were equally objects of wonder. A greater degree of interest was excited by the favourable reports which had been spread of their appearance and behaviour on the march. Amongst the numbers who resorted to the quarters of the Highlanders some had other objects beyond the gratification of their curiosity. Insidious and malicious falsehoods were industriously circulated among the men. They were told that Government meant to transport them to the American plantations, (the Botany Bay of that day,) there to remain for life; and the pretext assigned for bringing them from Scotland, to be reviewed by the King and the Prince of Wales, was a shameful deception, as they might easily perceive, since his Majesty had embarked for Hanover, previously to their arrival; and that the real object and intent of the measure was to get so many disaffected and rebellious Jacobites out of the kingdom.

These incendiaries thus availed themselves of the accidental circumstance of the King's departure for the Continent * to give plausiblity to their insinuations. Strangers to the country, and possessing the feelings which accorded with the rank of gentlemen, which so many held at home, and which was so much the character of all at that period, the mere surmise of being entrapped filled the Highlanders with indignation.

In those whom he knows a Highlander will repose perfect confidence, and, if they are his superiors, will be obedient and respectful. But ere a stranger can obtain his confidence he must show that he merits it. When once given it is constant and unreserved; but, if confidence be lost, no man is more suspicious. Every officer of a Highland regiment, on his first joining the corps, must have observed, in his little transactions and settlement of accounts

"The King and the Duke of Cumberland sailed from Greenwich 30th April, and were driven back to Sheerness the same night, where they remained wind-bound until 1st May, when they again set sail, and arrived at Helvoetsluys on the 2d, in the evening, from whence his Majesty proceeded next morning to Hanover."-Westminster Journal, 1743.

with the men, how minute and strict they are in every item, but, when once confidence is established, scrutiny ceases, and his word or nod of assent is as good as his bond. *

In the case in question, notwithstanding the arts which were practised to mislead the men, they behaved with that characteristic moderation and firmness, which has so frequently distinguished men of the same description, and in the same predicament: they proceeded to no violence, but, believing themselves deceived and betrayed, the only remedy that occurred to them was to get back to their own country. It does not appear that they imputed any blame to their officers, whom they considered, equally with themselves, the dupes of the deception; and, indeed, the sole motive of those who endeavoured to stir up the men was hostility to Government, and their aim, in accusing it of a

• Major Grose, in his Military Antiquities, treating of the formation of the Highland regiment, and subsequent enlisting and desertion, while detailing the previous circumstances which led to it, observes, "Among other inducements to enlist, thus improperly held forth, it is said the men were assured that they should not go out of their own country. Under the faith of this promise, many respectable farmers' and tacksmen's sons entered themselves as privates in the corps, who would not otherwise have thought of enlisting." After narrating various circumstances of this unhappy affair, he concludes, " This transaction, likewise, shows the danger and even cruelty of making promises to recruits under any thing less than the greatest certainty they will be faithfully observed; the contrary has more than once produced the most dangerous mutinies, and that even among the Highland regiments, whose education tends to make them more regular and subordinate than either the English or Irish; and if the causes of almost every mutiny that has happened were diligently and dispassionately inquired into and weighed, it will be found that nine times out of ten the soldiers, however wrong and unjustifiable in that mode of seeking redress, have had great reason of complaint, generally of the breach of some positive promise made them at enlisting."

Of the justness and truth of the preceding observations we have had too many proofs. They are peculiarly applicable to the case of Highland corps, which were raised and embodied as it were in mass. Being thus kept in immediate contact with each other, the individuals aggrieved by any violation of faith, who sometimes were nearly the whole regiment, had an opportunity of recounting their injuries; and their resentments became thus more exasperated by communication.

breach of faith, to create a spirit of disaffection and discontent. The means which they employed could scarcely fail of success.

That the unfortunate act which threw such a dark shade over the character of a body of brave men was the result of their simplicity, in allowing themselves to be deceived, rather than of any want of principle, was sufficiently proved by their subsequent conduct. Such an occurrence happening among men, of whose loyalty many were suspicious, produced, as may well be imagined, no inconsiderable sensation in the country.

