THE ISLES AND THE COMMONWEALTH. 347 



to call at the islands which lay on his route to Mull, and 

 summon the chiefs on board to give security for keeping 

 the peace. To facilitate negotiations, he was told to take 

 with him from Lewis some of the natives, to serve as in- 

 struments of his commands to their fellow-Celts. In short, 

 a complete subjugation of the Hebrides, as far south as Mull, 

 was now in contemplation. Cobbet was encouraged in his 

 mission by his superior officer, with the somewhat vague 

 assurance that its successful accomplishment would carry 

 with it his wish, that he might be crowned with more than 

 a " lawrell." On the completion of his errand, Cobbet was 

 to return to Lewis " to see how things are going on," and 

 from Lewis he was to sail for Dundee with all possible 

 despatch. His duties while at Lewis were mapped out. 

 " Let your men o' war while you stay at Lewis go abroad 

 two or three days if they may conveniently ; perhaps they 

 may catch a Dutch East Indiaman." Special instructions 

 were given to him about Sir James Macdonald of Sleat, 

 who had refused to join the Highlanders, and had sent to 

 Lilburn for an order of protection. " Be civil to him," 

 ordered the cautious Commander-in-Chief, " but keep him 

 or some of his friends as hostages till you return to Lewis, 

 if you dare not trust him, but do it that he may not be 

 discouraged."* Macdonald, however, a far-seeing man, 

 and, according to Lord Broghill, a man of very great 

 abilities, remained faithful to the Commonwealth to the 

 end. The Captain of Clan Ranald had taken the same 

 side, and had two months previously asked for a com- 

 mission to employ as a privateer against the Dutch, a 

 small frigate which he owned. Armed with the fore- 

 going instructions, Cobbet sailed from Leith, but before 

 he arrived at Lewis, the complexion of affairs had some- 

 what altered. 



On 2/th July, a proclamation was issued, calling upon 

 the chiefs of whom a lengthy list is given to come 

 south, provided with sufficient caution for keeping the 



Scott. Hist. Soc., Vol. XVIII., pp. 186-8. 



