of　the　country；　might；　at　least　before　the　roads　were　made；　have
  wandered　among　the　rocks；　till　he　had　perished　with　hardship；
  before　he　could　have　found　either　food　or　shelter。　　Yet　what　are
  these　hillocks　to　the　ridges　of　Taurus；　or　these　spots　of　wildness
  to　the　desarts　of　America？
  It　was　not　long　before　we　were　invited　to　mount；　and　continued　our
  journey　along　the　side　of　a　lough；　kept　full　by　many　streams；　which
  with　more　or　less　rapidity　and　noise；　crossed　the　road　from　the
  hills　on　the　other　hand。　　These　currents；　in　their　diminished
  state；　after　several　dry　months；　afford；　to　one　who　has　always
  lived　in　level　countries；　an　unusual　and　delightful　spectacle；　but
  in　the　rainy　season；　such　as　every　winter　may　be　expected　to　bring；
  must　precipitate　an　impetuous　and　tremendous　flood。　　I　suppose　the
  way　by　which　we　went；　is　at　that　time　impassable。
  GLENSHEALS
  The　lough　at　last　ended　in　a　river　broad　and　shallow　like　the　rest；
  but　that　it　may　be　passed　when　it　is　deeper；　there　is　a　bridge　over
  it。　　Beyond　it　is　a　valley　called　Glensheals；　inhabited　by　the　clan
  of　Macrae。　　Here　we　found　a　village　called　Auknasheals；　consisting
  of　many　huts；　perhaps　twenty；　built　all　of　dry…stone；　that　is；
  stones　piled　up　without　mortar。
  We　had；　by　the　direction　of　the　officers　at　Fort　Augustus；　taken
  bread　for　ourselves；　and　tobacco　for　those　Highlanders　who　might
  show　us　any　kindness。　　We　were　now　at　a　place　where　we　could　obtain
  milk；　but　we　must　have　wanted　bread　if　we　had　not　brought　it。　　The
  people　of　this　valley　did　not　appear　to　know　any　English；　and　our
  guides　now　became　doubly　necessary　as　interpreters。　　A　woman；　whose
  hut　was　distinguished　by　greater　spaciousness　and　better
  architecture；　brought　out　some　pails　of　milk。　　The　villagers
  gathered　about　us　in　considerable　numbers；　I　believe　without　any
  evil　intention；　but　with　a　very　savage　wildness　of　aspect　and
  manner。　　When　our　meal　was　over；　Mr。　Boswell　sliced　the　bread；　and
  divided　it　amongst　them；　as　he　supposed　them　never　to　have　tasted　a
  wheaten　loaf　before。　　He　then　gave　them　little　pieces　of　twisted
  tobacco；　and　among　the　children　we　distributed　a　small　handful　of
  halfpence；　which　they　received　with　great　eagerness。　　Yet　I　have
  been　since　told；　that　the　people　of　that　valley　are　not　indigent；
  and　when　we　mentioned　them　afterwards　as　needy　and　pitiable；　a
  Highland　lady　let　us　know；　that　we　might　spare　our　commiseration；
  for　the　dame　whose　milk　we　drank　had　probably　more　than　a　dozen
  milk…cows。　　She　seemed　unwilling　to　take　any　price；　but　being
  pressed　to　make　a　demand；　at　last　named　a　shilling。　　Honesty　is　not
  greater　where　elegance　is　less。　　One　of　the　bystanders；　as　we　were
  told　afterwards；　advised　her　to　ask　for　more；　but　she　said　a
  shilling　was　enough。　　We　gave　her　half　a　crown；　and　I　hope　got　some
  credit　for　our　behaviour；　for　the　company　said；　if　our　interpreters
  did　not　flatter　us；　that　they　had　not　seen　such　a　day　since　the　old
  laird　of　Macleod　passed　through　their　country。
  The　Macraes；　as　we　heard　afterwards　in　the　Hebrides；　were
  originally　an　indigent　and　subordinate　clan；　and　having　no　farms
  nor　stock；　were　in　great　numbers　servants　to　the　Maclellans；　who；
  in　the　war　of　Charles　the　First；　took　arms　at　the　call　of　the
  heroic　Montrose；　and　were；　in　one　of　his　battles；　almost　all
  destroyed。　　The　women　that　were　left　at　home；　being　thus　deprived
  of　their　husbands；　like　the　Scythian　ladies　of　old；　married　their
  servants；　and　the　Macraes　became　a　considerable　race。
  THE　HIGHLANDS
  As　we　continued　our　journey；　we　were　at　leisure　to　extend　our
  speculations；　and　to　investigate　the　reason　of　those　peculiarities
  by　which　such　rugged　regions　as　these　before　us　are　generally
  distinguished。
  Mountainous　countries　commonly　contain　the　original；　at　least　the
  oldest　race　of　inhabitants；　for　they　are　not　easily　conquered；
  because　they　must　be　entered　by　narrow　ways；　exposed　to　every　power
  of　mischief　from　those　that　occupy　the　heights；　and　every　new　ridge
