PRINCE CHARLES AND THE LONG ISLAND. 429 



his guests. In the morning, he returned to his ship. It 



was an anxious time for the Prince when Boisdale arrived. 



Old Clanranald was incapacitated by age and infirmities 



from taking any active part in the rising, so that the 



adhesion of his clan depended largely upon Boisdale's 



decision. The Prince entreated Boisdale to accompany 



him to the mainland, and induce young Clanranald, 



who was then in Moidart, to take up arms. Boisdale 



refused point-blank. He spoke strongly about the folly 



of attempting an insurrection without foreign assistance, 



! and declared his intention of doing all in his power to 



prevent his brother, or his nephew, from having anything 



to do with the enterprise. This was not a very promising 



! beginning, but Charles persevered in his attempt to win 



over the blunt Highlander. Could he depend upon the 



support of Macdonald of Sleat and Macleod of Harris? 



i Here, again, he got cold comfort. Both chiefs had been 



: looking for the arrival of Charles in the Long Island, 



1 and had charged Boisdale, if he had opportunity, to tell 



i the Prince that unless he came supported by a force of 



regular troops, they would hold aloof from the rising. 



While Charles and Boisdale were engaged in this dis- 

 cussion, two ships made their appearance, which caused 

 Walsh to weigh his anchor and make for Moidart. The 

 discussion continued, but when Boisdale, obdurate to the 

 1 last, stepped into his boat, the Prince had abated no jot of 

 his determination to persevere in his attempt. 



On the following morning, La Dotitelle anchored in 

 the bay of Loch nan Uamh, between Moidart and Arisaig. 

 The Prince sent a boat ashore with a letter to young 

 Clanranald. On coming on board with some of his 

 kinsmen, Clanranald discussed the situation with Charles, 

 who poured upon him the blandishments which had 

 proved so fruitless in the case of his uncle, Boisdale. 

 Accounts vary in their statement of Clanranald's attitude. 

 Maxwell of Kirkconnel says that the young chief frankly 

 offered his services, while Home's version is that he 

 refused to take up arms in such inauspicious circumstances, 



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