The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER 239
looks, garb, and language, as the mountaineers of Brecknock are
from the inhabitants of Herefordshire.
When the Lowlanders want to drink a chearupping-cup, they
go to the public house, called the Changehouse, and call for a
chopine of two-penny, which is a thin, yeasty beverage, made of
malt; not quite so strong as the table-beer of England—This is
brought in a pewter stoop, shaped like a skittle, from whence it is
emptied into a quaff; that is a curious cup made of different pieces
of wood, such as box and ebony, cut into little staves, joined alter-
nately, and secured with delicate hoops, having two ears or handles
—It holds about a gill, is sometimes tipt round the mouth with
silver, and has a plate of the same metal at bottom, with the
landlord’s cypher engraved—The Highlanders, on the contrary,
despise this liquor, and regale themselves with whisky; a malt
spirit, as strong as geneva, which they swallow in great quantities,
without any signs of inebriation. They are used to it from the cradle,
and find it an excellent preservative against the winter cold, which
must be extreme on these mountains—I am told that it is given
with great success to infants, as a cordial in the confluent small-pox,
when the eruption seems to flag, and the symptoms grow unfavour-
able—The Highlanders are used to eat much more animal food
than falls to the share of their neighbours in the Low-country—
They delight in hunting; have plenty of deer and other game, with
a great number of sheep, goats, and black-cattle running wild,
which they scruple not to kill as venison, without being at much
pains to ascertain the property.
Inverary is but a poor town, though it stands immediately under
the protection of the duke of Argyle, who is a mighty prince in this
part of Scotland. The peasants live in wretched cabins, and seem
very poor; but the gentlemen are tolerably well lodged, and so
loving to strangers, that a man runs some risque of his life from their
hospitality—It must be observed that the poor Highlanders are
now seen to disadvantage—They have been not only disarmed by
act of parliament; but also deprived of their antient garb, which
was both graceful and convenient; and what is a greater hardship
still, they are compelled to wear breeches; a restraint which they
cannot bear with any degree of patience: indeed, the majority wear
them, not in the proper place, but on poles or long staves over their
shoulders—They are even debarred the use of their striped stuff,
called Tartane, which was their own manufacture, prized by them