a journey to-第15部分

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of　despising　it。

The　sea　was　smooth。　　We　never　left　the　shore；　and　came　without　any
disaster　to　the　cavern；　which　we　found　rugged　and　misshapen；　about
one　hundred　and　eighty　feet　long；　thirty　wide　in　the　broadest　part；
and　in　the　loftiest；　as　we　guessed；　about　thirty　high。　　It　was　now
dry；　but　at　high　water　the　sea　rises　in　it　near　six　feet。　　Here　I
saw　what　I　had　never　seen　before；　limpets　and　mussels　in　their
natural　state。　　But；　as　a　new　testimony　to　the　veracity　of　common
fame；　here　was　no　echo　to　be　heard。

We　then　walked　through　a　natural　arch　in　the　rock；　which　might　have
pleased　us　by　its　novelty；　had　the　stones；　which　incumbered　our
feet；　given　us　leisure　to　consider　it。　　We　were　shown　the　gummy
seed　of　the　kelp；　that　fastens　itself　to　a　stone；　from　which　it
grows　into　a　strong　stalk。

In　our　return；　we　found　a　little　boy　upon　the　point　of　rock；
catching　with　his　angle；　a　supper　for　the　family。　　We　rowed　up　to
him；　and　borrowed　his　rod；　with　which　Mr。　Boswell　caught　a　cuddy。

The　cuddy　is　a　fish　of　which　I　know　not　the　philosophical　name。　　It
is　not　much　bigger　than　a　gudgeon；　but　is　of　great　use　in　these
Islands；　as　it　affords　the　lower　people　both　food；　and　oil　for
their　lamps。　　Cuddies　are　so　abundant；　at　sometimes　of　the　year；
that　they　are　caught　like　whitebait　in　the　Thames；　only　by　dipping
a　basket　and　drawing　it　back。

If　it　were　always　practicable　to　fish；　these　Islands　could　never　be
in　much　danger　from　famine；　but　unhappily　in　the　winter；　when　other
provision　fails；　the　seas　are　commonly　too　rough　for　nets；　or
boats。



TALISKER　IN　SKY



From　Ulinish；　our　next　stage　was　to　Talisker；　the　house　of　colonel
Macleod；　an　officer　in　the　Dutch　service；　who；　in　this　time　of
universal　peace；　has　for　several　years　been　permitted　to　be　absent
from　his　regiment。　　Having　been　bred　to　physick；　he　is　consequently
a　scholar；　and　his　lady；　by　accompanying　him　in　his　different
places　of　residence；　is　become　skilful　in　several　languages。
Talisker　is　the　place　beyond　all　that　I　have　seen；　from　which　the
gay　and　the　jovial　seem　utterly　excluded；　and　where　the　hermit
might　expect　to　grow　old　in　meditation；　without　possibility　of
disturbance　or　interruption。　　It　is　situated　very　near　the　sea；　but
upon　a　coast　where　no　vessel　lands　but　when　it　is　driven　by　a
tempest　on　the　rocks。　　Towards　the　land　are　lofty　hills　streaming
with　water…falls。　　The　garden　is　sheltered　by　firs　or　pines；　which
grow　there　so　prosperously；　that　some；　which　the　present　inhabitant
planted；　are　very　high　and　thick。

At　this　place　we　very　happily　met　Mr。　Donald　Maclean；　a　young
gentleman；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Laird　of　Col；　heir　to　a　very　great
extent　of　land；　and　so　desirous　of　improving　his　inheritance；　that
he　spent　a　considerable　time　among　the　farmers　of　Hertfordshire；
and　Hampshire；　to　learn　their　practice。　　He　worked　with　his　own
hands　at　the　principal　operations　of　agriculture；　that　he　might　not
deceive　himself　by　a　false　opinion　of　skill；　which；　if　he　should
find　it　deficient　at　home；　he　had　no　means　of　completing。　　If　the
world　has　agreed　to　praise　the　travels　and　manual　labours　of　the
Czar　of　Muscovy；　let　Col　have　his　share　of　the　like　applause；　in
the　proportion　of　his　dominions　to　the　empire　of　Russia。

This　young　gentleman　was　sporting　in　the　mountains　of　Sky；　and　when
he　was　weary　with　following　his　game；　repaired　for　lodging　to
Talisker。　　At　night　he　missed　one　of　his　dogs；　and　when　he　went　to
seek　him　in　the　morning；　found　two　eagles　feeding　on　his　carcass。

Col；　for　he　must　be　named　by　his　possessions；　hearing　that　our
intention　was　to　visit　Jona；　offered　to　conduct　us　to　his　chief；
Sir　Allan　Maclean；　who　lived　in　the　isle　of　Inch　Kenneth；　and　would
readily　find　us　a　convenient　passage。　　From　this　time　was　formed　an
acquaintance；　which　being　begun　by　kindness；　was　accidentally
continued　by　constraint；　we　derived　much　pleasure　from　it；　and　I
hope　have　given　him　no　reason　to　repent　it。

The　weather　was　now　almost　one　continued　storm；　and　we　were　to
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　d