PRINCE CHARLES AND THE LONG ISLAND. 427 



Sullivan or O'Sullivan, George Kelly, a clergyman, ^Eneas 

 Macdonald brother of Kinlochmoidart, and a banker in 

 .p ar i s and a Mr. Buchanan,* Charles Edward sailed from 

 Belleisle for Scotland upon his hazardous mission. He had 

 engaged two ships, La Doutelle, or Du Tellier a frigate of 

 sixteen guns, whose owner Walsh was on board and the 

 Elizabeth ; and the Prince and his companions embarked 

 on La Doutelle in July, 1745. His destination was the 

 Long Island, its remote situation offering the means of 

 i initiating his plans with the greatest degree of secrecy. A 

 I retainer of Lochiel's named Duncan Cameron, who was 

 i brought up in Barra, was chosen to act as pilot in the 

 Outer Hebrides. A disaster occurred before the Long 

 ! Island was reached. Off the Lizard, an English warship 

 named the Lion attacked the Elizabeth. Both vessels 

 were well battered during an engagement which lasted 

 nearly five hours, the Elizabeth being so severely mauled 

 that she had to return to France. By this stroke of ill- 

 luck, Charles Edward was deprived of the assistance of a 

 hundred able officers, besides a large quantity of arms. 

 From the deck of La Doutelle, the Prince was an anxious 

 spectator of the fight, in which the small frigate took no 

 part, her owner deeming it imprudent to engage the Lion. 

 La Doutelle was afterwards chased by another warship, 

 which she outsailed ; and on 22nd July, the coast of 

 Bernera, off Barra, was sighted. Duncan Cameron's ser- 



vices were now requisitioned. The appearance of a large 

 ship cruising off the island created a scare, and the course 

 of La Doutelle was altered. Cameron piloted the vessel 

 along the east coast of Barra, and on 23rd July brought 

 her to anchor in the strait between South Uist and the 

 little Island of Eriskay. 



Duncan Cameron, who was the only one on board who 

 had the slightest acquaintance with the country, rowed 

 ashore to Eriskay to spy the land. Meeting an old 

 acquaintance, the piper of Macneill of Barra, Cameron 



* The first seven of these were afterwards known as the " Seven Men of 

 Moidart." 



