before the struggle commenced, with a body of archers to be placed
in ambush, while he determined to cross the peat-bog himself and
attack Macdonald in front with the main body, intending to retreat
as soon as his adversary returned the attack, and thus entice the
Islesmen to pursue him. He informed Duncan of his own intention
to retreat and commanded him to be in readiness with his archers
to charge the enemy whenever they got fairly into the moss and
entangled among the pits and bogs.

Having made these preliminary arrangements, he boldly advanced to
meet the foe, leading his resolute band in the direction of the
intervening moss. Macdonald, seeing him, cried in derision to
Gillespic to see "Mackenzie's impudent madness, daring thus to
face him at such disadvantage." Gillespic, being a more experienced
leader than the youthful and impetuous Alexander, said that "such
extraordinary boldness should be met by more extraordinary wariness
in us, lest we fall into unexpected inconvenience." Macdonald,
in a towering passion, replied to this wise counsel - "Go you also
and join with them, and it will not need our care nor move the
least fear in my followers; both of you will not be a breakfast
to me and mine." Meanwhile Mackenzie advanced a little beyond
the moss, avoiding, from his intimate knowledge of it, all the
dangerous pits and bogs, when Maclean of Lochbuy, who led the van
of the enemy's army, advanced and charged him with great fury.
Mackenzie, according to his pre-arranged plan, at once retreated,
but in so masterly a manner that, in doing so, he inflicted as
much damage on the enemy as he received. The Islesmen speedily
got entangled in the moss, and Duncan Mackenzie observing this,
rushed forth from his ambush and furiously attacked them in flank
and rear, killing most of those who had entered the bog. He then