planation of the military exercise observed at the Castle of
Glennaquoich, the author begs to remark, that the Highlanders were not
only well practised in the use of the broadsword, firelock, and most of
the manly sports and trials of strength common throughout Scotland, but
also used a peculiar sort of drill, suited to their own dress and mode
of warfare. There were, for instance, different modes of disposing
the plaid,--one when on a peaceful journey, another when danger was
apprehended; one way of enveloping themselves in it when expecting
undisturbed repose, and another which enabled them to start up with
sword and pistol in hand on the slightest alarm.

Previous to 1720, or thereabouts, the belted plaid was universally worn,
in which the portion which surrounded the middle of the wearer, and
that which was flung around his shoulders, were all of the same piece of
tartan. In a desperate onset, all was thrown away, and the clan charged
bare beneath the doublet, save for an artificial arrangement of the
shirt, which, like that of the Irish, was always ample, and for the
sporran-mollach, or goat's-skin purse.

The manner of handling the pistol and dirk was also part of the Highland
manual exercise, which the author has seen gone through by men who had
learned it in their youth.

NOTE 17.--HIGHLAND ABHORRENCE OF PORK

Pork, or swine's flesh, in any shape, was, till of late years, much
abominated by the Scotch, nor is it yet a favourite food amongst them.
King Jamie carried this prejudice to England, and is known to have
abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. Ben Jonson has recorded
this peculiarity, where the gipsy in a masque, examining the king's
hand, says,--

--'you should, by this line, Love a horse, and a hound, but no part of a
swine.'--THE GYPSIES METAMORPHOSED.

James's own proposed banquet for the devil was a loin of pork and a poll
of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion.

NOTE 18.--A HIGHLAND CHIEF'S DINNER-TABLE

In the number of persons of all ranks who assembled at the same table,
though by no means to discuss the same fare, the Highland Chiefs
only retained a custom which had been formerly universally observed
throughout Scotland. 'I myself,' says the traveller Fynes Morrison,
in the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the scene being the Lowlands of
Scotland, 'was at a knight's house, who had many servants to attend him,
that brought in his meat with their heads covered with blue