The description of Cluny's Cage is based on the first-hand testimony of Ewan Macpherson's youngest brother, Donald and thus must be viewed as authoritative. [Does anyone know where Donald's original MSS might be today ? Or where one might find a copy of it in its entirety?] A more colorful description is that provided by Robert Louis Stevenson in his novel Kidnapped.   Rory Mor, Editor

      [AFTER the battle of Culloden, Prince Charlie, while in a fastness in the fir-wood of Auchnacarry, belonging to Locheil] received a message from that Chieftain and Macpherson of Cluny, informing him of their retreat in Badenoch, and that the latter gentleman would meet him on a certain day at the place where he was, in order to conduct him to their habitation, which they judged the safest place for him. Impatient to see these dear friends, he would not wait for the arrival of Cluny at Auchnacarry, but set out for Badenoch immediately, trusting to meet the coming chief by the way, and take him back. Of the journey into Badenoch, a long and dangerous one, no particulars have been preserved,
---------------------------------------------------------478-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------479-----------------------------------------------------------

excepting that, as the Prince was entering the district, he received from Mr Macdonald of Tullochcroam (a place on the side of Loch Laggan) a coarse brown short coat, a shirt, and a pair of shoes -- articles of which he stood in great need. It was on this occasion, and to this gentleman, that he said he had come to know what a quarter of a peck of meal was, as he had once lived on such a quantity for nearly a week.

      He arrived in Badenoch on the 29th of August, and spent the first night at a place called Corineuir, at the foot of the great mountain Benalder. This is a point considerably to the east of any district he had as yet haunted. On the opposite side of Benalder, Loch Ericht divides Badenoch from Athole. It is one of the roughest and wildest parts of the Highlands, and therefore little apt to be intruded upon, although the great road between Edinburgh and Inverness passes at a distance of a few miles. The country was destitute of wood; but it made up for this deficiency as a place of concealment by the rockiness of its hills and glens. The country was part of the estate of Macpherson of Cluny, and was used in summer for grazing his cattle; but it was considered as the remotest of his grassings.

      Cluny and Locheil, who were cousins-german, and much attached to each other, had lived here in sequestered huts or sheilings for several months with various friends, and attended by servants, being chiefly supplied with provisions by Macpherson, younger of Breakachie, who was married to a sister of Cluny. Their residence in the district was known to many persons, whose fidelity, however, was such, that the Earl of Loudoun, who had a military post at Sherowmore, not many miles distant, never all the time had the slightest knowledge or suspicion of the fact. The Highlanders did, indeed, during this summer exemplify the virtue of secrecy in an extraordinary manner. Many of the principal persons concerned in the insurrection had been concealed and supported ever since Culloden in those very districts which were the most thoroughly beset with troops, and which had been most ravaged and plundered. After the escape of the Prince through the cordon between Loch Hourn and Loch Shiel in the latter part of July, the military powers at Fort Augustus seem to have scarcely ever got a ray of genuine intelligence respecting his motions. His friends, all except the very few who attended him, were equally at a loss to imagine where he was, or how he contrived to keep himself concealed. His enemies "sometimes thought he had got himself removed to the east coast through the hills of Athole, and laid an embargo upon all the shipping from that quarter. At other times they had information that he lurked in the shires of Angus or Mearns, and a search was made for him in the most suspected places of those shires; and particularly the house of Mr Barclay of Urie in Mearn's, whose lady was aunt to Locheil by the father, and to Cluny by the mother, was most narrowly searched while he was quite safe and unconcerned in Benalder." ¹

      Next day, August 30, Charles was conducted to a place called Mellaneuir, also on Benalder, where Locheil was now living in a small hut with Macpherson, younger of Breakachie, his principal servant Allan Cameron, and two servants of Cluny. When Locheil saw five men approaching under arms -- namely, the Prince, Lochgarry, Dr Archibald Cameron, and two servants -- he imagined that they must be a military party, who, learning his retreat, had come to seize him. It was in vain to think of flying, even though the
________

