A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland facts for kids

A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland (1775) is a famous travel story by Samuel Johnson. It's about an 83-day trip he took through Scotland. This journey happened in the late summer and autumn of 1773. Johnson, who was 63 years old, explored many places, especially the islands of the Hebrides.

His friend, James Boswell, who was 32, joined him. Boswell also wrote about the trip in his own book, A Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785). These two books are often read together. They offer different views of the same journey. Johnson focused on Scotland itself, while Boswell wrote more about Johnson. Boswell later wrote a very famous book about Johnson's life.

The journey started in Edinburgh. They landed first at Berwick upon Tweed. Then they visited St Andrews, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort Augustus. After that, they explored the Hebrides islands. These included Skye, Raasay, Coll, Mull, Inch Kenneth, and Iona.

They returned to the mainland in Argyll. There they saw Inverary, Loch Lomond, Dumbarton, Glasgow, Loudoun, and Auchinleck. Auchinleck was Boswell's family home. They also visited Hamilton before ending their trip back in Edinburgh. Boswell noted that Johnson saw Scotland's four universities, its three main cities, and much of the Highland and island life. This gave Johnson a lot to think about.

What Was Scotland Like in 1773?

In 1773, Highland Scotland was still quite wild. Ships that sometimes captured people sailed along the coasts. Scottish forests were being cut down a lot. The old Scottish clan system had been changed by law. People were not allowed to carry weapons, and wearing the traditional tartan was forbidden.

Whisky and Laws

Scotch whisky was made without permission and in large amounts. Johnson noticed that people often drank whisky before breakfast. Laws were not always fully followed. The power of the clan leaders, though reduced, was often the only real authority.

How Johnson and Boswell Traveled

Johnson and Boswell traveled through the Highlands and islands in different ways. They used carriages, rode horses, and took boats. They planned their stops to stay at the homes of local important people. They were surprised when they visited their friend Lord Monboddo. They saw him dressed simply like a farmer at Monboddo House. This was very different from his usual look as a smart lawyer and thinker in Edinburgh.

A Changing Landscape

Johnson described this part of Scotland in 1773 as a romantic place. It had few people and was mostly untouched by shops, roads, and other modern things. Johnson even noted that in some Highland islands, money was not commonly used yet. Some parts of Scotland felt more like the 8th century than the 18th.

Once they reached the West Highlands, there were very few roads. There were no roads at all on the Isle of Skye. So, they rode horses, usually along hilltops. A local guide helped them find the best path for the season. Johnson wrote that these journeys were "tedious and long." Even a few miles took several hours. He was sad about the depopulation of the Highlands. He wished for a way to stop people from leaving their homes.

What Did Johnson Think?

Johnson admitted he did not understand Scottish Gaelic. He only reported what he was told about it. He said it was "the rude speech of a barbarous people." He believed they had few thoughts to express. He also spread the wrong idea that the Gaels had no written literature. He reported that there were no Gaelic manuscripts older than a hundred years. He thought the sounds of the Highlanders were never written down. This was until some religious books and Bible songs were translated.

Scotland's Changing Culture

Johnson came to Scotland hoping to see a primitive and wild place. But Scotland was already changing fast by 1773. He worried they had come "too late." Still, they did see some things they looked for. One gentleman wore the traditional plaid kilt. They also heard bagpipe playing. However, they did not see the strong fighting spirit Scotland was known for. They only found it in old stories and relics.

Johnson wrote about many parts of Scottish life. He observed the happiness and health of the people. He also wrote about old things, the economy, fruit trees, whisky, clothing, buildings, religion, language, and education. Johnson had lived most of his life in London. He only started traveling for the first time in 1771.

Other Travelers to Scotland

Many people in England were interested in Scotland. Johnson's book was not the first to describe it. Notably, Thomas Pennant's A Tour in Scotland in 1769 was published in 1771. Pennant's book was much more detailed and longer than Johnson's. Pennant set a new standard for travel writing. Johnson himself said Pennant was "the best traveller I ever read." He added that Pennant "observes more things than anyone else does."

See Also

• Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland, A. D. 1803