The peat-fire flame : folk-tales and traditions of the Highlands & Islands

FOLK-TALES OF DOUGHTY MEN AND DOUGHTY DEEDS
to Lochbuie. MacLean of Duart now organised a search.
When his men came upon the father and his six sons, they
threatened them with death if they did not disclose the
child's whereabouts. They refused; and were duly slain.
Meanwhile the infant had been hurried away to the care of
another guardian ; and soon afterwards Duart felt obliged
to abandon his search. To this day the spot is pointed out
by the River Lussa where the father and sons were slain
by Duart's men. It is called Airidh na Sliseig, Shieling of
the Slashing.
When Lochbuie's heir was approaching man's estate, his
mother told him of his lineage, and advised him to quit
Mull if he valued his personal safety. This he did. For
a twelvemonth he remained in Ireland, gathering round
him twelve trusty followers, to whom he explained his
circumstance, and his desire to recover his patrimony from
the MacLeans of Duart, by fair means or by foul. And it
was resolved that, under his direction, a small band should
set out for Mull with a view to taking the ancient castle
of the MacLaines, down by the shores of Loch Buie. They
duly took the castle; and thus the MacLaines of Lochbuie
returned to enjoy their heritage.
Swordsmanship in the Isles.
Few islands in all Scotland are richer in folk-tales than
Berneray, in the Sound of Harris. The story is told of
two brothers named MacLeod, who put forward a legal
claim to part of the parent Island of Harris. This the
Laird of MacLeod would not recognise. But so insistent
were the claimants that in the end he let it be known that
he would seek reprisals on their property, and possibly also
on their persons, if they did not renounce their claim. A
compromise was arrived at eventually, whereby the Laird
offered the brothers two excellent farms at a nominal rental.
One brother then approached the Laird with the offer that
he would advance him a little ready cash he had saved, if
in return he might be installed in the farm of Risgarry, in
Berneray. To this the Laird agreed. The other brother
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