4 o 4 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



posture." If this story be true and the picture of the 

 gallant Brigadier, emulating Horatius of old by holding his 

 post single-handed against an army, seems rather too 

 melodramatic to be altogether convincing we can only 

 conclude that the Lewismen had no heart in their work, 

 and little or no confidence in their Russo-Scottish comman- 

 der. What part Seaforth himself took in this fiasco is not 

 clear. The whole affair is involved in some obscurity, but 

 it may be confidently inferred from subsequent events, that 

 the rank and file of Seaforth's followers were tired of the 

 Earl's aggressive Jacobitism, and anxious to be allowed 

 to resume their peaceful avocations. Little recked the 

 average Highland retainer whether his king was named 

 James or George. To the bulk of the clansmen, the 

 question of the ruling dynasty was immaterial, and the 

 high politics of the chiefs failed to appeal to their less 

 instructed followers. Those of them who lived in the 

 remote Island of Lewis probably knew little, and cared 

 less, about the merits of the war in which some of them 

 had shed their blood at Sheriffmuir. Their only master 

 was Seaforth, and their only politics were his commands. 

 But even Seaforth's example and influence were powerless 

 to make them enthusiastic in a cause, which had already 

 brought disaster on their chief and misery on themselves. 

 Looking at these facts, their unwillingness to fight becomes 

 intelligible, if their desertion of Campbell remains in- 

 excusable. We are not left in doubt as to the issue of 

 Cholmondeley's campaign. He effectively occupied the 

 island, and forced Seaforth to fly across the Minch to the 

 mainland, whence he made his escape to France. With 

 the young firebrand out of the country, it is unlikely that 

 Cholmondeley remained in Lewis for any length of time : 

 in Seaforth's absence, there was no danger to be appre- 

 hended from that quarter. 



Seaforth's clansmen in Ross-shire continued to evade the 

 Government's orders, being encouraged, no doubt, to do so 

 by his authority. The patience of General, afterwards 

 Earl, Cadogan, who was in command of the garrison at 



