24 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



he will make any concession, but they are evidently deter- 

 mined to walk in the same paths as their neighbours on the 

 estate of Sir John Macpherson Macleod, and they are in 

 great hopes that the friends of the Gael in the large towns 

 of the south will manfully aid them in their battle against 

 landlordism. This statement will enable the reader to form 

 his own opinion on the question which has produced such a 

 feeling of insecurity and terror in the minds of both crofter 

 and proprietor for the last two years in the Isle of Skye, 

 indeed throughout the whole Highlands. 



BURNING THE SUMMONSES IN THE BRAES. 



We shall next give a short account of what followed upon 

 the refusal of these proprietors to give favourable considera- 

 tion to the claims of their crofting tenantry. A correspon- 

 dent of the Free Press, early in April last, described what 

 had occurred after the tenants had refused to pay any rent 

 until their grievances were considered in the following 

 terms : 



The quarrel between Lord Macdonald and his tenants of 

 Balmeanach, Peinichorrain, and Gedintaillear, in the Braes 

 of Portree, is developing into portentous importance. His 

 lordship, it appears, has made up his mind to put the law in 

 force against them, and not on any account to yield to their 

 demands ; and on Friday a sheriff-officer and assistant, 

 accompanied by his lordship's ground-officer from Portree, 

 proceeded to serve summonses of removing, and small debt 

 summonses for rent upon about a score of the refractory 

 ones. The tenants, however, for some time past, since they 

 took up their present attitude, have been posting regular 

 sentinels on watch to give warning of any stranger's approach, 

 and when the officer and his party were at the Bealach near 



