carried　away　in　its　mineral　state；　here　being　no　fewel　for　the
  smelting…house　or　forge。　　Perhaps　by　diligent　search　in　this　world
  of　stone；　some　valuable　species　of　marble　might　be　discovered。　　But
  neither　philosophical　curiosity；　nor　commercial　industry；　have　yet
  fixed　their　abode　here；　where　the　importunity　of　immediate　want
  supplied　but　for　the　day；　and　craving　on　the　morrow；　has　left
  little　room　for　excursive　knowledge　or　the　pleasing　fancies　of
  distant　profit。
  They　have　lately　found　a　manufacture　considerably　lucrative。　　Their
  rocks　abound　with　kelp；　a　sea…plant；　of　which　the　ashes　are　melted
  into　glass。　　They　burn　kelp　in　great　quantities；　and　then　send　it
  away　in　ships；　which　come　regularly　to　purchase　them。　　This　new
  source　of　riches　has　raised　the　rents　of　many　maritime　farms；　but
  the　tenants　pay；　like　all　other　tenants；　the　additional　rent　with
  great　unwillingness；　because　they　consider　the　profits　of　the　kelp
  as　the　mere　product　of　personal　labour；　to　which　the　landlord
  contributes　nothing。　　However；　as　any　man　may　be　said　to　give；　what
  he　gives　the　power　of　gaining；　he　has　certainly　as　much　right　to
  profit　from　the　price　of　kelp　as　of　any　thing　else　found　or　raised
  upon　his　ground。
  This　new　trade　has　excited　a　long　and　eager　litigation　between
  Macdonald　and　Macleod；　for　a　ledge　of　rocks；　which；　till　the　value
  of　kelp　was　known；　neither　of　them　desired　the　reputation　of
  possessing。
  The　cattle　of　Sky　are　not　so　small　as　is　commonly　believed。　　Since
  they　have　sent　their　beeves　in　great　numbers　to　southern　marts；
  they　have　probably　taken　more　care　of　their　breed。　　At　stated　times
  the　annual　growth　of　cattle　is　driven　to　a　fair；　by　a　general
  drover；　and　with　the　money；　which　he　returns　to　the　farmer；　the
  rents　are　paid。
  The　price　regularly　expected；　is　from　two　to　three　pounds　a　head：
  there　was　once　one　sold　for　five　pounds。　　They　go　from　the　Islands
  very　lean；　and　are　not　offered　to　the　butcher；　till　they　have　been
  long　fatted　in　English　pastures。
  Of　their　black　cattle；　some　are　without　horns；　called　by　the　Scots
  humble　cows；　as　we　call　a　bee　an　humble　bee；　that　wants　a　sting。
  Whether　this　difference　be　specifick；　or　accidental；　though　we
  inquired　with　great　diligence；　we　could　not　be　informed。　　We　are
  not　very　sure　that　the　bull　is　ever　without　horns；　though　we　have
  been　told；　that　such　bulls　there　are。　　What　is　produced　by　putting
  a　horned　and　unhorned　male　and　female　together；　no　man　has　ever
  tried；　that　thought　the　result　worthy　of　observation。
  Their　horses　are；　like　their　cows；　of　a　moderate　size。　　I　had　no
  difficulty　to　mount　myself　commodiously　by　the　favour　of　the
  gentlemen。　　I　heard　of　very　little　cows　in　Barra；　and　very　little
  horses　in　Rum；　where　perhaps　no　care　is　taken　to　prevent　that
  diminution　of　size；　which　must　always　happen；　where　the　greater　and
  the　less　copulate　promiscuously；　and　the　young　animal　is　restrained
  from　growth　by　penury　of　sustenance。
  The　goat　is　the　general　inhabitant　of　the　earth；　complying　with
  every　difference　of　climate；　and　of　soil。　　The　goats　of　the
  Hebrides　are　like　others：　　nor　did　I　hear　any　thing　of　their　sheep；
  to　be　particularly　remarked。
  In　the　penury　of　these　malignant　regions；　nothing　is　left　that　can
  be　converted　to　food。　　The　goats　and　the　sheep　are　milked　like　the
  cows。　　A　single　meal　of　a　goat　is　a　quart；　and　of　a　sheep　a　pint。
  Such　at　least　was　the　account；　which　I　could　extract　from　those　of
  whom　I　am　not　sure　that　they　ever　had　inquired。
  The　milk　of　goats　is　much　thinner　than　that　of　cows；　and　that　of
  sheep　is　much　thicker。　　Sheeps　milk　is　never　eaten　before　it　is
  boiled：　　as　it　is　thick；　it　must　be　very　liberal　of　curd；　and　the
  people　of　St。　Kilda　form　it　into　small　cheeses。
  The　stags　of　the　mountains　are　less　than　those　of　our　parks；　or
  forests；　perhaps　not　bigger　than　our　fallow　deer。　　Their　flesh　has
  no　rankness；　nor　is　inferiour　in　flavour　to　our　common　venison。
  The　roebuck　I　neither　saw　nor　tasted。　　These　are　not　countries　for
  a　regular　chase。　　The　deer　are　not　driven　with　horns　and　hounds。　　A
  sportsman；　with　his　gun　in　his　hand；　watches　the　animal；　and　when
  he　has　wounded　him；　traces　him　by　the　blood。
  They　have　a　race　of　brinded　greyhounds；　larger　and　stronger　than
  those　with　which　we　course　hares；　and　those　are　the　only　dogs　used
  by　them　for　the　chase。
  Man　is　by　the　use　of　fire…arms　made　so　much　an　overmatch　for　other
  animals；　that　in　all　countries；　where　they　are　in　use；　the　wild
  part　of　the　creation　sensibly　diminishes。　　There　will　probably　not
  be　long；　either　stags　or　roebucks　in　the　Islands。　　All　the　beasts
