y;' on the contrary, daughters in
succession, a thing scarce pardonable in one who was looked up to and
valued in a great measure as being the supposed mother of a future
chief. In old times women could only exist while they were defended by
the warriour and supported by the hunter. When this dire necessity in
some measure ceas'd, the mode of thinking to which it gave rise
continued. And after the period of youth and beauty were past, woman was
only consider'd as having given birth to man. John Locheil's mind was
above this illiberal prejudice: he loudly welcomed his daughters and
caress'd their mother on their appearrance as much as if every one of
them had been a young hero in embryo. His friends and neighbours us'd on
these occassions to ask in a sneering manner, "What has the lady got?"
To which he invariably answered, "A lady indeed:" this answer had a more
pointed significance there than with us. For in the Highlands no one is
call'd a lady but a person named to the proprietors of an estate. All
others, however rich or high-born, are only _gentlewomen_. How the
prediction intentionally included in the chief's answer was fulfill'd,
will hereafter appear.

"Besides the family title, every Highland chieftain has a patronymic
deriv'd from the most eminent of their ancestors, probably the founder
of the family, and certainly the first who confer'd distinction on it.
Thus Argyle is the son of Colin, Breadalbane the son of Archibald, &c.;
and the chief of the Camerons was always stil'd son of Donald Dhu, Black
Donald, whatever his name or complexion may be, as well as the
appellation deriv'd from it, because it would appear hereditary in the
family, and at length it became a tradition or prophesy among the clan
that a fair Lochiel should never prosper."

At length, after the birth of twelve daughters, a son and heir made his
appearance. But the satisfaction of the clans was dashed by hearing that
the ill-starred little laird was fair, like his sisters. The prophecy
that a fair Lochiel should never prosper, was recalled with dismay; and,
unhappily, the fears of superstition were too mournfully realized by
fact. The young Cameron was named Donald: his birth was followed by the
appearance of two other boys,--Archibald, afterwards the ill-fated Dr.
Cameron, and John, who was called Fassefern, from an estate. "The proud
prediction of their father," continues Mrs. Grant, "was soon amply
fulfilled with regard to the daughters