a journey to-第28部分

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the　sand　from　the　shore　over　a　considerable　part　of　the　land；　and
it　is　said　still　to　encroach　and　destroy　more　and　more　pasture；　but
I　am　not　of　opinion；　that　by　any　surveys　or　landmarks；　its　limits
have　been　ever　fixed；　or　its　progression　ascertained。　　If　one　man
has　confidence　enough　to　say；　that　it　advances；　nobody　can　bring
any　proof　to　support　him　in　denying　it。　　The　reason　why　it　is　not
spread　to　a　greater　extent；　seems　to　be；　that　the　wind　and　rain
come　almost　together；　and　that　it　is　made　close　and　heavy　by　the
wet　before　the　storms　can　put　it　in　motion。　　So　thick　is　the　bed；
and　so　small　the　particles；　that　if　a　traveller　should　be　caught　by
a　sudden　gust　in　dry　weather；　he　would　find　it　very　difficult　to
escape　with　life。

For　natural　curiosities；　I　was　shown　only　two　great　masses　of
stone；　which　lie　loose　upon　the　ground；　one　on　the　top　of　a　hill；
and　the　other　at　a　small　distance　from　the　bottom。　　They　certainly
were　never　put　into　their　present　places　by　human　strength　or
skill；　and　though　an　earthquake　might　have　broken　off　the　lower
stone；　and　rolled　it　into　the　valley；　no　account　can　be　given　of
the　other；　which　lies　on　the　hill；　unless；　which　I　forgot　to
examine；　there　be　still　near　it　some　higher　rock；　from　which　it
might　be　torn。　　All　nations　have　a　tradition；　that　their　earliest
ancestors　were　giants；　and　these　stones　are　said　to　have　been
thrown　up　and　down　by　a　giant　and　his　mistress。　　There　are　so　many
more　important　things；　of　which　human　knowledge　can　give　no
account；　that　it　may　be　forgiven　us；　if　we　speculate　no　longer　on
two　stones　in　Col。

This　Island　is　very　populous。　　About　nine…and…twenty　years　ago；　the
fencible　men　of　Col　were　reckoned　one　hundred　and　forty；　which　is
the　sixth　of　eight　hundred　and　forty；　and　probably　some　contrived
to　be　left　out　of　the　list。　　The　Minister　told　us；　that　a　few　years
ago　the　inhabitants　were　eight　hundred；　between　the　ages　of　seven
and　of　seventy。　　Round　numbers　are　seldom　exact。　　But　in　this　case
the　authority　is　good；　and　the　errour　likely　to　be　little。　　If　to
the　eight　hundred　be　added　what　the　laws　of　computation　require；
they　will　be　increased　to　at　least　a　thousand；　and　if　the
dimensions　of　the　country　have　been　accurately　related；　every　mile
maintains　more　than　twenty…five。

This　proportion　of　habitation　is　greater　than　the　appearance　of　the
country　seems　to　admit；　for　wherever　the　eye　wanders；　it　sees　much
waste　and　little　cultivation。　　I　am　more　inclined　to　extend　the
land；　of　which　no　measure　has　ever　been　taken；　than　to　diminish　the
people；　who　have　been　really　numbered。　　Let　it　be　supposed；　that　a
computed　mile　contains　a　mile　and　a　half；　as　was　commonly　found
true　in　the　mensuration　of　the　English　roads；　and　we　shall　then
allot　nearly　twelve　to　a　mile；　which　agrees　much　better　with　ocular
observation。

Here；　as　in　Sky；　and　other　Islands；　are　the　Laird；　the　Tacksmen；
and　the　under　tenants。

Mr。　Maclean；　the　Laird；　has　very　extensive　possessions；　being
proprietor；　not　only　of　far　the　greater　part　of　Col；　but　of　the
extensive　Island　of　Rum；　and　a　very　considerable　territory　in　Mull。

Rum　is　one　of　the　larger　Islands；　almost　square；　and　therefore　of
great　capacity　in　proportion　to　its　sides。　　By　the　usual　method　of
estimating　computed　extent；　it　may　contain　more　than　a　hundred　and
twenty　square　miles。

It　originally　belonged　to　Clanronald；　and　was　purchased　by　Col；
who；　in　some　dispute　about　the　bargain；　made　Clanronald　prisoner；
and　kept　him　nine　months　in　confinement。　　Its　owner　represents　it
as　mountainous；　rugged；　and　barren。　　In　the　hills　there　are　red
deer。　　The　horses　are　very　small；　but　of　a　breed　eminent　for
beauty。　　Col；　not　long　ago；　bought　one　of　them　from　a　tenant；　who
told　him；　that　as　he　was　of　a　shape　uncommonly　elegant；　he　could
not　sell　him　but　at　a　high　price；　and　that　whoever　had　him　should
pay　a　guinea　and　a　half。

There　are　said　to　be　in　Barra　a　race　of　horses　yet　smaller；　of
which　the　highest　is　not　above　thirty…six　inches。

The　rent　of　Rum　is　not　great。　　Mr。　Maclean　declared；　that　he　should
be　very　rich；　if　he　could　set　his　land　at　two…pence　halfpenny　an
acre。　　The　inhabitants　are　fifty…eight　families；　who　continued
Papists　for　some　time　after　the　Laird　became　a　Protestant。　　Their
adherence　to　their　old　religion　was　strengthened　by　the　countenance
of　the　Laird's　sister；　a　zealous　Romanist；　till　one　Sunday；　as　they
were　going　to　mass　under　the　conduct　of　their　patroness；　Maclean
met　them　on　the　way；　gave　one　of　them　a　blow　on　the　head　with　a
yellow　stick；　I　suppose　a　cane；　for　which　the　Earse　had　no　name；
and　drove　them　to　the　kirk；　from　which　they　have　never　since
departed。　　Since　the　use　of　this　method　of　conversion；　the
inhabitants　of　Egg　and　Canna；　who　continue　Papists；　call　the
Protestantism　of　Rum；　the　religion　of　the　Yellow　Stick。

