o him that a regiment of cavalry was being raised in Perth
under the auspices of the Laird of Blair, a rich and powerful gentleman
who had married into Hamilton's family. He determined on a bold stroke.
He was sorely in need of powder, provisions, money, and especially of
fresh mounts for his troopers, the long rapid marches, cold weather, and
scanty forage having reduced his horses to a very sorry plight. In Perth
he might lay hands on all these, and possibly on a few recruits into the
bargain. He was in Blair when the messengers found him on May 10th. With
his handful of sabres he swooped down on Dunkeld, which he reached just
in time to relieve a tax-collector of the dues he had been successfully
raising for William. At Dunkeld he rested his men till nightfall, and
then rode straight for Perth. At two o'clock in the morning he entered
the city, surprised Blair and his lieutenant, Pollock, in their beds,
collected forty horses, a store of arms and powder, some provisions, and
some of the public money, and was off again with his booty and his
prisoners before the startled citizens had fairly realised the weakness
of their invaders. He recrossed the Tay, and halted at Scone to refresh
himself and his men at the charges of Lord Stormont, an involuntary act
of hospitality on the latter's part for which he had some trouble to
excuse himself in Edinburgh.[81]

While in the wilds of Badenoch Dundee had received another message which
had interested him much. In the dragoons now under Livingstone's command
were several of Dunmore's old officers still well affected to James.
Chief among these were William Livingstone,[82] a relation of the
colonel, and that Captain Creichton of whom mention has been already
made. While lying in garrison at Dundee Creichton found means to get
secretly into Dudhope, and to assure Lady Dundee that he and many of his
comrades were only waiting an opportunity to join her husband. She sent
off word of this to the wanderer, who managed to convey an assurance to
Creichton of his plans, and of the strength of the reinforcements he
expected from Ireland. On their landing, he added, he should expect the
dragoons to join him.

This note was received by Creichton from the hands of a ragged
Highlander two days after he had marched with a part of his regiment to
join Mackay at Inverness. Could he have waited a little longer he would
have seen his correspondent in person. On the afternoon of Monday, May
13th,