PRINCE CHARLES AND THE LONG ISLAND. 457 



sunrise. They had had nothing to eat all night, and were 

 thoroughly worn out. A tent was rigged up for the Prince, 

 with the oars and sail of the boat, and on a couch of 

 heather, he enjoyed a well-earned sleep. Neil MacEachain, 

 who had joined the party at Coradale, acted as sentry 

 before the entrance to the tent, and two of the boatmen 

 kept watch a mile off. The same night, or early next 

 morning, finding the enemy within two miles of them, they 

 rowed to Stuley Island, whence they crossed to Loch 

 Boisdale in the hope of getting assistance from Macdonald. 

 To their dismay, they discovered that he was a prisoner in 

 the hands of the enemy. His wife, however, sent them a 

 much-needed supply of provisions. At first, they took 

 refuge in an old tower on an island (tradition says Calvay 

 Island), hiding in the hills until night. They saw at one 

 time no fewer than fifteen warships cruising off South Uist, 

 and narrowly escaped capture by two of them which entered 

 the loch. They skulked up and down Loch Boisdale for 

 some days, sleeping in the open fields at night, with only 

 the boat's sails as covering. What was the hunted Prince 

 to do ; where was he to go ? While he was discussing the 

 situation with his friends, a messenger arrived from Mrs. 

 Macdonald, with news which threw them into a state of 

 consternation. Captain Carolina Scott a notorious ruffian 

 had landed in Barra with a force of regulars from Fort 

 William, and had sent word to Mrs. Macdonald that he 

 would arrive at her house next day. That night, they 

 crossed to the other side of Loch Boisdale. On the follow- 

 ing morning, Lieutenant Ruari Macdonald, who had joined 

 them, was sent to ascertain whether Scott had arrived. He 

 brought back word that the military were at that moment 

 in Boisdale's house ; that Mrs. Macdonald, her step-daughter, 

 and all her servants were " tied neck and heel," to extort a 

 confession of the Prince's whereabouts ; and that the soldiers 

 were busy ransacking the place and carrying the plunder 

 to their boats. A conference was hurriedly held, and it 

 was decided that each man should shift for himself, O'Neil 

 and Neil MacEachain alone remaining with the Prince. 



