Kings of Carrick

THE TRAGEDY OF THE BROCKLOCH BURN. 33
Undaunted by the overwhelming odds, Bargany dashed at
the men of Cassillis, who, with shout and battle cry, advanced
to meet him. A terrible hand-to-hand conflict followed. Like
some giant warrior of old, Bargany cleaved his way through
the ranks of the enemy, overthrowing a horseman with each
successive sweep of his long sword, and leaving behind him a
passage through which his men pressed on. But the nearer
he came to the Earl, the more closely the foe hemmed him in,
until at last he was compelled to turn on the defensive and
to gather his followers into a small, serried circle. The Earl
encouraged his retainers to the onslaught; though, in truth,
they needed no such encouragement ; for they fought with
resolution and with courage undaunted.
Auchendrane succeeded in crossing the burn, and in
attacking the enemy on the flank ; but he too was met by a
force superior in numbers, and failed to hold his own. Driven
back, step by step, though he grimly contested every foot of
the field, he was utterly unable to render the Laird any
assistance ; but Mure of Cloncaird, who was in command of
the reserve, seeing the straits of his leader, hurried forward
to his relief. He fell upon the Cassillis men in rear ; and
Bargany, seeing his opportunity, redoubled his exertions and
his blows, and succeeded in clearing himself of the enemy.
The fray now partook of a more open character ; for Bargany,
with a strong force, held the centre of the position, while on
the right Auchendrane was still doing his utmost to harrass
the enemy.
Thinking to bring the conflict to a close by a bold attack
on the Earl himself, the gallant chief of Bargany made her-
culean efforts to reach him ; but ever as he did so his way
was blocked by fresh combatants who surrounded him on all
sides and who, but for the heroic exertions of his followers,
would have speedily compassed his destruction. The sight of
the dead and wounded who littered the ground, nerved the
combatants afresh ; and they struggled and fought with a
tenacity worthy of a better cause and a nobler field.