The failure of the herring fishing in Loch Roag for thirty years back, has contributed to impoverish the people of this parish. The cultivation of the interior parts of the Lewis, wherever practicable, the letting of lands at a very low rent, and giving long leases to the occupiers,-would greatly improve the parish, and ameliorate the condition of the population, now settled everywhere on the seashore. The country also requires some branches of roads to the interior, so as to cart lime from any of the harbours. Establishing a hemp or cotton manufactory in any part of the Lewis would do much for training a people who have so much idle time on hand, to habits of industry, and for ameliorating their condition.
The happiness and comfort of the people would also be promoted were men of capital to engage in the fishing trade. It is a well known fact, that, of late, there were abundance of herring on the whole coast here, which remained for seven or eight weeks; but most of the inhabitants had no nets that could fish, so far out from shore. I am confident, that, had there been a number of boats and vessels here upon the herring fishing, their success and profits would have been considerable.
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