le for the smoke. Here we had eggs, and
mutton, and a chicken, and a sausage, and rum. In the afternoon tea was
made by a very decent girl in a printed linen: she engaged me so much,
that I made her a present of Cocker's arithmetick. I am, &c.

XXI.--To MRS. THRALE.

Skie, Sept. 14,1773.

DEAREST MADAM,--The post, which comes but once a week into these parts,
is so soon to go, that I have not time to go on where I left off in my
last letter. I have been several days in the island of Raarsa, and am
now again in the isle of Skie, but at the other end of it.

Skie is almost equally divided between the two great families of
Macdonald and Macleod, other proprietors having only small districts.
The two great lords do not know, within twenty square miles, the
contents of their own territories.

--kept up but ill the reputation of highland hospitality; we are now
with Macleod, quite at the other end of the island, where there is a
fine young gentleman and fine ladies. The ladies are studying Erse. I
have a cold, and am miserably deaf, and am troublesome to lady Macleod;
I force her to speak loud, but she will seldom speak loud enough.

Raarsa is an island about fifteen miles long and two broad, under the
dominion of one gentleman, who has three sons and ten daughters; the
eldest is the beauty of this part of the world, and has been polished at
Edinburgh: they sing and dance, and, without expense, have upon their
table most of what sea, air, or earth can afford. I intended to have
written about Raarsa, but the post will not wait longer than while I
send my compliments to my dear master and little mistresses. I am, &c.

XXII.--To MRS. THRALE.

Skie, Sept. 21, 1773.

DEAREST MADAM,--I am so vexed at the necessity of sending yesterday so
short a letter, that I purpose to get a long letter beforehand, by
writing something every day, which I may the more easily do, as a cold
makes me now too deaf to take the usual pleasure in conversation. Lady
Macleod is very good to me; and the place, at which we now are, is
equal, in strength of situation, in the wildness of the adjacent
country, and in the plenty and elegance of the domestick entertainment,
to a castle in Gothick romances. The sea, with a little island, is
before us; cascades play within view. Close to the house is the
formidable skeleton of an old castle, probably Danish; and the whole
mass of building stands upon a protuberance of rock, inaccessible till
of late,