Gazetteer of Scotland

I L A
£0001. or 30001. is annually exported.
Agriculture is in its rudest state, al-
though the country is blest with the
finest manures, possessing not only
marl, sea-weed, coral, and shell-sand
in abundance, but also an extent of
S6 square acres of excellent limestone,
which might be burnt to advantage
with the peat and turf with which
the island abounds. Numbers of cat-
tle are imported for feeding ; but it
often happens that the pasures are o-
verstocked, and in a severe winter
many die' for want. Ale is frequently
made in this island from the young
tops of heath, mixing two thirds of
that plant with one of malt, some-
times adding hops. Boethius relates,
that this liquor was much used by the
Picts, but when that kingdom was
overthrown by the Scots, the secret
Of making this ale was lost. The
climate is moist, and agues are pretty
frequent ; but upon the whole it is to-
lerably healthy, and there are many
instances of longevity. The quad-
rupeds, enumerated by Mr. Pennant,
besides the domestic animals, are wea-
sels, otters, and hares ; the latter dark-
coloured, small, and bad runners. The
birds are eagles, peregrine falcons,
moor-fowl, ptarmigans, red -breasted
gooseanders, wild geese and ducks,
herons, &c. The fish are plaise, smear-
dab, large dabs, mullets, ballans, lump-
fish, &c. and sometimes are seen that
rare fish, the lepadogaster of M. Gouan.
Vipers swarm in the heath ; and the
natives are said to cure the wound by
a poultice of hemlock and henbane. In
this island several ancient diversions
and superstitions are still preserved :
the last, indeed, are almost extinct, or
only lurk amongst the very meanest of
the people. The late-wakes or fune-
rals, like those of the Romans, were
attended with sports' and dramatic
entertainments, composed of many
parts ; and the actors often changed
their dresses, suitable to their charac-
ters. The subject of the drama was
historical, and preserved by memory.
" The power of fascination," says a
late celebrated traveller, " is as strong-
ly believed by the inhabitants of Hay,
as it was by the shepherds of Italy in
times of old,
ffejcio quis teneros, ocalis m'fhi fajcinat
1LA
But here the power of the evil eye
afreets more the milch cows than the
lambs.- If any good housewife per-
ceives the effect of the malicious on
any of her kine, she takes as much
milk as she can drain from the in-
chanted herd (for the witch leaves
very little), then boils it with certain
herbs, and adds to them flint and un-
tempered steel, after which she secures
the door, and invokes the three sacred
persons. This puts the witch into
such an agony, that she comes nilting
willing to the house, and begs to be
admitted to obtain relief, by touching
the powerful pot ; the good woman
then makes her terms ; the witch re-
stores the milk to the cattle, and in
return is freed from her pains. But
sometimes, to save the trouble of those
charms (for it may happen that the
disorder may arise from some other
causes than an evil eye), the trial is
made by immerging in the milk a cer-
tain herb, and if the cows are super-
naturally affected, it instantly distils
blood ! ! The unsuccessul lover re-
venges himself on his happy rival by
charms potent as those of the shep-
herd Alphesibsus, and exactly simi-
lar :
Necte tribus nodis, ternos Amarylli co-
lores :
Necte, Amarylli, modo.
Donald takes three threads of differ-
ent hues, and ties three knots on each,
three times imprecating the most cruel
disappointments on the nuptial bed :
but the bridegroom, to avert the harm,
stands at the altar with an untied shoe,
and puts a sixpence beneath his foot.
The inhabitants marry young, and are
greatly connected by intermarriages,
which must always be the case in
insular situations : this gives them a
clannish distinction and attachment to
their country, which, however, does
not hinder them from being hospitable
to strangers and visitors. The Gaelic
is the common language of the com-
mon people ; yet English is well un-
derstood, and taught in all the schools.
The song and the dance are the chief
amusements : in the latter they exhi-
bit an ease and gracefulness of motion,
conjoined with great dexterity, pecu-
liar to the island. The gentlemen
once a year treat the ladies with a
ball, where cheerfulness and propria