thing of the hardships of a humane Hebridian landlord's situation. They have no idea of the difficulties attending the removal of tenants from lands, or persons of every description from the homes to which they have succeeded as by right of heritage, from a long line of ancestors, connected perhaps by blood with the landlords to whom they are now a burden, and whose estates they serve merely to encumber and to deteriorate; and they have no idea of the expence and trouble of removing poor people's families from one island, or one estate to another. Of these, Hebridian gentlemen, and they alone, are competent judges; and, therefore, they ought to be consulted by Government in a matter so intimately connected with the best interests of this extensive portion of our einpire. Mr McLean has settled several families on the south-east parts of this island, which were formerly unoccupied, and they manifest considerable industry; but the want of manure limits their exertions, so that the resources afforded by that part of Coll cannot essentially remove the evils resulting from the general over-population. There is no wood at present on the island, excepting fruit trees which grow in the proprietor's garden, bear fruit, and thrive extremely well, in consequence of being sheltered from the western storms, and the violence of the Atlantic ocean. It is nothing in the air or climate of even the most exposed isles, therefore, which proves pernicious to the growth of timber, but merely exposure to the furious westerly winds, which loosen the roots of all tall plants, by violently shaking and tossing their stalks or trunks ;-and when vegetables are protected from

this last mentioned inconvenience, they thrive as well as in any other soil or atmosphere whatsoever.

Notwithstanding the evils already stated as the result of a redundancy of population, it cannot be denied that Coll is greatly before the most part of the Hebrides in point of agricultural improvements. Its advantages are chiefly derived from the residence of the proprietor, and the example which he holds out for the imitation and encouragement of his tenants. He follows the footsteps of his amiable brother, mentioned by Dr Johnson, in promoting the welfare of his people by every possible means he procures grass seeds, the seeds of green crops, and of the most suitable white crops, for his own farm, and spreads them among his tenants farms: he shows them the approved modes of tilling, dressing, draining, manuring, and cropping their lands, and has succeeded astonishingly, though with arduous exertions, in gradually overcoming old prejudices and deep-rooted habits. He has put an effectual stop to illicit distillation, and consequently increased the happiness, by improving the morals, of his islanders; and, what is uncommon, he is at the same time highly respected and very much loved by them. The tenants children have the advantage of a good school: no fewer than 103 attended it in 1809. He never let any farm to the highest bidder, or accepted of secret offers, which he knew, though practised elsewhere without shame, would here be productive of misery and mischief; and in his general management he has always combined the talents of an able landlord with the virtues of a benevolent and patriotic chieftain.

Dean Monroe.

17. LISMORE.

Lismoir, an iyle quher leid ure is, fornent Doward. This iyle is four myle lang, with ane paroche kirke in it." Buchanan mentions this island as "the old seat of the bishops of Argyle, 8 miles long, and 2 broad, abounding in every thing common to the other isles, and also in metals.". Martin does not mention Lismore. It is a low green isle nearly 10 miles long, and of an average breadth of 1 mile, containing about 8000 acres of superficial extent, rocks, lakes, &c: included. It runs from south-west, where it is 3 miles distant from Dowart-point in Mull, to north-east. The whole island is a mass of limestone, which bassets, or appears at day, over most parts of the surface. The soil is very fertile, being the decomposition of lime, and here and there richly manured with marl. In the bottom of every marsh or lake, this last mentioned mineral is found of the depth of from 8 to 18 feet. There is to be seen in the face of a limestone rock, seven or eight feet above the surface of the ground, and quite beyond the reach of tides at present, a seam 12 or 15 inches broad, of a concretion composed of all the varieties of shells to be found on these coasts, with now and then a small mixture of charcoal, as firm, and nearly as.. solid, as the rock surrounding it, to which it seems to be perfectly united, and of which it makes a part. Pieces of this seam have been carried to Edinburgh as curiosities, and are preserved in some cabinets there. Water running over the face of the limestone rocks of

this island has gradually worn them away, and many grotesque figures are formed by the more solid and remaining parts. These limestone rocks lie all in one direction, in layers one above another, nearly from southeast to north-west. There are seams or spars, three or four feet broad, of remarkably hard flinty rocks or stones, running across the island, at the distance of nearly two miles from one another. These seams appear to run in a direct line with similar ones on the opposite coast of Morvern, where there is no limestone. But of all the curiosities in this island, the most remark. able seem to be deer horns of immense size, and com horns of still greater magnitude in proportion, which have been dug out of the mosses. The pith of one of the latter, though much shrivelled and withered, is 12 inches in circumference at the root.

Lismore (i. e. Great Garden) has always been celebrated for its fertility. The crops raised are oats, barley, beans, flax, potatoes; and of late a few green crops and grasses have been successfully cultivated. A great proportion of the arable land is under beans, a circumstance uncommon in the Hebrides; and they are found to answer pretty well twice or thrice successively in the same fields. After beans two crops of oats are taken, and then potatoes are planted in drills, and not unskilfully managed. Eight bolls of beans and 16 of potatoes are a good crop; and these have of late averaged a value of from L.10 to L. 12 Sterling on the best parts of the island. The valued rent is L.268. 13s. There is nothing particularly interesting in this island excepting the lime works, lately carried on by a company, who prepare that article at a very moderate rate for the public.

The

The barrel of lime costs only 10d. at the place of shipping, so that, as it is of good quality, there is a great demand for it from the adjoining districts. The population of Lismore Isle is one-third of that of the parish of the same name, or nearly 1200 souls.

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18. MONK, Or muck.

Dean Monroe.-"Swynes' Iyle, be ane haffe myle of sea to this iyle (i. e. Eilean-nanʼeach, a small islet belonging to Monk), lyes ane ile of twa myle lang, callit in Erische, Eillean-na-Muchd, that is, the Swynes' Ile, and very fertill and fruitful of cornes and grassing for all store, and verey guid for fishing, inhabit and manurit, a good falcon nest in it. It perteynis to the bishope of the Iyles, with ane guid Heighland haven in it, the entry quhereof is at the west cheik." Buchanan mentions merely what the Dean communicates, and Martin nothing at all.

This beautiful little island is seen from the point of Ardnamurchan and Sound of Mull, extending nearly three miles east and west, and from one quarter of a mile to two miles in breadth. It contains about 1800 Scotch acres of good pasture and corn land, fit for producing every sort of Hebridian crops, and always remarkable for fertility. The greatest inconvenience of this island is the want of fuel. The inhabitants are obliged to import peats from Eigg and Rum; and when