THE AUTUMN CAMPAIGN. 93 



popular mind will be imbibing doctrines with regard to the 

 land which may probably end in restricting the liberties in 

 dealing with landed estates now enjoyed by their owners." 

 The Northern Meeting at Inverness took place on 2ist and 

 22nd September (in the following week), and many of the 

 gentlemen present at the Argyleshire Meeting attended the 

 meeting in the Highland capital. Lord Macdonald was also 

 present. Whether his lordship had any interview with those 

 gentlemen I know not, but on Saturday, 23rd of September, 

 he left Inverness, and on Monday, the 25th, he visited 

 the Braes. The conference was fruitless. The tenants, 

 who had hitherto demanded Benlee free of rent, now, 

 in order to put an end to the present turmoil, offered 

 to give about ^40. Lord Macdonald, who receives 

 ^128 from the present tenant, agreed to accept ^100. 

 Possibly another interview might lead to a compromise be- 

 tween parties the tenants offering more and the landlord 

 agreeing to accept less. But whether there will be another 

 interview or not is a matter that must lie with the proprietor, 

 for in their present frame of mind the tenants are not likely 

 to seek an interview at the stage which the case has now 

 reached. 



Now, with regard to the threatened military invasion. 

 That it was the intention of the authorities at one time to 

 send one or two companies of soldiers to Skye is not 

 denied ; aud that these companies were to go from Fort- 

 George. This would undoubtedly be very distasteful work 

 to Highland soldiers, but if ordered they would have no 

 alternative but to obey. That they were warned to be in 

 readiness for "active service" in the Braes is certain ; but I 

 have good reasons for stating that military opinion at the 

 Fort was decidedly against any such task being assigned to 

 Highland soldiers, and that such remonstrances as could be 



