SKY, ISLE of, from Ski, which expresses mist or clouds in the Scandinavian language, the second largest of the Hebrides, or Western Isles of Scotland, is sepa rated from the main land by various channels, the narrowest of which is less than one third of a mile in breadth. Its form is extremely irregular. Its greatest length is 45 miles, and its breadth from 10 to 24 miles. It occupies 342,000 English acres, of which about 30,000 are arable. It is deeply indented with inlets of the sea, so regularly distributed, that there is no spot of the island more than four miles from salt water.
The shares of this island, excepting at the bottom of the bay, are extremely rocky, and in the north-east and north-west, the coast sometimes rises to a height of more than 700 feet. In its general aspect the island is extremely mountainous. Blaven, the highest moun tain in Sky, exceeds 3000 feet in height, and the mountain ranges vary in height from 1500 to 2500. Some of these hills are remarkable for the dark blue tints which they reflect, while others present a deeply indented outline, and inaccessible and overhanging peaks.
The principal sea lakes, or arms of the sea, are, Loch Oransa, Loch Ainort, Loch Portree, Loch Sni zort, Loch Fallart, Loch Braccadale, Loch Harport, Loch Eynort, Loch Brittle, Loch Scavig, and Loch Eishert. The fresh water lakes, which are few in number, are, Loch Cornisk, Loch Creich, Loch Co lumb Kill, and Loch Shiant, or the Sacred Lake. The vallies arc watered with rapid streams, which scarcely deserve the name of rivers. That which is sues from Loch Correisk is the longest, but the larg est are those which fall into Lochs Snizort and Por tree, the principal of which is the water of Snizort, and the rivulets which issue from Loch Fud and Loch Leatha, the last of which forms a fine cascade at its exit from the lake. A stream near Loch Staffin falls into the sea through a height of 300 feet. The rivers abound in trout and salmon, and in the small rivers Kilmartin and Ord, is found the great horse muscle, in which pearls occur.
The climate of Sky is very wet, and scarcely three days out of twelve arc free from rain. The clouds attracted by the hills sometimes break in useful and refreshing showers, and at other times burst in water spouts, which deluge the plains and destroy the crops.
Stormy winds, too, set in about the end of August and the beginning of September, and often greatly injure the standing corn. The temperature of the Island corresponds with its latitude. It is, however, very variable, like the Scottish climate in general, and about the end of winter and early in spring the air is cold and sharp. The prevailing diseases are agues, fevers, rheumatisms, and dyscnteries. The people, are, however, healthy, for in 1821 there were in the parish of Sleat a woman upwards of 100, and in that of Portree two men and five women upwards of 100, and in that of Duirinish one male and three females.
The Island belongs to the county of Inverness. It is divided into seven parishes, whose population in 1821 was as follows: The presbytery of Sky includes, besides the above parish, that called the Small Isles, which is mostly in Argyllshire. The king is the patron of all these liv ings. The two principal proprietors are Lord Mac donald and Macleod of Macleod, the former of whom possesses three-fourths of the island, principally in its east end. The estate of Macleod occupies the N. W. portion. Strathard belongs to Mr. Macalister, and Macleod of Rasy owns a small track near Portree.
The principal towns or villages are Portree, the capital of the island, Stein, Kylehaven, and Broadford.
There is in Sky every variety of soil, except pure sand. In the district of Trotternish there are 4000 acres of loam, and loam and clay upon a gravelly bot tom. In Sleat and Strath, and in Macleod's country, are extensive tracts of light friable mould upon gravel, and likewise some loam mixed with peat earth, well adapted for the established rotation of crops. The crops usually cultivated are beans, oats, potatoes, and some flax. Artificial grasses and hemp have been lately introduced. The grain raised in good years is estimated at about 10,000 bolls. The live stock of Sky is reckoned to be 4000 horses, of a small but hardy breed; 18,000 head of cattle of an excellent breed, of which about 3800 are exported annually. The sheep are estimated at about 40,000, consisting chiefly of the Cheviots and the black-faced Lintons. Hogs, goats, and rabbits abound, and game of all kinds is plentiful.