ury was wanting, as was often the case, with old clothes, turf peat, or whatever material came in the way. The fire-place was sometimes in the middle of the floor, but commonly at one end of the cottage; and near the other end, in the side wall, was the opening for the door, in entering at which it was necessary for a man of ordinary size to bend almost double. The door was formed of rude planks, or of sticks wattled together. The furniture and accommodation within corresponded with the style of the architecture. Near the fire, which was placed on some flat stones in the floor, and along the sidewall, stood the principal seat, called deish, resembling a rude church pew; and some threefooted or four-footed stools of the rudest wooden materials were scattered about, one of a larger size than the rest being designed to serve the purpose of a table. The aumrie, or press for holding the milk dishes, and the beisail, a sort of rack for holding some wooden plates and horn spoons, were also usually arranged along the side-wall; and between the door and fire-place, across the floor, commonly stood a close bedstead, which served the purpose of defending the fire-side from the cold blast of the door, unless the occupant happened to be so luxurious and effeminate as to have a cross wall, rudely

lathed and plastered, in that situation. The rest of the beds were usually placed at the end of the cottage, opposite to the fire-end. An old highlander would have spread some heath on the floor for his bed, and have disdained any other covering than his tartan plaid; but the degeneracy of later times introduced chaff beds and coarse blankets.

The barns, stables, and byres, or cow-houses, were built in much the same way as the dwelling houses; and not unfrequently for convenience, and to avoid unnecessary trouble, an end of the dwelling-house served for a byre. These touns were scattered over the level ground, and lower parts of the hill sides, at such distances and in such situations as were most convenient, with reference to this plan of occupation. Each occupier had usually two dwarfish half-starved horses, and united with another for labouring the ground, four of these horses being thought necessary for a plough. One man held the plough, and another man or boy, walking backwards, led the horses. Some soil and heaps of stones were turned over by the plough, which was often raised out of the ground, while the horses were led aside, so as to avoid the banks, bushes, and large fixed stones, which appeared here and there over the

The

face of the field. The kind of barley called bere or bigg, and oats, were sown in rotation, until the ground was exhausted; and then it was left unploughed for some years, to gather heart as it was called. After seed-time, a great part of the summer was spent in providing fuel for winter use. The fuel consisted chiefly of mossy ground, cut and cast in small pieces, called peats, which were spread out to dry, then piled, and afterwards led home in creels or baskets on horseback, a work altogether of great labour and tediousness in rainy seasons. spare cattle were, in some places, sent to shealings among the hills, to save the lower pastures; and in these shealings some women resided during a part of the summer, preparing the ewe-milk cheese, every occupant having some sheep on the higher grounds, which were pastured in common. Many of the men and women went to the low country, and were employed. there in the harvest labour, which was usually finished before the highland harvest began. The corn in the mountain strath being ripe, or if not ripe, the season being too far advanced to admit of further ripening or delay, the corn was cut and carried to the corn-yard on horseback. The fields being cleared, the whole became a common, and the cattle were left to

range about in all quarters. The cattle which had been sent to the hills were brought down to the lower grounds; and lastly the sheep, which were housed in the night time, and even in the day time, in very stormy weather. Winter was the season for idleness and diversion. Matches at foot-ball were made, and sometimes produced serious affrays; every thing that could be effected by force, skill, agility, or swiftness, being reckoned fair. Throwing a heavy stone with the right hand, wrestling, and other trials of strength were common. The different dwellings became by turns the place of evening rendezvous. The women were employed in spinning wool and flax the men were usually entirely idle, except that one of them often held a little fir torch. The song and tale relieved the tedium of the long night, and the visits of itinerant talemen and bards were at that season highly prized.

Little more than thirty years have elapsed, since any material alteration in these particulars took place in this district. The manners and habits of the south began to gain ground among the proprietors. They resided less in the country; the intimacy and friendly intercourse between the landlord and tenant were interrupted; many of the old families failed, and the property

came into other hands; the fear of visiting the highlands was gone; the lowland grazier, and cattle dealer, discovered the value of the highland pastures; and, with his command of capital, easily paid more rent than the natives without capital, and unaccustomed to rack-rents. The higher portions of the grounds, before subject to the plough, were let for pasturing cattle; and lastly, a great part of the lower grounds, and most fertile tracts, were inclosed, and let for the same purpose. The depopulation, once begun, proceeded rapidly, until a great proportion of the district was cleared. A part of the country is still occupied as arable farms; but the increased rents rendered it necessary to cultivate in a different manner, and few vestiges of the toun system remain. One man, and two horses, now suffice for the plough; and the old system of completely exhausting the land by alternate crops of barley and oats, and then suffering it to continue for several years in the state of ley was exploded; and the potatoe and turnip, fallow, and crops of clover and rye-grass, have succeeded. The use of lime as a manure, and composts of lime, dung, and peat moss, have been introduced, and the agriculture of the district has been decidedly improved. The corn and fuel are now brought home in carts, and the