Page:The Siege of London - Posteritas - 1885.djvu/54

 dug and breast-work raised round their position. To the south, at a distance of five miles, lay the small town of Inver, and to the east, a little further off, was the larger borough of Assynt, on the lake of that name. Strong foraging parties were sent to both these places, in order to ascertain if it were possible to purchase provisions, but it was soon found that the Highlanders were not to be tempted from their allegiance to the British Crown. The Bas Breton interpreters employed by the French appealed to them as kindred Celts, but their appeals were in vain; and the country people displayed the most uncompromising hostility to the invaders, who found that all they could get was curses loud and deep. Had the natives been armed, there is little doubt they would have offered a determined resistance to the foe, and probably have held him in check till succour came. Finding that it was hopeless to look for the supplies in the country, the French resolved to remain where they were until the return of their transports. The commissariat was sufficient to last the force for some time, so that there was no pressing difficulty.

The news that a landing had been effected flew like wildfire through the country, and the General Commanding the Forces in North Britain immediately set to work to organise his defence, for with the troops at his disposal, attack was out of the question. Orders were issued for the enrolment of volunteers in every town in Scotland. And with such alacrity was the call responded to, that there were few able-bodied men who were not soon in a position to take the field, and by the end of a week the General found himself at the head of a miscellaneous force of about 11,000 men, consisting of ten battalions of infantry, one regiment of Dragoons (the Scots Greys), and six batteries of field artillery, quartered in different garrisons. In addition to this force, however, there were some well-drilled corps of volunteers, infantry, and artillery, as well as yeomanry cavalry. The reserves were also immediately called out by the War Department, and when this had been done it was considered that an offensive movement might be made, and the invaders driven into the sea if they could be attacked before they were reinforced. A British squadron had also left the Channel in the hope of intercepting the