( 61 ) 



of Tyree, that they are suffering from "evictions," when 



not one has ever taken place ; that their pasture has 



been taken from them, when not a single acre has ever 



been subtracted from the possessions ; that they are 



surrounded by "sheep runs," when they are really 



surrounded by crofters like themselves ; and that the 



very existence on the Island of a successful dairy farm 



is the cause of all evil and of all poverty in the Island. 



I have already indicated my opinion on the complaint 



against '* strangers'' being allowed to hold any land. 



But the absurdity of this complaint, in the present 



instance, may be estimated by the fact that out of 



some 220 tenants on the Island there are only two who 



are Lowlanders. All the other tenants, including 



those who hold the larger farms, are, without excep- "(' 



tion, Highlanders speaking Gaelic, whilst the vast 



majority of possessions, including all the enlarged or 



consolidated crofts, are held, moreover, not only by 



Highlanders, but by natives of the Island. 



I observe that certain of the crofters complained of Allegations by 

 some paper or document which they allege they were FlctoTreq^uirino- 

 required to sign by a former factor some thirty years them to sign docu- 

 aojo. Of tbis document I know as little as the ^1" ^^^ ^ ^'^'^^^ 

 witnesses themselves. I can hardly say more, 

 because not one of the witnesses could say that he 

 had read it, or knew accurately its contents. But the 

 vague assertions of its nature made by these witnesses H 



are evidently erroneous, because they convey the 

 impression that the tenants were to engage to obey 

 the factor in anything he might desire. This is 

 absurd and impossible. But I think it is quite 

 possible that this trumped-up story is simply an im- 

 perfect and exaggerated recollection of an engage- 



