tate, but that the extent of the moor and hill pastures of the larger tenements, which are possessed by the gentlemen tacksmen, should be increased, and part of the better, or arable, soil, divided among the small tenants, but in smaller quantities than formerly, and on such terms and for such a duration of lease as to induce them'to improve their respective lots, and toll the land off by enclosures for hay, corn, and green crops and pasture. Upon this mode, he assured me, the economy and sound policy of Highland management principally turn.

The right of primogeniture exists all over Scotland amongst the higher classes, and most generally amongst the lower orders also. Staffa thinks it good policy to encourage it amongst his tenantry, being of opinion that it is a valuable remnant of the feudal system. As an instance, he has upon his property at present some tenants, who are the fifth and sixth generations, in regular descent, upon the same piece of ground, and who would refuse exchanging it for twice its size upon English ground.

This local attachment is productive of the best effects, which will be abundantly displayed should the common enemy ever attempt to add Great Britain to the conquests he has already made. In these remote parts of the kingdom the spirit of patriotism burns as ardently as on the Continent of Great Britain. Even in the little island of Ulva there is a corps of seventy-one volunteers, including officers; and in the island of Mull there are two corps, each as large as that of Ulva. To the eternal honour of the Scottish volunteers be it mentioned, that before they were disbanded in April, 1802, two-thirds, if not threefourths of them, volunteered their services to any part of Great Britain.

Notwithstanding the occasional vexations which those who chiefly live by the fisheries endure in consequence of the saltlaws, the natives of Ulva, and, it is believed, of the other islands, have an opportunity of living in great comfort and happiness. Their food consists of fish, of which they have upwards of twenty different species, within a few hundred yards of the shore, all around the island and along the coast; of mutton, lamb, and beef, of which they, of late years, consume a good deal; of geese, ducks, hens, chickens, &c. &c. Indeed, at certain seasons of the year, they consume a considerable quantity of poultry; eggs and milk they have in great abundance all the year round.

The worthy Laird of Ulva arranges all the lots of land upon his property in such a manner, that the holder of the smallest

lot of land has his two cows, and from that number up to six, ten, and twelve cows. In consequence of this, many of them not only provide their families with butter and cheese, but have a surplus to dispose of. The bread generally made use of is from barley and oatmeal, of which they also make porridge, which forms their breakfast or supper, along with milk; and when there is any scarcity of that in the winter months, they take molasses with their porridge.

As every small tenant, or lotman, has a garden attached to his house, he in general plants a quantity of cabbages, and of late turnip, which, with potatoes, are the principal vegetables; the latter are so much cultivated, and in such abundance, that their fish, of which, as

they eat a great quantity of them wety, close to the shore

I have

they have great

of most of their respective lots; and in general every tenant has a row-boat for himself and family, with which they fish, make kelp, &c. &c.

The natives of the Highlands and Hebrides still continue their dislike to eels, as an article of food, and which they never touch. Their prejudice against eating pork and bacon is now subsided, and in general that species of food is as much made use of as any other. Wheaten bread is not as yet used by the farmers in the Hebrides, though it is hoped it soon will be, and with that view the Laird of Ulva has sent a young man from Ulva, and apprenticed him to a respectable baker in Edinburgh, and as soon as his apprenticeship is out, which will be very soon, Staffa intends to build a house for him, and to encourage him to follow his profession on the island of Ulva.

The quern, a rude instrument for grinding corn, is, as I was well informed, now wholly discontinued as well in the Highlands as the Hebrides, though they are still to be seen in some of the old tenants' houses. In Ulva, and in all the Hebrides, there are water-mills, of the most modern and approved construction, for grinding corn; I mean barley, beg, or bere, oats, rye, &c. and in general there are two or three, and often more of such mills, within the bounds of every parish in the Highlands and islands of Scotland. In the parish of Killninan there are no fewer than six corn-mills. Within a few years several shops have also been opened at Tobermorry and Oskamill, in the island of Mull; and at Sorrobay, Bernis, Ormaig, and the Sound of Ulva, within the island of Ulva; and I was informed that all over the Western Islands, or Hebrides, shops

for retailing all kinds of merchant goods are now becoming pretty general.

