Note B.--Dugald Ciar Mhor.
The above is the account which I find in a manuscript history of the clanMacGregor, of which I was indulged with a perusal by Donald MacGregor,Esq., late Major of the 33d regiment, where great pains have been takento collect traditions and written documents concerning the family. But anancient and constant tradition, preserved among the inhabitants of thecountry, and particularly those of the clan MacFarlane, relieves DugaldCiar Mhor of the guilt of murdering the youths, and lays the blame on acertain Donald or Duncan Lean, who performed the act of cruelty, with theassistance of a gillie who attended him, named Charlioch, or Charlie.They say that the homicides dared not again join their clan, but thatthey resided in a wild and solitary state as outlaws, in an unfrequentedpart of the MacFarlanes' territory. Here they lived for some timeundisturbed, till they committed an act of brutal violence on twodefenceless women, a mother and daughter of the MacFarlane clan. Inrevenge of this atrocity, the MacFarlanes hunted them down, and shotthem. It is said that the younger ruffian, Charlioch, might have escaped,being remarkably swift of foot. But his crime became his punishment, forthe female whom he had outraged had defended herself desperately, and hadstabbed him with his own dirk in the thigh. He was lame from the wound,and was the more easily overtaken and killed.
I always inclined to think this last the true edition of the story, andthat the guilt was transferred to Dugald Ciar Mhor, as a man of highername, but I have learned that Dugald was in truth dead several yearsbefore the battle--my authority being his representative, Mr. Gregorsonof Ardtornish. [See also note to introduction, "Legend of Montrose," vol.vi.]