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1

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1

THE

STATISTICAL ACCOUNT

OF

SCOTLAND.

THE

STATISTICAL ACCOUNT

or

SCOTLAND.

DRAWN U? FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS

or THE

M I N I Sr E RS

OF THE

DIFFERENT PARI S BlrOE'S/ ' * -' '^'- J'

By Sir JOHN SINC L AIRz/BaVV:'.:';;/

VOLUME NINETE ENThV vV*:

^AiconfiUum de repubiica JanJum, caput eft, nojfe rempuhlicam?^

Cic&RO, de Orat. lib. ii.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED AMD SOLD BT WILLIAM CREECH ;

AlfD ALSO SOLD BT J. DONALDSON, A. GUTIIRIK, W. LAING^

4MD JO. FAIfcBAIR.N« BDINBURGB \ T. CADELL, J. DEB-

ABTTy AND J. SBWBL, LONDON \ DUNLOP AND WIL-

iON| OLAf GOW ; AND ANGUS AKD SON, ABEKDBBN.

• • • '

• • • • •, • , •• . ••

• • • . •• •

• • • •

CONTENTS.

No. Ktmc PopuUti

I Halkirk, a Falkirk,

3 Roxburgh, -

4 Aberdeen *,

5 Alneis,

6 Stornoway,

7 Barvas,

8 Lochs,

9 Uig.

10 Rhjnie and Effie,

11 Abojne and Glen

tanar, n Bojndie, [3 South Knapdale, t4 Kinclaven,

15 Bendothy,

16 Tannadice,

17 Rothtemay,

18 Orphir,

Carried over,

in 175s.	In 1790-7.
S07S	^180 8020
393*
784	840
»S433	24493
1090	II2I
i8ia	2639
'995	2006
1267	1768
1312	1898
836	68x
169s	1050
994	1260
1292	1524
993	1150
"93	878
1491	1491 +
1190	1125
855	826
41339	55950

4088

56

9060

827 XI

586'

266 232

^57

15920

Hi-

4*5

29 1309

I

114 140 234 .*4i .•*?3

308.

327 334 37a 385 394

* In the Afpekdix there is additional communication re> fpe£Ung the Town of Aberdeen.

f Stated at the fame number as in 1755, no return of the - -.1 hi ion having been given in, in confcquence of the living ling vacant, though probably increafed.

in

CONTENT 1

Ko. Name. FSopulatio

Brought over, 19 Kilmanj, 10 Dunning, a I Tundergarth, a 2 Annan, 93 Tarbolton, 34 Longforgan, 15 Maddcrty, 26 Minto, 37 CoUington,

28 Innerleithen,

29 Glenbucket,

30 Yctholm,

31 Auldearn,

31 Killeafi and Kil-

'.\ >og«Httton.in 1755, ••.-.% •lhC5«»ft-Ji»-l*79o-7.

Din 1755.	I11X790.7.	bernfe.	Decnafe.	Pap
41339	55950	i59»o	1309
785	869	84		410
I491	1600	109		434
625	510		"S	443
1498	2500	1002		447
'365	1200		165	433
1285	1J26	241,		459
796	631		165	563
396	513	H7		570
792	1395	603		579
559	560	I		59»
430	449	«9		607
699	976	277		609
1951	1406		545	616
2391	1911		480	6i^
56402	71996	18373	2779
	56402 »5594	2779
15594

• • • •

a •• • •

STAT IS-

STATISTICAL ACCOUNT

or

SCOTLAND-

PART XIX.

NUMBER. I. ' V: PAR

:•'•

ISH OF HAhKAi.%\:'. J<-.

(CouUTT OF Caithness, Synod of C AMArtM- A)ifc- Sutherland, Presbytert of Caithnes&J* A^ '

Bj the Rev. Mr JoHN Cameron, Minijer.

Prelimtnary Obfirvations,

THE traft of ground, which is now called by the gene-. ml name of ihe parifli of Halkirk, co»fiftcd formerly, pf two pariOies, vi%. of Skinnet and Halkirk. At what particular period they were united I have not yet beea able to learn, bat I have reafon to fufped that their union, took place fome time after the Reformation. Nay, cir« cumftftDces make it ytxj probable, that the part of which the parllh of Halkirk confifted, when it was erefled into a VoL^XIX. A ftated

2 Siaii/lical Account

jbted jNurifliy was no parifli at all before the RefonnatioB v bat that the other part, which was called the parifli of' Skinnety was a dated pariih of verj early date before diat' period, ^alkirk9 by all I can learn or conjectures was originally no more than a chaplainry, occupied by the Bi- Ihop's chaplain, who alfo ferved the great family, that had one of its feats at Brawell, a pUce very near the chapel, in * . that capacity.. Here. alfo the Biihop had one of his feats, within a very few yards of the prefent manfe. It was here, as I have it from report, that the Biihop,. whofe name I do not recoiled, was aflaflinated in a*^moft fliameful, crueU. and barbarous manner, by a fet of rui&ans from Harpfdale, a place belonging to the chaplainry. Thefe favages were called the fops of John of Harpfdale, whom the then EarL of Caithiie&*rnborned, as inftruments very fit for the exe* cutioQ. df ttrAt alarming and horrid deed: The reafon why ^c ]^iArrfvffKed and executed this atrocious defign was, as ^•/!'l('is ce^bftc'a, tpl^ revenged of the Bifhop for alTefling his C*•*^ "ffijf^s 111 t1ieL*cliup^inry with an addition to the chaplain^ls > * fiYV3fc« V^C^' augmentation being very difagreeable to tbe YgdSt/pCi of courfe to his tenants, roufed their refentment,.. ancf )>recipitatedthem into this (hocking deed. A moil ez^ emplary and extraordinary punifliment was infliSed on the inftigators and perpetrators of this murder, at the inftaace, and by the fpecial diredion of King Alexander IL who, to his great credit and honour* exerted bimfelf in a remark* able manner, in the 'difcovery, condemnation, and pu- nifliment of thefe prefumptuous culprits. What is record- ed in hiflory concerning tliis affair, feems to corroborate what I have from report; and from the concurrent tefti* mony of both, there is reafon to believe, that this was the nobleft and moft diftinguifliing aAion of that King's life. But to return to the hiftory of the pariflies : —

OrigifL

ttf Halkirh 3

Vrtgtn of the Names. — The fpot where the chapel for« ^merly ftpod, and where now the kirk of the two united parilhes Hands, is a fmall round hiU| in the middle of a large extenfive plain. From this fpot, as the centre^ thete is a very gent4e rife, almoft in every direftion, to the fur- roonding hills. Fram wthis circumilance, <it is more than probable, the parifli deiives its name.; for the rifing ground whereon the kirk ftands is called T[or4 Harlogan^ and the kirk, TTettumful Harlo^an^ and io retain the original Irilh aames, though the parifh is called by the name oiJSacriggp and more frequently of Halkirk^ which are manifeiUy a corruption of the original name, 7brf , olaggaa, No«^j^« /Off, in Earfe, fignifies a low^place, the lowed in the neigh- bourhood, and ^ore^ a mount or fmall hill. Thus the ori- ginal name was compounded of Tore and Laggan \ and had it not been that the chapel was built on the fmall Tore^ or hillt that is, in the middle of this low place or laggan^ this pariib would have been called parlfh of Loggie, or Si/r, a* ^ggon% or Laggy^ as other parifhes in Scotland are calledf for the lame reafon, as is evident, from the low fituation of the place of worihip, when compared with the reft of the pariih } whence it is very prefumable, that the original aatne of this pariih was, Skira^ Tiore^ o Laggan^ but in coorfe of time was com^ted into the name Hacrigg^ which has no meaning but analogy of found \ and becaufe the fimnd Hacrigg refembles the Engliih word HaUiri, it was #oiiverted into that name.

As to the name of the other parifh, it is fometimes pro- nounced Skinnet^ fometimes Siiniie, fometimes Skinilt^ fboietimes Skinnofif fometimes Skinine. Nothing can be condoded from this confufed variety of pronunciation; 4mt from the fituation of the kirk, with the aid of thele ibunds, I have reafen to believe that the real name ihould 3ie Siiw Noylu^ the Wing of the Bum \ for that place goes

off

4 SiiUifikal Acamni

off from the buni that mss befide it, b the fonn of m wing*.

KimaH^m ati Emimi.^^-^Thit two onited pariAics, or what b now caUed bj the cqqiiikmi nsae of Halkirk, isia kngdi 34 milca from N. to S. W. Its breadth is Tarioos, being in feme places la, in other places 10, in ibnae 8, in others 7 miles, from the N. £• to the N. W. It is bounded on the N. bj the pariih of Thnrfo ; on the N. £• bjr die pa- fiflies of Bower and Wattin ; on the 8. and S. W. bjr the pariflbesofLatheron, KUdonnan, Reaj; on the W* by n detadied part of the pariih of Thnrfo, and on the N. W. bj the parifb of Reaj again. It is fitnated in the connt j and prefl) jterj of Caithneis, and belongs to the provineial Synod of Caithneis and Sutherland. It is an inland pariih, and die mofi centrical in the coonty.

Soil. — ^The foil is in general very good, though y^tj va> rious. lo fome parts it confifis of a mixture of clay and loam, in fon^e of a heavy or light kind of clay altogether, in maoy parts of a mixture of clay and a light kind of

mois,

* The river that rum by the kirk h csHed Amhine Th»rft, /. #• River vTTborfo; whence it may he foppobbk. that the rhrcr it eallcd tnm a perfoa or place, as riven oomnxmlj are. The place or peribo might have been termed Tttfr. or Tborfa, a Daniih word ; now, Tkor, or Thor/a, as it might have been pronounced in that labgoage, it the name of a oortir- tsn deitj* from which was derived the oaoBe of a day, Tborlday, nd of perfons, with fome variations and compofitioos. Thus, for Miftaace. there were of old of the name OdJsn^ or O^Detae^ another northern deity, from wbidi wc have iVtdAtnfSay or Oddimfday^ or O^D»me/dmj: and ^Ibeie are to this day perfons of a name patronimically derived from it» V$%. Mac9iosm€, or Oddtn*s Son. Thit may lead to a difeovery of the liame of this parifii. The place whertf the kirk ftands is truly a k^mtt pr low place, in the ft rid fen fe of the word ; and then, why might it not lie compounded by the addition cf Tlw, or Tb$rfa, and fo called. Jl^r p^Li^an, or Tharjd 0* Idiggjn, i, e. The low place of TAar, or Thor/a ; as Tbttrib is in Carle called Jmwr Thr/k^ i, #. The Mouth of Tfaorfe. 7I1US Invemefi, iJc. From TUr feveral names are alio derived, as ^o^

of Halkirk. 5

mo&, and in feyeral parts it is gravellifli or fiuidy,. or cfaiogilj. It is in general not deep, rather fhallow; in foaie parts too fhallow and rocky. The fnrface is rather fiat ; &r thongh there are feveral hills or rifing grounds, yet thej are of no confiderable height, bavmg a very gen- tle declivity in genera! from their fummits to the fabjacent plains, efpecially in the lower end of the pariih.

Difadvantages arifing from the Soil^ (^r^— To the cir- cmnftances above mentioned relative to the foil may be afcribed, in a great meafore, its wetnels, which prevaib very mncb, efpecially in winter, fpring, and latter end of harvcft ; befides, the fogs, tnd mills, and rains, which are rather too freqtient in this conntry, contribate much to tbis diiagreeable qnality ; another circnmftance which tends to its wetnels, is the kind of ftrata; which, in general, is not, io the arable ground, and other places, more than i foot, or i-f-, or a feet at the utmoft, below the fnrface. Thefe ftrata in many places confift of a hard, heavy, petrified kind of clay, which may properly be called eap$a mortuum. In moft places, efpecially in the lower end of the pariih, they confift of flags, as they are here called, or large thin ftones, which lie in a horizontal pofition, and run clofe to one an- other, without any great interval or interruption. From thefe two laft circumilances it happens, that the furface is kept perpetually wet, except in the fummer and harveft, for neither of thefe flrata will fufier the water to fink or filtrate throngh them, therefore it muft remain on the fur- face, till it is either exhaled by fun and wind, or runs off along thefe ftrata to the adjacent fwamps, lakes, and boms, which, by the bye, muft be very flow, the declivity to thefe being in many places very inccnfiderable. This, moreover, oceafions, in a great meafure, the great damp- nefi or chiUineb of the ground, which are fo inimical to yej^etation, and peculiairly noxious to the roots of trees,

and

STATISTICAL ACCOUNT

OF

SCOTLAND.

DRAWN UP FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS

OF THE

M I N I Sr E RS

OF T H E

•*• •• •

DIFFERENT PARI S H:£'5/

• • • • • •

Bt Sir JOHN SIN C LAI R,:*BAK;f; •/;;;/ ^

VOLUME NINETE ENThVV--':'

^Adamfiiatm de refiMica JanJum, caput eft, noffe rempuhltcam^

Cicft&o, de Orat. lib. iv

EDINBURGH:

FRINTED AND SOLD BT WILLIAM CREECH ;

Ain> A.L80 SOLD BT J. DONALDSON, A. GUTIIRIB, W. LAING>

AND JO» FAIILBAIBN9 BDZNBUHGB \ T. CADBLL, J. DEB-

RSTT| AND J. 8BWBL, LONDON \ DVNLOP AND WIL-

iON^QLAlGOW \ AND ANGUS AHD SON, ABERDBEN.

B Statyiical Account

cing annually large crops of grals, very fit for hay or pa- ftaragc. Thefe, becaufe of their low fituation, arc drenched with water moiUy all the winter and fpring, which cir* cumftance contributes much to the luxuriancy of their crop. Moil of our hills or rifing grounds, aiid alfo of our moors, are well adapted for what we call ordinary or High* land pailurage, and capable of maintaining a vetj great number of cattle. Thefe circumflances, together with the want of inclofures and winter herding, are in a great meafure the caufes why the people do not trouble them- felves with raifing any crops of clover and rye-grals. Of late years, indeed, feveral attempts have been made this way, which have been very fuccefsful; and it is to be hoped, that this ufeful prafiice will foon become more general. The reft ^ of the parifli confifls of fwamps, marihes, bogs, or deep mofs, all of great extent, but very fit for Highland pafturage for the greateft part of the year. When to thefe are added the great number of lakes or lochs, (mall and great, which are &Im«ft in every quarter of the pariih, there is reaibn to be- lieve that the fiftieth part of it is not in culture. Yet, after all, it will be allowed, that it has the greateft variety, the ^eateft advantages, as well as the mod pleafimtand enter- taining profpeds, of any pariih in the county.

Climate^ — Mutual Influence of Soil and Climate on on^ onotbeTf — Difadvantage from that Influenci. -^Though the climate is tiot in general very agreeable, yet I am perfua- ded it is much better than it is reprefented and imagined to be by people of other countries. For they who come only for a flart into the country, have no great opportunity of knowing it \ and they who never were in it, arc, from the report/ of thofe who were, prejudiced againft it. Be- fides, from its more northern fituation, they are apt to con* dude that the dificrcnce between this climate and theirs is

more

af Halkirki . 9

more than it a^hiallj is. Bat i will not h^fitate t6 aflBrm, that^ had our climate been equally good with oar foil, the inhabitants of more fouthem counties would covet otir more northern fituation. However^ it muft be acknow- ledged, that neither our climate or foil are fo agreeable as could be wiflied^ and that the refpe^tive nature of each, con- tributes mutuallj to this difagreeable circumilance^ Thtfj have a mutual influence on one another, as may appear hereafter in the courfe of thefe obfervations.

But this dilagreeableneis proceeds not fo ihueb from our northern fituation, as from other caufes ; fuoh as the fwampnels and flatnefs of the country^ its aboundiiig fo much in fens, marihes, lakes, %ic.\ its being expofed^ without any interruption, to the baleiiil influences of the N. N. W. and N. £• ; and fin^y, to the hills and moun« tains on the S. and S. W. which inviron it in thefe quar« ters, and intercept, in fome degree, the genial "and behign infiiiences of the S. and S. W« From thefe high hills or mountains, which are, as it were, the barriers between this country and Sutherland, there is a declivity all along to the N. N. W. and N. £. fhores. T\\\$ contributes confi- derably to the coldnefs, the inconflancy, and variablenels of our climate, being thereby devoted to all the evils that come upon us from thefe quarters^ over an immenfe traft and body of water to the north pole. But thi» circum- ftaoce is not more hurtful and difadvamageou» to ns^ than it is beneficial and advantageous to the neighbouring coQttty« For thefe mountains flielter and defend them from many of thefe evils to which we are expofed ; apd I am truly of opinion, that bad thefe mountains been fituated in a contrary diredion to us, and the declivity of the country in a contrary diredion alfo, y^t would have a more agree- able dimaie and foil than we have, though, by the bye, all things confidered, we have no gr^t caufe to complain.

Vol. XIX. '8 Ail

i<5 Statijlkal -Account

All this time I have been |;iving a dcfcriptibn of Hie' climate of the country in general, when I fiiouM hav*- confined my thtttightt to this parifh in particular ; but this, makes no difference, for almoft every particular ttet is ap- plicable to this pariflii is in a degree lefs or more applicable alfo to the whole country at large. But ta proceed :

From the mutual influence of the foil and climate on otkt smother, arife the frofts, the noxious winds, the dorms- with which we are vifited frtfqoerttly in April, May, and- foinetimes in June -, for when the air has a currency from the N. N. E. and N, W. it fcours along the counory>. armed &nd impregnated wich till the noxious and nippicig qualities it gisitfters or^ contra^s in its progrefs over the north feas ; and iheTe qodliti^s ftfe again fecondtfd arid im- proved by what, in its progrefs over the land, it receives- from the wetnefs and dampueis of the foil^ and from the murihes, fens, lakes, and deep mofs, witb which it abounds^ to this alfo is to be aferibed the frofty and blading inflaen« ces of the air, fometimes hi Atrguft- and often in Septem- ber. Hence the vapours, mifts, and mildews, which are fometimes very hurtful in that feafbn of the year, to the great difappointment of the farmer* . Thefe are uo lefs ini- - mical to the crops of trees and tender vegetables ; to th& bud, the foliage, and the tender part of the branches, thar was the growth of the immediately prec(Siing year knd> feafon, than the dampneb and fhallownefs of the foil is to the root. But yet I muft fay, that feveral fruit-trees, and other kinds of timber, would grow and thrive here pretty^ well, if their crops could be defended and iheltered from ~ thefe inBu'ences of the N^ N. E. and Ni W, I am warranted^ in this aflertion by obfervations I have made on a fir plant- ing in my neighbourliood, - belonging to Sir John Sinclair^, and planted by hb father. About i8 years ago the young trees made no impronufing appearance ^ on the cootrai^.

thqr tcmn^i in » blpoujiiiKg, li v^^, and thiivjbag Affl^, umU by degm» thej uvtXVof^i tbe dikes and feoce^ ^heii^bjr they are indofied. .From that date they ivitbered and de- cayed gradually in their crops'; the balefiil infection, which made an eafy prey of tbe tender ^rops.oEthe branches, communicating itfelf therefrom downwards to the ftrooger parts, and frpm thence to the farface of the ground. The whole planting is now decayed to the very root, which ftill retains fome life and vigour, and the branches flioot out from it almoft flat on the fur&ce of the ground to fome diftance, and wear a green and vivid appearance. Fromthis circomflance it is evident, that though the fcnl is pot the moft favourable to planting, yet if the inflaences of the north could be prevented from the ctop, timber of feme kinds would thrive here pretty well ; yet I by no means think, that the fir is any wife calculated for growing in this country.

To thefe caufes muQ aUb be attributed the jdiiQculty of making roads in this parifii, and indeed in the country in general* By Sir John Sinclair's example, and the encou- ragement given by him, the whole country was animated, and heartily engaged, in making, repairing, and improving roads, which proved to be a great advantage ; but yet, from the caufes above mentioned, there is reafon to apprehend, that what k already done in this way will foon krv^ no other purpofe but only a dire^on to ft rangers, if more labour and expence^ with more attention, be notbeftoweduponit \ and we may be thankful, if even after that the roads will be tolerable for more than one half of the year. However, the country has great credit from the exertions they have ^ready made, and ftill continues to make, in oppoiitioA to cbefe difficukies ; and it is to be regretted, that their fuccefs i&aa hitherto been far, verj far fliort of their laudable exer^* <tiofu. At the iaac titne, it is to be hoped, that by the plan

now

12 Staii/ikal Account

now adopted, if executed with perfeverance, ever/ diffi- culty will be furiBounted, and the country accommodated Co their wiQi in fufficient and durable roads.

Salubniy of the Climatic Htaltb o/tbt PtopU^ Longevity^ C/r.— From the above obfervations on the foil and climate* a perfon would be apt to conclude, that they muft be ini- mical to healtht and very prolific of a variety of diflempers which detraft from the comforts of life, and confine it to a very contraAed period ; more efpecially when the extra- ordinary ineonftancy of the climate is coniidered, which often goes to extreme in the fpace of 24 hours ; for'ic is not unufual to be vifited here with all the coldnefs and ri- gours of winter, and the fervour and beat of a funimer-day, in the fpace of 12 hours. But I can fay from experience and obfervation, as well as from the teftimony of the oldeft perfons here, that there is not a: more healthy country in Britain, efpecially to thofe who are its natives, or are nata- ralifed to it. There is no difeafe that can be called pecu- liar to it ; neither are the difiempers by which we are vi- fited more frequent, or more fatal and violent, than in other (Countries, that are efteemed very healthy and falubrious. Hence the natives are in general very healthy, vigorous, firm, agile, well proportioned, excellently calculated to un- dergo fatigue and hardlhips \ nay, I believe that in thefe qualities they excel, and that this, with their adive and fenterprifing fpirit, is the reafon why this country is the firft, the readied, and heft nurfery for the Britifi) army. There are befides inftances of longevity not a few. In the courfe of my iocuinbenpy, there have been feveral men and women who furvived 100 years and upwards, many who exceeded 80, and at prefent there are a fcore who are either 90, or on the confines of that period, and moft of tljetn perfe^y found both in body and mind. Here I

ihould

of Halkirk. 13 ,

ftoold not omit obfervingf that there is a man in my near neighboorhoody on the borders of 80 years, who can num- ber upwards of lao perfons of his own progeny, beiidea thote who have died. The number is ftill increafing by his diildren, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, \3c\\ and what is worthy of particular remark, he is ftill healthy and vigorous, and is as able to add to the number hy his owa perfooal exertions, as he was feveral years- ago ; fo that if he be fpared but for a few years, I have no doubt but he may fee the number doubled.

Mtmral Springij-'^Difcovay of Lime and MarL^^From the circumftances above mentioned, relative to the foil and climate, it will naturally be concluded that there are a great many fprin^js in the pariAi *, fo there are, in very great abundance, and of moft excellent quality in general. That fome of thefe fprings are mineral I have no doubt ; bat of what kind of mineral, and for what particular kind of diftenipers they may be lalutary, I am not naturalift enough to enable me to determine. There is only one in the parifli that attraAed the attention of the people, and to which they afcribe falntary effeds ; it is called the Well of Halkirk, fituated in the near neighbourhood of the church ; and its water has been ufed for a cure by fick perfons in« difcriminately, but not near fo much fo as formerly. What benefit they have derived, or do derive from it, neither they nor 1 can tell, unlefs it flattered and gratified their imagination at the time. It is very limpid and clear, of a moftpleafant relilh, and rtfes in 'great abundance with a perpendicular force from bottom to top. On its furface lies always a thin, beautiful kind of fubftance, that varies like the plumage of the peacock, difplayed in all its glory to the rays of ihe fun. Whi brought this fpring to a parti- cular notice beyond other fprings in the parilh, which, for

- aught

K4 Sifiiifiical Apcount

^uigbt I know, «iay bt fqu^lljr mcdidiMU Ml fditbii- «usy was the. foUowiog drcumfiaace ; One of my predc- ^pflbts in office, who happened to have fome koowledg^e of fbyfic, reibrtedtD it pcrpecvally whik be liired, aii4 W9s . «ble to wsvU^ t9 it, apd draak pf it moft copioufly . Ia the iQ0iir£e of hU reitei^ced vifits he dificovered a rich kind of iQgrl and limeQonc round the welL Whether the water i:Qli^ib»ted to hU health I know not, but I am fore it coo- ^ributed tp bis pl^furet and ^t the Iiidjb and mart availed much to the fertility of his glebe and fmaU fiarou To this iimple incident is to be afcribed the firft ufe of mineral water, and the firfi ufe and dilbovery of time and marl ia thia pari of the coontry.

jMhs.^r^fiL% the pariSi abounda in fpriofp, fo ia prppor- tipn it a^un^s in Istkes. There are no }els than a4 great ^f)4 fPV^* I'be moft coafi4erable are the b>c]is of Cathel, <Qf J^ixrary, Lochinore, l^ehmepdy \ bat the largeft is that fOtf pathel 9 it is 3 pijle# Ipngi a broad, if not more, very •deep, and aln^oft perpetp^y full to its faitbeA hanks* Tbry ^ abouiw} with ej^ikat trput, wi eel of di&rent kinds and fiz^e^ \ tbefe ^fS diQer alfo in colour, according to the nature of the lake where they v^re fpawne,d. In the lake of Cathel |hei;e af e troMts, which are found no where ^\{p in the country, ^f % reddifli beautiful colour, a pretty ihape, vfrry fat, ^nd vioft pjeafant eating. I fufpeft they ^e that iiii|d of fi(b which naturaliOs call freih-water her- rfuQg. There are no pike-&lh in any of them, which is an s^vant^gf, for r^aibns well koowo.

Riveru thar F{fl>^ au4 JJrii^«,— TThere are ftvcnij .wa- ters in the pari(hy which are perpetually (applied froffi thefe lakes, and fome otber takes in the i^eighhouring pa- riihes* In dme of fpeat or floo^i HX iMe wa^m are both

drtadftil

€f Halkirk. »5

^adTnt and dangerous, iftBd 6ft«n otn^rfldvr and inundace the vafltes and plains through which tlv^y run, efpecially ki the heights of the ^rilh, whi^re they are attended ^b feme damagie, yet n6oe df them m«ritsah« native of a m^y hot one, which, is tailed the riv«r of TifUrfi, This rivtr originates principally at Loch more, ft rery beautiful lake in the height df the parilh. In its courfe it receives all the other Waters tod ftreaa^s^ wM^h it difcharges at Thuar- fb into tf)e Petttlahd fttch. ^hey all aboYind with e«celle«t trout and ee! ; but thfe rivet <^f Thuf-fo is vl^ry diftinguifll^ abk fbr Cslmon, ^any in mMnher, and etceUiftiic %n ^tilicy> It is aHow<ed, Ihat better abd more agreertle &liWon is oot to be found any where \. I beliere ft is alfo tbe «airlieA ia Britain fOr <iirn(fting Chat fith ; Hiay, it wants ^not doa* and frefh falnMi every '^tj id t%« year ; yet the ^ttxWg t£ it is of tate 'f^Sits'¥€vf flauteh on ttle d^eUne % to wivat oaufe this is to be attrTbu^d-, it is fMt cfeBftcult to conj>£tol<»b If this is not (eafonabty adverted to and obviated, it -is to be feared that a very fine and nfeiill faknont-fiflifDg tnay, in m few years, lie redtfted fo Mthing. From this river the town of Thnrfo derives its natne ; for the name^f the ri- ver is Thorfa in Earfe, txA of the town fnver of Thoffa» Why the rfver is called Thorfa I cannot teU, nn)6ft it ivas fe calM tfom Thor, a Scandanaviltn deity. It runs almoft^ all along in ^ftoney or fandy charmel, is very Yapid and impetuous )h fiine of fpeat, and in cet'tain feafons of the year, prov^ a ^at ttiror to all Who inhabit near its banks ^ for it fometimes happens that it fweeps away eom and hay in harveft froitk all the plains and valUes throogfa which it pafles into the fea, and fometimes the tilled ground, to the great Idft^anddifappointment of the farmer, and detriment of the knd; yet few rivers are more beautifa],'Or run through a tnore pleaCant traft t>f eountry . There is a great variety •f profpeAtidob^jts bank% which aire bordered with rich

aaeadows^

16 Statijlical AccQurU

meadows, fertile fields, ahnoft to its fource, vis. Lochmore^ where the falmon delight to dwell in great abundance, and to which they all run, if not prevented in their courfe. There are no bridges worth noticing on anjr of thefe waters, (only one on the laft mentioned), which is the occafion of great inconveniency to the inhabitants of this parifh in particular, and to the country in general, and no lels fo to ftrangers and trarellers from other countries* This

, bridge is of pretty long ftanding, extremely well built, very ftrong and fufficient ; there is none in the north of Scotland can excel it in ftrudnre and ftrength \ for if it had not been wonderfully ftrong, and well adapted to the na« ture of the river, and other circumftances too tedious to mention, it would haye been deftroyed and fweeped away itiany years ago ; it has got very fevere trials during my incumbency, which very few bridges could withftand, and yet continues as firm and unimpaired as at the beginning, and is likely to ftand for ages, if any the leaft attention is paid to it, which it well deferves. It is of mighty advan- tage to the country } but yet, before many inconveniencies and dangAa arifing from the river can be obviated^ more bridges than one would be necefiary. It was projeded by Sir George Sinclair of Clyth^ one of Sir John Sinclair's predeceflbrs, for the accommodation of his tenants in the neighbourhood, (who are numerous), and of the country at large, and he left and configned a fum for the execution of it. It was accordingly undertaken and executed by John Sinclair of Ulbfter, £fq; Sir John Sinclair's grand&ther, who, to the original fum deftined for that purpofe, added liberally out of his own funds* It flands in the near neigh- bourhood of the church, at the diftance of 6 miles from the town of Thurfo, and confifts of 3 arches. Before I dofe

\ thb article, I ihould mention another water, which runs only through a fmall part of this pariifai at the extremities of it,

and

. pf Halkirk. n

uA is next in bignefi( to the laft tnentiooeda I m^ao the water or river of Forfi* It 14 a yer j rapid and dapgeroua water, efpccially in lime of fpeat, abounds with exccUent troot, aqd a confiderable nun^ber of falmon are ii(hed ip it everjr jcar ; a few years ago there was a very good bridge built upon it| at a pla9e in the parifh o^ Reay, and very few watery in the country need ic more.

HUls and MountMfu^'^H'^ying in fome meafure antici- pated the article of hills or mountains, in my oblervationa on the foil and climate, very little may be fiud of them here. The only hill that is any wife worthy of notice, is that of Sptttal. The fummit of it is 4 miles from the neareft bank of the river Thurfo, from whence there is a vfxj gentle elevation to its bafe» From this to the dm* mit the acclivity b very confiderable. It is green all over, not very high, though yet I believe it is the highell in thlf end of the country. It has the command of a very plea- iaot, grand, and eztenfive profpe^, being the moft centri- cal in the country. Immediately on a perfon's arrival at the to^ the Orjuiey Ifles, the Pentlaod frith, theffupendu- OQs rocks 00 each fide of the friths and the furrounding feas,. bnrft on his view at once, and overwhelm him with fur- prife and tranfport \ nor is he leis delighted when he be- holds the whole country expofed in all its varieties, as it were, ia a map, to his eye, looking down from this elevated centre on the grand Subjacent and circumjacent objeds. It is I believe 7 miles difiant from the north fiiore, la miles from the eaft fliore, and 14 from the north«weft fliore, ha- ving a gradual, gentle afcent from thefe Ihores, with the interruption of fome fmall hills or rifing grounds. Its pre- cife height I cannot determine, having neither the opportu- oUy nor the inftruments proper for taking it. The name

Vol. XIX. C os

x8 Statijlical Account

pf it Is derived from the religious hoafe, irhich was imme- diatelj below it, called the Bbfpitali by way of ccntrac- tjon^ Spitcal.

Another hiU ihottid not here be omitted ; lecaufe, though it is not in this parilh, it is yet on the near confines of it, I mean the hill of Dorrary. Its diftanc^ From the Spittal Hill is about x 2 or 13 miles due weft. "It is of con- iiderable heigh tj if taken from the ihore or the pharcht of this parifli. There is a good deal of arable ground about its ^afe,. which yields good crops of ^om, a prodi^ous quantity of natural hay, and affords excellent paftuie for a great qumbcr of cattle ; it is, therefore, eileemed the befi High- land farm in. the country. It belongs to the pariih of Thurfo, tfiough not within 4 miles of any part of that pa^ rilh. It is a part of the bi/hop-lands, was a Ihieling be- longing to the biOiops of this county, and from this cir- cumfiance it derives its name. It commands the fame grand extenfive profpeS with the other hill, though it is Qot fo centrical.

Afar/, Stones, Limcftonif Afi/»«.— There have been dif- covered of late figured ilones, having the impreflion of plants and fifhcs. Thefe were found in the courfe of at- tempts that were made by the direftion and encourage* pent of Sir John Sinclair, to difcoyer mines. I have been alfo informed, that ihells of feveral kinds have been, and are ftill to be found in feveral parts of this pariQi \ and this is not to be doubted, iince great q pan titles of marl, excel- lent in its kind, are found in feveral parts, and applies} to land with great fucccfs and advantage.

As to [tones, having anticipated this article, I will only further obferve, that there is no freefione in this parifii ; that there are excellent lime-quarries, attended with this ^reat advantage, vm. excellent peat-banks clofe by them *,

and

oftialkirk. ly

aad that the lime they produce far excels any we get, from •ny other country. i

As to amines, the furface of the ground, the colour of the fabfiapce which €oyer3 feveral fpringSi the colour with whidi the flreains of thefe fprings tinge their channels and banks^ the efiays and attempts that have been made for di&overy of min^s^ Jurniih every fymptom and appearance that minea are not wanting in this parifh. But I much fiiTpefly that-more labour, expeocei gnd perfeverance is ne« cef^ry to. prove fuccelsfuU What kind of mines thefe ap- pcaranqes fudicate, I will not pretend to determine. But this I cap iay«. that feveral years ago 1 faw the beginning of a vein, but very trifling, and (awalfo pure lead extrafted from the -ore^ Furti^er^ I . obferved in this parifh, and ie^v veii^l parts of the c9i^Qtry, a very heavy hard kind of brown ilonoi in great abundance, on the fur&ce of the earthy whifch I aip apt to conclude may be iron ore, but whether good or bad of its kind I cannot fay. This depends on truL

TbunJtr^ TCempefis, JVat£r-j[ppttti.—t\m pariit is fpin^i times vifited with thunder, lightning, tcn^pefts, hurricanes, water^fpouts, terrible in their appearan^e,^ bi^t in general j attended' with po confiderable mifchief. Till about 5 years ago,, thunder for. ievetal years was vei'y rare, more efp^- ctally during the late bad and unfavourable years ; fo tnnch ib, that th^ country rejoiced when they heard on a ihom- ing, repeated claps of thunder ip thefe hard times ^flat- tering tbemfelves with the hopes, that they were to ttflier in a change to the better in the feafons, as they had^not heard them for a long time before. But they were difappointed in their ezpe£latiops, for the weather immediately after^ wards became ;more cpld and (tormy. They are corifider- ably more frequent and loud of late years. Earthquakes^

which

20 Statijlical Account

which commotily happen with fiicb dorms and tempeSs as we have fonetimes here, were never felt 6t knoWn in this parifh or country, fo far as T czh learn. Three li^tnark- able water-fpouts happened in the cotirfls of thSfe laift 50 years. The lall one happened about 13 years igo. It ap- jpears from the altonilhing tSk&s they ptxiiiAced ^ SKhd near the places where they fell, th)it had they happened in any of the inhabited parti 6f die paxiih, the ccinib)oetiec» would have been lameatable and iatal indeed. They Sell on the high and remote parts <^ the patiih, winch win best teftimony to thefe events for many tiges to tome.* Bot^ after all, I am inclined to fiifpeft, though tfiefc'cAAs are a{cribed to water-fpouts, that they were prodttced frtihs «!• other caofe, it%. froni the Irruption of an imtnclkire tcollec- tion of water, penned \ip in fome of the prodtgidofy tfcep and very eztenlSve momfles. Which are tet few ift ihie^ fiightand paru of the pari& % and what gives dits ^^ 4em« blance of probability is, that in ixany of thefe 'morlfles, or jKntv, as they are here called, when the furface is bored, tbe water ifTues out like, a torrent with great force.

Here I fliould not omit a teal w^ter-fpout, ih the firiA 'fenfe of the ward, that happeaed about '200 yekrs ago ofi the loch of Cathel ; a whole femily refiding on a Very finall ifland in the loch, excepting the youogeft child and his Burfe, were deftroyed by it* This awful e^eifit W^ fo ikr from being a Caufe of regret to the neighboiirhobd, tha^ they exceedingly rejoiced at it, as thereby they %eiie hap* pily delivered from the terror and' rapine ^th which they were perpetually annoyed and Varafled by that lawle&'ahd plundering faniiiy ; for they lived on rapine and plunder^ and fortified themfelves on this fmall Ifland, to the nttet defiance and vexation of the oppreflfed neighbourhood. ^ Tke mafiex of this family was by name Gaine SSaricaciii^

of Halktrk. «

i r. Gtvin Henderfon. TT&e ftxrri'nng'cfaild is pfogetilloir of a certain branch of die Henderfons in this conntt^.

^minpetb. Birds mdigtuomf ^nd migrmwy. Gium^ ■■ The qoadmpeds tli Uiis pari&,^ both domeftic and wM, harmlels and ravenous, are miich the fame as in other Htgk« lainipatiflsesi and not itb num^rods. For the game, fbere are Ibt^ deer and roe, aHb ott^eia, foxes, and ha^, in great abnndance. About 60 yeaia'a^ no hares were to be fieeo in this paiiffi or country ; now diey aic not pientior asy where than here. ^

The birds ilhit «e native of indigenous 'are the fiune ^Ib "as in other wMthem Ifi^land ^MuiOieat and oot iois nmneroiis. The inigratory birds are Uk *&nie siUb ; &di. ia ihk fehSfer-f th^ fffiea plover or lapwing, the ^aaxl or torn-crake, tiie woodcock, the cnckoo, th6&ow4bwK For- nedy tflhe lap^ivfng vtfited thb ]>ari(h-in mfultitbdes; noir we do not fee the hundredth ptfrt of What was wont to be tctn of them ; and very fooh, as the tnfmber yearly: 4le- creafest we will fee none at all. The fprlng feafts in Eng- land wiH'foon deftroy that delicious bird we were wont tx> retrand feed for didr table, "and deprive us of their vifits. The birds for game are of various kinds, and feme kinds' Verj numerous, the moorfewl, the blackeook, the taraat- chaoi plovers of fcveral kinds, fiiipes, pigeons, parttidges. It is only of late ye;its tl»t 'this 4aft bird was to be {een liere% 'Wt have OKo fi^dris, ^M-geefe of diftrem kinds in valt numbers, diicks ih great viurie^ aad numbers aMb| be- lies Several odier birds too 'tedtons to taiention. On the Whole I know not any place tlMlt eto -affottl better ganie thiia this parilh'. ' ' .

Pofnhtiois, tit Ind^a/iji Oiiu^iqfignidfar it, C^C4-*Tbe AomW of inhibitifits hasp 'rather iwttx&d daring my In-

cumbency»

•Ofi Statifiicai Account

cumbcQcyf ivhich is upwards of 23 years ago ; and I ha^w reafoa. to believe, from the concurring report of all the vcrjr old people with whom I have been talking on the fubjefi^ •as well as from other circumOaoces, that the pre&nt num- .ber isat^leaft one fourth more than it was aboat 70 years ago.

• Agriculture has made confidcxable prqgtefs during that period, and in proportion to its progre&, a greater naoaber of hands were needed to carry it. on. IndoAry and firoga* Jitj kept pace with this progreis i as the inhabitants were gradually enlightened, fo thcj w^re gradnallj awakeoed, and. incited to afiioii; their neceffities and wants grew greater .as they multiplied; this put their invention to tbe r trial, and their wants and invention introdnoed feveral em- ployments, and feveral fhifts for livii^ to which they were

• ftrangers before, and for which they did notcare ; for truly 'I believe that they knew no want, and felt no oecelEty for •diligence and adivity before that period. Thefe circum-

ilances fiimiihedempJoyiDent, apd employment made room for hands ; and numbers of hands that could live in idle- ness before, but could not do fo now, were ready to embrabe . and avail themfelvcsof it* Hei\ce a variety of implenauents

* and uteniils fpr hu(bimdry, ^c. which were very few and .fimple before, were afterwards found necefiary; and of

courfe and by confequeace, arti(|s and tradefmen, w^o were alio very, fcaroe before th^t period, to make them. Hence -a finall farm^ that was wont to be worked t^ yery few . binds, cannot now be wrought to any putpofe, without fome additional hands \ for the rent being formerly very low, and o|.her neceflaries eafy to be got, very little pains was neceflary to live and keep credit by that f:irm- But now the cafe being altered, there is a neceffity for rai- fiag better crops, and foriuore labour and indoftzy, before the &mily can be fupported# credit kept, >and:aU neceffiisy

demands

of Halkirk. 23

demands anfwered. Hence, feveral fpots that have been negteded and defpifed before, as there was no u£e for them, are now fufficient to employ feveral hands, and to main- tain feyeral fiimilies. Hence, finally, people are called forth mnch earlier into life, and employed in bufinefs, who' before that period would be only as playful children at the firefide, and quite ufelels to themfelves and others.

Thus the number of perfons being increafed, and bufi' ■eft and wants having enlarged their narrow fphere, and taken a wider compais, traiEck and commerce, arts and manufiiAures ftarted into being. They now begin to creep and crawl -, and I hope they will foon be able to throw away theij leading-firings, and to make more flately mo* tions, and more mafculine exertions.

Another circumftance, that contributed coniiderably to the increafe of population, fhould nor here be omitted. Be- fore the period above mentioned, people in general did not enter fo early into the conjugal Rate. The Jlorgea^ or impetus of nature, was fuperfeded by motives of intereft and conVeniency. But now, vic€ verfa^ thefe prudential copfiderations are facrificed to the impulfe of nature, which is allowed its full fcope ; and very young people ftretch and extend their necks for the matrimonial noofe, before they look about them, or make any provifion for that llate. Often times, indeed, motives orinterclt, and the impulfe of nature, combine with united force, and precipitatp them into that ftate at a very early period of life. Whether this praftice is favourable to the improvement of the fpecies, I much fufpeA ; but that it is very much fo to population I have every reafon to believe*

It is true, indeed, that population has of late years re-

ceivcd no fmall check from the junftion' of farms, from

emigration, and from the vaft numbers that have gone to

(lie army during this and the former war. But yet it is on

.3 the

■-?

24 Statlftical Account

iSb^ increaftt though t^ fo much fo as it woald have bee« without thefe checks.

Having thps en^eayoured tp account for the increafe of population in the period abov^ mcntionedi I now prpqeed to }a^ down the prefent ilate of it*

State of Population^ bow divided^ (/^.—According to the baft inquiry and cakulation I coi^d make, the prefent Hate 'q{ peculation is as follows, (from which it will appear, that^ the increafe, fince Dr Webftex drew up his account of it ia I755i his date being then 3075 fouls, is 105) ; — families J30 ', fouls 3180 1 of thefe fods x6jo are n^ales, 1530 fe- males. Below five years of a^e, 443 ; betweea &ve and ten years, 509 ; between ten and twenty years, 685 ; be- tween twenty and fifty, 986 > between fifty and feventy» 483; between feventy and eighty/ 55 ^ between eighty ^nd ninety years, 20. Of this number, there are 380 ba- chelors; maidens, 40b *, widowers, 40 j widows, 89 } men- jEbrvants, 308 ; women- fervants, 321; tradefmen, liich as tailors^ weavers, ilvoe or brogue makers, fmiths, wrigbts, coopers, cowatu *, 73. There is only one dyer, and two gardeners, and three merchants. The number of day-la- bourers cannot be afcertained. There are indeed feyeral who work for daily hire, fometimes in the year ', but they are not many who are ilated ones, or make day-Iabopr their bufinels by which they fupport themfelves and fitmi* lies. I would conjecture the number of thofe who live by day-labour to be about 50 -, and of thofe who make it only a bye-job, or a bufinels now and then as they are difpofed, or find it nectfTary, to be about thrice that number. Be- fides the above, there is a great number of fpinners for the linen-manufa^ures in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. ThU number is as difficult to alcertain as the former, and for the

fam^

« Cowans, gttfons who 1>uild dry (tone dikes or w&IU

tf Halkirk. 2$

iwe jneftfott ; I wofild fap^« the viht^t i^o I>e about 409. All the iamUies above ftated, excepting thqfe of tradefmen, daj-la^boorera, iic. are faixm^vt^ tenants, fubtenants, cottar

Birtist Morriages^ Burials. — ^The annual average of births, n^arriages, burials^ cannpt be afceitained with aaj tolerable accuracj. B7 examining the regifter, I fpoad there were 3o baptifm^ and ^4 marriages recorded from Janiiarj 1789 to January 1790 -, but I iDi^ch fufped their number ought to have bipen more; and I have re;^fon for this fufpicion, bec^iiie fome few may be baptifed, and fbme &w manned bj the nii^onar j an this pariib» and the neigh« bomiag cjergymes, whofe names might have been ne« glefied to he reported to the (efliou-clerl^. Thv^ circum« jBaac4(, togetb^ with fipme who die uobaptifed, and who ace n9t th^erefore reported and recorded, may well account ton this miflake. Indeed, thefe numbers of b^ptifms and marrii^gps /e«cc^d what they were in 4ie (ame fpace of tio^e for feveral years before, accprding to the regiften From die^ very probabjie cirpi^fiances, I v^j (^f^lyjCOQ- dude the annual average of births for a fe,w years p^ to be ji}>oojC 85, 9^ )tjbat of aiarriages about 28. T^^ number of 4ea^ or burials I found on the regjUler in (h^ P^/ic^ above mentioned to be 24, whioh i^ .by noTneaos ^tisfac- (ory, and puts it en^rely put of my power .to filcertain the pitciie average, jeijpecially when it is coa^dcred, that i^ order to elude payment of the jta^, xxi^mbers ufe all the ihifta they cap ; befides, there are ^o leis tt\^n 10 buri^al places in the parifii, which ^ves ^mbexs an ample ^portuqi^ to eicape froqi both xegifier ^d f^uu

Mi/ciffaniops Oifirvationsn-^Mmj of the propofed fta-

tifijcal queries have no relatipn to Uiis parilh ia its prefefit

VoL.XIX« D ftate»

26 Statijiical Aecoutti

ftate. Many of thofe that haTe, were alreadj coofideredT and anticipated in whole or in part, as they occurred occi^ fionally in treating of other articles. Therefore all that i» neoeflarj is to give »(hort aeeoant of ibciv parttcabfa- aa. have not been anticipated, and may apply to this pariih.

Well, then, we have no manufaclnres, no artifls, and hot few mechanics. AH the inhabitants are of the Efiabliihed Charch,.yet many attempts have been made to introdoce Se* ceffion among them, lliey are, on the whole, moderate and rational in their religions principles, ponftiial in their attend* ance on divine ordinances, and weH di^oled so encourage and fupport the means of rcKgions infim^on among them. None, for many years paft, have died of fiunine or want : nay, in the late fevere and nnfiivourable years, when the- country was threatened with &mine, nothing like it was f(Ben or heard in this parifli ; yet the efieds of thefe unhap- py feafons are ftill felt, and will be felt for fome time tO" come : So fatal a ftroke it then received, that finom it we may date a kind of revolution in nunners and circnrnftaa* oes* No murders have been conormitted &r many years pafi ; yet lecret grudges and anxmofities fiiS' prevail, and often times break out into quarrels and broib, at markets and meetings, which wear a dreadful appearance, and fome* times are attended with di&greeable confequences ; but a great deal of this b to be imputed to the too free nfe of fpiritous liquors on thefe oocafions, which inlhunes- their blood, and exafperates their fpirits. As to child-murder, in particular, it is fcarcely known in this parilh, and* long may it be fo. I never heard of any initonce of fuicide bat one, which happened about x8 years ago,, and it is to be hoped will not happen fo foon again ; yet I am ibrry to £Eiy, that of late years there were in the country two or three indances of that detefiable and melancholy pra&ice. I have no doubt but many leave tfai9 parilh and countxy

cithea

^Halkirk. 2f

either for vmnt of employment, or for the fake of getdng better. But I am perfiiaded» that nombeis leave it wan* tooly, VfhOf if they were difpofed to eaercife fobriety and iadofiry, as they mnft do abroad, might find m competency of bread and employment at home. It is, howeva*, very mnch to be regretted, to- What cau£e foe ver it may be owing, that a f^rit of emigration prevails too much of late years ; fiir the coniiBqaences of it are, year after year, more and mora fevevely felt by the country at large, but mose efpe- da&y by the &rmers and tenants. That nfeful and necef- ftry dafi of people^ had fearcely thefe two laft years, the complement of iSnvants they would need, becanfe they ei- ther conld not get them for any wages, or if they ooald, jret tbeir dem«id was too high, and perhaps their work fo little^ that they were not able to engage them; I deny not, but fervants ought to have all due encouragement when they de&rve it ; neither do I think, that in this coun- try they have more than they would need : but I aflirm, that in the pirelent ftate df things, the farmer b not able to aftrd it and keep credit. The demands of the landlord, which ara not lefleniag, the expence of living, which is a thifd more at leaft ihan it was 20 years ago, together with the other espenoes Ihat attend the working of hb farm, which asMdfo daily growing more, all thefe are of them- iielvcs too heavy for all the produce of the farm, and his ciber ihifia to aofwer them, though he had no other bur- den. An thefe things confidered, I believe in my heart, that tho farmer is the greateft dupe and flave in the coun- try ; and' while he is fo, the country cannot thrive, efpe- dally fince the whole traffick and credit of it is yet found- ed onao other bottom but the produce of the field. Let all conoemed bo wife and oonfider this.

Yet, after all, I think it very prattcable to improve fmD9p to make the qicamlhncce of the fataicr comfortalde.

%% StaHJlkal Jctount

to give all doe enii^ocingemeat to fervaats; and, ia a word, to remove all thefe grievaiiccs, withoot any dtmtnatioo of ients, or paffing from the value of cuftodis aod fervioei; Thefe are things which the landlord tan&dmtif thovgti in- deed faUelj, It great advantages, and will thefefoHs hy Ho means dirpenfe with them. WeB then, to gntdfy hilh^ I do not think that there is anj neoeffitj to. cede the vakie |tf Cervices, Vc. or aqy advantage he derive at prefient from the farmer $ all that is required is to pafr from* die fervioe^, and fome other articles ih kind, and to tako ireal vtiiie for theih by oomnmlation dr conterfion^ ThiSf if flintters Were duly confidered, wiH be found nccribry} and as it is neceflary, fo it ^ould be eafily aocompfifhed* It may be compenfated in ihch a way, as will redound inuch to the iputaal credit and advantage of both landlord and tenant. If this were once eftftedi it Would be attended with another important advantage, {t wodkl make the tenants more frugal and indufbrieus, and improve their fen* timents and n^orals ; apd what would greatly conttibnte to this reformation, is the profpeA they would have of rei^ ing and enjoying the fruit of their own labouts, more efpe- fually if they held their tacks on longeHeafes,whi^^wou1d be alfo neceflary in effcAing fo defirabk a ohaoge. Where- as their prefent ftate and droomftanees, hive a manifcft ten- dency to depreis th^r fpirits, to check their ardour for di- Itgence and induflry, to contraA the hearti to cherilh the felfiih principle in all its meannefs, and of eoiirfe, *U noan- lier of fraud, cunning and dtffimulation, which, I am forry to fiiy, have made confiderable progrefs of kte years. There are no fiated or Eoenfed taverns in the paflih bat one, ,|rhichfcarcely deferves the name; bnt there ate fevetal families, who retail Whiflcy and ale occaimally. This fprafiice prevails too mueh, and is attended with many ton- Ift^ueiipes fai^rtfiil to the imereft and morals of the paopk;

and

9f Halkirk. 29

Mad it were to be vriihed dimt it had been fiipprefled. Be- fideSf of late yean, fince diftillation prevailed fo muchi the «fe of whiiky has almoft faperfeded that of ale, which about fartjr ytOis ago was the ordinary drink, both in uveme and private honfesy and not near ib hartfnl and inconve-*

at to the peopk. The heavy duty on malt^ contributed m little to diis diiagreeable 6irotta»ftaD<se, by whidi 1 tUs beverage, fo ofeful a»d convenient to the coun- oy pMple, vriien vftd in moderatioti, ia in danger, of being at 1^ entirrfy in difisfei and no drink will be reUihed bat valnt direflly iiltozitele* the btfain- and inflames the blood*

The uTifal kilo of a day'laboofev is almoft donbk what it was nbodt Ao years ago* Thit i$ both natural and rea-* fbliaUe, bccanft, at hal been already obferved, the expenco 0f living has greedy iaereaied in that period. It is various, nocording to the various jobs in which they are employed. The nverage here, per day, I wonld eftimate at 9 d. ; and die (mm neoeftry to fopport a finnily, confifting of man, wifit, add 4 children, /»r week, at 3 s» 6 d. Both the hire aid the expenoe of living are yearly very much on. the in* creaie* The fiurmer is the only man who will fu£br moft. ky this progreft, if he will not have more advantages than he has at prefent to keep pace , with it* We have rather too many who are idly difpofed, and who will not work, tmlefr compelled to it by the extremity of the laft necefr fity ; for if they htq>pen to have what will enable them to hold it out until night, or any profpeft of any other fliiit, though at the expence of their more indnftrious neighbours, to whom they are no (mall burden, tbey have no concern Mboat their debts, or any provifiop for to-morrow. Though eiMCb are a grievance to the codiitry, yet the Britilh army is omch indebted to them i add, indeedi if this is a relief to themfelves, it is no fmall one to their nrighb< urs, who Hft glad to be free of foch idle and ufeleis drones. From I this

30 Stati/fical AccwM

llixs caufe, and the vices to which it is tn inlet, ts well «s £rom other canfes which are more neceflary and nnavoid* able, it happens that we have a great number of poor. But what b much to be regretted is, that a coofiderable part of thb number confifis of tenants who have been reduced, cither by the late unfiivourable fieafons, or by the infuS** eiencj of their farms, and other (hifts, wiA aK their iai* chiftry and firugalitj, to provide for the evil day. The slumbe^at prefent on the roll is 150 ; but it ought to have been near double that nunober, were all tfaofe who are im indigent circumftancea to be admitted* So very low are the feffion-funds, that none can be admitted on the rofl but tiie greateft objefls, or foch as are extremely indigent ; and even, in that cafe, they are not in th6 fmalleft degree ade- quate to that number ) for the only fources of our funds are the Sabbath coUeftious, and the fines arifing from de- linquencies. The former is very trifling, more elpedaHy becaufe our men of mooey are not thofe who moft fre* qnently come to church. The latter, though more frequent than could be wiflied, yet it turns out to no great aoeouutt becaufe, though they are very fubjeft to dMfe ddtnqueocies^ they are yet on the whole very poor in purfe. They are able to fin, but ncft able, had they been willing, to pay. It is a pity that the civil arm does not interpofe its autho* rity, and the gentry their influence and example, as could be wiihed, to ftrengthen the hands of the clergy in the fup- preflion of tbefe deftruftive praAices. But to return to the poor : At the annual diftribution of the funds, the (hare of €ach individual poor on the roll, is no more, at an average, than 2 8. af the utmoft. Thb, and the infufficiency of the pariik to fupply their needs, is one great caufe why num« bers of them wander about, begging that charity which they cannot get at home.

6f Halkirk. yi

It has been already obfierved, that the foil and clfanate cf

this pariih and couDtry, do not feem favourable ta the pro-

doftton of trees. Yet, I believe^ if proper methods had

been nfed, und due attention given to that neceflary article^

fiime kinda of timber ought thrive pretty well. But there

are oither kinds, whichr in my opinion, will frnflrate every

attempt to rear them* Of this kind is the fir, as was alfo

i^ecified before. Yet it is certain that there was great

abundance of that timber once in this pariih* This mani-

fefily appears from the remains of it that are fliU to be leea

is feveral parts of the parifli, and indeed of the whole

country. From this circumftance it woaid be 'Saturallj

eoocfaided^ that where that timber grew fo welli and fo

flately of oM, without the aid of care or art,, it would fbrely

grow diere now, with the conjoined afliftance of both an

and nature. This is a paradox I will not pretend to folvct

though yet I am -^trj much inclined to think, that it is to

be attributed to fome change or revolutioo! that has taken

phoetn the climate, and confe^ently in the £ail, firom^

their mutual infiuence on one another. To corroborate

this opinion I would remark, that about 23 years ago, there

were twa or three fmall woods of birch and mountain aib^

tf r. in n very blooming and vigorous ftate, in this and a

Mghbonring parift, which are now almoft wholly decayed

and withered root and branch. This reverie is, no doubr,

in a great meafore to be afcribed to the depredations of the

country people, who cannot withhold their hands from

gvowing tifliber, wherever their eyes behold it. But from

this reverie, in fo ibort a time, it Seems to be principally

oocafioned by the late unfavourable feafons, which have

proven as noocious tO' them as to other vegetables, and more

io, becanie, as was before obferved, they are not raifed out

cf the earth, as other vegetables are, at the end of. the fea«

fau Doet not this civcumfliAGe render il at liaft probable

that

3a StatyUcai Jccaunt

tbtt dieir utter decaj,.aiid not tttemptkag to grow fiooe, is omng to foch • xevdatioa of cUmate and fbtl as took plaoe at that period ? And wbat OMkos for this fiili further, ami adds to the probability of it^ is asoAcr ciraunfiance, vitf^ Che lieaioDs are colder, the earth more wet, the crops not sear £b good, fome aoiauh, Ibcb as the wild bee, d^ fwal- low, icarcdj to be icea fince that fatal period i and sett only iii^ fome vegetables that anbvered very well bcfbre, do not grow now at all vn$h the greaieft attention and i^

I wQidd aUb fofther veaaark, as it now opcnis to me, and aipplics to the prefisnt pnrpofe* that when there is a current cf air irom the iea« aoconfianied with mift and fog, it en- velopes all the vegetable Croatian as £u: as it advances with m flimj, inline kind of 4ew« which is often from one end of the conntiy to the other i £ar I believe there is no place in this country, that is above 9 miles in a ftwght line from the fiea, which furrouods it dofe on every quarter but the £• and S. W. This dew, when appjyied to the tongue and pahte, has a very faltiih reliAi; fo I have experienced once in tile centre of the country; na]r» at that time, and in that fhce, I fdt the fieent cf cotien ware, as feofibly almoft as if I had been on tlie ihore at that time. This oircumftaaoe anuft iisrely have a confideraUe influence on traasy and the other prodoce of tbc kii^ and this is the cauft of my ma^ kbg this lemark. But before I clofe thefe ob^vations » I would fiirther remark, that our winters are in proportion tttoce temperate than the other feabns of the year* Whe- ther this has been the cafe of cid I cannot by.

Pl9Hgh$, Carts f Uor/es, Oxen for tie F^«i.-^The plough oied in this pariib, and indeed in all the country, not very many years ago, was of very fimple ccmftrufiiafi, Very cheap, very eafily and Ipendily madej it had only nne

ftilt;

cf Halkirk. 33

tttrby this it wtt mraaged and oondaded by the plough^ man, with his right hand ooly, and dofe at his right thigh ( it had fcofcdy a fide board; thooghi fot thefe reafons, it was very aneafy for the ploaghman, yet it was very light aad^afy for ihe oattk. It ploughed very weU, and tMf^ as I dun infermed^ broke the earth as it tamed it, ferved die pwpofe nf a 'firft harrowing as it went along, and good traps wereTaifed after it. For fonae time paft there is none of them to be feen $ for thofe now ufed are mnch the fame witih diofe ofed in ^ ibuth of Scotland. Thefe are, in* detdt mofe eafy for the ploughman, yet not fo for the cat- tle, becatife diey are heavier, and plough deeper, l£c.

The long yoke, as we (all it, or two and two a-breail, be- fore one anodier, is not ufed bat by very few, and that oc« cafiooally. The old mode of four a-breaft, or ihort yoke, as we call it, is ftill the fafliion. This, however, thou^ not fo eafy and fafe for the driver, who goes retrograde in die forrow, with two on each fide of him, is, I believe, more advantageous for the cattle than the other. For, in draoghia of every kind, it is very much in favour of the drawing power to be near the centre of motion. This is mtaifefily the cafe in the fliort yoke, all the cattle being ecpally near the plough, and having confequently an equal fliarc of the draught. The only difadvantage arifing from it, befides the danger to which the driver is ezpofed, is, that two of the cattle draw on the tilled ground, and there- by trample it, which is both uneafy to them, and hurtful to the ground ; but thefe are nothing when compared to the other advantages.

It is only of late years alfo that carts' began to be ufed. Now the great advantage of them is feen and felt, and the ufo of them is daily becoming more and' more general. They are increafing in number eVcry year, efpecially as we have the profpeft of good roads. Since carts be-

VoL. XIX. E came

34 Staiiftkal.Jcfoutti

otme lb geoei^ I am petfiuded, that q|i« ball of ibt t«im- ble, of the timey and of the ezpenpe, is fayed, whkh waa formerly bellowed oo the article of carriage alone*

Further, the cattle nCed not man j years ago &r the pur- pofes of the farm, and carriages of all kbds* were Cor the moft p^n horfes. This is flill much the pradice ^ yet oQEca are, of late years, more and more uied for tbefe p«ipo(c^ efpecially finae horfes are become fo exprttfive in ibe rar- ing, and fo dear in the purchafe.

The prtffent fiate of thefe articles is as foUows :«-rPlaug|ii» 3x2 i carts of diiFerent fi^es, 2ao; horfes, 580; of thb number there are 30 large, or of the Galloway fiae ; tlir reft are of different fi^es, but in general rather foal) : oxen, 294 ) of thefe there are 40 of pretty )arge ii^ all |he reft ffi^all, or of ^feripr files.

f^tQduce offhe Parijb^ Animal atfd Vegefakk^^rrAMrndX produce ^ horfes, black cattle, iheep, goat, fwioe, geeie. Moft of the horfes bred here are of the fmall garron kindt and many of tl^em fold at a or 3 years old. Qut moft qf thofe employed in work, fjf. are pnrchafed at a dear rate fron^ other places, efpecially from the Orkneys, where oqt ^oung horfes are boi^ht for the purpofes of rearing and fale. lience it is, that the ycry fame hor^ which werp (old by us at very low priceS| are fometimes, 2 qr 3 yea^ afterwards, rebought by the fame perfons, who fold them before, at three times the original price, Tl^is is furely a mode of traffick verj unfrugal^ and mug)^ againft the intc- ^ reft of the country.

£laci ^a///(r.— There is a great number pf thefe rehired in this parish, being well calculated for it^ as being fur- niflied with good pafture, both lowland and highland. 3ut yet I am perfuaded, that the number reared is near one- third more tbap it ought to hav^ been, or the parifli c^

wcIJ

of Halkirk. 3S

iwn atiotaio. This is the caufe why oor cows do not vfiiaUy yield fo much milk as might be expeded ; why diat cattle are in general more poor, and of leis fize than tbej might have been ; and confequently, why they fetch tadtk low prices at markets. But what is their motive for this uafrngal and miftaken plan ? Why, becaufe the com« sncroe in that cattle is a principal and neceJTary article of anedit; and confeqnently, they calculate their flock, ac* GOtding to their number, and not according to their quality* Befides, having no other way fo ready to maintain credit^ floid to anfwer Maniumas de^nands, they pinch their fami- lies in the neceffary food arifing from thefe animals, from an overweening ezpeftation, and the miftaken idea, that if diey have plenty of calves, they will be able to anfwer thefe demands, which hang a mighty terror over their heads every year. Thns it happens, that they themfelves, and their cattk, are halfflarved, and their ill^otuided ezpec* tations often times frnftrated. Whereas, had they adopted another plan, and kept an adequate number of cattle only, their fandlies would be better ibpported, their cattle better in quality and value, and the demands of the landlord more readily anfwered.

j£#r^.— By appearance there are excellent ibeep-paftares in this pariih, efpecially in the Highlands^; but in moft parts they do not thrive to any latisft^on. This appears both from the fmallnefs of the number they generally bave^ and the number of lambs that are yearly bought from othet countries, for a continual fnpply of their own, which never increaies, notwithftanding that annual recruit, but often growa leis and le&. This failure may be attributed to fcr veralcaufes; to the wetnefs and fwampioefs of the foil; to their being fed promifcuooily with other cattle i tp their being, for the moft part, houfed every night, and often with othet cattie ; to the wgnt of due IkiU and care in ma*

36 Siati/Ucal AceowU

nagingthem ; and, fiaaOyf 10 didr beilig atfeended tD ^bIj BOW and than m a bye job ; all wkkfa cuatmflanoes «ac verj hurtful, and ininoical to that nfeftal, dalkate^ sod pr^^ carious aaimal. Tet I am perfoaded, that good ikeep^Nfimaa mi^t be eftabliflird, at leaft in (bme para of the pacifliy efpecially in the Highlands. They are all of a miaDod €li«> minntive kind, but Terj prolific, and exoellent eatings I cinnot fay that their wool n either good, or plenty of itt Iqnd, which is the cade that we (are principally fiqpplied with this neceflary article from other places.

Goor.—- This animal is not fo abundant in this parifli an k might have been } foe though we have ndt nuny rocka or places produ&ive of thole weeds and herbs, in which thej moft delight, yet I am informed by thole who keep them, that they thrive very welL

. 5marv~Thefeaie very fe*i^ late. To what canfe thia may be owing, I know not; but about at years ago thia end of the parifli fwarmed with them, and they geaeiall j fold welL They are commonly of a very fmali fise, but £ur better eating, and firmer meat, than a larger kind, and by far more eafily reared. There are ibme of a large fiao, but they are very few.

G^w— A confiderable number of diis bird waaformerly reared in this parilb. Now they are but very few in com- parifon, which is much to be wondered at, beoanfe they ^ould fetch now more .than double the price they gave 30 years ^ago.

' The pre&nt fiate of thefe articles, • according to the beft of my information, is as follows : Number of horfes, young and old, including thofe working

-• the fiirms, Wr. ...	165a
0^ black cattle, hicluding the work oxen,	49*3
Ofibeep,	2890
Of goats, ^ . .• . • - • •	- 130
]Ofli#ine,	190
3	VegitiM

cfUamrh 37.

FigtiiM$ PpoJaa^'^Tht greats and indeed almoft! the

eolj vegetable produce, are bear and oats. There are fo^

in contimial altemeta rotadoa, without the intefventitn of

iny other crop. Hub prafiice muft: furely be unfiivoiir-

able to the fieid» the erop^ the qnalirf of the grain, and e»-

poCe the &nner to nMNre trottble and ezpenoe, for reafona

well iuiown* No great attempts* have jet been made to

raife peafe and green crops^ fnch as turnips, lit. Yet I

have reafon to think, from the good fooceis that attended

the ftw trials which have been made, that they would

praTper welL It is, indeed, graat matter of inrpriie, that^

in a parifk where the fnpport and credit^ of the people ai«*

moft entirely depends on their cow and their grain^ they

Iboiild deny themfeives this great advantage* For, befidea

the benefits that woiild be derived firom thefe crops ta

themfelves and their cattle, they would moreover enable

diem to keep a greater number of cattle, which they would

like well, and occafion that rotationof crops fo much wanted

for the benefit of the field, and its pcxnlnce. Want of inelo*

fiifes and winter-herding are, as has been already obfetvedl

two great canfes why the people do not avail themfelves of j

this great advantage. Befides, being unaccountably averft to

any thing that is ftrange or novel in this way, they cannot

be perfuaded to truft their credit and their profpe£b to fuch

crops. Great quantities of potatoes are indeed of late years

raifcd in this parifli, from which they derive very confi-^

dcrable advantages, efpecially as they contribute- much to

make the Hving cheaper.

Oaii. — ^The oats raifed generally h of two kinds, black and grey, of a fmall body, very prolific, but not produfti ve of a^y gieat proportion of meal. In fome parts of the parifli, in good yean, the proportion is more than 9 ftones of' meal obi of it boHs nndried grain ; in other parts, not Above 6 fibnes wtof the fame meafure of grain. Of late years; ether

kinds

38 Stati/Hcat JtiCQUttt

Unds of black oats are raiiedy and a confidefidite qmafity of white kinds. T^, though thefe jield more meal| they are found not to be well calculated fiE>r this icil» nor £b pro- fitable. However, by the bje, I know not but this maj be as much owing to miftaken notioosb t&d a predilefiioa in favour of old ufiiges, as to any other caoie«

JBior.— The bear, tat the ihoft part« is in fome degree in* &rior in quality to that of more fonthem counties : Yet^ in good years* and in the mod fertile fpots of the parifli« it weighs between 17 and 18 ftones^ boU. In any year it i^ reckoned preferable to any that grows almoft in this county. The returns of it, in growth, are various, being 4f 5f ^f 7* ^^ 8 at the ntmoft. Yet, effimated at an ave* rage, the whole crop, bear and oats, does not much exceed 4 returns* But, I believe, that with more pains and in- duftry, and proper encouragement and e^nmple to tnfnfe that fpirit into the people, the crop might be confiderafady meliorated ; however, in good years, the produce is con- fiderably more than is neceflary for the fopport of die pariAi in its. pre&nt ftate. The whole amonnt in bear and oat meal, at an average, according to the beft of my enquiry and calculation, is about 15,500 bolls, the boU of mttl at 8t ftones.

PriciS of ViRual^ and Uhtr Ntceffiaries o/'Xj^.— The ave- rage price of viftoal, I mean of bear and med, for we have no other, is, for fome years paft, 133. 4d. /^boU; of good beef, Hd.^ lb. ; of mutton and pork, when goody the fame} of geeie, £ald at Martinmas, z s. 4 A. per goofe ; of hens, 6d. each \ of eggs, a d. per dozen ; of iheep hogfs or wedders, 7 s. per hog \ of fwine, Z2 s. each. There are fome of them that fell coniiderably below, and fome confi- derably above that price, according to their quality and £ze , of an ordinary cow or ox, for flaughter, and in flefli,

L. 2,

qf. Halkirk. 39

L.^ to t. ; fome fell at Ids* and Cmm at more, accordisg tofize; of malt, 148.^ boU^of whilky, nnmu^td, %%. 6d.p€rfvat\ mixed, is. jd.

Commerce and Trafici^^Thc principal fubjefis of com- merce in this pariflii as already obferved, are the articles joft now mentioned. As to horfes, very few of them could be Spared fin- fide, if thofe who rear them had patience to keep them nntil they would be fit for work, &c. There^ £ore they fell them at two years old, as mentioned above, at low prices, and buy others, fit for work, at very high rates ; fo that there is no gain, bat rather great lois by this branch of commerce. As to black cattle, I believe, thaty ttmmunibus anmSf about 1000 of them are fold between the butcher and the droven As to viAual, I believe they can eapoit, at an average, in good years, about x8oo boUs, and fupport themfelves ; bat this export, as I am informed, is ' not fo mnch as it was in former years. The decline in craps, the increafe of people notwitfaftanding the^ improve- ments made of late years, and the bear confumed by whiiky anddiftiIlatioa,'may well account for this circumftance. As to whiiky, 1 believe 2-3ds of it is confumed in the coontfy, a great part of thefe a-3ds in this fame pariih, and confeqiiently, that fcarcely x-jd of that liquor b exported. Net many years ago, dier6 were no left than 13 or 14 fmall difiiUeries in this parifh, and on the near confines of 'it} at piefent, fince the late aft, there are only 4, which I think is enough, confidering all the good that is reaped from diem.

Rmt oftbi PariJh.^Tht valned rent is L.3314 : 7 : 8 BcoCcb, I fnppofe, at the converfion of L. 4 Scotch per hoSL The real rent, including other advantages, bot ezdnfive of

gcmflams,

SuaifBeal Atcount

ftrvioM, at ^ ccmrerfion of to s* pn- TUXU »y I aoi' perfiiaatdt L. aaoo Steriifeg good.

Hiritars and Profrietors^'^Tht heritors and proprietors ace not fo laany l^tbcy- were a few yeats ago. The nun- lcr» at prefciitf is 6. Sir John Sinclair of Ulbfler it abe pmcipa^'being praprietor of .much more than oae half of the fHiidbf ao4 iiipemr of a confidomUe fart of it befides bis f property. Heiaaifo patnMotoCthe panAk

Etdffiqfiical StaU.^^Tbt j^rtkut iocimbeiit is Mr John Caraergn^ who was admitted ia Sep^^mb^^ X7^9- ^^ YBafried aoth December 1781 -, is a widower frpaii Jamiaajr 5* 17S4; has one daughter, aa only child, bom 5ih I>e- cefuber 1783. ^b iDSOiediate predeceflors were Mr Wil- ']iam Abernecfay, Mr William Cummi^g^ Mr John l^uaro^ who vras the firil Pre(byterian Minifter, Mr John Suther- landt Mr James Nicolfon. ,The ftipend, in Mr Cununiag's time^ was fcarcely, at the then viSual-converiioii, L. 35 Sterling.- It was augmented in Mr Munro'a time to about ^SO Sterling, at the then coaveriion. He had only a dialdexa of viAual in his ftipend ^ yet fmall as was this ili- pend^ he lived very comfortably, and made a fuitable pro- mSosk for his family, which was numerous. His cUeft ion was the late Sir George Munro of Pointsfield. His two imnkediate predeceflbrs, who had much fmalkr ftipeads, and families to iupport and provide for, did the iame alio* JSo gxeaa was the value of mo^ey, and fo many were the advantages of thofe days befides what they are now. The prc&nt ftipend, which W8|s augmented nth December 1776, .is 2 ehtalders of meal and a chalders of bear, L. 600 Scotch, .saii*L.30 Scotch for cominonion^elements.

.Hie manfe and church, during the pre£ent incon^ncy, ^e always been in a bad ftate of repair, and extremely

inconvenient

•/ Haikirh 4i

bconredlent, tboflgh repaired four times,- and at omfider* ^ ftBle cxpence during that period, via. 23 years. The laft of thefe repairs is going on juft how, at iiit efti^atcd font of L. 154 Sterling ) and as foon as tiie undertaker ^uts them tS his hands, the j will call for another itnuiediate repair^ whether the miniiler calb for it or not It is t6 be regretted^ that heritors, from a miffaken notion of faving their purtes^ ihould fo unaccountably injure their own intereft, and in- commode the minifter^ when both might ^ave bisen avoided • with little ezpence. *

The glebe is, oil the whole, very good lapd^ biit oonfi- derably Ihort of the minifnum. It only fows 3 bolls bear^ fuppofing all of i; to be fown with that grain, and will not graze one cow. There is Feafon to believe that it was lar- ger, and that it was curtailed by the encroachments or de» predatioos of the conterminous tenants in ume of vacancies, and never yet enquired into. This is the more credible^ from the report of a very old member of this prefbytery^ dead feveral years ago, who informed the prefent incum- bent that this was the cafe, for that he faw the decreet ox defignation by Bilfaop John. Forbes, of this diocefe, in^thtf cnflodj of Mr Munro above mentioned^

Mifflon end Miffion-boufe^ S/r.—Befides the church,- thcrd is a meeting or minion-houfe, in the Highlands of the p»« rifli, at the diftance of 9 miles from the church, where thef . minifter of the pariih was wont to preach every 4th Sab« bath as a volunury deed, if not prevented by bad weather, or fpeats in the waters, which are too frequeAil, efpecially b winter. The houCe is pretty large, was built, and ia . flill fupported by the inhabitants of that dUlri6l of the pa« tifh, for their own and the. minifter's accommodation^ a^ ytrj confiderable expencc for them. Of late years^ tliey have a miiBonary fupported at their own expence idfo. If

Vol.. XIX. y k

4% Statifticdl jfceouttt

*"'ls true, indeed, that the Committee of the Rojal Bbuiif>f fometimes granted a little for their relief ; and the fiuDQ is continued juft now, but the further continuance of it is on*- certain and precarious. The Societj for Propagating Chri- ilian Knowledge, fince the late increaJle of their funds, have been often folicited and importuned to extend the benefit of their inilitution to that remote comer, that (lands fo much iii need of it, and fo well deferves it, bjr the exertions madc by the people, beyond their abilities, to fupport the means of inftru£tion among them. But all hitherto has been to no- purpofcr Yet there are miffions eflabllihed^by the (aid So- ciety in other places, which do not fo much need them. However, it is flill hoped, that this defirable objed will be obtained, as foon as the Honourable Society will have a^ proper view of the utility and neoelfityof it. Here, it ihould be obferved, that an excellent dwelling-houfe was^ very lately built by fubfcription, in order to encourage the idiffionary, and to aflift the people, and with the profpeA that a perpetual miflion was to be eftabliihed there \ .

5ci(oo/r.— There are two fcbools in the pari(h, a parochial and a Society one. As to the former, it is always throng of fcbolars, and is taught by an excellent mafter ; but the ifflallne£i of the falary, which b but a trifle more than L. 6, and the want of proper accommodations for teaching, are snighty hinderances and difcouragemcnts. Thele grie- vances were reprefented, laft year, to Sir John Sinclair, who- immediately gave powers to the minifter to get the accom* modations of a fchooLhoufe and de(ks as foon as po{fible,l& the firft place, and that he would pay his quota of the ex* pence on demand ; and this he would have done, but fome of the heritors refufed to contribute their (hare, which would be but very triflmg, and fo the matter ftands, which

O Since the above ww written, fo John SincUir hai proctlred a miffiofi for the two parishes of Haliark and XiRtiieioD, ftooi tlie Sodetj,

4(f Halkirk. 43

is a pitj; for next to the boroughs, it is in the moft cen« triesl and commodious place for a flourifliing fchool in the whole county.

As to the other fchool, it is always full alfo, and am- bulatory for the accommodation of thb extenfive and po« poloos parifli ; yet two-thirds almoft of the parilh reap no benefit from it, not only becaufe of their diftance from the fiation, but alfo becaufe it is difficult of accels to maiiy, who may be nearer hand, moft feafons of thj^ year. Tbefe cir« cumfiances render another fchool of the fame kind necef- liury in the Highlands, if it could be obtained. Applica- tions are making for it, and it is hoped that they will be attended with fiiccels ; for never have the Society applied their funds to a more ufefiil and neceffary purpofe.

AntiqmiUsf Vc— There ar^ feveral veftiges of antiquity in this parifli, fome of which are to be feen by the eye, and fome to be heard of by the ear, from oral tradition. But neither what is to be (een or heard, furnifli a key, whereby the truth can be fo inveftigated as to afibrd any great in- ftru&ion or amufement. The remains that are vifible floake, indeed, awfiil and pleafant impreflions on the mind of the beholder, and fogged to him a confufed, but majeftic idea of what they once have been : yet they, at the fame time, affeft him with pain, becaufe the eagemefi of his cu- riofity cannot be gratified. The avenues that lead up to the objeft of his ardent parfuit and defire are clofed on every hand. No infcription, no emblem, no monument. A veil of obfcurity intercepts his view, and eclipfes the light. Ks cnriofity is at a ftand. It cannot puih on fur- ther. What muft he do ; He retires full of what he has feen, but lull alfo of regret and difappointment, becaufe ho 4id not fee more of what his nund fuggefb to him it has «riglnally been. But he refi» not here. He ^as recourfe f to

^ Statiflical Account

%q oral tradition, hoping to find ai^cefs bj that' quarter, Alas \ tradition is too much the work of fancy. Like Ho* jner's Iliaf), it paaj amuCe as a pleafant dreatDi but can give biin as little authenticated information of the truth, as-tfutt poem can give of ancient Troy, and the fiege of it, whi^h I fappofe was as confufed a ftorj in that poet's time, as fhat of thefe antiquities, and gave eqQal plaj and ficope to the imagination. Where now will (he antiquarian turn himfelf ? He betakes himfejf tp the hiilorical page. There he maj find fpm^thing }ike tl|e obje^ of bis enquiry and wi(b ; but it is too vagae afid general, too mpcb dothed Vith the brilliant drapery of fancy ; and fo, if he be qot a dupe to credulity, he inu(^ lUll remain difcontented and up- iatisfied. Thb b a&ually my cafe. How then can I fatif- fy others, when I canqpt get myfelf (atbfied ? However, 1 will attempt it, at all adventures, and do what 1 can.

The fertility and extent of tli^ corn-fields, the richnefs and variety of the paftures in this parifh, both highland and lowland, the traces of antiquity that flill remain } all thele evidently ppint it out as hplding, from early d^te, a di- flingui(hed ranl^ in this pountry, in regard cf people and IBvenis, which would amply reward the memory of the hi* fiorian, had they not efcaped |iis nptice. I myfelf, this mo- ment, when I am ;|t a lofs for inforn^ation, could I but fiqd a proper hi dorian on the fubjed. would have faid. Peace to ' his foul. But fince it is pot fo, what I &e and bear other- fvife tempt me to grop and fearch in the dark, and I Ihall be happy if any corre^ n^e with the. light of authenticity and truth.

Ecclefiafiical AntiquitiiSf^^'ikxrL mj atteatiop, in tbe

Ijrft place. Among thefe, the religious houfe that . Wf^ft jSpiual is the mod diftingui/bed. .This hoi^fe, it if ccftajp, i{f a^ originally founded and endowed by a St Magnus of

O^eji

of Halkirk. 45

Orkney, and dedicated to that Ssunt, therefore called St Magnus. Who be was, I have not jet been able to learo ; butj from fever^ circumfUnceSy I have reafbn to belie ve, that be was either a Dane or of Daoiih extradion i z^d that be aflumed the name MagnaS| on his becoming fo emi- nently difiinguiihed in the ^hurch. Whatever he .was, it appears that he was a great and a good man, a perfonage of great wealth and influence, of no lels piety and bene$« * ' cence, and highly beloved and revered, efpecially in tiofM country and in the Orkneys, where he has done fo much good* From this circumftance it is, that there are flill fo many in thefe countries' called Magnus. Circnmftances alfo lead to the belief, that he was one of the Knights Templars, fo powerful and afl9uent in their day, and a capital one too, and confequently, that the lands in the neighbourhood of Spittal Hill, to a confiderable extent in this and the parifli of Wacten, were the property of that fociety. What makes thb the more credible is, that there is fcarcely a pariih in Scotland where that fociety have' not had lands, and eftabliihed religious houfes. Nay, fo much did their influence and wealth accumulate, that it was their ruin at laft. They were envied and. dreaded by both church and laity, who coveted their wealth. Hence this order was ex« ^nguilhed very early in the 14th century, deprived of their wealth, and a large {hare of it transferred to the order of St John of Jeru&dem, who alfo were treated in the fame manner, as loon as their affluence made them ripe for the rapacious hand of covetoulheis. But to return from this digreflion, which I could not well avoid.

Why this religious houfe was called Spittal, viz. Hofpi^ ^1, 1 cannot learn *> neither can I find what kind of reli- gious

• Some people insgine, fint Ifcofe religioot bnildings were cHlled ppfpitab, or Spittals^ bccuie the| fonulM Ikclttr and btJpitaJiij to

pilgnaa

^6 Stat0icai Aaouni

jgiotts wer^ ttdmitted to it, or what were the particolar rules and orders pbferved by them, or, finally, at what pe- riod of time it wm fpunded, or when it was demolifliefl. But, frpm the chahi^r of the original founder, for no doubt there were largie dpnations m^e to it after hi°>t ^^^ ^^.^ charader, I Ctj, and from the name oCthe houfe, vi%. Spit* tal, it is more thf n probable diat it was ereAed and en* dowed principally for the maintenanoe and inftruAion of jthe poor religious ; or, at leaft, that there was an apartment

' .for the rect;ptio^ of mendicants, who wer^ entertained <m the funds of that houfe, as waa ufually the cale in thefe re- ligious eftablifhments* Circumfiances alio render it probable, that the houfe was ftripped and demoUIhed in the reign of James VI. or perhaps Mary. That the number admitted to it, and retained in it» was great, is very certain \ and it is no jefs certain, that the revenues of it were very coofiderable alio ; for, befides other circumftances too tedious to men- tion, there is one, which feems to me to put this beyond

' all 4oubt, vi%. that the church was yery large and capa- cious, being fome feet broader, and feven^l feet longer than

I the prefent pariih-church, which is among the largeft m thefe northern comities ; as alfo, that th^re were feveral houfes round it, which furely were th^e cells or habitations of thefe religious, fome of which, as appears frpm their ve- fijges, were lar^e alfo. Befides thefe, there were other houfes of the fame nature, for tlie accommodation of the fame eflablifliment, at a further diftance ; more particularly, there was a very large one, at a place on a rliiijg ground %o the weft of the church, called Auchips^as, that is, the

Field

*)fitgHml tnd mendicants.' Near'Spittlei as ft is now fometimei fpeft, thece is a farm called Achachoal, or Acha ChoIrl« (that ift» th» field of the mef ting of council, or mufter), where the people of Csithnels, io (Bti9er timet, fregneatlj aflVn^M cogntfasr.

4if Falkirk. 47

Field of the Altar. From all which It appesrs, thae the revalues of the houfey and the number of religious retuned in it, were verj confiderable. There is a import prevalent, in this countrj, that all the inhabits^nts of Caithne^ affem,«^ bled there periodicailj, as a place of rendezvous }^^(t ^^ nod elevated and centrical in the countj* 9XiA th^t the church contained them alh This.ma^ fern^ * I^7R^^V^^i a figure always attending vulgar repcvt, But^-in my opi- nion, with a little qualification, it « not altogether irr^cpn-^ ctleable to truth. For, fuppo^e the kirk could not bold tfcem all, yet it would contain many of tb^m, and ,th^ hour fes and celk round it, I am perfuaded, wpijild bold the fur^f plus; more efpecisi^lyf when it is copfidered, that the people were then (^ led in number, and fhat ;th9J y^rq.r only perfons above a certain age that muft .have aflembled - there on thefepccalions. _,.^ •

The lands about that boufe were about 1^30. y^ean^.^g^ji^. the pofleiBon of the Murrays of Pcnnyland in this cfoiintry^ which makes me fufpeft that they were derived to that family from a Gilbert Murray, Biibop of Suthcrlai^d and Caithncls» ^o made, in hb day, a capital figure in phnrch and ilate, and who, it is ptobablc, got tbeff kwds cither by purchafe, or by donation from the churci^ after the. e;|ptinc-' tion of dut order and ih^ boufe. It' was aane^xed, \o the. diocefe of Orkney, and is fiill on the Eij^ghe^r bo9kf.U- a part of that dioQeiie. - t ^

The church of Skinnan was a large) coa^fe, mafiy. btiild* bg, aa Indeed was that of St Magnus, dedicated tQ a St. Thomas, therefore Called the church of Sc Tbom^. By all acconnts it was in Mr Abemethv/s incumbency, the only churqh in what we aow call the pariih'of Halkirk* Here the laid Aberpediy performed the fui;£tions of bis^. office, but his dwelling was at ilalkirk. ' Once, in a Sal^t^ ; bath evening on his Tctum hooie from churchy he was ac»

. ^oBed

4S Statiftkal AfCQunt

coftcl by one Maban Rjaii, by name, a ruffian, \ivho lay in wit for him at the river, below the caftic of Braal, when 'le fo maltreated him by tumbling him off his horfe into tK» river, and then by blows and fuffocation of water, tfiat he w^ carried home as bruifed and fuffocated to death. The viOain^t motive for this fiaivage treatment, was, as it is faid, to be revea^^ed of the minifter for ioterpofing the au- thority of his office, and the difcipline of church-Iaws, to check him, in his career of wickcdnefi : fo ontrafiable and wild were the people in th^ dajs.

" Not fiir from this church was another religious houfe, ddled the Abbey. The remains tA it ihew, diat it has once been a large building.' Why it was cUled the Abbey, who was theibunder of it. What order of religioos inhabited it, and when it was founded, and when demoliihed, 1 cannot find -, but I am certain, from what it appears to have been, that it was the receptacle of many devotees, and that the funds to iiipport it could not be fmaU. Nigh this houfe are the rettlains of a fine monumental ftone, that was erefied there as tf* memorial of fbme interelling evjcnt; ' It'was 9 feet high above ground. I cainnot fay nor find what the particular event was. But that it was revered, and facredly preferved, as' a diftinguiihing maik of fomething momentous, appears from hence, that in jTohn Sinclair's time, late of Ulbller,* proprietor of that land,' a fet of ruffians, broke it wantonly^ who immediately were purfued by the neighbours ; and on their being overtaken, a fcuffle enfued, to which numbers reforted, and was the occafion of bloodfhed. The faid John Sinclair,' heritable Sheriff of the county, decerned the fa- crilegious villains in a fine of a cow the piece, which were ad^ed to the public funds. Soon afterwards the remains of the nionument were ereded, and inclofed with a ftone dike at bi9'6wn e:^nce, b^th of which are fince entirely demo-

"- * lifted.

of Halkirk. 49

fiflied; It is called by the people to this daj, St Thomas's Chair,

Befides thefe, there were feveral chapels, or places of wor- &ip, in other parts of the pariih* fome of which feem, from what yet spears of them, to have been of fome note in thofe days. One at Weftfield, called St Troflan ; one at Olgang- beg, called St Peter; one at Deal ; one at Sibfter ; one at Banniikirk, and feveral more. I can fay nothing about them but one thing, vns. That the church had its own fhare largely of this parifli, as indeed the biihop had of this dior cefe, which made it one of the moft lucrative bifliopricks in Scotland *•

CivU

* Before I dtfoiifs thii article^ I would clofe it with %. remark, and aa aoccdate. Such was the fuperftitious regard the people paid, to tliefe boufet about 80 years ago, that there was fcarcely any who was married, or delivered or child, or was fncce&fol in any enterprifb, or refcued from aoy danger, but embraced the firft opportunity^ after fuch events, uf re^ paiiing to one or other of thcfc facred hoafet» with a large gift or ofier* ing to the tutelar faint of that particular hoafe. Thefe gifts were a great Ihare of the tfnoluments of the clergy in the days of Popery ; and fo fond were the people of paying them, in the time of reformation, when there was 00 ghofUy pneil to leceive them, that they guzzled and gormandi- sed the neat and drink-offering themfelves, all along drinking the Saint*! health. Thus they went fober deTotees.to viiit the dead Saint, but re- turned home perfed Bacchanalians and Epicureans.

Jbttcd^eti^So lightly were clergy and divine worfliip efteemed fome' time after the Reformation, tb^tin Mr Cummiog's days, the laft £piico- jpalian niAiller in this paxjih, there was no linger of Pfalms in church but the Icturgac, as they called the preeentor, and one 'i ait*' gardener in BraaL Thb Tail fung lb loud, and with foch a large open moatfa, tfkat a young lellow, of the name of Iverach, was tempted to throw a finaU round ftone into his fliouth« whereby his teeth were broke, and hif finging ftopped at once, and he hhnfelf almoft choakcd. Iverach imme- diately took tQ bis heels; the ffrvice was converted to laughter ; two ot

Taii'f

Vol. XIX. G

50 Statijiical Account

Civil Amiqmtiit.'^^tTt Braal dauns the firft place. It is tnilj a beautiful aad princely place, aud may with gccat propriety be called the Paradife of Caithneis. Indeed^ it would make a figure in any northern county, were it duly improved, for which it i» a moft excellent (ubjeft in this corner of the world. Though very little improvements have been made upon it, in comparifon of what it deicrves» yet of old it was a capital feat of the Harolds Earls of Caithneb. The fabric, which is called the Caftie or Tower of Braal, ftands on an eminence, at a fmall diftance from the river of Thurfo. It is completely fqoare, of a ▼cry large area, wonderfully thick in the walk, which axe partly built with clay, partly with clay and mortar mixed, and in feme parts with mortar altogether. The ftairs and conveyances to the feveral ftories are through the heart of the walls. Thefe ftories were all of them floored and vaulted with ftones prodigioufly large, as are indeed moft of the ftones of the whde fabric. A great part of it ftill remains, is as plumb and firm as^ever, and feems, from its firufture, to have been very high and (lately ; and what ib ftrange, the higheft ftones feem to be larger than thofe be- low*. It furely coft imraenfe labour to get fome of them up to foch a height, efpecially in thofe days, when it is te be fuppofed, they had no proper machinery for the purpofe. The plummet and rule were furely well applied in the pro^ greis of the work, but there is not the leaft impreffion of block or chiflel, which (hews the gceat antiquity of it. It was manifeftly a place of ftrength, as well as of habitatioow

A

TBit*s foDs «Wed and oYttpook him, and the fcene was cloTcd with » moft defperate fight. This Tait was the progenitor of the Taiu in this country, and by his hand was planted a very large aih tree in Biaal, whicl^ fell feveral years ago, and there remains, as the fallen monarch of the wood, «nd as a proof how his famil)si wonld thrive there* if taken oure^of.

if Halkirk. 51

A deep, large, well contrived ditch fecures it on the north; and I have reafon to believe, that it was continued dowA to the river, which fecures it on that quarter. It has the appearance of being fortified aUb with other outworks, fudi as walls, moats, lie. which have been all demoliflied, when the gardens about it were firft planned or enlarged. It is not known bj whom, or when it was built, though it is the current report, that it was built and inhabited by the Harolds, who came over here from Denmark, but more immediately from Orkney, where they bore a princely fway, ^ well as here. But very ancient as this fabric cer^-, tamly is, there is the remains of another very near it, to the fbath, that feems to excel it far in antiquity, and to have been not inferior to it in ftrength. Nothing of it re- niaiiis, but a huge unfhapely cairn of ftones, which yet in* dicate it to have been once a very large and ftrong faftnefi. I fuiped that below it are fubt^raneous vaults and com« munications to other works, neceflary for defence and feco* rity in thofe days of violence and confiant invafion.

But the beauty of the whole are the remains of a much more modem building, which was extremely well begun, but never finiflied. It (lands clofe to the bank of the river, below the fiibrics above mentioned. The defign is cer« tainly grand and magnificent, and worthy of its princely fitc ; and had it been finiflied, it would, in all appearance, have been one of the fineft, and moft (lately, and commo- dioos edifices in the north, according to the ftyle of thob times. The work was carried on a few feet above the vaults, which were completely fini(hed, and are indica- tions of the greatne(8, majefty, and elegance of what was to (be above them. There, unluckily, the building was flopped, and never was refumed or attempted after- wards, though what was done already was a very great temptation to it.

Though

59 Stati/Hcai Account

Though there was aboBdanoe of ftones read j at hand, ex- cellently calculated for building on any plan, yet to fait the grandeur and elegance of the defign, vaft nambcra of large freeftone were brought from the fliore, at the diftanoe of 8 miles. This carriage was attended with gct9% labour and expence, and occafioned the death of feveral men and borfes -, and this is very credible, becaufe at that tiino tbcro were no roads ; and if there were, yet there were no carts then in ufe, but the tenants behoved to carry them in loads on the backs of horfes. In (hort, all things put together^ fpeedily efiefied a total mifcarriage -of the nndertakiiifv and the faikire of funds, and left this piece of worH «s « Sanding monument of the undertaker^ great fpirit, but of his great folly alfo. It was begun by John Sinclair, one of the Earls of Gaithneft, diftinguifhed by the mock appd- lation of yobu tie IVaJlir^ but in what year is not knowp.

The gardens of Braal ihould not here be omitted. They have the appearance of antiquity alfo. They are very large, very plea&nt and beautifult divided according to thp variety and tafte required in horticulture, efpectally in this country, furrounded with trees, nvirferies, pjantatioos of wood, all of them at prefent in a thriving date. Yctj confiderable improvements have been, and ftill are made upon it by the Ulbfter family, the proprietors, but &r ihoit of what they might have been, and what fo good a 6ibje& deferves. I have it from undoubted authority, that about 100 years ago thefe gardens produoed a great deal of friut« though of late years that produce has been but trifling. Bq» fore I clofe this article, I ihould obferve, that the fineft and earlieft falmon in the kingdom, and in great ifumbers, could be fifhed every feafon of the year, dofe^to thefe garden^ which would be a gre^t convenience to any family refiding the?c.

qf HdUdrk. 53

DnriStf fb^ilr.— The next piece of ultiqiutj worth j. of

iwtioe is Dirlet Caftle. It ftands in a vcxj beautiful ro-

laandc place in the Highlands, called Dirlet, on a round

high f ock, very fteep, almoft perpendicular on all fides.

TIk rock and cafile hang over a very deep dark pool, in

tbe river Thurfo, which runs dole by its fide. On each

fide of the river and the caftle, and very near them, are

two other rocks much higher, looking down over the cafile,

with a fiately and lowring majefty, and fencing it on thefe

fides. By appearance, as well as by accounts, it was a

pjaoe of ftrength in the days of rapine and plunder. For

further iecurity it had the river on one hand, and a dit^h

on the other, through which the water was convejre^, with

a draw-bridge. The laft inhabitant was a defcendent of

the noble &mily of Sutherland. He was called in £ife

%h^ Ruiler Dirgf that is, the Red Knight. Having been

denoonced a rebel for his oppreifive and violent pradtces,

he was apprehended by Mackay of Farr, his own unde^

and died on his way to Edinburgh, fbrne fay to Stirling, to

be tried for his life. Mackay took pofieffion of bis eftate,

which confifted of the lands called the Ten penny land of

Braygald, a very fine and lucrative eftate, and his fucceflbrs

mjoyed it fior a coofiderable time. Whether Mackay got

thefe lands as a reward for his loyalty, and the fervices he

did his King and cpuntry by this afiion, or by what other

means, I cannot bj. Neither can I &y at what period of

%\m% thb Ruder Derg lived. His name and title, by aU

accounts, was Sir William Sutherland of Braygald, that is,

of the Height of Caithnels, This eftate has been for many

yean in the poffeffion of the family of Ulbfier, who acqui*

red itirom the Msck^ys.

Locbmore Cqftle^-^The next in courfe is Lochmore caftle, about 8 miles above Dirlet. It fiood juft on the bank of

lie

54 Staiiftical Account

tfbeiocht htngiag ovti the firft csmiit bf die river oot of !(•• In that plsoe the river is vcrj murrow, and ▼ecy.deef^ Mid whhal very corrnit. It is fiud, hj repoft, to bmm keen binlt and inhabited b^ a perfoaage called Mwnrar^ mm Steam % that is, Lord of the Game or Venifoo, becaofe he delighted in thefe rural fports. It u (aid alfo, that there was a cheii, or feme kind of nsachinei fixed in the mooth of the Areaaiy below the cafile, fbr catching iafauoo in tboir aogreia into the loch, or.cheir egreis oat of it y and diat, im- ncdiatelj as the fifli was entsngkd in the machine, the capture was annonnced to the wh<de family by the ringiag of a.'bell, which the motion and ftroggles of the fifh fet a« going, Iqr means of a fine cord, that was fixed atone end to the bell, in the middle of an upper room, and at die «tfaer end to the machine in the dream bdow. This is by no means improbable ; for in thefe days, when the Aloaon were more plenty than they are now, and had a freeoomft, Jhat ftream and that loch mod have been fwarming wiA 4hat fiih ; and it would be fo ftill, had not our modem in- "veations prevented it.

This Morrar, na Shean, according to report, was very onxious and impatient to have a (on to inhefit hb eftates and honours i but he had only 3 daughters fucceffively, nt which he was fo difappointed and enraged, that he maU treated the modier wad the daughters ; |and the mother, dreading more and more her huiband's dtfpleafure and ill nfiige of herfelf and the in&nts, detached them pti- ▼ately to a place where, without his knowledge, they were feai«d up into very beautifol and aiocomx>liflied young la- dies, all along amafing the barbarian hufband and parent with the laudable pretext that they were dead. Morrar^ na 3 Sheao,

O Tbere U ccafim to btliere tlist hu nssK wss Chejat.

^ ffaikirk. 55

SheHiy at laft defpairiag of baving any more childreoy antf fflakmg a vaft regret that he had no child at aH, his lad/ availed herfelf of the favonraUo opportumtyi prefents htm with his 3 daagfaters, and thereby converts his rage andt difioontentment into a tranfjport of joy and furprife. The happy (bare difiurmed htm of his terrors ; the charoM of hia dao^ters ia&Cffd a complacency through his whole firam«« ' The interview is a fcene oi love, heightened by a happy* matml difappointment ; and he thanks God, that his eftatca woold not be under the belt of one man, as he called it. They are foon difpofed of in marriage ; the eldeft to a Sio^ clair from the Orkneys, the fecond to a Keith, and the laff to one of another name, but of fome rank.

This ftory is wild and romantic, but it is by no means irrecoorileable to the* favage notions and barbarous u&gesl of theie ifark and fuperftitious times. It may not be alto« gether accmiiing to the original fiift, but is exaftly the cur-< rent tradition of the neighbourhood. It may be too much exaggerated by the embelliihmeirts of £incy ; yet, 1 nm perfnaded, it is founded on fome event of this nature that has taken place in thefe times, otherwife it would not have been (o currently and fo facredly tranfnritted from age tc^ age by oral tradition. Who this Morrar, na Shean was, I cannot find ; but I fufped that he was one of the Harolds, who had one of his feats at Braal, and retired occaiiondlj to his hunting- feat at Lochmore for his amnfement ; for this reafon he was called hy the mock name of Morrar, na^ Shean, i. e. Lord of the Venifon or Game, becaufe beloved the one for his table and palate, and the ocher for his fport and amufeooent. It cannot be expeded that I cah afcer^ run the era when this wonderful ftory happened, though I doubt not, had I accefs to the archives of the old families in the country, but I might trace it out, at leafl by way of

indiidion.

$S Statifikdl Act^unt

ftidadioa. Suffice it» tbat it has the appearance of a ^«ry old ftorjy and tbat it is^ very probable that theie marriages pve the Siodairs and the Keiths, who came over here more immediatelj from the Orkneysi the firft footing in Caithneis, where, in a Ihort time, thej grew b great and powerful ; and to make this fiill the more probable^, there was a Keith a viceroy, if I recoUefi, in the Orkneys, under the Daai(h monarchy, before any of that name, and per* haps of the name of Sinclair, had a footing in this cooncry. Next prefents idklf the awfiil remains of a very large &bric, at a phice called Achnavam, near the loch of Ca» theL It was certainly a building of great ftrength ; and feems to have been the habitation of heroes, who delighted ^ in hardy deeds of arms," and who^ therefore, were in danger, night and day, of being furprified on all hands by enemies of the lame kidney. It was fortified by feveral outworks, the remains of which ftrike the beholder with a len&tion of terror ( for they bring to hb Hwrr the violent and bloody icenes that have been there adrd, together with the dreadful, precarious, and hoftile ftate of thefe times. By whom or when it was built, or by whom inhabited, I cannot find ; but only that current report lays, that it was inhabited by a Danilh prince. This is by no means in* credible, efpeciaUy when it b confidered, that in thofe days thb country was perpetually infefied with noble adventu- rers from that kingdom, who pofltfled themielves, by force, of the property of the natives, and kept it afterwards by the lame hofiile and violent means by which they feized * It, till at length they became as naturalized and fecure as the natives themfelves.

There are other remains of antiquity almoft innumerable* Indeed, I know not any parifli that abounds with more* What were the particular defign or occafion of them I can*

not

^ Halkirki 57

sot predlelj faj, neither can I well find. Bat the/ fliew, in general, that this country was once a theatre of iniquity, Uoodihed, and vioknce ; natives opprefling and plundering natives, and foreign rapacious adventurers making a prey of them all. There is not one of thefe antiquities that has the leaft appearance of being the habitation of peace and iecurity. Surely they coft immenfe labour and expence in bnilding and defending them, and the people could not be weak or few in thofe days. For the manifeft defign of them required a great number of hands, and ftrong ones too» to accompliih it ; but how they were fupported and maintained, when the moft of their time and labour rouft have been ingrofied by thefe machinations ofieniive andde« fenfive, b a myftery which I cannot pretend to folve : for in {bcfa^aftate of afiairs, though a great number of people and great expence was neceflarily required for theie purpo- fes, yet very few hands, and very little time and indufiry could be fpared for the purpofes of life ; and furely, when they fooj^ & well, and fo frequently in thofe days, thej mud have eat and ^funk well alfo ; but how or whence they got thefe neceflary fupplies is, at this diftance of time, hard to account for ; for the people then, as i^pears by the mottiimenta they left behind themt lived more by plunder and rapine, than by induftry and cultivating the field. It is true, indeed, fiihing and hunting, and the beafis of pa^ flnre, would fiimiih a confiderable fupply, as there was better same and fiihing, and more cattle^ and p^fture than are now. It is tme alfo, that the foreign adventurers of the north would bring fome money and, provifions along with them. After all, it is dill a myftery, and fo I leave iu

Yet fo it is, that the people were then numerous, and very roboft, and well fupported, otherwife they could not carry 00 and atchieve what they did. Their houfes, or

VouXIX. H rather

58 StatiJUcal Account

rather fiiftnefles, feem all of them to have been compktelj circular from bottom, to top, prodigioafly thick in the widb, biult with the largeft fiones thej could get, without say timber at all. Many of them were bnilt on emioenccsy many on plains and low places, according as heft fmted the defign, and many furroonded with ditches or ramparts, with outpolls or redoubts, in a degree lefs or more. Tliey are here called indifcriminately, as is commonly the cafe^ Pidifii Houfes, Dniidical Temples, Repofitories of the Dead, Cairns, Toulichs. No doubt, they had jdaoes and honfes for all thefe purpofes, befides their ftitmg holds and places of (Irength ; yet fecnrity and ftrength b the cfaarac- teriftic of all their honfes of what kind foever. Thole ef them that were on the greatefi eminences weve erkfently defigned for watch-towers, whereby any alarm of danger, or approach of an enemy, was, t}uick as lightning, anneon- oed to the whole comtry, by the rapid communication of light from one watch-tower to Mother, and all thefe were lb Rationed, as moft admirably to accommodate one ano- ther, and confequently the whole country, to tfie remoteft comers, as may be feen by any fpedator who compares them, their fituations, and diflances to one another. This admirable contrivajice was neceflary to a eonotry expofcd to much as this was to the freqaent invafion of the Danes, and the inroads and incurfions of their neighbours.

With regard to their dwelling-hottfes, I cannot pals ofcr ^ne or twa things I obfer^ed more than once v the finoie ii alio obfervable in what remains of their ftroog towers \ thefe were oblong open flits, at certain diftances, all round in the walls -, before each of thefe flits or windows was a kdgment, of the dimeniions of % fmall bed. Thefe- lodg- ments are in the ftalr, which mounts fpirally through the heart of the wall from bottom to. top.. The defigii of this

of Halkirk.^ 59

15 evtdeat. Fuithort I bavf^ ieen in them nnmben of fmall

nxmd hmsd ft€iiC8» io the fowm of a ver j flat or oblate

fpbem, of at inches thick tn the centrcp aad about 4 inches

in diameter. • I have alfa feea other round ftooesj. perfedlj

circobr^ ^txf plaii| and Iqyel on. one fide»,with a fo^all rife.

at the cirCiMn{0rt|i6ii« fad f b$>ii^ « foot in diameter. Now»

I think the intention T>f both thefe kinds of ftpaes is mani-

feft. It was cefta^nlj to br^ak and grind their grain, as

thej bad 90 miU» of machines for that purpofe. This they

iidv b J breaking the grain on the larger done,: with the

InaU tound pblate ftone in thehr band.

Befides tbefe 'buildingii of ilqne, ieveral of which were

prodigiocist thcare are in vafioi^ parts of the parilb ditches

or intrcndiiiieots no leis aftoniAiing» edged on the outfide^

or cypofite parapeti with larg^ mounds of earth and fione^

sad iadofiog a-d^p hollow in the ceatie. Thefe were cer-

tainlj eneampVientSi in which they fortified and intrenched

themfelr^ in the tin>e of ejtcounter, or when they took

the field for 43iud engi^meoL Pitched battles have

bfdy been fipiigbc in theft places -^ and the remains of

floQcs that have b^n ere£Ud Aear, and at ieveral diilances,

from tbefe imrenchments, were defigned as memorials of

perfiMis of note^ who have fallen either in clofe battle, or

in the retreat or purfuit. But what tbefe battles were, at

^bat timcv and by whom they were fought, or who were

the eminent perfons who £sU| and for whom thefe memo*

riab were ereded, I believe is not to be found. By the

bye, I have no doubt but ibme of thefe ftoaes would be

erefiod in order to defend a &w perfons from the miflile

weapons of the enemy, and .to give them the advantage of

dilouffing their own miifile weapons at them with the

greater fuccels and fe^urity, on what fide foever of the ftone

they made their approach. ^

Uttrary

6o Stattftical Account

' littrary CbaraSer. — ^I have no accosnt of but one Kcc- rarjr charafter, the Rev. Mr Daniel Campbell, foo to a far-» mer, commonly called Padric Bujr, that is, YeBow Peter, who was an Earfe poet, as well as hit fon, who compo- fed, however,' both in Earfe and Englilh. This Daniel was, and is (till called by the old people in this parifli, patronimicanj, Dooil Bay, that is. Yellow Donald. He was minifter of Kilmichael of Glafietie in Afgyleihire, in 1698, as a fragment of one of his booki informs me, which I have now in my hands. How long he was in that parifli before the piiUication of this book I can* not fay. By ail accounts he was a man of literatnre, very pioos, devout, and fenfible, and withal very gene- roas and charitable, very popular, much efteemed, aod eminently ufefiil. He was, in his day, an able member, and diftioguilhed charader of the charch, being^alfo an ex- cellent orator. Thb fragment, which is all I have iieen of hid works, is of a book entitled, Sacramental Meditations on the Suflerings and Death of Ghrift. Alpimof rattooal piety and good fenfe breathes through the whole perform- ance, and it is reckoned a trieafure by all the piotts here who happen to fall upon it. It was dedicat*ed to tiie Dot- chefs of Argyle. He wrote and pnblilhed more eflays in profe and verfe. Befides, he was a principal hand in tranf- lating the P&lms of David into Iriih verie, to be long in the church, and fupplied his friends in this country with copies of the firft impreffioii. He was very generoofly mindful of hb friends and relations, efpecially in this ps- riOi ; for feverals of them being reduced in their cticom- ftaoces, by the failure of crops, in confeqoeoce of a very fevere froft early in harveft, he fcnt them frequent fuppliea of money from Argyleihire, particularly, two ftmilies in ^ufaGlale, a placp in the height of this pariihi who were en-

tircly

of Halkirk. 6i

wciyfiipported by his munificence. In what pjuticnhr year (his froft happened I cannot iay i but it was a memorable year, and fiital to many. That it happened in hisb own aad his fisher's day, appears not only from the circumftance above mentioned, but alfo from a paragraph of a letter tbcn wrote by the father to the fon: — ** AUdinues here is^ " iai di doks got ^er try on Paul Hacriig^ on £ tird of ** Augtr i. e. •* Aathe mws iere is,tiat tbedqgigot over " dry on tig Pool o/Halkirkr The particular day of the week on which it happened was Sunday ; and that it was peculiarly fatal to Padnc Buy, appears from the following poem he made on the occafion:

Koodh ud*haQic» ar Diadonich, Ghour, a brone, as moQlUrd orm < ChoUa a miibe, bhoay wnX, Snichibbc mor» cbo buirras tetmbc

God* cbuirin cear, tiTf do bhotlidh.

Cbcart, o croay, 'fa barridh, dbatdb,

Noatr, a fcoabidb leamhe, alaar

Cho dbeaoidb, a tradb, doa* bbftiffehiB. ^

In Engliih :-—

Tbe Sabbath of the Iktal froft Did ae great pain and fiurow coft. It checkM me £■ my drink career* For tittle cafli had I to fpare.

Though to the flatl Unx «eo apply, And oa (heflieaf with veageance lay. The flooTi at night, fwept clean and well, Can fcarce produce a fcanty meat

Lm^/r^r.— This countyi being of old inhabited by a mixture of people of different languages and ufiiges, I be- lieve more fo than any other county in Scotland, the ori-*

gin

62^ StadfikMl Jicwunt

ffm of kvtni enflomt; whkh ban prevtiM for ft long' tiiM afterwardt, and faoia 9t wbicb do fttll pnvaflt is ta be traced Co that p^od. From this intaf muitnre (fting nany words in their languaga, efpccially words ezpraflii^e of lb* »ame9 of perbas, of plaoei, of Tefloii» and Taricoa- vteafib and tAftrumoms, V^. But a very ooofidoraUe part of tbia iatemiixtttra being Uaoo aod Norvtgiam, as thafe were, by all aoco«nts» faperior in powtr and poflfef- fioa, fo their language and urages would be tba moft pre* Talent aUb ; and among the other eiefb ol ibia prevalaoce, wara the names whidi were given to places, asaoy of whic:ii are manifeftlj of Danilb oripn. This eireumflance, toge- ther with tlie variations they have necelTarily undergone in the different flages of time fince that period, render it almoft impoflible to afcertain, or trace out their real mean- ing at this diflance of time.

At prefent there are two languages fpoken in this parilh, vi». the EarCe and the Engli^i. The former is much cor* rupted, but yet fpoken with great fluency and emphafia, and not without harmony of (bund. The latter has alfo many words, which are neither Englifii nor Scotch, yet, ac- cording to its idiom, it is fpoken with great propriety, aod the fentiments are ezpraifed by it, either in narration or delcrip^oh, as intelligibly and fignifioantly, as in any coun- ty in Q'eat Britain, nay, I dare fay, more fo than in moft of them. :Thele languages are fpoken in various degrees. Some fpeak only the Earfe, but do not fpeakor underftand the Englifh ; fome underftand the Englifti, but do not fpeak ic; fome* fpeak the Englifti, but do not fpeak or un- derifamd the Earfe -, fome underftand the Earfe, but do not lpeak4^K^4^ ^^^gi'^A^cft'OpQib^f fpeak and underftand both the& t*lf*^uages equally well. / Tjiis y their ftate with regard to iaoguagp ; but o£ late 7!^%. th$ Englifti is ma^ king great prbgrefs at the ezpence of the Earfe.

Farms^

of Hatktrk. «3

Farms — ^Hic farms in this parifli are of great variety With refped to rent or taek-d'uty, afrtndlng through vari- ous degrees, from L. 2 to L. ibo, Thofe of them that fall under the defcripdbn of too kfge tacks or farms, are cer- tainly a great bane to ioduftryand population, and the ne- ceflary caufes of many inconviefiiencies to fnbtenants ; and it is equally certain, that the advantages arifing from them either to the tackfman or the proprietor, are imaginary and delufive, and terminate in the prejudice of the intereft of both. But how happens this ? Why, the tackfman, who is not able to labonr but a very fmall part of the tack him- felf, and founds his credit and fupport on what he can make of the fubte nants, this tackfman, in order to keep credit iPrith the proprietor, and to fiipport his family, im- pofes, and perhaps of neceffity, heavy burdens on the fob- tenants, by which they are in the end difabled to keep credit with this tackfman. 'Hie proprietor, by the; rent he eza£b from the tackfman, will reduce him in the end to bankruptcy, if he has no other (hift; and if he fltould have fuch fliifts, it is odds but he moft pay for thefe alfo» as ibon as they are perceived. Thus, the great evil origi- nates with the proprietor, though perhaps undefignedly. Tet I will not Hand forth in the vindication of thefe large tackfmen. They therofelves af e much to blame, either by taking tacks, which oblige them to diftrefs others and thcmfelves; or, if they hold their tacks on reafonable terms, by opprefling their fubtenonts, not from motives of neceffity, but from motives of gain, and to make them* fdves eafy at their expence.

And, as too large farms are great evils, for the reafons above iiated, fo, on the other hand, too fmall ones ^re no lels fo, for other reafons no lefs important. They are too inadet}uate to the butdezi they have to fupport, even when

they

^4 Siatyiical Account

A€j «re held on retfonabk terms ; but bow Much moc« Co when the cafe is often otberwife. What is this burden ? Vfhjf theie tacks fubjeA their poOeflbrs to £everal iervi- indes, which ooght ncccflarily to be beftowed on their &- milies and farms i to ezpenoes in hbouringf too difpropor- cionate to the profits thej can ezpe£L They have rents to paji a familj and iervants to fupport, a horfe, an oz, and cow to buj, any of which may be more than the rent ^ and oftentimes their fmall crops are Yery much curtailed by the rapacious hand of the millert who has every power and opportunity in his hands to treat them without mercy* N0W9 the& are things which too imail a farm cannot bear, even though the tenant held it otherwife on reafonable terms. They are, at beft, but a deifeitfiil kind of wretched- neisy amufing them with gilded and fallacious hopes, which reconcile them to their prefent ftate, but fednce them into complete ruin at laft. The meaneft fervant of fuch a te- nant reaps much more from his tack than he does him£el£.

Another great evil ariiingfrom^thefe too imall farms IS, that they are a flrong temptation to tradelmen to take them, whenever they have made a few pence by their trade, in which they were profperous before they became tenants ; now, being entrapped into a farm, their families and their trade ru(h into ruin at once. By this means a good and ufefiil tradefman is loft to the public, or rather becomes a burden to it.

There is, further, another evil accompanying thefe too Imall tacks ; they entice many from the fervice to become tenants, who could have lived more comfortably and nfe- fully in their former ftate. This is one great reafon why fervants are fo dear, and fo difficult to be got by the far- mer, or if he gets them, that they are fo uointerefied and careleis in his fervice. From the moihent they engage io 3 the

of Halkirk. w 65

the fcrvice, the .only objeft that occupies. their ittcntion \% to gather a few penc^, to enable them to marry^ and take one of thcfefmall farms. X^us they are impatient of the fcr- Tice, and make.it only a Job of very lecondary .confidera« ti on while they ate in it. Hence it is, that they leave the fqr- vice without any great ftpck or chara£ler, and redpce them- ftlves to mifery at lad ; whereas, if they had not the temp- tation of thefe fmaU tacks before them, neceflit^ and felf- intetcft would compel (hem to make a chan^der in the fer- vice, becaufe, in this cafe, their .future profpeAs woi|14 en- tirely depend upon it, having ooimB^diate profped of being able to take a farm* v^hich would require a great- er flock .than fervants ufu^Hy can afford. Thus, the pa- ciih woqld,be.)>etter accommodated in fervants; and th€ (crvants, on the other band, wpuld live more comfortably* This is by no ineans mi^ai^t to limit or circumfcribe the cbaoces.cf ietrants* JNxj; on the contrary, it is their true iotecffi and, welfare I aim at. Tjwne M jtt anotl^er gqevaiipe occurs to me, and qf

wbichvtl^efetopJmaU tasK?> ^f ^^ occaSon. Thjc conti« oaal.aec^lfities of iheir^pofSe^prs put. them on ihifts for pre« ient fi^lief, yihifh ^ome upi9n thcim with vei^geapce at laft* The]r;(peiid,ajgce4t;p^ of fiwimer and bacveft in carry* i^gjeacs anfi b^athfntp Thntfo, which wot^ld have bee^l moR luTefi^tly .ao^ ^pco^ably [bcAowed on the neceiTary putpofes qf ^e &rm. |Bad3th\s.time an^ labour they fub« | trad £rom .the farvn |>een Jn any tolerable d^ee compeo« latedjhj their j^rofits.tn tbis bufinefi of carriage, ^there would be lefs to fay. Biittbis is,not the cafe ; for the va« loe they get for their time and labour is very inconfider* able ; mi tflMimakea it more (b is, that a great part, if aot the f«bQle«of it, js ;lpie0t .qlidcl^Iy before they rttom i ^ (heir.boriesi which are aigreat part of their (look, are . both jaded and rflai^ved* JHad fbeybetn near the town» VcL. XIX. I and

66 Statijlical Account

and provided in carts, it would have made this bufiaefs more tolerable and profitable ; bat» on the contrary, they carry them the diftance of 9 or lo miles, and in bad roads, and on their horfes backs \ and fix horfes will not carrjr what one cart would hold, and one horfe would carry in that cart with eafe ; mere neceflity is the caufe of this wretched bufinels.

From the fame caufe it b alfo, that numbers of thele fmall tenants fell, early of the year^ and at a low price, the vi&ual that Ihould go to fupport their families, and paj the matter. By this means, in order to filence the clamo- rous dun of their creditors, who^ no doubt, may avail tfaen^- felves of their neceflity, little remains for the rent and the family ; and if it ihould fo happeu that they pay the rent, yet they are, at the long run, reduced to the neceflity ol buying vidual at a dearer rate than they fold ; and if they have no money or credit, a9 for the moil part they have not, the mailer mud interpofe with hb purfe or hb vidnal, or they mufl ftarve. Very ofton they make whilky of their beer, with a pretence to make money for the rent. By this bufinels, whatever profit the ^ftiller may have, I am fure they can have none, but rather lofs, confidering the time fpent, the duty paid, the whiiky drunk, the pot hire, as they call it, and the want of the draff and burnt ale, which go to the difiiller. Now, from what I have iaid about farms, it b not to be underftood that I allude to the pofitive deamefe of tacks. No ; I all along alude to their relative deamefi, or as they fiand with refped to the prefent date of things in the pariflu.

Sirvicis. — ^I have mentioned fervices more than once as a grievance. They are fo, and ought to be abolifhed, if for no other reafon, yet for thb great one, vns. that the te- nant might have all hb time and laboor for the purpofe»

of

of Halkirk, 67

of lus fioin and credit. Thefe will necefTarily require the whole of his induftry and time, though none of them were befiowed to ferre the purpofes of the landlord. Here it may be laid^ that thefe fervices are abundantly compen- iated by the eafy terms on which they hold their tacks. This is mere deldion ; for fcarcely will aAy confideration of thb kind, were it tmci coropenfate the negle6k of their own neceflary afiairs at home. Befides, on the fuppo^ fition that they have value in their tacks for thefe fervices, yet, being always in pinching circumftances, it is with the greateft relu&ance they perform them. Becaufe they are not animated with a prefent meal for their hungry paunch, * and with the profpefi of payment at night to carry it home to a craving family, they confider the whole as loft time and labour ; therefore they perform the fervice but very heavily and indifferently, and are well pleafed how little the work is if the night is come. This being the cafe, what they do is far fiiort of the work of a day-labourer, who ex- pefis his hire at night to refireOi and enliven himfelf and £imily on his return. Thus the matter's work goes on but 'flowly and ilightly, and their own work at home ne- gleded.

ilfi]2&.—- Mills are, in fome parts at leaft of the parifh, a very great and {hameful grievance. The proprietor, for an advance of rent, is tempted to give a leafe of the £atrm and mill upon it, without any reftriftions. The tackfman, thinking he pays too dear, falls on ihifts to make reprifals. He fubfets the mill to under millers, at a rate which they are not able to anfwer. The millers, that they may keep credit, of necei&ty opprefi the fuckeners. The fucken- ers complain to the laird, or his fador. They get no hearing or redreis. They return home, lamenting their £ae« The millers redouble their oppreiHon. The fucken« I ers

68 Statijlkat Account

crt £0 in hamt)1e proftratioa before the rnafter miller^ and

prefent their petition to his majeftjr. His intereft' H too

lUBcb concerned | he knows the millers cannot pay lirm,

unleis tbej are verj fevere \ tie tnrns his back, bids the di-

firefled fnppliants good day ; he has nothing to do with

the mill ; it is fubfet \ let them agree with the mill'en.

Thus they all fin by proxy, and the poor fuckener is the

lacrifice. Thus the proprietoff and tenant pay dearly for

this additional rent, for more reafons than one, whicfi are

too obvious to be mentioned. However, it is not amiis to

produce an inftance. There b a tack in my neighbour-*

hood, the rent of which is L. 46. It is as much a grais ^s

^ corn tack. This tack pays the mill, according to the

prefent price of vi&ual, L. 8, los. which is very near x-

5th of the rent \ and yet the miller is not (atisfied. Kot

many years ago, the multure, Uc. paid out of this farm

was not near one half of what it is now, neither was the

produce of it lels, however more.

CBftcltifion^ — ^Now all thefe evils, and many more, might

be removed, and many great advantages introduced, if the

prefent ftate of things were modified, or in fome meafure

altered. This, I think, might be eafily eifeded ; and the

pariih is a moft excellent fubjed for it. I need not

point out the means whereby this defirable end would

moft likely be brought about. They are obvious to

common obfervation. If the heritors had attended more

to their own true intereft, and confidered that of their

tenants as. their own, for they are infepamble ; if they

had done this, it would naturally and neceftarily lead

them into this meliorating, plan \ but the difficulty is to

perfuade them that the adoption of fuch a plan would be

their intereft. The temptation of prefent gain makes

rtcna Wind to what wpuld enlarge their future profpeds,

«q4

and be foetbfiMftiilg^ ^th. doable vdlXjoA ta^ their advan« tage. BqC what.it diisplaii'? Let theia duly coi^der. the prefent ftate of thipg^ anddt will fogged the plan ta themi The malady will point out the i^medj, if they dMiffe C6 embrace and appTj it. Without entering dee^ into this affiify which I leave to tbemfelves and more abk hiandsi I would Beg^^kvvetKi fuggeft- to them in- geiii^- the ne« ceffity and great advantage of exciting a ipirir ei induflijr, fragalit J9 and emulation among their tenants, by due en*- couragement and §pod ezampte, of potting their traffick and commerce into a. better channel ; o£ introdooiiigr into the part(h feme- Brandies of efsMe- aM< m«raf«6mvi of which it is capat>Ie ; of animating them vtritK. the com- fortable profpefi. of enjoying the fruit of their labours; and* finaliyi ^uid aibove aU, of oheriihii^. and cuitiirating^ their principles, both moral and religioos. Tlnl weuM-y in a fliort time, briiig aBdut better crops, and a greater variety of them; more particularly, it would introduce the raifing of flax, for which this parifh is well calculated. It would Airther enlarge their commerce and credit, would fornifli a more ready market, which they ofteii want; and torn the balance of trade, which at prefent is againft them in feveral articles, to be in their favour. Finally, it would make cidtivation lefi expenfive, and' more efieAod;, efpeoially io the articles of fervanta and) labouring cattle, which aM juft now a burden ; for near ooe half of both would ferve all the purpofes of the] &nner^ if they were of a better kind, and properly guided*. We ihall conclude with the following

Simifiica/

y Statyikal Auount

SiaHJUcal TaUi o/iie Pmi/b cfHaOiri.

Length in £nf liih milei* 24 Number of aamaffric

Breadth, 9 - above 45, - 44%

Fopnlatimi m t7S5> - VnS widowtn, - 4*

■ ■ in X79»» - 3i«o ■ widowi, 8f

Increale» - - 105 — — membere of tbc E-

Avenge of births Ibrfefcral ftabliihed Ghnrch, - 51 <•

yeara precediiif 1791, %$ P^oprictora rcfiJiog. 3

-—of marriages ditto, %% ■■' non^rclid. 3

Number of males, - 1650 £Aabli(hed clergyoMii, - i

— -*— fcmalei, - 1530 Mtffionary. - . . j

■ perfins voder s Number of fchoolmaften, - % years of age, • $51 Innkeeper, ... x

» betwteu 10 & to, 685 Number of tradefinen, - 73

— — — between ao Ic 50, 986 ■ day-labourers, 50

■ between 50 & 70, 481 ■ men-ferrants, 308 — - — between 70 8b 80, 55 ■ women-iervantab 3ar

- between 80 8b 90, ao ■ poor, • x5o

aao

• bachelors, or on. ploughs, 311

married men above io»

▼alued rent, in Sootch-money, - - - - L. 3314 7 Real rent, in Staling, ann% 1791, .... aaoo

o

STOCK.

Number of borfin^ - 1650 Number of goats, - 130

•""- cattle, • 4963 ■■ - fwine, - 190

• Iheep, . 9890 ■■ ploughing oieuy 194

ANNUAL SAL1E. A^-rage export of grain, - . . x8oo bolls.

A-aagefltleofcattle, .... 1000 head.

NUM.

43f Falkirk. yi

NUMBER IL

PARISH OF FALKIRK,

(CoTOTT OF Stirling, Stnod. of Lothian axd Twseq-

BALE, Pr£8BTTKRT OF LlNLITHaOW),

By Jamcs Wilson, M. A. MiniJlir»fibiPar0t,

BoundatieSf and general Befcripiion.

THE plrifli of Falkirk is between 7 and 8 miles in length from £• to W. and in fome parts more dian 4 miles in breadth. It is bounded on the E. bj the frith of Forth and the parifla of Polmont; on the S. by the pa- rilhes of Polmont and Slamanaan ; on the W. by Gumber- nanld and Denny ; and on the N. by the river Carron, which feparates it from the united parifhes of Larbert and Dunipace. By the changes which the conrie of this river has undergone, a few boufes belonging to this pariih are now on the Larbert fide ; and a few, which are conneded with that parifl), are oa the Falkirk fide of the river.

FrooT

72 Suu^ical Account

From a reference to the pariflb of Falkirk, in an aAion with refpefi to the patronage of die diurch and parilh of Oldhamfiock^y in the jpreftjjtti^r 'Of Dunbar, which was depending^ in the year 1748 between the King and Mr Hay of Lawfieldy it appears that the pariflies of Denny, Slamanna^y iMoivavoofiide, jand Polmpot, conftitnted for- merly parts of the parfonage of Falkirk. The three firft of thefe parishes mod have been very early (eparated from Falkirk; bat it was not till the year 1724 thatPolmoot was formed into a -pmlh. The iminifter of iPohatmt^fs not only 4tipend'finom%is own pai^, bat aUb from thofe of Falkirk and Denny.

The efiate of Callander having been confifcated im me- diate .after\lbe«Mim^qn an j|h.ejear ^7 xj, .it w)fl fold about the year 1 720 $ and fuch tithes as were not conveyed with the eftate, were difpofed of by the commiffionets and truilees of the forfeited eftates in Scotland to Mr Hamilton of 'PiehflieftdH»dar4his exprtia ftipulation, that thry flinnld be fubjeft to the llipend of a minifler for the new pariih, which was to be taken off the parilh of Falkirk. This cir* cumftance explains by what means it happened that (Upend is paid both, out tif^li^ta IWfifli^ndiDlcanjr^tPlke minifler of Polmont.

Falkirk. isifitu^edion'tlHb north itaad'bfttweeorEjlinfHii^ and'Oiaigow, and it is nearly At .«n .ei|ttalrdiftan«e from both. SThe road to fiti^liog and the North {^ghlan^s alb pB^es thcQugh this towp. Falkidc was' oose denomaated JSxd^btae^ tihatis, tfaedChnrch on the Brow ; add jtbe Mme 18 tmly defctiptlve of the fitnatton, :fbr .tiiett^im ftandson an^mtnence, which has a dncUvib^ mi fivvqr :6de. Ititlbe Gacliclangoage it isxalled.an Eghis UrUfimt more com* monly.an.JS^» iirec. The ibrmer/of .Ih^e.phr4£i& ijg* nific8<tbe)Brdcien Church, which fometbMikjis not iippra* pcrly tranfiated Falkitk, that is, the:FaUen Church. Cqr-

<f Falkirk. 73

tin it IS, that tlie church of Falkirk, as it now fiandsi has aot all been buik at the fame time. In the year xx66» it -was pven * to the monailery of Holyroodhonfe bj the Biihop of St Andrew's ; and as the pariflies belonging to Ifaefe religious foundations were often not properlj attend- ed to with refpeft to religious inftruftion and accommoda^ tioo, lb it is not improbable that the church of this parifh might have been permitted to fall into ruiui and thence the name under confideration might have taken its ri£e.

jfm Eghui Mrecj the latter of the Gaelic defignations which I mentioned, fignifies the Spotted Church. To this name Buchanan, who underftood the Graelic language, gives his fupport, for in his Hiftory of Scotland he calls Falkirk, ^ Varium Sacellum/* It is fuppoled bj fome, that it got d>at defignation from the partj-ccdonred appearance of the fiones in the building*

As the wdl of Antoninus, which w9I afterwards be de- fcribed, paiTed very near the church, and where a part of the town is built, fome are of opinion, that the prefent same of this place is derived from Valium and Kirk^ which by an eafy tranfition, became Falkirk, thereby fignifying the Church upon the Wall.

The greater part of this parifh is inclofed and fubdivided, «s well as enriched by trees, villas, and gentlemens feats. The numerous fine trees which are in Callander park and its neighbourhood, together with the wood belonging to the iame place, add much to the pleafantnels of the town of Falkirk ; as it is fituated in the immediate vicinity of thefe rural and enlivening objeds. From the manfe, and other places on the north fide of the town, the profpeft is delightful, and comprehends a fertile and well- cultivated •oontry of xa or 14 miles fquare, which is bounded by the Vol. XIX. K OchU*

# Nifluno's HUbry of SiirUD£lhire» page 135.

74 Statyiical Account

Ochil-hills aod elevated litoations id the coantiei of Sht- ling, Fife^ and Linlithgow. Toward the N. W. the tops of feme of the Highland hills are to be icen, involved io clouds, and at certain frafons of the year coveted with fnow, when none of it is to be feen eliewhetx witfaia the whole compafa of onr profpe£L A part of the frith ef Forthy prefenting itlelf to view, tmd the veiTels, pafiuig oti the canal, within a mile of Falkirk^ enbanee coafi4erafal7 the beauty of the fcene.

When this proTped is involved in the darkiiefe tjt night* the flashes of light from the iron- works at Carron, appear in awful and fublime majefly. When a fall of rain or fnow is foon to happen, the light is refraded by the thick and moid atmofphere, and confiderable illuminations ap- pear in the air above the works. Thefe are feen at a coo- fiderable diflance, and great flafbes of light arc thrown into the boufes in this neighbourhood, which have windows to- ward the Carron works. Upon the eminence on the S. of Falkirk, the profpefl: not only comprehends the whcd^ view which I have dtfcribed, but alfo the fcenery about Callander houfe, to which I have already alluded ; the vef- fejs in the harbour of Grangemouth ; the mafts of thofe in that of Borrowftounnc&i the ruins of the palace of Lin- lithgow; the fteeples of that town, and thofe of Daa: fermline ; together with a variety of flriking obje6b on l>oth fides otthe frith of Forth, as well as thofe which i^- pear in other points of the profpe£(.

