times—Sunday services—Baptism—The Lord's supper dispensed in the Leabaidh na Ba Bàine—Dr Mackenzie's account of churchgoing and the communions—Johnnie at church for the first time—Five days' services—Large crowd; few communicants—Preparation for Gairloch communion—The scene in the Leabaidh—Aunt Sally—Characteristics of Free Church services and religion

117   Chapter V.—Character and Characteristics. Criticism invidious—Gairloch people have a good character—Fidelity, courtesy, and hospitality—Sir G. S. Mackenzie's opinion—Sir Francis Mackenzie's tribute to his Gairloch people—Attachment to home—Caution and keenness in money matters—Anecdote—Captain Burt's charge of want of cleanliness not generally applicable now—Morality—Indolence—Always behind time—Clinging to old ways—Old Highland esprit dying out—Annual competition recommended 121   Chapter VI.—Language and Dress. Gaelic called Irish—Gairloch dialect—Not dying out—Knowledge of English increasing—Old people still unable to speak English—Gaelic phrases in English—Gaelic literature in Gairloch—Should Gaelic be discouraged?—Ancient dress in Gairloch—Belted plaid or truis—Separate form of the kilt—Antiquity of the kilt—Highland dress proscribed—Subterfuges—Discouraged homespun fabrics—Kilt common in Gairloch in early part of nineteenth century—Sir Francis Mackenzie on the kilt—Now fallen into disuse—Present dress of men—Gairloch hose—Dress of women—The mutch—Maiden's headdress—Dr Mackenzie on maiden's hair and on mutches 125   Chapter VII.—Ways and Means. Sources of livelihood—Industry of women—Dwellings—Byres adjoining—No chimneys—Gradual improvement—Gardens rare—Fevers and consumption—Food—Absence of pigs—Whisky—Illicit distillation—Fuel—Torasgian—Cabar lar—Peat creel—Carts—Sledges before roads were made 132   Chapter VIII.—Agriculture and Stock. Little agriculture in ancient days—Black cattle—Blood taken from living cattle—The bowmen—Hill shielings miserable places—Introduction of sheep farming—Sheep farms forested—Sheep deteriorate pasture—Ancient breed of sheep—Present farms—Run-rig—Crofts established in Gairloch—Crofters' crops—The cas-chrom—Sir G. S. Mackenzie on imperfect agriculture—On indolence—The Highland husbandman—His negligence—Sir Francis Mackenzie on imperfect cultivation—On manures—On the cas-chrom—On lack of industry—On absence of gardens—Introduction of the potato 136   Chapter IX.—Fisheries. Gairloch fishermen and fish—Herring fisheries—Lobsters and crabs—Oysters—Gairloch cod fishery—Under Sir Alexander Mackenzie, 1721 to 1766—In 1792—Sir G. S. Mackenzie's account of it under Sir Hector—Lines and hooks formerly home-made—First foreign hooks in 1823—Cod fishery in 1884 and 1885—Salmon fishery—Bag-nets—Diminution in stock of salmon 143   Chapter X.—Posts and Roadmaking. Post-runners to Gairloch—Dr Mackenzie's account—Donald Charles—Roderick M'Lennan—William Cross—M'Leay—Iain Mor am Post—General Wade's road—Bridges in Gairloch—Road from Gairloch to Poolewe—The Dowager Lady Mackenzie's account of road-making—Destitution Committee contribute to road-making—Road to Fionn loch 147   Chapter XI.—Superstitions of Isle Maree. Isle Maree conspicuous—The wishing-tree—Her Majesty's offering—St Maelrubha permitted sacrifices of bulls—Continued to 1678—Latterly associated with cure of insanity—Treatment of lunatics—Still continued—Dr Mitchell's description—Circular enclosure supposed to be Druidical—Graves of the prince and princess—The well—Description of the wishing-tree—Trees of Isle Maree—Probability of the legend of Isle Maree—Name of island derived from St Maelrubha—St Maelrubha worshipped 150   Chapter XII.—Superstitions of Isle Maree—continued. Druidical sacrifices engrafted on Christianity—Resort to Isle Maree for cure of lunacy probably ancient—Parallel superstitions—Bull sacrifice at Kirkcudbright—Sacrifices of bulls not confined to the saint's day—Descriptions of proceedings for cure of lunatics—MacCulloch's description—No form of words—Recent cases—St Maelrubha and St Ruffus identical—Mad dog dipped in the well—Sad consequences—Quotations as to Pagan practices engrafted on Christianity 153   Chapter XIII.—Superstitions generally. Highlanders' surroundings suggest superstition—Gradual diminution of it—Older superstitions—Loch Maree water cure—The Fox Point—Coins found—The Cathair mor and Sitheanan Dubha—Gairloch fairy tale—The Shiant Isles' fairy—Eilean Suainne—Fairies seen on Isle Ewe in 1883—Lights and music of fairies noticed at Mellon Charles—William M'Lean gets a bagpipe chanter from the fairies—The Gille Dubh of Loch a Druing—Superstitious fancies—The Loch of the Beast—Evidence of the appearance of the beast—Proceedings for its suppression—Rorie and the mermaid