Trog
11-04-2009, 08:56 PM
Following extracts regarding communities of 'swarthy' Scots.
A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland by Martin Martin (http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usebooks/martin-westernislands/section11.html)
Arran
The inhabitants of this island are composed of several tribes. The most ancient family among them is by the natives reckoned to be MacLouis, which in the ancient language signifies the son of Lewis. They own themselves to be descended of French parentage. Their surname in English is Fullerton, and their title Kirk-Mitchell, the place of their residence. If tradition be true, this little family is said to be of 700 years standing. The present possessor obliged me with the sight of his old and new charters, by which he is one of the king's coroners within this island, and as such he hath a halbert peculiar to his office. He has his right of late from the family of Hamilton, wherein his title and perquisites of coroner are confirmed to him and his heirs. He is obliged to have three men to attend him upon all public emergencies, and he is bound by his office to pursue all malefactors and to deliver them to the steward, or in his absence to the next judge. And if any of the inhabitants refuse to pay their rents at the usual term, the coroner is bound to take him personally or to seize his goods. And if it should happen that the coroner with his retinue of three men is not sufficient to put his office in execution, then he summons all the inhabitants to concur with him; and immediately they rendezvous to the place, where he fixes his coroner's staff. The perquisites due to the coroner are a firelet or bushel of oats and a lamb from every village in the isle, both which are punctually paid him at the ordinary terms.
The inhabitants of this isle are well proportioned, generally brown, and some of a black complexion. They enjoy a good state of health, and have a genius for all callings or employments, though they have but few mechanics. They wear the same habit with those of the nearest isles, and are very civil. They all speak the Irish language, yet the English tongue prevails on the east side, and ordinarily the ministers preach in it, and in Irish on the west side. Their ordinary asseveration is by Nale, for I did not hear any oath in the island.
The Isle Gigha
The inhabitants are all Protestants, and speak the Irish tongue generally, there being but few that speak English; they are grave and reserved in their conversation; they are accustomed not to bury on Friday; they are fair or brown in complexion, and use the same habit, diet, etc., that is made use of in the adjacent continent and isles. There is only one inn in this isle.
Jura (http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/buie2.htm)
The isle is mountainous along the middle, where there are four hills of a considerable height...The paps of Jura. They are very conspicuous from all quarters of sea and land in those parts. . .The mold is brown and greyish on the coast and black in the hills which are covered with heath and some grass that proves good pasturage for their cattle, which are horses, cows, sheep, and goats. There’s a variety of land and water—fowl here. The hills ordinarily have about three hundred deer grazing on them. . . This isle is perhaps the wholesomest plot of ground either in the isles or the continent of Scotland, as appears by the long life of the natives. . . There is no epidemical disease that prevails here. . .none of them are at any time observed to become mad.. .there was not one woman died of child—bearing there these 34 years past.. .The inhabitants for their diet make use of beef and mutton in the winter and spring as also of fish, butter, cheese, and milk. . . Salmons here are in goodness and taste far above those of any other river whatever. . . There is a church here called Killearn. The inhabitants are all Protestants and observe the festivals of Christmas, Easter, and Michaelmas.. .The natives are very well proportioned, being generally dark of complexion, and free from bodily imperfections. They speak the Irish language and wear the plaid, bonnet, etc. as other Islanders."
Note, these are from the year 1695. Before the Irish Famine and subsequent migrations.
From the book, "Warlords & Holy Men" by Alfred P. Smith, the Hebridean ancestry of Icelanders is discussed on page 165:
As late as the first quarter of the thirteenth century the compilers of the Laxdoela Saga could describe the settlers of the western dales of Iceland as using characteristic 'Scottish saddles' (skozkum sodls) and there are even hints that the physical appearance of these westerners (red hair and dark hair, swarthy complexion) bespoke their Scottish Celtic origins.
Descriptions of West Highland Mercenaries in Ireland (http://www.kintyremag.co.uk/1998/16/page10.html)
The origin of the MacCabes is uncertain. A well-known Irish authority regarded the name as having been originally a nickname which obscures the family of its origin. Dr. G. F. Black quotes various Irish authorities to show the MacCabes were widely spread through Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, and Meath, first appearing in the fourteenth century (1368) as galloglass leaders of Norse-Hebridean origin, and following that profession for two centuries, their heads being known as Constables of Oriel, Breiffny, and Fermanagh. They were remarkable for 'their xanthous complexions, their vivacity, and their vigour,' and bore distinctive Hebridean forenames such as Alan, and Somhairle or Somerled. Black cites the authors of THE ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS as claiming them to be a branch of the Macleods; but no proof of this is given.
