Neil, who was straggling every day about the neighbouring towns for intelligence, and who never missed to come in seasonable time with what news he gathered among the people, arrived, as the Prince, Boystile, and the other gentlemen were very busie and very hearty taking their bottle. It was always the prince’s custom whenever Neil returned from any expedition, to learn from him privately what news he brought before it was made public. Neil told him that two hundred of the Sky militia, head’d by Hugh Macdonald, of Armidale,[487] and Alexander MacLeod of Ullish,[488] was landed at Barra, who was sent thither by my Lord Lowdian. Campbell, and MacLeod, having had an information that the prince was sculking in that country, and that these gentlemen’s orders were, after a diligent search made in Barra, to pass into South Wist, and to stay there guarding the coasts and foords in the country ’till they were reinforced by a greater number, and, moreover, that Captain Ferguson[489] was ordered to the Lewis for the same purpose, Captain MacKenzie to the Herris, and the _Baltimore_ to cruize upon the coast of Wist, so that it seemed next to a miracle to have been able to escape. The prince, who always appeared very gay and cheerful, notwithstanding his crosses and misfortunes, was very much dejected at this news; which Boystile observing, begged of him to be in no ways uneasie, that the danger was not so great as what he apprehended, and that he, despite of all the search of the enemy, would procure a place for him where he would not be exposed to the least danger till such time as a more favourable opportunity offered for making his escape; and fearing least the enemy might surprise them, being now three days in the country, Boystile took leave of him in order to prevent their coming so suddenly till he got time to fit into some other place. Neil fearing the fickleness and the inconstancy of the common people, who might perhaps be perverted from their fidelity to discover him to his enemies, in hopes of a great reward, did not think proper to stay there any longer; whereupon, having got into their boat, which they always had nigh them, they set out about eleven o’clock at night, without acquainting any body of their design, except those who were partakers of it, and took the retreat towards Benbicula, and landed about break of day in Fuyia,[490] a desert island, about three miles from Roshiness, where they sculked for eight days.