ned enough of it to communicate with them. By
their directions, and by the help of a pocket map, in which the routes
through that wild country were roughly laid down, he was able to
find his way. He marched all night. When day broke his task was more
difficult than ever. Light increased the terror of his companions.
Hastings's men and Leven's men indeed still behaved themselves like
soldiers. But the fugitives from Ramsay's were a mere rabble. They had
flung away their muskets. The broadswords from which they had fled were
ever in their eyes. Every fresh object caused a fresh panic. A company
of herdsmen in plaids driving cattle was magnified by imagination into
a host of Celtic warriors. Some of the runaways left the main body and
fled to the hills, where their cowardice met with a proper punishment.
They were killed for their coats and shoes; and their naked carcasses
were left for a prey to the eagles of Ben Lawers. The desertion would
have been much greater, had not Mackay and his officers, pistol in hand,
threatened to blow out the brains of any man whom they caught attempting
to steal off.

At length the weary fugitives came in sight of Weems Castle. The
proprietor of the mansion was a friend to the new government, and
extended to them such hospitality as was in his power. His stores of
oatmeal were brought out, kine were slaughtered; and a rude and hasty
meal was set before the numerous guests. Thus refreshed, they again
set forth, and marched all day over bog, moor, and mountain. Thinly
inhabited as the country was, they could plainly see that the report of
their disaster had already spread far, and that the population was every
where in a state of great excitement. Late at night they reached Castle
Drummond, which was held for King William by a small garrison; and,
on the following day, they proceeded with less difficulty to Stirling,
[368]

The tidings of their defeat had outrun them. All Scotland was in a
ferment. The disaster had indeed been great: but it was exaggerated by
the wild hopes of one party and by the wild fears of the other. It was
at first believed that the whole army of King William had perished; that
Mackay himself had fallen; that Dundee, at the head of a great host of
barbarians, flushed with victory and impatient for spoil, had already
descended from the hills; that he was master of the whole country beyond
the Forth; that Fife was up to join him; that in three days he would
be at Stirlin