You are to assure yourself and others, that the King has determined to make Scotland happy, and the clans in particular, when it pleases God to restore him; this is consistent with my certain knowledge. You are only to touch upon this in a discreet way, and to a very few discreet persons; but all these matters I leave to your own good sense and prudence, for may be sure there are people who will give account of your behaviour after you return home; but I hope none will be able to do it to your disadvantage; keep always to the truth in what you inform the King, and that will stand; though even on the truth itself, you are to put the handsomest gloss you can on some occasions.

You are to keep in good terms with Glengarry, and all other neighbours, and let by-gones be by-gones, as long as they continue firm to the King's interest; let no private animosity take place, but see to gain them with courtesy and good management, which I hope will give you an opportunity to make a figure amongst them, not but you are to tell the truth, if any of them fail in their duty to the King or country.

As to Lovat, pray, be always on your guard, but not so as to lose him; on the contrary, you may say that the King trusts a great deal to the resolution he has taken to serve him ; and expects he will continue in that resolution. But, dear Nephew, you know very well that he must give true and real proof of his sincerity, by performance, before he can be entirely reckoned on, after the part he has acted. This I say to yourself, and therefore you must deal with him very dexterously; and I must leave it to your own judgment what lengths to go with him, since you know he has always been a man whose chief view was his own interest. It is true he wishes our family well; and I doubt not he would wish the King restored, which is his interest, if he has the grace to have a hand in it, after what he has done. So, upon the whole, I know not what advice to give you, as to letting him know that the King wrote you such a letter as you have; but, in general, you are to make the best of him you can, but still be on your guard; for it is not good to put too much in his power before the time of executing a good design. The King knows very well how useful he can be if sincere, which I have represented as fully as was necessary.

This letter is of such bulk, that I have enclosed the King's letter under cover with another letter addressed for your father, as I will not take leave of you till next post. I add only that I am entirely yours, A. CAMERON.

The letter enclosed from the Chevalier has not been preserved, but we have the substance of it in Allan's letter to his nephew. The reference to Lovat shows that his Lordship's character had been correctly estimated long before 1745, and that it was placed at its proper value by the friends of the Stuart dynasty. It is to be regretted that we do not know the exact nature of the promises made by Charles and his father to Lochiel, for himself and for his family. We are told in the Jacobite Memoirs that Donald, before agreeing to "come out," took full security from the Prince for the value of his estates, and that it was "to fulfil this engagement that Charles, after the unfortunate conclusion of the enterprise," obtained a French regiment for him. Chambers, who, in a foot-note, quotes this

from Bishop Forbes, says, regarding it, "that it is scarcely necessary to remark, that the presence of generous feelings does not necessarily forbid that some attention should be paid to the dictates of prudence and caution. Lochiel might feel that he had a right to peril his life and connexion with his country, but not the fortune on which the comfort of others besides himself depended, especially in an enterprise of which he had a bad opinion, and which he only acceded to from a romantic deference to the wishes of another person." In this view the majority of people will agree.

The Jacobites, not only in the Highlands but in the Lowlands, were acquainted with the contents of the letters which passed between the Chevalier, Prince Charles, and young Lochiel. In 1740 he was one of the seven Highland chiefs who signed articles of association for the restoration of the Stuart line, engaging to take up arms, for that purpose, provided sufficient assistance was sent from France. These articles were taken to the Chevalier at Rome by Drummond of Balhaldy.

A letter is given among the Stuart papers from Lochiel, under the signature of "Dan," dated the 22nd of February 1745, addressed to the Chevalier de St George, in which he refers to a recent letter forwarded by him. He assures His Royal Highness of his steady adherence to whatever may conduce to the interest of his family, and urges that, as "the season is now fast advancing," and that, as they had as yet no return from their friends in England, "how far it is necessary that we be informed of what is expected from the French, and in how soon, that we may have it in our power to settle matters so as will enable us to make that assistance to your Royal Highness our duty and inclination direct." Very soon after this Prince Charles Edward embarked for the Highlands of Scotland, and shortly after his arrival at Borrodale, he sent messengers to several of the most influential chiefs, and, of course, among the rest, to his trusted friend Lochiel, who, when told that the Prince had landed without troops, arms, or ammunition, resolved to take no part in what seemed so perfectly hopeless an enterprise. At the same time he determined to visit His Royal Highness in person, first out of courtesy, but particularly with the view to induce him, if possible, to wait for the promised assistance from France,

failing which to give up his intention, and return as quietly as he could. Home informs us that Lochiel left Lochaber on this visit quite determined not to take up arms, and that on his way to Borrodale, he called at the house of his brother, John Cameron of Fassifern, who, surprised to see him at such an unusual hour, asked what had brought him there so early in the morning. When Lochiel explained the object of his journey, Fassifern asked, "What troops had the Prince brought with him? What money? What arms?" Lochiel answered that he believed he had brought with him neither troops, money, nor arms; and, therefore, he was resolved not to be concerned in the affair, and would do his utmost to prevent Charles from making such a rash attempt. Fassifern approved of his brother's sentiments, and applauded his resolution; advising him, at the same time, not to go any further on the way to Borrodale, but to come into the house, and impart his mind to the Prince by letter. "No," said Lochiel, “I ought at least to wait upon him, and give my reasons in person for declining to join him, which admit of no reply." "Brother," said Fassifern, “I know you better than you know yourself. If this Prince once sets his eyes upon you, he will make you do whatever he pleases." This conversation, Home informs us, was repeated to him in 1781 by Fassifern himself.

