Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-03-24
LOCATEE.-By Walter Scott.

1929. He was called Mac -Connu Dhu, the son
Of Black Donald) from the patronymc that marked |
his descent, and Evan Dhu, or Black Evan, pefso-
nal eplthet derived from his own complexion. Dung
l4ocbiel was bred up under the directions q 'he
Marquis OF Argyle, and was in attendance on lha mo-
beman, who regarded him as Il hostage for the pea
ceable behaviour Of his clan. 1t is SAID, that IN the
civil war the young chef was con> ered to the side
If the King by the exhortations OF Sir Robert Spot
t,swood then in prison at ST. Andrews, and shortly
terwards executed, as we have elsewhere noticed,
4 his adherence TO Montrose.
Evan Dhu having embraced these principles,
one of the first to join in the lnsurrecton OF
652, of which have just gwen short account. !
During the best part OF two years, he was always
with his clan in the very front OF battle and oehav-
cd calamity in the various sklrmshes which took
place. He was compelled, however, on one occa-
sion, to withdraw from the main body, from learn
ing that the English were approaching Lochaber,I
with the purpose Of laying waste the country OF
Lochicl. lie FASTENED thther to protect his own
possessions, and those Of his clan. On returning
to his estates, lochle had the modification TO ind
that the English had established garrison at lnver-
lochy, with the purpose of reducing TO submission
the Royals clans IN the neighbourhood, partcu-
larry his own, and the Mac Donads OF engary and
keppoch. lie resolved to keep strict watch on
their proceedings and dsmissng the rest of his fol-
out attracting their attention to his motions, he lay
in the woods with about fifty chosen men, within
few miles of lnverlochy.
1t was the constant policy of Cromwell and his
officers, both In Ireland and Scotland, to cut down
and destroy the forests in which the lnsurgent ma
tives found places obedience and conceament La
conformity with this general rule, the commhndan
of Inverlochy embarked three hundred men IN two
light-armed vessels, with directions to dlscmbark at
t,l,, ~ nil strnn
ing Lochiei's cattle, and telling his woods Lo
chlel, who watched their motions closely, saw TIL
English soldiers ashore, onehalt having hatch
cts and other tools, as "a working party, the other
half under arms to protect their operations. hough
the difference OF numbers was SO great, the chief
tain vowed that he would make the red soldier $50
the English were called from their uniformly pay
| dear Tor every bullock or tree winch he should
destroy on the black soldiers property, (alludlng
TO the dark color Of the TARTAN and perhaps TO his
own compIexlon.) lie then demanded Of some OF
his followers who had served under Montrose, whe-
Their they had ever seen the Great Marquis encoun'
ter, with such unequal numbers They answered,
they could reco!lect no instance OF such temeriy.
g We will fight, nevertheless" said Evan Dhu,
and, if each of us kill man, which is no mighty
matter, will answer for the event" That his fam
might not be destroyed in so doubtful an enter
prise, he ordered his brother Allan to be bound
to tree, meaning to prevent his interference IN the
conflict. But Allan prevailed little boy, who
was left to attend him, to unloose his cords, and
was soon as deep in the fight as Evan himself
The Camerons, concealedby the trees, advanc-
ed so close on the enemy to pour on them an I'M
eXpected and destructive shower OF shot and arrows
which slew thirty men ; and ere they could recov-
CT themselves from their surprise, the highlanders
were in the midst of them, laying about them with
incredible fury with their ponderous swords and
axes. After gallant resistance, the mass OF tlt
English began to retire towards their vessels, wher
Evan Dhu, commanded piper and small party to
go bctwixt the enemy and their baTks, and there
sound his pbroach and war cry, till their Glamour
made it seem there another body OF Hylander
lin ambush to cut off their retreat.-The English
driven to fury and despair by this new alarm, turn
ed back, like brave men, upon the first assaants
and, if the working party had possessed miar
weapons, Lochel might have had little reason
congratulate himself on the result of this audaclou
lstratagem.
lie himself had personal rencontre, strongl
characteristic of the ferocity of the times. Th
chief was singled out by an English officer of grei
personal strength, and, as they were separated fro
the general strife, they fought in single combat fc
some me.-Lochel was deXterous enough to di
arm the Englishman but his gigantic adversaI
suddenly closed on him, and in the struggle whic
ensued both fell to the ground the officer uppe
most He was in the act OF graspng at his swor
which lay near the place where they lay dead
struggle, and was naturally extending his neck in Il
same direction, when the Highland chief, making
desperate effort, grasped his enemy by the cola
and snatching with his teeth at the bare and on
stretched throat, he seized it as wildcat mig
have done, and kept his hold SO fast as to tear o
the windpipe. The officer died in this sngul
manner. Lochie was so far from disownng, or b
ing ashamed OF this extraordinary mode OF deienc
that he was afterwards heard to say it was Il
sweetest morsel he had ever tasted.
When Lochel thus extricated from the most il
m,nent danger, able to rejoin his men, he fou
they had not only pursued the English to the beac
hint intp thf.G pa r inf and sahh hon