iS<J4- View of the Situation of Farmers, l^c. 393 



and I aflert it with confidence, not a (hilling has ever been made 

 by grazing in Eafl Lothian ; indeed it would be unfair to ei:pe(^t 

 it, in a difi:ri6t where the attention of the hufbandman is uniform- 

 ly directed to the raifnig of crops of grain. -|'**'^* .[.**»*#*'^ ^^^^ 

 tune forms no exception : the money he received from a friend, 

 and paltry fifty pounds a year, fuppofed faved from his farm of 

 f****, improved at compound intereil, would amount to a great- 

 er fui-rt than he died polleiled of. -j-******* -j-*** once made 

 great gain by half a dozen beafts he bouglit at 15s., and fold 

 in lefs than a year at four pounds : — but then 'twas a fiafn, a 

 meteor that never more was feen. This gentleman, with whonx 

 I generally fpent a week very agreeably every fummer at Corijliill, 

 was the kill, of my acquaintances who wore the good old fpring 

 boots. 



In 1763, Mr Moorhoufe, from Craven in Yorkfliire, was the 

 firft Engliihman that had ever been in the Hebrides buying cattle. 

 In the abfence of her hufband, Mr M'Donald of Kingfburgh, 

 he was kindly entertained by Flora McDonald, who made up for 

 him the fame bed that, fevcnteen years before, had received the 

 unfortunate Prince Charles. From Sky Mr Moorhoufe went to 

 Raafay, whither, in three days, Kingfburgh followed him, and, 

 during a walk in the garden, in a fine harvefc evening, they bar- 

 gained for 1007 cattle, at two guineas a head, to be delivered, 

 free of expence, at Falkirk. Two days before, he had bought 

 600 from Mr M^Leod of Waterfide, at 2I. 3s. 6d. 



About the year 1773, Duncan Campbell, a name well known 

 throughout the Highlands, bought all ttie fale cattle in Barra at 

 il. 7s. 66.. a head. They were from eight to ten fcores in num- 

 ber, and many of them four and five years old ftots. The Barra 

 cattle are amongft the beft in the Iflands ; they are good grov/- 

 ers, and, throughout Yorkfiiire, none of the kind are in higher 

 eftimation than they are. 



In 1782, Mr S****** at C********** was at great pains to 

 procure the bed and oldeft wedders. He bought my worthy and 

 much refpe6ted friend's, Mr Cranflon in Byrecleugh, and fome 

 other parcels, fall four years old, at los. 6d. After fattening 

 them till Auguft, 300 or 400 of the befl of the whole were fold 

 to Grcgor Drummond at 14s. 6d. Mr Drummond, who is a man 

 of experience and ilirewd obfervation, boalls of them to tins hour 

 as the beft grafs fed fheep that ever were in Edinburgh market. 



In I S03, the bell lots of Highland bullocks were fold at about 

 13I ; in 1804 at idl. los. I do not include thofe of the Duke 

 of Argyle and Mr Campbell of Shawfi^ld, between whom there 

 is a fort of annual friendly conteft who fliall fend the bell to mar- 

 ket, in 1803, Shawficid's were fairly bought by a Bcrwickfliire 



C c 4 . , grazier 



