a journey to- 第13部分

Our　reception　exceeded　our　expectations。　　We　found　nothing　but
civility；　elegance；　and　plenty。　　After　the　usual　refreshments；　and
the　usual　conversation；　the　evening　came　upon　us。　　The　carpet　was
then　rolled　off　the　floor；　the　musician　was　called；　and　the　whole
company　was　invited　to　dance；　nor　did　ever　fairies　trip　with
greater　alacrity。　　The　general　air　of　festivity；　which　predominated
in　this　place；　so　far　remote　from　all　those　regions　which　the　mind
has　been　used　to　contemplate　as　the　mansions　of　pleasure；　struck
the　imagination　with　a　delightful　surprise；　analogous　to　that　which
is　felt　at　an　unexpected　emersion　from　darkness　into　light。

When　it　was　time　to　sup；　the　dance　ceased；　and　six　and　thirty
persons　sat　down　to　two　tables　in　the　same　room。　　After　supper　the
ladies　sung　Erse　songs；　to　which　I　listened　as　an　English　audience
to　an　Italian　opera；　delighted　with　the　sound　of　words　which　I　did
not　understand。

I　inquired　the　subjects　of　the　songs；　and　was　told　of　one；　that　it
was　a　love　song；　and　of　another；　that　it　was　a　farewell　composed　by
one　of　the　Islanders　that　was　going；　in　this　epidemical　fury　of
emigration；　to　seek　his　fortune　in　America。　　What　sentiments　would
arise；　on　such　an　occasion；　in　the　heart　of　one　who　had　not　been
taught　to　lament　by　precedent；　I　should　gladly　have　known；　but　the
lady；　by　whom　I　sat；　thought　herself　not　equal　to　the　work　of
translating。

Mr。　Macleod　is　the　proprietor　of　the　islands　of　Raasay；　Rona；　and
Fladda；　and　possesses　an　extensive　district　in　Sky。　　The　estate　has
not；　during　four　hundred　years；　gained　or　lost　a　single　acre。　　He
acknowledges　Macleod　of　Dunvegan　as　his　chief；　though　his　ancestors
have　formerly　disputed　the　pre…eminence。

One　of　the　old　Highland　alliances　has　continued　for　two　hundred
years；　and　is　still　subsisting　between　Macleod　of　Raasay　and
Macdonald　of　Sky；　in　consequence　of　which；　the　survivor　always
inherits　the　arms　of　the　deceased；　a　natural　memorial　of　military
friendship。　　At　the　death　of　the　late　Sir　James　Macdonald；　his
sword　was　delivered　to　the　present　laird　of　Raasay。

The　family　of　Raasay　consists　of　the　laird；　the　lady；　three　sons
and　ten　daughters。　　For　the　sons　there　is　a　tutor　in　the　house；　and
the　lady　is　said　to　be　very　skilful　and　diligent　in　the　education
of　her　girls。　　More　gentleness　of　manners；　or　a　more　pleasing
appearance　of　domestick　society；　is　not　found　in　the　most　polished
countries。

Raasay　is　the　only　inhabited　island　in　Mr。　Macleod's　possession。
Rona　and　Fladda　afford　only　pasture　for　cattle；　of　which　one
hundred　and　sixty　winter　in　Rona；　under　the　superintendence　of　a
solitary　herdsman。

The　length　of　Raasay　is；　by　computation；　fifteen　miles；　and　the
breadth　two。　　These　countries　have　never　been　measured；　and　the
computation　by　miles　is　negligent　and　arbitrary。　　We　observed　in
travelling；　that　the　nominal　and　real　distance　of　places　had　very
little　relation　to　each　other。　　Raasay　probably　contains　near　a
hundred　square　miles。　　It　affords　not　much　ground；　notwithstanding
its　extent；　either　for　tillage；　or　pasture；　for　it　is　rough；　rocky；
and　barren。　　The　cattle　often　perish　by　falling　from　the
precipices。　　It　is　like　the　other　islands；　I　think；　generally　naked
of　shade；　but　it　is　naked　by　neglect；　for　the　laird　has　an　orchard；
and　very　large　forest　trees　grow　about　his　house。　　Like　other　hilly
countries　it　has　many　rivulets。　　One　of　the　brooks　turns　a　corn…
mill；　and　at　least　one　produces　trouts。

In　the　streams　or　fresh　lakes　of　the　Islands；　I　have　never　heard　of
any　other　fish　than　trouts　and　eels。　　The　trouts；　which　I　have
seen；　are　not　large；　the　colour　of　their　flesh　is　tinged　as　in
England。　　Of　their　eels　I　can　give　no　account；　having　never　tasted
them；　for　I　believe　they　are　not　considered　as　wholesome　food。

It　is　not　very　easy　to　fix　the　principles　upon　which　mankind　have
agreed　to　eat　some　animals；　and　reject　others；　and　as　the　principle
is　not　evident；　it　is　not　uniform。　　That　which　is　selected　as
delicate　in　one　country；　is　by　its　neighbours　abhorred　as
loathsome。　　The　Neapolitans　lately　refused　to　eat　potatoes　in　a
famine。　　An　Englishman　is　not　easily　persuaded　to　dine　on　snails
with　an　Italian；　on　frogs　with　a　Frenchman；　or　on　horseflesh　with　a
Tartar。　　The　vulgar　inhabitants　of　Sky；　I　know　not　whether　of　the
other　islands；　have　not　only　eels；　but　pork　and　bacon　in
abhorrence；　and　accordingly　I　never　saw　a　hog　in　the　Hebrides；
except　one　at　Dunvegan。

