TheMarquisthenmountedaledhorse,whichwasheldbyoneofhisattendants,androdeontoviewthesceneofhisvictory,whichwasmoredecisivethanevenhisardenthopeshadanticipated。OfArgyle\'sgallantarmyofthreethousandmen,fullyone—halffellinthebattle,orintheflight。Theyhadbeenchieflydrivenbackuponthatpartoftheplainwheretheriverformsananglewiththelake,sothattherewasnofreeopeningeitherforretreatorescape。Severalhundredswereforcedintothelakeanddrowned。Ofthesurvivors,aboutone—
halfescapedbyswimmingtheriver,orbyanearlyflightalongtheleftbankofthelake。TheremainderthrewthemselvesintotheoldCastleofInverlochy;butbeingwithouteitherprovisionsorhopesofrelief,theywereobligedtosurrender,onconditionofbeingsufferedtoreturntotheirhomesinpeace。Arms,ammunition,standards,andbaggage,allbecamethepreyoftheconquerors。
ThiswasthegreatestdisasterthateverbefelltheraceofDiarmid,astheCampbellswerecalledintheHighlands;itbeinggenerallyremarkedthattheywereasfortunateintheissueoftheirundertakings,astheyweresagaciousinplanning,andcourageousinexecutingthem。Ofthenumberslain,nearlyfivehundredweredunniwassels,orgentlemenclaimingdescentfromknownandrespectedhouses。And,intheopinionofmanyoftheclan,eventhisheavylosswasexceededbythedisgracearisingfromtheingloriousconductoftheirChief,whosegalleyweighedanchorwhenthedaywaslost,andsaileddownthelakewithallthespeedtowhichsailsandoarscouldimpelher。
CHAPTERXX。
Faintthedinofbattlebray\'d,Distantdownthehollowwind;