the year, that they are caught like whitebait in the Thames, only by dipping a basket and drawing it back.

If it were always practicable to fish, thefe lflands could never be in much danger from famine; but unhappily in the winter, when other provifion fails, the feas are commonly too rough for nets, or boats.

TALISKER IN SKY.

From Ulinifh, our next stage was to Talifker, the house of colonel Macleod, an officer in the Dutch fervice, who in this time of univerfal peace, has for feveral years been permitted to be absent from his regiment. Having been bred to phyfick, he is confequently a scholar, and his lady, by accompanying him in his different places of refidence, is become skilful in feveral languages. Talifker is the place beyond all that I have seen, from which the

gay

and the

jovial feem utterly excluded; and where the hermit might expect to grow old in meditation, without poffibility of disturbance or interruption. It is fituated very near the fea, but upon a coaft where no veffel lands but when it is driven by a tempeft on the rocks. Towards the land are lofty hills ftreaming with water-falls. garden is sheltered by firs, or pines, which grow there fo profperoufly, that fome, which the present inhabitant planted, are very high and thick.

The

At this place we very happily met Mr. Donald Maclean, a young gentleman, the eldest fon of the Laird of Col, heir to a very great extent of land, and fo defirous of improving his inheritance, that he spent a confiderable time among the farmers of Hertfordshire, and Hampshire, to learn their practice. He worked with his own hands at the principal operations of agriculture, that he might not deceive himself

by

by a falfe opinion of skill, which if he fhould find it deficient at home, he had no · means of completing. If the world has agreed to praise the travels and manual labours of the Czar of Muscovy, let Col have his share of the like applause, in the proportion of his dominions to the empire of Ruffia.

This young gentleman was sporting in the mountains of Sky, and when he was weary with following his game, repaired for lodging to Talifker. At night he

miffed one of his dogs, and when he went to seek him in the morning, found two eagles feeding on his carcass.

Col, for he must be named by his poffeffions, hearing that our intention was to vifit Jona, offered to conduct us to hist chief, Sir Allan Maclean, who lived in the ifle of Inch Kenneth, and would readily find us a convenient paffage. From this

time was formed an acquaintance, which being begun by kindness, was accidentally continued by constraint; we derived much pleasure from it, and I hope have given him no reason to repent it.

The weather was now almoft one continued ftorm, and we were to fnatch fome happy intermiffion to be conveyed to Mull, third. the fecond Island of the Hebrides, lying about a degree south of Sky, whence we might easily find our way to Inch Kenneth, where Sir Allan Maclean refided, and afterward to Jona.

For this purpose, the most commodious ftation that we could take was Armidel, which Sir Alexander Macdonald had now left to a gentleman, who lived there as his factor or fteward.

In our way to Armidel, was Coriatachan,. where we had already been, and to which therefore we were very willing to return.,

We

We staid however so long at Talisker, that a great part of our journey was performed in the gloom of the evening. In travelling even thus almost without light thro' naked folitude, when there is a guide whose conduct may be trufted, a mind not naturally too much disposed to fear, may preserve fome degree of cheerfulness; but what must be the folicitude of him who fhould be wandering, among the craggs and hollows, benighted, ignorant, and alone?

The fictions of the Gothick romances were not fo remote from credibility as they are now thought. In the full prevalence of the feudal inftitution, when violence defolated the world, and every baron lived in a fortrefs, forefts and caftles were regularly fucceeded by each other, and the adventurer might very suddenly pass from the gloom of woods, or the ruggedness of moors, to feats of plenty, gaiety, and magnificence. Whatever is imaged in the wildest

tale,