No sooner had Lochiel arrived at Borrodale than the Prince and he retired together, when, according to the same authority, a discussion to the following effect took place :-The Prince began the conversation by bitterly complaining of the treatment he had received from the French Ministers who had so long put him off with vain hopes and deceived him with false promises of active support; their coldness in the cause, he said, but ill agreed with the opinions he had of his own rights, and with that impatience to assert them with which the promises of his father's brave and faithful subjects had inflamed his mind. Lochiel acknowledged the engagements of the chiefs, but observed that they were nowise binding, as he had come over to the Highlands without the stipulated aid; and, therefore, as there was not the least prospect of success, he advised his Royal Highness to return to France and to reserve himself and his faithful friends for a more favourable opportunity. Charles refused to follow Lochiel's

advice, affirming that a more favourable opportunity than the present would never come; that almost all the British troops were abroad, and kept at bay by Marshal Saxe, with a superior army; that in Scotland there were only a few newly raised regiments, that had never seen any service, and could not stand before the Highlanders; that the very first advantage gained over the troops would encourage his father's friends at home to declare themselves in his favour; that his friends abroad would not fail to give their assistance; and that he only wanted the Highlanders, in the meantime, to begin the war.

Lochiel still resisted, entreating him to be more temperate, and consent to remain in the meantime concealed where he was, till he and his other friends should meet together, and arrange as to what was best to be done. Charles, whose whole mind was wound up to the utmost pitch of impatience, paid no regard to this proposal, but answered that he "was determined to put all to the hazard. In a few days with the few friends that I have, I will erect the Royal standard, and proclaim to the people of Britain that Charles Stuart is come over to claim the crown of his ancestors, to win it, or to perish in the attempt; Lochiel, who, my father has often told me, was our firmest friend, may stay at home, and learn from the newspapers the fate of his Prince." "No," said Lochiel, "I'll share the fate of my Prince, and so shall every man over whom nature or fortune hath given me any power." Such was the immediate effect of this singular conversation, on the result of which depended peace or war; for it is admitted on all hands, that if Lochiel had persisted in his refusal to take up arms, the other chiefs would not have joined the standard of the Prince without him, and the incipient spark of the proposed rising must have there and then expired.

Lochiel now returned home, and dispatched messengers to all his vassals able to bear arms, commanding them to get ready at once to join him, and to march with him to Glenfinnan, where it had been resolved to raise the standard of the Prince. In the meantime, on the 16th of August, two companies of the 1st Regiment of Foot, under Captain Scott, which had been sent from Fort-Augustus to reinforce Fort-William, were cleverly surrounded and taken prisoners, by a small body of Keppoch and Gengarry

Macdonalds, at the end of Loch-Oich. Lochiel, to whom word had been sent to come to the assistance of the Macdonalds, arrived just as Captain Scott and his men surrendered, when Donald, with a body of Camerons, took charge of the prisoners, and marched them to his residence at Achnacarry.

On the 19th, at the head of between 700 and 800 of his followers, Lochiel marched to Glenfinnan, where the Prince was anxiously waiting for the clans that he expected would have met him there on his arrival at this place, which had been appointed for raising his standard. “At length," says Chambers, "about an hour after noon, the sound of a pibroch was heard over the top of an opposite hill, and immediately after the adventurer was cheered by the sight of a large body of Highlanders in full march down the slope. It was the Camerons to the number of 700 or 800,

All plaided and plumed in their tartan array,' coming forward in two columns of three men abreast, to the spiritstirring notes of the bagpipe, and enclosing the party of soldiers whom they had just taken prisoners. Elevated by the fine appearance of this clan, and by the auspicious result of the little action just described, Charles set about the business of declaring open war against the Elector of Hanover." The standard having been unfurled on the arrival of Lochiel, by the Marquis of Tullibardine, he carried it back to the quarters of the Prince, surrounded by a guard of fifty stalwart Camerons.

Some five hundred firelocks and a quantity of French broadswords having been landed from the "Doutelle" at Castle Tirrim, 250 of the Camerons were sent for them, and, with 300 of Clanranald's men, they met the clans, who had marched from Glenfinnan on the 21st, at the head of Loch Eil, on their way South. Here the Prince issued the famous proclamation offering £30,000 for the person of King William, "Given at our camp at Kinlochiel, August the 22nd," and on the following night, Friday, the 23rd, he slept at Fassifern House, on Lochielside, the residence of John, Lochiel's eldest brother, from whence 200 Camerons were dispatched in advance with the Prince's baggage to Moy, in Lochaber.

The Highlanders continued their march southwards. At