[440] ’The villagers gathered about us in considerable numbers, I believe without any evil intention, but with a very savage wildness of aspect and manner.’  Johnson’s Works, ix. 38.

[441] The M’Craas, or Macraes, were since that time brought into the king’s army, by the late Lord Seaforth.  When they lay in Edinburgh Castle in 1778, and were ordered to embark for Jersey, they with a number of other men in the regiment, for different reasons, but especially an apprehension that they were to be sold to the East-India Company, though enlisted not to be sent out of Great-Britain without their own consent, made a determined mutiny, and encamped upon the lofty mountain, Arthur’s seat, where they remained three days and three nights; bidding defiance to all the force in Scotland.  At last they came down, and embarked peaceably, having obtained formal articles of capitulation, signed by Sir Adolphus Oughton, commander in chief, General Skene, deputy commander, the Duke of Buccleugh, and the Earl of Dunmore, which quieted them.  Since the secession of the Commons of Rome to the Mons Sacer, a more spirited exertion has not been made.  I gave great attention to it from first to last, and have drawn up a particular account of it.  Those brave fellows have since served their country effectually at Jersey, and also in the East-Indies, to which, after being better informed, they voluntarily agreed to go.  BOSWELL.  The line which Boswell quotes is from The Chevalier’s Muster Roll:—­

’The laird of M’Intosh is coming,
M’Crabie & M’Donald’s coming,
M’Kenzie & M’Pherson’s coming,
And the wild M’Craw’s coming. 
Little wat ye wha’s coming,
Donald Gun and a’s coming.’ 

      Hogg’s Jacobite Relics, i. 152.

Horace Walpole (Letters, vii. 198) writing on May 9, 1779, tells how on May 1 ’the French had attempted to land [on Jersey], but Lord Seaforth’s new-raised regiment of 700 Highlanders, assisted by some militia and some artillery, made a brave stand and repelled the intruders.’

[442] ’One of the men advised her, with the cunning that clowns never can be without, to ask more; but she said that a shilling was enough.  We gave her half a crown, and she offered part of it again.’ Piozzi Letters, i. 133.

[443] Of this part of the journey Johnson wrote:—­’We had very little entertainment as we travelled either for the eye or ear.  There are, I fancy, no singing birds in the Highlands.’ Piozzi Letters, i. 135.  It is odd that he should have looked for singing birds on the first of September.

[444] Act iii. sc. 4.