Once, when Ned Burke was preparing some collops from a deer the Prince
had shot, a wild, starved-looking lad approached, and seeing the food,
thrust his hand into the dish without either 'with your leave or by your
leave,' and began devouring it like a savage. Ned in a rage very
naturally began to beat the boy, but the gentle Prince interfered, and
reminded his servant of the Christian duty of feeding the hungry,
adding, 'I cannot see anyone perish for lack of food or raiment if I
have it in my power to help them.' Having been fed and clothed the
wretched boy went off straight to a body of militia in the neighbourhood
and tried to betray the Prince to them. Fortunately, his appearance and
manners were such that no one believed him, and he was laughed at for
his pains. Out of at least a hundred souls, gentle and simple, who knew
of the Prince's hiding-place, this 'young Judas' was the only one who
dropped the slightest hint of his whereabouts.
Nor was it only among the Jacobite clans that Charles found devoted and
vigilant friends.
The two most powerful chiefs in the North-west of Scotland were at this
time MacLeod of MacLeod and Sir Alexander Macdonald of Mugstatt, or
Mouggestot, in Skye. These two had, to the great disappointment of the
Jacobites, declared for the Government, and had shown considerable zeal
in trying to suppress the rising; but in the very household of Mugstatt
Charles had a romantic and zealous adherent in the person of Lady
Margaret, Sir Alexander Macdonald's wife. A daughter of the house of
Eglintoun, she had been brought up in Jacobite principles, and now, in
the absence of her husband, did all she could to help the Prince in his
distress. Through the help of a certain Mr. Hugh Macdonald of Belshair
she kept Charles informed of the enemy's movements and sent him
newspapers. Towards the end of June the Government authorities were
pretty certain that the Prince was hiding somewhere in the Long Island,
and attention began to be concentrated on that spot. Two more English
cruisers were sent there, under Captains Scott and Fergusson--men who
had learnt lessons of cruelty from the greatest master of that art, the
Duke of Cumberland--and militia bands patrolled the whole island. It was
quite necessary to remove the Prince from Glencoridale, and the faithful
Belshair was at once despatched by Lady Margaret to consult with Charles
about his further movements. This Mr. Macdonald of Belshair arranged
with Macdonald of Boisdale--one of the shrewdest as well as kindest of
the Prince's friends--that they should meet at the Forest-house of
Glencoridale. The meeting, in spite of hardships and danger and a worse
than uncertain future, was a merry one. The two Highland gentlemen dined
with the Prince (on 'sooty beef' and apparently a plate of butter!), and
the talk was cheerful and free. Forgetful of the gloomy prospects of the
Jacobite cause, and ignoring the victorious enemies encamped within a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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