THE ISLE OF SKYE IN 1882. 31 



driven back about a hundred yards. The isolated con- 

 stables now, however, found their position very dangerous. 

 The crofters rallied and hemmed them in, and a rush had 

 to be made to catch up the main body in safety. At this 

 point several members of the constabulary received serious 

 buffetings, and had they not regained their comrades, some 

 of their number would in all probability have been mortally 

 wounded. Meanwhile the crowd increased in strength. 



The time within which summonses of ejectment could 

 be legally served having expired, the crofters had for a 

 day or two relaxed their vigilance, and not expecting the 

 constables so early in the morning, they had no time 

 to gather their full strength. But the " Fiery Cross " had 

 in five minutes passed through the whole township from 

 every point. Hundreds of determined looking persons 

 could be observed converging on the procession, and 

 matters began to assume a serious aspect. With great 

 oaths, the men demanded where were the Peinichorrain men. 

 This township was the most distant, and the men had not 

 yet had time to come up. But they were coming. Cheers 

 and yells were raised. " The rock ! the rock ! " suddenly 

 shouted some one. " The rock ! the rock ! " was taken 

 up, and roared out from a hundred throats. The strength 

 of the position was realised by the crofters ; so also it 

 was by the constables. The latter were ordered to run at 

 the double. The people saw the move, and the screaming 

 and yelling became fiercer than ever. The detachment 

 reached the opening of the gulley. Would they manage 

 to run through ? Yes ! No ! On went the blue coats, but 

 their progress was soon checked. It was simply insane to 

 attempt the passage. Stones were coming down like hail, 

 while huge boulders where hurled down before which 

 nothing could stand. These bounded over the road and 