The islands of Mull, Ulva, Gometra, and Iona, have only three clergymen between them. In consequence of the great extent and population of their respective charges, the many places at which they have to preach, the difficulties of travelling through the islands, and of passing from one to the other, these itinerant ministers are enabled to preach only every second and third Sunday at those places which have been established for the ordinances of Divine worship. During the Sundays, however, where there are no preachings, the schoolmasters are regularly employed in these islands (at least it is so in Ulva) in visiting the tenantry, and assembling them in places previously fixed upon for that purpose, where they read and explain the Scriptures to the people, and regularly catechise the children, and appoint them psalms and religious questions, to repeat and answer against their next meetings, which are most punctually attended. Besides these public exhortations in the forenoons, the natives, in general, pray in private. The clergymen of the above three parishes enjoy a stipend, including other casualties and advantages, varying from 150 to 3007. a year each. I was also informed that their brethren in the neighbouring parishes on the west coast of Scotland are as well provided for. Upon inquiring in Ulva whether there was a church for the minister to officiate in, I was informed that there still remain the ruins of a church of considerable size in the island, in which it is generally believed the inhabitants not only of Ulva, but of the neighbouring farms, were in the habit of assembling to hear Divine worship. That period, from the appearance of the ruins, must have been very remote. Round this church there is an extensive burying-ground, enclosed by a stone wall, which is now, and has been from time immemorial, made use of for that purpose. In this churchyard are a great number of loose stones placed upon the top of each grave, respecting which John Macquarrie, an old man of nearly ninety years of age, ánd whose ancestors, for many generations back, have inhabited this farm for several centuries past, relates, that the reason why so many stones had been placed on these ancient graves was to prevent the dead bodies from being dug up by wolves, with which, even during his grandfather's time, the island of Ulva abounded, having, even at that late period, some wood, chiefly oak, upon it; and that, such was the force of habit and prejudice, though, for upwards of sixty years, there have been nei

ther wolves, foxes, nor venomous animals of any kind or description, seen in the island of Ulva, yet it is not more than thirty years since the custom of covering the graves with stones was discontinued.

The islands abound with foxes, rabbits, hares, and every variety of game, such as muir-fowl, or growse, heath-fowl, commonly called black cock, heath-hen, woodcock, snipe, and a very fine bird called the cock of the wood, or the kapperkelly. This bird has, from some unknown cause, been more scarce of late years than it was in former times. There is also the ptarmigan; and, of the ordinary birds, innumerable quantities of pigeons, plover of both kinds, the grey and the green plover, the curlew, mayfowl, pyet, red-shanks, together with a great variety of other species of land-birds. Of the sea-fowl there are five different kinds of wild geese, and eight or ten kinds of ducks, amongst which the shell-drake is celebrated for the rich beauty of its plumage. There are also, of the sea-gull, or sea-maw, five or six different species; solan geese, cormorants, scarts, marrots, and a great variety of smaller birds. Wild swans also visit the Hebrides every winter, from the northern regions.

Coal has been found in Sky, in Mull, and in some other of the islands, though as yet no fair trial has been made of the extent or value of the seams of such coal. Staffa has all his coal from the main land to Ulva-house by the vessels which sail with his kelp, and as there are annually made upon his property about two hundred tons of that article, he is seldom at a loss in getting coal, or any other fuel, for the consumption of the family of Ulva-house, brought home at an easy rate.

CHAPTER XXVII

Inchkenneth-Lismore-Loch Awe described-the sick pauper-Inverarycastle-the herring-fishery-the Crinan canal-Loch Lomond-Lake of Monteiththe Trossachs-Killin-a Highland funeral.

INDISPOSITION, arising from frequent exposure to rain, prevented me from joining the pleasant party I have before mentioned to the green isle of Inchkenneth, which lay very near Ulva, and looked like an emerald

In this island, the reader will remember, Dr. Johnson experienced much hospitality from Sir Allan Maclean and his daughters, which had the effect of putting him in perfect good humour, and he has accordingly written an elegant and captivating eulogy on the family and the place. He describes Sir Allan's establishment to have been one cottage for himself, and two more, for the domestics. "We entered," says he, "and wanted little that palaces afford. Our room was neatly floored and well lighted, and our dinner, which was dressed in one of the other huts, was plentiful and delicate."-Upon the return of the party, one of the gentlemen informed me that this island, which is also the property of Staffa, is about a mile long, and half a mile broad; that it is extremely fertile, and in a high state of cultivation; that it is inhabited by a few cattle and a shepherd; and that the tiny dwelling of the Baronet, in its best days, consisted only of three rooms, not one of which seemed capacious enough to have admitted Johnson to turn himself, without putting his head out of the window.

We quitted the amiable family of Ulva-house with strong impressions of their kindness. Though their residence is so remote and difficult of access, during the summer months they are never without visiters, attracted by the islands, many of whom are distinguished for either rank, talent, or character. We landed again in Mull, at the head of Loch Nakeall. Only one horse, and that the leanest of his race, could be procured for our whole party. The horses in Mull are so accustomed to their native country, that they are never more in danger of fal