Blair Collection > Selections from the Gaelic bards

32 MODERN GAELIC BAUDS.
near one; its surface hilly. This was the property of the Bishop
<>f the Isles; but at present, that of Mr. Macdonald of Clan-
Ranald. His factor, a resident agent, rents most of the Island:
paying two guineas for each penny-land ; and these he lets to the
poor people, at four and a half guineas each ; and exacts, besides
this, three days' labour in the quarter from each person. Another
head tenant possesses other penny-lands, which he lets in the same
manner to the impoverished and very starving of the wretched
inhabitants."
According to Reid, Macdonald, when a young man, was ground
agent or under factor in this little Island; and was very much in
the company of the head factor, whose society, the same authority
assures us, did him no good. For it was principally to gratify the
depraved taste of this patron of his, that the poet, it seems,
composed some of his pieces which are not very creditable now to
his memory in point of good taste and right feeling.
An explanation of the lines in which Macdonald says of the
Mainland or Mor'ir, that
Blest with plenty, to thee never
Comes the spring time trying;
will be found in the following statement of Pennant's when
speaking of Canna: — "The isles, I fear, annually experience a
temporary famine; perhaps from improvidence; perhaps from
eagerness to increase their stock of cattle, which they can easily
dispose of to satisfy the demands of their landlords, or the
oppressions of an agent."
The Mor'ir, on account of the richness of its soil, or the
beneficence of its landlords, was free from this periodical suffer-
ing. This little trait is worth mentioning, since it is pleasant to
find Macdonald, notwithstanding his connection with the factor
of Canna, showing his sympathies, however slightly, on the gener-
ous side of a question — as a poet ought always to do.