AsRanaldMacEaghwastobeplacedunderMajorDalgetty'sprotectionandsuperintendence,itwasnecessaryheshouldpresenthimtothosepersonswithwhomhewasmostlikelytoassociate。Thedressoftheoldmanhad,inthemeantime,beenchangedfromthetartanofhisclantoasortofclothingpeculiartothemenofthedistantIsles,resemblingawaistcoatwithsleeves,andapetticoat,allmadeinonepiece。Thisdresswaslacedfromtoptobottominfront,andboresomeresemblancetothatcalledPolonaise,stillwornbychildreninScotlandofthelowerrank。Thetartanhoseandbonnetcompletedthedress,whicholdmenofthelastcenturyrememberedwelltohaveseenwornbythedistantIslesmenwhocametotheEarlofMar'sstandardintheyear1715。
　　MajorDalgetty,keepinghiseyeonAllanashespoke,introducedRanaldMacEaghunderthefictitiousnameofRanaldMacGillihuroninBenbecula,whohadescapedwithhimoutofArgyle'sprison。
　　Herecommendedhimasapersonskilfulintheartsoftheharperandthesenachie,andbynomeanscontemptibleinthequalityofasecond—sightedpersonorseer。Whilemakingthisexposition,MajorDalgettystammeredandhesitatedinawaysounliketheusualglibforwardnessofhismanner,thathecouldnothavefailedtohavegivensuspiciontoAllanM'Aulay,hadnotthatperson'swholeattentionbeenengagedinsteadilyperusingthefeaturesofthepersonthusintroducedtohim。ThissteadygazesomuchembarrassedRanaldMacEagh,thathishandwasbeginningtosinkdowntowardshisdagger,inexpectationofahostileassault,whenAllan,suddenlycrossingthefloorofthehut,extendedhishandtohiminthewayoffriendlygreeting。Theysatdownsidebyside,andconversedinalowmysterioustoneofvoice。MenteithandAngusM'Aulaywerenotsurprisedatthis,forthereprevailedamongtheHighlanderswhopretendedtothesecond—sight,asortofFreemasonry,whichgenerallyinducedthem,uponmeeting,toholdcommunicationwitheachotheronthenatureandextentoftheirvisionaryexperiences。
　　"Doesthesightcomegloomyuponyourspirits？"saidAllantohisnewacquaintance。
　　"Asdarkastheshadowuponthemoon,"repliedRanald,"whensheisdarkenedinhermid—courseinheaven,andprophetsforetellofeviltimes。"
　　"Comehither,"saidAllan,"comemorethisway,Iwouldconversewithyouapart;formensaythatinyourdistantislandsthesightispouredforthwithmoreclearnessandpowerthanuponus,whodwellneartheSassenach。"
　　Whiletheywereplungedintotheirmysticconference,thetwoEnglishcavaliersenteredthecabininthehighestpossiblespirits,andannouncedtoAngusM'Aulaythatordershadbeenissuedthatallshouldholdthemselvesinreadinessforanimmediatemarchtothewestward。Havingdeliveredthemselvesoftheirnewswithmuchglee,theypaidtheircomplimentstotheiroldacquaintanceMajorDalgetty,whomtheyinstantlyrecognised,andenquiredafterthehealthofhischarger,Gustavus。
　　"Ihumblythankyou,gentlemen,"answeredthesoldier,"Gustavasiswell,though,likehismaster,somewhatbarerontheribsthanwhenyouofferedtorelievemeofhimatDarnlinvarach;andletmeassureyou,thatbeforeyouhavemadeoneortwoofthosemarcheswhichyouseemtocontemplatewithsomuchsatisfactioninprospect,youwillleave,mygoodknights,someofyourEnglishbeef,andprobablyanEnglishhorseortwo,behindyou。"
　　Bothexclaimedthattheycaredverylittlewhattheyfoundorwhattheyleft,providedthescenechangedfromdoggingupanddownAngusandAberdeenshire,inpursuitofanenemywhowouldneitherfightnorrunaway。
