t Portree, attended still by Mac Kechan, who
afterwards escaped, rejoined the Prince, and went to France with him.
Mac Kechan was a man of good education, and was conjectured by Bishop
Forbes to have been the author of the "Alexis, or the Young Adventurer,"
a romance embodying the principal incidents of Charles Edward's life;
but of this there is no proof.

Meanwhile the Prince proceeded to the shore. He tied the bottle of
whiskey, bought of the landlord, to his belt on one side, and the
brandy, the cold hen, and the four shirts on the other. As he went, he
saw the landlord of the public-house looking out of a window after him;
on which he changed his road. He met young Raasay and his brothers at
the appointed place; and it was there agreed, that in a few days Donald
Macdonald should follow the Prince to Raasay. At his departure the
Prince took out the lump of sugar from his pocket, and said, "Pray give
this to _our lady_, for I fear she will get no sugar where she is
going." The captain refused however to accept of that which seems to
have been considered as a great delicacy. Charles then enjoined Captain
Macdonald to secrecy as to his destination. "Tell nobody--no, not _our
lady_--where I am going; for it is right that my course should not be
known."[298] They then parted; and at daybreak, July the first, 1746,
Charles sailed for Raasay. Captain Macdonald then returned to Portree,
where he slept a great portion of the next day. Here he was closely
questioned by the landlord, who said, that he had a great notion that
the gentleman who had supped at his house was the Prince, for he had
something noble about him. Probably the imprudent liberality of Charles,
and his carelessness about money, may have added to the impression which
his lofty air and fascinating manners generally produced. On the fourth
of July, Charles, after various adventures in the island of Raasay,
escaped to the mountains. This event was announced by a letter sent
mysteriously by Murdoch Macleod to Roy Macdonald, and delivered to him
in the darkness of night. It had neither address on it, nor place, nor
date; but was written by Charles.

"Sir,

"I have parted as I intended. Make my compliments to all to whom I
have given trouble. I am, sir, your humble servant,

"JAMES HERMION."

This letter was burned by Roy Macdonald, though with great reluctance,
on the day when he subsequently le