  that  the  subject  need  not  be  enlarged  on 
here.  It  is  interesting,  however,  to  be  able  to 
verify  from  the  poetical  traditions  of  the  clan  some- 
thing at  least  of  what  historical  writers  and  records 
have  set  forth  in  disproof  of  the  view  that  the  Gael 
of  that  age  was  a  naked  or  semi-naked  savage. 
Donald  Macdonald,  the  famous  warrior  and  the  hero 
of  the  battle  of  Carinish,  was  a  poet  as  well  as 
soldier,  and  flourished  c.  1570-1630.  In  a  song  or 
lullaby  composed  in  his  old  age  to  a  grandson,  he 
says  : — 

"  'S  mi  thug  na  tri  seoid  dha  t'  athair 
Clogad  'us  luireach  'TIS  claidheamh." 

These  three,  the  helmet  and  coat  of  mail,  as  well  as 
the  sword,  were  worn  by  the  soldiery  as  well  as  the 
gentry,  to  which  latter  of  course  the  bard  belonged. 
This  fact  is  proved,  among  other  instances,  by  the 
slaughter  of  Lennox,  which  took  place  in  1603, 
when  400  freebooters,  of  whom  Clan  Iain  Abrich 
formed  a  large  contingent,  came  armed  with  pistols, 


116  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

murriones,  coats  of  mail,  &c.  It  is  similarly  proved 
that  the  trews  were  much  more  frequently  worn 
than  is  generally  supposed,  for  in  a  song  composed 
not  long  after  1600,  describing  the  grandeur  of  Sir 
Donald  Gorme's  castle,  we  find  the  couplet— 

"  'S  gur  lionmhor  triubhas 
Saoithreach  seang  aim." 

The  early  years  of  the  17th  century  witnessed 
much  activity  on  the  part  of  the  Scottish  Govern- 
ment in  relation  to  the  Isles.  After  several  abortive 
attempts  to  bring  the  Islesmen  into  line  with  Low- 
land Scotland,  and  after  exasperating  the  chiefs  by 
Lord  Ochiltree's  kidnapping  expedition,  at  last  a 
survey  of  the  Isles  by  Bishop  Knox  became  the 
basis  of  reforms  afterwards  embodied  in  the  Statutes 
of  I  Columkill.  The  proposed  reforms,  in  so  far  as 
they  were  directed  against  ignorance,  immorality, 
and  intemperance,  were  no  doubt  needful  and  salu- 
tary, but  in  common  with  many  other  schemes  for 
the  amelioration  of  the  Highlands,  they  displayed 
an  utter  want  of  sympathy  with,  as  well  as  ignorance 
of,  the  social  system  which  it  was  intended  to 
improve.  The  position  of  the  Clanranald  family 
illustrates,  particularly,  in  one  direction,  the  rise  of 
the  modern  Tacksman,  brought  about  by  the  oper- 
ation of  the  legislation  of  I  Columkill.  In  1610 
Donald  of  Clanranald  took  out  infeftments,  and  the 
same  year  had  to  find  caution  for  observing  the 
regulations  imposed  by  the  Crown  upon  its  island 
vasaals.  One  of  these  was  the  obligation  of  selling 
or  letting  his  lands  for  fixed  duties  and  to  exact  no 
more.  By  this  means  the  Tacksman,  from  occu- 
pying his  lands  according  to  the  immemorial  law  of 
kinship  paying  the  ancient  casualties  of  calpes 


SOCIAL   HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  117 

cowdeicheis  and  others,  begins  to  hold  by  tack  and 
assedation  from  his  chief.  The  chief  was  to  forbear 
the  taking  cowdeicheis  and  presents,  but  this  ordin- 
ance, like  many  other  prohibitions  and  impositions, 
was  more  honoured  in  the  breach  than  in  the 
observance.  About  twelve  years  afterwards  Sir 
Donald's  successor,  in  a  tack  to  his  uncle,  the  Parson 
of  Island  Finnan,  inserts  a  provision  that  he — the 
superior — should  have  a  right  to  "  cowdeicheis,"  that 
is,  one  night's  meat  and  entertainment,  the  word 
being  a  corruption  of  cuid  oidhche,  or  night's 
portion.  This  casualty  was  the  Highland  equivalent 
of  coign  and  livery — entertainment  for  man  and 
beast — to  be  met  with  in  Irish  Records,  but  of 
which  there  is  no  parallel  among  the  Cymric.  It 
was  paid  from  very  early  times  by  the  vassal  to  the 
superior,  and  no  doubt  gave  rise  to  the  following 
incident,  handed  down  in  island  tradition.  A  Lord 
of  the  Isles  once  sojourned  with  MacNeill  of  Barra, 
who  was  of  course  tributary  to  Ard  Flath  Innse- 
Gall,  Kismul  Castle  was  apparently  unprepared 
for  such  an  invasion  as  a  visit  from  the  island  Lord 
and  his  retainers  involved,  and  it  a  certain  stage  of 
the  entertainment  the  wine-cup  showed  symptoms 
of  drought.  Whereupon  MacdDnald,  who,  like 
many  of  his  race  possessed  poetic  gifts,  indulged  in 
the  following  clever  lines  :— 

"  S'  mithich  dhuinn  a  nis  'bhi  tria 
A  Barra  idh  chrion  nach  'eil  pailt 
Tha  na  sligean  ag  innse'  sgeul 
Gu  bheil  Claim  'Ic  Neill  nan  airc 
Theirear  Tighearn  ri  Mac  Neill 
Theirear  iasg  ris  an  iasg  bheag 
Theirear  nead  ri  seid  a  gheoigh 
'S  nead  an  fhionnain  fheoir  ge  beag." 


118  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

In  the  tack  to  the  parson  of  Island  Finnan,  this 
casualty  was  referred  to  as  "  ane  nichteis  meit  or 
Cuddyche  to  me,  my  household  and  servandis  aries 
ilk  yeir,"  while  the  lessee  was  forbidden  to  take 
forcibly  meat  or  drink  or  other  entertainment  from 
any  Clanranald  tenants  except  he  was  storm-stayed 
anywhere,  in  which  case  he  was  to  take  from  his 
own  nearest  tenants  within  the  lands  of  Derrilea 
and  others  set  in  tack  at  the  utmost  three  nights' 
meat.  This  form  of  obligation,  which  was  evidently 
exacted  from  all  classes  of  tenants,  must  have  been 
occasionally  oppressive,  and  it  was  with  the  view  of 
obviating  its  necessity  that  the  Statutes  of  I  Colum- 
kill  laid  upon  the  chiefs  of  the  Isles  the  duty  of 
building  and  maintaining  inns  and  places  of  enter- 
tainment. 

The  incidence  of  the  "  calp,"  "  herezeld,"  or  each 
fuinn,  was  in  early  times  the  symbol  of  dependence 
paid  by  the  native  man  to  his  lord.  But  in  later 
ages  it  was  exacted  by  the  chief  from  his  vassals. 
On  the  death  o1'  a  tenant  the  best  horse  had  to  be 
given  over.  The  custom  was  forbidden  by  law  in 
1617,  but  Celtic  customs  die  hard,  and  in  a  marriage 
contract  of  1710  the  wife,  if  she  survived  her 
husband,  would,  among  other  gear,  obtain  the 
second  best  horse  he  possessed,  clearly  implying  that 
the  best  horse  went  to  the  chief.  The  records  of  the 
early  years  of  the  17th  century  help  to  throw  some 
light  upon  the  social  life  of  the  chiefs  and  gentry  of 
the  Isles.  It  is  clear  that  their  manner  of  living 
was  highly  luxurious  for  those  days,  and  that  they 
kept  high  state  in  their  great  strongholds,  perched 
upon  the  impregnable  rocks  oP  their  country.  That 
the  men  of  the  South  looked  on  them  with  an 
envious  eye  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  Privy 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  119 

Council  sought  to  limit  their  potations  to  a  minimum 
quantity  of  wine.  The  allowance  of  3  tun  to  Clan- 
ranald  was  evidently  far  short  of  the  quantity 
formerly  consumed  in  the  household  of  that  chief. 
Doubt  may  be  expressed  as  to  the  rigid  adherence 
on  the  part  of  the  chief  to  his  allowance,  and  it 
would  be  interesting  to  know  who  kept  the  reckoning, 
and  whether  the  meddling  Council  sent  a  teetotaller 
to  do  the  duty,  or,  if  they  did,  whether  he  broke  his 
pledge  !  As  to  alcoholic  indulgence,  the  households 
of  the  chiefs  were  certainly  not  ascetic,  nor  did  they 
become  so  through  the  efforts  of  the  Privy  Council. 
Niel  Mor  MacVuirich  celebrates  in  enthusiastic 
strains  a  visit  to  Dunvegan  Castle  early  in  the 
17th  century.  The  entertainment  lasted  six  nights, 
and  a  numerous  company  sat  at  the  festive  board. 
There  was  the  merriment  of  the  harp  and  of  the  full 
bowl,  inebriating  ale,  and  a  blazing  fire.  In  his  regal 
court  drinking  was  not  a  dream.  We  were  twenty 
times  drunk  every  day,  to  which  we  had  no  more 
objection  than  he  had.  This  picture  needs  no 
colouring,  and  it  is  certain  that  Duntulm  would 
vie  with  Dunvegan  in  the  copiousness  of  its  liba- 
tions. Donald  Gorm  Og  MacGhilleasbuig  Chleirich, 
first  baronet  of  Sleat,  is  the  hero  of  a  song  by  his 
foster-mother — already  quoted — which  is  interesting 
from  the  side-lights  shed  by  it  upon  the  social  life 
of  the  chief  and  his  retainers.  Hyperbole  indeed 
abounds,  such  as  when  she  says  about  his  galley  :— 

"  Tha  stiuir  oir  orr' 
Tri  chruinn  sheilich 
Gu  'm  bheil  tobar  fi6na 
Sios  na  deireadh 
'S  tobar  fior-uisg 
'Sa'  oheann  eile." 


120  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

The  favourite  amusements  at  ISir  Donald's  courts — 
draughts,  cards,  dice,  wrestling,  and  even  football — 
are  enumerated,  while  the  music  of  the  pipe  and  harp, 
not  always  found  in  such  close  fellowship,  are  here 
side  by  side  in  friendly  rivalry.  One  of  the  services 
demanded  of  vassals  was  to  attend  the  chiefs  on 
days  of  hunting,  and  a  stipulation  to  that  effect  was 
usually  inserted  in  tacks  of  the  early  years  of  the 
17th  century.  The  tenant  was  "  hereby  obi eist  to 
Intertein  myne  and  my  foirsaids  horse  hound, 
haulkis  and  their  keiperis  pro  rata  as  the  remanent 
of  my  country  people  sail."  Firearms  were  in  pretty 
general  use  in  the  Highlands  during  the  16th 
century,  as  is  shown  in  a  poetic  soliloquy  by 
DomhnuU  Maclain  Ic  Sheumais,  a  bard  already 
quoted,  as  he  laments  the  sordid  surroundings  of  his 
declining  years,  and  thus  soliloquizes  :— 

"  A  inhic  na  Gorm-shuilich  a  Muideart 
Cha  bi  deatach  dhubh  an  dudain 
A  chleachd  thu  aim  an  turlach  t'  atliar 
Fir  oga  ri  losgadh  fudair 
Ri  mire  ri  muirn  's  ri  aighear." 

The  early  years  of  this  warrior  bard  were  passed 
about  1570-1600,  and  we  know  that  bows  and 
arrows  were  the  arms  of  precision  used  at  the 
battle  of  Carinish,  which  was  fought  about  the 
latter  date.  Yet  even  then  firearms  were  in  use  in 
the  Isle  of  Skye,  as  the  poem  just  quoted  suggests. 
It  does  not,  however,  appear  that  firearms  were 
used  in  hunting  until  long  after  their  introduction 
into  warfare.  For  purposes  of  the  chase,  bows  and 
arrows  continued  in  use  far  into  th«  17th  century. 
Even  as  late  as  1663 — the  year  of  the  Keppoch 
murder — Iain  Loin,  the  Lochaber  bard,  eulogising 
Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  says  : — 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  121 

"  Bluodh  an  t-iubhar  ga  lubadh 
Aig  do  fhleasgaicheau  ura 
Dol  a  sbiublml  nan  stue-bheann." 

The  statutes  of  I  Columkill  laid  many  other  pro- 
hibitions on  the  Chiefs  of  the  Isles,  none  of  which 
would  have  been  much  more  effective  than  those 
already  referred  to.  There  was  the  limit  placed 
upon  the  number  of  retainers  or  body  guard  to  be 
kept  in  their  castles,  which  was  to  be  restricted  to 
six  in  the  cases  of  Sleat  and  Clanrariald,  while  they 
were  forbidden  to  keep  more  than  one  galley  of  16 
to  18  oars  each.  The  attempt  had  previously  been 
made  to  take  their  strongholds  from  them.  Angus 
of  Dunnyveg,  Donald  Gorm  of  Sleat,  Clanranald, 
arid  Glengarry  were  asked  to  surrender  their  castles, 
respectively  of  Dunnyveg,  Camus,  Islandtirrim,  and 
Strome,  and  this  was  made  a  condition  of  their 
holding  lands  from  the  Crown.  They  were  also 
obliged  to  give  as  much  land  as  would  maintain  the 
keepers.  Now  there  is  a  strict  limitation  of  the 
numbers  by  whom  coats  of  mail,  fire-arms,  and 
swords  were  to  be  used.  If  these  enactments  as  to 
arms  and  galleys  had  been  strictly  kept,  one  wonders 
how  such  large  bodies  of  men  could  have  been  so 
expeditionsly  shipped  to  the  mainland  or  ho\v  the 
islesmen  could  have  fought  with  such  skill  and 
courage  a  generation  later  in  the  brilliant  campaign 
of  Montrose. 

It  is  thus  clear  that,  despite  outside  influences, 
society  in  the  Isles  preserved  its  chief  outlines  at 
the  beginning  of  the  17th  century.  This  being  so, 
the  present  would  seem  to  be  an  appropriate  stage 
of  this  chapter  for  considering  some,  at  least,  of 
those  offices  and  customs  so  long  characteristic  of 
Gaelic  culture.  The  more  important  offices  in  the 


122  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Chief's  household  and  in  the  polity  of  the  Clan  were 
hereditary.  Martin  mentions  two  officials  of  the 
Chiefs  household  whose  functions  were  thus  trans- 
mitted from  father  to  son,  namely,  the  Marischall- 
Tighe  and  the  cup-bearer — the  latter  not  a  sinecure, 
if  the  verdict  of  tradition  is  trustworthy.  Martin 
had  seen  the  parchments  on  which  their  hereditary 
rights  were  recorded.  One  of  the  officials  expressly 
condemned  arid  whose  office  was  abolished  by  the 
oft-quoted  statutes  was  the  bard,  but  he  long 
survived,  and  continued  to  flourish  after  his 
deposition  by  the  Privy  Council  of  Scotland. 
The  bards,  who  were  more  than  any  others 
associated  with  the  Clan  Donald,  were  the  ancient 
line  of  the  MacVurichs.  These  were  descended 
from  Muireach  Albannach,  who  came  from  Ireland 
to  the  Isles  in  the  first  half  of  the  13th  century, 
being  contemporary  with  Donald,  from  whom  the 
Clan  derives  its  name.  Tradition  tells  that  he 
once  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  perhaps,  indeed, 
in  the  company  of  the  Island  lord  himself,  when  he 
visited  his  Holiness  in  the  Eternal  City.  On  his 
return,  resting  footsore  and  weary  on  the  banks  of 
Loch  Long,  he  exclaimed— 

"  Mi  m'  shuidh  air  cuocau  nan  deur 
Gun  chraicionn  air  meur  no  air  bonn 
A  Righ  's  a  Pheadair  's  a  Phoil 
'S  fada  'n  Roimh  o  Loch  Long." 

Under  the  lordship  of  the  Isles  there  was  a 
college  or  hierarchy  of  bards.  In  Angus  Og's 
Charter  to  the  Abbey  of  lona,  one  of  the  witnesses 
is  Lachlan  MacVurich,  described  as  "  Archipoeta," 
or  chief  poet.  Then  and  afterwards  the  Mac 
Vurichs  were  learned  in  Irish,  English,  and  Latin, 


SOCIAL    HISTORY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  123 

and  the  fact  that  they  studied  in  the  Colleges  of 
Ireland  seems  borne  out  by  the  decided  Hibernian 
smack  that  is  noticeable  in  many  of  their  com- 
positions. After  the  fall  of  the  lordship  of  the 
Isles,  they  adhered  to  the  fortunes  of  the  Clan- 
ranald  branch,  from  whom  they  received  as  the 
emoluments  of  their  office  the  farm  of  Stelligarry 
and  four  pennies  of  the  farm  of  Dremisdale.  Their 
rights  in  these  were  to  continue  so  long  as  there 
should  be  any  of  the  posterity  of  Muireach  to  pre- 
serve and  continue  the  history  of  the  Macdonalds. 
Failing  of  male  issue,  each  successive  bard  was  to 
educate  the  brother's  sou  or  other  representative,  in 
order  to  preserve  the  title  to  the  lands  and  maintain 
the  bardic  order.  In  1633  John  Macdonald  of  Clan- 
ranakl  granted  a  wadset  of  the  lands  of  Balmeanach 
and  Gerihorornish  in  South  Uist  to  Donald  Gearr 
MacVurich,  who  must  have  been  one  of  the  same 
family.  In  1707  the  MacVurich  lands  of  Stelligarry 
and  Dremisdale  ceased  to  be  an  entirely  free  gift, 
though  still  held  by  them  as  bards  and  seanachies, 
for  in  a  tack  by  Allan  Macdonald  of  Clanranald  to 
Donald  MacVurich,  "  indoweller  in  Stelligarry,"  a 
rent  was  exacted  of  <£10  Scots,  along  with  all  public 
burdens  arid  impositions.  After  1745  the  office  of 
family  bard  and  historian  was  abandoned  by  the 
Clamanalds,  and  the  representative  of  the  family  in 
1800  was  totally  illiterate.  This  individual,  whose 
name  was  Niel  MacVurich,  received  from  the  Clan- 
ranald of  his  day  a  small  life  pension  of  £2  15s  6jd. 
Besides  the  Eed  and  Black  Books  of  Clanranald, 
now  in  the  possession  of  the  family,  there  are 
numerous  manuscripts  left  by  them,  preserved  in 
the  Advocates'  Library,  which  can  only  be  a  frag- 
ment of  their  literary  remains  as  these  existed  in 
the  18th  century. 


124  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Among  the  hereditary  bards  were  those  of  the 
Macdonalds  of  81  eat.  One  appears  in  tradition— 
MacBheatrais  or  MacBeathaig — who  flourished  about 
the  middle  of  the  17th  century,  and  is  probably 
the  individual  of  whom  MacCodrum  speaks  in  his 
"  Di-moladh  piob  Dhomhnuill  Bhain  "  in  the  verse 

"  13ha  i  treis  aig  Mac  Bheatrais 
A  Sheinneadh  na  daiii 
Nuair  theirig  a  chlarsach 
'S  a  dh'  fhailing  a  pris  " 

which  suggests  that  MacBeathaig  was  a  mild 
pluralist,  who  combined  the  offices  of  bard  and 
piper.  On  one  occasion  on  which  he  was  witb  his 
Chief  at  Dunvegan  Castle  in  company  with  other 
Island  notabilities,  all  with  their  bards  and  pipers, 
it  was  agreed  that  the  bard  composing  the  best 
eulogy  to  his  Chief  should  receive  a  prize.  When 
MacBeathaig  delivered  his  soul  he  represented  the 
other  chiefs  as  menials,  waiting  on  the  pleasure  of 
the  Lords  of  the  Isles,  one  a  door-keeper,  another 
holding  his  stirrup,  and  others  discharging  duties 
quite  as  humble.  Dunvegan's  Chief  was  wroth  and 
spoke  harshly  to  MacBeathaig,  at  the  same  time 
admitting  that  his  poetic  effort  was  the  best  and 
most  deserving  of  the  prize.  The  poet  proudly 
declined,  and  spoke  the  lines  that  follow— 

"  'S  ami  a  gheibhinn  mo  dhuais 
Ann  an  talla  nan  teud, 
Bho  Dhomhnull  Gorm 
Bu  chomhnard  ceuni  an  comhrag  arm, 
Bho  Dhomhnull  Gorm  nan  cliar  's  nan  creach, 
Mo  bhiadh  's  mo  dheoch  ; 
M'  uisge  beatha  's  m'  fhion  gu  moch, 
'S  mo  ghrian  air  loch." 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  125 

A  family  of  the  name  of  Macruari  held  the  lands 
of  Achadk  nam  bard  in  Trotternish.  in  virtue  of 
their  office  as  bards  to  the  Sleat  family  :  they  were 
probably  in  succession  to  the  MacBeathaigs. 
Duncan  Macruari,  whose  name  appears  in  the 
Fearnaig  MS.  as  the  author  of  several  short  poems, 
was  no  doubt  of  the  Trotternish  family  of  bards. 
The  last  of  them  who  held  the  office  was  another 
Duncan  Macruari,  the  predecessor,  with  probably  a 
considerable  interval,  of  John  MacCodrum,  who  was 
appointed  in  1763,  and  was  the  last  of  the  Mac- 
donald  bards.  MacCodrum,  besides  holdino-  his 

o 

croft  in  North  Uist  free,  had  a  yearly  salary  allowed 
him  as  bard  to  Sir  James  Macdonald,  and  after- 
wards to  Sir  Alexander  Lord  Macdonald.  The 
influence  of  the  bards,  as  a  moral  force  in  the  social 
system  of  the  Isles,  was,  doubtless,  considerable. 
It  was  their  function  to  sing  the  prowess  and  fame 
of  those  who  had  won  distinction  in  the  field,  and  to 
incite  the  men  of  their  own  day  to  imitate  the 
heroes  of  the  past.  They  have  been  accused  of 
keeping  every  offence  from  being  forgotten,  and 
every  barbarous  revenge  from  being  repented  of,  but 
this  charge  is  not  supported  by  the  effusions  that 
have  floated  down  to  us  on  the  stream  of  tradition, 
whose  influence  must,  on  the  whole,  have  been 
elevating  and  inspiring. 

The  next  hereditary  official  in  the  household  of 
the  chief  who  may  be  placed  after  the  bard  and  before 
the  piper  in  point  of  antiquity  is  the  harper.  That 
the  harper,  in  some  districts,  had  lands  attached  to  his 
office  is  shewn  by  the  place-name  Croit-a-Chlarsair, 
the  harper's  croft,  met  with  in  the  parish  of  Kiltarlity 
and  elsewhere.  The  harp,  which  was  adapted  more 
for  the  hall,  as  the  accompaniment  of  the  songs  of 


126  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

the  bard,  than  for  the  field,  gave  place  gradually  to 
the  bagpipe,  which,  from  its  rousing  strains,  was 
better  suited  to  the  genius  of  the  Highland  people. 
This  decline  of  the  harp  may  be  dated  from  the 
beginning  of  the  civil  wars,  when  the  military  spirit 
of  the  Highland  clans  was  roused  to  such  a  high 
pitch  of  enthusiasm.  Towards  the  end  of  the  1 7th 
century  the  professional  harper  had  almost  entirely 
disappeared  from  the  social  life  of  the  Tsles.  The 
last  of  his  race  is  believed  to  have  been  Murdoch 
Macdonald,  harper  to  Maclean  of  Coll,  who  died,  at 
an  advanced  age,  in  1739. 

It  does  not  fall  within  the  scope  of  this  chapter 
to  trace  the  origin  of  the  Highland  bagpipe.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  period  now 
under  consideration  the  piper  had  become  an  institu- 
tion in  the  social  life  of  the  country,  and  held  an 
important  position  in  the  chief's  household.  Like 
the  bard  and  harper,  his  office  was  hereditary.  The 
MacArthur  family,  who  were  hereditary  pipers  to 
the  Macdonalds  of  Sleat  from  an  early  period  down 
to  the  year  1800,  had  been  previously,  according  to 
their  own  testimony,  hereditary  pipers  to  the  Lords 
of  the  Isles.  They  occupied  from  time  immemorial 
the  lands  of  Hunglater,  in  Trotternish,  valued  in 
1733  at  84  merks  of  silver  duty  in  virtue  of  their 
office.  Like  the  MacCrimmons,  they  kept  a  school 
for  the  training  of  young  pipers,  to  which  students 
nocked  from  all  parts  of  the  Highlands.  The  Mac- 
Arfchurs  were  reckoned  by  many  to  be  equal  even  to 
the  MacCrimmons,  both  as  composers  and  players  of 
pipe  music.  Their  fame  spread  far  and  wide.  Pen- 
nant, the  traveller,  was  entertained  by  one  of  these 
in  his  house  at  Hunglater,  in  1774,  and  he  pays  him 
the  compliment  of  being  "  quite  master  of  his  instru- 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  127 

ment."  This  was  the  famous  Charles  MacArthur 
who  had  studied  under  Patrick  Og  MacCrimmon  at 
Durivegan.  His  father,  Angus  MacArthur,  who  was 
also  a  famous  player  in  his  day,  had  been  piper  to  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Sieat,  and  it  was  to  the  stir- 
ring notes  of  his  pipe  that  the  Clan  Uisdein  went 
into  action  at  the  battle  of  Sheriffmuir.  When  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald  became  a  student  in  St 
Andrew's,  in  1726,  Charles  MacArthur  attended 
him  as  his  piper.  His  salary  in  1749  was  £66  13s 
4d.  The  Macdonalds  of  Sleat  kept  a  piper  in  each 
of  their  three  baronies  of  Sleat.  Trotternish,  and 
North  Uist.  The  Sleat  piper  in  1723  was  a  Malcolm 
Macintyre,  who  held  his  lands  free  as  the  chief's 
piper.  The  North  Uist  piper  in  1745  was  John 
Bane  MacArthur,  brother  of  Charles,  with  a  salary 
of  £33  6s  8d.  His  son,  Angus,  was  afterwards  piper 
to  Lord  Macdonald.  He  was  the  last  of  the  heredi- 
tary pipers  of  the  MacArthur  family,  and  died  in 
London  in  1800.  Shortly  after  his  death,  Alexander 
MacArthur,  describing  himself  as  the  son  of  the  late 
Charles  MacArthur,  and  the  only  male  representative 
of  the  family  then  living,  petitioned  Lord  Macdonald 
to  appoint  him  as  his  piper  ;  but,  though  an  accom- 
plished player,  he  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
successful  in  obtaining  his  request. 

The  physicians,  who,  like  other  officials  of  the 
social  system,  were  an  hereditary  caste,  occupied  an 
important  position  in  the  Isles.  The  hereditary 
physicians  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles  were  the  Mac- 
Beths,  in  later  times  called  Beatons  and  Bethunes. 
According  to  Cathelus  MacVurich,  who  flourished 
c.  1600,  the  MacBeths  were  of  the  Gaelic  stock 
of  the  Isles,  for  when  speaking  of  aicme  tie,  "  the 
race  of  Isla,"  he  says  that  to  it  also  belonged— 


128  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

"Clanna  Mhic  Beatha  a  glmath  ghriun 
Luchd  snoidhe  clmamh  agus  chuislean." 

The  first  of  the  family  whose  name  is  on  record  is 
Fergus  MacBeth,  whose  name  is  attached  to  the 
Gaelic  Charter  of  1408  as  witness,  and  who  was 
most  probably  the  writer  of  the  Deed.  The  Islay 
physicians  had  the  lands  of  Balinbeg,  Areset,  Howe, 
and  Saligo,  for  their  maintenance  by  hereditary 
tenure,  and  long  after  the  lordship  of  the  Isles  was 
vested  in  the  Crown — in  1609 — we  find  James  VI. 
bestowing  the  office  of  physician-in-chief,  as  also  the 
lands  enjoyed  by  his  ancestors,  upon  another  Fergus 
MacBeth,  who  seems  to  have  been  the  last  to  fill  the 
office,  and  who  died  in  1629.  Several  other 
members  of  the  same  family  under  the  name  of 
Beaton,  notably  an  i-OUa  Muileach  and  Fear  char 
Lighiche,  held  similar  appointments  in  different 
parts  of  the  Hebrides.  In  North  Uist  a  branch  of 
this  family  were  hereditary  physicians  to  the  Mac- 
donalds  for  many  generations.  The  last  of  them, 
Niel  Beaton,  died  in  1763.  In  South  Uist  the 
line  of  physicians  of  this  name  came  to  an  end 
about  the  beginning  of  the  18th  century  in  the 
person  of  Fergus  Beaton.  In  Sleat  there  was  a 
long  succession  of  Beatons  occupying  the  same 
office.  In  the  barony  of  Trotternish  the  hereditary 
physicians  were  Macleans,  said  to  have  been 
descended  from  a  surgeon  of  that  name  who  accom- 
panied Ronald,  the  son  of  Donald  Herrach,  from  the 
Irish  wars,  and  settled  on  the  farm  of  Shulista.  which 
he  and  his  successors  occupied  ex  officio  for  many 
generations.  The  first  of  them,  according  to  island 
tradition,  was  of  the  family  of  Brolas,  and  obtained 
his  medical  lore  through  his  mother,  being  a 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  129 

daughter  of  one  of  the  Beaton  physicians  of  Mull. 
The  last  of  this  race  was  Dr  John  Maclean  of 
Shulista,  who  was  also  factor  for  Trotternish,  and 
reckoned  an  accomplished  and  learned  man.  He 
died  in  1790.  These  hereditary  physicians  were 
men  of  great  learning  and  skill  in  their  profession, 
whose  acquaintance  with  plants  and  herbs  and  their 
virtues  was  extensive  and  minute.  They  were 
voluminous  writers  of  Gaelic  medical  manuscripts, 
some  of  which  have  been  preserved,  while  their 
knowledge  of  botany  survives  in  their  illiterate 
descendants  down  to  our  own  times. 

Another  individual  who  held  a  position  of  some 
importance  in  the  social  polity  was  the  smith,  or 
armourer.  He  made  and  repaired  arms,  and  being 
an  hereditary  official,  held  his  lands  free.  He  was 
also  entitled  to  certain  dues  from  his  district,  and 
as  long  as  the  clan  system  and  hereditary  juris- 
dictions lasted,  was  a  personage  of  some  distinction. 
A  family  of  MacRury  were  the  hereditary  smiths  to 
the  Macdonalds  at  Trotternish,  where  they  held  the 
smiths'  pennylands  of  Balvicilleriabhaich.  A  branch 
of  the  same  family  were  hereditary  smiths  in  North 
Uist. 

An  official  of  consequence  in  the  life  of  an  island 
parish,  though  not  apparently  of  an  hereditary 
caste,  was  the  miller.  Crown  charters  originally 
bestowed  the  rights  of  multure  upon  the  Chief,  but 
afterwards  these  were  divided  between  himself  and 
the  miller.  Tenants  were  obliged  in  terms  of  their 
leases  to  grind  their  corn  in  the  mill  of  the  district, 
and  pay  the  accustomed  multure.  These  milling 
rights  were  protected  by  law  and  practice,  and 
private  grinding  was  as  illegal  as  private  distillation 
now,  A  law  was  enacted  against  querns  in  the 

9 


130  THE    CLAN    DONA.LD. 

reign  of  Alexander  II.,  and  was  ever  afterwards 
very  strictly  enforced.  Querns,  however,  continued 
in  frequent  use,  and  the  law  was  often  evaded. 
When  illicit  grinding  was  discovered,  the  miller  was 
empowered  to  break  the  querns,  and  it  is  said  that 
about  the  middle  of  the  18th  century  a  raid  was 
made  upon  the  querns  in  South  Uist,  when  a  large 
number  were  collected  by  the  millers  and  thrown 
into  the  sea.  Fines  were  also  exacted  ;  but  these 
frequently  took  the  form  of  a  licence  in  favour  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  smaller  islands  of  Uist  and  Skye, 
where  regular  mills  did  not  exist,  and  private 
grinding  at  times  was  a  necessity,  owing  to 
dangerous  and  stormy  ferries,  [t  was  a  recognised 
privilege,  however,  that  people  from  the  smaller 
islands  coming  to  grind  to  the  main  island  had  a 
right  to  be  attended  to  immediately,  even  to  the 
interruption  of  others,  it  was  this  that  gave  rise  to 
the  words  of  the  local  song— 

"  Sin  nuair  thuirt  am  bodach  leathunn, 

Cha  'n  fhaigh  thu  bleith  an  truaighe  gran, 
Nach  fhaic  thu  rn  soirbheas  'gam  fheitheamh, 
Agus  m'  eithear  air  an  traigh." 

When  the  islands  depended  so  largely  upon  their  own 
food  supply,  the  grinding  industry  was  clearly  of 
great  importance. 

It  will  now  be  necessary,  as  briefly  as  possible, 
to  give  an  account  of  some  of  the  more  outstanding 
customs  and  institutions  characteristic  of  the 
Western  Gael,  and  which  were  largely  the  outcome 
of  the  tribal  constitution  of  Gaelic  society.  The 
custom  of  handfasting,  which  has  already  been 
touched  upon  in  Volume  I.,  affected  in  a  marked 
degree  the  social  life  of  the  Isles.  Marriages  thus 
"  contracted  for  certane  yeiris "  were  evidently 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  131 

regarded  by  the  Scottish  authorities  as  a  danger  to 
the  social  fabric,  and  summarily  condemned  in  1 609 
by  the  statutes  of  I  Columkill.  Presumably  the 
supreme  importance  of  having  heirs,  and  thus 
securing  the  perpetuity  and  power  of  families, 
outweighed  every  other  interest  secular  or  sacred, 
and  led  to  the  frequent  adoption  of  these  loose  and 
easily  dissolved  unions,  which  might  be  cemented 
by  the  Church  or  not  according  to  the  appearance 
or  non-appearance  of  progeny,  or  the  existence  or 
non-existence  of  mutual  compatibility.  There  is  no 
evidence  to  show  what  special  form  this  custom  took, 
or  whether  there  was  any  kind  of  ceremony  or  any- 
thing of  the  nature  of  a  written  contract,  but  it  is 
quite  clear  that  the  custom  wrought  much  evil  in 
the  feuds  arid  bloodshed  which  were  certain  to 
result,  when  ladies  of  respectable  families  were  cast 
adrift  in  such  a  summary  manner.  Ranald  Mac- 
donald  of  Benbecula,  as  recorded  by  MacVurich, 
"  took  unto  him"  five  wives  in  succession,  three  of 
whom  he  "  put  away,"  while  the  fourth  died,  arid 
the  fifth  probably  survived  him.  It  may  be  sur- 
mised that  this  trafficking  in  wives  brought  him 
much  trouble.  He  was  otherwise  one  of  the  wildest 
men  of  his  time,  yet  MacVurich  sublimely  tells  us 
that  the  barbarian  was  "  a  good  man  according  to 
the  times  in  which  he  lived." 

We  have  not  seen  anywhere  a  Macdonald 
marriage  contract  earlier  than  the  first  half  of  the 
17th  century — if  there  were  such,  they  have  not 
been  preserved.  It  is  not  a  fair  inference  to  con- 
clude that  the  absence  of  such  documents  implies 
the  general  prevalence  of  handfasting  previous  to 
that  time,  though,  as  a  matter  of  historical  notoriety, 
many  such  cases  did  arise,  Be  this  as  it  may, 


132  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

the  removal  of  this  scandal  from  the  social  life  of 
the  Isles  was  one  of  the  most  useful  and 
effective  reforms  inaugurated  by  the  legislation  of 
I  Columkill.  Marriage  contracts  drawn  up  before 
the  ceremony,  containing  stringent  provisions  and 
binding  the  parties  to  celebrate  the  union  in  the 
face  of  holy  Church,  became  the  settled  order  of 
social  life,  and  the  custom  of  handfasting  seems  to 
have  become  a  thing  of  the  past.  Into  the 
minutiae  of  these  marriage  contracts  it  is  impos- 
sible in  the  space  at  our  disposal  fully  to  enter. 
The  earliest  and  most  interesting  document  of 
this  nature  that  we  have  seen  is  the  contract 
between  John  Macdonald  of  Clanianald  and  Marion, 
daughter  of  Sir  Rory  Mor  Macleod  of  Dunvegan, 
in  1613,  and  it  may  be  quoted  as  a  good 
example  of  the  form  which  these  mutual  arrange- 
ments assumed  in  the  highest  grades  of  island 
society.  In  the  body  of  the  contract  "  The 
said  Korie  McCloyd  obleiss  him.  his  airis  exra  and 
aesigneyis  to  randir  and  deliver  to  ye  said 
Johnne  Moydort  his  airie,  <fcc.,  in  name  of  tochir 
with  ye  said  moir  nyne  scoir  of  gud  quick  ky 
togidder  with  uther  twentie  ky  ma  giue  ye  said 
Johnne  sail  desyre  thame  and  gaillay  of  twentie 
airis  with  thri  sailing  and  rowing  geir  gud  and 
sufficient  within  the  space  of  ane  yeir  efter  ye  com- 
pletion of  ye  said  mariage  bot  forder  delay." 

One  of  the  best  and  most  beneficial  customs  in 
the  social  system  of  the  Islands  was  that  of  foster- 
age. It  prevailed  from  the  earliest  times,  and  was 
the  outgrowth  of  the  social  genius  of  the  High- 
landers. It  cemented  friendship  and  knit  families 
together  in  a  closer  bond  of  union  than  those  of 
blood  and  kindred.  It  bridged  the  gulf  between 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  133 

rich  and  poor,  and  cemented  together  different 
classes  of  the  community.  The  foster  parent 
was  always  of  lower  rank  than  the  parent  of  the 
foster  child,  nor  was  he  as  a  rule  of  the  child's 
kindred.  It  was  therefore  reckoned  a  great  honour, 
and  in  consequence  there  was  a  pardonable  rivalry 
among  those  who  considered  themselves  eligible  for 
this  trust.  It  was  a  desirable  alliance  for  the  foster 
parent,  on  account  of  the  protection  it  afforded  to 
him  and  his  family.  It  was  stated  in  the  contract 
between  the  parties  that  it  was  tor  the  love  and 
respect  he  bore  him  that  the  parent  had  chosen  the 
other  party  as  a  foster  father  for  his  child.  It  was 
good  for  the  foster  child  himself  to  be  placed  in  the 
charge  of  a  carefully  selected  guardian,  who  would 
do  his  utmost  for  his  proper  upbringing,  besides  the 
provision  made  for  him  by  both  parties.  A.  certain 
number  of  cattle,  and  sometimes  a  sum  of  money  in 
addition,  were  given  by  the  father  of  the  child  to  be 
"  put  to  increase"  for  him  in  the  most  profitable 
manner  until  he  came  of  age.  The  foster  parent 
made  a  similar  provision  for  the  foster  child.  Sir 
Rory  Macleod  of  Dunvegan  gave  7  mares  with  his 
own  son  Norman,  the  charge  and  keeping  of  which 
were  to  be  with  the  foster  parent  in  order  to  put 
them  to  increase  for  his  foster  son.  The  care  and 
keeping  of  4  mares,  given  at  the  same  time  by  the 
foster  parent,  were  to  be  with  Macleod  to  put  them 
to  increase  for  the  child  in  like  manner.  A  contract 
of  fosterage  between  John  Macleod  of  Dunvegan  and 
Niel  Mackinnon,  Minister  of  Sleat,  in  1638,  illustrates 
the  custom  of  that  time.  Macleod  gave  his  third 
son  to  the  minister  and  his  spouse  Johnat  Macleod 
"  to  be  fosterit,  interteinit,  mantenet  and  upbrocht 
be  theme  ay  and  while  he  be  for  schooles,"  when 


134  THE    CLAN     DONALD. 

evidently  the  period  of  fosterage  ended.  In  order 
that  he  may  be  better  provided  with  means  at  his 
"  perfyte  aige,"  Macleod  binds  himself  to  have  in 
readiness  at  the  Whitsunday  term  of  1638,  the  sum 
of  600  merks  Scots  to  be  then  invested  for  behoof  of 
his  son.  The  Minister  of  Sleat  binds  himself  "  be 
the  faith  and  trewth  in  his  body  to  foster,  mantene, 
intertene,  and  upbring  the  said  Jon  McLeod  in  the 
fear  of  God  arid  in  all  maner  requisit  to  his  equall, 
and  with  God's  assistance  to  saiff  him  from  fyre  and 
watter,  and  the  alyke  accedentis  whilk  may  inshew." 
He  binds  himself  further  to  provide  his  foster  child 
in  the  sum  of  400  merks  Scots  to  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  Macleod  to  be  "  given  furth  upoun  land  or 
annual  rent  to  the  behuiffe  and  utilitie  of  the  said 
Jon  Macleod,  minor."  It  is  interesting  to  know 
that  John  Macleod,  the  foster  child  of  this  contract, 
became  afterwards  chief  of  the  clan,  known  as  Iain 
Breac,  one  of  the  best  and  most  popular  chiefs  in 
the  Highlands,  who  maintained  unimpaired  the 
glory  of  his  ancestors  by  keeping  a  bard,  a  harper, 
a  piper,  and  a  fool ! 

Having  thus  considered  at  some  length  the  more 
characteristic  features  of  Gaelic  society,  we  proceed 
to  trace  the  rise  of  certain  forms  of  land  tenure 
within  the  Island  communities  in  the  17th  and  18th 
centuries.  The  difficulties  of  the  chiefs,  arising  from 
such  causes  as  arrears  of  Crown  rents,  fines  and 
forfeitures,  induced  them  to  adopt  with  willingness 
the  duty  imposed  by  Government  of  disposing  of 
their  lands  by  tack  or  otherwise.  The  tacksmen, 
many  of  whom  had  fought  in  European  wars  and 
returned  to  their  native  islands  with  comparative 
wealth,  were  able  to  make  large  cash  advances  to 
the  chiefs  on  the  security  of  the  lands  they  occu- 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  135 

pied.  The  tacks  of  the  early  years  of  the  17th 
century  were  as  a  rule  for  lengthened  periods. 
Sometimes  they  were  for  3  lives  and  3  nineteens, 
and  this  was  the  most  favoured  type  of  tack  among 
the  chiefs  and  gentry  of  the  Isles.  Of  this  nature 
was  the  tack  to  Kenneth  Macqueen  of  the  lands  of 
Orinsay  in  North  Uist  to  endure  during  all  the  days 
of  his  life,  two  liferents  thereafter,  and  three  nine- 
teen years.  Sometimes,  as  in  the  case  of  the  tack 
to  the  Parson  of  Island  Finnan,  the  duration  was 
for  his  own  life,  the  life  of  his  heir  male,  and  nine- 
teen years.  The  tack  given  to  Niel  Maclean  of  the 
lands  of  Boreray  and  others  in  1626  was  for  all  the 
days  of  his  life,  and  to  his  heirs  after  him  for  twenty- 
one  years.  But  in  1712  a  much  more  lengthy  tack 
is  given  to  his  descendant,  Archibald  Maclean  of 
Boreray,  by  another  Chief  of  Sleat,  which  is  for 
the  same  lands,  and  to  endure  for  "  3  lives  and  3 
nineteens  for  certain  gratitude  and  pleasure  and 
good  deeds  paid  and  done."  In  1734  Sir  Alexander 
Macdonald  adds  a  4th  life  to  the  lease.  The  rents 
and  casualties  varied,  but  the  two  systems  were 
always  represented — the  old  system  of  payment  in 
kind  and  service,  which  was  passing  away,  and  the 
new  system  of  silver  rent,  which  was  destined  to 
displace  it.  At  the  tacksman's  entry,  he  usually 
paid  a  considerable  sum  in  name  of  grassum,  which 
for  a  large  holding  might  be  300  merks  Scots.  The 
money  rent  was  specified  as  tack  duty,  and  the  rent 
paid  in  kind  consisted  of  victual,  butter,  cheese, 
wedders,  hens,  fish,  and  white  plaiding  or  blankets. 
The  tacksman  had  to  render  the  usual  services  by 
land  and  sea,  was  obliged  to  attend  the  baron 
Courts,  "  underlie  the  Acts  and  americaments 
thereof,"  and  carry  "  his  haill  grindable  corn  "  to 


136  THK    (I, AN     hoNALD. 

the  mill  of  the  district.  A  specially  valuable  and 
.somewhat  unique  tack  was  that  of  Kenneth  Mac- 
queen  of  Orinsay,  inasmuch  as  it  bestowed  a  grant 
of  the  bailiary  of  the  lands  given  in  assedation  and 
the  "salmon  fishing  of  the  water  of  Kilwartain  on 
both  sides  of  said  water  from  the  sea  flood  to  the 
shealing  place  of  Grimsaig."  The  tacksman  paid  a 
duty  of  six  shillings  "  for  ilk  last  fish  fyve  packed 
by  sea  or  land."  For  the  bailiary  he  paid  six 
shillings  and  eight  pennies,  and  to  the  superior  he 
had  to  transmit  "  fyve  pack  of  fresh  salmond  fish  all 
and  meikle  as  they  shall  happen  to  be  slaine  for  ye 
salmond  fishing  of  the  said  water  of  Kilwartaine." 
It  is  clear  that  in  the  1 7th  century  pickled  salmon 
were  largely  exported  as  well  as  used  for  home  con- 
sumption in  the  Isles,  and  that  the  Hebridean  shores 
abounded  with  salmon.  Only  in  very  few  instances 
were  bailiary  powers  included  in  tacks,  the  only 
two  instances  that  have  come  under  our  notice  being 
this  tack  to  Kenneth  Macqueen  in  1619,  and  one  to 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale  in  1734.  It  was? 
however,  a  practice  with  the  Macdonald  Barons  of 
Sleat  and  Trotternish  to  delegate  powers  to  their 
tacksmen  to  hold  inferior,  or  as  they  may  be  styled, 
small  debt  courts,  competent  to  deal  with  matters 
not  involving  interests  of  more  than  £2. 

As  shewing  the  wealth  and  social  position  of  a 
tacksman  in  possession  of  an  ordinary -sized  holding, 
we  may  adduce  an  inventory  of  the  effects  of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Paiblisgarry,  who  died  in 
1657.  According  to  this  statement,  he  possessed  at 
his  death  44  great  cows,  40  year-olds,  36  work 
horses,  12  mares,  3  colts,  5  year-old  horses,  30  pigs, 
120  sheep,  72  bolls  barley,  20  bolls  oats,  20  bolls 
rye,  200  bolls  of  the  year's  crop,  22  pewter  dishes, 


SOCIAL    SISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  137 

2  quart  stoups,  1  silver  cup,  1  aqua  \ite  pot,  with 
the  fleck.  The  rest  of  the  utyncils  domicells  in- 
sight and  household  plenishing  with  armour  and  the 
abuliemente  of  the  defunct's  body  is  estimated  at 
£656  16s  Scots. 

Wadsets — that  is  the  setting  of  land  in  pledge 
for  money  advanced — were  a  variation  upon  the 
ordinary  tack.  They  differed  in  two  main  respects  ; 
first,  inasmuch  as  the  cash  payable  to  the  superior 
was,  in  the  case  of  the  wadset,  paid  in  one  sum, 
with  a  small  annual  payment  in  name  of  feu-duty  ; 
while  secondly,  the  agreement  could  be  terminated 
by  either  side  at  Whitsunday  on  an  induciae  of  40 
days,  by  the  Chief  insisting  on  redemption  by 
repaying  the  advance,  or  the  wadsetter  demanding 
its  repayment.  Practically,  however,  these  wadsets 
were  of  long  duration,  though  for  the  tenant  the 
holding  was,  in  theory,  precarious.  The  Chief  was 
seldom  in  funds  sufficient  to  redeem,  and  the  vassal 
was  satisfied  with  his  security.  According  to  the 
terms  of  the  wadset-right,  the  superior,  on  pay- 
ment being  made  to  him  of  a  capital  sum,  "  sellG 
annualzies,  and  dispones  "  to  the  wadsetter  so  many 
pennylands  for  the  yearly  payment  of  £40  Scots,  or 
some  such  nominal  sum  during  the  non-redemption 
of  the  lands,  to  be  held  of  the  superior  "  as  freely  in 
all  respects  as  he  holds  the  same  himself,"  with 
power  to  him  to  uplift  duties  and  input  and  output 
tenants.  He  is  to  relieve  the  superior  of  all  King's 
mails,  ministers'  and  readers'  stipends,  and  all  other 
public  burdens,  on  account  of  his  wadset  lands — 
burdens  which  were  also  usually  laid  upon  the 
tacksmen.  He  is  to  appear  at  the  Court  of  the 
Barony  once  a  year,  and  at  other  Courts  as  often  as 
he  shall  be  required.  The  superior  reserves  to  him- 


138  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

self  the  holding  of  Baron  Courts  and  the  relative 
fines.  To  this  there  were,  at  anyrate,  some 
exceptions,  as  in  the  contract  of  wadset  between 
Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat  and  his  brother, 
Archibald  Macdonald  of  Borniskittaig,  in  1667, 
when  the  Chief,  while  reserving  to  himself  the 
Baron  Courts,  leaves  to  his  vassal  the  half  of  the 
fines  "  and  the  half  of  the  haile  horses  and  sheep." 
In  some  contracts  the  feu-duty  was  doubled  at  the 
entry  of  each  heir  during  the  non-redemption  of  the 
wadset,  while  the  chief  obliged  himself  to  receive 
the  heirs  of  the  wadsetter  as  vassals  for  the  payment 
of  one  shilling  Scots  for  each. 

Besides  the  wadsetters  and  tacksmen,  there  were 
those  who  held  in  feu  farm  from  the  chief.  An 
instance  of  this  species  of  tenure  was  Ranald  Mac- 
donald of  Bornish,  who  obtained  a  grant  in  feu  farm 
from  Donald  Macdonald  of  Clanraiiald  in  1672. 
These  7|-  penny  lands  of  Bornish  were  formerly  held 
in  feu  farm  by  his  father,  Dougal,  and  now  they  are 
to  be  held  by  Ranald,  and  John,  his  son,  and  his 
heirs  after  him,  for  the  sum  of  six  score  merks  of 
silver  duty,  with  8  bolls  meal,  6  stones  butter,  and 
6  stones  cheese  yearly.  After  the  death  of  Ranald 
and  John,  their  heirs  are  to  pay  eight  score  merks 
of  silver  duty,  with  12  bolls  meal,  10  stones  butter, 
and  5  stones  cheese  yearly,  200  merks  to  be  paid  at 
the  entrance  of  each  heir.  Clanranald  appoints 
Ranald  Macdonald  his  heritable  bailie  over  his 
whole  lands  of  Uist,  with  full  power  to  hold  courts, 
appoint  clerk,  officer,  and  dempster  of  the  same, 
punish  all  and  sundry  persons  guilty  of  any  crimes, 
small  or  great,  and  censure  and  fine  all  manner  of 
transgressors.  Clanranald  further  grants  full  power 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  139 

to  his  bailie  "  to  collect  arid  receive  tua  aimers  out 
of  each  peine  land  in  Uist,  one  yeuld  cow  out  of 
each  theft  that  shall  happen  to  be  proven  against 
any  person,  with  ane  sheep  belonging  to  the  said 
thief  with  unbroken  stack  of  corn  that  shall  happen 
to  belong  to  him  and  tua  part  of  his  household 
plenishing."  There  is  a  similar  contract  between 
Clanraiiald  and  Rorie  Macdonald  of  Glenalladale  in 
1674,  by  which  the  latter  is  granted  the  2  merk 
lands  of  Glenalladale  and  the  30  shilling  lands  of 
Glenfinan.  Borie  is  bound  to  relieve  Clanranald  of 
the  services  and  furnishing  of  men  wherein  he 
stands  obliged  to  the  Earl  of  Argyll,  his  superior. 
He  is  obliged,  accordingly,  to  furnish  a  sufficient 
galley  of  16  oars,  sufficiently  appointed  with  men 
and  necessaries  for  the  space  of  14  days  yearly, 
between  the  Point  of  Ardnamurchan  and  Assynt 
when  required.  He  is  further  obliged  to  supply 
100  men,  if  required,  to  assist  the  Earl  of  Argyll  on 
"  his  lawful  occasions  and  business." 

There  were  instances  here  and  there  of  sub- 
letting on  the  steelbow  system,  whereby  the 
tacksman  provided  the  ground  with  stock  and 
seed  corn,  on  condition  of  receiving  from  the 
tenant  a  moiety  of  the  profits.  At  the  end  of  the 
tack  the  stock,  with  the  land,  reverted  to  the  lord. 
The  practice  can  be  traced  back  to  Anglo-Saxon 
times,  to  a  state  of  society  when  the  husbandman 
was  a  man  without  property — a  native  man  or 
servile  tenant.  It  is  found  in  the  eisern  vich  of 
Germany,  and  the  beste  de  fer-bestia  feri  in  French 
and  old  Latin.  In  the  case  of  lethckois — the  High- 
land variety  of  this  type  of  tenure — the  possessor, 
generally  a  small  tenant  impoverished  or  without 


140  THE    CLAN    DONALl). 

facilities  for  working  the  land,  often  furnished  the 
land  and  seed  corn,  and  the  other  cultivated  it,  the 
produce  being  divided  equally  between  them.  There 
have  been  instances  of  it  in  our  own  day. 

The  small  tenants,  or  crofters,  appear  very  little 
in  evidence  before  the  beginning  of  the  18th  century. 
They  were  tenants  at  will  under  the  tacksmen  and 
wadsetters,  but  practically  their  tenure  was  secure 
enough.  In  some  cases  the  proprietor  affords  pro- 
tection to  the  sub-tenant  against  the  middleman. 
In  1699  Allan  Macdonald  of  Clanranald  granted 
a  wadset  of  lands  in  Eigg  to  John  Macleod  of  Tal- 
lisker,  the  latter  binding  himself  not  to  remove 
tenants,  nor  raise  their  rents,  which  the  proprietor 
had  fixed.  Under  another  wadset  of  the  same 
lands,  granted  30  years  later  to  the  son  of  the  same 
wadsetter,  leases  were  given  to  sundry  tenants ;  but 
this  practice  does  not  seem  to  have  been  common  in 
the  Isles.  In  the  earlier  tacks  assignees,  as  well  as 
heirs,  are  included,  thus  giving  the  tacksmaii  the 
right  to  sub-let  the  whole  or  any  portion  of  his 
holding  to  sub-tenants,  but  this  freedom  was  in 
Jater  times  withheld.  The  earliest  evidence  we  can 
find  of  small  tenants  holding  directly  of  the  pro- 
prietor is  in  a  rental  of  the  estates  of  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald  in  Skye  and  North  Uist  of  the  year 
1718.  According  to  this  rental,  a  large  proportion 
of  the  lands  of  North  Uist  was  in  the  hands  of  small 
tenants,  the  relation  to  the  amount  of  lands  held  by 
tacksmen  being  much  in  the  same  ratio  as  it  has 
been  in  our  own  time.  The  small  tenant  paid  rent 
to  the  proprietor  direct,  both  in  money  and  kind, 
besides  the  usual  burdens  and  services,  which  latter 
were  oppressive  imposts.  The  rent  paid  by  the 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  141 

possessor  of  a  farthing  land  at  this  time  may  here 

be  given  I—- 
Money Rent £17     1     8  Scots. 

1  Stone  Butter 3     0     0 

6  Ells  Blanket 3  12     0 

Carriage  Money 0  10     0 

One  Hen  034 

|  Peck  Horse  Corn 030 

Ford  Money 030 

None  of  the  small  tenants  had  leases,  but  they 
were  in  a  better  position  than  the  sub-tenants  in 
holding  directly  from  the  proprietor,  whose  interest 
it  was  in  those  days  to  cultivate  friendly  relations 
with  them.  The  Tacksman's  lease  afforded  no  pro- 
tection to  the  sub-tenant,  nor  was  there  a  limit  set 
to  the  rent  or  services  to  be  exacted.  In  these 
circumstances  there  must  have  been  instances  of 
oppression,  but  probably  the  greatest  grievance 
under  which  the  sub-tenant  laboured  was  the 
multitude  of  services  imposed  upon  him,  especially 
in  the  seasons  of  spring  and  harvest,  leaving  him 
little  time  for  the  cultivation  of  his  own  land  and 
the  securing  of  his  crop.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all 
thai  has  been  written  by  various  authors — strangers 
to  the  people  and  their  language — as  to  the  social 
economy  of  the  Islands,  and  the  "  tyranny,  oppres- 
sion, and  unmerciful  exactions"  of  the  Tacksmen, 
such  sweeping  charges  must  be  taken  cum  grano 
salis.  The  unvarying  tradition  of  the  Isles  is  that 
on  the  whole  they  were  kind .  and  considerate  to 
their  dependants.  Men  of  good  birth  and  education, 
as  a  rule,  they  were  not  likely,  as  native  men,  to  be 
unkind  to  their  own  countrymen,  while  lavishing 
hospitality  on  strangers  in  a  manner  that  has  become 
proverbial.  Undoubtedly  the  social  relations  between 


142  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

the  different  classes  in  the  Isles,  from  the  chief  down 
to  the  cottar,  were  in  those  days  better  and  more 
friendly  than  they  have  heen  any  time  within  the 
last  hundred  years.  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Kilpheder, 
a  seanachie  of  repute  in  the  Isles,  in  his  evidence  in 
favour  of  the  authenticity  of  Ossian,  dwells  with 
much  emphasis  on  the  pood  relations  that  subsisted 
between  the  different  classes  of  society  in  earlier 
times.  The  Rev.  Donald  Macqueen  of  Kilmuir, 
writing  30  years  earlier,  speaks  in  similar  terms,  and 
reproaches  the  chief  himself  with  altering  the  tone 
of  society  in  the  Isles,  "at  the  instigation  of  luxury, 
and  the  ambition  of  cutting  an  unmeaning  figure  in 
the  Low  country." 

Two  circumstances  occurred  in  the  course  of  the 
18th  century  which  had  a  profound  effect  upon  the 
material  and  social  welfare  of  the  people,  these  being 
the  commencement  of  the  kelp  industry  and  the 
introduction  of  the  potato.  The  second  of  these 
may  be  referred  to  in  a  sentence.  The  potato  was 
for  the  first  time  brought  by  Clanranald  from  Ire- 
land, and  taken  to  South  Uist  in  1743.  His  tenants 
at  first,  with  characteristic  conservatism,  refused  to 
plant,  and  when  compelled  to  do  so  declined  to  eat 
the  unknown  root.  In  a  short  time,  however,  their 
attitude  changed,  and  soon  the  potato  came  to  be 
the  staple  food  of  the  whole  population  during  a 
great  part  of  the  year. 

The  manufacture  of  kelp,  which  proved  a  great 
source  of  wealth  in  the  Isles  for  generations,  was 
introduced  into  North  Uist  as  early  as  1726.  At 
first  it  was  not  received  with  favour,  but  when  the 
price  advanced  from  18s  or  20s  to  £3  10s  in  1746, 
and  even  to  £20  per  ton  in  1772,  the  industry  was 
eagerly  pursued  by  all  classes  of  the  community. 


SOCIAL   HISTOKY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  143 

At,  last  a  change  came  which  proved  a  grave  econ- 
omic reverse  to  the  Islands.  In  response  to"  the 
agitation  by  the  soap  boilers  and  glass  manufacturers, 
the  duty  on  Spanish  barilla  was  so  much  reduced 
that  the  price  of  kelp  fell  from  £20  to  £2  per  ton. 
All  classes  suffered  from  the  failure  of  the  kelp 
industry.  As  a  source  of  wealth  it  had  not  been  an 
unmixed  blessing.  While  it  increased  the  people's 
comfort,  they  failed  to  see  that  it  was  but  a  tem- 
porary source  of  income,  and  hence  the  staple 
industry,  the  cultivation  of  the  land,  was  very 
much  neglected.  The  inducements  which  the  kelp 
industry  held  out  to  early  marriage  were  the  means 
of  rapidly  increasing  the  population,  and  when  it 
failed  no  means  of  livelihood  were  left  to  many  of 
them.  The  proprietors,  whose  income  this  industry 
greatly  increased,  neglected  the  permanent  improve- 
ment of  their  estates,  in  the  belief  that  kelp  would 
never  decrease  in  value.  Living  up  to  their  income, 
many  of  them,  consequent  on  the  kelp  failure, 
became  greatly  embarrassed,  and  were  finally  obliged 
to  sell  their  estates.  The  only  class  in  the  Isles 
whom  the  kelp  industry  actually  benefitted  in  a 
permanent  way  were  the  Tacksmen,  many  of  whom 
acquired  through  it  sufficient  wealth  to  purchase 
considerable  estates  which  they  transmitted  to  their 
descendants. 

A  survey  of  the  social  condition  of  the  Isles 
during  the  period  under  review  would  be  incomplete 
without  some  consideration  of  the  intellectual  devel- 
opment of  the  people.  It  is  difficult  to  trace  the 
extent  of  island  culture  at  this  period.  If  we  are  to 
guage  it  by  the  educational  status  of  the  barons  of 
the  Isles  in  the  time  of  Donald  Dubh's  rebellion  in 
1545,  it  appears  to  have  been  extremely  limited, 


144  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Not  one  of  the  17  heads  of  families  who  formed  the 
Council  of  the  Island  claimant  could  write  his  name. 
But  a  man  is  not  necessarily  illiterate  because  he 
cannot  write,  and  there  are  many  persons  now  in 
the  Western  Isles  who  can  read  their  native  language 
though  never  taught  to  write.  In  1545  there  were 
few  printed  books,  and  none  at  all  in  Gaelic.  There 
were,  however,  Gaelic  books  in  manuscript,  many  of 
which  found  their  way  into  the  houses  of  the  men 
who  formed  the  Council  of  Donald  Dubh.  There 
were  also  the  monastic  libraries,  of  which  the  High- 
land chiefs  may  to  some  extent  have  availed  them- 
selves. The  hereditary  bards,  seanachies,  and 
physicians  of  the  Isles  were  educated  men,  and  there 
were  monastic  schools  planted  at  different  centres 
throughout  the  Highlands  and  Islands,  to  which  the 
younger  sons  of  families  of  the  better  class  resorted 
for  their  education.  Carinish  in  North  Uist  pos- 
sessed a  college  to  which  many  of  the  youths  of  the 
Hebrides  were  sent  for  instruction.  In  view  of  all 
this,  it  is  puzzling  to  find  so  many  of  the  Highland 
chiefs  unable  to  write  their  own  names  in  1545. 
Evidently,  whatever  culture  they  possessed,  they 
did  not  consider  the  art  of  writing  a  manly  accom- 
plishment, and  relied  on  others  to  act  for  them  on 
the  rare  occasions  that  they  were  called  upon  to  put 
pen  to  paper.  For  the  most  part  they  used  seals. 
The  island  chiefs  were  not  all  present  at  the  Council 
of  Donald  Dubh,  James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg 
and  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  being  represented 
by  deputies.  James  had  been  educated  at  the 
Scottish  Court  by  Dean  Henderson  of  Holyrood, 
but  we  know  from  other  sources  that  Donald 
Gormeson  could  not  sign  his  own  name.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that  although  the  redoubtable 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  145 

Captain  of  Clanranald  could  not  write,  his  prede- 
cessor Dougal  signs  with  his  own  hand  a  bond  to 
the  Earl  of  Huntly  as  far  back  as  1510. 

An  indication  of  the  extent  of  Gaelic  culture  in 
the  Isles  may  be  gleaned  from  the  first  book  printed 
in  the  Gaelic  language,  and  which  was  published  by 
Bishop  Carsewell  in  1567.  In  his  epistle  to  the 
reader,  Carsewell  apologising  for  any  defects  that 
may  be  found  in  his  manner  in  writing  Gaelic,  says 
that  "there  are  very  few  who  know  the  Gaelic 
correctly,  either  in  Albyn  or  in  Eireand,  unless  it  be 
a  few  learned  men  skilled  in  poetry  and  history,  and 
some  good  scholars ;  and  hence  if  any  learned  men 
find  any  fault  in  the  writing  or  composing  of  this 
little  book,  let  them  excuse  me,  for  I  never  acquired 
any  knowledge  of  the  Gaelic  except  as  any  one  of 
the  people  generally."  From  this  it  is  evident  that 
the  bishop  would  have  many  readers,  and  that  there 
was  a  considerable  amount  of  Gaelic  culture  in 
Argyll  and  the  Isles  in  his  day.  The  close  con- 
nection between  the  literary  men  and  the  bardic 
schools  of  Ireland,  and  those  of  the  Isles,  which  had 
kept  the  lamp  of  learning  aglow  for  centuries,  was 
to  a  large  extent  interrupted  at  the  Reformation, 
and  instead  of  progress  there  was  actually  retro- 
gression during  the  remainder  of  the  16th  century. 
The  Act  of  1496,  which  made  it  incumbent  on  all 
barons  and  freeholders  to  send  their  sons  to  grammar 
schools  from  6  to  9,  "  until  they  be  competentlie 
foundit"  and  learned  "perfite  Latyne"  under  a 
penalty  of  £20,  was  practically  inoperative  in  the 
Highlands.  When  we  speak  of  the  progress  of 
letters,  or  the  want  of  it,  among  the  higher  classes 
in  the  Isles  in  the  16th  century,  we  are  only  on  the 
surface  of  the  inner  life  and  culture  of  the  people  as 

10 


146  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

a  whole.  The  Book  of  the  Dean  of  Lismore,  though 
representing  what  floated  in  oral  tradition  at  the 
beginning  of  the  16th  century,  is  equally  repre- 
sentative of  the  mental  culture  of  the  Islanders  for 
the  next  two  or  three  hundred  years.  Whole  cycles 
of  mythology  lived  and  flourished  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Christian  Church.  It  was  the  opinion  of 
Bishop  Carsewell  that  the  tnles  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danaan,  the  Sons  of  Milesius,  and  the  Fingalian 
Saga,  whose  origin  and  development  were  on  purely 
Pagan  lines,  had  a  stronger  hold  upon  the  minds  of 
the  people  than  the  contents  of  the  liturgy  of  which 
he  was  issuing  a  Gaelic  translation.  Whatever  the 
effects,  ethically,  of  this  particular  type  of  mental 
culture,  and  we  cannot  believe  that  these  were 
entirely  deleterious,  the  tales  of  Cuchullin  and  the 
Feinn,  and  the  fireside  lore  which  survived  far  into 
the  19th  century,  must  have  been  in  full  flood 
during  the  16th  and  17th  centuries. 

We  do  not  propose  to  enter  fully  into  the 
educational  programme  of  the  Scottish  Government, 
which  was  embodied  in  the  Statutes  of  I  Columkill. 
The  policy  adopted,  by  which  schools  were  to  be 
supported  in  every  parish,  was  very  consistently 
evaded.  It  was  largely  devised  and  directed  by 
Bi&hop  Knox,  but  it  lacked  the  practical  breadth 
and  statesmanship  of  Carse well's  policy  in  the  16th 
century.  Carsewell's  Gaelic  Prayer-book  was  a 
practical  acknowledgment  that  the  intellectual  and 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  people  of  the  Isles  must 
be  advanced  through  the  medium  of  their  own 
language.  One  of  the  avowed  objects  of  the  Act  of 
1616  was  that  "  the  Irish  language,  which  is  one  of 
the  cheiff  and  principall  causes  of  the  continuance 
of  barbaritie  and  incivilitie  among  the  inhabitants 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  147 

of  the  Isles  and  Heylandis,  may  be  abolishit  and 
removit."  When  this  unsympathetic  and  narrow 
spirit  was  at  work  in  the  high  places  of  Govern- 
ment, and  continued  so  long  to  influence  those  in 
power,  it  is  not  strange  that  for  many  generations 
educational  reform  was  neither  popular  nor  success- 
ful iu  the  Isles. 

While  education  with  difficulty  penetrated  to  the 
lower  strata  of  society,  those  of  the  Tacksman  class 
in  the  Isles  found  ways  and  means  of  emulating  the 
Chiefs,  whose  sons  could  not  now  be  served  heirs  to 
their  fathers,  unless  they  had  been  taught  to  read 
and  write.  In  the  17th  and  18th  centuries  Tacks- 
men  combined  to  engage  a  common  tutor,  often  a 
student  of  divinity,  who  wished  to  utilise  his 
vacation,  and  who  itinerated  from  group  to  group 
of  those  gentlemen  farmers,  teaching  their  families, 
not  only  the  elements  of  English,  but  also  the 
classics  and  other  advanced  branches  of  learning. 
Hence  it  was  that  the  gentry  of  the  Isles  during  the 
16th  century  were  probably  the  best  educated  in 
the  world.  Young  ladies  could  quote  Latin  and 
Greek,  and  gentlemen,  who  tuned  their  lyres  to 
strains  of  poesy,  composed  in  the  tongue  of  Horace 
rather  than  in  that  of  Ossian.  Donald  Roy  Mac- 
donald  of  Baleshare,  who  was  wounded  in  the  foot 
at  the  battle  of  Oulloden,  composed  a  Latin  ode  to 
the  wounded  limb,  faultless  both  in  diction  and 
metre. 

So  much  space  has  been  occupied  in  depicting 
the  social  condition  of  the  Isles  from  a  domestic 
standpoint  that  only  a  brief  indication  can  be  given 
of  the  attitude  of  the  Islesmen  towards  the  Crown 
and  towards  other  clans,  as  well  as  the  reflex  action 
of  this  upon  their  own  condition.  The  fall  of  the 


148  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

island  lordship  meant  ths  removal  of  a  central  con- 
trolling authority  in  those  regions,  but  it  was  an 
unwise  policy  to  delegate  the  management  of  affairs 
in  the  Highlands  and  Islands  to  a  succession  of 
lieutenants,  whose  aim  too  often  was  to  enrich 
themselves  and  their  families  by  sowing  dissension 
among  the  Clans.  The  Earls  of  Huntly  and  Argyll, 
to  whom  the  task  of  civilising  the  barbarous  High- 
landers was  committed,  were  themselves  the  greatest 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  social  progress.  The  Clans, 
it  is  true,  may  have  resorted  to  barbarous  methods 
in  defending  themselves  against  the  encroachments 
of  these  unscrupulous  noblemen  upon  their  terri- 
tories, as  well  as  upon  their  liberties,  but  if  they  did 
so,  and  broke  the  pledges  extracted  from  them  to 
keep  the  peace,  all  this  is  not  infrequently  to  be 
traced  to  the  machinations  of  the  King's  lieutenants. 
The  interference  of  these  officials  in  the  internal 
affairs  of  the  Clans  was  certainly  not  calculated  to 
promote  peace  and  harmony  among  them.  Bishop 
Knox,  writing  to  King  James  in  1608,  gives  a 
gloomy  picture  of  the  state  of  the  Isles,  and  informs 
His  Majesty  that  the  "  Islesmen  are  void  of  the  true 
knowledge  of  God,  ignorant  of  your  Majesty's  laws, 
and  their  duty  towards  you."  The  feuds  between 
the  Macdonalds  and  Macleods  had  brought  both 
Clans  to  the  brink  of  ruin.  The  King  himself  in 
his  wisdom  had  already  solved  the  island  problem, 
by  proposing  to  extirpate  the  whole  people  of  the 
Isles,  and  the  Marquis  of  Huntly  accepted  a  com- 
mission for  carrying  out  his  sovereign's  wish. 
Milder  measures,  however,  had  to  be  adopted. 
Various  expedients,  more  or  less  unsuccessful, 
terminated  in  the  drafting  of  the  statutes  of 
I  Columkill,  which  were  followed  up  by  a  bond 


SOCIAL    HISTORY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  149 

signed  by  the  Islesraen,  in  which  they  professed 
the  Protestant  religion,  and  obliged  themselves  to 
carry  out  the  reforms  suggested  in  the  statutes. 
Notwithstanding  these  efforts,  the  evolution  of  civil 
order  and  political  restfulness  among  the  Clans,  as 
items  in  the  Scottish  Commonwealth,  appears  to 
have  made  very  little  progress,  even  well  on 
towards  the  middle  of  the  17th  century,  when 
the  civil  war  broke  out.  The  change  of  attitude 
at  this  time  on  the  part  of  the  Islanders  towards 
the  reigning  family,  which  may  be  said  to  have 
formed  an  epoch  in  their  history,  has  been  variously 
explained,  though  the  real  motive  seems  to  have 
been  generally  overlooked.  There  could  hardly 
have  been  much  loyalty  among  the  Islesmen 
to/vards  the  son  of  a  King,  who,  in  his  Basilicon 
Doron,  advises  that  son  to  think  no  more  of  the 
Islanders  than  if  they  were  ;'  wolves  and  wild 
bears."  The  Islanders  supported  King  Charles  I. 
because  his  enemies  were  their  traditional  foes, 
namely,  the  Campbells  and  all  their  kind,  and 
when  the  Royal  Standard  was  ra:sed,  they  rallied 
round  it,  thinking  it  a  good  opportunity  to  strike  a 
blow  in  revenge  for  their  wrongs.  On  the  Restora- 
tion of  Charles  II.,  their  old  attitude  towards  the 
Government  was  resumed.  Race  prejudices  and 
the  incompatibility  arising  from  different  languages 
and  opposite  types  of  culture  and  institutions 
account,  to  a  large  extent,  for  this  attitude.  When 
the  next  Stuart  King  appeals  to  them,  they  are 
ready,  as  of  old,  to  rally  round  the  Royal  Standard, 
but  it  is  again  to  fight  against  the  same  old  foes. 
The  vindictive  policy  of  the  Government,  added  to 
native  antipathies,  fanned  the  flame  of  exasperation. 
Its  severe  measures  and  oppressions  would  have 


150  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

goaded  a  less  impulsive  people  into  rebellion. 
Garrisons  of  English  soldiers  were  stationed  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  to  overawe  them, 
and  the  Independent  Companies,  as  they  were 
called,  were  established  at  different  centres  to  harass 
them. 

The  legislation  of  1748  followed  Culloden  as  a 
natural  sequence.  As  the  rising  of  1745  was  the 
last  blow  struck  by  Highland  sentiment  against 
Lowland  aggression  still  more  than  a  dynastic 
movement,  so  was  the  abolition  of  the  heritable 
jurisdictions  the  dividing  line  between  the  Gael  of 
ancient  and  modern  times.  The  Disarming  Act  of 
1715  was  re-enacted  and  strictly  enforced,  and  it 
was  sought  still  more  to  break  the  spirit  of  the 
people  by  proscribing  the  use  of  the  Highland  garb. 
The  universal  feeling  of  resentment  which  this 
enactment  created  is  reflected  in  the  poetry  of  the 
time.  MacCodrum,  the  bard  of  North  Uist,  gives 
expression  to  this  feeling  in  the  most  scathing 
terms : — 

"  Molachd  air  an  righ  thug  am  breacan  dhinn 
Guidheam  air  beul  sios  bho  'n  a  shin  e  'n  t-osan." 

The  abolition  of  the  heritable  jurisdictions  and 
the  appointment  of  sheriffs  responsible  to  Govern- 
ment completed  the  destruction  of  the  outward 
framework  on  which  the  clan  system  rested.  Some 
reservations  were  made  which  affected  the  lower 
jurisdiction  of  the  baron  court,  and  it  continued  to 
sit  and  adjudicate  in  cases  affecting  values  up  to 
40s,  and  in  all  cases  in  connection  with  estate 
management.  The  most  far-reaching  effect  of  this 
Act  was  the  dissolution  of  the  bond  between  chief 
and  vassal.  The  claim  of  the  chiefs  upon  the  obedi- 


SOCIAL    HISTORY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  151 

ence  and  service  of  his  followers  was  released  ;  but, 
while  his  rights  were  preserved,  those  of  his  vassals, 
who  had  for  ages  made  the  chief's  position  what  it 
was,  were  left  absolutely  unsecured.  The  economic 
movement  must  have  inevitably  made  a  great  change 
upon  the  social  conditions.  The  sudden  rise  in  the 
value  of  agricultural  holdings  was  caused  by  the 
increased  price  of  stock,  and  the  change  came 
about  in  such  a  way  that  neither  tacksmen  nor 
small  tenants  were  able  to  cope  with  the  new  con- 
ditions. All  this  was  the  result  of  transforming  the 
chief  into  a  landlord,  without  conserving  the  tenants' 
rights  under  the  immemorial,  though  unwritten,  con- 
tract which  gave  the  people,  as  well  as  the  heads,  a 
right  upon  their  native  soil.  Sometimes  those  who 
remained,  despite  the  rack-renting  and  tyranny  of 
Lowland  factors,  relieved  their  pent-up  feelings  by 
snatches  of  satirical  song.  Such  was  the  case  of 
an  Ardnamurchan  tenant  groaning  under  a  South 
country  factor  or  proprietor,  who  rejoiced  in  the  name 
of  Buddie,  c.  1760:- 

"  'Sann  a  nis  is  beag  m'  fheum 
Ged  a  dh'  eireas  mi  moch 
Le  m'  cheib  as  mo  leine 
Dol  a  reubadh  nan  cnoc 
Cha  choisinn  mi  'n  deirce 
Dhomh  fein  no  do  'n  bhochd 
'S  tri  mail  ruim  ag  eigheach 
Aig  an  eucorach  olc." 

No  doubt  the  circumstances  of  the  chiefs  tempted 
them  to  a  commercial  policy  in  relation  to  their 
estates.  Many  of  them  had  become  considerably 
impoverished  owing  to  a  large  extent  to  previous 
forfeitures,  and  the  stringent  meanures  that  followed 
the  disastrous  year  of  Culloden,  and  it  was  only 


152  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

natural  they  should  seek  to  increase  their  rent-rolls 
when  the  opportunity  offered.  But  the  commercial 
policy  gradually  alienated  from  them  those  loyal 
clansmen  whose  services  were  no  longer  required  to 
defend  them  and  their  possessions  ;  the  farms  of  the 
Tacksmen  were  thrown  into  the  market  and  offered 
to  the  highest  bidder,  while  great  numbers  of  the 
Tacksmen  and  multitudes  of  their  sub-tenants, 
unable  to  retain  their  holdings  at  the  increased  rent, 
emigrated  to  the  American  Colonies. 

After  the  troubles  of  the  '45  passed  away  as  to 
their  immediate  effects,  we  find  a  new  feature  of 
land  tenure,  a  system  of  joint  tenancy  by  tack  upon 
the  Clanranald  estates.  In  some  cases  the  Tacks- 
men emigrated,  leaving  the  sub-tenants,  or  at  least 
such  of  them  as  did  not  follow  them  to  the  new 
world,  to  hold  directly  from  the  proprietor.  In  other 
cases,  when  the  Tacksman  who  did  not  emigrate 
wished  to  farm  his  own  lands,  the  small  tenants, 
instead  of  being  expatriated,  were  migrated  to  hill 
peridicles  formerly  used  as  summer  grazings,  and 
these,  holding  directly  from  the  proprietor,  were 
converted  into  joint  tacksmen.  In  the  new  settle- 
ments houses  were  to  be  built,  and  march  dykes 
erected  within  two  years  on  spots  marked  out  by 
the  proprietor.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  these 
tenant  farms  were  organised  on  the  principle  of  the 
ancient  township,  which  modern  crofter  legislation 
has  perpetuated.  The  houses  were  built  on  one 
contiguous  spot  to  be  marked  out,  and  the  tenants 
were  to  obey  the  overseers  and  rulers  appointed  for 
regulating  their  labouring,  times  of  grazing,  and 
making  of  kelp.  The  stream  of  emigration  from  the 
Highlands  continued  to  flow  unremittingly,  until  in 
1775  some  20,000  people  had  left  their  homes.  It 


SOCIAL  HISTORY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.          153 

was  not,  however,  till  the  failure  of  the  kelp  industry 
and  the  population  had  greatly  increased  that  com- 
pulsory emigration  was  resorted  to.  The  country 
was  no  doubt  over-populated  when  emigration 
began ;  but  even  after  it  had  continued  for  many 
years,  the  pressure  at  home  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  relieved  where  it  was  most  felt.  There  was 
no  re-distribution  of  the  people  when  the  Tacksmen 
vacated  their  farms  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the 
number  of  large  holdings  was  increased,  and  the 
remnant  of  the  Clansmen  were  relegated  to  the  least 
productive  areas  of  the  Isles. 

While  many  of  the  straths  and  glens  were  being 
depopulated,  the  military  authorities  realised  what 
a  valuable  asset  for  national  defence  was  being 
scattered  to  the  winds  by  the  policy  of  compulsory 
emigration.  The  necessity  for  increasing  the 
military  forces  of  the  Crown  opened  the  eyes 
of  the  authorities  to  the  Highlands  as  a  recruiting 
ground.  Although  the  response  made  by  the  High- 
landers to  the  call  to  arms  is  said  to  have  been 
hearty,  they  had  not  all  at  once  turned  loyal  to  the 
house  of  Hanover,  nor  yet  was  it  without  pressure 
that  the  rank  and  file  were  induced  to  enlist  in  the 
Highland  regiments.  Officers  had  much  difficulty 
in  making  up  their  quota  of  men,  and  many  stalwart 
youths  fled  to  the  hills  rather  than  take  the  King's 
shilling.  Lord  Macdonald  raised  a  regiment  on  his 
estates  in  Skye  and  Uist  in  1778,  giving  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Vallay  the  captaincy  of  a  company, 
on  condition  of  his  raising  45  men,  while  two 
lieutenants  were  to  raise  25  men  each,  and  the 
ensigns  18  men.  Hardly  a  single  recruit  could  be 
obtained  without  undue  pressure,  and  the  conduct 
of  the  officers  is  said  to  have  been  harsh  in  the 


154  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

extreme  towards  those  whom  they  compelled  to 
follow  them.  Brave  though  the  Islesmen  have- 
proved  themselves  to  be  when  led  by  their  Chiefs, 
and  heroically  though  they  fought  in  the  American 
War  for  which  they  so  reluctantly  enlisted,  yet 
they  have  always  had  an  antipathy  towards  regular 
military  service.  The  love  of  home  and  freedom 
and  the  traditional  attitude  towards  the  Crown  may 
explain  this  aversion  towards  military  service  on  the 
part  of  the  Highlanders  of  the  18th  century. 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  155 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE   CHIEFSHIP. 

The  Chiefship  of  a  Highland  Clan  not  a  feudal  dignity. — Held  by 
the  consent  of  the  Clan. — The  family  of  Dougall  of  Clan- 
ranald  excluded  from  the  headship  of  the  Clanranald  branch. 
— Ranald  Gallda  and  John  of  Moidart. — Deposition  of  Iain 
Aluiiin. — The  Chiefs  of  Sleat  hold  their  lands  without  feudal 
investiture  defended  by  the  Clan. — The  Law  of  Tanistry. — 
Issue  of  Haudfast  Marriages  and  bastards  eligible  for  Chief- 
ship. — Instances  of  Lachlan  Cattanach  Maclean  of  Duart, 
John  of  Killin,  Angus  Og  of  the  Isles,  and  Donald  Dubh. — 
History  of  the  Chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  traced  from 
early  times. — The  family  of  Alexander,  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
excluded  from  the  Chiefship. — Succession  of  Donald  of  Isla. 
— Celestme  of  Lochalsh  and  Hugh  of  Sleat. — Claim  of 
Lochalsh  family  to  the  Chiefship. — The  Earldom  of  Ross. — 
The  Chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  in  the  family  of  Sleat. — 
The  Glengarry  claim. 

THE  question  of  the  chiefship  of  a  Highland  clan 
has  to  be  decided  by  the  laws  and  customs  which 
have  regulated  the  community  which  formed  the 
clan.  It  is  a  Celtic,  not  a  feudal  dignity,  though 
feudalism  affected  to  a  large  extent  the  political 
organisation  of  the  Gael  from  the  very  beginning  of 
the  clan  system.  Celtic  customs  survived.  The 
land  belonged  originally  to  the  tribe,  or  clan,  and 
though  the  chief  came  in  course  of  time  to  hold  by 
feudal  right,  yet  the  clan  had  not  lost  their  interest 
in  the  soil.  The  chief  exercised  a  certain  superi- 
ority, or  lordship,  over  the  clan  territory,  not  in  his 
individual  or  private  capacity,  but  as  head  and  in 
name  of  the  clan.  The  chiefship  of  a  clan  is  distinct 


156  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

from  feudal  ownership,  though  both  are  held  in  the 
same  person.  The  chief  derives  his  position  as  such 
from  the  clan,  and  he  cannot  be  put  over  them 
without  their  consent  by  any  authority  whatever. 
This  may  involve  collision  with  feudal  authority. 
Several  instances  of  this  are  to  be  found  in  the 
history  of  the  Clan  Donald,  and  in  each  case  the 
will  of  the  clan  prevailed.  Dugall  MacRanald  of 
Islandtirrim,  chief  of  the  Clanranald  branch,  who 
held  his  lands  by  feudal  tenure,  becoming  odious  to 
the  clan,  was  not  only  himself  assassinated,  but  his 
sons,  by  the  ancient  prerogative  of  a  Celtic  tribe, 
were  excluded  from  the  succession.  The  eldest  son 
of  Dugall  was,  according 'to  the  feudal  law,  the 
lawful  successor  to  the  property,  but  he  appears  to 
have  bowed  to  the  verdict  of  the  clan  and  made  no 
claim  to  his  father's  inheritance.  Another  instance 
of  a  conflict  between  the  patriarchal  and  feudal 
systems,  and  in  which  the  former  finally  prevailed 
over  the  latter,  is  to  be  found  in  the  case  of  Ranald 
Gallda,  the  son  "of  Allan  MacRory  of  Clanranald. 
John  of  Moidart,  the  acknowledged  chief  of  the 
Clanranald,  who  had  offended  the  Scottish  Govern- 
ment, was  thrust  into  prison  in  Edinburgh  Castle  in 
1540,  and  his  feudal  right  was  cancelled.  During 
his  imprisonment  Ranald  Gallda  was  discovered  and 
feudally  invested  at  Castletirrim.  Ronald,  though 
of  Uie  chief's  family  and  in  the  line  of  succession, 
was  not  the  choice  of  the  Clanranald,  and,  therefore, 
he  was  repudiated.  With  the  strong  arm  of  the 
Scottish  Government  behind  him,  he  was  not  able 
to  hold  the  position  against  the  wish  of  the  clan. 
.Their  chosen  chief,  John  of  Moidart,  on  being  liber- 
ated from  his  imprisonment,  was  reinstated  by 
them,  and  he  remained  in  possession  of  the  chiefship 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  157 

and  the  heritage  of  the  Clanranald,  without  feudal 
investiture,  for  the  remainder  of  his  life- 
r/A' aindeoin  co  their eadh  e. 

The  case  of  Iain  Aluinn  of  Keppoch  is  no  doubt 
somewhat  different  from  those  to  which  we  have 
referred,  inasmuch  as  there  was  no  actual  conflict 
between  Celtic  and  feudal  law,  but  it  affords  a 
practical  illustration  of  the  right  inherent  in  a  clan 
to  choose,  or  reject,  its  own  chief.  John  of  Keppoch 
became  an  object  of  aversion  to  his  triba  for  reasons 
which  do  not  lie  within  the  scope  of  this  chapter, 
and  they  deprived  him  of  his  chiefship,  electing  at 
the  same  time  another  member  of  his  family  in  his 
stead.  The  new  chief  thus  succeeded  not  only  to 
the  patriarchal  dignity,  but  in  virtue  of  his  chief- 
ship,  to  the  family  inheritance  as  well.  The  chiefs 
of  Keppoch,  however,  did  not  hold  the  inheritance 
of  Alastair  Carrach  by  feudal  tenure,  and  there 
were,  therefore,  no  hereditary  feudal  rights  based  on 
primogeniture  to  cause  any  complications  in  the 
future  between  the  patriarchal  and  feudal  occupiers 
of  the  Keppoch  lands. 

From  the  instances  now  adduced,  it  will  appear 
that  while  the  Highland  clans  usually  accepted  as 
head  of  the  race  the  individual  on  whom  by  feudal 
law  the  ancestral  property  devolved,  emergencies 
sometimes  arose  when  ancient  Celtic  custom  asserted 
itself  and  the  provisions  of  the  feudal  law  were  for 
the  time  overturned.  That  the  feudal  law  of 
succession  remained  inoperative  against  the  wish  of 
those  occupying  the  clan  territory  is  seen  from  the 
case  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Sleat,  who  held  their 
lands  for  well  nigh  a  hundred  years  without  feudal 
investiture,  the  strong  arm  of  the  clan  proving  more 
than  a  match  for  the  sheepskin  right  of  the  charter 


158  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

holder,  Macleod  of  Dun  vegan.  Thus  it  appears  that 
without  the  consent  of  the  clan  neither  the  feudal 
possession  of  the  clan  territory  nor  the  dignity  of 
chief  could  be  held,  and  that  without  chiefship 
feudal  investiture  could  not  be  obtained.  In  this 
way  the  clan  retained  in  a  measure  its  original  hold 
on  the  tribal  inheritance.  It  held  the  key  of  the 
position  and  exercised  its  right  when  the  occasion 
arose  to  depose  one  chief  and  elect  another,  as  the 
British  people  exercised  their  right  when  in  1688 
they  deposed  one  monarch  and  elected  another 
member  of  his  family  to  reign  in  his  stead. 

While  the  law  of  primogeniture  is  the  dominating 
principle  of  feudal  succession,  the  law  of  tanistry  is 
the  regulative  law  of  Celtic  succession.  This  law  of 
tanistry  embraced  certain  main  features,  one  of 
which  was  that  the  succession  was  always  continued 
in  the  family  of  the  chief,  within  three  degrees  of 
relationship  to  the  main  line.  Brothers  succeeded 
preferably  to  sons,  with  the  view  of  providing  the 
tribe  with  a  leader  in  all  their  enterprises,  while  the 
succession  must  always  be  carried  on  with  the 
approval  of  the  clan.  The  feudal  law  no  doubt 
greatly  modified  the  ancient  Celtic  law.  Primo- 
geniture as  the  law  of  feudal  succession  was  allowed 
in  most  cases  to  supersede  Celtic  tradition.  It  was 
convenient  so  long  as  the  feudal  heir  was  acceptable 
to  the  community  that  he  should  also  succeed  to  the 
chiefship,  yet  there  were  occasions  when  the 
unwritten  law  of  Gaelic  society  broke  through  the 
restraints  of  feudalism,  powerful  though  they  were, 
and  when  the  right  of  election,  which  in  the  last 
resort  lay  with  the  clan,  was  put  in  force.  If  the 
clan  accepted  him  and  called  him  to  his  position,  the 
chief's  right  is  not  to  be  questioned.  The  issue  of 


THE   CHIEFSHIP.  159 

handfast  marriages,  and  even  bastards,  were  not 
excluded.  Lachlan  Caitanach  Maclean,  though 
undoubtedly  illegitimate,  was  acknowledged  by  his 
clan  as  their  chief.  His  illegitimacy  has  never  been 
made  an  argument  against  the  chiefship  of  the 
family  of  Duart,  and  the  present  representative  of 
that  family  who  is  Chief  of  the  Clan  Maclean,  is  the 
direct  male  heir  of  Lachlan.  In  like  manner,  John 
of  Killin,  though  illegitimate,  became  the  chief  of 
the  Clan  Mackenzie,  and  transmitted  the  chiefship 
to  a  long  line  of  successors.  Similarly,  Angus  Og, 
who  was  also  illegitimate,  was  not  only  declared 
feudal  heir  to  his  father,  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  but 
was  besides  acknowledged  by  the  Clan  Donald  as 
heir  presumptive  to  the  chiefship.  His  son,  Donald 
Dubh,  was  afterwards  acknowledged  ae  chief,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  if  he  had  left 
descendants  the  chiefship  would  have  remained 
undisputed  with  them.  The  title  of  Lord  of  the 
Islee  was  not  synonymous  with  chiefship.  It 
certainly  included,  but  it  meant  more  than  the 
chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald.  The  vassals  of  the 
Lordship  who  were  not  of  the  Clan  Donald  adhered 
to  the  Lord  of  the  Isles  as  the  embodiment 
of  Gaelic  supremacy  rather  than  as  chief  of  a 
clan.  These  vassals  as  separate  clans  adhered 
to  their  own  chiefs,  while  the  Clan  Donald,  besides 
acknowledging  Donald  Dubh  as  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
accepted  him  as  their  chief.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  the  clan,  in  the  exercise  of  their  undoubted 
right,  acknowledged  the  feudal  heir  of  the  Lord  of 
the  Isles  as  their  chief,  in  spite  of  the  irregularity  of 
his  descent. 

Having   so   far    considered    the    principles  that 
determine  Celtic  succession,  we  shall  now  endeavour 


160  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

to  trace  the  history  of  the  chiefship  of  the  Clan 
Donald  from  early  times,  and  notice  the  claims 
which  from  time  to  time  have  been  put  forward  to 
that  dignity.  The  arguments  which  have  been 
adduced  point  with  no  uncertain  indication  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  question  of  the  chiefship  of  the 
clan  must  be  looked  at  and  determined  not  upon  the 
principles  of  feudal  law  as  expressed  in  succession  by 
primogeniture,  but  that  the  elective  power  resting 
in  the  clan  must  be  regarded  as  having  a  most 
important  bearing  on  the  issue.  The  first  break  in 
the  chain  of  feudal  succession  in  the  family  of  Isla  is 
to  be  traced  to  Alexander,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  who  on 
account  of  his  opposition  to  the  Bruce  interest  was 
deprived  of  his  possessions  and  dignities.  It  is  not 
easy  to  arrive  at  any  definite  conclusion  as  to  the 
attitude  of  the  adherents  of  the  House  of  Isla  at  this 
juncture  in  the  fortunes  of  the  Bruce  party.  They 
may  or  may  not  have  approved  at  the  outset  of  the 
part  played  by  Alexander.  It  may  have  been  that 
when  they  saw  the  tide  turn  in  favour  of  Bruce  they 
rallied  to  the  standard  of  Angus  Og.  In  any  case, 
the  Clan  Cholla,  whose  numbers  must  have  been 
considerable  at  this  time,  accepted  Angus  as  chief, 
and  with  many  other  adherents  of  the  family 
followed  his  banner  to  Bannockburn.  It  is  quite 
evident  that  Angus  Og,  feudal  investiture  notwith- 
standing, could  not  have  succeeded  to  the  chiefship 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  son  of  Alexander,  if  the 
adherents  of  the  family  had  chosen  to  oppose  his 
claims.  No  amount  of  pressure  from  without  would 
have  sufficed  to  keep  the  new  Lord  of  the  Isles  in 
possession  of  the  patriarchal  dignity  against  the 
consent  of  the  adherents  of  the  House  of  Isla.  The 
sons  of  Alexander,  who  afterwards  settled  in  Ireland, 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  161 

appear  to  have  acquiesced  in  the  decision  of  their 
kinsmen.  Neither  they,  nor  any  of  their  descend- 
ants, so  far  as  we  know,  ever  put  forward  a  claim  to 
the  dignities  of  the  House  of  Isla. 

The  succession  by  primogeniture  is  not  again 
interrupted  until  we  come  to  Donald,  the  eldest  son 
of  the  second  marriage  of  John  of  Isla,  who  suc- 
ceeded to  the  chiefship  in  preference  to  Reginald, 
the  eldest  son  of  the  first  marriage.  In  view  of  the 
claims  which  were  afterwards  put  forward  by  the 
descendants  of  Reginald,  and  the  controversy  which 
arose  over  the  representation  of  his  family,  it  will  be 
necessary  at  this  stage  to  state  the  facts  of  the  case. 
The  primary  question  which  presents  itself  for 
solution  is,  in  which  of  the  two  families,  the  family 
of  Amie  MacRuarie,  John  of  Isla's  first  wife,  or  that 
of  Margaret  Stewart,  John's  second  wife,  was  the 
chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  handed  down.  In 
answering  this  question  we  shall  be  careful  to 
remember,  as  already  stated  at  length,  that  we  are 
dealing  with  a  Celtic  and  not  a  feudal  dignity,  and 
that  it  is  necessary  to  separate  the  two  questions 
and  treat  them  in  the  light  of  the  phases  of  social 
culture  to  which  they  respectively  belong.  In  pro- 
nouncing upon  the  chiefship  as  a  Celtic  question,  we 
are  not  called  upon  to  consider  whether  the  sons  of 
John  of  Isla  by  Amie,  or  his  sons  by  the  Princess 
Margaret,  were  his  feudal  heirs.  We  have  rather  to 
ask  whether  there  is  evidence  to  show  how  in  the 
order  of  Celtic  succession  the  chiefship  was  trans 
mitted,  whether  through  the  family  of  Amie  Mac- 
Ruarie or  that  of  Margaret  Stewart.  The  answer 
to  this  question  lies  in  the  fact,  to  which  the 
traditional  historian  of  the  family  of  Clanranald 
draws  attention,  that  the  old  Celtic  Lordship  of  the 

11 


162  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

Isles,  which  included  the  chief'ship  of  the  Clan 
Donald,  down  from  the  immemorial  past,  was  trans- 
mitted to  Donald,  the  eldest  son  of  John  of  Isla,  by 
the  daughter  of  the  King  of  Scotland.  The  inter- 
esting ceremonial  by  which  this  dignity  was  trans- 
mitted has  already  been  fully  related  in  the  first 
volume  of  this  work.  All  that  is  necessary  to  add 
at  present  is  that  the  ceremony  described  by  Hugh 
Macdonald,  Celtic  in  its  spirit,  conception,  and 
details,  and  conducted  with  the  approval  of  the 
gentry  of  the  Isles,  settled  the  question  of  the  chief- 
ship.  On  a  certain  day  at  Kildonan,  in  the  Island 
of  Eigg,  Reginald,  the  son  of  John  of  Isla,  who, 
according  to  MacVurich,  was  Stewart  of  the  Isles  at 
the  time,  handed  over  to  Donald  the  sceptre  of 
Innsegall,  in  the  presence,  and  finally  with  the 
consent,  of  the  men  of  the  Isles,  when  "  he  was 
nominated  Macdonald  and  Donald  of  Isla."  The 
MacVurich  narrative  indicates  a  certain  amount  of 
natural  hesitation  on  the  part  of  the  men  of  the  Isles 
to  give  their  consent  to  Reginald's  surrender  of,  and 
Donald's  election  to,  the  chief'ship  ;  but  in  the 
course  of  the  narrative  it  becomes  clear  that  after 
all  the  procedure  was  carried  out  with  the  consent 
of  the  brethren  and  nobles  of  the  Isles.  Donald's 
proclamation  as  "  Macdonald  and  Donald  of  Isla" 
must  be  regarded,  on  anj  reasonable  view,  as  his 
appointment  to  the  position  of  patriarchal  head  of 
his  race.  In  recognition  of  this  fact,  all  the 
branches  of  the  family  of  Macdonald  followed  the 
banner  of  the  Lords  of  Innsegall  through  fortune 
and  misfortune  down  to  1493,  when  the  feudal 
honour  was  for  ever  withdrawn.  Even  after  the 
Lordship  of  the  Isles  as  a  feudal  honour  had  passed 
away,  the  clan  followed  the  lead  of  Donald  Dubh, 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  163 

the  representative  of  the  old  family,  and  acknow- 
ledged him  as  their  chief.  The  abortive  and  short- 
lived effort  on  the  part  of  the  clan  to  put  James 
Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  into  the  place  left  vacant 
by  Donald  Dubh's  demise  was  made  in  consequence 
of  the  fact  that  the  only  descendant  of  Donald  of 
Harlaw  qualified  by  birth  to  possess  the  vacant 
dignity,  namely,  the  Chief  of  Sleat,  was  at  this 
time  a  child,  a  fact  which  at  such  a  crisis  in  the 
history  of  the  family  was  sufficient  to  invalidate  his 
claims. 

On  the  death  of  Donald  Dubh  the  direct  line  of 
chiefs  from  John,  Earl  of  Ross,  came  to  an  end. 
But  besides  John,  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross,  left  other 
two  sons,  Celestine  and  Hugh,  either  of  whom  was 
qualified  by  birth  and  position  to  perpetuate  the 
chiefship  of  the  clan.  Were  the  chiefship  a  feudal 
honour,  it  is  questionable  whether  these  two  sons 
of  Alexander  could  have  inherited  or  transmitted 
that  distinction,  seeing  that  both  appear  to  have 
been  the  issue  of  those  "  handfast "  unions,  corres- 
ponding to  what  is  known  in  modern  times  as 
Scotch  marriages.  These  marriages  were  not 
solemnised  by  the  Church,  and,  therefore,  in  the  eye 
of  the  feudal  law,  their  offspring  was  not  strictly 
legitimate.  We  have  shown,  however,  in  our  first 
volume  (page  432,  et  seq.)  that  these  unions  were 
recognised  in  Celtic  law  and  their  offspring  was 
regarded  as  legitimate  by  the  canon  law  of  the 
Church.  It  is  noteworthy  that  in  the  various 
charters  and  confirmations  in  favour  of  Celestine 
and  Hugh,  the  term  bastardus,  which  is  always 
employed  when  thorough  illegitimacy  is  meant  to  be 
conveyed,  is  never  used.  In  the  charter  of  con- 
firmation granted  by  James  IV,  to  Hugh  of  Sleat  m 


164  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1495,  he  is  referred  to  as  a  brother  simply  of  John, 
Lord  of  the  Isles,  without  the  qualification  of  either 
carnalis  or  bastardus.  Nor  was  it  deemed  necessary, 
as  in  the  case  of  others,  that  Hugh  should  obtain  a 
charter  of  legitimation  before  receiving  feudal  investi- 
ture. In  any  case,  the  feudal  irregularity  of  the 
birth  of  Celestine  and  Hugh  was  no  barrier  against 
the  inheritance  or  transmission  by  either  of  them  of 
the  chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald.  In  the  line  of 
Celestine  of  Lochalsh.  who  to  all  appearance  was  the 
older  son,  we  should  have  looked  for  the  chiefship 
after  the  death  of  Donald  Dubh,  but  Donald  Gallda, 
the  grandson  of  Celestine,  died  in  1519,  when  the 
male  representation  of  the  family  came  to  an  end. 
Both  Alexander  of  Lochalsh,  and  his  son,  Donald 
Gallda,  however,  aspired  to  the  succession  to  the 
Lordship  of  the  Isles,  and  the  chiefship  of  the  Clan 
Donald.  Before  proceeding  to  consider  the  claim  of 
the  family  of  Sleat  to  the  chiefship  of  the  clan, 
the  opportunity  seems  favourable  for  indicating  our 
opinion,  and  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  be  otherwise 
than  brief,  about  the  Earldom  of  Ross.  It  has  been 
contended  that  this  Earldom,  destined  to  heirs 
general,  devolved  upon  the  family  of  Glengarry  by 
the  marriage  of  Margaret,  eldest  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander of  Lochalsh,  to  Alexander,  the  sixth  of 
Glengarry.  Had  the  Earldom  of  Ross  been  a  Celtic 
honour,  this  contention  might  be  successfully  vindi- 
cated. It  must  be  obvious,  however,  that  in  this 
case  we  have  to  deal,  not  with  a  Celtic  but  with  a 
feudal  dignity,  and  while  we  contend,  and  rightly, 
we  believe,  for  the  legitimacy  of  Celestine  and  Hugh 
for  the  transmission  of  the  Celtic  honours  of  the 
clan,  neither  of  them  was  qualified  without  a  charter 
of  legitimation  from  the  Crown  to  hand  down  the 


THE   CHIEFSHIP.  165 

Earldom  of  Ross.  If  this  view  is  correct,  it  follows 
that  the  representation  of  the  Earldom  of  Ross 
passed  out  of  the  family  of  the  Isles  with  the  for- 
feiture of  John,  Earl  of  Ross,  in  1476. 

From  the  death  of  Donald  Dubh  downwards,  there 
is  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  family  which  the 
general  concensus  of  the  clan  regarded  as  containing 
the  chiefship  of  the  race  of  Donald.  The  family  of 
Sleat  alone  stood  in  the  direct  line  of  succession  to 
the  old  family  of  the  Isles,  and  beside  theirs  there  is 
no  other  claim  that  can  for  a  moment  be  enter- 
tained. Though  John,  the  second  of  Sleat,  regard- 
less of  the  honour  of  his  house,  attempted  to  put  the 
patrimony  of  the  family  past  his  brother,  Donald 
Gallach,  that  does  not  affect  the  patriarchal  position 
of  Donald  in  the  very  least.  The  Clan  Uisdein 
accepted  Donald  as  their  chief,  and  defended  him  in 
the  possession  of  the  family  inheritance.  Without 
their  consent  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  hold  the 
position,  and  they  on  their  part  would  not  have 
accepted  him  as  their  chief  if  he  had  not  been  looked 
upon  as  the  rightful  heir  of  the  family.  That  the 
Clan  Uisdein  and  the  Clan  Donald  generally 
regarded  the  family  of  Sleat  as  in  the  direct  line  of 
succession  to  the  chiefship  is  shown  by  their  hearty 
support  of  the  claim  put  forward  by  Donald  Gorm 
in  1539.  Seeing  that  Donald  Dubh  was  apparently 
a  prisoner  for  life,  and  the  family  of  Lochalsh  had 
become  extinct  in  the  male  line,  the  honours  of  the 
House  of  Isla  appeared  to  devolve  upon  the  family 
of  Sleat.  This  was  the  view  taken  by  the  Clan 
Donald  and  the  majority  of  the  vassals  of  the  Isles 
who  supported  the  claim  of  Donald  Gorm.  Donald's 
attempt  failed  with  his  death  at  Ellandonan. 
Though  no  effort  was  made  by  force  of  arms  to 


166  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

restore  the  Island  Lordship  after  the  last  attempt 
in  1545,  yet  the  Sleat  family  continued  to  be 
acknowledged  both  in  Scotland  and  in  England  as 
the  representatives  of  the  old  family  and  chiefs  of 
the  Clan  Donald.  Dean  Munro  of  the  Isles,  who 
wrote  his  well-known  Manuscript  in  1549,  and  whose 
knowledge  of  Island  history  and  genealogy  seems  to 
have  been  both  accurate  and  minute,  in  enumerating 
the  branches  of  the  Clan  Donald  gives  the  first  place 
to  the  family  of  Sleat.  Donald  Gorm  Sasunnach, 
the  son  of  Donald  Gorm,  who  met  his  death  at 
Ellandonan,  appears  to  have  been  regarded  not  only 
as  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles, 
but  as  the  actual  possessor  of  that  dignity.  He 
joined  Sorley  Buy  Macdonald  in  his  Irish  campaigns, 
and  in  the  Calendar  of  State  Papers  he  appears  on 
more  than  one  occasion  as  "  Lord  of  the  Oute  Isles/' 
In  a  letter  by  Donald  Gorm  Mor  to  the  Lord  Deputy 
of  Ireland,  he  refers  to  the  old  bond  between  his 
predecessors,  the  Lords  of  the  Isles,  and  the  Crown 
of  England,  and  to  the  hospitality  extended  to  his 
father,  whom  he  styles  Lord  of  the  Isles,  during  his 
stay  at  the  English  Court.  If  to  this  affirmation  be 
added  the  evidence  adduced  from  other  sources,  it 
will  appear  that  the  family  of  Sleat  not  only  looked 
upon  themselves  as  the  representatives  of  the  Lords 
of  the  Isles,  but  that  they  were  regarded  as  such  by 
the  country  generally.  Donald  Gorm  Mor  himself 
not  only  claimed  to  be  Lord  of  the  Isles,  but  he  was 
actually  acknowledged  as  such  by  the  vassals  of  the 
Lordship,  while  the  Clan  Donald  at  the  same  time 
acknowledged  him  as  their  chief.  In  1575,  two 
years  after  the  death  of  his  father,  they  chose  him 
"  as  their  Lord  and  ruler  of  the  Isles."  In  his  offers 
to  Queen  Elizabeth  in  1598,  Donald  Gorm  refers  to 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  167 

this  acknowledgment  on  the  part  of  the  vassals  of 
the  Isles,  and  styles  himself  "  Lord  of  ye  Illis  of 
Scotland  and  Chierf  of  the  haill  Clandonald  Irische- 
ineri  quhairsoeuir."  He  further  declares  that  the 
Captain  of  Clanranald,  Glengarry,  Keppoch,  Mac- 
Iain  of  Ardnamurchan,  and  Macdonald  of  Dunriyveg, 
are  sworn  to  follow,  serve,  and  obey  him  with  all 
their  forces.  This  decided  acknowledgment  on  the 
part  of  the  whole  Clan  Donald  of  Donald  Goim,  is 
enough  to  settle  all  controversy  on  the  question  of 
the  chiefship,  and  should  satisfy  every  reasonable 
person  of  the  undoubted  right  of  the  family  of  Sleat 
to  that  honour,  It  may  have  been  to  this  declar- 
ation of  chiefship  Hugh  Macdonald  refers  when  he 
says  that  the  family  of  Sleat  "  can  produce  a  paper 
signed  by  all  the  principal  men  of  the  name  wherein 
they  acknowledge  the  head  of  the  family  as  chief." 
Donald  Gorm  afterwards,  in  his  bond  to  Mackintosh, 
takes  burden  upon  him  for  Angus  Macdonald  of 
Dunnyveg,  with  the  remainder  of  "  thair  haill  kyn 
of  Clan  Donald."  His  successor,  Sir  Donald,  appears 
from  the  records  of  the  time  to  have  been  acknow- 
ledged all  over  the  Highlands  as  head  of  the  Clan 
Donald,  and  held  responsible  for  their  behaviour  by 
those  in  authority,  which  of  itself,  however,  would 
have  meant  little  if  his  position  as  chief  had  not 
been  otherwise  secured  by  the  assent  of  the  clan. 
Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat  was  similarly  acknow- 
ledged as  "  chief  of  the  whole  name  arid  family  of 
Macdonald "  by  a  written  declaration  signed  by 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Moidart,  A.  Macdonald  of 
Ardnamurchan,  G.  Macalister  of  Loup,  Angus  Mac- 
donald of  Largie.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glencoe, 
and  John  Donaldson.  This  document,  which  bears 
no  date,  but  must  have  been  written  before  1670, 


168  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

was  i  egistered  in  the  Books  of  Council  and  Session 
in  1726.  It  will  be  observed  that  all  the  heads  of 
the  branch  families  of  the  name  signed  this  declar- 
ation except  Keppoch  and  Glengarry.  Coll  Mac- 
donald  of  Keppoch,  however,  a  few  years  afterwards, 
signed  a  similar  declaration  in  favour  of  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald,  Sir  James's  son,  which  was  likewise 
registered  in  1726.  The  omission  of  Glengarry  is 
easily  explained  when  we  remember  that  the  head 
of  the  Glengarry  family  at  that  time  was  Lord  Aros, 
who,  presuming  on  his  peerage  and  high  favour  at 
Court,  claimed  to  be  chief  of  the  whole  clan.  It 
may  have  been  on  account  of  Glengarry's  pretensions 
that  the  other  heads  of  families  felt  called  upon  to 
draw  up  their  written  declaration  acknowledging 
Sir  James  as  chief,  a  proceeding  which,  on  account 
of  his  well  established  right  to  the  honour,  would 
have  been  otherwise  unnecessary.  We  shall  refer 
to  the  Glengarry  claim  presently.  Meanwhile  it 
remains  only  to  add  from  the  evidence  we  have 
adduced  that  the  right  of  the  family  of  Sieat  to  the 
chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  is  clearly  established. 
Their  hereditary  male  descent  in  the  direct  line  of 
the  chiefship  is  undoubted,  besides  which  they  have 
been  from  time  to  time  acknowledged  as  chiefs  by 
the  whole  Clan  Donald,  and  from  the  verdict  of  the 
clan  there  is  no  appeal.  In  documents  of  the  18th 
century  the  later  heads  of  the  family  are  frequently 
to  be  met  with  styled  "  of  Macdonald  "  and  "  of  the 
Isles,"  while  they  are  acknowledged  as  such 
repeatedly  by  the  heads  of  the  other  branches, 
including  Glengarry. 

After  what  has  been  already  stated  in  regard  to 
the  surrender  of  his  claims  by  Reginald,  the  son  of 
John  of  Fsla,  and  the  acknowledgment  by  the  Clan 


THE  CHIEFSHIP.  169 

Donald  and  the  vassals  of  the  Isles  of  his  brother 
Donald,  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  at  any  great 
length  on  the  claim  of  ^Eneas,  Lord  Macdonald  of 
Glengarry,  to  the  chiefship.  It  is  not  difficult  to 
conjecture  the  grounds  upon  which  Glengarry  based 
his  claim,  though  these  are  not  actually  stated. 
We  have  no  means  of  knowing  whether  he  claimed 
the  Lordship  of  the  Isles  as  well  as  the  chiefship  of 
the  Clan  Donald.  Any  claim  he  might  put  forward 
to  the  Lordship  of  the  Isles  through  the  family  of 
Lochalsh,  from  whom  he  was  descended  on  the 
female  side,  could  not  be  admitted,  the  Island 
dignity  not  being  destined  to  heirs  female.  Even 
his  claim  to  the  Earldom  of  Ross  through  this 
family,  though  possibly  made  with  some  show  of 
reasoning,  was  not  allowed.  Though  a  warrant  was 
issued  by  Charles  II.  bestowing  the  Earldom  of  Ross 
upon  him,  when  the  question  came  to  be  sifted  it 
was  found  that  his  claim  to  the  Earldom  was  not 
well  founded,  and  the  patent  never  passed  the  seals. 
The  only  plausible  claim  he  could  make  to  the  chief- 
ship  of  the  Clan  Donald  was  on  the  ground  of  his 
descent  from  Reginald,  the  founder  of  the  Clan- 
ranald,  whom  the  family  of  Moidart,  as  the  senior 
branch,  claimed  to  represent.  The  real  ground, 
indeed,  on  which  Glengarry  based  his  claim  to  the 
headship  of  the  Clan  Donald,  appears  to  have  been 
his  peerage.  His  peerage  elevated  him  into  a 
prominent  position  in  the  country,  and  being  evi- 
dently a  man  who  had  a  high  opinion  of  his  own 
importance,  he  arrogated  to  himself  the  dignity  of 
chiefship  probably  without  waiting  to  consider  either 
his  own  claims  or  those  of  others.  Much  was  made 
by  a  later  representative  of  his  family  of  an  order  of 
the  Scottish  Privy  Council  commanding  Lord  Mac- 


170  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

donald  "  as  chief  of  the  name  and  Clan  of 
Macdonald "  to  exhibit  before  the  Council  Mac- 
donald  of  Keppoch,  and  a  number  of  others,  his  own 
immediate  followers.  It  was  no  doubt  very  grati- 
fying to  Glengarry  to  be  thus  acknowledged  as  chief 
of  the  Clan  Donald,  but  the  object  of  the  members 
of  Council,  who  cared  little  for  such  dignities,  was 
to  enforce  salutary  discipline  among  the  neighbours 
and  adherents  of  Lord  Macdonald,  all  the  easier  to 
be  attained  if  they  flattered  his  personal  vanity. 
Needless  to  say,  the  clansmen  referred  to  in  the 
Order  of  Council  represented  but  a  mere  fraction  of 
the  Clan  Donald,  nor  would  it  have  deserved  any 
notice  in  a  discussion  on  the  chiefship  except  to 
show  the  absurdity  of  Lord  Macdonald's  pretensions. 
The  Privy  Council  of  Scotland  was  hardly  the 
tribunal  to  appeal  to  to  decide  a  question  of  chief- 
ship,  and  we  are  not  aware  of  any  other  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  chiefship  of  Glengarry.  In  the 
following  year,  after  the  dignity  of  chief  had  been 
conferred  on  Glengarry  by  the  Council,  he  in  a  bond 
with  Macpherson  of  Cluny  unwarrantably  takes 
burden  upon  him  for  "  the  name  and  Clan  of  Mac- 
donalds  as  cheefe  and  principall  man  thereof."  This 
assumption  of  chiefship  by  Glengarry  received  no 
recognition,  it  is  needless  to  say,  from  the  great 
body  of  the  clan,  or  in  the  Highlands  generally,  nor 
is  there  any  evidence  of  his  being  acknowledged  as 
chief  of  the  Clan  Donald  even  by  his  own  tribe  of 
Glengarry. 

The    Glengarry    claim    was    afterwards    revived 
with  great  vehemence,  after  an  interval  of  a  hundred 

O 

and  fifty  years,  by  Alastair  Macdonell  of  Glengarry, 
who,  to  emphasise  his  claim,  adopted  the  name  of 
Kanaldson,  as  the  former  Angus  Macdonald  of  Glen- 


THE    CHIEFSHIP.  171 

garry  blossomed  into  ^Eneas,  Lord  Macdonell,  the 
first  to  assume  this  would-be  Gaelic  form  of  the 
name  with  the  Anglican  pronunciation.  Alastair 
bassd  his  claim  on  his  descent  from  Reginald,  the 
eldest  son  of  John,  Lord  of  the  Tsles,  and  bastardised 
all  who  awkwardly  stood  in  his  way.  He  in  the 
first  instance  challenged  the  family  of  Moidart  to 
prove  their  claim  to  be  the  senior  branch  of  the 
Clanranald,  asserting  at  the  same  time  his  own 

O 

claim  on  the  ground  of  his  descent  from  the  eldest 
son  of  Reginald,  the  founder  of  the  Clanranald. 
But  he  showed  the  weakness  of  his  case  at  the  very 
outset  of  the  controversy  by  laying  much  emphasis 
on  the  illegitimacy  of  John  of  Moidart,  one  of  the 
chiefs  of  Clanranald,  thus  unwittingly  acknowledging 
the  seniority  of  the  family  of  Moidart  in  the  attempt 
to  prove  a  break  in  the  line  of  succession.  The 
Glengarry  family  had  already  given  away  their  case 
by  acknowledging  the  chiefship  of  this  same  John 
of  Moidarfc  in  the  bond  between  Angus  MacAlister 
of  Glengarry  and  Grant  of  Freuchy  in  1571.  Even 
though  it  were  admitted  that  John  of  Moidart  was 
feudally  illegitimate,  the  fact  that  he  had  been 
acknowledged  by  the  Clanranald  as  their  chief,  and 
that  the  chiefship  had  been  transmitted  in  his  family 
without  challenge  for  centuries,  puts  the  Glengarry 
claim  out  of  cou^t  entirely,  and  establishes  without 
question  the  chiefship  of  the  Clanranald  in  the 
family  of  Moidart.  If  the  Glengarry  claim  to  the 
chiefship  of  the  Clanranald,  based  as  it  is  on  descent 
from  Reginald,  cannot  be  entertained,  it  follows  that 
the  chiefship  of  the  Clan  Donald  cannot  be  in  the 
family  of  Glengarry.  The  chiefship  of  the  whole 
clan  was  the  real  object  of  the  controversy  between 
Glengarry  and  Clanranald.  In  the  advertisement 


172  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

to  the  volume,  "Vindication  of  the  Clanronald  of 
Glengarry,"  published  for  Glengarry,  it  is  assumed 
that  whoever  proved  to  be  chief  of  the  ClanranakL 
ipso  facto  proved  his  right  to  the  headship  of  the 
Clan  Donald.  But  we  have  already  shown  that  the 
chiefship  of  the  clan  cannot  be  settled  upon  the 
principle  of  primogeniture,  upon  which  Glengarry 
based  his  claim.  On  the  same  ground  the  claim  put 
forward  to  the  chiefship  on  behalf  of  Ranald  George 
Macdonald  of  Clanranald  in  1819  cannot  be  enter- 
tained. While  the  claim  of  the  family  of  Moidart 
to  the  chiefship  of  Clanranald  is  undoubted,  the 
chiefship  of  the  whole  Clan  Donald,  as  already 
clearly  proved,  remains  without  question  in  the 
family  of  Sleat. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     173 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD. 

I.  THE  LORDS  OF  THE  ISLES. 

(A).  THE  DESCENT  OF  THE  LORDS  OF  THE  ISLES  FROM 
COLLA  UAIS  TO  SOMERLED. 

FEW  prefatory  remarks  are  needed  in  connection 
with  this  subject.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  race, 
of  which  Clan  Donald  are  the  principal  house,  was 
known,  not  only  in  early  times,  but  even  under  the 
later  dynasty  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles,  as  the 
"  Claim  Cholla."  It  was  well  on  in  the  14th  century 
when  "  O'Henna  made  this  on  John  of  Isla— 

The  Sovereignty  of  the  Gael  to  the  Clann  Cholla 
It  is  right  to  proclaim  it." 

A  genealogy  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles  to  be  complete 
must  include  the  descent  from  Colla  Uathais,  or 
Uais,  from  whom  the  Clann  Cholla  derive  their 
name.  It  may  be  stated  at  the  outset  that  an 
egregious  error  has  crept  into  the  statements  of  the 
Seanachies  in  deducing  the  pedigree  of  this  family, 
by  which  they  have  sunk  nine  or  ten  generations, 
namely,  all  the  grades  from  Fergus  Mac  Ere,  the 
founder  of  the  Dalriadic  nation  in  Scotland.  The 
Annals  of  Ulster  have  fallen  into  the  same  mistake, 
and  all  with  the  result  of  giving  an  air  of  unreality 
to  these  genealogies.  It  is  hoped  that  the  system 
developed  in  these  pages  may  remedy  this  error. 

I.  COLL,  or  COLLA  UATHAIS,  6th  in  descent  from 
Constantine  Centimachus,  who  flourished  A.D.  125.1 

1  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters, 


174  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

The  son  of  Constantino — or  Conn  Ceud-chathach— 
was  Art  Aanfhir,  who  built  the  celebrated  palace  of 
Maigh  Chuarta.  The  son  of  Art  was  Cormac,  the 
father  of  another  Arthur  whose  son  was  Corbred  or 
Cairbre  Riada,  founder  of  the  Dalreudini  or  Dal- 
riadic  race,  and  from  whom  the  name  Dalriad  took 
its  rise.  Corbred  was  the  father  of  Eothach 
Eochaidh,  or  Ochains,  whose  son  was  Colla  Uathais. 
From  him  the  ancestors  of  the  Macdonalds  and 
other  collateral  races  were  termed  Clann  Cholla. 

II.  ETHACH  or  EOCHAI,  latinized  Ochaius,  was 
the  son  of  Colla  Uathais,  and  succeeded  his  father. 

III.  ARTHUR,  son  of  Ethach,  carried  down  the 
line  of  succession.     In  one  of  the  Annals  he  is  called 
Criomhthan.     Some   of  them  omit  him  altogether. 
But  in  Munro's  MS.  of  1549,  and  the  Kilbricle  MS. 
of  1450,  he  is  distinctly  traced  as  the  son  of  Ethach 
and  the  father  of 

IV.  ERC  or  ERIC,  the  father  of  the  three  Dal- 
riadic  princes  that  finally  established  themselves  in 
Argyll.1     He  flourished  in  the  latter  part  of  the  5th 
century.      He  had  three  sons,  Lome,  Fergus,  and 
Angus,  who  are  said  to  have  received  the  blessings 
of  Saint  Patrick  before  they  left  their  native  shore 
for  Caledonia.     Lome  settled  in  the  district  which 
bears  his  name,  Fergus  in  Kintyre,  and  Angus,  the 
youngest,  in  Isla.2     The  descendants  of  Lome  and 
those  of  Fergus  by  two  grandsons,  namely,  Comgall 
and   Gauran,  sons  of  Domangart,  claimed  each  in 
turn   the    Dalriadic    sceptre,    which    caused   much 
trouble  and  bloodshed.     This  state  of  things  con- 
tinued from  the  beginning  of  the  9th  century  for 
the  period  of  300  years,  until  Fergus's  offspring  by 
Gauran    in    the    person    of    Alpin    by   his   father's 

1  Col.  de  Reb.  Alb.,  p.  60-61.  2  Ibid. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  175 

marriage  with  the  daughter  of  Urquis,  King  of  the 
Picts,  united  the  whole  of  Scotland  to  the  north  of 
Strathclyde  and  Lothian,  over  which  Kenneth  his 
son  ruled  as  one  monarch.  From  the  second  Fergus, 
uncle  to  Alpin,  sprang,  as  will  be  seen,  the  family 
afterwards  distinguished  as  Lords  of  Argyll  and  the 
Isles. 

V.  FERGUS,  one  of  the  sons  of  Ere,  or,  as  he  is 
sometimes  called,  Fergus  Mor.     He  commanded  the 
Dalriads  that  settled  in  Argyll  after  the  death  of 
Lome,   his  elder  brother.      His  grandson  acquired 
the  district  of  Kintyre  first  allotted  to  Angus  by  his 
marriage  with  the   daughter  of  Murdoch  Angus's 
son.     The  three  brothers,  the  sons  of  Ere,  landed  in 
Argyll  in  466,  and  Ere  is  said  to  have  died  in  502. * 

VI.  DOMANGART,     son     of    Fergus,    held    the 
sovereignty  three  years  only,  and  died  in  505. 2     He 
was  succeeded  by  Comgall,  son  of  Domangart,  who 
seems  to  have  been  the  eldest  son,  but  Gauran  or 
Godfrey,  his  brother,  succeeded  him.     Comgall  died 
in  538.3 

VII.  GAURAN  wielded  the  sceptre  over  the  Dal- 
riads for  the  period  of  twenty-two  years,  and  died 
in    560.4      Conall    or   Donal,    the   son    of  Comgall, 
succeeded  his   uncle,  Gauran,  and   reigned  sixteen 
years.      His  death,  according  to  Tighearnac,  took 
place  in  574. 

VIII.  AIDAN  or  HUGH,  the  son  of  Gauran,  next 
succeeded.     He  held  the  principality  for  thirty-eight 
years,  and  died  in  606.     He  had  a  brother  named 
Ewan,  whose  son  was  Riffullan. 

o 

IX.  ETHACH  or  EOCHA  of  the  yellow  locks,  son  of 
the  above  Aodh  or  Hugh,  styled  also  Aidan  of  the 
golden-hilted  sword,  assumed  the  sovereigntv  over 

1  Tighearuac  Col.  de  Reb.  Alb.  2  Ibid.  3  Ibid.  4  Ibid. 


176  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

the  Dalriads.  He  died  in  623. l  He  had  a  brother 
named  Conan,  and  several  sons,  viz.,  Conan  Cearr 
Bran,  Domangart,  Eochfinn,  Arthur,  and  Failbhe. 

X.  DONALD  BREC,  the  son  of  Ethach  or  Eocha 
Buidhe,  took  the  sceptre  neither  as  the  immediate 
successor   of  his   father,   Ethach,   nor  of  his   elder 
brother,  Conan  Cearr,  who  was  in  power  for  three 
months  only,  but  as  immediate  successor  to  Fearchar, 
son  of  Ewen,  of  the  race  of  Lome,  who  reigned  for 
sixteen    years.       Donald    died    after    reigning   five 
years  according  to  the  Irish  Annals,  but  fourteen 
according  to  the  Albanic  Duan.     He  was  succeeded 
by  Conal  or  Donal,  son  of  Duncan,  and  grandson  of 
Conal  (already  mentioned),  son  of  Comgall,  of  the 
race  of  Fergus.      Domgall,  also  of  the  race  of  Lome, 
reigned  over  that  race  at  the  same  time.     Conal, 
surnamed  Crandomna,  died  in  660.     Donald  Duinn, 
his    son,    succeeded,    and    Maolduinn,    his    brother, 
succeeded  him.     The  former   reigned  thirteen  and 
the  latter  seventeen  years.      They  had   a  brother 
named  Conan.     Ferchar  Fada  reigned  over  Argyll 
after  Donald  Brec.     He  was  of  the  Lome  race.     He 
died  in  697,  after  a  reign  of  twenty-one  years.2 

XI.  DOMANGART,  the  son  of  Donald  Brec,  did 
not  succeed  to  the  sovereignty.     His  brother,  Cata- 
saigh,  also  died  young. 

XII.  ETHACH   or   EOCHA   RENEVAL,  the  son  of 
Domangart,  succeeded  to  the  throne  after  the  death 
of  Fearchar  Fada  for  the  period  of  two  years  only. 
The  son  of  Fearchar  Fada  took  up  the  sceptre  after 
his  death,  and  Selvach,  another  son  of  the  same, 
succeeded  Ainceallach.      Duncan,   a   descendant  of 
Fergus,  by  Comgall,  next  succeeded.      He  died  in 
721.3 

1  Annals  of  Innisf alien. 
2  Irish  Annals.     Coll.  de  Reb.  Alb.  3  Ibid. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  177 

XIII.  ETHACH,   the   son  of  the   above   Ethach 
assumed  the  government  in  726.     He  died  in  733. 
During  his  son's  minority,  Muireadach,  the  son  of 
Ainceallach,  was  sovereign  prince  for  a  short  time, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Ewen,  his  son.1 

XIV.  AIDAN  or  HUGH,  the  fair  son  of  Each  of 
the   steeds,  above  mentioned,  succeeded  to   power. 
He  held  it  thirty  years,  and  died  in  778. 

XV.  FERGUS,  the  son  of  Aidan  or  Aodhfin  (fair- 
haired),    next    succeeded.      His    reign    lasted   only 
three  years,    and    during    his   son's    minority   the 
sceptre  was  taken   by  Selvach  2nd  of  the  race  of 
Lorn,    who    held    ih     for     four-and-twenty    years. 
Eocha    Anfhuinn   (weak),    the  son  of  Aidan,   next 
succeeded,  and  reigned  thirty  years,  and  after  him 
Dungal,  the  son  of  the  above  Selvach,  swayed  the 
sceptre  for  seven  years.     Eocha  or  Ochaius  estab- 
lished  the  throne  by  his    marriage  with  Urgusia, 
daughter  of  the  Pictish  sovereign,  an  alliance  which 
enabled    his   grandson,    Kenneth    MacAlpin,    after- 
wards to  claim  and  acquire  the  Pictish  sceptre  in 
right    of    his    grandmother.      The    descendants    of 
Ethach  were  enabled  to  keep  a   firm  hold  of  the 
Dalriadic  sceptre  to  the  exclusion  of  the  offspring 
of  Fergus,  and  also  afforded  them  an  opportunity  of 
extending   the    whole   of  Caledonia  without  extir- 
pating the  Picts,  as  was  at  one  time   asserted  by 
historians.     Ethach   was    succeeded  by   Alpin,   and 
Alpin   by   Kenneth,   who  removed  the  seat  of  his 
court   from    the    western    Coast    of  Argyll    to   the 
interior. 

The  descendants  of  Fergus  who  still  remained  in 
the  West  owned  the  territory  of  Argayl  and  some 
of  the  Isles,  and  there  we  find  them  when  the 

1  Irish  Annals.     Coll  de  Reb.  Alb. 

12 


178  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

public  records  or  other  collateral  testimony  happens 
to  notice  them.  We  have  no  means  of  doing  more 
than  naming  these  in  the  order  of  their  descent,  as 
shown  by  the  oldest  genealogies  we  have,  and  the 
account  preserved  in  the  Annals  of  Ulster.  The 
son  of  Fergus  who  represented  the  Dalriadic  power 
in  the  West  was 

XVI.  MAINE,  or,  according  to  Munro,  EACIME. 
His  son  was 

XVII.  GODFREY,  whose  daughter  was  the  wife 
of  Kenneth  MacAlpin,  and  who  was  known  in  his 
day  as  Toshach  of  the  Isles.     The  son  arid  successor 
of  Godfrey  was 

XVIII.  NIALGUS,  or,  according  to  some,  NEILL. 
His  son  was 

XIX.  SUIBNE,     according     to     Dean      Munro 
SWYFFINE.     His  son  was 

XX.  MEAERDHA,  latinized  Marcus,  and  Hailes 
in   his   Annals  states  that    Kenneth,   King  of  the 
Scots  ;  Malcolm.  King  of  the  Cambri ;  and  Marcus, 
King  of  the  Isles,  entered  into  a  bond  of  treaty  for 
mutual   assistance   and   defence   in    the   year   973. 
This  shows  that  Lords  of  the  Isles  existed  before 
Somerled's  time.     The  son  of  Mearrdha  was 

XXI.  SOLAIM,  SOLAN,  or  SELLA,  whose  son  and 
heir  in  the  Lordship  of  Argyll  and  the  Isles  was 

XXII.  GILLEDOMNAN.      It  was  during  the  life- 
time of  this  chief  that  the  Western  Isles  of  Scot- 
land  were  completely  subjugated  by  the  piratical 
Norsemen.     His  daughter  married  Harold  Gillies, 
King  of  Norway.     Gilliedomnan  was  succeeded  by 

XXIII.  GILLEBRIDE  or  GILBERT,   who    is    men- 
tioned by  the  oldest  Highland  genealogist  as  "  rig 
eilean   Shidir,"  that  is,  King   of  the   Sudereys   or 
Southern    Isles.      His   daughter   was   the    wife   of 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  179 

Wymund  MacHeth,  Earl  of  Moray.  He  was  called 
Gillebride  na  h-Uamh,  from  the  fact  that  during  a 
certain  period  of  his  depressed  fortunes  he  lived  in 
a  cave  in  the  district  of  Morvern.  From  Gillebride 
are  said  to  have  descended — besides  the  Clan 
Donald  and  Clan  Dougall,  etc. — the  Maclachlans, 
MacEwin  of  Otter,  and  others.  His  son  was 
Somerled  rex  insularum,  or,  as  he  is  known  in 
Highland  tradition,  Somhairle  Mor  MacGillebhride. 

(B).  THE  LORDS  OF  THE  ISLES  FROM  SOMERLED  TO 
DONALD  DUBH. 

I.  SOMERLED  is  known  to  have  married  Ragn- 
hildis,  daughter  of  Olave  the  Black,  King  of  Man, 
and  had  three  sons — 

1.  Reginald,  ancestor  of  the  family,  particularly  designated 

"De  lie." 

2.  Dugall,    who    had   three   sons — (1)  Dugall   Scrag  ;   (2) 

Duncan  ;  (3)  Uspac  Hakon.  Dugall  Scrag  and 
Uspak  Hacon  died  without  issue.  Duncan  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son,  King  Ewin,  or,  as  he  is  called  in 
the  Sagas,  King  John.  This  King  John's  line  is 
said  to  have  terminated  in  two  heiresses,  one  of  whom 
m.  the  King  of  Norway,  and  the  other — Juliana—? 
m.  Alexander  of  Isla,  son  of  Angus  Mor. 

3.  Angus,  the  youngest  son  of  Somerled,  had  a  son,  James, 

whose  daughter,  Jane,  m.  Alexander,  eldest  son  of 
Walter  Stewart  of  Scotland.  Walter,  son  of  Aiaxander 
and  of  Jane,  of  the  house  of  Somerled,  m.  Marjory 
Bruce,  whose  son  was  Robert  II.  The  descendants 
of  Angus  MacSomerled  appear  to  be  extinct  in  the 
male  line. 

He  had  another  son,  Gille  Calluin,  killed  at  Renfrew, 
who  may  have  been  by  a  former  wife.  If  this  was  so, 
the  seanachies  would  be  right  in  saying  that  Reginald 
was  Somerled's  oldest  surviving  son,  while  the  Manx 
chronicle  would  be  right  in  stating  that  Reginald  was 
second  in  order  of  birth.  Other  sons  are  said  to  have 
been  Gall  MacSgillin,  the  progenitor  of  the  Clan  Gall  of 
the  Glens,  and  Olave.  He  also  had  a  daughter,  Beatrice, 
who  was  Prioress  of  lona. 


180  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

IT.  REGINALD,  son  of  Somerled,  m.  Fonia,  grand- 
daughter of  Fergus,  Prince  of  Galloway.  By  this 
Indy  he  had— 

1.  Donald,  from  whom  the  Clan  Donald. 

a  > 

2.  Roderick,  and,  according  to  some  genealogists, 
:^.  Dugall. 

4.  A  daughter  said  to  have  married  Allan  of  Galloway. 

III.  DONALD,  son  of  Reginald,  and  progenitor  of 
the  Clan  Donald,  carried  on  the  line  of  the  Kings  of 
Innsegall.     He  m.  a  daughter  of  Walter  Stewart  of 
Scotland,  and  had  two  sons,  who  appear  on  record— 

1.  Angus  Mor. 

2.  Alexander,  known  as  Alastair  Mor. 

IV.  ANGUS   MOR   m.    a   daughter   of  Sir   Colin 
Campbell  of  Lochow,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons — 

1.  Alexander,  his  heir. 

2.  Angus,  called,  in  contradistinction  to  his  father,  Angus 

Og. 

3.  John  "  Sprangach,"  progenitor  of  the  Macians  of  Ardna- 

nmrchan.     Angus  Mor  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

V.  ALEXANDER,    who    espoused    the    cause    of 
Edward   I.   as   against    Robert    Bruce.       On   Bruce 
achieving  the  independence  of  Scotland,  Alexander, 
on  account  of  his  attitude,  was  forfeited  in  all  his 
estate,  and  his  descendants  cut  off  from  the  succession 
for  ever.     He  m.   Juliana   of  Lorne,  and    had    six 
sons —     f i^o 

Black  John,  Reginald,  Somerled,  Angus,  Godfrey,  and  Charles. 
Alexander  died  a  prisoner  in  Dundonald  Castle,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother, 

VI.  ANGUS  OG.     He  appears  at  the  outset  of  the 
War  of  Independence  as  attached   to  the   English 
interest,  but   before  long  became  a  strenuous  sup- 
porter of  the  Bruce,  and  did  yeoman  service  in  the 
final    struggle    at    Bannockburn.       He   m.    Agnes, 
daughter  of  Guy  O'Cahan  of  Ulster,  by  whom  he 
had  John,  his  successor, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      I  S  I 

He  had  another  son,  John,  known  as   Iain  Fraoch,  progenitor" 
of  the  family  of  Glenco,  and  who  is   alleged  by  the  seanachies  to 
have  been  illegitimate.     The  mother  of   this  John  was  a  daughter 
of  Dougall  MacHenry,  a  leading  man  in  Gleuco.     Angus  Og  was 
succeeded  by 

VII.  JOHN,  known  as  "  the  good  John  of  Isla," 
owing  to  his  benefactions  to  the  Church.     He  in. 
Amy,  daughter  of  Roderick,  son  of  Allan  MacRuari, 
his  third  cousin,  for  which    union  they  are  said  to 
have  obtained  a  papal  dispensation,  and  had— 

1.  John,  whose  son  Angus  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the 
hostages  given  to  King  David  in  pledge  of  the  fidelity 
of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  John  predeceased  his 
father,  and  his  son  Angus  does  notappear  to  have  left 
issue. 

'2.  Reginald  or  Ranald,  ancestor  of  the  Clanranald. 

3.  Godfrey,  of  whom  the  Siol  Ghorraidh.  John  of  Isla  is 
said  to  have  repudiated  Amy  Macruari,  his  first  wife, 
in  favour  of  the  Princess  Margaret  of  Scotland, 
daughter  of  Robert  II.,  whom  he  married  as  his 
second  wife.  By  the  Princess  Margaret  he  had  f  < 
/  4.  Donald,  his  successor. 

5.  John  Mor  Tanistear,  founder  of  the  family  of  Dunnyveg.   /*. 

6.  Angus,  who  left  no  issue. 

7.  Alexander,   known    as  Alastair  Carrach.    of   whom    the 

p  4 1  O 
family  of  Keppoch. 

8.  Hugh,  who  got  a  Charter  of  the  Thanage  of  Glentilt, 
and  whose  descendants,  according  to  Skene,  became 
Mclntoshes. 

John  had  also  a  natural  son,  Donald,  who  is  mentioned 
as  one  of  the  hostages  placed  in  the  King's  hands  as 
pledge  for  his  fidelity.     He  had  a  daughter  Mary,   who 
married     Lachlan    Lubanach    Maclean     of    Duart,    and 
another  daughter   Margaret,  who  married  Angus   Dubh  - 
Mackay  of  Strathnaver.     John's  family  by  the  first  wife  ; 
having  been  cut  off'  from  the  succession  to  the  lordship 
of  the  Isles,  John  was  succeeded  by 

VIII.  DONALD   of  Harlaw,    Lord   of  the    Isles. 
He  m.   Lady  Mary   Leslie,  daughter  of  Sir   Walter 
Leslie  by  Euphemia,  Countess  of  Ross.      Lady  Mary 


182  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Leslie,  wife  of  Donald,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  became 
Countess  of  Ross  in  her  own  right,  the  dignity 
being  destined  to  heirs  general.  By  her  Donald 
had  two  sons— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  his  father  ;  and 

2.  Angus,  who  became  Bishop  of  the  Tales. 

He  had  another  son,  a  monk,  whose  name  is  not  known. 
Donald  was  succeeded  by 

IX.  ALEXANDER,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  in  right 
of   his    mother     Earl     of    Ross.       Alexander    m. 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Alexander  Seton,   Lord    of 
Gordon  and  Huntly.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him.     By  another  marriage  with  a 

daughter  of  Macphee  or  MacDuffie  of    Lochaber  he 
had 

2.  Celestine,   of   whom  the  family   of   Lochalsh  ;   and   by    < 

another    marriage    with    a    daughter    of    Gillepatrick 
Roy,  son  of  Rory,  son  of  the  Green  Abbot,  he  had 

3.  Hugh,  the  founder  of  the  family  of  Sleat.      Alexander  4f(0*\ 

was  succeeded  by 

X.  JOHN,   Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  Earl  of  Ross. 
He  m.  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  Lord   Living- 
stone, great  Chamberlain  of  Scotland,  without  issue. 

He  had  two  natural  sons,  John  and  Angus,  both  of  whom  were 
feudally  legitimised  in  a  charter  bestowing  a  new  patent  of  nobility 
upon,  and  restoring  the  lordship  of  the  Isles  to,  their  father. 
John  predeceased  his  father.  Angus  was  marked  out  by  character, 
the  voice  of  the  Clan  Donald,  as  well  as  the  precept  of  legitimation, 
as  his  father's  successor,  and  in  one  charter  he  is  described  as 
Master  of  the  Isles  and  Lord  of  Trot  tern  ish.  He,  however,  died 
before  his  father,  having  been  assassinated  in  1490.  John  seems 
also  to  have  had  another  son,  presumably  illegitimate,  who 
appears  on  record  in  1485  as  Reginald,  the  son  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Isles.  Angus,  Master  of  the  Isles,  m.  Lady  Margaret  Campbell, 
daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Argyle,  by  whom  he  had  a  son 

XL  DONALD  DUBH,  upon  whom  the  Earl  of 
Argyll  and  the  Scottish  Parliament  tried  to  fix  the 
stigma  of  illegitimacy,  but  whom  the  vassals  of  the 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  183 

Isles  persistently  regarded  and  repeatedly  followed 
as  the  lineal  representative  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles. 
His  great  and  prolonged  misfortunes  have  already 
been  recorded,  and  with  him  died  out  the  direct 
line  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles. 

II.   THE  OLDER  CADETS  OF  THE  ISLES. 
(A).  THE  MACRUARIS  OF  GARMORAN  AND  THE  NORTH  ISLES. 

The  founder  of  this  powerful  family  was— 

I.  RODERICK,   the  second   son    of   Reginald    De 
He,  son  of  Somerled.      Roderick  left  two  sons— 

(1)  Dougall ;  (2)  Allan.     He  was  succeeded  by 

II.  DOUGALL.     He  had  two  sons— 

Fearchar  and  Duncan,  neither  of  whom  appears  to  have  sue* 
ceeded  or  left  progeny.  Dougall  was  succeeded  by  his  younger 
brother, 

III.  ALLAN,   son   of  Roderick.      He   left    three 
sons — 

1.  Roderick. 

2.  Ranald. 

3.  Lauchlan — and  one  daughter,  Christina. 

This  daughter  seems  to  have  been  a  half-sister  of  the 
brothers  mentioned,  and  apparently  the  sole  legitimate 
child,  according  to  strict  feudal  law.  She,  however, 
through  resignation,  confirmed  to  her  brother,  Rod  Tick, 
his  ^patrimonial  rights,  whereby  he  became  feudally 
capable  of  succession.  Christina  m.  Donald,  10th  Eavl 
of  Mar,  to^whom  she  had  two  daughters.  One  of  incite 
was  Lady  Isabel,  who  m.  King  Robert  Bruce.  Her 
daughter  to  Robert  Bruce — the  Princess  Marjory — who 
m.  Walter,  the  Steward  of  Scotland,  was  the  mother  of 
Robert  II.,  atid  ancestress  of  the  line  of  Stewart  Kiugs- 
Allan,  the  son  of  Roderick,  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest 
son, 

IV.  RODERICK,  who,  owing  to  his  sister  Christina's 
disinterested  action,  was  able  to  inherit  his  father's 


184  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

property,   as  well    as   the   headship   of  the  family. 
He  had  two  sons — 

1.  Reginald  or  Ranald. 

2.  Allan — and   a  daughter,   Euphcmia  or  Amy.      Roderick 

was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  REGINALD.  He  was  killed  in  1346  by  the 
Earl  of  Ross,  and  with  him  the  Macruaris  appear  to 
have  become  extinct  in  the  male  line — at  any  rate,  so 
far  as  the  transmission  of  territorial  possessions  was 
concerned. 

Amy,  the  daughter  of  Roderick  and  sister  of  Reginald,  the  last 
head  of  the  house,  inherited  the  family  estates,  which,  on  her 
marriage  with  John  of  Isla,  became  the  property  of  the  family  of 
the  Isles. 

(£).  THE  MACALLISTERS  OF  LOUP. 
• 

This  family  owes  its  origin  genealogically  to  Alex- 
ander, younger  son  of  Donald,  progenitor  of  the  clan, 
and  not,  as  has  been  supposed  by  some,  to  Alexander, 
son  of  Angus  Mor,  the  deposed  Lord  of  the  Isles. 
The  reasons  for  this  conclusion  have  been  sufficiently 
discussed  in  the  second  volume  of  this  work.  It  is 
sufficient  to  say  here  that  wherever  we  find  the 
descendants  of  Alastair  Og,  son  of  Angus  Mor, 
appearing  indubitably  on  record  in  the  Irish  Annals 
they  invariably  do  so  as  MacDonalds,  and  never  as 
MacAllisters  or  MacAlexanders.  There  seems  little 
reason  to  doubt  that  all  the  sons  of  the  forfeited 
Alexander  settled  in  Ireland.  On  the  other  hand, 
though  some  of  the  descendants  of  "  Alastair  Mor" 
seem  to  have  migrated  to  Ireland,  most  of  them 
obtained  settlements  in  Scotland,  the  principal  family 
being  from  the  outset  associated  with  Kintyre,  while 
others  are  found  in  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland. 

I.  ALEXANDER,  younger  son  of  Donald,  was  the 
progenitor  of  the  Clan  Allister.  He  appears  in  the 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  185 

Highland  and  Irish  genealogies  as  Alastair  Mor, 
whereby  he  is  distinguished  from  his  nephew  and 
contemporary  Alastair  Og.  According  to  the 
Seanachies  he  had  at  least  five  sons — 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Godfrey. 

3.  Duncan. 

4.  John. 

5.  Hector.     Alexander  was  succeeded  by 

II.  DONALD,    who    in    1291     swore     fealty    to 
Edward  I.     In  this  act  of  homage  there  was  associ- 
ated with  him 

III.  ALEXANDER,   his   son    and   successor.       He 
and  his  descendants  appear  to  have  maintained  a 
connection  with  their  native  Argyll,  as  is  evidenced 
by  the  glimpse  we  get  of  the  son  and  successor  of 
Alexander,  namely, 

IV.  RANALD   MACALEXANDER,    who   crosses   to 
Ireland   in    1366    to    fight    in    the  chronic  wars   of 
Ulster   at    that    time  raging  between  Donald   and 
Neill  O'Neill.     For  the  next  three  generations  the 
succession    seems    obscure,  but   with    the  aid   of  a 
genealogical  tree  we  infer  the  succession   to  ha,ve 
been  in  this  wise — Kanald  Mac  Alexander  was  suc- 
ceeded by 

V.  ALEXANDER,    who   flourished    c.    1400.      He 
was  succeeded  by 

VI.  JOHN  DUBH,  from  whom  the  tribe  seem  to 
have  acquired  the  patronymic  Clann  Eoin  duibh. 
As    the   oldest  son    of    Alastair   Og,    the    forfeited 
Lord   of  the  Isles,  was    also  John   Dubh,   and    his 
descendants   were  called   Clann  .Eoin  duibh,   great 
confusion    has    naturally   arisen    between    the    two 
families.     John  Dubh  was  succeeded  by 

VII.  CHARLES,  who  appears  on   record  in    1481 

as  Steward  of  Kintyre.     He  was  succeeded  by 
.  i^  -  j 


186  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

VIII.  Angus  MacEoin  duibh.     He  is  mentioned 
in  the  Register  of  the  Privy  Seal  A.D.   1515.     He 
was  succeeded  by  his  son 

IX.  ALEXANDER,  Laird  of   Loup,  who  on  16th 
November,  1540,  received  a  remission  for  treasonably 
abiding  from   the  army  of  Sol  way.     He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son 

X.  JOHN,  who  in  the  winter  of  1571-2  was  slain 
in  the  Irish  wars.     The  entry  in  the  State  Papers 
is  as  follows  : — "  Owen  McOwen  duffe1  McAlastrain, 
called   the   Laird    of   Loop,    was    slain."      He   was 
succeeded  by  his  brother 

XL  HECTOR,  of  whom  little  is  known  beyond  the 
fact  of  his  succession.  He  does  not  appear  to  have 
survived  his  brother  John  for  more  than  a  year  or 
two,  for  we  find  his  son  and  successor 

XII.  ALEXANDER  obtaining  a  charter  in  1573  of 
the  lands  of  Loup  and  others,  wherein  he  is  desig- 
nated as  Alexander  M'Eachine,  lawful  son  of  the 
deceased   Hector  MacAllister  of  Loup.     Alexander 
having  died  without  issue,  was  succeeded  by 

XIII.  GODFREY,    his   brother.       He   obtained   a 
charter  for  his  lands  in   1591.     A  daughter  of  his, 
Fynvola  by  name,  is  said  to  have  married  Hector, 
4th   Maclean  of  Coll.     Godfrey  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

XIV.  HECTOR,  who,  in  1617,  obtained  a  charter 
of  the  glands  of  Loup,  and   others,   and  is  therein 
designated  as_Hector  M'Gorry  Vic  Eachin  Vic  Alister 
Vic  Ean   Duibh.     He  in.  Margaret,  a  daughter  of 
Colin  Campbell  of  Kilberry,  1620,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

XV.  GODFREY,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Sir 
Robert  Montgomery  of  Skelmorlie,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

1  McOwen  duff  here  is  the  family  patronymic. 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  187 

XVI.  ALEXANDER.       He,    in    1698,    obtained   a 
charter  as  heir  to  his  grandfather.     He  is  said  to 
have  been  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  Stewart  cause 
at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  of  1689,  and  to  have 
been  present  a*:  the  battles  of  Killiecrankie  and  the 
Boyne.     He  m.  Grace,  daughter  of  Sir  James  Camp- 
bell of  Auchinbreck,  by  whom  he  had  issue — 

1.  Hector,  his  heir. 

2.  Charles,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Duncan,  who  settled  in  Holland  ic  1717. 

This  Duncan  m.  Johanna,  daughter  of  Arnold  Leuchen- 
maker  Burgraff  at  Merits.  His  oldest  son,  Robert, 
attained  the  rank  of  General  in  the  Dutch  service,  and 
was  commandant  of  the  Scots  Brigade.  He  left  a  large 
family,  and  his  descendants  are  still  settled  in  Holland. 