Population^ and E^clefiajlicat StaU^^Tht pariib of Fal- kirk contains about 8c20 inhabitants. In the town there fure 389a ; in the village of Camelon there are 568 ; in that of Briansfprd *, 758 \ in the village of Grangemouth, 410 ; und in that of Lauriefion, 838 ; in the country part of the

pariib

of Falkirk^ 75

pairiOi the inhabitants are about 1534 in namber *• Among a people fo numerous, we muft expedto find different fen- timcRts refpfffing religion, as well as about every other fubjed which comes under their confideration ; but it is no ikiafi confolation to feei that the bittemefs of ill-direded zeal is faft giving way to charity, and the natural influence of progrcffive improvements. Nothing will fland the teft of time and experience, but that which is founded on truth. Error and prejudice wHl pafs away, and it behoves us to rejoice, that amongfl the wreck of falfe or unimportant fpecnlations, virtue will remain without a blemiih, and completely fecnre. It is the effence of true religion ; it is the point where men of worth meet ; and it is the centre from which every ray of excellence proceeds. Thejarrings of interefl may, on occaiions, drflurb the calmnels of hu- man fife ; but if reafon dire£t the thoughts, and conduft the aftions, tlie eSeds on the whole muft be harmony and peace.

In the town of Falkirk, there is one chapel for the Burghers, two for the Antiburghers f , and one belonging ^ to the Relief interefl. In Lauricflown, there is a chapel for the mofl ancient Prelbytcrian Diffenters In Scotland, who are generally known by the name of Macmillanitcs. The congregoktions of thefe different meeting houfcs are

compofcd

<• Tiicaon«ali»Ufliberof birtfas^takeniipon an average from January r. 1784 to Jaouar/ 1794* is 171. Th« anoual number of mai-riages taken ia the fame manner, for the Ctme term of years, i» 62. But it appears, that the popuUcioo of the panfli is incrcaling, for the average of marrla^ci for the lal( eight yean is 7s.

^ Tbrre is a difference fubCfltng between the two congregations of Antiburgbcrt iri this town, which arofe chief!/ from the manner of fctting •part tU elcaieati io the JLord's fupper.

^6 Stati/lkal Account

compofed of people from this and other paiUhes. In di9 parifli there are a few of the Epilcopal perfuaiumi who^ have an opportonity of attending divine lenrice every £ort- night at Carron. The Roman Catholics are veiy few m number here, and have no place of worfliip in the nd^i^ bourhood*

The church of Falldrk is the only place of public wor« ihip iu this pariih for ^thoCe who belong to the religion* aftabliihment of Scotland* The building is in the form of a crols, and bt from being fuflkient for the accommoda- tion of thofe who wilh ta attend ^ but it is hoped fomeyhing will fioon be done to provide » remedy for this inconve- nience*

Before the Refoamataon, the parilkof ValkiriL belonged tathe &e of St Andrew's*. Immediately after that period, and before the Prcfbycerian mode of worlhip had aflumed its prefent fenui there were fuperintendents appointed for the differaic diftriSs of the country. Falkirk was witfaiB the bounds of Mr Spottifwood'a infpediooy who was parfon of Calder-Comitis *, and &ther of Spottifwood, who fnp« ceeded the fuperintendent in the parfonage of Calder^ was Archbifliop of Glafgow after Elpifcopacy was re-eftabliihed in Scotland^ wrote a hifiory of the Church, and, after en- joying many honours, died Axchbifliop of St Andrew's.

While he prefided over this fee, that part of the.diooefe which was fituated on the fonth fide of the frith of Forth was erefted into* a biflioprick, and caHed the fee of Edin- burgh. St Gileses was the cathedrali and the minifter of Falkirk was one of the twelve prebends. His lalary for this office was L. 80 Scotch, whick is L* 6 : 13 : 4 Sterling. A perfon of the name of Forbes was the firft Bifliop of

thi»

* Thii pariih is oow divided into two* wUch sic odled Mid ind WcAc

of Falkirk. 77

tfas diocefe* He is reprefented as having been a man of Inning and pietj, but rather Tufpefted of being a friend to Poperj. His ftadies ivere chieflj dire&ed toward anti^ qoides ; and being reclufe in his manners, he was little ac- quamted with the world. It is iaid that it was no uncoio. mon thing for him to preach five or fix boors ac a time *•

After the benefice of Falkirk was befiowed upon the lonaftery of Hotyroodhoafe, the Kving of this paxiib be- came a vicarage. The great tithes* which formerlj be- longed to the parfon, were then claimed by the religious order to which they had been given, and the niinifter of die pariih was paid with the (mall; and the parfon of Fal* kiriL ^ill receives fome finall foms of money as vicarage- does. The ft^end of this parUh coofifis at prefent of 33 boDs of barley, 64 of oat-meal, and about L. 65 : 14 : %.^ of money, together with a manfe, garden and glebe. The ffiinift^ of Falkirk alfo claims a right of getting from the efiate of CaUaader all the codb which are made ufe of by his family, without any other ezpence than that of paying fior cutting them from the flratum in the pit, and bringing tbem home« Among feveral donatioas which King Da- vid I. made to Ae monaftery of Newbottle, was that of fuel and paflnre for cattle in the wood of Callander f, and it was upon this grant, I prefume, thac the privilege under confideration was founded.

The King is patron of this church, and has the 'right of prefenting miniflers to all the pariibes of which the Earl €»£ Linlithgow and Callander was patron before he was at« tainted of high treafon. The patronage of the church of Denny appears, by the deed of conveyance, to have beea

fold

• Burnet's Hifbry of hit own times, toI. L p. 31* f Njamo'a HUlonrof StirUngOiue, p. iss*

7$ StatiftkaJ Aecount

tfbld along with the barony of H^evtfyre m tile year 1632. Tbk tranfodioii was {andioned by qhartrrs of cob- fivmatioa firom the King in the years 1654 and 16S0. However the King, as weU as Mr Moirhead, claims ttftc n^x of prefenting^ and- the matter 'hai^ not yet been bronght to a final dedfion.

Scbw>b — ^The grainmar4chool of Ftflkirk b juftly h«ld in gveat nopntation. JBefides the fchool-wages, the roafter

'-enjoys a (alary and confiderable eniolaments as iel&oo- derk. We have here a fchool for EnglHh, to which < these is dfo a £dary anneaoed, the mirfler whenof has no fmail degree of oiertt in the line of his profeffion. There are other ichools in Falkirk which do honoar to their mafters ; and» upon the whole, our youthis have good opportunities of laying the foundation of ftitore ufefnlneisand importance*

In the village of Camelon there is a dwellkig^ioufe and fchool-room provided for the encouragement of a fehool- mafter, but no ialary. Lord Dondas of .Aike gives to a fchoolmafier in Grangemouth a houfe to dwell in, a fchool-

"^^ room, and L. 5 a-year. In Lauriefton he gives a^dweUing' houfe and fcbeol-room, but not any falary. One of the Aaaie of Scott, fome years ago, left a fmall liim pf money -for the* encouragement of a fchool at Bonny*brtflge, which is toward the weft end of this parifli.

Though populous and flouriihing fituatioQS like Falkirk yield a decent competence for the fupport of refpoftable ichoohnafters, yet in few fituatioiis are they poud in propoc* tion to their ufefuloeis in fociety.

Country fchools, where the inhabitants are oeither rich inor numerous, require at this time peculiar attention. .Pa- riih fchools in general ought to have their lalaries increa- fed, as every thing neceflary for the comfort and fupport of life is rifing in value, except money, which, muft of

coorfe

qf Falkirk. 79

courfe &di lA ^roportiocl. Parifli fchook hare been the great Durferks of tliAC general knowledge wKtcb k fo commooly to be feiind even among the peafafkts of Scodaod \ end from them fome of our soft illuftrioiia charaAfcrs have {pning forth* But I am afraid, if additiooal eocoutageDaent be not fmn given, that thofe {ources of ittiproveoieat and wifilom maft Gmhi be abandoned to the diredion of the iUilerate. Men of learning and abtlitj will not chuie to langnifli in obfico-' ritjr and indigence^ but ;MriIl ieek &r employnient in fbme •f the more Ittcratire fitnationa of civil Hfe ; and then the DatioQ win be fireteoted from being adorned and improved by thofe luminaries* which opportunities < of education would hive formed and drawn out to public view.

Pocr.— ^Tbe number of perfons in this pari/b who are at

ooe time upon the poora roll, majr be eftimated at an ave*

nge at fomewhat more than 150* Thej ere fupplied with

linall foms of monej, according to their circomllances,

from 1 8. to 5 s« or 6 s. a-montb. The money which is

thut expended on the indigent of this parifh arites from

funds belonging to tlie poor, from offerings at the cburcb-

pites on days of divine (ervice, from other voluntary con«

tribotionsi and from an iffefiment which the landholdeiB

annuallj lay upon themCelves of L. I Sterling for every

L.100 Scotch of valued rent in the parifli. As many

perbns, from the nature of their property, are little or in

no degree expofed to the afTeiTmetit, there is an annual^

voluntary and liberal fubfcription in the town of Falkirk,

and in the villages of the parifli.

There is alfo in the town of Falkirk an hofpttal for the {iipport of four aged and infirm perfons. It was founded and endowed in 1640 by Lord Livingilon of Almond and Callander. This deed was amplified and confirmed by hvctt

ift the year x668, after he was created Earl of Callander*

Upon

8c Statiftical A€€9unt

Upon eertain parts of the eftateswhich then belonged to hb Lordfliip, there is fecurity given for the falfilment of the obligatioo. Moreover, if his Lordfliip, «r any of ti^e fuc- ceflbrs to hb eftates, (hoidd negled or refiife to fill ap an j ^racancjr in diis hofpital, it is provided by the ifiDreikid aft, that, if thb aegleft or refofal be perfifted ii^ after notice fliall have been given in due form to the perfon or perfbns then poflei&ng the CaUander eftates, then the minifter of Falkirk for the time being is authorifed to prefent a proper objed of this charity to fill any vacancy which ihall be in the drcamftances now delcribed. Mr Richard Callandery then minifter of Falkirk, and his foocefifofs in that office, were, in the above fpecified deed, made, confiitoted and ap- pointed patrons of this hofpital, and were lawfully autho- rifed to nominate and admit proper poor perfons to the benefit thereof in all cafes where the faid Earl or his fiic- ccfTors fliould refiife or iUegally delay to do their duty.

There are feveral focieties in this town and neighbonr- hood for the fapport of the members thereof when they are feized by fickneis, infirmity or old age ; but it is much to be lamented, that inftitutions of this kind are not more common and extenfive. When the labourer is in health, he finds fufficient demands for his money, and too feldom thinks of making a little retrenchment in his expences, in order that he may prepare for the evil day. The Legifla- ture have turned their attention to thofe ufeful and impor- tant focieties, but much ftill remains to be done, in order to infure their extenfion and fuccefs.

AgricuUurty and rural Improvemints.^^Thc land im- mediately about the town of Falkirk is let in fmall pieces, and produces a rent of L. a, lo s. to L. 3, 5 s. per acre, Scotch meafure*. The Carfe £arms, upon an average,

mrf

• The Scotch acre conttins 54,760 fqaare fieec» and the ftatnteacrt

of Falkii^M. . 9i

ithij be ttMHStd at L. a an acre ; more or ItfSf according* to tirconiftances. Good land, which is not of Carfe quality, is %l£o let at a very high rent ; but in fome parts of the parifli, where the foil id poo^, wet, and fpungy, the vahie td the acre is very fmall.

In the Carfe, th^ cropis of grain and hay are fo loxoriant Slid prodnfiive; that the farmers have but a fmall portion of their Itfnd in pafture i and of courfe they have no more cattle than are neceffary for the family and the farm*

The roBtation of farming in the Carfe of Falkirk confifla in general of fix parts i Firfi, the ground is fallowed $ fe« eondly, it is fown with wheat ; thirdly, with beans and peafe ; fourthly, with barley ;* fifthly, it produces a crop of grais for hay, the feeds of which had been fown the pre- i^ing year with the barley $ and fixthly, it is fown with oats*

The valued rent of the parifli, by which the lapd-taz^ parifli oflefiinents,' &c. are paid, is L. 131521 : 8 : 6 Scotch money *• The rental of the pariih, about fourteen years ago, was eftimated at L. 6,277, 9 s. Sterling ; but owing to the improvements which have taken place fince that pe- ried^ the rental cannot now be leis than L. 9000. Houfe- rents are not taken into the account in either of the above ▼alnations^

Soon after the eSates of the family of Linlithgow and €!aUandet were forfeited, they were purchafed by the Company which undertook to raife water from the river Thames into the York-buildings, for fupplying a part of the city of London. The affairs of that Company having fbon after gone into diforder, their whole eftates were fold for the benefit df their creditors by the authority of the Court of Seffion; and thofe of Callander and Almond

Vol. XIX. L wcr^

• A pound Scotch is twenty 'p^ce Sterling ; Uut all piynentt xa > fkU conotiy are oow made by SurUng o&oney.

82 Siait/licai Account

ifrere booght by William *Forbe8» Efq; the prefent prqptie- tor. ,

The whole eftates, together with fome ether fioms which were purchafed by him aboat the lame time, a- mounted to about 8oao Scotch a(cres; almoft 7000 <if thefe are in this pariih. Excepting about 500 acres, it was all arable ; but little more than 200 of it were indo- fed. The whole farms were out of lejde, and the tenants were all removed as foon as they could provide themfelvea with other fituations, in order that there might be no ob- flruAion to the intended improvements.

Almoft the whole of thefe eftates is now incloGed aad fttbdivided. The fences are, as much as poflible, drawn at right-angles to one another; the ridges are ftrughtenecf ; and the wet parts are drained, or in the train of being done with all convenient fpeed. The inclofures which are near the town of Falkirk or the villages adjoining, contain each from three to four Scotch acres of land ; but tl^ofe which are in different fituations, comprehend from feven to eight acres of the fame meafure.

About 2C0O acres, which are near die canal and in the vicinity of Falkirk^ were limed upon the green fward, and let to tenants for the fpace of two years, who were bound to lay them down with grais^feeds in the lad year of their leafe. A confiderable part of the land, which was over* run by headi, broom and furze, was let to tenants alfo^ who were to plough it five times. This in like manner was to be laid down for grafs ; but in both cafes the grala-feeds were to be provided by the proprietor, and at his ezpenoe.

Thefe improvements will not only add much to the beauty of a diftrift already delightiul ; but* when comple- ted, will add much to the richneis of this neighbourhood. It is one diftinguilhing feature in the improvements of Mr Forbesy that they are intended to be completed before he

let

qfFaHiri, - 83

I V

l^t the land in Joog leafes ; whereas it is common to carry 4m improvements after the farms are in the polTeiBon of tp* nants.

Of Servants fVages^ Prices of Foody Wr. — A good ploughr man gets about L. la'a-year, together with his bed and board ; and a common female fervant expeAs from L. 3, 10 s. to L. 4 per annum^ independent of food and lodgings A man who engages to labour bj the day, has i s. 2 d. in fummeri and i s. in winter. During barveft the wages are hi^er. Great quantities of graifl» efpecially barley» bean^ and peafey are fold in this market. Carfe barley is held in fuch high eftimaciony that it brings, in general, two or three (hillings per boll more than barley from other parts of the coontry« During theie feveral months, the price of grain has been extravagant ; barley has been fold at L. t : ii s, per b(dl, wheat at L. 2 : 12 : 6, and oat-meal at x s. 4 d. a-pcck. It is worthy of ob£ervation, that in former times of fcarcity, the people of Scotland ; looked up to England, as well as to foreign countries, for ftipply i but in the prefent feafon, when the people qf Englsind are in want, we have not only plenty within our .borders, but have been enabled to relieve them in their neceiTity.

Markets^ 5/^.— Befides feVeral fairs in the year, and three trjrfls •, there is a market every week on Thurfday^ At tbefe three tryfis there are, at an average, 60,000 black cattle. As mod of them are of the fmall Highland breeds the medium price may be £xed at L. 4 each. Thus at tbefe meetings, it is fuppofed, L. 400,000 Sterling are put into circplation. Not a fmall proportion of this money pafles through the Falkirk Bank. There are alfo horfes and flieep difpofed of at tbefe markets.

Bj

* Trjfk is a Scotch word for so appointed fflcetinf .

u

Statijlical Account

By the favour of Mr Longmoory a very accurate farmer^ I have it in my power to lay before the public a fiatcmeitt of the prices which the Carfe wheat, barley, and oat-meal, brought for the fpace of 40 years preceding the crop of

1794.
Prices of Kerfe Grain Jvr ^ojears preceding cr^ff 179^
	Whcit^rrbolL	Barley ^*r	boU.	MtilperMl.
Crop 1754	L.o 14 0	L.O zi	8	I#.0 10 6
>7S5	0 15 10	0 14	4	0 13 8
XJ56	X 3 0	I p	Q	.0 x6 4
J757	100	p 16	8	099
1758	0 14 6	0 10	8	090
1759	0 14 6	6 zz	6	094
1760	0 16 0	0 zz	8	0 zo 4
176X	0 IS IP	P I?	9	0 Z4 0
v^^	z I 0	p Z7	0	0 Z5 Q
17*3	100	0 zo	6	0 Z2 6
1764	110	b 16	6	0 Z5 0
1765	z i 6	i 1	3	0 Z7 6
1766	I I 6	X a	0	0 t6 zo
1767 1768	120	z z	8	0 Z2 0
120	0 16	4	0 Z5 0
1769	0 18 0	0 16	8	0 Z5 0
1770	0 18 6	0 Z7	6	0 Z5 6
I77I	120	z 0	4	0 Z7 0
.177^	140	1 z	8	0 z6 zp
1773	140	z z	0	0 z6 0

, lifedium price frqm Z753 ^ I774» being ^o years,

Wheat, ^^ boll, - L.o Z9 5^ Barley, — - - o z6 zo,^

Meal, — !— - - p Z4 ZtV

Cro]

n

of Falkirk.

8J

Prices of Kerji Grain continued.

Barley per boll. L.O 19 o

Metl pr bolU

L.O 15. o

Crop 1774 L.I z (

1775 o 19 o o

1776 o 19 o o

1777 I I o o

1778 o 19 o o

1779 o 15 0 o

1780 I I o o

1781 o 19 o o

1782 X 6 o 1

1783 I I O O I

. 1784 o 19 6 I

1785 .1 p p 9

1786 o 18 o o

1787 110 o

1780 X o 6 p

1789 X 4; o *

1790 130 o

1791 1x6. I X792 I 2 d I X793 Jt 4 o I X

Medium price from X773 to 1794, the kft ao jearsi Wh^at, - L.X o 8

Barley, - - o 18 8 >

Meal, - o X5 3*

Our mailieu are well fupplied with butcher-meat of ez« cellent quality. It ia fold by the Scotch Trone weight $ the pound of ¥^ich, as it is ufed here, is to' that of the A- voirdupois, as 7,000 are to 10,450.

Forty years ago, not more than one heifer^ cow, or bul- lock, together with a few Iheep and lambs, were ezpofed to fide in the weekly market of Falkirk. As to veal, it ^ fcarcely to be found, but in the fpring. But I am ao«

thorifed

17	0	0 la	8
15	3	0 J4	8
I§	6	0 14	6
15	9	0 13	0
15	3	0 12	Q
15	3	0 J4	4
14	10	0 14	■3
6	6	0 17	6
0	6	0 18	8
I	6	0 13	4
;6	0	Q 16	Q
'9	6	0 16	0
»9	b'	0 16'	0
16	9	0 13	6
0	0-	0 17	Q
»9	0	0 16	8
%	p	0 15	3
4	0	I 0	0
0	6	e 18	0

t€ Siatifiical Account

thorifed to faj, that there h»ve not been ibid i& the fhaoi* bles of this town, during the coar£e of the laft year, fewer than 2000 btack cattle, (coo fiteep and lambs, and calves in proportion.

. . Forty years ago, few of the common people were in the habit of eating batcher-meat, except a little with their greens in winter. This fcadty portion they £dted about Martinmas, and confequently, about that leafon of the year, more but6her<»meat than common was brought into the market. But now all defcriptions of the people are more in the pradice of eating animfcd food* ^

It appears from Dalrymple's Annafa of. Scotland, that the price of a hen in X295 i^as only one penny ; but now one that is well fed will coft fifteen or eighteen pence.

Forty years ago, the price of butcher 'meat in this mar- ket w^ only about ^d. per pound \ but now it .is from 4 d* to6d. or 7d. \

Forty years a^o there wese but 3 fprge^ns in the town of FaQurk \ but at pcefent there is x phyficjan, 5 furgeons, and 1 druggifts.

About 60 yeamagatbi$to><^ And neighbonrbood were chiefly fupplied with wheaten bread from Edinburgh and Linlithgow. There were then only 3 bakors in Falkirk, and they were but eccafionally employed. Hence it is, that the people in the remote parts of the country, when they come to procure bf e^d for feafls or fim^rdfl, do flill ■enquire of the bakers if their ovens be heated.

There are now 18 bakers in the town, of Falkirk, and 6 in the different villages within the parifli. Tb ^ make ex- cellefU breadi and the price js regulated by the Edinbargh aiBze. .

At the period .above alluded to there wese not nKnre .fhan.acx) boib of wheat /€r<2jiMMBrin reduced into flour for 1^ ufi| of the Falkirk bakers. It was ground in common

mills,

^/Falkirk. «7 \

milf, «ad boolted by hand-fieves. Now, about 7005 bolh are made ufe of anouallj j it is ground in mills, which ar^ made for the pnrpofe of preparing flour ; it is boulted^ and the dtfierent kinds feparated hj machinery, which is con- firuAed according to the lateft improvements. Seven of thefe mills are within a few miles of the town.

Forty years ago there were but a grocers in Falkirk ; they complained of little bufinefs, and one of them was alfo a tallow-chandler. They had all their grocery goods from Borrowftounnefi, and imported nothing themfelves. We have now aa in that line of bufineis ; fome of them carry on an eztenfive trade, both in wholefale and retail^ and import wine, lie. from foreign partsu

It appears, that in the reign of Charlemagne, there was but one clock in Europe, and it was fent to him by Ab- dalla King of jPerfia *. How different is the fituation of arts and improvements now, when there are four clock and watchmakers in the town of Falkirk itfelf !

There are two lodges of free-mafons in Fitlkirk. One of them is fo ancient, that it is marked No. z8. in the books of the Grand Lodge. The lodge of Carron alfo meets in a houfe within the precinds of this parifli.

Falkirk was formerly a burgh of regality, and I have now before me a burge&ticket, iigned by one of the Earls of Linlttbgow and Callander. I find no veftiges of any magiftrates which have been invefted with the powers of the burgh, except the baUiff of barony, who, in former times, before the hereditary jurifdiAions were taken away, had ao eztenfive jurifdidion both in criminal and civil caies* We^have $ill a baron-bailie, who is nominated by the lord of the manor. But the power of life and death 11 not now attached to any barony. He can, within the bounds of his jurifdifiion, enforce the payment of rents to

any • Anirew't HiftMf of Gntt Brittis. toL i . p. It.

Statijlkal Accomt

toy amount, tod decide in difputes about money affili^ provided the fum do not exceed L.i Sterling. Thb debtor's goods may be diftrained for payment, and, if noC fufficient, he may be imprifoned for one month. He cao^ for fmall ofiences, fine to the amount of ao s. and put de- linquents into the ftocks in the day -time for the fpaoe of diree hours.

We ftand moth in need of a police-bill for r^gnlatiag- the aflfairs of the town,- and making thofe improvements which the date of its mcreafed population requires. Much to tha honour of the people, it m^ be mentioned, that though* ^^ere is no place of confinement m the county nearer than Stirling, which i^ eleven mile9 diftant, yet there are few inftanccs of riot or diforder. It has been oblerved, that a coafiderable part of the bufinels which comes before the Court at the StirUnglhire af&zes, iSc. proceeds from this qnarter of the diftrifi ; but it ought alio tq be attended to, fhat the population of Falkirk, and three or four miles round it, bears a great proportion to that of the whole county.

A coofiderable part of tbofe alloniibing improvements, ivhich, within thefe 40 years, have been made in this pa^ riih, and in the adjoining country, has been owing to the great canal, which is cut from the frith of Forth 10 the ri- ver Clyde. As Scotland is almoft cut into two parts by the frith and river, which have juft been mentioned, as idea was formed as early as the reign of Charles II. of open* ing a communication between the eall and weft feas through the medium of a canal. In 1723, a furvey of the intended track was taken by Mr Gordon, who is well knoWb as the author of the '* Itinerarium Septentrionale," In the year 176a, Mr Mackell, at the expence of Lord Napier,^ took another furvey of the projeded canal* and gave alfo an eftimate of the money which would be neceflary to

carry

0/ Falkirk. «9

<frrj the defign into execution. Mr Mackeirs report at- traAed the attention of the Board of Trafiees appointed for tiie Encouragement of the Fifheries and Manu&Anres of Scotland ; end at their xeqneft, Mr Smeaton in like man- ner took the bufinefii under his coafideradon, and gave in an cftinute of the expence.

After varioos attempts, a bill was fanflioned by Parlia* ■lent, which gave powers for rai&ig a ftock of 1500 fliares finr the pnrpoie of making a canal between the Forth and Clydie. Each fliare was to confift of L. 1 00, and the whole capital wocdd tbns amonnt to L. z 50,000*

On the loth of July 1768 this great work was begun «nder the direAion of Mr Smeatoo. The operadons com* nimcfd at the eaft end, and die late Sir Laurence Dundaa «f Kerle, Baronet, cut and removed die firft fpadefbl of earth which was taken from the canal. The fpade is jet kept in Kerle hotde in memory of diat traniadioBy wluch was the beginnmg of -an undertaking, great in the defigUf and diificnlt in the esecudon ; but happy in its eftdsi and Skely to be nf uafpeakable advantage to fiicoeeding gene-

/

On the zoth of July 1775, ^ ^^^ ^^^ fit for naviga- tion as fiv weft as Stockingfield, which is widiin a few mika of Glargow, About two years afterwards a fide bfUttch was cut, by which vefiels could go ftill nearer Glaf- gow, and a baibn, together with granaries, and other build* ings, were piepared. By this dme the Company's public fimds were exhaufted 1 fiar the making of canab being then in its iafim^ in Britain, the manner of doing the bufinefii in the eafieft way was not underftood, and confequendy die work was canied on at a much greater ea:pence than it coold be done for now^ although the value of labour is much inoealed.

V0L.XIZ. M The

99* Statijlic^ Account

Tbe canal fcmaifltd » this languifluag and iwiiiifligd ft»fee» till by the aflifltfice of Gov^nuneat* the namatrTa W^re enabled %o be^ their oferaciooa again ia July 1786. The work ^as.cooduded by ]M[c Rohcn WhUwoitb* and odft the 38cb of Jttlj X79Q^ the nanrigatiqa-fr^iOL fioLtoIiea. was opened. When, by the intervention pC the. caoaL ^ connnmnicarion betweea the eaftern and laeftecn iieaa was completed^ the event waa fignalized by the ^karaaeriilic oereroony of poujing % hogibead fidl of the water of the £ritb of Forth into the river Clyde % amidft tkn Ibontai and approbation of an ailoniihed mnltixude*

When wje oonlidec the oovehty gf . the nn<knaking|. and the difficulty of tb» jentecpviie^ we flnU not be forpnied to fiod^tbat it was %t years ^Ind 18 daya ia heisg finiihrd, The eanal in its courfe paflies through fnarfhr% and oirtr xlversi tivuUtSt and reads* There, ia a con£deiabIn ayie* daft bridge, which conveys it over the. Glafgow and Stir* ling r(md» a little to the weftward of Falkirk. But the moft macoificent is that haning four aichea^ wbinh conduda it over the river Kelvin, where the valley in which it mns is 400 feet wide, and the depth from the fummit of the middle arebc4 to (he channel of the river is ni#rc thaA 65 feet. y(s

The fide cut, which has already been meocionnd^waa carried CorwaiHl to within haU a mile of Glafgow. Largci and more commodious bafons* were made ; neccflary build- iogs were erected ^ there is. land to be lold Car building a village, and the pkce is called Port Dondas, in hoaow of X4ord Dundas. Frpm this, port these ifra.jnndio»aiade with the Monl^d .Canals which is a .{mail cut ronning i % miles into the country on the eaft o^ GlaigoWi Sar the par- poie of conveying coals into that city,

Ihi

9 Edinburgh Af sgwrine for ApiE x 793.

ThelengA of fl^e gncttt canri is 35 miles ; the callatefd «ft «o GMgb\9 al ; an4 theic 4ipom Pert DundaB to the Mtmklftad CmmiI, t mMe ; in vAtoitj 38^ miles. This cs- cenfit^ trade <if a cttial it iwpplied with water I^ fix r^tet^ iFons, wbidi «e^«r aboat 409 acpes of latkl, and contain aboat 12.679 Iock-{i0l8'«f water ^ and the Cwk^pany faa;vfc it m their pa^er ta iiicr%afe the awober of f^fervoirt..

The fbrntait <rf Ylbe canal is 141 ¥eet abatre the kvel of tlia fisa *. The numher ^ef the locks k ao en the edl, and 19 cB 'the weft. The lev^th it the focfes batwaen tlw gataa is 74 feet, vnd the width beftween the wafls 20 feet. Tha medinm brcaddi ft the canal at the fnrfece i^ 56 feet, attd •t ^e bottom 17. Veffeb of ^o or 90 tons, propedy cooftruded, may be navigated through, and are fit fef

voyagea

a Tbe fmnant o( Ae canmX fms at 4rft but 140 Icct. Dae foot in height wM afterwards added to all the lock-gates, <whirh has made ibine people cooclade, that at 90 Locks are on the eaft, the ibmrnit moft !now be 160 feet. But thoogh the water throughout the canal be one foot it, Tet die fbamnt is only raifed ta inches. l*he firft btk from the \ now rlOTittTeBcU 8 feet; but the idcreaftd height of tbu lodt caiicJtbe water on the nejtt one toot; thus tbe upper gau of the id lock» which was 7 feet above the level of the water on the lower fide, is redu- ced to 6 feet, and confequently, when a foot is added to its hei|^t, it onlj, ma formerly, raifes the veflel 7 feet The fkmt thmg happens to the €bird lodk, and lb on throagk the "whole ; and when you arrive at tbe fumnit, tbe boat is only one foot higher than h would have been before the addi* tioo was made to tbe gates, and this foot was gained at the firft lock*

The ctrcumftance of there being 10 locks on the eaft fide of the fum* Bdt» and only 19 on fbe weft, may be accounted for as follows i^^n the Mft, the cvnai tefaiiiiaMs in the Gnmgebaro, where tfaoie it £> Jictte ^vatet; lbat<fbe vedbls^ie left neavly dry at d>b tide; wbcreasoa the iMft, it ends in the Clyde, where the water is 8 (act d^ep without tha^ iMlp of the tide, and thus one lock U faved.

Hie revenue fifing fromibe caoal was vnnusUy .iocreafing 'firom the' aoauaeaetoiant till 2792 , wbdu tk ■meimied (to iboot L. •X4400o. By the ftifaation oftiade in 1793, it did not reech L.'t«,ooo; but ia 1794, it wasibmewbat more than L. 11,000.

Oovenunent haw ihtres in this canal to the eitent oft .50,030.

g% ' Stat0kat ActwuU

▼oytges by fea« The tonnage dues tre 9 d. pit tm €nxf mile, with fome exceptions, lefpefting Kme, &c. Tlie dt- itdibn of the canal is under a Governor, Coonoil in Loo* don, and a Committee at Gla%ow, who meet mootfdy. iThej. are chofen annually, by a general meeting, irtiich ia held in London every month of March*

The extenfive tiade carried on tttfOogh- thii eanal log* gefted to Sir Lawrenoe Doodas the propriety of boilding a village and qnay near the call end of it on hb own eflate. The place which he fixed opon fior this pnrpo& was the «ngle which ia formed by the jonAion of the river Carroo and the canal. They were begon to be hoik in the year 1777 ; the vilkgjs is now of confiderable extent, and ia call* ed Grangemouth.

Veflels bring into this port timber and hemp, deals, flas^ and iron, from the Baltic, Norway, and Sweden, and grain from foreign markets, as well as from die coafia of Scot- land and England. The trade to London is carried on by the Carron Shipping Company, who in their vefleb con« vcy to that place goods which are made at Carron^ together with other arddes of commerce; and when^ they letoni, they bring grocery goods, dye-ftofi, ftx. for the fiipply of Glafgow, Faifley, Greenock, Falkirk,. Stirling, and many of the inland towns of the weft country.

The tonnage at this port is,, at a medium, nearly as fol« lows : VeflUs belon^g to England, which bring cargoes from foreign places, about 5000 tons annually ; ditto, from England, which carry on a coaftiog trade, about 4000 tons annually } thofe belonging to Scotland, which are employed in foreign traffic, about zo,ooo tons annually ; thofe which carry on the coafting trade are about 9000 tons annually r the Carron Shipping Company require about 9360 tons ; the vefTels belonging to foreign nations, which come anno* >lly to Grangemouth^ may be eftimafd in their tonnaga

^ Falkirk^ ^ ^

atiooo. Great quantities of herrings made their tppt^tm ■nee hft winter in the frith of Forth, and many of them were canght at the very mouth of the river Carron. Moro than 110 fiul from Greenock, Rothfaj, Stranraer, &c« came through the canal to filb» and they returned home* wards with foil cargoes^

At (kangemouth, there is great need of additional warehoofes and ihades. But what fa moft of all wanted is n cttftomboule, or branch thereof. Borrowftounnets ha* ▼iag till of late been the principal place of trade in this aeighboorhood, a cuftonyioule was eftabUflied there, and fnfficient attention has not yet been paid to the fituation of Grangemouth. . Thofe at this port, who have bufinefi to do in the cuftomhoufe, are obliged to- travel to Borrow- ftowmefa, which is eight miles diftant ^ and when the river Avon is not fordable, they are under the neceiSty of going ffoondby linlithgow-bridge^ which lengthens the jjoumey fimr miles.

Bot the Carron iron-works have in a peculiar manner tended to improve this town and neighbourhood. They are fituated on the northern banks of the river Carron; and thoo^ they are not in this parilh, yet many of the workmen live in it, and as they are not two miles from the town of Falkirk, the (hops and markets thereof are gene-^ rally reforted to by thofe who are employed in the various operations of that extenfive manu&Aure.

The Carron Company have a charter for employing a a^tal of L 150,000. It is divided ipto 600 ihares, and no perfon can have a vote in the management, unleis he be pofleiled of ten (hares. Thefe works were firft pro|efie4 and eaabliihed by Dr Roebuck, and MelTrs Cadell and Garbet. They were joined by other gentlemen of refpec* ' taUlity^ and the Company are o^w in a very flouriihing

^onditiony.'

'5H Stati/Rcttl Acc^kni

conlfdon. Tht ^oiltd ^^re \mdtt ibe immedfatte ffiieflRm of Mr Jofeph StaintdD, who b sdfo a parctier.

They are Tiipplied t^th iron-^re 4<im Lancdhire and Caitiberhnd ; mA with inniftone from Bamon, Denny, and Bc^nyliiBy Sccinthis Tkitilty, and ftam the roomy of Fife, &c. They have limeftone from fiomtifland. Set. and coals from Kinnaxrd, Catroti-liall, and ShieMhiU. All the materials, which are made nfe of ftt theft woiks are brought to them by water-carriage, except Cbals, and tfaefe are found in tbeir neighbourhood. At an average tbey ufe 800 tons of coal, 400 tons of iron fione and ore, and 1 00 tons o'f limeftone per week. The inmftone is firft calcined in an open "fire ; "but the iron-ore needs no preparation in order to be fie for the blaft furnace.

There are £ve fomace^ of this delcriptioh, which are fupplied with ftrong currents of air from caft iron cylinders, inftettfl of bellows. Thefe cylinders are conftmfted fame- what like forcing pumps, and are not only more durable than beTIows, but have more power, and produce a better efieft. They have three cupolas, which receive -a proper fupply of air by means of pipes conneifted with ihe forcing cylinders. ^There are alfo fifteen furnaces, which are kept in aftion by the eictem^l atr, without the aid of any arti- ficial blaft.

At Carron all kin& of caft iron goods are made in the beft manner. A fliort kind of cannon called Carronad^ were invented there ; and, in certain fituations, they are confidered as of great importance. They are moved in .grooves ; and thus the increafed fiiftien mt>re effeAuallJr. oppofes the force of the recoil. The caliber of the cannon is bored out of the folid metal, and thus the hole is mon fmodth and juft in its diredion, than when caft with a corty and the piece is tels ready to burft in time of aftion. The

outfide

., 4>f Falkirk.- 95

tmtfick of the cannpn is, tusnr&b; pco^ J9flcaiiu»tif,aad the whole is not on}^ ofac« hot; ^bfUnti^l* , . , .

At thefe works b»r ifon js. allp.auidb; 9ti^in.9a:oa)^ pliihiD^that bufiaelsy thefoUowingoi^iW is puclued^ . .

The pig iron is^^i^lted in a. fioprj^. ^hcro col^e i^ f^k while hott it is beaten out into plates about an inch in tfaickncls. Thefe.phues aie^4|a:x;^aKd^.b;f0kkfiiriD(afpeces about two inches iquarey for. thf coaysm^^cA of (qpuring themi &c. They are the a flowed ii^ an iro^ QyMs^tVf which is conneOed with the wace£«wji|efly avc^ wIk^ thej are properly prepared by this operation, they are put into pots, which are made of firo elay^ aiid: ittaft mfr-fbtnace they are brought to a weUiajgheai v '^ this t^M of pre* paration they aca pal ander the haauBei!, audi wfoaght into blooms; the blooms are haatad.ia .a..chaSBty, aa hollow Sstt and then drawn into bars for various ufes. In thb condition the iron is equal in goodneis to that which is im- ported from Raffia under the name of new lable iron.

The machinery is moved by the water of the river Cac- ron, and for a fupply in time of droughty they hava a f^ fervoir to the exteat of about 30 acres. But as this pre- caotioD is not enough in very dry feafonsi they have more- over an engine for throwing back the water, that it may ha ufcd again, and this en^e raiCcs 4 tons evciy ftreke» aad snakes about 7 ftrokes in a minute. If we take into tlie aecouBty akmg with the people who are direftly employed in the manafaJhire at Carron, thofe alfo who are engaged in the mines and pits, together with thofe whoc^nry mat^ rials to the works, and goods by fea and otherwife imme^ diaiely £ram thett, we may efttmate the whole at aoo0 people.

Nobody is admitted to view the works on Sondays^ e»>

c^t thole who are. properly recommended, or knawa ta

be worthy of attention. Mr Boms, the Aytlhire poet,

% not

0 StnHjlkal ACC99M

Mt kDOwiogf or txk attending to this regulation, male am attempt to be admitted, withont dilcovering who he waa^ Imt was refiifed bj the porter. Upon returning to the ina atCamm, he witte the following lines npon a pane oC da& in • window of the parlovr into which he naaihown :

We eam na here to view yonr wark%

in hopes to be mair wife : But oolj, left we gang to hell,

it may be na fniprife.

fiot when we tsrl'd at your door,

jovr porter dooght na bear ns ; So nuj, ihould we to heU*s yetu com%

your billj Satan fair us*«

RitiutrtUUb

o WtlUua FnlUitoii, £% of Fnllaitra, ia 4ke eoaalsr of Ayr, KorA BritiiD, hu obtained b patent for makiof caft and anaUeable iion after • new oMthod. He cakioet the irm ftone or ore, if it be naoeflkry, ledn- cei k €0 powder, boltt it, feparatet tbe eztrancoos matter, and tfiea pata it into a fanacc, aloo^ with a faCcient ^anttty of coke, or cbareoaL The furnace it intended to aA ai a crucible ; and the OMtaU whea foad, is not to be drawn off, and caft into pigt, but it to reanin as a loop at tbe liottMB. Whea it it taken out thence, it does not require to be melted •gain, but after being baaled aBay» without any other prooefi, be beatea iatoban.

The principal advantigeSf which appear to attend the awthod pro* pofed by Mr Fnllarton mnft arife from his manner of preparing the iron ftone or ore, and from tpermitttng the metal to cool gradually in dM Aurnaoe | to which amy be added the removing of the flag, which ho takes cere to do while the fuiaon is going forward. From the fpecifica* Jtion which he has girca, it foems u if pulveriing the iron ftone or ofu» «id freeing it of eatraneous matter, precludes the necelBty, and ikvas the czpence of ufing Limeftoue u a flus ; and cooling the metal gmdnally, fcareats that brittleaels which caft iron end fteel poflels when they are tfooledoBafttddaa; and tfans the loop is in f bettar ftale of pitparatioa |pr bfing put yader the haauaer.

if FaOtirL 97

Rimarialle Evmts.^^liimrgaartt, commonly called by hi* fiorians the Maiden of Norway^ died at Orkney, on her way to Britain, where Ihe was to have been crowned fiic* ctSfit to her grandfather Alexander IIL of Scotland. Upon her death there was much agitation in the kingdom, and many competitors fprang up for the Crown. But of all diofe who laid in their claims, the rights of Robert Bmce and John Balliol * appeared to be moft worthy of invefti* gation and fupport. On the fide of one or other of tfaefb opponents were the people of Scotland generaUy arranged* As the conteft was violent, and not likely to be brought to a fpeedy ifliie, it was refolved to fubmit the whole bufi* ncfs to the decifion of Edward I. of England. He accept* «! of the offer with much pleaibre, and took that opporta*

aity

Bat ifl£a\\j andeHUnd t&e fpecificstkxi* Mr FnlUfton*! method moft Ix iabjedl to frvenl inconvcnienciet. Either the famace muft be Terf UuU, or it will he difficult to remove the regului ifter it has remttnell theic till it be cold, eod the work mnft faffer an intemxpdon by waiting fc loaf bdbce a new charge ean be pot in. In order to obviate theft iaconvenienciet, it might be proper to draw off the metal in the fluid ftate, and havbg cail it into pifi of the nfiial formi put them while hot into a famace, ezpofed to a well regvlated heat» and feffered gradaallj to be- come ceoL

▲ gentleman, who was taken by the French daring the laft American war, having efinped from priibn, was travelling homeward, aad on his way* 10 psHing through a valley among the Pyrenean Donntaint, came to a UomU forge, where fome men were making irop from the ore. They fifed it, and having mized it with charcoal, put it by fmall quantities at • time into a furnace. They let it remain till k was duly fafed. Then thej pBt a bar 'of iron among the metal, to which a knob adhered, and when it had ac^ttd a proper confiftency, they beat it with a hammer^ re- peating the operation, till, in a fhort time, they had made a bar of confi- derable length. This method is recommended by its fimplicity, and per- luips it may fnggeft fomothing for the improvement of makiag bar-iron IB this country.

# Formerly called Robert de Bms, and John de Balliol.

Vox.. XIX. N

9t Statyiical Account

nit J of can{mfidn» tmcertaintji and teller^ io hate biisfclf proclaimed Lord Paramount of Scotland ; aod finding Bal- liol not n&wiUing to acknowledge this fupremacy, he de> dded the conteft in his favour. But Edward Cdoo horkd him from the throne* under the pretence that he had oo^ put the feeptre into hia hands to be fwajed in truft. The troops of the Eoglilh monarch loon over-ran many of the moft important diftrids of this kingdom ; and in trinmph carried to Weftminfler the ftone of Scooci which was made fomewhat in the form of a chair, in which the Kings of Scotland had been in ufe to be feated at the time of their coronation*

In this feafon of national deje&ion and difmay. appeared William Wallace, of an ancient, but at that time aa ob> fcure family *• He lifted up the flandard of liberty, and many flocked around the fignal. Rut fiill there were not a few, who through envy or fear would not join the pa« triots. But Wallace and his adherents prevailed. They fought and were fucceisful. They drove the Engliih be- yond the borders, and entered the countries in the north of Edward's kingdom.

When the King of England was informed of thefe events, he returned from the continent where he had been with an army ; and marching into Scotland, he advanced with vie* torious bands through that country, meeting with little re* fiftance till he came to Falkirk.

Having come within view of the Scotch army, they faw them drawn up in battle array, fomewhat more than half a mile north from Falkirk. Before this time many peHbns of eminence and power had joined the party of Wallace. Of thofe who were prefent with him on the occafion now

under

« Of EMerflie, in the coQfiry of Renfrew, which wm prohahly t£ that time a part of LanarkUiire. Dalrynple's Annaiii vol. t, p. tS6.

of Falkirk. 95

voder revieir, the following names are the chief of thoie whicfc have been preferve4 on record : John ComyDi c^ Coming, of Badenoch, the younger ; Sir John Stewart of Bonkili, and n6t of Bate, as tradition has handed it down. This gentleman was brother to the Steward of Scotland, firom whom the-fimame of Stewart, or Stuart, was taken. To thefe we mnft add Sir John Graham * of Abercorn or Dnndaff ; and Macduff, the uncle of the Earl of Fife f •

Wallace had arranged his infantrj in four bodies, of a Gircttlar form, with the convex fide toward the enemy ; the archers formed a line between the circles ; and the cavalry were placed at a little diflance in the rear. The ftrength of Edward's army confifted of cavalry, which >vere drawn up in three lines «, and the third, which wa^ int^pded to be kept as a corps of referve, was commanded by the king falmiel£ Nothing being (aid of ikc manner in which the £n|^ifli io&ntry were difpofed, Sve are naturally led to believe, that they were not nnmerons.

A morais, which was in front of the Scotdi army, bat is now drained by the canal, prevented the troops of Ed- ward from attacking the Scotch in front ; but wheeling to the right and left, they .flanked them on both fides, and tihe carnage was dreadfd. Struck with a panic by the fall of Graham, Stewart, and Macduff, and prefled by the well appointed cavalry of England, they were compelled, after a brave refiftance, to abandon the conflid, and leave the Tidory in the hands of Edward.

Sir John Graham and Sir Jojbn Stewart were both buried in the church-yard of Falkirk. The ftone which was. laid aa the grave of Sir John Graham had forae fculptnre upon it, which the hand of time was faft obliterating. At length

another

e Cenenlly called in old recordi, Sir John de Graham. f Datiymple^s Annals of Scotland*

io« Statiftieal Accouftt

Uit/Sktt Sone w«s ereAed with decorations, ind «a epittplH the whole being fapported bjr piUan. When the letten «f the infcription were nearly defiM:ed, another of a fiailar kind was pat over it \ and when it alfo had fitiered confi- deraUj hj the lapfe of time, the hte William Graham of Airtb, Efq; eroded a third, after the lame manner at the two former. The infcriptioos are as follow :

Mcate ■MBnqvc poteBs» Vallc Sd«« Acliates» Cooditiir hk GnuBiu» bello intcrfe^ns ab Aaslis.

zzii. Jalii^ tiino zi^f.

Heir Ijet Sir John tlMr Oimne, Mth wisliC lad mikt Aae of the chie6 who refcewit Scotland thrift* Ane better knight not to the world was lent, Kor was gnde Qrame of tnith and hcrdiment*

Not far from the tomb of Sir John Graham lie the afliea of Sir John Stewart. The place of his reft is but a few feet from the eaft end of the church, and near the fonth comec of it. Though Sir John was nearlj allied to the progeni- tors of the honfe of Stuart, whoTe kindred blood flows in the veins of manj illuftrious families of Great Britain, and aHb in not few of the princes and potentates of the earth, jet his grave is not nsarked out, except bj a flone withoat a name, and is the fegment of an oAagon.

Much has been bid with refpeft to difcontents, which are rcprefented as having fubiifted among the leaders of the Scotch army on the eve of the battle. The peevifli de- parture of the well-tried patriots, Wallace and Cuming, cannot be received but upon the moft authentic documents. Jarrings might have prevailed among a ntimber of leaders, where the fubordination of regular government was not obferved ; but from the charafter of the men, and the cir- oumftanccs of the cafe, no fault feems to have been com*

mitted»

^/Falkirk. aot

mkled^ which was either £%noefiil to themfelFeSy oriiiut- "M to the iflise of the daij ••

In the reign of Charles I. the Earl of Lanark, who was afttrwmrds the 2d Duke of Hamikon, together with a per^ fiaii of the name of Monro, being frien^lj to the King, at« tncked with dieir troops, near Stirling, the arroj which had been ratfed by the Marquis of Argjte, and the £ar& of Caffilis, Eglitttonn, and Loudon. Hie former were re- poUed, and fled to Falkirk ; but a temporary aooomiiioda»*> tion fiopt for a time the eflSifion of homan blood.

In the battle of Dunbar, Cromwell was fuoce&fid, and lie marched forward to gire Charles IL battle, who was > encamped with his army at the Torwood in this neighhoar- iMod, and had'dien been proclaimed King of Scotland. On bis route, Cromwell ftormed, and took Callander honft, where Charles had a garrifon.

The Earl of Arran, when Governor of ScothAd, did, with the confent of his party, agree to. give Mary, the young Queen of Scots, in marriage to Prince Edfvjsrd, > the . beir to the Englifh throne. But having at Callander hoafe met with Cardinal Beaton and the Earl of Murray, leaders' of the oppofite' party, a negociation was entered into, vHiich broke the matrimonial treaty. ...

It appean, that Mary Queen of Sco^ vifited Lord Li* Tingfton at Callander hoofe, anno 1565 f .

In the year 1745*, when the troops of Great Britain were in Fknders fi^porting the houfeof Anftria againft the arms of France, the grandfon of James IL who, at the revolutidn in this country, had taken refuge at the Court of Verfaitks, aflcrted his father's pretenfions to the throne of thefe king- doms. This meafiire was, without doubt, agreeable to the

Ffeoeh

e^OftlrympU's Aaoils of Scotland, voh. i. ptges a^a. and a^3«, ,^, t .$taart*9 Hiftorj of Scotland, vol. i. p. 98.

Stalf/Ucal Juount

JTflcAdi Court, ash waold Midentljr he di« mtaa of with^ drawing our forces from the contiiiest. Fevliapi it wa cvnr fi^ellcd bj thdm ; and we know that dicj gswe %^ finall ibpply of naonej and arms.

CliarkSt floflied with the hapcs of power, eminence, and foyakj, &tled from a port in Brittany on the 15th of Joljr, and in a fliort time landed in the Highlands of Scot* land. There he laRantly drew together a confidcrabla <€mmfaef of pardzaos, and marched ditefily to Edinburgh. He got pofleiEon of the town of Edinburgh, lodged in the yabce of Holyroodhoofc, and (boa afterwatds engaged at VkeikoB, near MttflUhnrgh, a few of the King's troops, who wave Qoder the command of Sir John Copew Here he was widorioos; and in the anxious ezpedation of fiitore fuboeft, ,inardied into England, as fu* as Derbj, by the waj of Carliflc. Though be had many friends near the road by ^tvbich he went, yet prudence permitted but a iEsw of them io follow his fortune*

Difiippobted in he views, he returned by Glaigow, inarched to Stlriiog, end hid fiege to the oafile. By this time a icenfiderable number of the King's troops were af- Itaibled near Edinburgh, eonunanded by licmenantrOeae- ral Hawley* He marched for the relief of Stirling; and havii^ ftopped to mfrefli the troops at Fdkirkt he encamped with them between the glebe and the fidd wheie Sir John Graham fell in defence of liberty and his country*

On tha 17th of January 1746 the alarm was given, that the Prince's followers were advancing by the Torwood. By different means they attempted to deoeive die army of the King, They left a flandard at the place where they had halted on their way from Bannockbum, which, being fcen at Falkirk, would, they fuppofed, hufii their opponents into a temporary fecurity. They alfo fent a fmaU detach* meat by the north fide of the river Camm, that it might

appear,

ofFalkiri. foj

•ppeVy if there was aaj alatniy diat tbfly inletidod to •!)► tack the King's camp on the left; bat^ ia the meas tioM^ the principal body of their forces were led findght finv ward, and croiTed the ford of Carroni ^ DunipaiDei abovt the diftance of three miles to the weftward*

No fooaer was this difbovei^ than the drtans at' Fab k&rk camp beat to battle. But the Ocneral not being pcc^ fenty they were detained fo long before, his aniyal».duit' th^ eneny had gained an eminence, which is about a oifeibiith* weft from this town. The way thither being mgg^ dMi cnonon conld not be dragged up time eaoagh for the )u>^ tion ; fwampy ground rendered the cavalry almoft* niblefil smd a tremendous ftorm of wind and rain .blowing direfijj againft the fiice of the natiooal troops, added to tho mifbfw tnnate drcumftaaces of the day. Notwithftaodiag the bravery of Major-General Hnik, and other officers, 06$ King's forces were worfted ; many were killed, federal W> tun prifoners, and the reft fled to linlitbgow*

Among the perfoos of rank who were left dead oQ tlla field were Sir Robert Monro of Foulis, Bart* and his bro^ Cher Duncan, a phyfician* Sir Robert, in the retreat^ wat fsToonded by the enemy, and after a defperate refiflanec^ yiekled to the ftroke of death. The phyfician, from the affetton which he had for his brother, left the peace $md fweets of retired life^ and followed him through the din cf arms, and the dangesa of battle. In tbe'dilcharg^ of thb amiable office, he foil a viAim to kindnefs and brotherly attachment. They were buried befide each odier in the ehurch-yard of Falkirk ; a fuperb monument was ereded to their memory ; and the circumllances of ditir death are recorded by fottable infcripdons. The nnthber' of foiceli Which were led to aAion that day was about 6eo6 of the royal party, and perhaps fomewhat more of thofe in the ^ ... ' jBvcfes

XQ4 Staiiftkal Aepount

mteftft of cM Princei botthe true mmaiitit of his trooptfaas not been exafflj sfeeftamed.

Hawlej foDod means to vindtcate himielf to bis Sove- taign^.bnt the iiB]»reffions of hiscondod which remain here» are by no means finToorable to his charaAer, as a Ge* naial entmftcd with an imjtortant command. If we credit f^ortf he was dining that daj at Callander houfe with Lady Kilmanocky whofe Lord had then declared bimfelf in fiivoor of di^ young adventurer, and was at that time •Anally engaged in his fervices fomewhere in the ifland.

The aAion began aboat 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and hy the evening the Prince's army were in pofieflioa of the town of Falkirk. One of the fons of Macdooell of Glen* gafy,' when walking in the principal ftreet, foon after he had arrived from the field of battle, was fliot from a win*^ doMr by a muiket-buliet. He did not tnfiantly die ; but Inrring langaiflied a few dajrs, he expired. His death was accidental, for it wasoccafioned by one of hu own men, whole gnn had miffed fire during the engagement, and not being ^>priied of this circumftance, while he was cleaning his piece, the fliot went off at the expence of a life, which he would have done much to iave. Bnt fnch was the vio- lence, Keal and difiruft which prevailed, that he was found guilty, and ihot in this neighbourhood. Soon after the battk of Falkirk, the Prince's troops weie vanquiihed and difperfed at CuUoden. Thus tranquillity was reAored to the nation ; and we tmft, that the horrors of civil war wiU never again pt evail in the land.

, Emmtm Q9d RtmorkilUif CbaraSiers.'^Tht livingfioos wece long oonipicuoos and powerful in this pari(h and a^^bourhood. It is foppofed that they are of Hongariao c^traffion, and that the fiunily fprung fi'om a gentleman of tbo Mine of Uvingos, who came with Market, Qaeen of

King

tf Falkirk. ID5-

King Mtlcolm G«fiai(»e» Mwut the year 1075. We find, Aat diftrest branches ^f -this taaxiilj were employed ift Smdc of the moft important fituations and tran&diona ojf t}iiacoiiitti7*.

Is. the psegrels of {bdety theie ar ofe among them the three diftingpiiflied fami&ie9 of linlitfagowi C^afli4eri an4 Kilfyth. The Vilcoimt KiUytb, and the Earl of JLiniith- gow end Callaader, were found guilty of rebeHioft in 17159 bad their eftatea confifcated, and their titles Wetted. Th^ titles of Linlithgow and Callasder at this time centered in the &me perfon, and the Earl found means to efcape to the eoQtincsty whoie he died. ^\t Thomas Livingfton of Bed* lermie and WeAqnarter^ Baronet, is li«eal heir of 'the fa* naily.

Lady Ann, the only furviving child of the laft Eail of Lmlslbgow and CaUander» was' married to the Earl of Kil- mnmock,' who joined the followers of the Prince in the year i745» and was beheaded for treaf6n on TowerhiU, qn Ihe 18th of. Aiiguft 1746, in the 4ad year of his age. Hia infidelity to the King is the more remarkable, as hb &mily had always been loyal^- and as he himfelf, at the beginning of die commotions in which he afterwarib was an abettor^ had eiKrted himlelf confiderably in behalf ^ the reigning fivnily*

. The truth feems to be»thatas be was not in opidcBJt.ciff- cansAaacesy'he was induced, to become an adventurer; and from hia marriage-con|ie£Hon, he was in hopes tbit^ if the Prince ittcceededt he woald be railed to the poffeflions an4 perhaps to the honours of the for£eited and .deceafed Earl of lialithgow and Callander. And thu leads me to ob- ferre, that it is politic in a flate to iofliA as few permanent diiabilities and ponUhments as the nature of governmcQt^ Vol. XIX. O ai>4

# Dottgltt*! Peerage, articlei Liolitbgow, GalUndefi tod Kilf;4.

1 06 StatiJHcal jfccount

and good order wiV permk. If a loma fUkt jA ^UKa to the hW| the gaNing remembreiiGe m gradiuillj ddhojud among hia oonnofti^iM «mI defctndents; bttt if aa cAate be forfeited, or a civil privilege be permaneiitlj tdwa awaj, thtrre is a perpetual broodbg o^rche miaftiffmcy aadfraai tbis fotirce there often fprmgs die bitaeniels of ftrife.

Oar Government have, with aiiicb pnideace and hnma* nity, reftored the eftatei whicb were ooflMnttcd in 1746} and it is moch lo be lamentedyibac fanethbg efeAaal baa not been <tpvifiM) for tbe hein of diofe who foCwwI by the ferfetnires in the year 1716. Tbe aftntea bcriag bona otherwffe loag ago difpoled of^ coaM not be teftoiaif bai the trifdom oFtbofe in powori among tbe amaj refoumi vhicb they hare, might perbapa find ont the meana of 0 leaft a fmaR eompeafation.

The leftate of ^erfa, in this parift, oooe beloogad «a cba Hopes, a fcmilj of eoafiderable aote and aattqahy in tbb eountry. John de Hope wa^ one of the berana who firi^ niitted to Edward L of Eaglkad ia 1396, wboo bo hadia- iraded Scotland.

Kerfe, as well aa many other eftatea in SooAiaif ^^cnm pnrchafed by Sir Thomaa HopOi who» aa ea advaeatei jaade a confpicnona ngnre*

In the revolutionary period of the Scotch cfaofthf fit mbiftera^ who had denied that the King had «Ay power in *jiMxlefiaftteaI'aAir», were committed to tbe eaAk of Bfaick- Aeis, an4 fer hightreafon were brofight to trial at Liiriith- gtyw, Jan. to. 1606. No cdaafel)or of eminen6e, not even Sir Thomas Chiig, the procatator fer the ehorcb, eonid be prevailed upon to ftaxid forward as theilr advocate at the bar of the Court. Mr Thomas Hope, for he was not then created a baronet, undertook, though bat a young man, to pkad their caufe. His feicible elocution^ hia ingenioos,

thoiigh

qfJMtirL 107

(hds^ onlbeeefiU exertioiM, {wocvrel Jbim i4fniraUQ8^ iMd braa^t him iato notice*

Be WW aoc oolj cmifidtisd in ail dificiik osfes by chp Brdbjrteriaiis, but was efteemed by the Court party, au4' wiiKMg*s Advoeaoe, both ii the reign of JameB VI. and Charles L He liad three fbns, who were I«orck ef Sei&on, and two of them fat upon the Bench as Judges, while be hkofelf was at the bar. The Lord Advocate has ja right te|dead wkh his hat an« aod tradition fays» that f this priyi* lege waaiotrodneed in the ttm^ of Sir ThooaaA Hope* aa it was llioDght unbeoomittg the deputy ef a father in his fi- taalaaa to plead with his head nncovered before his bo»* Bnt it is more probable, chat the cofioB was iotroduccd as a dtftiiigiiifliing mark of refpeft to the ling's Advocatt.

Sk Tliomas^ his fecoad fon, to wheai he gave the eflate of Kerfe, was eminent in the law, and, I believe^ the o^ eommoner who erer has been Lord Juftice^General of Scotland } as his firther, Sir Thomas of Ciaigbaii in Fi£e« was Ae only porfon dot hooowed wi&h a title of nobility, who at nay time, in the eharaAer of Lord High .Commif- fiaoer, reprefented his itijefty in the General AffemUy ef ibis chnach. The eiaie of Kerfii was iatd foosetioie ago to cho litte Sir Laorenoe Ikmdas, Baronet, £Either of Laid Dnndas, the pioiant proprietor.

AMfmtut^-*ia die barony of Seabeg;i, near the canal, Aere ia an astifieial mound q£ earth, where courts and de- libaratiire councils were formerly held^ as appears by the tane ICoie, which the place ^et retains. There is alfu a finall bvsying ground, wheio farmerly there was a Roman Catholic chapel.

In different parts <tf this neighbourhood there have been dog up urns, filled with aflies, and ftooe coffins, containing human bones. Somewhat more than twenty years ago,

there

168 Staji/Ucid Jceount

Aere wm fomid, in a hoUow of a fireefloee ^Mny near Caftlecary, feme wheatt which had become YAadk^ and waa feppoiied to hare been there, from the tiaia that the Ko* tnans poflcfled that ftatioiK

The. fmall river Bonnej, which fiepaiatai a piit of this parifli fiom Deooj and Duntpaoei feens to he the GiOBan ofOffian.

Old Camekm ^ not Camitodamim^ hot prabahly Bml^i Gmidif appears to have been fiarmerly a place of coofe- quence. There are now few veftiges of it remainiiig ; bat not loi^ ago» foundations of honles, and the direAioa of feme of the ftieets, were vifiUe. Moch hat been find abont •the iniportaaoe which it once had $ we have heard of die riches and ornaments of royaltj which were feond diere, when it was taken by the Roifians* Bat we have no an- thentic docnments by which we can decide whether it was a habitation of fome of the ancient tribes of North JBritaint or whether it was only a Roman fiation.

It is alfo reported, that CanKlon was a fea*port town i * and in confirmation of diii we are toU^ that an an^or was formerly dng np t in the grooad near it. Thera aie circmaflances whidnauthorife ns to conclude, not only that the river Carron has been navigable farther up than the place where Camelon ftood, bnt aUb^ that the fea dDme very near Falkirk, and covered the whole of that diftrid which is now caHed the Carfe. The name Carfe in Scot- land b generally applied to that land which has been fcrm- ' ed by the retreat or czclufion of the fea. Our carfe lands are very little raifed abovs^he level of the .firiih of Fwch, and in many places are defended by banks %• The Carfe,

whiah

a A new TtlUge in its neigbbearhood it ca>l«l Camdim.

f Sibbald*t Hiftorical £nqoirics, chap. 7.

I A few dijT^^aot in-.tbe morning of O^ober 30. a tide bring uncom* mooly higU t^ banks were overflowed by cbe 2ca^ and the water not only entorrd many houfcs, but inundated faveral hundred acres of the Carfe land.

. ^ FaOarh. tgxf

wbidris.veiyTftlDalikmqaalitj, fluigbt eaflly be eakigr^ fafeacrpodiiiig&rdicrcNi.the iea. Lord Dundas, hgribb metbod, has lately added abost 70 acre$ to hk eOttt. About the beginning of thi^ centorjr, a SotchmilBv wlHi im welLaoqnaiAted with operadoos. like thefc' in Holtond^ propobd to the Duke of Hamilrop to gain for himaooo acies off the fea* adjoining his eftste rf.Kinneali in the.p^ rifii of Borrowftonnnefs, provided he Ihoiild be adiowed |» poflfefe it rent free £or forty yeai^ and be iuraiihe^ with timber^ &c« bom die Dnke's wood in the neighbourhoofL The propofid was rejeded ; and the iea continnes to r«^ lis odes over thofe ihaUoWs, where fhiit&l f elds n^ight now hsTie heeh yiddiag.an annoal income of £.4000. or L5000 to the ' proprietor, and a confiderable qofuitity of pnmfioos for the fnpply of this populous part of the ooQOtry*

But the moft prominent foMnre of antiquity in-tfajs pa* rifli is the Roman wall built in the reiign oftfae Emperor Antoninus Ku% nnder the dire&ictn of his. lieutenant Lol- fim Urbkns, It in general follows the track where Agc|« cobhadpreTioaflyeredsd.a dwia of ioyts*. It.is more than x6oo yeass finer the wall.WfBibuiJl^ and.yct in leve- ral parts, both in this parilh and elfewhere, its form Hi)d cottife.nm vtfiUe: }$, c^tendsjirDintbe fx^itb of Forth to the^ver Clyde, and was: about 40 Roo^ani or 37 Engliih miles in leo^. Cansden, .Kinneal, ai(d Blpickneis, on the eaftfDnmgho.and.i01d Ktrkpatrick op the weft, have, \^j difcient people, /bce{><i9gge0ed as i)^ boundaries; fiede fays, that it began two miles firom the monafiery of Aber- com, and ended at Alcluith, which appears to be the (ame place which is now called Dumbarton *. If the wall tcr»

miaated

• Ca«4e&*s Britanqii b^ G««sb, article Lennoi.

lie Simytkal jSccouni

MiiMtidMOId Kirii^iiriek, Dumbactai wm praUlyt fbtt tekngiog to die Komois} oad «nt know, tlwt on tte 4ift4XMfttlwir£ii«inid flnMift wese earned hx beyond HiecadofcbewfiU^

lliia wall, or rather dcAofiM woricy'cewfifted of « ditch <m ihe nerthy dbd a waU oq the foutb. It varies at to the hxeflMi of the dkA ; but 10 aeter lefr than ti or 15 feet tride, aod the wall was aJboot la.foet thiek at the finnda- tion t« The dic«h 'tras deep in profortkn to ka hnaadtfa ; aad the wall wat hi^ 4a propottioD to ks wtddi. Not- wkhftandkig'what has beea fidd by fime amfaora, no part tf thia wal ^pMrt to have beea baik of fieacv ezoq>c la fwwaupy places,. where «(he aatore of the gnwnd leqnifcd It. Fort! or AatiMi, aad betweeo cbefe, toraeii or watob. towefsy *were ^efoAed f<w the acconfliodatioa of feUaen to defend it} aiftd as thej were at no great difiance ffom ene aaolSienm general alsroi eiMiId begkren at tbe approach of danger. Hence the valgar belief thai <he wall was hollow, and thatthefauadofatroaBpet whieh was blowa at oae eadcooM be heard at the other. Cafllecarj, fiaaghaaftk, and Cameloni were the bmA reaiarkabfe forts or ffadons ia thb nei^hboarboodw Theficeaf ikeSwofDraveraieililliD befeen.

Mncfa I^ht has been tteowa oa ike hiBorj of this wall

bjftones with inferiptiotiSy which ihave basa dag fxf in ▼&•

rioQS parts of k. A coafiderablo namber of thefe ftoaes

are in the Cronege of<}lafgow»'&io. $ ^oae ia Sir John Clerk's

colledion, atad 'one ki Gallaader ho«rfe, with the fcBoanag

infcriptioA:

VtXI

LEG XX

PRIMIO •

Froor

a Sibbald's Enqoiries.

t The ditch in dnandcr park ii above fd ftet wide ; is (bmc otiwr places it is not fo mach by half.

4f Falkirk. |i«

Ffom4MirdiS«ROtft<me»iti|{lp09if8, tktt; the ^n^ uras chief/ made by the ad end aofb legions, fu\4 ;he veziUa<» dflos of the 6)1 and ftoib, tofe(her wilb a cobqet of awn]^ liancft *• Every laodth pact of a legioii wee failed a een- tnry* aod had a veziUam, or pair . of ooloun. To guard tbefey ten of ibe heft ibUieis were allotted for each vexil* faifla, and tbofe gffud^f which in ev«ry legion amouated to looo ipen» were called ita vexiUatipo.

Thia vaoBpart is denominated by Bocbaaan» in his Hi- flory of Scodaod, the wall of Sevenia. Other writers have nUd gftven it the iiuiie name \ but thoogh it may have been MpMTed by Severus, as it was by diiFerent people, yet the imsU which he biiik was not in this diftrift of the coootryp but was drawn between the Solway frith and Newcafilf^ ■cflidy ia the iiune direftion-in wbich Adrian had formerly boikhia.

The wall of Antoninns- is generally known in this counii try by the na^w of Grs^anofs Dike. Some are of opinion^ that it derived tbU naase-from a powerfiil leader of that nnme^ who bveke throng thas&mous line of defence^ and ffontcd the Britooaon the footh.fide of it, who were then nbondoned by the Roopmum. OtheiB aflkm^ that in the imga of Mak^e^lL one Gryme^ who was cooneded with Ae royal family, afpiring to the throne, drew together fome followers, and in order to fettle the commotion, the pretender got a grant for the term of his life of all that . part of Malcdm's kingdom which was on the north fide of the wall, and that the line of feparation was from thb event ^lled Gryme'a Dike i hence, by an eafy trsnfition, Gra- ham's Dike. It has alio been ft^gefted, that as the build- ing of this wall has been attributed to Severus, lb by tranf- latbg Sevems into |ji|^fli, yoa have Grim j and in a

countiy

t Beai/t Hiiloix of Orett Britain,

tit StoH/KenfAceoufU

eoantry' where the iiHiaiiie oFOrthaiB is fo'comoMiii a$ it is here/ it' "wib very natnAI to find the appeHation Grim's W^, 6Dit^erted into Orafaam's D jke *. The name it&lf b of little conftquenee, but the wall ia a ftriking moini* inent of Roman aAivicy.

The foldien of the Roman empire were not aDowed to be enervated by idknefi; They wcreconftantlj employed, and often engaged in fevere manual labonr. Not oply the walls which have been takeh notice of^ bat alfio the various foads which they made in Great Britain are clear proo6» that they were called forth to exertion, and kept in afiive life. Along the fondi fide of Grriiam's Dyke, a canleway was formed for the more expeditions and comibrtable tra- velling of the foldiers from one part of it to another.

Nearly oppofite to Crilander hoofei an earthen wall of confiderable height and thicknels branches off from Gra- ham's S)yke, mns throu^ Weft-qnarterhoufe garden, and reaches die old caftle of Almond. From diat toward the eafti there are few or no certain traces of it to be feen ; bnt we may prefume, that it oftce ended at LinKtiigow, where there was a Roman camp, on the very place where the King's palace was afterwards boilt. This vnjl has noibflk, and being broad at the top, was probably intended to he a road, as well as a line of defence.

• Dyke in the Scotch Ungaage laeans t wall.

Vbt rtaier is requefiid to mai^ iU Jalhmng torrtBiom m my SMifiicai AccowU o/MU^CaUer, Vol. XJV.i

Page 3(4. ihu 7. for clothes feai cloaks. — 371. -^ 1. for emperor read ufarpec. •-^ 37a. -» 5. in tbenote^for refcue read xoalr*

Tbf

fbe following correBions and additions to the SttOiJiicat Account of the farijb qfPolmpnt (vol. III. p. 344*^ aro beri infcrttd^ at the reqnejl of the Rev, Mr William Finlof t

The puUh of Poimont is not ittUrfeded, but bounded by the frith of ftrtbt on the north, and hj the river Avon on the eaft. A fmall part of it h ioteife^ed bj tijbori mt from Onrngemouth, which is now die only navigibk comnmnication betwixt the great canal and the Forth. Ths iron ftooe isXold by the proprieton of land to the Canon Company, not at tapenupfrftofte, bat at tenpenee per ton. tlie annual amount of thi foods lor relief Of te poor u ndt L. a8, but about L. 55, and the ezpendi- ture nearly Ae fiune. By an uiterlocotor of the Teind Court, June 1793, tiie ffipend of this parish is ordained to be iii bolls, 1 firlots, i peck, and 1 lippies of bear, $6 bolls of mea], and L. z 5% : 10 : 10 Scots money, witb L.69 n»Aey fbrefiud fat fumifhing the commanion-«teiiKntf. The rf$X rent of the panfli ia..atail L. 4000 StttUpg^ t

VouXIX. f KUMC.

m^ Staiiflitql AtCMM

NUMBER IIL

PARISH or ROXBURGH^

(CpuvTT or KozBUEGB, Stuod or VUtXE £Jm TWEU- DALE, PftsaaTf sftT or Kxuo.)

By tbi Rev. Mr Andrew Bell, Mimfier ^tht Farifif.

A I.

PREVIOUS to the Union of the Scotch and Engliih Par- liaments, this corner of the land was often the feat of war, and the unhappy fcene of broils and feuds, which ufually ftigmatize the border inhabitants of two hoOile kingdoms in a barbarous age. Roxburgh was the refidence and rendezvous of fome of the greatell military, political, clerical and Royal charaders Europe has to boaft of, and the place where ilate councils were held with a fplendour

and

tfSiaxhirgi. 115

Ecenoe becoftiilig' Ae disMty «f ^BtmWie9w in ^ihofe decern mMiy aatioiis fidt diemfelves hi^y mt^ jcAed and eoncimMd. Hiroqe cbi» parilb affords greflt room Car snvcAigatiom aad «peM a field, wh4;ffoon the hi- floiic geniiu might range with (lecaliar graliiGailioiu The Crilowiog remarks however, bebg iaieaded to make part «f a work, wbofe objefi la^a/fjiCjiMi/ rather tha» bijimimi ^aqpkjf the J are cbiefl j limked to }ocal aad exiAiog cit^ csmfiances*

Nmt,^^l^ika all etymolopcal interpretations of the ■ames of {daces, the meaning of this is eatremdj vague aad mcortaio. Camden calls the. cafUe of Roxburgh Mar<» MduMf or the hill on the matches, aUudiog» tiot to the alr titode or fize, but to the ftrength and importance of that fiMtreb. Some nomendators faj, that Roxbttrgb is a Gon*> trafiioa fi>r Rogne's Burgh, referriag to the charafter of its andeot inhabitants, when marauding was the trade of aU the borderers. Others affirm, that Roxburgh is the pcoper name, and derived from a Saxoo word, fimr, ^nifjing llrcogth : And others iofift, that Rofeburgh (as it is vul* garljr defigned) is the proper appellatioa of this fdacei being moft czprellive of its beautiful fituatson.

Situation. — ^The old city of Ro^iburgh Hood over againft Kelfo, on a rifing ground at the wef! end of a fertile plain, peninfulated by the confluence of the rivers Tweed and Tcvtot. Thefe fong-renownccf rivers flow here in all their glorj ; but the Teviot has decidedly the preference, when imagination calls up to view the grand aflfemblage of ofa- jeds that formerly lined her banks in this place. On the fouth angle of a beautiful peninfulated traA of land, formed by the curviturcs of the two rivers, Is* a rich

fpot.

XiiS Siatifikat Aceauni

fy^ of grodody where David I, boik a mtgnifieent Iriarj for fome Ciftertiaa monkft whom he removed from Selkirk to Roxburgh ; on the middle ftood the town, both under cover from the Caillei ^ich was fitualed on a large oblong knoll to the weft, and feparated from the dtj hj a narrow neck of land, formed by the proximity of the rivers. ^ The fouth walk of the Caftk impended over cho ^ Tevioti a part of whofe waters were direded by a dam ** thrown obliqaely acrofs the ftream at the weft end of the *' CaiUe into a deep fofle, which defended the fortrels oo ^* the weft and north, emptying itfelf into the river, at the H eaft end thereof ^/' Over this moat, at th^ gateway from the town, was thrown a draw-bridge, the remains of which were but lately removed. About two miles weft from the Caftle ftands the prefent village of Roxbargh, plea&ntly fitoated near the banks of the Teviot, oo a dcr clivity of fonthem expofure. It is divided by a (mall rir vulet into the " Upper and Nether Towns," which had formerly been of confiderable extent, though they now con^ tain only about 200 inhabitants. This village b the feat of the parochial church ; is nearly centrical to the whole parifti 9 lies in the county which bears its name, and within the bounds of the Prelbytery of Kelfo, and Synod of Merie and Teviotdalq.

Extent^ Hurfacef and So//.— The parifli extends about 9 miles in length, and 4 in breadth at the extremities, in* eluding an areapf 7000 acres of land. Its figure is irregular, ^nd may be reprefented by a fpread eagle, with his head towards the north, his wings fhadowing eaftward and weft- v^rd. The general appearance of the country is flat and floping. The foil is moftly m rich loam, well calculated for bearing turnips or wheat : The A^nds are therefore very

valuab]f, f Pfnnant.

iff Roxhurgh. iij

irtliiaUe, but rftther onpleafaiu to laboofy being ianfy in fome places. The iktrts of the parifli on the weft and footh are mooriih* A great part of that trad of land which lies between the rivets, efpecially about the viUage, u fo ftonj, that tradition reports it to have been once all covered with houiiBS. In very few placesi however, have the ftones any appearance of having ever been ufed in building. The grounds on the eait end of the parifb, and thofe on the fouth fide of the Tcviot, iu-e inclofed with ditch and hedge. The fences, being in general grown np, and ornamented with hedge-rows of trees; befides, various woods, and little thicketii or clumps of wood, reared upon, unarable knolb and rocky hillocks in feveral parts, make the country look rich and beautiful. The parifh is bounded by Maxton, Ancmm, and Crailtng, on the weft ; by C railing and Eck- ford, on the fouth ^ by Kelfo, on the eaft } by a part of l^elfo and Makerfton, on the norths

Agrieubure^'-^Tht greateft part of this pariOi is in a vtrj high ftate of cultivation, and yields an ample reward to the occupiers for their toil and expence in labour. Whether lying in pafture or in tillage, the fields every where around difplay the remarkable adivity, agricultural fpirit, and ikill of the farmers. Equal in all kinds of huftandry within their fpheretoany inthekingdom,the landholders and farmers here aie particularly attentive to the cultivation of potatoes, and, being favoured by the nature of the foil, have carried it to a very high degree of perfedion. Three hundred fir- lots pfT acre is a frequent produce. They are planted in drills, the diftance between each plant fometimes about three feet, and are completely cleaned of weeds by frequent hoeing \ the firft and fecond time very deep, with a fliarp pointed hoe, afterwards not fo deep, left the root fliocdd Bft injured. About thp time pf their blooming, the earth is laid

up,

liB ShatyHca Account

up, focnetunet in die ibria of a flMkhiIl» tboot eadi Ststk^ ivhich is a gmt iioproTcmcnt. la dus way ti saoagc- meiit tbc ground is well cleaBod» and afterwards yiekb a good crop of wheat or oats. The potatoes axe phnfeed oa light dry laod, either Batorally richt or node lb with dcmg. lim^ is found hurtfalt by aaaking them grow /eabb§dm la order to prevent their degcncra^i the feed is csr^dly picked, and fuch as grow corlcd leaves axe kept oot if pof- fible. Though a rotation of crops is generally obferved here, by raifing one green and two whiter yet fiome of the iarmers, diftingniihcd for flcill in and attention to bofinefi, are often direded by the Ceafims, and the various fisil of their lands.

Hence the number of acres occupied by diftinft fpecies of crops can ardly be a&ertaiaed. It is fuppoCed that one half of the whole parifli is girnerally in paflurc ; the other half in tillage \ and om:*third of that kid down annually with grais- feeds, the ground being always firft properly cleaned and prq>ared for tiicm. The pariAi reaia a great deal more grain of all kinds than the inhabitants ufe, and . the catde bred or fattened within its bounds are not half, fcarcely the third part, cpnfumed there. Upwards of 50 ploughs are employed in the partfli, axid drawn generally with two hories. Oxen are alfo ufed, and found to aafwer the purpofes of huibandry, both in the cart and plough.

Po^ftfftoip^— Vediges of villages, malt fteeps, cottages, and other memorials of inbabitatioB in various parrs of the parifli, indicate the popaladon to have been formerly very confiderable ; but no exaft lift of old date having fallen into my haAds, the number cannot be alcertained £ar back. Agreeably to a praAice recommended and gene];^ly oh* ferved in the Church of Scodand, the writer, upon hb in* fluxion to this cure^ vifited every family within its bounds, I and

^^ Roxburgh. ii^

tnl fmoA the Oftttber of ibab i& tlie paijfli to be upwards of 1050.

A very accurate lift was again made out at the defire of the Sheriff of the county, in r782» to aflift in providing a|ajoft a fcaroity, with which this country was then threat* enedi and the number of fouls was found to be iioo* They do not at pre&iit exceed 900 *, and may be ^UftdU bated thus :

Of the £ftabli(bcd Church, 480

Burghers, Antiburghers, and ReEef

Secedeis, - -170

Cameronians and Quakers, « 9

Childrca, ~ - 241

	._C Males, 5**® 1 Females,	3«o 540
	191
Lotters, • •	t2I
Minds and nerds.	23
Haadieraftfinett, *	43
Apprentioes to thefe,	7
Servants,	7Mafcs,	60 46
Fanaers,	aa .
nentors, * • ,	xo

The great difproportion between the inales and females feems to arife from a number of cot-hou(es being pofTtiTed bj women, wfaofe buifiiandd or iioii^ are' eitij^oyed elfe* where. . ' m- -■ ■'- • '- '-" '0 ' '' ''•^^ « '^^ ' ^-^

According

' • * ; fc » ,' • ... V ; "I'M ^t ' . ' ^- <'* •rtibj.n 2..T * • Since this lift was uKen in 1 79^t^ BW*^^ A?VirfW>W:Wnj . *wdsof6o.

ifto Siaif/lufal Account

Accordiag lo tbe parifli-regifler •« there has been, widi* in tbe time included between the ift of Odober 1783 and the ift of Odober 17939 Marmges, ^- • 76

K«^ - ■ '«5SX ?l

The exad number of births and burials cannot be cafilj afcertained* For various rcafons many childrens names are not regiftered; and the people in general all over this countrj having an idea of property in their family buiy* ing place^ carry their dead there ; and by negle&ing to do fO| they feem to feel themfelves guilty, not only of viola- ting a natural propenfity in men to deep with their fiathers, but alfo of infringing a facred obligation, as they &y, fanc- tioned by the example of patriarchs* at the cave in the field ; of Macpelah* In articles of population* an account of the ages of different claffes of perfons have been thought ex- pedient and ufeful. This the writer has been obliged to omity except with regard to children, who neither fear nor bluili to cell their age ; and thofe who glory in " prattling ** o'er the tales of other years." The children mentioned above are under 10 years of age ; of the other venerable dafsy there are 15 upwards of 70, nine upwards of So, thsee above 90, and one near 100 years old. During the late incumbent's miniftry here, a woman died at Faimington about the age of xao.

State <(f tht Popr.'^hl prefent there are 24 upon tbe poors iroll i the monthly affeffmeot for fupporting theiJB,

including

• Tliis reacba as far back u xtfiS ; is ramaifcablf tegolltf, tudhss oftoR been* proof itfibe titiUtj of fndi recorii. -

of Roxburgh i Hi

including collefior and clerk's fees, is L.6:4:4, levied, one half from the heritors, and the other half from the te^^ nants, according to their real and valued rents refpedivcly. Meetings for condufting the aifairs of the poor here ard held twice a-year ; the tenants are always invited by the minifter from the pulpit to attend on thefe occafions for alGfting the heritors and kirk-feffion * in that work ; and the allowance of each pauper is generttlly fixed according to the report of the kirk-fefCon, or tenant under whom hd lives, as to his circumftances. By this means improper ap- plications for public charity are checked ; the truly indi- gent fiirni{hed with a good mode of obtabing relief; and to the generous, a plan is opened for giving alms without danger of impofitionl It is painful, indeed, t(5 fee parents, worn out with the toil and cafe of rearing a family, fome- times applying for public aid i' while the very childreA they have nourilhed and brought Up, will not give a mit6 to relieve th^ir difttefi. The public, (ky'they, is obliged to do it. This is the apology many tn^ke for negleding to obey one of the firft laws of nature, )vhile they frequent- ly lavifli away a confiderable part of their earnings upon the vanities of life. On* this account fome have thought there (hould be no law to force public charity, unlefs to oblige fuch as are in ability to fdpport their indr- gent relations, efpecially children their parents. Alas \ if filial or brotherly affe£Kon cannot melt the heart, 1 rod of iron, it is to be feared, would be ufed \tl vain to bt^ak it. In order to keep the number of poor on the lift from inr- crealing beyond proper bounds, and to prevent the modcft and well-defervln^ from fufferin^ want, the colleftions Vol. XIX. QL 'made

• HertterK, or hndltolders, Jind t1i<? klrk-fcffion in a parUh» arc the lega$ tneoibcn of diefc m^edog*. . In «fleffiiig for the poor, l^owevcr, th^ aid ai the farmcn is highly proi)cr.

222 Siatiflical Accouni

made in the ktrk ve diftributed among nee^j perfoasi ooC on the poors roll ; and in cafes of incidental polrertj, an interim fupplj is given. The heritors fometimes lodge money in tbe^ hands of the fefliony to diflribute as they fee proper. This is attended with great advantages i evils often occurring that cannot be provided againft by the ge* neral meeting, and the coUedions in the church being {carcely adequate to the claims ufually made upon them, fiich as the fchool- wages of poor fcbolars, Ste.

State of the Church and ScbooL-^vee minifters have been ordained here fince the Revolution, vi%* MefTrs Dat- gliefli, Brown, PoJlock, Hogg, and the pre&nt incumbent. The firft of thefe was excluded 6901 his charge at the Re* volution, and returned to it afterwards ; but the benefice being too imall to fupport his suimerous family, he was obliged to betake himfelfj to^^ome other employment, and leave this cure» much regretted by the people. Mr Brown was removed from his kirk in the year 1715 ^ and had it not been for the compaf&on and humanity of a Noble Counteis, he had felt all the diftre& naturally (befalling fuch as are driven from a particular Jine of life, to which alone they have been educated. Though a man of no fliining abilities, and greatly deScient in that difcemment and prudence neceflary to fleer the helm of condud in a politic age, yet we feel for Mr Brown, retiring, in exile, to a remote valley, where^ he lived for years in a cottage on the fide of a rivulet, (by Cefsford), tending his milk-cow, tx delving his. garden — ^his only livelihood, and the gift of cbari^. The ground of proceis againft Mr Brown is- iaid to have been a charge of difloyalty, which a^e chiefly from his drinking the Pretender's health at Kelfo, in com- pany with the rebel army. This, it it faid, he did with no ill intention, but fimply thinking thereby to pleafe Mackintc^, the rebel cfftnmanderi and thus recover a horlie the rebels

^ hai

of Roxburgh. 12^

hfld ftelea firodi him. Mr Pollock lived iM>t long to profc* cnte (be remarkable (uccefs w^tb wbicb his miniflry was . •Ctended in this parith. Defigned by Providence to in-' ftmft a mde race of men, he was endowed with many qua- Itfications reqnifite for that important talk. A robuft con- ftitutton, and a bold impetuous temper ; unwearied atten- tion to the care of his paiftoral office ; and a rigid ezecu- tioQ of difcipline ; a competent, ihare of Tarious erudition, and very confiderable powers of addreis, procured him the lalling memorial of having turned many from datkneis to light. Scarcely above one in a family, befoi^ his days, having 'been taught to [read here, under his tuition the youths not only obtained the elements of ufeful knowledge at fchooly but were obliged tq commit the principles of re- Kgion and morality, as^ recommended by the confticution of tlHs kbgdom, carefully to memory, and repeat them pabHcIy at diurch, which gave early and falutary ideas of civil and (acred virtues chat the lapfe of time has not en- tirely wiped away. His few fiirviving difeiples talk of tbefe things with delight ; and difcover the mingled fenfa- tioQs df joy and tricmbling, while they fpeak of the great oaken Jlick wherewith Mr Pollock always walked, over- awing' Che ittfoleht ; or the engaging means by which he enconraged the timid and deferving. Mr Hogg was a na- tive of the ^arifl), and wore out his days in ferving this cure witfl much efteem, refped, and ufefuhiefs. He died on the 3d day of Febrnary 1781, in the 46th year of his tninifiry, and was fucceeded \j the prefent incumbent in the month of November following.. The church was built in the year 1752 ; was the firft modem houfe of that kind in this comer of the country ; is in good repair, ncit and commodioufly fitted up for holding the people. Though plain and fimple in its conftrudion, the prefent church forms a ilriking contrafi to the old one here, and ihows how

diffsrently

1 24 Statiftical Account

diiTerentlj men in isixicient and modem tiw^es tfaink of plft* ces iiueft for devotional e^ceroifes. Agreeably, as it woaI4 feeniy to the old idea, that the {pirit of devotion likes beft to dwell in gloomj retx:eats, the kirk at Roxburgh was al- jDoil wholly un^er ground, roofed with a ftroog arch, and totally overgrown wKh grafs. The people entered to the place of public woribip through ;ui aifle * of the fiMne coor jftruflion, and delcended by fix or feven fteps into the body of the cburqh, (perhaps the particular conftniSion of tha( edifice had been intended as 9 kind of fecority to the wor- .ihippers in times of perfepudon and. danger). T)ie roaoie has been rebuilt during the prefcnt minifter's incumbency, and might be dejcmed a good one,, did not the v^j da^p jituation repder it both particularly uncomfortable and tm- healthful to live in. The heritors have already been at confiderable e^ptnce in repairing it, by renewing the ground-floor, tbrpwing drains round the houfe, &c. bat all jfeems, as yet, an ineffedual remedy of an evil that might eafily have been prevented at firfi. It is furely the interefi as well as the duty of all who arc bound by }aw to fumilh accommodations to perfons in public, cbafaftcrs, not only to contrad with tradefmen, but alfo to fee the work done in a plape and form that may render it mpft durably com- fortable. The Quke of Roxburgh is the undoubted pa- tron of this ]l\t]^. The ftipend is L. 73 : 3 ; 4, including communion-elemeqts, and L. i, 10 s. Sterling in lieu of turf>calUng. A decre^ of modification paflfed the 3d day of March 1790, augmented faid ftipend by a grant of four chalders qf oat-me^, but the locality is not yet fettled, i^racUces qf thi^ Ifind are not only vxsry much againft a mi- pifter's iniereft,, bpt often prove alfo extremely hurtful to

« heritors,

» Tliis aide is llill remaining, anci is the family bnrj?ng-plact oelonging if> Sunlaws. • '

of^Roxburgbk X2$

heritorsy.on whom the greateil £hare,o£ftipeiids finally falls. The law indeed autborifcs a miniftcr to uplift his whojc iiiodi6ed ftipeod^ mstil locked, from any proprietor, who has fofficient teinds within the: parifli^ This, however, thoogh ftridly legal, is generally thought an ungracious ftep, IS difficult to render effeAual, and is feldom or never followed, unle& qeceQity u^g^.; The glebe is of confider- able extent, but not including a. grafs^glebe, nor has the minifier any thing in ^eu thereof that . he knows of, has bcei^ all indofed and much improven at the prefent incum* bent's fole expeoce. But being rnaturally of a wet, cold bottom, and interfcfted by a very dcftrua'jvc rivulet, it will require conftant attention to keep: the fences in re*- pair, and the land in any tolerable date of culture or fruit- ^ulnels. The miniver's garden is now very good, and his oflioe-houfesare iuitable, had their &ua^pn b^en dry. — ^Xhe number .of fcholars attending the psgroohial fchool is gene- rally about 30 in fummer, and 40 in winter. The .fcfaool- mailer's falaxy is L. xoo Scotch, and ai darg of turf caft on Roxburgh moor, according, to ufe an4 wont. ' Belides hiji legal ialary, he has feveral little perquifites, iiich as xo s. per annum as precentor and feflion-clerk j ao s. J^er annurfi as heritors clerk ; for each proclamation .of b^nns, i s. ; for every regiftration of baptifm, 6d»; and 4Td« for each te- fiimonial of moral charader ; thefe arq here given by the authority of the kirk-fe£Qon. The fchool-wages arc x s. per quarter for readbg -, i s. '6 d. for writing ; and % s. for arithmetic. Befides the parochial, there are twofchools in this pariflb, which acc6mmodate children who live at a di- ftange from the village. The falary of the mailers of thefe twp febpols is given by their employers. It is much to be willed that country fchoolmafters had more liberal appoint- Aents. The Duke of Roxburgh, whofe attention to all ijjfhpublip ipfti^utions deferves the higheft praifc, has aug- mented

1^6 * Siutijikal Actount

tniented to the legal vhimum^ vis. L* xob SeoticA, the fiiiool* mailer's falarjr heir, md I befieve of dll the {choolanflen where he has zuj cDOtetn. Tfoej'are ffil'lhit a poor ni* dfacement tot men of gebios or leaming» iti this entcrpri- ling age, to undergo the drudgery of that itiolV nfcfiil office. At tfaefe humble {emtnaries, the miMson^inthis country re- ceive die nidimenti of dvil iMid modrl diarader; and the prxactples children iinbibe there, often direft^tbe wliole Te« nor of their future life. Unlefs the depravity of the wocU hai rubbed oflT the virtutnis feelings a boy was infpired with at ichooly we frequently fiiid htm in mattfte age pnifaed on to excellence in hodabie puriuita by the fame nerves which led him foremoft iii the youthful fp<^, and made him a- fpire at perfonal honour, or his mailer's applaufc, by rffing Daxin the clafs through merit and indufh-y. It might, itherefore, be of great advantage to church and fbite, in a land where the road to eminence is open to all who will Drive to attain it, were a man of a liberal and poliflied ynind placed at the head of each of thefe nurferies of youth, Ratified not only to teach children the alphabet, but to imv plant in theit minds the feeds of virtue, and of that noble ambition which leads to preferment in the world, as at Ichool, b^ perfonal worth and due fubmiJQiDn to fuperiors. But this can hardly be escpefted, while the appointments of that office continue fo extremely narrow, as to make every "uell-^'dacated and virtuous man fhfink back from it as a place of hopelefs penury, or follow fome other employ- ment befides his fchool, in order to gain V decent livelihood for his family^ It is hoped, however, c!hat fuch arrange* ments will be made as may enable prefbyteties (whom the wifdom of our anceftors has conflituted guardians of paro^ chial fchools) to recommend men eveJ-y way fit for con* 'during that lingular fyftem of education from whence the ^ottiQi people ha v^ derived fuch confec^uence, and on.thb 3 proper

fioper ttumagtincnt of which the Inrelfare of focictj fo gititly depends. Over the parochial fcbool of this parilh a man of f(reat inUgritj has prefided upwards of 40 years^ aiKl many have reapied the -good fruits of his labours.

Herii^s. — ^Tbere arp ten heritors^ or proprietors of land, in the parifli, ^ve great and five fmall. The Duke of Rox*' burgh is proprietor of one half of the lands in the whole parilhy and bears confeqnently one half of all parochial bur^- deoS| except the miniAer's ftipend, of which by law he caa greatly relieve himfelf^ being titular of all the teinds. The only great heritor who refides for any length of time is the Uoa. Baron Rutherford of Faimington. Of this gentle- man's cbarafier, fo univerfally and fo jufily efiecmed, a imall part only fadls within, the limits of a Statlftical ac* count. The whole eftate is cultivated by the proprietor himfelfy and his'extenfive improvements have afforded bread to artifls ^d labourers in this part of the country for many years. Befides their receiving the ftated price of htboor, the moft humane and particular attention is paid to the comfort and health of the inhabitants ^ in fo much, that every thing being found them, (even medical afliBance when necefiary), they have no need to apply to the public funds of the "parifh for charity* In a fmall village on this eftate* in which there are upwards of xoo fouls, the pro* prietor has efiablilhed a fchool with a confiderable falary to a teacher properly qualified. The fchoolmafter has an additional allowance for keeping a Sunday fchool^ where all who with to attend are inftruAed in the principles of re- ligion and morality, and propei: books on thefe fubje^ pot into their hand&.*-)noculatiou of the fmall-pox has often been fucceisfully prafiifed in the bounds of his eilate ^ and this alfo being afforded gratis^ has induced the parents to comply with that faluiary meafure. Thus both the fpi*

ritual

■ -¥

t28 Statijlical Account ^

ritual and temporal inter^fls of the people are carefidly af« tended to by the Hon. Baron *.

Of the 12 farmers who occupy the lands in this parilh, eight farm pretty extenfively, the reft are fmall tenants. Eleven or twelve in the village of Roxburgh are called cotlanders^ poflefSng from his Grace the Dakeof Raxborgh abaut two acres of land each, together with a houfe» jrardi and liberty of pafturing their cows in an adjacent ioamimg. This, along with their own induftry in fome trade, enables them to bring up their families pretty comfortably. They have no leafe of their lands, but their rents are feldom rai- fed, and they are almoft never turned away, cnleis they be- have ill, or prove troublefome neighbours. All of them have families, which being, in genera^ trained up in the path of virtue and induftry, promife to be ufefiil members offocicty,

Animdls.'^ThAs parifh contains about x6o work, 9 or 10 riding horfes, and feveral young ones to preferve the flock, 600 black cattle, and 4000 iheep, all good of their l;.ind, though not diftinguiihed in the neighbourhood either for lize or value. Birds of all kinds, ufually met with in this country, appear here in their proper feafons. — ^The Tweed and Teviot are the only rivers in the parifh, and abound with various kinds of fiOi, efpecially falmon, whofe prices are generally regulated by the Berwick mat ket. A fmall purple-coloured trout prevails much here, very defi- cious to eat, and is faid to be peculiar to Teviot. Such quadrupeds as generally frequent the fouthem parts of Sc9tland, appear in various corners of this parilh, and af- ford the fportfmen plenty of game in the feafon.

Advantages

« Since the above wu writtdn, tliis worthy Nobleman is dead, mucii vA moft'ficccrely regretted.

iff Roxburgh. 129

Advantages and Di/advanta^ ei.^^Thongh, this parifh is «iot much diftinguiflied from thofe around by any pardfu- lar local advantages, yet its vicinity to a good market at Kelfoy its inhabitants Being liable to no peculiar difeaicy and its very healthful climate» are properties of high efta- jnation. Spring agues were tronblefome in two or three places, which lie low and damp; but fince the ground about thefie was made dry in the courCe of farming improve- ment, by drains and inclofiixg, the inhabitants have not been expofed to that complaint in any remarkable degree. Several old people complain much of what they call tie patJUf or rheumatifai^ oraving probably to the extreme cold they are expofed to from their damp boufes, and great icaxvity of firing. Among the principal difadvantages un- der which this place and all the neighbourhood labour, is the great diftance from coal, and a total want of every -other fpecies of fuel. This is a xeal cfdamity to the poor ; and mod heavily felt by them fince they were, £»aie years ago, all prohibited from cafting turf on the moors. Every cottar ufed to have liberty from his mafter to caft a ^arg or two of turf.-*The fine road from Berwick to Carlifle, (fo beautifully defcribed in the Statiftical Account of Bedrule), pafles through the fouth part of this parifh, and is of ezten- {ivc/ub^antia/ benefit, as is that likewife which runs along the north fide of the parifii from Kelfo to Melrofe. But the high road paffing through the village of Roxburgh is jet in a natural (late, and on account of its extreme rug- gcdntls is almoft impaflable* In confequence, however, of a bridge now building over Teviot, near Kelfo, we hope this road will foon be put into a (late of complete repair, being the direft line therefrom up through a rich populous country, whofe comforts and improvement are much im- peded by the want of it. The bridge above mentioned is xemarkably handfome, and will be of vaft utility to all that

Vol. XIX. R populous

X30 Statijlical Account

populous diftriS between Tweed and Teviot ; efpeciallj to tl^ tenants on the eaft end of thb parifli, whom the ac- cidental mngnitude of thefe riven often internipted in the courfe of huiineb. Another inconvenience arifes to this parifli from its interfe£tion by the Teviot. The lands ad- jacent to the river are not indeed expofed to much damage thereby, and a boat is kept at Roxburgh, both for ferving the country, and accommodating the people with accefr to the church ; yet the flooding of the river often prevents a populous diftrift of the parifli ironi attending public wor- iliip, and ^of>///)^ deprives the children there of the benefit of the parochial fchool. As many landward pariflies labour under fimilar inconveniencies with regard to parochial fchools, it is hoped that in thefe arrangements underfiood to be going on through Scotland for better encouraging the education of youth, fome plan will be adopted for provi- ding ftated fchoolmailers in fuch places as have not acceii to the parilh-ichool.

Vie^os, — In almoft every corner of this parifli the eye b prefented with objeds that nature and art feem vying how bell to adorn. The beanties of the fcenery which fur- rounds tlie feat of the ancient city of Roxburgh exceeds all defcription. A little to the weft of this, the public road lies along the top of a precipice lined with trees, through which a traveller perceives the Tweed rolling ** ^dark, ** drumbly and deep," far below him ; at a little diftance, on the other hand, he fees the Teviot meandring round a large plain, and boimded by a rocky wooded bank. While, contemplating thtfe rivers, truly beautiful when in low water, and grand when in flood, the fpeAator fuddenly lofes ijght of them^ and every thing elfe but the wood that ovcrfliadows him in a hollow of the way. In this gloomy path he goes only a few paces, until a moft enchanting

fceac

of Roxburgh. 131

ibeoe opens upon him all at once, the prominent features whereof are, the Duke of Roxburgh's feat at Flenrs; Sir George Douglas'a at Springwoodpark ; the Teviot on the right and Tweed on the left hand, two beautiful bridges over thefis, and Kelfo^ in all its glory, full in the traveller's cje, as he paiTes eaftward. From a panicular fpot in the ▼tUage of Roxburgh there is a very magnificent view, laooking eaftward, the fpe&ator.fees nothing wild or uncul- tivated, and ftretches the line of vifion along a valley, appa- rently covered with trees, to the diflance of 8 or 10 miles. Jl com or grals field, a houfe here and there, and the fmoke of various cots and villages curling up from amidft ti)e fo- reft, divetfify and heighten the fcene. A houfe on the top of a high hill, with a row of trees on each fide of it, makes a fine termirauion to the wiiole. From the fame fpot the fpcfiator is amufed with a very different profpeA wcft« ward, doable the length, and bounded by the lofty moun- tain Carter, and its adjacent hills* From a rifing ground 00 the fouth fide of the parifli, the curious are gratified with a romantic view of the Teviot. After being concealed by the panicular arrangement of its banks, the river appears tumbling cafcadt-like from the mouthofSunlaws eaves, and inftantly difappears again. The cave-mouths, and the river apparently flowing from them, produce a moft Angular ef- fed. A profped of the Teviot from Sunlaws hill, wind- ing through an extenfive dale, enriched in the higheft de- gree both by nature and art, well deferves notice as pecu- liarly pleafing and grand. The wideft and mod abundant range of view which this parifli affords, is from a rifing ground or bill called Duns-Law^ on the weft angle of Fair- nington eftate. Agreeably to the import of its name, this eminence is faid to have formerly been a ftation of autho- rity and ftrength. An obfcrvatory, or fummer-lioufe, built on the top of it by the Hon. Baron Rutherford, ^commands

a

liz Statifllical Account

a prvTped too vaft, and crowded with objeds, for pafdcov kr or critical remark. From this adTantageoos fpot o£ obfervatioa, the various powers of Cade which adorn the mind of man are called forth, and pleafiuitly engaged in contemplating lofty mountains, verdant htUs, firuitfnl plains^ beautiful rivers, populous towns, great woods, three re« nowned caftles, and a peep of the German Ocean. Under the fpcdator's eye from this place the parifli of Roxburgh Mts fully difphyed, and forms an excellent landfcape, the Tweed walhing its border on the north, and Teviot partly on the fouth« A rich angle, all indofed *, lying on the Ibuth-eaft £de of Teviot, adds much to the beauty of the whole.

Curiofiiiei^-^hmong the cnriofities in this parifh, two well-fprings, on the banks of the Tweed, of a petrifymg. quality, are remarkable. One of thefe is but a feeble fpring, and being la the midd of marfhy ground, is not very perceptible. The ndols around it, however, is all incrufied confiderably. More plentiful in its fource, tiie other fpring produces a more powerful effed. It.feems to drip through a fblld rock ; but upon near infpe£Bon, that rock appears plainly to be a petrified fubftance. The powers of the water are. fo ftrong, as to cruft a bit of mols, or any ca* pillary fubftance, within the fpace of three months, and render it hard as folid ice in the courfe of half a year. A little below this a ilratum of rock (by miners called a dike) runs acro& the rWer, and forms a great natural curiofity. The rock is divided into four flits, which contain the Tweed when not in flood. Two of thefe are/about 34 feet deep, and fo narrow that one may eafily ftep acrob them. In fnmmer, people a-foot ufed often to pais the river here ^

but

* This is faid to have been the firfl inclofed fp-ound in all this countr;.

of Roxburgh. 133

hot Sir Henry Haj Macdougal, fome time ago» caufed the middle rock to be blown up ; and thus humanely Aopped that carious, but dangerous paflage. As the water runs through chefe guUets with great velocity, perpetually hurling down fmall ftones, it emits a loud grumbling noife at a// times ; hut at the break df an ice florm, it fends forth atremen* dons roar Eke the raging fea, and is heard a great way off. In the time of firoft the dtflferent ihapes and hoary appear* ance of the ice fdrm a grand fcene; in fummer, or when the river is low, a diftant view excites pleaCmt emotions ; a near infpeAion of the deep impetuous ftream raifeth a Ytry different feeling. Thefe rocks are frequented by great numbers of falmon, and highly valued by fifhers as a fit place for fetting their nets. Three or four cart-load of fiih are fometimes catched there in a morning. Such fiih as lodge among thefe rocks a few days, it is faid, turn quite black, owing, perhaps, to the efieft of copper ore whick appears on both fides of the river here in confiderable quantity. Some of the fmall ftones which halt on diefe rocks being kept in a conftant eddy by the current, grind out deep round holes vtrj/ooftf which make a curious beautiful appearance.

^iif^tfiVfVf ^— Such as are given to that fpecies of inve- iligation might find many memorials of antiquity in this parifli. The feat and gardens of the Francifcan monks^ who fettled. at Roxburgh; various monuments of ghoftly cuftoms obferved by thofe religionifts ; medals, coins, fun- dry machinery inftruments ; caufeway paved ftreets and fubterraneous vaults ; pieces of fpears, guns, and other mi- litary accoutrements ; an immenfe quantity of iron nails, &c. found in cultivating 'the fields where the ancient city of Roxburgh formerly floo3; fpurs, and otlver articles of hamefs, got about the fkirts of the caftle ; the cattle it-

3 • f-^'f-

134 Stattftical Account

&% \vhereof there remains now only as much fliattered wall as fuggefts the former prodigious flrength' and finga* lar magnificence of that fortreis ; a variety of %fjA JUaelj trees, particularly an elm, called the tryJUmg-trtt^ about thirty feet round the trunk, and clothed with ramificatioiu • remarkably grand and venerable; tbofe objeds fumiih great entertainment for the antiquarian : but the reader is referred for a fiirther account of them to the Sutiilical Re- port of Kelfo, whofe author has taken notice of them« and whofe talents, befides fuperior means of information, are better fitted to do jufiice to fuch rare monuments of anti- quity *• But there are other objcds in this pariih worthy of the antiquarian's notice. Among thefe may be reckon- ed a hawthom-tree in the minifter's garden, remarkable for fize and beauty, meafuring about feven feet round the trunk, and ihading an area of upwards of thirty feet dia- meter. There are few objeAs of greater beauty to be feen than this tree when in bloirom.-*The remains of a ftroag tower, fituated near this village, on the top of a bank gently doping down to the T^viot, are worthy of notice. This venerable fabric has once been of great extent and magnificence. Old people here remember its having vari- ous apartments inhabited, the windows and doors fecured by iron bars and gates, and the Unties and door-pofis, cfpe- cially thoie of the great porch, highly ornamented by grand Gothic fculpture. They fpeak with rapture alfo of the fine gardens, the fruit-trees, and various works of decora- tion,

* That tbefe places belong to Roxburgh parUh appean, from the local memory of the oldeft inhabitants here ; from the expreCs terms of the leafcs, whereby the tenants of thefe lands have always held that farm ; from the Bailie of Roxburgh barony holding his court at Frian ; from the polittv^ ' teftxmony of the late author of die county cefs-books ; and from the ftatutc- ' labour of Roxburgh parlHi being applied for making tod repairing roads about Friais as within tliis bounds.

of Roxburgh. 135

<

tioD, whereby they have feen this manfion fiirroanded. TTheTe things, fo expreffive of the tafie and dignity of the former inhabitants of tbb place, afe now quite efiaced ; and there remains of the tower itfelf only two apartments on the gronnd-floor, lighted by a few rays tranfmitted through fome flics in the wall, apparently defigned for air, or for fliooting arrows from in different diredions. The apartments are ftrongly arched above ; the walls are up- mrards of fix feet thick, and boilt with fmallftones, cement* ed firm as the folid rock. The roof is overgrown with grab, interfperfed by bmfli-wood, fprung, feemingly, from feed blown thither from a neighbouring afli-tree. Thefe buihes contribute much to the beautifiiUy grotefque figure of thu rnin. From thb tower was carried to the late Lady Chatto's (whole property it was) a flroog iron gate, two ^ars, a fieel cap, and a coat of t'mail very entire. The fpcars were of fuch fize that a rugg faw was made out of each, and dill to be feen here : the coat of mail was fo Iwmvy, that aftout young man in this village, who tried it on and eSayed to walk, was not able to move with it. This ruin is called Merlin's Cave, in memory of an ancient in- habitant of that name, they fay. It beats alfo the name of Wallace's Tower ; but whether it obtuned that defignation, like totne other places in Scotland, merely in honour of fiscb an illnftrions champion of his country ; or whether, as blind Harry &ys, Wallace was adually in this place, and built the tower at Roxburgh, the writer has not been able fbUy to afcertain. A young woman, about 70 or 80 years ago, fell from the ftair-head, where ihe was fitting fpinning one day, and foon after that the place was totally defertcd. From a fiiperflitions averfion probably, that ftill prevaib

-in

, • The ftccl cap is in podeffioa ftill of Mr George Cnufton at Plow. had.

136 Statijlical Account

in this cottntry, to any place where wilfiil or accidental death has happened, the people imagining that fuch places are haunted by the ghofts of the deceafisd ; that gloomy fancy was heightened in this inftance by the confideration of the poor imfortanate's being a bride the day (he died. A little tojthe weft ward of this, on the oppofite tide of the river, appear feveral caves cnt out of folid rock, in the middle of a high precipice, whofe bottom is waflied by the Teviot, which flows here broad and deep in a Terpentine form* Three of thefe caves have been of large dimeniions. One of them was ufed as a hiding place for horfes in 1745* when the Pretender to the Crown of Britain went through this parifh with his army, and from that circumftance, as well as from its having been ufed for a ftable afterwards, it is called the Horfe Cave. Another, whofe mouth is al- moft quite filled vp, and inaccefllible now, reaches fo far back into the ground, that old people who have been in it fay they never got to the fartheft end of it, and fuppole this cave had beta a fiibterraneous paflage to Sunlaws manfioOi- houfe in times of danger^ A third is called the Dove Cave^ from its having been ufed by Lady Chatto as a pigeon- houfe. The fides of it are full of fquare holes cut out of the folid rock, and faid to have been the pigeon nefts ; but fome imagine from this circumftance, that it had been originally a concealed cellar, or hiding place for (lores* Ic is probable thefe caves had all been iheltering holds during the border incurfions, which expofed the miferable inhabi- tants of this country to perpetual danger and depredation. Ac the month of one of thefe caves, in a fine fummer even- ing, when the fun has gone *• halJUngs down the weft," the eye is prefented with a view of nature difplayed in fuch ^lory and variety, as (he feldom a(rumes. Many veftiges of camps and trenches appear in this parilh -, but the moft remarkable encampment in ic is that on the north-weft fide,

ofkoxhurgb. 137

fo well defcrified in the Statiftical Report of Maztoiii but from the local metnorj of the people not ia Maxton pa* lifli. ** The exploratory mount belonging to this camp *' ftands a little eaftward on the banks of Tweed * \** is planted on the top with trees, as a vifta from Mackcrfton- houfe, and makes a very piAurefque appearance, the fcene^* ry round its bafe being highly romantic. A well of fe- ▼era! ftreams iflues out of it, which, from the name f , the peculiar fidubrity of the water, and the remains of nice building, had likely been once of great repute. The great Roman road (Watling-ftreet) By Borrowbridge, runa through the weft comer of this parifli; and that being thought the neiifeft yet found between England and Scot- land, great quantities of cattle pnrchafed at the Scotch markets are carried fouth this way.

Mtjcettantis. — The wages of houfehold-fervants are not higherhere than in the neighbourhood; tbofe of day-la« bourers are often regulated by the abilities of the worker, or his employer's neceflity. Wages in general are under* flood to be more than qqadrupled within the laft forty years, and leave little ground ot complaint, did not plenty create luxury, and luxury want^. which nature unadulterated fel* dom feels. The people hd^r complain not fo much of the price, as of the mode of obtaining labour in fome inftanoes. Cottars are bound to be at their matter's call through the whole year, at 8 d. pir day generally. Confidering this bondage^ as they call it, a hardfhip, the people ftrive to get lodgings in places where no fuch obligations are required, or where they may have viftuals as part of wages, a thing fcldom now granted to day-labourers here.* Owing either to this, or the monofofy of/armSf or the demolition of cot-

Vol. XIX. S hou&s,

• Pennant . . i St John's Well.

138 Staiiftical Account

honfes, or, perhaps, the combinatioa of all thefe, the popu- htioa of this pairifli has decreafed upwards of aeo Coob within the fpace of ten years ! a ferious clrcumftanoe, were it univerfid through country parifhes; principles of eflSrmi- nacj and corroption naturally prevailing moft in towns, for teafons mentioned above, die people generally emigrating firom the country to towns. In an age of general profpe- rity> indeed, thefe baneful principles make rapid progids every where. An unexampled flow of profperity has, of late years, wonderfully altered the condition, fentiments, and manners of men in this comer of the country ; but the vrricer is happy to find the people here retaio, in general, their wonted charafier of fobriety, kii^dneis, liberality, and xefped for the ordinances of divine worlhip. Indeed, the inhabitants of Roxburgb parilh lie under peculiar obliga- tions to. virtue both civil and religious. Dwelling in peace, happineis, and lafety on that very fpot where their fathers knew not where to lay their heads, the fen^ble and reflefi- ing feel thankful to iiei^vim for fpreading its inflfieii^ ib benignly over us^

Memoriab of death and flaughter appear in many parti of this pariih, from human bones, fometimes fcattered in the open field uncoffined ; fometimes huddled together head to foot, in a hole of the earth, and covered with rug- ged fiones ) ai^d fometimes found in cells of mouldering towers, with infiruments of murder in their bowels* Xbefe fad memorials make minds of (enfibility bewail the wretch* edneft of mankind in a rude, ungovemed ftate, and infpire veneration for that excdkmt conflitution, under whofe ao- . fpices Britons enjoy their religion,* families, and home ; each one fitting under his own vine and under his own fig- tree, and nohe to 'make him afraid.

Surveying the plains where armies a hundred thoufimd ftrong had marched^ eoipurpling the earth with blood, now

of Roxburgh. 159

oBtfndantfy jrielding food for man and beaft, men grafp ia joyful expedation that halcyon era^ when the fpears of eyery land (hall, as here, be beat into plough-ibares, and the *^ (till voice" charm the warriors confufed noife into perpetual filence. Mufing over the razed foundations of Roxburgh, once the fourth burgh of diftinftion in Scotland ; die traces of thofe halls, which rung twice feven days in honour of Royal births and nuptials ; and the rubbifli of domes, where Prii^c^and Nobles were wont to fit in ftate, the heart feels for the tranfient nature of fublunary joy or greatnels, and the Chrifiian's foul afpires after manfions above, where moth and ruft corrupt not *•

* Such as wifli for t full tcconnt of this place, may confult the Hifiorj of Scotland, Redpath^s Border Hiftorf, Pennant*s Tour, and particularly* a manaTcript Hiftory of Roxburgh, formerly in the Advocate's fjbraift Edinburgh, and the writer fuppofes may ftiU be ieen there.

NUM-

1^0 Statyiical Account

NUMBER IV.

CITY OF ABERDEEN^

(County or Aberdeen);

From the Communications of/everal Gentlemen ofibat Citym

I

IntroduBion.

\^

ABERDEEN, the metropolis of the northern divifion of Scotland, and the capital of the conntj of Aberdeen, is fituated at the influx of the rivers Don and Dee into the German Ocean ; and in 57^ 9' north latitude, as takea at the Aftronomical Obfervator j belonging to the town *.

The

^ There have beeo, in this century, three mtpi made of Aberdeen. The fiift by G. and W. Paterfon in 1746, which is titled* « A Svrvey of Old •• and New Aberdeen, with the adjacent country between the rivers Dee *< and Don.** It makes a fingle flieet map, and is prefixed to No. III. of Bibliotheca Typographica Britannica, 410. The fecond, publiihed in 1773, by Captain Taylor, comprehends Old Aberdeen, and moft of the parifli of Old JVlachar, with all the fields lying between Dee and Don, to about three miles from the mouth. The third, on a larger fcalc than either of the for- mer, publiOied in 1 790, by Alexander Milne, is intended chiefly as a map •f the tovni and harbour of Aberdeen, with the nearcft circumjacent fields.

of Aberdeen: ^ 141

The etymologj of Aberdeen^ the ancient as well as mo- dem name both of the town and pariih, is doubtlefs from the ancient Britifh. Aber^ according to Cambden, when ap- plied to a river or brook » fignifies the mouth, ojiium^ the place where it falls into the fea, or into any lake or river. The earlieft mention, probably, of this place, is in a Roman itinerary of the incuriion made by Severus, if we mifiake not, into the northern parts of the ifland, in the beginning of the 3d century. The town is there called Devana^ and the river De'oa. But whether the name Devana was ufed hy the natives may reafonably be queflioned. It appears more likely to have been given it by the Romans from its fitoation on D^a, the Dee. What ferves to confirm this opinion is, that the Dee^ a river of the fame name in the weft of England, is, by Ptoleipy, alfo called Deva^ and Cbefter^ the only city of note upon it, is, from th^t circum- fiance, called Devana^ a word which has no affinity to Cbejler^ or to any name by which it feems to have been known to the natives* Probably, therefore, Abtrdetn ;is the firft name by which this town was diftinguiihed, and that before the introduftion of Chriftianity into the country* It is much more probably derived from the ancient Britijb than from the Erfe. To the former, the oldeft names of towns, rivers, and mountains in this country have a greater affinity than to the latter, which, though but a different dialed of the fame language, the Celtic came much later than the other into the eaftern parts of the country, from a colony oilri/bf whence it has had, time immemorial, the name of Erfe. If the Pi£b were, as fome of our antiqua- ries ftippofe, a tribe of the ancient Britons, the name is doubtlels to be afcribed to them. But if, as is maintained by others, the Pifis were originally Scandinavians or Ger« mans, the name Aberdeen^ with many others, mud have had its origin before their invafion, and muft be attributed to

the

t4l Siatifitcal Account

the firft known inhftbitants of the \vhoIe ifland, the ancient Britons. Another argoment that it is from the old Briti/t or IFeicb, not from the Iri/b or Erfe^ that Aberdeen is de- rived, is, that in no place where the Er/e has been, time immemorial* the vemacnlar tongue, do we find any name of fimilar derivation ; whereas we find many in thele parts where the other language was known to have prevailed. Iii Scotland, for example, all the j/ieri are on the eaft fide« There we have Aberdeen, Aberdour, Aberbrothoick, Aber- lemnj, Abemethy. In Wales they abound — Aberavott, Aberconway, Aberfraw, Abergely, Abergerlick, and Aber-» yftwitK. In the neighbouring weftem parts of England— Aberford and Abergaveny. But not any that we know in the eaftem parts of £ngland, none in Ireland, nor on the weft of Scotland, the country of the Highlanders, where the £rfe has been the language of the people for many ages« It may feem ftrange that there fliould be fto example of this Britiih idiom on the eaft coaft of England, of which the Britons were to long in pofleflion. We know no way thb can be accounted for, btft by obferving, that when the country was fubdued by the Saxons, the old inhabiunts^ were not, as is common, fufiered to remain and intermingle with the conquerors, but were cruelly expelled, and forced to take refuge in the mountains of the weft, a traft of country comparatively barren, and alrooft inaccefiible. It IS this total and fudden extermination, by which alone we can account for fo ftrange a fad, that few places in the caftem parts of England retain their old Britiih names. That the ancient Britons, and the Irifli or Scots (for the name Scott was for ages ufed indifferently of both) were originally and equally Gaulifti colonies, there is no room to doubt ; but as they have come off at different times, and probably from diftant parts of the extenfive countries peo* pled by the Gauls, the dialefis of thefe different colonies,

though

of Aberdeen. I43

ckoogfa refembliiig, as fprung from a comnum dock, are not to £ur coincident as that the tongue of the one nation ihould lie intelligible to the other. That our Scotch Highlanders are originally from Gaul is manifeft from the name Gaelic which they have always given to the language they fpeak* This is not le(s evident of the ancient Britons, from the name univerfally given to the country, to which, after the. Anglo-Saxon conqueft, they were obliged to confine them- felves. It was called GaUta^ which in the Saxon idiom is Walis i the people Gallu Welchmen. For let it be obfer- Ted^ that thofe who fpoke any of the Teutonic dialeSs al^ ways changed the hard g of the fouthem languages into w. Thus, of th^ French guerre they made war; from their guarJien^ we have jvarden ; their GuiUamme is our William ; and Guabere is Walter. And converfely, he who is in Britain Prince ofWales^ is in France h Prince de Gallee. To (ay, therefore, that one fpeaks Wel/b^ muft have denoted the fame originally as he fpeaks Gaul{/b^ or Gaelic, no other alteration being made on the word than what the adapting of it to the Saxon pronounciation rendered necef« fiiry. It is, therefore, no improvement in modems to con- found with it the dialeA of the Highlanders, by giving it the name Gailic\ for though this application may be jufii« fied from confidering the origin of the people, yet as the mdre familiar name . Erfi ferves both to difcriminate the dialed of our Highlanders from the ancient Britifli, and to point out its coincidence with the Irifli, it is every way preferable. It b not meant to intinxate, that thofe names which have commonly been cohGdered as of Iriih extrac- tion, are all originally Britifh. Some of them are mani* &ftly of the former dialed. In Erie, the word inver^ for example, correfpoads to the Britilh aber. Now we have foveral imoere^ as Invemeis, Inverury, Inverbervy, all un- q[uefiionably from the £rfe 9 only with regard to thefe, we

have

144 Staiifiical Account

hftTe reafon to think they are of much later origin than the cither. Strain or Stratb^ in Britifhy denoting a valley en- clofed by hills, and lying along the banks of a river or lake. 'Rtnct Strmbearn, Stnabrnwe^ Strathdon^ Siratbfpey^ &<:• Nearly equivalent to Strath is Ghn in Erfe, 'and Dalt in Anglo-Saxon* Thus, what with us is ClydeUale, was by tiie ancient inhabitants called Straicfyde.

This place is frequently known by the name of the OU and Niw Town^of Aberdeen ; the former is chiefly fitiia<« ted near the mouth of the Don, the latter near the moudi of the Dee. The two rivers, at their influx into the fea, are diflant about a mile and a quarter \ but this intervening fpace is moflly occupied by regular ftreets and bnildings, which form the prefent city of Aberdeen,

OLD MACHAR.

The pariih of^Old Machar was originally a deanry, called the Deanry of St Machar, and comprehended the parilhes of Old Machar, New Machar, and Newhilb. In times of Popery, they do not feem to have been divided into feparate parifhes, but to have been chapels in the dcan^ ry, at which chapels divine worfhip was regularly perform- ed^ as the inhabitants of fo extenfive and populous a diftrid could not coirveniently meet in one place for public worifaip* New Machar feems to have been ereded into a feparate parifli about the time of the Reformation; and Newhills about the year 1663. This pariih is now called Old Aber- deen, or the Old To%vn pariih, from the city of Old Aber* deen, in which the cathedral, now the pariih •church, is iituated.

a The

of Ahetdetn. 145

' lliif extent of this parifli is great, and its form in«- gvkr. Its feuth-eaft comer forma the nonh and wA boondariea of the city of Aberdeen, or p^rifb of St Nicho- las. It extends about three mile^ up the Dee^ by whieh river it is bounded on the loath, and divided from the pa« rifli of Nigg, and connty of Kineardine. The wefteni booDdary ftretcbes in a crooked tine from the Dee to th^ Don, at the diftaiiee 0f aboat two miles and a half froan the pariflitchurch. By this line ii is dildded from the pariiheS of Nether Baochory and Newhills. Crofling the Don, it extends a mile and' a half farther up the river, ma- king in all fonr hiiles Brom the river's mouth. On this part, the Don divides it from the. pariflies of Newhills and Dyoe} l.s northern boundary pafles by thu) .pariflies of New Machar and Belhelvie, till it joins the fea at the Black Dog *, f<^ming a fweep, every part of which is di^^ llaat from the pariflnchurch at Jeail four miles. Oo the eaft it is bounded by the fea from the Black Dog tQ< Aber« deen, the extent of coaft being about five miles. Its great- eft length from north to foiith may be from fevea to eight miles, and its greateft breadth about four miles.

This parifli rifes in a gentle flope from the fea, and though there is no emmence in it that deferves the name of a moun- tain, its furface is beautifully diverfified by rifing grounds. The windings of the Dee and the Don, the roanufa&ories, and the woods on the banks of the latter, fome detached dumps of Ranting on the rifing grounds, interfperfed with

■ a number of gentlemens feats and villas; together with

the various profpe&s of the fea, the rivers, the cities of Old

Vol. XIX. T. and

* The Black Dog ii a ToHtary rock of a black colour, in the fands of fidhelne, witfaia high water mark. When the tide U mit, one may waUc RMnd it on ^ fand ; tnit >irheii die tide is in, the fummit of it appean above the water like the bead of a black dogt and to this fj|cmnftanfc it litsi

146 Smt^kt^ Aecwnt

'^nd -'Ne^ Aberdeen, gnd the villages^ of GilC€ltt8iMi anl

'flardgat^, %\^h a "(ileaCidt Vafiety to the jetieral appeatante

tli this-parifli« 'Tlie^e^ and rugged haokks of the ;DoD|

'from tile hoDfe 6f Seaton till belofr die bridgeware fo truly

rbmanticy that thty feldom efoape the ftranger's notice.

"Thefcf rocks, abounding witii an immenfe' variety of herbs,

covered partly with wood, and partly with fufze, aft>rd

'Ample gratification both to the botanift and the lover of ru-

'ral beauty* Winding in a femicireularform, as you walk

-along their fummits, you command in one diredion, coa-

fiantty' Varying, vie\vs of the fea, and of die oU lo&y

'Gothid arch which is thrown over the river ; while, on the

' oppofite-dir^ftion, you have as diverfified views of the old

'Cathedral, the fpires of 'Aberdean, and the various manu^

-feftories on the different meanders of the Don. Thefe

profpeds, if y6tt look down, are dttightfillly viuried, by the

'fiflier^en plying their Iktle boats, at thft depth of jo or 60

feet below. This phuse has been coospared to die beauti-

fill and wild fcenery inS'wiuerland.

On 'the fouth fide of the parifli, near to FerryhiUs, are many curious 1 ttle Sandhills, lying in all different direc- tions, and moulded into various forms, ieemingly by the retiring of f9me immenie quantity of water. Among tbefe one called the round O deferves to be particularly no- ticed. It rifes by itfelf in acircular form, from the level of a mois, and has a hollow in it of confiderable depth, like an inverted fugar-loaf. This hollow is macihy in the hot* torn. As to its caufe I have heard no conjefture. About this place are feveral beautiful villas; and it affords excel- knt fituations for many more.

The foil in this parilh is in jfome places naturally fertile, in others barren ; and many parts of it have been forced into fertility by aftoniihing labour and espence* Where it has aot4>een melioratied by art, it is in general fhallow,

iandy.

tf Aberdeen. 147

0&djv aad bU of ftooes. To this, fonpiefpots on the giar^ IP of the Doo, ind tlie fiekjs from the eaft fide of the ckj, of OU Aberdeen (o .the fea, fomi. ezcep^oa$ ; althangh the Coil of thefe laft be light, it has for a fublbil a very deeg ftratom of excellent clay. In many places to the pfnih of ihe Dpn, eipec^y toiyarjds the coaft,| a deep mols qf an^ in- 4iffercnt qwlity is fimnd under tbip foil; and in fome plaoes i^uneoCe beds of land*

l^e air la generally healthy: imd.VJce, that of other '{places on the ooafl^ is neitber fo l>pt in fcunmer« nof fo cold ^f as in oioreialsnd parts.of tho country. .^

ABERDEEN, or St NrCHOLAS.

Tab poriik k fiMtfetiiM called the pariOi 9i Si Ntebbi^kf 4^ tutelar fidnti .to. whom the gmar chnrch in ithe city, whidb was very ancieDt, but o£ whoTe age we hare 00 re* cord, had been dedicated. Thci chuccb was pnlkd down wd rebuilt about the waddle of the prefent ceatiiry» buti fiill retains the name of iS!^ NicMdt from tt^e former dedi; cation. As to the origin of this namet it is lequifite only to obCerre, that though there have been in the church many I>odors named NieMmst the Bifliop of Myra in Lycia is the only one of the name who has obtained a place in the Salendar, an4 ia- there&re to he accounted the tutelar Cnat intended* The name St NkbUas^ as given to the iwiik, cannot be. fitppoled to have befcn from the begiiw sing. We even fnlpeft the (aiot is yonnger than the pa* fifli. Pt'obably tfiis appellation is no older than the late wUfice that bore the name. In primitive times it would

have

148 StatiJHcal AtcQiint

have bceo thought a ipecies of idolatrf ; to dedicate a dmrdi to aoj but God« The origin of chb natney therefore, ms a name of the church or parilh, may not implaafibfy be at* tribnted to Tome of the dirk a^, the tenth, efevestbt or twelfth tentuf jr. '

The Extent of the parifli, in pmnt of territory; it not great, being confined to the boonds of the citj on itvtrf fide, except th^ fouth-eaft, where it extends to the month of the riVer, and inclades a fmall fifliing village caHed Fut^ tky (or Footdii^ as fome of late afleft to ^11 it from a mi- staken etymology), whidi lies along the river, between Aberdeen and the fea, and is (he only village in the parilh. . In other diredUons, even what may hfi called the liiborb^ of the town, are not in the parilh.«-As to the form, thougl^ yery irregular, it conges nearer a triangular figure than any other we can thinik <JL In this yiew we reckon the quay, and that part cf the ftreet which leads from the weft end ci the quay to the Bow-bridge, (which is She loiireft and maft foutherly part of the town), the bafe of the triangle t the angle fubtended, which makes the top of the triangle, and is the highcft part of the town, is at the Gallowgate- port, which is in like manner the northern extremity.*— -The length of the parifii, reckoning from the loweft dwelling* hoofe npon the Dee, next the block-houfe, to the moft northern Ijpufe in Can&y-end, is about two Englifli miles. The breadth, reckoning from Sommer's houfe eaftward, behind North-ftreet, to the Infirma^, which is in the moft weftem port of the town, about one mile.-— It is bounded on thefouth by the pariih of Nigg, from which it is fepa* rated by the river ; the only boundary on the eaft is the iea ; on the north and weft, quite roond from the fea to the river, it is bounded bjr the pariih of Old Machar, or Old* ' town pafilhf as it is here commonly called.^^The circnm« jacent country is hilly, but not mountainous ; and though ' ' ' it

^Aberdeen. 249

it abounds in ftone-foarries, there are hoprojefliiig rocks'of •nj magnitade. The town itfelf, which is about a mile firom the fea, ftands mofllj on fonr little hills, gently rifing finom the river, to wit, Caftlebill, St Catharine's hiU, Port- hill, and Schoolhin.

The ground weft ward rifes, for a confiderable wa j, b j at wtTf fenfibl^ though eafy afcent. A great part of the GraflB^an^mountains is in view. They run acrois the wh<^ country, thmr difefiion being from north-eaft to Iboth-weft. The !fulloe-hiU, on the fouth fide of the river^ in the pariOi of Nigg, may jufUy he confidered as the ter- mination of that traft rf moumtaitts en the eaft towards the German ocean. * Thb hill is covered with (hort heath and looTe flones j and has on it an eminence called the Kairm of lAorJlam^ which fronts the to¥m on the fouth. The high* .cr and mere diftant Grampians, on fome of which are huge rocks, are chiefly covered with heath and moflTes. The Stocket, or high ground weft of Aberdeen, already men- tioned, was, ^ot many years ago, covered with ftones and heath, but is bow converted into rich fields of gnds and com*

The foO, in this neighbourhood, is naturally rather bar- fen and thin, being moftly gravel and (and ; but by means of the manure conftantly fumiflied by fo populous a city^ is rendered, in aconfidcrable degree, both deep and fertile.^ ^ Some places abound in clay, and in others there is plenty of black earth.— The air is commonly fliarp, dry, and healthy, as may reafonably be ezpeAed from the ezpofure and fituation of the town. The wind, from whatever quar- ter it blows, has a free circulation. There is not, however^ in this refpcA, a perfect equality in all parts of the town. In thofe on the eaft fide, which are moft ezpofed to the iea air, there is greater dampnels,^ and a flower vegetation ia the gardens.

Thcrt

Tkett u a ftc«l muMral wmtcr 9^ tbc^ vccft fid^ of die t^iwriij neiir thff lafirqiu:/, cooimoalj^ called die Wdlt^Spa^ apt fo firopg aa the Peterhe»d water, whicli haa bicen thoa^it oi lecviee ia (hofb ea&s wbfqrein recooriie ia had to. diaJjw beate fprings. An eflay on the Tirtucs of tbia water wap ppbliQied'by Dr B»rckj, about tli« bef^iag of the laft oenturj. A mineral rpjiag,ui (he groiiiKfeof Mr Mbir<«f Scotilown* in the parifh of Old MKhatt WBa» foaae yoeit 1^^, auidh.fireqaeoted bj the lower ch4oi of people, pwtiji fac health and partly for aoM^nieiir; but it waa filled op \rf the proprietoc, in the ootir& of isoproTuig hia laada. Ode. has, by the tetiaal, beca opened op in the oeig|iboiu> hood« and feveral' people drink the water* although it ianol thought to be fo good as the forcner* There ia another ini> neraliwell neaf Gordon's miUs. Both ftre weak chalybeatta^ md may be of fame (ervice in aU oal)e% in which a weak jUution of iron with fixed air can da good.

There are no lakes in the parifh* That commonly caO* td the Jj>ch^ lyiitg weft of the Gallow^tOt ia no other than % miUdam, where the water of a brook is coUefted and confined for the ufe of a malt and flour mill in the town. One pr two fmaU* lochs, on the weft* fide of the city of Old Aberdeen, have been completely drained, andnowproduca excellent crops of grain. A rivuletf called the Denbom, divides, for a (hort way, thb parifli from Old Machar» on the fouch-weft, and falls into the river Dee, 'a litde above the quay.

