Sir John of Duart
brought a strong gathering of Macleans from Mull, promising that more of
the name were on the road. Young Stewart of Appin had led his little
band from the shores of Loch Finnhe. The Macnaghtens were there from the
very heart of the great enemy's country, where the hated towers of
Inverary cast their shadow on the waters of Loch Fyne. Fraser of Foyers
and Grant of Urquhart, disregarding the action of their respective
chiefs, each brought a small following of his own vassals.
It is impossible to calculate the exact force which, at any time during
his short campaign, Dundee had at his disposal. But the number of
claymores which this first muster brought to Lochaber cannot have been
less than two thousand. Besides these, there was his little body of
cavalry, some fifty sabres in all, partly composed of his own troopers,
and partly of Dunfermline's followers. That nobleman and Lord Dunkeld
were of the party. Dundee's own brother, too, seems to have been with
him, and a member of the Duntroon branch of the Grahams. Certain
gentlemen from the Lowlands had also joined him: Sir Alexander James of
Coxtone, Sir Archibald Kennedy of Cullean, Hallyburton of Pitcur, Murray
of Abercairny, and others.
Still there was no sign from Ireland, and Dundee hesitated to take the
field against Mackay with such capricious and irregular allies.
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