A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

SYSTEM OF CLANSHIP FIERY-CROSS. 129
the young chiefs and heads of families were regarded or despised ac-
cording to their military or peaceable disposition. If they revenged a
quarrel with anotlier clan by killing some of the enemy or carrying oU
their cattle and laying their lands waste, they were highly esteemed, and
great expectations were formed of tlieir future prowess and exploits. But
if they failed in their attempts, they were not respected ; and if they ap-
[leared disinclined to engage iti iiostile rencontres, they were despised.*
The military ranks of the clans were fixed and perpetuiil. The chief
•.vas, of course, the principal commander. The oldest cadet commanded
tlie right wing, and the youngest the rear. Every head of a distinct
family was captain of his own tribe. An ensign or stantlard-bearer
was attached to each clan, who generally inherited his office, which had
been usually conferred on an ancestor who had distinguished hiraseU
A small salary was attached to this office.
Each clan had a stated place of rendezvous, where they met at the
call of tlieir chief. Wlien an emergency arose for an immediate meeting
from the incursions of a hostile clan, the cross or tarie, or fiery-cross,
was immediately despatched through the territories of the clan. This
signal consisted of two pieces of wood placed in the form of a cros*
One of the ends of the horizontal piece was either burnt or burning,
and a piece of linen or white cloth stained with blood was suspended
from the other end. Two men, each with a cross in his hand, were
despatched by the chief in different directions, who kept running with
great speed, shouting the war cry of the tribe, and naming the place of
rendez\'Ous, if different from tlie usual place of meeting. The cross was
tlelivered from hand to hand, and as each fresh bearer ran at filU speed,
tlie clan assembled with great celerity. General Stewart says, that one
of the latest instances of the fiery-cross being used, was in seventeen
hundred and forty-five by Lord Breadalbane, when it went round Loch
Tay, a distance of thirty-two miles, in three hours, to raise his people and
prevent their joining the rebels, but with less effect than in seventeen
hundred and fifteen when it went the same round, and when five hundred
men assembled the same evening uniler the command of the Laird of
Glenlyon to join the Earl of Mar.
• Martin observes that in tlie Western Islands, " every heir, oi' young chieftain of a
tribe, ^vas obliged in honour lo give a public specimen of his valour before he was owned
and declared governor or leader of his people, who obeyed and fullowed him upon all occasions.
This chieftain was usually attended with a retinue of young men of quality, who
bad not Ijeforeliand given any proof of their valour, and were ambitinus of such an opportunity
to signalize themselves. It was usual for the captain to lend them, to make
a desperate incursion upon some neighbour or other that they were in feud with, and they
were obUged to bring, by open force, the cattle they found on the lands they attacked, or
to die in the attempt. After the performance of this achievement, the young chieftain
was ever after reputed valiant, and worthy of government, and such as were ofhis retinue
acquired the like reputation. This custom being reciprocally used among them, was not
reputed robbery, for the damage which one tribe sustained by this essay of the chieftain
of another, was repaired when tlteir chieftain c:ime in his turn to make hisspecimen : but
1 have not heard an instance of this practice for these sixty years past." Western
Islands 2d edit. p. 101, 102.