He and his wife and family had apparently talked about leaving for some time, and had made his plans quietly and contacted the emigration agent and agreed to meet him and his ship in one of the sheltered coves along the coastline, where he was picking up families such as theirs. Bound for Nova Scotia, 'the land of trees'. Although Calum Ruadh's destination was Cape Breton, where, he had been told in a Gaelic letter, there would be land for him if he would come.