288 



Appendices to Fourth Annual Report 



Laxadale and Laxay, and Loch Laxay; and in Harris two streams named 

 Laxadale and the Laxadale Lochs. 



NORTH UIST. 



North Uist is separated from Harris by a rocky and dangerous channel 

 7 miles wide, thickly studded with islands and islets, called the Sound of 

 Harris. North Uist measures 16 J by 13 miles, and has an area of 68,000 

 acres. The chief place in it is Loch Maddy, situated on the sea-loch of 

 the same name, whose winding shores indent the land in every direction ; 

 so that, when driving in the neighbourhood, you are surprised to see 

 branches of this ubiquitous loch ramifying in the most extraordinary and 

 unexpected directions. Another sea-loch, called Loch Eport, has almost 

 as remarkable sinuosities as Loch Maddy, while the fresh water Loch 

 Scadoway rivals both of them in variety and eccentricity of outline. On 

 the eastern side of the island the land rises into a low ridge which 

 gradually increases in elevation towards the south-eastern corner, and 

 culminates in Eval 1138 feet, the highest point in North Uist. Pro- 

 ceeding westwards from Eval, a large almost level tract of land presents 

 itself, occupying nearly half the area of the island. This is so dotted over 

 with lochs of all sizes that it is difficult to say whether land or water 

 predominates. The entrance to Loeh Maddy, a safe and well sheltered 

 harbour, is marked out to mariners by two remarkable rocks, Maddy More 

 and Maddy Grisioch. The word Maddy means dog. These rocks are 

 formed of basalt, and the larger of the two is nearly 100 feet in height. 

 They are the only basaltic rocks that occur in any part of the chain of the 

 Long Island. In the beginning of last century, Martin writes as foUows 

 about Loch Maddy : — 



This loch hath been famous for the great number of herrings taken in it 

 within these 50 years past. The natives told me that iu the memory of some 

 yet ahve, there had been 400 sail loaded in it with herrings in one season ; but 

 it is not now frequented for fishing, though the herrings do still abound in it ; 

 and on this coast, every summer and harvest, the natives sit angling on the 

 rocks, and as they pull up their hooks, do many times bring up herrings. That 

 they are always on the coast appears from the birds, whales, and other fishes, that 

 are their forerunners everywhere ; and yet it is strange that, in all this island, 

 there is not one herring net to be had ; but if the natives saw any encourage- 

 ment, they could soon provide them. Cod, ling, and all sorts of fish taken in 



these islands, abound in and about this lake It also afi'ords a good 



quantity of oysters and clam shell-fish ; the former grow on rocks, and are so 

 big that they are cut in 4 pieces before they are eaten. 



Of the island generally, the same writer says : — 



There is such a number of fresh water lakes as can scarcely be believed : I 

 myself and several others endeavoured to count them, but in vain, for they are 

 so disposed into turnings that it is impracticable. They are generally well- 

 stocked with trouts and eels, and some of them with salmon ; and what is yet 

 more strange, cod, ling, mackerel, &c., are taken in these lakes, into which they 

 are brought by the spring tides. These lakes have many small islands, which 

 in summer abound with a variety of land and sea-fowls that build and hatch 

 there. There are also several rivers here which afford salmon ; one sort of them 

 is very singular, that is called marled salmon, or, as the natives call it 

 ieshdruimin, being lesser than the ordinary salmon, and full of strong large 

 scales ; no bait can allure it, and a shadow frights it away, being the wildest of 

 fishes ; it leaps high above the water and delights to be on the surface of it. 

 There is great plenty of shell-fish round this island, more particularly cockles : 

 the islands do also afford many small fish called eels, of a whitish colour, they 

 are picked out of the sand with a small crooked iron made on purpose. There 

 is plenty of lobsters on the west side of the island, and one sort bigger than the 

 rest, having the toe shorter and broader. 



