to live at the expense of the tribe of Campbell.  Breadalbane’s property had suffered greatly from their depredations; and he was not of a temper to forgive such injuries.  When, therefore, the Chief of Glencoe made his appearance at the congress in Glenorchy, he was ungraciously received.  The Earl, who ordinarily bore himself with the solemn dignity of a Castilian grandee, forgot, in his resentment, his wonted gravity, forgot his public character, forgot the laws of hospitality, and, with angry reproaches and menaces, demanded reparation for the herds which had been driven from his lands by Mac Ian’s followers.  Mac Ian was seriously apprehensive of some personal outrage, and was glad to get safe back to his own glen.212 His pride had been wounded; and the promptings of interest concurred with those of pride.  As the head of a people who lived by pillage, he had strong reasons for wishing that the country might continue to be in a perturbed state.  He had little chance of receiving one guinea of the money which was to be distributed among the malecontents.  For his share of that money would scarcely meet Breadalbane’s demands for compensation; and there could be little doubt that, whoever might be unpaid, Breadalbane would take care to pay himself.  Mac Ian therefore did his best to dissuade his allies from accepting terms from which he could himself expect no benefit; and his influence was not small.  His own vassals, indeed, were few in number; but he came of the best blood of the Highlands; he had kept up a close connection with his more powerful kinsmen; nor did they like him the less because he was a robber; for he never robbed them; and that robbery, merely as robbery, was a wicked and disgraceful act, had never entered into the mind of any Celtic chief.  Mac Ian was therefore held in high esteem by the confederates.  His age was venerable; his aspect was majestic; and he possessed in large measure those intellectual qualities which, in rude societies, give men an ascendency over their fellows.  Breadalbane found himself, at every step of the negotiation, thwarted by the arts of his old enemy, and abhorred the name of Glencoe more and more every day.213

But the government did not trust solely to Breadalbane’s diplomatic skill.  The authorities at Edinburgh put forth a proclamation exhorting the clans to submit to King William and Queen Mary, and offering pardon to every rebel who, on or before the thirty-first of December 1691, should swear to live peaceably under the government of their Majesties.  It was announced that those who should hold out after that day would be treated as enemies and traitors.214 Warlike preparations were made, which showed that the threat was meant in earnest.  The Highlanders were alarmed, and, though the pecuniary terms had not been satisfactorily settled, thought it prudent to give the pledge which was demanded of them.  No chief, indeed, was willing to set the example of submission.  Glengarry blustered,