466 Of the Checks to Population Bk. ii. 



" the American war had not ceased ; if the copious 

 " magazines, particularly of pease, provided for 

 " the navy, had not been brought to sale, what a 

 " scene of desolation and horror would have been 

 " exhibited in this country !" 



Many similar descriptions occur in different 

 parts of the Statistical Account; but these will 

 be sufficient to shew the nature and intensity of 

 the distress which has been occasionally felt from 

 want. 



The year 1783 depopulated some parts of the 

 Highlands, and is mentioned as the reason why in 

 these places the number of people was found to 

 have diminished since Dr. Webster's survey. Most 

 of the small farmers in general, as might be ex- 

 pected, were absolutely ruined by the scarcity ; 

 those of this description in the Highlands were 

 obliged to emigrate to the Lowlands as common 

 labourers,* in search of a precarious support. In 

 some parishes, at the time of the last survey, the 

 effect of the ruin of the farmers, during this bad 

 year, was still visible in their depressed condition, 

 and the increased poverty and misery of the com- 

 mon people, which is a necessary consequence 

 of it. 



In the account of the parish of Grange,^ in the 

 county of Banff, it is observed, that the year 1783 

 put a stop to all improvements by green crops, 

 and made the farmers think of nothing but raising 



* Parish of Kincardine, County of Ross, vol. iii. p. 505. 

 f Vol. ix. p. 550. 



