74 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



about him when he arrived of about 150 women and children. I did not 

 see papers with him until I saw them on the road at Olach. I saw them 

 before they were burnt. The crowd called out that is, the women 

 called out that Martin and his assistants would require to burn them 

 themselves. I did not say to Martin that he would be made to burn 

 them himself. It was at Olach that I joined the crowd. I have nothing 

 further to say bnt that Martin burned the papers himself. The place 

 Olach above alluded to is about half a-mile from Gedentailler, in the 

 direction of Portree. 



Alexander Finlayson, Balmeanach, 70 years of age, declared that he 

 did not know until Martin arrived that he had come to the Braes to serve 

 the summonses. He was not present when Martin arrived, and he saw 

 him first among a number of men, women, and children at Gedentailler. 

 He did not know that Robertson was helping Martin. The Declaration 

 continued I told him to return and burn them. At this time there was 

 some torn papers scattered about the road, and it was to these papers I 

 referred. The papers were torn and on the ground before I joined the 

 crowd. I did not know that these papers were summonses of removing, 

 but some of the people were saying that they were. I did not know that 

 Martin was going with summonses to us that day, but we were hearing 

 a rumour that we were to be warned. I did not dare Martin to proceed 

 further with his summonses that day. I had a staff in my hand. I was 

 not flourishing it. I did not hear Martin say that he had the Sheriff's 

 warrant for serving the summonses that day. I thought we ought to get 

 justice concerning the matter in dispute, which was the hill pasture of 

 Benlee, which we ever had. When had you the pasture ? We had 

 it ever in connection with our town-ships. It was taken from us about 

 sixteen years ago by bad rulers. We have not possessed it for the last 

 seventeen years. It was let to another tenant. I and my father before 

 me, and my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great -great -grandfather, 

 have been living in the township of Balmeanach, and the hill of Ben- 

 lee was all that time connected with our township. 



Alex. Finlayson, son of and residing with the said Alex. Finlayson, 

 Balmeanach, is married, and about thirty years of age. He saw Martin 

 at the Braes on the day in question. The Declaration continued I did 

 not know then that Martin was a sheriff-officer. I only knew that he 

 was the factor's clerk when I saw him at the Braes on that occasion. 

 Martin had a bunch of papers. I did not know what the papers were, 

 but he told us they were summonses, some of removing and some of 

 rent. I did not take these papers out of Martin's hands, but after 

 seeing them in his hands, I saw them torn and scattered on the road. I 



