fifty　men　with　long　Spanish　firelocks；　under　his　command；　and　all　posted　in　the　way　most　likely　to　give　them　an　advantage　over　the　　invading　force。
  The　rear…guard；　with　the　factors；　had　scarcely　gone　a　mile　when　they　received　a　platoon　of　seven　shots　from　a　rising　ground　near　them　to　　the　right；　which；　however；　had　only　the　effect　of　piercing　a　soldier's　hat　　　　The　Bernera　company　left　the　party　at　eight　o'clock；　as　they　were　passing　Lochanachlee；　and　from　this　time　is　heard　of　no　more；　how　it　made　its　　way　out　of　the　country　does　not　appear。　　The　remainder　still　advancing；　　Easterfearn；　as　he　rode　a　little　before　his　men；　had　eight　shots　levelled　at　　him　from　a　rude　breast…work　near　by；　and　was　wounded　in　two　places；　but　　was　able　to　appear　as　if　he　had　not　been　touched。　　Then　calling　out　some　　Highlanders　in　his　service；　he　desired　them　to　go　before　the　soldiers　and　do　their　best；　according　to　their　own　mode　of　warfare；　to　clear　the　ground　　of　such　lurking　parties；　so　that　the　troops　might　advance　in　safety。
  They　　performed　this　service　pretty　effectually；　skirmishing　as　they　went　on；　and　　the　main　body　advanced　safely　about　six　miles。　They　were　here　arrived　at　　a　place　called　Ath…na…Mullach；　where　the　waters；　descending　from　the　　Cralich　and　the　lofty　mountains　of　Kintail；　issue　eastwards　through　a　　narrow　gorge　into　Loch　Affric。　　It　was　a　place　remarkably　well　adapted　for　　the　purpose　of　a　resisting　party。　　A　rocky　boss；　called　Torr…a…Bheathaich；　　then　densely　covered　with　birch；　closes　up　the　glen　as　with　a　gate。　　The　black　mountain　stream；　〃spear…deep；〃　sweeps　round　it。　　A　narrow　path　　wound　up　the　rock；　admitting　of　passengers　in　single　file。　Here　lay　　Murchison　with　the　best　of　his　people；　while　inferior　adherents　were　ready　　to　make　demonstrations　at　a　little　distance。　As　the　invading　party　　approached；　they　received　a　platoon　from　a　wood　on　the　left；　but　　nevertheless　went　on。　　When；　however；　they　were　all　engaged　in　toiling　up　the　pass；　forty　men　concealed　in　the　heather　close　by　fired　with　deadly　　effect；　inflicting　a　mortal　would　on　Walter　Ross；　Easterfearn's　son　while　Bailie　Ross's　son　was　wounded　by　a　bullet　which　swept　across　his　breast。
  The　Bailie　called　to　his　son　to　retire；　and　the　order　was　obeyed　but　the　two　　wounded　youths　and　Bailie　Ross's　servant　were　taken　prisoners；　and　　carried　up　the　hill；　where　they　were　quickly　divested　of　clothes；　arms；　　　money；　and　papers。　　Easterfearn's　son　died　next　morning。　　The　troops　　faced　the　ambuscade　manfully　and　are　said　to　have　given　their　fire　thrice；　　and　to　have　beaten　the　Highlanders　from　the　bushes　near　them；　but；　　observing　at　this　juncture　several　parties　of　the　enemy　on　the　neighbouring　　heights；　and　being　informed　of　a　party　of　sixty　in　their　rear；　Easterfearn　deemed　it　best　to　temporise。
