Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

160 HARRIS.
flowing" out of the natural progress of improvement, and
effected with the least possible suffering to those who
must finally be displaced. Under such a change, an in-
dependent class of labourers will arise, and the manufac-
ture of kelp will then demand new calculations.
It cannot be admitted, that, in the present state of the
farms, the estates would gain more by diverting all the
sea-weed to the purpose of manure, as has been argued.
There is no want of additional manure on the small farms,
as far as they are now cultivated ; nor would the mere
increase of this article enable these tenants to improve
larger tracts of land. The heaping of sea-weed on bare
rocks or wet bogs, will not alone make them productive.
A different population, with a different distribution of
capital and employment, are required before more exten-
sive tracts can be effectually improved ; and whenever
this change shall take place, there will be no great diffi-
culty in discovering whether it is more profitable to make
kelp or to raise potatoes and corn.
Our landing in Harris was attended by an event
equally unexpected and painful. An unfortunate female
had been brought from Benbecula, accused of infanticide
and it was necessary to detain her there in her long pas-
sage to the county jail. Even without the feelings with
which the humane Beccaria (and I might add Voltaire),
has inspired his readers respecting this most distressing
crime, the inroad tbus suddenly made on the whole cur-
rent of our ideas and thoughts, was extreme. Hearing
little of delinquency in this remote country, and strongly
prejudiced in favour of the moral character of the inha-
bitants, the immediate presence of even far slighter de-
pravity than this would have been strongly felt ; as if it
were possible that crimes should not exist in every state
of society throughout so numerous a population. Yet
;