a journey to-第25章

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considered　as　a　portion；　and　called　Macalive　cattle；　of　which　the
father　has　the　produce；　but　is　supposed　not　to　have　the　full
property；　but　to　owe　the　same　number　to　the　child；　as　a　portion　to
the　daughter；　or　a　stock　for　the　son。

Children　continue　with　the　fosterer　perhaps　six　years；　and　cannot；
where　this　is　the　practice；　be　considered　as　burdensome。　　The
fosterer；　if　he　gives　four　cows；　receives　likewise　four；　and　has；
while　the　child　continues　with　him；　grass　for　eight　without　rent；
with　half　the　calves；　and　all　the　milk；　for　which　he　pays　only　four
cows　when　he　dismisses　his　Dalt；　for　that　is　the　name　for　a　foster
child。

Fosterage　is；　I　believe；　sometimes　performed　upon　more　liberal
terms。　　Our　friend；　the　young　Laird　of　Col；　was　fostered　by
Macsweyn　of　Grissipol。　　Macsweyn　then　lived　a　tenant　to　Sir　James
Macdonald　in　the　Isle　of　Sky；　and　therefore　Col；　whether　he　sent
him　cattle　or　not；　could　grant　him　no　land。　　The　Dalt；　however；　at
his　return；　brought　back　a　considerable　number　of　Macalive　cattle；
and　of　the　friendship　so　formed　there　have　been　good　effects。　　When
Macdonald　raised　his　rents；　Macsweyn　was；　like　other　tenants；
discontented；　and；　resigning　his　farm；　removed　from　Sky　to　Col；　and
was　established　at　Grissipol。

These　observations　we　made　by　favour　of　the　contrary　wind　that
drove　us　to　Col；　an　Island　not　often　visited；　for　there　is　not　much
to　amuse　curiosity；　or　to　attract　avarice。

The　ground　has　been　hitherto；　I　believe；　used　chiefly　for
pasturage。　　In　a　district；　such　as　the　eye　can　command；　there　is　a
general　herdsman；　who　knows　all　the　cattle　of　the　neighbourhood；
and　whose　station　is　upon　a　hill；　from　which　he　surveys　the　lower
grounds；　and　if　one　man's　cattle　invade　another's　grass；　drives
them　back　to　their　own　borders。　　But　other　means　of　profit　begin　to
be　found；　kelp　is　gathered　and　burnt；　and　sloops　are　loaded　with
the　concreted　ashes。　　Cultivation　is　likely　to　be　improved　by　the
skill　and　encouragement　of　the　present　heir；　and　the　inhabitants　of
those　obscure　vallies　will　partake　of　the　general　progress　of　life。

The　rents　of　the　parts　which　belong　to　the　Duke　of　Argyle；　have
been　raised　from　fifty…five　to　one　hundred　and　five　pounds；　whether
from　the　land　or　the　sea　I　cannot　tell。　　The　bounties　of　the　sea
have　lately　been　so　great；　that　a　farm　in　Southuist　has　risen　in
ten　years　from　a　rent　of　thirty　pounds　to　one　hundred　and　eighty。

He　who　lives　in　Col；　and　finds　himself　condemned　to　solitary　meals；
and　incommunicable　reflection；　will　find　the　usefulness　of　that
middle　order　of　Tacksmen；　which　some　who　applaud　their　own　wisdom
are　wishing　to　destroy。　　Without　intelligence　man　is　not　social；　he
is　only　gregarious；　and　little　intelligence　will　there　be；　where
all　are　constrained　to　daily　labour；　and　every　mind　must　wait　upon
the　hand。

After　having　listened　for　some　days　to　the　tempest；　and　wandered
about　the　Island　till　our　curiosity　was　satisfied；　we　began　to
think　about　our　departure。　　To　leave　Col　in　October　was　not　very
easy。　　We　however　found　a　sloop　which　lay　on　the　coast　to　carry
kelp；　and　for　a　price　which　we　thought　levied　upon　our　necessities；
the　master　agreed　to　carry　us　to　Mull；　whence　we　might　readily　pass
back　to　Scotland。



MULL



As　we　were　to　catch　the　first　favourable　breath；　we　spent　the　night
not　very　elegantly　nor　pleasantly　in　the　vessel；　and　were　landed
next　day　at　Tobor　Morar；　a　port　in　Mull；　which　appears　to　an
unexperienced　eye　formed　for　the　security　of　ships；　for　its　mouth
is　closed　by　a　small　island；　which　admits　them　through　narrow
channels　into　a　bason　sufficiently　capacious。　　They　are　indeed　safe
from　the　sea；　but　there　is　a　hollow　between　the　mountains；　through
which　the　wind　issues　from　the　land　with　very　mischievous　violence。

