XXVI INTRODUCTION. 



stated that " there were other three places cleared in Ullinish 

 and Ebost, besides those already mentioned, viz. : Nagli, Ose, 

 and Balmeanach. There were four or five families in Ose 

 who were removed to another part of the same place, and 

 were made to build their houses on a peaty soil beside the 

 river ; and when the river was in flood some of them had to 

 flee for their lives. Their new place was much worse than 

 their old. He did not know how many were in Balmeanach, 

 but the remains of a considerable number of houses might 

 still be seen there. Ose and Balmeanach were made into 

 tacks, and these, with Glen Caskill and Glen Ullinish, were 

 made into one tack by Mr. Steven." 



The following account given at Skaeboat by Neil Shaw, 

 60 years of age, crofter, Eyre, is well worthy of record : 

 " 1 was in Duirinish at one time. There were ten tenants 

 in the township. Bad times came upon us, and Mr. 

 MacCaskill and his officer said if we put our stock into their 

 hands they would get better prices for us than we could 

 command ourselves. This we did, and it went on for two 

 years, before the end of which the tenants had got so much 

 into debt that they were unable to keep their holdings, and 

 he took the land himself. Some of the crofters went to 

 Australia, myself and four others remaining here. We got 

 a new township laid out for us at 40 rent. We were there 

 for five years. There were seven of us located on the 

 ground at first, but latterly only five. When Tormore 

 became factor he never rested until he became possessed of 

 our lands. He removed the five of us, although, I believe, 

 not one of us was a sixpence in arrears ; but when Tormore 

 became factor he took some convenient lots adjoining our 

 township, and he never rested until he got possession of our 

 land. Tormore was then factor for Orbost and for Lord 

 Macdonald, and he promised me that if I went to Eyre every- 



