86 HANDA. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



HANDA.' 



THIS island is situated near the shore between Scourie 

 bay and Loch Laxford, being of a roundish figure, about 

 a mile and a half in diameter, and rising into a sort 

 of inclined table land of about 300 feet in elevation. 

 At the eastern side, the declivity of the surface is gradual, 

 but the western is an almost unbroken vertical cliff, 

 presenting, from its smoothness, and the divisions and 

 colour of its strata, a disagreeable resemblance to a 

 gigantic brick wall. This cliff is wrought into caverns 

 and tenanted by myriads of sea fowl, of which it is 

 a resort scarcely less noted than Ailsa. The surface 

 is covered with rich pasture, forming part of a large 

 sheep farm ; the insular situation being peculiarly adapted 

 to certain parts of the management of large flocks 

 under the extensive system in use in Sutherland.^ Near 

 the edge of the cliff on the northern side, is seen one 

 of those funnel shaped cavities communicating with the 

 sea, resembling the Bullers of Buchan or the Tol 

 pedn Penwith of the Lands end, but of small dimensions. 



In a geological view, Handa forms one of those singular 

 detached portions of sandstone in which this coast 

 abounds ; being separated by a space of seven miles 

 from the nearest mass of the same rock. The strata 



* For this island, like the former group, no place could be found in the 

 general Map. In a geological view it is of no moment, and for its 

 geographical position the reader is referred to the Map of Scotland. 



f The reader who may chance to have interested himself in the 

 present management of Highland estates, may be informed that the 

 rents of these farms vary from ,,1500 even to ^4000 a year, and 

 that they extend over spaces sometimes exceeding thirty miles in length. 

 Hence the apparently depopulated state of the country; the agriculture 

 being chiefly confined to the sea shores, and but few shepherds being 

 required for the management of the most extensive farm. 



