o f peat. A fea abounding with fiih, but their diftrelîèd ftatS
difables them from cultivating the one, and taking the otheil
Thefe two ¡(lands contain eight thoufand four, hundred acres ofl
which about two thoufand fix hundred are arable. How inadéquat!
then is the produce of cattle ; and how much more fo is that ol
corn !
The foil o f this iflandis.farfuperioringoodnefs to that of OrmfmM
yet how difproportionably lefs are the exports : Oranfay owes its ad
vantages to the good management of the tenant.
In both iflands are between five and fix hundred fouls. The o il
inhabitants were the Mac-dufies and the Mac-mrechs. . The firftweJ
chief, fh is ijle, fays the Dean, is brukit be ane gentle capitane dm
Mac-Dufyke and pertened of auld to Clandonaldof Kyntyre,’ and it is
now brukit be ane gentle capitane callit Mac-neile, who has nevJ
raifed his rents, has, preferved the love of his people, and loft biit.J
fingle family by migration.
i This ifland, fince the time o f the D e a n , was the property of t i l
Argyle family, who fold it to an anceftor of the prefent proprietol
about fixty years ago. I conjecture that the antient owner tnig*
have forfeited by engaging in the laft rebellion o f the Mac-domM
and that it was included in the large grant, of iflands. made to th l
Campbels, in reward for their fervices.
Met with nothing very: interefting in the ride. Eafs by a chail
o f fmall lakes, called Loch-fad, by two great erect (loncs monumetitill
at Cil-ckattan \ and by a ruined chapel. There are three others'!
but notwithstanding from this circumftance, Oranfay and Cohnm
might be fuppofçd to have been ifles of fan&ity, y e t , from til
refo rm a tio » |
«reformation till within the laft fix years, the facrament had been
¡only once adminiftered.
I Reach Cil-oran, the feat of the proprietor, Mr. Mac-neile, who en-
Itertained us with much politenefs. His houfe is well-fheltered, and
■trees grow very vigoroufly in its neighborhood. There is fcarcely
fan ifland, where vallies protefted from winds, may not be found, in
■which trees might be planted to great advantage. Alh and maple
■would fucceed particularly well: and in many places the belt kinds
■of willows would turn to good account, and produce a manufacture
■of bafkets and hampers, articles our commercial towns have a great
■demand for.
I Rabbets abound here : about a hundred and twenty dozen of
■their ikins are annually exported.
I Bernacles appear here in vaft flocks in September, and retire the
■latter end of April or beginning o f May. Among the domeftic
■fowls I obferved peacocks to thrive well in the farm at Oranfay. So
■far north has this Indian bird been naturalized.
I Neither frogs, toads nor vipers are found here ; or any kind of
■ferpent, except the harmlefs blind-worm.
I I met with no remarkable foflils. Black talc the mica Lamellata
Umrtialis nigra of Cronfted, feit. 95, is found here, both in large
■detached flakes, and immerfed in indurated clay. Alfo rock ftone
■formed of glimmer and quartz. An imperfeft granite is not un-
■frequent.
| In the morning, walk down to the eaftern coaft of the ifland, to
I a creek guarded by the little rocky ifle of Olamfay, where fmall vefiels
■may find fhelter. Find Mr. Thompfon plying off at a mile’s diftance.
■Go on board; and fail for Jona. The lofty mountains o f Mull lay
N -n 2 in
A n i m a l s .'
F o s s i l s .
J u l y 8.
■