Gazetteer of Scotland

A R-G
iS'quity still remain to demonstrate the
warlike spirit of the former inhabi-
tants, la this district the feudal sys-
tem remained longest unaltered. The
chieftain, t perhaps not so much the
master as the father of the family,
upon the smallest alarm of invasion,
eoifld summon all his dependents and
relations to hi3 standard. They at-
tended,, not with the same sentiments
as a 1 servant would the commands of
a master, but they loved him with an
enthusiasm, which made them cheer-
fully undergo any trouble and fatigue.
This sort of princely command was
often the cause of great inconvenience.
.The ambition, the wants, or the quar-
rels of a chief, was sufficient to em-
broil the neighbourhood in war. In
these disputes the weakest party was
obliged to submit, till time or oppor-
tunity enabled him to take the field
against his antagonist. At this time
Argyllshire seemed by no means to
form a part of what may properly be
called the kingdom of Scotland; The
Macdonalds of the Isles, having sub-
dued the neighbouring chieftains by
their powerful clan, assumed regal
authority, held parliaments, and enac-
ted laws. Robert Bruce king of Scot-
land, upon his being established on
the throne, endeavoured to bring them
under subordination.. He travelled
into that part of his dominions, sub-
dued the rebellious clans, and curbed
their disposition to plunder by build-
ing fortresses,, and placing in them
strong garrisons. Fromthis time the
clannish attachment began to slacken.
The Highlanders were employed in
the English wars, and the chieftains
taxed their dependants to procure
the luxuries of the low country, and
to defray the expence of attending
upon their sovereign. This innova-
tion, and the new mode of life which
was introduced, dissolved the ties of
friendship ; and to enforce obedience
it became requisite to: have recourse
to penal laws. Thus was the feudal
despotism established, which enabled
every baron to punish his vassals at
his pleasure, without trial, and with-
out redress. To remedy this flagrant
eyil,. juries were afterwards introdu-
ced ; but the influence of the chief
^-as sufficient to bias -their conduct.
In short, till parliament reformed this
despotic system in 1743, by abolish-
ARC
ing these abominable jurisdictiotTsy
gibbets were erected on almost every
estate, on which the vassals were exe-»"
cuted without remorse. Since the
reformation of these abuses, the West-*-
ern Highlands, and Argyllshire in par-
ticular, are wonderfully improved;
■Protection to property, and liberty to.
the vassal, has introduced that emu-
lation in industry and agricultural ira-
provement, which will utimately ren-
der Argyllshire perhaps one of the
most valuable provinces of the British
empire. The surface of this county
is, like the other parts of the High-
lands, mountainous, bleak, and un-
comfortable to the view, covered witfp-
heath, and in some places exhibiting 1
rugged and bare rocks, piled on one
another in dreadful disorder. The-
coast is rocky ; but, indented with na-
vigable bays and lakes, it affords safe
harbours for shipping. The lakes
abounding with myriads of fish, the
mountains affording pasture to nume-
rous herds of black cattle and sheep,,
the heaths with game, and the bowels
of the earth teeming with the wealth
of copper* iron, and lead mines, we
may anticipate, at no great distance,.
"the time when. Argyllshire will become
a great commercial county. But, not-
withstanding these advantages, the
Highlands labour under many greaft
obstacles to improvement. The want
of lea-ses is one of the most material.
When a man, upon taking a farm, is
obliged to build himself a hut, and
after all holds his farm only from
year to year, on the precarious tenure
of his laird's pleasure, what induce-
ment can he have to improve his land
by manure or inclosures ? When he
also reflects that his rent, which this
year /he is with difficulty able to pay,,
may next yeaf be nearly doubled ;
hciv can such a dependent afford the
necessary expence of such improve-
ment ? Yet this system, evidently alike
detrimental to the interests of, the
landlord and tenant, is very generally-
followed, not only in Argyllshire, but
in most parts of the Highlands,
Should proprietors at length see their
own interest^, and grant leases of con-
siderable length, and either build
houses for the tenants, or encourage
them to do so, by paying the extra
expence, at the termination of the
lease their lands would be ircpro.v?.cL.,.