ISLE of SKY E. 
fometimes !t is dry, oftener moift, and in the latter end 
of winter and beginning of fpring cold and piercing 5 at 
an average, three days in twelve throughout the year are 
fcarcely free from rain, far lefs from clouds. Thefe, at¬ 
tracted by the hills, fometimes break in ufeful and re- 
frelhing fhowers ; at other times, fuddenly burfting, pour 
down their contents with tremendous noife, in impetuous 
lorreuts that deluge the plains below, and render the 
fmalleft rivulet impaffable; which, together with the 
floriny winds fo common in this country in the months 
of Auguft and September, frequently blaft the hopes, and 
difappoint the expectations, of the hufbandman. Snow 
has been often known to lie on the ground from three to 
feven weeks; and on the higheft hills, even in the middle 
of June, fome fpots of it are to be feen. To this various 
temperature of the air, and uncertainty of weather, the 
fevers and agues, head-achs, rheumatifms, colds, and dy- 
fenteries, which are the prevailing diftempers, may be 
afcribed. That it is far, however, from being unwhole- 
fome, is fufiiciently evinced by experience; for the inha¬ 
bitants are, in general, as ftrong and healthy, and arrive 
at as advanced an age, as thole who live in milder cli¬ 
mates, and under a ferener Iky. The gout is fcarcely 
known in this ifland. 
The foil is generally black, though it likewife affords 
clay of different colours; fucli as white, red, and blue, 
and in fome places fullers’ earth. It is, however, much 
lefs adapted for agriculture than for pailure, and feldom, 
unlefs in very good years, fupplies itfelf with a fufficiency 
of provifions. Yet, though the foil is not very fertile or 
rich, it might with proper management be made to pro¬ 
duce more plentiful crops. But the generality of the far¬ 
mers are fo prejudiced in favour of old cultoms, and in¬ 
deed fo little inclined to induftry, that they will noteafily 
be prevailed on to change them for better; efpecially if 
the alteration or amendment propofed be attended with 
expence. Therefore, with refpeCt to improvements in 
agriculture, they are ft ill much in the lame ftate as they 
were twenty or thirty years ago. Ploughs, on a new and 
improved model, that, in companion to the advantages 
derived from them, might be had at a moderate expence, 
have lately been introduced into feveral diftri <51 s around, 
where their good effects are manifeft in improving the 
crops and diminilhing the labour of man and bead 5 but 
the laird of Raafay and one other gentleman are the only 
perfons that have ufed them. The cafcroim, a crooked 
kind of fpade, is almoft the only inftrument for labour¬ 
ing the ground ufed among the ordinary clafs of tenants. 
“ The grain, which they commit to the furrows thus te- 
dioufty'formed, (fays Dr. Johnfon,) is either oats or bar¬ 
ley. They do not fow barley without very copious ma¬ 
nure, and then they expeft from it ten for one, an increafe 
equal to that of better countries. When their grain is 
arrived at the ftate which they mult confider as ripening, 
they do not cut but pull the barley: to the oats they ap¬ 
ply the fickle. Wheel-carriages they have none, but make 
a frame of timber, which is drawn by one liorfe, with two 
points behind, prelling on the ground. On this they 
fometimes drag home their Iheaves, but often convey them 
home in a kind of panier or frame of Iticks on the horfe’s 
back. The rocks abound with kelp, a fea-plant, of which 
the alhes are melted into glafs. They burn kelp in great 
quantities, and fend it away in Ihips, which come regu¬ 
larly to purchafe them. The goats and the Iheep are 
milked like the cows. A fingle meal of a goat is a 
quart, and-of a Ih'eep a pint.’’- 
When Mr. Knox vilited this ifland in 1786, the num¬ 
ber of inhabitants amounted to 15,000: but between 
1790-98, according to the Statillical Hiftory of Scotland, 
the population is only 14,4.70. 
Various minerals are found in Skye, but none have been 
•wrought to any advantage. Near the village of Sartle, 
the natives find black and white marcalites, and variegated 
pebbles. The Applefglen, in the neighbourhood of Loch- 
fallart, produces beautiful agates of different colours ; 
Vol, XI. No. 765. 
