Winter had already set in with severity; and his Lowland associates shrunk
from the dreary prospect before them; but Montrose himself, accompanied by
his more faithful adherents, gained without opposition the braes of Athole.
To Argyle the disappearance of the royalists was a subject of joy.
Disbanding the army, he repaired, after a short visit to Edinburgh, to his
castle of Inverary, where he reposed in security, aware, indeed, of the
hostile projects of Montrose, but trusting to the wide barrier of snows
and mountains which separated him from his enemy. But the royal leader
penetrated through this Alpine wilderness,[b] compelled Argyle to save
himself in an open boat on Loch Tyne, and during six weeks wreaked his
revenge on the domains and the clansmen of the fugitive. At the approach of
Argyle with eleven hundred regular troops, he retired; but suddenly turning
to the left, crossed the mountains, and issuing from Glennevis, surprised
his pursuers at Inverlochy in Lochabar.[c] From his galley in the Frith
Argyle beheld the assault of the enemy, the shock of the combatants, and
the slaughter of at least one half of his whole force.[d] This victory
placed the north of Scotland at the mercy of the conquerors.
[Sidenote a: A.
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