came sailing into Tobermory Bay. Her captain,
Don Pareira, was a fiery sea-fighter whom misfortune had not tamed.
These savage Highlanders were barbarians in his eyes, and he would
waste no courtesy on them. There were several hundred Spanish soldiers
in the galleon, of the great army of troops which had been sent in the
Armada to invade England, and Captain Pareira thought himself in a
position to demand what he wanted. He sent a boat ashore with a
message to Lachlan Mo'r MacLean at his castle at Duart, asking that
provisions be furnished him, and adding that in case of refusal or
delay he should take them by force. To this Lachlan sent back the
haughty reply that "the wants of the distressed strangers should be
attended to after the captain of the Spanish ship had been taught a
lesson in courteous behavior. In order that the lesson might be taught
him as speedily as possible, he was invited to land and supply his
wants by the forcible means of which he boasted. It was not the custom
of the Chief of the MacLeans to pay attention to the demands of a
threatening and insolent beggar."

At this it may be presumed that Captain Pareira swore a few rounds of
crackling oaths in his beard as he strode his high-pooped quarter-deck.
His men who had gone ashore reported that the MacLean was an ill man to
trifle with and that he had best be let alone. Already the clan was
gathering to repel a landing force from the galleon. The captain of
the battered _Florencia_ took wiser counsel with himself and perceived
that he had threatened over hastily. Pocketing his pride, he assured
the ruffled Lachlan of Castle Duart that he would pay with gold for
whatever supplies might be granted him.

Lachlan had other fish to fry, for the MacDonalds, exceedingly wroth at
the scurvy treatment dealt that luckless bridegroom and ally, the chief
of the MacIans, were up in arms and making ready to avenge the black
insult. In need of men to defend himself, Lachlan MacLean struck a
bargain with the captain of the galleon. If Pareira should lend him a
hundred soldiers from the _Florencia_ he would consider this service as
part payment for the supplies and assistance desired.

Away marched the contingent from the galleon in company with the
MacLean clansmen, and laid siege to the MacIan castle of Mingarry after
ravaging the small islands of Rum and Eigg. Lachlan Mo'r was carrying
all before him, burning, killing, plundering both MacDonalds and