church, which the
Highlanders surrounded, coming in with their clothes dyed with blood, and
crying out "Massacre them"; but they were set at liberty on the ground
that their hearts were with the Prince, and had been compelled by their
chiefs to take arms on the side of the House of Hanover against their
will. But even the chiefs were not always masters, and men often did
that which was right in their own eyes alone. An instance of this kind
is traditionally told about the Black Fisherman of Lochsanish. The loch,
which is now drained, was a mile in length and half-a-mile in breadth,
and contained a great number of salmon and trout. The Black Fisherman
would not suffer any person to live in the neighbourhood, but claimed, by
the strength of his arm, sole dominion over the loch. The Chief Largie,
who lived eighteen miles north of the loch, kept a guard of soldiers,
lest the Fisherman should make an attack on him. He sent his soldiers
daily to Balergie Cruach to see if the Fisherman was on the loch fishing,
and if they saw him fishing they would come home, not being afraid of an
attack on that day. A stranger one day coming to Largie's house asked
him why he kept soldiers. The answer was, it was on account of the
Fisherman. When he saw him sitting he went and fought the Fisherman,
bidding the soldiers wait the result on a neighbouring hill. When the
battle was over, the Fisherman was minus his head. We read the head,
which was very heavy, was left at Largie's door. These old men were
always fighting. The number of large stones we see erected in different
parts of Kintyre have been set up in memory of battles once fought at
these places. On one occasion two friendly clans prepared to come and
meet. They met somewhere north of Tarbert, but did not know each other,
and began to ask their names, which in those days it was considered
cowardice to answer. They drew swords, fought fiercely, and killed many
on both sides. At last they found out their mistake, were very, very
sorry, and, after burying their dead, returned to their respective
places. The feuds and broils among the clans were frequent, and really
for the most trifling causes, as the whole clans always stood by their
chiefs, and were ready at a moment's notice to fight on account of any
insult, real or imaginary. It appears that in this distant part of the
Empire, though the whole district is not far from Glasgow, with its
commerce and manufactures, a