XVII.  HECTOR  m.  Isabell,  daughter  of  Thomson 
of  Ballygabbin,    Co.    Antrim,    but,    dying   without 
issue,  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

XVIII.  CHARLES,  who  m.  Christina,  daughter  of 
Lamont  of  Lamont,  in  Argyllshire.     By  her  he  had 
two  sons — Angus,  his  heir,  and  Archibald,  who  for 
many  years  commanded  the  35th  Regiment.      His 
eldest   son    was   lieut. -colonel  of  the   Ceylon  Rifle 
Regiment. 

XIX.  ANGUS  m.   his  cousin,   Jane,   daughter  of 
John  Macdonald  of  Ardnacroish  by  Grace,  his  wife, 
daughter   of  Godfrey  MacAllister  of  Loup.      This 
lady  (Jane  Macdonald)  was  niece  of  Macdonald  of 
Kingsburgh,   in    Skye.      At  his   decease,   in   1796, 
Angus  MacAllister  of  Loup  left  one  son  and  three 
daughters— 

1.  Charles,  his  heir. 

'2.  Jeanne  or  "  Jackie  "  m.  John  Macallister  of  Ballinakill ; 
issue,  four  sons,  two  daughters. 

(A)  Ann  McNeill  d.  young. 

(B)  Angus,  Laird  of  Ballinakill,  who  m.  Frances  Byng, 

with  issue  a  daughter  Charlotte  Fanny. 


188  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(c)  Robert  Stewart. 

(D)  John. 

(B)  Grace. 

(F)  Matthew, 

(o)  Margaret. 

(H)  Jane. 

3.  Grace,    m.    Major    Alexander    of    Boydstowu;     issue, 

1  son,  2  daughters. 

4.  Flora,  m.  a  M'Donald ;  died  without  issue. 

XX.  CHARLES,     a    major     in    the    Argyleshire 
Militia,  b.  1765,  m.  Jessie,  daughter  and  heiress  of 
William  Somerville  of  Kennox,   Ayr.     He  died  in 
1847,  leaving  issue— 

1.  Charles,  his  heir. 

2.  James,  of  Chapelton;  unmarried. 

3.  Williamina,  who  d.  unmarried. 

4.  Jane,  who  d.  unmarried. 

XXI.  CHARLES,   a  major  in  the  Ayrshire    Rifle 
Militia,  b.  in  1797,  succeeded  his  father  in  1847,  m. 
in   1828   Mary   Adeline,  only   daughter  of  Edward 
Lyon,  lieut.  R.N.,  with  issue— 

1.  Charles,  his  successor. 

2.  Edward,  d.  1834. 

3.  James,  d.  1857. 

4.  Mary,  who  married  Colonel  Hay  Boyd  of  Townsend,  Ayr, 

with  issue. 

5.  Anna  Catherine,  d.  1855. 

6.  Jessie,  d.  1845. 

XXII.  CHARLES,  b.  1830.     He  entered  the  army 
in  1846,  and  became  an  Ensign  in  the  46th  Regi- 
ment.    In  1854  he  became  Captain.     He  served  at 
the  Siege  of  Sebastopol,  for  which  he  received  medal 
and  clasp,  and  5th  class  of  the  Medjidie.     He  was 
on  the  Staff  of  the  Forces  in  Balaklava  as  junior 
Provost    Marshal.       He    in.     in     1867    Williamina 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      189 

Pollok,    daughter    of  William    P.    Morris,    Esq.    of 
Craig,  Ayr,  and  had  by  her,  who  died  in  1872— 

1.  Charles  Godfrey. 

2.  Henry. 

3.  Janet. 

4.  Mary. 

5.  Violet,   m.   Rev.   Alex.  Copland,   Episcopal    minister  at 

Ardrossan. 

Charles  MacAlister  died  at  Dunskaig,  Ayr,  Jan.  17, 
1903. 

CADETS  OF  LOUP. 

(1).  THE  ALEXANDERS  OF  MENSTRIE. 

This  family  claimed  to  be  connected  with  the 
Clan  Donald  and  closely  allied  in  blood  with  the 
MacAllisters  of  Loup.  As  we  had  reason  to  point 
out  in  the  first  volume  of  this  work,  they  were 
descendants  of  Donald,  older  son  of  Alastair  Mor, 
through  his  son  Gilbert,  who  got  a  grant  of  lands  in 
Stirlingshire  in  1330.  There  is  no  further  trace  of 
this  family  until  we  find  them  settled  in  Clack - 
mannanshire  in  the  beginning  of  the  16th  century. 
The  first  of  the  Alexanders  of  Menstrie  whom  we 
find  on  record  is— 

I.  THOMAS  ALEXANDER.     He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

II.  ANDREW    ALEXANDER.       He    m.    Catherine 
Graham,    by    whom    he    had    two    sons,    Alexander 
and  Andrew,  the   latter  of  whom   is   said   to   have 
entered    the    Church.      He    was   succeeded    by   his 
older  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER,   who  was   bailie   to  Argyll  on 
his   Clackmannanshire    estates.       He   m.    Elizabeth, 
daughter    of    Sir    Robert     Douglas    of    Lochleven, 


190  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

ancestor  of  the  Earl  of  Morton,  by  whom  he  had 
two  sons,  William  and  James.  He  d.  in  1565,  and 
was  succeeded  by 

IV.  WILLIAM    ALEXANDER.      He    m.    Marion, 
daughter   of  Allan    CouUie,  by  whom    he    had,  as 
only  son,  his  successor, 

V.  ALEXANDER    ALEXANDER.      He    m.    Marion 
Graham,  sister  of  William  Graham  of  Gartavestan, 
by  whom  he  had  a  son,  William,  and  two  daughters, 
Janet  and  Christian.     He  died   in    1581,  and  was 
succeeded  by 

VI.  WILLIAM  ALEXANDER,  the  great  statesman 
and  poet,  whose  eventful  history  has,  with  more  or 
less  minuteness,  been  recorded  in  Vol.  II.     He  m. 
Janet,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Sir  William  Erskine 
Knight,  cousiii-german  to  the  Earl  of  Mar,  the  regent 
by  whom  he  had  seven  sons  and  two  daughters — 

1.  William  Viscount  Canada  and  Lord  Alexander. 

2.  Sir  Anthony  Alexander,  who  married  a  daughter  of 

Sir  Henry  Wardlaw  of  Pitreavie,  and  died  without 
issue. 

3.  Henry,  who  succeeded  to  the  earldom  of  Stirling. 

4.  John  Alexander,  who  got  a  charter  under  the  Great 

Seal  of  the  lands  of  Over-Isgall,  &c.,  anno  1642,  and 
m.  a  daughter  of  John  Graham  of  Gartmore,  by 
whom  he  had  one  daughter,  but  died  without  male 
issue. 

5.  Charles  Alexander,  who  got  a  charter  under  the  Great 

Seal  of  the  lands  of  Tullybody  in  1642,  and  left  one 
son,  Charles,  who  died  without  issue. 

6.  Ludovick. 

7.  James. 

Both  of  these  last  died  without  issue.  The 
daughters  were— 

1.  Lady  Jean,  m.  Hugh  Lord  Viscount  Montgomery  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  whose  son  Hugh  was 
created  Earl  of  Mount  Alexander  in  1661 ;  which 
title  he  assumed  in  honour  of  his  mother's  surname. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  191 

2.  Lady  Mary,  m.  Sir  William  Murray  of  Clermont, 
created  a  baronet  in  1626,  and  of  whom  the  present 
Murrays  of  Clermont,  in  County  Fife.  He  was 
created  Earl  of  Stirling,  14th  June,  1633.  The  Earl 
of  Stirling  d.  12th  February,  1639-40.  Having  been 
predeceased  by  his  son,  Viscount  Canada  and  Lord 
Alexander,  who  d.  1638,  he  was  succeeded  by 

VII.  WILLIAM,  his  grandson,  and  son  of  the  said 
Viscount,  as  2nd  Earl  of  Stirling.     He  only  survived 
his  grandfather   by  a  few  months,  dying  in   May, 
1640,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  uncle, 

VIII.  HENRY,  as  3rd  Earl  of  Stirling.     He  m. 
Mary,  daughter  of  Sir  Peter  Vanlore,  Bart,  of  Tyle- 
hurst,  Berkshire,  by  whom  he  acquired  a  considerable 
fortune.     His  Scottish  estates  being  greatly  embar- 
rassed, he  settled  in   England,  where  his  posterity 
continued  to  reside.     He  d.  in  1650,  leaving  issue- 
one  son,  who  succeeded,  and  two  daughters,  Mary 
and  Jane. 

IX.  HENRY,    4th    Earl    of   Stirling,    in.    Judith, 
daughter  of  Robert  Lee,  Esq.  of  Binfield,  by  whom 
he  had  issue— 

1.  Henry,  his  heir. 

2.  William. 

3.  Robert. 

4.  Peter. 

By  the  same  marriage  he  had  three  daughters — 

1.  Lady  Mary,  who  m.  John  Phillips,  and  had  issue  three 

sons,  the  youngest  of  whom,  William  Phillips,  suc- 
ceeded to  the  estate  of  Binfield,  when  he  added  Lee 
to  the  family  name. 

2.  Lady  Judith,  m.  Sir  William  Turnbull  of  East  Hamp- 

stead  Park,  Berks,  with  issue. 

3.  Lady  Jean,  m.  Ralph  Stubbs,  M.D.,  with  issue. 

The  Earl  died  in  1690,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
oldest  son, 


192  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

X.  HENRY,  as  5th  Earl  of  Stirling.  He  d.  with- 
out issue  on  4th  December,  1730,  and  was  the  last 
of  the  family  of  Menstrie  who  possessed  the  patent 
of  nobility  belonging  to  the  Earls  of  Stirling. 
Various  claimants  for  the  earldom  have  at 
different  times  made  their  appearance,  but  none 
has  apparently  succeeded  in  establishing  the 
validity  of  his  claim.  Thin,  of  course,  involves  the 
distinction — at  anyrate,  so  far  as  legal  proof  is 
•concerned — of  any  representation  of  the  House  of 
Menstrie. 

(2).  THE  EARLS  OF  CALEDON. 

This  family  claims  to  be  allied  with  that  of 
Menstrie,  and  consequently  with  the  MacAllisters 
of  Loup  and  Tarbert  The  arms  of  the  earlier 
generations  —  showing  a  dexter  arm  holding  a 
dagger  as  well  as  a  mermaid  for  one  of  the  sup- 
porters— suggests  a  connection  both  with  Menstrie 
and  Loup.  The  time  and  manner  of  this  family 
settling  in  Ireland  appears  to  be  thus  : — Scottish 
landowners  from  the  West  were  establishing  settle- 
ments in  the  North  of  Ireland  early'  in  the  17th 
century,  and,  in  1613,  39  individuals  from  Scotland 
were  planted  by  Sir  James  Cunningham  in  County 
Donegal.  Of  these,  9  were  settled  on  the  lands  of 
Eredy,  in  the  parish  of  Clonleigh,  of  whom  one  was 

I.  JOHN  ALEXANDER.     He  had  two  sons,  John 
and 

II.  ANDREW,  the  progenitor  of  the  line  at  present 
under  consideration.     He  was  at  the  siege  of  London- 
derry  in    1649,   and    received   a   grant    of  land   at 
Bally  close,    in    the    parish    of  Drumachose,    in    the 
neighbourhood  of  Newton  Limevady.     He  engaged 
in   commercial  pursuits,  and   thereby  amassed  con- 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  193 

siderable  means.  He  m.  a  Miss  Hilles,  the  daughter 
of  a  landowner  in  County  Londonderry,  by  whom  he 
had  two  sons — 

1.  John. 

2.  Thomas. 

He  was  succeeded  by 

III.  JOHN,  who  resided  at  Bally  close ;  purchased 
the  estate  of  Gunsland,  County  Donegal,  and  built  a 
town  residence  at  the  "  Diamond"  Londonderry.    He 
in.  Ann  White,  daughter  of  John  White  of  the  Cady 
Hill,  Newton  Limevady,  of  whom  he  had  three  sons. 
Of  these,  the  next  in  order  of  this  line  is 

IV.  NATHANIEL.      He    m.    Eliza,    daughter    of 
William  M'Clintock  of  Dunmore,  County  Donegal, 
and  had  five  sons  and  six  daughters.     The  third  son 
was 

V.  JAMES,  who,  having  filled  several  important 
offices   in   India,   was   elevated   to   the   peerage  of 
Ireland,    6th   June,    1790,    by   the    title    of   Baron 
Caledon   of  Caledon,    Co.    Tyrone.     In   November, 
1797,  his  lordship  was  advanced  to  the  dignity  of 
Viscount  Caledon,  and   1st  January,   1701,  created 
Earl  of  Caledon.      He  m.,   28th  November,    1774, 
Anne,  second  daughter  of  James  Crawford,  Esq.,  of 
Crawfordsburn,  Co.  Down,  and  by  her  (who  d.  21st 
December,  1777),  had  issue— 

1.  Du  Pre. 

2.  Mabella,  m.  Andrew-Thomas,  llth  Lord  Blayney,  and 

died  4th  March,  1854. 

3.  Elizabeth. 

His  lordship  d.  in  1802,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

VI.  Du  PRE,  3rd  Earl,  a  representative  peer,  and 
Colonel  of  the  Tyrone  Militia,  b.  27th  July,  1812. 
He  m.,  4th  September,  1845,  Lady  Jane  Frederica, 

13 


194  THE   CLAN    DONALD 

Grimston,   fourth    daughter  of  James   Walter.    1st 
Earl  of  Verulam,  and  had  issue— 

1.  James. 

2.  Walter- Philip,    Ro\^l   Scots  Greys,   b.    8th   February, 

1849. 

3.  Charles,  b.  26th  January,  1854. 

4.  Jane  Charlotte  Elizabeth. 

The  Earl  d.  1855,  and  was  succeeded  by 

VII.  JAMES,  as  4th  Earl,  b.  1846,  m.  1884  Lady 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hector,  3rd  Earl  of  Norbury, 
and  has  issue— 

1.  Erik,  Viscount  Alexander. 

2.  Hubrand-Charles. 

The  7th  Earl  of  Caledon  d.  1902,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by 

VIII.  ERIK  ALEXANDER,  8th  Earl  of  Caledon. 

(3)  THE  MACALISTERS  OF  STRATHAIRD,  GLENBARR, 
TORRISDALE,  &c. 

Of  the  earlier  connection  of  this  family  with  the 
McAlisters  of  Loup  not  much  is  known,  and  for 
several  generations  only  the  bare  links  can  be  sup- 
plied in  the  shape  of  the  heads  of  families.  They 
trace  their  descent  to  John  McAlister,  6th  of  the 
line,  known  in  his  day  as  John  Dubh  or  Black  John, 
father  of  Charles  McAlister  Stewart  of  Kintyre, 
before  1500,  and  they  appear  to  have  branched  out 
first  in  the  person  of 

I.  RANALD,  son  of  John    Dubh,  who  flourished 
early  in  the  16th  century.     He  had  two  sons,  Alex- 
ander and  Donald,  of  whom 

II.  ALEXANDER  succeeded.     The  next  of  the  line 
was 

III.  RANALD,  who  was  succeeded  by 

IV.  RANALD,  who  was  succeeded  by 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  195 

V.    HUGH,  who  was  succeeded  by 

VI.  HECTOR,  who  was  succeeded  by 

VII.  JOHN  MCALISTER,  who  flourished  c.    1700, 
and  with  whom  we   come  into  the  region  of  com- 
parative   genealogical    definiteness    and    certainty. 
He,  like   his   ancestor,  was  called  John  Dubh,  and 
was  styled  of  Ardnakill  and  Torrisdale  Glen.     He 
m.     Flora      MacNeill     of     Tirfergus     in     Kin  tyre, 
both  of  them  enjoying  great  longevity — the  former 
dying  at  96  and  the  latter  at  98  years  of  age — so 
the  family  traditions  relate.     They  had  issue— 

1.  Alexander,  b.  1706;   d.  30th  October,  1779;   m.  Miss 

M'Millan  of  Cour,  Kintyre,  with  issue.  John,  laird 
of  Cour,  m.  Anna,  daughter  of  Rev.  Archibald 
M'Neill  of  Clachan;  no  issue;  d.  1824. 

2.  Hector,   of  Lepincorach  or  Torrisdale  Glen,   m.   Miss 

Simpson,  daughter  of  Rev.  Neil  Simpson  of  Gigha, 
with  issue. — 

(A)  John,  lieutenant  in  the  army ;  d.  in  East  Indies. 

(B)  Neil,  d.  at  home,  aged  15. 

3.  Ranald,  who  succeeded. 
There  were  three  daughters — 

1.  Margaret,  who  m.  Charles  Macquarrie,  of  the  family  of 

Ulva,  with  issue — 
Isabella,    who  m.    Capt.    Charles    McAlister,    who    was 

lost  at  sea  in  1797,  with  issue. 

Margaret  m.   2ndly  Duncan  M'Alister,  merchant,  Campbelltown, 
with  issue — 

(A)  John  McAlister,    Laird   of   Ballinakill,    who   m.   his 

cousin  "Jackie,"  daughter  of  Angus  McAlister, 
19th  of  Loup,  with  issue  (vide  Loup  genealogy). 

(B)  Ranald,  Lieut.  Indian  army,  died  in  E.  Indies, 
(c)  Charles,  d.  without  issue. 

(D)  Alexander,  d.  without  issue. 

(E)  Mary,  m.   James   McMurchy,   shipmaster,    Campbell- 

town,  with  issue. 

2.  Mary,  m.    Hector  McNeill  of   Barliagh,    Cantyre,    with 

issue. 

3.  Catherine,  d.  unmarried. 


196  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

VIII.  RANALD,  who  in  consequence  of  the  death 
of  his  two  brothers  without  surviving  issue  carried 
on  the  representation  of  the  family. .  He  spent  much 
of  his  life  in  Skye,  where  he  possessed  the  Farm  of 
Skirrinish,  and  was  factor  on  the  Macdonald  Estate 
of  Troternish.  He  m.  Anne,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh,  and  widow  of  Lauchlan 
Mackinnon  of  Corrychatachan,  with  issue-- 

1.  Donald,  who  d.  at  Kingsburgh  without  issue. 

2.  Allan,  who  d.  at  Kingsburgh  without  issue. 

3.  James,  who  d.  at  Ccur,  Kintyre,  without  issue. 

4.  Janet,  who  d.  in  infancy. 

5.  Captain    John,    who    d.    in    India,    12th    May,    1784, 

without  issue. 

6.  Alexander,  of  whom  afterwards. 

7.  General  Keith,  who  is   designed    Col.   Keith  M'Alister 

of  Loup  in  1812  ;  d.  without  issue. 

8.  Colonel  Matthew,  of  Bar  and  Rosehill,  of  whom  here- 

after. 

9.  Colonel  Norman,  Governor  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island, 

was  lost  at  sea  on  his  way  home  in  the  ship 
"  Ocean,"  in  1812.  He  left  two  daughters,  said  to 
have  been  illegitimate,  viz. :  — 

(A)  Frances  Byng,    m.    her   cousin,    Angus   M'Allister, 

laird  of  Ballinakill,  with  issue. 

(B)  Flora,  m.  Keith  M'Alister  of  Inistrynick. 

10.  Charles,  Lieut,  in  the  E.I.C.  service ;  d.  without  issue. 

11.  Catherine,  m.  Peter  Nicolson  of  Ardmore,  Waternish, 

Skye,  with  issue — 

(A)  John  M'Alister. 

(B)  Donald. 

Both  died  young. 

(c)  Flora,  Nicolson,  m.  Allan  Macdonald,  major  of  the 
55th  Regiment  of  Foot,  afterwards  of  Waternish, 
son  of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Belfinlay  (vide  Bel- 
finlay  genealogy  under  Clanranald). 

(D)  Susannah  MacAlister,  m.  Norman  Macdonald  of 
Scalpay  with  issue  (vide  Scalpay  genealogy  under 
Sleat) 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  197 

(E)  Margaret,  m.  Dr  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Gillen  in 
Sleat,  Skye,  with  issue  (vide  MacEachen  genealogy 
under  Clanranald). 

IX.  ALEXANDER   MACALISTER,    his   oldest    sur- 
viving son,   succeeded   Ranald  of  Skirmish   in   the 
representation  of  the  family.     He   is  said   to  have 
bought  the  property  of  Strathaird,   in  Skye,  in  or 
about   1789.     He  m.    Miss    Campbell   of  Ederline, 
with  issue— 

1.  Janet,   who  m.   Dr  Duncan  McAlister  of  Tarbert,  with 
issue — 

(A)  Alexander. 

(B)  Matthew, 
(c)  John. 

(D)  Charles. 
(B)  Lachlan. 
(p)  Norman. 
(G)  Archibald. 
(M)  Catherine. 

Alexander  McAlister  of  Strathaird  m.    2ndly  Miss 
Macleod  of  Greshornish,  with  issue — 

2    John,  who  m.  Miss  McCormick,  with  issue — 

(A)  Donald,  who  died  young. 

(B)  Norman,  who  died  young. 

(c)  Alexander,  m.  daughter  of  Admiral  Fleming,  Elphin- 
ston,  with  issue,  several  daughters  but  no  son. 

3.  Isabella,    who  m.  John   Nicolson,   Claggan,   Skye,   with 

issue. 

4.  Charles,  a  W.S.,  who  d.  without  issne. 

5.  Donald,  d.  without  issue. 

The  offspring  of  Alexander  McALister  having 
become  extinct  in  the  male  line,  the  succession 
devolved  upon  his  brother 

X.  Colonel  MATTHEW  MACALISTER  of  Bar   and 
Rosehill.     He  m.   (1st)   Miss  Campbell  of  Saddell, 
with  issue,  a  son  and  a  daughter,   who  both  died 
young.     He  m.  (2ndly)  Miss  Brodie  of  Brodie,  with 
issue — 


198  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

XI.  KEITH  MACALISTER  of  Glenbar  and   Cour 
(b.  1803),  who  succeeded  him  in  the  representation 
of  the  family.     He  m.  (1st)  Mary,  only  daughter  of 
Robert  Campbell  of  Skipness,  whom  he  afterwards 
divorced.     The  issue  of  this  marriage  was— 

1.  Agatha,  who  m.  A.  Stikemaii,  with  issue. 

2.  Caroline,  m.  H.  Greer  of  Lurgen,  with  issue. 

3.  Ellenor  Georgia. 

4.  Eliza  Gordon,  m.  Charles  Vendin,  of  Jersey,  with 

issue. 

5.  Anne  Argyll,  d.  unmarried. 

6.  Matthew    Charles    Brodie    M'Alister    of     Glenbarr 

Abbey  and  Crubasdale  ;  b.  1838. 

Keith    McAlister  m.    (2ndly)   Alexandrina  Georgia 
Cunningham,     2nd     daughter     and     co-heiress    of 
William   Miller   of   Bonkcastle   and    Monkredding, 
Ayrshire,  with  issue- 
Norman  Godfrey,  Commander  K.N.;  b.  Feb.  3,   1861  ;  m. 
July  21,  1896,  Florence  Stewart,  daughter  of  Captain 
Duncan  Stewart,  R.N.,  of  Kiiockriocb,  Cantyre. 

He  died  in    1886,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  older 
son 

XII.  Major   MATTHEW  CHARLES   BRODIE   MAC- 
ALISTER   of   Glenbar  Abbey   and    Crubasdale,   the 
present  genial  laird.      He  m.   1869,   Augusta  Lees, 
2nd  daughter  of  Major  Henry  Lees,  with  issue- 
Charles  Augustus,  b.  10th  July,  1883.     He  in.  (2ndly)  27th 

Nov.,  19U1,  Edith  Margaret,  only  daughter  of  George 
Dudgeon,  Esq.,  Almond  Hill,  Linlithgowbhire,  and 
has  issue  a  ?on,  Ranald  Macdonald  Brodie,  b.  22nd 
Feb.,  1903. 

(C)  THE  OTHER  SONS  OF  ALASTAIR  MOR  AND    THEIR 
DESCENDANTS. 

The  descendants  of  Donald,  the  oldest  son  of 
Alastair  Mor,  having  thus  been  dealt  with,  it  re- 
mains that  the  position  of  the  descendants  of  his 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  199 

other  sons  should,  if  possible,  be  indicated.  Unfor- 
tunately, there  are  few,  if  any  materials,  for  detailed 
treatment.  The  descendants  of  Godfrey,  the  second 
son,  appear  to  have  settled  in  the  Carrick  district 
of  Ayrshire,  and  several  territorial  families  of  Mac 
Alexander,  who  sprang  from  the  parent  stock  of 
Alastair  Mor,  were  prominent  in  that  region.  The 
first  appearing  on  record  was  the  MacAlexander 
family  of  Daltupene,  from  which  originated  the 
families  of  Dalreoch,  Corsclays,  and  others.  Some 
of  these  continued  to  flourish  down  to  the  close 
of  the  17th  century,  when  they  dropped  the  High- 
land Mac  ani  became  Alexanders.  At  the  present 
day  we  do  not  know  of  any  territorial  family  in 
that  region  distinctly  traceable  to  the  ancient  Mac 
Alexanders. 

The  descendants  of  Duncan,  third  son  of  Alastair 
Mor,  possessed  lands  in  the  parish  of  Glenorchy, 
but  nothing  of  genealogical  value  can  be  traced 
regarding  them.  Of  the  descendants — if  any — of 
John,  the  fourth  son,  nothing  is  recorded.  Accord- 
ing to  the  MS.  of  1  450,  Hector,  the  youngest  son ! 
of  Alastair  Mor,  left  two  sons,  Charles  and  Lachlan. 
According  to  the  McVurich  MS.,  and  the  Irish 
Ogygia  of  O'Flaherty,  Hector's  was  the  head  of  the 
MacSichies  of  Munster.  According  to  McVurich, 
the  Clan  Domrmuill  Henna  and  the  MacWilliams  of 
Connaught  were  descended  from  Alastair  Mor,  but 
he  does  not  say  through  which  of  his  sons. 

(D)  ALASTAIR  OG'S  DESCENDANTS. 
(1)  THE  CLAN  DONALD  OF  ULSTER. 

Having  completed,  so  far  as  practicable,  the 
genealogical  scheme  of  the  descendants  of  Alastair 
Mor  we  pass  on  to  trace  the  descendants  of  the  sons 


200  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

of  Angus  Mor,  other  than  Angus  Og  through  whom 
the  line  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles  was  carried  on. 
The  oldest  son  of  Angus  Mor  was  Alastair  Og,  who, 
on  account  of  his  friendship  to  the  English  cause, 
was  deposed  from  the  lordship  of  the  Isles.  From 
him  were  descended  a  number  of  Irish  Macdonald 
families  that,  in  their  several  localities,  gave  military 
service  to  the  chiefs,  the  heads  of  the  tribes  acting 
as  hereditary  constables,  or  Captains  of  Galloglasses, 
as  they  were  called. 

The  Clan  Donald  of  Ulster  were  originally  de- 
scended from  Black  John,  oldest  son  of  Alastair  Og, 
son  of  Angus  Mor,  though  after  two  generations  it 
came  back  to  Charles,  another  son  of  Alastair  Og. 
Black  John  was  succeeded  by 

I.  SOMERLED,    who    was    the    first    Captain    of 
Gallowglasses  found  in  the  service  of  the  O'Neills. 
He   m.    a   daughter  of  O'Reilly,  whom,   after   the 
fashion  of  the  day,  he  is  said  to  have  repudiated. 
He  m.  secondly  a  daughter  of  Macmahon,  another 
of  the  chiefs  of  Ulster.     He  was  assassinated  in  1365 
by   his   father-in-law,    Brian    Macmahon,    and    was 
succeeded  by  his  son 

II.  JOHN,  who,  however,  does  not  appear  to  have 
held  the  position  for  any  length  of  time,  as  he  was 
probably  killed  in  battle  in  1366. 

III.  CHARLES,  or  TURLOUGH  MOR  MACDONALD, 
uncle  of  the  last  chief,  and,  apparently,  the  youngest 
son  of  Alastair  Og,  succeeded.     This  Charles,  who 
was  a  brave  and  capable  leader,  was  killed  in  battle 
in  1368,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

IV.  ALEXANDER,   designed  in  the   chronicles  as 
Alastair  Og.      This  Alexander  probably  flourished 
up    to     1400.        He    was    succeeded    by    his    sou, 
McDonald  Galloglach,  so  styled  in  the  Annals,  and 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      201 

no  Christian  name  given.  He  appears  on  record 
as  late  as  1435.  He  had  two  sons,  Sorley  and 
Gillespick. 

VI.  SORLEY  succeeded,  and   was  engaged  in  the 
war  between  O'Neill  and  the   English  of  Feadhna 
in   1452,  in  which  year  he  was  killed.      Sorley  had 
two  sons,  Ranald  and  Colla. 

VII.  RANALD   succeeded.       In   a   battle  fought 
between  the  O'Neills  of  the  North  and  South,  he 
and  his  three  sons  were  killed.     Not  having  a  sur- 
viving son,  the  succession  appears  to  have  devolved 
upon  his  nephew, 

VIII.  JOHN,  the  son   of  Colla.      He,   in   a  san- 
guinary fight  between  the   O'Neills  and  the  Red- 
monclites  in  1501,  was  killed. 

After  the  death  of  John,  the  captaincy  of 
O'Neill's  Gallowglasses  appears  to  have  devolved 
upon 

X.  RANALD  MOR,  son  of  Gillespick,  son  of  the 
fifth  chief.  He  must  have  been  advanced  in  years 
at  the  time,  and  probably  the  next  in  succession  was 
a  minor.  For  a  wonder,  he  died  a  natural  death  in 
1503,  and  his  succession  devolved  upon  the  nephew 
of  the  last  chief. 

XL  COLLA,  the  son  of  Colla,  second  cousin  to 
Ranald,  the  tenth  chief.  He  was  slain  at  Armagh 
by  Gillespick,  son  of  Sorley  Roe  MacDonald,  in 
1505.  He  was  succeeded  by  another. 

XII.  COLLA,  son  of  the  eleventh  chief,  who  seems 
to  have  enjoyed  a  longer  life  and  a  more  peaceful 
death  than  most  of  his  predecessors.     He  died — not 
in  battle  or  by    assassination — in    1530.       He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

XIII.  GILLESPICK,  about  whose  doings   a   good 
deal  has  already  been  told  in  the  second  volume  of 


202  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

this  work.      He  died  between   1542  and  1548,  and 
was  succeeded  in  the  captaincy  by  his  brother, 

XiV.  ARTHUR  MACDONALD.  As  late  as  1573, 
we  find  Arthur's  name  on  record  as  O'Neill's  Con- 
stable, but  this  may  have  been  a  son  of  the  four- 
teenth chief.  In  fact,  by  this  time  the  system  of 
military  employment  upon  which  the  hereditary 
Constables  held  their  position,  fell  into  desuetude, 
and  it  has  been  found  impossible  to  trace  the  genea- 
logy of  O'Neill's  Constables  beyond  the  latter  half 
of  the  16th  century. 

(2)  THE  CLAN  DONALD  OF  LEINSTER. 

This  branch  of  Alastair  Og's  descendants  owes  its 
origin  to  Somerled,  son  of  Alastair  Og,  through  his 
fourth,  and  probably  his  youngest,  son,  Marcus. 
The  older  sons,  Donald,  Somairle  Og,  and  Donald 
Og,  were  killed  in  battle  without  leaving  traceable 
progeny.  We  find  this  family  first  making  their 
appearance  in  the  Province  of  Connaught  as  here- 
ditary Constables  of  the  O'Connor  Roe. 

I.  MARCUS'S  position  in  the  line  is  clearly  indi- 
cated in  the  following  extract  from  the  Books  of 
Ballymote  and  Leccan  :  "  Marcus  Mac  Somerly  Mic 
Alexander  Mic  Angus  Mor." 

Marcus  was  slain  in  battle  in  1397,  having  fought 
as  commander  of  O'Connor  Roe's  Constables  in  his 
war  with  O'Connor  Don.  Marcus  had  several  sons. 
Dougal  was  slain  in  battle  when  his  father  fell  in 
1397.  Marcus's  oldest  surviving  son,  Somhairle 
Buidhe,  yellow-haired  Somerled,  was  slain  in  battle 
in  1398.  As,  however,  the  succession  was  not 
carried  on  through  him,  we  need  hardly  reckon  him 
as  one  of  the  heads,  though  he  occupied  the  position 
for  about  a  year  The  line  of  Marcus  was  carried  on 
by  another  son, 


1.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale.        3.  Hercules  McDonnell. 

2.  Captain   Reginald   S.  Macdonald.         4.  James     Thomas     Macdonald     of 

R.A.  (Vallay).  Balranald. 

5.  Robert   McDonnell   (Tynekill). 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      203 

II.  CHARLES,  or   TOIRDHEALBHACH  —  the   Irish 
form  of  Teaiiach.     He  appears  in  the  earlier  part  of 
his  career  as  a  Captain  of  Gallowglass  under  O'Kelly 
of  the  Maine,  a  region  on  the  borders  of  Leitrim  and 
Cavan.        In    1419    Charles    fought    as    Captain    of 
O'Kelly's  Gallowglasses  against   William   Burke   of 
Clanvickard,    by   whom    they    were   defeated    with 
great  slaughter.      Charles   Macdonald   and   his  son 
escaped    from    the    battle,    and     shortly    thereafter 
migrated    to    Queen's    County    in   the    Province    of 
Leinster,  where  they  became  Constables  of  the  Pale, 
and  founded  the  family  of  Tynekill.     Charles  died  in 
1435.     He  was  succeeded  by 

III.  JOHN    CARRAGH,    described    as    "  the    best 
Captain  of  the  English."     He  was  slain  in  1466  in 
Offaly,  and  was  succeeded  by 

IV.  CHARLES,   or    TURLOUGH   OG   MACDONALD, 
so  called  to  distinguish  him  from   his   grandfather, 
Charles,  the  son  of  Marcus.     Turlough  Og  was  slain 
in    1503   in   a  battle  against  the  Burkes   of  Mayo, 
along  with  others  of  the  Clan  Donald  of  Leinster. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

V.  JOHN,  whose  record  seems  to  have  been  brief. 
He  was  killed  in   1514,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

VI.  TURLOUGH.     The  date   of  his  death  is  un- 
known.    He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  CALVAGH  or  COLLA,    also    called   MacTur- 
lough.      He  got   a  grant  of  Tynekill    from   Queen 
Elizabeth  in  1562,  and  was  slain  at  Shrule  on  the 
18th  June,  1570.     He  wras  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  HUGH    BUY     MACDONALD    of   Tynekill, 
whose  eventful  career  has  been  narrated  in  Vol.  II., 
and  who  was  forfeited  by  the  English  authorities  by 
reason  of  his  frequent  disloyalty.      He  died  in   1618, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


204  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

IX.  FERGUS,  who,  unlike  his  father,  was  loyal  to 
the  English,  and  led  a  quiet  life.      He  died  before 
1637,  and  was  succeded  by  his  son, 

X.  Col.  JAMES  MACDONALD  of  Tynekill.      The 
story  of  his  stirring  and  eventful  life,  and  his  con- 
nection  with    the   Confederated    Catholics    in    the 
Great  Rebellion,  has  been  told.     The  family  estates 
were  forfeited  in  his  time,  and  never  restored,  but 
the  succession  continued    unbroken.      The   date  of 
his  death  is  uncertain.       He  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

XI.  FERGUS  CHARLES,  who  removed  to  Coolavin 
in  1690.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XII.  CHARLES,  who  in  1746  removed  from  Cool- 
avin to    Bay  ton.     He   married,    first,    Mary,    elder 
daughter  of  Richard  Hall  of  "  Three  trouts  farm," 
and  had  issue  by  her — 

1.  Francis,  b.  26th  February,  1727. 

2.  Richard,  b.  14th  September,  1729. 

3.  Anthony,  b.  20th  April,  1731. 

4.  Charles,  b.  1732. 

5.  Catherine,  b.  1734. 

6.  Ann,  b.  1736. 

7.  John,  b.  1737. 

8.  Cornelius,  b.  31st  December,  1739. 

9.  Sarah,  b.  29th  December,  1741. 
10.  George,  born  1748. 

Charles  m.  (2ndly),  Margaret  Bigg,  but  had  no  issue 
by  her. 

Francis,  the  oldest  son  of  Charles,  was  married, 
and  had  several  sons  and  daughters,  but  the  family 
name  was  not  perpetuated  by  any  of  them.  The 
representation  of  the  family  was  carried  on  by 

XIV.  RICHARD,  second  son  of  Charles.  He 
removed  to  Peacockstown  in  1  747,  and  to  Baytown 
in  1767.  In  1760  he  m.  Miss  Sands,  a  daughter  of 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      205 

Captain  Sands,  whose  brave  action  at  the  siege  of 
Athlorie  in  1691  is  commemorated  in  Smollett's 
History.  Their  children  were— 

1.  Charles,  b.  1762,  d.  1806,  without  issue. 

2.  Robert,  b.  1764,  of  whom  afterwards. 

3.  Francis,  b.  1766.     He  was  an  officer,  and  present  at  the 

engagement  at  New  Ross  in  1798.  He  m.  Miss  Flood, 
with  issue — 

(A)  John,  in  33rd  Regiment,  killed  at  Vittoria,  1813. 

(B)  Francis,  drowned  in  river  Dodder. 
(c)  Richard,  d.  young. 

(D)  Rev.  Luke  Gardner,  Rector  of  Glankeen,  County 
Tipperary.  He  m.  the  daughter  of  Dr  Lestrange, 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  College  of  Surgeons, 
with  issue. 

Kichard  Macdonald  died  at  Cork  on  12th  January, 
1805.  His  oldest  son  Charles  having  died  without 
issue,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  second  son 

XV.  ROBERT  MACDONALD,  of  High  Park,  near 
Douglas,  Cork.  He  m.  Susanna  Nugent  on  27th 
August,  1786,  with  issue— 

1.  Rev.   Richard    Macdonald,    Provost  of   Trinity    College, 

Dublin. 

2.  Anne,  b.  1788,  d.  1804. 

3.  Lyndon,    b.    1788,    d.    1863.      She    m.    Rev.    William 

Alleyne  Evanson,  Vicar  of  Lechlade  and  Inglesham, 
Wiltshire,  with  issue. 

4.  Rev.   Charles  Francis  Macdonald,   LL.D.,   b.   December 

9th,  1790,  d.  October  21st,  1869,  of  Vicar  Kineagh, 
County  Carlow.  He  m.  (1st)  Maria,  daughter  of 
George  John  F'urnisse.  Their  children  were-- 

(A)  Robert  Harkness,   b.  1821.     In  1838  was  Lieut,  in 

56th  Regiment  ;  in  1847  m.  Barbara  Palmer  ; 
1885,  Captain  in  the  Royal  Dublin  Fusiliers ; 
1861,  removed  to  Melbourne ;  and  in  1884 
settled  as  a  resident  in  South  Brisbane.  There 
were  5  sons  and  4  daughters. 

(B)  Elvira,  m.  James  O'Dowd,  with  issue, 
(c)  Maria,  deceased. 


206  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  m.  (2nd)  Frances  Boys.  Their  son  Richard  Charles 
d.  aged  '20.  He  m.  (3rd)  Eliza  L'  Estrange,  with 
issue  one  son,  Charles,  who  died  young,  and  several 
daughters. 

5.  Robert  Macdonald,  b.  1782,  d.   1828,  in    London.     He 

m.  in  1817  Margaret  Lea,  who  d.  in  1825.     They  had 
issue — 

(A)  Robert  Lea,    M.D.,   b.    1818.       M.   1842,    Margaret 

Coates.  He  settled  in  Canada  1 845 ;  became 
Professor  of  Institutes  of  Medicine  at  M'Gill 
College,  Montreal;  1851,  Professor  of  Clinical 
Medicine  ;  was  Surgeon  to  St  Patrick's  Hospital, 
and  Editor  of  two  Medical  Journals.  He  at- 
tained the  highest  position  in  his  profession,  but 
was  killed  by  a  fall  from  his  sleigh  on  January 
3rd,  1878.  He  had  one  son,  Dr  Richard  Lea, 
highly  distinguished  in  the  Medical  Profession, 
whod.  in  1891. 

(B)  Richard,   b.    1820,    d.    Feb.   6th,    1897.      M.    Sarah 

Nelson,  with  issue — William  Colin  Campbell, 
b.  at  Montreal  1857,  who  resides  in  N.  W. 
Dominion ;  Richard  Graves,  b.  1859,  and  two 
daughters.  Robert  Macdonald  had  also  two 
daughters,  Margaret  and  Julia,  both  of  whom 
m.,  and  had  issue. 

6.  Rev.  George  Macdonald,  b.    1802,   d.   1874.       Vicar    of 

Kilgeffin,  County  Roscommon.     He  m.  (1st)  Isabella 
Bolton,  with  issue — 

(A)  Robert  George,  b.  1848,  d.  1864. 

(B)  Malcolm,   b.    1853,  d.   1891    in  New  York.     He   m. 

(2nd)  Anne  Hanna,  who  survives  him.  Robert 
Macdonald,  of  High  Park,  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by 

XVI.  REV.  RICHARD  MACDONALD,  Provost  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin.  He  was  born  near 
Douglas,  Cork,  June  10th,  1787.  His  distinguished 
Academic  career  has  been  noticed  in  the  historical 
portion  of  this  work.  He  m.  January  26th,  Jane, 
daughter  of  the  Very  Rev.  Richard  Graves,  Dean  ot 
Armagh,  with  issue— 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  207 

1.  Robert,   b.    1812    at   Rahcny  Glebe  :    obtained   a  First 

Place  at  entrance,  a  First  Scholarship  and  high 
honoui-s  in  T.  C.  D.,  and  d.  at  Sorrento  Cottage,  1833. 

2.  Sir  Richard  Graves,  of  whom  afterwards. 

3.  Hercules  Henry  Graves  Macdonald,  of  whom  afterwards. 

4.  Very  Rev.  John  Cotter  Macdonald,  b.  at  Baggot  Street, 

February  24th,  1821.  In  1841  a  Classical  Scholar, 
Trinity  College,  and  in  1842  a  Gold  Medallist  in 
Ethics  and  Logic.  In  1860  received  from  his  Uni- 
versity the  degree  of  D.D.  He  has  enjoyed  much 
ecclesiastical  preferment  during  his  long  career.  M. 
in  1853,  Charlotte  Henrietta,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Charles  W.  Doyne,  Rector  of  Fenagh,  County  Carlow. 
She  d.  1895.  Their  children  were— 

(A)  Charles  Eustace  Henry,  b.  at  Lavacor,  1855,  d.  1865. 

(B)  Richard  Doyne,   b.   1856,    Captain   in    17th  Madras 

Light   Infantry.      Retired   in  1889.      Settled  in 

Canada,    1891.      M.   in   1894,  Gertrude   Amelia 

Lockhait. 
(c)  Frederick  Vicars,  b.  at  Provost's  House,  Dublin,  1858. 

M.    1886,  Helen  Porter  Sieveright,  daughter  of 

Joseph   Sieveright,   of  Edinburgh,   with  i^sue — 

Colla  Ion,  b.  1887. 
(D)  Philip  John   Cotter,   b.    1862.      Settled  in    Canada, 

1881.     M.  at  Toronto,  1898,  Lily  Smith. 

There  is  also  a  daughter,  Charlotte  Jane.  She 
m.  1880,  Shirley  Harris,  only  son  of  Sir 
William  Salt,  Bart.,  of  Maplewell,  Loughborough, 
whom  he  succeeded  as  3rd  Bart.,  July  7th,  1892, 
with  issue— 

(B)  Charles  Eustace  Macdonald,  whose  distinguished 
career  has  been  referred  to  in  Vol.  II.,  p.  141. 
He  m.  1853,  Ellen,  daughter  of  John  Cotter 
of  Ashton,  near  Cork. 

(F)  Rev.  Ronald  Macdonald,  D.D.,  b.   1825,  and  d.  1889, 

after  a  distinguished  career  in  University  and 
Church.  M.  1857,  Jane,  daughter  of  Edward 
Rotheram  of  Crossdrum,  County  Meath,  who  d. 
in  1884,  with  issue  5  sons  and  3  daughters. 

(G)  William  Sherlock  Macdonald,  b.  1829,  d.  1835. 

(H)  Frederick  James  (as  to  whom,  vide  Vol.  II.,  p.  142). 


208  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(i)  Arthur  Robert  Macdonald,  Major-General,  R.E., 
b.  1835.  (Vide  Vol.  II.,  p.  142), 

The  following  are  the  Provost's  daughters  :— 

(A)  Eliza,  b.  1811,  d.  1822. 

(B)  Susanna,  b.  1816,  d.  1829. 

(c)  Jane  Catherine,  m.  1857,  James  Curisbrook  Lyoii, 
late  52nd  Light  Infantry,  who  d  1880. 

(r>)  Anna  Maria,  in.  1st.,  Captain  Henry  Needham,  late 
68th  Regiment,  who  d.  1884.  Daughter  Anna 
Mary,  b.  1866,  in.  (2ndly)  Emile  Luquiens,  who 
d.  1888. 

(E)  Rebecca  Jane. 

Rev.  Richard  Macdonald,  Provost  of  Trinity, 
died  on  24th  January,  1867.  He  was  succeeded  in 
the  representation  of  the  Tynekill  family  by  his 
oldest  surviving  son, 

XVII.  SIR     RICHARD     GRAVES      MACDONALD, 
K.C.M.G.  and  C.B.       He    was  born  in   1814,   and 
as  has   been  already    noted,   occupied  various   dis- 
tinguished   posts    under   the    British    Government 
(vide    Vol.    II.,    pp.    138-9-40).       He   m.    Blanche 
Anne,    daughter    of    Francis    Skurry  of  Stanhope 
Place.  Hyde  Park,  and  of  Percy  Cross  Lodge,  Ful- 
ham,    and    afterwards     of    5     Brunswick    Square, 
Brighton.       After  an    eventful  career,    he    retired 
from  public  life  in  1872,  and  died  on  5th  February, 
1881.     He  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of 
the  family  by 

XVIII.  HERCULES  HENRY  GRAVES  MACDONALD, 
J.P.  for  County  Dublin,  the  Provost's  third  son,  and 
Sir    Richard's    younger    brother.       We    refer    our 
readers  to  our  second  Volume,  pp.  140-1,  for  parti- 
culars bearing  upon  this  distinguished  clansman,  the 
undoubted  representative  and  heir  of  line  of  Alastair 
Og,  son   of  Angus  Mor,   the  deposed  Lord  of  the 
Isles.       He   was  born    in    1819,   m.   on    16th   July, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      209 

1842,  Emily  Anne  Moylan,  who  died  at  Norwood, 
February  16th,  1883,  in  her  61st  year,  with  issue — 

1.  Mary  Frances,  b.  1843.     M.  (1st)  William  Rupert  Henn, 

B.L.,  with  issue — 

(A)  Maria. 

(B)  Emily  Heloise.     She  m.  Cornelius  Cray's,  of  Amster- 

dam, with  issue.     She  m.  (2ndly)  Augustus  M. 
Newton  Dickenson,  with  issue. 

2.  Emily    Heloise.        M.      1867,     Charles    Boissevain,    of 

Amsterdam,  with  issue. 

3.  Richard  Graves  Macdonald,   b.    September  10th,    1845. 

Killed  at  sea,  February  24,  1862,  on  board  the  sail- 
ing ship,  "  Victor  Emmanuel,"  by  a  fall  from  the 
topsail  yard  in  the  Atlantic. 

4.  Jane  Harriet  Elizabeth,  b.  1847,  d.  1859. 

5.  Charles  Edward,  b.  1849,  d.  1859. 

6.  Hercules  Henry,  M,D.  and  J.P.,  County  Louth,  b.  1851. 

In  1867  entered  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  in  1875 
obtained  the  Degrees  of  M.D.  and  Chir.  M.  In  1877 
elected  Surgeon  to  the  Louth  Infirmary,  and  Medical 
Officer  of  H.M.  Prison,  Dundalk.  M.  1878,  Fannie, 
Keogh  Burd,  b.  1854,  daughter  of  John  Burd,  of  the 
Glen  Lodge,  Sligo,  with  issue — 

(A)  Hercules  Neville  Francis,  b.  at  Dundalk,  May  29th, 

1879. 

(B)  Menya  Sorley,  b.  at  Sligo,  July  24th,  1880. 
(c)  lole  Hylla,  b.  at  Dundalk,  Jan.  10,  1884. 

7.  Alfred  Creagh    Macdonald,    R.E.,    b.    Jan.    28th,    1853. 

After  service  in  India  and  Egypt,  during  which  he 
obtained  three  medals  —  one  with  clasp — and  the 
Khedive's  star,  he  became  Captain  R.E.  August  18th, 
1885,  and  in  1889  D.A.A.  General  for  instruction  at 
Kasawli  ;  May  18th,  1894,  Major  R.E.  ;  1895, 
Dec.  16,  Instructor  in  Survey,  Military  School  of 
Engineering,  Chatham.  M.  1881,  Adele,  fourth 
daughter  of  General  Herbert  Stacy  Abbot,  with 
issue — Herbert  Creagh,  b.  at  Bangalore,  March  30th, 
1834. 

8.  Frederick   Theodore   Macdonald,    M.A.,    b.    June    27th, 

1860;  educated  at  Rossall  School,  1870  to  1879; 
in  1879  entered  Clare  Cottage,  Cambridge,  and 

14 


210  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

graduated   in    1882.      Assistant   Master   at   Elstree, 
1883  to  1891  ;  called  to  the  English  Bar  in  1887. 
In  1895  m.  Sylvia  Frances,  only  daughter  of  Frank 
N.  Wardell,  H.M.  Senior  Chief  Inspector  of  Mines. 
1  Hercules    H.    Graves  Macdonald   d.,    and    was 
succeeded  by 

XIX.  HERCULES  HENRY  MACDONALD,  M.D.  and 
J.P.,  County  Louth. 

(E)  THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ARDNAMURCHAN. 

This  family  was  descended  from  John  Sprangach 
third  son  of  Angus  Mor,  Lord  of  the  Isles.  The 
genealogical  details  obtainable  regarding  this  family 
are  very  meagre,  owing  to  their  disappearance  as  a 
territorial  house  upwards  of  250  years  ago.  They 
were  known  as  Macians,  owing  to  their  descent  from 
John,  son  of  Angus  Mor.  The  succession  was  as 
follows  :— 

I.  JOHN  SPRANGACH,  son  of  Angus  Mor,  son  of 
Donald,  progenitor  of  the  clan. 

If.  ANGUS,  son  of  John  Sprangach. 

III.  ALEXANDER,  son  of  Angus. 

IV.  JOHN,  son  of  Alexander.     This  chief  had  at 
least  two  sons — (1)  Alexander,  his  successor,  and 
(2)  another  whose  name  is  not  given,  but  whose  son 
succeeded  as  6th  head  of  the  house  on  failure  of  the 
descendants  of  John,  4th  chief. 

V.  ALEXANDER,   son   of    John,  succeeded.     He 
had   no   heirs    male   of  his   body.      He  had    three 
daughters— 

1.  Fynvola,  m.  Hugh,  1st  Baron  of  Sleat,  who  by  her  had 

John,  his  successor,  who  died  without  issue. 

2.  Mariota,  m.  Malcolm  Macduffie  of  Colonsay. 

3.  Florence,  who  m.  as  his  second  wife  Allan  Macrory  of 

Clanranald. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew 

1  On  the  eve  of  going  to  press  we  have  learnt  of  the  death  of  thi« 
distinguished  Clansman,  but  presure  of  time  prevents  our  waiting  to  ascertain 
details  as  to  time,  place,  &c. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  211 

VI.  JOHN,  who  inherited  as  "  grandson  and  heir 
of  John,   son   of    Alexander,    the    son    of  John   of 
Ardnamurchan."     There  seems  to  be  a  link  omitted 
here  in  the  person  of  Angus,  son  of  John  Sprangach, 
but  probably  "  Alexander  Macian,"  the  patronymic, 
would  have  been  taken  by  the  scribe  composing  the 
charter  as  meaning  "Alexander,  son  of  John."    Hugh 
Macdonald,  the  Sleat  historian,  bastardizes  this  chief, 
whom  he  calls  "  John  Brayach,"  but  this  is  Hugh's 
way,  and  there  are  no  grounds  for  putting  in  the 
bar  sinister.       He    married    a   lady  of  the    Argyll 
family,  by  whom  he  is  said  to  have  had— 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Somerled. 

3.  A  son  whose  name  has  not  come  down. 

4.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

He  also  had  a  daughter,  who  m.  Alastair  Mac- 
Ian  Chathanaich,  5th  Chief  of  Dunnyveg,  and 
another  Mariot,  who  married  John  Robertson  of 
Struan.  John  Brayach  and  three  of  his  sons  were 
slain  in  battle,  and  the  succession  was  carried  on  by 

VII.  ALEXANDER,  who  was  a  minor  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  death.     He  had  three  sons— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Donald,  of  whom  afterwards. 

3.  Alexander. 

This  Alexander  had  two  sons— 

1.  John. 

2.  Donald. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by 

VIII.  JOHN.     He  had  by  his  first  wife  his  heir 
and  successor  John   Og ;  also  a  daughter  Una,  who 
m.   Allan  Maclean    of    Ardthornish,   of  whom   the 
Macleans  of  Kinlochaline,  Drimnin,  Pennycross,  and 
others.     He  m.   (2ndly)  Janet   Campbell,   Dowager 


212  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Lady  of  Duart,  without  issue.     He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son 

IX.  JOHN   OG,  who  on  the  eve  of  his  marriage 
with  a  daughter  of  Cameron  of  Lochiel  was  killed 
by  his  uncle  Donald  Macian,  oldest  surviving  son  of 
the  7th  chief,  and  heir  presumptive  of  the  estate. 
John  Og  having  left  no  issue,  the  succession  for  a 
very  short  time  devolved  upon 

X.  DONALD,  the  son  of  Alexander  just  referred 
to.     He,    however,    was    slain    in   battle    with    the 
Camerons,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew 

XI.  JOHN    MACALLISTER    VclAiN,    the    latter 
being  the  patronymic  and  not  a  Christian  name. 
John  Macian  was  succeeded  by  a  son, 

XII.  ALEXANDER,  who  was  a  minor  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  death,  and  for  whom  his  uncle  Donald, 
the  son  of  Alexander,  acted  in  loco  tutoris.     He  is 
the  last  head  of  the  house   of  whom  there  is  any 
authentic   record    and    with  him  this   ancient    and 
powerful     house     passes     out     of    historical    and 
genealogical  ken. 

(F)  THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GLENCO  AND  CADETS. 

This  family  is  descended  from  John,  son  of  Angus 
Og  of  Isla,  who,  according  to  the  Seanachies,  was  a 
natural  son.  He  was  thus  a  half-brother  of  the 
"  Good  John "  of  Isla.  He  was  known  as  Iain 
Fraoch  and  also  as  Iain  Abrach.  The  daughter  of 
Dugall  Mac  Henry,  chief  man  of  Glenco,  was  his 
mother.  The  special  difficulties  of  the  genealogy 
arise  from  the  fact  that  so  many  of  the  same  name 
followed  each  other  in  the  chiefship,  and  that  with 
nine  or  ten  John  Abrachs  and  John  Mac  lains  and 
John  Mac  Iain  Abrachs,  it  is  difficult  to  make 
distinctions. 


1.  Ewen    Macdonald    of   Glencoe.          3.  Captain    Macdonald,    Invercoe. 

2.  Major-Gen.     Alex.     Macdonald,          4.  Major  D.  C.  Macdonald  of  Glen- 

Invercoe.  coe. 

5.  James  Macdonald  of  Dalness. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  213 

The  succession   of  the  heads  of  the  Macians  of 
Glenco  was  as  follows  :— 

I.  JOHN  FRAOCH  or  ABRACH,  d.  1358. 
II.  JOHN  ABRACHSON. 

III.  JOHN  ABRACHSON. 

IV.  JOHN  ABRACHSON. 
V.  JOHN  ABRACHSON. 

VI.  JOHN,  who  appears  on  record  as  "John  of 
the  Isles,  alias  Abrach  son  "  at  the  fall  of  the  Island 
lordship. 

VII.  (Old)  John,  called  Iain  Abrach.     There  is 
no  record  of  his  marriage  nor  of  the  marriages  of 
the  foregoing.     He  had  three  sons— 

1.  John  Og,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Donald  Og. 

3.  Alastair  Og. 

Old  John  Abrach  was  succeeded  by 

VIII.  JOHN  OG  (1),  who  appears  first  on  record 
in   1563.   and  in  whose  time   and  that  of  his  suc- 
cessor the  Clan  Iain  Abraich  became  very  numerous. 
As  his  successor  was  also  called  John  Og,  the  two 
have  to  be  carefully  distinguished.      John  Og  (1) 
had  a  family  of  seven  sons — 

(A)  John  Og  (2),  who  succeeded. 

(B)  John  Dubh,  progenitor  of  the  families  of  Dalness  and 

Achtriachtau,  of  whom  afterwards 
(c)  Alexander  Mac  Iain  Oig,  in  Larach. 
(D)  Archibald  Mac  Iain  Oig. 
(B)  Allan  Roy  Mac  Iain  Oig. 

(F)  Ronald  Mac  Iain  Oig. 

(G)  Angus  Mac  Iain  Oig. 

John  Og  (1)  was  succeeded  c.  1590  by 

IX.  JOHN  OG  (2).     He  had  three  sous— 

(A)  John  Abrach,  his  successor. 

(B)  Alexander. 

(c)  Donald  Bowie. 


214  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

John  Og  (2)  was  succeeded  c.  1610  by 

X.  JOHN  ABRACH.  We  do  not  find  any  trace  of 
sons  of  this  Chief,  except  his  successor. 

XL  ALEXANDER,  who,  according  to  the  ordinary 
rules  of  calculation,  would  have  succeeded  his  father 
about  1630.  He  was  known  in  his  day  as  Alastair 
Ruadh.  He  had  two  sons— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,   known   as   Aonghas   Mac  Alastair  Ruaidh,   the 

well-known  Gaelic  bard. 

Alexander,  llth  Chief  of  Glenco,  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

XII.  ALEXANDER,  the  principal  victim  of  the 
inhuman  massacre  of  1692.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  a  sister  of  the 
famous  Coll,  and  he  had  two  sons,  both  of  whom 
escaped  from  the  massacre— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander. 

Alexander  Macian,  the  12th  Chief  of  Glenco,  was 
succeeded  in  the  chiefship  by  his  older  son 

XIII.  JOHN.     There  does  not  appear  to  be  much 
known   about  this  chief  after  his  escape  from  the 
massacre  beyond  certain  privileges  accorded  to  him- 
self and  his  clan  in  view  of  the  ruin  brought  about 

o 

by  the  disasters  of  1692.     He  died  before  1714,  and 
left  three  sons — 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  James,  a  captain  in  the  Prince's  army  in  1745. 

3.  Donald,  out  in  1745. 

He  was  succeeded  by 

XIV,  ALEXANDER.       He    signed     the     famous 
address  to  George  I.  in    1714,  and  was  out  in  the 
Rebellion  of  1715,   after  which   his  estate  was  for- 
feited.    It   does    not   appear    that   the   estate   was 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  215 

formally  restored  at  this  time  either  to  Alexander 
or  to  Robert  Stewart  of  Appin,  his  feudal  superior, 
who  was  also  involved  in  the  Earl  of  Mar's  Rising. 
It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  Chief  of  Glenco 
was  not  disturbed  in  his  occupation  of  his  lands  by 
the  Duke  of  Argyll,  on  whom  the  estates  appear  to 
have  devolved.  Alexander  was  also  out  in  1745 
with  the  fighting  men  of  his  tribe.  He  was  in 
prison  in  Edinburgh  as  late  as  1750  for  his  share  in  the 
Rebellion,  but  he  must  have  died  shortly  after  that 
date.  He  was  married  twice.  We  have  no  record  of 
the  name  or  family  of  his  first  wife.  He  m.  (2ndly) 
Isobel,  daughter  of  John  Stewart  of  Ardsheal.  He 
was  succeeded  by  his  only  son 

XV.  JOHN,  who  in  1751  had  the  forfeited  estate 
restored.     By  charter  dated  29th  July,  1751,  Robert 
Stewart  of  Appin,  heritable  superior  of  Glenco — to 
whom  the  Duke  of  Argyll  had  given  the  superiority 
forfeited  by  his  father,  John   Stewart — disponed  to 
John    the    two  merklands  of  Polvig,  and  the  two 
merklands  of  Carnick  with  the  Glen  of  Lecknamoy. 
John  Macian  of  Glenco  had  an  only  son,  Alexander, 
to  whom  he  left  a  General  Disposition  of  his  Estates 
in  1785.     He  was  succeeded  by 

XVI.  ALEXANDER,  who  married  Mary  Cameron, 
and  had  three  sons,  Ewen   and  two  others,  whose 
names  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain.     Alex- 
ander  made  a  Trust   Disposition  of  his  Estate  in 
1814  in  favour  of  Trustees,  and  Sasine  was  taken  of 
the  same  in  1816.     In  1817  a  Deed  of  Corroboration 
of  the  previous  procedure  was  executed  by 

XVII.  EWEN   MACDONALD   of  Glenco,   who   by 
this  time  would  have  succeeded  his  father.     Eweri 
was  a  distinguished  physician    in    the   East    India 
Company    Service,    and    it  would  appear  that  the 


-1(1  T&E   CLAN    DONALt). 

attains  of  the  family  became  more  prosperous  when, 
in  1828,  the  Trustees  conveyed  hack  to  him  the 
patrimony  of  his  house.  In  1837  Ewen  entailed 
the  estate  on  himself  and  male  heirs  of  his  body, 
whom  failing,  to  the  heirs  female  of  his  body,  whom 
failing,  to  his  daughter  Ellen  Caroline  Macpherson 
Macdonald,  afterwards  the  wife  of  Archibald  Burns 
Macdonald,  of  Perth.  The  distinction  drawn 
between  heirs  female  of  his  body  and  the  daughter 
referred  to  points  to  the  fact  that  this  lady  was  a 
natural  daughter,  arid  it  is  said  that  it  was  only 
a  little  before  his  death,  which  took  place  in 
1 840,  that  he  was  legally  married  to  her  mother. 
Having  no  other  heirs  of  his  body,  the  estate 
devolved  upon  Mrs  Burns  Macdonald,  by  whom  it 
was  disentailed  in  1876,  and  whose  son  sold  it  in 
1894  to  the  Honourable  Sir  Donald  Smith,  now 
Lord  Strath cona  and  Mount  Royal  of  Glenco.  We 
have  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  last  Chief  of 
Glenco  had  two  brothers.  We  have  been  unable  to 
trace  themselves  or  their  progeny,  if  any. 

CADETS   OF   GLENCO. 
(1)  DALNESS. 

The  family  of  Dalness  was  descended  from  John 
Dubh  or  Black  John,  a  son  of  the  first  John  Og,  8th 
Chief  of  Glenco.  John  Dubh  had  a  large  family  of 
sons,  who,  with  their  descendants,  frequently  appear 
on  record  during  the  early  part  of  the  17th  century. 
His  sons  were — 

1.  Angus,  afterwards  of  Daluess. 

2.  Allaster,  afterwards  of  Achtriachtan.  i 

3.  Allan  Dubh  in  Larach.     f   '< 

4.  John  Og  in  luverigan. 

5.  John  Mor  in  Achnacou. 

6.  Ranald. 

7.  Archibald. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  217 

Each  member  of  John  Dubh's  tribe  was  called  Mac 
Iain  Duibh. 

I.  ANGUS,  the  oldest  of  John  Dubh's  sons,  was 
the  first  who  stands  on  record  as  possessor  of  Dai- 
ness,   of  which,   in    1608,   he  obtains  a  tack   from 
Archibald  Campbell  of  Inverawe.     In   1610,  Angus, 
along  with  his  relatives  of  Achtriachtan,  is  called  to 
account  for  the  slaughter  of  John  Stewart  of  Acharn 
and  his  brother.     He  was  succeeded  in  the  lands  of 
Dalness  and  the  headship  of  the  tribe  by  his  son 

II.  ALEXANDER,  who  flourished  on  to  the  end  of 
the  17th  century,  and  managed  to  escape  by  dint  of 
stratagem    from   the   butchery    of   1692.     He   was 
among  those  who  in  1695  received  a  renewal  of  the 
protection    from    captions    and    executions  for  civil 
debts  from  the  Commissioners  appointed  to  enquire 
into    the    massacre.      The    same    year    Alexander 
obtained  a  Feu  Charter,  and  became  absolute  owner 
of  Dalness,    which   Deed  he,   for  greater  security, 
deposited    with     Alexander    Macdonald,     Chief  of 
Glengarry.     Alexander  left  two  sons — 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  to  Dalness,  and 

2.  James,  of  whom  afterwards. 

Alexander,    second   of    Dalness,    was   succeeded 
shortly  after  1700  by  his  older  son 

III.  ALEXANDER.       He    in.     Jean     Maclachlan, 
daughter  of  Maclachlan  of  Coruanan  in  Lochaber, 
by  whom  he  had  four  sons— 

1.  Alexander,  who  died  young. 

2.  Coll,  who  became  a  captain  in  the  R.N.,  of  whom  after- 

wards. 

3.  Dugald,  who  entered  the  army. 

4.  John,  who  became  a  merchant  in  Jamaica. 

Alexander  m.  (2ndly)  Janet  Campbell,  by  whom  he 
had 

5.  James,  of  whom  afterwards. 


218  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

He  is  said  to  have  gone  to  live  at  Mary  burgh  (now 
Fort- William)  for  the  education  of  his  family,  and 
let  Dalness  to  his  brother  James.  He  died  in  1726, 
and  for  some  time  thereafter  the  ownership  of  the 
family  inheritance  was  in  a  very  complicated  con- 
dition. Alexander,  however,  was  succeeded  as  head 
of  the  house  by 

IV.  ALEXANDER,  his  oldest  son,  who  survived 
his  father  only  for  a  short  time.  The  second  son 
Coll  had  gone  to  the  navy,  and  in  process  of  time 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain,  while  Dugald 
and  John  had  gone  to  push  their  fortunes  abroad. 
Their  mother  having  died,  their  uncle  James  was 
left  in  possession  of  Dalness.  The  circumstances 
being  favourable  to  villainy  of  this  nature,  he  took 
steps  to  get  Dalness  into  his  own  possession.  In 
this  he  was  aided  by  the  circumstances  of  the  '45, 
when  Invergarry  Castle  was  burnt,  and  the  Glen- 
garry Charter  Chest,  including  the  Dalness  titles, 
was  carried  away  by  Sir  Everard  Falconer,  under 
instructions  from  the  Duke  of  Cumberland.  It  was 
seen  in  his  custody  in  the  Abbey  of  Holyrood  house, 
whence  it  was  carried  to  London,  where  the  papers 
were  sold  to  a  snuff-shop.  Having  thus  explained 
the  position  of  the  estate,  it  falls  to  be  mentioned 
that  Alexander,  the  fourth  head  of  the  house,  was 
succeeded  in  that  position  by  his  brother 

V.  COLL,  second  son  of  Alexander  3rd  of  Dalness. 
Not  till  1749  was  Coll  Macdonald — who  by  this 
time  commanded  the  Hampton  Court,  a  war  ship  of 
50  guns — able  to  return  to  Dalness  to  vindicate  his 
rights.  He  had  to  return  to  the  service,  but  before 
doing  so  he  set  in  operation  what  proved  to  be  a- 
long  and  expensive  law-suit  for  the  recovery  of  his 
property.  During  this  litigation  Coll  died,  and 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  219 

leaving  no  issue  (an  infant  son  having  predeceased 
him),  the  succession  devolved  upon  his  brother, 

VI.  JOHN    MACDONALD,    then    a    merchant   in 
Jamaica.     He  returned  to  Scotland,  and  effected  a 
compromise  of  the  various  law  pleas  which  estab- 
lished his  right  to  the  estate  in  1764.     He  was  also 
proprietor  of  the  Estate  of  Gartencaber,  commonly 
called    Clemsfield  in    Buchanan,   where  he  died  in 
December,  1774.     He  was  married  to  a  daughter  of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  who  was  out  in 
the  '45,  but  left  no  issue. 

By  this  time  all  the  brothers  german  of  Alexander 
Macdonald  5th  of  Dalness  were  dead  without 
descendants,  and  the  succession  devolved  upon  the 
posterity  of  James,  his  half-brother.  James  had 
two  sons — 

1.  Coll,  who  succeeded  his  uucle  John,  and 

2.  Duncan,  a  distinguished  soldier,  for  whose   story   vide 

Clan  Donald,  Vol.  II.,  p.  223. 

John   Macdonald   of  Dalness  had  executed  a  Dis- 
position of  Dalness  in  favour  of  his  nephew, 

VII.  COLL,  who  succeeded  him  as  proprietor  of 
Dalness,     John  also   conveyed  to  Coll  the  Gartin- 
caber    Estate,    and    appointed    as    Trustees   of    his 
moveable    estate    Ronald    Macdonald    of    Keppoch, 
John    Macdonald  of  Glenco,   Angus    Macdonald  of 
Achtriachtan,    William    Macdonald,    W.S.,    Donald 
Macdonald,  merchant  in  Glasgow,  and  James  Mac- 
intyre   of    Gleno,    with   directions    to    convey    the 
residue  to  his  nephew  Coll.     Coll  Macdonald  betook 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  law,  and  after  serving  an 
apprenticeship    with     William    Macdonald,    of    St 
Martins,  W.S.,  he  was  admitted  as  a  Writer  to  the 
Signet   on   18th   March,    178G.      Through   his  con- 
nection  with  the    Highlands,  he  acted  for  many  of 


220  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

the  northern  lairds,  including  Glengarry,  Glenalla- 
dale,  and  Lochgarry.  One  of  the  most  important 
trials  with  which  he  was  concerned  was  that  in 
which  he  was  agent  for  Alexander  Macdonald  of 
Glengarry,  charged  with  shooting  Lieutenant 
Norman  Macleod,  of  the  42nd  Highlanders,  in  a 
duel,  and  which  resulted  in  a  verdict  of  acquittal. 
Coll  purchased  part  of  the  Achtriachtan  property 
from  his  relative,  Adam  Macdonald,  in  1812.  He 
married  on  22nd  October,  179G,  Elizabeth  Barbour, 
daughter  of  Captain  Donald  Macbean,  of  the  10th 
Regiment  of  Foot.  Coll  Macdonald  of  Dalness  died 
on  1st  January,  1837,  survived  by  his  wife,  who 
died  on  31st  March,  1856.  He  had  by  his  wife 

1.  James  Macdonald,  advocate. 

2.  Duncan  Macdonald,  W.S. 

3.  Donald  Macdonald. 

He  had  two  daughters— 

1.  Susan. 

2.  Margaret  Campbell,  who  m.  Captain  George  Downing,  of 

the  Madras  Army,  with  issue,  of  whom  afterwards. 

He  was  succeeded  as  head  of  the  Dalness  family  by 
his  eldest  son, 

VIII.  JAMES.     He  passed  as  advocate  on  26th 
June,  1821,  and  was  appointed  Sheriff-Substitute  of 
Linlithgow  in  1832,  and  of  Edinburghshire  in  1838. 
He  died  unmarried  on  16th  September,  1845,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  only  surviving  brother, 

IX.  DONALD,  both  in  the  Estates  of  Dalness  and 
Achtriachtan,  subject  to  his  life-rent  of  his  sisters  in 
Achtriachtan. 

Donald  died  unmarried  on  25th  January.  1855 
(the  male  line  of  Dalness  thus  becoming  extinct),  and 
by  his  settlement  directed  his  trustees  to  dispone 
Dalness  to  his  sister,  Mrs  Margaret  Campbell  Mac- 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  221 

donald  or  Downing,  in  life-rent,  and  her  daughter, 
Elizabeth  Margaret,  in  fee. 

Mrs  Downing,  sister  of  the  last  Macdonald  of 
Dalness,  died  at  London  on  2nd  January,  1876,  and 
the  Estate  of  Dalness  was  conveyed  by  the  trustees 
to  the  present  proprietrix,  Mrs  Elizabeth  Margaret 
Downing  Macdonald  or  Stuart,  the  daughter  of  Mrs 
Downing,  and  wife  of  Dugald  Stuart,  eldest  son  of 
the  Right  Honourable  Sir  John  Stuart  of  Loch- 
carron,  Ross-shire,  Vice-Chancellor  of  England. 
Dugald  Stuart  died  on  5th  February,  1885. 

(2)  THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ACHTRIACHTAN. 

This  family  is  descended,  as  already  stated,  from 

I.  ALEXANDER,  son  of  John  Dubh,  son  of  John 
Og  Mac  Iain  Abrich  of  Glenco.     It  appears  that  the 
lands  occupied  by  the  brothers  of  Alexander  Mac 
Iain  Dubh,  namely,  Allan  Dow,  John  Og,  John  Mor, 
and   Ranald,    were   also  situated   in   Achtriachtan. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER,  who  appears  on  record  in  1611 
as  Allaster  Mac  Iain  Duibh  Mhic  Alastair  of  Ach- 
triachtan, the  Mac  Iain  Duibh  being  in  this  case  the 
patronymic  or  tribe  name.     He  had  two  sons,  John, 
his  successor,  and  another  son,  whose  name  we  have 
not  succeeded  in  identifying.      He  also  appears  in 
1626    under   a  similar  designation.      He   was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

III.  JOHN,  whom  we  find  in  1674  as  John  Mac- 
donald of  Achtriachtan.     He  entered  into  a  Bond 
of  Friendship    with    Glengarry    in    1690,   and   was 
among  those  who  lost  their  lives  in  the  massacre  of 
1692.     John  had  two  sons,  named  Alexander  and 
Angus  Roy,  to  which  latter  reference  will  be  made 
hereafter.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  elder  son, 


222  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

IV.  ALEXANDER,  who  escaped  from  the  massacre. 
During  his  father's  life-time  he  entered  into  a  con- 

o 

tract  with  John  Stuart  Fiar  of  Ardsheal,  whereby 
he  received  in  feu  from  him  lands  which  had  heen 
in  the  occupation  of  the  family  since  the  beginning 
of  the  17th  century: — "All  and  haill  the  three 
merk  land  of  Kinlochbeg  in  Glenco,  with  houses, 
biggings,  yards,  milns,  multures,  and  with  the  third 
part  of  the  fir  and  oak  woods  of  Kinlochbeg  in 
Glenco,  and  with  other  woods,  isles,  rocks,  fishing, 
pertaining  and  belonging  to  the  said  four  merk  lands, 
all  lying  within  the  parish  of  Kilmolowack,  Lord- 
ship of  Lorn,  and  Sheriffdom  of  Argyll.  And  also 
the  salmon  fishings  upon  said  Alexander,  his  own 
side  of  the  water  of  Leven,  and  salmon  fishings  of 
Achtriachtan."  The  contract  is  dated  4th  February, 
1686.  He  was  alive  in  1695,  when  with  others  he 
got  protection  from  captions  and  execution  for  civil 
debts.  He  left  no  sons,  and  was  succeeded  by 

V.  ANGUS,  his  brother,  who  in  1704  completed 
a   title    to    Achtriachtan    as    heir   to    his    brother 
Alexander  by  receiving  a  Precept  of  Clare  Constat 
from  Stuart  of  Appin  on  8th  January  of  that  year. 
Angus   of  Achtriachtan    possessed    the   estate    for 
many  years,  and  there   is  a  tradition  that  he  lived 
up  to  the  '45,  joined  Prince  Charles,  and  was  slain 
at   Prestonpans.     We  are  unable  to  vouch  for  the 
accuracy  of  this  tradition,  but  the  death  of  Angus 
of  Achtriachtan  did  not  probably  take  place  earlier 
than  the  above  date,  as  it  was  not  till  July  26th, 
1751,  that  his  successor  received  a  Precept  of  Clare 
Constat,    being   infeft   the  following  day.      Angus 
married  Flora  Cameron  of  Callart,  and  had  three 
daughters — 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  223 

1.  The  older,  of  whose  name  we  have  no  record,  married 

her  father's  successor  in  the  proprietorship  of  Ach- 
triachtan. 

2.  Margaret,  married  Angus  Macintyre  in   Comasnaharrie 

of  Callart. 

3.  Mary,  married  to  Donald  Cameron  of  Glenpean. 

Angus  of  Achtriachtan  left  no  male  issue,  and  the 
succession  devolved  upon  his  kinsman, 

VI.  ANGUS.  This  head  of  Achtriachtan  was  the 
grandson  of  Angus  Roy,  second  son  of  Alexander, 
1st  head  of  the  family,  known  in  his  day  as  Alastair 
Mac  Iain  Duibh  Mhic  Alastair.  The  name  of  his 
father  has  not  been  traced,  but  he  was  evidently 
proved  to  be  in  the  direct  line.  Angus  married  as 
his  first  wife  his  cousin,  the  daughter  of  the  last 

7  O 

Achtriachtan,  without  issue.  He  married  secondly, 
Anne,  daughter  of  John  Campbell  of  Ballieveolan. 
She  had  been  previously  married  to  Stewart  of  Appin. 
Her  marriage  with  Angus  of  Achtriachtan  took 
place  not  later  than  1753,  and  there  was  a  large 
family  of  sons  and  daughters — 

1.  Alexander,  a  Captain  in  the  East  India  Sei'vice. 

2.  Adam,  who  succeeded  to  the  estates. 

3.  Angus,  predeceased  his  father. 

4.  James,  a  clerk  in  the  Sheriff-Clerk's  Office,  Inverness. 

5.  Allan,  of  whom  there  is  no  record  beyond  the  name. 

6.  John,  died  in  the  service  of  the  East  India  Company, 

without  issue. 

7.  Hugh,  died  in  the  service  of  the  East  India  Company, 

without  issue. 

8.  Robert,  Ensign  in  East  India  Company,  died   without 

issue. 

9.  Colin,  a  doctor,  but  of  whom,  or  descendants  if  any,  we 

have  no  notice. 

Captain  Alexander  Macdonald,  Achtriach tan's 
oldest  son,  was  about  to  return  to  Scotland  when 
he  was  seized  with  fever  and  died.  He  settled  a 


224  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

sum  of  about    £4000   upon    his  relatives.      Angus 
had  also  four  daughters — 

(A)  Jessy,  who  married  a  Mr  Stevenson. 

(n)  Betsy,  married  Cameron  of  Chines,  with  issue. 

(o)  Mary,  died  unmarried. 

(D)  Isabella,  died  unmarried. 

It  is  said  that  Angus,  the  third  son,  had  been 
specially  called,  after  the  death  of  Captain  Alex- 
ander Macdonald,  to  the  succession  owing  to  his 
superior  fitness  to  guard  the  family  interests  ;  but 
he  also  predeceased  his  father,  and  the  old  man  was 
not  able,  through  advancing  infirmity,  to  make  a 
new  disposition,  even  should  he  have  desired  it. 
Angus  of  Achtriachtan  died  in  1800,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  second  son, 

VII.  ADAM,  who  was  in  the  West  Indies  at 
the  time  of  his  father's  death.  He  was  served 
heir  to  his  father  on  12th  November,  1800. 
During  his  time  the  family  inheritance,  mainly 
through  mismanagement  and  litigation,  was  com- 
pletely dilapidated.  In  1812  he,  with  consent 
of  his  wife,  sold  the  southern  division  of  Achtri- 
achtan, known  as  Achnabeath  and  Benchrualaist, 
to  Coll  Macdonald  of  Dalness,  and  the  remainder  to 
Robert  Downie  of  Appin.  In  his  later  years,  Adam 
Macdonald  of  Achtriachtan  lived  at  Achnacon,  of 
which  farm  he  had  a  lease.  He  was  a  man  of  facile 
and  somewhat  weak  disposition,  and  was  largely  the 
victim  of  designing  and  unscrupulous  neighbours. 
He  married  Helen  Cameron,  daughter  of  Ewen 
Cameron  of  Glennevis,  with  issue— 

1.  Colin  John. 

2.  John. 

3.  Hugh. 

4.  A   daughter,    who    married    Mr   Mackenzie,    Munlochy, 

brother  of  General  Alexander  Mackenzie  and  of  Mrs 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      225 

Gibson,  wife  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr  Gibson,  minister  of 
Avoch. 

5.  A  daughter,  married  to  Mr  Maclellan,  excise  officer. 

6.  Isabella,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Jane  Fraser,  who  died  unmarried. 

Adam  Macdonald  of  Achtriachtan  was  buried  in 
Island  Mimd,  in  Glenco,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  eldest  son, 

VIII.  COLIN  JOHN.  He  went  to  Australia,  and 
occupied  a  high  position  in  the  Post-Office  at  Bris- 
bane. He  married,  and  had  several  children,  among 
whom  his  third  daughter,  Isabel  Jane,  married,  in 
1888,  to  Henry  Edward  Bennet. 

DESCENDANTS  OF  ALLAN  DUBH  MAC  IAIN  DUIBH. 

A  branch  of  the  Clan  Iain  of  Glericoe  that  may 
be  genealogically  traced  for  a  few  generations  con- 
sists of  the  descendants  oi 

I.  ALLAN  DUBH,  son  of  John  Dubh,  and  brother 
of  the  founders  of  Dalness  and  Achtriachtan.     He 
lived    at   Laroch    in    Glenco.      He    married   Janet 
Stewart    of    the    family   of  Appin,  and   had    two 
sons,  Ranald  and  Angus,  both  of  whom  were  with 
the  Glenco  contingent  in  the  campaigns  of  Mon- 
trose.     The  part  which  Angus  played  in  guiding  the 
Royalists  to  winter  quarters  in  the  rich  fields  and 
well-stocked  homesteads  of  Argyll  has  been  already 
described  in  Vol.  II.     Of  Angus  and  his  descendants 
we   know    nothing   further,  and    the   descent  from 
Allan  Madam  Duibh  is  found  in 

II.  RANALD    MACALLAN.      He   was    known   as 
Raonall   na   Sgeithe,   Ranald  of  the   Shield,  owing 
to  an  incident  in  his  life  during  the  campaigns  of 
Montrose.     Ha  had  a  son, 

15 


226  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

III.  RANALD    OG,    who,    with    his    father,    was 
massacred    in    1692.      Raonall    Og   had   two   sons, 
Donald   and  Alexander,  who   were  away  from   the 
Glen  during  the  massacre,  and  so  escaped. 

IV.  DONALD  was  a  soldier  and  poet,  and  was 
his  chief's  lieutenant  in   1745.      Of  himself  and  his 
descendants   in  the  male   line,  if  any,  we   have  no 
further  information. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CLANRANALD. 

I.  REGINALD,  the  founder  of  this  family,  was  the 
eldest  surviving  son  of  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  by 
Amie  MacRuarie,  the  heiress  of  Garmoran,  John, 
his  elder  brother,  and  his  son,  Angus,  not  having 
left  issue.  Reginald  succeeded  his  mother  in  the 
largest  share  of  the  MacRuarie  lands,  which,  with 
others,  were  confirmed  to  him  by  charter  from  his 
father  in  1372.  Reginald  married  a  daughter  of 
Walter  Stewart,  Earl  of  Atholl,  and  had  five 
sons,  whether  all  of  them  by  this  marriage  is  not 
certain— 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Glengarry. 

3.  John  Dall,  who  left  one  son,  John. 

5.  Angus  Riabhach.  His  father  bestowed  upon  him  the 
lands  of  Morar,  and  others,  which  his  family  occupied 
till  the  first  half  of  the  16th  century,  when  the  family 
of  Dougall,  the  deposed  Chief  of  Clanranald,  succeeded. 
His  son,  Angus,  succeeded  Angus  Riabhach  in  these 
lands.  He  is  witness  to  a  charter  by  Angus,  Master  of 
the  Isles,  in  1485.  In  1498,  King  James  IV.  granted 
to  Angus,  whom  failing  to  his  son,  Angus,  a  charter  of 
the  1 2  merk  lands  of  Benbecula,  9  merk  lands  in  Eigg, 
6  merk  lands  in  Arisaig,  and  the  14  merk  lands  of 
Morar,  all  of  which  were  resigned  in  his  favour  by 
John,  son  of  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Sleat.  Angus  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Angus,  and  he  in  turn  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  John,  who  was  dead  in  1538. 


ADMIRAL    SIR    REGINALD    MACDONALD    OF    CLANRANALD. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      227 

In  that  year  a  gift  of  the  non-entry  duties  of  his  lands 
was  granted  to  Allan  and  Lachlan  M'Coull  M 'Ranald 
until  the  lawful  heir  came  of  age.  In  the  following 
year  this  gift  was  recalle  1,  and  the  Earl  of  Argyll 
received  a  similar  gift  of  the  same  lands.  No  further 
gift  of  these  lands  seems  to  have  been  made  to  the 
family  of  Angus  Riabhach,  who  now  disappear  as 
landowners  among  the  Clanranald.  Angus  Riabhach, 
who,  according  to  MacVnrich,  became  a  friar  at  lona, 
died  in  1440,  and  was  buried  at  Rollaig  Grain. 
5.  Dougall,  designated  as  Dougall  of  Sunart,  from  whom  the 
Siol  Dhughaill.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son.  Angus 
the  Red.  Dougall  died  at  Resipoll  in  1426,  and  was 
buried  at  Rollaig  Grain. 

Reginald,  the  founder  of  the  Clanranald  family,  died 
at  Castletirrim  in  1386,  and  was  buried  at  Rollaig 
Grain.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

II.  ALLAN.       Allan,    according    to    MacVnrich, 
married   a    daughter    of    Stewart    of    Appin,    and, 
according   to  another  family  historian,   he  married 
a  daughter  of  John,  Lord  of  Lorn,  who  may  have 
been  his  second  wife.     Allan's  family  were— 

1.  Roderick,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Allan,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Knoydart,  known 

as  Sliochd  Alein  'ic  Alein. 

3.  John,  who  left  a  family. 

Allan  II.  of  Clanranald,  who  was  living  in  1428, 
died  at  Castletirrim,  and  was  buried  at  Rollaig 
Grain.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

III.  RODERICK.      Roderick    married    Margaret, 
daughter  of  Donald  Balloon  Macdonald  of  Dunny- 
veg  and  the  Glens.     He  had  by  her— 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  Hector,  who  obtained  lands  in  Morven,  and  from  whom 

the  MacEachens. 

Roderick  married,  secondly,  Marion,  daughter  of 
William  Mackintosh,  Captain  of  Clanchattan.  He 
had,  by  a  daughter  of  Maclean  of  Coll,  Duncan 


228  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Garbh.  He  had  other  children — Farquhar  and 
John. 

Roderick  III.  of  Clanranald  died  in  1481,  and 
was  buried  at  "Rollaig  Grain.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son, 

IV.  ALLAN.  Allan  married  Florence,  daughter 
of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Ardnamurchan.  He  had 
by  her— 

1.  Ranald  Bane,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  afterwards  succeeded  to  the  chiefship. 

3.  Marion,  married  to  Donald  Herrach  Macdonald,  North 

Uist. 

Allan  married,  secondly,  Isabella,  daughter  of  Thomas  Lord 
Fraser  of  Lovat.  She  afterwards  married  John  Mor  Grant  I.  of 
Glenmoriston.  Allan  had  by  her  Ranald,  known  as  Ranald 
Gallda,  whom  his  mother's  kindred,  backed  by  the  Scottish 
Government,  attempted  to  foist  on  the  Clanranald  as  their  chief. 
Ranald,  who  was  killed  at  Blar  Leinc  in  1544,  left  no  legitimate 
issue.  A  Precept  of  Legitimation  was  obtained  from  the  Crown, 
in  1555,  in  favour  of  his  sons,  Allan,  John,  and  Alexander. 
Allan,  designated  of  Easter  Leys,  the  eldest  of  these  sons, 
received  from  the  Crown  a  gift  of  the  non-entry  duties  of 
Moydart  and  Arisaig  in  1562.  In  the  same  year  he  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Hugh  Lord  Fra-scr  of  Lovat,  and  had 
three  sons,  John,  Angus,  and  Alexander.  In  1582,  James  IV. 
granted  in  heritage  to  Allan  M'Ranald  of  Easter  Leys  the  non- 
entry  and  other  dues  of  the  23  merk  lauds  of  Kendess  and  the 
14  merk  lands  of  Benbecula.  John  is  on  record,  in  1588,  as  son 
and  apparent  heir  of  Allan  MacRanald  of  Easter  Leys.  In  1599, 
he  and  Alexander,  his  brother,  were  murdered  by  Mackintosh. 
John  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Angus,  who  appears  on  record 
as  Angus  MacRanald  of  Moidart,  and  at  whose  instance,  with 
John,  his  son,  and  his  daughter,  Elizabeth,  Donald  of  Clanranald 
was  declared  rebel,  in  1615,  for  not  removing  from  the  lands  of 
Moidart  and  Arisaig.  His  family,  of  whom  we  now  hear  no 
more,  had  made  strenuous  efforts  for  many  years  to  obtain 
possession  of  what  they  believed  to  be  the  inheritance  of  Ranald 
Gallda. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     229 

Allan   IV.  of  Clanranald  had   another  family- 
Allan   Riabhach,  John  Bronnach,  Donald  who  had 
a  son,  John  Molaoh,  and  James. 

Allan    died    at    Blair-Atholl    in    1505,  and  was 
buried  there.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

V.  RANALD  BANE.     Ranald  married  Catherine, 
daughter  of  Lachlan  Mackintosh  of  Gellovie,  com- 
monly called  Lachlan  Badenoch.     He  is  also  said  to 
have   married  a  daughter  of  Roderick   Macleod  of 
Lewis,  probably  his  second  marriage.    He*had  three 
sons— 

1.  Dougall,  his  heir  and  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Allan. 

4.  Agnes,  married  to  Robert  Robertson  of  Struan. 

Ranald  died  at  Perth  in  1509,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  eldest  son, 

VI.  DOUGALL.     Dougall,  according  to  one  manu- 
script authority,  married  a  daughter  of  Cameron  of 
Lochiel ;  according  to  another  he  married  a  daughter 
of  Norman,  the  son  of  Patrick  Obeolan,  of  the  clerical 
family  of  Applecross  ;  according  to  a  third  he  married 
a  daughter  of  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Lochalsh. 
He  left  four  sons— 

1.  Allan,  from  whom  the  Macdoualds  of  Morar. 

2.  Lachlan. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Ranald,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Bornish. 

Dougall  was  assassinated  in  1520,  and  his  sons  were 
excluded  from  the  succession.  He  was  succeeded  in 
the  chiefship  by  his  uncle, 

VII.  ALEXANDER.    Alexander  had  three  families. 
By  Dorothy  he  had— 

1.  John  Moidartach,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus. 

3.  Rory  Roy  of  Borodale. 

4.  Donald  of  Lochan. 


230  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

By  the  daughter  of  Noram  MacGillipatrick  he  had — 

1.  John  Ard. 

2.  Allan  Odhar. 

3.  Rory,  rector  of  Kilchoan,  in  Ardnamurchan,  which,  after 

a  time,  he  held  with  the  rectories  of  Arisaig  and 
Knoydart.  He  was  promoted  to  the  Deanery  of 
Morveu  in  1540,  and  in  1545  was  recommended  by 
the  Islesmen  for  the  Bishopric  of  the  Isles  in  opposi- 
tion to  Roderick  Maclean,  the  nominee  of  the  Scottish 
Regent.  He  ultimately  became  rector  of  Islandfinnan. 
He  was  buried  in  Ardchattan.  The  following  is  the 
inscription  on  his  tomb  (the  date  of  his  death 
being  omitted)  : — "  Hie  jacet  venerandus  et  egregius 
vir  Rodericus  Alexandri,  Rector  quondam  Funnanni 
Insulae,  qui  obiit  Anno  Dom.  ." 

By  Marion,  daughter  of  Farquhar  Mackintosh,  Alex- 
ander had 

Farquhar  of  Skirhough,  in  South  Uist. 

He  had  a  daughter  Catherine,  who  married  Donald 
Gruamach,  4th  Baron  of  Sleat.  Alexander  died  at 
Castletirrim  before  1530,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

VIII.  JOHN  MOIDAETACH.  He  married  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Ardnamurchan,  and  by  her 
had 

Allan,  his  heir  and  successor. 

By  the  daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Knoydart  he  had— 
1.  John  Og,  from  whom  the  Macdoualds  of  Glenaladale.     2-* 
'2.  Donald  Gorm,  tacksman  of  Geriuish  in  1610.    Angus,  his 

son,  was  Bailie  of  South  Uist  in  1629. 
3.  Rory  Og,  who  left  two  sons,  Donald  and  John. 

By  the  daughter  of  Neil,  son  of  Charles,  he  had— 

1.  Rory  Dubh. 

2.  Ranald.     He  had  a  son,  John,  rector  of  Jslandnnnan. 

3.  John  Dubh. 

4.  Angus. 

He  had  a  daughter,  who  married  Allan  Maclean  of 
Ardgour.  According  to  the  Clanranald  Book  of 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  231 

1819,  he  had  by  Penelope  Erskine  a  daughter,  who 
married  John  Stewart  of  Appin. 

John  Moidartach  died  in  1584,  and  was  buried 
at  Howmore,  in  South  Uist.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  eldest  son, 

IX.  ALLAN.       Allan    had   by   the   daughter    of 
Alastair  Crotach  Macleod  of  Dunvegan 

Allan  Og,  killed  by  his  brothers  in  Arisaig. 
Allan  repudiated  his  wife,  who  had  formerly  been 
married  to  John  Og,  son  of  Donald  Gruamach  of 
Sleat.  She  afterwards  married  Ranald  Macdonald 
of  Keppoch.  After  her  Allan  married  Janet, 
daughter  of  Hector  Mor  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  had 
by  her 

1.  John,  accidentally  killed  at  Strome,  where  he  was  fostered 

by  Glengarry. 

2.  Angus,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Donald,  afterwards  of  Clanranald. 

4.  Ranald,  of  Benbecula. 

5.  John,  from  whom  the  Macdoualds  of  Kinlochmoidart.    3.<* 

6.  Rory,  of  Boisdale. 

7.  Margaret,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Glengarry. 

8.  Marion,   who  married  Roderick  MacNeill  of  Barra,  with 

issue. 

9.-  Letitia,    who    married   Alexander   Macdonald   of    Glen, 
aladale. 

Allan  died  in  1593,  and  was  buried  at  Islandfirman. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  surviving  son, 

X.  ANGUS.      Angus's  marriage  is  not  recorded. 
He  had  a  son,  Donald  Gorm,  of  Borrodale,  who  for 
some    reason   did    not    succeed    him.       He   married 
Janet,  daughter  of  his  uncle,  Donald  of  Clanranald, 
with  issue— 

1.  Donald,  killed  at  Philiphaugh. 

2.  Alexander. 

He  left  other  sons,  Angus  and  Ranald. 

Donald  Gorm  was  drowned  between  Colland  Muck 
with   his  wife   and   household.      Angus   was  killed 


232  TfiE  CLAN   DONALD. 

shortly  after  his  succession  to  the  chiefship,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

XI.  DONALD.      Donald  married  Mary,  daughter 
of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  and  the  Glens, 
and  had  by  her— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald  Og,  who  died  without  issue,  and  was  buried  at 

Islandfiunan  in  1636. 

3.  Alexander  Og,  who  died  without  issue. 

4.  Donald  Glas,  who  died  without  issue. 

5.  Marion,  married  to  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Torloisk,  with 

issue. 

Sir  Donald,  who  had  been  knighted  at  Holyrood  by 
King  James  IV.  in  1617,  died  at  Castletirrim  in 
December,  1618.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XII.  JOHN.      John    married,    in    1613,    Marion, 
daughter  of  Sir  Rory  Mor  Macleod  of  Dunvegan, 
and  had  by  her — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

'1.  Marion,  who  married  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Coll,  with  issue. 
She  afterwards  married  Rory  Maclean  of  Pennyumloch, 
eldest  son  of  Lachlan  Maclean,  Resiboll. 

3.  Catherine,     who    married,    in    1653,    Galleon    MacNeil, 

younger  of  Barra. 

4.  Anne,  who  married,  in  1653,  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Ben- 

becula. 

John  died  at  Eriska  in  1670,  and  was  buried  at 
Hovvmore.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XIII.  DONALD.    Donald  married,  in  1655,  Janet, 
daughter  of  Sir   Donald   Macdonald  of  Sleat.     He 
married,  secondly,  Marion,  daughter  of  John  Mac- 
leod of  Dunvegan,  widow  of  Norman,   son    of  Sir 
Norman  Macleod  of  Bernera,   by   whom  she  had  a 
son,  Alexander.     Donald  had  by  his  second  wife— 

1.  John  Moidartach,  who  died  unmarried,  at  the  age  of  21. 
'2.  Allan,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

.'{.  Ranald,  who  had  a  tack  of  Boisdale,  and  succeeded  his 
brother,  Allan. 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  233 

4.  Marion,  married  to  Allan  Macdonald  of  Morar,  with  issue. 

5.  Janet,  married  to  Donald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula,  with 

issue. 

6.  Mary,  married,  in  1703,  to  Captain  Allan  Maclean,  with 

issue. 

Donald,  who  lived  for  the  most  part  at  Castletirrim, 
on  which  he  made  extensive  repairs,  died  at  Canna 
in  1686,  and  was  buried  at  Howmore.  His  widow 
married  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Milton,  and  died  in 
1710.  Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  surviving 
son, 

XIV.  ALLAN.      He  was  educated  at  Inverness, 
and  under  University  tutors  at  home.     Castletirrim, 
his  principal  residence,  was  garrisoned  by  William  of 
Orange  shortly  after  the  battle  of  Killiecrankie,  in 
1689.     The  garrison,  under  the  command  of  a  Lieut. 
Calder,  was  removed  in  1698.     Allan  married  Pene- 
lope, daughter  of  Colonel  Alexander  Mackenzie,  of 
the  Killichrist  family,   without   issue.      Allan   fell, 
mortally  wounded,  at  Sherifmruir,  and  was  carried 
to  Drummond  Castle,  where  he  died  next  day.     He 
was  buried  at   Innerpeffray,  in  the  burial-place  of 
the  Perth  family      His  widow  died  in  1743.     Allan 
was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the  family 
by  his  brother, 

XV.  RANALD.     Ranald,  who  never  married,  died 
at  Fauborg  St  Germains,  June  13,   1725,  and  was 
buried    in    the    Church    of    St    Sulpice,    in    Paris. 
Ranald  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  Donald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula,  to  whom 
the  forfeited  estates  of  Clanranald  were  afterwards 
restored. 

XVI.  DONALD.      Donald    married,    first,   Janet, 
daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  with 
issue— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 


284  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

He  married,  secondly,  Margaret,  daughter  of  George 
Mackenzie  of  Kildun,  third  son  of  George,  second 
Earl  of  Seaforth,  and  had  by  her— 

•2.  James,  who  was  educated  in  France.     He  died,  in  1719, 
unmarried.     His  elegy  is  in  the  Book  of  Clanranald. 

3.  Alexander  of  Boisdale.        jZ-*?^  ' 

4.  Anne,  who  married  John  Mackinnou  of  Mishinish,  second 

son  of  Lachlan  Mackinuon  of  Strath. 

Donald  died  in  1730,  and  was  buried  at  Cladh 
Mhuire,  Nunton.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

XVII.  RANALD.  Ranald,  who  was  born  in  1692, 
married,  in  1720,  Margaret,  daughter  of  William 
Macleod  of  Bernera,  eldest  son  of  Sir  Norman 
Macleod  of  Bernera  and  Katherine,  daughter  of 
S|ii'  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat.  By  her  he  had— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  to  whom  his  father  gave  the  lands  of  Benbecula, 

which  he  afterwards  renounced  in  favour  of  his  brother, 
Ranald.  He  engaged  in  the  Rebellion  of  1745-6,  and 
was  a  captain  in  the  Prince's  Army.  He  was  after- 
wards imprisoned  in  Edinburgh  Castle,  but  was 
liberated  without  trial,  when  he  followed  his  brother, 
Ranald,  to  France.  In  1756  he  returned  to  Scotland, 
and  was  appointed  to  a  company  in  Fraser's  High- 
landers. He  served  with  that  regiment  in  the 
American  War,  and  greatly  distinguished  himself  in 
several  actions.  "  Captain  Macdonald,"  writes  General 
Stewart  of  Garth,  "  was  an  accomplished,  high-spirited 
officer.  On  the  expedition  against  Louisburg  and 
Quebec  he  was  much  in  the  confidence  of  Generals 
Amherst,  Wolfe,  and  Murray,  by  whom  he  was 
employed  on  all  duties  when  more  than  usual 
difficulty  and  danger  had  to  be  encountered,  and 
where  more  than  common  talent,  address,  and  spirited 
example  were  required.  Of  this  several  instances 
occuiTed  at  Louisburg  and  Quebec."  Donald  was 
killed  at  the  Si«ge  of  Quebec  in  1760.  He  died 
unmarried. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      235 

3.  Gordon  Alexander.    He  was  sent  to  Douay  to  be  educated 

for  the  priesthood,  but  he  did  not  continue  his  studies. 
He  afterwards  lived  in  South  Uist,  and  died  there, 
unmarried,  in  1809. 

4.  William.     He  served  as  a  lieutenant  in  General  Simon 

Eraser's  Regiment,  or  78th  Highlanders.  He  retired 
from  the  army,  and  became  tacksman  of  Ormiclate,  in 
South  Uist,  where  he  died  in  1779,  leaving  two  sons, 
Donald  and  James,  then  under  age. 

5.  Allan,  who  lived  in  South  TJist  all  his  life,  and  died  there. 

6.  Norman.     He  studied  law  in  Glasgow.     Nothing  further 

is  known  of  him. 

7.  Hugh.    He  studied  medicine.    Nothing  further  is  known 

of  him. 

8.  Louisa,  who  died  unmarried. 

9.  Margaret,  who  was  educated  in  Ireland.    She  afterwards 

lived  in  South  Uist,  where  she  died  unmarried,  at 
Ormiclate,  in  1826,  in  the  88th  year  of  her  age. 

Ranald  died  at  Nunton,  March  6th,  1766,  and  was 
buried  there.  His  widow,  Margaret  Macleod,  died 
at  Ormiclate,  September  20,  1780,  and  was  buried 
at  Nunton.  Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

XVIII.  RANALD.  He  was  educated  at  St  Ger- 
mains,  in  France,  at  the  expense  of  Penelope,  widow 
of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Clanranald.  During  his  stay 
in  France  he  became  intimately  acquainted  with 
Prince  Charles.  He  was  there  in  1740,  and  had  for 
his  tutor  Neil  MacEachen.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Basil  Hamilton  of  Baldoon,  sister  of  the 
Earl  of  Selkirk.  By  her  he  had— 

1.  Charles  James  Somerled,  who  died  in  Edinburgh,  May 
25,  1755,  in  the  5th  year  of  his  age,  and  was 
buried  at  Holyrood.  His  mother  died  May  llth, 
1750,  aged  30. 

Ranald  married,  secondly,  in  June,  1759,  Flora, 
daughter  of  John  Mackinnon,  younger  of  Mac- 
kinnon,  and  had  by  her,  who  died  in  1820— 


236  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

1.  John  Moidartach,  his  successor. 

2.  James,  who  entered  the  army,  in  1783,  as  ensign.     He 

was  afterwards  a  lieutenant  in  the  19th  Regiment,  and 
captain  in  the  73rd  in  1791.  He  served  both  in  the 
East  and  West  Indies,  and  was  dangerously  wounded. 
In  1803  he  was  major  in  the  93rd  Regiment,  and 
latterly  its  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Colonel  Macdonald 
married,  and  had  four  sons,  Archibald,  James,  and 
two  others.  He  had  one  daughter,  Flora  Mary,  who 
married,  in  1836,  the  Hon.  Arthur  Annesley,  eldest 
son  of  Viscount  Valentia,  with  issue,  among  others, 
Arthur,  who  in  1868  succeeded  his  grandfather  as 
llth  Viscount  Valentia.  The  Hon.  Mrs  Arthur 
Annesley  married,  secondly,  in  1847,  Colonel  the 
Hon.  George  T.  Devereux,  without  issue.  She  died 
November  5th,  1884.  Colonel  James  Macdouald  died 
in  1838. 

3.  Margaret,  who  died  unmarried  in  1838. 

4.  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

5.  Penelope.     She  married,  in  March,  1789,  William,  7th 

Lord  Belhaven,  with  issue — Robert  Montgomery,  8th 
Lord,  and  others.  She  died  in  1816, 

Ranald  died  at  Nunton,  October  2,  1776,  and  was 
buried  there.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XIX.  JOHN  MOIDARTACH.  He  married,  first, 
March  3,  1784,  Katherine,  daughter  of  Robert  Mac- 
queen  of  Braxfield,  Lord  Justice  Clerk  of  Scotland, 
with  issue— 

1.  A  daughter,  bom  March  29,  1785,  died  in  infancy. 

2.  Ranald,  born  April  3,  1786,  died  in  infancy. 

3.  Ranald  George,  born  August  29,  1788,  his  successor. 

4.  Robert  Johnstone.     He  died,  at  Hartlepool,  unmarried. 

5.  Donald.     He  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Leyden, 

where  he  took  his  degree  in  1817.  He  entered  the 
Civil  Service,  and  lived  for  some  time  at  Demarara. 
He  is  in  Berbice  in  1829-34.  He  died  unmarried. 

John  Moidartach  married,  secondly,  Jane,  second 
daughter  of  Colin  Macdonald  of  Boisdale  and 
Isabella  Campbell,  without  issue.  She  died  June  2, 
1847.  CJanranald  died  in  Edinburgh,  November  18, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  237 

1794,  and  was  buried  at  Holyrood.      He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  eldest  surviving  son, 

XX.  RANALD  GEORGE.  He  married,  February 
13,  1812,  Lady  Caroline  Anne  Edgcumbe,  second 
daughter  of  Richard,  second  Earl  of  Mount- 
Edgcumbe.  Lady  Caroline,  who  was  born  October 
22,  1792,  died  April  10,  1824,  and  was  buried  at 
Holyrood.  By  her  Clanranald  had— 

1.  Ranald  John  James  George,  his  successor. 

2.  Caroline  Sophia,  who  married  8th  September,  1842,  the 

Honourable  Charles  Henry  Gust,  second  son  of  John, 
Earl  Brownlow,  with  issue.  She  died  October  16, 
1887. 

3.  Emma    Hamilla,    who    married,    April    21,    1840,    the 

Honourable  and  Reverend  Alfred  Wodehouse, 
youngest  son  of  .John,  Lord  Wodehouse,  with  issue. 
She  died  April  5,  1852. 

4.  Louisa  Emily,  who  married  Charles  William  Marsham, 

eldest  surviving  son  of  Robert  Mirsham  of  Stratton 
Strawless,  county  of  Norfolk,  with  issue — Charles 
Robert  Marsham,  now  of  Stratton  Strawless  She 
married,  secondly,  December  4,  1856,  Colonel  Hugh 
Fitzroy,  Grenadier  Guards,  second  son  of  Lord 
Henry  Fitzroy,  third  son  of  Augustus  Henry,  Duke 
of  Grafton,  with  issue. 

5.  Flora,  Maid  of  Honour  to  Queen  Victoria,  died  December 

25,  1899. 

6.  Sarah  Anne,  who  married,  first,  in  1848,  Baron  Porcelli, 

a  Sicilian  nobleman,  with  issue.  She  married, 
secondly,  Major  Wodehouse. 

Clanranald  married,  secondly,  Anne,  daughter  of 
William  Cunningham,  and  widow  of  Richard  Barry 
Dunning,  Lord  Ashburton,  without  issue.  She 
died  July  8,  1835.  Clanranald  married,  thirdly, 
November,  1855,  Elizabetb  Rebecca  Newman,  with- 
out issue.  He  died  at  Clarendon  Road,  London, 
March  11,  1873,  and  was  buried  at  Brompton 
Cemetery.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


238  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

XXI.  ADMIRAL    SIR   BEGIN ALD.      He   married, 
June    12,    1855,   the   Honourable    Adelaide   Louisa, 
second    daughter    of    George,    Lord    Vernpn,    with 
issue  — 

1.  Allan  Douglas,  born  April  6,  1856. 

•1.  Angus  Roderick,  born  April  29,  1858,  a  Civil  Engineer 
in  the  Indian  Public  Works  Department.  He  married, 
24th  September,  1884,  Leucolene  Helen,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Henry  Clarke,  now  of  The  C6te,  Torquay,  and 
Kirkland  Hall  and  Beaumont  Cote,  Lancashire. 

3.  Adelaide  Effrida. 

4.  Maud. 

Clanranald  died  at  his  residence  in  London,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1899,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation 
of  the  family  by  his  son, 

XXII.  ALLAN  DOUGLAS.     He  entered  the  army 
and  became  a  Captain  in  the  Royal  Artillery,  from 
which   he  retired,  and  is  now  Jiving  in   Australia. 
He    married   at    Adelaide,    December    25th,    1807, 
Marion  Cecilia  Sabelberg,  widow  of  D.  F.  Connell, 
Melbourne. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KNOYDART. 

According  to  the  best  authorities,  the  Mac- 
donalds  of  Knoydart,  long  since  extinct  as  a  terri- 
torial family,  were  descended  from  ALLAN  II.  OF 
CLANRANALD.  Allan  gave  to  his  son,  Allan,  the 
first  of  this  family,  the  60  penny  lands  of  Knoydart 
for  his  patrimony.  Of  old,  Knoydart  was  a  3  davach 
land.  Allan  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  RANALD,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ALLAN.     This  Allan,  who  is  designed  Allan 
Ranaldson  M'Eanson,  was  decerned  to  remove  from 
the  lands  of  Knoydart  by  decree  of  the  Lords  of 
Council  in  1501,  in  consequence  of  his  being  in  non- 


1.  Alex.  Ruadh  Macdoiiell  of  Glen-        3.  Gen.  Sir  James  Macdonell  (Glen- 

garry, garry). 

2.  Captain    Macdonell,   R.N.  (Glen          4.  Allan    D.    Macdonald   of   Clan- 

garry).  ranald. 

5.  Angus  R.  Macdouald   (Clanranald). 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      239 

entry.  f  He  nevertheless  retained  possession,  but  in 
1536  King  James  V.  granted  to  Donald,  son  of 
Evven  Allahson  of  Lochiel,  a  gift  of  the  non-entry 
duties  of  the  60  penny  lands  of  Knoydart,  due  since 
the  death  of  John  MacRanald.  Allan  IV.  of  Knoy- 
dart was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ANGUS.     In  1548,  he  received  a  respite  from 
the  Crown  for  his  share  with  the  rest  of  the  Clan- 
ranald    in   Blar   Leine,    which    was    followed    by    a 
remission  in  1566.     He  had  been  in  1545  one  of  the 
Councillors  of  Donald  Dubh.      In  1576,  he  and  his 
son,   Allan,   gave  their  bond    of  manrent    to  Lord 
Lovat.      Angus  V.  of  Knoydart  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

VI.  ALLAN.     He  is  on  the  Roll  of  Landlords  in 
the  Highlands  in  1587.      He  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

VII.  RANALD.     This  Ranald  was  the  last  of  the 
family  in  actual  possession  of  the  lands  of  Knoydart. 
About  1810,  the  Knoydart  men  raided  the  lands  of 
Laggan    Auchindoun    in    Glengarry,    and    brought 
upon  themselves   the  vengeance  of  Glengarry  and 
the   Privy  Council.      Steps  were  taken   to  punish 
them,  and  they  were  finally  ousted  from  possession. 
Lochiel,  who  possessed  a  Crown  charter  of  these 
lands,  handed  over  his  rights  to  Glengarry  in  1611, 
which  King   James  VI.    confirmed   in    Glengarry's 
favour   in   1613.      Sometime  after    this,    Ranald  of 
Knoydart,  it  is  said,  was  murdered  by  the  men  of 
Glengarry,  at  a  point  known  to  this  day  as  Rudha 
Raonuill. 

THE  MACEACHEN-MACDONALDS. 

•••"*".  -  .  -  - 

The  progenitor  of  this  branch  of  the  Clanranald 

was  HECTOR,  the   second   son  of  Roderick  III.  of 


240  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Clanranald.  This  Hector  is  on  record  as  of  Kil- 
malew.  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  bestowed  upon 
him  the  lands  of  Kilmalew,  and  many  others,  in 
the  Lordship  of  Morven,  in  all  33  penny  lands— 
a  large  estate.  Hector  had  five  sons— 

1.  Ewen. 

2.  Farquhar. 

3.  Neil,  who  married  Marion,  daughter  of  Colin  Mackintosh. 
4    Charles. 

5.  Alexander,  who  married   Margaret,   daughter  of  Hugh, 

Lord  Eraser  of  Lovat. 

6.  Ranald. 

Hector  of  Kilmalew  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  EWEN.    After  the  final  forfeiture  of  John,  Lord 
of  the   Isles,  Ewen   and  his   brothers,  Ranald  and 
Farquhar,  were  summoned  for  wrongous  occupation 
of  their   lands    in    Morven.      Ewen,   however,   was 
afterwards    confirmed    in    these   lands.       In    1509, 
King  James  IV.  granted  to  him  and  his  heirs,  with 
remainder  to  his  brothers  and  their  heirs,  a  charter 
of  the  lands  of  Kilmalew,  and  others,  already  held 
by  the  family,  for  the  service  of  a  ship  of  22  oars. 
Ewen  was  succeeded  in  these  lands  by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.      He,  who  is  referred  to  in  record, 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  EWEN.     He,  also  mentioned  in  record,  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  HECTOR.      Hector   was    served    heir   to    his 
father   in    the    Morven    lands    in    1615.       By    this 
time   several   members   of  the   MacEachen    branch 
held  lands  of  their   chief,  both    on   the   Mainland 
and  in  Uist.     They  apparently  lost  their  lands  in 
Morven   about    the    middle   of   the    17th   century. 
At   all   events,    they   disappear    as    landowners   in 
the  district  about   that   time,   and   were   probably 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  241 

succeeded  in  their  lands  by  the  Macleans.  They 
spread  into  several  different  families  on  the  Clan- 
ranald  estates.  Hector  Y.  of  Kilmalew  had,  at 
least,  three  sons — 

1.  Ewen  of  Drimindarach. 

2.  Ranald  of  Howbeg.       ? 

3.  Donald  of  Ormiclate. 

Hector  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  son, 

VI.  EWEN.     In   1638  Ewen    received  a  tack  of 
Drimindarach    from    Clanranald.       He    afterwards 
received  a   charter  of  the  same   lands  from  Clan- 
ranald.    He  had  two  sons — 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  John  of  Duchamis,  who  had  a  son,  Neil. 

Ewen  was  succeeded  at  Drimindarach  by  his  son, 

VII.  ALEXANDER.    Alexander  had  three  sons— 

1.  John. 

2.  Alexander,  a  surgeon. 

3.  Hector. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  JOHN.     John  had  three  sons— 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Angus. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IX.  ALEXANDER.     He  had  three  sons— 

1.  Charles. 

2.  Alexander,  afterwards  of  Drimindarach,  to  whom  Clan- 

ranald granted  a  new  charter  of  these  lands  and 
Brunarie,  in  room  of  his  brother,  who  was  outlawed 
on  account  of  his  share  in  the  Rising  of  1745.  Alex- 
ander, who  was  a  surgeon,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
John,  also  a  surgeon.  John's  mother  was  a  daughter 
of  Charles  MacEachen  of  Peninuren,  and  widow  of 
Maclean  of  Borera.  John,  who  was  latterly  surgeon 
in  South  Uist,  emigrated  to  America  in  1824. 

16 


242  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

3.  Angus.  He  was  a  surgeon,  in  the  Glengarry  Regiment, 
in  the  Prince's  Army  in  1745.  In  1749  he  is  surgeon 
in  S.  Uist,  and  in  attendance  on  the  family  of  Clan- 
ranald.  He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Angus 
Macdonald  of  Borroclale. 

Alexander  of  Drimindarach   was  succeeded   in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  eldest  son, 

X.  CHARLES.  He  joined  in  the  Rising  of  the 
'45,  and  is  said  to  have  brought  150  men  to  the 
Prince's  standard  at  Glenfinan.  He  afterwards 
fought  in  all  the  battles  of  the  campaign,  and  was 
conspicuous  for  his  bravery  on  several  occasions. 
When  the  Highlanders  took  Carlisle,  Charles  was 
the  man  who,  with  a  sledge-hammer,  broke  the 
gates  of  the  castle,  and,  for  a  reward,  he  was 
allowed  half-an-hour's  plunder  before  the  rest 
entered,  but  he  only  took  away  a  little  box 
as  a  memento,  containing  two  small  gold 
candlesticks,  one  of  which  he  gave  to  the  Duke 
of  Roxburghe.  At  Culloden  he  was  one  of  the 
band  of  Macdonalds  who  engaged  in  the  fight. 
He  effected  his  escape  from  the  field  of  battle  with 
difficulty,  and  found  his  way  to  Moidart,  where  he 
remained  in  hiding  for  a  long  time.  He  missed  his 
chance  when  other  adherents  embarked  with  the 
Prince  for  France,  and  it  is  said  that  he  afterwards 
found  his  way  south,  and  was  in  hiding  for  some 
time  near  Stirling.  According  to  his  grandson,  the 
late  Charles  Macdonald  of  Ord,  whose  testimony 
may  be  relied  upon,  he  owned  lands  adjoining  the 
property  of  the  Earl  of  Moray  in  Inverness-shire, 
which  he  lost  owing  to  the  part  he  played  in  the 
Rising  of  the  '45,  and  these  were  acquired  by  the 
Earl.  He  was  likewise  deprived  of  his  lands  of 
Driminarach,  to  which,  as  we  have  seen,  his  brother 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  OLAN  DONALD.      243 

Alexander  succeeded.  He  lived  for  some  time  at 
Kinloid,  in  Arisaig,  and  latterly  at  Monteith,  near 
Stirling.  Pie  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Angus 
Macdonald  of  Dalelea,  brother  of  Alexander 
Macdonald,  the  famous  bard,  who  afterwards  was 
tutor  to  his  children,  and  by  her  he  had 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  John.     He  was  born  at  Monteith,  near  Stirling,  and  when 

1 2  years  old  was  sent  to  the  Catholic  Seminary  at  Bour- 
blach,  North  Morar.  In  1768  he  was  sent  to  the  Scots 
College  of  Valladolid,  where  he  remained  for  some 
years,  and  became  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy. 
Having  received  Holy  Orders  at  Valladolid,  he 
returned  to  Scotland  in  1782,  and  was  appointed  by 
Bishop  Alexander  Macdonald  to  the  Mission  of 
Moidart.  While  here  he  taught  in  the  Catholic 
College  of  Samalaman.  From  Moidart  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Barra,  and  after  being  there  for  a  few  years, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  Mission  of  Arisaig,  where  he 
died,  at  Kinloid,  July  7th,  1834,  at  the  age  of  82. 
Father  John  Macdonald,  who  it  is  said  could  teach 
seven  languages,  was  reckoned  one  of  the  most 
accomplished  and  most  polished  gentlemen  of  his 
time.  He  refused  the  Bishopric  of  the  Southern 
District,  which  was  offered  him,  preferring  to  labour 
and  end  his  days  among  his  own  people. 

Charles  X.  of  Kilmalew  was  succeeded  as  repre- 
sentative of  vthe  family  by  his  elder  son, 

XL  ALEXANDER.  He  studied  medicine  at  King's 
College,  Aberdeen,  and  qualified  as  a  medical  prac- 
titioner. He  had  a  great  reputation  for  medical 
skill  in  the  Western  Isles,  where  he  practised,  and 
was  known  as  "  An  Dotair  Ruadh."  He  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Arisaig,  whence  he  went 
to  the  Island  of  Lewis,  which  he  left,  it  is  said,  with 
£2000  in  a  stocking.  After  practising  for  a  while 
in  South  Uist,  he  took  a  lease  of  the  farm  of  Gillin, 
in  Sleat.  In  1798,  he  was  with  the  Glengarry  Fen- 


244  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

cibles  in  Ireland.  He  married  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Ranald  MacAlister  of  Skirinish,  by  his  wife,  Anne 
Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  John,  who  was  a  Captain  in  the  H.E.I.C.S.,  and  died  in 

India. 

2.  Ranald.     He  also  was  a  Captain  in  the  same  service,  and 

was  A.D.C.  to  his  uncle,  General  Keith  MacAlister. 
On  one  occasion  the  ship  in  which  he  was  taking  his 
passage,  on  his  way  from  India,  was  attacked  by  a 
French  frigate.  He  was  observed  cutting  the  strands 
of  the  French  ship,  when  he  was  put  in  irons,  and 
carried  prisoner  to  the  Mauritius,  where  he  was 
detained  for  two  years.  He  died  in  India. 

3.  Alexander,  also  an  officer  in  the  same  service. 

4.  Keith.      He  was  an  officer  in  the  Indian  Navy.      He 

afterwards  assumed  the  name  of  MacAlister  in 
addition  to  his  own  on  succeeding  to  the  estate  of 
Innistrinich,  Argyleshire,  the  property  of  his  wife, 
Flora,  daughter  of  Colonel  Norman  MacAlister,  by 
whom  he  had  a  son,  who  died  young,  and  two 
daughters. 

5.  Charles  of  Ord,  who  afterwards  succeeded  as  representa- 

tive of  the  family. 

6.  Isabella,   who  married   Captain  Allan  Maclellan,  of  the 

Glengarry  Fencibles,  with  issue. 

7.  Anne,  who   married   Captain  Macdonald,    of   the    42nd 

Eoyal  Highlanders,  with  issue. 

8.  Elizabeth,  who  married  a  Mr  Lochhead,  Glasgow,  with 

issue. 

9.  Flora,  who  married  John  Mackintosh,  Collector  of  Inland 

Revenue  in  the  Northern  District,  and  a  composer  of 
Gaelic  verse  of  the  first  rank.  Among  many  other 
pieces  of  great  merit,  he  composed  an  elegy  on  the 
occasion  of  the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  "  An  Dotair 
Ruadh."  He  died  in  Glasgow  in  1852. 

10.  Catherine,  known  as  "  Captain  Kate,"  from   her  going 

about  riding  in  a  red  habit,  collecting  recruits  for  the 
Glengarry  Fencibles. 

11.  Susan,  who  died  young. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     245 

All  the  other  sons  of  Dr  Alexander  Macdonald 
having  died  without  issue,  he  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  hy  his  son, 

XII.  KEITH  MACDONALD  MACALISTER  of  Innis- 
trinich,  who,  having  died  without  male  issue,  was 
succeeded  by  his  next  brother, 

XIII.  CHARLES  MACDONALD  of  Ord.     He  was  an 
officer  in  the  Glengarry  Fencibles,  and  fought  with 
that  regiment  in  the  Irish  Rebellion  of  1798,  when 
he  planted  the  Union  Jack  on  the  walls  of  Dublin 
Castle.       From  Ireland  he  was  gazetted  to  the   7th 
West  India   Regiment,  but   owing  to  ill-health  he 
resigned     his     commission.         He    married     Anne, 
daughter    of  Captain    Neil  Macleod  of  Gesto,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Lachlan  Macdonald  of  Skeabost.      He  is  well-known  and 

highly  respected  in  the  Highlands  as  an  enlightened 
and  generous  landlord.  During  the  land  agitation 
some  years  ago,  he,  both  by  example  and  precept, 
strove  to  bring  about  better  relations  between  land- 
lord and  tenant.  In  1886  he  published  a  Pamphlet, 
entitled,  "  The  Past  and  Present  Position  of  the  Skye 
Crofters,"  which  was  reckoned  a  valuable  contribution 
to  the  elucidation  of  the  Crofter  Question.  He  has 
done  much  as  a  proprietor  to  advance  the  prosperity 
of  his  own  tenants,  among  whom  he  is  deservedly 
popular,  and  to  improve  and  beautify  his  fine  estate. 
He  takes  a  prominent  part  in  local  and  county  busi- 
ness, and  interests  himself  in  everything  that  has  for 
its  object  the  welfare  of  the  Highland  people.  He  is 
a  man  of  wide  culture,  and  a  good  clansman.  Skea- 
bost married  Wilhehnina,  daughter  of  the  late  John 
Mackenzie,  of  Bengal,  and  had  by  her 

(A)  Charles  John,  who  m.  Maud  Isabel,  daughter  of  John 

Mounsey  of  Kingsfield  House,  Cumberland,  and 
has  a  daughter,  Maisie  Wilhelmina. 

(B)  Kenneth  Lachlan,  a  Major  in  the  Lovat  Scouts,  with 

whom   he   served   in   the   recent   Boer  War   in 
South  Africa. 


246  THE  CLAN   DONALD. 

(o)  Somerled,   who   m.    Mary,  daughter   of   Rev.    Gavin 

Lang,  Inverness,  and  has  a  son,  Lachlan. 
(D)  Lachlan  William. 

(B)  Li/abel  Annie,  who  m.  Sir  Lewis  John  Erroll  Hay, 
Baronet,  and  had  four  daughters,  Marie  Lizabel 
Macdonald,  Elspeth  Minna  Erroll,  Dorothea 
Violet  Douglas,  and  Jean  Erroll. 

(F)  Ranald  Keith,  who  m.  Annie  Wincfride,  daughter  of 
Archibald  Macpherson,  Resipol,  Sunart,  and  has 
Lachlan  Archibald  Ignatius,  Ranald  Charles,  and 
Margaret  Phyllis  Marie. 

3.  Keith  Norman  MacAlister.  He  is  an  M.D.  of  St 
Andrews  and  of  Erlaug,  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
College  of  Physicians,  Edixiburgh,  and  a  Licentiate  of 
the  Royal  College  of  Physicians,  London.  He 
practised  his  profession  for  some  time  in  Louhaber, 
and  afterwards  in  Cupar-Fife.  He  had  latterly 
charge  of  the  Edinbane  Hospital,  Skye,  and  was  for 
some  time  civil  surgeon  of  Prome.  He  is  now 
retired,  and  lives  in  Edinburgh,  where  he  devotes  his 
leisure  time  to  literary  pursuits.  He  is  the  author  of 
several  publications,  and  writes  with  literary  grace 
and  ability.  In  1879  he  published  "  The  Practice  of 
Medicine  among  the  Burmese,  with  an  historical 
sketch  of  the  Progress  of  Medicine  from  the  earliest 
times";  "The  Races  of  Mankind,"  in  1884;  "The 
Skye  Collection  of  Reels  and  Strathspeys  arranged 
for  Violin  and  Piano,"  in  1887  ;  "  The  Gesto  Collection 
of  Highland  Music,"  in  1895,  containing  many  old 
Gaelic  airs  and  songs.  These  valuable  collections  aie 
highly  popular  everywhere  among  Highlanders,  and 
have  established  the  reputation  of  Dr  Macdouald  as 
the  greatest  living  authority  on  Highland  song  and 
music.  In  1900  he  published  "The  Macdonald 
Bards  from  Medifeval  Times,"  and  in  1901  "  Puirt-a- 
beul,"  or  mouth  tunes  of  the  Highlands.  To  these 
he  has  added  from  time  to  time  many  contributions 
to  the  press.  Dr  Macdonald  is  a  stout  defender  of 
Macpherson's  Ossian.  It  is  not  safe  to  break  a 
lance  with  him  on  any  question  affecting  the 
language  and  literature  of  the  Gael.  On  all  questions 
relating  to  the  Highlands  he  is  an  authority.  Dr 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     247 

Macdonald  m.,  in  1872,  Eliza  Mary  Niblet  of  Erueston, 
Wardie,  and  he  has 

(A)  Reginald     Francis    Norrnau,    late    Lieutenant    4th 

Battalion  Highland  Light  Infantry  Militia. 

(B)  Ida  Rose  Eliza. 

(c)  Amy  Constance  Violet. 

(D)  Madeline  May  Emmeline. 

(E)  Evan  Ronald  Horatio  Keith. 

4.  Charles  MacAlister,  who  m.  Annie  Mary  Williamson,  of 

Glasgow,  and  had 

(A)  Charles  Reginald. 

(B)  Evelyn  Maud,  who  m.  Capt.  Swire,  R.N.,  in  1893. 
(c)  Kate  Flora,  m.  T.  H.  R.  Robertson  in  1893. 

(D)  Ann  Edith. 

5.  Neil  Macleod  of  Dunach.     He  m.  in  1869  Madeline  Rosa 

Brown,  and  had 

(A)  Henry  Lachlan  Macdonald,  now  of  Dunach,  who  m., 

in  1897,  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Alexander  R. 
Macdonald  of  Ord. 

(B)  Thomas   Martin,     who    ruamed,    in     1901,    Everest 

Harriet  Grote,  eldest  daughter  of  Lieut.-Colonel 
Thomas  Herbert  Turin  of  Parkhurst,  Abinger 
Common,  Dorking. 

(c)  Charles  Neil,  Lieutenant  in  the  Argyll  and  Suther- 
land Highlanders.  He  served  in  the  South 
African  War,  and  was  wounded  at  Pardeberg. 

6.  Flora,  who  m.   the  late  Alexander  Smith,  the  poet  and 

well-known  author,  Secretary  of  the  University  of 
Edinburgh,  and  had  Charles,  who  d.  in  India  ;  Jessie, 
who  m.  in  Australia ;  and  Isabella,  who  m.  Dr  James 
Pender  Scaith,  Dingwall,  with  issue. 

7.  Isabella,   who  m.  John    Robertson  of  Greshornish,   and 

had 

(A)  Ann  Elizabeth,  who  died  unmarried  in  1881. 

(B)  John,  who  married  Isabella  Stewart  Clark  in  1884. 
(c)  Margaret. 

(D)  Flora  Macdonald,  who  married  William  Woodthorpe 

in  1896. 

(E)  Charles  James,  who  married  Mary  Flora  Livingston 

in  1889. 
(p)  Isabella,  who  married  Alastair  Douglas  Campbell  in 

1884. 
(G)  Jessie,  who  married  Tom  Buliough  in  1891. 


248  THE   CLAN    DONALD 

(H)  Kenneth  Macleod  of  Greshornish. 
(i)    Macdonald,  who  died  in  infancy, 
(j)  Thomas  Alex.  Ronald,  who  married  Kate  Flora  Mac- 
donald in  1893. 
(K)  Edith  Mary,  who  married  Edward  Langdale  Hilleary 

in  1899. 

(L)  Beatrice  Keith. 

8.  Margaret  Anne,  who  m.  Godfrey  Mackinnon  of    North 
Gaouanibri,  Australia,  and  had 

(A)  Iain,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  South  African  Police  Force. 

(B)  Charles, 
(c)  William. 

(D)  Anna. 

(E)  Milla. 

(F)  Nellie. 

Charles  Macdonald  of  Ord  died  in   1867,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son 

XIV.  ALEXANDER  R.  MACDONALD,  now  of  Ord. 
He  m.  Maria,  daughter  of  Angus  Macdonald  of 
Keppoch,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Annie,  whe  d.  in  Ceylon. 

2.  Charles. 

3.  Lachlan,  who  d.  young. 

4.  Charlotte,  who  m.  H.  L.  Macdonald  of  Dunach. 

5.  Reginald. 

6.  Flora. 

THE  MACEACHENS  OF  HOWBEG  AND  GLENU1G. 

This  branch  of  the  MacEachens  is  descended 
from  Ranald,  son  of  Hector  V.  of  Kilmalew.  This 
Ranald  was  the  first  of  the  family  who  occupied 
lands  in  Uist.  Early  in  the  17th  century  a  tack 
Avas  given  him  by  Clanranald  of  the  lands  of  How- 
beg.  The  family  afterwards  occupied  an  important 
position  among  the  cadets  of  Clanranald,  both  on 
the  Mainland  and  in  Uist.  Ranald  was  succeeded 
at  Howbeg  by  his  son, 


THE  GENEALOGY  Otf   CLAN    DONALD.  249 

II.  ALEXANDER.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  JOHN.     In  1662  he  received  a  wadset  from 
Clanranald  of  the  lands  of  Glenuig,  and  others,  in 
Moidart.     He  was  succeeded  in  his  lands  of  Glenuig 
and  How  beg  by  his  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER.     Alexander  had  four  sons— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Neil. 

3.  Ranald,  who  became  implicated  in  the  affairs  of  the  '45, 

and  was  taken  prisoner  to  London. 

4.  Angus. 

Neil,  the  second  son,  who  was  born  in  1719,  was  educated 
first  at  home  and  afterwards  at  the  Scotch  College  of  Douai,  in 
France,  for  the  priesthood.  After  completing  his  course  of  studies 
at  Douai,  where  he  distinguished  himself  in  various  branches  of 
learning,  he  abandoned  the  intention  of  taking  Orders  in  the 
Church,  and  returned  to  Uist,  and  acted  for  some  time  as  tutor  in 
the  family  of  Clanranald.  When  Mrs  Penelope  Macdonald,  widow 
of  Allan  of  Clanrauald,  sent  young  Clanranald  to  be  educated  at 
St  Germaius,  in  France,  Neil  Macdonald,  who  had  never  used  the 
patronymic  MacEacheu  from  the  time  he  went  first  abroad, 
accompanied  him  as  tutor.  They  had  both  returned  to  South 
Uist  shortly  before  the  arrival  of  Prince  Charles.  He  was  first 
brought  to  the  Prince's  notice  on  account  of  his  ability  to  speak 
the  French  language,  and  he  often  afterwards  acted  as  his 
interpreter.  The  part  he  played  in  the  escape  of  the  Prince  from 
Uist  is  well  known.  He  succeeded,  after  hiding  for  a  few  weeks 
in  Moidart,  in  effecting  his  escape  by  the  same  vessel  that  carried 
the  Prince  to  France,  where,  according  to  his  son,  Marshal  Mac- 
donald, "  the  Prince  never  gave  him  another  thought." 

Neil,  however,  through  the  influence  of  his  Jacobits  friends, 
was,  in  1747,  provided  with  a  lieutenancy  in  Albany's  Scotch 
Regiment,  and  later  he  was  an  officer  in  Ogilvie's  Regiment,  but, 
at  the  peace  of  1763,  most  of  the  foreign  regiments  in  the  service 
of  France  were  disbanded,  and  with  difficulty  he  succeeded  in 
obtaining  the  small  pension  of  300  louis  a  year.  Shortly 
afterwards  he  married  at  Sedan  the  daughter  of  an  officer  in  the 
army,  of  good  family,  whose  name  has  not  been  preserved.  He 
lived  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  quiet  little  town  of 
Sancerre,  and  died  in  1788.  There  were  born  of  Niel's  marriage 
four  children,  two  sous  and  two  daughters.  A  son  and  daughter 


250  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

died  young.  The  surviving  daughter  married  a  Swiss,  doctor, 
who  afterwards  abandoned  his  profession  for  that  of  arms,  and 
died  a  Lieut. -Colonel  in  1812,  leaving  issue.  The  surviving  son, 
Jacques  Etienne  Joseph  Alexandra,  Marshal  of  France,  and  Duke 
of  Tarentum,  was  born  at  Sedan,  November  17th,  1765.  He 
married,  first,  May  5th,  1791,  Mademoiselle  Jacob,  the  daughter 
of  a  rich  West  Indian  merchant,  and  had  by  her  two  daughters — 
the  Duchesse  de  Massa,  and  the  Comtesse  de  Perregaux.  There 
is  no  record  of  the  Marshal's  second  marriage.  He  married, 
thirdly,  Mademoiselle  de  Bourgoyne,  by  whom  he  had  a  son, 
Alexander,  and  a  daughter,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  Marshal 
Duke  of  Tarentum  died  at  Courcelles-le-Roi,  September  25th, 
1840,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Alexander,  the  second  Duke. 
Alexander,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Corps  Legislatif  and 
Chamberlain  to  Napoleon  III.,  came  to  England  on  the  downfall 
of  that  monarch,  with  his  wife,  son,  and  daughter,  and  were 
frequent  guests  in  the  house  of  Sir  James  Ranald  Martin  in 
London.  The  second  Duke,  who  died  some  years  ago,  left  a  son, 
Fergus  Macdouald,  third  Duke,  and  a  daughter,  who  married  the 
Marquis  de  Pomereul.  Fergus,  who  served  for  some  time  in  the 
French  army,  married  a  few  years  ago  a  Parisian  lady,  without 
issue.  He  is  still  living,  and  is  about  51  years  of  age. 

Alexander  M'Eachen  IV.   of  Howbeg  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  eldest  son, 

V.  JOHN.      In  1760,  Clanranald  granted  him  a 
tack  of  the  lands  of  Glenuig,  Samalaman,  Smerisary, 
and  Eignaig.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.     He  left  no  male  descendants, 
and,  dying  in  1835,  was  the  last  of  the  MacEachens 
of  Howbeg.      The  MacEachens  for  a  long  time  used 
their  patronymic  as  their  surname,  as  many  still  do 
in  Arisaig  and  Uist,  but  in  the  latter  half  of  the 
18th  century  the  gentlemen  of  the  sept  assumed  the 
name  of  Macdoriald,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the 
Clan. 

THE  MACEACHENS  OF  PENINUREN. 

The  MacEachens  of  Peninuren  were  descended 
from  Donald   MacEacheii,    who    was    Tacksman    of 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  251 

Ormiclate  in   1638,   and  had  a  new  tack  in  1668. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  CHARLES,    of  Peninnren,  who,  in   1710,  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  HECTOR.        Hector,    who   was    dead    before 
1745,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  CHARLES.      He  was  taken  prisoner  in  1745 
for  levying  men  for  Prince  Charles,  and  as  evidence 
against  Old  Clanranald  and  Boisdale.     He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

V.  HECTOR,  who  gave  up  his  lease  of  Peninuren 
in  1786,  and  was  the  last  of  the  family. 

THE  MAC  DONALDS   OF   MORAR. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  ALLAN,  the  eldest 
son  of  Dougall  VI.  of  Clanranald.  In  1538  a  gift  of 
the  non-entry  duties  of  the  14  merklands  of  Morar, 
and  others,  was  granted  to  him  and  to  his  brother 
Lachlan.  For  some  time  after  the  death  of  Dougall 
of  Clanranald  his  descendants  do  not  appear  to  have 
possessed  any  lands  among  the  Clanranald,  nor 
did  they  ever  receive  any  share  of  their  father's 
inheritance.  When  the  family  of  Angus  Riabhach 
disappeared  territorially  in  the  first  half  of  the  16th 
century,  their  lands,  all  but  a  portion  of  Benbecula, 
were  bestowed  upon  the  family  of  Dougall,  who 
were  henceforth  designated  "  of  Morar."  This  was 
a  large  estate,  consisting  of  the  14  merklands  of 
Morar  (being  South  Morar,  the  other  being  the 
"  very  little  countrey,"  known  as  North  Morar, 
possessed  by  Glengarry),  9  merklands  in  Eigg, 
6  pennylands  of  Machaire  in  Uist,  the  3  penuylands 
of  Liniclate  in  Benbecula,  and  7  merklands  in 
Arisaig. 


252  THE   CLAN    DONALl). 

Allan  of  Morar,  whose  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
Cameron  of  Lochiel,  was,  according  to  tradition,  an 
infant  when  his  father  was  murdered.  When  he 
grew  up  to  man's  estate  he  made  several  attempts 
to  recover  his  paternal  inheritance,  assisted  by  the 
Camerons,  and  had  several  bloody  conflicts  with  his 
father's  murderers.  This  tradition  is  embodied  in 
an  old  manuscript  history  of  the  family.  Allan, 
however,  appears  to  have  been  reconciled  to  his 
Clanranald  relatives,  and  we  find  him  fighting 
under  the  banner  of  John  of  Moidart  at  Blar  Leinne 
in  1544.  In  1566  we  find  him  still  associated  with 
John  of  Moidart,  and  included  in  a  Precept  of 
Remission  in  favour  of  that  Chief  and  others,  his 
followers,  for  not  assembling  at  Fala  Muir  in  1557. 
Allan  married  a  daughter  of  his  uncle,  Cameron  of 
Lochiel,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald.       His  father  bestowed  upon   him   by  charter, 

dated  21st  July,  1610,  the  lands  of  Kuockeltaig  in 
Eigg.  He  was  succeeded  in  these  lands  by  his  son, 
Angus  II.  of  Knockeltaig.  Angus  received  from 
Alexander  of  Morar  a  Charter  of  Confirmation  of  his 
lands,  dated  October  16th,  1618.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Allan  III.  of  Knockeltaig.  Allan  had  a 
daughter,  Katherine,  who  in  1664  m.  John,  brother 
of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart,  with  a 
tocher  of  60  cows.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
John  IV.  of  Knockeltaig.  John  had  two  sons,  Allan, 
and  Colin  who  left  a  son  George.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Allan  V.  of  Knockeltaig.  Allan  was 
served  heir  to  his  great-grandfather  Angus  in  1760, 
and  in  1763  he  sold  his  lands  of  Knockeltaig  to 
Clanrauald.  These  same  lands  were  let  to  him  at 
the  same  time. 

3.  Angus.     He  received  a  charter  of  the  lauds  of  Rhetland, 

and  others,  from  his  brother,  Alexander,  of  Morar. 
He  was  succeeded  in  these  lands  by  his  son,  John  II. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      253 

of  Ehetland.  There  is  a  retour  to  him  in  1642.  He 
had  two  sons,  Ronald  and  Angus.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Ronald  III.  of  Rhetland.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son,  Allan  IV.  of  Rhetland.  Allan  had 
two  sons,  Angus  and  John.  He  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  Angus  V.  of  Rhetland.  He  had  five  sons,  Allan, 
and  four  other  sons.  Angus  sold  his  estate  in  1772. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Allan  VI.  of  Rhetland, 
who,  with  his  brothers,  emigrated  to  the  American 
Colonies  in  1773. 

Allan  Macdonald  I.  of  Morar  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.      In   1610  he  re- 
ceived a  Crown  Charter  of  the  lands  already  enume- 
rated, except  those  in  Uist.     Previously,  it  appears, 
the  family  possessed  no  title  from  the  Crown. 

Alexander  married,  first,  a  daughter  of  Maclean 
of  Duart,  without  issue.  By  his  second  marriage  he 
had — 

1.  Allan  Mor,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Laig,  in  Eigg. 

He  was  succeeded  in  these  lands  by  his  son,  Lachlan 
II.  of  Laig.  Lachlan  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Roderick  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale,  and  had  by  her 
John  and  Ranald.  Ranald  had  three  sous — John, 
Donald,  and  Angus — each  of  whom  left  issue. 
Lachlan  had  also  two  daughters — Mary,  married  to 
Angus  Macdonald  of  Kilaulay,  and  Anne,  married  to 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Cleadell.  Lachlan  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son,  John  III.  of  Laig.  He  had  three 
sons — John,  Alexander,  who  had  a  son,  John,  and 
Angus  of  Tarbert,  in  Canna.  John  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  John  IV.  of  Laig.  He  had  two  sons — 
Ranald  and  Roderick — and  a  daughter,  Janet.  John 
was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Ranald  V.  of  Laig. 

Alexander  Macdonald   of  Morar  was  succeeded  by 
his  eldest  son, 

III.  ALLAN    MACDONALD.      He    fought   in   the 
Montrose  Campaign,   and  in  1646  gives  a  bond  of 


254  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

service   to  Clanranald.       Allan   was  married  twice. 
By  his  first  marriage  he  had— 

1.  Allan  Og,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  had  a  son,  Ranald. 

3.  Mary,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoi- 

dart. 

4.  Florence,  married  Neil  Maclean  of  Drimnacross,  son  of 

Lachlan  Maclean  of  Coll. 

By  his  second  wife  Allan  had— 

5.  Alexander  of  Gerdhoil,  Benbecula.     |p 
Allan  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

IV.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.      He  married,  and  had 
by  his  wife — 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander  of  Meoble,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Ranald  of  Cross.     He  had  a  great  reputation  as  a  piper, 

and  was  also  reckoned  a  good  performer  on  the  harp 
and  violin.  He  was  the  author  of  several  pipe  tunes, 
and,  among  the  rest,  the  tune  known  as  the  Glasmheur, 
Ranald  had  two  sons,  John  and  Donald. 

4.  Lachlan. 

5.  Mary,  who  married  John,  brother  of  Roderick  Macneill  of 

Barra. 

Allan  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

V.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.      He  married,  first,  in 
1686,   Margaret,   second    daughter   of  Sir    Donald 
Macdonald  of  Sleat,  by  whom  he  had — 

1    Donald,  who  died  before  his  father. 
2.  Katherine,  who  died  young. 

Allan  married,  secondly,  Marion,  daughter  of  Donald 
XIII.  of  Clanranald  (who  afterwards  married  Ranald 
Macdonald  of  Baleshare),  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Mary,  who  married  John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale. 

2.  Margaret. 

3.  Janet. 

4.  Elizabeth. 

Allan  died  without  surviving  male  issue,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  brother, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  255 

VI.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.  He  married  Anne, 
daughter  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  3rd  Baronet  of 
Sleat,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Allan  Roy,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander.    He  had  two  sons — Ranald,  drowned,  unmar- 

ried, and  Alexander,  a  priest. 

3.  Mary,   who  married    John  Maclean,  Minister  of  North. 

Uist. 

Alexander  married,  secondly,  Mary,  daughter  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  of  Kinlochinoidart,  and  had  by 
her — 

4.  Hugh.      He    was   educated   for   the   priesthood   at   the 

Seminary  of  Scalan,  and  afterwards  at  Paris.  After 
completing  his  studies,  he  was  ordained  priest  by 
Bishop  Gordon  in  1725.  In  1731  he  was  appointed 
Bishop  of  Diana  in  partibus  infidelium,  and  conse- 
crated immediately  thereafter  Vicar  Apostolic  of  the 
Highland  District.  Like  many  others,  he  disapproved 
of  the  attempt  of  the  '45  as  inopportune  ;  neverthe- 
less, he  became  involved  in  the  rising,  and  blessed  the 
standard  raised  at  Glenfman.  After  the  disaster  of 
Ciillodeu,  he  remained  in  hiding  on  an  islet  in  Loch 
Morar,  where  he  had  for  a  while  as  companion  in 
misfortune  Simon,  Lord  Lovat.  When  Lovat  was 
captured,  the  Bishop  took  refuge  in  the  neighbouring 
woods  until  he  found  an  opportunity  of  escaping  to 
France  by  one  of  the  ships  that  came  in  search  of  the 
Prince.  While  in  France  he  obtained  a  pension  under 
the  name  of  Marolle.  He  returned  to  Scotland  in 
1749.  In  1755  he  was  apprehended  in  Edinburgh  for 
his  share  in  the  '45,  and,  in  the  following  year,  he  was 
tried  and  sentenced  to  perpetual  banishment.  The 
sentence,  however,  was  never  enforced,  and,  though 
the  Bishop  was  obliged  to  live  outside  his  district,  he 
contrived  to  visit  his  diocese  occasionally  to  perform 
episcopal  duties.  He  died  in  Glengarry  in  March, 
1773. 

