baffled by a
hurricane in his second invasion of Duart. Nature conspired with the
injured in their protection; and, after some time, the guardians of Sir
John Maclean, accompanied by Lord Macdonald, proceeded to London in
order to appeal to the Privy Council. The appeal thus made was prolonged
until the year 1680, when it was at last settled by the Scottish
Council; and the island of Tyrie was given to the Earl of Argyle, in
full payment of his claim upon the estates of Sir John Maclean.

The character of the young chief was, meantime, formed under the
influence of these events, of which, when he grew up, whilst yet the
storm raged, he could not be ignorant. One principle he inherited from
his ancestors--a determined fidelity to the Stuart cause. When he was
fifteen years of age, the death of his guardians threw the management of
his affairs into his own hands; this was in the years 1686 and 1687, one
of the most critical periods in English history. Having appointed
certain gentlemen his agents, or factors, the young chief went,
according to the fashion of his times, to travel. He first repaired to
the Court of England, at that time under the sway of James the Second;
he then crossed to France, and returned not to the British dominions
until he accompanied James into Ireland.

The character of Sir John Maclean, as he attained manhood, and entered
into the active business of life, has been drawn with great felicity by
the author of "The Memoirs of Lochiel."[82]

"He was," says this writer, "of a person and disposition more turned
for the court and the camp, than for the business of a private life.
There was a natural vivacity and politeness in his manner, which he
afterwards much improved by a courtly education; and, as his person was
well-made and gracefull, so he took care to sett it off by all the
ornaments and luxury of dress. He was of a sweet temper, and
good-natured. His witt lively and sparkeling, and his humour pleasant
and facetious. He loved books, and acquired the languages with great
facility, whereby he cultivated and enriched his understanding with all
manner of learning, but especially the belles lettres; add to this, a
natural elegancy of expression, and ane inexhaustible fancy, which, on
all occasions, furnished him with such a copious variety of matter, as
rendered his conversation allways new and entertaining. But with all
these shining qualitys, the natural indolence of his temper, and ane
immoder