　　"Ifsuchbethecase,"saidAngusM'Aulay,"Imustgiveorderstomyfollowers,andmakeprovisiontooforthesafeconveyanceofAnnotLyle;foranadvanceintoM'CallumMore'scountrywillbeafartherandfoulerroadthanthesepinksofCumbrianknighthoodareawareof。"Sosaying,heleftthecabin。
　　"AnnotLyle！"repeatedDalgetty,"isshefollowingthecampaign？"
　　"Surely,"repliedSirGilesMusgrave,hiseyeglancingslightlyfromLordMenteithtoAllanM'Aulay;"wecouldneithermarchnorfight,advancenorretreat,withouttheinfluenceofthePrincessofHarps。"
　　"ThePrincessofBroadswordsandTargets,Isay,"answeredhiscompanion;"fortheLadyofMontroseherselfcouldnotbemorecourteouslywaitedupon;shehasfourHighlandmaidens,andasmanybare—leggedgillies,towaituponherorders。"
　　"Andwhatwouldyouhave,gentlemen？"saidAllan,turningsuddenlyfromtheHighlanderwithwhomhewasinconversation;
　　"wouldyouyourselveshaveleftaninnocentfemale,thecompanionofyourinfancy,todiebyviolence,orperishbyfamine？Thereisnot,bythistime,aroofuponthehabitationofmyfathers——
　　ourcropshavebeendestroyed,andourcattlehavebeendriven——
　　andyou,gentlemen,havetoblessGod,that,comingfromamilderandmorecivilizedcountry,youexposeonlyyourownlivesinthisremorselesswar,withoutapprehensionthatyourenemieswillvisitwiththeirvengeancethedefencelesspledgesyoumayhaveleftbehindyou。"
　　TheEnglishmencordiallyagreedthattheyhadthesuperiorityinthisrespect;andthecompany,nowdispersing,wenteachtohisseveralchargeoroccupation。
　　Allanlingeredamomentbehind,stillquestioningthereluctantRanaldMacEaghuponapointinhissupposedvisions,bywhichhewasgreatlyperplexed。"Repeatedly,"hesaid,"haveIhadthesightofaGael,whoseemedtoplungehisweaponintothebodyofMenteith,——ofthatyoungnoblemaninthescarletlacedcloak,whohasjustnowleftthebothy。Butbynoeffort,thoughIhavegazedtillmyeyeswerealmostfixedinthesockets,canI
　　discoverthefaceofthisHighlander,orevenconjecturewhohemaybe,althoughhispersonandairseemfamiliartome。"[SeeNoteII。——Wraiths。]
　　"Haveyoureversedyourownplaid,"saidRanald,"accordingtotheruleoftheexperiencedSeersinsuchcase？"
　　"Ihave,"answeredAllan,speakinglow,andshudderingasifwithinternalagony。
　　"Andinwhatguisedidthephantomthenappeartoyou？"saidRanald。
　　"Withhisplaidalsoreversed,"answeredAllan,inthesamelowandconvulsedtone。
　　"Thenbeassured,"saidRanald,"thatyourownhand,andnoneother,willdothedeedofwhichyouhavewitnessedtheshadow。"
　　"Sohasmyanxioussoulahundredtimessurmised,"repliedAllan。
　　"Butitisimpossible！WereItoreadtherecordintheeternalbookoffate,Iwoulddeclareitimpossible——weareboundbythetiesofblood,andbyahundredtiesmoreintimate——wehavestoodsidebysideinbattle,andourswordshavereekedwiththebloodofthesameenemies——itisIMPOSSIBLEIshouldharmhim！"
　　"ThatyouWILLdoso,"answeredRanald,"iscertain,thoughthecausebehidinthedarknessoffuturity。Yousay,"hecontinued,suppressinghisownemotionswithdifficulty,"thatsidebysideyouhavepursuedyourpreylikebloodhounds——haveyouneverseenbloodhoundsturntheirfangsagainsteachother,andfightoverthebodyofathrottleddeer？"
　　"Itisfalse！"saidM'Aulay,startingup,"thesearenottheforebodingsoffate,butthetemptationofsomeevilspiritfromthebottomlesspit！"Sosaying,hestrodeoutofthecabin。
