The highlanders form a fort of almanack or prefage of the I
weather of the enfuing year in the following manner. They make I
obfervation on twelve days, beginning at the lait of December, I
and hold as an infallible rule, that whatfoever weather happens on I
each of thofe days, the fame will prove to agree in the correfpond- I
ent months. Thus, January is to anfwer to the weather of De- I
cember the 31ft. February to that of January lit ; and fo with the |
reft. Old people ftill pay great attention to this augury.
To thefe fuperftitions may be added certain cuftoms now worn
out, which were peculiar to this country.
In old times the great highland families fent their heir, as foon
as he was weaned, to fome wealthy tenant, who educated him in
the hardy manner of the country, at his own expence. When
the fofter-father reftored the child to his parents, he always fent
with him a number of cows, proportioned to his abilities, as a
mark of the fenfe he had of the honor done him. A ftrong attachment
ever after .fubfifted between the two families: the whole
family of the fofter-father was received under the protection of
the chieftain, and held in the higheft efteem.
To this day the greater chieftains are named by their clans
from fome of their anceftors, eminent for ftrength, wifdotn, or
valour. Thus the Duke of Argyle is ftyled Mac-chailean-mhoir,
the fon of the great Colin. Lord Breadalbane, Mac-chailean mhic
Dhonachi, the fon of Colin, fon of Duncan. The head of the
family of Diwftaffage, Mac-Innais an Duin, or the fon of Angus
of the hill,
Moft of the old names of the highlanders were derived from
fome perfonal property. Thus Donald or Don-jhv.il fignifies brown eye.
eye; Fin-lay, white head; Dun-can, brown head; Colin, or O-
\aluin, beautiful; and Gorm-la, a blue eye.
. The old highlanders were fo. remarkable for their hofpitality
that their doors were always left open,. as if it were to invite the
hungry travellers to walk in, and partake of their meals. But if
itwo crofted fticks were feen at the door, it was a fign that the
¡family was at dinner, and did not defire more guefts. In this cafe
the churl was held in the higheft contempt; nor would the moft
prefling necefiity induce the pafienger to turn in. Great hofpitality
is ftill preferved through all parts of the country to the ftranger,
whofe charafter or recommendations claim the moft diftant pre-
itenfions. But this virtue muft ceafe, or, at beft, lefien, in proportion
as the inundation of travellers increafes: a quick fuc-
ceffion of new guefts will be found to be a trouble and an expence
¿unfupportable: but they will have this confolation, that good inns
will be the confequence even of a partial fubverfion of the hof-
pitable fyftem.
I Strift fidelity is another' diftinguiihing character of the highlanders.
Two inftances, taken from diftant periods, will be fuf-
ficient proofs of the high degree in which they pofiefs this lhining"
virtue. In the reign of James V. when the Clan chattan had raifed
a dangerous infurredtion, attended with all the barbarities ufual
,jin thofe days, the Earl of Murray raifed his people, fupprefied
i/the infurgents, and ordered two hundred of the principal prifoners
to execution. As they were led one by one to the gallows, the
¿ Earl offered them a pardon in cafe they would difcover the lurking-
, place of their chieftain; but they unanimoufly told him, that,
H were