The affair was the subject of much discussion both in conversation and in the publications of the day. Among the numerous accounts published in the journals and in detached pamphlets, there was one, in particular, that appeared immediately after the mutiny, which shows considerable knowledge of the subject, and contains a fair statement of the facts of the case. The author having alluded to the purpose for which these independent companies had been at first embodied, and having described their figure and dress, and the effect produced in England by the novelty of both, proceeds to state the cause and circumstances of the mutiny: "From their first formation they had always considered themselves as destined to serve exclusively in Scotland, or rather in the Highlands; and a special compact was made, allowing the men to retain their ancient national garb. From their origin and their local attachments they seemed destined for this special service. Besides, in the discipline to which they were at first subjected under their natural chiefs and superiors, there was much affinity with their ancient usages, so that their service seemed merely that of a clan sanctioned by legal authority. These and other considerations strengthened them in the belief that their duty was of a defined and specific nature, and that they were never to be amalgamated with the regular disposable force of the country. As they were deeply impressed with this belief, it was quite natural that they should regard, with great jealousy and dis

trust, any indication of a wish to change the system. Accordingly, when the design of marching them into England was first intimated to their officers, the men were not shy in protesting against this unexpected measure. By conciliating language, however, they were prevailed upon to commence and continue their march without reluctance. It was even rumoured, in some foreign gazettes, that they had mutinied on the borders, killed many of their officers, carried off their colours, and returned to their native mountains. This account, though glaringly false, was repeated from time to time in those journals, and was neither noticed nor contradicted in those of England, though such an occasion ought not to have been neglected for giving a candid and full explanation to the Highlanders, which might have prevented much subsequent disquietude.

"On their march through the northern counties of England, they were every where received with such hospitality, that they appeared in the highest spirits, and it was imagined that their attachment to home was so much abated that they would feel no reluctance to the change. As they approached the metropolis, however, and were exposed to the taunts of the true-bred English clowns, they became more gloomy and sullen. Animated even to the lowest private with the feelings of gentlemen, they could ill brook the rudeness of boors, nor could they patiently submit to affronts in a country to which they had been called by invitation of their Sovereign. A still deeper cause of discontent preyed upon their minds. A rumour had reached them on their march that they were to be embarked for the plantations. The fate of the Marines, the Invalids, and other regiments which had been sent to these colonies, seemed to mark out this service as at once the most perilous and the most degrading to which British soldiers could be exposed. With no enemy to encounter worthy of their courage, there was another consideration which made it peculiarly odious to the Highlanders. By the act of Parliament of the eleventh of George I., transportation to the Colonies was denounced

against the Highland rebels, &c. as the greatest punishment that could be inflicted on them except death, and, when they heard that they were to be sent there, the galling sus picion naturally arose in their minds, that, after being used as rods to scourge their own countrymen, they were to be thrown into the fire. These apprehensions they kept secret even from their own officers; and the care with which they dissembled them is the best evidence of the deep impression which they had made. Amidst all their jealousies and fears, however, they looked forward with considerable expectation to the review, when they were to come under the immediate observation of his Majesty, or some of the Royal Family. On the 14th of May they were reviewed by Marshal Wade, and many persons of distinction, who were highly delighted with the promptitude and alacrity with which they went through their military exercises, and gave a very favourable report of them, where it was likely to ope rate most to their advantage. From that moment, however, all their thoughts were bent on the means of returning to their own country, and on this wild and romantic march they accordingly set out a few days after. Under pretence of preparing for the review, they had been enabled to provide themselves unsuspectedly with some necessary articles, and, confiding in their capability of enduring privations and fatigue, they imagined that they should have great advantages over any troops that might be sent in pursuit of them. It was on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday after the review that they assembled on a common near Highgate, and commenced their march to the North. They kept as nearly as possible between the two great roads, passing from wood to wood in such a manner that it was not well known which way they moved. Orders were issued by the Lords-Justices to the commanding officers of the forces stationed in the counties between them and Scotland, and an advertisement was published by the Secretary at war, exhorting the civil officers to be vigilant in their endeavours to discover their route. It was not,