Skye, Island of (Scotland) -- Description and travel
In Raasay the prince did not remain long. He returned to Skye, abode
for a space in Strath, dwelling in strange places, and wearing many
disguises--finally, through the aid of the chief of the Mackinnons,
he reached the mainland. By this time it had become known to the
Government that the prince had been wandering about the island, and
Malcolm Macleod, Kingsburgh, and Miss Macdonald were apprehended.
Miss Macdonald was at first confined in Dunstaffnage Castle, and was
afterwards conveyed to London. Her imprisonment does not seem to
have been severe, and she was liberated, it is said, at the special
request of Frederick Prince of Wales. She and Malcolm Macleod
returned to Scotland together. In 1750 Flora married Allan
Macdonald, young Kingsburgh, and on the death of his father in 1772
the young people went to live on the farm. Here they received Dr
Johnson and Boswell. Shortly after, the family went to America, and
in 1775 Kingsburgh joined the Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment. He
afterwards served in Canada, and finally returned to Skye on
half-pay. Flora had seven children, five sons and two daughters, the
sons after the old Skye fashion becoming soldiers, and the daughters
the wives of soldiers. She died in 1790, and was buried in the
churchyard of Kilmuir. To the discredit of the Skye gentlemen--in
many of whom her blood flows--the grave is in a state of utter
disrepair. When I saw it two or three months ago it was covered with
a rank growth of nettles. These are untouched. The tourist will
deface tombstones, and carry away chips from a broken bust, but a
nettle the boldest or the most enthusiastic will hardly pluck and
convey from even the most celebrated grave. A line must be drawn
somewhere, and Vandalism draws the line at nettles--it will not sting
its own fingers for the world.
[Sidenote: The old House of Kingsburgh.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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