There　was　no　danger　while　we　were　there；　and　we　found　several　other
vessels　at　anchor；　so　that　the　port　had　a　very　commercial
appearance。

The　young　Laird　of　Col；　who　had　determined　not　to　let　us　lose　his
company；　while　there　was　any　difficulty　remaining；　came　over　with
us。　　His　influence　soon　appeared；　for　he　procured　us　horses；　and
conducted　us　to　the　house　of　Doctor　Maclean；　where　we　found　very
kind　entertainment；　and　very　pleasing　conversation。　　Miss　Maclean；
who　was　born；　and　had　been　bred　at　Glasgow；　having　removed　with　her
father　to　Mull；　added　to　other　qualifications；　a　great　knowledge　of
the　Earse　language；　which　she　had　not　learned　in　her　childhood；　but
gained　by　study；　and　was　the　only　interpreter　of　Earse　poetry　that
I　could　ever　find。

The　Isle　of　Mull　is　perhaps　in　extent　the　third　of　the　Hebrides。
It　is　not　broken　by　waters；　nor　shot　into　promontories；　but　is　a
solid　and　compact　mass；　of　breadth　nearly　equal　to　its　length。　　Of
the　dimensions　of　the　larger　Islands；　there　is　no　knowledge
approaching　to　exactness。　　I　am　willing　to　estimate　it　as
containing　about　three　hundred　square　miles。

Mull　had　suffered　like　Sky　by　the　black　winter　of　seventy…one；　in
which；　contrary　to　all　experience；　a　continued　frost　detained　the
snow　eight　weeks　upon　the　ground。　　Against　a　calamity　never　known；
no　provision　had　been　made；　and　the　people　could　only　pine　in
helpless　misery。　　One　tenant　was　mentioned；　whose　cattle　perished
to　the　value　of　three　hundred　pounds；　a　loss　which　probably　more
than　the　life　of　man　is　necessary　to　repair。　　In　countries　like
these；　the　descriptions　of　famine　become　intelligible。　　Where　by
vigorous　and　artful　cultivation　of　a　soil　naturally　fertile；　there
is　commonly　a　superfluous　growth　both　of　grain　and　grass；　where　the
fields　are　crowded　with　cattle；　and　where　every　hand　is　able　to
attract　wealth　from　a　distance；　by　making　something　that　promotes
ease；　or　gratifies　vanity；　a　dear　year　produces　only　a　comparative
want；　which　is　rather　seen　than　felt；　and　which　terminates　commonly
in　no　worse　effect；　than　that　of　condemning　the　lower　orders　of　the
community　to　sacrifice　a　little　luxury　to　convenience；　or　at　most　a
little　convenience　to　necessity。

But　where　the　climate　is　unkind；　and　the　ground　penurious；　so　that
the　most　fruitful　years　will　produce　only　enough　to　maintain
themselves；　where　life　unimproved；　and　unadorned；　fades　into
something　little　more　than　naked　existence；　and　every　one　is　busy
for　himself；　without　any　arts　by　which　the　pleasure　of　others　may
be　increased；　if　to　the　daily　burden　of　distress　any　additional
weight　be　added；　nothing　remains　but　to　despair　and　die。　　In　Mull
the　disappointment　of　a　harvest；　or　a　murrain　among　the　cattle；
cuts　off　the　regular　provision；　and　they　who　have　no　manufactures
can　purchase　no　part　of　the　superfluities　of　other　countries。　　The
consequence　of　a　bad　season　is　here　not　scarcity；　but　emptiness；
and　they　whose　plenty；　was　barely　a　supply　of　natural　and　present
need；　when　that　slender　stock　fails；　must　perish　with　hunger。

All　travel　has　its　advantages。　　If　the　passenger　visits　better
countries；　he　may　learn　to　improve　his　own；　and　if　fortune　carries
him　to　worse；　he　may　learn　to　enjoy　it。

Mr。　Boswell's　curiosity　strongly　impelled　him　to　survey　Iona；　or
Icolmkil；　which　was　to　the　early　ages　the　great　school　of　Theology；
and　is　supposed　to　have　been　the　place　of　sepulture　for　the　ancient
kings。　　I；　though　less　eager；　did　not　oppose　him。

