Seaforth's Lewis by Finlay MacLeod - Leòdhais Shìopoirt le Fionnlagh Macleòid

John Knox had come to the Hebrides on behalf of the British Fisheries Society and his account of his journey was published as, A Tour Through the Highlands of Scotland and the Hebridean Isles. Knox was a Scotsman who had done well in the booktrade in London, and having retired in his 40s he spent much time on fact-finding tours of Scotland, and was very concerned with its wellbeing. He was 66 years of age when he spent the summer of 1786 in the Hebrides, where he was particularly interested in its potential as a strong fishing region. (He died at the age of 70, four years after his visit to the Hebrides).

He writes well and creates the atmosphere of the times, and is especially important in that he records basic information on a whole number of issues.

Knox's many recommendations to the Fisheries Society were sensible and far-sighted and the Society, in turn, was able to influence the government of the day, and many canals, fishing towns, and harbours were built as a result: the achievements of Thomas Telford throughout the Highlands are best understood within the context provided by Knox.

In Lewis he met up with the proprietor, the Earl of Seaforth (Lord Seaforth in 1797): this was MacCoinnich Bodhar (Deaf Mackenzie), Francis Humberston Mackenzie; then in his summer residence at Seaforth Lodge overlooking the town of Stornoway. The picture Knox gives of Seaforth's style of life in Lewis is simply astounding; the plentitude he had to hand, both on sea and on land, contrasts in bitter irony with the poverty of many of his fellow-islanders. Knox's description is of a time of profound change for the relationship of the Highland chiefs with their people: Seaforth had it both way -- as proprietor, he reaped the rewards and riches of the land and the sea for his family's gain, but at the same time he played the role of clan chief in calling his people to war.

Seaforth is best remembered in Lewis for his actions, seven years after Knox's visit, when he dragooned so many of its young people into his regiment (Saighdearan MhicChoinnich Bodhar/ the Soldiers of Deaf Mackenzie), the 78th Highanders, to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. He recruited the 1st Battalion in 1793 and in the following year he raised his 2nd Battalion, but not before the women of Uig in Lewis had confronted him at Cnoc a' Champ in Uig, opposing him for wanting to take away a second set of youngsters.

One of Seaforth's letters of the time of his raising the 2nd Battalion shows how he operated and wished to be regarded: "Letter to Mr Secretary Dundas from Seaforth. Sir, - I had sincerely hoped that I should not be obliged to trouble you again; but on my going today to the War Office about my Letter of Service (having yesterday as I thought agreed with Lord Amherst), I was to my amazement told that Lord Amherst had ordered the 1,000 men I am to raise were not to be a second battalion of the 78th, but a separate corps.

It will, I am sure occur to you that were I to undertake such a thing, it would destroy my influence among the people of my country entirely; and instead of appearing as a loyal honest chieftan calling out his friends to support their King and country, I should be jibbeted as a jobber of the attachment my neighbours bear to me.

F H Mackenzie." Col. Humberston Mackenzie got his way.

Saighdearan MhicCoinnich Bodhar, the 78th, are best remembered for their service in India where they fought in the Mahratta War and where they won battle honours, under Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) at the Battle of Assaye.

A further battalion of Seaforth Highlanders was raised in 1804, and these were known in Lewis -- especially in Uig -- as Saighdearan Mhic a' Mhinisteir (The Soldiers of the Minister's Son); the minister's son being the soldiers' beloved Lieutenant John Munro who was eventually killed in battle in Java. (See "The Old Soldiers of Uig" on this site).

In his later years, MacChoinnich Bodhar/ Deaf Mackenzie was appointed Governor of Barbados; he was the last of the Seaforth line and died in 1809. His daughter took over the proprietorship -- this was Lady Hood Mackenzie. She and her second husband, Stewart Mackenzie, owned Lewis until it was sold in 1844 to Mr James (later Sir James) Matheson.

