CH. VI. HEILAM INN — LOCH ERRIBOLL. 81 



necessary gi-ain must be imported from the low land ; 

 and the low-land farmers, finding a better price and 

 better customers elsewhere, naturally send their pro- 

 duce to the best market. This mountainous country 

 is only fit for sheep, and sheep-forming is by far the 

 best use to put it to. The bays are certainly full 

 of fish ; but it seems nearly impossible to make good 

 fishermen of hill -men, often as it has been tried. 

 The north-west Highlanders, having found out 

 from their friends the great advantages derived 

 from emigration, are now anxious to take advantage 

 of the Duke's liberal system of sending them out. 



To continue our journey. We were obliged at 

 last to make for a small inn called Heilam, on the 

 shore of Loch Erriboll ; and glad enough were we 

 to get there, for it blew a perfect gale, and the rain 

 was unceasing. Though the outside of the house 

 looked unpromising, we found the interior clean 

 enough, the people respectable, and plenty of fresh 

 herrings and new-laid eggs. So, the storm not 

 abating, we determined to take up our quarters 

 there for the night. 



Loch Erriboll is an excellent harbour of refuge 

 during gales from the north and north-east. The 

 anchorage is good, and the water deep ; so that no 

 storm comes on from that qviarter without some 

 vessels coming in for shelter. I went out to the 



e3 



