It struck me, whilst reading of feannagan cultivation, that a reasonably reliable indicator of the fertile farms of Harris could be had by seeking those who ploughed them:
1861
Angus Mclean, 30, Island of Ensay, b. North Uist
Angus Kerr, 33, Rodil House, b. Harris
John Macuspal(?), 33, Scarista Veg, b. Harris
John Morrison, 52, Big Borve, b. Harris
Neil McCuish, 36, Luskintyre, b. Uist
Norman Macaskill, 48, ??? House, Island of Tarrinsay, b. Harris
John Macdonald, 20, West Tarbert, b. Harris
So there we have them, from Ensay in the Sound, via Rodel, then up the West Coat Machair to Taransay, the farms of Harris in 1861. For some reason no other census records more than a couple of ploughmen – perhaps in later years it had become more commonplace for those working on the farms to share that particular duty? - I do not know, but in 1861 those were the ploughmen of Harris.
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