Coinneach Bodhar & Coinneach Odhar -- Deaf Mackenzie and the Brahan Seer. (See Coinneach Odhar/ The Brahan Seer on this site). Seaforth's life is forever entwined in Highland history with the fate of its most renowned seer, Coinneach Odhar/the Brahan Seer. The seer had seriously fallen out of favour with the Seaforth family in the past and had been put to death by them. He made his most astounding prophesy just before he was executed, where he predicted that the Seaforth line was to die out; that the last Seaforth would be deaf and dumb; that this deaf Last Seaforth would outlive his four sons; that his daughter would be the cause of her sister's death; and that four disfigured lords would be alive at the time of his demise. The prophesy was widely known long before Deaf Mackenzie's death, which took place in circumstances which verified all that the Brahan Seer had predicted.

Sir Walter Scott wrote his Lament for "The Last of the Seaforths.":

"In vain the bright course of thy talents go wrong
Fate deaden'd thine ear and imprison'd thy tongue,
For brighter o'er all her obstructions rose
The glow of genius they could not oppose;
And who, in the land of Saxon, or Gael,
Might match with Mackenzie, High Chief of Kintail.

And thou, gentle Dame, who must bear, to thy grief,
For thy clan and thy country the cares of a Chief,
Whom brief rolling moons in six changes have left,
Of thy husband and father and brethren bereft;
To thine ear of affection, how sad is the hail
That salutes thee -- the heir of the line of Kintail!"

The legacy left to Lewis by MacCoinnich Bodhar, the Last Seaforth, is the memory of the Old Soldiers called out as friends to fight for King and country by their "loyal honest chieftan": his daughter's legacy was to introduce into Lewis the first of the Evangelical Calvinist ministers -- a legacy that has proved more lasting than any other gift from the Seaforths.

From Knox's "Tour" of 1787:
" The east coast of Lewis, as far as the Bay of Stornoway, resembles that of Harris. It rises from the shore in mountains of solid rock, covered in some places with a thin bed of grass, heath, or moss, where small cattle, sheep, goats, deer, hares, and moor fowl pick up a subsistence.

But if these hills are barren, the waters which fill the spaces between them are amazingly rich. The whole coast is a continuation of secure bays, and excellent fishing grounds, in each of which there are some cottagers, who are chiefly occupied in that profession. Similar fisheries are carried on by the natives in all the openings around the island.

Towards evening we discovered land on the north side of the bay of Stornoway. This is an almost detached wing, called the Point of Aird, that lies off the mainland, to which it is joined at high water by a peninsula of a few hundred feet in width. It is six mile in length and two in breadth, and forms a striking contrast to the shores upon the east side of the Long Island. It is comparatively a low and pleasant country, fertile in grain, and excellent grass. The same appearances continued along the north side of the bay, as far as Stornoway, and a short space further.

New objects appeared equally agreeable, upon entering the bay. First, the shipping of which there were thirteen at anchor, one of them 600 tons burthen. Secondly, the town of Stornoway, which being rebuilt with houses of stone, lime, and slate, makes a handsome appearance. One wing or street is built on a narrow peninsula that stretches out a considerable way into the bay, and adds greatly to the beauty of the landscape. Lastly, Seaforth Lodge, which is built on a lawn that rises gradually from the head of the bay, and being perfectly white, has a good effect.

When we came within the harbour, we were sorry to perceive that noble port without a key; and it appeared still more strange, when we were informed that 12 or 1500£ had been granted several years ago, by the trustees at Edinburgh, for building a sufficient key, and for raising cottages for fishermen along the shores of the island.

Something has indeed been erected here in the name of a key, and even that is so much out of repair, that the vessels load and unload upon the beach, or in the bay, by means of boats. In the last century, several Dutch families had settled here on account of the fisheries, but they were unfortunately driven away, during the war between England and Holland. Their example had, however, a good effect among the natives, who, from thenceforward, have done more in the way of fishing and traffic than all the West Highlands put together.

