Our officer of Engineers, so often quoted, has given us a distinct list of the domestic officers who, independent of Luicht-tach, or gardes de corps, belonged to the establishment of a Highland Chief. These are, 1. The Hench-man. See these notes, p. 331. 2. The Bard. See p. 30. 3. Bladier, or spokesman. 4. Gillie-more, or Sword-bearer, alluded to in the text. 5. Gillie-casflue, who carried the chief, if on foot, over the fords. 6. Gillie-comstraine; who leads the chief's horse. 7. Gillie-Trushunarinsh; the baggage-man, 8. The piper. 9. The piper's gillie, or attendant, who carries the bagpipe.[1] Although this appeared, naturally enough, very ridiculous to an English officer, who considered the master of such a retinue as no more than an English gentleman of 500l. a year; yet, in the circumstances of the chief, whose strength and importance consisted in the number and attachment of his followers, it was of the last consequence, in point of policy, to have in his gift, subordinate offices, which called immediately round his person those who were most devoted to him, and, being of value in their estimation, were also the means of rewarding them.
- ↑ Letters from Scotland, vol. II. p. 158.
