ife in the Forest-house had to be broken up, and for the
next ten weary days the little party lived in their boat, eluding as
well as they could their enemies by sea and by land.

Their difficulties were much increased and their spirits sadly disturbed
by the fact that their generous friend Boisdale had been taken prisoner.

It is one of the most singular facts of the Prince's wanderings that as
soon as he lost one helpful friend another immediately rose up to take
his place. This time an ally was found literally in the enemy's camp.
One of the officers in command of the militia in Benbecula was a certain
Hugh Macdonald of Armadale, in Skye, a clansman of Sir Alexander's, but,
like many another Macdonald, a Jacobite at heart. It is very uncertain
how far he was personally responsible for the plan that was at this time
being formed for the Prince's escape. Donald MacLeod and others of the
Prince's party were certain that Charles had met and talked with him at
Rossinish and had presented him with his pistols. This gentleman had a
step-daughter, a certain Flora Macdonald, a girl of remarkable
character, courage, and discretion. She generally lived with her mother
at Armadale, in Skye, but just now she was paying a visit to her brother
in South Uist. It is difficult to make out how or when or by whom the
idea was first started that this lady should convey the Prince to Skye
disguised as her servant, but it appears that she had had more than one
interview with O'Neal on the subject. On Saturday, June 21, being
closely pursued by the implacable Captain Scott, Charles parted with his
faithful little band of followers in Uist, paying the boatmen as
generously as his slender purse would allow. With two clean shirts under
his arm and with only O'Neal as his companion he started for Benbecula.
Arriving at midnight in a small shieling belonging to Macdonald of
Milton, 'by good fortune,' as O'Neal puts it, 'we met with Miss Flora
Macdonald, whom I formerly knew.' It is a little difficult to believe
that young ladies of Miss Flora's discretion were in the habit of
frequenting lonely shielings far from their homes at midnight, at a time
when the whole country was infested with soldiers. Nor does the
beginning of her interview with O'Neal sound like the language of
surprise. 'Then I told her I brought a friend to see her; and she, with
some emotion, asked me if it was the Prince. I answered that it was, and
instantly brought him in.' A