The late earl of Seaforth, whose good intentions far exceeded his abilities, gave every encouragement in his power for rebuilding and extending the town, and he succeeded as well, that no place between the Mull of Cantire and Cape Wrath contains half its number of inhabitants.

It is divided into two towns, one for traders, and the other for fishermen. The first was built close upon the beach, and is accommodated with a church, custom-house, and a good inn. Fifty handsome houses have been raised within these last few years, and new ones are still going forward upon a regular plan drawn out by the present proprietor, who favoured me to copy it. The ground is granted on perpetual feus, in lots of fifteen to thirty feet in front, and sixty behind, for a garden , which the inhabitants wish to have increased to double that size, partly on account of the room which their bulky fuel requires. If this could be complied with, the town would increase with great rapidity, and abundantly repay, in the improvement of the island, the concession of fifteen or twenty acres of ground.

Though the town has suffered greatly by the late wars, its shipping amounts at present to twenty-three decked vessels, which are chiefly employed in the fisheries.

That division which is inhabited by fishermen and mechanics, lies at some distance; the street cross each other at right angles, the houses are neat and uniform, accommodated with garden ground, and the whole occupies several acres of good land.

Seaforth has it in contemplation to rebuild the church, and erect a gaol and town-house. When we arrived at the town, captain Macleod expressed a desire to remain that night at an inn, being unwilling, he said, to dress and go for company. This being agreed upon, we sent a card to the factor wishing to see him. In a very short time after, the good woman of the house rushed into the room, calling out, "Seaforth, Seaforth!" and before we could utter a word, Seaforth, who was at her heels, appeared. I had the honour of introducing captain Macleod to him, and we were carried irresistibly to the lodge.

When I looked from the window next morning, which happened to be very fine, the views were among the first that I had seen. The small craft were afloat at the head of the bay, with their sails up to dry after some rains; behind, was the point stretching across the bay, and covered to the very extremity with neat white-washed houses. Beyond these, in the outer bay, were the shipping with their sails up; while some were going out, and others coming in. Upon the north side of the bay were sloping fields of ripe corn; on the south, were lofty hills; and, to crown this matchless scenery, the far distant mountains of Ross-shire conveyed the idea of a country that had been convulsed into a chaos.

When the church and the spire shall be built, with a small spire also upon the town-house, and other ornaments which Seaforth's fertile imagination may easily conceive, this place will merit the pencil of the first landscape painter in the kingdom, and be a considerable acquisition to the many beautiful prints which distinguish the present age.

I was desirous to make the tour of this large and unexplored island, particularly that great bay on the west side of it, which contains many lesser ones, from one of which it is called Loch Roag. Seaforth entered readily into the design, as did captain Mackenzie his brother-in-law, and captain Macleod.

A boat was manned and stored with provisions, wine, spirits, and malt liquor. The weather still continued fine, and we set out in high spirits from the harbour of Stornoway for the Birken Isles, from whence there is a channel that stretches within four miles of the loch. Our design was to go as far as we could by water, and to walk from thence to the head of Loch Roag, which, with all its branches and islands, we meant to have examined. But though I had the good fortune to be accompanied in this maritime expedition by two experienced seamen, Seaforth* and the East India captain (captain Macleod of Rodil), the design proved abortive, and my time did not admit of a second attempt.

(* Footnote on Seaforth. This gentleman served when very young in the royal navy. While he was ill with fever, an engagement happened between the fleet on which he was on board and that of the French, when the noise of the cannon totally deprived him of his hearing, and under which calamity he still remains. The usual way of conversing with him is by writing, or by the fingers, at which his family and intimate acquaintance are very expert, and he is equally quick in anticipating their meaning).

I shall however mention some particulars respecting Loch Roag. It lies opposite to the bay of Stornoway, from which the nearest part of it is distant about twelve miles. From the best anchoring places in these two bays, to the north extremity of the island, called the Butt of Lewis, the distance on each side, by water, is from twenty-four to thirty miles, and the whole coast from one bay or harbour to the other, amounts to nearly sixty miles of an open navigation in the main ocean.

