358 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



tions reached the ears of Lilburn, who was much exercised I 

 in his mind how to avert the threatened danger. The * 

 want of shipping proved an insuperable obstacle in the way } 

 of preventing a landing in the island. He had asked for I 

 seven ships of war to patrol the coasts efficiently, but only j 

 three had been sent, and of these he could not spare one to < 

 help the Stornoway garrison or give them warning of their 

 peril. To make matters worse for the English, some Dutch 

 ships were discovered to be prowling about on the coast, 

 acting in concert with the Highlanders. Captain Brassie 

 (the owner of the Fortune}^ who had been trading in Lewis, 

 came across one of them which had just landed arms at 

 Lochaber, and exchanged shots with her, but was afraid to 

 come to close quarters. Next day, the Highlanders put 

 some men on board the Dutchman, and Brassie sailed away. 

 The Tutor of Macleod, whose fidelity to the Commonwealth 

 was not of long duration, was Seaforth's principal associate 

 in the projected recovery of Lewis, and as a preliminary 

 measure, passed over to Harris with the object of raising 

 his tenantry there. But the Harrismen declined to arm, being 

 overawed by the garrison at Stornoway, whose vengeance 

 they feared if the attempt were unsuccessful. They took 

 good care, notwithstanding, to give no hint to the English 

 of Talisker's presence in Harris until he had safely reached 

 the mainland. On his way back from Harris, Talisker 

 tried to surprise some trading vessels belonging to Captain 

 Brassie, which seem to have been lying at anchor at the 

 Long Island ; but his intention being discovered, the ships 

 put out to sea, and managed to escape. What with the risk 

 of being attacked by the Highlanders, and the danger of 

 being snapped up by Dutch warships one of which was 

 at that time in the Minch, acting in conjunction with 

 Macleod the English vessels then trading at the Outer 

 Hebrides, had experiences which were not devoid of excite- 

 ment. Talisker's men, it appears, consisted chiefly of Irish- 

 men who had fled from their native country, and these troops 

 were expected to be reinforced by Lord Kenmure.* 



* Gwynne's Memoirs, p. 223. 



