380 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



of large promises but small performances. Prince Charles 

 Edward avoided the mistake of his ancestors in the rising 

 of 1745. His appeal was directed to the best part of the 

 Highlanders' nature, and the result was a passionate 

 attachment to his person and his cause, to which history 

 furnishes few parallels. But James II. was of a meaner 

 spirit, and preferred to secure the allegiance of the High- 

 land clans by inciting them to break the tenth command- 

 ment. 



In January, 1690, Seaforth was still in Ireland. In that 

 month, he wrote from Dublin to Macdonald of Sleat, 

 expressing great satisfaction to hear of the readiness of 

 himself and his men to serve the King, "which is the 

 greatest proof you can give of your loyalty." " Nothing," 

 he adds, " shall be wanting on my part to do you right and 

 kindness ; and that I may appear a true gentleman, pray 

 order some one in your island to have a fine plaid ready 

 for me."* From the petition of one Sir Thomas South- 

 well, we find that Seaforth left for Scotland on 1st May. 

 Southwell, whose life Seaforth had saved after he had been 

 condemned to death by the Earl of Clanricarde, and who 

 accompanied Seaforth to Scotland, makes the astonishing 

 statement that he drew the latter to King James's party, 

 and thus disappointed the enemy of 3,000 of his clan.f 

 Whether this was mere braggadocio on Southwell's part, or 

 whether the Earl was really wobbling between the two 

 parties, we are left to conjecture ; but the suggestion of dis- 

 loyalty to James, is strongly at variance with Seaforth's 

 expressions of aggressive Jacobitism. 



The death of Dundee placed the supreme command of 

 the Highlanders in the hands of Colonel Cannon, who 

 might have achieved some success with an army of 

 regulars, but who was totally unfitted to lead the clans. 

 The fruits of the victory at Killiecrankie, which, had 

 Dundee lived, would probably have meant the subjugation 

 of the whole of Scotland, were wholly lost by the incapa- 



* Cal. of Treasury Papers, Vol. XL, No. 51, p. 153. 

 f Cal. of State Papers (Nov. i69l-Dec. 1692), p. 91. 



