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A Legend of Montrose-Part34_WALTER SCOTT(1771-1832)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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mountains were already covered with snow. It was a sublime scene

to look up to them, piled in great masses, one upon another, the



front rank of dazzling whiteness, while those which arose behind

them caught a rosy tint from the setting of a clear wintry sun.



Ben Cruachan, superior in magnitude, and seeming the very citadel

of the Genius of the Region, rose high above the others, showing



his glimmering and scathed peak to the distance of many miles.

The followers of Montrose were men not to be daunted by the



sublime, yet terrible prospect before them. Many of them were of

that ancient race of Highlanders, who not only willingly made



their couch in the snow, but considered it as effeminate luxury

to use a snowball for a pillow. Plunder and revenge lay beyond



the frozen mountains which they beheld, and they did not permit

themselves to be daunted by the difficulty of traversing them.



Montrose did not allow their spirits time to subside. He ordered

the pipes to play in the van the ancient pibroch entitled,



"HOGGIL NAM BO," etc. (that is, We come through snow-drift to

drive the prey), the shrilling sounds of which had often struck



the vales of the Lennox with terror. [It is the family-march of

the M'Farlanes, a warlike and predatory clan, who inhabited the



western banks of Loch-Lomond. See WAVERLY, Note XV.] The troops

advanced with the nimble alacrity of mountaineers, and were soon



involved in the dangerous pass, through which Ranald acted as

their guide, going before them with a select party, to track out



the way.

The power of man at no time appears more contemptible than when



it is placed in contrast with scenes of natural terror and

dignity. The victorious army of Montrose, whose exploits had



struck terror into all Scotland, when ascending up this terrific

pass, seemed a contemptiblehandful of stragglers, in the act of



being devoured by the jaws of the mountain, which appeared ready

to close upon them. Even Montrose half repented the boldness of



his attempt, as he looked down from the summit of the first

eminence which he attained, upon the scattered condition of his



small army. The difficulty of getting forward was so great, that

considerable gaps began to occur in the line of march, and the



distance between the van, centre, and rear, was each moment

increased in a degree equally incommodious and dangerous. It was



with great apprehension that Montrose looked upon every point of

advantage which the hill afforded, in dread it might be found



occupied by an enemy prepared for defence; and he often

afterwards was heard to express his conviction, that had the



passes of Strath-Fillan been defended by two hundred resolute

men, not only would his progress have been effectually stopped,



but his army must have been in danger of being totally cut off.

Security, however, the bane of many a strong country and many a



fortress, betrayed, on this occasion, the district of Argyle to

his enemies. The invaders had only to contend with the natural



difficulties of the path, and with the snow, which, fortunately,

had not fallen in any great quantity. The army no sooner reached



the summit of the ridge of hills dividing Argyleshire from the

district of Breadalbane, than they rushed down upon the devoted



vales beneath them with a fury sufficientlyexpressive of the

motives which had dictated a movement so difficult and hazardous.



Montrose divided his army into three bodies, in order to produce

a wider and more extensiveterror, one of which was commanded by



the Captain of Clan Ranald, one intrusted to the leading of

Colkitto, and the third remained under his own direction. He was



thus enabled to penetrate the country of Argyle at three

different points. Resistance there was none. The flight of the



shepherds from the hills had first announced in the peopled

districts this formidable irruption, and wherever the clansmen



were summoned out, they were killed, disarmed, and dispersed, by

an enemy who had anticipated their motions. Major Dalgetty, who



had been sent forward against Inverary with the few horse of the

army that were fit for service, managed his matters so well, that



he had very nearly surprised Argyle, as he expressed it, INTER




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