The river Don is navigable to the bridge, hiit has ne barbottr. It is navigated by one fiaall floop, which ia em- ployed in bringing coals to the brick-kiUis that are near the water-mouth. In a little time there will certainly be wiore* Boats of a very large fi^Le might eafily, at fiill tidey be brought nearly as far as Seaton houfe. This cinnioi* fiance would be of great importance were there any ma*

nu£i£toricf

wf Aherdeifu ' arji

BUfitOori^ ftt KethiMik's mills, on tlie ^ate of Traieiiekl^ which is oppofite to Seatoo, and vrhere there is an excelleiit haugh, tvith a command of water' fuAcieot for driTing mk^ chineiy to any extent. Goods might be eafily exported diredlj from f he manufaftory^ and materials imported to it, without the trouble and expence of land carriage.

The Dee, which abounds with excellent falmon and trout, u navigable for (hips, fo far up only as the harbour of Aberdeen, into which (hips of about 200 tons burden, if of a proper con(lru£lion, or veflels of 10 feet draught (as it is •ailed) can come, at high water, to the upper quay : and this only fince building the north pier, for before that time the river was not only much {hallower at the mouth than at preleht, but after a dorm from the eaft or north-eaft, was liable to be blown up with (and, which formed a bar at the '4epth of little more than three feet from the furface, and proved a great obflruAion to the entrance of large veflTek* The water is, by means of the north pier, not only con- fined and deepened to 18 feet and upwards, but the harbour Iheltered, in a great meafure, from the dorm.— Below tho town's quay are two harbours, one on the' north, and the •dicr on the fouth fide of the river, to both of which fhips of much larger burden than thofe already mentioned have acceis ; the 'one on the fouth fide is the harbour of Tory, a filhing-town in the parilh of Nigg.

Whether the river could be rendered navigable farther up than Aberdeen is not certain ; and it is probable that any attempt to this purpofe would anfwer no good end* The tide feldom or never flows higher up, than to the bridge, which is little more than two miles from the mouth 'f and there is not commonly fuch a quantity of wa* ter in the river, as, without the aid of the tide, would ferve for any ufeful navigation, efpecially as there is no town or village, except Aberdeen, on the river.

- X The

X52 Staii/Hcal Aee^Mat

Thegreateft flood in the J)ee, withio die memory of m«ii« was in the year 1768. Bot althoogh the river roie • to aa amaaung hei^t, it did not reach anj of the hoofes, even in the ftreet caOed the Gmm^ which is the loweft and colj part of the town that appears to be in any danger from inundatioos or land-floods. Bnt the haughs on bodi fides of Don and Dee are liibjeft to them, and have feme* times fufiered confiderablj. *

Bridges ofDtm and Det. In xaSi, Henry Cheyne (nephew of John Comyn, who was killed by Robert Brace at Dumfries in 1305) fuc- ceeded to the biflioprick of Aberdeen* After Comyn*s deathi Biihop Cheyne, (from his being fo near a relation to Comyn)» as well as many others in Scotland, were gready enraged at Robert Bruce, upon account of Comyn's deathy and openly efpoufed the intereft and party of the Comyns. ]^or thi$ reafon, after Bruce became fettled in the throne ' and government, Biihop Cheyne was obliged to fly into England, and remain there for (everal years, during which time the revenues of this biflioprick remained unapplied. But King Robert having been afterwards reconciled to Bi«

^fliop Cheyne, was pleafed to allow hfm to return, and pof* fels the fee of Aberdeen as formerly. The biihop was'fo happy, upon hb being again received into the King's fa- vour, that, upon his return home, he, with the concur-

' rence and approbation of his Sovereign, applied the whole rents of his biflioprick, which, during his abfence in £ng- land, l^d accumulated to a confiderable fum towards build- ing the bridge over Don of one large Gothic arch, where it now ilands, upon the great high road leading northward from Aberdeen, and it appears to have been built about the year 1320. Bifliop Cheyne died in X329.

Bifliop

of Aberdeen,, 153

BUhop William Elphingfton left a confiderable legacy to build a bridge over the river Dee, near Aberdeen, as well as for the ere&ion of an univerfity at Old Aberdeen, where the biihop's cathedral ftood, but died in 15 14, before any thing was done in the building of the bridge. Gavin Dun- bar, fon of Sir James Dunbar of Cumnock, by Elizabeth daughter of the Earl of Sutherland, and uncle to Gavin Dunbar, Archbifliop of Glafgow, having fucceeded to the biiboprick of Aberdeen in 1518, he ibon thereafter caufed coUeft and receive the money which had been left by Bi- ihop Eiphingfion for the building of this bridge ; and ha- ' ving alfo contributed himfelf a confiderable fum of iponey to that work, he caufed ereA the greateft part of the bridge where it now ftands, of feven arches, about the year 1530, although it was not finiflied till after his death. Thjs bridge having gone into decay about the year 172c, was rebuilt out of the funds belonging to itfelf by the Magi- ftratee and Town^council of Aberdeen, from 1720 to 1724, and is, at this day, one of the neateii of any in Scotland.

Harbow^. The extent of fea-coaft in the pariflies of Old Machar and St Nicholas is about fix miles, and is commonly known by the name of the Bay of Aberdeen. The fhore b flat and fandy. The harbour at the mouth of the river Dee was, till of late, always very much interrupted, and fome- times almoft entirely ihut up by a bar^ or large bank of fand, upon wh^h, at low tide, there was fometimes not above t8 inches or two feet of water, and at the higheft tides not more than 13 feet. As this bar was frequently Ihifting its fituation and varying its form, according as it was aded upon by dorms from the fea, or floods from the river, few (hipping were in fafety to take the harbour, un- til firft it was founded by a pilot, and the fituation of the VoL^XIX. U bar^

154 StoHflkal Account

btfi as well as the depth of the watert aibertained. Tbefe pbflacles have in a great meafore been remored bj the e* reclion of a new pier, executed according to a plan fur* niflied bj John Smeaton, Efq^ engineer* It extends in length laoo feet along the north fide of the river, and a coniiderable way into (he fea. It was began to be built in June I775» and was finiflicd in Odober 1780. Since which tioiCi however, it has received fome additions^ bj the ad* vice and diredion of Mr Sme .too ; particularly a jetty for flielteriog the Shipping within the harbour^ firom the violent inrun of the fea, in firong eafterly winds. Th€ cofi of the whole amonnted to about L* x8,ooo Sterling. This czpence has been defrayed, partly by fome fmall foods fiurmeriy belonging to the harbour, but chiefly will be paid by doubling the (hore and haboor dues upon the trade and ihipping of the place, in confeqoenoe Kit mn wEt of Parlia- ment obtained for that purpofe i but without any poblic aid or contribution whatever.

By the ereftion of this pier, although itis aoo feet Ihorter than in Mr Smcaton'^riginal plan, the navigation channel mt the entry of the harbour has been deepened and impro- ved to a degree much beyond any thing that was previouf- ly ezpeded. Now, fmall veflels, drawing 7 or 8 feet, can come into the haVbonrat low water; and at high water, or fpring tides, there is from 18 to ax fieet at the entry, as the above mentioned bar, or bank of fand, is noW| by the con- finement of the river, and the increafed velocity of the cor* aent,, carried out into the fea, at leaft a quarter of a mile fiirther than it formerly was ; fo that we now fee vefieb 4|f confiderable burden, in the violence of a dorm blowing right upon the land, failing with fafety into the harbour, even without the affiftance of any pilot, which no flitp pould have attempted before, without the greateft danger of being wrecked on the bar» or fome parf of the adjacent

CQ^fi*

of Aherdeen. 155

edaft. Oa the nortli pier-head the MagiftrRtes have recently ereded ^Jignalfiuff^ on which, when there is 9 feet water dn the bar, will be hoifted* in the day time, a plain redjlagf amd in the night a iigbted lamp and a rtflcQor. They will continue hoifted till high water.^-Veffela will have the harbour open when the light, or flag-ftaff bears W. and by S. in which diredion they will ileer clear of the Shortnefs. The beft anchoring ground in Aherdeen Bay is m fix or fcven fathoms water, with the two town's fteeplcs in one, or the light bearing S,W. by W. J W.— In times of great land floods, or in any other circnmftancc which would make it dangerous to approach the harbour, neither the Jlag nor Ugii will be hoifted.

Natural ProduBions.

This plaee aflbrds few examples of uncommon quadm« peds, birds, or fiifaes. The fwallow and martin make their appearance about the end of April, and difappear before the equinox. Moil of the fowls that commonly frequent a low iandy fearcoaft in the northern *parts of the ifland, as goUs, £ea fwallows, fiuid larksj herons, cormorants^ &c. are found here.

A confiderable variety of fi(h are caught in the vicinity of this place, as haddock, whiting, cod, ling, turbot, ikate, flounders of diflerent kinds, halibut^ plaife, foal, mackerel, dog-fiih, and occafionally herrings. The fiihermen of Foot* dee and Torrie colled, at low water, great quantities of laod*eclB, on the fliore about the mouth of the Don ; thefe are nfed as bait. Some excellent ibrimps are got with drag-nets in the fmall lakes or holes which the tide leaves 10 the land ; they are i(bld for about 8 d. the pint Scotch* The market is well fupplied with fifli upon very reafonable terms. This is a great relief to<the poor, as fiih makes a principal part of their food. The nature of the coaft pre- vents

1 56 Siatifiicai Account

▼ents fea-ware from growing upon it in ubimclanoe. The quantit J of this marine produAion that may be driven to land by fe vcre ftorms is not fo great, or of fo good a quality, as to be very ferviceable either for manure or the mano- faAore ot kelp.

As the parilh contains little arable ground but what ia occupied in gardens, and thefe moftly for the fnpply of the market, few things refpeAing agriculture, or the vegetable fyftem, are worthy of remark. The gardens have long abounded with common pot herbs, as cabbages, carrots, turnips, fpinage, cucumbers, &c. The fruits here are m^* ly of common and hardy kinds. It has been found by re- peated triab, that the more delicate kinds, as the vine, peach, nefiarine, &c do not in general fucceed. SmaU fniit, as goofeberries, currants, and rafps, agree well with the climate. The fame may be faid of the moft of flowers, both indigenous and exotic, that are cultivated for orna- ment in gardens in the north of Scotland. The gean and roddan (mountain afli) are here in abundance and perfec- tion. But the varieties of barren timber are neither very numerous nor plenty. They chiefly confift of aih, elm, beach, maple, birch, lime, willow, and holly, planted in hedge* rows round inclofures. Gkirdeners have, for fome time pad, found their account in laying out a confiderable proportion of their ground in nurferies of foreft-trees, ss oak, elm, pine, Scotch fir, larch, laburnum, and many others, with which they fupply not only this country, but fend annually many thoufands of their plants to England, where they can afford to underfell the Englifh gardeners. It is obferved by old people in this place, that notwith- ftanding the great rife of the price 6f provifions, and of the rent of land, the difference of the prices of all the moft ne- ceffary pot-herbs and roots is^ as far as their memory reach- es, but inconfiderable. By this obfefvation it would ap- pear,

of Aberdeen. 157

pear, that great improvements have been made here iii the art of gardening. In the few fields within the limits of the pariQi are fown oats, bear, or big, rarely wheat, rje, peafe, or beans ; which, from the general difufe at prefent, it may be concluded that their culture here has not anfwered expedation. Flax is fometimes tried with fuccels ; clover and r je-grais are frequently fown ; and fome fmall fpots of ground have been laid down with faintfoin and lucerne, by way of experiment.

In the pariih of Old Machar are two limeftone-quar- ries, one at Silverbum, and another about a mile north from it on the Old Meldrum road. Neither of them have been wrought to any great extent. Nihe men will, in ten days, quarry and break ftones to fill and fire the kiln at Sil- verbum. Each kiln will require 13 bolls Englifh coals, or 18 bolls Scotch coals under duty. The average pro- duce of a kiln is between 150 and ^180 bolls of flacked lime, water meafure. Each boU of fliells will yield one and a half boU of powdered lime. Such flones as are not burnt are thrown into the next kiln. The quarry at the other kiln b in all refpeds fo fimilar to this, that the fame remarks may, with fufiicient accuracy, be applied to both. The limeftone of thefe quarries is not rich ; it does not fweli much in burning, and it has in it a confiderable pro* portion of fand ; it anfwers well in building, but is not fo good for manure, efpecially in fandy foil like ours. The tackfman of thefe quarries defilled for fome time from working them on account of the rife on labourer's wages, and the high price of coals. Since the tax on coals was taken off*, he has again opened them ; and when his leafe expires, which will be foon, they will probably be wrought to a greater extent than formerly.

Granite abounds in the parifh. There are excellent quar- ries of it at Rttbiflaw, Loanhead, Pitmuxton, and other

places,

158 ^ Statifiicai Account

plac^a^ bcfides pkntj of oodajets in the hill of Grandliome« The prefenc rent of tbefe amounts to about L. 80 Sterling inouaUjt and about 100 men are conftantlj employed ia working them ; foo&etimes more, and fometimes fewer hands are employed, in proportion to the demand for the ftones, Manj of thefe ftones are uled for building in Aber- deen and its neighbourhood ; but by far the greater part are fent to London, and there ufed for paving the flreets. Nor b this trade likely to fail ; for notwithfianding the un- common durability and hardneis of thele flones, fitch is the prodigious intercourfe of carriages in that immenfe metro- polis, that a ftreet paved with them, will in a few years be fo broken as to require great quantities of new pave- ment. Some hottfes in and about London hare alfo been built of Aberdeen granite. Our granite is much harder tor work than freefione, and is capable by much labour of re- ceiving a very fine poliib^ It is generally of agrej colour, and is mixed with ibining talky particles, which give it^ when well dreiTed, a confiderable degree of Infire. About )a,oco tons of flone are annually exported from Aberdeen, and are valued at 14 s. per taOp amounting to L.8400. Sometimes, however, the e^cportation is confiderably greater. Befides the granite, our land abounds with a coarfe bard fione, which, though it may be broken by the hammer, cannot be wrought by the pick or the ehiflel, and is there- fore little ufed in building* Colleded in immenfe quaoti- ties from the barren fields, which are trenched or drained in the courfe of improving the land, it is chiefly employed in filling the drains, or in raifing dry ftone fences for inclofing and fubdividing thefe fields. Sometimes the quantities of thefe whinftones (as they are called) are fo great, that they cannot be exhaufted by fencing or draining. In thc£e caies they are colleded in Cairns, or the fences are made « immoderately thick. In fome grounds they are fo nmne- a TWit

qf Aberdeen, 159

roQS and large, as to rcDder the land utterly incapable of unproTement, even bj planting. Thefe obfervations are not appropriated td this place onljr, but will too generallj appljr to man J places all over the county of Aberdeen, and |he northern part of the Mearns.

No mines have as yet been found in this place. We have no coals but what are imported from England and the frith of Forth. Lately an ore, feemingly rich, has been found at the haugh of Grandhome, in digging a lead for bringing in water to a manufadory about to be eftabliflied there. The ore has been fmelted, and turns out to be manganefe, equal, if not fuperior in quality to any imported from England. There are feveral veins of it ; one of them about four inches thick, and all of them pafling ob« liquely between layers of hard and folid rock. John Paton of Grandhome is proprietor of the field in which it is foQnd*^

CITY OF ABERDEEN.

All hiftorical accounts «gree, that this city was ereAed into a royal burgh towards the end of the ninth century by King Gregory of Scotland, fumamed 7£r Great. But the original charter of eredion, and all the more ancient title-deeds and records of the burgh were, together with the town itfelf, burnt and deftroyed by the Engliih, as after noticed ; a very £ew charters, and other grants, however, have been faved, the oldcft of which is a charter by King William the Uon in favour pf the burgefles of Aberdeen,

< and

|69 Statiftical Account

and odicsB benorth the Montb\ This charter was granteil at Perth, there called Pert^ but withoat aoy date or year, though it nmft have been towards the end of the twelftla centorji as that King began to reign in x 165.

There are other two charters granted by the iame King IVilliam to the burgeflfes of Aberdeen, of the toll of tfadr chatties through the whole kingdom, both dated at Aber- deen the aSth Auguft, without mentioning the year of Grod or of the King«s reign, although, from the writing and feals, they appear to be of a later date than the former, and have probably been granted during the King's refidence here, as he certainly built a palace and remained fome time with hb Court at Aberdeen. It ftood upon the fite of the preCent Trinity Church and Trades Hofpital in the Shiprow ; and upon King William's leaving the country, he founded in the fiimc pj^e a monaftery for the Trinity or Red Friars, which was burnt and deftroyed along with the town. It was afterwards rebuilt about the year 1633, by Dr Wil- liam Guild, minifter in Aberdeen, who bequeathed and left it for an hofpital to decayed tradefmen, befides fome other fubjeds for burfaries at the Marifchal College, under the patronage of the Convener-court.

About 1306-7, (according to Hedor Boece), the citi- zens of Aberdeen, who had always fteadily adhered to and fupported the intereft of King Robert Bruce, being rendered defperate by the cruel ufage of a ftrong Englifti garrifon kept in the caflle here by Edward I. they, along with a number of others, adherents to Bruce's intereft, furprifed and ftormed the garrifon, and put them to the fword, and at

the

* It is fuppofed this tlludes to the Month or high ridge of hills nev to Fettercaim in Kinctrdineihire, through which the high-road called thr ^airn of Month road pallet from Brechin, 6cc. towards the river Dee.

ofAherdeem iti

the lame time laid the caAle in ruins, to prevent the Eng-^ lifii from returning. A party of the Englifii, who hap- pened to be in the neighbourhood, came immediately td revenge the difafler ; hut they were met and engaged by the Aberdonians and their afTociates, in the church-yard of St Nicholas, where the Englifh were totally defeated, with great flaughter.

The firft charter now extant, in favour of the burgh it- £elf, is granted by King Robert Bruce, anno 1320, which cootains alfo a gift and conveyance to the community of the Royal Foreft of the Stockit. Beiides this, he granted various other privileges and immunities to the citizens and burgh of Aberdeen, fundry of which are ftill extant, from 1314 to 1324.

In X333« Edward III. of England having fent a fleet ot (bips to ravage the eaft coaft of Scotland, a body of Englilh landed, and by furprife, attacked the town of Aberdeen, in the night time, killed a great number of the inhabitants, and burnt and deftroyed the town for fix days together, in revenge for the feveral defeats which their countrymen had tbere received.

Anno X336, Edward III. invaded Scotland, and marched vrith an army as far north as Invemels, during which time tbe citizens of Aberdeen went out and attacked a party of £nglilh forces, who had landed at Dunnoter, and killed their general. In revenge of which, Edward, upon his re* turn from Invemels, made a violent attack upon the town of Aberdeen, put the greateft part of the inhabitants to the fword,and again burnt and deftroyed the town« At which time, as well as anno 1333, many of the more ancient char* ters and records belonging to the community were loft* Some years after the town was rebuilt, and confiderably enlarged, particularly towards the hills, upon which the principal part of it now ftands, vi%. The Woolmanhill, St

Vai. XIX. X Catharine's

162 Statijlical Account

Catharine's-hill, the Port-hiU, and the Caftlehlll, (the old town having lain along the Green and Shiprow, &c. eaff- wards)^ and in this the citizens were greatly afliRed b/ King David Bruce, for their (lead j loyalty and attachment both to himfelf and his Ssither. The fiune King David re- fided for fome time at Aberdeen, where he ereded a mint, as appears from fome pieces of money coined there ; and the whole town, after being rebuilt as above, was afterwards called Tie New Town of Aberdeen, in contradiftinftion to the oUf which had been burnt down.

In September 1644, during the tioie of the civil wars, the Marquis of Montrofe, with a» army of about 1000 men, having approached the town of Aberdeen, and fummoned it to furrender to him, the magillrates, after advifing with Lord Bnrley, who then commanded in the town a force nearly equal in number to the aflTailants, refufed to give np the town ; upon which a battle enfued within half an Englifli mik of the Town, at a place called the Crab- ftone, near to the Juftice-mills, where Montrofe prevailed, and many of the principal inhabitants were killed. An account of this engagement is contained in the council-re- cords.

The city of Aberdeen has received various grants from four- teen different Sovereigns of Scotland, from King William the Lyon, downward to Kingjames VLinclufive, all extant is the town's chartulary, and, in 1638, the whole of thefe preceding charters and grants were, by a charter from King Charles I. not only ratified and confirmed, but alfo the burgh was of new erefted ; and by the fame charter the Provoft and Bailies are conftituted Sheriffs, Coroners, and Juftices of the Peace, within the burgh, and whole bounds of the freedom- lands, and falmon-fiihings on Dee, holden burgage of the Crown, the Provoft being named Sheriff and Coroner*5 principal^ and the Bailies^ SherifiSi and Coronets depute ;

which

of Aberdeen. * 163

whkb iSeveral offices of Sheriff and Juflices of the Peace the magUlr^ea of Aberdeen have been in the conflant prac- tice of exercifing to the prefent da^, in all caufes coming before them in thefe capacities, and of holding quarter* feflions fot the burgh in the fame manner as the juftices of the county. The magiftratcs have farther granted to them by the fiiid charter the fame powers, jurifdi&ion, and antho* rity within the port, hairbour, and flood-mark of Aberdeen^ and whole boonds thereof^ as well as within the rivers Dee and Don to the two bridges, as they have within the bargh idelf and liberti^, and have always ezercifed Uiat jorifdic* tion and authority accordingly.

The Xown-Gouncil and Dean of Guild of Aberdeen have like^ife, by the fame charter from King Charles I. full power and authority committed to them, of vifiting, eza- miaiilg an<) trying all weights and meafures, ufed in buy* iog and (elling, not only in the town, but alfo through the wl^ole county of A1;»erdcen, which they have been, in like manner, in the praAice of exercifing, and holding circuit and itinerant courts for that purpofe, in the different prin- cipal country towns, where any kind of trade or merchan* difiB is carried on.

The forefaid charter and confirmation by Kmg Charles I* with the wthole other writs and title-deeds therein confirm* edy and rights and privileges thereby granted to the borghy were afterwards fokmnly ratified by different a£b of Par- liament of Sootlaiid, particularly by two ads in 1641 and i68k.

from the 1336, when the town was laft burnt, to the 1398, there does not appear to have been any public re* cords regularly kept. But from the laft mentioned |)eriod to the prefent time, (except for about twelve years in the beginning of the 1 5th century), there is a regular and unin* termpted icries of records of the a£b and proceedings both

164 Siaiiftical Account

of the Towo-council and Bailie-coutts, all in good order and condition, confiding of above 70 volomes, remaining in the town's chartulary, containing in whole a conncded period of near 400 jears.

Before the Reformation, there were Ceveral chapcb with- in the burgh and rojaltj, annexed to and dependent upon the parifli-church, particularly St Mary's Chapel, onder the Eaft Church, where the Highland Congregation now meets for worihip \ St Catharine's Chapel, which ftood upon the hill of that name; St Ninian's Chapel at the Caftlehill, part of which (till remains, and St Cleinent's Chapel at Futtie, which has been lately rebuilt, and is fiill occupied as a place of worfhip under the patronage of the council.

There were likewife mpnafteries of feveral different or- ders of friars, eftablifl^ed in Aberdeen, befide the Trinity and Red Friars already mentioned, viVb. The Black Friars in the Schoolhill, where Gordon's Hofpital and the gram- mar-fchool now ftand. The Carmelite, or White Friais* along the fouth fide of the Green, and the Gray Friars in the Broadgate, where the Marifchal college and church are now fituated.

The batteries erefted by the town in 1781 and 1782, for defence of the ihipping and harbour, have coil about L* 12 00, and they have mounted upon tliem ten new iron cannon, 12 pounders. The town has likewife two bra£i field pieces, 3 pounders, with a proportionable quantity of ihot and ammunition. They have alfo 400 ftand of iinaU arms or muikets depofited in the town's armory, and kept always in excellent order by a tradcfman, who has a yearly falary'for that purpofc.

With refpe& to the prefent municipal conftitution and form of government of the burgh of Aberdeen, which has now fubfified, and been invariably obferved for no lels than ^irp centuries downward to this day« It is founded chiefly

of Aberdeen. 165 '

upon the a& of Parliament 1469 and 1474, bj which all cftfficers and members of the conncik of burghs are appointed to be annually elefte(l : ^ That the auld council of the '* town (hall chnfe the new, in fie number as accords to it ; ^ and that the new and auld councils together (ball chufe ** all the £ud o(Hcer8 : That ilk craft (ball chufe a perfon of ** their number, that (hall alfo have a vote in the eleftion ^ of the officers, and that four worthy perfons of the auld ^ council for the year before (hall be chofen yearly to fit **> with the new council/' It appears, however, that the(e afis of Parliament were not in any part obferVed by the town-council of Aberdeen for above 120 years after they were pafTed. On the contrary, they perfifted in following what they called the ancient form of government and auld confuetude of the burgh, by which it appears, that the num- bers of the members of council often fluftaated, and yaried very much, from 20 to 36, and that, when once they were eleded or a(rnmed, they were in general continued during their life, or fo long as they did not differ with the perfons who had aflumed them ; and that the five firft magiftrates or officers of the burgh, vi%. the ProvoR, (^for many years flyled Alderman), and the four Bailies, were alone eleded annually at head-courts of the citixens, called Curia Capu taUsj although fometimes without mentioning by whom the eleftion even of thefe officers was made, but for the moft part ezpre(red to be cum communi omnium lurgtnfium ctmftufu ft ajfenfu ei votot which eleftion,' however, was equally illegal, and agatnfi the direAions of the afis of Far* liament, as the continuing the members for life.

This ancient cuftom was at laA, 1590, openly challenged snd complained of as arbitrary and^ illegal by a Mr John Cheyoe, then a member of council, who infifted, that they ^ould make an annual eledion, in terms of thefe flatutes, irbich they not only refulcd to comply with, but expelled

him

l66 Statifiical Account

bim from the couqcU, as a perfon unfit and improper to be pf their number. He was, however, foon joined by a Mjt ErV^en, find man^ other burgefies of equally patriotic priiw ciple^, who raifed a profecuiion againft the magiftrates and council before the Courts of Scilioa and ^xcl^equcr, with concurrence of his Majefty's Advocate, for obliging thena to comply with the terms of the forefaid ftatotes. Tba coiifeguence of which w^, that the cwncil at lafi, in OSo- ber 159^, (after lamenting the fall of what they declared to be the auld confuetude and ancient form of Govemiacat of the burgh), agreed to follow the direfiiona of the faid &a- tutes, and accordingly made an eleftton in the terms there- pf for the following year, ending at Michaelmas 1599.

It appears, however, that Mr Cheyne and his afiToctata did not get into power, upon the new conftitution, which tl^ey had the merit to produce, and that at the enfuing Mi- chaelmas they aflembled in arms in di£brent parts of the lQwn» in purpofe to overawe the proceedings of the council ^ for compofing of which violent animoiities, a conference enfued betwixt a certain number of the council and the leaders of the citizens, the refult whereof happily produced a fubminion by the Deveral parties concerned, qf all the matters in difpute betwixt them to his Majefty King James VI. as overfman, and twelve others as arbitrators ; ivbo, by a decreet-arbitrali^ of date 9th December 13919 fubfcribed by them and the parties themfelve s, in teftimony of their ;tpprobation ; fixed and appointed the m^agifirates and council for that year, ending at Michaelmas 1593 bj name, confiding of nineteen perfons, v/s;. feventeen guild* brethren and two craftfimen, and ordained and appointed that the ads of Parliament concerning the election of ma* giibrates, council, and office-men within the burgh, ihould be predfely Qbferved in all time thereafter.

This

of Aberdeen. 16 j

This decreeNarbitral vrhs^ in a few days ifter Its datCf read to and unanimouflj ratified bj the whole burgefles and citixens of the town, convened together for the pun> pofe, who, at the fame timey folemnlj fwore to obtemper and obey the decreet thereafter in all points ; and which, with another decreet-arbitral, pronounced by the commilBon- ers of Burghs in July Z596, finding the craftfrnen entitled to ten votes in the annual ele&ion of the magiftrates, dean of guild, and treafurer, forni together what is now called the Sett, or Municipal Conftitution of the burgh, which has been uni- formly obferved as an invariable rule and (landard in the an- nual eledion of magifirates and council to this day. By it the conftituent members of the town-council confift of nineteen in number, feventeen whereof are guild-brethren, and two [ of them deacons of crafts. Four jof the merchant-council- lors only are continued by eleftion for another year, and the remaining fifteen members are annually changed and go out, and all of them are yearly eleded, without any pre- ference or difcrimination, from a roll or lift of the whole burgeiTes of guild in town, and of the fix deacons of trades previoafly made up for the purpofe, from which the leets of the new council are taken, and determined always ac- cording to the majority of votes of the council, upon the day of the annual eleftion, which b held upon the Wednef- day preceding Michaelmas day.

After the eleftion of the nineteen members of the new council, the magiflrates and office-bearers for the enfuing year are eleded the fame day out of the feventeen' mer- chant-cotmcillors by the majority of votes of the new and old council together, and fix deacons of crafts, con- fiding of forty perfons in whole, viz* thirty guild-bre- thren, and ten craftfmcn ; and in cafe of an equality of "votes io any of the flops of ele£Hon, the Provofl^ or fe- nior magiftrate prefent, has a decifive or cafting vote, befides his own individual and proper voice* In cale any

of

l68 Statijlical Account

of the thirty guild-brethren, or of the ten trades, be ab&nf from the eledlion, the town-council and the craftfmen are rcfpeftively authorifed by the fett to elcft any other quali- fied perfons of the fame clafs, to fupply the place of, and to vote for fuch abfentees. Upon the whole, it is believed, from a comparative examinationi that the prefent munici- pal conflitution, or fett of this borough, will be found not only to be a perfed contraft to its own more arbitrary and ancient fjftem of government, but alfo to be much more liberal and free than moft of the other royal burghs of Scotland ; becaufe, in many of them, fome of the members of council, and even magiflrates, do ftill continue in office during life, or fb long as they agree with the party in power ; and in others, feveral of the members of council are entitled to keep their feats without eledion for.a fecond year, in confequence of their having enjoyed certain offices for the preceding ; whereas, in Aberdeen, every magiftrate and member of council, even the old four, muft be annually elefted, without regard to any office which they may have formerly held, and fifteen of the whole number are yearly changed, and go out *.

The laws refpcfiing the police of the city are contained in an ad of Parliament, granted in 1795. According to this aft, thirteen perfons are to be elefted and appointed commiffioners by the inhabitants of the city. None, how- ever, can have a vote unlefs he pays at leaf! L. 5 yearly of houfe-rent. The Prdvoft for the time being prefides at the eleflion, and has the calling vote. The commiffioners continue in office for the fpace of two years. Eight only

go

• The principal liiftorical fa^s in the above narrative, which do not ap- pear in any of tiie town's records, are taken from a fmaU treatife, entxdcd, «« A Survcf of the City of Aberdeen," printed Mid publiflied in 1685, under the fignature of PbHo-^oUtinfj.

4>f Aberdeen. 169

go oat ftl the new elodioD^ and fiVe remaiBy which five fhall invariably be of the nnmber of thofe eight commiC* fiooen who were ele^d two years before, and Ihail be cho&n to continue in office by the coUedive body of the other commiffioners, by figned lifts to be given in by a ma« joiity of them tb their prefics or clerk, fourteen -^ys pre* vioitt to the then next ^eral meeting for ekSien; fe as to pre&rve as nearly as .p<^ble an equal rotation in duty. Thefe ooimniffioners have lidl -power to nominate .and ap- point treafurers, clerks, colIeAors, fcavengers, lighters of hmpl, and other fervants proper and neceflar y tihder them in the execution' of their offite. This oJEce refpeOn chiefly the paving, lighting, and cleanmg the ftreets, and fnpply- ing the city with water* 'The mtmey neceflary for de- fraying the expence in executing thefe public matters is, by the aft, to be rsifed by an afleflment upon the in6abi- tsatsofthe city of is. Sterling in the pound yearly fbf every dwelling*houfe, or ihop, cellar, warehoufe, or other building within the city and royalty, aftually occupied and pofleflcd at the time by any one perfon, which ihall be efti- mated at or above L. i, 5-8. Sterling of yearly rent. A xent-roll of inch houfes, &c. is to be annually made up by fifteen perlbns chofen for that puipofe. This atfeflment is to be paid by the tenant or occupier of the houfe ; and if the money thus raifed is found not to be fiifficient for an* fwering the purpofes of widening and improving the ftrcQts, and anfwering the other purpofes of the police for which the aft was obtained, the commiffioners are authorifed and empowered to raife and increafe the laid'aiTeirment of i s. Sterling in the pound of houfe-rents yearly (for a certain nnmber of years then to be fixed by fuch general meeting of die inhabitants) to any fum or rate not exceeding i s. 6 d. Sterling in the pound annually of the houfe-rents afore{iaid. This police-aft u to continue for th^ term of 2z years, and Vol. XIX. Y from

syp St0tyHc0l Atcount

4watimt»¥t^v4 of the ifani aezt feftNi «f Atfln'

PMIt.

From ^ Uft tWKtntt dK roots •ppour <• be L. is«5oo

It i« apt kiwfm thtt there an mi aat snjr xwondg wfasch ip^tain (Ins teae nHt\m p^pwlgtioo «f iki»dif tt esyidtasiir porio4f Tbb p0(nil«4ii9n, h^wt^er* •wing chkfljtii tho I9pi4 profrffc 9f mtnufaflnfcft, kae gftsatljrucfMfecl trfiUs tbeie 40 yean. In 17559 »PQor<ii>g feo i)r Wdifar** ao^ ^Hiaf » ir im» lP»4S9f k «ppeaii, a«09f4iag cp liAft tolcM IIP l»j oilier of tba miaiAerB yi 17899 that eke smber of fo^ ia wbat I* oalle4 St Nkbdae pariibt aaioainad to i£,38(S. Aecor4ing to a lift of the wihabtoiats. withift the ftrid lu&ita of the cttji «as dmded inm fenr qoarteta, taken la the month of July ^^9Sf by a eootmitiee appoiniod by ^n a^ pafled ii| the left ftflion of Parliamont, fcr flriakiog op the firft rent-*rol), and fuperiscending the firS nloftion of foma^iSooecs of pe|icf, the popniatian waa aafiaUonra :

^/M^. iFtntiei. Under xotvmi- TftaL $ven Q^arteir, 1548 Foot Pee Quaater^ loaj Qreen (garter, 87a

Cirooked Q^artefi 9387

Totals, 4830 7601 3689 ^ x6yi20

. From tbr rogilier of baptifmsy which, owing to the ne- ^led of Diflentersy aii4 other caulc?, is extremely defieOive, no accunite lift of birdis can be obtained ; but, aecprding to an eztrad from, the baptifmal regifter, Xach aa it 19^ the an* nual average fron^ xft October 1771 to xft Odober 1790 amounted to no more than 149. As no regifter o^ burials IS kept here, the number of deaths is not known. The annual averaj;e of marriages, as Uiken from a pretty exaft regifter, is about izi.

Of

*}%%	tlj3	5«5»
1534	744	Sjoi
»495	647	SOU
fftae	214^	4753

tf Akerite§,

171

Of tlie ancient fiate of the population of OldMachar tbe feffion-recofds make na mention. It iB^ould af^peaft however, from the many houfts that, have lately been boQty and nunnfadnres eftablifiied» thai the population hus greatly increafed within the laft 50 years.— The population in I755t accordidg to Dr Webfter's account, was only 4945* In tbe year 1790 it amounted to Sio^, of whom 3555 were males, and 457a females; of th^fe, there refided in the city of Old Aberdeen, including the Spittal, 1713 ; in the town frfGilcomftooy 1134; and in the country, including tbeTiQag^a st WindoMUbrae, H^rdgate, Bridge of Don» and PmtfieMy 4x6o« As* the numbers iir thv hft men- tioned villageB are not, in the minifteia lifb^ difiinguiflied from ifccfe in the adjacent parts of the country, it is impof* £ble, with any degree of accuracy, to feparnte them hero»

lli# MMn90# 01 narrioges, uaptxims, occ* tn the parim ee Old Macfhar wiH be feen in the following tables x TkUg tftlt Bapiifms^ Marriages^ and Burials in the Parijk ofOtdMacbarfor Tttn Tears after tbe Tear xyal.

	Aioirrtages*	Baftifms.	Burials	wOi/|
^			MaClarCi.j^J.^
t	1.1				i	l	f	1	1 3
«7»3		7	u	27	s<	35	93	38	i<^	. 6	100
«7M	lA	7	6	25	64	49	I '3	51	4»	17	n6
n«$		3	10	rs	s»	4«	rcj6'	55.	54	10	ri9
17U	II	S	16	35	4*	i4#	.r.	J^	4«	a	112
\^		13	»3	3a	61	47	53	37	^	69	a
	4	II	31	4;	%	V	4»	35	5	- 82
»7«f		3'	«4	33	3*'	^4	41	<S	It	"7
rm		a	16	30	4*	S9	8*	3«	3»	6	7«
■•731	—	—	—	—	43	4*	85	37	19	8	84
»73j	"-	—	—	—	3»	37	69	3«	4»	• 6	80
7x^	ii	97	111	aS4	441	9?6	4A3.	446	.5^1	955	20

o The Uft two yean are wanting in the re gifter of marriages, and there- 1x1 tie total is only for ci^ht years, dedudling the number in the fccoful iolamn as properly belonging to ot^er parilhes, the total for 8 yean will be

7Z

Statiftkat AecomU

^O ^6 >o a» cl^ Oft «a a» ob o» » X O >C OQ.^ 0\tr\ 4> o«

^ cn €0 i» M p\U* «o a^vQ

Os »» w «eot o M >o »» O

CO oe<st w> <#* N4 Crt ^ « \M

a»'3.?"S<?5g;it

«o^ M^^ M\et«t<a Oi

• 4\u o «•«»

C4 »ao*o>c;(u>c»»cn MO«

•ftasft-6*a'fe?irt

refidinz in the panfli •

refiding in thci

refi.

diofin the

Toul of sft

tndjd co-

IVOIAS*

I:

8

Gntnd totu.

VO o^ Qs ONtr» >4 vX Cn V#« U> •1 so««» o» >e •^ «»a Cn O O^

Males.

T"

.r^^aaa^.'Si^.^l^

•feKt^t.tt'Sft*

to

U* en '•^ >0 M ov ^4^ C*» O

^ P »° ^ •** *"^ ^ 00 CO

Totftf.

0\ O »»^ •f' «0O «OM

i»OMOmhOOmm

U >6 M M ^ •-• ^o C9VO M

4^ M^OHUiQ-^^ •« M

;5i

0» M

Malei.

Fonals.

eevf o ^o»<>44kta« 00

Ot 4k. .^ Ln OsO» ^ ^ ^ .

known. Total of xft and id co- lumns.

^^^^4^

^^^^^j

Grand totaL

r

2»»' »a <0

» C^9^^

4 M M »

t^Cfi^vo «oO «bO I

«*» ^i 0\V» - 4i, o» o» -^ S;

0^0^^*

»i|At»iai>ii»h>l.>t»

1 M M

I I I M

Mill

lint

r I

V Males.

Females.

M |> »• |» !»■ b»-»>

Sexna-

linown.

Total of lit

and sd co-

GnmdtXMaL

Sex un- known.

Tboagh

; i^AJbmrde^n. ^ 173

Thioagh the preceding tsiblef ar« as accurate as can be mfKle from oar regtfier9». they are bj no means perfe^j corTed. ' That no perfon roaj be mifled bj forming calcu- lations from tbemy I have therefore deemed it expedient to iabjoin the following remstrlcs : — From the regifter of mar« riages I have given in the firft column of the tables the namber of marriages in iv.hich the man only reiided in the partih; in the feoond. colamny the number in which the woman only refided in the pariih^j^din the third, ith/e. nooiber in .whi<^ both parties belonged to the parifli* . A$ in moft roarriage|» ip wl^ch th^ pames refide in different pari(heS|,the woai^an is fappofed to leave he;-own» and to go * to her hufband's parifh, I c^mfider the foorth colomn, which gives the f i^m of the firft and thirdi as conti^iniag the num<* ber of marriages which properly belox^ to thi$ pariih, -iU, * however, feveraLinfiaoces.ha've occurred, in which the man- has come to refide in the parifli of the wpman^ this mode of; reckoning may not be perfe^y accurate \ I have therefore, cbolen to add the fecood and fifth columns, thatxvery per- Ibo m^ calculate frpm the tab]e upon.any principle hemajf incline to. adopts I. mud f)airther obferve, that the number of marriages mentioned in . the table, efpeciaUy during the > laft ten years, is.confiderably ihort of the truth. This is owing to.many loofr apd diforderly perfon^. who are ;an« nually fined for irregular marriages by the juftices of peace. . In fuch inftances the .ignorant parties always confider; the magiSrate, and avowedly fpeak of him as the celebrator of the mairiageji They are tempted to have recourfe to this ahfiml and irregular, ipethod of obtaining marriage, becaufe It maj he accompIi(hed with greater fecrecy and expedi'* . tioo than by obfcrving the -legal ceremonies. It is there* fore frequently adopted in this place, .when the confent of parents cannot be obtained, when the woman is pregnant, or when .prudence, or the laws of the country prcTeot anj

obftacle

174 StMt^imt Accnnt

oMbdedMtwooMfioporreCiidtlieaiiiriige. IkMvm iaftMoe in t neigbbmiriog partfli in wlttdi pwdtt wiikia the forbidden degrees of oonfimgDiniry were thai OMrricd. When % yooog coopk meet with any obOade to thdr iimon^*->wheo, from wantomieft or hnmOur, they fpom all xegtthr fivrmB,— 4nr when they are too impatient to wait for proclamations^ they apply to the procnrator-fifeal to get a jttftio^ of peace to marry diem. He inftmds them to tell the jnftice that they were married at foeh a time, but to re* ftife to name the cdebrator and witneflTes. Whereapon the jodge Hrft decerns thea^ to pay the legal fine ; and netc, upona reprefentatioa of their poverty, &e. by virtoe of hia or their power as jviBce or jnfticea of peacet modify this fine, fotoetimes to half agoinea, fometimes tojs. and fame- times even to much leb. They get an extraft of thi& fdi- tence, pay the procnrator-fifeal, and the eeremoay is over. Can any idea be moae ridicokns, than that a peffim flioiM apply to a poblic profecutor^ pay him, and be inftnided to taU a lie to the magiftrate, merely to get himfelf pnniflied far a crime, which he is confiaons he never committed. Many of thefe poor creatnres are afterwards fo aftamed of this farce, that they apply to dieir parifli-minifiers to be tegn* larly married. To what length the abfmil and wanton ir- regolafity of juflice of peace marriages, as they are calied, may be carried, and what diforder they may introdnce into f($dety, if not checked by the Legiflatnre, it is hard to fay. > Sorely the laws againft irregular marriages were intended to prevent, not to enconrage fnqh pra&ices. While, how- ever, they are thus executed, if this can be called execnting them, they are fo managed as to defeat their own end. I know of no chnfe in all the a£b of Parliament rehtiog to fudi marriages that permits the jufiice to mitigate the fine. On the contrary, they are expreUy appointed to fabSitute certun corporal punifliments in place of the lepil fine, when

die

^ ^ AUrdftn. .175

tfce panics are wabje to pay it. XC iJ^ejr wooU adlums to this altemfttive^ the laws would be r^ftored to.tbcir proper cfficapy, and this braocb of their jorilili^oii would fooQ sf- &rd them vecy little employment* But while they affiirae powers, with which they do mt leem to me to be eDtnified bj the laws of their countryy I vfk onder a nieceffity of cw^ fidertog them as aOiog ia theie iaftaiices, aot as the goaf^ diaos of order, but «b the perverters of the law, «ad the pramotsfs of c^^on.. We have here {pme joftioes of iperdy grow^ ; but: I F^d be wantivg ia caadoor, if \ did aot ackaowlegtt that the realgaiikmm of this coaaty bava io geaend eon$d^ed it as beaeath the di,piitjr of tbeir cbaiaAer to take aay concera in irrcgalar marriages, that they aaifbrmly refide fiieh applicatioas, aod that whea fpcb af|4ieatioos have been made to them, their good advtoe has often prevailed with the parties to have reeoarSs to tha forass wbieh the laws of the cooatry prefcriibe*

As to the regifter of baptifms, no tronblc has beea fpared 10 render it correft. The two parochial mtaifters ieldooi bepti£e a child, without caofiag the psreat briag aa atteflan tion, that be has paid for having his child's naaie r^giflared ; aad the ounifter of the Qupel of £afe keeps an aocnrata lift of the children baptiCed by him, which he iends annual- ly to th(e iei&oa-elerk. Several peiibns are aUb employed to procure infoqaatioa of thole who are baptiiiBd by difleat* ing dergymen^f different deaomiiiatio^ Notwithfianding all this Q^stt feveral baptifms annually occur, which are not recorded. Befides, the ebildren of a very few Quakers who are never baptifed, aod Come who are either bom dead, or die lb foon after their birth that they cannot be baptifed, can- not be mentioned in the regjbfter of bapt^ms. The anaaal births in the pariih muft therefore exceed the numbers 4i|t^ in the tableSj 1 fuppoie, by a do^ca at leaft.

Thert

1^6 Ste^yOcal Account

There are Aree burymg grounA in Old Mcdiar, die • chorth-yard, the Sptttal borjing ground, belonging to Alexander Moir, Efq; of Scotftown, ind the Snow church- yard, belonging to the King's College. Of the bnriab in the two firdy tolerably correft regifters are kept. Of tbe. Imriak in the laft, no accurate account can be had, but by 'fearching the accounts of the common procurator of the Colleg^^y bj whom- 1 am infermed, that the average num- ber of burials m it doed not exceed two in a year. This burying ground is ufed chiefly by Papifts; I could find no regifter o& burials iot the Spittal during the two firft pe- riods meatiooed in the tables ; I have therefore in&rted for tfaefie periods only the burials in the pariih church«yard, snd thbfe in the Snow church-yard in a fingle colnnm, en* titledi Sex unknown. The number of burials for the Spit- tal church yard may, however, be afcertaihed and infcrted in the blank taUee, by calculating from the proportion of the average burials in the church-yard to that of the Spittal burying-ground during the laft ten years, and in this manner the average number of the whole burials in the pariih for the firft two periods may be found. In all the regifters of bnriah fome inftances occurred in which the fex .of the per« fon buried was not afcertained ; in thefe cafes, either the fimame (Xily of the perfon buried was mentioned, or the keeper of the regifter charged himfelf for the huriatiair{p2LVt) of a child, without mentioning whether it was male or female. To afcertain with any tolerable degree of accuracy the pro- pordon of the fexes buried in the pariih, I was therefore obliged to infert in the tables of burials, in diflind columns, the numbers in which the regifters mentioned the fex ; and to ihow the whole ntmiber, I have added a third column, entitled, Sex unknown. I have only to obferve farther with regard to the burials^ that many who die in this pariih ate buried in other pariibes^ but that a far greater number

are

of Aberdeen. lyj

art bitmght from other pariihes, efpecially from Aberdeen, and buried here. This is owing partly to their forefathers having lived, died, and been buried in this parifh; and partly to the bnrial lairs being mnch cheaper here than in Aberdeen. From the manner in which the regifters are kept, it is impoifible to determine how many of the per* fons buried belong to the parifh, and how many are firan- gen, otherwife I flioald have marked this diftindion by inferting their refpe6tive numbers in feparate co« lomns. By thefe obfervations it will appear, that no cal- cohtions refpeding the general population of the pa- rifli can be juftly founded on the tables of burials* and diat the rule of multiplying the burials by 36 would lead us greatly to over-rate the population of the place. But as by hx the greater number of firangers buried here are brou^t from Aberdeen, and as the fame caufes render the number of females in both places fuperior to that of the males, calculations from the deaths, intended to elbbliOi, not the real number of people, but the proportion of the fexes adnally living in the parifli, though not accurate, will come nearer the truth.

As the numbers who annually come from other places to refide in Old Machar are greater than the numbers who emigrate from it, and as the number of baptifms inferted in the regiRer falb ihort of the real number of births in the parifli, the rule of multiplying the number of births by 26 would lead us to under-rate the population of the place. As in this infiance, the errors Ariiing from this mode of calcnlarion are eafily accounted for by the daily influx of ftrangers into a large city and its neighbourhood, perhaps thefe paXc9 for ascertaining the population of a country nay be found to hold with fufficient accuracy, if the births

Vol. XIX. Z upA

178 Stat\ftual Account.

and bnriah for Aberdeeii, aad a large diftnft rowd it» are taken into the acomuit.

With regard to the population of this paiiih, it nay be proper farther to obferrei that firom what is already cdca- tioned, it appears that the females exceed the males bj Z0379 which is more than an eighth part ef the whole number. That this remarkable dirparitj in the number of the diflerent fexes reallj ezifls in thu parHb is e^idcat from the minifter's rolls, which are as accurate as the veiy flttduating ftate of the people in lb populous a place will admit of. It cannot be e^Iaioed either by the births or burials. For from the preceding tables it appearsi that dn- ring three diftinft periods often years each, the number of males bom in the parifli has coofiderably exceeded that of females. If they all had continued in the parilh, the ba- lanoe ought certainly to have been in favour of the nsales, which is the reverfe of the hlBu If thu difparity were owing to any extraordinary mortality among the males, it couM only be temporary, and would appear by their form* i^g a majority in the regifier of burials, which the ta- bles ihew to be alfo the reverie of the b&. It may, however, be. Cuisfadorily explained by the following ob- fervat ions : Moft of our manufadures, efpeciaUy the bleach- log and thread-making buiinefles, employ a much greater number of women than of men ; and the great manu&c- tore of the place, the knitting of ftockings, is carried on al- moft entirely by females. Accordingly, while moft of our women remain at home, m&ny of oui* young men emigrate to other places, in queft of more lucrative employment than they can find in this part of the country. Befides, the temptations of cheap and c(»Bmodious houfes, of eafy ac- cels to fuel, and to all the necefiaries aad comforts of life, from our vicinity to the port and market of Aberdeen^ and

of

of the high probability of finditig e0)pl(i;^fiieot &om fom« c£At many tnaoufiiQures carried 00 in the neigbbourbood^ iadooe many old women, and many of the widows and draghtefs of farmers and tradefmen, to leave the country, and rofide in this pariib, wiiik their (bns have either fettled as farmers in their native place, or gone abroad, or ente|[cd into the army or navy. If to thefe obfervations we add, that in all parifhes, in which there are feveral large towns and viUages, mod families need more female than male for- vants, the majority of females in this pariih, great as it is, ^will be fuflSciently accounted for.

The annual average of baptifms for ten years immediately after 2722, ia90^; for ten years after the 1752^ 89^1 and for ten years after 1782, 124-,^. To this average 12 at leaft fliould be annually added to make up for thofe not inferted in the regifter.

The annual average of burials for ten years immediately after the 1722 is, in the parifii church-yard, 95iVt ^^i i^ the Snow church*yard, 2 ; for ten years after the 1752, ill the parifli church-yard, 57tV» *°d in the Snow church-yard, 2 1 for ten years after the 1782, in the parifh chnrch-yard, 104-^, in the Snow church-yard, 2 i and in the Spittal chm^h*yard, 2411*9 ; in all, 348^.

The average number of marriages properly belonging to the pariih for eight years immediately after the 1722 13, 251V » for ten years immediately after 1752, it is 331^^ aad far ten years immediately after the 17 82, it is 51. In calculating the above average of marriages, tho£e in whieh the women only refided in the pariih are excluded, and no allowance is made for the jufUce of peace marriages, feveral of whidi annually occur.

Ft0B the above ftatements of tha population of the city

and parilhes of Aberdeen, it appears, that the whole in

3 iX790-9S»

rto

Stat^al Accoma

1790^59 amounted to 24,493, making an increafe, if Df Webfter*8 accoimt is to be relied on, of no Ie£» tbaa 9060.

The people in general are indttftrions and fober; andnoc a few arrive at an advanced period of life. Several wo- men died latclj above 90 yean of age, and one above loo*.

Tbis

• StaU rfthe Popmiaiian o/tbe Tvwm cf AktrUtnfnm 1758 to 1770.

X7S9.

1760,

i7^i# 176a,

17^3.^ X7^4i 17«S, I7^<5. «7^7. i7«. 2769,

^770.

«4S8

^444 6366

^S34 J634 6898

7«5^ 7308 7*4S 7757 7795 8133 $551

EpifcopaL Seceden	Pipiib.	Quakers.	Jndfpff*Vf?^ orGlaffits.
1787 -	iti	«7	45
1717 1619	s6i	"3	19	^%
^95	"7	33	57
1907	y>i	«37	42	3S
Z846	170	115	18	»3
189S	188	Z18	18	21
AOlft	310	«34	12	«7
Z968	334	115	»7	*3
1938	3«9	134	17	»7
10S9	33«	«37	14	29
1067	34«	140	«S	3»
. ^164	354	158	'5	29
2l6«	303	"7	*7	a7

TotQf

perfi 8468

8639 8707

«93« 8916

P*3» 9^61

9775 10090 10328 10390

«0853 ZZX98

J^Miari/.— The above Hate compvehcnds the three paftoral charges int* which the town of Aberdeen is divided. Thefe, together with the village of Futtie, which (being under the charge of a diftin^ catechift, who has ' lutberto beeli ordained, but not reckoned a miniiter of Aberdeen) is not included in dus Hate, make up the pariih of St Nich<to. It comprehends none of the extenfive fuburbs weft and fouth from the Denbam* they ha- ving belonged to the deanry of Aberdeen, and now to the parilh of St Ms- char, commonly called Old Machar, or Old Aberdeen. In thefe there has been a very great increafe of inhabiunts within th^ laft forty yean.

The above ftafie takes in, not the number of foub, but only of exami- nable peifona, as the minifters included not clvldren in their lifts. They leckoned them examinable as foon as they had learned to md» and could flmfwer |fome of the common queftions; fo that their lifts contained St leaft all perfons of fhre years old and upwards. In calculating ftom tiiefe^ the number of foub, it is to be dbferved, that in Aberdeen (and peihapi in moft towns) the number of children bears a left proportioo to that of fouls than in countiy pariflie^ ; one reafon of which is, that many aged perfons, particularly (ingle women, retire to towns, and accommodate Cfacnfelvei ia iinaU rooms. Hus is foubd to hold in Abefdcen; for one of

the

of Aberdeen. 181-

This town and neighbonrhood is not remarkable for an j nacommon or epidemical diieale. A certain kind of po* trid Ibce throat* howevery raged lately, and cot off many of

the

the fflioiilent for ^ few yean of the above period, took an account of the whole foals in the part of the town onder his eharge, and was furprifed that thofe under the examinable age were fo few in comparifoo. Fioin his lifia the number of fonls in the other charges might have been nearly calculated, but he negle&ed it at the time, and as he has been dead for fome years, we do not know whether kny of his lifts can be now recovered.

The incrriife of inhabitants during the above period arofe m a good mea- fare from the intrcMladion and eztenfion of manufadhirrs, and alfo firoin the great demand for ihmes for paving the ftrceu of London; which brought a nmltitnde of labourers from all parts of the coimtry to Aber- deen and its neighbourhood ; and after that demand (Iackened» many uf thcfe remained with their families in Aberdeen, as a proper place for ob- taining employment as day-labourers. Many Ukewife, who have come up as patients to the infinnary, have, after being cured, fettled with the lame ▼iew. Hiefe circumftances have alfo contributed to a great increafe of por pulation in the adjacent parts of the parifh of Old Machar.

For fome years previous to the above period, there had been' a confidera- ble increafe in the population of Aberdeen, owing chiefly to the introduc- tion of manufadlures, but partly alfo to the extenfive cultivation of land* fbrmeily wafte in the environs, which found occupation for many addi- tional hands.

Aberdeen affords a fignal confirmation of the vaguenefs of conjeAuxal accounts of the number of inhabitants of a town, and of its always hx ex- ceeding the truth. For, during the above period, the urrlter of this account happened to aik a gentlenAn who had been in a public ftarion for near fifty yean, and had beftowed fome attention on the ftate of the town, What was in his younger days reckoned the number of inhabitants > And what the proportion between Prefbyterians and Epifcopalians } His anfwer wa^ that the examinable perfons were always reckoned at leaft 10,000 ; and the Preibyterians and Epifcopalians nearly equal in number: But for a few years previous to the period of the above ftate, there had been a very great increafe of population, (in one of the three paftoral charges in one year, n^ le6 than about 500), and yet at the beginning of that period they fell far ftioit of the number (pedSed ; and through the whole period the PreAyterians were nearly to the Epifcopalians as 3* to i, and to all Diilenters together (of whom the Secedcrs were originally Preibyteriass) as 2* to one.

lS2 ' StatiJHcal Account

die young of both fexes. In the jesr 17^9, Ae geBntne DyfenUria broke out in Fooctie« tod raged with coafiifo- rable Tiolence- The onlj check to it that proved efedaat was by removing the infcded perfons into a temporary faofpital, where they received medical aid, and every necef- lary accommodation at the public expence, the money being raifed by fublcription.

The provincial dialed of the EngUfh, which at fjtmt^ rally fpoken here, is not commonly confidered as being very pure. Owing, however, to a much greater inter- courfe with the Englilk than formerly, a fenfible change to the better has taken place in the idiom. Some old peopk remember when many broad Scotch words and phrafis were current, even in the bcft companies, which are now fcarcely ever to be heard in the loweft. The confideration alfo that this is a place of education, the feat of an uaiv«r« fity of confiderable eminence, has proved an indncement to fieveral, efpecially to thofe who have entertained thoughts of pttbliihing in Engliih, to make the proper idiom of the language more a matter of ftudy than was ever done at an j former period, a circumftance that has not fiuled to pro- duce good eSeds.

Whatever may have been the original language of the inhabitants of this place ; and whatever may have been the changes which at different periods it has undergone, it is undeniable, that for many centuries back the old Scotch dialed, whofe affinity to the Englifh is manifeft, has been the language, not of this place only, but of all the eaftem coaft of Scotland. Now, though the oldeft names, fuch as thofe of mountains, rivers, towns of high antiquity, and trafts of country, are probably, as was already hinted, from the ancient Britiih ) and though fome names of a lower epoch, from the intercourfe of the inhabitants with High* landers, or Ifiih Scots, are doubtlels from the £rfe \ yet by

far

4(f Aberdeen. 183

fax the greateft number of names of places are from the 0I4 Scotch dialed^ which has been now for many ages the laof goage of the country. Not any more remarkable inflan- ces of fucb derivation in this parifb can be given, than the names of the ftreets of the town, the principal of which are the Caftlegate, the Braidgate, the Overkirkgate, the Ne- therkirkgate, the Gallowgate. Add to thefe, the Gaift* raw, the Shipraw, the Rottenraw, the Dubbyraw, the Chcckeraw, the Narrow-wynd, the Badc-wynd, the Cor- refidoo-wynd* Thefe. with Putachie's-fide, and the Green, are almoft all the old names of ftreets and lanes in the town. We cannot give a better example than in this very tbiog of the ad|pnces noticed in a former article, which we. are daily making towards Englifli. We almoft never hear now of the Braidgate and the Caftlegate. They are become nnivcrblly the Broadftreet and the Caftleftreet. The Gal« lowgate, for what good reafon we know not, has not yet Ihared in this reformation, for nobody ventures upon Go^ iowftrat. The Kirkgaies too remain the fame as ever* They are never called Cburcbfireets^ though we more com* mooly fiiy the Upper than the Ovir Kirkgate. There is little or no change made on the other paftages called wynit and raws. Only it is to be obferved, that in all thofe which have been made in the city or fuburbs for at leaft fifty years paft, we have neither ^o/fi nor wynds; they are all JlreetM and lanes. Thus we have within that period got $iueen'Jlreet^ MarJhaUfireet^ Ncrtb-^treet^ Shoe-lanif Juftice-lanef lie. i^c. If the fame hamoor prevails in other places of the country, we may conclude, that the words gate and wynd^ occurring in any compound names of the paftages through a city or town in Scotland^ win ferve as evidences of an antiquity higher at leaft than the middle of the i8th century. As to the names of the Sew bills, gentlemen's featSi &c. lying near the town, they

appear.

] S4 Statijlical Accoufit

sppear, as £ir as we can difcover, to be of the lame origiiL. Thus Ferry-hUL, FrofterJnll^ (the word Frqfier probabljr corrupted from Forrefier)^ HUiou^ Robflaw^ King^s-tceilr^ CouniefC-wtOsy Wbiiemires, Some are more obfcure in their orxfpn^ as Pttmucifton^ RodrieftoHj Twry^ Futtie^ i^Cm Of this laft it was obferved, that fome refolve it into Fooi^ Dee^ the foot of Dee. But this is diredl j contrary to the common rule of analogy in the derivation of words. Whea an j thing is exprefied bj one word in our language, (and this holds in both dialeds^ Englifli and Scotch)^ reprefent- ing it as a part or member of fome other thing, that other thing makes the firft part of the compound name, and the part or member makes invariably the laft part. Thus di^ mouth of the Wey is Wtymoutb^ not Mouibwey ; and thmt the Scotch, in this formation of words, is the fame with the Englifli, appears from fome names of places in this neighbourhood. Thus we have Loanbeadf not Htadhau^ for the head of the loan or loaning ; Craiglug^ not Lugcraig^ for the lug^ that is, the ear of the craig. If, therefore^ thej mean to call the place the foot of the river, it woald have been unqueftionablj Btefoot^ not Fooi-Dee. But we are not even certain that the mouth of a river is either in Scotch or Englifli ever called theybo/.

RccUJtaJiicdl State of Aberdeen. The two principal churches of this citjr, which at pre^ fent are called the Eq/l and Wejlt were forrtierlj called the Old and New Churches. The church which flood where the Weft Church now ftands was called the Old, and is fup- pofcd (though upon what evidence is not certain) to have been feveral centuries older than the other. The ftile of architeflore, though both were Gothic, was very different from that of the Eaft (formerly called the New) Church, ftUl ftanding, and which likewife is of an uncertain date.

The

^f Aherdftn^

»8i

The Old Church was paUed do^n, and reWlt| about the year 1754.— The College Chtireh belonged to the Grey Friars, and was purchafed b^ the Magiftrates from the College. There is no account wheil it was built.

In the cit^ of Aberdeen are three parochial charges^ and one la the village of Futtie. There are two charges in Old Machar. The exaft ^ue of the livitlg is L. 126 Sterling /«r awmm to each parochial minifter, without any manfe or glebe. The patronage ia vefted in. the Magi- Orates, and Town-cooincxl for the time betrtg.

The foUowing table contains a lift of the miniftets of Aberdeen fince the year 1673 :

1673 David Lyal. 16S0 WiUiam BUin 2716 John Olbura. 1749 Thomas Forbes. 1785 Duncan Shaw.

1673 Pat. Sibbald. .1686 Andrew Bucnct. 1696 }ame& Ofburn. 1703 Colin Campbell. 1719 James Ogiivic. 1776 Wm. Faiquhar. 1779 James Sheriffs.

1^73 George Meldrudi. 1681 George Gordon. 1694 Thomas Ramfay. 1700 llio. Blackwall. 171 1 Francis Mclvil. 1716 James Chahnen. 1728 JobnBiflet. 1757 Geo. Campbell. 1771 Geo, Abercrombie» X791 Hugh Hay.

Bciides the parochial churches, there is a chapel of eafd io the College Church ; another in Futtie ; one lately joined the Eftablifliment from the Relief; the Trinity Cha- pel of Eafe, and the Gadic Chapel, all belonging to the £fiabli(hmeDt.-— In this place are three congregations be-^ longing to the Engliih, and two to the Scotch Epifcopal' Church.-— Of the Seceders, is a congregation of Burghers^ aad another of Antiburghersi and one belonging to the Re- lief..^*Hcre the Roman Catholics, the Methodifts, the Be^ reansy and Independentsi have each a cor(grcgation.<-^The Quakers have a meeting In this place : and ^ hoofe ha^ lately been opened, and occupied as a place of worihip by % Dr Chandlen

Vol. XIX.

Aa

Smt

\$6 Statical Accwm

Siate of tie Poor. The number of poor at prefent in Aberdeen, who re- ceive fiated and occafiooal fiippltes firoai public charitable fundsy amounts to 481 ; befidet 25 boys, who are main- tained in the Poor-hou£e. The funds appropriated for their ufe are at an average about L. 829 Sterling f^r amnum* Of this fum L. 2x0 Sterling are allowed for the fnpport of the Poor-houfe» in which are a mafter, mifireft, and fer- vants. to fuperintend the education, &c* of the boys. The fum of L. 15 1» 5 s. of the remainder is allotted to the ex^ dufive management of the kirk-felfion, which, after pay- ing the falaries of their officers, thej diftribute among poor families^ who have no ftated fupplieafirom other funds.

Hofpitab, Infirmary y 6r.

The inhabitants of Aberdeen fecm to have been alwajs- diftbguiihed :fbr geoeroas and humane adions. Several very ample mortifications and donationa for pious and cha- ritable purpofes were made by difl[erent perfons, belonging to this place, in the laft century. But as a full and accnrau account of thefe cannot be given^ notice ihafl only be taken of (bmc, which have been made fince the beginning of this.

Robert Gordon, merchant in Aberdeen, by deeds of mortification, of date I3.th December 1729, and the a9th September 1730, founded an Hofpital for the maintenance and education of indigent boys in Aberdeen, being the fons and grandfons of borgefies of guild, or the fons and grand- fons of tradefmen of the faid burgh, being freemen or bur- gefles thereof^ and fi>r the purpofes of it he affigned his whole eftate, perfonal and real* to the Provoft, Bailies, and remanent members of the Council of Aberdeen,, and the four minifters of Aberdeen, whom he appointed perpetual Patrons and Governors of the HoQiitaL

X 'Mr

tf Aberdeen. iSy

Mr Grordon having diej about the year X73i« his af&g- i obtaiDed pofleflion of liis funds ; and from the produce x>f them parchafed an acre, and bdk a proper houfe for the Hofpitak When the foods had accumatated to a proper degree, they took in boys, and the inftituti(m has gone tm finoe with remarkable faocefi ; and there ase at prefent flBatntained, clothed, and educated in it 60 boys, at the an- imal expeoce of upwards «f L. 1000 Sterfing, which the <3oTeraort are now enabled to afford, by the early pnrchafe •of laods^ and afterwards feuing them out to great advan- tage*

The branches of -education tanght «i this faofpital are, Teadiag -Eoglilh, Englifli-grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, the elements of geometry, atnrigation, geo- graph J, French, chureh-mnfic; and fbch of the boys as dif- cover E genius for it, are inflruAed in drawing alfo. Thefe 4>ranches of education, together with a proper inftruftioQ in the principles of the Chriftian religion, are carried on under the dtredion of three mailers, who conftantiy refide in the hottCe \ tho drawing mafter being only employed <wcafionallyY and mofily during the fummer ; and the ma- iler for chorch-mufic attending twice'or thrice a-week.

The boys muft not be under nine years of age when ad* tnitted into the Hofpital, and muft leave it at 16 years of age. They are put to proper trades, under the direftioa of die Governors ; L. 8 : 6 : 8 Sterling are allowed for ap« prentice-fee -, and, upon finifliing their apprenticeihip, they nre allowed each L. 5 Sterling to ailift them in entering ia- to bofineis.

Anmo 1772, the Governors judged it proper, for remo- ving objedions to tlieir management, to apply to his Ma« jefty for a -charter of incorporation, and it was obtained, ih« corporatiog them under the name and title of, Th9 Pr^fideni ^amlGavernan ofRobtrt Gordon's Hojpkalitt Abtrdnn.

Anno

j«8 StatiJ^l/fcMunt

tion of er&Siiag ^i^ Infirmac/, in iVb^rde^Oi for rtb« bene&t of the difeafed, iu ^U tibje,:nQithcrii p^art^, of the kingdom. Forcarrjmg this purpofe into e^jecutioo^ fub{pripuoo$ were fat Qa fooiV ^nd the freU diiipofedn;^ere^ foltbefftl in pro- ^QlUflg this luous deiigDy th;|t -^ .part, of the rhoufe for. the juxomrnQd^tioii <}f ^padeiits ^as §nip\t4 attm>:xf4^'i in a plaio but deceqt manner^ Aiv ^44itioii was made tb tbe jhoufe 00190 17459 \^y whicb (bey vre^e enabled, tor i»dmit « greater n^Ribfir .of patitrots. i iin4 ^ft«:iyfMrd% &oi|i Jdte great number of patients who applied, they were under tb« nf- fieifity of addjtig another jtvipg..,ia,lAe year Xf^^ o J9 the year 177a, t.b^y appli«4 ^o.tbo QrAYtn for, ^ ph|^|t«d« ^ha^rter of incorporalioQ. *" ♦, , ,.;..: v..

; The xuun^er p( thofe admitted. in&Oi jlb^ . In&f 0rfci|[j'^Minu- jfdly,:at au avera|;e for thr^ years {^/l^ atnouDts t.Q ii2$* ^Out patients. receive advice and medicioes. to (he. number p£ about 3500,

The ai|.Qa^ .expence of the hou£e, at ao ^iverage for fome jyears paft, Jha^ ^aoiouDted to L. 1300 bfevling, Their fixed funds are about L.. 400 Sterling; and for the other L. 900 they depepd ppon coUedioos through: different parilhes, find upon donations.

jiana j^T^^) Baillie James (!raickfbank, merjchant in this cicV» represented to the n^anagers, that fotpe perfons, defirou^ of promoting the ppofpericy ^nd fuccefs of the la- firnaary, (but who wiih to xemaia UQknown)| bad refolved to eafe it^ in ^ great meafurei q^ the debt it then laboured under, by paying a fum of L. 500 Sterling for that purpofe. He alfo informed them, that fome perfons, had iigreed to piiake a donatiqn of L. 1500 Sterling, to be flocked for the benefit of the Infirmary, and the inter.eft thereof for ever IP be applied for the ufe of the patients in general; and be

defired

t>f Aberdeen. X89

defired thac.iib'lHiBlic notice flioaldle tsfkeir of thbfe doni- tions in the newfpapers.

A fiw jit%u ago, a day-labourer, WiUiain Mnk, yiAio a good many yetir^ago'^had been a patktit in* the Infirmary, and reosiTed1>cncfic:fron) it, had gtVen to the Infirmary nb lefi a film than L« 135 Sterling, as die beginning of a food ibr boflding a fnnr vjatd^ referving f to himfelf, and Ms wife only, if (be fnrvive him, the intereft of the abbirt fom, andhe fiill cootinoes to work for his own and fitmi« Ij's fub£aeiR:a.

'Ann^ 174I9 Mr Jdtin R«chart of AchHecant, by a deed • 4>f feldem^nt, of d^e the ^oth of Odober, ordained, that Rafter the payment ^i certain legacies, mentioned in faid deed) the r^ltidndef ^f his executry flioald be paid towards endowing an Infirmary and Work^hoofe in Aberdeen. Af- ter the death of Mr Richart, it was fomid that the remain- der of his efiate, aftei> paying all the legacies mentioned in his will, amounted to about L. 417a Sterling, one half of tvbich, VMS. L. 20M Sterling, was to be applied towards endowing a Workhoufe. For this purpofe the Magifirates aad Councir (the executors of Mr Richart's will) bought the ground*right and ruins of an 6ld tenement tA honfes and a garden, and afterwards repaired iaid houfe, and built fome additions to it, at a confiderable ezpence, all of which was pud» partly by the Magifirates, and partly by volon* tary contributions from the difierent corporations, and from private individuals in town, without breaking in upon Mr Richart's mortification.

To the above mortification the Magifirates added a morti- fication under their management, legateed by Mr John Kemp, <yf the parifli of St Martin's in the Fields, in the county of Middletex, apothecary, anno 1713, the annual produce of whiob is aboat L. 48 Sterling, and defiined by the morti-

fler

190 Statifikal AcctnM

i«r for vitioti^iiiAg a iirec-ldioQl lor cdociitiBg and Iniog- ing up poor children.

.TbeJPgorVUoQiiial was opened the laft day of OAober V74X, for the reception of iiach idk and flrolliog vagrants te fliould be fbond in town, and . the poor inhabitants, who bad no vifiUe way of earning their bread ; alfo far boys «nd girls, the children of poor inhabitants, and for deftitnte erpbans, who had no relations to take care of them. Every perfon in the hoiife was to be employed in work or laboor •f fome kind, according to their firength and capacity. The children to attend the ichool in the hoofe for certain hours every day : the boys Co be taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and inftru&ed in the principles of Chrifiian knowledge, and bound to trades when they came to a cer* tain age. * The girls to be taught knitting of ftockings, and other branches of female education, to qualify tbem for being good fervants. The various kinds of labour carried en within the houfe were, picking of oakum, beating hemp, carding and fpinning coarfe wool and flax, manufafturing coarfe cloth, and knitting dockings.

The managers of the Hofpiul were the Magiftrates and Council for the time being, and fome of the mod refpefi- able inhabitants chofen annually by the Magiftrates and Council out of the diffisrent focieties and perfuafions. After carrying on the inftitution on the above plan for fome years, it was thought more proper for the health of the poor inhabitants, to allow them, at their own houfes, what the charitable funds and contributions could afford. Ac- cordingly, the manufadure was difcontinucd, and the num- ber in the Hofpital is now reftri&ed to 15 boys, who are maintained and educated in the houfe, and are the fons of poor inhabitants. The annual expence of the houfe amounts to about L. 2 to Sterling, which is paid in part from the annual produce of Mr Richart and Mr Kemp's mortifies^

tions,

Hf Aberdeen. i^t

doosy md the deficiencj from oiher monies belonging to the poor*

Anno I759t Alexander Michie, wright in Aberdeen, difponed a tenement) confifting of two froall dwelling-houfcs and a garden, in £|Vour of the Poor's Hofpital, which now rent at between L. i x and Xi. la Sterling annuallj.

Mr James Man, mafter of the Hofpitaly who died anno 1761, afker appointing certain legacies to be paid by his €zectttors» or to the amount of his effeds, ordained the re< matnder to be paid to the managers of the Poor's Hofpital, to be pat out at intereil, and the annual rent to be fpeciallj applied to the pajing of apprentice-fees for the boys, who flionld be brought up in the hoofe, and bound to trades* The amount on Mr Man's effeds (after paying all his lega- cies» debts» and funeral charges) was L. 95 Sterling. The intereft of this fum was allowed to accumulate, titt the whole amounted to L.aoo Sterling, the annualrent of which is now applied to paying apprentice-fees for boys,, brought up in the Poor's Hofpital, and bound out to trades, at the rate of 10 s. annually for each boy during hb apprenticefliip, which is generally fix years.

By an account we had from the late clerk of the Poor's Bofpital, anno 1784, there were no lels than 36 charitable focieties in this town, befides the corporations ; and their anooal diA>urfements to the poor, amounted to L. 1183 Sterling.

Mr John Burnet, late merchant in Aberdeen, did, by a deed executed by him, February i. 1785, difpone to the minifiers of Aberdeen of the Eftabliflied Church, and the other members of the kirk»fe(fion of Aberdeen for the time-being, and their fucceflbrs in office, and four other truftees named by himfelf, and a delegate to be chofen from the Infirmary and Poor's Hofpital annually, two*thtrds of ^ yearly free produce of the lands of Kionadie, and others

mentioned

f93 Staifftk^t Recount

IDeatUMied in the deed of mottificftiioo^ for the relief of fach perfonsy lining in the town and parilh of Abetdeea oMfyi ^bo are unahle to fiifiain tbemfiBlves, and who are bedrids, or afflided with bodily difeafes, that are fiippofed to be incurable, and failing fuch, for the i^Uef of any other fick poor people, and particularly fuch as are af&ifted with lingering difeafies ; and fiiiling fuch, for any other indigent and poor people, and particularly the aged, living in the town and pariih of Aberdeen, •

jiMno 1782, November ad, a fubfcription was opened for obtaining a fupply of grain to the poor of Old and New Aberdeen, and, in a few weeks, to the great praife of the inhabitants, as well as relief of the poor, the fubfcription amounted to no lels than L^iyaS, 13s. Sterling. Two gentlemen were fent to England topurchafe grain : A com* mittee was appointed, and met once a- week, for attending to and relieving the diftrels of the poor while it continued : To encourage importing meal, peafe, flour, potatoes, boun- ties were granted ; the ordinary cuftom on meal was dif- penfed with, and the price of the meal lowered from time to time, and given out in proportion to the numbers and neceffities of the poor families.

j/nno X787, three fifhermen were drowned in attempting to eater the harbour of the Cove. A fubfcription was opened for their widows and children, which amounted to L. 36 : 17 : 9 Sterling.

uinno 1790, May 17th, a boat belonging to the Cove, in the pariih of Nigg, and neighbourhood of this city, was loR. Five of the men in the boat were married, and left widows and 25 children ;' the fixth man was unmarried, but left an aged mother, who, in a great meafure, depended upon him for fubiifience. The CoUedii^is andfubfcriptions made for them in Aberdeen amouuted to L, 103 .-4:3 Sterling.

Mr

i^ Aberdeen. 193

Mr James Thain, merchant In Aberdeen^ about three years ago, made Ofver to truftees named by him Im 400 Ster* ling ; the intereft he appoiptp as a ialarj for a mailer, who fkall teach the children of" the poor of this city reading, i^ridng, aad arithmetic, and inftruA them'in the principles of the Chriftian religion, without demanding anj fees from ihern* Forty boys and girls are taught at this fchool, and the worth j founder, who is ftill alive, frequently vifits it, and is more happy in ob&rving its continued iuccels, than if he had received a much greater fnm to himielf than he has given fd^ this laudable inflitution.

Difpenfary.

The Aberdeen Difpenfary was inftituted in the year 1781, for the purpofe of attending, at their oWn houfes, fnch patients as could not be admitted into the Infirmary : It is fupported'by the boofity of the public, and is under the ynanagement of contributors; Dr Gordon, the prefent phyfician, has had the charge of it for ten years.

The utility of the inftitution to the poor will appear from the following abftrafis.

But it is calculated to be extremely ufeful in other re- fpeSs ; aamdy, as bein^ an excellent fchool for the educa- tion of medical fludents, and on account of the ample field it pxefinits for obfervatlon, and the acquifition of prafiical knowledge, affording, of courfe, the heft of opportunities for improving the {cience of medicine. To make it ufeful in all thefe refpeds has been the ftudy of the prefent in- cumbent, and the public will judge of his fuccefs from the annexed tables.

His fnccels is very confpicuous in acute difeafes, but efpecially in fevers. What led to this fucceis was the fre- quent occurrence of that dais of difeafes ; Tor other difeafes •ccurred only occafionally, but fevers oonflantly. The

VOL^XIX. Bb hutnan

194 Siaii/Kcal jfyccuni

boman body is liable to be uShBed witb many dtfealiea mij once in life, but it may be» and often is, ivpcatedly aflEsfied with fevers. Hie fiudy of £evers, therefore, enga^ Dr Goi*don's particular attention, and the numerous ttlcs wbacb every daj OQcurred, afforded ample ibope for obfiBrvadon.

He wss mortified to find, that the method of treatment commonly pradliied, and recommended by the mod oele- braftd nuklerm proftffon^ fo frequently fiiiled of fisocefs^ and that many more recovered, when left to the efforts of unafflited nature, than when treated according to the moft approved rules of art. He was therefore naturally Jed to entertain fufpidons ^th refpeft to the propriety of thoie rules \ and was foon ccmvinced by obfervation and ezpe* riencc, that it was impoflible for jiim to be fuocefafnl in the treatment of fevers, without imitating the method by which liature cured them. For which pnrpoCe he made it his bu- finefi to pay particular attention to nature's operations and metnod of cure, in order that he might make that mothod the model of his prafiice. Andhis pradice, when thus re- gulated, was attended with great fucceft, and enabled him to make fcmie very important difboveries with regard to the nature and treatment of fevers. Tbefe diicOyeries he propo&sto lay before the puW, as foon as he has fulfilled his engagement to hb pupils^ who have urged him to p|i- blifli a test-book| which he is preparing, and will Xbon have finiflied.

The method which was foimd fo efficacious in the core of fevers, was applied to many other acute difeafes npoa the fame principles, and with iimilar fucceft, as may be ieen from a perufal of the tables already referred to. This ibsli glfo be laid before the public as fpeedily as polfible.

At prefent, it (hall only be ob&ryed, that the general prifl- ^iple which pervades and guides the whole of .his praftice is to imitate and follow the footfieps of fligture, to nuske srt

^bficrvicat

^f Aberdeen.

193

fublervient to nature, and tbrory ta praAice. This method is oot new, though of late, too much negleded ; for the fame principle has been tlie guide of all grezt fra&ical piy^ .- JUiams, bocih of ancient and modfecn times. And it is by . this method only that the art of phjfic can be improved and brought to.perfeftion. It is not to be improved byhy- potheles and ingenious theories formed in the clofet, but bj obfervarions accurately made in the chambers of the fick*

The aimexed tables are excraded from the records of the Difpenfary, which contsun^ every patient's name, date of admiffion, age, refidenoe, difeafe, cure, or death, with the names of the recommenders ; and all the recommendations are numbered, preferved, and profented, along with the bo«ks,to a general meeting of the fublcribers for examina* tioa, by whofis orders the returns are annually printed, and difperfed among the citizens of Aberdeen. The re- tnnu of 1794 afford a melanchcdy proof of the power of pvejudioe ; for in that year 35^ or more than half of the deatlia were of the natural imidl-poZft notwith (landing Dr Gordon had given public notice of his readings to inocu- late gMOa the childioi of the poor*

TABLE I. f. an Alrflna of the PttioMs admitted' t» dw bmefit of Ae Abcf- dccn Bilpealaiy, for nine ihccaffive jean.

»«r.	1786	17B7	1788	1789	1790	1791	X791	1793	1794	.
No. idaitted.	«33»	14x0	t437	1309	1048	i59i	1489	X150	iiS3Totxa9«5
Naoncd,	1*77	1348	1379	*"7,	I9»5	«537	*44l	xix6	10B9	11319
Ko.d^	tfi	62	58* ,il	133	5f	48	34	«4	eo6
									TA	BL£

ig6

StMifHcal Account

TABLE n.

SbtWmg die State of die Btfeifcs whidi occurred in die year 17^^/

DISEASES.

Feven, ^ Scarlet Ferexs,

Eryfipelas,

Inflammatory (ore diroat,

Inflnensa,

Small'pox,

Meafles,

CnmcoQg^ •

Fltties,

RheumatiAoy ••

Flcurify,

Pcripneumony,

Cholera,

AfUima,

Dropfy,

Stomach compUmli,

Worms, ' Accidents,

Various otber complaiatt.

Admittid.	Cmd.	Dead.
190	aS4	6
61	5«	3
10	ao	0
«3	«3	0
a	«	0
^	55	1%
9	9	0
- 79	70	9
39	39	0
»7	»7	0
«5	15	0
56	53	3
4	4	0
So	45	5
4	4	0
54	54	0
19	«9	0
49	49	0
470	447	«5

noporuoBi I m 4S

5 f

10

^ a«

TABLE m.

Shewing die State of the Difeafes which occurred in the year lyfy.

DISEASES. Fevers, Scarlet fever, Eryfipelai^

Iiiflammatoty fore throat* Malignant ditto, Influensay Small-pox, Ghtncougb, Khues, Hhcumatiiin, Plcurify, Pcripncnmony, Afthma, • . Bropfy,

Stomach complaints, Worms, Accidents, Various Other compUinti,

f»
Adnittdl.	Cund.	Dead.
38a	367	X5
«3	IX	a
a	a	0
«4	*4	0
3	a	X
3	3	0
67	49	x8
9	8	X
37	37	0
26	26	0
7	7	0
^	37 59	4 7
X	X	0
^7	67	0
xa	X2	0
65	65	0
5«5	57»	14

PrapQitioa.

\ 1 1

o

o

I — 3

o

X — 3

X «^ f

o o

X — 10

X — 9

o

o

o

o

X — 4<

^T A B L E^

^Ahcrdetn.

tpy

TABLE IV.

Sltfwiiig the State of the Di(eaft« which occimed tn the yev' 178^.

DISEASES. F\tven» ScarlA fever, Eiyfipeltf^

Infltmmttoiy fore throat. Malignant ditt^ tnftuensa, SmaU-poxi ChtckcD>pQai, Blleailes, Chincoagh, tluxci, - Rheiunatifhi, PkiiiifT. PeripoeunMnj, Cholria,

Dfopfj, - •

Stomach eompUnti,

IVonnft

Accidents,

Variooi other complaint^

Admitted	CuRd.	Dead.
348	340	8
30	a6	4
6	6	0
*5	a4	z
6	6	0
55	55	0
33	»5	.8
6	tf	0
%o	20	0
ax	x8	3
. 43	41	2
IS	'5	0
7	7	0
<4	«4	0
X	z	0
70	70	0
a	a	0
79	78	z
3	3	•0
45	44	z
558	SaS	30

Propoition. X m 43

X — 7

o

z ^ as

o o

« — 4

o

o

X .— 7

z — i az

o o

o

O

o

I — 7^

o

z -^ 4S

z «— 18

TABLE V, Shewing the State of the Difeafes which occoncdin die year Z789.

DISEASES.

FCVtfSy •

Scariet fever.

Childbed fever,

Eryfipelas,

Iiiflsaunatoiy foreduoat.

Malignant ditto,

Inihienaa,

Ditto of inlanti,

Stnall-poz,

Chidcen-pos.

Meaflcs,

Chiocoogh,

FloJies,

Rheontattfin,

Plcuriry,

PeripaeniBOny«

Cholen,

pfopfy. , • Stomacb complauitif

^)|flicnat QCDtXttOllt

Worma> *

M^f ctflencvB

Tahous otlKT coi»pbiBt»t

Admitted*	Cuied.	Dead.
'a35	03	2
3	3	0
6	3	3
7	7	0
as	25	0
60	37	43
z	z	0
68	68	0
'7	13	4
1	z	0
35	34	z
3*	30	a
73	7«	'3
16	»S	z
4	3	z
»S	a4	z
z	z	0
60	47	13
4	z	3
<54	^4	0
7	7	0
5	5	0
«?	27	0
S33	.4jtf	35

Proportion*

z m XX7

o

t — a

o

o

X -*• a

o

o

X — 4

o

« — 35 I — x6

Z — 24

z ^ z6 « — 4

» — *5

o

« — 4 3—4

o o o o X - n

TABLC

x$f8

Staii/Hcat Accoma

TA3XE yt te State of the ])ifittii» wfaiclk Oficuned ia Ae fear I7|0(

DJSEASIS.

Scftrlet feller.

Epidemic childbed fefer^

£|iidqnuc etyfipelai,

IfiflammAtory tore diroat,

Milignant ditto,

AuricuUr Bort^catiofi*

Infliimn among infaiMs,

SmiU-poz,

Chicken-poB, «

Chincottgls

Mmapiy

Fluxes,

Kheumatifiiij

Plennfy,

Afthm«, .

Diopfy,

Stomach compkims»

Bifiiciiit dofttitioD,

Worms,

Acadcnta,

Yaiioua other coo^lakitSy

Admitted.	Cmd.	Dead.
613	608	«5
«8	as	1
«3	IS
. 54	Sa
',8	P«
39	34
7	4'
ao	19
111	3^	*5
5	6
»5	aa
z	t
41	3fi
33	33
34	^3
>9	18
a>	a
76	5?	17
9	6
176	i7«
te	S4
la	II
63	61
490	45^	34

FtepORlOB.

t m 4a

I — 9

« — 3.

o o

« — 3

I — it>

' — 5

o

— S

— •♦

— 19

— 4

— 3

— • 10

— la

— 3^

— 14

TABLE Vnft Shewinf the State of the IKfeafet which occoned in the year 1751.

DISEASSS. Fevcis, Scarlet fjever. Epidemic childbed ferer. Epidemic eryfipeks, Inflammatory fore throat, Malignant ditto. Auricular mortitation, Small-poz, Chincough,

Mumpi, - ••

Fluxes, Rheamatifin, Fleurify, Teripneumony^ Afthma, Dropfy,

Stomach complaiiits, Difficult dentition, j^idemic perlpnouaony,. Worms, Epilepiy, Accidents, ^ Yanooi csher complaiatif

Admitted.	€ured.	Dead.
3SO	349	I
7	7	0
28	«7	K
4»	40
50	50
4	3
i '	a
4* 6a	41
5<J
19	19
3*	3tf
4	4:
la	la
60	59
iitf	107
«9	i»
t%6	"7
S^	41
3a	3X
5	5
6	6	••q
60	60
S44	53«

ProportioiL

I m 350

o

X — at

I — 4C

o

« — 4

o

« — f I — 10 o o o o

'l — to I — 13 I — 19 X — 14

X — 5 I ^ 5»

o o o I — po

TABLE

	qf jiberdMi^
TABLE Vm.
Oewiiv the State of the DHeaiet wbkh occaned k die yetr 1792
DISEASES. .	Adniitted,	Cored*	Deid.	* ittportion.
¥evcf%	aoo	198	2	X m 100
	48	' 44 i	4	X •-• za
CbiUbcd ferer.	5	5	0	0
Eryfipelaip	x«	xa •	0	0
It^imnuitor^ibre ftroat,	14	%•	0	0 ,
Malignant ditto.	• 10	1	» — 5 X — x
Aiirictilar Mortificttion, !	t	0	X
Influennv /	Co	60	0	0
Smatl-pos,	10	61	9	X — 8
Chickeo-poz,	xo	10 -	0	0
CllUIGODg]|, •	»o	x8	a '	X *» zo
Flaxes, • .	50	5«	0	0
Rhnimitifm,	h	• 38	0	0
Pleurify, .	l«	zo	X	X — XI
Pcnpneiiiiioayy,	6q 10	59 10	z 0 ,	z — tfo ■0
Xftlima, , .	So	73	7	I — zz
Dropfy.	XX	XI	0	0
Stomach complainfi^	88	88	0	0
Difficult dentition,	85	34	X	' — " 35
Wonns,	zo	xo	0	*** 0
Accident^	50	SO	0	0
Various other complainti,	638	6ao	z8	» — 35

«9f

TABLE IX.

Shewing the State of the Dtfeafcs which occumd in the year 1793,

DISEASES. Fereitf » • Scarlet fever. Childbed fever, Eryiipelas,

Inflammatory fore throat, Small-poK, Meaflc9» Chincoagh, mnoips, •

&idemic dyfenteiy, "

yw ipfleaiwooy^

Dropfy,

Stomach compkinti. Difficult dcodtton, • . W^onns, • E^lepfy, Accidents, Varioos other cofaphunti^

Admitted.	Cured.	Dead.
aa8	an	4
z	I	* 0
a	X	X
xa	la	0
xo	10	0
3	a	X
iS6	«54	a
«5	xa	3
a	a	0
«4	80	4
»5	«5	0
3	3	0
S6	35	X
47	4»	5
6	6	0
41	4«	0
35	H	0
6	c	0
a	a	0
»5	35	0
413	400	«3

Praportioii.

X u 57

o

f — a

o

o

« — 3

I - 78

« — 5

o

z — ax

o

>•

I - 3« X — 9

o o

o o o o

I — 3a

TABLE

zoo

StatiJUcal Account

TABLE X. Sbewitig the Stste of the Difeafcs i^ch ocanred ai 4ie year 1794*

DISEASES.

FCVCTSf

Scarlet fettr, Epidemic childbed fever, Epidemic ery^elu. Inflammatory wtt throatf

SmaU-poz,

Chincouf h.

Mumps,

Epidemic dyfeotierf ,

Rheumatifia,

Fleurify,

Cholera,

Dropfy,

Stomach cootplaioti^

Difficult deimtioiw

Wormii

EpUcpfjr,

Accident^

Variotti other complaints.

Admitted.	Cured.	Dead.
8tf	82	4
a	a	0
9	9	0
n	15	0
' %6	%6	0
^l	39	0
•i	X03	35
4tf	4
•4	4	0
80	80	0
S7	S^	X
10	10	0
9	9	b
f*	S«	4
11	ta	0
44	44	0
3»	19	3
la	11	0
3	3	0
3«	3«	0
41a	409	13

Propoitioii. t u at

la

— 57

— IX

— 3»

■vrr

Meuttjfathriu

The principal manufa&ire of Aberdeen, prior to the year 17451 was knitted dockings which were mo&ly ex? ported to Holland, and from thence difjperfed through Gerr many. After that period the Unen-manu&Aure was in- trodncedy and brought to confiderable perfedion.

The fpinnitig of linen-yam in diis place, for maauiiic- tnres, arofe from a fmall beginning. Some patriotic gentle* men, a few years after the battle of CuUoden, being defi- rous to fpread thb ufeful art more excenfivf^ly in the northern diftrid, applied to the Board of Truftees at Edin- burgh, who fent a woman here qualified to inibuft others % is

€f Aherdefm aot

in the art of fpinning* She was accompanied with all th# implements n^celfary for her purpofe. As a proof that her exertions were crowned with fucccls, it may be obfer* ved that the fpinning of linen-yarn has arifen in this town to the extent of nearly loo^ooo fpindles/ft^r annum. This is accompliihed mollly by the wives and daughters of me- chanics and labourers, and procures them a yearly income of aboat L. jooo Sterling. Much Unen-yari^ is befides brought to Aberdeen from the country round to a coniiderable ex- tent. The quantity, however, of linen-doth made here and in the neighbourhood is very fmaU, owing, it is be- lieved, to the Irifh, who have engrofled the greater part of that branch of trade, both at the Englifb and foreign mar<> kets, not on account of the fuperior Quality of* their goods, but of the encouragement given by their Parliament to the linen-manufafhire, which enables them to underfell us even in our own country. A coniiderable quantity of the coar- ier kinds of this yarn is exported to Perth, Dunfermline, Glafgow, and other manufaduring places to the fouthward^ Meffrs Collifon, Thomfon and Company, of this pdace, lately began the manufacture of brown flieetings, olhaburghs, and laiUcloths, and are the only manufacturers of fuch goods here. They have already, by unremitting attention, brought their brown (heeting and ofnaburghs, to as great perfedion as any made in Scotland. Their fail-cloth madufa&ory only commenced in 17951 and what they have yet made has been fold to the fail-makers in this place, who acknowledge it equal in quality to the heft that comes from the fouth- eoontry. The iheetings and ofnaburghs are (hipped for London, and from thence are chiefly fent to the Weft In« dies and America. From the fatisfadion thefe mann&c* tares have given, they are greatly on the increafc, and bid &ir to be carried to a coniiderable extent. The flax ufed in the linen branches here is chiefly imported from Hoi- Vol.. XIX. Cc land.

102 ' Stati/Hcal Account

fandy and fome from Eogland. But the Baltic ttax is nfed for brown fheetingSi ofbaborghs, sind other Cdftrfe goods*

^read ManufaBure.^^n the ardck of thread, particit- Farly white and colonred pound threadis, the Scotch ftand unrivalled, and they mnft maintain their fuperioritj by local advantages, which no other country at prefcnt can poflefs, and the manu&Aure b carried on to an ctteat eqnaf to any demand. Aberdeen exceeds in quantity diat of any other town in Scotland ; and none have fnrpafled, if they have yet come up to, their fabric in quality. AB die threads made here are fent to the EngHfli market, and far the greateft part dired to London, and from thence ta many difierent places abroad^ Befides pound thread there is made here a confiderable quantity of the finer thready called •una or nufifs thread, from their having been made by ntins in France and Flanders before the manufa&xre was introduced into this country. The principal thread- manufadurers in Aberdeen are, Milne, Cruden and Com- pany, for ftitching and ounce threads ; Leys, Mafibn antf Company, for ftitching and coloured threads ; and Yoong and Walker, for coloured threads only.

Thefe, with feveral lels extenlive adventurers in- the&itfe trade, and including a few who manufaAufe fiBen^yam only, employ nearly loo boys under 14 years of ^ge, who tarn each from is. 8d. to as. 6d. a- week; 600 men, earning from 5 s. to 12 s. a- week each; and not under 2000 women, who have conftaht employment, mfoftty bn their own houfes^ in fpinning yam, doubling and twift- ing thread, Sec. Many women, who work within the ma- nufadures, will earn from 53. to 6s. a- week; but tiiofe who work in their own houfes cannot earn nearly fo much,, a confiderable part of their time being taken up with fa- mily matters, and other aTOcatioos. But additional: to the I perfona

9f Aber4€in. aoj

i jnft now menttoned, who dwell in the ciQr and liil>- ivbeg the &r^*maQofB£hires here give occafionally em* likymeat 4oat lead 10,000 women in this and other north* cm cooatica in Ipianing linen-yarn. Their employment in fptaning for manu&dures can only be called oecafional^ bccanle in Jhmmer they are generally employed in pro« cuing fuel, acd fpinning wocd and flax for £unily aie. Thdr labour is alfo required in the field during harvelU

WwJbm Manufa&mrei^ V^.— -In die beginning of this ccBCory, the woollen manufsdures of Aberdeenihire were diiefly coarfe flight cloths, called plaideos and fingroms, which were fold firom 5 d* to 8 d. ptr ell, and ftockingt firom Sd. to a s. 6 d. pir pair. Thefe were manufadured hf the &nnecB and cotta|^r$ from the wool of their own flicep, and by the citiaens from the wool brought to the market from the higher parts of the country. The goods were bought op by the merchants of Aberdeen, at a weeklj market held ki town, and at flated periodical fairs held throngh the country, and which, in regard to manufac* tnre, were under the regulation of the Dean of Guild of Aberdeen, who regularly attended, and who, being inveft* ed with legal authority, confifcated fuch goods brought for fi||e« as were deficient in quality, fize, or meafure* The chief market for exportation was Hamburgh, from which place was brought over, at the public charge, and placed in m pnblic warehoule, a preis or machine for packing of bale goods, by which 400 or 450 dozens of men's dockings maj he pot into a portable package ; but are made feldom to contain above 300 doaens, forming, when packed, an ob- leog Iquaie, and meafi«ing about 50 cubic feet, and weigh* iag 13 cwt. grols.

Soon after the rebellion, anno 1745, a fpirit of agricoU tmid improvement, as well as of commercial enterprize,

took

S04 Statiftical Aceoumt

took place. The firft had one efleft, particolarly ^ the low country, which will be queftioned as an improvemest. By obliging the fanner to wtntcr-herding, he was difcoa- raged from keeping a ftock of flieep on his Imrm, oo many •f which, where large flocks were formerly kept, not one is now to be found.

The fpirit of commerce happily flived the mannfaftnres from the confequential want of the raw material, which that fyflem of farming threatened.

The woollen manufadure is now carried on more ifbme- diately by the merchant, who imports from London and Newcaflle the raw wool, which he eaofes to be combed^ and given out to the fpinfters and knitters throughout the country, from ftattons in every parifli which they refiularly tttend, either weekly or monthly, as fuits heft with the circumflances of the place, or convenience of the manu£KC« turer.

By this revolution in the woollen manafaAure, a greater iraricty and better quality of goods' are made, particularly of liockings, which is now the principal article of the woollen export

The phidens and fingroms, which were fbrmerly the great ftaple articles, are now almoft quite out, aitd no more is exported than is fufliciont for under-wrappers to the bales of ftockings.

Several manu&durcs of cosrfe cloths are fet on foot, bat as the quantity made does not mnch exceed the demand for home confumption, a fmall quantity only is exported. ' The ftocking-manufa&ure is confiderably increafed. It is thought rather to exceed L. 100,000 Sterling annually, of which about two-thirds are fent to Holland and Germany, f^nd one-third to England, Pprtugal, and America*

pqe-foarth of the whole yalue may be reck<med to the

WW

§f Aberdeen, 105

niw material^ fo that fi^m L. 70,000 to L. 80,000 ^Sterling is lud oat on labour for foreign confdinpt.

About 400 perfons are employed in wool-«oinbing, and 30,000 accqfionalfy employed in fpinning and knitting. It is fiud occqfionaify employed, becaufe a great proportion of thefe are frequently ocherwife occupied, particularly at bar* veil, at mob, and in the fummer feafon, providing fome pieces of clothing for themfelves or fiimilies.

The advanuges peculiar to thb branch of manufadure are, that children at the age of ten, and people vtxj fiur ad- vanced in li£e» may, and often do, though in a icanty mea* fiire, maintain themiielves by their labour at this work, and the knitting can be carried on while travelling or watching cattle or the like -, nor does it require much, or at leaft not conftant light, many carrying on their work throughout the winter evening, with the fainted light ifluing from a few tur&,*-a circumftance much in favour of a country trhere the nights are long, and the inhabitants poorly fup- plied with fuel or light. From thefe circutnfiances, per- haps, it is, that the flocking manufadure finds hands, and has its work done at a dower rate than fome- other branches of manufadures, a good knitter not being able to cam more than a s. per week, and the average not exceed- ing I s. 6 d, «

There are a few ftocking-frames in Aberdeen, but no* thing confiderable is done in that way.

When fpeaking of the extent of the ftocking manufac- ture of Aberdeenihire, it muft be underfiood, that what la sianubdured in the adjacent parts of the ihire of MtarnSf to the diftance of i a or 15 miles on the coaft, is included^ as all that trade* centers in the eity of Aberdeen, and is carried on by the mercbaiits and manufadurers refiding there,

Th9

^o6 Siatffik^i Jbcmu

The W9«l niMi ia th» ft#cfc|iifH»>»rtM»te i» faw^ from London and Ncwoifile. TIhe ivM^ qoaiuity of woij importoi muaaikj uiCQ Abcpdtea is Mt kfr thw 98oo kftgs, of t40 lb» Moh*

If the Tolne of the ftockings ei^oiUd ii tU^wed |o b# L. 101,000, eod i;he avenge prtoe u the late qt %$ upsr 4oBen of mcas ftockings, the qumitj of wool coafuaied ia that article will be S500 hags : the fioep c^ifiuned 10 waAi* iog the wool, and icouring the ftoekingi wiU be aboat 37 tons, and about 35 tons of oil nied in combbg the wool : Bo that diere ii c^tpcnded in AbetdeeniUie, and part of the Meams adjacent, on the nuuui&Am of ftoekwgs Cor fcreign eonftinipt, yearly,

On 3500 bags of Brittlh wool, at an avorage ef L.9 pm

pack, (Sterling), - « L. aa,500 o o

On 37 tons of firitifli foap at L.50 pir ton, 1850 o o

Qn 35 toni of foreign oil at L. 40 /«r ton, 1400 o •

In all, for materials^ - - L. 23,750 o p

For labour, • - - 77*15000

The fuppofed annual amount of ftockings for exportation, - - L. 103,000 o 6

It has been obferrcd, that 300 dozens of mens fiockings, when packed, weigh X5cwt. and meafure about 50 cabit feet ; five feet go to a barrel bnlk. The quantity manu- fafhired woald therefore afbrd laftage for no more than five veflels of a hundred tons burden, and the wool and other materials nfed in die manufadure, Cargoes for 13 Teflels of trie fame tonnage.

Allowing the linen-yam manufaftnre to be of the fisme

amount, it is prefumed the laftage is much the fiune with

• the

die WMDe»,lMtt ilw mafeerkl ctfchefonntrwMldifoc flSbri laftage for above fbroi veflUs of on hondrad f ons. Henoe both tbefe branches of manu&dare, which form the prin- cipal (taple articles of export from the port of Aberdeen would only employ 30 vefiels, or rather afford 50 cargoes for. a veflel of that tonnage ; and hence it may be accounted for why the pr6pk>rtion of fliipping belonging to the port of Aberdeen is fo much inferior to places in Scotland of le& trade and population.

When it is fidd above, that the ftocktng-manufadure is ef fnptrior quality now to what it was formerly, it is to bft vnderflood of the fibricin general : there were touch high- ix priced worfted ftoekings anade about 50 years ago than at prefent. They were the work of women of the better fiM. We have heard of two^ or three guineas )»>- pstir ha- ving been paid ; but there were but few of futh quality knitted; and fuch, it is apprehended, were more for curio- fity than ufe, and the value more itnaginary than reaL There were, till of late, a good many itfade, which brought from 6b s. to 90s. ^«r dozen, and were both a neat and comfortable wear; but the'filk m&nufaffture has leflened tke demand for thefe at pfdifent, ftnd tbey are only' fought for by thofe who feek for convenience, rather than follow fidhion.

In the year i^Sp, a water-mill was firft erefted near Aberd^aa, tritfa machinery for Ceaffing, fcrnbUing, carding, and rowing of wool, and jennies for fpinning the fame to Aa- ifttfafture into cloth. Previous to this period the manufac- torer wasr obliged to import his warp-yams from the north of England* The V)oft was chiefly fpun by old women^ and If' at ontyfrcfm backings or Haits^ as they were not able to card the wool.

While the manu&finre of cloth was in this' fituation,

there

aoS Stati/Hcal Account

there were not aboye 1500 ftones of wed mattn&ftored iii m year. But there has been maiiii£a&iired«

Wool, ]hu:kings»

t4 Ib.>. ftone. 16 lb /. ftooe.

From Nov. i; 179a to Nov. i. 1793, 435° ft- 345© *• From ditto 1793 to ditto 17941 5160 a8o6

From ditto 1794 to ditto 1795, 5970 2350

About half of the above wool comes from Northumber- land, a &nall part from LondoD, and the reft is Scotch.

The decreafe of the manufiiduring of backings is owing to the flocking-manufadorers of Aberdeen (from whoia they were got) doing very little bufinels fince the French over-ran Holland, which was the principal market for the woollen fiockings.

The country people, xo miles round Aberdeen, manu^ fadure about 900 ftone a-year of Scotch wool, mofily for their own ufe.

Cloths manufaftured from the above wool are fix quar- ters broad duffles ; fix quarter broad blue milled cloths, at from 4S. to 10%. per yard; three quarters to yard broad leys, iarges, Ihafts, plaidings, baizes, linfey woolfeys, jefl>« mies, and ftripped apron ftufts. The colours are chiefly dark and light blues, with a few mixtures and drabS|

The above cloths are fold along the eaft coaft of Soot- land, betwixt Perth and Tain, and 10 miles up the country. A few of the broad cloths are fenc to London and Ame- rica.

The only inconvenience that the woollen-manufafhireia in Aberdeen labour under is the want of weavers, particu- larly for broad cloths, which indeed is the only bar why they do not extend their manufadure of cloths, oi the quality of the Yorkfliire broads and Rachdale baizes, for e^qnurtatiop.

Milliog,

9f Aberdeen. 209

Milling, dying, and dreffing of dotb, is done in the fame manner as at Leeds*

At a period when the aids wanted by GoYernment are fo confiderable, 'the Legiflatune ought to do every thing to encourage apd fireogthen the manaiaAnres of the country. In 178s, Parliament granted a drawback of the duty of foap uled in bleaching and cleaning linen and other goods. But a fetrther drawback is yet nece^ary with refpeft to mjbts ufed in bleaching, which drawback, although very trifling to Government, wo]ild be of cpnfequence to mann- fiiAnrers in many reTpefl^. The member of Parliament w^o will give l^imCdf the trouble to examine into the uti* lity of this drawback, and ftep forward to procure it, will deiierve better of his country, than the man who, by a con- tinual oppofition to Government, endeavours to raife 9 \ name to himfelf, by pretending to be the people's friend. The people's heft friend, b the man who contrives to itr cure their property, 'and juicreafe their trade by un&ttering their m an nfaftiirrtf

Trodlr and Cfmmirctf

The flate of the trade and commerce of this city, at dif- ferent periods, will be £een from the following ts^bles of tbi; Aiipping, &c* of the Port of Aberdeen.

Vot.XIX. P4 PoKT

I

flO

Siaiiftical Account

Port of Aberdeen^ — ^An Acconnt of the Qamdty and Species of Merchtodife exported from tkis Port in the Year 17x2, ihewiog the particiilar Countries to which exported^ the Dumber of Vefieb enployed, their Too- nage, and Niioiber of Men.

to what	1^0. of '	No.o^	l^a.or
country	Wflkls	tons.	jien.	Species and Qsu^^^ of Goods.
exported.	employed.
				1087 V4^ quarten oatmeal. 1501. ditto buley.
				4 ditto peafe.
NoTWty,	13	406	«4	951 3-8tbs ditto malt. ,14^ hmidied. 1 qr. and spo cod 4od limg fUh at 6 fcorc to the hundred. J tmfles worfted ftockinga. 479barrebfalmon. i 7 hoglheads tobacco.
WkA	6	i3«	^	359 ooe-half baneU pork. X04 tmlTes woollen cloth & worfted lladkiB|S.
'				10 caikrhog lard.
				398 bars lead.
				10 chaldrons coals.
Portugal,	1	85	«4	la trufies woiftod Aockioeai 3S0 cod and ling 6(h. 373 barrels Talmon. 18,690 cod and ling 6flu
Sweden,	1	100	«3 •	1 1 5 3*€ths ooarten oatmeal. 197 3-8ths ditto malt. 90 barreU hemqgt. 69 one-halfbarrels ialmoa^
Spain,	ft	'SO	^7	%4f05t cpd and ling fiOi. 31 parcels worfted ftockings. 76 barreb herrings. 79 3-8th$ quarten oatmeal. loo quarten malt.
Germany,	I	40	4	95 5-®*» <litto barley. 766 one-halfbarrels &lmon. a boxes ftockings. 90,000 ftock fi£.
luly,	4	300	53	47»r6o cod and ling fifli. 68 barrels herrings. 480 ban lead.
Total,	30	U'pl	103	•

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Fijbery.

ti6 Statiftical Aecwni

Fi/berj^^r^The fidmon-fifluogs at Aberdees employ a pcmfiderable number of men, and are attended with no imall profit to the perfons concerned in them. Thej commence annually on the nth ot Pecember, and end on the igtfa of September. The fiflitngs on that part of the river Dee which belongs to the pariib of Old Machar, confift of feTca Caveli :

Two upon Mid Channel, let for ' I* 360 o o

Two upon Pot Water, - • 120 o o

Two upon Fords, « - no o q

One upon Qridge Water, . 20 o o

L. 620 o o

'The other lUhings on the north fide of Dee belong pro- * perlj to the pariih of St Nicholas, and are of great valae. Thofe on thf fouth fide of that river are in the pariih of Nigg, the (latiftical hiftorj of which contains an ezcellept account of the fiOieries at this plaoe and neighbourhoocL The fifliing on thfe upper part of the ^orth fide of the river Don, in Old Machar parifli, belongs (o ^IrPatpn of Grand- home, and is appropriated to ihp amufeinent of the pro- prietor, and of fuch Gentlemen as, by his permiifion, angle on that part of the river. Below that, all the way down tio QeatCHiy the river on both fides belongs tp the proprie- tors of the cruive filhing. The cmives lie at Crordon's Mills* They are put into the river as foon as the weather will permit, after the commencement of the filhing feafon, and taken out when it i^pifes, that the lalmon may get up the river to fpawn. The reguladoq of the cruives has occa- fioned perpetual difputes and law-pleas between the heri- tors on the upper parts of the riv^r, and proprietors of that fifiiing. T^ put an end to thefe contentions, the parties have entered into an Agreement, by whicl^ the proprietors

^/Aberdeen, a 17

of the cruivc-fifliing arc allowed to rtgulatc their cruives as they pleafe, on paying annually a ftipulated indemnity to the upper heritors, and this agreement is to laft for nine- teen years. Formerly the cruives would have let through fomc fmall fiflies, but now they will confine a trout of 2 lb. weight. Formerly they were left open from fix o'clock on Saturday night till about fun>rifing on Monday morn- ing ; but now they are kept conftantly (hut. — The proprie- tors of the cruive-fifliing employ an overfeer, who is allow- ed a fuitable falary, and has under him, conftantly three men, and occafionally feveral more. Their property is divided into eight fliares, which may be feparately bought or fold, or let. One perfon may hold one or more of thefe fliares. Some of them are at prefent let for L. 40 Sterling annually. EAimating each fhare at this rate, the annual rent of the whole filhing will amount to L. 320 Sterling. . Moft of the fi(h are caught, not in the cruives, but with nets below the cruive-dikes. The proprietors have a houfe at the cruives, in which they cure and keep their falmoa. They meet once every month during the fiihing-feafon, to examine their books, to give diredions to their fervants, and to regulate the other bufinels of the fifhing.

Nearly oppofite to the houfe of Seaton, the Nether Don filhing commences. It includes both fides of the river, and extends to the fea, comprehending a fmall part of the coaft on each fide of the river. The tide flows up the river nearly as far as this fiihing extends. Some parts of the river can therefore be filhed only in certain ftates of the tide. During feveral hours about the time of low-water, while fome are fifliing in the river, others are fifhing in the fea. ^hc boats and nets Vith which they fifh upon the fea-coaft are larger, and' require more men to work thetri, than thofe which are ufed on the river. This fifliing is di- vided into two diftinft properties, the one called the King's

Vol. XIX- Ec Cavel,

21 8 Siatjfiical AuQunt

Cavel, and the other the BiOiop^ CaveL In each pfel there are fix (hares called, Halfnets, and all the ihares are nearly .of equal value, llie proprietors of eytcb cavel em- ploy an overfeer, who, in the beginning of the feafon, has deveu men under him, but after the ift of June, twentj men, and occafionally a greater number* Both the ^vcla fifli alternately the fame water. It often happens, indeed, that both fiih in different places at the &me time. Verj curious rei^ulations are adopted by both cavels for fixing the periods at which they fucceed one another on the tea, and on the different fifhing ftations op the river. Thefe regula- tions have no conne£lion with the dated hours of the day and night, but are ingenioufly calculated, according to the ebbings and Sowings of the tide, to give both the cavels an equal chance for filh. The produce of both properties are accordingly at die end of fome leafoos very nearly equal. Such b the general principle on which thefe regu- lations are founded ; but they cannot be particularly ex* plained without an accurate map of the river, accompanied with a long and minute detail, which would be very untn* terefling to the public. Befides the fiih caught by thdr nets and boats, they fet fliort nets cuMtiffeti^ in fome cor- pers of the river, and falmon ar^ often found entan^ed in the malbes pf thefe nets. At the fouth end of Don Bridge the proprietors have houfes, in which they cure and keep their lalmon till they are ready for exportation. They meet once every fortnight during the filhing-feafon to fa- perintend their bufinefs, and give direftions to their fer- vants.*-None of the (hares of either cavel are let \ it is therefore impoflible to fay with accuracy what rent this fifhing wonld yield. It^ value is very great. A fingle ^ ibare (old lately for L.35CO Sterling, Efiimating each of the twelve (hares at this rate, the value of the whole &(k« ing of both paveb wpuld be l«« 3O9O00 Sterling.

The

The fifindrantage \sf which this, and of confequence the cmcve-fiflnngy is^moft apt to faffer, arifesrfirom the precarious ftate of the river's mouth. Many years ago^ the river near the fea took a long turn to the footh, which rendered it fo fliallow, that often the fiilaion could with difficulty enter it* The proprietors' of the fifliings were aHvious to deepen the mouthPof the rivertby ikiakiojf;a (Iraightcut through the fand- baak, at the turn of the rvver, between it and the fea. This was undertaken for % fmaU* fum of money by Dr Gregory, then oae of the profefibra of King's College. He accord- ingly built a ftone bidwark, part of which is ftill extant, aliBoft acrols the old channel of the river, jufi where it tamed to the fouth* This caufed the ftreanfi to pulh di- refilj, and with great force, againft the fand-bank, which lay iaifiiedtately betweea it and the fea. Eneibracing aa opportonit J of a great flood in the river, he made a fmall cntacnsls the iiand-bank, which the flood water foon entering, fwejK away for itfelf an excellent channel direfily into the iea. Ha^g eflfeded this important fervice to the Don iSkSmg^ at an* cxpenoe confiderably below the Aipulated fhsiir the Dofior generoufly gave the reaaainder of the mo* ney aa a Alnd for the fupport of fuperannunted falmon* f fhtiai add fome of them now draw fironr that fiind L. a Scaiiihg airaoaUy.— Though there is now little danger of the river rafuming ita did circaitous and fliallow eourfe, as it ftill enters Che fea through- a large bed of foft fand, its mouths varies almofr every feafon, and often with every vsolentlioivicane'of wind* It is ftill fometimea fo ihalloiw ac'kiw wattT-thar no large fiflies can enter ir. The only naathod of deepening it^. is by caufing it to run into the iiea in at fttaight a ftream as poflible. For this purpofe, as ics tendency is (till to turn to tfae^ fonth, though at a place much nearer to the fea than its former winding, the pro- [priaMisa of the fifliing have erected a new bujwark of flakes

and

^20 Staiifiical Account

and heath, ktpt down with ftoncs, in an ohliqne dire£Boii, on the fouth fide, of the river, a good way into the chanaeL This fecms alreadj to have good effeds, bj turning the ftream to the north, and deepening the river's mouth. It is daily gaining additional flrength, becaufe the weather is driving the fand dofe behind, and thereby fi^poiting it.

The falmoD in Dee and Don are thought to be in the higheft perfedion in April and May. For feyeral years pafi they have not been fold here at any time under 3 d. per pound ; and until the beginning of July, when the an- nual contrad of the proprietors of the fifliings with the Aberdeen merchants, who fend the falmon to the London • market, expires, none are to be had under 6d./#rpoand. To obtain them even at this price we mnft fend t» the boil-boufe in Aberdeen. It is hard, that while onr rivers abound in fifb, their whole produce ihould, for five or fix months in the year, be fold to one or two Aberdeen mcr* chants, at about 4 d. or even under that fum, and that« du- ring that period, none of the inhabitants can obtain a fingle pound under 6 d. and that only in the way of favour from the merchants. Laft year our (almon were falling in tba London market cheaper than we could buy them at Aber* -deen. Was not this carrying on a monopoly at. once to the difad vantage of the merchants and the country? It has been alleged, that the proprietors of the fiifliop's Cavel wer^ once obliged to ofitr their fifli for fsde in the mfarket of Old Aberdeen. If ever thb commendable pradice took place, it has long ago fallen into diinfe. TwOiihirda of the produce go to the London market; iand the catch of Joiy, Auguft, and September, is falt^d, and exported in bsirrek to France and Flanders, where they have a charafter fnperior to the fiAi of other rivers, which occaficms a difference of price at home of xo 9. to 15 s. per barrel. From xao to 150

filhenneB

ofAberdeenr aai.

ftOitf OKU aK lemployed on the rivers.. The^f wagqiy at an avenge, are from.I<^ 5 to. L»'I5 pfr wmupr*^ .

The gnSSts come into oar riven -about t)ie middle or end of June, and continue till September, The(e majgeoe^. raOlj be boogbt at about 2 d; or about pfc^d. /ler pounds — : The fiih oaught in Julji Auguft, and September, ai^e. failed. and exported.

The white troot and finnocks cau^t in the iaImoQ-fi(ber^ nets are ezoellent. They belong as a pei^jquifite to.the filher- men,. by whom they are Ibid at about 2 d^ptr pound, and ibmetimes at a lower rate, to the inbabitanu . of both. the town and neighbourhood. ' Many , finnocks are caugl^t in the Don by Cmall feeibs^ which the filbermen fet for .(hat porpofe after the feafpn of the filinon-filbiog is over. It is thought that tbefe fuihs do not tepd to prevent the fal* anon from conwg up the river tojpawn, becauie they arcL too finall in the malhes for entangling Isurge.fiihesi .uid be-, caoie they are never fo far extended into the river as:to Under. them from paffing.

Nail Mamffa£htre.'^Th!t chief branch of the iron mann- fiiAore carried on here is the niaking of nails. This work was efbblifhed about the year 1780, and employs from ao to 30 hands, who earn very high wages. Other branches of the iron manufadure might now, that the coal-duty, is taken off, be c(^ried on here to advantage.

JHfiilkriis^^Tht. fmall ftiUs in Aberdeen and i|3 ni^igb* bcurhood were lately either given up, or removed to thfj Highland diftrifts. All the whHky made in lucb AiU9.i% liable to be feized as fmnggled goods when bfo^ght to Aberdeen \ fo that the city depends entirely on the^ large diiUUeries in the fo^tb of Scotland for fuppUes of wb^^j^

the

j»4 Stdti/ikat Account

Theqintitltjr I«potted bHbre the tale proMWtory diftBiDg tft was great, and iii gtneril of a verjr bad quality.

A diftiUerj, on a ptettjr extenfive fcale, was lately crrefi* ed near Aberdeen ; it wasr cote^leted on* the 39th Septem- ber 1794. It is fituated near Don Bridge. The chief in* dncement for erefting it there was the comnland of water^ 38 feet perpendicular upon the banks of a narigable viver. It was intended x6 dillil annually the produce of sa,obo quarters of com, but.eould domneh more. Thiafeafbii^ (1795), owing to oblhruftiona from the ft verity of thcr weather during the lafl Winter and fprmg, the enriiargo^ ihrd th^ prohibition, only 8115 quarters were brewed^ P^*^ ing npon import^on to London L. 26,800 Sterling, with about L. 1000 niore for duty uponmak. The principal part of the com grew ii^ Aberdeenfliire ; the reft waa ioo^ ported from the adjacent diftrifis. The whok was the gfowtk of Scotland.

' It would be of great public utility if dIAUleriel upon » moderate fcale were ereAed in different counties diroagh«i out the united kingdoms, infiead of being concentered in and near London, in ten great hoofef. Moft of the fpent wa(h or burnt ale, and much of the dang, u thrown into the river, which, befides injuring the: water, is a lofi to foctety. More cattle and hogs would be fed; and all damaged or ilC- harvefted com, unfit for exportation, would be turned^ ftti the utmoft advantsige ; the manure would' enrich the lands contiguous. This diftiUery would well keep at the rate of 400 cattle, or 1000 hogs, yielding fufficient manure to ferd- Eze annually from 15 to 20 Scotch acres! of the moft bAN f^n land; but call it at a medium ao £nglr(h acres, as the contents of the waflr-ftill here amounts oniy to 1650 gal« Ibnr, every 100 gallons ought to manure nearly one Eng^ lilh acre ; and confvqnently the London diftilleriesy w^ofe

waih

waft-Ailb ut at loAft ioo,ooo ^aUoas in conteotir o^gbt (a SeHilize lOQO acres per anwm.

Throwing away the bottoms, as thej are caUed, ia a great public lois.-«-SoK><^fc ^ boufe to brew daily lOO quarters, ahis would produce about io»qoo gallons, of worts or woih, or zoo gallons from a quarter^. Whan the fermeotaticA ccalest the waib is fit for difUIlation ; about one-tenth, or xoco gallons, of which will be a thick fediment or bottom, vcbich in England is frequently thrown into the river, in the prefence of the oflScers of 'excife, thereby faving the duty of 9 d. per gallon, and avoiding the danger of humifig the ftill. In Scotland it is thrown away to avoid the bum* ing only. It couU eafily be proved how much com is thos totally loft annually; it is probable fuU 50,000 qoarters. This muil be the cafe until the Legiflature make it the in* tereft of the cora-diftiUer to extrafi all the fpirit in and from the com, without running the riik of burning the fiilL

In this diftiUery, half barley and haii bear are made ufis of; unqueftionably there is more fsrina, or iaccharine mat- ter, in barley than in bear, and it is that only which produ- ces fpirit* Potatoes are lefs fit for difiillation than barley ; the ffvnx, produced is much fouler ; and it is not believed .that they would aiifwer upon a large fcaie. Rye may be ufed to advantage with malt and ha* ley, hut it muft be in a finall proportion. All barley ufed by difliU iocs would be malted if there were no duty upon malt, be.

• caufe

• Tofreveitt throwing €eway the hettmt^' two methodi ooly sppetr digible : Diilillen to be allowed a ftill of fuitable or propoctiontte gaU loRSy under proper regulatioiu, for csovd^ing the fpirit from the bottoms, witboat b^g obliged, as now, either to thraw them away, or oiiz and dlfti,! diem with ihe wa(h. Or, to be allowed a proper number of lours to work their iUlls^oa; leTs rapidly tha^ they axe now obliged u> do. Hia flit appean by far the moft eligible.

214 Stati/Hcal Account

cture xoo grains of malt will yield more faecharine matter than 100 grains of barley, but it occupies more fpace; it is the intereft of the diftiUer at prefent to ufe as much raw grain as poffibte, faring thereby tbedaty op the malt ; and it b certain, that the grains or refofe for feeding the cattk or hogs b the better the le& fpirit that is taken oot of it : As the fpirit extraded, however, would be mpch finer and wholefomer, and as it could not poffibly, under proper re- gulations, be attended with any lois to the revenue, it may be worthy the eonfideration of Parliament, whether it would not be advifeable to enad, that in fixture ipudts ^ould be ^xtrafted from malted graiii alone.

Brtweries.-^The firft public brewery, for brewing ale for the confumpt of this town, was ereded by Meflrs Wil- liam Black and Company about the year 1768. Their work is very confiderable, and there is fcarce any thing of the kind in Scotland fo complete. They brew table-beer, flrong-ale and porter. Their ftrong-ale is of fuch excellent quality, that a great deal of it is fent to London, and feve- ral places abroad ; and their porter is generally fuperior in quality to the Liondon porter which is brought here for fale ; but fuch is the effed of prejudice, that people will drink London porter of the worft kind, before good frefli porter brewed s.? home.

There are now, befides MeiTrs William Black and Com- pany's brewery, no fewer than fix public breweries in this town and pariih of Old Machar. Two of them in town, MeiTrs George Annand and Company, and Meflrs Brebner, Gibbon and Company, do a great deal of bufineis, and they are all in a thriving way.

Before there were any public breweries in this place, the

people who kept publtc-houfes brewed all the ale and beer

which they fold ; and it was then cullomary for private fa-

a milies

of Aberdeem ii^

Ibilies to brew for theii: own life, but prirate brewing is now laid afide.

Cotton-Clotb Manufai^urt^ U^r.— t*here is carried on ty fome gentlemen in this town a very extenfive manufadore in fpinning^ weaving, atid printing cotton-cloth in the greateft variety of patterns. l*he printfield and work* houfeSy where this manuladure is principally carried on, lie in the parifli of Old Machar. This work has added coniiderably to the population of the town and neighbour- hood.

Frice ofProvifionSj i^c. — fhc price of beef and inuttte about 4 d. per lib. \ veal, 5 d. ; pork, 3I d. ; geefe, i s. 6 d. each ; ducks, is, 8 d. per pair ; butter, 8 d. per lib. or 18 #ances; cheefe, 5 s. per (lone, or 28 pouilds; chick^iis, 10 Alper pair.

The wages of a labourer ^^ day sire from xod. to i tf. 4 d. ; a carpenter, bricklayer, or roafon, has 1 s. 6 d. aday, and a Wright commonly i s. 3 d. The wages of a female fervant IS commonly about L. i, 10 s. and for a male-fervant from L. 4 to L. j in the half-year*

The moit memorable battle in this neighbourhood was that which was fought, in the lad century, between Mont- rofe and the Covenanters, on Friday the ijth of Septem- ber 1644, ii^ which viftory declared for the formc;r, and the latter were purfi.ed with great flaughter from the field of battle, which was about a mile weliward to the town* A gentleman of this place, proprietor of fome ground in the Schoolhill, which had been time immemorial employed as garden-ground, intending to build on it, dug pretty deep for a foundation, when, to his great furprife^ he came on « place in which there were found many human bones, and among them 14 or 16 fculls. What is very remarkable is,

Vol.. XIX. Ff Ibac

ai 6 Statiflicat AtcowA

tfutt on fome tX, the (cotti there vha fixind long jdbw bur, neatly wrapped round and plaited with an woolkn fillet or ftring in form of a queue, which did not appear to be rotten. As there were no remains of anj coffin, and in- deed no appearance from the pofition of the bones that the bodies had been regularly interred, and as this field is at the weft end of the town, exadly in the line of the purfuit from the field of battle, it is conjedured, that on that occafioo the bodies of many, who had fallen near the place, had been huddled together, and promifcuoufly thrown into this clay pit, for fuch it appeared to have been. It was on that oc- cafion that Montrofe gave up the town to the pillage of the foldiers, who were mofUy Iriih, and cruelly maflacred many of the harmlels inhabitants, infomuch, that the women only durfi appear, and take concern in burying the dead. It is about twenty years fince the dilbovery of tbefiB fcuUs and other human bones was made.

Intended Canal, — ^There are at prefent no navigable ca- nals in this place, unleis the lead at the printfield is conii- dered as one, and it has been uled as fuch, only for bring- ing ftones from a quarry to the buildings of the manuEac- ture. A fubfcription has been raifed to obtain a furvey of a canal from Aberdeen, up Don fide to Monymuik, with a branch up the water of Ury, through the Garioch, to Infch. The furvey is made by Captain George Taylor, and the undertaking found to be praAicable. A finall cut, twenty feet wide, by three feet and a half deep, bfintended to carry boats of twenty or thirty tons burden. The locks and bridges will be fewer, and leis expenfive than mofi people acquainted with the grounds are apt to fuppole. Tbe ezpence is within reach of the gentlemen proprietors of the lands adjacent. The quantity of goods now carried by land is fufficient to pay a reafonable intereft for the money

required.

iff Aherdcen. 227

re^iredy «t little more than half the expence of bod-car- liage. So favonrable is the fpirit of the people to this on- 4ertakbg9 and fo evident its advantages to the poblic, that manj farmers propofe to fubfcribe for ihares. The canal will pafs for three miles through tbeparilh of Old Machar, from the harbour of Aberdeen, and communicate with Gordon's mills field, the printfield, and Parflej bleachfield, the moil exteniive manofaflures in this part of the coontrj. The benefit which the manufadurers on the banks of J>on9 both in this parifli and the pari(h of Newhins, would reap from this canal, mufl indeed be great ; both bj the cheap carriage of coals, and all the heavy and bulkj . articles nfrd in their feveral branches, to their manufac- mrcs, and by the eafy conveyance of their goods to Aber- deen, on the arrival of which in a given time they might fecurely depend. As there are many fine haughs and wa* ter-£alls along the Don, and adjacent to the courfe of th^ inteoded canal, it may in time be the means of eilabliihing ufiefid manu&dures at a confiderable diflance from the tovrn, where the immenfe expence of fire and carriage renders foch undertakings at prefcnt impradtcable. But its beneficial influence on agriculture will be more infian« taneoufly confpicubus. Almoft the whole labour of the farmerst.aod of their (ie;rFant||knd horfes, from feed-tifM to harveft, is employed in digging, drying, and carrying hon^^ peats and turf for their winter-fuel. This, by difcpuraging the onrrjagie of lime a^d other manure, and by putting it out of their ^ power to attend properly to gr^en crops and fidlow, has exceedingly retarded the improvement of the bads at a diftance from the town. By mean^ of the cana!^ ^stxy farmer along the banks, and to the diftance of two or three miles from thefe, might, at a cheap rate, and in a few days, lay in his winter- fuel of coals, and have abun- dant leifure to attend to the^improvement of his land. It

would

92| Stati/lical Account

lyottld alfo afford him a cheap, eafy, and expedittoaa am* yeyanoe of linie apd other manure from Al^rdeen, while % £nji^le fervant could, at comp^ativelj little expence, attend }iis graiOy miral, poultry^ butter, cheefe, milk, and all the produce of bis fartp, to market^ in doing which he muft at prefent employ maqj horfes and carts. It would thus re- dound to thp advantage of the proprietd^s of the adjacent Ismdsy not only by fertilizing their foi}, extruding tbeir Urable land, and increafing their rents ^ but alfo by en* ^bling them to open with profit many quarries of excellent granite, fom^ of lime aqd fame of date, which, on account of the expence of the carriage to town, are as yet unwrought. By fiirnilhing a cheap and expeditious convieyance to mar- ]cet for the wood of many fine and e^tenfive plantations adjacent to its courfe, and which, for want of fuch convey* anpe, cannot now be fold to a^vantagCf it would greatiy increafe the value of thefe plantations, and encourage their Owners to extend them over many large tracks of other- wife bljcaj;;, barren, and unprodufHve ground. Thus would |t tend at once to increafe population, to enrich both the landholder and the tenant, and to beautify the hct of th^ fountry.

This place gave birth to Mr George yamiefon^ a portrait- painticr of the moft diftinguifiied eminence. He was bom of refpeftable parents about the end of the 16th century. Having, at an early period of life, difcoyered an uncom- jnon genius for portrait-painting, he went abroad, and du- eled under the celebrated Reubens, during which time he made great progrefi in his profeffionl About the year 1620 he returned to his native city, where he fettled as a portrait-painter, and afterwards married an Aberdeen lady qf the name of Ifobel Toafli, by whom he had fcveral children, both foris and daughters. It appears that all his Tons died when young. His only daughter whofe defcend-

of Aberdeen. 229

flsts are now Ihring, was caQed Mary. Her firft hufbaiid was Mr Burnet of Elrick, in the countj of Aberdeen. She was afterwards married to Mr James Gregory, the eminent jnathematician, and profeflbr of mathematics in the Uni- Terfities of St Andrew's and Eidinbnrgh, and great grand* lather of Dr James Gregory, prefent profeflbr of medicine, Univcrfity, -Edinburgh. Her third marriage was to Bailie George Eddie of Aberdeen. By all of them ihe had chil- dren. Many of the defcendants of the two firft have nume- rous families in this county. She appears to have inherited a confiderable portion of her father's genius for portrait-re- prefentation, chiefly on tapeftry, many fpedmens of which {till remain, particularly feveral large Scripture pieces, in different compart;ment8, which now decorate a part of the High Church of Aberdeen.

Jamiefon's charader and ftyle of painting foon became generally known and admired all over the kingdom. He appears (as may be feen in the fubjoined lift) to have paint- ed a great number of portraits, among which are King Jtmcs VI. and Charles I. It is faid, that when taking the portrait of Charles I. the King ordered him)[to keep on his hat. Owing to this circumftance, or perhaps in imitation of Reubens his mafter, in all the piftures of himfelf he is re- prelented with his hat on.