  He　thereupon　sent　forward　a　messenger　to　ask　who　they　were　that　opposed　the　King's　troops；　and　what　they　wanted。　　The　answer　was　that；　in　the　first　place；　they　required　to　have　Ross　of　Easterfearn　delivered　up　to　　them。　　This　was　pointedly　refused；　but　it　was　at　length　arranged　that　　Easterfearn　should　go　forward　and　converse　with　the　leader　of　the　　opposing　party。　　The　meeting　took　place　at　Beul…ath…na…Mullach；　and　　Easterfearn　found　himself　confronted　with　Donald　Murchison。　　It　ended　　with　Easterfearn　giving　up　his　papers；　and　covenanting；　under　a　penalty　of　　five　hundred　pounds；　not　to　officiate　in　his　factory　any　more；　after　which　　he　gladly　departed　homewards　with　his　associates；　under　favour　of　a　guard　of　Donald's　men　to　conduct　them　safely　past　the　sixty　men　who　were　lurking　in　the　rear。　　It　was　alleged　afterwards　that　the　commander　was　　much　blamed　by　his　own　people　for　letting　the　factors　off　with　their　lives　　and　baggage；　particularly　by　　the　Camerons；　who　had　been　five　days　at　　their　post　with　hardly　anything　to　eat；　and　Murchison　only　pacified　them　　by　sending　them　a　good　supply　of　meat　and　drink。　　　He　had　in　reality　given　　a　very　effective　check　to　the　two　gentlemen…factors；　to　one　of　whom　he　　imparted　in　conversation　that　any　scheme　of　Government　stewartship　in　　Kintail　was　hopeless；　for　he　and　sixteen　others　had　sworn　that；　if　any　person　calling　himself　a　factor　came　there；　they　would　take　his　life；　　whether　at　kirk　or　at　market；　and　deem　it　a　meritorious　action；　though　they　　should　be　cut　to　pieces　for　it　the　next　minute。
  A　bloody　grave　for　young　Easterfearn　in　Beauly　Cathedral　　concluded　this　abortive　attempt　to　take　the　Seaforth　estates　within　the　　scope　of　a　law　sanctioned　by　statesmen；　but　against　which　the　natural　feelings　of　nearly　a　whole　people　revolted。
  A　second　attempt　was　then　made　to　obtain　possession　of　the　　forfeited　Seaforth　estates　for　the　Government。　　It　was　calculated　that　what　the　two　factors　and　their　attendants　with　a　small　military　force　had　failed　　to　accomplish　in　the　preceding　October；　when　they　were　beaten　back　with　　fatal　loss　at　Ath…na…Mullach；　might　now　be　effected　by　a　military　party　　alone；　if　they　should　make　their　approach　through　a　less　critical　passage。
  A　hundred　and　sixty　of　Colonel　Kirk's　regiment　left　Inverness　under　　Captain　M'Neill；　who　had　at　one　time　been　Commander　of　the　Highland　　Watch。　　They　proceeded　by　Dingwall；　Strathgarve；　and　Loch　Carron；　an　　easier；　though　a　longer　way。　　Donald　Murchison；　nothing　daunted；　got　　together　his　followers；　and　advanced　to　the　top　of　Mam　Attadale；　by　a　　high　pass　from　Loch　Carron　to　the　bead　of　Loch　Long；　separating　　Lochalsh　from　Kintail。　　Here　a　gallant　relative；　Kenneth　Murchison；　and　a　few　others；　volunteered　to　go　forward　and　plant　themselves　in　ambush　in　　the　defiles　of　the　Coille　Bhan　（White　Wood）；　while　the　bulk　of　the　party　　should　remain　where　they　were。　　It　would　appear　that　this　ambush　party　　consisted　of　thirteen　men；　all　peculiarly　well　armed。
