Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-10-12
Miscellany.


poets ani hiitorianS, and yet more ny lit
en,u2 20 The heroic achievements cciebrar-
CO ~ ehe ,opuiac and revolutionary fongs of
his GolaSrYmen. t4is army was entirely
comp,}1d q Highianders---a GnguIar peo-
pie, Or whom it is not fnfiicienc barely to
mention the name Amldh the clouds
and darllacis which envelope the high and
remote periods at hihoric antiquity, it ap-
peers from trong prefumptive evidence,
that at this AGRA the Highland nation cx-,
hibited the unmixed remains of thar vatt
Celtic empire which once itretched from
the pillars oe Hercules to the isa of Arch
angel. The Highianders were competed
Ola number OF tribes or clans, each ofwhlch
bore different name, and lived upon the
lands of different chieftain. The mem.
bers of every clan were connected with
each other nor only by the feudal but the
patriarehal bond and each of them could
recount with pride the degree OF his affini-
.ty to the common head. The cattle OF
the chiefrain was opened and eafy of accefs
to every individual OF the tribe. There
all were hotpitably entertained in times of
peace, and thither all reforted at the found
ofwar. They lived in villages built in
glens or deep valleys, ard for the mott
part by the iide Of rivers. AT the end of
ipring they flowed their grain, and at the
commencement OF winter they reaped their
fcanty harveh. The reit of the year was
all their own for amuiement or for war.
In the 'hort interval of fummer they in.
dulged themielves in the enjoy ment of a
bright and heightened fun, aud in ranging
over avid and romantic country, frequent
ly pat!ing whole nights In the open air "a
mong the mountains and the foretts. They
apent the winter in the chaie while the fun
was up; and In the evening anembled
round blazing hearth, they entertained
Themielves with the fong, the tale and the
dance. Their vocal muGc was plaintiye
even to melancholy, bat their initrumen-
;tal was bold, martial, and animating. In
order to cherith high fentimears in the
minds OF all, every comfortable family had
an hlitorlan who recounted, and bard who
flung the deeds of the clan and its chieltain,
or on more folemn occaiions the glorious
exploits OF their heroic anceitors. The
vaaneis OF the objects which iurrounded
them, lakes, mountains, rocks, cataratts,
xeemed to expand and elevate their minds
and the ieveriry of the climate, with the
nature OF the country, and their love, in
common with other iemi-barbarous natl
ons, OF the chace and ofwar, forced them
40 great corporal exertions while their
want OF regular occupation on the other
hand led them to contemplation and focal
converie.
They received the rare and occaionai
Wits of itrangers with genuine and cor
dial hospitality, never INDUCING in rude
or contemptious ridicule of manners, op-
pof,l to their own. ConGdering the in
habitants of the Lowlands in the light of
invaders and Jumpers, they thought them
felves entitled to make reprifals at all con-
venient opportunities. What their ene
mics, therefore called violence and rapine,
they termed right and juliice and in the
frequent practice OF depreciation they be-
came bold, artinl and enterpriiing. An
injury done TO one of the clan was held,
from the common relation Of blood, TO
Le an injury to all. Hence the Hghan-
ders were In the habitual practice OF war
and hence arole in various initances be-
tween clan ard clan mortal and deadly
feuds, defending from generation to &c.
nerafion. They ufuaily went completely
armsd with "a broad fword, adurk or dag
ger, target, mufquet and pittols. Their
dreis coniided of jacket and loofe lower
garment, with roll of light woolcn,
called a pl0ia, wrapt round them 70 as to
leayedhe right arm at full liberty. Thus
equipped and ACQUIRED, they would march
forty or fifty miles in day, fometilneS
eNon u,ithnit food or haItincr 1,.nr r,,.....