　　"Thouhastit！"saidtheSonoftheMist,lookingafterhimwithanairofexultation;"thebarbedarrowisinthyside！Spiritsoftheslaughtered,rejoice！soonshallyourmurderers'swordsbedyedineachother'sblood。"
　　Onthesucceedingmorningallwasprepared,andMontroseadvancedbyrapidmarchesuptheriverTay,andpouredhisdesultoryforcesintotheromanticvalearoundthelakeofthesamename,whichliesattheheadofthatriver。TheinhabitantswereCampbells,notindeedthevassalsofArgyle,butofthealliedandkindredhouseofGlenorchy,whichnowbearsthenameofBreadalbane。Beingtakenbysurprise,theyweretotallyunpreparedforresistance,andwerecompelledtobepassivewitnessesoftheravageswhichtookplaceamongtheirflocksandherds。AdvancinginthismannertothevaleofLochDochart,andlayingwastethecountryaroundhim,Montrosereachedthemostdifficultpointofhisenterprise。
　　Toamodernarmy,evenwiththeassistanceofthegoodmilitaryroadwhichnowleadsupbyTeinedrumtotheheadofLochAwe,thepassageoftheseextensivewildswouldseemataskofsomedifficulty。Butatthisperiod,andforlongafterwards,therewasnoroadorpathwhatsoever;andtoaddtothedifficulty,themountainswerealreadycoveredwithsnow。Itwasasublimescenetolookuptothem,piledingreatmasses,oneuponanother,thefrontrankofdazzlingwhiteness,whilethosewhicharosebehindthemcaughtarosytintfromthesettingofaclearwintrysun。
　　BenCruachan,superiorinmagnitude,andseemingtheverycitadeloftheGeniusoftheRegion,rosehighabovetheothers,showinghisglimmeringandscathedpeaktothedistanceofmanymiles。
　　ThefollowersofMontroseweremennottobedauntedbythesublime,yetterribleprospectbeforethem。ManyofthemwereofthatancientraceofHighlanders,whonotonlywillinglymadetheircouchinthesnow,butconsidereditaseffeminateluxurytouseasnowballforapillow。Plunderandrevengelaybeyondthefrozenmountainswhichtheybeheld,andtheydidnotpermitthemselvestobedauntedbythedifficultyoftraversingthem。
　　Montrosedidnotallowtheirspiritstimetosubside。Heorderedthepipestoplayinthevantheancientpibrochentitled,"HOGGILNAMBO,"etc。（thatis,Wecomethroughsnow—drifttodrivetheprey）,theshrillingsoundsofwhichhadoftenstruckthevalesoftheLennoxwithterror。[Itisthefamily—marchoftheM'Farlanes,awarlikeandpredatoryclan,whoinhabitedthewesternbanksofLoch—Lomond。SeeWAVERLY,NoteXV。]Thetroopsadvancedwiththenimblealacrityofmountaineers,andweresooninvolvedinthedangerouspass,throughwhichRanaldactedastheirguide,goingbeforethemwithaselectparty,totrackouttheway。
　　Thepowerofmanatnotimeappearsmorecontemptiblethanwhenitisplacedincontrastwithscenesofnaturalterroranddignity。ThevictoriousarmyofMontrose,whoseexploitshadstruckterrorintoallScotland,whenascendingupthisterrificpass,seemedacontemptiblehandfulofstragglers,intheactofbeingdevouredbythejawsofthemountain,whichappearedreadytocloseuponthem。EvenMontrosehalfrepentedtheboldnessofhisattempt,ashelookeddownfromthesummitofthefirsteminencewhichheattained,uponthescatteredconditionofhissmallarmy。Thedifficultyofgettingforwardwassogreat,thatconsiderablegapsbegantooccurinthelineofmarch,andthedistancebetweenthevan,centre,andrear,waseachmomentincreasedinadegreeequallyincommodiousanddangerous。ItwaswithgreatapprehensionthatMontroselookeduponeverypointofadvantagewhichthehillafforded,indreaditmightbefoundoccupiedbyanenemypreparedfordefence;andheoftenafterwardswasheardtoexpresshisconviction,thathadthepassesofStrath—Fillanbeendefendedbytwohundredresolutemen,notonlywouldhisprogresshavebeeneffectuallystopped,buthisarmymusthavebeenindangerofbeingtotallycutoff。
