nothing but what was good was present, and I pleased myself in thinkingthat so spirited a man would be well every where. I slept in the sameroom with Dr. Johnson. Each had a neat bed, with Tartan curtains, in anupper chamber.MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13.The room where we lay was a celebrated one. Dr. Johnson's bed was thevery bed in which the grandson of the unfortunate King James theSecond[543] lay, on one of the nights after the failure of his rashattempt in 1745-6, while he was eluding the pursuit of the emissaries ofgovernment, which had offered thirty thousand pounds as a reward forapprehending him. To see Dr. Samuel Johnson lying in that bed, in theisle of Sky, in the house of Miss Flora Macdonald, struck me with such agroup of ideas as it is not easy for words to describe, as they passedthrough the mind. He smiled, and said, 'I have had no ambitious thoughtsin it[544].' The room was decorated with a great variety of maps andprints. Among others, was Hogarth's print of Wilkes grinning, with a capof liberty on a pole by him. That too was a curious circumstance in thescene this morning; such a contrast was Wilkes to the above groupe. Itreminded me of Sir William Chambers's _Account of OrientalGardening_[545], in which we are told all odd, strange, ugly, and eventerrible objects, are introduced for the sake of variety; a wildextravagance of taste which is so well ridiculed in the celebratedEpistle to him[546]. The following lines of that poem immediatelyoccurred to me;'Here too, O king of vengeance! in thy fane,Tremendous Wilkes shall rattle his gold chain[547].'Upon the table in our room I found in the morning a slip of paper, onwhich Dr. Johnson had written with his pencil these words,'Quantum cedat virtutibus aurum[548].'What he meant by writing them I could not tell[549]. He had caught colda day or two ago, and the rain yesterday having made it worse, he wasbecome very deaf. At breakfast he said, he would have given a good dealrather than not have lain in that bed. I owned he was the lucky man; andobserved, that without doubt it had been contrived between Mrs.Macdonald and him. She seemed to acquiesce; adding, 'You know young_bucks_ are always favourites of the ladies.' He spoke of Prince Charlesbeing here, and asked Mrs. Macdonald, '_Who_ was with him? We were told,madam, in England, there was one Miss Flora Macdonald with him.' Shesaid, 'they were very right;' and perceiving Dr. Johnson's curiosity,though he had delicacy enough not to question her, very obliginglyentertained him with a recital of the particulars which she herself knewof that escape, which does so much honour to the humanity, fidelity, andgenerosity of the Highlanders. Dr. Johnson listened to her with placidattention, and said, 'All this should be written down.'From what she told us, and from what I was told by others personallyconcerned, and from a paper of information which Rasay was so good as tosend me, at my desire, I have compiled the following abstract, which, asit contains some curious anecdotes, will, I imagine, not beuninteresting to my readers, and even, perhaps, be of some use to futurehistorians.* * * * *Prince Charles Edward, after the battle of Culloden, was conveyed towhat is called the _Long Island_, where he lay for some time concealed.But intelligence having been obtained where he was, and a number oftroops having come in quest of him, it became absolutely necessary forhim to quit that country without delay. Miss Flora Macdonald, then ayoung lady, animated by what she thought the sacred principle ofloyalty, offered, with the magnanimity of a Heroine, to accompany him inan open boat to Sky, though the coast they were to quit was guarded byships. He dressed himself in women's clothes, and passed as her supposedmaid, by the name of Betty Bourke, an Irish girl. They got offundiscovered, though several shots were fired to bring them to, andlanded at Mugstot, the seat of Sir Alexander Macdonald. Sir Alexanderwas then at Fort Augustus, with the Duke of Cumberland; but his lady wasat home. Prince Charles took his post upon a hill near the house. FloraMacdonald waited on lady Margaret[550], and acquainted her of theenterprise in which she was engaged. Her ladyship, whose activebenevolence was ever seconded by superior talents, shewed a perfectpresence of mind, and readiness of invention, and at once settled thatPrince Charles should be conducted to old Rasay, who was himselfconcealed with some select friends. The plan was instantly communicatedto Kingsburgh, who was dispatched to the hill to inform the Wanderer,and carry him refreshments. When Kingsburgh approached, he started up,and advanced, holding a large knotted stick, and in appearance ready toknock him down, till he said, 'I am Macdonald of Kingsburgh, come toserve your highness.' The Wanderer answered, 'It