54 TOUR IN SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 



landers ; for though intelligent enough, they seem to have a 

 kind of suspicious dislike to giving information. 



One thing particularly struck me in this part of the 

 country. Depending on the Duke of Sutherland's well- 

 known kindness and liberality, the lower class of inhabitants 

 take but little trouble towards earning their own livelihood. 

 At whatever hour of the day you go into a cottage, you find 

 the whole family idling at home over the peat-tire. The 

 husband appears never to employ himself in any way beyond 

 smoking, taking snuff, or chewing tobacco; the women doing 

 the same, or at the utmost watching the boiling of a pot of 

 potatoes ; while the children are nine times out of ten 

 crawling listlessly about or playing with the ashes of the 

 fire. 



The Duke, having tried every plan that philanthropy and 

 reason could suggest, has now succeeded in opening their 

 eyes to the advantage of emigrating, and at a great expense 

 sends numbers yearly to Canada, where these very people, 

 \vho at home, in spite of every effort and encouragement, 

 drag on a life useless to themselves and burthensonie to 

 others, when once settled in their new country, put their 

 shoulder to the wheel, and rapidly became most independent 

 and comfortable ; and instead of seeing their children grow 

 up in the midst of self-imposed squalid misery, they see them 

 become daily more prosperous and thriving. Certainly, in this 

 rocky and sterile part of the country, it is difficult for a cottager 

 to advance himself. The soil is not adapted for a numerous 

 population ; there is nothing to feed mankind on : all or the 

 greatest part of the necessary grain must be imported from 

 the lowland ; and the lowland farmers, finding a better price 

 and better customers elsewhere, naturally send their produce 

 to the best market. This mountainous country is only fit 

 for sheep, and sheep-farming is by far the best use to put it 

 to. The bays are certainly full of fish ; but it seems nearly 

 impossible to make good fisherman of hill-men, often as it 

 has been tried. The north-west Highlanders, having found 

 out from their friends the great advantages derived from 

 emigration, are now anxious to take advantage of the Duke's 

 liberal system of sending them out. 



To continue our journey. We were obliged at last to make 

 for a small inn called Heilam, on the shore of Loch Erriboll ; 

 and glad enough were we to get there, for it blew a perfect 

 gale, and the rain was unceasing. Though the outside of the 



