480 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



the eye of the Government.* The custom was, for a few of 

 the leading spirits to club together, and subscribe for the 

 chartering of an emigrant ship. Those who desired to 

 emigrate were then called together, and some person of 

 influence in the community was usually appointed as their 

 agent to transact the necessary business on their behalf, 

 at a fixed charge (usually los. or 2os.) for each emigrant. 

 It may well be imagined that if the agents were more 

 concerned for their own gain than for the welfare of the 

 emigrants, a door was left open for abuse of authority. 



That the Government were seriously alarmed by the : 

 progress of the emigration movement is clear. Fears were 

 openly expressed that the Highlands would become 

 depopulated, as the mines of Peru and Mexico had de- 

 populated Spain. The poverty of the people was the 

 main cause of the outflow, but it was assumed that the 

 removal of that factor would not necessarily imply the 

 cessation of emigration. Those emigrants who had a little 

 money of their own, were prospering in the new country, 

 but the unfortunate people who had not the wherewithal 

 even to pay their passage out, were worse off than they 

 were at home, and would willingly return if they could.f 

 When the war with America broke out, the Government 

 were apprehensive of the attitude of the Highland emi- 

 grants. Would they become inoculated with what were 

 called "American principles " ? And would the operation 

 of those principles prove an obstruction to the recruiting of 

 soldiers in the Highlands for the King's service ? Grave 

 fears were felt that the Highlanders settled in America 

 would be found " the best recruits for their (the colonists') 

 rebellious armies," a view which Washington himself seems 

 to have held. When left to themselves, the Highlanders, 

 it was stated, were zealously attached to the Government, 

 but when exposed to the " insidious wits and falsehoods " 

 of American agents, they might be enticed from their 

 duty. Once more, it was (in 1775) proposed to place the 



* Home Office Papers, 4th July, 1774, p. 229. 

 t Idem, 25th April, 1774, and I4th August, 1775. 





