fortress), placed a garrison in it, and proceeded to the north-east,
plundering the lands of Sir Alexander Urquhart, Sheriff of Cromarty.
They next marched westward to the district of Strathconan, ravaged
the lands of the Mackenzies as they went, and put the inhabitants
and more immediate retainers of the family to the sword, resolutely
determined to punish Mackenzie for his ill-treatment of Lady
Margaret and recover possession of that part of the Earldom of
Ross forfeited by the earls of that name, and now the property of
Mackenzie by Royal charter. Having wasted Strathconan, Macdonald
arrived on Sunday morning at Contin, where he found the people in
great terror and confusion; and the able-bodied men having already
joined Mackenzie, the aged, the women, and the children took refuge
in the church, thinking themselves secure within its precincts from
any enemy professing Christianity. They soon, to their horror,
found out their mistake. Macdonald, having little or no scruples
on the score of religion, ordered the doors to be closed and
guarded, and then set fire to the building. The priest, together
with the hapless crowd of helpless and aged men, women and children,
were all burnt to ashes.

Some of those who were fortunate enough not to have been in Contin
church immediately started for Kinellan, and informed Mackenzie
of the hideous massacre. Alexander, though deeply grieved at the
cruel destruction of his people, expressed his gratitude that the
enemy, whom he had hitherto considered too numerous to contend with
successfully, had now engaged God against them by their impious
conduct. Contin was not far from Kinellan, and Macdonald, thinking
that Mackenzie would not remain at the latter place with such
a comparatively small force, ordered Gillespic to draw up his
followers on the large moor, now known as "Blar-na-Pairc," that he