a journey to-第12节

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procures　recommendations　to　those　whose　habitations　lie　near　his
way；　or；　when　night　and　weariness　come　upon　him；　takes　the　chance
of　general　hospitality。　　If　he　finds　only　a　cottage；　he　can　expect
little　more　than　shelter；　for　the　cottagers　have　little　more　for
themselves：　　but　if　his　good　fortune　brings　him　to　the　residence　of
a　gentleman；　he　will　be　glad　of　a　storm　to　prolong　his　stay。　　There
is；　however；　one　inn　by　the　sea…side　at　Sconsor；　in　Sky；　where　the
post…office　is　kept。

At　the　tables　where　a　stranger　is　received；　neither　plenty　nor
delicacy　is　wanting。　　A　tract　of　land　so　thinly　inhabited；　must
have　much　wild…fowl；　and　I　scarcely　remember　to　have　seen　a　dinner
without　them。　　The　moorgame　is　every　where　to　be　had。　　That　the　sea
abounds　with　fish；　needs　not　be　told；　for　it　supplies　a　great　part
of　Europe。　　The　Isle　of　Sky　has　stags　and　roebucks；　but　no　hares。
They　sell　very　numerous　droves　of　oxen　yearly　to　England；　and
therefore　cannot　be　supposed　to　want　beef　at　home。　　Sheep　and　goats
are　in　great　numbers；　and　they　have　the　common　domestick　fowls。

But　as　here　is　nothing　to　be　bought；　every　family　must　kill　its　own
meat；　and　roast　part　of　it　somewhat　sooner　than　Apicius　would
prescribe。　　Every　kind　of　flesh　is　undoubtedly　excelled　by　the
variety　and　emulation　of　English　markets；　but　that　which　is　not
best　may　be　yet　very　far　from　bad；　and　he　that　shall　complain　of
his　fare　in　the　Hebrides；　has　improved　his　delicacy　more　than　his
manhood。

Their　fowls　are　not　like　those　plumped　for　sale　by　the　poulterers
of　London；　but　they　are　as　good　as　other　places　commonly　afford；
except　that　the　geese；　by　feeding　in　the　sea；　have　universally　a
fishy　rankness。

These　geese　seem　to　be　of　a　middle　race；　between　the　wild　and
domestick　kinds。　　They　are　so　tame　as　to　own　a　home；　and　so　wild　as
sometimes　to　fly　quite　away。

Their　native　bread　is　made　of　oats；　or　barley。　　Of　oatmeal　they
spread　very　thin　cakes；　coarse　and　hard；　to　which　unaccustomed
palates　are　not　easily　reconciled。　　The　barley　cakes　are　thicker
and　softer；　I　began　to　eat　them　without　unwillingness；　the
blackness　of　their　colour　raises　some　dislike；　but　the　taste　is　not
disagreeable。　　In　most　houses　there　is　wheat　flower；　with　which　we
were　sure　to　be　treated；　if　we　staid　long　enough　to　have　it　kneaded
and　baked。　　As　neither　yeast　nor　leaven　are　used　among　them；　their
bread　of　every　kind　is　unfermented。　　They　make　only　cakes；　and
never　mould　a　loaf。

A　man　of　the　Hebrides；　for　of　the　women's　diet　I　can　give　no
account；　as　soon　as　he　appears　in　the　morning；　swallows　a　glass　of
whisky；　yet　they　are　not　a　drunken　race；　at　least　I　never　was
present　at　much　intemperance；　but　no　man　is　so　abstemious　as　to
refuse　the　morning　dram；　which　they　call　a　skalk。

The　word　whisky　signifies　water；　and　is　applied　by　way　of　eminence
to　strong　water；　or　distilled　liquor。　　The　spirit　drunk　in　the
North　is　drawn　from　barley。　　I　never　tasted　it；　except　once　for
experiment　at　the　inn　in　Inverary；　when　I　thought　it　preferable　to
any　English　malt　brandy。　　It　was　strong；　but　not　pungent；　and　was
free　from　the　empyreumatick　taste　or　smell。　　What　was　the　process　I
had　no　opportunity　of　inquiring；　nor　do　I　wish　to　improve　the　art
of　making　poison　pleasant。

Not　long　after　the　dram；　may　be　expected　the　breakfast；　a　meal　in
which　the　Scots；　whether　of　the　lowlands　or　mountains；　must　be
confessed　to　excel　us。　　The　tea　and　coffee　are　accompanied　not　only
with　butter；　but　with　honey；　conserves；　and　marmalades。　　If　an
epicure　could　remove　by　a　wish；　in　quest　of　sensual　gratifications；
wherever　he　had　supped　he　would　breakfast　in　Scotland。

In　the　islands　however；　they　do　what　I　found　it　not　very　easy　to
endure。　　They　pollute　the　tea…table　by　plates　piled　with　large
slices　of　cheshire　cheese；　which　mingles　its　less　grateful　odours
with　the　fragrance　of　the　tea。

Where　many　questions　are　to　be　asked；　some　will　be　omitted。　　I
forgot　to　inquire　how　they　were　supplied　with　so　much　exotic
luxury。　　Perhaps　the　French　may　bring　them　wine　for　wool；　and　the
Dutch　give　them　tea　and　coffee　at　the　fishing　season；　in　exchange
for　fresh　provision。　　Their　trade　is　unconstrained；　they　pay　no
customs；　for　there　is　no　officer　to　demand　them；　whatever　therefore
is　made　dear　only　by　impost；　is　obtained　here　at　an　easy　rate。

