第 48 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-09-29 13:02      字数:9322
  。  Of this  agreement Kintail knew nothing; and young Glengarry; who was of an  exceedingly bold and restless disposition; against the earnest solicitations  of his father; who became a party to this agreement between his people  and those of Kintail; started with a strong force to Glenshiel and  Letterfearn; while Allan Macdonald of Lundy with another party went to  Glenelchaig; harried those places; took away a large number of cattle; and  killed some of the aged men; several women; and all the male children。
  They found none of the principal and able…bodied men; who had withdrawn some distance that they might with greater advantage gather together in a body and defend themselves; except Duncan MacIan Mhic  Ghillechallum in Killichirtorn; whom the enemy apprehended; and would  have killed; had not one of the Macdonalds; formerly his friend and  acquaintance; prevailed upon young Glengarry to save his life; and send  him to the Castle of Strome; where he still had a garrison; rather than kill  him。
  The successful result of this expedition encouraged Angus so much that he began to think fortune had at last turned in his favour; and he set  out and called personally upon all the chief and leaders of the various  branches of the Macdonalds in the west; soliciting their assistance against  the Mackenzies; which they all agreed to give him in the following spring。
  This soon came to Mackenzie's knowledge; who was at the time residing in Ellandonnan Castle; and fearing the consequences of such a  powerful combination against him; he went privately to Mull by sea to  consult his brother…in…law; Hector Og Maclean of Duart; to whom he told  that he had a commission of fire and sword against 〃the rebels of  Glengarry and such as would rise in arms to assist them; and being  informed that the Macdonalds near him (Maclean) had combined to join  them; and to put him to further trouble; that; therefore; he would; not only  as a good subject but as his fast friend; divert these whenever they should  rise in arms against him。〃 'Ardintoul MS。'  Maclean undertook to prevent  the assistance of the Clan Ranald of Isla and the Macdonalds of Glencoe  and Ardnamurchan; by; if necessary; invading their territories; and thus  compelling them to protect their own interests at home。  It appears that old  Glengarry was still anxious to arrange a permanent peace with Mackenzie;  but his son Angus; restless and turbulent as ever; would not hear of any  peaceful settlement; and determined to start at once upon an expedition;  from which his father told him at the time he had little hopes of his ever  returning alivea prediction which turned out only too true。
  Angus; taking advantage of Mackenzie's absence in Mull;  gathered; in the latter end of November; as secretly as be could; all the boats and great galleys within his reach; and; with this large fleet loaded  with his followers passed through the Kyles under silence of night; and;  coming to Lochcarron; he sent his marauders ashore in the twilight。  The  inhabitants perceiving them; escaped to the hills; but the Macdonalds  cruelly slaughtered all the aged men who could not escape; and many of  the women and children seized all the cattle; and drove them to the Island  of Slumbay; where their boats which they filled with the carcases lay。
  Before; however; they had fully loaded; the alarm having gone through the districts of Lochalsh and Kintail; some of the natives of those districts were seen marching in the direction of Lochcarron。 The Macdonalds  deemed it prudent to remain no longer; and set out to sea pursued by a  shower of arrows by way of farewell; which; however; had little effect  upon them; as they were already out of range。
  The Kintail men; by the shortest route; now returned to  Ellandonnan; sending twelve of the swiftest of their number across  country to Inverinate; where lay; newly built; a twelve…oared galley; which had never been to sea; belonging to Gillecriost MacDhonnchaidh; one of  Inverinate's tenants。  These heroes made such rapid progress that they  were back at the castle with the boat before many of their companions  arrived from Lochcarron。  During the night they set to work; superintended  and encouraged by Lady Mackenzie in person; to make arrangements to go  out and meet the enemy。  The best men were quickly picked。  The Lady  supplied them with all the materials and necessaries for the journey within  her reach; handed them the lead and powder with her own hands; and gave  them two small pieces of brass ordnance。  She ordered Duncan  MacGillechriost; a powerful handsome fellow; to take command of the  galley in his father's absence; and in eloquent terms charged them all with  the honour of her house and her own protection in her husband's absence。
  This was hardly necessary; for the Kintail men had not yet forgotten the  breach of faith which had been committed by Macdonald regarding the  recent agreement to cease hostilities for a stated time; and other recent sores。  Her ladyship having wished them God…speed; they started on their  way rejoicing and in the best of spirits。 She mounted the castle walls; and  stood there encouraging them until; by the darkness of the night; she could  no longer see them。
  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。
  The men on board Macdonald's galley thought they had been  driven on shore; and flocked to the fore part of the boat; striving to escape;  thus capsizing and filling the birlinn。  Discovering their position; and  seeing a long stretch of sea lying between them and the mainland; they  became quite confused; and were completely at the mercy of their  enemies; who sent some of their men ashore to despatch any of the poor  wretches who might swim ashore; while others remained in their boat  killing and drowning the Macdonalds。 Such of them as managed to reach  the land were also killed or drowned by those of the Kintail men who went ashore; not a soul out of the sixty men on board the galley having escaped  except Angus Macdonald himself still breathing; though he had been  wounded twice in the head and once in the body。  He was yet alive when  they took him aboard their galley; but he died before morning。  Hearing  the uproar; several of the Lochalsh people went out with all speed in two small boats; under command of Dugall Mac Mhurchaidh Matthewson; to  take part in the fray; but by the time they arrived at the scene of action few  of Macdonald's followers were alive。  Thus ended the career of Angus;  younger of Glengarry; a chief to whom his followers looked up; and whom  they justly regarded as a bold and intrepid leader; though deficient in  prudence and strategy。
  The remainder of Macdonald's fleet; to the number of twenty…one; following behind his own galley; having heard the uproar; returned to  Kyleakin in such terror and confusion that each thought his nearest  neighbour was pursuing him。  Landing in Strathardale; they left their boats  〃and their ill…cooked beef to these hungry gentlemen;〃 and before they  slept they arrived in Sleat; from whence they were sent across to the  mainland in the small boats of the laird。
  The great concern and anxiety of her ladyship of Ellandonnan can be easily conceived; for all that she had yet learnt was the simple fact that  an engagement of some kind had taken place; and this she only knew from  having heard the sound of cannon during the night。 Early in the morning  she noticed her protectors returning with their birlinn; accompanied by  another great galley。  This brightened her hopes; and going down to the  shore to meet them; she heartily saluted them; and asked if all had gone  well wit