Life and diary of Lieut. Col. J. Blackader

CHAP. XIV. CAMPAIGN SEVENTH. 309
The intention of the invaders was to land at Dun-
bar or Leith, and on the 13th they reached the mouth
of the Frith ; but providentially they out-sailed their
port, and were carried several leagues to the northward.
Their appearance struck Edinburgh with alarm, and
spread consternation over the whole kingdom. AH
the troops in England were ordered to march to the
North, and several battalions in Flanders were in
readiness to embark at Ostend. But fortunately^
their mistake gave the English Admiral, Sir George
Byng, full time to overtake them ; and ere they could
rectify their error, he had, with a superior fleet, come
to anchor in the Frith. The French refused to ven-
ture an engagement, and stood out to sea, followed by
Byng, who made all the sail he could in pursuit.
After being tossed a whole month in tempestuous
weather, they reached Dunkirk with the loss of a
single ship, which was taken without resistance ; and
about 4000 men who perished by sickness and other
suaded nothing could recover their ancient rights, but the restoration
of the Stuart Family. Thousands took to arms, and mobs paraded
the country, insulting all that refused to declare against the Union.
The Articles were publicly burnt at the cross of Dumfries, and all
the Southern shires were ready to start into rebellion. The fiery zeal
of the Cameronians burst forth on this occasion, and with equal inten-
sity, though in a less honourable and important cause than the RevOr-
lution. They embodied themselves into regiments, chose officers, and
provided themselves with horses and arms. They were so far reconciled
to religious differences, that they were willing to join the Episcopal
heretics— to forgive their old oppressors the Highlanders, and even to
overlook the objection of the King's being a Papist, trusting to the
possibility of his conversion, or his having Protestant children. In
this state of affairs, had the Chevalier effected a landing, he might have
get himself at the head of thirty or forty thousand men. Lockhart's
Memoirs.
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