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through　the　mountains；　without　paying　tribute　in　the　night；　to　some
of　the　clans；　but　cattle　are　now　driven；　and　passengers　travel
without　danger；　fear；　or　molestation。

Among　a　warlike　people；　the　quality　of　highest　esteem　is　personal
courage；　and　with　the　ostentatious　display　of　courage　are　closely
connected　promptitude　of　offence　and　quickness　of　resentment。　　The
Highlanders；　before　they　were　disarmed；　were　so　addicted　to
quarrels；　that　the　boys　used　to　follow　any　publick　procession　or
ceremony；　however　festive；　or　however　solemn；　in　expectation　of　the
battle；　which　was　sure　to　happen　before　the　company　dispersed。

Mountainous　regions　are　sometimes　so　remote　from　the　seat　of
government；　and　so　difficult　of　access；　that　they　are　very　little
under　the　influence　of　the　sovereign；　or　within　the　reach　of
national　justice。　　Law　is　nothing　without　power；　and　the　sentence
of　a　distant　court　could　not　be　easily　executed；　nor　perhaps　very
safely　promulgated；　among　men　ignorantly　proud　and　habitually
violent；　unconnected　with　the　general　system；　and　accustomed　to
reverence　only　their　own　lords。　　It　has　therefore　been　necessary　to
erect　many　particular　jurisdictions；　and　commit　the　punishment　of
crimes；　and　the　decision　of　right　to　the　proprietors　of　the　country
who　could　enforce　their　own　decrees。　　It　immediately　appears　that
such　judges　will　be　often　ignorant；　and　often　partial；　but　in　the
immaturity　of　political　establishments　no　better　expedient　could　be
found。　　As　government　advances　towards　perfection；　provincial
judicature　is　perhaps　in　every　empire　gradually　abolished。

Those　who　had　thus　the　dispensation　of　law；　were　by　consequence
themselves　lawless。　　Their　vassals　had　no　shelter　from　outrages　and
oppressions；　but　were　condemned　to　endure；　without　resistance；　the
caprices　of　wantonness；　and　the　rage　of　cruelty。

In　the　Highlands；　some　great　lords　had　an　hereditary　jurisdiction
over　counties；　and　some　chieftains　over　their　own　lands；　till　the
final　conquest　of　the　Highlands　afforded　an　opportunity　of　crushing
all　the　local　courts；　and　of　extending　the　general　benefits　of
equal　law　to　the　low　and　the　high；　in　the　deepest　recesses　and
obscurest　corners。

While　the　chiefs　had　this　resemblance　of　royalty；　they　had　little
inclination　to　appeal；　on　any　question；　to　superior　judicatures。　　A
claim　of　lands　between　two　powerful　lairds　was　decided　like　a
contest　for　dominion　between　sovereign　powers。　　They　drew　their
forces　into　the　field；　and　right　attended　on　the　strongest。　　This
was；　in　ruder　times；　the　common　practice；　which　the　kings　of
Scotland　could　seldom　control。

Even　so　lately　as　in　the　last　years　of　King　William；　a　battle　was
fought　at　Mull　Roy；　on　a　plain　a　few　miles　to　the　south　of
Inverness；　between　the　clans　of　Mackintosh　and　Macdonald　of
Keppoch。　　Col。　　Macdonald；　the　head　of　a　small　clan；　refused　to　pay
the　dues　demanded　from　him　by　Mackintosh；　as　his　superior　lord。
They　disdained　the　interposition　of　judges　and　laws；　and　calling
each　his　followers　to　maintain　the　dignity　of　the　clan；　fought　a
formal　battle；　in　which　several　considerable　men　fell　on　the　side
of　Mackintosh；　without　a　complete　victory　to　either。　　This　is　said
to　have　been　the　last　open　war　made　between　the　clans　by　their　own
authority。

The　Highland　lords　made　treaties；　and　formed　alliances；　of　which
some　traces　may　still　be　found；　and　some　consequences　still　remain
as　lasting　evidences　of　petty　regality。　　The　terms　of　one　of　these
confederacies　were；　that　each　should　support　the　other　in　the
right；　or　in　the　wrong；　except　against　the　king。

The　inhabitants　of　mountains　form　distinct　races；　and　are　careful
to　preserve　their　genealogies。　　Men　in　a　small　district　necessarily
mingle　blood　by　intermarriages；　and　combine　at　last　into　one
family；　with　a　common　interest　in　the　honour　and　disgrace　of　every
individual。　　Then　begins　that　union　of　affections；　and　co…operation
of　endeavours；　that　constitute　a　clan。　　They　who　consider
themselves　as　ennobled　by　their　family；　will　think　highly　of　their
progenitors；　and　they　who　through　successive　generations　live
always　together　in　the　same　place；　will　preserve　local　stories　and
hereditary　prejudices。　　Thus　every　Highlander　can　talk　of　his
ancestors；　and　recount　the　outrages　which　they　suffered　from　the
wicked　inhabitants　of　the　next　valley。

Such　are　the　effects　of　habitation　among　mountains；　and　such　were
the　qualities　of　the　Highlanders；　while　their　rocks　secluded　them
from　the　rest　of　mankind；　and　kept　them　an　unaltered　and
discriminated　race。　　They　are　now　losing　their　distinction；　and
hastening　to　mingle　with　the　general　community。



