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THE necessities of the
family of Macleod involved parting with much of their land. Harris
was sold out and out, but the lands in Skye, in order to retain
political influence were feued. Amongst the earliest lands feued in
Skye was the estate of Skeabost, parted with about 1790, to James
Macdonald, a successful merchant in Portree. The description of the
estate from an old deed ran in these terms:-
"All and whole the
lands of Skeabost with the change house and salmon fishing in the
water of Snizort, and one half of the town and lands of Edinbane
with the islands, rocks, shores, and the seaware and wrecks of all
kinds growing, or that may at any time be thrown on said rocks,
shores, or small islands in so far as Norman Macleod of Macleod had
right thereto; with the milns, multures, sucken and sequels,
fishings in fresh and salt waters, houses, higgings, mosses, muirs,
sheillings, grazings, and universal parts, pendicles, and pertinents
of the said lands, which are henceforth to be free from thirlage to
the miln of Waternish, or any miln belonging to the said Norman
Macleod, as the said lands and others are more fully described in
the title deeds and leases of said lands."
The feu duty is
stipulated at £14 odds. In 1799 the total gross rental was only £56,
and the proprietor, writing by the hand of his son Alexander
Macdonald, says he occupies the house, a park, and the salmon
fishing himself, adding, "houses yield very little rent in this
country." James Macdonald was thrice married, and had by his first
wife, sister of Captain Kenneth Macdonald, a son Donald, well- known
under the designation of "Tanera," who carried on a very large
fish-curing and other business, finally coming to grief. Captain
Kenneth Macdonald leased Skeabost and did not behave nicely to
Skeabost's second wife, who in a letter dated 1st July, 1801, signed
by her for her husband, thus refers-to the Captain. " He and his
wife lived two years under the roof of my house, and was received
with the utmost hospitality and friendship, yet this monster of
ingratitude domineers over my infirmities, like a tyrannical laird
over a disobedient tenant." Captain Kenneth, however, had his own
troubles, for on the 19th of September, 1805, he thus quaintly
expresses himself in nautical phraseology.
The times bear so hard upon me between
rents, taxes, and other demands that I find it very difficult to
keep up square yards."
Since the present proprietor of Skeabost
came into possession of the estate it has been improved, beautified,
and enlarged by him into an ideal Highland residence, wanting but
the facilities of a light railway, which there is every prospect
will speedily be carried out. It needs no gift of prophecy to say
that a new era is more than dawning on Skye, when its wonderful
natural capabilities will be fully developed, and thousands rather
than hundreds will be found annual and profitable visitors.
Greshornish was feued by the Macleads
about the same time as Skeabost, and after passing through several
hands became the property of one of Gesto's sons.
The story of the vast works carried out
by the new proprietor is graphically told by Alexander Smith, who
had married one of his nieces. These improvements are seen by every
by-passer, over the highway from Dunvegan to Portree, with pleasure
and satisfaction. The present Macleod, who has succeeded to a fine
inheritance and to one of the most honourable positions in the great
county of Inverness would do well to rival if not excel the great
improvements on the estates of Skeabost and Greshornish.
Another of the Macleod feus in Snizort
is the estate of Lyndale. The estate has been greatly developed and
in the hands of a man of wealth and taste, has become ornamental and
valuable. It has passed through several hands and the unfortunate
proprietor in 1835, whose political sympathies were Conservative,
had a poor time of it, the ladies being Grants and zealous in the
extreme for Glenmoriston. To keep "John" from the poll at the
expense of scalding his feet was a mild step in contemplation. |
