sentinels upon different eminences; and one day an incident
happened, which must not be omitted. There was a man wandering about the
island, selling tobacco. Nobody knew him, and he was suspected to be a
spy. M'Kenzie came running to the hut, and told that this suspected
person was approaching. Upon which the three gentlemen, young Rasay, Dr.
Macleod, and Malcolm, held a council of war upon him, and were
unanimously of opinion that he should instantly be put to death. Prince
Charles, 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 their
resolution, while he as strenuously continued to take the merciful side.
John M'Kenzie, who sat watching at the door of the hut, and overheard
the debate, said in Erse, 'Well, well; he must be shot. You are the
king, but we are the parliament, and will do what we choose.' Prince
Charles, seeing the gentlemen smile, asked what the man had said, and
being told it in English, he observed that he was a clever fellow, and,
notwithstanding the perilous situation in which he was, laughed loud and
heartily. Luckily the unknown person did not perceive that there were
people 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 of
the Highland army, who was himself in danger. Had he come to them, they
were resolved to dispatch him; for, as Malcolm said to me, 'We could not
keep him with us, and we durst not let him go. In such a situation, I
would have shot my brother, if I had not been sure of him.' John
M'Kenzie was at Rasay's house when we were there[551]. About eighteen
years before, he hurt one of his legs when dancing, and being obliged to
have it cut off, he now was going about with a wooden leg. The story of
his being a _member of parliament_ is not yet forgotten. I took him out
a little way from the house, gave him a shilling to drink Rasay's
health, and led him into a detail of the particulars which I have just
related. With less foundation, some writers have traced the idea of a
parliament, and of the British constitution, in rude and early times. I
was curious to know if he had really heard, or understood, any thing of
that subject, which, had he been a greater man, would probably have been
eagerly maintained. 'Why, John, (said I,) did you think the king should
b