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mine of the year 1782. When they died in debt, riably to sell all their effects to pay their meat, meaning meal. On their deaths their whole effects were sold by auction to pay this sacred debt ;-these might produce at an average from 6s. to 6s. 6d. Rowed back in the evening, had the same long walk, got back into the boats of the vefsels, very late, and very blowing weather, very tired. The country people, when rowing, accompany their labour, and lighten it by singing songs called irams. Requested an interpretation of a favourite iram, it was as follows: "I am much vexed at not being near the sea, so that I cannot sleep in comfort; though I am at ease on horseback, the horse cannot supply my wants. It was not so with my mare (my ship,) fhe could carry many men; fhe is a racer that runs near the wind, without spurs to goad her on. She was delightful and easy at sea, always foremost in the race. lofty masts were built of the best pine, and her white sails were beautiful from afar. The blasts from the mountains and vallies, made her fly through the water, and shine on the top of the billows; while her men were hauling the tarry ropes. The sound of her oars was heard from afar; every man with `his oar in his hand rowed slowly. When fhe reached the shore, the sea calves were not safe for our strength, nor the deer of the hills for our swiftnefs. Though my locks are grown gray this is still my delight; I hate to hold the bridle and the whip in my hand.'

All paid him that could. their directions were inva

VOL. ix.

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July 29. Sailed, and with a light wind reached Loch Ewe, to the southward, half after six o'clock in the morning.

July 30. Visited the harbour of Ardnaback, belonging to Captain Mackenzie of Green Yards; joined a large party of ladies walking on the beech. They came from Tainnifilan, a jointure house of a lady near this place. It appears a good situation for a fishing station. Searched the Yare for fish. This is a part of the beech between high and low water mark inclosed with watlings. The fish get in here when the sea flows, and are left by the ebb tide, always affording a plentiful supply of fish for the use of any family, and often for the neighbourhood. Visited another station in the loch, called Tunag. Found the ground round it very barren, and the situation too far down in the loch. Held two boards in the mornång and evening. Dismissed the tender. Requisites of a good fishing station, or society's village: 1st. A good harbour with easy access to the herring ar. cod fishery. 2d. Good land, and a sufficient quantity for the conveniency of the inhabitants. 3d. Means of improving the land in the adjacent country. 4th. Plenty of peat fuel. 5th. Good water for domestic uses and mills. 6th. Easy communication with the counttry. 7th. Convenient position for general commerce. and navigation. 9th. Good southern exposure. aoth. Countenance of the proprietor.

On these accounts Seaforth urged strenuously a station in Pooleu; where there is no doubt many of the above advantages are to be found.

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July 31. Mr Brown and Mr Dempster took leave of the committee in order to return by land. The other gentlemen sailed back to the isle of Sky, and visited several other stations. They spent some days on the isle of Isla with Shawfield, an account of whose extensive improvements, in that island, would afford much satisfaction to the public, and do great credit to that gentleman. Rowed down the loch to Lochend, the seat of Alexander Mackenzie, esq. of Lochend. A great deal of improved, and improveable ground here. Seaforth fifhed for salmon in the: river Ewe, and caught two in a fhort time.

August 1st. Attempted to sail up the river Ewe, two miles into Loch Maree, but a violent storm from the east prevented it.

August 2d. After an hospitable residence of two days with Lochend, sailed up the river and down. Loch Maree, a fresh water lake, eighteen miles long,. The land on the north side of Loch Ewe belongs to: Lochend, and to Mr Roderick Mackenzie of Cairsarrie. Has a fine beech and terras. The opposite side of the river of Ewe is the glebe of the clergyman,... who has suffered people to settle on it. It is beauti-fully improved, and well inhabited, although the ex-posure is to the north, and though the clergyman: can only give these settlers security during his incumbency. The opposite. banks are equally culti vable, and a finer exposure; yet are in a state of na-ture. The few instances of this kind that have OC-curred, leave little room to doubt, that long leases and secure pofsefsion would soon improve the Highlands.. Sensible people at Lochend afserted that, take it al

in all, Ulapole was the best herring station in the west; and that the best cod and ling fisheries might be carried on from Loch Gareloch, Loch Ewe, and. Loch Invar. The same persons affirmed, from their knowledge of the country, that some considerable people might, perhaps, build houses for themselves; yet the poverty of the generality of them made that impofsible; so that unless the society built houses, and let them to the people, it must expect its towns to be for a long time very thinly inhabited.

Took leave of Seaforth, who had obligingly accompanied us to Lochend, and returned to the rest of the committee.

Here ends the maritime part of the journal any way connected with the objects of the fishery society.

Should the funds of this society ever increase to the original expectations of its friends, and continue under the same intelligent and disinterested direction, till it has increased the number of their settlements up to what the state of the country and its fisheries require; and fhould the government make good roads. of communication through the Highlands, and to the western fhores; above all, fhould parliament revise its maritime laws, and facilitate the communication between the Hebrides and the main land, by putting boats, going between them, on the same footing as boat navigations in the frith of Forth, or the Thames; and were the proprietors of land to remove the feudal remains of the subserviency of the industrious order of inhabitants to their superiors; it cannot be

doubted but agriculture, manufactures, and fisheries, would soon enrich that country, and greatly improve the circumstances of the people:

N..B. At Benbecula, Clanranald, though himself a protestant, is very attentive towards the inhabitants of this island, who are all Roman catholics, in finding a place of worship, and doing acts of kindness,: to the priests of their persuasion.

At Lochshipford. Visited a fheeling near this port. Found it a temporary hut, the walls of mud,. about four feet high, the roof of turf. Crawled on all, fours in at the door, which might be a hole about three feet and a half, but no wooden door,. or any means of shutting it. The inside divided into two apartments, by a blanket hung acrofs; a bank of earth formed a bench in the outward apartment.› Were received here by its female inhabitant, the wife. of a neighbouring. tacksman. This lady had been educated in France; and had the manners and addrefs of persons of rank of that country; was well dressed,. chearful, spoke English well, and treated the com-pany to some new milk, served in vefsels perfectly clean and neat. In a small hut adjoining was a comely young woman, her daughter, busily employed at. her spinning wheel. When harvest approaches the family return to their farm, with their cattle and produce of the dairy. The husband, a venerable old. man, attended the party to their vefsels with great civility. Much struck with the contrast between the hut and its inhabitants.

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