The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1773.] Tnic iu:i;i;ls ix ml'i.I'.kx and uuqi'haut. 411
join tlie Pi'elcii(U'r. ']"lie writer aucordiiiyly advisnl ilic removal of the
Iciiatitfi to Castle Ciraiit.'
Cii ](Uh C)ctober ISiv. Grant replied to l^ord J^cjudonu's letter ol"
the ] 1th, iiifsmiiiii;- the latter that the com])any was beiii;'- got together
and eijuip]ie(^ ;i-^ quiL-l.lyas was pof^siljle. lie suggested a clK;;ige of oilieers,
desiring to rei.iiu wiih himself ^Ir. tirant "i" llothiemurclni:-. who had heen
nominated Captain, a.nd to appoini his eldest son in his father's stead. The
reason assigned for this ehange was that as there might be oeeasion to
eonvene and mareh the elan, there was no one with ^h\ Grant so Irtted to
connnand the men as the elder liothiemm-ehus. ?ilr. Grant infoi-med Lord
Londoun that lie had been ol)liged thnt day to send thirty men to interrupt
one Captain Gordi'm, who was levying impositions on ]Mr. Grant's estate of
Mulljen in lianti". He referred to certain information as to the movements of
liostile elans, and hoped if tliese all marehed together towards his country,
he would receive some assistance from the Government." ^Ir. (irant also
^\'lote to President Forties. The Pi-esident and Lord Loudoun rejdied
separately in similar terms, stating that the exchange of oflicers would
require consideration. Lord Loudoini pnimised assistance if necessary. Lord
President Forbes wrote again on 24111 October, urging the despatch of the
company.^
Previous to this, liowever, Mr. Grant had received urgent advices,
dated 21st and 22d October, from a gentleman in LTrquhart, that the
]\lacdonalds, Glenmoriston men, and others, were combining to molest the
tenants and destroy the country if they did not join the rebels, but that
the tenants had declared they Avould on no account disobey Mr. Grant's
j)ositiye orders to remain peaceable, and also that they would fight to tlu'
last drop of their blood, ere the i\Iacdonalds cari'ied off therr cattle. It
was also adiled that the tenants would not be able to resist both Mac-
dunalds and Frasers, and that a dispute had arisen betwixt the Master of
Lovat and ]Macdonald of Barrisdale as to which had the best right to these
tenants, which had stayed the execution of theii' threats.
Mr. Grant was much concerned at this intelligence, as he feared that
some of his people in L'rquhart might, by such influence, be forced from
' Vol. ii. of tliis work, p. 174. - ICkl. [ip. 17'>, 170. ^ I'jid. jip. 170-17S,