John Mackinnon's Part of the Prince's Escape, as given by Walkingshaw to Elphinston.

At ✝6 they put off for the mainland,
whitherwhether the Prince would have had
his late trusty Guide to accompany him:
but XMalcolm excused himself, alledg-
ingalleging, that as he had been four days
absent, it might create Suspicion, and
prove dangerous to the Prince’s own
Safety. The Prince therefore suffered
him to take his leave; but not till
after generously forcing upon him
a good Share of what ☂ money he
had, though Malcolm absolutely
refused it for some time, having
even brought a small Supply with
him, in case the Prince had wan-
ted. The Prince having promised
to meet ⓧDr Mcleod at Camisdiruck1
the Monday following, before he went
into the Boat with the Mckinnons,2
wrote him the following Line.

The Prince and his Company ✝arrived
next Morning about 4, on the South
Side of Lock Nevis near little Mallack,
where they landed, &and lay three Nights
in the open Air. The Laird, and one
of the Men (John Mcguines) having
gone the fourth day to seek a Cave
to lie in, the Prince with John
MacKinnon and the other 3 Row-
ers took to the Boat, and rowed
up Loch Nevis along the Coast. As
they turned a Point, they spied a Boat
tied to the Rock, and five Men
with red Crosses over their Bonnets
standing on the Shore. These im-
mediately called out, demanding
whence they came. John Mckinnon’s
people answered, ‘from Slate’.
Whereupon they were ordered a-
shore; but not complying with this
Summons, the five red Crosses
jumped into their Boat, and set
4 Oars agoing in Pursuit of them.
During the Parley, the Prince insist-
ed more than once to be put on
Shore; but was resolutely refused by
John, who told him that he command-
ed now, and that the only Chance they
had was to pull away; or if they were outrowed 1220 (1220)
outrowed, to fire at the Fellows, there
being four Fire ArmsFirearms on Board U-
pon this John taking an Oar him-
self, plied it so manfully, and so
animated his Fellow-Tuggers, that
they outrowed their blood-thirsty
Pursuers, turned quick round a Point,
and stood in towards the Shore;
which they had no sooner reached,
than the Prince sprung out of the
Boat, and attended by John and
another, mounted nimbly to the
Top of the Hill.3 From hence they
beheld the Boat with the Militia re-
turning from their fruitless Pursuit;
and John congratulating his young
Master upon his Escape, asked Par-
don for having disobeyed him. The
Prince ^replied that he had done well,
that his Reason for desiring to go a-
shore was, that he would rather
‘fight for his Life than be taken
‘Prisoner; but that he hoped God
‘would never so far afflict the King
‘his Father or the Duke his Brother,
‘as that he should fall alive into
‘the Hands of his Enemies.’

