PREFACE. xi 



untiring patience it is owing that the imperfect materials 

 with which I suppHed him have assumed a shape which 

 I venture to hope may meet with the approval of such 

 of my readers as may happen to be conversant with the 

 objects depicted ; as also to Mr. James Drummond, 

 R.S.A., the accomplished Curator of the National Gallery 

 of Scotland, to whom I am indebted for the sketch of 

 the "Isles of the West ;" nor while on this subject can 

 I do less than acknowledge the great courtesy with which 

 all my views have been met and forwarded by every one 

 within whose province it lay to assist me. 



As the contents of this book do not refer to a single 

 journey, but ai^e the accumulated experiences of very- 

 many, often over much the same ground, it has not 

 been deemed desirable to do more than append a sketch 

 or outlme map of the country I passed over, which, 

 however, I have attempted to render as perfect as 

 possible. 



It would be unjust to the memory of my late friend, 

 Mr. Leslie, were I to omit to mention that to his great 

 knowledge and experience I owe much of whatever may 

 be of value in these pages, and that to his kindly placing 



I 



