88 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



daughter gave her hand to Campbell of Ottar, but, dying without issue, her 

 portion of the Stewart estates went to the children of her sister, the countess 

 of Argyll. But to return to the son. On the death of his father, finding 

 himself left with one sole inheritance, the sword, he resolved to take possession 

 of such portion of the estates as his means enabled him. With this determi- 

 nation, and the support of some of his father's retainers, he appealed for 

 additional help to his mother's family, the Maclarens of Balquiddar. This 

 appeal being answered by a strong reinforcement, Stewart met his two brothers- 

 in-law in a pitched battle, and gained a complete victory. Thenceforth he 

 remained in undisturbed possession of the lands, which, during the long series of 

 generations mentioned, and till finally sold in 1765, formed the family posses- 

 sions of the Stewarts of Appin. 



The Stewarts of Ardshiel, a branch of the same family, have performed many 

 conspicuous parts in the history of their country. The following anecdote 

 respecting the disastrous events so often alluded to in these pages, may, probably, 

 be new to some of our readers. We have already mentioned that Stewart of 

 Ardshiel was among the foremost who espoused the cause of Prince Charles 

 Edward in 1745, and, like many of his brother outlaws, had to consult his 

 safety by retiring to a remarkable cave in this neighbourhood. The mouth of 

 the cavern is singularly protected by a waterfall, which descends like a crystal 

 curtain in front of it, but through which no traces of such an excavation are 

 perceptible. After the defeat of the Highland army at Culloden, the vigilance 

 of the conquering party was a constant source of terror and distress to the 

 inhabitants. By some unknown means, one of the Duke's officers stationed at 

 Castle Stalker the subject of many curious traditions got notice that a cave 

 existed in this quarter, and started with the resolution to subject the locality 

 to a minute investigation. *It happened that a poor idiot boy, a hanger-on 

 about the family, had observed them approaching ; but, not being in sufficient 

 time to give the alarm, he ran after the party, expressing by his words and 

 gestures a degree of ridiculous astonishment that was highly diverting to the 

 soldiers. The drum, in particular, was viewed by him as an object of the 

 greatest curiosity ; and to gratify this, he kept close to the drummer, whom he 

 affected to regard as a person of the highest consequence. " After using much 

 importunity in order to get the drum to carry, he took out all the wealth he 

 possessed, amounting to sixpence, and offered it to the drummer, provided he 

 would let him hear a sample of the music." For the sake of diversion his request 

 was complied with ; but, at the first " tuck" on the parchment, the cunning youth, 

 affecting- the greatest terror, pretended to run off, which the drummer observing, 



