114 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



minority, it has been pointed out, consisting of three factors 

 Culloden's, Sir Alexander Mathieson's, and Flichity's, with 

 Lord Lovat's Law Agent, and the local architect of Mackin- 

 tosh and Sir John Ramsden. 



What was to be done next ? Neither military nor police 

 could be had to serve Lord Macdonald's writs ; the county 

 authorities were virtually powerless, and various efforts were 

 made to secure a settlement. They had in fact to fall back 

 on the friends of the crofters, one of whom, a gentleman in 

 Skye, was communicated with by his Lordship's agents, urging 

 him to use his good offices to get the crofters to let his Lord- 

 ship drop easy, by getting proposals of settlement to emanate 

 from them. The result was a visit by the factor, Mr. 

 Alexander Macdonald, to the Braes, on the 2 7th of Novem- 

 ber last; a long conference with the tenants, and a final 

 settlement, the people agreeing to pay a rent of ^74 153. a 

 year for the now celebrated Benlee, for which the late tenant, 

 Mr. John Mackay, had been paying ^128 per annum, and 

 he, who was joint-petitioner with Lord Macdonald, in the 

 Note of Suspension and Interdict, in the Court of Session, 

 having given his consent, the case was withdrawn in 

 the month of December, and peace, which, with a little 

 prudence, and the exercise of the smallest modicum of 

 common-sense, need never to have been broken, now reigns 

 supreme in the Braes. 



It should be mentioned that the Braes crofters told their 

 friends from the beginning that, although they considered 

 themselves entitled to Benlee without any rent, still they 

 were willing to pay a fair sum for it, if Lord Macdonald 

 or his factor would only listen to their grievances or con- 

 descend to discuss with them, with the view of arriving at 

 any reasonable compromise, such as that which has now been 

 agreed upon, apparently to the satisfaction of all concerned 