5.  John  of  Guidale,  who  was  "out"  in  the  '45  and  a  captain 

in  Clanranald's  Regiment.  He  had  two  sons — James, 
a  priest,  and  Donald.  Donald  had  two  sons  -John, 


256  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

who   died    unmarried,    and    James,    who    afterwards 
succeeded  to  Morar. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Morar,  who  was  "  out " 
with  Dundee,  and  died  after  1726,  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son, 

VII.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.     He  received  a  Crown 
charter  in   1726  of  the   14  merklands  of  Morar,  9 
pennylands  in  Eigg,  the  6  pennylands  of  Machaire, 
in  Uist,  the  3  pennylands  of  Liniclate,  in  Benbecula, 
and  7  merklands  in  Arisaig.     In  1748,  he  sold  his 
Uist  lands  to  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale.     In 
1756,  he  divested  himself  of  Morar  in  favour  of  his 
son  John,  reserving  to  himself  a  liferent  of  the  two 
pendicles   of    Cross   and    Scamadale.      Allan,  who 
joined  in  the  rising  of  the  '45,   played  rather  an 
inglorious  part  at  the  end,  and  had  the  reputation  of 
being  an  unmanly  drunken  creature  all  his  life.     He 
married  Marjory,  daughter  of  Sir  Ewen  Cameron  of 
Lochiel,  and  had  by  her 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Ewen,  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  Allan,  a  Priest. 

4.  Ludovick,  who  was  killed  in  America,  without  issue. 

5.  Angus. 

6.  Isabella,  who  m.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Gerinish,  and  was 

drowned  in  the  ford  in  Uist. 

Allan  died  in  1764,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son 

VIII.  JOHN  MACDONALD.      He  also  was  "out" 
in  the  '45.     In    1760  he   raised  an   action   in   the 
Court  of  Session  to  set  aside  the  sale  by  his  father 
of  his  Uist  lands  to  Boisdale,  but  he  was  unsuc- 
cessful.    He  afterwards  appealed  to   the  House  of 
Lords,  but  his  appeal  was  dismissed  in  1765.     This 
costly  litigation  obliged  him  to  sell  his  Eigg  lands 
to  Clanranald  in   1773,     Some  time  after  his  legal 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      257 

defeat  he  entered  the  army,  and  served  for  some 
years  in  America.  John  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Ronald  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart,  and  had  by 
her 

1.  Simon,  his  successor. 

2.  Coll,  who  was  an  officer  in  one  of  the  Highland  regiments 

and  fought  in  Egypt  under  Abercrombie.  He  was 
afterwards  Colonel  of  the  2nd  Battalion  of  the 
Royals.  On  retiring  from  the  army,  he  was  for  some 
years  tenant  of  the  farm  of  Knock  in  Sleat.  He  m. 
Frances  Cochrane,  and  had  by  her  a  son  John,  who 
died  unmarried,  and  a  daughter  Mary,  who  m. 
Angus  Macdonald  of  Inch.  She  was  served  heiress 
of  provision  to  James  Macdonald  of  Morar  in  1849. 

3.  Isabella,    who    m.     Lieut.     Miles    Macdonald,    of     the 

8th  Regiment. 

4.  Margaret,  who  m.  Dr  Donald  Macdonald,  Fort- Augustus. 
John,  who  in  1784  gave  over  his  estate  to  his  son 
Simon,  reserving  a  life  rent,  died  in  1809,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son  (who,  though  he  died 
before  his  father,  succeeded  him  in  his  estate). 

IX.  SIMON   MACDONALD.      He  joined  the  92nd 
Gordon  Highlanders  as  Captain  in  1794,  and  was 
Major  in   1795.      He  retired  in  1799.     He  married 
in   1784  Amelia,  daughter  of  Captain  James  Mac- 
donald  of  Glenmeddle,  younger  son  of  Glengarry, 
and  by  her  he  had 

1.  James,  his  successor. 

2.  Simon,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  John,  who  succeeded  Simon. 

4.  Elizabeth,  who  died  unmarried  in  July,  1814. 

5.  Mary,  who  died  unmarried  iu  July,  1803. 

Major  Simon  Macdonald  died  March  12th,  1800, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

X.  JAMES    MACDONALD.       In    1805   he  entered 
the   army,    and    became    an    Ensign    in    the    92nd 
Regiment.     He  served  for  several  years  abroad,  and 

17 


258  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

came  home  a  Major  in  1509.  He  died  at  Edinburgh 
unmarried  in  October,  1811,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  brother, 

XL  SIMON  MACDONALD.  He  was  educated  in 
Aberdeen  under  the  tuition  of  Ewen  Maclachlan,  the 
famous  scholar  and  poet,  who  afterwards  wrote  his 
elegy  (see  Maclachlan's  "  Metrical  Effusions  ").  He 
went  from  Aberdeen  to  study  law  in  Edinburgh, 
and  was  apprenticed  to  Coll  Macdonald,  W.S. 
Simon,  who  was  a  young  man  of  great  promise,  was 
accidentally  shot  by  the  discharge  of  his  own  gun, 
April  22,  1812,  in  the  21st  year  of  his  age.  He 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

XII.  JOHN    MACDONALD.      He  shewed  signs  of 
fatuousness  as  early  as  1804,  when  he  was  in  his 
fourth  year,  the  result  of  an  accident.     He  had  now 
sunk  into  idiocy.     He  died  in   1832,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  cousin, 

XIII.  JAMES  MACDONALD.     He  was  the  son  of 
Donald  of  Guidale,   the  son  of  John    of  Guidale, 
brother  of  Allan  Roy  VII.  of  Morar.     He  also  was 
fatuous.     He  died  in   1853,  when,  the  estate  being 
destined  to  heirs  male,  he  was  succeeded  by  Ranald 
Macdonald,  who  claimed  through  Alexander,  third 
son  of  Allan  Mor  IV.  of  Morar.     Having  established 
his  claim  in  1854,  he  sold  the  estate  to  Aeneas  R. 
Macdonald,  and  returned  to  America. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BORNISH. 

This  family  is  descended  from  RANALD,  fourth  son 
of  Dougal  VI.  of  Clanranald,  and  brother  of  Allan  I. 
of  Morar.  This  R,ariald  held  lands  in  Canna  and  in 
South  Uist,  but  we  have  no  record  of  what  these 
were.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  JOHN,  from 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  259 

whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Bornish  are  called  Sliochd 
Iain  'ic  Raonuill.     John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  DOUGALL.      He  appears  to  have  been   the 
first  of  the  family  who  possessed  Bornish.     John  XII. 
of  Clanranald  appointed  him  bailie  of  his  lands  in 
Uist,  the  bailiary  to  be  hereditary  in  his  family.     He 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  RANALD.      He,   with   his  eldest  son,  John, 
received,  in  1672,  a  feu  charter  from  Clanranald  of 
the  seven  and  a  half-penny  lands  of  Bornisuachdrach. 
His  daughter,  Anne,  married  Ranald,  son  of  R.anald 
I.  of  Benbecula.     Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  JOHN.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  DOUGALL.     He  was  bailie  of  South  Uist  in 
1699.     He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Maclean 
of  Boreray,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Donald. 

Dougall  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  RANALD.     He  married,  and  had— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander.     He  studied  in  the  Scots  College,  Rome,  and 

came  home  priest  in  1765.  He  was  Priest  of  Barra 
till  1780.  lu  that  year  he  was  nominated  Bishop  of 
the  Highland  District  under  the  title  of  Bishop  of 
Poleino.  His  briefs  were  dated  30th  September,  1779, 
and  he  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Hay  at  Scalan, 
March  13,  1780.  He  died  at  Samalaman,  September 
9,  1791. 

Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  JOHN.     By  his  first  wife  he  had— 

1.  Ranald,  hi^  successor. 

2.  Dougall. 

3.  Archibald. 

4.  Christina. 

5.  Marion. 


260  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

John,  by  his  second  wife,  Catherine  Macdonald,  had 
no  family.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

X.  RANALD.  He  was  the  last  Bornish.  He 
appears  as  a  resident  heritor  in  South  Uist  in  1837. 
In  1845  Bornish  had  become  the  property  of  Colonel 
Gordon  of  Cluny. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GERIDHOIL,  IN  UIST. 

These  Macdonalds  were  tacksmen  of  Liniclate, 
Geridhoil,  and  Macheremeanach,  under  the  family 
of  Morar  from  which  they  were  descended. 

The  first  of  the  family  of  Geridhoil  was  ALEX- 
ANDER, third  son  of  Allan  Mor  Macdonald  of  Morar. 
He  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald 
of  Benbecula,  and  had  by  her 

1.  John,  who  died  young. 

2.  John. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

II.  JOHN.     He  married  Janet,  daughter  of  Som- 
erled  Macdonald  of  Drimisdale,  and  he  had  by  her 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan,  who  d.  unmarried. 

3.  Donald,  Tacksman  of  Kilaulay,  who  left  a  family. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

III.  ALEXANDER.      He    was    implicated   in    the 
Prince's  escape,   was  made   prisoner,  and    taken  to 
London  as  evidence  against   old  Lady  Clanranald. 
He    married,    first,     Isabella,    daughter    of    Allan 
Macdonald  of  Morar,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Ranald  of  Gerinish. 

2.  John.     He  had  three  daughters  and  one  son,  who  died 

unmarried. 

3.  Alexander,  who  lived  at  Gerinish,  and  h.id  a  son,  John, 

who  had  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 

4.  Marion,  who  m.  Ranald  MacEachen,  Howbeg. 

5.  Mary,  who  m.  John  Macdonald  of  Gerifleuch,  with  issue. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  261 

Alexander  married,  secondly,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Charles  MacEachen  of  Peninuren,  and  had  by  her 
6    Dougall,  of  Drimore.      Z*(o  *• 

7.  Hugh,  a  Priest. 

8.  Angus,  who  died  at  sea  unmarried. 

9.  Ronald,  in  business  in  Glasgow.     He  died  unmarried  in 

Jamaica. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Geridhoil  was  succeeded  in 
the  representation  of  the  family  by  his  eldest  son 

IV.  RANALD  of  Gerinish.     He  emigrated  with 
his  wife  and   family   to  the  American  Colonies  in 
1784,   and  purchased  lands   there  which  he  called 
Gerinish.       He   married,    first.    Flora,    daughter   of 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Scotus,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Donald  Roy,  drowned  in  America,  unmarried. 

2.  Catherine,  who  m.  John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale. 

3.  Mary. 

4.  Marion. 

5.  Janet. 

Ranald   married,   secondly,  Flora  Roy,  daughter  of 
Allan  Macdonald  of  Ardslishnish,  brother  of  Scotus — 

6.  Allan,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

7.  Alexander,    who    succeeded    his    brother,    and    several 

daughters. 

Ranald  of  Gerinish  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

V.  ALLAN.     He  was  served  heir  to  his  ancestor, 
Alexander,   third   son  of  Allan    Mor  of  Morar,    in 
1825.     He  sold  Gerinish  to  his  brother  Alexander, 
and  died  in   Prince  Edward's  Island  without  issue. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 

VI.  ALEXANDER,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  army. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son 

VII.  RANALD.    Having  succeeded  in  establishing 
his  claim  to  the  estate  of  Morar  in  1854,  he  became 
the  14th  head  of  the  family  of  Morar. 


2(52  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

THE   MACDONALDS   OF   DR1MORE. 

DOUGALL  MACDONALD  of  Drimore  was  the 
eldest  son  by  the  second  marriage  of  Alexander 
Macdonald  III.  of  Geridhoil.  He  was  an  officer  in 
the  American  War,  and  was  present  in  several 
engagements.  At  the  raising  of  the  Macdonald 
Highlanders  he  obtained  a  commission  in  that 
regiment,  and  went  with  it  to  America.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  in  America,  and  detained  for  more 
than  a  year.  Upon  his  release,  he  was  promoted  to 
the  7 1st  Kegiment.  When  it  was  disbanded,  he 
returned  to  Uist  on  half-pay,  and  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  for  some  time  a 
Captain  in  the  Long  Island  Militia.  He  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Trumis- 
garry,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Alexander,  who  had  five  children. 

3.  Peter,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Margaret,  living  in  Glasgow  in  1854. 

5.  Anne,  who  married  a  Mackinnon  in  Glasgow. 

Captain  Dougall  Macdonald  died  March   14,   1833, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD,  who  was  a  merchant  in   Glasgow. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Pringle,  daughter  of  William 
Pringle,  merchant,  Glasgow,  and  had 

1.  William  Pringle,  who  died  unmarried  in  1S37. 

2.  Dougall. 

3.  Donald,  living  near  Glasgow,  unmarried. 

4.  Margaret,  who  died  young. 

5.  Joanna. 

Donald  died  in  January,   1842,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

III.  DOUGALL,     who     died     many    years     ago 
unmarried. 


1.  John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale. 

2.  Angus  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale. 

3.  Colonel  John  A.  Macdonald,  C.B. 

of  Glenaladale. 


4.  Archbishop  Angus  Macdonald  of 

St  Andrews  and    Edinburgh 
(Glenaladale). 

5.  Bishop  Hugh  Macdouald  of  Aber- 

deen (Glenaladale). 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  263 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GLENALADALE. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  JOHN  OG,  son  of  John 
Moidartach  VILXof  Clanranald,  by  Mary,  daughter 
of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Knoydart.  He  took  part 
with  his  father  in  all  his  engagements,  and  his  name 
is  included  in  the  Precept  of  Remission  in  favour  of 
John  Moidartach,  and  others,  in  1566.  John  Og 
married  Juliet,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of 
Lochan,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Donald. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son 

II.  ALEXANDER    MACDONALD.      He   married 
Letitia,  daughter  of  Allan  IX.   of  Clanranald,  and 
had  by  her 

1.  Roderick. 

2.  John. 

3.  Alexander. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son 

III.  RODERICK  MACDONALD.    In  167 4  he  received 
a  charter  from  Donald  XIII.  of  Clanranald  of  the 
2  marklands  of  Glenaladale  and  the  30  shilling  lands 
of  Glenfinan.     He  is  obliged  to  have  in  readiness 
for  service  a  sufficient  galley  of  16  oars  and  100  men 
when   required.     Roderick  married  Mary,  daughter 
of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart,  and  had 
by  her 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Allan. 

5.  Mary,  rn.  to  Lachlan  Macdonald  of  Laig. 

Roderick  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son 

IY.  ANGUS  MACDONALD.  He  became  a  Priest, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  next  brother 


264  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

V.  JOHN  MACDONALD.     He  married  a  daughter 
of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Balivanich,  and  had  by  her 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Angus  of  Borrodale,   whose  son,  Alexander,   afterwards 

succeeded  by  purchase  to  Glenaladale. 

3.  Ronald. 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  Allan. 

6.  Roderick,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  army  of  Prince  Charles. 

7.  James,    who    was    Bailie   of   Canna   in    1746.       Being 

suspected  of  Jacobite  sympathies,  he  was,  notwith- 
standing the  protection  he  had  received  from  the  Earl 
of  London,  taken  to  London  and  kept  a  prisoner 
there  for  a  year. 

8.  Donald. 

9.  Penelope,    who    m.    Angus    Macdonald,    Tacksman    of 

Stonibridge,  in  Uist. 

10.  Catherine,  who  m.  Donald  Macleod  of  (Jualtergill,  in 
Skye,  associated  with  Prince  Charles  in  his  wanderings 
in  the  Isles. 

John    Macdonald    of  Glenaladale,    who    was    dead 
before  1710,  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

VI.  JOHN     MACDONALD.       He    married    Mary, 
daughter  of  Allan   Macdonald  of  Morar,   and   had 
by  her 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John,   an  officer  in   the    Ariiiy   of   Prince   Charles.     He 

had  formerly  served  as  an  officer  in  the  French  Artny. 

3.  Allan. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

VII.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.    Glenaladale  was 
among   the   first    to   espouse    the    cause    of   Prince 
Charles,  and  it  was  on  his  estate  at  Glenfinan  that 
the    royal    standard   of  the   House    of  Stuart   was 
unfurled.     He  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  all  the 
engagements  of  the  Highland   Army,  and  held  the 
rank  of  Major  in  the  Clariranald  Regiment.     After 
the.  disaster  at  Culloden,  when  the  Prince  found  his 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  265 

way  to  the  West  Coast,  Glenaladale  acted  as  the 
faithful  guide  and  companion  of  Charles.  On 
the  return  of  the  Prince  from  Uist,  he  continued 
under  the  protection  of  Glenaladale  and  his  friends 
until  he  embarked  for  France.  The  Prince  was 
entertained  at  Glenaladale's  house  on  several 
occasions.  Glenaladale,  who  did  not  follow  Charles 
to  France,  succeeded  in  eluding  the  pursuit  of 
the  emissaries  of  the  Government  until  finally 
the  Indemnity  Act  set  him  free.  He  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Scotus 
by  his  first  wife,  Helen  Meldrum  of  Melclrum,  and 
had  by  her 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Hugh.       He   was  sent  to  the  Scots  College,  Home,  in 

1757,  where  he  remained  for  twelve  years.  On  his 
leaving  Rome  he  became  Priest  of  Moidart,  and 
laboured  there  with  success  for  many  years.  He 
afterwards  followed  his  brother  Glenaladale  to  Prince 
Edward  Island,  where  he  exercised  his  calling  among 
his  own  countrymen  for  some  years.  Father  Hugh, 
who  was  very  popular  among  his  countrymen,  was 
reckoned  a  pious  and  zealous  clergyman,  an  eloquent 
preacher,  and  a  highly  cultured  man.  He  died 
through  blood  poisoning,  greatly  lamented  by  his 
countrymen  and  all  who  knew  him,  and  was  buried 
at  the  Scotch  Fort. 

3.  Donald,  who  accompanied  his  brother  to  Prince  Edward 

Island. 

4.  Clementina,  who  in.    Alexander  M'Nab  of  Innishewen, 

with  issue. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale  died  January 
30,  1761,  in  the  49th  year  of  his  age,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

VIII.  JOHN  MACDONALD.  He  was  educated  at 
Ratisbon,  and  was  a  man  of  many  accomplishments 
and  goodness  of  heart.  He  acted  for  several  years 
as  factor  on  the  Clanranald  estates,  and,  his 


266  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

business  capacity,  tact,  and  suavity  of  manner, 
earned  the  esteem  of  his  chief,  whose  right  hand 
man  he  was,  and  of  his  tenants,  among  whom  he 
was  highly  popular.  In  the  year  1770  differences 
arose  between  Colin  Macdonald  of  Boisdale  and  his 
tenants  in  South  Uist,  which  resulted  in  a  serious 
religious  quarrel  between  the  parties.  It  was  alleged 
against  Boisdale  that,  taking  advantage  of  his  posi- 
tion as  proprietor,  he  attempted  to  force  his  tenants 
to  abjure  the  Catholic  religion  and  become  Protes- 
tant, or  leave  his  estate.  Boisdale  afterwards 
denied  that  he  ever  threatened  to  evict  his  tenants 
on  account  of  their  religion.  However  this  may  be, 
these  people,  who  were  loyally  attached  to  their 
Church,  felt  the  insecurity  of  their  position,  and, 
accordingly,  a  scheme  of  emigration  to  the  American 
Colonies  was  suggested  as  the  only  remedy  for  the 
state  of  matters.  The  great  obstacle  to  this  plan 
was  the  difficulty  of  providing  the  necessary  funds, 
but  Glenaladale,  the  chief  promoter  of  the  scheme, 
magnanimously  offered  to  raise  the  sum  required  on 
the  security  of  his  estate.  Before  the  end  of  the 
year  1771  he  had  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  in  St 
John's  Island  for  the  intending  emigrants,  and  in 
May  of  the  following  year  a  hundred  persons  left 
South  Uist,  and  proceeded  to  the  new  home  provided 
for  them.  In  a  short  time  it  was  reported  that  "the 
Uist  emigrants  were  doing  extremely  well  in  St 
John's  Island,  and  living  already  much  better  than 
at  home."  In  the  summer  of  1773,  Glenaladale, 
who  is  deserving  of  the  highest  praise  for  his  noble 
act  of  self-sacrifice,  sold  his  estate  to  his  cousin, 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Borodale,  and  joined  his 
Uist  friends  in  St  John's  Island.  When,  shortly 
afterwards,  the  Revolutionary  War  broke  out  in 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     267 

America,  he  volunteered  for  service,  and  was  largely 
instrumental  in  raising  the  84th,  or  Royal  High- 
land Emigrant  Regiment  General  Small,  referring 
to  his  services  in  a  dispatch  to  the  British  Govern- 
ment, said  : — "  The  activity  and  unabating  zeal  of 
Captain  John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale  in  bringing 
an  excellent  company  into  the  field  is  his  least 
recommendation,  being  acknowledged  by  all  who 
know  him  to  be  one  of  the  most  accomplished 
men  and  best  officers  of  his  rank  in  His  Majesty's 
service."  The  British  Government  showed  their 
appreciation  of  his  services  and  character  in 
offering  him  the  government  of  Prince  Edward 
Island,  which,  on  account  of  the  oath  required  to 
be  taken,  he  could  not  accept.  Glenaladale  married 
first,  Isabella  Gordon,  daughter  of  Gordon  of  Ward- 
house,  in  Aberdeenshire,  and  by  her  had  one  child, 
who  died  young.  He  married,  secondly,  Catherine, 
daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Gerinish,  and  had 
by  her — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  his  father  in  the  representation 

of  the  family. 

2.  William,  who  was  drowned  011  the  coast  of  Ireland  on  his 

way  to  be  educated  in  England. 

3.  John.     He  was  educated  in  Paris  for  the  Church,  and 

was  priest  in  Glasgow  for  many  years.  He  afterwards 
returned  to  Prince  Edward  Island,  and  occupied  in 
succession  several  charges.  He  finally  returned  to 
this  country,  and  died  at  Brighton  in  1874. 

4.  Roderick.     He  was  an  officer  in  the  British  Army,  and 

served  in  New  Brunswick,  in  Bermuda,  in  the  Ionian 
Islands,  and  in  Greece,  where  he  died  in  1854.  He 
married  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Glengarry,  and  had  a  son,  Alabtair,  and  two 
daughters,  Emma  and  Elizabeth. 

5.  Margaret,  who  married  John  Macdonald,  an  officer  in  the 

Glengarry  Fencibles,  afterwards  in  the  84th  Regiment, 
and  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 


268  THE   CLAN    DONALD 

John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale  died  in  Prince 
Edward  Island  in  1811,  and  was  succeeded  in  his 
new  possession  by  his  eldest  son 

(IX.)  The  Hon.  DONALD  MACDONALD.  He  was 
educated  at  Stonyhurst,  in  England.  Returning 
to  Prince  Edward  Island,  he  played  a  prominent 
part  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  Colony.  He 
married  a  granddaughter  of  a  Colonel  Robertson, 
a  loyalist  who  fought  in  the  American  War.  By 
her  he  had 

1.  John  Archibald,  in  Glenaladale  Township,  Prince  Edward 

Island. 

2.  Augustine  Ralph,  in  New  York. 

3    Sir  William  C.  Macdonald,  Montreal. 

The  Hon.  Donald  Macdonald  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

(X.)  JOHN  ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD.  He  mar- 
ried and  had  issue — 

1.  Frederick  John. 

2.  Anna  Rebecca. 

3.  William  Augustine. 

4.  Margaret  Jane. 

5.  Matilda  Helen. 

6.  Donald  Archibald. 

7.  Roderick  Brecken, 

8.  John  Appolonarus. 

9.  JEneas. 

John  Archibald  Macdonald,  who  was  born  July 
24th,  1825,  died  July  13th,  1903. 

It  will  now  be  necessary  to  trace  the  gene- 
alogy of  the  family,  the  head  of  which  became 
IX.  of  Glenaladale  by  purchase  in  1773.  As 
has  already  been  stated,  John  Macdonald  of 
Glenaladale  sold  his  estate  in  that  year  to  his 
cousin,  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Borodale.  The 
old  Borodale  family  were  descended  from  Angus  X. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  269 

of  Clanranald.  The  first  of  this  family  to 
occupy  the  lands  of  Borodale  was  Donald  Gorm, 
whose  lease  was  renewed  by  John  XII.  of  Clan- 
ranald in  1626.  After  him,  we  find  John  Macdonald 
of  Borodale  in  1670,  and  again  Alexander  Macdonald 
of  Borodale  in  17C8.  This  family  appears  to  have 
been  succeeded  by  Angus  Macdonald  of  Borodale, 
son  of  John  V.  of  Glenaladale.  He  was  the  first 
person  to  whom  Prince  Charles  gave  a  commission 
in  Scotland.  The  Prince  landed  at  Borodale  from 
Eriska  on  July  25th,  1745,  and  stayed  a  night  in 
the  house  of  Angus  Macdonald,  who  from  that  time 
steadfastly  adhered  to  his  cause.  After  his  wander- 
ings in  the  Western  Isles,  the  Prince  returned  to 
Borodale  and  found  Angus  Macdonald  living  in  a 
bothy,  his  house  having  been  burned.  After  a  stay 
of  about  a  week  under  the  protection  of  his  loyal 
adherent,  the  Prince  was  obliged  to  leave  Borodale 
accompanied  by  Glenaladale,  John,  his  brother,  and 
John,  Borodale's  son.  John  and  Ranald,  Borodale's 
sons,  afterwards  guarded  the  Prince  for  several  days. 
Angus  of  Borodale,  who  was  a  good  Gaelic  scholar, 
and  well  versed  in  the  literature  of  the  country,  was 
the  author  of  the  "  Journal  and  Memoirs  of  the 
Expedition  of  the  Prince  to  Scotland,"  printed  in 
the  Lockhart  Papers.  Angus  of  Borodale  had  four 
sons— 

1.  Alexander,  afterwards  of  Glenaladale. 

2.  Ranald   of  Borodale.     He  was  an  officer  in  the  Prince's 

Army,  and  was  afterwards  closely  associated  with  him 
in  his  wanderings.  Ranald  had  two  sons,  John,  who 
succeeded  him  at  Borodale,  afterwards  of  Glenaladale, 
and  Alexander,  and  a  daughter,  Isabella,  who  married 
Andrew  Macdonald,  tacksman  of  Isla  idshona,  with 
issue. 

3.  John,  an  officer  in  the  Prince's  Army,  killed  at  Culloden. 

4.  John.     He  had  been  destined  for  the  priesthood,  and 

with  this  view  was  sent  to  Ratisbon.     He  was  after- 


270  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

wards  known  as  "  Iain  Frangach."  He  was  an  officer 
in  the  Prince's  Army,  and  left  a  manuscript  account 
of  his  wanderings,  which  was  published  in  "  Ulack- 
wood's  Magazine"  in  1873.  He  became  Tacksman  of 
Duchamis  and  Torbay  under  Clanrauald,  and  m. 
Mary,  daughter  of  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Barisdale, 
by  whom  he  had  a  son, 

(A)  Archibald,  who  succeeded  him,  and  was  well  known  as 

"  Rhue,"  the  name  of  the  place  in  which  he  lived. 

(B)  Jame<«,  who  was  for  some  years  Priest  of  Barra,  and 

was  drowned  in  the  Sound  of  Sleat. 

Archibald  inherited  the  estate  of  Lochshiel  from 
his  cousin,  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale. 
He  married  a  Miss  Macgregor,  and  had  by  her 

(A)  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him. 

(B)  John,   who  was  an  officer  in  the  23rd   Royal  Welsh 

Fusiliers,  and  served  through  the  Peninsula  War. 
He  married  Miss  Farquhar,  and  died  at  Malta 
without  surviving  issue. 

(c)  Gregor,  tacksman  of  Rhu. 

(D)  Coll,  a  doctor  of  medicine,  who  managed  his  brother's 
estate  of  Glenshiel  for  some  time,  and  was  tacks- 
man of  Ranachan  and  Moy. 

(B)  Anne,  who  married  Colonel  Donald  Macdonald,  Tray, 
with  issue. 

(p)  Mary,  who  married  Angus  Macdonald,  Prince  Edward 
Island,  with  issue. 

(G)  Joanna,  who  married  Colonel  Wilson. 

(H)  Catherine,  who  married,  in  1826,  Hugh  Macdonald, 
Prince  Edward  Island,  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
Legislature  and  High  Sheriff  of  the  Province. 

(i)   Jane. 

"  Old  Rhue,"  who  was  a  man  of  many  accomplish- 
ments and  great  popularity,  died  in  1828.  He  was 
succeeded  in  the  Estate  of  Lochshiel  by  his  eldest 
son,  Alexander.  In  1853  he  sold  Island  Shona  to 
Captain  Swinburne  for  £6500.  In  1855  he  sold 
the  Estate  of  Lochshiel  to  Hope  Scott  for  £24.000. 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Lochshiel  died  unmarried, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  271 

5.  Catherine,  married  to  Dr  Angus  Maceachen,  who  was  a 
surgeon  in  the  Glengarry  Regiment,  in  the  Prince's 
Army. 

We  shall  now  go  back  to  Alexander,  son  of  Angus 
of  Borodale,  to  pick  up  the  line  of  succession  to  the 
Estate  of  Glenaladale.  Alexander,  who  went  abroad 
as  a  young  man,  amassed  a  considerable  fortune  in 
the  West  Indies.  He,  as  already  stated,  acquired 
by  purchase  the  Estate  of  Glenaladale  in  1773,  and 
succeeded  his  cousin  accordingly  as 

IX.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD  of  Glenaladale.    He 
married,  first,  a  Mrs  Handyside  of  Jamaica,  without 
issue.     He  married,  secondly,  a  Miss  Macgregor,  and 
had  by  her— 

1.  John,  who  died  young. 

2.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

3.  Ranald,  who  died  young. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

X.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.     In  1813  he  pur- 
chased from^Clanranald,  for  £15,060,  the  lands  of 
Dalelea,  Langall,  Annat,  Drumloy,  Mingarry,  Blain, 
Island  Shona,  Breig,  and  Portvait.     He  had  some 
years  previously  purchased  the  Estate  of  Drimnin. 
in    Morven,    which    was    afterwards    sold    to   John 
Maclean  of  Boreray.      He  erected  a  monument  at 
Glenfinan  to  commemorate  the  raising  of  the  Royal 
Standard  of  the  House  of  Stuart  there  in  1745.     It 
bears    the   following   inscription  : — -"  On    this    spot, 
where    Prince    Charles     Edward    first    raised     his 
standard,  on  the   19th  day  of  August,   1745,  when 
he  made  the  daring  and  romantic  attempt  to  recover 
a  throne  lost  by  the  imprudence  of  his  ancestors, 
this  column    is   erected    by  Alexander   Macdonald, 
Esq.  of  Glenaladale,  to  commemorate  the  generous 
zeal,    the    undaunted   bravery,    and    the    inviolable 


272  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

fidelity  of  his  forefathers,  and  the  rest  of  them  who 
fought  and  bled  in  that  arduous  and  unfortunate 
enterprise." 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale,  having  died 
unmarried,  in  1814,  at  the  early  age  of  28,  was,  in 
terms  of  his  father's  settlement,  succeeded  by  his 
cousin,  John  Macdonald  of  Borodale,  the  son  of  his 
uncle,  Ranald,  as  nearest  heir-male. 

XL  JOHN  MACDONALD.  He  married,  in  1792, 
Jane,  second  daughter  of  Alexander  MacNab  of 
Innishewen,  and  had  by  her-- 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald,  who  died  young. 

•3.  Alexander.  He  entered  as  a  student  in  Marischall 
College,  Aberdeen,  in  1821,  and  afterwards  studied 
law  in  Glasgow,  where  he  qualified  as  a  legal  practi- 
tioner, and  became  a  member  of  the  Glasgow  Faculty 
of  Procurators.  He  was  for  several  years  factor  for 
Lord  Lovat.  Alexander,  who  died  in  1893,  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Hugh  Watson  of  Torsonce, 
W.S.,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  John,  of  H.M.  Customs,  now  in  New  Zealand. 

(B)  Hugh,  a  priest.     He  died  in  1889. 

(0)  James,  a  priest  in  Edinburgh, 
(n)  Angus,  who  died  in  infancy. 

(E)  Alexander,  C.E.,  who  died  abroad  in  1895. 

(P)  Donald,  who  died  in  infancy. 

(G)  Andi-ew,  solicitor,  and  Sheriff-Clerk  of  Inverness-shire. 
He  married  Minna,  daughter  of  John  Chisholm, 
Charleston,  Inverness,  and  has  by  her— (A)  Alex- 
ander Francis  Joseph ;  (B)  Ellen  Mary ;  (c) 
Margaret  Mary;  (D)  Andrew  Edward,  solicitor; 
(E)  Clementina,  a  nun  of  Notre  Dame  Order ; 
(p)  Jane  Frances  ;  (G)  Anne  Constance ;  (H) 
Mary  Elizabeth,  died  in  childhood  ;  (i)  Angus, 
medical  student ;  (j)  Minna  Gertrude. 

(H)  Mary,  a  nun  of  the  Franciscan  Order. 

(1)  Joseph,  a  Divinity  student,  who  died  in  1869. 

4.  John,  a  distinguished  officer  in  the  East  Indian  Army, 
where  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Lieut-Colonel.  During 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  273 

many  years  of  service,  often  in  the  most  trying  cir- 
cumstances, he  proved  himself  a  brave  and  capable 
officer.  "  By  his  daring,  promptitude,  and  decision  of 
character  at  Umritzir,  he  quelled  the  first  movements 
of  a  Sepoy  revolt,  which  might  have  ended  in  a 
general  massacre  of  the  Europeans."  In  promoting 
him  to  the  command  of  the  5th  Irregular  Cavalry  for 
his  services  on  this  occasion,  Sir  Charles  Napier 
wrote  :  — "  You  have  won  it,  if  ever  a  man  deserved 
well  of  his  chief.  But  for  your  decision,  we  should 
have  had  the  devil  to  pay  at  Umritzir."  He  acted  in 
the  same  prompt  manner  in  dealing  with  the  mur- 
derers of  Sir  Norman  Leslie  at  Rohnee,  and  prevented 
his  regiment  from  going  over  to  the  rebels.  While 
Macdonald,  Sir  Norman,  and  Dr  Grant  were  sitting 
one  evening  in  front  of  their  tent,  they  were  suddenly 
attacked  by  a  small  band  of  men  from  Macdonald's 
own  regiment,  as  was  afterwards  discovered.  Sir 
Norrnan  was  killed,  and  Macdonald  and  Grant,  who 
defended  themselves  with  their  camp  stools,  were 
severely  wounded,  but  they  put  to  flight  the  mur- 
derers. An  inquiry  was  soon  afterwards  made,  and 
the  men  were  discovered.  They  were  forthwith  tried 
by  Court -Martial,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  When 
this  sentence  was  about  being  carried  out,  one  of  the 
condemned  men,  a  person  of  high  caste,  appealed  to 
the  regiment  drawn  up  to  witness  the  execution  to 
shoot  the  English,  but  Macdonald  pointed  his  pistol 
at  his  head,  and  threatened  to  blow  out  his  brains  if 
he  uttered  another  word.  This  had  the  desired 
effect,  and  the  men  were  all  hanged.  The  stern  re- 
solution with  which  he  punished  these  leaders  of 
revolt  had  a  salutary  effect  upon  the  rest  of  the  regi- 
ment Macdonald's  conduct  at  this  critical  time  is 
deserving  of  the  highest  praise. 

Colonel  Macdonald  lived  latterly  at  Aberdeen, 
where  he  died  in  1892.  He  married  Helen  Morgan, 
who  died  in  India  in  1855,  nnd  left  two  daughters, 
Minna  and  Jane. 

5.  Ranald  George  Charles,  who  died  young. 

6.  Donald,  Priest  of  Moidart,  died  in  1895. 
7    Clementina,  who  died  unmarried  in  1874. 

18 


274  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

8.  Catherine,  who  died  unmarried  in  1880. 

9.  Jane,  who  died  unmarried  in  1874. 

10.  Margaret,   who  married  Colin  Chisholm,  solicitor,  Inver- 

ness, and  had 

(A)  John  Archibald. 

(B)  Aeneas,  D.D.,  LL.D.     He  received  his  early  education 

at  Inverness,  from  which  he  was  sent  to  Blair's 
College,  Aberdeen.  He  afterwards  went  to 
Rome,  where  he  studied  for  seven  years.  He 
was  ordained  priest  in  1859,  and  was  settled 
successively  at  Elgin,  Beauly,  Abei'deen,  Glen- 
gairn,  and  Banff.  He  was  appointed  Rector  of 
Blair's  College  in  1890,  and  wab  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Aberdeen  in  1899. 
(c)  Colin. 

(D)  Jane,  who  died  unmarried. 

(E)  Sarah. 

(F)  Clementina. 

11.  Helen,  who  died  young. 

John  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale,  who  was  well  known 
in  hie  time  as  a  man  of  exceptional  ability  in  busi- 
ness, sound  judgment,  and  commanding  influence, 
died  in  1830,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

XL  ANGUS  MACDONALD,  who  was  born  in  1793. 
He  married,  in  1836,  Mary,  youngest  daughter  of 
Hugh  Watson  of  Torsonce,  Midlothian,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  John  Andrew,  his  successor. 

2.  Hugh,    Bishop  of  Aberdeen.      He  was  educated  at  St. 

Cuthbert's  College,  Ushaw.  On  the  completion  of 
his  studies,  he  taught  there  for  a  year  as  Professor  of 
the  Humanities,  and  after  ordination  in  1867  he 
acted  for  two  or  three  years  as  a  secular  priest  in 
Greenock.  Subsequently  joining  the  Congregation  of 
the  Redemptorists,  he  entered  upon  his  new  vocation 
with  great  energy,  conducting  missions  all  over  the 
world,  but  proving  especially  valuable  in  the  High- 
lands from  his  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  Gaelic 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  275 

language.  For  several  years  he  acted  as  rector  of  the 
Redemptorist  Monastery  at  Kinnoull,  and  after  hold- 
ing several  other  important  offices,  he  was  appointed 
Provincial  of  the  Order.  In  1890  he  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Aberdeen.  The  wisdom  of  his  nomination 
was  manifest  from  the  very  outset  of  his  episcopal 
career — in  the  repair  of  old,  or  the  erection  of  new 
churches,  in  the  enlargement  of  schools,  and  in  the 
promotion  of  the  general  prosperity  and  working 
order  of  his  diocese.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  ecclesiastical  seminary  of  Blair's  College, 
and  threw  himself  enthusiastically  into  the  scheme  for 
rebuilding  and  extending  the  institution.  He  erected 
the  Cathedral  Chapter  at  Aberdeen,  made  the  canonical 
visitation  with  great  regularity,  and  altogether  infused 
a  great  amount  of  order  into  the  administration  of  his 
diocese.  Personally,  he  was  of  a  most  amiable  and 
unassuming  disposition,  respected  by  all  classes  of  the 
community  in  the  North,  and  held  in  the  highest 
estimation  by  his  clergy  and  people.  He  died  at 
Greenhill  Gardens,  Edinburgh,  the  residence  of  his 
brother,  Archbishop  Macdonald,  May  29th,  1898. 
3.  Angus,  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews  and  Edinburgh.  He 
was  born  at  Borrodale,  September  18th,  1844,  and 
was  educated  at  St  Cuthbert's  College,  Ushaw.  He 
afterwards  became  B.A.  of  the  University  of  London. 
After  his  ordination  in  July,  1872,  he  was  first 
stationed  at  St  Patrick's,  Anderston,  Glasgow,  then 
sent  to  Arisaig  to  help  the  aged  Father  William 
Mackintosh,  at  whose  death  he  took  charge  of  that 
parish.  There  he  laboured  among  the  people  he  had 
known  from  childhood,  his  knowledge  of  Gaelic 
enabling  him  to  instruct  and  help  those — and  there 
were  a  great  many  of  them — who  neither  understood 
nor  spoke  English.  When  the  Scottish  Hierarchy 
was  restored,  in  1878,  he  was  selected,  by  the  wish  of 
bishops  and  priests  alike,  as  well  as  by  the  desire  of 
the  Pope,  as  Bishop  of  Argyll  and  the  Isles.  He  was 
consecrated  on  May  23rd  of  that  year,  by  the  late 
Archbishop  Eyre  of  Glasgow,  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Oban.  There  he  devoted  himself  to 
forming  his  new  and  scattered  diocese,  all  of  which 


276  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

he  visited  in  all  seasons  and  in  all  kinds  of  weather. 
The  Bishop  soon  became  a  familiar  sight  on  the  High- 
land steamers,  often  clad  in  oilskin  and  sou'-wester. 
He  built  churches  and  schools,  and,  with  his  priests, 
worked  incessantly  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
increase  of  the  religion  to  which  he  and  his  fore- 
fathers had  always  adhered.  When  his  priests  fell 
ill,  he  visited  and  nursed  them,  often  doing  their 
work  for  them.  Neither  typhus  fever  nor  any  sick- 
ness daunted  him,  as  he  followed  the  example  of 
the  Good  Shepherd,  and  risked  his  own  life  for  the 
sake  of  others,  many  times  when  he  was  worn  out  and 
ill. .  Having  been  Bishop  of  Argyll  and  the  Isles  for 
14  years,  he  was  chosen  to  fill  the  Metropolitan  see  of 
St  Andrews  and  Edinburgh,  and,  in  1892,  began  his 
new  duties.  The  same  spirit  animated  him  in  his 
new  as  in  his  old  sphere — untiring  zeal,  humility, 
gentleness,  tact,  and  firm  attention  to  everything 
under  his  charge.  Everyone  loved  and  respected 
Archbishop  Macdonald,  and  when,  on  the  Feast  of 
the  Good  Shepherd,  April  29th,  1900,  worn  out  by 
work  and  ill-health,  he  died,  he  left  an  example  of 
piety,  learning,  and,  above  all,  love  and  zeal  for  the 
glory  of  God. 

4.  Mary  Margaret,  a  nun. 

5.  Jane  Veronica. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale  died  in  1870, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XIII.  JOHN  ANDREW  MACDONALD.  He  was  for 
many  years  Colonel-Commanding  the  Inverness- 
shire  Militia  Regiment,  and  was  highly  popular 
with  officers  and  men.  On  the  occasion  of  the  late 
Queen's  Diamond  Jubilee  in  1897,  Her  Majesty 
conferred  the  distinction  of  C.B.  on  Colonel  Mac- 
donald. He  takes  a  prominent  part  in  county  arid 
parish  business,  and  is  much  respected  both  for  his 
personal  qualities  and  as  the  representative  of  an 
ancient  and  popular  Highland  family.  Colonel 
Macdonald  married,  first,  30th  July,  1862,  Helen 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      277 

Mary,  elder  daughter  of  Edward  Chaloner  of 
Hermiston  Hall,  Nottinghamshire.  She  died 
March  14,  1864,  without  issue.  He  married, 
secondly,  August  13,  1901,  Margaret  Mary  Teresa, 
daughter  of  the  late  Sir  Edward  Blount,  Baronet 
of  Sodington  and  Mawley. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BENBECULA. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  RANALD,  fourth  son 
of  Allan  IX.  of  Clanranald,  well  known  by  his 
patronymic  of  Raonull  Mac  Ailein  'ic  Iain.  His 
father  bestowed  upon  him  the  lands  of  Benbecula> 
consisting  of  the  13  penny  lands  of  Borve,  the  penny 
land  of  Gerigrimiiiish,  the  4  penny  lands  of  Belfinlay, 
the  5  penny  lands  of  Balivaiiich,  the  20  penny  lands 
of  Uachdar,  called  the  two  Airds  in  Knocksorlar, 
together  with  the  3  penny  lands  of  Machermeanach, 
in  Skirhough,  and  the  3  mark  10  shilling  lands  of 
Ardnish,  Lochelt,  and  Essan  in  Arisaig.  In  1625, 
Ranald  received  a  charter  of  these  lands  from  his 
nephew,  John,  XII.  of  Clanranald. 

Ranald  married,  first,  Mary,  daughter  of  Ranald 
Macdonald  of  Smerbie,  son  of  James  Macdonald  of 
Dunnyveg  and  the  Glens.  By  her  he  had  Angus 
Mor,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Ballypatrick, 
in  the  Barony  of  Carey,  in  the  County  of  Antrim. 

He  married,  secondly,  Fionnsgoth  Burke,  of  the 
Burkes  of  Connaught,  and  had  by  her 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Roderick. 

3.  Farquhar. 

He  married,  thirdly,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Norman  Macleod  of  Harris,  widow  of  Norman  Og 
Macleod  of  Lewis,  without  issue. 


278  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married,  fourthly,  Mary,  sister  of  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald,  1st  Baronet  of  Sleat,  and  had  by  her 
Donald  Gorm. 

He  married,  fifthly,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Angus 
Macdonald  of  Dunny veg  and  the  Glens,  and  had  by 
by  her— 

1.  Ranald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Roderick. 

3.  John  Og. 

4.  Angus  Og,  from  whom  the  Macdoualds  of  Milton. 

5.  Ranald,  who  married  Anne,  daughter  of   Ranald   Mac- 

donald of  Bornish. 

6.  Donald,    of    Boisdale,    from    whom   the    Macdoualds   of 

Rammerscales. 

7.  Allan  Og. 

8.  Flora,  who  mai-ried  John  Macdonald  of  Griminish,  in  North 

Uist. 

Ranald  died  at  Canna  in  1636,  and  was  buried  at 
Howmore.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son  of 
the,  last  marriage. 

II.  RANALD.  He  married,  first,  Marion,  daughter 
of  MacNeill  of  Barra,  by  whom  he  had  Donald,  his 
successor. 

He  married,  secondly,  Anna,  daughter  of 
John  XII.  of  Clanranald,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  James  of  Belfinlay. 

2.  Donald  Og,  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  Ranald. 

4.  Alexander  of  Gerifleuch.    He  married  Margaret,  daughter 

of  Somerled  Macdonald  of  Torlum,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Ranald.     He  was  made  prisoner  in  1746  for  assisting 

in  the  escape  of  Prince  Charles  from  Uist. 

(B)  John. 

(c)  Roderick. 

Ranald  succeeded  his  father  as  II.  of  Gerifleuch, 
and  married  Mary  Macdouald,  by  whom  he  had — 

(A)  John. 

(B)  Charles. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  279 

John  succeeded  his  father  as  III.  of  Gerifleuch,  and 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  III. 
of  Geridhoil,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Ranald. 

(B)  Donald. 

(c)  Roderick,    who  was   priest  in    Badenoch  for  several 
years.     In  1803  he  was  removed  to  South  Uist, 
and  had  charge  of   lochdar  and  Benbecula  till 
his  death,  September  29th,  1828. 
(D)  James. 

And  six  daughters,  one  of  whom  was  Catherine. 

Ranald  succeeded  his  father  as  IV.  of  Gerifleuch, 
and  is  entered  as  tenant  of  that  holding  in  the  South 
Uist  Rental  of  1822. 
5.  Marion. 

Ranald  II.  of  Benbecula  died  in  1679,  and  was 
buried  at  Nunton.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

III.  DONALD.  In  1680,  he  received  from 
Donald  XIII.  of  Clanranald  a  Charter  of  Novo- 
damus  of  all  the  lands  granted  to  his  grandfather 
in  1625.  In  1720,  he  excambed  with  Angus  Mac- 
donald of  Belfinlay  his  lands  of  Ardnish,  Lochelt, 
and  Essan,  in  Arisaig,  for  the  lands  of  Belfinlay  and 
others  in  Benbecula.  In  1725,  Donald  succeeded 
Ranald  XV.  of  Clanranald  as  chief  of  that  family. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  MILTON. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  ANGUS  OG,  son  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  I.  of  Benbecula  and  Margaret 
Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg.  He  received  a  wadset  of 
the  5  penny  lands  of  Balivanich,  in  Benbecula,  from 
his  father,  and  afterwards  a  tack  of  Milton  from 
his  cousin,  John  XII.  of  Clanranald.  He  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Maclean  of  Boreray,  and  had 
by  her — 


280  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  James,    tacksman   of   Frobost.      James   had   two   sons, 

Ranald  and  Donald.  Donald  was  a  merchant  in 
South  Uist.  Ranald  succeeded  his  father  as  II.  of 
Frobost.  He  had  two  sons,  Ranald  and  Donald  of 
Stilligarry,  factor  of  South  Uist.  Donald  had  two 
sons,  Lieutenant  Angus  Macdonald  of  Grogary,  and 
James.  Ranald  of  Frobost  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Ranald,  as  III.  of  Frobost.  He  had  a  son,  Ranald. 

3.  Roderick,   tacksman  of  Kilpheder.      He  had  two  sons, 

Angus  and  Alexander. 

4.  Alexander,    minister   of    Ardnamurchan,    afterwards    of 

Islandfinan.     See  Macdonalds  of  Dalelea. 

5.  Somerled,   tacksman   of  Torlum,    Benbecula.     Somerled 

had— 

(A)  Ranald  II.  of  Torlum. 

(B)  John.      He   and    his    brothei*,    Ranald,    were   taken 

prisoners   for    aiding   in    the    escape   of    Prince 
Charles  from  Uist. 
(c)  Roderick. 

(D)  Donald. 

(E)  Margaret,  married  to  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Geri- 

fleuch. 

Ranald,  who  succeeded  his  father  at  Torlum,  was 
factor  of  Benbecula.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Somerled. 

6.  Angus,  tacksman  of  Kilaulay  and  Balgarvay.    He  married, 

in  1710,  Mary,  daughter  of  Lachlaii  Macdonald  of 
Laig,  in  Eigg.  Angus,  who  died  in  1716,  left  three 
sons,  Ranald,  Roderick,  and  Angus.  His  widow 
married  John  Macdonald  of  dead  ell,  in  Eigg,  son  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  of  Cross. 

7.  A  daughter,  who  married  John  Macdonald  of  (Jlenaladale. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Milton  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

II.  RANALD  MACDONALD.  Ranald  received,  in 
1704,  a  tack  for  life  of  the  10  penny  lands  of  North 
and  South  Gerivaltos  from  Clanranald.  He  had 
previously  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Balivanich 
from  Donald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula.  He  married, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     281 

first,  Marion,  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of  Dun- 
vegan,  and  widow  of  Donald  XIII.  of  Clanranald, 
without  issue.  He  married,  secondly,  Marion, 
daughter  of  Angus  Macdonald,  minister  of  South 
Uist,  son  of  John  Macdonald  of  Griminish  and  Flora 
Macdonald  of  Benbecula.  By  her  he  had— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald,  who  died  after  attaining  the  age  of  manhood, 

unmarried. 

3.  Flora,  who  married  Allan  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh. 

Ranald,  who  died  in  1725,  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

III.  ANGUS  MACDONALD.     He  married  Penelope, 
daughter  of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Belfinlay,  and  had 
by  her — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Archibald. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Gilbert.     He  was  a  Captain  in  the  Sixth  Royal  Veteran 

Battalion,  and  amassed  a  considerable  fortune.  By 
his  will,  dated  1835,  he  left  many  legacies  to  relatives 
— £50  to  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institution,  Edinburgh, 
and  ,£20  to  the  poor  of  his  native  parish  of  South 
Uist.  He  died,  unmarried,  in  1836. 

5.  Donald,  who  died  unmarried. 

6.  Flora. 

7.  Marion,  who  married  George  Munro,  minister  of  South 

Uist,  with  issue. 

8.  Mary,  and  two  natural  daughters — Catherine,  residing  at 

Locheynort,  and  Mary,  residing  at  Daliburgh,  to  whom 
annuities  were  left  by  Captain  Gilbert  Macdonald. 

Angus  died  in  August,  1792  (his  elegy  is  in  Stewart's 
Collection),  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

IV.  ANGUS  MACDONALD.     He  was  a  captain  in 
the  army,  and  served  in  the  American  War.     He 
married,  in  1783,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Colin  Mac- 
donald of  Boisdale,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 


282  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

2.  Colin,  who  became  tacksinan  of  Miltou  in  the  absence  of 

his  brother  abroad.      His  lease    terminated  in  1829, 
and  he  died  soon  after,  unmarried. 

3.  Margaret,   who  married  John   Mac  Marquis,   with  issue. 

She   married,    secondly,    her   cousin,   Angus,    son   of 
George  Munro,  minister  of  South  Uist,  without  issue. 

4.  Jane,  who  married  Captain  Hutchison,  in  the  Merchant 

Service,  and  removed  to  England. 

5.  Isabella,  who  married  a  MacCormick,  and  emigrated  to 

America. 

6.  Penelope,   who   married   John    MacLellan,   tacksman  of 

Drimore,  with  issue. 

Captain  Angus  Macdonald  was  drowned  in  Loch- 
eynort,  in  the  winter  of  1808-9  (See  his  elegy  in  the 
Uist  Collection),  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

V.  ANGUS  MACDONALD.  He  served  as  a  lieu- 
tenant in  the  91st  Regiment,  and  was  living  abroad 
in  1828.  He  married  an  Irish  lady,  and  had  a  son, 
Angus. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  DALELEA. 

ALEXANDER  MACDONALD,  the  first  of  this  family, 
was  a  son  of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Milton,  South 
Uist,  and  brother  of  Ranald  Macdonald,  afterwards 
of  Milton.  He  was  at  an  early  age  sent  to  the 
University  of  Glasgow,  where  he  graduated  Master 
of  Arts  July  16th,  1674.  He  afterwards  studied 
divinity,  and  was  in  due  time  instituted  minister  of 
Islandfinan.  In  the  Clanranald  Charter  Chest  there 
are  several  papers  in  Alexander's  handwriting  bear- 
ing dates  before  and  after  the  Revolution  of  1688, 
and  in  all  these  he  designates  himself  "  Minister  of 
Islandfinan,"  never  once  "  Minister  of  Ardna- 
murchan."  His  predecessors  also,  as  well  as  his 
successors,  in  their  receipts  for  stipends  from  1644 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     283 

to  1709  are  similarly  designated.  We  can  find  no 
indication  of  Alexander  Macdonald  having  ever 
lived  at  Ardnamurchan.  According  to  Dr  Scott  in 
his  Fasti  Eccl.  Scoticance,  he  was  deprived  for  non- 
jurancy  in  1697.  He  continued  to  call  himself 
Minister  of  Islandfinan,  and  to  minister  to  the 
Protestants  of  that  district  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
According  to  the  tradition  of  the  country  he  also 
ministered  to  the  Ardnamurchan  people  at  Kilchoari, 
nearly  30  miles  from  Dalelea.  "  Maighstir  Alastair," 
as  he  was  called,  was  reckoned  a  man  of  great 
physical  strength,  and  he  was  undoubtedly  a  man 
of  very  considerable  mental  attainments.  He 
married  a  Morven  lady  of  the  name  of  Maclachlan, 
and  had  by  her — 

1.  Angus,  known  as  Aonyhas  Beag. 

2.  Alexander,  the  Bard.    Alexander  married  Jean  Macdonald 

of  Dalness,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Ranald,  commonly  called  Raonall  Dubh. 

(B)  Jane. 

(c)  Penelope. 

(D)  Catherine. 

(E)  Margaret. 

Ranald  was  tenant  for  some  years  of  the  inn  at 
Strath  Arisaig.  He  afterwards  became  tacksmau  of 
Laig,  in  Eigg,  which  he  entered  before  1770.  In 
1776  he  published  a  valuable  collection  of  Gaelic 
poetry.  Boswell,  writing  to  Johnson  from  Edin- 
burgh, in  February,  1775,  says  : — "  There  is  now 
come  to  this  city  Ranald  Macdonald,  from  the  Isle 
of  Eigg,  who  has  several  MSS.  of  Erse  poetry, 
which  he  wishes  to  publish  by  subscription.  .  .  . 
This  man  says  that  some  of  his  manuscripts  are 
ancient ;  and,  to  be  sure,  one  of  them  which  was 
shewn  to  me  does  appear  to  have  the  duskiness  of 
antiquity."  Ranald  married  Mary  Macdonald,  and 
had  a  son,  Allan. 

In  a  letter  from  him  to  the  Tutors  of  Clanranald, 
in  1800,  he  says  he  is  the  oldest  tacksman  on  the 


284  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

estate,  and  the  only  one  who  had  paid  rent  to  old 
Clanranald,  who  died  in  1766.  He  died  shortly  after, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Allan,  in  the  farm  of 
Laig. 

Allan,  who  was  noted  for  his  feats  of  strength, 
married  Isabella  Macdonald,  and  died  August  9th, 
1833,  leaving  a  son,  Angus,  who  had  been  joint 
tenant  with  him  at  Laig.  Angus  emigrated  to 
America  shortly  after  his  father's  death.  When 
the  war  broke  out  between  the  Northern  and 
Southern  States,  he  received  a  commission  in  the 
llth  Wisconsin  Regiment,  and  distinguished  himself 
by  his  gallantry  during  the  operations  of  the  Federal 
Army  in  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  and  was  severely 
wounded.  He  afterwards  received  an  appointment 
in  the  Civil  Service,  and  died,  unmarried,  at  Mil- 
waukee some  30  years  ago. 

3.  Lachlan.     He  became,  first,  tacksman  of  Gerrihellie,  and 

afterwards  of  Dremisdale,  in  South  Uist.  He  was 
Bailie  of  South  Uist  in  1740.  He  had  three  sons — 
Ewen,  who  succeeded  him  at  Dremisdale,  and  John 
and  Roderick,  both  of  whom  were  "  out "  in  the  '45. 
Lachlan  and  his  brother,  James,  visited  the  Prince  at 
Corrodale.  They  were  afterwards  arrested  on  suspicion 
of  being  concerned  in  the  Prince's  escape ;  but,  for 
want  of  evidence  against  them,  they  were  liberated, 
after  being  detained  for  a  short  time. 

4.  James,  who  was  tacksman  of  Gerrihellie.     He  married 

Marion  Macdonald,  and  had  by  her  James,  a  Captain 
in  the  Long  Island  Militia,  who  succeeded  his  father 
at  Gerrihellie,  and  a  daughter,  Magdalene. 

Alexander  Macdonald,  Minister  of  Islandfinan,  died 
at  Dalelea  May  25,  1724,  and  was  buried  at  Island- 
finan. He  was  succeeded  at  Dalelea  by  his  eldest 

son, 

II.  ANGUS.  Angus  was  "  out "  in  the  '45,  and 
was  a  captain  in  the  Clanranald  Begiment.  He 
was  afterwards  in  hiding  with  his  brother,  Alex- 
ander, until  the  Indemnity  Act  was  passed.  Though 
small  of  stature,  he  was  noted  for  his  physical 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  285 

strength.  He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Cameron  of  Achadhuana,  in  Lochaber,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  Marcella,    who    married    Ranald,    brother    of    Kinloch- 

moidart,    "  who   tossed    his    bonnet    in    the   air   on 
board  the  « Doutelle.'" 

3.  Mary,  married  to  Charles  MacEachen  of  Drimindarach. 

Angus  of  Dalelea  died  shortly  after  1760,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALLAN.       He    married     Mary     Macdonald, 
Arisaig,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Lieutenant  Angus  of  Kennachregan. 

3.  Margaret,    who   married    Donald    Macdonald,    Lochans, 

with  issue. 

Allan  of  Dalelea,  who  died  before  1780,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER.     Alexander,   who   had   been  a 
banker  at   Callender,  bought   Lochans   from    Clan- 
ranald    in    1814.     He   married    Mary,   daughter  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  of  Borrodale,  and  had  by  her  — 

1.  Flora,  who  married  Major  Macdonald  of  the  42nd  Regi- 

ment, who  lived  at  Arisaig. 

2.  Jessie,  who  married  a  Mr  Campbell. 

3.  Joanna,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Marjory,  who  married,  but  left  no  issue. 

THE  MAC  DONALDS  OF  RAMMERSCALES. 

This  family  is  descended  from  DONALD,  son  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  I.  of  Benbecula.  In  1658  he 
received  from  Clanranald  a  tack  of  Boisdale.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  MacNeill  of  Barra,  and  had 
by  her 

DONALD  II.  of  Boisdale.  He  fought  at  Killie- 
crankie  under  his  cousin,  Donald  Macdonald  of 


280  THE   CLAN    DONALD 

Benbecula.  His  claymore  and  cuach  are  still  pre- 
served iii  the  family.  He  married  Mary  Maclean, 
daughter  of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Torloisk,  and  had 
by  her — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Allan,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  Archibald,  who  was  drowned  on  the  Clyde  when  a  boy. 

Donald  of  Boisdale  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.     He  was  an  officer  in  the  army  of 
Prince  Charles,   and    married    Miss   Payne,   grand- 
daughter  of  Carlyle    of  Bridekirk,    Dumfriesshire, 
and  had  by  her— 

1.  Allan,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  76th  Regiment,  or  Mac- 

donald  Highlanders,  and  died  unmarried. 

2.  Donald,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

3.  Archibald,    an    officer   in    the   Army,    who    was    taken 

prisoner  and  put  to  death  in  India  by  Tippoo  Saib. 
He  died  unmarried. 

4.  Janet,    who   n varied    W.    Cuthbertson,    Glasgow,    with 

issue. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  elder  surviving  son, 

IV.  DONALD.       He    married     Mary,    sister    of 
William  Bell  of  Rammerscales,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  William  Bell,  his  successor. 

2.  Margaret. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  WILLIAM  BELL  MACDONALD,  a  man  of  wide 
culture,    and    a    well-known   antiquarian.     He  was 
educated  at  the  University  of  Glasgow,  where  he 
graduated    B.A.    in    1827.       He    was    one    of    the 
greatest  linguists  of  his  time.       In    1851  he  pub- 
lished Lusus  Philologici.    Ex  Museo  Gul.  B.  Mac- 
donald ;    in    1854,    "Ten   Scottish   Songs  rendered 
into    German;"     in    1856,     "Sketch    of    a    Coptic 
Grammer  adapted  for  Self-Tuition."      For  several 
years  he  represented  the  Burgh  of  Lochmaben  in  the 


1.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Belfinlay.        3.  Captain     Allan     Macdonald     of 

2.  Major  Allan  Macdonald  of  Water-  Waternish. 

nish.  4.  Allan  R.  Macdonald,  yr.  of  Water- 

nish. 

5.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Staffa,  afterwards  Sir  Reginald  Steuart  Setou  of 

Allanton,  Bart. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  287 

General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  He 
succeeded  his  maternal  uncle  in  1837  in  the  estate 
of  .Kammerscales,  and  married  in  1839  Helen, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Johnstone  of  Underwood,  and 
had  by  her— 

1.  William  Bell,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Thomas  Johnstone. 

4.  Harriett. 

5.  Mary,  who  died  in  1869. 

William  Bell  Macdonald,  who  died  in  Glasgow, 
Dec.  5,  1862,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

YI.  WILLIAM  BELL  MACDONALD,  who  was  born 
in  1845.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  1st  Regiment,  or 
.Royal  Scots,  and  married  in  1882  Yiolet  Frances, 
daughter  of  James  Buckley  Rutherford,  and  had  by 
her — 

William  Malcolm. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BELFINLAY. 

JAMES,  the  first  of  this  family,  was  the  son  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  II.  of  Benbecula  by  his  wife, 
Anne,  daughter  of  John  XII.  of  Clanranald. 

In  1682,  his  brother,  Donald  III.  of  Benbecula, 
gave  him  a  charter  of  the  12  penny  lands  of  Belfinlay, 
Ardbeg,  and  Ardmore,  the  penny  land  of  Rosinish 
and  Knocknagour,  the  2^-  penny  lands  of  Cuich- 
meane,  all  in  Benbecula,  with  a  penny  land  in 
Machermeanach,  in  Skirhough. 

James  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan,  afterwards  of  Belfinlay. 

3.  Ranald.     He  had  two  sons,  Allan,  and  Donald,  tutor  to 

James  VII.  of  Belfinlay. 


288  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  Mary,  who  married  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Muck,  with  issue. 

James  Macdonald  of  Belfmlay  died  in  1709,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

II.  ANGUS  MACDONALD.     In  1720  he  excambed 
with  Donald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula  his  lands  in 
Uist,  enumerated   above,  for  the  lands  of  Pendui, 
Laggan,  Essan,  Allasary,   Torary,  Ranachan,  Moy, 
and   Peinmeanach,  all   in  Arisaig.     Angus   married 
Penelope,    daughter   of  Macneill    of    Barra.       She 
afterwards    married    Dr   John    Macdonald,    brother 
of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart.     By  her 
Angus  had — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Penelope,  who  married  Angus  Macdonald  of  Milton. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Belfinlay  died  in  1731,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

III.  DONALD  MACDONALD.     He  died  unmarried, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

IV.  RANALD  MACDONALD.     He  joined  the  army 
of  Prince  Charles  at  the  beginning  of  the  campaign, 
and  was  a  captain  in  the  Clanranald  Regiment.     At 
Culloden    he   was   shot   through    both   legs,   which 
rendered   all   chance  of  escape   hopeless.      Having 
been  stripped  of  his  clothing,  he  lay  all  night  on  the 
field  of  battle  in  extreme  agony  from  the  pain  of  his 
wounds  and  exposure  to  inclement  weather.     Next 
morning  he  was  saved  from  being  shot  by  Butcher 
Cumberland's    soldiers    through    the    clemency    of 
Lieutenant     James     Hamilton     of     Cholmondely's 
Regiment.       He    was    then     taken    to    Inverness, 
where  he  lay  in  prison  until  the  Act  of  Indemnity 
set  him  free.     In  prison   he  received   the  cruellest 
treatment,  from  the  effects  of  which,  added  to  his 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  289 

wounds  and  exposure  on  the  field  of  battle,  he 
ultimately  died.  The  gallant  Belfinlay,  described 
by  Bishop  Forbes  as  "a  tall,  strapping,  beautiful 
young  man,"  died  on  September  27,  1749.  Having 
never  married,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  uncle, 

V.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.  He  married  Isabel 
Cameron,  without  issue,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
nephew,  the  son  of  his  brother, 

VI.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.  In  1763  he  sold  his 
lands  in  Arisaig  to  Ranald  Macdonald,  younger  of 
Clanranald,  for  30,810  merks.  The  Judicial  Rental 
of  these  lands  in  the  following  year  gives  the  gross 
rental  at  1108  merks.  On  selling  his  estate,  Bel- 
finlay leased  the  lands  of  Keppoch  and  others 
from  Clanranald.  In  1761  he  married  Jean,  eldest 
daughter  of  Lachlan  Mackinnon  of  Corry,  and  had 
by  her— 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  representation  of  the 

family. 

2.  Allan,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Janet,    who    married    Thomas   Ord,    Factor   for    Blair- 

drummond,  with  issue. 

Allan  died  February  10,  1784,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  eldest  son, 

VII.  JAMES  MACDONALD.  He  died,  unmarried, 
in  America,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VIII.  ALLAN  MACDONALD.  He  entered  the  army 
in  1799,  and  received  his  first  commission  in  the 
55th  Regiment.  He  shortly  afterwards  proceeded 
with  his  regiment  to  the  West  Indies,  where  he 
served  with  distinction,  and  in  January,  1808,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  In  the  same 
year  he  took  part  in  the  expedition,  under  Major- 
General  Carmichael,  against  St  Domingo,  and,  on 
termination  of  hostilities,  he  was  promoted  to  the 

19 


290  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

temporary  command  of  the  2nd  West  India  Regi- 
ment. He  also  served  in  the  campaign  in  the 
Netherlands,  in  1813  and  1814,  and  distinguished 
himself  at  the  storming  of  Bergen-op-Zoom,  where 
he  was  second  in  command  of  the  55th  Regiment. 
In  this  assault  he  was  wounded.  In  January,  1818, 
he  received  his  promotion  to  the  majority  of  his 
corps.  In  1821  he  left  the  service,  being  then 
senior  major  of  his  regiment,  with  the  sale  of  his 
commission.  In  1827  he  purchased  from  Clanranald 
the  Estate  of  Moidart,  and  in  1833  he  purchased 
from  Lord  Glenelg  the  Estate  of  Waternish,  in  Skye. 
In  1834  he  sold  the  Estate  of  Moidart.  He  took  up 
his  residence  at  Waternish  on  his  acquiring  that 
property,  and  interested  himself  in  country  affairs. 
He  interested  himself  much  in  farming,  and  took 
great  pains  in  establishing  the  well-known  Water- 
nish herd  of  Highland  cattle.  He  was  a  J.P.  and 
D.L.  of  the  county  of  Inverness.  Major  Macdonald 
married,  in  1819,  Flora,  daughter  of  Patrick  Nicolson 
of  Ardmore  by  his  wife  Catherine,  daughter  of 
Ronald  MacAlister  of  Skirinish,  and  by  her  had — 

1.  Patrick,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  representation  of  the 

family. 

2.  Allan,  who  died  young. 

3.  Allan.     In  1848  he  obtained  a  commission  in  the  99th 

Regiment  as  Ensign,  and  shortly  afterwards  joined 
his  regiment  in  Tasmania,  where  he  remained  with  it 
till  1855.  In  1857  he  got  his  company,  and  in  the 
same  year  he  retired  from  the  army  with  the  sale  of 
his  commission.  On  the  death  of  his  father,  Captain 
Macdonald  succeeded  him  in  the  Estate  of  Waternish. 
He  has  since  made  an  addition  to  his  patrimony  by 
the  purchase  of  the  fine  Island  of  Rona,  in  Uist.  He 
is  a  keen  sportsman,  keeps  a  yacht,  and  the  finest 
pack  of  terriers  in  the  Highlands.  He  also  takes 
much  interest  in  both  county  and  local  affairs,  and  is 


1.  Colonel  Donald  Macdonald,  Bois-        3.  D.  J.  K.  Macdonald  of  Sanda. 

dale.  4.  Hector     Macdonald-Buchauan 

2.  Hon.  William  Macdonald  of  Vail  ay.  (Boisdale). 

5.  Admiral  Robertson  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      291 

a  J.P.  and  D.L.  of  the  County  of  Inverness.  Captain 
Macdonald,  who  is  a  typical  Highland  gentleman,  is, 
in  all  respects,  true  to  the  best  traditions  of  his  race, 
and  is  greatly  respected  in  the  Western  Isles.  He  is 
still  unmarried. 
4.  Donald,  who  died  in  1854,  unmarried. 

Major  Allan  Macdonald  died  in  May,  1855,  when  he 
was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the  family  of 
Belfinlay  by  his  eldest  son 

IX.  PATRICK  MACDONALD.     He  married  Grace, 
daughter  of  James  Bell  of  JScarden,  in  Ireland,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  Allan  Reginald,  his  successor. 

2.  A  son,  who  died  young. 

Patrick  died  in  1874,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

X.  ALLAN  REGINALD  MACDONALD,  now  living  at 
Waternish,  and  heir   of  his    uncle,    Captain    Mac- 
donald.      He     married,    in     1895,      Edith,     eldest 
daughter  of  Mr  Thomas  Bayne,  and  has  by  her — 

1.  Reginald. 

2.  Flora. 

3.  Donald  Ronald. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BOISDALE. 

ALEXANDER  MACDONALD,  the  first  of  this  family, 
was  the  son  by  his  second  marriage  of  Donald 
Macdonald  of  Benbecula,  afterwards  XVI.  of  Clan- 
ranald.  He  was  born  in  1698,  and  his  father,  in 
1721,  gave  him  as  his  portion  a  liferent  tack  of  the 
lands  of  Cuichmeane,  Rosinish,  and  Knocknagour, 
in  Benbecula.  In  1741,  he  received  from  his  brother, 
Clanranald,  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Boisdale,  and 
others,  for  life,  and  to  his  successors  for  499  years. 
He  gave  up  this  tack  in  1756,  and  in  1758  received 


292  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

a  feu  charter  of  the  lands  of  Boisdale,  Smerclet, 
Kilbride.  Eriska,  and  Lingay.  Alexander,  known 
as  "  Alastair  Mor  nam  Mart,"  was  a  shrewd  business 
man  who  succeeded  in  accumulating  a  considerable 
fortune.  He  was  noted  for  his  physical  strength, 
and  had  the  reputation  of  being  "  as  able  a  bowlman 
as  any  in  Scotland." 

When  Prince  Charles  landed  at  Eriska  on  the 
23rd  of  July,  1745,  he  sent  a  messenger  to  Boisdale 
in  the  hope  of  persuading  him  to  engage  the  men 
of  South  Uist  in  his  favour,  the  great  body  of  whom 
were  known  to  favour  his  cause.  But  Boisdale, 
notwithstanding  the  kindness  shown  by  him  to  the 
Prince  afterwards  when  a  fugitive  in  Uist,  does  not 
appear,  from  the  principles  he  then  and  afterwards 
professed,  to  have  been  favourable  to  a  change  of 
dynasty.  His  conduct  during  the  rebellion  may  be 
inferred  from  the  memorial  sent  up  to  London  in  his 
favour  by  the  Presbytery  of  Uist,  who,  in  their  own 
words,  "  cannot  be  justly  suspected  of  any  design  to 
impede  justice,  or  screen  His  Majesty's  enemies." 
After  referring  to  his  loyalty  to  the  Constitution  in 
Church  and  State,  the  memorialists  declare  that 
"  during  the  continuance  of  the  late  troubles  he 
gave  all  possible  discouragement  to  the  Pretender's 
adherents,  and  was  neither  allured  by  promises  nor 
overawed  by  threateriings  to  rise  in  arms."  The 
memorialists  still  further  declare  that  "  when  some 
mad  people  in  the  country  of  South  Uist  gathered 
together  some  vagabonds  to  march  with  them  to  the 
Pretender's  camp,  he  endeavoured  to  stop  their 
career,  and  wrote  his  brother,  who  was  then  in 
Harris,  that  he  should  return  and  use  his  authority  to 
disperse  them,  which  was  accordingly  done."  When 
the  Prince's  misfortunes,  however,  drove  him  back  to 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  293 

Uist,  Boisdale  acted  a  noble  part  in  protecting  the 
royal  wanderer  from  his  enemies,  often  visiting  him 
in  his  hiding  place  at  Corrodale,  and  supplying  him 
with  the  necessaries  of  life.  As  might  have  been 
expected,  he  was  arrested  on  suspicion  of  harbouring 
the  Prince,  and  carried  to  London.  This  was  about 
the  middle  of  June.  The  Presbytery  of  Uist  met 
on  the  29th  of  September,  and  sent  the  memorial 
already  referred  to  in  his  favour,  which  had  the 
desired  effect  by  his  being  liberated. 

Boisdale  married,  first,  Mary,  daughter  of  Donald 
Macdonald  of  Castle  ton,  widow  of  Sir  Donald  Mac- 
donald  of  Sleat,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Colin,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  a  shipmaster,  and  merchant  in  South  Uist. 

3.  Janet,  who  died  unmarried  in  Edinburgh  in  1818. 

4.  Mary,  who  married  William  Macdouald  of  Vallay,  with 

issue. 

5.  Anne,  who  married  Dr  Murdoch  Macleod  of  Eyre,  with 

issue. 

Boisdale  married,  secondly,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Hector  Maclean,  XIII.  of  Coll,  and  had  by  her — 

6.  Donald,    an  officer  in   the  Army,  killed  in  America  in 

1757. 

7.  Hector,  an  officer  in   the  Army,   killed  in  America  in 

1759. 

Boisdale  married,  thirdly,  Anne,  daughter  of  Mac- 
Neil  of  Barra,  and  had  by  her — 

8.  James  of  A.skernish,  a  Major  in  the  Army,  who  served  in 

the  Macdonald  and  other  regiments.  He  married 
Christina,  daughter  of  Donald  Macleod  of  Bernera, 
and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Dr  Alexander  Macdonald,   who  was   in   practice   in 

Inverness,  where  he  died  unmarried,  June  9th 
1837. 

(B)  Donald. 

(o)  Margaret  Christian,  who  died  at  Inverness  in  1836. 
(D)  Jane. 


294  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Major  James  Macdonald  died  at  Rothesay,   18th 
June,  1857,  and  was  buried  there.     His  wife  died  at 
Itothesay,  and  was  buried  there,  July  9,  1835. 
9.  Margaret,    who  married    Donald    MacXeill   of   Kenach- 
reggan,  afterwards  of  Canna,  with  issue. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale  had  other  8  sons 
and  2  daughters,  all  of  whom  died  young.  He  died 
at  Kilbride,  South  Uist,  in  1768,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son, 

II.  COLIN.  He,  like  his  father,  was  well  known 
in  the  Highlands  as  a  man  of  outstanding  abilities 
and  active  business  habits,  which  he  put  to  good 
account  by  adding  considerably  to  his  patrimony. 
In  the  latter  half  of  the  18th  century  he  purchased 
the  estate  of  Ulva  and  other  lands  in  Mull. 

He  married,  first,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Donald 
Campbell  of  Airds,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  a  Major  in  the   92nd  or  Gordon  Highlanders. 

He  also  served  in  the  22nd,  18th,  and  100th  Regiments, 
lu  1795,  letters  of  service  were  granted  to  him  to 
raise  a  regiment  in  the  Highlands,  of  which  he  was 
appointed  Colonel,  but  he  died  that  year,  and  before 
the  regiment  was  completed.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  Innes  of  Sandside,  Caithness,  without  issue. 
3  Hector,  a  W.S.,  and  one  of  the  Principal  Clerks  of 
Session.  He  was  well  known  in  Edinburgh  society 
and  in  the  Highlands  and  Islands  as  agent  for 
several  proprietors.  He  was  on  intimate  terms  with 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  who  was  a  frequent  guest  at  his 
seat  of  Ross  Priory.  He  was  for  many  years  the 
representative  of  the  Presbytery  of  Uist  in  the 
General  Assembly.  On  his  marriage  to  the  daughter 
and  heiress  of  Buchanan  of  Drumikill  and  Ross 
Priory,  Dumbartonshire,  he  assumed  her  name  in 
addition  to  his  own.  By  her  he  had  Colin,  Robert, 
Hector,  John,  and  James,  all  of  whom  died  after  attain- 
ing the  age  of  manhood.  He  had  four  daughters — Jane, 
Margaret,  Jemima,  and  Flora.  Jemima  married,  in 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  295 

1830,  Sir  Alexander  Leith,  Bart.,  and  had  Sir  George 
Hector  Leith,  Bart,  of  the  Ross  Priory  ;  James  Alex- 
ander, Lieutenant  in  the  92ud  Regiment,  who  died  in 
1857  ;  John  Macdonald,  C.B.,  Lieut.-Colonel  1st  Batt. 
Queen's  Own  Cameron  Highlanders,  who  died  in  1888. 
Hector  Macdonald-Buchanan  died  in  1835. 

4.  Margaret,   who,  in   1783,  married  Captain  Angus  Mac- 

donald IV.  of  Milton,  with  issue. 

5.  Harriet,    who,  in  1786,  married   Major  Alexander  Mac- 

donald of  Vallay,  with  issue. 

Boisdale  married,  secondly,  Isabella,  daughter  of 
Lieut.  Robert  Campbell,  of  the  99th  Regiment, 
afterwards  of  Glenfalloch,  and  sister  of  John,  6th 
Earl  of  Breadalbane.  By  her  he  had 

6.  Ranald.     He  passed  Advocate  in  1798,  and  afterwards 
»  became   Sheriff  of  Stirlingshire.      He  succeeded  his 

father  in  Ulva,  and  other  lands,  in  Mull,  in  1800.  In 
1812  the  rental  of  his  estate  from  kelp  and  other 
sources  amounted  to  £3600.  He  was  a  model  land- 
lord, and  highly  popular  among  Highlanders.  He 
was  a  member  of  several  Highland  societies.  He  took 
great  interest  in  the  poetry  and  lore  of  the  Highlands, 
and  collected  Ossianic  poems  and  tales  in  1801-3,  which 
are  preserved  in  the  Advocate's  Library.  He  repre- 
sented the  Presbytery  of  Mull  for  many  years  in  the 
General  Assembly,  and  was  Colonel  of  the  Long  Island 
Regiment  of  Militia,  which  assembled  at  Benbecula. 
His  intimacy  with  Sir  Walter  Scott,  who  visited  him 
at  Ulva  in  1810,  is  well  known.  Referring  to  that 
visit,  Scott  says  : — "  The  proprietor  of  the  isle,  Mac- 
donald of  Staffa,  a  fine,  high-spirited  young  chieftain, 
was  our  pilot  and  guide  through  the  Hebrides.  He  is 
much  loved  by  his  people,  whose  prosperity  he  studies 
much.  ...  In  the  Isle  of  Ulva,  where  he  has  his 
house,  we  were  treated  with  somethiug  like  feudal 
splendour.  His  people  received  us  under  arms,  and 
with  a  discharge  of  musketry  and  artillery.  His  piper 
l  was  a  constant  attendant  on  our  parties,  and  wakened 

us  in  the  morning  with  his  music."  Scott  pays  a 
warm  tribute  to  Staffa's  character  as  a  landlord  in  his 
article  on  Sir  John  Carr's  Caledonian  Sketches,  and  in 


296  TflE   CLAN    DONALD. 

the  spirited  verses  written  at  his  house  in  Ulva  during 
his  visit  to  the  "  king  of  all  kind  fellows."  Ranald 
married,  in  1812,  Isabella,  only  child  and  heiress  of 
Henry  Stewart  of  Allanton,  afterwards  created  a 
baronet.  He  had  by  her — 

(A)  Henry  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

(B)  Archibald,     who    married     Katherine,    daughter    of 

Robert  Stein,  and  had  Allan  Henry,  and  Douglas 
Archibald. 

(c)  Colin  Archibald,  who  was  drowned. 
(D)  Isabella,    who    married,   in    1852,   Rev.   J.    Lockhart 
Ross,  rector  of  St  Dunstan-in-the-East,   London, 
nnd  died  in  1864. 
(B)  Lillias  Urquhart,  who  died  in  1866. 

In  1835,  Ranald's  wife  succeeded  in  right  of  her 
mother  to  the  Estate  of  Touch  Seton,  Stirlingshire, 
and  added  the  name  of  Seton  to  her  own.  On  the 
death  of  Sir  Henry  Steuart  of  Allanton  in  1836, 
Ranald  succeeded  him  as  2nd  Baronet,  and  assumed 
the  name  of  Steuart  Seton  in  addition  to  his  own. 
Sir  Ranald  died  15th  April,  1838,  in  the  61st  year 
of  his  age,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Henry 
James,  as  3rd  Baronet.  Sir  Henry  married,  in  1852, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Robert  Montgomery,  son  of 
Sir  James  Montgomery,  Bart,  of  Stanhope,  without 
surviving  issue.  He  died  in  1884,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  nephew,  the  son  of  his  brother,  Archibald, 
Alan  Henry,  as  4th  Baronet.  Sir  Alan,  who  is 
"  hereditary  Arm  our-  Bearer  and  Squire  of  the  Royal 
Body  in  Scotland,  married,  in  1883,  Susan  Edith, 
daughter  of  Sir  James  Clerk,  Baronet,  without  issue. 
7.  Robert  of  Inch  Kenneth  and  Gribune,  who  was  a  Colonel 
in  the  Royal  Artillery,  and  a  C.B.  He  married  in 
1801  Mary,  daughter  of  Thomas  Douglas  of  Grautham, 
and  had 

(A)  Robert  Douglas,  a  Captain  in  the  42nd  Regiment, 
who  mai-ried  Mary  Anne  Carleton,  Malta,  and 
had  (a)  Robert,  a  Captain  in  the  97th  Regiment, 
who  died  leaving  one  son,  who  died  in  1872;  (6) 
Charles  Edward,  Colonel  in  the  Royal  Marines, 
who  married  Rebecca,  widow  of  George  Enbank, 
and  had  (a1)  Charles  Clanranald,  Captain,  A.S.C., 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  297 

(a2)  Kenneth  Alexander,  Captain,  A.S.C.,  (a3) 
Flora  Mary.  (c)  Isabella  Mary.  (d)  Mary 
Anne,  who  married  Captain  Capel  Miers,  79th 
Regiment. 

(B)  Charles  Kerr,  a  Major  in  the  42nd  Regiment,  who 
married  Lady  Asworth,  without  issue,  and  died 
at  Alexandria  in  1868. 

(c)  James  Archibald,  a  Captain  in  the  Royal  Navy,  who 
married  Louisa  Greig,  a  niece  of  Lady  Rollo,  and 
had  (a)  Charles  Douglas,  an  officer  in  the  Royal 
Marines,  who  died  at  Guernsey  in  1872 ;  (6) 
Louisa  ;  (c)  Mary.  James  died  in  1875. 

(D)  Ranald  George  Meyritt,  a  W.S.,  who  married,  first, 

Alicia,  daughter  of  Rev.  B.  Bridges,  without 
issue,  and  secondly,  Mary  Anne,  widow  of  W. 
Baiues,  Q.C.,  without  issue. 

(E)  Isabella  Louisa,    who  married  James  N.  MacNeille, 

with  issue. 

8.  Colin,  an  Admiral  in  the  Royal  Navy,  and  a  C.B.     He 

married,  but  left  no  issue. 

9.  James,  M.D.,  who  died,  unmarried,  in  1806. 

10.  William,  who  died  young. 

11.  Isabella,  who  died  unmarried. 

12.  Jean,  who  married  John  Macdonald,  XIX.  of  Clauranald, 

without  issue. 

13.  Mary,  who  died  young. 

14.  Flora,  who  died  young. 

Colin   Macdonald  of  Boisdale  died  July   31,   1800, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.  He  served  in  the  American 
War,  was  a  Captain  in  the  71st  Regiment,  and 
retired  from  the  army  with  the  rank  of  Colonel. 
He  married,  in  1783,  Marion,  only  daughter  of 
Hugh  Maclean  of  Coll,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Hugh,  his  successor. 

2.  Colin,  who  was  a  medical  officer  of  health  in  India,  where 

he  died  unmarried. 

3.  Donald,  a  Major  in  the  Army,  killed  in  battle. 

4.  Janet,  who  died  unmarried. 

5.  Isabella,  who  married  Colonel  Cadell. 

6.  Margaret,  who  married  Major  Lawrence,  with  issue.1- 


298  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Colonel  Alexander   Macdonald  of  Boisdale  died  in 
1818,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  HUGH.  '  The  Estate  of  Boisdale,  in  the 
hands  of  trustees  for  some  years,  was  sold  in  1839 
to  Colonel  Gordon  of  Cluny.  Hugh  had  previously 
left  the  country.  He  lived  for  some  time  in  Liver- 
pool, where  he  married,  but  we  know  nothing 
further  of  him,  or  of  his  family,  if  he  had  any. 

THE   MACDONALDS   OF   KINLOCHMOIDART. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Kinlochmoidart  are  descended 
from  JOHN,  son  of  Allan  IX.  of  Clanranald,  known 
as  Iain  Mac  Alien.  He  received  from  Clanranald 
a  feu  charter  of  Kinlochmoidart,  and  of  Askernish, 
with  other  lands  in  Uist.  The  Uist  lands  were 
afterwards  exchanged  for  Glenforslan,  and  other 
lands,  in  Moidart.  John  married  a  daughter  of 
Macleod  of  Lewis,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John,   who,   in    1664,    married    Katherme,  daughter   of 

Allan  Macdonald  of  Knockeiltaig,  in  Eigg. 

3.  Roderick,  whose  issue  is  extinct. 

John  died  about   1644,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.  Alexander,  who  fought  against 
the  Cromwellians  in  Ireland,  and  was  wounded 
there,  married  Marion,  daughter  of  Allan  Mor  Mac- 
donald of  Morar,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  James,  who  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  MacNeill  of 

Barra. 

3.  Angus,  who  married  Anne,  daughter  of  Charles  Maclean 

of  Drimnin. 

4.  Una. 

Alexander   Macdonald    of  Kinlochmoidart   died  in 
1689,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     299 

III.  RANALD.  Ranald  fought  at  Killiecrankie, 
and  afterwards  at  Sheriffmuir  as  Major  in  the  Clan- 
ranald  Regiment.  He  married  Margaret,  only 
daughter  of  John  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  by 
her 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Johu,  a  doctor  of  medicine,  who  fought  with  his  father  at 

Sheriffmuir,  and  was  afterwards  implicated  in  the 
affairs  of  the  '45.  While  in  hiding  in  Eigg,  after 
the  Battle  of  Culloden,  Captain  Ferguson  of  the 
"  Furnace  "  went  in  seai'ch  of  him,  but  Dr  Macdonald 
gave  himself  up.  He  was  then  taken  on  board  the 
"Furnace,"  stripped  of  his  clothes,  and  "barrisdaled  " 
(the  instrument  of  torture  so  called  was  invented  by 
Barrisdale)  in  a  dai'k  dungeon.  He  afterwards  lived 
at  Kinlochmoidart.  He  married  the  widow  of  ./Eneas 
Macdonald  of  Belfinlay. 

3.  Ranald.     In   1730,   Clanranald  gave  him  a  tack  of  the 

lands  of  Daliburgh,  in  South  Uist.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  to  join  Prince  Charles.  It  was  he  who,  on 
board  the  Prince's  ship  at  Lochnanuagh,  when  he 
saw  his  brother  Kinlochmoidart  and  Young  Clanranald 
hesitate,  turned  to  the  Prince  and  said— -"  Though  no 
other  man  in  the  Highlands  should  draw  a  sword,  I 
am  ready  to  die  for  you."  Ranald  received  a  com- 
mission as  Captain  in  the  Clanranald  Regiment,  and 
accompanied  the  Prince's  Army  to  England,  taking 
part  in  all  the  engagements.  He  was  fortunate  in  not 
being  excepted  from  the  General  Pardon.  In  1749, 
Clanranald  gave  him  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Irine, 
where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  days.  He  was  known 
in  the  West  Highlands  as  "  Captain  Ranald  Mac- 
donald of  Irine."  He  married  Marcella,  daughter  of 
Angus  Macdonald  of  Dalelea,  and  had,  it  is  said,  21 
children,  one  of  whom,  Ewen,  was  a  priest.  The  rest 
of  the  family  who  grew  up  are  believed  to  have  emi- 
grated to  America. 

4.  Aeneas.      He    went   to    France   at   an    early   age,    was 

educated  there,  and  afterwards  became  a  banker 
in  Paris.  He  was  one  of  the  "  Seven  Men  of  Moidart " 
who  accompanied  Prince  Charles  to  Scotland  in  1746. 


300  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Holding  the  commission  (dated  June  1,  1745)  of  the 
French  King  appointing  him  Commissary  in  England 
and  Scotland  of  the  French  troops  then  intended  to  be 
embarked  for  Scotland,  he  followed  the  Prince's  fortu- 
nates  till  the  Battle  of  Culloden.  He  then  procured 
Donald  Macleod  to  act  as  guide  to  the  Prince,  but 
was  obliged  to  surrender  himself  to  General  Campbell 
on  May  13,  1746.  He  was  committed  to  Dumbarton 
Castle,  whence  he  was  conducted  to  Edinburgh  Castle 
in  the  latter  end  of  August,  and  the  week  after  to  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  Office  at  Whitehall,  when  he  was 
immediately  committed  to  the  custody  of  a  messenger. 
He  was  committed  to  Newgate  on  May  27,  1747,  and 
was  expressly  excepted  from  the  Act  of  Indemnity. 
He  was  found  guilty  of  high  treason  on  July  3rd, 
having  the  day  before  attempted  to  escape  from  New- 
gate. On  July  10th  he  was  again  arraigned,  and, 
finally,  on  December  10th,  1747,  the  jury  found  him 
guilty,  but  recommended  him  to  mercy.  On  the  18th 
of  December  he  was  sentenced  to  death.  The  case 
was,  however,  considered  a  hard  one,  as  Aeneas  was 
virtually  a  French  subject,  and  he  therefore  received 
the  King's  pardon  under  the  Great  Seal  on  condition  of 
his  retiring  from  His  Majesty's  dominions,  and  con- 
tinuing abroad  during  his  life.  It  was  only,  how- 
ever, on  December  llth,  1749,  that  he  regained  his 
liberty,  a  creditor  having  brought  an  action  against 
him  for  debt  whilst  under  sentence,  which  resulted  in 
his  being  detained  a  prisoner  for  two  years.  He  sub- 
sequently returned  to  France,  and  was  killed  during 
the  French  Revolution.  He  was  never  married. 
5.  Allan.  He  also  fought  for  Prince  Charles,  being  a 
Captain  in  the  Clanranald  Regiment.  He  it  was, 
with  Young  Clanranald,  who  was  sent  by  the  Prince, 
shortly  after  his  landing,  to  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald 
and  Macleod  to  solicit  their  aid,  but  in  vain.  After 
the  defeat  at  Culloden  he  went  to  France,  where  he 
married,  and  had 

(A)  Clementina  Jacobina  Sobieski  (bom  1768,  died  1842), 

who  married  Francis  Schnell,  with  issue. 

(B)  Allan  Og,  who  married,  and  had  a  son  who  was  killed 

with  his  father  during   the  Revolution,    and  a 
daughter,  who  married  the  Marquis  Daringcour. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  301 

6.  James,  who  held  a  commission  in  the  Prince's  Army.    He 

was  captured  after  Culloden,  but  appears  to  have 
escaped  and  gone  to  America.  He  was  expressly 
excepted  from  the  General  Pardon  in  1747. 

7.  Alastair,  who  emigrated  to  America. 

8.  Archibald,  who  died  unmarried. 

9.  Margaret,  who  married  James  Macdonald  of  Aird,  with 

issue. 

10.  Anne,  who  married  Angus  Maclean  of  Kinlochaline,  with- 

out issue. 

11.  Mary,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Morar. 

12.  Flora,  who  died  unmarried. 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart  died  in  1725, 
and  was  succeeded  in  the  estate  by  his  eldest  son, 

IV.  DONALD.  He  was  at  the  Battle  of  Sheriff- 
muir  with  his  father,  Ranald,  and  having  joined 
Prince  Charles  when  he  landed  at  Borrodale  on  the 
25th  July,  1745,  he  was  despatched  the  same  day 
to  summon  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  the  Duke  of  Perth, 
and  John  Murray  of  Broughton.  The  Prince  pro- 
ceeded to  Kinlochmoidart  House  on  the  llth 
August,  and  remained  there  till  the  18th,  when  he 
set  out  for  Glenfinan.  Kinlochmoidart  brought  100 
men  to  the  Prince's  standard,  was  made  aide-de- 
camp  to  the  Prince,  and  a  Colonel  in  the  army. 
He  was  employed  more  than  anyone  else  in  visiting 
the  various  chiefs  whose  adherence  the  Prince  was 
anxious  to  secure.  On  his  way  to  England, 
returning,  it  is  said,  from  making  a  last  appeal  to 
Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  and  Macleod,  and  accom- 
panied by  only  one  servant,  he  was  beset  at  a  place 
called  Broken-Cross  Muir,  near  the  village  of 
Lesmahagow  by  a  student  of  divinity  named 
Linning,  assisted  by  a  carpenter,  named  Meikle, 
with  some  country  people  armed  with  old  guns  arid 
pitchforks.  His  servant  proposed  to  fire  on  the 
rabble,  but  Kinlochmoidart  generously  resolved  to 


302  *    THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

surrender  at  once  rather  than  occasion  a  useless 
effusion  of  blood,  and  he  was  accordingly  taken 
prisoner  and  conducted  by  his  captor  to  Edinburgh, 
where  he  was  committed  to  the  Castle  on  November 
12,  1745.  In  the  summer  of  1746,  he  was  removed 
to  Carlisle  Castle  to  await  his  trial.  On  the  24th 
of  September  he  was  found  guilty  of  high  treason 
and  condemned  to  death,  and  on  the  18th  of 
October  he  was  executed  at  Carlisle,  and  his  head 
stuck  over  the  Scottish  gate  there,  where  it  remained 
for  many  years.  Such  was  the  end  of  the  gallant 
Kinlochmoidart,  a  man,  in  the  words  of  Bishop 
Forbes,  "fit  for  either  the  Cabinet  or  the  field." 
His  estate  was  forfeited,  and  Kinlochmoidart  House 
was  burnt  to  the  ground  by  Butcher  Cumberland's 
soldiers. 

Donald  married  Isabel,  daughter  of  Robert 
Stewart  of  Appin  by  his  wife,  Catherine,  daughter 
of  Sir  Duncan  Campbell  of  Lochnell,  and  by  her 
had— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Charles,  who  was  educated  at  the  Scots  College  in  Paris. 

He  afterwards  entered  the  French  Army,  and  served 
in  the  American  War.  He  rose  to  the  rank  of  General, 
and  was  made  a  Count.  He  was  guillotined  in  the 
early  part  of  the  French  Revolution,  and  died 
unmarried. 

3.  Allan,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Angus,  a  priest,  who  died  in  Jamaica. 

5.  Donald,  who  died  in  Jamaica,  without  issue. 

Donald  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  son, 

Y.  ALEXANDER.  He  was  educated  at  the  Scots 
College  in  Paris,  and,  entering  the  army,  he  got 
his  first  commission  in  the  42nd  Regiment.  He 
obtained  his  company  by  raising  men  in  the  High- 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  303 

lands,  and  ultimately  became  Lieutenant-Colonel  of 
the  2nd  Battalion  of  the  71st  Regiment.  He  served 
with  that  regiment  in  the  American  War,  and  was 
invalided  home  in  1780.  He  married,  in  1765, 
Susannah,  daughter  of  Donald  Campbell  of  Airds, 
who  died  in  1817,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Donald,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Margarita,  who  succeeded  her  brother. 

Alexander  died  in  Edinburgh,  October  3,  1781,  from 
injuries  received  during  the  American  War,  arid  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  JOHN,  who  was  born  in  October,  17(>9,  and 
educated    at    the    Jesuits'    College    at    St    Omer. 
He  entered  the  army,  and  was  senior  major  of  the 
21st  Highlanders  (Royal  Scots  Fusiliers),  when  he 
was  severely  wounded  during  the  storming  of  the 
Fort  of  La  Fleur  d'  Epee  in  Gnadaloupe,  April  12, 
1794.     He  was  carried  on  board  H. M.S.  Winchelsea, 
and  died  there  shortly  afterwards.     John,  who  was 
never  married,  was  succeeded  in  the  estate,  which 
had  been  restored  to  him  in  1786,  by  his  brother, 

VII.  DONALD,  who  was  born  in  1771,  and  educated 
at  the  Jesuits'  College  at  St  Omer.     He  entered  the 
army,  and  eventually  became  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the 
2nd  Batt.  of  the  Royals.     He  served  with  distinction 
in  Egypt  and  the  West  Indies,  and  was  appointed 
Governor  of  Tobago.     He  died  in  1804,  while  holding 
that  post,  from  the  effects  of  wounds  received  in  the 
taking  of  the  Island  of  St  Lucie.     He  died  unmarried, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  sister, 

VIII.  MARGARITA,   who    was   born  at  Airds  in 
1773.     She  married,  at  Edinburgh,  October  2,  1799, 
Lieut. -Colonel  David  Robertson,  youngest  son  of  the 
celebrated   historian   and   Very  Reverend    William 


304  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Robertson,  Principal  of  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh, and  Historiographer  Royal  for  Scotland, 
who  became  the  representative  of  the  family  of 
Robertson  of  Muirton  and  Gladney,  a  cadet  of 
Strowan.  Colonel  Robertson  assumed  the  name 
of  Macdonald  in  addition  to  his  own  when  his 
wife  succeeded  to  Kinlochmoidart.  Margarita 
Robertson- Macdonald  had  issue — 

1.  William  Frederick,  who  succeeded  her. 

2.  Alexander,    an   officer    in    the    12th    Regiment   Madras 

Native  Infantry,  born  December  13th,  1804,  died 
unmarried,  April  5th,  1824. 

3.  James,   born   July   22nd,    1806,   a  Captain   in   the   9th 

Madras  Native  Infantry,  and  Assistant-Commissary- 
General.  He  was  present  at  the  capture  of  Rangoon, 
in  May,  1824,  and  served  in  the  Ava  Campaign  from 
May,  1824,  to  June,  1826.  He  was  also  at  all  the 
operations  of  the  Headquarters  Column,  Coorg  Field 
Force,  in  1834,  as  Commissariat  Officer  of  the  Column. 
He  married  September  28th,  1820,  Anne  Emilia,  4th 
daughter  of  Captain  Charles  Stewart  of  Blackball,  and 
died,  without  issue,  at  the  Cape,  February  15th,  1851. 

4.  David,  born  May  6th,  1810,  died  January  6th,  1811. 

5.  John,  born  October  23rd,   1811,  an  officer  in  the  30th, 

and  subsequently  in  the  9th  Regiment  of  Madras 
Native  Infantry.  He  was  killed  during  an  attack  on 
a  stockade  at  Saumwarfit,  or  Busk,  Coorg,  April  3rd, 
1834.  He  was  never  married. 

6.  David,   who  afterwards  succeeded  his  nephew  as  repre- 

sentative of  the  family. 

7.  Susannah  Margarita,  born  July  10th,  1800,  died  unmar- 

ried, December  9th,  1889. 

8.  Mary,  born  June  18th,   1801,   died   unmarried,  August 

8th,  1884. 

9.  Isabella  Marie  Stewart,  born  August  23rd,  1803,  married 

Robert  Steele,  and  emigrated  to  South  Australia.  She 
had  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  died  at  Mel- 
bourne, June  18th,  1896. 

10.  Margarita,  born  June  24th,  1808,  married  Henry  Wight 
of  Largneau,  and  died,  without  issue,  December  7th, 
1891, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      305 

11.  Eleanor,  born  June  24th,  1813,  died  unmarried,  January 

29th,  1892. 

12.  Elizabeth  Brydone,  born  February  1st,  1818,  married  C. 

Bering,  and  died  at  Dresden,  without  issue,  in  1870. 

13.  Janet,  born  September  15th,  1819,  married,  January  2nd, 

1840,  the  Rev.  John  Gibson  MacVicar,  D.D.,  LL.D., 
minister  of  Moffat,  with  issue — 4  sons  and  5  daughters. 

Margarita  Robertson-Macdonald  of  Kinlochmoidart 
died  June  1,  1844,  and  her  husband,  Colonel 
Robertson-Macdonald,  died  September  7,  1845. 
She  was  succeeded  by  her  eldest  son, 

IX.  WILLIAM     FREDERICK     ROBERTSON -MAC- 
DONALD.       Born    in    May,    1802,    he    was    married 
April     19,    1828,    to    Sarah    Adams,    daughter    of 
James  Beck  of  Priors  Hardwick,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  William,  born  June  10th,  1829,  and  died  the  same  day. 

2.  William  James,  born  Jime  10th,  1829,  a  Captain  in  the 

Army.  He  joined  the  Black  Watch  as  Ensign,  June 
16th,  1848,  exchanged  as  Lieutenant  to  the  30th 
Regiment,  and  retired  with  the  rank  of  Captain, 
December  4th,  1857.  He  married  Matilda  Helen, 
daughter  of  Henry  Crawley,  and  died,  without  issue, 
June  26th,  1869. 

3.  William  Francis,  born  October  14th,  1832,  died  1837. 

4.  William  David  Alexander,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

5.  William  Coker,  born  March  6th,  1837,  died  1841. 

6.  William    Anstruther,    born    August    29th,    1839,    died 

unmarried,  June  17th,   1859. 

William  Robertson-Macdonald,  shortly  before  his 
death,  contracted  to  sell  the  Estate  of  Kinloch- 
moidart. He  died  February  22,  1883,  and  was 
succeeded  as  representative  of  the  family  by  his 
only  surviving  son, 

X.  WILLIAM    DAVID    ALEXANDER    ROBERTSON- 
MACDONALD,   who  was  bora   August   4,   1834,  arid 
married    August    3,    1870,   Ida   Julia,   daughter   of 
Thomas   Littledale,  without  issue.     He  died  April 

20 


306  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

10,  1883,  when  he  was  succeeded  as  representative 
of  the  family  hy  his  uncle, 

XI.  DAVID  ROBERTSON-MACDONALD,  born  August 
6,  1817,  a. retired  Admiral  in  His  Majesty's  Fleet. 
He  joined  the  Royal  Navy  as  a  volunteer  of  the  1st 
class,  and  was  subsequently  employed  on  the  coast 
of  Portugal  and  the  north  coast  of  Spain  during  the 
civil  wars  in  those  countries,  and  afterwards  in  the 
West  Indies  and  Mediterranean.  He  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  in  August,  1841,  and  in 
that  rank  served  in  H.M.S.  Hazard  during  the 
operations  up  the  River  Yang-tse-Kiang  in  the 
Chinese  War  of  1842.  He  was  then  sent  to  the 
station  which  included  New  Zealand  and  the  Islands 
in  the  South  Pacific. 

While  in  New  Zealand,  in  March,  1845,  a  serious 
rising  of  the  natives  took  place,  and  he,  being  in 
acting  command  consequent  on  the  death  of  Com- 
mander Charles  Bell,  in  August,  1844,  was  sent  by 
the  Governor,  Captain  Fitzroy,  R.N.,  to  protect  the 
inhabitants  of  Korararika,  in  the  Bay  of  Islands. 
Having  landed,  on  March  11,  1845,  with  a  party  of 
seamen  and  marines,  he  was  severely  wounded  while 
resisting  the  attack  of  an  overwhelming  body  of 
well-armed  natives.  For  his  services  on  this  occasion 
he  was  promoted  Commander,  and  a  sword,  with  an 
address,  was  presented  to  him  by  the  inhabitants 
of  Auckland  and  Korararika,  and  similar  addresses 
were  presented  to  him,  his  officers,  and  men  from 
the  inhabitants  of  Wellington,  Port  Nicholson,  and 
Nelson. 

In  the  House  of  Commons,  the  Prime  Minister,  Sir  Robert 
Peel,  on  July  23,  1845,  thus  alluded  to  his  services  : — 
"  There  is  another  individual  who  has  been  alluded  to,  and 
to  whom  I  wish  to  do  justice  :  I  mean  that  gallant  officer, 
Mr  Robertson,  to  whom  the  gallant  Commodore  (Sir  Charles 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  307 

Napier)  has  referred.  The  scene  on  which  that  gallant 
officer  performed  his  services  is  a  very  distant  one,  and  the 
services  themselves  may  not  have  cast  around  them  that 
eminence  and  distinction  which  sometimes  attend  services 
not  more  important ;  but  I  think  it  is  for  the  public  interest 
that  we  should  show  in  the  House  of  Commons  that  the  dis- 
tance of  the  scene  and  the  comparative  unimportance  of  the 
conflict  do  not  make  us  oblivious  of  rare  merit.  Sir,  1  must 
say  that  his  conduct  stands  forward  in  honourable  contrast 
with  the  conduct  of  others  concerned  on  that  occasion,  and 
I  rejoice  to  find  a  British  officer  not  thinking  whether  his 
ship  was  to  be  surprised  by  a  parcel  of  savages,  but,  leaving 
that  ship,  and  setting  on  shore  that  gallant  example  which 
so  many  officers  of  the  Navy  have  before  set,  and  rallying 
round  him  till  he  was  wounded  the  flagging  spirits  of  the 
civilians.  And  here  I  wish  to  make  it  known  to  the  House 
of  Commons  that  that  conduct  shall  not  pass  unrewarded. 
In  justice  to  him,  and  as  an  encouragement  to  others,  that 
conduct  shall  receive  its  reward  by  the  earliest  opportunity 
being  taken  to  give  him  that  promotion  to  which  he  is  so 
eminently  entitled." 

In  1849  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
H.M.S.  Cygnet,  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  and 
for  a  year  he  was  actively  engaged  in  putting  down 
the  slave  trade. 

In  1851  he  was  appointed  Inspecting  Commander 
in  H.M.  Coast  Guard,  and  served  in  that  capacity 
till  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Captain  in  1858. 
From  1862  to  1879  he  was  an  Assistant  Inspector  of 
Lifeboats  to  the  Royal  National  Lifeboat  Institution. 
For  his  services  in  saving  life  he  was  awarded  the 
silver  medal  of  that  institution  in  1870.  He  also 
holds  the  China  and  New  Zealand  medals. 

He  married,  February  10,  1848,  Caroline, 
youngest  daughter  of  James  Beck  of  Prior's  Hard- 
wick,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  David  Macdonald,  born  May  30,  1857,  educated  at  St 
John's  College,  Oxford  (M.A.,  1882),  and  called  to  the 
Bar  by  the  Honourable  Society  of  the  Inner  Temple, 


308  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Nov.  17,  1881.  He  married  August  6,  1889,  Ellen 
Sophia,  daughter  of  the  Venerable  John  William 
Sheringham,  Archdeacon  and  Canon  of  Gloucester, 
and  has 

(A)  Allan  David  James,  born  July  25,  1895. 

(B)  Margaret  Gertrude,  born  July  5,  1890. 
(c)  Caroline  Janet,  born  June  1,  1893. 

(D)  Flora,  born  July  21,  1894. 

2.  Flora  Macdonald. 

3.  Emma  Macdonald,  a  Sister  of  Mercy. 

4.  Caroline  Macdonald,  died  May  14,  1856. 

5.  Frances  Ellen  Macdonald. 

6.  Margaretta  Macdonald,  a  Sister  of  Mercy. 
7  Sarah  Coker  Macdonald. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GLENGARRY. 

This  family  is  descended  from  DONALD,  the 
second  son  of  Reginald,  the  founder  of  the  Clan- 
ranald  family.  The  head  of  the  family  was  of  old 
styled  Mac  'ic  Alastair. 

Donald  married,  first,  Laleve,  daughter  of  Mac- 
Iver,  the  head  of  a  sept  of  that  name,  and  had  by 
her— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

He    married,    secondly,    a    daughter    of    Fraser    of 
Lovat,  and  had  by  her— 

2.  Alexander,  known  as  "Alastair  na  Coille." 

3.  Angus  Og. 

Donald  died   in   Lochaber  in    1420,  was  buried  at 
Rollaig  Grain,  and  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN.     He  appears  to  have  left  no  issue,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

III.  ALEXANDER.     He   married   Mary,  the  only 
daughter  of  Hector  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  John. 

2.  Angus  Mor,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Shian,    1 1 , 


ALASTAIR    DEARG    MACDONALD    OF    GLENGARRY 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  309 

3.  John  Odhar,  from  whom  a  sept  of  Macdonalds  called  Clann 
Iain  Uidhir. 

Alexander  died  on  the  Island  of  Abbas  in  1460,  and 
was  buried  at  Rollaig  Grain.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

IV.  JOHN.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Donald 
Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Angus. 

He  died  at  Invergarry  in  1501,  and  was  buried  at 
Kilionain.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER.    He  married  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Lochalsh,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan,  of  Lundie. 

3.  Godfrey,   who  was  killed  by  the  Mackenzies,   at  Loch- 

carron,  in  1582.     He  left  a  son,  Archibald. 
.    4.  Ranald,  also  killed  with  his  brother. 
5.  Roderick. 

Alexander  of  Glengarry,  who  died  in  1560,  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

VI.  ANGUS.     He  married,  first,  Janet,  daughter 
of  Hector  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  had  a  son,  Donald  Gorm. 

He  married,  secondly,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Mac- 
leod  of  Dun  vegan,  and  had  by  her — 

3.  Angus. 

4.  Margaret. 

He  married,  thirdly,  Mary,  daughter  of  Kenneth 
Mackenzie  of  Kintail,  and  had  by  her — 

5.  Elizabeth,  who  married  John  Roy  Mackenzie  of  Gairloch. 
Angus  died  in  1574,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 


310  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

VII.  DONALD,  who  was  born  in  1543.  He 
married,  first,  Helen,  daughter  of  John  Grant  IV. 
of  Freuchy,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Aligns,  who,  in  1584,  received  a  Precept  of  legitimation 

from  the  Crown.  Doubt  has  been  thrown  on  the 
legality  of  the  union  between  Donald  and  Helen 
Grant.  The  Precept  of  legitimation  in  favour  of 
Angus,  presumably  the  son  of  Helen  Grant,  raised 
the  question  iu  recent  years  of  the  legality  of  the 
union  between  the  parties.  The  contract  entered 
into,  in  1571,  by  Angus  Macdouald  of  Glengarry 
and  John  Grant  of  Freuchy  was,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  a  marriage  contract,  and  there  is  no 
evidence  in  the  Grant  Charter  Chest,  where  one 
would  expect  to  find  it,  if  such  a  thing  happened, 
to  warrant  the  assumption  that  Donald  MacAngus 
repudiated  Helen  Grant.  On  the  contrary,  the 
relations  between  the  respective  families  continued 
most  friendly.  The  inference  to  be  drawn  from  the 
Precept  of  legitimation  is  conclusive  as  regards  the 
legitimacy  of  Angus  from  the  feudal  standpoint.  He 
could  not  succeed  to  lands  held  of  the  Crown  as  the 
issue  of  a  handfast  marriage,  and  there  appears  to 
have  been  no  other  form  of  marriage  between  the 
parties,  but  this  was  held  to  be  sufficient,  according  to 
the  Gaelic  Code,  without  any  additional  ceremony  at 
the  altar.  The  probability  is  that  Helen  Grant  died 
soon  after  the  birth  of  her  child. 

Angus  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Lachlau 
XVI.  of  Mackintosh,  without  issue.  In  the  marriage 
contract,  which  is  dated  April  24th,  1590,  Angus  is 
designated  as  eldest  son  and  heir  of  his  father,  and 
the  marriage  was  to  take  place  on  his  attaining  his 
15th  year.  He  was  killed  by  the  Mackenzies,  on  the 
West  Coast  of  Ross-shire,  iu  1603. 

Donald    MacAngus  married,    secondly,    Margaret, 

daughter  of   Allan  Macdonald   IX.   of  Clanranald, 
and  had  by  her— 

2.  Alastair  Dearg.  He  succeeded  his  brother,  Angus,  as 

heir  to  his  father.  He  married  Jean,  daughter  of 
Allan  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her — 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      311 

(A)  Angus,  who  succeeded  to  Glengarry. 

(B)  Donald,  who,  in  1666,  received  from  his  brother  a 

tack  of  the  lands  of  Keppoch. 

3.  Donald  Gorm  of  Scotus  $  ^o 

4.  John  Mor,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Ardnabie.  3V"D 

5.  John  Og,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Leek.        5^fl 

6.  Alastair  Mor,  from  whom  Aberchalder  and  Culachie.    3$  0 

7.  Isabella,  who  married  Sir  Roderick  Mor  Macleod  of  Dun- 

vegan,  with  issue,  five  sons,  known  as  Cuignear  Mhac 
Vasal  Iseabail.  She  had  been  one  of  the  maids  of 
honour  to  Anne  of  Denmark,  Queen  of  James  VI., 
and  wa&  known  in  Skye  as  Iseabail  Mhor  Nighean 
Mhic  'ic  Alastair. 

8.  Margaret,  who  married  Torquil  Macleod  of  Lewis,  with 

issue. 

9.  Katherine,  who  married  Duncan  Grant  of  Aonach,  son  of 

John  Grant  of  Glenmoriston. 

10.  Janet,  who  married  Malcolm,   son  of  Lachlan  XVI.  of 
Mackintosh,  with  issue. 

Donald  married,  thirdly,  Katherine,  daughter  of 
Lachlan  XVI.  of  Mackintosh.  Donald  Mac  Angus 
died  February  2nd,  1645.  His  son,  Alastair  Dearg, 
having  predeceased  him,  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
grandson, 

VIII.  ANGUS,  who  was  created  a  peer,  in  1660, 
by  Charles  II.,  by  the  title  of  Lord  Macdonell  and 
Aros.     He  married,  in   1646,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Sir   Donald   Macdonald  of  Sleat,  with  a  tocher  of 
10,000    merks.      He    had    no    issue,    and    the    title 
became  extinct.     He  died  at  Edinburgh,  December 
6th,  1680,  and  was  buried  at  Holyrood.     He  was 
succeeded  by  his  cousin,  the  son  of  his  uncle,  Donald 
Gorm  of  Scotus, 

IX.  RANALD.      He  married    Flora,   daughter  of 
John  Macleod  of  Drynoch,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  A.ngus,  who  succeeded  to  Scotus. 

2.  Alastair  Dubh,  who  succeeded  to  Glengarry. 

3.  John,  of  Sandaig,  from  whom  Lochgarry.  $2$ 

4.  Donald,  killed  at  Killiecrankie. 


312  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

5.  Archibald  of  Barisdale. 

6.  Mary,  who  married  John  Macdouald  of  Ardnabie. 

Ranald  died  in  1705,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
second  son, 

X.  ALASTAIR  DUBH,  who  was  created  a  Lord 
and  Peer  of  Parliament  by  James  III.  and  VII I., 
Dec.  9,  17 16,  as  Lord  Macdonell.  He  married,  first, 
Anne,  daughter  of  Hugh  Lord  Lovat,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Arme,  who,  in  1704,  married  Roderick  Mackenzie,  yr.  of 

Applecross. 

He  married,  secondly,  Mary,  daughter  of  Kenneth, 
Earl  of  Seaforth,  and  had  by  her,  who  died  in 
January,  1726,  and  was  buried  at  Holyrood— 

2.  John,  his  successor. 

3.  Dr  Ranald,  of  Kylles,  on  Lochnevis,  who  was  "  out "  in 

the  '45,  and  was  then  described  as  "  an  eminent 
physician." 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  William,  who  was  "  out "  in  the  '45,  and  was  killed. 

6.  Isabella,  who,  in   1713,    married  Roderick  Chisholm  of 

Chisholm. 

Alastair  Dubh  died  at  Invergarry,  Oct.  28,  1721, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XL  JOHN.  He  married,  first,  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Colin  Mackenzie  of  Hilton,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alastair  Ruadh,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,  who  was  "  out "  in  the  '45  in  command  of  the 

Glengarry  Regiment,  described  by  Lord  George 
Murray  as  "  a  modest,  brave,  and  advisable  lad."  He 
was  accidentally  shot  two  days  after  the  Battle  of 
Falkirk,  and  died  January  22,  1746.  He  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Colonel  Duncan  Robertson,  after- 
wards of  Struan,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Duncan,  who  succeeded  to  Glengarry. 

(B)  Angusia,    who   married   Alexander  Mackay  of   Ach- 

monie. 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  313 

John  married,  secondly,  in  1728,  Helen,  daughter  of 
John  Gordon  of  Glenbucket,  and  had  by  her — 

3.  Jaines  of  Glenmeddle,  a  Captain  in  the  Army.     He  had 

a  sou,  Archibald,  who  succeeded  him  at  Glenmeddle, 
and  a  daughter,  Amelia,  who  married  Major  Simon 
Macdonald  of  Morar,  with  issue. 

4.  Charles,  a  Captain   in  the  78th  Highlanders,  killed  at 

Quebec  in  1759,  without  issue. 

5.  Anne,  who  married  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Scotus. 

6.  Isabella,  appointed  his  sole  executrix  by   her   brother, 

Alastair  Ruadh. 

John   died  at  Edinburgh,   Sept.    1,    1754,  and  was 
buried  at  Holy  rood.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XII.  ALASTAIR  RUADH.  He  died  unmarried, 
Dec.  23,  1761,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew, 
the  son  of  his  brother,  Angus, 

XIII.  DUNCAN.  He  married,  Dec.  5,  1772, 
Marjory,  daughter  of  Sir  Ludovick  Grant  of  Dalvey, 
and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Lewis,  a  Captain  in  the  Army,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  James.     He  was  educated  at  Cambridge,   and  entered 

the  Army  as  Ensign  in  an  independent  company  in 
1793.  He  joined  the  78th  Regiment  in  1794  as 
Lieutenant,  and  exchanged  into  the  101st  as  Captain- 
lieutenant  the  same  year.  In  the  following  year  he 
became  Captain  in  the  17th  Light  Dragoons,  in  which 
he  remained  for  nine  years.  In  1804,  he  was 
appointed  Major  in  the  2nd  Battalion  of  the  78th, 
and  served  in  it  under  Sir  John  Moore  in  Naples  and 
Sicily,  including  the  descent  on  Calabria  in  1806, 
and  the  Battle  of  Maida  (gold  medal),  and  in  the 
expedition  to  Egypt  in  1807,  where  he  distinguished 
himself  by  surprising  a  Turkish  battery  near 
Alexandria.  He  became  Lieut.-Colonel  in  1809. 
In  1811,  he  exchanged  as  Lieut.-Colonel  into  the 
Coldstream  Guards.  He  served  with  that  regiment 
in  the  Peninsula  from  1812  to  1814,  including  the 
Battles  of  Salamanca,  Vittoria,  Nivelle,  and  Nive 


314  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

(medal),  and  commanded  the  2nd  Battalion  in 
Holland  in  the  summer  of  1814. 

The  night  before  the  Battle  of  Waterloo  he  was 
sent  with  some  companies  of  his  regiment  and  the 
Scots  Guards  to  occupy  the  Chateau  of  Hougoumont, 
the  garden  and  orchard  of  which  were  defended  by 
other  companies  under  Lord  Saltoun.  Hougoumont, 
which  was  regarded  as  a  point  of  vital  importance, 
was  stubbornly  defended  against  overwhelming 
attacks  of  the  French  in  the  early  part  of  the  battle. 
Dense  masses  of  assailants  rushed  against  the  gates, 
and  shouted  as  they  flew  open.  Not  a  foot  would 
the  defenders  yield,  and  at  last  the  bayonets  of  the 
Guards  carried  all  before  them.  The  French  were 
finally  driven  out,  and  Macdonald,  assisted  by  a  few 
of  his  men,  by  sheer  dint  of  personal  strength  and 
extraordinary  bravery,  closed  the  gates  upon  them. 
He  was  warmly  complimented  by  the  Duke  of  Wel- 
lington, and  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the  "Hero 
of  Hougoumont"  and  "The  Bravest  Man  in  Britain." 

Macdonald  was  Colonel  of  the  Coldstream  Guards 
from  1825  to  1830,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  Major-Geueral.  From  1831  to  1838  he  com- 
manded the  Armagh  District.  He  commanded  the 
Brigade  of  Guards  sent  out  to  Canada  during  the 
troubles  of  1838,  and  succeeded  to  the  command  of 
the  troops  there,  which  he  held  till  promoted  Lieut.  - 
General  in  1841.  He  became  a  full  General  in  1854. 
He  was  made  K.C.H.  in  1837,  K.C.B.  in  1838,  and 
G.C.B.  in  1855.  He  had  the  decorations  of  Maria 
Theresa  of  Austria  and  St  Vladimir  in  Russia,  and 
was  Colonel  in  succession  of  the  79th  and  71st  Regi- 
ments. Sir  James  died,  unmarried,  in  London,  May 
15th,  1857. 

4.  Angus,  who  died  young. 

5.  Somerled,  a  Midshipman  in  the  Navy,  who  died  in  the 

West  Indies,  unmarried. 

6.  Elizabeth,  who  married,  in   1795,  William  Chisholtn  of 

Chisholm,  with  issue,  Alexander  and  Duncan,  both  of 
whom  became  Chiefs  of  C'hhholm.  She  married, 
secondly,  Sir  Alexander  Ramsay  of  Balmain. 

7.  Sibella,  who  died  young. 


ALEXANDER    MACDONELL    OF    GLENGARRY. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  315 

8.  Margaret  Isabel,   who  married   Major  James  Downing, 
with  issue,  Mrs  Macdonald  Stuart,  of  Dalness. 

Duncan  Macdonald  of  Glengarry  died  at  Elgin,  July 
llth,  1788,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XIV.  ALEXANDER,  who  was  educated  at  Oxford, 
and  married,  in  1802,  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Forbes  of  Pitsligo,  who  died  in  1840.     By  her 
he  had— 

1 .  Aeneas,  who  died  young. 

2.  Aeneas,  who  succeeded  him. 

3.  Alastair,  who  died  young. 

4.  Duncan  Alastair,  who  died  young. 

5.  Elizabeth,  who  married  Roderick  C.  Macdouald  of  Castle- 

tirrim,  P.E.  Island,  with  issue. 

6.  Marsally,  who,  in  1833,  married  Andrew,  son  of  Andrew 

Bonar  of  Kimmerghame,  Berwick,  with  issue. 

7.  Jemima,  who,  in  1833,  married  Charles,  second  son  of  Sir 

William  Forbes  of  Pitsligo,  with  issue. 

8.  Louisa  Christian,  who  lived  at  Rothesay,  a  lady  of  many 

accomplishments,  who  laboured  for  many  years  in  the 
cause  of  education  and  religion.  She  died  at  Rothesay 
in  1900. 

9.  Caroline  Hester,  who  died,  unmarried,  at  Rothesay. 

Glengarry    died    January     14th,     1828.    and     was 
succeeded  by  his  only  surviving  son, 

XV.  AENEAS.     He  married,  in  1833,  Josephine, 
eldest  daughter  of  William    Bennet,   and    had  by 
her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Aeneas  Robert,  who  was  drowned  in  the  Medway  in  1855, 

in  his  20th  year,  unmarried. 

3.  Charles,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

4.  Marsali,  who,  in  1869,  married  Hector  F.  Maclean,  W.S., 

without  issue. 

5.  Eliza,  who  died,  unmarried,  iu  1857. 

G.  Helen   Rebecca,   who,   in   1866,   married   Captain   John 

Cunuinghame  of  Balgownie,  and  had — 
John    Alastair    Erskine,    now    of   Balgownie,    who   suc- 
ceeded to  the  Glengarry  family  heirlooms. 


316  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Glengarry  died  in  1851,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

XVI.  ALEXANDER,  who  was  born  October  5th, 
1834,  and  died,  unmarried,  at  Dunedin,  New 
Zealand,  June  2nd,  1862,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother, 

XVI.  CHARLES,  who  was  born  in  1838,  and 
married,  in  1865,  Agnes  Campbell,  daughter  of 
Alexander  Cassels,  without  issue.  He  died  on  his 
way  home  from  New  Zealand,  on  28th  June,  1868, 
when  the  male  line  of  Alastair  Dubh  of  Glengarry 
became  extinct,  and  he  was  succeeded  in  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  family  by  Aeneas  Ranald  Macdonald 
of  Scotus  as  nearest  heir  male. 

THE  MACPONALDS  OF  SHIAN. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Shian  are  the  oldest  cadet 
family  of  Glengarry.  ANGUS  MOR,  the  first  of  the 
family,  was  a  son  of  Alexander  III.  of  Glengarry, 
and  his  name  appears  on  record  in  1496,  but  he  was 
then  dead.  The  lands  occupied  by  him  were  the 
10  merk  lands  of  Slisgarry,  including  the  lands  of 
Shian  and  Gleulee.  Angus  Mor  had  three  sons — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  John. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

II.  ANGUS.     He  is  on  record,  in  1548,  as  Angus 
MacAngus  Mor  of  Shian  when  he  died.      He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  known  as 

III.  ANGUS  DUBH  MOR.     He  had  three  sons— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Angus. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  317 

IV.  DONALD,  known  as  Donald  MacAngus  Mor. 
He  had  three  sons— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

3.  Ranald,   who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Ranald   Mac- 

donald  of  Lundie. 

Donald,  who  died  in  1597,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ANGUS.     He  had  two  sons— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  had  two  sons,  Angus  and  Donald,  who  had 

John. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ANGUS.     He  died  in  1684,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  nephew,  the  son  of  his  brother,  John, 

VII.  ANGUS.     He  has  a  sasine  of  the  lands  of 
Shian  in   1684.     He  left  one  daughter,  Mary,  who 
married  her  cousin.  John,  who  succeeded  his  uncle, 

VIII.  JOHN.      He   is   in  possession  of  Shian   in 
1704,  and  signs  the  Address  of  the  Highland  Chiefs 
to  George  I.  in  1714.     In    1719   he  and   his   wife, 
Mary,  dispose  of  their  lands  to  Alexander  Macdonald 
of  Glengarry,  and   receives  a  wadset  of  the   same 
lands    in    return.       He   commanded,    with    Donald 
Gorm,  150  Glengarry  men  at  Glenshiel,  10th  June, 
1719.     John   died   in    1731,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

IX.  RANALD.     He  and   his  mother  received,  in 
1731,  a  wadset  of  Shian  from  Glengarry.     Ranald 
was  out  in  the  '45,  and  a  Captain  in  the  Glengarry 
Regiment.     He  sold  whatever  right  he  had  to  the 
lands  of  Shian  to  James  Macpherson  of  Killyhuntly ; 
but,  in  1756,  a  decree  of  reduction  was  obtained  by 
his  son,  Donald.      In   1771   Duncan   Macdonald  of 
Glengarry    sold    Shian    to    General    Simon    Fraser. 
Ranald  married  Anne  Macdonald,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Angus,  who  died  without  issue. 


318  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

X.  DONALD,   who    was  a  Captain    in    the   42nd 
Regiment.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

•XL  JAMES,  a  Captain,  E.I.C.S.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Milnfield, 
Inverness,  and  was  the  last  of  his  race. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  LUNDIE. 

The  family  of  Lundie  is  descended  from  Alex- 
ander V.  of  Glengarry.  ALLAN,  the  first  of  the 
family,  received,  in  1571,  a  charter  of  the  lands  of 
Lundie,  in  the  district  of  Ardochy,  from  his  brother, 
Angus  of  Glengarry. 

Allan  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Donald  Cameron 
of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Jolm. 

3.  Angus. 

4.  Donald  Beag  of  Drynachan,  who  had  a  son,  Allan  II.  of 

Drynachan,  who  was  succeeded  by  Alexander  III.  of 
Drynachan,  who  was  succeeded  by  Angus  IV.  of  Dry- 
nachan, who  married  Hendriet  Chisholm,  and  had  a 
son,  John  V.  of  Drynachan,  in  1735. 

Allan  died  in  1575,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  RANALD.  In  1575  Ranald  received  a  Precept 
of  Clare  Constat  from  Glengarry  of  the  lands  of 
Lundie  and  others.  In  the  time  of  this  Ranald  the 
family  played  an  important  part  in  the  history  of 
Glengarry  in  their  struggles  with  the  Mackeczies, 
already  referred  to  in  another  part  of  this  work.  He 
added  considerably  to  the  family  patrimony.  Ranald 
married  Isabel  Macdonald,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  319 

3.  Mary,  who  married,  first,  Ranald,  son  of  Donald  Mac- 
Angus  Mor  of  Shian,  and  afterwards,  in  1612,  Donald 
Macdonald,  alias  MacAlastair  Mhoir,  in  Aberchalder. 

Ranald  died  in  1624,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALLAN,  the  hero  of  the  Raid  of  Kilchrist,  in 
1603,  and  afterwards  of  many  other  exploits.     After 
the  Raid  of  Kilchrist  he  was  declared  rebel,  and  his 
goods  were  confiscated  ;  but,  through  the  friendship 
of  the  Laird  of  Freuchie,  he  overcame  these  difficul- 
ties, and  attained  to  great  prosperity.     In  1624  he 
was  "seised"  in  his  father's  lands,  and,  in  1631,  he 
added  considerably  to  the  family  inheritance  by  the 
acquisition  of  Achteraw  in  Abertarff,  Ardnabie   in 
Glengarry,   and    Frichorie   in   Glenquoich.       In   the 
Valuation  Roll  of  1644  he   is  returned  as  holding 
lands  in   Kilmorack,   Glenelg,   Knoydart,   and   Kil- 
marie,  the  total  rental  of  which  amounted  to  £1535. 
Allan  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Angus  Mac- 
donald of  Shian,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Mary,  who  married  Ranald,  son  of  Donald  Macdonald  of 

Shian. 

He  married,  secondly,  Marjory,  daughter  of  William 
Mackintosh  of  Borlum.  Allan  died  shortly  after 
1644,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  RANALD.     He  married  Mary  Cameron,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  Angus. 

Ranald  died  in  1661,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  DONALD.      He  married  twice.      By  his  first 
wife  he  had— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 


320  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

By  his  second  wife,  Margaret  Macdonald,  he  had— 

2.  Allan. 

3.  Ranald. 

4.  Angus  of  Kenlochurn,  who  married  Katherine,  daughter 

of  Lieut.  Macdonald,  in  Achlicknaich. 

5.  Mary. 

6.  Margaret. 

7.  Janet. 

8.  Isabel. 

Donald  signed  the  Address  of  the  Highland  Chiefs 
to  George  I.  in  1714,  and  died  in  1727.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son— 

VI.  DONALD.     He  was  "  out  "  in  the  '45.  and  was 
a  Captain  in  the  Glengarry    Regiment.       He    had 
two  sons— 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Allan. 

Donald  died  in  1761,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  DONALD.     He  was  also  "  out "  in  the  '45. 
The  family  became  greatly  reduced  in  circumstances 
in  his  time,  and  having  been  deprived  by  Glengarry 
of  what  remained   to  him  of  his  patrimony,  he  is 
described   as   "  late   of  Lundie  "  in   1 784.      He  was 
latterly  in  great  poverty,  and  had  to  be  assisted  by 
his  friends  to  emigrate  to  Canada,  where  he  died, 
at    Chambly,    in    1 805.       His   brother,    Allan,   was 
living  there  in  1814,  and  was  then  90  years  of  age. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SCOTUS. 

The  lands  of  Scotus  consisted  originally  of  12^ 
penny  lands,  being  part  of  the  60  penny  lands  of 
Knoydart.  Donald  M' Angus  of  Glengarry  bestowed 
these  lands  of  Scotus  by  feu  charter  upon  his  son, 
DONALD  GORM.  Donald,  who  was  "  out "  in  the 
Montrose  Campaign  with  his  nephew,  Angus  of 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  321 

Glengarry,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Sir   Donald 
Macdonald  of  Sleat,  and  bad  by  her— 

II.  RANALD.     He  succeeded,  in  1680,  bis  cousin, 
Angus,  Lord  Macdonald,  in  the  Estate  and  Chief- 
ship  of  Glengarry. 

He  married  Flora,  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of 
Drynoch,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Angus,  who  succeeded  him  at  Scotus. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him  as  Chief  of  Glengarry. 

3.  John  of  Sandaig,  from  whom  Lochgarry. 

4.  John,  who  was  killed  at  Killiecrankie. 

5.  Archibald  of  Barisdale. 

Ranald,  on  his  succeeding  to  Glengarry,  was  suc- 
ceeded in  his  Estate  of  Scotus  by  his  eldest  son, 

III.  ANGUS.       He    is    represented   as     being    a 
retired,  quiet  man,  unfit  to  lead  the  Clan,  and  there 
is  a  tradition  in  the  family  that  Lord  Macdonald 
made  choice  of  Alastair  Dubh  to  succeed  him  with 
the  consent  of  all  parties.     Alexander  undoubtedly 
led  the  Clan   in  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  though 
Angus,  and  not  Alexander,  was  the  eldest  son. 

Angus    married    Katherine,     daughter     of    Sir 
Norman  Macleod  of  Bernera,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Donald. 

2.  John  of  Crowlin.       Being  intended  for  the  Church,  which 

he  afterwards  abandoned,  he  was  educated  at  the  Scots 
College,  Rome.  He  was  "  out  "  with  the  Prince,  and 
held  the  rank  of  Captain.  He  married  in  1723 
Janet,  daughter  of  Donald  Macleod  of  Arnisdale,  and 
had  by  her  a  numerous  family  of  sons  and  daughters, 
among  whom,  John,  known  as  "  Spanish  John."  At 
the  early  age  of  12  he  was  sent,  in  1740,  to  the  Scots 
College,  Rome,  to  be  educated  for  the  priesthood. 
After  being  three  years  at  this  college,  he  gave  up  the 
idea  of  becoming  a  priest,  and  resolved  to'  become  a 
soldier  instead.  A  Spanish  army  was  at  that  time  in 
Italy,  and  he  decided  to  join  the  Irish  •  Brigade,  under 

21 


322  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

General  Macdonald  (of  the  Macdonalds  of  Antrim), 
who  was  second  in  command  of  the  army.  He  after- 
wards saw  a  good  deal  of  service,  and  suffered  many 
hardships,  being  dangerously  wounded  in  one  of  the 
battles.  Hearing  of  the  success  of  Prince  Charles  in 
Scotland,  he  and  others  of  the  Irish  Brigade  left  Dun- 
kirk in  April,  1746,  to  join  his  standard.  They  landed 
at  Lochbroora,  and  were  informed  of  the  defeat  of  the 
Prince  at  Culloden.  Spanish  John  had  been  entrusted 
by  the  Duke  of  York  with  letters  and  a  sum  of  £3000 
for  Prince  Charles.  In  the  attempt  to  carry  out  the 
Duke's  instructions  he  had  many  adventures,  and  was 
finally  made  prisoner  by  Captain  Ferguson,  who  took 
him  for  Archibald  of  Barisdale,  who  was  wanted.  He 
was  detained  at  Fort-William  for  nine  months,  and 
was  released  for  want  of  evidence  against  him.  He 
afterwards  settled  down  at  Knoydart,  and  had  a  tack 
of  Inverguseran  from  Glengarry.  He  emigrated  to 
Canada  in  1775.  He  married  in  1747,  and  had 

(A)  Miles,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

(B)  John,  who  lived  in  the  North- West,  and  had,  among 

others,  Godfrey,  whose  daughter,  Hortense, 
married  Andrew  Cullen  of  Templetown. 
(c)  William  Johnson,  who  married  Lucy  Waters,  of  Boston, 
and  had  (1)  William  John,  French  Consul  in 
Toronto.  He  died  without  issue  in  1893.  (2) 
Lucy  Katherine,  who  in  1827  married  Henry 
Jones.  (3)  Mary,  who  married,  first,  William 
Macqueen,  and  after  him  Charles  Palgrave,  of 
Montreal. 

(D)  Penelope,  who  married  John  Beikie,  without  issue. 

(E)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

Spanish  John  died  at  Cornwall,  Upper  Canada.  April 
15,  1810,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son,  Miles 
III.  of  Crowlin.  He  was  at  one  time  Governor  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company.  He  married  Isabella,  daughter 
of  John  Macdonald  of  Morar,  and  after  her  Catherine, 
daughter  of  Captain  Allan  Macdonald  of  Culachie, 
and  had 

(A)  Alexander,  who  was  Colonel  of  the  104th  Regiment ; 

drowned  in  1814.* 

(B)  Donald  Aeneas,  who  succeeded  his  father, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  323 

(c)  Amelia,    who    married   William    Jones,    Collector   of 
Customs   at  Brookville,   and    after  him  Captain 
James  Macdonald  of  Matilda. 
(D)  Katherine. 

Miles  Macdonald,  who  married  as  his  third  wife  Anne 
Macdonald,  without  issue,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Donald  Aeneas,  as  IV.  of  Crowlin,  of  Crowlin  House, 
Brookville,  Canada.  He  was  for  some  time  M.P.  and 
Sheriff  of  the  Eastern  Division.  He  married  in  1819 
Mary,  daughter  of  Captain  Ai'chibald  Macdonald, 
brother  of  Leek.  He  died  in  1879,  and  had  by  her 

(A)  John  Alexander  V.  of  Crowlin. 

(B)  Alexander  Coll,  who  died  unmarried  in  1884. 
(c)  Amelia. 

(D)  Mary    Louisa,    who    married     Captain    William    R. 

Worsley. 
(B)  Julia,  who  married,  first,  Dr  Allan  Fraser,  and  after 

him    James   Duncan   Macdonald   of    Brookville, 

Canada. 

(p)  Ada,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald. 
(Q)  Ann  Amelia,  who  died  unmarried. 
(H)  Katherine  Frobisher. 

3.  Allan  of  Ardnaslishnish.      He  was  "  out"  in  the  '45,  and 

was  a  Captain  in  the  Prince's  Army.  He  had  a 
daughter,  Flora,  who  married,  as  his  second  wife, 
Ranald  Macdonald  of  Gerinish,  and  a  son,  Captain 
John,  who  fought  in  the  American  War,  and  left  a 
son,  Angus,  whose  daughter,  Annie  Cecilia,  married, 
in  1861,  James  Sutherland  Chisholm  of  Chisholm, 
and  had  a  son,  Roderick,  who  succeeded  his  father, 
and  two  daughters. 

4.  Ranald. 

Angus  of  Scotus  married  secondly,  and  had— 

5.  Alexander,  a  priest,  known  as  Maighstir  Alastair  Mor. 

Angus  III.  of  Scotus,  who  died  in  1746,  was  suc- 
ceeded in  his  estate  before  his  death  by  his  eldest 
son, 

IV.  DONALD,  known  as  Domhnull  nan  Gleann. 
Donald,  who  was  a  remarkably  handsome  arid  brave 
man,  engaged  in  the  rising  of  the  '45  from  the  out- 


324  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

set,  and  followed  the  standard  of  Prince  Charles 
throughout  the  campaign.  He  fell,  it  is  said, 
mortally  wounded  at  Culloden.  The  men  who  were 
cany  ing  him  from  the  field  reported  that  when 
closely  pressed  by  the  enemy  he  begged  them  as  he 
was  dying  to  leave  him  and  save  themselves.  They 
did  so,  and  on  looking  back  saw  their  pursuers  des- 
patching him.  Notwithstanding  this  testimony, 
evidence  has  been  found  in  the  Windsor  Collation 
of  Jacobite  papers  which  seems  to  prove  that 
marauders  from  a  ship  landed  at  night,  and  bore 
away  a  number  of  the  wounded  to  sell  for  the 
plantations,  and  among  them  Donald  of  Scotus,  who, 
after  various  adventures,  was  captured  by  Turkish 
pirates,  and  held  in  bondage  ever  afterwards. 

Donald  married,  first,   Helen  Meldrum   of  Mel- 
drum,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Margaret,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glen- 

aladale. 

He  married,  secondly,  Elizabeth  Gumming,  and  had 
by  her— 

2.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

3.  Angus,  who  died  young. 

4.  Flora,  who  married  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Gerinish. 

He  married,  thirdly,  Mary  Cameron  of  Glennevis, 
without  issue.  Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  RANALD.  Contrary  to. the  "general  ideas  of 
the  Clan,"  Ranald  joined  Lord  London's  Regiment 
as  a  volunteer,  and  was  on  the  Hanoverian  side 
throughout  the  whole  campaign  of  the  '45.  In 
1747,  he  obtained  a  commission  in  Lord  Drum- 
lanrig's  Regiment  in  the  service  of  the  States 
General,  from  which  he  retired  on  half-pay  when 
the  regiment  was  reduced.  When  the  French  War 
broke  out  in  1757,  he  again  served  the  States 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  325 

General  in  Halkett's  Regiment,  and  remained  with 
it  till  peace  was  established,  when  he  retired  with 
the  rank  of  Captain.  In  1796,  though  an  old  man, 
he  petitioned  to  be  allowed  again  to  serve  in  the 
army,  and  his  petition  being  granted,  he  joined  the 
Glengarry  Regiment,  and  served  with  it  in  Ireland 
and  elsewhere. 

Ranald    married,    first,    Helen    Grant    of    Glen- 
moriston,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Aeneas,  his  successor. 

He  married,  secondly,  Anne,  daughter  of  John 
Macdonald  of  Glengarry,  and  had  by  her  — 

2.  Charles,   who  was  educated  in  France,    and   became  a 

Major  in  the  72nd  Regiment.  He  had  a  daughter, 
who  died  in  1806. 

3.  Donald,  who  was  also  educated  in  France,  and  entered 

the  H.E.I. C.S.  Madras  Presidency  as  Ensign  in  1791. 
He  retired  in  1815  with  the  rank  of  Lieut. -Colonel. 
He  married  in  1818,  Anne,  eldest  daughter  of  Archi- 
bald Macdonald  of  Rhu  and  Lochshiel,  and  had  by 
her — 

(A)  Eneas  Ronald,  born  Oct.  26,  1821,  and  educated  at 

Stonyhurst  College,  Lancashire,  and  Edinburgh 
University.  He  became  an  advocate  at  the 
Scottish  Bar,  and  practised  for  some  years.  He 
purchased  the  Estate  of  South  Morar  in  1855. 

He  married  Catherine,  only  surviving  child 
of  James  Sidgreaves  of  Inglewhite  Hall,  Lan- 
cashire, and  had  (1)  Ronald,  who  died  unmarried  ; 
(2)  James  Sidgreaves ;  (3)  Alastair  Young 
Crinan ;  (4)  Catherine,  who  married  Major 
H.  F.  Lyons  Montgomery. 

Eneas,  who  was  a  J.P.  and  D.L.  of  Inverness- 
shire,  died  at  Camusdarroch,  January  13,  1898. 

(B)  Donald,   who  entered  the  H.E.I.C.S.,  and  became  a 

Captain  in  the  2nd  Grenadier  Regiment.  He 
married  Francis  Eyre  of  Eyrecourt,  Ireland,  and 
had  an  only  child,  a  daughter,  who  died  young. 
Donald  died  in  India  holding  a  civil  appoint- 
ment as  Conservator  of  Forests. 


326  THE    CLAN    HONALD 

(c)  Anna  Maria,  who  married  Captain  Gibson  Stott  of  the 
92nd  Regiment,  and  had  (1)  Joseph  Gibson 
Stott,  banker  in  New  Zealand  ;  (2)  Anna  ;  (3) 
Alicia  ;  (4)  Elizabeth  ;  (5)  Frances.  Mrs  Gibson 
Stott  died  May  3,  1903. 

(L>)  Catherine. 

4.  John,  who  died  unmarried. 

5.  James,  who  died  unmarried. 

6.  Catherine,  who  died  when  engaged  to  be  married  to  a 

French  gentleman. 

7.  Marjory,  who  married  James  Galbraith. 

8.  Elizabeth. 

9.  Helen. 

10.  Flora. 

11.  Clementina. 

12.  Margaret. 

13.  Anne. 

Ranald  V.  of  Scotus  died  in  June,  1811,  his  wife 
having  died  in  1793,  Having  disposed  of  his  estate 
in  1788  in  favour  of  his  eldest  son,  he  was  succeeded 
by  him  in  that  year. 

VI.  AENEAS.     In  1777  he  obtained  a  commission 
in  the  76th  or  Macdonald  Regiment,  with  which  he 
served  in   America,  and  was  reckoned  an  officer  of 
great   courage    and    ability.       He    married    Anna, 
daughter  of  William  Fraser  of  Gulbokie,  and  had  by 
her— 

1.  Aeneas  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  William,  who  was  educated  at  Marischal  College,  Aber- 

deen, and  became  a  Surgeon  in  the  19th  Regiment. 

3.  Helen,  who  married  Colonel  Kyle  of  Biughill,  Aberdeen- 

shire,  and  had  a  son,  James. 

Aeneas  died  at  Dunballoch,  near  Beauly,  Dec.  9, 
1792,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

VII.  AENEAS    RANALD.      He  was   educated   at 
Marischal  College,  Aberdeen,  and  entering  the  Civil 
Service  he  became  First    Member  of  the   Board  of 
Revenue,    Madras.       The    estate   of    Scotus   being 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      327 

heavily  burdened,  was  sold  by  Aeneas's  trustees  in 
1803,  the  purchase  price  being  over  £16,000.  The 
purchaser  was  Grant  of  Glenmoriston,  who  a  few 
years  later  sold  the  estate  to  Glengarry.  On  retir- 
ing from  active  service  in  India,  Scotus  lived  at 
Cheltenham. 

He  married  Juliana  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Arch- 
deacon Wade  of  Bombay,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Aeneas  Ranald,  who  married  first  Emma,  daughter  of 

General  Briggs,  H.E.I.C.S.,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Aeneas  Ranald,  who  succeeded  his  grandfather. 

(B)  John  Bird,  an  officer  in  the  12th  Regiment. 

(c)  Jeanie,  who  married  P.  H.  Chalmers,  Advocate,  Aber- 
deen. 

(D)  Charlotte  Lindsay. 

He  married,  secondly,  Mary,  daughter  of  Dr  Johnson, 
and  had 

(E)  Angus. 

2.  William  Fraser,  V.C.,  Judge  of  the  High  Court  of  Cal- 

cutta. He  married  Annie  Louisa,  daughter  of  Captain 
Duff  of  the  H.E.I.C.S.,  and  had  (a)  William,  (6)  (c) 
Julia  Charlotte,  (d)  Annie  Lindsay,  (e)  Helen,  (/) 
Edith. 

3.  Thomas,  who  left  no  issue. 

4.  Kyle. 

5.  Anna,  who  married  Hugh  Hamilton  Lindsay,  grandson 

of  the  Earl  of  Balcarres. 

6.  Julia,    who   married   John    Bird,    of   the   Madras   Civil 

Service. 

Aeneas  died  October  24,  1868,  having  on  the  28th 
of  the  previous  June  succeeded  Charles  Macdonald 
of  Glengarry  in  the  representation  of  that  family. 
His  son,  Aeneas  Ranald,  having  predeceased  him, 
he  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  Scotus  by 
his  grandson, 

VIII.  AENEAS  RANALD.  He  was  educated  at 
Eton,  and  entering  upon  a  commercial  career  he  was 
latterly  connected  with  a  well-known  firm  of  oil 
producers  in  London  and  Moscow. 


328  TflE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married  in  1874  Catherine  Frances,  daughter 
of  Henry  Herries  Creed,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Aeneas  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alastair  Somerled. 

3.  Marion  Lindsay. 

Aeneas  died  at  Elm  Park  Road,  Chelsea,  January  2, 
1901,  in  the  53rd  year  of  his  age,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

IX.  AENEAS  RA.NALD,  who  was  born  in  1875, 
was  educated  at  St  Paul's  School,  London,  and  was 
for  a  short  time  connected  with  the  banking  firm  of 
Herries  Farquhar  &  Co.  He  was  for  some  time  a 
tea  planter  in  Ceylon,  and  is  now  in  the  service  of 
the  firm  of  Schebauffe  &  Co.  in  Baku. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  LOCHGARRY. 

This  family  is  descended  from  Ranald  IX.  of 
Glengarry  and  II.  of  Scotus.  JOHN,  the  first  of  the 
family,  was  the  third  son  of  Ranald.  He  was 
known  as  of  Sandaig.  which  he  held  with  other 
lands  of  his  father  and  brother.  In  1696,  there  is 
a  sasine  to  him  of  the  lands  of  Sandaig,  and  others. 

