This was a good day. Dr Johnson told us, at breakfast, that he rode
harder at a fox chase than any body. 'The English,' said he, 'are the
only nation who ride hard a-hunting. A Frenchman goes out upon a
managed horse, and capers in the field, and no more thinks of leaping
a hedge than of mounting a breach. Lord Powerscourt laid a wager, in
France, that he would ride a great many miles in a certain short time.
The French academicians set to work, and calculated that, from the
resistance of the air, it was impossible. His lordship however
performed it.'
Our money being nearly exhausted, we sent a bill for thirty pounds,
drawn on Sir William Forbes and Co. to Lochbraccadale, but our
messenger found it very difficult to procure cash for it; at length,
however, he got us value from the master of a vessel which was to
carry away some emigrants. There is a great scarcity of specie in Sky.
Mr M'Queen said he had the utmost difficulty to pay his servants'
wages, or to pay for any little thing which he has to buy. The rents
are paid in bills, which the drovers give. The people consume a vast
deal of snuff and tobacco, for which they must pay ready money; and
pedlers, who come about selling goods, as there is not a shop in the
island, carry away the cash. If there were encouragement given to
fisheries and manufacturers, there might be a circulation of money
introduced. I got one-and-twenty shillings in silver at Portree, which
was thought a wonderful store.
Talisker, Mr M'Queen, and I, walked out, and looked at no less than
fifteen different waterfalls near the house, in the space of about a
quarter of a mile. We also saw Cuchullin's well, said to have been the
favourite spring of that ancient hero. I drank of it. The water is
admirable. On the shore are many stones full of crystallizations in
the heart.
Though our obliging friend, Mr M'Lean, was but the young laird, he had
the title of Col constantly given him. After dinner he and I walked to
the top of Prieshwell, a very high rocky hill, from whence there is a
view of Barra, the Long Island, Bernera, the Loch of Dunvegan, part of
Rum, part of Rasay, and a vast deal of the isle of Sky. Col, though he
had come into Sky with an intention to be at Dunvegan, and pass a
considerable time in the island, most politely resolved first to
conduct us to Mull, and then to return to Sky. This was a very
fortunate circumstance; for he planned an expedition for us of more
variety than merely going to Mull. He proposed we should flee the
islands of Egg, Muck, Col, and Tyr-yi. In all these islands he could
shew us every thing worth seeing; and in Mull he said he should be as
if at home, his father having lands there, and he a farm.
Dr Johnson did not talk much to-day, but seemed intent in listening to
the schemes of future excursion, planned by Col. Dr Birch, however,
being mentioned, he said, he had more anecdotes than any man. I said,
Percy had a great many; that he flowed with them like one of the
brooks here. JOHNSON. 'If Percy is like one of the brooks here. Birch
was like the river Thames. Birch excelled Percy in that, as much as
Percy excels Goldsmith.' I mentioned Lord Hailes as a man of anecdote.
He was not pleased with him, for publishing only such memorials and
letters as were unfavourable for the Stuart family. 'If,' said he, 'a
man fairly warns you, "I am to give all the ill; do you find the
good", he may: but if the object which he professes be to give a view
of a reign, let him tell all the truth. I would tell truth of the two
Georges, or of that scoundrel, King William. Granger's Biographical
History is full of curious anecdote, but might have been better done.
The dog is a Whig. I do not like much to see a Whig in any dress; but
I hate to see a Whig in a parson's gown.'