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her in exchange. A very few years later a mucli larger 

 farm than that from which she moved became vacant, 

 and it was advertised to be let. When the offers came in, 

 I was much surprised to find that my old friend the 

 widow, who had been so reluctant to move from a small 

 croft, was much the most eligible offerer for the vacant 

 farm, and she is now, I hope, comfortably installed in 

 a possession which is not only far above the crofting line, 

 but is relatively even a large farm. I do not know any 

 circumstance which has ever arisen in my management 

 of Tyree which gave me more pleasure. Last year I 

 called upon her in her new home, in which I hope she 

 may be as successful as I wish her to be. 



Another case I may mention is one which has 

 occurred on the farm of Hianish. This farm, when 

 I succeeded to the estate, was subdivided into six- 

 teen very poor crofts, most of them below ^3 rent, 

 and only one as high as £6, But this last was held 

 by a crofter, Niel M'Kinnon, who had given an admir- 

 able education to a fine family of sons, most of whom 

 had entered the commercial marine, and one of whom 

 became highly distinguished as captain of one of the 

 fastest " Clipper " ships trading to China. The father 

 died leaving a widow who was justly proud of her 

 sons, and the late Duchess and I were almost as proud 

 of her satisfaction in them. In the course of years she 

 lost them all ; but I have had the great pleasure of en- 

 larging her croft steadily as vacancies occurred around 

 her, and of associating with her in the possession her 

 daughter and her son-in-law, who were alone left 

 to carry on the succession of a most meritorious 

 family. I am happy to say that my old friend Widow 

 M'Kinnon is still alive, and in possession of a little 