¹ Narrative written by Donald Macpherson, youngest brother of Cluny.
---------------------------------------------------------479-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------480-----------------------------------------------------------

supposed military party had been more numerous, for he was still a cripple, in consequence of the wounds in his ankles. He therefore resolved to defend himself as well as circumstances would permit. Twelve firelocks and some pistols were prepared; the chief and his four companions had taken up positions, and levelled each his piece, and all was ready for saluting the approaching party with a carefully aimed volley, when Locheil distinguished the figures of his friends. Then, hobbling out as well as he could, he received the Prince with an enthusiastic welcome, and attempted to pay his duty to him on his knees. This ceremony Charles forbade. "My dear Locheil," said he, "you don't know who may be looking from the tops of yonder hills; if any be there, and if they see such motions, they will conclude that I am here, which may prove of bad consequence."

      Locheil then ushered him into his hovel, which, though small, was well furnished with viands and liquors. Young Breakachie had helped his friends to a sufficiency of newly killed mutton, some cured beef sausages, plenty of butter and cheese, a large well-cured bacon ham, and an anker of whisky. The Prince, "upon his entry, took a hearty dram, which he pretty often called for thereafter, to drink his friends' healths; and when there were some minced collops dressed with butter for him in a large saucepan that Locheil and Cluny carried always about with them, and which was the only fire-vessel they had, he ate heartily, and said, with a very cheerful and lively countenance, 'Now, gentleman, I live like a prince,"' though at the same time he was not otherwise served than by eating the collops out of the saucepan, only that he had a silver spoon, After dinner, he asked Locheil if he had still lived, during his skulking in that place, in such a good way; to which Locheil answered, "Yes, sir, I have, for now near three months that I have been here with my cousin Cluny and Breakachie, who has so provided for me, that I have still had plenty of such as you see, and I thank heaven that your royal highness has come safe through so many dangers to take a part."

      Cluny, on reaching Auchnacarry, and finding Charles gone, immediately returned to Badenoch, and he arrived at Mellaneuir two days after the Prince. On entering the hut he would have knelt; but Charles prevented him, and taking him in his arms, kissed him affectionately. He soon after said, "I'm sorry, Cluny, that you and your regiment were not at Culloden; I did not hear till lately that you were so near us that day."

      Cluny, finding that the Prince had not a change of linen, caused his three sisters² to set about making some shirts for him. They did so with good-will, and soon furnished him with what was wanted. The gentlemen whom Charles here met for the first time in his wanderings were, like all those he had met previously, astonished at the elasticity of mind which he displayed in circumstances of so much discomfort and danger, and under prospects, to say the least of them, so much less brilliant than what had recently been before him.

      The day after Cluny's arrival, it was thought expedient that there should be a change of quarters. They therefore removed two Highland miles farther into the recesses of Benalder, to a sheiling called Uiskchilra, "superlatively bad and smoky," as Donald Macpherson has described it, but which the Prince never once complained of. It may here be remarked, that the precautions which Locheil and Cluny had formerly taken for their safety were much increased after the Prince had joined them. Breakachie had formerly been intrusted with the
________

² Isabel, widow of Mackintosh of Aberarder ; Christian, wife of Breakachie; and Anne, then unmarried, but afterwards the wife of Macpherson of Dalraddy.
---------------------------------------------------------480-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------481-----------------------------------------------------------

power of bringing any one to them in whom he could trust; but no one was now introduced till after a council had been held, and formal permission given. Trusty watchmen were planted on the neighbouring hills, to give notice of the approach of any strangers or military; and Cluny even contrived to have spies in the Earl of Loudoun's camp.

