The great number
of cairns yet visible, as you descend the pass on
the westward side, shows the extent of the vengeance
which Bruce exhausted on his inveterate
and personal enemies. I am, you know, the sister
of soldiers, and it has since struck me forcibly that
the man
uvre which Donald described, resembled
those of Wellington or of Bonaparte. He was a
great man Robert Bruce, even a Baliol must admit
that; although it begins now to be allowed that
his title to the crown was scarce so good as that of
the unfortunate family with whom he contended---
But let that pass.---The slaughter had been the
greater, as the deep and rapid river Awe is disgorged
from the lake, just in the rear of the fugitives,
and encircles the base of the tremendous
mountain; so that the retreat of the unfortunate
fliers was intercepted on all sides by the inaccessible
character of the country, which had seemed
to promise them defence and protection.*
* Note B. Battle betwixt the Armies of the Bruce
and Macdougal of Lorn.
Musing, like the Irish lady in the song, ``upon
things which are long enough a-gone,''* we felt no
* This is a line from a very pathetic ballad which I heard
sung by one of the young ladies of Edgeworthstown in 1825.
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