Me. Smith's Visit to the Island of Lewis. 7 



dock, therefore, was very much prized for its usefulness. They answered 

 for the women when they went to market, as well as for carrying 

 potatoes and manure. Another mode of the people of Lewis was that 

 of feeding their cows on sea-ware. It was just the dulse or tangle, 

 which they had often seen sold on the stroets of Glasgow, and it was 

 no unusual thing, when a woman went out to milk the cows, to take 

 somo of this dulse or tangle, which the animal consumed with great 

 satisfaction when tho process of milking was in progress. The cows 

 often sought for it themselves on the sea-side, especially in seasons 

 when grass was scarce. There were somo seasons, indeed, when they 

 almost entirely lived upon it. 



At one time, as they would be awaro, a large revenue was drawn 

 from sea-weed, for converting into kelp ; but from the various changes 

 which ho need not dwell upon, it had fallen in value from about £20 

 to £2 10s. per ton. It did not, therefore, now pay for the manufac- 

 ture of kelp, and it was therefore better to apply it to the soil. Forty 

 tons of sea-ware were equal to one ton of kelp, and twenty tons of 

 this sea- ware was quite enough to manure an acre ; this was 25s. for 

 manuring an acre, and he had no doubt this sea-ware would come 

 more and more into general use for the purposes of cultivation. 



Mr. Smith then exhibited a large bag in use in Lewis, which was 

 made of the stem of the bent grass, and spun in the long winter 

 nights ; they were used for keeping the corn in, and carrying such 

 portions of it to market as they were able to spare for sale. He might 

 state that there was only one distillery on the island, which took up all 

 the surplus of tho barley crop. 



Mr. S. stated that the population extended to 17,000 souls, and 

 there were 270,000 acres of laud, which, if improved as it might be, 

 would maintain twice the number of people in more comfort than they 

 were at present. He hoped that the period of this improvement was 

 not far distant, and that when they went to visit Lewis they would 

 find it a green pastoral land, instead of a dreary waste. 



20th November, 1844 — The President in the Chair. 



On the motion of Mr. Liddell, seconded by Mr. Crum, the thanks 

 of the Society was given to the following parties, not being members 

 of the Society, who had contributed to the exhibition at the Conver- 

 sational Meeting on the 13th: — Mr. Robert Thom, Her Majesty's 

 Consul at Ningpo, tho Committee of the Mechanics' Institution, Mr. 

 John Findlay, Mr. James Brown, Mr. James Allan, sen., Dr. Smith 

 of Crutherland, Mr. A. Burton, Mr. S. P. Cohen, and Mr. John 

 Buchanan: and likewise to the Committee, for their very effective 

 and satisfactory arrangements at the Meeting. The Treasurer then 



