HIGHLANDS. 



739 



strengthen the power of the kings of Scotland ; and 

 although the tribes could no more, as in earlier times, 

 under one head, disturb the peace of the land, yet 

 when a common cause united some of them, they 

 broke from their mountain-holds and descended into 

 the plain country During the disturbances which 

 distracted Scotland after the death of James V., the 

 independence of the Highland chiefs was still more 

 confirmed. When, in the seventeenth century, the 

 martial spirit declined in the Lowlands of Scotland, 

 the Highlanders showed, for the first time, a decided 

 superiority in the art of war, which contributed much 

 to infuse into them a higher feeling of their own 

 power, and to make them more obstinate in their 

 adherence to their native customs. But not long 

 after the first victories which they had obtained in 

 the Lowlands, they were severely chastised by 

 Cromwell in their own mountains. He placed 

 strong garrisons in several places, commanded flying 

 divisions of the army to pass through the mountains, 

 search the most secret lurking places, and dismantle 

 the castles of the chiefs, and at length compelled the 

 clans to lay down their arms, and give security for 

 their peaceful conduct. After the restoration of the 

 house of Stuart, to which the fidelity of the Highlands 

 had so much contributed, the yoke imposed by Crom- 

 well was removed from them ; the fortresses which 

 had been built for their subjugation were destroyed 

 or forsaken ; and the laws against the predatory 

 expeditions of the Highlanders were no longer en- 

 forced. Under these circumstances, the old consti- 

 tution of the clans was again strengthened. During 

 the reigns of William III. and queen Anne, the 

 government being employed in wars upon the con- 

 tinent, thought it best to preserve quiet in the High- 

 lands by the distribution of money. 



The alarm occasioned by the insurrection in 1715, 

 in favour of the house of Stuart, led to the adoption 

 of various measures to break the power of the chiefs. 

 By the clan act (so called), the property of the vassal 

 who had taken arms in a rebellion was given to his 

 feudal lord who had remained faithful ; and where 

 the case was reversed, the loyal vassal was allowed 

 the entire property in lands which he had held of a 

 rebellious chieftain. Another statute relieved the 

 vassals from their duty to follow their feudal lord in 

 the chase, and to fight in his private quarrels. The 

 third measure was the disarming of the Highlanders; 

 but this was so negligently performed, that most of 

 the adherents of the house of Stuart were able to 

 conceal their weapons, in order to employ them, upon 

 a favourable opportunity, against the government. 

 The most efl'ectual of all the measures was the mak- 

 ing of roads from the Highlands to the Lowlands, by 

 which means, in the course of time, a gradual blend- 

 ing of tiie inhabitants of both parts of the country 

 took place. But other circumstances occurred, 

 which produced, in the sequel, a violent disso- 

 lution in the relations of the clans. The exasperation 

 occasioned by the proceedings of government, made 

 the people so much the more susceptible to the 

 promises and encouragements which the house of 

 banished princes did not spare. The chieftains made 

 every effort to maintain their threatened power, and 

 to destroy the effect of the innovations with which 

 the government sought to weaken the bonds of the 

 clans. A dangerous means, to which the govern- 

 ment had recourse, favoured the designs of the 

 Highlanders. About the year 1729, companies were 

 formed among the Highlands, of which the sons of the 

 chieftains, or the distinguished vassals, were appoint- 

 ed officers ; but the chiefs themselves had the highest 

 command. These companies, six in number, were 

 usually called, from their dark-coloured tartans, the 

 Black JVntch (Freicudar Dhu). Their duty was, to 



execute the law for disarming ; to terrify the discon- 

 tented ; to prevent meetings of the people, and con- 

 flicts between hostile clans ; and, particularly, to 

 check predatory excursions. With this view, they 

 marched through the land, and had thus an opportu- 

 nity to become acquainted with the boldest individuals; 

 and it is certain that the chiefs knew how to employ 

 this institution for their own purposes. So much, at 

 least, is clear, that the Black Watch was a means of 

 nourishing the warlike spirit which the previous 

 measures of the government were intended to repress. 

 The rebellion in 1745 was a consequence of the secret 

 disaffection of the Highlanders, and of instigations 

 from abroad. The event of the contest gave the 

 government an opportunity to abolish the patriarchal 

 constitution of the Highlanders (1747), to execute 

 the law for disarming them, and even to prohibit their 

 national dress, of Celtic origin, which distinguished 

 them from all other people. 



This beautiful dress, favourable for light and free 

 motion, was peculiarly fitted for the warrior, the 

 hunter, and the herdsman. The material of High- 

 land clothing has remained the same for centuries 

 a woollen stuff, sometimes with a cotton woof, and 

 always checkered with various colours. Each clan 

 has usually its peculiar mixture of colours. The 

 chief part of the dress is a short petticoat descend- 

 ing to the knee, and called the kilt. Horsemen and 

 aged men sometimes wore likewise a kind of tight 

 pantaloons, called trews. The waistcoat and kilt 

 were embroidered, or adorned with lace. The plaid 

 was two yards broad and four long. It was a piece 

 of tartan, which surrounded the body in broad, ele 

 gantly arranged folds, fastened by a girdle ; the lower 

 part fell down, and the upper part was drawn round 

 the left shoulder, and left the right arm free. If it 

 were necessary for both arms to be free, it was fas- 

 tened with a silver clasp upon the breast. In front 

 hung a large pouch of goat skin or dog skin, resem- 

 bling a lady's reticule. There was a dagger, besides 

 a knife and fork, in a sheath hanging upon one side. 

 The bonnet belongs to the Highland dress. Instead 

 of the feathers, which were worn by people of rank, 

 the lower classes wore bunches of heath, or a branch 

 of the holly or oak. The shoe consisted of pieces of 

 thick leather, which were fastened with stripes of 

 leather over the foot. The strict prohibition of this 

 dress (1747) was peculiarly galling to the Highland- 

 ers, and they were often ingenious enough to elude 

 it. This prohibition was first formally removed in 

 1782. Since then, the old dress of the people has 

 been gradually forsaken, and is now only found in 

 some districts, mingled with the dress of the Low- 

 landers, and only common among the lower classes 

 of the people. 



The arms of the Highlander were, the sword upon 

 the left side, and a short dagger upon the right, a 

 musket, a pair of pistols, and a target. In the. want 

 of a musket, or if ammunition failed, a weapon was 

 used, called a Lochaber axe, suited either for cutting 

 or thrusting. Each clan fonned, under the command 

 of its chiefj a regiment, whose companies consisted 

 of separate families, each under the direction of its 

 head. 



Courage and love of freedom, attachment to coun- 

 try and domestic ties, hospitality and a social dispo- 

 sition, honesty in private intercourse, and inviolable 

 fidelity to trust reposed in them, were the distinguish- 

 ing characteristics of the Highlanders, and are so 

 still, notwithstanding all the chauges which their 

 manners have undergone in later times. A know- 

 ledge of books was but little diffused, and only among 

 those of high rank, who were educated partly in 

 France. But the history of their native land, poetry, 

 and music, were darling pursuits e v en among the 

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