Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-16

THE Lord of the Isles" and Robert Bruce
is the hero of the poem. The story opens
in the spring of 1907. when Bruce. who had
been driven out of Scotland by the Eng
lish. returned from Ireland again to as
sert his claims to the Scottish crown
The concluding cantos are laid at Stirling
Castle and contain a description of the
battle of Bannockburn, where Bruce es-
tabished his pretensions with the sword
1t is great satisfaction to know that
all the scenes described in the poem may
be identified today exactly as they Were
more than five centuries ago. when the
historic incidents upon which 1t was
based occurred.
The islands are full Of Macdonalds.
These celebrated lords, who came origi-
nally from Scandinavia. held sway through
this region from the twelfth century and
always in battle held the post of honor
under Bruce-"the right" The badge OF
the Macdonalds was the heather. that OF
the Camerons the oak. that of the Camp
bells the myrtle and that of the Stuarts
the thistle. They still insist that II the
Macdonalds had been placed upon the
right of the line at the battle of Culloden
Moor, as usual. W lillian Ill would never
have conquered Scotland.
It was among the Macdonalds that Prince
Charles Edward Stuart, the pretender,
grandson of James II. took refuge after
the battle. and. although reward OF
100000 was offered for his person. dead
or alive. they concealed and protected
him, and Flora Macdonald took him to
Skye, disguised as her maid. He was
dressed in a Powered print gown and
quilted petticoat, white apron. cloak
and "a hood. He had many other adven-
lures before he finally made his escape to
France.
Home of Rob Roy.
The train runs down to the dock at Bal
loch on Loeb Lomond, and it takes but a
few moments to transfer the passengers
and the baggage to a swift little steamer
that carries us between it's wooded banks
and among it's beautiful islands to the
port of Inversnaid, which was the home
of the famous outlaw Rob Roy, cheftain
of the MacGregorS-the outlawed clan
whose hands were against every man and
whose name even was abolished by law.
Although they were one of the most
ancient clans in the highlands and were
descended from Gregor. KING OF the
Scots during the latter part of the eighth
century, the MacGregors became involved
in so many quarrels with their nelghborS
and fought with such untamable feroclty
that the government decided TO exterml-
TENDER, 1863, in the reign of Queen Mary
the privy council issued an edict com
handing the other clans to wipe out the
MacGregors with fire and sword In l6ui
the name MacGreSOr was aDOuSlleQ Dy
the same authority and all members of
the clan were commanded to adopt other
surnames under pain of death. In 1913
members of the clan formerly called
MacGregor" were prohibited to gather for
any purpose more than four in number,
and they were expressly forbidden to own
or have in their possession firearms or
weapons of any kind. The very knives
they used upon their tables were required
to be blunt and dull.
1t was perfectly natural that the mem
bers of this proud clan, which had been
famous for it's indomtable spirit, its war
like disposition and its unfaltering cour-
age, should permit themselves to be wiped
roff the earth, and although they were
gradually deprived of their lands and
other possessions and of the ordinary
means of securing subsistence. they man
aged to maintain themselves in their
mountain Businesses and showed no in
clination whatever to be blotted out OF
the roll of clanshiIS They were driven to
acts of outlawry and aggression against
their neighbors to maintain themselves.
Rob Roy Was Kind to the Poor.
Robert MacGregor Campbell, Familiarity
known as Rob Roy, or Red Rob- was
chieftain of the outlawed clan at the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century, al
though. like Robin Hood of Sherwood
forest he was a kindly disposed and gem
tie bandit. While he took from the rich.
he was liberal in his gifts and loyal in
his protection of the poor. The Duke OF