583. Each man might claim. That is, WHO could claim. See on i. 528
above.
600. No law but Roderick Dhu's command. Scott has the following note
here:
"The deep and implicit respect paid by the Highland clansmen to their
chief, rendered this both a common and a solemn oath. In other respects,
they were like most savage nations, capricious in their ideas concerning
the obligatory power of oaths. One solemn mode of swearing was by
kissing the dirk, imprecating upon themselves death by that, or a
similar weapon, if they broke their vow. But for oaths in the usual
form, they are said to have had little respect. As for the reverence
due to the chief, it may be guessed from the following odd example of a
Highland point of honour:
'The clan whereto the above-mentioned tribe belongs, is the only one
I have heard of which is without a chief; that is, being divided into
families, under several chieftains, without any particular patriarch
of the whole name. And this is a great reproach, as may appear from an
affair that fell out at my table, in the Highlands, between one of that
name and a Cameron. The provocation given by the latter was, "Name your
chief." The return of it at once was, "You are a fool." They went out
next morning, but having early notice of it, I sent a small party of
soldiers after them, which, in all probability, prevented some barbarous
mischief that might have ensued; for the chiefless Highlander, who
is himself a petty chieftain, was going to the place appointed with a
small-sword and pistol, whereas the Cameron (an old man) took with him
only his broadsword, according to the agreement.
'When all was over, and I had, at least seemingly, reconciled them, I
was told the words, of which I seemed to think but slightly, were,
to one of the clan, the greatest of all provocations' (Letters from
Scotland, vol. ii. p. 221)."