Volume II Part 10 (1/2)

For soed were profitable; he took a tract of land in Balquhidder for the purpose of grazing, and his success soon raised him in the estimation of the county But his cattle were often carried away by hordes of big robbers froed, in defence, to maintain a party of men to repel these incursions Hence the warlike tastes which were afterwards more fully displayed

The death of his father placed Rob Roy in an iuardian to his nephew, Gregor of Macgregor of Glengyle,--a position which gave hireat influence with the clan

He had now beco was at Inversnaid, froor of Inversnaid These estates were of considerable extent, but of small value: they extended fro its eastern border, and stretched into the interior of the country, partly around the base of Ben Lomond From these estates Rob Roy assu Royston, so applied in Scotland to puisne lairds[106]

The influence of an energetic and powerful mind was now plainly exhibited in the celebrity which Rob Roy soon acquired in the neighbouring counties The Macgregors had a peculiar constitution in their clanshi+p, which rendered them compact and formidable as a body In all the forays so common at that period, Rob Roy took little or no part; yet the terror of his name caused him to receive all the credit of reat nobleht his alliance; of these one was James the first Duke of Montrose, and Archibald tenth Earl of Argyle, ere opposed to each other not only in political opinions, but from personal dislike Montrose deemed it essential to conciliate Rob Roy as a matter of speculation, and entered into a sort of partnershi+p with the far-fa of cattle, of which Rob Roy was considered an excellent judge Argyle, on the other hand, was conscious of the injuries which his ancestors had inflicted on the Macgregors, and was inclined to befriend Rob Roy from compassion, and a sense of justice The Earl was also flattered by the Laird's having assuarded as a coyle were at first spurned by Rob Roy, whose alliance with the Marquis of Montrose increased his hatred of Argyle He was afterwards won over tofriendshi+p was eventually foryle

The friendshi+p and patronage of Montrose were secure until money transactions, the usual source of alienations and bickerings, produced distrust on the one hand, and bitterness on the other Montrose had advanced Rob Roy certain sums to carry on his speculations: they were successful until the defalcation of a third and inferior partner prevented Rob Roy fro the Marquis the ive up his lands to satisfy the demands upon him For a time he refused, but ultie his estates to Montrose with an understanding that they were to be restored to him whenever he could pay the money Some time afterwards he made an attempt to recover his estate by the payment of his debts; but he was at first amused by excuses, and afterwards deprived of his property Such is the sirapher; but Sir Walter Scott gives the story a darker colouring In his preface to Rob Roy hewith him the sum of one thousand pounds which he had obtained fro cattle In 1712 an advertisement to that effect was put into the daily papers repeatedly; but the active Highlander was beyond the reach of law To this period we e in the habits and characteristics of Rob Roy, who now began a lawless and hlands where he was followed by one whose character has been variously represented--Mary Macgregor of Co to one account, she was by nowhom Scott has so powerfully described; yet, from several traits, it is obvious that she was one of the most determined of her sex, and that her natural boldness of spirit was exaggerated by an insult which was never forgiven, either by herself or by her husband This was the forcible expulsion of herself and her family from their hoents; and the cruel act was acco but death could blot froor The loss of property was nothing when co recollection

The kind and once honourable Rob Roy was now driven to desperation His natural capacity for warlike affairs had been improved in the collection of the black er, in which many a bloody conflict with freebooters had shown the Macgregors of what materials their leader was composed The black mail was a private contribution, often compulsatory, for the maintenance of the famous black watch, an independent corps of provincial militia, and so called from the colour of their dress, in contradistinction to the red soldiers, or _leidar dearag_ ”From the time they were first eihlanders continued to wear the dress of their country This, as it consisted so ave theht uniforulars, who, at that time, had coats waistcoats, and breeches of scarlet cloth Hence the term _dhu_, or black, as applied to this corps”[107]

In collecting both the imposts laid on for thethe black ained the confidence of the better classes, whilst, by his exploits, he had taught the freebooter to treland had not, either, been unprofitable to hiard to his word, a true Highland quality, he had gained confidence; whilst his open and engaging demeanour had procured him friends