Mr John Alexander, grand*nephew of Mr Jamiefon, iieems to have been the only one of his defcendants who pofleffed his genius for painting. He praftifed in Aber* deen as a portrait-painter till a copiiderable time after the jear 1730. Many of bis paintings alfo are highly efteemed,

George Jamiefon was a nephew of David Anderfon of Fiozeauch, merchant-burgefs of Aberdeen. He was com- monly called, Davie do a' things on account of his very great and exteniive genius for mechanics, and moft other X br^ch^

%jp Stat^kal Aammi

of AHDxa] pbito(bpbj» wbidi be ciniwBtTy ££> |tijt4 ia araB J diflerefU mfiuiccs at Abcxdeca*

Mr AnicrSotk wa» bora abovt ibe 1575, and aMiricd to*

ipards the cod of Ihst ceiitiirj» to Jean Goild, Ja»ghrrr of

. Matthew Catkl* hiur^e& ef Abcrdcciiy bj whooa be had

Jtvcral cbiUrta, parikakrijr three daughters^ all ouvried !•

£ffi»reat g^jUlesacA in the town and coontj q£ Afaerdeeiu

Alter hk deatb» hk widow, Jean Guild, witb tbe coi»- Moxitn^ and approbation of her daughten and their hu£- laed»» mortified the greatcft part of a coofiderabk property af ber owa^ for tbe maiDtcnaace <rften poor oipbans, at tbe sale ci 30 merk» jearlj to each, pader tbe patromf e of tbe jMagifirates asd Towa-council of Aberdeen. Her brocber, Jh William Guild, Prioctpal of Kia^'s CoUege, alfi> de- ifined a eoofiderabk fum of mooe j for the like pious pQr« pofe, and under tbe fame patronage ; from tbe produce of whicfa^ atid the great inprovemeata and attention wbicb bave been made and beflowed upon them bj the patrons, about 40 uecefiitons orphans are at prefent in a great mea- ikCe (upported in tbe town nf Aberdeen, and which they see eatitkd to enjoj from their eariieft io&ncj till they bacMW a6 jcaca <tf age.

CAtALQGXJl

0f Ahcrnt^^

is*

CATAMO0E iifjome rfthe UTorki ^GxoaoE J^MlSMi^ PaimUr.

MCTWRES.

iT^ „i^7 cwi^^i. •»*'»:

}

<wn; }«nicfen's lirad; two fea-views

,^. wtfe; another Pcrfrwaxid Anira-<

Sir Cearee CHilmcrs, pgintag, tnamcd to j'amieya .§««-

►EaiiofF«idtocr>a{tBarfr€at!lk.

tobttd, fuppofod hi* wift's pfeantc ^ g«i4-fM»t .pandfim.

|iflik!fi»irs

I;

XaxiofBicadafii

EarlofStraAmooe. HerrioeiHofpitaL

Sir Daacaa Gunpbell. WiUiao^ £arl of Airih.

TuhnDukcofRoAtt. ^

Tunes Marquis of HamiRim.

Archihaldl^iAlfafif/.

WiUiamEarlofManfehaL

Eari of Loudon. Ix)rd High CauaceUof-

TboouaLocd Bianag. [oha Eaii of Mar. Jir Robert Campbell.

lyof Locbow. Two of the Family of Argyle, LordGlamiSt

^TJKxandcr Erito^, CambuflOBneth. Sir Charles Erfkinc of Al^ia, Sir John Erikioe of Otterftown. Ai4ir ErflLine, Scotfcraig. , ^.

WaUam Erfkioc, maftcr <>/ Ckwteihoufe. MaiT ExflLine, CounteCi of Manfchal, and 1

^ . ofPaamurc. I f

Marrarct Countcfe of Kothes. Mardia Coumnefcof Stiathmow. AweLadyBinnmg. Hcffy Prince of Wales.

Icaofofdecifiom. -^ Coantcfs of Rothes. Same petfon. ^ . .-, . _

Ji«e*£rfluneEarlofBuchan. 7EarUf Buchan.

fc^ Erlkine. Locd of Dryburgh. C £arl Vi Ducaau.

^LordAhia.

PICTURES.

2$2

Siaij/UcMl jtccoum

^Morifim of Bognie.

^Mr Jtmiefoo, , Leith. Sir John Dalrymple.

Aleztnder Fnfer of Philordu i

WiUuun Foibes of Tolqukon. f ^^^ Saltoo.

Sir Tbomat Hope, Lord Advocate. Z

S^ John Hope. Lord of Seffion. fMr ScOtt^bteofRoffic

Margaret Murrey, hu wife. > -»— «w««ik.

5ir Adam Gaidon. cj- e-.,-* rv..ju-. n.^

Dr Dun, founder of the gnmottr^chool ^^ j ^"^ *'™* ^^*»*^ ^•**-

Aberdeen. JBifa,]

Crichton. Vifcount Frendrtmgfat. Sutherland, Lady Frendraught. Marquis of Mootrofe. Urqubart of Cromarty. His wife.

Leflie, Lady Freadranght Charles L Jamiefon himfelf.

?W ^^^ £?/ r* ^"^^^ ^r. -*. juou A^airympie. Three guts, aged fix, feven, and cirht, of the ^„ .\ /«4«'

fiimilies of Argyle, Errol, and KannouL 5 ^"^ ^^ Auchmeddoi.

^7— ^ Gordon.

Sir Thomas Hope, Loid Advocate.

Dr William Johnfton, brother of Dt Arth^.

Forbes, his wife. Br Anhur Johnflon. Mr Andrew Cant, miniiief.

Gordon of Straloch, pnbliiherofmaps. Sir Paul Menzies, Piovoft of Abexdeen. A head unkaown.

Patrick Forbes, Biihop of Aberdeen. Profeflbr Sandilands. Profeflbr Goidon

The Sybels, fome of them fuppofed to be of Jamiefoh*s hand.

Charles L >Mr Campbell, Royal Baal*

Two Sandilands of the Torphichen fiunily.

Sandilands of Cottown.

General David LcOie.

Sir Alexander Frafcr of Fraferlburgh.

Wilham Forbes, firft Bifliop of Edinburgh.

Sir Thomas Nicolfon, Lord Advocate.

Earl of Huntly, caUed Luckenhand.

Jamei VI. iuU length.

> Duke of Gordon. £artofHopetoun. ^Andrew Skene of Dyce»

>iMari(dua College, Aberdees^

>King's College, AbcfJeen.

Waochope of Niddrie. 7 Late Mr Andrew Paul of Aber- 3 deen.

> William Urquhart of Craigftoxr.

FarlofKinnoul.

} Counters Dowager of Aberdeen. Said to be fold to a family ib Kagiaod.

FICTURSS

^ tf Aberdeen. ^3^

^ t C f tJ R £ S. Perfonx to wbom they belong.

CinegieofSotttlieik. ^

Cunegk of Northdk, f Sir David Carnegie of South-

Cunegie of Craigs. f eik.

Cirn^teofDuimidiefL ^

Patrick Fot1>es, Biihop of Aberdeen. Sir William Fori>es, Craigicvar.

Dtrid Anderfon of Finzeaoch, merchant,^ tmrgels of A)t)erdcexi» commonly Qalled, ** Davie do a* diing/* uncle to Jamiefon.

Mr. Akzander Roberaon, town-clerk of Aber- deen.

Aootfaer not known*

Charles Bannnerman, Advocate in Aberdifen; married to a neat - great - great - grand- aauffht

ughter of Mr AiideiTon*s.

The above catalogue, and .the materials from which the account of Mr Jimiefon was taken, were communicated by Alexander Carnegie, £fq; town^lerfc of Aberdeen.

N. B, It b propoied to give an tccoubt of the Univerfities of Aberdeen ii another part of this work.

Vol. XIX. Gg K-pM-

*»

Staiifiieal AecwH

NUMBER V.

{"ARISlI O^ Atil^ESS,

(County akd ^vkod of Ross, anb PusBTT^tf mK Dikowall).

By the Ri9. Mr Akous BcTSUirs, MMJht.

Origin ofiht Namt.

ALNESS fignifies the Promontory, a headfeM of the brookr or river, being compounded of the words jluiltf brooki orjimhainf river, and Nifi^ s^ headland, which m the termination of many names of places where there is a headland or promontor j. The name correfponds with ihe fituation of the pariih, which ilretches along a river, fermerlj eaUed Averon^ but now known bj the name of the Water of Alnefi^ and tenmnatea in a narrow point or promontory^

Situation^ Extent^ Soil and Pro^srcf.— -The parifli is fitu- ated in the county of Rois, and belongs to the preibytery of Dingwall and Synod of Rofi. It is of a very irregular

(ifAlnefs. 9^g

Sam ; to £6mc parts no( ^boyc two miles, 9nd la others more tl^n ibpr miles J^road, It is 19 miles long, extending &om Alneis poiat, fia the ihore of tkfi frith of Crpmartj, its lb|ith-call bppndftr^, ^ qiO&d^able w^y into the mor^ faighl|Lnd p^rjts of jthe epuntTT; In the lower part of tbtp parilli, lying co)atigjiou8 to tbp fea, and about two miles up* wards, the ground i^ mo^ljr arable, and of vaHpus ^ualities^ The toil, however, is generally light, and thopgh it feldont^ produces l^xurial^t crof^, yet ^arbeo the farmeirs are iaduf- trioQs, thfiyr l^bou^ is |:ew^rdpd by a middling return of oatt, b^Iey, and peafe, and abundant crops of potatoes i and there cai^ be little doubt, if the farms, which are almoft all open-fifdd, were i^c^ofed, aad a dii^fereat mode of farm- ing adopted froqn that generally pradifed in this part of the county, but the foil would produce at lead a third more grain than it does at prefen^. The higher parts of the parifiiy lying beyopd % ridge of hills ^bich conceals them from the eye of the traveller on the public road, con- Aft of ftraths jot glens, producing fome bear and black, oats, bot chiefly adapted for pafturage, and in which a confider- able Bomber of black cattle, and fome fmall horfes, ara reared. Adjoining to thefe ftraths are two beautiful frefli* vater Jpcbs or lakes, which have a pleafant effeA to the ^je, and abound with a variety of trout. Each loch is about two miles lohg, and nearly a mile broad. Higher up the coontry^ and beyond thefe lochs, is a very eztenfive traft of rich heath, affording pafture in the fummer time, not only to the graziers in the braes, but for the oxen and young ftore of the farmers in the lower part of the pariih ^d neighbourhood, who, not having fufficient pafture of their own, mud fend their cattle to feed for the fummer months to thefe grazings.

Sheep-farming has been lately introduced on thefe higher grounds, extended heaths, and fome of the glens *, but the

plan.

93$ Statijlical Account

plan, however juftifiable in itfelf, and on the part of th» proprietors, was unpopular, becanfe it occafioned the remo- val of the native pofleiTors of thefe fargia and grazings, and excited a diforderlj and tumultuous (pint among the coon- trj-people, which it becamie neceflaiy bj legal and for« ' cible means to fupprels. fbis gave rife and rapid circula- tion to a report, as injurious as it was groundlels, that the proprietors treated thefe poor tenants with oppreflkn and cruelty. In juftice, however, to the proprietors of this pa* rilh, who have let an j part of their eftates &r iheep-&rm- Ing, it is proper to affure the public, that fuch tenants as had been removed from their pofleffions for that purpofe, were otherwife provided in farms bj thefe gentlemen, ei- ther on their own eftates, or on fome others in their vici- pity ; and that to thb humane objeft they paid every at- tention in their power, feeling themfelves particnlarlj inte* refted in, and folipitous for, the accommodation of the few tenants whom, with a view to encourage the introdudion of fheep-farming, the^ had foi^nd it neceC&ry to remove.

Heritors of the Pari/t.-^The proprietors of the parifli are 6eneral Sir Hedor Munro of Novar, K. B. Captain Duncan Munro of Culcaim, Captain Hugh Munro of Tea<* ninich, Mifs Mackenzie of lochcoulta, and Andrew Munro of Lealdie. Of thefe. General Sir Heftor Munro and Captain Hugh Munro pf Teani^iph have their family^feats, and arc reiidenc in the pariOi.

The place and family-feat of Novar has been highly cul- tivated and improved by Sir Heftor Munro, at a very great cxpcnce, and with much and approved tafle. It is indeed a great and a finilhed place, the moft complete in the north, and the admiration of all travellers to this coun- try. It is, too, very advantageoufly fituatcd, confiderably elevated above thp frith, pot a mile diftant from it, and

^ommai^dlng

•/ AJneJs. %yj

commanding a ftdl and eztenfive view of the neighbouring country, and of the bay |and headland of Cromart jy— ob« jeds greatly admired for their lingular beauty.

Valuation and Rent. —The valued rent of the pariih if L-aSpi Scots, and the real rent about L« laoo Sterling. The rent has not been much increafed of late, iheep-farms excepted, which have been confiderably augmented. No additional rent has been laid on the tenants of Novar eilate fince it came into the pofleflion of Sir Hedor Munro, nor for feme time before that period. A laudable example ta other proprietors, and highly deferring of imitation, and a certain method of fecuring the inviolable attachment and affsdion of the tenants.

Population.'^Th^ number of perfons now living in this pari(h is iiai ; of thefe, 800 are examinable, or above fe- ven years of age.

Abflrad of the baptifms, marriages, and burials, for the four years immediately preceding the i ft of January 1795 % Years. Baptifms. Maniage^ Buriak.

1791, -^ 30 — II -^ 10

1792, — 27 — 5 ~ 8 i793f -r 31 — 9 — II 1794* — a8 — 8 — 13

The population is rather on the increafe, the population in 1755 amounting to 1090 ; the difference only 31.

Previous to the admiffion and (ettlement of the prefent incumbent, which took place in September 1771, the mi- nifters of this parifh fince the Revolution were, Mr John Frafer, Mr Daniel Mackilligan, and Mr James Frafer, all worthy and excellent men, and fuccelsful preachers of the QofpeL The laft, in particular, was a clergyman of pro- 3 found

%^% Statijlical Account

fiuwd cmduioQ 9s well m piety, and djfliigniftrd for gnmt %t4U{j and acute ne|a in facred criticiftn*

^/^f of tie Cbttrchf i^r.— The church was rebuiit 15 ^aTB ag/9» and n^ajtlj fipiibed. I( ftiU contioiie^ (o be a dacpnX ai^d ^xm^fortable place of woribip. A new DAauifc, fpf^ior to th« ganeralitj of n)jiuA|:ni boujes, has beo^ built two y^an ago ; and ib cprdiallj were the bcritois difpofed ^ grant A^ good aiccommpdaponi that no appJi* cation was made to thp pre(byterjr for th/eir iot^erpofitioo. Hktr flipend is 128 bplls of vidual, L^siS, xjqs. Sterling ip money, with an allowance of L. 5 Sterling for comnMuiioa* cicn^ents \ and as ibe m;nifter feels^ £q he .cannot help c^* prefling, much gratitude to all the heritorp^ who, far fnm oppoiing his getting an augmentation of (Upend, voluntarily concurred an his application to the Cpmr^ of Teinds.

State of the Poor. — The number of poor upon the roil of the pariih is confiderable, being above 70 pierfons. The fund for their partial fupport and relief arifes from the weekly coUedions, which will amount to about L. ao Ster- ling ^^r a/i/r»/n, and the intereft of Ln 124, a late donation by pious perfons conneAed with the pariih. Since the year 17749 General Sir HeQor Munro of Novar has order- ed a very liberal and charitable bounty of 12 bolls oat-meal to be annually diftributed among the poor of the parifhi^ which freqaeptly proves a very (eaipnabU fupply ^ ; fl^d it is owing to the dated and exeonplary attendance of the refiding heritors on public woriUp, that the weekly col- ledions amount to the fum already mentioned, which is tar fuperiof to tb( colledions of neighboariog country pariflies. One inftance this of die laany happy e^eftsi of which tbe

regular

tfjintfs. gj^

tegular fttteMboice bf th^ higter Yaaks^ oa the ia«r«d infii- muoB5 of reUgieiii would be prodd&fve*

Sctoolj.''^Thert are three fchools in the pariih. A pa- rochial fichool near th^ chorch, iii whiob 60 ehiUren are nfinUjr tatight. The fdhoolfilafter'» fakry is 206 mtrkM Scota; but hb iaeomey iadtidtng bis appointmeiits of fef- fion-ckrk aad preceatori together with the emolutncilts of the fehoolt wiU bo above Lb %o Sto^liogt In tha higher parts of Ihc i^arifh^ there ate two fehboie eflablifhed bj the Hoooarabie the Society iti Scotland for Propagatimg Cht^ flitn Knowledge $ one for inflrudiilg childrea in rt^dbngf writing, and arithmetici and another for teaching joiing girk fpinningy fewing, and knitting flockings. In both, there are above 60 bojs and girls generally taught.

Ores. — On the property of Andrew Munro of Lealdie bas been difcovered an iron ore, which, from appearances, lieems to be of confiderable extent. It is alfo of a rich qua* lity. A fample of it, which has been fent to the Carron Company, at their own defire, produced 75 lb. iron per cwt. The rock is of eafjr acceis, but is three miles diftant from the ihore. It may, however, at fome future time, become a fource of confiderable benefit to the proprietor.

CbaraSer of the People. — The people are naturally judi- oioDs and acute, pofleffing confiderable vigour of mental facalties. They are alfo, on the whole, induftrious and fober, and, with a few exceptions, of good morals. They abftain carefully from profane fwearing, and rarely utter an oath. To the Sabbath they pay a iacred regard ; many of them are devoutly difpofed, and feem to feel deep im- preflions of religion on their hearts. They all belong to the Eftablifhed Church, and difcover no particular propen- iity to fanatical fe^rifm^ It muft be confcfiedi however,

that

540

Statijlical Account

that Come of them do not diftingailh os^they ought, the'means and the end of religion ; an error not i where religion is moft profefled-

languagi^f'^Die Gaelic or Erfe language fpoken b J the country people, and is their native 1 The Englithi however, has madeyerjconfiderable ] ^ in the pariih for ao years back, owing to the I ceived from the number of Ichools planted in it mnch^ that time. The heritors and higher ranks ieldom Gaelic, but fome of them nnderfiand it to well, as able to convctie with fuch of their tenants as have i liOi.

MUM.

1 ;

lt\*/h'Hf fit9t/r *JJ./, /. /. \ '^

ofStornowqv. . ' 241

NUMBER VL

PARISH OF STORNOWAY,

(CoUKTT OF Ross, Stkod OF Glekzlg, Presbytery OF Lewis).

My thi Riv. Mr Colin Mackekzie.

Namtf SUuaiiofi9 and ExttttL

SToRNowAY, or StronevaidHi is focalled from its being ficuated on the nofe or point of a baj. Tke inhabited parts of this parifli maj refemble the figure of a triangle, one fide of which extends ten miles north-eafl, along the north fide of an arm of the fea, called the Broad Bay, and another along a neck of land, inhabited on each fide, ex«, tending (even miles, and fituated betwixt the fouth-eaft fide of the Broad Baj and the channel which divides it from t^e continent. It is fituated in the ifland of the Lewis, county of Ro(s, withip the bounds of the Synod of Glen^ elg, and pteibytery of Lewis. It is bounded on the weft by the pari(h of Barvas from which it is divided by a traft of ten compute^ miles of m.ofs or waile xpoor \ on the Vol. "AXty H h north,

249 ' Statijiical Account

north, by Nefs and the ocean ; on the eail, bj the cbanari ) oo the fouth, by the channel and the river Creed, which divides it from the pari(h of Loohs. It confilb of three di* flri^, namely, Stornowaj, Ui, and Grre(s« At the head of this triangle ftands the well-known village of Stpmowaj, whofe origin b very old, and, like other towns, from a fmall beginning, is now arrived to fome diftinfiion and uti- lity. On an plevated fitvialion on the other fide of the bay, near and oppofite to the town, is built Seaforth Lodge, for the reception and accommodation of Seaforth, the proprie- tor of this ifland, when he chofe to come and vifit thb part pf his eftate, find y^here th? prefent proprietor. Colonel Francis Humberfione Mackenzie, a gentleman untverfally Known for benevolence and a public fpirit, did refide for fome years with his family *, who, with his lady, when here, took pleafure in dire&ing and fuperintending their people to habits of induftry and happinefs, until he was called a<p way, at the commencement of the prefent war, to ferve hb King and country, by raifing two battalions of infantry for Government. This manfion is delightfiilly fituated, and commands an extenfive view both of fea and land.

Stomoway is furnifhed with an excellent and well-fre- qttented harbour, where veiTels of every defcription may anchor with fafety *. The attention and induftry of its prin- cipal inhabitants are chiefly directed to filhing pf herrings, of which, in fuccefsful years, they take fome thoufand bar- rels, and have about thirty-five veflels from 20 to 80 tons burden, annually fitted for the bounty at a great expence, and by the profits anting from them they are chiefly fup- portcd. In fome late years notwithftanding, their utmoft endeavours have been almoft wholly Froftrated by the fail- ing of the fifhing \ of cpnfequence, they muft be great fuf- ferers by their adventures in this bufineis, as the bounty- fponey will not defray their expence. The houfes are bnilt

f ^ Ydnt of this town snd haiiKmr is aoncxe^

of Stombwayi 243

A m eon^derable coft, becaufe all the materiab are import* cd, the ftooes not excepted, and therefiire fuch as are vs* cant muft be fet to tenants for higher rent than in. moft other places. Good honfes are let at from L. 13 to L. 25 p€r annumt and rooms and leiTer dwellings in like propor- tion. Some of the land aboat the town is let for 36 s. fer acre yearly*

' ^r^oo/r.— -There are two ti^.ell-frequented ichook in the town» provided with able teachersi ,good accomouxiatioOf and good (alaries, ' The one is parochial, and the other is fupported bj the Society for Propagating Chriftian Know- ledge. The yearly falary of the parochial fchool is L. 40, of which the mafter has L4 25, and his affiftant L. 15. The mailer has, together with the emoluments of his fchool, a dwelling-houfe and garden rent-free, and fome land from the proprietor. The fees arc, per quarter, for £ngli(h and writing, fts. 6d.} for arithmetic and Engliihi 3S.1 for I<atin, writing, arithmetic together, 4 s. ^ for a courfe of geography, los. 6d.; for navigation, L. i, zs. ; and for each let of book-Jkeeping, zo s. 6 d. The number of fcho« lars is 40. The Society fchoolmaller's dwelling-houfe and ichooUhottfe are lately built with ftone and lime, and cover- ed with date at Seaforth's expence. The ialary is L. 17 to the mafler, and L. 8 to his affiilanc. The quarter-fees are, for reading, z s. 6 d. ; writing, 2 s. ; arithmetic, as. 6 d. ; book-keeping, s^\f menfuration, 5 s.; navigation, zos. The number of fcholars is Z29.

Befides thefe, there is a fpinning-fchool eftabliflied by the Society ; the accommodation confiiliog of a garden and a 'flatcd hottfe, with L. 6 ialary granted by Seaforth, and L. 4 falary from the Society, to the miftrefs. To this fchool, and two others of the fame kind, ereSed in this pariih, but now laid afide for want of the requifite number of fcholars, Mrs Mackenzie of Seaforth, a lady eminently difiinguilhed

' for

244 Statiftical AccfwU

for great homanit j and charity, gave much ooonteiianct and encouragementi bj diftribating fiberal premiums among the' fcholan akid miftrefles, and bj perfenallj vifiting them, and taking particular cognifance of their proficiencj and fisveral performances in fpinning and knitting of ftockings^ therebj incitinf them to emulation and diligence. She has now the fatisfia£tion to find, that bj her kind interpofition and benevolent exertions to introduce and pronaote fpin« ntng of yam in this ifland, manj poor girb have been ref- cued from habits of idlenefi and vice, and trained to induf- try and virtue.

Cuftomhoufi. — Here there is a cuftomhoufct the revenue of which, after pajing incidental charges, will not amount to L. 20 \ and alfo a King's cutter, sis a check to finugglbg among the Hebrides.

Pacia oMd Pojl'ojke^— There is a packet eflabtiOled by Grovernment fince the year 1759, which for fome yean went to the oppoiite coail once a fortnight for themail^ by* letters and paflbigers, and on occafions carried cattle and horfes ; but bufinefs and correfpondence greatly increafing, it was found neceflary that it fliould fail oftener for Hhe mail. Accordingly, the old packet was fold lately, and a new one purchafed, which goes weekly for the mail, the expence whereof annually amounts to L« X30, of which L.70 is paid by Government, and the balance of L. 60 paid by Seaforthy except what is colleded by the freights of paflen- gers, which cannot be great : Freight from a s. 6d. to 4 s. 6d. each paflenger.— There is alfo a poft-office* The amount of pofiages charged from the General Pod-office at Edin- burgh to Stomoway was, in 1791, L. 50, and is now increa- fed to about L.9o. The amount of letters fent from Stor-

noway

(ff StOTtttwiP^*

^AS

nowaj wilt be nearly equal to* the receipts' frofm Edin- burgh.

Papulation and Numher o/Houfis^ Uc.

Stqla0«rqr and Bajbetd.

76©

ftflift or Couooy. Goathill aii4 Imeriligacli.

Families, 287 130

Total fouk, 1199 ^ 580

Males, 625 229

Females, 674 3x7

Under 6 years, 218 74

Between 6 & 14, 225 63

Between 14& 60, 700 31^

Above 60, X j6 90

Cattk, 236X 79

Sheep, 2576 —

Horfes, 556 i—

Slated inhabited bonfes in Stomowaj, Built of which fince X784,

Refiding tradefmen : Joiners, Mafons* Carpenters, Smiths, in the town, ■ I ■ in the country, Tailors, Shoemakex9, Weavers,

Turners or wheelwrights, Gardeners, * -

Shopkeepers, Innkeepers,

Total,

TotaL

2639 854

9fr afT 288 X019 X46

«^440 2576

556

6j 26

XX

4

7

2 2

XI

16

2

4 8

85 Baptifms

^46 Stati/Kcal Account

Bipdfint in 1792, in.the whole pariih :

Males, * - 70

Females, - - 65

Total, - . 135

Marriages, - - ao

Borials, about • %o

Fopuladoii accordmg to Dr Wehfier in 1755 was i8ia The popuhtion in 1796, is - ^639

locreafis^ S27

Fj^mef^— The feUovring table*will give the reader fome idea of the Fiiheries carried on in this neighbourhood :

An

I I

o > r

Oi .S ^

S g s

.« - ««

tJ a, .S

W ^ S.

»*< wi S»

« « O'

9 oa u

« rg ^

S < Q*

^ M ^

-g 6 S

Si *^ cy

•e

€

0

^

11

p4 2

of Stornaway,

\

9»^

■t4

h

to M e9 li, li, Ct

I r* 1 1 1

O C« tt%m OHM

0\V0 ^ «t^ OS »^

v^-« d^r^ wjr^

«:0 ^ ^SO NO vo

Ct) M C^ M M« C9

M t I I i

1

Q C« €« O O O

M M M M 00 «Ot>-Cl OSM

2i&

wpoe CI i#^ ^ «^

O 00 f^ ^ M>C

•*^ ^ *^ ^o

i=^

3

1 1 I 1 1 ^

11*111

O O M M rt) M

VO «^ ^eooseo

r^ w^ci 2^ -» 00 000 totn^ef

M »*• «» COM

•^ 1 '^. ^ «n^O 0\ ^ Ov 0\ ON o^

247

■4p'*»*«rw

a^t Statiftieal Account

jlgrietJHfMmm^TY^Tt aie about twelve hr^ fimm ia the parifli, «ad what portion of eac^ of them is npt occn- pied by the tackfoian himielfy is let, to {iibteiit«t$» who paj to hinni mh peribiiy from L. i, to s. to L. 3 of jrearly rent» asd II daj9 fenricc* Many of tbdie fab-tenants are em- ployed in filhilig lin^ which they fell to th^ mafters at 5 d. each ; engaging on board the herring-bnfics at L. i per month ; ia munufirfhiring kelp at L. i» xes. per ton ; and working at road-makings and other labour, at 8 d. a-day. By thela nioana^ and the prodnte of thek landa, they are enabled to pay their rents, and prfcnre a tolerabla fiibfift- ence.— *The foil is <tf difierent kinds, fome iandy, fome mofly, fume black rich foil, and fome light gravd, aQ lying on a hard c^y bottom, fo very impenetrable, that a pike win fcafcely pieiice it. Rain can with difficulty enter into it, but remains mixed with the foil, or runs over the far- face, tin it be arieJup in the fpring feafon by the infloence of the fun and wind. To thb caufe, and the frequent hea- vy rains, may be attributed the uncommon wetaels and coldneft (tf tfte ibil of this ifland, and the late fpring and harveft. The plough made ufe of in general is an awk- ward inftrumenty not onlike the Chinefe plough, and de- fcribed already in this work by a clergyman in Orkney ; but the principal tackfmen ufe the Scotch and Engliih ploughs, of which there will be ' a dozen in the paridi. Horfe-loads are for the moft part carried in fmall creels one onieach fide of the horfe, and fixed by a rope to the crook-Qiddla ; but ^oup-carts, of which there are aboat %o in the pariftu ve made ufe of by the gentlemen, and are drawn by lgi:ger horfes than th.ofe found in the pariih. There is a general ^mode of tuning the ground, called timidbf or making lazy«beds, at which two perftns are employed on each fide nf the ridgej; of tbefe, two are cat- ling, and two lifting the dods, whi^hi to a ftranger, will ap- pear

9f Stornaway. 249

pear mbfordy tedious, and laborious, but here is found to be oeoeflmiyy and productive of the greateft returns, in regatd tiiat it gacheiB the ground/ and raifes it from the reach of the rifing and running water, with coii of which the fields dMNittdy and which otherwife would fink and dettroy the iSsed. The feed fown is black «ats and barley. With the utmoft diffiadty, about 40 years ago, the people were pre- vailed on to plant potatoes, but of which they now plant great quantities, by the plough and by the ijpade, and find them to be the moft ufefol of all crops raifed in the pariih. They are ibid at from 3 s. to 5 s./#r barrel. In no ieafon is the produce of thb pariih fufficient to maintain its inhabit tants, who would often be in danger of fu£Fering through want, were it not for the extenfive importation of meal tP Stomoway*

Air andClimott.'^Tht air is extrendy moiil, ^nd the dtmate very rainy. The dampneis of the air is fo great, tiiat poliihed iron, where conftant fire is not kept, will ctm* traft mft in le& time than 14 houn. The inhabitants of this ifland might live in comfiortable drcumftances, were it not for the frequent and heavy rains which &H in it all the ieafons of the year, and more efpedally in harveil, where- by the hopes of the hufi>andman are often blafted, and the fruit of his toil and induitry loil. Such a climate may na- turally be expeAed in a fituation fo far to the north, and fiirrounded by an eztenfive traft of deep wet mofs on the one fide, and the ocean on the other, though no high bilk are here to break tiie clouds, as on the oppofite msdnland* The oldeft people afiirm, that fince their youth, the cli- mate and feafons are greatly changed for worfe. Never- thelefr, the inhabitants are healthy, and Uve to^as great age as they do in a better climate, fome living to the age of 9b or looyeafk

Vol. XIX. I i The

ajr Staiiftk^l Jtcnnt

Tbe £HifilD#«id weifther Ate ve^y vmyMMi M^ wnt h^ ito depended o»« We b^ve lifHfe w^mb er b«?fe ia iw^ ftier ;* aatiH^o ia rftioy ; the winlfer uiu&Ujp not fo fevere aai on tte q0otjneiit)» but mons opes^ «»d fr^oC ffhnr MHlfr4»AU Oar ijpikig i* oftct^ we« ftiid cold. Sowifi|^ of <iBCf com*' nuenee^ Il6re^ ma' drjr fprifigi ^i^ f^kne few indiviAl^als^ w tbe be9inaiRK;of MaiKb, but not in ^jHiertl titf «feftt ifar llkiddle of April. Bftrie j ia^ f<iw» from the bcginauig off May eo the aid of JoHeL Potatoes are flanted from the middle of Ap#il to the aoth day of Ifay.* Harvltft gm«- rally b^as ahbui the middle of Seplembor. ind the cr6g is not totftHj gat iiHo tbe beratf and baffs-yifda bofaro No^ v€mbor.

Li/eaJis^iryTlkp only local and pecnHar diftemper pirr»t lent in this parifb, it a diforder which fcizes new- bom io- faota about the fifth night after their birtb* aftd carriea them off by coavulfive fitaj but tbis fpe^es of fickneis m ^ooie leis frequent than it baa been hentdfore. Rbeii- ffiatifm is often complained pf. Inoeulatioo iA .performed here with fuco^fs by the ikiUaDd attention of Mr John Mil- lar, fqrgeon.

Ecclejajical State of the Pari/b.-^Tha prefent inctin^^ bent, Mr Colin Mackenzie, was admitted minifief of Stor- poway the a7th day of Augufi 1789. His predeceflora were, Mr Donald Monfon ; Mr Johi^ Clark, who was ad- piitted the xgth day of Fel^ruary 1747, and dixA loch day ,pf Auguft 177a; Mr John Downier now mimafr of Ur- niy, who was admitted 2 2d day of Joiy I773t and traaf*- lated to h}s prefent pariQi the a5th day of September ijiS^ which lafl Mr Mackenzie fucceeded ia the charge. He has been married near two years, and has one fon. By the jatc augmentation, the living confifts of L, 88 : 13 j 4 Ster-

liB|f>

ling, -wkh tt-ittMfTei and flebe\0f eight acfes, vtAiktA «t L. 5. The^fft maiife Aiidgkfbe were aK StOFOowuy ^ theprefoDC glebewtaidtfiigiied^tMre at t'eog^ on the jtb'dey of Oftg- <ber r758, and the mftAfe 4>uilt ihereoo. The flianfe wm 4>ailt yj.ytars ago, has often been*repaifeily and needs nov to be rebmh. The^fitaaCien k^ld and Wet. The ehnreh is new bnik, and Wegantlj-finMipd. No «paridi>ftands in greater 'Want tff a milliensH'jthftn ihk, there •being upwar<}» of x 000 todh who have not an opportimkjr <>f 4mne wolw ftip, and ihe^>enefit erf* public inftradion, 'exoepi «n.everj fifth Sabbath. In order to acconinaodate the nnber two dU ftrids of the pariih with divine ferviee akematelj erevjr fifth Sabbath, the chnrch at Stornoway muft be vacant on that day, which k felt as no faiall grievance and disadvan- tage to the intereft <sf religion vmong fo nuineroo8«a-90tt« gregation.

^6i -Poor.— A^ilft'Mrs Mackenzie df Seaforth refidedin this parUh, the moft indigent and infirm of the poor were fiipported<by a bounty of me^ given by licr, and tfiftri- 'bnted weiekly to theni'in proportion to* their Several neceC- "fities, in*lteu of which Seaforth gives them an annual dona- tion of ten guineas, to be laid out in mealfor their ufe^ thb, with the weekly colleftion, amounting yearly to about X. 10, nndds, and the annual rent of a fund of (L. ico gra^ dually made up, is all they have to depend upoa from the kitk-feffion. Their number is f 27, fixty-three of whom five about Stornoway.

f/fce oftcihour^ an'i Wages o/Setvofits.'-^ert, indeed, by reafon of the multitudes 4e vied for^the army and navy, the great number of fub-tenants, and the many hands want- ed for the filhingboats, labourers and farm-fervants are be- come very icarce and difficult to be found. The wages of

men-

25it Statyikal AcamM

rlsboarea m 8 d* n-daj without meat, aad 6d. widb two mtals of moat and a dram. Women, 6d. a^daj^ or 4d. with two meak of meat. The daj-wages of acerpen- tarandmaioB, is. 6d. with vidnak; finith^is.} tailor, a s. withaat, or 6d. with meat \ jobait^ i s. 6 d. /«r daj; ikoemaken, to d* and i s» /«r daj* Mea-fervaott for &nn- worL from L. a, to L. 5 per annmm^ and a pair of fhoes at 78.; for womeA4in:vant8, from xos. to aos. and a pair of •Ihoes-at Su Herds, for looking after cattle, from 6 meiks to 8s. and a pair of flioes, with other finall perqoifites. The wages of domeftic fervants are nearlj the iame widi ihpfe of farm-fervaat8»

JloMbyV^it— Road-making was onlj began in this illand in 179X } and a road b made, £oar miles diftance from Stor- noway, acrofi a deep mois of 10 computed miles, to the other fide of it.— Near to Stomoway there k an annnal tryll &r cattk, where feme hnndreds are bought and ez« ported, at from L. i, xos. to L* 3 a«head. — ^Beef iafoU in .Stomoway from x{ d. to 3 d. per lib. \ mutton, 5 s. and 6s. per wedder \ (keep, 3 s. 4 s. and 4 s. 6 d. each % kmbs, X s. 8 d. and a s. each. Butter, la s. and 14 s. per fiooe^ cheefe, 4s* and 5 s. per ftone. Veal% 1 s. 6 d. each \ pork, %d.per lih.\ fowk, 4 d* acock, and 6d.ahen; ducks, 6d. and 8 d. % geefe, x s. 6 d. and a s. — ^The fpecies of animsk here are of a (mailer fize than in moft other places. In this ifland are found no fezes, badgers, nor hares, till of kte years five hares were introduced by Seaforth, which are ' now increafed to almofi as many hundreds. Sea-fbwli^ and birds ef the iaoae kind with thofe on the continent, are to be met with, except partridgesi robin-red-breafis, rod^ and magpies^ .^ ^

Rffnarlobk

. qfSiprnowaj. 253

Ranarlahk Inftance o/Prefirvf^m.'^'Eight yeap ago, a father and child, (a girl aboat eight years of age)b .going £rom Stomoway acrols the moor, in company with federal others, the father having forgot to execute fome^part of his bufine(s in the town, hailily returned* and committed the eare of his child to thofe in company with her, till he would overtake them ; the child iqadyertently falling behind, was not mifled, till the travellers had proceeded far on their way, and the &ther had overtaken thein ; who .a$ foon aa be found that his child waa not in company^ ii^ftantly flew away like one diftcafied in quefi of her, and with all the pangs of paternal Torrow, returned again to J^tomoway, late at night, weary and dilappointed. Next day* inany people went &r and near in fearch of her, through, deep foow, and a tracklels moor, repeating their diUgence and mbuteft fcrotioy for feveral days fucceffively without, ef- &6L When they had utterly defpaired to find her, .(^o- conceivable to believe it I) on the eighteenth day after .Ihe was lofit the helpleis an4 unwary wanderer was,; by a man axd dog, found near the lea-fide, alive and in motion, but lb fiunt and exhaufied by cold and hunger, that (he could aot walk. She. was carried to the town, humanely. re« ccived, and all.neoeffary means u£Bd to reftore her ajmoft expiring life to health and ftrength. She was too y9ung tq give any diftind account of the maoner in which -flie was enabled to fubfift fo long without food and ibelter from the cold. She is now in the fervioe of Mrs Mackenzie pf Sea- forth, at Seaforth Lodge, who has been remarkably kiqd to her from the time of the above accident.

JVood.^Jievt no woods grow to any u(eful height or fize. The proprietor, fome years ago, planted a variety of trees in a weU<(hcltered fpot of ground near his houfe, which

have

t54 Siaf^/Hra! Acctnmt

iMnre-vH 'fiHedy-ezcept'ttie dar, and moiUMiin-alh or tiioi^

€fatrF.-iNot brfrom theTarm df Greb, there is a large evre, accifflble only from the fea, Where there was aboot 50 years ago % tA namber dffeals lulled annually^ and the prfllSftice is fSM continuedi but now feldom more than leven or twcSve are dellroyed. The method of killing is this : - A number of people ifflemfble about low water, and carry aboat into the cave as far as ihe can proceed ; they take from the'boat a pot, whichthey have 'filed with live coil« anflwith which ftey light their torthes; they dien MH upon the -poor feals without mercy, with dubs Ihod' with iron. The entry of^tbe cave is veryiteep and narrow on itfrfides, and does-not admit «more than the breadth 6t a fix- oared boat. After going in a great way, -the light xttd^j becomes ' fomeWhat dbfonred, and they tStttn meet with m large pillar, which Umdes the eare -afthis iHace into two large openings or arches, by one of which^they enter, mil Wilk'm long way under, where they meet with 'large torn- bling round fiones, fiirrounded in part with water. As they.advanee further in,'they come'toa'finepleafiuitbeacAp where they ^meet* with -the feals; fiirther'in ftill, there ta-m find! chaniber, which by the light of'the tordhes appears re- markably-white, its roof being all covered with white^ftm^ la£Bt«, whidi ere hanging from the roOf, like to large ici*. cks *, .£>me of them put on the figure of hieroglyphics, anil each Of them feems perforated from the bafe to the poiat with a fmall tube. It is within very high, and founds very loud, when the voice is exalted, but has no particular echo. FromHhe outer entry to the i^nermoft part of it, is no left thaa one-eighth of an Englilfa-mile.

I SUP.

9f Stornowaf. »5 «

SUPPLEMENT,

By another Hand^

Stronowat has its modern name from the fituation of the village, which is built on a point jutting into the har- bour, and in the language of the country called Stron a Bbaigl^ or, the Nofe of the Baj, from which, by an eafy traniition, comes Stomoway. Ui was the ancient name of the parifli. There is in it a place called Ui, which was of otd the only place of worihip in the parifli, and is fituated on a narrow neck of land ; every fuch neck of land, or iflh- mus« whether formed by creeks of the fea, or by the appro- ximation of frefli-water lakes, is in Lewis called Ui, which, in the DaniQi language fignifies any fuch neck of land ; and t)ie particular Ui already mentioned having been in former rime the only place devoted to divine wor&ip, gave its ancient name to the parifli.

The extent of it is ten computed miles in length, and it9 breaddi in feme places feven. It is bounded by the parifli of Barvas on the north ; on the north-eaft by the channel between Lewis and the main of Scotland ; and on the fouth and weft by the parifli of Lochs. The general appearance *»f it is a fiat moor, of little utiUty to beafts, and of none to man, all covered with heath. The ifland is compared to a gold-laced hat ; the internal part of which confifts of this foft and ttfelefs moor, and the circumference of which is in part more or left cultivated at the fea-lide. Near the town of Stomoway the foil is a light black mould, forced into feme culture from mofr; to the northward, the foil is co- vered by drifted fand ; but farther back, of fimilar quality^ to that near the town. Neither of thefe foils, when pro* perly drained and roaouredi can be called unferule.

The

256 Statijlkai^ Account

The air U moift, but agrees weD with the natives. The prevailing diftempers are the fame with thofe ftated in the account of the pariifa of Uig. The moor in this pariih abounds in lakes. There are fix fxnall rivulets. The freih« water lakes contain great quantities of fmall trout. Three of the rivulets produce fome £almon and (ea-trout* The £i|nion is fold frefii at i d. per EngUfli pound in Stomowaj. Their fifh is vtrj poor ; thej are beft in July and Augufi. The length of the fea-coaft is a^omputed miles ; the ihore in feme places is rocky, and in fome flat and £uidy.

There it a great quantity of ling oir the coaft, and a few- cods, both of which are well cured and drif d by the conn- try people ; they/c|l thtm at above L. 14 Sterling /^r tcxi to the Stomoway merchants^ who fend them to foreign markets. They are all caught with long lines \ the hooks are baited with pieces of fmaller fifties. The utmofi quan- tity fifliedy one year with another, does not exceed from ao to 30 tons. They are m<^ in feafon in fpring. Herrings are caught in Loch Stomoway, fome years in great abun« dance, and fome not. The cod a|id ling are always ftacion« ary here. There are 30 decked vefiels belonging to this I>ort, from 10 to 80 tons burden each, which are employed in the fummer feafon in the herring bounty-fifliing, and at other timte in the coafting trade* They are manned with natives of the iiland, and are always victualled, except ]» to the article of beef only, in the country.— Common ica* weed is always ufed for manure. A few tons of kelp are manufadured every third year in the pari(h«— The prin* cipal Bays are, — Broad Bay, South Bay, Loch Storno- way, and Loch GrimOiader ; the laft is a fafe harbouf for fmall vcfiels/, the firft but an indifferent otie. In South Bay veflels fometimes ftop for a tide, but it is no harbour. Loch Storooway is a famous harbour for £hips of any burden ^ the ground is good, and no weighty iea can

ever

ofSiornoway^ 257

ever come in to it. The four principal headlands are TolOa-head, Seller-head, Tiumpan-head, and Pebble-head. In this parifli there is a remarkable cave, into which the fea goes at high water. When it was firft noticed, vaft numbers of ieals were killed in it ; and the pradice is ftill continued once a-year, about Michaelmas. It is only ac** ceffibk from fea ; the people land from dieir boat oppoiite to the cave in time of low water, at ipring-tide ; they walk forward, and being fnraiihed with fire, they light torches at the entry to die cave, which is dark far in, and they knock to death all the (eals found there with heavy blud- geons armed with iron. At firft it was not uncommon to £ee 50 killed at a time \ but now the number 4oes not ex- ceed from 7 to I a. At the brtheft end, there is a fmall apartment, the top of which is lined with ftalaSits, ot icicles, of a very firm confifience ; it is about an eighth part of an Englifh mile in length, and its height is variable.*— The otter, and tighan or foumart, are found in this parifiiu Moor- fowl, plover, and wild pidgeon, are in great abundance.

la the country part of the parifli are fpua and Hvovea all the cloth neceflary for labourers, and make all the broags nfed there. Mrs Mackenzie of Seaforth gives encourage- ment in this as well as in the other pariflies of X^ewis, to indnftriotts females, in the ipioning of flax, &cl and be* flows L. 10 yearly on the poor. — ^In this parifli these is one attorney, and one folitary Roman Cathdic prieft, without an individual of a £ock. In the town thore aise many bat- chelots among the fuperior rank. The number of inhabit- ed flated houfes in this town is 6,7. They are all made of the beft materials ; fome of them large, commodious and well fumiflied; they are generally two ftories high and a garret; there is a cuftomhoufe, with all its proper officers, a town-honfe, an aflembly-room, and two fchool- hoo£es; one for the. parochial grammar-fchool, and the yoj..XIX. Kk other

1)5 8 Statifticai Account

other for the Sorictj fchool eflibliflied 'there.— On the north-weft fide of the town there are upwards of twentj thatched houfes, which have ftrong walls and gables, with glafs-VPindowSy all in a Kne, frontiojg the fide of the bay where it grows narrow. On the north fide of the town there is a great number of miferable thatched huts, bcca* pied by failors, filhers, and other people, with their fiimi- lies, ' The poor inhabitants of thofe huts have boQc mors coihmodioQj thatched hoofes along the fliore of the baj» eaft of the town \ and Mr Mackenzie of Seaforth gives evcrj head of a family one guinea to encourage them to remove, and to help them in defraying the expences incurred on the occafion. He gives thofe poor people 30 years leaTe of their dwell ing-placesi to each of whicb'a fioiiall garden b joined, and they pay three S<?otch merks yearly for every fuch houfe-room and garden. He gives them full liberty to cultivate as much as they Can of a neighbouring moor, and exads no rent for feven years for fuch parts thereof as they bring into culture.-f-In this, and all the other pariihes of the Ifland, the women carry on as much at leaft of the labours of agriculture as the men \ they carry the manure in baikets on their backs ; they pulverize the ground after it is (own, with heavy hand-rakes, (harrows being feldom iifed), and labour hard at digging the ground, both with crooked and ftraight fpades.-«^Tbe people of the rown fel- doni have menfervants engaged ibr the yes^* ; and it is a puripps circumflance, that, time out of Remembrance, their maidfervants were in the habit of drinking, every morn- ing; a wine glafs full of whiflcy, which their miftrefs gave them ; this barbarous cpftom became fo well efiaUiOied by lengtb of tune, that if the pra^Uce of it fliould happen to be ne^v' fted or forgotten in a family, even once, difcontent find idlenels throughout the day, on die part of tfae^maid or jnaids, )fvould be fte fpre confequence. However, fincc the

ftoppj^ge

flO{>^ge of th^ diflilleries took place, the pe6ple of the town foahd it neceflary to unite in th^ refolucioa'.df i^bo* lilhing the pradice, by withholding the dear Cordial from their female domeftics/ but not without the precaution o^ making a compenfation to them in mode j for their griev^ out lofs; and it is iaidj that even this is not'&tis&&or7^ and that, in (bme families,' the dram isflillgiveaprivatelyi to pre&rve peace and gbod order.

About 200 jards from the town, on the ^pofite, or fouth-weft fide of the bajr, and upon an eminence^ flahds Stafortb Lodge^ a neat modem houfe.

The ohlj crops in this pariih are fmall oats, batley, and potatoes. Ttie pariih never fnpplies itfeif with fofiicientgr of provifion, but always imports 1^ great deal from Caith^ aeis, Berwick, &c. and is at this time (1796) in great diftreisi without a probability of a fpeedy rupply.-*Black cattlo are bought by dealers from the fouth yearly in this and the other pariihes of the tfland, and driven to England^ where they thritre amazingly, although the^ breed is bntf fmalL — A little flax and hemp is raifed berfc.--'They ion^ in April and May, and f^p in September and O^ber.i-^ There is no wood of any kind. The whole ifland i'eems^ in ancient time, to have been covered with wood, as ia proved by fiumps of large trees and hazltMiot fhells bein^ found at the fides of rivulets, and in the moor, at the depth of 14 feet, where the people dig peats. According totraditiony the Norwegians fet the whole uoods on fire When thty took poffeffion of the country.— The great difadvantage of this and the neighbouring pariQics arifes from the poverty of the foil, and the badnefs of the climate, the latter of which this ifland experiences in common with aU the other ifl<inds and Highlands of Scotland. — If the circumftances of the people in the country part of this pariih could admit of it, they might derive great advantages from the gowi-

nc&

26d Staii/Hcat Accwnt

nefi of the harbour »( Stornoway, as well as from the vic^ mxj of the vUlage.-^The Gaelic laagoage is principalljr fpokeOy and the names of places are eyidently derived firooi the Danifli and Norwegian.— The value of the living, the glebe not inclodedy is L. 86. It is ia the gift of the Grown. Mr Colin Mackenzie is minifter i he b a married man, and has one fon.— A very elegant church was lately boik at Stornoway ; the internal eeconomy of it is very nearly E- niihed ; the expence of the whole work is faid to amount to L. 900. This fabric does great honour to the proprietor. The manfe is old, but commodious.— Francis Humberfioa Mackenzie of Seaferth is fole heritor of the landed proper- ty in this pariih.-^The poor are fupported by the inhabi- tants when they come to their houfes in courfe ; the kirk- feffion dillributes among them fuch fums of money as ari& ffom the coIlefHons 00 Sabbath-days, and fines from irre- gular perfons«— The country people commonly iell cattle alive to the inhabitants of Stornoway at di&rent prices, confiormed to their fize and (juality, and to the demand for fuch in other parts of the kingdom. When they fell them by weight, they draw from 2 d. to 3 d. per lib. Small wed- ders are fold at 5 s. and 6 s. each -, and the common fowb at 6 d.— When the feafon for cutting peats comes 00, the fervice of the country people cannot be difpenfed with by thofe in the town. The former, both males and femalesi come forward in great numbers, and receive from 4 d. to 6 d. per day, and they muft be feafted on the occafion, otherwife the work Ihall be found very defie^ive. When the peats are dry, the people are again called upon to lead them home, which work is condu^d with equal expence. The wages paid to labourers in huibaodry is much about the fame here as in the neighbouring parifbes. — Ytvt ploughs are ufed here. They have, in this country, the moft awkward inflniment of tillage ever applied to the I purpofe^

of Stormway. a6i

ptupole; it is drawn by hprfes, and bears but a fiunt re* femblance to a ploogh, having only one ftilt ; the ufe of it is prodttfiive of great fatigue to men and horfes \ and after ally the groond is wretchedly ill turned.

On a (mail point near the town, there is a veftige re- maining of a caftle built for the proteAion of the place, by the Macleodsi the ancient pofleflbrs of the ifland. Not far from it there was another tower, built by Cromwell te awe the neighbourhood ; no 'part of this one remains. The people are not fond of a military life ; but early habit reconciles them to fea-faring, and from that element they derive their chief fubfifience.

There is a road begun and carried on for a few miles from Stornoway towards the parifb of Barvas, which lies in a northern diredion. The moor acrols the ifland from Stornoway to Uig is fo eJLtenfive and foft, that it would re« quire the labour of many ages to open a road through it.

Some years ago, a young girl, in attempting to go from one part of the country to another, loft her way in the pathieis moor, and could not find it i when her ftrength failed, ihe dropped down, and notwithftanding the induftry of the country people in quefi of her, flie was not found until the eighteenth day after her departure from home. To the aftonifliment of all who heard her ftory, life was found remaining \ and by the afliduity of the furgeon, ihe was reQored to good health and ftrength. This wonder- fill cafie is recorded in the I2th or 14th volume of the ^edlcal Effays.

The common people of this ifland marry very early, and when death feparates thjein, if the furviving party, whether male or female, finds it convenient to engage a iccond or third time in that ftate, fome of them remain a lew weeks^ and fpme only a few days, ia widowhood ; fo

tl^at

^S&i StatifHcal Acamnt

diu grief for die lob of huibtiid or wife is an afflidioft little known among the lower clals of people here.

A woman, in this coontry, whofe hulband fliot bim&lf accidentaUy» bj an ungoarded. management of a finlocki fettled her contraA of marriage, in the wajjbt tho^ghiju^ before the body of her late hniband was interred, nod was married the liext Bay after ihe performed that laft AvScj to the deceaied.

NUM.

ofBarods, ^363

NUMBER Vir.

PARISH OF BARVAS,

(CouKTT OF Ross, Stkod OF Glekelg, Prisbttert AND Island of Lewis).

JBy tie Rev. Mr Donald Macdonald, Minifter. ^

Nami^ SittuOumf and ExinU,

npHE parilh of Stfiras does fiot fbrnilh much room for '^ 'fiattiBcal inTcftigation, and the few obfervations which occur rc^pefiing it, may be comprehended within minrow' bounds. As to the origin of its nune, little but coojefkure can be advanced ; it is generally thought to be I>a*idi or Norwegian^ as thenamca of fereral other placea on this coaft indubitably are. It is fituated in the weftem extremity of the county of Ro&, fynod of Glenelg, and pre(bytefy of Lewis. - It is very eztenfive, being in length from eaft'to weft 14 oomputed nulcs, and, upon an average, 9 miles ioi-breadtb i bounded on the weft by a difiiid oi the

a64 Siatiftkal Account

pariib of Lochs; on the norths by the Atlantic Ocean; ot the eaft bj the Minch ; and on the fimth, bj the parilbes of Stornoway and Lochs.

Suffati and 5o£f.-— The forfaee of the whole parifii ii pretty plain, except a few hills, at a coafiderable diflaooe from the feai and fome fmall glens or vallies through which rivulets run. The foil, as may naturally be fuppofed is fuch a vail track of ground, is various. The diftrid called .Claddoch is light, thin, Ipouty ground* and in many plaoei fo full of iloncs, that the plough cannot go through it Nefs confifls of fine large level fields, compoGed of Ioixd, iand, gravel, and deep day, iwhich, in good feafons, pro- duce tolerable crops, and in the hands of more ikilfbl and fubftantial tenants might be turned to a very good account. The fea-coaft, taking in the various points that jut out into the fea, may be reckoned about 30 computed miles ; it is bold and rugged, having a tremendous furf or fwcll upon it, when the wind blows from the weft and north-weft. There is not a fingle harbour where a veflel can aochoTi and but a few creeks where boats can land, even in the fineft weather.

CKmatt and Diftafis.^-Ax. is well known, that a great deal •f rain fidls in moft parts of the weft. and north^weft ^ Scotland \ there is, however, left here than upon the main- land coaft, or even in the adjacent pariflies, the hi(^ hilb which collet the vapours, and break the clouds, being st s confiderable diftance. The froft is feldom very imenfe; the fiiow, in general, not deep, or of long continuance. The air, though moift, is fiilubrious. Rbeumatifm, the geaeni complaint of all moift climates, is very commoo; it is n- ther matter of furprife that it is not more frequent, confi- dering their d^mp and dirty houfes, bow much the inlia-

bitantt

* i>f Barvas. 165

Mttfmsare expofed to rain and cold, and their clothing poor. Flannel- (hirts, which arc in general worn by the common people, may be a good antidote againft it. Fevers knd fluxes are not uncontmbri ; arid many infants die of a complaint called the five nights ficknels, from their dying of it upon the fifth or fixth liight \ there are nb inftances of any who have been feized with it that efcaped, nor has the nature of this uncommon difeafe been as yet fully com- prehended by the moft fkilful upon this ifland.

Riversy IVoods^ t/r.— *There is not a fingle tree, or even any brufliwood, to be feen in the whole parifii. There are feveral fmall lakes or lochs, and fome rivulets, but no ftreatn that deferves the name of a river. In thefe are various kinds of trout, and in a few of them fome falmon. Upon the minifier'6 farm is a fmall water, where a few fine fal- mon, though of a fmall fize, are caught, from the month of May till Auguft. There are a few cod, ling, and haddock, taken upon the coaft; but the principal fifiiing is that of dog-filh, from the liver of which they extrafi a confidcr- able quantity of oiL Upon an average, there are{aboot 8832 Scotch pints annually manufaftored of it, and fold to the Stomoway merchants at from 6 d. to 8 d. per pint. Five of the annual bounties 'or premintns given by the Truftees for encouraging this trade, «re generally gained by boats in this pariih. The feafon for it is from the beginning of May to the latter end of Auguft, when the weather proves favourable ; indeed, it muf^ be vtty moderate before they can venture to fea, which makes them exceedingly cau- tious i^hen the wind, blo^s off the land, left they be driven to the northern ocean. It is very aftoniihing how few ac- cidents happen, confidering the terrible feas they encoun- ter, and the badneis of the creeks where they land. The number of boats employed in this fifliing is about 42^ from Vol. XIX. LI j6

266 StatiJHcal Actouta

i6 to Z9 £eet keel, fome of 8, aad others of 6 oars* Their onlj impkmeot is<a hand^line, with two large hooks.

Agt'UttUure^ Cattle^ iyc. —There are in the parifh about 90 ploughs* and all, except ooe (ufed by the mini&er,) of a fingular conftruftioD *, they are made of a crooked iiaiiall piece of wood, oo the top of which is fixed a fiik or handle ; the man who holds it walks by its fide, and direds it bj this ililt. As no oxen are ufed here, it is drawn by four fmall borfes ; the driver, if he can be fo called, goes before the horfes, ^nd pulls them on by the halter. In fome pla- ces the ground is turned up by two inftruments well known in the Highlands, called crooked and even fpades; in moft of thefe parts, the ground is fo rugged, and full of ftooes, that the plough cannot go through it. There are no carts ufed in the pariih, except by the minider. The manures are cow-dung, and tangle or fea-ware ; there is another kind univerfally ufed here, perhaps not known elfewherc; their houfcs are thatched with ftubble and heather ropes, (ropes made of heath), their roofs are fo low and flat, and they burn fuch quantities of peat, their only fuel, that the ftubble is abundantly covered over with foot ; in the lat- ter end of May, when the barley brard (blade) appcarj, they take this footy ftubble, and ftrew it thinly upon it, which fometimes produces- 9k tolerable crop, but muft fcourge the ground. The only crops reared here are black oat^, bear, and potatoes, fown in April and May, and res^jcd In September and Oaober. The returns are in general poor, owing to the poverty of the foil, and the cold and boiftcrous gales from die. northern ocean, to which the lands arc niuch expofed. The pariOi abounds in horfes, black- cattle, and Ihecp, perhaps too many for the pafture- There is no faying, with minute exaftncfe, what the number of each may be. Horfes, according to a furvey lately made, were calculated at I050; black-cattle, 2670-; Ihcep, 339»- a The

c^Bt^rvas. 267

The horfes and cow9 are of a very fmall fixe, partlj owing, to the pafturc, but more fo to the little attention paid to. the proper fele£lipn of bulls and ftallionSi by which thej are yeady decraaiiAgy and moft continue fo to do till this cviL b^ xemediedi

All tiie- ifaeep^ except a few of the blac^.faced kind in- trounced, by the minifter, are xemarkably fmall. They- roam at krge through the moor, without any herdGnan to attend thtra. Though v^ry wild^ they are in general, how- ever, £0 far.ume, that (hey Cin be driven iatp fnnll inclo- fiicesy where the wool i9;puUed off, a terbafon».cuftoin, wbicb.cerUinly muft be d^iirinaieiital to the aoima} and iu WQoJi.and io4eed proves fatal', when the weather happens to be fevere in^Qiediately after ih^s pliu:king.-— The horfes^ thoogh finaaU, ar^rwiarkably bardy^aud iii<tcled*)^The.beef an4 Q&utton fwee( and ^iv^ll Savoured**— Hok^es, upon an a^ve^g^, fell a^ L. 2, i^aa; ^. cows aijd. i^ot^ mX^ %^ 5.9. 4 ;and (beep « 3 s, ei|chf ^ i ^

Pcfuiatiou^^Jx is iJQp^fiAb}^ 10 lay what nufhbet of fouls

aught bt^ye be^n in the pari^ij a§ there never, were any regit

fterskept. Popu^ationj ^oweyer^^ is aUowe4 to be on the in«

preafe,. chiefly owing to fhe farms being much fmaller than

in former times. There are in the parifh, 439 families,

aoo6 fouls, 914 n(iale$, aopa females: Souls under 6 yeara

oldi 334 ; ditto betwixt 6 and 14 years, 407 i ditto betwixt

14 and 60 years,. 1067.1 and above 60, 198. In 1755, the

population, by Dr Web&^r's lid. was X995» There are 14

weavers) 5 tailors, 7 blackfmiths, 340 fifhers, and i miller.

There is not one man by profei&on a flioemaker ; the moft

of the inhabitants fupply themCelves with ihoes or brogues;

nor, indeed, do aoy of the above tradefmen depend wholly

iipon their occupations, all of th^m having fmall farms.

There

268 StatiJHcal Account

There are two women liring in the ]Murifli| one of wboqi fays tba( fl»e is xoo years old, and the other 102.

Churchy ScioolSf 4md Stipernds^-^^^th^ Crown is Patron \ Colonel Francis Humberflone Mackenzie of Seaforth Ible heritor. All the inhabitants are of (be ^(Ubliibed Church of Scotland. There zik two places of worlbip in the pa* viih. The church clofe by the manfe is a perfed niin, and is to be rebuilt firft fummer. The one in the diftrifi of Nefst about za computed miles from the manfe, an old Fopiih churchy called St Peter's, was enlarged and rebuilt Jaft year i it is thatched with heath. The rent of the pa- riib is about L. 900 Sterling, befides kelp, which was never attempted here till within a few years back. It is thought the Ihores will produce 60 tons once in three yeaia.-^Tfao ftipend, till this year, was only xoco merks Scots, and L. 5 Sterling for a glebe, to which Colonel Mackenzie added L. 20 Sterling. The prefent incumbent, Mr Do* paid Macdonald, was fettled in 1790. His predeceffors were, Meflrs Alexander Mackay, and Murdoch and Do- paid Morrifons. The manfe is fmall ; was boilt about aS years ago, and repaired lafi year at a confiderable cxpence ; the kitchen, which is the only office-houfe, was repaired and flated at the fame time.

Thtre has not been a parochial fchool here for many years back ; but Colonel Mackenzie, who is vtry defirous to have fchools ere&ed, contracted with an undertaker two years ago, to build a fchool-houfe near the manfe, but ow- ing to various circumftapces, it has not as yet been accom- pliftied. There has been a charity-fchool eftabliibed in the diilrijt of Nefs by the Honourable Society for many years back ; it is to be lamented, that the people in gene- ral have as yet fo little tafte for education* There are only about 20 fcholars who attend j though, from the compafi-

* ' ndi

of Barvas^ 369

pe& of the difirid, triple that number might attend daily from their parents houfes. The fchoolmafier, however, b of great fervice in foch a remote comer, bj bis diligence in catechifing and reading to the people on every Lord's day, when the minifter is not there.

Mrs Mackenzieof Seaforth, whofe zeal for the good of her people is confpicuous upon all occafions, has ereded two fpinning-fchoob, with a falary of L. 6 Sterling to each of the miftreiles« To aid her in this laudable undertaking, the Honourable Society refolved to pay one-half of laid falary. The girls aric tzught gratis^ have xo d. for every fpindle they fpin, and to encourage them, they have their wheels at a low rate *, many of the poorefi have them gra^ tis. She allows 1 lb. of coarfe lint for themfelves to begin with \ befides, as a fpur to induftry and emulation, adnual competitions are held, when premiums are given to the beft fpinners.

Poor.-»There are 80 upon the poor-roll, who are chief- ly fopported by the charity of the inhabitants, by begging from houfe to houfe ; any fupport they get from the kirk- feffioa is by no means adequate to their maintenance. There is about L. 4 annually diftributed amongft them, (arifing from the weekly colleftions and molds), together with five guineas of a yearly donation from Mrs Macken« zie of Seafortfa, whofe benevolence and charity have been of nniverlal good throughout this whole ifland. She has, befides, upon her lid, two very great'objeAs in this pariih, to each of whom (he allows three bolls of meal annually. There is another mode here for fupporting the poor, which fliewa the charitable difpofition of the inhabitants \ being in general fcarce of money for the weekly colle&ions, tliey, f very fpriog, coUed a certain quantity of grain or feed,

which

270 Stati/Hcal Account

vAnth b regularly divided by the kirk^feflbw aOUMfgft tkft objeflB upon their rolL

t4nei2¥i^HS* — Several ruins of Popiih chapels or churches are to be fs:en in the parifli \ round mofi of them are bury tog- grottods> which are to this day ufed for t^t p^rpole. A few of them can only be traced by the fqi^iidation-ftoiics \ the walls of others are. pretty entire. The lar^il and moH entire is tha( at ^px'^pie to Neis, dedi^f ted to St Mulvay ^ it fee ms to haye been ^e; principal one, and undoubtedly ufed us a plaise of wprfliip. It is 59 feet :loog» 94 brood, and I ^ feet in the fi^S wallf ^ the people around it, paij it as ytt a great deal of fivperftitious veneration^ a|id indeed fome of them retajq fl^U a^w of tl^e Popiib fupefftitions. A. little to Ibe north pf it ftood St Ronan's, and clofe hy it, to the fouthy ftood a!.hou£e, built by one of the Macleods, once the proprietors of this ifland ; there is ftill a piece of wall (landing, called by them Macleod's Gate. The fiones are iboftly ciuxied away by the tenants for building their bonfes. Some bundled yards to the fqutb of tha( |s ^, inaaU mount, which evidently bears the mark of having 01^ a building upon it, called Catftel Oigrtf (i. e^J Olaus his CaiUe. The names of the. reft, which are but fmall in comparifon to St Mulvay's, are, St Peter's ^n Habo|^ St Thomas's in Swainboft, St Clement's in Nortl^ DcU> Holy Crofa at South Galfoo, St Bridget in Boirve, St Peter's io l^wer Strather, St Mary's in Upper Barvas, and St John the Bapiift's in Bragir. Betwixt B^rye and GaUbn, upon an eminence at a fmall diftance from the fea, may be feen the mips of a pretty large dpn, or Danifli fort, of a circular form, witli paflages and fmall apartments in the walls ; the oniyi entry. was from the top. Tradition fays, that there was a fubterraneous communication to it from the fea, of which no veftige can now be traced. There is another of

the

of Barvas. ' 371

the lame kind in a lake at Bragir, called Loch Duin, but not fb large. Three more are to be feen in three {mall lakes behind Strather and Borve, at a confiderable diftance from the fea, i6ach of them having a catifeway leading to theniy which are vifible in dr j weather. Betwixt Barvas and Strather, in the middle of a deep ftiofiy where no other ftones are to be feen, and at a confidihiable diftance from the fea, there is a verj large ftone flanding npright, called Ctaeh i DruJbiU famons for nothing but its fize, being 18 feet above ground, and 14 feet in circumference, having no figures upon it, as erroneoufi j related. The vulgar tradi- tion concerning it, is too abfurd and fnperftitions to deferv^ anj notrce. The ifland of Rona, fituate in the northerfa ocean, about x6 leagues difiant from Eorapie Point, or the butt of the Lewb, (which is reckoned the furthefl to the north-weft of anjr in Europe), belongs to this parifli. It is reckoned a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth ; there is a temple in it dedicated to St Ronan. It is rented by one of the Nefs tackfmen at L. 4 Sterling ptr annum^ who regularly, every feafon, fends a large open boat, and brings from it fome corn, butter, cheefe, a few iheep, and fometimes a cot)^, befides fome wildfowl, and feathers. There were once five families refiding upon it, but now only one, who are employed by the tackfman as fervants.

The rock Snliflcer lies 4 leagues to the eaft of Rona \ it is a quarter of a mile in circumference, and abounds with a great variety of fea-fowL The boat which goes to Rona, generally touches there for fowls and feathers. There is in Nels a moft venturous fet of people, who for a few years back, at the hazard of their lives, went there in an open fix-oared boat, without even the aid of a compals. There is no place in it where they c.in draw up their boat ; fome of them continue in it, taking flieltcr under the lec-fide of the rock, whilft the reft are bufy m taking the birds, who

arc

a*fi Stati/lical Account

are fo tame, that tliej knock them down with fticksi theif feathers fell at Stornowaj, at from 9 to xo t. per ftone.

MifcJlttwous Oifirvaiions^-^Thert are neither moles^ frogSy foxes, or weafels, in the pariih, nor any hares, till of late a few made their appearance from a breed introduced into the ifland hj Seaforth. It abounds with pidgeob, plo- ver, (hipe, and a vaft variety of wild-geefe and ducks. The fwan, woodcock and green plover, appear in their feafos. The oQail abounds with a variety of tea*fowls^ Eagles, corbies and crows, are numerous, and often prove defiruo- tive to the young lambs. The greateft difadvantage this pariih lies under, is, the want of roads and bridges. From this fide of the ifland to the village of S^ornoway is rec- koned from ] a to 18 miles of a broken fwampy moor, without fo much as the form of a road acrols this long and fatiguing fpace | the poor people are under the necei&ty of carrying every article almoll, to and from Stornoway , upoa their backs. Colonel Mackenzie, who is very eager to re- medy this evil, has, for a few years back, begun a road to open a communication betwixt both fides of the iiland, and carried it forward about five miles at a great expence. la place of the fUtute-labour, every man, from 16 to 60 years of age, pays is. 6 d. There is only one annual hir fi>r felling cattle held in this whole ifland, confeqnently the fellers are under the neceffity of difpofing of them at that time, "having no chance of feeing any other buyer during that feafon, except for fucb fat cattle as are purchafed By the Stornoway merchants. Until there be a cod^fbrtable communication opened betwixt both fides of the ifland ^ until the breed of cattle of every kind be improved, and ibme mode contrived for a better market lor them ; this parifli muft labour under great difadvantages. On the other band, it is no fmall advantage, in fucb a high and cold

latitude.

f^ Baroas. 273

Udhide, to have fuch abundance of very fine peats clofe bj their hoofes in general. The fiih of different kinds are moil beneficial, efpeciallj that of the d(^-fiih| the oil of which brings a confiderable fum of money, and the fi(h, \^'l.en proper] J curedi has, by long experience, been found to be Vfholefome food.

The fnow feldom lies deep or long; a circumflance highly favourable to Iheep and black-cattle. As the lands were never meafured, it is impofiible to fay with any cer- tainty what the number of acres may be, but the extent of the cultivated land bears no proportion to die uncultivated. The common language of the pari(h is Gaelic. The names of places are derived from the Norwegian language, and by thofe who underfiand it, are allowed to be very exprelRve •f their fitnation.

Vol. XIX. Mm N U M-

274 Statijlical Accouni

NUMBER VIII.

PARISH OF LOCHS,

(County or Ross, Synod or Glbmelg, Island and

P&E8BYT&&Y or LSWIS).

By the Rev. Mr Alexander Simson.

Namit Situation^ He.

THIS parifh derives its name from the oumerons har- bours which are in it, and which are always in this countrj called Lochs. The/ are fo well fecured from the fea, that many of them are very well adapted for places of anchorage to vefiels of confiderable burden, and the whole of them for fmall veflels, and are excellent landing-places for open boats. The parifh may alio derive its name in part from the innumerable bodies (lochs) of frelh water, fituated in the moor, lall of which abound witli Cmall trout of excellent quality. It is fituated in the county of Rols, within the bounds of the prefbytery of Lewis, and 2 fynod

ofLocbu 275

fynod of Glendg. The extent of the pariih in length is aboat 18 computed miles, not including the feveral ferries acrofi the forelaid harbours which intervene in that firatgbt line. The extent of the fea-coaft, following the ihore in all its direftionsy is 90 computed miles. In a country fo much interfeded by numerous arms of the fea, the breadth muft be various, but at an average it holds at about 8 or 9 miles. It is bounded on the fouth by Loch Seafbrth, which fepa* rates it from the pariih of Harris \ on the weft, by the pa- rifb of Uig } on the north, by the pariih of Stomoway ; and on the eaft, by the channel, which feparates this ifland from the continent of Rofii. Along the coaft it has a bold and rocky appearance -, farther back, there is a great extent of fofit flat moor. There is no foil but what the indefatigable indoftry of the inhabitants has forced into fome culdvacion, near the creeks of the fea, with the aid of fea-weed forma* nure. The air is very moift, but not unhealthy,

2)^M»/^#.«— The rofe or erylipelas, colds, and rheumai- tifms, are the mod common diftempers prevalent in tliia country -, fometimes very infedious and epidemical fevers rage here, which terminate the lives of a great many of the inhabitants.

Ft^eries^'^Cod and ling conditute the principal fifliing on the coaft, of which kinds of fiOi there are caught annually at an average, 34 tons. The ling, when cured, fells at L. 15, 10 s. per ton, and the cod at L. xo v it is fold to the merchants of Stomoway, who export it to the bed market they can find ; both the cod and ling are in the greateft perfedion from February to May. All the other kinds of fifhcs, which are commonly met with on the coaft of the iflcs, and which are fit for immediate family ufe, are caught

here

2j6 Stati/lical Account

here in great abundance. Between 45 and 50 tons of kelp are manufadured annually. The flood-tide iovariablj rana from fouth to north, both on the fliore and at fea, and of courfe, the ebbtide in the^ cootrarj diredtoo. Loch Sea- forth, Lochihell, and Locherifort» are the principal harbours. Arrofs the entry of each of the two latter, there is an iflaod, \v}iich aiakes them fecore retreats for veflels in all kinds of weather. In the channel between Lewis and Skj, a third of the waj nearer the former than the lattert are three iflands, named Sbaint or Holy Iflands* well known to nia« riners ; one of them, in particular, leems to have been de- dicated to the Virgin Mary \ it is named Moatr, or Mary's Ifland; in it there are the remains of a Popiih chapeL Black-cattle are paftured on them all, and they are fiunoos for fattening flieep* but particularly fome finall rocks in their neighbourhood, which have grais on their tops. There is one family refiding on the largeft of the iflands, tar the purpofe of attending the cattle. The head of this family has been fo unfortunate as to lofe, at dil&rent timea, hif wife, a fon, and a daijghter, by £ming down great preci- pices ; the mother and fon met with this'catafiropbe in fol- lowing fheep, and the daughter, by gpipg in qucft of wild- fowl eggs,— Keback-head, and the point of Rainii(li« are the two principal headlands on thecoafL Moftoftheparifii is covered with hea^b*

Popvlation^'^Tht whole amount of thp population in thib pai iih is 1 769 perfops, of which number, 845 ars males, and 923 are females. Population in 1755, byDrWeb- Iter's lilt, appears to have been ia67. Inftances of kmge* yity occur often ; a woman died a few days ago aged 104. 1 he nuniber of families is 366. Mod of the inhabitEnts ^re fifliers and nctmakers. There are 38 kelp-makers, f 6 lyeavers of coarfc cloth, a boat-carpenters, 3 tailorst an^

ofLocbs. 277

m blackfmitha, in the parifli. Everj individnal here as of the £fiftbliflied Church. . ,

Hu/basidry. — The number of black-catde, not tndoding the calves, is 3488 ; the number of fheep, 4000 ; the nnm^ ber of horfesy 348. The different kinds of cattle are of a ioiall breed, which adapts them well to the rough ground on whidi they pafiure. * There is very little com raifed in this parifli. Their {maU crops are fown in the months of April and May, and reaped in September and Odober* The inhabitants rely principally on filh f or their fubfift- cnce*

XoisifaM^/^— The Gaelic language is their mother tongue \ maxkj of the names of places are derived from the Daniik and Norwegian languages.

itmf.-— The land-rent of the pariih is L. zoao, 5 s.

Eecl^JliciJ Staii of the Pari/b.— The value of the mi* nifter's livbg, including the glebe, is L. 80. The King is patron. Alexander Simfon is now minifter of the pariib» and was fettled there three ytars ago. His immediate pre« deceffor was John Frazer } before whom were James Wil« ton, Alexander Mackay, and Colin Mackenzie, who was the firft minifter of the parifli. The prefent incumbent is married, and has 3 boys and a girl. A new manfe, two churches, and a parochial fchoolhoufe were built laft year, and offices for the manfe are to be built this year ; there was a Society fcboolboufe built three years ago. Colonel Francis Humberfion Mackenzie of Seaforth is fole heritor pf the pariih.

Po9rm

378 Statifikal Account

' ' JFVoTw— There ave about 58 poor people who receive die fmall coUedions made at the chordi-doory together inritii five guineas, as a doaation from Mrs Mackenzie of Seafbrtli jeakljf and all the money arifing from fines infltfied on de* linqoefttai.

Mi/ciUamfut Oi/ervaiioMS,^^Thc fhel ufed here is peat. There is no plough in the partfli ; the little ground that is tilled, is by the crooked and ftraight fpades. There are 70 fiihing4>oat8 belonging to the pariffli. The people from dieir jouth are accufiomed to a fea-faring life ^ they are of humane difpofitions, and ihew great hofpitality to firangeis. There is no doubt that the condition of the inhabitants of this poor parifli might be greatly meliorated by the itttro- dnftion of mannfaftures^ In this particular, Mrs Colonel Mackenzie of Seaforth has already made fome confidenihle advances, by direding the induftry of the female inhabitants to the ufeful and rational occupation of fpinning flax. Se- veral merchants at Aberdeen fend a great quantity of flaic annually to a truftee at Stomoway, who diftributes it to be fpun, not only to this, but in all the pariflies of Lewis. In this parifli there are 'two fpinning fcbools, the midrefles of each of them are paid jointly by Mrs Mackenzie of Sea- forth, and the Society for Propagating Chriftian Knowledge. The forementioned truftee has a yearly falary paid him by Mrs Mackenzie and the faid Society. To encourage the young women to acquire the perfed knowledge of fpinning there is an annusl competition at ^ach of the fchools, and premiums given by Mrs Mackenzie to the beft performers, for the purpofe of exciting a laudable emulation. The premiums are held oiit to all the taught fpinfters in the ifland *.

» The encouragement thus given to promote the induftry, the iinprore- ment,^ and confeqoently the real happinefs of fo many of our fellowciei-

turca*

* <it Locbs. 1(79

tores, wlio, from local circnmfiAnces, ue fecludcd from die more cuU tiTtttcd part of fociety, unquestionably zcfle^s a high degree of honour on the worthy perfOn by whom it is fo generoufly beftowed, and (hall in- fallibly prove a fource of unfpeakable confolation. The memory of the haughty, and, of courfe, the cruel-hearted daughters of diffipadon, IhaU be utterly forgotten, or if mentioned, fliall be mentjpned with abhorrence : whilft that of the generous, whofe kind efibrtf are well directed for the pcnnanent good of mankind, Ihall be blefled on the earth for many foe- ceeding ages.

NUM.

oto Statiftical Accouia

NUMBER IZ.

PARISH OF UIG,

(COUVTT OF R0S8» SyNOD OF GlBHXLO^ PuSBTTtfT OF

Lkwxs).

Bj thi Riv. Mr Hugh Mokro.

If ami ami SituaiuM.

UIGt in the eommon acceptation of the word, figntfieSf in many parts of the Highlands, a folitary placet nmcb ftqueftered from the public eye } which feems to apply with particular propriety to the local fituation of this parifh, it bieing fcparated from the pariih of Stomoway and Lochs, which lie on the eaft and fouth-eaft coaftof the ifland, by an cxtenfive flat and foft moor, no le(s than la computed miles an length ; on the fouth-weft it is bounded by the moon* tains of Harris ; on the weft, by the Atlantic Ocean j and on the north, by a part of the pariih of Lochs, which in that place runs acrofs the country from eaft to welt. It is fituated in the county of Rofs, illand and prelbytery of

Lewxsi

«nd f jnod of Glenelg. The length of the parifh is ten com- -pmted mil^, not induding the wide entry of Loch Roag, which rans into the heart of the parifh from the weft ward ; its breadth is nine miles. The interior part of it is hilly^ much more fo than any of the other parilhes in the ifland, and along the fliore it is almoft flat. In many of the farms along the fea-coail the foil is ikndy ; fartlter back, it is of a thm light kind, mixed with a little clay, and a great part of it feems to be the laft ftratum of mofe which has been cut away for fuel, and which pit>duce8 forced crops^ with the affiftance of fea-weedfor manure.-— The air is moift^ and healdiy to the inhabitants. The moft prevailing diftem- pers are rhenmatilm, eryfipilas, cholics, andkpilepfy among infants from the fifth to the eighth day alter dieir birth ; if they are not affbSed with the difcafe befere die eighth day, they are not afterwards fubjed to it. The furgeon in this country declares, that the laft-mentioned diflemper proved fatal in every cafe which came within the compre- henfion of his knowledge, two only excepted, in which the furgeon attended. One of the children which efcaped, fuffered fb much from the violent exertions of the mufcles, during the continuance of the fits, that its arms and legs are diftorted, and the whole frame is in a debilitated Hate, and likely to continue fo. It is worthy of remark, that the infjBints of fuck parents as come to this ifland from the neighbourmg continent or illands, or from anj part of Bri- tain, are not troubled with this affli&ion, until fuch parents refide for many years in this country ; and indeed few of them are at all troubled with it. - This difiemper prevails over all the ifland. — ^This parifli abounds with fmall lakes aod rivulets ; trouts are to be found in all the lakes, but bmewhat inferior in tafle and flavour to thofe on the' main- land. There are four rivulets in which fsdmon are caught in fmall quantities, and ufcd by the inhabitants. — The Vol. XIX. Na length

^1 StatifiictU Acctmnt

iMgthordieeMft, fcUowiag die (^<mioidliU' around Loch Kong, is 40 confMel miks; ibe IWbb is jTockj. Oogfiiht cod, lisg» aad cokfiOi axo tlwfcnt here. Gteat qnancitics of herriiigf, of osioooumbIj large fize, have begun to be cfioght in ihis loch wkhin ihcfie ^pw years, llie henriqgs moke their appeanaoe stboot the aoth of December, and remnin to Che middle of Jemnry \ tlus ]aft year, (i794)» upwards of 90 fiul came^firom iHftniiit pavls of the kingdooi ; thej both fifiied, and faoqgha the lierring frdh &om the countrj^^eople, at the great priee of from 9 8. to xa s. f$r €rmu^ (which is dK full of a banel of green ftih, as taken out of the net). The onoonuDDfla gales of wi^d whidi pvevailed dus winter, bacaaie'fittl to fome of die fifliers, and aendered 'their Ibocefr npao the whde mudi left than it was any year finoe die fiflnag laft commenced. Forty years back, and long faefiore, tbere was an immenfe herriog^filhing in Loch Roag. Sweden was then the only mariiet for the fifli, aad the abandamy was fuch, that the country-people fold diem £»r I s. fer fore£ud crane. The cod b very plenti&d in this loch da* ring the herring-fifliing, and when the herrings emigrafte, they foon diiappear. The cods are fold &eih by die coon- try. people at a d.'each. Such <rf the inhabitanta as indiae to take the trouble of curing them, can be fapplicd with jalt for the purpofe from two ftorehoafes erefied there by Mr Macken^ of Seafordi, in which &k is kept fior the benefit of the people. Mufdes are found fo plentifiil diat lime is made of their ihells. Oyfters, dams, and coc- kles, are foimd here. There are ai>out 140 tons of kelp annually made at JiOch Roag, which is fuperior in quafity to any other kelp in the Hi^ands of Scotland ; this is fbf- ficiently evinced by its felling for at leaft a giunea/«r ton snore than any other kelp«-— Gallan-head is oae of the chief promoutorics; i| lies at the footh-weft eatry to Lodi

Rottg. The Flaftnan Ides lie in a north- weft diseffion from GaBait^heftd, about 12 or 13 miks in the ocean v they are not inhabited^ and are famous for fattening iheep, each o£ which have always at a time two lambs every fealbn. The iflands are feven in number, and are the fame which Bu^ channan calls Infulce Sacra, becaufe diey feem to have been the refidence of ecdefiyftics in time of the druids ; fome of their temples, built without any mortar, are 0iU extant. Sheep brought from thofe ifles do not live for any time on the continent of Lewis. The people of the farms to. which the ifles ate connefied, go there once a-year to fleece their iheep, and to kill fea-fowb, both for food, and on account of their feathers. In the iflands there is to be found, in the fummer feafon, a migratory bird, called by Martin coU^ by others edder duck^ famous for its elaflic down, which it plucks off its own bread, and with which it lines the neft.— ^^ Loch Roag, being the only one worthy of particular notice^ is two leagues acrois at the entry, and runs up in a fouth* eaft diredion about 12 miles through the ifland. This loch b covered with iflands, feveral of them inhabited, and one of them is about eight miles long; its name is Large Bemera. The whole of this ctu-ious loch abounds with dsfe places of anchorage, fufiicient to hold the whole firi-* tilh navy, naj, I may fay the navj of Europe. The whole parifli b covered with heath, except the inhabited grounds at the £e4-fide.

Population^ lie* oftbt Parijb ofUigf Auguji 1792. Families, « . 387

Souls, * * 1898

Malesi - • 898

Females, - > icxoo

Soub under 6 years old| - 314.

Ditto under 14 ditto, • 542

Soub

iflif Stati/Hcaljtcctnmt

Souls between 14 and 60, - 99^

Above 60, - - S5a

In X755» the populatioQ^ aceordbg to Dr Webfter, wa» 131a.

There are in the pan£hyNetnnkeiSt	a75
KelpmajjLen,	a99
Weavers,	%6
Wrights,.	9
Tailon,	7
SladdJaniths,	S
Calves rearing,	641
Milch-cows,	914
Cattle,	2007
Sheep,	5044
GoatSy	304
Horres,	681
Filhing-boats,	73

There are at prefent more inltances of longevity here (as is always the cafe), than in any other. parilh in the ifland; feverab near 90, and fome above that age^are at pre- fent alive. They marry very young, and barrenneis is fcarcely known.-~AU the people dwell in little farm-villa- ges, and they filh in the fummer-feafon^ ^e women do not fiih ; but almofl at all times, when there is occaiion to go to fea, they never decline that lervice, and row powerfully. When they go to the hills with their cattle, all defcriptions of fex and age angle on the frefli-water lakes. All the woollen and linen cloth ufed for common purpofes is fpun ' and wove in the parifli. There is only one furgeon in the whole ifland. All the inhabitants are of the Eftabliihed Ghurdk In the parifli are four or five boat-carpenters,

sad

ofuig. 285

feveral perfons who make broags of leather tanned bj the inhabitants with tormentil-root. — ^There are no in- fiances known of filicide. — ^Many of the people in the p»- rifli are employed in manu&fturing kelp, and many of them go for the fame purpofe to Harris and Uift.— There sure no trees to be feeo, nor any kind of braihwood.

Agricmbun* — The pariOi never fupplies itfelf wkh fa£- fidcncy of provifion. The people (^ve lately acquired a fnperior knowledge and pradtice of the culture of potatoes * to what they formerly had, and in proportion to the in« creafe of this ufefiil |pot, their buying of prorifion dimi- niihes, and bears a (mall pr^ortion to their outlays in for- mer years. About 15 years ago, the prefent minifter was obliged to give over the cultivation of potatoes, Except a little £9r bis own private domeftic iife, becanfe prejudices hindered the people from eadng them ; but his per&ve- ranee in ufing them in his own family at laft convinced the people of their error, and of the vaft utility of that article. A finall quantity of fiax and hemp is fown in different parts of the parilh, owing to the particular attention of Mrs Mackenzie of Seaforth, who makes exertions to direft the indufiry of the females of this and the other pariihes of the ifland to fuitable objeds, and has ereded, at a confiderable expence, threes fpinning-fchools in this pari(b» Here thej fow fmall or black oats (the only kinds nfed) in the months of March and April ; they reap ig September and OAo- fcer ; they fow here a little earlier than in any other part of the country, in order to be employed in mannfaduring kelp as foon as poilible. Barley b fown in May, and reap- ed in the latter end of Auguft, and fome of it in Septem- ber. The oats are all cut with the fickle, but the barley is plucked ; the reafon for their plucking the latter is, that the root of it makes good thatch for their hou&s ^ and al-

tboug|i

§M$ StaHJlkat Account

liioagh tliej ^odc it k niny weather, when dwgr ooMt cany on aoj other harveft^work, it sever heata, and i»eafif dried with the firft &ir weather. Kail or cabh^ of any kind \a not ufed here % fince their prejudice agaioft potatoct has heen overcome, the j chnfe to beftow their mamve oa the latter rather than the former. The mibifter ia sa a &• milar predicament. That part of the parifli which lies far- theft oat to the oeean id verj defiitate of fiea^wato ; Ae is* terior parts tire abundantlj fopplied with cot ware fior amh ilttre*

Ltu^gmage.i'^Th^ Gaelic is the only haguage fpokett^ »- oept by a few tackfmen } but it is to be hoped, that die Engliih langniige, and, of conrie, the knowledge of books, ihall become more prevalent, as two fchook were btelj eroded in the pariflu— >The names of places are derived from the Norwegian or Icekndic tongues, fnch as Kenvicki Kirkiboft, &c.

durcb^f^Th^ value of the minifter*s living, indDdiflg the glebe, and after a late and voluntary augmentadoa of ftipend given by the proprietor, is L. 8o« The King is patron. Hugh Munro is miniftcr ; be is the third fince die erefiion of the pari£b. Macleod and Normand Morifoa were his predeccfibrs. The prefent incumbent has beea fixteen years fettled } he is a widower, and has three daa^^ ters and one fon. The manfa was built about fooiteca years ago. Two kirks were built two years ago» Ses^ forth is lole proprietor.

Poor.— There are 50 poor people who aik alma among

the parifliioners. Mrs Mackenzie of Seaferth gives Us

annually to meliorate their condition, and the mulfis of de^

3 linqooflts

Jiaqiicfits are laid ODt to tlie fiuM pnrpde. All the people «re semarked for a cbarkaUe difpoition.

Prkt ofLahmr^^K boat-cafpenter here gets i s. a-day wmA bb viAoak; a mafioti die fBwie; a anale-iervant haa L %firtmnmt9h with coarle iboes« and has vidnab; a fe« jnale-fervaot firom 5 s. to lot. annoaUj, with ihoes and vie- inalt.P*^There is not a plough in the parifti ; all the tiUage is Qoadnded with crooked and firaight fpades* No carta nor waggons. The foel is wholly peat.

Jirmdical TimpJe^ Vc.— *At a place caUed Galarnilb, not Sax from Loch Roag, there is an entire draidical pbwo of wo^hjpt of which I iubjoin a ikctcb:

/

— I

\

\

%*- Entry. —

Someoftfae fion^ are verj large^ efpeciallj that in tha oentK of the circle i they all fiaod on end at Ibme diOance tcQBk eaeh other, and art whoU^ in a rough natnial ftate* ae taken froaa the iboce«

AC

aS8 Statiflkal Account

At Mdifia are the xemains of a mmiierj, called ffill ia the language of the coontrji Teagb ma u cailicbam dom^ or^ The houfe of the old black women. At Carlawaj there is % Danil^ forty or doitne, with a doubk wall of drjr fioDc ; it i8» perhaps, the moft entire of any of the kbd in Scotland; it is Tery broad at the bafe, and towards the top coatrads in the form of a pyramid ; the height of the wall it 39 feet} the fabric is perftdly circolar.— In ancieot times there were many battles fought in this pariih between the Macaulays and Morifons, who had perpetual feuds*

This pariih gave birth to the father of Alderman Mac- aolay, now living in London, whofe uncle George Mac- aolay is ftill at Galstfnifli. The people of this pariih are remarked for their cleanlineis and hofpitality more than their equals in any other part of the ifland.— The number of boats is not below a hundred.— Two or three open boats go annually £rom this pariffli to Glafgow with &lted beef| dry falted ifii, tallow, &c. — The people are vtxj economi- cal| and are not fond of a military life,

MifceUamous Ohfirvatioat. — If maaufiifiures were intro- duced here upon a great fcale, they would tend to melio- rate the condition of the people, becaulie fiich employment would afford bread to the increafe of population which pre- vails here, as well as in all the pariflies of the Highlands.-* Very near the maniie there livea a woman, who hasfoordi- ftinft breafts or mammae. She has had feveral ftout health/ children, and fuckled each of them, and like wife one of the minifier's children. She has nipples and milk in each of the four breafis ; the two upper are fituated immediately under the arm-pits, and by being diftended with milk, are very troublefome to her for the firft two or three months lifter her delivery. Such a lu/us nature is very uncom- mon*^

NUM.

ofKbyme and EJjtt^ 289

NUMBER X. PARISH OF RHTNIE AND ESSIE,

CCOUHTT •F ABkftDEBV, StVOD OpMoKAT, FusBTTSRY

OP Stkathbogie).

Frmm Commmmeaiimis hy the Rn. Mr James Milhe*

THE pariflies of Rhynie and Effie were united at a re- mote period. The chnreb of EiBe was contiaaed as a place of worlhip till abont 30 yean ago» when it became rainoos; fiace that time the pari(h has been generally known by the name of Rbyaie on^. It b fitnaled in the county, of Aberdeen, Synod of Moray, and Prelbytery of Strathbogie. This prefbytery was disjoined from the fy- nod of Abcvieea, and annexed to that of Moray in 1700 : A disjnnAion the more remarkable, that feveral of the pa- riflies were in the connty of Aberdeen, idid one of them, Morxlicb, was originally the (eat of the biihoprick, which was afterwards temoved to Old Aberdeen.

Vou XIX# O o Boundaries.

290 Statyilcul JccnM

Boundaries, — The pariih of Rhynte is bounded by the pariihes of Cairniei C^brach, Auchbdore, and Gartlj.

Exttttt and Contents^ (/r.-— The figure of the pariih is nearly fquare^ it being 5 Englifh miles long, and nearly ns broad, it contains 8 of the 48 davochs or davdcht of the lordihip of Strathbogie. A davacb contains 3a oxen- g^es * of 13 acres each, or 416 acres of arable land. At thisi rate, the whole lordihip of Strathbogie anciently wa« e&imated at 19,968 acres, or, in round numbers, 20,000 acres of arable land. About one-third of this is infield or croft-land, and two-thirds outfield*

Lordjbip 0/ Strathhogii. — As this lordihip was one of the five divifions of the county of Aberdeen, ancicntlj called Lordlbips or Thanages, as it included the whole ori* ginal eftate which King Robert Bruce gave to the noble ^mily of Gordon, and as it has been overlooked bj Dr Anderfon in his Survey of the County of Aberdeen, the writer of this account tilings himfelf bound to tal^e notice pf it. The wliole lordihip of Strathbogie comprehends 120 fquare miles, including both the arable and unculti* vated lands. It lies on bdth fides of tiie river Bogie« which empties it&lf into the Dteveron, near IKintly. In 1424, when the proprietor of it was one of the hofta^ for the ranfom of Kinf* James I. his rt*nt41 was Rated to be L. 400 Scotch diohcy of that age, ^iXt thebdat^ of the

High

« JB7 ta of MnruQt, March tz. isfs, sn wei^tte, sf «s|iR^ amiite 13 acres, 4 qxcngate a twcnty-lhilKn^ land, 8 oxa^gite a tanttflnnhit

land. Some of the oxengates in the lordftiip of Strmthbfigie ane not 6 acres; others above 19 'acrw.-~'nic hills are icfs cultivated, and the low grounds formerly in wood-, -are now rntore* iti enltnre. '^tt his probably pccafione4 the inequalitf . Theicfpre, in the abort aecoatt, iStif l^al met- fures of a dayocb and ox|^tte are preferred to iadeiimt^ xoeafores.

i>/ Rby^e and Ejfftei stgi

ttigh Cotidftble of Scotland, afterwards Efttl of Errol» And ^ of the Great M^rifchil, afterwards Earl Marifcha!; were onlj valued at L. 8eo Scotch each.

t^9 Igriihip^^x^^ 4 ^{^ ftr^ji^ ^*. Stqithbpg^ip. . The {q\\ of the pariih is Tarious; loamj near the ri^cer Bogie f. ftonnj and gravelly, jet very fertile, near the 'bottom of tl^ hSJ^^i-^ inXQipp%w.gfQjlftds^5cJ^3r, iqtoth^i^a n^of- fy foiL 'Agri^vlfipirf Ijas not^jpt p^dq gfjat gdya^ciy^, there t^moglly^fibojUiUnjcf^ ofe tumipi.apd.^ acres o( fown grafs, in the whole of this extenfive parifti. Yifptbe farmers are beginning to improve their iands ; and to en- able U^efn tQ 4oJo, there i^^ab^nd4QQ?-p(»|tfBe4oi^ m^%n« of ^he ^lgtU)QHfii)g pwifl^Jf ' ; I ^ . : ,m::V/

Moufl^qi^* — Thpugh tbere arc ff veral Ijills^ tber? is ^T., one of tl^efe which deferve^ the. name of ^- mountain. It i^ C^cd the b^l] of Nqth ; and is of a conical Ihi^pe, fpring-^ ing frpm its batfe about ^ojs feet, and atlcaft loco feet above tbejeyel of the fea. TJi^. whole parift i?. <;}eva^ed above ; (bat lev^l a]t lead 400 fe^t. ; ^s a proof of this elevation» the river pady riles near (be bor|ler9 of this pariib, and after fallii^ iptp the Uryi and aloiig with it into the Don* runs into the fea at Aber()een, after a courfe of 30 miles to the fouth*ea(l ; ^nd t^e rircr Bogie, which runs through the pariih, after mixing its waters with the Deveron, and running alfo nearly 30 miles in a north*weft dirediou, falls into the Moray Frkb at B/M^ff* ^

Population^ Rent^ ?/r.— The number of pei^fons in this pariih is 68x ; but, according to Dr Webfler'k lift in X755, it amounted to 836, The number of horfes, 17a ; of black* cattle, 882; and of flieep, 2255. — T\\i rent of the parifh is about L. 700. The minifter's itipend is two chalders of

meal.

09% Sta^ftkal AeaniM

Voxi/Lf and L. 74 : 8 : loA* The fiAoolmaSer'* &lirf is 7t bolb of aictl, which it pud id (iaall gwitkifs bj the tenants. The coUedioos iac the poors iodadiiig wkuX m made at the commonioii, amount to about L.8 jearij, which, with the intereft of L. 15 of fiinded monej, and from L. 3 toL.4 of leat-ients, has been feond adequate to their fopptj.

ITirieors, 5/f .— The whole parift' is now the piopeitjr of tile Duke of Gordon, who is patron of Rhyme : But Knrt Fife* as patron of Effie, has a vice patftmage of the united

pariihes.

* AHtiywiiin,i^^On the top of Noth are, according to Mr Williams, Dr Anderfon, and others, -the ^mainsof a iri* trified fort. Some, however, are of opinion, that this ia only the mouth of an extinguiflied volcano.' The conical ihape of the ^hill favours the idea of a votcitoo; but the ftones and remains of a building are rather favourable to the fuppofition of a vitrified fort.— There is a tradidon of a battle having been fought at a remote period aboot Cbe^ middle of this pari{fa. And a large 'fibne, about five feet diameter, on which there are fome hieroglyphical cbai^r- ters, an*d ftanding on the moor of Rhynie, b (aid to have bden ereded in memory of the engagement. Part of this lione has been lately broken : But it is certainly very an- cient.

Eminent Men.-^^As this vras'the feat of a great many of the Gordons during tlie tkuds of the clans, this parilh gave birth to many brav^ fellows, eminent in days of turbulence^ but now configned to oblivion. Two anecdotes relative to the hiftory of thofc times are, however, worth prcfcrviog, ««*Huntly's fc^condfongottbe lands of Scurdarg in thi:>, and ' • afterwards

afterwirds thoie of Pitlorg in a neighboiiriiig porifii. The male heir of the Earii fiuled in the time of James III. and the heirefs was married to a jounger fon of the Lord Seton, afrerwairds Earl of Wioton, Mr Seton was created £arl of Haatly, and was a man of great abilities. When the £ark of Douglas and Crawford had joined in a kagoe ivhich ihook the dirone. Lord Hnntly^ who was Lieutenant of the North, led on his troops to . the battle of Brechin. Bat in marking out the commanders of the clans, he appoint- ed his iecond £00, the laird of Gight, to head the Gordons* According to the ideas of that age, the Earl himfelf was caily a Seton, and Pitlnrg was chief xji the Gordons. The daD, therefore, infifting that Pitlorg fhooU march at their bead, he applied to Lord Hontly, and claimed his ri^t. Huntly refoicd ; and Pitlurg took off his Uack bonnet ^^and waving it, cried, ^ ji* tiat^s comt 0' mi^foUova me ;" imme^ diately the whole clan went off with him, and left Hontly alone. The Earl, with admirable prefence of mind, came up to them, and (aid, '* Gentlemen, you have overcome ^' me ; I yield it to yon. Pitlurg, command the Gordons. ^ And. now. Gentlemen, that you have got the better of ** me, let me fee if you will beat Lord Crawford." The Gordons, in high agitation of fpirits, attacked the enemy ; and Earl Huntly, after a mod glorious and important vic« tory, got the lands of Badenoch and Lochaber, for hadding (boldiog) the Crown on the King*s Head. From that mo- ment the family of Huntly became the greateft in the north ; and this contention with the clan, by making them feel bold, was fuppofed to have contributed not a little to the viftory at Brechin.

The

• A black bonnet, ancicntij the drefs of a Highland Chiefuin, is now v«rn by tbe moorland farmers in Mid>tothian, to dUUnguilh them from iSieir ferrants.

294 Statytkal Atc99tai

The other anecdote regards a fecond fon of Fidotg, -who got the lands of Caimborrow. The daj before the battle of Glenlivet, the Marquis of Huntlj came to Caimborrow, and applied to his ladj, who was fuppofed to role the roaft, for her aSiftance. She iaid| Ihe had got Ihort warnings bnt that her old man, with his eight fona, with a jackmaa and a footman to each, flioald attend him immediatelj. Htintly thanked her; and after fome more conirerfation widi her, defired Gairnborrowi who had never fpoke a word, to ftay at home, telling him, that at his advanced jears it was not proper to take him along, efpecialljr<as be had fe man J of his fons. The old man heard him out, and frmg- ging up his (honlders, laid, ** Na^ ua^ my Lord, PO Uead *^ ibi wbetps my fell; tbtftt bite ibe beHer.'* This was rt once the reply of a fportfman and a foldier ; and the whole frmily went to battle with the laird at their head. Thej defeated Argjle, and returned all fafe to Caimborrow *• In mountainous diftrids, fenttments of liberty, and of per- fonal bravery, are very prevalent.

jtdvantages of tbe Parijb of Rhynie,^--T\\tk are, good foil in general, and fhclter from the high hills, which ren- ders the greater part of the cultivated lands very warm and fertile.

Difadvantagis*

# The writer of this tecoant has been faTOored with a curioas mun- Script, in which the names of the father, mother, and eight font, ase aJl mentioned : ** John Gorden of Caimbome married Seflle Cordon, daughter *< to the Laird of Buckie, with whom he begat eight fons and three daugh- «< ten. His fons were, ift, John, laird of Caimbome, afterwards of Edii^ *< glaffie; i. George Gorden of Sorbach ; 3. James Gorden of Fcrmaghtie; « 4. William, who coft (bought) Caimborrow; 5. Mr Arthnr Gorden; *« 6. Thomas Gorden of Aitloch ; 7. Robert Gorden of Gollachie ; S. P»- <« trick Gorden of Craigfton in Sutherland. Allthefe, with their father, asd ** nine jackmen and as many Ibotmen, went to Glenlivet battle."

of Rbjfnid ani Ejfie^ 305

Di/advaniagis^'^Thete are, the diftance from market, want of capital in many of the fiirmers, and, in fome cafes, mill-multures ; but thefe laft are aU, by the Duke of Gror« don, to be abolilhedi when the prefen^ leafes expire ; and the carrying up a canal from Aberdeen to the head of the Garioch, or from Huntly to Rhjnie, will in time render the markets more acpeflible.

CbaraBer of the P^tf/Zr.— Thej are fober, induftrious, peaceable, and contented with their condition. They en« ]oy not the luxuries of cities, but they have the neceflaries and fome of the comforts of life, along with health of body and animation of charader; and they add more to the ftrength of the countrjr than four times their number of difcontented and debauched manufadurers, or mobbiih po- liticianp cap do, in any time of public or national danger*

NUM.

9)6 Siatifiicml ActmA

NUMBER XI. PARISH OF ABOYNE AND GLENTANAR,

(Couvn AV]> SrvoD of Abirbekh, Pusbtts&t or

KlMCARBlUX).

By u Frumi !• Stati/iieal InquirUs^

Origin ofibi Name.

THE origia of the name of Abojnc is mikiiown. Tlui of Gkntanar is evidently derived from the rivulet Tmar, and fignifies the glen or hollow oocafiooed b j thst rivulet.

Glcntanar and Infchmamoch, at a remote period, mtde one parifli ; but, from the poomeis of the living, they were disjoined, and Infchmamocb was funiL in the onitedpa^ riflies of Glenmuick, Glengom, and Tullich. Glentaaar vras united to Abo jne ; bat after the bnilding of a centrical church at Abojrne, the name of Glentanar was alfo fook; and the pariih is now genendlj known bj the name of Abojae* L - Situatinfif

I

tf Ahoyne and Glentanar. 297

Situation, Extent^' C^c.-^Thefe pariihes are fituated ia the county and fynod of Aberdeen, and prefbjtery of Kin* cardine. The church is 30 Engliih miles fouth-weft fromt Aberdeen, and nearly the fame diftance north-weft frond Brechin. The cultivated part of thefe pariihes ex- tends four miles from eaft to weft, and three miles from north to fouth ; but the hills of Glentanar extend five miles farther to the fouth-weft. The river Dee is generally the boundary between the two parifhes, Glentanar lying on the fouth, and Aboyne on the north of that river. Only the lands of Balnacraig, and two infulated farms in the pari(h of Aboyne, furrounded on all fides by the parifh of Birfe, ate fituated on the fouth bank of the Dee. The parifh of Lochlee, in the county of Angus, whofe church Is above 16 miles from that of Aboyne, bounds this parifh on the fouth* weft. In the county of Aberdeen it is bounded by the pa- rifhes of Glenmuicki TuUich, Coul, Coldftone, Logie, Kin- cardine, and Birfe.

Ancient Divifion of the County.'^'The different hills which nature has marked out as barriers, were the ancient boun- daries of counties and diftrids. In modern times, the di« vifion by rivers has gained ground. But in thefe pariihes the county of Aberdeen crofTes the river Dee, and follows the divifion by hills ; and in this dii{ri£t, the ideas of a High- lander ftill favour the divifion bj Mils and mountains. The people uniformly call all that extent of ground which is bounded by the fenfible horizon by the name of^ country.

Mountains. — The parifh of Aboyne has no confiderable hills. Glentanar is altogether hilly, and approaches to mountainous. The higheft mountain of Glentanar, called y^t Fir Mouthy is about 2500 feet above the level of the fea ; and commands a profpedl of Aberdeen, Montrofe, and Ar-

VoL. XiX. P p broath.

fipS Statijikal Accwint

1>roath* Another of thefe mountains, Month KeaUf tf feen firopi the coaft of Bttchan, at the diftance of above 40 miles, and ferves as a barometer to the interjacent country. When the ^conical top of Montb Ktan is covered with a cloudy the people in the lower pares of the count j feUom fail to have rain within 24, or at moft 36 hours.

Rivers. — The principal river, which runs through the whole extent of thefe pariifaesi is the Dee, which abounds in falmon, fea-trout, and bum<4rout9 or fireih-water trout. Thefe are only caught with the rod; and fell at from 3d. to 4 d. per Ih. according to the feafon of the year. The infe- rior rivers are the Feuch, which runs along the lands for« rounded by the pariih of Birfe, and fiiUs into the Dee aboat II miles below Aboyne; the Tanar, and the AUacfajy which runs into the Tanar, and along with it falls into the Dee about a mile above Aboyne. All thefe rivers are re- markably clear, but very rapid, and fwell fuddenly to a great degree, which renders them very dangerous.

^00^.— Befides a confiderable quantity of different kinds of wood pianted in the pari(h of Aboyne, there is s very large fdreft of natural wood in Glentanar, the gitareil length of which is //n, and the breadth fix Engliih miles. Thb foreft produces Scotch fir (a fpecies of pine) of a very good quality, which grows on the fides of the hills \ but from the great elevation, no wood grows near the top of the higheft mountains. There is a great demand for this woodi which brings Lord Aboyne from L.400 to L. 500 yearly. It was fold, till lately, at 3 d. per cubic foot } but for feme years pad at 4 d. in lots, or prizings^ as they call it, and m picked trees at 5 d. per cubic foot; within thefe few wecb (in June 1796) it has been raifed to 6d. the foot« The axe-men are particularly alert in picking out and cutting

down

0f Aboyne and Glentanar, 299

down the largeft trees. But the expeoce of getting tbem out of the foreft is very confiderable ; and as the trees are always fquared with the axe, the wood is not fo economi- cal! j managed, as if there were a faw-mill, and proper ma- chinery for carrying the large logs from the foreft. As a proof of the finenefs of the wood, the writer of this account numbered 130 concentric circles on a tree of zi' inches diameter *•

A Canal propofed. — ^If a canal could be made out from Aberdeen to Aboyne, this extenfive foreft would produce Ij« 1500 a-year to the proprietor. Perhaps fuch a canal is not only pradicable, but could be made at much leis ex- pence than might be expefted, from the rapidity of the rivers, and the great elevation of the pariih of Aboyne ; but it (hould 9ot be attempted near the banks of^ the Dee. The writer of this account believes, that by raifing ji canal from Aberdeen at once to the level of Hazlebead, there* would be almoft a ^tzA level, and at any rate, no occafion for more than one lock for fix miles above Hazlehead. This canal (hould probably be carried paft Cannieglirach, Hirn, Rameir, ^aflel, and Kincardbe. A branch of it could be cooduded paft Skene, Cluny, Mooymuik, and perhaps pearly to Alford \ and till the increafing commerce of the county enabled the proprietors to make out locks from Hazlehead to Aberdeen, a diftance of two'tpiles, a carriage- way could be ufed at a moderate expence. With a little more public fpirit, and alfo by laying out their money with economy, the proprietors of land in Aberdeenihire may make out canals, where they at prefent account them

impraAicable.

* The foreft of Glentanar has been twice burned ; once, as was fuppo- it^ by accident. The yonng wood fufiered, but the old wood received i^o hurt, except being a little iioged.

300 Statijlical Account

impraSIcable. And from the great extent of wafte or im« ini|. roved land, on which a very fmall quantity of lime ivould operate, they would foon be indemnified by the rife of their rents for the expence of any canal which wts can- dncted on /ational principles. In the pariih of Aboyne, in p:.! dcttlar, firom the rife of both the rent of the lands, and of t)ie price of wood, a canal to Aberdeen would be at- tended with moft beneficial efie&.

Soil and .^^^fVtf/ffire.— Much cannot be faid in behalf of either of thefe. The foil of both parUhes is (andy or gra- velly. In fome parts it is loamy, but very little of a clay foil is found in either of thefe pariflies. In rainy ieafons abundant crops are produced ; but it has long been obfer- ved, that Dee-fide needs a Ihower every 34 hours, from May to Auguft. And in very dry Teafons, from the qua- lity and thinneis of the foil, this difirid is very deficicot *both in corn and draw. Harvefts, of courfe, are earfier than in moft parts of the county. When the foil of die lands adjacent to the two principal rivers of Aberdeenfiiire, the Dee and Don, are compared, the latter has manifefily the advantage on the whole. Hence the old rhyme,

A foot of Don*s worth two of Dee, Except it be for fifli and tree.

The inhabitants of this pariih, however, by felling their wood, in more diftant parts of the county, at high prices, contrive to live comfortably. At the £ame time, it mv& be confefTtd, that this traffic in wood is a lois to agrtcul« ture ; and fince the introdudion of the new hufbandry, this diftrid, which is admirably adapted for raifing barley, tar« nips and potatoes, receives yearly a confiderable quantity pf lime, which goes a great way in the thin foil of this di-

ftrift.

of Aboyne and Qlentanar. 30X

fiiiCL The application of lime, however, to this foil, (hould

only be for turnips, potatoes, or bear fown out with grais.

Y^et the farmers do fometimes apply it to fuccei&ve crops

of oats ; a mode of farming which, if not fpeedily checked,

muft foon reduce the foil of Dee>fide to a caput mortuum.

Though, among the farmers in general, there is no rotation

of crops, nor approved method of hufbandry, yet the Earl

of Aboyne's perfonal farm is in very high cultivation. It

coniUb of nearly 400 acres, all inclofed by excellent Hone

fences, lined with hedge-rows, and alternately producing

white and green crops \ and it proves what can be done,

even on Dee-fide, by the proper application of foil, manure,

and good ploughing.

PopmUutofif lie. — ^The number of inhabitants is 1050. In 1755, by Dr Webftcr's account, they were 1695. There are foar heritors, vi%. The Earl of Aboyne, who is patron, and generally refides in the pariih, Mr Jones of Balnacraig, Mr Farquharfon of Finzean, and the Earl of Aberdeen. The two laft have only a fmall farm each. The Earl of Aboyne is proprietor of five-fixtbs of the parifh. The whole land-rent is about L. 1200.

Burgh ^/"jSaroff;^.— Charleftown of Aboyne is a pleafant little town, and a burgh of barony. It had once a weekly market. It ftill has four fairs or yearly markets.

Goat'Vjbey garters. — In the parifli of Glentanar agreat many goats are kept, and perfons afflifted with confump- tions frequently refort to goat-whey quartets in that pariih* Goatmilk is fold from 4 d. to 6 d. per pint. It is alfo made fpto cbeefe; and is much efteemed by connoiiTeurs.

Antiquities,

302 Siati/iical Account

jinttquities.^^There is a hill ia the pariQi of Aboyne, called Mullach's hilli in which there are a great nomber of cairnsy faid to be burial-pla^es, after a gfeat battle, in which osie Mnllach was killed.

Proprietors qffhe EJlcUt of J^oyne,'-^T\m effaite ancient* Ij belonged to Frafer the thane of Cowie. The Earl of Marifchal married the heirefs of that eftate, and the Mar- qnis of Huntl^ her only daughter, IVfarifdial kept the lands of Cowie, and Huntlj got Aboyne, which he gave to {lis fecond fon. That young nobleman was burned to death in the houfe of Frendraught, where he and fome of his friends were on a yifit. Lady Frendraught was fufpeded of having fet fire to that part of the houfe in which he lodged ; but it is flill doubtful whether his death was wil- fnl or accidental. The eftate and the title of the Earl of Aboyne were given to another fon of the family of Hunt- ly. But in a few generations, the Earls of Aboyne were fo much reduced in their clrcumftances, that the lad Earl fent his baggage to Paris, becaufe he faw he could not hve in Scotland fuitably to his rank. Unwilling, however, to abandon his country, he ordered it to be brought back, and by attending to the management of his eftate, and the faie of his wood, and fclefting able overfeers for bis pcrfonal farm, he foon retrieved his affairs. And after a life, not remarkable for its length, but for its activity, intelligence, and fleadinefs, he left a clear eftate of L. 6000 a-year to his eldefi fon, and another, about the third part of that value, to his iecond fon. In an age in which diilipation is fo pre- valent, a cbarader of this kind ought to be mentioned with rcfpcft; and in a Statiftical Account, the following parti- culars regarding Lord Aboyne's rural economy are worthy of notice. — He* built eigbtein miks of a boundary to his farm and plantations. The whole ftone fences, including 2 fubdivifioDS,

of Ahoync and Glentanar. 303

fabdivifions, muft be at lead 40 Englifii miles in length, or above feventy tboufand yards. The fences are about five feet in height, extremely well executed, and were all done by days wages, or by men hired by the feafon. He dif- approved of bnilding fences by the piece, as they are (el- dom durable. He lived in a diflrid where the price of la- bour was low**, bat where the people were indolent. By giving them employment, and introducing overfeers, and a few fisrvants from other places, where agriculture Was known and induftry praAifed. he enabled his people to pay the rife of their rents, and taught them how to improve their own farms ; and by generally refiding on his efiate, hb rent /was fpent among his tenants, and enabled him to command an additional quantity of their labour ^ at the fame time, he was refpe&ed in a much higher degree than he would have been, if, in place of fpending his rents in ufoful and productive labour, he had either been a prodigal abroad, or a mifer who lived at home, but would not part with his money to ornament or improve his eftate* It is only proper to add, that the writer of this account was un- der no obligations to him, and lives 30 miles from Aboyne, fo that he can have no motive for ftating thefe fa£b, but a defire to influence our young nobility, and heirs to great eflates, to imitate thefe good qualities, and to be at once ufeful to them/elves and to fociety. For let it be remem* bercd, that private vices are not fo great public benefits as private virtues are found to be. The eflute of a prodigal is often |dcfiroyed, without employing fo much ufeful la« hour, as is exerted in improving the eilate of a man of a£li- vity, intelligence, and public fpirit.

•

Oai Ship.^-At would be improper to omit mentioning, that a (hip, entirely of oak taken from Lord Aboyne'i

s woods,

304 Statifiical Account

woodSi was latelj built at Aberdeen. She is called the Couateis of Aboyne. It were to be wilhed that more d- couragement was given to the raifing of oak than is com- monly given in this country.

Chara&er of tie FiopU. — They are fober and alert ; bnt not fo patient of labour as the inhabitants of the low coon- try. They are generally very decent, and regular in at* tending on religious ordinances.

NUM.

^fBqyndie^ 305

NUMBER XIL

PARISH OF BOYNDIE^

(COUHTT « BaIT^F, STWOD OF AbERDEEK| PRESBTTEILT

OF Foedtge).

From Matiriats eommunieated by tie Aev. Mr Alexander MiLNEy tie Minifter.

Namef Situatitm, He.

THE origin of the name b unknown. The parifh is bounded bj the Murray Frith on the north and north- -weft; by Banff on the eaft; by Ordiequhill on the fouth, and Fordyce on the weft. It is of fmall extent, being only five Engliih miles long, and from a mile to a mile and an half in breadth. It contains abont 3000 acres, above one half of which are arable, and 400 acres are planted with 'Wood of different kinds, but chiefly with Scotch fir.

Vol. XIX. Q^q Soil

3o6 Statical Account

Soil and Agricuhure.^^TYi^ foil of the parifli is The agriculture is, on the whole, pretty well couduAcd. Though the parifli is of fno^U extent, yet there are generaOy from 60 to 70 acres of turnips, and 300 acres of fbwn grais. This parifli was one of the firft in the north of Scot* land in which the new hufbandry was attempted, and car- ried 00 with fuccefi. The late Earl of Fuidhiter was the author of all thefe early improvements. The farm of Craigholes was firft improved by bis Lordlhip aboot X754 ; and after improving this fariPt to (hew whatcoold be dooc, he took every method of excitiag bit tenants to follow his example. He gave them long leafes of 38 years and a life* time. A better method could not have been devifed. The certain period of 3$ years gave his tenants a fecuricy for carrying on their improvements. The uncertain period at which the leafe terminated, naturally deterred them £ram fcourging their farms when once improved, becaufe every man flatters himfelf with the hopes of a long life. From the example and the encouragement of Lord Findlater, the Hct of this and fome of the neighbouring pariihes was fpeedily altered. But though turnip and green crops were encouraged, and flour- mills wtre built, yet a regular rota- tion of crop h^ not been eftabliflied, nor has much wheat been* raifed in this difirifi. It is probable, however, that the high prices of flour will occafion wheat to be rsufcd in greater quantities, though for a light foil a crop of turnips, and another of barley, is lefs fcourging, and generally more produdive than the Ibuth country praftice of kllow and wheat.

Rent. — The rent of the parifli is mofily in vifiual, and varies from L. 1000 to L.i200.

Populaticn.

rf BbytuRe. 307

Pofmlaiim. — The number of inhabitants is 1260; of which there are 800 nearlj in the countrj pariihy and 460 in the fea-town of Whitehilk. The population in 1755, is flatcd bj'Dr Webfter at 994 foub.

Sea-town. — ^The town of Whitehills is chiefly inhabited by fifliers. There are feven boats employed in the fiihery ; and they are generally -vety tuecefsftiL llie^ ^iiikb of fifh principally caught are cod, ling, and haddocks ; and be- fides coofiderable quantities fold in the town of Banff, and in the coontry around^ the fiiheis generally carry tvtrj jet^ to the Frith of Fofth cod and ling to the amount of L. joo or L. 6oo.

Siifmd, C^»« — ^Tho miliiftetHS ftipead is; ioHfoney, L. 39, and in vidual, 60 bolltf. Th6 colledions for the poor amount to about L.25 yearly, including the intercft of L. aoo of lent money. The fchoolmafter's falary is only 9bollsofmeaL

CbaraBer oftbt PeofJe, — ^They are fober, induftrious, and charitable. From the long leafes, and reafonable rents of the farms in this parifh, the people have not that fpur to exertion which racked rents produce for a feafon. Bnt they have every inducement to fteady and regular induftry, wbieh improves both tlieir bodies and their minds; and they are ftrangers to that defpondency« hffitude, and dif- jgnSir which, after a few years unavailing exertion, take pof* felfion of the difpiritedi hard-toiling, and difcontented far- raer, who is oppreiTed by a rack-rent and fhort Icafe, and at.laft becomes carelefii of every thing, when he lees, that with all his induftry, he is unable to pay his landlord and maintain bifs family.

NUM.

3o9 Siati/Hcal Accwnt

NUMBER Xin.

PARISH OF SOUTH KNAPDALE,

(COUKTT AKD StNOD OV AroTLK, PrESBTTE&T Of

Invzrart.)

From Mtatrialt eomnnmieaied fyjome Gmtltmin m thi Parijb.

Natni^ Situation^ lie.

THAT portion of Argylelhirc, which is co&tiined bc: tween the iftbmi of Crinan and Tarbert, b knows by the general appellation oiKnapdale^ or Cnapadah^ a term it owes to the flriking inequality of its furface. It is bound- ed on the north by the loch of Crinan, and track of the in- tended canal; on the eafl by Lochgilp and Locbfine; on the fouth by the ifihmus and lochs of Tarbert ; and on the fouth-weft and weft by the Sound of Jura. Its extreme length from north to fouth is about x8 miles, and iu great-

eft

ofSouib Knapdale. 309

eft breaddi firom 10 to la. It is interfieded ftom the fouth hj the lochs of CaoEfport and Cafilefwen. The firfly and moil eafterly, penetrates about £oixr miks into the cooi>- trjr, and derives its name from iu narrownefs. The fecond owes its title to a cafile, ficnated near its mouth ; tvhich» to- gether with others on the weftern coafi, were ereded as fiortrefles hj Swen, the Daniih conqueror. The loch ha- ving paffed this place about two miles, fends off a branch to the weftward ; and continuing its courfe for two or three miles fiirther, expands fuddenlj,^ and fplits at once into fe>» ▼eral branches,- refemUing the palm, thumb,* and- Sogers of the hand. The Intervals between thefe branches are finely diverfified with woods, rocks, fields, and (heets of water, wbich, viewied from the road leading from Inverloflay to Gliiflbrj, exhibit an affemblage of contrarieties' fe wildly grotefque, that fane j can hardly image a landfcape more ez- quifitely deHghtfuL The divifion of Knapdale weftward of tfai^ loch, called Rois, is of excellent quality. Could the foil and rocks, with^which it is unfortunately ioterfperlied, be feparated, there would not perhaps be a more fertile fpotin Scotland. The country to the eaftward, if we except the eftates of Caftlefwen and Hl^ap, the low grounds of Inver- neil, Ceannlocheaolifport and Ormfary, th^ extenfive plains round Kilberry Caftle, and a few patches along the fea« coafts, forms a counter-part to that of Rofs. It fwelJs'tnto high and rugged mountains, incrufted with mols, and ihroud« ed with heath. The ihore, however, where not arable, is generally covered with wood ; which furniihes excellent flielter, and proves very convenient for the wiuter-pafiure of black cattle.

• Knapdale, to the fouth-weft, juts out into three great pro- montories or headlands. The moft wefterly is called the point of Kilvicoharmaig, Its fi j^rc is fomewhat like that of a crefcent, between which and the beautiful peninfula of

Daona

5IO MmyUcid Aee^wu

Dumft li€8 the hirfaoor of Lochatkilk, u wakatmgt Wd known to mtriiieffs. Betwtea the lodit of GaAfe aad 6i^ difport is the ceture^pronmitoryt or poiat of Knap ; aarf tho pbiat of Ardpttiick is formed by a baj to the aoitliK weft, ft&d the weft lochof Tarbert to theibath.

Eeclifiafiical SutU lifihe Pon^.— This coantry was £ar* merlj a parfoaage depeodaot upon the abbots of Kihriimiiig. When, at the IUfbrmatioa« that abbacy was converted ia- Xo a temporal lordfliip, a large triao^ of Knapdak, adja- cent to the mouth of Weft Lochtarbert, was anammd to Kilcolmonel. The remainder was ereAed into a paxiik, confiftiag of fix feveral places of WQsftup» amoag wUdi the paftor perCoraied a fort of cooftaat iti^ra«y. The incoavenieocy of a charge fb extenfive, and (b lateffaAad by arms of the fea, was equally £elt by the miaifter and people \ and, upon application being made iAaot 75 yaass ago, the parifli of KnapdaJe was divided iafo the pariftMs ef Sooth and North Kaapdales, by a line of ieparatioa ori- ginating at the fhore, (oath of GafilefwcPf rifing about a mile due eaft» and running north along the tnouatains ciQ it tenaioates in the trafi of the canal, a mile eaft of Loeh- Crinan. By this partition, the whole point of Knap, and . glen of Caolifport, was included in South Knapdale ; but, 4 though it had acquired nearly double the extent, the fa- periority of North Knapdale fitted it tp fupply the occa- fions of a much grca'ter population.

jlncUnt ProfrietorSf l^^.— -Power alone, in the ruder ages of fociet J, conftituted a right. No other title was ne- ceflary, either to its acquifition or maintenance. The Mac-

. millans were anciently proprietors of Kilhamacgand Knap. The lali of the name, to prevent the proftitution of his wife, butchered her admirer, and was himfelf obliged to

. . ,.:; abfcond.

^ Sautb Knapdalc. 311

abCcood. Hia charter was inferibed in the.Gacfie ]aiiga;ige Mid charaAer npon a rock at the eztremitj of his eftate. It proved but a feeble fecunty agaiaft the rapacit j of a barbarous age. The property was coateSed for by the Campbells and Macoeils, the latter of whom were a power- fill dan in North Kaapdale, and decided in fiivour of the ibrmer by compromife* It continued in the fame finmily tiU the yeas 17 75* when, after the death of the tenth pof- feflToTi the eftate was purchafed by the late Lieutenant-Ge- aeral Sir Archibald Campbell of InvemeiL The fword'of MacmWan is iaid to be ftill in prefervation. But it is fin- oerely to be regretted, thift the infcription was defaced by a collateral of the Knap fsmily about 30 years ago. Unlefs prompted by the vanity of having his anceftors confidered in fotnre as the aborigines of their property, it is difficult to affign a probable motive to an aftion fo gothic* Mac* millan's mode of inveftment, in heritable right* is not with- out precedent. The Macmurachies, of old, were proprie* tors of Tcrdigan and Kilberrie, lying in that part of Knap- dale annexed to Kilcolmonel. Their charter is alfo engra- ved| in the fame language and charader, upon a rock near the ihore of thefe lands. From this very ancient family, if we may credit the popular legend of the country, b de- ficended the prefent, but unfortunate, royal line of France. Macmafier of Ceanolochcaoltfport, Achahoiih, and Eilary, became mailers of thefe lands, at a very cariy period, by the murder of Macavcrn, the ancient proprietor. A pool of the river, where he was a-fifiiing at the time, and cairn where he fell, ferve to perpetuate the memory of the fatal cataflrophe. llie pool is c«tlled to this day Lin-eam-vica- vem, I. e. the Pool of Macavcrn '3 CHiro. The pofteriiy of Macm»lter were eminent fo: their dexterity at the fword, and their activity in repelling the incurfions of neighbour- ing

311 Siatiftkdl Account

iog depredators. Their eftate was fold hj RonaU, tUe laft of the race, to the late Sir James Campbell of Achna- breck^ and by him ^oiivejed to Campbell of ShirTen, in the poflefEon of whofe familj it now is. The Macneils and Macmillansy after having efiabliflied themfelyes along the eaftem coaft of Caolifport» were gradually fopplanted by the Campbells* The formet found means to preferre the property of two or three farms in that part till towards the beginning of this century, when they were ezcambioo- ed, with the then Argyle, for the ifland of Coluflnay* But by far the moft coniiderable family in South Knap^ale was the Macalafters of Tarbert. Cantire Ivas at that time beU by the Maodonalds; and the Macalafters, who 'are allowed to be a tribe of that clan, poflefled almoft all the lands around Tarbert, and along the coaft of Lochfine and Locb* gilp, to the extremity of the pariih* They were interrupt- ed in the poiTei&on of their property by the M acivers, a reftleis tribe of the Campbells, inhabiting a part of Glailarj, who effe&ed a iettlement, and ereded a fort of fort on the weft fide of Lochgilp.

The inroads of thefe invaders were, for fome time, ex- tremely vexations to their fouthem neighbours; till at length they were overcome, and almoft extirpated in two bloody conflifis; firft with the Macneils, neir the mouth of Weft Loch-Tarbert, and afterwards with the Macalafters on the fliore of Lochfine. The fanguinaty po- licy which deprived the Macdonalds of Cantire, gradually diminiflied the authority of the Macalafters* The Mac- alafters became mafters of Dael and Craiglafs, now the pro- perty of Macarthur Stewart of Milton; and a Peter Dow Campbell, taking the title of Kildufclan, of all their other lands north of Inverneil. Thefe lands, after paiOng through the hands of the Campbelb of Bamicarry and Aikemil, were purchafed, about three years ago, by Mr Macneil«

late

f>f South Knap4aie* 3 13

late wiittr at Inverary. Four other fEurms, belonging to the Macalafiersy in the vicinitj of Tarbert, are now in pofleffion of Macfarlan of Muckroj ; and three more in that of Campbell of Kintarbert. The remainder of the eftate, with the manfion-houief burnt down bj accident about two years fince^ was purcbafed by the late Mr Campbell of Stone- field. Not a fingle acre is now in poflefiion of the Mac« alafters ; and the ancient dock of Macneils, once all power- ful in North, and numerous in South Knapdale, are matters of no more than two fiurms in the former, and one in the latter pariih,— ^

Sic tranfit gloria mundi ! 4

When northern ferocity had involved the weftem wdrld in darkneisy and buried the arts and learnbg of venerable Rome in its ruins, it was the peculiar felicity of the firft planters of Chriftiahity in Argylefhire to have refaied the facred fpark of Science from eztinftion, and lighted up her torch in the diilant ifland of loHA. Benevolence feels the generous glow of fatisfadion lyhen it reflet, that, whil^ the ambitious priefis of other countries were defolating ftatesy and dethroning princes, the devout of this were dif- feminating, in fequeftered iflands and folitary caves, the ge- nuine truths of that religion, which announced peace on earthy and good will towards men. The purity of its doc« trines, we admit, were at length contaminated by foperfti- tion and legendary fable ; but the gibbet has never been ereAed, nor the faggot lighted up, for the deftrudien of the human race.

Monuments of primitive Chriftianity are numerous in Argylefhire, but no where more frequent than in South Knapdale, Of thefe pious relicb there are four ancient

Vol. XIX. R r chapcb^

3T4 Statiftkdl Account

chapebf which have fuffered but littk from the nift of dme. A fifth, was removed by the MacaKfters of Ceannlochcaolif* port, on account of its oontiguttj to their houfe. A fixth at Kilmalifaig, and a feventh at GlenakiHe, where there are burying-grounds, may poi&bly have ikared a fimilar &te. Of tbefe, the chapels of C0V5 and IJUmimon Ceem to bear marks of the greateft antiquity.

Sk Columbus and St Patrick, lays tradition, having qaar- relied about a point of faith, determined to part* The for- mer, difgufied with Ireland, fwore never more to (ee it, and fet fail for Scotland. He landed on the weft coaft of Iiocl^caolifport, where be. built the chapd of Cove^ the walls of which, till of late years, had undergone but littfe dilapida^on. Near the eud of th{» church is a cooiecntted cave, which gives naioe to the farm, in which it is fitoatc^ I^ altar and font iUll remain^ and over, them a crols, cut QQ the folid rock, by no uomaflcrly cfaiflal. Traditiflii a4di, that Columbus having diicovered the Irifll coaft from a^ adjoining eoiinence, deferted the plf ce» and afierwaxdir founded the renowned femioary of IcainmkilL

The following anecdote of the fain;, whether aaihcntie ot i^ot, ferves tQ prove the precarious tenure of proper^ in. this country during the middle ages :-«»A book being ab*. 4ra£ted« which the faint particularly valuedyhe, in. the overflowing of his refitment, dcnouooe4f Uu»» anarhe roak ffgainft the culprit :

'' Fhir athttgnaoo^molcabhar,^ ^* Gu m boidheach a bhios do bhean ^ <* Gu ma h ard a bhios do. tbi^; ** Gu lua luath a bhios do threabhadh " Agus gtt.nio.dtas a. bhios doi Uiailc.''

« Thou

of South Knapdale. . 315

^ Than purloiner of mj book, be thy wife handfome, ^ and thy hoofe lofty; thy tillage eafyi and thy ^ faxm Ueft with a hxppj ezpofare/'

Who then, in the iesercife of his fober fenlb» t^ould iU- tempt to break the b<mds of civil fociety, when, by intto- blueing anarchy, he muft convert the moil darling objedi of ^efire into our greateft ciirfe? But to return.