　　Security,however,thebaneofmanyastrongcountryandmanyafortress,betrayed,onthisoccasion,thedistrictofArgyletohisenemies。Theinvadershadonlytocontendwiththenaturaldifficultiesofthepath,andwiththesnow,which,fortunately,hadnotfalleninanygreatquantity。ThearmynosoonerreachedthesummitoftheridgeofhillsdividingArgyleshirefromthedistrictofBreadalbane,thantheyrusheddownuponthedevotedvalesbeneaththemwithafurysufficientlyexpressiveofthemotiveswhichhaddictatedamovementsodifficultandhazardous。
　　Montrosedividedhisarmyintothreebodies,inordertoproduceawiderandmoreextensiveterror,oneofwhichwascommandedbytheCaptainofClanRanald,oneintrustedtotheleadingofColkitto,andthethirdremainedunderhisowndirection。HewasthusenabledtopenetratethecountryofArgyleatthreedifferentpoints。Resistancetherewasnone。Theflightoftheshepherdsfromthehillshadfirstannouncedinthepeopleddistrictsthisformidableirruption,andwherevertheclansmenweresummonedout,theywerekilled,disarmed,anddispersed,byanenemywhohadanticipatedtheirmotions。MajorDalgetty,whohadbeensentforwardagainstInverarywiththefewhorseofthearmythatwerefitforservice,managedhismatterssowell,thathehadverynearlysurprisedArgyle,asheexpressedit,INTER
　　POCULA;anditwasonlyarapidflightbywaterwhichsavedthatchieffromdeathorcaptivity。ButthepunishmentwhichArgylehimselfescapedfellheavilyuponhiscountryandclan,andtheravagescommittedbyMontroseonthatdevotedland,althoughtooconsistentwiththegeniusofthecountryandtimes,havebeenrepeatedlyandjustlyquotedasablotonhisactionsandcharacter。
　　ArgyleinthemeantimehadfledtoEdinburgh,tolayhiscomplaintsbeforetheConventionofEstates。Tomeettheexigenceofthemoment,aconsiderablearmywasraisedunderGeneralBaillie,aPresbyterianofficerofskillandfidelity,withwhomwasjoinedincommandthecelebratedSirJohnUrrie,asoldieroffortunelikeDalgetty,whohadalreadychangedsidestwiceduringtheCivilWar,andwasdestinedtoturnhiscoatathirdtimebeforeitwasended。Argylealso,burningwithindignation,proceededtolevyhisownnumerousforces,inordertoavengehimselfofhisfeudalenemy。Heestablishedhishead—
　　quartersatDunbarton,wherehewassoonjoinedbyaconsiderableforce,consistingchieflyofhisownclansmenanddependants。
　　BeingtherejoinedbyBaillieandUrrie,withaveryconsiderablearmyofregularforces,hepreparedtomarchintoArgyleshire,andchastisetheinvaderofhispaternalterritories。
　　ButMontrose,whilethesetwoformidablearmieswereformingajunction,hadbeenrecalledfromthatravagedcountrybytheapproachofathird,collectedinthenorthundertheEarlofSeaforth,who,aftersomehesitation,havingembracedthesideoftheCovenanters,hadnow,withtheassistanceoftheveterangarrisonofInverness,formedaconsiderablearmy,withwhichhethreatenedMontrosefromInverness—shire。Enclosedinawastedandunfriendlycountry,andmenacedoneachsidebyadvancingenemiesofsuperiorforce,itmighthavebeensupposedthatMontrose'sdestructionwascertain。ButthesewerepreciselythecircumstancesunderwhichtheactiveandenterprisinggeniusoftheGreatMarquiswascalculatedtoexcitethewonderandadmirationofhisfriends,theastonishmentandterrorofhisenemies。Asifbymagic,hecollectedhisscatteredforcesfromthewastefuloccupationinwhichtheyhadbeenengaged;andscarceweretheyagainunited,ereArgyleandhisassociategeneralswereinformed,thattheroyalists,havingsuddenlydisappearedfromArgyleshire,hadretreatednorthwardsamongtheduskyandimpenetrablemountainsofLochaber。