  On　approaching　this　dangerous　place　the　Captain　of　the　invading　party　went　forward　with　a　sergeant　and　eighteen　men　to　clear　the　wood；　　while　the　main　body　came　on　slowly　in　the　rear。　　At　a　place　called　　Altanbadubh；　in　the　Coille　Bhan；　he　encountered　Kenneth　and　his　　associates；　whose　fire　wounded　himself　severely；　killed　one　of　his　　grenadiers；　and　wounded　several　others　of　the　party。　He　persisted　in　　advancing；　and　attacking　the　handful　of　natives　with　sufficient　resolution　　they　slowly　withdrew；　as　unable　to　resist；　but　the　Captain　now　obtained　　intelligence　that　a　large　body　of　Mackenzies　was　posted　in　the　mountain　　pass　of　Attadale。　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　there　was　a　design　to　draw　him　　into　a　fatal　ambuscade。　　His　own　wounded　condition　probably　warned　him　　that　a　better　opportunity　might　occur　afterwards。　　He　turned　his　forces　about；　and　made　the　best　of　his　way　back　to　Inverness。　　Kenneth　Murchison　quickly　rejoined　Colonel　Donald　on　Mam　Attadale；　with　the　cheering　intelligence　that　one　salvo　of　thirteen　guns　had　repelled　the　　hundred　and　sixty　red…coats。　　After　this　we　hear　of　no　more　attempts　to　　comprise　the　Seaforth　property。
  Strange　as　it　may　seem；　Donald　Murchison；　two　years　after　this　a　second　time　resisting　the　Government　troops；　came　down　to　Edinburgh　with　eight　hundred　pounds　of　the　Earl's　rents；　that　he　might　get　the　money　　sent　abroad　for　Seaforth's　use。　　He　remained　a　fortnight　in　the　city　　unmolested。　　He　on　this　occasion　appeared　in　the　garb　of　a　Lowland　　gentleman；　he　mingled　with　old　acquaintances；　〃doers〃　and　writers；　and　　appeared　at　the　Cross　amongst　the　crowd　of　gentlemen　who　assembled　　there　every　day　at　noon。　　Scores　knew　all　about　his　doings　at　Ath…na…Mullach　and　the　Coille　Bhan；　but　thousands　might　have　known　without　　the　chance　of　one　of　them　betraying　him　to　the　Government。
  General　Wade；　in　his　report　to　the　King　in　1725；　stated　that　the　　Seaforth　tenants；　formerly　reputed　the　richest　of　any　in　the　Highlands；　　were　now　become　poor；　by　neglecting　their　business；　and　applying　　themselves　to　the　use　of　arms；　　〃The　rents〃　he　says；　〃continue　to　be　　collected　by　one　Donald　Murchison；　a　servant　of　the　late　Earl's；　who　　annually　remits　or　carries　the　same　to　his　master　in　France。　　The　tenants；　　when　in　a　condition；　are　said　to　have　sent　him　free　gifts　in　proportion　to　　their　circumstances；　but　are　now　a　year　and　a…half　in　arrear　of　rent。
  The　　receipts　he　gives　to　the　tenants　are　as　deputy…factor　to　the　Commissioners　　of　the　Forfeited　Estates；　which　pretended　power　he　extorted　from　the　　factor　（appointed　by　the　said　Commissioners　to　collect　those　rents　for　the　　use　of　the　public）；　whom　he　attacked　with　above　four　hundred　armed　men；　　as　he　was　going　to　enter　upon　the　said　estate；　having　with　him　a　party　of　thirty　of　your　　Majesty's　troops。　　The　last　year　this　Murchison　marched　in　　a　public　manner　to　Edinburgh；　to　remit　eight　hundred　pounds　to　France　for　his　master's　use；　and　remained　fourteen　days　there　unmolested。　　I　cannot　　omit　observing　to　your　Majesty　that　this　national　tenderness　the　subjects　of　North　Britain　have　one　for　the　other　is　a　great　encouragement　for　rebels　　and　attainted　persons　to　return　home　from　their　banishment。〃
  Donald　went　again　to　Edinburgh　about　the　end　of　August；　1725。
  On　the　2d　of　September；　George　Lockhart　of　Carnwath；　writing　from　that　city　to　the　Chevalier　St　George；　states；　amongst　other　information　regarding　his　party　in　Scotland；　that　Daniel　Murch