Near the well coafi of Knap lie a group of fmall ifland^ the mod confiderable ivhereof is Ellanmorekilvicohannaij^. Carmaig wa3 an ancient proprietor of this ifland. Hb whole family confifted of a grand-daughter, Whb ufed t6 amufe herfelf by angling on the Ihore, which is furrounded Vrith currents, and frequented to this Say by VaUt crouds df filh. It happened upon an occalion of this kiiid, that a bone, in place of a fifli, came out with her line ; ihe uh« hooked, and threw it back into the fea. Again and again it came out in like manner. Chagrined with difappoint- menty (he carried it home, and put it into the fire. Th6 whitenels of its a(bes Aruck her fancy. She •endeavoured to preferve them ; but, burning her finger in the attempt, tnflindively dapt it into her mouth. By this means fhe became pregnant of the faint, whofe fupernatural gifts were to long to furvive himfelf. He founded Kilvicoharmaig, the mother church of Knapdale ; and, after a life i^ent in aAs of piety and devotion, was buried in hss native iiland. His tomb, % little oblong building, elevated about three feet above the ground, remains uninjmred by time. The fiunt b faid to refent, with the rooft fummary vengeance, the leaft indignity ofiered to this monument. Near his tomb is a (mall chapel, built by himdelf. It is arched over, and covered with flags. Within, in a recels of the wall, is a (lone colGn, in which the prieds are (aid to have been depofiied. The figure of a naked man is cut on its cover.

The

3 1 6 Statijiical Account

The coffin, alfo, for ages back, has feryed the faint as i treafurj; and thb, perhaps, might be the purpofefpr which it was originally intended. Till of late, not a firaogcr fet foot on the ifland, who did not conciliate his fisToor, bj flcopping a fmall coin into a chink between its cover and fide* Upon an eminence, not bx off, is a pedeftal with a crois, and the figure of a naked man \ and near to the profs is a cave, pofieffing the wonderful power of franfing llerility in every perfon who dares to enter it. This ma- gic iiland, if we may believe the legendary (lory of the &int,. poflefled many fingular qualities. Nothing coold be jilolen from it that did not of itfelf retom. The mafter of a vefiel, conceiving a liking to the crofs, carried it along with him \ b^t, being overtaken by a ftorm at the Mull of Can- tire, was obliged to throw it overboard ; it floated back to a creek of the iiland, called, from that circumftance. Port* nacroijb^ i. f • the Harbour of the Crois. Miracles were performed by the faint for many ages after his death. At length a woman, labouring under a dyfentry, addrefied him from the oppofite fhore, in the following verfes^

<* 'S mife bean bhochd a' Braidealban <' A m' iheafamh air lie Mba* Charmaig *' So naomh ann an Eilean na fairge *^ Thig's tog a bhuineach o m'earbal."

It was an unlucky bufinefs for the invalids of thofe days, The faint granted her requeft ,- but was fo fcandalifed by ^he indelicacy of her language, that he became deaf to the prayers of his votaries ever after.

The cave preferved its reputation till of late ; and, but for the following untoward accident, would have remained an objed of terror tfll this day. A pair, more folicitoos about gratifying thi^ir paflions than promoting the political

intercil

of South KnapdaU. 3^7

intereft of their countrj, went into it, with a Tiew to bring its infloence to the teft of experiment. They were dilap- pointed. The female became pregnant, and the whole ■eighbourhood fceptics. Though the miraculous excellen- cies of this ifland have now ceafed, they are amply com- penfated to the proprietor by a natural one. Not a patch in the Highlands is fitted to produce beef or mutton of a fuperior quality.

The chapel or church of Kilmory-knap feems to have been the moft confiderable in South Knapdale. Its walb are almoft entire. A beautiful obiliik, or crois» (lands, on the north fide of the burying-ground. It confifts of a fin- gle ftooe, neatly cut, and twelve feet in height ; On one fide is reprefented a fiag-chace ; and on the other, the cruf cifixion of our Saviour, fufpending a balance. There is alio an infcription, which the compiler of this account had not time to examine. It is faid to be in the Hebrew or Gallic charader.

Kilduflan is a fmall chapel on the fliore of Lochgilp. It exhibits nothing ftrikbg ; and tradition has forgot to inroU it in her ample page.

About 25 years ago, the tenants of Ceannlochcaolifport difcovered fix or feren fione coffins in a potato-field, not far from the place where the chapel formerly ftood. They were of difierent fixes *, but all of them too (hort to contain a human body. They were placed in the dire&ion of eaft and weft, and all empty, except one, in which a fmall frag- ment of human bone was found. Perhaps tlie cuflom of burying the dead, with the head towards the weft, was an- terior to the aera of Chriftianity, and borrowed by the pri- mitive Chrii^ians from fome pagan fuperftition. Th^fe coffins may have been placed by the Druids, as receptacles for the afties of their dead. The bone difcovered may have ))eeo rendered Icfs perifliable by a pmiial calcination. Ic

muft

51 8 Siaiffiicml Accwmt

mnSi becottfcfledt however, that though the drnidiad teiB' pics he fceqneat in Argjleihuey and coamonly suet wiA io plaifii like this, jct not the leafi veftife of any is te be ^cohere*

The followiiig cooplet has been handed down by the ge« WsdogaOs of this place :

Colmonel, Clan A gorrj, Barrj, Clan Mnradiie, Mac Charmai|^ Clan Neill» Martin, Clan Dooachie*

It is addnced in evidence that Saintt Cohnonel, Banj, Macoharmaigt and Martin, were of the clans therein roca- doned. The probability b, that thefe fathers floDriifaed st a period OHich anterior to oor earKeft accounts of thefe clans ) and that, infiead of being of the fame race, they hsd been adopted as their tutilaries. The bell of St Barry's Chapel is ftill io prefervation at Kilberry Cafile, and hal been long prollitated to the ignoble pnrpofe of fiunmoniog the fervants of that family to their meab. It is in&ribed with the laint's name, in the Lstin language and Saxon charader, but unfortunately without date. The reviva] of bell-founding, if loft in the middle ages, and the period st which the Saxon alphabet was introduced, might {throw light on its antiquity. T*here are very many Kilmorys, and not a few Kilbridcs, in this part of the Highlands. Tbe former have likely been dedicated to the Virgin Mary, aod the latter to a faint, whofe fame has reached far and wide, fince we find that there are not only farms, but pariflies, of this name in the low country. It may reafonably be coo- oluded, that they are of le(s remote antiquity than fome d thofe already mentioned. It was not till the church be* came grolsly corrupted, that the Virgin was recogoifed in an intercefTory charader ; and, as the fame of modeft merit rarely extends to a difiance, there is caufe to believe that

St

^fbutb KnapJhU. 3 tf

St Biicfe might either be one of thefe miracTe-xnaking jug- glers, which too often difgnced religion ; or that her me- Bory has been manufaftared by fubfequcnt prieftcraft, to miniRer to the occafions of its vanity or its avarice.

The collifion of oppolite dodrioea, and the cruelties in- tided by the orthodox^ previous to the Reformation of re«- Kgiottt were unknown here. Motives of intereff^as well'as reafon, induced our chie& to become of the Proteftant per- fuaiion^ and their example was readily followed by the po- pulace. Common fenfe was infolted by our clergy ; but in no other refped had they injured us. The cafe was d^^ Cerent with. the reformed of other parts. They had expe- rienced the full force of hierarchical tyranny. Their wounds were ftill bleeding, and they were hurried by re- ientment into exceflesy hardly inferior to the abufes they affeded to corred. It is to our honour that the fame doc- trinal unanimity continues ftill to prevail among us. Of the fix pariflies which conftitutes the preftytery of Inve- rary, there is hardly a fingle diflcnting native, either of the Komifli or Seceding church \ and the fum total of ftranger Ctfholics in South Knapdale, amounts to no more than one ^rwonoaa from Perthftiirie.

ExieMif l^f .— This pariQi is in length, from fouth to- north, about 10 computed miles, and 16 in breadth. It is' fituated in the county aod fynod of Argyle, and preiby tery of Inverary. The foil is chiefly of a mofly nature, incum- bent on aifaratum of land ; but in the lower grounds it ia a good loam. Very little of the parifli, however, is arable ; and that which is ploughed or dug with the fpade, produ- ces in general fo very light crops, that it is reckoned more profitable to throw it into (heep-walks, or pafture-land for cattle. The grains chiefly fown are oats and bear. Every^

where

320 Statyiical Accomt

where potatoes are culdTated with great care, and of late Che J conftitttte the principal food of the inhabitants*

Cltmaii and DiJia/is^'^Tht country being mountainous and adjacent to the weftem ocean, heavj rains ate fre- quent in fpring, fummeri and autumn. The winter is ex- tremelj fiormy ; fnow is (bmetimes veiy deep, and htA is generallj of (hort duration. The inhabitants are common- Ij very healthy, and many of them live to a confiderable old age. The moft prevalent di&a&s are the (inall-poZy fevers, and colds.

Riv€rs.^TheTt are feveral rivers in the parifli, all of which abound with trout of an excellent flavour. In dry weather aU the rivers are fordable ; but, owing to the heavy rains that fall on the mountains, they often rife very fud- denly to a great height, which renders them wholly na* paflable.

Roads.'^The roads are extremely bad, efpecially in win* ter. The befl is a part of the great road on the call fide of the pariih, which leads from Inverary to Campbelton. It was made by the fpirited exertions of the Duke of Argyle, affifted by the gentlemen of the county. In fome places it is formed on the fea-ihore, through a ridge of ruggid rocks, 24 feet at leaft perpendicular above the fea.

Minis and Mineral Springs. — In that part of the parifh that belongs to Sir James Campbell of Invemeil, there is a lead mine that had been wrought feveral years ago. In the neighbourhood of the mine a few mineral fprings make their appearance ; but no experiments on the virtue of their waters has yet been made.

Moutttainim

iff South Knapdak:.^ 521

Moatttauu^'^f thefe there is no fcarcitj. The moft remarkable are Cruacb Lufacb^ u e, the hill of plants or herbage, from the great number of herbs growing on it ; and Siiabb Gavf//(a mountain feparated at both ends). It is twelve miles long, and eight broad 4it the bale \ it be- longs to the Duke of Argyie.

Wooib and Caves^-^^mt parts of the parilh abound with natural woodsy or coppices of oak, aih, birch, and hazeL Several of them are well inclofed with proper fences*-^ Although there are not a few caves in the parilh, yet none are of confequence but one, near which i§a chapel, with an altar and foot. The farm in which it is fituated is called the Cove.

Ecebfiafiiedt State. — ^This parilh <:ontaios three jdaces of worftiip. One is at Tarbert, thirteen computed miles from the church at which the minifter refides. In this ehapel it was the cufiom, till of late, for the roinifter to preach every fixch Sabbath : Now a miifionarjr is eftablifli- <d there by the Society for Propagating Chriftian Know- ledge. There is another chapel about five miles from the church. The prefent incumbent, Mr Daniel Hyndman, was admitted to the charge in 1771. His predeceflors were, Mr Patrick Pollock, firft. miniller of this parifh, after the disjundioR from North Knapdale; and Mr Hugh Campbell, now ndniiler of Kilmartin. The Xing b pa- tron.

The prefient incumbent, when he came to the pariih, found neither axhurch,'or proper place of worihip, in the whole bounds. There was not a glebe nor manfe. The fiipend was only L. 47, with L. i^ x6 s. for communion- elements. In the year I772» he was under the neceffity of '^uing the heritors at law before he could prevail upon them

Vol. XIX. Sf to

ioMlizkifk. ^ti^£oiMM,ftr the^^oTAlfyteip ft ftei^ Hi tb€ fields. Iir flk^ jcf«r 17^0^, h^ ^sftervi a jAh^ffof augmeftttftioA agsMrft thieter; atM hi x77j> ob- taiara a ck^reet of te'ooifitenoii rot fboBfi €tt€ Sptnit A Ibur cHaiAfn of viftiid;- oml hdf dft-ifteil, ih£ MxethaS heart with L. 600 Soots, and L. 40 Stdts §6^ tomfltaniMi^ elements ; a fum by far too finall for defrajing the czpen- teaf of Ai: Commnqioi^ lA fo popMoftf a piii^. At there hrnoxibinfe» th6 herrtorii aUdw L. 10 St^rHAg pir mm/tim WtS one i» buIK.

ki^iiffri^ 6^e.Mfth€Hi ate eleven fflbptieim in tke p»- JftRtt dl #KMif t^o onlj are #e1ideAt. There sve four te- nants who occupy eztenfive iarms. One of theoa psyi of rent yearly L. 256, another L. 105, a third L. 103 ; all ez- plufiie 6t pMBt hutdcns; Th<r6 a tf MrfideHrble bmiaber pf fihalfer tenants.

Poor. — The number of poof on the parifb-r^ is 15. They are fupported by thtf inteteft of L« ao» which ws mortified by the lat^ Cath^bell of Stonefiild. To this Y^ry £h&all (vitn is added f he coB^dions at the dnirch, which fire eztremdy inconfidcrable.

Population 0/ South Kkapdah hi ihiynar 1 79$.

Maki,		FemuleSf
Under 10,	255	Under 10,	107
From 10 to ao.	Z18	From 10 to 10,	^
From ao to 50,	aSi	Froin 20 to 50,	307
From jo to 70,	95	Frohi 50 tb 76,	109
From 70 to 90,	30	From yo to 92t	20

Total malwi 7^9 totsd Fem»le», 73J

f (!tt3 populafiofi, 1^14,

Of

oy South Kngp49i^^ ^i

Pf theie, 236 are married; 15 widowers, 9^4 ^9 T^^-

Marriages in Z793f Births in 1793,	«	10 3^
Na. of Clerg J, parochial aad Refiding heritors, Tackfinen •,	miPoaary^ ^	4 3 7
S€tM>oto«fier99 Tenants, Cottagers, * Male lervants^ FjBipale ferv^tSf Mafonsi ftraogcrs, M^ons, Hiffhlande;?, Joiners, ftran^ers. Joiners, natives.	^	3 89 »58
	«4 »9 i 4 5 ;
Shepherds, flrapgersi Shepherds, natives. Improvers, EngHfli, Gardeners, Smiths, MiUeis, Shoemakers,	•	a «4 3 S 5 6 «3
Dyers,	*	X No.

« Bf taekfiucii it imdeiaoodi Ibob m Jm&'Om qTjd^ frivt ; 4iid .1^ tearatt, fbdb as nept only ao Iwlf, fi fwtb^ fv m ^g^lh ()f ^^ <AVn.. ^iQOfg C9tt^9Hiy;^e inclfvMt J^Ot 9n|]r d^y4«b<mren, bvt aU.ftnraflts, w)io, ^. Tuig famijif^ receivf liverj meal for their board. There ve few men in the parifli who have not, at one time or other, ferred in the boanty^'fiihing vdSeb ; and by boonty^fifliefs, it nieant» fuch as wm ip .d«t cnphiy das ftafioQ. Htf f4ydc,<ftrr» is^jw mijpdlpoil, t|i^ cawvy of iUc^ ^^9 ft pucfiie t^^Okii)|( ip the <Ht^ ^ Ciy^, i^id l9c|^ ^9ipiiVK» during tl^ Ceaibn ; and, by Caolifport and Knap iUhen, fnch as attend to it QO lonftf* tlwi ^|)U« the hmngi coDtiinit in LodHcaolifi^oit,

324 Statical Acconi
No. of Tailors,	19
Weavers, Soldiers,	»9 4
Bounty fifhers, Frith of Cljde fifliers, Caolifport and Knap fiflien. Boat-carpenters, Publicans,	5^ 40 80 3 9

Comparative Population ofSouib Knapdak. No documents are to be found, whereby the general po> pularion of South Knapdale, at any former period, can be ezaflly afcertaincd ; nor are there toy records of births, marriages, and deaths, from which conclnfions of that kind can be drawn. The compiler of the(e has feleded cmt the fiu-ms in which the greatelt variation has happened,, and ob- tained lifts of their former inhabitants from tenanta pof- fiefling them at the time* fpeoified :

KilmalieaigandDrimdriIhaig,in X768'r &x b X796, 52

Ormfray, . 1784, 149^ »

Lochhead, - I77«» 108 34

Barmore, - - »77S» 4^ 5

Invemul, - 1768, 147 34

Oacfield and Brackley, X782, 191 81

li6 239

Diminution of population in thefe farms, 477. In the year 1772, when the prefent incumbent took the lift of the inhatntants of the parith with a very particular exaftnels, the population confided of x6oo fouk. Accord- ing to Dr Webfier's lift^ in X755> it amounted to 1292. In- creafe fince that period, 188.

The emigrants to America fince X763, amount to X75 ^ of thefe, about 100 emigrated in 1774 and fince the pre- fent war commenced.

Hclding^

rfSotdb KnapdaJe. 325

RoUing of South Knapdab.

Sbccj^ . - - yooa

Black cattk, . • 3000

Horfes, - . - . 25a

Henfial in 177a, - • L 1003 o ^ o

Rental in 1796, - 2335 5 C

The (Upend of South Knapdaie, as eftabliihed

by decreet of modification anno i775» is, Vidoal, four chalders, half bear half meal,

converted at - - L- 33 ib •

Money, - . . 53 4 o

Total, L.86 14 o Scfaoohnailer's falar j, - - L. 7 o o

Za«^trii^^.— -The Gaelic is the preTailing language fpo» ken in the parifli. The Engliih has of late fpread coniider*^ ably, oiving, tn a great meafure, ta young people travelling to the low country, and returning home after they acqui* red the language^

CharaBer of the PeopA^^^Thc inhabitants are in general adive, induftricus, and humane. They are extremely fet dom guilty of any kind of immorality, that can ezpofe them to puniihment by law.

fj^mfi.— The herring-fiOiing occupies a confiderable inmber of people. The fifli annually frequent an arm of the fea on the weft of the parifli. It is called Loch^aoHf poftf which fignifies a fmall loch, with a harbour. The berrings alfo frequent Loch -fine, which bounds the parifli •n the nordi-eaft The value of tbefe fiflabgs will, it is

believed

90^ SiaiiMirai d^^^mt^

bdkved, be incrfpfej 1^ U^e .Cn9U ^Cftnil, t copfidenilile part 9f which rnns through the parifli.

Jiifaivamiagit^-^The peopk here labour under many dUadvantages, which are great obfiades to their preient happiaeis asd inproTeineiit. The want of fraper ichods fdr the edncatioQ of youth is none of the leaft. Thcte ii not a parochid ichool^ ^^ .diofe ^Mifhrd byjtjbe So- ciety cannot accooMnodfilp gSi tl^e chil^reoi JBMpj of whom, owing to local fituations, h/trc if JD|ot j^ tfixir |(ower tp ^• t^ tl^eau— The diftance from'market^towns^ 9faA jtik bvd ^e f)f tf^e roads, aie complained of as very great Iiar4(^ps> —The icarcity of 'good fuel is feverely felt by all the io- habitants ; peat and turf are univerlally uliMl ; but whea tli^ b^Io^ for cafimg them is wet, which js not ^(mfiqp^ueDtljr the caCe, the poor people (aStt beyond de&ription; and evm ddiough thf fcafen is frT^Nxrab^ ip pn»=& ,cf ^ time is necejOarily ipefit ix^ preparing f^Oft peats^ ibpt m^ tWngs of impoMnos j» i^gFiciikiVR^ 4^ m^ ))e.qfQMtf|Dd.

NUM.

i^ <i friin/i to Staii/licai En^ulrbs.

SHuaiitm^

IN Stonnoiity a beautiful and fertile fubdi\afion of Pertd- fhiret is pleafantly fituated the parifli of KincIaveUi It is under the ecclefiaftical jurifdiftioa of the prefbyterj of Dttukcldy and fynod of Perth and Stirling. l*he bounda- ries arc, Csrgill on the eafi; Caputh ot the north} and Anchtergaven on the weft and fbuth.

Climate and Sail. — The climate is not greatly ezpofed to the fttdden and frequent viciflitudes of heat and cold, rain and droughty which feldom fail to afied, in no fmall degree, the agricultural operations, in diftrifis adjacent to the w^ftem cMfis of Scotland^ or in the immediate vicinitj 6f the high

motmtaiffii

DKNiiitaiiis and eztcnfire ridges of hillt in PeidiftiR. Owing in a great meaiiire to the mildnefr of the climate, and partlj perhaps to other caufin, this plafce is believed aoc to be produftive o^ or to fofler, any epidemical diftemper mmongft the inhabitants, who are generally firong and healthy.— The foil is moftly light and iharp, contsining great numbers of water-worn ftones, many of which are, is ibme places, fo large, as to obftnid the operations of tbe plough. The moorlands, and higher parts of the paiiih, contain in their foils a fmall proportion of moOy earth. A rich black loam conftitutes the foil of fome of the grouods in the neighbourhood of Amtully. The furfiwe is diver- fified with a few rifing grounds, all of which are acceffible to the ploogh, «nd are not elevated to a great height above the level of tbe fea. From fome of them, however, the profpeds are diverfified, and very pleaianc

.^d^^arftsr^.— Agriculture is here carried on, in feveni places, with confiderable knowledge and ezerti^m. A ro- tation of crops, fuitable to the foil and climate, is adhered to by mod farmers. Farms in general are fmall, being from about 20 to 50 acres arable. , One of the moft eztco- five arable farms is Innemytie ; it is rented at about L. isj Sterling per annum. Some places are parcelled out into fmall paffles. or farms, few of which are above 30 seres each. The occupiers of moft of them are under the necef- fity of following fome other occupation than that of farm- ing. A confiderable number are weavers ; each of whom has a loom or two in the corner of the houfe, which is ge- nerally low and ill conftruQed. They employ tbemfcives at the weaving bufinefe, chiefly during winter. Their atd^ fils are far from being always in the beft order, or made after the moft approved modeL Thej* are, however, good enough, for the fabric of the cloth woven, which is moftlj

coarfe

coarfe Unena* for th^' Perth mdrket.- ^ve^ral loondd 'Are M&r pK>i^ed%y mamtffi£hiti<r9 iiy'Ferth, wfro fiirni(h the yanr, aad^^^'a ^ntttii pike "for! tHe yard' weaving^* Som&'of tlKfe'ftxntfiAirffi!ers'**o|:<pafleYs ate arttftoes employed WTth »k^if h»ife»' tnd tAfkr^-kht toads/ iStt!; By thid frugal 1 fyftem, -imiiiyiiiunMrottlf'fairiiKes are trained up in habitsof ifiddfliry<aiid'«cdnotny, though not with that eUgtfnte atid IttKliry^MAch, of bte, feivebeeofriae the ^hai^Ocriftid marki» 4»£ch0iflte if Hiiingf* adopted by extenfive farmers.

Tbcfecmdefiaieiivor firAers, or by wh«!evcr name th^ may l)ecsdled» are.cfaeir owi]:niafters, arid,'o? confequerttfe, pofle&anriadtpendenc ^ic, ivfaich 'is veryfeldom to tie feafid ommigftxfae menial hinds and othei* ferrants of gte&t farmecs. . They pay a rent for their lanid greater in propor- tion« ptilfaaps, than could be' got by the laiidlordi were their fmall poffcffions throws into large fsmA'; "and many of them are. improving tlietc lands With coiiiiderable (kill and sfiivityw*— More than the' half of the parifii, however, is not inclofed, a circuaoiboce noG much to the credit or pip- fit either of the proprietors or tenants. Many acres of moor or wafle land yet remain to be. improved. Thefe neglefted fpots abound irt prcfent with heath, whins, bent* broomi &c. thac affbrd but a coarfie and fcanty pafture for cattle. The foil, lAmoft pgrts of the parifh/ feems to be iiatiirally well adapted* for the growth of broom; in Ibme places that plant rifes to the height of {even or eight £eet, and makes a kind of .(belter as well aa fence to corn-fieUs* Arntully moor is the moft extenfive piece of wafie land ia 4be parifh. It b chiefly occupied as a common for paftu* ring cattle belonging to the neighbouring farmers. A great part-of the comn^pn of > Arntully -was abont ao years ago Subdivided, (gUhiif ac€Oi*diiig to tft^ provincial language), anil convenient farm-houfes ai^d offices ^b,uilt on the fubdi- vifions. The foil, in general, will i^^mit of coniiderable im« Vol. XIX, ' T t ^ provemen^.

provemeak. It a.^ervtUo hem ^90% at ki lawy

pAttx places of Scochad, that whea ibe flBoait are pared or

'^t for tut^ they nataraUj prodaee ■hnniianr orape. af

gmiU, (cbtji/imtbemmn fi^mn)t ep*-* few ac|M ploBis,

which are qot, until the IWardI is^cat awajr, ibualTgiowiag

20 the place. This is efpecially the cule ta thefe «ooni

.that bud ancientlj been in tillage. It is bdievad that the

feeds of the gQiid will, when buried in the gtoigad, actaiii

their vegetative power for a great lepgth of lSaaa» but

when ezpofitd to the influence of the weather, will readilj

vegetate. This is certainij true, not 00I7 with re^ieft tn

the feeds of this, but of many other l^antSf To» madi care,

thereforci cannot be taken to dit dofwn thcfe weeds iwhsdi

. are hurtful to egricultare befi>re the feeds arrive ta tnata^

rity. It is grofsly abfurd in fitfdien to allow tiniles, &c.

to grow without moleftation no way-fides, or other onod-

tivaied places. The fe^s are moftly carried into die ad-

• jacent fields, and occafion much trooble. Many of thetn periA, but millions are buried in the earth by die ploagb, and afterwards vegetate with great luinriancy wtien raificd vp» even at the diftance of many years, to the influence of heat, iigbt, and rain. Fanners hi this, and all the neigh-

' bouring pariflies, are reprehenfible for not checking more

* than they doi the progrefr of tbefe plants, ifrhicb, whatever their medicinal virtues may %e, are very hurtful to agri-

. caltnre.r-TAlthough much of the foil in Kinclaven is fit for the turnip hu(bandry, yet a vttj fmall portion of it is hid out for the cultivation of that nfelbl root. The grains com- mqnly cultivated are oats, barley, wheat, b^ans, and peafe. The produce is generally good ; barley frequcndy yields eight returns, that commonly gives meal for grain* In ibme places the old, but abfurd' coftom of fowing peafe, to- gether with oats, in the lame field, is, by fomc fflovehly far- piers, Aill continued. It generally happens that the one

• grain

gruia.i) ripo fiooaer thali tbk other. Ixi delence of thii caOom it is allc^d, that i^ owing to the weath«r» one of the iundtf fail» the oth^r wilibe tolerably good. - Every «x^ perimoed farmer, will coqfider this' argument w^extrtanely incxmolBfive.

< Fo/miatioaf^^Tbm niunber' of inhabilaais in - the yea* ^7SSf ^7 Dr.Wehfter's acooUnty. was 993^ At. prefect, it is aboot izjo.

. Qki^fiki &4o^»— rThe parilh kirk is in good tepair; tho nwUip oot* DruQ^aaood of Logie*. Almond is patron, Tho Rev. Mr John Scott is the prefent incumbent* The ftlf pend is 1000 merks with 4 chalders of viftual.— A meet* ing-h^ofey behmging to tho Antiburgher dais o£ Scceders, wasereded about a mile oaft :of ArntuUy^ in the. year 17441 and is frequented by n numerous congregation £roa\ tbi$ and the qeighbouring pariihes, ^ho proire thenUelirei^ by their lan^ahk behaviour, ta be good meiiilfera of Society.?— There are two fchools in the parifh, both of \f hjeh arc veU frequented. The falary annexed to the parochial fehool is L 80 Scotch.

VUlqgu.^--Th^ Qhirf in the pariib is ArotuUy, commilnly pronounced as if wrilten AmtiUy» It isTuua^ i Uw miks weft of, the church,. and |)9a^ of abon;, 60 qr 79 dwcllitig«ho»ifes Mattered iaetcrydire^n, and exhi^K^ ing a ftrikiag pidurfipf moiciu. i^lli^glQff: i|i 9^9^ parU4>f the kingdom. The roKds and ps0^gdB amo»gft the hpu(b ace iiico9ceiYa))ljPl bad, elpecii4ty in. wet yfpti^t. Whap addacoaiiderably to ttljbir iiiiferable ftati;i it t))f at^omiqab^ bfUiiloo geiwral pradipcf .o( pluctng :thr .fl#pghiU..Xwi^4eq- hole, ^mtgarJjn) befeire ibf doofs of thr d welling^^uifMrfnffaar of which, la every paiar^fju^Wi; much APWi^iwi^^ba 3 2tuatioa

33^ StaHJHcai Acanmt

iitttiition in which they are placed* The coontj of Berdl^ were k poflefled of no other ipot of a fimiUr defcriptiooi Ihould allpw AmtttUj to remain in itf prefent ftace» that a proper contrail might be drawn, betiwcen a neat modcra village, and one upon the old conftmfiion. Moft of the inhabitants, many of whom are weavers, occupy a fmaU kit of ground adjoining to their iMofin, whidi fiuniihes them with garden Auffi, &c« by whid^ aiaoy of diem are enabled to keep milch-cows. This they vexy jnftty confi- der as a great help to their families. They (eem to be oontented with their domeftic condition. Befides AmtuDy, the parifli contains a few very fmall TiUagei, as Knock* ftinaa, &c«.

fPoMb.— This diftrift is ornamented with letreral cop pices, or aatnrat woods, chiefly of oak, birch, and haae). They are cut every nm^een or twenty years, for the iake of the bark, which at Perth brings a good pri^» There are fome plantations of pines and foreft^trees, generally in a thriving ftafie.'

RtverSf FiJtings.^^'Iht Toy is the only river here that merits notice. It runs in winding diredions for the fpace of feveral miles on the nor^ and eaft; no where, iniu whole oourfe, has St made fiftsh ravages on the land aaia this pariih, driefly on the'eftate^of Mr Dmmmfond of Logic Almond. It has at feverat timds forced its way through the banks, and made ^gre^t excavations in the eom-fields^ where it has formed fpacioaa> traAs for itf^ Three <^ Ibnr 'of thefe vn£t%i being now abandbned by the ri^er, re- ftiain laftitig monuments what the ' Tdy in its fiory can do* It is probable, that at no great length of time it will make ftin-'more eztenfive dftvaftations on the' richeft- and noft beantiful psUrt of the purifli.-^Thef'fifliing^ on the fiTer ase

cf

'^^'tf Kincltwen. 5.5J

of (bme importance. One at the Linn of Campfie, on a rerj fmall extent of the water, brings L. 80 per annum to Lord Danmore the propfieton The '&11 of water is no^ high, but the Linn is very deep, and contains great quanti- ties of excellent ialmOn. On the Tay, about a mile from the kirk, it EiiCAaven fdrt)", nrhjch occnpieif tfaf<e ferry boats, one for foot-paflengers, one for horfes, and another for carriages. At the ferry, is a good and commodious inn» on the Kinqlavfu fide of the xiyen

MiUs, — ^The parifli is fomiflied with feveral com-milk^ to which the land in general is thirled or aftrided. The thirlage. in fome places u confiderably high. This, kind of fervipide is here, as well as almoft every where elfe in Scotland, confidered as a great hardihip, and an obftacle to agricultural improvements. Thefe thirlages or mukures, at the firft ereAion of corn-mills, might have been very juft and neccflary. Now they are quite the reverfe. Wfiy, therefore, fliould an improved fociety fuff^r an univerfally acknowledged grievance any longer to exift, and impede the moft beneficial improvements of the country?

Ct^ffi.r^mUtt^ Caftle, on the banks of the Tay, re- mains in ruip^H; .Tfaq .walls .are about eight or ten ikec high ; andnnlefadeftrqyed by;fbme modern Goth, will con- tanue, for agef, tx> ei^bit, an example of the ancient ifiroqg- hobd in Scotland. .. p

I.)

354 Statt/Hlktif JccouiH

PARISH OF BENBOiTHT,

(County of Perth, StvoD of AwbtJi Aitu Mcarks, Presbytery of Meiole.)

By tbc Rev. Mr James Platfair, Minifier.

Situatittt.

THIS parifli lies near the eafttril bcmhdar^of Penh- tfaire. The church fisnds lA N. Ist.* 56^ 33'. and 'long. 5 in in. 6f a degree- W. from I^lhibar^ ; being a mile and an half N. from Ctipar Angus ; 6 miles W. from Meigle ; 14 miles N. £. from Perth ; and 17 nuiles N. W. from Dundee. It is fituated on part of the loweft grounds of Strathmore, (Great Strath), being that extenfive flat ivhicb runs almoft in a (Iraight line from the fea at Mon- trofe/bj Forfar, Cupar Angus, Perth, and Stirling, to Dunbarton, and the mouth of the frith of Clyde, in a di- reftion nearly N. E. and S.W.j and is bounded by the

Grampian

erat^iaftn immonafaa^ 00 the N. W. v ]kn4 bythif Stdrrtrf and QohiA Hilbtoa the &. £4; tbiei^r«^«IA of tte •anth kbH cweenbeiiiggQOerall^ifroiPiySio^S'Siiiei. • ;

tight bank of tii« riv^r, lila, ,p«rt of the ureter of Whkh

rifes in the loch of Forfar, where is .tbe^igheftjproiuidicC

the flat between this and Mootrofe, (about 200 feet above

the fea). The coi|rff c^ th^ wat^r frdpi the Mh of For-

lar is through Deao, Ua, and p^rt of Tay, in a line firom

fi. E. to S. W. aj^ng the middle of Stcathmore. The Tay^

after 'ft gradual winding to the left by Perth » runs by the

Carfe of Qowrie fiod Dundee to the German Ocean, 'in a

direAion nearly parallel to the abo^v portion of the tra&

of the Ifla inveite^ The Ifla itfdf rifea ia the Gram-

piaii moontaiaft and russ generally S.E. with a rapid cut-

rent till it is joiniod by the Dean, after Which it runs S. W.

(paft the Iputh fide lof this pariib) into the Tay. At tfae

church of Bendothy the Ifla is 75 yards broad, and. a yai^

.deep at the ford. It is no where deeper than 9 or 10 feet

in Ibmmer ; and its bsinks are nearly the fame height abov^

its ordinary furfaee. At high floods, it rifes 13 or 14 feet

above its Uimmef l^vel i this is io pan owing to the Tay,

below this, being contraded for foor miles by high and

narrow banks. The Ifla here is 100 or no feet above (he

level of the fea. It runs with an infenflble hJL

River

* Gnxnptan moontains are from zooo to 4000 feet and upwaxds above the level of the Tea. Originally and Tulgarlf called Grandi-bem (Great Moaataim). See Boetlmis*i Intrododhon or Prcfa€e» and Buchanoan^s biex.

• f Sidliw, (Snd-Iaw; or ScnA-Ulk), fo called from their pofition whh . ftfyfik to StrtthoMR' Th^ 9Xt sbc«t 1000 or 1400 ftet above tile leyd fftbeies*

53<f Statifitfcal Accotni

I Jb*^ Er6a'^ tfcErichL^^-^Thk riv^f Mb'lufb the right fidt of the lila in thb pariifa. It alfe iffid^sfrom t(^e Gi^m- pians. It is compoM of 'the united 'ffreamis . pf Shee and Ardky which lad feems to be a contraftion of Erochdde. The 6hee, called alfo Blackwater, fii)ls intothe left fide of tbeArdle. Thefe rivers generally nin S.'E. all of them with a rapid current. ' '

Divifions of the Pori/hl^^Tht river Erodi divides that part of the parifh which is in continuation, nearlj into two «qual parts. One ot thefe parts, lying W. of Eroch and N. pf Ifla, is embraced on other fides by the parifh of Blair- gowrie ; and the other of thefe pans, lyitig E. frbm Erbch, and N. from Ifla, is embraced, on other fides, by the parifli of Alyth on the E^ and by the pariih -of Rattray partly on the W. The pariih of. Cupar Angus bounds the Wflol^ along the Ifla, on the S. That part of* the parifli which it in continuation, is 6 mile^ long, and a mile and an half acrois. The church itands in thte middle of the wefiem divifion. Befides thisi there are two other parts of the pa« rifli, infulated entirely by other pariflies, and feparated from one another.* One of thefe parts, compofed of Pcrfy, . on the Shee, and Cally on the Ardle, lies in the angle of confluence between the Shee and Ardle« the neareft part being 7 miles from the parifli church. The other infulated part, Drimmie, lies on the left bank of the Eroch, being a mile from the former part, and feven miles from the church. Thefe two parts, taken together, are about a fourth of the whole parifh.

Name.^^Tht name of the ^arill), in the preftytcrj books, during the laft century, is written Bennethy or Benathy ; the iiril of which exprefles the pronouociation at the place, and aUb the etymology (Nether hill) ; on the.

fonth

tfStndotby. 337

Cootb declivity of which hill the church ftands. It has 1>een fome time written Bendochy, being a 'corruption of the form of writing, which occurs in the preftyterj book, the e having been therein written backwards, the end of Second n turned above the line, and the i written very fiiort. The navie infcribed on the communion cups and places is Bendothy, A. D. 1786.

Wtjlem Divifiw. — That part of the parifh which is in continuation is almoft all under cultivation. That part in which the church ftands, W« of the confluence of £roch and Ida, is generally, eafy level grooad. It confifts chiefly of a gentle ridge, rifing with an almoft infenlible afcent from the river Eroch, and running from thence fouth-weftward^ parallel to the Ifla, having its higheft fummit at Muirhead, oppolite (he church, from whence it declines again to the weft ward. The fides of this ridge decline gradually to- wards the Ifla upon one fide, and to the Monkmire on the other, which feparates it from the parifli of Blairgowrie. Its higheft fummit is 80 or 90 feet above the level of the Ifla. It is compofed entirely of that red clay Iiibftance, called mortar here, from its ufe as a cement in building. Between the above ridge and the Ifla, there is another in« ferior ridge, which runs a imall way parallel to the greater one ; on the S« fide of which (former) the church ftands* The inferior rifes about 60 £eet above the Ifla. It is compo- fed entirely of gravel, or water-driven ftones and land. It is broken off a fmall way, and then, in the fame parallel line to the fouth- weft ward, an inrulated ridge of the fame ma- terials occurs at Couty, which the water of Ifla fomfetimes nearly forms into an ifland# ' There is befides a good deal of pcrfedly level ground, efpecially near the banks of the rivers. This divifion of the parifli wefiward of the Eroch is poflefled by three proprietors.

Vol. XIX* U u Coupargrange,

j3t Statiftical Aecimni

ConpargrangCy on the E. b held hy the heut of the late Dr Young, Profeflor of Midwifery in Ediaborglu R«C paid by the tenants is L. 651 Sterling; and valued rent, L. .T411 Scotch.

Gouty and Bendothy, on the W. held by the Hoooor- able James Stewart Mackenzie, Lord Privy SeaL Rent paid by the tenants lately, L. 338 Sterling; and valued rent, L.958 Scotch*

Mudhall, in the middle, worth L. 71 Sterlbg annually ; valued rent, L. 125 Scotch*

Thefe ^Dates contain about 1500 acres, rented, or worth annually, L. 1080 Sterling, befides 100 acres of fir planting ; they are divided and fubdivided by thorn* hedges ; but there are few fencible inclofures. There is a great variety of foil. The foil of the heft lands of Couper- grange, efpecially the level ground near the confluence of the rivers, but now 40 feet at leaft above their floods, is compofed of a deep black earth. This black earth, com- pofed in a great meafure of the rottings of vegetables, is more generally incumbent on fand than on mortan In the grounds of Coopargrange it is above clay ; but there b a ftratum of fand between, which drains off the water. The lands of Mudhall are compofed of three feet bUck eardi at top, and then pure white fand for more than 40 feet down, as may be feen at the place where Ifla has puihedtin its flioulder and undermined. There b a black foil fimilar to this on fome parts of the Lord Privy Seal^ eftate, bot it is generally on lower ground there, and within flood-mark of the Ifla. It is on fuch ground that the feed-oats grow, which have got a name through all the country. They are called the Coupargrange Oats. They are the common oats of the neighbourhood ; but rife cleaner, whiter, and fnore fubftantial, from deep cherifhing foil.

Where

tf Sehdoiby. 339

"Where the mortar * is uppermoft, as in feveral |.Iaces of tbeiie groimds, efpeciallj fuch as are highefiy it proves a wet poor foil. In fome places^ which had formerly been moor, there is a thin Uack furface above the morcar, which hsis been produced by rpiten fog and mots \ this proves a very wet backward foil. From fmall experiments it appears* that fttch foil would be greatly improved by trenching. flarth that has once been trenched^ will never again acquire the impenetrability and (blidity which it had ristained from its firfi formation ; befides, in fuch foil, there is no good ground to lofe from the tep, by trenching. The rock be* low mortar, which is alfo of a red fubfiance^ when dog from the bottom of wells« ihoulders in the air, and feems to be rock marl. Ground that has a bottom of gravel and fand has commonly a very thin foil above. This is the only fort of foil that baffles induftry. The Ifla floods be- tween 200 and 300 acres of thefe eftates. At high floods it covers the breadth of half a mile from one fide of the river to the otheri Water-made ground is generally dry and fertile ; more £b than moft of the other grounds that are above the flood-mark of the river. There is no vegetable mould under the latter, in general ; the former is in a great meafure compofed of vetegable mould ; this is fome com- penfation to the farmer for extraordinary trouble and great rifles in harveft, when the watery element threatens to pof« feis his property. Some farmers drag their corns to higher groaiids when cut } others truft to the feafon, and fome-

times

* That red coarle clay, c«lled mortar, is the bafis of all the grounds in this part of Stratbmore. Upon digging to a proper depth, it will always be found at the bottom, either in the form of clay or rock. Sand, gravely pure clay, black earth, are always incumbent on it, never otherwife. ■ Ora- tel IS found on ground near to rivers, (and on fiat ground, which, though remote from them, is not many dozen of feet above their level^, rathCT than elfewbcjT.

2^ StatiJIkal Accovmt

time» efcapci but at other times the' overflowing tfoo^ IWeeps all before it. Two neighbours bad taken tbe£e op- pofite methods : One jeered the other for want of faith in Providence ; in a few days the rain defeended and the flood came, and the provident farmer retorted* Where is yoac faith now» neigh liouv? h is down the water with yoar com. tn feme inftancesi the proprietors of thefe eflate» have given very liberal bene&ftions to their tenants, for damage done bj the river in harveft ; particularlj in bar* ▼eft 17749 when die river rofe two feet higher than ever was known. It was within fix inches of the top of the loweft arches of the bridge at Cootj. It kft the boctona of the furrows bare where wheat had been newlj ibwa that feafon; and that place was nine years of leeovering its foil and' vegetable powers. There is a lidce of marl on the N. W. boundary of thefe eftates, called the Monkmire, which is for the prefent exhaufted; The Stormont loch, at the W. comer of Lord- Privy Seal's eftate* contains marl \ this loch is not yet dninedw There is an ifland in it, which has probably been a^laec of ftores. The difirifi called Stor- mont lies between that pkce and Dunkeld.

Eafiem Lhifion^-^ThAt part of the parifli (in continua- tion) which lies eaftward of the confluence of £roch and Ifla, rifes with a gradual afcent from the Ifla and Eroch to the N. and N. W. terminating in a rifiog ground, which forms part of a front ridge of the Grampians. The higheft part may be from 600 to 800 feet above the level of the Iba. There are about 1000 acres in this divifion of the parifliy rented, or worth annually, L.998 Sterling. It is poflefled by twelve different proprietors, four of whom re- fide. Six of thefe proprietors pofleik the Grange of Aber- hothry, which lies in the angle of the coiifiuence of the livers^ and is much of it low ground i 200 acres of it, at

teafl,.

cfBendoiby. . 341

« leaftf flooded by both rivers. The proprietors of the Grange of Aberbothry are :— -Mr Macdonald, bte reiit^ L. X05 Sterling \ prefient rent nearly double that fum ; va» lued rent, L. 355 : 18 : 8 Scots. Mr Murifon» late rent, L* 50 Sterling ; valaed rent, L.171 : 7 : 2 Scots* Mr Jamie* Chalmers, rent L. 60 Sterling ; valaed rent, L. 123 : 8 : o Scots. Reverend William Chalmers, rent L. 55 Sterling ^ vahied rent, L • 116: 17 i^s Scots. Mrs Geckie, rent, L. 74, 145. Sterling \ valued rent, L. 133 : 17 : 7 Scots. Mr Ro- bertfon, rent, L. 49 Sterling; valued rent, L. laa Scots* Mr James Chalmers and Mr Robertfon's lands, are the only lands of the Grange, altogether above the floods of the rivers.

The other eftates of this part of the pariifa, lie on ground aibending to the north-weftward from the Grange. The names are : — Blacklaw, Mr Kinloch, late rent, L. 224 Ster^ ling; valued rent, L. 643 Scots. Polcalk, Mr Thomas Whitfon, worth L. 50 Sterling ; valued rent, L. lox : xi : 8 Scots. Muirtown, Provoft Halliburton, rent, L. xaj Sterling ; valued rent, L. 138 : 6 : 8 Scots. Thorn, Mr Rattray, rent, L. 39 Sterling ; valued rent, L. 179, 13 s. Scots. St Fink, Mr James Anderfon, worth L. 88 Sterling ; valued rent, L. 187 Scots. TnHyfergns, Mr David Millar, worth L. ^% Sterling ; valued rent, L. 293 : 6 : 8 Scots.

The eftates of Grange of Aberbothry are all level, ma^ nageable ground, with a gentle afcent north-eaftward. They are all open and unindofed. Not above 30 years ago the boufes were all cluttered in a village, and the eftates were in runrig. Moft of the lands of Grange are of clay, of a whitifli nature in the bottom ; but much of it is changed above into a darker vegetable mould, alio fiunous for pro- ducing feed*oats. Some of the grounds, efpecially in the haughs, are i^^qdy. The whole haughs here retain the marks of old trads of the Eroch, which runs in floods with 3 •

f4^ Statiftkai AccmuU

a noft rapid airrtiit, and hat eren litdded the Ifla fior femft waj ynAk gravel ; the Ifla bwtg dcftitate of gravtl all ihm m%y above the confluence. The fuperiority of the foil, on fcMne of the low grotrads of this parifli, ieems to have origi* Aaced from their vicinity to the rivefa, though now above the reach of their higheft floods. The foil of the other eflates of this divifion, which lie N. W. from Grange, as BlacklaWy Polcalk, and Muirtown, coofifla of a foottoai, and generaUy a top» of mortar, or that red coarfe clay, which is the mother earth of this part of Strathmore, and iDoft generally foond in the neighbourhood. Thele grounds rife brifldy from the Grange, and form part of a ridge of die Grampians. Thofe parts of this afcent, which are nM>ft level, have the blackeft and molt beneficial earth. Thofe paits which have the ftcepeft afcent have redefl earth, and moft of the colour of the bottom. Here and there, efpedally, in the fteepeft afcent, appears a red rock, mixed with fmall rounded pebles. There are many detached, rounded, whin or moor-ftones in thefe grounds, blue and hard, a fort of porphyry, from one foot to three or four feet diaooeter, which have no mother rock here. The farms on the eilate of Blacklaw, are divided/rom one another by thorn hedges t and there are fome ftone-dike inclofures on Muirtown und St Fink. There are not above lOO acres of this divifion uncultivated. On thefe grounds, and neighbourhood, cfpe- cially at St Fink and Chapcltown and Little Drum, there are many of thefe Angular ridges ,of nature, called here HrvLXM^ (dorfum) i perhaps xo or ta of them within a

fmaU

• There ue many of thefe dnmis in the neighboorbood, in the pariOics .of Alytb uid Rattray, and in the Stormont, which have the fame ptraUeUfm and pofition with the above. The Garr}'druiDs in the Stonnont, which are delineated by their dales and rills in Stobie*s map, are among the moft ir- markable, being a mile and an half long each, aboot loo feet higlk, mxA ^00 feet broad at bafe, and riiing above one another, according to the im-

t»r»l

ef Bendoiby. 344

finall fpace of each other. They *haTe all a paraUofifm t» one another, and decline eaftward. The rills between them

rom

lonl afcent of the j;round in die neigbboiiriiood. Indeed, drums .occnf^ over all this part of Strathmore. On the S. fide of the Ifla, their length it N. £. and S. W. parallel to Strathmore. It is evident, that they have not been produced bf rilb, fince their length is not parallel to the line of do- fccot of the mountain, on the fide of which they ftand, but generally pe»> pendicular to it : Befides, frequently, though not always, the water mn^ from the dale at both ends. And in level ground, in many cafes, the drum raifes its back high above all grounds adjacent. Whatever caufo may have produced the mountains themfelves, and the great vale of Strath- more between diem, thefe drums in Stradimore appear plainly <o have been produced by the tides of the ocean, of which Strathmore was then a cham neU and to have been formed (like banks in channels of the fea) by the tido of flood, coming by Forfar from the E. end of Strathmore, and fearching partly weftward along the ftrath, and partly fearching diagonally up among the Grampians ; and again by the tide of ebb retummg the fame way by ' which the tide of flood went up. Agreeably to this, not only the rills and bums, or brooks^ are all parallel to the drums, but the riven Tay, Eiocb, " and Ifla, as they come out from the Grampians into the ftrath, all point paftward, and even their bendings among the mountains are towards the £. \ aotwttbftandtng, that afterwards, in the middle of Strathmore, they run ii^ one body fouth-weflward : In coming out from the mountains, the riveci run in the diredlion of the tide of ebb, and after becoming j:onfiderable bodies in the middle |0f the Strath, they run in the dire^ion of the tide of ^lood ; circumftances which can be eafily apprehended. That the drums and courfes of brooks and riifers have been formed in this manner, is an opinion which I have weighed maturely, which has prefled upon my mind for (everal years, and which I have feen a good many paru of Scotland to afcertain the truth Qf ; which, being an hilly country, full of ftraths, is better for determining a point of this nature, than a champain country, likf molt of England. It is an opinion which I have put to the teft of expert- Bent, by judging before hand, as the higher grounds of a province opened |o view what muft be the pofitlon of the drums between ; and where the premises were right, there wi^ no error in the conciufion. To enlarge ppon this point would be foreign to the fubje^t of|this paper. Suffice it to fay, that drums are parallel to the ftraths in which they lie. And whero fhere are no ftraths, they are parallel to the bafe of the adjacent mountains. Thf druffli ^ rivers are commonly parallel to each other. Iq this caf(^

(h^

344 Statiftical Account

sun £• They ane in length perpendicnlmr to the line eg Bktnt of the Grampian ridge, on which they lie, or ncarlj fo : The W. end of them, however, inclining fomewhat to- wards the Grampian ridge, on the sifcent of which they lie, and the £. end of them being in the fame proportioa turned away from it. They are in that part of the aicent which is flatted ; thofe parts which are fteepeft hare them more rarely* In the grounds of Polcalk there is a dak and drum along the very top of the fieepeft declivity.

Higblafid DiJlriBs.'^The infulated and cultivated put •f the parifli at Perfy, is a level fpot on the right bank of the Shee, or Blackwater, poflcfled by two proprietors. North Perfy, Mr Farquharfon, rent, and worth, L. 58 Ster- ling ; valued rent, L. 156 Scots. South Perfy, Mr Stewart*

rent

the riven tre ftreigbt. It is alwijs a crooked river tbat nms acrois the drums ; fometimcs following the dale, and fometimes breakihg over die drum. And fnffice it farther to obferve, that the centre of gravity of die earth, depends on the relative pofition of the materials thereof ; fo that if the water enveloping the north pole, were, by fome means, tranfported xm the fouth pole, a new center of gravity would be thereby formed ; and die waters would never return to their old bed, but would adhere to die new center.

I would farther add upon this head, a paflage from Dr Edmund Hallcj's Aftronomy of Comets >-^* Hitherto no comet has threatened the earth 'wiih '* a nearer approach than that of 1680, (whofe period is 575 years). For " by calculation I find, that November nth, xb 6', that comet was not " above the femidiameter of the fun to the northward oi the way of the " earth ; at which time, had the earth been there, the comet would have ** had a parallax equal to that of the moon ; this is fpoken to aftrononaen. <• But what might be the confequence of fo near an appnlfe, or of a coa- <' tatfl, or laiUy, of a fliock of the celeftial bodies, (Mrhidi is by no meaus ** impoilible to come to pafs), I leave to be difcufled by the iludious of " phyfical matters.** Another return of this comet may clear up itshiftoiy, and that of the chknges of the earth. Its 8th bygone vifitation of the earth, happened four years after die dme vulgarly affigned for the univcxJid dv* )Ti|;e. Four of thefe vijltadoni have been recorded in hiflory.

ofBendotby. 345

rent, L. 80 Sterling; valued rent, L. 160 Scots. Mr Far- qoharfon has a houfe here, and has inclofed much of his araUe land with (lone dikes, as Mr Stewart has likewife done ; whin or moor (tones having at firft been plentiful on the grounds. Cally is polTeffed by one proprietor, Mr Macdonald; rent, L. 91 Sterling-, valued rent, L.^228, 17s* Scots. The cultivated part of Cally is a level fpot on the left back of the Ardle. It is rather lower ground, and drier than Perfy, but uninclofed. Floods of the rivers do no damage to the grounds or corns in thefe parts, as they ' never reach fo high. There is a large hill or ridge between Perfy and Cally, uncultivated, and level at top, being a continuation of the hilly ground adjacent, and having nearly the fame elevation with other high grounds in the neigh* bourhood. Thefe high grounds feem to have been the original furface of the country ; the above cultivated parts among the Grampians having been fcooped out by bodies of water running in thefe beds. Perfy, Cally, and Drim- mie, belonged of old to the monks of Cupar Angus : CaU ly, for this reafon, was named Monk's Cally. The infu- lated part at Drimmie is chiefly a fteep ridge on the left bank of the Eroch, and running parallel thereto, on the N. fide of which ridge there is a hollow, and then again a fecond afcent. This eflate is either cultivated or inclofed pafture. The fences are of moor-ftone. Much of the foil is wet mortar. It is better foil near the river, where Mr Murifon, the proprietor, has a lodge. Rent, L. 160 Ster- ling \ valued rent, L. 308 213:4 Scots. Drimmie pays no ftipend to the minifter.

The real rent of the whole pari(h, as above, is L. 2467 Sterling. The valued rent in the ceis books, L.6045, 14 s* Scots.

Vol. XIX. X x Runrig

34^ Statijlical Account

Runrig formerly 4 — ^Therc is properly no village in the pariQi. About 40 years ago, the fiarm houfes laj togetbcr in clufters» from the ancient policy of felf-defence agatnft depredators, and from the convenicncy of keeping the cattle on common pafture. The farms lay in runrig, that is, each field was divided into as many parts or ridges ss there were farmers in the village ; by which the gocxi and bad land was equally divided among all ; and in winter, or when in graCs, all the ground was common paihirage. Dif- ferent properties were thus occupied, as well as different farms on the fame property. A muliiplicity of ioterferiog interefts difcouraged any attempt at a change. There vras not then, nor indeed could there be, any winter turnip, fown grafs, or wheat ; neither was there any fallow nor potatoes. Lord Privy Seal, whofc property lay by itielf, was the firft that divided and inclofed his farms fcparately. He was next followed by the owners of Cupar-grange, originally diftributed among twelve pofTcflTors ; but eleven parts of the twelve were now become one property. Afrer which, the Grange of Aberboihry was divided ; onginaily the equal property of eight, now of fix perfons unequally. There were formerly balks between the ridges ; there was no grais private property but what grew on the balks. There are now no balks. Formerly they ploughed with eight oxen, or with four oxen and two horfes before them ; at preftnt they plough entirely with horfes, commonly two in a plough. What com they had was not much in* ferior to what grows at prefcnt. They ploughed always deep, cleaned the ground in the fpring, and dunged it for barley. The whole of the dung was laid on the infield. The outfield, which was the greater proportion, never got any dung. It yielded a crop now and then, af^er lying feveral years in grafs, or rather in a flate of nature ; the crop was private property, but the grafs was common paf- 3 tttragr.

qfBendoiby. 347

turage. Formerlj tbey ufed tumbler fledges for carts; the wheek and axle being all of one piece \ thej now ufe carts of a proper confirudion. Almoft all this parifli was abbey lands. At the Reformation, the monks fold the lands, and the tenants who reiided generally became the purchafers. The circumftance of their purchafe made little alteration on their manner ^ living. Anciently there was no glai$ in the windows, but only wooden boards; now every window has fome glafs. There are fix gentlemen's houfes, auid five farm houfes two (lories high. The inhabitants formerly had, and fome ftill have, vile' fmoaky houfes for ivant of vents. This has begun to be remedied in fome low thatched houfes, by building a three feet wide chimney of mafon-work, fix feet high, and fetting a clay and flake vent above it to go out at the top, three feet wide within every way ; narrow vents of mafon-work being found to be dangerous in thatched houfes.

^acis ' — In the low country part of the parifli, the tenants have all tacks of 19, or a fmaller number of years ; and their rent is paid commonly after the crop is fold and (}if- pofed of. In the Highland di(lri£b they fcarcely have any tacks, and as the tenant may go when he pleafes, the rent is paid commonly before the crop is off the ground, ac- cording to iht pradice of the neighbouring Highlands. For fome time bygone, the tacks of Lord Privy Seal's tenants have been renewed two years before their expiration. A reafonable rent is fixed on by the heritor, in which the te- nant finds it his intereft to concur. The confequence is, they are all old tenants on this oflate. One family has feen out the century in the fame place. In the eftates of fome other proprietors of the. pari Ai, fome fiirms have been let (by newfpaper adveriifemencs for private offers) to the • higheil bidders ; this makes landed property an objed only

of

34* Statiflical Account

of commerce, which is not fo favonrable for the folidit j of fociety, as that mode (refulting from the principles of the feudal fyfteni) by which the tenant, bom at the fame cradle, and living on the fame foil, wiflies to lie in the fame grave with his fathers. Whereas a tenant, who has been prc- fered becaufe he was the higheft bidder, thinks he owes daty to no man after he has paid his rent. There is one family on tHe Cupar-grange eflate, which has alfo been there a century. The former tenant in that family kept a piper , to play to his {hearers all the time of harveft, and gave him his harveft fee : The floweft (hearer had always the drone behind him. In the firll part of this century, the tenants not only lived together in one village, but each village was aimed entirely of one family, allied together by marriage and blood.

Rotation of Crops. — Though every pcrfon purfues a rota- tion of crops of his own, there is no rotation common to all. The tenants on the eftate of Cupar-grange are bound to a rotation of fix years; three to be white crops, wz. oats, barley, and wheat ; and three intermediate crops re- fpeftively to be green crops, fuch as grafs, peafe, flax, tur- nip, potatoes, or fallow. The tenants on Lord Privy Seal's eCtate are bound to have no more than two thirds of their land in crop, and to have one third in grafs \ the grafs to He four years ; they are alfo bound to have half of their ground in grafs during the lafl five years of the tack.

Sowing mid Reaping. — Wheat is fown in the months of OAober and November, a boll to an acre. Ii is fown after dunged fallow, or after potatoes that have been dunged. The quantity of dung to an acre is from 30 to 40 cart- loads. Thofe that are near, purchafe fome Cupar Angus dung; which, when unmixed with earth, is a valuable ma-

Dure,

of Bendotby. 349

sure. It is purchafed at i s. 6 d. or 2 s. the cart-load. A. load of marl, at four miles diftance, would coil 50 d. coa- taming 5 bolls. A load of lime, at fix miles difiance, woald coft I2S. 6d. the 5 bolls. There is little or none of the two latter at prefent ufed here. Wheat, though lately introduced here, is raoft congenial to the climate of any grain ; as it alone, of all of them, ftands the winter, and is fooneft ripe, and read j to be removed from the autumnal ftorms. It is begun to be cut down about the end of Au« guft, or beginning of September. It has not, however, fuc- ceeded on high mountainous grounds. Four or five hun- dred feet of difference of elevation, makes a very great dif- ference of climate ; and of grounds of the fame elevation, thofe neareft the mountains are the coldeft and dampeft foil* Oats are fown in the end of March and beginning of April, (a boll to an acre), frequently after grafs. They never get any dung, as they grow more luxuriantly, with lefs fatnefs of foil,- than any other crop can do. They are reaped, laft of all the crops, about the end of September or " firil of October. There is almoft no market for oats, ex- cepting feed oats, which fell higher than the price of other oats \ but oats are firil converted into meal, and then fold. The common people live on oatmeal pottage twice a-day« It is the mod wholefome and palatable of all their food, being purely vegetable ; notwithftanding the reflexion in Johofon's DiAionary, that *' oats are eaten by horfes in *' England, and in Scotland by men." Such food makes men ftrong like horfes, and purges the brain of pedantry. It produces hardy Highlanders, who by their (Irength and drels are fo formidable to their enemies, that they call them, *' Les diables des Montagnes."

Peafe arc fown in the end of April. They are not con- fidered as a valuable crop, except on account of the ftraw ; they are precarious to win in harveft*

Barley

\

350 Stati/lical Account

Barlej b fbwn about the beginning of May, a boll to an acre. It is fown commonlj after turnip, or other green [ crop, and is reaped about the middle of September. Barlej needs to be dunged, if the ground has not been dunged the preceding yean Barlej, fo called, has two rows in tbe bead like rye : That which has more rows in the head than two, is called Cheftcr Barley. The Cheiler is that which has been moQ anciently fown here, and which is ftill moll in requeft in the high grounds ^ bot barley is thought the Aoft advantageous crop in the low country.

Flax is fown about the end of April, after a ihower, or when the ground is wet. They fow about lo pecks of lintfeed on an acre. The flax is pulled about the end of Augufi, and yields from 18 to 24 fione of flax the acre. There is but little lintfeed faved* The flax is laid for ive or fix nights in the water, and lies afterwards two or three weeks on the gVafs.

Potatoes are planted about the end cf April ^ that moft commonly ufed is the kidney, an egg-ihaped white potatoe. There are likewife fcvcral other forts here. Two or thiee bolls of potatoes are cut and planted on an acre, a yard be- tween tbe rows, and a foot between the fets. They yield from 20 to 30 bolls and upwards an acre. The ground it twice ploughed at kail before planting; and they are hoed and drilled with the plough two or three times after. They are, or ought to be, taken up before tbe end of September. The rows are taken up by the plough, and gathered with children and others ; ploughed again, and harrowed before and after ploughing, and gathered at all thefe times. They are kept in winter generally under ground, but fometimcs imperfedly, on account of the moiflure getting down among them, and caufing them to rot, heat, and ihoot in thefpring. If they were to be kept dry in an ice houfe, they would be preferved all the year over from frod, damp, and vege-

• tatioD.

of Btndotby. 351

taticn. Tbi& is propofed as a fubjefi for a premium by the Highland Societ j. But I doubt the fingularity of my pro* jed would operate againit my pretenfions, — ^to keep « thing from froft in an ice-houfe !

The potatoe is the true root of Scarcity, which promifes to fet Famine at defiance. The poorer lort of people dine and fup chiefly on potatoes, in the feafon of them. But thofe that are in a flate of fervitude, are commonly above eating potatoes. Potatoes * are ufeful for hoifes in the fpring ; they eat them raw.

Turnips are fown the firft week of June in drills, the ground having been ploughed (and cleaned) two cr three times before fowing. There is the fame fpace left between the drills and between the plants, as in the cafe of potatoes ; and they are cleaned and drefied in the fame manner. Sow them when the ground is wet, or prepare your ground^ and wait for rain, cv€n a fortnight. They are ready to take up by the middle of November ; fome of the balls of them are a foot diameter, feldom lefs than 6 inches. An acre feedb % cattle, and puts L. 3 Sterling worth of beef upon each. Both turnip and potatoes are dunged.

Clover and ryegrafs f are often fown out with barley,

fometimea

* I1ie fttbibuice called (hot ftars is nothing eUe than frofted peutoes. A night of hard froft, in the end of autumn, in which thofe meteors called falling ftars are fccn, reduces the potatoe to the confiftence of a jelly, or foft pulp, having no refcmblance to a potatoe, except when part of the ikin of the potatoe adheres below undifiblved. This pulp remains folt and fluid when all things elfe in nature are confolidated by froft ; for which reafon it is greedily taken up by crows and other fowls, when no other fuftenance is to be had, fo that it is often found by man in the a^hial circuroftance of having fallen from above, having its parts fcattered and difperfed ry the fall, according to the law of falling bodies. This has given rife to the name and vulgar opuiion concerning it.

t Mye-^afi.'-^Thit moft troublefome weed to fanners, and which it it tht objcA of fallow chiefly to ddtroy, is that ibrt of graf^ called ^icAen^

which

35^ Stati/iical Account

Ibmetiines with other crops; i61b. of clover feed €m an acre, and two buftiels of r jegrais ; the produds oa good ground is 200 ftooe of haj.

^antity and IV eight of Grain. — ^There arc about 1500 acres to the W. and 1 800 acres to the £. of the confluence of Eroch and Ifla ; in all 3300 acres ; of which, 896 acres are fown with oats ; 421 with barlej or bear ;

X48 with wheat;

XI9 with peafe;

58 with potatoes ;

43 with flax ;

87 with turnip ;

130 in fallow;

12^0 infowngrals;

158 in natural grab ;

3300 acres.

The eftates of Drimmie, Perfy, and Callj, fow befides about 260 bolls of oats, and 150 bolls of bear. The ave- rage produce in the low country part, is 5 bolls the acre of oats and bear ; 8 bolls of wheat ; 3 bolls of peafe, Linlith- gow mcafure ; 20 to 50 bolls potatoes, being 4 heaped bar- ley firlots the boll, or 20 (lone raeal-weit^ht. In the High- land diflrifls, the produce of oats and bear is 3 bolls. Oats weigh 12 or 13 ftone meal-weight, (in the low country) ; barley 18 (lone, and wheat 14 ftone, the boll, Linlithgow

zneafnre ;

which propagates by flioot9 from its roots, which fpread andrr groand. Tliis grafs is fo like rye-grafs, that however well fanners know its roots, I fcarcely • know any of them that can dlltin^iih the grafs of it from rye-grafs. The quicken grafs grows with the feeds of it arranged in the manner of wheats while the feeds of the rye-grafs are arranged in the manner of rye. I be- lieve the feeds of this weed are apt to be fowir for iye<gni(s by mifiake.

qfBendotby. 353

metfnre ; the oat and barley firlot being to the wheat and peafe firlot as 3 to a nearly ; the ftandard wheat firlot is very nearly equal to the Engliih bufliel, being iioth part larger. Good oats yield a boll of meal of 8 ftone for a boll of oats. Good barley yields a boll and a half of meal, or II ftone, for a boll of barley. By the above weights, I mean meal^wei^t, or Seoteh avoirdupois, a done, or s6 lb. of which are equal to 17 lb. 6 ounces Englifii avoirdupois. The firlot of the parifli b the Dundee barley firlot, which is 3 lippiea in the boll, or a aoth part larger than the Perth firlot. The Perth firlot is a a5th part larger than the true ftandard. Some farmers of late keep two barley firlots, one for Dundee and another for Perth. The Perth wheat firlot, which is ufed here, is alfo faid to be a 30th part lar« ger than the true ftandard *. The prices of vidual have been fo variable of late, that nothing particular can be faid of them. The average of wheat fome years bygone was L. xSterKng the boil; of oatmeal, 138. 4d. ; of bear, 148. or 15 8. In this year of foarcity^ we have fiecn the wheat at 50 6. the boll; the bear at 27 s. and the oatmeal at 34 r. the boll, from the failure of crop x 795*

Cattle. — ^There are x a 29 homed cattle of all ages and fezes in the pari (fa. 1 have no other general name to them ; but many of them are doddcd, that is, wanting horns : We call them Cattle, to diftinguiOi them from horfes, of which the' e are 232 in the parifli, young and old. Cattle weigh from 10 to 40 ftone, meal- weight. A fat ox of 40 ftone,

Vot. XIX. Y y ;laft

• If a rod of 63' inches 77 decimal part5, vibrating 47 times in a minute, were adopted as an univerral Aandard of meafitre ; the length of the rod woald be equal is t chord of the equator, fubtendin^ the ugle of accelera- tion of the fixed ftan in the time of one vibration. So that the iengtli of the rod, maUiplied by the number of its vibrations in a year, would be equal to a great circle of the cuth meafured along the equator.

354 Statijlical Aecpuni

laft year, bixMight L« zo Sterling. Horict leU from L. is f o Lm 20 Steriing ; a borie wUl drair So floee of coab froin Perth, on a cart. There are no ibcep kept in the low country part of the parifli, bat fbme in the Highlands. We have no afiea here, but Come fwiae.

Butter and Cifi/i^^^Thtn m a good deal of hbtter and checfe made i but the cbeefe is hb yaloabk than it woold be, by wanting the fubftaace of the hotter. Butter fells at xo d. the pound of so ounces Scotch, equal to %% ounces Englilh avoirdupois. Merchants retail it faked doriDg win- ter, giving i6 ounces Eogliib for a pioond, by which the unwary purchafrr lofes 6 ounces. Cheefe is Cold by die country peopk (al lb. Englilh avoirdopob to the ftoiie) at 4s. 6 d. and is retailed by thi^ merchants at x6 of theft pbuods to the (tone. Tbefe are grievous evils to the poor, and originate from not refiri&ing the inhabhtnts, ^ca* cioufly, to the uie poly of one weight apd one n)e$fiune. I have known an inftance in churning butter, in which thf cream, after more than ordinary labour, call ap only one pound of butter inftead of four, which it ought. By ftanding a while to cool, and having the labour repeated over again, it csft up the other thre^ pounds of butter.

When Kitty kimcd, and there nae butter came.

Ye, Matife, gat a' the wyte. Alla^t Raksai.

TVire.— -There is a good deal of %1inen yam fpun in the parifli, and fome of it is weaved. The women fpin widi both hands, 19 hairs a-day. The price of yam has been as variable, of late, as that of viAnal, from %$ d. to 43 d. die fpindle. They fpin 12 hairs, fale yarn^ out o( the Engliih p9Uffd aVG^rdupo^.

$/Sendotiy4 JS^

MUls.'^Thetejm two lint-mills in the parifh, and font ebin-milb, for grinding. There are three mtlis ereded iti the poriOi for threfking cbrn. Each mill is driven hy three cyr ^fonr horfes* It threlhes a holl in ten more out of wheat than is done by flaib. But the mill breaks the wheat-draw much, and unfits it for thatch. *" llie expence of mounting one is L* 30 or L. 40 Sterling. One of thefe has about 80 revolutions of the threihing-drum for one revolution of the horfe*s wheel. But as the horfe^s traft is eight times lar^- ger than the eircumference of the threfliing-drum, th« threlhers move with only ten times the velocity of the horfes. lliefe mills give fatbfadion.

Reiti and Produce.-^The whole rent of the pariih is L. 1467 Sterling. The crop and annual ifaduftry of thd people is worth about four times that fum, little fiiort of L. 10,600 Sterling. Of this, one-fourth goes to fow the ground, and fiimifli implements of hufbandry ; one-fourth to pay the rent ; one-fourth to pay and maintain the fer- ▼antSi (men^s wages being from L4 to to L. 13, and wo- men's wages L. 4 Sterling) 3 and one-fourth to fupport the farmer's &mily. Before the farms were divided, and die late mode of farming adopted, there was only *' ane to faw^ ** and ane to gnaw, and ane to pay the Laird witha'." This is fometimes the cafe flill. The flock and tiend of the whole pariih, according to the valuation of the prefbytery of Meigle, A. Di 1630, was 84 chalders 3 bolls a pecks of iriftual, and Li 3 131 : 4 : 10 Scotch of olon^y ; aiid turning the money into vidual, at L. 100 Scotch thft chalder, (which feems to have been the rule then ufed in the valuation, the whole flock and tiend, eftimated in vidual, was C15 chal« ders. But the prefent rent being L. 1467 Sterlings would' be equal to 193 chalders, at 16 s. Sterling the boU« Ihe

talW

356 Stati/Hcal Account

value of the parilh at that time, thereforCf was littk than half its prefent value.

Stipind^ — ^The ftipend b 6i chalders of vilEhia], two pofts oatmeal, and third part barlej, and L, 33 : 6 : 8 Sterling of monej. The prefent incumbent, who is a native of the parilh, was fettled, A.D. 1785. Mr Alexander Dun was minifter for 36 jears before that ; and Mr James Ram&y, before him, was 47 years mini&er of this pariih. He be- fjui with the century, and was the firfi Prefbjterian mini- iter after the Revolution : The people having retained the Epifcopal minifter xi years after the Revolution, and ha- ving adhered to him fome tim^ even after the fettlemcnt •f his fucceflbr. His name was Mr Rankin^— The age of the church is not known \ it was newly feated about ao years ago. The wood of the roof is xoo years old. The manfe was repaired five years ago. It is moftly all new,. except the cupples and joifts, and floors, and part of the fore and back wall. It has ftood about 70 years. The fchool flands at Cupar-grange. The falary is now aoo merks Scotch. Englifli, arithmetic, and writing, are taoght by the prefent fchoolmaller. I believe there is no native of the pariih who has not been taught to read.

CbaptL — A chapel of eafe was built about eleven years ago at North Perfy, for the accommodation of the people in the neighbourhood. It c<^ L. 150 Sterling, railed by contributions in the country. It is dated, (bated, and cod* tains 400 people. The feat-xents and colleAions amount to about L. 30, which maintains the preacher. Applica* tion was made for aid firom the Royal bounty, and from the Society for Propagating Chrifiian Knowledge, without cfied. In thb laA cafe, the &ilure was partly owing to the want of concurrence on the part of landed gentlemen, to 3 comply

efBendotly. 357

complj with the rules of the Society, which require half of the preacher's falary to he made good by them. There is a borial'ground at Cally. The chapel at Ferfy is nine miles firom the parifli-church. ^

JPoor.F— There are at prefent 7 poor perfons on the llilt who get from 2s. to 5 s. monthly i in all, L. i : 2 : 6, month- ly. The monthly colleAions are 8 s. L. 6 Sterling b raifed by an afleflment of 2 s. yearly on the L. xoo Scotch valued rent, paid equally by the heritors and tenants. The kirk* feffion had lent L. 100 Sterling to Mr Robertfon of Strath- loch» alias Baron Reid, which, aftenhis failure, lay 25 yeart in captivity in the hands of his truilee, till it amounted to L. 147 Sterling, when it was again recovered. Moft part of that fum had not been three months in the hands of Ber- tram, Gardner, and Company, when it was again unfortu- nate. The fei&on have L. 40 at intereft beiides the above. The fei&on-clerk's fee is L. x yearly. Five (hillings of monthly penfion is only 2 d. a-day ; when the poor peoplo have no other fupport, it cannot detain them long from that country, where the weary are at refi.

H^a^r/.— When people are well, and in health, they do not provide for the days of infirmity, which may be many, nor think of the years of which they Ihall fay, they have no pleafure therein. L. 5 Sterling were great wages tea years ago. Twice that fum is the common hire of men lervants at prefent ; and fome have the &ce to aflc, and the luck to obtain, near three times that (um, befides food. The wages of a day-labourer are & d. or xo d. a-day, befides food \ of a Wright or mafon, x s. 8 d. or x s. 10 d. without meat \ of a man fliearer for the harveft, L. 2 Sterling ^ of a woman, above L. x, and meat ; of a man (hearer for a day, I s. 6 d. i of a woman, x s* and meat. It is too little the

praAioe'

3S8 StaHJikal Jc€ount

praAioe of fiutnen to keep cottan, bj wlikh meaas {teople are not railed on the grounds infficient to perform the work. Thej think it mote profitable to import them from the Highlands. A new cart cods L. 6 Sterling; hameffiag fcr it cofis L. %f 10 $• An iron-headed plough, and caft metal monld-boardy cofts L. a. A new harrow oofia 7 a. The threihing a boll of oats cofla the ajth bolL

Firr/«—Moft of the' people bring any peats they ufe from Ae mols of Cochridgei in the pariih of Kinloch, being feven hours in going and returning. Coalsjfrom Dundee or Perth are the chief fuel uied by thofe that haire carta to dri-ve them.

Bridg$9.^^Thmt was a bridge built over the Ida, on the road from Cupar Angus to Fort George, by Government, in 1766. The arches are five. The middle arch is 30 feet above the fummer water) and the road over is 15 feet wide. The road is fometimes impaffablci on the foutb fide, at high floods. The bridge is built nearly over the only two natural great (tones in the middle of the river, called the riding Jlont and thie wading Jlonti and as works of na- ture outlive thofe of art, they may (hew the place where it ftood after it is gone. There is another bridge over the Ardle at Cally, on the fame road, and a bridge at Stron. over the Sbee, on another road, both of one arch. ' There is a boat over the Eroch at Cupar-grange for foot people^

jB^jg|ife#i^/.«^Bendothy was the pariih church of Capar Angus before the abolition of Popery. The church was then more centrical for the pari(h than it is at prefent. The feats of Keithick, in that pari(h, ftood in the chnrch here before die late! repairs. There is a fione in this chwch upon Nicol Campbell, proprietor of Keithick, fim of Do- ftal^i abbot of Cupar, and grandfon of the Earl of Argyle,

who

ifBendotby. 35^

who £ed, A.D. i587» aged 70. Hk brother, David Camp* bell, proprietor of Denhead, (in Cupar parifib), is alfo buried here. Hedied, A.D. 1584, aged88. There is aUb a (tone on Leonard Lellie, (entitled, Doimus di Cupro)^ commenda*. tor of Cupar, who died, A. D, 1605, aged 81. There is a figure in the wall of John Cummin, proprietor of Couty, ui this parilby drefled in a coat of mail. A* D. x6o6.

Si Fini^ — There has anciently been a chapd at St Fink> * dedicated to that faint. That rpart of th^ parUb which ia eaftward of the confluence of Eroch and Ifla, would feem, from its fituation, to have belonged to this chapel. The houles near to it are called the Chapeltown, and the foun- dation of the chapel remains at St Fink. There has an- dentlj been a burying-ground round the chapel. The pit- (ent proprietor dug out fome heads, without a body, (each ' indofed between four fquare Hones, fitted to hold the head ^4 probably the heads of people who had been flaia at a dif*' tance in battle. There was a cairn of ftones on his cfiate*. which he alfo opened up, and below the ftones, among the loofe earth, which was black with burnt albes, he found human bones, which had undergone fire \ and upon digging down into the firm ground below, he found two inverted urns, which had been placed in pits dug for them, each urn containing human bones ; the bones and urns were in per- feft prefervation* The urns were large enough to hold the thigh and leg bones, and other bones, entire. They were adorned with rude fculpturei but had no infcription.

PiOiJb luUdings^^n digging in the grounds of Mudball feveralfubterraneousbuildings were uncovered, which, when cleared of the afhes and earth with which they were filled, were found to be about 6 feet wide within walls, 5 feet deep, j|od 40 ^et loBg» or more. They were built in the fides, and

paved

36a

Statiftical Account

psved in the bottom witb rough whrn-ftooet. la tftdr kngth they were not ftratght, bat a portion of a circle. It would feem that they had been roofied with wood, and covered above with earth and turf. They anfwer to Ta- citos's deibription of the buildings of the Germans : ** Tliey **' dig caves in the earth, where they lay up thrir grain, *' and live in winter. Into thele they alio retire firom their " enemies, who plunder the open country, but cannot dif- •* cover thefe fabterraneous recefles.*' Be Mar. Germ^c. i6. If people were obliged again to creep into a hole, they would know the value of good Cyoveroment by the want of it. Their creft and edifice would not tower fo high as they do at prefent.

Pofitt/atioM. — There are in the pari(h i8i Caimiliea, con* faining 878 fouk. The return to Dr Webfier in I7S5« was 1193 fouls; fo that the population has fufiered a diminu* tioQof4t7.

A JJJI 0/ Famlitj.

5 proprietors rending, poflcuin Sth of the v&lucdient.	g to	5 Wrights, a Ibitbs.
1 fanner, rent from L. zao to L. 140	5 tailors.
4	lOO	110	23 labourers.
3	80	100	•12 (enrants.
€	60	80	6 millers-
9	40	60	2 mxnifter and fchoolfflafter.
«x	10	40	2 boatman and heckler.
9	10	20	10 widows.
9	s	to	11 unmarried	women.
13	under	s
	under	xo	iSz&milies.
Ai da4y weavers.
	Nttmitr	o/Ptr/oms m Famay.
ramily.	Perfons.		Family.		PeribMi
1 of	H		x8	of	6
* 3	«3		19		5
	IS		30		4
	IX		3X		3
	lO		«S		a
	9		XI		t
<4	8
M^	7		181 familiea

of Bendotby, 361

Jn A, Z). 1648 were y^ Baptifms.

31702,	4a 1	baptilins. |	1779. ao baptiims.
»749.	33		\ 17^SV "
MaUi.	FemaUi. "	Relative Situationi.
160	»
	^6.	» ..	\ women bearing childrea*
	<5S		vpmcQ paft, and not bearing*
	«9		widows.
	IX		unmarried women keeping houfc
7	—		weavers not boafefaolden.
.a	..		wngbts .ditto*
tftf	•«		male relations of the bouie.
	206		female relations.
100	-«		male fervants.
	74		female fervants.
105			males under lo jeaif.
	97		females under lo yean.
tf^a^M
•HO	43*		nuiles and females.
438	—		females.
»7»	foals.		Ages 0/* the People.
^crfons.	Tean.	Years. |	Perfons. Years. Years.
102	froin 0 tc	10		52 from 60 to 70
jya •	10	ao		9 70 «o
«47	«o	30		X above %o
lao	30	40		•a-...
94	40	SO		Inali,87S(ba]a.
7S	50	60
		Kelijious Ferfuafions.
^96 Eibibliflimcnt.		3 EpiTcopals,
143 Scccders.		ft Papifts.
3 a Relievers.			Ilnall^ 878 fouls.

Languagi^-^s the common Scotch, which has not al- tered .'much in pronouhciation and di&ion fince Gavin Douglas's * tranflation of the /Eneid in that language. It is a provincial dialed of the Englifh. Some words are of

Vol. XIX. Zz Greek

• There are, in diis tradlation, a great many learned and foreign words ifom the tatin and other languages, which (in the manner of Johnfon^s pfcrafeology) do not e germinate from ^le vernacular tongue.

^6% StoHJHcal Accomt

Creek original. JKm, is Bm9i$ ^ hiH ; irod^^ (about tht moon), is fipo^o(» m chain about the neck ; Itofi^ is Bgi»9K9 meat. C^r d!r Jii/. Go/. /i2. 6«y^ xj, 14. (i^ys, the Opuds in Gaul fpoke the Grpek laogaage, tbpir (chook bpin^ formed on tlie model of thole in Britain, Some words are of French original ; Uancbeamf (milk and water), is, bbmcbi eau^ white water; ma'gr^^ (in fpite of), is malgm ingk^ (the fire), majr be traced in the Xajon tgnU. The celebrar ted author of the Wealth of Nations obfenrcs, that people who live in the country have more intelligence tilian thofe in towns. Farming does not require many words, bat much reflcdion and obfervation, and great exertion ^d in- duftry. People that live in retirement ar^ not fo expert in the ufe of words as they that live in fociety are ; but their tongues are better indexes of their hearts. TIkj do not need to live on little traffic, which is a great enemy to truth and morals ; and are not always a match for tbofb arts of trade, by which towns-people fometimes take them in.

ReligtQM, life. — There is more of the external form, and, I believe, real fubftance of religion, here in Scotland, at lead on one day of the week| than is to be feen in other places out qf Scotland. The clergy commonly repeat their fermons from memory, that they may avoid tl^e preju- dices which would Qtherwife arife againft them from faf« pefted want of ability and infpiratiQn,*-prejudices, which, however groundlefi they ipay be in their caufe, are r^ in their ponfequeocea. Socrates, a wife man in liis li&i was certainly a fopi at his death, which was occafioned by his defpifing the opinions of the people. Such as are difaffcfted to the church, are, more commonly. i;han other- wife, very indifferent about the ftate. It is fingular to lee 91* \ie^v 9f them liftin|( up one hand| in their own waj, to

9f ienJoifyi 36J

it&plore » bleffing on the gofpeU and flretching ont di<r other, to the tnemj, to help to poll it down. Thej ftomble on that blocks which bean the infcription, that the Pope is Antichrift. But who is Antichrift now ? He or his ene* mies ? The Revelation of St John decides it t '^ He is An« *' tichrift that denieth the Father and the Son." Whj/ my friends, yon care as little for the gofpel and the Sab« bath-day, as yon do for the Pope, or the Eftabliflnnent ; otherwife yon wonld not expole the (bame of your naked- neis, by jobing with Sans Cullotes, to dance with them upon' the decade. One word more on this fubjefii and I havo done. Babylon was a great city, and no better than it (honld be* Rome was a great city, and the whol*e of Baby* Ion. Beware of making cities too great. They are ca^ pable of making fudden tnmults. It was not France, but Paris, that twice overturned the Government, and leiit eVe« ry man to do that which Was right in his own eyes. To prevent the exorbitant growth of eities may be done by in-* dividuals, but is not to be attempted by (lateOnen. If the property of the nation were fpent by its pofleflbrs in pro- vincial towns, (rather than all coUeAed at the metropolis), property would be lefs liabk to the efled of fddden con* vnlfions. The moft defpotic and cruel of all governors were the mobs of Athens and Rome. From fuch inhu^ man matters, CSood Lord deliver us 1

Camaltn^K canal would be very beneficial to this coon^ try. It coald be brought from Perth, along the tiA bank of the Tay, as far as the head of the Stormont-ficld oanal 9* and coold from thence be carried on higher grounds to Cupa^ Angns, from whence is level ground all along to the IakH of Forfar, which is not ^uite aoo feet above the level o£ the feai

364 Siati/iical AccouM

Ciimaie.^^Tor two months of fammer there b a flroiig ttfU light all night, fo that one can read ordinarj print hy it ia die open air at midnight ; the fun being onlj xo degrees ttnder the horizon. In furomer, in the ihade>« the thermo- meter flands at about 60^ on Farenheif s feale, in warm weather above, and in eold weather bebw that pcunt* There is aknoft no difierenoe between the ftate of the ther- mometer here, and that at Edinburgh, as printed in the newfpapers ; in winter, the diermometer is rerj variable* One night, in December 1794, it was down 24^ below freezing. This was very uncommon. The W. wind 13 the moft common ; it is a dry wind. The N. wind is alfo dry, and blows in winter. The £. wind is accompanied with rain v but in (pring it is fouKdmes dry. The S. wind 16 a wet windv and feldom blows. The S. W. wind, which blows in the direAien of the ({rath, b the moft common of all others. The air is often ftill at evening and morning, and then the S. W. wind Mows at mid-day, and in the af- ternoon a good gale. The barometer is high ia good wea- dier and froft, and falls after wind and rain.^

A great fall of fnow in winter feems to change the cli- mate above it from the time of its fall, while it contimxes upon the ground. It prevents the cold of the atmofphere ftt>m defcending to the earth, and the heat of the earth from afcending to the atmofphere. Grronnd that is not frozen when the (how falls on it, will not freeze after. One day a good many years ago, I faw the hoar^froll on the ice of the river, in the morning, half an inch long. It was fea- thered like fern, and had great refemblance to vegetadon. The icy particles at that dme clouded the atmofphere, and individually were vifiWe to the eye. Though the froft in l)ecember 17^4 was the moft fevere ever known, there was a pool of ftiil water in Ida river that did not freeze. I think that a complete coat of ice alters the temperature

3 ^

o/Bendotbj. ^.

of the water nnder it, and prevents.it frpm being cooled b^.

the atmofphere, fo that it h^s not the fame difpofition to freeze as it had before it was covered. If hedges or dikes were raifed 30 yards from the road fide, that fpace would hold all the driven fnow, and the road would be free from it.

The crop 17951 having been a bad crop, and having rai'' fed the oatmeal to 24 s. and the wheat to 50s. the boll, a, iketch of the weather may not be unacceptable. The froft ^ began on the i8th December 1794, and continued to the 4th of January. It began again on the loth of January -y fnowed on the 19th and aoth, and continued deep fnow.^

. Marcht3. there was fome blacknefs on the ground \ March x I. the river ice^broke, and went down; March 19. wreaths fiill in hollows; Sidlaw hills fliU continued white March 23. ploughs going; March 31. rain and flood April 4. fowing ; April 15. fnow nearly otf Sidlaw hills May 9. fnowing; thermometer about 48^ all May; all fummer below 60^ except a day or two. The harveft dry till the 9th of Odober, and wheat and barley partly in ; on the 9th of Oftober a flood, wind S. £. ; on lOth, ano- ther flood; barometer about 29^; rain continued to the i8thy wind S. £. ; barometer 29! ; thermometer 50^. Oc- tober 23, 24. dry, high wind, S. W.; barometer 28{; ta- king in the corn ; the ears of the uncut oaU fprung, (land- ing upright in the fields.

Pbenomenon.^^n^ night I obferved in the air a long narrow flripe of a whitilh cloud, one end of which was near me ; its pofition was horizontal. The end next to me« as it advanced, became more red, bent into a curve ; then re« volved upon itfelf with a very quick fpiral motion, and the appearance of intenfe fire ; and though it was quite calm where I flood,* the phenomenon was attended with the

found

S^S SotttJUcat AccoulU

tend of a whirlwiod, which I would h%fz pcfrcnvcd it ^6 have beai» had it been daj^^Iighc, and a dond of daft to make it vifible.

Artificial Apptatanct^'^ bdiev^ much of die mrakzi- tion of the Aurora Borealis proceeds from itflefiioo in the •tmofphere. One night I perceived the atmofphere iUn- mined in cpiick focccffion of red flalhes, like die Amm/ra^ to ^n angle of 20^ or 30^ elevation, and found it was done bj boys, burning pob-tow, about a mile dilhuit» and' that the fuoceffive corrufcadons of the atmofphere were ooca* fioncd b J the tollings of the tow.

ConjeBuri*^-^! have fomedmcs, in very deat nights, per- ceived the SGlky-wajr to be a great circle in the heavens* pafling near Aquila, Cygnas, Sirius ; and I find it goes through the fouchem hemifphere in the fame circle conn^ nued. Its plane, therefore, *is a plane which pafles through the centre of the earth. The conjedure I have founded on this is, that the Milky-way exhibits to us the pofidon of the univerfe, which is a plane (of Imall comparative thiduieis) lying in the pofitton of the Milky-way. What fiipports diis conjefture is, that the (mall motion which the fan has among the fixed ftars, is, in this plane, towards Aqaila»

Difiajis inciiini to Wbtat^-^rt the black and mS. The black is the moft hurtful* The covering of the grain is en- tire, btit within it b all black powder, which afterwards blackens, and hurts the found wheat. If yon pull up a blacked fialk, all the ftalks that rife with it from the fame root are blacked like wife. It' is moft common in ndny lummers ; no eSedual remedy is found. Potatoes ate fome- timei liable to the Icab or cttrl, efpecially. if the ground be

poor<

of Bendathy. 367

poor, tod they be burned wifji the fif mqer'^ dnmgbt. Ift ifeems to proceed from animals * fcniping the fl^fn, w)i9^ they can get nothing elfe to live on.

Difiafes inciifent to Children '-•zrtt^ t^ht fm^-po^ eUlk cooghy meafles. The ague, formerly frequent here, ii now ieUom known. It feems to have arifen from colds, and working too early in the meming to avoid the heat of tlie day. There are fome fevers that are epidemical. & end (bme are infedious to thole of the iame Uood and fimily, bat not to others.

Siormoni. — ^The StonBont Loch, at the cpi^et of tliie jttrilb, has been thought by fome to give name to the du ftrift of Stormont, which lies between that place and Dun* keld. But the word Stour fignifying a fight or battle, (fi^e Johnfon's Diftionary on the word), that name feems rat^ to have arifen from the Stormont having been the field of battk t between Agricola and Galgacus in the Si^th year of

th^

# The qiiiefpilliuri are Ibipetuiia lu^^ Thcvdf

mils I fpctk of begin at the leaves next the root of the biiih» and cat evcijp kaf aa they proceed, fraduaily up to tlie top ; and when tlie bufli u madf bare, tliey defcend, and begin at the bofli next adjacent, proceedinf firon botUHS to top in the ftme manner. To faye the bnlbeir make a lope of tinfy, aboot the grofiieis of pne'i arm, and lay, one npon the gnmnd, ■! the root of each bulh, fo as to epcompais ^ ftalk of the buih complrtdf, f ts ImcU is oifen&ve to the animals, add prevents them &om afccadaii^ Prohaffm ijt,

t The account, which was tranAnitted to the editor hereof fofneyeaif a^o, of this parilh, and of the traces of the above event in the Stormont, having been loft or miflaid, and the clergy more ifunediately conceme4 having concurred in the opinions therein fuggefted, it will be. tumeceflar|^ (pj me to do more than glance on,a few leading points, and to tompare tb( ^i4ory of Tacifns wyth the a|>ptiianccs, and both thefe with the account of

568 Statiftical Account

Chriftian sera. Of this battle there are traces at Maofe er •Maws, on die road from the church of Bendochj to the chapel at Perfj.

* SoeAiios, which came to dsy hand and knowledge, after I had fonierly *<rMiiJnitted to tha editor hereaf the fnbftance of what fbUowi.

TacJtiis, in the life of Agrioola, £iy»» that Agriccda **. ad montem Gn- '*. pUmi pervenit, qtiem jam hoftes inredmnt;*' accrued at Moont GximpBH, where tlic Britons had already fat down ; which muft be fome place on tk fide of the Grampian moantains, where they rife from Strathmore. Tbat it was beyond the eflaary of the Tay, may be meant by the words of Agikoh on the occafion, ** txanfifie cftuaria.** It was within the psovinoeof CheHfr rcfti, the boandary or '* finis** of which extended to the ihore and the fleet, (" deduxitexercitum in fines Horeftorum ;**) from which he letonied sgaa through the territory of the newly conquered people : this cannot accord .with any other placetban Angni, and part of Perthdnie, eaftward of tk

The Buzzart Dikes on G«rTydnims» in the parifli of Kinbcfa, (kiB; earthen dikes of 8 or 10 feet high, inclofing great part of a fqnare piik), we take to be the place of Monnt Gramptus where the Britons hid alrodf bt down, ** quern jam hoftes toiederant,'* and which contitned the " bets " pneda vidtoribus.** This place is near the mmitli, aiy) the appeanocnof the field of aAion, and it is four miles N. from the Roman camp at Mickk- hour. As the camp flood on the grounds of the Horeiti, the latter pan 0: the word Micklehour is the word a^ied at by Tacitus. The Roman cvop of Micklehonr is formed by the confluence of Tay and IStt ; it fbitcbs two miles along the Tay, two miles along the Ifla, and two miles and i half along the dike that inclofes it. ; It contains a prtetorium on the fi& next the lila. The above-mentioned dike is called Cleaven Dike, (tibat is, the dike of the fork or confluence) ; a mile and a half of it is fHll ffcuxiisg towards the Tay. There is a draught of it in Stobie*s snap of Fothibiie; but it cannot be traced within half a mile of the pnetorium ; the oop ftretches it oat too far on the end next the pfsetorium. The Tay had vx- merly ran nearer the W. end of the dike than it does at prefdiL Ckava Dike is ao feet broad at prefent, and about 5 feet high, and has been maot out of two parallel trenches that arejao yards from the dike on tbe oppo£te fides of it. Cleaven Dike has openings at the W. end, and the middle, isr the egrefs and ingrefs of an army. The camp has a finall exploratory for- tification within it, on the top of an eminence. It lies in the pariib of Ca- puth. Cleaven Dike is the *< vallum" of Tacitus. Hb exprcffion vouli not be accurate, but in 9 cafe like this, where there is only one line of dike

tfBendotby. 369

to Ac cunp. The Roman legioiu, lie fays, were dnwn np <' pro vallo,*' before the Taillam of Cletven Dike, at fuch diftance behind the battle, that - they could be of no immediate fervice there; and therefore, upon feeing the number of the enemy, many advifed to bring up the legions, " plcrique •< admonebant arceflendas legiones." A mile and a half weft from Midde- hour is another Roman camp at Inchtuthill, a proud in£h or illand within the high flood-mark of the Tay ; and which the watch-place (or trencher called i3bt Steed's Sulls, in the parifli t»f Chmy), was intended to orerloek i The faid trenches, 8 in number, fit to hold and conceal loo horfes, being in a ftiaight Jiae between Buzzart Dikes and InchtuthiU. Another watch- place on the fame eminence overlooks the camp at Micklehour.

The Stour-mtntt or main battle, happened in the heart of tlie Stormont; upon afcending ground, in the pariflies of Kinloch, Cluny, and Blairgowrie* at the places called. Cairns, Upper Balcairn, Nether Balcairn, Cairnbutts, and Craig Roman, on the fide of the Grampian ridge, between 3 and 4 milet N. from Micklehour, (Cairn being a common name given to aitificial col- lemons of ftones and earth laid over the dead). The afoent b interfedled by many finguli^r ridges, or drums, that run parallel to the bafe of the mountain ; theiie are the *' colles** noticed by Tacitus, *« erigere in coUes aciem ** coepere." The Garrydnims, on whichche Caledonian campof Buzzart Dikes lies, are very fingular ground, being feveral high and narrow ridges or drums, (of which the farmer that occupies them obferved as follows, ** Gtn- ** tlemen that eome to iee this place fay, that they never faw the like of ** them in any country.**) Thefe drams are mentioned by Tadtus in the words following : *' Britanni, qui adhuc pugnae ezpertes fonuna colUum ** infedeiant, degredi paulatim et circumire terga vincentium coeperant.** The Here Cairns of Gormak, below, and immediately contiguous, lying <lofe together, about 80 in number, and about 15 feet each by 5 in height, mark the conteft that followed; *' quantoque ferocius accurierant, tanto **■ acrius pulfos in fugam disjeciflet.*'

The Aight i» (till to be traced by numerous tomuli, through Maws, in the parifh of Blairgowrie* along the track that lies between the mofs of Cocfa- ridge on the W. and the river Eroch on the E. ; ** graode et atroz fpe^cu- ** lam,-TCorpora, et laceri artus, et cruenu humus.** The Great Cairn of Mavfs lies in this tradl, not far from ihe woody banks of the Eroch : ** Ini '* virtufque vidlis ; poftquam filvis appropinquanint *, colledli, primoscir- " cumvxnicbant." This cairn is 17 yards broad, and about four ibet high.

It

* Wbtn m troubUfome per/on ab/tazns from figbting, upon finding that l>c is like to meet vnth bit mqfter, the fight itfcid to be " let sube/pr let " 9^,liketbefigU£fMawt."

Vol. XIX. 3 A

370 Statijlical Accwni

It was opened, in the centfe, by the writer heicof, and fimnd to contain hu- man teeth found, and a great quantity o/ human bones much reduced, which were mixed with charcoal, and lodged among lo6re earth, hairing under- gone the fire, which contributes to the prefcmtion both of the bones lad charcoal. This is the grave of the 340 Romans who fell. The Bcitons loft 10,000. I found burned bones alfo in a fmall tumulus adjacent.

Compare what has been above (aid with the words of fioethins tbe hif- torian. '* Romani ad Taum baud procul a Calcdonis caftro (Dnnkeldea) ** confedere. Tulinam, ne Romanis dediu, ilUs refugium foiet, coocre- ** marunt (Btitanni), Locum Inchtuthil noftra aetas vocat, coojuges ft *< onmem rem pecuariam, in Grampium tranilulerunt nDOotem. Fa<^a <* confenfu, eo devenere, ut imminenti hyeme, pncUis abftenerentnr, et pro- ** hiberent, ne Pi^orum agros, cis Taum, Romani occuparent. Secandum ** hsBc Galdus (Scotorum Rex) AthoUana hyemavit, Pi^ns vera ct Giido '* munitionibus, quse tum in Horeftia erant, baud procul a Xao, hfttaam '• tramegcre. Sequente sedate, Agricola ligneum pontem in caftris fecit, •* eo Tao fiuvio ftrato, univerfum Romanum eseicitum tranfpomtuB, id -• campo^ baud procul a Grampii montis radicibus deduxit. Perculit rd ** fama Pi<5lomm copias, qui proximis villts et munitionibus kycmabant, at ** Galdum periculi facerent certiorem. Caldus, cum exercitn, Gninpio f* monte fuperato, in vallem dcveniens, Pi^orum, Noruegonun, Danorum- ** que copiis eft adjondlus, loco baud procul a Romano exerdtn di^rcrib, *< Atrox pugna donee fera nox. Multa prodigia in Albione, antequin ** Galdus cum Romanis pugnam iniret. Natum Tulinae monftrum.*'

On the year following, be fays, *' Romani nodhi Tulinam adicre, inde *^ pontem, quem Tao, proximo anno, impofuerant, dirueiunt.'*

Concerning his authority he fays, " £x quibus banc hifboriam coU^. ' noftrae ^entis peculiariter Veremundus Archidiaconus S. Andrew, u-

rione Hifpanus, qui ab exordio hiftoriam, ufque ad Malcolmi 10. tern-

pora cui opus dicavit, contexuit, (A. D. 1066) ; Turgotus, CampbcUcs ** quos tres, ex lona infula, ad nos comportU)dos curavimns.*' And in another place, *' Veremundi rude vetuftate hiftoria, abund^ omnia coa- •* ple^ens, quem authorem fumus infequuti."

It is unnecelTury to obferve on the above, that Boethius means diat Afri- cola fought Galgacus in the Stormint, near Inchtothill, and the eaft baak of the Tay. It is a pity tliat Veremund (hould be loft. Hb book nuj perhaps yet exift in the library of Aberdeen College, of which fioethnis was Principal. More refpe^ is due to Boethius, as, an hifiorian, than is commonly granted to him. They are his fa(fb, and not his prodigies, or opinions of the day, by which we are to acquit or condemn an hiftorian.

Mr Cant, the editor of Adamfon*s old poem, in his notes thereon, bcfides leaking fcveral curious obfervatioos and difcoveries on Roman antiquities,

wentioa

ofBendotby. 37 1

omtioiis the fcene near Blairgowrie as the moil likely place where AgrU cob foaght Galgacns : FubliOied A. D. 1774, at Perth.

Fmgal, the hero of O0Ian, is mentioned by Boethhis, and his dme con. jedured to be about the departure of the Romans from Britain. ' *< Conji- ** ciuDt quidem in hsec tempora Finanum filium Coeli (Fyn Maccoul, vol- ** gari ▼ocabalo) virum, uti ferunt immani datura, Scotict fanguinis vena- '* toria arte infignem.*' Compare with this Mr Bank$*s defcription of the ifland of Staffa, and a celebrated cave there. ** We aiked the name of it ; ** the Ca^e of Fiuhn, faid our guide. What is Fiuhn ? faid we. Fiuhn ** Maccool, replied he, whom the tranflator of Offian*s works has called ** FingaL How fortunate, that in this cave we Ihould meet with the re- ** membraoce of that chief, whofe exiftence, as well as the whole epic ** poem, is almoit doubted in England !**

I was fo imprefied with the records of Boethius having a foundation in fad, that I fought for Fmgal, and found him there ; but was fomewhat dif- appointed to find, that Boethius knew more of him than he chofe to tell ; for he aifo is among the crowd of infidels, conceming the marvellous achievements of that hero.

NUM-

57 1 Stati/lical Acco

NUMBER XVL

PARISH OF tannadice;

(County of Forfar, Stnod of Ahous anb Mearks^ Presbttert of Forfar).

By John Jamiesov, D. D. Forfar.

Hatnty Situation^ lie,

OnH£RE is no evidence that the name of thb parifli has -^ been changed. The more ancient orthography is Vannadys or Tannadyfi, This name is moft probablj of Gaelic origin.

It needs fcarcelj to be obferved, that this pariih is fitn- ated in the county of Forfar, in the prefbytery of For&r, and in the fynod of Angus and Mearns. It extends about twelve Englifli miles from £. to W. s in fome places it is eight or ten miles broad \ but, at an average, about foor* It is bounded by the pariih of Cortachie on the W. ; bj Outhlaw and Aberlemno on the S. *, by Fern and Carrald- ftone on the £. ; and by Fern and Lethnot on the N.

The

•f Tannadice. ^ 373

The greateft part of the ground is hilly or mountainous. The foil, in the lower parts of the parifli, is in general ^ood. It is more inclined to claj than fand, except on the brink of the river £lk. The air is dry, pretty (harp in winter, bat in general wholeforoe. In former times the ague prevailed much, efpecially in one diftridt, called the Glea of OgiL But now the cafe is otherwife. The mod com« mon diilemper is the low nervous fever, which may indeed be confidered as the charaderiftic diflemper of this county. Twenty or thirty years ago, what is commonly called the louping ague greatly prevailed. This difeafe, in its fymp- toms, has a coofiderable refemblance to St Vitus' s dance* Thofe afieded with it, when in a paroxyfm, often leap or fpring in a very furprifing manner, whence the difeafe has derived its vulgar name. They frequently leap from the floor to what, in cottages, are called the baulks^ or thofe beams by which the rafters are joined together. Some- times they fpring from one to another with the agility of a cat, or whirl round one of them with a motion refembling the fly of a jack. At other times they run, with aftoniih- ing velocity, to fome particular place out of doors, which they have fixed on in their minds before, and perhaps men- tioned to thofe in company with them, and then drop down quite exhaufted. It b faid, that the clattering of tongs, or any noife of a fimilar kind, will bring on the fit. This melancholy diforder ftill makes its appearance ; but it is far from being fo common as formerly. Some confider it as entirely a nervous affeftion ; others as the effeft of worms. In various inftances, the latter opinion has been confirmed by fads.

There are feveral mineral fprings within the bounds of this parifli, but none of any confequence. It contains no lake. But the want is apnply fupplied by the beautiful South Eflc, which in fome places forms the boundary of the

pariih,

374 Statifiical Accouni

parilliy and in othets runs through it \ mnd by die limpid Noran, a dream which feeks its waj from the hiOs to £ik over a very clear and pebbly bed. The name of £lk is common to a number of rivers in Britain ; and the reafoB is obvious, as it literally fignifies water; bemg the Celtic word Uifc or Ifc^ with very' little variation. The manoer in which the people of this country generally fpeak of the North Elk evidently refpcfb the meaning of the name; for they call it the North Water. It b at leaft highly probable that South £(k may be viewed as a daffical river, as the Aejica of the Romans. In the Itinerary of Richard of Cirencefteri ad Aeficam is mentioned as one of the Ro- man ftations in the province of Vefpafiana ; and it is mark- ed as twenty-three miles diftant from ad Taoym^ or one of their ftations on Tay. Now, although there are remains of a Roman camp at Kethick, near North Efk, the diftanoe does not anfwer ; whereas there is a Roman camp at Battle- dikes, on the other iide of the river from Tannadice *•

The banks of Eik prefent a variety of delightful and ro- mantic fcenes. By far the greater part of this pariih lies on the north iide of the river. Here many falmon and (ea- trout ufed to be catched ; but of late years their number is much diminiflied. This is greatly owing to the height of the dam-dikes erefted further down the river. It is alfo a general complaint with thofe who are fond of fifliing, that, where there are cruives^ no regard is paid to the old equi* table law concerning the Saturday's Sloppe.

Here, a good number of years ago, a confiderable fi(hing was carried on in Eik for the frelh water oyfter, in order to procure pearls. Some of thefe were fo valuable, that L. 4 have been given for one at the firft market. One was got

nearly

* Thb ctmp is dercribed in No. 35 of the Bibliotheca Topognphica Britaiuuca ; and in Cough's edition of Gaiabden*9 Britannia.

ofTannadice. 375

nearly as large as the ball of a pocket piftol. Thej were generally bought up, from thofe who filhed for them, by people from Brechin ; and it is faid that this trade turned out to good account to fome individuals engaged in it. More than twenty years ago it was given up , fome fay^ that there was not the fame demand for the pearls as for- merly* It is aflerted, however, that the fliells were nearly exhanfied, by reafon of the great number of hands employ- ed in colle&ing them.

The only remarkable mountain in this pariih is St Ar- nold's feat ; on the top of which there is a large cairn. The hills are covered with heath, but are not rocky. The pa* ri(h exhibits no appearances which may be called volcanic, in the common fenfe of the term. But one natural pheno- menon deferves to be mentioned. Near the eallern extre- mity of the parifli is a fpot of ground, commonly caUed, the DeiTs Hows^ 1. e. the DeviFs Hollows, It ha9 received this name from its being fuppofed that the devil has here given fome remarkable difplays of his prefence and power. It is a fmall hollow, furrounded with moorilh ground. At different tiroes, within the memory of fome alive, pieces of earth, of 150 or 160 (tones weight, have been thrown out from the adjoining ground, without any vifible caufe^ Upon examining the. fpot, however, and digging to the depth of a foot and a half, or two feet, there appears a firatum of a yellowiih colour, mixed with fmall ftones, thoroughly impregnated in the ikmt manner. At firft it feemed that the occafional eruptions might be partly owing to fome fulphureous fubftance confined here. But in con- (equence of fubjeSing one of the (tones to a chemical pro- ce(s, it appears to contain no fulphur, nothing but argilla- ceous earth and iron. When calcined, the fubftance forms a good red ochre. I have been informed by one who has tciided many years in the neighbourhood, that fuch erup-

tioni

37^ Statijlical Account

tions have taken place in this fpot three or four times with- in his recoUeflioDy at the diftance of twelve or fixteen jears from each other.

I have heard of no figured flone but one, which -was lately found in the foundation of an old hoafe ; the back of which houfe formed part of the wall of the church- jard. It exhibits the figure of a man, verj rudely cut, with his head uncovered, and having a loofe garment, like a High- land plaid^ thrown over his Ihoulders. With the one hand he lajs hold of the mouth of an animal, which has been thought to be a lion, but has more appearance of a wild boar. With the other, he brandifbes a fword or dagger, with which he threatens deftru&ion to his prej. There has been an infcription over the head of this figure, as would feem, in Saxon charaders. But only two or three of thefe are now difcemible; as the ftone has not onljr been broken into two pieces, but has been otherwife mutilated, hj the unfparing hands of fome workmen employed to repair the wail. It is not improbable, that this might be an ancient grave-done.

la a rock, at the weftem extremity of the pariih, exafUy on the north fide of the bridge of Cortachie, a very coarfe kind of marble is found, in fmall veins. Not far (irotn this, in the parifli of Cortachie, is a rock, the ftones found in which, f/om the defcription given of them, fcem to rcfem- ble quartz. They have fomewhat the appearance of gold, mod probably in confequence of metallic impregnation; whence the rock itfelf is called the Golden Craig^ The pa- rifh of Tannadice abounds with free-done and moor-fione. The large ftones found in the field in detached pieces, arc here generally called outliers^ to diftinguidi them from thofe found in beds. There is alfo abundance of the ftonc vulgarly called fcurdicy the fame which is commonly known bjr the name of vohin in the wedern parts of Scotland, and

ufed

ofTattnadice. 377

ofed for paving ftreets. A bed of this kind of ftone is faid to extend to this parifli, from the Milntown of Mather, a place in the county of Kincardine, between Montrofe and John's-haven. Slate, of the grej kind> is foond in the Glen of Ogil.

Inundations are not frequent here. About twentj years ago, however, all the houfes in the farm-town of Jufting* haugh were fwept away by an inundation of the river £&. Since that time a good deal of money has been expended in this quarter, in forming what are called beads^ or angular banks of ftone, for keeping off the water on the north fide of the river*

This parilh boafts of no remarkable quadrupeds. The land is infefted with foxes, and the water with otters. Roes fometimes come down from the hills, and lodge in the woods; they are very common in the higher parts of the parilh. There even the red deer abound. Befides par- tridge, groufe, the fieldfare, and other common birds, they have one called the ofwald^ or nfwat^ very much refembling a blackbird. This, I fuppofe, is what the Englifli call the otf/^4 and defcribe as the very fame with the blackbird. What b here called the ofwald, however, paffes for a dif- ferent fpecies. Various birds of paffage make their ap- pearance here, as wild geefe» fwallows, lapwings, woodcocks^ dottreb, &c.

Many cattle are bred in this parilh. They arc of an or- dinary fixe. An ox fully grown often weighs 40 or 50

ftones.

By reafofi of the parilh being vacant, no exaft account of the population can be obtained. By Dr Webfter's account in X7S5, it amounted to 1470. Fifty or fixty years ago there were 400 communicants ; now there arc generally between 500 and 600. At an average, there are annually 15 births, and 8 or 9 deaths. In the year 1794, however.

Vol. XIX. 3 » 3©

^yi SiatifticalAccwnt

30 died. This was not the confequeAoe of any partknlar dilteroper ; but this jear proved fatal to a number of oM people. AnouaUy there are about ao marriages. None have died, for a confiderable time paft, who have exceeded 86 years of age. But there is one perfon living in the p»> riih, who is above 90.

As far as I can learn, the only Difleaters are a few of the Epifcopalian communion. The parifli includes about 106 farms, but net the lame number of farmers^ as fome of them poiTefs more than one farm. There has, it is iaid» been, of late years, a decrcafe as to population, in cooie- quence of the converfion of fmall farms into larger, and the removal of a number of cottagers from their poilef- fions. None, indeed, have been under the.neceffitj of leaving the parilh for want of employment. Tbofe who have left it have generally done fo from the caaies already mentioned, whence they have been obliged to remove into towns. It is fuppoFed, that there may be about aoo plooghs in the parifli. In the lower part of it, they are generally fuch as are drawn by two horfes. In the higher, four are nfed. The ploughs are moftly of the new conftruQioo, with iron. heads, and what are called metal boards. There are at leaft between 200 and 300 carts. The bed arable land is let at L. t, or L, x, is.; inferior* at from 5 s. to 15 s.per acre. From what has been already faid, with re- fytGt to the converfion of fmall into large farms^ it muft be evident that the nnmber pf farms is dinfiiniflring.

There is not much ground inclofed with (lone fences. The farmers, indeed, are univerliiUy. convinced of the ad- vantages arifing from proper ioclofures. But. they are un- willing to fubmit to the expcnce ) and fome, even to pay the intereft of the money which the proprietors might ex- pend for this porpofe* The old plw of inolofing with

csrtheci

of^unnadice. 379

earthen fences is g^trerallj given up, except for proteQiiig yonng trees.

Not above one lidf *of the land k laboured. The reft confifts of mountains, mcrors, and plantations. The parifli not only generally fuppliesitfetf with proviiions, but fpares a confiderable overplus to other places. In the years 1782 and 1783 thete was lefs fcarcity than during laft winter. The fapply 6f meal, given by Government anno 1783, for allifting thofe parilhes which were ftraitened for provifions, was found unneceflary here. Notwidifianding the general fcarcity this year, little grain has been imported into the parifli.

No hemp is raifed here. But a confiderable quantity of ground is employed in the culture of flax. Although this of ntc^ffity varies, it is fuppofed that, at an average, there may be 4c or 50 acres annually fown with flax-feed. With* in the memory of fome flill living, no grais-feeds of any kind were fown. Now, a great deal of land is laid out in this manner.

A fmall quantity of marl was found, fome years ago, in a pit on the farm of Deirachie. But it was all expended on that farm. Very little lime is ufed, becaufe of the great length of carriage \ but a good deal of marl, which is brought from the Loch' of Kinordie, in the parifli of Kirry- muir. Some of the ground is s^xj produAive. This year, in a haugh on the eflate of John Ogilvy, Efq; of Infliavan, I counted 2 1 (talks of oats growing from one root, the moft of thefc from 5 feet 8 inches, to 6 feet high, and fome of them carrying between 140 and 150 grains each.

A confiderable part of the parifli is employed in paflore. The hills aflbrd excellent pafturc for flieep. Wedders are fometimes brought down from the Glen of Ogil in the month of Auguft, which weigh lo lb. j^rr quarter, and give to lb. of tallow.

Tenpcnce

380 Stattjlkal Account

Teopence or i s. with meat, is the ordinarj wages for % dajr-labourer in hoibandrj, whether mak or femak. i s. is the ufual wages daring harveft. A miJe-fervant 10 hnf* , bandry, befides board, receives L. 10 or L. X2 per jtn ; a female, between L.4 and L. 5. Few carpenters, mafoos, £{£. regularly labour in this pariih. A tailor works for 10 d« a-day, with meat. The people are in general verj induftrious. There are a few weavers, fome of whom are employed in the Ofnabnrgh trade; hot the generality in what is called cou ry work^ for the u£e of families. There has been a great alteration in drels within the laft twenty years. It is now far more ezpenfive than formerly. A great many articles of drefs are bought, which people nfed (Q manufafhire for themfelves.

The fuel ufed in the higher parts of the pariih confifis of peat and turf \ in the lower, of coals, furze, and broom. The greateft difadvantage under which this pariih labours, (he lowe< part of it at leaft, is the want of fuel. Coals moft be brought from Montrofe or Arbroath, both about twenty miles diftant.

The roads are gfeatly improved of late. This year, L* 105 have been expended in making and repairing pri« vate roads, leading to the turnpike-road newly formed be- tween Forfar and Brechin, part of which lies in this pariih. The general opinion is in favour of the turnpike roads.

The prices of provifion correfpond to thofe of the neigh* bouring pariihes. Butter, this year, (1796), feUs at x%. per lb. The price of cheefe is from j s. to 6 s. 8 d. per flooe, according to the quality.

The broad Scotch is the only language fpoken here. Some pf the names of places are of Gaelic, and others of Gothic origin \ although the former feems to abound mdBL To this clals the following evidently belong : Coul^ Memust or' MmUt Ogil^ Kinaliiff BaUt^ciie^ BalgiUof ^uiecit Caim^

of Tannadice. 381

Imjbtnan^ Aehhuehrit* Injbavan is {aid to fignify tbt ifland fitrrounded with water, Befides the evident taatology of fach a defignation, there is no reafen to fuppofe that it was ever defcriptive of the fituation of the place. The mean- ing given to Acblouebrie^ which, it is faid» means the cow* haugb^ is .more natural, as it correfponds to the local fitua^ tioQ ; for a confiderable part of the grounds, which receive thu name, lies low on the border of £lk. Barthyaris^ yufiing-bau^i Wbitewall^ &c- are evidently Gothic. Murt- baOittmA to acknowledge the fame origin.

The real rent of the pariih is between I1.3000 and L.4000 Sterling. There are thirteen heritors, three of whom 00I7 are refident. The valued rent is divided in the following proportions, in Scotch money :

Cairn, Newmiln, and Quarriehill, L. 256 0	0
Whitewall,	X4J 0	0
Infhewan and Eafler Memus,	533 6	0
Wcfter Ogil,	700 0	0
Coul, the property of Mr Ogilvyof Iflabank,	12x7 10	•
Findoorie,	567 10	0
Glenquiech,	zoo 0'	0
Forfechy, and the Miln of Cortachie,	230 13	4
Ncthertown of Balgillo and^Muirtown,	180 0	0
Wefter Memus,	166 13	4
Balgillo,	166 13	4
Eafter Ogilj	300 0	0
Kinaltie, . . ,	282 12	7

I- 4845 19 3

The patronage of this pariih belongs to {St Mary's Col- lege St Andrews. One of the Popes made a grant of the lands of Tannadice, for the erefiion of this College \ but in what year I have not been able to learn. In a leifini da- ted

381 Statifticdl Account

t«d anno 1614, thej are defigned ^be tcete/tajlicai ffmds of ^nmtaiyfi. The tithes are fill eKhaufted. Thr old ftipeod cotffifted of onc-third of the Talae of the tithes, amoinN tffg ^ YCC3 merks Scotch, with 100 for providing ele- ments. The ftipend has been \ntelj augmeiKed to L. xoo Sterling, exclufive of the glebe.

The oldefl regrfler extant reaches no fartber back than to the year 1693. Mr George Lyon, who ieems 'to have been Epifcopaiian miniUer iiere for manj years, was allowed to continue till the year 1715 ; when, on account of the ftxte of public matters, many minifters of this perfuafion, who had been fbrmerly fuffered to keep pofiti&on of the parifti ohurchesi and to enjoy the liviags, were turned out. He was fucceeded by a Preibyterian ininifter of the name of Oliphant; and he, anno 1724, by Mr John OgihFie, for- merly mloiiter of Cortachie and Clova, Mr John Weath was fixed here, anno 1743 ; and was fucceeded by Mr John Bulk, anno 1767. He died in March lad. The church b prefently vacant. During Mr Weath's incumbency both the church and manfe were repaired. The church is fup- pofed to be pretty old ) but it is not known when it was built.

Eleven or twelve perfons ufually receive alms. The contributions for the relief of the poor annually araoont to about L. 30. A fmall fund, which produces L. i per year, was Lft, for their benefit, by Mr Ramfay of Kinaltie.

This parifli furniflies very little to plcafe the taftc of an anti^iiary. On the north fide of £fk, very near the pl<ice where the bridge of Sheaihill now (lands, foriperly flood the caftle of Quiech, the refidence of the Earls of Buchan, who, in ancient limes, had an extenfive property in this county. The fituation is romantic; and was (till more atlaptcd for being the feat of a feudal chieftain, by the fecu-

rity

o/Tannadice. 383

rity which it' promlfed, than by its plcafantncfs. The caftle was baik on a precipitous rock, immediately oveiu hanging the river. This rock appears as if infalated fay na<^ tare. A ftream pours down through a deep chafm on each fide of ih Thtt9 it fcarcely required any artificial means of defence. Ni> vefttges- of this ancient cafUe are now dif- cemible. A humble cottage occupies its place. Within thefe few years, part of one of the walls of the chapel was (landing. It was neatly built with hewn (lones. But they have been lately carried ofi, and applied fpme other way.

A hill, in the neighbourhood of Achlouchrie, receives the name of tb^ CaJllebilL Like the fite of the cafile of Qniech, it overhangs the river, which here runs in a deep bed, by reafon of the high rocks on either llde. A foiTe, ftill twelve feet deep and thirty wide, forms a femicircle round this hill. This, it is fuppofed, had been dug with a defign to bring in water from the river for defending the place. It would fecm, however, that there never has been any building here» as there are no marks of foundations.

Near the village of Tannadice, there is a place called the Caftie of Barnyards, According to the tradition of the country, a gentleman of the name of Lindfay began to ereA a caille here ; but having killed the proprietor of Finhaven, in a quarrel, near this place, was obliged to fly. Thus, it is faid, the building was never finiihed. Within thefe few jears, fevcral of the vaults were fianding; and fomeof the walls, from five to feven feet in height. But the ftones have been employed for building on the farm. Some cen- turies ago, great part of this county was in the poflefBon of the Lindfays, whofe chief, the Earl of Crawford, had his refidence at Findhaven, a little way from this, on the other fide of the river. The Lindfays, formerly of Glenquiech, pretended to be the proper heirs of the lands of Barnyards. 3 There

384 Statijlical Account

There are vmrious Laws in this parifli ; as theLftWof Bal- gilloy the Law of Balduckie, the Law of Cool, and fevcol •thers.

About twenty years ago, a confiderable nomber of coins, both gold and filver, were found at BalgiUo. fiat it is not known to what countryi or to what age, they be- longed.

NUM-

tf^otbiemay. 385

NUMBER XVII.

PARISH OF ROTHIEMAY,

(^CouKTT or Banff, Synod of MoraYi Presbytery or Strathbogie).

By the Rev. Mr Ja^es Simmie.

Situation^ i^c.

THE parifli of Rothicmaj is bounded, on the E. and N. E. by the parifli of Marnoch ; on the S. and S. E. b J Inverkeithnie, Forgue, and Huntlj ; on the W. and S. W. by Cairny ; on the N* and N. W. by Grange. Its greateft length is from 7 to 8 miles ; its greateft breadth from 5 to 6.

The northern part of this parifli is inferior to the reff» both in fertility and beauty. Befide fome hilly ground, and fome plantations of fir, it confifts of a large plain, con- taining partly arable, partly paflure-ground, and an exten* five mob that fupplies with fuel, not only the parifliioners.

Vol. XIX. 3 C but

3 S5 Statijiical Accmnt

but, in a great meafure, the town oF Huntly *, wbich is diftant about 6 miles. From this plain is a gentle declivi- ty of more than half a mile, on the W. and S. W. to die Ifla, and, on the S. to the Devoran ; a river adorned widi plantations and natural woods on its banks, and aboonding with common trout, eel, and falmon. About a mile be* low its confluence with the Ifla, the Devoran, mnniog eaft« ward, divides the pariih into two parts, of which the nordi-' em follows the courfe of the river more than two miles^ the ibuthern near two miles farther. At this point, where the Devoran begins to divide the parifli, and on its nordi- ern bank, are the Milltown, a fmall village containing about an hundred fouls } the houfe of Rothiemayf ; the church and manfe ; and a bappy mixture of well-indofed

fields

^ * When the parifhionen carry peats out of the paxidi, they do fo claih dsftinely, or merely by indulgence of their landlords, — not by ftipuUtiM and right. It is much to be wifhed, that both they, and others whom tbcj lupply with peats, would ufe fewer peats, and more coal and wood, not only becaufe, in wet feafons, peats are a very uncertain fuel, but beeanie the preparation of them confumes much of their time, which oight be more profitably devoted to various agricultural improvements.

t There is a tradition here, that the unfortunate Mary, Qnecn of Scos* paired a nig^t in this hou(e» and her bed-room is ftill pointed ooS. T>» Uadit^on is conQrmed by the authority of Buchanan, who, ddcribir^ Mary's journey to Invemefs, fays, " Proxima nox ad Hothrmaittm, A^(- " netkioritm ^ittam, fatis tranquiUi tranfaOa ejk .•" Ifift. Rer. Scot tib. 17. cap. 36. Tbe Abcmethies here mcotio^ed were L^cds Abcr- ni-thies, a^r>vards of Saltoo. The tngkal fate of one pf Uwm is ctk- hrated in a popular ballad, called Frennet-haU. Next to the Abemethki, a family of Gordons were proprietors of Rothiemay till the end of lail (X the beginning of this century, when it was purchali^ by Opivie* whoie foQ (afterwards 0/ Inchm.artin in Ferthflu^) fold it to WBliam Lord Biaco, father of tlie prefent Earl of Fife. The moft a&ciept part of the lioufe, which was going fafl to ruin, his l^rdfliip has lateljr taken down. and has repaired and fumithed the red in a manner which docs faoooor :• histaae.

of Kothtemay. 3S 7

fields and woods; which, whh woods and corn-fields oil the oppofite.llde of the river, rifing, by a gradual afccnt, to a great height, forAi a beautiful rural fcenery, equalled by few, and perhaps excelled by none, of equal extent, in the kingdom.

5oi7, Produce^ Rent. — Plantations and natural woods oc- cupy a confiderable part of this parifh. They confift chiefly of fir, birch, aifa, elm, and aller *, which, in confe- qaence of the fcarcity of thefe in moft of the neighbouring parifhes, are fold at high prices, and bring the proprietors from L« 100 to L. 200 a*year. And it may be prefumed^i <hat, fome years hence, they will bring much more, as many of them, efpecially firs, now young and thriving, will Chen be ready for fale -, and as the proprietors not only fup« ply from their nurferies the places of thofe they fell, but are carrying this kind of improvement iliU farther, by planting fuch parts of their efiates as are lefs fit for culti- vation or pafiure.

The pafture bears only a fmall proportion to the arable land of the parifh. It is fuch, however, as renders it pro- fitable for fome farmers to rear a few flieep, and all a few black cattle, for the market.

The foil, in general, is rich and fertile. It produces ex- cellent oats, bear, peafe, and lint, the common crops of the parilh ; and in fuch abundance, that large quantities, parti- cularly of oats, oatmeal, and bear, are exported annually. A great part of the bear finds a good market at difiilleries in the neighbouring pariihes. Part of it| as well as oats

and

• Befide thcfc, u a grctt variety of excellent larch, oak, beech, Sec. particularly on the property of the Earl of Fife, whofe example io pLanting, and cHhcr improvemeots is well entitled to the imitation of other proprie- tors. Some old afli, belonging to his LonUtiip, are of an uncommon fi2f , neafuring, in dlamete r, four feet.

388 Stati/iical Jccount

and oatmeal, is parchafed, by commiffion, for merchants b other parts of the kingdom, and ihSpped at Portfby, which is la, Banfl^ which is 15, or Macduff, which is 16 miles diihnt.

Mod farms are fmall, onlj five or fix being rented above L. 4O1 of wluch one is rented at L. no, another at L. 140. Few leafes exceed 19 years. Crajfums are in ufe. Per* fonal fervice * and harveft-labour are no longer exafied. Of late, a great part of vidual-rents were converted into money at the rate of X2 9* 6 d. a boll \ and multure-rent, formerly every thirteenth peck, is now 3s. 6d. for every pound of farm-rent, Converfions not lels favooiahle in their confcquences to tlie progreis of agriculture, than to the immediate iotereft of the farmer. The miller's fee (which ren^ains to be converted into money) is every eigh- teenth peck. Af^ridions to particular mills prevail here, as in pther part? of Scotland ; and thp grain of one of the beft di(lri£h of the pari(h is aftriScd to a mill in a neigh- bouring pariih, and belonging to a different proprietor. Would it be any difadvantage to fociety, if mill-aflridicos of every kind being aboUflied by a juft compenfadon, every one were at liberty to choofe his miller, as well as his fmith, his carpenter, or any other mechanic ?

The valued rent of the pariih is L. 3170 Scotch. The whole pariih is the Earl of Fife's, except about a tend; part, the property of Major Alexander Duff of Mayeo. His Lordfliip occafionally vifits his property here. Major Duff f conftantly refides in the parifli*

* AdvatUagUi

^ By perfenal fir^ice, m different from harreft-Uboiir, xs^tneant, gw^ on errands, and the like. The fervice of carrying the huidlord*s meii to the (here is (lili retained ; nor, indeed, could it be conveniently difpeni'ed with, where vidliuil-rents are paid, ,and efpeciaUy where the landlord does not refide.

I The Major, befide fome very laudable improvements of his eftate by planting and iuclofingi has lately built an eWant and commodious houie.

qf Rotblemay. 3S9

Advantages^ \Sc. — Our chief advantage, refpefting agri. cultore, is the neameis of lime. In the ileighbouring pa«i riih of Grange, it is bought at the quarry for \\ d. ; at die kihi for 8 d. and fometimes 7 d. a boll *, The abundance of peat here induces mod farmers to buy it at the quarry, and enables fome of them, befide fupplying themfelves, to bring a profit by .retail. There «re about 50 lime-kilos in the pariih.

To this advantage I wifh I could add good roads ; but the proper method of making and repairing thefe is not even underftood here. Inftead of ufing for this purpofe that abundance of metal and gravel which nature has fup- plied, the ftatute-labour is employed in throwing on the middle of the roads the contents of the ditches on their fides, which, being clay or foft earth, fo far from impro- ving them, (unleis, perhaps, during the heat of fummer), generally makes them worfe than before. Though inclo- fing is far advanced in this, compared with neighbouring pariflies, flill thefe is much room for this kind of improve- ment : A proof, among others, that a great part of our land has not yet reached half its value. Nor has draining by any means obtained that degree of ^attention, which a great part of our land evidently requires, though to this kind of improvement its natural fituation is, in general, very favourable f .

Population^ ISc, — The number of inhabitants is 11 25 ; of

whom, 481 are males, 644 females. In 1755 it was iigo.

The average of marriages for the laft 10 years is 10 ; that

of births, for the fame period, 19 \ of deaths there is no re-

gifter.

Of

f The boU of lime here conlifts of i fiilots only.

f The mode of fannin;;, and tie prices of the various kinds of provifioo9« ire Uie lame here as in tl«c neighbonring parilbes.

390 Statifiical Auwni

or the iahabitaats 1067 are of the EAaUUhed Caiiirdi ; a$ are EpiicopBli«is \ %j Seoeden ; end 6 RoHmiq Cidio- Iks. The oecttpadons 6£ part of theony wHh cHhtr partiett- bra which Ihew the ftate of die parifli, will appear from the ioUowieg table :

Ciergjman,		Tailors, -	6
Schoolmaficr,		Shopkeepers,	7
Mafons,		Innkeepers,	3
Dikerf,		Butdiers^	a
Wrights*	10	Meal-mills,	1
Turnerst		Meal-millers,	3
Coopers,		LioMhill,	I
Sa&iths,		Lint-millers,	3
Slaters,		Wauk-milk,	a
Fhz-dreflkrsy		Ferry^KMts,	a
Weavers,	27	Horfes,	. 260
Dyers,	3	Sheep,	500
Shoemakers,	13	Blackroattky	iao8

All the men who are not tradefmen and mechanics, are empfojed in agricultare ; and tradefmen and nccfaaaics, who are honfekeepera, likewife cultivate a few acrea Sor the accommodation of their families. The women, when* tbey are not employed in the mols in fummer, or the 6M in harveft, fometimes knit flockings, but commonly fpin linen-yarn for the merchant, who buys it. By comnaiffion, for the manufafhirer in Glafgow, Paifley, or foae other difiant part of the kingdom. Bcfide maintenance, a fvm^ fervant's yeariy wages are from L. 7 to L« 9 ; a maid^fer- vantls L. 2, xo s. or L. 3. A day-labourer's wages vary with the kind of his labour *, vis. for mols-labour, a man"^ 8d. a woman's 6d« with viAnak; for harveft-labonr, a man's 10 d, a woman's 6 d. with vidoals ; for hay-couing,

XS.J

pfRotbieamy. 39X

IS.; and for commoa labour, fach as delving, 9d. without vidoab. A mafon's day's wages are is. 6 d 1 a wright'i, 1 1. both wilifaout vifioals ; a tailor's^ 8 d. with ▼iOuals ; m piker's work is hired by the piece. By fpinniog linen- yam, a woman earns 3) d. at moft 4 d. a-day ! A poor pit- tance, indeed! and till manufaQares be eftablilhed here, (a thing more to he defired than expeded)« there is little reafon to hope that female Uboar will find a better, at kaA an adequate reward.

Cburcb^ School^ 6t.-- The pari(h-cburch, built about 40 jears ago, is commodious and well lighted. The Earl of Fife is patron. By a late decree of the Court of Teinds^ the minifier's ftipend is '' 106 boUs 3 firlots of vidual, half ^ meal half bear, and L. 533 : 6 : 8 Scotch, with \^ 60 ^ money forefaid for furnifliiDg the conimunion-elements/' The fchoolmafler's falary, which is aoo merks Scotch*, and the fchool-fees, with precenter's and feifion-clerk's fees and perquifices, do not exceed L. 20 or L. ai a-year. The

parochial

0 TiH widiin thcfe two ^ean, it was only loo meilD Scotdi. The Utt Rer. Mr Bmcc of ]>iinbtr, who received the principles of his education at this fcbool» gcneroofly propofeil to augment it by a donation of L. loo Ster- ling. 00 tU foUowiag terms: \P, That the hcritofs fliould become tniifcees of his donationt paying to t^e ichooimafter tlie legal intereft of at ; aad« a4{Kf 'T^^^ tlvey ihould augment the falaiy to the maximtm, or aoo merks Scotch: Though the beritort complied with thefe terms as foon as propo- fed* and though afterwards Mr Bruce, u^foaafd of this, piomiied that his donatioo (hould U forthcomng at a time mentioned, yet* not long afieo be dicdf without having fiilfiUed his benevolent puipoic, and (lb far as I bavc yet bren able to difcover) without leaving the fulfilment of it in truft to bis heiis or teftamenury csecutors. It is hoped* however, that fnffirieni ipoocbei^ of his puipofe and promiie being produced, his heirs (who are happily In fuQcieot circumftances) will, from due refpedt to his memory, cOeem hlf will, refpe^ing this matter, as facred as if it 1»ad been aipreffitd with aU tb« ciccumlUnccs of legal fotmality.

