chronicles of the canongate-第59章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　fixed　across　the　stream　from　bank　to　bank；　by　which　the　passengers　drew　themselves　across　in　the　manner　still　practised　in　places　of　the　same　nature。　　It　is　no　argument　against　the　existence　of　a　bridge　in　former　times　that　the　above　method　only　existed　in　ours；　rather　than　a　passage　of　that　kind；　which　would　seem　the　more　improved　expedient。　　The　contradiction　is　sufficiently　accounted　for　by　the　decay　of　timber　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Of　old；　both　oaks　and　firs　of　an　immense　size　abounded　within　a　very　inconsiderable　distance；　but　it　is　now　many　years　since　the　destruction　of　the　forests　of　Glen　Eitive　and　Glen　Urcha　has　deprived　the　country　of　all　the　trees　of　sufficient　size　to　cross　the　strait　of　Brandir；　and　it　is　probable　that　the　currach　was　not　introduced　till　the　want　of　timber　had　disenabled　the　inhabitants　of　the　country　from　maintaining　a　bridge。　　It　only　further　remains　to　be　noticed　that　at　some　distance　below　the　Rocks　of　Brandir　there　was　formerly　a　ford；　which　was　used　for　cattle　in　the　memory　of　people　living；　from　the　narrowness　of　the　passage；　the　force　of　the　stream；　and　the　broken　bed　of　the　river；　it　was；　however；　a　dangerous　pass；　and　could　only　be　attempted　with　safety　at　leisure　and　by　experience。〃NOTES　TO　THE　BRIDAL　OF　CAOLCHAIRN。


Note　8。BATTLE　BETWIXT　THE　ARMIES　OF　THE　BRUCE　AND　MACDOUGAL　OF　LORN。

〃But　the　King；　whose　dear…bought　experience　in　war　had　taught　him　extreme　caution；　remained　in　the　Braes　of　Balquhidder　till　he　had　acquired　by　his　spies　and　outskirries　a　perfect　knowledge　of　the　disposition　of　the　army　of　Lorn；　and　the　intention　of　its　leader。　He　then　divided　his　force　into　two　columns；　entrusting　the　command　of　the　first；　in　which　he　placed　his　archers　and　lightest　armed　troops；　to　Sir　James　Douglas；　whilst　he　himself　took　the　leading　of　the　other；　which　consisted　principally　of　his　knights　and　barons。　　On　approaching　the　defile；　Bruce　dispatched　Sir　James　Douglas　by　a　pathway　which　the　enemy　had　neglected　to　occupy；　with　directions　to　advance　silently；　and　gain　the　heights　above　and　in　front　of　the　hilly　ground　where　the　men　of　Lorn　were　concealed；　and　having　ascertained　that　this　movement　had　been　executed　with　success；　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of　his　own　division；　and　fearlessly　led　his　men　into　the　defile。　　Here；　prepared　as　he　was　for　what　was　to　take　place；　it　was　difficult　to　prevent　a　temporary　panic　when　the　yell　which；　to　this　day；　invariably　precedes　the　assault　of　the　mountaineer；　burst　from　the　rugged　bosom　of　Ben　Cruachan；　and　the　woods　which；　the　moment　before；　had　waved　in　silence　and　solitude；　gave　forth　their　birth　of　steel…clad　warriors；　and；　in　an　instant；　became　instinct　with　the　dreadful　vitality　of　war。　　But　although　appalled　and　checked　for　a　brief　space　by　the　suddenness　of　the　assault；　and　the　masses　of　rock　which　the　enemy　rolled　down　from　the　precipices；　Bruce；　at　the　head　of　his　division；　pressed　up　the　side　of　the　mountain。　　Whilst　this　party　assaulted　the　men　of　Lorn　with　the　utmost　fury；　Sir　James　Douglas　and　his　party　shouted　suddenly　upon　the　heights　in　their　front；　showering　down　their　arrows　upon　them；　and；　when　these　missiles　were　exhausted；　attacking　them　with　their　swords　and　battle…axes。　　The　consequence　of　such　an　attack；　both　in　front　and　rear；　was　the　total　discomfiture　of　the　army　of　Lorn；　and　the　circumstances　to　which　this　chief　had　so　confidently　looked　forward；　as　rendering　the　destruction　of　Bruce　almost　inevitable；　were　now　turned　with　fatal　effect　against　himself。　　His　great　superiority　of　numbers　cumbered　and　impeded　his　movements。　　Thrust　by　the　double　assault；　and　by　the　peculiar　nature　of　the　ground；　into　such　narrow　room　as　the　pass　afforded；　and　driven　to　fury　by　finding　themselves　cut　to　pieces　in　detail；　without　power　of　resistance；　the　men　of　Lorn　fled　towards　Loch　Eitive；　where　a　bridge　thrown　over　the　Awe；　and　supported　upon　two　immense　rocks；　known　by　the　name　of　the　Rocks　of　Brandir；　formed　the　solitary　communication　between　the　side　of　the　river　where　the　battle　took　place　and　the　country　of　Lorn。　　Their　object　was　to　gain　the　bridge；　which　was　composed　entirely　of　wood；　and　having　availed　themselves　of　it　in　their　retreat；　to　destroy　it；　and　thus　throw　the　impassable　torrent　of　the　Awe　between　them　and　their　enemies。　　But　their　intention　was　instantly　detected　by　Douglas；　who；　rushing　down　from　the　high　grounds　at　the　head　of　his　archers　and　light…armed　foresters；　attacked　the　body　of　the　mountaineers；　which　had　occupied　the　bridge；　and　drove　them　from　it　with　great　slaughter；　so　that　Bruce　and　his　division；　on　coming　up；　passed　it　without　molestation；　and　this　last　resource　being　taken　from　them；　the　army　of　Lorn　were；　in　a　few　hours；　literally　cut　to　pieces；　whilst　their　chief；　who　occupied　Loch　Eitive　with　his　fleet；　saw；　from　his　ships；　the　discomfiture　of　his　men；　and　found　it　impossible　to　give　them　the　least　assistance。〃TYTLER'S　LIFE　OF　BRUCE。


