BENBECULA. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 101 



it must be impassable. The western division exhibits 

 a better soil, being more sandy and affording in conse- 

 quence a verdant surface, dry and convertible to agricul- 

 ture. The whole of this surface is chequered by a pro- 

 fusion of fresh water lakes, which wind among the rocks, 

 and together with the indentations of the sea, give to 

 the whole island a most singular aspect. I attempted 

 in vain to number them from Benbecula hill',' 'bafr after 

 reaching to ninety was obliged to abarclon the dazzling 

 pursuit. This hill is the only one \vhi<Jv 'the "island 

 possesses. It is a roundish extended mass, and appears 

 to be between 600 and 700 feet in height. From its 

 summit a very extraordinary view presents itself, the 

 whole of the island beneath detailed as in a map, and 

 the southern and northern islands extending to an un- 

 defined length with all their mottled plains and scattered 

 mountains ; while the more eastern lands of Sky and 

 Rum, with the adjacent continent, are distinctly visible 

 in the horizon. 



After the remarks already made on the subject of water 

 in describing the preceding islands, it is unnecessary to 

 say that Benbecula possesses no running stream, of which 

 indeed its flat surface is a sufficient indication. The 

 lakes with which it abounds appear to be merely recep- 

 tacles of rain water, varying in depth from six inches 

 to as many feet, and all highly tinctured with peat. All 

 the lakes of these islands abound with trout, and produce 

 many of the alpine aquatics. In this I remarked abun- 

 dance of the Ranunculus lingua, and R. gramineus, 

 plants not very common in Scotland. The sea lochs and 

 indentations abound also in those sea-weeds, from the 

 produce of which converted into kelp a principal part 

 of the value of this, as of the other islands, arises. This 

 manufacture affords occupation for numbers, and the 

 labour employed in it is the common substitute for rent, as 

 I shall have occasion to notice hereafter. 



There are no changes of the surface in action on the 

 eastern side of Benbecula, if we except the gradual and 



