Journal of the Prince's Imbarkation & Arrival, et cetera the greatest Part of which was taken from Duncan Cameron at several different Conversations I had with him.

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346 (346) ✝
Journal of the Prince’s Im-
barkationEmbarkation &and Arrival, &c.et cetera the
greatest Part of which was
taken from Duncan Cameron
at Several different Conver-
sations I had with him.

After the Battle of Fontenoy, &and taking of
Tournay, among other Regiments the One
commanded by Lord John Drummond was
garrisoned in Tournay; in which Corps
Duncan Cameron (Some time Servant to
old Lochiel at Boulogne in France)
served. When Duncan was in Tournay,
he received a Letter from Mr Æneas
MacDonald, Banker in Paris, desiring
him forthwith to repair to Amiens, and,
if possible, to post it without sleeping,
where he should receive Orders about
what he was to do. Accordingly Duncan
set out, and, in a very short Time, post-
ed to Amiens, from whence Æneas, &c.et cetera
had set out; but had left a Letter for
Duncan, ordering him to follow them
to Nantes; to which place he set out
without taking any Rest, where he found
the Prince &and his small Retinue, con-
sisting of seven only besides ServtsServants.

The Seven were, the Duke of Athol,
SrSir Thomas Sheridan, SrSir John MacDonald,
Colonel Strickland, Captain O Sullivan
Mr George Kelly (a non-jurant Clergy-
man) and Æneas MacDonald, Banker
at Paris, Brother to Kinlochmoidart.

As Duncan Cameron had been brought
up in the Island of Barra, &and knew the Coast

✝
Compare this wtwith yethe Journal, Vol: 3. Pag: 490.
347 (347)
Coast of the Long Isle well, ~~for~~ in some
Part of which the Prince intended to
land first, So Duncan's Business was
to descry to them the Long Isle.

At Nantes the Prince &and his few Atten-
dants waited about fifteen Days, be-
fore the Elizabeth Ship of War came,
which was to be their Convoy in the
Expedition. To cover the Design the
better, SrSir Thomas Sheridan passed
for the Father, &and the Prince for the Son;
for none knew the Prince to be in Com-
pany but the Seven, some few oyrsothers,
&and Mr Welch (an Irishman, a very rich
Merchant in Nantes) who was to com-
mand the ✝Frigate of sixteen Guns,
on Board of which the Prince, &and the
few faithful Friends, with the Ser-
vants, were to imbarkembark.

After the Prince was on Board, he dis-
patched Letters to his Father, &and the
King of France, &and the King of Spain,
advising them of his Design, and, no
Doubt, desiring Assistance.

The Prince, when in Scotland, used to
say, that the 10th of June was yethe Day,
on which he stole off, &and that he did
not mind it to be his Father's Birth-
day, till Night was far spent, from
whence some have affirmed that to
have been the Day of the Embarkati-
on, &and others, to have been the Day, qnwhen
he left Paris &and began to be incogincognito.

They had not been above five or six
Days at Sea, till, one Evening the Lyon Ship

✝
Called the ~~Happy~~ Doutelle.
348 (348)
Lyon Ship of War appeared, &and came
pretty near them, &and then disappeared.
Next Morning she came again in View,
&and disappeared. She continued to do so
three or four Times, &and the last Time
of her appearing, she came within a
Mile or so of them, when the Captain
of the Elizabeth (a Frenchman) came
on Board the Frigate, &and told Mr Welch,
if he would assist him by keeping one
Side of the Lyon in Play at a Distance,
he would immediately put all Things
in Order for the Attack. Mr Welch, well
knowing the Trust he had on Board, an-
swered him civilly, &and told him, it was qtwhat
he could not think of doing, &and withal
remarked to him, it was his humble
Opinion, that he should not think of
fighting, unless he should happen to be
attacked, because his Business was to be
Convoy to the Frigate in the Voyage.
However, he said, as he pretended
not to any Command over him, he
might do as he thought proper.

