THE HIGHLANDS. 123 



The fheep, being left upon the open heaths, feck 

 to Jhelter themfelves from the inclemency of the 

 weather amongft the hollows upon the lee-fide of 

 the mountains j and here they are frequently buried 

 under the fnow, for feveral weeks together, and in 

 fevere feafons during two months or upwards. 

 They eat their own and each other's wool, and 

 hold out wonderfully under cold and hunger ; but 

 tven in moderate winters, a confiderable number 

 are generally found dead after the fnow hath difap- 

 peared, and in rigorous feafons few or none are lefc 

 alive. * 



Meanwhile the fteward, hard prcffed by letters 

 from the gaming houfe, or Newmarket ; demands 

 the rent in a tone which makes no great allowance 

 for unpropitious feafons, the death of cattle, and 

 other accidental misfortunes ; his honour's wants 

 muft at any rate be fupplied, the bills muft be duly 

 negotiated. 



Such is the Hate of farming, if it may be fo 

 called, throughout the interior parts of the High- 

 lands ; but as that country hath an extenfive coaft, 

 and many iflands, it may be fuppofed that the in- 

 habitants of thofe fhores enjoy all the benefits of 

 their maritime fituation. This, however, is not the 

 cafe : thofe gifts of nature, which in any other 

 commercial kingdom would have been rendered 

 fubfervient to the mod valuable purpofes, are in 

 Scotland loft, or nearly fo, to the poor natives, 

 and the public. The only difference, therefore, be- 

 tween the inhabitants of the interior parts, and 

 thofe of the more diftant coaft, confifls in this ; that 

 the latter, with the labours of the field, have to 

 encounter, alternately, the dangers of the ocean, 

 and all the fatigues of navigation. 



To the diftrefling circumftances at home, as 

 ftated above, new difficulties sncl foils await the 



* In the north of England the farmers difcover the fheep, when 

 under the fnow, by mcnns of fpaniels, who upon corning to the fpot 

 where the fheep are buried, fcrape the fnow with thotr feet. 



devoted 