  of　chase　would　have　been　lost　long　ago　in　countries　well　inhabited；
  had　they　not　been　preserved　by　laws　for　the　pleasure　of　the　rich。
  There　are　in　Sky　neither　rats　nor　mice；　but　the　weasel　is　so
  frequent；　that　he　is　heard　in　houses　rattling　behind　chests　or
  beds；　as　rats　in　England。　　They　probably　owe　to　his　predominance
  that　they　have　no　other　vermin；　for　since　the　great　rat　took
  possession　of　this　part　of　the　world；　scarce　a　ship　can　touch　at
  any　port；　but　some　of　his　race　are　left　behind。　　They　have　within
  these　few　years　began　to　infest　the　isle　of　Col；　where　being　left
  by　some　trading　vessel；　they　have　increased　for　want　of　weasels　to
  oppose　them。
  The　inhabitants　of　Sky；　and　of　the　other　Islands；　which　I　have
  seen；　are　commonly　of　the　middle　stature；　with　fewer　among　them
  very　tall　or　very　short；　than　are　seen　in　England；　or　perhaps；　as
  their　numbers　are　small；　the　chances　of　any　deviation　from　the
  common　measure　are　necessarily　few。　　The　tallest　men　that　I　saw　are
  among　those　of　higher　rank。　　In　regions　of　barrenness　and　scarcity；
  the　human　race　is　hindered　in　its　growth　by　the　same　causes　as
  other　animals。
  The　ladies　have　as　much　beauty　here　as　in　other　places；　but　bloom
  and　softness　are　not　to　be　expected　among　the　lower　classes；　whose
  faces　are　exposed　to　the　rudeness　of　the　climate；　and　whose
  features　are　sometimes　contracted　by　want；　and　sometimes　hardened
  by　the　blasts。　　Supreme　beauty　is　seldom　found　in　cottages　or　work…
  shops；　even　where　no　real　hardships　are　suffered。　　To　expand　the
  human　face　to　its　full　perfection；　it　seems　necessary　that　the　mind
  should　co…operate　by　placidness　of　content；　or　consciousness　of
  superiority。
  Their　strength　is　proportionate　to　their　size；　but　they　are
  accustomed　to　run　upon　rough　ground；　and　therefore　can　with　great
  agility　skip　over　the　bog；　or　clamber　the　mountain。　　For　a　campaign
  in　the　wastes　of　America；　soldiers　better　qualified　could　not　have
  been　found。　　Having　little　work　to　do；　they　are　not　willing；　nor
  perhaps　able　to　endure　a　long　continuance　of　manual　labour；　and　are
  therefore　considered　as　habitually　idle。
  Having　never　been　supplied　with　those　accommodations；　which　life
  extensively　diversified　with　trades　affords；　they　supply　their
  wants　by　very　insufficient　shifts；　and　endure　many　inconveniences；
  which　a　little　attention　would　easily　relieve。　　I　have　seen　a　horse
  carrying　home　the　harvest　on　a　crate。　　Under　his　tail　was　a　stick
  for　a　crupper；　held　at　the　two　ends　by　twists　of　straw。　　Hemp　will
  grow　in　their　islands；　and　therefore　ropes　may　be　had。　　If　they
  wanted　hemp；　they　might　make　better　cordage　of　rushes；　or　perhaps
  of　nettles；　than　of　straw。
  Their　method　of　life　neither　secures　them　perpetual　health；　nor
  exposes　them　to　any　particular　diseases。　　There　are　physicians　in
  the　Islands；　who；　I　believe；　all　practise　chirurgery；　and　all
  compound　their　own　medicines。
  It　is　generally　supposed；　that　life　is　longer　in　places　where　there
  are　few　opportunities　of　luxury；　but　I　found　no　instance　here　of
  extraordinary　longevity。　　A　cottager　grows　old　over　his　oaten
  cakes；　like　a　citizen　at　a　turtle　feast。　　He　is　indeed　seldom
  incommoded　by　corpulence。　　Poverty　preserves　him　from　sinking　under
  the　burden　of　himself；　but　he　escapes　no　other　injury　of　time。
  Instances　of　long　life　are　often　related；　which　those　who　hear　them
  are　more　willing　to　credit　than　examine。　　To　be　told　that　any　man
  has　attained　a　hundred　years；　gives　hope　and　comfort　to　him　who
  stands　trembling　on　the　brink　of　his　own　climacterick。
  Length　of　life　is　distributed　impartially　to　very　different　modes
  of　life　in　very　different　climates；　and　the　mountains　have　no
  greater　examples　of　age　and　health　than　the　low　lands；　where　I　was
  introduced　to　two　ladies　of　high　quality；　one　of　whom；　in　her
  ninety…fourth　year；　presided　at　her　table　with　the　full　exercise　of
  all　her　powers；　and　the　other　has　attained　her　eighty…fourth；
  without　any　diminution　of　her　vivacity；　and　with　little　reason　to
  accuse　time　of　depredations　on　her　beauty。
  In　the　Islands；　as　in　most　other　places；　the　inhabitants　are　of
  different　rank；　and　one　does　not　encroach　here　upon　another。　　Where
  there　is　no　commerce　nor　manufacture；　he　that　is　born　poor　can
  scarcely　become　rich；　and　if　none　are　able　to　buy　estates；　he　that
  is　born　to　land　cannot　annihilate　his　family　by　selling　it。　　This
  was　once　the　state　of　these　countries。　　Perhaps　there　is　no
  example；　till　within　a　century　and　half；　of　any　family　whose　estate
  was　alienated　otherwise　than　by　violence　or　forfeiture。　　Since
  money　has　been　brought