34 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



contrasts finely with the bleak crags that start at intervals through its leafy 

 screen, and at length soar into the abrupt and rugged outline of Ben-Vracky. 

 The situation of Fascally-house, at the entrance to the Pass, is singularly 

 romantic. 



This Pass, in reference to its military history, has been styled the Scottish 

 " Thermopylae," and, till the present road was constructed, might have been 

 called with no less propriety the " Via-Mala" of Scotland. But the dangers 

 of the Pass, which contributed not a little to its " sublimity," have disappeared 

 with the progress of art, and those unprecedented facilities of intercourse which 

 have been thrown open by modern enterprise. The circumstances by which 

 it gained so important a station in history, are these : General Mackay, with 

 the design of intimidating the district of Blair-Athol into measures favourable 

 to the revolution under King William, directed his whole force upon this 

 point. When the Viscount Dundee, who supported the interest of King 

 James with a body of the Clans, had reached Blair, he was informed that 

 General Mackay had already entered the Pass of Killicrankie, and was momen- 

 tarily expected at the head of a numerous force. Dundee, whose intrepidity 

 was proverbial, and his influence over the minds of his Highland followers 

 unlimited, resolved to meet his adversary at the mouth of the Pass. With 

 this determination, he drew up his Highland force, explained in pithy phrase 

 the emergency to which he was reduced, told them a bright day had dawned 

 upon them at last, and that now their Highland broad-swords must open them 

 a path to victory. His well-known voice was answered by shouts of loyalty 

 and devotion to the cause, and the next minute, while the Highland bagpipe 

 screamed its shrill note of defiance, the whole body moved rapidly forward to 

 the Pass. 



A brief inarch brought the generals in sight of each other ; the troops hastily 

 formed as they debouched from the rocky defile ; a furious volley of musquetry 

 announced their mutual recognition, and the Highlanders, armed with sword 

 and target, and seizing the momentary pause, rushed down upon the " red- 

 coats" as the soldiers were contemptuously styled with a confidence and 

 impetuosity that carried every thing before them. The troops, who were 

 chiefly composed of raw levies, were paralysed by this sudden appeal to close 

 quarters ; and, unable to stem the charge, fell under the blows of the Highland 

 broad-sword and Lochaber axe, or fled like fragments scattered from the disjointed 

 mass. Others, with better success, met the unwonted charge with serried 

 bayonets, against which the Highlander dashed with reckless impatience, 

 placed his target in front, entangled his adversary's steel, and then, springing 



