EEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 25 



He introduced gas ; and, though last, not least, 

 a good system of agriculture ; he set up a good 

 model farm himself, and did what neither here 

 nor hereafter will he ever be forgiven for — he 

 drained and converted into good land the best 

 snipe ground in the country — viz., that round 

 Stornoway. Well and worthily, then, has he 

 merited the baronetcy the Government gave 

 him, the very year, I think, we reached the 

 Lews. But yet, with all these claims to respect, 

 the proprietor lacked one quality. Having 

 passed the chief part of his life in the East as 

 a diligent and successful man of business, he 

 was ignorant of everything connected with 

 sport ; he held sportsmen in no very high esti- 

 mation, considering them as eminently selfish. 

 He fell into the very common error of thinking 

 that, because they were well acquainted with 

 their own subjects, they must consequently be 

 profoundly ignorant of all others. In fine, he 

 kept a bountiful good mansion at a bountiful 

 good rate, was as hospitable as a Highlander, 

 and, when kindness was wanted, as open- 

 handed as he was kind-hearted. 



I arrived, as I stated, at Aline by myself, 

 and came in for a very cheery, exciting scene 

 — by way, I presume, of welcome. There had 

 been a long-vexed question pending between 



