a journey to-第17节

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snatch　some　happy　intermission　to　be　conveyed　to　Mull；　the　third
Island　of　the　Hebrides；　lying　about　a　degree　south　of　Sky；　whence
we　might　easily　find　our　way　to　Inch　Kenneth；　where　Sir　Allan
Maclean　resided；　and　afterward　to　Jona。

For　this　purpose；　the　most　commodious　station　that　we　could　take
was　Armidel；　which　Sir　Alexander　Macdonald　had　now　left　to　a
gentleman；　who　lived　there　as　his　factor　or　steward。

In　our　way　to　Armidel　was　Coriatachan；　where　we　had　already　been；
and　to　which　therefore　we　were　very　willing　to　return。　　We　staid
however　so　long　at　Talisker；　that　a　great　part　of　our　journey　was
performed　in　the　gloom　of　the　evening。　　In　travelling　even　thus
almost　without　light　thro'　naked　solitude；　when　there　is　a　guide
whose　conduct　may　be　trusted；　a　mind　not　naturally　too　much
disposed　to　fear；　may　preserve　some　degree　of　cheerfulness；　but
what　must　be　the　solicitude　of　him　who　should　be　wandering；　among
the　craggs　and　hollows；　benighted；　ignorant；　and　alone？

The　fictions　of　the　Gothick　romances　were　not　so　remote　from
credibility　as　they　are　now　thought。　　In　the　full　prevalence　of　the
feudal　institution；　when　violence　desolated　the　world；　and　every
baron　lived　in　a　fortress；　forests　and　castles　were　regularly
succeeded　by　each　other；　and　the　adventurer　might　very　suddenly
pass　from　the　gloom　of　woods；　or　the　ruggedness　of　moors；　to　seats
of　plenty；　gaiety；　and　magnificence。　　Whatever　is　imaged　in　the
wildest　tale；　if　giants；　dragons；　and　enchantment　be　excepted；
would　be　felt　by　him；　who；　wandering　in　the　mountains　without　a
guide；　or　upon　the　sea　without　a　pilot；　should　be　carried　amidst
his　terror　and　uncertainty；　to　the　hospitality　and　elegance　of
Raasay　or　Dunvegan。

To　Coriatachan　at　last　we　came；　and　found　ourselves　welcomed　as
before。　　Here　we　staid　two　days；　and　made　such　inquiries　as
curiosity　suggested。　　The　house　was　filled　with　company；　among　whom
Mr。　Macpherson　and　his　sister　distinguished　themselves　by　their
politeness　and　accomplishments。　　By　him　we　were　invited　to　Ostig；　a
house　not　far　from　Armidel；　where　we　might　easily　hear　of　a　boat；
when　the　weather　would　suffer　us　to　leave　the　Island。



OSTIG　IN　SKY



At　Ostig；　of　which　Mr。　Macpherson　is　minister；　we　were　entertained
for　some　days；　then　removed　to　Armidel；　where　we　finished　our
observations　on　the　island　of　Sky。

As　this　Island　lies　in　the　fifty…seventh　degree；　the　air　cannot　be
supposed　to　have　much　warmth。　　The　long　continuance　of　the　sun
above　the　horizon；　does　indeed　sometimes　produce　great　heat　in
northern　latitudes；　but　this　can　only　happen　in　sheltered　places；
where　the　atmosphere　is　to　a　certain　degree　stagnant；　and　the　same
mass　of　air　continues　to　receive　for　many　hours　the　rays　of　the
sun；　and　the　vapours　of　the　earth。　　Sky　lies　open　on　the　west　and
north　to　a　vast　extent　of　ocean；　and　is　cooled　in　the　summer　by
perpetual　ventilation；　but　by　the　same　blasts　is　kept　warm　in
winter。　　Their　weather　is　not　pleasing。　　Half　the　year　is　deluged
with　rain。　　From　the　autumnal　to　the　vernal　equinox；　a　dry　day　is
hardly　known；　except　when　the　showers　are　suspended　by　a　tempest。
Under　such　skies　can　be　expected　no　great　exuberance　of　vegetation。
Their　winter　overtakes　their　summer；　and　their　harvest　lies　upon
the　ground　drenched　with　rain。　　The　autumn　struggles　hard　to
produce　some　of　our　early　fruits。　　I　gathered　gooseberries　in
September；　but　they　were　small；　and　the　husk　was　thick。

Their　winter　is　seldom　such　as　puts　a　full　stop　to　the　growth　of
plants；　or　reduces　the　cattle　to　live　wholly　on　the　surplusage　of
the　summer。　　In　the　year　Seventy…one　they　had　a　severe　season；
remembered　by　the　name　of　the　Black　Spring；　from　which　the　island
has　not　yet　recovered。　　The　snow　lay　long　upon　the　ground；　a
calamity　hardly　known　before。　　Part　of　their　cattle　died　for　want；
part　were　unseasonably　sold　to　buy　sustenance　for　the　owners；　and；
what　I　have　not　read　or　heard　of　before；　the　kine　that　survived
were　so　emaciated　and　dispirited；　that　they　did　not　require　the
male　at　the　usual　time。　　Many　of　the　roebucks　perished。

The　soil；　as　in　other　countries；　has　its　diversities。　　In　some
parts　there　is　only　a　thin　layer　of　earth　spread　upon　a　rock；　which
bears　nothing　but　short　brown　heath；　and　perhaps　is　not　generally
capable　of　any　better　product。　　There　are　many　bogs　or　mosses　of
greater　or　less　extent；　where　the　soil　cannot　be　supposed　to　want
depth；　though　it　is　too　wet　for　the　plow。　　But　we　did　not　observe
in　these　any　aquatick　plants。　　The　vallies　and　the　mountains　are
alike　darkened　with　heath。　　Some　grass；　however；　grows　here　and
there；　and　some　happier　spots　of　earth　are　capable　of　tillage。