　　ThesagacityofthegeneralsopposedtoMontroseimmediatelyconjectured,thatitwasthepurposeoftheiractiveantagonisttofightwith,and,ifpossible,todestroySeaforth,eretheycouldcometohisassistance。Thisoccasionedacorrespondingchangeintheiroperations。Leavingthischieftaintomakethebestdefencehecould,UrrieandBaillieagainseparatedtheirforcesfromthoseofArgyle;and,havingchieflyhorseandLowlandtroopsundertheircommand,theykeptthesouthernsideoftheGrampianridge,movingalongeastwardintothecountyofAngus,resolvingfromthencetoproceedintoAberdeenshire,inordertointerceptMontrose,ifheshouldattempttoescapeinthatdirection。
　　Argyle,withhisownleviesandothertroops,undertooktofollowMontrose'smarch;sothat,incaseheshouldcometoactioneitherwithSeaforth,orwithBaillieandUrrie,hemightbeplacedbetweentwofiresbythisthirdarmy,which,atasecuredistance,wastohanguponhisrear。
　　Forthispurpose,ArgyleoncemoremovedtowardsInverary,havinganopportunity,ateverystep,todeploretheseveritieswhichthehostileclanshadexercisedonhisdependantsandcountry。
　　WhatevernoblequalitiestheHighlanderspossessed,andtheyhadmany,clemencyintreatingahostilecountrywasnotofthenumber;buteventheravagesofhostiletroopscombinedtoswellthenumberofArgyle'sfollowers。ItisstillaHighlandproverb,Hewhosehouseisburntmustbecomeasoldier;andhundredsoftheinhabitantsoftheseunfortunatevalleyshadnownomeansofmaintenance,savebyexercisinguponotherstheseveritiestheyhadthemselvessustained,andnofutureprospectofhappiness,exceptinginthegratificationofrevenge。Hisbandswere,therefore,augmentedbytheverycircumstanceswhichhaddesolatedhiscountry,andArgylesoonfoundhimselfattheheadofthreethousanddeterminedmen,distinguishedforactivityandcourage,andcommandedbygentlemenofhisownname,whoyieldedtononeinthosequalities。Underhimself,heconferredtheprincipalcommanduponSirDuncanCampbellofArdenvohr,andanotherSirDuncanCampbellofAuchenbreck,[Thislastcharacterishistorical]anexperiencedandveteransoldier,whomhehadrecalledfromthewarsofIrelandforthispurpose。ThecoldspiritofArgylehimself,however,cloggedthemilitarycouncilsofhismoreintrepidassistants;anditwasresolved,notwithstandingtheirincreasedforce,toobservethesameplanofoperations,andtofollowMontrosecautiously,inwhateverdirectionheshouldmarch,avoidinganengagementuntilanopportunityshouldoccuroffallinguponhisrear,whileheshouldbeengagedwithanotherenemyinfront。
　　CHAPTERXVIII。
　　PiobrachtauDonuil—dhu,PiobrachetauDonuil,PiobrachetagusS'breittachFeachtanInnerlochy。
　　Thewar—tuneofDonaldtheBlack,Thewar—tuneofBlackDonald,ThepipesandthebannerAreupintherendezvousofInverlochy。