      After spending two or three uncomfortable days in the smoky sheiling, they removed to "a very romantic and comical habitation, made by Cluny, at two miles farther distance into Benalder, called the Cage.* It was really a curiosity," says Donald Macpherson, "and can scarcely be described to perfection. It was situate in the face of a very rough, high, rocky mountain called Letternilichk, which is still a part of Benalder, full of great stones and crevices, and some scattered wood interspersed. The habitation called the Cage, in the face of that mountain, was within a small thick bush of wood. There were first some rows of trees laid down, in order to level a floor for the habitation, and as the place was steep, this raised the lower side to equal height with the other, and these trees, in the way of joists or planks, were entirely well levelled with earth and gravel. There were betwixt the trees, growing naturally on their own roots, some stakes fixed in the earth, which, with the trees, were interwoven with ropes made of heath and birch twigs all to the top of the Cage, it being of a round, or rather oval shape, and the whole thatched and covered over with fog. This whole fabric hung, as it were, by a large tree which reclined from the one end all along the roof to the other, and which gave it the name of the Cage; and by chance there happened to be two stones, at a small distance from [each] other, next the precipice, resembling the pillars of a bosom chimney, and here was the fire placed. The smoke had its vent out there, all along a very stony part of the rock, which and the smoke were so much of a colour, that no one could have distinguished the one from the other in the clearest day. The Cage was only large enough to contain six or seven persons, four of which number were frequently employed in playing at cards, one idle looking on, one baking, and another firing bread and cooking." ³

      The hopes of the Prince for an escape from the country were still resting in the prospect of the arrival of some French vessel in the lonely estuaries of the west coast of Inverness-shire. He knew that Colonel Warren was exerting himself to fit out a small armament for this purpose; but still many accidents might occur to mar the consummation of the design. It would appear that two other plans were formed for getting him shipped away from Scotland. The Rev. John Cameron was despatched by his brother to Edinburgh, there to exert himself to get a vessel hired, to come to some appointed station on the east, coast, and there lie in readiness to take the party on board. Such a vessel actually was provided; it went to the station; and Mr Cameron returned to Benalder to bring away the party, but found them gone. Breakachie was also sent from Uiskchilra to find out John Roy Stuart, who was skulking somewhere in the country, with orders to go in company with John directly to the east coast, and there hire a vessel. Lest both schemes should fail, and the Prince be obliged to spend the winter in the Highlands, Cluny, who seems to have had a constructive genius, fitted up a subterranean retreat, boarded thickly all round, and otherwise provided against the severity of the season. But all of these precautions, though wisely taken, proved useless, in consequence of the arrival of Colonel Warren's expedition.       Two vessels of force, L'Hereux and La Princesse de Conti, had been fitted out by the exertions of this gentleman, who was promised a baronetcy by the old Chevalier in the event of his bringing off the Prince. Setting sail from St Malo in the latter part of August, they arrived in Lochnanuagh [actually Loch na Uamh -- 'Loch of the Cave'] on the 6th of September. Next day four gentlemen, including Captain Sheridan, son of Sir Thomas, and a Mr O'Beirne, a lieutenant in the French service, landed to make inquiry about the Prince, and were received by Macdonald of Glenaladale, who had taken his station in that part of the country, for the purpose of communicating to Charles any intelligence of the arrival of French vessels.

      He now lost no time in setting out to the neighbourhood of Auchnacarry, expecting there to find Cameron of Clunes, who was appointed to be a medium for forwarding the intelligence to the Prince wherever he might then be. When Glenaladale arrived at the place where he expected to see Clunes, he found that gentleman removed he knew not whither, in consequence of some alarm from the military, who had destroyed his hut. Being himself altogether ignorant of Charles's present hiding-place, Glenaladale was thrown by this accident into a state of great perplexity and distress, for he reflected that, if the Prince did not quickly come to Lochnanuagh, the vessels might be obliged to sail without him. He was wandering about in this state of mind when he encountered an old woman, who chanced to know the place to which Clunes had withdrawn. Having obtained from her this information, he immediately communicated with Clunes, who instantly despatched the faithful Maccoilveen to convey the intelligence to Cluny, that it might be by him imparted to the Prince. Glenaladale then returned to inform the French officers that they might expect ere long to be joined by the royal wanderer.

      Charles, meanwhile, had despatched Cluny and Dr Cameron on some private business to Loch Arkaig. Travelling in a very dark night through the outskirts of Badenoch, these two gentlemen, by great good fortune, met and recognised Maccoilveen, as he was proceeding with his message. Had they missed him, they would have gone on to Loch Arkaig, and as Maccoilveen would have communicated with none but Cluny, it would not have been till after their return, and probably then too late, that Charles would have heard of the arrival of the vessels. It thus appears that he was favoured by two remarkable chances in obtaining this important information, without either of which the design of his embarkation would have probably been defeated.