Soon after his expulsion froland to collect a suh Moffat, his generous indignation was aroused by seeing the penalty of the law inflicted upon a young girl for fanaticism: two of her kinsmen had already suffered As a party of soldiers were preparing to carry the girl, bound hand and foot, to a river, Rob Roy interposed; and, receiving an insolent reply, he sprang upon the soldiers and in an instant released the young wouards into the water He then drew his claymore, and cut the cords which bound the intended victim A short skirmish left him master of the field

Rob Roy now prepared to re at Inversnaid, into one more re Royston, or, as it is sorostan, whither Rob Roy removed his furniture and other effects A tract, entitled ”The Highland Rogue,” published during the lifeti description of this almost inaccessible retreat It is situated on the borders of Loch Lomond, and is surrounded with stupendous rocks and hts are so narrow, that two men cannot walk abreast; ”It is a place,” adds the sath and safety, that one person well acquainted with it, and supplied with aht easily destroy a considerable army if they came to attack him, and he, at the same time, need not so much as be seen by them” For this romantic scene, Rob Roy quitted Inversnaid; henceforth his occupation as a grazier and drover, and his character as a country gentleman, were lost in that of a freebooter Many anecdotes have been related of his feats in the dangerous course which he henceforth adopted: but of these, some are so extraordinary, as to be incredible; others are perfectly consistent with the daring spirit of a s

The Duke of Montrose was the first object of his wrath; accordingly, hearing that the tenantry of the Duke had notice to pay their rents, he entle theed them of any future call from Montrose This practice he carried on with ie dren the anger of his enemy

This was no less than the abduction of the Duke's factor, Killearn, who had formerly expelled the faone to Chapellaroch in Stirlingshi+re, for the purpose of collecting rents; he anticipated, on this occasion, no interruption to his office, because Rob Roy had caused it to be given out, by proclaone to Ireland Towards evening, nevertheless, he made his appearance before the inn at Chapellaroch, his piper playing before hi wood The rents had just been collected, when the sound of the bagpipes announced to Killearn the approach of his enes, full of money, into a loft Rob Roy entered, with the usual salutations, laid down his sword, and sat down to partake of the entertainment No sooner was the repast ended, than he desired his piper to strike up a tune In a few nal, six ar hold of his sword, asked the factor, ”How he had prospered in his collection of the rents?” ”I have got nothing yet,” replied the treun to collect” ”No, no, Chamberlain,” cried Rob Roy, ”falsehood will not do for me I demand your book” The book was produced, the ave his usual receipt After this, the unfortunate factor was carried off to an island near the east of Loch Katrine, where he was confined a considerable time; and when he was released, arned not to collect the rents of the country in future, as Rob Roy intended to do so hied to the Macgregors, and he was, therefore, only reclaiainst the Duke of Montrose was carried on for a considerable time It was favoured by the nature of the country over which the freebooter ruled triuhlanders who resided in the neighbourhood No roads were at that tiular beauty Narrow valleys, thinly inhabited, and surrounded by forests and wilds, and guarded by rocks, passes, and other features of natural strength, afforded to Rob Roy all those advantages which he, who knew every defence which Nature gave to marauders in those retired haunts, could well appreciate

The habits of the Highlanders were also, at this time, essentially warlike ”The use of arms,” to borrow a description from an anonymous writer, ”formed their common occupation, and the affairs of war their ordinary pursuit They appeared on all public occasions, at market, and even at church, with their broadswords and their dirks; and, eneral, they seldoor possessed these ree; and the wars of the foregoing century had accustoree of union and discipline not, at that period, cohlanders, ere considered, in those respects, as superior to their Lowland brethren[109] The vicinity of the rich districts of the Lowlands gave a rich stimulus to the appetite for plunder natural to a ies were inspired by an undying sense of ancient and present injuries, and the res was never erased from their minds At this time, the most disturbed districts in Scotland were those nearest to the Lowlands; the bitterness of political feelings was added to the sense of injustice, and the loss of lands Rob Roy kneell how to avail himself of this additional incentive to violence; he avowed his determination to molest all ere not of Jacobite principles; and he put that resolution into active practice

