THE HIGHLANDS. 



thofe who could not pay for their paflage, fold 

 themielves to the captains who were to tranfporc 

 them to the new world ; and were, by thefe cap- 

 tains,. re-fold upon their arrival at the intended ports. 

 The Americans beheld this inundation of Britons, 

 with aftonifhment, mixed with contempt of that 

 government, which thus permitted a continued 

 drain of its inhabitants; while the looks, the de- 

 jection, the poverty, and the tattered apparel of 

 thefe unhappy wanderers, touched f their feelings, 

 and called forth the exertions of humanity. They 

 could fcarcely believe, that a people, whofe valour 

 they had fo recently extolled, whom Wolfe admired, 

 and whom Chatham applauded, ihoukl be reduced 

 to the fad alternative of perifhing at home, or em- 

 barking with their families, on a voyage of 3000 



bitcd wilds, he who could fpeak the beft Englifh ftept forth, with 

 a dejected countenance, while his companions, and especially the 

 Children, feemed to remain in eager liiipence. The motive of thefe 

 interviews, led to enquiries refpedting the hiftory of the people, 

 the caufes of their emigrations, the Hate of their finances, and their 

 notions of the country to which they were going. They reprc- 

 fented their diftrefles with great feeling, moft generally in tears ; 

 and with a ftricl regard to truth, as appeared in the uniformity 

 of the accounts delivered by different companies, ftrangers to ons 

 another. " O fir, we dinna leave our kintra without reafon, great 

 reafon indeed, fir. Sometimes our crops yield little more than the 

 the feed, and fometimes they are deftroyed with rains, or dinna 

 ripen ; but fome of our lairds mak nae allowance for thefe mis- 

 fortunes. They feize our cattle, and all our furniture ; leaving 

 us Haething but the Ikin, which would be of nae fervice to them. 

 They are not Highlandmen fo greedy, fir but God will judge 

 between them and us, in his own gude time. O fir, can you tell 

 us ony thing about the kintra of America they fay poor fok may 

 get a living in it, which is mair than we can get in our parts. We 

 are driven, fir, with our poor bairns to a far land. \Ve are beg- 

 ging our way to Greenock, and all our clothes, fir; are on our 

 backs, as you f e. God forgive our oppreflbrs who have brought 

 us to this pafe. We are (tranters in the Lowlands ,- could you ad- 

 vife us, lir, how to mak our bargain with the captain of the ihip ? 

 They fay that thofe who have no money to pay for their paflage, 

 mi! ft fell themielves to the captain. Th : s i<* our cafe O fir, what 

 have we done but it is God's will blefled be his holy name. " 

 Such was, and fuch is at this day, the language of unmerited 

 diflrefa in many parts of the Highland*. 



I miles, 



