4 REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 



country gradually becomes more mountainous 

 and beautiful. But all the nortliern portion 

 of the island is one succession of peat, hags, 

 and moss, studded with innumerable fresh- 

 water lochs. Of course, Lews being an island, 

 or rather peninsula, you have always in the 

 sea, when you see it, a noble feature; and 

 therefore the western coast, with the broad 

 Atlantic breaking on it, is a sight to see. The 

 Minch, too, when the weather is fine and you 

 can see the mainland hills, is beautiful. 



But speaking of the interior portion of the 

 northern part of the island, it presents no fine 

 features, though you often get from it striking 

 views of the outlines of the distant hills. My 

 shootinof-lodo^e was about seven miles from the 

 commencement of the hills, and a more dismal, 

 dreary little place you would never wish to 

 behold. I do not think you would have found 

 many people to live in it when first I took 

 it. There was sorry accommodation for the 

 quality, scarcely any for servants. It was 

 under a hill, and it looked out on the peat 

 stacks only, which were ranged where they 

 were cut in the peat bog; for, with the 

 greatest possible ingenuity, the builder of the 

 mansion had managed that from no window 

 except the skyhght at the top of the house 



