Four of his men, however, feeling somewhat suspicious, and fearing the worst, abstained from drinking. Alexander Bayne of Tulloch, and the remainder of Murdoch's men partook of the good cheer to excess, and ultimately became so drunk that they had to retire below deck. Mackenzie, who sat between Raasay and MacGillechallum Mor, had not the slightest suspicion, when Macleod, seeing Murdoch alone, jumped up, turned suddenly round and told him that he must become his prisoner. Mackenzie instantly started to his feet, in a violent passion, laid hold of Raasay by the waist, and threw him down, exclaiming, "I would scorn to be your prisoner." One of Raasay's followers, seeing his young chief treated thus, stabbed Murdoch through the body with his dirk.

Mackenzie finding himself wounded, stepped back to draw his sword, and, his foot coming against some obstruction, he stumbled over it and fell into the sea.

Those on shore observing the row, came out in their small boats and seeing Mackenzie, who was a dexterous swimmer, manfully making for Sconsar, on the opposite shore, in Skye, they pelted him with stones, smashed in his brains and drowned him. The few of his men who kept sober, seeing their leader thus perish, resolved to sell their lives dearly; and fighting like heroes, they killed the young laird of Raasay, along with MacGillechallum Mor, author of all the mischief, and his two sons.

Young Bayne of Tulloch and his six inebriated companions who had followed him below, hearing the uproar overhead, attempted to come on deck, but they were all killed by the Macleods as they presented themselves through the hold. Not a soul of the Raasay men escaped alive from the swords of the four who had kept sober, ably supported by the ship's crew.

The small boats now began to gather round the vessel and the Raasay men attempted to get on board but they were thrown back, slain, and pitched into the sea without mercy. The shot and ammunition having become exhausted, all the pots and pans, and other articles of furniture on board were hurled at the Macleods, while the four abstainers plied their weapons of war with deadly effect.

Having procured a lull from the attempts of the enemy, they commenced to pull in their anchor, when a shot from one of the boats killed one of them--Hector MacKenneth, "a pretty young gentleman." The other three seeing him slain, and being themselves more or less seriously wounded, cut their cable, hoisted sail, and proceeded before a fresh breeze, with all the dead bodies still lying about the deck. As soon as they got out of danger, they threw the bodies of young Raasay and his men into the sea, that they might have the same interment which their own leader had received, and whose body they were not able to search for.

It is said that none of the bodies were ever found, except that of MacGillechallum Mor, which afterwards came ashore, and was buried, in Raasay. The Gairloch men carried the bodies of Bayne of Tulloch and his companions to Lochcarron, where they were decently interred.

The only survivors of the Rausay affair were John MacEachainn Chaoil, John MacKenneth Mhic Eachainn, and Kenneth MacSheumais.