GLENELG



We　left　Auknasheals　and　the　Macraes　its　the　afternoon；　and　in　the
evening　came　to　Ratiken；　a　high　hill　on　which　a　road　is　cut；　but　so
steep　and　narrow；　that　it　is　very　difficult。　　There　is　now　a　design
of　making　another　way　round　the　bottom。　　Upon　one　of　the
precipices；　my　horse；　weary　with　the　steepness　of　the　rise；
staggered　a　little；　and　I　called　in　haste　to　the　Highlander　to　hold
him。　　This　was　the　only　moment　of　my　journey；　in　which　I　thought
myself　endangered。

Having　surmounted　the　hill　at　last；　we　were　told　that　at　Glenelg；
on　the　sea…side；　we　should　come　to　a　house　of　lime　and　slate　and
glass。　　This　image　of　magnificence　raised　our　expectation。　　At　last
we　came　to　our　inn　weary　and　peevish；　and　began　to　inquire　for　meat
and　beds。

Of　the　provisions　the　negative　catalogue　was　very　copious。　　Here
was　no　meat；　no　milk；　no　bread；　no　eggs；　no　wine。　　We　did　not
express　much　satisfaction。　　Here　however　we　were　to　stay。　　Whisky
we　might　have；　and　I　believe　at　last　they　caught　a　fowl　and　killed
it。　　We　had　some　bread；　and　with　that　we　prepared　ourselves　to　be
contented；　when　we　had　a　very　eminent　proof　of　Highland
hospitality。　　Along　some　miles　of　the　way；　in　the　evening；　a
gentleman's　servant　had　kept　us　company　on　foot　with　very　little
notice　on　our　part。　　He　left　us　near　Glenelg；　and　we　thought　on　him
no　more　till　he　came　to　us　again；　in　about　two　hours；　with　a
present　from　his　master　of　rum　and　sugar。　　The　man　had　mentioned
his　company；　and　the　gentleman；　whose　name；　I　think；　is　Gordon；
well　knowing　the　penury　of　the　place；　had　this　attention　to　two
men；　whose　names　perhaps　he　had　not　heard；　by　whom　his　kindness　was
not　likely　to　be　ever　repaid；　and　who　could　be　recommended　to　him
only　by　their　necessities。

We　were　now　to　examine　our　lodging。　　Out　of　one　of　the　beds；　on
which　we　were　to　repose；　started　up；　at　our　entrance；　a　man　black
as　a　Cyclops　from　the　forge。　　Other　circumstances　of　no　elegant
recital　concurred　to　disgust　us。　　We　had　been　frighted　by　a　lady　at
Edinburgh；　with　discouraging　representations　of　Highland　lodgings。
Sleep；　however；　was　necessary。　　Our　Highlanders　had　at　last　found
some　hay；　with　which　the　inn　could　not　supply　them。　　I　directed
them　to　bring　a　bundle　into　the　room；　and　slept　upon　it　in　my
riding　coat。　　Mr。　Boswell　being　more　delicate；　laid　himself　sheets
with　hay　over　and　under　him；　and　lay　in　linen　like　a　gentleman。



SKY。　　ARMIDEL



In　the　morning；　September　the　second；　we　found　ourselves　on　the
edge　of　the　sea。　　Having　procured　a　boat；　we　dismissed　our
Highlanders；　whom　I　would　recommend　to　the　service　of　any　future
travellers；　and　were　ferried　over　to　the　Isle　of　Sky。　　We　landed　at
Armidel；　where　we　were　met　on　the　sands　by　Sir　Alexander　Macdonald；
who　was　at　that　time　there　with　his　lady；　preparing　to　leave　the
island　and　reside　at　Edinburgh。

Armidel　is　a　neat　house；　built　where　the　Macdonalds　had　once　a
seat；　which　was　burnt　in　the　commotions　that　followed　the
Revolution。　　The　walled　orchard；　which　belonged　to　the　former
house；　still　remains。　　It　is　well　shaded　by　tall　ash　trees；　of　a
species；　as　Mr。　Janes　the　fossilist　informed　me；　uncommonly
valuable。　　This　plantation　is　very　properly　mentioned　by　Dr。
Campbell；　in　his　new　account　of　the　state　of　Britain；　and　deserves
attention；　because　it　proves　that　the　present　nakedness　of　the
Hebrides　is　not　wholly　the　fault　of　Nature。

As　we　sat　at　Sir　Alexander's　table；　we　were　entertained；　according
to　the　ancient　usage　of　the　North；　with　the　melody　of　the　bagpipe。
Everything　in　those　countries　has　its　history。　　As　the　bagpiper　was
playing；　an　elderly　Gentleman　informed　us；　that　in　some　remote
time；　the　Macdonalds　of　Glengary　having　been　injured；　or　offended
by　the　inhabitants　of　Culloden；　and　resolving　to　have　justice　or
vengeance；　came　to　Culloden　on　a　Sunday；　where　finding　their
enemies　at　worship；　they　shut　them　up　in　the　church；　which　they　set
on　fire；　and　this；　said　he；　is　the　tune　that　the　piper　played　while
they　were　burning。

Narrations　like　this；　however　uncertain；　deserve　the　notice　of　the
traveller；　because　they　are　the　only　records　of　a　nation　that　has
no　historians；　and　afford　the　most　genuine　representation　of　the
life　and　character　of　the　ancient　Highlanders。

Under　the　denomination　of　Highlander　are　comprehended　in　Scotland
all　that　now　speak　the　Erse　language；　or　retain　the　primitive
manners；　whether　they　live　among　the　mountains　or　in　the　islands；
and　in　that　sense　I　use　the　name；　when　there　is　not　some　app