xliv INTRODUCTION. 



making a very substantial gift to the people of the Braes. 

 With this object he- requested me to proceed to the district; 

 to pay a year's rent of Ben Lee, amounting to ^74 155. ; 

 and to distribute ^25 55. in meal and money, making a 

 sum of ^100 in all, among the most necessitous of the 

 inhabitants of the three townships of Gedintaillear, Bal- 

 meanach,andPeinichorain; and these instructions were duly 

 carried out in February last. The rent being after-hand, 

 the tenants will thus, through the generosity of Mr. Mac- 

 kenzie, have the use of Ben Lee for two years before they 

 can be called upon to pay any rent whatever for it out of 

 their own earnings.. 



In support of the claim made by the people of the Braes, 

 it may not be inappropriate to quote here from a letter 

 published by Macleod of Macleod in the northern News- 

 papers in July last. He says, that "Ben Lee was a Common, 

 and as is well known, what is common to all is of little 

 value to any ". What are the statements and denials by 

 Lord Macdonald and his representatives of the peoples' 

 rights to this Common worth, after this damaging admission 

 by Macleod? 



LIBERATION OF THE GLENDALE MARTYRS. 



The three Glendale crofters imprisoned for two months 

 in the Calton jail, Edinburgh, for breach of interdict were 

 liberated on i5th May, at 8 A.M., when they were met at 

 the door by about 1000 people, headed by two pipers, who 

 marched to the Ship Hotel, and there entertained the lib- 

 erated men to a public breakfast. The same evening John 

 Macpherson, after visiting his friends in Glasgow, proceeded 

 to Skye, by Strome Ferry, that he might reach Glendale in 

 time to be examined by the Royal Commission on the 