3JP Statiftieal Account

parodiial poor (34 * at an average of the laft twelve jeirr) are aflifted from the Intereft of L. 160, the rents of one of the church-galleries, the weekly coUedioiiSy fines ia£ mif- demeaoors, £cc. \ the whole forming a jearlj fimd of L. 25 or I* %6 Sterling.

Antiquity^ an Eminent Ci&ara^rr .—Ahont a furlong north from the hoafe of Rothiemaj is a Dnudical temple, which, though fituated in the middle of a beautiful and fer- tile field, a veneration for antiquit j has hitherto prefcrved entire. Mr James FerguiTon, well known, among men of fcience, for his publication on aftronomj, was a native of this pariih f .

CharaBtr. — The inhabitants are, in perfon, .flendcr ra- ther than robuft \ in mind, acute and fenfible. Thej ex- cel their forefathers lefs in the luxuries of the table than elegance of dreis *, are generally very healthj ; and live

manj

• In 1783 and 17841 the nnmber of poor was 45. In 1785, tibe Idrk- feiBon expended L. 70 of the poor's fund in purchafiog foreign gnia.

f To certify this, it may be proper to fabjoin, that my infonnadoo of Mr Fcrgu(1bn*s being a native of this pariih I feceived from his brolhcr. John Ferguflbn, who was an elder of this pariih, and died very lately. He told me, that his father^s name was John Ferguflbn, his mother's Elipet Lobban; that they dwelt at the Core of Mayen; that both he and his bro- ther James were bom there ; that he himfelf was bom in 1708 ; and that his brother James was two years younger. Accordingly the feflion-record, which is now before me, confirms this information in every particnUr. James Ferguflbn was bom April 45. 1710.

I do not recoiled every particular related in the Memoirs of Mr Fergnf- fon, prefixed to his works, not having fecn them for feveral^ years; bnt John, his brother, who had read thefe Memoirs, faid, that, diough generally agreeable to faA, they were not equally corredl fai every particular.

of Rotbiemdy. 39}

knmy oi them 80, and fome 90, yetrt. Devoted to agri- bolture and the mechanical arts, they are very little bdined either to a military of a iea-faring life; They are fober and induftrioiu, refpedfol to fuperiors, obedient to the laws, charitable to the poor, and praAife, among themfelves, the virtues of integrity and friendfhlp. Of the form of godlineb tkey are itnOlj obfervaht ; and jfaftice, as well as candour, forbids me to believe that they are defiitnte of its power.

%

VoL.XIXi 3D NUM.

394 Staii/tical Accmnt

NUMBER XVin.

PARISH OF ORPHIR,

(COUMTT A»n StKOD OF OnKMET, PuSBTTZaT OF

Cai&stoh.}

By tie Riv. Mr Udddt^ Mimfier.

Ori^ of the Name.

ORPHIRt or, according to the Icelandic hifioriaas. Jar- Jior^ is componnded of the Norwegian words,/ofA land, and^or, fire. This etymology is the nnore probable, as the parifli of Orphir ferves the neighbouring towns di Kirkwall and Stromneis with a fpecies of peats, diftingnilb- ed by the name oiyar/o^ that b, fire-Iand| or earth fit fcr burning. And to the prefent day, there is a houfe ac4 diftriA called Tarfon from its neighboiuhood to a large mc& •f this dcfcriptioiu

SituiUhn

ofOrpbir. 395

Skuatiott and Eximt. — This p^i(h k flmated ia the county and fynod of Orkney, and in the preftytery of Caar- fton, and makes a part of the ifle of Pomona, commonly caUed Mainland, from its being the largeft of the Orkney iflands.

It is bovnded on the N. W. and N. by the p^riihea of Stemea and Firth, from which it is divided by a range of lofty hills i by the parifli of Kirkwall on the N. £* ; and oo the £• S. and W. by the Orkney Mediterranean, gene- rally known by the name of Scalpa Flow.

It is abont eight Englifli miles long, and from two to three miles in breadth ; lying along the fea-(hore, nearly in the direfiion of N. £, and S. W. and enjoys a fine ex- pofure.

Xhe face of the pariih is diverfified with hills and dales through which many rivulets flow. The foil^ in a few places near the coafi* is a rich loam, mixed with llone% and tolerably ferdle } but, in general, it ii day or mo&i or a mixture of both ; and when well manured, though but indiflBcrently cultivated, is more than fnfficient to maintain the inhabitants.

The upper part of the pariih, except a few fmaU hxwMt near a lake, called the Loch of Kirbifter, is hilly, and chiefly covered with heaCh, intermixed with coarfe graft, and wdl adapted for the breeding of flieep and fmall cattle. The lower part, toward the S. £• S. and W. and extending about a mile firom the hills to the fea-fliore, ii in general plain, and beautifully diverfified with corn-fields, meadows, and green paftnre. The eaftem diftriA is interfperfed ^th rifing grounds, oovered with heath, and large peat-mofles^ which fhmifli the inhabitants with fuel, and enable them to fttpply the neighbouring town of Kirkwall.

C/imatt,

39(^ Stad/Ucal AceowH

CSmnii^'^fom the fimatioii of diefe iflands, in « nonb- em htimde, and farroanded by the occtn^ the diiea&s in- ^dent to a cold and damp dimate might natnrallj he ex- peAed ; hot the reverfe happens. The agoe is not known here, and icorbntic complaints fcldom Occor ; owing* pcr- hapty to the abapilance of fiiel» to the frequent ufe of v^e- tables, and of malt liquor; and above all, to the faluhnoos tBa-breezes, which cool the air in {nmmier» and coontenA the frofis in winter, and render the climate, upon die whole, more temperate, than in many places of a more footherlj latitude upon the continent. The imall-poz was mncb dreaded h^e previous to the 1757, when inocuIatioD wis mtrodooed, and has ever fince been attended with uooom- mon fucceb. Confumptions are not frequent. The noU prevalent difiempers are fevers, which frequently prove fatal, efpedally' in years of fterility. Rheninarifins have become more f^quent of late years, owing, it is fappofed, to the fobftitotioo' of the linen fliirt for the woolcsi Waifi- coat, formerly worn by the coipmon people.

Mineral S^ug$~'9it to be met with in erery dtfirifiof the parifli. £nt the one moft in vogue is the water of Scoridale, which has been fiioious for time immemorial, aod as fuppofed to cure all difeafes. It, like all the otben,* is of the chalybeate kind, without any mixture of fnlpbur. It is of a diuretic and antUcorbotic quality, and helps to pro- mote digeftion.

Lakest Coq/lst I/Umis^ amd Fi/birisu^^T^trc are in this parifli feveral fmall rivulets, but only one lake, calkd the Loch of Kirbifier. It is between two and three miles in circumferenccl^ and is well ftored with fea*troQt of .an ex- cellent quality. The fidl from this lake is very confider- $bltf knd turns one of the fineft mills in the country. Here

was

p/Orpbir. 397

>Fas fbrmerljr a waukmtUy but it was fuffered to go info d&- pay, after the introdadion of the linen manufadure. There are two other mills in the parifli, which go under the naotiQ of Dubmills. Thefe are of no ufe in the fummer feafon.

The fea-coaft forms a circuitooa coorfe of about ii miles, ^qd is finely indented with bays and creeks, where Teflclt . may anchor ; one of them in particular, called the Bay o£ Houton, is proteAed by an ifland at the entrance, and forms a fefe harbour for imall veflels. The fliore, except in the bays, is in general bold, confiding of rocks of from 40 to j« feet high \ and compofed partly of whin, but chiefly eC freeflone. The water, within a gua-fliot of the ihare, is from 12 to 20 fathom deep.

Scalpa i'Vbui."— The £ea oppofite to this coaft is a moft beautiful piece of water, being a fmall mediterranean, of about 50 miles in circumference. It is furrounded with \% diflferent iilands, through which are feveral outlets to the Bentland Firth, and German and Atlantic Oceans. Thia« particularly in time of war, is the great thoroughfare for fiiips coming north about. It abounds with iafe roadfleads and fine harbours *, fuch as Holm Sound, Floxa Sound, St Mar^raret's Houp, I'an Houp, and Long Honp in the Ifland of Walls ; where there is good anchorage, and a fuflicient depth of water for the largeft fliip in the Britifli navy. The principal entrance to Scalpa Flow, is through Holm Sound on the £• and Hoynveuth on the W. ; near which fiands the village of Stromaefs, a (ea-port, too well known to need defcription here, and poilefied, for its fize, of one of the lincft natural harbours in the world.

Two miles diftant from tl*- foutbmoft part of Orphir lies the ifland of Cava, a mile long, and about a quarter^ a mile broad. There are only three families in the ifland, ^fitting at prefent of 19 perfons. The foil is a mixture 6i clay and mod, which, as they have plenty of lea-wqfc» ^ - leldom

398 StatiJHcal Account

feldom fiiik to produce a good crop. Befidet 9 horfei lad x6 cows ix^ith their calves, they .have a few rabbits, and peats in abundance. The few inhabitants frequent the ps* rilh churchy and are very regular in their attendance opoo divine worihip. There is a ruinous chapel in the iflandi round which is a church-yardi where they formerly u&d to bury their dead.

In this fequeftered fpot» feemingly pointed out by nature as a place for religious retirement, in the memory of people now alive, have been committed two rapes and one mur« den The murder is faid to have happened in Celf-defeiiGe. The rapes were committed by Gow the pirate's people, who cajrried off two young women from the ifland ; sod after keeping them for fome days aboard their (hip, re- turned them to their friends, loaded with pielenti; and they both foon afterwards got hufbands.

There is another finall ifland in this parilli, fit only for flieep*pafture, called the Hobn of Houton ^ a name general* ly given to fmall uninhabited iflands

About a mile £• from the ifland of Cava lies a rock, or ikerry, well known to feamen, called the Barrel of Hotter ; here was formerly a feal-fifliery, for which the neighbour- ing furmer paid the proprietor a barrel of oil yearly, natil the frequency of fliipping feared them from the rock ; then the proprietor, determined not to lofe his rent, converted the tack-duty into a barrel of butter ; which is ftill paid by the tenant, and thence the rock is frid to derive its name. Its ancient name was Carlin Skerry.

The principal fifliery on the coaft of Orphir is the dog- fiihory, which, for the time it lafls, is highly beoeficiat. Thefe fifii arrive, in fucceffive flioals, about the time of new and foil moon, and are obferved to travel weflwardi. They make their appearance about the middle of June, aad fontinue for a few days only at a time, until die end of

Augufii

^ Offbir. 399

Aiigiift. They «e ttken wiAin hilf a mile of the ihort, inborn %o to 30 fiathons wMler, ivhh a common hoiid-Iiiie of half a crown vBlne. One man will fometiaes catch fif« teen ficore in a day. Thej yield a great deal of oil ; and when cured and finoaked, axe thought to refemble kipper. Thdt Talue, per hundred, may amount, at an average, to 5 s. There are in this filhery about 24 boats employed, with 4 or 5 men in each. When the dog-6fliiog faib, which fometimes happens, the people are in the utmoft dif- trefi for want of oil} which then ri&sfrom 6d« or 8d«^ Scotdi pint, to x s. or even is. 6 d. During the reft of the year, they feldom catch any thing but a fioudl fifh call- ed keiths or fiUocks. Thefe fiih (moaked, together with the fiUocks, conftitute a great part of the food of the inha* bitants.

Scalpa Flow abounds with many other kinds of filb, fttdi ts fcate, flounders, haddocks, mackrel,and occafionally berringi. But the inhabitants are fo much employed in making of kelp, which is the great article of Orkney com- merce, that they have not leifure to attend to this fiihery. The common kinds of fhelLfiih are alfo to be found here^ fuch as lobfters, partans, fpouts and cockles ; there are like- *wife a few feals, and otters, whofe flcins are valuable. Sometimes, too, the £mall whales, called the bottle-nofed, make their appearance on this coaft, and when embayed, are furrounded with boats, and forced on ihore#

There are no fewer than fifteen fmacks employed through^* out the feafon, in fifliing and carrying lobfieis to the Lon- don market, all of which rendezvous in one or other of the harbours of Scalpa Flow. . This filhery u confidered as very beneficial to the inhabitants of the adjacent coaft, who are chiefly employed in catching the lobfters, and receive from 1 d. to ifd. per piece. The boats fitted out for this purpofe meafure xa.£eet of keel, and together with the nets,

coft

400 Staij/licai 2fcc6uki

coft nbotu L. 6; Tb^re au% two nien in each hatti wb6 will cleaTi at an average, L.7 Sterling a-piece» durin; the fiOung-feafony which, including that of the fpring and batvellj does not laft abotre fix months in the year.

Aj^.— Of this atticle, about 50 tons, at an average, tre inanufaAured, and exported yearly; The moft expert kelp-burners in Orkney are fuppofed to belong to this pa- rifli ; the confequence of which is, that they are uiiiverfallj employed. One &rmer in -particular^ Nicol Slettar in Yarfo, by his fuperior Ikill in furveying» and fixing with |irecifion the value of (bores, has delerved well of his conntry, having thereby confidencbly augmented the in- cdm'e c(f many 6f the proprietors. This man, by dint of experience alone, and natural fagacity, without the aid of edhcation, n^ill afeertain^ with aftonifiiing exadneis, the greateft quadtity of kelp to be produced from any diftrift of fiiores, which he is employed to ftfrvey ; biit^ like moft men of merit, he has been poorly rewarded.

Of this great flaple of Orkney commerce,* much might .be faid : But, as the fubjeA has been already anticipated ra former Statiflical Accounts, the author of the prefent re- port would only wifli to add, for the fake of his countrj- men; and upon the authority of the firft manufadurcr in NewCafile ; ** That, excepting barilla, which is fometimcs not to be purchafed for any money, the bed crown glais cannot be made without a certain proportion of Orkney kelp ; and that, if the proprietors would be at the pains to prep^te this article in the bed manner, artd to* preferve It pure and nnadultetated^ the price it would bring at market is fcarce'credrble;

The tang, or fea-weed, which grows oh this and the neighbouring coaib, is found to be fit for burning only once in three years ; whereas, in the ifland o^ Sanday, and fonfe

o£

ofOrphir. 401

of the fmaller iflands, the fame kind of fea-weed is burnt yearly. This is generally afcribed to their proximity to the ocean, and the rapidity of the tides ; but, as there are many iimilar fituations, from which the fame effefi is not produced, it is more reafonable to afcribe this phenomenon^ either to the peculiar nature of the rocks on which thefe weeds grow ; or, with greater probability, to the fitnation and foil of thofe iflands, which are fo narrow, flat, and fan- dy, as hardly ever to attrad a cloud, or produce the ftnalleft rivulet from one end to the other ; by which means the fea-weed, being preferved from frelh-watcr, which is its greateft enemy, is permitted to grow in its utmoft perfec- tion*

TRdiSf Bayst Headlands^ and Wneis. — ^The tide, at its en- trance into Scalpa Flow, is uncommonly rapid *, but it |^a« dually fubfides, until it becomes fcarce perceptible. The conrie of tbe flood, with a little variation, is from W. to E. There is one part of the coaft, adjacent to the houfe of Mr Hooyman of Graraa&y, where the current, intercepted by a reef of rocks, runs 9 honra in one direfiion, and 3 in the oppofite.

Tbe principal nefles and headlands are Voenels, Toi- neb, Bemort, and Houton-head. The bays are, Waukmill Bay, SmugroBay, and the Bay of Houton, all of them fronting the S. and S. £. ; in each of which, particularly the laft, fmall veflels may anchor with {afety.

Only two ihipwrecks have happened here in the me* mory of any peribn now alive. The one happened about 30 years ago, upon the rocks of Hobbifler, where the vefiel went to pieces, but the people were faved. The other ia fpring I793f 00 the fand af the Waukmill Bay, where by unloading a part of the cargo, which confifled chiefly of iiaz, the vefiel was got ofl^, without receiving any confider-

Vol. XIX. 3£ able

40Z Statiftical Account

able 'damage ; upon which occafion, much to the honour of the inhabitants, every afliftance was given, and not a fingle head of flax amifling.

Hills. — ^The principal hill in this parifli is about 700 feet high. It is called the Wart Hill, as is erroneoufly fup- pofedy from a fmall hillock raifed on the top of it by Mr Murdoch Mackenzie, when he furveyed thefe iflands. Thi$ gentleman, who is ftill alive, is 9l native of Orkney; and the firft who brought furveying to that degree of accuracy which it has of late attained. Sir Robert Strange, the late famous engraver, was alfo a native of this country ; and, as he told the prefent incumbent, pafled fome of the hap- pieft days of his youth in this parifli ; which, after all his travels through France and Italy, he could not help ad- miring for the natural beauty of its fcenery. Such is the f weet remembrance of youth ! And yet this paniaUty is not altogether without foundation. For from the top of a hill, at the foot of Which, on a rifing ground, flands the manfe of Orphir, are to be feen, at one view, 25 iflaods and 23 parifhes, including moil of the Orkney iflands, and part of the ifland of Great Britain, with an eztenfive view of the Atlantic And Germanic Oceans, together with that truly fttblime objeA, the (iupenduous mountain of H07, waflied on one fide by the Pentland Firth, and on the other by the Orkney Mediterranean, which is as beautiful a piece of water as any county in Scotland can boaft of^ and much frequented by fliipping. The Lord Advocate of Scotland, upon a late vifit to thefe iflands, arriving at this enchanted Ipot, from whence he firft beheld the Atlantic Ocean, ia Ijaid to have exclaimed with ecftacy, ** Happy is the clcr- '< gyman who inhabits yonder manfionS'* '* And fliU <' happier would he be,' • faid the clergyman, '* would his ^' Lordfliip help him to an augmentation of flipend." For

without

9f Orpbir. 403

withoiU tbce, fweet Competence ! great Nature argues all iu vain ; and all is Chaos dark again.

la former timesi when thefe iflands were in£efted bj pi« ntes» fires were kindled on the tops of the higheft hills, and ferved to give warning to the inhabitants of the number and approach of the enemy ; and as the people appointed to attend thofe light-houfes were to obferve and repeat the fignalsy from the fmaller hills and headlands near the coaft^ thence, from the Norfe word. Warder^ to watch, or look out, thej got the name of Ward, or Wart Hills ; for this appellation is not peculiar to Orkney, but is to be found in other parts of Scotland, where the Norwegians reCded*

Mr Hume, the hiftorian, in his account of the Marquis of Montrofe's expedition, is pleafed to call the Orkney men, an unwarlike race of men *. But, had he confulted the Icelandick hifiorians^ he would have learned, that '* of old, in theie iflands, when the trumpet founded to battle* when the fliell of war was heard through the land, when the fig- nal fires were kindled on the hills, in an inftant the young men of Orkney flew to arms, and aflemBled round their chiefs, determined to conquer or die. Their wives and their parents, inftead of keeping them back from the com« bat, helped them on with th<ir armour, and prepared them for the baitle." — ^Thofe v;ho diftinguilhed themfelves by their valour, were rewarded at their return with the fmiles and the charms of the fair ;— of the fair^naids of Orkney ! for Orkney has always been diflinguiihed for beautiful wo« men. Then no woman of beauty, of family, of fortune, or of virtue, would deign to give her hand to the youth who had either declined or fled from the combat. For well tliey knew, that None but the brave dtfervt the fair. Such, of old, were the men of Orkney, and the ladies too, what- ever information Mr Hume may have received to the con-

trary.

• Perhapi the hiftorian meant^ more accnftomed to naval than miUtai7 expUiti,

404 Statiftical Account

trtrj. And for the hardineis and braveiy of the fietaai of tlie prefenc daj, about acoo of wkom have flept facmwA to ferve their couotrj, in almoft everj war fince the Haaov«- riaa facceffion, his Rojal Highnela Prince WilBam, the km. of our gracious Sovereign, can vouch.

F^jffils* — ^There are here a few flates, of an inferior qoi- litjy and fome excellent flags. Abundance of iroQ ore b found Ijing on the furface of the ground, bnt no attempt has been made to dig op anj. Blue ftone, fit for building, and alfo freefione, are to be had in great abundance. There is a curious vein of the latter fort in Houton-head, adjacent to the fea, of about ao feet in height, and xoo, or upwards in breadth, and confifting of a variety of coloors, fbme white, fome yellow, fome green, and fome of a jet bhck, and fbmetimes of all of thefe colours beautifully Ueaded together. A fmall fragment of this rock was lately pre- feoted to an eminent (eal-cutter in Edinburgh, who pro- nounced it to be very valuable, and admirably adapted for finiihing fide boards, or the ornamental parts of chimaejs, provided it could be found hard enough to admit of m po- lilh. For the fample prefented to him, as well as all the outward furface of this vein, is fo foft and brittle, as to yield to the flighted impreillon : But, if quarrymen were cm- ployed to penetrate the rock to a fuflicient depth, it might be dtfco^«red to be adapted for many of the purpoiies to which the fined marble is applied.

Some coal-done, fuch as is met with near the fiirfac^e of coal-mines, has been difcovcred* among the rocks of Wauk- miii Bay, the property of Mr Uonyman of Graem&y ^ bnt 110 trial has been made of it. Some very fine white and blue clay is dug up, beneath the flood-mark in Sraugro Bay, commonly ulcij for colouring chiameys and heaxtb-

fiOBCS.

efOrpJnr.

40s

j^gadrupidtf Birdtf (^tf.^— All the different forts of qua- dmpeds and birds, wbidi are to be met with in the othet* pariihes of this conntry, are alfo to be found here, the bird called die lyre excepted, which is peculiar to the high rocka of Walls and H07, and the Redhead of Eday. It is ^e- siarked of the ifland of Cava, and of fome other Imdl iflands, that neither rat nor moole will live in them.

Statifiical 7aUe oftbi Pariflf ofOrphir amdlfiamdofCmim.

ropolatJMi wafi X755»

]>itto I79S>

DccreaiCf

Ktunber of males,

y ■ lemftifftf

Perfoosbdow 10 jcanof age, 916

Sstf

366

FiDOi 10 to ao. Above 10, unimRied, Widows and widowen. Married peHbni, Hoafes inhabited, Baptifms from 1714 to X7ft3, ]>ttto from 1758 to X747» Ditto from 1760 to 1769, Ditto from 17S6 to 1995, Average /cr ammm lor tb yean.

i«4

XftO

40

145

300

•77 964

tbole40

»74

74 8a

ifiromt7i4to 1713, Ditto from 1738 to 1747, Ditto from 1760 to 1769, Ditto from 1786 to 1795, Average^ tamum for thofe 40

year^ - 7

Ho regifter of buriaU bai been kept. The biitbs are to the populaaon

as • « I to 30

The mairiagcsto ditto, u x to 118 The inhabited honfeft, at i to 5^ The batcbelon to married

men ind widowers, is i to 3 CHiiMren to families, as 3 to x Servants and tndwellen as ][ to x Proprietors refiding, • %

Dttfeo non^refiding, - 6

Clergyman, • x

S€iMoinaaen» ^ • %

Farmers of one pUrngb going,

Ditto of two ditto.

Crofters and cottagers,

Wrights. -

Sboanakeis^

Weavers,

Taibrs,

Mafons, .

Smitb,

Miners,

Merchant fetaikr.

Piper, Fidlen

3

4*

5

S

I 3

X

r 2

X

Fidlen,

Tackefalltxidci,

lliis lait is die kirk-officer, wb» fervesthe pariih in the diflfierent capacities of beadle, fezton, coo- per. Hater, piafterer, boa^beater, gardener, kelper, maibn, quarry- man,<« labourer, thatcher, and far- mer, and the moft fortunate b«. {[etter of boys of any in the pariih, or bis wife borr him 3 at one birth, and moft of his children are boys.

Very fisw m thb parifli exceed the age of 80, and only one perfon has been known to arrive at 90 yean.

Number of horics. Ditto of cattle. Ditto of (beep. Ditto of fwtne. Ditto of ploughs, Ditto of carts, Diuo of boats.

380 885 4o#

435

xoa

i

33

Heie

4o6 Stati/ikai Account

Here are no Secedera nor Diflenters of anjr kind.— Three filicides have been committed within thefe few jears : One by a young woman, after a long fit of deep melancholy, from what can& is not known ; another hy vk elderly woman, during a lownels of fpirits, occafioned by a lingering fever ; and the third by a young man, in the height of a nervoos fever. Hanging was the death diofe unfortunate perfons made choice of.

Emigration.F-^^lhxij young men emigrate from hence yearly ; fome as failors on board merchant veflels, who ge- nerally land in the King's feryice atUaft \ although they ab- hor the idea of being prciTed in their own country. Others^ and the greateft number, enter into the fervice of the Hod- fon's Bay Company; and, ioftead of oilering an honoor- able fervice to their King and country, or fiaying at home to cultivate their lands, and proted their wives, their chil- dren, and their parents, for the fum of L. 6 per annum^ hire themfelves out for (laves in a favage land, where, in the language of Scripture, they are literally employed as hew- ers of wood and drawers of water ; cr, what is a ftill more difllnguiihing badge of flavery, in dragging along large loads of timber, yoked in the team, like beads of burden. My God ! Shall man, formed in the image of his Creator, defert the human fpecies; and, for the paltry fum of L.6 a-year, aflixme the manners and the habits of the brutes that perifli. Fy be on the man, who would rather be the flave of a Company of private merchants, than enter into the fleets and armies of Great Britain, and bravely fight for his King and country, our religion, our liberties, and our laws. Many of thofe men, at their return, after 8 or 10 3'ears exile, bring home with them all the vices, with- out any of the virtues of favages \ indolence, diiBp^on, ir- religion, and at the fame time a broken conftitution \ and

the

ofOrphir. 407

the misfortune is, that having earned a little money, (for, after a five years refidence, their wages are augmented), they are enabled to overbid the honeft indufirious farmer, ivh6 is incumbered with a number of fmall children, and who perhaps may have fallen into 9, temporary arrear, upon whom the unfeeling landlord has no companion. But^ behold the confequence ! in a few years, from ignorance and want of induflry, the emigrant, in bis turn, is alfo re* duced to poverty, and mud give way to another of his own tribe. By thefe means, moft of the &rms are over-rented; and this fluctuating ftate of things puts an efTe&ual bar to all improvement, and furely calls aloud for reformation from every virtuous landholder. There are at prefent, from ttus parilh alone, in this infernal fettlement, 43 of our prime young men ; and 12 more arc jud upon tlie eve of embark* ing : This, added to the number of feamen abroad, fcarce leaves hands to cultivate the ground, and mnft foonee or later depopulate the country. By thofe means there are no fpare hands for manufadures ; and the fifhery, which, u^%X, to the kelp, ougtit to 1>e the great ftaple of Orkney commerce, is entirely abandoned ^ and befides, the King's fervice is deprived of many hardy feamen ; for the moment war is proclaimed, for fear of being prcfled, they ikulk away to this diflant fettlement. At the fame time it muft l?e acknowledged, for the honour of the Hudfon's Bay Com- pany, that no men ever aded with more integrity* or ful- filled their agreements more honeftly, than thofe gentle- men have uniformly done ; and further, upon a reprefenta^ tion from the prefent incumbent of diis parilh, they have been pleafed to augment the wages to L. lo ; by which means above L. 1000 Sterling per annum is added to the in- come of Orkney.

Jl^ricvitun.

4o8 Stati/iical Account

jtgricuhttre.^-^TiitTt mrc emplojed in tillage too Ork- aej ploughs, and two Higfalsmd ones. The latter were xo- trodnced by Patrick Hooyman of Gnemfay ; who alfo in« clofed hb farm with good ftone dikes« It is the commoa Scotch plough, with two ftilts. The former is of « Tcry fingular conftruftioOi having only one ftOt, a (mall pciintc^ fock, with a coulter, refembling a kail gnlly ; and inficad of a mould-board, two fticks fiUlened to the head of the plough, in a horizontal diredion, which, inftead of levelling the fward, ferves only to break it into pieces, leaving one half of the furface nntnmed down. This plough, wfaidi is very light, is drawn by three horfes a-breaft, with the a£- fiftanee of a driver, who goes before, and puDs them on by a halter, faftened to the midmoft horfe; the plougbmaa carries in his right hand a fmall ftick, called a pattle, with which he clears the plough ; it alfo ferves him oocafionally as f fecond fiilt, when he wants to take more earth ; and every now and then, when the horfes are lazy, he dirows it at them, to quicken their pace. The furrow made by this plough is feldom above three inches deep, and thrown offinaflanting diredion. The harrows, which axe alfo finall and light, are of an oblong form, and generally with wooden teeth, and are drawn fide foremoft: There is a horfe and a driver for each harrow.

The only crops raifed here are fmall black oats, fown in April ; and bear, or big, fown in May. The harveft ge- nerally begins about the end of Anguft, and is over about the middle of Ofiober. A few potatoes are cultivated upon every farm. There is plenty of bog*hay ; and, of late, attempts have been made to introduce olover and rye- grab ; but nothing can be done in this way, without fiiffi- oient indofures.

The manure chiefly made ufe of is dung from die cattle, piixed up with aihes and turf, and fometimes n little lea*

<if Orpbir. 4t>9

ware. Very good marl has been difcovered, bat little nfe has been made of it. There can hardlj be faid to be any rotation of crops, the fame fields having been fown, for time immemorial, wiih bear and oats alternately, and lel« dom yield above 3 or 4 of increafe. The grain of this pa^ rilh is efteemed to be of a fuperior quality, and the be(l malt in Orkney is made here. The bear raifed from fem^ ware is obferved to be bulky, and fmall bodied^ Peafa thrive very well \ but, except a few for the table, little at- tention is paid to them. Cabbages and garden roots grow in great perfedion ; and perhaps the fined and largeft arti- chokes in the world are to be found in this country, in th« common kail-yards, fpringing. up amongft the giafs with« out any cultivation.

^oo^i!f.•— There are a few currant or berry buQies, and a few apple trees, trained up along the garden-walls ; but ilo foreft trees ever have been, or perhaps ever will be, raifed in this country. The atmofphere is evidently too much impregnated with falt-water \ for, in ftormy weather, the fea-fpray flies over the whole country, and frequently ruins, the crop, particularly if it happens in the firil of Auguft, before the corn is greenful. There are a few natural hazles^ mountab-alh^ and willows, in one of th« vallies of the hill of Hoy % ^Ti^. although thefe, owing to the winding of the valley, and the height of the furrounding hills, are remark- ably well flieltered, yet they do not exceed la or 14 feet in height. A great many roots of fmall trees, feemingly fiich as thefe, are alfo dug up in feveral peat-moflcsi but it does not appear that there have ever been trees of any fize in thb country ; and this fad b incontrovertibly eflablilhed by the Icelandick hiftorians, who relate, that Einar, Earl of Orkney, about the end of the niijth century^ " DiQum *' fffe Jor/Einarcmt quod<x/cwdi\ et/oco, lignorum. loco ad-; Vol. XIX. 3? " *i4#rf

4i« StatiJHcal Account

** hiriftek cefpiits (i. e. Torf^ emm in Orcadihu wmtrm ^ fylv^r Ctko Scandica, apud Jobmjomum, p. %.

WiUiam Hoajman of 'Grsmby, the principal heritor of this paril6, lately planted feveral thouiand trees of differed kinds* but without cffed. The pre&nt incumbent has ilb planted a good many of different forts and fizcs, bot they do iboner get above the wall, than they are immediately blafi- ed. A few a(h trees were lately cat down in the Bifliop's garden at Kirkwall ; which, in the fpace of loo years, had grown to the height of between 30 and 40 feet ; and e«ren thefc were proteAed by houfes of equal height. Indeed, Orkney is not Angular in this particular. We find the iiune canfes produce the fame effcds in other fituations fimilar to theirs, o/e. in Caithneis, Buchannels, and in aU prooumto- ries, where the fea-air predominates.

Shtip. — In the hills and daks of Orphir, there is bfi- cient palhire for 3000 or 4000 (beep ; and yet the wIm^ number does not exceed 400, owing chiefly to the prefatt want of police in the country. For, previous to the I74t» when the heritable jurifdiAions were abolifhed, there were bailies in every parifk, who decided in fmall matters wkk- in their bounds ; and were particularly attentive to dieit^ gulations relating to the folding, (hearing, and marking d iheep. Then no one was permitted to uke a flieep upos any pretence, without the prefence of at leaft two fyxSt- ble witneffes, called Lawrightmen. But of late, fince thefc offices have been abolifhed, every one goes to the hill when be pleafe), and either marks and fhears them without aoj witneis, or difpoies of them as he tliinks proper ; by which means thieves abound, and the real proprietors are defraud- ed \ and as thefe poor animals are neither boufed nor herded, many of them perifli of cold, and many are worried hy dogs. Such is our fituatioa with regard to this moU ufe-

qf Orpbin 41 1

fid aoimal^ ckieflj owing to the above cenfes, aad putiy to the Ul-JQdged preference given t> tj»e Itnen-maiin&dore, in » coontrj^ where it can never become a flaple comnuK

Number of jicris.^^Thtxe is no map of the parilli ; hot as the ploi^gangs are much of a fize» each containing mbout 8 acrea of arable ground at an average, and the paf- ture confiding of about double that number } and as 3 crofts majr equal a ploughgoing, then j 17x81=936 acres of arablCf and 936X2=1872 acres of paflure, and the whole pariih being computed to contain 20 fquare miles, or 12800 acres, then there remain for moflesy braiks, lakes, and hiU-pafiuTCf 5^92 acres. The arable being to the whole furface as z to 131 ; and both arable and pafiure as i to 4^ ^ and to the wafte land as 1 to 31 nearly*

LoMgua^e, and Names of Places^ — ^The language fpoken here is much the fame as in the fouth of Scotland, and firan^i geis remark, with lefs of a provincial accent. The ancient names of places are derived from the Norwegian, fuch as Tulkibiller, the land of Tuikermen -, Kirbider, Kirkland ; Houton and Hobbifter, Highland ^ Swambifter, the land of ' Soeno; Orphir, the land of Fire; and Claidran, Glofe Town, from being the weftermoft extremity of the pariih, and like a mill cloufe, clofing or {hutting up the fame. It is fomething remarkable, that the wedern extremity of the neighbouring pariih has a fimilar name, viss. Cloudon, as if the original meafurer of thefe paridies, in laying out their diflierent didrids, had proceeded from £• to W. from a fu-* perditions refpeA to the fun's courfe. There are many other local names, evidently of fimilar origin; fiich as, Voeoels, a headland dividing two fmall bays ; Heildibrae, ^ place where bonefires uled to be kindled, from the Ice-

landick

411 StaHJHcal Aciount

landick word biild^ 'fignifying fire ; Konger's-know, t ta* malus near the road leading to the KingVferry. But from what circumflance the Mainland came to be honoiired with the name of Pomona, is difficult now to account for; unlets its origin be afcribed to an opinion which prevailed Among the ancients, that Thule was a terreftrial paradiic, reCembling the garden of the Hefperides, Orkney may have received its name from the Saxons, its ancient inha- bitants, who had emigrated from the Hercynian foreft, i^'hich, Csefar tells us, Craci appellant Orcytnam^ and of which Saxony formed a part.

The ancient proprietors of this parilh were the Halcros, the Sindairs, and the Stewarts. The only confidereble proprietor at prefcnt is William Honyman, ECq; of Gram- iay, a gentleman pofi*efled of the largefl property in thb county, next to Lord Dundas, and lineally defcended from Andrew JIonyman» BiOiop of Orkney, whom he has the honour to reprefent. Keith, in his Catalogue of the Bi* ihops, p. 1:36. tells us, that Andrew Hooyman, Archdeacon of St Andrews, author of the Seafonable Cafe and Surrej of Naphtali, fucceeded Bifhop Sydferf, anno 1664, to the fee of Orkney, in the month of July i668. This prelate received^ on the flreet of Edinburgh^ by one Mitdiell, who had been at the rifing into rebellion at Pentland Hills, a (hoc in his arm, with a poifoned bullet, as he was ftepiog into the Archbilhop of St Andrew's (Dr Sharp) coach, for whom the (hot was intended. He found his health much impaired after this difaftcr. He died in February 1676, and was buried in the Cathedral Church of Kirkwall. He was a man of fingular piety, and great abilities.

mit'dite.—Tht towns or diftridls of this parilh arc each

of them furrounded by one common dike of feal, called the

Dill-dike ; the whole burden of keeping which in repair,

I vciy

^Orphir. 41^

ytrj improperly ftlls npon thofe whofe farms are contigni-^ ous to it, the reft giving themCelves no concern \ by which means it is poorly kept up indeed.

jRciff. — ^The valued rent is L. 1631 : 18 : 10} Scotch mo- ney ; the real rent, including the feu-duties paid for the biifaopric, about L. 500 Sterling, befides L. 150, at an ave. rage, for kelp. The value per acre of arable land may be 68. 8d. and of pafiure is. 8d« About 100 fathoms of peat are fent from hence to the towns of Kirkwall and Stromnefs yearly, valued at L. x, 8 s. per fathom ; one half of thefe is paid in rent \ the remainder, though pnrchafed with great labour, both of horfes and people, is a fure fund to the inhabitai^ts, as their mofles are inexhau&ible.

Weighis and Meafuret. ^T!ht falfe weights and meafnres •f this county have long been a fource of grievance and complaint ; and in no inftance is the oppreflion more gla- ring than in the meafure of peats paid here by the tenant^p under the denomination of a fathom. This was origi- nally a cube of 6 feet (quare, containing a 16 folid feeti and will it be believed by the generous and free-born Eng- liOiman, that, in a feries of years, this meafure has been gradually iocreafed upon the ignorant and unfufpeding iur^ habitant, by his inhuman landlord, from a 16 to xoo8 folid feet ! for the prefent fathom in this parifli meafures no leis than ta feet fquare by 7 feet high.

The other weights and meafures of this country, which «re of Daniih origin, have been alfo increafed in the iame proportion, whether by the landholder, or fuperior of the feu*duties, or by both in concert, is now uncertain ; bat "whoever were the tranfadors of this infamons bufinefs, if the cries of an opprcfied people ever reach the Throne of Mercy, they have-by this time received their juft rewanL

4^4 StatiJHeal Account

J^o Locd Dandas^ who is the preient Ai{Krior, and who ii jttftlj efteemed to be one of the bed gentlemen in England, no blame whatever can attach ; his familj purehafed the eftate long after the date of thofe grievances ; and, fo far from oieriting the flightefi charge of op{Mreffion» his Lord- fliipt in a year of oncofDmon fcarcitj, upon receiving a lift df ihoCe grievances, readily offered to accept of the lowcft converfion the proprietors would name, provided the iame bene&t were cooimanicated to their fabtenants : And, fj be on the man who rejeAed th^ equitable and humane fordpofal.-

On the Orkney weight, called the punlar, 14 merks snake 1 fetting =: 3a lb. Dutch, and 6 fettings make I miel=:iii fione diito* This inflrument is upon the fame principle. as the Roman fieelyard, but may be very eafily fiihiiiedi for, by making the fmalleft alteration on the Ihortarm, to which the weight is appended, the receipt ma^y be confiderably inci eafed or diminiibed ; and either Ihe payer or receiver greatly injured. A miftaken notion, however, prevails in this country : That* fuppofing this in- flrument to be corrediy.adjulled, and that the weigher were an honeii perfon, yet ftill this mode of payment is in favour of the receiver. But the cafe is quite the reverfe ; for after an exad I'urvey ot ihe punlar, upon mechan cal principles, it will be found, that for every iione weight above two, the receiver fuftaios a lois of a|. lb. Dutch. To make this uo- derftood, it will be necelTary to explain, that the punlar is a lever of 6 feet long'^divided, by notches, into la equal pa:rts, of 6 inches each, one of which conditutes the fhort arm, from the extreme end of which pioje6b a plug of iron, of a little more than an inch long, and at the end thereof b io- ierted a pivot, round which a hook moves, for holding up the weight. The balance, upon the oppofite arm, .is a iione ^33 lb. Dutchy appctnding from a moveable ringi which

Aides

$fOrpbtr. 4ig

Sides from notch to notch as the weigher choofes. Now, it 18 rrident, that this addttioa to the ihort arm muft dimi- sifli the weight ; and, that in adjulling the lever, the mca- fure of the ihort arm ought to be taken from the pivot of the hook to the pivot of the center of motion, and not from the end of the beam, as is the prafKce, which makes a 6tfa part of diflference. For, if jou fuppofe this arm of the fe- ver, which is precifelj the cafe, by the one meafuremeot to be 7 inches, and by the other only 6 ; or, dividing the fame, in the one cafe, into 28 parts, or quarters of inches, and in the other into 24 of thefe quarters ; then, according to the mechanical principles of the lever, the weights will be inverfely as their diflances, and 24 merks at the hook "Will Balance 28 upon the oppofite arm, and there will be a lois to the receiver of 4 merks upon evefy fetting, or repe- tition of the firft error, occationed by not making the mea- fure from notch to notch on the long arm of the lever of the proper length, viz, from the centre of the pivot of the hook to the centre of the pivot of the point of motion i •f courfe, the lofs to the receiver, upon the miel, will be 20 merks ; upon the 9 fet tings, 32 merks ; and upon the 19 fettings, 44 ; being nearly the 7th part of the whole re- ceipt.

To cure this original defefi, a very Inadequate remedy has been apphed, viz. the perfon weighing adds ^ fetting more to the weight, by Aiding forward the ring to which the balance is appended half way to the next notcii ; for it muft be obferved, that every notch forms a fetting. Of old, they have probably had fome ftandard weight equal to the miel ; and, finding the punlar miel to fall ihort of it, or perhaps not to correfpond with its cunil cu ^t paits upon the bifmar, anot\er Danifh weight, weighing one letting, and upon nearly the fame principles, they r^ave thought to rec- ' tiQr the miflake m this imperfeA manneri not having been

able

4x6 iftatiJUcal Acctmnt

able to difcovcr the origiaal error. And this has alfo beea the reafon why, when the weight exceeded 6 or 8 iettingSy they have given 6 merks of caft, or forefeeling, to make up the increafing dcficiencj. This unfortunate miAake £ar the buyer and receiver may be completely re&ified, in the manner above mentioned, by taking the meafnre from pi- vot to pivot, and not from the end of the beam, and then every fetting will fall upon its proper notoh, without gmng beyond it, and there will be no caft of the beam, or fore- feeling, as it is called, necefiaty, which is the fouroe of great fraud,

Cbttrebf Stipend^ Poor^ CJi:.— ^The church, which waa re* paired 40 years ago, was built in the year 1707, and the manfe in 1789. The ftipend, including the glebe, may be about L. 80 a-year. The patron is Lord Dundas. The prefent incumbent was fettled in 1776, and is as yet un- married.

There is a parochial fchool, where from 30 to 40 bop and girls are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. The encouragement given to the matter is extremely (baall ; s folitary houfe, without fo much as a kail>yard ; 100 merlins of falary, and no emoluments whatever; although it is to be hoped the heritors will redrels this grievance, and ap- point fchooKwages to be paid. A Society (chool is mnch wanted here ; and until fuch can be obtained, the inhad>I- tants, poor as they are, make a ibift to employ private teachers occafiooally at their own expence.

The condition of the poor is truly lamentable. The number upon the roll fometimes exceeds 20 ; and the an- nual amount of contributions for their fupport is only L.4 at an average. Would the non-reiiding heritors, who are in affluent circumilances, contribute fomething for thiir re*

m

ofOrphir. , 417

lief, which hitherto tfaej have not donei it would redound much to their honour.

Anitquities^-^lvk the church-yard are the remains of an ancient building, called the Girth-houfe, to which great an- tiquitjis afcribed. It is a rotnndo of 18 feet in diameter, and 20 feet high ; open at top ; and on the eaft fide is a vauked concavity, where probably the altar ftood,- with a flit in the wall to admit the light ; two-thirds of it have been taken down to repair the pariih church. The walls are thick, and confift of ftones, ftrongly cemented with lime. From its refemblance to the Pantheon, fome have afcribed this building to the Romans ; but, in all probabi* lity, it has been a Popidi chapel, dedicated by the piety of its founder to fome favourite faint.

In the diftriA of Swambifler, or Suenobifter, are the mins of an ancient tower, of a circular form, and about x8o feet in circumference ; and once, probably, the refidence of Sneno Boerifa-op, who was killed by the famous Sueno Aftertfae, during a Chrifimas entertainment in thu parifli, at the houfe of Paul, one of the Norwegian Counts of Ork- ney ; of which a very particular account is given by the Icelandick hiftorian of Saga Orcadenfis.

In the diftrid of Tuikibifter, at a place called Obah, re- fided feveral of the ancient Counts of Orkney ; particularly Harold, who was poifoned by fats aunt Fraukark, and the aforementioned Paul, who was put to death by his own fif- ter, the firft Counteisof Athol. The fituation is fo circumflan- tially defcribed by the Icelandick hiftorian, as not to admit of a doubt -, ahhough, except an ancient chapel and burying- ground, alluded to by the hiftorian, fcarce a veftige of the ruin remains. Romifh chapels are to be met with in every diftrid of the parifb ; alfo a great many barrows or tumuli \ bat none of them have been opened.

Vol.* XIX. 3 G Commtrce.

41 S StaiiJHcal Auount

Ccmm€rci.-^^The prbcipal article of commerce is kelp, which at prefent fells as high as L. lo per too. The oalj other articles worth .mentioning are, malt, black cattle, greafe, butter, and linen-jaini ; for which fo poor a price is given by the dealers in that commodity, that the moft ex- pert fpinner can hardlj earn a d. a-day.

No country in North Britain is better fituated for trsde than thb, and yet nowhere has it been more oegleded. This is chiefly owing to a low fpirit for fmuggHng, which has been the bane of Orkney for half a century pafi; and, befides perjury, been the introduAioo, of almofl every fp^ cies of meannels and of vice which can degrade the human cbaraAer. The writer of the prelent report, urbcn a very young man, infpired with the love of his country, and fired with indignation at this unhallowed trade, in which, as in a vortex, truth, honour, integrity, and every virtue, was fwallowed up, refolved, with the fpirit of an ancient Ro- man, to attack the hideous monfler } and accordingly^ de- fpifing the mifapplied appellation of Informer, in fo glo- rious as well as hazardous an attempt, gave in to the cd- It&oT of the cuAoms, on the public tibreet, an accuHitioa againft a noted (muggier, had hb veflel ieized, condemocd, and burnt ; demanded and received the informer's ihare, as an inducement to others to follow the example, and imme- diately beftowed the (ame in ereding a charity fchool ia the pariih, whereby they have been fince greatly benefited. Although it mud be confefled, that, in thisbufinefs^ he was privately fupported by fome of the firft gentlemen in Ork- ney ; whofe reprefentatives, 'much to their honour, and fcr the good of their country, have fince completed the bofi- ne&i and it is to be hoped, lefs from political motives, thin from moral and patriotic principles.

ofOrpbtr. 419

Advantages and DifadvantageSi^^Tht advantages df this pariih are, fire, water, and fine women ; notwithilanding which, moft of the heritors refide at a diftance, and leave their tenants to the mercy of faflors, and under agents, who, hefides the fervices payable to their mafiers, require many others, onder the denomiifation of Favours, which, like Harry VIII.'s Benevolences, they dare not refufe. But it is to be hoped, that Mr Honyman of Graemfayy whofe mind is enlightened by fouthero ideas, will redreis thofe grievances, will aboliih perfonal fervices, will grant long leafes to his tenants, and encourage them to improve their farms ; whereby he will render his people happy, his^ fami- ly refpeded, and gain to himfelf immortal honour ; whilft his conduft, at the fame time, will be an example to others, which they will be proud to imitate.

NUM.

4^0 Statijlical Account

NUMBER XIX. PARISH OF KILMANY,

(CoUHTT AND StvOB OF FlFJE, PrESBTT£RT OF CuTAR),

By the Rev. Afr John Cook, Minifier.

np^HE parifli of Kilmany has the fame name, with that ''- by which the moft confiderable village it poflefles b diftinguiihed. From a fmall burying-ground * which far- rounds the churchi the name has probably been derived.

This village, which the name, the number of people it contsdnsy and the vicinity of the church, diftinguifh abore every other in the parifli, is about 5 miles diftant from

Copar,

* Kilmftoy is, according to common opinion, of Celtic orifin. If onlf tiiat part of the word which iignifies a burying-ground be Celtic, it will nst be a fingolar inftance of fuch compofitioo in our mixed language. T^ other Tillages in the parifli hav^, in geaend, either avnesdefcriptive of the: £cuationi or thofe of former poflefibrs.

ofKilmany. 421

Cupar, the countj town, and the feat of the prelbyter j. It is fcattered along the (hallow and narrow water of Mo- traj •, which unites, in the weftcrn extremity of the parifli, two fmall ftreams, iffuing from different fides of Norman's Law, and which, after a ihort and gentle courfe, falls into the river Eden, not far from the bay of -St Andrew's. A little attention to the pleaiing irregularities in the ground on which Kilmany is iituatedi and through which the rivu- let flows, might have made it a beautiful pi&ure of rural fcenery. But how feldom has fuch attention either chofen the fituations, or arranged the forms, of the largeil towns ! Accident, or the idea of conveniency, which can feldom be hurt by a regard to beauty, is allowed to have in thefe mat- ters too powerful an influence \ and in the poiition of the ftraggling huts of this village, as in that of many other places^ we have to lament the careleffheis which can build in a beautiful place of refidence, and yet negleA to take advantage qf the aids which the fcenery at once furnifhes and fuggefts, to decorate the dwellings of men, and from thefe thus decorated, to derive ornaments in addition to its own.

The church f (lands on a beautiful bank, ri(ing gradually from the ftream, which flows paft it on the S. ; is (kirted on the W. by fome tall a(hes ; and fronts the hill of Forrit, once covered with (irs, but now flript of the whole. No little clump has been left upon any of its brows \ not even

a

• The water could not float anj kind of velTel for tranfporting com.

f So late as the year 1768, the church was renewed. Tlic building is iimple and neat : but unfortunately, the long narrow form in \^ hich alraoft all the old churches in this part of the country are conftrucled, has been too much retained. It feems ftrange, that there fhould have been fo prevalent a partiality to a form of building, of all othcn lead fitted for public ineaking.

422 Stattjlical Account

a folltarj tree to (how of what it could have boafted fof* merly, in a countrj very deftitutc of fuch riches.

Extent of the Parijb, — ^Thc grounds of the parifli firetd from W. to £. about 6 Englifh miles, chiefly in that fer- tile trad of country, which runs almoft without interrup- tion, from the barren plain betwixt the mouths of the Eden and the Tay, to the town of Newburgh and Loch LindOres. Where the valley is confined, the parifli is fcarcely a mile in breadth ; but to the W. beyond the vil- lage of RathiUet, it widens with the valley, rifes on each hand over the adjacent heights, and gains an extent of about four miles. The greateft part of the parifli, however, is contained between one continued branch of the Ochil Aocn- tains, and fome hills, of diflerent fizes, and of various forms, which are fcattered to the S.

Kilmany is diflant from the river Tay, and from the port of Balmerino, about 3 Englifli miles ; but is feparated from them by the branch of the Ochil Hills which ftretches along the N. of Fife, and gradually diminiflies in fize, till it flioots down into the river near Scot's-craig.

Wood and Scenery. -^^Thn range of hilly ground, which diverfifies in the mod ftriking manner the fouthem fltore of the Tay, which in fome places fwells in AiU unbrokea mafles, with variegated colouring, in others, raifes fad> dcnly upwards rugged fragments of uncovered rock, might, were the hand of improvement to perform its office, make this part of Fife a fcene of the mod luxuriant beautj. There are brows on thefe hills which the plough cannot reach, or where its labour would not be rewarded ; which equally by their fituation and their foil are fitted to rear timber. This is fo obvioufly the only ufe to which they can be put, that tlie traveller who takes time to look around

hixDi

ofKilmany. 423

him, mu& bment the nakedneis they difplay. He will la- ment it the more in a (bene, where the hand of nature, and the toils of the hulbandman, have done fo much to admini- fter to his delight \ where the contrafi of broken rocks and fwelling hillsy with plains in the richeft cultivation ; and where the cultivation, breaking with irregular fieps the bleakneis of the hills, fometimes left at their bafe, fome- times climbing on ttieir fides, concur to form an exquifitelj varied landfcape. How much would it add to the fcene, ivere the rich com fields to rife into the bofom of woods flretching with various length down towards the plains -were fome of the bared fummits to efcape above their verdure ; and were the beautiful waters of the Taj feen through openings made thus pi&urefque ?

Neither would fuch exertions in improving the country be unprofitable ; nor is the idea of making them vifibnary. Independently of the value of the wood, (and it is well known how foon it does become valuable), it tends, by. affording a warm fheltcr, to meliorate the adjacent land in a fiate of tillage. From every appearance it is alfo pro- bable that the foil, which cannot be ploughed, might bear a rich covering of wood. From experience, indeed, little can be faid, for the parifii can boaft of few attempts to plant trees \ but where fagacity and tafte have made the attempt, and continued the fmall attention neceflary for fuccefs, they have been in general rewarded witli a confide rable recompenfe for the labour, and a rich addition to the beauty of the fur- rounding fcene. Tlie hill of Forrit, in the pariih of Logie, was, till fome years ago, covered with firs $ ax acres on the efiatc of Lochmalony, bear them in great perfe£Uon, and we may fee them fcaling fome of the fteepeft hills in the neighbourhood *• In as far, indeed, as the beauty of the

country

* It is but joft to obferve, that the fpirit of nifing wood &ems now to

awaken : (mnl planutlons have been of late made, and are ftiU makiog

in

424 Statijlical Accwnt

country is concerned, it would be rather defirable that in fome rpots thcj fhould fail entirely. The irregularity thus produced, the wandering inartificial line in which the foli- age would then appear, would give an eafe to the Icenery, which the formal fquares and circles, ufed with fuch partia- lity by cuftom to bound plantations, effednally dellroy.

Even were the trees not to rife to a great height, the proprietor,'though he could not be otherwife enriched by them, would be indebted to the Ihelter they ^otAcdi to his arable lands ; and the country would wear almoQ as rich an afped, with its hills thus covered, as if they were crowned with lofty wood. On a rugged country thb is peculiarly beautiful. A little diftance alwaya gives a fine efieft, even to the poored plantations ; the (hortnefs of the wood the eye cannot then accurately meafure ; while, at the fame time, the foliage feems deep, and the boldnefs of the ground towers above its ibade.

^«//^«i>i>i.— No ruins of any abbey or chapel, not even the fragments of any remarkable building, give folemniry to the fcenery of the parifb. A few pretty large fiones, funk in the top of one of its hills, have excited curiofity ; and the genius of antiquarianifm, unaided by the Informa- tion which the country can afford, would probably find in them the remnant of fome c«mp or calUe. The leis iplen- did, but the more juft account of the inhabitants, makes them part of fome common decayed fence.

Scarcely a mile to the N. of Kilmauy, there is a romantic rocky den, cut deep in the face of the mountain. It has probably been gradually worn down by the fucoeffive tor- rents, which the heavy rains in winter throw from the

higher

in tr^ pviAi. £.nd its r^^ighboarhocwl; and if t^c ciemac? ire \igoroutIj c«>niiTiued, in to ; can the Tacc of tUs port 91 the c&untiy « ul b< cosvlctelj dunked.

tfKilmanjf. 41^

higher gtonnd, dafliing amongft its rocks. The name it has received in the country is, Goale*s Den. fij thofe who live near it, no explanation of the name is given* The manner in which it is written hete would lead anj one, ac- quainted with the Arabian Nights Entertainments, to ima- gine, that fnperllttious terrors had peopled it^with the de^^ ftrojing demons mentioned in one of thefe flories. The h& is, that difmal reports, of what had been feen and heard there, were in other dajs circulated ; reports which have had often lela to gain them credit, than the difmal gloom which the (hades of night muft draw over that rugged nnfre^uent* td fcene*

Number of Acreu ^uii itaiure of the ^01/.*— The irregular extent of the lands in the parifh, already mentioned, in* eludes, (befides a glebe of 9), 3963 Scotch acres. Of thefe^ the foil di^rs according^to their local fituation. In ibme of the acres, which are fartheft fouth, the foil is a ftrong dajr ; in thofe forming the flat banks of the Motray, which runs through the whole length of the parifh, the foil is a rich black loam, continued beneath the furface, beyond the reach of the plough \ in thofe which are extended on the gentle acclivities, it is loam, with a gravelly and fometimes a rocky bottom ; and in the reft, the ground is cold moor^ on fome fpots covered with furze *•

Agrieubure^'^K very great proportion of the lands in

the parifh is in a (late of high cultivation.— Of 3963 acres*

3216 are arable, the moft of which commonly produce good

crops. In raifing thele crops, there is no particular rotation

Vol. XIX. 3 H uniformly

• T1»re is alfo in the eafietn cohief of the ptriih t piece of light ftndjr ibiU which curiei broom to the height of 6 or S ieet ; a prodnce of vcrr gfcat betnty, and of ibme ntilitf as fuel, but which takes fuA poflii&on of «He gronnd» that to extiiptte it a a vcrr difficnk talk.

4^6 StoH/lical Account

tmiformlj ob&nred tbroaghoat the parifh ; hat the oae mxA approved, is that which the iDgeDioos Lord Karnes has re- oommended. The arabk land is laboured by 55 plooj^ drawn each by two horfes, which are driven hj the ploogh- man. Though the ufe of cattle in tilling the groond, and even in dragging carriages, be entirely es^oded here, it anay be coBiputed that 159 are raifed annually within die pariAi and fold when from betwixt 3 to 4 years okL There are no more horfes bred than what are neceflary ioz the purpofes of hufliandry, and for preventing the places of thofe which fail from being Itupplted out of the public markecs*. Of the land which at prefent lies wade, a confiderahk extent may be brought into a- ftate of cultivation. Tbe meadows, in particular, on the banks of the Motraj, and which the water often overflows, might be made the nioft produdive ground in the parilh. A&ivity has alreadj converted a part of thefe into the mod luxuriant com-ScIds^ but to the improvement of the whole an obftacle is oppo- fed, which perhaps may not fpeedily be removed. Tbe water of Motray turns four mills in its courCe throa^ the parilh. The accumulation of water which hence niu& be made at each, renders it impofCUe to drain the meadows fo thoroughly as otherwife might be done ; and the proptic- tors of thefe mills have not as yet been dil]^Ced to give op for any equivalent the privilege they pofiels. This privi- lege was undoubtedly acquired, when ignorance of agricol- ture fuppofed thefe meadows to be ufelels \ but notwicb- fianding this ignorance of the nature of the compaft, it was &irly acquired, and the enjoyment of it has now become s right. Though it would be abfiird to think that it migfat be facri£k:ed to benevolence, ;t would not be annatorsl to cxped, that for a proper equivaknt it would be yielded to promote the public good* But the proprietors of thtfe

milh • Tbe puiih ftedi aUb two flocki of 0ieq^» wuwataog tamntar t» «bone 24Pi moft^ of tiw EDgliOi breed.

x>fKilmany. ^2f

mOIs haye a much weightier reafon, in the efiimation of the world, to induce them to make fuch a concef&on. Their own intereft, independent] j of all equivalent given them, would be thus advanced, for the removal of the mills* would make way for the improvement both of the mea- dows of their neighbours, and of thofe which belong to themfelves. Till this change take place, the rich meadows will be overflowed with water, and the country denied the corn which in great abundance they would produce f.

JVood^ — Of all the ground which might be planted with wood, only about 74 acres bear trees grown to a vifible fize. Except a few afhes, which clufter in the villages, or run out in hedge-rows ; and fooie trees of different kinds, which are fcattered round the family-feats, on the grounds of Rathillet, Lochmalony, and Mountwhannie, the planta- tions have, chequered with two or three draggling birches,

the

* Tbcic four mills, one of whicb is afed for dreffing flax, are all that re- main in the parilh of a much greater number. The fmaU decreafe in the confitxDption of oats, peafe, and barley, (they were corn-mills), am hardly be coafidercd a reafon of this diminution. A better will be (bund in tb« fapcrior fise and mechanifm of thofe that reaMun. Thirlage, a fpeciet of monopoly, which, like all others that are privileged, arofe from a fear, tluc can emift only in the infiincy of the am, impofes here no heavier bm-den on iht &rmer, than to make him grind the corn ul'cd in his family at the coinil mill.

t Inefttmatin^the improremc^ts in agricoltore, which have been siade within the pariih, it will not be fafe to follow as a guide the increafe of caltivated Und. This increafe has by no means correfponded to the fupe- Her ordet tntb which greater Ikill in husbandry has brought fields which laiTe Wea lottg under the plough ; and unleft the quantity of grain now niied cotild be compared with what was raifed formerly, a comparifon which cannot be made, it will, not be known what have been the imprave- ments in agriculture, nor what praife the fArmeis deferve. The amazing rife of rents may be fomc rule oT juJgmg.

the deep gloom of the Scotch, or the gayer verdnre (^thc }arch-fir. The fmall proportion of wooded ^ound, in com- parifon of what may be wooded, has been in part remoyed |>7 confiderable plantations lately made on the eftatcs of Lochmalony, Monntwhannie, and Myre Cairnie ; and it b %o be hoped, that s^few years will fill the melancholy blank, which the eye, in wan^^ng oyer this parifli *, finds opoa Its mountains.

7ithes. — The tithes of the parlfli, with tL • right of pre- (Spntation to the living, were given to the College of St Sal- yator, in the IJni verfity of St Andrews, by Bi(hop Keooedj, the foun(ler of that college* They were intended to be t valuable donation ; and would hive be^ fo in a high de- gree, from a parifli in fuch a ftate of cultivation, had tbej been allowed to keep pace with the progreis of mgricoltorc and the pripe of corn. This was not allowed ; and thej have now (hnink out of all proportion to the real ren\. The Principal and Profeflbrs of the United College, fince the union of St Sal vator's and St Leonard's, have received theffii i^id are titulars of the tithes, and patrons of the pariib.

Fuilf ^^^--rla the ordinary articles confumed for tk fupport, or for the comfort of life, the inhabitants of this parifh may be abundantly fupplied. But the fupply cannot l^ procured at low prices. Cpal^, in particuls^, rmnft both be purchafed at a high rate, and brought into the pariih bj tedious or difficult roads. In the county of Fife, no ootl pits have as yet been opened to the north of the river Eden*, hence no coals of any kind can be brought hither over land by a ihoVter road than fix miles, and none good by one kSs than i6 ! and it is no eafy n^atter to convey tbem from the

T.7.

* Eleven proprietors pofle6 at prefent, in different proportiotii» the landtof |iie pariih. For planting ^ larch is in a fpecial manoer lecomiseaded to f|)eir attention.

ofKilmany. 429

Taj, by the nigged road which croires the fleep hilb fefM* rating Balmcrino from Kilmaoy*. From the ▼ictnitj of the pariih to the towns of Cupar and Dundee, it feela the- price of focb provifioos as the country produces in abun« dance, aflSeded by the conftant demand of theie hrge mar- kets. Hence cheeley buttey, fivwb, eggs, ai^ bought at a higher pri^ at Kilmany, becauie, from the progveisof Inznry, they are fought with greater avidity thaa .beef or nratton, and from the wealth of the inhabitants, are pur* chafed at ao enormous rate at Dundee. Out of the mar* kets of the towns joft mentionedt tho£b who do not kill their ewn meat are fupplied* It was once eafy to bring, at aU boux«, fud) fopplies to Kilmany \ for the high road betwi^ Cupar and Dundee run through the village. Some^eats ago^ (ibr it is bat of late that Fife can boaft of having a tumpike^road), the courfe of this road was turned eaftwards^ three miles 'from Kilmany. ' The public profited by tba change, for they travel by a imootb inftead of a hilly road i but the village fuffisred \ for it no longer enjoys the wonted frequent opportnnitica of conveyance betwixt Cupar and Dundee.

Fofmlqiwm.f-^Tht pari(h is the refidence of h«(bandmea« Agricnltnre is the nniverial employment -, it is the fource ind the fubflance of its few commercial tranlafiions* It gives fnbfiftence to almoft every individual in the parifli i to the fiurmeis, to their fervants, to the families of thefis (ervants, who are the great body of inhabitants \ aod to tha %w mechanics, wbob offices are neceilary for carrying on

country

• Itfflttftfiireljbc dcfired bytU w1» havegfiia to o^oit, that % HM Ifl IMB^noi wen better g|de.

43^ StatiJUeal A^auuu

etMlry iffidrit or Sor prooMCifig the comforts of life*. FxoBi the occopadons of- the MiabiuntSy it is erident that they caimoc be mmieroiifl. Agricaltorey however capable of fltfordiiig the means of (bbfiftenee, never coHeds within the lame bomids foch minliers, as do the various branches of manafiiftiires caltivated thronghoat the ifland. Fewer hands can condiid its operations^ One great objed, too, \rtiieh in its prefent ftate it fisems to have in view» is to Cake Jrbm there hamis as man j as podiUe. In many places, pro- prietor and tenant have united to accomplifh this objeA. To faave« hirge and eaiSy coHbfted rent is natarally deiired by die 4brmer, and thn has eSefted the amiSiilation of the little tenants fcatteted over the country; to fave as many ftrvants as poiBtrie in the management of country affairs, the latter has imagined it to be important economy, and this has often fubftituted unmarried men in the place of na- merous fiimtBes. The heakhieil and the pureft nurfery, of the moft vigorous and innocent clafi of our countrymen, hzs heaoe been much depopulated. However true it may ap- pear, thM a numerons ela(s of tenantry are incapable of keeping the ground in order, or of paying the proper itnt, there are bounds, beyond which the idea muft prove fatal to the ooontry in which it is put in pradice ; and it is evi- dantty fbtl of danger, whatever elfe it be, to turn away the cottagti» who have been wont to refide on a farm. The nalttfal eoDfequenoes are, that fervants of that kind are

icarce,

• There 21 no baker m the panfli. Ths gtwteft pan of die breid coo* fomed is prepared by the iamiiies who eat it. The increafe in d»e coafomp- txon of wheaten bread has of late been confidenble, but that it bean no proportion to the nfe made of oaten and pcafe meal in baking bread, is q>- pi(n% frqnthe cifcurttoice af the pariA kwiftg no baker of its own. May it not be inferred from thence, that in tiiaw ^ fcarcirf it is no d)e- ▼iation to the wants of the poor, when the rich give up the oiie of flour. The cafe is diffesent m large towns. There is no flour preferred by baken, * nor barley by brewers, to that which this pazifh raifes.

qfKQmawf. 4jl

U»xc€t aod tbrtr wages grett ; and itet a coca coqotry de* pends upon foreign aid for cutung down us cropsw So long as this aid can be eafilj procoffcdy Uie helplefibels off the JEh* ttzation does not appear \ but it would be fevezdj fak, wor« an J bappj change to meliorate the condition of tfaafe ro« gions of poverty £rom whenoethe aid is derived.

There is no (iich dependence in this parifli* Its popula* tion, though from the fituation mentioned it cannot be greats has not, as far aa can be aicei:taincdt diminiflied within tho lad 20 years. The number in 1755 was 785 *• There are now living in the parilh 396 males, and 473 females 1 ia all,869t.

Poor.— The funds of the leffioo, for the affiftMioe of the poor, are adequate to afford the common foppliea. Thej cooM of the intereft of about L. aoo. Sterling 1 upon whicb capital no encroachment has been found neceflaryi of the. money paid for the ufe of the mortcloth \ and of the collee* tions at the church-door.

There are in the pariih neflated p^or, who receive week- ly from the feifion. More or left is given to them, aceord-^ ing to their wants t > They very ieldom, and with much be* fitatiooy uSl\ their wants muft be noticed and fiipplied« The£e two happy conlequences, haiqpy for the virtue of

e The btptilffli have bcco, at a ncdium lor 10 ytan peft» ai. TVoie buxicd in the chiuch-yard, 14. There it no fepaiate lift kept of the pa. rifhionen boned, at they are fomedmet carried eUewhere, and ftruigei» brought «) Kilmany* The avenge auuiber of marriagefl hi; bat of thefe oee otfdiepactiet frcqnentfy bdon|^ toaaolher diftrid^

t Several familiet are Seceden from the Eftabliflied Church, and aflemble A % ]riice of worlhip withia nie pariui*

I Tbek BWbcr may bt ftatcd tboirt 4 st aa average, ael ibeir aaeual Memo V a4« 10 1.

43« Statt/Hgal AccQiM

snan^nd ariie fitmi hence. The rich are roaioi to tal:i that care of their bvetfarcn, which andctpatea the wiflica of the needj, which is man's heft acqnifidont and a ibozce of fmre enjoyment; while the poor hrfe not that wHfadraw- jng, declining modefty, to which it is lb plea&nt to aSoid af&flance. Of both, foch is the preient flate of fedinga and manners, there are here frequent inftances. Tbe more wealthy (for the parifli may be divided into feveral kige families under the immediate caie of the difirent &rmen) take a kindly charge of thofe who lire under them, and gear them, affilling them very liberally when ficknefc or age has unfitted them for their fervioe. On the other hand, the reloftance, not merely to folicit» but often even Co receiTe aid, fliews that delicate fenle of dignity, which poverty may fb keenly feel ; of which nothing can divcft a man but the meannels of his own foul \ and which is much defiderated amoogft the laay, diffipatedi importunate beg* gars of large towns.

RiHgiom^ f/r.— It cannot be foreign from the cfejeft of a Statiftfcal Account to mention the influence which rdigioos principle has within the pariih* Notice of individuals is Q^fXi improper and undignified ; a general ftatement of a point, which, whatever public opinion or pradice may pra- nounce, is of infinite confcquence to the ftability and ta the happineis of fociety, no man, whatever the ftatement might be, fhould be aihamed or afraid to make. It is grateful to give a favourable ftatement. Religion will be found hara to be much more than mere fpeculation ; it has great influence on the cooduft; it concurs, withuniedncing fitoation, to preCerve the manners fimple, and to make tbe morals pure \ and it yields fupport in the hour of diftre&y which the ftouteft hearts might wilh to have. Calm, pla- cid refigoatioo, in the certain profpeA of approaching diT-

iblodflv,

tfKilmny. 433

£olatioo, afiordt an example of trne heroifm, which philo* fophj might be prood to reach. But it is heroifm, an6ng from a caufe that weU accoants for it, in minds which have no tnoatementy from vanitj, of the poor defire of impofing on the worldt to aflame die appearance of fortitude which the J do not feeL It is the confequence of religion ; of their firm belief of a better fiate of exiftence } and of their hope of what a good man will in that ftate enjoj for ever. Patriotifm^fiirely cannot with for a more fubftantial tre»* (are to the country, the intereft of whole inhabitants (he it defirooa to promote, than that the purifying influence of tme religion fliould prevail amongft them ; nor deprecate a greater evil, than the petulant prefumptuous licentioufnefr, which tolerates no reafonable, no virtuous reftraints, which holda thele up to ridicule, and laboon to nutke them difrt* garded.

V0L.XCL 3I MUM*

434 Staii/Hcat Acatnf

NUMBEH XX.

PARISH OF DUNNING,

(CotJNTT or Perth, Synod or Pk&th aitd SmxsifCf

PRCSBTTE&T OF AuCHTE&ARI^Ek).

Bj 0 Frund to Statijiical Inqminu.

Sitmatiatif Exieni, C/r.

THE northera eztremitj of the OcbU Hills, temiiiac- ing in Stnithearn, comprdicnds a verj confiderable proportion of the pariih of Dunning* which is boonded on the £. bj the pariih of Forteviot i on the W. by Aoditer* arder } on theiS. by Foflbway i and on the N« by G«&. The higher and muirland parts of the parifh are fitnated among the Ochil Hills, the declivities of which are in fome places gentky and can admit the plough i but in other pb- ees they are fteep and rocky. The high miurs, fome of which are at leaft looo feet above the level of the lea, arr occupied in extenfive iheep-walkS| which fiiCer confider- ably by a* cold climate, and a greatly expofed fituation. The foil, however, in many places, is dry^ and earries a

ofDunningm 455

go6d.fward, aboundiiig with cgcoellent paftore-gnOies, which retaioy even in dry fiealbns, a b^ittiful verdarc. Some patches of heath and henjt graft, here abd there, incerrapt the uniformity of the verdure. The foil is generally not deep, nnd IS incombent on whinftone. Tbefe high lands remain moftly uninclofed, except by a few dikes of earth or turf, that formerly had, in ino^nlar forms, chiefly circular, been drawn round ibme fmall.parcds of ground, once in tillage. Thefe fmall indofures, if they delerTe the name, are now ^ery properly kft in pafhire, except one or two adjoining CO each dwelUngJionle, and which are cropped mofily with oats and potatoes. The produce in thefe high fituations is extremely fcanty, and the harveft very late. This muir- land diftqift is much intcrfefted by deep and very narrow glens ; the verdant fides of which afford not only pafture, but Ibm^times an excellent ihelter for flieep. Large clumps, and ftripes of trees, are much defiderated in tbefe naked and expofied places. There is every reafon to believe, that their growth would be to qnick as amply to repay any neceffary expences.

Thefe muixs are pafinrcd mofily with the fpeckled-faced (heep, chiefly from the flieep difirids, north of Stratheam, as Rillin, Sec. This variety of flieep is preferred to the black-&ced lanton breed, for their weight and hardineis, and being fooner ready for the n^arket. Severe colds^ and long'ftorms in winter, are the greateft evils to which flieep are expo&d in this high diftriA.

JgrumUwre^^-^lA the lower and arable parts of the parifli, codidepAle improvements have of late been made in agri- I enkore. Soromerufidlow and green crops are introduced into every £uin ; and a regular fucceflion of crops is gene- rally obCprvcd. Some farmers have adopted what is here commonly called the Carfe of Gowrie fyftem, which is,

X.

436 Siatiftical Account

I. Oats I s. Sommer.fiUlow ; 3. Wheat ; 4. P^e; 5. Bir« . Itjf with grab^fceds \ 6. Ha j. In other Carms the CdUow* ing rotation is oblerved : i. Oats i %• Tamip ; 3. Oats or barley; 4. Peafe; 5* Barley with grafles^ 6« Hay; and fometimes pallare the faventh year. Potatoes ave plsated generally in fome comer of a field in grain crops. Ten re- turn of oats is not an uncoooanon produce. The tnniip crop is found to be precarious, but is beUeved to be Teiy ufeful. In fome portions of ground here the oats do not degenerate. Thefe may be called permanent feib; sad wherever found, ought to be chemically analized, that thdr qualities and proportiooable miactcu^ may be afcertaiosd. By arriving, at thb knowledge, farmers will have at tin more readily in their power to refiify their foils^ and briag them to an high degree of perfefiion. The Cnpar*Grsnge or Angus oats are mod commonly fewn ; and they not in- frequently give meal for com. The rent of land has riiiea greatly in the fpace of a few years. In general it b at lest Cloubled fince the year 1770, Some land is let at L. 3 ^ acre, Scotch, yearly, on a leafe of (even years ; a great deil is let at 40 s. or two guineas an acre. Top-dreffing on the fward, for being ploughed up next fpring, is a Tcry ooai- mon prafiice^ It is a prevailing maxim here, that hod topdrefled with lime only, or lime and a mixture of earth, fliould not be ploughed until the lime has taken a jfGnv gr^ ^th9 ground. ELxpeqence has tai^ht, that by this metho4 the lime is not only kept from finking too deep, but is ^ mixed more intimately with the foil, than were it ploughed in immediately after it is laid on the land. This parifli ii fupplied with four meal, two lint, and three barky miD& Moft of the land was formerly thirled to the mills at acoor fiderable high muiturt. But thefe iervitudes were fioond to be real grievances, and therefoie were mofiljbooi^ uf by

rfDtmmng. 437

tfie temnti, who now, in confcquence of tbas parchafe, may tmj their grain to be grinded at what mills thejr pleafe.

Pc»^dWjbff.««Tbe population in Z775, according to Dr Webfter's aooomt was X49& It is now about i6oo» which makes an increafe of 109.

Cftirreiw-^The parifli church was anciently the chapel of St Smf. It is fituated in the village of Donning,, and is well frequented. The Earl of Kinnoul is patron; and the Rey» John Baird is the prefient incumbent. The fiipend lately receired an augmentation, and amounts to about a thonfand merks in money, and four chalders of vidual, ^fidcs the pariih church, there are two places of worihip ; the one belonging to the Burgher, and the other to the An- tibnrgher Seceders. The Pre(byterian Diffenteis of the Church of Scodaod are, by the general report of the re- fpeSable writers of the StatUUcal Hiftory of this country, deTcribed as being a peaceable and well-behaved dais of the eoQununity This praife-worthy charaAer is juftly appli- cable to both parties pf the Seceders in this plvc and neigh*

boorfaoodc

*

S^loal^' "The parochial Ichool, the prefent matter of which is Mr Balmain, is very well attended. The ialary is 300 merkSf The wages, pit quarter, for reading EngUih, are z8d«; for reading and writing, 9 s,; arithmetic, as. 6 4* Latin, 3 s. The Rev. Mr Baird, much to bis honour, pays particular auentioo to the ftate of the fchool, efpedally with refpeft to the mode of teaching, the attendance and beha- Tionr of the fieholan* and the progreis they make from time to lime in their education. The proper and regular inftniAion of youth ought to be particnlarly attended to by l4l who liave any reg^ to the good, not only of indivi-

dnabf

458 StatyUcMl Ai99uni

^adiybnCorfimflljfttlaf]^. TliefMnft.iHBt'Qf theSon- datiM bf priratfel tnd pablio Jmpyicft it Ud in tn carij cdncatioQ, ts it it genertllj oosdofM in the parochial fthools hi ScMl«Bd4 Habits of «tt«iitioB, applkMioQ, and tkanliiWft >CT, acfoircd 1 the ft^tics aC the iMlengn- dually enlarged and ftrengthened ; the yomh ava craiBed vf to fill with propriet J an j flation of life to which thej naj afterwards be ratftd ; and the principles of the Chrifiiaa leHgiof^y the teaching of which' is the moft prooiinent £»• hire of edkicatioo in parodittl fehoob, are fe deeply looted in the fold, that they become the means of preferring thou* bods from infidcfity, and a life of iaraiorality and wretch* edne& The Oenerdi AflemUy of the Ghnrch of Scotfand. fenfiUe that the inTaluahle faleffings of a religious life, and the hfl^ineb .and permanent fecority of every wdl rega« lated goverhmeoty are chiefly fomded in the early cdnca* tion of every clafs of the oommonity» have wifely appoint- ^a'Prefbyterisl vifitation and examination, J^^Jt ^^ the fchools in Scotland. By means of diis, no finall en* couragement Is given to teachers and fcholarsi and the exer- tions of both are called forth. From the ftatt of die fehool, it u prefumed that the youth of the parilh of Dunning wiB be found to make confiderable progrefs in any part of edu- cation to which they may apply themfelTCS, and that their after life will be a ftrong proof, that the attention of their teacher and mimftet to their literary, moral, and religious itnprovement, has not been loft.

Poor; — ^Abottt ten paupers are ufually on the poor^Kfi. They are fiipported by the weekly colleflions at the church, and the intereft of a fmali fum formerly accumulated. Their ufoal fnpply is fit>m 9 d. to x8 d. a-week .each ; but upon extraordinary dctafioos they receive half-a-orown a- ^ireek* ' None of them are permitted to beg. Tbe chief

landed

^^umlin£. . <4^

liindttd pi^friMbfi in this 4»lMi'-<te >aat ocaii»«lj •ttwi cm ffivite^*t¥l0tf fa die {iilf>ocliiAl tbiMh ; fe * x\M «{dik fiMi^liere^ jur itt m^ other places^ Stt«ditid» uxfftuffpamA b7^e^Mttiiioa6lilyii-^Ttr<^ IHeMily ibcied^, or boi^B, » ^ej ire itfbidl^ «Rlll»d^ 4re efttfb&fted in the^ pari^iy «|mI Ami whibh th« tttembert^ belM>giiig< !• ^ihtm wh^&Iliinft wa^i lieoifittt M rttid^f tapflj% Oiie'belMg;ito-th^wea«Br% wsbA tfacrvAlertb^htf mafens, 'MT^e ptvUb «ad aciightow- bobd. Bdtha^thrfviftg. Part\)rthfc(tool»i9^Ui<ae8^i4 hav in jMirehififtg aie«l« and feUkig it n littto onder market iMeetd^e th^inbet^ol^he fiteieti^^ttiA totbe p^^r^C^fae parilh. Too much cannot be {aid in praife of thcfe^fiiwidl^ cr charitable focietiesy as they are conduced in all the mn- auiaaming aiffiifis^ in Scotkxrd. '

Fwibife^.'^^Tke ^incipal vUkge in dte^aftthit Dnnsfagw It <onfiflB of <B -coofiderbblei attmber.^* boufes,^ many of tirhSeh haVe'4>een WiVf bnilt, and are two Glories high r <^ afldar w^rk, knA etnrered with flale,' n&oftly ifr^Nn Olen* Almond, about 20 iloilds diQant. Some of thehdoCMniie nlegant^ttd'ctMfflddfOBSy eshftfitirrp^pecimens of tafienct c6min6tAj to he wet with in eountty villages. In the im* snediatt ttfeiglhb'oarhood of Duoning is -the viBage of.iV«to FkcairH^ or Dragon*i Den^ as it is tifuidly etdled. It Is bttt nf trceat ori^ v and'confifis of about thirty teneinen» ot- dweHing«4ianl\d, all of whi<li, -except a very few, concahla tuiro families^ andfonhfe^of them fonr. The ground oar which thii^ vffls^ is built is feued^freih Mr^^raham oC Orchil. The lou are moAly in %Mib<ired eSs fquire, far which is paid L. x Sterling of pnrchafe-monc j, and 7 d. u^jear'of feu-^cy. -Thehouf^ here are neat and-fcleui, add aie^ xnoft-y coofthiftM for leavers. I^bey we buih Tor a guinea ftr rood, (ma^on'e tneafore), wkh Icrvice, oir so s. idthont ienr ice. Frecftone is got bv^ Vh(^re at hahd ; not

unfrequ^tly

44^ Siatiftkttl AgCBUHt

imfire^iiemlj cnt of tlic'«r^aii on ^htchtiie hod&s ire built Mortir of earth is in numy oales the cement, escept fbr die iBomer^ and the hewo work. Thej arei hoirevert cafi» or iaritd with ltme» both witboat and withm. Honle^reDts, equally here with the reft of the panfli* are rtry low. A dwelfing-hode and ceom/with a fonr-Iooai ihojs is let from 4oa. to 50 s» a-year ; a laboorerjs boafe, weU finiflied, ii rikout as s. at an ave»ge.<— The inhabitants <if thefe fiUs* Iges, and of the moft part of the pwQih are fuppiied widi coal from the coal-works at Bhiringooev in tlie paxiib of FoflToway. The diftance from tbc^ village of Dnnnii^aboot lamiks.

7md(^M«-^The only mannikdore carried on here is the making a few coarfe linens for the Glafgow and Perth mar- kets^—WeaTcrs in the pariih, 63, about 40 of whom are employed in fiiAory work; Wrights, a8| mafons, aj; black&niths, 4; (hoemakers, 7 ; uilors, la. The pariih is accommodated with eight inns or public boufes, of which number fix are in the villsge of Dunning^— The inhabi* tants are not diflingutihed on account of any pecoKaritici in their drels, cttftoms, or manners. They are generally of an open and communicatiTe difpofition, indoftrious in their labours, and generous in their iotercourfe with focietj. The blue bonnet is not altogether out of faihion in this part of the coontry.«-A confideraUe quantity of coarfe finen-yam is fpun by the wom^n in the pariih, not a few of whom fpin on the two-handed wheel, which a good many yesn ago was introduced from Fife.

Plaea £/*A^or#.— Duncruib, the property and refidence of Lord RoUo, holds a diftinguiihed place in the pariih : ** As ** for the antiquity of this family, John RoDo got a grant *' of the lands of Duncruib^ and other lands, from David

««Earl

ofDihudtig.^ 441

*< Earl of Stntthen, with the confimt of King Robert, his ^ father, of the date X3th February 13&D. From the lands ^ofDmcmib the fiunily was defigned; and cbefe hmds, ** with odien, were ereAed io^o a free barony by King ^ James IV. in fkvoars of William RoUo of Duncmib, as '' the charter bears, of the date 26th Odober 1512, From "^ this William was lineally deibended Sir Andrew RoUo of "" Doncmtb, who was knighted by King James VI. and " afterwards was by King Charles L railed to the dignity '' of Lord RdDo of Doncnisb, in the ye4r 1651." {Nif- hefi HtraUby^ voL i. p. 324.

The hoole of KMe^ the property of the Dnimmonds of Keltie, is not of a recent date, and is deierredly fiir-ftmed for the genuine hofpitality of an open and generous-hearted family.

It is believed by many of the inhabitants of thb place, that the river Earn was anciently navigable a confiderable way above the village of Dunning ; and fome old people affirm, that they have feen iron rings fixed in a perpendi- cular rock, dofe to the bottom of which the level land of the Strath of Earn now comes. It is laid, by tradition in the country, that to thefe rings the veflels which navigated the river were occafionally fattened. That a great part of tlie haugh or low ground, in the lower difirid of this pariih, was formerly depofited by the water of the Earn, there can be no doubt \ but that the river was navigable to the above mentioned rock is extremely uncertain.

TTerrnavi is the moft remarkable fpot in this pariih or neighbourhood. It is a hill, or mound of earth, rolembling a Ihip with the keel uppermoft. It occupies many acres of ground ; is covered with a fine fward of grals, and llrikes the eye at the diftance of feveral miles. The name is evi- dently a corruption of 7erra navis ; but whether given it

Vol. XIX. 3 K by

44^ Stati/tkai Accmau

hj the Ronansi or finoe they left the ucwBtry^ it i To this place t (uperftitimit regud is MCadied by the vol- gtf. Trtdition aflertSt that tomt tamt ago a mam atteaipc* iag to cad divots (turf) on the fide of it, no foeacr opeBc4 the ground with the fpado» than the form off an eld naa, fiippofcd to have been the fpirit of the mountain, made in appearance from the openmg, and with an nngry coaate> nanoe and tone of voice, alked the countryman vHiy he wis tirring (uncoverfaig) bis ho|tfe over hb head ? On Coring tbu, die apparition inftantly diiappeared. The man, it i^ reported, was fo terribly frightened, that he immediatet)r left off the operation ; and none hm fince Tentured to di- fturb tl^e repofe of ti^e iiQaginary fpirtl«

NUM.

tf TdnJergartb. 443

MUMBER XXL PAHISH OF TONDERGARtH^

(STifoH Ann Coi^ytt of Uvunizs, BRE^Ynax ot LoeaifABKK.)

By a FrSmdio Statiftical Inquiries*

Vt> i.B-.i(| I -11 -11 iiiiii I >■ Hiiw t"%

SituaHoMf Sur/acft Exiettit ixc*

THE l^ariih of Tondergartby or Tttndergarth, is about 14 miles ill lengdi» and about li miles in breadth. Ic comprehends the declivities of a range of hills which lie along the river Mitt. It is furrounded by the contiguous iNuriflies qf 8t Mungo% Dryfefdale^ Huttoo, Efkdalc-muir, Middlebie, and Hoddam. Its fiir&ce is, in level, unequal, and beantifiillj diverfified; is in many places green and arabk, in otbtiBy covered with heath, and not jret reduced wider t3kfe« It is not without woods, both natural and planted. Some marl pits have been opened in it.

Popubaion and Employm€nti.'~'On the 17th of Novem* ber 1791, the whole population was found, upon a careful

enumeration,

444 Staijfifcdl jUcmM

enumeration^ to amount to 510 foob. The termors are m number 37. Earl Mansfield is iiiperior of die gccafeer part of the pariih. Mr Johoftoiviif .Gfange^BfrBrofwnof Weft- woodi Mr Richardfon of Piercbyhall, are the pcinctpal bed- tors ordinarilj refident in the parifli. The moA confider- able nonprefidiag heritor is Mr Beattte of Grieve. The in- ferior inhabitants are chiefij farmers and fann-UxMBefs. Here are, of artifansi % black&niths, i jcuner, z ihormakfr, 5 weaver^ a tailofs. The people aie in gfneial £obcc, in- dufirious and healthy; in Jangcvitjf fome of tlieaa itave lived to the ages of 84, and even of 90 years.

Ar^aNrdir|f«**The hufbandrj which occupies the fitzmezs is partly that of the ihepherd-li£e ; in part that ci agricol- tnre. It is the Cheviot breed of (beep which is here cnlti- vated : And of thb breed there may be between 3000 and 4000 ftcep 00 the farms in tbe pahib. The Uack catde are of a race allied to that of Galloway ; are reared from calves not bought in ; and may be in number about 400a The foil b for the moft part gravelly, or of the nature of a morab. Oats, bear, and barley, aie the gnins here culti- vated. Lime, and dung, with fome little marl, are the or- dinary articles of manare. The medium extent of the farms b from ico to aoo acres. The lands are tolecd>Iy inclofed with fione Jiiesj and here and thete wkh ditches and hedges. Xmr, or flue, is raiied m fimdl qaandties. Green crops, for fisillowing and forage, hav« been tried with a fuccefi which has not £ailed to recommend the eramplr to general imitation. In the harveft of x 795, the miaifter had, on a field before his door, one of the fineft crops of tutnipi that have ever been any where produced. Potatoes are alfa raifed in very great abundance. The horfes v&d for the draught are commonly, in value, foch as would fell in the market from L. xa to L. 15 Sterling each.

9f T^nder^anb. 44$

R^adnmd Mdtiiis.'^^'Tk^ roads ire made attdrepaited hj the money-convetfioii t)i li.s* tffk every 100 merks, in* ftead of the ftatnte-laboar. From* ftnjjg^i to IMitt^ "a *^£- taace tvf^KlDt j'^^mileS) theijie 18 ancxceBeacraad; The market-towns to which the inhabitants wilim^ptaathuImOf rcEofrt are, Lockerbj, Annan, Dumfries. The bhck cattle are fold at "Dumfries, and at Lockerbj, btit mok« e%eciall j into £nglaiid^ ' Lmeh and woollen^ dodis are, tar the greater part, not imported, but manii&ftured hy the pe^k'for themiHves, in die family. way. -

Rtnii a$i.FaftMi(m.ii^Th^ vwOmioa U die paxifh is aboatS90o'mierks' Scotch; '^vDc^ teA rents ase probsUj between L. 1700^ and L. 1800 Sterling.

Poor's F^ndr.'^Thit poor asei fuppected firom theJnteicft of a mart^Ufi fiMid of L. 66 Steriisg^ and ontoftheSa&day'a coUedieas in the church ^ which: are, at ordinary timeii abooM s. 6 d* or %\,\ but at theadaual difp^fing of the Sa* crament of the Loid's Sopper^ axidr e^ea. to I^. 3 Sterling.

Min^iTy Btmfice^ School — ^The preient minifier is the Reverend Mr Pazton, a batehelot. His three .laft prede- ceflbrs were, Meflrs Clarke, Jeffrey^ Fergpflbo. . The fiv- pend confifb of L. 800 Scots in money, and two chaldeirs of visual. There was in the year 1795 no pari(h-ibhool in Toodergarth ; but application had begun to be made for the eftaUiihnient of one. Among the inhabitants of the parifli are fome few Burgher and Antiburgher SecederSp and fome Relief people ; but none of thefe lefis have a meetinj-honfe here.

Langu^gi<^JobnftoHi is the mod prevalent fimamein this poiih ; and the old cofile of Toodergarth was once the

principd

44^ SMi0k0l.jkf9mu

«iAi.lHi9'«hva79hrmftp«rcl7Stxqiidia]flfta£di«old Low* lMld.Spftltifli« fTv^itKt^Hk n a CMvomd Smoa watd,

'; :. . i • - •

fiteu^fiiumii^Ax iu w^fiefn border, tfau pBrifli dmoft t9ili^.4i^^» 9^ the .fiioiQitt hill of JSntm/foari. That fcttl 4lW«l. jta^qftlebcity to t>^ p»aww gf twa Ropign fiif»mp> mentSv which appear on the eafiem tad on the wcfieni fide of its decUvitj. The remains of theie encampmems axe fiilL^noeeiUp^J diftJnA. - k feeios higM^ pn»babfe dat ^jrtamre^ firil ftr4M4 by the tUmans bufiigingabodyof the ancient Britons, wha.liie4vPCCi9ied dM Jbrnioit of tfae hiU. It was fo remarkable a ftation, that it could not £iil to be coo- tiMMtty* otoapiod in aE fiiMbquenc wart among ibe tahahi- taota rfthefe regiona, wfacAer contending aoioi^ thrmfrl^f^ M eppofing ftranger-invaders. Tha Aiq^lo^Saxana, the Scotch, and Englifh, in all their border*wara» oatorally poll- ed themifllvcs often on tha fiunmic oCBnaifwairk,*aaaplace, by its elevation above the furroondiag ooontry, admizaUj itCted zl once for an impregnable pofi, and &r a ftation of profpcQ, from whidi all the movameota of forroasdiiig enemies might be ipied.

NUM.

NUMBER XXn.

PARISH OF ANNAN, :

(Co^mrr ak» Synod of Hvfim^s, PftssftrmT 09 Airy AN.} - ' ^

Bj^ a Friend to Stati/Heal Ittptiriit.

ii »>»

SitmaiiMf ExtitUf iSe*

npHE pviih of Annan lies almoft imoiedifttcly upon the ^ neareft Soocdlh fliorc of the Solwa^ Fcidi. It is bounded 00 the £« by the patiflies qf Domock and Kirk« psttrick-Fkoiing ; on the N. hj AfidiUeby and Hoddam ^ on the W. hj Cummertrees } at itt foathem extremity it extends, for its grcateft breadth, 3 miles along the coaft ; its gmteft lengdi is 8 miks.

SaU^ Smrfac9% Coafi^ RivirSt Vc.— The riTer Annan b- terfeds this parifli, forming, at the place of its influx into the frith, the port of Annan, an excellent natural harbour. There are alio fome lew brooks. The highcft tidei rife from z6 to 91 feet above the level of lQW*water. The fur-.

Saco

44JB Sta^fikal Account

hiot is gencnUy low and flat. Woodcock- Aifbill, howercr, fifes to fiMnethmg of clevadon. The finl is day, (andj, pea^eaIth» or a muKttiie of tbefe. There are fome .trafis of heath-covered miiir. Woodcock- Airhill has been (danled with wood ; and on the banks of the river Annan ait alfo feme ftxipes of plsttiting. It was once tried to prepare kdp from the lea^weeds growing on the coaft, but the fearweeds were fannd not fnffidentlj pkntifol to encourage the oooti- aoed proffBOHtioo of this -undertaking. Her^are CKcikat freefbme quarries, limeftoae, and granite.

PoftJttiwUf HmicrSf Farming C/c. — The popolation of die whok patifli may amount to abont ^500 firnls. The heritors pajing ftipend are 60 in number } of whom die moftconfideraUe are, the Earl of Hopetoun, Mr Irvin of Bonfhaw, Colonel Dirom of Mount-Annan, the Earl of lisMfidd^Mr Camitketa of WarmanbytiAr Shacp of Hod- dam, Sir Charles Douglas, Mr John Macmurdo, There are about 97 or xoo fumers fomilies ; but few hinds or cot- tagers.

The Tbwff .^— The town of Annan, one of the moft anckot burghs in Scotland, and which, in conjunAion with Loch- maben, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Sanquhar, fends a member to the Britilh Parliament^ contains widiin the town, and upon this burgh-roods, t6ao Ibuls out of the whole population of the parifli. It ppflefles ^tij eztenfive burgh-roods, which are, in great part, very in^er&ttj cul- tivated. There is a vaft common, open to all the inhala- tants for paflure, peats^ and divois\ of which the divifioa and appropriation, although repeatedlj propofed, have M lleen flrennoufly refifted. The revenue of the town is about L. 300 Sterling a-year, arifing from tolls, fiflieries, asd.feo- duties* Its houfes are in general de<ient and weD-buib.

A

of Annan. :449

A few fidlora belong to it ; and there are 5 floops, the propertj of inhabitants of the town or bnrgh-ioods. There are like- wife two ferry-boats employed for paflage to and from the coaft of Cumberland. The burgh, not long fince, fupplied, as its proportion, two lailon to the royal navy. It has in it fonr writers \ one furgeon ; a fchoolmafter, whofe emoln- ments are, of falary and fubfcription, L. 40, of wages, L. 25. The port is comprehended within the diflrift of the cuftom- honfe of Dumfries. Day<labourers are fupplied from the town, for moft of the farm-work in the country part of the pariih. The occup^ions of its other inhabitants are thofe of merchant and ihppkeeper, weaver, blackfmith, tailot, joiner, fhoemaker, tanner, currier, clog-maker.

jF|^A«rt#x.-«-Tbe fifliery, on the coaft and in the river, af- fords employment and fubfiftence to many of the inhabi- tants of this pariih. The fifiieries are let at the annual rent of L, 210 Sterling. A curious fpecies of net is ofed here for taking (almon, both at the flowing and during the ebb- ing of the tides. B^fide felmons, which are plentiful and ezcelkntf hirlings, muflels, flounders, cod, whitings, prawns, feate, and Ibmetimes turbot, are found on this coaiL

Estporii and Imports.-^^Thc articles of txport are, pott- toes and grain to Liverpool, Whitehaven, and the Frith of Clyde} freeftone to Ireland; black-cattle, cotton-yam, (hoes, and dogs, to the contiguous inland parts of England. In return are imported^ merchants goods in general from liverpool ; London goods by the way of Newcaftle and Garlifle ; iron and timber in deals from Gottenburgh.

Rondu This pariih is interliefied by great roads pafling between Dumfries and CarHfle, between Annan and £din« bargh by Mofiat, between Annan and Edinburgh by Lang-

Vox.,XI2^ jL holm.

}ieltn. (^ dw freat roads are toU-bars. The cnA midi are made and repaired bj th^ coDTerfion-moiiejr for tte .Ibtfite-labour, which is at the rate of 3 d^ for e^ery paand . Sterling of real rent, from the inhabiunts of the bargh; and 12 s. on each 10^ merks of v^attontfr^mtiio landwsr^ part of the pariib,

jigrkuU^rff Caak^ Servanis^ Av^-^-The farma are of ^all extent : One only pays fo large a rent as Ia 100 tr year. The average rent £rona the kmdwar4 part of the partfli runs from 3 s. to 25 s. an acre ; The average reat of the burgh-roods is from so s. 6 d. to 506« ao acre. The vages of fervants ^re, to men-fervfuitSi with their boardiiigt from |« 6 to L« 10 a-year \ to maid-fervants, equally with their board» from L, 3 to L« 5 a^year. Day4aboisrers receive, with their vidnals, lod. a-day; and for feTe|« labour, without viduals» 1 9. 6 d« Black cattle are tbe chief aai- mal fiock of the farfn^ ; are reared genemUy firom calves within the pahih ; and have been multiplied in cbeir num- bers fince green crops and ibwn grafies came into ufe hefe. Horfes are ufed here, as in other places, for work and ri* ding } Tome few are bred and rei^red from foak Wtthia tbe pariih« Barley 4s the chief article of white crop; oats come next in ^nanttty after barler ; here is aUb a little wheat r^ifed and exported, Potatoes are pi^occ4 in P^ quantities. Many hogs are fed, killed, cured for bacoo, and in Ihis (late exported. Here arc b^ few (beep*

Rotatn^ Q/'CVe^r^^-Peafe, beans, and tun^ are the ar- ticles of fallowing green crop. Lima, dung, foaM Kttie marl, and (leech fro^a the fea*|bore, are the ufual articks of manure. The rotation of culture is, x. Potatoes, turnips, or a fallow with manure ; %. Wheat or barley, and with it graiihiceds i 3. One crop of l^iy | 4. A top-dreffing with

QUioorei

ifAnnM. 451

llMilllift \ 5« from j to 5 yean, paftiire ; 6. Two faoceffive trhiu cropsy commoDly oats ; 7. Retorn to the commence- 0Mat of eke (amc rotation. It is a compoft which is ofed lor tbc top*>dreffing. Inclofures have become general, al- ^houfh but latelj ; they are made with ditches and hedges) and in (!fm« places with dry done walb* .

Ho%f99^ Modi ofLivimg^ Vc^^-'^Soch farm-hoofes as have been lately boilt are good and commodious, and of one or two ftorias* The ofl^-houfcS are arranged in fqnares^ with large open (beds for black cattle^ Servants and mas- ter eat commonly at the fame table. The farmer^s bun^ day (Rothes are of Englifli cloth. Peati and coal are both commonly nlcd for fuel. The coal is fold at 7 s. 6d. for Che ton of 13! cwf* The climate and fit nation are recko%> •d healthy. Epidemical feveri are unknowns Confun»ptiQa §xA ague are rare* The harvcft b generally early^ In tb^ year {78a, the crops were plantifol. There is on the river stotton-worky about which from 100 to 130 men, woraeiit and children, are commonly employe4. One or two wei^ vers in the town mannfsAure fome checks.

AntifHttui and Biftwy^^Annan^ the name of this town and parilh, feems to have been primarily the name of the river only. Its radical fy liable ]% one of thofe words which were nfed in the ancient Britifb tongue to iignify fimply VMHtTf or a river. Annan was probably a Roman fladon^ the Veromum of the anonymous geographer of Ravenna* It feems to have been fiill occupied by the Britons of the Wefi« after the departure of the Romansg till they were fuU dned by the Anglo-Saxons of Northumberland. When the kingdom of Northumberland was overthrown, Annan fiall into the pofleflion of the Scotch. While Cumberland, and the greater part of Northumberlandi were poflelTtrd by

Malcoltfi

45^ Statiftkat Acemml

Malcom Canitorey and hb (bccefiVm, to William the tiofii Annaa was, as well as Carlifle, one of their prindpol ports^ It was foon after obtnoed ia fief^ with the whok territoiy of Annandalet and the port of Lochmaben, by the anoeftor of King Robert Bruce. The Braces built here a flatdj caftle^ of which the nuns ftill remain. Bj the foooeffion of the Bruces to the Scottifli throne, Annan became a rojral burgh, obtaining then thofe priTileges vriitch it has erer fince retained. Edward Balliol, during hb attempts t6 wreft the kingdom from young David Bruce, was fiurpriied at the Caftle of Annan by a fudden expedition of the Doo- glaffes from Moffat, and with difficulty made his eicape out of (heir hands, flying naked and alone into England. Whik fhe Douglaffes were wardens of thefe marches, all Annan* dale was theirs ; and Annan, although a royal burgh, codU not refift their authority. After their forfeiture, it became fubjcA chiefly to the Johnftones, with whom it has, m a great meafure, ever finoe remained. And yet the cxten- five burgh domains render the burgefles of Annan almoft independent of the landlords of the furrounding coontxy. Many remarkable military tranfafiions of the border-war- fiire between the Scotch and EngUfli took place at Annan* and in its vicinity. Annan was one principal refidence af thofe bold men of Annandale, famous in the Scottifli hif- tory for exercifing fuch conftant warfiure with the En^iik borderers, that they became, even in refpeft to their Scot- ^Sk neighbours, incapable of the order, the moderatioii, the civil fubmiflion of peace.

NUM.

qftarhoUofu 4$$

NUMBER XXin.

PARISH OF TARBOLTON,

(CouKTT dF Ayr, StiioB of Glasoow and AtKi Presbytery of Ayr.)

£^ a Friend t6 Staiiflicat Inquirteu

Situation and Extent^ lie.

Tn£ pariih of TarboKon, fituated in Kyle, the middle diftrift of AyTlhirey furrounded by the pariihes (tf Craigie, Mauchlin, Stair, Coyltoo, St Quivox, and Monk- ton, is ft high-lying traft of ground, of between feven and eight miles in length, and about fix in breadth. It is aboat five miles from the fea-coaft ; and its elevation above the level of the fea, feems to exceed the middle height betweea the higheft and the lowed parts of the county. Its ancient and natural afped has evidently been fufficiently rude and wild \ bare and uniheltered ; varied with frequent inequi* litics of fur&ce \ marlhy in the bollows, on the heights

overgrown.

4|« StmyUMJutmt

a^cigrowtt with headi. But die rode mrpeft of natllfe ihi bcre, loag fince, given plaee to tlie beaodet and die weahh of iniuilrloiis cnldvadM*

Nmmbit ^tU ImhMtamh C/r.~The nmiber of die is- babittnts of diis pariih wat. i^ die year I7J5» abovt 1365. It hat beeo fince radier dimtoiihed than aogineoted, and may be at {irrlent cakidated not gready to exceed laoo 9 of whom about 450 are inhabitants of the village of Tar- bokott. The i«nter# ave 19 1 and of thefe ibe iwindpt are, the Earl of Eglbloii, U(Aj C^fenol Montgomety of Coilsfield, Mr Cttnningham of Enterkine, the Marqnk of Titchfield, Mr Cooper of Smithftone, the hein* of Colond Hunter, Dr Hunter of Pack, Ci^ain DavidliM of Dram* ley, Mr Neil! of Scbaw. The fmrmers are in flumbcr about 130. In the village ate Several JheUmg-maim. Around it are the pofleffiont of feveral of thdfe fknall pro- prietors, who are ufoally diAingniihed by the appellatiaB p{ farfioturs. Here is % farmer foetHj^t for the porpofes of die friendly focieues now common in Scotland t as aUs s fmrwur eMf for the ends of agricultnral improvemeat. la the village are two nmfim 4n^M«

4mmaiSio€k mud FoAMsm^— The amoial ftook on tfat lands in the pariih has been rackoned at about 386 bories, 1809 c#ws, and 500 ibeep. The valued rent is betweea I*. 7060 tnd I*. 8000 Soocdi.

Dairia. —The capital (pecies of induft^ followed by dr jfonnen, is, the management of jcaitle for the pfea of the dairy. The /eqfgs are oommooly for nineteen yeais, aad Tcfirift the tenanuto the generally received modes of col- livadon. The cows are of a raoe £unooa for the abwid* ance of their oulk# Tl^ejrare Irt^oendy bandied^ and

have

gioui qaaatity of bntter ai»4 ditcfe M nnotUj Jnaie hem far iUe : And in xbm |irfetnmtkMi of thefe wticksy tht pt6* pie of this pariOi, at weH as the other inhabkims of tfai| ViiddledilkriftoCAyrflitre, wtt wdl knotvtt to excel tbi ; of every ottier jfut of SeetfamL

jlgrkwkmriy>*^Bmrlg^ end eeft ere t|ie pievakflt ertidii of gratn-€rop» The leads ere cerefoUy fubdivided end in« ctolbdy here end thefee with hedgewrofv* of trefs tiid helit of plentiagA Fviainfi are the principal esticb of gietn erop \ eaMNig other varietiet of the potetee» thete it parrioderlf • beemifhl long white one^ very ad vanttgeonfty in lA hero* ' The gaedens aford ahoadanee of pi|)fe and pol-herbi* Tht tUnmtiiM here^asemnnd tfckilpeftemQonft IB general* teoiftp end fehjeft to fire^oeat raioa. Yet it it fuflkiendy genialt ibr in the middle i>C September in the year 1795, the heiv eeft w» move than one half adveaeed* Hie fiil it n re4- diih kern ; end here end there are coofiderable ftrau of ^eareerth. The enltnre o| htrmpi^ aa e orop in forage end for fiJlowii^, is not yet folly eftsUUbed in this paciflii but begins to be continually more and more adopted.

pemmodiott^y arvanged in e fijeafe, open in front ; and h»> iring, on this fide, before the door of the dweUmg^honfoy e fmooth green, e pond of water, and die dunghiU. They ere coveted with thatdiiag, and are nfiially one ftory in be^t. Sown gtafts ere univetfally in nie throi^hoat chisperiih. The common proportion between the gnii end the com in the egriooltnre of % farm, gives coo-third of the arable ground to the latter *, to the former two-thirds. fim^ ioit m^ni^re, is pot iudeed found within the pariih ;

hot 18 dbuined ingtcat abnndtnoey and at aroifonalikprioe, ia its imipediate neighbourhood. Piois and fk-coai are tiip common fuel ; the Jatter is obtained in plenty from do great diflanoe. .. It is: in one quarter only, of the parifli that iarlgf has been found to anfwer as an article of crop. The inhabitants ate, in gener^» a floot» healthy, cleanly, good* looking people, not ill educated, and flill imprelTed with a gteat and ferions refpeft for the ordinances of religion.

- MarJhts and Roads* The neareft maritt towns are, Ayr, Irvine, Kilmarnock, and Maochlin, The crofs roads are numerous, well laid, and kept in good condition i but with tills difadvantage, that they are condofted without any dif- tinftioui indifferently up heights,, and down into hollows. Ayrfhire, abounding in coal and limeftone, demanded for the conveyance of thcfe, good roads, at a time when, id other parts of Scotland, roads wene not thought to be wordij of great attention in parilh-police ( and when fuoh attcntioa had not yet been paid to them in this country, as was ne^ oeflary to difcover how much better it is to eondud a roai round the bate of a hill, than over itt fummit.

Minifter and School^ Wr. — The prefent pariih mmiftcrof Tarbolton is the Reverend Mr Ritchie. The church is in a decent condition. A new manfe has juft been built ixx the prefent incumbent. The value of the benefice does not. exceed L. 150 a-year,,nar yet fall greatly ihort of it. The pariihioners, from the highefi to the lowcft, give a decent and diligent attendance at church. The pariA Ichoolmailer's emoluments may be about L. 50 a-jear. LatxR, arithmetic writing, the reading of Engliih, are taught in the fchooL « •

CoffeSiosa

^f Tarbo&otu 457

^oDiSinm fw ibe Poor— The average Sunday coQec- tions for the poor are from xas. to 15 s. in amount. At the difpenfation of the Sacrament, and upon other eztraor- binary occafionst the coUedion ariCps to from L. a to L. 5.

Antiqmtiis.f'^Tarhobon was mod probablj a fiation of the Danes, at that remote period of our ancient hiftorj, ivben thefe people pofiefled all the northern and wefiem iiles adjacent to Scotland, and even confiderable pofls and pofleiBons npon the ihores of the mainland. Clofely con- tiguous to the Tillage is a mount, now named Hood^s Hilif which ftrikingly exhibits the appearance of an old Daniih encampment an^ fortification. Adjacent, at no great dis- tance, within the beautifully ornamented grounds which fnrround the houfe of Coilsfiif4f ve a fcene, which the tra- dition of the country relates to have been a field of battle ; and a fione held in veneration as the monument of oU King CoiL It may more probably have been the fixne of a bat- tle between the Banijb invaders, and the old Cadic inha- bitants of the country. The rude fione miijr have been originally placed to cover the body of fome chieftain, al- though not that of him to whom it is aferibed. Tarbolton ^as perhaps the boundary between the Dmet and the GasL Kykt the name of the difirid, was probably firft impofed upon it, in refpeft to the people inhabiting it, and in con- Cradiftinftion to Cunningham^ tlM name of the adjoining diftrid,' which was more permanently occupied by the Danes. Near to the vilUge of Tarbolton fiands the ruined mooaflery of F£al£, having btfide it a (mall hamlet of oottages. It is laid to have been a cell or priory depend- ent upon Paifley, and belonging, by confequence, to the Black Montis o£ Clugnu I know not whether it may not rather be the lame with that priory of FaUefurd^ to which Vol. XIX. 3 M John

45^ Statiflical Account

John Graham, laird of Tarbolton, and Steward of Kjlci graoted the patronage of the chnrch of Tarbokoo, bj a charter, dated at Failefmrd in the year 1337, and afterwards confirmed at Dundonald in the 3 ear 1368, bj John £«rl of Carricki afterwar4s King, bj the name of Robert tbe Third."

KUM.

Of iAttgforgan^ 459

NXJMBEK. XXir tAktSii OF LONCJFORGAN,

I^CovNTT OF Perth, Stwod or Angus avd Mearms, Preuttert or Duxdee.)

By a Proprietor in tie Pari/b^ a Friend to Statijlicai Infuiries*

Siitia^ion and Extent.

TH^ parifli of Longforgsin lies on the foath-eail comer of the county of Perth, in the preftjterj of Dundee^ and fjnod of Angus and Mearns. It is bounded on the S* hj the river Taj, on the W. by the united pariihes of Inch- ture and Roffie, and the parifli of Abemyte; on the N. bj the parifli of Kittens ; and on the £• by the nnited parifliaf of Fowlis Eafler and Lundie, and of liiFand Benvy. Iti fliape is irregular. Its greateft length 7 miles, and its greateft breadth about. 3^ miles ; but in fome places it is fo narrowi that the whole parifli does not conuin above 7000 ^cres.

Nam^0

460 Stai^ai Awnaa

Nami.^^The derivation of the name Forgaa baknoum^ but it moil be verj ancienty and appeals to havjC been ori- ginally called Forgnnd, from a grant of Ac lands and baio- nj of Longforgnnd to Sir Andrew Gmj of Broxmoodit b/ King Robert Brucet in the year IJIS* The e^diet Xon^f probabIj7 is applicable to the village only, to diftingfnfli it from others of the fame name.

Contents. — tt contains the eflates of Caftle Hontly and Monorgan, Drimmici MilHiiH, Knap, Droo, and litdeton^ Mylnefield» Lauriflon, LochtoOi two Ballos^ two Newtons, and Temple Hall.

RetU and Hiritots.-^Thc valued rent is L. 7154 : 6 : & Scotch. The real rent would be difficult to afcertain, but it may be about L. 7000 Sterling per annum^ which wiD moft probably be confiderably increafed when the prefait kaies are expired. There are eleven heritors, fix of wboD Jtfidet the reft do not.

CKmate^Tht climate^ in the lower part of this pnrifli is mildy Diow (eldom lying above a week at a time ; but in ' the hilly part it is lels fo» There, the foow lies much longer in winter,, and there is at leaft three weeks differ* cAce between the ripening of the crops above and below tfie hills. All over the pariih, however, the weather is various, and frequently changes very confideraUy two or three ^a»esin a day. The winters are neither long nor levere. The {prings are ibort. In the month of May, and beginning of June, cold eafterly vnnds prevail; but in general the weft and fouth-weft winds are the moft preva- lent through the year. In June and July, the weather is warm and fine. About the beginning of Aoguft rains are frequent ; but the autums are fine, and firofis feldom fct in very fisveie till after Chriftmas

Annexed

of Longfofgan.

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3 rummer months.

Through the year.

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Mod pre- valent in a year.

k>\M k«u« »* MM 5i^>*^5J *l I Quant, in 00 O 00^ U4 M vo a\4* vp *;» I vc»?»"^- in fl-i^*H-"H-i^H-H-«t*i''«<-H- I inches.

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5 g 8" £»o- 3.

§ 3

%6t Statifticat Account

Surface^ HiOs, — ^The furftce o£ the parifli is rtrj imgu« Ian Its fouthern boundary upoo the Tay to the eaftwardf b bold and fieep, which ends in the rocky promontoty of Kingoody* From that point a beautiful bank rifes, and as it procced^north and weft, it takes the Ihape of a creficent, and ends In a bluff point* at a place called the Snabs of Drimroie, about 3 miles from its beginning, belowl which, and between it and the river Tay, the forface is a perfed plain, its loweft part upwards of 20 feet above the bed of the river, and forms the eaftcrmofl part of that fertile vale, well known by the name of the Carfe of Gowpe. About half a mile north from the village of Longforgan, this bank finks into a narrow vale, which runs acrois the pariih, and from which rifes a range of hills, which may be confidered as part of the Sidlaws. Thefe divide Strathmore from the Carfe of Gowcie, and end at Perth. There are three re« markable hills in this pariOi, Dron, Ballo, and Lochtown. The firft is 667 feet; the fecond, 992 feet) and the lafi, ziya feet above the level of the fca.

Riven f Fijbingt^ and Rivulets, ^^Thtrc is no river con* neded with thb parifli but the Tay, which bounds it on the fouth for nearly three miles. It is here between two and three miles broad, and when the tide ebbs, it leaves near a mile of dry fand between its bank and the dream or current of the river. At prefent, the river Tay is famoos for its excellent falmon, from Enrol upwards ; and again, where it narrows near the Gaftle of Broughty, about three miles below Dundee ; but none are caught now where it bounds this parifli ; although formerly there might have been fome, as the right of fifliing for falmon is attached b/

charter

^f LongforgafU . 4^3

charter to the eftate of Monorgaa^. Three rivulets alfo take their rife in this pariih f.

Minerals, — Hitherto nothing has been eztrafted from the |)Qwels of the earth in this parifh but flone and ihell marl; but there are feveral mineral fprings, particularly about Caftle Hutttlyy vrhich are ftrongly impregnated with iron ; and from the red colour of the foil in many parts, and frpm the weight and appearance of ftones found very near the furface, there is every reafon to believe that the bank, of Forgan abounds with iron ore.

Stone

* If ever falmon were c&ught in that part of the river which bounds this parifh, it muft bt^c been at a very remote period, probably before the Tay formed its junction with the Erne at Inctfyra, and when the Carfe land ex- tended much farther fouth, and occupied a great part of wh%t now forms ~ the bed of the river Tay,

f Two of thefc rivulets rife from one point, dire^ly north from Long- forgan, in that vale which runs acrofs the parifli. One, taking an eaftern direAion, unites with the bum of Benvy, fouth of Giay, turns two com- tnills, a fulling-mill, and one flour-mill ; and after ferving as a boundary between the counties of Perth and Forfar, for a great part of iu courfe, it empties itfelf into the Tay at Invtrgowrle Bay. The other, running weft- ward, enters Lord Kinnaird*s park in the parifli of Roflie, where it falls im- mediately into a larger ftream, which takes its rife in the upper part of this parifli, and which, in its courfe, before the junction, turns five com-mills, four lint-mills, one barley-miU in this parifli, and one threfliitig-mill b the parifli of Roffie. After they are unitM, they continue in a weftem direc- tion as far as the Old CafUe of Moncur, aud aif there joined by the bum of Balledgamo. This united ftream there takes a foutherly dire^ion, and for a confiderable way divides the two pariflies of Inchture and Longfbrgan. It again cnten this parifli, and proceeding eaftwavd, paiies through the parks of Caftle Huntly, turns a com mill at Monorgan, afler which, its ftream, being guided by a canal, dug within flood*mark, at a confidenble expence, within thefe few years, it waflies the harbour of Kiogoody, and empties itfelf into the Tay fouth of Mylnefield, under the name of the Bum •f Monorgan, but in the chaiten and old writings it is called the Bum of Monnoua. This bursi through its whole coinfe, abounds with excellent fifvt.'

464 Siatj/Hcul Acctmnt

Simi ^uarria* — ^The flofie qaarries ia this parifli tie manj and various, but the principal is at K^ingoodj, upon the eftate of Mylnefield, which is perhaps one of the befi in Great Britain *•

There

• The Kingood J ftooe it of a s'cytfli colour, called Vf miaemlu^ifti

Grain-ftone ; it is difiiailt to work ; hard and durable to an uncoBtt degree; To much fo, that the fine old tower the fteeple of Dundee, whiu was bnxlt of it in King David the Second's time, has (hown fcarce any fjmp toms of decay, except where the infinence of the town atmosphere reaches. Caftle Huntly, fuppofed to be built in 145a* has fcarce a fione in it which has yielded to the influence of the weather ; and a gate at that place, built pf Kingoodyftone, by Earl Patrick of Strathmore, 130 years ago, is crowned with four pyramids, the points of which appear perfe^ly entire at this day, (1797}, not meafuring more in diameter than r-i6th of an inch. Thefe are only a (lew amongit many inftances of its durability. It produces Aonc of all fizes, and for every purpofe of building, as it aflfbrds blocks of 50 feet in length by 16 in breadth ; alfo ftone for pavements, millftones, flate% &c. In this ({uarry fome ftone is raifed of a bluifli caft, of an exceeding fine grain, and capable of a poIiHi, little (hort of fome marble. The deeper in the quarry the ftone is the better ; it is foft below water-maik* and it it cafier worked, but hardens in the common air.

The beft ftone in this quarry feems to lie in a north-eafterly direction, but as its bed proceeds north and weft, it degenerates, at leaft it appears fo, u lar as it has yet been traced. About a mile weftwiund below Longlbrgan, it has the appearance of reddifti granite ; but it is foft, and fiwms to yield to the hammer, and diilblves fo entirely with fn^ion and moifture, tliat it has been found totally unfit for metalling roads, but it has been ufed, and docs very well for building common village-houfes ; farther weft it }ias man of that red colour, and becomes hea^, as if it tended to iron Qre.

Mr Mj^lne, the proprietor, employs from fifty to fixty hands in tbe qpMjry of Kingoody ; four boats for tranfporting fione, which are navigated by nine hands, and not only fends ftones to the whole extent horn Mbotrole to Perth by water, but like wife for 15 or 16 miles of country round by land- carriage. He alfo fends confiderable quantities to F.ii|rlai>5l • uid lataly undertook, by contradl, to fumifli ftones from this quarry to two navigable cinals, the one called the Gippon's Navigation, near Ipfwich; the other, the ChelmesCord Canal, near Maldon, in Eilex. He has built a confiderabk village upon the ^ot for the labourers the iph^^tyitaati of which at prdyent aowifnt to xz6 of all ages«

AMKM«h

pf tofif organ. 46*

lliere are alfo ia this parilh feveral otheir flone-quarrie). tjpoa the eftates of Dron and Ballo, the done is good, du- rable, and excellent for everj purpofe of building. At Millhill, the done is fbft, and of a biuifli eaft, which does not (land the weather^ but fplits into Coiali lamelte upon being expofed. However^ it aiifwers very well for infide walls, and, if under cover, will lait many jrears* At Lai»- rifton, the ftone inclines to a dufky black, is much harder* and, when polUhed, has the appearance of marble. It is a real limeftone, but not very ftrong ; however, were coals, , or proper fuel near enough to bring the burning within a reafonable expence, it might anfwer very well- fielow the Bank of Forgan there are feveral rocky protuberjbces, all of them a very hard bluifli whin^ very difficult to raife ; and although fome of them have been ufed for village hou- fes, yet, as there is no working them either with the ham- mer or the chiflel, they have been principally ufed for the ' turnpike, and other public roads. Caftie-Huotly is built upon one of thefe roekytminenoest Vol. XIX. 3N Marl.

Aldioagh it does not properly belong to this {Ntper to interfere with the bofineis of revenue or finance, yet, as the fubjedl is curious, it is worth while to remark, that owing to the interpretation put upon the wording of the Ute iSt of Parliament, for impofing a duty upon ftone fea-bomq» by the re- ▼enueo^cers, the ciporution of ftone from this quarry/ in all proibabiUty, will foon be at an end. For, although the whole revenue arifing to Co- veoonient, betwixt the sth day of July 1794 and the 5th day of July 1795, from this dnty« was only L. t6 : x8 : 3), yet, from the diftance between Kingoody and the ports of Perth and Dundee, ftsch is the difficulty of pro- curing coaft-difpatches for a cargo of ftone, worth only 17 s. and not ex* ceeding 10 d per tOn in value, as to prolong a voyage, performed, belbre the commencement of this adl, in twelve hours, to three days. Whatever reafons Govemmetit may have for continuing this a^ as it is at preieat^ 4ors not fall within our province to lay ; but although of very fmall im- port to them, it is a very material concern to the proprietor, and his eo^ ployers ; for, in the year above mentioned, this duty alone occafioncd a de- lay of work eijual to twenty tunes the valae of the duty paid.

466 Statijiical Accwfa

ACsr/,— There has been found in this parilh a cxnSAtf* able qiiancitj of flielUmarl, vttj pure and white. Ths prefeni proprietor of Caflle-Hnntly has fold near 60,000 , bolls, at 8 d« and 9 A^p§r boO, (m cube of two feet), fince the year 1779 ; but it i» now exbaufted, or lies fo deep, it IB not worth the working* In the bed containing tfak marlr feme red deers horns were found feme years ago, uBcom- monly large*

Coal. — ^There is alfo s tradition, that theft are eoabst Myrefide in this pariib^ and that fome satempts to difeover them were begun in 1715, but feiled from fome canfe, now unknown. However, a very ingenioos chymift, latelj, was fo felly pediiaded that coab might be fennd in the le- "vel groiuids below Forgan, that he made fome propo&b to work them at his own expence, but certain remfoos made she proprietors drop any attempt for the time*

Growing Timber. — ^Up«n evevy eAate in this psfifli there are great plenty of fine growing timber, of all ages, and ?s^ rious kinds, fuch as oak, afli, elm, plane, poplar, lime^ horie-chefnute, waloute,^ beech^ fir, larix, mountain-aih, Ij- bemum, &e. many of them from xoo to ijo years of ^r particularly at Longforgan, MylnefieM, Caftle-Hondy, and at the houfe of Drimmie \ and affo in hedge-rows all orer the pariifa, befides about 600 acres of fine thriving young plantations, from 20 to 40 yeavs old *;

Marjb

* In the year 1743, A ruirey tvas ttken of the growing tfmber on the eftstr #f CaiUcHuntly, then Caftle-Lyon. It was found to contain 8557 ^'^^ ^ all fom, valued at L. 1813 : 5 : 1. Amongil nhefe were a great miabcr of Iweet chefnut trees, which were fold fome time afterwaidsy and were Wught up by fliip ciipcnten, who confidered them as good, if not better. fi>r the porpofe of fliip-building than oak. Ihcre axe- a much greater nam-

pf Longforgan. 467

Marjb RmA-— A fpecies of the mrundo^ called pbragmites^ <K common marfli-reed, and whteh grows bj the fides of rivers, or in Handing waters, is found in great abundance here. Of late years it has been propagated upon the banks of the riyer Tay with great fucceis, particularly at Errol and Seafide; and ever fince the threlhing-mills have been eftabliflied, which totally difqualify the wheat-firaw for thatch, the propagation of reeds has been an objed of confi- derabk importance to proprietors, for they are fiold at a guinea for one hundred bunches, each meafuring one yard round, and they are fure of a ready market for as many as they can raife ; and the introdufiioo of reeds for thatch is attended with this advantage to £inliers, diat the wheat- ftraw is now condemned to the dung-court, and is applied where it ought to be, to increafe the manure of the farm *•

Orcbards.

ber of trees upon llie Dune eftate now, Imt lihey hive not been valued. AnKmgft otfaen, ^re ate ibme rtrj remarkable, fuch as an afli, called ObmHs tree, wliidi meafiiRs 17 feet round, near die root, and 17 feet a ^ard high ; another afli, 19 feet round near the root, and 14 a yard high ; elms, ti ftct; hoHe-cfaefbuts, 10 fieet; poplars, 10 feet; firs, 9 feet; planes, 9 ftct ; yews, 6 feet ; lime, 7 feet diree inches ; thorns, 6 feet ; one thorn, 6 frft to inches ; all taken at about 3 feet from the ground. One fir, ata yaid fiom the ground, 13 fiiet 6 inches ; dofe to the ground, 19 feet; and ^ diameter of tl)e top is ta yards. And, within tbefe few years, planes have been fold for L. 13 and L. 14 each ; and fin cut down containing 90* and a beech blown down this year (1796), containing X17 cubic ftet of flseaford>]e wood in their trunks.

The oaks, in genrral, are young ; none, or very few, above 50 or 60 years old : but they thrive remarkably well, particularly in the clay ; as a proof of whidi, there are nuny upon the eftate of Gaftle-Huntiy, phnted from the nurfery in 1761, which meafure from 4 to 5 feet round. The lufia is but lately introduced here ; but it dirives well, and upon every kind of foil. There aie great plenty of walnuti, the fhiitof which npens well m general*

* About 10 years ago, the late Mr Renry Crawford of Monorgan made the M. attempt to pUat reeds upon the fides of the Hiy, which bound* this

pariibt

urcoaras*"^ mere are qvc orcnaros in uic panuiy au m a thriving condition, particcilarl^ at Monorgan, ivhich is reckoned the belt in the Carfe of Gowrie, ai^d l^ks been iatnous \h,^it i^any jears for jieldiiig fine fruity

Horticyhure. — The only gardens in this parifli worthy of Dotictf are at CaiileUuptly. Xhcre are above 300 feet of glafs; a melon-pit, of ao feet bj 12, worked by fleam alone, without uung, and plenty of peaches, nedarins, apri- cots, figs, almonds, and other frviits, which ripea on th(f 9pen wall*

Steam M^r/o^i*///.— As the fleam melon-pit is rather new, it may be an ui'etui information to (ay, that the pit is i(k

feet

pariih, but with9ut fuccds i «n4 although h^ phntcd manj ^rei» t T07 imall fppt only, upon th? weitermoft potot of the eftate has productd anj thing like a crop. X9 ^^kt reeds thrive, two things are aecdiary; i/t A certain depth oi ^at kind of foil which riven depofit ; xaA^2d, A ivftcieat fence, to prote<fl both the foil itielf, and the new planted recd% froai the violence of the flux and reflux pf the tid^. Mr Ciawfc^d thought it wooU b(. fufficicnt to carry out into the river fences made of the, '^reothop of young firs, cut into ftal^cs, anf driven deep into the foiU (or dfieX, ts it is ^Ued here), and wattled with the fmaller wood, which iuafweted vciy «rU for ibme time ; the foil increafe^ in bulk ; the KfcAi were pknted* and 1^ pcared to thrive ; but the violence of the tid« fopn aoricd fences, reeds, 1^ foil before it ; an4 now, Ccarce a v^ge. of any thing remains. Soo^ mounds, however, a confiderable way within water-mark, are forming of themfelvcs, a^d in fevi^ral places (bowing a ki^d of fpwe^ graft ; and whrn- eyer it gathers fuch a firmncfs, re^, if planters will probably thnvc* ^ once fairly eftabliflied, they prppagate th^fehres without trouble, and gift a crop every year. X^e. fame kind of reed lhfti(ys itielf in, confiderable qiua- tities, in feveral fieUls next the river, an^ through the Carle, which it is is- poffibie to get rid of, as they rife frpm roots exceedii^ly deep, fnat of which have been traced 18 feet below the furface. Hence diey cannot \^ fuppofed to rob the prolific furface of any nourifliment ; but as they ripen iqi'd grow ftropg, efpccially amongft wheat, it is probable tbey arc not qf^ barmleii in (haking winds.

^f Longf$rgan. 4(^9

feet bj x«» and is fo conftruded u to receive the fteam

from a boiler of caft-iron, containing ten Englifli gaAons^

placed ^ver a furnace, built about the middle of the back**

wall, into a chamber, occupying the whole fpace below the

m^^lon-earth, which is fupported by an arch of brick, fo

built, that the ends of the bricks leave about an inch open

fpace for the Aeam to pafs, while the fides are cemented

with lime, over which is placed a layer of wheat-firaw,

^bout an inch thick, and then the melon-mould. The pit

ifi about four teet deep behind, and two and a half or three

before. A pit, of the above dimenfions, will require two

longitudinal arches, the one next the lorepart of the pit,

lower than the one p'^rallel to the back part, fo as to give %

proper declivity to the furface of the mt!lon-earth ; and the

mid- wall, which lupports the arches, is full of openings, to

let thf fteair. p ifs ireely *, care alfo muft be taken, fo to con-

ftrud the funnel for dividing the fteam, that it may beajr

equally upon all parts of the fiame. Melons raifed in this

way are thought to be thinner ikinned, and rather higher

flavoured than thofe produced in the common way.

Pita Siovesr^tJo doubt, fteam might be applied to pine fioves with equal advantage ; and it is probable, that ihe |Mt above defcribed, or one upon the fame principles, would anfwer every purpofe of railing pines.

Vinery.'^ Ax Caftle-Huntly fteam is introdncrd into a vinery, and it is propofed to be tried in peach-houfcrs oUo ; but in thefe laft, the fteam is guided by pipes of tinned copper, li inch in diameter, conduced fiom the boiler, pla- ced over the fame furnace which heats the houfe, and car- ried round about half a foot above the back flue, and i^ foot above the fronr flue, but in a contrary dire£li<'o, with C^tclu opemng at different places^ fo as to divide the fteam,

and

aaa appiy ic co any parcicsiar pome ac pieaiare. loe ex- tremitj of the fleam pipe^ a a» is conduced to the outfide ef the hottfe, but juft before it enters the wall, b b, it is bent

or curved downwards^ as at c, where fteam being coodenfed, lodges, and prevents oommnnics* tion with the external air, whils St finds a paffage oat at d, i^ica the cocks in the houfe are ikot, or the fleam too ftrong. By thefe means, the honfe hss the advantage of a great additionsl heat at no expeoce ; sad s fteam dew,^ when thought proper, which moft certainly coo- tributes very much to preferve the trees bom fuflering by various infe^.

Fruits nfj^M.— Fruits ripen upon the common waD as under. Cherries about the laft week of June and beginning of July; apricots the firft and fecond week in Augnft; pears from the end of July to Odober ; jarganeUs the firft week in September ; peaches, in fine feafons, in Augaft, and continue through September and O&ober; but ill of them ripen fooner or later, according to their various fpe- cies, and the difference of the feafons.

f^illa^e ofLon£/t>r^an.^^Tikt village of Lo«gforgan, wkich gives name to the parifh, occupies 23 Scotch acres, and is beautifully fituated upon the creft of thatrifing ground, which runs between Kingoody and Drimmie, and bounds the ^aftmoft corner of the Carfe of Gowrie 00 that fide, and from which it commands a fine view of the river Tay, &r above 20 miles. Its longitude weft from Greenwich ii 3^ 16' 45", and its latitude 56® 2f 48".

