the order was emphatically given, it was speedily and willingly
obeyed. Their natural love of war, their zeal for the royal

cause,--for they viewed the King in the light of a chief whom his
clansmen had deserted,--as well as their implicit obedience to

their own patriarch, drew in to Montrose's army not only all in
the neighbourhood who were able to bear arms, but some who, in

age at least, might have been esteemed past the use of them.
During the next day's march, which, being directed straight

through the mountains of Lochaber, was unsuspected by the enemy,
his forces were augmented by handfuls of men issuing from each

glen, and ranging themselves under the banners of their
respective Chiefs. This was a circumstance highly inspiriting to

the rest of the army, who, by the time they approached the enemy,
found their strength increased considerably more than one-fourth,

as had been prophesied by the valiant leader of the Camerons.
While Montrose executed this counter-march, Argyle had, at the

head of his gallant army, advanced up the southern side of Loch-
Eil, and reached the river Lochy, which combines that lake with

Loch-Lochy. The ancient Castle of Inverlochy, once, as it is
said, a royal fortress, and still, although dismantled, a place

of some strength and consideration, offered convenient head-
quarters, and there was ample room for Argyle's army to encamp

around him in the valley, where the Lochy joins Loch-Eil.
Several barges had attended, loaded with provisions, so that they

were in every respect as well accommodated as such an army wished
or expected to be. Argyle, in council with Auchenbreck and

Ardenvohr, expressed his full confidence that Montrose was now on
the brink of destruction; that his troops must gradually diminish

as he moved eastward through such uncouth paths; that if he went
westward, he must encounter Urrie and Baillie; if northward, fall

into the hands of Seaforth; or should he choose any halting-
place, he would expose himself to be attacked by three armies at

once.
"I cannot rejoice in the prospect, my lord," said Auchebreck,

"that James Grahame will be crushed with little assistance of
ours. He has left a heavy account in Argyleshire against him,

and I long to reckon with him drop of blood for drop of blood. I
love not the payment of such debts by third hands."

"You are too scrupulous," said Argyle; "what signifies it by
whose hands the blood of the Grahames is spilt? It is time that

of the sons of Diarmid should cease to flow.--What say you,
Ardenvohr?"

"I say, my lord," replied Sir Duncan, "that I think Auchenbreck
will be gratified, and will himself have a personal opportunity

of settling accounts with Montrose for his depredations. Reports
have reached our outposts that the Camerons are assembling their

full strength on the skirts of Ben-Nevis; this must be to join
the advance of Montrose, and not to cover his retreat."

"It must be some scheme of harassing and depredation," said
Argyle, "devised by the inveterate malignity of M'Ilduy, which he

terms loyalty. They can intend no more than an attack on our
outposts, or some annoyance to to-morrow's march."

"I have sent out scouts," said Sir Duncan, "in every direction,
to procureintelligence; and we must soon hear whether they

really do assemble any force, upon what point, or with what
purpose."

It was late ere any tidings were received; but when the moon had
arisen, a considerablebustle in the camp, and a noise

immediately after heard in the castle, announced the arrival of
important intelligence. Of the scouts first dispersed by

Ardenvohr, some had returned without being able to collect
anything, save uncertain rumours concerningmovements in the

country of the Camerons. It seemed as if the skirts of Ben-Nevis
were sending forth those unaccountable and portentous sounds with

which they sometimes announce the near approach of a storm.
Others, whose zeal carried them farther upon their mission, were

entrapped and slain, or made prisoners, by the inhabitants of the
fastnesses into which they endeavoured to penetrate. At length,

on the rapid advance of Montrose's army, his advanced guard and
the outposts of Argyle became aware of each other's presence, and

after exchanging a few musket-shots and arrows, fell back to
their respective main bodies, to conveyintelligence and receive

orders.
Sir Duncan Campbell, and Auchenbreck, instantly threw themselves

on horseback, in order to visit the state of the outposts; and
Argyle maintained his character of commander-in-chief with

reputation, by making a respectablearrangement of his forces in
the plain, as it was evident that they might now expect a night

alarm, or an attack in the morning at farthest. Montrose had kept
his forces so cautiously" target="_blank" title="ad.小心地；谨慎地">cautiously within the defiles of the mountain, that

no effort which Auchenbreck or Ardenvohr thought it prudent to
attempt, could ascertain his probable strength. They were aware,

however, that, at the utmost computation, it must be inferior to
their own, and they returned to Argyle to inform him of the

amount of their observations; but that nobleman refused to
believe that Montrose could be in presence himself. He said, "It

was a madness, of which even James Grahame, in his height of
presumptuous frenzy, was incapable; and he doubted not that their

march was only impeded by their ancient enemies, Glencoe,
Keppoch, and Glengarry; and perhaps M'Vourigh, with his

M'Phersons, might have assembled a force, which he knew must be
greatly inferior in numbers to his own, and whom, therefore, he

doubted not to disperse by force, or by terms of capitulation."
The spirit of Argyle's followers was high, breathing vengeance

for the disasters which their country had so lately undergone;
and the night passed in anxious hopes that the morning might dawn

upon their vengeance. The outposts of either army kept a careful
watch, and the soldiers of Argyle slept in the order of battle

which they were next day to occupy.
A pale dawn had scarce begun to tinge the tops of these immense

mountains, when the leaders of both armies prepared for the
business of the day. It was the second of February, 1645-6. The

clansmen of Argyle were arranged in two lines, not far from the
angle between the river and the lake, and made an appearance

equally resolute and formidable. Auchenbreck would willingly
have commenced the battle by an attack on the outposts of the

enemy, but Argyle, with more cautiouspolicy, preferred receiving
to making the onset. Signals were soon heard, that they would

not long wait for it in vain. The Campbells could distinguish,
in the gorge of the mountains, the war-tunes of various clans as

they advanced to the onset. That of the Camerons, which bears
the ominous words, addressed to the wolves and ravens, "Come to

me, and I will give you flesh," was loudly re-echoed from their
native glens. In the language of the Highland bards, the war

voice of Glengarry was not silent; and the gathering tunes of
other tribes could be plainlydistinguished, as they successively

came up to the extremity of the passes from which they were to
descend into the plain.

"You see," said Argyle to his kinsmen, "it is as I said, we have
only to deal with our neighbours; James Grahame has not ventured

to show us his banner."
At this moment there resounded from the gorge of the pass a

lively flourish of trumpets, in that note with which it was the
ancient Scottish fashion to salute the royal standard.

"You may hear, my lord, from yonder signal," said Sir Duncan
Campbell, "that he who pretends to be the King's Lieutenant, must

be in person among these men."
"And has probably horse with him," said Auchenbreck, "which I

could not have anticipated. But shall we look pale for that, my
lord, when we have foes to fight, and wrongs to revenge?"

Argyle was silent, and looked upon his arm, which hung in a sash,
owing to a fall which he had sustained in a preceding march.

"It is true," interrupted Ardenvohr, eagerly, "my Lord of Argyle,
you are disabled from using either sword or pistol; you must

retire on board the galleys--your life is precious to us as a
head--your hand cannot be useful to us as a soldier."

"No," said Argyle, pride contending with irresolution, "it shall
never be said that I fled before Montrose; if I cannot fight, I