The French Captain to all this replied,
that, from the Lion’s appearing and
disappearing so often, it seemed, as
if she were looking out for another
Ship to assist her, and, if she should
happen to be joined by any other,
they, no doubt, would instantly fall
upon the Elizabeth &and the Frigate, &and de-
vour them both; &and therefore he behoved
to think it the wisest Course to fight
the Lion, when single, because the Eli-
zabeth in that Case was fit enough for 349 (349)
for the Engagement, &and would bid fair
enough to give a good Account of the
Lion. — Upon this the French CapnCaptain
drew his Sword, took Leave of Mr
Welch &and his Company, went on Board
the Elizabeth with his Sword still
drawn in his Hand, &and gave the ne-
cessary Orders for the Attack.
X
Immediately the Elizabeth bore
down upon the Lion (each of them
consisting of âbout sixty Guns, &and therefore
equally matched) &and began yethe Attack
with great Briskness. The Fight con-
tinued for five or six Hours, when
the Lion was obliged to sheer off like
a Tub upon the Water.

About the Time when the Captain
came on Board the Frigate, yethe Prince
was making ready to go on Board
the Elizabeth for more Air &and greater
Conveniency every Way, the Frigate
being crowded with the Gentlemen,
the Servants &and the Crew. His Friends
reckoned it very lucky, that he had
not gone on Board.

The Frigate, all the Time of the En-
gagement, lay at such a small Dis-
tance, that (as the Prince observed
to several Friends in Scotland) the
Lion might have sunk her with the
greatest Ease; but, he said, it was
their good Fortune, that the Lion
had despised them, &and thought not the Frigate 350 (350)
Frigate worth the While. Besides,
the Lion found enough of Employment
for all her Hands in playing her Part
against the Elizabeth.

During the Time of the Fight, yethe Prince
several Times observed to Mr Welch
what a small Assistance would serve to
give the Elizabeth the Possession of the
Lion, &and importuned him to engage in
the Quarrel; but Mr Welch positive-
ly refused, &and at last behoved to de-
sire the Prince not to insist any more,
otherwise he would order him down to
the Cabin.

After the Fight was all over, Mr Welch
sailed round the Elizabeth, &and enquired
particularly how Matters stood with
the Captain &and the Crew. A Lieutenant
came upon Deck from the Captain, who
was wounded &and in his Cabin, &and told Mr
Welch, that between thirty &and forty Offi-
cers &and Gentlemen (besides common Men)
were killed &and wounded, &and that, if Mr
Welch could supply him with a Main-
Mast &and some Rigging, he would still
make out the Voyage with him.

Mr Welch replied, that he could not
furnish him with either Main-mast or
Rigging, &and that although he should have
happened to be capable to serve him
in these Things, yet he would not have
made it his Choice to lose so much
Time, as it would require to put the Elizabeth 351 (351)
Elizabeth in some better Order. He
desired to tell the Captain, it was
his Opinion, that he should, without
Loss of Time, return to France, &and
that he himself would do his best
to make out the intended Voyage.
The Elizabeth accordingly returned
to France, &and the Frigate continued
her Course to the Coast of Scotland.
She had not been long parted from
the Elizabeth; till the Crew descried
two Ships of War at some Distance,
which they could ^not have well got off
from; but that a Mist luckily inter-
vened, &and brought them out of Sight.

Two or three Hours before Landing
an Eagle came hovering over the
Frigate, &and continued so to do till
they were all safe on Shore. Be-
fore Dinner the Duke of Athol had
spied the Eagle; but (as he told
several Friends in Scotland) he
did not chusechoose then to take any
Notice of it, lest they should have
called it a Highland [] freit1 in him.
When he came upon Deck after
Dinner, he saw the Eagle still
hovering about in the same Manner,
&and following the Frigate in her Course,
&and then he could not help remark-
ing it to the Prince &and his small
Retinue, which they looked upon with 352 (352)
with pleasure. — His Grace, turning
to the Prince, said, — "Sir, I hope, this is
“an excellent Omen, &and promises good
“Things to us. The King of Birds is
“come to welcome your Royal Highness
“upon your Arrival in Scotland.”

When they were near the Shore of the
Long Isle, Duncan Cameron was set
out in the long Boat to fetch them a
proper Pilot. When he landed, he acci-
dentally met with Barra's Piper2, who
was his old Acquaintance, &and brought
him on Board. The Piper piloted ymthem
safely into Erisca (about July ✝21st)
a small Island lying between Barra
&and South-Uist. — “At this Time (said
“Duncan Cameron) there was a Devil
“of a Minister,3 that happened to be in
“the Island of Barra, who did us a’
“the Mischief, that lay in his Power,
“for, when he had got any Inkling a-
“bout us, he dispatched away Expres-
“ses with Informations against us:
“But (as the good Luck was) he was not
“well believed, or else we would have
“been a’ tane by the Neck"— When
Duncan spoke these Words, “a Devil
"of a Minister," he bowed low, &and said to
me, “Sir, I ask you ten thousand Par-
“dons for saying so in your presence;
“but, good Faith, I can assure you, Sir,
“asking you Pardon) he was Nothing
“else but the Devil of a Minister."