428 
Hones of a purple hue are, after great rains, found in the 
rivulets: cryllal, of different colours and forms, abounds 
in feveral parts of the ifland, as well as black and white 
marble, free-ltone, lime-ftone, and talc: fmall red and 
white coral is found on the fouthern and weftern coafts 
in great abundance. The fuel confifts chiefly of peat and 
turf, which are impregnated with iron ore; and coal has 
been difeovered in feveral didrifts; but it does not ap¬ 
pear to be worth working. 
The wild birds of all forts mod common in the country, 
are, folan geefe, gulls, cormorants, cranes, wild geefe, and 
wild ducks; eagles, crows, ravens, rooks, cuckoos, rails, 
woodcocks, moor-fowl, partridges, plover, wild pigeons^ 
and blackbirds, owls, hawks, fnipes, and a variety of fmall 
birds. In mild feafons, the cuckoo and rail appear in the 
latter end of April: the former dilappears always before 
the end of June; the latter fometimes not till September. 
The woodcock comes in October, and frequently remains 
till March. The tame forts of fowl are geefe, ducks, 
turkeys, cocks, pullets, and tame pigeons. 
The black cattle are here expofed to all the rigours of 
the fevere winter without any other provender than the 
tops of the heath and the alga marina ; fo that they appear 
like mere fkeletons in the fpring; though, as the grafs 
rows up, they foon become plump and juicy, the beef 
eing fweet, tender, and finely interlarded. The amphi¬ 
bious animals are feals and otters. Among the reptiles 
may be reckoned vipers, afps, frogs, toads, and three dif¬ 
ferent kinds of ferpents: the firft fpotted black and white, 
and very poifonous; the fecond yellow, with brown fpots; 
and the third of a brown colour, the fmalleft and lealfc 
poifonous. There are in Skye neither rats nor mice; but 
the weafel is fo frequent, that he is heard in houfes rattling 
behind chefts or beds, like rats in England. 
Whales, and cairbans or fun-nlh, come in fometimes to 
the founds after their prey, but are rarely purfued with 
any fuccefs. The fifties commonly caught on the coalt 
are herrings, ling, cod, fleate, haddock, mackerel, lythe, 
fye, and dog-fifli. The average price of ling at home is 
13I. 15s. per ton ; when fold, one by one, if frelh, the price 
is from 3d. to 5d. if cured, from 5d. to 7d. The barrel 
of herrings feldom fells under 19s. which is owing to the 
great difficulty of procuring fait, even fometimes at any 
price; and the fame caufe prevents many from taking 
more than are fuflicient for their own ufe. The kyle of 
Scalpay teems with oyfters, in fuch a manner, that, after 
fome fpring-tides, twenty horfe-loads of them are left upon, 
the fands. Near the village of Bernftill, the beach yields 
mufcles fuflicient to maintain fixty perl'ons per day; this 
providential lupply helps to fupport many poor families 
in times of fcarcity. 
The people are ftrong, robuft, healthy, and prolific. 
They generally profefs the proteftant religionare honeft, 
brave, innocent, and hofpitable. They lpeak the language, 
wear the habit* and obferve the cultoms, that are common 
to all the Hebrides. In Skye appear many ruins of Da- 
nilh forts, watch-towers, beacons, temples, and fepulchral 
monuments. All the forts are known by the term Dun ; 
fuch as Dun-Skudborg, Dun-Derig, Duff-Skerinefs, Dun- 
David, &c. In the year 1746, the unfortunate prince 
Charles Stuart concealed himfelf in a cave in this ifiand 
for two nights. 
The I fie of Skye contains no town. The chief village 
is called Portree, which is of fo little importance, that we 
fhall not make a feparate article by referring to it. It 
however contains an excellent bay and a good harbour. 
The entrance of the bay (Mr. Knox tells us) reprel'ents 
agreeable landfcapes on both fides, with excellent palture. 
The bay of Portree (fays Mackenzie), off the houfes, is 
an exceeding good harbour for a few Ihips of any fize; ft 
is well Iheltered, the ground good, the depth from five to 
fourteen fathoms, and nothing to fear coming in but a 
rock, about half a cable’s length from Aiderachig Point, 
on the ftarboard as you enter the anchorage, part of which 
is always above water. It is the only port or harbour to 
■ J R a very 
