| The early history of the Highlanders presents
us with a bold and hardy race of men, filled with a romantic attachment to their native
mountains and glens, cherishing an exalted spirit of independence, and firmly bound
together in septs or clans by the ties of kindred. Having little intercourse with the rest
of the world, and pent up for many centuries within the Grampian range, the Highlanders
acquired a peculiar character, and retained or adopted habits and manners differing widely
from those of their lowland neighbours. "The ideas and employments, which their
seclusion from the world rendered habitual, - the familiar contemplation of the most
sublime objects of nature, - the habit of concentrating their affections within the narrow
precincts of their own glens, or the limited circle of their own kinsmen, - and the
necessity of union and self-dependence in all difficulties and dangers, combined to form a
peculiar and original character. A certain romantic sentiment, the offspring of deep and
cherished feeling, strong attachment to their country and kindred, and a consequent
disdain of submission to strangers, formed the character of independence; while an
habitual contempt of danger was nourished by their solitary musings, of which the honour
of their clan, and a long descent from brave and warlike ancestors, formed the frequent
theme. Thus, their exercises, their amusements, their modes of subsistence, their motives
of action, their prejudices and their superstitions, became characteristic, permanent, and
peculiar. "Firmness
and decision, fertility in resources, ardour in friendship, and a generous enthusiasm,
were the result of such a situation, such modes of life, and such habits of thought.
Feeling themselves separated by Nature from the rest of mankind, and distinguished by
their language, their habits, their manners, and their dress, they considered themselves
the original possessors of the country, and regarded the Saxons of the Lowlands as the
strangers and intruders."
Like their Celtic ancestors, the Highlanders were tall,
robust, and well formed. Early marriages were unknown among them, and it was rare for a
female who was of a puny stature and delicate constitution to be honoured with a husband.
The following observations of Martin on the inhabitants of some of the western islands may
be generally applied to the Highlanders :- "They are not obliged to art in forming
their bodies, for Nature never fails to act her part bountifully to them; perhaps there is
no part of the habitable globe where so few bodily imperfections are to be seen, nor any
children that go more early. I have observed several of them walk alone before they were
ten months old: they are bathed all over every morning and evening, some in cold, some in
warm water; but the latter is most commonly used, and they wear nothing strait about them.
The mother generally suckles the child, failing of which, a nurse is provided, for they
seldom bring up any by hand: they give new born infants fresh butter to take away the
meconium, and this they do for several days; they taste neither sugar, nor cinnamon, nor
have they any daily allowance of sack bestowed on them, as the custom is elsewhere, nor is
the nurse allowed to taste ale. The generality wear neither shoes nor stockings before
they are seven, eight or ten years old; and many among them wear no nightcaps before they
are sixteen years old, and upwards; some use none all their life-time, and these are not
so liable to headaches as others who keep their heads warm."
As a proof of the indifference of the Highlanders to cold,
reference has been made to their often sleeping in the open air during the severity of
winter. Burt, who resided among them and wrote in the year 1725, relates that he has seen
the places which they occupied, and which were known by being free from the snow that
deeply covered the ground, except where the heat of their bodies had melted it. The same
writer represents a chief as giving offence to his clan by his degeneracy in forming the
snow into a pillow before he lay down. "The Highlanders were so accustomed to sleep
in the open air, that the want of shelter was of little consequence to them. It was usual
before they lay down to dip their plaids in water, by which the cloth was less pervious to
the wind, and the heat of their bodies produced a warmth, which the woollen, if dry, could
not afford. An old man informed me, that a favourite place of repose was under a cover of
thick, overhanging heath. The Highlanders, in 1745, could scarcely be prevailed on to use
tents. It is not long since those who frequented Lawrence fair, St. Sair's, and other
markets in the Garioch of Aberdeenshire, gave up the practice of sleeping in the open
fields. The horses being on these occasions left to shift for themselves, the inhabitants
no longer have their crop spoiled, by their 'upthrough neighbours', with whom they had
often bloody contentions, in consequence of these unceremonious visits." |
