Note 485 — NEIL MACEACHAIN’S NARRATIVE OF THE WANDERINGS OF PRINCE CHARLES IN THE HEBRIDES

Hugh Macdonald of Baleshare, an island to the south-west of North Uist, was of the Sleat family, his father being a natural son of Sir James ‘Mor,’ 2nd bart., and his mother a daughter of the 13th Clanranald. As Sir Alexander of Sleat and Lady Clanranald were both great-grandchildren of Sir James ‘Mor,’ they were nearly related to Baleshare, being in the Scots phrase ‘first-cousins once removed.’ Baleshare’s sister was the wife of Donald Campbell, the Prince’s host in Scalpa. Hugh of Baleshare had been sent to South Uist by Lady Margaret Macdonald, the wife of Sir Alexander of Sleat then in attendance on Cumberland at Fort Augustus, while his men were out against the broken Jacobites. Lady Margaret had sent Baleshare secretly with money and little luxuries to relieve the Prince’s discomfort and to help him generally. At one time it was proposed that Baleshare should conceal Prince Charles in his own island, but the scheme was abandoned as it might compromise his chief, Sir Alexander.