XXIV INTRODUCTION. 



In answer to further questions, he said " Mr. Cameron of 

 Talisker told me that the landlord had blamed him for his 

 usage of the people. If it had not been for MacLeod's 

 interference there would not have been a representative of 

 the families of the original inhabitants of the district to bear 

 testimony here to-day. It was MacLeod's wish to keep 

 these people and that was what caused the dispute." 



Alexander MacCaskill, cottar, Cuilore, stated, in reply to 

 Sheriff Nicolson, that "all in his township have been put off 

 other townships forty years ago. There were removed, 

 from Meadale ten or twelve families ; from Somerdale ten 

 families ; from Crossburgh ten or eleven families ; and from 

 Bendhu six families." He "remembered two of these re- 

 movals. They took place when Norman MacLeod (father) 

 and Martin MacLeod was tacksmen at Drynoch. All 

 these townships were now vacant. Many of the people 

 went to America. Some have succeeded abroad, some 

 not." 



In reply to Mr. Fraser-Mackintosh, he said " That ten 

 townships were cleared on Drynoch by Captain MacLeod. 

 There were cleared in addition to those he had already 

 mentioned, Ferrin-nan-cailleach, with five or six families; 

 Colbost, with four families; Glenbracadale, with two families; 

 Glenachadaloch, with three families; Invermeadale, with five 

 or six; and Boust, with four families. All these places 

 were empty now, unless there was a shepherd." 



Alex. Matheson, Carbost, who said that " the people were 

 turned out wholesale" to make room for the distillery, 

 added, " I have to complain of the poverty of the people of 

 Carbost and the miserable houses they have. The families, 

 until they are grown up, have to sleep in the same room, 

 which is a sheer violation of nature. Our meal mill has 

 gone to ruin. For the past twenty years there has not been 



