ESCAPE FROM DOUNE CASTLE. 



Roy, who had raised two hundred men for the service of Prince Charles Stuart, 

 and here supported his authority, and claims, till after the victory of Falkirk, 

 when the prisoners taken on that occasion were disposed of in a large, ghastly 

 room, in the highest part of the castle, near the battlements. Of this number 

 was Home, the author of " Douglas," and historian of the Rebellion, who records 

 the following circumstances : To guard the prisoners there was a party of about 

 twenty Highlanders : a sentinel, who stood two or three paces from the door of 

 the room, allowed any of the prisoners, who chose, to take air on the battlements. 

 One of them, availing himself of this privilege, made his way to the place where 

 the soldiers and other prisoners were confined ; but as there was not one officer 

 with them, he returned the way he went, and "told his companions their scheme 

 of making their escape by force was at an end. It was then proposed that they 

 should make a rope of the blankets they had, by which they might descend 

 from the battlements to the ground a depth of seventy feet, but where there 

 was no sentinel. The proposal was agreed to ; and to prevent suspicion of 

 their design, some of the " volunteers" always kept company with the other 

 persons in the great room, which was common to all, whilst the rest of them, 

 barring the door of their cell, were at work till they had finished the rope, of 

 which they resolved to make trial the very night it was completed. The two 

 officers then claimed it as their right to be the first that should hazard them- 

 selves by proving the strength of the rope. But that claim was objected to, 

 and all drew lots, so as to settle the order in which they should descend. 

 This done, the captain showed No. 1 the lieutenant No. 2. 



When every thing was adjusted, they went up to the battlements, fastened 

 the rope, and about one o'clock, in a moonlight night, began to descend. The two 

 officers, Robert Douglas and another, got down very well ; but with the fifth, 

 who was tall and bulky, the rope broke just as his feet reached the ground. 

 The lieutenant now called to the next in the order of descent an Englishman 

 of the name of Barrow not to attempt it, as twenty or thirty feet were broken 

 oif frcm the rope. Nevertheless, putting himself on the rope, he slid down as 

 far as it lasted, and then let go his hold. His friend Douglas, and the lieutenant, 

 as soon as they saw him on the rope, placed themselves under him, so as to 

 break his fall ; but descending from so great a height, he brought them both 

 to the ground, dislocated one of his ankles, and broke several of his ribs. In 

 this extremity the lieutenant raised him from the ground, and taking him on 

 his back, carried him towards the road which led to Alloa. When unable to 

 proceed further with his burden, two others of the company, by holding each 

 one of Mr. Barrow's arms, helped him " to hop along upon one leg ;" but thinking 



VOL. II. C 



