John Major probably gives the clew to the whole transaction, when he tells us that ‘these two clans’—the Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron, which we have seen had a certain connection through their dependent septs, ‘were of one blood, having but little in lordships, but following one head of their race as principal with their kinsmen and dependants.’[449] He is apparently describing their position before these dissensions broke out between them, and his description refers us back to the period when the two clans formed one tribe, possessing the district of Lochaber as their _Tuath_ or country, where the lands in dispute—Glenlui and Locharkaig—were probably the official demesne of the old _Toisech_ or head of the tribe. [Sidenote: The Chief and the Kinsmen.] The clans are here described as consisting of two divisions: The one of the Kinsmen, or those of the blood of the sept; the other of the dependants or subordinate septs, who might be of different race. The former clan are well defined in the Gartmore MS., written in the year 1747. The writer says that ‘the property of these Highlands belongs to a great many different persons, who are more or less considerable in proportion to the extent of their estates, and to the command of men that live upon them, or follow them, on account of this clanship, out of the estates of others. These lands are set by the landlord during pleasure, or a short tack, to people whom they call goodmen (_Duine Uasail_), and who are of a superior station to the commonalty. These are generally the sons, brothers, cousins, or nearest relations of the landlord (or chief). This, by means of a small portion, and the liberality of their relations, they are able to stock, and which they, their children and grandchildren, possess at an easy rent, till a nearer descendant be again preferred to it. As the propinquity removes, they become less considered, till at last they degenerate to be of the common people, unless some accidental acquisition of wealth supports them above their station. As this hath been an ancient custom, most of the farmers and cottars are of the name and clan of the proprietor.’ This exactly describes the Irish _Finé_ in its restricted sense, where the immediate kin of the _Ceannfiné_ or chief consists of seventeen persons, forming the _Duthach Finé_, from whence they pass by degrees into the _Duthaign Daine_ or commonalty of the _Finé_ or sept. [Sidenote: The native-men.]