was indeed
owing chiefly to the general disarming act, which had been carried into
effect ostensibly through the whole Highlands, although most of the
chieftains contrived to elude-its influence, by retaining the weapons
of their own immediate clansmen, and delivering up those of less value,
which they collected from these inferior satellites. It followed, as a
matter of course, that, as we have already hinted, many of these poor
fellows were brought to the field in a very wretched condition.

From this it happened, that, in bodies, the van of which were admirably
well armed in their own fashion, the rear resembled actual banditti.
Here was a pole-axe, there a sword without a scabbard; here a gun
without a lock, there a scythe set straight upon a pole; and some had
only their dirks, and bludgeons or stakes pulled out of hedges. The
grim, uncombed, and wild appearance of these men, most of whom gazed
with all the admiration of ignorance upon the most ordinary production
of domestic art, created surprise in the Lowlands, but it also created
terror. So little was the condition of the Highlands known at that late
period, that the character and appearance of their population,
while thus sallying forth as military adventurers, conveyed to the
south-country Lowlanders as much surprise as if an invasion of African
Negroes or Esquimaux Indians had issued forth from the northern
mountains of their own native country. It cannot therefore be wondered
if Waverley, who had hitherto judged of the Highlanders generally from
the samples which the policy of Fergus had from time to time exhibited,
should have felt damped and astonished at the daring attempt of a body
not then exceeding four thousand men, and of whom not above half the
number, at the utmost, were armed, to change the fate, and alter the
dynasty, of the British kingdoms.

As he moved along the column, which still remained stationary, an iron
gun, the only piece of artillery possessed by the army which meditated
so important a revolution, was fired as the signal of march. The
Chevalier had expressed a wish to leave this useless piece of ordnance
behind him; but, to his surprise, the Highland chiefs interposed to
solicit that it might accompany their march, pleading the prejudices of
their followers, who, little accustomed to artillery, attached a
degree of absurd importance to this field-piece, and expected it would
contribute essentially to a victory which they could only