On this Eminence the Prince slept
three Hours, and then returning down
the Hill, he reimbarkedre-embarkedand crossed the 1221 (1221)
the Loch, to a little Island, about
a Mile from Scotus’s House, where
Clanranald, to whom he sent a Mes-
sage by John Mackinnon, then was.
Upon John’s Return, they repassed
the Loch, and landed at Mallack:
where having refreshed themselves,
and met with Old McKinnon and
Servant, they set out for Mcdonald
of ✝ Moran’s Seat, which was about
7 or 8 Miles distant. As they
passed a SheilingShieling [a Cottage] they
spied some People coming down
towards the Road. Whereupon
the Prince made John fold his
Plaid for him, and throw it over
his Shoulder with his Knapsack
upon it; tying a Handkerchief a-
bout his Head, the better to dis-
guise himself. In going along,
John was asked, if that was his
Servant; to which he answered
in the Affirmative, adding, that
as the poor Fellow was not well,
he intended to leave him at X Mo-
ran’s. So after receiving a Draught
of Milk from Archibald Macdonald
Son to Ranald MackDonaldDonell, Son of Scotus, they 1222 (1222)
they pursued their Journey, and came
to another SheilingShieling, belonging to old
Scotus, where also they bought a
Draught of Milk, and procured a
Guide, (the Night being dark and
the Road bad) to shewshow them how to
take the Ford near Moran’s House.
A little before Day they arrived
at Moran’s ✝Borthe’Bothy or Hut, his
House having been burned by Capt.Captain
Fergusson. McKinnon went in alone,
and Moran immediately getting
out of Bed, they both hasted to the
Door to introduce the Strangers.
This done, Moran’s first Care was to
dismiss all the Children and Ser-
vants, keeping only his Lady, who
is Lochiel’s Daughter. She knowing
the Prince at first Sight, he salut-
ed her; and the Meeting was ex-
tremely tender, the Lady bursting
into a Flood of Tears. After hav-
ing a Dram &and some Refreshment
of hot Milk^ ^cold Salmon warmed again, but no Bread, the Travellers left the
XBorthe’Bothy, and were conducted by Mo-
ran to a Cave,4 where they slept ten
Hours, Moran being in the mean timemeantime
dispatched in quest of young Clanranald. About 1223 (1223)
About Noon Moran returned with Ac-
counts that Clanranald was not to
be found. So it was resolved to
part with old Mckinnon and Mo-
ran, and in the Evening to set
out with a boy for the House of
Æneas, or Angus Mcdonald of ✝Burgh-
dale in Arisaig (which was the Xfirst
House the Prince was in, when he
came to the Continent). Here they
arrived before Day, found the House
burned by CaptCaptain Fergusson, and Mr
Mcdonald himself with two Men
at a Borthe’Bothy hard by. John Mckin-
non went in abruptly, desiring
that unfortunate Gentleman to rise.
Angus Macdonald at first was sur-
prizedsurprised; but presently knowing John’s
Voice, he got up, &and went to the Door,
having thrown his Blankets about
him. Then John asked him, if he had
heard any Thinganything of the Prince.
Æneas answered, ‘No.' What would
you give for a Sight of him? says
John. Time was, returned the other,
that I would have given a hearty Bot-
tle to see him safe; but since, I see
you, I expect to hear some News of
him. Well then, replies John, I have brought 1224 (1224)
brought him here, and will commit
him to your Charge. I have done
my Duty, do You yours. I am glad
of it, said Angus, &and shall not fail
to take Care of him: I shall lodge
him so secure, that all the Forces
in Britain shall not find him out;
which he accordingly did, till he
delivered him safe off his Hands.
John Mckinnon stay’dstayed only to eat a
little warm Milk; but here he met
again with old Mckinnon, who was
taken next Morning in Moran’s Bor-
the’Bothy. John escaped at this time,
having lain near the Boat, and
went home under Cloud of Night
(being the 11th). He no sooner land-
ed, than he was made Prisoner at his
own SheilingShieling in ✝ Ellagol, by a Party
of Militia, under the Command of
Lieutenant Hope, who used him
with great Civility, but was obliged
to carry him to X Kilmory, where was
Capt.Captain. Fergusson. This ☂ barbarous Man
examined him, and two of his Row-
ers, who were taken with him. One of
these, ^John MacGinnis, he caused to be Π stripped naked,
tied to a Tree, and ⸋ whipped with the Cat 1225 (1225)
Cat and nine Tails, till the Blood
gushed out at both his Sides, threaten-
ing John Mckinnon with the same
Usage and with Irons, if he did not
discover where the Prince was; and
swearing bloodily, that when he
got him on board,✝ Barisdale and
the Cat and nine Tails should
make him squeak. When John Mc-
kinnon was put aboard the Fur-
nace, he was examined by General
Campbell, to whom he maintained,
that he knew nothing about the
Prince, that he had not conducted
him a Gunshot from the Shore, and
had left him with a little Boy
they had met accidentally, who
had gone along with him as his
Guide. From that Ship he was
turned over to the Thomas;
which lodged ^him on board of a Trans-
port. He was first put ashore at
Tilbury Fort; from thence he was
removed to the new Goal, and
discharged the 3 of July 1747.