POCULA; and it was only a rapid flight by water which saved that

chief from death or captivity. But the punishment which Argyle
himself escaped fell heavily upon his country and clan, and the

ravages committed by Montrose on that devoted land, although too
consistent with the genius of the country and times, have been

repeatedly and justly quoted as a blot on his actions and
character.

Argyle in the meantime had fled to Edinburgh, to lay his
complaints before the Convention of Estates. To meet the

exigence of the moment, a considerable army was raised under
General Baillie, a Presbyterian officer of skill and fidelity,

with whom was joined in command the celebrated Sir John Urrie, a
soldier of fortune like Dalgetty, who had already changed sides

twice during the Civil War, and was destined to turn his coat a
third time before it was ended. Argyle also, burning with

indignation, proceeded to levy his own numerous forces, in order
to avenge himself of his feudal enemy. He established his head-

quarters at Dunbarton, where he was soon joined by a considerable
force, consisting chiefly of his own clansmen and dependants.

Being there joined by Baillie and Urrie, with a very considerable
army of regular forces, he prepared to march into Argyleshire,

and chastise the invader of his paternal territories.
But Montrose, while these two formidable armies were forming a

junction, had been recalled from that ravaged country by the
approach of a third, collected in the north under the Earl of

Seaforth, who, after some hesitation, having embraced the side of
the Covenanters, had now, with the assistance of the veteran

garrison of Inverness, formed a considerable army, with which he
threatened Montrose from Inverness-shire. Enclosed in a wasted

and unfriendly country, and menaced on each side by advancing
enemies of superior force, it might have been supposed that

Montrose's destruction was certain. But these were precisely the
circumstances under which the active and enterprisinggenius of

the Great Marquis was calculated to excite the wonder and
admiration of his friends, the astonishment and terror of his

enemies. As if by magic, he collected his scattered forces from
the wastefuloccupation in which they had been engaged; and

scarce were they again united, ere Argyle and his associate
generals were informed, that the royalists, having suddenly

disappeared from Argyleshire, had retreated northwards among the
dusky and impenetrable mountains of Lochaber.

The sagacity of the generals opposed to Montrose immediately
conjectured, that it was the purpose of their active antagonist

to fight with, and, if possible, to destroy Seaforth, ere they
could come to his assistance. This occasioned a corresponding

change in their operations. Leaving this chieftain to make the
best defence he could, Urrie and Baillie again separated their

forces from those of Argyle; and, having chiefly horse and
Lowland troops under their command, they kept the southern side

of the Grampian ridge, moving along eastward into the county of
Angus, resolving from thence to proceed into Aberdeenshire, in

order to intercept Montrose, if he should attempt to escape in
that direction.

Argyle, with his own levies and other troops, undertook to follow
Montrose's march; so that, in case he should come to action

either with Seaforth, or with Baillie and Urrie, he might be
placed between two fires by this third army, which, at a secure

distance, was to hang upon his rear.
For this purpose, Argyle once more moved towards Inverary, having

an opportunity, at every step, to deplore the severities which
the hostile clans had exercised on his dependants and country.

Whatever noble qualities the Highlanders possessed, and they had
many, clemency in treating a hostile country was not of the

number; but even the ravages of hostile troops combined to swell
the number of Argyle's followers. It is still a Highland

proverb, He whose house is burnt must become a soldier; and
hundreds of the inhabitants of these unfortunatevalleys had now

no means of maintenance, save by exercising upon others the
severities they had themselves sustained, and no future prospect

of happiness, excepting in the gratification of revenge. His
bands were, therefore, augmented by the very circumstances which

had desolated his country, and Argyle soon found himself at the
head of three thousand determined men, distinguished for activity

and courage, and commanded by gentlemen of his own name, who
yielded to none in those qualities. Under himself, he conferred

the principal command upon Sir Duncan Campbell of Ardenvohr, and
another Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchenbreck, [This last character

is historical] an experienced and veteran soldier, whom he had
recalled from the wars of Ireland for this purpose. The cold

spirit of Argyle himself, however, clogged the military councils
of his more intrepid assistants; and it was resolved,

notwithstanding their increased force, to observe the same plan
of operations, and to follow Montrose cautiously, in whatever

direction he should march, avoiding an engagement until an
opportunity should occur of falling upon his rear, while he

should be engaged with another enemy in front.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Piobracht au Donuil-dhu,
Piobrachet au Donuil,

Piobrachet agus S'breittach
Feacht an Innerlochy.

The war-tune of Donald the Black,
The war-tune of Black Donald,

The pipes and the banner
Are up in the rendezvous of Inverlochy.

The military road connecting the chains of forts, as it is
called, and running in the general line of the present Caledonian

Canal, has now completely opened the great glen, or chasm,
extending almost across the whole island, once doubtless filled

by the sea, and still affording basins for that long line of
lakes, by means of which modern art has united the German and

Atlantic Oceans. The paths or tracks by which the natives
traversed this extensivevalley, were, in 1645-6, in the same

situation as when they awaked the strain of an Irish engineer
officer, who had been employed in converting them into

practicable military roads, and whose eulogium begins, and, for
aught I know, ends, as follows:

Had you seen but these roads before they were made, You would
have held up your hands and bless'd General Wade.

But, bad as the ordinary paths were, Montrose avoided them, and
led his army, like a herd of wild deer, from mountain to

mountain, and from forest to forest, where his enemies could
learn nothing of his motions, while he acquired the most perfect

knowledge respectingtheirs from the friendly clans of Cameron
and M'Donnell, whose mountainous districts he now traversed.

Strict orders had been given that Argyle's advance should be
watched, and that all intelligencerespecting his motions should

be communicated instantly to the General himself.
It was a moonlight night, and Montrose, worn out by the fatigues

of the day, was laid down to sleep in a miserable shieling. He
had only slumbered two hours, when some one touched his shoulder.

He looked up, and, by the stately form and deep voice, easily
recognised the Chief of the Camerons.

"I have news for you," said that leader, "which is worth while to
arise and listen to."

"M'Ilduy [Mhich-Connel Dhu, the descendant of Black Donald.] can
bring no other," said Montrose, addressing the Chief by his

patronymic title--"are they good or bad?"
"As you may take them," said the Chieftain.

"Are they certain?" demanded Montrose.
"Yes," answered M'Ilduy, "or another messenger should have

brought them. Know that, tired with the task imposed upon me of
accompanying that unhappy Dalgetty and his handful of horse, who

detained me for hours on the march at the pace of a crippled
badger, I made a stretch of four miles with six of my people in