He  married,  in  1689,  Janet,  daughter  of  Hugh 
Macdonald  of  Glenmore  (son  of  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald  of  Sleat)  and  Anna,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Robertson  of  Struan,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter, 
Mary.  He  married,  secondly,  Helen,  daughter  of 
Donald  Cameron  of  Glendissary,  second  son  of  Allan 
Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus  of  Greenfield. 

John  died  in  1725,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD.  He  held  several  wadsets  under 
Glengarry,  and  being  a  good  business  man,  he  was 


1.  Colonel  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Loch-        3.  Professor  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Loch - 

garry.  garry. 

2.  Captain  A.  A.  Macdonell  of  Loch-        4.  Archibald    Macdonald    of    Baris. 

garr\-.  dale. 

5.  William   Macdonald  of  Sauda. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  329 

appointed  Chamberlain  on  the  Glengarry  Estates  in 
1733.  In  1736,  he  purchased  the  lands  of  Inner- 
hadden,  in  Rannoch,  from  James,  Duke  of  Atholl. 
In  1738,  he  purchased  from  him  the  Estate  of 
Lochgarry,  comprising  the  lands  of  Dalnaspidal, 
Dalnacardoch,  Dalanf'hraoich,  Tom'ic'ille  Donach, 
Dalantaruaine,  Dalnamein,  Drumachine,  Drum- 
chastail,  and  Pitcastle.  He  now  assumed  the 
designation  of  Lochgarry. 

Through  the  influence  of  the  Duke  of  Atholl,  he 
obtained  a  commission  as  Lieutenant  in  June,  1745, 
in  the  Highland  Regiment  raised  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lord  Loudon,  but  on  the  standard  of  the 
House  of  Stuart  being  raised  at  Glenfinan,  he 
hastened  to  join  Prince  Charles,  who  appointed  him 
second  in  command  of  the  Glengarry  Regiment. 
He  played  a  distinguished  part  throughout  the 
campaign,  and  was  wounded  at  Clifton.  After  the 
death  of  Colonel  Angus  of  Glengarry,  he  assumed 
full  command  of  the  regiment,  and  left  an  interesting 
account  of  the  movements  of  the  Highland  Army, 
preserved  in  the  Glengarry  Charter  Chest.  After 
the  Battle  of  Culloden,  he  remained  in  hiding  for 
some  time,  and  finally  escaped  with  the  Prince  to 
France,  whither  his  wife  and  family  followed  him. 
He  entered  the  French  Army,  and  attained  the 
rank  of  Colonel.  He  was  exempted  by  name  from 
the  Act  of  Indemnity  of  1747,  and  his  estate  was 
forfeited.  He  was  one  of  the  most  devoted  and 
trusted  of  the  adherents  of  the  Stuarts,  and  with 
Lord  Elibank,  his  brother,  and  Cameron  of  Fassifern, 
was  at  the  head  of  the  last  desperate  and  futile 
effort  made  for  their  restoration. 

Donald  of  Lochgarry  married  Isabel,  daughter  of 
John  Gordon  of  Glenbucket  (familiae  illustrissimae 
ducum  de  Gordon),  and  had  by  her  — 


330  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  John,  to  whom  the  estate  of  Lochgarry  was  restored. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  A  son 

4.  Sophia. 

5.  Anne. 

Donald  died  at  Paris,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
III.  JOHN.  He  obtained  a  commission  in  1747 
in  Ogilvy's  Regiment  of  Grenadier  Guards,  and  was 
promoted  Captain  in  1756.  He  afterwards  entered 
the  British  Army.  When  the  76th  Regiment,  or 
Macdonald  Highlanders,  was  raised  in  1777,  he  was 
appointed  its  Lieut. -Colonel  Commandant,  but 
before  he  had  taken  up  the  command,  he  was  taken 
prisoner  on  his  passage  from  America,  where  he  had 
been  serving  as  Major  with  Eraser's  Highlanders. 

He  died  in  London  unmarried  in  October.  1790, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

IY.  ALEXANDER.  He  served  in  Ogilvy's  Regi- 
ment, and  entering  the  service  of  Portugal  in  1764, 
he  became  Captain  in  1780,  Colonel  in  1794,  and 
General  in  1796,  from  which  time  he  held  office 
in  the  Royal  Palace.  He  was  naturalised  as  a 
Portuguese  subject  in  1808.  He  married,  first, 
Elizabeth  Arch  bold,  who  belonged  to  an  Irish 
family,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Archibald  John,  who  entered  the  Army  in  1790  as  an 
Ensign,  and  was  Lieut. -Colonel  in  the  113th  Regi- 
ment in  1798.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  James 
Reynolds,  Birmingham,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Jean. 

(B)  Mary. 

(c)  Sarah,  who  married  H.  Rawlins,  and  had,  among 
others,  Rev.  J.  A.  Rawlins,  St  Andrew's  Vicarage, 
Willesden,  London.  He  died  in  1798,  before  his 
father,  without  male  issue. 

General    Alexander    Macdonald    married,   secondly, 
Dona  Maria  Jose  Jorge  da  Costa,  daughter  of  the 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      331 

Count  of  Soure,  and  bad  by  her  one  son.  Dying  in 
1812,  his  widow  came  to  Scotland  with  her  son,  who 
succeeded  to  Lochgarry. 

V.  ANTHONY  MARIA.     In  1802,  a  royal  (Portu- 
guese) pension  was  conferred  on  his  mother,  which 
was  continued  to  himself  after  her  death.     He  was 
nominated  a  page  of  honour  in  the  Royal  Palace, 
owing  to  the  noble  rank  of  his  ancestors.     On  his 
taking   possession  of  Lochgarry,   he  entered  as  an 
Ensign  in  the  35tb  Regiment,  and  was  present  at 
the  battle  of  Waterloo,   for   which    he    received  a 
medal.     He   afterwards    exchanged    into    the    10th 
Royal  Hussars,  in  which  he  became  a  Captain.     In 
1828,  he  sold  what  remained  of  the  estate  of  Loch- 
garry, a  portion   having  in   1788   been  sold  to  the 
Duke  of  Atholl  for  £4870,  by  Colonel  John  Mac- 
don  aid. 

He  married,  in  1820,  Cassandra  Eliza  Macdonald, 
daughter  of  Major  Ross  Darby,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander  Anthony,  his  successor. 

2.  Mary  Anne,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  died  unmarried. 

He  died  at  Kew  in  April,  1831,  at  the  age  of  33, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER   ANTHONY,    who   was    born   at 
Perth,  January   11,  1822.     He  entered  the  Indian 
Army    in    1840,  and   was  an    Ensign   in    the    40th 
Bengal    Native    Infantry    in    1841.       In    1842,    he 
received  the  Candahar  medal.      He  was  promoted 
Captain  in   1852,  Major  in  1859,  Lieut. -Colonel  in 
1862,  and  Colonel  in  1867. 

He  married,  in  L852,  Margaret  Jane,  eldest 
daughter  of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Rum,  and  Isabella, 
daughter  of  Captain  Mackenzie  of  Hartfield,  and 
had  by  her,  who  died  in  1893— 


332  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  Arthur  Anthony. 

2.  Henry  Edward,  who  was  born  in   London  in   1864,  and 

educated  at  the  Military  Academy,  Dresden,  and  the 
Oxford  Military  College.  He  is  now  living  at  Nelson, 
British  Columbia.  He  married,  in  1886,  Ethel, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Taylor,  Winnipeg,  Manitoba. 

3.  Sophia  Adelaide  Hastings. 

4.  Flora   Lindsay,    who   married,   in    1882,    David  George 

Ritchie,  Fellow  of  Jesus  College,  Oxford,  now  Pro- 
fessor of  Logic  in  the  University  of  St  Andrews.  She 
died  at  Oxford  in  1888,  leaving  one  daughter,  Flora 
Ailkeu. 

Colonel  Macdonald  died  at  Mussourie,  India,  June 
4,  1870,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of 
the  family  by  his  eldest  son, 

VII.  ARTHUR  ANTHONY,  who  was  born  in  India 
in  1854.  He  was  educated  at  the  Public  School  at 
Gottingen,  Germany,  from  1870  to  1875.  He  then 
became  a  student  in  the  University  of  Gottingen, 
where  he  remained  for  a  year  and  a  half.  He  matri- 
culated at  Corpus  Christi  College,  Oxford,  in  1876, 
gaining  a  classical  exhibition  at  that  College,  and 
three  scholarships  in  the  University,  for  German, 
Sanskrit,  and  Chinese.  He  graduated  with  classical 
honours  in  1880,  and  was  appointed  Taylorian 
Teacher  of  German  in  the  University.  He  was 
appointed  Deputy  Professor  of  Sanskrit  in  1888, 
and  in  1809  Boden  Professor  of  Sanskrit  in  suc- 
cession to  Sir  M.  Monier  Williams.  In  1883  he 
became  Ph.  D.  in  the  University  of  Leipsic.  He 
has  edited  various  Sanskrit  texts,  has  written  a 
Sanskrit  grammar  and  dictionary,  has  published  a 
work  on  Vedic  Mythology,  and  is  about  to  issue  a 
history  of  Sanskrit  literature.  He  has  also  contri- 
buted many  papers  to  Oriental  philological  journals. 
He  married,  in  1890,  Mary  Louise,  youngest  daughter 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  333 

of  William  Lowson  of  Balthayoch,  Perthshire,  and 
has  by  her — 

1.  Alasstair  Somerled,  who  was  born  in  1893. 

2.  Flora  Lindsay,  who  was  born  in  1891. 

3.  Mona  Isobel,  who  was  born  in  1895. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GREENFIELD. 

This  family  is  descended  from  Angus,  brother  of 
Donald  II.  of  Lochgarry,  and  grandson  of  Ranald 
IX.  of  Glengarry.  ANGUS  of  Greenfield,  who  was 
"out"  in  the  '45,  was  a  Major  in  the  Glengarry 
Regiment,  and  was  wounded  at  Culloden. 

He  married,  first,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander Grant  of  Sheuglie,  and  had  a  son,  Alexander. 

He  married,  secondly,  Mary,  daughter  of  Roderick 
Mackenzie  of  Fairburn,  without  issue. 

Angus  of  Greenfield  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER,  who  went  to  Canada  in  1792, 
and  commanded  the  2nd  Battalion  of  Glengarry 
Militia  in  the  war  of  1812-14. 

He  married  Janet,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald  of  Aberchalder,  Captain  1st  Battalion  King's 
Royal  Regiment  of  New  York,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Hugh,  who  died  unmarried  at  the  Scots  College,  Valla- 

dolid,  Spain. 

2.  Angus,  who  was  murdered  in  the  conflicts  between  Lord 

Selkirk's  Company  and  the  North  West  Company,  of 
which  latter  he  was  a  partner.  He  died  unmarried. 

3.  Duncan,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

4.  John,    who  was   born   in    1785,    and   became   M.P.  for 

Glengarry,  and  Attorney-General  for  Upper  Canada. 
He  served  as  Colonel  of  Militia  and  Military  Secre- 
tary and  A.D.C.  to  Major  General  Sir  Isaac  Brock 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  present  at  the  capture  of 
Detroit,  of  which  he  negotiated  the  capitulation  (gold 
modal),  and  at  the  Battle  of  Queenstown,  where  he 


334  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

was  killed  and  buried  with  his  general  under  the 
monument  on  Queenstown  Heights.  The  Prince 
Regent,  in  expressing  his  regret  at  the  loss  which  the 
country  must  experience  by  the  death  of  the  Attorney- 
General,  declared  that  "  his  zealous  co-operation  with 
Sir  Isaac  Brock  would  reflect  lasting  honour  on  his 
memory."  He  died  unmarried. 

5.  Donald  Greenfield.     He  commanded  a  company  at  the 

capture  of  Ogdensburg  in  1813,  and  was  D.A.Q.M.G. 
in  that  war.  He  was  M.P.  for  Glengarry  in  several 
Parliaments,  Sheriff  of  Stormont,  Dundas,  and  Glen- 
garry, Colonel  of  Militia,  and  Deputy  Adjutant- 
General  from  1853  to  1862. 

He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Ranald  Mac- 
donald,  Lieutenant,  King's  Royal  Regiment,  New 
York,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Alexander,    barrister-at-law,    of     Morisburgh,    who 

married  a  daughter  of  J.  Doran,  and  died  in 
1890,  leaving  four  sons  and  a  daughter. 

(B)  Aeneas,  M.D.,  of  Almonte  and  Cornwall,  and  after- 

wards of  Ottawa,  who  died  unmarried  in  1891. 
(c)  Reginald,  Captain  in  the  Royal  Canadian  Rifles,  who 
died  unmarried  in  1851. 

(D)  John,  barrister-at-law,  of  Cornwall,  who  married   Isa- 

bella, daughter  of  Colonel  Alexander  Maclean,  of 
Cornwall,  and  died  in  1868,  leaving  two  sons 
and  three  daughters. 

(E)  Robinson,  barrister-at-law,  deputy-clerk  of  the  Crown 

at  Cornwall,  who  died  unmarried  in  ]862. 

(F)  Janet,  who  died  unmarried, 
(o)  Catherine  Anne. 

6.  Alexander  Greenfield,  M.P.  for  Glengarry,  and  afterwards 

for  Prescott  and  Russell,  Sheriff  of  the  Ottawa  Dis- 
trict, and  formerly  a  partner  in  the  North- West  Com- 
pany under  Lord  Selkirk.  He  died  without  issue  in 
1841. 

7.  Mary,  who  married  John  Gumming,  M.P.  for  Kingston, 

without  issue. 

8.  Anne,  who  married  Miles  Macdonald,  Lieutenant,  King's 

R.R.,  of  New  York ;  Captain,  R.C.V.  Regiment,  and 
Governor  of  Assiniboia.  He  died  before  1812,  leaving 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      335 

a   daughter,    who   married    Alexander    Macdonald  of 
Ardnabie. 

9.  Marjory,  who  married  Colonel  Alexander  M'Millan,  of  De 
Lancier's  Brigade,  in  the  Revolutionary  AVar,  and  after- 
wards Captain,  R.C.V.  Regiment. 
1 0.   Margaret. 

Alexander  Macdonald  II.  of  Greenfield  died  in  1819, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  surviving  son, 

III.  DUNCAN.     He    commanded   a    company   at 
the  taking  of  Ogdensburg  by  Colonel  George  Mac- 
donald in  1813,  and  was  afterwards,  in  succession  to 
his  father,  Lieut. -Colonel  Commanding  2nd  Battalion 
Glengarry  Militia,  from  which   he  retired  in  1887, 
receiving  the  thanks  of  the  Governor-General  "  for 
his  long  and  valuable  services  dating  from  the  last 
war." 

He  married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Colonel  Archi- 
bald Macdonald,  Leek,  and  had  by  her  an  only  son, 
Archibald  John.  Duncan  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

IV.  ARCHIBALD  JOHN,  who  was  born  in   1822. 
He  succeeded  his  father  and  grandfather  as  Lieut. - 
Colonel  Commanding  the  2nd  Battalion  Glengarry 
Militia  in  1857,  and  continued  in  command  till  1864. 
He   was  a   barrister- at-law,  Recorder  at   Kingston, 
and   a   Bencher  of  the   Law   Society.     He  was   for 
many  years  a  partner  in  his  profession  with  Sir  John 
A.  Macdonald,  Premier  of  Canada. 

He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Robert  Long 
Innes,  Lieutenant  H.M.  37th  Regiment,  and  had  by 
her— 

1.  John  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Georgina  Hamilton. 

3.  Mary  Elizabeth. 

He  died  27th  March,   1864,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 


336  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

V.  JOHN  ALEXANDER,  who  was  born  26th  June, 
1851.  He  became  barrister-at-law  in  1875,  and 
was  made  Queen's  Counsel  in  1890.  He  is  a 
Captain  in  the  59th  Battalion  Stormont  and  Glen- 
garry Militia. 

He  married  Isabel,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  John 
Willoughby  Crawford,  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
Ontario. 


THE  MAODONALDS  OF  BARISDALE. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Barisdale  are  descended  from 
Ranald  IX.  of  Glengarry,  whose  youngest  son, 
ARCHIBALD,  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  occupy 
Barisdale.  Archibald  was  born  in  1670,  and  educated 
at  the  Scots  College,  Rome.  He  was  reckoned  an 
excellent  scholar,  able  "  to  argue  in  Greek  with 
learned  divines."  He  was  "out"  with  Dundee  at 
Killiecrankie,and  fought  afterwards  under  the  banner 
of  Glengarry  at  Sheriffmuir.  At  the  time  of  the  '45 
he  was  too  old  to  take  the  field,  but  his  sympathies 
were  entirely  with  the  Prince,  to  whom  he  paid 
court  at  Glenfinnan,  in  August,  1745.  On  the  12th 
of  May,  1746,  his  house  at  Barisdale  was  burnt  by 
Butcher  Cumberland's  orders,  and  he  himself  was 
carried  prisoner  on  board  a  ship  of  war,  but  as  there 
was  no  evidence  against  him  he  was  released.  It 
was  reported  by  one  of  the  Hanoverian  officers  that 
"  700  stand  arms,  30  cask  powder,  and  2000  Ibs. 
shot  were  taken  "  at  Barisdale. 

There  is  a  sasine  in  favour  of  Archibald  of  the 
lands  of  Rhidoroch,  in  Knoydart,  in  1696.  Shortly 
thereafter  he  received  a  charter  of  Barisdale,  and 
others,  from  his  father,  Glengarry.  In  1740  he 
acquired  the  lands  of  Mallaig. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  337 

He  married  Katherine,  daughter  of  Lieut. -Colon el 
Allan  Macdonald  of  Kytrie,  and  widow  of  Hugh 
Macdonald  of  Glenmore,  by  whom  he  had— 

1.  Coll. 

2.  Mary,  who  married  John  Macdonald  of  Duchamis,  with 

issue. 

3.  Margaret. 

He  had  also  a  natural  son,  Ranald,  known  as  Raonull 
Mor  a  Chmluinn,  described  as  a  powerfully  built  man  of 
fierce  aspect,  who  in  his  youth  led  a  wild,  adventurous  life. 
It  has  been  repeatedly  said  that  he  was  "  out "  in  the  '45, 
but  he  himself  in  his  judicial  declaration  at  Edinburgh 
Castle  admits  that  he  was  not  concerned  in  the  rebellion. 
In  1747  he  went  with  Captain  Forbes  to  the  East  Indies, 
and  served  with  him  in  the  Expedition  under  Admiral 
Boscawen.  He  afterwards  went  to  France,  and  served  in 
Drummond's  Regiment. 

He  lived  for  some  time  at  Barisdale,  and  latterly  had  a 
lease  of  Scammadale  and  Crowlin.  He  had  a  large  family 
of  sons  and  daughters.  Two  of  his  sons  served  in  the 
Glengarry  Fencibles.  His  son,  Captain  James,  was  latterly 
joint-tenant  with  his  father  at  Scammadale.  In  his  obituary 
notice,  Ranald  is  described  as  Ensign  on  the  retired  list  of 
Captain  Rose's  Independent  Company  of  Veterans.  He 
died  November  29,  1813,  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age. 

Archibald  Macdonald  died  at  Barrisdale  in 
March,  1752,  and  was  buried  at  Kilchoan,  in  Knoy- 
dart.  Though  his  son,  Coil,  predeceased  him,  he 
had  succeeded  him  in  some  of  his  lands  and  as  head 
of  the  family  several  years  before  his  death. 

II.  COLL.  He  was  born  in  1698,  and  educated 
in  Rome.  Being  in  high  favour  with  his  cousin, 
John  of  Glengarry,  he  acquired  from  him  wadsets  of 
a  considerable  part  of  Knoydart,  facing  Lochnevis. 
In  1725,  he  obtained  a  wadset  of  Lee,  Munial,  and 
others,  in  the  Loch o urn  district,  a  wadset  of  Easter 
and  Wester  Kytrie  in  1727,  and  in  1731  a  wadset 
of  Easter  and  Wester  Culachie.  He  paid  19,000 

22 


338  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

merks  for  these  wadsets,  a  large  sum  at  that  time. 
In  1732,  he  obtained  a  wadset  of  Glenguseran,  and 
others,  which  Glengarry  redeemed  in  1734.  He 
had  besides  a  wadset  over  Clash  more,  and  others, 
in  Assynt,  Sutherlandshire.  About  this  time  he 
was  made  Captain  of  the  Watch  and  Guardian  of 
the  Marches  on  the  west  side  of  Inverness-shire,  a 
position  to  which  he  was  appointed  by  the  neigh- 
bouring proprietors  who  had  combined  to  protect 
themselves  from  the  cattle-raiding  which  was  so 
common  at  the  time.  Barisdale,  who  was  a  man  of 
commanding  personality  and  talent,  was  able  to 
render  effective  service  for  several  years,  and  did 
more  than  any  other  to  put  an  end  to  the  demoral- 
ising custom  of  cattle-lifting. 

Barisdale  joined  the  Prince  at  the  outset  of 
the  rising  of  the  '45,  at  the  head  of  the 
Knoydart  men,  "  who  made  a  very  handsome 
appearance."  He  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Prestonpans,  and  at  the  capture  of  Edinburgh. 
In  the  pursuit  after  Prestonpans  he  took  three 
troops  prisoners,  for  which  he  was  made  a 
Knight  Banneret.  From  Edinburgh  he  was  sent  on 
a  special  mission  to  the  Highlands  to  stir  up,  among 
others,  Lord  Lovat.  who  could  not  make  up  his 
mind  to  declare  openly  for  the  Prince.  From  Beau- 
fort he  went  to  Glen-Urquhart,  to  prevent  the  Grants 
joining  the  Hanoverians.  He  afterwards  proceeded 
westward?  to  recruit  in  Assynt  and  Lochbroom. 
Barisdale,  thus  actively  engaged  in  the  North,  did 
not  take  part  in  the  Expedition  to  England.  On 
the  Prince's  return  he  joined  him  the  day  before  the 
battle  of  Falkirk  with  "  300  clever  fellows  from  the 
North,"  with  whom  he  took  an  active  part  in  the 
battle.  When  the  Prince's  army  retired  to  the 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  339 

North,  Barisdale's  services  were  again  called  into  re- 
quisition, and  he  was  sent  to  Ross  and  Sutherland 
to  oppose  the  Hanoverian  forces  in  these  counties. 
The    Battle    of   Culloden    was,    as    is    well    known, 
hurriedly  resolved  upon,  and  Barisdale  had  only  got 
as  far  as  Dingwall  at  the  time  of  the  action.       On 
arriving  at  Inverness  on  his  way  to  join  the  Prince, 
the  news  of  the  defeat  reached  him.      He  at  once 
proceeded  westwards,  and  found  his  way  to  Knoy- 
dart.      On  the  8th  of  May  he  attended  the  meeting 
held  at  Muirlagan  by  a  few  leading  Jacobites  to  con- 
sider whether  they  were  to  continue  in  arms.      The 
meeting  was  adjourned  for  a  week,  and  then    Baris- 
dale appeared,  accompanied  by  120  men,  well  aimed. 
It  was  finally  decided  that  the  contest  must  be  held 
as  concluded,  and  Barisdale  made  off  to  escape  arrest. 
From  May  26th  to  June   10th  nothing  is  known  of 
his  whereabouts.      On  the  latter  day   he  and    his 
son    were    both    captured    by    Ensign    Small,    and 
brought  prisoners  to  Fort- Augustus.       On  condition 
of  his  giving  information  leading  to  the  apprehension 
of  the  Prince,  Barisdale  received  a  protection  for  ten 
days,  which  was  not  renewed.    His  movements  after- 
wards are  not  known  till,  at  the  instigation  of  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald,  he  went  on  board  the  French 
ship  which  was  to  carry  the   Prince  to  France,  and 
was  made  prisoner.       He  was  imprisoned  first  at  St 
Malo,  and  afterwards  at  Saumeur  for  two  years  and 
four  months.      On   his  being  liberated  in  February, 
1749,   he   returned   to  Scotland,  but  he  was  again 
arrested  in  March  of  the  same  year  by  his  former 
captor,   Lieutenant   Small,   and   carried   prisoner  to 
Edinburgh  Castle,  where  he  was  kept  in  close  con- 
finement  without   trial  from    April    12th,    1749,    to 
June  1st,  1750,  when  he  died. 


THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

It  will  now  be  necessary  to  refer  for  a  brief  space 
to  the  charge  of  treachery  to  the  Prince  and  his 
cause  brought  against  Barisdale  by  recent  writers  of 
Scottish  history  of  the  period  of  the  '45.  One  indi- 
vidual, particularly,  a  Mr  Andrew  Lang,  has  contri- 
buted more  than  any  other  to  the  literature  of  that 
period.  It  would  be  unkind  to  take  him  seriously. 
His  manner  of  attacking  the  "  rebels  "  and  High- 
landers generally  is  characteristic.  He  quotes  an 
isolated  case  on  the  evidence  of  lying  Hanoverian 
officials,  and  exclaims  triumphantly  :  "  Such  was  life 
in  the  Highlands  in  the  golden  days  of  the  clans." 
We  prefer  the  golden  days  thus  sneered  at,  with  all 
their  drawbacks,  to  the  days  of  the  modern  literary 
scribbler  who  tries  to  extract  coppers  out  of  the  dust 
heap  of  the  past  by  blackening  the  memory  of  the 
dead. 

Up  to  the  time  of  his  arrest,  Barisdale  had  shown 
himself  a  strenuous  and  loyal  supporter  of  the  Prince, 
even  after  others,  whose  loyalty  is  above  suspicion, 
had  given  up  the  cause  as  hopeless.  It  is  not  in  the 
least  surprising  that,  after  his  capture,  he  should 
affect  to  make  disclosures  when  he  found  himself  in 
the  hands  of  an  unscrupulous  enemy,  and  death 
staring  him  in  the  face.  To  save  his  life  and  gain 
his  liberty  he  made  fair  promises,  and  the  Hano- 
verian authorities  were  foolish  enough  to  believe 
him,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  never  made  any  effort 
to  betray  the  Prince.  Both  Butcher  Cumberland 
and  Albemarle  confessed  that  the  information 
given  by  Barisdale  was  false,  and  that  they  had 
been  fooled  by  him.  Albemarle  threatened  to 
punish  him  by  driving  away  his  cattle  and  devasta- 
ting his  lands,  and  the  threat  was  actually  carried 
out  by  a  Captain  Grant  in  August. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      341 

The  conclusion  that  any  fair-minded  person  will 
draw  from  the  evidence  we  possess  of  Barisdale's 
doings  is  that  he  was  not  a  traitor  to  the  Jacobite 
cause.  He  had  the  misfortune  to  be  captured,  and 
finding  himself  "  in  a  tight  place,"  he  gave  informa- 
tion regarding  the  Prince  which  was  afterwards 
regarded  as  worthless  and  deceptive.  It  was  re- 
ported to  the  Prince  and  his  friends  that  he  had 
turned  informer.  The  nature  of  the  information 
which  he  had  given  was  misrepresented  by  personal 
enemies,  and  thus  false  suspicions  led  to  his  being 
kept  a  prisoner  by  his  own  side.  Barisdale  was  the 
victim  of  circumstances.  He  suffered  at  the  hands 
of  the  Hanoverian  Government  for  his  devotion  to 
the  Jacobite  cause.  He  also  had  the  misfortune  to 
be  suspected  of  and  punished  for  treachery  to  his 
own  side,  when  the  sole  object  of  his  action  was  to 
save  himself  and  not  in  any  way  to  injure  the 
Prince,  He  on  the  contrary  rendered  the  Prince 
the  best  service  in  his  power  by  putting  his  pursuers 
on  the  wrong  scent.  The  minor  charges  against 
Barisdale  are  not  worthy  of  consideration,  and  are 
as  false  as  that  of  attempting  to  betray  the  Prince. 

Coll  married,   in    1724,   Catherine,    daughter   of 
George  Mackenzie  of  Balmuchie,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  was  "  out "  in  the  '45,  and  was  prisoner 

with  "Spanish  John  "  at  Fort-William  hi  1746.  He 
is  mentioned  in  a  letter  by  Allan  Macdonald  of  Knock 
as  one  of  the  Barisdale  party  who  gave  him  a  beating 
in  1753.  He  was  afterwards  a  Captain  in  Eraser's 
Highlanders,  was  with  General  Wolfe  at  the  taking  of 
Quebec,  and  killed  there,  in  the  spring  of  1760,  in  the 
battle  fought  by  General  Murray. 

Coll  married,  secondly,  in   1736,  Mary,  daughter  of 
Roderick  Mackenzie  of  Fairburn,  and  had  by  her — 


342  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

3.  Coll,  who  was  served  heir  of  provision  to  his  father,  17th 
January,  1757,  and  died  at  Barisdale  in  1770. 

Coll  died  at  Edinburgh  Castle,  June  1st,  1750,  and 
was  buried  at  Grey  friars.  He  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

III.  ARCHIBALD.  Though  not  quite  twenty  years 
of  age  when  the  Prince  landed,  he  joined  his  standard 
with  his  father,  and  held  the  rank  of  Major  in  the 
Glengarry  Regiment.  He  took  part  in  all  the  actions 
of  the  campaign.  After  Culloden  he  found  his  way 
to  Knoydart,  where  he  met  his  father,  with  whom 
he  was  arrested  by  Ensign  Small,  as  already  referred 
to.  Why  his  name  was  included  in  the  list  of 
attainted  persons,  and  his  father's  name  omitted, 
was, -no  doubt,  owing  to  a  confusion  between  their 
names,  Coll  being  in  reality  younger  of  Barisdale, 
his  father  being  then  alive.  And  it  must  be  borne 
in  mind,  in  connection  with  the  charge  of  treachery 
made  against  Coll,  that  his  name  was  omitted  from 
the  bill  of  attainder  before,  not  after,  his  capture. 
Archibald  was  carried  prisoner,  with  his  father,  on 
board  the  same  vessel  to  France,  and  shared  the 
same  prison  with  him.  He,  however,  made  his 
escape,  after  a  year's  imprisonment,  and  returned  to 
the  Highlands.  He  was  apprehended  at  the  same 
time  as  his  father,  in  1749,  and  carried  prisoner  to 
Edinburgh  Castle,  but  was  immediately  dismissed ; 
no  doubt  on  account  of  his  youth  when  he  engaged 
in  the  Rising  of  the  '45.  He  then  returned  home, 
and  lived  peaceably  at  Inverie  till  1753,  when  he 
was  again  apprehended,  on  the  18th  July,  on  the 
old  charge  of  treason,  and  carried  prisoner  to  Edin- 
burgh. No  new  charge  was  preferred  against  him, 
and  no  good  reason  can  be  adduced  for  the  vindictive- 
ness  of  the  authorities  in  so  severely  punishing  this 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  343 

unfortunate  man.  He  was  sentenced  to  death  on 
the  22nd  of  March,  1754,  without  a  semblance  of 
justice.  He  was  reprieved  on  the  10th  of  May,  but 
still  detained  in  prison  for  years,  until  he  was  finally 
discharged  in  1762.  From  this  time  he  lived  at 
Barisdale,  and  was,  according  to  the  verdict  of  his 
contemporaries,  a  man  "  eminently  distinguished  for 
his  strict  honour  and  steady  friendship,  one  of  the 
handsomest  men  of  the  age." 

By  way  of  compensation  for  his  unjust  sufferings, 
Archibald  was  offered  a  commission  in  the  105th 
Regiment,  in  which  he  served  for  a  short  period. 
Barisdale  married,  in  1746,  Flora,  daughter  of  Nor- 
man Macleod  of  Drynoch,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Coll,  his  successor. 

2.  Foi'bes  Alexandra  Archibalda,  who  was  born  in  1754. 

3.  Bruce  Cotton  Lyon,  who  was  born  in  1757. 

4.  Catherine,   who  was  born    in    1760,   and    married   John 

Robertson,    merchant,    Glasgow,    and     had     issue — 
General  Robertson  and  a  daughter. 

5.  Flora,  who  married  Donald  Macleod  of  Ratigan. 

Archibald  died  at  Barisdale,  September  19th,  1787, 
and  was  buried  at  Kilchoan.  His  widow,  Flora 
Macleod,  died  in  1815.  He  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

IV.  COLL.  He  lived  at  Barisdale  all  his  life,  and 
for  many  years  held  a  commission  for  regulating  the 
fisheries  from  the  Point  of  Ardnamurchan  to  Gair- 
loch.  He  served  for  some  time  as  an  officer  of  the 
reserved  forces.  He  is  described  by  Knox,  the 
traveller,  as  "  a  gentleman  of  great  bodily  strength, 
who  is  both  loved  arid  feared." 

He  married  Helen,  fourth  daughter  of  William 
Dawson  of  Graden,  Roxburghshire,  and  had  by  her, 
who  died  in  1805 — • 


344  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  William,  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  of  the  1st  Battalion 

10th  Native  Infantry.  He  died  while  serving  with  his 
Battalion  at  Dhapoola,  near  Severndroog,  in  the  East 
Indies,  December  9th,  1819.  "  His  brother-officers  of 
the  Regiment,  in  token  of  their  very  gi'eat  esteem  and 
sincere  regard  for  him,  built  a  splendid  monument  to 
his  memory,  on  the  spot  where  he  lies  interred." 

3.  Christian,    who    married,    29th   January,    1818,    Major- 

Gen  eral  Sir  Alexander  Cameron,  K.C.B.,  of  Inver- 
ailort,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Duncan,  who  succeeded  his  uncle  in  the  representation 

of  the  family  of  Barisdale. 

(B)  Colin  William,  who  died  in  1840. 

(c)  Arthur  Wellington,  C  -lonel,  92nd  Highlanders. 

(D)  Helen,  who  died  in  1839. 

(E)  Jane. 

Coll  died  in  1826,  and  was  buried  at  Kilchoan.  He 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ARCHIBALD.     He  was  tenant  of  Glenmeddle, 
in  Knoydart,  in  his  father's  lifetime.     He  afterwards 
lived  at   Barisdale,   and   died   there,   unmarried,   in 
1862.     He  was  succeeded  in  the   representation  of 
the  family  by  his  nephew, 

VI.  DUNCAN  CAMERON  of  Inverailort.     He  mar- 
ried, first,  in    1847,   Louisa   Campbell,  daughter  of 
George  Mackay  of  Bighouse.  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Louisa  Campbell  Christian,  who  died  young. 

He  married,  secondly,  Alexa  Marion  Macleod,  second 
daughter  of  Thomas  Gillespie,  Ardochy,  and  had  by 
her— 

2.  Christian  Helen  Jane,  who  succeeded  him. 

3.  Frances  Alexandra. 

He  died  26th  June,  1874,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
daughter, 

VII.  CHRISTIAN  HELEN  JANE,  who  married,  8th 
September,    1888,   James    Head,   son  of  Sir  James 
Head,  Bart.,  and  has  issue — 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      345 

1.  Frances  Somerville  Cameron. 

2.  Christian  Mary  Cameron. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ARDNABIE. 

The  progenitor  of  this  family  was  JOHN  MOR,  son 
of  Donald  VII.  of  Glengarry.  The  first  notice  we 
have  of  him  is  in  1592,  when  his  father  granted  him 
a  charter  of  the  lands  of  Kylisstrugsay,  and  others, 
in  Morar.  He  afterwards  had  a  wadset  of  the  lands 
of  Invergarry  and  Letterfearn.  In  1653  he  received 
a  wadset  of  the  lands  of  Ardnabie,  Stroncroick. 
and  Ardochy.  He  fought  under  the  banner  of  his 
nephew,  Angus  of  Glengarry,  in  the  Montrose  cam- 
paign, where  he  receives  special  mention. 

John  Mor  married  a  daughter  of  Grant  of  Glen- 
moriston,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  Donald. 

4.  Ranald  of  Achtera,  who  had  a  son,  Aeneas  II.  of  Achtera} 

who  had  a  son,  Alexander  III.  of  Achtera,  "  out "  in 
the  '45. 

John  died  in  1654,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ANGUS.     He  married  Janet  Grant,  and  had 
by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.     He  was  well  known  as  a  com- 
poser of  Gaelic  verse  of  considerable  merit,  some  of 
which   has  been  published.      He  was   "out"   with 
Dundee  in  1689.     In  1694  he  had  a  renewal  of  his 
wadset  of  Ardnabie,   and    others,   from  Glengarry. 
He  married  Mary  Macdonald,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Archibald,  who  had  a  son,  Donald. 


346  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Alexander  died  in   1695,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

IV.  JOHN.     He  signed  the  Address  to  George  I. 
in  1714,  and  was  "out"  in  1715.     He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Ranald   Macdonald  of  Glengarry,  and 
had  by  her— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Ranald,  who  was  "  out "  in  the  '45. 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  Mary,  who  married  William  Fraser  of  Guisachan,  with  issue. 

She  inherited  the  poetical  gift  from  her  grand  father,  and 
made  a  large  collection  of  ancient  Gaelic  poetry,  on 
account  of  which  her  name  was  prominently  brought 
forward  in  connection  with  the  Ossianic  controversy. 
Her  MS.  collections  of  Gaelic  poetry  and  music  were 
taken  by  her  son,  Captain  Simon  Fraser,  to  America 
in  1773,  where  they  were  afterwards  destroyed.  She 
was  reckoned  a  lady  of  great  beauty  and  many 
accomplishments. 

John  Macdonald  of  Ardnabie,   who   was   living  in 
1730,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  DONALD.     In  1730,  while  his  father  was  still 
living,  he  received  a  wadset  of  Ardnabie  and  Stron- 
chroick    from    Glengarry.       He    married    Christian 
Macdonald,  without  issue.      He  died  before    1745, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VI.  JOHN.     He  was  "  out"  in  the  '45,  and  was  a 
Captain  in  the  Glengarry  Regiment.     Like  his  gifted 
sister,   he  composed   several    Gaelic   poems,   one   of 
which,    in    praise    of  his   contemporary,    Alexander 
Macdonald,  the  Bard,  is  published  in  Ranald  Mac- 
donald's  Collection.     John  married,  and  had,  among 
others,  a  son, 

VII.  ALEXANDER  of  Ardnabie,  who  married  Anne, 
daughter  of  Captain  Miles  Macdonald.  He  was 
living  in  Canada  in  1814,  and  is  described  as  having 


THE  GENEALOGY  Off  CLAN  DONALD.      347 

"  a    fine    numerous    family,   and    in    easy   circum- 
stances." 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  LEEK. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  JOHN  OG.  son  of 
Donald  VII.  of  Glengarry.  In  1661,  he  received 
from  Lord  Macdonald  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Leek. 
In  1679,  he  is  referred  to  as  one  of  several  Catholics 
in  Abertarff  hunted  down  by  the  Episcopal  Church, 
which  was  then  established  in  Scotland.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  RANALD,  who  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of 
Leek    from    Glengarry    in    1690.       He    married   a 
daughter   of  Grant  of  Glenmoriston,   and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John. 

Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.       He  signed    the    Address    to 
George  I.  in  1714.     He  had  four  sons— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald. 

3.  John. 

4.  Donald,  described  as  a  student  in  1712. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ANGUS.     He  married  Mary  Macdonald,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan.       He   was    "  out "   in   the   '45.      He   afterwards 

emigrated    to   the    American   Colonies,    and    was    a 
Captain  in  the  King's  Royal  Regiment  of  New  York. 

3.  Ranald.      He  was  "  out "  in  the   '45.      He   afterwards 

emigrated  with  his  brothers,  and  was  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  same  regiment. 

4.  Archibald.     He  emigrated  with  his  brothers,  and  was  a 

Captain  in  the  same  regiment.     His  daughter,  Mary, 
married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Crowlin. 


348  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

5.  Alexander.      He  was  "out"  in  the   '45.      He  married 

Anne  Macdonald,  with  issue. 

6.  Donald,  afterwards  of  Leek. 

7.  Roderick.       He    was    educated    at    the   Scots   College, 

Valadolid,  for  the  Church,  and  was  for  some  time 
Priest  of  Glengarry.  He  afterwards  followed  the 
Glengarry  emigrants  to  Canada,  and  was  stationed  at 
St  Regis,  where  he  died. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Leek  died  before  1750,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  JOHN.  He  was  "  out "  in  the  '45.  and  was 
wounded  at  Culloden.  He  afterwards  found  his 
way  to  France,  and,  according  to  a  family  manu- 
script, served  for  some  time  in  the  Scotch  Guard. 
He  returned  home  shortly  after  the  Act  of 
Indemnity  was  passed,  and  entered  the  British 
Army  as  an  officer  in  Fraser's  Highlanders.  He 
went  with  the  regiment  to  Canada,  and  fought 
under  General  Wolfe  at  the  taking  of  Quebec  in 
1759,  where  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  take  an 
aide-de-camp  of  Montcalm's  prisoner,  with  important 
despatches.  He  afterwards  served  during  the 
American  War  and  commanded  a  Veteran  Corps  in 
Newfoundland. 

He  married  Helen  Leslie  of  Fetternear,  Aberdeen- 
shire,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Wolfe  Alexander,   who   entered  the  Army  and  became 

Colonel  of  the  25th  Regiment.     He  died  unmarried. 

2.  George,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

3.  James,  a  Captain  in  the  13th  Light  Infantry,  who  died 

unmarried. 

4.  Charles,  an  officer  in  the  Army,  who  died  unmarried  in 

India. 

5.  Edward,  an  officer  in  the  Army,  who  died  unmarried  in 

India. 

6.  Ernest,    an   officer   in   the    25th    Regiment,    who   died 

unmarried. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  349 

7.  Isabella,  who  married  in  1784,  the  Hon.  Neil  Maclean, 

of  the  Macleans  of  Heisker,  North  Uist,  Lt. -Colonel 
of  the  Stormont  Militia,  Canada,  with  issue. 

8.  Elizabeth,  who  married  Arthur,  son  of  Lord  Clifford. 

9.  A  daughter,  who  married  Robert  Gillies. 

10.  Jacobiua,    who   in    1819    married    Sir  Joseph   Radclifte, 

Rudding  Park,    Yorkshire,    with  issue.     She  died  in 
1868. 

11.  Ileleu,  who  married  Thomas  Nassau. 

12.  Alfrina,  who  died  unmarried. 

John  Macdonald  of  Leek  died,  a  Captain  of  Invalids, 
at  Berwick  in  1813,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
third  son, 

VI.  GEORGE.  He  was  born  at  St  John's,  New- 
foundland, August  12,  1780.  He  entered  the  Army 
in  .1796,  and  obtained  his  first  commission  in  the 
regiment  raised  by  Lord  Darlington.  He  after- 
wards served  with  the  Duke  of  York  in  Holland. 
He  served  for  some  time  with  the  8th  Infantry,  and 
went  out  to  India  with  the  50th  Regiment.  It  was 
in  Canada  that  his  principal  services  were  rendered. 
When  the  Americans  invaded  Canada  in  1812,  he 
was  commissioned  to  raise  the  Glengarry  Light 
Infantry  Regiment.  He  commanded  the  expedition 
by  which  Ogdensburg  was  captured  on  February 
23rd,  1813,  for  which  he  received  the  thanks  of  the 
House  of  Assembly.  He  was  at  Chateauguay, 
which  he  reached  with  his  regiment  by  a  skilful  and 
rapid  march  through  forests,  just  in  time  to  render 
aid  which  was  of  the  utmost  importance  in  securing 
that  brilliant  victory.  For  this  action  he  received  a 
gold  medal.  He  received  the  Companionship  of  the 
Bath  in  1817,  and  was  afterwards  Lt. -Colonel  79th 
Highlanders. 

Colonel  Macdonald  married  in  1820  the  Hon. 
Laura  Arundell,  daughter  of  Lord  Arundell  of 
Wardour,  and  had  by  her,  John  Ignatius. 


350  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Colonel  Macdonald  died  at  Wardour  Castle,  16th 
May,  1870,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  JOHN  IGNATIUS,  Colonel  Commanding  71st 
Highlanders,  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death.  He 
is  now  a  Major-General  in  the  Army. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ABERCHALDER. 

The  families  of  Aberchalder  and  Culachie  are 
both  descended  from  ALASTAiR  MOR,  son  of  Donald 
VIII.  of  Glengarry.  His  descendants  for  at  least  a 
hundred  years  held  the  lands  of  Easter  and  Wester 
Aberchalder,  Easter  and  Wester  Culachie,  as  well 
as  Pitmean,  in  common,  and  formed  one  family,  the 
heads  of  which,  as  well  as  the  younger  members,  are 
designated  now  of  one  and  now  of  another  of  these 
holdings.  The  younger  sons  are  sometimes  described 
as  portioners  in  the  lifetime  of  their  fathers.  It  was 
not  until  some  time  after  the  '45  that  representatives 
of  the  family  began  to  be  designated  separately  and 
definitely  as  of  Aberchalder  and  Culachie.  Hitherto 
they  had  been  known  as  Clann  Alastair  Mhoir. 

The  senior  line  being  descended  from  Donald, 
the  eldest  son  of  Alastair  Mor,  and  known  as  of 
Aberchalder,  we  shall  take  first.  Alastair  Mor  had 
a  wadset  of  Culachie.  and  others,  from  Glengarry  in 
1641.  In  1669,  there  is  a  discharge  to  Alexander 
by  his  nephew,  Sir  Norrnan  Macleod  of  Bernera, 
He  died  shortly  thereafter,  and  left  five  sons— 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Ranald,  from    whom  the  family   latterly   known   as  of 

Culachie. 

3.  Alexander  of  Muckerach,  who,  besides  a  daughter  Mary, 

had  a  son  Angus  II.  of  Muckerach,  and  he  had  a  son 
Alexander,  who  lived  at  Croichel,  III.  of  Muckerach. 

4.  Angus,  who  married  Isabel  Macintosh,  with  issue. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  351 

5.  Allan  of  Kytrie,  who  married  Mary  Chisholm,  and  had  a 
sou,  Alexander  II  of  Kytrie,  who  had  a  son,  Allan 
III.  of  Kytrie,  who  had  a  son,  Alexander  IV.  of 
Kytrie,  removed  in  1751  at  the  instance  of  Alastair 
Ruadh  of  Glengarry. 

Alastair  Mor  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD.     In  1662,  he  received  a  charter  of 
the  lands  of  Wester  Aherchalder  from  Hugh  Fraser 
of  Foyers,  whose  daughter  Mary  he  had  previously 
married.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus. 

3.  Alexander. 

Donald  died  in  1711,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  JOHN.     He  was  one  of  those  who  signed  the 
Address  to  George  I.  in   1714.     He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Culachie,  and  had 
by  her,  among  others — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus. 

John  died  in  1733,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER.  He  left  the  Glengarry  Estate, 
it  is  said,  on  account  of  a  quarrel  with  the  Chief 
over  the  killing  of  deer,  and  emigrated  to  the 
American  Colonies  sometime  before  the  breaking 
out  of  the  War  of  Independence,  settling  in  Char- 
lottenburg,  on  the  River  St  Lawrence.  Though  an 
old  man,  he  accepted  service  as  a  loyalist  at  the 
outset  of  the  American  War,  and  became  a  Captain 
in  the  King's  Royal  Regiment  of  New  York.  He 
is  described  as  "a  worthy,  respectable,  and  much- 
esteemed  man,  not  only  as  true  a  Highlander  as 
ever  wore  a  kilt,  but  as  shrewd  a  man  of  business, 
and  one  who  was  supposed  to  understand  the 
interests  of  Highlanders  after  the  '45  better  than 
most  men." 


352  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald  of  Killichonat,  widow  of  Donald  Macdonald 
of  Tirnadrish,  executed  at  Carlisle  in  1746.  By  her 
he  had— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Hugh.     He  began  his  career  as  Ensign   in  the  King's 

Royal  Regiment  of  New  York,  and  was  afterwards 
Captain  in  the  Royal  Canadian  Volunteer  Regiment. 
In  1803  he  was  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  Glengarry 
Militia  Regiment,  and  was  appointed  Adjutant- 
General  of  Militia  in  Upper  Canada.  He  had  sat 
as  one  of  the  members  for  Glengarry  in  the  first 
Legislature  of  the  Province.  In  1805  he  was 
appointed  Assistant  Commissary-General  at  Gib- 
raltar, and  in  1811  he  was  sent  as  Consul-General 
to  Algiers,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Duke  of 
Kent,  whose  great  friend  he  was,  where  he  remained 
till  1820.  He  shortly  after  retired  on  a  pension.  He 
married,  first,  Anne  Hughes,  by  whom  he  had  three 
daughters.  He  married,  secondly,  a  daughter  of 
Admiral  Ulrich,  Danish  Consul-General  at  Algiers, 
and  had — 

(A)  Alexander,    who    afterwards    succeeded    his    cousin 

Alexander   VI.   of  Aberchalder  in  the  represen- 
tation of  the  family. 

(B)  Hugh  Guion,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

(c)  A  daughter,  who  married  M.  Holstein,  Danish  Consul- 
General  at  Algiers. 

(D)  A  daughter,  who  married   General  Sir  Robert  Wyn. 

yard,  some  time  Military  Governor  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope. 

(E)  A  daughter,  who  married  General  Sir  George  Brown, 

who   commanded    the    Light    Division    in    the 
Crimea, 
(p)  A  daughter,  who  married  Captain  Buck,  R.N. 

(0)  A  daughter,  who  married  Viscount  Aquado. 

(H)  A  daughter,   who   married    Captain   Cumberland,  of 
the  42nd  Regiment. 

(1)  A    daughter,    who    married    Don    Augusto    Conte, 

Spanish  Ambassador  at  Vienna, 
(j)  A  daughter,  who  became  a  nun, 


THF    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  353 

3.  Chichester,  a  Lieutenant  in  Butler's  Rangers,  and  after- 

wards a  Colonel  in  the  British  Army.  He  served  in 
the  82nd  and  34th  Regiments,  and  fought  at  Corunna 
under  Sir  John  Moore.  After  his  death,  a  medal 
having  been  struck  for  Corunna,  a  gold  medal  was 
sent  to  his  family  by  order  of  the  Prince  Regent,  to 
be  deposited  with  them  as  a  token  of  the  respect  His 
Royal  Highness  entertained  for  his  memory.  He  after- 
Wcards  received  an  appointment  in  India,  and  died 
there  unmarried  in  1813. 

4.  A  daughter,  who  married  Major  Ross,  with  issue. 

5.  A  daughter,  who  married  General  Wilkinson. 

6.  Janet,   who   married    Colonel   Alexander   Macdonald   of 

Greenfield. 

Alexander  Macdonald  IV,  of  Aberchalder  died  in 
1787,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  JOHN,  a  Captain  in  Butler's  Rangers.  He  and 
his  brothers  rendered  conspicuous  services  on  the 
loyalist  side.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Legislative  Assembly  for  Glengarry  in  1792,  and 
was  afterwards  Speaker  of  the  first  House  of 
Assembly  of  Upper  Canada.  He  was  Lieut.  - 
Colonel-Commanding  2nd  Battalion  Royal  Canadian 
Volunteer  Regiment  raised  in  1796,  and  disbanded 

(i  * 

in  1802  at  the  Peace  of  Amiens.  He  married 
Helen,  daughter  of  Henry  Yates,  Governor  of  New 
York,  and  had  by  her  an  only  son,  who  succeeded 
him, 

VI.  ALEXANDER,  He  was  a  Major  in  the  Lan- 
caster Regiment  of  Glengarry,  and  served  in  the 
1837  rebellion.  He  married  Helen,  daughter  of 
Captain  Richard  Wilkinson,  of  the  Glengarry 
Fencibles,  and  had  by  hei— 

1.  John,  who  died  young. 

2.  Eleanor,  who  died  young. 

3.  Helen,  who  died  young. 

4.  Anna  Maria,  who  died  unmarried,  Aug.  7,  1877. 

5.  Anne. 

23 


354  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Alexander  died  in  1850,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  cousin,  the  eldest 
son  of  his  uncle,  Hugh, 

VII.  Sir  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD,  K.C.B.  He 
entered  the  Army  in  1837  as  Second  Lieutenant. 
He  was  promoted  Lieutenant,  May  11,  1841; 
Captain,  24th  October,  1845  ;.  Brevet-Major,  12th 
December,  1854  ;  Major,  22nd  December.  1854  ; 
Brevet-Lt.-Colonel,  17th  July,  1855  ;  Lt.-Colonel, 
June  1,  1857  ;  Colonel,  20th  July,  1858  ;  Major- 
General,  6th  March,  1868  ;  Lieut-General,  October 
1,  1877  ;  General,  April  1,  1882  ;  Colonel-Com- 
mandant Rifle  Brigade,  24th  January,  1886. 

He  served  with  the  Rifle  Brigade  in  the  Kaffir 
War  of  1846-7,  for  which  he  received  a  medal.  He 
also  served  throughout  the  Eastern  Campaign  of 
1 854  as  Aide-de-Camp  to  Sir  George  Brown,  and 
was  present  at  the  capture  of  Balaclava  and  at  the 
Battles  of  Alma  and  Inkerman.  He  commanded 
the  2nd  Battalion  from  May,  1855,  to  the  Fall  of 
Sebastopol,  including  the  defence  of  the  Quarries 
and  assaults  on  the  Redan.  He  received  medals 
with  three  clasps,  brevets  of  Major  arid  Lt.-Colonel, 
C.B.,  Knight  of  the  Legion  of  Honour,  Sardinian 
arid  Turkish  medals,  and  5th  Class  of  the  Medjidie. 
He  commanded  the  3rd  Battalion  during  the  Indian 
Mutiny,  including  the  Skirmish  of  Secundra,  Siege 
and  Capture  of  Lucknow  and  subsequent  operations, 
for  which  he  received  medal  with  clasp.  He  also 
served  in  the  campaign  of  the  North- West  Frontier 
of  India  in  1864,  for  which  he  received  medal. 

He  commanded  the  expedition  against  the  Moh- 
mund  tribes  in  1863-4,  for  which  he  received  medal. 
He  was  made  K.C.B.  in  1881.  He  married,  in 
1867,  Emily  Rutson,  daughter  of  Henry  Rose 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      355 

Alport,  without  issue.  Sir  Alexander  died  April 
30th,  1891,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation 
of  the  family  by  his  brother, 

VIII.  The  Right  Hon.  SIR  HUGH  GUION  MAC- 
DONALD,  G.C.M.G.  Sir  Hugh,  who  was  born 
in  1832,  was  educated  at  the  Royal  Military 
College,  Sandhurst,  and  joined  the  Army  as 
Second  Lieutenant,  Rifle  Brigade,  22nd  December, 
1848.  In  1853  he  retired  from  ill-health,  entered 
the  Diplomatic  Service,  and  was  an  Attache 
at  Washington  and  Constantinople.  In.  1865  he 
was  appointed  to  Rio  Janeiro  as  Second  Secretary. 
He  did  not,  however,  proceed  thither,  but  took  up  a 
similar  position  at  Copenhagen  in  the  following  year. 
He  served  successively  at  Buenos  Ayres,  Madrid, 
and  Berlin,  where,  on  many  occasions,  he  acted  as 
Charge  d'  Affaires.  He  was  transferred  to  ,Rome  in 
1878.  and  was  promoted  to  be  Charge  d'  Affaires  at 
Munich  in  1882.  In  1885  he  went  as  Envoy  Extra- 
ordinary and  Minister  Plenipoteniary  to  Brazil.  In 
1888  he  proceeded  in  a  similar  rank  to  the  Court  of 
Denmark.  In  1892  he  was  made  K.C.M.G.,  and  in 
the  following  year  he  was  transferred  to  Lisbon.  In 
1899  he  was  made  a  G.C.M.G.  He  retired  on  a 
pension  in  1902,  when  he  was  sworn  of  the  Privy 
Council. 

Sir  Hugh  married,  in  July,  1870,  Arine,  daughter 
of  Edward  Lamb  of  Wallington  Lodge,  Surrey.  He 
died  in  London,  January  25th,  1904. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CULACHTE. 

The  progenitor  of  this  family  was  ALASTAIR  MOB, 
son  of  Donald  VII.  of  Glengarry,  already  referred  to 
as  the  ancestor  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Aberchalder. 


356  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Alast air's  second  son  was  RANALD  of  Culachie,  also 
often  referred  to  as  of  Pitmean.  He  married  twice. 
By  his  first  wife,  Marion  MacPhee,  he  had— 

1.  Alexander   of    Kytrie,    described    also    as    portioner   of 

Culachie  in  his  father's  lifetime. 

2.  James,  who  was  served  heir  to  Pitmean,  and  described  as 

portioner  of  Culachie.  He  married,  in  1718,  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Macdonald  of  Sandaig,  and  had  by 
her — 

(A)  Allan. 

(B)  Ranald, 
(c)  Alexander. 
(D)  John. 

3.  Angus  of  Easter  Aberchalder. 

4.  Ranald,  who  married   Mary,   daughter  of  Donald   Mac- 

donald of  Wester  Aberchalder. 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Culachie  died  in  1724,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.     He  had  three  sons— 

1.  Allan. 

2.  Ranald. 

3.  Angus. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ALLAN.     He  was  "  out "  in  the  '45,  escaped 
to  France,  and  obtained  a  commission  in  the  French 
Army,   in   which   he  served   for    ten   years,   having 
attained    the    rank    of    Captain.       He    afterwards 
returned  to  Scotland,  and,  in   1773,  emigrated,  on 
the  advice  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  to  the  American 
Colonies.     He  settled  in  Tryon  County,  since  called 
Sohoharie,   in   the   Mohawk   Valley,  in  the   British 
Province  of  New  York.      He  distinguished  himself 
on  many  occasions  as  a  loyalist  during  the  war  in 
America,   and   suffered    many  hardships.      He   was 
taken  prisoner  at  Johnstown,  in  January,  1776,  and 
detained  at  Lancaster  for  a  considerable  time.     He 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      357 

was  a  Captain  in  the  84th  Royal  Highland  Emigrant 
Regiment. 

Captain  Allan  Macdoriald  married  Helen,  daughter 
of  Macnab,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  James,  who  was  a  Captain  in  the  43rd  Regiment.     He 

died  in  the  West  Indies  from  hardships  suffered 
during  a  campaign  with  the  French.  He  was 
unmarried. 

4.  Henrietta,    who  married  in  1783   Dr  Donald  Maclean, 

Surgeon  in  the  Army,  with  issuo. 

5.  Catherine,   who,  in   1798,  married  Captain  Miles  Mac- 

donald  of  the  Scotus  family,  and  died  shortly  thereafter. 

Captain  Allan  Macdonald  of  Culachie  died  at 
Quebec  in  1792,  and  was  buried  at  the  Church 
of  St  Foy.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ANGUS,   a  Barrisher-at-law.       He   was    First 
Clerk  of  Legislative  Assembly  of  Upper  Canada  in 
1792,   and    M.L.A.    for   Durham,   Simcoe,    and   the 
East  Riding   of  York.      He  was   Treasurer  of  the 
Law  Society  from  1801   to  1804.     He  was  drowned 
on  the  schooner   "  Speedy "  on    Lake  Ontario,  7th 
October,  1804,  unmarried. 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VI.  The    Hon.    ALEXANDER.      He  was  born  at 
Culachie    in    1762.       He    served    as   an    officer    in 
Butler's  Rangers  in  the  American  War,  was  M.L.A. 
for  Glengarry  in  several  Parliaments  and  Speaker  in 

1804,  and  Sheriff  of  the  Home  District  from  1792  to 

1805.  He  was  Agent  for  the  Earl  of  Selkirk  in  the 
Western  District  from  1805  to  1812,  and  Colonel  of 
Militia  and  Deputy  Paymaster  General.      He  was 
Assistant  Secretary  Indian  Department  in  1816,  and 
subsequently  Member  of  the  Legislative  Council. 

The  Hon.   Alexander  Macdonald  occupied  a  dis- 
tinguished position  in  the  public  life  of  Canada,  and 


358  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

was  highly  esteemed  both  in  his  public  and  private 
character.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  Highlander, 
who  loved  his  country,  his  people,  and  their 
language.  He  married  Anne,  daughter  of  James 
Smith  of  Henricks,  Long  Island,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Allan,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  James,   Collector  of  Inland   Revenue,  who   married,   in 

1835,  Margaret  Leah,  daughter  of  Hon.  Samuel 
Smith,  Colonel  of  the  Queen's  Rangers,  and  Member 
of  the  Executive  Council  of  Upper  Canada,  and  had 
by  her — 

(A)  Alexander,  who  died  unmarried. 

(B)  Samuel  Smith,  who  succeeded  his  uncle  in  the  repre- 

sentation of  the  family, 
(c)  John  Greenfield,  who  died  unmarried, 

(D)  James  George,  who  married  Anne  Jane,  daughter  of 

Ralph  Walsh,  Lancaster,  England  (1)  James 
Alexander  Greenfield  ;  (2)  Allan,  who  died  April, 
1895  ;  (3)  John  George  ;  (4)  son,  who  died  in 
infancy ;  (5)  Margaret  Jane  ;  (6)  Jessie  Heinretta  ; 
(7)  Olive  Beatrice. 

(E)  Ronald  Duncan,  who  died  young. 

(F)  Helen,  who  died  young. 

(0)  Emily  Isabella,  who  married,  in  1872,  William  George 

M'Williams,  Barrister-at-law,  with  issue. 
(H)  Margaret,    who    married,    in    1873,    John     Beverley 
Robinson,  grandson  of  Sir  John  Beverley  Robin- 
son, Bart.,  with  issue. 

(1)  Jessie  Louisa,  who  married  Arthur  Bagshaw  Harrison, 

Major,  late  JOth  Royal  Grenadiers. 

3.  Angus  Duncan,  who  married   Pauline-Rosalie,  daughter 

of  John  P.  De  La  Haye.  He  died  August  8,  1894, 
and  had — 

(A)  John  De  La  Haye. 

(B)  Angus  Claude,  Barrister-at-law. 

(c)  Archibald  Hayes,  Lieut.  Royal  Canadian  Regiment  of 

Infantry. 

(D)  Allan  Stuart,  of  Lindsay,  Barrister-at-law. 
(B)  Henrietta,    who  married  W.  M.  German  of  Welland, 

Barrister-at-law. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  359 

(F)  Helen,  a  nun  in  Loretto  Convent,  Toronto. 

(G)  Margaret,  who  married  Louis  M.  Hayes,  of  Peterboro, 

Barrister-at-la  w . 
(H)  Marie-Pauline. 

4.  Alexander,     Barrister-at-law,    born    19th    Sept.,    1820 — 

unmarried. 

5.  Samuel  Smith,  born  23rd  Feb.,  1823,  of  Windsor,  Essex, 

Barrister-at-law,  Q.C.,  D.C.L.  He  married  Helen 
Gillis,  daughter  of  Col.  Daniel  Brodhead  of  Brookline, 
Boston,  U.S.A.,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Daniel,  who  died  in  infancy. 

(B)  Archibald,    Inspector   N.W.M.    Police,   who    married 

Mary  Maud,   daughter  of  Colonel  Campbell  of 

Kingston,  with  issue. 

(c)  Henrietta- Ay Imer,  who  married  John  Morley. 
(D)  Cornelia-Brodhead,  who  married  Adam  W.  Anderson. 
(B)  Ellen-Gertrude,  who  married  John  Wallace. 

6.  Helen-Anne,  who  died  in  infancy. 

7.  Henrietta,  who   married  George  Edward  Aylnier,  Major 

93rd  Highlanders,  with  issue.  He  died  March  3, 
1844. 

The  Hon.  Alexander  Macdonald  died   18th  March, 
1842,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  ALLAN,  Barrister-at-law,  aud  Sheriff  of  the 
Gore  district.     He  died  unmarried,  9th  September, 
1888,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  nephew, 

VIII.  SAMUEL    SMITH   MACDONALD,    who    was 
born  15th  March,  1838,  and  married,  19th  November, 
1872,   Mary  Jane,   daughter   of  Alexander  Fisher, 
and  has  by  her— 

1.  James  Arthur  Edward,  born  13th  May,  1886. 

2.  Florence  Mary. 

3.  Leila  Isabella. 

THE  CLAN  GODFREY. 

This  tribe,  known  in  their  native  Uist  as  "  Siol 
Ghorraidh1'  or  "  Siolachadh  Ghorraidh,"  derives  its 
origin  from 


360  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

I.  GODFREY,  youngest  son  of  John,  Lord  of  the 
Isles,   by  his  first  wife,   Amie    Macruari.     Godfrey 
obtained  from   his  father  a  grant  of  the  island  of 
North  Uist,  but  whether  the  Charter  was  a  verbal 
one  or  was  embodied  in  the  form  of  parchment  there 
seems  to  have  been  no  attempt  to  secure  the  royal 
confirmation.       Godfrey,     Lord     of     Uist,    \vho    is 
described  in  an   historical  document  of  his  time  as 
"  Strenuus  vir,"  probably  believed  more  in  the  strong 
hand  than  in  the  efficacy  of  writs,  a  fact  from  which 
his  posterity  no  doubt  suffered  in  times  when  more 
value  was  attached  to  these  evidences  of  ownership. 
According  to   the   historian  of  Sleat,   Godfrey  also 
held  the  lands  of  Skeirhough,  Benbecula,  and  Bois- 
dale,  in  South  Uist,  after  the  death  of  his  brother 
Reginald  ;  but  of  these  further  possessions  having 
been  his,  we  have  no  decisive  evidence.      After  1386, 
which  year  Ranald  died,  Godfrey  seized  the  lordship 
of  Garmoran,  and  until  his  death  in  1401  exercised 
the  powers  of  a  feudal  baron  over  the  mainland  and 
island  territories  of  Clanranald.     At  what  he  styles 
his  Castle  of  Ellantirrim,  he  dates  a  charter  in  which 
he   calls  himself  Lord   of  Uist.     In    this    Deed   he 
granted  to  the  Monastery  of  St  John  the  Evangelist 
in    Inchaffray    and    the    Convent  of  the  same,  the 
Church     of    the    Holy    Trinity    in    Carinish,    and 
the     4     merklands     of     Illera     between    Husabost 
and    Kenearach,     with     all    the     advantages    with 
which     Christina,    the     daughter     of     Allan,    the 
true  heiress  thereof,  and  Reginald,  called  Macruari, 
the   real  lord   and  patron,   had   granted    the   same 
chapel.     Godfrey  acted  a  prominent  part  in  matters 
connected  with   the   lordship   of  the  Isles  after  his 
brother  Ranald's  death,  and  although  he  accepted 
the  superiority  of  Donald  as  head  of  the  race,  he  evi- 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  361 

dently  took  the  lead  in  various  negotiations.  On 
14th  June,  1388,  the  King  of  England  gave  a  Com- 
mission, fully  recorded  and  signed  at  Westminster, 
addressed  to  the  venerable  prior  John,  Bishop  of  the 
South  Isles  (Sodorensis),  to  form  an  alliance  with 
Godfrey  (strenuo  viro),  while  letters  patent  are  also 
directed  to  the  same  bishop  to  adopt  a  similar  course 
with  the  strenuous  men,  Donald  and  John,  his 
brothers.  He  was  alive  in  1400,  for  in  that  year 
his  son  Angus  is  styled  the  son  of  Godfrey  of  the 
Isles,  but,  as  already  stated,  he  died  the  following 
year.  According  to  the  MS.  of  1450,  an  unimpeach- 
able document  touching  contemporary  genealogical 
facts,  Godfrey  had  four  sons — 

1.  Angus. 

2.  John. 

3.  Somerled. 

4.  Ranald. 

Whoever  Alexander  MacGorrie  or  Macruari  of  Gar- 
moran  was  who  was  executed  by  James  I.  in  1427, 
he  could  hardly  have  been  a  son  of  Godfrey,  in  view 
of  his  exclusion  from  the  above  list.  The  use  by  the 
chronicler  of  the  patronymic  Macruari  rather  than 
MacGorrie  seems  conclusive  against  the  hypothesis 
of  Skene  and  Gregory  that  he  was  a  son  of  Godfrey, 
Lord  of  Uist.  The  conjecture  has  been  advanced, 
not  without  plausibility,  that  the  individual  in  ques- 
tion— -Alexander  Macruari — was  really  a  Macmahon, 
and  an  early  representative  of  the  Matheson  tribe. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  Godfrey,  Lord  of  Uist,  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

II.  ANGUS.  We  have  it  on  record  that  on  8th 
June,  1400,  Angus  entered  into  a  marriage  contract 
with  Margaret  junior,  daughter  of  Margaret,  Lady 
of  the  Aird,  who  represented  a  family  of  great 


362  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

importance  in  that  region  of  Inverness-shire.  The 
contract,  which  was  drawn  out  at  Dumballoch,  in 
the  Parish  of  Kirkhill,  contains  stipulations  as  to 
the  future  enjoyment  of  the  lands  bestowed  upon 
the  young  couple  by  the  mother  of  the  bride. 
These  lands  consisted  of  the  davoch  of  Croicheil  and 
the  half  davoch  of  Comar  Kinbady,  with  pertinents 
amounting  to  15  merklands,  and  they  were  entailed 
upon  Angus  and  his  wife  and  heirs  begotten  of 
them  ;  but  failing  issue,  they  were  to  revert  to  the 
wife's  family.  That  Angus  was  a  man  of  con- 
sequence in  the  north  appears  further  from  a 
document  of-  6th  August,  1420,  contained  among 
the  Moray  writs,  in  which  William  the  Graham 
resigned  into  the  hands  of  Thomas,  Earl  of  Moray, 
the  barony  of  Kerdale.  At  the  drawing  out  of  the 
Deed  of  Resignation,  a  number  of  notables  were 
present,  including  John,  Bishop  of  Ross  ;  Eugene 
Fraser,  baron  of  Lovat ;  John  Macloyd,  lord  of 
Olenelg  ;  and  Angus  Gothrason  of  the  Isles.  Angus 
dying  without  issue,  about  1430,  and  John  and 
Somerled,  the  other  sons  of  Godfrey,  having  left 
no  trace  either  in  history  or  tradition,  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  youngest  brother, 

III.  RANALD,  son  of  Godfrey.  He  settled  in  the 
Paible  district  of  North  Uist,  in  a  place  since  his 
day  known  as  Balranald,  so  called  after  Ranald,  the 
son  of  Godfrey.  Tradition  says  he  was  the  first  to 
introduce  into  North  Uist  the  feudal  custom  of 
"  herezeld,"  or  giving  to  the  laird  the  best  horse  in 
the  stable  of  a  tenant  or  vassal  who  had  died.  Like 
his  brother  and  father,  Ranald  was  undoubtedly 
undisputed  lord  of  North  Uist.  He  died  in  1440. 
He  had  two  sons,  whose  names  appear  on  record — 
.  1.  Alexander. 
2.  John. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      363 

IV.  ALEXANDER,    the  older  son  of  Ranald,  suc- 
ceeded in  the  lordship  of  North  Uist,  but  very  little 
is  known   of  him  beyond  the  fact.     He  is  clearly 
identified  in  the  MacVurich  MS.,  though   the  links 
of  the  genealogy  are  singularly   inaccurate.       The 
Clanranald  Seanachie  does  sometimes  trip  when  he 
goes   beyond  the  family  of  his   own  patrons.       He 
chronicles  events  which  transpired  in  the  year  1460, 
and,  among  others,  he  tells  that  "  In  that  year  died 
Alexander,  the  son  of  Godfrey's  son     .     .     .     laird 
of  the   northern  end   of  Uist."     Alexander  left  no 
male  issue,   and  the  succession  devolved  upon  his 
brother, 

V.  JOHN,  the  son  of  Ranald.     John  appears  in  a 
list  of  the  Council  of  John,  Earl  of  Ross,  who  acted 
as  witnesses  to  a  charter  granted  by  that  potentate 
to   Thomas,   younger   of  Ding  wall,   on    12th   April, 
1463.      He  appears  as  "  Joannes  Ranaldi  Goffridi," 
along  with  Donald  Balloch  of  Dunnyveg  and  the 
Glens,  Celestine  ofLochalsh,  Ranald  Bane  of  Largie, 
and  others.     Although  John  thus  appeared  to  possess 
considerable  influence  and  prestige,  he  was  the  last 
of  the  family  to  occupy  the  position  of  a  territorial 
magnate.      He  probably  died  before  28th  June,  1469, 
for  it  was  at   that  date  that  John,  Earl  of  Ross, 
bestowed  a  charter  for  extensive  territories  upon  his 
own  brother  Hugh,  including  the  lordship  of  North 
Uist,  hitherto  the  patrimony  of  the  Clan  Godfrey. 
Presumably  the  family  of  John,  son  of  Ranald  Mac- 
Godfrey,  found  it  difficult  to  compete  with  the  in- 
fluential pretensions  of  the  brother  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  as  immediate  vassals  of  that  potentate. 

Though  Godfrey's  family  thus  terminated  terri- 
torially, they  did  not  disappear.  They  continued— 
at  least  many,  of  them  did — in  their  "  kyndlie 


364  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

rowmes"  as  tenants  of  the  family  of  Sleat.  John, 
the  last  lord  of  the  Clan  Gorraidh,  who  possessed 
North  Uist,  had  two  sons— 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  him  at  Balranald. 

2.  Godfrey,  who  received  an  invitation  from  the  men  of  Loch- 

aber to  become  the  successor  of  Iain  Aluinn,  the  deposed 
chief  of  Keppoch.  He  was  third  cousin  to  the  last 
chief,  and  being  the  son  of  the  head  of  the  Clan  Gorrie 
was  regarded  as  hereditarily  fit  to  assume  the  chief- 
ship  of  another  branch  of  the  family  of  the  Isles. 
Godfrey  accepted  of  the  invitation,  largely  no  doubt 
on  the  ground  that  his  hereditary  position  at  home 
had  lost  the  ancient  prestige.  Eventually,  however, 
the  claims  of  nearer  kinship  prevailed  with  the 
descendants  of  Alastair  Carrach,  and  Alexander  the 
sou  of  Angus,  uncle  to  the  deposed  chief,  was  elected 
to  the  chiefship.  It  is  clear,  however,  that  Godfrey 

remained  in  Lochaber  and   settled    on  the   lands  of 

; 

Tirnadrish,  where,  during  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 
teenth centuries  his  descendants  were  numerous. 
Godfrey  had  two  sons  who  appear  on  record — 

(A)  Alexander. 

(B)  Donald,   who  lived  at  Blarourbeg,   and   left  several 

sons. 

Godfrey  of  Tirnadrish  died  c.  1548,  and  was  succeeded 
there  by  his  son — 

2.  Alexander.     He  married,  and  had  four  sons — 

(A)  Alexander. 

(B)  Godfrey, 
(c)  Donald. 
(D)  Angus. 

Alexander  died  c.  1580,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

3.  Alexander.    He  died  c.  1615,  and  was  succeeded  by  the 

only  son  that  appears  on  record — 

4.  Godfrey.     If  his  memory  is  not  greatly  maligned  in  the 

traditions  of  Lochaber,  he  was  one  of  the  party  that 
discovered  the  hiding  place  of  the  persecuted  Mac- 
gregors  near  his  own  dwelling  at  Tirnadrish,  in  con- 
sequwice  of  which  the  Macgregors  were  taken  by 
their  pursuers  and  put  to  death.  Afterwards  the 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  365 

headless  spectre  of  a  slain  Macgregor  was  said  to 
haunt  him,  and  at  last  when  one  of  the  survivors  took 
refuse  in  Godfrey's  house  OD  some  pretence,  the  latter 
was  panic  stricken  at  the  sight  of  the  supposed  spectre, 
and  the  Macgregor  stabbed  him  to  the  heart.  Such 
is  the  tradition,  whatever  its  historical  value  may 
amount  to.  He  died  about  1640,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

5.  Alexander,  who  appears  on  record  in  that  year.     Alex- 
ander's   name    is    mentioned    in    the    submission    to 
Government  by  Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppooh  in  1691. 
He  was  succeeded  at  Tirnadrish  by  his  son, 

6.  Archibald,  known  as  Gilleasbuig  Mor  Thirnadrish,  and 

his  tombstone  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the  burying- 
ground  at  Cille  Chaoraill,  a  curiously  carved  stone 
with  his  name  inscribed  and  the  date  of  his  death, 
1720.  After  him  the  lands  of  Tirnadrish  fell  into 
the  hands  of  Ranald  Macdonald,  bother  to  Coll  of 
Keppoch,  after  which  such  of  the  Sliochd  Ghorraidh 
as  were  still  to  the  fore  have  been  lost  trace  of. 

VI.  DONALD,  the  son  of  John,  succeeded  his 
father  at  Balranald  as  tenant  of  the  family  of  Sleat. 
We  find  him  here  flourishing  in  the  time  of  the 
sons  of  Hugh  of  Sleat,  of  whom  he  was  a  con- 
temporary. Hugh  Macdonald,  the  Seanachie  of  the 
Claim  Uisdetn,  describes  an  episode  in  Donald's 
family  life  of  which  Angus  Collach,  son  of  Hugh, 
was  the  hero,  and  which  led  to  fierce  and  sanguinary 
feuds,  to  which  reference  has  been  made  in  Vol.  II. 
Donald  married  a  lady  of  the  Clanranald  family,  a 
daughter  of  Ranald  Ban  Allanson,  1 2th  Chief.  He 
had  at  least  two  sons— 

1.  His  successor  at  Balranald,  name  unknown. 

2.  Godfrey,  who  settled  at  Vallay. 

Foi  at  least  two  hundred  years  his  descendants 
occupied  Balranald,  and  with  other  branches  of  the 
Clann  Gorraidh  engaged  in  many  feuds,  particularly 
with  a  tribe  of  Macdonalds  —  the  Siolachadh 


366  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Mliurchaidh.  This  sept  is  said  to  have  been  des- 
cended from  an  individual  of  the  name  of  Murdoch,  a 
natural  son,  according  to  the  Sleat  historian,  of  Angus 
Mor  of  Isla,  and  was  numerous  in  North  Uist,  the 
only  region  where,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  they  had 
a  local  habitation  and  a  name.  A  tradition  has 
been  handed  down  in  Uist  regarding  a  strange 
weird  act  of  vengeance  perpetrated  upon  the 
Siolachadh  MhurcJiaidh  by  the  Clan  Gorraidh. 
Loch  Hosta  in  North  Uist  at  present  adjoins  the 
farms  of  Hosta  and  Baleloch,  and  it  is  said  that  in 
olden  times  the  hollow  now  occupied  by  this  sheet 
of  water  was  dry,  and  inhabited  by  a  settlement  of 
Siolachadh  Mhurchaidh.  To  the  east,  and  on  a 
higher  elevation  on  the  moor,  was  a  lake,  and 
the  scheme  of  retribution  concocted  bv  the  Siol 

•/ 

Ghorraidh  took  the  form  of  opening  a  way  for  its 
waters,  so  that  their  course  might  be  directed  down- 
wards upon  the  unfortunate  hamlet.  The  operation 
was  with  little  difficulty  carried  through  owing  to 
the  character  of  the  moorland,  and  the  lake  let  loose 
rushed  down  into  the  hollow  at  Hosta,  through  the 
channel  of  a  burn  now  known  as  Amhainn  Ealaidh, 
thereby  submerging  the  habitations,  and  drowning 
many  of  the  Siol  Mhurchaidh.  The  ni^ht  on  which 
this  terrible  scheme  was  executed,  a  Clan  Gorraidh 
piper  composed  and  played  a  piobroch  of  savage 
vindictiveriess,  to  which  the  words  were  wont  to  be 
sung— 

"  0  thraigh  gu  traigh  Siolachadh  Mhurchaidh." 

The  links  of  the  genealogical  succession  of  Godfrey's 
descendants  at  Balranald  have  not  been  preserved 
either  in  record  or  tradition  up  to  the  time  of 
Donald  Macdonald  in  Paiblisgeary,  whom  we  find  in 
1723  witnessing  the  Bond  of  Uist  men  in  favour  of 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      367 

securing  the  forfeited  Estates  of  Sleat  to  the  family 
in  occupation.     He  had  three  sons — 

1.  Hugh  Macdonald,  known  in  his  day  as  Uisdean  Ban. 
He  lived  at  Paible,  in  North  Uist,  but  was  also  tenant 
of  Balranald  after  his  father's  death,  holding  it  from 
Macdonald  of  Griminish,  wadsetter.  In  1777  he  left 
North  Uist,  and  got  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Torlum  in 
Benbecula  from  the  Clanranald  of  the  day.  On  6th 
•  September,  1786,  having  left  Torlum,  he  received 
from  John  Macdonald  of  Clanranald  a  tack  of  the 
farm  of  Kilpheder,  in  the  Boisdale  district  of  South 
Uist,  and  the  same  year  succeeded  to  a  tack  of  Dali- 
burgh  on  the  same  property,  which  had  been  held 
by  his  brother  Alexander,  who  died  without  issue. 
Uisiean  Ban  was  well  known  and  respected  in  his  day 
as  a  man  of  remarkable  natural  gifts  and  a  very 
accomplished  genealogist  and  folk-lorist.  He  sup- 
plied Donald  Gregory,  author  of  the  "  Highlands  and 
Isles  of  Scotland,"  with  a  genealogy  of  the  Mac- 
donalds  of  Sleat  and  Clanranald,  which,  for  a  purely 
traditional  utterance,  is  conspicuous  for  its  accuracy. 
It  was  written  down  at  Balranald,  in  North  Uist,  on 
the  10th  August,  1800,  and  is  preserved  among  the 
Gregory  Collections.  One  of  the  most  interesting 
pieces  of  evidence  regarding  the  authenticity  of  Mac- 
pherson's  Ossian  was  also  written  down  from  the 
dictation  of  Hugh  Macdonald  at  Tighary,  in  North 
Uist,  on  12th  August,  1800.  Hugh  married,  and 
had 

(A)  James,  a  most  accomplished  man  and  a  minister  of 
the  Church  of  Sco'land.  He  was  born  at  Paible, 
in  North  Uist,  in  1771,  and  had  his  University 
education  in  Aberdeen,  where  he  took  his  degree 
of  A.M.  in  1789.  In  1795  he  was  licensed  by 
the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh,  and  was  presented 
to  the  parish  of  Easter  Anstruther  in  1798,  his 
ordination  following  on  18th  April,  1799.  Having 
been  called  to  discharge  an  important  duty  at  a 
~  distance  from  Anstruther,  he  demitted  his  charge 
on  3rd  October,  1804.  He  made  a  tour  of  the 
Continent  in  company  with  Macdonald  of  Clan- 


368  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

ranald,  and  afterwards  travelled  with  Sir  Evan 
Macgregor,  but  in  the  course  of  a  voyage  in  1808 
was  shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of  Ireland,  and 
received  injuries  from  which  he  never  fully 
recovered.  He  died  at  Edinburgh  on  18th  April 
in  the  39th  year  of  his  age.  Mr  Macdonald  was 
a  scholar  and  a  man  of  letters,  and  his  "  General 
View  of  the  Agriculture  of  the  Hebrides"  (Ediu. 
1811,  8vo.)  is  a  most  able  and  masterly  state- 
ment. He  also  published  "  Travels  through 
Denmark  and  part  of  Sweden,"  "  Translation  of 
part  of  Carsewell's  Prayer  Book,"  as  well  as 
articles  in  Brewster's  Encyclopaedia.  He  married 
Janet,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Principal  Playfair  of 
St  Andrews,  without  issue.  His  widow  died 
20th  October,  1864,  aged  86. 

(B)  Donald,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  Tacksman  of 
Kilpheder  and  Daliburgh.  He  married  Penelope, 
daughter  of  Angus  Macdonald,  4th  of  Milton,  by 
his  wife  Margaret,  daughter  of  Colin  Macdonald 
of  Boisdale.  By  her  he  had  a  daughter, 
Penelope,  who  married  John  Maclellan,  Tacksman 
of  Drimore,  with  issue.  He  had  also  a  son,  John, 
who  was  successively  Tacksman  of  Keill  in  Eigg, 
and  Coillechronain  in  Mull.  John  married  Ann, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Roderick  Maclean,  South  Uist, 
by  whom  he  had  four  sons  — (a)  Hugh  ;  (b) 
Roderick,  died  unmarried ;  (c)  Donald  ;  (</) 
James,  died  unmarried—  and  two  daughters — (a) 
Mary,  who  married  Alexander  Maclean,  of  the 
Killiunduin  family,  with  issue,  one  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  married  to  Mr  David  Niven,  Glasgow  ; 
and  (b)  Normana. 

Donald  had  also  a  daughter,  Flora,  who  married,  as 
his  first  wife,  Roderick  Macdonald,  Cunambuintag, 
Benbecula,  with  issue,  one  son,  James,  who  died 
while  prosecuting  his  studies  for  the  ministry. 

Hugh  of  Kilpheder  had  a  daughter,  Ann,  who  died 
unmarried  at  Keill,  Eigg.  Hugh  of  Kilpheder  died 
at  an  advanced  age  towards  the  end  of  the  second 
decade  of  the  19th  century. 

2.  Alexander,    son    of    Donald,    and    brother    of    Hugh     of 
Kilpheder.       He    received    a   Tack   of  the    farm    of 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      369 

Daliburgh  in  1777,  where  he  died  in  1786,  without 
issue. 

3.  Donald  Ban,  who  lived  at  Paible.  He  married  Marion, 
daughter  of  Archibald  Ban  Grianan  Baleshare,  and 
had  a  son,  John,  who  was  father  of  the  Rev.  Hugh 
Macdonald,  successively  minister  of  Bernera  and 
Trumisgarry,  and  of  Rev.  Alexander  Macdonald,  who 
was  minister  of  Stenscholl,  Skye. 

Having  thus,  so  far  as  materials  avail,  disposed  of 
the  genealogy  of  the  Clangorry  of  Balranald,  we 
turn  to  that  of  the  descendants  of  the  younger  son 
of  Donald,  son  of  John,  lord  of  Uist.  This  was  — 

1.  Godfrey,  the  son  of  Donald,  from  whom  this  branch  of 

the  tribe  were  called  Mac  Gorry  as  late  as  the 
17th  century.  He  is  mentioned  by  Hugh  Macdonald, 
the  Sleat  Seanachie,  as  "  Macdonald  of  Vallay "  at 
the  time  of  the  death  of  Gilleasbuig  Dubh,  son  of 
Hugh,  at  the  hands  of  his  nephews,  Donald  Gruamach 
and  Ranald,  son  of  Donald  Herrach.  He  thus 
flourished  during  the  first  half  of  the  16th  century. 
He  had  two  sons — 

(A)  Alexander,  his  successor. 

(B)  John.     He  had  a  son,  Ranald,  who  is  referred  to  in  a 

caption  at  the  instance  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald, 
1st  Baronet  of  Sleat,  against  Clanranald  and 
various  tenants  in  Benbecula  and  Skeirhough 
Godfrey  was  succeeded  at  Vallay  by  his  son, 

2.  Alexander,    known   as  Alastair  MacGorraidh.       He  had 

two  sons — 

(A)  Donald. 

(B)  Alexander.     He  had  a  son,  Angus,  who,  according  to 

MacVurich,  followed  the  banner  of  Donald  of 
Clanranald  during  the  Civil  Wars  of  Charles  I., 
and  was  among  the  gentlemen  who  landed  with 
him  at  Caolas  Staolaidh  after  his  Irish  campaign 
in  1648.  He  appears  on  record  as  "  Alastair  Mac- 
Gorraidh." 

(c)  John  Dow  MacGorraidh,  who  appears  on  record  in 
1636,  with  his  brother  Alexander  and  many 
others,  to  whom  the  serious  attention  of  the 

24 


370  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Privy  Council  was  directed  to  the  extent  of 
Decreet  of  Horning,  for  having,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  John  Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  boarded 
and  robbed  the  ship  "  Susannah." 

Alexander   second   of    Vallay   was   succeeded 
there  by  his  older  son, 

3.  Donald.  He  appears  on  record  in  1614  as  witness  to  a 
sasine  in  favour  of  Donald  Gorra  Mor  of  lands  in 
Uist  and  elsewhere  as  "  Donald  Mac  Gorry  in  Valay." 
In  the  traditional  genealogy  of  the  tribe,  he  comes  in 
as  "  Domhnull  Odhar  Mac  Alastair  'ic  Gorraidh.'' 
In  his  time  this  branch  of  the  Siol  Ghorraidh 
lost  their  tenure  of  Vallay  through  the  earth  hunger 
of  other  individuals  who  had  the  ear  of  the  powers 
that  were.  The  tradition  is  that  the  proprietor  of 
North  Uist — presumably  Domhnull  Gorm  Og,  the 
first  Baronet  of  Sleat — was  on  a  visit  to  that  island 
collecting  rents.  The  stone  on  which  he  or  his  baillie 
was  wont  to  sit  at  the  receipt  of  custom — at  or  near 
Ceann  traigh  Bhalaidh,  the  head  of  the  Sands  of 
Vallay — is  still  pointed  out.  The  chief  was  travelling 
on  foot,  and  in  his  progress  to  the  west  side  had  to 
cross  a  large  tract  of  sand,  near  which  was  a  deep 
pool.  Here  there  was  observed  a  seal  swimming 
about  and  disporting  itself  in  the  waters  of  Faodhail 
Mhor — the  big  ford.  The  chiefs  curiosity  was  roused 
to  get  near  the  phoca,  and  if  possible  capture  it,  a 
feat  not  easily  performed.  One  of  his  company, 
however,  remarked  that  if  they  had  one  of  the  young 
Macdonalds  of  Vallay — sons  of  Donald — he  might  be 
able  to  shoot  the  seal  and  secure  it  for  the  chief.  A 
messenger  having  been  sent,  the  youngest  of  the  three 
sons  came  upon  the  scene,  and  having  caused  the 
whole  company  to  retire  to  a  distance,  he  fixed  his 
bow  and  arrow,  and  the  seal  putting  up  his  head  to 
breathe,  young  Macdouald  discharged  his  arrow  so 
effectually  that  it  went  in  at  one  eye  and  out  at  the 
other.  Sir  Donald  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  expert- 
ness  of  the  young  archer  that  he  asked  what  he  could 
do  for  him.  It  then  came  out  that  the  family  were 
under  warning  to  remove,  and  as  the  place  had  been 
promised  to  another  tenant,  it  appeared  that  they 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  371 

could  not  be  left  at  Vallay.  They,  however,  got  the 
farm  of  Malaglate,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Vallay 
ford,  and  it  is  not  long  since  the  ruins  of  the  home- 
stead were  pointed  out  as  Totaichean  Mhic  Gorraidh, 
Mac  Gorry's  ruins.  To  illustrate  the  dexterity  of 
Mac  Gorry's  sons  as  archers,  there  was  a  stone  cross 
at  a  place  in  Vallay  called  Leathad  na  croise — the 
declivity  of  the  cross — which  contained  three  holes, 
and  tradition  has  it  that  in  the  course  of  their 
practice  the  three  brothers  used  to  select  a  hole  each 
for  himself,  and  firing  simultaneously,  it  was  found, 
as  a  rule,  that  each  man's  arrow  was  in  the  proper 
hole. 

As  already  stated,  Donald  Mac  Gorry  and  as  many 
more  of  his  tribe  as  lived  in  Vallay  had  to  remove, 
Donald  himself  and  his  family  settling  at  Malaglate. 
It  was  probably  at  this  time  that  some  of  the  Clan 
Gorry  moved  to  the  Clanranald  country  of  Benbecula 
and  South  Uist,  so  that  in  1622  we  find  Ranald  MacEan 
Mac  Gorry  a  tenant  of  John  Moideartach's,  and  Alastair 
Mac  Gorry  following  him  in  ways  that  were  not  law- 
abiding  in  1636,  as  already  stated,  and  in  1625  we 
find  "Johannes  MacGorrie,"  doubtless  of  the  same 
family,  acting  as  "  Scriptus  A.ctornatus"  in  a  sasine  in 
favour  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula.  So  also 
have  we  found  Angus,  the  son  of  Alastair,  son  of 
Alastair  MacGorraidh,  following  the  Clanranald 
standard  in  1648.  Donald  probably  lived  to  1650. 
Of  the  three  sons  of  Donald  Odhar  who  settled  at 
Malaglate,  we  can  only  mention  one,  and  this  because 
his  name  appears  in  the  traditional  genealogy,  and  it 
is  through  him  that  the  generations  can  be  brought 
down  to  the  present  time.  This  was 

4.  John,  known  as  Iain  Og  or  young  John,  possibly  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  his  uncle,  John  Dow  MacGorraidh, 
who  may  have  been  the  Scriptus  Actornatus  of  1625. 
fie  flourished  1610-1680.  How  long  the  family  re- 
mained at  Malaglate  cannot  be  determined — probably 
not  later  than  the  time  of  Donald  Odhar,  after  whom 
the  ruins  were  named  "  Totaichean  Mhic  Ghorraidh." 
John  had  at  least  one  son, 


37:2  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

5.  Malcolm,  known  as  Gille  Callurn  Mac  Iain  Oig.  He 
lived  in  the  Island  of  Rona,  off  North  Uist,  which  he 
farmed  in  whole  or  part,  and  flourished  c.  1650-1720. 
There  is  a  large  number  of  his  progeny  in  North 
Uist  and  other  parts  of  the  world,  and  the  following 
may  be  regarded  as  an  accurate  genealogy  of  some  at 
least  of  his  descendants  down  to  the  present  day.  He 
had  two  sons — 

(A)  Archibald,  Gilleasbuig  Mac  ille  Challuim.  He  lived 
for  a  number  of  years  at  Vallay,  of  which  he  had 
a  Steel  bow  tack  from  Ewen  Macdonald,  son  of 
William,  Tutor  of  Sleat.  He  married  Ann, 
daughter  of  Rev.  .John  Laing,  Parochial  School- 
master of  N.  Uist,  by  his  wife,  Miss  Macgregor, 
who  belonged  to  a  family  of  that  Ilk  in  the 
Breadalbane  district  of  Perthshire.  It  is  said 
that  the  young  divine  was  tutor  in  this  lady's 
family,  and  added  some  romance  to  the  short  and 
simple  annals  of  a  teacher's  life  by  inducing  her 
to  elope  with  him.  By  Ann,  daughter  of  Mi- 
John  Laing,  he  had  three  sons — 
(AJ)  Malcolm.  He  had  a  son  Donald,  who  was 
ground  officer  or  local  factor  on  Lord  Mac- 
donald's  estate  of  North  Uist.  Donald  had  a 
son,  Alexander,  whose  son  is  the  Rev.  Donald 
Macdonald,  now  parish  minister  of  North  Uist. 
He  also  had  a  son,  Rev.  Donald  Macdonald,  who 
was  successively  minister  of  Trumisgarry  and 
Sleat.  He  went  to  America,  and  died  there.  He 
married  and  had  a  family,  all  of  whom  died  young. 
Malcolm,  the  son  of  Archibald,  had  a  daughter 
Christina,  who  married  James  Macdonald,  Tor- 
lum,  Benbecula,  with  issue  ;  and  another 
daughter  Marion,  who  married  Capt.  Ferguson 
in  South  Uist,  whose  daughter  Catherine  married 
as  his  second  wife  Roderick  Macdouald,  Cunam- 
buintag,  Benbecula,  with  issue. 

(s1)  Roderick,  son  of  Gilleasbuig  Mac  ille  Challuim. 
He  married  Christina  Mackintosh,  with  issue — 

(a)  Archibald  —  Gilleasbuig  Ban — who  was 
successively  tacksman  of  Penmore  and  Kirki- 
bost,  both  in  North  Uist.  He  married  Susan 
Mackinnon,  with  issue,  among  others — Rev. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  373 

Roderick  Macdonald,  a  distingushed  Gaelic 
preacher,  and  a  man  of  varied  culture  and 
attainments.  He  was  born  at  Vallay,  North 
Uist,  in  1823,  entered  the  University  of  Glasgow 
in  1838,  where  he  took  his  Arts  and  Divinity 
curriculum.  He  was  ordained  to  the  Parish  of 
Harris  in  1847,  and  translated  to  South  Uist  in 
1854,  where  he  died  in  March,  1900,  in  the  78th 
year  of  his  age,  and  the  53rd  of  his  ministry.  He 
married  Marion,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Roderick 
Maclean,  his  predecessor  in  South  Uist,  by  his 
wife  Elizabeth  Macleod,  daughter  of  Captain 
Norman  Macleod,  "Cyprus."  His  son  is  Rev. 
Archibald  MacdontiLd,  Minister  of  Kiltarlity, 
editor  of  the  "  Uist  Bards,"  and  joint  author 
with  Rev.  Angus  Macdonald,  Killearnan,  of  the 
"History  of  the  Clan  Donald."  He  married 
Margaret  Hope,  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  John 
W.  Tolmie,  Minister  of  Contin,  by  his  wife 
Christina  Mary,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Vallay,  with  issue. 

(6)  Ewen,  the  son  of  Roderick,  who  married 
Marion  Macdonald,  with  issue,  several  sons  and 
daughters. 

(c)  Alexander,  the  son  of  Roderick.  He 
married,  and  had  a  son,  Norman,  who  was 
for  many  years  well  known  throughout  the 
Western  Isles  as  Glasgow  agent  for  David 
Hutcheson  &  Co.'s  fleet  of  steamers.  He  married 
Flora  Macintyre,  with  issue. 
(B)  Angus — Aonghas  Mac'illc  Challuim.  He  married, 

and  had  two  sons — 

(a)  Roderick,  who  was  successively  tacksman  of  the 
farms  of  Kirkibost  and  Kyles,  Paible.  He 
married  Flora,  daughter  of  Maclean  of  Borreray, 
by  whom  he  had  three  sons — 

(a1)  Angus,  who  emigrated  to  America ;  (b1) 
Dr  John  Macdonald,  who  lived  at  Balelone,  in 
North  Uist,  and  was  for  many  years  medical 
officer  for  that  parish.  He  had  a  tine  presence, 
polished  manners,  and  intellectual  tastes,  and 
was  a  man  of  distinguished  professional  attain- 
ments. He  died  unmarried,  (c1)  Donald,  who 
died  unmarried  ;  also  several  daughters. 


374  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(6)  John,  the  son  of  Angus.  He  married  Janet, 
daughter  of  William  Macdonald  of  Vallay,  with- 
out issue.  He  had  a  son,  Archibald,  who  for 
many  yeai-s  was  tacksman  of  Allasdale,  in 
Barra.  He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of 
James  Macdonald,  Torlum,  Benbecula,  with  issue. 


THE  MACDONALDS   OF   DUNNYVEG  AND   THE  GLENS. 

This  family,  than  which  there  was  none  more 
powerful  or  distinguished  among  the  cadets  of  the 
Isles,  derives  its  descent  from  JOHN  MOR  TANISTER, 
second  son  of  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  by  his  second 
wife,  Princess  Margaret  Stewart,  daughter  of  King 
Robert  II.  John  Mor  married  Margery  Bisset, 
daughter  of  Sir  Hugh  Bisset,  and  heiress  in  her 
own  right  of  the  Seven  Glens  of  Antrim.  Besides 
their  possessions  in  Isla  and  Kintyre,  the  family  of 
Dunnyveg  had  thus  extensive  Irish  territories,  and 
played  an  important  part  in  the  stirring  drama  of 
Irish  warfare. 

By  his  wife,  Margery  Bisset,  John  Mor  had— 

1.  Donald  Balloch,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald  Bane,  from  whom  the  family  of  Largie. 

John  Mor  was  assassinated  in  1427,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD  BALLOCH.  He  married,  first, 
Johanna,  daughter  of  Conn  O'Neill,  by  whom  he 
had — 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

He  married,  secondly,  Joan,  daughter  of  O'Donnell, 
Lord  of  Tyrconnel,  and  sister  of  Hugh  Roe  O'Don- 
nell, by  whom  he  had — 

2.  Agnes,  who  married  Thomas  Bannatyne  of  Kames. 
Donald  Balloch  died  on  an  islet  on  Lochgruinart,  in 
Islay,  in  1476,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      375 

III.  SIR  JOHN  MOR.    He  married  Sarah,  daughter 
of  Felim  O'Neill  of  Claneboy,  by  whom  he  had — 

1.  John  Cathanach. 

2.  Alastair  Carrach,  who  settled  iu  Ireland,  and  had  a  son, 

Ranald  Buy,  who  had  a  son,  Alexander.  This  Alex- 
ander was  knighted  for  his  services  against  the  Irish 
and  Scots  by  the  Earl  of  Sussex,  in  1556,  who,  at  the 
ceremony,  presented  him  with  a  gold  sword  and  a 
pair  of  silver  spurs.  He,  at  the  same  time,  received 
from  the  Lord-Deputy  a  grant  of  the  greater  part  of 
the  Barony  of  Dunluce,  with  the  Monastery  of  Glenarm 
and  the  lands  belonging  thereto. 

Through  the  treachery  of  Madam  of  Ardnamurchan, 
Sir  John  Mor  and  his  son,  John  Cathanach,  with 
three  sons  of  the  latter,  were  apprehended,  taken  to 
Edinburgh,  and  hanged  on  the  Borough  Muir,  an 
event  which,  according  to  the  Annals  of  Loch  Ce, 
took  place  in  1499.  Though  Sir  John  Mor  and  his 
son  died  on  the  same  day,  as  the  latter  had  assumed 
the  leadership  of  the  Claim  Iain  Mhoir  in  his 
father's  lifetime  he  may  be  reckoned  as  the  next 
in  succession. 

IV.  JOHN     CATHANACH.      He    married    Cecilia 
Savage,    daughter   of  the    Lord    of  the    Ardes,    in 
Antrim,  and  by  her  had— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John  Mor.  \ 

Put  to  death,  with  their  father  and 

1    T,       HgH  grandfather,  in  1499. 

4.  Donald  Balloch.  ; 

5.  Angus,  known  as  Aonghas  Ileac/i,  from  whom  the  family  j*,** 

of  Sanda. 

John  Cathanach  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER,  a  man  of  note  in  his  day,  and 
known  in  Scotland   and   Ireland  as  Alastair  Mac- 
Iain  Chathanaich.     He  often  appears  in  the  Irish 
State   Papers  as   "  Alastair   Carrach,"   but    he   was 
never  so  named  among  the  Celtic  population,  and 
the  surname  is  probably  a  mistake  for  "  Cathanach." 


376  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Alexander  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  John 
Maclain  of  Ardnamurchan,  and  by  her  had — 

1.  Donald,  who,  according  to  an  Irish  genealogical  MS.,  had 

the  surname  malak  or  malaicht,  that  is,  cursed.  The 
reason  for  this  sinister  epithet  was  that  he  was  cursed 
by  his  mother  before  birth,  because  her  husband  had 
killed  her  five  brothers,  in  vengeance  for  the  treachery 
wrought  upon  his  family  by  her  father,  Maclain  of 
Ardnamurchan.  She  prayed  that  her  unborn  offspring 
should  never  see  the  light  of  day,  and  the  alleged 
result  was  that  the  first  born  came  blind  into  the 
world.  Another  authority  says  that  he  was  deficient 
in  courage,  which  was  the  reason  for  his  not  suc- 
ceeding to  the  lordship.  Donald,  who  was  also  called 
Balloch,  had  two  sons-  - 

(A)  Alastair,  who  is  spoken  of  in  the  Irish  State  papers 

as  Constable  of  the  Scots  in   Ireland.     He  was 
killed  in  battle  with  O'Connor  in  1581. 

(B)  Donald  Gorm,  who  was  killed  in  Ireland  in  1581. 

2.  James,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Angus,  known  as  Aonghas  Uaimhreach,  or   "Angus  the 

haughty."  He  was  slain  in  the  conflict  with  Shane 
O'Neill  in  1565.  He  left  two  sons, 

(A)  Ranald,   who  died  at  the    Rout,   and  was  buried  at 

Bunamargie  in  1595. 

(B)  Alexander,  who  had  a  son,  Ranald  Og,  who  fought 

with    Alastair    MacC  holla   in   the    campaign  of 
Montrose. 

4.  Coll,  variously  known  as  Colla  Maol  Dubh  and  Colla  nan 

Capull,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  formerly  of 
Colonsay  are  descended.  He  was  buried  at  Buna- 
margie. 

5.  Somerled,  better  known  as  Somhairle  Buidhe,  from  whom 

the  Antrim  family  is  descended. 

6.  Alexander,  known  as  Alastair   Og,  killed  in  battle  with 

Turlough  Luinneach  O'Neill  in  1566. 

7.  Donald  Gorm,  who  left  a  son,   Donald,  who  had  a  son, 

Donald  Gorm. 

8.  Brian  Carrach,  who   was  killed  in  battle  in  Ireland  in 

1568. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  377 

9.  Ranald  Og,  of  whom  nothing  is  known  beyond  the  name. 

10.  Meve,  who  married  Hector  Maclean  of  Coll. 

11.  Mary,  who  married  Hector  Mor  Maclean  of  Duart. 

Alexander  of  Dunnyveg  died  at  Stirling  while  on 
a  visit  to  the  King  in  1538,  and  was  buried  in  the 
High  Church  of  the  town  (Teampull  Mor  a  bhaile), 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  JAMES.      He    married   Agnes,    daughter   of 
Colin,  Earl  of  Argyll,  by  whom  he  had— 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Ranald  of  Smerby.     He  acted  a  prominent  part  in  the 

troubles  between  the  family  of  Dunnyveg  and  Maclean 
of  Duart,  with  whom  he  was  for  some  time  a  hostage. 
In  1614  he  held  the  fort  of  Lochgorm,  and  entered 
into  a  bond  with  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Cawdor,  under- 
taking to  surrender  the  fort,  which  he  did  on  the  28th 
of  January,  1615.  He  also  acted  an  important  part 
during  the  rebellion  of  Sir  James  Macdonald,  his 
nephew,  in  1615.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Banna- 
tyne  of  Kames,  and  had — 

(A)  Coll,  who  succeeded  him  at  Smerby. 

(B)  Archibald,  who  left  two  sons,  Coll  and  Archibald. 

(c)  Donald  Gorm,  who  was  in  1615  a  party  to  the  bond 
by  which  bis   father   agreed    to    surrender   the 
fortalice  of  Lochgorm. 
(D)  Mary,  who  married  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula, 

with  issue. 

Ranald  of  Smerbie  died  1616,  and  was  buried  in 
Saddel. 

4.  Coll.     It  was  he  who  carried  out  the  fearful  vengeance 

upon  the  Macleans  at  Mullintrae  under  the  mistaken 
idea  that  his  brother,  Ranald,  had  been  put  to  death 
while  a  hostage  at  Duart.  Under  Coil's  instructions 
two  Macleans  were  executed  every  day  until  at  last 
out  of  several  score  Sir  Lachlan  alone  was  left.  Coll 
left  two  sons,  Donald  Gorm  and  Alastair  Carrach,  and 
died  at  Eilein  Mhic  Carmaic,  in  Knapdale. 

5.  Donald  Gorm,  who  possessed   the  barony  of  Carey,   in 

Antrim,  granted  to  him  by  patent  dated  at  Dunluce, 


378  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

September  18,  1584.  He  was  killed  at  Ardnary,  in 
Ireland,  iu  battle  against  the  English  in  1586.  He 
left  a  son,  Donald  Gorm  Og,  who  left  a  daughter. 

6.  Alexander,   known  as  Alastair  Comtek,  and  sometimes 

Alastair  Gallte,  in  Irish  State  Papers.  He  possessed 
for  some  time  the  barony  of  Glenarm.  He  was  killed 
along  with  his  brother,  Donald  Gorm,  in  1586.  He 
left  a  son,  lianald,  who  succeeded  him  in  Glenarm. 
Ranald  left  a  son,  Archibald,  who  was  killed  at 
Broughbuy,  in  Glenarm,  with  whom  the  male  line  of 
Alastair  Carrach  terminated. 

7.  A  daughter,  known  as   "  Ineen   Dubh,"  or  black-haired 

girl,  who  married  Hugh  O'Donnell  of  Donegal. 

James  Macdoiiald  of  Dunnyveg,  who  was  taken 
prisoner  in  1565  in  a  battle  with  a  coalition  of  the 
English  and  Shane  O'Neill's  followers,  died  shortly 
thereafter  from  the  effects  of  his  wounds,  or,  as  was 
darkly  whispered,  by  poison  administered  by  O'Neill. 
According  to  MacVurich,  he  died  at  Dungannon,  and 
was  buried  at  Armagh.  He  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

VII.  ARCHIBALD.       He   died   without   issue   in 
1568,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VIII.  ANGUS.      He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Hector  Og  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Angus  Og.      He  married  Katherine,  daughter  of  Duncan 

Campbell  of  Danna,  and  had  two  sons,  of  whom 
nothing  is  known.  He  was  in  a  most  treacherous 
manner,  with  several  of  his  followers,  executed  in  the 
Grassmarket  of  Edinburgh,  8th  July,  1615. 

3.  Alexander  Og,   who  was  drowned  on  Caol   He,  Oct.   3, 

1613.  He  left  a  natural  daughter,  Margaret,  who 
married  Hector  M'Alister  of  Ardincross  in  1626. 

4.  Mary,  who  married  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Clanranald. 

5.  Margaret,  who  married  Ranald  Macdouald  of  Benbecula. 

6.  Anuabella,  who  married  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Largie. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Dunivaig  had  three  natural 
sons — Archibald,  Alexander,  and  Kanald  Og. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  379 

To  Archibald,  known  as  Oilleasbuig  Dubh,  his  father  granted 
a  charter  in  1576  of  the  lands  of  Gigha  for  life.  In 
1582  he  granted  him  a  new  charter  of  these  lands  and 
others,  which  in  1598  was  confirmed  by  a  charter 
from  the  Crown.  These  lands,  besides  the  <£20  lands 
of  Gigha,  comprised  16  merklauds  in  Kintyre,  5 
merklands  in  Islay,  and  8  merklands  in  Knapdale, 
with  the  office  of  Toshachdorach  of  all  the  lands  of 
Kintyre.  Archibald  was  confined  as  a  hostage  for  his 
father  and  brother  in  the  Castle  of  Dumbarton,  from 
which  he  contrived  to  make  his  escape  in  1607. 
Archibald  Macdonald  of  Gigha  died  in  1618.  Accord- 
ing to  MacVurich,  mhilleadh  e  an  Eilein  Mhic  Carmaic 
agus  chuireadh  a  chorp  ann  an  Cille  Mhuire  'sa  Chnap. 
He  left  three  sons — 

(A)  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

(B)  Hugh,  who  had  two  sons — Angus  and  James, 
(c)  Archibald. 

John  Macdonald  II.  of  Gigha  was  served  heir  to  his 
father  in  March,  1619,  in  all  his  lands,  as  well  as  in 
the  office  of  Toshachdorach.  In  1629  he  sold  his 
lands  of  Knockrinsale  in  Isla  to  John  Campbell,  Fiar 
of  Calder,  and  in  1631  he  disposed  of  almost  all  his 
property  to  Archibald,  Lord  Lorn.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Stewart,  Constable 
of  Dumbarton  Castle,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  Alexander,  who  held  lands  in  Kintyre. 

(B)  Archibald,  who  also  held  lands  in  Kintyre. 

(c)  Margaret,  who  married  Colonel  James  Montgomery  of 
Coilsfield,  son  of  the  6th  Earl  of  Eglintou. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  died  at  Rothesay, 
Oct.  21st,  1614,  and  was  buried  at  Saddel.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

IX.  Sir  JAMES  MACDONALD.  He  married  Mar- 
garet, daughter  of  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Cawdor, 
without  issue.  He  had  a  natural  son,  Donald  Gorm, 
who  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  last  struggle 
of  the  Clann  Iain  Mhoir  in  Isla. 

Sir  James  died  in  London  a  week  before  Easter, 
in  1626,  and  was  buried  in  St  Martin's  Church. 


380  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


THE  MACDONALDS  0V  LARGIE. 

The  family  of  Largie  derived  its  origin  from 
I.  RANALD  BANE,  younger  son  of  John  Mor 
Tanister,  progenitor  of  the  Claim  Iain  Mhoir,  and  of 
Marjory  Bisset,  his  wife.  Hugh  Macdonald,  the 
Sleat  historian,  bastardizes  Ranald,  but  in  this  he  is 
alone  among  the  genealogists,  and  there  is  riot  a 
shred  of  evidence  for  the  statement.  From  him  the 
Macdonalds  of  Largie  are  called  the  Clanranaldbane. 
It  is  said  that  he  obtained  the  estate  of  Largie  from 
the  Earl  of  Ross  on  account  of  services  rendered  at 
the  battle  of  Inverlochy  in  1431,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  his  older  brother,  Donald  Balloch.  Ranald 
was  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Earl  of  Ross  in 
1461  appointed  to  confer  with  the  deputies  of  the 
King  of  England,  when  he  appears  in  the  Treaty  as 
Reynold  of  the  Isles,  the  other  Commissioner  being 
"  Duncan  Archediaken  of  the  Isles."  He  witnesses 
a  charter  in  1463  by  the  Earl  of  Ross,  in  which  he 
appears  as  "  Ranaldo  Albo  de  Insulis."  We  have 
no  definite  evidence  as  to  the  date  of  his  death,  but 
it  is  not  likely  that  he  would  have  long  survived  his 
brother,  Donald  Balloch,  who  died  at  an  advanced 
age  in  1476.  His  wife's  name  does  not  appear  on 
record,  but  he  left— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  Donald. 

3.  John.     He  had  two  sons,  Alister  and  Donald,  who  appear 

on  record. 

4.  Marion,  who  in  1510  received  in  liferent  the  4  merklands 

of  Cor tyn vale. 

Ranald  Bane  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son— 

II.  DONALD,  who  was  the  representative  of  the 
family  in  1493.      He  appears  in  1503  in  connection 


1.     LARGIE     CASTLE. 
2.  TOMB  OF  RANALD  BANE  MACDONALD  OF  LARGIE. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      381 

with  the  attempt  to  make  Donald  Dubh  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  and  was  for  this  offence  summoned  before 
Parliament  in  1505.  He  does  not  appear,  however, 
to  have  endured  any  definite  punishment.  In  1515 
he  was  concerned  in  the  insurrection  of  Sir  Donald 
Gallda  of  Lochalsh,  but  having  made  his  submission 
to  the  Government,  he,  with  others,  received  a 
special  protection  under  the  Great  Seal  as  being  ser- 
vants and  "  familiars  "  of  Argyll.  The  Clanranald- 
bane  again  supported  Sir  Donald  when  he  rose  in 
1517.  Donald  of  Largie  died  shortly  after  this,  and 
having  left  no  legitimate  male  issue,  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  brother, 

III.  ALEXANDER.     He  had  been  associated  with 
his  older  brother  in  various  events,  already  referred  to, 
and  there  is  little  of  a  distinctive  nature  to  chronicle 
regarding  him.      It  is  probable  that  he  did  not  sur- 
vive Donald  by  very  many  years.      His  death  would 
have   taken    place    circa    1525.       Alexander    was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  DONALD.      In  1531    Donald   was,  with   the 
chief  of  the   Claim   Iain   Mhoir,    summoned    before 
Parliament  for  treason,  but  Alexander  of  Dunny  veg 
having  risen   into   favour,  the    proceedings  against 
Donald  of  Largie  were  abandoned.     In  1542  he  and 
his  son  and  heir  and  others  of  the  Clanranaldbane 
received  a  remission  from  the  Council  for  treasonably 
abiding  from  the  Raid  of  Solway.       In   1549  the 
Clanranaldbane,   with    the  rest  of   the   Claim  Iain 
Mhoir,  were  at  feud  with  the  MacNeills  of  Kintyre, 
and    slaughters   were    committed    on     both    sides. 
Donald  of  Largie  died  about    1550.      He  married, 
and  had  two  sons— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2,  Alexander.     He  had  two  sons — 


382  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

(A)  Hector,  who  afterwards  succeeded. 

(B)  John,  who  had  a  son,  Archibald,  through  whom  the 

succession,  afterwards  went  on. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  older  son, 

V.  JOHN.       He   appears   on    record   during   his 
father's  time.      He  is  in  evidence  in   1539,  and  in 
1566  we  find  him  witnessing  a  Deed  by  MacNeill  of 
Gigha  to  James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  and  the 
Glens.      He  died  about  1570.  without  leaving;  heirs 

o 

of  his  body,  when  the  succession  devolved  upon  his 
nephew, 

VI.  HECTOR  MACALISTER  of  Largie,  who  in  1587 
appears  under  that  designation.       He  succeeded  in 
right  of  his  father,  Alexander,   son  of  Donald  4th 
of  Largie,   now    deceased.       He    died    about   1590. 
Leaving  no  legal  heirs,  he  was  succeeded  as  head  of 
the  house  of  Largie  by 

VII.  ARCHIBALD,  son  of  John,  nephew  of  Hector. 
He   received    the  heritage  in    right    of  his   father, 
now  deceased.      He  appears  on   record   in  1592  as 
Archibald  Macdonald  of  Largie,    and    in    1597    as 
Gilleasbuig  Mac    Vic    Alastair   of  the  Largie.   -  He 
was     one    of    the     Clann    Iain     Mhoir    consulted 
by    Angus   of  Dunnyveg  when    he   made   over   his 
estates  to   Sir  James,   his  son,   in   1596,   when  his 
name  is  recorded  as  Gilleasbuig  McEvvin  VcAllister 
of  Largie.     He  received  in  1600  a  charter  of  certain 
lands  in  Kintyre,  long  previously  possessed  by  him- 
self and  his  family,  and   then  in  the  hands  of  the 
Crown  through   forfeiture  of  Angus  of  Dunnyveg. 
These  lands  were  at  the  same  time  erected  into  the 
tenandry  of  Largie.     He  was  one  of  those  ordered 
to  exhibit  their  title  deeds  to  Lord  Scone,  Comp- 
troller in  1605,  and  he  is  mentioned  first  in  the  Roll 
of  Tenants  of  Kintyre,   made   up  at   Kinloch,  Kil- 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  383 

kerran,  that  year.     He  married  Annabella,  daughter 
of  Angus  of  Dunny  veg,  and  had  three  sons— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Allan. 

3.  John. 

He  died  shortly  after  1605,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  oldest  son — 

VIII.  ALEXANDER.     In  1609  he  was  ordered  to 
find  caution   in   £2000  that   he  would  not  harbour 
any  of  the  rebellious  Islesmen.     In  1611  he  was  one 
of  the    Commissioners    appointed   for    trying    the 
resetters  of  the  Clan   Macgregor.     He  did  not  join 
in  Sir  James's  Rising  of  1615,  which  year  the  Earl 
of  Argyll  became  bound  for   his  appearance  before 
the   Council   whenever  charged   upon   fifteen    days' 
warning.     In    1619   he  is   bound  in  £2000   for  the 
behaviour   of  himself    and   tenants.       He   and    his 
brother  Allan  were  securities  for  the  good  behaviour 
of  Coll  MacGillespick  in  1620.     Alexander  got  him- 
self served   heir   to   his  father  Archibald   in    1627. 
He  had  two  sons— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  afterwards  Tutor  of  Largie.     He  had  a  daughter, 

Margaret,  who  appears  on  record  in  1700. 

He  died  in   1639,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  older 
son, 

IX.  ANGUS.      He  joined  Montrose  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  was  at  the  burning  of  Inverary  in  1647. 
That  year  he  was  with  Alastair  Mac  Colla  when  he 
made  his  last  stand  at  Tarbet,  Kintyre,  and  had  to 
retire  before  Sir  David  Leslie  and  the  forces  of  the 
Government.     He  was  first  Captain  of  the  Regiment 
that  went  to  Ireland  in   1648   under  Alastair  Mac 
Colla,  and  of  which  Donald,  younger  of  Clanranald, 
was  Lieutenant-Colonel       He  was  forfeited  by  the 


384  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Committee  of  Estates  in  1649,  and  his  property 
given  to  the  Marquis  of  Argyll.  In  1661,  after  the 
Restoration,  he  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  in 
Argyll  for  regulating  the  uplifting  and  ordering  of 
the  monies  levied  for  the  service  of  the  Crown. 
That  same  year  an  Act  was  passed  rescinding  his 
pretended  forfeiture.  He  was  a  Commissioner  of 
Supply  in  1667,  and  was  served  heir  to  his  father  in 
1669.  This  latter  year  he  got  sasine  from  Argyll  of 
the  island  of  Cara,  as  possessed  by  his  deceased 
father,  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Largie.  He  married, 
and  had  two  sons— 

1.  Archibald,  who  succeeded. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  Archibald. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  Rev.  Angus  Macdonald,  minister 

of  South  Uist,  known  as  the  Ministear  Laidear. 

We  have  no  precise  data  for  fixing  the  date  of  the 
death  of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Largie,  but  it  must 
have  been  before  1687,  for  in  that  year  there  appears 
on  record  his  older  son  and  successor, 

X.  ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD  of  Largie.  He  was 
a  minor  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  when  the 
affairs  of  the  family  were  administered  by  Donald, 
his  uncle,  and  younger  son  of  Alexander  8th  of 
Largie.  Under  the  direction  of  his  tutor,  he  took 
part  in  Dundee's  Rising  in  1689,  followed  by  200 
men  from  Kintyre.  The  Tutor  of  Largie  fell  at  the 
battle  of  Killiecrankie,  and,  according  to  some 
authorities,  the  young  chief  of  Largie  himself  was 
slain.  This  latter  statement  may  very  well  be  true, 
and  it  is  certain  in  any  case  that  he  died  young,  nor 
does  his  name  afterwards  appear  on  record.  He  was 
succeeded  as  head  of  Largie  by  his  brother, 

XL  JOHN.  We  find  him  in  August,  1689,  along 
with  50  other  Highland  gentlemen,  signing  a  Bond 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      385 

of  Association  at  Blair- Athole  pledging  themselves 
to  the  service  of  King  James.  He  was  served  heir 
to  his  father  in  1698,  arid  was  a  Commissioner  of 
Supply  in  1704.  He  died  in  1710.  John,  llth  of 
Largie,  married,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XEI.  JOHN.  In  1712  a  summons  was  issued 
against  him  by  his  uncle  by  marriage,  Rev.  Angus 
Macdonald,  minister  of  South  Uist,  to  have  himself 
served  heir  to  his  father  and  his  uncle  Archibald. 
We  are  not  informed  as  to  the  issue,  or  whether  the 
service  was  duly  executed.  John,  12th  of  Largie, 
died  in  1729.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XIII.  JOHN,  who  was  served  heir  to  his  father 
on    17th   January,     1730.     He    married    Elizabeth, 
only  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of  Muiravonside,  by 
whom  he   had  one  daughter,  also  named  Elizabeth. 
On  3rd  April,  1763.  he  executed  a  Deed  of  Entail, 
by  which   his   estates  devolved  upon  heirs  general. 
John  Macdonald  of  Largie  died  in  1768,  arid  was 
succeeded  in  terms  of  her  father's  disposition  by  his 
daughter, 

XIV.  ELIZABETH.     In   1784   she  succeeded   her 
uncle,     Alexander     Macleod     of    Muiravonside,    as 
heiress  of  his  estates.     On  17th  August,  1762,  she 
married  Charles  Lockhart,  third  son  of  Lockhart  of 
Carnwath,  with  issue— 

1.  John,  who  died  at  the  siege  of  Mangalore,  without  issue, 

and  seems  to  have  predeceased  his  mother. 

2.  James,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  James. 

4.  Norman,  a  W.S.     He  married  and  had  issue — (a)  Alex- 

ander, (6)  John  Innes  Crawford,  (c)  Charles  George 
Norman,  (d)  Norman  Philip,  (e)  Archibald  Macmurdo, 
(/)  Jane  MacNeill  :  she  married  H.  D.  Macmurdo, 
and  had  a  daughter  Elizabeth ;  (g)  Elizabeth,  (h) 
Philadelphia  Mary  Barbara. 

25 


386  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

5.  Elizabeth,  who  married  (1st)  Macneil  of  Dunmore,  with 

out  issue  ;  (2nd)  W.  B.  McCabe,  with  issue. 

6.  Clementina. 

7.  Matilda,  married  J.  Campbell  of  Saddell,  with  issue  John 

of  Glensaddell. 

8.  Charlotte  Sarah. 

9.  Mary. 

10.  Euphernia. 

11.  Aunabella. 

Charles  Lockhart,  husband  of  Elizabeth  14th  of 
Largie,  assumed  the  name  of  Macdonald.  Elizabeth 
died  on  1st  August,  1787,  and  was  succeeded  by  her 
oldest  surviving  son, 

XV.  JAMES.     He  was  killed  at  Dunkirk  in  1793, 
and    left    no    issue.     He    was    succeeded    by    his 
younger  brother, 

XVI.  ALEXANDER.     He  was  served  heir  to  his 
mother  and  grandfather  in  1793.      He  succeeded  to 
the  Lee  and   Carnwath  Estates  in   1802,    when  he 
resumed   his  paternal  na.me   of  Lockhart,  and  was 
created  a  Baronet  in  1806.     He  died  on  22nd  June, 
1816.     He  married,  and  had— 

1.  Sir  Charles. 

2.  Sir  Norman. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Esther  Charlotte  Sarah. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

XVII.  Sir     CHARLES    MACDONALD    LOCKHART. 
He  married,  and  had  two  daughters— 

1.  Mary  Jane. 

2.  Emilia  Olivia. 

He  died  8th  December,  1832,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  older  daughter, 

XVIII.  MARY   JANE.      She  married,   15th  Sep- 
tember, 1837,  the  Hon.  Augustine  Henry  Moreton, 
second    son    of  Thomas,    1st    Earl    of   Ducie,    who 
assumed  the  name  of  Macdonald.     She  died  on  10th 


JOHN     MACDONALD    OF    LARGIE. 


\X 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN   DONALD.  387 

December,  1851,  and  her  husband  on  14th  February, 
1862.     They  had- 

1.  Charles  Moreton,  born  12th  July,  1840. 

2.  Augustine   Henry,  Captain  in  the  Coldstream    Guards. 

He  married,  25th  July,  1874,  Anna  Harriet  Mary, 
oldest  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  Sutton,  Bart.,  with 
issue. 

Mary  Jane  Macdonald  of  Largie  was  succeeded  by 
her  son, 

XIX.  CHARLES  MORETON.     He  married  Elizabeth 
Hume,    daughter   of  Archibald    Campbell,    Esq.   of 
Glendaruel,  Argyll.     Issue— 

1.  John  Ranald  Moreton. 

2.  Esther. 

Charles  died  16th  July,  1879,  and  was  succeeded  by 

XX.  JOHN  RANALD  MORETON  MACDONALD,  the 
present  Laird  of  Largie. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SANDA. 

This  branch  of  the  Clan  Iain  Mhoir  is  descended 
from  Angus,  the  youngest  son  of  John  Cathanach  of 
Dunnyveg,  known  as  Aonghas  fleach.1  He  and  his 
brother,  Alexander,  found  a  refuge  in  the  Antrim 
glens  when  their  grandfather,  father,  and  three 
brothers,  were  executed  in  Edinburgh  in  1499. 
When  his  brother  was  restored  to  his  inheritance  in 
Kintyre  he  bestowed  upon  Angus  the  lands  of 
Sanda,  Machaireoch,  and  others,  in  Southend,  in  all 
extending  to  £16  lands  of  old  extent.  Angus  was 
associated  with  the  rest  of  the  Clann  Iain  Mhoir  in 
their  campaigns  in  Ireland  and  elsewhere  in  that 
stirring  time  in  the  history  of  their  house.  In  1535 
he  was  outlawed  for  not  appearing  to  stand  his  trial 

1  If  he  was  born  and  brought  up  in  Isla,  that  explains  why  he  was  called 
"  Ileach"  in  Kintyre,  where  the  home  of  his  later  days  wa«  situated. 


388  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

before  the  High  Court  of  Justiciary  for  alleged 
piracy  and  slaughter  committed  against  some  citizens 
in  Glasgow  trading  with  the  North  of  Ireland. 
Angus  Ileach  was  killed  fighting  with  his  nephew, 
James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg,  against  Shane 
O'Neil  in  1565.  He  left  three  sons— 

1.  Archibald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  John,  who,  in   1556,  received   from  James  Macdonald  of 

Dunnyveg  a  grant  of  lands  in  Arran,  known  as  Ten- 
penny  lands,  with  the  bailiary. 

3.  Ranald.     Ranald  is    frequently  mentioned  in    the  Irish 

State  Papers  of  the  period  as  having  taken  part  in  the 
struggles  of  the  Clan  Iain  Mhoir,  He  had  three  sons, 
Angus,  John,  and  Alexander.  When  the  Macdonalds 
lost  their  hold  in  Kintyre  and  Isla  early  in  the  17th 
century,  many  of  them  were  scattered  over  the  terri- 
tories of  the  clan  both  in  Ireland  and  in  the  High- 
lands. Angus,  the  son  of  Ranald,  found  his  way  to 
North  Uist,  while  another  of  the  brothers  settled  in 
Skye.  Angus  in  time  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of 
Dunskellor,  and  others,  in  Sand,  from  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald  of  Sleat,  the  proprietor.  Angus  married 
a  daughter  of  Maclean  of  Boreray,  Chamberlain  of 
North  Uist,  and  had,  among  others — 

(1)  Neil,  who   succeeded   his  father  at  Dunskellor,  and 

married  Mary,  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of 
Gesto,  and  had  by  her — 

(2)  Norman.     He  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Grene- 

tote  from  Sir  James  Macdonald,  and  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Neil  Ban  Maclean  of  Boreray, 
and  Anne,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mackenzie  of 
Kilcoy,  and  had  by  her — 

(3)  Neil,    who   succeeded   his  father  at   Grenetote,  and 

married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Heisker  and  Balranald  (Catriona 
Nighean  Alastair  Bhain  'ic  Iain  'ic  Uisdein),  son 
of  John  Macdonald  of  Griminish,  and  Flora, 
daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula, 
son  of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Clanranald.  By  her 
he  had — 


:.  Archibald   Macdonald  of  Saiula.        3.  John  Macdouald  of  Saiida. 
!.  John  Macdonald  of  Sanda.  4.  Sir    John    Macdonald    of   Sanda. 

5.  Arch.   Macdouell  of  Barisdale. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  389 

(4)  Neil,   who  succeeded   his  father   at   Grenetote,    and 

married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Donald  Mac- 
donald  of  Trumisgarry,  and  by  her  had,  among 
others,  Angus  and  Rachael.  Rachael,  who  was 
a  poetess  of  considerable  reputation,  composed 
many  pieces  of  great  merit,  only  a  few  of  which 
remain,  the  best  known  being  "  Oran  Fir 
Heisgir,"  "  Orau  narn  Fiadh,"  and  a  hymn, 
"  Asluiug  air  Staid  au  anma,"  an  imperfect 
version  of  which  was  published  in  Donald  Mac- 
leod's  Collection  in  1811. 

(5)  Angus,  who  leaving  Grenetote,  removed  to  Liniclate, 

Benbecula,  and  married  Flora,  daughter  of 
Donald  MacRury,  and  Marion  (Mor  Nighean 
Neill  'ic  Iain  Mhoir  Ghesto),  daughter  of  Neil, 
son  of  John  Macleod,  8th  of  Gesto,  and  had — 

(6)  Roderick,    Cunambuintag,    Benbecula,    who   died    in 

1885  at  the  age  of  102.  He  married,  first, 
Catherine,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of 
Daliburgh,  and  had  a  son,  James,  who  was 
educated  in  Edinburgh  for  the  ministry  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  and  died  in  1836.  He 
married,  secondly,  Catherine,  daughter  of 
Captain  John  Ferguson,  and  had  (a)  Donald ; 
(6)  John  Norman,  who,  after  a  distinguished 
career  at  Glasgow  University,  became  Minister  of 
the  Parish  of  Harris.  A  scholarly  man  of  wide 
and  varied  culture,  he  left  a  large  number  of 
valuable  MSS.,  dealing  principally  with  the 
history,  lore,  and  poetry  of  the  Outer  Islands. 
He  died  in  March,  1868,  in  the  39th  year  of  his 
age.  (c)  Angus;  (c/)  Alexander;  (e)  James; 
(/)  Norman  ;  (g]  John  ;  (h)  Flora,  who  married 
Duncan  Robertson,  with  issue,  Sheriff  John 
Robertson,  and  others ;  (i}  Marion  ;  (j)  Mary, 
who  married  the  Rev.  Donald  Mackay,  Minister 
of  the  Parish  of  Knock,  and  had  (a1)  Dr 
Roderick  Mackay,  in  practice  in  Yorkshire,  who 
married  Ethel,  daughter  of  Dr  Hoyle,  and  has 
Donald  George  Somerled ;  (b1)  Rev.  Norman 
Donald  Mackay,  Minister  of  the  Parish  of  Nigg  ; 
(c1)  Catherine  Hughina  ;  (dl)  Jessie  ;  (e1) 
Jemima ;  (fl)  Isabella. 


390  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

(7)  James  Macdonald,  Griminish,  who  married  Mary 
MacRury,  and  has  Angus,  Minister  of  the  Parish 
of  Killearnan,  who  married,  tirst,  Mai'ion, 
daughter  of  Charles  Macleod,  Scotus,  and  has — 

(A)  James  William,  born  March  29th,  181)1. 

(B)  Charles  Somerled,  born  January  3rd,  1893. 

He  married,  secondly,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander Hector  of  Burnside,  St  Cyrus,  and  widow  of 
John  Munro  of  Lemlair,  and  has — 

(c)  Ranald   ^Eneas   Hector,  born  September  22nd, 

1903. 

4.  Agnes,  who  married  Magnus  O'Connell. 
Angus  Macdonald  of  Sanda  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest  son, 

II.  ARCHIBALD.    He  was  with  his  cousin,  Alastair 
Og    Macdonald,   in   Clandeboy    at   the   time  Shane 
O'Neill  took  refuge  with  the   Scots,  and  was  the 
principal  author  of  Shane's  death    in    revenge    for 
that  of  his  father,   Angus  Ileach.       He  was  one  of 
the  principal  men  of  the   Claim  Iain  Mhoir,  who, 
along   with   Angus    Macdonald    of  Dunnyveg,    was 
ordered   to  deliver  to  the  Earl  of  Argyll  the  eight 
hostages  of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Duart.     He  appears 
frequently    on   record   as   Archibald    Macdonald   of 
Machaireoch  in  the  latter  half  of  the  1  6th  century. 
On   13th  January,    1591,   he  appears  at   Kothesay 
witnessing  a    bond  between    Angus    Macdonald    of 
Dunnyveg  and  Campbell  of  Cawdor.      He  had  two 
sons — 

1.  Alastair  Og,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Angus,  known  as  Aonyhas  Ileach,  styled  in  a  rental  of 

Kintyre  Angus  Macdonald  of  Knockreoch. 

Archibald  died  in   1594,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.     He  also  played  a  conspicuous 
part  in  the  stirring  clan  drama  of  the  time.     He  was 
left  in  command  of  Sorley  Buy's  forces  in  the  Glens, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  391 

when  that  leader  went  to  solicit  aid  from  his  brother, 
James,  against  the  O'Neills  and  others.  He  was 
given  as  a  hostage  by  Angus  Macdonald  of  Dunny- 
veg  for  the  observance  of  certain  conditions  agreed 
on  between  him  and  the  Government  on  his  libera- 
tion from  Edinburgh  Castle.  In  the  roll  taken  of 
the  occupiers  of  Kintyre  in  1605,  he  is  called 
Alastair  Og  Macdonald  of  Tirargus.  Being  in  charge 
of  the  Castle  of  Dunnyveg  in  August,  1607,  he 
refused  to  deliver  it  to  the  Earl  of  Argyll,  for  which 
treasonable  disobedience  he  received  in  May,  1608, 
through  the  interest  of  Lord  Ochiltree,  a  remission 
under  the  Privy  Seal. 

Alexander,  who  died  in  1618,  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

IV.  ARCHIBALD,  known  as  Gilleasbuig  Mar.     In 
1619  he  was  served  heir  to  his  grandfather  in  the 
lands  of  Sand  a,  Machaireoch,  and  others.     He  took 
part  in  the  civil  war,  under  Montrose,  in  1645.     He 
married  Christina  Stewart,  of  the  family  of  Bute, 
and  had  a  son,  Archibald,  known  as  Gilleasbuig  Og, 
who,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  events,  would  have 
succeeded,    but    both    father    and    son    fell    in    the 
Massacre  of  Dunaverty  in   1647. 

Archibald   was  succeeded  by   his  grandson,  the 
son  of  Archibald  Og, 

V.  RANALD,  who  was  an  infant  at  the  time  of 
the  massacre,  and  is  said  to  have   been  saved  by 
the  devotion  of  a  nurse,  who  carried  him  away  by 
stealth  from  the  scene  of  the  atrocity,  and  placed 
him  in  the  custody  of  his  kinsfolk,  the  Stewarts  of 
Bute,   in   which  family  he  was  reared.      In   1661, 
when  Ranald  was  about  14  years  of  age,  there  was 
a  general  reversion  of  forfeitures,  and  in  the  special 
Act    of    Parliament    restoring    his    estate    to    him 
reference  is  made   to  the  services  rendered  by  his 


392  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

grandfather,  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Sanda,  to  the 
royal  cause,  by  joining  in  arms  with  the  Marquis 
of  Montrose,  while  his  lands  were  "  brooked  and 
enjoyed  "  by  the  Marquis  of  Argyll  and  Alexander 
MacNaughton  of  Dundarave. 

In  1669  Ranald  resigned  his  lands  in  favour  of 
Archibald,  Earl  of  Argyll.  These  were  a  part  of 
the  lands  of  St  Ninian's,  namely,  Machereoch  and 
Gartnacopag,  Knonkmurrill,  Kilnosuchan,  Blastil 
and  Edwin,  Penlachna  and  Isle  of  Sanda,  Drimore, 
Penniseirack,  Achroy,  Balligriggan — all  in  Kintyre. 
The  Earl,  "  that  he  may  put  an  obligation  on  the 
said  Ranald  Macdonald  and  his  heirs  in  all  time," 
dispones  to  him  in  feu  the  same  lands.  Ranald 
married  Anne,  daughter  of  Sir  Dougald  Stewart, 
and  sister  of  James,  1st  Earl  of  Bute,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  had  a  sasiue  of  the  lands  of  Kilcolumkill 

in  1694.     He  had  a  son,  James,  who  was  served  heir 
to  his  father  in  1752. 

Ranald  died  September  6th,  1681,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Sanda  burying  place  in  Kilcolumkill.  in 
the  parish  of  Southend.  His  wife  died  January 
12th,  1732,  aged  74,  and  was  buried  with  her 
husband.  Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ARCHIBALD.     He  married  Helen,   daughter 
of  David  Cunningham,  Thornton,  in  Ayrshire,  being 
the  present  residence  of  the  family.     He  had  by  her 
one  son.    Archibald  died  in  1750,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  only  son, 

VII.  JOHN.     He  married  Penelope,  daughter  of 
John  Mackinnon,  Younger  of  Mackinnon,  and  had 
by  her — 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 
'  3.  Robert. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  393 

John  died  in  1786,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  ARCHIBALD,  who  was  an  advocate  at  the 
Scottish  Bar.      In  the  absence  of  his  cousin,  John 
Macdonald  of  Clanranald,  abroad  in  1794,  he  was 
appointed  one  of  his  commissioners. 

Archibald    died    unmarried    in     1796,    and     was 
succeeded  by  his  brother, 

IX.  JOHN.     He  was  for  many  years  Comptroller 
of  Customs  at  Borrowstouness,  and  lived  latterly  at 
Carriden,    Linlithgow.      He  married   Cecilia   Maria 
Kinneir,   daughter  of  General  Douglas,  by  Cecilia 
Kinneir  of  Kinneir.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  William,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Archibald,  who  was  born  Nov.  13,  1786,  a  Captain,  R.N. 

He  married  Harriet  Cox,  and  had  by  her — 

(A)  John,  General,  H.E.I.C.S.,  who  died  in  Canada. 

(B)  Archibald,  Captain,  H.E.I.C.S. 
(c)  William. 

(D)  Donald,  Captain,  H.E.I.C.S.       Killed  at  Meerut  in 

1857. 

(B)  Alexander  Somerled,  an  officer  in  the  Royal  Marines, 
(p)  Clementina  Malcolm. 
(G)  Harriet. 
(H)  Amelia,  who  married  George  Trevor- Roper,  of  Rock 

Ferry,  Cheshire. 

4.  David,  Captain  in  the  Indian  Navy. 

5.  Alexander,   Captain   in  the   Indian  Army,  and   was  for 

some  time  Political  Agent  at  Mhow,  Bengal. 

6.  Douglas,  who  married  Patrick  Hadow,    of  St  Andrews, 

with  issue. 

7.  Cecilia. 

8.  Flora. 

9.  Penelope. 

John   Macdonald  of  Sanda  died  in  1797,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

X.  SIR    JOHN     MACDONALD.       He    afterwards 
assumed   the    name   of   Kinneir   in   addition   to   his 
own.     He  was  born  at  Carriden,  Linlithgow,  Feb- 


394  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

ruary  3rd,  1782,  and,  in  1802,  was  nominated 
to  a  Cadetship  by  Sir  William  Bensley.  In 
1804  he  was  appointed  Ensign  in  the  Madras 
Infantry,  and  became  Captain  in  1818.  He  after- 
wards attained  the  rank  of  Lieut. -Colonel.  He 
was  attached  to  Sir  John  Malcolm's  mission  in 
Persia  in  1808-9.  He  published  "Travels  in  Asia 
Minor"  in  1813-14.  He  was  appointed  British 
Envoy  at  the  Court  of  Persia  in  1824.  In  1829 
he  received  the  Persian  Order  of  the  Sun  and 
Lion  of  the  1st  Class,  and  was  knighted  in  November 

n 

of  the  same  year. 

He  married  Amelia  Harriet,  daughter  of  Lieut.- 
General  Sir  Archibald  Campbell,  Commander-in- 
Chief  at  Madras,  and  by  her,  who  died  in  1860, 
he  had  no  issue. 

Sir  John  died  at  Tabreez,  June  llth,  1830,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

XI.  WILLIAM,  Archdeacon  of  Wilts,  and  Canon 
of  Salisbury  Cathedral.  He  married,  in  June,  1810, 
Frances,  daughter  of  Maurice  Goodman  of  Oare 
House,  Wilts,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Douglas,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  William  Maurice,  Rector  of  Calstone- Wellington,  Wilts. 

He  married,  in  June,  1839,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Patrick  Hadow  of  St  Andrews,  without  issue.  He 
died  April  17th,  1880. 

3.  Archibald,    Captain    in    the    Indian    Navy,    who   died, 

unmarried,  March  3rd,   1845. 

4.  Fitzherbert,  Registrar  of  the  Diocese  of  Salisbury.     He 

married,  in  April,  1845,  Eliza,  daughter  of  Peregrine 
Bingham,  without  issue. 

5.  Reginald  John,  who  died,  unmarried,  July  22nd,  1835. 

6.  Alexander  Cleiland,  who  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 

John  Campian,  without  issue. 

7.  Frances  Elizabeth,  married  Rev.  George  Marsh,  Rector  of 

Sutton-Veny,  Wilts,  without  issue. 

8.  Sophia,  married  Frank  Prothero,  Llangibby  Castle,  Wales. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      395 

9.  Penelope,  married  Rev.  Frank  Dyson,  Viear  of  Cricklade, 
Wilts. 

William  Macdonald  of  Sanda  died  June  24,    1 862, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XII.  DOUGLAS,  Vicar  of  West  Alvington,  Devon- 
shire.      He  married  in  Nov.,  1837,  Flora  Georgina, 
daughter  of  Patrick  Hadow,  of  St  Andrews,  and  had 
by  her— 

1.  Douglas  John  Kinneir,  his  successor. 

2.  Godfrey  William,  born  in  1848,  and  died  the  same  year. 

3.  Maurice  Patrick,  who  died  in  1876. 

4.  Angus,  Vicar  of  South  Marston,  Wilts.     He  married,  in 

1878,  Alice,  daughter  of  Robert  Jenner,  of  High  worth, 
without  issue. 

5.  Flora. 

6.  Frances  Amelia. 

7.  Cecilia  Susan. 

8.  Eva, 

9.  Helen  Sophia. 
10.  Georgina. 

Douglas  Macdonald  of  Sanda   died  Feb.   11,   1865, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XIII.  DOUGLAS  JOHN   KINNEIR,  who  was  born 
Oct.  24,  1838,  and  educated  at  Marlbo rough  College, 
and  Jesus  College,  Cambridge,  where  he  graduated 
in  1861.      He  was  for  some  time  Chapter  Clerk  of 
Salisbury,  and  from   1877   to  1882  commanded  the 
Argyll  and  Bute  Artillery  at  Campbeltown. 

He  married,  in  1867,  Jane  Martha  MacNeill, 
daughter  of  John  Alexander  Mackay,  of  Black- 
castle,  Midlothian,  and  Carskey,  Argyleshire,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  Douglas  Kiuueir,  who  was  born  in  1867.  Educated  at 
Sherborne  School  and  Jesus  College,  Cambridge,  where 
he  took  his  degree  in  1888.  He  went  to  Queensland 
in  1897,  and  was  enrolled  in  the  3rd  Queensland 
Contingent,  which  left  Brisbane  for  the  seat  of  war 
in  February,  1900.  He  was  sent  to  Beira  to  join 
Rhodes  and  Carrington's  Field  Force,  and  made  the 


396  THE   CLAN    DON  ALT). 

great  march  across  Rhodesia  on  foot  os  escort  of  the 
Canadian  gnus,  covering  a  distance  of  105  miles  in 
four  and  a  half  days.  Joining  Colonel  Plumer's  force, 
he  entered  Mafeking,  after  five  or  six  hours'  sharp  fight- 
ing, as  one  of  the  advance  guard  of  the  relief  column 
on  May  18th.  He  afterwards  formed  one  of  Colonel 
Here's  band  of  300  Colonial  troops  who  successfully 
defended  an  immen.se  convoy  of  stores  when  surrounded 
by  3000  Boers,  with  8  guns,  under  Delarey.  He  died 
at  Pretoria  on  12th  Feb.,  1901. 

2.  John  Ranald. 

3.  Elsie  Hay. 

4.  Lilian  Cecilia,  who  died  24th  April,  1886. 

5.  Penelope  Flora,  who  died  in  infancy. 

D.  J.  K.  Macdonald  of  Sarida  died  27th  July,  1901, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  second  son, 

XIV.  JOHN  RANALD,  who  was  born  in  1870. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  COLONSAY. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Colonsay  are  descended  from 
I.  COLL,   third  son   of  Alexander   of  Dunnyveg 
and  the  Glens,  son  of  John  Cathanach.     He  spent 
a  good  deal  of  his  life  in  Ireland,  though  he  was  by 
no  means    an   unconcerned    spectator   of  the    com- 
motions that  took  place  in  the  Scottish  territories 
of  his  family.       He   was  of  dark  complexion,  and 
went  under  the  name  of  Colla   dubh  nan   Capull, 
according  to  some  authorities,  because  on  an  occasion 
of  stress  he  and  his  followers  were  forced  to  eat 
horse  flesh,  according  to  others,  because  he  was  a 
cavalry    leader.       It    is    said    that    the    horse  flesh 
eating   incident    occurred    when    he    went    to   the 
assistance  of  the  Earl  of  Tyrconnel  against  O'Neill 
of  Tyrone.      He   was  also  called   Colla  maol  dubh, 
which    suggests  baldness,   as  well  as  a  dark  com- 
plexion.      Coll    lived   in  the  Castle  of  Kinbane,  a 
stronghold  by  the  sea,  situated  about   a  mile  and 
a-half  west  of  the  town  of  Ballycastle.      Kinbane, 


1.  Dr  James  McDonnell. 

2.  Dr  John  McDonnell. 


3.  The    Hon.     Sir    bchomberg    K. 

McDonnell. 