The character of the individual who exercised so singular a control over his followers, and over the district in which he lived, had changed since his early, dreamy days, or since the period of his honest exertions as a drover Rob Roy had become in repute with Robin Hood of the Lowlands His personal appearance added greatly to the ihland Rogue” describes hith, and of such uncoantic size He wore a beard above a foot long, and his face as well as his body was covered with dark red hair, froiven by Sir Walter Scott does not entirely correspond with this portraiture ”His stature,”

says that writer, ”was not of the tallest, but his person was uncoreat peculiarity of his fra to which he could, without stooping, tie the garters of his Highland hose, which are placed two inches below the knee His countenance was sternly expressive in the hour of peril; but, at calmer moments, it wore that frank and kindly aspect which wins upon the affections of our species His fra that of a Highland bull, evincing strength similar to that animal His exercise of the broadsas, even in those days, superlative; and his intie of the wild country over which he e as his personal prowess To these qualifications may be added another, perhaps more important still,--that quick perception of character, and that penetration into human motives, without which no mind can obtain a mastery over another

To these characteristics were added a fearless and generous spirit, a hatred of oppression, and coh descended fro students, Rob Roy had none of the ferocity of his race in his composition He was never the cause of unnecessary bloodshed, nor the contriver of any act of cruel revenge

”Like Robin Hood,” says Scott, ”he was a kind and gentle robber, and while he took froht in part be policy, but the universal tradition of the country speaks it to have arisen from a better motive All whom I have conversed with, and I have in ave him the character of a benevolent, humane man, in his way”

That ”as certainly not followed out on the most approved principles ofin his code of morals an ”Arab chief” But if ever man may be excused for a predatory course of life, the chieftain, as he was now called, of the Macgregors may be pardoned for actions which, in those who had suffered less fro and oppression, would be deemed unpardonable

The revival of that latent affection for the Stuarts which ever existed in the Highlands, greatly favoured the success of Rob Roy in his unsettled and exciting career Many of the chieftains were now arraying their people to follow thehtful Prince; and even the Duke of Argyle, who had at first attached hi in his resolutions, never having been restored to his property and jurisdiction since the attainder and death of his father Under these circumstances the assistance of Rob Roy becaed between hi that Roy was on friendly teryle, had sent to offer to the freebooter not only that he would withdraw his claiive hiive inforyle for treasonable practices But this base overture was indignantly rejected by Rob Roy, who deigned not even to reply to the letter, but contented hiyle

Hence the bitter en the whole course of his future life[110]

From this time Rob Roy kept no measures with his enemies, and his incursions were so frequent and so dreaded, that in 1713 a garrison was established at Inversnaid to check the irruptions of his party But Rob Roy was too subtle and too powerful for his enemies He bribed an old woarrison, to distribute whiskey to the soldiers Whilst they were in a state of intoxication, he set fire to the fort He was suspected of this outrage, but still it passed with impunity, for no one dared to attack him; the affair was passed over in silence, and the Government re-established the fort of Inversnaid

Nurant part of his clans Royston, and swore obedience to him as their chieftain The country was kept in continual awe by these marauders, who broke into houses and carried off the in Royston, there to remain until heavy ransohed at justice, and defied even the great Montrose He had spies in every direction, who brought hi on No person could travel near the abode of thiscaptured and carried to Craig Royston In many instances the treatment of the prisoners is said to have been harsh; in sos of Rob Roy On one occasion, having seized upon a gentlereat losses, he not only set hi expenses, and sent him in one of his own boats as far as he could travel by water

The incursions of this Scottish Robin Hood were contrived with the utmost caution and secrecy, and executed with almost incredible rapidity No one knehen he would appear, nor in what direction he would turn his dreaded attention He is even said to have threatened the Duke of Montrose in his own residence at Buchanan His enterprises were, however, not always contrived for a serious end, but sometimes partook of the love of a practical joke, which is a feature in the Scottish character

”The Highland Rogue” gives the following account of one of his exploits:--[111]

”Rob Roy's creditors no ale reward to any that should attempt it successfully; but not an officer could be found illing to run such a hazard of his life; till at length a bailiff, who had no se and conduct, undertook the affair