at they chose well. This Island is
remarkably fruitful. The village near the churches is said to contain
seventy families, which, at five in a family, is more than a hundred
inhabitants to a mile. There are perhaps other villages: yet both corn
and cattle are annually exported.

But the fruitfulness of Iona is now its whole prosperity. The
inhabitants are remarkably gross, and remarkably neglected: I know not if
they are visited by any Minister. The Island, which was once the
metropolis of learning and piety, has now no school for education, nor
temple for worship, only two inhabitants that can speak English, and not
one that can write or read.

The people are of the clan of Maclean; and though Sir Allan had not been
in the place for many years, he was received with all the reverence due
to their Chieftain. One of them being sharply reprehended by him, for
not sending him some rum, declared after his departure, in Mr. Boswell's
presence, that he had no design of disappointing him, 'for,' said he, 'I
would cut my bones for him; and if he had sent his dog for it, he should
have had it.'

When we were to depart, our boat was left by the ebb at a great distance
from the water, but no sooner did we wish it afloat, than the islanders
gathered round it, and, by the union of many hands, pushed it down the
beach; every man who could contribute his help seemed to think himself
happy in the opportunity of being, for a moment, useful to his Chief.

We now left those illustrious ruins, by which Mr. Boswell was much
affected, nor would I willingly be thought to have looked upon them
without some emotion. Perhaps, in the revolutions of the world, Iona may
be sometime again the instructress of the Western Regions.

It was no long voyage to Mull, where, under Sir Allan's protection, we
landed in the evening, and were entertained for the night by Mr. Maclean,
a Minister that lives upon the coast, whose elegance of conversation, and
strength of judgment, would make him conspicuous in places of greater
celebrity. Next day we dined with Dr. Maclean, another physician, and
then travelled on to the house of a very powerful Laird, Maclean of
Lochbuy; for in this country every man's name is Maclean.

Where races are thus numerous, and thus combined, none but the Chief of a
clan is addressed by his name. The Laird of Dunvegan is called Macleod,
but other gentlemen of the same family are denominated by the places
where they reside,