4.  Sir  Alexander  McDonnell,  Bart. 
5.  Colonel  John  McDonnell  of  Kilmore. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  397 

or  the  white  head,  is  so  called  from  being  a  chalk 
cliff  100  feet  high,  and  the  Castle  stood  behind, 
connected  with  the  rock  by  strong  walls  carried 
along  the  edges  of  the  precipice,  thus  making  it 
impregnable  from  the  sea.  Coll  was  involved  in  all 
the  Irish  struggles  in  which  his  brothers  were 
engaged  during  his  lifetime  for  the  lordship  of  the 
Route,  and  the  references  to  him  in  the  Irish  State 
Papers  show  him  to  have  been  one  of  the  ablest, 
most  distinguished,  and,  in  the  eyes  of  the  English, 
most  formidable  of  the  sons  of  Alexander  Mac  Iain 
Chathanach.  The  Macdonalds  of  Dunnyveg  adopted 
in  the  Glens,  the  Route,  Claneboy,  and  O'Cahan's 
country  the  system  of  quartering  their  warriors  upon 
the  native  gentry  and  population,  a,  fact  which  sug- 
gests the  almost  regal  power  and  influence  they 
exercised  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  This  custom  was 
the  occasion  of  an  incident  in  Coil's  life  which  has  been 
detailed  in  the  Bally patrick  MS.,  and  may  be  taken 
as  substantially  correct.  On  this  occasion  Colla 
and  his  men  were  quartered  with  MacQuillan  of 
Dunluce,  and  had  gained  favour  with  their  host  by 
helping  him  and  his  people  to  take  a  great  Creach 
from  the  O'Cathans  of  County  Berry  in  revenge  for 
a  similar  act  of  spoliation  committed  on  the  Mac- 
Quillan's  the  previous  year.  In  the  course  of  the 
visit  to  Dunluce  Coll  married  MacQuillaii's  daughter. 
They  were  soon,  however,  reminded  that  they  were 
in  the  midst  of  foes.  A  quarrel  arose  between  one 
of  Coil's  soldiers  and  one  of  MacQuillan's  Gallow- 
glasses,  in  the  course  of  which  the  latter  was  killed. 
A  plot  was  concocted  by  MacQuillan's  party  to 
murder  Coll  and  his  men ;  but  this  having  come  to 
the  ears  of  Coil's  wife,  she  told  him  of  the  threatened 
catastrophe,  and  the  night  for  which  it  was  planned 


398  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

he  and  his  followers  encamped  in  safety  on  the  side 
of  Dunseverick  hill,  having  shaken  the  dust  of 
Dunluce  off  their  feet.  Coll  died  in  1551  at  a  com- 
paratively early  age,  and  was  buried  at  Bunmargy, 
and  the  position  he  occupied  as  deputy  to  his 
brother  James  of  Uunnyveg  in  the  Glens,  passed  to 
his  brother  Somhairle  Buidhe.  As  already  stated, 
Coll  married  Eveleen,  daughter  of  MacQuillan  of 
Dunluce,  and  by  her  had— 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  Randal.     He  was  engaged  in  the  feud  between  his  cousin 

Angus  of  Dunnyveg  and  Maclean  of  Duart,  and  when 
Angus  and  his  followers  were  seized  by  Maclean  and 
imprisoned  while  on  a  friendly  visit,  Eandal  was  the 
only  one  allowed  his  liberty.  He  died  without  issue. 

Coll  was  succeeded  by  his  older  son, 

II.  ARCHIBALD,  who  was  an  infant  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  death,  arid  was  under  the  tutory  of 
his  uncle  Somhairle  Buidhe.  He  was  called  Gilleas- 
Imiy  fiacail  —  Archibald  the  toothed  —  it  being 
traditionally  believed  that  lie  was  born  with  a  tooth 
or  teeth  !  He  was  fostered  with  the  O'Quins  or 
O'Cathans  of  Carrinrig,  with  whom  he  is  said  to 
have  spent  most  of  his  time,  and  a  daughter  of  which 
family  he  married,  contrary,  it  is  said,  to  the  wishes 
of  his  uncle  Sorley.  On  Archibald  arriving  at  his 
majority,  the  event  was  celebrated  with  great 
rejoicing  at  Ballycastle,  under  the  auspices  of  Sorley 
Buy,  the  guardian,  who  desired  that  the  festiv- 
ities should  be  conducted  in  a  manner  befitting  his 
nephew's  rank.  Among  other  amusements  the 
gentle  pastime  of  bull-baiting  was  practised  on  the 
occasion.  Unfortunately,  the  bull  by  accident  got 
loose,  and  the  result — the  details  of  which  have 
been  differently  stated  by  different  authorities — was 
fatal  to  Archibald.  By  one  account  the  infuriated 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      399 

animal  made  a  rush  at  him  and  wounded  him 
mortally  ;  by  another,  an  attendant  seeing  the  wild 
beast  on  the  way  to  attack  his  master  hastily  drew 
out  a  sword  in  his  defence,  but  in  the  act  of 
doing  so  wounded  him  accidentally  in  the  thigh. 
He  was  removed  to  Rathlin  for  better  attend- 
ance ;  but  the  wound  proved  fatal,  and  dark 
hints  of  poison  administered  by  a  surgeon  bribed  by 
Sorley's  family  were  whispered,  with,  doubtless, 
very  little  justification.  Archibald's  death  took 
place  in  1570. 

III.  COLL,  the  successor  of  Archibald  in  the 
representation  of  the  family,  and  known  in  his  day 
as  Colla  Mac  Ghilleasbuig,  was  a  posthumous  child, 
having  been  born  in  1570,  after  his  father's  death. 
His  birthplace  was  the  Island  of  Glassineerin,  in 
Lough  Lynch  ;  but  very  soon  after  his  birth  his 
mother  took  him  to  Colonsay,  an  island  to  which 
the  Clann  Iain  Mhoir  seem  to  have  had  a  claim, 
especially  since  the  indenture  of  1520,  when  it  came 
into  possession  of  Alexander  of  Dunnyveg.  Alex- 
ander's indenture  expired  in  1525,  but  in  1558  Queen 
Mary  granted  to  James  of  Dunnyveg,  and  in  1564 
to  Archibald  his  heir,  the  Barony  of  Bar,  containing 
lands  in  Colonsay,  afterwards  bestowed  upon  Coll. 
The  MacDuflBes,  the  ancient  occupiers  of  the  island, 
were  still  in  actual  possession.  Here  Coll  was 
brought  up,  and  became  one  of  the  most  famous 
swordsmen  and  warriors  of  the  age.  He  was  known 
as  Colla  Ciotach  Mac  Ghilleasbuig,  the  meaning  of 
Ciotach  being  that  he  was  left-handed,  or  ambi- 
dexter, that  is  capable  of  wielding  his  sword  with 
either  hand,  a  peculiarity  which,  no  doubt,  rendered 
him  a  dangerous  foe  in  battle.  That  part  of  his 
history  which  is  associated  with  the  misfortunes  of 


400  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  in  the  rising  of 
1615,  has  been  detailed  in  the  second  volume  of  this 
work.  After  these  years  of  stress,  Coll  retired  to 
Colonsay,  for  the  possession  of  which  he  had  no 
competitors,  the  principal  MacDuffies  of  the  island 
having  been  executed  at  the  close  of  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald's  insurrection  against  the  Campbell  power. 
There  he  seems  to  have  lived  quietly  until  the 
troubles  of  Charles  I.  lit  the  torch  of  civil  war  in 
Scotland.  In  1632  the  Bishop  of  the  Isles  granted 
him  a  lease  of  all  the  Church  lands  in  the  Island  of 
Colonsay,  and  the  teinds,  parsonage,  and  vicarage 
of  the  Parish  of  Kilchattan,  in  the  same  island. 

In  1639  the  Covenanting  movement  commenced 
in  Scotland,  and  Colla  Ciotach  having  refused  to 
join  in  it,  was  driven  out  of  Colonsay,  and  he  and 
his  two  sons,  Archibald  and  Angus,  were  taken 
prisoners,  and  kept  in  captivity  apparently  until 
1644.  In  the  latter  year  the  prisoners  taken  at 
Inverlochy  and  immured  in  Blair  Castle  were 
exchanged  for  certain  loyalists,  among  whom  were 
Colla  Ciotach  and  his  two  sons,  who  thus  received 
their  freedom.  In  1647  we  find  him  in  command  of 
the  fortress  of  Dunnyveg,  which  his  son  Sir  Alex- 
ander had  left  with  a  garrison  of  '200  men  on  the 
failure  of  his  campaign  in  Kin  tyre  and  before  his 
crossing  over  to  Ireland.  David  Leslie,  the 
Covenanting  General,  laid  siege  to  Dunnyveg,  but 
the  defenders  made  a  brave  resistance.  At  last  they 
were,  through  failure  of  the  water  supply,  forced  to 
capitulate,  but  on  the  assurance  that  Coll  and  his 
officers  might  go  where  they  pleased,  and  that  the 
common  soldiery  should  be  sent  to  France.  The 
accounts  that  have  survived  of  subsequent  events  are 
somewhat  conflicting,  and,  in  any  case,  it  is  not  good 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  401 

to  linger  over  such  a  tale  of  treachery.  It  appears 
that  when  the  negotiations  were  about  complete, 
Colla  Ciotach,  under  promise  of  safety,  ventured 
outside  to  speak  to  an  old  neighbour  of  his,  Campbell 
of  Dunstaifnage,  who  was  evidently  the  means  of 
Auring  the  unsuspecting  veteran  to  his  doom. 
Regardless  of  every  consideration  of  honour,  the 
besiegers  at  once  took  him  prisoner,  not,  as  Sir 
James  Turner  admits,  "without  some  staine  to  the 
Lieutenant  General's  honor."  Such  an  admission  by 
a  Covenanter  determines  the  unspeakable  perfidy  of 
the  act.  The  execution  of  Coll  from  the  mast  of  his 
own  galley  under  the  direction  of  the  "  Master  fiend 
Argyll,"  and  after  so  horrible  a  travesty  of  the  forms 
of  law  as  a  trial  by  a  Campbell  jury,  is  a  worthy 
sequel  to  conduct  so  lacking  in  the  most  elementary 
principles  of  good  faith.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
there  is  a  darker  deed  in  the  black  catalogue  of 
Gilleasbuig  Gruamach's  misdemeanours.  The  two 
sons  of  Coll  who  were  with  him  at  Dunnyveg  were 
also  executed,  Archibald  at  Skipness  and  Angus  at 
Dunnyveg.  Colla  Ciotach's  age  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  77,  and  his  remains  were  buried  in  the 
old  cemetery  at  Oban. 

There  is  much  variety  in  the  traditional  accounts 
—arid  these  are  the  only  ones  available — as  to  the 
wife  or  wives  of  Colla  Ciotach.  One  MS.  authority 
states  that  he  was  married  to  a  lady  of  the 
O'Cathans  of  Dunseverick,  while  the  same  authority 
avers  that,  according  to  tradition,  his  wife's  name 
was  MacNeill.  The  Ballypatrick  MS.  again  says 
that  he  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of 
Sanda.  The  two  accounts  that  seem  best  authenti- 
cated are  that  he  was  married  twice,  though  this 
number  of  wives  may  have  been  exceeded — 1st,  to  a 

26 


402  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

daughter  of  MacNeill  of  Barra,  and,  2nd,  to  a 
daughter  of  Ronald  Macdonald  of  Smerby.  For 
both  these  we  have  the  authority  of  a  Barra  version 
of  a  song  lamenting  the  death  of  Alastair  MacColla, 
which  it  was  said  would  cause  grief  to  "  Nial  a' 
Chaisteil,"  and  also  stated  that  Macdonald's  daughter 
had  been  robbed  by  death,  that  is,  Sir  Alexander's 
mother,  who  must  have  been  living  at  the  time. 
For  the  Macdonald  marriage  we  have  the  further 
authority  of  the  Clanranald  historian.  Coll  had,  by 
the  daughter  of  Ranald  of  Smerby,  the  following 
children — 

1.  Archibald.     He  would  have  succeeded  his  father  in  the 

representation  of  the  family  were  it  not  that  his 
execution  took  place  at  Skipness  about  the  same  time 
as  his  father's.  He  married,  and  had  a  daughter, 
Sara,  who  married  Aeneas  Macdonald.  In  1661, 
immediately  after  the  Restoration,  an  Act  was  passed 
through  Parliament  rescinding  the  pretended  for- 
feiture of  Coll  Mac  Gilleasbuig  and  Archibald  Mac- 
donald of  Colonsay,  his  son.  In  1686  there  is  a 
charter  by  James  II.  to  Sarah,  only  child  of  Archibald. 
In  consideration  of  "  the  singular  bravery  and  con- 
stant fidelity  of  Coll  Mac  Gillespick,  her  grandfather, 
and  Archibald,  his  son,  in  the  cause  of  the  King's 
father,  and  that  the  said  Archibald  was  killed  in  that 
service  and  Coll  violently  murdered  because  of  their 

faithful  service   in   joining   Montrose 

therefore  the  King  grants  to  the  said  Sara  and  to  the 
heir  male  of  her  body  by  Aeneas  Macdonald  her 
spouse  the  lands  of  Orinsay  extending  to  5  merklands 
of  old  extent,  the  16s  8d  lands  of  Garvart  in  Colonsay 
with  the  pertinents  to  be  held  in  feu  farm,  Orinsay 
for  £&  yearly,  and  Garvart  for  13s  4d  yearly." 
Sasine  upon  this  charter  followed  on  3rd  September 
of  the  following  year. 

2.  Angus,  who  was  put  to  death  at  Dunnyveg,  and  left  no 

issue. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Jean,  who  married  Mackay,  Laird  of  Ardnacroish, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  403 

Coil's  two  older  sons  having  been  murdered  by  the 
Covenanters  at  the  time  of  his  own  death,  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  youngest  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.  He  survived  his  father  by 
only  a  few  months,  but  as  the  succession  was  carried 
on  through  his  descendants,  we  may  regard  him  as 
the  third  of  this  line.  His  exploits  will  be  elsewhere 
recorded.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Hector  Mac 
Allister  of  Loup,  by  whom  he  had  — 

1.  Coll. 

2.  Archibald.     After  their  father's  death,  he  and  his  older 

brother  Coll,  who  had  been  taken  by  him  to  the 
Antrim  Glens,  were  brought  up  in  the  house  of  a 
tenant  of  the  Marquis  of  Antrim,  and  as  this  noble- 
man, their  kinsman,  was  not  able,  owing  to  the 
troublous  times,  to  live  on  his  estates,  the  two  boys, 
almost  infants,  were  somewhat  neglected,  and  had  to 
rough  it  during  their  earlier  years.  Archibald 
entered  the  army  in  his  youth,  attained  the  rank  of 
Captain,  and  became  a  brave  soldier.  He  settled  in 
Glasmullin,  and  held  from  the  Antrim  family  the 
lauds  of  Glassuiullin,  Dooney,  Ligdrenagh,  Mullagh- 
buy,  and  the  two  Knockanes.  He  died  September 
28th,  1720,  aged  73,  and  was  buried  in  Layde.  He 
married  Ann  Stewart,  daughter  of  Captain  Stewart  of 
Redbay  Castle  and  Ballydrain.  She  died  April  16th, 
1714.  By  her  he  had  one  son, 

Coll  of  Glasmullin,  who  died  June  .6th,  1737, 
having  married  Ann  Macdonald  of  Nappan,  with 
issue  —  Alexander  Macdouald  of  Cushendall. 
He  married  Ann  Black,  with  issue — (a)  Alex- 
ander, who  died  in  1791,  aged  16  ;  (6) 
Rachel,  who  died  young  ;  (c)  Ann,  who 
married  Archibald  Mac  Elheran  of  Cushendall. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Cushendall  died 
July  26th,  1782,  aged  48,  and  his  wife,  Ann 
Black,  died  1835,  aged  98. 

Sir  Alastair  Macdonald  was  killed  at  Cnocnanos, 
13th  November,  1647,  and  was  buried  at  Clonmeen, 


404  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Cork.     He  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of 
the  family  by  his  older  son, 

IV.  COLL,  who  was  then  a  child  of  two  or  three 
years  of  age.     His  early  history  has  already  been 
indicated.     Coll,  who  resided  at  Kilmore,  held  the 
lands  of  Torr  Point  and  Carrickfaddon,  in  the  Parish 
of  Culfeightrin,  Barony  of  Carey  ;  Cushendall  and 
Nappan,  in  the  Parish  of  Ardclinis,  Barony  of  Lower 
Glenarm,  and  Glassinieran  and  Loughlinch,  in  the 
Parish   of  Billy,   Barony  of  Lower   Dunluce.      He 
was  known  in  his  day  as  Colla  Mhuilinn  or  "  Coll  of 
the  Mill,"  probably  for  his  enterprise  in  having  a 
meal  mill  constructed  of  more  advanced  design  and 
efficiency  than  was  usual  in  his  day  and  country. 
The  quarterland  of  Cushendall  went  with  the  mill. 
Coll  died  on  25th  March,  1719,  aged  74,  and  was 
buried  at    Layde.       He  married  Ann,   daughter  of 
Magee  of  Ballyuchan,  by  whom  he  had  only  one  son 
of  whom  any  record  remains,  viz.,  his  successor, 

V.  ALEXANDER   MACDONALD   of   Kilmore.       In 
1738  the  lease  by  which  he  held  his  lands  from  the 
Earl  of  Antrim  was  on  the  eve  of  expiring,  and  he 
presents  a  memorial  to  that  nobleman,  requesting  a 
renewal  of  the  holdings,  a  request  which  no  doubt 
was    satisfactorily    granted.       Alexander   married, 
first,   Miss  Macdonald  of  Nappan,  by  whom  he  is 
said  to  have  had  several  children,  only  one  of  whom 
has  survived  on  record,  the  senior  representative  of 
the  family,  viz.:— 

1.  Michael,  surnamed  Roe  or  Red. 

Alexander  married,  secondly,  Ann,  daughter  of  John 
Mc"V  eagh  of  Drimadoone,  by  whom  he  had  a  son— 

2.  (i.)  John  of  Balenlig.     He  succeeded  his  father  at  Kil- 

roore.       He  married    Rose,   daughter  of  George 
Savage,  Esq.,  by  whom  he  had — 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  405 

(A)  Coll,  who  died  lost  at  sea,  24th  June,  1820,  aged 

63,  withoiit  issue. 

(B)  John    Alexander    of    Rathlin,    who    died     13th 

January,  1820;  without  issue. 

(c)  Charles,  who  married  Sarah  Black,  and  had  James, 
Randal,  and  John. 

(D)  Archibald,  an  officer  in  the  Royal  Navy,  who  died 

Feb.  21,  1840. 

(E)  Randal,  who  succeeded. 

(F)  John,  died  February,  1841,  aged  69. 

John  Macdonald  of  Kilmore  died  25th  December, 
1803,  aged  75  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest 
surviving  son, 
(n.)  Randal  Macdonald  of  Kilmore,  Glenariff.     He  died 

llth    August,     1854,    aged    82.       He    married 

Mary,  daughter  of  Archibald  MacElheran,  Esq. 

of  Glasmullin,  by  whom  he  had — 

(A)  Alexander,  his  successor. 

(B)  John. 

(c)  A  daughter,  name  unknown. 

(D)  Rose  Ann,  died  18th  May,  1850,  aged  31. 

(a)  Rachel,  died  Dec,  30th,  1854,  aged  33. 

Ranald  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  thie 
branch  of  the  family  by  his  older  son, 

(m.)  Alexander.  He  married,  in  1851,  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Alexander  McMullin,  Esq.  of  Cabra  House, 
Co.  Down,  with  issue,  Rachel  Mary  Josephine, 
who  married  Henry  Thomas  Silvertop,  with  issue. 
Alexander  died  in  1862  without  male  issue,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  younger  brother, 

(iv.)  Colonel  John  Macdonald  of  Kilmore,  J.P.  and  D.L., 
Co.  Antrim.  He  joined  the  7th  Dragoon  Guards 
at  an  early  age,  and  soon  afterwards  proceeded 
to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  where,  during  the 
Kaffir  War,  he  distinguished  himself,  and  was 
specially  mentioned  in  despatches.  He  next 
served  in  the  Orange  River  Territory,  and  was 
present  at  the  battle  of  Boem  Plaats  in  August, 
1848.  On  this  occasion  he  received  the  personal 
thanks  of  the  Commander-in-Chief.  He  served 
for  eight  years  in  the  New  Colony  of  Natal.  "In 
1863  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 


406  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Depot  of  his  regiment  at  Canterbury,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years.  Colonel  Macdonald 
had  a  splendid  record  during  his  twenty-three 
years'  service,  and  is  in  every  way  a  worthy 
representative  of  a  long  line  of  distinguished 
ancestors.  He  married  in  1870  the  Hon. 
Madeline  O'Hagan,  daughter  of  Thomas,  Lord 
O'Hagan,  Lord  Chancellor  of  Ireland.  She  died 
14th  October,  1877. 

Alexander  Macdonald,  5th  of  Kilmore,  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  representation  of  the  Macdonalds  of 
Colonsay  by  his  oldest  surviving  son, 

VI.  MICHAEL     ROE,     who    married    Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  A.  Stewart  of  Balintoy,  and  had  by 
her— 

1.  Ranald,  who  died  unmarried. 

2.  James. 

3.  Alexander,  who  died  unmarried. 

Michael  Roe  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  surviving 
son, 

VII.  JAMES,   M.D.,   of    Belfast   and   Murlough. 
He  studied  for  the  medical  profession,  and  became 
a  physician   of  great  repute  in   his  native  Antrim 
and   in   the  city   of  Belfast,  with  which  his  public 
life  was  most  associated,  and  where  he  was  vener- 
ated, not  only  for  his  professional  attainments  but 
for  his  great  benevolence. 

He  married,  first,  Eliza,  daughter  of  John  Clarke, 
of  Belfast,  and  had  by  her,  who  died  in  1798— 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  ,|ohn. 

3.  Catherine. 

He  married,  secondly,  Penelope,  daughter  of  James 
Montgomery  of  Larne,  without  issue.  She  died  in 
1851.  Dr  James  died  in  1845,  in  his  82nd  year, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  407 

VIII.  The   Right   Honourable   Sir   ALEXANDER 
MACDONALD,  Baronet.     He  was  educated  at  West- 
minster School,  which  he  entered  in   1809,  and  at 
Christ  Church,  Oxford,  which  he  entered  in  1813, 
and  where  he  greatly  distinguished  himself,  winning 
four  University  prizes,  those  for  Latin  and  English 
verse,   and  for  the  Latin  and  English  essays — an 
accumulation  of  honours  only  once  before  achieved. 
He  graduated  B.A.  in  1816  and  M.A.  in  1820.     He 
was  called  to  the  bar  at  Lincoln's  Inn  in  1824.     He 
accepted  the  position  of  Chief  Clerk  in  the  Chief 
Secretary's  Office   in   Ireland,  and  in   1839  he  was 
appointed  Commissioner  of  National  Education.     In 
1846,    he    was  made  a  Privy   Councillor,  and  was 
created  a  Baronet  in  1872.     He  married,  in  1826, 
Barbara,   daughter  of  Hugh   Montgomery  of  Ben- 
varden,  Antrim,  without  issue.     He  died  in  Dublin, 
January  21,   1875,  and  was  buried  at  Kilsharven. 
He  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the  family 
by  his  brother, 

IX.  JOHN  MACDONALD,   M.D.,  of  Dublin,  a  dis- 
tinguished  physician.       He   was   advanced  to   the 
prominent    position    of    Medical    Commissioner   for 
Ireland,  and  also  held  the  position  of  Commissioner 
of  the   Local   Government    Board.       He    was   the 
author,  among  other  publications,  of  "  The  Ulster 
Civil  War  of  1641  and  its  consequences  ;  with  the 
History   of  the   Irish  Brigade  under  Montrose  in 
1644-46." 

He    married    Charity,    daughter    of    the    Rev. 
Robert  Dobbs,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  James,   barri«ter-at-law,   of  Kilsharvan,    Drogheda,   who 

married  Rosanna,  daughter  of  William  Cairns,  of  Bel- 
fast, and  had  two  daughters. 

2.  Robert,  B.A.,  M.D.,  F.R.S.     He  entered  Trinity  College, 

Dublin,    and    graduated    B.A.    and   M.B.    in    1860. 


-408  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

During  the  Crimean  War  he  was  attached  to  the 
British  Hospital  at  Smyrna,  and  volunteered  as  civil 
surgeon  to  serve  in  the  general  hospital  in  the  camp 
before  Sebastopol,  where  he  remained  until  the  end  of 
the  siege.  For  his  services  he  received  the  British 
and  Turkish  medals.  In  1857,  he  received  M.D. 
from  Dublin  University,  and  in  1864  from  Queen's 
College.  In  1866,  he  was  appointed  Professor  of 
Anatomy  in  connection  with  Steven's  Hospital,  and 
afterwards  President  of  the  Royal  College  of  Surgeons, 
Ireland.  In  1885,  he  was  elected  President  of  the 
Academy  of  Medicine.  He  declined  twice  an  offer  of 
knighthood. 

He  married,  first,  Mary,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Molloy  of  Clonbeala,  without  issue.  He  married, 
secondly,  Susan,  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  M'Causland, 
and  had  a  son,  John.  Dr  Robert  died  at  Dublin, 
May  6,  1889. 

3.  Alexander,  C.E.,  Rydens,  London,  who  married  Isabella, 

daughter  of  Colonel  Grenfell,  and  has  John  Alastair, 
James  Rivei'sdale,  and  Marie  Louise. 

4.  Ranald  William,   Q.C.,  who  married  Sara,  daughter  of 

John  Carlisle,  and  had  Alastair  Coll,  John  Carlisle, 
Ranald,  and  Robert. 

5.  William,  who  married  a  daughter  of  R.  Reeves,  without 

issue. 

6.  Williamina    Charity,  who   married    Henry    Pilkiugton, 

Q.C.,  of  Tore,  West  Meath. 

7.  Elizabeth  Penelope. 

8.  Catherine  Anne,  who  married  Andrew  Armstrong  of  Kil- 

sharven,  Meath. 

9.  Barbara  Montgomery. 
10.  Rose  Emily. 

Dr  John  Macdonald  died  January  20th,  1892. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ANTRIM. 

I.  SORLEY  BUY,  fourth  son  of  Alexander  of 
.Dunnyveg,  son  of  John  Cathanach,  was  the  founder 
of  the  family  of  Antrim.  He  married  (1st)  Mary, 


RANDAL,    4TH    EA  RL    OF    ANTRIM. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  409 

daughter  of  Con  O'Neill,  Earl  of  Tyrone,  and  sister 
of  Shane  O'Neill,  2nd  Earl  of  Tyrone,  with  issue— 

1.  Donald,  slain  while  skirmishing  on  the  Bann  about  1580, 

without  issue. 

2.  Alexander — a  brave  warrior,   slain   in   battle    with  the 

English  in  1585. 

3.  James,  who  succeeded. 

4.  Ranald,  who  succeeded  James. 

5.  Angus,  known  as  Aonghus  Ultach  or  Angus  from  Ulster, 

probably  to  distinguish  him  from  others  of  the  same 
name  in  Scotland.  He  appears  in  the  Irish  State 
Papers  as  "  Neece,"  a  phonetic  corruption  of  the 
Gaelic  form  of  Angus.  His  opposition  to  the  suc- 
cession of  his  brother,  Ranald  Arranach,  to  Sir  James 
of  Dunluce  has  been  narrated  in  Vol.  II.  He 
never  seemed  to  have  become  thoroughly  reconciled. 
He  was  a  brave  soldier,  and  was  one  of  the  few  Mac- 
donalds  who  escaped  from  the  battle  of  Kinsale, 
fought  in  1601.  He  was  living  in  1610,  and  possessed 
at  that  time  the  barony  of  Glenarm. 

Sorley's  first  wife  having  died  in  1582,  he  married, 
second,  a  daughter  of  O'Hara,  by  whom  he  had— 

6.  Ludar,  or  Lother,  who  is  said  to  have  been  a  party  to 

the  conspiracy  of  1614  for  the  overthrow  of  the 
English  power  in  Ulster.  The  sequel  to  a  successful 
combination  for  this  end  was  to  be  the  restoration  of 
the  family  estates  to  the  son  of  Sir  James  of  Dunluce. 
Sorley  Buy  had  a  daughter,  who  married  John  Mac- 
Naghten  of  Ballymagarry,  with  issue.  There  were 
other  daughters  whose  names  have  not  been  preserved. 

Sorley  Buy  died  at  Dunaonigh  Castle  in  1589,  and 
was  buried  in  the  family  burying-ground  at  Bun- 
margy.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  surviving 
son, 

II.  JAMES.  On  a  visit  to  Edinburgh  in  1597  he 
was  created  a  Knight  by  James  VI.,  and  is  there- 
fore known  in  history  as  Sir  James  Macdonald  of 
Dunluce.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Phelim 
O'Neill  of  Claneb6y,  by  whom  he  had — 


410  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

1.  Alexander,  who  was  known  in  his  day  and  in  the 
traditions  of  the  family  as  Alastair  Carrach.  Though 
Sir  James  Macdonald's  oldest  son,  he  did  not  succeed 
to  the  honours  of  the  house  of  Antrim  for  reasons 
that  have  been  variously  adduced.  Traditional 
accounts  of  the  succession  aver  that  Alexander  was 
not  capable  of  succeeding  to  a  position  requiring  the 
possession  at  the  time  of  warlike  prowess  and  address. 
The  inference  has  been  that  he  was  lacking  in  these 
qualities.  It  is  highly  probable,  however,  that  at  the 
time  of  his  father's  death  Alexander  was  a  mere  boy, 
unable  to  cope  with  a  situation  endangered  by 
English  aggressiveness  and  Irish  jealousy.  He  was 
living  in  1661,  and  the  supposition  is  feasible  that  in 
1601,  when  his  father  died,  his  extreme  youth  barred 
him  from  the  succession.  He,  however,  obtained  the 
barony  of  Kilcouway  in  Antrim,  and  he  is  referred  to 
in  records  as  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kilconway. 
He  was  marked  out  for  heading  the  projected  in- 
surrectionary movement  of  1614,  which  was  to 
eventuate,  if  successful,  in  deposing  his  uncle,  Sir 
Randal,  from  the  headship  of  Sorley  Buy's  family, 
and  substituting  himself.  He  was,  in  fact,  im- 
prisoned and  tried  for  treason  in  1615,  but  afterwards 
acquitted.  In  1629,  Sir  Alexander,  who  is  described 
as  "  knight  and  baronet,"  was  appointed  by  the  Earl 
of  Antrim  one  of  the  overseers  and  supervisors  of  his 
will.  In  1661,  when  the  Marquis  of  Antrim  laid  his 
claim  before  Charles  II.,  he  sought  to  be  found 
entitled  to  the  reversion  of  the  estate  of  Sir  Alexander 
Macdouald,  knight  and  baronet,  in  the  event  of  the 
latter  dying  without  heirs  male.  He  married,  and 
had  a  son,  Sir  James,  who  resided  at  the  Cross,  near 
Bally mony,  and,  like  his  father,  is  also  styled  of 
Kilconway.  He  took  an  active  part  on  the  side  of  the 
Confederated  Catholics  in  1641,  for  which  he  suffered 
forfeiture  of  his  estate.  He  afterwards  obtained  a 
grant  of  land  under  the  Act  of  Settlement,  but  much 
less  than  he  had  lost.  He  got  credit  on  both  sides  of 
politics  for  being  a  man  of  humane  and  moderate 
views.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Donough 
O'Brien,  Lord  of  Clare,  with  issue — 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  411 

A.  Alexander,  or  Alastair  Carragh,  a  Colonel  in  the 
Royalist  Army,  who  is  said  to  have  been  killed 
in  a  duel  with  an  Englishman  at  Lisburn.  Alex- 
ander married  Elizabeth  Howard,  daughter  of 
Henry,  Earl  of  Surrey,  Aruudel,  and  Norfolk, 
and  had  a  sou,  Randal.  He  married  Hannah, 
daughter  of  David  Roche,  Esq.,  by  whom  he  had 
(a)  James,  who  died  1728  without  issue,  and 
was  interred  in  St  James's  Churchyai'd,  Dublin, 
where  his  sister  erected  a  monument  to  his  and 
his  mother's  memory  ;  (6)  Randal,  who  succeeded 
to  his  brother's  property,  and  died  without  issue  . 
(c)  John ;  (d)  Mary,  who  married  Christopher 
O'Brien  of  Ennystemon  ;  (e)  Henrietta. 

(B)  Randal,  who  died  in  St  Germains. 

(c)  Sorley,  who  was  killed  at  Aghrim  in  the  Jacobite 
cause. 

(D)  Donald,  who  also  fought  in  the  Jacobite  cause. 

(B)  Aeneas,  who  was  killed  at  sea  in  the  service  of  King 
James  VTT. 

2.  Sorley.       He   was    a   strong    supporter    of    Sir    James 

Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  in  his  insurrection  of  1615, 
and  it  was  to  him  Chichester,  the  English  Deputy, 
referred  in  a  letter  to  the  Council  that  year,  in  which 
he  describes  him  as  being  "  a  notable  villaine  with 
Sir  James  McConnell  of  Kintyre."  It  was  he  that 
brought  Sir  James  to  Rathlin  on  the  failure  of  his 
attempt  in  1615,  and  that  later  on  found  for  him  a 
more  secure  retreat  in  the  island  of  Inchadoll  off  the 
coast  of  Donegal.  Sorley  had  a  son,  Colonel  James 
Macdonald,  who  acted  a  distinguished  part  in  the 
campaigns  of  Montrose  under  Alastair  MacColla. 

3.  Donald  Gorm.     He  had  a  son  Angus,  whose  son  Donald 

Gorm  was  in  Scotland  with  Alastair  MacColla.  He 
possessed  the  lands  of  Killoquin,  in  the  Parish  of 
Magherasharkin,  and  was  engaged  in  the  Confederated 
Catholic  movement  in  1641.  His  evidence  regarding 
that  rising  is  printed  in  the  Antrim  volume  of  depos- 
itions. 

4.  Coll.     He  had  a  son  James,   who   was  engaged  in  the 

Irish  war  in  1641.  James  was  executed  at  Carrick- 
fergus  in  1642. 


412  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Dunluce  died  in  1601,  and 
there*  were  strong  suspicions  at  the  time  that  his 
death  was  the  result  of  poison  administered  hy  a 
secret  agent  of  the  Government.  His  children 
having  been  cut  off  from  the  succession,  as  already 
seen,  he  was  succeeded  in  the  family  honours  and 
possessions  by  his  younger  brother, 

III.  RANALD  ARRANACH,  1st  Earl  of  Antrim. 
He  received  the  sobriquet  Arranach  from  having 
been  fostered  in  the  Island  of  Arran,  and  perhaps 
having  a  residence  there.  He  married  Ellis, 
daughter  of  Hugh  O'Neill,  Earl  of  Tyrone,  by  whom 
he  had — 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor,  and  1st  Marquis. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  Randal. 

3.  Sarah.     She  married  (a)  Sir  Neill  Og  O'Neill  of  Kille- 

lagh  ;  (6)  Sir  Charles  O'Connor,  Sligo ;  (c)  Mao- 
Carthenie  Mor,  Provincial  Prince  of  Munster. 

4.  Ann,  married  Christopher,  Lord  Delvin,  and  2nd  Earl  of 

Westmeath,  of  whom  the  present  family  of  Weetmeath. 
8.  Rose,  married  George  Gordon,  third  son  of  John, 
16th  Earl  of  Sutherland,  who  came  to  Ulster  in  1642 
as  an  officer  in  Major-General  Munro's  army,  and 
assisted  Antrim  to  escape  from  Carrickfergus  in  1643, 
with  issue. 

6.  Mary.     She  married  (a)  Lucas,  2nd  Viscount  Dillon  ;  (6) 

Oliver  Plunket,  6th  Lord  Louth,  with  issue,  Matthew, 
7th  Lord  Louth,  of  whom  the  present  Louth  family 
are  descended. 

7.  Catherine.     She  married  the  Hon.  Edward  Plunket,  son 

of  Patrick.  9th  Lord  Dunsany,  and  their  son,  Chris- 
topher, succeeded  as  10th  baron. 

8.  Ellis  or  Alice,  died  unmarried. 

The  Earl  of  Antrim  had  three  other  sons,  whose 
names  appear  on  record— 

1.  Captain  Maurice  Maodonald,  for  whom  his  father  made 
provision  in  his  will  in  1621.  He  was  executed  in 
1643  for  his  prominence  in  the  outbreak  of  1641. 


ALEXANDER,    STH    EARL    OF    ANTRIM. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     413 

Maurice  had  a  son,  James,  who  also  appears  to  have 
been  a  Captain  in  the  Confederated  Catholics'  army. 
During  these  troublous  times,  he  left  the  North'  of 
Ireland  and  settled  in  Skye.  He  married  Flora 
Mackinnon  of  Strath,  by  whom  he  had  Brian.  He 
married  Miss  MacCaskill  of  Rhundunain,  and  had 
Ewen.  He  married  Miss  Macleod,  and  had  John. 
He  married  Miss  MacCaskill  of  Rhundunain,  and  had 
Murdoch.  He  married  Flora  Macleod,  and  had — 

(A)  Donald.       He   married    Margaret    Macrae,    and   had 

Norman,  who  married  Mary  Macleod,  with  issue 
— Murdoch.  He  married  Mary  Mackenzie,  with 
issue.  Murdoch  and  his  family  emigrated  to 
Australia  (N.S.W.) 

(B)  John.      He    married    Marion    Campbell,   with   issue, 

among  others — 

(a)  Alexander,  who  possessed  the  Estate  of  Lyndale, 

in  Skye.  He  married  Mary  D.  Andrews, 
with  issue — (a1)  John,  M.D.,  who  married  Sophia 
de  Cowes,  with  issue — (a2)  Reginald  Norman ; 
(&2)  Alastair  Kenneth ;  (c2)  Mary  Alexandrina 
Beatrice.  (b1)  David  Andrews,  deceased,  (c1) 
Kenneth.  He  married  Mary  Jane  Watson, 
with  issue  —  (a2)  Alexander  ;  (b2)  Mary 
Andrews  ;  (c2)  Elsie,  died  ;  (rf2)  Flora  Shields. 
(dl)  Robert  Andrews,  died.  (c1)  Lauchlan 
Alexander.  He  married  Annie  Shields  Watson, 
with  issue — Alastair  Brian.  (fl)  James  Wil- 
liam. (gl)  Donald.  (hl)  Elizabeth  Andrews. 
(i1)  Maria  Campbell.  (Jl)  Mary.  (&1)  Mar- 
garet Flora.  (I1)  Alexandrina. 

(b)  Kenneth  MacCaskill,  died  unmarried. 

(c)  Duncan.     He  married  Anne  Macdonald  with  issue 

— (a1)  John  Bunyan  ;  (61)  Donald  John ;  (c1) 
Alexander ;  (d1)  Dr  Duncan,  in  practice  in 
Oban,  and  well  known  for  his  high  pro- 
fessional attainments  ;  (e1)  Roderick  Macleod, 
died  in  childhood  ;  (fl)  Margaret  Anne,  died 
young ;  (gl)  Marion  Campbell ;  (hl)  Mary 
Flora  ;  (i1)  Josephine  Catherine,  died  young. 

(d)  Catherine,  married  Angus  Macrae,  late  of   Lan- 

gash,  North  Uist,    with  issue — (a1)  Norman  ; 


414  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(61)  John  ;  (c1)  Donald,  died ;  (d1)  Marion ; 
(c1)  Gormshuil  Anne,  died  ;  (f1)  Flora  Mar- 
garet. 

2.  James. 

3.  Francis,  a  distinguished  ecclesiastic. 

Randal  1st,  Earl  of  Antrim,  died  at  Dunluce  on 
10th  December,  1636,  and  was  buried  at  Bunmargy. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

IV.  RANDAL,    2nd    Earl    and    1st    Marquis   of 
Antrim.      He    married    (1st)    Catherine    Manners, 
Duchess  of  Buckingham,  without  issue  ;  (2nd)  Rose 
O'Neill,   daughter  of  Sir    Henry    O'Neill,    without 
issue.      He    died    3rd    February,    1682,    aged    72. 
Dying   without   issue,    he   was    succeeded    by   his 
younger  brother, 

V.  ALEXANDER,  3rd  Earl  of  Antrim.    He  married 
(1st)  the  Lady  Elizabeth  Annesley,  second  daughter 
of  Arthur,  1st  Earl  of  Anglesey,  without  issue.     She 
died    in    1669.       He   married    (2nd)    Helena,  third 
daughter    of    Sir    John    Bourke,    Kt.     of    Derry- 
maclachtney,  Co.  Galway.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  Randal,  his  successor. 

2.  A  daughter,   who  married  Henry  Wells  of  Bam  bridge, 

Southampton. 
He  had  also  a  natural  son,  Donald. 

Alexander,  3rd  Earl  of  Antrim,  died  in  1696,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  only  legitimate  son, 

VI.  RANDAL,  4th  Earl  of  Antrim.     He  married 
Rachel  Skeffington,  third  daughter  of  Clotworthy, 
2nd  Viscount  Massareene,  of  the  second  creation,  by 
his  wife  Rachel,  daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Hunger- 
ford.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Helena,  who  died  unmarried,  June,  1783,  aged  78. 

The  4th  Earl  of  Antrim  died  in  1721,  aged  41, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  415 

VII.  ALEXANDER,  5th  Earl,  when  he  was  at  the 
tender  age  of  eight  years.     He  married  (1st)  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Matthew  Pennefather,  Comptroller 
and   Accountant-General  of  Ireland,   without    sur- 
viving  issue.       He    married    (2nd)     Anne,     eldest 
daughter   and  heir  of  Charles  Patrick  Plunket  of 
Dillonstowri,  Co.  Louth,  M.P.  during   many   years 
for  the  town  of  Bannagher.     By  her  he  had — 

1.  Randal  William,  his  successor. 

2.  Rachel,  who  married  Joseph  Sandford,  Esq.,  of  Somerset. 

3.  Elizabeth    Helena,    who   married    Lieut.-Colonel    James 

Callender. 

He  married  (3rd)  Catherine,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Meredyth  of  Newtown,  in  the  County  of  Meath, 
without  issue.  He  died  in  October,  1775,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son 

VIII.  RANDAL    WILLIAM,    6th    Earl    and    2nd 
Marquis.     He  married  Letitia  Trevor,  widow  of  the 
Hon.  Arthur  Trevor,  and  eldest  daughter  of  Henry 
Morris,  1st  Viscount  Mountmorres,  and  by  her,  who 
died  1801,  he  had — 

1.  Anne  Catherine. 

2.  Letitia  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  Charlotte. 

Iii  1785,  Lord  Antrim,  having  no  male  heirs,  was 
re-created  Viscount  Dunluce  and  Earl  of  Antrim, 
with  remainder  to  his  daughter  primogeniturely ; 
and  in  August,  1789,  he  was  advanced  to  the 
Marquisate  of  Antrim,  which  was  revived  in  his 
favour,  but  without  any  reversionary  grant.  He 
died  28th  July,  1791,  when  the  ancient  honours 
terminated,  but  the  new  patent  of  1785  remained 
in  force,  and  the  titles  devolved,  according  to  the 
special  limitation,  upon  his  elder  daughter, 

X.  ANNE  CATHERINE,    as   Viscountess   Dunluce 
and  Countess  of  Antrim,     In  1799  she  married  Sir 


416  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Henry  Fane  Tempest,  Bart.,  and  by  him,  who  died 
in  1813,  she  had  one  daughter,  Lady  Frances  Ann 
Emily  Vane.  She  married  Charles  William,  Marquis 
of  Londonderry,  and  died,  his  widow,  in  1865.  The 
Countess  of  Antrim  married  (2nd)  Edmund  Phelps, 
who  assumed  the  name  of  Macdonald.  She  died 
in  1834,  and  her  sister,  Letitia,  having  died,  she 
was  succeeded  in  terms  of  the  settlement  of  1785 
by  her  youngest  sister, 

X.  CHARLOTTE.  She  married  18th  July,  1709, 
Vice- Admiral  Lord  Mark  Kerr,  third  son  of  William 
John,  5th  Marquis  of  Lothian,  and  by  him,  who 
died  1840,  had  issue— 

1.  Charles  Fortescue,   Viscount  Dunluce,   died   28th  July, 

1834. 

2.  Hutih  Seymour,  7th  Earl. 

3.  Mark,  8th  Earl. 

4.  Arthur  Schomberg,  born  16th  May,  1820  ;  married,  16th 

March,  1846,  Agnes  Stewart,  daughter  of  J.  H. 
Frankland,  Esq.,  of  Easting  House,  Surrey ;  and  died, 
14th  August,  1856,  leaving  a  daughter,  A,rnes. 

5.  Letitia  Louisa,  married  2nd  Sept.,   1870,  to  Coorthuidt 

George  Macgregor  of  Carisbrook  House,  Isle  of 
Wight,  Captain  1st  Dragoon  Guards. 

6.  Georgina  Emily  Jane,  married,  1825,  the  Hon.  and  Rev. 

Frederick  Bertie,  fourth  son  of  the  fourth  Earl  of 
Abingdon. 

7.  Caroline  Mary,   married,   in  1826,  Rev.   Horace  Robert 

Pechell,  Chancellor  of  Brecon  and  Rector  of  Brii, 
Oxon.,  and  died  28th  March,  1869. 

8.  Charlotte  Elizabeth,  married,  in  1835,  Sir  George  Osborn, 

Bart.,  and  died  17th  January,  1866. 

9.  Frederica  Augusta,  married,  1841,  Montagu,  5th  Earl  of 

Abingdon,  and  died  his  widow  26th  November,  1864. 
10.  Emily  Frances,  married,    1839,    Henry    Richardson,    of 
Somerset,  Co.  Derry,  who  died  1849,  and  secondly, 
in  1864,  Steuart,  younger  son  of  the  late  Sir  F.  W. 
MacNaghten,  Bart.     She  died  5th  June,  1874, 


RANDAL,    BTH    EARL    AND    2ND    MARQUIS    OF    ANTRIM. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN   DONALD.  417 

Countess  Charlotte  Ker  died  26th  October,  1835, 
and  was  succeeded  by  her  oldest  surviving  son, 

XL  HUGH  SEYMOUR,  7th  Earl.  In  1836  he 
married  Laura  Cecilia,  5th  daughter  of  Thomas, 
3rd  Earl  of  Macclesfield,  and  died  19th  July,  1855, 
leaving  an  only  daughter,  Helen  Laura,  who  was 
married,  on  26th  October,  1864,  to  Sir  Malcolm  Mac- 
Gregor,  Bart.,  with  issue. 

The  Earl  was  succeeded  by  his  next  brother, 
XII.  MARK,  8th  Earl  of  Antrim,  Captain  in  the 
Eoyal  Navy,  Deputy  Lieutenant  for  Co.  Antrim. 
He  married,  on  27th  September,  1849,  Jane  Emma 
Harriet,  daughter  of  the  late  Major  Macan  of  Cariff, 
Co.  Armagh,  and  had— 

1.  William  Eandal. 

2.  Mark  Henry  Horace,  Lieut.  18th  Regiment. 

3.  Hugh  Seymour. 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  Sir  Schomberg  Kerr,  First  Commissioner  of  Works. 

6.  Caroline   Elizabeth,    who   married   the   Hon.  and   Rev. 

Alberic  Edward  Bertie. 

7.  Mabel  Harriet,  who  married  Henry  Charles  Howard  of 
•         Greystoke,  Cumberland. 

8.  Evelyn. 

9.  Jane-Grey,  who  married  the  Hon.  Charles  John  Trefusis. 
10.  Helena,  who  married  Charles  B.  Balfour. 

He  died  19th  December,  1869,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  oldest  son — 

XIII.  WILLIAM  RANDAL,  the  present  Earl  of 
Antrim  and  Viscount  Dunluce.  He  married,  1st 
June,  1875,  Louisa  Jane,  third  daughter  of  the  late 
Hon.  General  Charles  Grey,  son  of  Charles,  2nd 
Earl  Grey  of  Ho  wick,  K.G.,  and  has — 

1.  Randal-Mark-Kerr,  Viscount  Dunluce,  born  10th  Dec., 

1878. 

2.  Angus,  born  7th  June,  1881. 

3.  Sybil-Mary,  born  26th  March,  1876. 

27 


418  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

t 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH. 

ALEXANDER,  known  as  Alastair  Carrach,  the 
progenitor  of  the  family  of  Keppoch,  was  the  fourth 
son  of  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  the  Princess 
Margaret  of  Scotland.  He  married  Mary,  daughter 
of  Malcolm,  Earl  of  Lennox,  by  whom  he  had 
Angus,  his  successor.  MacVurich  is  in  error  in 
saying  that  Angus  was  a  natural  son  of  Alexander 
by  a  daughter  of  MacPhee  of  Lochaber.  In  two 
charters  by  John,  Earl  of  Ross  and  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  of  the  years  1463  and  1464  respectively, 
Angus,  who  was  a  witness  on  both  occasions,  is 
designated  a  lawful  son  of  Alexander. 

Alexander,  who  was  styled  Lord  of  Locbaber, 
died  about  1440,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ANGUS.     Angus,  who  was  known  as  Aonghas 
na  Fearste,  married  a  daughter  of  MacPhee  of  Glen- 
pean,  in  Lochaber,  the  head  of  a  powerful  sept  ah 
that  time,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Alexander,  afterwards  chief. 

3.  Mariot,   who  married  Allan  Cameron  of   Lochiel,   with 

issue. 

Angus  died  at  Fersit  about  1484,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.    He  married  a  daughter  of  Cameron 
of  Lochiel,  and  had  one  son.     Donald  fell  fighting 
against  Stewart  of  Appin  at  Glenorchy,  in  1497,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

IV.  JOHN,  known  as  Iain  Aluinn.    John  married, 
and  had  several  children,  among  whom  Donald,  who 
had  a  son,  John,  who  had  a  son,  Donald,  the  father 
of  John    Lorn,    the   famous    Keppoch   bard.       Iain 
Aluinn  had  been  chief  only  for  one  year  when  he 


1.  Ranald    Macdonell    of   Keppoch.        3.  Major      Alexander     Macdonell, 

2.  Major    Alexander     Macdonell    of  brother  of  Keppoch. 

Keppoch.  4.  Richard  Macdonell  of  Keppoch. 

5.  Sir  Claude  Macdonald. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  419 

was  deposed,  and  his  uncle,  Alexander,  elected  in 
his  stead. 

V.  ALEXANDER,  known  as  Alastair  nan  Gleann. 
From    him    came    the    earlier    designation    of   the 
Keppoch  Chiefs  as  Sliochd  Alastair  'ic  Aonghuis. 
He  married  a  daughter   of  Donald    Gallach   Mac- 
donald  of  Sleat,   who  was  known   in   Lochaber  as 
A  Bhaintighearna  Bheag.     By  her  he  had— 

1.  Donald  Glass,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald  Og,  who  died  before  his  father. 

Alexander  was  killed  at  a  place  called  Cam 
Alastair  by  a  Cameron  in  1499,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

VI.  DONALD  GLASS.     He  married  a  daughter  of 
Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her  one  son.     He 
died  about  1513,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

VII.  RANALD  MOR.     From  him  was  taken  the 
later  patronymic  of  the  family — Mac  'ic  Raonuill. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Mackintosh,  and  had  by 
her— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald,  who  grants  a  bond  to  Mackintosh  in  1572. 

3.  John  Dubh  of  Bohuntin. 

Ranald  was  beheaded  at  Elgin  in  1547,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  ALEXANDER,  known  as  Alastair  Boloine. 
He  died  unmarried  at  Kingussie  in  1554,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  brother, 

IX.  RANALD    OG.     He   married    a   daughter   of 
Duncan  Stewart  of  Appin,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald  of  Inch.     He  married,  in   1600,  Janet,  sister  of 

John  Grant  of  Glenmoriston.  In  1612  he  is  prose- 
cuted for  refusing  to  help  his  brother,  Alexander  of 
Keppoch,  against  the  Clan  Gregor.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Ranald  II.  of  Inch,  who  was  succeeded  by 


420  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

his  son,  Alexander  III.  of  Inch.  He  is  mentioned  in 
record  in  1661,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Ranald 
IV.  of  Inch,  mentioned  among  the  followers  of  Coll  of 
Keppoch  in  1691.  He  had  a  son,  Donaid  V.  of  Inch, 
and  another  son,  Alexander,  who,  in  1709,  married 
Catherine,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Fersit. 

3.  Donald  of  Fersit.  4^ 

4.  Angus. 

Ranald  died  in  1587,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 

X.  ALEXANDER,  known  as  Ala  stair  nan  Cleas. 
He    married    Janet,    daughter    of    Macdougall   of 
Dunollie,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Ranald  Og,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald  Glass,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Alexander,  afterwards  chief. 

4.  Donald  Gorm  of  Inveroy.       ^^fc 

5.  John  Dubh,  killed  at  the  siege  of  Inverness  in  1593. 

6.  Angus,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Achnancoichean. 

7.  Agnes,  who  married  Robertson  of  Struan. 

8.  A  daughter,  who  married  John  Stewart  of  Ardshiel. 

9.  A  daughter,  who  married  Macdonald  of  Dalneas. 

10.  A  daughter,  who  married  Robertson  of  Colebuie. 

11.  A  daughter,  who  married  Donald  McAngus  of  Glengarry. 

12.  A  daughter,  who  married  Macfarlane  of  Luss. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch  died  in  1635,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XI.  RANALD  OG.     He  married  Jean,  daughter  of 
William  Mackintosh  of  Borlum,  without  issue.      He 
died  shortly  after  1640,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother, 

XII.  DONALD  GLASS.     He  married,  first,    Jean 
Robertson,   of  the  family  of  Struan,    without  sur- 
viving male  issue.    He  married,  secondly,  a  daughter 
of  Forrester  of  Kilbeggie,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald,  who  was  murdered  with  his  brother. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  died  unmarried. 

Donald  Glass,  who  died  before  1650,  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  421 

XIII.  ALEXANDER.      Alexander,  who   was  edu- 
cated in  Rome,  was  murdered  by  members  of  his 
own  family  in  September,  1663.      He  was  succeeded 
by  his  uncle, 

XIV.  ALEXANDER,   known  as  Alastair  Buidhe. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Angus  Mor  Macdonald  of 
Bohuntin,  and  had  by  her,  who  was  drowned  in  the 
River  Roy — 

1.  Allan,    known  as  Ailein  Dearg,    said  to   have  left   the 

country  on  account  of  the  part  he  took  in  the  Keppoch 
murder. 

2.  Archibald,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

3.  Alexander,  who  died  without  issue. 

Alexander  married,  secondly,  and  had— 

4.  Donald  Gorm  of  Clianaig. 

5.  Ranald,  known  as  Raonull  na  Dalach,  who  died  without 

issue. 

Alexander,   who,   it  is   said,    was   drowned   in   the 
Spean  in  1669,  was  succeeded  by  his  second  son, 

XV.  ARCHIBALD.      He   married   a  daughter   of 
Macmartin  of  Letterfinlay,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Coll,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald  Mor  of  Tirnadris.     41    ; 

3.  Alexander,  who  in  1718  received  from  Lachlan  Mackintosh 

of  Strone  a  tack  of  Gaskmore. 

4.  Angus   Odhar,    who   is   said   to   have   composed   many 

Gaelic  songs,  died  unmarried. 

5.  Juliet,  known  as  Silis  Ni'  Mhie  Raonuill,  a  celebrated 

poetess.  She  married  Alexander  Gordon  of  Candell, 
who  succeeded  his  cousin,  Gordon  of  Wardhouse,  in 
the  Estates  of  Wardhouse  and  Kildrummy.  By  him 
she  had  issue,  and  the  present  Gordon  of  Beldornie, 
Wardhouse,  and  Kildrummy  is  her  direct  descendant. 

6.  Catherine,    who   married   Macpherson   of  Strathmashie, 

whose  grandson  was  Lachlan  Macpherson,  the  poet 
and  Gaelic  scholar,  of  Ossianic  fame. 
•7.  Marion,  who  married  MacLachlan  of  MacLachlan. 

8.  Janet,  who  married  Maclntyre  of  Glenoe. 

9.  A.daughter,  who  married  Maclean  of  Kingairloch. 


422  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

10.  A  daughter,  who  married  Campbell  of  Barcaldine. 

11.  A  daughter,  who  married  a  MacLachlan. 

12.  A  daughter,  who  married  the  Laird  of  Fassifern. 

13.  A  daughter,  who  married  a  Campbell. 

Archibald  died  in  1688,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

XVI.  COLL.     He  married  Barbara,  daughter  of 
Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Donald,  killed  at  Culloden. 

3.  Archibald,  who  was  a  Captain  in  Keppoch's  Regiment, 

killed  at  Gladsmuir. 

4.  Margaret,  who  married  Cameron  of  Erracht,  whose  sou, 

Allan,  raised  the  79th  Cameron  Highlanders. 

5.  A  daughter,  who  married  Mackenzie  of  Toridon. 

Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch  died  about  1729,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XVII.  ALEXANDER.   He  married  Jessie,  daughter 
of  Stewart  of  Appin,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Ranald,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Alexander,  a  Major  in  the  Glengarry  Fencibles,  known  as 

A  Maidseir  Mor.  He  went  to  Canada,  and  settled  in 
Prince  Edward  Island,  where  he  purchased  a  property, 
and  named  it  Keppoch.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter 
of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Tiruadrish,  and  had  by  her—  - 

(A)  Chichester,  who  afterwards  succeeded  as  representa- 

tive of  the  Keppoch  family. 

(B)  John,  who  died  unmarried  in  Montreal  in  1832. 
(c)  Mary. 

(D)  Isabella. 

(B)  Janet,  a  nun  iu  a  convent  in  Montreal,  where  she  died 

in  September,  1832. 
Major  Alexander  died  in  December,  1809. 

3.  Anne,  who  married  Dr  Gordon,  with  issue. 

4.  Clementina,  who  married,  first,  a  Buchanan,  and,  secondly, 

John  Macdonald  of  Dalness,  without  issue. 

5.  Barbara,   who  married   Patrick   Macdonald,    minister  of 

Kilmore.  He  was  presented  to  the  parish  by  Archi- 
bald, Duke  of  Argyll,  in  1757.  He  was  an  eminent 
musician,  an  original  composer,  and  played  several 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      423 

instruments  with  great  skill,  particularly  the  violin. 
He  published  a  collection  of  Highland  vocal  airs  in 
1784.  He  married  Barbara,  of  Keppoch,  28th  Dec., 
1757,  and  by  her,  who  died  June  13,  1804,  he  had — 
(A)  Alexander  ;  (B)  Murdoch ;  (c)  Ranald ;  (D) 
Dougall ;  (B)  Joseph  ;  (F)  James  ;  (G)  John  ;  (H) 
Donald,  minister  of  Killean,  Kintyre,  who  died  in 
1851,  and  left  issue;  (i)  Archibald;  (j)  Janet;  (K) 
Anne ;  (L)  Flora,  who  married,  in  1800,  Dr  Kenneth 
MacLeay,  Oban,  and  had  Kenneth,  R.S.A.;  (M) 
Elizabeth. 

6.  Katherine,  who  married  John  Macdonald  of  Aberarder, 

with  issue. 

7.  Jessie,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Tulloch- 

crom. 

8.  Charlotte,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Garva- 

beg,  with  issue. 

Alexander  had  by  a  young  woman,  a  native  of  the 
Isle  of  Skye,  with  whom  he  formed  a  secret  or 
irregular  union  before  his  marriage  with  Jessie 
Stewart  of  Appin,  a  son,  Angus  Ban  of  Inch. 
Keppoch  was  killed  at  Culloden,  April  16,  1746,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

XVIII.  RANALD,  Major  in  the  74th  Regiment. 
He  married  Sarah  Cargill,  Jamaica,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  who  was  born  in  Jamaica,  29th  October,  1772. 

2.  Richard,  born  at  Keppoch,  26th  November,  1780. 

3.  Elizabeth,  born  in  Jamaica,   15th  November,  1774,  died 

at  Keppoch  in  1793. 

4.  Clementina,  born  at  Keppoch,  8th  February,  1777,  died 

unmarried. 

5.  Janet,  born  at  Keppoch,  26th  November,  1782,  married 

Duncan  Stewart,  W.S.,  Edinburgh,  and  had  (A) 
James  ;  (B)  Ranald  ;  (c)  Alexander  ;  (D)  Mary  ;  (B) 
Clementina ;  (F)  Eliza,  who  married  a  Mr  MacN  icoll, 
with  issue. 

Ranald  died  at  Keppoch  in  1788,  and  was  succeeded 

by  his  son, 


424  THE   CLAN   DONALD 

XIX.  ALEXANDER.     He  was  a  Major  in  the  1st. 
or  Royal  Regiment  of  Foot.     He  died  at  Jamaica, 
unmarried,    in    1808,    and   was    succeeded   by    his 
brother, 

XX.  RICHARD,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  92nd  Regi- 
ment.    He  died   unmarried  in  Jamaica  in   August, 
1819,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of 
the  family  by  his  cousin,  the  son  of  his  uncle,  Alex- 
ander, 

XXI.  OHICHESTER.     He  married,  and   had  two 
sons,    who   died   in    Canada    before    their    father. 
Chichester,  who  lived  at  Greenock,   died  there  in 
1848,  and  with  him  the  male  line  of  Keppoch  from 
Coll,  the  16th  chief,  became  extinct. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BOHUNTIN. 

The  family  of  Bohuntin  is  descended  from  JOHN 
DUBH,  third  son  of  Ranald  VII.  of  Keppoch.  He 
is  frequently  mentioned  in  record  as  playing  a 
prominent  part  in  the  aifairs  of  the  House  of 
Keppoch  in  the  stirring  time  in  which  he  lived. 
He  was,  undoubtedly,  a  great  warrior,  and  his 
romantic  life  and  hairbreadth  escapes  were  the 
theme  of  song  and  story  for  many  generations  in 
Lochaber.  The  remarkable  poetic  talent  which 
distinguished  many  of  his  descendants  has  preserved 
many  pictures  in  verse  of  the  early  days  of  feud  and 
foray.  John  Dubh  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of 
noble  appearance,  ready  wit,  and  great  capacity  as  a 
leader  of  men.  His  prowess  at  Bothloine  has  been 
already  referred  to  in  the  first  volume  of  this  work. 
In  1587  he  is,  with  others,  prohibited,  at  the  instance 
of  the  Privy  Council,  from  gathering  in  arms.  In 
1594  he,  with  his  nephew,  Alexander  Macdonald  of 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  425 

Keppoch,  joined  the  Earl  of  Huntly,  and  took  part  in 
the  Battle  of  Glenlivet,  where  Argyle,  the  King's 
Lieutenant,  was  defeated.  He  is  afterwards 
accused  of  taking  part  in  a  herschip  and  fire- 
raising  at  Moy.  In  December,  1602,  he  and 
Allan  and  Angus,  his  sons,  are  denounced  rebels 
for  not  appearing  personally  before  the  Privy 
Council  to  answer  for  the  herschip  of  Moy  and 
other  crimes. 

It  has  been  said,  on  the  authority  of  tradition, 
that  John  Dubh  was  not  a  lawful  son  of  Ranald  of 
Keppoch,  but  tradition  has  been  found  to  have  been 
invariably  very  wide  of  the  mark  when  looked  at  in 
the  light  of  authentic  documentary  evidence.  There 
are  many  references  on  record  to  John  Dubh  which 
might  be  taken  as  implying  legitimate  descent  in 
the  strictest  sense,  but  in  an  original  document  in 
the  Charter  Chest  of  Lord  Macdonald,  to  which 
several  members  of  the  Keppoch  family  were 
parties,  it  is  expressly  stated  that  he  was  the  third 
lawful  son  of  Ranald  Macdonald  Glass  of  Keppoch. 

John  Dubh  married  a  daughter  of  Donald  Glass 
Mackintosh,  referred  to  in  several  manuscript  gene- 
alogies as  of  Dunachtan.  By  her  he  had — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus  of  Tulloch.    ^2 

3.  Allan  of  Gellovie.       ^5~0 

4.  Donald. 

5.  John. 

6.  Ranald. 

The  last  three  are  said  to  have  been   put  to  death  by 
Alastair  nan  cleas. 

John  Dubh  died  about  1604,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.  He  appears  in  record  in  1633, 
and  was  then  at  Bohuntin.  He  married  a  daughter 


426  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

of  Macdonald  of  Glencoe,  and  had  by  her,  among 
others, 

III.  ANGUS  MOR,  who  received  a  feu  charter  of 
Bohuntin  from  Mackintosh.     He  married  a  daughter 
of  Cameron  of  Strone. 

At  this  stage  it  should  be  stated  that  it  is  quite 
impossible  to  reconcile  the  conflicting  accounts  given 
in  several  manuscript  genealogies  of  this  family.  In 
the  absence  of  authentic  documents  and  dates,  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  how  far  any  of  these  various 
accounts  is  accurate.  According  to  one  authority, 
which  has  the  appearance  of  accuracy,  at  least  as  far 
as  the  heads  of  the  family  are  concerned,  Angus 
Mor  had  one  son.  Alexander,  and  two  daughters, 
one  married  to  Alastair  Buidhe  of  Keppoch,  and 
another  to  Donald,  son  of  Angus  of  Tulloch.  Angus 
Mor  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER,    who    married   a   daughter    of 
Macdonald    of   Murlaggan,    and    had   one   son,    by 
whom  he  was  succeeded. 

V.  ALEXANDER,    who    married    a    daughter   of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Tulloch,  and  had  by  her  — 

1.  Angus,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Alexander,    who   married  a   daughter  of   Macdouald   of 

Cranachan,  without  issue. 

3.  Donald,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Tirua- 

drish,  and  had  Angus. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ANGUS.      He   married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
donald of  Scotus,  and  had  one  daughter.     After  him 
the  succession  fell  to  Angus,   son   of  his   brother, 
Donald,  who,  being  deaf  and  dumb,  the  legitimate 
line  of  Bohuntin  became  extinct. 

According  to  other  authorities,  Angus  Mor  III. 
of  Bohuntin  had  — 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  427 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Aoughas  a  Bhochdain.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 

gregor  of  Glencearnaig,  and  had  Alastair  Mor,  who 
for  his  share  in  the  battle  of  Muh-oy  was  transported 
to  Holland,  where  he  died  in  1688.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Murlaggan,  and  had — 

(A)  Angus,  who  married  Nighean  Mhic   Aonghuis  Oig, 

the  poetess. 

(B)  Alastair  Ban,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Archibald  of 

Clianaig,  with  issue. 

3.  Alastair  na  Bianaich. 

4.  A  daughter,  who  married  Alastair  Buidhe  of  Keppoch. 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  JOHN.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Cameron 
of  Glerimaillie,  and  had — 

1.  Alastair  Mor,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,    well    known    as    "  Domhnull    Donn    Mac   Fir 

Bhohuntainn."  He  was  a  celebrated  poet,  and  led  a 
most  eventful  and  romantic  life.  He  fell  in  love 
with  Mary,  daughter  of  the  Laird  of  Grant,  who  lived 
at  Urquhart  Castle,  but  the  family  made  the  most 
strenuous  opposition  to  their  marriage,  as  Donald  was 
a  noted  cateran.  He  was  at  feud  with  his  own  chief 
for  his  lawless  deeds,  and  roused  the  ire  of  Iain  Lorn, 
whose  son  he  had  killed  in  a  duel.  He  was  then 
driven  to  lead  a  wild  and  lawless  life  among  the  hills, 
going  for  creachs  as  far  north  as  Sutherland  and 
Caithness.  He  was  at  last  taken  by  treaehery  by  the 
sons  of  the  Laird  of  Grant,  who  enticed  him  to  their 
home  with  a  pretended  message  from  their  sister,  and 
then  with  feigned  friendship  received  him.  While 
he  was  trustfully  sleeping  under  their  roof  they 
deprived  him  of  his  arms,  but  it  took  "  tri  fichead  's 
triuir,"  by  bis  own  telling,  to  pursue  and  overcome 
him.  He  was  tried  and  executed  at  Inverness  in 
1692.  Some  of  his  finest  songs  were  composed  while 
in  prison.  He  died  with  the  reputation  of  having 
never  injured  a  poer  man. 

3.  Donald  Gruamach. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


428  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

V.  ALEXANDER,  known  as  Alastair  Mor,  who  is 
said  to  have  fought  at  Mulroy.     He  had— 

1.  Angus,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Alexander,  who  had  a  son,  Angus. 

3.  Ranald. 

4.  John  Og. 

5.  Donald  Glass.      He   and   his   brother,    John   Og,    were 

transported  to  North  Carolina  for  taking  part  in  the 
Rising  of  1745. 

Angus,  Alexander,  and  Ranald,  the  other  sons,  died, 
according  to  one  authority,  of  pleurisy  about  1720, 
without  issue. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ANGUS.       He    had    one    son,    Angus,   who, 
having  been  born  deaf  and  dumb,   the  succession 
devolved  on  the  son  of  Alexander,  second  son  of 
Alastair  Mor, 

VII.  ALASTAIR  BAN.     He  had— 

1.  Angus. 

2.  Alastair  Ruadh,  who  had  two  sons,  Angus,  fox-hunter  in 

Bohuntin,  and  Allan  Casanloisgte,  bard  to  Cluny. 

Alastair  Ban  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  ANGUS.     He  had  four  sons— 

1.  Angus  Ban. 

2.  Alexander,  who  emigrated  to  Nova  Scotia  in  1816,  and 

married  Mary  Campbell,  by  whom  he  had  a  son, 
Allan,  the  father  of  Alexander  Macdonald,  Anti- 
gonish,  Canada. 

3.  Allan,  who  lived  at  Achnancoichean. 

4.  Archibald,  who  had  several  sons,  one  of  whom  was  a 

priest. 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IX.  ANGUS  BAN.      He  married  Christina  Mac- 
kintosh, and  lived  latterly  at  Torgulbin.     He  had— 

1.  Angus,  who  has  the  farm  of  Inch,  and  is  unmarried. 

2.  James,  of  the   "  Macdonald  Arms,"  Fort-William,   who 

died  recently. 

3.  Donald. 

4.  John,  and  several  daughters. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  429 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  TULLOCH. 

This  family  is  descended  from  ANGUS,  second  son 
of  John  Dubh  Macdonald  of  Bohuntin.  His  first 
appearance  in  record  is  in  1592,  when,  with  a  number 
of  others  of  the  Keppoch  following,  he  is  accused  of 
"manifest  oppression  and  slaughter."  In  1602  he 
is  denounced  rebel  for  not  appearing  personally 
before  the  Privy  Council  to  answer  for  his  share 
in  the  herschip  of  Moy.  In  1611,  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Keppoch  became  surety  for  him  "  under 
the  pain  of  500  merks."  In  1615,  he  is  declared 
rebel  for  not  appearing  to  answer  to  the  charge  of 
assisting  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg,  and 
again  in  1617  he  is  declared  rebel  and  put  to  the 
horn.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of 
Shian,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  from  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Aberarder. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.  He  is  mentioned  in  a  Mackin- 
tosh document  in  1655  as  Tacksman  of  Tulloch. 
He  is  also  mentioned  in  Coll  of  Keppoch's  bond  in 
1678.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of 
Achnancoichean,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan  of  Inveray  and  Dalchosnie.  ^  $  I 

3.  Johu. 

4.  A  daughter. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son- 
Ill.  DONALD.     He  married  a  niece  of  Macdonald 

of  Glencoe,  and  had 

IV.  ANGUS.      He    is     mentioned     in    Coll     of 

Keppoch's  submission  in  1691,  and  as  his  accomplice 

in   1698.     He  signed  the  address  to  George  I.   in 


430  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 


1714.     He  married   a   daughter   of  Macdonald   of 
Killiechonate,  arid  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Donald  Gorm  Mac- 

donald,  brother  of  Glengarry,  and  had  a  son,  Alex- 
ander, who  succeeded  his  uncle,  Alexander. 

3.  Allan,  who  married  Janet,  daughter  of  Angus  Macdonald 

of  Gtxllovie,  without  issu". 

4.  Angus,  who  died  immarried. 

5.  Archibald,  who  died  unmarried. 
And  three  daughters. 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER.     He  and  others  are  appointed 
deputies  by  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch    in 
1744  to  restore  peace,  law,  and  order  in  the  Braes 
of  Lochaber. 

Alexander,  who  left  no  issue,  was  succeeded  by 
his  nephew, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.     He  married,  first,  a  daughter 
of  Stewart  of  Achnacone,  without  issue.    He  married, 
secondly,   a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Greenfield, 
without  issue  ;  and  thirdly,  a  daughter  of  Macdonald 
of  Cranachan,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Ang<  s,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  Margaret,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Mary,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Bohuntin. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  ANGUS.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
donald of  Aberarder,  and  had— 

1.  Ranald. 

2.  Grace,  who  married  a   Mr  Macintyre.    with  issue,   and 

went  to  Australia. 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

VIII.  RANALD,   who  emigrated  to   America,   of 
whose  male  heirs,  if  there  are  any,  there  is  no  trace, 


1.  Lieut.    Alex.     Macdonald     (Dal-        3.  Captain   John   Allan    Macdonald 

chosnie).  (Dalchosnie). 

2.  Captain  James  Macdonald  (Dal-        4.  Captain  Donald  Macdonald  (Dal- 

chosnie). chosnie). 

5.  Hon.  Alex.  Macdonell  of  Culachie. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  431 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  DALCHOSNIE. 

This  family  is  descended  from  JOHN  DUBH  of 
Bohuntin,  through  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD  of 
Tulloch,  who  was  the  eldest  son  of  ANGUS,  the 
second  son  of  John  Dubh.  The  second  son  of 
Alexander  of  Tulloch  from  whom  this  family  is 
descended  may  be  reckoned  from  John  Dubh  as 

IV.  ALLAN.     He  acquired  the  lands  of  Inveray, 
in  Glenlyon,  and  Dalchosnie  and  Tullochcroisk,  in 
Rannoch.     He  was  "out"  in  1689  under  Dundee, 
and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Killiecrankie  with 
the  A  thole  men.     He  was  one  of  those  who  signed 
the  Bond  of  Association  by  the  Highland  Chiefs  at 
Blair  on  the  24th  of  August,  and  undertook  to  raise 
100  men  for  the  support  of  the  royal  cause. 

He  married  a  daughter  of  William  Hoy  of  Mul- 
rogie,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald  of  Tullochcroisk,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Athole 

Regiment,  in  which  he  served  in  the  rising  of  1715. 
Joining  in  the  march  to  England,  he  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Preston,  and  executed  there  in  November 
of  the  same  year.  He  married  a  daughter  of  John 
Robertson  of  Drumachine,  by  whom  he  had  a  son, 
Archibald,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  army,  and  died 
abroad  unmarried. 

3.  Archibald. 

4.  Janet. 

Allan  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  died  in  Edinburgh, 
and  was  buried  in  Glenlyon.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

V.  JOHN.     He  also  took  part  in  the  rising  of 
1715,  and  was  an  officer  in  the  Athole  Regiment. 
He  had  previously,  in   1714,  signed  the  Address  to 
George  I. 


432  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married  Helen,  daughter  of  John  Stewart  of 
Cammach,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan.     He  joined  in    the    rising   of    1715,    was   taken 

prisoner,  and  died  in  prison  at  Manchester  shortly 
thereafter. 

3.  John,  who   was   "  out "  in   the   '45,  and  was  killed   at 

Culloden.     He  married  Cecilia,  daughter  of  Campbell 
of  Glenlyon,  with  issue. 

4.  Angus,  who  married  Margaret  Stewart,  and  died  without 

issue. 

5.  Donald,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Old  Buffs,  and  served 

under  Spencer,  Duke  of  Marlborough,   in  Germany, 
where  he  fell  in  1745,  unmarried. 

6.  Barbara,  who  married  Neil  Stewart  of  Temper. 

7.  Catherine,  who  married  Macdonald,  Laggan,  with  issue. 

8.  Isabel,  who  married  Alexander  Stewart,  with  issue. 

John  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  died  in  1726,  and 
was  buried  at  Lassentullich.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.  He  was  "  out  "  in  the  '45 
with  the  Athole  Highlanders,  and  took  part  in  all 
the  engagements.  At  the  final  charge  at  Culloden, 
where  he  showed  conspicuous  bravery,  he  fell  with 
thirty  other  officers  of  the  same  regiment.  In  the 
"  Chronicles  of  the  Atholl  and  Tullibardine  Families," 
edited  by  the  Duke  of  Atholl,  there  is  a  document 
printed  purporting  to  be  "  Information  of  John  Mac- 
donald, Younger  of  Dalchosnie,  &c.,"  and  as  it 
might  be  held  to  reflect  on  the  loyalty  of  both 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  and  his  son  to 
the  cause  of  Prince  Charles,  it  may  be  briefly 
referred  to  here.  The  loyalty  of  father  and  son  had 
never  hitherto  been  suspected,  for  the  former,  who 
at  the  outset  joined  the  Prince's  standard,  and 
followed  it  throughout  the  campaign,  sealed  his 
loyalty  with  his  life  at  Culloden,  while  his  son,  as  is 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  433 

well  known,  remained  a  steady  and  consistent 
Jacobite  to  the  end  of  his  life.  It  should  be  stated 
at  the  outset  that  there  is  no  evidence  from  the 
document  itself  that  the  information  it  contains  was 
given  to  the  Duke  of  Atholl,  or  signed,  by  John 
Macdonald.  John,  however,  who  was  an  officer  in 
Lord  London's  Regiment  when  the  Prince  landed, 
and  while  still  an  officer  in  that  regiment,,  gave  the 
Duke  information  such  as  he  was  bound  in  honour 
to  give  regarding  recruits  which  had  been  enlisted 
for  the  regiment,  but  the  portion  of  the  "Infor- 
mation ;>  which  seems  to  throw  suspicion  on  the 
loyalty  of  the  Macdonalds,  both  to  the  Prince  and  to 
their  Chief,  Alexander  of  Keppoch,  is  the  reference 
in  it  to  a  letter  addressed  by  Keppoch  to  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  and  Alexander  Macdonald 
of  Drumchastle,  and  delivered  by  Young  Dalchosnie 
to  the  Duke  of  Atholl.  In  this  reference  Kep- 
poch is  represented  as  threatening  his  clansmen 
"  with  burning  and  houghing "  if  they  did  not 
immediately  join  him  ;  but  the  letter  itself,  which 
is  dated  August  12th,  contained  no  such  threat,  nOr 
any  threat  whatever,  and  on  the  19th,  when  it  was 
delivered  to  the  Duke,  the  information  which  it  con- 
tained could  do  no  manner  of  injury  to  Keppoch  at 
that  stage,  his  relations  with  the  GovernmentHbelng 
well  defined  on  the  16th.  The  "  Information ;"  was 
probably  a  ruse  on  the  part  of  Young  Dalchosnie  to 
mislead  the  authorities.  In  any  case,  his  narration 
divulges  no  secret,  for  it  contained  nothing  that 
was  not  already  well  known  over  a  large  district  of 
the  Highlands,  and  the  narrator  himself  forthwith 
joined  the  Prince's  standard,  followed  by  many  other 
well-known  officers  in  Loudon's  Regiment. 

28 


434  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  married 
Janet,  daughter  of  James  Stewart  of  Lassentullich, 
and  had  by  her— 

1.  Allan,  who  was  "out"  in  the  '45,  and  was  wounded  in 

one  of  the  engagements.  He  died  of  his  wounds 
shortly  after  at  Dalchosnie. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

3.  Alexander,  who  died  young. 

4.  Alastair,  who  died  young. 

5.  Donald,  W.S.,  who  died  unmarried  in  Edinburgh  in  1775. 

6.  Margaret,  who  died  unmarried. 

7.  Helen,  who  died  unmarried. 

8.  Barbara,   who,  after  the   disaster  at   Culloden,    showed 

great  courage  and  devotion  in  ministering  to  the 
necessities  of  many  officers  of  the  Highland  army, 
including  her  brother,  John,  who  found  hiding  places 
in  the  Rannoch  district.  She  died  unmarried  in  1819, 
in  the  92nd  year  of  her  age. 

9.  Jean,  who  married  John  Macdonald,  with  issue. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  JOBN.  He,  as  already  stated,  joined  the 
standard  of  Prince  Charles,  and  was  a  Captain  in 
Keppoch's  regiment.  Escaping  from  the  battlefield 
of  Culloden,  he  continued  in  hiding  near  his  home  in 
Harmoch  until  the  Indemnity  Act  set  him  free. 

He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Robert  Menzies 
of  Glassie,  who  fought  at  Culloden,  and  by  her 
had — 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Allan,  who  died  young. 

3.  John,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Gordon  of  Wardhouse, 

without  issue. 

4.  William,  who  was  a  Major  in  the  37th  Regiment,  and 

served  with  that  regiment  in  the  Low  Countries  in 
1793,  when  he  was  severely  wounded  in  one  of  the 
engagements.  He  afterwards  served  in  the  West 
Indies,  and  died  at  Trinidad  from  the  effects  of  wounds 
received  in  action.  He  left  his  estate  in  Jamaica, 
which  he  called  Dalchosnie,  to  his  brother. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  435 

Donald.  He  entered  the  Army  at  an  early  age,  and 
after  a  period  of  service  in  various  corps  he  joined  the 
92nd  Regiment  in  Ireland  in  1798.  In  1799,  the 
92nd  Regiment  formed  part  of  the  expedition  to 
Holland,  and  in  the  battle  of  Egmont-Op-Zee,  Lieut. 
Macdonald,  who  fought  with  great  bravery,  received 
two  bayonet  wounds  in  the  breast,  while  defending 
himself  against  the  united  attacks  of  three  French 
soldiers.  In  Egypt,  in  1801,  he  was  again  severely 
wounded  by  a  grape-shot.  His  services  in  Holland 
and  Egypt  were  in  1803  rewarded  with  a  company. 
In  1807,  he  accompanied  the  92nd  to  Copenhagen, 
where  he  distinguished  himself  during  the  siege  of 
that  city.  He  also  served  in  Sweden,  Portugal,  and 
Spain,  under  Sir  John  Moore,  in  1808.  In  1809.  his 
regiment  formed  part  of  the  expedition  to  Walcheren, 
and  in  1810  it  embarked  for  the  Peninsula,  where  it 
joined  the  army  under  Wellington  in  the  lines  of 
Torres  Vedras.  In  the  memorable  battle  of  Fuentes 
de  Honore,  which  was  fought  in  May,  1811,  the  92nd 
conducted  themselves  in  their  usual  gallant  manner. 
In  all  these  operations  Captain  Macdonald  accom- 
panied his  regiment,  and  by  his  distinguished  courage 
and  example  on  all  occasions  contributed  to  raise  the 
discipline  of  the  corps  to  a  high  point  of  excellence. 
In  the  action  at  Arroyo  de  Molinos  on  28tK  October, 
Captain  Macdonald  was  shot  through  both  legs. 
Being  soon  after  promoted  to  a  majority,  he  returned 
home,  ard  joined  the  2nd  battalion  of  the  regiment. 
On  the  reduction  of  the  2nd  battalion,  he  joined  the 
first  in  Ireland  in  1814,  and  in  May,  1815,  he 
embarked  with  it  to  the  Netherlands.  On  the  death 
of  Colonel  Cameron  at  Quatre  Bras  on  the  16th  of 
June,  and  Lt.-Colonel  Mitchell  having  been  wounded, 
Major  Macdonald  took  command  of  the  battalion  on 
the  evening  of  that  day.  At  Waterloo,  on  the  18th,- 
at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  92nd  made  its 
famous  charge  against  the  French  columns,  so 
graphically  described  by  an  eye  witness.  Sir  Denis 
Park  galloped  up  to  the  regiment,  and  said — 
"Ninety -second,  you  must  charge;  all  the  troops  in 
your  front  have  given  way."  At  this  interesting  and 


436  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

truly  critical  period  of  the  great  drama  Major  Mac- 
donald  rose  even  above  himself.  His  eyes  sparkling 
with  fire,  he  turned  i-ound  to  the  battalion,  and  gave 
the  order  to  charge,  when  all  instantly  rushed 
forward.  He  encouraged  his  battalion  with  the  most 
inspiriting  language.  For  a  few  seconds  the  French 
seemed  to  dispute  the  progress  of  the  assailants,  but 
just  as  the  dreadful  collision  was  about  to  take  place, 
the  front  ranks  of  the  enemy  began  to  exhibit 
uneasiness,  which,  in  a  second  or  two  more,  showed 
itself  in  the  flight  of  the  whole  3000.  In  this  battle 
Major  Macdonald  escaped  without  a  scratch,  although 
he  had  two  horses  killed  under  him.  For  his 
gallantry  and  heroic  conduct  he  was  promoted  Lieut.- 
Colonel  and  made  a  Companion  of  the  Bath.  He 
received  the  Waterloo  Medal  and  the  Order  of 
Vladimir  from  the  Russian  Emperor.  In  addition  to 
these,  he  received  in  1801  a  gold  medal  from  the 
Turkish  Emperor  for  his  services  in  Egypt.  He 
remained  in  the  service  till  1819,  when  he  retired  on 
account  of  his  wounds,  from  which  he  suffered  much 
for  many  years.  He  died  on  the  19th  of  June,  1829. 
Colonel  Macdonald  was  exceedingly  popular  with  both 
officers  and  men,  and  able  to  converse  with  them  in 
their  native  Gaelic  tongue. 

Colonel  Macdonald  married  Elizabeth  Miller,  and 
left  a  family  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters — (A) 
William,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  91st  Regiment, 
and  died  unmarried.  (B)  Allan,  an  officer  in  the 
92nd  Regiment,  and  afterwards  Captain  and  Pay- 
master in  the  6th  Regiment.  He  died  unmarried. 

(c)  Alexander,   who  has  been  Agent  for  the  Antrim 
Estates  for  over  40  years,   and  is  a  Magistrate  for 
County    Antrim.      He    married    Elizabeth    Fawkner, 
and  had — (a)  Allan,  M.A.,  LL.D.  of.  the  University 
of  Dublin  ;  Barrister-at-law.     He  is  Agent  for  several 
estates    in   Antrim.      (6)   Donald  Wellesly,  solicitor, 
who   married,    in    1891,  Mary  Rosenthal.      (c)  John 
Alexander,   solicitor,   died  unmarried   Oct.   25,   1891. 

(d)  Mark  William,  M.D.  (T.C.D.),  who  married  Mary 
Ethel  M'Grane,  and  has — (a1)  John  Alexander;  (bl) 
Mark  William  ;  (c1)  Elizabeth  Mary,     (c?1)  Marguerita 


TSE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  437 

Seymour,  who  married  in  1886  Harry  Percy  Sheil 
an  officer  in  the  Royal  Irish  Constabulary,  (c1)  Jane 
Alice,  (y1)  Edith  Mary.  (<7*)  Beatrice  Kathleen,  who 
married  Henry  Cairns  Lawlor,  and  has — (a2)  John 
William  Cairns  ;  (62)  Alexander  M'Donald  ;  (c2)  Alice 
Elizabeth  ;  (d2)  Beatrice  Kathleen. 

6.  Allan,  who  settled  on  the  estate  left  him  by  his  brother 

in  Jamaica,  and  died  there  in  1825. 

7.  Angus,  who  died  young. 

8.  Angus,  who  died  young. 

9.  Archibald,  who  died  young. 

10.  James,  who  died  young. 

11.  Robert,  minister  of  Fortiugall.     He  was  presented  to  the 

parish  in  ,1806  by  John,  Duke  of  Atholl,  and  in  1809 
married  Agnes  Maclaren,  by  whom  he  had — 

(A)  Allan,  a  licentiate  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.      He 

was  assistant  to  his  father  for  some  time,  and 
died  young  of  consumption. 

(B)  Alexander,  M.D.,  in  practice  at  Blairgowrie,  where  he 

died  unmarried. 

(c)  John>  who  died  unmarried. 

(D)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Macdonald,  who  was  a  noted  anti- 
quai-ian  and  genealogist,  died  Feb.  13,  1842. 

12.  Julia,   who   married   Captain    Alexander    Macdonald    of 

Moy,  and  had,  among  others,  Captain  Ranald  Mac- 
donald, of  the  92nd  Regiment. 

13.  Janet,  who  married  Alexander  Cameron  of  Cullevin. 

John  Macdonald  died  at  Dalcbosnie  in  1809,  in  the 
88th  year  of  his  age.  Although  his  eldest  son  died 
shortly  before  his  father,  he  may  be  reckoned  as 
next  in  succession. 

VIII.  ALEXANDER.  He  joined  the  2nd  Battalion 
of  the  42nd  Regiment,  and  served  with  it  in  India 
in  1782-4,  particularly  distinguishing  himself  at  the 
storming  of  Mangalore.  By  1799  he  had  attained 
the  rank  of  Major,  and  took  part  in  the  siege  and 
capture  of  Seringapatam  in  that  year. 

He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Menzies  of  Bolfracks,  Perthshire,  and  had  by  her — 


438  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

1.  John,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Alexander,  Lieutenant,  92nd  Regiment,  with  which  he 

served  in  the  Peninsula  and  Pyrenees,  and  was  present 
at  the  Pass  of  Maya,  in  July,  1813,  where  he  was 
wounded.  He  died,  unmarried,  of  his  wounds, 
October  5th,  1813.  He  is  the  original  of  "  Alastair 
Mncdonald  "  in  Grant's  "  Romance  of  War." 

3.  William  of  Sunnyside,  Lieutenant,  first  in  the  34th  and 

afterwards  in  the  81st  Regiment.  He  succeeded  his 
brother  Donald  in  Sunnyside,  and  died  there 
unmarried  in  1839. 

4.  Donald   of  Sunnyside,   Captain  in  the  68th  Regiment. 

He  died  unmarried  in  1835. 

5.  James,  Captain,  92nd  Regiment.     He  died  unmarried  in 

1840. 

6.  Isabel,  who  married  Charles  Monro,  with  issue. 

7.  Mary  Anne,  who  died  at  the  age  of  10,  in  1807. 

Major  Alexander  Macdonald  died  in  1808,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

IX.  JOHN,  afterwards  Sir  John  Macdonald.  He 
joined  the  88th  Regiment  as  Ensign  in  1803.  He 
was  with  his  regiment  in  the  expedition  to  Buenos 
Ayres  in  1806,  and  was  twice  wounded  at  the 
storming  of  Monte  Video.  From  1808  to  1814,  he 
served  in  the  Peninsula,  Pyrenees,  and  South  of 
France,  first  as  Captain  in  the  88th,  and  afterwards 
as  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  4th  Portuguese  Regiment. 
He  was  at  Busaco  with  the  88th  Regiment,  took 
part  in  the  retreat  to  Lisbon,  and  in  the  defence  of 
the  lines  of  Torres  Vedras.  With  the  Portuguese 
division  he  was  in  command  of  his  regiment  at  the 
relief  of  Badajoz,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Albuera.  He  also  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Vittoria, 
and  in  the  battle  of  the  Pyrenees,  in  July,  1813,  he 
was  severely  wounded.  On  recovering  from  his 
wounds  he  took  command  of  his  regiment,  and  with 
it  took  the  fortified  Rock  of  Arolla,  after  desperate 
fighting.  In  recognition  of  his  services  on  this 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  439 

occasion,  he  was  permitted  to  wear  on  his  crest  a 
flag  with  the  word  Arolla  inscribed  on  it.  In  the 
assault  he  was  severely  wounded.  In  April,  1814, 
he  was  so  far  recovered  as  to  take  part  in  the  battle 
of  Toulouse.  In  1817,  he,  on  account  of  ill  health, 
retired  with  the  rank  of  Lieut. -Colonel  on  half  pay. 
He  was  again  placed  on  full  pay  in  1819  in  the  91st 
Regiment,  of  which  he  became  Lieut. -Colonel  in 
1824.  In  1828  he  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  92nd  Regiment,  with  which  he  served  in  the 
Mediterranean.  West  Indies,  and  at  home,  until  he 
was  promoted  Major-General  in  1846.  In  1848  he 
was  appointed  Commander  of  the  Forces  and 
Lieutenant-Go vernor  of  Jamaica,  but  on  the  break- 
ing out  of  tbe  rebellion  in  Ireland  he  was  selected 
by  the  Duke  of  Wellington  to  take  command  of  the 
force  sent  to  suppress  the  disturbance.  He  remained 
in  Ireland,  with  his  headquarters  at  Kilkenny,  till 
1854.  While  preserving  a  high  military  discipline, 
General  Macdonald  was  exceedingly  popular  with 
all  classes. 

Major- General  Macdonald  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  Lieut. -General  in  1854,  appointed  Colonel  of 
th«  92nd  Regiment  in  1855,  made  K.C.B.  in  1856, 
and  promoted  to  the  rank  of  General  in  1862. 

In  consideration  of  his  own  military  services  and 
those  of  his  family,  Sir  John  was  granted  a  royal 
warrant  giving  him  the  right  to  bear  the  Macdonald 
red  hand  in  his  crest,  with  flames  issuing  from  it. 

He  married,  September  12,  1826,  Adriana, 
daughter  of  James  M'Inroy  of  Lude,  Perthshire, 
and  by  her  he  had — 

1.  Alastair  M'lan,  his  successor. 

•  2.  John  Allan,  Captain  in  the  92nd,  and  afterwards  in  the 
8th  Kegiment.  He  died  without  Issue,  November 
29th,  1886. 


440  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

3.  Charles  William.      He  joined  the  93rd  Highlanders  in 

1852  as  Ensign,  and  served  with  his  regiment  in  the 
Crimea  in  1854.  He  took  part  in  the  battle  of  the 

A 

Alma  on  September  20th,  and  was  in  the  "  Thin  Red 
Line  "  at  Balaklava  on  October  25th.  Early  in  1 855 
he  was  ordered  home  invalided.  He  was  soon  after- 
wards promoted  Captain,  and  in  June,  1857,  embarked 
with  the  93rd  for  China,  but  on  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Mutiny,  the  regiment  proceeded  to  India.  In  the 
relief  of  Lucknow  Captain  Macdonald  was  conspicuous 
for  great  feats  of  bravery  and  endurance,  and  though 
wounded,  he  refused  to  retire.  He  was  engaged  con- 
tinuously from  the  28th  November,  1857,  till  the 
following  March,  when  on  the  llth  he  received  his 
death  wound  while  gallantly  leading  on  his  men  to 
the  attack  on  the  Begum's  Palace.  "  He  died,"  said 
Lord  Clyde,  "  as  he  had  lived,  in  the  performance  of 
his  duty,  and  while  displaying  the  conspicuous 
courage  belonging  to  his  race."  The  Crimean  and 
Indian  Medals  were  bestowed  on  him.  He  died 
unmarried. 

4.  Donald.      He   joined  the  79th  Regiment  as  Ensign  in 

June,  1854,  and  was  promoted  Lieutenant  in  the  fol- 
lowing December.  He  served  with  his  regiment  in 
the  Crimea  from  July,  1855,  till  the  fall  of  Sevastopol. 
On  his  return  home  in  1857,  he  was  promoted 
Captain.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mutiny,  he 
accompanied  his  regiment  to  India,  and  joined  Sir 
Colin  Campbell's  attacking  force  at  Luckuow,  taking 
part  in  the  second  siege  and  storming  of  the  city. 
He  was  afterwards  engaged  with  his  regiment  at 
Boodaon,  A.llahgunge,  and  Bareilly,  where  the  79th 
was  specially  thanked  by  Sir  Colin  Campbell  for  their' 
share  in  the  victory.  He  was  with  the  Camcrons  in 
their  forced  march  to  Shahjeanpoor,  and  in  the  attack 
on  that  place.  He  was  also  present  at  the  attack  on 
Mohoomdee  and  at  the  capture  of  Rampoor  Kosilab, 
where  his  regiment  was  specially  complimented  by 
the  Comrnander-in-Chief.  He  was  present  at  the 
passage  of  the  Ghoyra  and  at  Buudwa  Kotee  in 
January,  1859.  He  received  the  Crimean  and 


1.  Gen.  Sir  John  Macdonald  of  Dal-        3.  William  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie). 

chosnie.  4.  Captain  Charles  Macdonald  (Dal- 

2.  General    Alastair    Macdonald    of  chosnie). 

Dalchosnie. 

5.  Captain  Donald  Macdonald  (Dalchosnie). 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  441 

Indian  Medals,  and  died  unmarried,  August  28th, 
1871. 

5.  Elizabeth  More  Menzies,  of  Barnfield,  Southampton. 

6.  Adriaua,  also  of  Barufield. 

7.  Jemima,  a  most  accomplished  and  highly  cultured  lady, 

who  died  unmarried,  August  4th,  1894.  She  was  an 
active  and  energetic  member  of  the  Primrose  League, 
Ruling  Councillor  since  July,  1888,  of  the  Millbrook 
Habitation  in  Hampshire,  and  authoress  of  several 
historical  pamphlets  ^-  "  The  French  Revolution," 
"  The  Wrongs  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Wales,', 
«fcc.  In.  1859  she  compiled  a  most  beautiful  and 
valuable  Macdonald  genealogical  tree. 

Sir  John  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie  died  June  24th, 
1866,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

X.  ALASTAIR  M'!AN  MACDONALD.  He  joined 
the  92nd  Regiment  as  Ensign  in  1846,  and  became 
Lieutenant  the  following  year.  In  1848  he  was 
appointed  Aide-de-Camp  to  his  father,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  position  till  1854.  He  was  appointed 
Aide-de-Camp  to  Sir  John  Pennefather  in  1854,  and 
served  with  him  in  the  Crimea.  He  was  present  at 
the  battles  of  Alma  and  Inkermann,  and  was 
wounded  in  both  battles,  in  the  latter  so  severely 
as  to  necessitate  his  being  invalided  home.  He  was 
appointed  Major  of  the  Rifle  Depot  Battalion  at 
Winchester,  of  which  he  afterwards  became  Lieut.- 
Colonel.  He  was  Assistant- Adjutant-General  at 
Dover,  and  afterwards  Aide-de-Camp  to  the  Duke 
of  Cambridge.  He  was  promoted  Major-General  in 
1877.  In  1881  he  was  Commander  of  the  Forces 
in  Scotland  when  the  great  Scottish  Volunteer 
Review  took  place  in  Edinburgh.  He  has  since 
been  promoted  to  the  full  rank  of  General.  He 
sold  his  magnificent  estates  of  Dalchosnie,  Kinloch 
Rannoch,  Dunalastair,  and  Crossmount  eighteen 
years  ago,  and  is  now  living  in  London,  unmarried. 


442  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ABEKARDER. 

This  family  is  descended  from  DONALD,  second 
son  of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Tulloch,  second  son  of 
John  Dubh  of  Bohuntin.  Donald  first  appears  on 
record  as  of  Irivervudden.  He  fought  at  Inverlochy 
in  1645,  and  was  a  poet  of  some  reputation  in  his 
day.  Fragments  of  his  hunting  songs  are  still 
extant.  He  married  first  a  daughter  of  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Inverlair ;  secondly,  a  daughter  of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Tirnadrish  ;  and  thirdly,  a 
daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Bohuntin.  He 
had — 

1.  Archibald,  his  successor. 

2.  Allan,  known  as  AileinLiath  na  Mointich.     He  had  three 

sons,  Alexander,  Donald,  and  John.  Alexander,  the 
eldest  son,  married  a  daughter  of  Allan  Macdonald  of 
Gellovie,  and  had  a  son,  Archibald.  Archibald 
married  a  daughter  of  Allan  Mor  Cameron,  and  had 
Alexander,  John,  and  Donald.  Alexander,  the  eldest 
son,  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Cranachan, 
without  issue.  John,  the  second  son,  married  and  had 
issue.  Donald,  the  third  son,  had  no  issue. 

3.  Angus  of  Cranachan.  A"^\0 
Donald   died  &t,  Invervudden,    and  was   buried   at 
St  Kenneth's  Church,  at  the  end  of  Loch  Laggan, 
where  many  generations  of  his  family  were  after- 
wards buried.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ARCHIBALD,  known  as  Gilleasbuig  Dubh 
Choillerois,  and  famous  as  a  huntsman.  He  fought 
at  Killiecrankie.  In  1703,  he  received  a  tack  from 
Lachlan  Mackintosh  of  Strone  of  the  lands  of  Moy 
and  Coillerois.  He  married  in  1679  Agnes,  daughter 
of  Allan  Macdonald  of  Gellovie,  and  is  described  in 
the  marriage  contract  as  the  son  of  Donald  Mac- 
donald, alias  Maclnnes  Vic  Ean  Duibh  of  Inver- 
vudden. He  had  by  her — 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     443 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,   who  married   a   daughter   of   Robertson   of 

Blairfettie,  and  had  a  daughter,  .Anne,  who  married 
Mackintosh  of  Strone. 

3.  Angus,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of  Cran- 

achan,  with  issue. 

4.  Donald  of  Laggan,  who  married  Catherine,  daughter  of 

John  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie,  with  issue. 

5.  Archibald,  who  married   a   daughter   of   Macdouald   of 

Achnancoichean. 

6.  Ranald,  who  died  without  issue. 

7.  Allan,  who  died  young. 

8.  Margaret. 

9.  Mary. 
10.  Isabel. 

Archibald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IIT.  JOHN.  He  married,  first,  a  daughter  of 
Mackintosh  of  Strone,  and,  secondly,  Anne,  daughter 
of  Donald  Gorm  (who  was  killed  at  Killiecrankie), 
brother  of  Alastair  Dubh  of  Glengarry.  By  his 
second  wife  he  had— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alastair  Ban  of  Tullochcrom.    %H(fy 

3.  Angus,  mentioned  in  record  in  1723. 

4.  Isabel,  who  married  Alexander  Macpherson  of  Ballachroan, 

and  had  Captain  John  Macpherson,  known  as  the 
Black  Officer,  who  was  lost  in  a  snow  storm  at  Gaick, 
Dec.  31,  1799. 

John  died  in  1716,  and  was  buried  at  Cillechoirill. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

TV.  RANALD,  known  as  Raonull  Mor,  and  some- 
times as  Raonull  Dubh.  He  joined  Prince  Charles's 
standard  at  Glenfinan,  and  ••  was  present  at  the 
battles  of  Prestonpans  and  Falkirk,  and  joined  in 
the  march  to  England.  He  sheltered  the  Prince  for 
a  night  on  his  way  to  the  "  cage"  on  Benalder,  and 
from  him  the  latter  accepted  a  change  of  garments 
to  ensure  disguise.  His  Jacobite  zeal  was  the  cause 


44|4l  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

of  his  finally  losing  his  lands.  After  the  commotions 
of  the  '45  had  subsided,  interested  persons  succeeded 
in  putting  Aberarder  under  the  Forfeited  Estates 
Act.  Ranald  contested  the  case  in  the  Court  of 
Session,  and  afterwards  appealed  to  the  House  of 
Lords,  but  lost  it  He  was  celebrated  .for  his 
hospitality.  It  was  a  popular  saying  at  the  time  of 
his  death — "  Chaidh  Kaon  till  Aberardair  a  Fhlaith- 
eanas  mar  gun  rachadh  peillear  a  gunna  leis  an 
fhialachd." 

Ranald    married    Grace,    daughter    of    Duncan 
Stewart  of  Achnacone,  and  had  by  her— 

T--.:r      "        ».'j 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander  of  Moy,  who  was  a  Captain  in  82nd  Regiment, 

and  served  in  the  American  War  of  Independence. 
He  married  Juliet,  daughter  of  John  Macdonald  of 
Dalchosnie,  and  had,  with  three  daughters— (a) 
Archibald  ;  (b)  Alexander ;  (c)  Ranald ;  (d)  Huntly  : 
(«)  William ;  (/)  John  ;  (g)  Donald. 

Archibald,  the  eldest  son,  married  Alexa,  daughter 
of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Lochans,  and  had  Alexa  and 
Juliet.  Alexander,  the  second  son,  married  Anne, 
daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Lochans,  and  had — 
(1)  Alexander  of  Hockitiki,  New  Zealand  ;  (2)  Ranald, 
Captain  in  the  92nd  Regiment,  who  married  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Donald  Stewart  of  Luskintyre,  Harris, 
and  had  a  daughter,  Juliet. 

3.  Archibald,  who  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  92nd  Regiment, 

and  distinguished  himself  at  the  Pass  of  Maya.  He 
married  Grace,  heiress  of  David  Stewart  of  Lassin- 
tullich,  and  had  David  II.  of  Lassintullich,  who 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  A.  Menzies  of  Farlyer, 
and  had  Archibald,  James,  Mary,  and  Jessie. 

4.  William. 

5.  A  daughter,  who  married  a  MacHardy. 

6.  Grace,  who  married  Macdonald,  Monesie. 

7.  Mary. 

8.  Jane,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald,  Garva. 

9.  Grace,  who  married  a  Mr  Gordon,  with  issue. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     '445 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Aberarder,  who  was  living  at 
GarvamOre  in  1771,  died  shortly  thereafter,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  JOHN,   known  as  Iain  Dubh.      He  lived  at 
Killieehoriate.       He    married   Katherine,    youngest 
daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  and 
had  by  her— 

1.  John. 

2.  Archibald. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  a  M'Vean,  with  issue. 

4.  Isabel,  who  married  a  Rankin,  in  Glencoe, 

5.  Janet,   who  married   Donald  Ruadh   Macdonald  of  the 

Cranachan  family. 

6    Grace,  who  married  a  Macfarlane,  from  Strathspey,  with 
issue,  from  whom  Bishop  Angus  Macfarlane,  Dunkeld. 

John  died  March  10th,  1818,  and  was  buried  at 
Cillechoirill.  His  wife  died  25th  July,  1829,  aged 
90.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  JOHN,  a  Captain  in  the  1st  Royal  Scots,  and 
A.D.C.    to    the    Duke    of    Gordon.      He    married 
Catherine,  daughter  of  Gordon  of  Wardhouse,  and 
had  by  her — 

.  1.  George  Gordon. 

2.  Ranald,  who  was  in  the  army,  and  went  to  Australia. 

He  married  a  sister  of  Captain  Maclean  of  Lakefield, 
with  issue. 

3.  Eliza,  unmarried. 

Captain  John  Macdonald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  GEORGE   GORDON,    who    was    a   Brigadier- 
General  in  the  Indian  Army,  and  commanded  the 
27th  Madras  Native  Infantry.     He  married  a  Miss 
Batten,  and  had  a  daughter,  who  married  a  Captain 
Thorpe,  without  issue. 


446  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CRANACHAN. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  ANGUS,  third  son  of 
Donald  I.  of  Aberartler.  He  .is  frequently  men- 
tioned in  record.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
donald  of  Achnancoichean,  and  had— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  married,  and  had  issue. 

3.  Archibald,  who  married,  and  had  issue. 

4.  Anne. 

5.  Mary. 

6.  Catherine,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Tulloch. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Cranachan,  who  was  living  in 
1723,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
donald of  Shian,  and  had — 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus.     After  the  death  of  his  brother,  John  III.  of 

Cranachan,  Angus  took  the  farm.     He  had  four  sons — 

(1)  John,  who  left  Angus,  Donald,  Mary,  and  Sarah. 

(2)  Donald  Ruadh  of  Torgulbiu.     He  married  a  daughter 

of  John  Dubh  Macdonald  of  Aberarder,  and  had 
— (a)  Angus,  who  had  two  sons,  John  and 
Duncan,  who  lived  in  London,  and  had  Jane* 
who  married  Andrew  Carmichael,  Edinburgh, 
with  issue ;  (b)  John,  known  as  "  Long  John  ;" 
(c)  Archibald,  who  married  a  Miss  MacHardy, 
and  had  Aloysius,  married  in  Australia,  and  four 
daughters ;  (d)  Peter,  who  had  a  son,  Peter ; 
(e)  Alexander  ;  (/)  Donald  ;  (g)  Colin. 

Long  John,  who  was  the  maker  of  the  famous 
Ben-Nevis  Distillery,  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Donald  Peter.  He  married  his  cousinj  Jessie 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Andrew  Carmichael,  Edin- 
burgh, and  had — (1)  John,  who  married  Mar- 
garet Chatty  London,  and  had — (a)  Donald 
Peter ;  (6)  William  ;  (c)  Marjorie.  (2)  Archi- 
bald, lately  with  the  Lovat  Scouts  in  South 
Africa,  formerly  an  officer  in  the  Cameron  High- 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  447 

landers.  (3)  Andrew,  a  monk  in  the  Benedictine 
Monastery  at  Fort-Augustus.  (4)  Mary.  (5) 
Elizabeth,  who  married  James  Ryan,  Glenomera. 
Ceylon.  (6)  Jessie.  (7)  Frances,  who  married 
Harold  P.  Sykcs,  2nd  Dragoon  Guards. 

(3)  Alexander,  next  brother  after  Donald  Knadh,  married 

and  had  issue. 

(4)  Angus  Mor,   Blarnahininn,  and  later  at  Cranachan, 

He  had  (a)  Angus,  (b)  John,  (c)  Archibald,  (d) 
Alexander,  (e)  Donald,  (/)  Colin,  and  several 
daughters.  These  brothers,  who  were  noted  all 
over  the  country  for  their  generous  hospitality 
and  great  physical  strength,  always  lived  together 
at  Cranachan,  and  never  married.  Alexander 
and  Donald  are  the  sole  survivors. 

3.  Donald,  who  died  without  issue. 

4.  Alexander. 

5.  Margaret,  who  married  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Fersit. 

Donald-  II.  of  Cranachan  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  JOHN.     He  married  Janet  Macdonald,  and 
had- 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Angus. 

3.  Archibald,  who  lived  at  Fort-Augustus,  and  had  (1)  John, 

who  had  (a)  Archibald,  unmarried  ;  (b)  Donald, 
married  in  Strathlochy,  in  Lochaber,  and  several 
daughtt  rs,  one  of  whom  is  married  to  Captain  Mac- 
donald of  "  The  Lochness,"  with  issue  ;  (2)  Angus  ; 
(3)  Alexander,  who  left  a  son,  John  ;  (4)  Coll ; 
(5)  Duncan,  whose  three  sons,  Archibald,  Alexander, 
and  Coll  are  living  near  Ardrishaig  ;  (6)  Donald. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  DONALD,  Surgeon  in  the  Glengarry  Fencibles. 
He  lived  latterly  at  Fort-Augustus.     It  was  he  that 
had  the  famous  lawsuit  with  Glengarry,  which  was 
decided  in  favour  of  Dr  Macdonald  in  1807. 

He  married  an  English  lady,  and  had  two  sons, 
Charles  and  another,  both  of  whom  died  unmarried. 
Dr  Macdonald  was  succeeded  in  the  representation 
of  the  family  by  his  brother, 


448  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

V.  ANGUS.     He  married   a   daughter   of    Alex- 
ander Macdonald  of  Tullochcrom,  and  had— 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Ranald,  a  Captain  in  the  Merchant  service. 

Angus  married,  secondly,  and  left  a  son,  whose  sons 
live  at  Campbeltown,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.     He    enlisted    in     the     Foot 
Guards,    and   rose    to   the  rank   of  Captain.      He 
emigrated    to     New    Zealand,    where    he    became 
Governor  of  Auckland.     He  married  Mary,  daughter 
of  Alexander  Macdonald,  Garvabeg,  and  had,  among 
others, 

VII.  ALEXANDER,  who  is  married  in  Australia, 
and  has  issue. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  TULLOCHCROM. 

ALASTAIR  BAN,  the  second  son  of  John  III.  of 
Aberarder,  was  the  first  of  this  family.  He  married, 
first,  a  daughter  of  Mackintosh  of  Balnespick,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  Christian,  who  married  John  Stewart  of  the  Garth  family, 

with  issue. 

4.  Anne,  who  married  James  Mackintosh  of  Strone. 

He  married,  secondly,  Jessie,  fifth  daughter  of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  who  died  Jan.  9th, 
1812  and  had  by  her— 

5.  A  daughter,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  the 

Cranachan  family,  with  issue. 

6.  Jessie,  who  married  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Gaskmore, 

Laggan,  and  had — 

(A)  Reginald  Ranald,  who  entered  the  Gordon  High- 
landers, in  which  he  served  with  distinction. 
He  attained  the  rank  of  Colonel,  was  made  C.B. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      449 

and  Knight  of   the   White   Horse  of   Hanover. 

He  was  for  some  time  Adjutant-General  of  the 

forces  in  Bombay.     He  died  unmarried. 
(B)  Alexander,  who  married  Miss  Maclean  of  the  Drimnin 

family,  and  had  Ranald  and  several  daughters, 

who  went  to  Australia, 
(c)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 
(D)  Helen,  who  married 

7.  Mary,  who  married  John  Ban   Macdonald,  Garvamore, 

and  had  — 

(A)  Alexander,  who  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Captain 

Macdonald,  Moy,  and  had  four  sons  and  two 
daughters  —  Mary,  who  married  her  cousin, 
George  Gordon,  and  Juliet;  a  nun. 

(B)  Mary,    who   married   Andrew    Carmichael,    teacher, 

Edinburgh,  with  issue. 

8.  Mary,  who  married  Mr  Forrest,  with  issue. 

9.  Elizabeth,  who  married  Mr  Hussey,  with  issue. 

Alastair  Ban  of  Tullochcrom  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

II.  ALEX  ANDES.  He  was  known  as  Alexander 
of  Garvabeg.  He  married,  first,  Charlotte,  sixth 
daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  and 
had  by  her — 

1.  John,  who  died  unmarried. 

2.  Jessie,    who  married   John  Macnab  of   the  Inneshewen 

family,  who  held  the  property  of  Shenaghart,  in 
Kintyre,  and  had  (a)  Duncan,  W.S.,  Edinburgh,  who 
died  unmarried  ;  (6)  John,  who  married,  with  issue  ; 
(c)  Alexander  ;  (d)  Archibald  ;  (e)  Ranald  ;  (/) 
Francis,  who  manned  and  had  issue  ;  (g)  Charlotte, 
who  died  young ;  (h)  Christina,  who  married  her 
cousin  Angus  Macdonald,  Keppoch,  with  issue. 

3.  Grace,  who  married  Mr  Stewart,  Perthshire,  with  issue. 

He  married,  secondly,  Miss  Reid,  and  had  by  her — 

4.  Cosmo. 

5.  Ranald,  unmarried. 

6.  A   daughter,    who    married    Mr   Kerr,    with    issue,    in 

America. 

29 


450  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married,  thirdly,  a  daughter  of  Mackintosh  of 
Strone,  and  had  by  her— 

7.  Ranald,  a  Captain  in  the  Gordon  Highlanders.     He  was 

at  Waterloo,  and  saw  besides  a  good  deal  of  service 
in  India  and  Ceylon,  where  he  greatly  distinguished 
himself.  The  fort  which  he  saved  from  the  rebels 
was  named  after  him,  "  Fort  Macdonald."  He 
married  Flora,  daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of 
Dalelea,  and  had  (a)  Reginalda,  who  married  Neil 
Rankin,  with  issue,  in  Australia  ;  (6)  Flora,  who 
married  Mr  Lawson,  with  issue. 

8.  Allan,  who  was  a  Captain   in  the  Gordon  Highlanders, 

unmarried. 

9.  Archibald,   an   officer   in   the   Army,  who   left  issue  in 

America. 

10.  Donald,    a   Captain   in  the   Army,    who    married   Miss 

Carpenter,  and  had  (a)  Alexander,  who  died  unmarried 
as  he  was  about  to  be  gazetted  to  the  Gordon  High- 
landers ;  (6)  Elizabeth  ;  (c)  Isabella. 

11.  Angus,  who  went  to  Canada,  and  married  there  a  French 

lady,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter,  Eleanore. 

12.  Christina. 

13.  Bell. 

14.  Mary,  who  married  Captain  Alexander  Macdonald  of  the 

Foot  Guards,  with  issue. 


THE  M MCDONALDS  OF  GELLOVIE. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  ALLAN,  son  of  John 
Dubh  Macdonald  of  Bohuntin.  He  is  mentioned  in 
record  in  1602.  He  was  then  tenant  of  Gellovie, 
which  lies  along  the  banks  of  Loch  Laggan.  The 
family  afterwards  obtained  a  feu  charter  of  the 
lands  of  Gellovie. 

Allan  married  a  daughter  of  Macqueen  of  Cory- 
brugh,  by  whom  he  had  his  successor, 

II.  RANALD.  He  married  his  cousin,  a  daughter 
of  Macdonald  of  Moy,  by  whom  he  had  several  sons. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  451 

III.  ALLAN.      He  married  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
donald  of  Achnancoichean,  by  whom  he  had— 

1.  Ranald,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Paul  Macpherson, 

and  had — 

(A)  Alastair  Ban,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Stewart  of 

Daltullich,  and  had — (1)  Angus,  who  died 
unmarried  ;  (2)  Allan,  who  married  a  daughter 
of  D.  Menzies,  and  had  issue  ;  (3)  Donald,  who 
died  unmarried  ;  (4)  Isabel,  who  died  unmarried. 

(B)  Donald,   who  married    Emily,  daughter  of  Grant  of 

Craggan,  and  had  Allan,  who  married  a  daughter 
of  Macpherson  of  Dalraddy,  and  had,  with  three 
daughters,  Donald,  who  died  at  Airelodian,  Duthil, 
and  had  issue — (a)  Ranald,  who  was  known  as  of 
Clury,  in  the  Parish  of  Duthil,  married  Catherine 
Grant,  and  died  June  11,  1825.  (6)  Captain 
James  Macdonald  of  Coulnakyle,  Abernethy, 
who  married  Margaret  Brodie  Hay,  who  died  Dec- 
ember 10th,  1857,  and  had  by  her— (1) 
James  Dawson ;  (2)  Donald,  who  died  in 
India  as  Surgeon-Major :  he  married,  first,  a 
Miss  Griffiths,  and,  secondly,  a  Miss  Jamieson  ; 
(3)  Helen  Elizabeth  Cleland,  who  married 
James  Houston,  Tulloch  Griban,  Duthil, ;  (4) 
Margaret  Fyfe ;  (5)  Catherine,  who  married, 
first,  Dr  Robertson,  and  afterwards  a  Mr 
Jamieson ;  (6)  Jane  Anne,  who  married  Mr 
Ferguson,  advocate,  Aberdeen.  Captain  James 
Macdonald  of  Coulnakyle  died  at  Clury, 
December  15th,  1833.  His  son,  James  Dawsou, 
was  educated  at  Abernethy,  Grantown,  and 
Aberdeen,  and  obtained  a  cadetship  in  1836. 
He  served  in  the  Gwalior  and  Rajpootana  Cam- 
paigns, and  was  quartered  at  Neemueh  when  the 
Mutiny  broke  out.  He  owed  his  escape  to  the 
loyalty  of  two  Sepoys,  who  alone  of  1000  men 
remained  faithful  to  their  colours. 

He  retired  from  the  Indian  service  as  Major 
General,  and  died  in  London,  December  25,  1879. 
He  married  Mary  Ellen  Dugan,  and  had  (1) 
Dugan,  a  Major  in  the  Army,  who  was  acci- 
dentally killed  by  a  fall  from  his  horse  in  Hyde 


452  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Park  in  1893:  a  monument  is  erected  to  his 
memory  in  Abernethy  Parish  Church ;  (2)  Sir 
Claude  Maxwell  Macdonald,  K.C.B.,  G.C.M.G. 
He  was  educated  at  Uppingham,  and  at  the 
Royal  Military  College,  Sandhurst.  He  joined 
the  74th  Highlanders  in  1872,  and  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  Major  in  1882.  He  served 
throughout  the  Egyptian  Campaign  of  1882,  and 
through  the  Suakim  Expedition  of  1884-5.  He 
was  Military  Attache  to  the  British  Agency  in 
Cairo  in  1882-7,  and  was  Acting  Agent  and 
Consul-General  at  Zanzibar  in  1887-8.  He  was 
sen*,  by  the  Foreign  Office  on  a  Special  Mission 
to  the  Niger  Territories  in  1889.  He  was 
Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary at  Pekin,  1896-1900.  Since  1900  he 
has  been  Minister  at  Tokio.  He  married  Ethel, 
daughter  of  Major  W.  Cairns  Armstrong,  of  the 
15th  Regiment. 

3.  Allan,    whose    son,    Donald,    afterwards    succeeded    by 

purchase  to  Gellovie. 

4.  Alexander  of  Gaskmore. 

5.  Agnes,  who  married  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Coillerois. 

6.  Janet,  who  married  Allan  Macdonald  of  Dalchosnie. 

7.  A  daughter,  who  married  Macpherson  of  Strathmashie. 

Allan  \vas  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

IV.  RANALD.  He  fought  at  Mulroy,  and  after- 
wards at  Sheriffmuir.  He  had,  in  1716,  his  house 
and  corn  burned,  and  all  his  sheep  and  cows  were 
carried  off  by  Government  troops  for  his  sending 
them  a  defiant  message.  He  married,  first,  a 
daughter  of  Mackintosh  of  Balnespick,  without 
issue.  He  married,  secondly,  Isabel,  daughter  of 
Mackintosh  of  Holm,  by  whom  he  had — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  A  daughter. 

4.  A  daughter. 

Ranald    died   January    25th,    1721,   was    buried  at 
Laggan  Church,  and  succeeded  by  his  son, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  453 

V.  DONALD,  who  held  a  commission  in  the  30th 
Regiment.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald  of 
Aberarder,   and  died  without  issue  at  Gellovie  in 
July,  1744,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VI.  ANGUS.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Johnston  of  Merkland,  Dumfries-shire,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Thomas,  M.D.,  a  distinguished  physician.     He  married 

Catherine,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Tirna- 
drish,  and  left  a  daughter,  Mary,  who  married  Charles 
Stanley  Constable  of  Acton,  Yorkshire,  son  of  William 
Constable  of  Everinghatn,  with  issue.  Dr  Macdonald 
died  in  Edinburgh,  where  he  practised  his  profession, 
before  his  father,  in  1769,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Canongate. 

2.  Ranald,  merchant  in  Jamaica,  where  he  died  unmarried. 

3.  Angus,  M.D.,  F.R.C.P.E. 

4.  John,  who  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Macdonald  Regiment, 

and  died  in  Jamaica,  unmarried. 

5.  Angus,  who  died  young. 

6.  Grizel,  who  married  Thomas  Lunham,  of  the  Customs, 

with  issue. 

7.  Isabel,  who  died  unmarried. 

8.  Joan,  who  died  unmarried. 

9.  Catherine,  who  died  unmarried. 
10.  Jean,  who  died  unmarried. 

Angus  Macdonald  of  Gellovie,  who  sold  the  estate 
to  his  cousin,  Donald,  died  in  1780,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his 
third  son, 

VII.  Dr   ANGUS   MACDONALD.      He   settled   in 
Taunton  in  1786,  and  practised  his  profession  there 
for  many  years  with  distinguished  success.     He  left 
"  A  Family  Memoir  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch  " 
in  MS.,  which  was  published  in  1885.     He  married 
Nancy,  daughter  of  Robert  Ord,  Lord  Chief  Baron 
of  the  Exchequer  in  Scotland,  without  issue.     She 
died,    October    16,     1801.       Dr    Macdonald    died 
June  9,  1825,  in  the  74th  year  of  his  age. 


454  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

Donald,  to  whom  Gellovie  was  sold,  as  already 
stated,  married  Margaret  Grant,  and  had  by  her 
Allan,  who  succeeded  him.  Donald  died  in  August, 
1758.  Allan,  his  successor,  who  was  the  last 
possessor,  was  out  of  Gellovie  in  1790.  He  was 
living  in  1792.  His  son,  Ranald,  was  tenant  of 
Strathmashie,  where  he  died.  His  widow  and 
family  afterwards  emigrated  to  Australia. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  FERSIT. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  DONALD,  third  son  of 
Ranald  Og  IX.  of  Keppoch.  He  is  mentioned  in 
record  in  1612.  He  is  in  possession  of  the  lands  of 
Fersit  in  1620.  He  had  three  sons— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald. 

3.  Angus. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN  DujrsH.  He  is  mentioned  in  record  in 
1640.  He  had  three  sons — 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  Archibald. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.      He    is   mentioned    in    record   in 
1661  and  again  in  1669. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  RANALD.  In  1691  he  was  one  of  the  fol- 
lowers of  Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch.  He  is 
frequently  mentioned  in  record.  He  had— 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Ranald. 

4.  Catherine,    who   married,    first,    Angus   Cameron,  son  of 

John  Cameron  of  llatullich.     She  married,  secondly, 
Alexander,  sou  of  Ronald  IV.  of  Inch. 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  455 

Ranald,  who  was  living  in  1712,  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

V.  JOHN.     He  signed  the  Address  to  George  I. 
in  1714. 

John  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  RANALD.     He  married  a  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Cranachan,  and  had— 

1.  Ranald.     He  was  educated  at  the  Scotch  College,  Douay, 

for  the  priesthood,  and  returned  to  his  native  country 
in  1782.  He  was  first  stationed  at  Glengairn,  Aber- 
deenshire,  from  which  he  was  translated  to  Glengarry, 
and  thence  to  Uist.  He  was,  in  1820,  consecrated  at 
Edinburgh  Bishop  of  Aeryudela  and  Vicar  Apostolic 
of  the  Northern  District,  and  had  his  residence  at 
Listnore.  Bishop  Macdonald's  scholarly  attainments 
were  of  a  high  order.  He  was  a  man  of  polished 
manners  and  liberality  of  sentiment,  and  was  beloved 
by  persons  of  all  persuasions.  He  did  much  by  his 
work  and  conversation  to  soften  down  prejudices,  and 
was  ever  ready  to  lend  his  aid  in  forwarding  any 
scheme  which  had  for  its  object  the  advancement  cf 
his  fellow  Highlanders.  He  died  at  Fort-William, 
20th  September,  1832,  and  was  buried  there. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

3.  Mary. 

Ranald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VII.  JOHN.     He  married,  and  had— 

1.  Andrew. 

2.  Charles. 

3.  Ranald,  who  had  two  sons,  John  and  Ranald. 

4.  Margaret,  who  married  Henry  Derepas,  with  issue. 

5.  Eliza. 

6.  Mary,  who  married  J.  Mackichen,  with  issue. 

John   was  succeeded  in   the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  son, 

VIII.  ANDREW,  who  was  for  many  years  Sheriff 
of  Stornoway.     He  married  Susan  Stewart,  Achna- 
cone,  and  had — 


456  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  John,  who  married  a  Miss  Morrison,  without  issue. 

2.  Duncan  Stewart. 

3.  Andrew,  who  is  married  in  New  Zealand,  and  has  issue. 

4.  Stewart. 

5.  Christina,  who  married  John  Chisholm,  Inverness,  with 

issue. 


THE  M MCDONALDS  OF  MURLAGAN. 

This  family  is  descended  from  Alastair  nan  Cleas 
X.  of  Keppoch,  whose  fourth  son,  Donald  Gorm  of 
Inveroy,  was  the  progenitor  of  the  family  of  Mur- 
lagan. There  was  another  family  afterwards  at 
Murlagan  which  was  of  earlier  descent.  In  1727 
one  of  this  family  had  been  put  in  possession  of  the 
lands  of  Murlagan  by  Mackintosh.  In  that  year 
there  is  an  Obligation  by  Angus  Macdonald  of 
Murlagan  to  Mackintosh,  in  which  he  declares  that 
his  predecessors  had  been  standard-bearers  to  Mac- 
kintosh "these  three  hundred  years  and  upwards." 
This  Angus  further  declares  that  he  is  of  Sliochd 
Dhomlmuill  'ic  Aonghuis,  the  descendants  of  the 
deposed  Chief  of  Keppoch. 

I.  DONALD     GORM     had    several    sons,    among 
whom — 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Angus. 

3.  John. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.      He  is  mentioned  among  the 
accomplices  of  Coll  of  Keppoch  in  1698.     He  died 
shortly  thereafter,  and  had — 

1.  Ranald. 

2.  Angus  of  Inveroy. 

3.  John  of  Inveroybeg. 

4.  A    daughter,    who    married    Alexander    Macdonald.   of 

Bohuntin. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     457 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  RANALD.       He   is   mentioned   in  record  in 
1712.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ARCHIBALD,  who  had— 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  Floi'a,    who   married   Angus   Macdouald,   Tacksman    of 

Coull. 

4.  Katherine,  who  married  Allan  Macdonald,  late  of  Mur- 

lagan. 

Archibald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER   of  Glenturret,    who    was    suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

VI.  RANALD.      He  married  Marcella,  daughter 
of  Allan  Maclean  of  Drimnin,  and  had— 

1.  Allan,  a  Captain  in  the  Glengarry  Fencibles,  who  died 

unmarried. 

2.  George,  who  went  to  Canada,  and  married  there,  with 

issue. 

3.  Alexander. 

4.  Katherine,  who  married  Dr  Ferrier,  with  issue. 

5.  A  daughter,  who  married  Lieut.  Cameron. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  ACHNANC01CHEAN. 

This  family  is  descended  from  ANGUS,  fifth  son 
of  Alastair  nan  Cleas  X.  of  Keppoch,  who  gave  him 
as  a  hostage  to  the  Earl  of  Argyll  in  1595.  There 
was  another  family  at  Achnaucoichean,  descended, 
according  to  MacVurich,  from  John  Cam,  a  natural 
son  of  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Lochalsh,  known 
as  "  Sliochd  an  larla,"  no  doubt  on  account  of  their 
descent  from  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross. 

Angus  is  said  to  have  married  a  daughter  of  Sir 
James  Macdonald  of  Dunny veg,  by  whom  lie  had— 

1.  Angus,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

2.  Alexander  of  Bohenie. 

3.  John,  mentioned  in  record  in  1662. 


458  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Angus,    who    was   killed   in   the   fight    at    Stron-a- 
chlachain  in  1640,  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

II.  ANGUS.     He  is  mentioned  in  record  in  1660 
He  had- 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Archibald. 

3.  Angus,  who  in  1692  purchased  the  lands  of  Kenknock, 

in  Gleulyon,  where  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Angus,  who  sold  the  estate  in  1750.  The  second 
Angus  had  a  son,  Captain  John  Macdonald  of  Garth, 
who  served  in  the  84th  Regiment.  He  had  two  sons, 
John  and  Archibald.  Archibald  enteivd  the  Army  in 
1805,  and  went  to  Canada  in  1819.  He  had  a  large 
family,  among  whom  Archibald,  whose-  son  is  Colonel 
Archibald  H.  Macdonald  of  Guelph,  Ottnada.  Captain 
Macdonald  of  Garth's  daughter  Helen  married  Lieut.  - 
General  Sir  Archibald  Campbell,  Bart,  of  Garth,  and 
had,  among  others,  Major-General  Sir  John  Campbell. 
John  Macdouald  of  Monachyle  was  of  the  same  family. 

4.  A  daughter,  a  well-known  poetess  as  Ni'  Mhic  Aonghids 

Oig 

Angus  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER.      He   signed   the    address   to 
George  I.  in  1714.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son— 

IV.  ARCHIBALD.      He    had    several    sons    who 
emigrated  to  America,  one  of  whom  Angus,  and  a 
daughter,   Christina,    \vho  married   Angus    Ban   of 
Inch.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

V.  ANGUS.     He  married  and  had  a  family,  but 
we  cannot  trace  them  further. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CLIANATG. 

This  family  is  descended  from  DONALD  GORM, 
son  of  Alastair  Buidhe  XIV.  of  Keppoch.  He  is 
among  the  followers  of  Coll  of  Keppoch  in  1691. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Allan  Macdonald  of 
Gellovie,  and  had — 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  459 

1.  Alexander. 

2.  Angus. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  Kennedy  of  Lianachan. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.      He    signed    the   Address   to 
George  I.  in  1714.     He  had — 

1.  Ranald. 

2.  Archibald. 

3.  Donald   Ban   a   Bhochdain.     He    married   a   Macgregor 

from  Rannoch,  and  had  Donald  Ban  Og  and  Angus 
Roy.  Donald  Ban  had  a  natural  son,  Alexander,  who 
married  Grace  Mackintosh,  and  had  Ranald,  Flora, 
Janet,  Anne,  Grace,  Catherine,  and  Sarah.  Ranald 
married  the  daughter  of  a  Donald  Mackenzie,  and  had 
Donald,  Angus,  Alexander,  Duncan,  Janet,  Christina, 
and  Sarah.  He  and  all  his  family  emigrated  to 
America.  Angus  Roy,  second  son  of  Donald  Ban  a 
Bhochdain,  married  a  sister  of  Captain  Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Moy  without  issue.  He  had  a  natural 
son,  Donald,  Tacksman  of  Coruanan,  who  married  a 
daughter  of  Donald  Dubh  MacGhilleasbuig  of  Tulloch, 
one  of  Sliochd  na  Mointich,  and  had,  besides  several 
daughters,  a  son,  Angus,  who  was  for  a  number  of 
years  in  the  Lovat  Estate  Office,  Beauly.  He  went  to 
America,  studied  medicine,  and  died  in  1898. 

Alexander  Macdouald  of  Clianaig  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

III.  RANALD,  who  died  unmarried,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  brother, 

IV.  ARCHIBALD.      His  name  is  on  the   list   of 
persons  concerned  in  the  Rising  of  1745.     He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  DONALD.       We    cannot    trace    this    family 
further. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  TIRNADRISH. 

The  first  of  this  family  was  RANALD,  known  as 
Raomdl  Mor,  second  son  of  Archibald  XV.  of 
Keppoch.  The  former  Macdonalds  of  Tirnadrish 


460  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

were  of  the  Sliochd  Ghoirridh  from  Uist,  the  last 
of  whom  was  Archibald,  known  as  Gilleasbuig  Mor. 
Ranald  married  Mary  Macdonald  of  Glengarry,  and 
had  by  her— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  is  described  us  Captain  John  Macdonald  of 

Leek.  He  had  taken  a  lease  of  Leek  after  the  old 
family  left.  He  had  at  least  two  sous,  Aeneas,  a 
Captain  in  the  6th  Royal  Veterans,  Fort-Augustus, 
and  George,  an  officer  in  the  55th  Regiment. 

3.  Angus,  whose  son,  Donald  of  Tallyfour,  an  officer  in  the 

Macdonald  Regiment,  was  killed  in  the  American 
War,  unmarried. 

Ranald  of  Tirnadrish  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  DONALD.  He  joined  in  the  Rising  of  the  '45, 
and  was  a  Major  in  the  Prince's  Army.  The  pro- 
minent part  he  acted  is  well  known.  After  the 
battle  of  Falkirk  he  fell  accidentally  into  the  hands 
of  a  party  of  Hawley's  force,  whom  in  the  twilight 
he  mistook  for  Lord  John  Drummond's  French 
picket.  He  was  executed  at  Carlisle,  18th  October, 
1746.  Tirnadrish  was  a  brave  and  chivalrous 
officer,  and  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in  the 
Prince's  Army.  His  fate  was  greatly  lamented. 

He  married,   first,  a  daughter  of  Mackenzie  of 
Torridon,  and  had  by  her — 

1.  Ranald. 

2.  Isabella,  who  died  unmarried. 

3.  Mary,  who  married  John  Chichester  of  Arlington,  with 

issue. 

4.  Catherine,  who  married  Dr  Thomas  Macdonald,  Gellovie, 

with  issue. 

He   married,    secondly,    a   daughter   of    Alexander 
Macdonald  of  Killiechonate,  and  had  by  her — 

5.  Sarah,  who  married  Major  Alexander  Macdonald,  brother 

of  Keppoch. 

6.  Juliet,  who  died  unmarried. 

JDonald  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  461 

III.  RANALD,  who,  after  his  father's  execution, 
was  adopted  and  educated  by  Francis  Warwick  of 
Warwick  Hall,  Cumberland.  He  was  sent  to 
Donay  to  study  for  the  priesthood,  but  he  died 
before  he  was  old  enough  to  be  ordained. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  INCH. 

This  family  is  descended  from  ANGUS  BAN,  eldest 
son  of  Alexander  Macdonald  XVII.  of  Keppoch,  the 
issue,  as  already  stated,  of  an  irregular  union  formed 
by  Alexander  before  his  marriage  to  Jessie  Stewart 
of  Appin.  He  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  when 
his  father  fell  at  Culloden,  after  which  he  took  his 
place  at  the  head  of  the  family,  a  position  which  he 
retained  for  some  time  after  his  brother,  Ranald, 
came  of  age.  Angus  fought  by  his  father's  side  at 
Culloden,  and  with  difficulty  escaped  with  his  life, 
being  hotly  pursued  by  the  Hanoverian  troops. 
He  attended  the  meeting  of  the  chiefs  held  at  Ach- 
nacarry  on  the  8th  of  May.  He  remained  after- 
wards for  a  long  time  in  hiding,  and  with  MacNab 
of  Innisewen  assisted  the  Prince  in  his  wanderings. 

Angus  married,  in  1752,  Christina,  daughter  of 
Archibald  Macdonald  of  Achnancoichean,  and  had 
by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  who  died  young,  unmarried. 

2.  Archibald,  who  succeeded  his  father. 

,3;  Donald,  who  in  1797  married  Anne,  eldest  daughter  of 

Patrick  Macdonald,  Minister  of  Kilmore,  and  had-  - 
(A)  Angus  of  Keppoch.     He  married,  in  1835,  Christina 
Macnab,  well  known  as  a  highly  cultured  High- 
land lady,  daughter  of  John  Macnab  of  Sheug- 
hiart,  Kintyre,  and  of  Sherrabeg,  Badenoch,  and 
had  by  her — 
(1)  Donald,   who  lived  for  some  years  in  Australia. 

i    J  •  it     «     O  r 

On  his  return  home  he  received  the  welcome  of 


462  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

a  chief  from  his  clansmen  of  Lochaber.  He 
finally  returned  to  Australia  in  1888,  and  died 
at  Melbourne  on  the  28th  Feb.,  1889,  un- 
married. 

(2)  Charlotte,  who  died  unmarried. 

(3)  Anne,  who  married  William  Kennedy,  Melbourne, 

with  issue. 

(4)  Jessie,  who  married  Keith  Maclellan,  of  Melfort, 

with  issue. 

(5)  Maria,    who   married   Alexander    R.    Macdonald, 

Ord,  with  issue. 

(6)  Teresa,  Avho  married  George  Keith  Maitland,  of 

the  Lauderdale  family,  with  issue. 

(7)  Frances,   a  Nun,   now  in   Paris,  and  has  several 

convents  under  her  charge. 

(8)  John,  who  died  in  childhood. 

(9)  Joseph,  who  died  in  childhood. 

(10)  Josephine,  amongst  whose  many  accomplishments 

is  to  be  reckoned  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
language  and  literature  of  the  Highland  people. 

(11)  Alice  Claire,   Bardess   of   the  Clan  Donald,  and 

authoress  of  "  Lays  of  the  Heather,"  published 
in  1896,  a  volume  of  poetry  of  a  very  high 
order. 

4.  Ranald,  who  was  first  an  officer  in  the  79th,  and  after- 

wards Captain  in  the  92nd  Regiment.  He  died 
unmarried. 

5.  John,    who    was  educated  in    Rome,    where   he   visited 

Prince  Charles,  and  was  a  man  of  great  intelligence. 
On  account  of  his  accurate  knowledge  of  the  history 
of  the  Highlands,  he  was  of  great  assistance  to  Donald 
Gregory  when  preparing  his  history.  He  died  un- 
married. 

6.  Coll,  who  died  unmarried. 

7.  Alexandrina,   who    married   Macdonald   of   Lochans,    in 

Moidurt,  and  had  — 

(A)  Christina,   who  married  Lieutenant  Theodore  M'Ra, 
and  had,  among  others,  Allan,  Priest  of  Strath- 


(B)  Anne,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald,  Moy,  with 

issue,  in  Australia, 
(c)  Allana,  who  married  Archibald  Macdonald,  Moy,  with 

issue,  in  Australia, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      463 

Angus  Ban  died  in  1815,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

II.  ARCHIBALD.  He  joined  the  79th,  and  was 
afterwards  in  the  92nd  Gordon  Highlanders.  He 
died  Lieut. -Colonel  of  Veterans. 

He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  M'Lachlan  of 
Kilichoan,  and  had— 

1.  George,  who  died  unmarried. 

2.  Alexander,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Stewart  of 

Achnancone,  and  had  two  daughters. 

3.  Angus  of  Inch,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Colonel 

Coll  Macdonald,  son  of  John  Macdonald  of  Morar,  and 
had  Coll,  Archibald,  Francis,  Fanny,  and  Georgina, 
who  married  Captain  Carey,  without-  issue.  Angus 
and  his  family  emigrated  to  Australia. 

4.  Dr  Ewen,  who  lived  in  India  for  many  years,  and  after- 

wards in  London,  where  he  died,  May  18,  1891.  He 
married  Anne  Hill,  and  had— 

(A)  Archibald,  now  Priest  of  Knoydart. 

(B)  Alastajr,  who  died  unmarried  in  1892. 

(c)  Cuthbert,  who  married,  and  died  without  issue. 

(D)  Henrietta,  who  married  Sir  Anthony  Patrick  Mac- 
donald, G.C.S.I,  with  issue.  Sir  Anthony,  who 
has  had  a  distinguished  and  brilliant  career,  was 
educated  at  Queen's  College,  Galway,  and  entered 
the  Bengal  Civil  Service  in  1864.  He  has  been 
Secretary  to  the  Government  of  Bengal,  to  the 
Legislative  Council,  and  for  the  Home  Depart- 
ment of  the  Government  of  India.  He  was 
officiating  Chief  Commissioner  in  Burmah  in 
1890,  Chief  Commissioner  of  the  Central  Pro- 
vinces from  1891  to  1895,  and  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  North-West  Provinces  and  Oudh 
from  1895  to  1901.  He  is  at  present  Under 
Secretary  for  Ireland. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KILLIECHONATE. 

This  family,  which  branched  out  early  from  the 
main  line  of  Keppoch,  is  probably  descended  from 


464  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Donald  Glass,  the  sixth  chief.      The  first  of  whom 
there  is  any  record  was — 

I.  ANGUS,  who  lived  at  Killiechonate.      He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ALEXANDER,  who  is  mentioned  in  record  in 
1592  as  Alastair  Maclain  Vic  limes  of  Killiechonate. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  ANGUS.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER.     He  had— 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  Donald. 

4.  John. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  ANGUS,  who  is  mentioned  in  1691  as  one  of 
Coll  of  Keppoch's  followers.      He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

VII.  ALEXANDER.     He  had— 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  A  daughter,  who  married  Angus  Macdonald  of  Tulloch. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Tirna- 

drish. 

Alexander  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VIII.  JAMES.  Of  him  and  his  family,  if  he  had 
any,  we  have  no  trace. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  LOCHALSH. 

This  family,  whose  history  has  already  been 
treated  of  incidentally  in  the  other  volumes  of  this 
work,  was  descended  from  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross 
and  Lord  of  the  Isles.  CELESTINE,  the  first  of  the 
family,  was  a  son  of  Alexander  by  a  daughter  of 
MacPhee,  the  head  of  a  tribe  of  that  name  in 
Lochaber.  His  father  bestowed  upon  him  a  large 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  465 

estate,  including  Lochalsh,  Lochcarron,  and  Loch- 
broom.  In  1463,  his  brother,  John,  Earl  of  Ross, 
granted  him  a  charter  of  these  lands  for  the  yearly 
payment  of  6  pennies  blench  ferine,  with  remainder 
to  his  heirs,  and  also  the  lands  of  Achness,  Spinning- 
dale,  Davochcarry,  Plodd,  and  Pulrossie,  in  the 
Parish  of  Creich  and  Earldom  of  Sutherland.  This 
grant  was  afterwards  confirmed  by  King  James  III. 
The  lands  in  Sutherlandshire  were  granted  with 
remainder  to  Celestine's  heirs  by  Finvola,  daughter 
of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Duart.  In  1467,  Celestine 
received  a  charter  of  the  lands  of  Strathalmadale,  in 
Sutherland,  from  his  brother,  the  Earl  of  Ross. 
His  first  appearance  in  record  is  in  1447,  when  he 
witnessed  a  charter  of  the  Bailiary  of  Lochaber  to 
Malcolm  Mackintosh  by  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross. 
In  1456  he  was  appointed  Keeper  of  Redcastle,  then 
an  important  stronghold,  with  which  he  held  the 
lands  and  wh6le  revenues  of  Eddridule,  including 
the  farms  of  Ardmanach.  He  was  so  high  in  favour 
this  year  at  Court  that  the  King  presented  him 
with  a  silver  collar  and  chain  worth  £20.  He  con- 
tinued Keeper  of  Redcastle  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
In  1464  he  appears  as  Sheriff  of  Inverness.  He 
appears  frequently  in  record  after  this  date,  and  was 
evidently  the  person  next  in  importance  to  his 
brother  in  the  Earldom  of  Ross. 

Celestine  married  Finvola,  daughter  of  Lachlan 
Maclean  of  Duart,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Finvola,  who,  in  1467,  married  the  Earl  of  Sutherland. 

3.  Margaret,  who  married  Ewin  Allanson  of  Lochiel,  who, 

in  1472,  was  appointed  by  Celestine  heritable  keeper 
of  his  Castle  of  Strome.  He  at  the  same  time 
bestowed  upon  him  the  12  merk  lands  of  Kishorn. 

30 


466  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Celostine  of  Lochalsh  died  in  1476,  and  was  buried 
at  Rosemarkie.  According  to  Hugh  Macdonald's 
MS.,  "  he  was  one  day  hunting  in  the  Braes  of  Ross, 
having  a  leash  of  hounds  in  his  hands.  Upon  scent- 
ing the  deer  they  rushed  forward  and  threw  him 
against  the  stock  of  an  old  tree,  some  of  the 
branches  of  which,  piercing  his  side,  occasioned  his 
death."  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  Sir  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.  Sir  Alex- 
ander's career  in  the  history  of  the  clan  has  been 
already  noticed  in  the  other  volumes  of  this  work. 
After  the  death  of  Angus  Og,  his  son,  Donald  Dubh, 
being  a  child,  and  kept  in  close  confinement  by  the 
Earl  of  Argyll,  the  leadership  of  the  clan  devolved 
upon  Sir  Alexander.  The  Lord  of  the  Isles  himself 
had  ceased  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of 
his  extensive  territories,  and  Sir  Alexander  looked 
upon  himself  as  heir-presumptive  to  the  lordship. 
It  was  presumably  in  this  character  that  he,  with 
the  Lord  of  the  Isles,  granted  in  1492  a  charter  of 
the  Bailiary  of  the  south  part  of  Tiree  to  John 
Maclean  of  Lochbuie.  In  this  same  year  he,  as  Lord 
of  Lochiel,  bestowed  upon  Ewin  Allanson,  his 
brother-in-law,  the  lands  of  Banavie,  Corpach,  and 
others  in  Kilmallie,  and  certain  lands  in  Lochalsh. 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  married  a  daughter  of 
the  Earl  of  Moray,  and  had  by  her — 

1 .  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald,  who,  brought  up  at  the  Scottish  Court,  was  one 

of  the  King's  henchmen. 

3.  John,  who  also  was  brought  up  at  the  Scottish  Court. 

4    Angus,   to  whom  his  father  gave  lands   on   the   West 

Coast  of  Ross-shire. 
5.  John  Cam,  according  to  MacVurich,  a  natural  son,  whose 

descendents  settled  at  Achnacoichean,   in   Lochaber. 

Their  representative  in  Mac Vn rich's  time  was  Donald 

Gorm  MacRanald  MacAlastair  Duibh'ic  Iain,  Chaim. 


ALEXANDER,    1st    LORD    MACDONALD. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  467 

6.  Margaret,    who   also    was   brought   up   at  Court.      She 

married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glengarry,  with 
issue. 

7.  Janet,   who  married    Dingwall  of  Kildun,  with  issue — 

Thomas  Dingwall  of  Kildun.  She  and  her  sister, 
Margaret,  inherited  after  the  death  of  their  brother 
the  lands  of  the  family  of  Lochalsh. 

Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Lochalsh  was  assassin- 
ated by  John  Maclain  of  Ardnamurchan  at  Orinsay, 
in  Argyllshire,  in  1495,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

III.  Sir  DONALD,  known  as  Donald  Gallda  from 
his  residence  in  the  Lowlands.  He  was  a  minor  at 
the  time  of  his  father's  death.  King  James  IV.  on 
one  of  his  visits  to  the  Highlands  took  with  him 
Donald  and  the  other  children  of  Sir  Alexander 
of  Lochalsh  to  Edinburgh,  where  they  lived  for 
many  years,  and  were  educated  at  the  Scottish 
Court.  Donald, 'who  was  a  great  favourite  with  the 
King,  was  restored  to  his  father's  heritage,  and  was 
afterwards  knighted  by  the  King  on  the  field  of 
Flodden.  A  sketch  of  Sir  Donald's  career  has  already 
been  given  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

He  died,  unmarried,  at  Cairnburgh,  in  Mull,  in 
1519,  when  the  family  of  Lochalsh  in  the  male  line 
became  extinct. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  SLEAT.    - 

The  Macdonalds  of  Sleat  are  descended  from 
I.  HUGH,  son  of  Alexander,  Earl  of  Ross,  and 
Lord  of  the  Isles,  by  the  daughter  of  O'Beolan,  lay 
Abbot  of  Applecross,  and  are  known  patronymically 
as  Clann  Uisdein. 

Hugh  married,  first,   Fynvola,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander Maclain  of  Ardnamurchan,  and  had  by  her — 
1.  John,  his  successor, 


468  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

He  married,  secondly,  Elizabeth  Gunn,  daughter  of 
the  Crowner  of  Caithness,  and  had  by  her— 

2.  Donald  Gallach. 

He   married,    thirdly,    a    daughter    of    Macleod   of 
Harris,  by  whom  he  had— 

3.  Donald  Herrach,  from  whom  Clann  Domhnuill  Herraich. 
Hugh  had  also  several  sons,  whose  claims  to  legiti- 
macy do  not  seem  to  have  been  admitted  even  by 
the  social  canons  of  the  time,  viz. : — 

4.  Archibald  Dubh,  by  a  daughter  of  Torquil  Macleod  of 

Lewis. 

5.  Angus  Collach,  by  a  daughter  of  the  Laird  of  Coll. 

6.  Angus   Dubh,   by   a   daughter  of  Maurice   Vicar  of  S. 

Uist, 

Hugh  Macdonald  of  Sleat  died  in    1498,   and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

II.  JOHN.  It  has  been  seen  how  he  surrendered 
his  whole  patrimony  to  the  King,  by  whom  it  was 
afterwards  bestowed  upon  Ranald  MacAllan  of  Claii- 
ranald  and  Angus  Reochson  MacKanald  of  Morar. 
This  grant,  however,  never  took  effect.  John  died 
in  1502,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

III.  DONALD  GALLACH.  He  did  not  long  occupy 
the  position  of  Chief  of  Sleat,  as  he  was  murdered 
by  his  brother,  Archibald  Dubh,  in  1506.  He 
married  Agnes,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Cathanach 
Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg  and  the  Glens,  by  whom 
he  had— 

1.  Donald  Gruamach,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  whose  sons  fought  in  Ireland  on  the  side  of 

their  kinsman,  Sorley  Buy. 

