92 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



effectively broken. The King crowed over the success of 

 his plot the penalty of his success came later. 



The imprisonment and subsequent release of the Earl 

 of Ross by James were followed by the insurrection of 

 that turbulent chief, which had unfortunate results for 

 himself. He was forced to make a humiliating submission 

 which saved his life but not his liberty. Scarcely two 

 years had passed after his confinement in Tantallon 

 Castle, when his cousin, Donald Balloch, headed a formid- 

 able rebellion, which spread throughout the length and 

 breadth of the Hebrides. The energy of the King 

 again proved more than a match for the Islesmen, who, 

 after initial successes, finally succumbed to the vigorous 

 measures which James directed against them. A head, 

 said to be that of Donald Balloch, was presented to the 

 King, and the insurrection came to an end ; the real 

 Donald Balloch, however, proved a very lively corpse in 

 later years. By a wise act of clemency, James released 

 the prisoner of Tantallon and restored his titles and pos- 

 sessions, to which was added the lordship of Lochaber. 

 Alexander, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles, continued, 

 outwardly at least, a peaceable subject for the remainder 

 of his life. And thus the policy of the King had its reward. 

 One of Alexander's sons was Hugh, the founder of the 

 Sleat branch of the Macdonalds. As that family in after 

 years professed to have a claim to the possession of 

 Lewis, and actually owned North Uist, it may be well here 

 to go back to its inception. 



During the lifetime of John of the Isles, his son, Johi 

 Mor the Tanister, endeavoured to seize the whole of hii 

 father's estate south of Ardnamurchan, and succeeded ii 

 obtaining the co-operation of the Macleans and of tl 

 Macleods of Harris ; Macleod of Lewis, with Macneill of 

 Barra and several other chiefs, remaining faithful to the 

 Lord of the Isles. A strong force was sent against John 

 Mor, who fled in confusion, and the insurrection was easily 

 put down. He who incited John Mor to rebel against his 

 father was Finnon (Kinnon), a son of the last O'Beolan Earl 