　　Themilitaryroadconnectingthechainsofforts,asitiscalled,andrunninginthegenerallineofthepresentCaledonianCanal,hasnowcompletelyopenedthegreatglen,orchasm,extendingalmostacrossthewholeisland,oncedoubtlessfilledbythesea,andstillaffordingbasinsforthatlonglineoflakes,bymeansofwhichmodernarthasunitedtheGermanandAtlanticOceans。Thepathsortracksbywhichthenativestraversedthisextensivevalley,were,in1645—6,inthesamesituationaswhentheyawakedthestrainofanIrishengineerofficer,whohadbeenemployedinconvertingthemintopracticablemilitaryroads,andwhoseeulogiumbegins,and,foraughtIknow,ends,asfollows:
　　Hadyouseenbuttheseroadsbeforetheyweremade,Youwouldhaveheldupyourhandsandbless'dGeneralWade。
　　But,badastheordinarypathswere,Montroseavoidedthem,andledhisarmy,likeaherdofwilddeer,frommountaintomountain,andfromforesttoforest,wherehisenemiescouldlearnnothingofhismotions,whileheacquiredthemostperfectknowledgerespectingtheirsfromthefriendlyclansofCameronandM'Donnell,whosemountainousdistrictshenowtraversed。
　　StrictordershadbeengiventhatArgyle'sadvanceshouldbewatched,andthatallintelligencerespectinghismotionsshouldbecommunicatedinstantlytotheGeneralhimself。
　　Itwasamoonlightnight,andMontrose,wornoutbythefatiguesoftheday,waslaiddowntosleepinamiserableshieling。Hehadonlyslumberedtwohours,whensomeonetouchedhisshoulder。
　　Helookedup,and,bythestatelyformanddeepvoice,easilyrecognisedtheChiefoftheCamerons。
　　"Ihavenewsforyou,"saidthatleader,"whichisworthwhiletoariseandlistento。"
　　"M'Ilduy[Mhich—ConnelDhu,thedescendantofBlackDonald。]canbringnoother,"saidMontrose,addressingtheChiefbyhispatronymictitle——"aretheygoodorbad？"
　　"Asyoumaytakethem,"saidtheChieftain。
　　"Aretheycertain？"demandedMontrose。
　　"Yes,"answeredM'Ilduy,"oranothermessengershouldhavebroughtthem。Knowthat,tiredwiththetaskimposeduponmeofaccompanyingthatunhappyDalgettyandhishandfulofhorse,whodetainedmeforhoursonthemarchatthepaceofacrippledbadger,ImadeastretchoffourmileswithsixofmypeopleinthedirectionofInverlochy,andtheremetwithIanofGlenroy,whohadbeenoutforintelligence。ArgyleismovinguponInverlochywiththreethousandchosenmen,commandedbytheflowerofthesonsofDiarmid。——Thesearemynews——theyarecertain——itisforyoutoconstruetheirpurport。"
　　"Theirpurportmustbegood,"answeredMontrose,readilyandcheerfully;"thevoiceofM'IlduyiseverpleasantintheearsofMontrose,andmostpleasantwhenitspeaksofsomebraveenterpriseathand——Whatareourmusters？"
　　Hethencalledforlight,andeasilyascertainedthatagreatpartofhisfollowershaving,asusual,dispersedtosecuretheirbooty,hehadnotwithhimabovetwelveorfourteenhundredmen。
　　"Notmuchaboveathird,"saidMontrose,pausing,"ofArgyle'sforce,andHighlandersopposedtoHighlanders。——WiththeblessingofGodupontheroyalcause,Iwouldnothesitateweretheoddsbutonetotwo。"
　　"Thendonothesitate,"saidCameron;"forwhenyourtrumpetsshallsoundtoattackM'CallumMore,notamanoftheseglenswillremaindeaftothesummons。Glengarry——Keppoch——Imyself——
　　woulddestroy,withfireandsword,thewretchwhoshouldremainbehindunderanypretencewhatsoever。To—morrow,orthenextday,shallbeadayofbattletoallwhobearthenameofM'DonnellorCameron,whateverbetheevent。"
