1792. a voyage io the Hebrides. 55 
divided into very smail lots. Along with each lot 
is annexed a large tract of ground, called a /beelling, 
or grazing in the interior part of the country. Five 
hundred acres is. no large grazlag for a coast-farm, 
Paying L. 5 of rent. The grazing is thus doomed 
to perpetual sterility, on which cattle pick up a 
wretched subsistence for a few months in summer- 
It is inaccefsible for want of roads ; and the cattle 
prevent the growth of natural wood, with which it 
would otherwise be soon covered. Another great 
drawback on the Highlands and Hebrides, is want of 
capital toemploy in their improvements. The land 
in general belongs to rich non-resident proprietors. 
This carries the rents they annually yield eut of the 
country. The other inhabitants are tacksmen, or 
gentlemen farmers, and small farmers, mostly subte- 
nants to those tacksmen. 
The tacksmen being gentlemen, live as such; and 
what money they can spare, necefsarily goes to the 
education of their children, and placing them out in 
life, and to the maintenance of widows and aged rela- 
tions. Besides that, few of them have leases of suf- 
ficient indurance to justify expending their capital on 
improvements. Some leases are for nimcteen years, a 
few longer ; but many are let every five or seven 
years. This is called a new sett, when a rise of rent 1s 
expected; and when any improvements are made up- 
on the land, or even the dwelling-house, they expose 
the imprudent tenant to be out-bid by the envy or ava- 
rice of his neighbour. As to the small tenant or sub- 
tenant, improving his land, the same difficulties and 
others stand in his way. Here and there some 
