I posted sometime earlier in this thread, that both Osgood Mackenzie, and Charles St John mention the kilt being worn. here are two brief quotes from C. St-John's book, "Wild sports and natural history of the Highlands" (1846)

Speaking of a group of poachers on the hill, spending a night in the heather, he says;

"...When a party of them sleep on the hillside, their manner of arranging their couch is as follows;-
If snow is on the ground, they first scrape it off a small space; they all then collect a quantity of the driest heather they can find.
The next step for all the party except one to lie down close to each other, with room between one couple for the remaining manto get into the ranks when his duty is done; which is to lay all the plaids on top of his companions, and on the plaids a quantity of long heather;
When he has sufficiently thatched them in, he creeps into the vacant space, and they are made up for the night. The coldest frost has no effect on them, when bivouacking in this manner. Their guns are laid dry between them, and their dogs share their master's couch."

End quote.
Now, I have a question!;
The plaids mentioned here; Are they the great plaids....great kilts? ore are they a kind of blanket carried by men wearing normal trousers, instead of carrying a coat?

Next quote from same auther and book, (1846);

"....I had a visit last week from a Highland poacher of some notoriety in his way.
He is the possesor of a brace of the finest deer-hounds in Scotland, and came down from his mountain-home to show them to me, as I wanted some for a friend.
The man himself is an old aquaintance of mine, as I had fallen in with him more than once in the course of my rambles."

He writes about his good looks and on how all the lassies say; Eh, but yon's a Bonnie Lad!"
.......... and goes on to say;

" he steps along the street with a good natured self satisfied swagger of a man who knows all the women are admiring him.
He is dressed in a Plain Grey Kilt and Jacket, with an otter-skin purse and a low scull cap with a long peak,....."
end quote.
.....and ends by saying he's not seen a finer fellow aywhere.

Ronald as he was called , was about 26 at the time, so not just an old leftover from an earlier age, yet it seems he wore the kilt, and knew how to! was he a rare exception? This was before the days when Queen Victoria brought kilting back into fashion.

Thanks for any answers!!

R.