On their way towards Kylerhea they met a boat from Lochalsh sent out to inform them of the enemy's arrival at Kyleakin. Learning this, they cautiously kept their course close to the south side of the loch. It was a calm moonlight night, with occasional slight showers of snow. The tide had already begun to flow, and, judging that the Macdonalds would await the next turning of the tide to enable them to get through Kylerhea, the Kintail men, longing for their prey, resolved to advance and meet them. They had not proceeded far, rowing very gently, after placing seaweed in the rowlocks so as not to make a noise, when they noticed a boat, rowing at the hardest, coming in their direction; but from its small size they thought it must have been sent by the Macdonalds in advance to test the passage of Kylerhea. They therefore allowed it to pass unmolested, and proceeded northward, looking for Macdonald's own galley. As they neared the Cailleach, a low rock midway between both Kyles, it was observed in the distance covered with snow. The night also favoured them, the sea, calm, appearing black and mournful to the enemy. Here they met Macdonald's first galley, and drawing up near it, they soon discovered it to be no other than his own great birlinn, some distance ahead of the rest of the fleet. Macdonald, as soon as he noticed them, called out "Who is there?" twice in succession, but receiving no answer, and finding the Kintail men drawing nearer, he called out the third time, when, in reply, he received a full broadside from Mackenzie's cannon, which disabled his galley and threw her on the Cailleach Rock.