　　"Itisgallantlysaid,mynoblefriend,"saidMontrose,graspinghishand,"andIwereworsethanacowarddidInotdojusticetosuchfollowers,byentertainingthemostindubitablehopesofsuccess。WewillturnbackonthisM'CallumMore,whofollowsuslikearaventodevourtherelicsofourarmy,shouldwemeetbravermenwhomaybeabletobreakitsstrength！LettheChiefsandleadersbecalledtogetherasquicklyaspossible;andyou,whohavebroughtusthefirstnewsofthisjoyfulevent,——forsuchitshallbe,——you,M'Ilduy,shallbringittoajoyfulissue,byguidingusthebestandnearestroadagainstourenemy。"
　　"ThatwillIwillinglydo,"saidM'Ilduy;"ifIhaveshownyoupathsbywhichtoretreatthroughtheseduskywilds,withfarmorereadinesswillIteachyouhowtoadvanceagainstyourfoe。"
　　Ageneralbustlenowprevailed,andtheleaderswereeverywherestartledfromtherudecouchesonwhichtheyhadsoughttemporaryrepose。
　　"Ineverthought,"saidMajorDalgetty,whensummonedupfromahandfulofruggedheatherroots,"tohavepartedfromabedashardasastable—broomwithsuchbadwill;but,indubitably,havingbutonemanofmilitaryexperienceinhisarmy,hisExcellencytheMarquismaybevindicatedinputtinghimuponhardduty。"
　　Sosaying,herepairedtothecouncil,where,notwithstandinghispedantry,Montroseseemedalwaystolistentohimwithconsiderableattention;partlybecausetheMajorreallypossessedmilitaryknowledgeandexperience,andoftenmadesuggestionswhichwerefoundofadvantage,andpartlybecauseitrelievedtheGeneralfromthenecessityofdeferringentirelytotheopinionoftheHighlandChiefs,andgavehimadditionalgroundfordisputingitwhenitwasnotagreeabletohisown。Onthepresentoccasion,DalgettyjoyfullyacquiescedintheproposalofmarchingbackandconfrontingArgyle,whichhecomparedtothevaliantresolutionofthegreatGustavus,whomovedagainsttheDukeofBavaria,andenrichedhistroopsbytheplunderofthatfertilecountry,althoughmenacedfromthenorthwardbythelargearmywhichWallensteinhadassembledinBohemia。
　　TheChiefsofGlengarry,Keppoch,andLochiel,whoseclans,equalincourageandmilitaryfametoanyintheHighlands,laywithintheneighbourhoodofthesceneofaction,dispatchedthefierycrossthroughtheirvassals,tosummoneveryonewhocouldbeararmstomeettheKing'slieutenant,andtojointhestandardsoftheirrespectiveChiefs,astheymarchedtowardsInverlochy。Astheorderwasemphaticallygiven,itwasspeedilyandwillinglyobeyed。Theirnaturalloveofwar,theirzealfortheroyalcause,——fortheyviewedtheKinginthelightofachiefwhomhisclansmenhaddeserted,——aswellastheirimplicitobediencetotheirownpatriarch,drewintoMontrose'sarmynotonlyallintheneighbourhoodwhowereabletobeararms,butsomewho,inageatleast,mighthavebeenesteemedpasttheuseofthem。
　　Duringthenextday'smarch,which,beingdirectedstraightthroughthemountainsofLochaber,wasunsuspectedbytheenemy,hisforceswereaugmentedbyhandfulsofmenissuingfromeachglen,andrangingthemselvesunderthebannersoftheirrespectiveChiefs。Thiswasacircumstancehighlyinspiritingtotherestofthearmy,who,bythetimetheyapproachedtheenemy,foundtheirstrengthincreasedconsiderablymorethanone—fourth,ashadbeenprophesiedbythevaliantleaderoftheCamerons。
　　WhileMontroseexecutedthiscounter—march,Argylehad,attheheadofhisgallantarmy,advancedupthesouthernsideofLoch—
　　Eil,andreachedtheriverLochy,whichcombinesthatlakewithLoch—Lochy。TheancientCastleofInverlochy,once,asitissaid,aroyalfortress,andstill,althoughdismantled,aplaceofsomestrengthandconsideration,offeredconvenienthead—