410 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



hint of the friction between the leaders, which was soon to 

 arise and mar the whole enterprise. 



Seaforth and Tullibardine joined the Keiths on the fol- 

 lowing day at Stornoway, and in the evening, the Council 

 of War was held to which reference has been made. The 

 chief question to be decided by the Council was, whether 

 it was the more advisable course to take up arms at once, 

 or to wait until advice was received of the landing of the 

 Duke of Ormonde in England. Tullibardine and Glenda- 

 ruel were strongly in favour of the latter course, but the 

 majority were opposed to it. The plan suggested by the 

 Earl Marischal to Cardinal Alberoni was, to land on 

 the mainland as quickly as possible, and, with the High- 

 landers and their Spanish auxiliaries, march straight upon 

 Inverness, where there was a garrison of only 300 men. 

 After taking possession of Inverness, it was proposed to 

 await there the arrival of reinforcements before marching 

 south. The Council of War ultimately decided to carry 

 out this plan, and to order the force to sail for the main- 

 land three days later. The Spanish troops were then told 

 to come ashore to stretch their legs, after their voyage of 

 forty-two days. 



But on the following morning, Tullibardine called for 

 another Council of War. After having made a speech, 

 " which nobody understood but himself," he presented a 

 commission superior to that held by the Earl Marischal, 

 who at once resigned the command to him, reserving, 

 however, the authority with which Cardinal Alberoni 

 had invested him over the Spanish frigates. Tullibardine 

 and his supporters then made another attempt to carry 

 their point about waiting for the news of Ormonde's land- 

 ing. Seaforth, having in view the difficulty of getting the 

 Highlanders to rise, with such scanty encouragement of 

 success, not only supported Tullibardine, but would not 

 hear of leaving Lewis until news was received of 

 Ormonde's arrival. It was pointed out to him that the 

 isolation of Lewis greatly increased the difficulty of 

 obtaining prompt intelligence ; besides which, there was the 



