Pass of Killiecrankie. 301 



The first of all our glens is the Pass of Killiecran- 

 kie, that famous defile which gave its name to the 

 battle that proved so fatal to the Stuarts, for the 

 victory won there by the adherents of the so-called 

 James VII., was more than counterbalanced by the loss 

 of Claverhouse. The pass is a narrow, ragged break 

 through the mountains, giving a passage to the River 

 Garry, and forming the only practicable entrance from 

 the low country to the Highlands above. It is now 

 accessible by a broad, smooth highway as well as by 

 the railway, but at the time of the battle the only road 

 through it was a rough path between the swirling river 

 and the rocks, and so steep and narrow that but two men 

 could march abreast. Along this path the royal forces 

 under McKay slowly made their way ; and though the 

 pass is only about a mile and a half long it was after- 

 noon before the little army of three thousand debouched 

 into the plain at its extremity, and took position on the 

 high ground beyond. Do you see that eminence a mile 

 away yonder, on the north, whose sides slope down into 

 the plain? It was from that height that the High- 

 landers — McLeans, McDonalds, Camerons, Lochiel, 

 Dundee and all — came down like a torrent upon King 

 William's men below. The red sun was just above the 

 western hills. With fearful yells the tide of ragged, 

 barefooted mountaineers (Macaulay says that Lochiel 

 took off before the battle what was probably the only 

 pair of shoes in the clans) swept on, undismayed by the 



