Scotland/Scots > Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland

WESTERN ISLANDS, &c. 181
When their grain is arrived at the (late
w hich they muft confider as ripenefs, they
do not cut, but pull the barley : to the
oats they apply the fickle. Wheel car¬
riages they have none, but make a frame
of timber, which is drawn by one horfe
with the two points behind prefling on the
ground. On this they fometimcs drag
home their fheaves, but often convey them
heme in a kind of open panier, or frame
-of flicks upon the horfe’s back.
Of that which is obtained with fo much
difficulty, nothing furelyought to be walled;
yet their method of clearing their oats from
the hufk is by parching them in the flraw.
Thus with the genuine improvidence of
fa wages, they deflroy that fodder for w'ant
of which their cattle may perifh. From
this pradlice they have two petty conveni-
encies. They dry the grain fo that it is
eafily reduced to meal, and they efcape the
theft of the threfher. The tafle contra&ed
from