climate is so boisterous and rainy*, and there is such a scarcity of manure, that it would be a very difficult matter to prosecute agriculture with any advantage, even supposing it peopled by a colony from East-Lothian or Berwick. But although in general unfit for agriculture, and especially for white crops, there are some hundred acres of good low-lying land in the sheltered vallies, where green crops and grasses might be cultivated with success. Were the island, therefore, in the possession of three or four families, and stocked with a hardy breed of sheep, it would pay four times its present rent; and 300 individuals, who are now a dead weight upon Mr Maclean of Coll the proprietor, and cannot maintain their families in any tolerable degree of comfort, would elsewhere seek for labour and subsistence. The proprietor attempted to introduce sheep instead of the black cattle and horses; to which the natives have been accustomed, and they answered exceedingly well, but the prejudices of the inhabitants soon overcame their reason; and, as the landlord was not on the spot, or in a condition to superintend and enforce the system of sheep-farming, they soon returned to their former live stock and their ancient habits. In an agricultural light, therefore, Rum is a blot

Conversing with a young man at the head of Lochscreissort in 1807, during a down-pour of rain which had persevered in deluging the island for a week, the reporter asked, "Does it perpetually rain in such torrents in Rum?” He answered," Cha bhi, ach sneachda na-uathriobh," i. c. No Sir, not always torrents of rain, but sometimes of snow.

on the map of the Hebrides; and its population, however simple and virtuous, are in their present state a dead stock to the community and to themselves. Although Mr Maclean should not exact a shilling of rent from an island that might, if under a sheep stock, pay him L. 1200 or L. 1300 per annum, the natives would be poor and miserable; so that there is no resource but to turn them off in some way or other. What has been stated with regard to Coll holds true, in a still more palpable way, of Rum. The proprietor's humanity prevents him from depopulating this island, although his good sense must convince him that his benevolence is, in the long run, cruelty to the poor creatures whom he feeds at his expence, and a loss to the community, who are deprived of the population in question as effectually, in every point of national resource, (useless militia service only excepted,) as if they lived in Borneo or Sumatra.

With respect to the mineral productions of Rum, some travellers imagine that they might be turned to good account, were there a possibility of having easy and safe access to them. At the foot of Sgurmôre, opposite to Cannay, are found abundar.ce of agates, of that species called by Cronsted achates calcedonisans, improperly white cornelians: Several singular strata, such as grey quartz-stone; another, a mixture of quartz and basaltes; a black stone spotted with white like porphyry, but with the appearance of a lava; fine grit or free-stone; and the cinereous indurated bole of Cronsted.

The only harbour in Rum is Loch-screissort, on the east coast, and due west of the point of Sleat in Skye. This harbour bears east and west, and runs a consider

able

able way into the island. It is not difficult of access, but rather open and too much exposed to the southeast and north-west. There are some sunken rocks on

the south side of the entrance; between these rocks and the north side are about three-fourths of its whole extent perfectly clear, affording tolerable room for tacking vessels in and out of the loch. This harbour is not much frequented, as mariners are always afraid of the squalls which rush from the lofty mountains and rough shores of Rum, and accordingly keep at a respectful distance from every part of its coast; but in bad weather we have run into it with safety, and found good anchorage, and, what was not expected, a pier or quay at the head of the loch.-Rum belongs to the county of Argyle.

21.-CANNAY,

Dean Monroe." Be twa myle of sea towards the northweist, towards the Isle of Ronin, layes an ile callit Kannay, faire maine land, foure myle lange, inhabit and manurit, with paroche kirke in it, guid for corne, fishing, and grassing, with a falcon nest in it, pertines to the abbot of Colmkill.' Buchanan merely names Cannay; and Martin mentions the celebrated compass hill taken notice of by Pennant and all other travellers. Cannay

3A 4

Cannay lies 3 miles northwest from Rum, 12 from the nearest point of Skye, and about 30 from South Uist or the Long Island. Its extreme length is 3 miles, and its average breadth 11 mile, comprehending an area of about 1900 Scotch acres. Its population in 1764 was 253 souls, which is very nearly the present number, fishermen and their families included. The soil is fertile, the decomposition of whin, basalt, and breccia or plumbpudding-stone; and the general appearance of the surface is verdant and beautiful. It yields a striking contrast to the opposite shores of the rough, rugged, and tempest-beaten Rum. There is no part of Cannay more than 600 feet above the level of the sea, while the highest summit of Rum approaches to 3,000 feet above its shores. Near the singular building supposed to have once been a prison for the proprietor's lady, who was suspected of an intrigue with the laird of Barray, there is a rock of Breccia, and on the face of it next the sea, and a little above the high sea-mark, there is, in a horizontal position, what seems to be a tree (and of the oak kind) the wood of which is in a decaying state resembling charcoal. It forms a part of the solid rock, which rises five or six fathoms above it, and extends a considerable way beyond it in every direction. The fibres of the wood may be distinctly traced, as appears from the specimens carried to Edinburgh and other places. Its situation makes it a great curiosity, both to the geologist and the natural historian. The hill north-west of the celebrated and well-known harbour of this island, reverses the compass needle, beyond all doubt, as the reporter has himself experienced each of the five times he has visited Cannay. There are

evident

evident appearances of iron ore in various parts of the island-so that the phenomenon alluded to may easily be accounted for.

The fishermen of this little isle are remarkable for

their skill and intrepidity; and pursue their avocations in the main ocean at times in which a stranger would think it impossible for open boats of any size, far less for boats of only two tons burden, to live. They carry their ling and other fish in these small boats to the Glasgow market, and sometimes have been known to go even to Ireland. Cannay belongs to Clanranald; it makes from 30 to 40 tons of kelp annually; and its inhabitants are upon the whole industrious and happy. This island would be a good depôt for the commodities of the Northern Hebrides, being in the tract of shiping which sail by the Minch Channel; and always much frequented on account of its safe and excellent harbour.

The crops cultivated here are the common ones of the unimproved Hebrides; but trees have been found to thrive near the harbour in the principal tacksman's garden. The late Mr M'Neill, who planted them, and saw them thrive, maintained, with every appearance of truth, that trees would grow on all the Hebrides if planted in large quantities, and sheltered during their first three or four year's growth from the westerly winds.