Their　agriculture　is　laborious；　and　perhaps　rather　feeble　than
unskilful。　　Their　chief　manure　is　seaweed；　which；　when　they　lay　it
to　rot　upon　the　field；　gives　them　a　better　crop　than　those　of　the
Highlands。　　They　heap　sea　shells　upon　the　dunghill；　which　in　time
moulder　into　a　fertilising　substance。　　When　they　find　a　vein　of
earth　where　they　cannot　use　it；　they　dig　it　up；　and　add　it　to　the
mould　of　a　more　commodious　place。

Their　corn　grounds　often　lie　in　such　intricacies　among　the　craggs；
that　there　is　no　room　for　the　action　of　a　team　and　plow。　　The　soil
is　then　turned　up　by　manual　labour；　with　an　instrument　called　a
crooked　spade；　of　a　form　and　weight　which　to　me　appeared　very
incommodious；　and　would　perhaps　be　soon　improved　in　a　country　where
workmen　could　be　easily　found　and　easily　paid。　　It　has　a　narrow
blade　of　iron　fixed　to　a　long　and　heavy　piece　of　wood；　which　must
have；　about　a　foot　and　a　half　above　the　iron；　a　knee　or　flexure
with　the　angle　downwards。　　When　the　farmer　encounters　a　stone　which
is　the　great　impediment　of　his　operations；　he　drives　the　blade
under　it；　and　bringing　the　knee　or　angle　to　the　ground；　has　in　the
long　handle　a　very　forcible　lever。

According　to　the　different　mode　of　tillage；　farms　are　distinguished
into　long　land　and　short　land。　　Long　land　is　that　which　affords
room　for　a　plow；　and　short　land　is　turned　up　by　the　spade。

The　grain　which　they　commit　to　the　furrows　thus　tediously　formed；
is　either　oats　or　barley。　　They　do　not　sow　barley　without　very
copious　manure；　and　then　they　expect　from　it　ten　for　one；　an
increase　equal　to　that　of　better　countries；　but　the　culture　is　so
operose　that　they　content　themselves　commonly　with　oats；　and　who
can　relate　without　compassion；　that　after　all　their　diligence　they
are　to　expect　only　a　triple　increase？　　It　is　in　vain　to　hope　for
plenty；　when　a　third　part　of　the　harvest　must　be　reserved　for　seed。

When　their　grain　is　arrived　at　the　state　which　they　must　consider
as　ripeness；　they　do　not　cut；　but　pull　the　barley：　　to　the　oats
they　apply　the　sickle。　　Wheel　carriages　they　have　none；　but　make　a
frame　of　timber；　which　is　drawn　by　one　horse　with　the　two　points
behind　pressing　on　the　ground。　　On　this　they　sometimes　drag　home
their　sheaves；　but　often　convey　them　home　in　a　kind　of　open　panier；
or　frame　of　sticks　upon　the　horse's　back。

Of　that　which　is　obtained　with　so　much　difficulty；　nothing　surely
ought　to　be　wasted；　yet　their　method　of　clearing　their　oats　from
the　husk　is　by　parching　them　in　the　straw。　　Thus　with　the　genuine
improvidence　of　savages；　they　destroy　that　fodder　for　want　of　which
their　cattle　may　perish。　　From　this　practice　they　have　two　petty
conveniences。　　They　dry　the　grain　so　that　it　is　easily　reduced　to
meal；　and　they　escape　the　theft　of　the　thresher。　　The　taste
contracted　from　the　fire　by　the　oats；　as　by　every　other　scorched
substance；　use　must　long　ago　have　made　grateful。　　The　oats　that　are
not　parched　must　be　dried　in　a　kiln。

The　barns　of　Sky　I　never　saw。　　That　which　Macleod　of　Raasay　had
erected　near　his　house　was　so　contrived；　because　the　harvest　is
seldom　brought　home　dry；　as　by　perpetual　perflation　to　prevent　the
mow　from　heating。

Of　their　gardens　I　can　judge　only　from　their　tables。　　I　did　not
observe　that　the　common　greens　were　wanting；　and　suppose；　that　by
choosing　an　advantageous　exposition；　they　can　raise　all　the　more
hardy　esculent　plants。　　Of　vegetable　fragrance　or　beauty　they　are
not　yet　studious。　　Few　vows　are　made　to　Flora　in　the　Hebrides。

They　gather　a　little　hay；　but　the　grass　is　mown　late；　and　is　so
often　almost　dry　and　again　very　wet；　before　it　is　housed；　that　it
becomes　a　collection　of　withered　stalks　without　taste　or　fragrance；
it　must　be　eaten　by　cattle　that　have　nothing　else；　but　by　most
English　farmers　would　be　thrown　away。

In　the　Islands　I　have　not　heard　that　any　subterraneous　treasures
have　been　discovered；　though　where　there　are　mountains；　there　are
commonly　minerals。　　One　of　the　rocks　in　Col　has　a　black　vein；
imagined　to　consist　of　the　ore　of　lead；　but　it　was　never　yet　opened
or　essayed。　　In　Sky　a　black　mass　was　accidentally　picked　up；　and
brought　into　the　house　of　the　owner　of　the　land；　who　found　himself
strongly　inclined　to　think　it　a　coal；　but　unhappily　it　did　not　burn
in　the　chimney。　　Common　ores　would　be　here　of　no　great　value；　for
what　requires　to　be　separated　by　fire；　must；　if　it　were　found；　be
carried　away　in　its　mineral　state；　here　being　no　fewel　for　the
smelting…house　or　forge。　　Pe