THE FEUDS OF THE CLANS.

The Conflict of Drumilea.

ABOUT the year of God 1031, in the days of Malcolm the Second, King of Scotland, the Danes and Norwegians, under the conduct of Olanus and Enetus, seated themselves in the north parts of Scotland, and took the Castle of Nairn, where they became very strong; from thence they sent divers companies of soldiers into the neighbouring provinces, not only to prey, but likewise to seat themselves there, as they should find occasion and opportunity. Olanus did then send a strong company to invade the provinces of Ross and Sutherland, and to destroy the inhabitants; which Allan, Thane of Sutherland, perceiving, he assembled his countrymen, and the inhabitants of Ross, with all diligence, and fought a battle at

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[paragraph continues] Creich, in Sutherland, against the Danes and Norwegians, who had then come from Nairn, in Moray, and had landed in the river of Portnacouter, which divideth Ross from Sutherland. After a long and doubtful fight, the Danes were overthrown, and chased to their vessels. The monument whereof remains there unto this day, at a place called Drumilea before Creich.