We had to sadly say goodbye to our wonderful little Staffa cottage where I enjoyed my loft room so much, although quite a few times I have hit my head unmercifully hard against the ceiling, that being of course so low that only a midget could stand up straight! When I woke up in the mornings, the first thing I did was look out of the window, and it was wonderful to see the world come alive from my wee nest!
That last morning I took a long walk, first up the mountain to try and find my deer couple whom I came to know quite well, as they grazed at the same spot every morning, and after a while they didn't bother to run away when they sensed my presence.To me that is the wonder of life, being able to sit quietly watching wild things go on their different missions.
The previous day we drove around, and also walked to some of the burned down crofters's houses that stood forlornly in the deserted and cold countryside amongst the ruined grazing fields.In 1821 there was a sound and self supporting population in Mull, about 10,000, and on Iona about 500. But sad times came upon Mull when some of the degenerate chiefs who lived too well and got into financial trouble I suppose, and stripped from their traditional powers after the uprise of 1845, sold their land to rich industrialists from England. This clan chiefs were directly responsible for the horrific clearings, resulting in poverty and exploited emigration.The new owners, mostly newly rich industrialists from England, wanted the land that was leased to the crofters for their sheep, so the people, who had nowhere else to go,and did not leave fast enough,  had their houses burned down and they were left destitute.
This clearings did not only happen on Mull, and it is said that On Ulva, the new lairds were exceptionally cruel in getting the crofters off their land. One story goes that this young laddy was carried out by his father while the new lairds and their helpers stood ready to burn down the little house.It is to me so sad that the goverment did nothing about this cruelty, and soon the sheep were grazing on the lands that was used to be cattle country, as cattle do not rake as much destruction as sheep, and slowly the lush grazing lands disappeared because of mismanagement. Today even more land disappear all the time under conifers that are taking over a lot of grazing pastures.
By the end of that century the population on Mull had decreased to about 4,500, and that of Iona to 500. Today Mull is mostly a tourist destination, but there is a sadness in the air that really upset me, as all the islands suffer under the goverment who are more interested in keeping big industries happy, doling out pittances to the islands, and keeping the economies just ticking over. The freight price for goods to and from Mull is high, and the price of petrol is also much higher than for instance in Oban.
I found Liz up and packed when I got back from my walk, and it was with sadness that I saw the little cottage disappear round the bend in the small road.