-10 a voyage to the Hebrides. ^pril il. 



Landed in a line harbour, sate from all winds, but 

 full of sunken rocks. Slept at Boisdale's house. 



loth July. Some of the party walked to the top 

 of a high hill. Some crofsed a channel of two miles 

 in an open boat-, to Erilkaj, an island belonging to 

 Boisdale, in the centre of which there is a fine inlet 

 from the Minch or channel, between the islands and 

 main land. Quere Minch ? perhaps Manche, or 

 la Manche, as the French call the sea between France 

 and Engla,nd. Here were two Irilh filhing wherries, 

 which had nearly completed their cargoes of ' cod 

 and ling, principally the former. They cam.e from 

 Rulh, twelve miles north from Dublin. They take 

 in salt, dutyfree, at Campbclton ; they carry their 

 cargoes to Campbelton, and receive the bounty, L. 3 

 per ton ; — export the fifli to Dublin, and sell them 

 there, from L. 24 to L. 27 ji^r ton. The excefsive 

 foulnefs of the bottom, makes it doubtful if a fiftiing 

 station would answer here. Boisdale has improved 

 a great deal of land, by draining and laying flielly 

 sand on the surface. This island is 'a full confirma- 

 tion of Dr Anderson's afsertion, that ilielly sand is to 

 be found in inexhaustible quantities in the Hebrides. 

 There is hei'e a flat on the western side, five or six 

 ■miles long, composed solely of this sand : Thin soil, 

 bearing exquisite grafs, and fine rye, and barley. The 

 whole hills are mofsy like those of Derbyfhire, and 

 probably capable of the same improvement, by drain- 

 ing and laying lime or (hells on the surface, which 

 destroys the heath, and brings rich pasture in a few 

 years. 



Eat a bread, called greddan. This is made of oats, 

 roasted like coffee beans j ground* iji a hand mill, and 