Qrigiu

of Longf organ. 471

Ofigin^^^TYit origin of this village flioft probably had been for the accommodation of the retainers* and the more immediate dependents of the Baron of the Caftle y and moft probably all ancient villages owed their origin to the fame caufe. For thej paid little or no rent» but what thej did pay was moflly in kind. The reft was made np in a variety of fervices \ fo that their wBok time, almoft, ^as at the command of thair fuperior ; and alfo their perfonal attend* ance on their faperior in the field was an eflential and indif- penfible condition of their poflefl^onsf and except this taft^ filch was the ezad iituation of the villagers of Longforgan not 50 years ago. They were bonad to plough the ground •f the mains or family-farm, to fow, reap, carry it into the barn-yard, threfli it out, and take it to market ; to fetch Hme, ftone, flates, and land, or any thing elfe wanting for the cafile or demefnes ; to plant all the trees upon the eftate ^ to give fo many days labour in the gardens or fields ; to be ready at all times to go nKflages, either on foot or on horfe- back, to any difiance ; and, in fliort, there was fcarce any kind of fervitude about the place they were not bound to perform, many of which continued till the prefeot proprie- tor came in pofleffion.

Inhabitants, — ^The village belongs entirely to the eftate of Caftle-Hantly \ confifts of one principal ftreet, which is DOW a turnpike-road, and feveral lanes. It contains 136 families, which, at 5 for each finmily, makes 630-inhabi« tants of -all ages. Of thele, 3 are confiderable farmers from L.60 to Lb I jo per annum ^ 36 are fmall farmers or acre- men, paying from L.$ rent to L. 16 per annum* Of this laft elais almoft every ode has a trade or occupation ; fo that the management of his little farm is the employment of his leifure hours only, wluch improves his health, and gives him many little comibrtSi which be could not expefi other-

wiie*

47^ Statijlicat Account

wife. Befides thefe, there are dfo manafaAnren, trndet^ tneo» and labourers, who have no land, but all of them have yards (gardens) attached to their hoofiss*

Burgb of Baromy. — ^In the year 1672, Loogfbrgan was treded into a free burgh of barony, by a charter of King Charles II. in fftyour of Patrick Earl of Strathmore, there- in defigned Earl of Kinghom ; with power to trcSt and ^ conftitute bailies, burgeffes, clerks, oflkers, fergeants, &o. mnvl to admit all kinds of trades to a variety of privileges ) to have a weekly market within the burgh, and to have two free yearly fairs ^ one on the firft Tuefday of the month of July ; and the other, the firft Tuefday of OSober ; and each to laft three days ; the duties and cuftoms of which to be levied by and applied to the fole ufe of the proprietor.

Mifriiit^'-'Thote yearly fairs, however, are now held, one on the third Wednefday of June, and the other on the third Wednefday of Odober, and continue each only \>ne day. They are principally cattle markets, bat arc fre- quented by a number of travelling merchants, and a variety of articles, ufuallyexpofed to £de in other country fiurs, are to be found here. At the fummer market of Loogforgan, all the farm^fervants for the whole Carfe are nbmliy hired for the eofuing year. This cuftom^ althoi^ of long fland- ing, is by no means a good one, as the fervant, if hired to another, remains with his prefent mafter from June to the Martinmas following, perhaps very much agunft the inte- reft of the one, and the moral reditude or good coodufi of the other. The cuftoms belong to CafUe-Huntljt and for both fidrs are generally from L. 6 te L. 7, zo s.

//9«j.^There are two inns in the village, one at the weft end, very convenient for the accooamodatioa of ooontty

paflengersi

of Longf organ. 473

jMiflengers ; and another about the middle of the town, upon a much larger fcale, with a brew-houfe, malt-bam, bake- houfe, and good fiabliog attached to it *.

Villages.

* There are ftill remaining a few of tbe old hoafes In Longforgan, which ibew what they were lo yean ago. They are very bad, narrow, low roofed, and inconvenient; they are built with turf and ftone, or with clay for mor- tar, and all thatched with turf and ftraw ; not a veftige of lime was then to be fcen in the village. Since that time, all the houfet capable of being made habttable have been repaired; between 50 and $0 new houfet have brcn built by the prefent proprietor* befides two fets of fann-offices for liir- ger farmers, feveralbams and byres, and two fmitfaies, all within the village. The new houfes are generally a 8 or 30 feet by 15 within walls, and the door in the middle; they are divided into two good apartments upon the jrroood-floor, vrith a window to each to the ftreet, and a fmaller room in the middle, with a window backwtrSls which ferves as a ftoie-room to the fiunily. In geneial, weavers have their houfes fitted for their particular convenience ; but almoft every one has a fmall apartment, neatly plaAered with lime, and fitted up according to the tafte of the pofleflbr. They are built with ftone and lime« The floors are of earth or clay. The garrets above are laid with deal, and they are covered either with fcwed thatch of «hieat4lraw, tiles, or flates, with iky-lights. Thefe houfes, when built, coft from L. 30 to L. 50, according to tbe fise, materials, &€. The Oime defcription any ferve both for the old and the new houfes all over the parifli.

In the middle of the village there was a Crois, confiiHng of a pillar of eoe ftone, with a lion on the top of it, Handing upon a pedeltal of mafonry of feveral fteps; the whole height of the ftone pillar is 21 feet This had been ereded by one of the Earls of Strathmore, probably Earl Patrick, as there ii another built by him exaillly rrfembling it at Glaimnis. This Croft was taken down (6me years ago, and is now fet up upon a rocky eminence within the park of Caftle-Huntly, called CromweU's Knowe (Knoll).

Thb village is fituated upon the ridge of a bank, through the middle of wbich the tumpike.road between Perth and Dundee runs from well to eaft ; snd it is remarkable, that on the north fide of the road, no water nor fpring Si to be found, in pita funk (as fome fay) 50 or 60 feet deep ; while, on the ifluth fide, there are many wells very well fupplied with watex.

Vol. XIX, g O

474 Siaiiflical Accmmt

P'illagiSj'^ThtTe are only two other phoes ia thk fmnt^ which have the leaft claim to be called' viOages | Kingoodj, which belongs to Mr M/Ine of Mj)aefield» alrca47 ino^ tiored; and Lochtowq, a fmall village belonging to Bfr Paldane of Airtbrj. The reft can oqIj be faUe4 hamlpH| \iUt tbej are numerous.

Farm ffom/es.^rT^e fkrm booTes ate verj good ; many of them new within thefe twentj je^rs. In general tkej are handfoipe i two ftories highi with two fire rooms, a large light cloi'ety and other conreniencies, on each ioor, and ^yered with blue or grej (late. The dwdling-boole h a little detached from, and advapoed before the offices, form* ing one fide of a (qoares die other three fidcaof whidioaa- fill of oflices. The bamt forming the fide oppofite to the bottfe, with a threlhbg-isiill behind ; and the other two ^des are ftables, byres, part-(hi|de9, granaries, bothiet 2^i and the dung-court is in the centre of the Cgiiare. The bothie is the apartmenf of the fisvm-icrvantSt where they Peep, dreis their Tifiuals aqd pa^

Cafili'Hutitfy.^^Th!t moft remarkable InuWiig in the parifh is Caftle-Huntly. It ftands upon the point of a iFoy fingdar rock, which rifcs in the middle frf the plain, qiute perpendicular towards the fouth-wefi, and graduallj flopiag ^o the eaftward* Wheii it was. original^ btultt as there b po date upon any part of thp old cafik, is unknown ; bat there is a charter iu pofleffion of t)ie family of Graj, to whom this eftate then belongedi and which nut^e a part of very eztenfive pofleiQons iu this copntry, whac^ belonged %o that &mily at th^ tim^ ; which charter is Cnom Jasfies IL in I4j9f to Apdrew the id Lord Gray of Foulia, giTing fiim lei^ve to baild a fortalice upon any of his eftotea* which werp then Tcry a^tepfir^. • In 9pp|^aence of which, be

ti fidd *^ io iiave 'built this caflle upoii a verj remtrkable ** rock, a little to the fouth weft of Forguhd, aiid called it ^ Huntly;" It does not afipear why he gave it that name ; bu( there is an adjoining field, and a bridge acrols the rivn- let which runs through the park, both of which bear the name of Huiitly. It is laid, thathaving marHed a daughteif of the Earl of Huntlj, hit nan^ his c»iUe iii honour of hit UAj. It is entirely bdilt of Kin^dddj ficme; and the eountry p^bple have a thidition, that Che materials tirere all brought by water to the fpot* Be that as it may, there ia every appearance of this rock^ at fome very diftant period^ being waflied, if not fofrounded by water \ for river fand is found iti great abundance all round it ; and if therfe be any foundation for this tradition, it is probable that there was a place of firength opoii this rock many yeai^ before the

There b another circninftande Which adds weight to thb tonjefiure, Thfc fouth-weft &oe of the rock had been fo much wafted by the weather, or fome other more powerful ttuie, that fometime betwieen the year x66o and 1670^ or thereabouts, Earl Fitrick had judged it heceflkfy to build a fating, or mafly buttrels^ to cover the rock to the weft-* ward, to protefi that fide of the caftle* This buttreis is very difiinguiihabte from the reft of the building of the caftle, and is eafily khown to be Earl Patrick's, from thd cbrrefpdndingftyle of building with his other wbrks: Now, it is hardly probable, thilt from the year 1452 to 1660, a difiance only of ao8 years, fo great a wafte could hav< been inade iipon the £ace of a whin rock, by the common opera- tioB of wind and weather, as to make fuch a jGicing necef- laty i and if fo, efpctially as the eftate had been long in the family before, the probability is, that the original building had been much more ancient, and that it had only been te*-

pairtd^

476 Statt/lkal Accfwu

puredp perhaps enlarged^ and its name changed, bj the Lard Gray, who obtained the charter from James IL *

SoU

* The Boft ancient pait of this ctftle htd been an oblong Cqnare. boiir upon the moft projecting put of the rock, in fuch ftfluon, due the firft fet of apftftmeiits, confifting of three tiuilti,' ail arched widi ftrong maibbry, hsd one end foUd rock* and ^ otfaor a wall of 14 feet thi^ with a win- dow to each, about 6 inches wide add 4 feet high. In the middle 'vnult there had been a weli which is now fiUed up.

Oppofito to the fonthennoft vault, the rock projc^ a Httle fartiber tothe weftward, and is lower dtan the reft, upon which the pit or prifon ww built ; alfo 14 feet thick walk, and a narrow flit of a window ; no pa&ge to the pit but by a trap- door, and over it, a fquare apocttnent of 20 fieet high, arched at top, with a window of 4 feet i^uare, and 38 feet from tbr ground, which is fuppofed to have been the guard-room, the only door of which is arched ; and there was not the leaft veftige of any other waj to get acceis to the caftte, even for one man at a time, teC over die flbelving rock on the fouth-weft, and dofe by the two windows in the other two arched apartments, one of which is exa^y upon the door, calculated, as it would appear, for the ufe of fpears^ or other offenfive v^eapons, to prevent the entrance of an enemy. From all which, it would appear to have been as fecure a retrtM, in thofe days, as nature and art could make it. This door had been built up, probably when Earl Patrick tupaiMd the caftk, and another, on the north «aft fide, had been ftruek out at 6iat time, to make the acceis more convenient. On opening that old door in 1777, a vczy large iron.gate was found inclOfed in a 10 feet wall, built of folid mafony. To make the caftle (till more fecure, it appears that the original boildeiv had left no other way of getting to the apartments above, ^fter pafimg the Ihelving rock, clofe by the two narrow windows of the lower .vaults, bat through the guard-room ; and then, by a hole of about 3 feet fquaie in the lop of one of the arches, to which they rouft mount by a Udder, whi^, though built up; is perfeAly difUndl at this day. . It is probable, that after mounting, the ladder was drawx» up, and the Lord of the caftie ilept in fe- cunty.

It would alfo appear, thct fome time or other there had been fome kind •f excavations round part of the caftle, probably to ferve as a ditch for de- fence; for, in 1780, when finking a foundation for fome addition to the prefeut building, for about is feet deep and upwards, it appeared to have been filltd up with wood-aflies, and rubbifli of various mtteriala ; fo that.

finding

of Longforgafi. ^jy

SMim 1615 to the Family o/Lyon^^^ln 161$^ this cafile^ with the eltate belonging to it, pmfled from the family of Gmj to the familj of Ljon, then Earls of Kinghom, andf Earl Patrick fucceeding fometime about the jear t66oi it became a favourite refidence of his. Whether anj altera* tious had been made upon the cafile before his time» does not appear. But many alterations and additions were made by him, all of which bore hb initials, and the date 1667. One very remarkable alteration made by him was enlsur* ging the dining roomp by digging four feet out of the front wall for its whole length of 34 feet; fo that, while the waQ of the rooms, both above and below, are 10 feet thick, the front wall of this room is only 6 feet thick; and when the caftle was repairing in 1778, the upper part of this exca- vation was found to projefi and hang oyer, like a folid im* penetrable rock.

Nami changed to Lyon in 1672. — By the fame charter, which Earl Patrick obtained from Charles II. 1672, in

favour

finding no proper bed to faanA upon, arches wvre thrown from point to point of the rock for that purpofe. As no coal-alhe were found, ouy not this bo an additional proof of its great antiquity ?

The moft ancient part of the building is very diilinguifliable from die reft, » all the ftooes are placed on the fame bed as they lay in the quarry ; and it would appear from the openings made on the walls, fivr different pur* pafet, by the prefcnt proprietor, that the old ctftle had been built of two walls one ontfide, of very large mafly flones, tolerably well drefled; and an inner wall, not quite fo well drefled : That the middle fpace between thefe had then been filled up with immenfe large whin-ftones, gatheied from the fields, with fmaUer ilones thrown in loofely round them, and thea filled up with grouted lime, that Is, lime mixed with a proper proportion of fand, and made fo thin with water, as to admit of being poured in, and to till up all the cavities between the ftones. This cement it now fo very hard, that it u much more diflkult to work than any quarry ; fo much fo, that in 1 7 93* ^1>^ making an opening for a window of pf feet by 4^, and only 6 feet thick, as the wall had been thinned before, it was hard work to four ilottt men for nine days.

47S StaHJHcat Account

fiTOiir of Loogforgtiit the btrony was ereAed into & lonli fliip, to be called (he Lordfliip of Lyon ; and it b moft pro- bable that this was the mm of its diange of name finxa Gaftle-Hontly to Caflle Ljron.

He alio planted a greatnomberof trees of all forts, maoj of which now remain, and the whole groonds were dreffed op in all the grandenr of ftimmer boofes, fiatucs, avcnuesi gates, omameilted with various orders of architcAare, &c fcc. agreeable to the tafte of the times.

SoUagaim in 1^77^— *No|htng feems to have been done 10 this plaoe finee Earl Patrick's time, nntil the prcfent pro^ prietor pnrchafed the efiate in 1777. The whole has now affomtd a new face. The groonds are laid out as mndi is thcmoderO taftc as their fitnation will admit; manj treo are taken down, hot many more have been pknted, and great numbers of fine old horie-chefnots, planes, limes, sod afb| &a in flraight avenues, fiill remain^ fo as to preiervr the onity of fiyle between the place and the caftle.

The caflle alfo, although completely modemifed widiifi, has afliimed even a more caftellated a|»pearanoe ootwsrdlj than formerly. The wings, embattled walls, round tower, and comer turrets, have been given it by the pre&nt pro- prietor \ viho has reflored the ancient name of Hnatly, by which it was fo long known while in pofieffion of (he funi- ly of Gray. lu tgreateft height i» xi6 feet from the ground.

Finv«— The'view from the top of Cafile-HvAdy is per- haps one of the fineft in Oreat Britain. Situated io tbe middle, and rifing 116 feet above the levd of one of tbie ridieft and mod fertile plabs in the ifland, it commands s view of the river Tay for above ao miles, which, in masy places is two milfcs broad send upwarrdB, aiid which is fre-

queotlj

Of Longforgan. 479

^qeatlj covc^d with a great nuinber of Tcflek of varioqs burdens. On the fouth, the hilb of Fife bonndtbe profped, now in moft places highlj cultivated ; and on the nord), a f OQlinnation of the Sidlaws, covered with rich corn-fields to their fiimmits \ and the whole well wooded, and interfper&d with gentlemens feats, viilagesi hainkts, and farm-hoiifes» for above 30 fuilesj and in the back ground are leen diftant liiUs for 60 miles and upwards*

Gaf#.— The gate is very remarkable, and had oriipoallj jieen buik bj Earl Patrick, at the weft end of Longfidrg^, which he named Port-Patrick, after himfelf ; but which, from a vulgar eorruptioa, was always called Port-Putwiu. It was one of fix, which he built in a ftraight line, upon the approach between Longforgan and the cafile. It confifis of a middle fpace of 16 feet wide, and an arch on each fide pf 7 feet. The whole length 73 feet 6 inches. It is oma* fliented on both fides widi Tnfcan femicohimns, and crown- ed with four pjrramids* It was taken down about twelve jrearsago, and;rebuik, with great care, where it now ftands,^ as a kfting monument of the tafie of the Noble Earl by whom it was originally bftilt.

Drimmii. — In this pariih, alfo, there is a feat belonging CO Lord Kionaard, called Drimmie, which became the refi- dence of die faiyiily, in confequence of the cafile of Moncur having been burnt down in the ^beginning of this century. It originally confided of a lodge built as a banqueting^r room^ in order to fiicifitate conviviality with the then pro- prietors of the eftate of Caflle-Huntly^ and todus lodge additions have been made from rime to rime, as naceffity diAated \ but its fituauon is lb little cafcnlated for becom- lag a fit refidenoe for the fiunily, chat no regular plan ap« ^cmfverlqliavo been (adopted Ipnrbeaitifyingt or laying

99t

480 StatiJHcal Account

mit the gitmndsy confieqiieDtlj there is nodung about it worth notice.

The prefent proprietor has this year, 1795* made feme eoofiderable repairs about the houle, for the piupoie of res- dering it a more comfortable abode, until a fit and fuitsbk figonil J refidence ihall be boilt, in a park not far difrmt, m the adjoining paiifh of Roffie, which his Lordfliip has indo- led at a great expence, and is of confiderable extent, con- taining in it great variet j of ground, plantations, water, &c. all of which have been improved with much ooft and tafie ; thus that which requires the hand of time to render perfcd, being fo far completed, a houfe fit for fo fine a fitaation sod place may be ere6ted, whenever it may fiut the inclinatioo or convenience of the family.^The eftate of Drimmie bts been in the pofleffion of the £uni]y of Kinnaird for maoj centuries.

M/bteJieU^^The houfe of Mylnefield u beaotifiilly fi- tuated, eafi from Longforgan, and fouth of the turnpike- road leading to Dtmdee, upon the rifing gttend on the eiii comer of the pari(h. The grounds are laid out in great tafte by Mr White. It has a great deal of planting, bodi old and young, about it, and commands a moft delightful profped of the river Tay, the diftaot hills of Fife« m beautiful rich bank of Gray, Lundie, &c. in die county of For&r. It is fnrrounded with fine grais parks, from which the Dundee market b fupplied with excellent mutton.

Old CAmrch.'^^Tht parifii church, manfe, and fehool- houfe, are in the village of Longforgan.

The church was taken down 1794. It was an old, loog, narrow, and inconvenient building, confifting of two parts, and evidently built at very different periods. The ea&- mofi, which belonged entirely to the eftate of Caffle-Hont-

ly, was B fubft^tial building, all of afiilar Kitigoodj ftone ) and from a very handfome crofis on the eaft gavel, and feve- ral f^cefles of hewn ftone within, probably for altar:>9 or ihrines of fome favourite faints, it had every appearance of having been the original church when ttie Roman Catholic religion prevailed ; and from uniformity of building with the church of Fowlis-Eafter, it is probable that both werfe built fometime in the twelfth century, by the fame Lady Gray, td whbm both eftates then belonged; The weft end of the church, although apparently older^ muft have been of a much later date. It was a very infufficient buildmg» of bad materials, and had every appearance of t^at ill* judged parfimonious fithplicity, fo much affedled by the en« thufiafiic firft reformers. This, therefore, would appear to have bieen added to it at the Reformation;

&A*^/f.-- Upbn the weft end of the churdh Is the fteeple^ which was built by Earl Patrick of Strathmore about 13d years ago. It has three bells and a clock, which laft is the property of the inhabitants of the village ; but it is not well kept. On the eaft end is a f^uare biiilding, lUfo btiilt by his Lordfhip. It ftands diagonally, and was formerly joined to the church, but they are now diftind 1>uildings. The lower part is the Caftle-Huntiy burylng.place, and over it is a room, to which the family Ufed to retire dhrirtg the in- terval of divine fierviee. This room the proprietor has gi^ ven leave to the kirk-feilion to ufe for a feilion-houfe duriug his pleafure.

Nrm Ciurcb.-^ln room of the old chtirch, a handfomn new one was finiflied in Z795» with large Gothic win. tows in front, towards the fouth, extremely well finilhed, and l/vell feated, with an elegant circular gallery. The whole chorch is capable of containing 1000 hearers and upwards.

Vai. XIX- 3 P Ma,i/e.

482 Statijlical Account

Manfe, — T*he manfe was built X753« and has be^a tnhce repaired within thefe 15 years. In 1795, it got a thoroogfa' repair for the third time, and is now a nioft excellent con- venient houfe ; it has very good offices, aB lately repaired, a good garden, and is beautifully fituated, commanding a moft extenfive view of the river Tay, and the rich groundft below.

Stipend. — The ftipend is xi bolls of wheat, ^56 boUsof barley, 57 bolls of oau, 2 bolls of mea), and L. 20 Sterling, befides a good glebe. Worth L. zo Sterling per atmrnm at leaft ; fo that, with the houfe, garden, and officira, it is wortk about L. 150 per Annum^ taken at a medium of 10 years back ; but from an old prafticc, the viflual part of mini* iter's (lipends b valued fo low, it makes them appear much lels than they are in fad ; although^ were they (htted as they really are, the livings of the clergy in Scotland are in general fufficiently moderate, and many of them much lower than they ought to be.

Plan for improving Mimfters Siipends.^^\t would be a good plan, were Government to make an offer to proprie- tors to purchafe their teinds, whiqh, it is believed, moft would do. This would raife a very large capital ; and were the produce put in the hands of truilees, tmder the direAion <^ the Church, to be lent out by them to the beft advantage, and to empower them to buy land if they thought proper, to be applied folely and entirely to pay the minifters Si- pends, and to uphold the church and manfe, a permanent fond would be eftabli(hed immediately, to accommodate the pariflies with more becoming places of wor(hip, to lodge the minifters more commodioufly, and aKb, to make many livings much better \ and might, in time, be the means of snaking fitpends keep pace with the value of money. This

of LoHgf organ. 483

is but th« outlines of a plan, which may, indeed, be liable to objedions ; bat the advantages would be fo great, it feems to merit confideration. The flipends would dill be unequal, according to circumftances ; but, b j proper regulation, all of them might be better : The clergj would then be raifed to that rank and coniideration in fociety to which they are well entitled ; and men of learning and abilities would con- iider the Church as an objed of honourable ambition : He- ritors would no longer have caufe ot difputes with their paftors ; and the Court of Teinds, with a ihouiand &cs« might be fet afide for ever.

Sciooliou/ef ScboolmaJler*s Salary ^ ISc. and SchooL — The fchoolhoufe is very tolerable, with a houfe for tht: rbJitcr attached to it. The fijced falary for the fchoolmaftcr is L. 7, 5 8* per annum ; but that the parith might be w«:U fup- plied, the heritors, at the fettlement of the prefent teacher, raiCed the falary, by fubfcription, to about L. ao per annum^ to continue during his incumbency. The average number of fcholars are about 80 or 90 ; and the fees for teaching LAtin are a s. 6 d. ; writing and arithmetic, a s. ; and i s. 6 d. for teaching to read English, ptr quarter ; which, with io?ne fmall fees as feilion-clerk, and Mr Pateifon's -^Qd.iXj allow- ance for poor fcholars, makes therplace worth more than L. 50 per annum.

The fchool may be confidered to be more immediately under the patronage of Mr Patcrfon, the principal heritor; who, befides taking a very rtftivc part, and fnbfcribing very liberally himfelf, he pays for teaching twelve fcholars, chiU dren of fuch poor as cannot pay the ufual fees ; and every year, upon the examination of the fchool by the prtftytery of Dandee, he attends himfelf, when in the country, and gives premiums of Bibles, New Teftaments, Collcftions, fKconqt-books, pens, and paper, to be dillributed by the

esiitniners

484 Statiftical Account

ex 1 miners to fuch of the fcholars of each c1a&, as tliey majr think moft defer ving ; and as all the fcholars know thia to be an annual eftabliihed praAice, it has had an exceeding good effefl, and has raifed a fpirit of emulation, and that de- gree of application amongft the children, which cannot iail of giving great pleafure to all concerned.

State oftht Poor.— The ftate of the poor in Scotland is, in every refpeA, quite different from what it is in £n|Eland. There is a kind of verj commendable pride, which pre- vents many of the labouring poor in this country from ac- cepting parUk charity, a& long as by their own induftry, or by the bounty of their friendi», they can get a morfel of bread. In moft parilfaes, the ordinary funds are fitfficient to fupply the wants of their poor : Thefe are principally under the management of the minifter and the kirk-feffioo, who mud be well acquainted with the circumftances of cTcry one ; but (hould the ordinary funds prove infufficient, the care of the poor falls to the heritors. This has happened in fome parifhes \ and hence, fomething like a rate, or pro- portional affeflment, has taken place \ but in this parifh there is no fuch thing.

Fundi. — ^Tbe funds are, L. 23P, at in^ereft at 5 /<r ce«^ - - L.11 10 •

'W'eekly colle^on$ at the church^doors, ind^- ding what is given at the Sacrament, may be reckoned at 10 s./^ week, . a6 o 0

Fees for marriages, burials, &c, 500

L.42 10 0 Befides feat-rents, which cannot as yet be eipdly afcertain- ^, but may be between L.3 and L. 4 more, as the heritors ^ve ^iven the communion-ublesi which hold between 70

and

tf Longf organ. 48^

and 80 ifittersy to the kirk-fefllony for the benefit of th^ poor*.

Number of Poor.— There arc only la perfons who ar^ upon the feffion-lift, (November 179^)* and who receive about L. 2. 8 8. ptr month \ fo that the funds of the pariih are quite fufficient for fuch ordinary fupplies ; but at pre- fent, the feffion have to pay L. 6 per annum f to the Lunatic I|ofpital at Montrofe, for a poor woman difordered in mii^d ; and in the year 179^9 as there was an appearance of fcarcity, from the deficiency of the crop, the fe0ion came to a refo- lution to give all their refidentpoor meal inftead of money \ and to every perfon entitled to 1 s. to give in its place one peck of good oatmeal*

Rxtraor Unary Supply 1795- — However, crop 1795 was found to be fo very deficient, particularly in the Carfe of Gowrie, that before February 1796, there was every ap- pearance, not only of fcarcity, but of want, and which wovil4 probably have been the cafe in this pariih, bad not the he- ctors exerted themfelves in an extraordinary degree ; Mr Mylae of Mylnefield, and Mr Wemyfs of Lauriefion, who had oats, took charge pf their own tenants \ but as Lor4 Xinnaird and Mt Paterfon had neither oats nor meal of

their

* He leail rede^ion oaght to conTince everyone, that tt is of the utmoft confc^ience to fociety to keep off a rate as long as poffible ; for althoagh ^liere are many who wi exert themfelves to the tttmoft. rather than accept of pariih charity, yet, when they know that a fund is eftablilhed for their aid| they are inclined, from that moment, to confider it as their right* Ihame is entirely laid afidc ; iheir induftriuus endeavoun to fttpport themfelves are at tn end ; and they 1 ecome burden upon the pariih at a much earlier pe- riod than they are entitled to in the true fpirit of charity.

f Raifed this year (1797) to L. 10 per anniim, and grafted as a finroyf iwm the hofpical,|>c£dc$ about L«« for clothts.

486 Statijlical Accwni

iheir own, they fent from London 400 qnartcis of die beft mealing EngliQi oats, which ihej direded to be groimd into mealy to be fold at the Dundee market price to all of their tenants who wanted, and who coold afford to pay ; and to thofe, whole daily earning were not fufficient to maintain themfelves and femily, they ordered the meal to be given out weekly at a reduced price, t. e. at I s. fer peck, and to continue till next harveft \ and to the poor iat nothing.

Few Poor.^^lt may feem extraordinary, that in a parifli confifHng of 1500 (buls and upwards, and in which there is a village of nearly half the number, principally laboorers and manufaAurers, there are fo few who receive chari- ty; and ftill more extraordinary that there is but one travelling beggar in the whole parifli; even £he receives parochial fupplies, but flie has got fuch a habit of begging, nothing can reftrain her,. Of that dafs, many pals through the parifli, but they come from the neighbouring towns, and many from the Highland^. This may bo accounted for 9s follows :

Reafons wfy.^Everj native of this parifli, who is in real want, upon proper application, gets a fupply as far as the funds will admit, and according to his or her neQcflities.

If they be totally unable to do any thing for their own maintenance^ or if they have a family to provide for, which they are unable to do, they get more ; if they be fingle, or if they have friends or relations who can help them, they get leis. For it is the leading feature of this charity, that the poor are to be fupplied with the neceflaries of life, and not with the fuperfluities, and in fuch a manner as to be a fpur to the in- duHry of all, efpecially of the rifing generation^ and not to rncomage floth, and fuppo.^t idlen^^ and ej^ravagance. . ' As

*/ LongforgMi 4 487

As this Is a corn country ; as improvements in agriculturet to an Immenfe extent, have been carrying on within theie 30 years ; as there is one of the beft fione-quarries in Great Britaih in this parifli, ^'hich employs a great number of hands ; as numbers of buildings have been going on ; and turnpike roads, vrith many other public works, there is, of courfe, a great demand for labourers of every defcription, and of all ages; even women and children getconftant employ- ment in the field for near 3-4ths of the year, befides what are required for the manufadures and different trades. It is in the! winter months only, that tlie labouring and indullrious poor run the greateft rifle of want. At that period, therefore, the heritors are very attentive to the wants of the #poor ; and as the village of Longfurgan belongs entirely to CafUe- Huntly, during the three winter monthf, u e. December, January, and February, or longer, if the feafon be fevere^ Mr Paterfon orders meal to be difiributed to the poor on his eftate, one or two pecks pet- week, oi more, according to their neceffities, or as the number and helplefs condition of their femilies may require. By fuch means the parifh of Longforgan has hitherto been able to fupport its own poor. Without a rate upon themfelves, or a tax upon the benevo^ lence of their neighbours.

Population. — llie return to Dr Webfter, in 1755, amount-^ ed taly to 1285 ; and as the number at preient is 1526, con- iequently there is an increafe of 241 i of thefe, 778 are males, and 748 females.

Under 10 years of age, there are Thence to 20 years^

to jo years, • *

to 70 years, - *-

to 80 years, - • ^

to 90 years,

4S8

Statical Aicoutft

Married perfons.	-	-	43»
Widowers,	.	-	aj
Widows,		« •	45
Batchellors above 50,		* •	7
Unmarried women above	45^	5
			S19
Minifter,		Shoemakers,	1
Schoolmafter,		Black&nitha,	8
Surgeon,		Wrights,	- 16
Excife officer^		Weavers,	6t
Butcher,		Male fervants of aU deno-
Baker,		minations.	- 13«
Brewers,		Fetnale fervants of aU de-
Coopers,		nominations,	above 8d
Maf ms.		Farmers paying L. ico
Innkeepers,		ptr ann. and	onwards, 15
Alchoufes,		Do. paying	L.50 per
Lint-dreiTers,	3	annum to L.	100, 10
Gardeners,	5	Do. from L. ao to L. 50, 7
Lint-millers,	6	Do. from L. 10 to L. ao, iS
Corn-millers,	6	Do. from L» j	t» L. lo, iS
Tailors,	6
Families in the village,		• •	tr6
Ditto in the reft of the	pai	ifll,	181

Families,

307

Seceders of all denominations, - ^

Epifcopalians, - • j^

Inhabitants of the village of Longforgan, at sf^ famUy, 630 Inhabitants 6f the whole parifh at the above calcaktion, 1335

\

So

of L>ngfargan. 489

So that the calculation at 5 per fiunily comes within 9 of Ae real numbers in the pariih.

Refidiog proprietors, • • 6

Non*refidenty • . 5

The increafe of inhabitants in the parifh cannot be well afcertained from the regifter of bapti£ais,,which do not feem to have been accurately kept.

From January i. 1731 to January z. 17419 were baptized. Males, - * 140

Females, - - 327

467 56 marriages recorded. No burials recorded in this period. From ifi January 1741 to ift January 1761 no record. • There does not appear to be any regifier of burials before the year 1771 ; nor of marriages from 174Z to 1771. From Jan, i. 1761 to Janu. x, 1771, were baptized, ' Males, - • 246

Females, • • 220

266 During the 10 years preceding 1793 were baptized, Males, (- - 222

Females, - • 223

" .'♦^^

Within the period of 10 years preceding 1793, the bans were publiflied in this pariih for 143 couples ; 75 of tbefe, both parties were of this pariih ; and one of the parties of the remaining 68; fo that 218 individuals of this pariih were married within that time.

The decrement of lives in this pariA can be fiiU leils ac- curately afcertamed, as the regifter is kept from the feea paid for the mortcloth (pall ^ only, which is u(ed at burials of perfons coming from other pariihes to be mterred here, as well

Vol. XIX, 3 <^ ••

49^ Staiifikal AccQuat

St for tfaofe who die ind are buried in the ptrck; nd kk riaL> going from this parilh to any ocher do not vSt the SKst* doth of this parifli, and therefore are not regiftexcd » nor do the poor paj any thing. But tt appears bj the moftdocb- regifter, that it has been uled 356 times in the 10 7CIIS pee- <***»g *793» «• '• *iA P^ annum.

9794. Baptized. Males - 14

Females, . ai

Total, 35 The mortcloth paid for \6 times.

Married, both parties in this pariih, 94 The man in ditto, - 6

The woman in ditto, 5

Of this pariih married, 35 perfisis.

9795* Baptized, Males • az

Females, • %%

Total, 43

Married, both parties in this parifli, 8

Man in ditto, . 4

Woman in ditto, 8

Mortcloth paid for 18 times.

90 p^ribns^

Fees for proclamation, if the bride be of this pariih : — For 3 Sundays, as.; a ditto, jsr, i ditto, xos.6d. If the bride be not of this pariih, for 3 Mondays, nothing ; z d*lt^ IS.; z ditto, as. 6d»

Fees for the mortcloth :— For die befit 5s. % fecopd, as, (d.; achild"^, 9d, As there are alio certab iimall dues payable for Kgifieiw ing bapttfjus, apy deficiency probably arifes from the bq-

willingnff

iffLmgforgM 491

^rilliagtieis ^ thofe iRho ane not of the Eftabliflied ChairdI to-pay lina.

5a/03rf/;F..^This pariih is in geiietal healthj. Hot b there

any difeaie endemical to the diftrid. Fonnerly, in the low

C8iie,«gBe8prevuikd, Now^finee the ditches have been

deepened««nd the lands lb comfdetdj drained of water, the

diiieafe is fcafoeljr known. Fevers ara not frcqtient, which

tnmy be owing to the regular diet of the inhabitants :

IVhile yoang» the {doormen and labofiters ate fabjea to

colds, which, in ftrong cooftitutions, and in a jnore advanced

age, ipeneially terminate in rheumatiihis, and gouty painst

as the country people call them ; but, in others, it falls

opont their ineafls \ their longs become aflSsfied, and, in gene*

ral, foch complaints end fiitally. Thb termination general-

ly happens in icrophulous habits, which are very prevalent,

particularly amongft the weavers and common peiQf^e of

this neighbourhood. Within thele ao yean, one inftanoe

has happened, of a hydcaps peOoris, in a firong healthy

man above 50, who caught cddfrom geting wet fowing

his com in the fpring, which was followed with a (Iridure

in his breafti and difficulty of breathing : Soon after his

legs fwdlledi which gradually rofe upwards^ evidently drop*

fical and in a (bort time ; after every medical help had faiU

ed, it proved fatal. A healthy young woman, who had

never been farther oat of the pariih than Dundee, was

feized with an inflammation of the liver : The dtfieaTe was

not known tlil too late ; and aldiough Mercurial fridion

was then ufed, ihe died.

For many years paft, difeales have been more frequent in the hiUy part of the parifli than in the Catie. This had been frequently oblerved by the late Reverend Mr George Lyon of Oglci who was miniftcr of the pariih for more

ibaa

4)3 Siaii/HcfJ JtccMM

than 50 years*. InnocnhtiflD has besn priAiied hexe, flbl many fubmitted to it diankfiiDy » when ftroogly raooomend- ed to them Ibme years ago \ but fir fomt: time paft it iceois to hsve been fofgotten*

ilfoA^ZM/i|f**-TheIiihabitBatsof this pariih are in geaa-^ xal indiifirious,qiuetaiid fober; foHKof dkem^ojintcfligeat in their pro&i&ons; many of the better Ibct live exceeding- ly well ; their tables are abundantly fiipplied witb erery oe- ceflary, and fome with the hizuries of life* la geoenlv the fiurmers aie well lodged, and bodi they and their £uiu^ lies are well dr efled. The lefler fivmeta and inamifii£hireB aHb live well, and have plenty of good whoklbme fi>od; snanyof them are fapplied with bntdier-meat at times; and both they and-the labourers, not only ufe oat-meal and po> tatoes, with the produce of their yards or gardens, but they frequently ule wheaten bread, the confumpdon of friikh has increaied much within thefe &w years, and there aie Tery few who have families, who .do not ufe loa and its accompanyments.

Farm S€nfimis.-^The farm lervants formerly lived wiib the family ; and their ufual food was broth made of ksii and barley, ot^^groitSf (unhuiked oats),.witheat meat, and bannocks made of peafe and bean meal. Now they live apart from the family in their bothie» and get what is call- ed livery meal, t . #• % pecks of oat-meal /cr weekt and 3 choppins (quarts) of ikimmed milk per day.

Some

* The Atttbor of thb jmptr is bappjT in this opportnoity of ptjittg m ja& tribute to fo wordiy * chy^fl-er. Duiiiig a miiiiftry of 50- jtMm tmd up- wards, befides a very confcientions difchaz^ge of bis dutf ia bis offi«ial capa- city, bis charity, benevolence, and' attention to the poor, made him ezticnr- ly u£tM and much beloved. His chataarer was iitvproachable ; be wit» a iinceitMiniilerofdieGofpel; s food Ghriftian ^ anda&faoDcfti

of Longforgan. 49I

Some attemfits have ktely been made to introdoce Jaeo- l>me principles into this parifli % but by care^ attention, an^ proper exertion of the heritors, in fnpport of the country police, it is hoped that the idle, the onprincipled, and iU- difpofed, will be effedually prevented from difturbing the public peace ; and that the good fenfe of the inhabitants in general, who are loyal and well*difpofed, will teach otheia to put a proper valoe upon diat mod excellent Conftitutioo, under which all enjoy fo many blei&ng?.

Increafi i/ Popttiatian^^^Thzt the inhabitants of the pa- riih are in general upon the increaCe, when compared with Dr Webfter's return, has been already oblerved, notwith* fianding that feveral cottages, and one confiderable village, have been removed, to make room for larger £urms. It is in the villages, however, that the addidon has principallj taken place. By a furvey taken of the village of Loog« forgan in 1775* there were then only 105 families in it « there are now 126. Twenty-one families make X05 per- Ibns at £ve a £unily, equal to nearly one-fixth of the whde number.

ftul^-^Tht foftl commonly ufed by the inhabitants of this pariih is coal, brought by water-carriage from the Frith of Forth, and landed at Dundee, the bum*mouth of Inver- gourie, or at Polgavie ) the medium price u&d to be 4 s. psr boU, of j6 (lone Amfterdam weight, that is, about 6 d. pir cwt.; but within thefe few years the price has riCea to 5 s. and upwards. This has introduced the uie of Englifh coal from Newcaflle and Sunderland, which are now much liked, and by many thought better, and in the end cheaper. They alfo bum whins, (furz), and weedings ef fin, but their dependence is upon coaL

Horfit,

494 Statiftical Account

Horjes. '^Thtre are in this pariOi about 347 horftt; of whkh ten or twelve at noft are riding or carriage horiiea ; the reft are all for the porpoTcs of agricnltore. There are fame few brood mares, but not one fiallioa ^ and akfaoogh fome few horfes are bred here, jet the prtndpal Ciippljr is firaoi the weft country mtrkets.

CViff/^.— -There are about 900 cows and lim^ cakde in this parilh. The cows are of Tarioos hrocds^ nod of aB fizes ; and although many calves are brought npt yet there is perhaps too little attention fliown to tfab fpeciea of fivn- ing.

It has been a prafiice here with many brmera to take h black-cattle from the higher lands, about the end of the year, i. e. after Martinmas, and put them in tfacir flaw- yard, where they continued, and got notbiag bnt ftnw throngh'the winter, thefe were called winterens, and ofiially paid from 6s. to xos. per head, according tothe fixe. It was formerly a praAice in this parifh to ufe oKcn in the plough ; but now there is no fuch thing in the whole pa- rifli, except on the eftate of Littletown ; and thoi^ they may be bred to go well either in the plough or caitt per- haps to as good puTpofe as horfes, are much more eafily kept up, and when urffit for the fiu-m can be fed to great advantage, and will fetch a good price from the batdhcr ^ yet it is found, that they are not fo fit for the purpoies of farming in this country, as their feet are too tender, even when well ihod, for much work ; and much oartxng upon hard roads lays them up entirely.

Sbeep.^^ThtTt are no flieep in this parifh, but fioch as are kept for the ufe of families, except upon the eAate of Mylnefield. Mr Mylne keeps about 400 of the Bakewell breed, and as near the original ftock as he can procure.

Tbdc

cf Longforgan. 495^

Tbcle be prefers ta every other kind. He thinks that they £uten much ibooer than the black-faced. He is mncb incUiied to think that the lame field will &tte& as many of the one kind as o\ the other ; and he is convinced, that the qiiailtity of muttoa produced on the acre is certainly at lead 25 pir Citti. in favour of the poled iheep. Befides, as his £mn is partly com, and partly grais« the poled iheep are fo qoiet, and fo little difpo&d 'to ramble, that they are in every refped preferable for fuch farms to the black-faced^ who are fo wild that no fence can keep them within bounds; conleqaently, the lofi which' may be fuftaincd, from their rambling difpofitioo upon fuch a fsrm, is beyond aU calcu- lation. But the iheep kept for gentlemens families are the black-faced wedders, brought from the Highlands at four years old, if they can be had. They thrive well ; and, when fed, weigh from 16 to ao lb. fer quarter, and are ez« cellent mutton. Thefe are alfo fome Dorietfliire ewes for early lambs, which have been fold in the Dundee market, in January and February, at a guinea and %o s. each.

Calves^ — Calves are fed in this pariQi, and particularly at CaftIe*Huntly, for veal, fully as good as any in England. They are fed in a box, which is made of any coarle boards, 4t or 5 feet long, 4 or 44 high, and about a feet wide, in proportion to the breed to be fed. The boards of which the boec is made, are to be put fo dole to one another, as to let in fufficieot air» but no more, as the exclufion of light may be one elTential part of the procels. It ftands up- on 4 feet ; at one end about 4 inches high 1 and the other a inches <; whicb, with fmall holes in the bottom, drains it of all welnefii. But« to make it ftill more comfortable, the bottom Ihould be covered with ftraw or hay, which Ihould be changed at leaft twice a week. The calf is put into this koa^wben n^w dropped, or as fooa after as poffible*, and

fop

496 Statiflical Acantni

fat the firft week milk ihoiild be given it cantiouflj; after which it maj be given more freelj ; and when aboat tea days old it fhould be bled. It may then get as much fweet milky freih from the cow, as it can take^ three times a-daj; and a large piece of chalk fliould be hnng in the boX| which it will lick occafionallj. The bleeding (hoiild be re- peated once a week, and it will be fine veal ^ ten weeks. It fliould never be .kOled fooner^ but three mondis, or even older, the veal will be excellent, and will weigh from xo to XI ftone, of 16 lb. each. The freqnent bleed- ing prevents difeafes from plethora, which calves are fob* jed to, even when not fo high fed ; And ftill more when they are. And the chalk contributes nothing to the whitenels of the veal, but it amufes the animal, and it cor* reds the acidity in the ftomach, which might otherwife happen, and which frequentljr does happen. At all dmes when they loath the milk, and do not feed well, let them be bled. A cow calf is the beft for veal. If a bnll cali^ he fliould be cut at about a week old, otherwife the veal will neither be fo good nor fo white.

Pigs. — ^Pigs are in general to be found in the frrm-yanb of proprietors only. Thofe in this parifli are moftly » if not all, of the Chinefe breed, which are never meafly ; bat fometimes they lofe the ufe of their feet, of which they feldom recover. They are very prolific, and eafily bnmgfat up ; they pick up their food in a (traw-yard,. or about the doors, and live upon what otherwife would be loft. They may be fed upon clover, yams, potatoes, or the refufe of the kitchen, and will fatten upon damaged com; but if flmt up for eight or ten days, and fed upon ground peale or beans, at a very fmall ezpente, they become excellent ineat at all ages; indeed all their corn (hould be ground; yxj fine is not neceflary ; but if w^l bruified between

roIlei%

ofLon^organ. 497

roliersy or brok:en in a mill, it will be fotmd by ezperiencep that much leis will nooriih, and even fatten pigs, as well as all animals of every fpecies ufuallj fed upon corn. There- fore, to breed pigs about a farm, and to feed all beftial upon bniifed grainy inftead of whole com, are really great im<- provements in agricultural economy \ but the praAice is not general here } and the country people ftill retain fome prejudice againft pork ; but it is wearing out gradually.

PairAi7.*-PouItry of all kinds are bred in this pariih» turkeys, geefe, ducks, hens, &c. } but the fowls are certainly much fewei^ number iince the praftice of letting large farms began* All the Imall farmers, acre-men^ and every village«hou(e^ formerly paid fo many fowls (kain) as a part of their rent, which was a mean of keeping up the breed» not only for the fupply of the country round, but alfo to anfwer the demand of the market-towns in the neighbour* hood. Now, the viUtigen pay none, as it was a conftant caufe of difpute with the farmers, and even amongft them- felves. However, mofi of the great farmers pay kain, al- though they are very averfie to the pra£Uce. But the land- lords infift upon it, as the only means of preferving the breed from total extindion ; at the fame time, many far* mers throw the burden upon their cottars^^d make thcnl pay the kain as part of their houfc'rent. In all old leafes it made a part of the agreement, that fo many capons (hould be paid annually, as part of the kain, and then they were in plenty i but as they have not been eza£led for fome tim^, now there is (caree a capon to be found in the country.

Pignm^i-^Thttt are eight doire-cots, or pigeoif-boufes, in the pariih. The pigeons aTe exceedingly fine ; but they are a very expenfive delicacy to the farmer ; yet they are till fome advantage, for their dung, either mixed with chaffl or not, and fown upon the furface, and either harrowed in with

Vol, XIX, jR «&•

49' Statijical Jccount

the ieed» or fuffered to lie, efpedbllj if the weadier be mtii and wet, makes a moft ezoeUent top-drcffing for any crop.

Game* — ^There are pleotj of hares, partridgeay ploTcis, and Inipes. The two hft are mudi diminiihed in number, fince the marihy grounds were drained (b completely. Tbe land-rail is often heard, but feldom feeo. Woodcocks alb take this parifli in their root, and are exceeding fine. Some yean ago there was a omfiderable colony of herooa in this pariih : They occopied a circle of fir-trees which fiuromukd an old bnilding, near a piece of marihy groond, upon the eftate of Cafile-Huntly ^ but when the grounds were drtb- ed, and the trees cut down, the herons hovered abom the place a year or two, and then emigrated entirely. Theit are a great number of crows, (rooks)| particularly aboitf Cafile-Huntly, where they have fpoiled the beantifal tops of many full grown trees. They are alfo very deftrodtfe to young plantations, to potatoes, peafe, and beans, wfaea they firfl begin to ihew themfelvea above ground, and pa- haps to other grain alfo i but as they devour grabs, sad other pernicious infeds, it is not improbable but tbcyds more real good than ill to the fumer. There are alfo car- rion crows, (hoddies, as they are called here), and hawks, but not very numerous. There are great numbers of hedge- hogs found in this pariih.

Fox^i.— Foxes alfo fometiroes come down from the piant- angs upon the hills, and pay unwelcome vifits to the poultry- yards i and fome winters, a drolling red-deer has now wtd then made its appearance, even in the low grounds of thb parifli.

The furface of this parifli is varioos i what lies next die xiver is carfe * day *, the foutbem dedivitiea of the hills coo-

fift

« Car/e, probably from the word Cam, ufed in the noith of £flg1aadt fs* IcTcl land on the banks of a river or axm of the fea.

^ Longforgan. 499

lift, for the mod part» of rich black loam. Some parts are covered with a foil of a particular rendilh colour, but verj prolific when well drefled ; the country people call it mortaTy i. e. a kind of clay mixed with gravel, and very dif- ferent from carle clay. The upper part of the pariih 13 oC a very inferior quality.

About 40 years ago, not half the clay grounds in this pariih were fubjeft to the plough \ the ridges were broa^ unequal and crooked, and their crowns only were arable, between which a broad fpace, which they called a baui^ and which confificd of half of each ridge at leaft, was left in natural gra£i, upon which the fiurmers padured cattle, and -which, in winter, was generally covered with water ; even the forface of thele banks was pared off, and fold for build- ing and covering houfes ; and the fanner confidered his di^ votSf i. e. the pared furface, as an arride of profit. Clover and fiiUow were then unkaowti j and the clay between For- gan and the river, which is now the richeft part of the pa- ii(h, was then fo poor, and fo unprodudive, that tenants could (carce be got upon any terms ; the bell of it fcarcely yielding double £sed. Every encouragement therefore was given ; the grounds were drained and fenced at the. land- lords expence, who alfo gave lime, on leafes for 38 years, to cnaUe the tenants to improve the land, and indemnify themiclves for labour and expence. At prefeat, tho ridges in the clay are ftill in moft places unequal and crook- ed, as it is exceedingly difiicult to change their diredion, without very materially injuring the land, and not poflible but at a great expence ; but tbe whole furface is quite dry, and the water effisdnally carried off by meaps of deep ditches round and through every farm. There are no batiks; but tiie whok is highly cultivated, well limed, and kept in good heart by proper management and a regular

rotatioa

^oo StatiJKcal Jcetmnt

rotation of cropping } of which dover and fdlo^r alwajk make a part.

Gmfral Improvemenis. — In 1760, a piece ef nncaltiTaced moor ran acrots the whole pariflifrom weft to eaA, oonfifi- ing of between 500 and 600 acres, and jielding nothing but heath, broom or whin (iurze). In 1761, it was divided bjibb- miffio!i amongft the adjoining proprietor, and now no pan <£ it i& uncultivated. About 100 acres of it are covered with fine thriving plantations ot fir and lariz, from 30 years ^Ad *sA upwards ; about as much is under the plough, and the reft laid out in beautiful grais parks, and makes part of the efiate of Mylnefield, improved bj the prefent proprietor at a vtxj great ezpence, almoft equal to a purchafe of the ground, but which 16 worth now from 40 s. to 45 s. ferammm.

That part of it which fell to the etUte of Gaftle-Hotttlj, was either planted with fir, larix, and other trees, or let to tenants \ to fome of whom lime was given hy the pri^e* tor, at the rate of 45 holb per aore *, and to others naari, sc the rate of 5 " bolls ^#r acre f , to enable them to improve the ground. So that what was fcarce worth anj thing befbie the divilion, twenty years ago, was let at 5 s. pgr acre, and now gives lo s. and 25 s. and upwards. But the rife of rent was gradual, as the improvement of the land eoabkd the tenant to pay.

Formerly the hills, and all the upper part of the pariik, were one continued uninctofed moorland fur&oe, with fcarce a habitable houfe upon them. The proprietors then were either unable or unwilling to lay out money opoo their eftates, and were happy to. get tenants who had mo- ney |o fpend and a fpirit to improve ; therefore, to facb, they were willing to give long leafes, as the only meaas, without expence to themfelves, of reitnborfing tl^ tenant for his time, trouble, and expence, while their eftates were

improving ' fOiuleaowB lime, sad wbmawafore. f A cabe of s 6et.

of Longf organ. 501

improving at the fame time. Several of thefe leaies aie (1796) unexpired at'this daj. In 1767 two efiates were let in thu parifk for three nineteen jears, (57). They were at the time perfedlj open, uninclofed, and almoft im« caltivated, and the whole buildings upon both of little or no value. The tenant built new houfes, repaired the old ones, particularly a manfion-houfe on each, inclofed a great part with fubftantial flone-dikes, (walls of dry ftone about 4 or 5 feet high), and the reft with thorn-hedges, planted about 60 acres of trees of all forts, limed and marled and drained the whole groundst which were then fpoutj and wet, and by that means greatly improved the eftates ; fo that what was let, in 1767, at L. i ja, los. in 1784 was va- lued at L 300 ; and now (1796) thej yield a rent of L.36o per annum and upwards. But thefe improvements were done at a very great expence by a ikilful farmer, who ap- plied the money with judgment.

Another efiate, of about 300 acres, in 1777, brought a rent of L.65, which now pays L. 305, befides 75 acres of very thriving plantations, which were at that time not worth more than 2 9. p^ acre on an average. They were valued lately by a nurfcryman at L. 3375 Sterling. Their weeding! yield about 10 s. per acre per annum \ and if thej continue to thrive equally well, may, w)ien fifty years oldf be worth four times the fum.

The eftate has alfo been improved at a great expeace, by dreiEng the fields, inclofing them with good fences, build- ing mills upon the bum, (a fmall rivulet), which runs through the eftate, and al(b farm and cot-houies.

Another eftate in this pariflii purchafed within thefe few years, which was then perfeAly open, and in very bad or- der, is now inclofed, with good ftone and thorn fences, well divided in handfome fields, and about aoo acres planted with all kinds of Irees, which are in a very thriving condi- tion}

503 Stati/Hcal Account

lioa; fb that, now, its value is alreadj douUed, if not more.

Ai>oat eighteen jean ago, in the inleroaediate fyacc be* tween the bank of Forgan and the clay, there were aboot 20 acres of moralTy ground, called the Latch, £0 much im* pregnated with water, that in many places k could not carrj a horfe. To improve this, and render it nrebk, a deep ditch was dog along the bottom of the brae-laad, (fi- fing ground), to cot off the fprings from above, and the fpace divided by crols ditches, with anodicr between it and the day to carry off the water \ and now the whole ia fine arable land, as tgood as any clay (oil in tbe carfe. It was let then at 5 s. f^r acre ; it is now worth from jo s. to \Mipir acre.

Embanking. — ^The encroachments made by the river Tay iqion the Garfe, part of its bonndaries, having made the pro- prietors of thefc lands think of embanking for their de£ence ; the late Mr Crawford of Monorgaa, who was die only heritor in this parifli whole lands were in danger, began to ess- bank about thirty years ago, and bailt ftooe-Senoes at a ¥crj great ezpence; but being injudicioufly coaftmded, and built of bad materials, they have required repair almoft e- very year. Now, fince Mooorgan has been annexed to the cftate of Caftle-HuDtly, the proprietor has begun to tm- bank upon a new plan. He has cut the earth into floping banks, falling to its greateft height at an angle, everywhcrs mnch above 45*, and paving the whole extent of the fiope as far as the tide reaches, with good long ftones, widi their ends inwards, and towards the land; (o that tbe waves wafli over it, and, as they meet with no refifiance, they do no injury. Tbe expence of this is no doobt confideraUe, but perhaps not much, if any thing, more dian what has been done by other carfe proprietors along the banks of the liver, and bids fair to he infinitely more (foraUe. However

ht

of Longf organ. §03

lie liaa this year tried to fence after another manner. He lias drawn a line, within water-mark, at a confiderabk di« fiance from the beach, and upon it laid down ftones, not built, nor very regular, hut in fuch fort as to form a broad bafe, and to narrow gradually towards the top, and about 5 or 6 feet high« This bulwark of ftones is expe&ed to break the force of the flood-tide, even in ftormy weather^ £0 that it may beat with le(s violence againft the land ; and as in the refluac it will certainly cau£e a coniiderable fpace of dead water, a greater quantity of mud or fediment will be left behind, which, in time, will probably increafe fo sfiuch in bulk, and alfo in firmne&, that reeds may be plant- ed with a probability of fucceis ; and if they once are efta- bliihed, the fence will bid fair to be durable : Alfo at ano- ther place, where the river ajpproachcs nearer to the braes (high banks), he has dug a trench of about 3 feet deep, and as broad, the outfide nearly perpendicular, but perfefily co*i vered with die beach ; the infide floping upwards to hu- mour the acclevity of th^ bank. In this trench are thrown ftones, as regularly as it can be done by a common labourer, and, when the trench is full, more ftones are laid np, fo as to cover the face of the bank higher up than any tide flows. From the folidity of the foundation, and the gentlene& of the acclivity, this alfo is ezpe^ed to anfwer. If either of thefe do, they will (ave much expence ; bat of that experience muft judge*

Levelling in Clay — ^The ridges upon the day part of the Mains of Caflle-Huntly were crooked, unequal, irregular, and liable in rainy feafons to be drenched with water, when Mr Paterfon got pofleifion of it in 1779* ^^^ ^^ '^^ levelled the whole, except one field, which does not require it fo much } ftraighted all the ridgesi rounded them fufficientljr

to

504 ' Stati/lical Account

to cany off the wster, and no morci and a»de them all dt x8 feet broad.

He made the firft attempt to level in a manner reoooi- mended by Dr Anderfon ; bot he found it too difficok to execute, perhaps from not clearly onderftanding the Doo- tor's method. He therefore did the whole with the ^pade- He firft opened a trench of about to feet wide, and extend- ing from end to end of the field, in the fame dire&ion he meant to lay the ridges, laid up the upper furfi^e of the xo feet trench upon the fide of the ditch, to be removed afterwards ; then m%de up all the low fpaces, or fomoer Ar- rows, with the underfoil, from the crowns or rifing groonds, with fpade^nd wheel-barrow, if near, and if at a H;ifein^, with carts. He raifed this trench with the underfoil, a]fi> brought from both ends, towards the middle of the field, is fuch fort as to form an inclined plain, falling off at bodi ends, and to drain it completely by its own furrows, which were to run into the ditches on each fide of the field* When this imderfoil had got its proper ihape, he marked off an« other 10 feet trench, and, with the fpade alone, threw the upper foil of the fecond trench upon the new formed under foil of the firft, ib as to cover it completely with the Cuno cultivated earth uppermoft, which had been the upper fur* £ice before ; and fo on through the whole field, until be came to the laft trench, upon which, when the proper fhape was given with the under foil, the upper £ai], whidi had been laid up upon the edge of the firft trench, was carted round and laid on, which completed the operation. The appearance of the field then was uniform and regular, rifii^ in the middle, and falling off at both ends towards the ditches which receives the furface water. Ii was thai di* vided into 18 feet ridges, and continues fo ^ and by this means the whole field was levelled, without burying any part of the origbal furface. The ezpence o£ diis^ npcm >

ten

^longfhrgafu 505

Ictt acre fieU, which wis the laft dooe^ was nearly aboat Is. 6 per acre for labourers, alone, ezclnfive of carts, horles, and &rm.(e(vants. Bat the whole might very probably have been done at about luSper acre, including every est- pence. The fiime year, that field was well dnngcd and limed, and ibwn with wheat, and yielded very near 14 bolb^ Scotch acre, near 74. quarters Whincheftcr meafure. Wages are higher now; but ftiU he thinks it would be well worth while to dreis m^y fields in the Carfe in the bmc manner. It is alio worthy of remark, that the fidd mbove naentioned had originally been a meadow, with a great part of it mois, and before it was levelled and drefied, the middle of it was fo low and wet, it fcarcc ever bore a crop worth reaping*

Smface-draming M (7J^.— As clay is' ^rSsAly imper- vious to water, furface-draining is the only means by which this fpecies of improvement can be accomplifhed ; and all ever the Carfe of Cowrie, this operation b extremely fimple^ There are certain large common drains, which pais through the diftriA in different diredions, iufficiently capacious to receive the water drained from the fields by the ditches which furround thein, and of fuch a level as to carry it clear off, and to empty their contents into (he river Tay. There are alfo ditches which furround every farm, «r pais through them, as their fituations may require, but in fuch manner as to communicate with every field upon the fanb. Thefe ditches are made from 2 td 4 feet wide at top, and from xj- to t foot at bottom ; a ihape which Iprevents their fides from filling in } but even then they mull be deanfed ahd Icoured every year at a confiderabla ezpence. If the fields be of an uniform level furface, the common farrows between the ridges, provided they be fiii&ciently deepened at their .extremities, will ferve to lay

Vol. XIX. 3-8 the

So6

Statj/Hcal Account

the founds dry ; but as it feMom happens that any fidd ifl the Carfe is fo completely free of ineqoaliciesy the laft ope- ratiooy after it b fown and harrowed in, is to draw a fiarrow with the plough through every hollow in the field, which lies in fuch a dire&ion that it can be guided through tbcia« as at a a a; and fo as to make a free conununicatioa widi any of the furronnding ditches, or with any ^ the fiofrovs

Fig.

between the ridges, as at b b b b, which may fisnrc as a condufior to carry the water off to the ditches up- on the extremitiea cccc When this track is ooce opened frith the pioogfa, it b widened, cleared out, and fo fhaped with the fpit^ that it may run no ri& of filling up. Its width

ihould be fix>m 6 inches to a foot, according to its <kpdi,

Fig

1

which upon

muft depend

the level ef

the field; but the

breadth of a fpade st

bottom is a good gene*

ral rule. It frvqoentljr

happens, that there are

inequalities in fcTcnl

parts of the fiune field,

which do not extcsd

whoUy acrols it, cs

which do not pa&

through it, in any dfredion that a plough ean follow -, but

which may extend over two ridges, d d, or one ridge, e, or

even part of a ridge ^ fuch require an open conunuaicaticHi

t»

4^f Longforgan. 507

to be made with anj conduffiog furrow, to carry off the water, which are always mad^ with the fpade. All theie open commuaicatioos are here called goat ; and to keep them perfe&iy clear b a very eflential part of trtrj Carfe farmer's attention. It is as yet a general pradice in the Carfe to have bead-ridges, as they are called, at the twd ex- tremities of each field ; i. e. the ground upon which the plough turns is laid up in the Ihape of a tranfverfe ridge, higher in the middle, and falling off at each fide $ fo that a gaa is made in the courfe of the inner furrow, as at f f f f, with which the whole furrows between the longitudi- iial ridgea communicate, and into which they pour all their furface water, which is carried off by fimilar gaas, or openings, cut through the head-ridges, at convenient diftan- ces,.as at g g g g, and by which the whole is emptied into the adjoining ditches, cccc, and by* them into the main drain.

It is fuppofed that it woold be a much better plan, in- flead of formmg head ridges, as above deicribed, to lay the earth up to the ends of the longitudinal ridges uniformly, which could eafily be done with a little more trouble, by returning with an empty plough, Thei^e would then be no dcpreffion between the longitudinal and tranfverfe ridges, of courfe, no occafion for a gaa; and by cutting fairly through the head ridges oppofite to every longitudinal fur- row, a freer paffage would be given to the furface-water from the whole field to the adjoining ditch, and, of courfe, the dniinjog be more complete; This method Mr Paterfon has followed upon all the fields which he has levelled, and which b reprefented by the Fio. 2.

Befides all thefe, an experienced Carfe farmer will take care that his ground is carefully plomghed ; that the land is Isdd up equally ; that no inequalities are left, fo as to hold water i that the ridges are properly rounded, neither too

high

58o StatiJlkaJ Account

high nor too low, hot as near a) poffibk to the fefiioo of a krgc circle r By which the for&ce-wator will eafflj draia off, without lodging) and while the crowns are not too much enriched, nor the iurrows isnpoveriflied, the whok will be made cqnally fertilct dij, and prolific, and not on- frequently be acceifibk to the plough earlier in tbe fpmg than the fields upon the declivities of the fbrroonding hi&i . and the reafon is obvious, becaufe there is no fpouts, no na* der-ground water to get rid of ; nothbg bat ^IbpeifiGisI moiftnre alone*

Draming im loam ami imSmimg FiVZir^— The tanAust dedivities of the hills in this parifii, in general, ooofift of fid loam, which b exceedingly prolific. Bnt as the fitr&oe '% irregular, and as the fubfirata confift of rocky ptotobciaaces, veins of fand, and, in*fome places, impervions till or Idiit tos; while, in a natural ftate, they are l^ooty, and mtil they are drained, in many places they are totally incap^k of any agricultural improvement. The manner of drainii^ thefe is various, according to the fliape and lie of tlie field, and alfo of the dtftrent places where the water fliowa itUt If from one fpring only, and if that can be cut off from tlie grounds above, the ta& is eafy ) but if the fpoofes or ^rn^ are many, or if the appearance happens in fitvoral phcei, and no original fpring be difoovered, the drains snaft W carried through the field, in foch a manner as to cooununi- cate with every place where the water af^ean, and this ti in general done according to the ikill, experience, or fioae* limes the uprice of the farmer \ fomedmea ?ig"iag»

^lAngfurgan.

50f

in dug "Y^ h&im\

and Ibme. tiaicsy e- fecciall 7 ]£

diefidklwmadmitofit,amab dnb is earned diagooaUy from corner to comer of tbe field, with other dnins, leading rithcr through, or fiom ewj fpoaty part of die field, thus*

whidi is called leathering; but if there hi^pens to be rock j protu« berances, the drains mnft he care- fully guided round them. The& drains are formed thus : A ditch is dug, in anj dueftion the &r« mer may think proper, at kaft three feet deepand two feet broad, (narrower may do if the ftoncs be fcaroe), and the whole ihoidd be left open till it fhoold be feen whether thole made are fuffideot to drain off the water from all the fpooty parts of the field.

The next thing to be attended to, is to take care that the bottom of the ditch be lower than any vein of land which touches it, or which communicates with it; other- wife the drain will be of no ' nie ;. as die fiudy reins will condnfi the water whererer diey reach, which rrill bnift out at die firft obfimaioii. Satisfied in tfaefe particular^ the ditches may be filled, from one fiootto x8 inches as die jfuandty of water may require, with finall ftones, brd&en fs fttipoiei and laid in as irregularly as poffiUe* Over

5IO Statiftkai Accmmi

thefis, a ecMt of fix inches of firaw, fane, or bfoam k Ud, to keep the earth wluch is now filled in orer it, from crisd- fing through, and which ia time forms a matted coat, aod leaves about a foot, df 14 inches of ixabat above. The furze or broom is better than the ftraw, bat good gTavd, free of earth* if it can be had, is better than either. U that (bould not be jadged of foffidentdepth for the plough the ditch may be made deeper at firft. Thefe imder-groond drains are called here fivers, and, if carefdUy cooftroAtd at firft, may remain in good order, and anfwcr every ptirpde cxpeded from them fi>r many years, while the whole field q>pears one omfbrm forfiice. Mr Paterfoo drained n ficU, ib foil of rocky protuberances that he vtas obliged to &ci his way with an iron rod, to know where thercL-sm fpaoe cnoogh between the rocks to guide the druato be aaade.

InJhrummU fff HuJbatuby.'^Thit inftruoients of fanOun- dry commonly oied in this pari(h, difier very little from what is oled in the neighbourhood.

Then are laa ploughs, all of which, at leaft fuch as good ibroKra ufc, are of Small's conftro^Uon, with iron mould* boards, or generally fo. Some imaller &rmcr9 indeed nfe one. - which p«n*^^^ of the old Scots plough, and which they caQ a mongrel ; bot it is. a very inferipr inftrumcnt. A boot twenty years ago, and even leis, four horfes, two and two abreaft, wore frequently fren in the plough, with one man holding and another driving; fometimes with three horfes ^d ^t wo. men : But now, ploughing is entirely performed with two horfes abceaft, with one man who holds a^d dnves, except, upon very particular occafions, when hard groan4 aauft be raifed by main forpe i and which requires . Kbo exertion of frror horfes^

There

Tbete «re other ploughs ufed for itTSltA cropf, fiidi::as

potatoes, turnips, and beans. One oalM a fbraper, with<a

broad flat fodk, made to cut a fpace of about 6 inches, and

from each wing ot* the plough a thin plate of iron runs

down to the level of the Cocky with a cutting edge in the

direftion of the drill, and its point turned inwards, and fo

contrived, that thefe three, t. e. the fock a&d two wings,

lliallcut or brufli aloUg the whole fpace between the drills,

and cut up every weed at about 1 or 3 inches deep. This

operation is fucceeded by another, with a double-beaded

plough; the heads of which are fmaller than the common

plough, and fo contt-ived, with the flat fide of eaeh head

outwards, as to cut clofe to the edge of each drill ; and as

the mould-boards of each are of courfe upon its infide, it

turns the mould inwards, leaving a ridge of earth and cdl-

leded weeds in the middle of the fpace between the drills.

The whole drilling operation b finilhed with the double

mould-board plough : All theie are tempered with a rad&

and pin.

There is alfo a very ingenious inllrument ufed in this parifli for fowing turnip. It is conftruQed thus: Two wooden rollers, of about 8 inches diameter, placed on end upon one axle, for convenience of turning, both together occupying a fpace of 6 feet, fo as to flretch over two drills at a time, are fixed by a frame to (hafts for one horfe ; and behind this another frame of light wood is attached to it by a rope or chain from its middle, in which laft firame is pla^ ced an iron axle, with a light iron wheel of 18 inches di»« meter at each end, and to which axle sure fitted two boxes with covers for fowing turnip, with cbndufiors, 'to which are fitted iron points, moveable, fo as to open the earth and drop the feed deeper or fhallower at pleafure. The boxes alfb are moveable upon the axle, to be fitted to any di- iUnce of drills -, and behind each condu&or a fmaU roller of 14 inches wide, and 4 inches diameter, moves in iheen to

rott

5t» Stat^al Aecomit

wAmfbttoeJL With dug iiiftnimeiit ooe mta amy. wdl gmt takp bm tea 'Mm in a da j.

Barr^mSf Ifcr^Tbt harrows dcd here are of the com* kiiidt with yet J £ttk diCereiiQe, obIj fome lifter aodibma heavier, but all of diem have a crob Ipar fixed vsfoa one fide, aboitt 3 feet kmg, and about 6 or 8 ioches high, which they call a rider, and which prevents die har* lows firom overtoping one another, efpedally in tnniing. Mr Pateriba,ibaie years ago, when the wheat feed time was voy tainy, got a beam x8 feet long, made to the breaddi of the vidges ; japon each esstremity of which he fixed an old fere- wheel of a cOteh, and hung a fet of harrows to die besa, ib as to take in the whole ridge at once } and to each end of die beam attached 3 or 4 horfes, to go in the finrows io t fine, by which the ground was completely harrowed, and none of die feed trampled down with the horfes &et. TUi he haaufed ever fince, when a wetfeafoo makes it oeoefiffj, and with great advantage, and feveral fitfmers have foQov- ed the esnanple. He alfo nfes another harrow for his dtiD* cropa alone, and only when the ground is exceedingly bal with couch grais. It is about a feet wide, and 5 feet ki^ with teeth fet in diagonal Unes, bnt fo as to leave no pact of the fur&oe over which it goes untouched. On its fere- part is a ftaple of iron* to which a fwingle-tree and traces, are fixed for the horfe; and to its hinder part a handle «f wood, aboitt 4 oi* 5 &et long, rifes up, and indinhig a httk backwards i from the middle of which a light fpur of iroo runs forwards, and b bferted into the harrow about its middle. The whole Co contrived, thatihe man who drives can eafily guide it, prels it down into the earth, or raife it op, and leave the accumulafeed couch or weeds bdiind, at pleafure.

Certs

if Lonifbrgan. 513

C^Ms. — The carts formerly ufed in this pariib, and which s ftill generallj in ufe, meafare, in length, over the top of 4he coopft (box), 6 feet ; in breadth, 3 feet S inches ; in depth, I foot 3 inches \ and narrowing a little towards the bottom, fo as to contain about 26 cubic feet. But the coops now introduced meafore, in length, 5 feet 3 inches, and aarrowing at the bottom to 4 feet 8 inches ; and in breadth^ over the top, 4 feet 8 inches, narrowing to 3 feet 7 inphes at bottom, and i foot 3 inches in depth. They contain nearly the fame ^nbic meafure of z6 feet \ but from their ihape, and being placed more forward upon the axle, they are xnncfa lighter upon the horfe, and an eafier draught. They anfwcr very wcU with one horie for mod purpofes ; but with two they fatigue the horfes much lefs, even with a much greater load.

Tbrq/bingrfnilL — In the year 1788, Mr Paterfon fet up the firft thraihiog-'miU in this part of the country ; and now, (1796), there are builc, and building, fifteen in this pariih alone. Thb^v^y/tr/ machine is, perhaps^ one of the great- eft improvements in farming which the age has produced \ hot it is now fo well known, a defcription is fcarce necef- iaryy and not eafy to be underftood without a drawing *•

Vol. XIX. 3 T Machine

• The thnfluBg-mQl at CaiUc-Hnntly was built at firft by one James Mor- fis, an inhabitant of Longforgan, taken from one which bad been fet np for fome time before, at Mr Maini of Pous in Sturiingfture, and built by WiiUain Jaffny, a mill-wright in AJloa, who finifiied the machine at Caftle Huntly himfelf. It conGiled then fimply of a horizontal wheel over the horles beads, placed in a fliade, and adjoining to the bam, with two levers of about 14 feet long, with a horfe to each, which turned a lying (haft by a pinion, upon the other end of which was placed a vertical wheel, which turned a cylinder, or drum, of about 4 feet diameter, and 5 feet long ; ipon which vras fixed fix thnAen, and to which the com was conduced, u^te r being laid Uppn 1 bmft of wood, by two fluted rollers, which were made to prefs

opoii

514 Stattjiifal MqowU ^

Machine fqr cUaning TVun/.— >>As yams* or Qorinaoi poU<» toesy are no^, com^^ioto udi verfal ufe for borfes, 96 well as for

upon the com by weights, axul turned by 4 very Hnnple contriTancc on tie lying (h*ft.

Upod the fappoiitiotk tSiat the mill thus conKm^ed fatd not fnffictem Tf lo- city to thtelk tbecom pcrfe^y clean, it wis iltcred fomc time after by Mr Mickle, alfo of Alloa, wlio added fanners, or a winnowing machine, to fcpa- rate the com from the chaff j ar.d multiplying wheels, which increafed itc velocity fo much, that with four threlhen only upon the dmm, if the hori- sontal or horfe-wbeel went twice round In a minute, which horfes can eafily do ♦ at their uftial' iiacK. the dnim will not e thnmgh s fpftoe «f %^<^ feet apd tlie com psICof ^ivp^sb the nyUl )viU veccive 83 a flr^kea itt tfat.&ae timet Bat this machine req«ire$ 7 or 6 m^n, and 4 Uoifes at leaft^ c^« 6 or 8 horfes may be put to, which makes the work much eafier. This icill )ia<r threfhed and wtnriowed p^ bolls of wheat Linlithgow meafure, =to 5 quarters 1 pecks Winchcfter meafure, in 17 miniitet: but ^t W»s.{ff 1795, for feed, when the crop was rich, and the ftraw ftiort; for it isto beoMemil, that tlie power and execution of thrafliit^-mills 9 re various according to cir- cumftances, independent of the machine itfelf ; fuch as, the richne£& of the crop, and the lengthjof the ftraw ; If the crop T)e rich, and the ftnwfliort, the mill will tkrafh' mOK in 1 given time } and, «iV« n)€rfa, VIx Mickk abb reverfed the motion of the drum, and made it give the ftroke ii|iw»rds inficad of downwards, as formerly, which was found to be a very great improvtiBeot, and has been univerfally adupted ever fince.

Since that time, the threlhing mill has been ftill farther iroprored, by add- ing to it a rake with four wings, which is turned by a ftrap 60m the lying axle, and moves over a concave gnting, through which the com 611s into the hopper of the iannen, while the ftiaker (as it is called) turns out tbe ftraw upon a floplng rack, perfedly clean, and by diat means faves the laboar of two men at leaft. And what is very remarkable, the moft approved nilb now, after many experiments have been made, are built cxadlly upon tiw fame principles with that built by William Ja0ray in 17SS, with the hori- zontal or horfe wheel z6 feet in diameter, and the fpetr-whecl 4} feet, ind the drum from 3 to 4 feet, which is calculated to Imake nearly about 90 re- volutions for once of the horfe wheel. 'Iliis goes with great eafe witb fiwi horfes; threfhes the corn pcrfedlly clean as far as nearly lo bolls in the bour. One of the beft in the Carfe Is lately built by William Dick, wright m Dun- dee, at Ballendean, and fartlier improTcmeots are flill going on. Very good

ffliUs

• Moving in a circU of ah<mt i%fttt diameter.

of LongfargtUU

SIS

every odier ^;>ecieft of beflaat upon the {isirtn, it may lie proper to mentbn, that, for hoTfes« it b neceflary to clean them per* feftly from all earthy particles which may adhere to them* For this purpofe every farmer ihould have a machine for wafliing them, to Ihorten labour. A fquare trough of wood,

well feafoned, and well joined, fix ieet long, and three feet wioe, divided imo two a- partments, the upper one, a a b b, above two feet deep, with a bottom, b b, full of {mall holes, to re- ceive the yamS| and the lower apartment, b c b d, perpendicu- lar on one fide, a b Cy

and the other three fides, b b c, flopping to a point at its

bottom, c, near which ^ plug, e, is placed, to let the dirty water and earth out at pleafurc ; and while one man pumps the water into this trough, or throws it in with a bucket, one or two men, according to the quan- tity, provided with birch brooms, rinfcs and cleans the yams, ^hilc aU the earth finks into the lower apartment, b be;

and

«ilU are oow built, fo « to wcrk eafily with two hoirfc, and thrcfli .ikJ cl«n from s to 6 bolUin the hour. 8odie afe «Jib mack to go bf wlrr, and ioae by meo, but not in this parilb.

^t6 StatiJHcal Atctmnt

«nd by drawing the ping, e, the whole earth and walcf | iMy be let out at oncet while the yaois remain in the np- per apartment quite dean and free of earth ; but if not fi> well cleaned^ or if the earth be hardened about then, by putting in the plug at bottom, the trough may be fil- ed again with water, either that the yams may be rinfed againv or remain covered, with the water as long aa maj W fuffijcient to foftenCthe adlKring earth, whidi will then feparate with the birch Kroom from the yams with ^reat eafe.

Staeiimg Graiii.— -When the com i& cut down, the next important operation in hufbandry is to get it in (afits and to preliarve it foondf and alfo to proteA it from plunder bj animals of every defcription, whether wild or domefiic* The general method of building ftacks in this pariih is up- on the ground, aad, if the com be win in die field, oo precaution whatever is thought neceflary ; fo that, although it be preferved found, it becomes a prey to rats and mice, and to every animal which can get ih to tBe com«yard. JL better method is to build the ftacks upon what is called Statholls, which ait conflruded as under : A number of pillars of ftone or wood, eight or ten or more, may be pla- ced in a circular form, according to the diameter of the in- tended fiack, and one in the middle of the circle ; all thcfe are covered with caps of round (tones, projeding fo hi that no rat or atty fucfi anTmal can get up from the ground ; and the pillars are made about 2 feet high at leaft, to prevent geele or turkep from drawing the com at bottom. Upon ihefe fiones, a frame of wood is laid, and from the midttle ^f this frame a cone of wooden fpars is raifed, of about 4 or

5 feet diameter at bottom, and ending in a point at about

6 or 8 feet high, according to the height of the fiack^ of which tho cones mud not be higher than the intake at far- theft.

iff I/sngfitgM. J17

Aell. From tins cone, wooden pipes are laid acroft the ftaek when bttildiog, and mre cut to its fliape. Thefe are made of three rough fir boards, Terj partially fitted to each odier, fo as to let the air pa& in all diredions amoogft the IheaTes of com. BiK the principal ufe is to draw the air op throng the cone in the centrct and guide it throaghr every part of the fiack^ £7 which means, com may fafe- I7 be taken mach ibonef in^^than when no fuchprecaift* tion is ttfed *•

Formerly the finall fiumers and acremen had no tacks, (leafes),' bat were tenants at will, and were alfo bound do#n to all the fevere conditions, as already mentioned } and fo little wa9 the intereft of the landlotd underfiood, or the te- aant regarded, that fo lately, as between the year 1750 and 1760, it was an eftablUbed cuftom, that the Earl of Stiath* siore*s officers, (who was the proprietor at that time), ac- tually

• Thtre is ftill anather mediod, lately iotroduced hy » very refpedablt f eotkoum f, not far from hence, bul not in this pariui, which is probably the beft means of ^rererving and taking hi corn ercr thought of; which is, Sy ftoilding frames of wood to tftty ezttont. opoa mUch the com is laid* the breadth of two flnaves only, and a biodiag one in the middle, as upon a fiielf* with the heads inwards, and for a depth of about 3 feet: Another (helf «f wooden fpan is laid and fixed into the perpendicular (loops (uprights) m fach fafliion as to prrrent any pretfure from the fuperincumbent (heaves. Upon this (helf or fraibe the' corrr is again pUced, ih the fame manner, and ever that another, and (b on. as high as you pleafe ; fo that the (hcaYC< be looiely Uid, and receive from all quajten fuch a body of air as to dry and win the com completely, even if taken in immediately from die hook, (fickle), provided it be cut down dry. Whether this be a new thought or not is of no , confe<]i]ence. The gentleman who has ititradaced it has great merit; and although the ezpenceof bmlding tfie appaatos may psnrent the method fiooi becoming general foon, efpecially as in ihofe fituations where the climate is favottrahle> or the feafon dry« it is by no means (b neceflaiy, jet then ave many places in tlus country, where fome fuch phn of preferring the Icoms would be always ufeful; and there aret(bmetimes/eafot& fo unftvourable, a* would make fuch a refource a very fortunate circumftaoce for all conecmed, efpecially in faiall or middling farms. In very Urge farm* it may not be fb f a(ily attainable.

t Captain Drttmm9f9d 0/ GardrMja.

5 i 8 Siaff/lkal AccwtU

tually fetzed upon one tenth of the crop j^arly, upon the lands of Longforgaoi as pare rent, and carried it, com and fodder, off the field ; and not one dared to lead a ifaeaf of corn till that was done. Some time after, new tacks (leafes) were entered into, more favourable to the tenant ; bat, in all, flill fttch a number of feudal fervioes were required, as to ihow thfe pradiee of former times, and how unwilling they were to give them .up ; and, what is very extraordinary, ic was not the landlords alone who were unwilling to give them up : foi: in the year 178a, when the prefent proprie- ' tor of CafUe-Huntly propofed to convert all the Ceodal bondages into a very moderate money-rent, fome very in- telligent tenants were averfe to convert even the harvcfi- bondage, which of all others was the mod oppreffivc, al- though at the moderate computation of 10 d. per dzj per Ihearer.

State in 1777.— 'In all the leafes delivered to the prefent proprietor of Longforgan in 1777, there was very little dif- ference from former cuiioms *, only, formerly, they were bound to all fervices, and at all times. In thefe tacks, the number and kind of Cervices were expreiTed. They were all thirled to a particular mill, /. i». they were bound to grind all their corns at the baron's mill : For the mill ot MillhiU, to which Longforgan and all the eflate of Caftk- Huntly were then thirled, although feparated from that ba- rony, originally belonged to it \ and although the efiate of Millhill had been fold out of the family, by one of the Earls of Strathmore, yet fo little was the intereft either of proprietor or tenant attended to or underflood, that be fuf- fered his tenants upon the eftate of Caftle-Huntly, (then Lyon), to remain bcuad to grind their corns at the mill, no fonger his own.

RarJ

.(^ Longforgan. 519

Hand MiUs^^-rPormtvlj hand milk or ^ufms (as tptj aro called)* were th^ lonlj inftrumeats uled in this poiintrj for grmdipg corn ; .but it is probable, that when thofe were found ..onequuil to the demand, mills were built by the landl^d who J^ad water at his command, as a benefit to his tenants .and retainers;. and that the > miller became bound not only Xo grind.aU the corns ufed hj the tens^nts upon .the eilate, but ^o^to lend for them and return them in meal ; for which certaun multures in kind, that is certain quantities of the cpms (n^iUm? toUs) were allowedi which w^ called chirhige- The tenants were alfo obliged to give their help ' in preparing the com for, grinding, aod cleaning the mill- lead, f. e. the traft vrhich conduds the water for the mill wheel, lfc»

In thofe days, when mills were but few in number, the privilege of getting -their corns ground might be a great convenience at anj price ; but afterwards, when their num- bers encreafed, and the millers became rivals for emploj- ment, what was originally meant ^ an ufeful convenience became a very great hardlhip. The baron, to keep up the rent of his mill, obliged his tenants to grind all their corns the.re as formerly, although they could have got their crops manufactured cheaper at other mills, where, naturally, the races were lowered to thofe who were not obliged to fre- quent them, in order to invite cuflomers ; while the millers became inattentive, negligent, and fometimes infolent and overbearing, to thofe who were bound to their mill. Hence the grievance of thirlage, which is fo much complained of.

Tads or Lea/ts Jormerly.^'^The tacks (leafcs) entered into, between X 760 and 1770, with the greater tenants in this parilh, were in general for 38 years, to themfelves, heirs, executors and aflignees, with power to fubict. They iverc all thirled to a particular mill ; their refiriClions were

loole

5^0 Statijlical Account

loofe and nngttardcd ; fubjeft to boDdage b harvcfi and t certain number of carriages \ and, as tbe day of this parilh was then in exceeding bad order, fime was giren by the proprietor to moil of them, and a fmall rent in mo- nej required for fome years ; after which ifacir tcax was pardj in wheat, barlej and meal, deEverable betvcea Chriltimas and Candkmas \ partly in money, eidier pij- able at Whitfunday, or one>haif then and one-half ttLam- maa or at Martinmas. Liferent tacks were then not us* common ; and they fometimes extended to two or tbree lives. In fome tacks (leafes) a very extraordinary dnfe was introduced % the tfnant had kave to name any fife be pleafed during his tack (leafe), upon which his pofieficd was to continue.

Tach or Leafes xrotu.— At this day, there b no thirhge; there is no bondage in harveft ; nor are the tenants boDnd to days work in planting, &c. They pay their rents in mo- ney and vi£hial only. They are not bound to go meflages; and they only are bound to carry with their horfes vJi carts, a certain proportion of coals for the proprietors &miljt if they refide ; which is exceedingly moderate, and fooe carts for lime, &c. which is feldom demanded \ but it is ex- nreisly provided, that they (hall not be demanded either ia ieed-time, or harvcfi.

J)ivifiofU into Sixes.^'la 1775, or thereabouts, the pnc* tice of dividing the carfe farms into fixes, became pretty ge- lieral ; and it became a daufe in moil tacks (leai'es), to have x*6th of the &rm in fallow, i-6th in wheat, i-6th in beaas or peafe, z-6th in barley, 1-6 th in clover, and i-6th in oats; which pradice is faid to have . been introduced by the kte Henry Crawford of Monorgan, £fq; and -it has been cassA- i^ued in the clay by the beft farmei^ ever Qnce. SometiiDe

gftet

^Longforgm. 521

irfkcrthiSyitbeaaMapnffiQe with proprietors to givete-- nantt 19 years, and alio dieir own life added ; open the principle, diat a man would certainly keep that £um in good order, which be was to poffels during hi3 life. However, that has been found to be fiiUacioua, as there are many wealthy £auinen now, although not in this parifli, who after their certain time is out, grudge to by out a (hilling more upon their fiutas, left they (hould not live long enough to get its value out of the ground ; and there are large farms BOW £dling into decay fixMn this canle. So that frogi ex- perience it would appear, that the beft terms for a tack (leafeX is a certain fixed period of years ; if the farms be improved, perhaps 19 years is as good as any ; although .the odd year is not eafy to be accounted for, unleis upon an inveterate partiality for odd numbers; for certainly^ eighteen yens, or three rotations, is much more natural ; but if unimproved, the leale (hould be longer, to encourage the tenant to lay oqt his money.

Pnfowt Ctmdiiion of Taeis or ZM/&i«--Now, the terms of all new tacks or leaCes are generally for 19 years to them- ielves,beir% and executors only, not ailignable, nor can the tenant fubfet. He mud refide with his family and fier, a. ^ his horiies, iervanti, and cattle, npon the fartn^ not to fell any fodder ; hay and wheat-ftraw for thatch excepted. He is to lay the whole dung he makes upon thetCitfm. He is in general bound to the rotation of fixes : But now it is thonght (nffident to bin4 the tenants not to fow any white crop upon the clay, 1. e. wheat, oats, or barley \ but after fidlow or green crop, which are declared to be lint, clover, beans, peafe, tares, and the like ; and to keep one half of the form under thefe crops during the currency of the lea&i and the fome upon the rich loam ; potatoes, yams, and turnips, or any fuch, are amongtt the interme«

Vqu XIX, 3 U diate

$%% Statj/Hcal Jcoont

diate crops | but it b thoogfit by Cmm to ht whfmju a gooi pradice to bbd the tcaaat to tbe fins for the lift fix jcan of the leafe* Up^a the lightor gnaad they ace prraBittcd fo take three crops, one of thett a gteeii crop, mad the UL a wUt^ crop» p> be town down W]|h fra&y and to pminaac i& pafiue fipr two years at leaft. This givca a gnataer fi- berty to the fanner in vujmg his crops, and camioc bart the gronnd. He pays batfa boU of whe^« and half n boD pi barley P^ acre, and.the reft in money.*, t|ie bnrl^ ddi- verabk between Chriftaias and Caodkmas, and tlm wbeai any time between that and the middin of Jnne, wben de- nsanded, and the money at the Wbitfonday foDaering^ L e* tstop I99J payabk 1796, and b on. The entry is gcneiaflj to the honfes and graft, if there be any, at Wbitfondsy, and to the land at the kparation of die crop dte £mdc year. The qniyoifig tenant is generally permitted to StU his M eropi com, and fodder, and alfo his dnng, bnt not tn csrrj any oot of the barony, (manor), whidi is an old cdbm. The houfes and offices are delivered to the tenant in good repair, which he is bound to keep np, an^ ro-delivnr al the expiry (end) of his leaie in eqoal good condition^ Sosk- times they are appraifed, nd an to be giveii np of e^ valne.

Thdii i(i a great meafiqv explain the general princ^ks of fiurmii^g in the carfe ground of dus pariih, and perhsps it is the beft general mk that can be pven. But 1900 rich k^, they at prefient divide their fivnus into fire parts, as they fhink fidkw rather a prejudior, in room ot mhiA diey ufis driOed crops of potatoes, yams, turnips and beans, which ckans the knd e&dnally. Lint and peak ate attb fbwn as intermediate crops; and after all of whidi, wheat is (bmetimes Town, and good crops obtained* After the ^beat, bsrky fcwn down with ckTcr and rye-grafii; then oats, and then a deariag crop again.

^longfargan. 523

Refidutt Propriitors Farmen^'^ASi the rcfident proprie* tors mre fiumen, which is reall j of more coolcqoeficey botK to the coontr J and to themfelvet, than is generally iiaa^ gined \ for it is of confequtoce to the conntij to have pro- prietors, who have both fpirit to adopt ahd to trjr new ex- periments, and money to carry them into ezecotion. li^ ofefnl and advantageous, they will be examples to their tenants ; if they fitil, they call alibrd the lofs. Bat it b im- poffible to effimate the advantage to themfdves ; for it en« nbles them to jadge of the exaft extent a fitrm ought to be of for a certain number of horfies and men, 9tA ho more; and will make him a competent judge of the value of hia fiirms, and prevent him from falling into that ihoft injudi* cioos error, of increafing his rents beyond What the farms ca& aSbrd to pay.

RgmariaUe Cbamgi of PropeHy.^'^t is very remtokable, diat near 6-7ths of diis parilh has changed its proprietors within leb than 30 years.

That one of the moft confiderable eftates in it was (old ia 16x5 for 40,000 merks Scots, equal to L. 2222:4: 5-^ Sterliag \ and in 1777, it Ibid again for L. 46,000 Sterling.

ValmtofLanitM i66i	.—That tte rat efthat iHiok «fi«M
imi66jtn$t
Whett,	aTdboib.
Barky,	MS
Cm,	6a
Meal,	aso
Ftafe,	3«
AtUsBcMpwhoUiBi^ bons,Talii.dat L.345	ft	4
	Money rent, Sterl4	100	0	0
	L.445	T	4
				/«

514 Stati/Hcal Accomtt

In I7i9,^— In 1719, it was, Wheat, 213 X X Barley, 197 o x Meal, 140 % 3 Oats, 80 o o

B. 631 o X Tallied at 10 a. 5 d. per boll, , oyerbead, L*547 9 6| Money, - 205 o ii^

SterL L.75a 10 €

But take the vidoal mt the fame price as in 1667, t. e. at L. 5 Scots ^ boll, overhead, the rental will be 631 bdls, at 8s. 4d. = - - L,a6a 18 4

L.a46o : XX : 4 Scots money, = - 203 0 11

SterL L.467 19 3

No great diffisrence of rent ^ nor much proof of improve- ment in that period.

/a X750. — ^In X750, the whole rent was xo,ooo merb Scotch, and given as a jointure ; in Sterling money,

L.5S5 *« ^T The widow went abroad, and let the eftatefer 420 o 0 In X 77 7, when the eftate was fold, calculat- ing the wheat at ao s. and the other viiftual at xa %*pir boll, the rent was - 14x1 a 6

Value the viftual in ^^6^ at the fame rate, and the rent would have been then, 707 x6 0

The yearly rent now is more than the whole valoe of the fee-fimple, when it was fold to Lord Strathmore in 1615. It IS worthy of remark, that in X667, above 3-4d]s of the rent was pud ki kind.

That to X750, for near a century, very little altention had taken place in the value of property.

ef Longfergan. 525

/it 1777.— That in 1777, the rents doubled what they were in 1750, in confequence of the lieginaing improve^ ments in agricttltnre at that time.

That in 18 years more, i. e. in X795» die value tXpro^ perty aAuallj doubled what it was in 17779 and from the iame cavrfes, added to the decreafed valne of money.'

RetHs/rom 1750 to 1796.— -About the year X750, the beft clay fitrms were let at 5 s. per acre. A few years after, when valued for newleafeSy they were fuppofed to be over- rasrd at los. In 17591 the fame &rms were let at 17 s« In 1782, they rofe to 25 s. In 1786/they were let at 45 s. And the fame lands would probably let now at 50 s. per mere at kaft. f

Moft of the cfiates in the parifli, indeed all of them, may be laid to have been improved in the lame proportion, but at an immenfe ezpence to the pn^rietoirs, who have fpared neither labour nor money, in fencing, draining, boildiog houfes, fnmifliinglime.aod marl to tenants, relieving them of all feudal burdens, .fubfcribing largely to turnpike and parochial roads, and planting in fuch lands not fo fit fer other agricultural purpoTes.

Rtafons fir ibis Increa/e.-^Thtte improvements appear afionilhing ; but notwithftanding which, although they add greatly to the general ftock of natiomd wealth, yet the in- creafe of value in property b by no means of fo much real advantage to the landholders as at firft fight may appear. For, in the firfi place, the ezpence of the improvements is almoft equal to a purchafe ; and as labour of every kind, fcrvants wages, and the ezpence of every neceflary of life are doubled, and many of them trebled in that time.

No doubt improvements in agriculture have done wondersi

but

gi^ SiaHJikai Accguht

toe it k mode J fidUng ia vdoe which ia the real cauie of the dtfoefioe, both of receipt and ezpendtture. The high reoo likewife may appear eztraordinarj to our oeighboiiri is Esglaody particttlarlj ; hot it muft be coafidered, that the Scotch acre is x*5th larger than the Engliih, and the Scotch IStfmer literally pajra nothing bat hii rent. All taxes, bodi King's and parochiali mbifter's ftipend, and everj kind of public bnrdeni is paid by tiie heritor.

BraSiaJ JlgricubUral RMiarib<— Althongh fiJlow be die moft approved method* and generally thought to be die beft pfeparalioQ for wheat upon elay, yet asany veiy jadi« ^ns fiumers ieem to think that lint and elovcr are piefier* able upon loam; only it is certainly extremely proper t^ obferre the fame rale, of ne^r fowing two white crops ia focoefflon. If this be the praftice, a cleaning crop of pota« toes, yams, drilled beans, or turnip, will always be ncocf* iaty to make one of the rotations.

All roots are certainly fixmrging crops, and eiiiaaft the ground ; and althoo^ the praAioe be pretty general to take wheat after potatoes, it b perhaps not the beft &nning ; at any rate, it is not to be depended on in this country ; for in rainy autumns, there is fuch a riik of poaching the grosnd in taking tlfem up, ahd in dunging tbe land afierwaidsi ss td make it totally unfit f6r a wheat-feed. However, if tbe feafion bo favourable, and the ground in good heart, it may do very welL Even very tolerable wheiat crops have beeti gtft after turnip.

There are many fitfdiers ia the Carfe now, who ps/ little regard to the ufual rotation of fixes. It is true, they fbU divide their turn into fixies} but they make wheat after ftdlow, and after every green crop i in fliortg they boito# firom their oata and from tfaeic basieyt tiU diay have

S-Jd

^fLongf organ. 597

Xrsd iiiftead of i-6di ^ their tatm in wheaL Thoe ne others, who go fiuther ftill, and make a greater proportion of wheat ; and Umit divide their fiurms into fievenths, and take two white crops together, to make their grais finther from the doog. If any of tl^efic be good fiurming, espe* fienoe muft fhew. Some attempts have been made to throw £gdlow oii( of the rotation in day, and in its rooaa to fow haftj peaict or other greefi crops, bnt it has not aiv* iWered the intention.

If after lint, it be meant to low wheat, the dong flioold be laid on as ibop as the Ibt comes ofl^ and ploughed in im* fnrdiately \ and if after clover, perhaps the beft pradice is tolay the dong on as foon as the hay comes off the ground, fpread it immediately, and let the iecoad crop cover it^ which it will dp in generaL Both then are ready £or the feed fiirrow in good time. At all events, never let doQg lie one moment in heaps, but let it be fpread inftantly, am} -well divided. A great deal of the fncccft in fiurming de- pends upon the proper management of dung.

If it be meant to fow wheat after tnmip. the tops may be begun to be cut off fome time before, and given either to cattle, or to milch-cows } after which, they fliould be taken up in OAober, the tops and roo^s cut dofe, and then honied, or flowed in a tempotary ihade ton the pnrpofei and to prevent their foiling and 4>ringing, they Ihould be tnmed over ftom time to time, and the foft and rotten ooea picked out; by which means they will keep veij well through the winter. And at all times, what remains in the ground unuiied, fliould be taken up when tbey begin to ihoot, wUdi both preierves the turnip, and prevents their hurting the ground by their running to feed* Ifr Faterfim hss pra£BIed this ; and one year in a field of equal foil, and cflually ^f paredf 1^ had yams, potatoes, Knt, and turnips

i$a8 Statical jtccomt

snd of the crop of wheat following^ it eoiild fetroe be di- ftifigiuihed ^ich had beeo die preeeding crop, - But IS it b ft oommoa pradioe to kt tnroipft remun in the field through die winter, and to be taken op fornfe only as the demand for cows or cattle requires, great care Ihoold be taken to fiiSier none of thefe to ran to feed ; for It is an undoubted fiid, confirmed bj experience, that tomips foflkred to run to feed exhauft the fdl more than almoft any crop whatever, and impoveriflies more than much high dreffiag will recover in many yean. It k pro- iMtbly the iame with all plants bearing oleagenoos Seeds. Flax, at any rate, u an impoverifliing crop, as it leaves no- thing bdiind ; but if foKred to feed, it fcourges the ground much more ; and firom this it is natiiral to fuppofe, that ia proportton to die riohnels of the fieed, and the noiiriflineat that is in it, the ground which produces it will be propor- tionally exhauiled. Rye-grals, if fuflfered to feed| aduoAs the ground $ if cut in bloflbm, it does not.

One remark here is neceflary, that when turnips, or dieir tops, are given to milch cows, the rotten paru fliouki be carefully leparated and thrown away ; for it is with good ^ reafon fuppofed, that it is the putrid parts which give die •bad flavour to milk, and not the turnip itfiell However, a •very eafy cure for this has been difcovercd lately ; to mix a 5Fery fmall quantity of a weak (blution of nitre among die milk, while warm from the cow, and no turnip cafie wil remain.

7asii4— Tarns have alfo been cnldvated with great sd* vantage, particularly {upon the Mains of Cafile-Hundjr ever flooe the year 1782, when Mr Paterfon brought a fir- lot (a bttikel) from Calder, near Glalgow ; and now diey are fptead all over the country. They are very eafilj nufed 'f but the ground (hould be ploughed pretty deep m

autiuun,

Qf LengforiOii^ 529

aumma^ itfter oats or wheat, and again in the fpring ; they maj then be planted in drills, either with dung or without it, accordbg to the ftate of the field, or the crop wh^ch is to follow. If thej be planted after dunged wheat, and to be followed with barle j, dung is unneoeiTary. If after oats, as a cleaning crop, and to be followed by wheat, it is a good praiSioe to dung them well. This enfures a great crop of jrams^ prevents carting upon and poaching the ground as much as poffible \ and if the field be in proper order, niay^ be followed by wheat, without any more dung. However, this is not recoounended as the bell preparation for wheat«

2)riiKr.— -In planting yams, the drills may be drawn from 4-s> to 2|- feet dilbnt, according to the judgment of the far- mer. If the ground be very rich, and if the principal ob« jed be to clean it properly for a crop of wheat to tolloWt and, if well dunged, a very great crop may be expeded at j^i feet diftant, and there will be ample room to work it as perfe^y as if it was fallow. The fieros will cover the whole completely, and with eaGe. Every extraneous plant may be deftroyed. The fets ihould be large, about i-4th of a large yam, dropped at about one foot or nine inches afunder. Small fets do not anfwer fo well.

A great Crop. — ^In 1794, upon the Mains of Caftle-Hunt« ly, a field of yams was drefled in this manner, and yielded no bolls ^^ Scotch acre, which weighed, when cleaned of earthy 5 ilone 5 pounds Dutch per firlot, or .23 (lone Eng- hOxper boll, at 16 pounds each ftone, or 40,480 pounds ^r acre. It was well dunged to the yams ; and the wheat crop that followed looked remarkably well, Auguft 17959 but did not turn out fo well as was expefled. This, how- ever, is no rule, as the wheat crop in general, and particu- larly through the Carfe, was light that ;^ear. A Scotch

Voi.XIX^ aX acre

53^ Stalli/Rcal Account

^tt is to an Engliih acre nearly as 125 to xoo» If tbefoS Ibe of an inferior quality, the drilb Aould be nearer, thtf tile ftems may cover the ground completely.

JHo^^^firi^/.— Before the plants* appear above grMmd, Ihey ihoold be well han^on^, which deftroys a& aninnb that may have appeared, and opens the foJL A^ fiiQo ^ Aey arc we!! above ground, the ufind pradice b to take away fikt earth from the drilb on eiich fide with a cdlimKn plough. The earlier this is done t^e better, as it not onlj deftroys thcfirlh crop of weed^, b«t h tbIktaA the earth, and approximates to the warmth of the fua the young fibres, beginning to (hoot ; aYid if this operatioh be tooloog delayed, thefe tender fibres^ which, in procefs of time, are to be loaded with sCn abundant crop, mil a riik of being cnt dff by the plough, and then* progeny totally dellroyed. Thil operation may be performed in half the time with the fcta- per and double-headed plough, already d^feribed for drilled ero{» \ f . €• the fbraper goes firflf, and cats up all the weeds, and is immediately followed by the douUe-lieaded ploDgli» which takes away earth and Weeds from the drills, and ridges them m the middle fpace between. Each of tbefe inftruments, by a particular conftni£tion, cad be made wider or narrower, £0 as to fit itfelf to any difiance of drills, and are eafily drawn by one horfe . They can^^ be ufed to ad- vantage in light foils only ; for if the foil be ftrong, it is not .poflible to get them deep enough in the ground, foasto root out every weed *, nor can they be made to lOofieA the earth fufficiently for the young fibres to ihoot; and if fe, a prolific crop IS not to be ezpeAed. In fuch foils, a com- mon plough, upon the' principle of Small's, but made light on purpofe, is certainly beft. The next operation is hand- hoeing, which can now eafily be done, and which anfwers a triple purpoie, as it deftroys aU the luxuriant weeds whicfr

die

€f Longforgan. $3*

t

iSx plough could not reach, loofens the e^rth about the iroots of the ftem, and covers with a freih mould thofe fibres, <iow makiag <}uick progress from the parent root.

After this, efpeciallj if the field be foul, the fpaces be- tween the drills ihould be well har^-owed with a (mall bar-* row, of a particulaj'.conftrufition, alrea4j,defcjdbed for driU crops* One horfe draws it along, and the man who drives- the hoiie can eafilj guide it bj the handle, and prcfs the whole harrow fufficiently into the earth, fo as to pick up> every particle of couch^grafa, or anj other fibrous wt:«:d ; and when the harrow is fo loaded as not to be able to carry ^mj moix along, the driver, with great eafe, lifts it up, leaves the coUeAed weeds or couch-grals behind, to be car- ried out of the field afterwards, and paies on with his har- row. After this operation, the ground is left, until the an- nu$d w/eeds hjLve (hpwn themfelves in fiill vegetation \ but b^Care the Aems of the yams ase too luzortant, and then with the common plon^, if the drills be wide, the earth is laid up with one or two furrows, according to the difbmoe btetyreea eAch* imt as the farmer's judgment Iballdirefi} and afterwaid% tfae whole is finiihcd with adotd>Ie monld-board plough paffing between each driH : But if the drilb be nar- row,'it generally lays up the whole earth at once, without floy aQifta&ee £rom the coounon ploqghi

When the yams ai« fiiUy ripe, which will probably hap- pen fometime in OAober, and which is khown by the de- cay of the fiems and the ripening apples, they are to be ta^ ken up either with the fpade or with the plough, and gathered ; but it is a good pra£Kce to cat die fteoas firft with a fcythe, and carry them off the field, which makes an excellent bedding in thef dung court iox a fucceeding year ; and if the farmer Jueps pigs nothing wiU ^ loll, as they will pick up all the optdes,.aad every yam which may adhere to the flema. It bas a}fo been remarked by experienced fiurmers, that if the

potatoes

532 Staii/Ncal Aec(mn$

potatoes or yams are faflfered to remain in die groond imtB their feeds are fully ripe, they exhaaft it exceediiigly ; and hence, even on this aqcount, a crop of potatoes, tfans mtoa- ged, is a y«y bad preparation for wheat. They (hodd be taken up earlier, or they (hould be followed by fbme odicr fpecies of grain. Yams and potatoes are by no means meliorating cr^ *,

PsMmt.

• If poffible* Tiim OiooU be tilm op ia dty wqpdw» fm fpre frolt. The floor of the houfe, in which thej are meant to be ftowed. ihould be laid with ilnw, and all the fides text to the walls, and diewbok veU covered ; and if ctKfaUy nianaged in tfiii inaaiMr, Aey wffl keep wd! till midfamiPfr or logger, and tell be firm and j«icj; dui is ancb bcnr than uKt (pethod mbaxtytt of pitferving tfaem out of doons

Hoifes are yerj Ibnd of diem ; but one bflf peck i^'qotte enoo^ to fin at a time in the beginning, and n^rer laore tban one ped( fliooU be gim in the day ; with tbefe and ftraw alone, horfes nay ht rtrf well kept tfafDugh die winter, if not vwy hard worked ; and if it fiieiUd be jedgcd ti^eflary to giv^ them any com, it Ihpald be bniiiiBd, or given fiq oieil* vd irery little at a time ; for as the yams ge^rally keep tbe belly open, if cocb be given at the fame time, it will be found to pais perfeAly wMe aal v- digeOed. Catde may be indulged with more, if agrcaabk to ifaenhtedtt^ jea with tfaem is ^jfierem; but with then, alio* dicy flwoU beghKais final! quantities at firft, and ^en to be regulated by die efied, as dvy ac« ▼ery apt to fcour and not to feed, if givpi in fo Urge quantities, e^edaQr at firft.

The yam does not boil as the common potBloei,*bfit tfaty frftea t Ueds; ■ad wbeo boiled ^tb diaff or btin, tbcy make a noft ezcelleia feed Ik psilch-cQws in tlie winter, and if attended to, they will give batter eqaiV or not much inferior, to what they give when fed on clover. They may be alfo given raw to cows widi advantage, ndiich fome experienced frracn prefer to boiling.

Ifborfesaretobefedwitli yami, tft^It is of die ntmoft coOGBqana to dean them moft perfedly, as any fand or earfhy natter adbering t» them may be of the moft dangerous confeqneoces, from tbe psidcalir ftru^re of the horfe's bowels, id. In winter particidarly, (bdt knA all times a good pn£lice), tbe yams' Ihoold be vMhed Ail day, wfckk . are to be ufed the day following. Tmnpcdiately after wafluig, Aey tM either be carried into the ftable in wbeel-barrowi, or troogbs, widi boki i^ the bottom, p) draw off the moiftnre ; or dirown into an empty fisD fo

' of Lmgf organ. 533

PoMMf. — Potatoes mxj ifi every lefpeA be treated nearly in the fiimis manner with advantage. The ground prepared in the fiune way ; the crop wiU certainly be im- proved in quantity by dunging well in the drills, perhaps not in quality. As the ftems of the potatoes are not fi) lux* uriant, for the purpofe of improving a fiiooeeding crop, the drills may be nearer, perhaps about 24* feet, for it is of the vtmoft coofequenoe to the ground, to prepare' it for a fiicceeding crop, that the whole ihould be completely ce- ntered with the items of the potatoes, or with the green crop of whatever kind. The potatoes ripen (boner than the yams, and the manner of preierving them is the £une ; but diey do not keep juicy lb long ; and while die one is moft excellent food for man, the other is equally, perhaps more, beneficial for cattle.

Potatoes have been long an objeA of particular attention tp the viHagers of Ijongforgan, as well of thole who have (man farms as of thoTe who have none ; and the pradice ia promoted by the mailer farmers who occupy the rich teae land in the neighbourhood, letting out (mall portions of it wluch they mean to be wheat, at perhaps the rate of fbur^guineas or more per acre. The &rmer ploughs and prepares the land, and each man plants or dibbles bis mea- fiired pertioB wfth potatoes. Sometime after this, and be- fore the plant appears above ground, they loolen dl the

ground

tfMtpmpofr; Vy which nea» the coUduUioefiftgmwadiiBf win be t». ten ofl^ ^riikh ii noeh more dangenmi to hoHci, ancl is much ofteaer the oale of diicties in the bowels thu is generally thooght. But if, notwith- ftudiof all this cave, fymptoms of cholic appear, let a drink be prepand* confiftinf of an EngUfli <|oait of fmall beer wanned, with a table fpoonfiit of ground pepper, and near «i Englifli pint of malt fpirit (whiikj), and giftn imnuediatelya which ieldom faili to core. If the complaint does not yield to this, and if it be entirely from food, from one-half to an ounce of bodaniffl ihould be given in a warm drink; and at tnj nte, if the horie coa- #Mei ia pain, it it alwap iafe to let blood.

^34 Stadfiical Acu^uat

|rQO|id cQfl^pktdj with a Jidck* ^n jxiftrumeai widi. a ^le of abput 4 or 5 feet lop^ aji4 two iron proa^ like a fork: bift tunned loyirards, Tbis n)ak^ U^e pla913 cife i^ooger ao4 |^ve$ ^hp roots room to fgreadt fo as to jield |^;-hap6 ^ bittodred boUs fer f ere , ^yod during the wixole ]?r9£reGs of tb« plaAll coming forwards th^ J 9^ake it their 1),ttrme{» tp c^n the £roi^d periSedlj \>j band-hoeip|^ whidi prepare9 it fof the ^ceeding crpp.

Wb^p^ bo^ca pap^pt be hadf hofh j^xns and potatoca HOAj he kept in te^porar/ (hades ma^c onpvrpgle, flppinj ]ibe|JipfQofjofabou£^9 V^hicb m^jht )mi^ ft fmaU ez- pencei qf jMAg $^ apd |^iaxche(l, the hottoqi.axvl fides igreD fined with Arawijtfid 91 d/cep trppph drawn round thr^i to kepp them dry^ .with a dopr or p^^ing at one ei^d, from which chej may be taken at pleafure \ but always kept ^M cov'.erc^ to prevent aeoels to froft. *

* The curl is a dlfeafe to which potatoes are exceedingly fnbje^ and

•w)iidi,it is beUaFcd, is asyet bat little unteftoodL rt miHiwi fwiniiiii

wUiiiat itikinfcaiai^ f»A jil«t H «dU piqp^aate ^

Thi^ yca^.(:i79() tbcfe iee«^d j(o barip bfic^, ip m^y ^j^ffii owve of tkis

, difeafe all oy/er the country tha9 had appeared for many years ; aivd it is di-

Tenrable, diattfrom the fame feed, planted in different fields, die onebai

' tboonded with ciul, while l&e <kher was pcriedlly free: Alio, la 1^ &■<

>idd» Aine jpou h^m fcwn difcrfri, tnd rtiwi^Pt; inttid«efiNaidpQCMaei

.^wayB w(f« upon ^ drieit pait of tke field. From the ide» of in haag

infedtious, diredlions h$ve been a^^^ci^* ^^ ** ^<*<m ^ ^^ curl appeared, the

difeafed root ikould be inunediately dug up and thiownaway. Bat»t»

prove this, as foon as the curl (appeared in a field belong tug to the waAoc

of this paper, he placd! marla in the gnmnfl between the difttfied aad tlR

ibund : and there did not appear, tfarough Ae wMeleafoii^ iIm kaft ffmih

torn 6f the di&afe vtncreatbig ; tliat is, thofc wbicli were not diliBaMwan

rhe roailis were put in, remained fo to the end of the leiKbn periedly teod.

And while tfte curl was prevalent in the fields, oot one poatoe. pUaud in

the garden, bad the leaft appearance of difeaf^. Mcntioiiing titefe orcOD-

Varices to a very ingenious gentlemen, be gave it as fail opinioii, dm this

difeafe does not proceed from the feed, and that it is wAwkAiami te

0ut It is owiog prmcijMliy to wet foil, tiiny tefons, or tn error m obUo^

of Longfbrsaft. 53J

Xi>9tf«<— Tfie hiha^itantsof Lofigfbrgw havi Been femsirkw abfy fficcei^ftil for many yeaxt in rstlfing great crops of GntL Their praftitc in this particuhr* is well tirof th iirfitationr. Thej wafer their Knt gfoiinds i^Mh thrir dung- water and cow wafli ; hitt it mail be dq^e in mtiny Weathef , to prev^t this effence of dung fif'om burning npr the crop. This mode may be nfed to gre^ advsaitage upon gra&grounds and has be^ tri^d ^dtm y^ar by a fitrmer in this pariAi, vpon tatie acres of wheat, and upon as mnch Knt, and th^ apj>^iKram5fe between the acres fb watered, and th^ xieft of the fame fieM, & inofi r^mih-KsJbly in favour 6f the former v and Mr Paterf<Rft is fo con^nc^d of the ^Cdvanbige of this pratfiice, tlilat he ba* conftmd&d a: cart for this ptft-p'ofe, uptei the &m« pirineipfe with thofe carts ufinl in watering thef ftHets of London. • ^

A large cafk (iif butt) is fis%d npon iliafts, "^vSti a fet ^ low wheels; (did Coach-whtds), for convenience of ^iRn^ In one end « hole is made of about two inches ^aitneter, tfr Which a f^ai^ condnftor is fixed, the middle part aiboift 6 inches long, with an opening of o:^ infi^hes fixate, coming right outwards, Mfi from which a tranfverfe arth * of tfii fame ditnenfions, and about 3 feet ia length, is &ted cMffi at both ends, but the fore part covered with a phte of irob; {qSL of holes; and to guide the flow of this dbng- water, dl plug is fittied to the hole in the head ^ the caflc, with i^ greateft end inwards \ through its body aftrongcord puflW,

knotted

fioa; tad addetd. tfun!, at any time, fie ccuti aMks Ae ctiif by ptantfnj^ ^ aMAtoodefp^orin^i'^FOMhcdgfmiad; m4 jfiiU in tbt fatta field wjbicHt 9fiinnerfiitiiif dtilri^ bad let cnit to d^ ncigbbouriog Tillagen, cvenr man*! proportion could kave been known from the bealtH>ne(s of the plant* •r the contrary ; what could thU be owtnj^ tdv if fiot to the vibiety of the feed'f tiMeft obfeivaliaai iliay ba w<ath attin^f Cb. TtSal dTcirfe haa aever been obfinrvedaiboaga the yaim. As it ti of tb? utmOft owfe^uono^ to introdnce fifcb kinds of food for beftiaJ, as may aa little ai pufllble en- croach upon the oeceflarie»of life for man, it is hoped the length of this 'ankle wiU be ascufifd.

53^ StaiiJHcal Acc^mt

• ' knotted at each end of the plug> to keep it from (hiftingf one end of this cord comes out at the bong of the calk, and the other through the middle of the fore-arm ; and by the fimpleft exertion of drawing the cord cither outwards or uiwards, the, water within maybe made to flow, or be flopped at pleafure. The caik may be filled with a bucket, and a long handle, made on jiurpoie, by which means the snoft valuable part of the dung, which is generally lofi^may be turned to great advantage ; and by a particular cootri* ▼ance, even drilled turnip m;ay be watered with this fimple machine. This year, 1796, when there Was no appeaxioce of rain in the turnip feed-time, it was -put in praAioe at Ca&le-Huntly with great advantage \ upon the iron plate on the front of the tranfverfe arm, a piece of thin wood was £zed, ib as to cover die holes entirely, except a fpaoe which was left near each of the two extremities, to each of which a flexible leather pipe, of about 18 inches long, was fiimly nailed, and to the other end, the nofe of a common garden watering-pan was fixed. Thefe.two pipes were acochcd CO each other by a piece of imall flick, lb as to make them move together, and, by a handle fixed to it, the man whtf drove, and who walked behind, guided them upon the two drills, one on each fide of the horfe. This operation may be repeated once or twice, according to tha judgment of the fiumer.

Red Chmr amd Ryt-grafi.'^n fuch parks or indoferef which are intended foldy for pafiure, white dover and fibbed grafs are commonly fbwn; and hay feeds, as they are called, have alfo been fown for the fame purpole : Bot the grais which makes a portion of the farm rotation, and which is recommended to be fown upon a fixth part ot^ day grounds every year, b dways underftood to be red dover and rye-graiiM From i6 to 25 poondi of red do*

qf Longforgan. 537

ver, and if for hay, about afirlot (ba(hel} of rye^grafs upon the Scotch acre ; but if it be meant to be cut for the beftial upon the farm, the fame quantity of clover feed, with one or two pecks of rye-grafi feeds, is enough. This is moft excellent food for horfes, cows, (beep, and pigs ; and if be- gan to be cut early upon loam, it will give two good crops ; and, upon clay grounds, it will, in general, in favourable feafons, give three crops before the froll fets in, and pro- bably a good after-grafs for paflure on both*. This grafs- crop, as it is commonly called here, is meant for one year only ; and that part which b cut for bay, generally produ- ces very good crops, from 200 to 300 ftone, of la lb. £ng- liih each (tone, per acre \ and fuch part of it as is not ne- oeilary to be ufed at home finds a ready market at Dun- dee or Perth. It is perhaps worth while to mention a re- markable infiance of a crop of this kind upon the Mains gf CaiUe-Huntly. In the fpring of the year 1786, red clover aad rye-grafs were fown amongft wheat in a field of 13 Scotch acres, which produced 6000 ftone of hay ; and the fecond cutting of the fame field was fold at L. 2:13:4 Sterling per acre,

/Cy.— The beft time to cut the hay is when the clover is in flower, and before the rye-grafi feed is formed : For, at that period of vegetation, the plant itfelf, which is the ob- ject for ufe, is full of its native juices, and, of oourfe, con- tains more real nourilhment, than afterwards, when ejc- haufted, to maturate the feed. It is alfo well known to ex- perience, that rye-grafi, when fufl!ered to feed, impoverifhes the ground exceedingly ; and when cut in the fiage recom- mended, an exceeding good fecond crop may be expeAed, otherwife not. If the farmer means to have rye-grafs feed of hb own, be may fet apart a portion of hb field on puf*

Vol. XIX. 3 Y pofo,

5.38 Statijlical Account

pofe, which he will find a much better plan for agricnltanl economy, than letting the crop remain longer upon the ground to ripen the feed.

Clover 5eed*^-lt has been attempted to grow clover for feed in this pariih, but not with fuch ibccefs as to encou- rage the experiment. For this purpofe, to have it as pure as pofEble, the firft crop was early cut, that cvctj other vegetable, which had a chance of feeding with the clover, might be defirojed. The fecond crop then was to give the feed : But this made it often too late in the feafon for ripening ; and after all, the difficnltj of feparating the feed from the hulk was exceedingly difconraging. Whether the thrr(hing-miU would do this more eS*e£hially, remains to be tried.

Winning Hay, — It is a common praftice in this conntry, after their hay is cut, to let it lie for feveral days in th» fwarth, as it is called, without touching it ; the only rea- fon given for which is, that it will turn a ihower in that ftate better than when teafed out, and left open upon the field. The lead reflefHon may convince any one, that this )S both falfe reafoning, and bad practice. The great ob- je£t in making hay, is to dry it as quickly as poflible, with all its native juices in it; and the moft obvious method for this purpofe is, not to let it reft one moment after it is cut down, but to continue turning and turning it conitantly till (dry \ and if it (hould get a ihower during this operation, when lyipg loofe and open, the rain will pafs through it, and be foon dried up by a fucceeding bree^^e and fun ; and, at any ^e, there is every probable chance of coiling, L e. putting it in cocks, or getting it flacked in fafety fooner by thefe means than otherwife. It is well known, that rain deftroys the na- tive juices of every plant, if expofed to it for any time ; and ffl^en ha^ is fuSered %p lie in the fwarth, that part of it

whic|i

of Lofigforgan. 539

-which is undermoft neither fees fun nor feels air, while the upper part b blenched with both \ and, of courfe, as it muft remain much longer in the field before the under part la 'wio» the upper part is lofl ; and alfo, it will be much longer czpofed to accidents, from unfavourable weather ; the prac- tice, therefore, is bad, and the method above reconunended in every fenCe preferable*

Tsmotby Gra/s.-^Timoihj grals has alfo been tried ia this pariih ; but it yielded a coarfe vegetable, by no means to be compared with the rye-grais upon the fame field, and -while the laft remained, the Timothy was thrown out ia the winter, and left nothing but bunches (battered through the field \

Tares4

• Cattle, u well as erery other iTpecies of beftial upon the farm, are fed upon clover in the houfe, befides their paAure during the greateft ptit •f the fummer ; but great care (hould be uken not to give it to theniy while wet with rain, or to Cuffer cattle or cows to pafture upon young clo- ver while the morning dews remain upon the ground: For it is well known, that not only clover, but otlier fucculent vegeubles, when ate by cattle in that ftate, are apt to produce fuch a fudden, and violent fermenta- tion in the ftomach, as to end in fatal confequenccs, if not timeonfly pre- vented*

Thii difeafeis evidently produced by an extraordinary and fudden diileiu £on of the ftonucb, from an immenfe quantity of fixed air let loofe by the fermentation of thofe fucculent vegeubles; and as, from the nature and ftridure of thii vifcus, the more it is extended, the lefs capable it i!i to dif* charge any of its contents, of courfe, if not fpeedily relieved, the difeafe increafes, until a rupture of the ftomacb takes place, and death cnfuet.

If foon obferved, by an apparent fweUing and elevation on the aesr fids* not far from the fpine, gentle exercifc, by walking the anioul about, very frequently, tScAs the cure ; probably by alfiiling the pertflaltic motion of the guts, and promoting a difcharge of wind and foeces per ano, which ia the iirft favourable fymptom of the difeafe going off. To aid this, ainy remedies have been thought of and propofed ; and amongft others, a pound of fwect butter, melted and mixed with OU Aniii or 01. Junipiris, from en»

to

54^^ Stattjlical Accwuni

7af «i.— -Upon the Imrge fiuins, tares hsve htely been m* troduced and fown at different periods, fo as to come in faf

feeding

to two oancci, poared down the throat, has beeinifed with f^odk. It hu •Ifo been recommended, to fill an empty egg4hcU with tar, and to pot h down the throat into the ftomach with the hand. This alfo has been attend, cd with fucceia ; and at Caftle-Huntly above a doaen of catde ^rered upon the very firH eicperinicnt, after feeing diis remedy i in the newfpapen. To give this die better dumce of faccefs, the egg maft be kept whole in the hand, and piefied as far down as pofliblc, while the animal's head ik kept up by drofe who afGft at the operation, and who asay frcilitate t^e intiodu^on of the egg into' the' ftocdacfa, by ftroaks^ the outfidb of die difOat downwards, after die hand wfakh istAodnced die egg li repored }-^nd it is remarkable, that as foon as the animal has perfaoni deglutition, a quantity of foul ill fmelling air comes up, and ▼cry fooa after the difeafe begins to abate and to go off. It has alfo been propofed to force a round flexible ftick into the ftomach, from the idea, that if its nonth, (f . e, the mouth of the ftomach), can be opened by any meani, the cue will be eSe^ed ; which is a very reafonable cooje^re.

'But Dr Moirao at Edmbnrgh, the cekbrated Profeflbr of Aawtomy in thatUni^erf ty, has improved upon tkb. He fcconmeads afloaible tabe^ Bide of fptral wire, and covered with leather ; to one end of vi^iich ia fixed a hah knob Ml of holes, which is meant to be introduced into the ftonaarh, and as the tube is flexible, it fits itfelf to the throat, and being hollow, a ftrong wire, with a probe pouit, can be introduced at the opening of the other endr by which it can be kept as clear and pervious as poffible. This is cxticae* ly neceffivy ; for without fome fuch means, the holes in the brafs nab« and perhaps the tube itfelf, might be filled by the vifcous mucibginoiis nat- ter in the ftomach, and the inteutioo totally defeated. However, at aey rate, the introdiidlion of thtr inftrument is a great point gained ; and the firft explofion of detached air through the tuW, vnll moft probably gitc relief, while the wire keeps the pafiage open^-to render die xnnedy eorapkte and more cehain. Mr Walker in a book, pidiliflied in 1794^ under the title of Rowlings Cow Do^or, has given a full account of this elaftic tnbe,f copied frq^ the Caledonian Mercury, into which it was inferted in March 1791, with Dr MoNxo*s permiflion; and having got one of thefe tubes far black catde from Mr Still, cutler in Edinburgh, who makes them for eightftul- Ungs a-piecc, he got fome fvcfa made on a fmaUer fcale for fiieep, and tells us^ p. 123. " that they havobeen found of infinite fervice m iaving the Urea ** of ftieep tm^fiugbt or hrake^fiugbi ;'* by. whidk is uodcfftood, the fwd- Mug of the ftomach, from the fenaentatkw of the food.

Dr

of Longforgan. 541

feeding beftial» both hor&a and cattle, after the firft crop of clover, and to continue in fuccci&on ontil the fecond crop

be

]>r MoNxo has, fince that time, contrived an ixiftroinent of iron, made likewife by Mr Still, for keeping open the lOouth of the animal ; by the ufe of which, it will be found much eafier to pais the tube into the fio- macb ; which will give a better chance of fucceb, than any thing hitherto necommended, and« in moft cafeS, naay render ftbbing unneceffiuy.

The fuccefji of all tbofe remedies, however, depend upon their being *»' troduced into the ftoroach, which is in many cafes difficult, and in fome, if the difeafe be gone too far before it is obferved, it becomes impoilible : There dien remains no other hopes of relief, but by making an opening in the ilomach from without. This operation is here very common, and is frequently performed without much anatomical (kill in the ope- rator, and who in general is not very nice in the choice of his inftrument, taldng the firft knife he can lay his hand upon ; but what is moft lecom* mended, is a knifik of about four or five inches long, and about one inch bfottd, Whh a (harp point and fixed in a handle. He then marks the place for the Operation, by meaHiring with his finger and thumb extended* a fpan from the prominent point of the hip-bone forwards, and a little downwatds, fo as to mett another fpan meafured from the fpine or back- bone outwards, and at the point where thei^ meet, with one bold ftroke of bis inftrument, he penetrates the ftomach ; the nnprifoned air immediate- ly mfties out, and the animal is relieved.

This, although a coarfe operation, is certainly fo far eflfedlual, as it favcs the animal's Hfe : but if a milch cow, no more milk can be expe^ed from ber tliat fcafon ; and it is fumetimes very long before any defcription of cat- tle recover the cfiedls, either of the difeafe or the operation, or perhaps of both. Sometimes it is necefiary to keep the wound open for fome time, be- fore all the air be let out ; and fometimes it fuppurates, and becomes very troubleCbme to heal. It would feem to be a very great improvement on thia operation, were a trocar ufed inftead of the knife, and made on purpofe lar- ger than common, and which every man who has cattle (hoiild be always pro. vtded with The operatfon then might eafily be performed, and with great certainty. The trocar itfclf might be withdnwn immediately after the ope- ration, while the tube remained to give a free paflage to all the air in tlie ftomach ; and tlie.wound, in ail probability, would give no trouble, but Leal dheaiy.

Cattle are fubjedi to ether difeafes *, but they are little underftood in this part of the country. A cow 9 years old was taken ill July lalt The fitit fymptom of difeafe was her loathing her food ; aai on exaxaiaation it waa

ieuoi.

54^ StatiJHcal Account

be fit to cut. Varimis kbds of tares have been tried* Tiz« the flat vetch ; the large and iimall round tare ; the kft kind has hitherto been found the beft, both for fodder and feed. Thej are a moft ezcelknt food, and much liked both by cattle and horfes*

Winter T^iir/i.— -Mr Mjlne of Mjlnefield b the only one in this parifli who has tried winter tares. They are fbwn about Oftober, and may be cut about May. He thinks

them

found, that flie had been coftive for fomctime, had a dnllnefi and hcaTme& in her eyes, and was very much hide-bound. Some medicines were given for her coftivenefs, which anfwered very well; but her difeaic increa&^» a celebrated cow-doAor, from a neighbouring pariih, by trade a UMtforr, was fent for. After eiamination, he declared her to be elveihot; and aithoogh be pretended to point out the very holes under the ikin through which theclvan arrow had pal&d, yet Ihe was not fo bad as many he had Mecn, and tl|pie< fore he prefcribed and adrotniftered, but without effed : For fooo after a very large fwelling was difcovered between the forelegs, upon the briflcec* which feltfoft and pulpy. The cow went off her food entirely, her pulfe quick, breathing Diort, and in a few days fhe died. On dividing the faftf- ket, it was found full of a glary» jelatinous fubftance, and very mucji enlar- ged : and upon opening the thorax, the pericardium appeared extended t» an immenCe fiae, fo as to occupy the whole left divilion entirely. On pundiuring it a yellowilh fhiid ifltied out, which could not have meaiuied lefs than 6 or 8 Scotch pints (3 or 4 Englilh gallons), fo that the cow died of a hydrops pericardii.

On examining the cow-doAor, he faid he had often feen elvefhot cows^ fome of which he had cured. That be had feen fome drop down dead up- on the fpot : That he had frequently felt the tmpreffion made by the ehin arrow under the (kin ; for they can wound even mortally without any ca- temal appearance : That othen he had feen widi their whole body as A>ft as wool, (his own expreffioo) after death: That he had frequently picked up thofe arroDi'S, which were fmooth triangalar fmall pointed (tones or pebbles, like flints ; and it was his belief, that thofe who do tibe mirduef afe our goodly neighbours.

From this it will appear, that the belief in the exiflence of iaiiies is not yet quite eztinguifhed in this country ; but they have been very onjuftly blamed for killing cattle, as a ftroke of lightning is a nrnch more natural way of ac- counting for the mifchief, which however was beyond the fpbeie of their knowledge when ihis notion was very prevalent \ and die tiiaoguUr peb> blet are as innocent as our goodly neighboun.

of Longforgan. 543

them the befi food he ever tried for working faorfes. The flieep are fo very fond of them, that thej maj be fiud to devour them ; and for a week after tbej were taken off from them, thej did not eat the mod fucculent grafs with any relifli : they even preferred them to red clover, which, of all others, ufed to be reckoned their moft favourite food.

Lime, — ^Lime is now univerfally ufed as a ^lanure in this parifh ; and, after repeated trials, many good fiirmers feem difpofed to prefer the Charleftown, becaufe they think it contains fand, which makes it fitter for opening the texture of clay than the Engliih from Sunderland, efpecially the wbiteft kind, which they think contains chalk*. The quan- tity is, in general, 30 bolls South Sunderland lime, barley meafure, and 45 or 50 bolls Charleftown, wheat meafure, per acre, which is laid upon fallow after the dung is plough- ed in, and then harrowed, to. divide and mix it -, after which a very fliallow feed -furrow prepares it for fowiog. This may laft for two rotations -, that is, twelve years or more, according to circumftances ; but fome are of opinion, that it would be a good prance to give every fallow on clay about 10 pr 12 bolls of lime, harrowed in, in the fame man- ner. Upon thi3 pradice experience muft decide.

In ufing lime as a manure, many good farmers are of opi- nion that it ought not to be too much drexiched with water, but laid on as hot as poflible, efpecially in clay, and hs(r- rowed in immediately, to mix it with the foil : By which means, the more complete flacking of the lime would be left to the fucceeding rains, and it would then be more inti- mately mixed with the foil; and the clay, particalarly,

would

« The grettdl fault of the Charleibun lime, is the tail qptotitiei of Yolks (unburned fiones) it contains. The palion or blue liDM, ii much more in reqocik here than any other ; cypeocc froa a a. 44. to at. 6d* /cr bolt, and about jo bolls /rr acxe.

544 Stati/ikal Account

wotfld be mncb better dUTolved by the operation. £tcs . feme farmers have propofed to powder the burning lime- fliellf, inftead of flacking them, to anfwer this purpoCe more cffeduallj.

All black loam, (and, or an j kind of earthy fubftascc almoA, proves to be yer j good manore for clay ; from its leiTening its tenacity upon being mixed with it, and by that means brings a greater quantity of its prolific parts into adion ; and clay carried to poor foil, or to mofly grounds, proyes a v^ry ufeful manure.

