{ 53 ) 



generally very far below the rise on the rental of the 

 more substantial farms. There has been great outlay 

 of late in lona upon fencing, which is the most im- 

 portant of all improvements on land chiefly pastoral. 

 The value of land in lona has been lately tested in 

 the most satisfactory of all methods — that of the 

 market. A small farm rented at £72 was given up 

 by the tenant, and was open to any other tenant 

 choosing to offer for it. No difiiculty was found in 

 re -letting the farm at the same rent to one of the 

 smaller crofters, who is now in possession of it — one 

 of those cases of promotion which always give me the 

 greatest satisfaction. 



I now come to the grievances which have been com- Remarks on evi- 

 plained of before the Commission in Tyree. And if I CommfssTone^stn' 

 approach this part of the subject with some pain, that Tyree. 

 pain is much lessened by the strong internal evidence 

 by which I recognise the exotic character of those Exotic character of 

 complaints. For the most part they do not belong to complaints made, 

 the circumstances of Tyree at all, and are the mere echo 

 of complaints which have been stereotyped elsewhere. 

 One curious illustration of this struck me at once. In 

 Ireland there has been no more fertile source of quar- 

 rellins: and discontent than what is there called the 

 right of " Turbary.*' Nowhere in the Highlands, so far 

 as I know, has the privilege of cutting peats been 

 similarly disputed. But the anonymous " factors " Complaint of de- 

 who have suggested complaints for the crofters, seem {^^g ^f cutting 

 to have included this in their list. In no other way peats. 

 can I account for the fact that one of the crofters 

 of Balemartine, in Tyree, complained before the 

 Commission that he had been prevented from cut- 

 ting peats. Now it so happens, as I have already 



