122 A VIEW OF 



Upon the whole, the fltuation of thefc people, 

 inhabitants of Britain ! is fuch as no language can 

 defcribe, or fancy conceive. If, with great labour 

 and fatigue, * the farmer raifes a (lender crop of oats 

 and barley, the autumnal rains often baffle his ut- 

 moft efforts, and fruftrate all his expectations ; and 

 inftead of being able to pay an exorbitant rent, he 

 fees his family in danger of perilhing during the 

 enfuing winter, when he is precluded from any pof- 

 fibility of afiiftance clfewhere. 



Nor are his cattle in a better fltuation : in fum- 

 mer they pick up a fcanty fupport amongft the 

 morafles, or heathy mountains ; but in winter, when 

 the grounds are covered with fnow, and when the 

 naked wilds afford neither fhelter nor fubfiftence, the 

 few cows, fmall, lean, and ready to drop down 

 through want ofpafhire,are brought into the hut where 

 the family refides, and frequently lhare with them 

 the fmall flock of meal which hath been purchafed, 

 or raifed, for the family only; while the cattle thus 

 fufrained, are bled, occafionally, to afford nourifh- 

 ment for the children, after it hath been boiled, or 

 made into cakes. 



* This description alludes to the country in general, and admits 

 of exceptions, in regard to the foil of the vallies, and ibme of the 

 iilands and Ihores, as {hall be fpecified more fully in another place, 



Inftead of the plough, the farmers, in many parts, nfe the 

 fpade, partly through neceffity, arifmg from the irregularity of 

 the furrace, and partly from antient cuilom. The rainy feafon 

 commences about the firft of Auguft, and continues, with little inr- 

 termuTion, till November. Whep, therefore, the corn is cut clown, 

 which is performed by hooks, a number of iheaves are piled toge- 

 ther, and thatched on the top. In the firft interval from rain, the 

 thatch is t^ken pff j and the Iheaves, if dry, are carried to the 

 barn. This laborious wprk is repeated until the whole crop hath 

 been thus fecured. Againft all inconveniencies ariling from rains, 

 the duke of Argyle hath erected a very extenfive, and lofty buildV 

 ing, with open floors, and other vents, to dry the corn immediately 

 after it is cut down j and which, at the fame time, prevents the 

 ftraw from heating. Other gentlemen have adopted the fame 

 plan, though on a imaller fcale, and was this very neceflary im? 

 provement more general in that country, fome thoufand bolls 

 might be fayed annually, to the diitrefled farmers, 



Tie 



