Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 04 (of 15), EnglishMorris, Charles
History
Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 04 (of 15), English
Morris, Charles
Great Britain -- History
This advice was hardly to Charles's taste. He preferred court-life in
France to cave-life in Scotland, and did not cease his efforts to
escape. His purposes were aided by an instance of enthusiastic devotion.
A young man named McKenzie, son of an Edinburgh goldsmith, and a
fugitive officer from the defeated army, happened to resemble the prince
closely in face and person. He was attacked by a party of soldiers,
defended himself bravely, and when mortally wounded, cried out, "Ah,
villains, you have slain your prince!"
His generous design proved successful. His head was cut off, and sent to
London as that of the princely fugitive, which it resembled so closely
that it was some time before the mistake was discovered. This error
proved of the utmost advantage to the prince. The search was greatly
relaxed, and he found it safe to leave the shelter of his cave, and
seek some of his late adherents, of whose movements he had been kept
informed. He therefore bade farewell to the faithful outlaws, with the
exception of two, who accompanied him as guides and guards.
Safety was not yet assured. It was with much difficulty, and at great
risk, that he succeeded in meeting his lurking adherents, Lochiel and
Cluny McPherson, who were hiding in Badenoch. Here was an extensive
forest, the property of Cluny, extending over the side of a mountain,
called Benalder. In a deep thicket of this forest was a well-concealed
hut, called the Cage. In this the fugitives took up their residence, and
lived there in some degree of comfort and safety, the game of the forest
and its waters supplying them with abundant food.
Word was soon after brought to Charles that two French frigates had
arrived at Lochnanuagh, their purpose being to carry him and other
fugitives to France. The news of their arrival spread rapidly through
the district, which held many fugitives from Culloden, and on the 20th
of September Charles and Lochiel, with nearly one hundred others of his
party, embarked on these friendly vessels, and set sail for France.
Cluny McPherson refused to go. He remained concealed in his own country
for several years, and served as the agent by which Charles kept up a
correspondence with the Highlanders.
On September 29 the fugitive prince landed near Morlaix, in Brittany,
having been absent from France about fourteen months, five of which had
been months of the most perilous and precarious series of escapes and
adventures ever recorded of a princely fugitive in history or romance.
During these months of flight and concealment several hundred persons
had been aware of his movements, but none, high or low, noble or outlaw,
had a thought of betraying his secret. Among them all, the devoted Flora
McDonald stands first, and her name has become historically famous
through her invaluable services to the prince.
_TRAFALGAR AND THE DEATH OF NELSON._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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