428 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



took him on board, where he was closely questioned. It 

 was decided to land at Eriskay. An eagle was observed 

 hovering over the vessel. "An excellent omen/' said 

 Tullibardine. 



The landing place of Charles Edward in Scotland is 

 known to this day as " Coilleag a' Phrionnsa," or the 

 Prince's Strand, on the west side of Eriskay. A pink 

 convolvulus with fleshy leaves is found there, and nowhere 

 else in the Hebrides thus giving rise to the tradition 

 that the flower has sprung from seeds which the Prince 

 planted, to commemorate the occasion. The convolvulus is 

 commonly known as " the Prince's flower." Charles and 

 his party had to feel their way cautiously. His followers 

 told the people of Eriskay that he was a young Irish priest, 

 and he was taken to the house of the tacksman of the 

 island, Angus Macdonald, who held his tack from Clan- 

 ranald. The latter an elderly man and his brother, 

 Alexander Macdonald of Boisdale, were, the party learned, 

 in South Uist, Boisdale having a house at Kilbride. A 

 message was sent by the Prince to Boisdale, requesting 

 him to come and see him, for it was known that his in- 

 fluence with his brother was considerable. A visit was 

 paid, probably by the Macdonalds of the party, to Barra ; 

 but Macneill was not at home. An enemy, whom Duncan 

 Cameron calls " a devill of a minister who did us a' the 

 mischief that lay in his power " (doubtless the Rev. John 

 Macaulay of South Uist), was, however, in Barra, and 

 seems to have suspected the identity of the strangers 

 at Eriskay. He conveyed his suspicions to the proper 

 quarter, but his story was received with incredulity. A 

 debate which subsequently took place in the House of 

 Commons on the rebellion, makes it abundantly clear 

 that the Intelligence Department of the Government was 

 sadly at fault. 



Charles passed the night at the tacksman's house,* 

 where his host did everything possible for the comfort of 



* It is stated that this house has recently been demolished ; an unfortunate 

 piece of Vandalism. 



