On their return, an amount of "road collop" or passage money was demanded by the Clan Mackintosh, as was the custom in the Scottish Highlands.

Sir Robert Gordon's account states that John Munro Tutor of Foulis was travelling home from the south of Scotland towards Ross.

He then singled out three hundred and fifty of the best and ablest men and went back to Strathardle to which he laid waste, spoiled, killed some of the people and carried away their cattle.

On his return home he passed by the Isle of Moy and Mackintosh (chief of Clan Chattan) sent to him craving some of the spoils as was the custom.

Gordon states that John Munro offered a reasonable portion, which Mackintosh through evil counsel refused to accept and would have no less than half of the whole booty.

Mackintosh then gathered all of his forces and followed John Munro who he overtook at Clachnaharry, beside Inverness, hard by the ferry of Kessock.

Gordon states that Munro perceiving Mackintosh sent fifty of his men home to Ferindonald with the spoil and encouraged the rest to fight.

Monroe returned to Strathardle and carried away their strongest cattle such as horse, oxen and cows, and killed some of the men who resisted them.

The Wardlaw Manuscript implies that the Monroe Laird of Foulis was present and that he advised that a share of the booty should be given to Mackintosh.

Then Monroe with his 300 remaining men pitches on a litel levell near Clachniharry, taking advantage of the ground convenient for fighting.

Mackintosh states that a very keen contest followed in that John Munro was returning from a tour in the south and that a dissension took place between him and the inhabitants of Strathardle who loaded him with great abuse.

At the head of two hundred chosen men he advanced with speed to Sthrathardle ravaged the country and carried off the herds of cattle.

[4][note 1] John Anderson states that the Munros, a distinguished tribe in Ross were returning from the south of Scotland when they passed by Moyhall, the seat of MacKintosh, leader of the Clan Chattan.

The Munros, pursuing their journey, forded the river Ness a little above the Islands, and dispatched the cattle they had plundered across the hill of Kinmylies, to Lovat's province.

Anderson goes on to say that the Munros were not long in retaliating and having collected a sufficient force, they marched in the dead of night for the Isle of Moy where the chief of MacKintosh resided.

By the aid of some planks which they had carried with them, and now put together, they crossed to the Isle, and glutted their thirst for revenge by murder or captivity of all the inmates.

[6] William Anderson says that John Munro whilst returning from Edinburgh had the tails of his and his servants' horses cut off while sleeping in a meadow in Strathardle.

Shaw states that the Munros had the great advantage of ground by lurking among the rocks; whilst the MacKintoshes were exposed to their arrows.