Some Of The Older Inhabitants
Informed Us, That They Were Driven To Great Extremities During Their
Defence, Like The Jews Of Old When Besieged By The Roman Emperor Titus,
Insomuch That They Were Constrained By Hunger To Feed On The Carcasses
Of The Dead.
Though somewhat repaired, it still remains only the ruins
of their former town.
Except in the houses of the better sort, they have
no chimnies, so that we were very much incommoded by the smoke during
our stay at that place. Their fuel is turf, which they have very good,
together with whins or furze. As there grows little wood hereabout,
building is very expensive; as also they are in want of lime, which they
have to bring from a far distance. But they have abundance of stone, the
whole country appearing entirely composed of rocks and stones, so that
they commonly make their hedges of stone, by which each mans ground is
parted from his neighbour. Yet their country is very fruitful, and
abounds in grass and grain, as appears by the abundance of cattle and
sheep; insomuch that we had very good sheep, though smaller than those
of England, for two shillings, or five groats a-piece, and good pigs and
hens for threepence each.
The greatest want is of industrious and husbandly inhabitants, to till
and improve the ground; for the common sort, if they can only provide
sufficient to serve them from hand to mouth, take no farther care. Good
land was to be had here for fourpence an acre of yearly rent.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 643 of 842
Words from 175554 to 175814
of 230997
