Loch Buy, a practice necessary in countries inhabited by clans, where all that live in the same territory have one name, and must be therefore discriminated by some addition.  This gentleman, whose name, I think, is Maclean, should be regularly called Muck; but the appellation, which he thinks too coarse for his Island, he would like still less for himself, and he is therefore addressed by the title of, Isle of Muck.

This little Island, however it be named, is of considerable value.  It is two English miles long, and three quarters of a mile broad, and consequently contains only nine hundred and sixty English acres.  It is chiefly arable.  Half of this little dominion the Laird retains in his own hand, and on the other half, live one hundred and sixty persons, who pay their rent by exported corn.  What rent they pay, we were not told, and could not decently inquire.  The proportion of the people to the land is such, as the most fertile countries do not commonly maintain.

The Laird having all his people under his immediate view, seems to be very attentive to their happiness.  The devastation of the small-pox, when it visits places where it comes seldom, is well known.  He has disarmed it of its terrour at Muack, by inoculating eighty of his people.  The expence was two shillings and sixpence a head.  Many trades they cannot have among them, but upon occasion, he fetches a smith from the Isle of Egg, and has a tailor from the main land, six times a year.  This island well deserved to be seen, but the Laird’s absence left us no opportunity.

Every inhabited island has its appendant and subordinate islets.  Muck, however small, has yet others smaller about it, one of which has only ground sufficient to afford pasture for three wethers.

At Dunvegan I had tasted lotus, and was in danger of forgetting that I was ever to depart, till Mr. Boswell sagely reproached me with my sluggishness and softness.  I had no very forcible defence to make; and we agreed to pursue our journey.  Macleod accompanied us to Ulinish, where we were entertained by the sheriff of the Island.

ULINISH

Mr. Macqueen travelled with us, and directed our attention to all that was worthy of observation.  With him we went to see an ancient building, called a dun or borough.  It was a circular inclosure, about forty-two feet in diameter, walled round with loose stones, perhaps to the height of nine feet.  The walls were very thick, diminishing a little toward the top, and though in these countries, stone is not brought far, must have been raised with much labour.  Within the great circle were several smaller rounds of wall, which formed distinct apartments.  Its date, and its use are unknown.  Some suppose it the original seat of the chiefs of the Macleods.  Mr. Macqueen thought it a Danish fort.