is well,' and wassatisfied with the plan.Flora Macdonald dined with Lady Margaret, at whose table there sat anofficer of the army, stationed here with a party of soldiers, to watchfor Prince Charles in case of his flying to the isle of Sky. Sheafterwards often laughed in good-humour with this gentleman, on herhaving so well deceived him. After dinner, Flora Macdonald onhorseback, and her supposed maid, and Kingsburgh, with a servantcarrying some linen, all on foot, proceeded towards that gentleman'shouse. Upon the road was a small rivulet which they were obliged tocross. The Wanderer, forgetting his assumed sex, that his clothes mightnot be wet, held them up a great deal too high. Kingsburgh mentionedthis to him, observing, it might make a discovery. He said, he would bemore careful for the future. He was as good as his word; for the nextbrook they crossed, he did not hold up his clothes at all, but let themfloat upon the water. He was very awkward in his female dress. His sizewas so large, and his strides so great, that some women whom they metreported that they had seen a very big woman, who looked like a man inwoman's clothes, and that perhaps it was (as they expressed themselves)the _Prince_, after whom so much search was making.At Kingsburgh he met with a most cordial reception; seemed gay atsupper, and after it indulged himself in a cheerful glass with hisworthy host. As he had not had his clothes off for a long time, thecomfort of a good bed was highly relished by him, and he slept soundlytill next day at one o'clock.The mistress of Corrichatachin told me, that in the forenoon she wentinto her father's room, who was also in bed, and suggested to him herapprehensions that a party of the military might come up, and that hisguest and he had better not remain here too long. Her father said, 'Letthe poor man repose himself after his fatigues; and as for me, I carenot, though they take off this old grey head ten or eleven years soonerthan I should die in the course of nature.' He then wrapped himself inthe bed-clothes, and again fell fast asleep.On the afternoon of that day, the Wanderer, still in the same dress, setout for Portree, with Flora Macdonald and a man servant. His shoes beingvery bad, Kingsburgh provided him with a new pair, and taking up the oldones, said, 'I will faithfully keep them till you are safely settled atSt. James's. I will then introduce myself by shaking them at you, to putyou in mind of your night's entertainment and protection under my roof.'He smiled, and said, 'Be as good as your word!' Kingsburgh kept theshoes as long as he lived. After his death, a zealous Jacobite gentlemangave twenty guineas for them. Old Mrs. Macdonald, after her guest hadleft the house, took the sheets in which he had lain, folded themcarefully, and charged her daughter that they should be kept unwashed,and that, when she died, her body should be wrapped in them as a windingsheet. Her will was religiously observed.Upon the road to Portree, Prince Charles changed his dress, and put onman's clothes again; a tartan short coat and waistcoat, with philibegand short hose, a plaid, and a wig and bonnet.Mr. Donald M'Donald, called Donald Roy, had been sent express to thepresent Rasay, then the young laird, who was at that time at hissister's house, about three miles from Portree, attending his brother,Dr. Macleod, who was recovering of a wound he had received at the battleof Culloden. Mr. M'Donald communicated to young Rasay the plan ofconveying the Wanderer to where old Rasay was; but was told that oldRasay had fled to Knoidart, a part of Glengary's estate. There was thena dilemma what should be done. Donald Roy proposed that he shouldconduct the Wanderer to the main land; but young Rasay thought it toodangerous at that time, and said it would be better to conceal him inthe island of Rasay, till old Rasay could be informed where he was, andgive his advice what was best. But the difficulty was, how to get him toRasay. They could not trust a Portree crew, and all the Rasay boats hadbeen destroyed, or carried off by the military, except two belonging toMalcolm M'Leod, which he had concealed somewhere.Dr. Macleod being informed of this difficulty, said he would risk hislife once more for Prince Charles; and it having occurred, that therewas a little boat upon a fresh-water lake in the neighbourhood, youngRasay and Dr. Macleod, with the help of some women, brought it to thesea, by extraordinary exertion, across a Highland mile of land, one halfof which was bog, and the other a steep precipice.These gallant brothers, with the assistance of one little boy, rowed thesmall boat to Rasay, where they were to endeavour to find CaptainM'Leod, as Malcolm was then called, and get one of his good boats, withwhich they might return to Portree, and receive the Wanderer; or, incase of not finding him, they were to make the small boat serve, thoughthe danger was considerable.Fortunately, on their first landing, they found their cousin Malcolm,who, with the utmost alacrity, got ready one of his boats, with twostrong men, John M'Kenzie, and Donald M'Friar. Malcolm, being the oldestman, and most cautious, said, that as young Rasay had not hithertoappeared in the unfortunate business, he ought not to run any risk; butthat Dr. Macleod and himself, who were already publickly engaged, shouldgo on this expedition. Young Rasay answered, with an oath, that he wouldgo, at the risk of his life and fortune. 