A　dinner　in　the　Western　Islands　differs　very　little　from　a　dinner
in　England；　except　that　in　the　place　of　tarts；　there　are　always　set
different　preparations　of　milk。　　This　part　of　their　diet　will　admit
some　improvement。　　Though　they　have　milk；　and　eggs；　and　sugar；　few
of　them　know　how　to　compound　them　in　a　custard。　　Their　gardens
afford　them　no　great　variety；　but　they　have　always　some　vegetables
on　the　table。　　Potatoes　at　least　are　never　wanting；　which；　though
they　have　not　known　them　long；　are　now　one　of　the　principal　parts
of　their　food。　　They　are　not　of　the　mealy；　but　the　viscous　kind。

Their　more　elaborate　cookery；　or　made　dishes；　an　Englishman　at　the
first　taste　is　not　likely　to　approve；　but　the　culinary　compositions
of　every　country　are　often　such　as　become　grateful　to　other　nations
only　by　degrees；　though　I　have　read　a　French　author；　who；　in　the
elation　of　his　heart；　says；　that　French　cookery　pleases　all
foreigners；　but　foreign　cookery　never　satisfies　a　Frenchman。

Their　suppers　are；　like　their　dinners；　various　and　plentiful。　　The
table　is　always　covered　with　elegant　linen。　　Their　plates　for
common　use　are　often　of　that　kind　of　manufacture　which　is　called
cream　coloured；　or　queen's　ware。　　They　use　silver　on　all　occasions
where　it　is　common　in　England；　nor　did　I　ever　find　the　spoon　of
horn；　but　in　one　house。

The　knives　are　not　often　either　very　bright；　or　very　sharp。　　They
are　indeed　instruments　of　which　the　Highlanders　have　not　been　long
acquainted　with　the　general　use。　　They　were　not　regularly　laid　on
the　table；　before　the　prohibition　of　arms；　and　the　change　of　dress。
Thirty　years　ago　the　Highlander　wore　his　knife　as　a　companion　to
his　dirk　or　dagger；　and　when　the　company　sat　down　to　meat；　the　men
who　had　knives；　cut　the　flesh　into　small　pieces　for　the　women；　who
with　their　fingers　conveyed　it　to　their　mouths。

There　was　perhaps　never　any　change　of　national　manners　so　quick；　so
great；　and　so　general；　as　that　which　has　operated　in　the　Highlands；
by　the　last　conquest；　and　the　subsequent　laws。　　We　came　thither　too
late　to　see　what　we　expected；　a　people　of　peculiar　appearance；　and
a　system　of　antiquated　life。　　The　clans　retain　little　now　of　their
original　character；　their　ferocity　of　temper　is　softened；　their
military　ardour　is　extinguished；　their　dignity　of　independence　is
depressed；　their　contempt　of　government　subdued；　and　the　reverence
for　their　chiefs　abated。　　Of　what　they　had　before　the　late　conquest
of　their　country；　there　remain　only　their　language　and　their
poverty。　　Their　language　is　attacked　on　every　side。　　Schools　are
erected；　in　which　English　only　is　taught；　and　there　were　lately
some　who　thought　it　reasonable　to　refuse　them　a　version　of　the　holy
scriptures；　that　they　might　have　no　monument　of　their　mother…
tongue。

That　their　poverty　is　gradually　abated；　cannot　be　mentioned　among
the　unpleasing　consequences　of　subjection。　　They　are　now　acquainted
with　money；　and　the　possibility　of　gain　will　by　degrees　make　them
industrious。　　Such　is　the　effect　of　the　late　regulations；　that　a
longer　journey　than　to　the　Highlands　must　be　taken　by　him　whose
curiosity　pants　for　savage　virtues　and　barbarous　grandeur。



RAASAY



At　the　first　intermission　of　the　stormy　weather　we　were　informed；
that　the　boat；　which　was　to　convey　us　to　Raasay；　attended　us　on　the
coast。　　We　had　from　this　time　our　intelligence　facilitated；　and　our
conversation　enlarged；　by　the　company　of　Mr。　Macqueen；　minister　of
a　parish　in　Sky；　whose　knowledge　and　politeness　give　him　a　title
equally　to　kindness　and　respect；　and　who；　from　this　time；　never
forsook　us　till　we　were　preparing　to　leave　Sky；　and　the　adjacent
places。

The　boat　was　under　the　direction　of　Mr。　Malcolm　Macleod；　a
gentleman　of　Raasay。　　The　water　was　calm；　and　the　rowers　were
vigorous；　so　that　our　passage　was　quick　and　pleasant。　　When　we　came
near　the　island；　we　saw　the　laird's　house；　a　neat　modern　fabrick；
and　found　Mr。　Macleod；　the　proprietor　of　the　Island；　with　many
gentlemen；　expecting　us　on　the　beach。　　We　had；　as　at　all　other
places；　some　difficulty　in　landing。　　The　craggs　were　irregularly
broken；　and　a　false　step　would　have　been　very　mischievous。

It　seemed　that　the　rocks　might；　with　no　great　labour；　have　been
hewn　almost　into　a　regular　flight　of　steps；　and　as　there　are　no
other　landing　places；　I　considered　this　rugged　ascent　as　the
consequence　of　a　form　of　life　inured　to　hardships；　and　therefore
not　studious　of　nice　accommodations。　　But　I　know　not　whether；　for
many　ages；　it　was　not　considered　as　a　part　of　military　policy；　to
keep　the　country　not　easily　accessible。　　The　rocks　are　natural
fortifications；　and　an　enemy　climbing　with　difficulty；　was　easily
destroyed　by　those　who　stood　high　above　him。

Our　reception　exceeded　our　expectations。　　We　found　nothing　but
civility；　elegance；　and　plenty。　　After　the　usu