the expedition of humphry clinker-第68节

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number　of　three　hundred；　scattered　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；
in　the　most　agreeable　confusion。　As　the　soil　and　climate　of　the
Highlands　are　but　ill　adapted　to　the　cultivation　of　corn；　the
people　apply　themselves　chiefly　to　the　breeding　and　feeding　of
black　cattle；　which　turn　to　good　account。　Those　animals　run　wild
all　the　winter；　without　any　shelter　or　subsistence；　but　what　they
can　find　among　the　heath。　When　the　snow　lies　so　deep　and　hard；
that　they　cannot　penetrate　to　the　roots　of　the　grass；　they　make　a
diurnal　progress；　guided　by　a　sure　instinct；　to　the　seaside　at
low　water；　where　they　feed　on　the　alga　marina；　and　other　plants
that　grow　upon　the　beach。

Perhaps　this　branch　of　husbandry；　which　required　very　little
attendance　and　labour；　is　one　of　the　principal　causes　of　that
idleness　and　want　of　industry；　which　distinguishes　these
mountaineers　in　their　own　country。　When　they　come　forth　into　the
world；　they　become　as　diligent　and　alert　as　any　people　upon
earth。　They　are　undoubtedly　a　very　distinct　species　from　their
fellow　subjects　of　the　Lowlands；　against　whom　they　indulge　an
ancient　spirit　of　animosity；　and　this　difference　is　very
discernible　even　among　persons　of　family　and　education。　The
Lowlanders　are　generally　cool　and　circumspect；　the　Highlanders
fiery　and　ferocious：'　but　this　violence　of　their　passions　serves
only　to　inflame　the　zeal　of　their　devotion　to　strangers；　which　is
truly　enthusiastic。

We　proceeded　about　twenty　miles　beyond　Inverary；　to　the　house　of
a　gentleman；　a　friend　of　our　conductor；　where　we　stayed　a　few
days；　and　were　feasted　in　such　a　manner；　that　I　began　to　dread
the　consequence　to　my　constitution。

Notwithstanding　the　solitude　that　prevails　among　these　mountains；
there　is　no　want　of　people　in　the　Highlands。　I　am　credibly
informed　that　the　duke　of　Argyle　can　assemble　five　thousand　men
in　arms；　of　his　own　clan　and　surname；　which　is　Campbell；　and
there　is　besides　a　tribe　of　the　same　appellation；　whose　chief'　is
the　Earl　of　Breadalbine。　The　Macdonalds　are　as　numerous；　and
remarkably　warlike：　the　Camerons；　M'Leods；　Frasers；　Grants；
M'Kenzies；　M'Kays；　M'Phersons；　M'Intoshes；　are　powerful　clans；　so
that　if　all　the　Highlanders；　including　the　inhabitants　of　the
Isles；　were　united；　they　could　bring　into　the　field　an　army　of
forty　thousand　fighting　men；　capable　of　undertaking　the　most
dangerous　enterprize。　We　have　lived　to　see　four　thousand　of　them；
without　discipline；　throw　the　whole　kingdom　of　Great　Britain　into
confusion。　They　attacked　and　defeated　two　armies　of　regular
troops　accustomed　to　service。　They　penetrated　into　the　centre　of
England；　and　afterwards　marched　back　with　deliberation；　in　the
face　of　two　other　armies；　through　an　enemy's　country；　where　every
precaution　was　taken　to　cut　off　their　retreat。　I　know　not　any
other　people　in　Europe；　who；　without　the　use　or　knowledge　of
arms；　will　attack　regular　forces　sword　in　hand；　if　their　chief
will　head　them　in　battle。　When　disciplined；　they　cannot　fail　of
being　excellent　soldiers。　They　do　not　walk　like　the　generality　of
mankind；　but　trot　and　bounce　like　deer；　as　if　they　moved　upon
springs。　They　greatly　excel　the　Lowlanders　in　all　the　exercises
that　require　agility；　they　are　incredibly　abstemious；　and　patient
of　hunger　and　fatigue；　　so　steeled　against　the　weather；　that　in
travelling；　even　when　the　ground　is　covered　with　snow；　they　never
look　for　a　house；　or　any　other　shelter　but　their　plaid；　in　which
they　wrap　themselves　up；　and　go　to　sleep　under　the　cope　of
heaven。　Such　people；　in　quality　of　soldiers；　must　be　invincible；
when　the　business　is　to　perform　quick　marches　in　a　difficult
country；　to　strike　sudden　strokes；　beat　up　the　enemy's　quarters；
harrass　their　cavalry；　and　perform　expeditions　without　the
formality　of　magazines；　baggage；　forage；　and　artillery。　The
chieftainship　of　the　Highlanders　is　a　very　dangerous　influence
operating　at　the　extremity　of　the　island；　where　the　eyes　and
hands　of　government　cannot　be　supposed　to　see　＇and＇　act　with
precision　and　vigour。　In　order　to　break　the　force　of　clanship；
administration　has　always　practised　the　political　maxim；　Divide
et　impera。　The　legislature　hath　not　only　disarmed　these
mountaineers；　but　also　deprived　them　of　their　antient　garb；　which
contributed　in　a　great　measure　to　keep　up　their　military　spirit；
and　their　slavish　tenures　are　all　dissolved　by　act　of　parliament；
so　that　they　are　at　present　as　free　and　independent　of　their
chiefs；　as　the　law　can　make　them：　but　the　original　attachment
still　remains；　and　is　founded　on　something　prior　to　the　feudal
system；　about　which　the　writers　of　this　age　have　made　such　a
pother；　as　if　it　was　a　new　discovery；　like　the　Copernican　system。
Every　peculiarity　of　policy；　custom；　and　even　temperament；　is
affectedly　traced　to　this　origin；　as　if　the　feudal　constitution
had　not　been　common　to　almost　all　the　natives　of　Europe。　For　my
part；　I　expect　to　see　the　use　of　trunk…hose　and　buttered　ale
ascribed　to　the　influence　of　the　feudal　system。　The　connection
between　the　clans　and　their　chiefs　is；　without　all　doubt；
patriarchal。　It　is　founded　on　hereditary　regard　and　affection；
cherished　through　a　long　succession　of　ages。　The　clan　consider
the　chief　as　their　father；　they　bear　his　name；　they　believe
themselves　descended　from　his　family；　and　they　obey　him　as　their
lord；　with　all　the　ardour　of　filial　love　and　veneration；　while
he；　on　his　part；　exerts　a　paternal　authority；　commanding；
chastising；　rewarding；　protecting；　and　maintaining　them　as　his
own　children。　If　the　legislature　would　entirely　destroy　this
connection；　it　must　compel　the　Highlanders　to　change　their
habitation　and　their　names。　Even　this　experiment　has　been
formerly　tried　without　success　　In　the　reign　of　James　VI　a　battle
was　fought　within　a　few　short　miles　of　this　place；　between　two
clans；　the　M'Gregors　and　the　Colquhouns；　in　which　the　latter　were
defeated：　the　Laird　of　M'Gregor　made　such　a　barbarous　use　of　his
victory；　that　he　was　forfeited　and　outlawed　by　act　of　parliament：
his　lands　were　given　to　the　family　of　Montrose；　and　his　clan　were
obliged　to　change　their　name。　They　obeyed　so　far；　as　to　call
themselves　severally　Campbell；　Graham；　or　Drummond；　the　surnames
of　the　families　of　Argyle；　Montrose；　and　Perth；　that　they　might
enjoy　the　protection　of　those　houses；　but　they　still　added
M'Gregor　to　their　new　appellation；　and　as　their　chief　was
deprived　of　his　estate；　they　robbed　and　plundered　for　his
subsistence。　　Mr　Cameron　of　Lochiel；　the　chief　of　that　clan；
whose　father　was　attainted　for　having　been　concerned　in　the　last
rebellion；　returning　from　France　in　obedience　to　a　proclamation
and　act　of　parliament；　passed　at　the　beginning　of　the　late　war；
payed　a　visit　to　his　own　country；　and　hired　a　farm　in　the
neighbourhood　of　his　father's　house；　which　had　been　burnt　to　the
ground。　The　clan；　though　ruined　and　scattered；　no　sooner　heard　of
his　arrival　than　they　flocked　to　him　from　all　quarters；　to
welcome　his　return；　and　in　a　few　days　stocked　his　farm　with　seven
hundred　black　cattle；　which　they　had　saved　in　the　general　wreck
of　their　affairs：　but　their　beloved　chief；　who　was　a　promising
youth；　did　not　live　to　enjoy　the　fruits　of　their　fidelity　and
attachment。

