The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

70 THE HIGHLANDERS [parti
although, after the total defeat which they had sustained under
the Maormor of Moray, they were unable to offer any opposition
to the progress of Sigurd, were not disposed to endure the
Norwegian yoke long without making an attempt
to throw it
off. Accordingl}^, Sigurd had retained possession of the con-
quered territories for seven years only, when
Maormors made a sudden rising, and succeeded
the northern
in surprising
and expelling the Norwegians from the Highlands, and slaying
the governor whom the Earl of Orkney had placed over the
conquered districts. Sigurd no sooner became aware of this
success, than he collected a numerous army among the islands,
and at once proceeded to the mainland of Scotland ; but he had
scarcely landed in Caithness before he was informed that the
Gaelic army under Kenneth and Melsnechtan, Maormors of
Dala and Ross, was stationed near Duncansbay Head for the
purpose of intercepting his progress. Sigurd immediately
attacked the Highland army, and succeeded in killing Mels-
nechtan, one of their leaders, and putting the rest to flight.
This success he would in all probability have followed up with
the entire destruction of their arm\', and the recovery of his
Highland possessions, had he not learned that Malcolm, the
Maormor of Moray and nephew of Finlay, was at that moment
approaching with an army too powerful for him to cope with.
On receiving this intelligence, Sigurd judged it prudent to retire
to the Orkneys, and thus left Malcolm in possession of the
disputed districts. By Sigurd's retreat the Highland chiefs
gained time to recover complete possession of the whole of the
territories which had been for seven years wrested from them,
and they established that possession so firmly, that Sigurd was
never afterwards able to obtain a footing upon the mainland of
Scotland. ^
Malcolm, the Maormor of Moray, by his success in expelling
the Norwegians, and by the assistance derived from the exten-
sive territories under his control, as well as by his great personal
talent, had now acquired so much power and influence in the
north of Scotland that he was enabled to obtain possession of
the Scottish throne itself In what his title to the crown con-
^ Olafs Saga, Snorro, Niala Saga.