When they landed in Eriska, they could

✝
See the precise Day, Vol. 3. Pag: 505.
353 (353)
could not find a Grain of Meal or one
Inch of Bread: but they catched some
Flounders, which they roasted upon
the bare Coals in a mean low Hut
they had gone into near the Shore,
&and Duncan Cameron stood Cook.
The Prince sat at the Cheek of the
little Ingle4 upon a Fail-Sunk,5
&and laughed heartily at Duncan's
Cookery; for he himself owned, he
played his Part akwardly enough.

✝Next Day the Prince sent for
young Clanranald's Uncle (Alexander
MacDonald of Boisdale) who lived in
South Uist, &and discovered himself to
him.This Gentleman spoke in a very
discouraging Manner to the Prince, &and
advised him to return Home. To qchwhich,
it is said, the Prince replied,—“I am
“come home, Sir; &and I will entertain
"no Notion at all of returning to that
“Place, from whence I came; for that
“I am persuaded, my faithful High-
“landers will stand by me.”— Mr
MacDonald told him, he was afraid,
he would find the Contrary. —The Prince
condescended upon SrSir Alexander Mac-
Donald &and the Laird of MacLeod, as
Persons he might confide in. Mr
MacDonald begged Leave to tell him,
that he had pitched upon the wrong
Persons; for, from his own certain Knowledge,

✝
See Page 256, 302. — Vol: 3. p: 507, 508.
354 (354)
Knowledge, he could assure him, these
Gentlemen would not adhere to his In-
terest; on the contrary, they might chance
to act an opposite part. And seeing
the Prince had been pleased to men-
tion SrSir AlexrAlexander MacDonald's Name,
Boisdale desired, he might run off
an Express to him, &and let his Return
be the Test of what he had advan-
ced. He added withal, that, if SrSir AlexrAlexander
MacDonald &and the Laird of MacLeod
declared for him, it was his Opinion,
he might then land on the Continent;
for that he doubted not but he would
succeed in the Attempt: But if they
should happen to refuse their Assis-
tance (which he still insisted would
be the Case) then their Example would
prove of bad Consequence, &and would
tend only to make others backward,
&and to keep at Home; in that Event
he still thought it advisable to Sug-
gest his Returning back to where he
came from.

According to this Advice, the Prince did
send a Message to SrSir AlexrAlexander MacDo-
nald, intimating his Arrival &and de-
manding Assistance. Before the
Messenger could return, Æneas Mac-
Donald (anxious to have the Honour
of seeing the Prince in the House of
his Brother, the Laird of KinlochMoi-
dart) prevailed upon the Prince to Set
out for the Continent, &and they arrived at Boradale 355 (355)
Boradale in Moydart, ôr rather ✝Arisaig upon July 25th,
St James’s Day, 1745. — When the
Messenger returned to the Prince, he
brought no Answer with him; for SrSir
Alexander refused to give any.

It is worth remarking here, that though
MacDonald of Boisdale had played
the Game of the Government, by doing
all he could to dissuade the Prince
from making the Attempt, and, after
the Standard was set up, by keeping
back all Clanranald's Men (to the
number of four of five hundred
good stout Fellows) that lived in
South-Uist &and the other Isles, yet,
his Conduct could not screen him
from rough &and severe treatment; for,
after the Battle of Culloden, he
suffered in his Effects as well as
others, &and had the Misfortune to be
made a Prisoner, &and to be carried to
London by Sea; in which Expedition
he had the additional Affliction of
having his Brother, the Laird of Clan-
ronald, Senior (who had never Stirred
from his own Fire-side) &and His Lady,
to bear him Company; &and none of ymthem
were released till the 4th of July,
1747. — However, to do Boisdale
Justice, he was of very great Use to
the Prince (as Donald MacLeod &and
Malcolm have both declared) when
wandering up &and down through South
Uist, Benbicula &and other Parts of the Long

✝
Vol: 4. Pag: 640.
356 (356)
Long Isle, &and exerted his utmost Endea-
vours to keep him out of the Hands
of his Enemies.
See Pag: 257, 302, 462.

