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370 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
Mackintoshes. I am very sure that your father and grandfather
would be very averse to such a war with a kindred that they loved
as much as any in the Highlands. I will not insist on the many
occasions that I showed myself a friend to your person and family.
But this I can say frankly, that no chief or gentleman in Scotland
has given greater proofs of being a true and zealous Cameron than
I have done, and if I have met with grateful returns I know best
myself. However, I am such a generous enemy as that I will let
you know freely what way I am to proceed to get satisfaction of
those Bandity who robed and plundered my country in a most
inhumane manner.
" I will first address myself to my freind the Earl of Hay as
Minister of State, and to Genii. Wade as Commander in Chief in
Scotland, if they get me redi-ess I will go no furder, but if they do
not T will apply myself to the King and Privy Council, who I truly
think would Ije glad of any handle to suppress a Highland Clan. I
doubt not in the least, but I'll have sulHcient redress given me,
either by the Earl of Hay and General "Wade, or by the King and
the Privy Council ; and I shall be mighty sorry to be obliged to
apply to King or Council upon such an extraoi'dinary occasion,
since it cannot but hurt your country and kindred in ane eminent
manner, and I take God to witness that it will be much against
my grain and against my inclinations to carry on a war against
you and your kindred, whom, till now, I thought the greatest support
I had in the Highlands. But I truly rather dy in the field
with my sword in my hand than not get redress of this insult, and
if the Government and the legall authoiity does not do me justice,
which I am persuaded they will in a very conspicuous manner, then
nature must dictate what I must do afterwards."
There is also a very curious letter illustrative of the times,
which relates to the abduction of a young woman. After congratulations
on Lochiel's safe arrival at Achnacarry, after a somewhat
arduous journey from Edinburgh, and a reference to a dispute
with Glengarry, Lovat proceeds to give an account of the
affair as follows:— "A young lad, a merchant in Inverness, a
gentleman's son of Foyers' Family, having made proposalls of marriage
to the only daughter of the deceased B;iillie AVilliam Eraser,
who is provided to a considerable portion, he got such encouragement
and hopes of success from the girl, the mother and her
brotlicr, that he made the thing known to his friends as a concluded
match. But soon thereafter, upon some private reasons, all
the three struck out from the Bargain, and would not hear of it.
Upon this the lad applied to his friends, and particularly to Gor-