ons as a shield.

This caused postponement of the slaughter, MacDonald offering quarter
if his child should be delivered to him. The MacLeans were disarmed
and bound, except two young men who had distinguished themselves by
laying many a MacDonald low in the heather. These were beheaded at
once, and beginning next morning two MacLeans were led out and executed
each day in the presence of their own chief until no more than Lachlan
and his uncle were left. They were spared only because the sanguinary
Angus MacDonald fell from his horse and was badly hurt before he could
finish his program.

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[Illustration: Duart Castle, chief stronghold of the MacLeans.]

Ardnamurchan Castle, seat of the MacIans and the MacDonalds.

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It would be tiresome to relate much more of this ensanguined,
interminable game of give and take which was the chief business of the
Highland clans in that century. The clan of the MacIans whose seat was
at Ardnamurchan Castle on Mull later sided actively with the MacDonalds
and the feud became three-cornered. Lachlan Mo'r MacLean was no petty
warrior, and his men were numbered by the thousand when he was in the
prime of his power. Once he fell upon the island of Islay and put to
the sword as many as five hundred of his foes, "all the men capable of
bearing arms belonging to the Clan-donald," says an old account. Angus
himself was chased into his castle and forced to give over half of
Islay to Lachlan to save his skin.

Now, indeed, was there a mustering of the MacDonalds from near and far
to invade Mull. They gathered under the chiefs of Kintyre, Skye and
Islay, with the lesser clans under MacNeil of Gigha, the MacAllisters
of Loupe, and the MacPhees of Colonsay. Bold Lachlan Mo'r MacLean was
outnumbered, but a singular stroke of luck enabled him to win a
decisive battle. That MacDonald who was called the Red Knight of
Sleat, was much disturbed and shaken by a dream in which a voice
chanted a very doleful prophecy of which this is a sample:

"Dire are the deeds the fates have doomed on thee!
Defeated by the sons of Gillean the invading host shall be.
On thee, Gearna-Dubh,[1] streams of blood shall flow;
And the bold Red Knight shall die ere a sword is sheathed."

This message caused the Red Knight to sound the retreat soon after the
fray b