Donald MacDonald, who was sent by Clanranald to learn the strength of the enemy, as it was believed, having returned, acquainted him of the matter of fact, assuring, he spoke to Mr. Allen MacDonald, who ordered him to tell Clanranald to come and see him, as he designed to go off that night. Whereupon Clan and Neil MacDonald went privately out of the town, and took their way straight to Roshiness, where they found the prince, in the house with Mr. O’Sulvan, O’Neil, Mr. Allen MacDonald, and Donald MacLeod. The prince received him very kindly, after having communicated to him his design he took leave of him, and put to sea again that night, with the same persons that accompanied him thither. The heavens proved more favourable to them that night than the former, having met with no danger or opposition, and at daybreak they came in to Loch Maddy, in north-west, where they skulk’d the whole day, being the 30th, seeing they durst not venter to sea in the daytime, for fear to be discovered by the several men of war that guarded the coast at that time. They set out from Loch Maddy about six o’clock, which was the ordinary hour they always departed, and landed in Scalpa, in the Herris, early next morning, being the 1st of May.[469] Before they came near a house they took borrow’d names and employments. Master O’Sulvan took that of Captain Sinclair, the prince called himself William Sinclair, the captain’s son, O’Neill changed his name into Neilson, and mate Master Allen named himself Dalrumple, and Rosman, and Donald MacLeod, master of the boat y^t brought them thither, and swore the crew to attest the same. After this ceremony was over, they came to Donald Campbell’s house, who was the most sponsable gentleman in that part of the country, but an enemy by his name, and a downright hypocrite in his heart;[470] and being asked by their landlord what they were, they told him they were sea-fareing men from the Orkneys, who being homeward bound from Irland, lost their ship near the Mull of Kintyre, and most of their crew, and were thereupon forced to freight their present boat and crew from Mull, as fare as the Lewis, where they hop’t to find a vessel to transport them safe home to their own country. The next day, being the 2nd of May, they sent Donald MacLeod away to Stornaway before them to have a ship ready freighted, and to get intelligence how the people stood affected, and to send them word accordingly; which project would have had the intended success, were it not for the imprudence of Donald, and MacAulay’s malicious letter.