6 Mr. Smith's Visit to the Island of Lewis. 



first potatoes, then barley or bigg, and then oats — constituting a three 

 years' shift. According to this rotation they had grown their crops 

 for 100 years, and one might naturally suppose that their lands would 

 be worn out by it; but this was not the case, for they had generally 

 good crops, and last year it was an extraordinary one. There had 

 been inhospitable seasons, certainly, in which the crops entirely failed, 

 and great distress followed ; but generally speaking, their crops were 

 excellent. The potatoes were good ; and as to the barley, though dark 

 in the straw, he never saw it in any country present in a more marked 

 manner that golden appearance which indicated a healthy yield. He 

 could not say so much for the oats ; they had a fancy for tho black 

 oats, but in this country the white variety was considered preferable. 

 On the whole, there was no doubt that if these people were properly 

 directed in the best modes of cultivation, they would, with their habits 

 of industry, make rapid progress. He trusted that happy days were 

 yet awaiting them, for they had now got a gentleman connected with 

 them who would devote his money to work out the improvement of 

 their country, and otherwise promote their welfare; and though they 

 were a hundred years behind their brethren on the mainland, they 

 would advance with railway speed. On their shores there were 

 millions of tons of shell-sand, which was so nicely pulverised that it 

 could be at once applied to the soil. It would, no doubt, be much im- 

 proved were it calcined or burned and mixed ; but even taking it in its 

 native state, great advantage would be derived from its application 

 to the ground. There was no lime or coal, but the want of the former 

 would be made up by this shell-sand if they could only get easily at 

 it. It lay among the perpendicular rocks around the island ; and as 

 there were no roads, the difficulty of procuring and transporting it 

 would be very great. When the Roads were made, however, means 

 would be taken by which the inhabitants would avail themselves of 

 these deposits, and they would form a material element in fertilising 

 the soil. So much for the agriculture of Lewis. 



As to their manufactures, he might state that they made their own 

 dishes or vessels from the clay found amongst the granite gravel. 

 They fashioned the vessel merely with the finger and thumb ; and the 

 strength and thinness with which they were made, proved the quality 

 of their clay. They turned over the neck or mouth, and by putting 

 a cord, or rather a leather thong, round it, they were enabled to carry 

 them from place to place, containing water or milk ; and they also 

 stood the heat requisite to boil their contents when placed on the fire, 

 Jig. 7. They also made their creels for carrying out their manure, and 

 for other uses ; and when he showed one of them, the audience would be 

 surprised to hear they were made of the stem of the dock, or " docken," 

 jigs. 5 and 6. So much was this plant prized amongst them, that when it 

 grew between the possessions of two farmers, the docks were carefully 

 divided between them. There was not a willow in the island ; and the 



