|
A thorough knowledge of
Highland manners and character is essentially necessary to form a proper
estimate as to the circumstances and condition of the inhabitants of the
Highlands and Islands of Scotland. It is not enough to have a knowledge of
their present state, but the different changes which have taken place from
time to time in their condition as a people, must be traced back to remote
periods. Various causes have combined to render the Highlanders of the
present day, as if a race entirely different from that of their forefathers.
Some centuries ago, when feudal law reigned with absolute sway in every
Highland district, agriculture, even of the rudest description, was but
little attended to or looked after. The young and hardy men, from the days
of boyhood upwards, were destined for employments entirely different, and
such as were more suited to their warlike temperament of mind, to the
principles in which they were daily instructed, and to the usages of the
periods in which they lived. It was then that the Highland chieftains, like
petty kings over their respective domains, had each a stated number of
followers or retainers, according to their power, as well as to the extent
of their possessions. These possessions were not valued, as now, according
to the amount of rents raised from them, but according to the number of men
upon them able to carry arms, and willing to fight for their feudal lord in
his combats with some neighbouring chief. Depending more on the chase, and
on spoils from their enemies, for subsistence, than on agriculture, the
“cranntaraidh,” or “gathering-beam,” commanded more attention than the
plough. That such should be the case, will not appear so surprising, when it
is considered that all who slighted the call of this mute messenger of
death, were either irretrievably disgraced, or put mercilessly to the sword.
In those rebellious times, however, the Highlands were not so densely
peopled as at the present day. The population were more dispersed over the
face of the country, and in reality less numerous. Even should a time have
been when the Highland families would equal in number those of later times,
it is rational to suppose that the dangers, hardships, and conflicts to
which the Highland youth were then exposed, would have a direct tendency to
decrease the population, or at least would prove an effectual check to its
increase. The feuds and conflicts among the clans were not confined to any
particular county or district, neither did they take place at the same
period of time. On the contrary, every Highland territory suffered in its
turn, for a revolution of centuries, from the ravages of intestine broils,
and deadly skirmishes. So severe were the contests between the Clan-Chattan
and the Mackays in the north of Scotland, in the reign of Robert III that
that monarch deemed it proper to send the Earls of Crawford and Murray to
effect a reconciliation between them. For this purpose the said noblemen,
after due deliberation, deemed it advisable to have recourse to policy, and
by appointing an equal number of men on each side, to fight as champions for
their respective clans, the victorious party were to be honoured with royal
favour, while the vanquished party were to receive free pardon for all their
former offences. Reconciliation was thus effected between these bold and
barbarous clans on the North Inch of Perth, in the year 1396. In the same
manner bloody feuds were carried on with varied success, between the
Qan-Donuill and the Macleans,—the Clan-Donuill and the Macleods,—Lord
Kintail and Glengarry,—Rasay and Gairloch,—Sutherland and Caithness,—the
Sioi-Torquil, or the Macleods of Lewis, and various enemies on the mainland
of Scotland, &c. Under such a state of affairs, there was neither leisure
nor desire to effect any such changes as would ameliorate the condition of
the people in their domestic comforts. Lands were little valued by their
owners in a pecuniary point of view; and the proprietors frequently awarded
large shares of their possessions, during life, to their seanachies, bards,
pipers, and to such of their retainers as distinguished themselves by acts
of bravery and military prowess.
Such was the state of affairs in a more or less degree until the close of
the Rebellion in 1745-6. When the last ray of hope in favour nf the house of
Stuart had vanished, and when the house of Hanover had come to wield with
undisputed right the British sceptre, things assumed a more gentle aspect.
Feudalism vanished by degrees under the influence of Protestant laws
judiciously enforced, and the wild spirit of the Highlanders was softened
down to that pitch of tranquility, which enabled them to live on peaceable
and easy terms with their neighbours and with each other. Their minds were
no longer distracted by wars and deadly feuds with their surrounding
clansmen. These were happily forgotten, except when rehearsed in their
tales, or chanted in their ancient Gaelic songs.
The Highlanders (though not now exposed to the dangers of civil commotions
around them, and though no longer called out by their liege lord to plunder
the effects and to destroy the retainers of some contiguous enemy) were
still possessed of much ardour in military affairs, and displayed courage
which was surpassed by no race of men whatever. It therefore fell to the lot
of many of them to enlist in the Highland regiments; and of this brave
people these regiments were, at onetime, exclusively made up. Better
soldiers never faced an enemy; and as Dr Macleod so justly said in his
eloquent address at the Mansion-house,“ These are the men who in every field
and in every clime had covered themselves with glory!The numbers who were
thus engaged in fighting their country's battles, bore but a small
proportion to the numbers of those at home, who had now to depend on
industry and labour for their maintenance. But still the aggregate of
population was but very small, when compared with that of the present day.
You can
read the rest of this in pdf format here |
