frequentation, is a repofitory of every thing requifite for common ufe. Mr. Bofwell's journal was filled, and he bought fome paper in Col. To a man that ranges the streets of London, where he is tempted to contrive wants for the pleasure of fupplying them, a shop affords no image worthy of attention; but in an ifland, it turns the balance of existence between good and evil. To live in perpetual want of little things, is a ftate not indeed of torture, but of constant vexation. I have in Sky had fome difficulty to find ink for a letter; and if a woman breaks her needle, the work is at a ftop.

As it is, the islanders are obliged to content them.felves with fuccedaneous means for many common purposes. I have seen the chief man of a very wide district riding with a halter for a bridle, and governing his hobby with a wooden curb.

The people of Col, however, do not want dexterity to supply some of their neceffities. Several arts which make trades, and demand apprenticeships in great cities, are here the practices of daily œconomy. In every house candles are made, both moulded and dipped. Their wicks are fmall fhreds of linen cloth. They all know how to extract from the cuddy oil for their lamps. They all tan fkins, and make brogues.

As we travelled through Sky, we faw many cottages, but they very frequently ftood fingle on the naked ground. In Col, where the hills opened a place convenient for habitation, we found a petty village, of which every hut had a little garden adjoining; thus they made an appearance of focial commerce and anutual offices, and of fome attention to convenience

and

and future supply. There is not in the Western Islands any collection of buildings that can make pretenfions to be called a town, except in the ifle of Lewis, which I have not feen.

If Lewis is diftinguished by a town, Col has alfo fomething peculiar, The young laird has attempted what no iflander perhaps ever thought on. He has begun a road capable of a wheel-carriage. He has carried it about a mile, and will continue it by annual elongation from his houfe to the harbour,

Of taxes here is no reafon for complaining; they are paid by a very eafy compofition. The malt-taxfor Col is twenty fhillings. Whifky is very plentiful: there are feveral ftills in the island, and more is made than the inhabitants confume.

The great bufinefs of infular policy is now to keep the people in their own country. As the world has been let in upon them, they have heard of happier climates, and lefs arbitrary government; and if they are difgufted, have emiffaries among them ready to offer them land and houses, as a reward for deferting their chief and clan, Many have departed both from the main of Scotland, and from the islands; and all that go may be confidered as fubjects loft to the British crown; for a nation fcattered in the boundlefs regions of America refembles rays diverging from a focus. All the rays remain, but the heat is gone. Their power confifted in their concentration: when they are difperfed, they have no effect.

It may be thought that they are happier by the change; but they are not happy as a nation, for they are a nation no longer. As they contribute not to

the prosperity of any community, they must want that fecurity, that dignity, that happiness whatever it be, which a profperous community throws back upon individuals.

The inhabitants of Col have not yet learned to be weary of their heath and rocks, but attend their agriculture and their dairies, without liftening to American feducements.

There are fome however who think that this emigration has raised terrour difproportionate to its real evil; and that it is only a new mode of doing what was always done. The Highlands, they fay, never maintained their natural inhabitants; but the people, when they found themselves too numerous, instead of extending cultivation, provided for themselves by a more compendious method, and fought better fortune in other countries. They did not indeed go away in collective bodies, but withdrew invifibly, a few at a time; but the whole number of fugitives was not less, and the difference between other times and this, is only the fame as between evaporation and effufion.

This is plaufible, but I am afraid it is not true. Those who went before, if they were not fenfibly miffed, as the argument fuppofes, must have gone either in lefs number, or in a manner lefs detrimental, than at prefent; because formerly there was no complaint. Those who then left the country were generally the idle dependants on overburdened families, or men who had no property; and therefore carried away only themfelves. In the prefent eagerness of emigration, families, and almoft communities, go away together. Thofe who were confidered as prof

perous

perous and wealthy, fell their stock and carry away the money. Once none went away but the useless and poor; in fome parts there is now reafon to fear, that none will stay but those who are too poor to remove themselves, and too useless to be removed at the coft of others.

Of antiquity there is not more knowledge in Col than in other places; but every where fomething maybe gleaned.

How ladies were portioned, when there was no money, it would be difficult for an Englishman to guess. In 1649, Maclean of Dronart in Mull married his fifter Fingala to Maclean of Col, with a hundred and eighty kine; and ftipulated, that if fhe became a widow, her jointure should be three hundred and fixty, I suppose some proportionate tract of land was appropriated to their pafturage.

The difpofition to pompous and expenfive funerals, which has at one time or other prevailed in moft parts of the civilized world, is not yet fuppreffed in the iflands, though fome of the ancient folemnities are worn away, and fingers are no longer hired to attend the proceffion. Nineteen years ago, at the burial of the laird of Col, were killed thirty cows, and about fifty fheep. The number of the cows is pofitively told, and we must fuppofe other victuals in like pro portion.

Mr. Maclean informed us of an old game, of which he did not tell the original, but which may perhaps be used in other places, where the reason of it is not yet forgot. At New-year's eve, in the hall or caftle of the laird, where, at feftal feafons, there nay be fuppofed a very numerous company, one man dreffes

Bb 4

dreffes himself in a cow's hide, upon which other men beat with fticks. He runs with all this noife round the houfe, which all the company quits in a counterfeited fright: the door is then fhut. At Newyear's eve there is no great pleasure to be had out of doors in the Hebrides. They are fure foon to recover from their terrour enough to folicit for re-admiffion; which, for the honour of poetry, is not to be obtained but by repeating a verse, with which thofe that are knowing and provident take care to be furnished.

Very near the house of Maclean ftands the caftle of Col, which was the manfion of the laird, till the house was built. It is built upon a rock, as Mr. Bofwell remarked, that it might not be mined. It is very strong, and having been not long uninhabited, is yet in repair. On the wall was, not long ago, a stone with an infcription, importing, that if any man of the clan of Maclonich fhall appear before this castle, though he come at midnight, with a man's head in his hand, he shall there find fafety and protection against all but the king.

This is an old Highland treaty, made upon a very memorable occafion. Maclean, the fon of John Gerves, who recovered Col, and conquered Barra, had obtained, it is faid, from James the Second, a grant of the lands of Lochiel, forfeited, I fuppofe, by fome offence against the state.

Forfeited eftates were not in those days quietly refigned; Maclean, therefore, went with an armed force to feize his new poffeffions, and, I know not for what reafon, took his wife with him. The Camerons rofe in defence of their chief, and a battle

was