After the Prince’s Arrival upon the
Continent, Some Friends met to consult
what was to be done, and, I have heard
it affirmed by good Authority, that Kep-
poch honestly, &and bravely gave it as his
Opinion, that since ^the Prince had risquedrisked his
Person, &and generously thrown himself
into the Hands of his Friends, there-
fore it was their Duty to raise their
Men instantly merely for the Protec-
tion of his Person, let the Consequence
be what it would. — Certain it is,
that,✝ if Keppoch, Lochiel, young Clan-
ranald, &c.et cetera had not joined him, he
would either have fallen into the
Hands of his Enemies, or been forced
immediately to cross the Seas again.

The ^Royal Standard was Set up at Glen-
Finnan (AugtAugust 19th) the Property of
Clanranald, at the Head of Loch shiel,
which marches with Lochiel's Ground,
&and lies about ten Miles west from
Fort-William. The Prince had been
a full Week before this, viz, from
Sunday, the 11th, at Kinloch-Moydart’s
House, &and Lochiel had been raising his
Men, who came up with them just as
the Standard was Setting up.

The Prince stayed where the Stand-
ard was set up two Days, &and I have heard

✝
Vol: 4. p: 643.
357 (357)
heard Major MacDonell frequently
say in the Castle of Edinburgh, that
he had never seen the Prince more
chearfulcheerful at any Time &and in higher
Spirits, than when he had ^got together
four or five hundred Men about the
Standard. ✝Major MacDonell present-
ed the Prince with the first good
Horse he mounted in Scotland, qchwhich
the Major had taken from Captain
Scott, Son of Scotstarvet.

On Friday, AugtAugust 23d, the Prince lodg-
ed in Fassafern, three Miles down
the Loch-iel, &and about five Miles from
Fort-william. On sight of a War-ship,
which lay opposite to the Garrison, the
Prince crossed a Hill, &and went to Moy,
ôr Moidh a Village on the River Lochy belong-
ing to Lochiel. There he stayed till
Monday, AugtAugust 26th, waiting Intelligence
about General Cope; &and that Day he
crossed the River Lochy, &and lodged in
a Village called Leterfinla on the
Side of Loch-Lochy. At 12 o’Clock
at Night, being very stormy &and boiste-
rous, he learned, that General Cope
was at Garvaimor; whereupon the Men
Stood to arms all Night; but the Gene-
ral had altered his Route, and, by
forced Marches, was making the best
of his Way for Inverness, which (as
was given out) happened by an Express
from President X Forbes, advising the Gene-
ral not to attempt going up the Country

✝
Vide Vol 1. pag: 68.
X
Vol: 5. p. 889.
to 358 (358)
to attack the Highlanders at the Pass of
Corierag (very strong Ground) where
they had posted themselves, but to make
all the Haste he could to Inverness,
where he might Expect the Monroes,
&c.et cetera to join him, whereby he would be
considerably reinforced.

Upon Notice that the General was march-
ing towards Inverness, about six hund-
red of the Highlanders urged the be-
ing allowed to follow him under Cloud
of Night, &and promised to come up with
Him, &and to give a good Account of him
&and his Command; but the Prince would
not hear of such an Attempt, &and desired
them to wait for a more favourable
Opportunity. It was with much Diffi-
culty, that they could be prevailed u-
pon to lay aside the Thoughts of any
such EnterprizeEnterprise. — This I had from
the brave Major MacDonell.

When the Prince was coming down
the Highlands to meet General Cope
(as was supposed) he walked sixteen
Miles in Boots, &and one of the Heels
happening to come off, the Highland-
ers said, they were unco6 glad to
hear it, for they hoped, the Want of
the Heel would make him march
at more Leisure. So speedily he
marched, that he was like to fatigue
them all.

AugtAugust 27th the Prince slept at Glen-gary’s359(359)
gary's House, &and next Night lay at
Aberchallader, a Village belonging
to Glengary.

See Vol: 4. p. 643.

