Islay is separated from the island of Jura by the sound of Islay and lies west of Cantyre in Argyleshire. Its extent is 25 miles long and 17 miles broad. The south west point is called the Rhinns (_an roinn Ileach_). The island is hilly and penetrated by an arm of the sea, Lochindaal, which is 12 miles long and 8 miles broad. There are good crops grown on the island and cattle are reared and fish is abundant on its coasts. A small quantity of various kinds of ore is found throughout the island, but its distilleries are its chief industry at the present day. It was in former times the chief residence of the Lords of the Isles, and the ruins of castles, forts, and chapels are numerous and interesting as records of a past age. The Beatons or Bethunes and MacLarty are said to have been among those who came from Ireland with _MacConuil_. The latter being descendants of grey haired Niel (_Nial Liath_) who was interpreter (_fear-labhairt_) for Maconnal, hence the name. It is told of Niel, that being at one time surrounded by his enemies in a battle, he was commanded to deliver his sword. “If I do,” he said, “it will be by the point” (_ma liubhras, ’sann an aghaidh a ranna_), and cleaving his way through them he escaped and joined his companions. After his settlement in the western island MacConnal (_Iain Mòr MacConuill_) is said to have divided his possessions among his seven sons by sending one of them John (_Iain_) to Glencoe, hence the patronymic Clan of the son of John of Glencoe (_Clann ’ic Iain Ghleann-a-comhunn_), another son Ronald (_Raonull_) was sent to Keppoch (_a’ Cheapaich_), one Allan (_Ailean_) was sent to Moidart (_Mùideart_). These were settled on the mainland in the counties of Argyle and Inverness, while the island of Skye was given to another son, Grim Donald of Sleat, (_Dòmhnull gorm Shléibhte_). Another son got the smaller isles, and another went to Ireland and became Earl of Antrim while the heir remained in Islay and held the adjacent islands as well as portions of the mainland. Of the 700 who returned with his son from Antrim to people the islands after the expulsion of the Norsemen, 22 were heads of families. The person from whom the writer heard this, now above 70 years of age, was certain that Beaton or Bethune was one of the names, but he had forgotten the others. FAIR LACHLAN, SON OF FAIR NEIL OF DERVAIG. (_Lachunn fionn mac Neill bhàin, Fear Dhearbhaig._)