The　only　Popish　Islands　are　Egg　and　Canna。　　Egg　is　the　principal
Island　of　a　parish；　in　which；　though　he　has　no　congregation；　the
Protestant　Minister　resides。　　I　have　heard　of　nothing　curious　in
it；　but　the　cave　in　which　a　former　generation　of　the　Islanders　were
smothered　by　Macleod。

If　we　had　travelled　with　more　leisure；　it　had　not　been　fit　to　have
neglected　the　Popish　Islands。　　Popery　is　favourable　to　ceremony；
and　among　ignorant　nations；　ceremony　is　the　only　preservative　of
tradition。　　Since　protestantism　was　extended　to　the　savage　parts　of
Scotland；　it　has　perhaps　been　one　of　the　chief　labours　of　the
Ministers　to　abolish　stated　observances；　because　they　continued　the
remembrance　of　the　former　religion。　　We　therefore　who　came　to　hear
old　traditions；　and　see　antiquated　manners；　should　probably　have
found　them　amongst　the　Papists。

Canna；　the　other　Popish　Island；　belongs　to　Clanronald。　　It　is　said
not　to　comprise　more　than　twelve　miles　of　land；　and　yet　maintains
as　many　inhabitants　as　Rum。

We　were　at　Col　under　the　protection　of　the　young　Laird；　without　any
of　the　distresses；　which　Mr。　Pennant；　in　a　fit　of　simple　credulity；
seems　to　think　almost　worthy　of　an　elegy　by　Ossian。　　Wherever　we
roved；　we　were　pleased　to　see　the　reverence　with　which　his　subjects
regarded　him。　　He　did　not　endeavour　to　dazzle　them　by　any
magnificence　of　dress：　　his　only　distinction　was　a　feather　in　his
bonnet；　but　as　soon　as　he　appeared；　they　forsook　their　work　and
clustered　about　him：　　he　took　them　by　the　hand；　and　they　seemed
mutually　delighted。　　He　has　the　proper　disposition　of　a　Chieftain；
and　seems　desirous　to　continue　the　customs　of　his　house。　　The
bagpiper　played　regularly；　when　dinner　was　served；　whose　person　and
dress　made　a　good　appearance；　and　he　brought　no　disgrace　upon　the
family　of　Rankin；　which　has　long　supplied　the　Lairds　of　Col　with
hereditary　musick。

The　Tacksmen　of　Col　seem　to　live　with　less　dignity　and　convenience
than　those　of　Sky；　where　they　had　good　houses；　and　tables　not　only
plentiful；　but　delicate。　　In　Col　only　two　houses　pay　the　window
tax；　for　only　two　have　six　windows；　which；　I　suppose；　are　the
Laird's　and　Mr。　Macsweyn's。

The　rents　have；　till　within　seven　years；　been　paid　in　kind；　but　the
tenants　finding　that　cattle　and　corn　varied　in　their　price；　desired
for　the　future　to　give　their　landlord　money；　which；　not　having　yet
arrived　at　the　philosophy　of　commerce；　they　consider　as　being　every
year　of　the　same　value。

We　were　told　of　a　particular　mode　of　under…tenure。　　The　Tacksman
admits　some　of　his　inferior　neighbours　to　the　cultivation　of　his
grounds；　on　condition　that　performing　all　the　work；　and　giving　a
third　part　of　the　seed；　they　shall　keep　a　certain　number　of　cows；
sheep；　and　goats；　and　reap　a　third　part　of　the　harvest。　　Thus　by
less　than　the　tillage　of　two　acres　they　pay　the　rent　of　one。

There　are　tenants　below　the　rank　of　Tacksmen；　that　have　got　smaller
tenants　under　them；　for　in　every　place；　where　money　is　not　the
general　equivalent；　there　must　be　some　whose　labour　is　immediately
paid　by　daily　food。

A　country　that　has　no　money；　is　by　no　means　convenient　for　beggars；
both　because　such　countries　are　commonly　poor；　and　because　charity
requires　some　trouble　and　some　thought。　　A　penny　is　easily　given
upon　the　first　impulse　of　compassion；　or　impatience　of　importunity；
but　few　will　deliberately　search　their　cupboards　or　their　granaries
to　find　out　something　to　give。　　A　penny　is　likewise　easily　spent；
but　victuals；　if　they　are　unprepared；　require　houseroom；　and　fire；
and　utensils；　which　the　beggar　knows　not　where　to　find。

Yet　beggars　there　sometimes　are；　who　wander　from　Island　to　Island。
We　had；　in　our　passage　to　Mull；　the　company　of　a　woman　and　her
child；　who　had　exhausted　the　charity　of　Col。　　The　arrival　of　a
beggar　on　an　Island　is　accounted　a　sinistrous　event。　　Every　body
considers　that　he　shall　have　the　less　for　what　he　gives　away。
Their　alms；　I　believe；　is　generally　oatmeal。

Near　to　Col　is　another　Island　called　Tireye；　eminent　for　its
fertility。　　Though　it　has　but　half　the　extent　of　Rum；　it　is　so　well
peopled；　that　there　have　appeared；　not　long　ago；　nine　hundred　and
fourteen　at　a　funeral。　　The　plenty　of　this　Island　enticed　beggars
to　it；　who　seemed　so　burdensome　to　the　inhabitants；　that　a　formal
compact　was　drawn　up；　by　which　the