The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

I02 THE HIGHLANDERS [part i
possessions from aggression on all sides. But neither of the two
were at all compatible with a nation in a state of civilization,
where the liberty of the subject required protection, and the
security of property an equal administration of justice.
The feudal system, so far as the tenure of lands and the
heritable jurisdictions were concerned, was easily introduced,
to appearance, in the Highlands ;
but although the principal
Highland chiefs readily agreed, or were induced by circumstances,
to hold their lands of the crown or of the Lowland barons, yet
in reality the Celtic system of clanship remained in full force
among the native Highlanders and the chieftains of the smaller
branches, who were not brought into direct contact with the
government until a very late period. The peculiarities of the
Highland clan are nowhere better described than in the letters
from an officer of Engineers to his friend in London, written
about the year 1730; and his remarks are peculiarly valuable,
that I cannot omit
as being the observations of a stranger so ;
quoting the passage.
"The Highlanders are divided into tribes or clans, under
chiefs or chieftains, and each clan again divided into branches
from the main stock, who have chieftains over them. These are
subdivided into smaller branches of fifty or sixty men, who
deduce their original from their particular chieftains, and rely
upon them as their more immediate protectors and defenders.
The ordinary Highlanders esteem it the most sublime degree of
virtue to love their chief and pay him a blind obedience,
although it be in opposition to the government. Next to this
love of their chief is that of the particular branch from whence
in a third degree, to those of the whole clan
they sprang ; and
or name, whom they will assist, right or wrong, against those of
any other tribe with which they are at variance. They likewise
owe goodwill to such clans as they esteem to be their particular
well-wishers. And, lastly, they have an adherence one to another
as Highlanders in opposition to the people of the low country,
whom they despise as inferior to them in courage, and believe
they have a right to plunder them whenever it is in their power.
This last arises from a tradition tJiat iJie
were the possessions of their ancestors.
Lowlands in old times
" The chief exercises an arbitrary authority over his vassals.