the case much. The main and principal
thing is for us to get soon joined all in one body, then I am sure
we should be more considerable than all the force the Government,
with the six thousand Dutch, can bring against us, and when once the
British troops see so considerable a force together, asserting their
King's and their country's cause, I cannot believe they will, but
rather join us, and restore their country to peace and liberty.

"These, my Lord, are my humble thoughts, but they are with
submission to your Lordship's and the King's friends with you who
are equally concerned with us, and I know equally zealous, and you
all certainly know a great deal more than me here.

"I beg your Lordship may make my compliments to our countrymen, with
you, and to those noblemen and gentlemen of England who have so
handsomely and generously joined you. I long impatiently to be with
you, and with all the haste I can.

"I send copies of this three different ways, that one or other of
them may certainly come to your hands.

"I also send by one of them, if not two, a power for your Lordship
to raise money for the use of your armie, which my commission for
the King fully empowers me to do and give.

"I wish this may come to your hand, and I long to hear from your
Lordship, which it being necessary I should soon, I am, with all
respect, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant,

"MAR."[102]

It was the intention of Lord Mar to remain at Perth until all the
Jacobite clans should have joined his army; but having gained the
intelligence that some arms for the use of the Earl of Sutherland were
put on board a vessel at Leith, to be taken northwards, he determined to
take possession of them. The master of the vessel had dropped anchor at
Brunt Island, for the purpose of seeing his wife, who was there: Lord
Mar sent a detachment to surprise the harbour, which succeeded in
carrying off the spoil, back to Perth. A report was at the same time
raised in Stirling: that the Earl was marching to Alloa, the Duke of
Argyle forthwith ordered out the picquets of horse and foot, and, also,
all the troops to be ready to march out to sustain them, if required.
But the Jacobite army did not appear; and the report of their advance to
Stirling was believed to be a false alarm, contrived by Mar in