June 29,
lings per tun 5 but fufficient is not yet raifed for the ufe of gJ
country.
This plain is fruitful, pretty much inclofed, and the hedges]
grow well •, a great encouragement to further experiments: tM
improved land is rented here from fifteen to twenty ihillings is
acre.
Obferve on the road fide the ruins of the chapel of Cill-cbmmi
or Kil-cbyvain : within are fome old grave-ftones, engraven with]
figures of a two-handed fword, and of dogs chafing deer.
Ride three miles along the fands o f Machrai'-Shanais bay, noteti]
for the tremendous fize and roaring of its waves in ftormy feafons J
and for the lofs o f many ihips, which by reafon of the lownefs oftkj
land are deceived into deftrudtion.
Dine at a tolerable houfe at Bar : vifit the great cave of BeM■]
a'-chaocbain, near the ihore. Embark in a rotten, leaky boat, and]
palling through fix miles of rippling Tea, find late at night our veil]
fafe at anchor, under the Eaft fide of the ille of Gigha, in the little I
harbour o f Caolas-gioglam, protedted by Gigha, and the little iile of]
Cara on the Weft and South; and by a chain of vaft rocks to the]
Eaft : numbers appear juft peeping above water in feveral partsij
and others that run out far from the Cantyre Ihore correlpond wii
thefe fo exadtly, as to make it probable that they once formed the 1
fame bed.
Land on
G 1 g h a :
An ifland about fix miles long, and one broad 5 the moft eaft®
Lfthe H e b r id e s : this, with Cara, forms a pariih in the county of
I S in the preibytery of Cantyre. Has in it no high hills and is a
| 3 of rock, pafture, and arable land. Produces barley bear
I ' flax and potatoes. Malt is made here and exported ; and
m m a hundred and fifty bolls o f bear; infomuch that fometimes
t h e n a t i v e s themfelves feel the want of it, and fuffer by a fcarcity
trifmgfrom their own avarice. They alfo rear more cattle than they
Ian maintain, and annually lofe numbers for want of fodder.
I The ifland is divided into thirty marklands, each of which ought
l o maintain fourteen cows and four horfes •, befides producing a
fertain quantity of corn. The bear yields five, the oats three fold.
■Each markland is commonly occupied by one farmer, who has
Ebveral married fervants under him, who live in feparate cottages,
land are allowed to keep a few cattle and iheep. The wages are from
three to four pounds a year to the men fervants ; from twenty to
thirty ihillings to the women. The young men employ themfelves
linthefummer in the herring fifhery •, but during winter give themselves
up entirely to an inaftive life.
I This ifland contains about five hundred inhabitants: and the
levenue is about fix hundred a year ; moft of it belonging to Mr.
\Macneile of Taynijh. In old times the laird was ftyled Thane o f
[Ggh>: his family has been long owner of thefe little territories, this
Ifea-girt reign •, but was difpoffeffed of it in 1549, by the * Clan-Don-
hld; and recovered it again; but hiftory omits the time of re-
I iteration. Difcontent has even reached this fmall ifland ; and two
* families have migrated to America.
* Dean of the Ifles, 7.
Breakfaft