476 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



public occasions, " with drinks, pipes, and fiddles, to rouse 

 their spirits to the expedition." Enterprising shipowners 

 reaped a golden harvest from the emigration craze. The 

 bone and sinew of the Highlands were in demand in 

 America, and those who could not pay their passage were 

 assisted to reach the land of their desire. 



The natives of Lewis, despairing of improved conditions 

 at home, and allured by the glowing accounts from America, 

 prepared, in 1773, to emigrate in large numbers. In April of 

 that year, arrangements were commenced for crossing the 

 Atlantic during the summer. Over 800 men, women, and 

 children sailed from Stornoway to America, their probable 

 destination being North Carolina, which was the favourite 

 settlement of the Long Islanders before the American War 

 of Independence broke out. Alarmed by this exodus, and 

 desirous above all things of stemming the tide, Seaforth 

 (then Lord Fortrose) hastened from London to Lewis and 

 held a conference with his tenantry. What were their griev- 

 ances ; what did they want? Their requirements were stated 

 in a few words. They wanted their land at the old rents ; 

 they desired a refund of the increased rental paid during 

 the last three years ; and they demanded the instant dis- 

 missal of the factor. The feeling in Lewis was so strong, 

 that it was believed in well-informed quarters, that unless 

 these requests were granted, the exodus from the island 

 would become general, and Lord Fortrose would be left 

 with a deserted property on his hands.* We are left in 

 doubt as to the outcome of Seaforth's negotiations with his 

 tenantry ; but he appears, from subsequent events, to have 

 succeeded in smoothing over the difficulty. 



To appreciate the demand of the Lewismen for the dis- 

 missal of Seaforth's factor, it is necessary to explain the 

 unique position of that official. He had secured a lease of 

 the factorship, with its numerous emoluments, for a number 

 of years ; and the office proved a veritable gold mine to him. 

 He had a complete monopoly of the trade in black cattle 



* Edinburgh Evening Courant, 29th September, 1773. 



