Ossian Collection > Journey to the western islands of Scotland

WESTERN ISLANDS, Sec. 367
the fame, and fo meafures an unknown
quantity by an uncertain ftandard. It is
competent enough when the markets of the
fame country, at different times, and thofe
times not too diftant, are to be compared ;
but of very little ufe for the purpofe of mak-
ing one nation acquainted with the ftate
of another. Provifions, though plenti-
ful, are fold in places of great pecuniary
opulence for nominal prices, to which,
however fcarce, where gold and filver are
yet fcarcer, they can never be raifed.
In the Wejlern Ijlands there is fo little in-
ternal commerce, that hardly any thing has
a known or fettled rate, The price of
things brought in, or carried out, is to be
confidered as that of a foreign market ; and
even this there is fome difficulty in difco-
Tering, becaufe their denominations of
quantity are different from ours ; and when
there is ignorance on both fides, no appeal
can be made to a common meafure.
2 This,