In this long and dangerous course, there is no place where ships, or even boats, can find shelter in rough weather. It is a bare open coast, the dread of mariners, and ill adapted for fisheries. This points out the expediency of a good harbour or port somewhere in Loch Roag, both for the advantage of navigation and the fisheries. Mr. Mackenzie's (Murdoch Mackenzie's charts) descriptions of the different places where ships may ride safely in this bay, are too numerous to be inserted here.

We sailed, as before observed, for this bay, by way of the Birken Isles. In coasting along we kept in many parts within a few yards of the rocks, where a large fish called lyth are generally caught with the hook. They are esteemed by the natives to be more delicate than cod, ling, or whiting, and they generally weigh seven or eight pound. We caught two of them to furnish an additional dish at dinner, for which our stomachs pointed very strongly. For this purpose it was unanimously agreed that we should encamp upon one of the islands, where, having arrived at a snug little creek, we left a man in charge of the boat, and scambled up the lofty shore.

Here all hands were employed in landing the cargo, and carrying it to the place of encampment. Some brought up the fire arms; others carried the provisions and liquors; and the rear followed with kitchen utensils. The island was covered with heath, and a fire was instantly hindled under a little rock, where the fish was to be cooked. Every man now took up his station. Seaforth cut up one of the lyth, which he gutted, washed, and put into the kettle. The department chosen by captain Mackezie was to attend the kettle and supply the fire with heath, which being dry, made a fine blaze, and facilitated teh business on hand. We had laid in a small salmon, just caught, of which captain Macleod took the charge. Having performed the previous operations, he cut it in slices of about half a pound each, which he wrapped in paper, put upone th grid-iron, adn cooked with great attention, and with great satisfaction to those who ate of it.

My office consisted in pulling heath for the supply of our kitchen, which consumed no small quanitity, and the boatmen had various works upon their hands.

When dinner eas nearly ready to be served up, Seaforth spread a large table cloth upon the ground; opened his hampers and kantin; laid the knives, forks, and plates; took out his stores of cold tongue, tame and wild fowl, roast beef, bread, cheese, butter, pepper, salt, vinegar, pickles, etc. also wine, spirits, ale, and porter.

Just as we were ready to make our places, after the manner of Indians at a feast, we espied a small sail steering for Stornoway, where colonel Macleod of Sky and his lady had been expected with the first good weather. The appearance of the sails confirmed us in the opinion that teh colonel was on board, and efforts wer used to attract his notice and bring him to the island. A blaze was made on the highest ground, a gun was fired, and a white handkerchief was hung out by way of a flag; but he kept upon his course, and we lay down upon the heath to dine, chearful, and well pleased with every object before, and around us.

After this very comfortable meal, we embarked for the head of the loch, and passed some herring busses that were at anchor in snug little bays, finely sheltered by the Birken Isles; but the day being far spent, we landed and took up our lodging for that night in the only house where we could be accommodated.

Our intention was to embark early next morning, but to our great disappointment, the weather had changed in the night, from serenity to a perfect storm of wind with incessant rain, which put an end to our expedition, and presented to our view a very uncomfortable journey by land back to Stornoway, through mosses and moors now rendered almost unpassable.

We encountered the storm with a bold face, and arrived safely at the lodge, where we soon forgot the toils of the day. Next morning Seaforth proposed to accompany me, with his factor, to the Point of Aird, formerly mentioned, where I saw some excellent farms, and a great number of black cattle in good condition; yet much remains of that beautiful spot to be improved, which, having a declivity, and being near the sea shore, may be done with ease.

I shall close these partial observations, by a general description of Lewis, an island little known except to mariners, and its inhabitants. Its main length is forty miles, by twenty-four where widest, exclusive of the peninsula of Aird. On the south side, it is rough and mountainous; but all that great division of it which lies between Stornoway and the northern extremity is comparatively a low country, and contains many good farms.

