| Chapter I.—Early History. |
| Absence of ancient records—Giants in those days—Fingalian legends—Condition of Pictish aborigines—Their houses and implements—Druids—Roman invasion—Pictish monarchy—Introduction of Christianity—St Maelrubha—Hermits of Isle Maree—Norse vikings—Norwegians and Danes—End of Norwegian rule in 1263—The earls of Ross—Donald of the Isles—The Mackenzies | 3 |
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| Chapter II.—The Tragedy of Isle Maree. |
| Scene laid in Isle Maree—The hermit saint—Prince Olaf—His fiery temper—Falls in love—Brings his bride to Isle Maree—Is compelled to leave her on an expedition—The white and black flags—Return of the prince—Jealousy of the princess—Her scheme to test Olaf's affection—His madness on seeing the black flag—Thinking her dead he kills himself—The princess stabs herself and dies—Their graves on Isle Maree | 7 |
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| Chapter III.—The Mackenzies of Kintail. |
| Two origins of the family of Mackenzie—The Cabar Feidh—Angus Mac Mhathain—Kenneth, first lord of Kintail—John, second lord, shelters Robert Bruce—Kenneth of the Nose—Kenlochewe ravaged—Leod Mac Gilleandreis—Black Murdo of the Cave—Joined by Gille Riabhach—Comes to Kenlochewe—Slays Leod Mac Gilleandreis and his followers—Ath nan Ceann—Fe Leoid—Black Murdo of the Cave recovers Kintail—Murdo of the Bridge, fifth lord of Kintail—Alexander the Upright, father of Hector Roy, first laird of Gairloch—Skirmish of Beallach nam Brog—Residences of lords of Kintail | 11 |
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| Chapter IV.—Ewan Mac Gabhar, the Son of the Goat. |
| Ardlair—The cave of the king's son—Old Oighrig and her son Kenneth—The goat Earba nourishes Ewan in the cave—Flora and Ewan come to Letterewe—Ewan's sword and mantle of state—The lord of Kintail comes to hunt—Flora and Ewan suspected—Kenneth and Flora carried off to Eileandonain—Oighrig and Ewan conveyed to Colin Mor Gillespie—Colin Mor brings up Ewan—Great war against the queen widow of Olamh Mor—Ewan gets a command—His slender page—Mull plundered—The invaders surprised at night and captured—The queen condemns the chiefs to death—Ewan led forth to die—The execution arrested—Ewan identified and proclaimed king—Prophecy fulfilled | 14 |
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| Chapter V.—The Macraes of Kintail and Gairloch. |
| The Macraes settle in Kintail—Become Mackenzie's "shirt of mail"—The sons of Fortune—Assist in conquest of Gairloch—List of Macraes who fought for Gairloch—Effigy of Donald Odhair—Macraes renowned archers—Compared with Turkish archers—The Macraes bore the dead bodies of their chiefs to burial—The last occasion of this—Curious statement | 19 |
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| Chapter VI.—The MacBeaths. |
| MacBeaths from Assynt—Some still in Gairloch—Had several strongholds—Lochan nan Airm—Kintail men come to Loch Tollie—Shoot MacBeath's servant on the island—MacBeath flies—Is struck by an arrow—Kintail men stay a night on the island—Come through Gairloch—Report to their chief | 21 |
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| Chapter VII.—The M'Leods of Gairloch. |
| The Siol Torquil—Claim to Gairloch—Legal title commenced 1430—MacBeaths expelled—The Tigh Dige—Strongholds of the M'Leods—Eilean Ruaridh—Allan M'Leod, laird of Gairloch—Murdered by his brothers at the "Hill of evil counsel"—They also murder his two boys—The widow takes their bloody shirts to her father—Hector Roy takes the shirts to the king—Who gives Hector commission of fire and sword against the M'Leods—The M'Leods confined to one-third of Gairloch | 24 |
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| Chapter VIII.—The Macdonalds in Gairloch. |
| Macdonalds, clansmen of Donald of the Isles—Probably some settled in Gairloch—Still in Gairloch and Alligin—Mac Gille Riabhaich—His cave—Story of his oak cudgel—The soubriquet Darach—His descendant, Darroch of Torridon—Donald Dubh Mac Gillechriosd Mhic Gille Riabhaich—Threatens Hector Roy—Slays Buchanan after Flodden Field | 27 |
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| Chapter IX.—Hector Roy Mackenzie, first Laird of Gairloch. |
| Vision of the great chief and his bodyguard—His appearance and valour—Obtains charter to Gairloch—Slays three M'Leods at "the Gairloch"—The battle of Park—Hector Roy and Big Duncan of the Axe—Hector Roy at Sauchieburn—He claims Kintail—Battle of Drum a Chait—Big Duncan again assists—Hector Roy outlawed—Assists Mac Cailean—Kneels before the king—Grasps his hand—Is pardoned—Abandons his claim to Kintail—Fight with M'Leods at Beallach Glasleathaid—Big Duncan and his son Dugal—Hector Roy conquers part of Gairloch—Battle of Flodden—Clan Eachainn | 29 |
