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HISTOBY 02? ENGLAJO).

chap, cruelty; nor is it by any means improbable that the disguise im-"hih ~ P ose< ^ u pon himself.*

Hill, who commanded the forces assembled at Port William,was not entrusted with the execution of the design. He seemsto have been a humane man; he was much distressed when helearned that the government was determined on severity; andit was probably thought that his heart might fail him in the mostcritical moment. He was directed to put a strong detachmentunder the orders of his second in command, Lieutenant ColonelHamilton. To Hamilton a significant hint was conveyed thathe had now an excellent opportunity of establishing his cha-racter in the estimation of those who were at the head of affairs.Of the troops entrusted to him a large proportion w r ere Camp-bells, and belonged to a regiment lately raised by ftrgyle, andcalled by Argyle’s name. It was probably thought that, onsuch an occasion, humanity might prove too strong for the merehabit of military obedience, and that little reliance could beplaced on hearts which had not been ulcerated by a feud such ashad long raged between the people of Mac Ian and the people ofMac Callum More.

Had Hamilton marched openly against the Glencoe men andput them to the edge of the sw r ord, the act would probably nothave wanted apologists, and most certainly would not havewanted precedents. But the Master of Stair had strongly re-commended a different mode of proceeding. If the least alarmwere given, the nest of robbers would be found empty; and tohunt them down in so wild a region would, even with all thehelp that Breadalbane and Argyle could give, be a long anddifficult business. “Better,” he wrote, “ not meddle with themthan meddle to no purpose. When the thing is resolved, let ithe secret and sudden.”** He was obeyed; and it was de-

* See his letters quoted in the Report of 1095; and in the Memoirs ofthe Massacre of Glencoe.

** Report of.1695

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