In The Highlands It Was A Law, That If A Robber Was Sheltered From
Justice, Any Man Of The Same
Clan might be taken in his place.
This was a kind of irregular justice, which, though necessary in
savage times,
Could hardly fail to end in a feud, and a feud once
kindled among an idle people with no variety of pursuits to divert
their thoughts, burnt on for ages either sullenly glowing in secret
mischief, or openly blazing into public violence. Of the effects
of this violent judicature, there are not wanting memorials. The
cave is now to be seen to which one of the Campbells, who had
injured the Macdonalds, retired with a body of his own clan. The
Macdonalds required the offender, and being refused, made a fire at
the mouth of the cave, by which he and his adherents were
suffocated together.
Mountaineers are warlike, because by their feuds and competitions
they consider themselves as surrounded with enemies, and are always
prepared to repel incursions, or to make them. Like the Greeks in
their unpolished state, described by Thucydides, the Highlanders,
till lately, went always armed, and carried their weapons to
visits, and to church.
Mountaineers are thievish, because they are poor, and having
neither manufactures nor commerce, can grow richer only by robbery.
They regularly plunder their neighbours, for their neighbours are
commonly their enemies; and having lost that reverence for
property, by which the order of civil life is preserved, soon
consider all as enemies, whom they do not reckon as friends, and
think themselves licensed to invade whatever they are not obliged
to protect.
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