316 ARRAN. SOIL, &C. 



great facilities for drainage, so as to lead at least to a 

 considerable amelioration of the pastures. Hitherto, the 

 agricultural system of Arran has been of the worst and 

 most antiquated description ; the population also having 

 remained without improvement in habits or in industry, 

 while their surrounding neighbours were making rapid 

 advances in civilization. The pernicious practice of illicit 

 distillation and of consequent smuggling, to which the 

 situation offers strong temptations, has greatly contributed 

 to the depravity of the people, who, in losing some of the 

 characteristic virtues of the Highlanders, appear to have 

 acquired in return, only the vices of that civilization to 

 which they have so free an access. 



In the alluvial vallies and on the declivities which 

 face the sea, even at a high elevation, soils of good 

 quality are to be found ; circumstances to be expected 

 from the nature of the materials which occupy those 

 vallies, and from that of the rocks on most of these 

 exposures, which consist of schists, of trap, and of 

 red sandstone, the latter including in some places, beds 

 of limestone. These tracts are also generally in a state 

 of natural drainage, in consequence of their declivities ; 

 and it would require, in many cases, but a small addition 

 of expense bestowed on this object, materially to augment 

 the arable land of the island. 



In general, the cultivation of this arable land has 

 been hitherto carried on by the smaller tenants, in the 

 ancient manner of common holdings; these farms pre- 

 senting an appearance of neglect and slovenly manage- 

 ment exceeding that of any of the islands formerly 

 described in this work. The effect of moral causes 

 and of bad arrangements in suspending the progress of 

 improvement, is no where else so visible in the Western 

 islands, since every advantage appears to be concentrated 

 in Arran which is compatible with its nature ; an abundant 

 supply of fish, a comparatively southern climate, a ready 

 market, easy access to coal, lime, and manure, and the 



