SKY 



SLA 



there are myriads of fifti, particularly herring, mackarel, 

 turbot, (kate, ling, cod ; and Ihell-fifh, fuch as oyfters, lob- 

 fters, &c. ; fo that combining the fituation with other fa- 

 cilities, the inhabitants of Skye have an opportunity of en- 

 riching themfelves by the fifheries, beyond any other iflanders 

 in Scotland, and in fadt they apply themfelves to them with 

 confiderable induftry, and frequently with great effeft. 

 Sometimes, liowever, they are miferably tantalized with a 

 iprofufion of fifh, when they cannot procure an ounce of 

 fait to cure them, owinij to the diftance from the cuitom- 

 houfe, and to the coinplicated falt-duty regulations, which 

 (hut them up completely from either bettering their own cir- 

 cumitances, or promoting the general profperity of the na- 

 tion by this othervviff abundant bounty of providence. 



Kelp is made annually to the extent of 500 tons ; and the 

 manufafture of this article is capable of being greatly in- 

 creafed, to the no fiiiall emolument of the natives, as well as 

 to tlie increafe of proprietors' rents. 



The want of good roads has hitherto greatly retarded the 

 internal profperity of Skye, from the difficulty of convey- 

 ance, and this difadvantage Joes not admit of being eafily 

 removed ; not merely from the inequality of the furface, but 

 from the circumttance of its being lo much cut up by brooks 

 and rivulets, which, on every Ihower, fwell into torrents 

 that would require a great number of bridges. 



The number of inhabitants in Skye, which, notwith- 

 ftanding continued emigration, is liill increafing, was 

 17,775 '" 1809, the time when the lad cenfus was made ; 

 bemg at the rate of 33 co the Iquare mile, reckoning the 

 whole ifland, or 275 to tiie fame extent, limiting the eftimate 

 to the cultivated land only. It has been for many ages, and 

 ttill is, the property of the great clans, Macdonald, Mac- 

 leod, and, till of late, Mackinnon. From the iiril of thefe 

 has lately fprung up the kindred clan of Macalifter. The 

 people, ingenious, Ihrewd, and aftive, are nearly all of the 

 eftabU(hed church of Scotland. Among them refide a 

 number of gentlemen, who have been in the army or navy, 

 cadets of the chief fam.ilies, whofe manners have given a 

 pohfii to thofe of the inhabitants at large, which is ob- 

 fervable in the behaviour even of the lowed peafant. In 

 fad, every man in Skye feems to be a gentleman ; whillt the 

 demeanour of the females exhibits an eafe and an affability 

 that no perfon could expeft in a country fo remote, and 

 having fo little communication with drangers. Mr. Mac- 

 donald, in his Survey, juftly obferves, that " it is m truth a 

 fingular ifland, well dcferving the attention of the geologift 

 and natural hidorian, and capable, by nature, of one day 

 aftonifhing the patriot and political economilt." 



The General Report, &c. of Scotland, drawn up under 

 the direftions of iir John Sinclair, bart. 8vo. 1814. Huf- 

 bandry of Scotland, by fir John Sinclair, 8vo. 1815. John- 

 fon's Journey to theWellern Iflands of Scotland, 8vo. 1775. 

 Martin's Defcription of the Wedern Iflands, 8vo. 1716. 

 Account of the prefent State of the Hebrides, by James 

 Anderfon, L.L.D. 8vo. 1787. Macdonald's Survey of 

 the Hebrides, 8vo. 1807. 

 SKYRO. See Sciro. 



