a journey to-第20章

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hardy　esculent　plants。　　Of　vegetable　fragrance　or　beauty　they　are
not　yet　studious。　　Few　vows　are　made　to　Flora　in　the　Hebrides。

They　gather　a　little　hay；　but　the　grass　is　mown　late；　and　is　so
often　almost　dry　and　again　very　wet；　before　it　is　housed；　that　it
becomes　a　collection　of　withered　stalks　without　taste　or　fragrance；
it　must　be　eaten　by　cattle　that　have　nothing　else；　but　by　most
English　farmers　would　be　thrown　away。

In　the　Islands　I　have　not　heard　that　any　subterraneous　treasures
have　been　discovered；　though　where　there　are　mountains；　there　are
commonly　minerals。　　One　of　the　rocks　in　Col　has　a　black　vein；
imagined　to　consist　of　the　ore　of　lead；　but　it　was　never　yet　opened
or　essayed。　　In　Sky　a　black　mass　was　accidentally　picked　up；　and
brought　into　the　house　of　the　owner　of　the　land；　who　found　himself
strongly　inclined　to　think　it　a　coal；　but　unhappily　it　did　not　burn
in　the　chimney。　　Common　ores　would　be　here　of　no　great　value；　for
what　requires　to　be　separated　by　fire；　must；　if　it　were　found；　be
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　therefo