The far greatest part of this division is, however, moss and heath, the work of ages of reclaim; and this points out, in language more powerful, and more consistent with the common sense than those of a factor or steward, the expediency of farming out this great morass in small lots, upon the easiest terms, and for two or three lives.

By this means, and by giving every possible aid to the fisheries, and the rising town of Stornoway, this island may in the course of fifty or sixty years double its present rent.

The cod and ling, chiefly the latter, exported from Stornoway annually to Dublin, Leghorn, etc. amount to eighty or one hundred tons. These fish are very large, some of the ling wighing 100lb. There are also in this assortment, a small quantity of that delicious fish called tusk. I examined some large piles of fish at Stornoway, and found them exceedingly white, clear, and in all respects well cured. The fishery of the island has been long monopolised by the factor, who pays the fishermen 13£. per ton for the the ling, and gets, when sold upon the spot, 18£. When to these advantages, we add the various emoluments arising from his office, and his traffic in grain, meal, and cattle, etc. his place is better than the rent of many considerable estates in the Highlands. The father of the present factor procured a lease of that office, with all its pendages, for a number of years, six or seven of which are yet unexpired; and it is said that he retired with a fortune of 20,000£. a part of which he had laid out upon the estate where he now resides.

Of the black cattle, and well as the white fish, he seems to have had complete monopoly, as appears form a paper that was put in my hands by one of the tacksmen formerly of Lewis, but who has since taken a large farm elsewhere. A copy of this curious paper* will convey a better idea of the condition of the people, whose lot it is to live under the despotic sway of certain factors, than any declamation which human feeling can incite. It appears by the date, that the paper copied in the note refrs to the late earl of Seaforth's time.

(*The 'curious paper' was from the factor of Lewis to John Morison, the then tacksman of Little Bernera: "You are to intimate to the whole tenants in your district, who pay rent to the factor, that they must sell no cattle this year, until the rents are paid, to any person who has not the factor's orders to buy; and if any one attempt to buy with ready money, you are to arrest these cattle, and not allow them to be carried out of the country until the whole rents are paid up. This, on your peril, I desire may be done immediately, and any person who dares to sell, after these orders are made public, you are to acquaint me thereof.... Write to me when you have obeyed these orders. (Signed) Alex .................... " (Factor of Lewis),

Lewis is the most northern of all the Hebride Islands, and next in size to Sky. It forms part of Ross-shire; contained formerly eight parishes, which are now reduced to four; and the number of inhabitants is calculated at 9000. About twenty years ago, that then factor farmed the whole island, for which he paid the earl of Seaforth 1000£. annually. By means of improvement in agriculture, fisheries, and kelp, of which about 200 tons of an excellent quality is made, chiefly on the west side of the island; with ground-rents of houses, and the rise in the price of cattle, the island now pays 2500£. neat rent, besides church dues, etc.

Seaforth's principal residence is at Brahan Castle, near Dingwall; but he resides here with his family two or three months every summer, where he enjoys more than Asiatic luxury, in the simple produce of his forests, his heaths, and his shores. His table is continually supplied with delicate beef, mutton, veal, lamb, pork, venison, hare, pigeons, fowls, tame and wild ducks, tame and wild geese, partridges, and great variety of moor fowl. of th fish kind his is supplied by his factor with salt cod, ling, and tusk; and by his own boat which fresh cod, haddock, whiting, mackarel, skate, soals, flounders, lythe, etc. They are caught in the bay immediately fronting his house, every day except sunday, and thrown in a heap upon the floor near his kitchen, from which the cook supplies the kitchen, and the rest is given to the poor. The salmon and trout he is supplied from the bay called Loch Tua, which flows within a mile of his house, on the north side.

Being desirous to ascertain the extent of the fishery at this place, he provided nets and set out, accompanied by his family and a croud of people, for the bay, where he commenced fish(ing). The following is a copy of his journal, drawn out by himself.

