To safeguard the treasure, it was taken in stages to the Locharkaig area where, according to Murray's accounting, a portion was disbursed to "support the wounded and widows of those who died at Culloden." Other amounts were allocated to pay the troops who hadn't been paid since 1st March. Still other payments were made for sundry purposes including an unspecified amount to John Murray himself to pay his expenses on his trek south before he was captured in the Border area and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

      There is evidence that a substantial number of the coins were buried temporarily on the shores of Locharkaig itself at more than one location. Although it isn't clear when Cluny first learned of this, it was probably about the time that the Prince found shelter at the Cage. It is very clear that Cluny had all that remained taken to Badenoch and disbursed according to the Prince's instructions.

      The Hanoverian intelligence sources soon learned of the treasure's existence but not of Cluny's mission to safeguard it until somewhat later. Estimates of the amount that came into Cluny's control vary widely but when he later provided an accounting to the Prince the amount totalled 24,000 louis-d'or or about two-thirds of the original consignment. Some say that Cluny moved £12,000 worth of the treasure to Badenoch but the record does not tell us if this was so or, if it were, where it was hidden.

      Besides securing what was left of the money Cluny found himself obligated to the Prince in a more personal way -- the contents of the Prince's baggage train that had been rescued by the Macpherson regiment after the rout at Culloden. The message the Prince sent Cluny before he sailed included mention of a casket of jewels and other valuables that he wanted sent to him in France. Cluny was surprised at this request and later when he made his report to the Prince after reaching France in 1755 denied all knowledge of it "upon the word of a Christian and a man of honestie . . .". In March 1747 the Prince instructed Dr. Archibald Cameron, Locheil's brother who had sailed with him to France, to return to Scotland to confer with Cluny as to how the remaining treasure should be spent to relieve the misery of the suffering Highland people. In his written instructions the Prince stated that he left the matter entirely to their "prudence and discretion" and that they should "think proper of your own families". In addition, he stated that if Cluny wished to leave Scotland that he would "make the best provision I can." It is clear that Cluny still enjoyed the Prince's confidence at that time. Over the next several years Cluny doled out varying amounts to different people securing receipts for each transaction. The details of these transactions are far too complicated to deal with here except to say that in some cases the disbursements were made to individuals who presented forged notes of authorisation ostensibly from the Prince. His final accounting shows that one-quarter of the 24,000 pieces were taken by Cluny himself for legitimate purposes.