62 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



said I am a labourer, residing at Portree. On the 7th April last, I 

 went as witness with Angus Martin to the Braes with summonses. 

 The ground officer, Norman Beaton, was also with us. When we 

 came to Gedintailler we saw two boys, and they had flags in their 

 hands on the point of a stick. They ran ahead of us. They were 

 waving the flags, and ran away to a knoll on the low side of Gedin- 

 tailler. When we went on we saw a man, and he came down where 

 we were. A number of people collected, but I do not know how 

 many. The crowd surrounded us. I knew the people, but did not 

 see but Donald and James Nicolson. The crowd knocked me down 

 three times. I was pushed down on the road. The crowd was much 

 excited. I was hurt every time they knocked me down. I went off 

 when I got on my feet. I heard them saying to us that they would 

 kill us. I heard James Nicolson saying so. I did not hear Donald. 

 After throwing the summonses down, Donald seized me by the back of 

 the neck. Donald plucked the summonses from Martin and tore them, 

 and then seized me. He did not throw me down, but caught me by 

 the back of the neck and told me to lift the pieces, and I said there was 

 no use of them. He told me where the summonses were. I was 

 frightened at that stage, "and it was not little". The crowd were 

 excited, and I took myself away, and was followed by about a dozen 

 youths throwing mud at me. I do not know who knocked me down, 

 but I was thrown down three times. They also threw a pail of water 

 at me, but I don't know who did. When I ran away a great deal of 

 stones and earth were thrown at me. Some of them struck me, but 

 I was avoiding them as well as I could. It was only a few youths who 

 followed me. The youths were among the crowd first. 



You did not go back again ? Oh, indeed, I would not go. I did 

 not see the summonses burned, and was frightened for my life. 



By Mr. Macdonald What is your occupation ? Anything I can do 

 if I get payment for it. 



Are you in the habit of accompanying Martin ? Yes, and his father 

 before him for forty years, and others of the same kind before him, and 

 nothing ever happened to me. 



This profession I take it is not very highly respected in the Island of 

 Skye ? I never heard anything about it. Before that time everything 

 went on quietly, and we did our message and got the best in the house 

 before we went away. 



Did you see anything happen to Martin ? No ; I did not. I went 

 away. 



When you were asked in Portree to submit to precognition on behalf 