AugtAugust 30th, the Prince &and his Army
were at Dalnacardoch, a publickpublic
House in Wade’s Road from Inver-
ness, as appears from a Letter, writ
by the Duke of Athol to a ✝Lady,
desiring Her to repair to Blair-
Castle, to put it in some Order,
&and to do the Honours of that House,
when the Prince should happen
to come there, which he did yethe
Day following, AugtAugust 31st. I saw
the Letter, &and took the Date of it.

When the Prince was at Blair,
he went into the Garden, and, taking
a Walk upon the Bowling-Green,
he Said, he had never Seen a
Bowling-Green before; upon which
the above Lady called for some Bowls,
that he might see them; but he told
her, that he had got a Present of
Bowls sent him, as a Curiosity, to
Rome from England.

SeptrSeptember 2d he left Blair, &and went to the
House of Lude, where he was very
chearfulcheerful, &and took his Share in several
Dances such as, Minuets, Highland
Reels ^the 1st Reel the P.Prince called for was This is not mine ain7 house &cet cetera &and a Strathspey-minuet

SeptrSeptember 3d he was at Dunkeld, &and next
Day he dined at Nairn-house, where some

✝
Mrs Robertson of Lude, a DaurDaughter of Nairn.
360 (360)
some of the Company happening to ob-
serve, what a thoughtful State his Father
would now be in from the Consideration
of those Dangers &and Difficulties he had
to encounter with, &and that upon this
Account he was much to be pitied,
because his Mind behoved to be much
upon the Rack; the Prince replied,
that he did not half so much pity his
Father as his Brother; “for (Said he)
“the King has been inured to Disap-
“pointments &and Distresses, &and has learntlearned
“to bear up easily under the Misfor-
“tunes of Life; but, poor Hary! his
“young &and tender Years make him much
“to be pitied; for few Brothers love as
“we do.”

SeptrSeptember 4th, in the Evening he made
his Entrance into Perth upon the Horse,
that Major MacDonell had presented
him with.

SeptrSeptember 11th, early in the Morning, he
went on Foot, attended by few, &and took
a View of the House of Scoon; and,
leaving Perth that Day, he took a second
Breakfast at Gask, dined at Tullibar-
dine, &and that Night went towards ^Dumblain, &and next Day to Down.
SeptrSeptember 14th, in the Morning, the Prince, af-
ter refreshing himself &and his Army at
the Laird of Leckie’s House, marched
by Stirling-Castle &and through St Nini-
ians. From Stirling-Castle a Six-Poun-
der was discharged four Times at
him, which determined Lord Nairn,
who was bringing up the second Di-vision361(361)
vision of the Army, to go farther up
the Country in order to be out of the
Reach of the Canon of the Castle.
When the Prince was in St Ninians
with the first Division, Mr Christie,
Provost of Stirling, sent out to them
from Stirling a Quantity of Bread,
Cheese &and Ale in Abundance, an
Order having come before ^by little Andrew Symmer, desiring
such a Refreshment. Colonel Gar-
diner &and his Dragoons had gal-
loped off towards Edinburgh, from
their Camp near Stirling-Castle
the Night before, or rather the
same Morning, when it was dark,
SeptrSeptember 14th, without Beat of Drum.

SeptrSeptember 16th, The Prince &and his Ar-
my were at Gray’s Mill upon the
Water of Leith, when he sent a
Summons to the Provost &and Town-
Council of Edinburgh to receive
him quietly &and peaceably into the
City. Two several Deputations were
sent from Edinburgh to the Prince, beg-
ging a Delay, till they should delibe-
rate ûpon what was fittest to be done.
Mean time, eight or nine hundred
Highlanders, under the Command
of ^Keppoch, young Lochiel &and O Sullivan, march-
ed in between the long Dykes, with-
out a Hush of Noise, under the Fa-
vour of a dark Night, &and lurked at
the Head of the Canongate about the
Nether-bow Port, till they should find a 362 (362)
a favourable Opportunity for their De-
sign, which soon happened. The Hack-
ney-Coach, that brought back the se-
cond Deputation, entredentered at the West-
port, and, after setting down the
Deputies at their proper Place u-
pon the Street, drove down the Street
towards the Canongate; and, when
the Nether-bow port was made o-
pen to let out the Coach, the lurk-
ing Highlanders rushed in (it be-
ing then Peep of Day) &and made them-
selves Masters of the City without
any Opposition or the smallest Noise.

Robert Forbes A.M.

Date
Person	Duncan Cameron
Person	Other sources, as indicated by Forbes's title
Place