THE ISLE OF SKYE IN 1882. 19 



reduced to the old standard, otherwise they will not be able 

 to meet their engagements. 



We shall next take the petition of the Harmaravirein 

 crofters. The place is occupied by John Campbell, who 

 pays 9 155. 4d.; John Maclean, ^5 33. 4d.; John Mackay, 

 6 2s. 8d.; and Donald Nicolson, ^4 123. The petition, 

 which was in the following terms, deserves record : 



We, the crofters of Harmaravirein, do humbly show by this peti- 

 tion that we agree with our fellow-petitioners in Glendale as to their 

 requests. We do, by the same petition, respectfully ask redress for 

 grievances laid upon us by a despotic factor, Donald Macdonald, Tor- 

 more, who thirteen years ago for the first time took from us part of our 

 land, against our will, and gave it to others, whom he drove from ano- 

 ther quarter of the estate of Glendale, to extend his own boundaries, 

 and acted similarly two years ago, when he dispersed the Ramasaig 

 tenantry. We, your humble petitioners, believe that none of the griev- 

 ances mentioned were known to our late good and famous proprietor, 

 being an absentee, in whom we might place our confidence had he been 

 present to hear and grant our request. As an instance of his goodwill 

 to his subjects, the benefits he bestowed on the people of St. Kilda are 

 manifest to the kingdom of Great Britain. We, your petitioners, pray 

 our new proprietors to consider our case, and grant that the tenantry 

 be reinstated in the places which have been cleared of their inhabitants 

 by him in Tormore. 



The petition of the Upper and Lower Milivaig and Borro- 

 dale crofters set forth that, notwithstanding their going north 

 and south all over the country to earn their bread, they are 

 still declining into poverty. The crofts too are getting ex- 

 hausted through constant tilling. Before 1 845 they say there 

 were only 16 families in the two Milivaigs and one in Borro- 

 dale. There are now 5 in Borrodale, 19 in Upper Milivaig, 

 and 20 in Lower Milivaig, averaging six souls in each family. 

 The rent before 1845 f r *he two Milivaigs was 40. At 

 the date mentioned, Macleod of Macleod, who was then 

 proprietor, divided each of the two Milivaigs into 16 crofts. 



