r, that there was no appearance of
any French ship. It was therefore resolved that they should return to
Sky, which they did, and landed in Strath, where they reposed in a
cow-house belonging to Mr. Niccolson of Scorbreck. The sea was very
rough, and the boat took in a good deal of water. The Wanderer asked if
there was danger, as he was not used to such a vessel. Upon being told
there was not, he sung an Erse song with much vivacity. He had by this
time acquired a good deal of the Erse language.

Young Rasay was now dispatched to where Donald Roy was, that they might
get all the intelligence they could; and the Wanderer, with much
earnestness, charged Dr. Macleod to have a boat ready, at a certain
place about seven miles off, as he said he intended it should carry him
upon a matter of great consequence; and gave the doctor a case,
containing a silver spoon, knife, and fork, saying, 'keep you that till
I 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 his
head, but wisely thought it safest to trust his secrets to no more
persons than was absolutely necessary. Having then desired Malcolm to
walk 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's
country.' Malcolm objected that it was very dangerous, as so many
parties of soldiers were in motion. He answered, 'There is nothing now
to be done without danger.' He then said, that Malcolm must be the
master, and he the servant; so he took the bag, in which his linen was
put up, and carried it on his shoulder; and observing that his
waistcoat, which was of scarlet tartan, with a gold twist button, was
finer than Malcolm's, which was of a plain ordinary tartan, he put on
Malcolm's waistcoat, and gave him his; remarking at the same time, that
it did not look well that the servant should be better dressed than
the master.

Malcolm, though an excellent walker, found himself excelled by Prince
Charles, who told him, he should not much mind the parties that were
looking for him, were he once but a musket shot from them; but that he
was somewhat afraid of the Highlanders who were against him. He was well
used to walking in Italy, in pursuit of game; and he was even now so
keen a sportsman, that, having observed some partridges, he was going
to take a shot: but Malcolm cautioned him against it, observing that the