PRINCE CHARLES AND THE LONG ISLAND. 447 



at once wrote the Prince telling him of his success, and 

 asking him to come to Stornoway as quickly as possible. 

 The same evening, whether over-elated with the result 

 of his mission, or having cracked a bottle too many with 

 Captain Macaulay, he appears to have been over-com- 

 municative, and the shrewd skipper became suspicious. 

 Next morning, he told Donald that he wished to with- 

 draw from the bargain. And here Macleod's caution 

 forsook him. Instead of professing indifference, he violated 

 all the canons which regulate Hebridean chaffering, by 

 appearing over-anxious. He offered to buy the vessel 

 for ^300. The owner said he would take ^500. Macleod 

 jumped at the offer. The skipper's suspicions were now 

 fully confirmed, and he determined to back out of his 

 offer. " You can have my mate and my crew," he said, 

 " but I cannot go myself." The mate and the crew 

 promptly refused to stir out of Stornoway harbour unless 

 their captain went with them. And so the bargain fell 

 through. 



In the meantime, the Prince, under the impression that 

 everything had been satisfactorily settled, prepared to go 

 to Stornoway without delay. The boatmen were ordered 

 to return to Borradale and hand the boat back to its 

 owner. " Captain " Allan Macdonald, the priest, remained 

 in Scalpa, and afterwards made his way to South Uist. 

 On 4th May, Charles, attended by Sullivan and O'Neil, 

 left Scalpa in a boat with four men provided by Camp- 

 bell ; a guide was also engaged to conduct them to 

 Stornoway. Instead of crossing the ferry between Scalpa 

 and Harris, the guide directed the boatmen to make for 

 Loch Seaforth. They sailed up the loch nearly to the 

 top, and there landed. The rest of the journey was 

 performed on foot, and a trying experience it proved. It 

 was a miserable night, dark, wet, and stormy. There 

 was neither road nor track of any description. The guide 

 lost his way in the Lochs district, and under the circum- 

 stances, there was some excuse for him. Footsore, his 

 shoes worn out, and tied on his feet with packthread, 



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