LEWIS GRANTED TO LORD KINTAIL. 247 



the Mackenzies on a rock west of Uig, called " Donald 

 Cam's stack," which he fortified, and where his wants were 

 attended to by his daughter. About this time, Lewis 

 passed into the hands of Lord Kintail in the following 

 manner. 



It has been shown how the third and final attempt to 

 colonise Lewis turned out a disastrous failure. The leaders 

 of the colonists, Hay and Spens, were no less disheartened 

 than their dependents, and were ready to part with their 

 concessions on the best terms they could obtain. In these 

 circumstances, Lord Kintail found it easy to negotiate a 

 deal with them. On 2oth July, 1610, by a charter under 

 the Great Seal, the terms of which are similar to those 

 of the charter of 1607, Lewis and Trotternish were granted 

 to Kintail, on the resignation of Hay and Spens of their 

 rights in those lands.* The exact consideration for the 

 transfer is not stated in the official records of the trans- 

 action. From other sources, however, it appears that 

 Lord Kintail agreed to give the second parties to the agree- 

 ment, the sum of 10,000 merks, in substitution for which, 

 he afterwards granted them the woods of Letterewe for 

 iron-smelting. Hay seems to have been interested in the 

 ironworks of Loch Maree as far back as 1607, and it is not 

 assuming too much to suggest that it was while at Poolewe, 

 planning the conquest of Lewis, that his attention was first 

 directed to the possibilities of Letterewe for the smelting of 

 iron. On 24th July, 1610, Hay acquired by Crown charter 

 the share of his colleague, Spens, in the properties of 

 Macleod of Harris,f and he appears for some years after- 

 wards to have continued his operations in iron-smelting at 

 Letterewe. Probably his stay at Loch Maree was more or 

 less against his will, but in 1616, he was appointed Clerk- 

 Register, and in 1622, became High Chancellor of Scot- 

 land. In 1627, he was raised to the peerage by the title of 

 Viscount Duplin and Lord Hay of Kinfauns, and in 1633, 

 was created the first Earl of Kinnoull. The son of Peter 



* Keg. Mag. Sig. (1609-20), No. 341. 

 t fieg. Mag. Si*. (1609-20), No. 346. 