Clearly there must have been certain qualities in these West Highland soldiers which strongly commended them to the Irish chiefs, and of which the latter had probably a good demonstration during the campaign of Edward Bruce. Bruce appears to have had many of them on his army, and two of their chiefs, a Macdonald and a Macruarie, fell with him at Dundalk. When, in the year 1317, King Robert I himself led an expedition to Ireland to aid of his brother, he was accompanied, as the Irish annals inform us, 'by many galloglasses. The word as used here meant merely Highland soldiers, and the reference is probably to the contingent under Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow, who accompanied the King on this expedition.
From, Journey of a tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson
page 132:
Quote:
There was great diversity in the faces of the circle around us; some were as black and wild in their appearance as any American savages whatever.
page 152:
Quote:
The wind had now risen pretty high, and was against us, but we have four stout rowers, particularly a MacLeod, a robust, black haired fellow...something between a wild Indian and an English tar".
Description of the people of Harris in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, vol. VII pp.142, 143: (http://www.archive.org/stream/edinburghnewphil04edin/edinburghnewphil04edin_djvu.txt)
In general they are of small stature ; those individuals who are considered by them as exceeding the ordinary size, and accordingly designated by the epithet Mor, or Big, seldom exceeding 5 feet 10 inches in height. Scarcely any attain the height of 6 feet ; and many of the males are not higher than 5 feet 3 or 4 inches. They are in general robust, seldom, however, in any degree corpulent, and as seldom exhibiting the attenuated and pithless frame so common in large, and especially in manufacturing towns. The women are proportionally shorter, and more robust, than the men. There is nothing very peculiar in the Harrisian physiognomy ;the cheek-bones are rather prominent, and the nose is invariably short ; the space between it and the chin being disproportionately long. The complexion is of all tints. Many individuals are as dark as mulattoes, while others are nearly as fair as Danes. In so far as I have been able to observe, the dark race is superior to the fair in stature and strength.
A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland by Martin Martin (http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usebooks/martin-westernislands/section11.html)
Arran
The inhabitants of this island are composed of several tribes. The most ancient family among them is by the natives reckoned to be MacLouis, which in the ancient language signifies the son of Lewis. They own themselves to be descended of French parentage. Their surname in English is Fullerton, and their title Kirk-Mitchell, the place of their residence. If tradition be true, this little family is said to be of 700 years standing. The present possessor obliged me with the sight of his old and new charters, by which he is one of the king's coroners within this island, and as such he hath a halbert peculiar to his office. He has his right of late from the family of Hamilton, wherein his title and perquisites of coroner are confirmed to him and his heirs. He is obliged to have three men to attend him upon all public emergencies, and he is bound by his office to pursue all malefactors and to deliver them to the steward, or in his absence to the next judge. And if any of the inhabitants refuse to pay their rents at the usual term, the coroner is bound to take him personally or to seize his goods. And if it should happen that the coroner with his retinue of three men is not sufficient to put his office in execution, then he summons all the inhabitants to concur with him; and immediately they rendezvous to the place, where he fixes his coroner's staff. The perquisites due to the coroner are a firelet or bushel of oats and a lamb from every village in the isle, both which are punctually paid him at the ordinary terms.
The inhabitants of this isle are well proportioned, generally brown, and some of a black complexion. They enjoy a good state of health, and have a genius for all callings or employments, though they have but few mechanics. They wear the same habit with those of the nearest isles, and are very civil. They all speak the Irish language, yet the English tongue prevails on the east side, and ordinarily the ministers preach in it, and in Irish on the west side. Their ordinary asseveration is by Nale, for I did not hear any oath in the island.
The Isle Gigha
The inhabitants are all Protestants, and speak the Irish tongue generally, there being but few that speak English; they are grave and reserved in their conversation; they are accustomed not to bury on Friday; they are fair or brown in complexion, and use the same habit, diet, etc., that is made use of in the adjacent continent and isles. There is only one inn in this isle.
