Letter

July 16^th 1772.

Dear Sir

you have the strongest clame to my attention yet such has been the fulness of my employ, that be assured till I found myself weather bound under M^c Innon’s castle in Skie I have not had a moments Leisure. Till last Saturday the season has been uncommonly fine & favored every pursuit. since then, I have been assailed with Tempests & rains: but hoping for better days keep up my spirits. I must first acknowledge the great politeness I received from every islander, then say that my acquisition in the knowledge of the oeconomy of the countries & of their fossil productions are very considerable: M^r Lightfoot has made amazing progress among the Plants, & my Servant-painter been very happy in taking accurate figures not only of them but of all ruins, tombs & antiquities that occur’d, so that some farther illustration of the country may be expected from our voyages. as it is impossible to visit all the isles, I mean to give up some for sake of completing the Tour of the mainland so purpose after visiting Lewis to sail directly for some port a little S. of cape wrath & then visit all the remarkable Loughs between it & Ardmady.¹ as I wish & entreat all possible remarks on what I have seen; I annex my Itinerary to this place, hoping you may be able to collect materials from gentlemen who have preceded me.

Be so good as to make my best complim^ts to M^r Menzies & M^r Clarke & to every enquiring friend:

& think me, Dear Sir,
your obliged &
most obedient Serv^t

Thomas Pennant

Dunvegan July 21^st.

I met y^r favor here. have only time to say that I shall thankfully receive any Instructions you may have, at Ld Breadalbane’s at Taymouth.

I wish to pay the Lad’s master his expences for coming to at Glasgow, but he ought never to have come as his merit was so small.

Be so good as to present my best compliments to D^r Ramsay & let him know I will answer his kind Letter when I reach Ardmady.

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Enclosure

• Greenock
• Bute
• The Tarbat
• Arran
• Ailsa rock
• Cambeltown
• Gigha
• Jurah
• Ilay
• Oransay
• Collansa
• Y Columkill
• Cannay
• Rum
• Skie

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Editorial notes

1. Pennant was unable to visit Lewis during his voyage due to an outbreak of disease in Stornoway. He writes: 'It was my intention to have steered for that port, but was dissuaded from it by the accounts I had from the gentlemen of Skie, that a putrid fever raged there with great violence.' Pennant, Tour in Scotland 1772 (Chester: 1774), p.362.