3.  Angus,  who  had  a  son,  John. 

4.  Ranald  Collach,  who  had  a  son,  Alexander. 

Donald  Gallach  of  Sleat  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest 
son, 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     469 

IV.  DONALD  GRUAMACH.  He  married,  first, 
Catherine,  daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of 
Clanranald,  and  had  — 

1.  Donald  Gorm,  his  successor. 

He   married,   secondly,    a   daughter  of  Macleod  of 
Lewis,  and  had  — 

2;  John  Og,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Alastair  Crotach 
Macleod  of  Dunvegan,  without  issue. 

3.  Archibald,  the  Clerk.     He  had  two  sons  — 

(A)  Hugh,    whose   career   and    fate   have   already   been 

described.     He  had  a  son,  Alexander,  who  appears 
on  record. 

(B)  Donald. 

4.  James  of  Castle  Camus,  known  as  Seumas  a?  Ckaisteil, 

progenitor  of  Kingsburgh  and  other  families. 

He  had  other  sons  said  to  have  been  natural,  viz.  :  — 

5.  Alexander. 

6.  John  Dubh. 

7.  Angus. 

8.  Alexander.     None  of  these  appear  to  have  left  traceable 

posterity. 

Donald  Gruamach  died  in  1534,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  oldest  son, 

Y.  DONALD     GORM.       He    married 


daughter   of  Torquil   Macleod   of  Lewis,  and 
two  sons  — 

i      T^         u  r<  t,- 

1.  Donald  Gormesou,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander  Og,  who  died  without  issue. 

Donald   Gorm  was  killed  at  Ellandonan  in   1539, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  elder  son, 

VI.  DONALD  GORMESON,  who  was  a  child  at 
the  time  of  his  father's  death.  He  was  known 
as  Domhnull  Gorm  Sasunnach  on  account  of  his 
having  spent  part  of  his  minority  iri  England.  He 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  Hector  Mor  Maclean  of 
Duart,  with  issue  — 


470  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

1.  Donald  Gorm  Mor,  his  successor. 

2.  Archibald,  the  Clerk.     He  had— 

(A)  Donald  Gorm  Og  Mac'illesbuig  Chleireich,  who  suc- 

ceeded his  uncle. 

(B)  Alexander,  who  did  not  leave  issue. 

(c)  Mary,  who  married,  as  her  1st  husband,  Ranald  Mac- 
donald  of  Benbecula,  and  2nd,  James  Macdonald, 
grandson  of  James  of  Castle  Camus. 

3.  Alexander,  who  died  without  issue. 

Donald  Gormeson  of  Sleat  died  in    1585,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

VII.  DONALD   GORM  MOR.      He  married,  first, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Norman  Macleod  of  Dunvegan, 
whom  he  repudiated.     He  married,  secondly,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Colin  Mackenzie,  llth  Baron  of  Kintail. 
He  married,  thirdly,  Marjory,  a  daughter  of  Mac- 
kintosh of  that  ilk.     In  1614  he  makes  provision  for 
her  by  granting  a  charter  in  her  favour  of  the  lands 
of  Terung  Chaisteil  and  Terung  Uachter,  in  Sleat. 
Donald  Gorm  Mor  died,  without  issue,  in  1617,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  nephew, 

VIII.  SIR  DONALD  MACDONALD,  1st  Baronet  of 
Sleat.      He  married   Janet,  daughter  of  Kenneth, 
Lord  Mackenzie  of  Kintail,  with  issue — 

1.  James,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  founder  of  the  Castleton  family.     '"9 

3.  Archibald,   a  famous   warrior   and   poet,   known .  in   his 

day  as  An  Ciaran  mabach.  His  expedition  for 
the  punishment  of  the  Keppoch  murderers  has  been 
already  described.  In  1654  he  received  a  wadset 
of  the  lands  of  Borniskittaig,  in  Trotternish.  The 
following  year  he  married  Janet,  daughter  of  Colin 
Mackenzie.  He  died  in  1688.  By  his  wife  he  had  a 
son,  John,  who  succeeded  him  as  wadsetter  of  Borni- 
skittaig. John  held  King  James'  commission  as 
Captain  in  the  regiment  commanded  by  Donald  of 
Castleton  at  the  Revolution.  In  1684  Captain 
John  Macdonald  of  Borniskittaig  married  Catherine 
daughter  of  MacNeill  of  Barra.  By  her  he  had  a 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      471 

daughter,  Janet,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald  of 
Sarthill  in  1709,  which  year  he  died,  leaving  no  male 
issue. 

4.  Angus,  who  had  the  lands  of  Sarthill,  and  died  without 

issue. 

5.  Alexander  of  Paiblisgearry,  in  North  Uist.     In  1653  he 

married  Anne  Mackay,  sister  of  John,  Lord  Reay,  and 
by  her  had  issue — 

(A)  Captain  Hugh  Macdonald,  who  succeeded. 

(B)  Barbara,  who  married  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Torloisk. 

Alexander  died  in  or  before  1657,  as  his  wife 
appears  on  record  as  a  widow  in  the  course  of 
that  year.  Hence  in  Sir  James  Macdonald's 
Deed  of  Entail,  in  1658,  his  name  does  not 
appear  along  with  the  Baronet's  other  brothers. 
Captain  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Paiblisgearry  suc- 
ceeded his  father.  He  also  appears  on  record 
as  of  Duistill,  in  Sleat.  He  was  brought  up 
evidently  under  the  Reay  influence,  which  was 
anti-Jacobite,  and  favourable  to  the  Orange 
movement.  He  held  the  rank  of  Captain  in  the 
regiment  of  General  Mackay,  his  relative,  and  had 
the  freedom  of  Montrose  conferred  on  him  in  1692, 
Much  of  his  military  life  was  passed  in  Flanders, 
where  he  fought  in  the  army  of  the  States 
General  in  the  war  with  France.  He  died  before 
1721,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  John 
Macdonald  of  Paiblisgearry,  who  appears  that 
year  in  an  enumeration  of  the  gentlemen  of 
North  Uist.  We  have  no  information  as  to  the 
date  of  his  death,  but  with  him  the  descendants 
of  Alexander  of  Paiblisgearry  terminated  in  the 
male  line. 

6.  Margaret,    who  married    Angus,    Lord   Macdonald   and 

Aros,  Chief  of  Glengarry,  without  issue. 

7.  Katherine,   who    married    Kenneth   Mackenzie,    6th  of 

Gairloch,  without  issue. 

8.  Mary,  who  married  Sir  Ewen  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  with 

issue. 

9.  Janet,  who,  in  1655,  married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Clan- 

ranald. 


472  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  died  in  1643,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

IX.  Sir  JAMES  MOR,  2nd  baronet  of  Sleat.     He 

5i5^«r 

married,  first,  in  1633,  Margaret,  only  daughter  of 
Sir  John  Mackenzie  of  Tarbat,  by  whom  he  had — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Hugh  of  Glenmore,  progenitor  of  Gleumore  and  Mugstot 

family.  5^3 

3.  John,    from    whom   the   Macdonalds  of   Bernisdale   and 

Scalpay  are  descended.       ^f^S 

4.  Somerled,  of  whom  the  Sartle  family.        ^  \ 

5.  Roderick,    who   became   a   writer   in    Edinburgh.       He 

married  Janet  Ritchie,  with  issue — (a)  John,  of  whom 
•  the  Macdonalds  of  Totamurrich  and  Knock;  (b)  James; 

(c)  Donald.  *»  3*f 

6.  James.     He  got  sasine  of  the  lands  of  Aird,  Sleat,  in 

1682.  He  fought  under  Dundee  at  Killiecrankie,  and 
fell  in  the  charge  so  fatal  to  the  gentlemen  of  Sleat. 
John  Lorn  Macdonald,  the  Lochaber  bard,  composed 
an  elegy  to  his  memory,  and  in  a  similar  effusion  to 
Sir  Donald,  3rd  baronet  of  Sleat,  he  again  refers  to 
t  •  the  death  of  James?  at  "  Raon  Ruairidh,"  as  that 

celebrated  field  is  styled  by  the  bards.  From  these 
poems  we  gather  that  James  of  Aird,  whom  John 
Lorn  calls  "  Seumas  Og,"  was  a  man  of  high  courage 
and  chivalrous  bearing,  the  kind  of  man  that  the 
bards  loved  to  celebrate  in  song.  In  1661  he  married 
Marion,  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of  Dunvegan,  by 
whom  he  had  an  only  sou,  Donald,  who  succeeded  him 
at  Aird.  Donald  has,  in  1717,  a  claim  against  the 
Estate  of  Sleat  after  the  forfeiture  which  followed 
Sheriffmuir,  and  in  1723  is'  served  heir  to  his  father 
as  his  only  son.  He  died  without  issue. 

7.  Alexander. 

8.  Archibald. 

9.  Angus. 

10.  Catherine,  who,  in  1666,  married  Sir  Norman  Macleod  of 

Bernera,  with  issue. 

11.  Florence,  who  married,  first,  John  Macleod  of  Duuvegan  ; 

secondly,  John  MacNaughton  of  that  Ilk. 


GODFREY,    3RD    LORD    MACOONALD. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  473 

Sir  James  married,  as  his  second  wife,  in  1661, 
Mary,  daughter  of  John  Macleod  of  Dun  vegan, 
with  issue— 

12.  John,  for  whom  his  father  acquired  the  estate  of  Bal- 
conie,  an  ancient  residence  of  the  Earls  of  Ross — its 
name  of  old  being  Baile  Comhnuidh  Mhic  Dkomhnuill, 
or  Macdonald's  town  of  residence. 

John  of  Balconie  married  Alice,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander Mackenzie  of  Lentran,  with  issue — 

(A)  Donald,  his  successor. 

(B)  James. 

(c)  Mary,  who  married  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Sasaig  in 

1712. 
(D)  Margaret,    who    married     Alexander    Mackenzie    of 

Lentran. 
(B)  Elizabeth,    who    married    Rev.    Hugh    Macdonald, 

minister  of  Portree,  with  issue, 
(p)  Isabel,  who  married  Archibald  Maclean  of  Boreray. 

John  of  Balcouie  died  in  1707.     He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Donald,  who  died  without  issue. 

Sir  James  Macdonald  had  a  natural  son — 

1 3.  Ranald,  of  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Balishare.        JJ  ^^ 
His   widow,  Mary  Macleod,  married,  as  her  second 
husband,  John  Moor,  brother  to  Sir  William  Moor 
of  Rowallan.     Sir   James   died  on   8th  -December, 
1678,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

X.  Sir  DONALD  MACDONALD,  3rd  baronet  of 
Sleat.  He  married  on  24th  July,  1662,  Margaret 
Douglas,  second  daughter  of  Robert,  3rd  Earl  of 
Morton,  and  had  issue — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  James  of  Orinsay,  who  carried  on  the  succession. 

3.  William,  of  whom  the  Vallay  family.   - 

4.  Isabel,  who  married  Sir  Alexander  Bannerman,  Bart,  of 

Elsick. 

bv':',   5.  Margaret,  \rho  married  Allan  Macdonald  of  Morar. 
6.  Barbara,  who  married  Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch. 
He  had  also  a  natural  son,  Angus. 


474  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Sir  Donald  died  in  1695,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
oldest  son, 

XL  Sir  DONALD,  4th  Bart,  of  Sleat.  He  was 
known  in  the  Isles  as  Domhnull  a  Chogaidh — 
Donald  of  the  War — he  having  taken  part  in 
the  campaign  of  1689,  under  Dundee,  and  that  of 
1715,  under  the  Earl  of  Mar.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Donald  Macdoiiald  of  Castleton,  by 
whom  he  had — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Margaret,  who  married  Captain  John  Macqueen,  Royal 

Regiment  of  Foot. 

3.  Mary,  who  married  John  Martin  of  Flodigarry,  with  issue 

a  daughter,  Kate,  who  married  Rev.  D.  Nicolso». 

4.  Isabella,   who   married    Dr   Alex.    Munro,    Professor  of 

Anatomy  in  Edinburgh.     She  died  10th  Dec.,  1774. 

Sir  Donald  died  in  1718,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  only  son, 

XII.  Sir  DONALD,  5th  Bart.     He  died  young,  in 
1720,  and  leaving  no  issue,  was  for  a   very  short 
time  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the  family 
by  his  uncle, 

XIII.  Sir  JAMES,  the    6th  Bart.     He  married, 
first,   Janet,    daughter    of    Alexander   Macleod    of 
Greshornish,  with  issue — 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Margaret,  who  married  Robert  Douglas  of  Scotscraig. 

3.  Isabel,  who  died  young. 

4.  Janet,  who  married  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie,  Bart,  of 

Coul. 

Sir  James  married,  secondly,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
John  Macdonald  of  Castleton,  with  issue — 

5.  John.     On  19th  September,    1723,  he  was  served  heir 

male  and  provision  general  to  his  father,  but  as  there 
is  no  further  record  of  him,  we  conclude  that  he  died 
.    young. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  475 

Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Orinsay  died  in  December, 
1720,  a  few  months  after  his  succession.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  older  son, 

XIV.  Sir  ALEXANDER,  the  7th  Bart.    He  married, 
first,  on  5th  April,  1733,  Anne,  daughter  of  David 
Erskine  of  Dun,  one  of  the  Senators  of  the  College 
of  Justice,  and  widow  of  James,  Lord  Ogilvie.     By 
her  he  had— 

1.  Donald,  who  died  young. 

Lady  Macdonald  did  not  long  survive,  and  Sir  Alex- 
ander married,  secondly,  on  24th  April,  1739,  Lady 
Margaret  Montgomery,  daughter  of  Alexander,  9th 
Earl  of  Eglintoun,  and  by  her  had  issue— 

2.  James,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  James. 

4.  Archibald,    who     became     Lord    Chief    Baron    of    the 

Exchequer,  of  whom  the  family  of  East  Sheen.    '  s*  Y  o 

5.  Susan,  who  died  unmarried  in  1755. 

Sir  Alexander  died  in  December,  1746,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

XV.  Sir  JAMES,  8th  Bart.,  a  most  accomplished 
scholar,  known  in   his  day  as   the  "  Scottish  Mar- 
cellus."     He  died  in  1766  in  Home,  where  he  was 
buried.     Leaving  no  issue,  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother, 

XVI.  Sir  ALEXANDER,  9th  Bart.,  who  was  raised 
to  the  dignity  of  Lord  Macdonald  in  the  Peerage  of 
Ireland  in   1776.      On  3rd  May,   1768,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Diana,  eldest  daughter  of  Godfrey  Bosville 
of  Gunthwaite,  County  of  York,  with  issue — 

1.  Alexander  Wentworth,  his  successor. 

2.  Godfrey,  who  succeeded  his  brother. 

3.  Archibald.      He  was  Captain  in   the   Prince  of  Wales' 

Own  Regiment  of  Light  Dragoons.  He  married,  in 
1802,  Jane,  eldest  daughter  and  co-heir  of  Duncan 
Campbell  of  Ardueave,  Argyllshire,  with  issue — 


476  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

(a)  Archibald  ;  (b)  Campbell ;  (c)  James ;  (d)  Nixon 
Alexander ;  (e)  Arthur  ;  (/)  Mary ;  (g)  Elizabeth 
Diana. 

4.  James,  who  was  a  Lieut.-Colonel  in  the  first  regiment  of 

Foot  Guards.  He  was  killed  at  Bergen-op-Zoom,  9th 
March,  1814,  leaving  no  issue — 

5.  Dudley  Stewart  Erskine,  a  Fellow   of   Trinity  College, 

Cambridge.  He  died,  without  issue,  on  26th  August, 
1840. 

6.  John  Sinclair. 

7.  William. 

8.  Diana,  who  married  as  his  second  wife,  in   1788,  the 

Right  Hon.  Sir  John  Sinclair  of  Ulbster,  Bart.,  with 
issue.  Her  son  was  the  Rev.  William  Sinclair, 
Rector  of  Pulborough,  Sussex,  whose  son  is  the 
Venerable  William  Macdonald  Sinclair,  Archdeacon 
of  London. 

9.  Elizabeth. 
10.  Annabella. 

Lord  Macdonald  died  12th  September,  1795,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XVII.  Sir  ALEXANDER  WENTWORTH,  10th  Bart, 
and  2nd  Lord  Macdonald.     He  died,  unmarried,  9th 
June,  1824,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  next  brother, 

XVIII.  Sir  GODFREY  MACDONALD  BOSVILLE,  as 
llth  Baronet  and   3rd  Lord  Macdonald.      He  had 
assumed  his  mother's  name  of  Bosville  after  that  of 
Macdonald,   but   dropped   it    on    succeeding  to  his 
brother.      He   married   Louisa   Maria,   daughter  of 
Farley  Edsir,  and  by  her  (who  died  10th  February, 
1835)  left  issue — 

1.  Alexander  William  Robert  Bosville,  who  succeeded,  in 

terms  of  a  special  Act  of  Parliament,  to  the  English 
estates  of  Thorpe. 

2.  Godfrey  William    Wentworth,    who    succeeded    to    his 

father, 

"-  t  3.  James  William.  He  was  a  Lieut.-General,  C.B.,  Knight 
;;ZJLI.^..  -  of  the  Legion  of  Honour,  A.D.C.,  Equerry  and  Private 
------  Secretary  tqH.R.H.  the  Duke  of  Cambridge.  He 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  477 

had  a  distinguished  military  career,  having  served 
in  the  Crimea,  on  the  staff  of  the  Duke  of  Cambridge, 
and  at  the  battles  of  Alma  and  Inkerrnan  respectively 
had  a  horse  shot  undor  him.  He  married,  on  26th 
September,  1859,  Elizabeth  Nina,  2nd  daughter  of 
Joseph  Henry,  3rd  Lord  Wallscourt,  with  issue,  a  son, 
George  Godfrey,  who  was  Page  of  Honour  to  Her  late 
Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  and  two  daughters. 

4.  William,  an  officer  in  the  army,  died,  unmarried,  llth 

May,  1847. 

5.  Louisa,  who,  on  4th  June,  1826,  married  John  Hope,  5th 

Earl  of  Hopetoun,  with  issue,  an  only  son,  John  Alex- 
ander, 6th  Earl,  the  father  of  John  Adrian  Louis,  the 
present  Marquis  of  Liulithgow. 

6.  Elizabeth  Diana  Bosville,  who  married  Duncan  Davidson 

of  Tulloch,  with  issue — 

(A)  Duncan   H.  C.  R.  Davidson,  who  married  Georgina 

Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Mackenzie,  M.D.,  of 
Eileanach,  with  issue. 

(B)  Godfrey  Wentworth,  died  unmarried. 

(c)  Caroline  Louisa,  who  married  Captain  George  Wade, 
Commissioner  of  the  Sceychelles,  with  issue. 

(D)  Julia  Bosville,  who  married  the  Hon.   Henry  Chet- 

wynd,  R.N.,  with  issue. 

(E)  Adelaide  Lucy,  who  married  Colonel  George  William 

Holmes  Ross  of  Cromarty,  with  issue.  A  daughter 
of  this  house  is  Louisa  Jane  Hamilton,  the  present 
Lady  Macdonald  of  the  Isles. 

(F)  Ida  Eleanora  Constance,   who    married  Captain  the 

Hon.  Godfrey  Ernest  Percival  Willoughby. 

(G)  Matilda  Justina,  who  married  Lieut.-Colonel  Craigie- 

Halkett  of  Cramond,  with  issue. 
(H)  Diana  Bosville,  died  unmarried, 
(i)   Louisa  Maria,  died  unmarried, 
(j)  Elizabeth    Diana,   who   married   Patrick   A.   Watson 

Carnegy  of  Lour. 
The  Hon.  Elizabeth  Diana  Bosville  Davidson  died  in  1839. 

7.  Julia,  who  married  Rev.  Charles  Walter  Hudson,  rector 

of  Trowell,  Notts. 

8.  Susan  Hussey,  who  married  Richard  Beaumont,  Captain, 

R.N.,  with  issue — (a)  Godfrey,  Captain  in  the  Guards; 
(b)  Richard;  (c)  Dudley;  (d)  Cecil  W., R.N.;  (e)  Diana, 


478  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

who  married  Count  Gourowski  Wichde  ;  (/)  Averil,  who 
'    married  Hussey  Vivian,  M.P.,  with  issue  ;  (g)  Gwin- 
daline.     The  Hon.  Susan  Hussey  Beaumont  died  5th 
November,  1879. 

9.  Diana,  married  Colonel  John  George  Smyth  of  Heath 
Hall,  Yorkshire,  late  M.P.,  with  issue — (a)  George 
John  Fitzroy  ;  (I)  Henry  Edward  ;  (c)  Diana  Eliza- 
beth, who  married  the  Earl  of  Harewood  ;  (d)  Louisa ; 
(e)  Mary  ;  (/)  Eva. 

10.  Jane  Bosville. 

11.  Marianne,  who  married  Henry  Martin  Tumor,  Captain 

1st  King's  Dragoon  Guards,  with  issue — (a)  Archibald 
Henry,  late  Lieut.  R.N.,  who  died  unmarried  ;  (6) 
Charles,  Captain  Life  Guards  ;  (c)  Henrietta  Minna, 
who  married  John  Scott,  3rd  Earl  of  Eldon,  with 
issue  ;  (d)  Florence  ;  (e)  Mabel. 

12.  Octavia-Sophia,  married  William  James  Hope- Johnst  one 

of  Annandale,  with  issue — (a)  John  James,  late 
M.P.  for  Dumfries-shire  ;  (b)  Percy  Alexander ;  (c) 
Wentworth  William  ;  (d)  Alice  Minna. 

Lord  Macdonald  died  18th  October,  1832,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  and  heir, 

XIX.  Sir  GODFREY  WILLIAM  WENTWORTH,  12th 
Bart,  and  4th  Lord  Macdonald.  He  married,  on 
21st  August,  1845,  Maria  Anne,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Wyndham  of  Cromer  Hall,  Norfolk,  with  issue— 

1.  Somerled  James  Brudenell,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Ronald  Archibald  Bosville. 

3.  Godfrey  Alan,  who  died  in  infancy. 

4.  Eva  Maria  Louisa,  who  married  Captain  Algernon  Lang- 

ham,  Grenadier  Guards. 

5.  Flora  Matilda,  who  died  unmarried. 

6.  Lillian  Janet,  who  married  (1st)  Francis  Viscount  Tar- 

bat,    second    son   of   the  Duke  of   Sutherland,    who 
afterwards   succeeded    his   mother,   the  Countess   of 
Cromartie,  in  the  title  and  estates,  with  issue — 
(A)  Lady  Sybil  Mackenzie,  who  succeeded  on  her  father's 
death  to  the  title  and  estates   as  Countess   of 
Cromartie.     She  married    Major   E.    W.  Blunt, 
R.H.A. 


GODFREY,    4TH  LORD    MACDONALD. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      479 

(B)  Lady  Constance  Mackenzie,  who  married  Sir  Edward 
Stewart-Richardson,  Bart,  of  Pitfour,  Perthshire. 
Countess  Lillian  married,  secondly,  Mr  Cazenove. 
7.  Alexandrina  Victoria.      She   married   Anthony   Charles 
Sykes  Abdy,  Captain,  2nd  Life  Guards,  second  son  of 
the  late  Sir  Thomas  Neville  Abdy,  Bare. 
Two  other  children  died  in  infancy. 

Lord  Macdonald  died  on  25th  July,  1863,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

XX.  Sir    SOMERLED    JAMES    BRUDENELL,    13th 
Baronet    and     5th'  Lord    Macdonald.       He    died, 
unmarried,  on  25th  December,  1874,  aged  25,  and 
was   succeeded   by   his   next,    and    only,    surviving 
brother, 

XXI.  Sir  RONALD  ARCHIBALD  BOSVILLE,    14th 
Baronet  and    6th  Lord    Macdonald.      He  married, 
on    1st    October,    1875,    Louisa    Jane    Hamilton, 
second  daughter  of  Colonel  George   William  Boss 
of  Cromarty,  with  issue — 

1.  Somerled  Godfrey  James. 

2.  Godfrey  Evan  Hugh,  Lieutenant,  Scots  Guards. 

3.  Archibald  Ronald  Armadale,  Lieutenant,  Scots  Guards. 

In  December,  1900,  he  joined  his  regiment  in  South 
Africa,  and  gallantly  met  his  death  at  the  head  of  his 
troop  while  storming  a  kopje  near  Eelenburg,  Orange 
River  Colony,  on  April  17th,  1901. 

4.  Ronald  Ian. 

5.  lona-Marie-Adel  aide-Hope. 


THE  CLANN  DOMHNUILL  HERRAICH. 

I.  This  tribe  was  descended  from  Donald,  a 
younger  son  of  Hugh  of  Sleat,  by  a  daughter  of 
Macleod  of  Harris,  whence  he  was  known  as  Donald 
Herrach  or  of  Harris,  where  he  was  brought  up. 
He  had  the  lands  of  Griminish  and  Scolpig  in  North 
Uist,  and  with  these  the  senior  branch  of  the  family, 


480  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

that  of  Griminish,  was  associated  for  nearly  300 
years.  In  the  account  of  the  family  of  Sleat  in  this 
volume  it  has  been  shown  that  Donald  Herrach  met 
with  a  violent  death  mainly  through  the  wicked 
contrivance  of  his  half  brother,  Archibald  Dubh, 
who  murdered  Donald  Gallach,  chief  of  the  Clan 
Uisdein,  and  the  older  brother  of  Donald  Herrach. 
The  traditions  of  the  Western  Isles  have  been  very 
circumstantial  as  to  the  accounts  that  have  been 
handed  down  of  these  atrocities.  Archibald  Dubh 
and  Angus  Collach,  the  sons  of  Hugh,  and  a  man 
named  Paul,  were  in  the  plot  to  do  away  with 
Donald  Herrach.  It  was  arranged  that  the  asso- 
ciates should  perform  gymnastic  feats  on  the  Dun  of 
Loch  Scolpig,  in  the  course  of  which  the  conspiracy 
would  take  effect.  The  sports  were  apparently 
under  cover,  and  it  was  arranged  that  when  Donald 
Herrach,  who  was  remarkably  strong  and  active, 
tried  the  high  jump,  Paul,  who  was  to  be  concealed 
for  the  purpose,  should  place  a  noosed  thong  about 
his  neck,  draw  it  tight,  and  strangle  or  hold  him 
until  the  rest  could  with  greater  impunity  dispatch 
him. 

These  barbarous  measures  were  carried  out  to  the 
letter,  and  the  individual  who  manipulated  the 
thong  has  come  down  in  tradition  as  Pal  na  h-eille, 
or  Paul  of  the  thong.  Nemesis  overtook  him  in  the 
after  time.  He  received  lands  from  his  employer, 
Gilleasbuig  Dubh,  at  Balmore,  in  North  Uist,  but 
after  Archibald's  death  about  1510  the  fear  of 
vengeance  at  the  hands  of  Donald  Herrach's  sons 
led  him  for  greater  security  to  pass  much  of  his 
time  at  Dun  Steinigarry,  on  Loch  Paible.  The  day 
of  retribution  came.  It  was  the  time  of  harvest,  and 
as  Paul  of  the  thong  was  building  a  stack  one  day 
in  his  corn-yard,  he  perceived  from  his  elevated 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  481 

position  a  man  of  large  stature  approaching — still 
at  a  considerable  distance.  He  asked  those  around 
from  what  direction  did  the  wind  blow  yesterday. 
He  was  told  it  was  from  the  East,  whereupon, 
divining  correctly  that  it  was  Angus  Fionn  Mac 
Dhomhnuill  Herrach,  who  had  crossed  the  Minch  to 
avenge  his  father's  death,  he  made  at  the  top  of  his 
speed  for  the  sanctuary  of  Kilmuir  Churchlands,  a 
distance  of  about  three  miles.  Meanwhile  Angus 
Fionn,  with  one  companion,  was  rapidly  approaching 
Balmore  and  taking  stock  of  what  went  on  at  Paul's 
homestead.  First  they  saw  two  men  on  the  top  of 
the  corn  stack,  one  wearing  a  white  and  another  a 
red  waistcoat.  By  and  bye  one  only  was  seen  on 
the  stack,  whereupon  Angus  asked  his  companion, 
whose  eyesight  may  have  been  better  than  his  own, 
which  of  the  two  had  disappeared,  and  was  answered 
that  it  was  the  one  with  the  scarlet  vest.  Angus, 
realising  that  his  quarry  had  taken  the  alarm,  and 
guessing  that  he  must  have  made  for  the  termon 
lands,  went  swiftly  in  pursuit.  Soon  he  caught 
sight,  and  rapidly  gained  upon  the  wretched  fugitive, 
when,  just  as  the  latter  was  crossing  a  rivulet 
bounding  the  sanctuary  on  the  south  side,  Angus 
bent  his  bow,  and  the  arrow,  speeding  with  unerring 
aim,  hit  him  in  the  heel.  Thus  crippled,  he  was 
soon  overtaken  by  the  avenger  of  blood,  who  very 
quickly  put  him  out  of  pain.  Thus  was  the  murder 
of  Donald  Herrach  avenged.  His  death  took  place 
probably  about  1505.  Donald,  who  lived  at  Grim- 
inish,  which,  along  with  Scolpio-,  was  for  ages  in 
possession  of  his  descendants,  married,  and  had — 

1.  Ranald  his  successor. 

2.  Angus,  who  appears  on  record  as  Angus  Glass,  but  who 

lives  in  local  tradition  as  Angus  Fionn  or  Fair.     His 

31 


482  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

son,  John  M'Angus  Glass,  appears  on  record  in 
1562.  From  him  are  descended  the  Macdonalds  of 
Trumisgarry. 

He  had  also  a  son  before  his  marriage, 

3.  Donald  Badenoch,  whose  descendants  were  known  under 
this  sobriquet  for  many  generations  in  North  Uist,  his 
mother  having  been  a  native  of  the  district  from  which 
it  was  derived. 

Donald  Herrach  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

II.  RANALD.  After  his  father's  death  he  was 
brought  up  along  with  his  cousin,  Donald  Gruamach 
of  Sleat,  by  his  uncle,  Archibald  the  Black.  His 
connection  with  Archibald's  assassination  has  been 
told  in  the  history  of  the  family  of  Sleat.  Ranald 
went  to  Ireland  and  fought  in  the  Ulster  wars  on 
the  side  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Antrim.  He  was 
severely  wounded,  and  returned  to  his  native  country 
accompanied  by  a  medical  attendant  of  the  Brolas 
family  in  Mull.  The  latter  settled  at  Cuidreach  in 
Skye,  and  his  descendants,  for  ages,  were  hereditary 
physicians  to  the  family  of  Sleat.  Ranald,  like  his 
father,  lived  at  Griminish,  and,  like  him  also,  is  said 
to  have  met  with  a  violent  death.  He  was  once  on 
a  visit  to  Dunskaich  in  Sleat,  the  seat  of  his  cousin, 
Donald  Gruamach,  the  chief,  who  was  married  to  a 
daughter  of  the  Clanranald  of  the  day.  Ranald 
perceiving  a  large  number  of  the  lady's  kinsmen 
imposing  on  the  hospitality  of  the  chief  of  Clann 
Uisdein,  and  revelling  unrestrainedly,  hanged  a 
round  dozen  of  them  on  a  certain  morning  ere 
Donald  Gruamach  or  his  lady  had  awakened  from 
their  slumbers.  Such  is  the  voice  of  tradition  and 
it  is  consistent  with  what  is  said  to  have  occurred 
afterwards.  The  lady  of  Sleat  bribed  the  Black 
Finn  on  Mackinnon  to  murder  Ranald,  who,  when 
on  his  way  to  pass  the  New  Year  with  Donald 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  483 

Gruamach  at  Kirkibost  in  North  Uist,  was  set 
upon  by  Mackinnon  and  his  accomplices  and  slain. 
Ranald  married  and  had 

III.  ANGUS,  his  successor.      He  appears  on.  the 
records   of  the    Privy   Council    in    1562    as  Angus 
MacRanald  MacDonald  Herraich.     He,  along  with 
Hugh,   the  son   of  Archibald,   the   Clerk,   was  the 
means  of  creating  a  sanguinary  feud  between  his 
own  Chief,  Donald  Gorme  Mor,  and  the  Macleans 
of  Duart.      He  was  at  Mullintrae   in    1586,  along 
with  the  Macleans,  to  whose  cause  he  had  apparently 
attached  himself,   owing  to   his  disgrace  with   the 
Chief  of  Sleat.     When  the  Macdoiialds  of  Durmyveg 
surrounded  the  house  in  which  the  Macleans  were 
quartered,    and   took    them    prisoners,    Angus,    the 
son   of    Ranald — whom    the    Clanranald    historian 
confounds  with   another  Angus,  who  was   Chief  of 
Clanranald — and    one    of    the     Maclean    warriors 
fought    so    desperately    that    they    could    riot    be 
captured.      Thereupon  the  house  was  set  on  fire, 
and   Angus   of  Griminish    perishsd    in    the  flames. 
He  married,  and  had  a  son,  who  succeeded  him, 

IV.  HUGH  MACDONALD  of  Griminish.     There  is 
almost  nothing  known  of  his  history,  but  he  appears 
in  the  traditional  tree  as  the  father  of  his  successor. 
He  married,  and  had  two  sons— 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Angus,  who  was  at  Kirkibost. 

3.  Donald,  from  whom  was  descended  Archibald  Macdonald, 

or,  as  he  was  better  known,  "  Gille  na  Ciotaig,"  the 
North  Uist  bard,  and  one  of  the  cleverest  and  wittiest 
of  Gaelic  poets. 

Hugh  was  succeeded  at  Griminish  by  his  son, 

V.  JOHN,  known  in  his  day  as  Iain  Mac  Uisdein. 
He  married  Flora,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald, 
1st  of  Benbecula,  with  issue— 


484  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1 .  Archibald,  who  succeeded  him  at  Griminish. 

2.  Donald   of    Knocknantorran,    of    whom    the    Balranald 

family. 

3.  Rev.  Angus  Macdonald,  who,  on  account  of  his  great 

bodily  strength,  was  called  the  Ministear  Laidear, 
that  is,  the  "  Strong  Minister."  He  completed  his 
curriculum  in  Arts  and  Divinity  in  the  University  of 
Glasgow,  and  was  appointed  to  the  Parish  of  Gigha, 
in  the  Presbytery  of  Kintyre,  about  the  year  1688.  He 
also  served,  in  combination  with  Gigha,  the  cure  of  the 
parishes  of  Killean  and  Kilkenzie,  and  lived  in  the 
manse  of  the  former  parish  for  some  years.  He  left  the 
Kintyre  district  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  without 
being  formally  translated.  Being  an  Episcopal  minister, 
no  doubt  hefound  the  ecclesiastical  atmosphere  of  Argyll 
uncongenial,  and,  on  receiving  an  appointment  to  the 
parish  of  South  Uist,  which  then  included  the  islands 
of  Barra  and  Benbecula,  he  found  himself  in  a  region 
where  his  tenets  as  to  Church  polity  were  regarded 
with  greater  toleration.  Though  placed  in  the  midst 
of  a  Roman  Catholic  population,  where,  if  the  voice  of 
tradition  can  be  relied  on,  he  had  more  than  once  to 
exercise  his  muscular  Christianity,  he  was  universally 
respected  by  his  parishioners,  and  left  behind  him  a 
fragrant  memory.  He  died  at  Campbelltown,  in 
Kintyre,  in  1721,  when  on  his  way  to  Uist  after 
visiting  his  friends  at  Largie.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  Angus  Macdonald  of  Largie,  by  whom  he  had — 

(A)  Archibald.     He  lived  at  Dunskellar,  in  North  Uist, 

and  was,  for  a  number  of  years,  factor  on  the 
Macdonald  Estate  there.  He  died,  without  issue, 
about  1767. 

(B)  Marion,  who  married,  as  his   2nd   wife,  Ranald  Mac- 

donald of  Milton,  father  of  the  celebrated  Flora 
Macdonald.  She  married,  secondly,  Captain  Hugh 
Macdonald  of  Camuscross,  afterwards  of  Armadale. 
(c)  Mary,  who  was  unmarried,  and  is  on  record  as  in 
receipt  of  an  annuity,  and  died  in  1765. 

4.  Alexander,    of   whom   the  Macdonalds   of   Heisker  and 

Skeabost. 

5.  John,  who  lived  at  Baleshare,  and  died  without  issue. 

6.  Angus    Beag,    or    little,    to   distinguish  him   from    the 

stalwart  minister  of  South  Uist, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  485 

John  Mac  Uisdein  had  also  daughters,  but  their 
names  have  not  survived.  John  Macdonald  of 
Griminish  was  a  man  of  considerable  note  and 
position  in  his  day,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
his  signature  had  to  be  appended  to  "  The  Oath 
of  the  Friends"  in  1678  by  the  hand  of  a  notary. 
He  died  about  1700,  and  was  succeeded  at  Griminish 
by  his  oldest  son, 

VI.  ARCHIBALD.     We  find  him  in  1715  receiving 
a  tack  of  Griminish  and   Scolpig  from  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald  of  Sleat,  for  which  Archibald  is  to  pay 
100  merks  besides  victual  rent.     He  married  and 
had  two  sons, 

1.  John,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Roderick,  who  died  without  issue. 

Archibald  died  in  1740,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
older  son, 

VII.  JOHN.       He    married    Ann,    daughter    of 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Balvicquean   in   Trotternish, 
and     during    his   father's    life-time — in    1723 — he 
appears  as  John  Macdonald  in  Scolpig,  and  as  con- 
senting to  his  wife  signing  the  bond  of  friendship  on 
behalf  of  the  family  of  Sleat,  entered  into  that  year. 
By  his  wife  he  had — 

1.  Douald,  who  predeceased  him,  and  died  without  legiti- 

mate issue. 

2.  Angus,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Archibald,  who  died  without  issue. 

John  Macdonald  of  Griminish  died  in  1765,  for  the 
following  year  we  find  on  record — 

VIII.  ANGUS     MACDONALD      of     Griminish. 
Strangely  enough,  Archibald  also  appears  the  same 
year  as  of  Griminish  and  Scolpig.      Thereby,  how- 
ever, hangs  a  tale.      Tradition  tells  that  Angus  of 
Griminish — evidently  on  his  succeeding  his  father — 


486  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

was  inveigled  into  a  scheme  of  emigration  by  several 
of  the  North  Uist  gentlemen,  who  pretended  that 
they  also  were  to  cross  the  seas.  Angus  is  said  to 
have  been  masterful  and  domineering,  and  his  neigh- 
bours devised  this  somewhat  doubtful  expedient  to 
get  him  out  of  the  country.  Be  this  as  it  may, 
Angus  alone  made  genuine  preparations  for  the 
voyage,  the  rest  keeping  up  the  deception  to  the 
last  by  sending  packing  cases  laden  with  peats  and 
other  similar  contents  to  the  port  of  embarkation. 
Angus,  taken  in  by  the  ruse  at  first,  but  afterwards, 
when  it  was  too  late,  taking  in  the  situation,  sailed 
for  the  new  world,  and  took  up  his  abode  for  a  few 
years  at  Crane's  Creek,  Cumberland  Co.,  North 
Carolina.  A  poem  by  John  MacCodrum,  the 
North  Uist  bard,  bemoans  the  expected  emigra- 
tion, which,  however,  did  not  come  off,  in  some 
very  fine  verses,  printed  in  the  "  Uist  Bards." 
"Angus,  having  given  up  the  tenure  of  Griminish,  his 
brother,  Archibald,  appears  to  have  entered  into 
possession  thereof  as  tacksman.  Angus  of  Grimi- 
nish did  not  find  a  congenial  home  in  the  new  world, 
for  we  find  him  in  1771  once  more  in  his  native 
Uist.  He  did  not,  however,  find  his  way  back  to 
the  home  of  his  ancestors  in  Griminish.  His  place 
of  residence  after  his  return  was  Balranald,  then 
occupied  by  his  kinsman,  Donald  Macdonald.  Angus 
was  living  in  1785,  which  is  the  last  record  we  have 
of  him,  but  he  may  have  lived  a  number  of  years 
thereafter.  He  married,  and  had — 

1.  Donald,  who  is  on  record  in  1795. 

2.  Angus,  who  died  in  1777. 

3.  Alexander. 

There  were  also  daughters,  whose  names  have  not 
come  down.  None  of  the  sons  appear  to  have  left 


1.  Kwen  Macdonald  of  Griininish        3.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Balranald. 

(Vallay).  4.  J.  A.   R.   Macdonald  of  Balranald. 

2.  Douglas    Macdonald   of  Sanda. 

5.  Richard  McDonnell,  Provost  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      487 

issue,  and  the  Griminish  line,  as  descended  from 
Archibald,  sou  of  Iain  Mac  Uisdein,  became  extinct. 
The  senior  family  of  the  Clann  Domhnuill 
Herraich  of  Griminish  having  come  to  an  end, 
the  representation  of  the  tribe  devolved  upon  the 


MACDONALDS  OF  BALRANALD. 

These  are  descended  from — 

I.  DONALD  MACDONALD  of  Knocknantorran,  son 
of    Iain  Mac   Uisdein  of    Griminish,  who  appears 
several  times  on  record  early  in  the   18th  century 
among  the  gentlemen  of  North  Uist.     He  married, 
and  had— 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Mary,  who  married  Hector  Maclean  of  Hosta. 

Donald  of  Knocknantorran  died  before  1720,  and 
was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  this  branch  of 
Clann  Domhnuill  Herraich  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER,  a  man  of  great  influence  and 
standing   in    North    Uist,    where,  judging   by   the 
verdict  of  tradition,   he  was   much  respected  and 
esteemed.     He  was  for  many  years  factor  for  the 
Long  Island  Macdonald  Estates.     As  early  as  1717 
we  find  him  witnessing  a  legal  document,  in  which 
he  is  designated  as  "  of  Hougharie,"  in  North  Uist. 
As  bailie  of  North  Uist,  on  4th  July,  1754,  having 
succeeded  in   that  office  Captain  John  Macdonald 
of    Kirkibost    and    Balranald,    he    signs    the    sub- 
mission   between    the   Laird   of   Macleod   and   the 
tutors    of    Sir    James    Macdonald    of    Sleat    con- 
taining  the   names   of  arbiters   appointed   to  deal 
with  a  controversy  between   the  families  of  Sleat 
and  Dunvegan  as  to  the  proprietorship  of  certain 
rocks   in   the    Sound   of  Harris,  whose   value   was 


488  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

greatly  enhanced  by  the  prolific  crop  of  sea-weed 
they  produced  for  the  manufacture  of.  kelp.  After 
one  of  these  rocks,  called  "  Rangas,"  the  legal  con- 
troversy which  went  to  the  Court  of  Session,  and 
had  much  notoriety,  derived  its  name.  Alexander 
signs  as  "of  Hougharie,"  where  also  the  submission 
was  signed  by  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh 
and  Lady  Margaret  Macdonald  of  SI  eat.  After  the 
death  of  Captain  John,  son  of  William,  tutor  of 
Sleat,  Alexander  of  Houghary  obtained  a  lease  of 
Balranald  and  Kirkibost.  He  was  drowned  on  the 
Kirkibost  ford  in  the  year  1760,  and  a  most  touching 
and  beautiful  elegy  was  composed  to  his  memory 
by  John  MacCodrum,  the  North  Uist  bard.  It  was 
published  in  the  "  Uist  Bards"  in  1894. 

He  married,  first,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Donald 
Nicolson  of  Scorribreck,  minister  of  Kilmuir,  in 
Skye,  with  issue— 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  him  at  Balranald. 
He  married,  secondly,  Catherine,  daughter  of  Mac- 
lean of  Boreray,  and  by  her,  who  died  in   1797,  he 
had — 

2  (A)  Alexander.  He  was  tutored  by  Donald  Roy  Mac- 
donald, son  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Balishare,  and 
was  afterwards  educated  in  the  University  of  Aber- 
deen. About  1780  he  was  appointed  factor  by  the 
trustees  on  the  Clanrauald  estates  of  South  Uist,  and 
lived  for  some  years  at  Stelligarry,  in  that  island.  In 
1786  lie  received  a  commission  as  baron  bailie  from 
young  Clanranald,  then  of  age,  and  in  1789 
obtained  a  30  years'  lease  of  the  farm  of  Peneniurin, 
in  South  Uist.  Having  suffered  from  the  ravages  of 
small-pox,  he  was  known  as  the  Bailidh  Breac.  It 
is  an  interesting  fact  that  Archibald  Macdouald, 
Gille  na  Ciotaig,  the  North  Uist  bard,  who  was  a 
distant  kinsman,  was  for  many  years  in  his  employ- 
ment as  factor's  clerk.  Alexander  of  Peneniurin  died 
in  1797.  He  married  Margaret  Mackinnon  of  Strath, 
by  whom  he  had — 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  489 

(A)  Alexander. 

(B)  Niel,  who  died  in  Jamaica. 

(c)  Charles,  who  died  in  the  E.  Indies. 

(D)  Donald,  who  died  at  Cape  Breton. 

(E)  Margaret,  who  married  a  Maclean,  an  artist  in  London. 
He  was  succeeded  at  Peneniurin  by  his  oldest  son, 

(B)  Alexander.  He  married  Alexandrina,  second  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  Roderick  Maclean,  minister  of  South 
Uist,  with  issue — 

(A)  Rev.  Alexander  Macdonald,  B.A.     After  having  gone 

through  part  of  his  Arts  course  in  Edinburgh 
University,  he  went  to  Canada,  where  he  com- 
pleted an  Arts  and  Divinity  course  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Kingstown.  In  due  time  he  became  an 
ordained  minister  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  in 
the  important  and  extensive  district  of  Nottowa- 
saga,  in  the  southern  part  of  Ontario.  After  a 
faithful  and  laborious  ministry  he  retired  a  few 
years  ago  from  the  more  active  duties  of  his 
office,  and  now  lives  in  the  town  of  Napanee 
enjoying  his  well-earned  retirement.  He  married 
Louise,  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr  Campbell  of  Dun- 
troon,  Canada,  and  has  a  daughter,  Alexandra. 
She  married  Edward  Webb,  Toronto,  with  issue — 
(a)  Albert  Edward  ;  (b)  Norman. 

(B)  Charles  Neil.     Unmarried.     He  and  his  brother, 

(c)  Roderick,  also  unmarried,  carry  on  business  in  Glasgow 
as  C.  &  R.  Macdonald,  a  firm  well  and  favourably 
known  in  the  Western  Isles.  The  latter  is  the 
energetic  president  of  the  Glasgow  Uist  and  Barra 
Association. 

(D)  Norman,  who  died  in  childhood. 

(B)  Margaret,  who  died  unmarried. 

(F)  Eliza,  married  in  Chicago  to  Alexander  Arbuckle. 

(G)  Jessie,  who  married  William  Macqueen,  with  issue,  a 

daughter,  Alexandrina. 
(H)  Christina. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Peneniurin  died  in  Glasgow  in 

1868. 

3.  John. 

4.  Angus. 

5.  Allan. 


490  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

6.  Mary.      She  married  Rev.  John  Macaulay,  minister  of 

South  Uist,  who  demitted  his  charge,  and  went  to 
America.  They  had  a  daughter,  Margaret.  Mrs 
Macaulay  died  in  1830. 

7.  Margaret. 

There    were    several    other    sons,    who    emigrated    to 
America,  but  whose  names  have  not  been  preserved. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Balranald — Alastair  Mac 
Dhomhnuill — was  succeeded  at  Balranald  by  his 
oldest  son, 

III.  DONALD.  He  also  succeeded  his  father  as 
factor  to  Sir  James  Macdonald  on  his  Uist  estates. 
He  was  a  man  of  business  talent  and  sagacity,  and 
displayed  much  legal  acumen  during  the  latter 
stages  of  the  Rangas  controversy,  though  the 
settlement  was  not  entirely  favourable  to  the 
House  of  Sleat.  He  married  Catherine,  daughter 
of  Captain  James  Macdonald  of  Aird,  by  his  wife, 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Kin- 
lochmoidart,  with  issue  — 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

2.  James,  a  Major  in  the  Army,  who  lived  at  Chatham. 

He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  George  Owen  of 
Tiverton,  and  had — (a)  George,  who  held  a  civil 
appointment  in  Australia  ;  (6)  Owen,  who  served  for 
some  time  in  E.l.C.  Navy,  and  afterwards  lived  in 
Australia  ;  (c)  Donald,  an  officer  in  the  Indian  Army, 
died  at  the  Cape ;  (d)  John,  a  Major  in  the  89th 
Regiment,  died  in  the  Crimea ;  (e)  James,  an  officer 
in  the  89th  Regiment,  died  in  the  West  Indies  ;  (/) 
Alexander  ;  (g)  William  ;  (h)  Godfrey  ;  (i)  Alexander 
— the  last  four  died  young  ;  (f)  a  daughter.  Major 
James  Macdonald  had  also  a  natural  sou,  John,  who 
was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Army,  and,  on  his  retiral, 
lived  first  at  Trurnisgary  and  afterwards  at  Kallin. 
He  married  Catherine  Macrae,  Brae,  Eynort,  Skye, 
and  had — (a)  Donald ;  (b)  John ;  (c)  James ;  (d) 
Ewen  ;  (e)  Lexy  ;  (/)  Lizzie  ;  (g)  Jessie,  who  married 
Finlay  Macdonald,  Druideag,  with  issue. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  491 

3.  Jessie,  died  unmarried. 

4.  Catherine,  died  unmarried. 

5.  Lexy,  died  unmarried. 

Donald  Macdonald  of  Balranald  died  at  an  advanced 
age,  in  1819,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  older  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD  of  Lynedale.  This 
estate  of  Lyndale  was  bought  by  his  father,  and 
Alexander  Macdonald  resided  there  the  greater  part 
of  his  life,  but  his  affairs  in  the  course  of  time  having 
become  embarrassed,  it  was  sold.  He  was  for  some 
time  Captain  in  the  Bengal  Artillery,  from  which 
he  retired  on  account  of  his  health.  He  raised 
and  became  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  2nd  Isle  of  Skye 
Regiment  of  Volunteers,  numbering  570  men,  most 
of  whom,  when  the  Militia  were  disbanded,,  joined 
the  Glengarry  Fencibles  or  Caledonian  Rangers. 
He  married  Jane  Craigdallie,  a  lady  of  an  ancient 
Perthshire  family  of  the  Clan  MacGregor,  with 
issue — 

1.  Donald,  who  held  a  civil  appointment  at  the  Cape  of 

Good  Hope,  and  died  there,  unmarried. 

2.  James  Thomas,  who  succeeded. 

3.  Alexander,  a  Captain  in  the  16th  Bengal  Native  Infantry, 

who  died  in  India  unmarried. 

4.  John  Robertson,  who  served  as  Lieutenant  in  the  38th, 

39th,  and  16th  Regiments  successively.  He  after- 
wards lived  at  Rodil  in  Harris,  and  was  for  35  years 
factor  for  the  Earl  of  Dunmore,  who  owned  in  his 
time  the  whole  of  that  parish.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Captain  Duncan  Macrae  of  Inverinate, 
with  issue,  a  daughter,  Jane  Caroline,  who  died 
unmarried. 

5.  Elizabeth  Anne,  who  died  unmarried. 

6.  Caroline,  who  died  young. 

7.  Alexandrina  Catherine,  who  married  Andrew  Cornfute,  a 

manufacturer  in  Perth,  with  issue,  all  of  whom  died 
without  descendants. 

8.  Isabella  Maria,  who  married  llev.  Finlay  Macrae,  Min- 

ister of  North  Uist,  with  issue — 


492  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(A)  Donald,  who  married  Annabella,  daughter  of  Captain 

Miller  of  Pow,  Perthshire,  with  issue. 

(B)  Alexander,  who  was  a  doctor  in  the  army. 

(c)  Duncan,  who  married  in  Australia,  with  issue. 

(D)  Rev.  John  Alexander,   who  was    Minister  of  North 

Uist. 

(B)  James  Andrew,  Major  in  Inveruess-shire  Militia. 
(F)  Godfrey  Alexander,  a  medical  practitioner  in  North 

'Uist.     The  foregoing  are  all  deceased, 
(o)  Jane  Anne  Elizabeth,  who  married  Edward  William 

Hawes,  R.N.  ;  issue,  three  daughters. 

Alexander  Macdouald  of  Lyndale  was  succeeded  by 
his  second  son — 

V.  JAMES  THOMAS,  who  was  for  many  years 
factor  on  Lord  Macdonald's  North  Uist  property. 
He  married,  in  1820,  Jane,  daughter  of  Captain 
Donald  Mackenzie  of  Hartfield,  fourth  son  of 
Thomas  Mackenzie,  6th  of  Applecross  and  4th  of 
Highfield,  by  his  wife  Elizabeth,  only  daughter  of 
Donald  Mackenzie,  5th  of  Kilcoy,  with  issue — 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Jane  Caroline. 

3.  Anne  Margaret,  who  married  Charles  Shaw,  W.S.,  at  one 

time  Sheriff-Substitute  at  Lochmaddy,  with  issue — 

(a)  Duncan,  W.S.,  of  the  firm  of  Anderson  &  Shaw, 
Inverness,  who  married  Elizabeth  Gordon,  with  issue ; 

(b)  James  Thomas,  late  Major  in  the  Inverness-shire 
Militia,  who  married  Emma  Payne  Cross,  with  issue ; 

(c)  Charles,  who  married  Mary  Hastie,  New  Zealand, 
with  issue ;  (d)  Alexander ;  (e)  Anne,  married  Captain 
Donald    Cameron,    Glenbrittle,    Skye,    with    issue  ; 
(/)  Jane ;  (g)  Margaret  Susan  Christina ;  (h)  Eliza- 
beth Anne  Macdonald  ;  (i)  Alexandra ;  (j)  Margaret 
deceased. 

3.  Elizabeth  Flora  Ann,  who  married  Rev.  Neil  Mackinnon, 
once  minister  of  Creich,  Sutherlandshire,  with  issue — 
(a)  Farquhar  ;  (6)  James  Thomas  ;  (e)  Catherine,  who 
married  James  Ross,  Balblair.  now  of  Polio,  Ross- 
shire,  with  issue  ;  (d)  Jane  ;  (e)  Jemima,  who  married 
James  Ross,  distiller,  Easter  Ross,  with  issue ;  (/) 
Christina. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      493 

4.  Jessie  Catherine,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald,  Mug- 

stot,  afterwards  in  Australia,  with  issue. 

5.  Jane,  who  married  Captain  Donald  C.  Cameron,  Talisker, 

with  issue — (a)  Ewen,  Captain,  R.  A.. ;  (6)  James 
Thomas ;  (c)  Donald  ;  (d)  Mary,  who  married  Mr 
Thorn  of  Canna ;  (e)  Jeanie,  who  married  Mr  Fergu- 
son, Tullich,  now  of  Tallisker. 

6.  Jemima   Isabella,    who   married   Dr   Kenneth   Macleod, 

Calcutta,  with  issue — (a)  Julia ;  (6)  Jeanie  ;  (c)  Alice 
Maud. 

James  Thomas  of  Balranald  died  in  1855,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.  He  bought  the  estates  of 
Edenwood  and  Overkelly,  in  the  county  of  Fife, 
and  afterwards  acquired  possession  by  purchase 
of  the  extensive  and  valuable  farm  of  Balranald, 
for  150  years  in  the  occupancy  of  his  family.  He 
married  first.  Margaret  Anne  Christina,  daughter  of 
Norman  Macleod,  Scalpa,  and  his  wife,  Jessie, 
daughter  of  Kenneth  Macleod,  Ebost,  Skye,  without 
issue.  He  married,  secondly,  Margaret  Campbell, 
daughter  of  Major  Colin  Lyon  Mackenzie  of  St 
Martins  and  Braelangwell,  with  issue  — 

1.  James  Alexander  Ranald,  his  heir. 

2.  Annie. 

3.  Jane  Alexander,  who,  in  September,  1899,  married  George 

Stevenson  Pitcairn,  son  of  Colonel  Pitcairn  of  Pitcullis. 

4.  Margaret  Jemima. 

5.  Florence  Hellen  Marion. 

6.  Violet  Anne  Elizabeth. 

7.  Eva  Flora  Caroline. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Balranald  died  in  1901, 
much  regretted  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances.  He  was  a  good  Highlander  and 
clansman,  and  his  amiable  disposition  and  kindly 
manners  rendered  him  a  great  favourite  among  all 
classes  in  his  native  parish.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  only  son, 


494  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

VII.  JAMES  ALEXANDER  RANALD  MACDONALD, 
the  present  representative  of  Claim  Domhnuill 
Herraich. 


THE  MACDONA.LDS  OF  HEISKER  AND  SKAEBOST. 

This  branch  of  the  Claim  Domhnuill  Herraich  is 
descended  from— 

I.  ALEXANDER,  fourth   son  of  John  Macdonald 
of  Griminish,  known  in  his  day  as  Alastair  Ban  Mac 
Iain  'ic  Uisdein.     After  the  massacre  of  Glencoe  he 
nobly  went  to  the  relief  of  the  persecuted  and  poverty- 
stricken  Clan  Iain  with  a  cargo  of  meal.      In  1694 
he  advanced  to  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  a  sum  of  3000 
merks,  for  which  the  latter  wadsetted  to  him  the 
10  penny  lands  of  Heisker,  the  penny  lands  of  Pein- 
more  and  Peinnie  Trynoid,  and  the  10  penny  lands 
of  Balranald.     In  1696  there  is  a  contract  of  marriage 
in  which  James  Macdonald  of  Eriskay  marries  Anne, 
daughter  of  Alexander.     Alexander  of  Heisker  was 
married  twice.      The  name  of  his  first  wife  eludes 
research.       He  married,   secondly,   in   1707,   Isobel 
Maclennan,  who  died  in  1760.     His  family,  so  far  as 
known,  were — 

1.  John,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ann,  who  married  James  Macdonald  of  Eriskay.     Their 

sou,  Donald,  was  the  father  of  Angus  (Aonghas  Mac- 
Dhomhnuill  'ic  Sheumais),  in  whose  house  Prince 
Charles  slept  for  the  first  time  on  British  soil. 

3.  Catherine,   who  married    Niel  Macdonald  of   Grenitote, 

North  Uist,  with  issue. 

There  were  other  sons,  whose  names  have  not  come  down, 
but  they  probably  died  young,  leaving  no  descendants. 

Alexander  Macdonald  died  in  1723,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN  MACDONALD  of  Heisker,  who  was  served 
heir  to  him  OB  29th  September.     In  1727  he  appears 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      495 

among  the  creditors  on  the  Macdonald  estates,  and 
discharges  Kenneth  Mackenzie  as  representing  these 
in  the  sum  of  2000  merks.  It  is  possible,  though 
we  cannot  be  certain,  that  this  transaction  termi- 
nated the  wadset  of  1694,  at  anyrate  so  far  as 
Balranald  was  concerned,  as  we  always  find  him 
designated  of  Heisker  alone.  He  appears  in  these 
transactions  as  John  Macdonald,  eldest  son  of  the 
deceased  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Heisker.  John 
appears  to  have  died  in  1748,  and  the  family  con- 
nection with  Heisker  to  have  terminated,  for  there 
is  a  discharge  that  year  of  a  sum  of  money  paid  to 
Heisker,  probably  the  balance  of  the  old  wadset. 
Archibald  Maclean  is  designated  of  Heisker  in  1735  ; 
but,  whatever  may  have  been  the  nature  of  his 
tenure — probably  it  was  a  species  of  sub-let — the 
Macdonald  connection  did  not  terminate  earlier  than 
1748.  John  married,  and  had — 

1.  James,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Archibald,  who  is  on  record  as  having  been  apprenticed 

to  Ranald  Macdonald,  brazier,   Edinburgh,  and  who 
died  without  issue. 

III.  JAMES  succeeded  his  father  in  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  family,  but  it  is  certain  that  he 
was  never  tacksman  of  Heisker.  He  appears  to 
have  been  an  enterprising  youth,  for,  at  the  early 
age  of  20,  he  earned  the  distinction  of  being  the 
only  gentleman  of  Sii  Alexander  Macdonald's  fol- 
lowing— with  the  single  exception  of  Donald  Hoy 
Macdonald  of  Balishare — who  joined  the  party  of 
Prince  Charles  in  1745-6.  After  the  troubles  of  the 
'45  had  subsided,  James  of  Heiskir  exhibited  the  same 
enterprise  in  the  arts  of  peace  which  he  had  shown 
on  the  theatre  of  war.  He  settled  down  as  a  mer- 
chant, first  at  Dunvegan  arid  afterwards  at  Portree, 


496  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

and  devoted  himself  so  assiduously  to  his  commercial 
pursuits  that  he  amassed  a  substantial  fortune.  He 
became  proprietor  of  Skeabost,  in  the  parish  of 
Snizort,  Isle  of  Skye,  and  also  of  Tanera.  one  of 
the  Summer  Isles  at  the  mouth  of  Lochbroom,  on 
the  West  Coast  of  Ross-shire.  He  was  married 
twice — first,  about  1760,  to  a  lady  whose  name  has 
not  come  down  to  us,  and  by  whom  he  had  issue  ; 
secondly,  in  1789,  to  Isabella  Macqueen,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Donald  Macqueen  of  Kilmuir,  without  issue. 
His  children  by  his  first  wife  were — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Alexander. 

3.  Emily,  who  married  Captain  James  Macdonald  of  Flodi- 

garry,  with  issue. 

James  Macdonald  of  Skeabost  was  alive  in  1790, 
and  was  not  then  of  very  advanced  age.  He  pro- 
bably survived  to  see  the  early  years  of  the  19th 
century,  as  an  elegy  to  his  memory  appeared  in 
Macleod's  Gaelic  Collection  in  1811.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son, 

IV.  DONALD  MACDONALD  of  Skeabost  and 
Tanera,  who  was  born  at  Dunvegan  on  29th 
August,  1765.  He  became  tacksman  or  proprietor 
of  Tanera  during  his  father's  life-time,  and  is 
spoken  of  in  1793  as  "  Donald  Macdonald  of 
Tanera,  son  of  Skeabost."  In  1817  his  name 
appears  on  the  list  of  those  who  instituted  the 
Inverness  Sheep  Fair  that  year.  On  22nd 
August  he  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Donald 
Macdonald,  factor  on  Lord  Macdonald's  Estate  of 
Trotternish,  with  issue— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  James,  who  lived  for  some  time  at  Scalpay,  Skye.     He 

was  a  sea- faring  man,  and  was  well  known  throughout 
the   Western    Isles    as   Captain    Macdonald   of   the 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  497 

"  Rover's  Bride,"  or,  as  he  was  more  familiarly  known, 
the  "  Rover.'''  He  lived  at  Stornoway  during  the 
latter  part  of  his  life,  and  died  there  a  number  of 
years  ago  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  unmarried. 

3.  John.     He  served  in  the  Indian  army,  and  was  a  Captain 

of  his  regiment  during  the  Mutiny.  He  became 
Major  of  the  61st  Native  Regiment  of  Infantry,  and 
afterwards  rose  to  the  rank  of  General  commanding  a 
Brigade.  He  retired  from  active  service  about  1874. 
He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Matheson  of  Atta- 
dale,  and  sister  of  Sir  Alexander  Matheson  of  Lochalsh. 
with  issue — 

(A)  Donald,  a  retired  Colonel  in  the  Indian  Army,  married 

without  issue. 

(B)  John,  a  partner  in  the  house  of  Jardine,  Matheson,  & 

Cc.     He  married,  and  has  issue — (a)  Norman ; 
(b)  Ian  ;  (c)  Eric  ;  (d}  Nora  ;  (e)  Catherine  ;  (/) 
Bertha ;  (g)  Mabel, 
(c)  Mary. 

4.  Kenneth.     He    emigrated    to   Victoria,    Australia,    and 

married  Miss  Lockhart,  by  whom  he  had  a  family. 
There  are  sons  of  the  marriage  living  in  Australia. 

5.  Margaret,  married  George  Gunn,  for  many  years  factor 

at  Lochinvar  and  Dunrobin  for  the  late  Duke  of 
Sutherland,  with  issue — (a)  Donald  ;  (b)  Hector ;  (c) 
Jessie  ;  (d)  Christian  ;  (e)  Margaret ;  (/)  Elizabeth. 

6.  Janet,   married  Hugh    Peter  Macdonald,    Tacksman    of 

Monkstadt,  in  Kilmuir,  Skye,  with  issue. 

7.  Ann  Robertson,   married  Rev.   Roderick   Macleod,   Free 

Church  Minister  of  Snizort,  Skye.  They  had  a  large 
family,  many  of  whom  died  young.  Those  who 
survived  are — 

(A)  Dr  Roderick   Macleod,  who  married  Mrs  Macdonald 

of  Dunach,  near  Oban. 

(B)  James  Macleod,  an  indigo  planter  in  Tiroot.     He  is  a 

distinguished  historian  on  India,  and  has  received 

the  distinction  of  C.l.E. 
(c)  Jessie. 
(D)  Bella. 

8.  Amelia,  died  unmarried. 

9.  Frances,  died  unmarried. 

32 


498  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

10.  Catherine,  died  unmarried. 

11    Susannah,  died  unmarried. 

12.  Mary,  married  Evander  Maciver,  late  of  Secure,  factor 
for  the  Duke  of  Sutherland,  who  died  1902,  with 
issue — (a)  James  ;  (b)  Donald  ;  (c)  Duncan  ;  (d) 
Lewis ;  (e)  Evander  ;  (/)  Murdo ;  (g)  John  ;  (h) 
Elizabeth  ;  (i)  Catherine.  Mrs  Maciver  died  1895. 
14.  Margaret  Anne,  married  her  cousin  Donald  Macdonald* 
captain  of  a  large  China  trader.  She  died  at  Hong 
Kong,  and  left  a  family  of  daughters. 

Donald  Macdonald  of  Skeabost    was   succeeded  in 
the  representation  of  the  family  by 

V.  DONALD,  his  eldest  son,  who  resided  at  Loch- 
inver,  in  the  north  of  Sutherlandshire.  He  married 
Jessie,  daughter  of  Alexander  Mackenzie,  of  Letter- 
ewe,  Ross-shire,  with  issue— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  James  Alexander.     He  was  in  business  for  some  time  in 

Port  Elizabeth,  Cape  Colony,  and  latterly  in  London. 
He  married  Caroline,  daughter  of  John  Heugh  of  Port 
Elizabeth,  with  issue  (two  daughters) — 

(A)  Loue'. 

(B)  Thyra. 

3.  Murdo,   who   was   in   business   at   Port   Elizabeth,  and 

afterwards  in  London.  He  married  Laura  Foley, 
with  issue — (a)  Alexander,  who  died  in  South  Africa ; 
(b)  Ronald,  who  married,  and  has  issue  ;  (c)  Somerled  ; 
(d)  Charles  Kingsburgh  ;  (e)  Flora.  Murdo  Macdonald 
died  some  yoars  ago. 

4.  Catherine,    married    William    Kirkwood,    with    issue — 

(a)  Donald  ;  (6)  Alexander — both  of  whom  died  in 
South  Africa ;  (c)  Charles  ;  (d)  Annie,  who  married 
Archibald  Merrielees  of  Moscow ;  (e)  Jessie,  who 
married  Walter  Somerville  Lockhart,  with  issue. 

Donald  Macdonald  of  Lochinver  emigrated  with  his 
family  to  South  Africa,  and  lived  at  Port  Elizabeth. 
He  was  killed  in  a  carriage  accident  in  that  country, 
and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  son, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  499 

VI.  DONALD.     He  was  bred  a  civil  engineer,  and 

o  7 

resides  in  London.  He  married,  first,  in  1866,  Helen, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Read  of  Grouse,  Norwich,  with 
issue— 

1.  Donald.     He  died  in  India  in  1894. 

He  married,  secondly,  in  1892,  Cornelia,  daughter  of. 
R.  Restall  of  Uitenhage,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  with 
issue — 

2.  Hector. 

3.  Helen. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CASTLE  CAMUS. 

This  branch  of  the  family  of  Sleat  is  descended 
from  JAMES  MACDONALD  of  Castle  Camus,  son  of 
Donald  Gruamach  Macdonald,  4th  Baron  of  Sleat. 
Owing  to  the  long  minority  of  Donald  Gormeson, 
his  nephew,  James,  after  the  death  of  Archibald  the 
Clerk,  was,  for  many  years,  the  leader  of  the  Cl&n 
Uisdein,  and  acted  a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs^  of c 
the  family  of  Sleat.  As  these  have  been  referred' to  ' 
at  length  in  a  former  part  of  this  volume,  it  is 
unnecessary  to  repeat  the  details  of  the  narrative. 
James  of  Castle  Camus,  known  in  his  time  as 
Seumas  a'  Chaisteil,  or  "  James  of  the  Castle," 
married  a  daughter  of  Macleod  of  Harris,  by  whom 
he  had  two  sons.  The  last  time  he  appears  on 
the  Records  of  the  Privy  Council  is  in  1589,  and  it 
is  probable  that  his  death  would  have  taken  place 
early  in  the  last  decade  of  the  16th  century. 
During  his  life  he  was  a  strong  pillar  of  the  House 
of  Sleat,  and  served  its  interests  with  fidelity  and 
devotion.  The  tribe  of  the  Clann  Uisdein,  of  which 
he  was  the  progenitor,  were  distinctively  known 
us  the  Clann  Domhnuill  Ghruamaich.  His  sons 
were — 


500  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  John,  who  is  described  on  record  as  the  son  and  heir  of 

James  Mac  Donald  Gruamach  of  Castle  Camus. 

2.  Donald    Gruamach    Mac   James,    Ostaig,   of   whom   the 

Macdonalds  of  Capstill,  Balvicquean,  <fec.  fj"  t^ 

II.  JOHN  of  Castle  Camus.     He  seems  to  have 
predeceased    his    father,    but    it    is    convenient    to 
reckon  him  in  the  genealogy  as  the  second  of  his 
branch.     He  seems  to  have  incurred  the  enmity,  and 
suffered  unjust  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  Earl  of 
Argyll,  who,  in  1578,  imprisoned  him  in  the  Castle 
of  Inchconnell,  Lochawe,  but  was  afterwards  com- 
pelled to  liberate  him.     He  was  killed  in  Mull  in 
1585  in  the  course  of  the  feud  between  the  families 
of  Sleat  and  Duart.      He  married  a  lady  of  the 
Clanranald  family,  by  whom  he  had  an  only  son,  his 
successor, 

III.  DONALD,  who  was  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able men  in  the  history  of  the   Clan.      Domhnull 
Mac   Iain   'ic   Sheumais,   as   he   was   known   in   the 
Western  Isles,  was  born  at  Moidart,  his  mother's 
native  district ;    but  he  was  brought  up  mainly  at 
Castle  Camus,  a  fact  of  which  there  are  echoes  in  his 
bardic  effusions  ;  for  Donald  was  not  only  a  warrior 
but  a  poet  of  no  mean  order,  and  snatches  of  his 
songs  long  lingered  among  the  people  of  Skye  and 
Uist.     Like  his  contemporaries,  he  did  not  receive 
the  education  which  may  be  described  as  literary, 
but  he  was  from  his  boyhood  a  great  expert  in  the 
use  of  sword  and  bow,  a  species  of  culture  highly 
useful  at  a  time  when  the  pen  was  not  yet  mightier 
than  the  sword.     Tradition  describes  him  as  large- 
boned,  of  a  heavy  if  not  lubberly  gait,  and  of  a 
moody  cast  of  countenance,  predisposed  to  habits  of 
thoughtful  ness  and  retirement,  yet,  under  provoca- 
tion, quick  in  his  movements  ;  terrible  when  roused, 
and  prompt  in  the  hour  of  action.     His  sword,  which 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  501 

he  named  "  Cuig  Mharg,"  because  five  merks  was  the 
price  he  paid  for  it,  was  a  terror  wherever  his  name 
was  known,  always  ready  to  be  drawn  in  the  cause  of 
right,  and  to  be  the  avenger  of  the  blood  of  injured 
innocence.  It  never  suffered  defeat.  From  an  early 
age  he  was  the  undisguised  enemy  of  the  Macleods, 
never  as  the  aggressor,  but  as  the  defender  of  the 
interests  of  his  chief  and  people.  He  distinguished 
himself  as  a  warrior  on  many  occasions,  but  the 
circumstances  are  forgotten,  save  in  the  conspicuous 
instances  of  Coolin  and  Carinish,  which  have  been 
duly  chronic-led  in  the  history  of  the  family  of  Sleat. 
At  the  battle  of  Carinish  he  was  wounded  in  the 
foot,  and  judging  by  the  song  of  Nic  C6iseim,  his 
foster-mother,  also  in  the  body.  He  was  conveyed 
to  a  house  in  Carinish  with  the  arrow  sticking  in  the 
flesh,  and  tradition  has  it  that  Nic  Coiseim  procured 
a  band  of  women,  whom  she  arranged  around  a 
waulking  board,  and  who  joined  in  a  loud  Luinneag 
to  drown  his  complaints  while  the  arrow  was  being 
extracted  and  the  wound  bound.  This  is  a  highly 
improbable  story  about  the  heroic  Mac  Iain,  which 
probably  had  its  origin  in  the  fancy  of  his  foes. 

Donald  Mac  Iain's  occupation  in  times  of  peace 
was  that  of  a  drover  or  cattle  dealer,  and  he  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  man  who  ever  ferried  cattle 
from  Skye  to  Uist.  When  he  travelled  from  home 
he  took  with  him  a  staff  of  "  Gilliemores,"  or  big 
stalwart  fellows  who  "  breathed  to  do  his  bidding," 
and  we  doubt  not  but  in  the  unsettled  state  of  the 
Highlands  he  needed  their  warlike  prowess  and  his 
own  trusty  Cuiy  Mharg  to  protect  his  herds  on  the 
way  to  Southern  trysts.  In  his  early  days  he  lived 
at  Eriskay,  which  he  held  from  Clanranald,  and 
which  was  occupied  by  several  generations  of  his 


502  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

descendants.  He  afterwards  lived  at  Carinish,  the 
scene  of  one  of  his  greatest  exploits,  and  of  this  we 
have  evidence  in  a  contract  of  marriage  in  which  he 
appears  as  cautioner  in  1626. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  Donald  Maciain,  who 
had  been  such  a  pillar  of  the  house  of  Sleat,  received 
tardy  recognition  of  his  valuable  services.  Many 
years  passed  without  his  receiving  an  inch  of  ground 
on  the  territories  of  the  family  for  which  he  had 
fought  and  bled.  At  last  a  clansman  and  fellow 
bard,  the  keen-witted  John  Lorn  of  Lochaber,  took 
up  the  cudgels  for  his  friend.  Donald  had  set  his 
heart  upon  the  lands  of  Airdviceolan  in  Trotternish, 
but  another  was  preferred.  John  Lorn,  on  hearing 
how  the  grand  old  warrior  had  been  treated,  went 
all  the  way  from  Lochaber  to  Duntulm  and  recited 
half  a  dozen  verses  laden  with  the  fiercest  invective 
in  the  hearing  of  Sir  Donald,  first  baronet  of  Sleat. 
"  In  the  name  of  the  Almighty  desist,"  said  Sir 
Donald  in  Gaelic.  "  I  have  more,"  said  the  per- 
sistent wrong-righter.  "  You  have  more  than 
enough,"  replied  the  baronet.  "  Have  you  a  place 
for  Domhnull  Mac  Iain  'ic  Sheumais  ?"  returned  the 
bard.  "  We  will  get  a  place  for  him,"  was  the 
reply.  "  If  not,"  said  the  bard,  "  you  will  hear  of  it 
on  the  deafer  ear."  The  scathing  tongue  of  John 
Lorn  won  for  the  Macdoriald  hero  what  his  own 
merits  had  been  unable  to  secure,  and  the  voice  of 
tradition  has  it  that  Donald  got  the  farm  of  Cuid- 
re'ach  in  liferent.  Tradition  is  in  this  detail  amply 
supported  by  documentary  evidence.  It  was,  how- 
ever, a  tack  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  which 
certainly  extended  very  considerably  beyond  the 
lifetime  of  Maciain,  for  in  1660,  long  after  his  death, 
we  find  his  widow  a^d  son  in  possession  of  the  lands 


THE   GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN   DONALD.  503 

in  question.  These  included  not  only  Cuidreach 
proper,  but  also  Arnishbeg,  Arnishmore,  and  Glen- 
tinistle.  Donald  appears  on  record  in  1648,  but  he 
must  have  been  pretty  well  advanced  in  years,  and 
we  find  no  further  notice  of  him.  He  spent  a  good 
deal  of  his  old  age  in  the  house  of  his  daughter,  wife 
'of  Macleod  of  Gesto,  a  bold,  irascible,  and  proud 
churl,  who  used  to  taunt  her  with  being  "  Nighean 
aireach  liath  nam  bo,"  or  "  the  daughter  of  the 
grey-headed  herdsman."  Donald  is  said  to  have 
died  at  Gesto,  and  the  date  may  probably  be  fixed 
as  1650.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Macdonald 
of  Keppoch,  and  had  issue — 

1.  Alexander,  who  appears  in  1648  as  Alexander  Macdonald 

of  Skirmish,  and  who  carried  on  the  senior  repre- 
sentation of  the  line  of  Donald  Mac  Iain  'ic  Sheumais. 

2.  John,  of  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Eriskay.     He  was  a 

brave  warrior,  and  fought  under  Montrose  in  the  Civil 
Wars,  in  the  course  of  which  he  lost  both  his  legs  by 
a  musket  shot.  He  survived  his  wounds,  and  returned 
to  his  native  Island  of  Eriskay.  He  had  a  son,  James, 
who  succeeded  him  there.  James  married,  in  1696, 
Ann,  daughter  of  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Heiskir  and 
Balranald,  and  had  a  son,  Donald  of  Eriskay.  Donald 
married  and  had  a  son,  Angus,  known  in  his  day  as 
Aoughas  Mac  Dhomhnuill  'ic  Sheumais,  who  also  was 
tacksmau  of  Eriskay.  He  flourished  at  the  time  of 
the  '45,  and  it  was  in  his  house  at  Eriskay  that 
Prince  Charles  Edward  spent  his  first  night  on  Scot- 
tish soil  after  disembarking  from  the  Doutelle.  He 
died  without  issue. 

3.  John,  known  as  Iain  Bodach,  because  he  was  fostered  in 

Bute.  He  had  a  son  who  lived  in  North  Uist,  and 
was  drowned  while  swimming  from  an  islet  on  Loch 
Una  in  that  parish,  since  which  occurrence  it  has 
been  known  as  "  Eilean  Mhie  a'  Bh6daich,"  or  "  the 
islet  of  the  Buteman's  son." 

4.  Hugh,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  tacksman  of  Cuid- 

reach, and  of  whom  the  family  so  designed. 

5.  Mary,  who  married  Macleod  of  Gesto. 


504  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Donald  Maclain  'ic  Sheumas  was  succeeded  in  the 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  oldest  sou, 

IV.  ALEXANDER  of  Skirmish.     Along  with  his 
brother  John  he  also  took  part  in  the  campaign  of 
Montrose.     He  died  c.  1680.     He  married  a  daughter 
of  James  Macdonald  of  Ostaig,  and  a  niece  of  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald,  1st  Baronet  of  Sleat,  a  second 
cousin  of  his  own.     By  her  he  had — 

1.  Donald  of  Scuddiboro,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander  of  Flodigarry,  who  was  Chamberlain  of  Trotter- 

ni&h.  He  married  Mary  Macdonald,  with  issue — 
(A)  Alexander  ;  (B)  James  ;  (c)  John  ;  (D)  Mary, 
who  married  Archibald  Nicolson  in  Balvicquean ; 
(E)  Ann,  who  married  John  Nicolson  in  Scuddiboro ; 
(p)  Margaret,  who  married  Lachlau  Mackinnou  in 
Penefiler.  He  died  before  1697. 

V.  DONALD    MACDONALD    of    Scuddiboro.      He 
also  inherited  the  warlike  qualities  of  his  sires,  and 
was   present   at    the    battles   of    Killiecrankie   and 
Sheriffmuir.      He  died  about    1720.       He    married 
Margaret,   daughter    of    Rev.    Donald    Nicolson    of 
Scorriebreck,  Minister  of  Kilmuir  in  Skye,  and  had — 

1.  Alexander,  who  carried  on  the  succession. 

2.  John,  who  had  the  farm  of  Ardnacross,  in  Kintyre.     He 

married  Grace,  daughter  of  Godfrey  Macalister  of 
Loup,  and  had  a  daughter  Jane,  who  married  Angus 
Macalister  of  Loup,  with  issue. 

Donald  of  Scuddiboro  was  succeeded  by 

VI.  ALEXANDER    MACDONALD,   who  occupied   a 
very  prominent  position  in  the  Annals  of  the  family 
of  Sleat  during  about  half  a  century.      He  was  as 
eminent  in  the  walks  of  peace  as  his  ancestors  were 
in  warlike  prowess.     He  was  born  in   1689,  the  year 
of  the  battle  of  Killiecrankie,  and  in  1718,  when  he 
was  in  his  30th  year,  was  appointed  to  the  important 
post   of  Chamberlain    on    Sir    Donald    Macdonald's 
Trotternish  estates.     In   1722  he  obtained  a  tack  of 


THE  GENEALOGY  OP  CLAN  DONALD.     505 

the  lands  of  Knockcowe  and  Kilvaxter,  which  he 
seems  to  have  held  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1723 
he  appears  as  one  of  the  signatories  to  the  "  Bond  of 
Uist  men  and  others "  for  the  preservation  of  the 
forfeited  estates — then  exposed  for  sale — in  the 
possession  of  the  Sleat  family.  He  signs  as  "  son  of 
the  deceased  Donald  Macdonald  of  Scuddiboro," 
and  no  doubt,  as  Chamberlain  for  Trotternish,  took 
a  leading  part  in  these  negotiations.  As  represent- 
ing his  late  father,  he  was  also  apparently  a 
creditor  on  the  estate.  Though  his  race  came  in 
after  years  to  be  designated  of  Kingsburgh,  they 
never  had  any  connection  with  it  until  Alexander's 
own  time,  and  it  was  only  in  1734  that,  having 
apparently  given  up  Knockcowe  and  Kilvaxter,  he 
became  tacksman  of  that  historic  holding.  Alex- 
ander's connection  with  the  memorable  events  of 
1745-6  have  been  the  well-worn  theme  of  many  a 
pen,  and  it  is  not  our  purpose  now  to  detail  them. 
An  unwilling  actor  in  that  drama,  he  suffered 
imprisonment  in  Edinburgh  for  about  a  year.  After 
the  death  of  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  in  1746,  most 
urgent  appeals  were  made  by  Lady  Margaret  Mac- 
donald and  Macdonald  of  Castleton  to  President 
Forbes  to  use  his  influence  with  the  Government  for 
the  release  of  one  whose  management  of  the  Mac- 
donald estates  during  the  minority  of  young  Sir 
James  was  regarded  as  essential  to  their  prosperity. 
These  appeals  were  successful,  and  Kingsburgh  was 
released  from  durance  on  4th  July,  1747,  under  the 
general  Act  of  Indemnity.  This  decision  was  taken 
not  so  much  out  of  regard  for  Kingsburgh  or  the 
family  of  Sleat  as  for  reasons  of  State  policy.  In  a 
letter  of  27th  December,  1 746,  addressed  by  Presi- 
dent Forbes  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  printed 
among  the  Culloden  papers,  there  is  an  exceedingly 


506  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

good  and  convincing  case  made  out  from  this  point 
of  view  for  the  release  of  Kingsburgh,  the  President 
pointing  out  "  what  mav  be  the  consequence  if  a 
kindred  lately  recovered  from  disaffection  shall  see  a 
person  so  necessary  for  the  management  of  Sir  Alex- 
ander's private  fortune  after  a  long  imprisonment 
tried  and  if  convicted  put  to  death." 

Kingsburgh  continued  as  Chamberlain  to  the 
Sleat  family  till  about  1765,  when  he  retired  from 
active  duty  owing  to  the  infirmities  of  advancing 
years,  and  in  acknowledgment  of  his  long  and 
honourable  services  was  awarded  a  pension  of  £50 
per  annum  for  life.  He  died  on  13th  February, 
1772.  He  married  Florence,  daughter  of  John  Mac- 
donald of  Castleton,  with  issue — 

1.  Allan,  his  successor. 

2.  James,  tacksman  of  Knockcowe.     He  married  Margaret, 

daughter  of  Major  Macleod  of  Balmeanach,  aud  bad — 

(A)  Captain  Alexander  Macdonald,  who  died  in  the  island 

of  St  Kitts,  in  the  West  Indies,  in  the  British 
Service,  without  issue. 

(B)  James. 

(c)  Roderick.  These  two  brothers  were  engaged  as  clerks 
in  shipping  offices  in  Greenock,  and  having  been 
pressed  into  the  Service,  were  never  heard  of 
afterwards. 

(D)  Jessie,  married  Captain  Norman  Macleod,  "  Cyprus," 
with  issue — (a)  Elizabeth  Priugle,  who  married 
Rev.  Roderick  Maclean,  minister  of  South  Uist, 
and  had  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters ; 
their  5th  daughter,  Marion,  married  Rev.  Roderick 
Macdonald  of  Harris,  afterwards  of  South  Uist, 
with  issue — (a1)  Rev.  Archibald  Macdonald, 
Kiltarlity ;  (61)  Roderick,  died  young ;  (c1) 
Charles,  died  in  infancy  ;  (dl)  Alastair ;  (e1) 
Elizabeth  Priugle  ;  (/*)  Susan,  married  Archibald 
Maclauchan,  M.B.,  C.M.  :  he  died  in  the  Transvaal; 
(gl)  Flora  Alexandra,  married  Roderick  Maclean, 
Esq.  of  Gometra,  Mull ;  (h1)  Harriet  Christina  l ; 

1  The  above  family  was  inadvertently  omitted  from  the  Clan  Godfrey  genealogy. 


1.  Major  Alexander   Macdouald  of        3.  Captain    Allan    Mocdonald    of 

Courthill.  Kingsburgh. 

2.  George  Macdonald,  Novelist.  4.  J.  R.  M.  Macdouuld  of  Laigie. 

5.  John  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Sanda. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD. 

(b)  Margaret,  who  married  Mr  Calder,  school- 
master, Kilmuir,  Skye,  without  issue ;  (c)  Matilda, 
who  married  a  Mr  Campbell,  Durinish,  Skye, 
with  issue. 

(E)  Anne,  married  John  Mackenzie,  architect,  with  issue, 
among  others,  Margaret,  who  married  a  Mr  Mac- 
donald,  schoolmaster  and  catechist,  with  issue, 
(p)  Margaret,  died  unmarried. 
(G)  Flora,  died  unmarried. 

3.  Anne.  She  married  Ranald  Macalister  of  Skirinisb,  who 
was  for  some  time  factor  for  Troternish,  with  issue  a 
large  family,  who  have  already  been  detailed  under 
the  Macalister  genealogy. 

Alexander  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh  was  succeeded 
in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his  older  son, 

VII.  ALLAN.  Having  received  an  elementary 
education  in  his  native  parish,  he  was  afterwards 
sent  to  Edinburgh  to  complete  his  studies,  at  the 
expense  of  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald.  He  lived  for 
a  number  of  years  at  Flodigarry,  of  which  his  father 
had  a  tack,  and  continued  there  until  1772,  when, 
on  his  father's  death,  he  succeeded  him  at  Kings- 
burgh.  On  old  Kingsburgh's  retiral  from  office  in 
1765,  Allan  was  installed  in  his  place  as  Chamber- 
lain for  Troternish,  a  post  which  he  held  until  1774. 
It  was  while  at  Kingsburgh  that  Allan  and  his 
distinguished  wife  entertained  Dr  Samuel  Johnson 
and  his  biographer,  in  1773. 

In  1774  a  change  came  over  the  fortunes  of  the 
family  of  Kingsburgh.  It  was  a  transition  time  in 
the  Isles  when  great  economic  changes  rendered  it 
difficult  for  the  good  old  class  of  gentry  to  maintain 
their  ancient  state.  Animated  by  the  desire  to 
repair  the  somewhat  shattered  family  fortunes,  Allan 
broke  up  his  establishment  at  Kingsburgh  arid  sailed 
for  the  new  world.  Soon  after  his  settlement  in 
N  orth  Carolina,  the  American  War  of  Independence 
broke  out,  and  Allan  was  appointed  Captain  of  a 


508  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

Company  in  the  Royal  Highland  Emigrant  Regi- 
ment. With  his  five  sons  he  played  a  brilliant  part 
in  the  campaign  of  1777,  but  on  the  defeat  of  the 
loyalist  army  he  was  captured  at  Moore's  Creek  and 
taken  prisoner  to  Halifax,  where  he  was  confined 
till  1783,  when,  the  American  War  having  been 
concluded  by  a  Treaty  of  Peace,  he  was  liberated, 
and  returned  to  Scotland  after  an  absence  of  nine 
years,  his  wife  and  other  members  of  the  family 
having  returned  in  1779.  For  a  short  time  after 
his  return  to  Scotland,  Allan  lived  at  Daliburgh  in 
South  Uist.  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Milton,  his 
wife's  native  place.  About  1785  he  and  his  wife 
and  family  left  South  Uist  for  Skye,  and  once  more 
took  up  their  occupancy  of  the  house  and  farm  of 
Kingsburgh,  Allan  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  captain's 
pension.  Here  he  died  on  the  20th  September, 
1795,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  burying-ground 
at  Kilmuir.  Allan  married  on  the  6th  November, 
1750,  Flora,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of 
Milton  by  his  wife,  Marion,  daughter  of  Rev.  Angus 
Macdonald,  minister  of  South  Uist,  with  issue— 

1.  Charles,  a  Captain  in  the  Queen's  Rangers.     He  married 

in  1787  Isabella,  daughter  of  Captain  James  Mac- 
donald of  Aird,  son  of  William,  Tutor  of  Macdonald, 
without  issue.  He  died  in  1795. 

2.  Alexander,  Lieutenant  84th  Royal  Highland  Emigrant 

Regiment,  lost  at  sea,  unmarried.  He  went  down 
in  the  ship  "  Ville  de  Paris,"  captured  from  the 
enemy,  at  the  battle  of  Eustati  in  1782,  and  in  which 
he  and  his  brother  Ranald  were  placed  to  take  charge 
of  the  prize  and  crew. 

3.  Ranald,  Captain  Royal  Marines.     Lost  at  sea  with  his 

brother  Alexander. 

4.  James,  known  as  Captain  James  Macdonald  of  Flodigarry. 

He  married  Emily,  daughter  of  James  Macdonald,   of 
Skeabost,  and  died  in  1807,  leaving  issue — 
(A)  James  Somerled  Macdonald,  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  45th 
Madras  Native  Regiment  of  Infantry.      He  died 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  509 

unmarried    in  London   in  Jan.,   1842,    and   was 
butied  in  Kensal  Cemetery. 

(B)  Allan  Ranald,  a  Captain  in  the  4th  Bengal  Native 
Infantry.  He  married  Miss  Smith,  daughter  of 
General  Smith,  of  the  Bengal  Army,  with  issue — 
(a)  Reginald  Somerled  Macdonald,  of  the  Colonial 
Office,  who  married  Zeloe,  a  daughter  of  Sir 
William  Grove,  an  English  Judge,  and  died  1877, 
leaving  issue — (1)  Zeila  Flora,  who  married 
Colonel  Baker,  R.A.  ;  (2)  Leila,  Mrs  Cracken- 
thoi'pe  ;  (b)  Leila,  who  died  young  in  Florence  ; 
(c)  Leila  Flora,  who  married  Marshal  Canrobert, 
and  died  in  1895,  leaving  issue — (1)  Marce 
Certin,  an  officer  in  the  French  Army ;  (2)  Claire, 
who  married  Paul  de  Navacelle,  a  naval  officer. 

(c)  John,  who  died  young. 

(D)  Flora,  died  unmarried. 

(B)  Charlotte,  died  unmarried. 

(F)  Jessie,  married  Nihian  Jeffrey  of  New  Kelso,  Loch- 
carron,  with  issue — (a)  Captain  James  Jeffrey, 
who  married  Mary  Irwin,  with  issue.  He  died 
1875.  (b)  Captain  George  Jeffrey  of  H.M.  32nd 
Light  Infantry,  a  very  brave  soldier,  who  greatly 
distinguished  himself  in  various  campaigns  in 
which  the  British  Armj  were  engaged.  He 
married  Annie,  daughter  of  Colonel  William 
Geddes,  H.E.  I.C.S.,  with  issue.  He  died  in 
China  in  1868.  (c)  William  John,  stipendiary 
magistrate  at  Demerara,  married  Sophia,  widow 
of  the  Rev.  William  Hamilton,  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  at  Leguan,  Demerara,  with  issue,  (d) 
Allan  Ranald,  who  married,  and  had  Allan  Ninian 
Charles,  (e)  Thomas  Mackenzie,  lost  at  sea ; 
unmarried.  (/)  Alexander  Lachlan.  (g)  Ninian. 
(h)  John — both  the  last  died  in  infancy,  (i)  Amelia 
Macdonald,  died  unmarried,  1864.  (j)  Agnes 
Johanna,  married  Ranald  Livingstone  of  Drim- 
synie,  Argyllshire,  with  issue  —  (1)  Captain 
Ranald  Livingston  Macdonald,  3rd  Battalion 
Seaforth  Highlanders  ;  (2)  Alexander  ;  (3) 
Emily  ;  (4)  Mary  ;  (5)  Flora. 

5.  John,  who  became  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Clan  Alpine 
Regiment  and  Commandant  of  the  Royal  Edinburgh 


510  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Artillery.  He  contributed  largely  to  the  literature  of 
of  bis  profession,  and  became  a  F.R.S.  He  married — 
1st,  Mrs  Bogle,  a  widow,  with  issue,  two  children, 
who  died  young.  He  married — 2nd,  Frances  Maria, 
eldest  daughter  of  Sir  Robert  Chambers,  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Judicature,  Bengal,  with 
issue — 

(A)  Robert,  a  Major  in  the  Indian  Army.      He  married, 

with  issue — a  son,  Somerled,  who  died  young. 

(B)  John,  a  Captain  in  the  Indian  Army,  married,  with 

surviving  issue — (1)  Herbert  Chambers,  Lt.-Col. 
108th  Regiment.  He  married  first,  and  had 
Clarence  Herbert,  Major  86th  Berar  Infantry,  who 
married,  and  has  several  children  ;  (2)  Flora,  who 
married  Colonel  Cooke,  Q.M.G.  Madras  Army, 
with  issue.  He  married,  secondly,  and  had 
(a)  Percy  Edward,  (6)  Hugh,  (c)  Annie  Flora, 
(c?)  Adrea  Louisa,  (e)  Annabel  Gladys. 

(c)  Allan,  died  young. 

(D)  William  Pitt,  a  Major  -  General  in  the  Indian 
Army,  who  married  twice,  and  had  issue — 

(1)  Reginald    Mackenzie,   General    Madras   S.C. 
He   married,  and    has  issue — («)  Neville  Doug- 
las,   (6)     Arthur    Gabell,     (c)    Clarence     Regi- 
nald,    (d)     Emily    Florence,    (e)    Flora    Mary, 
(/)    Ethel     Clanranald,     (g)     Grace     Elizabeth. 

(2)  John     Collins,     General    Madras    S.C.     He 
married,   and  has  issue — (a)  Reginald   Percy,  a 
Captain    in    the    Army  ;    (6)  Walter    Douglas  ; 

(c)  Fanny  Julia,  who  married   Robert  Watson  ; 

(d)  Florence,    who   married  John    Barras,    with 
issue  ;  (e)  Alice  Maud.     (3)  Charles   Frederick. 
(4)    James     Ochterlony.        (5)    Rev.      Reginald 
Chambers,     Vicar    of     Frampton,     Dorchester. 
(6)  George    Edward    Russell.      (7)  Rev.    Grant 
William.     (8)  Henrietta    Frances.     (9)  Caroline 
Eliza.       (10)  Catherine    Austen,    who    married 
Rev.  W.  Johnson,  with  issue.     (11)  Ellen  Maria, 
who  married  Colonel  Chalon.     (12)  Alice  Susan, 
who  married  Rev.  J.  Smith,  Madras,  with  issue. 

(B)  Charles  Edward,  in  the  Indian  Civil  Service,  married, 
with  issue — (1)  John,  Major-General  B.S.C.,  who 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  511 

married,  and  has  (a)  Charles,  Captain  6th  B.C. ; 
(6)  Reginald,  (c)  Flora,  (d}  Annie,  (e)  Agnes. 

(F)  James,  a  Captain  in  the  Indian  Army,  married,   with 

issue — Augustus  and  a  daughter,  both  married. 

(G)  Reginald,    Lieutenant    17th    Lancers,     married    Miss 

Morris,  with  issue — Amy,  unmarried. 

(E)  Flora  Frances,  who  married  Edward  Wylde,  of  the 
Royal  Navy,  without  issue. 

(i)  Henrietta  Louisa  Lavinia,  married  Benjamin  Cuff 
Greenhill,  of  Knowle  Hall,  Somersetshire.  Issue — 
(a1)  Lavinia,  married  Edward  Amphlett,  with 
issue,  a  son  and  daughter  ;  (61)  Flora,  married 
Thomas  Hussy,  with  issue  ;  (c1)  Clare,  married, 
with  issue. 

Colonel  John  Macdonald  died  at  Exeter  on  16th 
August,  1831,  aged  72  years. 

6.  Annie,   married  Major  Alexander   Macleod  of  Lochbay, 

Skye,  and  of  Glendale,  Moore  County,  U.S.A.,  who 
fought  in  the  American  War  of  Independence,  as  also 
in  European  Wars,  in  all  of  which  he  greatly  dis- 
tinguished himself,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  Major- 
General.  Issue — 

(A)  Norman,  a   Lieutenant,  who   died  from  effects  of  a 
wound  inflicted  by  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glen- 
garry in  a  duel. 
(B  and  c)  Sons,  one  of  whom  married  in  India. 

(D)  Flora,  who  married  Mr  Mackay,  Forres,  with  issue. 

(E)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried  in  Stein,  Skye. 
Mrs  Major  Macleod  died  in  1834. 

7.  Frances,  who  married  Lieutenant  Donald  Macdonald  of 

Cuidreach,  Skye,  with  issue. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CUIDREACH. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  HUGH,  youngest  son  of  Donald  Mac  Iain  'ic 
Sheumais,  3rd  of  the  family  of  Castle  Camus. 
We  do  not  find  much  recorded  regarding  Hugh 
of  Cuidreach.  In  1660  we  find  himself  and 
his  mother  evidently  joint  tenants  of  these  lands, 


512  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Her  name  is  mentioned  that  year  along  with  his  in 
a  reference  made  to  the  approaching  close  of  the 
tack,  and  to  a  wadset  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  to  his 
youngest  son,  Alexander,  to  take  effect  after  the 
tack  expired.  For  some  reason  or  another,  these 
proposals  were  not  carried  out,  and  Hugh,  the  son 
of  Donald  Macian,  and  his  descendants  after  him, 
for  generations  continued  in  occupation.  Hugh 
married  and  had  a  son, 

II.  DONALD,    who    succeeded    him.      Either    in 
Donald's  or  in  his  father's  time,  a  new  wadset  of 
these  lands  must  have  been  obtained,  for  in  1691  we 
find    Donald    Macdonald    of   Arnishmore  appearing 
among  the  landowners  of  the   Parish  of  Kilmuir. 
He  died  about  1700.     He  married  and  had  a  son, 

III,  JAMES,    who  succeeded   him   at  Cuidreach, 
Arnishmore,  &c.     In  1705,  his  name  appears  among 
the  gentlemen   who   were  delegated   by   the  baron 
bailie    court    of  Duntulm    to    hold    courts    in  their 
respective  districts  in  Trotternish.     In   the  will  of 
Sir   James    Macdonald  of  Orinsay  in    1713,   he    is 
nominated  as  one  of  the  tutors  to  his  son  and  heir, 
afterwards  Sir  Alexander.     It  was  not  till  1723  that 
he  was  served   heir   to  his   father.      Many  of  the 
wadsetters    and    tacksmen    got    themselves   served 
heirs  about  this  time  with  the  view  of  establishing 
their  claims  as  creditors  on  the  Macdonald  forfeited 
estates.     James  of  Cuidreach  married  and  had  three 

sons— 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded. 

2    Hugh,   who   was   schoolmaster  at    Blaokhills,   and   died 

without  issue. 
3.  Murdoch,  died  without  issue. 

James  of  Cuidreach  died  about  1730,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  513 

IV.  DONALD,  who  appears  on  record  frequently 
during  his  father's  lifetime.      In  1737  he  made  a 
renunciation  of  Cuidreach  and  Arnishmore,  but  he 
received  a  new  tack  of  Cuidreach,  as  his  descendants 
continued  long  afterwards  in  possession  of  it.       He 
died  about  1757.     He  married,  and  had  his  successor, 

V.  ALEXANDER.      He   went   to  the  army,   and 
fought  in  the  American    War   as    Captain    in   the 
Regiment    of    North    Carolina   Highlanders.       He 
married,  and  had  his  son  and  successor, 

VI.  DONALD.       He    was    a    Lieutenant   in    the 
British  Army   during  the  American  Revolutionary 
War.     He  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Allan  Mac- 
donald  of  Kingsburgh,  by  his  wife,  Flora  Macdonald, 
with  issue. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  OSTAIG  AND  CAPSTILL. 

This  family  derives  its  descent  from 

I.  DONALD,  second  son  of  James  Macdonald  of 
Castle  Camus.  He  had  the  same  soubriquet  as 
his  grandfather,  Donald,  4th  Baron  of  Sleat,  and 
was  known  as  Donald  Gruamach  Mac  James, 
From  the  frequency  of  his  appearances  on  record, 
he  must  have  been  regarded  as  a  man  of  con- 
sequence in  the  internal  economy  of  the  Clan 
Uisdein.  On  16th  May,  1578,  John  Cunningham 
of  Drumquhassal  becomes  his  surety  for  appearing 
before  the  Council  as  one  of  the  Chieftains  of 
Donald  Gorm  Mor,  a  position  that  he  occupied 
until  his  death  nearly  fifty  years  later.  In  1617, 
Donald  Gruamach  Mac  James  is  procurator  for 
Donald  Gorm  Mor  in  a  precept  of  Seasing  of  that 
year,  and  is  referred  to  as  "  Donaldus  Mac  Conal 
alias  Gruamach  Mac  James  de  Ostaig  Actornatus." 

33 


514  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

In  1619,  Donald  Gorm  seeks  to  disown  liability  for 
Donald  Gruamach's  compearance  before  the  Privy 
Council  on  the  alleged  ground  that  he  was  a  tenant 
of  Macleocl's — but  the  plea  was  disallowed,  nor  have 
we  any  information  as  to  the  lands,  if  any,  that  he 
held  from  the  Chief  of  Dim  vegan.  He  married,  and 
had- 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Colla,  who  left  no  descendants. 

3.  John  Og,  of  whom  the  Macdonalds  of  Balvicquean,  and 

others.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,      f  I  S 

II.  JAMES.     The  ascertained  facts  about  him  and 
his  descendants  are  comparatively  meagre.      On  his 
father's  death  in  1626,  he  succeeded  him  as  one  of 
Donald    Gorm's    principal    chieftains    available    for 
yearly    presentation    at    the    Privy    Council.       He 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  Archibald,  the  clerk,  and 
sister  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  by  whom  he  had— 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  A  daughter,  who  married  her  second  cousin,  Alexander, 

son  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Cuidreach. 

He  died  about  1660,  and  was  succeeded  by 

III.  JAMES  of  Capstill.       He  held  a  command  in 
the  Sleat  contingent  under  Macdonald  of  Castleton 
at   Dundee's   Rising  for  King  James  in   1689,  and 
was  among  the  gentlemen  of  Clan  Uisdein,  cousins 
of  Sir  Donald,  who  perished  on  that  field.      Accord- 
ing to  Martin,  on  the  night  of  the  battle  of  Killie- 
crankie,  his  cows  in  Skye  gave  blood  instead  of  milk, 
which  was  regarded  as  a  serious  omen  at  a  time  of 
peril.     James  of  Capstill  married,  and   had  a  son 
John,  who  succeeded. 

IV.  JOHN  of  Capstill  appears  on  record  in  1686 
and  1697,  but  little  further  is  known  of  his  history. 
He  married,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  JAMES,  with  whom  this  branch  of  the  Clann 
Domhnuill  Ghruamaich  terminated. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  515 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  RIGG  AND  BALVICQUEAN. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  JOHN  OG,  second  son  of  Donald  Gruamach 
Mac  James.  While  James,  the  older  son  of  Donald 
of  Ostaig,  remained  in  the  native  region  of  SI  eat, 
John  Og  appears  to  have  migrated  to  Troternish, 
where  he  and  his  descendants  are  to  be  found  in  the 
lands  of  Rigg  and  Balvicquean.  John  Og  married, 
and  had — 

1.  James,  who  succeeded  him. 

2.  Ranald,   who  also   lived   at   Troternish,  and    is   buried 

there.  He  married,  and  had  a  son  James,  who  lived 
at  Troternish,  and  is  buried  there.  James  married, 
and  had  a  son  Archibald  Ban,  who  settled  in  North 
Uist,  having  gone  there  along  with  Ranald,  son  of  Sir 
James,  2nd  Baronet  of  Sleat,  when  he  became  tacks- 
man  of  Baleshare.  From  Ranald  of  Baleshare  he  held 
the  lands  of  Grianan.  He  died  at  Grianan,  and  was 
buried  in  Roilig  Chlann  Domhnuill  in  Kilmuir  Church- 
Yard,  North  Uist.  Archibald  Ban  married,  and  had — 

(A)  James. 

(B)  Rev.    Coll    Macdonald,    for  many  years   minister   of 

Portree,  and  highly  respected  by  all  classes  of  his 
parishioners.  He  was  twice  married,  with  issue, 
a  daughter. 

(c)  Marion,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald,  grandfather 

of  the  late  Rev.  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Trumisgarry. 

James  the  older  son  of  Archibald  Ban  Grianan,  settled  at 

Torlum,  Benbecula,  in  the  parish  of  South  Uist.     He 

married  Christina,  daughter  of  Malcolm  Macdonald  of 

the  Siol  Ghorraidh   tribe  in  North    Uist,  and    had 

issue — 

(A)  Rev.   Donald  Macdonald,  minister   of   Stencholl,    in 

Skye,  who  died  unmarried. 
(B;  Norman,  tacksman  of  Nunton  and  Vallay. 
(c)  Archibald,  tacksman  of  North  Bay,  Barra,  who  died 

unmarried. 
(D)  John,  who  died  young. 


516  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(E)  Catherine,    who    married    Archibald    Macdonald    of 

Allasdale,  Barra,  with  issue. 

Norman,  second  son  of  James  Macdonald,  Torlum,  was  for 
many  years  tacksman  of  the  farms  of  Nunton  in 
Benbecula,  and  of  Vallay  in  North  Uist.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  capable  and  energetic  farmers  in  the 
Western  Isles,  and  was  held  in  much  esteem  by  a 
large  circle  of  friends  as  one  of  the  most  genial  and 
hospitable  of  men.  He  married  Jessie,  3rd  daughter 
of  Rev.  Roderick  Maclean,  minister  of  South  Uist, 
with  issue — (a)  Rev.  Donald  John  Macdonald,  Minister 
of  Killean  and  Kilkenzie,  a  clergyman  of  the  highest 
character,  who  commands  great  respect  throughout 
the  district  of  Kintyre.  He  married  Margaret, 
daughter  of  the  late  Robert  Colvill  of  Bellgrove, 
Campbeltown  ;  (b)  James,  who  succeeded  his  father 
as  Tacksman  of  Nunton  and  Vallay,  now  abroad  ; 
(c)  Roderick,  M.D.,  now  in  Australia  ;  (d)  Norman, 
in  Australia  ;  («)  Lizzie  ;  (/)  Christina,  who  married 
James  Macrae,  LL.B.,  solicitor,  Glasgow,  with  issue  ; 
(g)  Flora,  who  married  Mr  Whitaker  in  Australia. 
John  Og,  son  of  Donald  Gruamach  Mac  James,  was 
succeeded  in  the  representation  of  this  branch  by  his 
oldest  son, 

II.  JAMES.     He  married,  and  had  issue — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded. 

2.  John,  who  died  without  issue. 

III.  DONALD   of   Balvicquean   and    Rigg.      He 
married,  and  had  issue— 

1.  James,  who  succeeded. 

2.  John,  who  had  Balvicquean  and  Rigg. 

3.  Anna,   who  married  John  Macdonald  of  Griminish  and 

Scolpig,  with  issue. 

4.  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

He  died  c.  1720,  and  was  succeeded  by 

IV.  JAMES,  who,  though  the  oldest  son,  did  not 
hold   Balvicquean   and   Rigg,    but   is    designed    of 
Kendrom,  which  is  adjoining  the  former  lands.      He 
married  a  daughter  of  John  Martin  of  Kingsburgh- 
more,  and  had  issue.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 


TfiE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD. 

V.  DONALD  GRUAMACH.      He  married,  and  had 
issue — 

1.  John. 

2.  Margaret,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Skeabost, 

with  issue. 

VI.  JOHN  MACDONALD,  an  officer  in  the  Custom 
House  in  Stornoway.     He  married,  and  had — 

1.  John,  who  went  to  Jamaica,  and  died  without  issue. 

2.  Donald,   captain  of  a   vessel  trading  with   China,   who 

married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald, 
of  Skeabost,  and  had  three  daughters — Johanna, 
Margaret,  and  Jemima. 

3.  Maigaret,  died  unmarried. 

4.  Betsy,  died  unmarried. 

5.  James,  died  unmarried  in  Jamaica. 

6.  Barbara,  died  unmarried. 

7.  David,  went  abroad. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  CAMUSCROSS  AND   CASTLETON. 

This  family — one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
Cadets  of  Sleat — derives  its  descent  from 

I.  DONALD,  youngest  son  of  Sir  Donald  Mac- 
donald, first  baronet  of  Sleat,  by  his  wife  Janet, 
daughter  of  Kenneth,  first  Lord  Mackenzie  of 
Kintail.  Donald,  who  was  designed  of  Castleton, 
in  Sleat,  was  a  distinguished  soldier,  and  as  Colonel 
commanded  the  Clan  Uisdein  contingent  at  the 
battle  of  Killiecrankie.  He  possessed  either  by 
tack  or  wadset  the  lands  of  Castleton,  Knock, 
Totamurich,  and  Camuscross,  and  of  these  he 
obtained  a  new  wadset  from  his  brother,  Sir  James 
Macdonald,  in  1665.  He  likewise  held  the  lands  of 
Ord,  Croswaig,  Tockvaig,  and  Tarsgavaig,  also  in 
the  barony  of  Sleat.  In  1691,  he  appears  on  the 
Valuation  Roll  of  Inverness  as  a  landowner  in  the 
county.  He  died  before  1700,  but  the  particular 


518  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

year   is    not    on    record.      He    married    Margaret, 
daughter  of  John  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had— 

1.  Ranald,  who  succeeded. 

2.  John  of  Castleton.     Former  genealogies  have  been  con- 

structed on  the  principle  that  the  descendants  of 
John  of  Castleton  were  the  senior  family,  and  on 
becoming  extinct  in  the  male  line,  writers  have  gone 
back  to  Camuscross  to  carry  on  the  representation. 
This  course  is  entirely  unsupported  by  the  evidence 
on  record.  The  senior  line  of  Donald  of  Castleton 
consisted  of  the  descendants  of  Ranald  of  Camuscross, 
to  whom  we  shall  return  after  disposing  of  the 
descendants  of  John,  the  younger  son.  He  married 
Anne,  daughter  of  John  Maclean  of  Boreray,  with 
issue — 

(A)  Donald,  who  succeeded. 

(B)  Archibald. 

(c)  Margaret,  who  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Sir  James 
Macdonald  of  Oransay. 

(D)  Florence,    who    married    Alexander    Macdonald    of 

Kingsburgh,  with  issue. 

(E)  Isabella,  who  married  John  Mackinnon  of  Kinloch, 

with  issue. 

(F)  Mary,  married  Alexander  2nd  of  Glenruore,  with  issue. 

John  Macdonald,  2nd  of  Castleton,  died  about 
1720,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  older  son, 
2.  Donald.  He  was  a  prominent  and  distinguished  per- 
sonage in  the  18th  century  Annals  of  the  House  of 
Sleat.  He,  along  with  his  chief,  espoused  the  Govern- 
ment side  at  the  '45,  and  commanded  one  of  the  Skye 
Companies  during  the  Jacobite  Rising.  He  afterwards 
became  a  Colonel  in  the  British  Army.  He  wrote  a 
letter  to  President  Forbes  after  the  '45,  which  has 
been  printed  among  the  Culloden  papers,  and  in 
which  he  appealed  for  the  release  of  Alexander  of 
Kingsburgh,  who  had  become  implicated  in  the  rescue 
of  Prince  Charles.  The  letter  was  written  on  behalf 
of  Lady  Margaret  Macdonald,  and  through  the  inter- 
vention of  the  President  the  appeal  was  successful. 
He  died  about  1760.  He  married  Isabella,  daughter 
of  William  Macleod  of  Hamer,  with  issue,  his  suc- 
cessor, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  51 9 

3.  John  Macdonald  of  Castleton,  Sheriff-Substitute  of  Inver- 
ness. He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Macleod 
of  Arnisdale,  Glenelg,  with  issue — 

(A)  Donald,  who  died  in  Skye,  without  issue. 

(B)  Norman,  who  died  in  the  West  Indies,  without  issue, 
(c)  Alexander,  a  major  in  the  Army,  died  in  the  East 

Indies,  without  issue. 

(u)  John,  a  captain  in  the    Army,  died  at  Skirmish,  in 
1833,  without  issue. 

(E)  Magnus,  died  in  the  East  Indies,  without  issue. 

(F)  William,  a  captain  in  the  Army,  died  in  the  East 

Indies,  without  issue. 

(G)  Flora,  died  unmarried. 
(H)  Catherine. 

(i)  Margaret. 

Sheriff  Macdonald  died  at  Skirinish  on  25th 
December,  1826,  at  the  advanced  age  of  87,  and  his 
wife  died  there  in  February,  1835,  aged  89. 

3.  Archibald,  died  without  issue. 

4.  Mary,  married  her  cousin,  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  4th 

Bart,    of    Sleat,    with    issue ;    and   (2nd)    Alexander 
Macdonald,  1st  of  Boisdale,  also  with  issue. 

Donald  Macdonald,  1st  of  Castleton,  was  succeeded 
in  the  senior  representation  of  the  family  by  his 
elder  son. 

II.  RANALD.  For  some  reason  unexplained,  his 
father  did  not,  according  to  use  and  wont,  provide 
that  the  succession  to  Castleton,  the  original  hold- 
ing, should  be  vested  in  his  older,  but  rather  in  his 
younger  son,  John,  whose  descendants  we  have  just 
traced.  Instead  of  this,  Ranald,  in  1670,  got 
seasing  of  the  five  penny  lands  of  Tarsgvaigbeg, 
and  of  the  five  penny  lands  of  Tarsgvaigmore,  and 
in  1673  he  obtained  a  wadset  for  the  same  lands, 
with  Ord,  Crossvaig,  and  Tockvaig  additional. 
Both  he  and  his  brother  John  appear  on  record 
respectively  as  younger  of  Castleton,  and  Ranald 
also  appears  as  younger  of  Ord.  We  do  not  find  a 


520  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

trace  of  Ranald  after  1689,  and  we  are  inclined  to 
think  that  he  was  one  of  the  five  cousins  of  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald  who  fell  at  Killiecrankie.  This 
seems  confirmed  by  a  line  from  a  poem  by  John 
Lorn  Macdonald,  the  Lochaber  bard,  in  which  he 
laments  the  losses  sustained  by  Sir  Donald  upon 
that  field.  In  the  course  of  the  poem  he  says : 

"B'ann  diubh  Raonull  is  Eoin  is  Seumas." 

Ranald  of  Camuscross  married,  and  had — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  John,  who  succeeded  Angus. 

3.  Christina,  who,  in  1707,  married  Somerled  Nicolson  of 

Shalder. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

III.  ANGUS.     He  appears  repeatedly  on  record 
as    Angus    Macdonald    of    Tarskvaig,    one    of    the 
properties   contained  in  the  wadset  of  1673.     He 
married,  and  had  a  daughter,   Mary,  but   left   no 
male  issue.     He  died  in  1728,  and  was  succeeded 
in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his  younger 
brother, 

IV.  JOHN.     He  is  at  Barivaig  in  1713,  and  on 
his  succession  to  his  brother  Angus,  is  designated 
both  as  of  Culnacnock  and  Camuscross.     He  married, 
in  1716,  Rachel,  daughter  of  Rev.  Donald  Nicolson, 
of  Scorribreck,   minister  of  Kilmuir,   in   Skye,  and 
had  issue — 

1.  Roderick,  of  Camuscross. 

2.  Archibald,  of  Culnacnock,  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  Martin  Martin,  Marishadder. 

John  died  in  1734,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  senior 
representation  of  the  family  by  his  older  son, 

V.  RODERICK,   who  was   known   in   his  day  as 
Ruairidh    Mac    Iain.       He    married    (1st)    Anne, 
daughter  of  John  Macleod  of  Drynoch,  with  issue — 


THE   GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.  521 

1.  Alexander,  who  succeeded. 

2.  James,    of    Tormore   and    Knock.      He  married  Grace, 

daughter  of  Major  Macdonald  of  Breakish,  with  issue, 
a  son,  who  married  Miss  Mackay,  Inverness,  without 
issue.  He  appears  in  1776  as  a  freehold  voter  of 
Inverness-shire. 

3.  Donald,    who  with   his  older  brother  James  was   joint 

tacksman  of  Tormore. 

He  was  a  captain  of  marines,  from  which  he  retired 
before  1774,  in  which  year  he  was  enrolled  a  freeholder 
in  Inverness-shire,  a  liferent  and  disposition  having 
been  assigned  in  his  favour  by  Lord  Macdonald  of  the 
lands  of  Tormore  and  others.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Macfarlane  of  Gavistock,  with  issue — 

(A)  Alexander,   who   succeeded  at  Tormore.      He   married 

Isabella,  daughter  of  Alexander  Chisholm  of  Samala- 
man  and  Lochans,  Moydart,  and  had — 

(A1)  Alexander,  died  young. 

(e1)  Donald,  the  present  representative,  unmarried. 

(c1)  Malcolm  Neil,  an  indigo  planter,  residing  at  Willow- 
vale,  Nairn.  He  married  Ethel,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Mr  Wright,  with  issue — (a)  Donald,  (6) 
Somerled,  (c)  Malcolm. 

(o1)  John  Macleod. 

(s1)  Eliza,  who  married  Mr  Hutchins,  Edinburgh,  with 
issue — (a)  Macdonald,  (b)  Ada,  (c)  Ella,  who 
married  D.  A.  Martin,  son  of  the  late  Rev. 
Angus  Martin  of  Snizort. 

(F1)  Penelope,  who  married  Roderick  Maclean,  M.D., 
South  Uist,  son  of  Rev.  Roderick  Maclean,  parish 
doctor  there,  with  issue— a  daughter,  Isabella, 
unmarried. 

(o1)  Barbara  Diana,  who  married  Mr  Oxley,  with  issue. 
They  emigrated  to  America. 

(n1)  Annabella,  who  married  Mr  Oxley,  brother  of  her 
sister's  husband,  with  issue.  They  also  emi- 
grated to  America. 

(i1)  Johanna,  who  married  Dr  Edward  Campbell,  Medical 
Officer  for  Sleat,  with  issue — a  son,  Donald. 
Captain  Donald  of  Tormore  died  in  1799,  and 
his  son  Alexander  died  in  1857. 

(B)  Roderick  of  Caps  till,  a  Captain  in  the  Army. 


522  TfiE   CLAN   DONALD. 

(c)  Anne. 

(D)  Jennie. 

(K)  Diana. 

(F)  Magdalene.     In   1788,  Roderick  Mac  Iain,  their  grand 

father,  bound   himself  to  make  provision  for   them, 

they  being  all  under  age  at  the  time. 

Roderick  Macdonald  of  Camuscross  died  about  1790, 
and  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  oldest  son, 

VI.  ALEXANDER.       He     married     Jane,     eldest 
daughter  of  the   Hon.   Captain  John  Johnstone  of 
Stapletoii,   second  son    of    James,    second    Earl   of 
Hartfell,   who   was    created   Earl  of  Annandale  in 
1661,  and  had— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  married  Anne  Salterford,  and  had  an  only 

son,  Alexander,  who  died  in  infancy. 

3.  Mary,  who  died  young. 

He  was  lost  at  sea  on  the  Irish  Coast  in  1758,  in 
which  year  his  wife  also  died,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  older  son, 

VII.  DONALD.     He  married  Johanna  Manning, 
and  had — 

1.  James,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,    a   Lieutenant    in    the    62nd    Regiment.       He 

married  Susan,  daughter  of  Denis  MacCarthy  of  Kil- 
coleman,  with  issue — (A)  James,  (B)  Donald,  (c)  Jane. 

3.  Johanna,  who  married  George  Gwynne. 

He  died  in  1804,  arid  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest 
son, 

VIII.  JAMES.     He  was  one  of  the  claimants  for 
the  Annandale  Peerage,  through  his  grandmother, 
Jane,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Captain  John  Johnstone 
of  Stapleton.     He   married   Catherine,  daughter  of 
Denis  MacCarthy  of  Kilcoleman,  and  a  sister  of  his 
younger  brother's  wife.     He  had— 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  523 

1.  Donald,  who  died  unmarried  in  1853. 

2.  James  Alexander,  a  Wesleyan  minister  in  England. 

3.  Sir  John  Denis,  K.C.B.,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  Inspector-General 

of  Hospitals  and  Fleets,  R.N.  He  was  born  in  1826. 
He  married  (1st)  Sarah  Phebe,  daughter  of  Ely  Walker 
of  Stainland,  with  issue — (A)  James  Alexander  Walker, 
who  died  in  infancy  ;  (B)  John  Denis,  (c)  William 
Richard,  (D)  Elyna  Mary,  (B)  Catherine  Janet. 

He  married  (2ndly)  Erina  Christiana  Cunningham, 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  Archer,  M.A.,  of  Wicklow. 

4.  Jane   Masters,   who    married    William   Richard  Rogers, 

M.D.,  with  issue. 

James  Macdonald  died  in  1865,  and  was  succeeded 
in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his  son, 

IX.  The  Rev.  JAMES  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD. 
He  married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Edward  William 
Mackie,  with  issue— 

1.  Rev.  James  Alexander  Donald  John,  Wesleyan  Minister. 

2.  Edward  William  Johnstone. 

3.  Rev.  Roderick  John  Johnstone,  M.D. 

4.  Somerled  Hector  Norman. 

5.  Harriet  Flora. 

6.  Catherine  Amelia. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  GLENMORE. 

This  family  is  descended  from  HUGH,  second  son 
of  Sir  James  Macdonald,  2nd  Baronet  of  Sleat.  In 
a  deed  of  entail  by  Sir  James,  executed  in  1657, 
Hugh  is  mentioned  as  next  heir  after  Donald,  after- 
wards Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat.  His  father 
gave  him  a  feu  charter  of  the  lands  of  Glenmore, 
Glenteltine,  Skirinish,  and  others,  in  the  year  1661. 
In  1691,  he  is  entered  in  the  Valuation  Roll  of  the 
County  of  Inverness  as  a  freeholder  of  considerable 
standing.  He  married,  first,  in  1671,  Anne, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Robertson  of  Struan,  Chief 
of  the  Clan  Robertson,  and  had  by  her — 


524  TfiE  CLAN   DONALD. 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Angus  of  Penbeg. 

3.  Janet,    who    married   John    Macdonald    of    Lochgarry, 

brother  of  Glengarry. 

4.  Margaret,   who  married  Donald  Macqueen,  Minister  of 

Snizort. 

Hugh  married,  secondly,  in  1682,  Katherine, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Allan  Macdonald  of  Kytrie 
(Cadet  of  Glengarry),  and  by  her,  who  afterwards 
married  Archibald  Macdonald  of  Barisdale,  had— 

5.  Hugh,    Minister  of   Portree.     He  graduated   at   King's 

College,  Aberdeen,  in  1719,  and  in  1726  was  presented 
by  the  Crown  to  the  Parish  of  Portree.  He  married, 
in  1729,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Macdonald  of 
Balconie,  son  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  by  his 
second  marriage,  and  had 

(1)  Alexander,  a  Major  in  the  Army,  proprietor  of  Court- 
hill,  Lochcarron,  and  latterly  Tacksman  of  Monkstadt, 
in  Skye.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Cuidrach  by  Annabella,  daughter  of  Hugh 
Macdonald   of    Armadale,   and    half-sister  of    Flora 
Macdonald.     By  her  Major  Macdonald  had — 

(a)  Alexander,  who  died  unmarried. 

(b)  Hugh  Peter,  tacksman  of  Monkstadt,  who  married 

Jessie,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Skae- 
bost,  and  by  her  had  —  (a1)  Alexander.  He 
emigrated  to  Australia,  and  was  twice  married. 
One  of  his  sons  is  Hugh  Macdonald,  M.P.  for 
Coonamble,  and  a  newspaper  editor  in  New 
South  Wales.  (61)  Donald,  sometime  factor  for 
Lord  Macdonald  in  North  Uist,  who  married 
Jessie,  daughter  of  James  Thomas  Macdonald  of 
Balranald,  with  issue,  all  in  Australia,  (c1)  John. 
(dl)  Hugh.  (el)  Bosville.  (/*)  James.  (gl)  Mar- 
garet. (hl)  Jessie.  (il)  Julia.  (jl)  Johanna. 
(#)  Eliza. 

(c)  Elizabeth,  who  married  Alexander  Macleod  of  Lus- 

kintyre,  without  issue. 

(d)  Alice,  who  married  Dr  Miller,  Stornoway,  and  had 

Johanna  Eliza,  and  Janetta  Macdonald. 

(2)  James,  (3)  John,  (4)  Janet,  (5)  Alice,  (6)  Margaret, 
and  other  nine  .children. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN   DONALD.  525 

The  Rev.  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Portree  died  in  1756. 
Hugh  Macdonald  of  Glenmore  died  May  6th,  1696, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

II.  ALEXANDER.      He   was  one  of  the  curators 
of  Sir   Alexander    Macdonald  of  Sleat  during  his 
minority.       He  married,    first,    Mary,    daughter   of 
John  Macdonald  of  Castleton,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Hugh,  his  successor. 

2.  Somerled,  who,  in  1734,  received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of 

Brogaig  and  others  from  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald. 
He  afterwards  received  a  lease  of  the  lands  of  Bresk- 
lan.  He  married  Isabella  Maclean,  and  had — (a) 
Alexander,  (6)  Donald,  (c)  Hugh. 

3.  John. 

Alexander  married,  secondly,  Mary  Macleod,  and 
had  by  her — 

4.  Anne,  who  married  Donald  Macqueen,  minister  of  Kil- 

muir,  with  issue. 

Alexander  died  in  1735,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son, 

III.  HUGH.      He   married    Janet,    daughter    of 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Garth,  and  had— 

1.  Alexander,  whose  issue,  if  any,  is  extinct. 

2.  Hugh,  bora  in  1737,  an  officer  of  the  59th  Regiment. 

He  was  at  Bantry,  in  Ireland,  with  his  regiment  in 
1762.  He  married,  in  1762,  Abigail  Susanna, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Evans,  and  had — 

(A)  John,  born  1765.     He  served  with  the  4th  Cavalry, 

The  Black  Horse  (afterwards  the  7th  Dragoon 
Guards).  He  married  Anne  Beltou,  and  had 
John  Dixon,  and  others,  of  whom  the  male  issue 
is  extinct. 

(B)  Alexander,  born  1770. 

(c)  Hugh,  born  1777.  He  served  in  the  25th  Regiment, 
married  Mary  French,  and  had  issue,  now  extinct. 

(D)  Henry  Francis,  born  1779.  He  married,  in  1811, 
Mary  Frances,  daughter  of  Rev.  Peter  Mosse, 
M.A.,  of  Clonrusk,  and  had  (a)  John  Mosse,  born 


526  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

1814,  died,  without  issue,  in  1850;  (6)  Henry 
Francis,  born  1816,  M.A.,  T.C.D.,  Canon  of 
Christ  Church,  Dublin,  Rector  of  Athy.  He 
married,  in  1845,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Gilbert 
Cockburn,  and  died  in  1891,  leaving  issue — 

(a1)  Henry  Francis,  born  March  8th,  1846,  M.A., 
T.C.D.,  Canon  of  Derry,  Rector  of  Ramelton, 
married  June  llth,  1874,  Marion,  daughter  of 
—  Tyler  (which  name  he  has  since  assumed, 
and  has  (1)  Henry  Hervey  Francis,  born  February 
13th,  1887,  B.A.,  Selwyn  College,  Cambridge. 
He  is  in  the  Indian  Civil  Service  ;  (2)  George 
Mosse,  born  December  28th,  1881,  Lieut.  Royal 
Artillery  ;  (3)  John  Ronald  Coltier,  born  March 
6th,  1889  ;  (4)  Margaret  ;  (5)  Aileen  Maura  ; 
(6)  Marion  Eirene  ;  (7)  Theodora  Frances  ; 
(8)  Flora. 

(bl)  John  Mosse,  born  April  24th,  1851,  Vicar  of 
Sherfield,  married  Miss  King,  and  has  John 
Henry  Lloyd,  born  March  llth,  1892  ;  Douglas 
King,  born  October  8th,  1894  ;  and  Margaret 
Clare. 

(c1)  Thomas  Mosse,  born  in  1853,  B.A.,  T.C.D.,  in 
Holy  Orders. 

(c?1)  Gilbert  Stewart,  born  April  12th,  1855. 

(el)  Augustus  Le  Clere,  born  June  6th,  1856,  Royal 
Irish  Constabulary,  married  in  1883  Kathleen, 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  Dockeray,  and  has 
Ronald  Francis  Keith  and  Margaret  Esme. 

(fl)  Charles  Montague,  born  March  6th,  1860,  Royal 
Irish  Constabulary,  married  Katherine,  daughter 
of  Dr  Ringland. 

(g1)  Margaret  Celestina,  who  married  Surgeon-General 
Charles  B.  Mosse,  C.B.,  C.M.G.,  and  died  June 
2nd,  1892,  leaving  issue  —  (1)  Arthur  Henry 
Eyre,  born  September  28th,  iS77,  Lieutenant 
Indian  Army  ;  (2)  Herbert  Augustus ;  (3)  Cecil ; 
(4)  Mary. 

(A1)  Frances  Emma. 

Thomas  Mosse  Macdonald  (third  son  of  Henry 
Francis  Macdonald  and  Mary  Frances,  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  Peter  Mosse),  born  May  14th,  1820, 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  527 

M.A.,  Canon  of  Lincoln,  Rector  of  Kersal.  He 
married,  March  14th,  1848,  Loveday  Lavinia, 
daughter  of  William  Carson,  and  has — 

1.  Henry   Francis,   born   January   28th,  1851,  M.A., 

Hertford  College,  Oxford,  Vicar  of  St  Paul's, 
Leamington.  He  married,  in  1877,  Helen, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Ayliff  of  Grahamstown, 
and  died  June  llth,  1878,  without  issue. 

2.  William    Mosse,    born    August    9th,    1856    (hon. 

captain  in  the  Army),  late  Captain  3rd  Battalion 
Cameron  Highlanders.  He  married,  November 
15th,  1888,  Helena,  daughter  of  Samuel  Harvey 
Twining,  and  has — (a)  Ronald  Mosse,  born 
December  9th,  1890 ;  (I))  Stuart  Hugh,  born 
May  16th,  1893. 

3.  Thomas  Mosse  (twin  with  William),  born  August 

9th,  1855,  M.A.  Brasenose  College,  Oxford  (New- 
digate  Prize,  1879),  Vicar  of  West  Malvern, 
married,  September  2nd,  1903,  Annie  Louise, 
daughter  of  John  Spooner. 

4.  Frederick  Charles,  born  March  22nd,   1860,  M.A. 

Oriel  College,  Oxford,  Vicar  of  Cnrist  Church, 
Gateshead,  married,  April  25th,  1901,  Maude, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Ayliff  of  Grahamstown, 
and  has  Harry  Frederick,  born  June  25th,  1902. 

5.  Loveday  Elizabeth,  died  young. 

6.  Mary  Frances,  died  1864. 

7.  Constance  Gertrude,  who  married,  July  10th,  1879, 

Theodore  Drayton  Grimke  Drayton,  of  Clifford 
Manor,  Gloucestershire,  and  has  (a)  Christopher 
de  Vere  Drayton,  born  July  16th,  1882,  B.A. 
Trinity  College,  Cambridge  ;  (6)  Alan  Drayton, 
born  July  16th,  1885,  Roy.  Mil.  Acad.,  Woolwich  ; 

(c)  Hugh    Drayton,    born    16th    August,    1886; 

(d)  Norman    Drayton,  born   March    6th,   1887  • 

(e)  Gertrude     Drayton  ;    (/)    Winifred   Judith 
Drayton. 

8.  Amy  Lavinia,  who  married,  June  7th,  1893,  Vernon 

Roberts,  and  has  (a)  Hugh  Macdonald  Vernon, 
born  October  16th,  1899  ;  (6)  Sheila  Macdonald 
Vernon. 

9.  Florence    Mary,    who    married,   November    14th, 

1894,  the  Rev.  Robert  Noble  Ferguson  Phillips, 


528  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


M.A ,     Vicar    of     Emmanuel     Church,     South 
Croydon. 

Abraham  Augustus,  the  fourth  son  of  Henry 
Francis  Macdonald  and  Mary  Mosse,  died  young. 
His  sister.i  were  (!)  Eliza,  (2)  Abigail  Susanna, 
who  died  in  1899,  nged  86  ;  (3)  Eliza  Frances. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  TOTSCOR,  BERNISDALE, 
AND  SCALPAY. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  JOHN,    second   son   of  Sir   James   Mor  Mac- 
donald, Second  Baronet  of  Sleat.     He  received  some 
time  before  his  father's  death  in  1678  a  wadset  of 
Totscor  and  other  lands  in  the  district  of  Troternish. 
He   married,    and   had   two   sons,  who   appear   on 
record — 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Norman. 

John  died  about   1710,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
older  son, 

II.  DONALD,    as    wadsetter    for    the    lands    of 
Totscor,  Pennymore,  and  others.     He  died  without 
issue  before  1721,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  repre- 
sentation of  this  family  by  his  brother, 

III.  NORMAN,   who  appears  among  the  gentle- 
men of  Troternish  in   1721.     He  died  about  1740. 
He  had  a  son,  John  of  Kinlochdale,  of  whom   the 
family  of  Bernisdale  and  Scalpay.     He  was  drowned 
in  1748.     He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Rev, 
Donald  Nicolson  of  Scorribreck,  minister  of  Kilmuir 
in  Skye,  and  had  issue — 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded  his  father  at  Kinlochdale. 
He  was  a  freeholder,  in  1777,  in  the  lands  of  Glen- 
more  and  others.  He  had  a  son,  Hugh,  who  appears 
on  record  in  1810. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  529 

2.  Archibald,    whose    son,    Donald,  served    in    the   Penin- 

sular War,  and  was  a  Captain  in  the  42nd  Regiment. 

3.  Norman.      He   is   a   freeholder   of    Gamboll    in    1776. 

He  was  a  favourite  with  Sir  James  Macdonald,  the 
"Scottish  Marcellus,"  who,  in  his  will  dated  16th 
July,  1766,  at  Rome,  left  him  a  legacy  of  £100. 
This  sum  he  discharges  as  late  as  1801.  He 
acquired  the  estate  of  Bernisdale  in  Suizort,  and  was 
tacksman  of  Scalpay  island  in  the  Parish  of  Strath, 
Skye.  Sir  Alexander,  the  first  Lord  Macdonald, 
refers  to  him  in  1795  as  "a  man  who  had  seen 
much  of  the  world,  having  been  in  France,  Italy, 
and  America."  He  died  28th  December,  1823.  He 
married  Susannah,  daughter  of  Ranald  M'Alister  of 
Skirinish,  and  had — 

(A)  James,   who   died   in   China   in    Lord    MacArtney's 

Embassy. 

(B)  Lieut. -General    Sir    John    Macdonald,    G.C.B.       He 

entered  the  Army  in  1795  as  Ensign  in  the 
89th  Regiment,  and  had  a  distinguished  career, 
attaining  the  rank  of  Lieut.-General.  He  became 
Adjutant-General  of  the  British  Army  in  1830, 
and  Colonel  of  the  42nd  Regiment  in  1844.  He 
died  in  London  on  the  28th  of  March,  1850.  He 
married  Dora  Graham,  an  Indian  heiress,  and 
had — (1)  Norman,  who  was  for  many  years  Vice- 
Chamberlain  at  the  Court  of  St  James',  and  died 
unmarried.  (2)  Henrietta,  who  married  General 
Sir  George  Buller,  C.B.,  who  commanded  the 
Rifle  Brigade  in  the  Crimean  War,  without  issue. 
(3)  Julia,  who  married  Sir  Rowland  Stanley 
Errington,  Bart,  of  Hooton,  and  had — (or) 
Claudine,  who  died  young  ;  (b)  Ethel,  who 
married  Evelyn  Baring,  now  Earl  Cromer:  (c) 
Venetia,  who  married  Lord  Pollington,  after- 
wards Earl  of  Mexborough. 

(c)  Colonel  Archibald  Macdonald,  K.H.  He  entered 
the  Army  as  Ensign  in  89th  Regiment,  served 
throughout  the  Peninsular  War,  and  was  Adju- 
tant-General in  the  East  Indies  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  took  place  at  Bengal  in  1827. 
He  married  Maria,  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr  King,  of 

34 


530  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Cork,  and  had — (1)  Norman,  Governor  of  Sierra 
Leoue  ;  (2)  General  John  A.  M.  Macdonald,  C.B., 
Indian  Staff  Corps  ;  (3)  Maria,  who  married  a 
Mr  Beamish,  Cork  ;  (4)  Louisa,  who  married  a 
brother  of  her  sister's  husband. 

(n)  Lieut.  -  General  Alexander  Macdonald,  C.B.  He 
entered  the  Royal  Artillery  in  1803,  and  served 
with  great  distinction  throughout  the  Peninsular 
War.  He  married  Susanna  Strangways,  niece  of 
the  Earl  of  Ilchester,  and  died  without  issue  in 
1856. 

(E)  Captain  Ranald  Macdonald,  who  died  m  India. 

(F)  Captain  Donald  Macdonald,  who  died  in  India. 

(G)  Matthew  Norman   Macdonald,    W.S.,    of   Ninewells. 

He  married,  first,  Catherine  Finuie,  a  West 
Indian  heiress,  and  had — (1)  Major-General 
Norman  Macdonald,  who  married,  and  died 
without  issue  in  1892.  (2)  Susanna,  who 
married  Dr  John  Burt,  Edinburgh,  and  had 
Dora,  who  married  Lieut. -General  Sir  John  C. 
Macleod,  G.C.B.,  with  issue ;  and  Annie,  who 
married  a  Mr  Wells.  (3)  Dora,  who  died  un- 
married. Matthew  Macdonald  married,  secondly, 
Grace,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Hay,  Baronet  of 
Smithfield  and  Haystoune,  and  had — (a)  The 
Right  Hon.  Sir  John  Hay  Atholl  Macdonald, 
a  prominent  Advocate  and  Judge.  He  has  been 
Solicitor-General  and  Lord  Advocate  in  successive 
Conservative  Administrations,  Sheriff  first  of 
Ross  and  afterwards  of  Perth,  a  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Session,  and  now  Lord  Justice-Clerk, 
with  the  title  of  Lord  Kingsburgh.  He  has 
shewn  great  aptitude  for  military  affairs,  and 
was  for  years  Colonel-Commandant  of  the  Edin- 
burgh Rifle  Volunteers,  a  position  from  which  he 
retired  some  years  ago.  He  is  also  the  author  of 
an  important  publication  on  military  tactics.  He 
married  Adelaide  Jeannette,  daughter  of  Major 
Doran  of  Ely  House,  Wexford,  and  had — (1) 
Norman  D.,  advocate  ;  (2)  John  ;  (3)  Lieutenant 
Ranald  Hume  Macdonald,  of  the  Royal  Engin- 
eers, (b)  Mariella,  who  married  a  Mr  Borthwick, 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  531 

Matthew  Macdonald   married  as   his   third  wife 

Miss  Hume  of  Ninewells,  whose  name  he  assumed. 
(H)  Anne,  who  married  the  Rev.  Donald  Martin,  Minister 

of  Kilmuir,  afterwards  of  Abernethy,  with  issue, 
(i)  Louisa,  who  married  Dr  Burt,  Edinburgh,  with  issue, 
(j)  Flora,  who  married  Mr  Bridges,  Edinburgh,  with 

issue. 
(K)  Diana,  .who  married  a  Macdonald  in.  London,  without 

issue. 
(L)  Frances,  who  married  Major  Macrimnion,  with   issue, 

Captain  Norman  Macrimrnon. 
(M)  Catherine,  who  died  at  Scalpay. 
(N)  A  daughter,  who  died  young, 
(o)  Margaret,  who   married  Donald  Nicolson  of  Scorry- 

breck,  with  issue. 


THE   MACDONALDS   OF   SARTLE. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Sartle  are  descended  from 
I. — SOMERLED,  4th  son  of  Sir  James  Mor  Mac- 
donald, 2nd  Baronet  of  Sleat.      He   married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Murdo  Macleod,  Tutor  of  Raasay,  and 
had- 

1.  Donald,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Ranald,    who   in    1717    claimed    as    heir  general   to  his 

father.  He  is  designed  in  1728  as  in  Messin,  and 
afterwards,  in  1734,  as  of  Daleville.  He  married 
Margaret,  widow  of  John  Macdonald  of  Totamurich. 
with  issue — (a)  James  of  Daleville,  and  (6)  Angus  of 
Camuscross. 

3.  Hugh,  who  was  in  the  Government  Service  in  the  '45, 

and  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  doings  of  that 
time.  He  was  captain  of  one  of  the  Independent 
Companies,  and  was  in  Uist  at  the  time  of  the 
Prince's  escape.  The  fact  that  he  was  Flora  Mac- 
donald's  stepfather  greatly  facilitated  the  arrange- 
ments by  which  Charles  was  got  safely  to  Skye. 
Had  he  been  a  determined  enemy,  the  plot  would 
never  have  succeeded.  He  had  the  lands  of  Camus- 
cross  in  1753,  but  was  better  known  as  Hugh  Mac- 


532  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

donald  of  Armadale,  where  he  lived  and  acted  for 
some  years  as  factor  for  the  Barony  of  Sleat.  He 
married  Marion,  daughter  of  Rev.  Angus  Macdonald, 
of  South  Uist — the  Ministear  laidear — and  widow  of 
Ranald  Macdonald  of  Milton,  father  of  Flora  Mac- 
donald, the  heroine  of  the  Prince's  escape.  They 
had — (a)  James,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Scots 
Hollanders ;  (ft)  Anriabella,  who  married  Alexander 
Micdonald  of  Cuidrach,  with  issue. 

4.  Margaret,  who  married  Alexander  Macdonald  of  the 
Ardnamnrchan  family  of  Maclan.  It  is  interesting 
to  ti'ace  the  genealogy  of  this  Alexander,  who  stands 
clearly  on  record — as  well  as  his  father — as  occupying 
the  lands  of  Borniskittaig.  He  was  patrouymically 
called  Alastair  Og,  the  son  of  Alexander,  son  of. 
Angus,  son  of  John,  son  of  Donald,  and  thus  quite 
clearly  connected  with  the  main  Ardnamurchan  line. 
This  branch  probably  migrated  to  the  friendly  terri- 
tory of  the  kindred  clan  Uisdein,  when  adverse 
fortune,  coupled  with  Campbell  machinations,  ren- 
dered their  native  country  unsafe.  Alastair  Og,  the 
husband  of  Margaret,  lived  first  at  Borniskittaig  and 
afterwards  at  Sartle.  Their  son  was  Captain  Somer- 
led  Macdonald  of  Sartle,  who  was  a  captain  in  the 
British  Legion,  and  greatly  distinguished  himself  in 
the  first  American  War.  In  1811  he  was  living,  and 
aged  78,  his  only  child  in  life  being  then  out  of  the 
kingdom.  He  married  a  second  wife,  whose  name  is 
not  recorded,  at  the  age  of  94,  and  left  throe  children 
under  10  when  he  died,  in  1839,  at  the  patriarchal 
age  of  106. 

Somerled    1st  of  Sartle  died  about  1700,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

II.  DONALD.  He  was  served  heir  to  his  father 
in  1723.  He  married  Janet,  daughter  of  John 
Macdonald  of  Borniskittaig,  and  had— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Alexander,  who  succeeded  Donald. 

3.  James.     He  was  a  joiner  in  Leith,  and  one  of  the  few 

Macdonalds  from  Skye  that  took  an  active  part  in 
the  '45  rising. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  533 

Donald  died  about   1728,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
oldest  son, 

III.  DONALD.      In    addition     to    the    lands    of 
Sartle,    he    also,    presumably    through    his    mother, 
obtained  the  wadset  of  Borniskittaig  in  1732,  which 
had  belonged  to  his  grandfather  John,  son  of  Archi- 
bald, the  Ciaran  Mabach.    The  wadset  was  renounced 
in  1734.     Donald  died   in   1740  without  issue,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

IV.  ALEXANDER.     He   married   Margaret   Mac- 
donald,  daughter  of  John  of  Totamurich,  and  had — 

1.  Angus,  his  successor. 

2.  Somerled. 

3.  Isabella,  who  married  Donald  Martin  of  Bealach. 

Alexander  died  about  1744,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

V.  ANGUS.     He  left  no  issue,  and  on  his  death, 
before  1750,  the  tenure   of  Sartle  passed   into  the 
hands  of  his  brother, 

VI.  SOMERLED,  who  appears  in   1750  as  brother 
and  heir  of  the  deceased  Angus  Macdonald  of  Sart- 
hill.     Somerled  died  without  issue  about  1790,  and 
with  him  the  male  line  of  Somerled  of  Sartle,  4th 
son  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  terminated. 
Upon,  this,  possession  of  the  tenancy  was  taken  by 
Captain  Somerled  Macdonald  of  the  British  Legion, 
who  was  the  husband  of  Margaret,  grand-aunt  of 
the  last  occupier. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  TOTAMURICH  AND  KNOCK. 

This  family  is  descended  from 
I.  RODERICK,  5th  son  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  of 
Sleat.     He  qualified  as  a  lawyer,  and  carried  on  a 


534  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

writer's   business  in  Edinburgh.      He    married,    in 
1669,  Janet  Ritchie,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  John. 

2.  James,  died  without  issue. 

Roderick  died  before  1693,  and  was  succeeded  in 
the  representation  of  this  branch  by  his  son, 

II.  JOHN.     He  did  not  adhere  to  the  law  busi- 
ness   in    Edinburgh,    but    became    Chamberlain   of 
Sieat,  for  which  he  no  doubt  had  acquired  a  good 
business  training,  and  in  this  capacity  we  find  him 
on  record  in   1693.     He  also  obtained  a  tack  of  the 
lands  of  Totamurich    and   Knock,   with    which  his 
descendants   were  for  generations  afterwards    con- 
nected.    He  married,  as  her  first  husband,  Margaret 
Macdonald.  and  had — 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Roderick.     He  qualified  as  a  notary  in  1733,  and  both 

in  that  and  the  following  years  he  is  on  record  as 
Kory  Macdonald  of  Totamurich.  Here  he  lived  till 
1753,  during  which  period  his  name  frequently 
appears.  In  1753  he  changed  his  residence  to 
Sandaig,  and  here  we  find  him  as  late  as  1765. 
He  married  and  had  a  son,  Alexander,  of  whose 
posterity,  if  any,  we  have  no  information. 

3.  Archibald.     In  1748  he  is  factor  for  Sleat,  and  is  styled 

Captain  Macdouald  of  Tarsgivaig.  In  1753  he  is 
found  at  Knock,  having  evidently  entered  into  pos- 
session of  the  tack  after  his  older  brother's  death. 
He  died  before  1775.  He  married  Annabella  Mac- 
kinnon,  and  had  issue  a  daughter,  Margaret. 

