In truth James would have done better to withhold all assistance from the Highlanders than to mock them by sending them, instead of the well appointed army which they had asked and expected, a rabble contemptible in numbers and appearance.

It was now evident that whatever was done for his cause in Scotland must be done by Scottish hands, [359] While Mackay from one side, and Dundee from the other, were advancing towards Blair Castle, important events had taken place there.

Murray's adherents soon began to waver in their fidelity to him.

They had an old antipathy to Whigs; for they considered the name of Whig as synonymous with the name of Campbell.

They saw arrayed against them a large number of their kinsmen, commanded by a gentleman who was supposed to possess the confidence of the Marquess.