An Laoidheadair Gaelic na ain spioradail

INVASION OF ARGYLESHIRE.
By Alastair MacColla.
" Thls brave and desperate hero, cominonly styled (pa-
tronimically) Alastair MacCoUa citeach mac Gilleasbaig )
Alexander, son to left-handed Coll, son to Archibald, invaded
Argyleshire about the year 1 G-i-i, which ihe natives
call creach Alastair MacColla, and also by bliadhna nan
Athallach, the year of the Athollmen who joined to
plunder that county about the same time.
This malevolent and enterprising man was informed
that his father had in disguise got within the castle of
Dunsttìfnage, wherein he was discovered and threatened with
instant death : however, the commanding officer agreed
to spare his life, on condition that he would come under
a solemn oath, that himself and every individual under his
command, surrender their anris, and every thing else ìn
their possession to him : find their way home to Ireland,
and never after be seen in Scotland, under pain of instant
death. This he agreed to perform; seeing he was a
prisoner and his men confined within a small peninsula
under the mercy of artiUer^-, and a strong corps newly
arrived behind him to guard the passes, made them all
prisoners at will. Under this sentence of banishment,
his men travelled back in a most disorderly manner, wilhout
arms or accoutrements to Dunavartich, where he and
they considered themselves safe, feasting on what they had
pilfered and piUaged on their wayfrom Dunstafnage. In
place of performing his solemn engagement with the officer
commanding the Castle, he only dismissed as many men
as could not be quartered in Dunavartich, In breaking
faith with Argyle's officer, Coll may not be altogether to
blame, as the Macdonalds and Macdonells, Macdougalls,
Macleans, &c. &c., who then possessed a large portion of
the mainiand, and ahnost all the Hebrides ; heid the
inhabitaiits under control, uud Argyle at ill will, persuaded