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.

By a strict administration of the laws, since the laws have been
introduced into the Highlands, this disposition to thievery is very much
represt. Thirty years ago no herd had ever been conducted through the
mountains, without paying tribute in the night, to some of the clans; but
cattle are now driven, and passengers travel without danger, fear, or
molestation.

Among a warlike people, the quality of highest esteem is personal
courage, and with the ostentatious display of courage are closely
connected promptitude of offence and quickness of resentment. The
Highlanders, before they were disarmed, were so addicted to quarrels,
that the boys used to follow any publick procession or ceremony, however
festive, or however solemn, in expectation of the battle, which was sure
to happen before the company dispersed.

Mountainous regions are sometimes so remote from the seat of government,
and so difficult of access, that they are very little under the influence
of the sovereign, or within the reach of national justice. Law is
nothing without power; and the sentence of a distant court could not be
easily executed, nor perhaps very safely promulgated, among men
ignorantly proud and habitually violent, unconnected with the general
system, and accustomed to reverence only their own lords. It has
therefore been necessary to erect many particular jurisdictions, and
commit the punishment of crimes, and the decision of right to the
proprietors of the country who could enforce their ow