602 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



and send it or them to Watersey to observe all ships coming into Watersey 

 Bay, or the Harbour of Flada. I shall likewise make other Alterations as the 

 Service may require when I am better acquainted with the different parts of 

 the Country. 



^ I have heard nothing about the Parties at Egg and Canna, I shall go 

 thither as soon as the Wind serves, but at present it is directly against us. I 

 should likewise visit all the Islands lying in those parts but in order to do 

 this I ought to have a Wherry, for the Eliz. Brigg which I have now with me is 

 too large for these Western Seas and by no means fit for the purpose. There 

 are no Harbours on this Coast fit for a Vessel of her Burthen, so that if a 

 Squal of Wind should come on (which is often the case even in Summer) she 

 must Inevitably be lost. Captain Fergussone can best acquaint you with the 

 advantages that would arise from my having a Wherry, preferably to that 

 of having a Brigg who I suppose will see you by the time this reaches 

 Edinburgh. 



I am now waiting for a fair Wind to transport me to Egg and Canna, and 

 as soon as possibly I can Return I shall do my self the Honour to write to you 

 again and acquaint you with what I have done further In the meantime 

 I am &c. &c. 



Sir 

 Signed Jxo. BARLOW Captn. in the Buffs. 



P.S. I forgot to mention that exclusive of those Parties above, I have 

 caused a Party of a Corporal and four Men to be sent to Scalpa, where there 

 are two excellent Harbours for large Ships, one on the East side, the other on 

 the West, which are more frequented with shipping, than any part of the 

 Harris, I have likewise sent a Corporal and four Men to Terrensey which is 

 a tolerable large Island, and has three Villages in it. As soon as I have 

 fix'd the several Parties in the whole long -Island, so as there may be no 

 occasion to make any alteration, I shall draw out a List in a more regular 

 Avay, for what I have mention'd above is only in general Terms that you may 

 know our Situation for the present. 



EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN BARLOW COM- 

 MANDING IN THE WESTERN ISLES TO COLONEL 

 HOLMES. DATED AT VALA, NORTH UIST, OCTOBER 9, 

 1753- 



SIR, Since I received Mr. Stewart's Letter with the Account of General 

 Churchill's death, I have been at Dunvegan in Sky for subsistance for my 

 Party. Upon our return, we were drove as far as Stornway by a violent 

 Tempest, where we continued wind bound sixteen Days. During the time I 

 was there, I had many Complaints made to me privately against Mr. 

 McKenzie, Chamberlain of that Island, who I find is in all respects a 

 bad man. He greatly regrets the loss of his Cannon, and at first refused 

 giving them, until the officer who Commands there was going to take them 

 away by force. His last effort to keep them was by threatening him with a 

 prosecution, and he has now the Impudence to say it will only put him to the 

 trouble of applying for them to get them again, tho' they belong'd to the late 

 Lord Seaforth when he appeare'd in Arms for the Pretender in the year 1715. 

 I do not know how the present Lord stands affected to the Goverment, but his 

 representative as he calls himself, hath neither humanity nor Common Honesty. 

 Among the many Instances that have lately happened, I shall only 

 mention two or three that have come to my knowledge. The first was 

 a Fine of Thirteen skill* and four pence he imposed upon several poor 

 People, for selling their Herrings to the best advantage, and not disposing 

 of them to his son'in Law at his own price. The next was an order sigrid 

 Collin McKenzie prohibiting any Cattle to be sold but to his Drover, 



