It was arranged that when Mac Neill should arrive at the
castle with his charge, access should be given to young Raasay.
The commander kept his word, and MacGillechallum Garbh was soon
after proclaimed laird.
In 1610 a severe skirmish was fought at Lochan-an-Fheidh, in Glen
Torridon, between the Mackenzies - led by Alexander, since his
brother's death in 1601, the apparent heir of Gairloch - and the
Macleods under John MacAllan Mhic Rory, then the only surviving
direct male representative of Allan Macleod of Gairloch and grandson
probably of Rory Nimhneach. John Tolmach, John's uncle was also
present, but he succeeded in effecting his escape, while John MacAllan
and seventeen or eighteen of his followers were taken prisoners. Many
more were killed and a few who escaped alive with John Tolmach were
pursued out of the district. The slain were buried where they fell,
and the graves can still be seen, the nettles which continue to grow
over them at the present day indicating the position of the last
resting-place on the field of battle of these Macleod warriors, on
the west side of the Sgura Dubh, above Glen Torridon, a little beyond
the Gairloch estate march.
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