The tragedy that had taken place was detailed in all its sadness and horror to the lads' clansmen wherever they could be found. Messengers went from village to village recounting the story by the peat fires in the little cottages, where under the thatched roofs and within the unmortared walls the cows and the hens and the family lived together. The messengers always began by saying that if any of the MacGregors had lost any of their young men, they should go to the gate of Rossdhu House, and see if in the features of the death heads on the posts on each side of the gate they could discern the features of their loved ones. The widow of Tulach in Glen Streatha heard the story, and anguish came on her as she thought that this cruelty might have been dealt on her children who had not returned when she expected them home. She made ready speedily, and went over the moors, travelling without pausing until she arrived near Rossdhu. She drew near to the gate and saw the heads, and even from a distance she thought she recognized the shape of her sons' heads, and coming close to the posts standing there with their trophies on them, she saw that her forebodings were too true. She took an opportunity, and had the heads taken down, and tied them up in two pieces of cloth, and walked back, carrying a head in each hand. And reaching her own glen she went to MacGregor's house, and laid down the two heads at his feet, letting them out from the cloths which hid them, and then burst into lamentation and tears, and at last told him how she had carried them away with her. Then the chief, who knew and loved the two youths, was greatly enraged with Sir Humphrey, and resolved to encounter him. Before he proceeded on his designs he went to the Earl of Argyll and asked his advice, and his counsel was that MacGregor should ask to meet Sir Humphrey with a hundred men on each side, so that an account might be given by the Colquhouns as to what had happened, and the reasons for the cruel treatment of the lads. For, said the Earl, if Sir Humphrey has no good reasons he may pay the old ransom called, from the days of the Norse invasions, "eirig," or a fine for their deaths, and all fighting be avoided. In any case, he counselled that MacGregor should not be the first to begin to shed blood, unless in self-defence. Then the chief went to Ardkinglass, where Mac Ian Riach (Campbell of Ardkinglass) advised him to go and have an interview with Sir Humphrey, saying that the MacGregors might go through the Ardkinglass lands and have a night's lodging in Ganavin at the side of Loch Long, and that the people there were to ferry the band over the loch on the day following their arrival. All was carried out as had been suggested by the Earl, and Sir Humphrey made answer that he would meet the MacGregor chief, and tell the MacGregors of the crimes of the youths at the upper end of Glen Freon on a Saturday, and that he desired to explain all that there might be peace.