'In GOD'S name then (saidMalcolm) let us proceed.' The two boatmen, however, now stopped short,till they should be informed of their destination; and M'Kenzie declaredhe would not move an oar till he knew where they were going. Upon whichthey were both sworn to secrecy; and the business being imparted tothem, they were eager to put off to sea without loss of time. The boatsoon landed about half a mile from the inn at Portree.All this was negotiated before the Wanderer got forward to Portree.Malcolm M'Leod and M'Friar were dispatched to look for him. In a shorttime he appeared, and went into the publick house. Here Donald Roy, whomhe had seen at Mugstot, received him, and informed him of what had beenconcerted. He wanted silver for a guinea, but the landlord had onlythirteen shillings. He was going to accept of this for his guinea; butDonald Roy very judiciously observed, that it would discover him to besome great man; so he desisted. He slipped out of the house, leaving hisfair protectress, whom he never again saw; and Malcolm Macleod waspresented to him by Donald Roy, as a captain in his army. Young Rasayand Dr. Macleod had waited, in impatient anxiety, in the boat. When hecame, their names were announced to him. He would not permit the usualceremonies of respect, but saluted them as his equals.Donald Roy staid in Sky, to be in readiness to get intelligence, andgive an alarm in case the troops should discover the retreat to Rasay;and Prince Charles was then conveyed in a boat to that island in thenight. He slept a little upon the passage, and they landed aboutday-break. There was some difficulty in accommodating him with alodging, as almost all the houses in the island had been burnt by thesoldiery. They repaired to a little hut, which some shepherds had latelybuilt, and having prepared it as well as they could, and made a bed ofheath for the stranger, they kindled a fire, and partook of someprovisions which had been sent with him from Kingsburgh. It wasobserved, that he would not taste wheat-bread, or brandy, whileoat-bread and whisky lasted; 'for these, said he, are my own countrybread and drink.'--This was very engaging to the Highlanders.Young Rasay being the only person of the company that durst appear withsafety, he went in quest of something fresh for them to eat: but thoughhe was amidst his own cows, sheep, and goats, he could not venture totake any of them for fear of a discovery, but was obliged to supplyhimself by stealth. He therefore caught a kid, and brought it to the hutin his plaid, and it was killed and drest, and furnished them a mealwhich they relished much. The distressed Wanderer, whose health was nowa good deal impaired by hunger, fatigue, and watching, slept a longtime, but seemed to be frequently disturbed. Malcolm told me he wouldstart from broken slumbers, and speak to himself in different languages,French, Italian, and English. I must however acknowledge, that it ishighly probable that my worthy friend Malcolm did not know precisely thedifference between French and Italian. One of his expressions in Englishwas, 'O GOD! poor Scotland!'While they were in the hut, M'Kenzie and M'Friar, the two boatmen, wereplaced as sentinels upon different eminences; and one day an incidenthappened, which must not be omitted. There was a man wandering about theisland, selling tobacco. Nobody knew him, and he was suspected to be aspy. M'Kenzie came running to the hut, and told that this suspectedperson was approaching. Upon which the three gentlemen, young Rasay, Dr.Macleod, and Malcolm, held a council of war upon him, and wereunanimously of opinion that he should instantly be put to death. PrinceCharles, at once assuming a grave and even severe countenance, said,'God forbid that we should take away a man's life, who may be innocent,while we can preserve our own.' The gentlemen however persisted in theirresolution, while he as strenuously continued to take the merciful side.John M'Kenzie, who sat watching at the door of the hut, and overheardthe debate, said in Erse, 'Well, well; he must be shot. You are theking, but we are the parliament, and will do what we choose.' PrinceCharles, seeing the gentlemen smile, asked what the man had said, andbeing told it in English, he observed