The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. II] OF SCOTLAND 207
greater estates in Scotland, together
with his confidence and
favour, and although all Ewen's relations and friends pressed
him to comply, he declared that he would not break his oath to
king Haco, and refused all offers of compromise.
Alexander, it is well known, died in Kerreray, in the commencement
of an attack upon the Isles, and his son, Alexander
III., when he had attained majority, determined to renew the
attempt to obtain possession of the Isles, which his father had
commenced. But instead of proceeding in person to the execu-
tion of this enterprise, he excited the Earl of Ross, at that time
the most powerful nobleman in Scotland, and whose great
possessions extended over the mainland opposite to the Northern
Isles, to commence hostilities againt them, and this Earl accord-
ingly, accompanied by
the chief of the Mathiesons and other
powerful dependents, suddenly crossed over to the Isle of Sky,
where he ravaged the country, burned villages and churches,
and killed great numbers both of men and women. Upon this,
the Sudereyan kings immediately dispatched letters to Haco,
complaining of the outrages committed, and acquainting him
that it was but part of a plan by which the Scottish king
purposed to subdue all the Sudereys, if life was granted to him.
Haco was no sooner aware of the extent of the danger to
which his insular dominion was exposed, than he determined to
proceed in person to the Hebrides, with all the troops which his
means could supply. Upon Haco's appearance, he was at once
joined by most of the Highland chiefs, among whom was king
Dugall, son of Ronald, the son of Reginald Mac Somerled, and
upon his arrival at Gigha, he was met by king Ewen. Haco
desired that Ewen should follow his banner, but the politics of
that prince had changed in a most unaccountable manner, for he
excused himself, and said that he had sworn an oath to the
Scottish king, and that he had more lands of him than of the
Norwegian monarch, and therefore he entreated king Haco to
dispose of all those estates which he had conferred upon him.
The unfortunate termination of Haco's expedition, eventually
justified the sagacity at least of Ewen's change, but Haco did
not find the other Sudereyan lords so keen sighted or so
scrupulous in breaking their oaths as Ewen appeared to be, for
he was not only shortly afterwards joined by Angus, Lord of