Page:Transportation and colonization.djvu/166

 'The present population of Kilmuir is 2275 souls;—of which,

99 families, consisting of 431 souls, are quite destitute.

31 families, consisting of 128 souls, have only food for one month.

44 families, consisting of 222 souls, have only food for two months.

27 families, consisting of 144 souls, have only food for three months.

71 families, consisting of 365 souls, have only food for four months.

Very few families in the parish will have any food of their own by the end of July.'

"The reverend gentleman goes on to state the causes which have led to this fearful state of destitution, and the best means of preventing the recurrence of such a calamity.—In regard to emigration, the reverend gentleman adds:

'But, among any measures to be taken with the view of permanently preventing or alleviating such distress for the future, I humbly think that emigration should be a preliminary step. The apparent increase of the population of this parish, in the census of 1831 over that of 1821, was only 28. This small difference is, however, accounted for, by the fact, that, in the interval, about 250 individuals had emigrated to America. But emi-