  is　a　new　fortress；　where　the　defendants　have　again　the　same
  advantages。　　If　the　assailants　either　force　the　strait；　or　storm
  the　summit；　they　gain　only　so　much　ground；　their　enemies　are　fled
  to　take　possession　of　the　next　rock；　and　the　pursuers　stand　at
  gaze；　knowing　neither　where　the　ways　of　escape　wind　among　the
  steeps；　nor　where　the　bog　has　firmness　to　sustain　them：　　besides
  that；　mountaineers　have　an　agility　in　climbing　and　descending
  distinct　from　strength　or　courage；　and　attainable　only　by　use。
  If　the　war　be　not　soon　concluded；　the　invaders　are　dislodged　by
  hunger；　for　in　those　anxious　and　toilsome　marches；　provisions
  cannot　easily　be　carried；　and　are　never　to　be　found。　　The　wealth　of
  mountains　is　cattle；　which；　while　the　men　stand　in　the　passes；　the
  women　drive　away。　　Such　lands　at　last　cannot　repay　the　expence　of
  conquest；　and　therefore　perhaps　have　not　been　so　often　invaded　by
  the　mere　ambition　of　dominion；　as　by　resentment　of　robberies　and
  insults；　or　the　desire　of　enjoying　in　security　the　more　fruitful
  provinces。
  As　mountains　are　long　before　they　are　conquered；　they　are　likewise
  long　before　they　are　civilized。　　Men　are　softened　by　intercourse
  mutually　profitable；　and　instructed　by　comparing　their　own　notions
  with　those　of　others。　　Thus　Caesar　found　the　maritime　parts　of
  Britain　made　less　barbarous　by　their　commerce　with　the　Gauls。　　Into
  a　barren　and　rough　tract　no　stranger　is　brought　either　by　the　hope
  of　gain　or　of　pleasure。　　The　inhabitants　having　neither　commodities
  for　sale；　nor　money　for　purchase；　seldom　visit　more　polished
  places；　or　if　they　do　visit　them；　seldom　return。
  It　sometimes　happens　that　by　conquest；　intermixture；　or　gradual
  refinement；　the　cultivated　parts　of　a　country　change　their
  language。　　The　mountaineers　then　become　a　distinct　nation；　cut　off
  by　dissimilitude　of　speech　from　conversation　with　their　neighbours。
  Thus　in　Biscay；　the　original　Cantabrian；　and　in　Dalecarlia；　the　old
  Swedish　still　subsists。　　Thus　Wales　and　the　Highlands　speak　the
  tongue　of　the　first　inhabitants　of　Britain；　while　the　other　parts
  have　received　first　the　Saxon；　and　in　some　degree　afterwards　the
  French；　and　then　formed　a　third　language　between　them。
  That　the　primitive　manners　are　continued　where　the　primitive
  language　is　spoken；　no　nation　will　desire　me　to　suppose；　for　the
  manners　of　mountaineers　are　commonly　savage；　but　they　are　rather
  produced　by　their　situation　than　derived　from　their　ancestors。
  Such　seems　to　be　the　disposition　of　man；　that　whatever　makes　a
  distinction　produces　rivalry。　　England；　before　other　causes　of
  enmity　were　found；　was　disturbed　for　some　centuries　by　the　contests
  of　the　northern　and　southern　counties；　so　that　at　Oxford；　the　peace
  of　study　could　for　a　long　time　be　preserved　only　by　chusing
  annually　one　of　the　Proctors　from　each　side　of　the　Trent。　　A　tract
  intersected　by　many　ridges　of　mountains；　naturally　divides　its
  inhabitants　into　petty　nations；　which　are　made　by　a　thousand　causes
  enemies　to　each　other。　　Each　will　exalt　its　own　chiefs；　each　will
  boast　the　valour　of　its　men；　or　the　beauty　of　its　women；　and　every
  claim　of　superiority　irritates　competition；　injuries　will　sometimes
  be　done；　and　be　more　injuriously　defended；　retaliation　will
  sometimes　be　attempted；　and　the　debt　exacted　with　too　much
  interest。
  In　the　Highlands　it　was　a　law；　that　if　a　robber　was　sheltered　from
  justice；　any　man　of　the　same　clan　might　be　taken　in　his　place。
  This　was　a　kind　of　irregular　justice；　which；　though　necessary　in
  savage　times；　could　hardly　fail　to　end　in　a　feud；　and　a　feud　once
  kindled　among　an　idle　people　with　no　variety　of　pursuits　to　divert
  their　thoughts；　burnt　on　for　ages　either　sullenly　glowing　in　secret
  mischief；　or　openly　blazing　into　public　violence。　　Of　the　effects
  of　this　violent　judicature；　there　are　not　wanting　memorials。　　The
  cave　is　now　to　be　seen　to　which　one　of　the　Campbells；　who　had
  injured　the　Macdonalds；　retired　with　a　body　of　his　own　clan。　　The
  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