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

WAtt CRY OMENS STRENGTH OF THE CLANS- 13 ]
Duke of Perth
Scathrlh, . .
300
.... 1000
Cromarty, Scatwell, Gairlocli, and other chieftains
of tlie Maclienzies 1500
Laird of Menzies, ...... 300
Munros, ... ... 300
Rosses
500
SutherlaiKl,
2000
Mackays 800
Sinclairs,
1100
Macdonald of Slate, 700
Macdonald of Claiironald, . . . 700
Macdonell of Glengary, ..... 500
Macdonell of Keppoch, .... 300
Macdonald of Glencoc, ..... 130
Robertsons, 200
Camerons, ....... 800
M'Kinnon, 200
Maclcod, 700
The Duke of Montrose, Earls of Bute and Moray,
Macfarlanes, M'Nciis of Barra, M'Nabs,
M'Naughtons, Laraonts, &c. &c. . . 5600
31,930
There is nothing so remarkable in the political history of any oounti-y
as the succession of the Highland chiefs, and the long and uninterrupted
sway which they held over their followers. The authority which a
chief exercised among his clan was truly paternal, and he might, with
great justice, have been called the father of his people. We cannot ac-
count for that warm attachment and the incorruptible and unshaken
fidelity which the clans uniformly displayed towards their cliiefs, on any
other ground, than the kind and conciliatory system which tliey must
have adopted towards their people; lor, much as the feelings of the latter
might have been awakened, by the songs and traditions of tlie bards, to
a respect for the successors of the heroes whose praises they heard cele-
brated, a sense of wrongs committed, or of oppressions exercised, would
liave obliterated every feeling of attachment in the minds of the sufferers,
and caused them to attempt to get rid of a tyrant who had rendered
Inmself obnoxious by his tyranny
The division of the people into small tribes, and the establishment ol
patriarchal government, were attended with many important consequences
affecting the character of the Highlanders. This creation of an imperium
in imperio was an anomalj', but it was, nevertheless, rendered necessary
fi-om the state of society in the Highlands shortly after the transference
of the seat of government from the mountains. The authority of thf