XCIX. 



Grazing and Agrestic Customs of the Outer Hebrides, by xcix. 



Alexander Carmichael. Alexander 



Carmichael 

 Geographical. 



The Long Island comprehends a series of islands 116 miles in length. The 

 breadth varies from one mile to twenty-six miles. 



In shape the Long Island resembles an artificial kite — Lews being the body, 

 and the disarticulated tail trending southward and terminating in Bearnarey of 

 Barra. 



A range of glaciated hills, rising from the centre of Lews, and at intervals cut 

 into by the Minch, runs along the east side of the islands. Along the west side, 

 washed by the Atlantic, is an irregular plain of sandy soil, locally called Machair. 



These islands are called the Outer Hebrides, being the most westerly isLinds 

 of Scotland, except those of Saint Kilda. They form a breakwater ai^ainst the 

 Atlantic, from Cape Wrath on the north, to Ardiiamurchan on the south. 



The Outer Hebrides were of old called Tnnse Gall, the Isles of the Gall, the 

 Isles of the Strangers, from the Norse Occupation. 



The ancient name of the Long Island, and still traced among the people, was 

 Innis Cat, the Island of the Cat, or Catey. Who the Catey were is uncertain, 

 though probably they were the same people who gave the name of Cat Taobh, Cat 

 Side, to Sutherland, and Cat Nis, Cat Ness, to Caithness. May not the modern 

 Clan Chatan be of these people ? They are called the descendants of the Cat or 

 Catey, and have a cat for their crest. 



The present inhabitants of the Long Island are essentially Celtic, with some 

 infusion of Norse blood. They are a splendid race of people, probably unexcelled, 

 mentally and physically, in the British Isles. 



The populations of the ditierent islands form an aggregate of over 40,000 souls. 

 Of these, forty families occupy about two-thirds of the whole land of the islands, 

 the numerous crofters occupying the other third. These crofters retain pastoral 

 and agrestic modes of life, now obsolete elsewhere. To describe these modes of 

 life is the object of this paper. 



All the crofters throughout the Outer Hebrides occupy and work their lands 

 on the Eun-Rig System, more or less modified. They work under this system 

 in three different mudes, two of these being stages of decay. An example from 

 each of these three modes will be given from each of three parishes where they 

 are in operation. This the writer thinks is preferable to any general description 

 which he could devise. These parishes are Barra, South Uist, and North Uist, 

 which form the Southern Division of the Outer Hebrides. 



Run-Pdg. 

 The term Run-Rig seems a modification of the Gaelic, Roinn Ruith — ' division 

 run.' In this case the word ' run ' is used in the sense of common. In Gaelic 

 the System of Run- Rig is usually spoken of as Mor Earann — ' great division,' 

 or Mor Fhearann, ' great land.' Occasionally, however, an old person calls the 

 system Roinn Ruith. This seems the correct designation and the origin of the 

 English term Run-Rig. 



