Upwards of a hundred persons knew where he was concealed and a reward of £1,000 was offered to any one who should give information against him; and as it was known that he was concealed on his estate, eighty men were constantly stationed there, besides the parties continually marching into the country to intimidate his tenantry, and induce them to disclose the place of his concealment.

Sir Hector Munro, at that time a Lieutenant in the 34th Regiment, was entrusted with the command of a large party, and continued two whole years in Badenach, for the purpose of discovering Clunie’s retreat. The unwearied vigilance of the Clan could alone have saved him from the vigilance of this party, directed as it was by an officer equally remarkable for his zeal, and his knowledge of the country and people. The slightest inattention, even a momentary want of caution or presence of mind on the part of the Macphersons, would infallibly have betrayed his retreat; yet so true were the Clan, so strict in the observance of secrecy and so dexterous in conveying to him unobserved the necessaries he required that although the soldiers were animated with the hope of reward and a step of promotion was promised to the officer who should apprehend him, not a trace of him could be discovered, nor an individual found base enough to give a hint to his detriment. Many anecdotes have been related of the narrow escapes which he made including the vigilance of the soldiery, especially when he ventured to spend a few of the dark hours conversably with his friends; and also of the diligence, fidelity and presence of mind displayed by the people in concealing his retreat, and baffling the activity of his pursuers, during a period of no less than nine years. At length, however, wearied out with this dreary and hopeless state of existence, and taught to despair of pardon, he escaped to France in 1755, and died there the following year. Clunie had become so cautious, whilst leading the life of an outlaw that, on parting with his wife, or his most attached friends, he never told them to which of his places of concealment he was going, nor suffered anyone to accompany him. Not that he had any suspicion of the fidelity of his family, his friends, or his Clan; their attachment and devotion had been too well tried to admit of so unjust and ungrateful a thought entering his mind. His object was that when questioned by his pursuers they might be enabled to answer, that they knew not whither he had gone, or where he lay concealed."

(See Page 25.)