F792. a voyage to the Hebrides. gt 
of waste land afsigned them, for which they pay only 
one fhilling yearly for the first seven years, but nothing 
fixed beyond that period. They land daily there 
from other places, bringing the wood of their former 
houses along with them, hut themselves and fa- 
milies very fast, and in a few years convert the 
land into cultivated fields, and make themselves very 
comfortable habitations. 
Whoever sees the exertions of these poor people, 
will hesitate ever after to give his afsent to the gene- 
ral character given. to the Highlanders, of their being 
a lazy race of people. In the southern counties, where 
they come to work, they are more industrious than 
the people they come among. Would they not be so at 
home with proper encouragement? They seem re- 
markably qualified for making waste land fertile, and 
surely need not go from home for want of employ- 
ment. There are about fifteen decked vefsels be- 
long to Stornaway, besides boats and small craft. 
Seaforth sent vut two boats’ with small nets which 
brought in some of the finest herrings in high season. 
Ten or twelve different kinds of fifh, excellent poul- 
try, fine mutton and beef at table, with a large com- 
pany of the principal inhabitants of the town. 
At some distance, north from the town, is Broad 
Bay, where there is a great fifhing of salmon, and of 
salmon trout ; and an inexhaustible quantity of fhelly 
sand for improving the ground. No hme-stone dis- 
covered on the island; but Seaforth has some stalac- 
titic substances, which argue the presence of that mi- 
neral, if well searched for; there is also some ap- 
pearance of blue slate. Seafarth has begun a road 
