KENNETH CAMPBELL, Cottar, formerly Fisherman, Balacladich (75)—examined.
27196. Sheriff Nicolson.
—Were you appointed to appear here for the Balacladich people ?
—No.
27197. Have you come to speak for yourself?
—I have nothing to say. I have told what was to tell already of the townships that are now in the
parish.
27198. To whom did you tell this?
—I committed it to paper and gave it to Mr Mackay. Here it is :
— Townships in Assynt cleared for Sheep Farmers.
Cleared for Chas. Clarke
p Achana-h-eaglais.
p Cuilean, .
p Callda Beag,
p Callda Mor,
p Ach Mor,
p Una-bull,
Cleared for Wm. Scobie
p Roinn-throghard,
p Ardbharr,
p Gleann Leirig,
Cleared for Clarke
Olldanaidh
p Eilean Olldanaidh,
Cleared for Geo Gunn
p Duralan
p Preas-nan-aidheau,
p Bad-lesh-leathad,
p Doire beathaig,
P Polldan caraigeau,
P Lethtir ea.a'dh,
Taobh-mor,
p Aisinnte Sheag,
p Lochbeannach,
p Aordh-nan-caorach,
p Bad-a-bhainne,
p Braclach,
p Bad-ghrianan,
p Re-charn,
Adnair,
Anfhaolain,
Cleared for Don. McDonald, Cuileag
Cnoc-nan-each,
Bad-na-h-achlais,
Duinn Suardlan,
Cleared for Kenneth Mckenzie
Dubh chlas,
Adnair-ubalan,
Poll gharbhair,
Clach airaidh,
Braclach Stochd,
Taobh Beag,
Lead Beag,
Bruochan Beag,
Stron chrubaidh,
Lainn
p Rean criaich,
Lead mor,
p Cromalt,
p Meoir,
Alltnancealgach,
Cleared for Clarke
p Loch crogach Beag
Cleared for Geo. Gunn
p Draighneach
Doire Cuilinn,
I have seen people in the places marked ' p , ' but not in the others
27199. Are these names taken from your statement?
—Yes.
Don. M'Donald, Cuileag.
Kenneth M'Kenzie.
27200. And is that from your own knowledge and recollection'?
—I have knowledge of the matter, and I remember the clearing of some of them. I was in some of them myself; but I do not remember the clearing of them all.
27201. Are there any of them where you are not personally acquainted with the circumstances, and have derived your information only from other people who knew about it?
—I have seen the one-half of them at least, I believe, and I have got the information about the rest from others.
27202. How far away is your place from this?
—About ten miles.
27203. And did you walk here merely to make this statement?
—Yes, I walked the whole way. There are one or two of those places where there are some people yet.
27204. Who wrote this paper for you?
—Mr Murdoch.
27205. Were these tenants removed from these places that you have named?
—Yes, out of every one of them.
27206. Are there some crofters remaining still in some of them?
—No, there are no crofters in any of the places named to-day.
27207. Or cottars?
—No, not one.
27208. And was the land from which these people were removed joined to or made into sheep farms?
—Yes, they were all placed under sheep farms.
27209. How old were you when the first of the places you have mentioned was cleared?
—I would have been about thirteen or fourteen years of age when the townships in that country side were cleared.
27210. How long ago did the last of these clearances take place?
—About fifty years ago.
27211. Have you seen any evictions of townships since then?
—Ardvar was the last township cleared in the parish, and that happened fifty years ago.
27212. How many families were there when you were there, and removed from it?
—There would have been about eleven families; I could not give the exact number.
27213. Where were they sent to?
—Some of them were sent to Torbreck; then they were removed on to Clashmore.
27214. Where did you live next after that—where was your father sent to?
—He remained as a labourer with the tacksman of Ardvar, after that for seven years.
27215. Did he get a croft after that?
—No.
27216. Had you never a croft yourself?
—No.
27217. You are personally acquainted with most of the places mentioned in this list?
—I have gone through the places which I saw peopled, and I have also travelled over many of the places which were cleared before my recollection.
27218. Were they all desirable places to live in?
—The very best of places.
27219. Would you say that of the whole of them?
—At that time they were all good for the number of people that were there. They had cattle and horses and sheep.
27220. Was there none of them out of the way and with poor soil ?
—The places were out of the way; I cannot say for the soil; but the inhabitants had cattle, sheep, and horses.
27221. Were the places to which they were removed, so far as you know, better than those they were sent away from?
—The places were not by any means good, in most cases, to which they were sent; some were sent to America, some to Ross-shire, some to the rocks upon the sea-shore.
27222. Mr Fraser-Mackintosh,
—What rent did your father pay when he had the place in Ardvar?
—I do not remember.
27223. Was he in comfortable circumstances?
—Yes, he was in comfortable circumstances; he had cattle and sheep.
27224. Was your grandfather in the place before your father?
—Yes, my grandfather was in Ardvar.
27225. Have you a family yourself?
—Yes, a few.
27226. Where are they ? are they in the country, or have they gone abroad?
—They are earning wages in the place; they have not scattered abroad.
27227. Is it a source of regret that you have never been in the position of your father or grandfather?
—It is with sorrow that I look upon my circumstances henceforward.
27228. Does your family contribute to your support?
—-They can do very little as yet beyond supporting themselves.
27229. Is that from age, or that they are married?
—It is from age they are but young yet, although I am an old man.
27230. Supposing the opportunity should present itself of the people getting back to their glens, would your children be able to take a croft before you died?
—I have only two daughters.
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