They looked up to the chief as to their common father; he looked upon them as his children, whom he protected as well as governed. That there were constant feuds and conflicts maintained between the neighbouring clans or tribes, is a fact well known. Many circumstances concurred to occasion these conflicts and to support this warlike spirit. In those rude and remote ages when trade and commerce were little attended to, men of an enterprising spirit had no other field for distinguishing themselves but by their superior skill in the use of arms. This induced them to watch for every opportunity of displaying their martial achievements and hence it often happened that the slightest affronts were resented as the greatest injuries, especially from one of a different tribe or clan. And it was not uncommon, for the sake of a mere punctilio, or point of honour, to see the neighbouring clans marching out to battle, and maintaining the bloody conflict till victory was declared on one side. The conflict being over it was usual that the chief or leader bestowed some mark of favour upon those of his followers who had distinguished themselves by their valour. When both sides were wearied out with the fatigues of war there was usually a bond of amity or friendship entered into by their leaders, in which they bound themselves, and their followers, to maintain peace; which deeds were executed with all the solemnity of treaties entered into between two sovereign powers. But, even after the chiefs of the clans became more enlightened and humanised than to encourage the old feuds, they found it no easy matter to restrain the lower ranks among their followers from assassinating their neighbours, and committing depredations on their property. A striking proof of which we learn from a transaction that happened in this part of the country little more than a century ago, when there was a bond of friendship entered into between the families of Seaforth and Fowlis. An old record, which gives a character of Sir John Munro of Fowlis, speaks thus: ‘He lived in good correspondence with his neighbours for there was a mutual condescendence past betwixt Kenneth Earl of Seaforth and Sir John Munro, therein designed John Munro younger of Fowlis, of which the tenor follows: “At Edinburgh the twenty third day of January, javie and sixty one years it is condescended and agreed as follows, that is to say, We Kenneth Earl of Seaforth, and John Munro younger of Fowlis taking to our consideration how prejudicial it hath been to both our families that there hath not been for along time so good a correspondence betwixt us as was befitting men of that conjunction and neighbourhood and of what advantage it wil1 be to us, to live in good correspondence and confederacy one with another, and to maintain and concur for the weal of either, for the which causes We the said noble lord, and John Munro younger of Fowlis, taking burthen on us for our friends, kinsmen, and all others whom we may stop or let, do by these presents bind and oblige us and our heirs faithfully upon our honours to maintain and concur with each other, for the good of both and our foresaids and to prevent as much as in us lies what may be to the prejudice of either of us or of any in whom either of us may be concerned in all time coming, as witness there presents subscribed by us the place, day, month and year above written and mentioned, before these witnesses Thomas McKenzie of Pluscardin, Colin Mckenzie of Pluscardin, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Munro, and Major Alexander Munro Commissar of Stirling. Sic subscribitur Seafort, John Munro.”‘

But notwithstanding this bond of friendship between the chiefs of both clans, it cannot be denied that a good deal of the old sprit discovered itself on various occasions among their followers and adherents, till it was so happily suppressed at the memorable era 1745-6. It is our good fortune to live in an age when we see those whose predecessors in rude and barbarous times seldom met but with hostile intentions, now living in habits of sincere friendship and social intercourse, much to their mutual honour and advantage.

Population –
In order to ascertain with accuracy the population of this parish, a survey was made between the beginning of January and the middle of March 1791 from which we are enabled to give the following account of that important article.