Donald, upon coming to Appin, and his history being made public, got the name of _Donul nan Ord_,[7] by which he was known ever after. Nature was very kind to Donald. He had ready wit, a quick invention, an excellent address, an uncommon degree of firmness of mind, strength of body, and activity. Those qualities rendered him a fit leader of a chosen band in those restless and warlike times. He soon became a terror to the enemies of his clan and of his friends. His first step was to kill _Cailen Uaine_,[8] the murderer of his father. Nor did he stop till he had destroyed nine other gentlemen of the family of Dunstaffnage. This cost Donald several skirmishes; but his attacks were so bold, and so well managed, that he was always successful. Argyle soon came to be interested in the distress that Donald was bringing on his clan, and employed several parties to cut him off, but in vain. Donald seeing Argyle’s intention, instead of being intimidated, penetrated with his chosen band into the heart of Argyle’s country, spoiled his tenants, carrying away a considerable booty from the sides of Lochow, which at that time gave a title to the chief of the clan. There is still handed down a little roundlet, which narrates this transaction— “Donal nan Ord, dalt a gothain Alleagan nan luarach leabhair, Thog thu creach o’ thaogh Locho, Nach dean Mhac Callen a thoghadh, Na Mhac, na Earo na Otha.”[9] Argyle, much enraged at the affront offered him by Donald, began to think of serious revenge, by raising his whole clan and followers to destroy him; but wisely seeing that this could not be done without some noise, and aware that Donald might be supported by his mother’s powerful friends, and also by the Camerons, set on foot a negotiation with the Laird of Appin, to get Donald to make restitution and be peaceful. The result was, that Appin, and his other friends, insisted with Donald that he should come to terms with Argyle, threatening, if he did not comply, to leave him to his fate. Donald, unwilling to split with his friends, and thinking that he had done enough in revenging his father’s death, complied, and actually went to Inverary with a single attendant, to hold a conference with Argyle, at his own place, and among his numerous friends. Argyle, who was a man of the world, conceived that, from Donald’s rusticity, he could easily, by persuasion, get him into a scrape that might prove fatal to him. But Donald, though he agreed all at once to the terms proposed, got himself easily extricated. Upon Donald’s reaching Inverary, he met Argyle in the fields, and is said to have accosted him thus— “A Mhic Callen griomach ghlais, Is beag an hachd a thagad dhiom, Is nar a Phillis mi air mais Mas a mo a thaghain dhiot.”[10]