Raasay　has　wild　fowl　in　abundance；　but　neither　deer；　hares；　nor
rabbits。　　Why　it　has　them　not；　might　be　asked；　but　that　of　such
questions　there　is　no　end。　　Why　does　any　nation　want　what　it　might
have？　　Why　are　not　spices　transplanted　to　America？　　Why　does　tea
continue　to　be　brought　from　China？　　Life　improves　but　by　slow
degrees；　and　much　in　every　place　is　yet　to　do。　　Attempts　have　been
made　to　raise　roebucks　in　Raasay；　but　without　effect。　　The　young
ones　it　is　extremely　difficult　to　rear；　and　the　old　can　very　seldom
be　taken　alive。

Hares　and　rabbits　might　be　more　easily　obtained。　　That　they　have
few　or　none　of　either　in　Sky；　they　impute　to　the　ravage　of　the
foxes；　and　have　therefore　set；　for　some　years　past；　a　price　upon
their　heads；　which；　as　the　number　was　diminished；　has　been
gradually　raised；　from　three　shillings　and　sixpence　to　a　guinea；　a
sum　so　great　in　this　part　of　the　world；　that；　in　a　short　time；　Sky
may　be　as　free　from　foxes；　as　England　from　wolves。　　The　fund　for
these　rewards　is　a　tax　of　sixpence　in　the　pound；　imposed　by　the
farmers　on　themselves；　and　said　to　be　paid　with　great　willingness。

The　beasts　of　prey　in　the　Islands　are　foxes；　otters；　and　weasels。
The　foxes　are　bigger　than　those　of　England；　but　the　otters　exceed
ours　in　a　far　greater　proportion。　　I　saw　one　at　Armidel；　of　a　size
much　beyond　that　which　I　supposed　them　ever　to　attain；　and　Mr。
Maclean；　the　heir　of　Col；　a　man　of　middle　stature；　informed　me　that
he　once　shot　an　otter；　of　which　the　tail　reached　the　ground；　when
he　held　up　the　head　to　a　level　with　his　own。　　I　expected　the　otter
to　have　a　foot　particularly　formed　for　the　art　of　swimming；　but
upon　examination；　I　did　not　find　it　differing　much　from　that　of　a
spaniel。　　As　he　preys　in　the　sea；　he　does　little　visible　mischief；
and　is　killed　only　for　his　fur。　　White　otters　are　sometimes　seen。

In　Raasay　they　might　have　hares　and　rabbits；　for　they　have　no
foxes。　　Some　depredations；　such　as　were　never　made　before；　have
caused　a　suspicion　that　a　fox　has　been　lately　landed　in　the　Island
by　spite　or　wantonness。　　This　imaginary　stranger　has　never　yet　been
seen；　and　therefore；　perhaps；　the　mischief　was　done　by　some　other
animal。　　It　is　not　likely　that　a　creature　so　ungentle；　whose　head
could　have　been　sold　in　Sky　for　a　guinea；　should　be　kept　alive　only
to　gratify　the　malice　of　sending　him　to　prey　upon　a　neighbour：　　and
the　passage　from　Sky　is　wider　than　a　fox　would　venture　to　swim；
unless　he　were　chased　by　dogs　into　the　sea；　and　perhaps　than　his
strength　would　enable　him　to　cross。　　How　beasts　of　prey　came　into
any　islands　is　not　easy　to　guess。　　In　cold　countries　they　take
advantage　of　hard　winters；　and　travel　over　the　ice：　　but　this　is　a
very　scanty　solution；　for　they　are　found　where　they　have　no
discoverable　means　of　coming。

The　corn　of　this　island　is　but　little。　　I　saw　the　harvest　of　a
small　field。　　The　women　reaped　the　Corn；　and　the　men　bound　up　the
sheaves。　　The　strokes　of　the　sickle　were　timed　by　the　modulation　of
the　harvest　song；　in　which　all　their　voices　were　united。　　They
accompany　in　the　Highlands　every　action；　which　can　be　done　in　equal
time；　with　an　appropriated　strain；　which　has；　they　say；　not　much
meaning；　but　its　effects　are　regularity　and　cheerfulness。　　The
ancient　proceleusmatick　song；　by　which　the　rowers　of　gallies　were
animated；　may　be　supposed　to　have　been　of　this　kind。　　There　is　now
an　oar…song　used　by　the　Hebridians。

The　ground　of　Raasay　seems　fitter　for　cattle　than　for　corn；　and　of
black　cattle　I　suppose　the　number　is　very　great。　　The　Laird　himself
keeps　a　herd　of　four　hundred；　one　hundred　of　which　are　annually
sold。　　Of　an　extensive　domain；　which　he　holds　in　his　own　hands；　he
considers　the　sale　of　cattle　as　repaying　him　the　rent；　and　supports
the　plenty　of　a　very　liberal　table　with　the　remaining　product。

Raasay　is　supposed　to　have　been　very　long　inhabited。　　On　one　side
of　it　they　show　caves；　into　which　the　rude　nations　of　the　first
ages　retreated　from　the　weather。　　These　dreary　vaults　might　have
had　other　uses。　　There　is　still　a　cavity　near　the　house　called　the
oar…cave；　in　which　the　seamen；　after　one　of　those　piratical
expeditions；　which　in　rougher　times　were　very　frequent；　used；　as
tradition　tells；　to　hide　their　oars。　　This　hollow　was　near　the　sea；
that　nothing　so　necessary　might　be　far　to　be　fetched；　and　it　was
secret；　that　enemies；　if　they　landed；　could　find　nothing。　　Yet　it
is　not　very　evident　of　what　use　it　was　to　hide　their　oars　from
those；　who；　if　they　were　masters　of　the　coast；　could　take　away
their　boats。

A　proof　much　stronger　of　the　distance　at　which　the　first　possessors
of　this　island　lived　from　the　present　time；　is　afforded　by　the
stone　heads　of　arrows　whic