132 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



which signal fifty fully armed Athol men bounded 

 into sight from behind a hill that had hidden them. 

 Lochiel sternly asked the Earl what these men might 

 mean, and received for reply : " Oh ! these are just 

 fifty Athol wedders come to graze on Benevrich, so 

 now, Lochiel, as you are powerless, you must submit 

 to my terms for the settlement of dispute." In the 

 meantime Lochiel had taken off his cape and turned 

 it inside out, at which signal his sixty-five men 

 darted into sight as he replied to the Earl, "And 

 here are sixty-five Lochaber dogs, each one thirsting 

 to taste the flesh of the Athol wedders." As it 

 happened, the Lochaber men were nearer to the 

 Earl than his own men, so seeing at a glance 

 that it would be folly to engage a superior force 

 with the certainty of being killed himself, he frankly 

 admitted Lochiel had outwitted him, and immediately 

 agreed to yield all points in dispute, while then 

 and there he swore on the hilt of his sword — in those 

 days the most solemn Highland oath that could 

 be taken — that he would give up all claim to the 