that he was a clever fellow, and,notwithstanding the perilous situation in which he was, laughed loud andheartily. Luckily the unknown person did not perceive that there werepeople in the hut, at least did not come to it, but walked on past it,unknowing of his risk. It was afterwards found out that he was one ofthe Highland army, who was himself in danger. Had he come to them, theywere resolved to dispatch him; for, as Malcolm said to me, 'We could notkeep him with us, and we durst not let him go. In such a situation, Iwould have shot my brother, if I had not been sure of him.' JohnM'Kenzie was at Rasay's house when we were there[551]. About eighteenyears before, he hurt one of his legs when dancing, and being obliged tohave it cut off, he now was going about with a wooden leg. The story ofhis being a _member of parliament_ is not yet forgotten. I took him outa little way from the house, gave him a shilling to drink Rasay'shealth, and led him into a detail of the particulars which I have justrelated. With less foundation, some writers have traced the idea of aparliament, and of the British constitution, in rude and early times. Iwas curious to know if he had really heard, or understood, any thing ofthat subject, which, had he been a greater man, would probably have beeneagerly maintained. 'Why, John, (said I,) did you think the king shouldbe controuled by a parliament?' He answered, 'I thought, Sir, there weremany voices against one.'The conversation then turning on the times, the Wanderer said, that, tobe sure, the life he had led of late was a very hard one; but he wouldrather live in the way he now did, for ten years, than fall into thehands of his enemies. The gentlemen asked him, what he thought hisenemies would do with him, should he have the misfortune to fall intotheir hands. He said, he did not believe they would dare to take hislife publickly, but he dreaded being privately destroyed by poison orassassination. He was very particular in his inquiries about the woundwhich Dr. Macleod had received at the battle of Culloden, from a ballwhich entered at one shoulder, and went cross to the other. The doctorhappened still to have on the coat which he wore on that occasion. Hementioned, that he himself had his horse shot under him at Culloden;that the ball hit the horse about two inches from his knee, and made himso unruly that he was obliged to change him for another. He threw outsome reflections on the conduct of the disastrous affair at Culloden,saying, however, that perhaps it was rash in him to do so. I am nowconvinced that his suspicions were groundless; for I have had a gooddeal of conversation upon the subject with my very worthy and ingeniousfriend, Mr. Andrew Lumisden, who was under secretary to Prince Charles,and afterwards principal secretary to his father at Rome, who, heassured me, was perfectly satisfied both of the abilities and honour ofthe generals who commanded the Highland army on that occasion. Mr.Lumisden has written an account of the three battles in 1745-6, at onceaccurate and classical[552]. Talking of the different Highland corps,the gentlemen who were present wished to have his opinion which were thebest soldiers. He said, he did not like comparisons among those corps:they were all best.He told his conductors, he did not think it advisable to remain long inany one place; and that he expected a French ship to come for him toLochbroom, among the Mackenzies. It then was proposed to carry him inone of Malcolm's boats to Lochbroom, though the distance was fifteenleagues coastwise. But he thought this would be too dangerous, anddesired that, at any rate, they might first endeavour to obtainintelligence. Upon which young Rasay wrote to his friend, Mr. M'Kenzieof Applecross, but received an answer, that there was no appearance ofany French ship. It was therefore resolved that they should return toSky, which they did, and landed in Strath, where they reposed in acow-house belonging to Mr. Niccolson of Scorbreck. The sea was veryrough, and the boat took in a good deal of water. The Wanderer asked ifthere was danger, as he was not used to such a vessel. Upon being toldthere was not, he sung an Erse song with much vivacity. He had by thistime acquired a good deal of the Erse language.Young Rasay was now dispatched to where Donald Roy was, that they mightget all the intelligence they could; and the Wanderer, with muchearnestness, charged Dr. Macleod to have a boat ready, at a certainplace about seven miles off, as he said he intended it should carry himupon a matter of great consequence; and gave the doctor a case,containing a silver spoon, knife, and fork, saying, 'keep you that tillI see you,' which the doctor understood to be two days from that time.But all these orders were only blinds; for he had another plan in hishead, but wisely thought it safest to trust