In concluding our remarks upon this interesting district, it must be observed, that although Barray and the Uists, being kelp estates, must have a large proportion of small tenants upon them, and indeed a greater than is necessary for the common run of the Hebrides, yet the proprietors will do well to accommodate a certain number of gentlemen tacksmen, or great farmers upon their estates. Without this the country must go backward in the real sense of the word, good order will be endangered, and the legal establishments and public duties of the district will fail of producing their natural beneficent effects. 24. HARRIS AND LEWIS. THESE form one large island; the most extensive of all the Hebrides, and hitherto the most neglected upon the whole. It is 82 miles long from the sound of Bernera to the Butt of the Lewis, running south-west and north-east; and although not so winged or indented. by arms of the sea as Skye, yet sufficiently so to furnish some of the best harbours in Great Britain. The average breadth is 11 miles, and the square area accordingly 902 miles or 451,000 Scots acres. Of this great extent only 26,000 acres are now used as regular meadow or corn land; the rest consists of mountains, moors, Ec 3 moors, marshes, and other wastes. The circumference following the sea mark is 850 miles. The valued rent is L.7783. 6s. 8d. Scots, and the real actual rent, (kelp valued at L.10 per ton,) amounts to about L.10,000 Sterling per annum. Dean Monroe, HARREY. Now we returne backwards to the Harrey, quhilk is bot ane ile and the Lewis togidder, extending in lenthe from the southewest to the north-eist to three scoir of myles, and from the north-west to the southe-eist to 16 myle in breid. Within the south pairt of this ile lyes ane monastery with ane steipell, quhilk was foundit and biggit by McCloyd of Harrey, callit Roodill. This south pairt of the countrey callit Harrey is verey fertill and fruitfull for corne, store, and fisching, twisse mair of delving in it nor of teilling. Within this end of the countrey ther is ane water, with an guid tak of salmont fisching in it, with ane heighe greine hill callit Copesaall, maist excellent for scheipe in the pairts quheron ther wes sheipe, quen I wes ther without auners and verey auld. In this countrey of Harrey, northwart, betwixt it and the Lewis, are maney forrests, quherin are aboundance of deir, bot not great quantitie, verey faire hunting games without aney woodes, with infinite slaughter of otters and macttickes. This isle has neather wolfes, taides, nor edders in it. Lewis is the north pairt of this ile, and the maist also, faire and well inhabite at the coste, ane fertile fruitfull countrey, for the most pairt all beire, with four paroche kirkes, and with an castell callit Stoernaway; with three principal salt water loches, verey gude for take of herrings, to wit, Loche Selga, farrest to the south south-west, Loche Fasirt, northwart frae that ane loche that is lange and has certaine small loches in it, quhilke is for that same cause callit the loches. By these ther is uther three loches, not weill qulylomes for take of herrings, to wit, Loche Steornaway, with infinite fresche water loches in this Lewis. Ther are eight waters for take of salmont. In this ile ther are maney scheipe, for it is very guid for the same, for they lay forth over one mures and glenis, and enter never in a house, and ther wool is bot anes in the ziere plukit aff them in some fauldis. In this countrey is peit moss land at the sea coste, and the place quhar he winnes his peits this ziere, ther he sawis his corne the next zeire, after that he guidds it weill with sea ware. A grate take of whailles is oftimes in this country, so that be relatione of the maist ancient in this country, ther comes 26 or 27 quhailles young and ald to the teynd anes ther. Ther is ane cove in this countrey, quherin the sea fallis, and is twa faddom deepe at the ebb sea, and four faddom and maire at the full sea. Within this cove ther usis whyttenis to be slain with huikes, verey many haddocks, and men with their wands sitting upon the craiges of that cove, and lades and women also." Such is Dean Monroe's account of this large island; and such pretty nearly is its present situation. In no respect has it improved, excepting in consequence of the building of Stornaway village, and the introduction of potatoes. The kelp manufacture is indeed prosecuted with great ardour of late years, and, in some few instances, the tenants have had their lands portioned out separately, and subdivided by the present managers; but taking the district over-head, it is incomparably the |