THE ISLE OF SKYE IN 1882. 



THE BRAES CROFTERS AND LORD MACDONALD. 



No evictions have yet taken place in consequence of the 

 social revolution which has, during 1882-3, directed the 

 attention of the world to the position of landlord and tenant 

 in the Isle of Skye. Considerable space must, however, 

 be devoted to what has already occurred. The writer 

 went over the ground, and he has carefully considered the 

 whole question. The following statement was published by 

 him, on his return from the Island, in the Celtic Magazine 

 'for May 1882, and he has not hitherto found it necessary to 

 modify a single sentence of what he then wrote, though he 

 has watched all the proceedings which have since occurred 

 including the evidence given at the trial of the Braes 

 crofters with great care. Indeed, it has been admitted by 

 those more immediately concerned on the landlords' side, 

 that his account was exceedingly moderate in tone, carefully 

 couched in temperate language, and accurately stated in all 

 its details. It is as follows : 



That we were, and still are, on the verge of a social revo- 

 lution in Skye is beyond question, and those who have any 

 influence with the people as well as those lairds and factors 

 who have the interests of the population virtually in their 

 keeping, will incur a very grave responsibility at a critical 

 time like this, unless the utmost care is taken to keep the 



