The first serious outbreak between the Glengarry Macdonalds and
the Mackenzies originated thus: One Duncan Mac Ian Uidhir Mhic
Dhonnachaidh, known as "a very honest gentleman," who, in his early
days, lived under Glengarry, and was a very good deerstalker and
an excellent shot, often resorted to the forest of Glasletter,
then the property of Mackenzie of Gairloch, where he killed many
of the deer. Some time afterwards, Duncan was, in consequence of
certain troubles in his own country, obliged to leave, and he, with
all his family and goods, took up his quarters in Glen Affrick, close
to the forest. Soon after, he went, accompanied by a friend, to
the nearest hill, and began his favourite pursuit of deerstalking.
Mackenzie's forester perceiving the stranger, and knowing him as
an old poacher, cautiously walked up, came upon him unawares, and
demanded that he should at once surrender himself and his arms.
Duncan, finding that Gairloch's forester was only accompanied by
one gillie, "thought it an irrecoverable affront that he and his
man should so yield, and refused to do so on any terms, whereupon
the forester being ill-set, and remembering former abuses in their
passages," he and his companion killed the poachers, and buried
them in the hill. Fionnla Dubh Mac Dhomh'uill Mhoir and Donald
Mac Ian Leith, the latter a native of Gairloch, were suspected of
the crime, but it was never proved against them, though they were
both several times put on their trial by the barons of Kintail
and Gairloch.

About two years after the murder was committed, Duncan's bones
were discovered by one of his friends, who had continued all the
time diligently to search for him. The Macdonalds always suspected
foul play, and this having now been placed beyond question by the
discovery of the bodies of the victims, a party of them started,