ith the
unpronounceable name, was the chief thief-taker of the district?

'Thief-taker!' answered Rose, laughing; 'he is a gentleman of great
honour and consequence, the chieftain of an independent branch of a
powerful Highland clan, and is much respected, both for his own power and
that of his kith, kin, and allies.'

'And what has he to do with the thieves, then? Is he a magistrate, or in
the commission of the peace?' asked Waverley.

'The commission of war rather, if there be such a thing,' said Rose; 'for
he is a very unquiet neighbour to his unfriends, and keeps a greater
following on foot than many that have thrice his estate. As to his
connection with the thieves, that I cannot well explain; but the boldest
of them will never steal a hoof from any one that pays black-mail to Vich
lan Vohr.'

'And what is black-mail?'

'A sort of protection-money that Low-Country gentlemen and heritors,
lying near the Highlands, pay to some Highland chief, that he may neither
do them harm himself, nor suffer it to be done to them by others; and
then if your cattle are stolen, you have only to send him word, and he
will recover them; or it may be, he will drive away cows from some
distant place, where he has a quarrel, and give them to you to make up
your loss.' [Footnote: See note 13.]

'And is this sort of Highland Jonathan Wild admitted into society, and
called a gentleman?'

'So much so,' said Rose, 'that the quarrel between my father and Fergus
Mac-Ivor began at a county meeting, where he wanted to take precedence of
all the Lowland gentlemen then present, only my father would not suffer
it. And then he upbraided my father that he was under his banner, and
paid him tribute; and my father was in a towering passion, for Bailie
Macwheeble, who manages such things his own way, had contrived to keep
this black-mail a secret from him, and passed it in his account for
cess-money. And they would have fought; but Fergus Mac-Ivor said, very
gallantly, he would never raise his hand against a grey head that was so
much respected as my father's.--O I wish, I wish they had continued
friends!'

'And did you ever see this Mr. Mac-Ivor, if that be his name, Miss
Bradwardine?'

'No, that is not his name; and he would consider MASTER as a sort of
affront, only that you are an Englishman, and know no better. But the
Lowlanders call him, like other gentlemen, by the name of his estate,
Glennaquoich; and the Highlanders call him Vich Ia