Keppoch, who
would infallibly have struck his dirk into any other man who had used
such language to him, attempted some lame excuses, muttered an apology,
and ended by promising for the future neither he nor any of his men
would stir a foot save at the General's command. There is no stronger
proof of Dundee's genius and capacity for affairs than the singular
influence he was able in a few short weeks to gain over men who could
not speak his language and who hated his race. When on the dark day of
Culloden the wavering clans looked in vain to their Prince, an old
chief, who had heard his father talk of Ian Dhu Cean (Black John, the
Warrior), exclaimed in a passion of rage and grief, "Oh, for an hour of
Dundee!"
But loth as he was to engage Mackay with the Highlanders alone, Dundee
knew that he could not hope to keep them long together inactive.
Provisions were running short. If they could not harry James's enemies,
they would make free with their own. Dundee was particularly anxious to
give no cause of offence to those clans whose neutrality he hoped to be
able to turn into friendship. Already a serious prospect of disunion had
threatened the little army. A party of the Camerons had made a raid on
the Grants, in which a Macdonald of Glengarry had been killed. The man
had become affiliated to the Grants, and had refused to join the muster
of his own tribe.
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