THE ISLE OF SKYE IN 1882. 33 



missile. Mrs. Nicolson, whose husband, James Nicolson, 

 was one of the prisoners, had her head badly laid open, but 

 whether with a truncheon or stone is not known. Another 

 woman, well advanced in years, was hustled in the scrimmage 

 on the hill, and, losing her balance, rolled down a consider- 

 able distance, her example being followed by a stout police- 

 man, the two ultimately coming into violent collision. The 

 poor old person was badly bruised, and turned sick and 

 faint. Of the men a considerable number sustained severe 

 bruises, but so far as I could ascertain none of them were 

 disabled. About a dozen of the police were injured more 

 or less seriously. One of the Glasgow men had his nose 

 almost cut through with a stone, and was terribly gashed 

 about the brow. Captain Donald, as already stated, was 

 struck on the knee, and his leg swelled up badly after the 

 return to Portree. Neither the Sheriffs nor the Fiscals were 

 injured, but it is understood that they all received hits in 

 the encounter on the hill. 



After the serious scrimmage at Gedintailler, no further de- 

 monstrations of hostility were made, and the procession went 

 on, without further adventure, to Portree. Rain fell without 

 intermission during the entire journey out and home, and 

 all arrived at their destination completely exhausted. On 

 arrival in town the police were loudly hooted and hissed 

 as they passed through the square to the jail, and subse- 

 quently when they marched from the Court-house to the 

 Royal Hotel. The prisoners were lodged in the prison. 

 There names are : Alexander Finlayson, aged between 60 

 and 70 years ; Malcolm Finlayson, a son of the above, and 

 living in the same house (the latter is married) ; Peter 

 MacdonaM has a wife and eight of a family ; Donald Nicol- 

 son, 66 years of age, and is married ; and James Nicolson, 



whose wife was one of the women seriously injured. 



3 



