222 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



desirous of bringing about an amicable arrangement 

 between Tormod and the colonists seems likely. The 

 Adventurers had their friends at Court some of them 

 being the domestic servants of James who kept them 

 advised of what was going on. Alarmed at the prospect 

 of Tormod's supplications prevailing with the King, they 

 instructed their friends in London to poison the mind of 

 his Majesty against the young chief. The King's suspicious 

 nature was not proof against their insinuations. By what- 

 ever diplomatic arts or downright lies they effected their 

 purpose, the fact remains that the unfortunate Tormod was 

 dismissed from Court and sent to Edinburgh, where he was 

 imprisoned for ten years, his only crime being a not un- 

 natural desire to get back the land of which he had been 

 robbed. This is another instance of the " Punic " faith dis- 

 played by the Honourable Company of Adventurers. We 

 may as well state here, in a few words, what remains to be 

 told of Tormod's career. He never saw Lewis again. 

 Receiving, in 1615, the gracious permission of the King to 

 enter the service of Maurice, Prince of Orange, he was 

 released from Edinburgh Castle, and crossed over to 

 Holland, where he ended his days. Whether he left any 

 issue is unknown. For aught we can tell, he may have 

 descendants at the present day, in the persons of stolid 

 Dutchmen, who may have never as much as heard of the 

 Island of Lewis.* Tormod Macleod stands out in Lewis 

 history as a brave and chivalrous man, whose character is 

 not marred by the acts of cruelty and treachery which 

 disfigure the lives of most of the members of his family. 



Having got rid of Tormod, the partners concluded that 

 their troubles were practically over, and in that belief 

 returned to the South in November, 1605, leaving a force 

 of soldiers to protect the young colony from any possible 

 incursions by the natives. During the winter months, the 

 colonists were subjected to periodical attacks by Neil 



* In Stodart's Scottish Arms (Vol. II., p. 43) it is stated that "many 

 cadets of Macleod settled on the Continent, and there is at least one 

 existing branch in Holland." 