The　most　effectual　method　I　know　to　weaken；　and　at　length　destroy
this　influence；　is　to　employ　the　commonalty　in　such　a　manner　as
to　give　them　a　taste　of　property　and　independence。　In　vain　the
government　grants　them　advantageous　leases　on　the　forfeited
estates；　if　they　have　no　property　to　prosecute　the　means　of
improvement　　The　sea　is　an　inexhaustible　fund　of　riches；　but　the
fishery　cannot　be　carried　on　without　vessels；　casks；　salt；　lines；
nets；　and　other　tackle。　I　conversed　with　a　sensible　man　of　this
country；　who；　from　a　real　spirit　of　patriotism　had　set　up　a
fishery　on　the　coast；　and　a　manufacture　of　coarse　linen；　for　the
employment　of　the　poor　Highlanders。　Cod　is　here　in　such　plenty；
that　he　told　me　he　had　seen　several　hundred　taken　on　one　line；　at
one　hawl　　It　must　be　observed；　however；　that　the　line　was　of
immense　length；　and　had　two　thousand　hooks；　baited　with　muscles；
but　the　fish　was　so　superior　to　the　cod　caught　on　the　banks　of
Newfoundland；　that　his　correspondent　at　Lisbon　sold　them
immediately　at　his　own　price；　although　Lent　was　just　over　when
they　arrived；　and　the　people　might　be　supposed　quite　cloyed　with
this　kind　of　diet　　His　linen　manufacture　was　likewise　in　a
prosperous　way；　when　the　late　war　intervening；　all　his　best　hands
were　pressed　into　the　service。

It　cannot　be　expected；　that　the　gentlemen　of　this　country　should
execute　commercial　schemes　to　render　their　vassals　independent；
nor；　indeed；　are　such　schemes　suited　to　their　way　of　life　and
inclination；　but　a　company　of　merchants　might；　with　proper
management；　turn　to　good　account　a　fishery　established　in　this
part　of　Scotland　　Our　people　have　a　strange　itch　to　colonize
America；　when　the　uncultivated　parts　of　our　own　island　might　be
settled　to　greater　advantage。

After　having　rambled　through　the　mountains　and　glens　of　Argyle；
we　visited　the　adjacent　islands　of　Ila；　Jura；　Mull；　and　Icomkill。
In　the　first；　we　saw　the　remains　of　a　castle；　built　in　a　lake；
where　Macdon