PRINCE CHARLES AND THE LONG ISLAND. 451 



Shell. lubhard was frequently used by the Lewis fisher- 

 men for drying their white fish on the rocks. There were 

 some fishermen on the islet as the boat approached, but 

 they made off on seeing the strangers, whom they took to 

 be a pressgang. After having a good look at the war- 

 ships from a hill, the hungry visitors made a hearty meal off 

 the dried fish left by the fishermen, which was rendered 

 more palatable by some bread and butter given by Mrs. 

 Mackenzie to Ned Burke, who acted as cook to the party. 

 The Prince wished to leave money for the fish, but was 

 dissuaded from the idea : it was safer to appear to have 

 been really a pressgang. They had some hot punch, which 

 they drank out of an earthen pitcher left by the fishermen. 

 Two large stones served as tables, one for the Prince and 

 his attendants, and the other for the boatmen ; the bare 

 ground had to serve for seats. The brains of the cow, 

 mixed with meal and baked before the fire by Burke, 

 formed a welcome addition to their bill of fare. They 

 stayed four clays and nights on lubhard, their sleeping 

 place being a " low pityful hut " built by the fishermen, 

 over which they had to spread the sail of the boat to keep 

 out the rain. Their fuel consisted of heath and turf. 

 While at lubhard, they saw a Stornoway vessel pass, 

 bound, they suspected, for Poolewe, which was understood 

 to be the Prince's destination. 



On loth May, they sailed for Scalpa, but here a dis- 

 appointment awaited them. The hospitality shown to 

 them by Donald Campbell had become known, and he 

 was obliged to go into hiding. They left Scalpa bound 

 south, but had not gone far before a man-of-war saw them 

 and gave chase. To escape her, they rowed into shallow 

 water near Rodil Point, where they remained three hours 

 until the ship had gone. They then resumed their voyage, 

 keeping inshore towards Benbecula. At Lochmaddy, 

 another warship was sighted, which they successfully 

 evaded. They spent the night at sea, cold and hungry. 

 Their supply of bread ran out, and the Prince tasted 

 drammach t\e n meal mixed with salt water for the first 