Jura (http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/buie2.htm)
The isle is mountainous along the middle, where there are four hills of a considerable height...The paps of Jura. They are very conspicuous from all quarters of sea and land in those parts. . .The mold is brown and greyish on the coast and black in the hills which are covered with heath and some grass that proves good pasturage for their cattle, which are horses, cows, sheep, and goats. There’s a variety of land and water—fowl here. The hills ordinarily have about three hundred deer grazing on them. . . This isle is perhaps the wholesomest plot of ground either in the isles or the continent of Scotland, as appears by the long life of the natives. . . There is no epidemical disease that prevails here. . .none of them are at any time observed to become mad.. .there was not one woman died of child—bearing there these 34 years past.. .The inhabitants for their diet make use of beef and mutton in the winter and spring as also of fish, butter, cheese, and milk. . . Salmons here are in goodness and taste far above those of any other river whatever. . . There is a church here called Killearn. The inhabitants are all Protestants and observe the festivals of Christmas, Easter, and Michaelmas.. .The natives are very well proportioned, being generally dark of complexion, and free from bodily imperfections. They speak the Irish language and wear the plaid, bonnet, etc. as other Islanders."
Note, these are from the year 1695. Before the Irish Famine and subsequent migrations.
From the book, "Warlords & Holy Men" by Alfred P. Smith, the Hebridean ancestry of Icelanders is discussed on page 165:
As late as the first quarter of the thirteenth century the compilers of the Laxdoela Saga could describe the settlers of the western dales of Iceland as using characteristic 'Scottish saddles' (skozkum sodls) and there are even hints that the physical appearance of these westerners (red hair and dark hair, swarthy complexion) bespoke their Scottish Celtic origins.
Descriptions of West Highland Mercenaries in Ireland (http://www.kintyremag.co.uk/1998/16/page10.html)
The origin of the MacCabes is uncertain. A well-known Irish authority regarded the name as having been originally a nickname which obscures the family of its origin. Dr. G. F. Black quotes various Irish authorities to show the MacCabes were widely spread through Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, and Meath, first appearing in the fourteenth century (1368) as galloglass leaders of Norse-Hebridean origin, and following that profession for two centuries, their heads being known as Constables of Oriel, Breiffny, and Fermanagh. They were remarkable for 'their xanthous complexions, their vivacity, and their vigour,' and bore distinctive Hebridean forenames such as Alan, and Somhairle or Somerled. Black cites the authors of THE ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS as claiming them to be a branch of the Macleods; but no proof of this is given.
Clearly there must have been certain qualities in these West Highland soldiers which strongly commended them to the Irish chiefs, and of which the latter had probably a good demonstration during the campaign of Edward Bruce. Bruce appears to have had many of them on his army, and two of their chiefs, a Macdonald and a Macruarie, fell with him at Dundalk. When, in the year 1317, King Robert I himself led an expedition to Ireland to aid of his brother, he was accompanied, as the Irish annals inform us, 'by many galloglasses. The word as used here meant merely Highland soldiers, and the reference is probably to the contingent under Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow, who accompanied the King on this expedition.
From, Journey of a tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson
page 132:
Quote:
There was great diversity in the faces of the circle around us; some were as black and wild in their appearance as any American savages whatever.
page 152:
Quote:
The wind had now risen pretty high, and was against us, but we have four stout rowers, particularly a MacLeod, a robust, black haired fellow...something between a wild Indian and an English tar".
Description of the people of Harris in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, vol. VII pp.142, 143: (http://www.archive.org/stream/edinburghnewphil04edin/edinburghnewphil04edin_djvu.txt)
In general they are of small stature ; those individuals who are considered by them as exceeding the ordinary size, and accordingly designated by the epithet Mor, or Big, seldom exceeding 5 feet 10 inches in height. Scarcely any attain the height of 6 feet ; and many of the males are not higher than 5 feet 3 or 4 inches. They are in general robust, seldom, however, in any degree corpulent, and as seldom exhibiting the attenuated and pithless frame so common in large, and especially in manufacturing towns. The women are proportionally shorter, and more robust, than the men. There is nothing very peculiar in the Harrisian physiognomy ;the cheek-bones are rather prominent, and the nose is invariably short ; the space between it and the chin being disproportionately long. The complexion is of all tints. Many individuals are as dark as mulattoes, while others are nearly as fair as Danes. In so far as I have been able to observe, the dark race is superior to the fair in stature and strength.