502 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



(haquetons), habershons (habergeons, i.e., coats of mail worn 

 over the haquetons), and iron helmets. Sometimes the 

 warriors were absent from home for a whole year, especially 

 when Ireland was their destination. 



The descriptions of the Outer Hebrides by Buchanan the 

 historian, and Monipennie are simply echoes of that " godly 

 man " Dean Monro ; they had no personal acquaintance 

 with the islands. 



Bishop Leslie (1578) has something to say about Lewis. 

 The island grew plenty of barley and oats, and had good 

 grazing and pleasant pastures ; " it moreover abounds in 

 people." It had one river " welthie in salmont," by which 

 reference, the Barvas stream must again be understood. 

 The proprietors of the island " in a manner ar litle kings 

 heir " ; they " ar called Makleud, that is, in their speich, 

 the sones of Claudius." The Bishop makes an interesting 

 statement about the manner of succession to the chiefship. 

 Formerly, he affirms, the chiefs were elected by their clan, 

 but that practice had been discontinued, and the Macleods 

 in his time entered into possession simply " at thair awne 

 hand " ; a fact which clearly indicates that before the end 

 of the sixteenth century, the original basis of the clan 

 system had shifted. Bishop Leslie makes no further refer- 

 ence to the Long Island, except a casual mention of that 

 "gret lie whose name is Eusta." 



An official account of Lewis was drawn up (circa 1580) 

 by an unknown author, apparently for the information of 

 James VI. The writer says that Macleod's principal place 

 was called the Castle of Stornoway ; that he could raise 

 700 men in Lewis and Rona, besides the labouring class. 

 None of the labourers were permitted to serve in war, 

 thus confirming Dean Monro's statement to that effect. 

 Lewis was a profitable island for corn especially barley 

 for all kinds of bestial, wildfowl, and fish ; the minimui 

 yield of barley is given as 16 bolls for each boll sown, 

 The island was 40 poundsland of old extent, and th( 

 annual contribution of the tenantry for feasting theii 

 master when he came among them, consisted of 18 scon 



