BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 295
provisions ’ by the inhabitants of Edinburgh, and were daily visited by crowds
of people of all ranks. In the meantime, troops were brought into the city
with the view of compelling the mutineers to submission, but no intimidation
had any effect. General Skene (then second in command in Scotland), together
with the Earl of Dunmore, and other noblemen and gentlemen, visited the
mutineers ; and at last, after a great many messages had passed between the
parties, a compromise was effected. The terms were-a pardon for past offences ;
all bye money and arrears to be paid before embarkation, and a special understanding
that they should not be sent to the East Indies-a report having
prevailed among the soldiers that they had been sold to the East India Company,
So cautious were the mutineers, a bond had to be given confirming the
agreement, signed by the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Dunmore, Sir
Adolphus Oughton, K.B., Commander-in-Chief, and General Skene, second in
command in Scotland. After this arrangement, the Highlanders cheerfully
proceeded to Leith and embarked.
Kay relates an anecdote of Captain M‘Kenzie, which occurred .during the
prevalence of the mutiny, highly characteristic of his fortitude and determined
disposition. One day while he was in command over the Canongate Jail, where
a few of the mutineers were confined, a party from Arthur Seat came to demand
their liberation. The Captain sternly refused-the soldiers threatened to take
his life, and pointed their bayonets at him ; but he bared his breast, and telling
them to strike, at the same time declared that not a. single man should be
liberated. The effect of this resolute conduct was instantaneous-the men
recovered arms, and retired to their encampment.
Captain M‘Kenzie afterwards incurred an unfortunate celebrity from a
circumstance which reflected lees credit upon him than the above act of heroism,
and for which abuse of power he was tried at the Old Bailey, London, on the
1 lth December 1784.
He had been sent out in 1782, as captain of an independent company,
to act against the Dutch on the coast of Africa ; and was there appointed to
the command of a small fortification, called Fort Morea. Among the prisoners
of the fort was a person of the dame of Murray Kenneth M’Kenzie
alias Jefferson, who had been confined for desertion.’ Jefferson, possessing
more than common address, prevailed on the sentry to let him escape; upon
learning which, Captain M‘Kenzie was in a violent passion. He cahsed the
sentinel to be punished with more than fifteen hundred lashes, and immediately
despatched a party of soldiers in search of the runaway. The men returned,
however, without success ; upon which he ordered the guns to be charged and
directed against a small village in the neighbourhood, named Black Town,
The Rev. Joseph Robertson Macgregor, of the Gaelic Chapel (formerly noticed), also visited
He had deserted twice previously. He had been heard to express his resolution of murdering
See a tract entitled an
the mutineers, and acted zw an interpreter between the parties.
M‘Kenzie, and had, moreover, endeavoured to induce the soldiers to niutiny.
“Address to the Officers of the British Army.” London, 1785. 8w.
