 By the late 17th century Rùm 's status as a hunting reserve went into decline and population numbers started to rise . Black cattle were raised for export to the mainland , fish caught and barley and potatoes grown . More unusually , goats were kept by the inhabitants , the hair being sent to Glasgow and made into wigs for export to America . The economy was in no small part dependent on the bounty of the sea . Edward Clarke visiting in 1797 dined on : 
