276 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



The dispersal of the rebels entailed a renewal of police 

 duty on the part of the chiefs of the Long Island, who 

 were enjoined to pursue the fugitives with alacrity. In 

 view of the ease with which the most daring of the rebels 

 escaped their vigilance, this duty does not appear to have 

 been performed with whole-hearted eagerness. Ronald 

 MacAllan of Benbecula, brother of the Captain of Clan 

 Ranald, was sufficiently troublesome towards the end of 

 1615 to occupy the exclusive attention of his relative, who 

 received a commission to seize him and his accomplices, 

 who were disturbing the possessions of Clanranald, and 

 raising disorder in the Isles ; while Ruari Macleod and 

 Donald Gorm had their own little differences to adjust. 

 We find Macleod making declaration to the Council, 

 in March, 1616, that he had left his brother in charge 

 of his properties, with instructions to prevent any of 

 the Islay rebels from resorting thither ; and solemnly 

 promising that no insurgent should receive any counte- 

 nance within his bounds. The part taken by the Harris 

 men in the piratical exploits of Malcolm Macleod in the 

 Long Island, which has been already related, exemplifies the 

 laxness of the measures employed for the due fulfilment of 

 this promise. That the Council were not disposed to place 

 implicit confidence in Ruari, is apparent from the circum- 

 stance, that in spite of the King's recommendation that he 

 should be relieved from the necessity of making an annual 

 appearance in Edinburgh, " my lords " deemed it inadvis- 

 able to concede the relief. On the contrary, they charged 

 both Macleod and Clanranald, under forfeiture of their 

 lands, to remain in Edinburgh during their pleasure, and 

 compelled them to find the caution which was imposed 

 upon them. They had decided to clip the wings of these 

 Highland eagles still further, in order to minimise their 

 power for mischief. And this is the form the clipping 

 took. 



On 26th July, 1616, six of the Hebridean chiefs, viz., 

 Macleod of Harris, the Captain of Clan Ranald, the 

 Macleans of Duart, Coll, and Lochbuie, and Mackinnon 



