I'J92. a voyage to the Hehndes, 283 



ture, commerce, manufactures, and every useful art, 

 into the island. 



Herries is about twenty -four miles in length, and six 

 or seven broad, containing at present about two thou- 

 sand inhabitants. The present rent about L. 700, or 

 L. 800, a-year ; v.'hen the present lease of St Kilda 

 expires, for it makes part of the lease of a tacksman, 

 he means to exact no other rent from the inhabitants 

 but what they can easily afford to pay in feathers, 

 and to give them perfect freedom. Such is captain 

 Alexander Macleod, to whom it has been found im- 

 pofsible not to devote a few pages of a journal, meant 

 merely as a register of dates and names*. 

 Loch Tarbat. 



Slept on board, wind N. E crofs Loch Tarbat. 



July 20. Visited west Loch Tarbat, towards the 

 north end of Herries. The vefsels anchored in east 

 Loch Tarbat. The distance between the two only 

 seven or eight hundred yards of flat ground. The 

 name Tarbat, not unfrequent in the Highlands, is 

 derived from two Gaelic words, meaning to draw 

 a hoiit. Boats can easily be drawn by men from the 

 one loch to the other. Visited Loch Boononetter a 

 fine harbour within west Loch Tarbat. Theproperfith- 

 ing station, however, is between the two lochs, where 

 there is some cultivable land, for gardens dt least; on 



* This gontlemjn is now deid, other;»ise much of what is siid coniei- 

 n'ng him u'ould have been omitted. It is now a jus: tribute to his me | 

 m'iry. He seemed to the writer of this journal to hive d,scove.e.i, wirh - 

 uncommon penetration, both the physical and political cjuses wliich have 

 '. !,;rto pttvenleJ ihe improvement of the Hebrides; moralones he .iKvays' 

 1 there were none, for the inliobitants were a frugil, industrious, and most 

 i.ithful rjcc of people, whenever pljccd in circumsranccs that jiv: theta • 

 an oppoftu::ity of diipljyi-g thoss virtues. 



