36 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



their masterly retreat before the old men and women of 

 Gedintailler had retired to their quarters in Portree, the 

 friends of the prisoners began to think of their defence when 

 they came before the Law Courts for trial. 



A few hours after the Police Brigade returned to Portree, 

 Dean of Guild Mackenzie, Inverness, editor of the Celtic 

 Magazine, who had gone, as representative of the Highland 

 Land Law Reform Association, to report upon the alleged 

 grievances of the crofters in Skye, arrived In Portree. Him 

 the friends of the prisoners consulted, with the result that 

 he dispatched a telegram to Mr. Kenneth Macdonald, 

 Town Clerk of Inverness, asking him to undertake the 

 defence. Curiously enough a number of sympathisers in 

 Glasgow, who had formed themselves into a defence com- 

 mittee, met about the same time, and they also, through 

 their secretary, Mr. Hugh Macleod, Writer, Glasgow, tele- 

 graphed to know if Mr. Macdonald would defend the 

 prisoners. Both telegrams were delivered about the same 

 time and to each an affirmative reply was immediately 

 sent. 



At this time nothing definite was known of the charge 

 preferred against the prisoners, and it was not until the 26th 

 of April, 1882, a week after the arrest, and when they could 

 no longer be legally detained without having a copy of the 

 charge delivered to them, that the prisoners were committed 

 for trial and allowed to see an adviser. Such is the 

 humanity of the Criminal Law of Scotland. During the 

 week which a prisoner can thus be legally kept in close 

 confinement, he will not be permitted to see friend or 

 adviser of any kind, but he may be brought day after day 

 before the Sheriff and subjected to examination by a 

 skilful lawyer whose main if not sole object is to get from 

 him admissions which will tend to prove his guilt, and every 



