Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. I 5
The incitements to war, while they gratified
either public or private revenge, held out other
inducements in the spoils of the conquered, no
less flattering to their ostentation than accept-
able to their wants. From almost every district
plundering parties were sent off, once a year, as
a regular service during the Michaelmas moon,
no doubt with the view of providing winter
stores. Every young man who accompanied
these enterprises received the countenance of
his favourite fair one, according to the spoil he
brought back, which chiefly consisted of cattle ;
and the dowry of the chief's daughter was made
up by a share of the booty collected in such ex-
peditions. Though it was considered shame-
ful to commit this species of theft on any one of
the same clan, it was avowedly no disgrace to
attack the property of distant or unfriendly
septs, against whom this spoliation was carried
as a custom established by long practice ; and
cattle being always their most valuable com-
modity, the loss was often severely felt as the
most cruel privation which, in the neglected
state of the soil, could have been endured.
But such nefarious practices led to a remedy
no less replete with mischief. This was the
compulsory levy denominated black-mail, a tax