xlvi INTRODUCTION. 



mission visited the glen ; and it was heralded forth, in 

 inspired quarters, that a settlement of the question in dis- 

 pute had been finally arranged. Though this is not the 

 case, as yet, it is gratifying to find that negotiations have 

 been entered upon, and that no attempt at evictions fol- 

 lowed on the notices of removal served by registered 

 letters in April last. (See pp. 144-145.) The settlement 

 proposed, according to an excellent authority, writing from 

 the spot, on the nth of July, is as follows: 



" Waterstein," he says, "is one of the finest grazings, or arable 

 lands, in the Island. The proprietor only intends to give the crofters 

 a narrow strip off the worst end, about 150 yards wide, and about a 

 mile in length ; and preparations are being made to fence this off. Dr. 

 Martin was paying ^"133 rent for the whole of it ; the section offered to 

 the crofters is only one-fifteenth of the whole, and is at the worst end, 

 being chiefly heather. The rent asked for this strip is ^33. I am told 

 that the crofters naturally refused this, but offered to take the whole at the 

 same rent that Dr. Martin paid for it. The proprietor refuses to accept 

 this offer ; the crofters are withholding their rents, but little or nothing 

 is going on now in the way of negotiation, as the men areaway at the 

 fishing." 



This is how the matter stands as we go to press. 



THE "SCOTSMAN" IN THE SCALES. 



The one-sided position taken up by the Scotsman in 

 connection with this question, can easily be gathered from 

 what appears in the body of the book, especially at pages 

 135 to 143 ; but it may be added, as a further illustration, 

 that its representative, while reporting the proceedings of 

 the Royal Commission in the Lewis, was driven about the 

 Island, and to the meetings of the Commission, by Lady 

 Matheson's Chamberlain, while the other reporters had to 

 provide carriages in the usual way, at their own expense ; 

 and that he was entertained as the guest of the Chamber- 



