IN THE HIGHLANDS 21 



Arrows), between Shieldaig and Badachro. Here they 

 decided to wait till morning, and then disembark and 

 walk round the head of the loch. But all their move- 

 ments had been well and carefully watched. Domhnall 

 Odhar Maclain Leith and his brother Iain, the celebrated 

 Macrae archers, recognised the hirlinn of the Macleods 

 and determined to oppose their landing. They walked 

 round the head of the loch by Shieldaig, and posted 

 themselves before daylight behind the Leac, a projecting 

 rock overlooking the Fraoch Eilean. The steps on 

 which they stood at the back of the rock are still pointed 

 out. Domhnall Odhar, being of small stature, took the 

 higher of the two ledges and Iain took the lower. 

 Standing on these, they crouched down behind the rock, 

 completely sheltered from the enemy, but commanding 

 a full view of the island, while they were quite invisible 

 to the Macleods on the island. 



" As soon as the day dawned the two Macraes directed 

 their arrows on the strangers, of whom a number were 

 killed before their comrades were even aware of the 

 direction from which the messenger of death came. 

 The Macleods endeavoured to answer their arrows, but, 

 not being able to see the foe, their efforts were of no 

 effect. In the heat of the fight one of the Macleods 

 climbed up the mast of the hirlinn to discover the 

 position of the enemy. Iain Odhar, perceiving this, 

 took deadly aim at him when near the top of the mast. 

 * Oh,' says Donald, addressing John, ' you have sent 

 a pin through his broth.' The slaughter continued, and 

 the remainder of the Macleods hurried aboard their 

 hirlinn. Cutting the rope, they turned their heads 