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| Chapter X.—John Glassich Mackenzie and his Sons. |
| John Glassich brought up in Strathglass—Claims Kintail—Refuses to join the royal standard—Apprehended by Kenneth of Kintail—Iain Gearr's pluck—Death of John Glassich—Donald Gorme invades Kenlochewe—Hector and Alexander, sons of John Glassich, both slain | 36 |
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| Chapter XI.—John Roy Mackenzie. |
| John Roy resembled his grandfather Hector—His youth—Visits his mother, wife of Mackay—Goes with a bodyguard to Iain Liath at Glas Leitire—Lord Kintail abandons his hunt on the Glas Leitire hills—John Roy and Iain Liath go to Gairloch—Iain Dubh Mac Ruaridh M'Leod abandons the Gairloch dun—Struggles with the M'Leods—John Roy's family—His bodyguard composed of his twelve sons—Dealings with the tithes of Gairloch—The Talladale ironworks—John Roy's residence—Visits Mackay—Mackay's piper becomes John Roy's piper—Lord Mackenzie summons John Roy to Torridon—He stays the night with his lordship—Proposed assassination deferred—John Roy's sons arrive and take him away—Allies of Glengarry Macdonalds make an incursion to Kenlochewe—Lord Mackenzie visits John Roy—John Roy granted a remission by the crown | 38 |
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| Chapter XII.—Expulsion of the M'Leods from Gairloch. |
| Murchadh Riabhach na Cuirce—Slays Mac Iain Dhuibh M'Leod—Ruaridh Mac Allan M'Leod assassinates Iain Mac Ghille Challum M'Leod and his sons by Janet Mackenzie—John Roy revenges the murder—Expels the M'Leods from Gairloch—The Cnoc a Chrochadair—The affair at Leac nan Saighead—Mor Ban persuades the M'Leods to invade Gairloch—They come to Fraoch Eilean—Donald Odhar and his brother shoot them from Leac nan Saighead—Only two M'Leods escape in the birlinn—Donald Odhar's long shot from Craig a Chait—Young M'Leod of Assynt asks John Roy's daughter for his wife—Is refused—Fionnla Dubh na Saighead insults him—The M'Leods return to take vengeance on Finlay—He and Chisholm shoot many of them—Finlay pursues Neil M'Leod to the Bac an Leth-choin and shoots him at the Druim Carn Neill—Fight at Lochan an Fheidh—Affair at Raasay—Murdo Mackenzie in his ship driven into Kirkton—Young M'Leod of Raasay and his companions visit him—All the party get drunk except four Gairloch men—A fight ensues—Murdo drowned—All on board slain except three of the abstainers—They escape | 43 |
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| Chapter XIII.—Alastair Breac, and his Son and Grandson. |
| Alastair Breac, a renowned warrior—Raids of cattle lifters—Iain Geal Donn proposes a raid on Gairloch—Alastair Buidhe Mackay intercepts him at Scardroy—Slays him and all his men except one—Alastair Breac sends the news to Lord Mackenzie—Cameron of Lochiel plans a raid on Gairloch in revenge—Alastair Breac sends eighty men to oppose him, but he has retired—Song composed to the Guard of the Black Corrie—Colla Ban—In default of blackmail threatens raid on Gairloch—His spies are frightened by four Gairloch men at Luibmhor—Kenneth, sixth laird of Gairloch, fined as a "malignant"—Alexander, seventh laird of Gairloch | 49 |
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| Chapter XIV.—The Baronets of Gairloch and some other Gairloch Mackenzies. |
| Sir Kenneth, eighth laird of Gairloch—M.P. for Ross-shire—Sir Alexander, ninth laird of Gairloch—Builds Flowerdale—The "Forty-five"—Murder of the Gille Buidhe, valet to Prince Charlie—Duncan Macrae conveys a keg of gold for Prince Charlie's use—The "sian"—English man-of-war fires at Flowerdale—Sir Alexander, tenth laird of Gairloch—Builds Conan House—His son called "Fighting Jack," the father of the British army—Sir Hector Mackenzie—Lives at home—Lord-Lieutenant of Ross-shire—His beloved lady—Sir Francis Mackenzie—Publishes his "Hints" in 1838—Sir Kenneth, present baronet—Mackenzies of Letterewe—Mackenzies of Lochend—Mackenzies of Gruinard—Large family—Mackenzies of Kernsary—Summary of Mackenzie History—Crest, Badge, Slogan, and Pipe tunes | 53 |
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| Chapter XV.—Gairloch Estates, and Old Names of Places. |
| Kenlochewe—Gairloch—Description in protocol of 1494—Description in retour of 1566—Description in 1638—Names in Dutch map of 1662—Second half of the water of Ewe bought in 1671—Strip on north of River Ewe acquired in 1844—Letterewe originally Kintail property—Acquired by Charles Mackenzie in 1696—Sold to Mr Bankes in 1835—Northern parts of Gairloch belonging to Gruinard Mackenzies before 1655—Sold to Davidson of Tulloch in 1795—Afterwards acquired by Mr Bankes—Mr O. H. Mackenzie's estate of Inverewe | 60 |
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| Chapter XVI.—Ecclesiastical History of Gairloch. |