"August 17, 1786. Hauled only the little pool once. Caught salmon 29, trout 128, flounders 1468."
"August 18. Hauled both great and little pool once. Great pool, 139 salmon, 528 trout, a few flounders. Little pool, 5 salmon, about 100 trout, and 500 flounders:
"August 23. Hauled both pools once. Did not count the fish separately, but he whole were 143 salmon, 143 trout, and the flounders I did not count, but they were a great heap, about 7 or 800. Every day an immense number of herrings, sprats, and cuddies were caught."

From these he supplied himself, and gave the rest away. But is is to be observed, that these captures were made after rains that had succeeded a period of dry weather.
Such, with the produce of his garden, are the articles which a Highland laird or chieftain has at his table at dinner and supper.

Having given the particulars of a Highland dinner and supper in the principal families, I shall complete the bill of fare of the day, by specifying the those of breakfast, viz. A dram of whiskey, gin, rum, or brandy, plain, or infused with berries that grow among the heath.

French rolls: oat and barley bread.
Tea and coffee; honey in the comb; red and black currant jellies; marmalade, conserves, and excellent cream.
Fine flavoured butter, fresh and salted, Cheshire and Highland cheese, the last very indifferent.
A plateful of very fresh eggs.
Fresh and salted herrings broiled.
Ditto haddocks and whitings, the skin being taken off.
Cold rounds of venison, beef and mutton hams.

Besides these articles, which are commonly places on the table at once, there are generaly cold beef and moor-fowl to these who chuse to call for them.
After breakfast the men amuse themselves with the gun, fishing, or sailing, till the evening, when they dine, which meal serves with some families as supper.
A packet goes from this place to Pool Ewe on the opposite coast every fortnight, and when Seaforth is in Stornoway, once every week. I embraced this opportunity to return to the continent. The vessel was small, and as was afterwards informed, in a very improper state for going to sea, and ought to have been broke up long since. She is employed at certain seasons, in transporting cattle from the Lewis to Pool Ewe, which had rotted her timbers and bottom. She was at the same time in want of necessary tackling for a voyage of from forty to fifty mile, in a sea that lies open to the northern ocean.
The crew consisted on the master, whose name was Macleod, three men and a boy. I found a passenger on board whose name was Morison, a half-pay ensign, who had been a prisoner in America during the greatest part of the war; but whose spirits surmounted his misfortunes. We sailed out of the harbour at nine o'clock, in a fine clear morning, with a small breeze, and a swell in the sea that we could not account for, as the weather had been moderate for two or three days.
Among the vessels in the bay were several herring busses, whom we hailed to know what success they had in the night. One had caught many barrels, and the others, very few, owing, Macleod said, to their being less industrious."

It is most telling that the role of the Lewis factor is already a very powerful one at the time of Knox's visit, a century before the tyranny associated with factors such as Donald Monro. Here in 1786 Lewis the factor has "complete monopoly" and where his father had retired from this post " with a fortune of 20,000£." The language used in the factor's letter to the tacksman of Little Bernera speaks for itself: "On your peril." "Any person who dares to sell." " Write to me when you have obeyed these orders." Knox does not provide any description of the condition of the general population of Lewis: he is more interested in the fisheries, and in how Seaforth was providing " fifty handsome houses" as part of his regular plan for the town of Stornoway, and in the many good farms with black cattle he saw in areas such as Point. Although people would have been working on kelp along many of Lewis' shores, Knox does not record this. (The kelp lasted until 1820). It is left to other writers of this time, such as John Lane Buchanan (see 'John Lane Buchanan's Tour 'on this site) to describe the everyday lives of the people and how they gained their meagre livlihood and what their conception of life was.

What we have here are lasting images the famous, opulent picnic with Seaforth with its "cargo" of food; and the amazing amount of fish available in the sea-pools opposite Seaforth Lodge and which is "thrown in a heap upon the floor near his kitchen, from which the cook supplies the kitchen, and the rest is given to the poor."