SKYTTE, John, in Biography, was born at Nykijping 

 in 1577. After being fome time fecretary in the Swedifli 

 chancery, he was chofen by the dates to be preceptor to 

 prince Gudavus Adolphus, and at the fame time by king 

 Charles to fupcriiitend the education of John, duke of Odro"- 

 gothia, who was five years older than Gudavus. It was, 

 therefore, confidered as a mafter-picce of policy in the king, 

 that he placed the crown-prince ar.d the pretender to the 

 throne under the infpeftioii of fo faithful and trudy an in- 

 ftruflor. In 1622 he was made chancellor of the academy 



of Upfal, and in 1629 governor-general of Ingria, Livonia, 

 and Carelia. He was held in high edimation by the learned 

 of his time, and acquired great celebrity on account of his 

 eloquence, and was employed either as envoy or ambalTador 

 to many foreign courts. Gudavus Adolphus entertained for 

 him the highed refpedl, and in 1624 the rank of b;\ron was 

 conferred on him. He was a great patron of literature, and 

 rendered effential fervice to the academy of Upfal, by found- 

 ing a profedordiip for the cultivation of the Latin language, 

 literary criticifm, and the political fciences. As a politician, 

 he was a determined enemy of the aridocracy, and laboured 

 with great zeal to edablidi royal authority. He died in 

 1645. Among his works was one, of which the following 

 was the title ; " Brief Indruftions in regard to the Vir- 

 tues and Arts which a Prince, who widies to rule happily 

 over his Kingdom and States, ought to exercife and em- 

 ploy ; addrefled to that exalted Lord and Prince Gudavus 

 Adolphus." 



Skytte, Benedict, fon of the preceding, was born iu 

 1614, and iludied at Upfal. In 1629 he accompanied the 

 Swedidi ambaffador, general Spence, to England, where, 

 on taking his leave, he was knighted by king Charles I. 

 After this he continued his dudies at Dorpat, and travelled 

 for his improvement, during which queen Chridiana gave 

 him a place in her houfehold. He bore the mardial's dafF 

 at the diet in 1648, was appointed chancellor of the academy 

 of Dorpat, and the year after was fent to Denmark, to be 

 queen Chridiana's proxy at the baptifm of the princefs So- 

 phia Amelia, daughter of Frederic III. He enjoyed for 

 feveral years the favour of his fovereign, and in 1651, when 

 the queen edabhdied the order of the Amaranth, he wag 

 nominated one of the knights. Afterwards he fell into dif- 

 grace, and was brought to trial, but he made fuch an able 

 defence that he was acquitted, and all the proceedings 

 againd him were annulled. He was redored to his feat as 

 fenator, and in 1665 was appointed governor of Edhonia. 

 He was employed on an important miffion from king Charles 

 Gudavus to the duke of Courland, and he managed the 

 bufinefs fo well, that he received the approbation and cordial 

 thanks of his iovereigii. In 1663 he was made fupreme 

 judge in Ingria, prefident of the tribunal of Wifmar, and at 

 the fame time envoy in Germany. But his good fortune 

 again deferted him, he was difmifl'ed from his offices at the 

 diet held in 1664, and declared incapable of ever being em- 

 ployed either at home or abroad. After this he retired to 

 his edate, and fpent his time in literary purfuits till his 

 death, in 1683. He was a man of great learning, and made 

 himfelf known by various works, among which were the 

 following : " Didertatiuncula de Argumcnto quod Foeminae 

 OfScium Legati mandari poflit," 410. " Oratio qua pro- 

 batur Utilitatem pro Juditia, in Adminidratione Rerum 

 publicarum colendam." Gen. Biog. 



SLAA, in Geography. See Sallee. 



SLAB, an outfide fappy plank or board fawed off from 

 the fides of a timber-tree : the word is alfo ufed for a flat 

 piece of marble. 



Slabs of Tin, the letfer mafl'es which the workers at 

 the tin-mines cad the metal into : thefe are run into moulds 

 made of itone. 



SLAB-Line, in Sea Language, a fmall cord paflTing up be- 

 hind a fliip's main-fail or fore-fail, and being reeved through 

 a block attached to the lower part of the yard, is then 

 tranfmittcd in two branches to the foot of the fail to which 

 it is fadened. 



It is ufed to trufs up the fail as occafion requires, and 

 more particularly for the convenieuee of the pilot or deerf- 



man, 