4.  Margaret. 

John  of  Totamurich  died  in  1733,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.      In   1728   a  wadset  of  Barivaig 
and  Castleton   is  given  in  favour  of  Donald  Mac- 
donald   in    Knock.       His    name    is    frequently   in 
evidence  as  son  of  John  Macdonald  of  Totamurich 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      535 

and  also  as  tacksman  of  Knosk.  He  married  Mary 
Mackinnon,  widow  of  Rev.  Martin  Macpherson, 
minister  of  Sleat,  and  had — 

1.  Allan,  who  succeeded. 

2.  John,  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  Penelope. 

Donald  of  Knock  died  before  1748,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his 
son, 

IV.  ALLAN.     He  was  a  noted  supporter  of  the 
Government  during  the  troubles  of  1745-6,  at  which 
time  he  was  major  in  one  of  the  Independent  Com- 
panies.      It  is  recorded  that  he  was   particularly 
inveterate  in  his  severity  towards  the  Jacobites  of 
Skye,   and  for   this   reason    the  name  of  Ailein   a' 
Chnuic  won  an  unenviable  notoriety  in  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  island.      After  his  father's  death,  he 
does  not  appear  to  have  lived  at  Knock,  his  military 
duties    imposing   residence    in   other    parts   of    the 
kingdom.       Besides    this,    his   uncle,    Archibald    of 
Tarskivaig,  undoubtedly  succeeded  Allan's  father  at 
Knock  ;  and  John,  Allan's  brother,  resided  with  his 
ether  uncle,  Roderick,  at  Sandaig.     In  1762  Allan 
was  situated  at  Bantry  with  his  regiment,  the  59th 
Foot,  in  which  he  held  a  captain's  commission.     He 
ultimately  attained  to  the  rank  of  major.     He  lived 
during  his  latter  years  in  the  town  of  Ayr,  where 
he  died  towards  the  end  of  the  18th  century.     He 
married,  and  had  at  least  one  son, 

V.  GENERAL  DONALD  MACDONALD.     He  fought 
in    the    American    Revolutionary    War,    and    com- 
manded the  troops   in  which    Allan   Macdonald  of 
Kingsburgh,    husband   of    Flora    Macdonald,    com- 
manded a  brigade. 


536  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  BALISHARE. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  RANALD,  a  natural  son  of  Sir  James  Mor,  2nd 
Bait,  of  Sleat.  He  was  born  in  Skye  about  1660, 
and  was  brought  up  in  his  native  island.  Early  in 
the  1 8th  century  he  became  tacksman  of  Balishare 
in  North  Uist,  and  lived  there  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  seems  to  have  become  factor  for  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald's  estate  of  North  Uist  about  the 
same  time  that  he  went  to  Balishare,  and  continued 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  that  position  until  1733, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  Ewen  Macdonald  of 
Vallay.  His  name  is  associated  with  the  abolition 
of  the  ancient  custom  of  herezeld,  which  had  been 
illegal  for  100  years,  but  continued  to  exist  in 
the  Outer  Isles.  He  married  Marion,  daughter 
of  Donald  Macdonald,  18th  of  Clanranald,  and  relict 
of  Allan  Macdonald,  5th  of  Morar,  with  issue — 

1.  Hugh,  who  succeeded. 

2.  Ranald,  who  was  a  brazier  in  Edinburgh,  and  who  died 

without  issue. 

3.  Donald  Roy. 

4.  A  daughter,  who  married  Donald  Campbell  of  Scalpay. 

(/I)  Donald  Roy  Macdonald,  3rd  son  of  Ranald  Mac- 
donald, 1st  of  Balishare,  was  one  of  the  few  of  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald's  following  who  espoused  the 
fortunes  of  Prince  Charles  in  1745.  He  fought  at 
Culloden,  where  he  held  a  Captain's  Commission,  and 
was  wounded  in  the  foot.  He,  however,  found  his  way 
in  safety  to  Skye,  and  was  there  at  the  time  of  the 
Prince's  arrival  .from  Uist  under  the  escort  of  Flora 
Macdonald.  Donald  Roy  was  in  the  secret  of  the 
Prince's  movements,  and  was  much  consulted  by  his 
Skye  friends  as  to  plans  for  his  further  safety.  He  was 
despatched  from  Monkstadt  to  Portree  and  thence  to 
Raasay,  and  carried  out  the  arrangements  with  young 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      537 

Macleod  of  that  Island  for  securing  a  suitable  boat  to 
convey  him  thither.  After  the  troubles  of  the  '45  wei'e 
past,  Donald  settled  down  in  his  native  parish  of  North 
Uist;  where  he  conducted  a  school  for  many  years,  in 
which  a  good  education  was  imparted  to  the  children  of 
the  gentry  in  that  region.  For  this  work  he  was 
admirably  fitted  by  his  classical  attainments,  as  is  shown 
by  the  ode  composed  in  Latin  to  his  foot  injured  at  the 
battle  of  Culloden.  Shortly  before  1764  Donald  Roy 
became  tacksman  of  the  lands  of  Kyles-Bernera,  at  the 
North  end  of  North  Uist,  apparently  combining  the 
business  of  a  farmer  with  that  of  an  instructor  of  youth. 
His  name  appears  prominently  on  record  in  connection 
with  the  lawsuit  of  Macdonald  of  Sleat  versus  Macleod 
of  Dun  vegan  re  the  seaweed  rights  in  the  Sound  of 
Bernera.  The  last  reference  we  have  to  Donald  Roy  is 
in  a  letter  written  on  the  subject  of  the  lawsuit  by 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Balranald  on  2nd  June,  1770.  It 
is  probable  that  his  death  took  place  a  few  years  later. 
We  do  not  find  any  record  of  his  marriage,  nor  of  any 
immediate  descendants  save  a  son, 

(B)  Hugh,  through  whom  Donald  Roy's  race  was 
perpetuated.  He  lived  at  Port  Glair,  in  the  Parish  of 
Boleskine,  and  married  Janet  Fraser.  By  her  he  had— 
(a)  Alexander,  who  lived  at  Balcharnach,  in  Dores 
Parish.  He  entered  the  army,  and  having 
served  for  some  time  he  retired,  and  went  to  live 
at  Inverness,  where  he  died.  He  married,  in  1804, 
Marjory  Fraser,  and  had  a  son,  (a1)  Charles.  He 
enlisted  in  the  Gordon  Highlanders  in  1820,  and 
served  in  that  regiment  for  27  years.  After  retiring 
and  receiving  his  pension,  he  obtained  a  com- 
mission as  Quartermaster  in  the  Edinburgh 
County  or  Queen's  Regiment  of  Light  Infantry 
Militia,  now  3rd  Battalion  Royal  Scots.  With 
these  he  served  for  23  years,  retiring  with  the 
rank  of  Captain  in  1879.  He  died  in  1 883.  He 
married  with  issue  (a2)  Alexander,  who  held  a 
Government  appointment  in  Australia,  where  he 
died.  He  married  Mary  MacGilchrist,  with  issue 
(a3)  Annie,  who  married  Alexander  Mack,  Head- 
master, Bonnington  School,  Leith,  with  issue,  a 


538  THE    CLAN    DONALp. 

son,  Rev.  Charles  Mack,  Minister  of  Hutton  and 
Corrie.  Captain  Charles  married  (2nd)  Jane, 
daughter  of  John  Smith,  ironfounder,  Inverness, 
and  had  (62)  John  James,  Agent,  Commeicial  Bank 
of  Scotland,  Comrie,  who  married  (1st)  Elizabeth 
Barclay,  daughter  of  David  Haig,  Librarian, 
Advocates'  Library,  and  has  a  daughter  Marjorie. 
He  married  (2nd)  Bessie,  daughter  of  James 
Scott,  Edinburgh;  (c2)  Walter  Scott,  H.M.  Cus- 
toms, Kimberley,  South  Africa,  who  married 
Therese  Delarey,  Capetown,  and  had  (a3)  Violet, 
(63)  Ranald,  (c3)  May,  (<&)  Ian  ;  (e3)  Archibald, 
who  died  young. 

Ranald  Macdonald  of  Balishare  died  in  1742,  and 
was  buried  in  Kilmuir  Churchyard,  North  Uist. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 

II.  HUGH,  2nd  of  Balishare.  Though  he  did 
not  join  the  Prince  openly,  like  his  younger  brother 
Donald,  Hugh  was  a  secret  sympathiser,  being  fully 
cognizant  of  his  movements  in  the  Long  Island,  as 
well  as  of  the  scheme  for  his  rescue.  He  visited 
Charles  Edward  in  the  hut  at  Corrodale,  and  with 
Macdonald  of  Boisdale  took  part  in  at  least  one 
symposium  in  that  lone  retreat.  Hugh  was  a 
prosperous  man,  and  acquired  by  purchase  an 
important  estate  in  the  Southend  district  of  Kin- 
tyre.  This  consisted  of  part  of  the  lands  of 
St  Ninians,  namely,  Machreoch,  Knockmorrell,  Kil- 
moshenechan,  Blaisdall  and  Eden,  Penlochan,  Penny- 
sirach,  Auchroig,  and  Cubrachan.  Hugh  died  in 
1769,  aged  63,  and  the  fact  has  been  embalmed  in 
one  of  the  verses  of  an  elegy  composed  by  John 
MacCodrum,  the  North  Uist  bard  :— 

An  aoc  mhile  's  a  seachd  ceud 
Tri  fichead  bliadhna  's  a  naoidh, 
Ghabh  Uisdean  cridhe  chead  duinn, 
Tri  fichead  's  a  tri  b'  e  aois. 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF    CLAN    DONALD.  539 

He  was  buried  in  Kilmuir  Churchyard,  North  Uist, 
and  a  stone  was  erected  over  his  tomb  bearing  an 
inscription,  which  is  now  illegible.  Hugh  was  never 
married,  but  he  left  two  children  by  Effrick  Mac- 
aulay,  Illeray— 

1.  Donald,  his  successor. 

2.  Isabella,  who  married  a  Mr  Burnett. 

He  was  succeeded  in  his  estates  both  in  Uist  and 
Kintyre  by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.  Although  not  a  strictly  lawful 
son,  his  father  apparently  bequeathed  to  him  all  the 
privileges  of  a  more  regular  relationship,  tt  was 
for  his  behoof  that  the  Kintyre  property  was 
purchased,  whence  he  was  known  in  his  day  as 
"  Tighearn  nam  peighinnean,"  the  lord  of  the  Penny- 
lands,  such  being  a  designation  of  his  Kintyre 
property.  Donald  was  factor  of  North  Uist,  suc- 
ceeding Neil  Maclean  of  Kerseva,  and  lived  a 
good  deal  in  the  island  of  Kirkibost,  of  which  he 
had  a  tack  along  with  Balishare.  He  was  a  man 
of  somewhat  eccentric  character,  and  in  his  latter 
days  became  mentally  deranged.  In  the  year  1800 
he  was  living  at  Kirkibost,  and  having  mysteriously 
disappeared,  his  body  was  found  a  few  weeks  after- 
wards above  high-water  mark  at  the  back  of  the 
Island.  The  previous  year  he  executed  a  Trust 
Disposition  and  Settlement,  in  which  his  Kintyre 
estate  was  vested  in  his  sons.  Annuities  were  also 
left  to  his  sister,  Mrs  Burnett,  and  to  Effrick 
Macaulay,  spouse  to  John  MacRury,  Knockline, 
North  Uist.  Donald,  like  his  father,  abjured  legal 
matrimony,  but  left  two  children — 

1 .  William,  his  successor. 

2.  James,  who  died  without  issue. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  older  son, 


540  THfi   CLAN    DONALD. 

IV.  WILLIAM,  in  whose  time  the  Kintyre  property 
was  sold  He  was  Professor  of  Natural  History  in 
the  University  of  St  Andrews,  and  died  upwards  of 
twenty  years  ago.  He  married  and  had  a  family, 
all  of  whom  died  young. 

THE  MACDONALDS  OF  AIRD  AND  VALLA Y. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  WILLIAM,  third  son  of  Sir  Donald  Macdonald, 
3rd  Baronet  of  Sleat,  by  his  wife  the  Lady  Margaret 
Douglas.  William  possessed  the  lands  of  Borniskit- 
taig,  in  the  Aird  of  Trotternish,  and  was  referred  to 
sometimes  under  the  former,  but  more  frequently 
under  the  latter1  territorial  designation.  He  was  a 
man  of  fine  physique  and  proved  courage  in  the  field 
of  battle,  having  fought  along  with  his  two  brothers, 
Sir  Donald  and  James  of  Orinsay,  at  both  the  battles 
of  Killiecrankie  and  Sheriffmuir,  at  the  latter  engage- 
ment holding  the  rank  of  Major.  Owing  to  the 
closeness  of  his  relationship  to  the  head  of  the 
house  of  Sleat,  he  was,  after  the  death  of  his  brother, 
Sir  James  of  Orinsay,  and  in  terms  of  the  latter's 
will,  appointed  Tutor  or  principal  guardian  to  Sir 
Alexander,  his  nephew,  who  was  only  a  child  of  ten 
at  the  time.  His  personal  influence  in  securing  the 
forfeited  estates  in  Skye  and  Uist  to  his  brother's 
family  is  said  to  have  been  a  large  factor  in  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  that  design.  Besides 
being  the  prop  of  the  principal  family  during  their 
time  of  adversity,  he  was  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  by  the  people  of  his  native  island.  He  lived 
and  died  at  Aird  House,  about  two  miles  north  of 
Duntulm  Castle,  and  the  house  he  occupied  is  still 
called  "  An  jTaoigh tear,"  or  the  "  Tutor."  He  was 


1.  Dr  K.   N.   Macdonald. 

2.  Alex.   Macdonald    of   Vallay. 


3.  Sir    Richard    G.  McDonnell. 

4.  Colonel  Alex.  Macdonald  of  Lyne- 

dale  and  Balrauald. 
5.  Captain  Alex.  Macdonald,  Knockow. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      541 

married  twice — (1st)  to  Catherine,  daughter  of  Sir 
Ewen  Cameron  of  Lochiel  ;  and  (2nd)  to  Janet, 
daughter  of  Lauchlan  Maclean  of  Vallay.  His 
family  consisted  of— 

1.  James,  his  successor  at  Aird. 

2.  Donald.      He  appears  in  1723  as  giving  in  a  claim  as 

creditor  upon  the  forfeited  Estate  of  Sleat,  where  he 
is  described  as  the  son  of  William  Macdonald  of 
Borniskittaig.  In  1728  he  had  a  tack  of  Kingsburgh, 
but  in  1738  is  still  living  at  Borniskittaig.  He  died 
before  1749.  He  married  Margaret  Maclean,  and  had 
issue,  a  sou,  Donald,  who  was  also  at  Kingsburgh, 
but  who  died  without  issue. 

3.  Ewen,  of  whom  afterwards. 

4.  Archibald.      He  was  tacksman  of  Sasaig,   and  married 

Mary,  daughter  of  John  Macdonald  of  Balconie.  He 
left  no  issue  that  survived  him. 

5.  John.       In    1735   he    was    tacksman    of    Kendrom    in 

Troternish,  as  well  as  bailie  for  that  barony.  In 
1740  he  received  from  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald  of 
Sleat  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Kirkibost,  Kyles,  and 
Balranald  in  North  Uist,  and  about  that  time,  or 
shortly  thereafter,  he  was?  appointed  factor  on  Sir 
Alexander's  estate  of  North  Uist.  He  had  command 
of  one  of  the  Independent  Companies  during  the 
Rising  of  1745.  He  died  before  1750.  He  married, 
and  had  issue,  a  daughter,  Margaret,  who,  after  her 
father's  death,  received  a  tack  of  the  farm  of  Paiblis- 
garry  in  North  Uist,  and  died  unmarried. 

6.  Allan,  who  in  1734  received  a  tack  of  Grealine,  and  died 

without  issue. 

7.  Christian,  died  unmarried. 

8.  Marion,  died  unmarried. 

9.  Janet,  died  unmarried. 

10.  Barbara,  died  unmarried. 

11.  Florence,  who,  in  1719,  married  Rev.  Aeneas  Macqueen, 

minister  of  Snizort,  Skye,  with  issue. 

William,  Tutor  of  Macdonald,  died  in  1730,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 


542  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

II.  JAMES  MACDONALD  of  Aird,  who  commanded 
one  of  the  Independent  Companies  in  the  '45.  He 
married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald 
of  Kinlochmoydart,  with  issue — 

1.  A  son,  who  is  said  to  have  gone  to  Australia,  where  he 

died  without  issue. 

2.  Catherine,  who  married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Balranald, 

with  issue. 

3.  Isabella,   who   married    Captain  Charles,   eldest    son  of 

Allan  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh  by   his  wife,  Flora 
Macdonald  of  Milton,  without  issue. 

4.  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

James  died  about  1772.  The  descendants  of  James 
and  Donald,  the  Tutor's  two  oldest  sons,  having  died 
without  male  issue,  the  succession  of  this  branch 
was  carried  on  by 

EWEN,  brother  of  James  of  Aird,  and  the  Tutor's 
third  son.  Ewen  went  to  Vallay — which  before  his 
time  had  been  in  the  occupancy  of  Lauchlan 
Maclean,  father  of  the  Tutor's  second  wife — in 
1727.  In  1733  he  received  a  commission  of  factory 
for  North  Uist,  succeeding  in  that  office  Ranald 
Macdonald  of  Balishare.  This  post  he  filled  for 
about  seven  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
younger  brother,  John  Macdonald  of  Kirkibost,  in 
1740.  In  1742  Ewen  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Lauchlan  Maclean,  minister  of  Coll,  and  had 
issue,  one  son,  William,  who  succeeded.  Ewen 
Macdonald  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  typical 
Highland  gentleman,  and  an  excellent  performer  on 
the  bagpipe.  He  was  also  a  skilful  composer  of 
piobrochs,  arid  his  "  Cumha  na  Coise,"  composed  on 
the  occasion  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  being 
accidentally  shot  in  the  foot  while  on  a  shooting 
expedition  in  North  Uist,  is  one  of  the  best  of  that 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  543 

class  of  Highland  music.  The  music  was  wedded  to 
words,  of  which  one  verse  at  least  survives — 

Mo  ghaol  mo  ghaol,  do  chas  threubhach 
Dha  '11  tig  an  t-osan  's  am  feileadh  ; 
Bu  leat  toiseach  nan  ceudan 
'N  am  feidh  bhi  'g  an  ruith. 

Ewen  died  in  1769,  as  is  demonstrated  by  a 
reference  in  Mac  Codrum's  elegy  to  Hugh  of  Bali- 
share,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

III.  WILLIAM.     He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale,  with  issue— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Ewen  of  Griminish,  who  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  army. 

He  married  Jane  Bruce,  and  had  issue — 

(A)  William,  died  without  issue. 

(B)  Ewen,  died  without  issue. 

(c)  Harriet,  who  married   Major  Oakes,   H.E.I.C.,   with 

issue. 

(D)  Mary,  who  married  General  Tod,  H.E.I.C.S.,  with 
issue — Ewen  Macdonald  Tod.  Mr  Tod,  who  lives 
in  Edinburgh,  is  a  notable  authority  on  angling, 
has  contributed  valuable  articles  on  the  subject 
to  sporting  journals,  and  has  in  recent  years 
published  an  important  and  well-informed  work 
on  the  subject  of  dry  fly  fishing. 

Ewen  of  Griminish  was  celebrated  in  song  by  one  of 
the  Uist  bards,  Alexander  Macdonald,  the  "  Dall  Mor," 
an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  Vallay  family. 

3.  Mary,  who  married  Rev.  Allan  Macqueen,   minister  of 

North  Uist,  with  issue — 

(A)  Donald,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  army. 

(B)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried. 

4.  Susan,  who  married  Rev.  James  Macqueen,  minister  of 

North  Uist,  with  issue — 

(A)  Rev.  William  Macqueen  of  Trumisgarry. 

(B)  Alexander,  an  officer  in  the  Macqueen  East  Indiaman. 

He  died  unmarried. 

(c)  Alice,  married  Captain  Alexander  Maclean,  Hosta,  of 
the  79th  Cameron  Highlanders,  with  issue. 


544  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

5.  Margaret,   who  married  as  her  first   husband    Captain 

Mackinnon,  without  issue.  She  married,  secondly, 
Captain  Mertoun  of  the  merchant  service,  with  issue, 
an  only  daughter,  Mary.  She  died  unmarried. 

6.  Janet,  who  married  John  Macdonald,  Malaglet,   without 

issue. 

7.  Catherine,  who  died  unmarried. 

On  the  authority  of  John  Mac  Codrum,  the  North 
Uist  bard,  William  Macdonald  of  Vallay  died  within 
six  months  of  his  father's  death— 

Mu  'n  d'  thainig  leth  bhliadhna  si  an 
Chaile  sinn  fear  Bhalaidh  's  a  mhac. 

He  died  in  1770,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  family  by  his  older  son, 

IV.  ALEXANDER.  In  1777  he  obtained  a  tack 
of  Vallay  and  Malaglet,  and  in  1796  received  a  com- 
mission of  factory  for  North  Uist  from  Sir 
Alexander,  first  Lord  Macdonald.  At  the  latter 
date  he  held  the  rank  of  captain  in  the  Fencibles 
raised  in  that  time  of  national  emergency,  and  was 
afterwards  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.  Alex- 
ander Macdonald,  the  blind  bard  of  North  Uist, 
composed  some  felicitous  verses  in  eulogy  of  Major 
Macdonald,  which,  along  with  the  song  to  his 
brother  Ewen,  have  been  printed  in  the  Uist  Col- 
lection. He  married,  in  1786,  Harriet,  daughter  of 
Colin  Macdonald  of  Boisdale,  with  issue— 

1.  Alexander,  his  successor. 

2.  Margaret,   who  married  Neil  Maclean,   C.E.,  Inverness, 

with  issue,  several  children,  all  of  v/hom  died  young. 
She  died  in  1854,  aged  69. 

3.  Mary,  who  died  in  1868,  aged  82. 

4.  Isabella,   who  married    Rev.  Neil  Maclean,   minister   of 

Tiree,  with  issue — 

(A)  Donald  Mac'eau,  M.D.,  who  married  Jane  Cameron 

of  Glen  Nevis,  without  issue. 

(B)  Alexander,  who  went  to  Australia. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      545 

(c)  Lilias  Margaret,  who  married  Mr  Mitchell  of  Wood- 
lands, Stirling,  and  died  without  issue  in  1877. 

(D)  Mary  Flora,  who  died  young 

(E)  Isabella,   who  married  Mr  Cameron  of  Glen  Nevis, 

with  issue. 

(F)  Harriet,  who  died  unmarried. 

Alexander  died  about  1820,  his  wife  surviving  him 
till  1839,  which  year  she  died  at  Inverness,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  only  son, 

V.  ALEXANDER.  He  was  born  14th  July,  1788. 
He  was  a  midshipman  in  the  Royal  Navy,  and 
afterwards  served  a  short  time  in  the  Army.  The 
traditions  of  North  Uist  describe  him  as  of 
splendid  physique,  one  of  the  most  athletic  men 
of  his  day,  and,  withal,  a  true  Highland  gentle- 
man. About  1825  the  family  left  Vallay,  and  went 
to  live  in  the  ancestral  region  of  Troternish,  where 
Alexander  was  for  a  number  of  years  tacksman  of 
Airdviceolan.  He  married,  on  2nd  February,  1826, 
Flora,  daughter  of  Duncan  Macrae  of  the  Inverinate 
family,  captain  in  the  Royal  York  Rangers,  with 
issue — 

1.  Duncan,  who  died  young. 

2.  Alexander  Ewen. 

3.  William  John,  of  whom  afterwards. 

4.  Macrae,  who  went  to  Australia  unmarried. 

5.  Colin  Hector  went  to  Australia,  ,'ind  married  there,  with 

issue. 

6.  Duncan,   went   to   Australia,  and   married   there,    with 

issue  several  sons  and  daughters. 

7.  Christina  Mary.      She  married  Rev.   John  W.  Tolmie, 

minister  of  Bracadale,  and  afterwards  of  Contin,  with 
issue — 

(A)  John,    Register   House,    Edinburgh,    married    Alex- 

andrina,  daughter  of  Donald  Macrae,  Luskintyre, 
with  issue. 

(B)  Rev.  Alexander  Macdonald  Cornfute,  M.A.,  minister 

of  Southend,  Kintyre,  unmarried. 

35 


546  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

(c)  Hugh  Macaskill,  who  went  to  Australia,  unmarried. 

(D)  Gregory,  who  went  to  New  Zealand.  He  married 
Ethel  Briton,  with  issue. 

(K)  Margaret  Hope,  who  married  Rev.  Archibald  Mac- 
donald,  minister  of  Kiltarlity,  with  issue  (inad- 
vertently omitted  from  Clangorrie  genealogy) — 
(a)  Marion  Margaret  Hope,  (6)  Christina  Mary, 
died  in  infancy,  (c)  Flora  Amy  Macruari. 

(F)  Mary  Macrae,  married  Robert  Smith,  Glasgow,  with 

issue. 

(G)  Flora  Macdonald,  who  married  Charles  Hoffman  Weth- 

rall,  V.S.,  Allahabad,  N.W.P.,  India,  with  issue. 
(H)  Williamina  Alexandrina. 

8.   Harriet  Margaret.      She  married  Alexander  A.  Gregory, 
Inverness,  with  issue — 

(A)  Alexander,    married    Miss   Stewart   of   Murdiestoun, 

with  issue. 

(B)  William, 
(c)  Neil. 

(D)  John,  in  the  R.N. 

(E)  Reginald. 

(F)  Margaret  Maclean,    married    Francis   Foster,    H.M. 

Customs,  with  issue. 

(o)  Harriet,  married  William  Lindsay  Stewart  of  Murdies- 
toun, with  issue. 

(H)  Catherine  Christina,  married  Charles  William  Dyson 
Perrins,  of  Davenham,  Woi-cestershire,  and  of 
Ardross,  Ross-shire,  with  issue. 

9.  Mary   Isabella,    married    Rev.    Kenneth   A.    Mackenzie, 
LL.D.,  Kingussie,  with  issue — 

(A)  John,  who  died  young. 

(B)  Mary  Flora,  who  married  Dr  De  Watteville,  King- 

ussie, with  issue, 
(c)  Elizabeth  Hannah  Frances,  unmarried. 

Alexander  Macdonald,  5th  of  Vallay,  died  of  fever 
in  1845,  and  was  buried  in  the  Churchyard  of 
Kilmuir.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  representation 
of  the  family  by 

VI.  ALEXANDER  EWEN.     He  went  to  Australia 
and  married  there,  but  his  male  descendants  having 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  547 

become  extinct,  the  representation  of  the  family  of 
the  Tutor  of  Macdonald  has  devolved  upon  the 
third  son  of  Alexander  5th  of  Vallay,  Senator  for 
British  Columbia, 

VII.  The  Hon.  WILLIAM  JOHN.  He  was  born 
in  Aird,  Skye,  in  1832.  Having  been  educated 
partly  by  private  tutors  and  partly  in  the  Parish 
School  of  Kilmuir,  he  acted  as  secretary  to  Admiral 
Fishbourne,  who  administered  the  Destitution  Fund 
in  Skye  in  1847  and  1848.  In  1851  he  received  an 
appointment  in  the  service  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company  as  one  of  its  secretaries,  arriving  in 
Victoria,  now  the  capital  of  British  Columbia,  after 
a  voyage  of  190  days.  On  the  discovery  of  gold  in 
that  province  in  1858,  Mr  Macdonald  acted  in 
various  capacities,  such  as  collector  of  customs, 
postmaster,  coroner,  captain  of  a  mounted  company 
to  guard  the  coast  from  Indian  depredations,  and 
commissioner  to  organise  the  free  school  system,  and 
road  commissioner.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legis- 
lative Assembly  of  British  Columbia  in  1859,  elected 
Mayor  of  Victoria  in  1866,  and  for  the  second  time 
in  1871,  called  to  the  Legislative  Council  on  the 
Union  of  the  Colonies  of  Vancouver  Island  and 
British  Columbia  in  1867,  and  called  to  a  seat  in 
the  Senate  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  on  the 
Colony  joining  the  Federation  of  the  North 
American  Colonies.  He  married  Catherine  Balfour, 
daughter  of  Captain  James  Murray  Reid,  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  with  issue— 

1.  Reginald  James,   Captain  in  the  Royal  Artillery.     He 

married  Madge,   daughter  of  Dr  Schofield,  London, 
with  issue,  Reginald  Alastair. 

2.  William  Balfour,  Lieutenant  in  the  Royal  Navy.      He 

married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Colonel  Capel  Mier,  of 
the  Cameron  Highlanders. 


548  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

3.  Alastair   Douglas,  B.A.  of  Cambridge,  and  Barrister  of 

the  Inner  Temple,  Lieutenant  in  the  Royal  Engineers  ; 
served  some  years  in  India. 

4.  Flora  Alexandrina,  married  Gavin   Hamilton  Burns,  of 

the  Bank  of  British  North  America,  with  issue. 

5.  Edythe  Mary,  married  Ernest  Fleet,  Captain  R.N. 

6.  Lillias  Christina,  unmarried. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  EAST  SHEEN. 

This  family  is  descended  from 

I.  ARCHIBALD,  third  son  of  Sir  Alexander  Mac- 
donald  of  Sleat  by  his  wife,  Lady  Margaret 
Montgomery.  He  was  born  in  1747  after  his 
father's  death.  He  studied  for  the  legal  profession, 
and  was  in  due  time  called  to  the  English  Bar.  He 
had  a  most  distinguished  professional  career,  and 
attained  to  the  position  of  King's  Counsel  at  a 
comparatively  early  age.  In  1777  he  was  elected 
M.P.  for  Hindon,  and  at  the  General  Election  of 
1780  was  returned  for  Newcastle-under-Lyne,  being 
afterwards  re-elected  in  1784  and  1790.  In  1780 
he  was  appointed  to  a  Welsh  Judgeship,  in  1784  he 
became  Solicitor-General  for  England,  and  Attorney- 
General  in  1788.  In  1793  he  became  a  Privy 
Councillor,  and  the  same  year  was  advanced  to  the 
position  of  Chief  Baron  of  the  Court  of  Exchequer. 
In  1813  he  was  created  a  Baronet.  He  married  in 
1777  Lady  Louisa,  eldest  daughter  of  Granville 
Leveson  Gower.  first  Marquis  of  Stafford,  and  had 
issue — 

1.  James,  his  successor. 

2.  Francis,  a  Captain   in   the   R.N.;  died    1826,    without 

issue. 

3.  Caroline  Margaret,  who  died  young. 

4.  Louisa,  died  unmarried 

5.  Susan,  who  died  young. 


SIR  ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD,  BART.,   LORD  CHIEF  BARON  OF  THE  EXCHEQUER. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      549 

6.  Caroline  Diana,   who  married   Rev.   Thomas  Randolph, 

M.A.,    Prebendary  of  St  Paul's,  Chaplain  to   Queen 

Victoria,  and  Rector  of  Had  ham,   Herts.  She  died 
13th  December,  1867. 

Sir  Archibald  died  on  18th  May,  1826,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  older  son, 

II.  Sir   JAMES,    who   was   born    14th  February, 
1784.     He  was  in  1805  elected  M.P.  for  Newcastle- 
under-Lyne,  and  re-elected  in   1806  and  1807.     He 
afterwards   represented    Calne.       In    1829    he  was 
elected  M.P.  for  Hampshire,  and  was  appointed  one 
of  the  Clerks  of  the  Privy  Seal.     He  died  of  cholera 
in  1832,  having  just  been  appointed  in  May  of  that 
year  High  Commissioner  of  the  Ionian  Islands.     He 
married,    1st,   on    5th  September,   1805,   Elizabeth, 
daughter    of   John   Sparrow   of  Bishton,   Stafford- 
shire,  without   issue.       He   married,   2nd,  on  10th 
August,  1810,  Sophia,  eldest  daughter  of  William 
Charles,  4th  Earl  of  Albemarle,  with  issue — 

1.  Archibald  Keppel,  his  successor. 

2.  Granville-Southwell,  died  young. 

He  married,  3rd,  on  20th  April,  1826,  Anne 
Charlotte,  daughter  of  Rev.  Saville  Ogle  of  Kirkley 
Hall,  County  Northumberland.  Sir  James  was 
succeeded  by  his  older  son, 

III.  Sir      ARCHIBALD      KEPPEL      MACDONALD, 
Baronet  of  East  Sheen,  County  Surrey.     He   was 
born  on   15th  October,   1820,  and  was  educated  at 
Harrow.     He  was  a  Captain  in  the  Scots  Fusilier 
Guards,  from  which  he  retired  in   1849,  and  equerry 
to  the  late  Duke  of  Sussex.      He  was  a  Deputy- 
Lieutenant  and  Magistrate  of  Hampshire,  and  was 
High  Sheriff  of  the  County  in   1865.     He  died  in 
1901.     He  married,  1st,  on   1st  May,   1849,   Lady 
Margaret  Sophia  Coke,  daughter  of  Thomas  William, 


550  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

1st  Earl  of  Leicester,  which  lady  died  without  issue 
on  4th  November,  1868.  He  married,  2nd,  on  25th 
November,  1869,  Catherine  Mary,  widow  of  the 
Hon.  Thomas  Edward  Stonor,  and  daughter  of 
J.  Coulthurst,  of  Gargrave  Hall,  Yorkshire,  with 
issue— 

1.  Archibald  John,  born  2nd  February,  1871. 

2.  Mary  Catherine. 

Sir  Archibald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  Sir  ARCHIBALD  JOHN  MACDONALD,  Bart,  of 
East  Sheen,  the  present  representative.  He  married 
in  1900  Constance  Mary,  daughter  of  Rev.  H.  M. 
Burgess,  of  Bramshott,  Hampshire. 


THE  MACLAVERTYS. 

The  MacLavertys,  whose  name  is  spelt  in  various 
forms,  as  McLeverty,  MacLarty,  and  McLardy,  are 
descended  from  the  Family  of  the  Isles,  and  had 
their  original  habitat  in  Kintyre.  They  broke  out 
early  from  the  main  stem,  and  claim  descent  from 
the  founder  of  the  Monastery  of  Saddell.  The  pro- 
genitor of  the  family  from  whom  they  take  their 
name  was  known  as  Fear  Labhairt  an  Righ,  or  the 
King's  Speaker,  who  received  this  distinction  from 
the  circumstance  of  his  being  employed  by  the  King 
of  the  Isles  as  special  ambassador  to  hostile  tribes  at 
feud  with  that  potentate.  The  office  appears  to 
have  become  hereditary  in  the  family.  The  name 
arose,  as  we  have  it  in  its  present  form,  from  Mac- 
Labhairt,  or  son  of  the  Speaker.  It  is  on  record  in 
1524  in  the  form  of  Maklafferdich,  one  of  the  Clan 
Donald  following  in  Kintyre.  On  the  dispersion  of 
the  Kintvre  branch  of  the  Clan  Donald  in  the  first 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.      551 

half  of  the  17th  century,  the  MacLavertys  followed 
many  of  them  to  the  Antrim  Glens  in  Ireland. 

IVER  MACLAVERTY,  who  was  born  in  the  North 
of  Ireland  in  1667,  and  whose  father  possessed  an 
estate  of  five  farms  near  Cushendall,  came  over  to 
Kintyre,  no  doubt,  to  claim  the  lands  of  which  his 
family  had  been  deprived.  One  of  the  places 
originally  occupied  by  the  family  was  Chisken,  and 
another  is  believed  to  have  been  Keill.  Iver  settled 
in  Machairemore,  and  leased  several  farms  from  the 
Argyll  family.  He  died  at  Machairemore,  October 
12,  1724,  and  was  buried  at  Kilcolmkill,  where  his 
tombstone  is  still  to  be  seen  bearing  his  coat  of  arms, 
the  quarterings  clearly  showing  his  descent  from  the 
Family  of  the  Isles.  In  the  first  quarter  is  a  dexter 
hand  couped  and  erect  (Lamh  Dhearg) ;  in  the 
second  the  front  of  an  ancient  monastery  ;  in  the 
third  two  stars  of  six  points ;  and  in  the  fourth  a 
galley  surmounted  with  an  eagle  displayed. 

Iver  MacLaverty  left  issue — 

John,  who  married  Agnes  Robertson,  and  had — 

1.  James,  born  19th  June,   1726.      He  married,  and  had  a 

family,  but  no  male  descendants  have  survived. 

2.  Archibald,  born  18th  October,  1728,  and  has  no  repre- 

sentative. 

3.  Alexander,  born  12th  June,  1731. 

4.  Angus,  born  25th  May,  1735. 

ALEXANDER,  the  third  son  of  John,  who  owned 
some  merchant  vessels  trading  to  the  West  Indies 
and  America,  married  Jane  Johnston  (heiress,  and 
Ward  of  Campbell  of  Skipness),  descended  from 
Alexander  Macdonald,  son  of  Glencoe,  who  escaped 
from  the  Massacre  in  1692.  By  her  he  had— 

1.  Colin,  born  November  16,  1756. 

2.  John,  who  died  young. 

3.  Archibald,  who  died  young. 


552  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

4.  Alexander,  who  was  born  in  1772,  and  married  Isabella 

Rattray,  and  had  (1)  Colin,  who  married  Miss  East, 
and  three  sons  and  three  daughters  ;  (2)  Alexander, 
M.D.,  who  married  Miss  Iver,  and  had  (a)  Iver, 
Colonel  R.A.,  who  married,  and  has  a  family ;  (b) 
Alexander,  Rector  of  Llangattock,  Monmouth,  who 
married,  and  has  a  family  ;  (3)  Isabella  ;  (4)  Jane. 

5.  Annie,  born  November  3,  1757. 

6.  Margaret,  born  June  1st,  1761. 

7.  Jeanie,  born  23rd  January,  1767. 

COLIN,  the  eldest  son  of  Alexander,  held  in 
early  life  a  Lieutenant's  commission  in  the  24th 
Regiment,  in  which  he  served  during  the  American 
War  of  Independence. '  He  was  also  M.D.  of  Edin- 
burgh. He  married  in  1795  Elizabeth  Susanna 
Breon,  of  Chestervale,  Jamaica,  and  had— 

1.  Edmund,  who  died  in  Jamaica. 

2.  Colin,  who  died  in  Greenock. 

3.  Alexander,  who  died  at  Campbeltown. 

4.  Edmund,  who  died  at  Campbeltown. 

5.  John  Freeman. 

6.  Mary  Anne,  who  died  at  Jamaica. 

7.  Jane  Johnston,  who  married  Colonel  Fullartcn,    of  the 

Rifle  Brigade  and  86th  Regiment,  without  issue. 

8.  Susan,  who  died  in  Edinburgh. 

9.  Mary  Anne,  who  married  Rev.  Mr  Campbell,  with  issue. 

JOHN  FREEMAN  MACLAVERTY,  who  was  born  at 
Sanda  House  in  1806,  succeeded  to  Keill  and 
Chestervale,  Jamaica,  on  the  death  of  his  father  in 
1834.  He  married  in  1842  Annie  Barbara  Brodie, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Brodie  and  Louisa  Mercer. 
He  died  at  Mount  Devon,  Dollar,  in  January,  1882, 
having  had  issue— 

1.  Colin  Edmund  Breon,  bcrn  1845;  died  1877. 

2.  Graeme  Alexander. 

3.  William,  born  1848;  died  1866. 

4    John  Freeman,  born  1851  ;  died  in  Jamaica,  1882. 
5.  George  Francis,  born  in  1852  ;  died  the  same  year. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  553 

6.  James  Eyton  Campbell,  born  in  1855. 

7.  Charles  Louis,  born  in  1856. 

8.  Louisa,  born  in  1843  ;  died  in  1897. 

9.  Elizabeth  Susanna,  born  in  1847  ;  died  1899. 

10.  Margaret  Elizabeth,  born  in  1853. 

11.  Jessie  Brodie,  born  in  1858. 

12.  Annie  Barbara  Forbes,  born  in  1859. 

GRAEME  ALEXANDER  MACLAVERTY,  now  of 
Chanting  Hall,  Hamilton,  born  at  Keill,  22nd 
March,  1840.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  clansman,  and 
has  for  years  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Clan  Society  in  Glasgow.  He  married  at 
Singapore,  in  1879,  Eliza  Anne  Lockhart,  only 
daughter  of  Thomas  M'Call,  of  Craighead,  Lanark, 
and  grand-daughter  of  Robert  Lcckhart  of  Castle- 
hill,  and  has — 

1.  Ronald  Graeme,  born  at  Singapore,  7th  November,  1879. 

2.  Iver  Edward  Breon,  born  at  Hamilton,  12th  December, 

1882. 

3.  Constance    Maxid    Lockhart,     born    at    Hamilton,    3rd 

October,  1884. 


THE  MACKAINS  OF  ELGIN. 

When  the  Macdonalds  of  Ardnamurchan, 
patronymically  known  as  Maclaiiis,  were  driven  out 
of  their  native  territory,  in  the  first  half  of  the  17th 
century,  many  of  them  found  shelter  in  the  other 
territories  of  the  clan,  principally  on  the  Clanrauald 
Estates.  One  family  at  least  settled  in  Morayshire, 
to  the  members  of  which  occasional  references  are  to 
be  found  on  record.  Several  members  of  this  family 
were  afterwards  merchant  burgesses  of  Elgin.  One 
line  of  this  branch,  descended  from  John  Maclain, 
has  survived  and  preserved  its  identity.  The  name 
is  variously  spelt  even  by  members  of  the  same 


554  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

family.     It  is  to  be  met  with  at  home  and  abroad  as 
MacKain,  MacKean,  and  MacKeand. 

ARCHIBALD  MACKAIN,  merchant,  Elgin,  son  of 
James,  son  of  John,  of  the  Ardnamurchan  family, 
married  Elspet,  daughter  of  Andrew  Leslie,  mer- 
chant, Elgin,  son  of  Andrew  Leslie,  of  the  Glen  of 
Rothes,  cadet  of  the  Earl  of  Rothes.  By  her  he 
had  a  son,  James,  of  Bungay,  Suffolk,  who  left  Scot- 
land in  1776,  and  married  Annie  Honywood,  who 
died  in  1827.  He  died  in  1828,  and  left  issue— 

1.  James,  born  in  1782  ;  Naval  Officer,  in  charge  of  Lisbon 

Dockyard,  1808-15,  and  subsequently  of  H.M.  Dock- 
yards, Pembroke,  Sheerness,  and  Woolwich. 

2.  Elizabeth,  born  1787,  married  John  Graham  Dow,  with 

issue,  two  daughters. 

3.  Archibald  William,  born  1789,  and  had  issue,  Archibald 

and  James. 

JAMES  manned  Catherine  Lewis  Dobbin,  daughter 
of  Captain  William  Dobbin,  R.N.,  who  died  in 
1844.  He  died  at  Bordeaux  in  1845,  and  had 
issue — 

1.  James  Dobbin,  bom  1822 ;  died  1847. 

2.  William  Fergus,  born  1825. 

3.  John  Honywood,  born  1826 ;  died  1875. 

4.  Archibald  Elgin,  born  1830  ;  died  1864. 

5.  George  Innes,  born  1833. 

6.  Frederick,  born  1835  ;  died  1853. 

7.  Kate  Evelyn,   born   1824 ;    married    Sir   Humphrey  C. 

Jervis-White-Jervis,  Bart.,  and  died  in  1895. 

8.  Harriet  Johanna,  born  1828  ;  married  Adolphe  Renaud, 

and  died  in  1890,  leaving  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

9.  Anne  Elizabeth,  born  1838  •  died  1847. 

WIILLIAM  FERGUS,  late  of  the  Admiralty, 
married  Catherine  Anne  Dobbin,  and  had — 

1.  William  James,  born  1854. 

2.  Fergus  Henry,  born  1856,  civil  engineer,  married  Georgia 

Anna  Smith,  with  issue,  two  sons  and  four  daughters. 
He  died  in  1896. 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  555 

3.  Charles  Sydney,  born  1858. 

4.  John  Elgin,  born  1860,  married,  1890,  Margarite  Lejeune 

Vincent,  and  has  two  sons  and  one  daughter. 

5.  Katie  Mary  Isobel,  born  1861  ;  died  1879. 

6.  Edith,  who  married  Dr  F.  T.  G.  Pritchard,  Dewsbury, 

Yorkshire. 

7.  Alice,  who  married  Rev.  G.  F.  Seaton,  British  Chaplain 

at  Homburg,  with  issue,  two  daughters  and  one  son. 

WILLIAM  JAMES  MACKAIN,  Clerk  in  Holy 
Orders,  Rector  of  Parbam,  Sussex,  1890-94.  He 
married  Helen  Clifford  Morecroft,  arid  has — 

1.  James  Fergus,  Lieutenant  in  the  Indian  Army,  born  1885. 

2.  Clifford  Arthur,  bora  1887. 

3.  Irene  Helen,  born  1891. 

The  MacKain  arms  are  :  Argent,  three  Bendlets 
Vert,  on  a  chief  gules  a  demi-eag-le,  or  with  the 
motto — "  Le  Tout  Ne  Vaut  Pas  La  Moitie." 


THE  DARROCHS. 

The  Darroch  tribe  is  very  probably — as  is  claimed 
by  its  members — a  real  branch  of  the  Macdonald 
Clan,  though  the  received  origin  of  the  name  and  its 
traditional  connection  with  an  oak  stick  may  well  be 
regarded  as  a  legend  very  naturally  growing  out  of 
the  particular  form  which  the  name  has  assumed. 
The  sept  is  styled  in  Gaelic  Clann  \lle  Riabhaich, 
sometimes  Clann  Domhnuill  Riabhaich,  and  in  1623 
we  find  a  family  of  this  name  in  Skye  entering  into 
a  Bond  with  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  1st  Baronet  of 
Sleat,  in  which  they  acknowledge  him  as  their  chief, 
and  he  promises  them  due  protection.  Whether 
this  is  the  origin  of  the  claim  to  belong  to  the  Clan 
Donald  cannot  be  determined.  In  more  modern 
times  the  island  of  Jura  is  the  nursery  of  the  race, 
and  there  the  name  is  most  frequently  met  with  in 


556  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

its  special  form  of  Darroch.  In  this  form  it  is 
supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  the  words  Dath 
riabhach,  or  brindled  colour,  to  distinguish  the  sept 
from  those  of  the  Dath  buidhe,  or  yellow  colour, 
there  being  many  of  the  Clan  Bowie  also  among  the 
inhabitants  of  Jura.  From  the  Darrochs  of  Jura 
have  sprung  the  family  of  Gourock  and  Torridon, 
whom  we  now  proceed  to  trace  genealogically  from 
their  founder. 

I.  DUNCAN  DARROCH.      He   was   born  in   Jura 
before  the  middle  of  the  18th  century,  and  having 
gone  to  push  his  fortune  in  Jamaica,  he  succeeded  so 
well  that  on  returning  to  Scotland  in  1784  he  pur- 
chased the  estate  of  Gourock,   on  the  Clyde,  from 
the   existing   owners,    the    Stewarts  of  Castlemilk. 
About  that   time   he   matriculated    arms,   and   the 
story  of  the  oak  cudgel  found  an  honourable  if  also 
a  somewhat  mythical  position  on  the  shield.     Duncan 
Darroch  of  Gourock  died  in  the  early  years  of  the 
19th  century.     He  married,  and  had  a  son, 

II.  DUNCAN  DARROCH,  who   succeeded   him    at 
Gourock.       He   had  a  command  in  the  Glengarry 
Fencibles,  arid  eventually  attained  to  the  rank  of 
Lieutenant-General.       In   1799  he  commanded  the 
Glengarry     Fencibles,     with    the     local     rank    of 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  received  the  public  thanks 
of  the  Lord-Lieutenant  of  Ireland — Marquis  Corn- 
wallis — for   bringing   the   regiment    into   a    proper 
state  of  discipline.      There  had  been,  prior  to  his 
holding  the  command,  great  feuds  between  the  Pro- 
testants and  Roman  Catholics,  which  he  succeeded  in 
appeasing.     He  died  16th  February,  1847.    General 
Darroch    married    in    February.     1799,    Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  George  Sackville  Cotter,  M.A., 
Rector  of  Ighter  Morrough,  and  granddaughter  of 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  557 

Sir  James  L.  Cotter,  baronet,  of  Rockforest,  Ireland, 
by  whom  he  had — 

1.  Duncan,  his  heir,  boi'n  19th  February,  1800. 

2.  George   Sackville,    born    15th   June,    1801  ;    died   14th 

August,  1802. 

3.  Donald  Malcolm,  born  21st  August,   1805 ;  died  May, 

1806. 

4.  Donald  George  Angus,  born  September,  1814.      He  went 

to  the  Army,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  Major.  He 
married  Eliza,  daughter  of  Major  Scott,  with  issue,  a 
son,  Donald,  and  two  daughters. 

5.  Elizabeth  Arabella.     She  married  William  Wright  Swain, 

a  Major  in  the  Army,  with  issue,  two  sons,  William 
and  Duncan,  and  three  daughters. 

6.  Margaret  Janetta  Louisa,  who  married  George  Rainy  of 

Raasay,  with  issue. 

General  Darroch  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

III.  DUNCAN  DARROCH.  He  went  to  the  Army 
and  became  a  Major.  He  married  Susan,  daughter 
of  Charles  Stuart  Parker,  of  Fairlie,  a  West  Indian 
merchant,  and  niece  of  George  Rainy  of  Raasay, 
with  issue— 

1.  Duncan,  his  heir. 

2.  Charles  Stuart  Parker,  Rector  of  Medstead,  Hampshire, 

who  married  Alice  Maude,  eldest  daughter  of  Sir 
Edwin  and  the  Hon.  Lady  Pearson,  with  issue — (a) 
Donald  Stuart,  who  died  young  ;  (b)  Malcolm  Stuart, 
born  4th  July,  1876  ;  (c)  Angus  Stuart,  born  3rd 
August,  1877. 

3.  George  Edward,  born  22nd  April,   1846,   who   married 

Adelaide  Frances,  daughter  of  Richard  Valpy,  of 
Champneys,  Tring,  with  issue,  Richard  George 
Hutton,  and  three  daughters. 

4.  Eliza  Cotter. 

5.  Margaret  Parker,  who  married  James  Stewart  of    Gar- 

vocks,  M.P.,  with  issue — (a)  Susan  Caroline  ;  (b) 
Margaret  Parker  Darroch.  She  died  3rd  October, 
1859. 

6.  Caroline  Anne,  who  married  R.  B.  Baxendale,  and  died 

in  1857. 


558  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

7.  Susan  Louisa,   who  married  John  Morgan,  Ecclea,  near 

Manchester. 

8.  Mary  Babrington,  who  married  Duncan  MacNeill,  of  the 

Bank  of  Scotland,  London,  with  issue,  two  daughters. 

Duncan  Darroch,  3rd  of  Gourock,  died  on  13th 
October,  1864,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son, 
IV.  DUNCAN  DARROCH  of  Gourock  and  Torridon. 
In  1873  he  purchased  the  Estate  of  Torridon,  in 
Ross-shire,  from  Lieutenant-Colonel  MacBarnet.  In 
1864  he  married  Annie,  daughter  of  S.  P.  Rickman, 
with  issue- — 

1.  Duncan,  his  heir,  born  February  9th,   1868,  Captain  in 

the  Argyll  and  Sutherland  Highlanders.  He  married, 
on  1st  October,  1898,  Elizabeth  Mabws,  daughter  of 
Colonel  George  Fletcher  Ottley  Boughley,  C.S.I.,  late 
R.E.,  and  has  issue — Duncan,  born  6th  November, 
1899. 

2.  Alister  Ronald,  born  22nd  April,  1880. 

3.  Annie,  married,  24th  October,  1888,  Hon.  Gilbert  James 

Duke  Coleridge,  3rd  son  of  Lord  Coleridge. 

4.  Caroline  Effie. 

5.  Helen  Margaret. 


THE  MARTINS  OF  BEALLACH  AND  DUNTULM. 

The  Martins  of  Skye,  whose  principal  residence 
was  at  Beallach,  though  not  evidently  of  the  blood 
of  the  Clan  Donald,  have  always  been  identified  and 
affiliated  with  the  clan.  The  Martins  of  Beallach 
for  many  generations  were  men  of  considerable 
importance  and  high  standing  in  the  social  life  of 
the  Isle  of  Skye.  Many  of  them  were  men  of 
education  and  culture  at  a  time  when  there  were  few 
such  in  the  Western  Isles.  They  were  closely  asso- 
ciated by  marriage  and  otherwise  with  the  family  of 
Sleat,  under  whom  they  held  several  wadsets  in 


THE    GENEALOGY    OF   CLAN    DONALD.  559 

Troternish.  Several  members  of  the  family  acted  at 
intervals  as  chamberlains  over  the  extensive  estates 
of  the  family,  and  the  family  papers  of  Lord  Mac- 
donald  show  that  they  from  time  to  time  took  a 
principal  part  in  the  management  of  the  Macdonald 
Estates. 

"  AONGHAS  NA  GAOiTHE,"  the  first  of  the  family  of 
whom  there  is  any  trace,  is  said  by  tradition  to  have 
been  a  seafaring  man,  with  no  fixed  place  of  resi- 
dence. He  received  the  name  by  which  he  became 
known  from  his  wandering  life  among  the  Western 
Isles  in  his  galley  in  all  seasons  and  in  all  kinds  of 
weather.  Before  he  came  to  the  Isles,  he,  it  is  said, 
was  celebrated  for  his  exploits  in  Ireland,  where  he 
fought  in  the  wars  of  Sorley  Buy  Macdonald.  He 
is  said  to  have  married  a  Danish  Princess  called 
Biurnag,  or  Bernice,  and  had  seven  sons.  Over  his 
grave  at  Kilmuir  is  a  stone  representing  a  recumbent 
warrior,  brought  by  himself  from  lona. 

Angus's  son,  MARTIN,  commonly  called  Gille- 
Martin,  from  whom  evidently  the  family  took  their 
name,  settled  in  Troternish,  and  received  a  wadset 
of  the  lands  of  Beallach  from  Donald  Gorm  Mac- 
donald of  Sleat.  He  married  Janet  Macdonald,  a 
near  relative  of  the  family  of  Sleat,  and  had  by 
her — 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Lachlan. 

3.  John. 

4.  Angus. 

5.  Martin. 

Martin  was  succeeded  at  Beallach  by  his  son, 

III.  DONALD.  He  fought  under  the  Macdonald 
banner  in  the  campaign  of  Montrose,  and  acted 
shortly  thereafter  as  chamberlain  of  Trotornish.  He 


560  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

married  Mary,   daughter   of  Alexander,  brother  of 
Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  and  by  her  had- 

1.  Donald. 

2.  John.     He  received  a  tack  of  Flodigarry  from  Sir  Donald 

Macdonald,  for  whom  he  was  factor  in  Troternish.  He 
was  "  out "  at  Killiecrankie  under  Sir  Donald.  In 
1705  he  received  a  tack  of  Kingsburgh.  He  married 
Janet,  daughter  of  Donald  Macdonald  of  Castleton, 
brother  of  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  and  had  by 
her — 

(A)  Martin,  who  succeeded  his  father  at  Flodigarry,  and 

was  chamberlain  of  Troternish.  In  1728,  he 
received  a  tack  of  the  lands  of  Balvicquean.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  Lachlan  Maclean  of  Vallay, 
North  Uist,  and  had  William  Martin,  who  died 
unmarried  in  America,  and  John,  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Army,  who  succeeded  his  father  at  Flodigarry, 
and  left  three  natural  sons — William,  innkeeper 
at  Stenscholl ;  Donald,  a  paymaster  in  the  Army; 
and  Angus,  planter  in  the  West  Indies,  where  he 
died  unmarried. 

(B)  Hugh  of  Grenigle,  who  left  Janet  and  Margaret, 
(c)  William,  who  died  unmarried. 

(D)  Alexander  of  Swerby. 

(E)  Betsy,  who  married,  first,  James  Macdonald  of  Cuid- 

rach,  without  issue.  She  married,  secondly,  Rev. 
Donald  Macqueen,  minister  of  Kilmuir,  and  had 
Isabel,  Janet,  and  Betsy. 

(F)  Margaret,  who  married  James  Macdonald,  commonly 

called  "  Seumus  MacDhomhnuill  Ghruamach,"  of 
Kendrom,  and  had  Donald  John,  and  Janet. 

(G)  Christian,  who  married  Donald,  son  of  Rev.  Donald 

Nicolson,  Aird,  with  iss\ie. 

3.  Martin,  who  in  1686  was  "governor  to  Donald,  younger 

of  Sleat."  He  was  the  author  of  "  A  Voyage  to  St 
Kilda,"  which  was  published  in  1697,  and  of  "An 
Historical  Description  of  the  Western  Isles  of  Scot- 
land," published  in  1703.  Martin,  who  was  a  man  of 
ability  and  culture,  qualified  for  the  medical  pro- 
fession, but  he  never  practised.  He  lived  latterly  in 
London,  where  he  died  unmarried. 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN    DONALD.  561 

Donald  Martin  of  Beallach  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

IV.  DONALD.      He  also  was  out  with  his  brother 

at  Killiecrankie.       He  married  Isabella,  daughter  of 

*  o 

Macdonald  of  Cuidrach,  and  had — 

1.  Martin. 

2.  Donald. 

3.  John. 

4.  Mary. 

Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

V.  MARTIN.  In  1699  he  received  a  tack  of  Dun- 
tulm.  He  married  Madeline,  daughter  of  Lachlan 
Maclean  of  Vallay,  North  Uist,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Donald. 

2.  Christina,  who  died  unmarried. 

Martin  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

VI.  DONALD.  He  in  1732  received  a  new  lease 
of  his  lands  of  Beallach  and  Duntulm  from  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald,  for  whom  he  acted  as  factor. 
He  was  Sir  Alexander's  principal  adviser  in  the 
trying  time  of  the  Rising  of  the  '45,  when,  while  the 
chief  was  nominally  at  least  on  the  Hanoverian  side, 
his  followers  were  in  entire  sympathy  with  the 
Prince.  Martin,  who  was  at  heart  a  Jacobite,  had  a 
difficult  part  to  play,  but  he  acted  prudently  on  all 
occasions.  When  an  invasion  of  Skye  by  the 
Hanoverians  was  threatened,  he,  with  the  consent 
of  Sir  Alexander,  organised  a  strong  body  of  men  to 
resist  them.  After  Culloden,  he  was  sent  as  an 
envoy  by  Sir  Alexander  to  Cumberland  to  save  the 
island  from  a  further  threat  of  invasion,  and  by  his 
tact  and  good  sense  he  succeeded  in  averting  this 
catastrophe. 

Donald  married  Isabel,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Macdonald,  of  the  Ardnamurchan  family,  who  was 
first  at^Borniskittaig,  and  afterwards  at  Sartle,  by 

whom  he  had — 

36 


562  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  Angus. 

2.  Martin. 

3.  Alexander,  a  medical  practitioner,  who  died  unmarried  in 

the  West  Indies  in  1780. 

4.  Donald,  minister  of  Kihnuir. 

5.  Lachlan,  who  died  unmarried  at  Duntulm. 

6.  Alexander,  who  resided  at  Shulista,  married   Aby  Mac- 

donald,  without  issue. 

7.  Margaret,  who  married  Alexander  Macqueeu,  tacksman 

of  Brunistot,  son  of  Rev.  Archibald  Macqueen,  minister 
of  Snizort,  with  issue. 

8.  Betsy,  who  died  unmarried. 

9.  Janet,  who  died  unmarried. 

10.  Anne,  who  married  Charles   Maclean,  Officer  of  Excise, 
Fort- William,  with  issue. 

Donald  Martin  died  in  1786,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son, 

VII.  ANGUS.       He  obtained  a  commission  in  the 
76th    Regiment   in    1777,    and   served    with    it    in 
America.       He   retired    on    half  pay   in    1784,   and 
succeeded    his    father   at    Beallach    in    1786.       He 
married    Mary,    daughter   of  Malcolm    Nicolson    of 
Scorribreck,  without  issue,  and  died  in  1813,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

VIII.  MARTIN  of  Duntulm,  factor  for  Lord  Mac- 
donald.     He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Macleod 
of  Raasay,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Jane,  who  married  General  Count  Maurin,  and  died  in 

France. 

2.  Isabel,  who  married  Martin  Martin,  Tote,  without  issue. 
Martin  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  brother, 

IX.  DONALD.       He  graduated  at  King's  College, 
Aberdeen,   in    1773,   and  was  presented  by  George 
III.   to  the   Parish  of  Kilmuir  in   1785.      He  was 
translated  to  the   East  Church,  Inverness,  in  1808, 
and  to  Abernethy  in   1  820.       Mr  Martin,  who  occu- 
pied a  position   in  the  front  rank  among  the  clergy 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  5G3 

of  the  Church  of  Scotland  in  the  Highlands,  was 
reckoned  a  man  of  high  intellectual  attainments,  and 
an  eloquent  and  popular  preacher  who  adorned  the 
office  of  the  ministry. 

He  married,  in  1788,  Anne,  daughter  of  Norman 
Macdonald  of  Bernisdale  and  Scalpa,  and  had  by 
her,  who  died  in  1803— 

1.  Donald  Norman,  Lieutenant  Royal  Artillery.     He  served 

with  distinction  at  Walcheren  and  in  Spain,  and  died 
at  Woolwich  unmarried  in  1815. 

2.  James  Ranald. 

3.  Martin,  who  died  young. 

4.  Norman  Alexander,    who  went  to  Demarara,   and  died 

there  in  1842. 

5.  Diana,   who  married   Lieutenant   Maclean,  of   the  79th 

Regiment. 

6.  Susan,  who  married  John  Graham,  solicitor,  Argyleshire, 

and  had  Anne  and  Isabella. 

7.  Anne  Isabella,  who   married  Mr  Munro,  solicitor,  Fort- 

William,    and     had    issue  —  Major-General    Andrew 
Munro. 

8.  Flora,  who  married  Captain  Robert  Stewart,  with  issue 

— Field  Marshal  Sir  Donald  Martin  Stewart,   Bart., 
G.C.B.,  late  Commander-in-Chief  in  India. 

9.  Anne  Macneill,  who  died  \inmarried. 

The  Rev.  Donald  Martin  died  January  24,  J838, 
when  he  was  succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the 
family  by  his  son, 

X.  Sir  JAMES  RANALD  MARTIN.  He  was 
educated  in  the  Inverness  Royal  Academy,  and 
was  intended  for  the  Army.  A  commission  was 
offered  him  in  the  42nd  Regiment,  but  for  family 
reasons  it  was  not  accepted,  and  having  chosen  the 
medical  profession,  he  entered  as  a  pupil  at  St 
George's  Hospital,  London,  in  1813.  He  in  due 
time  qualified  as  a  member  of  the  Royal  College  of 
Surgeons,  and  in  1817  he  received  a  commission  as 
Assistant-Surgeon  in  the  East  India  Company's 


564  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

service  in  Benff&L     On   his   arrival   in  Calcutta  he 

O 

was    appointed    to    do    duty    at    the     Presidency 
General  Hospital   for  Europeans,  and  shortly  after 
he    was    appointed    Assistant-Garrison-Surgeon    in 
Fort  William.     In  1819  he  was  appointed  officiating 
Assistant  at  the  General   Hospital,   Calcutta.      In 
1821  he  was  appointed  to  the  medical  charge  of  the 
Body-Guard  of  the   Governor-General,  with   which 
he  served  through  the  first  Burmese  War  in  1825. 
In  1828  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Surgeon, 
and  appointed  officiating  Surgeon  to  the  Governor- 
General.      Shortly  thereafter  he  devoted  himself  to 
civil    medical    practice,    in    which    he     ultimately 
attained   the    highest   position.       In     1840    he,    on 
account  of  failing  health,  returned  to  England  after 
a  residence  in   India  of  twenty-two  years,  during 
which  he  rendered  valuable  services  to  that  country 
both    in    his    military    and    civil    capacities.       He 
especially    rendered    conspicuous    services    in    the 
treatment   of  tropical   diseases,   and  in   his  contri- 
butions to  sanitary  science,  in  which  he  became  the 
first  authority,  being  the  pioneer  of  sanitary  work 
in  India.     Shortly  after  his  settlement  in  London  as 
a  medical  practitioner,  he,  in  conjunction  with  Dr 
James  Johnson,  issued  a  valuable  work   on   "  The 
Influence    of  Tropical    Climates   on    the    European 
Constitution."      He   made  many  learned  contribu- 
tions to  this  and  kindred  subjects  in  after  years,  on 
account  of  which,  and  of  his  eminence  in  his  profes- 
sion, he  became  a  member  of  many  learned  societies. 
In  1860  a  Knighthood  and   the   Companionship  of 
the  Bath   were  conferred   upon  him.      During  the 
remainder  of  his  life  he  continued  to  perform  the 
duties  of  President  of  the  Medical  Board,  Physician 
to    the    Secretary    of  State    for    India    in    Council, 


THE    GENEALOGY   OF    CLAN    DONALD.  565 

member  of  the  Army  Sanitary  Committee,  and  of 
the  Senate  of  the  Army  Medical  School  at  Netley. 
After  a  long  and  distinguished  career  Sir  James 
Ranald  Martin  died  in  London,  December  4,  1874. 

He  married,  in  1826,  Jane  Maria,  daughter  of 
Colonel  John  Paton,  C.B.,  Quartermaster-General, 
Bengal  Army,  and  had— 

1.  Donald,  a  student  at  the  E.I.C.  College  at  Haileybury, 

where  he  died  at  the  age  of  19. 

2.  Simon  Nicolson.     He  was  in  the  Bengal  Civil  Service, 

and  was  Deputy-Commissioner  when  the  Mutiny  broke 
out,  when  he  rendered  valuable  services.  He  raised  a 
Mounted  Police  Force  to  guard  the  main  lines  between 
Lucknow  and  Cawnpore,  and  Lucknow  and  Seolapore. 
By  Sir  Henry  Lawrence's  orders  he  brought  the 
Crown  Jewels  of  Oudh  to  Cawnpore  for  safety,  and 
arrested  certain  dangerous  members  of  the  Oudh 
family.  He  did  duty  as  a  soldier  till  the  garrison 
was  relieved  by  Sir  Colin  Campbell.  He  was  men- 
tioned in  the  dispatches  of  Brigadier  Inglis  for  his 
services.  After  the  capture  of  Lucknow  in  1858  he 
took  up  his  former  appointment,  but  in  addition  was 
constantly  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  rebels.  He  was 
present  at  the  action  of  Selampore,  and  for  his  services 
was  mentioned  in  the  dispatch  of  General  Bulwer. 
In  September,  1858,  he  assisted  in  dispersing  the 
rebels  at  Oudh.  For  these  services  he  received  the 
thanks  of  the  Secretary  for  India.  He  also  received 
the  Indian  Mutiny  medal,  and  the  clasp  for  the 
defence  of  Lucknow.  He  was  afterwards  a  judge  at 
Futtighur  and  Ghazipore,  and  retired  in  1873.  He 
married  Mary  Bernard,  and  had — (a)  Somerled,  who 
died  in  South  Africa ;  (6)  Angus ;  (c)  Mabel ; 
(d)  Mary ;  (e)  Blanche  ;  (/)  Grace  ;  (</)  Leila. 

3.  James  Ranald,  who  was  Captain  and  Brevet-Major  in  the 

Bengal  Artillery.  He  died  in  New  Zealand,  and  left 
issue — (a)  Donald  ;  (6)  George  ;  (c)  Anne  ;  (d)  Viva. 

4.  John  Paton.     He  served  in  India  with  Brazier's  Sikhs. 

He  joined  the  Commissariat  Department,  and  when 
the  Mutiny  broke  out  he  was  unable  to  join  his  regi- 


566  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

ment  owing  to  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country. 
He  was  then  appointed  Assistant-Commissioner  in 
Assam.  He  afterwards  became  second  in  command 
of  the  Gwalior  Regiment.  He  retired  in  1880  with 
the  rank  of  Major-Gene ral.  He  married  Clara  Burne, 
and  had — (a)  Ranald  Cunliffe ;  (6)  Viva  Therese. 
He  married,  secondly,  Jane  Young,  without  issue. 
5.  Cunliffe.  He  joined  the  Bengal  Light  Cavalry  in  1851, 
and  served  with  great  distinction  during  the  Indian 
Mutiny.  He  was  afterwards  in  command  of  the 
Central  India  Horse.  He  was  made  C.B.,  and  retired 
in  1889  with  the  rank  of  Colonel.  He  married  Fanny 
Colledge,  and  had  Raimld,  Hamilton,  and  Norman — 
all  officers  in  the  British  Army — Jane,  Flora,  and  Viva. 
6.  Robert  Paton.  He  entered  the  Indian  Civil  Service,  and 
was  subsequently  transferred  to  the  India  Office.  He 
married,  without  issue. 

7.  Norman.     He  eutei'ed  the  Indian  Native  Cavalry.     At 

the  outbreak  of  the  Indian  Mutiny  he  joined  the  7th 
Bengal  Cavalry,  which  mutinied,  and  he  was  killed  at 
the  age  of  19. 

8.  Angus  Pulteuey.     He  entered  a  cavalry  regiment,  and 

went  to  India.  He  served  with  the  97th  Regiment 
duiing  the  Mutiny,  and  for  his  services  received  a 
medal.  He  retired  early  through  ill-health,  and  died 
unmarried  in  1897. 

9.  Martin.      He  entered  the  Royal  Engineers  from   Wool- 

wich as  a  Lieutenant  in  1869,  and  his  first  work  was 
in  connection  with  the  introduction  of  pioneers  into 
the  cavalry  service.  He  was  present  in  France  for  a 
short  period  during  the  operations  of  Mauteuffel  and 
Faidherbe  in  the  north,  at  Dury,  Pont  Noyelles,  in 
1871.  He  went  to  India  in  1872,  and  was  in  com- 
mand of  2nd  Company  Bengal  Sappers  when  thanked 
in  Government  orders  of  India  for  bridging  opera- 
tions on  the  Jumna  during  1872-3.  He  served  in 
both  phases  of  the  Afghan  war,  with  medal  for 
1878-79-80;  in  the  Kurum  Valley  with  General 
Roberts,  including  reconnaissance  of  the  unknown 
left  bank  of  the  Kurum  River  with  eight  men.  On 
Lieutenant  Martin's  report  the  road  was  altered  from 
the  right  to  the  left  bank,  and  this  road  carried 
General  Roberts  to  Cabul  in  the  second  phase  of  the 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  CLAN  DONALD.     567 

war.  He  served  with  Sir  Donald  Stewart  in  the 
march  from  Candahar  to  Cabul,  including  the  action 
of  Ahmed  Khel,  and  crossing  the  Zambaruk  Pass 

Captain  Martin  also  served  in  the  initial  stages  of 
the  Zhob  Valley  campaign  in  1884.  Among  his 
peace  services,  he  served  in  the  Madras  famine  of 
1877  ;  and  while  in  command  of  a  detachment  of 
"  0  "  Battery,  1st  Brigade  Field  Artillery,  earned  the 
thanks  of  the  Government  of  Madras  for  a  rapid 
march,  and  the  subsequent  destruction  of  a  dam  of 
the  Red  Hills  Tanks,  a  sheet  of  water  of  25  square 
miles,  which  threatened  to  burst  its  bounds  and 
endanger  the  city  of  Madras.  In  1883,  at  Captain 
Martin's  initiative,  General  Hughes,  of  the  Artillery, 
prepared  with  him  a  scheme  for  creating  joint  schools 
of  artillery  and  sappers  and  miners  at  Roorkee,  Kirkee, 
and  Bangalore,  where  service  practice  of  artillery  and 
engineers  could  be  annually  carried  out  under  field 
conditions.  This  scheme  involved  considerable  trans- 
fers of  troops,  but  it  was  carried  out  and  proved 
successful.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Martin  retired  in 
1900,  having  served  in  the  fortress  of  Gibraltar, 
Dover,  Aden,  Bermuda,  and  Port  Royal,  Jamaica, 
which  he  commanded  for  three  years,  and  almost 
completely  re-armed  and  reorganised. 

Colonel  Martin  married  Edith  Ellen  Taylor,  and 
has — (a)  Norman ;  (b)  Martin  ;  (c)  Henry  Ranald  ; 
(d)  Ellen  Viva  ;  (e)  Jean  Rona. 

10.  Jane  Maria,  who  married  the   Rev.  J.  Phillpotts,  vicar 

of  Lamington,  and  died  soon  after,  without  issue. 

11.  Anne  Macdonald,  unmarried. 

12.  Julia  Erriugton,  who  married  Colonel  Biddulph,  without 

issue. 

13.  Amy  Forbes,  who  married  Colonel  R.  P.  Lawrie,  C.B., 

formerly  M.P.  for  Canterbury  and  for  Bath,  with 
issue — two  sons  and  three  daughters. 


THE  MARTINS  OF  MARISHADDER. 

The  Martins  of  Marishadder  are  descended  from 
MAKTIN,  the  eldest  son  of  Aonyhas  na  Gaoithe. 
Lachlari,  the  second  son  of  Martin,  married  a 


THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

daughter  of  Nicolson  of  Scorribreck,  and  had  by 
her,  among  others, 

II.  ANGUS,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Maclean 
of  Cuidrach  (of  the  medical  family  of  that  name), 
by  whom  he  had,  among  several  children, 

III.  LACHLAN,  the  eldest,  who  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  Macqueen  of  Bigg,  and  had  an  only  son, 

IV.  MARTIN  of  Marishadder  and  Garafad.      He 
married    Rachel,    daughter   of  John    Macdonald    of 

'  O 

Culnacnoc  (of  the  Macdonalds  of  Sleat),  by  Rachel, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Donald  Nicolson,  of  Kilmuir,  and 
had  an  only  son, 

V.  JOHN,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Peter 
Nicolson  of  Penifiler,  grandson  of  Nicolson  of  Scorri- 
breck, by  Abigail  Mackenzie  of  Applecross.  By  her 
he  had  a  family  of  nine  sons  and  three  daughters— 

1.  Martin    of    Marishadder    and    Duntulm,    who    was    well 

known  and  greatly  respected  as  a  generous  Highland 
gentleman.  He  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Martin 
Martin  of  Bealach,  by  his  wife,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
Macleod  of  Raasay.  He  was  for  many  years  tacks- 
man  of  Tote,  Eyre,  and  Unakill.  He  died,  without 
issue,  at  the  age  of  93,  and  was  buried  at  Kilmartin. 

2.  John,  who  die-i  in  the  West  Indies,  unmarried. 

3.  Peter,  who  also  died  in  the  West  Indies,  unmarried. 

4.  Donald,    M.D.,    at    one    time    proprietor    of    Roshven, 

Moidart.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Olaus 
Macleod  of  Bharkisaig,  by  Julia  Macleod  of  Raasay, 
and  had — (a)  Rev.  Donald  John,  lately  F.C.  minister 
at  Stornoway,  and  now  U.F.  minister  at  Obau ; 
(6)  Julia  Macleod  ;  (c)  Mary  Anne ;  (d)  Flora 
Hastings,  who  died  unmarried. 

5.  Alexander  of  Inversanda,  Lochaber,  who  married  Jessie, 

daughter  of  Maclean  of  Talachan,  and  had  Alexander, 
who  died  unmarried,  and  two  daughters. 

6.  Nicol,  M.D.,  who  was  for  many  years  in  Demarara,  and 

was  a  member  of  the  College  of  Electors  of  British 
Guiana.  On  his  return  home  he  bought  the  estates 
of  North  Glendale  and  Husabost.  He  took  an  active 


THE   GENEALOGY   OF   CLAN   DONALD.  569 

part  in  public  affairs,  was  Chairman  of  the  Parish 
and  School  Boards  of  Durinish,  and  J.P.  for  the 
county  of  Inverness.  He  also  took  much  interest  in 
politics,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Junior  Carlton  Club. 
He  died,  unmarried,  in  his  84th  year. 

7.  Samuel  Macdonald,  M.D.,  who  was  for  many  years  resi- 

dent in  New  Zealand.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in 
public  matters  there,  and  being  of  a  literary  turn,  he 
wrote  an  excellent  history  of  the  Island.  He  was 
also  for  some  time  editor  of  a  newspaper.  He  died, 
unmarried,  at  Berbice  at  an  early  age. 

8.  Lachlan,  who  perished,  a  young  man,  in  a  snowstorm. 

9.  Rev.    Angus,    minister    of    Snizort.      In    1842    he    was 

presented  to  the  parish  of  Durinish,  and  in  1844 
translated  to  Snizort,  where,  being  a  gifted  and 
popular  preacher,  he  laboured  with  acceptance  for 
many  years.  He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Alexander  Nicolson,  minister  of  Barra,  by  his 
wife,  Susan,  daughter  of  Nicolson  of  Scorribreck,  and 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Norman  Macdonald  of  Bernis- 
dale.  He  had  by  her — 

(A)  John  Lachlan,  who  died  in  India. 

(B)  Martin,  who  also  died  in  India. 

(c)  Samuel  Macdonald,  who  went  to  Australia. 

(D)  Donald   Archibald,    who   married    Ella,  daughter   of 

Charles  Hutchins,  and  is  in  British  Columbia. 

(E)  Alexander  George. 

(F)  Nicol,  who  succeeded  his  uncle  in  the  estates  of  Glen- 

dale  and  Husabost.  He  is  a  Captain  in  the 
Lovat  Scouts,  Chairman  of  the  School  Board  of 
Durinish,  member  of  the  County  Council,  and 
J.P.  for  Inverness-shire. 

(G)  Mary,  who  died  young. 
(H)  Susan  Nicolson. 

(i)  Mary  Isabella, 
(j)  Margaret  Grace. 


570  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


THE  BARDS  OF  THE  CLAN. 

JOHN  MACDONALD,  generally  known  as  Iain  Lorn, 
or  Bare  John,  and  sometimes  as  Iain  Manntach,  or 
John    the    Stammerer,    was    descended    from   Iain 
Aluinn,  the  deposed  Chief  of  Keppoch,  his  patro- 
nymic   being    Iain   Mac   Dhomhnuill   'ic   Iain   'ic 
Dhomhnuill  'ic.  Iain  Aluinn.     Little  is  known  of  his 
early  life  be}Tond  the  fact  that  he  was  born  and 
brought  up  in  Brae  Lochaber.     He  is  said  to  have 
been  educated  for  the  priesthood  in  Spain,  but  of 
this   there  is  no  proof  nor  any  evidence  whatever 
except   the    vague    tradition   of    Lochaber.      In   a 
manuscript  of  the  year  1725,  containing  unpublished 
poems  of  the  bard,  it  is  stated  that  he  could  neither 
read  nor  write,  yet  he  had  so  retentive  a  memory 
and  so  accurate  a  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  that, 
according  to  the  writer  of  the  manuscript,  he  could 
give   chapter   and    verse   for   any    portion    quoted, 
whether  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament.     The  writer 
of  the  manuscript,  which  is  dated  some  fifteen  years 
after  the  death  of  the  bard,  was,  it  may  be  pre- 
sumed,   a    contemporary    of    his.       From    internal 
evidence  it  appears  that  he  knew  him  personally. 
In  any  case,  he  is  likely  to  have  been  well  informed, 
and  there  is  no  positive  evidence  that  John  could 
either    read    or    write.       If    the   bard   was   really 
illiterate,    lack  of  letters   does   not   seem   to   have 
affected  in  the  least  his  compositions  in  verse,  which 
betray    everywhere   a   well-informed   and   cultured 
mind. 


THE   BAUDS   OF   THE   CLAN.  571 

His  earliest  efforts  in  the  poetic  line,  so  far  as  we 
know,  is  the  elegy  on  Angus,  son  of  Alastair  Nan 
Cleas  of  Keppoch,  who  was  killed  in  the  clan  fight 
at  Strona-Chlachain  in  1640,  where  it  is  said  John's 
father,  Donald,  also  perished.  These  verses,  com- 
posed when  he  would  probably  have  been  no  more 
than  twenty  years  of  age,  reveal  at  once  a  poetical 
faculty  of  a  high  order,  and  are  in  language  and 
conception  chaste  and  appropriate. 

It  was  in  the  year  1644,  when  Montrose  raised 
the  royal  standard  in  the  North,  that  John  Lorn 
came  into  prominence  as  a  keen  partisan  arid  poli- 
tician, and  the  laureate  of  the  campaign.  It  was 
natural  that,  as  a  Roman  Catholic,  his  sympathies 
should  lean  towards  the  King's  cause  rather  than 
towards  that  of  the  Covenanters,  who  to  John  Lorn 
meant  the  Campbells  and  Campbell  rule.  From  the 
outset  he  watched  keenly  the  movements  on  both 
sides,  and  as  soon  as  he  discovered  the  whereabouts  of 
the  Campbells  he  communicated  the  intelligence  to 
Montrose,  who  was  then  at  Fort-Augustus.  Guided 
by  the  bard,  Montrose  made  a  rapid  march  across 
the  mountains  to  Inverlochy,  where  he  engaged  the 
Covenanting  army,  and  succeeded  in  sending  many 
of  the  race  of  Diarmid  to  "  hold  discourse  with  their 
fathers."  The  bard,  whose  bravery  need  not  be 
called  in  question,  refused  to  take  part  in  the  fight, 
to  make  sure  that  he  would  survive  to  tell  the  tale 
in  verse.  From  one  of  the  turrets  of  the  old  Castle 
of  Inverlochy  he  witnessed  the  battle,  and  his  poem, 
"  Latha  Innerlochaidh,"  is,  from  the  bard's  point  of 
view  at  least,  a  faithful  reproduction  of  the  events 
of  the  day.  The  slippery  knaves,  the  Campbells, 
who  had  laid  his  country  in  ashes,  "  now  have  paid 
the  fine  devoutly."  The  Clan  Donald  and  their 


572  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

leader,  Alastair  Macdonald,  the  hero  of  the  day,  are 
highly  extolled,  while  the  cursed  race  of  Diarmid 
fare  no  better  from  the  tongue  of  the  bard  than 
they  fared  from  the  blades  of  his  clansmen.  For 
satiric  power  the  poem  is  unsurpassed  in  the  lan- 
guage. The  bard  followed  the  army  of  Montrose  in 
its  further  progress,  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Auldearn,  of  which  he  gives  a  graphic  description, 
Alastair  Macdonald  being  again  his  hero  ;  while  the 
Mackenzies  and  Erasers,  who  fought  under  Hurry, 
receive  a  severe  castigation.  John  continued  to 
employ  his  muse  in  the  cause  to  which  he  was  so 
sincerely  attached  when  the  fortunes  of  his  party 
were  at  their  lowest  ebb.  He  was  both  respected 
and  feared.  His  services  to  his  party  were  much 
appreciated  by  the  leaders,  who  held  the  bard  in  the 
highest  esteem  not  only  for  his  great  poetical  gifts 
but  also  for  his  sincerity  and  consistency  of  his  advo- 
cacy of  the  royal  cause.  He  was  received  with 
marked  distinction  at  Duart,  Duntulm,  and  Glen- 
garry, and  in  his  elegy  on  the  Marquis  of  Huntly, 
who  was  beheaded  in  Edinburgh  in  1649,  he  says — 

"  Bha  mi  eolach  a'  d'  thalla 
'S  bha  mi  steach  arm  a'  d'  sheomar." 

On  the  Restoration  of  Charles  II.,  whose  return 
from  exile,  John  sings  in  lofty  strains,  the  King 
showed  his  gratitude  by  appointing  him  his  poet- 
laureate  in  Scotland,  with  a  salary  of  £100  sterling 
a  year,  which  the  niggardly  Scottish  Exchequer 
reduced  to  £100  Scots.  In  his  "  Return  of  the 
King,"  he  rejoices  at  the  turn  the  tide  of  fortune  has 
taken,  and  gives  "  glory  and  praise,  as  is  meet,  to 
the  King  Most  High  that  Argyll  is  to  get  his 
deserts." 


THE    BARDS    OF   THE    CLAN.  573 

The  next  event  of  importance  in  the  bard's  life  is 
the  punishment  of  the  murderers  of  Keppoch.  The 
Keppoch  murder  was  committed  in  1663,  but  some 
considerable  time  elapsed  before  any  attempt  was 
made  to  bring  the  murderers  to  justice.  It  was 
owing  to  the  indefatigable  and  persistent  efforts  of 
John  Lorn  that  steps  were  at  length  taken  to  punish 
them.  He,  in  the  first  instance,  appealed  to  Glen- 
garry, but  without  success.  He  then  appealed  to 
Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  in  whose  Castle  of 
Duntulm  the  murdered  young  Chief  of  Keppoch 
and  his  brother  had  been  fostered,  but  he  also  hesi- 
tated, and  John  now  enlisted  the  sympathies  of  Sir 
James's  brother,  the  Ciaran  Mabach,  of  whom  he 
seems  to  have  stood  in  doubt  when  he  protested, 
"  Cha  chreid  mi  'n  rud  a  their  an  t-Eileineach,  ach 
creididh  mi  'n  rud  a  ni  e."  Finally,  a  royal  com- 
mission was  granted  in  June,  1665,  to  Sir  James 
Macdonald  to  apprehend  the  murderers,  and  sum- 
mary vengeance  followed,  when  five  of  the  principal 
actors  in  the  tragedy  were  put  to  death.  Tradition 
avers  that  John  Lorn  carried  their  heads  to  Inver- 
garry  Castle,  and  laid  them  at  the  •  feet  of  Lord 
Macdonald.  They  were  certainly  sent  to  Edin- 
burgh, whether  by  Invergarry  or  some  other  way, 
and  "  affixit  on  the  gallows  standing  in  the  Gallowlie 
betwixt  Leith  and  Edinburgh." 

In  his  "  Mort  na  Ceapaich,"  John  appears  at  his 
best.  He  stands  before  us,  as  has  been  well  said,  as 
a  tender-hearted  and  faithful  friend,  a  preacher  of 
truth  and  righteousness,  a  man  of  firm  faith  in  a 
just  God.  His  "  Cumha  "  to  the  young  chief  and 
his  brother  is  in  equally  tender  strains,  and  is  a  com- 
position of  striking  power  and  pathos.  After  the 
Keppoch  murder,  John  incurred  the  wrath  of  "  Siol 


574  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Dhughaill,"  and  being,  as  he  puts  it,  "  mar  ghearr 
eadar  chonaibh,"  he  was  obliged  to  flee  for  his  life  to 
Kintail,  where  he  remained  until  the  murderers 
were  punished.  Here  he  composed  at  least  two  of 
his  poems. 

The  Bard  of  Keppoch  was  destined  to  witness 
another  dynastic  upheaval  in  Scotland.  The  Revo- 
lution of  1688  brought  him  again  into  the  arena  of 
party  politics,  and  his  great  poetical  gifts  as  of  old 
were  exercised  in  behalf  of  the  Stuarts.  It  is  the 
common  belief  in  Lochaber  that  John  was  present  at 
the  battle  of  Killiecrankie.  His  poem  on  the  battle 
seems  to  indicate  his  presence  in  the  field.  One 
song  attributed  to  him  makes  it  certain  that  he 
was  there.  The  turn  of  events  which  followed  in 
the  advent  of  William  and  Mary  brought  from  him 
a  fierce  appeal  to  the  passions  of  the  clans  favour- 
able to  the  Stuart  cause,  while  the  Dutch  king  and 
his  queen  come  in  for  a  rough  handling.  The  last 
production  of  his  muse  is  his  poem  against  the 
Union  between  England  and  Scotland.  It  shews 
the  keen  interest  he  took  to  the  last  in  the  politics 
of  his  time,  arid  how  intelligently  conversant  he  was 
with  the  views  of  parties  and  their  plots.  No  High- 
land bard  of  any  time  had  so  intelligent  a  grasp  of 
contemporary  history,  none  excelled  him  in  his  own 
line  of  composition.  As  a  satirist  he  is  first.  He  is 
far-seeing,  incisive,  and  clear-headed.  He  uniformly 
displays  a  bold  original  cast  of  genius  and  ex- 
pression. He  imitates  none.  He  walks  freely  and 
with  unconstrained  steps  among  the  wilds  of  Par- 
nassus. His  poetry  has  suffered  much  in  the  trans- 
mission, as  oral  poetry  must  through  the  multitude 
of  reciters. 

The  year  of  the  bard's  death  is  uncertain.  He 
lived  to  a  great  age,  and,  according  to  the  best 


THE    BARDS    OF    THE    CLAN.  575 

authorities,  died  in  the  year  1710.  A  monument  to 
his  memory  in  the  form  of  a  cross  with  Celtic  orna- 
mentation was  erected  over  his  grave  at  Tom-Aingil 
in  Killiechoirill  a  few  years  ago  by  his  admirer, 
Charles  Fraser-Mackintosh  of  Drummond. 

JOHN  MACDONALD,  known  patronymically  as  Iain 
Dubh  Mac  Iain  'ic  Ailein,  was  of  the  Morar  family, 
and  lived  at  Gruilean,  in  Eigg.  We  have  not  been 
able  to  trace  his  descent,  or  find,  indeed,  any  trace 
of  his  identity  among  the  tacksmen  either  on  the 
Morar  or  on  the  Clanranald  estates.  Tradition  and 
his  own  songs  which  have  come  down  to  us  are  our 
only  sources  of  information  regarding  him.  He  was 
born  about  the  middle  of  the  17th  century,  and  is 
said  to  have  been  a  man  of  good  education  for  the 
time  in  which  he  lived.  One  of  his  descendants, 
living  in  Benbecula,  assured  us,  on  the  authority  of 
his  father,  that  Iain  Dubh  lived  for  a  considerable 
time  at  Ormiclate,  in  South  Uist.  He  is  said  to 
have  left  many  songs  of  his  own  composition  in  a 
manuscript,  which,  according  to  the  Benbecula 
descendant,  fell  into  the  hands  of  Raonull  Dubh, 
the  editor  of  the  Collection  of  Gaelic  Songs  pub- 
lished in  1776.  In  this  Collection  appeared  seven 
of  his  songs.  These  are,  "  Gran  do  Mhac  'ic 
Ailein,"  during  his  exile  in  France  after  the  battle 
of  Killiecrankie  ;  "  Marbhrinn  do  Mhac  'ic  Ailein," 
on  the  death  of  Allan  of  Clanranald  at  Sheriffmuir 
in  1715  ;  "  Cumha  Chloinn  Domhnuill,"  in  which  he 
laments  the  deaths  of  Allan  of  Clanranald,  Sir 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  his  son,  Donald,  and 
Alastair  Dubh  of  Glengarry ;  "  Gran  do  Mhac- 
Shimidh,"  in  praise  of  Simon,  Lord  Lovat,  during 
his  exile  in  France  after  1715  ;  "  Gran  do  dh' 


576  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Aonghas  Bhailfhionnlaidh,"  Angus  Macdonald  of 
Belfinlay,  in  Benbecula  ;  "  Trod  nam  Ban  Eigea.ch," 
and  "  Gram  nam  finneachan  Gaidhealach."  There 
is  also  another  of  his  songs,  "  Oran  air  cor  na 
rioghachd  'sa  bhliadhna  1715,"  in  Turner's  Collec- 
tion, and  "  Oraii  do  Mhorair  Ghlinne-garadh,"  is  in 
the  Glengarry  MS.  Collection  of  Gaelic  Songs.  As 
a  poet  John  Macdonald  ranks  high  among  the 
Gaelic  bards.  He  is  always  happy  in  his  choice  of 
language,  musical  in  his  rhythm,  and  lofty  in  senti- 
ment. His  elegies  are  all  in  good  taste,  and  show 
tender  feeling.  His  best  effort  is  probably  "  Oran 
nam  finneachan  Gaidhealach,"  composed  in  the 
heroic  strain.  His  only  song  in  the  humorous  vein, 
"  Trod  nam  Ban  Eigeach,"  is  a  clever  satire,  without 
any  bitterness  such  as  often  mars  the  compositions 
of  some  of  his  contemporaries.  The  year  of  his 
death  is  not  known. 

CECILIA  MACDONALD — Silis  Nighean  'ic  Raonuill, 
the  Keppoch  poetess — was  born  at  Bohuntin,  in 
Lochaber,  in  1660.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Archi- 
bald 9th  of  Keppoch,  and  inherited  a  full  share  of 
the  poetic  talent  for  which  he  was  distinguished, 
and  in  which  this  branch  of  the  Clan  Donald  has 
been  peculiarly  rich.  She  composed  a  number  of 
poems,  some  of  which  possess  conspicuous  merit. 
The  best  known,  and  probably  the  most  meritorious 
of  her  effusions  are  two  elegies,  one  composed  to  her 
husband,  who  died  in  Inverness  from  the  effects  of 
undue  conviviality,  and  another  to  Alastair  Dubh 
Ghlinne-Garaidh.  Both  these  are  characterised  by 
strength  and  tenderness,  and  stand  high  among  the 
productions  of  the  elegaic  muse.  In  her  latter  days, 
when  sorrow  and  sickness  clouded  her  life,  she 


THE    BARDS    OF   THE    CLAN.  577 

sought  consolation  in  religion  of  the  .Roman  type, 
and  this  found  expression  in  the  composition  of 
hymns,  many  of  which  have  been  preserved.  She 
was  of  course  a  strong,  indeed  a  violent,  Jacobite, 
and  lived  to  denounce  the  Hanoverian  dynasty  in 
the  person  of  George  I.  in  the  lines  with  the  refrain, 
"  Tha  mi  am  chadal  's  na  duisgibh  mi."  She  died  in 
1729. 

The  only  Clan  Donald  barcl  of  Irish  origin  of 
whom  we  have  any  record  was  JOHN  CLARACH 
MACDONALD,  who  was  born  near  Charleville,  County 
Cork,  in  the  year  1691.  He  was  known  as  Mac- 
donald  Clarach,  either  from  his  broad  cast  of 
countenance  or  because  his  ancestors  came  from 
Clare.  Little  is  known  of  his  early  history,  but  he 
appears  to  have  received  a  good  classical  education, 
and  to  have  occupied  a  distinguished  place  among 
the  later  Irish  minstrels.  His  reputation  as  a  poet 
soon  spread  over  the  country  far  and  near,  and  in 
due  time  he  became  Chief  Ollamh  of  Munster.  He 
was  one  of  the  last,  if  not  the  last,  to  maintain  the 
ancient  practice  of  holding  bardic  conventions,  and 
for  many  years  he  presided  as  chief  bard,  or  Ard 
Ollamh,  at  the  yearly  gatherings  at  Rathluirg, 
where,  in  tenderest  verse,  he  often  laments  the  woes 
and  wrongs  of  his  native  Ireland.  He  loves  his 
"  Old  Erin "  with  passionate  affe3tion,  because  fate 
has  oppressed  her,  and  he  sings— 

(1  The  very  waves  that  kiss  the  caves, 
Clap  their  huge  hands  in  glee 
That  they  should  guard  so  fair  a  sward 
As  Erin  by  the  sea." 

He,  on  the  other  hand,  lashes  with  fierce  satire  the 
oppressors  of  his  country  and  is  often  obliged  to  fly 

37 


578  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

for  his  life  for   his   unflinching   devotion    to   "  Old 
Erin." 

He  watched  from  afar  with  deep  interest  the 
progress  of  the  Rising  of  1745  in  Scotland,  and  one 
of  his  best  songs,  a  fine  lyric  in  the  vein  of  the 
Highland  ballads  of  the  period,  is  his  lament  for 
Prince  Charles  on  the  failure  of  the  enterprise.  He 
composed  much,  but  many  of  his  songs,  though  pre- 
served in  manuscript  for  a  hundred  years  after  his 
death,  have  been  lost.  From  thirty  to  forty  pieces 
have  been  preserved,  and  of  these  it  may  be  said 
that  they  exhibit  exquisite  taste  both  as  regards 
language  and  sentiment.  Some  of  his  best  known 
pieces  are  "  Clarach's  Dream,"  "  Old  Erin  in  the 
Sea,"  and  "  Lament  for  Prince  Charles."  Of  his 
earlier  efforts  are  the  satire  on  Philip,  Duke  of 
Orleans,  Regent  of  France,  who  died  in  1723,  the 
Elegy  on  Sir  James  Cotter  in  1720,  and  the  Elegy, 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  language,  on  James 
O'Donnel.  John  Clarach  possessed  in  a  high  degree 
all  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  Gaelic 
bard.  He  was  full  of  pathos  and  fancy,  and  the  fire 
of  impetuous  poetic  genius.  He  is  described  by  a 
contemporary  as  "a  man  of  great  erudition  and  a 
profound  Irish  antiquarian."  He  collected  much 
valuable  material  for  a  Gaelic  history  of  Ireland,  but 
owing  to  a  long  illness  he  left  the  work  unfinished. 
He  had  also  made  some  progress  with  a  translation 
into  Irish  of  Homer's  Iliad,  pronounced  by  competent 
authorities  to  have  been  "  as  respectable  in  Gathelian 
as  in  a  Greek  dress." 

Macdonald  lived  in  easy  circumstances,  and  was 
a  great  favourite  throughout  Munster,  not  only  for 
his  poetic  gifts  but  for  his  generous  disposition  and 
manly  character.  He  died  1754,  and  was  buried  in 


THE    BARDS    OF    THE    CLAN.  579 

the  churchyard  of  Ballyslough,  outside  Charleville, 
County  Cork,  where  an  unpretentious  head-stone 
marks  his  grave  bearing  the  following  inscription  :— 

I.H.S. 

Johannes  Macdonald  cogno 
Minatus  Clarach  vir  vere 
Catholicus  et  tribus  linguis 
Ornatus  nempe  Grseca  Latina 
Et  Hybernica  non  Vulgaris 
Ingenii  poeta  tunmlatur 
Ad  Mene  cippum  obiit  aetatis 
Anno  63.     Salutis  1754 
Requiescat  in  pace. 

ALEXANDER  MACDONALD,  the  famous  Jacobite 
bard,  was  the  second  son  of  the  Hev.  Alexander 
Macdonald,  minister  of  Island  Finnan,  who  was  the 
son  of  Angus  of  Balivanich  and  Milton,  son  of 
Ranald  1st  of  Benbecula.  His  father  is  frequently 
referred  to  by  writers  on  Highland  subjects  as 
minister  of  Ardnamurchan,  but  in  the  records  of  the 
Clanranald  Charter  Chest  he  always  appears  as 
minister  of  Island  Finnan.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
cure  served  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  consisted  of 
three  pre-Reformation  parishes,  namely,  Island 
Finnan,  Kilchoan,  and  Kilmorie.  Kilchoan,  which 
contains  Ardnamurchan  proper,  was  indeed  a 
separate  parish  as  late  as  1G30,  but  it  was  after- 
wards combined  with  the  other  two.  Island  Finnan 
Parish  was  so  called  after  the  beautiful  little  island 
of  that  name  in  Loch  Sheil,  where  a  church  stood  of 
old,  and  where  the  Clanranalds  buried  many  of  their 
dead.  It  was  probably  to  Island  Finnan  that 
Maighistear  Alastair  received  Episcopal  institution, 
though  the  other  two  charges  were  afterwards  com- 
mitted to  his  care. 


580  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

Mr  Ala.stair  lived  at  Dalilea,  in  the  district  of 
Moidart,  which  was  a  part  of  the  ancient  Parish  of 
Island  Finnan.  The  place  of  his  residence  seems  to 
have  been  regarded  as  a  special  perquisite  of  the 
parsons  of  Island  Finnan,  as  we  find  a  predecessor  of 
his — "  Johne  Ronnaldsoun,  persoun  of  Ellanfinnan  " 
— receiving  a  tack  of  Dalilea  and  other  lands  from 
John  Macdonald,  Captain  of  Clanranald,  in  1625. 
We  have  no  precise  details  as  to  the  date  of  his  first 
connection  with  Island  Finnan,  but  as  his  Divinity 
course  must  have  terminated  not  later  than  1680, 
he  would  have  received  institution  as  minister  of  the 
parish  shortly  after  that  date.  Alastair  Mac 
Mhaighistear  Alastair  was  born  at  his  father's  resi- 
dence in  Dalilea,  but  while  we  are  morally  certain 
of  his  birthplace,  there  is  no  information  available  as 
to  the  precise  date.  It  is  usual,  in  the  absence  of 
definite  authority,  to  fix  it  at  1700,  but  taking  all 
the  circumstances  into  consideration,  we  are  disposed 
to  make  it  little  later  than  1690,  the  year  following 
the  Revolution. 

There  are  very  few  details  surviving  as  to 
Alastair's  early  life.  It  is  very  doubtful  if  in  his 
early  days  there  were  any  schools  in  his  native 
district,  and  it  may  be  safely  assumed  that  he 
received  more  than  the  rudiments  of  an  excellent 
classical  education  from  his  father,  who,  in  addition 
to  ability  and  force  of  character,  was  like  all  the 
clergy  of  his  generation — a  scholar.  Alastair  after- 
wards attended  the  University,  and  the  tradition 
is  highly  probable  that  his  father  intended  him  to 
follow  his  own  vocation.  Whether  the  peculiar 
bent  of  his  mind  would  have  won  distinction  for 
him  in  the  ministry  need  not  here  be  discussed  ; 
but  fate  forbade  the  experiment,  and  his  Divinity 


THE    BARDS    OF    THE    CLAN.  581 

course  either  did  not  begin  or  came  to  a  premature 
close.  After  the  Revolution,  his  father,  with  a 
tenacity  which  suggested  great  strength  of  mind, 
refused  to  conform  to  the  dominant  type  of  Church 
government,  and  he  may  not  have  been  keen  that 
his  son  should  take  orders  in  a  Church  to  whose 
polity  he  was  so  much  opposed.  Be  this  as  it  may, 
Alastair  did  not  adopt  the  ministerial  vocation,  but 
settled  clown  to  the  profession  of  a  schoolmaster. 
He  never  was,  as  has  been  incorrectly  stated  by 
Mackenzie  and  others,  parochial  schoolmaster  of 
Ardnamurchan.  At  that  time  few,  if  any,  of  the 
Highland  Chiefs  had  implemented  their  legal  duties 
by  providing  parochial  schools  and  schoolmasters  ; 
and  it  was  this  neglect — for  which  a  variety  of 
reasons  could  be  alleged — that  led  to  the  formation 
of  a  society  to  whose  beneficent  activities  the  High- 
lands owed  much  in  the  18th  century — the  Society 
for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge.  Under  the 
auspices  of  this  body  he  acted  for  many  years,  com- 
bining the  functions  of  a  teacher  and  catechist. 
His  employment  in  these  capacities  doubtless  in- 
volved a  certain  compliance,  probably  sincere  enough 
at  the  time,  with  the  established  Presbyterian  creed 
of  Scotland.  Being  the  only  teacher  in  the  immense 
district  contained  within  the  modern  Parish  of  Ard- 
namurchan, he,  like  other  teachers  of  the  society, 
itinerated  from  place  to  place,  the  principal  scenes 
of  his  pedagogic  labours  being  Island  Finnan,  Kil- 
choan,  and  Corryvullin.  As  the  scene  of  his  labours 
varied,  so  did  also  his  salary,  but  always  in  the 
wrong  direction.  In  1729  his  emoluments  amounted 
to  £16,  in  1738  to  £15,  and  in  1744  he  was  passing 
rich  on  £14  a-year.  In  abandoning  the  ferula  for 
the  sword,  in  1745,  the  pecuniary  sacrifice  does  not 


582  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

strike  us  as  serious,  but  the  value  of  sterling  money 
was  at  that  time  much  greater  than  it  is  now  as  an 
instrument  of  exchange.  Besides,  Alastair  supple- 
mented his  living  by  farming,  being  tenant  of  the 
farm  of  Corryvullin,  while  he  followed  the  calling  of 
a  teacher. 

That  Alastair  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
ecclesiastical  affairs  of  his  native  parish  under  the 
Presbyterian  regime  is  amply  vouched  by  the  Church 
records  of  the  day.  It  is  not  directly  stated  that  he 
was  an  elder,  but  during  a  vacancy  that  occurred  in 
1732,  in  his  native  parish,  he  appeared  before  the 
Presbytery  of  Mull  as  Commissioner,  with  a  petition 
signed  by  the  gentlemen,  heritors,  and  elders  of 
Ardnamurchan,  and  craving  that  a  member  of  Pres- 
bytery should  be  appointed  to  moderate  a  call  for  a 
new  minister.  The  term  "  Commissioner  ''  in  this 
connection  seems  to  imply  that  he  was  at  that  date 
an  office-bearer  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and 
tradition  supports  that  view.  The  E/ising  of  1745 
worked  a  mighty  revolution  in  his  outer  and  inner 
life.  It  naturally  terminated  his  scholastic  career, 
and  threw  him  into  more  intimate  connection  with 
those  influences  which  led  towards  Romanism.  The 
fact  that  his  brother,  Angus  of  Dalilea,  who  was  out 
in  the  '45,  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  is  said  to  have 
greatly  determined  this  ecclesiastical  departure  011 
the  part  of  Alastair.  But  apart  from  this,  his  whole 
type  of  character,  no  less  his  literary  genius  than 
his  general  temperament,  was  impulsive  and  even 
vehement,  perhaps  prone  to  exaggerate  the  realities 
and  possibilities  of  things.  The  poetic  idiosyncrasy 
dominated  his  personality  so  much  that  when  his 
mind  was  captivated  by  the  dream  of  a  Stuart 
Restoration  he  was,  almost  unconsciously,  swept 


THE    BARDS    OF    THE    CLAN.  583 

into  a  current  which  embraced  absolutism  in  Church 
and  State,  the  leading  feature  of  the  political  ideal 
of  the  Stuart  dynasty.  It  is  quite  unnecessary  to 
charge  his  memory  with  insincerity  for  having 
performed  what  looks  to  us  now  as  a  religious 
somersault,  but  was  really  the  result  partly  of 
environment  and  partly  of  a  spontaneous  psycho- 
logical movement.  Still  we  can  admire  the  smart 
couplet  of  the  Mull  bard — 

"Cha  b  'e  'n  creidimh  ach  am  brosgul 
Chuir  thu  ghiulau  crois  a  Phapa." 

Only  once  or  twice  do  we  find  any  notice  of  him 
on  record  during  the  '45,  though  we  have  no  doubt 
his  enthusiasm  for  the  Jacobite  cause,  and  his  soul- 
stirring  effusions,  must  have  greatly  moved  the 
Clanranald  country. 

During  the  Rising  he  held  the  commission  of  a 
Captain  in  the  Prince's  army  under  Macdonald, 
younger  of  Clanranald.  When  the  frigate  which 
conveyed  Charles  was  in  Lochnanuagh,  Alexander 
went  on  board  without  knowing  that  H.R.H.  was 
present,  the  latter  being  very  plainly  dressed.  Thus 
ignorant,  "  Captain "  Alastair  made  up  to  the 
Prince  without  any  manner  of  ceremony,  conversed 
in  a  very  familiar  way,  and  indulged  in  a  social 
glass.  The  poet  gave  some  valuable  information  to 
Bishop  Forbes,  which,  with  much  other  material, 
has  been  embodied  in  the  "  Lyoii  in  Mourning,"  and 
at  the  end  of  the  document  containing  his  narrative 
there  is  the  quaint  and  characteristic  couplet — 

Bheir  mi  nis  a  chorra  shiamain  dhuit  feiu 
Gus  a  faigh  mi  tuilleadh  gaoisid. 

Alastair  is  reticent  about  his  own  share  in  the 
exploits  of  the  Clanranald  contingent.  He,  how- 


584  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 

ever,  suffered  much  in  outward  estate  through  his* 
Jacobite  devotion,  all  his  effects  having  been  plun- 
dered down  to  his  cat  !  He  and  his  wife  wandered 
among  the  hills  until  the  Act  of  Indemnity  was 
passed,  and  during  this  trying  time  his  wife  gave 
birth  to  a  daughter.  Bishop  Forbes  sheds  an 
interesting  side  light  upon  the  poet's  tastes  and 
attainments.  "  He  is  a  very  smart,  acute  man, 
remarkably  well  skilled  in  Erse.  He  reads  and 
writes  the  Irish  language,  and  declares  that  Old 
Clanranald  is  the  only  other  he  knows  who  can 
do  so  in  the  Highlands." 

After  the  '45  he  got  the  farm  of  Eigneig,  on  the 
Glenuig  Estate  of  Clanranald,  and  in  1751 — the 
year  in  which  he  published  his  vocabulary — we  find 
him  Bailie  of  Canna.  As  the  Clanranald  Estates 
were  at  the  time  forfeited,  and  under  Commissioners 
of  the  Crown,  these  positions  must  have  been  con- 
ferred in  entire  ignorance  of  the  denunciations  he 
was  continually  breathing  against  the  hated  Hano- 
verian dynasty.  His  political  antipathies,  however, 
continued  so  inveterate,  arid  his  invectives  against 
the  Government  so  scurrilous,  that  the  Clanranald 
authorities  had  to  banish  him  for  a  time  from  the 
district.  He  then  moved  to  Inverie,  in  the  district 
of  Knoydart,  where  he  lived  for  some  years.  He 
also  lived  at  Morar,  in  praise  of  which  he  composed 
one  of  his  finest  songs.  Eventually  he  was  allowed 
to  return  to  the  Clanranald  Estate  of  Arisaig,  where 
he  settled  down  for  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He 
died  at  Sandaig  about  1770,  and  was  buried  at 
Arisaig  Churchyard,  close  by  the  present  R.C. 
Church  of  St  Mary. 

No  Gaelic  bard  has  strung  his  lyre  with  greater 
force  and  skill  than  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Be 


THE  BARDS  OF  THE  CLAN.  .        585 

his  political  or  ecclesiastical  attitude  what  it  may, 
these  were  entirely  dominated  by  an  all-powerful 
poetic  impulse.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  little  of  his 
religious  history  appears  in  his  works  which  might 
have  been  written  by  a  consistent  Protestant.  Song 
was  the  real  spontaneous  expression  of  his  heart- 
whatever  for  the  moment  touched  him  deeply  took 
wings  to  it  and  soared  upwards  to  the  ^Eonian 
Mount.  As  to  his  outlook  upon  Nature — and  it 
is  interesting  to  note  his  participation  in  the 
poetic  movement  affecting  the  English  literature 
of  his  day — there  was  one  region  of  the  Clan- 
ranald  country  which  was  to  him  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  beautiful  and  the  lovable  —  the 
district  of  Morar.  Tradition  says  that  his  song  in 
its  praise  was  composed,  not  from  his  love  for  Morar, 
but  from  spite  against  the  people  of  his  native 
Moidart,  which  he  had  perforce  to  leave.  We 
cannot  test  the  accuracy  of  the  tradition — we  can 
only  take  the  poem  as  it  stands.  A  son's  love  to 
his  mother,  a  lover's  to  his  mistress,  find  their 
parallel  in  this  poetic  gem.  There  was  no  beauty 
or  comeliness  with  which  the  bard's  vision  did  not 
invest  the  subject  of  his  eulogy.  To  him  it  lived  ; 
its  heart  beating,  its  eye  flashing,  its  ear  hearken- 
ing, like  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband,  decorated 
with  many  jewels.  In  the  bonnie  month  of  May, 
with  its  woods  under  foliage,  the  salmon  in  its 
streams  gleaming  in  the  sunlight,  its  hills  and 
straths  in  their  summer  glory,  the  bee  tickling  the 
thorns  and  plucking  honey  murmuringly — all  is  a 
picture  painted  by  a  consummate  artist.  Again,  was 
ever  stream  immortalised  like  "  Allt  an  t-Siucair"? 
It  was  no  real,  but  an  ideal  stream  that  he  handed 
down  to  the  future.  The  whole  world  of  Nature 


586  THF   CLAN    DONALD. 

was  laid  under  contribution  in  its  every  note  and 
melody ;  the  murmuring  of  streams,  the  song  of 
birds,  as  well  as  the  colour  and  fragrance,  born  of 
the  sun,  which  make  summer  so  winsome.  He 
stood  not  by  the  real  rivulet  that  passed  by  his 
homestead,  but  one  that  flowed  through  the  Arcadia 
of  his  dreams,  where  on  a  May  morning  the  grass 
was  girdled  with  a  close  necklace  of  dewy  pearls, 
and  the  robin,  the  cuckoo,  the  mavis,  and  all  the 
little  warblers  of  the  grove  made  the  wood  vocal 
with  their  songs. 

His  companion  poems  to  summer  and  winter 
present  exquisite  delineations.  The  apostrophe  to 
the  primrose  springing  pale-yellow  from  the  dust, 
bravely  lifting  up  its  head  in  the  early  springtime, 
while  other  flowers  have  their  eyes  shut  in  a  torpid 
slumber;  his  living  pictures  of  birds,  those  with  and 
without  the  gift  of  song,  joyful  in  their  citizenship 
of  the  woods,  are  all  full  of  genuine  poetic  insight. 
His  images  are  original,  striking,  and  picturesque. 
His  address  to  the  heather  in  the  ode  to  winter 
beginning — 

"  A  fhraoich  bhadanaich  ghagauaich  uir," 

is  of  this  character.  To  this  plant  of  Caledonia  the 
sun  was  as  a  valet  coming  in  the  morning  to  dress 
its  hair  with  the  unguent  and  powder  of  honey, 
causing  every  ringlet  to  glisten  with  rarest  gems 
of  light.  The  power  of  bringing  everything  alive, 
quickening  nature,  and  causing  it  to  palpitate  with 
a  new  life,  the  great  attribute  of  poetic  art  which 
projects  the  inner  self  into  nature,  is  seen  here  in 
high  excellence. 

The  most  powerful  of  all  Alastair's  poems,  and 
likewise  that  which  most  reveals  the  defects  or 
limitations  of  his  genius,  is  "  Beaunachadh  Luinge," 


THE   BARDS   OF   THE   CLAN.  587 

or  "  Sgiobaireachd  Chlann  Raonuill,"  i.e.  Anglice, 
"  The  blessing  of  the  ship."  As  the  conception  of 
this  poem  is  bold  and  original,  so  its  execution,  as  a 
whole,  is  masterly,  rivalling  in  spirit  and  descriptive 
power  many  of  the  great  literary  efforts  of  ancient 
and  modern  times.  The  ship  was  equipped  with 
all  the  needful  gear  and  crew,  and  the  sails  were 
unfurled  at  sunrise  on  Saint  Bridget's  day  in  the 
harbour  of  Loch  Eynort  in  South  Uist.  The  follow- 
ing translation  by  the  late  Sheriff  Nicholson  of  one 
of  the  finest  passages  in  the  poem,  may  be  quoted — 

"  The  sun  bursting  golden  yellow 

From  his  cloud-husk, 
Then  their  sky  grew  tawny,  smoky, 

Full  of  gloom ; 
It  waxed  wave  blue,  thick,  buff-speckled, 

Dun  and  troubled ; 
Every  colour  of  the  tartan 

Marked  the  heavens." 

His  poems  of  sentiment,  such  as  "  Moladh  Moraig  " 
and  "  The  Praise  of  the  Dairymaid,"  abound  in 
tenderness  and  the  most  vivid  delineation  of  human 
passion — the  former  particularly  touching  the  whole 
gamut  of  emotion,  everywhere  betokening  a  master 
hand.  Even  the  Bachanalian  songs  are  the  best  of 
their  kind,  conviviality  and  good-fellowship  being 
glorified  in  a  fashion  not  unworthy  of  the  Ayrshire 
bard  himself. 

If  nature  and  sentiment  drew  forth  the  treasures 
of  Alastair's  genius,  so  also  did  the  political  senti- 
ment, which  became  the  ruling  passion  of  his  life. 
Before  ever  Charles  Edward  crossed  to  Scotland 
Alastair  had  tuned  his  lyre  in  his  welcome.  In  his 
poem  on  the  Highland  Clans  he  gazes  with  straining 
eyes  across  the  blue  ocean  watching  for  the  advent 
of  his  heart's  king.  At  last  his  hero  comes,  and  no 


588  THE    CLAtf    DONALD. 

sooner  does  the  royal  standard  of  the  Stewarts  float 
on  the  breezes  of  Glenfinnan  than  he  at  once  bursts 
into  song  like  the  birds  on  the  approach  of  summer— 

'N  raoir  a  chuuna  mi  'in  bruadar, 
Tearlach  ruadh  thigh  'nn  far  saile, 
Le  phiobau  's  le  chaismeachd, 
'S  le  bhrataichean  sgarlaid. 

Even  after  Charles  and  his  brave  supporters  were 
scattered  on  that  fatal  day  on  Drumossie  Moor, 
the  bard  did  not  despair.  He  ceased  not  to 
eulogise  the  King's  son  over  the  water,  and 
when  this  became  a  dangerous  pastime  he  com- 
posed love  songs  in  which  political  allegiance  was 
artfully  disguised  under  expressions  of  amorous 
sentiment.  In  the  dialogue  between  the  Prince  and 
the  Highlanders,  after  the  failure  of  his  enterprise, 
the  parting  is  celebrated  with  solemn  sadness,  but 
the  bard  never  would  admit  that  the  Star  of 
Charles  had  set,  but,  with  a  pertinacity  that  was 
pathetic,  hoped  ever  that  his  day  was  yet  to  come. 
It  came  not,  but  the  brave  though  abortive  effort  of 
1745  had  this  no  small  success,  that  it  roused  many 
a  bard  to  minstrelsy,  and  that  the  song  and  music 
which  were  the  offspring  of  Jacobitism  filled  our 
Scottish  land.  Of  all  the  singers  none  struck  a 
stronger  or  more  melodious  note  than  Alastair.  It 
is  certain,  that  while  a  position  may  be  claimed  for 
one  or  two  by  his  side  in  the  Gaelic  temple  of  the 
muses,  there  is  none  that  can  be  placed  above  him. 
Donnachadh  Ban  nan  Oran  was  a  calmer,  smoother, 
more  placid  genius,  his  poems  are  more  restful,  and 
move  forward  with  a  more  equable  flow  of  style  and 
sentiment.  But  Alastair  is  unquestionably  the  more 
powerful  mind.  In  fact,  when  we  come  to  criticise 
the  more  unfavourable  aspects  of  his  muse,  his 


THE    BARDS    OF   THE   CLAN.  589 

defects  are  found  to  consist  in  an  occasional  want 
of  regulation  in  his  poetic  powers,  a  regrettable 
absence  of  poetic  restraint.  The  strength  of  his 
genius  is  greater  than  his  judgment  can  curb,  and 
he  has  allowed  himself  to  indulge  in  extravagances 
and  worse,  which  are  a  blot  upon  his  fame.  Even 
that  noble  poem,  the  Sgiobaireachd,  is  disfigured 
by  wild  phantasies  that  outrage  the  principles  of 
true  poetic  art.  Nor  can  we  deny  that  he  has 
perpetrated  other  verses  which  would  have  been 
better  in  oblivion.  Something,  indeed,  may  have  been 
due  to  heredity.  His  great-grandfather,  Ranald,  1st 
of  Benbecula,  was  a  man  of  immeHse  force,  but  of 
headstrong  and  unbridled  life,  and  while  no  scandal 
has  ever  attached  to  the  moral  life  of  the  poet, 
the  hereditary  vehemence  and  lack  of  restraint 
appear  to  have  operated  in  the  less  creditable  phases 
of  his  intellectual  life.  While  these  admissions 
must  be  made,  the  faults  pointed  out  are  not 
sufficient  to  obscure  the  brilliancy  of  a  literary 
reputation  which,  take  it  all  in  all,  is  unequalled 
in  the  histoiy  of  modern  Gaelic  poetry,  and  adds 
imperishable  lustre  to  the  annals  of  the  Clan 
Donald. 

ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD,  or,  as  he  was  known  in 
his  native  island,  Gille-na-Ciotaig,  was  born  about 
the  middle  of  the  18th  century,  in  the  township  of 
Paible,  in  North  Uist.  He  was  educated  in  the 
Parish  School,  a  somewhat  rare  privilege  in  those 
days,  and  Sir  James  Macdonald — whose  philanthropy 
was  as  enlightened  as  his  learning  was  profound- 
assisted  his  parents  with  funds  for  the  purpose. 
Archibald  made  good  use  of  his  time,  and  acquired 
sufficient  education  to  enable  him  for  many  years  to 


590  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

act  as  clerk  to  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Peneniurin, 
baron  baile  to  Clanranald.  He  was  called  Gille-na- 
Ciotaig  because  one  of  his  arms — fortunately  the 
left — was  short,  and  the  hand  only  possessed  rudi- 
mentary fingers.  It  was  his  purpose  to  publish  a 
collection  of  poems,  and  he  left  Uist  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  this  accomplished  ;  but  he  only  got  the 
length  of  Fort-Augustus,  where  he  died  and  was 
buried.  His  MS.  is  said  to  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  Alexander  Stewart,  parochial  schoolmaster 
of  North  Uist,  and  to  have  helped  him  in  the 
compilation  of  his  collection  of  Gaelic  poems. 
Macdonald  is  essentially  the  bard  of  humour  and 
satire,  and  his  one  serious  effusion,  the  eulogy  on 
Lochiel,  is,  in  comparison  with  the  rest,  a  tame 
production.  The  aspect  of  life  that  appeals  to  him 
is  the  laughable,  the  grotesque ;  humour  is  the 
breath  of  his  intellectual  life.  In  the  region  of 

^ 

sober  fact  he  is  not  at  home,  but  where  quip  and 
jest  abound  he  moves  freely  and  at  ease.  In  some 
of  his  less  happy  efforts  he  is  scurrilous  and  vitu- 
perative, and  belabours  his  victim  with  torrents  of 
abuse.  But  these  are  not  his  most  characteristic 
strains.  His  mock  elegy  on  the  supposed  death  of 
John  Roy  Mac  Quien,  piper,  and  the  resurrection 
of  the  same  minstrel,  are  masterpieces  of  genuine  art. 
The  mock  seriousness  and  stately  measure  of  the 
elegy,  the  farewell  to  the  quasi  departed,  the  direc- 
tions for  the  adequate  providing  of  the  grave — a 
cask  of  rum  at  the  foot  and  a  roll  of  tobacco  at  the 
head — are  amongst  the  happiest  efforts  of  the  serio- 
comic muse. 

ALEXANDER   MACDONALD,   known   as   the   Dall 
Mor,  was  a  contemporary  of  Gille-na-Ciotaig,  and  a 


THE    BARDS    OF    THE    CLAN.  591 

native  of  North  Uist.  He  lost  his  eyesight  in  early 
life  in  consequence  of  a  virulent  attack  of  small- 
pox, and  being  a  man  of  great  stature  as  well  as  fine 
presence,  was  known  in  his  native  island  as  the  Dall 
Mor  to  distinguish  him  from  a  brother  in  affliction 
called  the  Dall  Beg.  From  his  family  having  spent 
some  years  in  Mull  he  was  called  the  Dall  Muileach. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  powers  of  memory,  and  could 
repeat  large  portions  of  the  Bible  and  Shorter  Cate- 
chism, which  led  to  his  appointment  as  catechist  for 
his  native  parish,  through  which. — despite  his  blind- 
ness— he  travelled  great  distances,  and  did  much 
good.  Though  inferior  to  Archibald  Macdonald  in 
mental  gifts,  judging  by  the  few  specimens  of  his 
muse  that  have  survived,  he  was  not  without  a 
considerable  measure  of  poetic  taste  and  feeling. 
His  poems  to  the  two  brothers,  Alexander  Mac- 
donald of  Vallay  and  Ewen  of  Griminish,  exhibit 
felicity  and  grace  of  style. 

7 

DONALD  MACDONALD,  known  as  Am  Bard 
Cananach,  was  born  in  Strathconan  in  1780,  and 
laboured  as  a  sawyer  first  in  his  native  strath  and 
afterwards  at  Inverness.  In  his  youth  he  laboured 
under  the  disadvantage  of  living  far  from  the  parish 
school,  and  in  his  own  remote  part  of  the  parish  it  is 
highly  probable  that  in  his  time  there  were  no 
educational  advantages  of  any  kind.  At  all  events, 
he  was  never  sent  to  school,  but  it  seems  he  was 
taught  to  read  his  native  Gaelic  at  home.  At  a 
very  early  age  he  was  known  for  his  smart  sayings, 
ready  repartee,  and  tendency  as  occasion  offered  to 
versify.  He  might  say  of  himself,  with  Pope,  that 
"he  lisped  in  numbers."  He  composed  many  songs, 
but  of  these  only  a  few  have  been  published,  and  it 


592  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

is  therefore  impossible  to  give  a  just  estimate  of 
his  merits  as  a  poet.  He  had  contemplated 
publishing  his  songs  in  book  form  on  the  advice 
of  competent  judges,  who  considered  them  worthy 
of  publication.  With  this  view  he  had  them  all 
arranged  in  manuscript  ready  for  the  printer,  but 
his  unexpected  death  put  an  end  to  the  project.  The 
manuscript  is  still  preserved  in  the  possession  of  his 
relatives.  In  1814  he  printed  in  Inverness  a  song 
entitled  "  Oran  nuadh  a  rinneadh  air  mor-bhuaidh 
a  choisinn  Sir  Tomas  Gream  (cha  b'  ann  dh' 
easbhuidh  Ghael)  thar  na  Franncaich  anns  an  Spain 
'san  t-samhradh  1813."  This  sono-  in  which  the 

O  7 

Highland  clans  are  drawn  up  in  martial  array 
against  the  French  Emperor,  is  a  composition 
of  very  considerable  merit.  His  "  Cuach  Mhic 
Ghilleandrais "  is  a  highly  humorous  composition, 
and  has  always  been  popular  in  the  Highlands. 
Macdonald  invariably  displays  great  command  of 
language,  and  is  happy  in  his  choice  of  words,  with 
occasional  flights  of  imagination,  and  if  he  cannot 
be  placed  in  the  front  rank  of  Gaelic  bards,  he  is  at 
least  a  poet  of  very  respectable  ability.  Better 
acquaintance  with  his  compositions  would  no  doubt 
entitle  him  to  a  higher  place.  The  Strathconon 
Bard  died  of  cholera  in  the  year  1832. 

Among  the  bards  of  the  Clan  Donald  who  com- 
posed more  or  less,  but  of  whom  little  is  known 
beyond  the  few  pieces  of  their  composition  that 
have  come  down  to  us,  may  be  mentioned  DONALD 
MACDONALD,  known  as  Domhnull  Mac  Fhionnlaidh 
nan  Dan.  Donald,  according  to  a  Gaelic  manu- 
script nearly  two  hundred  years  old,,  was  a  famous 
hunter  of  the  Macdorialds  of  Glencoe,  and  a  near 
relative  of  the  head  of  that  family.  He  flourished 


THE    BARDS    OF   THE    CLAN.  593 

in  the  16th  and  early  part  of  the  17th  century. 
The  only  composition  of  his  which  has  been  pre- 
served is  the  classic  more  generally  known  as  "  A 
Chomhachag,"  but  in  the  manuscript  referred  to  it  is 
called  "  A  Chreag  Ghuanach,"  consisting  of  72 
verses,  and  of  the  kind  there  is  no  more  lofty  or 
beautiful  composition  in  the  Gaelic  language.  After 
each  of  the  verses  is  the  refrain  : — 

"  Armino,  noimo,  noimo,  noimo, 
Armino,  imo,  horo, 
'S  aoibhinn  learn  an  diugh  na  chi." 

ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD  of  Keppoch  composed 
several  pieces  of  considerable  merit,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned,  "  Tearlach  Stiubhart,  Fear 
Chailbhinne,"  "  Freagairih  do  dh'  Alastair  Friseil," 
"  Rannan  Firinneach,"  and  "  Rannan  Breugach." 

Another  bard  of  considerable  repute  among  his 
contemporaries  was  ANGUS  MACDONALD,  known  as 
Aonghas  Mac  Alastair  Ruaidh,  of  the  Glencoe 
family,  who  flourished  in  the  latter  half  of  the  17th 
century.  His  best  known  composition  is  his  "  La 
Raoriruairidh,"  an  elaborate  piece  giving  a  graphic 
description  of  a  battle  in  which  the  bard  himself 
must  have  taken  part.  Another  of  his  compositions 
is  a  spirited  eulogy  on  Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch. 
Among  his  other  compositions  are  his  elegy  on  John 
Lorn  and  "  Oran  nam  Finneachan  Gaidhealach." 

ANGUS  MACDONALD,  known  as  the  Muck  Bard, 
was  the  author  of  a  beautiful  poem  on  the  massacre 
of  Glencoe. 

DONALD  MACDONALD,  known  as  Domhnull  Donn 
Mac  Fir  Bhothiuntainn,  composed  many  songs  of 
fair  merit. 

38 


594  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Others  who  courted  the  muses  with  some 
considerable  success  were  RANALD  MACDONALD, 
Minginish,  Skye ;  JOHN  MACDONALD,  Lochbroom, 
author  of  "  Mairi  Laghach  "  ;  RACHEL  MACDONALD, 
North  Uist ;  and  ANGUS  MACDONALD,  Glen- 
Urquhart,  Bard  to  the  Gaelic  Society  of  Inverness, 
who  possessed  poetic  genius  of  a  high  order,  and 
whose  "  Lament  for  Lord  Clyde "  is  a  fine  effort 
in  the  elegiac  line. 

There  are  members  of  the  Clan  now  living  who 
are  worthy  of  honourable  mention  in  this  connec- 
tion, such  as  ALICE  MACDONALD  of  Keppoch, 
authoress  of  "  Lays  of  the  Heather,"  and  ALEX- 
ANDER MACDONALD,  author  of  "  Coinneach  is 
Coille,"  a  volume  published  a  few  years  ago. 

ARCHIBALD  MACDONALD  --  called  "  An  Ciaran 
Mabach  "  —was  the  second  lawful  son  of  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald,  first  Baronet  of  Sleat.  He  was  a  con- 
temporary of  Iain  Lorn,  the  Keppoch  bard,  and  like 
him  had  a  defective  utterance  as  his  traditional 
soubriquet  suggests.  Why  he  was  called  the 
"  Ciaran  "  we  have  no  information.  It  could  hardly 
have  been  bestowed  by  reason  of  a  dusky  com- 
plexion, as  John  Lom's  reference  to  him  in  the 
line— 

Sgriob  Ghilleasbuig  Ruaidh  a  Uidhist, 

tells  a  different  tale.  He  was  wadsetter  of  Bornis- 
kittaig,  in  Troternish,  but  if  the  voice  of  tradition 
is  to  be  relied  upon,  he  also  had  lands  in  the  island 
of  North  Uist.  He  was  a  brave  warrior,  as  well  as 
devoted  to  the  muses,  and  was  commissioned  by  his 
brother,  Sir  James  Macdonald,  2nd  Baronet  of  Sleat, 
to  apprehend  the  Keppoch  murderers,  a  task 


THE    BARDS    OF   THE    CLAN.  595 

whose  execution  proved  immensely  difficult.  The 
Gaelic  line  quoted  above  is  in  a  poem  in  praise  of 
the  Ciaran  Mabach  after  his  mission  of  vengeance 
was  successfully  accomplished,  and  it  shows  that  the 
hero  of  the  expedition  started  from  Uist  for  the 
purpose.  Ten  years  later  we  find  him  at  Sollas 
witnessing  an  important  agreement  between  Sir 
James  and  Sir  Norman  Macleod  of  Bernera.  These 
casual  references  appear  to  confirm  the  tradition 
that  the  Ciaran  had  a  settlement  in  North  Uist  as 
well  as  in  Skye.  He  stands  high  among  the  bards 
of  his  clan,  but  unfortunately  his  poems  have  almost 
all  been  lost.  The  elegy  to  his  brother  Sir  James  is 
a  fine  poem  full  of  tenderest  regret,  but  his  verses 
to  the  deer,  composed  while  in  enforced  inactivity 
in  Edinburgh  through  a  sprained  foot,  seems  a  more 
spontaneous  utterance,  and  is  indeed  one  of  the  best 
of  cur  Gaelic  lyrics.  We  gather  from  the  elegy  to 
Sir  James  something  of  his  love  for  the  chase,  when, 
like  Duncan  Ban  Macintyre,  in  his  last  farewell  to 
the  hills,  he  bewails  the  embargo  which  the  in- 
firmities of  advancing  years  placed  upon  his  following 
the  fleet-footed  denizen  of  the  mountains.  This 
sentiment  has  full  justice  done  to  it  in  the  shorter 
poem.  The  following  lines  are  well  worth  quoting 
as  an  eulogy  upon  the  stag,  whose  feast  was  the 
fountain  cress,  and  whose  drink  the  mountain 
stream  :— 

B'e  mo  ghradh-sa  fear  buidhe 
Nach  dean  suidhe  mu'n  bh6rd 
Nach  iarradh  ri  cheannach 
Pinnt  leanna  no  beoir, 
Uisge  beatha  math  dubailt 
Cha  b'e  b'fhiu  leat  ri  61, 
B'  fhearr  leat  biolair  an  fhuarain 
'S  uisge  luaineach  an  loin. 


596  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


ALASTAIR   MAC   COLLA. 

ALASTAIR,  the  son  of  Coll,  the  Lieutenant  of 
Montrose  during  the  Civil  War  of  Charles  L,  was 
perhaps  the  most  renowned  hero  of  the  Clan  Donald 
within  what  may  be  described  as  modern  times. 
We  do  not  mean  by  this  that  he  was  the  most 
distinguished  military  man  that  the  Clan  has  pro- 
duced, looking  at  the  warlike  character  in  its 
broadest  aspect.  His  soldierly  qualities  were  not 
after  the  fashion  of  the  master  of  tactics  and 
strategy  who  drew  plans  of  campaign  at  his  desk 
and  could  be  silent  in  seven  languages  ;  they  were 
rather  of  the  antique  type  of  heroism,  in  which 
personal  valour  in  contact  with  the  foe  was  a 
matter  of  prime  importance.  He  was  a  Hercules 
in  strength  and  courage,  and  his  prowess  was  the 
theme  of  seanachie  and  bard  for  ages  after  his  day. 
No  warrior  in  Gaelic  history  has  captivated  with 
greater  force  the  imagination  of  the  Highlanders, 
and  there  was  none  whose  name  and  fame  have 
come  down  so  vividly  in  popular  tradition.  His 
very  birth  has  been  enveloped  in  myth.  The  night 
he  was  born  all  Colonsay  was  frightened.  Great 
noises  were  heard  in  the  air,  like  the  shooting  of 
fire-arms,  causing  cows  to  drop  their  calves,  mares 
their  foals,  and  other  unusual  disturbances.  Such 
phenomena  could  only  occur  with  the  birth  of  one 
who  in  the  popular  mind  was  a  personality  of  the 
first  magnitude. 


AL  AST  AIR   MAC    COLL  A.  597 

Alastair  was  born  at  his  father's  residence  in 
Colonsay  in  the  early  years  of  the  17th  century; 
we  have  no  means  of  knowing  the  exact  year.  His 
youth  and  early  manhood  were  spent  in  his  native 
isle,  but  details  as  to  this  part  of  his  life  are  entirely 
wanting.  The  Covenanting  movement  in  Scotland, 
which  synchronized  with  the  struggle  in  England 
between  Charles  I.  and  the  Parliament,  and  sprung 
from  the  same  causes,  first  led  Alastair,  his  father, 
and  brothers,  into  the  stormy  scenes  of  public  life. 
In  1639,  Colla  Ciotach  and  his  family  were  driven 
out  of  Colonsay  for  refusing  to  join  the  Covenanters 
under  the  auspices  of  Gilleasbuig  Gruamach,  Earl 
of  Argyll,  and  the  o'd  man  with  his  two  sons  Archi- 
bald and  Angus  was  taken  into  captivity,  in  which 
they  seem  to  have  been  kept  for  years.  Whether 
Alastair  was  at  home  at  the  time  and  managed  to 
elude  his  foes,  or  was  on  a  visit  to  his  friends  and 
kinsfolk  in  the  Antrim  glens,  when  these  misfor- 
tunes took  place,  is  not  entirely  clear,  but  it  is 
certain  that  the  same  year  we  find  him,  along  with 
other  Scottish  refugees,  in  that  region,  having  found 
a  temporary  asylum  with  his  relatives,  the  Stewarts 
of  Ballintoy. 

During  his  second  year  in  Ireland  Alastair 
became  involved  in  the  Great  Rebellion,  by  which 
the  Confederated  Catholics  of  the  North  sought  to 
resist  what  they  believed  to  be  a  deliberate  attempt 
on  the  part  of  the  English  power  to  uproot  the 
ancient  faith.  Archibald  Stewart  of  Ballintoy 
organised  a  regiment  on  the  side  of  the  Govern- 
ment, in  which  Alastair  had  command  of  two 
companies ;  but  as  matters  developed  towards  a 
crisis,  he  seceded  with  his  command,  joined  the 
Catholic  cause,  and  soon  thereafter  inflicted  a  signal 


598  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

defeat  upon  Stewart  at  the  ford  of  Portnaw  on 
the  Bann.  For  the  next  two  years  Alastair  fought 
bravely  and  with  varying  success  for  the  cause  he 
had  espoused.  In  1642  a  formidable  force  of  Scots 
under  General  Leslie  invaded  the  north  of  Ireland, 
and  the  small  army  under  Phelim  O'Neill,  of  which 
Alastair's  contingent  formed  a  part,  was  severely 
defeated  at  the  battle  of  Glenmaguiri.  Alastair  was 
seriously  wounded,  and  with  difficulty  rescued  and 
carried  off  the  field  by  O'Cahau  in  a  horse  litter. 
He  was  taken  to  the  house  of  a  priest  named 
O'Crilly,  who  gave  him  quarters  and  hospitality 
during  the  somewhat  prolonged  period  of  con- 
valescence. 

The  greater  part  of  two  years  must  have  been 
spent  by  Alastair  in  more  or  less  seclusion,  as  we  do 
not  tind  any  references  to  him  in  the  chronicles  of 
the  period  until  1644,  when,  in  the  campaign  of 
Montrose,  there  opens  a  new  and  brilliant  chapter  of 
his  heroic  life.  That  year  an  expedition  was  pre- 
pared by  the  Marquis  of  Antrim  to  proceed  from  the 
north  of  Ireland  with  the  view  of  co-operating  with 
Montrose  and  other  loyalist  leaders  in  Scotland,  and 
Alastair  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Irish 
contingent.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  significant  of  the 
mixed  character  of  the  political  movements  of  the 
time,  that  Alastair,  who  was  a  rebel  against  the 
Crown  in  Ireland,  became  its  strenuous  champion  on 
his  return  to  Scotland.  No  doubt  the  connection  of 
Gilleasbuig  Gruamach  of  Argyll,  his  hereditary  foe, 
with  the  Covenanting  cause,  had  a  determining 
influence  on  Alastair's  attitude  in  the  strife.  On 
the  morning  of  June  27th,  1644,  the  little  force  of 
1600  left  the  shores  of  Ulster — Alastair  and  his 
officers,  many  of  the  latter  of  his  own  name  and 


AL  AST  AIR   MAC   COLL  A.  599 

clan,  in  a  pinnace  named  the  "  Harp,"  the  rank  and 
file  following  in  three  other  ships.  They  arrived  in 
the  Sound  of  Isla  on  the  2nd  July,  1644,  the  fifth 
day  after  their  departure.  Proceeding  northwards 
through  the  Sound  of  Jura  and  past  Corryvreckan, 
with  Mingarry  Castle,  an  ancient  Macdonald 
fortress  —  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Campbells — as  his 
objective,  he  is  greeted  by  one  of  the  earliest  of 
those  Highland  minstrels  who  have  embalmed  his 
memory  in  song.  Dorothy  Brown,  the  Luing 
poetess,  a  great  Jacobite  and  sincere  hater  of  the 
Campbells,  watching  the  gallant  array  of  his  ships 
and  warriors,  tunes  her  lyre  and  breaks  into 
enthusiastic  verse  :— 

Alastair  a  laoigh  mo  cheile 

Co  chunnaic  mo  dh'  fhag  thu  'n  Eirinn  ? 

Dh'  fhag  thu  na  milltean  's  na  ceudan 

'S  cha  d'  fhag  thu  t-aon  leithid  fein  aim, 

Calpa  cruirin  an  t-siubhail  eutruim, 

Gas  chruiuneachaidh  'n  t-sluaigh  ri  cheile  ; 

Cha  deanar  cogadh  as  t-eugnihais, 

S  cha  deanar  sith  gun  do  reite ; 

'S  ged  nach  bi  na  Duimhnaich  reidh  riut 

Gu  'n  robh  an  righ  mar  tha  mi  fein  duit. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  narrate  with  any 
degree  of  minuteness  the  further  events  of  Alastair's 
career,  the  more  important  of  which  have  already 
received  attention  in  the  second  volume  of  this 
work.  We  must  content  ourselves  with  passing  in 
rapid  review  those  incidents  not  already  referred  to, 
and  which  throw  light  on  his  career.  On  arriving 
in  his  northward  course  at  the  Castle  01  Mingarry, 
he  received  the  disappointing  intelligence  that  a 
number  of  professed  loyalists,  on  whose  assistance 
the  King's  friends  were  relying,  abode  in  a  condition 
of  masterly  inactivity,  and  as  a  consequence  that 


600  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

the  Marquis  of  Mont-rose,  whose  standard  Alastair 
expected  to  see  unfurled,  was  lurking  on  the 
borders  of  the  Highlands  dejected  and  embarrassed. 
Alastair  still  hoped  that  the  cause  might  reckon 
upon  the  services  of  the  chivalrous  Sir  Donald 
Macdonald  of  Sleat,  who  had  been  appointed  some 
time  before  joint  lieutenant  with  the  Marquis  of 
Antrim  in  the  service  of  the  King.  On  arriving  at 
Duntulm,  he  found  that  the  loyal  baronet  had  six 
months  before  gone  to  his  last  account,  and  that  his 
son  and  successor,  Sir  James,  was  indisposed  to 
assume  the  responsibility.  With  all  these  disap- 
pointments, it  is  no  wonder  though  the  heroic  son 
of  Coll  shrank  for  a  moment  from  further  effort,  and 
almost  made  up  his  mind  to  take  the  first  favouring 
wind  to  Ireland.  This,  however,  was  not  to  be. 
Destiny,  in  the  shape  of  Gilleasbuig  Gruamach,  had 
dogged  his  footsteps,  burned  his  shipping  which  he 
had  left  at  Loch  Eishort  while  visiting  the  Chief  of 
Sleat,  and  thus  cut  off  from  himself  and  his  host 
the  only  means  of  retreat  to  Ireland.  It  is  morally 
certain  that  the  King's  cause  in  Scotland  would 
have  proved  abortive  at  the  very  outset  save  for 
the  necessity  laid  upon  Alastair  to  proceed  at  all 
hazards  ;  and  it  is  permissible  to  conjecture  that 
Mac  Cailein-More  lived  to  regret  having  deprived 
him  of  the  means  of  returning  to  Ireland.  Having 
decided  to  take  action,  Alastair  did  not  let  the 
grass  grow  under  his  feet.  Crossing  from  Skye  to 
the  mainland  by  the  ferry  of  Kylerrae,  he  marched 
through  Glenquoich  into  Glengarry's  country,  where, 
according  to  Mac  Vurich,  "  he  got  plenty  of  beef 
for  his  army."  About  this  time,  the  Committee 
of  Moray,  sitting  in  council  at  Auldearn,  received 
characteristic  notice  of  his  approach.  A  letter  was 


AL  AST  AIR    MAC   COLL  A.  601 

delivered  to  them,  commanding  all  manner  of  men 
within  the  country  to  rise  and  follow  the  King's 
Lieutenant,  the  Marquis  of  Montrose,  under  pain  of 
fire  and  sword.  The  letter  was  accompanied  by  an 
impressive  token,  whose  significance  was  no  less 
clear.  A  contemporary  chronicle  informs  us  that 
there  was  handed  to  the  Committee  "arie  fiery  cross 
of  tymber  quhairof  every  point  of  the  cross  was 
scamit  and  brynt  with  fire."  The  Committee  of 
Moray  duly  passed  on  this  Gaelic  emblem  to  the 
Committee  of  Aberdeen,  who  retained  it,  wrote  the 
Parliamentary  authorities  in  Edinburgh  for  instruc- 
tions, and  received  orders  to  be  in  arms,  but  not  on 
the  King's  side. 

Meanwhile  Alastair  pushed  on,  passing  through 
Inverness  to  the  consternation  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  royalist  leader  was,  however,  as  chivalrous  as 
he  was  brave,  and  was  guilty  of  as  little  violence  as 
was  consistent  with  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 
He  inflicted  no  injury  on  the  Invernessians  beyond 
taking  what  was  needed  for  the  supply  of  his  host ; 
as  one  authority  informs  us,  he  "  took  their  meit 
and  merchit  into  Badzenocht."  In  his  march 
through  Badenoch  he  took  sterner  measures  on 
behalf  of  the  King's  cause.  He  threatened  that  if  the 
men  of  that  region  did  not  join  he  would  waste  and 
burn  their  country.  This  threat,  accompanied  by  a 
sight  of  his  commission,  had  the  effect  of  rallying  to 
his  standard  several  hundreds  from  the  septs  of 
Badenoch  and  Braemar.  Marching  southward  from 
Badenoch  to  Blair- Athole,  he  met  at  last,  to  his 
great  joy,  the  Marquis  of  Montrose  bearing  the 
King's  commission  as  lieutenant  of  his  forces  in 
Scotland.  He  was  in  humble  guise,  "  cled  in  cot 
and  trewis,  upon  his  foot,"  travelling  in  the  character 


602  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

of  a  timber  merchant.  Along  with  his  own  com- 
mission there  was  a  new  one  for  Alastair  as  major- 
general  and  second  in  command. 

So  far  as  Alastair's  subsequent  career  in  Scotland 
is  closely  associated  with  that  of  Montrose,  it  will, 
generally  speaking,  be  unnecessary  to  follow  it  with 
much  detail.  The  junction  of  the  royalist  leaders 
and  the  consequent  increase  of  their  forces  moved 
the  Covenanters  to  strenuous  eiforts  to  crush  the 
expedition  at  the  outset ;  but  confronted  by  such  a 
strategist  as  Montrose  and  a  warrior  of  Alastair's 
prowess,  this  was  more  easily  devised  than  accom- 
plished. The  first  blood  was  drawn  at  Tippermuir, 
near  Perth,  where  a  battle  was  fought  on  the  1st 
September,  1644.  The  forces  of  the  Covenant  out- 
numbered the  royalists  by  nearly  five  to  one,  and 
the  disparity  was  increased  by  Montrose's  want  of 
cavalry.  Macdonald's  musketeers  had  only  one 
round  of  ammunition  ;  but  making  a  rush  at  their 
opponents  they  discharged  their  pieces  in  their  face, 
and  clubbing  them,  they  laid  about  them  with  such 
terrific  force  and  effect  that  they  soon  spread  dismay 
and  death  through  the  ranks.  In  other  parts  of  the 
field  the  royalist  attack  was  delivered  with  such 
power  and  effect  that  the  army  of  the  covenant  was 
soon  flying  before  its  foes  like  chaff  before  the  wind. 
The  next  military  exploit  of  Montrose's  army  was 
on  the  12th  September  of  the  same  year.  It  was 
fought  at  Crathes,  fifteen  miles  from  Aberdeen,  and 
there  also  Alastair  and  his  Irishmen  covered  them- 
selves with  glory.  Though  opposed  by  a  greatly 
superior  force,  victory  lay  with  Montrose.  Aberdeen 
was  captured,  and  the  increment  of  gear  to  the 
royalist  force  was  so  great  through  the  spirit  of  that 
city  that  Colonel  James  Macdonald  of  the  Irish 


AL  AST  AIR    MAC    COLL  A.  603 

contingent  says — "  The  riches  of  that  town  and  the 
riches  got  before  hath  made  all  our  soldiers  cavaliers." 
After  this  there  was  great  marching  and  counter- 
marching on  the  part  of  the  two  sides — the  King's 
men  leading  their  opponents  such  a  wild  goose 
chase  that  Argyll  at  last,  in  weariness,  returned  to 
Edinburgh,  and,  for  the  time  being,  threw  up  his 
commission. 

After  this  the  scene  of  interest  shifts  to  the 
Western  Islands,  whither  Alastair  and  his  second-in- 
command  were  despatched  to  rouse  the  clans.  The 
Chiefs  of  Clanranald,  Glencoe,  Glengarry,  Keppoch, 
the  Stewarts  of  Appiri,  and  the  Camerons  of  Lochaber, 
flocked  to  King  Charles'  standard,  and,  under  the 
leadership  of  Montrose's  brave  lieutenant,  marched 
across  Drumuachdar  to  Athole.  The  season  being 
too  advanced  for  military  operations,  the  next  three 
months  were  spent  in  winter  quarters,  the  time  being 
largely  occupied  in  a  raid  of  vengeance  upon  the 
region  of  Argyll,  a  pursuit  doubtless  highly  con- 
genial to  Alastair  and  the  many  scions  of  the  house 
of  Dunnyveg  who  followed  hini  in  battle.  Having 
"  discussit "  Breadalbane,  Argyll,  Lorn,  and  other 
lands — to  use  the  euphemism  of  a  contemporary 
historian — from  the  1 3th  December  down  to  the  end 
of  January,  Montrose's  army  once  more  turned 
northwards,  marching  through  Lochaber.  The  trend 
of  events  is  now  moving  towards  the  field  of  Inver- 
lochy,  a  field  that  has  already  been  described  in  the 
history  of  the  Clanranalds.  There  Alastair  performed 
prodigies  of  valour  with  his  great  two-handed 
sword,  dealing  death  on  every  side,  crowning  his 
tale  of  the  vanquished  with  the  laird  of  Auchinbreck, 
whose  head  was  severed  by  a  blow. 


