urray to let him know.
The King was particularly anxious for advice on these points, and ready
to go all reasonable lengths; and Murray, he well knew, would advise
nothing unreasonable. No more was to be feared from Melfort, who had
promised to forgive all old quarrels, and even to resign his office
rather than force himself upon those who were unwilling to receive him.
Finally (keeping to the last the most powerful argument he could
devise), he declared that it was now in Murray's power to "have the
honour of the whole turn of the King's affairs." Murray would make no
answer, refused to see Dundee's messengers, and sent all his letters on
to Mackay.[93]

Dundee knew the importance of Blair as well as Mackay. As soon as he
heard from Ballechin of Murray's action, he threw a garrison into the
castle, and sent signal to the clans to join him at once. The time was
short: too short even to muster all the outlying Camerons. Some days
must elapse before he could expect to see round him such a force as he
had commanded two months earlier, and every hour was precious. Lochiel
urged him to march at once for Blair with such forces as were at hand,
promising to follow with the rest. But Dundee was loth to advance
without Lochiel. He relied much on the old chief's sagacity and
experience, on his knowledge of the Highland character, and his tact in
managing it: without his counsel and support he did not feel even now
certain of his quarrelsome captains. He prayed Lochiel, therefore, to
come with him, leaving his son to bring on the late musters.

As they marched through Badenoch they were joined by the long-promised
succours from Ireland--three hundred ragged Irish recruits, half
starved, badly armed, and entirely ignorant of war. Their leader was an
officer named Cannon, who bore a commission from James giving him rank
next to Dundee, a position which neither his abilities nor his
experience entitled him to hold in such an army. Some stores of powder
and food had been sent with them; but the vessels containing them had,
through Cannon's negligence, been taken in the Hebrides by English
cruisers. Dundee had neither powder nor food to spare. There had been no
time to collect provisions; and for many days past his officers had
eaten no bread and drunk nothing but water. The great promises of help
on which the Highlanders had so confidently relied, on the assurance of
which they had taken the field, and for which their general had
re