154 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



of fishing in the lochs of the Lewis or others in the 

 North Isles ; not to raise any " towist " or imposition upon 

 them, but to treat them as the Sovereign's good subjects ; 

 and to supply them with meat, drink, and other necessaries, 

 at reasonable charges.* This document is suggestive : it 

 serves to show that strangers fishing at Lewis had had an 

 equivocal reception at the hands of Ruari. The Regent 

 managed to patch up once more the quarrel between father 

 and son. But the latter was again recognised as the heir- 

 apparent, and as such, received from his father, Coigeach 

 and other lands, for his support during his lifetime. The 

 Earl of Argyll became surety in the sum of five thousand 

 pounds for Ruari's appearance, when required, before the 

 Regent and the Lords of Council. In 1576-7, security had 

 to be given for Tormod Uigach and Torquil Conanach to 

 appear before the Regent and Council to answer charges 

 made against them. 



The peaceful relations again established between Ruari 

 and Torquil Conanach were not of long duration. The 

 old quarrel was resumed, and about 1585, Lewis was torn 

 asunder by the family strife, as well as by feuds with main- 

 landers. Tormod Uigach had figured not long before in a 

 fight at Carloway, between a force of Assynt men under 

 Rory Hucheonson, and a body of Lewismen under Tormod's 

 leadership. There was a stiff contest between the two 

 parties, but victory ultimately rested with the Lewismen, 

 who routed the Assynt invaders, and compelled their leader 

 to fly for his life. The cause of the quarrel is not stated. 

 Tormod, the hero of this fight, became a violent partisan 

 of Torquil Conanach, and as such, was killed by his brother 

 Donald, another of the illegitimate brood, but a supporter 

 of his father. Murdoch, who was also one of Ruari's 

 bastards, but an opponent of his father, thereupon seized 

 Donald, and handed him over to Torquil Conanach at 

 Coigeach for punishment. He managed, however, to 

 escape from Coigeach, and returning to Lewis, retaliated j 



* Reg. of Privy Council, Vol. II., p. 534. 



