After he had parted from Keppoch he turned westward down
the valley of the Ness, by the noble castle of Glengarry, which
Cumberland destroyed after Culloden, by Kilcummin, where Fort Augustus
now stands, memorable in his eyes as the spot whence Montrose had led
the clans to break the power of the Campbells at Inverlochy, and so
southwards again through the forest of Badenoch to the Tay. As he was
painfully toiling through this vast and rugged recruiting-ground word
was brought to him that a regiment of cavalry was being raised in Perth
under the auspices of the Laird of Blair, a rich and powerful gentleman
who had married into Hamilton's family. He determined on a bold stroke.
He was sorely in need of powder, provisions, money, and especially of
fresh mounts for his troopers, the long rapid marches, cold weather, and
scanty forage having reduced his horses to a very sorry plight. In Perth
he might lay hands on all these, and possibly on a few recruits into the
bargain. He was in Blair when the messengers found him on May 10th. With
his handful of sabres he swooped down on Dunkeld, which he reached just
in time to relieve a tax-collector of the dues he had been successfully
raising for William. At Dunkeld he rested his men till nightfall, and
then rode straight for Perth. At two o'clock in the morning he entered
the city, surprised Blair and his lieutenant, Pollock, in their beds,
collected forty horses, a store of arms and powder, some provisions, and
some of the public money, and was off again with his booty and his
prisoners before the startled citizens had fairly realised the weakness
of their invaders.
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