Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 1

336 HISTOKY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
dential friend, who resided in the neiglibourhood of Inehbrakie's house
This gentleman, who knew nothing of Montrose's return to Scotland,
having luckily communicated to Mr Graham the secret of being entrusted
with letters to his kinsman, Montrose, Graham offered to see them
safely delivered to Montrose, though he should ride to Carlisle himself.
The gentleman in question then delivered tlie letters to Graham, and
Montrose having received them, wrote an answer as if from Carlisle, in
which he reauested JNIacdonald to keep up his spirits, that he would soon
be joined by a seasonable reinforcement and a general at their head,
and he ordered him with all expedition to march down into Athole. In
fixing on Athole as the place of his rendezvous, Montrose is said to have
been actuated by an implicit reliance on the fidelitj' and loyalty of the
Athole-men, and by a high opinion of their courage. They lay, besides,
under many obligations to himself, and he calculated that he had only
to appear among them to command their services in the cause of their
sovereign.
When Macdonald received these instructions, he marched towards
Athole ; but in passing through Badenoch he was threatened with an
attack by the earls of Sutherland and Seaforth, at the head of some of
their people, and bj' the Frazers, Grants, Rosses, and !Munroes, and other
inhabitants of Mora3', who had assembled at the top of Strathspey ; but
Macdonald very cautiously avoided them, and hastened into Athole.
On arriving in Athole INIacdonald was coldly received by the people of
that as well as the surrounding country, who doubted whether he had
any authority fi-om the king ; and besides they hesitated to place them-
selves under the command of a person of neither noble nor ancient
lineage, and whoni they considered an upstart. This indecision unght
have proved fatal to Macdonald, who was closely pressed in his rear by
the army of Argyle, had not these untoward deliberations been instantly
put an end to by the arrival of Montrose at Blair, where Macdonald had
fixed his head-quarters. IMontrose had travelled seventy miles on foot,
in a highland dress, accompanied by Patrick Graliam, his cousin, as his
guide.* His appearance was hailed by his countrymen with every de-
monstration of joy, and they immediately made him a spontaneous offer
of their services.
Accordingly, on the following day, the Athole-men to the number of
about eight himdred, consisting chiefly of the Stewarts and Robertsons, put
themselves under arms and flocked to the standard of Montrose. Thus,
10 little more than twenty-four hours, Montrose saw himself at the head
of a force upwards of two thousand men, animated by an enthusiastic
attachment to his person and to the cause which he had espoused. The
extraordinary contrast between his present commanding position, and
tlie situation in which he was placed a few days before, as a forlorn
waifderer among the mountains, produced a powerful effect upon the
* Winh.irt, pk 6y.