| First church in Gairloch—Other early ecclesiastical buildings—Rector of Gairloch at date of Reformation—Presbyterianism—Tulchan bishops—Changes from Episcopalianism to Presbyterianism—Rev. Alexander Mackenzie—Rev. Farquhar Macrae—Rev. Roderick Mackenzie—Rev. Kenneth Mackenzie of Kernsary—Rev. John Morrison—Persecuted by Episcopalians—Anecdotes—His turf-built church in Tollie Bay—Christmas story—Rev. James Smith—First school in Gairloch—Anecdote of Rev. Mr Sage—Rev. Æneas McAulay—Rev. John Dounie—Rev. James Russell—His imperfect Gaelic—Poolewe made a separate parish—The Disruption—Presbyteries of Dingwall, Kenlochewe, Chanonry, Gairloch, and Loch Carron—Churches in Gairloch—Manse and glebe at Achdistall, Cliff and Strath—Free churches and their ministers | 63 |
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| Chapter XVII.—Ancient Gairloch Ironworks. |
| Two classes of remains of ironworks—Rev. Donald M'Nicol's statement—Coin found near old Yorkshire ironworks—Iron implements used by ancient inhabitants—Disappearance of them accounted for—Other ancient remains in Sutherlandshire, Ross-shire, and Inverness-shire—Bog iron was the ore used of old in Gairloch—Processes of the ancient ironworkers—Wasteful richness of their slags accounted for—Charcoal was their fuel—The ancient forests of timber—Their disappearance—Water power anciently employed for working hammers | 72 |
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| Chapter XVIII.—The Historic Ironworks of Loch Maree. |
| The present series of Scottish ironworks commenced on Loch Maree—The licence to Archibald Primrose for making iron ratified in 1612—Spread of the iron industry in the eighteenth century—Iron furnaces in Glengarry—Abernethy furnaces of the York Buildings Company—The Bonawe furnace—The Argyle Furnace Company—The Lorn Company—The Carron ironworks—The Wilsonton works—Furnace at Goatfield—Pennant's notice of the furnace near Poolewe—The Fife Adventurers and the Lews—The Rev. Farquhar Macrae, vicar of Gairloch—The Letterewe furnace established in 1607 by Sir George Hay—Previous history of Sir George—His residence at Letterewe—His ironworks—The timber consumed—The goods produced—The improvements he effected—Act prohibiting the making of iron with wood—Monopoly of iron manufacture granted to Sir George—Ratified by Parliament—Proclamation restraining the export of iron ore—Licence to Sir George to sell iron in royal burghs—Sir George's probable acquaintance with John Roy Mackenzie, laird of Gairloch—Sir George's friendship with the Rev. Farquhar Macrae—The minister's stone—Sir George leaves Letterewe—His distinguished after-career—Created first Earl of Kinnoull—Continuance of the ironworks—Tombstone of John Hay—His probable relationship to Sir George—Discontinuance of the ironworks—The artisans employed—Whence they came—The Kemps—The Cladh nan Sasunnach—Condition of the ironworkers in the then state of the Highlands—The Big Englishman | 75 |
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| Chapter XIX.—The Iron Ores used in Gairloch. |
| References to local iron ore—Local bog iron used at ancient bloomeries—Ferruginous rocks and shales—Traditional quarries—Richness of bog iron—Places where it is still found in Gairloch—Bog iron originally used by Sir George Hay—He afterwards imported red hematite and clayband ironstone—Mr Marr's description of these ores—They were landed at Poolewe—Remains of them there—Mr Macadam's analyses—Mixture with local ore—Classification of the ores | 86 |
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| Chapter XX.—Remains of Ironworks in the Parish of Gairloch. |
| Mr Macadam's description of two classes of slag—List of six localities of ironworks—Glen Dochartie—Fasagh—Analyses—Lochan Cul na Cathrach—Furnace, Letterewe—Talladale—Garavaig, on Slatadale farm—Red Smiddy, near Poolewe—Iron articles found—The borings at Cuil an Scardain—Chronological order of the ironworks—Other supposed furnaces—Notices of ironworks or mines in old Dutch map, and in "Present State of Great Britain and Ireland"—Conclusion | 90 |
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| Chapter XXI.—Antiquities. |
| Want of interesting remains of ancient buildings—Supposed Druidical remains in Tollie wood—Druidical enclosure on Isle Maree—The Island of Justice—Pictish round houses—Vitrified fort—Ancient duns, strongholds, or crannogs—Remains of churches—Gairloch church—Culinellan church—Turf-built church in Tollie Bay—Church at Tollie Croft, or Cruive End—Chapel of Inverewe—Chapel of Sand of Udrigil—Old burial-grounds—Remains of other old buildings—Remains on Isle Maree—On Eilean Ruaridh Beag—On Eilean Suainne—The Tigh Dige—The Sabhal-Geal—The Temple house—Old houses—Ancient weapons and implements—The Feill Iudha—Caves | 97 |
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