his secrets to no morepersons than was absolutely necessary. Having then desired Malcolm towalk with him a little way from the house, he soon opened his mind,saying, 'I deliver myself to you. Conduct me to the Laird of M'Kinnon'scountry.' Malcolm objected that it was very dangerous, as so manyparties of soldiers were in motion. He answered, 'There is nothing nowto be done without danger.' He then said, that Malcolm must be themaster, and he the servant; so he took the bag, in which his linen wasput up, and carried it on his shoulder; and observing that hiswaistcoat, which was of scarlet tartan, with a gold twist button, wasfiner than Malcolm's, which was of a plain ordinary tartan, he put onMalcolm's waistcoat, and gave him his; remarking at the same time, thatit did not look well that the servant should be better dressed thanthe master.Malcolm, though an excellent walker, found himself excelled by PrinceCharles, who told him, he should not much mind the parties that werelooking for him, were he once but a musket shot from them; but that hewas somewhat afraid of the Highlanders who were against him. He was wellused to walking in Italy, in pursuit of game; and he was even now sokeen a sportsman, that, having observed some partridges, he was goingto take a shot: but Malcolm cautioned him against it, observing that thefiring might be heard by the tenders[553] who were hovering uponthe coast.As they proceeded through the mountains, taking many a circuit to avoidany houses, Malcolm, to try his resolution, asked him what they shoulddo, should they fall in with a party of soldiers: he answered, 'Fight,to be sure!' Having asked Malcolm if he should be known in his presentdress, and Malcolm having replied he would, he said, 'Then I'll blackenmy face with powder.' 'That, said Malcolm, would discover you at once.''Then, said he, I must be put in the greatest dishabille possible.' Sohe pulled off his wig, tied a handkerchief round his head, and put hisnight-cap over it, tore the ruffles from his shirt, took the buckles outof his shoes, and made Malcolm fasten them with strings; but stillMalcolm thought he would be known. 'I have so odd a face, (said he) thatno man ever saw me but he would know me again[554].'He seemed unwilling to give credit to the horrid narrative of men beingmassacred in cold blood, after victory had declared for the armycommanded by the Duke of Cumberland. He could not allow himself to thinkthat a general could be so barbarous[555]. When they came within twomiles of M'Kinnon's house, Malcolm asked if he chose to see the laird.'No, (said he) by no means. I know M'Kinnon to be as good and as honesta man as any in the world, but he is not fit for my purpose at present.You must conduct me to some other house; but let it be a gentleman'shouse.' Malcolm then determined that they should go to the house of hisbrother-in-law, Mr. John M'Kinnon, and from thence be conveyed to themain land of Scotland, and claim the assistance of Macdonald ofScothouse. The Wanderer at first objected to this, because Scothouse wascousin to a person of whom he had suspicions. But he acquiesced inMalcolm's opinion.When they were near Mr. John M'Kinnon's house, they met a man of thename of Ross, who had been a private soldier in the Highland army. Hefixed his eyes steadily on the Wanderer in his disguise, and having atonce recognized him, he clapped his hands, and exclaimed, 'Alas! is thisthe case?' Finding that there was now a discovery, Malcolm asked 'What'sto be done?' 'Swear him to secrecy,' answered Prince Charles. Upon whichMalcolm drew his dirk, and on the naked blade, made him take a solemnoath, that he would say nothing of his having seen the Wanderer, tillhis escape should be made publick.Malcolm's sister, whose house they reached pretty early in the morning,asked him who the person was that was along with him. He said it was oneLewis Caw, from Crieff, who being a fugitive like himself, for the samereason, he had engaged him as his servant, but that he had fallen sick.'Poor man! (said she) I pity him. At the same time my heart warms to aman of his appearance.' Her husband was gone a little way from home; butwas expected every minute to return. She set down to her brother aplentiful Highland breakfast. Prince Charles acted the servant verywell, sitting at a respectful distance, with his bonnet off. Malcolmthen said to him, 'Mr. Caw, you have as much need of this as I have;there is enough for us both: you had better draw nearer and share withme.' Upon which he rose, made a profound bow, sat down at table with hissupposed master, and eat very heartily. After this there came in an oldwoman, who, after the mode of ancient hospitality, brought warm water,and washed Malcolm's feet. He desired her to wash the feet of the poorman who attended him. She at first seemed averse to this, from pride, as