The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

344 THE HIGHLANDERS [part ii
Eowain, in Glendochard, to which they have a charter as early
as 1536.
The Macnabs remained for a long time an independent
clan in the heart of the possessions of the Campbells, and
adopted a different line of politics from these great lords.
The line of their chiefs, however, has at length become extinct,
and their property is now in possession of the Braedalbanc
famil}-.
Clan Diiffie.
The Macduffies or Macphees are the most ancient inhabi-
tants of Colonsay, and their genealogy, which is preserved in
the manuscript of 1450, evinces their connexion by descent
with the Macgregors and Mackinnons, among whom accordingly
they have been placed. Of their early history nothing is
known, and the only notice regarding their chiefs at that
period, is one which strongly confirms the genealogy contained
in the AIS. On the south side of the church of St. Columba,
according to Martin, lie the tombs of Macduffie, and of the
cadets of his family ; there is a ship under sail and a twohanded
sword engraven on the principal tombstone, along with
this inscription—
"Hie lacet Malcolumbus Macduffie de Colonsay."
And in the genealogy the name of Malcolm occurs at a period
which corresponds with the supposed date of the tombstone.
The Macduffies certainly remained in possession of Colonsay
as late as the middle of the seventeenth century, for we find
them mentioned on several occasions during the troubles of
that period ; but they appear at that time to have been nearly
exterminated, as we find in the criminal records for 1623,
Coil Mac Gillespie Macdonald, in Colonsay (afterwards the
celebrated Collkitto), was " delaitit of airt and pairt of the
felonie and cruell slaughter of Umquhill Malcolm Macphie
of Colonsay," with others of his clan. From this period their
estate seems to have gone into the possession of the Macdonalds,
and afterwards of the Macneills, by whom it is still held ;
while the clan gradually sunk until they were only to be
found, as at present, forming a small part of the inhabitants
of Colonsay.