The rents of the parts which belong to the Duke of Argyle, have
been raised from fifty-five to one hundred and five pounds, whether
from the land or the sea I cannot tell. The bounties of the sea
have lately been so great, that a farm in Southuist has risen in
ten years from a rent of thirty pounds to one hundred and eighty.
He who lives in Col, and finds himself condemned to solitary meals,
and incommunicable reflection, will find the usefulness of that
middle order of Tacksmen, which some who applaud their own wisdom
are wishing to destroy. Without intelligence man is not social, he
is only gregarious; and little intelligence will there be, where
all are constrained to daily labour, and every mind must wait upon
the hand.
After having listened for some days to the tempest, and wandered
about the Island till our curiosity was satisfied, we began to
think about our departure. To leave Col in October was not very
easy. We however found a sloop which lay on the coast to carry
kelp; and for a price which we thought levied upon our necessities,
the master agreed to carry us to Mull, whence we might readily pass
back to Scotland.
