even Men
of Moidart, Aeneas Macdonald plays the traitor's part that Ganelon
plays in the legends of Charlemagne. He seems to have been actuated,
from the moment that the prince landed on the Scottish shore, by the
one desire to bring his own head safely out of the scrape, and to
attain that end he seems to have been ready to do pretty well anything.
When he was finally taken prisoner he saved himself by the readiness
and completeness with which he gave his evidence. No more of him.
There were, happily for the honor of the adherents of the House of
Stuart, few such followers in the Forty-five.

The position of the young prince was peculiar. His engaging manners
had won over many of the chiefs; his presence had set on fire that old
Stuart madness which a touch can often kindle in wild Highland hearts;
his determination to be a Scotchman among Scotchmen, a determination
which set him the desperate task of trying to master the Gaelic speech,
insured his hold upon the affections of the rude chivalry whom his
presence and his name had already charmed. But some of the greatest
clans absolutely refused to come in. Macdonald of Sleat, and Macleod
of Macleod, would have none of the "pretended Prince of Wales" and his
"madmen."

Though these chieftains were appealed to again and again, they were
resolute in their refusal to embark in the Stuart cause. They pledged
themselves to the House of Hanover, they accepted commissions in the
royal army; {206} the cause of Charles Stuart must sink or swim without
them. With them or without them, however, Charles was going on. The
number of clans that had come in was quite sufficient to fill him with
hope; the little brush at Spean's Bridge between two companies of the
Scots Royal, under Captain Scott, and the clansmen of Keppoch and
Lochiel, had given the victory to the rebels. The Stuarts had drawn
first blood successfully, and the superstitions saw in the circumstance
yet another augury of success. The time was now ripe for action. All
over the north of Scotland the Proclamation of Prince Charles was
scattered. This proclamation called upon all persons to recognize
their rightful sovereign in the young prince's person as regent for his
father, invited all soldiers of King George, by offers of increased
rank or increased pay, to desert to the Stuart colors, promised a free
pardon and full religious liberty to all who should renounce their
allegiance to the usurper, and threate