ii4 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



forfeiture of the Lords of the Isles, the Macneills of Barra 

 attached themselves to the Duart family, and the detach- 

 ment of Duart from the cause of Donald Dubh would also 

 involve that of his " part-taker " Macneill. James made 

 strong efforts to win Duart over to his cause, and similarly 

 endeavoured to secure the allegiance of Cameron of Lochiel ; 

 but the attempt proved unsuccessful in both cases. 



Torquil Macleod had by this time delivered Donald 

 Dubh into the care of Maclean, a circumstance which 

 increased the importance of securing Duart's detachment 

 from the coalition. Failing in this attempt, the King 

 tried another plan. By appealing to the cupidity of the 

 loyal and quasi-loyal chiefs, he sought to stimulate their 

 antagonism towards the rebels. It was the old story 

 of setting Highlander against Highlander the policy 

 of despair which his predecessors had so frequently em- 

 ployed. The King who now occupied the throne had 

 departed from these traditional lines, but we now find him, 

 after admittedly great provocation, reverting to the ways 

 of his predecessors. But on this occasion, the policy failed 

 to bear the desired fruit. On the contrary, its only effect 

 appears to have been to consolidate the alliance of the 

 chiefs. 



In the Acts of Parliament, there appears a memorandum 

 dated igth March, 1503, which is so instructive that it is 

 here quoted in part, the spelling being modernised. 



" Macian (of Ardnamurchan), Maclean of Lochbuie, 

 4 Grete ' Macleod (of Harris), Ranald Allanson (of Clan 

 Ranald), Macneill of Barra, ' McKinewin ' (MacKinnon of 

 Strathswordale), ' McCorrie ' (Macquarrie of Ulva), and 

 most surprising of all Torquil Macleod of Lewis, are 

 charged to proceed against the forfeited Lachlan Maclean 

 of Duart and Ewen Allanson (Cameron of Lochiel) to 

 take and inbring the same and harry, destroy, and burn 

 their lands. And if they apprehend and take and bring to 

 our Sovereign lord any of the head men, they shall have 

 the half of all their lands. And if they take and inbring 

 any other head man, and other men their accomplices, the 