      Cluny, though he now turned back with Dr Cameron, was so anxious to forward the good news to the Prince, that he immediately procured a trusty man, one Alexander Macpherson, son of Benjamin Macpherson in Gallovie, to run express with it to the Cage. He and Cameron arrived there about one in the morning, September 13, when they found the Prince already prepared to start on his journey. They immediately started, and before daylight, had reached their former habitation in Uiskchilra.

      From the place where he met Maccoilveen, Cluny had also sent off a messenger, one Murdoch Macpherson, a near relation of Macpherson of Invereshie, to stop young Breakachie on his mission to the east coast, and to desire him to return to the Prince's quarters. "The said Murdoch came to Breakachie when going to bed;⁴
________

* The sentence describing the location of the Cage s bolded to emphasize that it doesn't appear to agree with the location specified on the modern Ornance Survey map.

³ All about his royal highness, during his abode in Benalder of Badenocb, were Locheil, Cluny, Lochgarry, Dr Cameron, and Breakachie; one Allan Cameron, a young genteel lad of Calard's family, who was principal servant to Locheil; and four servants belonging to Cluny, particularly James Macpherson, his piper, Paul Macpherson, his horse-keeper, Murdoch and Duncan Macphersons. This Murdoch the Prince generally called Murick, who, and Paul, could speak no English, and were commonly employed in carrying provisions from Breakachie." -- Donald Macpherson's Narrative MS
⁴ The original language of the narrative by Donald Macpherson is here used.
---------------------------------------------------------482-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------483-----------------------------------------------------------

and then Breakachie's lady, one of Cluny's sisters, finding out the matter, began to talk of her dismal situation, of having so many children, and being then big with child. Upon which Breakachie said: 'I put no value upon you or your bairns, unless you can bring me forth immediately thirty thousand men in arms ready to serve my master !"

      "Instantly Breakachie set out on his return to the Prince, and took along with him John Roy Stuart (whom the Prince used to call the Body), but did not allow John Roy to know that the Prince was in Badenoch, but only that they were going to see Locheil, &c. When the Prince heard that Breakachie and John Roy Stuart were coming near the hut Uiskchilra, he wrapped himself up in a plaid and lay down, in order to surprise John Roy the more when he should enter the hut. In the door of the hut there was a pool or puddle, and when John Roy Stuart just was entering, the Prince peeped out of the plaid, which so surprised John Roy, that he cried out, '0 Lord ! my master!' and fell down in the puddle in a faint.

      "Breakachie likewise brought along with him to Uiskchilra three fusees, one mounted with gold, a second with silver, and the third half-mounted, all belonging to the Prince himself, who had desired Breakachie to fetch him these pieces at some convenient time. When the Prince saw the fusees, he expressed great joy, saying, "It is remarkable that my enemies have not discovered one farthing of my money, a rag of my clothes, or one piece of my arms" -- an event which the Prince himself did not know till he came to Benalder, where he was particularly informed that all the above things were still preserved from the hands of his enemies.

      "The Prince (as is already observed) arrived at his old quarters in Uiskchilra, in his way to the ships, against daylight, on the morning of September 13, where he remained till near night, and then set off, and was by daylight, the 14th, at Corvoy, where he slept some time. Upon his being refreshed with sleep, he, being at a sufficient distance from any country,⁵ did spend the day by diverting himself and his company with throwing up of bonnets in the air, and shooting at them, to try the three foresaid favourite fusees, and to try who was the best marksman; in which diversion his royal highness by far exceeded. In the evening of the 14th he set forward, and went on as far as Uisknifichit, on the confines of Glenroy, which marches with a part of the Braes of Badenoch, in which last place he refreshed himself some hours with sleep; and, before it was daylight, got over Glenroy, the 15th, and kept themselves private all day."

