422 PROPRIETORS OF JURA. 



The district of Tarbert, beginning at the north of the 

 loch of that name, as far as the gulf of Corrivrechan, is 

 the part of the island most suitable to deer ; the Paps are 

 the next in estimation. 



If Tarbert were cleared of sheep, and a few forest deer 

 turned out for a cross, it would probably prove one of the 

 finest forests in Scotland, since the pasture is excellent, 

 the ground favourable, and the winters are mild. 



The noble family of Argyle were at one time the 

 superiors or crown vassals of the whole island, except the 

 two farms belonging to Mr. Mac Neill of Colonsay, al- 

 ready referred to. 



The Cawdor family held the property of the larger 

 portion of the island under the family of Argyle ; and it 

 then passed by purchase, upwards of a century ago, into 

 the hands of Mr. Campbell of Shawfield, whose family 

 held it only a few years, when it was acquired by the 

 family of Jura, to be held under Shawfield and his suc- 

 cessors, for payment of a feu duty or ground rent of about 

 557. and four deer out of the forest annually. 



In the original grant of that part of the island which 

 was ceded by the Argyle to the Cawdor family, there was 

 reserved to the Dukes of Argyle and their children, a right 

 to hunt in the forest ; and in the sub-grant of the same 

 lands to the family of Mr. Colin Campbell by Shawfield, 

 a similar right was reserved to him and his successors. 



The only other part of this estate which is held under 

 Mr. Campbell of Islay, as the successor of Shawfield, is 

 the district of Tarbert ; and the condition of the tenure is, 

 that the present possessor and his successors shall deliver 

 to him and his successors six thousand oysters, annually, 