604  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

After   some   time  spent    at   Inverlochy,   and  an 
expedition   into    Forfarshire,    where   several   critical 
situations  were  successfully  evaded,  Alastair  made 
one  more  progress  to  the  Isles,  partly  to  gather  new 
recruits  and  partly  to  bring  back  the  clansmen  who 
had    again    retired   into    their    fastnesses.       In    the 
beginning  of  May,  1645,  Montrose  took  up  his  posi- 
tion at  Auldearn,  and  General  Hurry,  whom   he  had 
driven  to  Inverness,  having  been  largely  reinforced, 
offered  battle  on  the  9th  of  that  month.     The  odds 
against  Montrose  were  great,  his  1700  foot  and  250 
horse  being  opposed  by  3500   foot  and   400   horse, 
and  it  was  with  much  reluctance  that  he  accepted 
battle  ;    but   as  he   was  not  only  pressed   in   front 
by    Hurry,    but    threatened    by    Baillie,    who    was 
advancing  by   forced   marches  from  the   South,  he 
had  no  alternative  but  to  choose  his  ground.     He 
entrusted  the  Royal  standard  to  Alastair,  whom  he 
placed  on  his  left  wing,  and  round  whose  exploits  in 
that  stubborn  fight  the  history  of  the  engagement 
clusters.     The  Highland  warrior  and  his  men  were 
put   in    the   shelter   of  a   garden,    with    the   strict 
injunction  that  he  and  his  men  were  on  no  account 
to  allow  themselves  to  be  drawn  from  the  entrench- 
ment, from  which,  without  much  danger  to  them- 
selves, they  could  keep  up  a  destructive  fire  upon 
the  foe.     To  Alastair,  the  comparative  inactivity  of 
having   to    remain    on    the   defensive   was    entirely 
uncongenial,    and    he    was    unable     to    resist    the 
temptation  of  making  a  dash  at  the  strong  position 
of  the  enemy.     This  proved  a  tactical  mistake,  but 
reckless  daring  was  more  characteristic   than    cool 
strategic  movements.      The  company   on   emerging 
from  its  trenches  was  almost  instantly  surrounded, 
and  only  saved  from  annihilation  by  a  rapid  retreat. 


ALASTAIR   MAC   COLLA.  605 

The  battalion  was  saved  by  tbe  heroism  of  the 
leader  arid  the  masterly  way  in  which  he  conducted 
his  retirement,  When  the  emergency  arose,  it  was 
seen  that  he  could  carry  out  a  strategic  movement. 
As  he  marched  out  of  the  entrenchment  at  the  head 
of  his  men,  so  might  his  towering  form  be  seen 
covering  their  retreat,  almost  with  his  single  arm 
checking  the  advancing  foe,  whose  pikes  and  arrows 
were  most  industriously  plied.  So  near  was  the 
enemy  to  the  Macdonald  warrior  that  their  pikes 
were  fixed  in  groups  in  the  broad  shield  with  which 
he  protected  himself,  and  these  with  his  trusty 
claymore  he  cut  off  at  intervals  in  sheaves  at  a 
time.  As  he  was,  along  with  several  others,  fight- 
ing the  way  back  to  the  entrance  of  the  enclosure, 
at  the  critical  moment,  his  sword  broke,  Davidson  of 
Auchincross  handed  him  his  own,  and  in  the  act  of 
doing  so  fell  mortally  wounded.  When  Alastair 
gained  the  entrenchment  a  number  of  the  enemy 
entered  at  the  same  time ;  but  Macdonald  attacked 
them,  drove  them  out,  and  cleared  a  way  for  many 
of  his  own  followers,  who  were  still  struggling 
without. 

In  the  meantime  the  battle  had  elsewhere 
progressed  favourably  for  the  Royalists.  The 
Covenanters  opposed  to  Montrose's  right  wing  were 
routed  with  great  slaughter.  Alastair  and  his  men 
having  again  formed  into  order  of  battle,  once  more 
marched  against  the  foe,  and  this  being  accom- 
panied by  a  simultaneous  attack  from  the  right 
wing,  resulted  in  the  total  rout  of  the  Covenanting 
army.  After  the  battle  of  Auldearn,  the  Western 
Highlanders  and  Islesmen  again  took  French  leave, 
and  Alastair  once  more  had  to  move  westward  to 
recruit  a  fresh  levy  for  the  King's  service.  In  his 


606  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

absence  the  battle  of  Alford  added  a  new  and  signal 
victory  to  Montrose's  list  of  triumphs.  Alastair 
and  the  Highland  host  were  present  at  Kilsyth,  and 
contributed  in  large  measure  to  the  victory  won 
there  by  Montrose  on  15th  August,  1645.  Shortly 
after  this,  Alastair  was  despatched  to  Ayrshire  to 
suppress  a  rising  for  the  Covenant  under  the  Earls 
of  Cassilis  and  Glencairn.  The  levies  were  soon 
and  peaceably  dispersed,  the  two  earls  on  Alastair's 
approach  having  precipitately  fled  to  Ireland.  The 
Countess  of  Loudon,  whose  husband  was  a  con- 
spicuous anti-Royalist,  received  the  Highland  leader 
in  her  castle,  and  entertained  him  with  magnificent 
hospitality.  On  his  joining  Montrose  at  Bothwell, 
on  the  3rd  September,  he  received  at  his  hands 
the  honour  of  knighthood  in  presence  of  the  whole 
army,  and  in  virtue  of  powers  with  which  the 
Marquis  had  been  invested  by  the  King. 

Sir  Alastair  Macdonald's  action  in  leaving  Mon- 
trose for  Argyllshire  at  this  juncture  has  been  the 
occasion  of  much  criticism  and  censure,  and  doubt- 
less demands  apology  or  explanation.  It  is  fair  to 
say  that  the  3000  Highlanders  who  constituted  the 
flower  of  Montrose's  army  could  not,  under  any 
circumstances,  have  been  kept  in  the  field  during 
the  winter  season  owing  to  the  exigencies  of  their 
home  concerns,  and,  before  Sir  Alastair  had  declared 
his  intention,  had,  in  a  body,  demanded  liberty  to 
return,  at  ariyrate  for  a  time.  Without  them 
Montrose  could  not  assume  the  offensive,  and  Sir 
Alastair  thought  the  chance  opportune  to  make  a 
descent  upon  Kintyre  to  avenge  the  many  cruelties, 
murders,  and  acts  of  treachery  sustained  by  his 
friends  at  the  hands  of  Argyll.  Sir  Alastair's 
motives  can  without  difficulty  be  guaged.  He  had 


AL  AST  AIR   MAC    COLLA.  607 

fought  for  King  Charles  with  might  and  main  since 
he  left  Ireland  in  the  summer  of  1644,  and  now  he 
felt  that  the  time  had  come  to  strike  a  blow  for  the 
Claim  Iain  Mhoir.  His  father,  old  Colla  Ciotach, 
was  the  lineal  descendant  of  John  Mor  Tainistear  of 
Dunnyveg  and  the  Glens,  and  the  rightful  heir  of 
those  princely  domains  in  Isla  and  Kintyre  which 
had  been  alienated  through  the  duplicity  and  schem- 
ing of  the  Campbells.  Smarting  under  the  sense  of 
many  injuries,  past  and  present,  inflicted  upon  those 
of  his  own  race  and  name,  is  it  altogether  strange 
that  his  cavalier  loyalty  yielded,  for  the  time,  to  the 
patriotism  that  was  nearest  his  heart  ? 

Sir  Alastair's  movements  after  this  are  not  very 
clearly  defined,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  invaded 
Argyllshire,  which  he  over-ran  with  fire  and  sword, 
and  finally  took  possession  of  Kintyre,  which  he 
occupied  during  1646  and  till  the  summer  of  1647, 
when  we  find  him  there  with  a  force  of  1400  foot 
soldiers  and  two  troops  of  horse.  It  was  on  the 
24th  July,  1646,  that  Sir  Alastair  Macdonald, 
described  as  the  leader  of  the  "  bloodie  Irrishes  and 
others  under  his  command."  is  accused  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  "  spilling  much  Christian  blood 
on  the  ground  lyke  water "  and  "  summarlie  ex- 
communicated." There  is  no  denying  that  Sir 
Alastair  wreaked  his  vengeance  upon  the  Campbells 
in  tolerably  thorough  style  ;  but,  as  he  adhered  to 
another  religious  communion  than  that  of  the 
Scottish  Kirk,  the  relevancy  of  the  solemn  sentence 
is  not  apparent.  The  events  of  1647  proved  the 
inexpediency  of  the  move  which  separated  Sir 
Alastair  from  Montrose.  Together  they  were  in- 
vincible, separate  they  met  with  disaster.  Montrose's 
defeat  at  Philliphaugh  enabled  General  Leslie  to 


608  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

invade  Kintyre.  There  seems  evidence  that  Sir 
Alastair  was  taken  by  surprise,  and  that  the  fatal 
error  was  committed  of  failing  to  defend  the  passes 
into  that  region,  a  measure  which  would  have 
rendered  invasion  an  almost  impossible  task.  As  it 
was,  no  serious  stand  was  made.  Retiring  before 
superior  forces,  a  skirmish  was  fought  between  Sir 
Alastair's  rear  and  General  Leslie's  vanguard  at 
Rhunahaoirine  Moss  in  the  Parish  of  Killean,  which 
probably  checked  for  a  little  the  advance  of  the  foe 
and  enabled  the  Highland  leader  to  throw  a  garrison 
into  the  stronghold  of  Dunaverty.  On  the  26th 
May,  1647,  Sir  Alastair  crossed  to  Isla,  and  having 
left  a  garrison  in  the  castle  of  Dunnyveg  under  his 
father's  command,  he  shortly  thereafter  sailed  to 
Ireland  never  to  return.  The  fate  of  Dunaverty  and 
Dunnyveg  are  matters  of  history. 

The  rest  of  Sir  Alastair's  history  is  soon  told. 
Shortly  after  his  return  to  Ireland,  he  received  a 
high  command  in  the  army  of  the  Confederated 
Catholics,  who  were  still  engaged  in  the  struggle 
with  the  English  power.  Lord  Taafe  had  the 
chief  command,  and  Sir  Alastair  held  under  him 
the  post  of  Lieutenant-General  of  Munster.  The 
opposing  army  of  the  Parliament  was  commanded 
by  Inchiquiri.  On  the  13th  November,  1647,  the  two 
armies  met  atCnocanos,  between  Mallow  andKanturk, 
in  the  county  of  Cork.  Taafe's  army  consisted 
of  7000  infantry  and  1000  cavalry,  of  which  the 
right  wing,  under  Sir  Alastair's  command,  was  com- 
posed of  3000  foot  and  two  regiments  of  horse.  The 
right  wing,  under  the  command  of  Sir  Alastair, 
was  in  the  first  instance  victorious,  breaking  up  the 
enemy  and  chasing  them  to  the  gates  of  Mallow. 
Had  the  left  wing  fought  with  the  same  force  and 


ALASTAIR    MAC    COLL  A.  609 

intrepidity,  the  English  army  would  have  been 
crushed.  As  it  was,  Taafe's  left  suffered  defeat  at 
the  hands  of  the  opposing  force,  which,  on  scoring 
a  decisive  victory,  was  able  to  direct  an  attack  suc- 
cessfully on  the  wing  commanded  by  Macdonald. 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  engagement  Sir  Alas- 
tair  met  his  fate.  He  rode  up  to  an  eminence  to 
reconnoitre,  as  the  tide  of  battle  was  turning  against 
him,  and  while  thus  engaged  was,  with  a  small 
number  of  followers,  surrounded  by  the  enemy. 
The  accounts  of  his  death  differ,  but  it  seems  clear 
that,  after  making  a  brave  and  unavailing  defence, 
he  had  to  yield  to  overwhelming  odds  and  was 
taken  prisoner.  A  savage  of  the  name  of  Purdon, 
who  held  the  rank  of  major  in  the  English  army,  on 
hearing  that  this  noted  rebel  had  received  quarter, 
at  once  drew  his  pistol  and  shot  him  through  the 
head.  His  remains  were  laid  at  rest  in  Clonmeena 
Churchyard,  in  the  Parish  of  Kanturk,  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  last  battlefield.  Thus  died  one  of 
the  boldest  and  most  heroic  warriors  that  the  Gaelic 
race  has  produced.  His  memory  has  been  maligned 
because  of  his  hatred  to  the  Campbells  and  his 
rough  handling  of  them  when  opportunity  arose ; 
but  if  we  bear  in  mind  the  many  injuries  inflicted 
upon  his  kindred  by  the  race  of  Diarmid  in  the 
past,  and  in  his  own  day,  who  can  deny  that,  on 
the  ordinary  principles  of  human  reckoning,  there 
were  left — even  by  Sir  Alastair — many  and  grievous 
arrears  unrequited  ? 


610  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 


FLORA  MACDONALD. 

FLORA  MACDONALD — the  heroine  of  the  '45— 
was  the  only  daughter  of  Ranald  Macdonald  of 
Balivanich  and  Milton,  son  of  Angus  Og,  son  of 
Ranald,  1st  of  Benbecula.  She  was  thus  first  cousin 
to  the  bard  Alastair  Mac  Mhaighstir  Alastair.  The 
two  farms  tenanted  by  her  father  were  part  of  the 
patrimony  bestowed  by  charter  upon  the  founder  of 
the  Benbecula  family,  and  it  is  likely  that  he  had  a 
residence  upon  both  holdings.  Ranald  was  advanced 
in  years  when  he  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Marion, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Angus  Macdonald  of  South  Uist, 
of  muscular  memory,  and  he  died  in  1723  when 
Flora  was  quite  an  infant,  in  the  Benbecula  home  of 
his  family  at  Balivanich.  In  these  circumstances, 
the  natural  inference  would  be  to  regard  Balivanich 
as  the  natal  soil  of  the  heroine  in  the  absence  of 
documentary  proof  to  the  contrary.  On  the  other 
hand  the  traditions  of  South  Uist  are  so  positive 
that  we  do  not  feel  called  upon  to  disturb  the 
current  belief  that  her  birthplace  was  her  father's 
residence  at  Airidh  Mhuilinn,  or  Milton,  in  the  year 
1722.  When  Flora  was  six  years  of  age  her  mother 
married  Hugh  Macdonald,  of  Camuscross  in  Skye, 
grandson  of  Sir  James  Macdonald,  second  baronet  of 
Sleat.  There  is  an  improbable  tradition  that  the 
young  widow  was  abducted  by  the  ardent  Hugh ; 
but  for  this  story  there  is  no  evidence  either  on 
record  or  in  the  inherent  probabilities  of  the  case. 


FLORA   MACDONALD.  611 

There  was  no  social  or  other  inequality  in  the  union, 
which  seems  to  have  been  of,  at  least,  average 
happiness  for  the  parties  chiefly  concerned.  Angus, 
Flora's  brother,  though  her  senior  by  some  years, 
was  quite  a  boy  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  second 
marriage,  and  his  stepfather  appears  to  have  faith- 
fully seconded  his  wife  as  the  natural  guardian  of 
the  children,  by  supervising  the  management  of 
their  patrimonial  holdings  on  the  Clanranald  estate. 
It  is  not  likely — as  recent  writers  have  alleged — 
that  Flora  was  left-  in  charge  of  her  brother,  Angus, 
in  South  Uist,  while  her  mother  resided  with  her 
husband  in  the  Isle  of  Skye.  Both  being  still 
children  of  tender  years,  the  older  probably  not 
more  than  ten,  it  is  morally  certain  that  they  were 
brought  up  till  they  were  adults  under  their  mother's 
eye,  she  and  her  husband  sometimes  alternating  their 
residence  in  Skye  by  prolonged  visits  to  Milton 
and  Balivanich  with  the  view  of  more  effectually 
guarding  the  interests  of  their  young  charges.  As, 
however,  Angus  grew  up  to  man's  estate,  and  was 
able  to  manage  his  own  affairs,  he  took  up  his 
residence  at  Milton,  where  Flora  also  established 
her  permanent  home. 

Flora  was  perhaps  more  fortunate  than  many  of 
her  station  in  life  in  obtaining  educational  advan- 
tages usually  denied  to  all  but  the  noblest  families 
of  her  time.  Through  the  kindness  of  her  chief 
and  his  lady,  she  shared  in  the  home  lessons  of  the 
young  Clanranalds,  and  there  is  ample  evidence 
that  her  strong  intelligence  and  natural  refinement 
of  taste  enabled  her  to  assimilate  and  permanently 
appropriate  the  various  branches  of  learning  and 
the  polite  accomplishments  placed  within  her  reach. 
She  received  an  excellent  English  education,  and 


612  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

made  rapid  progress  in  the  manipulation  of  the 
spinet — a  rudimentary  piano  of  that  age — and  she 
sang  and  played  with  much  feeling  and  expression 
the  beautiful  Gaelic  melodies  of  her  native  island. 
Nor  did  the  friendly  offices  of  the  Clanranald  family 
sum  up  the  advantages  she  received.  Her  maternal 
connection  with  Skye  brought  her  under  the  notice 
of  Lady  Macdonald  of  Sleat,  in  whom  she  ever  found 
one  of  the  best  and  truest  friends.  Sir  Alexander 
Macdonald  and  his  lady  both  took  a  deep  interest 
in  Flora,  and  when  she  was  seventeen  years  of  age 
she  paid  them  a  visit  of  eight  months'  duration, 
part  of  which  was  spent  in  Mugstot,  and  the 
latter  part — the  winter  of  1739-40 — in  their  home 
in  Edinburgh.  It  was  then  that  they  decided  to 
place  her  in  one  of  the  boarding  schools  of  the 
Capital,  where  she  passed  three  years  completing 
her  education,  and  at  the  end  of  this  period  she 
paid  another  visit  to  her  kind  patrons,  which  only 
came  to  a  close  in  the  summer  of  1745.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  note  that  during  these  years  of  her  sojourn 
in  the  Modern  Athens,  Allan,  the  older  son  of  Mac- 
donald of  Kingsburgh,  was  also  pursuing  his  studies 
in  that  centre  of  learning,  under  the  patronage  of 
Sir  Alexander,  and  it  is  permissible  to  believe  that 
the  young  people  must  often  have  met  in  the  house 
of  their  patrons,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  friend- 
ship which  in  after  years  was  to  ripen  into  a  still 
more  intimate  relationship. 

After  an  absence  of  five  years,  Flora  returned  to 
her  native  and  dearly  loved  isle  in  the  month  of 
June,  1745 — a  year  that  was  to  be  pregnant  with 
events  of  deep  historic  interest,  and  to  lead  to  the 
turning-point  of  her  hitherto  unchequered  life.  The 
story  of  the  Rising  of  1745,  with  its  brilliant 


FLORA    MACDONALD.  613 

episodes  and  tragic  close  at  Culloden,  need  not 
here  be  told.  The  Prince,  a  fugitive  and  a  wan- 
derer, landed  at  Benbecula  on  the  5th  May,  1746, 
and  soon  thereafter  the  Government  soldiers  were 
dogging  his  footsteps,  and  the  Hanoverian  net  was 
being  drawn  so  tightly  round  him  that  destruction 
seemed  to  be  his  inevitable  fate.  Fortunately  for 
the  Prince  he  had  friends  in  the  island,  even  among 
those  who  were  loyal  to  the  reigning  dynasty. 
Consultations  were  held  to  devise  means  of  escape, 
and  Flora,  whose  calm  courage  and  disciplined  intel- 
ligence were  of  the  utmost  value  from  start  to  finish, 
was  deep  in  the  confidence  of  all.  One  thing  is 
certain,  and  cannot  be  too  strongly  maintained,  that 
political  motives  had  no  weight  in  the  deliberations 
—Flora  herself,  the  chief  actor  in  the  drama,  by 
upbringing  and  environment  being  a  staunch  up- 
holder of  the  reigning  family.  The  action  that  she 
eventually  took  was  as  advantageous  to  the  author- 
ities as  to  the  Prince.  She  saved  the  Government 
from  themselves.  There  was  much  Jacobite  feeling 
in  Britain,  which  the  inadequacy  of  Charles'  re- 
sources and  the  hopelessness  of  his  cause  allowed 
to  lie  dormant.  Had  the  Prince  been  captured  and 
executed,  it  is  hard  to  say  what  political  tempest 
might  have  burst  upon  the  House  of  Hanover, 
the  loyalty  of  the  nation  to  which  was  a  matter 
of  political  expediency  rather  than  of  enthusiastic 
devotion. 

The  history  of  the  Prince's  rescue  and  the 
modified  captivity  which  his  brave  rescuer  endured, 
it  would  be  superfluous  here  to  detail.  In  danger 
and  in  safety,  in  durance  and  at  liberty,  in  the  presence 
of  royalty  itself,  her  judgment,  her  courage,  her 
modesty  never  failed.  Throughout  one  of  the  most 


614  THE   CLAN    DONALD 

stirring  episodes  in  British  history  which  has  stimu- 
lated the  fancy  of  poet  and  romancist,  and  given 
birth  to  lyric  effusions  of  the  highest  order,  the 
heroine  herself  was  the  quietest  and  least  excited  of 
all  whose  pulses  were  quickened  by  such  epoch- 
making  events.  While  she  made  history  that  would 
never  die,  she  was  conscious  of  doing  nothing  more 
than  yield  to  the  dictates  of  a  kind  and  gentle  heart. 
Every  known*  incident  of  her  life  after  her  memorable 
escape  betokened  the  same  brave,  unaffected,  truly 
exalted  character.  On  returning  to  her  native  Uist 
after  delivering  the  wanderer  from  the  jaws  of 
destruction,  she  received  a  summons  to  return  to 
Skye  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  helping  his  escape. 
Her  friends  besought  her  to  disregard  the  citation 
and  to  lurk  in  concealment  till  the  political  storm 
abated.  This,  doubtless,  she  might  have  done  ;  but 
such  action  was  beneath  her ;  with  her  wonted 
magnanimity  she  declined,  and  her  brave  action  at  a 
trying  time  invests  her  character  with  special  lustre. 
She  met  her  accusers  with  modest  mien  but  un- 
daunted heait,  denying  nothing,  apologising  for 
nothing.  On  the  7th  November  she  set  out  for 
London,  \\here  in  due  time  she  arrived,  and  had  the 
honour  of  a  brief  incarceration  in  the  Tower,  dedi- 
cated from  hoary  antiquity  to  the  custody  of  only 
the  chiefest  of  political  misdemeanants.  Her 
experience  of  the  Tower  was  short.  She  was 
allowed  to  put  up  with  influential  friends  who 
became  responsible  to  the  Government  for  her 
appearance.  The  Government  realised  that  popular 
sentiment  was  too  strongly  on  her  side  to  permit 
the  imposition  of  severe  restraint. 

For  twelve  months  Flora  was  a  prisoner  of  State, 
and  never  surely  was  prisoner  so  lionised.  Were  it 
not  for  the  strength  of  her  qualities  of  intelligence 


FLORA    MACDONALD.  615 

and  common  sense,  her  head  would  have  been  turned 
by  the  incense  that  was  burnt  at  her  shrine,  and 
that  she  maintained  her  simplicity  through  it  all  is 
one  of  the  best  tributes  to  her  memory.  The 
Londoner  was  taken  by  surprise.  Instead  of  the 
heroine  he  expected  from  the  savage  Hebrid  Isles, 
somewhat  uncouth  and  rustic  as  contrasted  with  the 
courtly  dames  of  the  capital,  he  saw  a  maiden, 
Highland  indeed  to  the  very  core,  but,  withal,  the 
pink  of  refinement,  without  self-consciousness,  the 
mistress  of  rare  accomplishments  without  a  shadow 
of  ostentation.  She  even  had  a  visit  from  Frederick 
Prince  of  Wales,  father  of  George  III.,  which  the 
historian  has  done  well  to  place  on  record.  There 
was  the  inspiration  of  genius  in  her  answer  to  his 
question,  how  she  dared  to  assist  a  rebel  against  his 
father's  throne,  when  she  said  she  would  have  done 
the  same  thing  for  him  were  he  in  the  same  distress. 
There  was  something  here  that  raised  her  action  far 
above  the  platform  of  political  interest  to  the  sphere 
of  pure  humanity — the  one  touch  of  nature  which 
makes  the  whole  world  kin.  The  time  for  her  release 
expired,  leaving  her  unspoilt.  Young  though  she 
was  the  garish  day  of  London  had  no  fascination  for 
her,  and  it  was  with  real  delight  that  she  turned  her 
face  once  more  to  her  home  and  friends.  She  did 
not  "  sigh  to  leave  the  flaunting  town,"  as  she  pre- 
ferred the  simple  yet  cultured  life  of  a  Highland 
lady  to  all  the  meretricious  attractions  of  London 
society.  It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  three  strains  of 
Macdonald  blood  that  mingled  in  her  veins,  Clan- 
ranald,  Dunnyveg,  and  Sleat,  that  they  combined  to 
produce  the  most  illustrious  woman  that  has  adorned 
the  annals  of  the  Scottish  Highlands. 

The  reason  firm,  the  temperate  will, 
Endurance,  foresight,  strength,  and  skill. 


616  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

The  principle  of  heredity  is  becoming  more  and 
more  accepted  as  one  of  the  great  secondary  causes 
in  the  evolution  of  the  race,  and,  whether  the 
Gaelic  bards  were  philosopers  or  not,  they  certainly 
were  keenly  alive  to  the  existence  and  operation  of 
this  law.  John  MacCodrum,  the  Uist  bard,  in  a 
poem  composed  to  Allan  of  Kingsburgh  about  1770, 
eulogises  Flora  as  the  natural  product  of  the  race 
from  which  she  sprang— 

Cha  b'ioghnadh  learn  a  h-uaisle 
Thoirt  dh'  i  gluasad  anna  a'  chas  ; 
Bha  stoc  na  ciaoibh  o'ri  d'  bhuaineadh  i 
Gun  ghrod  gun  ruaidh  gun  sraal  ; 
Sliochd  Aonghais  Oig  nam  brataichean 
'Us  Raonaill  Mhor  nam  feachdana  : 
B'  e  'm  fortain  coir  'nan  tachaireadh 
Do  'r  n-eascairdibh  bhi  slan. 

In  1750  Flora  married  Allan  Macdonald,  tacksman 
of  Flodigarry,  where  they  spent  many  happy  years. 
On  the  death  of  old  Kingsburgh,  her  father-in-law, 
in  1772,  she  and  her  husband  and  family  went  to 
live  at  Kingsburgh,  Allan  having  succeeded  his 
father  as  chamberlain  of  Troternish  seven  years 
earlier,  and  the  following  year  they  entertained 
Dr  Samuel  Johnson,  the  great  lexicographer,  and 
Boswell,  his  biographer.  Flora's  life  was  not 
destined  to  become  commonplace  in  its  incidents 
and  surroundings,  even  after  the  thrilling  episode 
of  the  '45  had  become  a  somewhat  remote  memory. 
She  and  her  husband  were  not  many  years  at 
Kingsburgh  when  the  increasing  stringency  of 
money  matters  constrained  them  -  -  like  many 
others  dependent  upon  the  cultivation  of  the  soil 
—to  seek  their  fortune  in  the  New  World.  In 
1774  they  sailed  from  Campbelltown,  Kintyre,  for 
North  Carolina,  in  the  United  States  of  America, 


FLORA   MACDONALD.  617 

where  in  due  time  they  arrived.  In  the  course  of 
the  voyage,  the  ship  in  which  Flora  sailed  was 
attacked  by  a  French  privateer.  True  to  the 
courage  of  her  youth,  she  declined  to  take  shelter  ; 
but,  remaining  on  deck  during  the  engagement, 
inspired  the  men  by  her  words  and  example, 
until  the  foe  was  beaten  off.  Her  arm  was 
broken  in  the  course  of  the  fight.  Her  fame  had 
preceded  her,  and  many  evidences  met  her  on  the 
other  side  that  the  events  of  thirty  years  before 
had  not  grown  dim  among  her  compatriots  in  the 
American  Colonies.  Not  long  after  their  arrival  the 
American  War  of  Independence  broke  out,  and  Allan 
of  Kingsburgh  and  his  six  sons  received  commissions 
in  the  royalist  forces,  one  of  them  being  in  the 
navy.  Allan  himself  was  Brigadier  in  the  Highland 
emigrant  regiment.  Thus,  by  an  historic  irony,  did 
Flora  dedicate  her  most  precious  treasures  to  the 
service  of  the  cause  whose  representatives  had  once 
regarded  her  as  a  foe.  Her  husband  was  taken 
prisoner  early  in  the  war  at  Moore's  Creek,  but 
on  his  being  liberated  in  1777,  he  was  stationed  for 
some  time  in  New  York.  He  afterwards  served 
with  his  regiment  in  Nova  Scotia  and  Cape  Breton 
during  the  remaining  years  of  the  war.  In  1779, 
Flora  and  her  husband  returned  to  Scotland,  and  took 
up  their  abode  for  some  time  with  Flora's  brother  at 
Milton,  removing  afterwards  to  Daliburgh,  where 
they  lived  for  a  while.  Shortly  after  this,  they  took 
up  their  residence  once  more  at  Kingsburgh,  Allan 
drawing  the  pension  of  a  retired  captain.  On  5th 
March,  1790,  Flora  departed  this  life,  not  in  her 
own  home  at  Kingsburgh,  but  in  the  house  of 
Peinduin,  three  miles  away,  whither  she  had  gone 
on  a  friendlv  visit  and  where  she  contracted  the 


618  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

fatal  illness.  As  the  crown  of  all  her  qualities  she 
possessed  the  grace  of  piety,  and  died  as  she  had 
lived  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  She  was  buried 
with  the  dust  of  her  husband's  kindred  in  the 
Church-yard  of  Kilmuir.  There  has  been  a  fatality 
about  the  monuments  erected  to  her  memory — one 
put  up  by  her  son,  Colonel  John  Macdonald  of 
Exeter,  in  1842,  got  cracked  in  process  of  erection, 
and  in  a  few  months  the  tourist — in  every  age  a 
being  without  reverence — carried  away  every  chip 
and  fragment.  Many  years  after  that,  a  costly 
monument  in  the  form  of  a  Celtic  cross  28  feet  high 
was  erected — by  public  subscription— over  her  grave; 
but  a  hurricane  that  swept  over  the  isles  snapped  it 
in  two,  though  it  was  afterwards,  to  some  extent, 
restored.  It  seemed  as  if  destiny  would  not  permit 
any  memorial  of  her  peerless  worth,  save  that  which 
her  own  beautiful  and  noble  nature  has  created  in 
the  hearts  of  her  countrymen. 


MARSHAL    MACDONALD,     DUKE    OF    TARENTUM. 


MAKSHAL   MACDONALD,  DUKE   OF   TARENTUM.       619 


MARSHAL   MACDONALD,  DUKE  OF 
TARENTUM. 

JACQUES  -  ETIENNE  -  JOSEPH  -  ALEXANDRE  MAC- 
DONALD  was  born  at  Sedan  on  November  17th, 
1765.  The  family  afterwards  took  up  their  abode 
at  Sancerre,  from  which  the  future  marshal  was 
sent  to  Paris  to  be  educated  in  an  academy  for 
young  gentlemen  under  the  charge  of  Chevalier 
Pawlet.  His  family  intended  him  for  the  Church, 
but  his  military  spirit  prevailed,  and  early  in  1785 
he  obtained  a  commission  in  Maillebois'  regiment, 
recruited  for  service  in  Holland  against  Austria. 
He  accompanied  his  regiment  to  Holland,  where  he 
took  up  the  duties  of  his  profession  with  great 
enthusiasm,  but  peace  was  concluded  without  strik- 
ing a  blow,  and  the  regiment  was  disbanded.  He 
returned  to  Sancerre  to  wear  out  his  uniform,  as  he 
himself  puts  it,  by  showing  it  off  at  Mass  on  Sundays 
and  to  the  country  people  on  market  days.  He  was 
not  long  idle,  and  through  the  influence  of  friends  of 
his  father  he  obtained  a  cadetship  in  Dillon's  Regi- 
ment, in  which  he  worked  his  way  up  gradually  to 
a  lieutenancy  in  1791.  The  Revolution  now  broke 
out,  and  war  followed  in  the  beginning  of  1792. 
His  promotion  vv^as  rapid.  On  his  appointment  as 
aide-de-camp  to  General  Beurnonville  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  captain.  In  less  than  five 
months  he  was  promoted  to  lieut. -colonel  for  his 
bravery  at  the  battle  of  Jemmappes,  fought  on 


620  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

November  6th,  1792.  Early  in  171)3,  he  was 
appointed  to  the  colonelcy  of  the  Picardy  regiment, 
the  first  regiment  of  French  infantry.  He  was 
promoted  general  of  brigade  in  August,  1793. 
Under  Pichegru,  he  took  part  in  the  conquest  of 
Belgium  and  Holland,  and  in  November,  1794,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  brevet  rank  of  general  of 
division.  He  inaugurated  his  new  rank  by  a 
brilliant  piece  of  work.  The  Waal  was  frozen  over, 
and  on  the  right  bank  lay  the  Anglo-Hanoverian 
army.  He  led  the  divisions  under  his  command 
across  the  river  on  the  ice.  A  severe  combat 
followed,  and  the  enemy,  who  offered  a  stubborn 
resistance,  was  compelled  to  retire.  Naarclen  sur- 
rendered to  the  victorious  general  without  a  blow. 

In  September,  1796,  Macdonald  was  ordered  to 
the  Rhine  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  army  of  the 
Sambre  and  Meuse.  He  went  thither  again  in  the 
following  year,  when  the  peace  of  Campo-Formio 
put  a  stop  to  the  progress  of  the  French  armies  in 
Germany.  In  the  spring  of  1798  he  served  under 
General  Brune,  comrnander-in -chief  of  the  army  of 
Italy,  by  whom  he  was  sent  to  Rome  to  take  com- 
mand of  a  division.  At  the  head  of  this  division, 
consisting  of  12,000  troops,  he  entered  Rome,  which 
was  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  but  he  marched  out 
the  following  morning  on  the  approach  of  a  large 
Neapolitan  army  under  Mack.  Mack  attacked 
him  at  Civita-Castellana  at  the  head  of  a  force 
40,000  strong,  but  failed  to  take  the  position,  and 
fled  to  Rome.  At  Otricoli  and  Colvi,  Macdonald 
was  attended  with  similar  success.  He  afterwards, 
when  in  altered  circumstances  he  was  offered  the 
command  of  the  Neapolitan  Army,  indignantly 
exclaimed  : — "  I,  who  had  fought  and  annihilated 


MARSHAL   MACDONALD,  DUKE    OF   TARENTUM.       621 

them  at  Civita-Castellona,  at  Otricoli,  who  had  com- 
pletely finished  them  at  Colvi.  although  on  all  these 
occasions  we  were  less  than  one  against  twelve  or 
fifteen  !" 

Owing  to  differences  with  the  commander-in-chief, 
Championnet,  Macdoriald  resigned  his  command,  but 
shortly  after  the  former  fell  into  disgrace,  and  the 
latter  was  appointed  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army  of  Naples.  Here  he  was  successful  in  quelling 
many  insurrections,  which  involved  continual  fight- 
ing. Hearing  of  the  defeat  of  Scherer  at  Magnano, 
and  the  retreat  of  the  army  of  Italy,  he  advanced 
towards  Borne  at  the  head  of  25,000  men.  He 
descended  from  the  Apennines  upon  Modena  with  a 
portion  of  his  army.  A  preliminary  engagement 
cook  place  on  June  12th,  1799,  an  Austrian  corps 
was  put  to  flight,  and  Macdonald  occupied  Modena. 
After  the  combat  he  was  seriously  wounded,  being 
caught  accidentally  between  an  attachment  of 
Austrian  cavalry  and  a  French  battalion,  which  was 
issuing  from  Modena. 

The  battle  of  the  Trebbia  which  followed,  and 
lasted  for  three  days,  taxed  Macdonald's  energies  to 
the  utmost.  He  found  himself  in  a  difficult  position, 
surrounded  by  a  numerous  and  powerful  enemy,  and 
he  was  not  yet  recovered  of  his  wounds.  Unable  to 
mount  a  horse,  he  had  to  be  carried  at  the  head  of 
his  forces,  and  being  so  handicapped,  his  orders  were, 
in  many  instances,  disobeyed.  The  affair  of  the 
Trebbia  could  hardly  be  called  a  battle,  and  if  it 
cannot  be  called  a  victory,  it  certainly  cannot  be 
regarded  as  a  defeat.  It  consisted  of  a  series  of 
desperate  conflicts,  where  some  35,000  Frenchmen 
were  endeavouring  to  check  upwards  of  50,000 
Russians  and  Austrians,  in  which  the  losses  on 


6?2  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

both  sides  were  nearly  equal.  No  man  could  have 
behaved  better  than  Macdonald  in  the  difficult 
position  in  which  he  was  placed,  forced  to  give 
battle  without  waiting  for  the  junction  with 
Moreau. 

Macdonald  was  recalled  to  Paris,  but  the  days  of 
the  Directory  were  numbered.  Bonaparte  arrived 
unexpectedly,  and  Macdonald  was  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Grisons,  which  was  to 
operate  among  the  Alps.  It  was  at  the  head  of  this 
army  that  he  made  the  famous  passage  of  the 
Splugen.  In  March,  1801,  on  his  way  back  through 
Upper  Italy,  he  received  the  information  that  he 
had  been  appointed  Minister  Plenipotentiary  at  the 
Court  of  Denmark.  He  hurried  to  Paris  to  com- 
plain, but  he  was  informed  that  his  mission  was 
rather  military  than  otherwise.  He  had  been  at 
Copenhagen  only  for  a  few  months  when  he  was 
offered  the  Russian  Embassy,  but  he  declined  the 
appointment,  and  eventually  obtained  his  recall. 

Macdonald  now  found  himself,  in  some  degree,  in 
disgrace.  His  enemies  endeavoured  to  do  him 
injury  in  the  eyes  of  the  First  Consul  by  poisoning 
his  mind  against  him.  An  attempt  was  made  to 
implicate  him  in  Moreau's  trial,  but  it  failed.  Mar- 
shals were  made  after  the  proclamation  of  the 
Empire,  but  his  name  was  not  among  the  number. 
That  honour  he  was  yet  to  win  at  the  point  of  his 
sword  on  the  field  of  Wagram.  On  the  institution 
of  the  Legion  of  Honour,  he  was,  to  his  great 
surprise,  appointed  a  Knight  Companion. 

Macdonald  now  retired  to  the  country  and 
occupied  himself  with  agricultural  pursuits  at 
Courcelles,  a  property  which  he  had  just  acquired. 
Here  he  remained  for  five  years,  convinced  that  his 


MARSHAL    MACDONALD,  DUKE    OF    TARENTUM.       623 

military  career  was  over.  At  last  his  character  as 
a  military  leader  was  acknowledged,  and  in  April, 
1809,  he  received  the  Emperor's  orders  to  betake 
himself  to  Italy  to  join  the  army  of  Prince  Eugene, 
the  Viceroy.  Here  he  was  greatly  handicapped  by 
Eugene's  incapacity.  He,  however,  succeeded  in 
carrying  everything  before  him  in  Istria,  Carniola, 
Styria,  Goritz,  and  Trieste.  Fortune  favoured  him 
especially  at  Lay  back,  where  he  took  10,000  men 
prisoners,  and  captured  100  guns. 

On  the  field  of  Wagram  Macclonald  covered  him- 
self with  glory.  The  Emperor  advanced  towards 
him  arid  embraced  him,  saying,  "  You  have  behaved 
valiantly,  and  have  rendered  me  the  greatest  services, 
as  indeed  throughout  the  entire  campaign.  On  the 
battlefield  of  your  glory,  where  I  owe  you  so  large  a 
part  of  yesterday's  success,  I  make  you  a  Marshal  of 
France.  You  have  long  deserved  it." 

After  peace  was  concluded,  Macdonald  took 
command  of  the  army  of  Italy,  and  on  August  15th, 
1809,  he  received  the  Grand  Cordon  of  the  Legion 
of  Honour  and  the  title  of  Duke  of  Tarentum.  In 
April,  18JO,  he  was  appointed  Governor-General  of 
Catalonia.  In  the  following  year  he  carried  out  the 
siege  of  Figueras,  which  had  been  surprised  by  the 
Spaniards.  In  the  spring  of  1812,  he  was  called  to 
take  his  share  in  the  Russian  Campaign.  He  crossed 
the  Niemeii  with  the  entire  Grand  Army  in  June 
24th,  and  then  broke  off  and  occupied  a  position  on 
the  coasts  of  the  Baltic.  When  the  Prussians 
deserted  the  French  Standard,  he  returned  to  Paris, 
and  in  April,  1813,  was  appointed  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  1 1th  Corps  of  the  Grand  Army.  On 
the  29th  of  the  same  month  Merseburg  was  carried 
by  him  after  a  long  and  stubborn  resistance.  Three 


624  THE   CLAN   DONALD. 

days  later  he  contributed  largely  to  the  victory  of 
Lutzen.  Shortly  after  followed  the  serious  reverse 
at  Katzback.  This  was  altogether  a  hard  campaign, 
made  all  the  harder  by  the  Emperor's  wrongheaded- 
ness  and  lack  of  judgment  on  many  occasions. 
Circumstances  were  invariably  against  Macdonald's 
Jeadership.  His  orders  were  often  disregarded,  and 
if  he  suffered  defeat  at  Katzbach  it  was  not  owing 
to  lack  of  generalship  on  his  part.  The  fortunes 
of  war  were  not  favourable,  and  the  greatest  general 
may  meet  with  reverses. 

In  the  campaign  of  1814,  which  proved  so 
disastrous  to  the  French  arms,  Macdonald  had  at 
first  command  of  the  line  of  the  Rhine  from 
Coblentz.  Another  revolution  was  now  imminent, 
and  Macdonald  was  one  of  the  commissioners  sent 
to  treat  with  the  Provisional  Government  regarding 
the  abdication  of  Napoleon.  In  their  last  farewell, 
Napoleon  said,  "  I  did  not  know  you  well.  I  had 
been  prejudiced  against  you.  I  have  loaded  with 
favours  many  others  who  have  now  deserted, 
abandoned  me.  You  who  owe  me  nothing  have 
remained  faithful."  He  then  gave  Macdonald  the 
sabre  of  Mourad  Bey,  which  he  wore  at  the  battle  of 
Mont  Thabor,  to  be  kept  in  memory  of  him  and  of 
his  friendship  for  him. 

Macdonald  was  now  free  to  accept  the  change  of 
Government,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Louis  XVIII.  he 
paid  court  to  him  at  Compiegne,  and  was  very 
kindly  received  by  the  king.  He  was  made  a 
member  of  the  chamber  of  Peers  under  the  new 
regime,  and  at  the  same  time  was  appointed 
Governor  of  the  21st  Military  Division  at  Bourges. 
Here  the  news  of  the  landing  of  Napoleon  reached 
him  on  March  7th,  1815.  Though  Macdonald 
shared  the  feelings  of  the  army  towards  their  old 


MARSHAL    MACDONALD,  DUKE    OF   TABENTUM.       625 

chief,  yet,  as  he  had  given  his  oath  of  allegiance  to 
Louis,  he  was  resolved  to  continue  faithful  to  him. 
He  accompanied  the  King  to  Lille,  saw  him  safely 
over  the  frontier,  and  returned  to  Paris,  where  he 
still  was  when  the  news  of  Napoleon's  defeat  at 
Waterloo  came.  The  King  on  his  return  received 
him  cordially,  and  appointed  him  Grand  Chancellor 
of  the  Legion  of  Honour.  The  King,  besides, 
entrusted  him  with  the  painful  duty  of  disbanding 
the  army  of  the  Loire,  and  as  a  further  mark  of  his 
favour,  he  made  him  Major-General  of  the  Royal 
Body  Guard.  The  Marshal,  on  resigning  the 
the  Arch-Chancellorship  in  1830,  retired  to  his  seat 
at  Courcelles. 

The  Marshal  visited  Scotland  in  1825,  and  was 
received  everywhere,  in  the  Lowlands  and  the  High- 
lands, with  great  distinction.  The  reception  he 
met  with  made  a  deep  impression  upon  him, 
especially  the  warm  reception  given  him  by  his 
kinsmen  in  the  Isles.  The  British  Government, 
desirous  to  do  honour  to  the  gallant  soldier,  placed 
the  cruiser  "  Swift,"  commanded  by  Captain  Henry 
Dundas  Beatson,  at  his  disposal.  He  visited  many 
places  of  interest  associated  with  his  clan,  including 
the  fields  of  Bannockburn,  Harlaw,  and  Culloden, 
the  Castles  of  Mingarry,  Aros,  and  Ardtornish.  and 
Dunluce  and  Glenarm  Castles  in  Ireland.  On  the 
30th  of  June,  he  landed  at  Creagorry  in  Benbecula, 
whence  he  crossed  the  ford  to  Howbeg,  the  birthplace 
of  his  father.  Here  many  near  relatives  welcomed 
him.  After  visiting  all  the  places  of  interest,  he 
returned  to  the  Mainland,  carrying  with  him  a 
quantity  of  earth  from  the  floor  of  the  house  in 
which  his  father  was  born,  to  be  on  his  death 
deposited  in  his  coffin. 

He  died  at  Courcelles,  September  25th,  1840. 

40 


626  THE  CLAN  DONALD. 


SIR  JOHN  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD. 

It  is  not  known  which  branch  of  the  Clan  this 
distinguished  man  is  descended  from,  but  his 
ancestors,  who  had  been  for  several  generations  in 
Sutherlandshire,  came  from  the  Isles,  and  were,  no 
doubt,  descended  from  the  House  of  Isla.  JOHN 
MACDONALD,  a  native  of  the  Parish  of  Rogart, 
settled  in  Dornoch  in  the  latter  half  of  the  18th 
century,  became  the  principal  merchant  there,  and 
was  several  times  Provost  of  the  Burgh.  He 
married,  August  1 8th,  1778,  Jean  Macdonald, 
Rogart,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  Donald,  born  28th  March,  1781. 

2.  Hugh,  born  12th  December,  1782. 

3.  Alexander,  born  20th  April,  1786. 

4.  William,  born  15th  July,  1792. 

5.  Annie,  born  8th  September,  1779. 

6.  Isabella,  born  1st  October,  1784. 

7.  Jane,  born  17th  July,  1789. 

HUGH  MACDONALD,  the  second  son,  after  being 
for  some  time  a  manufacturer  in  Glasgow,  emigrated 
to  Canada  in  1820,  and  settled  at  Kingston.  He 
married,  in  1811,  Helen,  daughter  of  Colonel  James 
Shaw,  of  the  Kinrara  branch  of  the  Shaws  of 
Rothiernurchus,  and  had  by  her— 

1.  William,  who  died  young. 

2.  John  Alexander. 

3.  James,  born  17th  October,  1816,  and  died  young. 

4.  Margaret,  who,  in  1852,  married  Rev.  James  Williamson, 

LL.D.,  Professor  in  Queen's  University,  Kingston, 

5.  Louisa,  who  died  in  1889,  unmarried. 


SIR   JOHN    ALEXANDER    MACDONALD.  627 

JOHN  ALEXANDER,  the  second  son  of  Hugh 
Macdonald,  was  only  five  years  old  when  the  family 
emigrated  to  Canada.  In  due  time  he  was  sent  to  the 
Royal  Grammar,  Kingston,  where  he  remained  till  he 
was  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  was  an  apt  pupil,  with 
a  retentive  memory,  and  a  decided  taste  for  mathe- 
matics. He  was  also  a  good  classic.  He  had  always 
been  intended  for  the  legal  profession,  and  upon  his 
leaving  school  in  1831,  he  entered  the  office  of 
George  Mackenzie,  where  he  remained  for  six  years. 
When  he  was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  was 
called  to  the  bar,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. In  a  short  time  he  succeeded  in  building 
up  a  good  business,  and  won  his  first  laurels  as  a 
pleader  in  the  case  of  Von  Shoultz  and  others  which 
arose  out  of  one  of  the  incidents  of  the  Rebellion. 
The  trial  at  Kingston  caused  great  excitement,  and 
Macdonald's  defence  of  his  clients  was  reckoned  a 
brilliant  and  masterly  one.  He  was  now  recognised 
as  a  young  barrister  of  great  ability,  and  an  eminent 
career  was  predicted  for  him.  In  1843  he  began  to 
take  part  in  politics,  and  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Kingston  Council.  In  the  following  year,  after 
an  exciting  contest,  he  was  elected,  by  an  over- 
whelming majority,  member  for  Kingston  in  the 
Legislative  Assembly.  He  is  described  at  this 
period  of  his  life  as  having  the  faculty,  which  he 
ever  afterwards  retained,  of  winning  the  affections 
of  the  people.  He  became  at  once  a  popular, 
eloquent,  and  effective  speaker. 

Now  that  the  young  legislator  had  entered  in 
earnest  on  his  political  career,  his  influence,  quietly 
exerted  at  first,  gradually  made  itself  felt,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  he  left  the  ranks.  Once  in  a 
position  of  prominence,  his  rise  was  still  more  rapid, 


628  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

In  1854,  only  ten  years  after  his  entry  into  the 
political  arena,  he  became  Attorney-General  of 
Upper  Canada,  and  soon  after  Prime  Minister.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Canada 
from  May,  1847,  to  March,  1847  ;  from  September, 
1854,  to  July,  1858;  from  August  to  May, 
1862  ;  and  from  March,  1864,  until  the  Union. 
He  was  also  during  these  several  periods 
Keceiver  General  from  May  to  December,  1847; 
Commissioner  of  Crown  Lands  from  December, 
1847,  to  March,  1848,  when,  as  Prime  Minister,  he 
and  his  cabinet  resigned.  He  returned  to  office  in 
August  of  the  same  year  as  Postmaster  General,  a 
position  he  resigned  the  following  day  on  his  re- 
appointment  as  Attorney  General  of  Upper  Canada. 
This  office  he  continued  to  hold  until  the  defeat  of 
the  Administration  in  1862,  when  he  again  retired 
from  office.  When  the  Tache-Macdonald  Govern- 
ment was  formed  in  March,  1864,  he  returned 
to  his  old  office  of  Attorney  General,  and  was 
Government  leader  in  the  Assembly  until  the 
Union  of  the  British  North  American  pro- 
vinces in  1867.  During  the  negotiations  prior 
to  the  Union  he  was  the  leading  spirit.  He 
was  head  of  the  Canadian  delegation  at  the 
Charlottetown  Conference  of  1864,  convened  for 
effecting  a  Union  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  and  at 
the  subsequent  Quebec  Conference  to  arrange  a 
basis  of  Union  for  all  the  British  American  Colonies. 
At  the  London  Conference  in  1866-7,  he  was 
unanimously  chosen  chairman.  His  share  in  the 
momentous  work  of  that  Conference  is  thus  described 
by  one  of  his  biographers  :  — '*  Though  some  of  the 
ablest  men  our  colonies  have  ever  produced  were 
instrumental  in  framing  the  new  constitutional 


SIR   JOHN    ALEXANDER    MACDONALD.  629 

charter,  Mr  Macdonald,  it  was  readily  admitted, 
was  the  master-head.  Many  a  time  during  the 
progress  of  the  negotiations  conflicting  interests 
arose  which,  but  for  careful  handling,  might  have 
wrecked  the  scheme  ;  and  here  the  matchless  tact 
of  the  Attorney  General  of  Canada  West  pre- 
eminently asserted  itself."  Another  has  said  :— 
"  His  perfect  knowledge  of  all  details,  his  marvellous 
tact,  and  irresistible  persuasive  powers  proved  equal 
to  the  herculean  task  of  reconciling  the  vast  and 
varied  interests  which  at  times  seemed  so  seriously 
conflicting  as  to  menace  the  whole  scheme."  Con- 
federation may,  indeed,  be  justly  regarded  as  Sir 
John  Macdonald's  magnum  opus. 

Confederation  accomplished,  and  the  new  con- 
stitution brought  into  force  in  July,  1867,  Macdonald 
was  called  upon  to  form  the  first  Government  of  the 
new  Dominion,  and  was  sworn  of  the  Privy  Council 
and  appointed  Minister  of  Justice  and  Attorney 
General  of  Canada,  which  office  he  filled  until 
November,  1873.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  newly 
appointed  Governor-General  of  Canada  was  to  confer 
upon  the  Premier  the  honour  of  knighthood.  The 
most  important  event  of  the  period  which  followed 
was  the  settlement  of  the  Washington  Treaty  in 
1871.  Among  the  cornmissicners  appointed  on  both 
sides  was  Sir  John  Macdonald,  whose  position  as 
Premier  of  Canada  was  one  of  peculiar  difficulty. 
His  acquiescence  in  the  principles  of  the  Treaty  of 
Washington  was  bitterly  resented  in  Canada,  but 
Sir  John  was  a  man  possessing  a  more  than  Colonial 
mind.  He  took  a  wider  view  of  the  situation,  and 
regarded  the  interests  of  the  Empire  as  a  whole,  and 
the  interests  of  Canada  as  a  portion  of  the  Empire. 
In  1872,  the  first  Parliament  was  dissolved,  and  at 


630  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

the  General  Election  which  followed,  Sir  John  and 
his  party  were  again  successful,  but  their  tenure  of 
office  was  shortlived,  and  their  resignation  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Governor-General  in 
November,  1873.  The  party  had  got  into  disgrace, 
and  were  accused  of  wholesale  corruption  in  con- 
nection with  the  affairs  of  the  Pacific  Railway  Com- 
pany. Sir  John's  own  hands  were  clean,  as  he 
put  it.  Throughout  the  transactions  he  remained 
absolutely  incorrupt.  For  the  next  five  years,  Sir 
John  was  in  opposition,  during  which  he  devoted 
his  time  to  the  development  of  his  "  National 
Policy."  At  the  next  General  Election,  in  1878, 
his  party  were  returned  by  a  large  majority,  and  Sir 
John  formed  the  Government,  at  whose  head  he 
remained  until  his  death,  winning  three  elections  in 
succession. 

Sir  John  Macdonald's  political  career  extended 
over  a  period  of  forty-four  years,  during  which  he 
held  the  office  of  Premier  for  nearly  thirty  years, 
almost  continuously,  a  political  reign  almost  unpre- 
cedented in  any  country.  As  a  politician,  no  public 
man  was  more  bitterly  abused  by  his  political 
opponents,  or  more  loudly  eulogised  by  his  political 
friends.  Both  Governments  bear  testimony  to  the 
wonderful  extent  of  his  success  as  a  politician.  That 
success  was  in  part  due  to  his  remarkable  power  of 
drawing  men  to  him  and  holding  them  to  his 
"  personal  magnetism."  But  beyond  this,  he  united 
in  himself  as  few  men  do  an  unusual  number  of 
those  qualities  which  are  invaluable  to  the  success- 
ful politician  and  statesman.  He  had  a  remarkable 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  a  rare  insight  into  men 
and  their  motives,  and  an  extraordinary  ability  for 


SIB,  JOHN  ALEXANDER  MACDONALD.      631 

holding  together  diverse  elements  and  interests. 
As  a  public  speaker,  Sir  John  was  not  an  orator  in 
the  popular  acceptation  of  the  word,  but  he  was 
always  effective,  while  the  happy  humour  with 
which  his  speeches  abounded  kept  his  audiences  in 
good  spirits.  In  private  life  he  was  one  of  the  most 
genial  and  approachable  of  men,  the  life  and  soul  of 
any  festivity  in  which  he  joined,  and,  being 
singularly  well  informed  on  all  subjects,  he  was  a 
brilliant  conversationalist. 

Among  Sir  John  Macdonald's  achievements  as  a 
legislator  may  be  mentioned  the  construction  of  the 
inter-colonial  railway,  the  ratification  of  the  Wash- 
ington Treaty,  the  confederation  of  British  North 
America,  the  extension  and  consolidation  of  the 
Dominion,  and  the  consolidation  of  the  Dominion 
Statutes. 

Sir  John  was  the  recipient  during  his  lifetime  of 
many  honours.  In  1  865  he  received  the  degree  of 
D.C.L.  from  Oxford  University.  He  was  also  an 
LL.D.  of  Queen's  University,  Kingston,  and  of 
M'Gill  University,  Montreal,  and  a  D.C.L.  of 
Trinity  College,  Toronto.  He  was  created  K.C.B. 
in  1867  and  G.C.B.  in  1884.  In  1872  he  received 
the  distinction  of  Knight  Grand  Cross  of  the  Order 
of  Isabella  of  Spain.  In  1872  he  was  made  a  Privy 
Councillor. 

Sir  John  Macdonald  married,  first,  in  1843, 
Isabella,  daughter  of  Captain  William  Clark  of 
Dalnavert,  who  died  28th  December,  1857.  He 
married,  secondly,  in  1867,  Susan  Agnes,  daughter 
of  Hon.  Thomas  James  Bernard,  who,  in  recognition 
of  her  husband's  distinguished  public  services,  was 
created  Baroness  Macdonald  of  Earnscliffe,  15th 
August,  1891.  He  had  by  his  first  marriage— 


632  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

1.  John  Alexander,  who  died  young. 

2.  Hugh  John,  barrister-at-law,   Q.C.,   M.P.      He  married, 

first,  Mary  Jane  Agnes,  daughter  of  William  Allan 
Murray,  merchant,  Toronto,  and  had  by  her  a 
daughter,  Isabella.  He  married,  secondly,  Gertrude 
Agnes  Van  Koughnet,  and  had  John  Alexander,  born 
7th  August,  1884. 

Sir  John  by  his  second  marriage  had  a  daughter, 
Mary  Theodora  Margaret. 

Sir  John  Macdonald,  to  whose  memory  public 
statues  have  been  erected  in  several  of  the  principal 
cities  of  Canada  and  a  memorial  in  St  Paul's 
Cathedral,  London,  died  June  6th,  1891,  and  was 
buried  at  Kingston. 


SIR   HECTOR   MACDONALD.  633 


SIR  HECTOR  MACDONALD. 

THERE  is  not  even  a  tradition  as  to  the  branch 
of  the  Clan  from  which  this  gallant  clansman  is 
descended,  but  he  inherited  the  spirit  of  the  race, 
and  in  heroism  and  personal  prowess  he  was  not 
behind  any  of  the  many  names  inscribed  on  the 
Clan's  roll  of  military  fame.  His  father,  William 
Macdonald,  a  native  of  the  Parish  of  Kilmorack,  was 
a  stone  mason,  and,  besides,  he  occupied  a  croft  at 
Rootfield,  on  the  Mulbuie,  in  the  Parish  of  Urquhart, 
better  known  as  Ferintosh.  There  Hector  was  born 
on  March  4th,  1853.  His  mother  was  Anne, 
daughter  of  John  Boyd,  Kilicholm,  Stratherrick. 
At  the  age  of  six  he  was  sent  to  the  Free  Church 
school  at  Mulbuie  where  he  was  an  apt  pupil  and 
had  more  than  his  share  of  the  battles  of  the  play- 
ground. Hector  left  school  finally  when  he  was 
about  fifteen  years  of  age,  having  previously 
attended  irregularly  during  the  summer  months. 
After  being  employed  in  harvest  work  for  a  little 
time,  he  was,  in  1868,  engaged  for  a  few  months  in 
a  drapery  shop  in  Dingwall,  whence  he  was  promoted 
to  the  Clan  Tartan  Warehouse  at  Inverness.  Here 
he  joined  the  Highland  Rifle  Volunteers,  and  in 
June,  1870,  enlisted  in  the  92nd  Gordon  Highlanders, 
stationed  at  Aberdeen.  In  the  following  year  he 
joined  his  regiment  in  India,  and  formed  one  of  the 
guard  of  honour  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  during  his 
visit  there.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  India  he  was 


634  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

promoted  corporal,  and   within   three   years    of  his 
enlistment  he  had  risen,  through  good  conduct  arid 
attention  to  duty,  to  be  colour-sergeant  of  his  com- 
pany.    He  had  been  for  eight  years  in  the  regiment 
before  he  received  his  first  "  baptism  of  fire."     When 
his  chance  came  he  gave  evidence  of  his  ability  to 
handle   troops.       In    1878,    Sir    Frederick    Roberts 
advanced   at  the   head   of  the   Kabul    Field    Force 
towards    Afghanistan.      At    Jogi    Manni     he    was 
attacked  by  a  force  of  2000  Mangals  and  Ghilzais, 
who    had    been    lying    in    ambush.     A    small   body 
of  the   3rd   Sikhs  were  sent  forward  to  reconnoitre, 
and    soon  became   engaged.       Sergeant    Macdonald 
followed    with     a     small    body     of    the     Gordons, 
and    overtaking     the    Sikhs     he    put    himself    at 
the    head    of    the    little    force    and    attacked    the 
enemy  with  great   vigour.     "  Although  he  had  to 
cross  a  river  and  ascend  a  steep  hill  he  dislodged 
the  enemy  point  after  point,  and  did  not  retire  till 
he  had  cleared  the  pass."     Thirty  of  the  enemy  were 
killed.      General  Roberts  in  his  despatch  refers  to 
his  conduct  on  this  occasion  and  says,  "  The  energy 
and  skill   with   which    this  party   was    commanded 
reflected    the    highest    credit    on    Colour-Sergeant 
Hector  Macdonald,  92nd  Highlanders,  and  Temindar 
Shere  Mahomed,  3rd  Sikhs.     But  for  their  excellent 
'services  on   this    occasion   it   might    probably  have 
been  impossible  to  carry  out  the  programme  of  our 
march."      Before  making  his  triumphal   entry  into 
Kabul,    Roberts    inflicted    a    severe   defeat    on    the 
Afghans  at  Charasiah.     Here  again  Macdonald,  in 
the  words  of  General  Roberts,   "  distinguished  him- 
self."    In  his  despatch  he  makes  mention  of  Colour- 
Sergeant  Hector  Macdonald  and  his  "  excellent  and 
skilful   management    of  a  small    detachment   when 


SIR   HECTOR   MACDONALD.  635 

opposed  to  immensely  superior  numbers  in  the 
Hazardarakt  defile."  In  all  the  other  engagements 
which  followed,  Sergeant  Macdonald  played  a  con- 
spicuous part.  He  took  part  in  the  expedition  to 
Maidan,  and  in  the  defence  of  Sherpur,  including 
the  assault  and  capture  of  Takht-i-Shah.  He  was 
also  present  at  Childuktan,  and  wherever  the  fire 
was  hottest.  In  recognition  of  his  bravery  on  these 
occasions,  and  especially  of  his  gallant  conduct  at 
Karatiga,  Colour-Sergeant  Macdonald  was  raised 
from  the  ranks,  and  received  his  commission  as 
Lieutenant  in  his  regiment.  On  this  occasion  he 
was  presented  with  an  inscribed  sword  by  his 
brother  officers. 

On  the  9th  August,  1880,  he  joined  with  his 
regiment  in  the  memorable  march  from  Kabul  to 
Candahar.  In  the  action  outside  Candahar  where 
Roberts  defeated  the  Afghan  leader,  Macdonald 
performed  one  of  the  most  daring  deeds  of  an  en- 
gagement that  was  marked  by  heroic  conduct  in 
every  direction.  For  the  Afghan  Campaign  Lieu- 
tenant Macdonald  received  a  medal,  three  clasps, 
and  a  bronze  decoration. 

We  next  find  the  Gordon  Highlanders  in  South 
Africa  taking  a  distinguished  part  in  the  fighting 
that  ended  so  disastrously  on  Majuba  Hill.  After 
the  fall  of  General  Collie,  Lieutenant  Macdonald, 
with  a  small  remnant  of  the  Gordon  Highlanders, 
fought  stubbornly  for  seven  hours.  At  length  the 
gallant  clansman,  after  a  desperate  struggle,  was 
disarmed,  and  found  himself  a  prisoner  in  the  hands 
of  the  Boers,  not,  however,  until  he  had  knocked 
over  three  of  them  with  his  fists. 

Lieutenant  Macdonald  was  again  on  active 
service  with  his  regiment  in  the  attempt  to  relieve 


636  THE    CLAN    DONALl). 

General  Gordon  in  Khartoum  in  1884-5.  For  a 
short  time  he  held  the  appointment  of  Garrison 
Adjutant  at  Assiout.  Leaving  this  post  he  joined 
the  Egyptian  Gendarmerie,  and  afterwards  entered 
the  Egyptian  army,  still  retaining  his  rank  in  the 
Gordon  Highlanders.  He  in  a  short  time  acquired 
a  good  knowledge  of  Arabic,  which  he  turned  to 
such  good  account  in  drilling  and  disciplining  the 
Egyptian  army.  He  was  raised  to  the  rank  of 
Captain  in  January,  1888,  and  took  part  in  the 
Suakin  operations  during  that  year,  commanding 
the  Soudanese  during  the  siege  of  that  place.  For 
his  service  in  this  campaign  he  received  the  Egyptian 
medal,  the  Khedive's  Star,  and  was  mentioned  in 
despatches.  The  battle  of  Toski,  which  was  the 
means  of  pacifying  that  region,  followed,  and  Mac- 
donald  again  led  the  Soudanese,  who  "  showed  great 
eagerness  to  close  with  the  enemy."  For  his  conduct 
on  this  occasion  he  received  the  Distinguished 
Service  Order.  Two  years  later  came  the  capture  of 
Tokar,  when  Captain  Macdonald  again  distinguished 
himself.  For  this  action  he  received  the  third  class 
of  the  Osmanieh,  and  was  gazetted  Major  in  the 
Royal  Fusiliers. 

For  the  next  five  years  Major  Macdonald  was 
engaged  in  the  work  of  preparing  for  the  final 
advance  on  Khartoum.  Early  in  1896,  the  Dongola 
expeditionary  force  began  its  march  southward. 
Major  Macdonald  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  3rd  Infantry  Brigade.  Dongola  was  captured, 
and  Major  Macdonald,  who  was  specially  referred  to 
by  the  Sirdar,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel, 
receiving  at  the  same  time  the  Khedive's  medal 
with  two  clasps. 


SIR    HECTOR   MACDONALD.  637 

At  the  Atbara  in  the  spring  of  1897,  Macdonald, 
at  the  head  of  his  Soudanese,  was  one  of  the  first  to 
enter  the  zareba,  and  to  engage  in  hand-to-hand 
fight  with  the  enemy.  In  the  despatches  which 
followed,  special  mention  was  made  of  his  services. 
In  August,  1898,  the  final  advance  on  Khartoum 
was  made,  and  in  the  battle  of  Omdurman,  fought 
in  September,  Macdonald  and  his  black  brigade 
performed  prodigies  of  valour.  Upon  him  and  them 
depended  the  fate  of  the  day.  They  repelled  in 
succession  two  of  the  most  savage  onslaughts  of  the 
Khalifa's  forces  with  great  steadiness  and  valour. 
In  the  many  accounts  of  the  battle,  all  agree  that 
"  so  far  as  the  fighting  on  that  day  went,  the 
honours  lie  with  Macdonald,"  who  ever  since  has 
had  accorded  to  him  the  distinction  of  "  The  Hero 
of  Omdurman."  "  All  credit  to  the  Sirdar,  the 
organiser  of  victory,  but  on  the  battlefield  itself 
even  he  must  be  counted  second  to  the  gallant 
Scotsman  who  won  the  day." 

In  recognition  of  his  services,  Colonel  Macdonald 
was  made  a  C.B.  and  an  A.D.C.  to  the  Queen.  He 
obtained  from  the  Khedive  the  title  of  Pasha,  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General,  and  was 
voted  the  thanks  of  the  Imperial  Parliament.  In 
the  spring  of  1899  he  came  home,  and  was  received 
everywhere  with  great  enthusiasm.  Many  honours 
were  showered  upon  him.  He  was  entertained  at 
banquets,  and  presented  with  addresses  and  swords 
of  honour  in  recognition  of  his  distinguished  services. 
In  the  same  year  he  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  Sirhind  District  in  India,  where  he  remained 
until  he  was  ordered  to  South  Africa,  to  assume 
the  command  of  the  Highland  Brigade  in  succession 
to  General  Wauchope.  He  arrived  at  the  Cape  in 


638  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

January,  1900,  in  time  to  take  a  conspicuous  part  with 
his  brigade  in  the  advance  towards  the  Modder 
River.  In  the  chase  after  Cronje,  which  culminated 
in  the  battle  of  Paardeberg  Drift,  General  Macdonald 
cut  off  the  Boer  General  from  all  hope  of  escape,  and 
drove  him  into  the  Paardeberg  trap.  The  Highland 
Brigade  was  in  the  most  of  the  engagements,  and  at 
Paardeberg  Macdonald  was  wounded.  He  was 
mentioned  in  the  despatches  of  Lords  Roberts  and 
Kitchener,  and  on  the  conclusion  of  the  war  he  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major-General,  and  received 
the  honour  of  Knight  Commander  of  the  Bath. 
After  a  short  stay  at  home,  he  went  on  a  tour  to 
Australia.  On  his  return  he  was  ordered  to  take  up 
his  former  command  in  India,  but  on  his  arrival  at 
Bombay  he  was  ordered  to  Ceylon,  to  take  command 
of  the  troops,  in  Colombo.  While  here  grave  charges 
affecting  his  moral  character  were  made  against  him, 
He  came  home  early  in  1903  to  consult  his  superiors 
prior  to  appearing  before  a  Court  Martial,  to  answer 
the  charges  made  against  him.  It  was  hoped 
that  the  trial  would  result,  after  a  full  and  searching 
inquiry,  in  the  complete  and  honourable  acquittal 
of  the  gallant  soldier,  but  on  his  return  to  Ceylon, 
he  died  by  his  own  hand  in  the  Hotel  Regina  in 
Paris  on  March  25th,  1903,  arid  was  buried  at  the 
Dean  Cemetery,  Edinburgh,  on  the  30th. 


GEORGE  MACDONALD,  NOVELIST  AND  POET.   639 


GEOKGE  MACDONALD,  NOVELIST  AND 
POET. 

GEORGE  MACDONALD  was  born  at  Huntly,  in 
Aberdeenshire,  in  the  year  1824.  He  received  his 
early  education  at  the  Parish  School  of  his  native 
town,  and  afterwards  attended  King's  College, 
Aberdeen,  where  he  took  his  degree.  After  this 
he  became  a  student  for  the  ministry  at  the 
Independent  College,  Highbury,  London,  and  was 
for  a  short  time  an  Independent  minister.  He 
soon,  however,  found  that  his  real  vocation  was  in 
the  literary  sphere  ;  probably,  also,  experience  led 
him  to  the  conviction  that  his  views  upon  questions 
of  religion  did  not  square  with  the  regulation 
pattern  that  proved,  acceptable  in  the  typical 
Nonconformist  chapel.  Such  at  any  rate  is  the 
conclusion  that  one  naturally  forms  from  various 
hints  scattered  through  several  of  his  works.  Be 
this  as  it  may,  he  soon  retired  from  the  ministry, 
became  a  lay  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
and  settled  down  in  London  to  pursue  a  literary 
career.  His  first  work,  a  dramatic  poem,  entitled 
"  Within  and  Without,"  was  published  in  1856,  and 
his  first  novel,  "  David  Elginbrod,"  was  published  in 
1862.  Since  the  appearance  of  these  essays  in  the 
literary  sphere,  numerous  works,  both  poetry  and 
prose,  have  issued  from  his  pen,  works  of  fiction 
largely  predominating.  In  1866  he  published  a 
religious  volume,  called  "  Unspoken  Sermons,"  and 


640  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

another  in  1870,  being  "  A  Treatise  on  the  Miracles 
of  our  Lord."  Both  these  illustrate  his  unconven- 
tional and  not  quite  orthodox  methods  of  dealing 
with  the  deeper  problems  of  religion  and  theology, 
but  at  the  same  time  disclose  the  workings  of  a 
truly  devout  and  reverential  spirit.  Dr  Macdonald 
has  written  largely  for  the  young,  and  was  for  years 
a  voluminous  contributor  to  "  Good  Words  for  the 
Young,"  a  periodical  -which  came  into  existence 
under  the  auspices  of  Dr  Norman  Macleod,  former 
editor  of  "  Good  Words,"  to  which  latter  periodical 
Dr  Macdonald  was  also  at  one  time  a  frequent  and 
valued  contributor.  In  1877  he  received  a  Civil 
List  pension  in  recognition  of  his  services  to  litera- 
ture, and  his  Alma  Mater  bestowed  upon  him  the 
honorary  degree  of  LL.D.,  as  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  her  sons.  For  a  number  of  years 
past  he  has  resided  in  the  Casa  Coraggio,  Bordigher, 
but  pays  annual  visits  to  England. 

Dr  Macdonald  occupies  a  high,  in  some  respects 
a  unique,  place  in  the  literature  of  the  later  Victorian 
era.  His  published  verse  contains  much  that  will 
live  as  the  expression  of  a  genuine  poetic  faculty  ; 
but  it  is  by  his  works  of  fiction  that  his  literary 
position  is  assured.  This  is  not  intended  for  an 
exhaustive  estimate,  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  enu- 
merate the  names  and  excellencies  of  his  chief  efforts 
in  the  field  of  romance.  One  main  feature  of  his 
genius  as  a  novelist  it  will  be  sufficient  to  refer  to. 
He  possesses  a  combination  of  qualities  not  often 
found  together,  an  intensely  ethical  purpose  side  by 
side  with  real  creative  power  in  the  delineation  of 
character  and  incident.  He  has  thus  the  faculty  of 
enlisting  the  interest,  not  always,  perhaps,  of  the  less 
thoughtful  reader  to  whom  the  evolution  of  a  sensa- 


GEORGE  MACDONALD,  NOVELIST  AND  POET.   641 

tional  plot  is  the  ideal  of  fiction,  but  always  of  those 
who  are  attracted  and  impressed  by  a  movement  of 
noble,  tender,  and  beautiful  thoughts  in  the  guise  of 
a  well -told  tale.  Critics  of  the  empirical  order  have 
consequently  blamed  him  for  sacrificing  something 
of  his  art  as  a  storyteller  to  the  exigencies  of  his 
spiritual  stand-point,  and  it  may,  perhaps,  be 
admitted  that  the  dramatic  side  of  which  he  is  a 
true  master,  suffers  in  effectiveness  from  his  powers 
of  meditation.  To  the  writer  himself,  however,  the 
delivery  of  his  message  as  a  preacher  of  truth  and 
righteousness  is  all  in  all,  even  although  the 
most  enthralling  narrative  should  flag.  The  main 
drift  of  his  teaching  is  a  protest  against  mere 
tradition  and  especially  against  a  hide-bound 
Calvinism — the  advocacy  of  a  religious  stand-point 
in  line  with  the  deeper  yearnings  of  humanity  ;  the 
true  interpretation  of  that  Christianity  which  is  to 
him  the  ultimate  reality  of  life.  Dr  Macdonald's 
works  are  always  stimulating  and  instructive,  their 
interest  is  always  great,  sometimes,  indeed,  enthral- 
ling, and  while  he  is  master  of  an  English  style  that 
is  always  strong  and  bright,  with  gleams  of  humour 
piercing  like  sun  glints  through  the  more  serious 
depths,  he  wields  the  old  Scottish  tongue  with 
almost  unrivalled  effect. 


4J 


1.  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Uunluce. 

2.  Donald  Macdouald  of  Gleugarry. 

3.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat. 

4.  Donald  Macdouald,  yr.  of  Sleat. 


5.  Donald  Macdonald 

6.  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Dunnyveg. 

7.  Angus  Macdonald,   brother  of  Sir 

James. 


&- 


1.  Coll  Macdonald  of  Colonsay. 

2.  Alexander  Maedonald  of  Largie. 

3.  Alexander  Maedonald  of  Keppoch. 

4.  Ranald  Maedonald  of  Keppoch. 

5.  Sir  Donald  Maedonald.  ist  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 


6.  Ranald,  1st  Karl  of  Antrim. 

7.  John  Macdonald  of  Clanranald. 
8    Allan  Maedonald  of  Morar. 

9.  Angus  Maedonald  of  Glengarry. 


1.  Sirjaiiu-s  MacdouuM,  2nd  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 

2.  Randal,  ist  Marquis  of  Antrim 

3.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Clanranald. 


4.  Godfrey  McAlester  of  I,oup. 

5.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula. 

6.  Ansnis.  Lord  Macdonald. 


\.  Angus  Macdonald  of  Largie. 

2.  Donald  Macdonald,  Tutor  of  Largie. 

3.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glencoe 

(massacred  1692). 

4.  Alexander,  3rd  Earl  of  Antrim. 


5.  Archibald  '?  Macdonald      (Ciaran 


6.  Martin  Martin  (Author  of  Descrip- 

tion of  Western  Islands). 

7.  Allau  Macdonald  ef  Morar. 


1.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Castleton. 

2.  Jolin  Macdonald  of  Balconie. 

3.  Coll  Macdonald  of  Keppoch. 


4.  Sir  Donald   Macdonald,  3rd  Bart 

of  Sleat. 

5.  Alastair  Dubh  Macdonald  of  Glen- 

garry. 
6.  Allan  Macdonald  of  Clanranald. 


1.  Allan  Macdouald  of  Claiiranald. 

2.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Claiiranald. 

3.  Angus  Macdonald  of  Belfinlay. 

4.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Dalness. 


5.  Captain  Alex.  Macdonald,  brotlic 

of  Keppoch. 

6.  William  Macdonald  (Tutor i. 

7.  Ranald  Macdonrild  of  Milton. 


8.  Rev.  Alex.  Macdonald,  Minister  of  Islandfinan. 


1.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Benbecula. 

2.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Morar. 

3.  Sir  Donald  Macdonald,  4th  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 

4.  Sir  Donald  Macdouald,  5th  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 


5.  Sir  James  Macdonald,  6th  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 

6.  Randal,  4th  Earl  of  Antrim. 

7.  John  Macdonald  of  Glengarry. 

8.  Allan  Macdonald  of  Morar. 


1.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Balconie. 

2.  Alexander  Macdonald  (Bard). 

3.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Tirnadrish. 

4.  Coll  Mnedonald  of  Barisdale. 


5.  Donald  Macdonald  of  Lochgarrv. 

6.  Sir  Alexander  Macdonald.  7th  Bart- 

of  Sleat. 

7.  Lady  Margaret  Macdonald. 

S.  Alexander,  5th  Earl  of  Antrim. 


*i&fc*-fl*i 


\.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Keppoch. 

2.  Ranald    Macdonald   of  Clanranald 

(senr.,  of  '45). 

3.  Ranald  Macdonald   of  Clanranald 

(jnnr.,  of  '45). 

4.  Aeneas  Macdonald  of  Dalelea. 


5.  Alexander  Mac  tonald  of  Gleuala- 

dale. 

6.  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Baleshare. 

7.  Donald  Roy   Macdonald  of  Bale- 

share. 

8.  Alexander  Macdonald  of  Boisdale. 


1.  Alexander    Macdouald    of   Kings- 

burgh. 

2.  Allan  Macdonald  of  Kingsburgh. 

3.  Flora  Macdonald. 

4.  Sir  James  Macdouald,  8th  Bart,  of 

Sleat. 


5.  Alexander,  2nd  Lord  Macdonald. 

6.  John  Macdonald  of  Morar.    ' 

7.  John  Macdonald  of  Clanranald. 

8.  Randal,  2nd  Marquis  of  Antrim. 


<//^-££>fcA    *^(/> 


1.  Ranald  Macdonald  of  Keppoch. 

2.  Duncan  Macdouald  of  Glengarry. 

3.  Alexander,  ist  Lord  Macdonald. 

4.  Godfrey,  3rd  Lord  Macdouald. 

5.  Alexander  Macdouald  of  Glengarry. 


6.  Anue      Catherine,       Couatess      of 

Antrim. 

7.  Simon  Macdouald  of  Morar. 

8.  Rauald  Geo.  Macdouald   of  Clan- 

rauald. 


< — • — s 


1.  Marshal      Macdonald,      Duke      of 

Tarentnm. 

2.  Charlotte,  Countess  of  Antrim. 

3.  Hugh,  Karl  of  Antrim. 

4.  Admiral   Sir   Reginald  Macdonald 

of  Clanranald. 


5.  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald  (Canada). 

6.  Mark,  Earl  of  Antrim. 

7.  George  Macdouald  (Novelist). 

8.  Randal,  Karl  of  Antrim 


ADDENDA   ET   CORRIGENDA. 


P.  181.  The  Bishop  of  Moray  had  a  mandate  from  the  Pope  in 
1342  to  "dispense  William,  Earl  of  Ross,  and  Mary, 
daughter  of  the  late  Angus  de  He,  so  that  they  might 
intermarry."  In  the  same  year,  a  dispensation  is  granted 
to  John  Stewart  and  Finvola  de  Insulis. 

A  letter  from  the  Pope  to  the  Bishop  of  St  Andrews, 
dated  July,  1350,  grants  a  dispensation  to  John  of  the 
Isles  and  Margaret,  daughter  of  "Robert,  called  Steward 
(Senescallus),  to  intermarry,  they  being  related  in  the 
third  and  fourth  degrees  of  affinity." 

P.  214.  The  Macdonalds  of  Glenco.     XII.  Alexander.     Alexander, 
the   second   son    of  this   Chieftain,    married,    in  1696, 
Florence  Macdonald,  and  died  in  1707. 
XIV.  Alexander  left  issue — 

1.  John,  his  successor. 

2.  Donald,  who  was  born  in   1738,  and  died  in 

1821 .  He  married  Flora,  daughter  of  Donald 
Maclean  of  Kilniollaig,  Tiree,  and  had  by  her 
(a)  Major-General  Alexander  Macdonald,  of 
the  Royal  Artillery,  C.B.,K.Sfc.A.;  (b)  Captain 
Macdonald 
XVI.  Alexander.  He  married  Mary,  third  daughter  of 

Sir    Ewen    Cameron,   Bart,  of  Fassifern,  and   had 

by  her — 

1.  Ewen,  his  successor. 

2.  Ranald,  a  Captain  in  the  Army,  who  married 

a  Miss  Thomson,  and  had  a  son,  Alexander, 
and  a  daughter. 

3.  John. 

4.  Jane  Cameron,  who,  in  1817,  married  Captain 

Coll  MacDougall,  of  the  42nd  Regiment. 
Alexander  Macdonald  of  Glenco  died  19th  December, 
1814. 


644  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

XVII.  Ewen.     He   was   horn   llth  July,   1788,   and  died 
19th  August,   1840.     He  married  the  daughter  of 
an  Indian  Maharaja,  by  whom  he  had 

XVIII.  Ellen    Caroline   Macpherson,    who    was   born   5th 
July,    1830.      She  married  Archibald  Burns,  who 
afterwards  assumed  the  name  of  Macdonald,  and 
had  by  him — 

1.  Archibald  Maxwell,  who  succeeded  her. 

2.  Duncan  Cameron. 

3.  A  daughter,  who  married  Mr  Balliugal. 

4.  A  daughter,  who  married  Mr  Cook. 

Mrs  Burns  Macdonald  died  March  3rd,  1887,  and  was 
succeeded  by 

XIX.  Archibald  Maxwell,   who  died  unmarried   9th  June, 

1894,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother, 

XX.  Duncan  Cameron  Macdonald,  a  Major  in  the  Army. 

He  married  Marie  Thayer,  only  daughter  of 
William  M'Intyre  Cranston,  late  of  Holland  Park, 
London,  and  has  by  her — 

1.  William  M'lain. 

2.  Roy  Cameron. 

3.  Ellen  Macpherson. 

P.  235.  The  Macdonalds  of  Clanranald. 
XVII.  Ranald.     His  fourth  son, 

4.  William.    He  married,  and  left  two  sons — 

(a)  Donald.  (i>)  James,  who  married 
Catherine  M'Neill  of  Barra,  without 
issue. 

Donald,  the  eldest  sou,  married  Mary^  Scott,  and 
had  by  her — (1)  Donald,  who  died  unmarried,  (2) 
James,  (3)  Mary,  who  died  unmarried,  (4)  Frances,  who 
married  Norman  Macleod,  and  had  Admiral  Angus 
Macleod. 

James,  the  second  son,  married  Anne  Dickenson, 
and  had  (a)  James,  who  married  Lily  Field,  with  issue, 
James,  (6)  Donald,  and  eight  daughters. 

P.  236.  XVIII.  Ranald.     His  second  son 

2.  James  married,  and  had  issue — 

(a)  Ronald  Dugald  Harcourt.     He  entered 
the  Army  in   1818,  and  attained   the 


ADDENDA    ET    CORRIGENDA.  645 

rank  of  Major  in  the  8th  Cavalry  Regi- 
ment, of  which  he  had  command  from 
13th  February,  1839,  to  14th  April 
of  the  same  year.  He  commanded  his 
corps  in  Bundlecui\d  in  March,  1843, 
and  was  appointed  Superintendent  of 
Remounts  Depot  at  Mattra,  20th 
December,  1845.  He  married  a  Miss 
Crawford,  without  issue,  and  died  at 
Anarkulee,  21st  November,  1848.  (6) 
Archibald.  (c)  James,  (d)  John,  who 
was  in  the  Indian  Medical  Service. 
He  married  a  Miss  Fraser-Tytler,  and 
died  during  the  Indian  Mutiny  in  the 
Residency  at  Lucknow,  leaving  three 
daughters. 

P.  263.  III.  Roderick  Macdonald  of  Glenaladale  married  Janet 
Macdonald,  and  had,  among  other  sons,  Donald. 

P.  282.  IV.  Angus  Macdonald  of  Milton.  His  daughter,  Penelope, 
married  Donald  Macdonald  of  Daliburgh,  and  their 
daughter  married  John  Maclellan,  Drimore. 

P.  298.  IV.  Hugh  Macdonald  of  Boisdale.  He  married,  and  had 
among  other  children  (a)  Donald  Norman,  his  youngest 
sou,  who  died  July  18th,  1869,  in  the  22nd  year  of  his 
age.  (2)  Flora,  his  eldest  daughter,  who  married  Alban 
Williams,  and  died  November  8th,  1858.  Hugh  Mac- 
donald of  Eoisdale,  who  was  born  2nd  February,  178.r», 
died  in  Liverpool,  22nd  December,  1875. 

P.  344.   For  Sir  James  Head,  read  Sir  Francis  Somerville  Head. 

P.  348.  V.  John  Macdonild  of  Leek.  He  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Patrick  Leslie  Duguid  of  Balquhan,  and  had 
by  her— - 

1.   Wolfe  Alexander,  who  died  in  1830. 
4.  Charles,   who   married   Miss   Nassau,   without 
issue, 

8.  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  1827. 

9.  Jacobina,   who  married   Sir  Joseph  Radcliffe, 

and   had   Eliza  Matilda  Mary,  who  married 
Sir     George    Arraytage,    Bart,    of    Kirklees 

42 


646  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Park,  with  issue,  Sir  George  John  Armytage, 
Bart.,  now  of  Kirklees  Park. 
10.  Helen,    who  married    Thomas    Nassau,    with 

issue,  Alpina,  a  nun. 

John  Macdonald  of  Leek  died  in   1807,  and  was 
succeeded  in  the  representation  of  the  family  by  his 
eldest  son, 
VI.  Wolfe  Alexander.     On  his  death,  he  was  succeeded  by 

his  next  brother, 
VJI.  George. 

P.  518.  John  Macdonald  of  Castleton,  who  died  in  1711,  married 
Anne  Maclean  of  Boreray  in  1690,  and  had  by  her — 
(1)  Donald,  (2)  John,  (3)>rchibald,   (4)  Margaret, 
(5)  Florence,  (6)  Mary. 

P.  534.  Roderick  Macdonald,  Notary,  who  was  latterly  styled  of 
Borniskittaig,  had  by  his  first  marriage  two  daughters, 
Flora  and  Margaret.  He  married,  secondly,  Anne, 
daughter  of  William  Macdonald,  the  Tutor,  and  died 
in  1788. 

P.  543.  III.  William    Macdonald    of    Vallay    had,    besides    the 
daughters  already  given  (a)  Peggy,  who  married  - 
Monkman,  (&)  Kitty,  and  (c)  Janet 


APPENDICES. 


PANEGYRIC  ON  THE  MACDONALDS.     C.  1500. 

Cha  ghairdeachas  gun  Chlaoin  Domhnuill, 

Cha,  mhor  toil  gun  mor  Shiol  Cliolla. 

Treibh  am  bi  an  fheile, 

Leannana  ceil  is  comuinn. 

Clann  Domhnuill  ni  claim  mar  chach, 

Air  meidh  gu  brath  'liar  gniomh  ceart, 

Ni  bheil  finne  mar  ta,  iad, 

An  iochd,  am  fedle,  no  neart. 

Dlighear  ceannas  far  gach  slogh, 

Do  Chlann  Domhnuill  na  breath  mall, 

Eilde'  cath  nan  comhlan  cmaidh, 

Bheireadh  buaidh  air  clanna  Ghall. 

Abhaill  abuioh  gach  coill  chnuasaich, 

Cruinneach,  tuathachd  gach  magh  min, 

Reultaich,  sgeimh  is  iuil  gach  fine, 

An  fheile  ceil  gach  duine  dibh. 

Leomhanta  curranta  gach  fasaich, 

Is  dobhrain  aghmhor  gach  linne, 

Seabhaga  gach  ealltuinn  uasail, 

An  treibh  is  uaisle  'sa  chruinne. 

Eanach  Clann  Domhnuill  an  aigh, 

Mar  fhreumhan  abuich  nach  crion, 

Mar  fhasgadh  nan  caoire  milis, 

Gach  meaghlan  a  sileadh  fion. 

An  fhinne  chaomh  le  'n  sgaoilte  an  t-or, 

Saor  mar  a  mhuir  mhor  o'n  t-siar, 

Le  'm  b'  annsa  onoir,,feil,  is  cliu, 

Na  brib  stodr  an  cuil  mar  Dhia. 

Mar  fhoillicheas  dealradh  na  grein 

Na  reultaibh  le  barrachd  sgeimh 

An  neart,  'n  iochd,  'm  feile, 

An  eanach  tar  gach  fine,  clann,  is  treibh. 

Mar  ghathaibh  greine  ri  feath 


648  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Air  blathaibh  sgeimh  nan  magh  min, 

No  cuan  ciuin  ri  maduinn  cheitedn, 

'Samhuilt  an  seimh  san  sith  ; 

Ach  's  mairg  le  'n  duisgear  an  doininn, 

Air  chuan  goilleach  nan  lunn  bras, 

Mar  chaoire  teine  'dol  's  na  speuran. 

Gun  tig  ac  ansgeul  bais, 

An  tra  thogar  na  fhedrg  air  srol  dearg 

An  leomhan  garg  na  bheucadh  borb 

Bidh  driuchd  ninihe  ag  eigheach  comhraig 

Air  roinn  gach  roine  de  cholg. 

Clann  Domhnuill  an  tus  na  doruinn 

Nathara  leomhanta  an  curaibh 

Ni  bheil  prionnsaibh  mar  an  triathaibh 

Ni  bheil  triathaibh  mar  an  giollaibh. 


CONTRACT  OF  MARRIAGE  BETWEEN  JOHN  MACDONALD  OF 
CLANHANALD  AND  MARION,  DAUGHTER  OF  RODERICK 
MACLEOD  OF  DUN  VEGAN.  1613. 

At  Glasgow  the  ffyftene  day  of  ffebruare  the  yeir  of  God  jmvic 
threttein  yeiris  It  is  contractit  and  aggreit  betwix  the  honorabill 
persounes  pairties  undirwrittin  viz  Rorie  Makcloid  of  hare  is  for 
himself  and  takand  ye  burdene  in  and  upone  him  for  Moir  Mac- 
cloid  his  lauchfnll  dochtir  on  the  ane  pairt  Donald  Makallane  Vic 
Keanne  of  Ilandtirme  for  himself  and  takand  the  burdene  in  and 
upone  him  for  Johnne  Moydort  his  lauchfull  sone  on  the  uther 
pairt  in  maner  following  fforsamekill  as  ye  said  Johnne  and  Moir 
with  consent  of  thair  saids  parentis  obleiss  thame  god  willing  to 
performe  the  band  of  matriraonie  with  utheris  in  presens  of 
Chrystis  Kirk  with  all  dew  solempnitie  requisite  at  sic  tyme  as 
thair  saids  parentis  thinkis  gud  And  befoir  the  compleiting  of  ye 
said  mariage  The  said  Donald  McAllane  obleiss  him  dewlie  and 
sufficientlie  to  infeft  ye  said  Johnne  his  sone  and  Moir  McCloid 
his  future  spouse  and  the  longest  livar  of  thame  twa  and  the  airis 
to  be  procreat  betwix  thame  and  failzing  thairoff  the  airis  of  ye 
said  Jon  q*  someuir  In  all  and  haill  ye  perticular  landis  eftir 
speciieit  extending  to  twentie  twa  merk  land  being  aue  pairt  of 
his  tweutie  pound  land  in  Arrasyke  with  ye  pertinents  thairof 
haldin  be  him  of  our  sovrane  lord  ye  King  his  maiestie  his 
undoubtit  superiour  of  ye  samyne  lyand  within  ye  Sherefdome  of 
Innernes  Be  resignation  thairof  in  j  e  handis  of  our  sovrane  lord  or 
some  uthir  persoun  his  superior  of  ye  samyne  having  power  to 


APPENDICES.  649 

receave  ye  said  resignation!!  ffor  heritabill  infeftment  to  be  rraid 
gevin  and  grantit  thairof  to  ye  said  future  spouss  and  ye  longes'; 
lewir  of  thame  twa  and  to  thair  airis  foirsaid  the  quhilkis  landis 
yr  intill  yai  ar  to  be  infeftis  namit  efter  yis  maner  viz  thrie  penny 
laud  of  Kaiboth  (here  lands  ennumerated)  extending  in  haill  to  ye 
foirsaid  twentie  twa  merkland  Attoure  ye  said  Donald  McAllane  for 
himself  and  takand  burdene  on  him  for  ye  said  Jon  Moydort  his  souue 
and  ye  said  Jo11  for  himself  obleiss  yame  and  thair  airis  to  ye  said 
Rorie  McCloid  and  to  ye  s  >id  Moir  his  dochtor  that  quhatsomevir 
landis  heritages  takis  po«sessiounis  and  annuel  rentis  that  it  sal 
happin  ye  said  Johnne  to  conqueis  in  ye  tyme  of  ye  said  Moir  To 
provyde  ye  same  couqueis  q*  sorneuir  to  him  and  ye  said  Moir  in 
lyfrent  and  to  ye  longest  leuir  of  yame  twa  and  to  thair  airis 
abovewrittin  ffor  the  quhilkis  premiss  to  be  done  and  mariage  to 
be  completit  The  said  Rorie  M°Cloyd  obleiss  him  his  airis  exrs  and 
assignayis  to  randir  and  deleuir  to  ye  said  Johnne  Moydort  his 
airis  exrs  or  assignayis  in  name  of  tochir  witli  ye  said  Moir  nyne 
scoirof  gud  and  sufficient  quick  ky  togidder  with  uthir  twentie  ky 
ma  giue  ye  said  Johnne  sail  desyre  thame  and  ane  gaillay  of 
twentie  foure  airis  with  thri  shilling  and  rowing  geir  gud  and 
sufficient  within  ye  space  of  ane  yeir  eftir  ye  completioun  of  ye 
said  mariage  bot  forder  delay  And  for  securitie  ye  saids  pairties 
consents  thir  puts  be  insert  and  registrat  in  ye  builds  of  Counsale 
yfc  Ires  and  exel  of  horning  on  ane  simple  charge  of  sax  dayis 
puynding  and  warding  but  prejudice  of  uyr  be  direct  ynipone  and 
to  y*  effect  constitut  yr  prors  coniunctly  and  severallie  promitten 
de  rato.  In  witnes  qrof  (yis  pnt  writtin  be  Jon  Craig  notar  in 
Glasgow)  ye  saidis  pairties  herein  snbscryue  as  followis  at  day 
yeir  and  plaice  foirsaid  Befoir  thir  witness  Lauchlane  McKiniioii 
of  StraquhorJell  Allan  McAllane  appeirand  of  Moror  Jon  Ronald 
persoun  of  Ellanfinnan  Allane  Macklorgane  Ministir  at  Durneis 
Mathew  Trumbill  baillie  of  Glasgow  Hew  Cameroun  merchaud 
burges  &  Thomas  Donaldsoun  seruitor  to  ye  said  Donald  McAllane. 

MAGLEOID. 

MACFIONGUINE  JOHNB  MACDONALD 

mar  fionnis.  Aleas  Moydord. 

ALLAN  MCRONALD  vitnes.  MOIR  MACCLOUD. 

JOHNE  RANNALDSOUN 

Persone  of  Ellanfynan.  Ita  est  Joannes  Craig  notarius 

MATHEW  TRUMBLE  witnes.  publicus  de  mandato  dicti  Don- 
ALLANE  OCOLGANB  vitnes.  aldi  McAllane  de  Illandtirrne 
H.  CAMEROUN  witnes.  scribere  nescientis  ut  asseruit 

rogatus  teste  manu  propria. 


G50  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 


TACK  BY  SIR  DONALD  MACDONALD  OF  SLEAT  IN  FAVOUR  OF 
NEIL  MACLEAN  OF  BORERAY.     1626. 

Be  it  kend  till  all  men  be  thir  present  letters  Me  Sir  Donald 
Donald  Macdonald  of  Slaitt  Knicht  To  have  sett  and  in  tak 
and  assedatione  lattin,  and  be  the  tenor  hereof  settis  and  in  tak 
and  assedatione  for  the  maill  and  dewtie  underwritten  lattis  to 
Neill  Maclaine  sone  lauchfull  to  Donald  Maclaine  in  Ust  for  all 
the  dayes  of  his  lyi'tyine  and  after  his  deceise  to  his  nearest  and 
lauchfull  airis  and  assigneis  quhatsumever  for  all  the  dayes,  space, 
yeiris  and  terms  of  twentie  ane  yeiris  of  all  and  haill  my  aucht 
penny  land  of  Burray  and  ane  penny  land  in  Solas  with  partes 
pendicles  and  pertinentis  thereof,  lyand  in  North  Ust,  within  the 
Lordship  of  the  lyles  and  Shereffdorne  of  Innernes,  together  with 
the  teynd  scheaves  and  uthir  teynds,  baith  personage  and 
vicarage  of  the  lands  above  writtin  with  the  pertinentis,  Togidder 
also  with  the  office  of  baillerie  of  the  Loches  of  North  Ust  the 
sd  Neill  his  duteis  thereof  quhilk  sail  begyn  at  the  terme  of 
Whitsonday  nixt  immedetlie  following  the  deceis  of  the  said 
Donald  Macleane  quhilk  sail  happiu  at  the  plesur  of  God,  and 
fra  thyns  furth  to  endure,  and  the  saids  lands  with  the  teynds 
thereof  and  offiee  of  bailliarie  of  the  saids  loches  to  be  peaceablie 
bruikit  joyit  and  possest  be  the  said  Neill  and  his  forsaidis,  as  the 
saids  landis  and  utheris  for  saidis  lyes  in  the  lenth  and  breadth 
with  howsis  biggingis,  mossis,  mures,  fields,  pasturage,  leasses, 
commoun  pasture  frie  ische  and  en  trie,  and  with  all  and  sundrie 
uses  commodities,  friedomes,  easements,  liberties,  priveledges,  and 
righteous  pertinentis  quhatsumever  perteiuing  thairto,  and  the 
same  are  presentlie  possest  and  bruikit  be  the  said  Donald 
Maclaine,  freelie,  quietlie,  weill  and  in  peace,  but  ony  revocatione, 
obstacle,  impediment,  or  agane  calling  quhatsumever  Payand 
therefor  yeirlie  the  said  Neill  during  all  the  dayes  of  his  said 
lyfetime,  and  after  his  deceis  his  airis  and  assigneis  or  charmerlane 
or  factor  in  our  names  during  the  said  space  the  sowme  of  Forty 
punds  monie  of  this  realme  with  ten  bollis  bere  of  the  countrey 
mett  and  ten  merkes  of  teynd  dewtie,  togidder  also  with  the 
Kingis  Majesties  Maills  and  taxationes  yeirlie  at  Mertiiimas  in 
Winter  beginning  the  first  yeiris  payment  thereof  at  the  feist  of 
Mertiumas  after  the  deceis  of  his  said  father  and  suae  furth  to 
continue  during  the  haill  yeiris  tyme  and  space  of  this  present 
tak,  and  also  the  said  Neill  and  his  forsaids  doand  service  to  me 


APPENDICES.  651 

baith  by  sea  and  laud,  according  to  use  and  want,  and  answer 
unto  my  courts  and  keepand  his  Majties  peace  as  becomes,  and 
quhilk  he  is  subject  and  obleist  be  dewtie  to  doe  And  I  forsuith 
the  said  Sir  Donald  my  airis  and  assigneis  this  put  tack  and 
assedatione  in  all  and  be  all  thingis  as  is  above  exprest  during  the 
space  foresaid  sail  warrand  acquyet  and  defend  to  the  said  Neil  I 
and  his  foresaidis;  against  all  deidlee  as  law  will,  but  fraud  or  gyl 
provyding  always  that  this  present  warrandice  of  the  to_)tidisof 
the  saids  lands  sail  only  be  extendit  during  the  space  and  yeiris 
that  I  sail  have  right  to  the  satnyn  tcyndis  standing  in  the  persone 
of  me  and  my  foresaids  sua  that  gif  the  richt  of  the  said  teyndis 
sail  expire  befor  the  out  running  of  the  present  tak  in  that  caice 
I  sail  not  be  subject  in  warrandice  of  the  said  teindis  thereof,  and 
for  the  mair  securitie  I  and  als  the  said  Neill  in  taiking  of  his 
obleisment  to  me  in  manner  above  writtin  are  content  and 
consentis  thir  presents  be  insert  and  registrat  in  the  I  uiks  of 
Counsell  and  Sessione  or  Sheriff-court  buiks  of  Invernes  to  have 
the  strenth  of  ane  decreit  of  at  her  of  the  judges  thereof  that 
excells  of  horning  on  ane  simple  charge  of  fyftene  days  allanerlie 
and  uthers  neidful  maybe  direct  in  forme  as  effeiris  and  con- 
stitututes  Mr  James  Nisbett  Advocat  our  lawfull  procurator 
promittem  de  rato.  In  witnes  whereof  written  be  Johne  Gilbert 
servitor  to  Ro*  Kirkwood  Wryter  to  his  Majesties  Signet  I  and 
als  the  said  Neill  has  sub*  thir  pnts  with  our  hands  at  Edr  the 
seventene  daye  of  Merche  the  yeir  of  God  jmvic  and  twentie  six 
yeiris  Before  thir  witness  Alexander  Rae  Measone,  Neill  Mac- 
ffingon  messrs  with  diverse  utheris. 

SIB  DONALD  MACDONALD 
of  Sleat. 

NEILL  MCFFINGON  Messre  witnes. 

AL?  RAE  MEASOUX  Witnes. 


TACK  BY  JOHN,  BISHOP  OF  THE  ISLES,  OF  THE  TEINDS  OF 
TROTERNISH,  AND  OTHERS,  TO  SIR  DONALD  MACDONALD 
OF  SLEAT.  1630. 

Be  it  kend  till  all  men  be  thir  put  Ires  me  Johnc  be  the 
mercie  of  God  bischope  of  the  lies  to  the  quhilk  bischoprik  the 
abacie  of  Icolmekill  and  pryorie  of  Ardchattane  ar  now  unit  and 
annexed  with  avyse  and  consent  of  the  Deane  and  chapter  of  the 
a  id  bischoprik  flor  certaine  soxvmes  of  money  pntlie  at  the  clait 


652  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

heirof  reallie  and  with  effect  advanceit  payit  and  dely verit  to  me 
be  the  richt  honorable  Sir  Donald  McDonald  of  Slait  knicht  in 
name  of  girsume  ftbr  making  and  granting  of  thir  pntis  quhairof 
I  hold  me  weill  contentit  and  satisfeit  and  for  me  my  airis 
exers  and  assigneyis  exoner  quytclame  and  simpliciter  dischairge 
the  said  Sir  Donald  McDonaM  his  airis  exer8  and  all  ntheris 
quhorae  it  effeirii  of  the  samen  for  now  and  evir  rennounceand  be 
thir  pntis  the  exceptioun  of  not  numerat  money  and  all  uther 
exceptiounes  q*  sumevir  that  may  be  proponeit  or  albeit  in  the 
contrair  To  have  sett  and  in  tak  and  assedatioun  for  the  yeirlie 
meill  and  dewtie  under  writtin  lettin  lykcas  I  w*  consent  foresaid 
be  thir  pntis  sett  and  in  tak  and  assodatioun  for  the  yeirlie  meill 
and  dewtie  and  under  ?rittin  lett  to  the  said  Sir  Donald  M°Donald 
his  airih  maill  and  assigneyis  q*1  sornevir  My  thrid  Commonnlie 
callit  the  bischopis  third  of  all  and  sindrie  the  teind  scheavis  and 
utheris  efter  mentionod  viz  The  fourscore  merkland  of  Tronternes 
the  twentie  pund  land  of  Slaitt  quhairof  the  tsva  merkland  of 
Armadellis  haldin  of  auld  of  the  bischopes  of  the  Isles  is  proper 
pairt  and  pertinent  The  Fourtie  pund  land  of  North  Wist 
quhairof  thair  was  aucht  merklan  1  haldin  of  auld  of  the  bischopes 
of  the  Isles  with  all  their  annexis  connexis  pa;rtis  pendicles  and 
pertiuentis  q*  sumevir  pertaining  to  the  said  Sir  Donald  McDonald 
heretablie  lyand  \v*in  the  sherofdome  of  Innernes  Togidder  with 
all  uther  teindis  alsweill  personage  as  viccarage  of  the  landis 
above  specifeit  w*  the  pertinentis  or  any  pairt  thairof  quhilkis  ar 
kuawn  or  mey  be  fund  to  apperteiu  and  beluug  to  me  as  bischop 
of  the  said  bischoprik  haveand  the  uthir  benefices  above  specifeit 
anuext  thairto  or  ony  of  thame  as  my  thrid  of  the  samen  teindis 
exceptand  and  reserveand  to  me  and  my  succc-ssouris  the  teind 
fische  of  the  haill  seais  and  locheis  perteining  and  adiacent  to  the 
saidis  landis  ffor  all  the  dayis  yeiris  termes  tyme  and  space  of 
nyntein  yeiris  nixt  and  immediatlie  following  the  said  Sir  Donald 
his  entrie  to  the  saidis  teindis  be  vertew  of  this  pnt  tak  and 
assedatioun  quhilk  sail  be  and  begin  at  the  day  and  dait  of  thir 
pnts  and  therefter  to  endure  and  the  saidis  teiudis  to  be 
peaccablie  bruikit  uyseit  be  the  said  Sir  Donald  and  his  foresaidis 
dureiug  the  space  exprimeit  with  full  power  to  the  said  Sir  Donald 
and  his  foresaidis  to  gadder  teiud  leid  collect  ask  crave  ressave 
intromeit  w*  and  uptak  the  foresaidis  teindis  personage  and 
viccarage  of  the  landis  above  writtin  with  the  pertinentis  (except 
before  except  it)  dureing  the  space  abovementionet  and  thairupon 
to  dispoue  at  thair  plesur  and  to  call  and  persew  thairfore  as 


APPENDICES.  653 

accordis  of  the  law  and  to  rais  and  caus  execute  inhibitiounes 
yeirlie  in  thair  awin  names  upoun  the  saidis  teindis  and  to  give 
acquyttunces  and  discharges  thairupoun  transact  compone  and 
agrie  thaiianent  siclyk  and  als  fulie  in  all  respectis  as  I 
\vfc  consent  foresaid  micht  haif  have  done  myself  before  the 
making  heir  of  or  may  docat  ony  tyme  hereftir  Payand  thairfor 
yeirlie  the  said  Sir  Donald  McDonald  his  airis  maill  and  assigneyis 
foresaidis  to  me  and  my  successors  oure  factors  and  chalmerlanes 
in  or  names  the  sowme  of  ane  hundreth  p  mid  is  usuall  money  of 
this  realmc  togidder  w*  twentie  elnes  of  fyne  plaiding  at  the  feist 
of  Mertimes  Beginnand  the  first  yeiris  payment  thairuf  at  the 
feist  and  terine  of  Mertimes  nextocum  in  this  instant  yeir  of  God 
jaivic  and  threttie  yeiris  and  sua  furth  yeirlie  thairefter  at  the 
terme  above  specifeit  dureing  the  haill  space  above  exprimeit 
And  likwayis  reliveand  me  and  my  foresaidis  of  the  furneising  of 
the  ele mentis  of  bread  and  wyne  to  the  celebratioun  of  the  Com- 
munion at  the  kirkis  quhair  the  saidis  lar.dis  lyis  sa  oft  as  the 
samen  sail  be  celebrat  thairin  dureing  the  haill  space  of  this  pnt 
tak  and  assedatioun  pro  portion  all  ie  and  pro  rata  effeirand  to  the 
rait  and  qualitie  of  the  foresaidis  teindis  of  the  landis  above 
specifeit.  And  in  caice  it  sail  happin  that  the  said  Sir  Donald 
or  his  foresaids  to  failzie  in  thankfull  payment  of  the  yeirlie 
dewtie  above  specifeit  than  and  in  that,  caice  the  said  Sir  Donald 
and  his  foresaidis  sail  be  haldin  to  pay  to  me  or  my  successours 
the  sowme  of  twentie  pundis  money  foresaid  as  for  cost  skaith 
dampnage  expenss  and  interes.  That  in  caice  it  sail  happin  that 
the  said  Sir  Donald  or  his  foresaidis  to  failzie  in  the  thankfull 
payment  of  the  yeirlie  dewtie  sua  that  twa  yeiris  dewtie  thairof 
rin  togidder  in  the  thrid  yeir  unpayit  than  and  in  that  caice  this 
pnt  tak  and  assedatioun  sail  expyre  in  ilt  self  ipso  facto  and 
becnm  null  and  of  nane  availl  force  nor  effect  fra  thyn  furth  for 
evir  Quhilk  tak  and  assedatioun  abouewrittin  I  \v*  consent 
foresaid  bind  and  obleis  me  my  airis  and  successouris  to  warrand 
to  the  said  Sir  Donald  and  his  foresaidis  in  all  and  be  all  thingis 
as  is  aboue  specifeit  fra  my  awin  proper  fact  and  deid  allernierlie 
and  for  the  mair  securitie  I  and  the  deane  and  chapter  of  the 
said  bisohoprick  ar  content  and  consentis  that  thir  pnts  be  insert 
and  registrat  in  the  buikis  of  counsall  and  sessioun  thairin  to 
remaine  ad  futuram  rei  memoriam  and  for  regrating  heirof 
constitutes 

Oure  prors  promitten  de  rato      Tn  witness  of  the  quhilk  thing 
to  this  pnt  tak  and  assedatioun  (written  be  Mr  Johne  Moncreif 


654 


THE    CLAN    DONALD. 


servitor  to  Mr  Francis  Hay  wrettar  to  his  matics  signet)  subscry 
veit  w*  oure  hand's  my  proper  seill  togidder  w4  the  commoun 
chapter  seill  of  the  ^aid  bischoprik  are  append  it  at  Edinburgh  the 
ellevint  day  of  August  jaivic  and  threttie  veins  Before  thir 
witness  respective  viz  the  subscription!)  of  me  the  said  Johne 
Bischope  of  the  lies  and  of  M1'  Patrick  Stewart  minister  at 
Rothesay  subdean  of  the  said  bischoprik  subscryveit  be  us  at 
Kdinr  the  said  ellevint  day  of  August  jaivic  and  thretlio  yeiris 
Alexander  Guthrie  of  Gagie  the  said  Mr  Francis,  James  Logie 
induellar  in  Edinr  James  Guthrie  wrettar  there  and  the  said 
Mr  John  Moncreif  wrettar  heiroff 


Fingone  McMillen 

Vicar  of  Ico'keill 

De-ane  of  the  Eylis 

c  onsen  tis 
Francis  Hay 
witnes 
James  Logic 

witnes 
A.  Guthrie 

witnes  and  consents 
J.  Guthrie 
witnes 


Maistr  Thomas  Moore 
Minister  at  Cumbray 

Prebender  cousentis 
A.  Alexander 

Minister  at  Killerow 

Prebender  consentis 
Mr  Merteane  Mcllievra 
Minister  at  Killeane  in 
Mull  consents 


Johannes  Leslaeus 
Epus  Sodoreusis 

Mr  Patrick  Stewart 
Persoun  at  Rothesay 
con  sent  is 


DECLARATION 


OF     CHIEFSHIP     IN     FAVOUR     OF     SIR    JAMES 
MACDONALD    OF    SLEAT. 


Be  it  kend  till  all  men  That  we  undei*snbscribers  do  testify 
and  acknowledge  that  Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Sleat  is  chief  of  the 
whole  Name  and  Family  of  the  Macdonalds  in  Scotland  and  that 
we  all  are  descended  of  the  said  Family  whereof  Sir  James  Mac- 
donald is  now  undoubtedly  chief  and  lineally  descended  of  the 
Earl  of  Ross  which  we  testify  by  this  declaration  subscribed  with 
our  hands. 

D.  MACDONALD  of  Moydort. 

A.  MACDONALD  of  Arinamurchin. 

G.  MCALESTER  of  Loup. 

ANGUS  M°DONALD  of  Leargue. 

ALEXANDER  MACDONALD  of  Glencoe. 

JOHN  DONALDSON  Esquire. 


APPENDICES.  655 


DECLARATION    OF    CHIEFSHIP    IN     FAVOUR    OF    SIR    DONALD 
MACDONALD  OF  SLEAT  BY  COLL  MACDONALD  OF  KEPPOCH. 

Be  it,  kend  till  all  men  that  I  Coll  Mackdonald  of  Keappoch  do 
testify  and  acknowledge  that  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  of  Sleat  is 
Chief  of  the  whole  name  of  Macdonald  in  Scotland  and  that  all 
other  families  of  the  Macdonulds  are  descended  of  ;  he  said  family 
whereof  Sir  Donald  Macdonald  is  now  undoubted  Chief  and  lineally 
dcsci  nded  of  the  Earl  of  Ross  which  I  testify  by  this  Declaration 
subscribed  with  my  hand  Before  thir  witnesses  John  Macdonald 
Chamberlain  in  Sleat  and  James  Mat-donald  attending  the  said 
Sir  Donald  Macdonald 

COLL  MACKDONALD 

J.  MACDONALD  witness. 

JAMES  MACKDONALD  witness. 


CONTRACT    BETWEEN    DONALD   MACDONALD   OF   CLANRANALD 
AND  RODERICK  MACDONALD  OF  GLENALADALE.      1674. 

At  Castletirholme  the  sixth  day  of  November  one  thousand 
sjx  hundred  and  seventy-four  years,  It  is  appointed,  contracted, 
finally  agreed  and  ended  betwixt  Donald  M°  Donald  of  Moydart 
Captain  of  Clanranald  heritable  proprietor  of  the  lands  and  others 
underwritten  with  the  pertinents  on  the  one  part  and  Rorie 
McDonald  of  Glenalladale  on  the  other  part  in  manner  following — 
That  is  to  say  Forsameikle  as  the  said  Rorie  McDonald  has  con- 
tented and  paid  to  the  said  Donald  McDonald  certain  sums  of 
money  for  granting  thir  presents  Therefor  the  said  Donald 
McDonald  of  Moydart  has  given,  granted,  and  dispoued  and  in 
feu  farm  Letts  to  the  said  Rorie  M°Donald  and  his  heirs  mail  All 
and  Haill  the  two  merks  ten  shilling  lands  of  Glenalladell,  and 
the  thirty  shilling  land  of  Glenfinen  with  houses,  biggings  &c. 
lyand  within  the  Baronie  of  Moydart  and  Sherefdome  of  Inverness, 
and  in  real  warrandice  and  securitie  of  the  said  threttie  shilling 
land  in  case  of  eviction  of  the  samen  by  qt  sumever  person  from 
the  said  Rorie  McDonald  All  and  Haill  the  seven  penny  land  of 
Cervelteos,  houses,  biggings  &c.  lyaud  within  South  Uist  and 
Sherifdome  foresaid,  Likeas  the  said  Donald  McDonald  be  thir 
presents  Binds  and  obliges  him  his  heirs  and  successors  to  obtain 


656  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

himself  devvly  and  sufficientlie  infeft  and  seasit  ki  the  saids 
lands  and  being  sua  infeft  and  seasit  to  dewlie,  lawfully 
and  sufficiently  infeft  and  sei>e  the  said  Rorie  Mc Donald  To  be 
holden  of  the  said  Donald  McDonald  his  aircs  and  successors  in 
feu  farm  and  heritage  for  the  yeirly  payment  to  him  of  the  snmes 
of  moue}  and  others  underwritten  the  said  Donald  McDonald 
binds  and  oblidges  him  to  warrand  acquit  and  defend  the  foresaids 
infeftment.s  to  be  sufficient,  free,  safe  and  sure  to  the  said  Rorie 
M°Dunald  from  all  and  sundrie  wards,  reliefs,  monentrie?,  txheit, 
life  rents,  forfaultures,  recognitions,  disclamations,  bastardries, 
ladies  terces,  tacks,  infeftments,  sasines,  duties,  stents,  impositions 
for  out  reiking  of  Horse  or  Foot,  Ministers  nnd  Schoolmasters 
stipends,  and  other  public  burdens  <EC.  For  the  quhilk  causes  the 
said  Korie  McDouald  be  thir  presents  binds  and  oblidges  him  and 
hi«  foresaids  to  content  and  pay  to  the  said  Don»ld  and  his  fore- 
saids the  sow  me  of  Foure  hundereth  merks  Scot.es  money  ye.>rlie 
at  two  termes  in  the  yeare  Whitsunday  and  Martimes  by  equal 
portions  in  the  name  of  feu  farm.  Likeas  the  said  Rorie  McDonald 
and  his  foresaids  shall  be  holdeu  to  compeir  be  themselves  or  their 
attourneyes  yearlie  at  the  said  Donald  his  court  to  be  holden  at 
Moydort  being  lawfully  warned  for  that  effect,  and  also  to  grant 
to  the  said  Doi  aid  McDonald  and  his  foresaids  their  personall 
service  at  their  hoisting  and  hunting  as  all  remanent  of  the 
countrey  gentlemen  shall  do  and  perform  with  the  half  of  all 
unlaws,  bloodwitis,  and  americaments  of  Courts  of  the  said  lands 
retaining  the  other  half  to  their  own  proper  uses,  and  releiveand 
the  said  Donald  and  his  foresaids  of  the  Kings  taxationes,  and  all 
other  public  burdens  &c.  And  also  payand  and  releivand  the  said 
Donald  McDonald  his  aids  and  successores  of  the  servicis,  furnish- 
ing of  men  and  others  servicis  and  conditions  wherein  he  stands 
obliged  to  the  Earle  of  Argylo  his  superiore  l»e  the  Ueddendo  of 
his  infeftments  proportionally  effeirand  to  the  saids  lands  viz  the 
said  Rorie  McDonald  shall  be  holden  and  obligit  and  be  thir 
presents  binds  and  oblidges  him  and  his  forsaids  to  relieve  the 
snid  Donald  McDonald  and  his  forsaids  of  ane  proportion  all  part 
effeirand  to  the  saids  lands  of  ane  sufficient  galley  of  sixteen  oares 
which  the  said  Donald  McDonald  is  oblidgit  to  furnish  to  the  said 
Earle  of  Argyle  and  his  aires  and  successors  sufficieutlie  appoynted 
vrith  men  and  necessaries  be  the  space  of  fourteen  days  yearlie 
betwixt  the  poynt  of  Ardnamurchan  and  Assiut  when  he  shall  be 
advertised  and  required  for  that  effect.  And  also  the  said  Rorie 
McDonald  and  his  forsaids  shall  be  obleidgit  to  relieve  the  said 


APPENDICES.  657 

Donald  McDonald  and  his  foresaids  of  ane  proportional  part 
effeirand  to  the  saids  lands  of  an  hundredth  sufficient  men  which 
the  said  Duna!d  and. his  foresaids  are  oblcdgit  be  themselves  iu 
their  own  proper  persones,  or  be  their  neirest  and  worthiest  kins- 
men being  of  law  full  age  to  serve  the  said  Earle  of  Argyle  and  his 
foresaids  in  warr  and  hostings  duly  prepared  in  all  the  said  noble 
Earl  his  lawfull  occasioned  and  business  betwixt  the  Isle  of  Mul 
and  Storehead  and  Assint  furnished  with  eight  dayes  provisiouue 
after  ther  coming  and  that  in  all  tymes  quhatsoever  they  shall  be 
required  upon  twentie  dayes  warning  to  that  effect.  And  if 
the  said  Rorie  McDonald  and  his  said  men  shall  remain  in 
the  said  service  longer  than  the  said  space  of  eight  days 
after  ther  arryval  that  then  and  in  that  ease  they  shall 
be  furnished  and  supplied  with  provisione  and  victuall  upon 
the  said  Donald  McDonald  his  superiore  and  his  foresaids 
ther  expenses  thereafter.  Attoure  Tn  case  it  shall  hapen  that  any 
of  the  friends,  tennents  and  servants  of  the  said  Rorie  Mc Donald 
under  his  command  and  his  foresaids  possessores  of  the  saids  lands 
hold  of  the  said  Donald  McDonald  as  said  is,  or  of  any  part  thereof, 
to  comit  any  faiilt,  fact,  or  crime  whatsumever  whereby  the  said 
Donald  McDonald  or  his  foresaids  may  be  cited,  conveened, 
troubled,  or  molested  for  the  saids  facts  and  crimes,  That  then  and  in 
that  case  the  said  Rorie  M°Donald  and  his  foresaids  shall  be  holden 
and  obledgit  to  exhibite  and  delyver  the  sd  malefactor  or  comitter 
of  the  saids  deeds  to  the  said  Donald  or  his  foresaids  at  least  to 
satisfy  them  and  the  parties  offended,  troubled,  or  injured  of  all 
lesione  and  damuage  they  shall  hapen  to  sustaine  be  the  saids 
deeds,  and  to  doe  and  performe  all  other  things  requisite  for 
satisfying  of  the  saids  wrongs  within  the  space  of  fourtie  days 
after  being  lawfully  premonished.  And  if  the  said  Rorie  McDonald 
or  his  forsaids  shall  comit  any  fact  or  deed  civil  or  criminal  for 
which  the  said  Donald  McDonald  shall  be  holden  to  answer  in  law 
then  and  in  that  case  the  said  Rorie  and  his  foresaids  shall  relieve 
and  skaithless  keep  the  said  Donald  McDonald  and  his  foresaids 
from  all  damnage  against  all  dead  lie. 

A.nd  if  the  said  Rorie  McDonald  and  his  foresaids  shall  failzie  in 
exhibitione  presenting  and  delyvering  of  the  said  malefactor  or 
comitter  of  any  cryme  to  be  conaitted  or  done  by  any  kinsman, 
friend,  tennent,  or  servant  of  the  said  Rorie  for  quhilk  the  said 
Donald  McDonald  or  his  foresaids  be  perse  wed  or  troubled  at 
Uist  in  giving  satisfuctione  to  the  said  Donald  McDonald  or  to 
parties  offended  to  whom  these  wrongs  shall  be  done  then  and  in 


658  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

that  case  the  said  Rorie  McDonald  shall  be  oblidgit  to  pay  the  said 
Donald  Mc Donald  the  sowme  of  one  hundreth  pounds  Scots 
money,  «fec. 

And  for  the  more  security  both  the  said  parties  are  content 
and  consents  that  thir  presents  be  insert  and  registrat  in  the 
books  of  Councell  and  Session  &c. 

In  witness  whereof  written  by  JEneas  McDonald  writer  in 
EdinT  we  have  sub*  thir  presents  with  our  hands  day  place  and 
month  and  yeare  forsd  before  thir  witness  Donald  McEachan  in 
South  Uist  and  James  M°Donald  servitor  to  the  said  Donald  and 
the  said  ^Eneas  McDonald  writer  heirof 

DONALD  M°EACHAN  witnes.  DONALD  MCDONALD. 

JAMES  MCDONALD  witnes.  RORIE  M°DOXALD. 

M°DONALD  witnes. 


COMMISSION  BY  KING  JAMES  IN  FAVOUR  OF  JOHN  MACDONALD 
OF  BORNISKITTAIG.       1689. 

JAMES  R. 

James  the  Seventh  by  the  Grace  of  God  King  of  Scotland, 
England,  France,  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  ffaith  &c.  To  our 
Trusty  and  wellbeloved  John  Mackdonald  of  Bornscitaik.  Wee 
reposeiug  speciall  trust  and  confidence  in  your  Loyalty,  Courage, 
and  good  conduct,  Doe  by  these  presents  constitute  and  appoint 
you  to  be  Captaine  of  a  Company  of  Foote  in  the  Regiment 
comanded  by  our  trusty  and  wellbeloved  Collonell  Donald 
Macdonald.  You  are  therefore  to  take  the  said  company  into 
your  care  and  charge,  and  carefully  to  discharge  the  Duty  of 
Captaine  thereof,  By  exerciseing  as  well  the  officers  or  soldiers  in 
armes,  and  to  doe  your  uttmost  endeavour  to  keep  them  in  good 
order  and  discipline.  And  we  do  hereby  command  them  to  be 
obedient  to  you  as  their  Captaine  and  you  to  observe  and  follow 
such  orders  as  you  shall  from  tyme  to  tyme  receive  from  Us,  your 
Collonell,  or  any  other  your  superior  officer  according  to  the  Rules 
and  Discipline  of  Warr,  and  in  pursuance  of  the  trust  wee  have 
hereby  reposed  in  you. 

Given  att  our  Court  att  Dublin  Castle  the  31st  day  of  March 
1G89  and  in  the  fifth  yeare  of  our  Reigue. 

By  His  Maties  Command. 

MELFORT. 


APPENDICES. 


659 


JUDICIAL  RENTAL  OF  SIR  DONALD  MACDONALD'S  ESTATE  OF  NORTH 

UIST.      1718. 


Places. 

Ballivicphaill 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Balliviconen. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Clachan  

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do. 


Occupants.  Money  Rent.  Rent  in  Kind. 

...Tormet  Mclntyre 15  merks  Scots...  3  firlots  vict.  l£st.  butter. 

...Don.  McUrchy do.  ...  do. 

...Angus  Mclaian 10m |  boll  vict.  1  st.  b. 

. ..Killmartin  Munro —    do do. 

. ..John  McKiver do do. 

. ..Evan  M°Kinnan do do. 

...Patrick  McEanduin...l5  m 3  fir.  vict.  1|  st.  b. 

...Donald  Mcillichreist..    do do. 

...William  Lament 20m \   b.    bear,    £   b.   meal, 

2  st.  b. 

...Murdoch  MeKiegan...l5  m 3  fir  vict.  1|  st.  b. 

.  Angus  McDonald 10  m \  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

...Angus    McCoill    vick 

Gillichrist 15  m 3  fir.  vict.  \\  st.  b. 

...John  McAulay   10  m , \  b.  vict.  1J  st.  b. 

...John  McKiegan do 

...John  McDonald  20  m 

...Don.  McDonald 23  m 

.  .Rory  McDonald do 

...Tormet  McDonald.  .40m 

.46  m 

.10m 

.£20  Scots... 

.10m.  . 


Do 

Rimskarray . 
Do.  . 
Do.  , 
Do. 


...John  McPhail 

...John  Mc Donald  .... 
..Malcolm  Ferguson. 
..Murdoch  McKiegan 

..John  McPhail do 

...Don.Mcilespick  vie  ean  do. 
..Archibald  McDonald..l5  m. 

. .  Robert  Ferguson 10  m. 

..Donald  McCowis 15  m. 

..Don.    McCoil  vie  ean 

vuy  do do. 

..AJexr.  McBodach do do. 

...Finlay  Mcean 20  m 1  b.  vict.  2  st.  b. 

...Peter  Ferguson  80  m 

...Duncan  Mcffinlay....lO  m \  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

...Gillespick  McDonald    do do. 


do. 

. .  1  b.  vict.  2  st.  b. 
do. 
do. 
..2  b.  vict.  4  st.  b. 

do. 

..\  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 
..1J  b.  vict.  3  st.  b. 

\  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

do. 

do. 

3  fir.  vict,  1|  st.  b. 

\  b.  meal  1  st.  b. 

3  fir.  vict.  1|  st.  b. 


660  THE   CLAN    DONALD. 

Places.                     Occupants.                       Money  Rent.  Rent  in  Kind. 

Vallakuy Neill  McKuish 6|  m 1  fir.  vict.  |  st.  b. 

Do Alexr.     Mcillichalum 

vie  unlay do do. 

Do Finlay  McDonald.  ...22|  m 3  fir.  vict.  1$  st.  b. 

Do John  McDonald do do. 

Oransay... Kenneth  McQueen  ...240  m 8  b  vict.  24  st.  b. 

Hausten  John  McDonald 11  in.  3  sh.  4d...l£  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

Do.  JohnMcinish  vie  ewn..  do.  ...  do. 

Do John  McKinnan    ....  do.  ...  do. 

Do Donald  McDonald....7|  m 1  b.  vict.  12  Ib.  b. 

DC Donald  Johnston do do. 

Do John  McKiver do do. 

Do ..  Donald  Oig  Mcillvory   do do. 

Caranish  Donald  McAulay 10  m \  st.  b.  3  ells  blanket. 

Do Rory  McLellan do do. 

Do Donald  McDonald ....    do do. 

Do Don.  McDona!d,  Jr....    do do. 

Do John  McNicoll 10  m 1|  st.  b.  3  ells  plaid. 

Do Donald  Mcillickallum   5  m 4  Ib.  b.  1£  ell  plaid. 

Do Neill  McDonald do do. 

Do John  McPherson..    ..15  m |  st.  b.  4  ells  blanket. 

Do Neil  Mclsaac 5  m \  st.  b.  \\  ell  plaid. 

Do Waste       80m 4  st.  b.  24  ells  white  do. 

Griminish Archibald  McDonald..  180  m 16  b.  vict.  F  st.  b.  8st.ch. 

Kilpheder Neill  McLean 80  m 5  b.  vict.  6  st.  b. 

Ballekinloch....John  McLean 50  m 2|  b.  vict.  21  st.  b. 

Pabloskarry John  McDonald 100  m 15  b.  vict.  10  st.  b. 

Kirkibost Archibald  M°Lean....£10  stg 20  b.  vict.  15  st.  b. 

Arisaig John  McEan  Vayne...lO  m £  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

Do Don.  Mclnnes do do. 

Ulleray Neill  McAulay 25m 2  fir.  vict,  7  ells  plaid. 

Do Angus  McAulay 20m \  b.  vict.  1st.  b.  6  ells 

blanket. 

Do Donald  Mcllvoir 10  m 1  fir.  vict.  \  st.  b.  3  ells 

plaid. 

Do Duncan  McAulay do do. 

Do Donald  McChowis..       do.  do. 

Do ...John  McGillechalluni   do do. 

Do Donald  Mclleresch....7|  m 3  p.  vict.  6  Ib.  b.  2  ells 

plaid. 

Do John  M°Cho\vis..  5  m 2  p.  vict.  \  st.  b.  \\  ells 

plaid. 


APPENDICES.  661 

Places.  Occupants.  Money  Kent.  Rent  in  Kind. 

Ulleray Lachlan  DcDonald....l2lm 1  fir.  vict.   10  Ib.  b.  3| 

ells,  plaid. 

Do RoryM°Oilviceanduy  10m do. 

Do John  M5Gilespick do do. 

Do , John  Mc Allan do do. 

Do John  Bain  McUrchy...5  m 2  p.  vict.  £  st.  b.  1£  ell 

plaid. 

Do Waste      15m... 6  p.  vict.  f  st.  b.  • 

Kerameanach...MurdoMcLeod 11  m.  3  sh.  4d...l  b.  2  p.  vict.  1£  st.  b. 

Do Donald  McLean do.          ...  do. 

Do Donald  McCoir     5  m.  8  sh.  4d.  ...9  p.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

Do John  McGillivoir do.  dc. 

Do Hector  McLean 7£  m 3  fir.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Do Rory  McDonald do do. 

Do Murdoch  McKonnen..ll  m.  3  sh.  4d...l  boll  vict.  2  pecks. 

Do Paull  Mcfaull do.         ...  1  boll  vict.  1|  st.  b. 

Do Neil  McLean do.          ...1  boll  vict.  2  pecks. 

Do Malcolm  Mcinnish 6J  m 3  fir.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Do Angus  McDonald do do. 

Malaclett Donald     M'Gillechal- 

lum 15  m 1|  boll  vict.  1|  st.  b. 

Do Kenneth  McLeod do do. 

Do Angus  Beaton 11  m.  3  sh.  4d...l  b.  2  p.  meal  £  st  b. 

Do Archd.  Mcinnish 18  m.  10  sh 1  b.  3  f .  2  p.  vict.  If  st.  b. 

Do John  McKinnon 1\  m 3  fir.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Balloan Angus  McDonald 9  m 9  p.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Do Ewen  Og do do. 

Do Ranald  Stewart 12  m 3  f.  vict,  1  st.  b. 

Do John  McOil  vi  Cean  vie 

uinlay do do. 

Do Ronald  McOilvoir..;...6  m 1  f.  2  p.  vict,  f  st.  b. 

Howgarie John  McDonald 1\  m 3  f.  vict'.'f  st.  b. 

Do Alexr.  McDonald 13  m.  lOd  6  p.  vict.  6  Ib.  b. 

Do Hector  McDonald 3  m.  lOd do. 

Do John  McDonald 7|  m do. 

Do Duncan  Mclvoir 1\  m 3  f.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Do Alexr.  M°Donald  .....15  m 1|  boll  vict.  l£  st,  b. 

Do John  McDonald  11  m.  3  sh.  4d  ...1  b.  2  p.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

Do.        ..  . — Donald  McK5nnon  ...  do.  ...  do. 

Do JohnM'Lellan...,.  .,22|in.  2  b.  1  f.  vict.  2  st.  b. 

Do ..Allan  McDonald 7i  m 3  f.  vict.  12  Ib.  b. 

43 


662  THE    CLAN    DONALD 

Places.                    Occupants.                      Money  Rent.  Rent  in  Kind. 

Howgarie Malcolm McDonald...  10  m.  10  sh 1  b.  2  p.  vict.  1  St.  b. 

Do Patrick  Mcinish  Vane  7$  m 3  f.  vict.  12  Ib.  b. 

Do Angus  McDonald  ..  ..120  m 12  b.  vict. 

Do Hector  McKinnon  ...24  m 1  b.  2  f.  vict.  2  st.  b. 

Ballmore Rorie  M°Donald 18  m.  lOd  2|  b.  vict.  If  st.  b. 

Do Donald  M°Lean do do. 

Do Donald  McVaich £20  Scots 4  b.  vict.  3  st.  b. 

Do Donald  McLellan do do. 

Do Archibald  M°Lellan..l5  m 2  b.  vict.  1  st.  8  Ibs.  b. 

Do Angus  McLellan do do. 

Do Allan  McLellan 11  m.  3  sh.  4d...  1£  b  vict.  1  st.  2  Ib.  b. 

Do Annable    McEan   vie 

illimartin do.  ...  do. 

Ashdaill John  Mc Donald  do.  ...  do. 

Do John      McCoil      vie 

Lachlan do.  ...  do. 

Do John  McDonald 7|  m 1  b.  vict.  f  st.  b. 

Do John    Laing    (school- 
master)  15  m do. 

Do Ranald  M°Donald ....    do do. 

Do Dugall  M°Lean 7|  m do. 

Tromskarry  ....  Hector  McLean  20  m 1  b.  vict.  1  st.  b. 

Vaunt  Angus  McDonald 75  m 3  b.  vict.  3  st.  b. 

Hosta Hector  McLeaii  100  m 5  b.  vict.  5  st.  b. 

Knocknatorran. Donald  McDonald....£100  Scots 15  b.  vict.  10  st.  b. 

Ballshare  Ranald  McDonald  ....214  m 7£b.  vict.  6  st.  b.  6 st.  ch. 

Heisker Alexander  McDonald.. 220  m 75  b.  vict.  22  st.  b. 

Kyles,  &c Wm.  McLeod  of  Ber- 

nera 200  m 

Gerrinacurran..Alexr.  McDonald 80  m. 2  b.  vict.  4  st.  b. 

Tigheary John    McLean,    mini- 
ster  200  m 10  b.  vict.  10  st.  b. 

Balleranald Vacant 120  m 12  b.  vict.  10  st.  b. 

Doun Lachlan  McLean 60  m 6  b.  vict.  6  st.  b. 

Sollas Mrs  McLean  of  Bore- 
ray  240  m 16  b.  vict.  16  st.  b. 

Boreray Archibald  McLean....  184  m 12£   b.    vict.    4    st.    b. 

4  st.  ch. 

Vallay Lachlan  McLean 220  m 20  b.  viot.  13  st.  b. 

Gr.  Off-land Angus  McDonald 2l£  m 2  b.  1  f.  vict.  2  st.  b, 


APPENDICES.  663 

ATTESTATION  BY  THE  GENTLEMEN  OF  TROTERNISH.     1721. 

Wee  the  wadsetters  tenants  and  possessors  within  the  Barony 
of  Troternish  undersubscribers  doe  attest  and  deliver  y*  in  regard 
of  our  extream  poverty  occasioned  by  ane  unusuall  murrain  first 
in  anno  1746  but  more  especially  by  ane  oyr  in  Spring  last 
whereby  great  numbers  of  our  bestiall  perished  to  the  number  of 
four  hundred  and  eighty  five  horses,  one  thousand  and  twenty 
seven  cows,  together  with  four  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty  six 
sheep.  The  Honourable  William  McLeod  of  Hammir  Factor  upon 
the  said  Barony  did  to  prevent  much  of  the  lands  being  weist  and  for 
the  relief  of  seall  exigent  families  ease  and  diminish  to  the  value 
of  one  hundred  and  ten  pounds  f-terling  the  tenants  and  possessors 
wfc  in  the  said  Barony  of  their  rents,  farmes,  and  causalties,  in 
proportion  to  their  losses  and  moreover  wee  doe  declair  that  by 
reasone  of  the  penury  of  the  people  some  of  the  lands  are  still 
west  which  in  all  appearance  will  remain  so,  there  being  no 
prospect  of  additionall  tenants  from  the  adjacent  countries  and 
the  inhabitants  ymselves  being  already  so  [enurious  they 
will  rayr  impare  then  take  on  more  lands  in  succeeding  years  and 
if  need  bees  Wee  are  willing  to  make  aue  affidavitt  of  the  premisses. 
In  testimony  yr  of  Wee  have  sub*  thir  pnts  at  Renedray  the 
third  day  of  September  Jaivic  and  Twentie  one  years 

Don.  McDonald  of  Sar thill.  Alexander  McDonald  of  Glenmore. 

James  McDonald  of  Lackisay.       James  McDonald  of  Cuidrach. 
Donald  Nicolson  in  Cullnaknock.  Eugene    McDonald    Younger    of 

Glenmoi  e. 

James  MackDonald  in  Rigg.          Ken.  Betton  Min*  at  Kilmuir 
J.  Martin  in  Flodigary.  Aeneas  McQueen  at  Prabost 

John  McDonald  in  Waltos.  Donald    M°Donald    Younger    of 

Cuidrach. 

Alex1  McDonald  in  Knockowe.      Allan  McQueen  in  Kingsboro. 
Alex'  McDonald  in  Borniskitag.    An.  McDonald  in  Eskedle. 
Alexander  McDonald  Younger  y?  Jo:  Nicolson  att  Glenmore. 
Donald  M°Leod  in  Osnigary.          Mur.  Nicolson  at  Achichork. 
Norman  McDonald  in  Totecor       John  McDonald  in  Libost 

John  Nicolson  in  Scoudiborrow. 

Hector  McLean  in  Gerich. 

Angus  M°Queen  in  Toatrorne. 

Margaret  McDonald  in  Mugstot. 

John  MackDonald  in  Grealine. 

Arch:    MacKqueen    Minister    at 
Snizort. 


664  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

ATTESTATION  BY  THE  GENTLEMEN  OF  NORTH  HIST.     1721. 

We  the  wadsetters,  tacksnien,  and  possessors  undersubscrivers 
attest  aud  deliver, —  That  iu  regai'de  of  the  extreme  poverty 
reigning  amongst  the  haill  teunants  and  possessors  within  the 
Barony  of  North  Uist  occasioned  by  a  muraiu  in  our  cattle  first 
in  anno  17.1.7  but  more  especially  this  year  by  a  second  murrain 
whereby  a  great  many  of  our  cattle  have  perished  to  the  number 
of  seven  hundred  and  fourtie  five  cows,  five  hundred  and  seventy 
three  horse,  eight  hundred  and  twentie  sheep.  According  to  the 
list  taken  up  of  the  .same  by  the  Honourable  William  Macleod  of 
Hernmir,  the  said  Mr  M°Leod  to  prevent  the  utter  ruin  of  the 
people,  and  in  order  .to  keep  the  lands  as  much  as  possible  iu  sett 
hase  eased  the  tennants  in  proportion  to  their  losses  both  in  this 
and  last  years — sett  to  the  value  of  seven  tie  pounds  ten  shillings 
sterling  money  which  he  wants  of  the  farme  payable  be  the  said 
tennauts  were  it  served  to  the  hight — a  thing  the  circumstances 
of  the  people  could  bear  oyrways  the  most  of  the  lands  should 
have  been  west,  and  many  souls  by  all  appearance  faimes'd  for 
want  of  subsistence.  And  moreover  we  attest  aud  deliver  that 
about  Candlemass  last  the  sea  overflowed  severall  parts  of  the 
couutrie  breaking  down  many  houses  to  the  hazard  of  some  lives 
which  hase  impaired  the  lands  to  such  a  degree  as  its  possible  it 
may  happen  more  and  more  that  they  cannot  answer  to  the  worst 
sett  in  former  times.  In  testimony  qr  of  we  have  subscrived  thir 
puts  with  our  hands  a  Kilmure  the  day  of 

Jaivic  aud  Tweutie  One  years. 

John  Macklean  Minister.  Hector  McLeane  in  Hosta. 

Neil  McLeane  of  Killpheder.         Lauchlin  McLeane  in  Dou-in. 
John  McDonald  of  Pableskerie.     Allex1'  McDonald  in  Clachan. 
Rorie  M°Leane  in  Houygarie.        Arch:  McDonald  of  Griminshe. 
A.  McLeane  of  Borruray. 
L.  McLean  of  Valay. 
D.  McDonald  of  Knockintoran. 
D.  MackDonald  in  Howgarie. 


TESTIMONIAL  BY  THE.  PRESBYTERY  OF  UIST  IN  FAVOUR  OF 
ALEXANDER  MACDONALD  OF  BOISDALE.     1746. 

Kilbride,  29th  September,  1746. 

We  the  ministers  and  elders  of  the  Presbytery  of  Uist  being 
credibly  informed  that  Mr  Macdonald  of  Boistal,  who  was  taken 


APPENDICES.  665 

up  by  one  of  his  Majesty's  ships  of  war,  is  carried  to  London  upon 
suspicion  of  disloyalty  do  form  a  sincere  desire  to  rightly  inform 
the  officers  of  the  law  to  do  justice  to  that  gentleman's  character, 
and  from  our  firm  peruasion  of  his  steady  adherence  to  the 
interest  of  his  country  find  ourselves  obliged  to  declare  that  we 
know  cf  his  conduct  during  the  late  unnatural  rebellion.  We  cannot 
be  justly  suspected  of  any  design  to  impede  the  course  of  justice 
or  screen  his  Majesty's  enemies  as  we  have  on  all  occasions  even 
to  our  great  hazard  manifested  a  firm  and  zealous  attachment  to 
his  majesty's  person  and  government  for  which  we  cannot  claim 
any  merit  since  the  security  of  all  that  is  dear  and  valuable  to  us 
i-n  the  world  is  'so  closely  interwoven  with  the  stability  of  his 
throne.  Besides,  we  are  ii  tirnately  acquainted  with  this  gentle- 
man's sentiments  for  some  years  past,  and  had  access  to  enquire 
particularly  into  his  behaviour  since  the  commencement  of  this 
wicked  insurrection.  Therefore,  as  he  is  now  removed  at  a  great 
distance  from  the  proper  evidence  of  his  exculpation  we  owe  to 
him  in  justice  to  declare  to  the  world — 

That  he  ever  possessed  a  sincere  regard  to  the  true  interest 
of  these  nations  and  a  firm  persuasion  that  the  happiness  of  them 
could  only  be  preserved  by  the  support  of  onr  present  establish- 
ment, and  in  consequence  of  these  professions  we  found  him  always 
ready  and  forward  to  act  in  his  station  as  a  dutiful  subject  and  a 
true  lover  of  his  country.  He  never  failed  to  exert  himself  to  the 
utmost  of  his  power  to  serve  the  friends  of  the  government  and 
support  the  Protestant  interest  in  this  corner  besides  his  constant 
byas  to  the  side  of  liberty,  his  known  aversion  to  slavery  and 
arbitrary  power  of  any  kind.  He  was  too  much  the  friend  of 
mankind  to  disturb  the  peace  of  any  society.  It  was  always  a 
fundamental  article  of  his  creed  that  peace  in  the  state  and  charity 
in  religion  were  too  much  the  essence  of  both  to  be  broken  on  any 
pretence  whatsomever. 

As  for  his  behaviour  during  the  continuance  of  the  late 
troubles  we  can  likewise  declare  that  he  gave  all  p@ssible  dis- 
couragement to  the  Pretender's  adherents  ;  he  was  neither  allured 
by  promises  nor  overawed  by  threatenings  to  rise  in  arms  ;  he 
dissuaded  all  with  whom  he  could  have  anything  to  say  from 
joining  in  that  wicked  and  desperate  attempt  particularly  in 
August  1745  when  the  Pretender's  son  and  young  Olanranald, 
Boistel's  nephew,  sent  William  Moyes  from  Aberlour  who  had  been 
taken  by  Anthony  Welsh  Captain  of  the  French  Privateer  with 
about  2  or  300  bolls  of  meal  to  be  distributed  among  the  people 


666  THE    CLAN    DONALD. 

ol  South  Uist  to  entice  them  to  rise  in  arms  against  the  gorern- 
mtnt,  he  did  on  that  occasion  all  that  could  be  expected  of  any 
private  subject,  he  hindered  the  South  Uist  men  much  against 
the  inclinations  of  many  of  them  from  receiving  the  meal,  he 
forced  away  the  ship  from  the  icbel  guard  sent  with  if,  lie 
allowed  the  master  to  go  home  with  his  cargo,  provided  him 
with  money  and  whatever  else  he  wanted,  sent  a  pilot 
with  him  and  gave  a  certificate  of  his  usage  by  the  rebels,  of  all 
this  Mr  Moyes  is  still  a  living  witness.  Again,  when  C.iptain 
Macdonald,  a  rebel  officer,  and  several  others  came  to  him  from 
the  Pretender  he  insulted  the-i,  laughed  at  their  project,  and  dis- 
couraged everybody  from  going  with  them  though  the  Pretender 
and  his  adherents  frequently  threatened  by  word  and  writing  that 
at  anyrate  he  should  fall  a  sacrifice  to  their  resentment  Yet  it 
is  well  known  that  by  his  endeavours  the  country  people  there 
were  kept  at  home  though  numbers  of  them  inclined  to  join  the 
rebels.  Nay,  he  expressly  threatened  to  beat  some  who  were 
offering  to  go. 

When  the  Spanish  ship  came  with  money  and  arms  to  the 
neighbouring  countiy,  he  did  all  he  possibly  could  to  hinder  the 
inhabitants  of  South  Uist  and  Barra  from  meddling  that  way,  and 
it  was  in  a  great  measure  owing  to  his  influence  that  they  con- 
tinued peacably  at  home.  Last  March  when  feome  mad  people  in 
the  country  of  South  Uist  gathered  together  some  vagabonds  to 
march  with  them  to  the  Pretender's  camp  he  endeavoured  to  stop 
their  career,  he  bantered  their  ringleader  and  wrote  to  his  brother 
who  was  then  in  Harris  that  he  should  return  and  use  his  authority 
to  disperse  them,  which  was  accordingly  done.  So  sensible  were 
the  rebels  of  his  aversion  to  their  cause,  and  so  incensed  at  the 
hurt  he  had  done  them,  that  in  revenge  those  that  came  on  board 
the  French  ships  which  came  lately  in  quest  of  the  Young  Pre- 
tender killed  some  of  his  cattle  and  threatened  to  destroy  more  of 
his  effects  if  the  Independent  Companies  stationed  here  at  that 
time  had  not  prevented  them.  Several  other  facts  too  tedious  to 
be  mentioned  might  be  likewise  declared,  but  from  the  above 
instances  of  his  behaviour  and  his  known  character  we  are  per- 
suaded he  will  be  found  to  have  acted  the  part  of  a  loyal  subject. 
And  we  aver  nothing  of  him  but  what  may  be  clearly  proved  by 
unquestionable  evidences.  Signed  in  name,  presence,  and  by 
appointment  of  the  Presbytery  of  Uist  by 

DONALD  MCLEOD,  Moderator. 
Jo :  McAuLAY,  Clerk. 


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BINDING  SEr  T.  Wb  *  3 


Macdonald,  Angus 
758         The  clan  Donald 

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M25M3 
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