      "As they were approaching towards Locheil's seat, Auchnacarry, they came to the river Lochy at night, being fine moonshine. The difficulty was how to get over. Upon this Clunes Cameron met them on the water-side, at whom Locheil asked how they would get over the river. He said: 'Very well; for I have an old boat carried from Loch Arkaig, that the enemy left unburned of all the boats you had, Locheil.' Locheil asked to see the boat. Upon seeing it, he said: 'I am afraid we will not be safe with it.' Quoth Clunes: 'I shall cross first, and show you the way.' The matter was agreed upon. Clunes, upon reflection, said: 'I have six bottles of brandy, and I believe all of you will be the better of a dram.' This brandy was brought from Fort Augustus, where the enemy lay in garrison, about nine miles from that part of Lochy where they were about to cross. Locheil went to the Prince, and said: 'Will your royal highness take a dram?
________

5 Meaning any inhabited district.

---------------------------------------------------------483-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------484-----------------------------------------------------------

      Oh,' said the Prince, 'can you have a dram here?'

      'Yes,' replied Locheil, 'and that from Fort Augustus too' -- which pleased the Prince much, that he should have provisions from his enemies. He said: 'Come, let us have it.' Upon this, three of the bottles were drunk. Then they passed the river Lochy by three crossings: Climes Cameron in the first with so many; then the Prince in the second with so many; and in the last Locheil with so many. In the third and last ferrying, the crazy boat leaked so much, that there would be four or five pints of water in the bottom, and in hurrying over, the three remaining bottles of brandy were all broken. When the Prince called for a dram, he was told that the bottles were broken, and that the common fellows had drunk all that was in the bottom of the boat, as being good punch, which had made the fellows so merry, that they made great diversion to the company as they marched along.

      "After the morning of the 16th, the Prince arrived in Auchnacarry, Locheil's seat, where he was as ill-off as anywhere else for accommodation, as the enemy had burned and demolished the place. All the 16th he stayed there, and set out at night, and arrived, the 17th, at a place called Glencamger, in the head of Loch Arkaig, where he found Cluny and Dr Cameron, who had prepared for him, expecting him. By a very great good chance, Cluny, understanding that he himself and others of them would be necessarily obliged to travel often betwixt Badenoch and Locheil's country, and knowing that it was scarce possible for people travelling that way -- even those that could be seen, and much less they that could not -- to find provisions in their passage, as all was rummaged and plundered by the enemy, planted a small store of meal, carried from Badenoch, in the house of one Murdoch Macpherson, in Coilerig of Glenroy, a trusty man, and tenant to Keppoch, in the road and about half-way, to be still a ready supply in case of need; from which secret small magazine he and Mr Cameron brought some with them as they went forward from Benalder, and had it made into bannocks against the Prince's coming to Glencamger; and when he and his company arrived, there was a cow killed; on which bannocks and beef, his royal highness, with his whole retinue, were regaled and feasted plentifully ⁶ that night. On the 18th he set out from Glencamger with daylight, and upon the 19th arrived at the shipping; what was extant of the Glencamger bannocks and beef having been all the provisions till then."

      Cluny and Breakachie now took leave of the Prince, and returned to Badenoch, for it was the inclination of this chief to remain concealed in his own fastnesses rather than seek a refuge on a foreign soil.

      Before the arrival of the Prince, a considerable number of skulking gentlemen and others had assembled, in order to proceed in the vessels to France. Amongst these were young Clanranald, Glenaladale, Macdonald of Dalely and his two brothers. They had seized Macdonald of Barrisdale on the suspicion of his having made a paction with the enemy to deliver up the Prince; and this gentleman was actually carried to France, and there kept for a considerable time as a prisoner. Charles waited upwards of a day, to allow of a few more assembling, and he then (Saturday, September 20) went on board L' Hereux, accompanied by Locheil, Lochgarry, John Roy Stuart, and Dr Cameron. From the vessel he wrote a letter to Cluny, informing him of his embarkation, and of the excellent state in which found the vessels. Twenty-three gentlemen, and a hundred and seven men of common rank, are said to have sailed with him in the two ships. "The gentlemen as well as the commons, were seen to weep, though they boasted of being soon back with irresistible force."
________

⁶ At this place Prince Charlie gave Cluny the letter quoted on p. 290 [of Glimpses], the original of which is preserved in Cluny Castle. The Prince appears to have used the new style in his date.

---------------------------------------------------------484-----------------------------------------------------------