That　we　might　perform　this　expedition；　it　was　necessary　to　traverse
a　great　part　of　Mull。　　We　passed　a　day　at　Dr。　Maclean's；　and　could
have　been　well　contented　to　stay　longer。　　But　Col　provided　us
horses；　and　we　pursued　our　journey。　　This　was　a　day　of
inconvenience；　for　the　country　is　very　rough；　and　my　horse　was　but
little。　　We　travelled　many　hours　through　a　tract；　black　and　barren；
in　which；　however；　there　were　the　reliques　of　humanity；　for　we
found　a　ruined　chapel　in　our　way。

It　is　natural；　in　traversing　this　gloom　of　desolation；　to　inquire；
whether　something　may　not　be　done　to　give　nature　a　more　cheerful
face；　and　whether　those　hills　and　moors　that　afford　heath　cannot
with　a　little　care　and　labour　bear　something　better？　　The　first
thought　that　occurs　is　to　cover　them　with　trees；　for　that　in　many
of　these　naked　regions　trees　will　grow；　is　evident；　because　stumps
and　roots　are　yet　remaining；　and　the　speculatist　hastily　proceeds
to　censure　that　negligence　and　laziness　that　has　omitted　for　so
long　a　time　so　easy　an　improvement。

To　drop　seeds　into　the　ground；　and　attend　their　growth；　requires
little　labour　and　no　skill。　　He　who　remembers　that　all　the　woods；
by　which　the　wants　of　man　have　been　supplied　from　the　Deluge　till
now；　were　self…sown；　will　not　easily　be　persuaded　to　think　all　the
art　and　preparation　necessary；　which　the　Georgick　writers　prescribe
to　planters。　　Trees　certainly　have　covered　the　earth　with　very
little　culture。　　They　wave　their　tops　among　the　rocks　of　Norway；
and　might　thrive　as　well　in　the　Highlands　and　Hebrides。

But　there　is　a　frightful　interval　between　the　seed　and　timber。　　He
that　calculates　the　growth　of　trees；　has　the　unwelcome　remembrance
of　the　shortness　of　life　driven　hard　upon　him。　　He　knows　that　he　is
doing　what　will　never　benefit　himself；　and　when　he　rejoices　to　see
the　stem　rise；　is　disposed　to　repine　that　another　shall　cut　it
down。

Plantation　is　naturally　the　employment　of　a　mind　unburdened　with
care；　and　vacant　to　futurity；　saturated　with　present　good；　and　at
leisure　to　derive　gratification　from　the　prospect　of　posterity。　　He
that　pines　with　hunger；　is　in　little　care　how　others　shall　be　fed。
The　poor　man　is　seldom　studious　to　make　his　grandson　rich。　　It　may
be　soon　discovered；　why　in　a　place；　which　hardly　supplies　the
cravings　of　necessity；　there　has　been　little　attention　to　the
delights　of　fancy；　and　why　distant　convenience　is　unregarded；　where
the　thoughts　are　turned　with　incessant　solicitude　upon　every
possibility　of　immediate　advantage。

Neither　is　it　quite　so　easy　to　raise　large　woods；　as　may　be
conceived。　　Trees　intended　to　produce　timber　must　be　sown　where
they　are　to　grow；　and　ground　sown　with　trees　must　be　kept　useless
for　a　long　time；　inclosed　at　an　expence　from　which　many　will　be
discouraged　by　the　remoteness　of　the　profit；　and　watched　with　that
attention；　which；　in　places　where　it　is　most　needed；　will　neither
be　given　nor　bought。　　That　it　cannot　be　plowed　is　evident；　and　if
cattle　be　suffered　to　graze　upon　it；　they　will　devour　the　plants　as
fast　as　they　rise。　　Even　in　coarser　countries；　where　herds　and
flocks　are　not　fed；　not　only　the　deer　and　the　wild　goats　will
browse　upon　them；　but　the　hare　and　rabbit　will　nibble　them。　　It　is
therefore　reasonable　to　believe；　what　I　do　not　remember　any
naturalist　to　have　remarked；　that　there　was　a　time　when　the　world
was　very　thinly　inhabited　by　beasts；　as　well　as　men；　and　that　the
woods　had　leisure　to　rise　high　before　animals　had　bred　numbers
sufficient　to　intercept　them。

Sir　James　Macdonald；　in　part　of　the　wastes　of　his　territory；　set　or
sowed　trees；　to　the　number；　as　I　have　been　told；　of　several
millions；　expecting；　doubtless；　that　they　would　grow　up　into　future
navies　and　cities；　but　for　want　of　inclosure；　and　of　that　care
which　is　always　necessary；　and　will　hardly　ever　be　taken；　all　his
cost　and　labour　have　been　lost；　and　the　ground　is　likely　to