Thus we had one good scene of life uncommon to us. The
people were very much pleased, gave us many blessings, and said they had
not had such a day since the old Laird of Macleod's time.
Dr. Johnson was much refreshed by this repast. He was pleased when I
told him he would make a good Chief. He said, 'Were I a chief, I would
dress my servants better than myself, and knock a fellow down if he
looked saucy to a Macdonald in rags: but I would not treat men as
brutes. I would let them know why all of my clan were to have attention
paid to them. I would tell my upper servants why, and make them tell the
others.' We rode on well[443], till we came to the high mountain
called the Rattakin, by which time both Dr. Johnson and the horses were
a good deal fatigued. It is a terrible steep to climb, notwithstanding
the road is formed slanting along it; however, we made it out. On the
top of it we met Captain M'Leod of Balmenoch (a Dutch officer who had
come from Sky) riding with his sword slung across him. He asked, 'Is
this Mr. Boswell?' which was a proof that we were expected. Going down
the hill on the other side was no easy task. As Dr. Johnson was a great
weight, the two guides agreed that he should ride the horses
alternately. Hay's were the two best, and the Doctor would not ride but
upon one or other of them, a black or a brown.
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