arrived. Some are irritated at not being in the quarter of the ship
which they desired, and some anxiety is evident on the part of Miles
Macdonell because large advances of money have been given to a number
and he fears that they may desert. The expenses of assembling the
settlers have been very heavy, and now opposition appears. Sir
Alexander's party are doing their work. Mr. Reed, Collector of Customs
at Stornoway, was married to a niece of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and as
collector he throws every obstacle in the way of Macdonell. He has also
taken pains to stir up discontent in the minds of the Colonists and to
advise them not to embark.

Further trouble was caused by a Captain Mackenzie--called "a mean
fellow"--who proved to be a son-in-law of the Collector of Customs Reed,
and who went on board the "Edward and Ann," recruited as soldiers some
of the settlers, himself handing them the enlisting money and then
seeking to compel them to leave the ship with him. Afterwards, Captain
Mackenzie came on board the "Edward and Ann" and claimed the new
recruits, as deserters from the army. The Customs officials also boarded
the emigrant ship and most officiously proclaimed that if any emigrants
were not satisfied, or were not going of their own free will then they
might go ashore, and the scene as described by Miles Macdonell may be
imagined. "Several said they were not willing, and many went over the
ship's side into Captain Mackenzie's boat. One party ran away with the
ship's boat, but were brought back. One man jumped into the sea, and
swam for it until he was picked up by the recruiting boat." The Revenue
Cutter's boat was likewise very active in taking men away, and the
collector took some ashore in his boat with himself. A prominent
employee of the promoters of the expedition, Mr. Moncrieff Blair, who
posed as a gentleman, deserted on July 25th, the day before the sailing
of the vessel.