Note　9。MASSACRE　OF　GLENCOE。

The　following　succinct　account　of　this　too　celebrated　event；　may　be　sufficient　for　this　place：

〃In　the　beginning　of　the　year　1692　an　action　of　unexampled　barbarity　disgraced　the　government　of　King　William　III。　in　Scotland。　　In　the　August　preceding；　a　proclamation　had　been　issued；　offering　an　indemnity　to　such　insurgents　as　should　take　the　oaths　to　the　King　and　Queen；　on　or　before　the　last　day　of　December；　and　the　chiefs　of　such　tribes；　as　had　been　in　arms　for　James；　soon　after　took　advantage　of　the　proclamation。　　But　Macdonald　of　Glencoe　was　prevented　by　accident；　rather　than　design；　from　tendering　his　submission　within　the　limited　time。　In　the　end　of　December　he　went　to　Colonel　Hill；　who　commanded　the　garrison　in　Fort　William；　to　take　the　oaths　of　allegiance　to　the　government；　and　the　latter　having　furnished　him　with　a　letter　to　Sir　Colin　Campbell；　Sheriff　of　the　county　of　Argyll；　directed　him　to　repair　immediately　to　Inverary；　to　make　his　submission　in　a　legal　manner　before　that　magistrate。　　But　the　way　to　Inverary　lay　through　almost　impassable　mountains；　the　season　was　extremely　rigorous；　and　the　whole　country　was　covered　with　a　deep　snow。　　So　eager；　however；　was　Macdonald　to　take　the　oaths　before　the　limited　time　should　expire；　that；　though　the　road　lay　within　half　a　mile　of　his　own　house；　he　stopped　not　to　visit　his　family；　and；　after　various　obstructions；　arrived　at　Inverary。　　The　time　had　elapsed；　and　the　sheriff　hesitated　to　receive　his　submission；　but　Macdonald　prevailed　by　his　importunities；　and　even　tears；　in　inducing　that　functionary　to　administer　to　him　the　oath　of　allegiance；　and　to　certify　the　cause　of　his　delay。　　At　this　time　Sir　John　Dalrymple；　afterwards　Earl　of　Stair；　being　in　attendance　upon　William　as　Secretary　of　State　for　Scotland；　took　advantage　of　Macdonald's　neglecting　to　take　the　oath　within　the　time　prescribed；　and　procured　from　the　King　a　warrant　of　military　execution　against　that　chief　and　his　whole　clan。　　This　was　done　at　the　instigation　of　the　Earl　of　Breadalbane；　whose　lands　the　Glencoe　men　had　plundered；　and　whose　treachery　to　government　in　negotiating　with　the　Highland　clans　Macdonald　himself　had　exposed。　　The　King　was　accordingly　persuaded　that　Glencoe　was　the　main　obstacle　to　the　pacification　of　the　Highlands；　and　the　fact　of　the　unfortunate　chief's　submission　having　been　concealed；　the　sanguinary　orders　for　proceeding　to　military　execution　against　his　clan　were　in　consequence　obtained。　　The　warrant　was　both　signed　and　countersigned　by　the　King's　own　hand；　and　the　Secretary　urged　the　officers　who　commanded　in　the　Highlands　to　execute　their　orders　with　the　utmost　rigour。　　Campbell　of　Glenlyon；　a　captain　in　Argyll's　regiment；　and　two　subalterns；　were　ordered　to　repair　to　Glencoe　on　the　first　of　February　with　a　hundred　and　twenty　men。　　Campbell　being　uncle　to　young　Macdonald's　wife；　was　received　by　the　father　with　all　manner　of　friendship　and　hospitality。　　The　men　were　lodged　at　free　quarters　in　the　houses　of　his　tenants；　and　received　the　kindest　entertainment。　　Till　the　13th　of　the　month　the　troops　lived　in　the　utmost　harmony　and　familiarity　with　the　people；　and　on　the　very　night　of　the　massacre　the　officers　passed　the　evening　at　cards　in　Macdonald's　house。　　In　the　night　Lieutenant　Lindsay；　with　a　p