MarL — ^Marl has alfo been tried on day, but arithoot ad* vantage. It anfwers well upon lighter lands, as far as 50 bolls (a cube of two feet each) per acre ; and in much kfi quantity, it makes an excellent top^reiBng fer gra&.

Com/o^/.— Compofb are not much in ufe in this pariA. But dunghills have been made up of different materials, fuch as, eanh, rubbifb from old boufes, dang from the flraw-yant, and, in fome few inftancesy lime, nibbifli, or marl ; but the praAfce is pot general, and as yet it b ooc confirmed by experience.

Hung^ Hints to Lartd/ords.^^'Dung never fliould be per. jnitted to go off the farm. The ftraw now. fincc threihing- mills came into general uTe, is fit for fodder or dnag only. The incoming tenant fhould have leave to fow grals feeds in ]i-6th of the farm, without any claim or demand by the cutgoing tenant. If tlie Landlord gives him leave to fell his lafl crop upon its foot, f. e. fianding com and fodder, he Ihould be obliged to fell it by public roup (audion), that the incoming tenant, or any one on the barony, may have an op- tion of buying it if they pleafe . If he chafes to threfh it out* it {hould be done on the farm, and the fodder either fold by public roup, or to the incoming tenant by appraifbmcixt. It would be an excellent regulatioui if every new tenant

were

^Longforgan. 545

were enabled to enter xrfth a proportion of fallow on claj^ • as well as grals ; and with the dung in the flraw* jard» in the fame waj as if the outgoing tenant were to continue. This Mr Paterfon has been enabled to do^ upon two farms^ by buying the dung, and a proportion of fallow, from the creditors of an outgmng bankrupt-tenant^, and giving them to his faccefibrs, and taking them bound in their tacks (leafes) to leave the dung and the fallow on the fame terms at. the expiry of their leaie*

Inchfuris. — In the upper part of this pMfli, many of the famu are incloCed and fubdivided mth hedges and ftone dikes, (fences); and indeed there are fome few hedges round the extremities of the farms in the low Carfe ; but» in general, every other fence but the ditch is reprobated by Carfe farmers. They iky, that the hedges not only harbour numberlefi fmall birds, which defiroy a great deal of com \ but they prevent the wind from drying their clay ground in fpring, and winning their corns in autumn, which, they think of much more confequence than any fhti* ter their proteftion can afford againft (baking winds.

Chafe imd Butter. ^^V^ry tolerable cheefe is made ia this pariih, and a confiderable quantity of excellent butter, which are difpofed of to private families, efpecially the butter, which is in great re^ueft, or fent to the Dundee market* It has been a general opinion, that very good butter can alone be made from the milk of cows fed upon very old paftnre ; but the greater part of the butter made in this parifh, which is acknowledged to be excelleot, is made from the milk of cows fed upon cloverp of one or two years at moil : For here the clover is (own with the barley ;

Vol. XIX. 3Z the

P H. B. This tenant 'was a visual- merchant.

54(^ Stati/Heal Aeccmu

the following jesir it gives a crop dF haj, or )s eol finr tin borfes or cows, and it afterwards pkmghed op for die crop of oats or wheat to fi>Uow ; (b that die iarmefa here have PQ old grais.

Bees. — ^Bees. thrive well in thb pariih, and predaae et*

* cellent honey ; and in the gardens at CaftlevHnndy, wham

there are a variety of fragrant Iflowen, pardcularly gmt

quantities of minionette, fown on porpofe, honey Ins been

got little inferior to Minorqa, both in colour and flavour.

Hops.r^lx is very probable heps nsight thrive here, as, ia many places, the foil is ahon dantly rlph £ar that porpofe ; hoxjbiber is wanting,

Setd-timer'^SetA^tDt for wheat, September, ia the clay ; Odober, and even November, on the brae laadi apoerd- ing to the feafoo, which tbejr are moft anjooos to catdi, efpecially in olay, while the ground is dry, otherwiiie they run a rifle of lofing it altogether x But in the loam or brae land, they do not wiQi to fow before the middle of Oftober; and good &rmers are not anxious that fiich grounds fhould be too dry, but rather prefer moifaire, ihould the harrowa even trail, while they are fowing; as they think it a great mean of preventing annual weeds from mfhing up amongft the crop. Bioms are frcquendy (own |n the clay upon the wheat-fiubhle in broad caft,sandploQgh« ed in about the end of February, or beginning of March, that . is, as foon as the plough can touch i;he ground; and about a fortnight, or a longer time afterwards, fome farmers few hafty peafe upon the fame furrow, and harrow them in, after which very good crops have been gotten } aUb^ drill- ing beans may be ufed to great advantage upon clay, but the ground ihpu)4 be prepared b^ a winter furrow, and in

the

oflMtgfi>rgan. 547

the fpfiaf by another farraw, as early as tbt 'feabii will per« ittiti immadiatelj afttr which it is faarrowcdy then ploagK* ed aorofr tbe ridgta, and the beans fowa iir every third fat« tow * : After fowing, barrow the field well, aod then let it lie until the beans be near appearing through the ground } tlMn harrow it again to deftroy the annuals 9 and after the beans* afipeardifttnftlyi hand4ioe them, harrow between Ae irilll with a narrow barrow, and proceed aa in dreffing other dirillad erQps. Upon black Iftod, beams are fown in ge« flierally in bngitedinal drills, ih the month of March \ fenfi^ Mmt€b and Afrih eefi, Mar^ and Aprils barley, from Apf>il to Jane, aecording to tlie fpecies of the grain \ the lincnloiluM flMuld be fowa very early* Grsis fireds, which confift of rye-grais and red clover, are generally fown with the barley, becaofe the ground is better prepared \ but they aafwer fiiUy as well with oats f , or even among wheat, when foWn eariy in the Tpfing ; the ground being firfi open-^ ed with a lt|^ harrow, and then rolled in ; which operation is, ttt geneml, of great advantage to the wheat,* as it opens the feH, and makes the yoong plants /dri or tillar better.

The prioelpal reafon of fewing the grafs Sreds amongft barley, is probably on actonnt of the rotation of fixes. How far this pra£Hee ought to be adhered to, or if any variation may be introduced with fucce&, the experience of farmers mud judge. But, in general, the barley in clay is but an indifcrent crop, and therefore fome Tarmers are trying early oata in their room, or even common oats, which, in general, gtv6s the heft crop*

l^icHKng

^ Thh is \rf much dft bdt mediod upon clay, as evtrf drill, nay, evety Autvw, fcrvvsas a dnun, and kteps die ground perftaiy dty; as all the iMi wm aU inio Om fiinem bstwNa die iid|M^ wfaudi muft be lu^rt opttt fur that pttipele.

t Perinpsdiecropofgtaisttniorectitsin^astthasshctterchapctfroai thefpring rains.

548 Siatiftkal AccmM

Pickling Seed WbeaU^AH the wheat for feed uadecj^o^ a preparattcniy which here they cdl {nokliog, u e. thej fprinUe it with ftaleudnef aad thea riddle powdered qsick* Ume upon tt* taming it all Ihe time with ihovelt* uattt the grain be comidetdijr covered with a white em^. It b Ifaea earried pot to the fiekl» and fowa immediately. •Thia has been an ellabbihed praftice for many yeaia> and it it £ol' lowed* from experieaoe of .its utiti^. It is very pfohaUe that it fervea to qiuekcB vegetation, a^ to pcev^ft vemin from delhoying the feed. It la alfo a good pvafiiee to Iwim the feed in a ftrong brifke. Or pickle, of fea iakt aiade iftrong enough to bear an egg, to take off all the lighi gain, which fwiois. on the furfaoe^ aad then* lioie the reft toi iced.

Smut in TViiat,^^The operation of pickling baa been tap^ pofed an effedual remedy againft finut (blake) in wheat} hut it certainly is not fo» Whatever may be the canle of this dileafe is difficult to by } but it is by no means peca» liar to wheat ; it is very remarkable in barley, aad alfo in oats ; but amiongft them it ^te difappears ia the threfliiog, and therefore is not noticed*^ Sound ears have beea fDund^ to all appearance from the fame root, and even fome faiod grains of wheat upon the fame ear with imut. Some have thought it was an infeft, and that it was in&Aious, and if fown with other ieed would produce finutty com: lUs is not true, for' the experiment has been fairly tried herct 0^ fmutty and found wheat mixed, and even fbme of theli&Bt bruifed, and the crop did not differ in any reipeft from the reft of the field. It may be in fome refpeds from the Ces- fon, and in fome from the feed; perhaps from fome impcF- fediouxin the maturation of particular grains, totally im- perceptible to us, the caufes of which we are ignorant 0^ sad which may never be in the power of man to remedy. Tbe

beft

'^ longforgafU 54^

\ preventiooi perhaps, in our povvef is found feed ; to e^M whadi, fwimmiDg in brine feema to be an excdlese ^r%etliOd ; but, as it is alio probaUe that the pongenc j of Cli4e ftak nriae, inef ufied wkh Kme, may be ft protection to ^fti« fted from Tarioiis infeds, while it promotes vegetatiotiy ^ere both operations combined, it might be of advantage. .A^fter the whe^t is fwimmed, and the tbiind heavj part sQone reftirved for feed, let it be* dried by frequent tnmin^ in ihe bsni-floor) then, when dry, fprinkle it with the ftnle ttrine and liaie, as »lrefldy mentioned. It is very pro^ l>able the good confequences will f^pay the farmer for dl fcis labour.

On fidlow well prepared, 6 pecks to half a boll of wheat xnay be fown upon the Scotch acre, according to the foil «ind feafon, of which the farmer muft judge. If after clo- ^cr, peafe, or beans, or later in the feafon^ more feed will l>e neoeflary.

Harvf^g^-'-^Thit (hearers are generally hired fofr the ivhole taarveft, and their wages have, iince^78o, Taried from 20 s. to the men, to 30 s. and upwards ; and to the ivoaaen, from 14 s. to 10 s. ; and if by the day, from xo d« •o ^c d. or more, to the men ; and from 6d. tois. ta the ^^osnen.

y'iauaU.'^Ml the fliiearers get bread and beer in the fields i. r. a cboppin (of about an EngUik quart) of beer, and th» bread of x.i4th of a peck of oatmeal for breakfaft $ and for dinner! 3 mutcbkins (pints) of beer, and i-X4th of a peck of meal in bread} and with fome, it is alfo a pradice ta get half a lippie of oatmeal every night, 1. e. i-8th of a peck, while the harveft lafts, for their fupper, which they

ij either ufe, or take home to their fiunittes. Harveft ' ^ nfuallv

95* Statiltfad AtemA

lObally Mi from x6 1^ M dajt, nleft tlie

QMItMNllj bad. SOQM fiUtMMV fal t

tl tMDM gO( p«ffOM to ^BttWaft to COt i

»coiatii film ^ acfCf fr«m5«*tD(t«i hiK dMfeafefev, and it MMWt la gencfali gi^wo «fb ftabtUy fnm mm/L of

.The ezpeacc^of hivTtfi niiift varjr accofdii^ to the pfke of viAm), and tke flito of the Mather. If the oaftroral ise imxt it will ooft more, aod oicv oar^bi aad if tho wcaifacr be bad* aad dmw the barveft cot ^ a modi kogar peried Ihaii iifoal, it wiU ceA mote*

In 1780, upon a &rm in this parifli, the harveft caA 59. jNracco*

1017811 - ja. Sd«/eraGr&

X78a, «- ^ tfa«

1783* • • 78. ltd.

1784, - - 7s. 8d.

1785 and 1786, - 79. Aodfioce that time it has been as high as 9a. aod xe«./«r tae, tncludiag the whole expenoe of bringing dbe \ \ the bara-jard.

Mtiidm Ftafi.'^t was, till verj httly, the give what was called a Maiden Feaft, upon the finiOung of the harveft; and to prepare for which, the kft-handfiil of com reaped in the field was called the Matden. tins ^m generallj contrived to fall into the hands of one of thf fineft girls in the field ; was dce&d op hi ribbands, aad brought home in- triumph, widi the mnSc of Bddles or bag- pipes. A good dinner was given to the -whole band, aad the evening' fpeot in joviskj aad dancing, whtte the for- tunate li^ who took the maiden was the Qneen of the &aft ; after which, thk handfol of corn wm drefled cat, ganerally in the form ofa €ro&, and hung np, with die

date

(kne of-the 3ne«r» in ioiiie coofpiMtoM part of thft hmh,* Tbis cnftom is now ta^Jrcly done awaj \ and ia ks reoiiit to cadi dmrer ia given 6d. andgloaf ofiin^ Ho^avcv fome fimnarit wheo aU tbtir ooias ate brottghl in, giva their iibrvaiita % dinaer> and a jovial eveoisg, bj wj^. o£ Harveft^hoaM.

• .-» E9^fe4C0 ^7i^/i^ia^.*-«Thraflii«g eat tba ooros uiad to be a vary exp^vc articlc» cfpamUy wbcii doi|t^ by la* boorart po day^vagte ( but the geoetai pra&ice wat-a asth . pan of the grain. Upon a farm in thia parilb, of 180 acrcs» it ooftt on an araiage of 6 yearst about L. 3a, varj aoarlj a 9. 6 d. fir acre. This operatioi^ is now perfiMnad en« lirelj by the tbrefliiag-mill.

itoA£r.— Previous to the year J7j)o, all the roads through die Cai'fe of Gowrie were exceedingly bad ; and the whole fiatnte labour of this parifh was found infufficient to uphold the four miles of poft road which pafliis through it. That year an a£fc of Parliament was obtained to make certain roads in the county of Perth tumpikci and amongft others the road through th« Carfe from Perth to Dundee, and its three-brancheS) leading to the harboufs of PolgaVie, Errol, and Incfayra ; which, by the liberal fubfcription and un- wearied attention of the proprietors, are now made equal to the befi road^ in the kiogdoca, bat at the espcnce of L. 13*000 to the Carfe proprietors, who are troftees. Since that time the truftees have made it a rule to apply the ftatute labour, through the whole Carfe, lolely to the bye- roads, or other roads of communication. In the pariih of Longforgan, not only this rule^ has been obferved, but the heritors have contributed largely for the fame purpofe, to the amount of feveral hundred pounds i by which means f<;vcral of thcie roa^Sy already made are very little inferior

to

55^: StM^kal 4ceomt

todbe tunipike ; and as the whok of whftt bas been projce- taA is naw.currTi&g into execution, the- Gommimicatioa froia Ibe diferent puts of this parifl^ and indeed throofh the whok Cadet with the neighbouring market towns and har- hNm, w^l be fe eafy to the firmer, as to account in a great meafure for the riie of the value of land in this put of the coontr J. Thu Ihould (erye as an encouragement to coun. trj gentlemen to exert themfelves in making good roads, ns the gieattft improvement, and beft laid ouc mc^ej the j can expend upon their efiates ; as it enables' the ftrmer to perfiyrm all his labour at much leis expence, and of couris to paj a better rent widiout diminilhing his profits *. One vemark here b neceffary, that in this pariih, and indeed in general through the Carfe, care has been taken to applj the fiafutc labour of each farmer, as much as poUible, to thofe roads alone moll u&ful to him*

Gemtraf

# It IS t well known USl that previous to the yetr 1790, a great pan of Jthc interior of the Carfe ofGowrje waS pcrfcAly inacceffible to ctrts for almoft half the year ; fo that they were obliged to deliver their prodncc «• horfeback ; and the very idea of bringing lime or dung from any difisnce arts fcaite to be entertained, except under the moft favoorable circnniao- ccs» Now. there is not a Hxm. in the Carfe bot what is acceffible is every points and at all times, to caru loaded with 13 or 14 boils of wheat, or it bolls of barley, or 4) bolls of lime (halls, or 16 cabic feet of dang, at leaft, and at a moft trifling czpence ; for within the coaoty, the turnpike toll a bat ^ d. for which a cart with two horfes can deliver produce, or bring )ime. &c. from tome one part or other, to almoft any place in the Carfe, t» the extent of three loads in fummer, of the above amount, and two in winter, per day : For roada of communication they pay nothing. Is \i po£b!c then to point out the advanuge of good roads to farmen in ftronger tem» } and. Is there any one man of any defcription, who feels thatjadvantage more .' ^ot one. ^or is there an'OWner of any one article conveyed iqiuo the.'f {roads, fo amply rcimburfed as tlie Carfe farmer is, for the tolls be pays upoa his lime and dting : Indeed very little dung is brought from any diftaace to C%i^% f^r<&s ; thc^ in general are ferved within themfclvcs,

L.6 lo	o
1 7	o
7 16	o
9 lo	o
xo o	0
lo 7	0
xo i6	a

Oitieral Pr^dmcf^ tmtt EwpeHce of jEa/^oar.-^Th6 cfop« ndfed in this pariOi are g6od iti general \ Upbli the cky groimd, on an average from 7 to 6 bolls per acre ; and on the loam, different accordiilg to thie quatitj of the foil« and the fkiQ of the Cstrmet : ' But the e^pence is verj great| being no le6 than L. 3,t>f L. 3, ^si per acr^. This may in a great meafore be owing to the very high wages of fer- vantSy both male and female^ >vhich has-incteafed of hte td on extraordinary degree : F^rm ftrvants wages were in' 1 7801 m1xH)t L« 5.

In 1781, * • •

1783. -

X789,

X790,

1791. 1791,

i793t - -

x?959 ^^ fome, as far as L« XI, or 1% gaiat^s per onnMm^ and women from L. 3 to Li 4 ; many of the women, how- ever, get pan of their wages in lint, cloth, i^c, : So that vrithin thefe 15 years, wages have been doubled and more. The farm fervants indeed are now better clothed, and in eveiy refped make a much better appearance : It is much to be widied, that their good behaviour and induftry would keep pace with their rncouragmenti which is not always the cafe.

Labourers fTa^w.— Labourers wages fo late as 17771 were at 7 d in winter. 8 d. 9 d in fummer ; now they are from I s. to I s« 6d. : ' Wrights were then i s. \ now i s. 8d. Mafons were then i s. ad. now 2 s. : Taylors 6d* and their meat formerly ; now i s.

Ancient State of the Air/r.-— There is a tradittoa nmver* fally prevalent through this part of the country, that for* merlj the river Tay oocupisd a very different bed from what it

Vol. XIX, 4 A does

554 Stati/lkal ABc&mi

iocs at prefient. That it catered the Cade tygflwawi of Inch jra, and fliaped its conxfe along thotb grounds which •fe ftill hollow, and remarkably low between the efiites of Glencarfe and Pitfour ; that it approached the hills at Glen- doicky and continued fkirting them eaftward by Pitroddj, I1awcraig» Craigdilly, Battendean, Baledgamo, and Roffie. ThatattheSnabsof Drimmie«it£ent oOFa portion of its wa> ten, which entered this parifli between the hiUs of Forgan aid Dron, direfiing its coorfe eaftward through that vale, and after receiving ieveral bums or rivulets in its pafige, emptied it&lf into its parent river at lovergowrie, or the mouth of the Gowrie.

That the river Earn continued its ieparate ooorlc till it was joined by the Taj below Enrol ; That the whok low grounds of the Carfe of Gowrie were then covered with water, out of which arofe a number of iflands or inches, which retain iheir names to this day, fuch as, Inchyra, or Ittchflieriff, Inchcoontns, Inchmichael, Megginch, Inch* martin, and Inchture : That the rock upon which Caflk- finntly now (lands was then wa(hed with water ; and that the ftones of which the original Ibrtalice was built were brought by boats from Kingoody,

There is no written teftimony known to the author of .this paper which confirms this tradition ; but HeAor Boe* theus, when mentioning the lands given to the Hays, aa- ceftors of the prefent Earl of Kinnoul, for their gallant be^ haviour at the battle of Luncarty, which waa fought (boe time in the tenth century, lays, that they got a falcon's flight : * She flew between Inchyra and Roflle, a town foar ' miles weft of Dundee, and fo they gat all the lands be* < tween Errol and the Tay/ If this be correfl, it favoars the conjedure, that the Tay then came fomewhere near Roflie, and that the greateft part of the Carfe was included in the royal gift. However, there are a number of other

ciicumflaoctf

9f Longfbrgatu 555

ctrcBinftftiices which woald feem to give ccmntenance t* the tradition. The fuppofed original bed of the river, not- withflandbg the difiance of time when this change if laid to have happened, and the improvements of thefe 50 jears back, is fiill low, morafly, and fwampy, almoft throogh its whole courfe. In man j places, it iis afiually covered with water ftill; and it abounds with the (ame fpecies of marfli* reed, which grows upon the verge of the river Tay, about Errol, Monorgan, Seafide, &c. Upon feveral places near the hills are ibnnd fand banks and gravel, particularly at Glencarfe, Rait, Caftie-Huntly, in the vale between For- gan and Dron, &c. ; and the upper fiirface of the low Carle ground is a perfeft clay, very much of the fame nature with that depofited in the bed of the prefent river, which is expofed to view by the reflux of the tide } while thoie rifing grounds, ftill called Inches, confift of a rich black loam, mixed with gravel, the under ftratum of which is till and red ftone rock« There is a bluflf point in the eaft part of this pariih, in the courfe of that branch, which is fuppo* lied to have been the Gowrie, called Denmark to this day, and where the country people fay the Danes landed, but which at prefent is more than a mile from the river, and no water near it, but a fmall rapid rivulet. Even Forgan is fuppofed to owe its name to the 4i^iding of the river, from the Gaelic pronunciation of the word ; and it is faid, that there are charters, one for Bambrieh in Fife, now upon the fouth bank of the Tay, but which formerly was faid to be bounded by the Earn or Ironfide *, and another, either for Flawcratg or Craigdilly, where, it is faid, i^n rings had been found fixed in the rocks^ for fSidtening (hips, and that in the charter there is the rematkable exprellion— I/^&t olim naves ligabantur.

Whether there be any truth in thefe, or if there be, at frhat period this great ^ange upon the Catfe happened, v^

55$ Stati/liMl 4c€0Uttt

not eafy to faj ; although it is faid (opon what aotlMxity is not known to the author of this paper) to have taken place Ibme time in the twelfth centur;, or earlier^ as Came are in- clined to fuppofe. But it is remarkable, that icveral of thofe iflands have Chriftian names, while the places upoa the rifing grounds andjiills, fuppo&d then to have bounded tlM river; are evidently more ancient, and probaUj on^ nal|Gaelic ; the names of many of them being deicriptive of their iituation in that language. And if there are diarteis which contain any fuch exprefEons as thole mentioned, the period mud have been very remotei and might aifixiallj liave happened in the twelfth century, or earlier.

Monorgan might have been at that time a much larger eftate, which indeed is extremely probable ; for even in the memory of men now living, many acres of that eftate have been carried away by the river. Great encroachments have alfo been made upon other eftates in the Carfe from the fame caufe. Hence it is alfo very probable, that the fpacious I^ay between Errol and Kingoody has acquired its prefent extent and fhape, by the united exertiooa of the Tay and Earn, oppofed to the flood-tide from the (ca.

The various fubifarata in this diftrift might likewife be a fubje£l of curious invefiigation* By an examination lately taken at the braes of Monorgan and Polgavie, where the river Tay has made its greateft encroachments, and where the banks are firom 19 to ao feet perpendicular height, tbe following ftrau can be difliodly traced : ift^ A browniib flay, mixed with fand and vegetable earth, about J^^ ^tti deep, forming the prefent prolific upper furface. ^d^ About ^ four feet deep of a browniOi free day, with a proportion cf | {i[ind, but no vegetable matter. The cnly di&rence be- tween thefe two is probably owing to cultivation, manure, ^un and air. ^d^ About 2 feet 3 inches of a poor jrellowiiti <^y, viihoQt £uid) but mixed viitb cockle, moick, and

cih^r

"\

rf Longforgah. 557

Oiiber marine AeOs, but no vegetable fobftadces. 41^, A

ftroQg blue clay, ^i £eet deep, containing fea fheOs, and

roots of vegetables^ the growth of which would. ieem to

have been checked by the fuperincumbent firatum. $tb^

^Ifo a ftrong blue claj, with yellowiih feanM in it, about

5 feet detep^ and containing a much greater proportion of ve*

^etable fubftances than the 4th ftratum, but under like cir-

cumftances. The river rifes to the furface of this ftratum

in fiream tides. 6th^ Three feet deep of the £uxie kmd df

firong blue clay, mixed with more than double the quantity

of vegetable roots than in the 5th firatum, but which alfo

feem to have been bom down, and their vegetation extin-^

guiihed by fome fuperior preflure. Thefe three are fepa^

rated from each other by a fmall feam of {and and clay,

ivhkh forms a pretty ezafi line of divifion, and through

which the vegetable roots do not feem to have paiTed. ^tb^

A real peat mofs, near four feet deep, quite full of various

kinds of vegetables, with roots, trunks, and branches of trees ;

the furface of which forms the bed of the Tay ; io many

places of which the mois can be diOindly traced, perfedly

entire, dean, and firm, without having received the leail

injury from the flux and reflux of the tide *, and out of which,

at other places, great quantities of peats for fuel have been

dug at different periods, and are fo dill. It is very re*

jnarkable, that in this firatum many roots of large trees

are to be found, principally allar (alder) and birch, at

about 13 feet diflant from each other, perfedly upright, in

the (ame fituation in which the trees had originally grown^

with their ramifications extended among the mofs, and fome

of their fmaller fibres penetratmg the clay below. The.

trunks and branches of the trees lying horizontally are all

frefli, and have the appearance of having been borne down

and laid flat by fome powerful caufe } and what is alfo

veiy

55S Siatf/lical Account

vtrj remarkable, many of the root» feem to have had tlidr tmnks cat off about fix inches above the original forfncc. Sib, Immediatelj below the peat molb is blue claj, with- out any mixture, and no vegetable roots or fnbftances ••

* A miu) now living, and jt yean of age, who has funk 23 pit veDs in ferenX parts of the Carfe, fays, that after he penetrated the cultivaird fiir- fiaice,he always found about ten feet of browniib clay, without Tcgctabk roixtnre, under that blue clay with vegetable roots and fca Ibelh, and gc- neinUy at about 19 feet deep he found peat moft from 3 to 9 inches deep ; rhen blue clay again with vegetable noots of diierent depths from 9 in- chea to 6 feet, and under that about two feet deep of peitf ino(s again, compofed of oak, fir, beech and hazel wood. That he has feen taken oot of this mofs deers horns, (kulls and other bones. Below this mofs he gew nerally found blue clay and qulck-fand tinged black with the mofs. The wells he dog wire from 16 to .^4 feet deep ; and when be fell in with qa^k-fand before he came to the mofs, he generally found, at aboot li feet deep, a fpring of pure foft waticr, free Qf any mineral tafte ; but when he was obliged to go deeper, and to penetrate the mo(s before he found a fpring, the water had a mineral ufte, and when mixed cold with fpirits, it turned them as black as ink. This man alfo fays, he has fietioent. ly feen oak and fir tfees taken oot of the bcacs, after being nncovctcd by the tfdc.

Jn the year 1780, when digging in a fwamp at Caftle Huntly, to make a piece of water, about fix feet below the furface, a very targe oak tree was loond, Mng with its top eaftward. Tluit part of it which lay acrois the excavation appeared to be the two laige top branches, of about i\ feet in diameter ; tlie trunk of which muft have been of very large dimenfion^ The branches were cutout and taken up, and were found to be hard and ^relh, but as black as ebony. The body of the tree was fuffered to irmain, led ia taking it up it had made an opening for the water to efcape : Bot it is ftill to be feen, on one fide of the piece of water, and may at any time be followed out, were it thought a fufficient obje^ of inquiry to ^ cu. rions. It is from this mofly ftratum of vegetable fubftances, no doubt, that the marth reed rifc^, and (hews itfelf in many fieLls through the Carfe ; as they are found to be fo deep, as to defeat every attempt to get them roou^

efLongforgan. 559

Amifmtiis.'^T^t remain» of antiquitj in this parifliare but few« Caftle-Huntlj, alreadj defcribed, is the onlj baildiog which has any daim to antiquity, fince the old church at Longfbrgan was taken down. In the midft of a plantation of firs, which was part of the muir of Forga» about 30 years ago, is a tumulus or barrow \ its central mound about 5 or 6 yards high, and a8 yards diameter \ the furronnding ditch, out of which probably the earth had been taken for its formation, 10 yards wide« It ftill bears the name of the Market Knowe, (knoll), as the markets were held there formerly ; and the country people remark, that although the whole ground round it was then covered with heath and broom, the Knewt always preferred a beautiful green fward* Some openings have been made in it, and coffins found, confifttng of four rude longitudinal ftones, and two fmaller ones at each end, containbg human (keletons.

A few years ago there was found, fomewbere about this tumulus, an earthen pot, containing 700 filver pieces, about tlie fize of a fizpence. Upon one fide a head crowned, with Edward^ very difttnd; and on the reverfe a crofs, with •* • in each divifion, and round it, London CiviiaSf very plain ; and four pieces, alfo of filver, fame fize; on one fide a crowned head, round it, Altxandtr Dti gratia ; and on the reverfe a crois, with a ftar of fix rays in each divifion, and round it, Scotorum Rex^ very plain. Thefe were found by a man in this parifli, whofe bufineb gave him firequent op- portunities to be about the place, and privately fold to a fliopkeeper in Dundee for L. xo or L. 11 ; and it was by the greatcft accident the circumflance came very lately to the knowledge of the author of this paper, who has now a piece of each in his poflcflion* He had his information fitit from a very refpedable tradefman in Dundee, who is alfo an ingenious antiquary, who faw them all counted, abont

two

$60 StaHftical Account

two or three jears ago« and kept the two pteoeti from which this deficription is taken. He added, that they were all in a ftate of high prefervattolk. This was accompanied with another piece of curious information $ that, nearly abooc €be fiune time, there was feond in the parifli of Inreterity, in the county of Forfar, jnft fnch another pot, containing ex- adly the fame number of the fame filver coin, viz* 700 c£ Edward I. and four of Alexander. Upon which he made an ingenious conjednre, that thefe depofits, very probabl j, had been the wealth of two brothers, who had divided it equally, and had hid it each in his own pariib, and had been kiQed during the troubles in thofe days.

About a dozen years ago, in making a new road throogh a fandy hill between this pariih and the pan(b of Rqffie, fome coffins, of the kind above mentioned, were fioond, alio containing human (keletoas, and fome pieces of money, both filver and. copper. The filver, about the fize of a fixpence of Henry IV. very legible. Some of the copper, with^irr de lis^ but nb legible iofcription ; and fome which appeared to have been hammered only, quite rode, and without any mark of infcription or figure, both aboat the lame fize with the filver coin.

Upon the eaftem boundary of this pariih, but now in the pariih of Benvie, is the remains of a fort, or fortified camp, evidently Roman, from its fquare Ihape, and its name, Cat-^ $er Mellie^ certainly a corruption of ^uatuor MiUe^

At about three miles diftance, and upon the top of the hill of Dron, is the remains of a fortification, which appears to have been built of rude ftones and turf. It is roundiin, or rather oval, foUowing the fliape of the hill, and occupr-) ing a fpace of about two Scotch acres ; towards the fouth it has three retrenchments, or banquets, rifing above one an* other, as the hill afcends. It is now planted, and will very ibon be totally obliterated. This, with another, fomethicg

cf the Ikine kind, in the adjoining pariih of Abeinyte, and that on Danfinnan-hiU, might have been part of a chain of poflf, ninning diagonallj acrois that range of hilk'firom the Carle to Strathmore. Thefe, from their Aape, moft either have been Daoilh or Scottifli ; moft probably the latter, as thaj prefent a fiice to the point of invafion. There is alfq n ruin near Lochtown, about which even tradition is filent. The parilhes, in general, would appear to have beea much fmallcr formerly than now. For, at Dron, there if the remains of a church or chapel, and burjing-gronnd ; and upon the grounds of Monorgan, alfoin this parifli, there is the remains of a burjing-ground, which moft likely had a chapel attached to it*

There is alfo, in a field near Forgan, a tombftone, cover* ing a grave or graves, where the country people fay fome perfonsVere buried, who died of the plague laft century. It had an infcription to that purpofe, but is now de&ced.

About 1 6 or 17 years ago, digging (bme trenches pretty deep for drains upon the bank below the eaft end of For- gan, were founa feme large ftones, lying in fucb an arranger ment, as gave the appearance of the foundation of a large building, which is fuppofed to have been fome religious cfiablifliment.

There is a very refpedable man in Longforgan, of the name of Smith, a weaver, and the farmer of a few acres o£ land, who has in his pofleflion a ftooe, which is called Walr lace's ftone. It is what was formerly called in this country a htarfiwu^ which is made hollow like a large mortar, and was made ufe of to unhuik the bear or barley, as a pre- paration for the pot, with a large wooden mell, long before barley-mills were known. Its ftation was on one fide of ^e door, and covered with a flat ftone for a feat, when not Vox.. XIX. 4B ^ otherwife

jgSt StatiJHcal Accouni

otherwife employed. The moft remarkable part of tfat hiftorj of which is, that upon this ftone Wallace lat in iw way from Doodee, when he fled, after kUling the gover- nor's fon, and was fed with bread and milk by the good, wife of the houfe, from whom the man, who now lives there, and is proprietor of the flone, is lineally de&codcd, and here his forcbeers (anceflors) have lired ever fince, to fiearly the fiune ilation and circnmfiances^ £ar aboot 509 years,

NUM.

yfMaddert^i 563

NUMBER XXV.

PARISH OF MADDERTY,

(County of Perth, Stkod of Perth and Stirling, Presbytery of Auchterarder.)

By a Friend u Statifiical InquiriiSm

ShmaiiQttf ^c.

THIS parifh is fituated on the weftern boundaries of the parilhes of Gafk and Trinity-Gafk, and on the eaft- era of Crieff. It has Fowils on the north, and part of Tri- nitj-Gaik on the fouth.— -The climate is confiderably wet and cold. The low and damp lands alongft the banks of the water of Pow are believed to be produdive of Theuma^ tilms, a diieafe of which the inhabitants of that difirid fire** quentlj complain.

Pow. — ^The only watef or rivulet worth notice in the pa- rilh is the Pow, which, for a long way, is confined in a canal or cut that was dug to ftraighten its courfe near a century

•go*

5^ Statyiical Aceant

ago. This cot U about 24 fiwt in widths and 6 in depdu The defcent is fo verj fmall, that die water appears goe- rallj to be flagnant. The hnds adjacent are low and H which, with other circumftanccs, ezpofe them to firtquest inundations. This would not be altogether un£mmbk to their agrtcultural improvements, could thelie floodii^ be kept under contronL This, perii^ii, could be cafiljsc- compliihed b j fmall embankments and fluiees, or kinds of locks, ereded'in proper places, ibr the managrment of tfac water. At prefent, the damage occafionaflj faftaiiiffi oa dkle elands is very confidarahle. No encoBffgemmt is held out to the &rmer to inftitute any kind of improve- ments upon them. Much good foil is carried away by in- • nndations, or in a great meafure ruined by ftones and gn- vel thrown upon it. lime and dung, that may be i^p&d toK their finrtilizatioo, are Ibmetimes carried oi^ or mudi injured by the water % and the crop^ elpedally in harveft» is always in danger of being whoDy IfA. A navigaUe a- nal through this part of the country, from Perth to Crie$ could be made at a (mall ezpence, and woold be of great advantage to a large and populous didrifi.

JEmr^— The valued rent of the pariih is L. 347a: i : 8 Scots; and the real rent may be about L. 1500 Sterliif*

Pcj^ttitfibfr.— According to^Dr Webder's account in 1755, the number of inhabitants of Madderty amonsted to 996. At prefent, (1795)9 it is 00 more than 631, whicb makes a decreafe of 165.

Agriadtvrt, — Hufbandry here has not been carried to diat flate of perfefiion to which it has arrived in fome dif- trifis of the county. A climate rather cold and wet, and s foilof aconfiderably ftiffcky in mod places, have cootri- fcttted to retard, in this neighbourhood, the advancement

ofMadderty. 565

•f agricttlHtfttl improvements. Sometbbg, however, bats been done in the melioration of the Ibtl, and in the fyflem of croppmg. Lime and marl have been tried with fuccels; mnA the lowing of graffes has been attended with great pto- fit to the huibandman. Farms, in general, are fmall, gi* ▼ing from L, 15 to L. 50 Sterling a-jear. The largeft in the pariih pays L, 90 Sterling a jcar. Although almoft wholly arable, yet very little of the parifli is inclofed ; a cir- cumftanoe which is attended with much inconveniency and I0&. More grain is produced than is neqeiTary for the ufe of the inhabitants. The common Scotch plough, with two horfes without a driver, is lately got into prafiice. Ploughs of Mr Small's conftrudion have alfo been introcuced. The land, in fome places, contains great numbers oi JU-fa^ ftones, which prove to be great obftruffions to its improve- ment. The Rev. Mr Ramfay, the prefent incumbent, who occupies a piece of land full of theie ftones, conftruAed a machine for the pnrpofe of railing them« It operates on the principles of the pully and cylinder, or wheel and axis, and has a power as x to 24. It is extremely fimple, being a triangle, to two fides of which the cylinder is fixed. It can be eafily wrought and carried from place to place by three men. A low four-wheeled machine, of a ftrong con-^ ftrudion, is made to go under the arms of the triangle, to receive the ftone when raifed up. This machine has been already of great ufe in clearing (everal fields of large ftones in this place and neighbourhood.

Ahhty of Incb-fffray.'^TYiis religious houre was fbandcd b the year 1200 by Gilbert Ear] of Stratheam, and his Countefs Matilda. It was dedicated to the honour of God, the Virgin Mary, and John the Apoftle and Evangeltft. The fite of this famous Abbey is on a fmall riling ground, which (eemsy from its fituation and namci to have once

been

566 ' Statyiical Account

1)eefi an ifland furrounded by the water of the Paw. lo Latin it is denominated Infula Mijfarum^ whidi is fkid to be a literal t^nflation of its common name, Incfa-effray, for Inch-peffray, the Ifland of Mafles, or die iJOand where msEi is faid. It was endowed with many privileges and inuna- nities by David and AlesEander Kings of Scotland. The edifices of this Abbey, which were once eztenfive^ are now in ruins, and have, on feveral occafions, inpplied abimd- ancc of ftones for building honfes, and making roads in the neighbourhood. The few remains of thb ancient Abbey, with 6 or 7 acres of land in the immediate vicinity, belong to the Earl of Kinnoul, who, in conGequence of this com- paratively fmall poflefllion, is patron of about twelve pariihes that formerly were attached to the Abbey* Sianritins, abbot of this place, was prefcnt with Robert the Bruce at the battle of Bannockbum, and is reported to have had brought along with him the arm of St FiUan. This lelid^ might, indeed, have given fome encouragement to the fu- perftitious ; but one arm of a brave Scotrman, fighting in earned for the liberty of his country, had more effc& in ob- taining that memorable vidory, than conid have been pro- duced by the inate virtue of all the relicks of the dead that could have been colleded. " James Drummond, a younger " fon of David Lord Drummond, and his Lady, a daughter *' of William Lord Ruthven, was firft llyled Lord Inchafiy, ** being Commendator of that Abbacy, and afterwards " created Lord Madderty by King James VI. in the year " 1607. He married Jean, daughter to Sir James Chit ** holme of Cromlicks, and with her got the lands of Inner- •* pefiry, which were her mother's portion, bebg heire& of " Sir John Drummond of Innerpcfry Hf had, by his isx^ •« Lady two fens, John Lord Madderty, and Sir James, the « firft Laird of Machony/'— Nj/i^/'i Htraldry^ vol. i.

Cburcb.

ofMadderty. 567

Cbvrcb. — The prefent church is fituated about three- fourths of a mile from the ruins of the Abbaj. It was built in the year 1689, and is not in the beft ftate of repair. Lord Kinnoul is patron. The Aipend amounts to 9 chal- ders of vidual^ and L. 29 Sterling, including the ezpence of communion-elements. The glebe confifts of 9 acres of land. Manfe and offices are in good repair. Some of the Seceding meetinghoufes in the neighbourhood draw from this pariih a confiderable number of hearers.

ScboolM — ^The parochial fchool is under excellent manage* menty and is defervedly in high repute. It is attended by numerous boarders from different parts of Scotland, but chiefly England. Mr David Malcolm, preacher of the Gofpel, is at prefent mafter, and teaches Engliih, Latin, Greek, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, mathematics, land-meafuring^ &c.

Poor.— The paupers on the pari(h-roll afe commonly about 4 or 5. They are fupported by the collefHons made on Sabbaths at the church, which amount to about a s. 3 d. each Sabbath. There is alfo a fund of L. 90 Sterling, L. 29 of which were bequeathed by two heritors, lately deceafcd. None of the poor are permitted to beg.

Tradefmen.'^The, whole pariih may be called agricultu- ral ; and the only places that may be denominated villages are Bellycloine and Craigs ; but as each of them confifts of a few houfes only, they hardly deferve the name of villa- ges. Except a very fmall quantity of coarfe linen, for the Perth market, there is no manufadure here. The quantity of linen made mnft be ihiall indeed, when it is confidered that there is only feven or ei ht weavers in the parifli, and thefe are chiefly employed in cuAomary work« This place

is

568 Statical jtccomU

«

IS alio fiipplie4,^th 4 Uackfinitlis, 4 wrights, a % tailors, and i nuDer.

Prici ^fhabwnr ami Prov(4!Mtf .— The& here are equally high with any place in the nei^boorfaood. A daiy-kbonr- cr receives X s. 4d« abd fomecimes is. 6d. a-daydming fnmmeri and a (hilling in winter ; a pkraghman's wages are from L. 8 to L. ID Sterling a-year.— The price of provifions the lame as in the town of Perth, and freqoently confide- rably higher, as the heft prices are often charged for articles of a very inferior quality. No ale nor whiiky fold poUic- ly in the pari(h. Coal is the fuel moftly nfed by the inha* bitants. It is moftly bronght from Blairingooe, in the pa- rifli of FoOaway, at the diftance of about 24 miles. They are alfo had from the ihipping at Perth, at the diftance of xa miles, but the price is higher than at Blairingone. Far- mers here, and in moft of the neighbourhood, iet a higher value on a little money than on their own time and labour. This muft always be the cafe where there is no manafac- ture, and farming and hufl>andry are not carried on with proper vigour.

Koads^r^n^t, parochial roads, for there is no tonpikc in the parifli, are extremely bad, being hardly paflaUe in wet weather. The communication on both fides the Pow is,*^ however, kept up, by means of three bridges c^ fione thrown acTO& that rivulet.

Proper Namis.^^The names of places in this pari(h are partly Gaelic, and partly Englifb. To the former belong Tilly chiandie, Bellycloine, Dallarie,Ardbennie,Balgowan: But Redhilli Woodend, Dul^d, &p. belong to the latur.

tffMadderty* 569

^Mitjuity.''^Tht oolj remains of andqmty in tho pariih Worthy of notice, except the ruins of the A.bbej already mentioned, is a portion of the Roman road or cao&way from the camp at Ardoch to Perth. It runs about a quar* ter. of a mile through the fouthem extremity of the pariih^ And is very entire. It is probable that it will not long con«* tinue in that ftate, if it can by any means be converted into a highwayi or afford materials far maldng or repairing «me«

VoL.XlX« 4^ NUM.

570 Staii/Hcal JecouM

*M UMBER XXVL PARISH OF MINTO,

(CoouTT OF RozBUEOR, Sthod ^f Meksk avd TiTiarr-'

DAL£, PuBSBTTXItT OF Je1>»UROH)«

B/ WiLLXAii BimH» D.D. Mimjir.

THE parifh of AGnto is almoft as oblongs eHending from ea& to weft 3 j- miles i firom loath to noitii il flules. It is bomded on the eaft bj the parilh of Ancnim; en the north, bj LilKefleaf $ on the wefi, bj WBton ; os the fouthi bj CftTexs, £rom which it k almoft divided bj the river Tiviot.

Hitiionj'-^Thett are three refiding herhofs : The Right Honoorable Sir Gilbert EUiot, Baronet, "the pBtroo, whofe eftate lies on the eaft fide, and comprdiended the old parilb of Minto. The fiunily of Minto, for ages pafi, tiave beco fo eminent, both in the Senate and in the other depnrtmcnts of the State^ that anj thing I can £17 might be ooofideied »

BfMinto. 571

mere panegyric. The houfe is large and commodious, has a fouth expofiire, and is fitoated on the bank of a beautiful winding glen, extending almoft to the Tiviot, and well docked with a variety of old trees, with natural and ardfi* cial falls of water. In coming along one of the ferpentine walks on the fide of the glen, the ear is all at once furpri- fed with the unezpeded noile of the largeft of thefe falls, the view being intercepted by a thicket ; on advancing a little forward, the &11, the bridge, the large iheet of water, the furrounding banks, interfperfed with variegated trees and ihrubs, and the houfe, gradually open to the eye, excite the mpft pleafing emotions, and form one of the moft beau- tiful landfcapes that can be figured : The reflexion of this landfcape in the water adds to the grandeur of the icene. The pleafnre-ground is extenfive, and laid out with great tafte. A little to the .eaft are Minto Rocks, interfperfed w|th clumps of planting, which- form an awful and pifiu- refque objed, , From the top of thefe rocks there is a beau- tiful and extenfive profped of the difierent windings of the Tivioc, and the adjacent country, for many miles round. Here are the remains of a building, which, during the in- curfions of the borderers, feems to have been a watch-tower. Behind the houfe, to the north, are two hills, which rile with a gentle alcent to a confidenible height, and are ex- cellent flieep-pafture. At a fmall diftance from the hpufe, and in the middle of a grove of trees, (lands the churchy wlwh is neat, clean, and well feated. The village is pla- ced about half a mile to the weft, and contains 34 families, moftly labourers and mechanics. To the fouth-weft, an Englifli mile from the church, are the manle and glebe. This was the boundary of the old parifli. Now, there are annexed the lands of Haflendeanbank, belonging to his Grace the Duke of Roxburgh, and the lands of Haflfen- dean, the property of his Grace the Duke of Bncdeugh.

Oa

57^ Stati/lical AccMtU

On the weft of Haflendeanbank is the eSate of Tiviotbaiiky latelj purchafed by David Simpfoo, Efq; another refiding heritor, who has built a neat modem houfe on a rifingfaonk* in view of the river, and ornamented the pkce with a va» riety of plantations. On the weft and north- weft are the lands of Haflendeanburny Horflejhill, and Hnntlaw, belong- ing to Robert Dickfon, Efq; the fecond heritor in the pa- rifh, who has latelj built a large convenient honfe a Gnall diftance from the water« In this comer was the fire of Haflendeanbura church, fuppofed to be an appendage of Melrofe Abbey, (the fium next to it goes by the name d Monks Croft, where there was a tower called Monks Tower). The church, and moft of the church-yard, are carried off by the water ; yet, fo ftroog is the defiie ** of ** fleeping with our fathers,' that they continued to bmy here, thought after every flood, the haughs wove covered with human boqes, till laft winter, a great fwell of the river fwept it all away, except one comer. Since that time, fome of the dead have been lifted and carried to diflfeveot burial grounds. This pariih is now divided amongft the parilhes of Wilton, Minto, and Roberton. The origiDal ftipend was all annexed to Roberton. Here I moft oftr an advice to landed gentlemen, always to take care that the ftipend be annexed together with their lands. The pro- prietors of thb old parifli have found the difadvaatage of not attending to this, by the different, proceffes of augmen- tation that have been raifed againft them by the fevenl minifierSk

Nurftry. — On the lands of Haftendeanbom was cflablilb- ed, by the late Mr Dickfonls father, one of the fixft nnrie* fief in the kingdom, which was carried on by the late Mr Dickfon, who alfo eftablifhed the nurfety at Hawick. Bodi t!he(e aurieriesi %re nqw carried on by the Mcffi^ Dickfoos ;

lid

ofMinto. 573

and in point of extent* obara&er, and circulationi are equal- led by few, if any. They contain all kind of foreign and native forefi trees, fruit trees* flower-roots, and plants and flowering ihrubs, that are naturalifed in thb country ; be- fides a great colle&ion of exotic plants. From this nurfery origioated that carried on by MeflTn Dickfon and Company, Perth \ that in Edinburgh by MefTrs Dickfons and Com« pany.

fo^ir^-— The foils in the pariih ^re various. Towards the river it confilb of difi*erent kinds of loam, well adapted to turnips ; £mher nan\k it is a firong clay, and clay loamt both on atilly bottom*

Jlfa«ttr#.*-Same feams of marl have been difcovered, but io iSmall, that they do not depend on thefe, and drive lime and marl at a confiderable diftance and great expence* Lime laid down on the field, 2 s, the lime-buihel, which is equal to three Winchefter buihels. Marl, 3 s. the double cart.

^(crcc.— The number of acres 52x3 ; of theie, 475 arc planted with foreft trees.

ImplemintJ ^ Hu/ia9dry.^^The £ng]i(h pkagb is Qni« verially uied with two hories. Tbraihing machines are beginning to be ufed.

(7fc//i9^fo«.— The mode of cropping or rotation, until within thefe few years, for a long time back, was as foL lows ; — ^The infield, divided into five breaks^-x. Fallow, with the dung of the farm, wheat, peafe, barley, oats, and then &II0W again, Sec : The outfield* firft fidded with the oattle of the hna in general, then fown with oats for three

or

574 Siatiftical Acctmni

or fStfSiwap. ind even longer, if the return was a little more than tt^MMs ; after that, fidiow, without an j kind of manure; then two crops of oats, and fidlow again eTerj third year, as long as it would produce a decent crop i then allowed to go to paSnre.

The prefent mode followed in the partfli :— -The light land firfi well prepared for tnmip, which are fown in diiih neatly made up, nunured with the dung of the fiurm, and lime or (hell marl, fo far as thej can be practaredy not to lofe the feafon for the turnip \ part of which is eat on the ground with Iheep, and part with cattle in the hoofe* When eat with (heep, it is not uncommon to fow wheat with gra&^feeds,* which, in general, fueceeds welL When the turnip is carried off, barley with grais-feeds ieldom fsib of a good crop $ theo^^ay is taken, thi^ fog, or fecond crop, eat on the ground with Tarioos kinds of ftod^ ; then, ia autumn, taken op for wheat, which is fown with one fior- row ; after the wheat, oats, and then tnmip ; Ibfnetxmcs they take up with oats, and then turnip ; when the land a naturally very good, and in high order, wheat is- taken after the oats, then turnip : After this rotation is followed twice, the gra(s is allowed to lie for pafiure two or three yeai9, theu taken up as before. The land that is too heavy for turnip, or the clay lands, are taken up from gra& with oats \ then fallow with the dung of the farm, and a full drefling of fkell marl or lime (15 double carta of asarl, or 6 double carts of lime/«r Engliib acre) fown with whett; then peafe, then barley with gra&^feeds, then hay, and after that three years paftured ; then cropped as before.

Grafi'fttds. — When 'only one crop is taken, they fow 12 lb. of xtA clover, and half abuihel rye-grals, to the £og- )i|h acre *, when to lay in pafture, 6 lb. of white clover,

tf Minio. 575

5 lb. of red dover, 2 lb. of rib-gfals, half a buibel of rye- graft. .- *-

Notwithfiaading the above mode of cropping, fome, of late years, paftore the firft crop, nvhich thej find pays weU, and does more juflice to the land.

Kinds ofStocir^The kmds of ftock kept or bred s Sheep of the Cheviot breed on the outfield ; on the infield, or improven lands, the Diihlej or BeckwcU breed have beea tried, with advantage, for a few years. The fliort homed, or Teefwater cattle, prevail, and pay the breeder welL Number of fheep, z68o; black cattle, 380. Yet it may be fuppofed the parifh is able to keep a great many more ; but the refiding heritors are of ofe to let, from year to year, a coafiderable number of graft parks ; and fome of the farmers, who follofif the tumip-huflbandry, have a flue- tuatiog (lock. Niunber of ploughs 36. No oxen nfed at prefent. Befides the hor&s kept for the plough, there may be about 46 riding and young horfes. The harveft in ge- neral is early. The whole parifh b inclofcd with boon- dary fences, and by fiu: the greateft proportion of it fubdi- vided with ditch and hedge, interfperfed with firips and clumps of planting, which ferve both for (belter and orna- ment.

Servants ^a^#/.— Servants wages have been on the rife for fome years. A married maD, or hind, L. 6, 10 s. a cow kept, a fione of meal in the week, a firlot of poutoea planted, a peck or half a peck of lintfeed fown, a free houfe, with a piece of ground for a garden, a certain quan- tity of fiiel carried $ it is uaderfiood, at the fiune time, that the wife or children are to aifift at carrying in ftacks, &c« A man, within the boufe, from L. 6 to L.o. A woman fisrvanty within the houiii, firom L« 3 to L. 4. Day-labour*

576 Statijlical Account

ers, at an average, x s. 3^. per i^j m fummery and i s« ic winter. Women, who work out of doors upon the Burm^ 8 d. Harvcft wages fluftuating. Laft harreft high.

For fome years, I have obferved with pleafure the rapid progrels of improveixient within the pariih ; the happj chapge of the mode of agriculture \ the quantity of foreign manure, both lime and marl, carried at fucb a diftance tnd expence, and the advantages arifing from it^ the atten- tion paid to roads and fences, fo advantageous to the inha* bitants, and agreeable to travellers*

J{otf^/.— There are many public roads : The fends aii- iing from the converfion of the ftatute-money being very fmall, and not adequate to making and keeping the rosds in repair, fiill the principal roads are very good, owing to the attention of Sir Gilbert EUioti who, for fome yean, has made and kept up, at his own expence, the roads kad- ing through his lands ; whereby the fimda are applied Vf other roads within the pariih.

Popultttiott.^-^The number of inhabitaiit% 5x3 fouk The increafe and decreafe of popalation cannot be aicer- tained with precifion, many being accuftomed to bory in , Haflendeanbum, where no regifler has been kept. For | fome years back it has increafed confideraUy. In 1755, it | was 396. The Eftabliihed Church is the only place of pa* blic worflup within the parifli ; they attend regularly and decently. There are few Seceders of any denominatkn.

Poor^— The number of poor, for thefe two prece&g

• years, has been, at a medium, x6, and annual payascao

L«50, railed by a regular poor-rate, one half paid by the

heritors, th^ other half by the tenants. There are L jd

belonging to the kirk*feffion, the intereft goes into the oA,

or.

of Minto. S77

or. alongft with the coUeaions, is diftributed by the feflion in interim fupplies, in cafe of ficknefs, or any other imforc- fctrn calamity. In 1782, when oatmeal rofc very high, the cnrators of the poor bought in a quantity, and fold it at a reduced price, both to the poor on lift and poor houfc- holders with large families. There are no begging poor in the parifii. The poor-ratcs arc more than double within thcfe ten years, notwithftanding the liberality of the fa- mily of Minto, who, when on the fpot, gave a good deal of private charity, and a weekly proportion of broth and meat, which is continued in their abfence,

Manfe. — The manfe was removed to iu preCent fituation in 1773, and is in good repair. The glebe confifts of 35 £ngliib acres. The ftipend upwards of L. 90.

SchooL^Tht eflabliihed fchoolmafter is the only teacher within the parifli. He has a houfe, garden, and fchool- houfe \ falary Lt I2, including the emoluments of feilion- derk, coUefting the poor-rates, gcc. The number of fcho- lars, at an average, between jo and 6o» In March 17939 above 50 fcholars were feized with themeafles in two days, fo rapid was the infeffion. The ichoolhoufe was then fmall and confined, which moved the heritors to build one in an airy fituation, the moft beautiful and commodious in the fouth of Scotland,

Fff^/.-^The diflance from fuel, and other local dUadvan- cages, have hitherto difcouraged manufaftures, &c« notwith« ftanding there are a number of mechanics* Weavers, 7 ; blackimiths, 3; tailors, 3; one nailor, who employs 5 hands ; three carpenters, who employ 10 hands ; one com and one lint mill. Coals in general are burnt, (which are carried at the diftance of 30 miles), and peats and wood.

Voh. &IX« 4 D CbaraUer^

578 Statijlkal Accwnt

, Chara3ir.*^The inbabitanti are honeft, ibber, tnA ia- duftrious i feem contented with their fituation, as no xnnr- dersy fuicidesy or crimiaal profecutions, are remembered to have happened. The £umex9, in general, are refpefiabk well informed people, pa j great attention to huftandrj, to the rearing and feeding of ftock. The air is good ; fd« dom vifited with any epidemical diiieafes. There are no public^houfes within the parifli. I have not been able to difcover any antiquities or natural cnriofities but fiicfa as fxe common, vix. (lone coffins, petrifying fprings, largs fleers horns, 6lc. found in mofles.

NUM.

tfCollington, sn

NUMBER XXVIL PARISH OF COLLINGTON,

(COUNTT OF EOINBUlLGBy StKOD OF LoTHXAK A>^]| TwUQDALXy PaSSBTTERT OF EDINBURGH.)

By the Rev. Dr John Walker K

Situation and Extent*

THIS parilh is fituated in the coimtj of Edinburgh. It i$ in the prefbytery of Edinburgh, and f jnod of Lothitn and Tweeddale* It lies weft from Edinburgh, and reached within two niiles of the fuburbs* It extends about four miles call and weft, and about five miles in a fouth and north di-> redion. It contains above 5000 Scots acres» the gro& rental of which, including mills and quarries, may be near L. 6000 Sterling ; but, excluding thefe, and alfo woods and plantations, the real land rent amounts to about I^. 4125 Sterling, The valued rent is L. 45 14 Scots.

In

Thii tccount 19 in tbftnA of a more cxteaded hiftorr of the patiib of CoUtngton, to be publiflied feptntdy-

S 80 Statijlkal Accwnt

In the year 16351 and for a long time after, this pmtk appears to have been a wild and uncultivated track of country, and thinly peopled. Even fo late as the year 2709, it contained only 318 examinable perfons. Since that time, however, the lands have been indofed, and £b much cultivated, that it is now become one of the moft produftive parts of the country. The num(>er of iohabt- tantB has of courfe been confiderably augmented, and is at prefent upon the increafe^ firom the enlargement of the metropolfs, and the advancement of manu&ftnres.

The numerous mills ereSed for flour and barley ; the mills for the manufaftnre of flax, paper, tobacco, and the wauking of cloth v the fl^innery manu&fiure \ the bleach- ing fields ; a flouriihing diflillery \ a manufafture of mag- nefia ; and the great quarries of Hailes and Redhall ; have brought together, of late years, into this parilh, a concourfe of people, and a degree of opulence formerly unknown.

Seventeen years ago, only 25 perfons wer^ employed ia Che manufafture of paper : At prefent, 9a perfons are occi»> pied in the pariih in that manufBi&ure, who, with their &- milies, amount to about 300 people.

The whole pariih is now eftimated at mofe than three tents above what it was in the year 1769.

The hill of Caerketan-craig, in this pariih, the moft northerly of the Pentland Hills, is 1450 feet high abore the level of the fea ; and the hill of Capelaw, fituated to the weilwaf d of it, maybe abont ico feet higher. The Logan-houfe Hill, lying ilill further weft In the range, tod the higheil of the Pentland HHls, was found, by geometri- cal menfuration, and by repeated barometrical obfervationsp to be 1700 feet high above the level of the fea at Leitfa, which is only 60 feet le(s than oqer-third of a neaibrej I mile. I

The

tf GolUngton* 5B1

ttlie arable lands of the parifli dope gradually from tbd flclrts of the hills to the level of the river ; and thej are in different places from 250 up to 600 feet above the level of the fea. This occafions a great diverfity of climate in the ^ourfe of three or four miles, and a great difference in the ripening of the crops^

Cburcb^r^Tlit church Was built in the year 17739 and is m very decent and convenient ftrudure for public worfliip, Though plain, and executed at a very moderate ezpencei it is rather elegant, both on the outfide and iniide. It has even ferved as a model for fome pariih churches that havf £nce been built*

JlfAi9/i.<a-The manfe was built anno Z784, at an expence lufficiently liberal, but with very infufficient workmanihip. This u the cale with the generality of the manfes in Scot* land, and which renders them, in proportion te their fiz«, the moft ezpenfive houfes in the kingdom. Imperfedly executed at firft, and that ufually for want of a proper fu- perintendence, their frequent repairs and rebuilding come to be a matter of great inconvenience to the incumbents^ and of much additional and unneceflary expence to the heritora.

Stipends — The i^ipend annd 179a remained what it was in the year 1635, amounting to L. 55 : x6 : 7A Sterling. Since that time there has been an augmentation granted by the Court of Teinds, which is not yet allocated.

The fall of money in its value is well known to be a great hardflup, and efpecially of late, upon all perfons of a fixed income, and upon none more tiian upon the clergy of Scotlaod*

The

5d^ StatiJIical Acct^unt

The ftipend of Collingtoo, as appointed in the year 16351 Was not only a competent, but a liberal provifion for th^ ininifter of this pari(h at that period. It was more than equal to L. aa3 : 6 : 5-A- But this, far from being finga]ar» is univerfally the cafe with all the clergy of Scotland*

Glebe. — The extent of the glebe is lefs than what the law appoints ; but even though it were of legal fize, it could not be profitably occupied and cultirated by the incum* bent, without an opportunity of renting fo much addidonal land, as would afford fufficient work for a man-fenrant and two horfes*

^ri&oo/.-^There has always been a tefpedable grammar* fchool kept in the pariib. It has always been well taught, and well attended, not only by children of the middle and lower ranks, but many gentlemen, who have afterwards proved an honour to their country^ have received die ek* ments of their education here*

The fch(k>lmafter'8 falary is 200 merks Scots, the higbeft fum appointed by law, which, with very moderate fchoot wages, and fome fmall emoluments as £eflion-cleric, forms the living of a worthy old incumbent. But it is altogether an income that could not, in the prefent times, induce any young man, fufficiently educated and qualified, to under- take the office.

Poor. — ^The poor are maintained by the colIeAions at the churchi and other funds, under the infpeAion of the kirk-feffion, and partly by an annual afleQment upon the heritors and tenants. The inrolled poor have each a dated allowance monthly; befide which, incidental charities, fometimcs indeed the mofl neceflary of any, art beftowed by

tfie

of CoUinjfton. 583

ihjt, feffion on other perfons in diftrela. Thefe inroUed poor are 27 in number. They have from 2 8. to 4 s. a« month ; or from L« i, 4 s. t^ L. 2, 8 s. annually. The col« leflionsat the church'^door and other dues, belonging to the feffion, amount to about L. 35, and the afTeiTment is L*. 3O9 forming together the annual fum of L. 65. Of this» L. 45 are required for the fupport of the poor on the roll \ and the remainder is bellowed in occafional charities, and in defraying, the little neceflary expences of the church.

Though thefe inrolled poor are the moft indigent perfona^ in the place, none of them are in fuch a ilate of poverty as to be reduced to beggary. There are no beggars belong- ing to the parifli, as it is made known to all who are ad- mitted upon the poors*roll, that if they happen to beg thejr forfeit their penfion«

J2^//^i..Thi8 pariih contains more land of a low value than any other part of the country at an equal diftance front EUlinburgh* The preCcat rents, notwithftanding, are con* fiderable ; nor could the lands, at thefe rents, be profitably held by perfons inferior in ikill, or in ftock, to the prefent poifeflbrs. The arable ground lets from 30 s. to two gui« neas the acre; but there are many fields in tillage, towards the hills, of inferior value.

The rent of houfes for cottagers is nfually from 15 s. to 40 s. a-year. The houfes which give 40 s. are well buUt and flated, but are too high priced for the income of a com* mon labourer.

Craps* — ^The prevailing crops here are, wheat, barley^ oats, beans, peafe, potatoes, fummer tares, clover, and ryt* grals. The fowing of bear is entirely given up. . There is very little flax cultivated, and no rye. Few turnips are taifedy a^d Iddom any cabbages or colewprts, but in fparing

quantity^

584 Statiftical Account

quantitj. There is but little white clover fowfit theri being but little ground laid down £br pafture.

As wheat is accounted the moil profitable {^roducet there mre annually about 290 acres occupied bj this crop. A great deal of land, though naturallj unfit for wheat, is, bj the aid of the Edinburgh dung, employed in raifing that grain.

Potatoes form an important and ufeful crop^ being bodi profitable in itfelf, and an excellent preparation for wlicit. The potatoes are all raifed by the plough, and are borfe* hoed. Tho fields of them are eztenfive ; the produce on the acre is generally large, and the market-price at Edin- burgh high: though potatoes cultivated in this way are «ever equal in quality to thofe raided in lazy beds by fpade culture.

About one-fifth of all the arable ground^ io the parifli 13 ufually under plover and rye-gra&.

Priei of Labour. — A married ploughman, with aD his perquifites, has generally to the amount of i s. every work* ing day, or about L. 16 a-year*

The hire of a plough, with a man and two horfes dorxng winter, for what is called a long yoking, is 4 s, la fpnng, when there are two ^okings, the price is 3 s. each yoking, or 6 s. a-day*

When this plough is hired to till by the Scots acre, the price is 10 8. an acre. At one yoking a-day, the plough u occupied upon the acre about two days and a half.

When harrowing is hired, it cofis % s. an acre; but 3 fc when the ground is lee.

But the manufadurer pays for labour what the hufbsod^ man cannot aSbrd. During the fhorteft days of laft winter, a common labourer, eroplpyed by manvifftfiurcis in this parish, had i s. 4 d. a-day.

ofCMingttm. 58$

jAfinwivi^-— There is 00 manure ofed in tbe pariih bnt

^^ffrhat each farm affords, excepting the Edinburgh dung, on

^which the farmers chiefly depend for their cultivation and

their cropa. This is purchafed at about 10 d. or i s« each

double horfe-cart. If the carriage, between 3 and 4 miles^

be efiimated at i s« 6 d. then each cart cofis about 3 s* 6d.^

bat the cofi muft be fometimes mor^, and mi^ be ibnie«

times lels» according to the diftance, .and other drcnmftan-

eft. The carta which bring the dung from Edinburgh

frequently carry the com, hay, and ftraw from the furm to

tbe city, which occafions an abatement of the ezpence. The

quantitj of dung befiowed on an acre is ufually betweea

30 and 40 double carts.

Ploughgates. — The old ploughgates in the parifli, when worked by 4 horfes in a plough, were 42 in number* Laft year, the ploughgates were rated at 49: which at 12 s. each, as charged for the fiatute-labour, amounted to 1^27, 5 s. Sterling.

Where thefe 42 four-horfe ploughs were kept, there are now 60 two-horfe ploughs employed.

The 42 four-horfe ploughs had 168 horfes and 84 men. The 60 two-horfe ploughs have 120 horfes and 60 men.

The two-horfe plough is one of the greateft improve- ments that has yet taken place in the hufbandry of Scot* land. It feems to have been introduced into this pariih be- fore the year 1770, though in the year 1771, the plough with 4 horfes was ftill uled in many places.

The ufe of the fingle-horle cart is but a late occurrence. It did not take place in this pariih till about the year 1780.

Pofulation^r^^dott the middle of the laft century, thia

pariih appears to have had but few inhabitants. Their

Vol XIX. 4 £ ftumbeo.

586 Steaiftkal Account

/

nnmbers, however, cootiaaed rathto on the increafis till die time df the feven jean famine, that is, from the year 1695 to the year 1702, during which period they are £ud to have been much diminiflied. From the year 2703, the numbers did again iocreafe, till about the year 1710. At that time, they Were again reduced by the efiabliflimeiit of larger farms, an^ continued for many years fiatioflaxy* But by the increafe of the metropolis and ^of manu£ibftiiits» the pari{h has again, for a c'onfiderable time, been advaociiig in population. There are no uninhabited honfes in it^ If any are demolilhed, it is but in order to their being rebntk ; and every year there are new odes ertAed, which ai« im- mediately filled with inhabitants.

In an information prefented to the Court of Teinds ia the year 1709, this parifli was faid Co contain 318 esainia* able perfons. If to thefe a' fourth of nnexamiaaUe pcrfcBS be added, the whole inhabitants amounted to 397. From a record in polTeiSon of the church, it appears, that about the year 1750, the whole inhabitants of the parilh amoont- ed to 782. In Dr Webfter's Report, atuw 175 ji Ae auni- ber is ftated at 792.

At prefent, the number of inhabited houfes in the pariih is exaftly 3x3 ^ and the number of inhabitanta is 1395 nearly \ which, to ^ trifle, allots 4^ inlud)itants to each houfe.

If tlie extent of the parifh, as is computed, amoonts to 5070 acres, and the number of people is X395t H coDtnins between 3 and 4 acres for each inhabitant. This is a veiy great degree of population, compared to the extent of land; efpeciaDy as there are upwards of 1600 acres of fheep-walk, and other grounds, which do not occupy 40 people. Bnt tiie greater part of the inhabitanta are fupported by manu^ £i&ureS| and by various occupations^ independent of the foa.

irthu

ofCoUlngton. 587

Bhths^^t 18 well known that the parifli regilters in Scotland have feldom been kept for any length of time' with fafficient accaracj* In this pariili, the regifter of hap- tifins has been continued with uncommon regularitj, from the year 1655 to the prefent time. Manj of the fedarieSy and an the people of the Eftabliflied Church, with few ex- ceptionsy have always regifiered the birth of their children. The baptifm of children, alfo, from other parifbes, has al^ -ways been punAually diftingoiflied ; fo that a more ezaft regifter of baptifms. fpr m period of 140 years, is feldpm to be met with.

From that regifter it appears :

I. That during the above period of 140 years, there were 1447 males, and 2168 female children baptized, which fixes the number of males bom, compared to that of fc* males, at 11 to ii nearly.

a. That in fome particular years the births of one fex greatly exceed the other in number ; but in the following, or in a few fubfequent years, both fexes return to their or-- dained proportion, Notwithftanding many temporary in- equalities, the balance^ at laft, is prefeYved upon the poife. Yet this b but one, among a thoufand infiances, of an im- mediate unremitted fuperintending influence, direfied by unlimited power and wifdom,

3. That there are fome years in which the inhabitants are remarkably prolific, compared to what they are in others. The number of children bom in one year is fome- times nearly double that in the preceding or fubfequent year, while the number of inhabitants muft have been near- ly the lame.

4. That the average number of births for 10 years paft is 39t «nd the number of people 1395. This allows 37 perfons for each birth*

5. That

5S$ StatifHcal Account

5. That tlie tTetmge nomber of biiths bong 39»*ftad the Bomber of houfea or fkmUies 313^ eadi Mniial fairtb cone* ^poads to 8 fittmiiies.

TwMi.-i-From the above regUler it alio appesrs 3 X. That of 47x5 children* baptized in tbb pirifli, 94 were twins \ therefore, ^one twin-^ld lor 5X ohildicn bap- tized.

%. That during 17 ycaiSi ioefclding die feirteo < there was no twin birth. In ona paiticohrr jtax were 3 fucb birtiis.

3. That in the whole period, the nude twia«diildreo were to the female as 40 to 54.

4. That the number of maks prevailed in Aoie jean in which male twins were born ; and that of the females 20 thofe years in which female twins were bom.

ACurm^ei.-— There has been an ezaft reg^cr of marri^ ges kept in this parifh from the year 165 5 to the preftBat ^me.

From that risgiiler it appears :

t. That during the period mjcntioned, there are 1395 xnarriagts recorded ; but reckoning only one half of thofe marriages, where one only of the parties was a parifliioBery the number would amount but to xo6o.

2. That from the year 1655 to 1794 indnfive, the bap- ti&ns were 47x59 and the marriages io6o. Ouriag the laft ten years, the baptifms were 40 x, and the aaarriages 91. In both ca&s, the marriages were left than a foorth, but more than a fifth, compared to the number of bap- tifms.

3. That, at prefent, there is only one marriajp annoallj for 155 inhabitants^

Diod^i.— Thes(0ifter of baikb ia Akrfmtdk hmhmn If try carefully kept finoe the year ^1%%'t dUliagMfhwtg ijb» death of children and of adults* of flrangeis and of pa« xifluoDers. ^

Frooa tba'abo¥e.j:ogifter of buriala ibr 49 yeaies icilf» peaxs,

s. That Che bwrtab were 944; dvruig the kft id feat8» 175. In the fimner period the binhshad been 2696: sa the hitter^ 394. In bedtcaiesi ihe fairthB eompured-tathe deaths approach to the peopoitton of a'to x, fanning a verj firiking account of- the iocreafe of. the peopk in this part of the ooontry.

2. That the nnmber of firangeia from odiet pariihca buried here amountSt at an ayerage, to 6.perlbas annually, which is confiderably more than the number of pariihioners buried in other places.

3. That of the 944 perfons buried, 451, or nearly one halfy were diildren under 14 years of age.

4« That there are about ao deaths annually \ and above 60, perhaps 69, inhabitants for each annual death,

5. That in this, as in all other regiflers of deaths, there are years moft remarkable for their health, and others for their mortality. In feme cafes, the caulies of this great difference are to be obferved» but in others they cannot be difbemed.

6, That near 70 years ago, and even about 50 and 40 years ago, the number of deaths was greater than at pre- fenty though the number of people was certainly left. The lower ranks, which form the body of the people, are now lodged, clothed, and fed, in a manner more friendly to health than in theie former times.

Difia/esj'^Thexe are no local diftempers, nor any pecu* liar appearance in any difeaie, oblervable m this parilh.

The

^ Sta^kai Account

Hkt^nt U bkibrioas, and the Ibil in general drj, widioiit wnj gcoond fogs or ftagnating water.

Jtitrir.— On tbe liver of CoUtngton, which rifies on the Midi fide of the Pendand HiHs, and after a conrfe of about l6 miles, runs into the fea at^Leith^^^ere is much of dot lomantic fcenery for which the finall riven in Scotland are lemarkable i 'where they mn in deep narrow glens, amidS great variety of 'ground with rocks and hanging woods, ac- oompanied with (mall level fields or hau^, ^rtile in ooro and gra&. This (mail river does more work than perhaps any other, even of the largeft fize in Scotland. In a coorfe of abont lo miles it drives the following MiJb :

Corn-mills, - • 14

Barley-nliUs, • • za

Flour-milli^ « • ao

Lint-mills, • . 2

Wank-mills, • • 5 .

Paper-mills, • • 4

Snuff-mills, - -.5

Leather-mills, - - a

Saw-mills, • . ^

Total, ^l

jlgricuhun^f^Tht httfi)andry here is endrely regulated by the fupply of dung which is brought £rom die city of Edbburgh. This local advantage leads to a peculiar me* diod of farming ; proper, indeed, for fuch a fituadon, thou^ inapplicable to the country in general.

Ca//A.F»The number of work-hor(es in the parilh is about I'ji'^ of (addle hor(es, 31; and of carriage«hor(cs, 10; ia

^fCoUington. Sj^l ;

ally %i%, The number of die cows is 127 aeaiijr; and cfaat of the iheep abont 4000*

There are not above half a dozen breeding fwine in the pariih.

j9ii».— There are aboot 35 winter hivet of bees in the parilhy and formerlj they were much more nu;ncrous,

jtMtiqukia.'^Oi the names of places in this pariihi thes^ occurs but one evidently, derived from the Gaelic } the refty like that of the parifh, are almoft all of Britiih or Saxon ori^. On the lands of Comifion there are Hill the veOi- ges of a very large and ancient encampment. Adjacent to this camp» and near the houfe of Fairmilehead, an extenfivc and important battle had been fought, and two very large conical cairns ereded, on demoliihing which, for the pur- pofe of making the turnpike-road, remains of human bones were found in them, and feVeral fragments of old arms, two of which are ftiU in the poflei&on of Mr Trotter of Morton* hall, the proprietor of the ground. Not hx from thefe cairns there Had likeWile been ereded an upright pillar (lone, which dill remains. It is a rude mafiy block of whinftone, of a flat (hape, 7 feet bi^ above the fur&ce of the ground, and above 4 feet below it. It is called the Kcl Stane, an old Britiih word fignifying the Battle Stone. It has fldlb paflTed immemorially by the name of Camus Stone, which would leem to intimate its connexion with fbme Daniib commander.

NUM.

59»> Sta^tisdl Mtomt

NUMBER XXVIII.

I

PARISH OF INNERLEITHEN,

(COVVTT OV TWXB1>1>AU OR VwtiMiAB; Stw0D aT Le« TBlAir AWh TWSED0AI.B, PAES^TTBAT OF PKSBI.U.)

J?f l£r li#v. JOBW Walkek, Mmifitr g

Niamem

'T^HE water of Leitheiit which bOs ioto Tweed near the '^ middle of the parifh^ gives name to the whole, and pours nearly all the water of its eztenfi v fiirface into thb noble river. This is the lad great acceflion Tweed reoeives be&re it leaves the diftriS to which it gives name. The old parifh of Innerleithen received, as an addition, all that part of the Ihpprefled parifh of Kailr.ie which laj north of the Tweed.

The parilh bears a nearer tdTemblance to an eijcdlatersi triangle than an j other regular figure ; each fide of which amounts to about 9I- miles. The courfe of the Tweed, from the boundary of the parift of Peebles on die weft, to

die

^ Innerleithm. SBf9

the boimdafj of Stow on the eaft, forming the fouthemi

Bde ; and from Tweed-bank at Spittlebope Born-foot to:

Blakebope Scarr, the north-weft; and thence to Tweeds

bank» below Thomylee, the north-caft. It contains, accorw

ding to Armfirongy who made a map of the county abont

20 jrears ago, 12,270 acreS| Scots meafure. What propor*

cion the arable land may bear to the whole furface is not*

eafily determined. The land in tillage, cofhmunibus annisj

is confiderably under 1000 acres, of all kinds of crops. The'

general appearance of the parifh is broken, nigged, and

pre<apitous, rifing from "the brink of Tweed, and the courfe

of the Leitben, to near 1000 feet, without, in fome places,

leaving fpace fufficient for the breadth of a road,« unlefi af«

fifted bjart, which has been but fparinglj beftowed to

that pnrpofe. Though, to a (banger paffing along tho

highway from Peebles to Kelfo, nothing feems to ftrike his

eye but ftones or rock, yet there the indefatigable flieep

find a variety of fucculent plants, of which the apparent

more abundant pafture of the northern expofure feems to

be deprived. The pariih gradually rifes from Tweed to

its northern point, where it meets with the contiguous pa-

riihes of Eddlefton and Temple, which bound it on the

north ; Eddlefton and Peebles on the weft ; Heriot and

Stow on the north-eaft. Tweed forms the fouthem boun«

dary, and feparates Innerleithen from Traquair. Windle-

ftraw Law is the bigheft ground in the parifli, and is in the di-

re&ion of the north-eaft fide. Near this mountain, the coun-*

ties of Edinburgh, Peebles, and Selkirk meet« The whole

expofure of the parifli being chiefly fouthward, is produdive ,

of fine grafs. The fiieep-walks, though high and elevated,

are, from this circumftance, nyich valued by the fiirmer as

fure fpring ground ; at which feafon, from the inconftancy

and feverity of the weather, the animal^ already reduced

Vol, XIX. 4F bj

^94. SiatyHcAl ji^ccimt

hf the wister ftoms, fuffen mixft« From tbe tunc canie, i t;^ early vegetation arife^i vjiiph is denied to the northeni ' •xpofure, and» .from its fiiCGulenpje, f^miihes fuftenuoe te the dam to iupport her tender brood.

Soift Ufi^r^ln the courfe of ages, the decompofing power eC the atmofphere, ai^d the decaj of vegetable {bbBanccs, l^kve formed the greater part of the foil. The common vbipftopey an4 otl^er fc^iftic rock^, have formed die bafis pf the greater part of the faperft^pup, ^hich contains a .confid^rable proportion of c^j, fa maybe foppofed, be- <aufe formed from that claft of rocks. Tbe fiibfideoce irom the Tweed and Leitken has formed the leafi, hot moft ^ile foil. This being fiibjeft tp ipun4atioo, is not fb fblij ipder ^e power f>{ t^'farpier a^ the hanging ptalna above ^ther. Jx^ tbefei fprings borfting through the fiflbres of ^ rpckSf known b j the name of iinid fpnngi^ am} large i^ones S9e4 in the egrthp were unfbrmoantable difficoltics to tbe inexperienced fvpier of former times: now« though agriculture is here only in its infancy, the afiive and intelligent know how tp pv^oine bptb, with prodi- ^ous ^vantage to tben^elv^,

Clim^t^ Pifiqfeh ^^••*r-Tb!e cUmate, in fucb an exten- five hilly diftrifti muft be yarjous \ the air, however, is dry and healthy. The banks of the Tweed have an early harvefi, both from the fliarpnels of the foil, and tbe genial expofure. The lowed part of the pariih was fubjed to aa annuail vifit of the ague at^out 20 years ago \ but whether from the drainage of the land» or from the better agricul- ture of that particular part of tbe parilb, it has for fome time paft entirely di£ippeared. No epidemical difeale af> fXBs the inhabitants' at prefent. Rheumatifm, caufed by ^ad aud damp bou&s, and low living, In general afflidi ' ' " ' • • ' ths

^lie lower daft as they advance in life. A hotife fof tht

accommodation of this ofeful order of men is^ for the moll

part, conftmfied of ftooe and feal, is reared on a faddeOf

mud the occupant inhabits it as icon as conSrnded. Ill £>

cured from the eflfefis of the weather, and fcantilj fnovided

^ivith fuel, which is both dear and fcaree, the feeds of thlft

difeafe are rooted into the conftitntiony which the vigour of

youth maj for a while brave \ but, as old age advancesy (dU

idom fail to manifeft themielves in great virulencci. and im^

pair the (trength of manhood by tmtnature old age. Inoo*

eulation for the fmaU-pojc gains ground, from experience of

its ufefulnels, though contrar j to the theory of religiaus

prejudice.

Fijbt (/^.'^^•Affociations have been formed to prefervo

the iaimon in Tweed during clofe-timCy which can produce

no good, fo long as Iaimon are not permitted to come up

be yoM a certain length before this feafon commences. The

intereft of no dais of men here is concerned in their pre-r

lervation. Tc^roake it fo, the proprietors below muft yield

up a few of their good filhi to give the pec^le above them

mn experimental proof of the difference betwixt good and

bad falmon. The want of this makes them unable to di*

ftingaiih the good from the bad \ and all is fiih that comes

in the net. The firft ftreams in Tweed in which the fal*

men depofit their fpawn are within a few miles of ihm

bounds of this parifli. The people here can judge, by tho

sppearance of the fiih, whether it will depofit its fpawn lA

Tweed or its feeders. Tweed formerly produced a grettt

^aotity of (almoo ; now they are feldom to be caught, ex*

ccpt after clofe-time. Trout are to be met with in great

quantity both in Tweed and Leithen. Pike are found ia

ibe old run of the Leithen. Birds are of the lame kinda

sU over Ihe county. Quadrupeds the lame alio,

Mtmroi

.$g6 iioHJiical Account

MinerU 5]prM3'.— -The water which iflbes out of diii fpring is of the ikine nature with that of Harrowgate. In »a&7 diforders it has been prodqAive of orach vdief to the affliAed. To fill this aocoant o£ cures perfismicd, or to leogthen it by giving an imper&fi analjfis of its water» would be improper. Two ftrong fafis, which have come to hand, and^e weU attefted, of its laoatiye c&ds, ooghc not to be pafled over. The/ both relate to cafes of infla- inatio» in the eyes. The firft is of a girl of zo yeais of ogei almoft bUnd^ frona the oeighboiirhood of Hawids, who, by continuing to ore the'mioend for about a monih, (ac two feafonsi' returned home the laft ieafon perfefily recovered. The other is of a yoimg woman from Galaihielsy with a fimilar complaint^ who, by ftayiog five weeks, returned home with the full ufe of her eyes. The firft could di(- cem nothing diftinfUy when (he came the firft feafan* The hfi could not diflinguifh any objed at the diftance of 50 yards. Thefe cures, with many others, can be very weD attefted. In all diforders' of the jblqod, its eifeAs are highly beneficial, particularly in cutaneous eruptions. The want of accommodation prevents a greater concourfe of people firom being benefited by this falutary fpring. So far as thst k afforded, it k at one feafon of the year fiilly occupied. The ihort diftance from Edinburgh fliould make it a defixabk Watering place*

Pofuiaiiom, — ^The number of fouls in the parifii amoonli to 560. The males, 289 ; the females, 271. Average of Carriages for the l^ft fix years, 4^ Bapti£Bi5» i6.

Jfafe

^f Innerleithen. ifff

Matis. Ftmidis*

Under 10 jean of age, - • 7a 66

Under ao, • -63

Under 30, - 4 a

Under 40, - - 19

Under 50, - - ap

Under 60, • - a 5

Under 70, , - ^ - 29

Under 80, . . 8

Under 90, - - a

44 33 3J ^5 ai

7

o

289 271

Making in whole, 560. Of thefe» 388 inhabit the village of Innerleithen, and aaa the reft of the pariih. Population in 1735, bj Dr Wcb- fler'9 account, was 559.

It maj not be improper to remark, that the whole of this-extenfive pariih is in the hands of fourteen occupants ; and that of thefe, two onlj are fulfilling the firft command-* inent with promife. Such are the hopes of the riiing ge- neration, amid the wafie of men bj the ravages of lawlefs ambition. Where the cottager meets with a mafter whi> gives him a cow's grafs, he finds himfelf able to raife com- fortably a family for the ufe of his country. Their wants are few, and eafily Catisfied with milk and potatoes. To the credit of many of the farmers here, they ailift in rear- iogi by thefe accommodations, a race of ufeful labourers for the fucceeding generation. Though the farmers in ge- neral (eem to have an averfion at matrimonj, it muft be mentioned to their credit, that they liberally ailift thofe under them who do lb. The greateft number of the inha- bitants are employed in agriculture, and the care of their aomerous flocks \ a few mechanics and tradefmen are all

that

59^ Statijlical AuQuni

tliifccwbe excepted'; and thcfe oo more Chan wlimt the taf^ ply of arddea of the firft neceffity require.

The village of Innerleitheny from its fitaatioDy bodb of many advantages. Pleafantly (ituated on Lcithcn-water, near its jundion vrith Tweed, in the he«t of a ooaatry whofe ftaple is wool, in which provifions of all kinda are plentiful, it feemed formed by nature for a fice of wooDcn manufadure. What muft have occurred to every one iince the value of manofafiures were known ui this codd- try, was left to be accompliihed by Alexander Brodie, £% of Carey-ftreet, London. Some few years ago he ercded a large workhoufe, at confiderable expence, from the patrio* tic purpofe of promoting a fpirit of induftry in the vicinity of the place Which gave him birth. Upwards of L^joco Sterling were expended on the works and macbinerj, which is of the beft conftrudion } but from caufes which the author does not choofe to dwell on, the mannfadnre hts tiot gone on with that fuccefs, to the advantage of the pn* tieman who erefted it, that its firft beginning promifed. The fault neither lay with him nor the condu&or of the work. Such as it is, it returns, on the whole, very wtU. An infant manufafiure, in a country irmfy paftoral, has many difadvantages. Tlie whole operations of teaxing and card* ing are performed by water. The houfe confifts of five floors ; the firft and fecood of which are occupied by the operations performed by water, and which, had circum- ftances been favourable, would have by this time been far- ther extended; fpinning jeanies, looms, &c. of various coa- ftru61ions, occupy the two next. The higheft is a fiore* room for the raw material. From 27 to 80 hands are em- ployed within doors, and as many at leaft without the ma- nufafiory. Children from feven years of age are employed in the operations of teaxing and carding, and earn a a. 6 s. ^ week. The beft fpinners can make 18 s. fir week. The

beft

of Innerkitben. 5^

fceft TTeavers as much. Thefe two lafi, in general, wm^ bj the piece. The dyen have a fixed weekly rate, which Offers according to their qualifications. Inthecoorie of ehe firft year after the work was begun, cloth was mana« £a&ured to the amount of L. tftoo Sterling, and has gnidu^ ally increafed.

The whole of Mr Brodie's attention as a ufeful member o£ fociety is by no means direded to this one objeA. His ez« tenfive operations in Shropihire and London are too gene* rafly known to need particular mention. To promote a fptrit of indufiry in this diftriS, he engaged in this mann- £iAure, and gave the dire£Hon of it to hb nephew, who» though not at firft acquainted with the trade in wool* by application, ibon made himfelf mafter of the bufineis.

Sbtipf Horfis^ and Cattle^ — Upwards of 15,000 Ihcep ase kept, in general of the black-fiBwed kind, as a breedii^ dock* There are 90 horfes, and about aoo head of Uack cattle. Few of the floremaflers have thought of changing their fiock of ewes and rams entirely, but they have of late puxchafed ibme of each, particularly the rams, fince the price of wool has increafed fo confiderably.

The Iheep pafiures and arable grounds are occupied by the fame perfon, as is the cafe over all this diftrid. It is not how many acres of arable, but how many Icore of iheep does the farm hold, which fixes the rent.

Stipend^ Church, — ^The ftipend is, eommunibus amnsf about L. xio. The Duke of Queeniberry b patron. The glebe contains, for the fite of manle and garden ground, and crop and pafture, about 10 acres and a half. It has been alked| AVhat proportion of ground ought a minifler to poflels aa glebe, that the occupancy may become profitable ? The an- swer muil depend on fuch a variety of circumftances, that it cannot be of general appUcatipo. If it is aiked, Will the

miniftcr

^09 Stati^ical Account

jninifier of Iimerleidien have a profitable occapancj ? Na The land he poiTefles will not enable him to emploj his naa and horfes half the time they ought to be employed. Ground cannot be labomned without two horles. Two he -muft keep, for the hiring of his ploughing he cannot obtain. One horfe he ooght to keep for parifli dut j ; and when this 'requires one horfe, the other is thrown idle as to the tiiliog •the ground, and many other farming purpofia. Should he, Apoftle like, abjure the ufe of hor&s for hb own accooH .modation, he may then drive in his fuel, and have bis little farm cultivated in proper feafon ; but every year be •muft go to market for fodder to maintain his boriiBS \ aad this the late incumbent confidered as an average expence of L. j p4r annum ; which, added tathe wages and mainte- nance of a ploughman, renders the glebe a lols rather than profit to any incumbent. Without a cow, no family can be comfortable in the country ; the glebe, as yielding this benefit, isr, with all its pecuniary di&dvantages, highly ufe- 'fol. Conld the minifter of Innerleithen find people to hire, for driving his coals and tilling hb land, and be, by thefe 'means, under no ncceflity of keeping a man-fervant aad a pair of horfaa, he might then not be under any diflScahy of providing fodder for two cows, and a horfe for parifli datj, and by that means his glebe would turn out profitable. As circumftances Hand, this cannot be obtained. Accom- modation, therefore, sftid not profit, is all that can be looked for. Twenty acres of farm, at a reafonablc rent, would render the clergyman"^ fituaiion comfortable, and the pof- feffion of the glebe profitable. Such is the outline of an antwer to the qucttion, as it relates to this parilh. The writer of this report fpeaks not from theoretical fpcculation, ' but from dear bought experience ; and what is true in the one cafe is fully applicable in the other. Both manfe and church are in a gopd Hate of repair. The manfe was buiic

fcr

qf Innerleithen. 6oi

for the lad iQcumbent \ the cburch a few years agO| and, for its iize, is one pf t^ie neatcft country churches in the county. The poor aRT^ fupported hy a poors-rate^ oue half paid by the heritor?, the other by the tenants. .The raite has ad additional increafe every year, which is a geneirat obfex«7a- tion made from every parifh where this mode of provifion has been recurred unto. The fellion have {bme funds in their haads, which they diilributf to the rood indigent of ihofe who receive the legal provifion, in ca£ra ^f particular diftreis. The late incumbent pjitained from the Earl t& Traquair, when he fitted up the mineral weU, the* right of difpofing of it, feafon by feaibn, to forae pauper, who, by opening and^(buttiki|( it to thofe who reforted'te»it, might be entitled'td aiafy pecnnthry gntuity they pleaCsdtd confer. By tbe.r«giilatioQ9i it was to' be o^en two houis every morning, and two every evexfing, Sunday evening excepted. Mr Brodiiii' whofe geberbfity i^ only equalled' by his* im« partiaiity, gives L. 5, 5 s. fevdrjlyear, to be diftributed b|f the diergymsn to poor hoofebiojders. As foen* a& ibis geii- tleman had a permanent iateveil in the parift^he began to feel for tfar wants of the indigent, and ihoagh not bbli^d by law to provide for the pbor, he made a law for himfel^ by which he has comributed more to the nteedy, (ban thtt moftatenfive pvoprietor b boniid to by law: THi», ^ith the eitcnlatton of money proAoced by thofe employed in the mamifaAovy, many of whom are old people and chit- dren, who oooM have earned tittle of nothing, has benefited the poor of the village very much.

J|f<^ii/i,uJWIietheir thSd Vafier abqtrifition of mtittey harf had atend^xicy'tdimproV* ttfetaidTals of the InWer clafe, may be cafily determined -ffjr the'cxpcrifence of every' body. They are ftflt found' in their reHgious principles, and pique themfelves on* being J[o. H^ligton anti ihorality, or rather

Vol. XIX. 4 G that

6o2 Stati/lical Account

h ' that branch of it, fobrietj, have long been at odds in tfab diftrid. Example goes beyond precept* The lorwer dafr willy if poffible, imitate their betters. What proportion the Diflenters may bear to thofe who are of die EftabfiAed Church is beyond the power of man to determine. The ▼arioQS denominations among us ufe times of vacancy, if poffible, to carry off as many as they can ; and difgnft, or dilappointmenty or any thing, in (hort, may, with a little fophiftry, become the pretext. Thefe canfes have already begun to operate, and what efieds they fitall produce time alone can unfold. .

SiT^poiL— -The average number of (cholars may be betwixt 30 and 35. The greateft number are in fpring. The ichoohnafter teadies Latin, Englilh, writing, and arithmetic; Hb emoluments of o£Sce are L. 100 Scots.

Mr Brodie, who equally regards, in his extenfive- philan- thropy, the fnftenance of the body and the improvement of the mind, gives him L. 5, 5 s. for educating poor children. His office of feffion-derk may yield L. i. He has likewife a free houfe and garden. His whole emoluments can hard- ly exceed L.ao per anmtm. He has contrived to tear a fiunily upon this flender income. If emolument of office is neceflary to promote its ufefulnefs,. this moft impoctant of aU employments for the good of Ibdety, a country Idiool* noAfter, will ibon be no more, unleis ferae means aie &Iien upon to render it more lucrative and xefpedahlft.

jtiUijuiiiei^^-'Tower houbs uf met with in a ruinous condition at the mouth of every defile through this exten* five pariih. Tradition is filent, except in two or three i»- fiances at mofi, by whom they were occupied. If the lame icenes of iniquity were praAifed in them all thai the records of the prefl)yter7 of feeblcs attaches to one of them, thej

have

tf InnerleUben. 603

have •defenredly become the habitation of owls. A ftrong SortificatioQ was ereded, in times of hoftilitj, on a rifing gcoqnd immediate! j adjoining to the village of Innerleithen. Veftiges of the foffam are fiiU difbernible on the outfide of the third line of circumvallatioD. Within the third of thefe lines there is a fpace of ratheii^ more than an Engliih acre. An immenfe quantity of ftones have been coUefied to form thefe lines. No cement feems to have been employed. The loofe ftones were, however, boilt with confideiable care. By whom confimded, at what time, agaihft whonit sue queries to be aofwered by conjeAure only.

Nanus ofPlaces.'^Thtlt are, in general, borrowed firom die dialed of the language at preient fpoken*, £bme from their preient or former proprietors. Horlbrugh Caftlcy Tower, and lands, derived their name from the ancefiors of Horlbrugh of that ilk, a confiderable proprietor at prefent in the parilh« The onfpa of the name the writer leamedt in the courfe c£ this inveftigadon, to have arilen from the following circumfiance :^-During the time that Peebles vn» « hunting refidence to tjtie Kings of Scotland, the King and his noblai were engaged in the fport of hawking. The hawk flew acrots the Tweed after his prey. The river hqtpened to be in flood ; the King and the nobles could not follow. The anceftor of the family, of the name of either Hunter or Hamilton, was, at the time, ploughing on the lands, which afterwards, by royal grant, became his owa } acquainted with the river, whole banks he cultivatedf he loofed his plough, and with one of his horles came acrofii .the flream, and reftored the hawk and his prey to the royal hunter ; for which meritorious fervice the King endowed him with all the lands within view of hu plough north of Tweed. As he>wa9 crofling the river, either the King» or one ci his attepdantSi cried ottt» Har/e hrtnk wel, and thenco

the

<Jo4 Statijlical AccQunt

the lan£U, and their owner, Trere called Horfebniik ; ivhkh, in the coaofe of time, have been changed into Horflnvi^, VaUai quod wdert /kojffti.r^^lhe prefent proprtctor has, in- de(>endeat of roy^l grant* a verj juft title to the lands on which he refides. They came into the fiunily bj aa in- termarriage with the naoM: of Taic ; but the prcCcat occu- pant, by judicious improvement, has railed tiicir value, hoxa fcarcely L. 50 of annual income, to be worth L. 300 perannum. The only fubftantial improvement xa planting and indofingy in the whole pariih, has been eftfte|l*by him ; and whild he has given beauty to his vicinity, he haa added confiderably to his annual income. In a country like ours, where fo much ftill remains to be done, every attempt to improve trhe face of the country merits its due praife, and ought not to be withheld.

Road up Liithett. — ^In fummer 1794, this road, formed by fubfcription, and at prefent kept in repair by the fame 0tcans, with the addition of the money for the commuta- tion for ftatute labour, was begun to be ufed for the pur- pofes of driving lime and coal. During the courfe of that fummer upwards of 3000 bolls of lime, Linlithgow mea- fixre, and a confiderable quantity of coal, were drove on it. This line of communications Shortens the diftanoe from coal and lime, from X3 to 14 miles. Both coal and lime are of better quality, and a confiderable feving in toll-bar duty is obtained. The effeds of opening this comQAWiicarion .Iwve already appeared highly beneficial to thole who at firft fubfcribed, and they are, as fiur as they are individually concerned, ready to enter > into a fecond fubicription, to oarry th^ meafure, as far a3 their ability allows, into com- plete efied. The narrow policy bf othersi who have not fubfcribed, and who have taken ad vintage of this commoni- jcation, prevents them frofti fiibfcribing at all. A pnbUc good

^ huiirldthin. '605

may by thefe means fsll to nought, and die improvement of tliis higfalj imprtivmbk diilrifi be retarded. The aceom* pliihing this purpofe is worthy the patriotic fpirit oif the Honourable Preiident of the Board of Agriculture. • In his extenfive communications with the members of that Ho- nourable Board, lie may open the eyes of fome of them to their own sidvantage, and may point out to the nation in general the prc^riety of adopting this line of intercourfe betwixt Carlifie und Edinburgh.

AiwuUagn •aJL-DifaivmUagu^'^^VL the account already given, the advantages of diis parifli have already been pretty fully detailed. A pure air, a fertile foil, abundant paftuiesy the means of inftmfiion afforded to aU, even the indigent, plenty of lidiibnr for the indnftrious, a legal provi- iion provided for the needy, are a fliort recapitulation of thefe. The di&dvantages are, in fome refpe6b, likewife hinted at. The greateft of thefe is, the diflance from fiieL Peats are not to be obtained for general ufe. Furze was formerly the dependence of the lower daft for their win- ter fire ; but the induAry of a farmer, who began his occu- pancy at Whitfunday laft, has already gone far to remove this fupply, and will foon make an abfolute fcarcity. The lands he poflefl*es were formerly rented at L. 84 Sterling yearly } now they are let in leafe for 19 years at L. 350 Sterling per ann. During the currency of the former leafe, the lands might be fuifered to bear furze, and yet the rent might have been paid. As things now fland, he muft try fome more produdive mode of occupancy, eliie the price of labour and rent cannot be paid ; the laft of which is qua- druple what it was, and the firft double, in the courfe of thefe laft fix years* The completing the road up Leithea would bring the village of Innerieithen into a certainty of ))aving coals at all feafons of the year. An attention to

fobriety

i

606 Statiftkal Acewnt

fobriety would familh them with the meftot of providing themiclviet with fuel of the heft and che^peft kisd. Com* fertable at home» thej would not need to Ccek eojojaieDt abroad. . Contented with their eooditioo, thej would not Jbllow thqie pven to change. Thefe refleflioos bj so means are intended for general application. Under all the diiadvantages already enumerated, the generality enjoy, ia a Goofiderable degree, the advantages of dvilified fociety. They love their country, are attached to its cooflitntioo, and rejoice in the fecurity the laws afford. If any thing is •wanting to meliorate their condition, it b reducing their religious knowledge to pradice.

. Real and yabiid Rmi.'^As hr as can be coojeSmed, the real rent is upwards of L. 3000 Sterling : The vabied rait is L. 6639 : t : a.

NUM.

^f Glenhucket. 60 j

•NUMBER XXIX- PARISH OF GLENBUCKET,

(CoaNTT AXD StMOD OF ABBRDEEK, ^£8BTTE&T W A.LFO&D}.

From Manrials co0mumcated by tie Riv. William

StEKCE,

npHE pBriih of Glenbucket is fituated in ebe pcdbjrtexy ^ of Alford, and fynod and coontj of Aberdeen. The «ztreme breadth, (at kaft of the cultivated part} is not above a mile, generally not half a mile i its length about four. Itlies on each fide of a Cmall brook, called Bucket, running from north*eaft to fouth-weft, where it fidls into Don, and is bounded bj the parilb. of Strathdoa on the cafi, fimth, and weft. The pariih of Gabrach lies to the north, from which it is leparated by a hill of about four miles wide« Tradition reports that it once belong^ to that- pariih ; and the remains of the chapel, where it is likely public worlhip was perfiDrmed, were not long ago to be ken. The foil is, for the moft part, of a light loam, on fome fiums mixed with day. The fprings are in general backward, and vegetation advances very ilowly at firft : The fiimmers are, however, warm, as the pariih is encircled by iuUs, fo that the harvefts are by no means {b late as might be expeded. The crops are, oats, Cor the moft part of an early kindi and Scotch bear. Artificial grafles are

beginnmg,

6o8j Statijlical AccfMtt

beginning, and onlj beginning, to be fown, and the advan- tages of them to b£ knpivn. ^ As there |ire, however, hardlj any indofures, and every fiarmer, almoft every cottager, keeps fooie iheep, they arf with difficulty fparded in the winter. The turnips muff indeed, in general) be taken up, as there is no preferving of them.

The people are feber, and ytrj indoftrions. There are few that do not make thci^ ^«m ploughs and carts, and alfb their brogues or ihoes.

The pan(h i3 the property of one heritor, (the Earl of Fife) ; and contains, by a very exad lift taken laft winter, (1795), 449 fouls*, 229 males, 220 females. The average of deaths, for eight years, is about 8. The population, ac- cording to Dr Webfter's account, in X755t was 430.

The names of places, almoft without exception, are de- rived from the Gaelic, as Badenyon^ which gives name to an edc^tiX idCLg \ and meaAs^ ^ \b fiid, the Bit^s Jig&, or Tbieketi

Th^re are no fiiAds f6r t^ fii^pKi^ of thtt poor bat the weekly collediions, uHliA are fiAatt. lAidkA^ there are fcHom any that require eonftayit fupply. Siit or fevcn le- teive a few ihillingB twice or thrioe in the year.

Ad the parish b (maQ, fo^ the ftipead is perhaps the fin&Heft rtt Scotlattd*. This kn%, manfe, an^ bflkes, were alt lately rebuilt.

The parifli fie^ at a gte«t (fiftianee from every market- towb. Aberdeen, the poft-town, is above 30 miles off. To it the people mnft carry \^hatever they have for iak, and from thence all their neceftWries are procured. None but thofe who have felt it can imagine how inconvenient it is to be at fuch « diflance fitmi a poR>office and market- t6wn; when, for fix or ^ight weeks, fometinies sdl communi* cation is fiiopped.

NUM.

NUMBER XXX. PARISH OF YETHOLM,

(CouvTT OF RoaoRGH, Stkod or Merse Aif d Tetiot-

DALE, PrESBTTERT OE KeL80.)

CoBeBulfram Maieriais communicated by tie Rev. William Blackie.

Epttent.

'T^HE parifli of Yetholm, or 21etholin, has never bad anj other name, as far as is known, nor does it appear that, a part of anj other parifli has been annexed to it* Where longeit, which is nearly from north-weft to fouth^eaft, its eitent is between four miles and four and a half; the breadth generally about two miles; and the Bowmont wa- ter divides it into two parts, not qoite equal, the largeft be* ing towards the north-weft. On the fouth, and foutb-weft^ and weft, it is bounded by the parifli of Morbottle ; on the north-weft by the parifli of Linton; and on alltiie other Vol. XIX. 4 H quarters

6io Statiftical Acamnt

qaarteiB l^y the £Dgli(h border. It b hilly, batthe hilk aie green. The Bowmont ynxtx has (qme pretty kurge bsoghsi and from the minifter's manfe to the nordi-weft there n s piece of flat land along with thefe haughs, tot the extevt of aboat i^ mile, — About ilraigbt weft, where this pariik inarches with thgt of Morbottle, there is a loch of note than a mile in circumference, in which are both pike and perch, the flat land already fppken of refching rofiii4 T^ thplm Law till you come quite to the loch.

Agriculturi<^-A\io^t ifjo Englifli acres are adnallj on- der tillage, and though there be fome wheat fowu, yet the greatefl part is laid out in raifii^g bsirl^y and oats, wd4 tm:- pips. Even the fmall tenants, who have from i and a to xo and 15 acres, from Mr Wauchope and the Marquia of Tweeddale, have their turnip quarter, for which, 00 ac* count of their vicinity to Northi^mberlaud, they find a rea- dy market, getting/ when a good crop, feme years If. 3, others L. 5, to be eaten upon the ground with iheep. Muefa more land could be made arable.

The fheep maintained in fummer (not reckoning die lambs, which are about 25Q0| ^d of which xx6o are Ibid off whilft lambs) are about 4800. They are generally the largeft of the Cheviot breed, and if a period of |o years is taken, it will be found upon an average, that the beft prices in this country have been got for wool growing in this pa- rilb. Laft fummer moft of it was fold for L« i, xx 8.^cr ftone. It is the {hort clothing-wool, and they prefer the New England tar, mixed with butter, for falve. In ma- king the falve for fmearing, they take 40 pounds of batter, ^4 ounces in the pound, to 6 Scots pbts of ur, with which they fmear X40 ihecp. A good many years ago, a trial was made in a neighbouring parifh, farther up the Bow* }&ontwater> of crofliog w^th the Bakewell breeds bnt it

was

^Titbotini 6x1

wmi found fo hx firom beiog tn improvement, thtt they Cold them off as fpeedily as poffible.

The number of black cattle, except cows for milk, are oomparatively fmall* The aomber of formers horics, both for work and riding, is 39 \ and of fsirmers and hinds or herds cows, is 50. For fome dme pad onlj xa osen havt been reared ; 40 Highland cattle have been bongbt in and fed off« Among the fmall tenants, and inhabitants who have no land at all, are kept 76 horfes. The number of their milk cows may be about 64, befides fome of them bringing up young ones*

^psK0iM.— There is a common in this parifh of about 200 acres in extent, of which 40 or 50 are thought im«« proveable. There u very little wood, and the gentlemen feem not difpofed to plant any, although there is .abundance of land fit for no other ufe.

P«;^it£iribff.— This parilh has, I (iippofe, more than dou* bled its population in the courfe of this century, becaufe many villages in the neighbouring pariflies of Hounam, Morbottle, and Linton, have been totally razed fince the memory of people now living, and many of the inhabitants have withdrawn into the towns oi Tetholm and Kirk* Yetholm, two villages in which the greateft number of this parifh dwell ; the former belonging to Mr Wauchope, and fituated upon the north-weft fide of the Bowmiont water; the other belonging to the Marquis of Tweeddale,and on the fottth-eaft fide of fiiid water.

When the prefent incumbent was ordained in the year 1786, he, in the courie of his parochial vifitation, found tho number of foub to be in Town^-Yetholm 539, in Kirk^ Tetholm 313, and in the reft of the parifti 208, making in all 1070 louls. There were 491 males, and 579 females*

Upon

6i2 StatiJHcal Accowa

Upon tikiog a new furrrf of (he anmber of reckoning none bot thofe who refide at pre&iit (Jamarj X797) in the parifh, I foond in Town-Tetfaolm 490 (bob, in Cirk-Tetholm 305, and in die reft of die pvifli xti ; in all 976. The popoladon in 1755* bj die return fcnt to Dr Webfter, was 699.

The reafon why die number of females ezceeft that ef the males mnft be, that for about 30 or 40 7013 paft the eountcy about being greatly depopulated, fiogle women un- fit for fitf mors ferviee, or an old widow with a dflnghter or two, moft of them equally unfit, took re&ige in tfaefe Tilla- ges, and earned their livelihood by fpinning, perhaps fome one of the family by hoeing turnips by the day, and Iming themfelTesinhanreft; whiMl the males hired thcm&lrei for herds, hinds, and farmers fervants, and were in other pariflies. This is not mete conjefiture, for a great part of the paupers upon the lift oonfift of fuch women, and I know of many more who ftiU fubfift by their own labour. Be- fides, fome fingle women, or widows, after obtaining a fa* dement in other pariflies, come to refide in thefe villages i becaufe flout women, fit to be employed tl^e whole feafoa in every kind of out-work, are fo fcarce in proportion to the demand, that no farmer will let a cottage, bat upon the condition of being fiimifhed with a worker, for whom, even in the tumip-feafon, they pay 8 d. or 9 d. per day, without viduab. Thofe who were hired by the day in fbmmer 1795 got X s. a-day ; and men before harveft got x s. and 6 d. a-day, without viftuals. During harveft many &rmers in this parifli gave for men x s* and 6d. with viduals, and none gave below x s. and 4 d. For women x s. and 4 d. and none below x s. and a d. Some years ago 6 d. was rec- koned equal to viAuals for a day : 8 d. is now thought by fome the proper allowance. Labourers prefer getting their

viduals to an allowance in money.

In

ofTetUhn. 613

In order to afcertain whether, in the natural coorfe, the number of males be greater than the number of females, I picked out all thofe families which confided moftlj of chil- dren, and found the males more numerous than the fe- males.

Occupations of the Inhabitants. Tinkets and gypfies, all in Kirk-Tetholm, including

women and children, - - 50

Weavers, - - - - ' 35

Smiths, - - . ^

Wrights, . . . ,5

ShoemakeiB, - - - 5

Coopen, one of them alfo a wheel-wright, - 3

Day-labourers, - * 49

, Pkntghmen and hinds, « - 25

Shepherds, - ' - 16

Schoolmafters, . • 4

Millers, - - - lo

Skinner, - . • - . - 1

Retailers of merchandife, - - 6

Tailors, - - - 9

Mafons, - ' - - 9

Waukere and dyers, - - 4

Thatchers, - - - 3,

Gatherers of eggs, having no other occupation, a'

Bakers, ... 7

Gardeners, ... 7

Carriers, one a dated weekly carrier to Kelfo, 9

Surgeons, one given over bufinels, - 2

Butchers, - - - 2

Coblers, * - - 3

Pedlar, - - - x

Fidler, - - - i '

Saddler,

6x4 Siati/Kcal AccoufU

Saddler» • . *> • i

Malftcr, * - • I

Cow dealer, - - • i

Reni.i'^Tht Valued rent of the pariih is L. 7049 : 13 : 4 Scots. The real rent is about L. 2x04 Sterling. It maj with propriety be faid to be three times more than it was during the remembrance of fome old people yet liTing,

Stipend. — ^Till lately the ftipend was no more than 13^ boUs oat-mealy 14^ boUs barley, 5 boHs wheat, all m Te- Tiotdale meafure, and L. 38 : 17 : 9^ in money, befides L. X : 13 : 4 for communion-elements. An augmcotBtifm was lately granted of 2 chalders of oat-meaI| Linlithgow meafure, and L. 2 : 6 : 8 for communion-elements. But af- ter all, if one confiders, on the one hand, the great and ra- pid advances of rents, and on the other, the abundance of free teind in the pariih, and that the ftipend was never augmented before, he may be juftified in pronouncing it too ijoiall. Andrew Wauchope, £{q; of Niddrie is patroo.

Sciooi.'^'The fidary belonging to the parochial (cfaod if zoo merks Scots. The matter is fumifhed with a good fchool-houfe and dwelUog-houle. There are two or three private fchoob, for the accommodation of the inhabitants. The number of fcholars may be about 8q.

Poor — ^The number of poor upon the roll is ufually about 50, who receive from as. 6d. to 8 d. /^ week each, as their neceifities may require. Befides the ftated poor, feme needy families receive oocafional fupply. The funds fior anfwering thele purpo&s arife chiefly from afleflinents. They amounted from Whitfunday to Martinmas, in the year 1795, to the fiun of L. 5a, 19 s. Sterling. The col-

leffioos

tfTethobn. 615

lefiions in the church, amoantiDg €0 about !«• 8 annually, are, at die defire of the heiitorsy moftly given to indigent peifons not upon the roll, with a view to prevent them from becoming a burden on the public £b foon as otberwile would be the cafe.

NUM-

6i6 Stati/lieal Accmuu

'NUMBER XXXI.

PARISH OF AULDEARN,

(County or Nairn, Stnod of Morat, and Prxot- TERT of Nairn).

By the Rev. Mr John Patxrson.

AULDEARN is fiud by Mr Shaw's hiftoiy of Monj to be compofed of two Graelic words, importixig die iron-coloured brook, from a fediment of that colour ooca- fionallj thrown out by the brook, which runs weftward of the village. By other gentlemen (killed in that language, it is fuppofed to denote the brook covered with alders, from At abundance of the trees fo denominated, which grew along the fides of it, and which ftill grow near it. It was formerly a place of much greater confideration than at pre- lent, and the feat of the Dean of Moray, who prefided over ten canons, and in the bifliop's abfence prefided in the chap- ters and in fynods. From a grant of the *^ lands of Penie (Pethenach juxta Erin per fuas redas divifas)" in this pariih to the Priory of Urquhart, by David !• its ancient name feems to have been fimply Exin.

The

b/JtutdearHi fli;^

Thi^ diarch and madfe ate pleabntly fiiuoied on a.ri^ ling ground^ whkh coihinandB an eztenfive prof^ft of tbe Mor*y Firth, and Baj of Cromarty, of part <rf five diiFerent ifairea^ and a landfcape of many tlioufand acres of cultivated lands. Tkey are fituated in the centre between Elgin and Invemefty 20 mOes from each. On the north the pariih extends i^our miles gkng the coaft of the Moray Firth, 6 miles from fouth to north, and the fame from eaft to well ; bounded qp die fouth bj the hills of Ardlach, on the weft by the pariih of Calder, and im the caft by Dykes and EdinkaiHie. The foUth-eafi part of the pariih is of a rich red mortal foU, of diiRcult cnltivatioa, but producing luxuriant crops of barley, oats, and peaie. The fouth- weil diviiion is of a mduld darker, and not fo fertile as the form^ri and iii late feafbns the corn is liable to much damag^« Around the village of Auldeani the foil is light and dry, in ihowery feafons recompeniing the labbuts of the huibandman \ but in thofe of an oppoiite defcription is parched, and the crop de« ficienti The north part is of a cold and heavy loam, ex- tremely diiEcitlt in w^ weather to labour in wiuter. The eail and weft iides are of a fimilaf mould, producing tf^eigh^ ty crops of oats, but not fo fiivourable for barley,- althbugh barley, in general, is the grain mod congenial to tb^ fcil oS the pariih, and vies in excellence 4vith any ih the northern part of this ifland. In that quarter of the pariih which is the property of Lord Cawdor, the ground is fo encumber- ed with ftones, that if his eRate was cleared of them, it is computed it would rife onfc-fifch in valne.

Climaief^Tbt climate is mild and ferene, at leaft in Che lower and level parts if the ^nlH. No dUea&s peculiar to the place are prevalent. NotwitKftandingthe immoderate tife of fpirituous liqnors, the rsrvages which dropiical and confumptive diilempcrs have made elfewhere, are here hap-

VoL. XIX* 4 I pil/

6i 8 Statiftical Account

pilytmkuowo ; veryleW bav« &lkn a faoifice lo tke liialU pox, though the peopte are in general aTer£b to inoctiladon^ from the general gloominefsof their fiuthy which teacbestfaeaHv that all difeaies which afflift the human frame are inftanryT of the Divine interpofitioUt for the punifhment of fin; aoj- interference, therefore, on their part, they deem an ufiirpa- tion of the prerogative of the Almighty.

Stati ^Prq^crf^.-^The valued rent of this parifli, at- mounting to L. 7255, 78. Scots, is divided among fix heci* tors. Mils Brodie of Letben has an elegant £eat in the fouth part of the pariihi fituated in a hollow betwixt two hills, (heltered on the eaft, well, and fouth fides^ bj planta- tions of trees; among which the majeftic fiae of fome vene- rable beeches, with their luxariant difiufion of boughs and l^rancbes, muft attrafi the notice of eveiy behotdcrv^-North of the church, in a delightful plain, beautifully variegated with wood and water, lies the family-feat of the Duftbars ef Boath. The garden and pleafure-grounds, with the £b- t^eral indofures adjoining, ace laid out with the utmoft de- gance of tafte. The family of Boath have been proprietors of that eftate upwards of 250 years<^-Mr Gordon of finid has a fummer lodge at Kinfleary.

The valued rents of the feveral heritors, as &ited m the ce&-books, are as foUbw, viz. : Charles Gordon's, £(q; of Braid, confiding of Kinftcary Park, and Auldearn, L-ajaa^ 14 s. 4 d* Scots, money. James Brodie's, £(^ ofBrodie^ cftates of In(hocb, Lochloy, and Penich, Liijj^p, ix$« Lord Cawdor's eftates of Boghdl, Moyneis, £arl&at. Black* hills, Laylands, and Raitbne, L. 1493 : 19 : 6. Mils Brodie of Letben, L. xroo. Alexander Dunbar, Efq; of Boatb, L. 6ja : 15 ; 9.^ Knockowdie, L.96. The red rent confix derably exceeds L. 5000 Sterling yearly.

Pofubiwm*

*ofJuldeam. 619

Pofu/aiion^r^n 1755 the popidation is faid to have a- mounted to 1951 fouls. This fiatementy however, is liable Co the fufpicion of exaggeratbn ; for the laft incumbent, in his onfucceisful application for an augmentation of ftipend the preceding year, I754t reprefented them* as amounting to onlj 1600 fouk. In an accurate lift taken fpring lail jear (1796), the parilb was found to contain 1406 inhabi* tants ; 66x males, and 745 females*

The total of thofe who fellow the profeffion of agricul* ture is 117. Several mechanics and tradefmen poflfefs fmUl croftSy in order to augment the megns of fubfiftence for themlelves and fatnilies. Of day-labourers there are 43, IX ihoemakers, 7 fmiths, 15 weavers, 8 taylors, ; millers, ] X mafons, and 9 fquare-wrights } and there are 3 inns, and 4 merchants, in the village of Auldearn, which contains 4^ joules, imd 185 inhabitants. There are about 97 iece- ders of the Antiburgher perfoafion, who, in conju&ipn with fome others, attached to that feft in the neighbouring pa* riflies, contrive to fupport a clergyman of their own in Bog- holl, in the fouth-eaft comer of the pariih, and confines of Edinkaillie.

This feceffion from the copimunion of the eftablilhed re« ligicn began about 40 years fince, and is now rather on the' decline. All the reft belong to the eftabliftunent, and join with it, atleaft in religious ordinances, although their attach- ment to puritanical dodrines makes many of them wander miles to hear popular and applauded preachers.

AbftraA of births and marri^^es for i^ years, precediQg^

1797 :

MaleSn Females*

»4 9 II _

i7 "5 S8

1785 .	IS
1786 -	«5
1787 -	za
178^	!2
carried orei	•58

Total,	Marriagtt,
3»	>J
49	»9
az	Vi
34	«^

$2^

Stat^ftkid Apmmi

	M«bf,	Fm^t^	^otai.	Marri^gn.
BroRgbt (	rrm 58	J7	««5	58
1789	»5	«4	*9	»4
1790.	13	• *°,	33	«i
1791	• '7	»4	3«	»3 .
X79» .	10	13	»3	xo
1793	xa	7	»9	8
»794	9	16 .	ai	. 8
1795 . •	ai	»4	35	»3
1796	ai	«5	3<S	9

176 170 346 148

Average of births nearly ^9, of marriages 114* Abfttaft of h\t^ tni marriages for 5 years, previous »

	Malts,	Females.	TotaA Marrit^
J744	. 28	26	54 Xfi
>74S	18	30	38 7
X74fi	- 18	*3	4» 7
»747	39	3»	6« xj
1748	- aa	36	59 ^
	1x6	.3«	35a 49
	Average of \afiia 5of , marriages 9^

Bj reafon of the negligence of tbe fcffion-clerk of tfatt period, the lift of bapdfioos for j jFears previous to 1755, vrhich would have afforded the faiireft point of comparj&Ot has been very inaccurately kept- From the above view it appears, that the population has decraafed oonfiderably, owing, as To other places, to the enlargement of &cai% and flocking of young^men to manu£i£hiring towns*

Advantages and Difadvantaga of tbe Parijb^ andiCf- celianeous Op/ervatiofn.-'^Thcrt arc &w oalural woods of

aar

nxxj extent, bat ooe o£ birch c/t the dilate of Infhockr tb^

property of Mr Brodie o^ Brodie -, and fron) thist VFOO^ thr

neigbbpurhood are geacrallj^fuppUtd* wkh looft of their laEh

plcments of buibaA4r7- l^t^ likewife. are ibme .vnhiaUb

firs, equal in ^piality to thofe of Glet)mor«> ^d' wbiok lUBi

«t a itiiUing a Ipot cubic. There Ern» :howeyer» largo pte-

rations of firs intcrijp^ied with l^j?c, and every fpeciea of

hard wood known in Scotland reared on the eftates of aU

the proprietors s but the nioft. confiderable on that ef Ifr

Cordon of Br^id. The ezertioni of this gentleman, in the

improvement and enxbeUiflimeiit of his isftate, by platiring

of trees and hedges» draining of mi^rflids, bnrfting of ilones

by gun^powdcr* and inolofing of his grounds, and dms . fiir-

Aifliing confUnt.eaipIoymcnt to the indnftrions poor in Uus

quarter, deferve much praile. The extent o£ ground ooveMd .

bj Mv Gotdoaf 1 )planr«tians, including the chunpi and behs

of bis pleafiire-^ouhd, ezqeed 600 acres; and their thinnings

have already been very icrviceable for firing, and various

other country purpoles.— From the appearaaee of the dips

and rifiss of, the variws.ftrata of metals betwixt the houfe

of Boath an4 the lea, it has appeared probable to ibme per*

ipm of iagacitj aod obiervatioB, that • ooal might be proe»-

red at an expenoe no wife inadequate to the objofi, by mean»

of a4re-engine planted near the iea^ihore. And on that

property there is a quarry of datk-blue ftane, which mounts

like coal into a bkze by the operation of fire, bnt is not

consumed thereby, nor diflblyes in water like limeftone.

An almoft inexbauflible fund of marl may be found in lioch Lity, upon Lord Cawdor's eftate, covering about 40 ac^soffitf&cc, to the depth of from 16 to aofieet; the lake might be drained by a fimall fire-engme of L. 60 or L. j% value. Few of the parifhioners have made application to Jxkrd Cawdor in order to avail themfelves of this valuable inannre. Jhe moft con^d^Ue mo6 belong to Mr Bxodie

522 StattfHcal Acamnt

«f Brodie. Some oAer proprietoxs pretend to have ferri* tudes oh ity though with the origin of their claims the pxe- ftnt writer is nnacquainted. The tenants are occopied do- ling the greater part of the fummer in digging, prepariag-, land bringing home their peats. If there was regular fbp-. plies of coals brought to Naim^ this labour might in m good meafnre be' fuperfeded, and the attention of the bulbaiidaian nighti to much better purpofe, be direfied to his proper cm* plojtment during that feafon. Large planks of fir axe coo- tained in the bottom of this mofs/ which ferre for couples and lath to hoiifes. Trees have been found 60 feet long, and 3 feet iquare. On the coaft, on the north part of the pa- riih| Ees an inconfiderable lake called Loch Loj, of a mile in length, and a quarter broad, rather below the level of the fea. It has formerlj undoubtedly been much larger than its pcdGent extent, but gradually «ontnfied by the bkiwing of the &nds in its neighbourhood, in which u^ two qf thole hills of fio&uating find deicribed mqre ae large in the ac* count .of Dyke*.

Thefe hills have fhifted caftward withm thele 20 yean 500 yards, ftill prefisrving their magnitude and relative di- 4ance. The largeft of thefc hills is about zoo yards pov pendicular«-— There are thr^ markets held annually in diss "village ; one upon the 2rft June, called* St Colm'a market, in honour, it is fuppoCed, of St Columba, the founder of the iponafiery of Zona.

. T^# Staii of Agriculture. — ^The inhabitants are tenacious of antiquated pra^ices, and admit of the improvements c^ enlightened* experience by flow degrees^ The mode is aoi piatcrially altered from that in uie 30 years fince. Wheivtbe corns are got clear off the ground, they begin to give a rib- furrow acrols the field intended for barley or peafe *, wka ^91 is over^ if the it^z^oj^ pr^ve favourable, they give a

dm

^f AuUeartu 625

tkfln ibtTow to thrir laft ye^*s bafley-ground, for okUf which art begun to be fown the 28th of March, and finiib- ed the 5th of April ; then thej begin to fpread their dang*, and gWe a dean furrow to their, barley-ground'; a third fuN tow precedes the fowing of the barley -, begun the 8th May^ and finiihed towards the conclufion of that month.

The harvefti in indulgent feafons, begins loth Septem* ber, and ends about the lafl days of OSober. The common mode of preparing their dung for barley, b one half dnngf and the other half mortar, but more frequently fand.

The better fort of tenants have ploughs of the Englilh- oonftniftion, dtawn by a c<3uple of horfes ; others are the old Scots plough, drawn by 6 cm' 8 oxen, where the ground is ftony and of hard culture* The former makes v&t of box-carts, and the latter of kellocks, for conveying tha compoft which they ufe for manure. The kellock is of a co- nical figure, confirufted of twigs of broom or juniper^ interwoven in the manner of baikets ; the fabrication of which fumiihes employment to fome of the labouring poor. It is Ibfpended by two fliafts, in which a fingle horliv is placed, and fet on a clumfy two«wheeled carriage. Tho kellock is in value i s. and Aider and wheels 4 s. The common rotation of crops after breaking up the grafs-field J3« i^, Two of oats, in (ucceffion; 2^, Barley; 31^ Oats; 4/ifr, Peafe ; and thereafter barley, with clover-feeds, both white and red. All kinds of clover are fown here, though but lately introduced ; they are ufed here even only by the more opulent; little hay being raifed by the pooreft fort* The labouring cattle are weak and ilarving in the fpring, for want of fodder, and are fed on draw. They are thus often under the neceflity of fending their cattle to the High- lands in fummer, whence they return in as wretched a con* dition as they are fent. Potatoes, formbg the fubfifiencd of the people one^hird of the year, arc planted by every

rank;

624 Statifttcal Account

>dmk ; hf the more fabftantial tbey cire drilled, bj the poor< cr they ate planted in every fttirow. The latter, though not fo produ&ive as the other^ yet are efteemed better food. The ordinary return of an acre of drilled potatoes is about 16 bolls, but that of the other fort is not fo abundant The barley of this parilh is iti high demand among diSillers, and weighs between 17 and 19 ft<Hie, Amfierdam weight. A- bove aooo bolls of barky, and an equal quantity of oats, befides what is necelfary f&r the maintenance of the inhabi* tants, are annually exported. No peafe are nufed but for home confnmption, and little wheat, till laft year, that, alured by fhe high prices of that grain, ibme farmers hare begun to direft their attention to its cultivation, and, it is hoped, will find their account in it. The beft cultivated fields let from ^$ s. to 36 s. pet" acre ; but in the hilly parti rarely above 15 s. The moft extenfive farmers rent from L. 60 to L. 80 Sterling \ the fmalleft from ,L. xo to L. 26. Sterling. None of the proprietors have inclofed any of their grounds, nor give encouragement to their tenants to do fo, although moft of them would give chearfiilly an ad- vance of fent to have them inclofed, as their neighbours feed their cattle promifcuoufly from the end of harvcft to the firft jof April, which prevents improving tenants from raifing turnips, wheat, or fown-grais to advantage.

The horfes in this pariih, about 370 ia number, arc of a fmall fize, from L. 6 to L. io a-piece in value ; thofe pofTcf- fed by the more opulent from L. xo to L. 20 Sterling. Xhe black cattle, in number 910, are of a mixed breed ; Lan- cafhire, Dutch, Fifcfhire, and Highland ; though the lad mentioned fpecies furpafles the others in number. The fmall- eft will weigh from jo to 60 lb. per quarter, x7-r <>*• Ativ- fterdam weight : The middling fize from 70 to 80 lb. the quarter : The largeft iize from zco to 140 lb. the quarter. Xhe Iheep, about 1200, are of the fmall white-£Ked kind;

the ewa wd^bi^g &Qm< ^ to |o 1^^. per ^auterj and the^ wethen bom 8 to za lb. //r c|uarter. Their wool is e« fle«iQedy puid xcckoped pref<erahle. to that of tbe lar|;^ blad^- bcedr

N^ iDawfado^, flaXrioUV ot bleachfield, have yet been eftabtift<4 here, thoa|;b fb^ (aiiib is fuppofed to be poflef- fedoffingular advantages for ^hem all^ an^' like wUe fee fome branch of thread or (locking manufadorj.

T^f ftipend, by dtoec^ X75.^, wa^ 'l^f^^i?, ^ ^ chaldm of vidnali, half barley^ If alf oat-iaeal| 40Q rjaerks Scots, with L«6o Soots for comtpuxfioa-moneyy X4'wct)icn{Aa(id.ii (bil- lings fsn^dntj for the Paean's Crook near ElgiaJ 3ttt by an interlocutot pf the Coprt olTeindi, 94th Fehroary 179^. tbe ^oinifter's ftipcnd is wg^pcAted L. ^l Sterling aQnttaily^ and the meal altered from 48 boU^ of ttiQ JMafure i}£c4 an(|^ wont* to 54 bolls, at 8 (lone ptr boll.

The cbnrch was built in the year 17579 and is (lill in good repair ; the manfe was bnilt in 175)* was refitted laft fummer, and is now well finilhed, at the ekpenoe of above L. 200 Sterling.

The fchoolmafter's falary is i6 bolls barley. The fchool- houCb jf decent ; about 30 fcholars attend, who are initiated in the elements of Latin, Englifli, writing, and arithmetie ; his fee as feffion-derk is variable, arifing from the fines of delinqoents. The fimds for the fopport of the poor arife from the weekly coUeftion and mortcloth-money, amount* ing to the (mall fum of between L.8. and L.9 Sterling year* ly, with the intereft of L. 94 Sterling, accumulated by the attention of the late incun^bent. The number of poor on the roll are 56. Mr Brodie of Brodie is patron of this pa- riih.

The inhabitants are fufficiently turned to the devout vir- tues ; but their zeal not being of that fort which is founded in knowledge, and which adds ftrength and (lability to vir^

Vex..ZUL 4K tue,

6a)s^ Staziftieta Ac€0tm

toe, it cooceiyed by them to Iraplj fiidi m degree of ncni «9 to einabcipktc (bem in feme ifteiiitre from tbe irfliaiia^ of morelitjr. There are not waotiog railanccs of pcttr tbeft^ yet tl^ey haye never been difgraced bj aa j criine xf fo flagrant a natare aa to ftt|^ed them to m trial before «rri- mhia} coort ; aqd their fatdtl are in gaoend die oftpting cf ignorance and il^beral jpxrjndice, rainier than df « cmtByced heart. " ''•

There are V^ffflgta of t^Dnxn&Ul temples,* but nor & entire at to merit paftieolat dercnpeiba. Hnrd bj the chmoh it a green mooat, in form almoft porfrftfy dradax, cpmrnooly enlkd Caftle HiB, which has all' the appeanoee of ttrtifictal formationt and wis j^bably one df diofe pbea which anci^tisrieiis' cuuJauunB 'to* inv^ been defttBcd fcr As jpur^ofe of hol^iftg affizeil

•*	,*. T	•
	■ »' l'.		'\ • -
f		1	• . ."I .*
	■ -Tf	1 •	1 •

KUM.

tfkilUan and kUttenzie. 627

NUMBElL XX±1I. t'ARlSH OF KILLEAN AND KILCH£NXI£,

(ConNXT or AiiGTLBt Stnos or Akorii, ako ^rcsii- .. y»RT or kxHTTM;)

f n ] I II '' »'n ><Ti ".1^ ■ I ri> .ii^i ■■ r I nil ■ ■■■■■■

THIS pari& (which confifted of two paiillia till after the Reformation) derives its name from its two pa- Ton lailitSt John and Kenneth, with Kill (fielld) prefixed. It is.fituated in the prelbytetj of Kintyre, and countj of \rg7k. It IS bounded on the foutb bjtbe pariih of Camp* irUtown, on the north bj the pariih of Kilcalmonolt on tho taA b J tlie miited parilhes df Saddel and Skipneis» and oa he Weft bj the Atlantic Ocean; Its kagtbt hj the oaea^ oreoieht of the road, is 18 milcs} and its breadth abous 4.

Sbil^ Cs^c;— llie ibil alon^ the coaft is in general ihafp and andji but jields good crops of beari potatoes, and oacSy PQin the abundant application of iea-ware, driven in b/ tba orms, and collected bj the farmers lor manure. Tho rable ficdl upon thft higher grounds b generall/ a thin coat f peat earthf on a till bottom. In the mountain there ii cry little of green fafturt, being moftl/ covered wiih «atb4

62 8 Statijlical Account

Climaie.'^This pariih, as it faces the Atlantic Ocesn, is much ezpofed to the wefteftj winds, and the nuns wfakh generally accompany them. The dimate mmj be Aid to be moiftv or-e^en wet, but not veryoald, ennoeoinitof the vicinity of the lea^^— The people are generally heal* thy, and iiibjeft to few dileales. The prejodice againft in* ocalatloii Sot the tfaiaU-poae b now done awaj^ and that difeafe, formerly fo &tal to ehlldrtn, very feldom proves mortal ; of soo children inoculated laft year not one diod.

Aniiqukm. —The antiquities of the parilh confift of a number of Dani(h forts iboae mde obeliiks» and die re- mains of oneTitrified toffcfw One of the obrlifci (which (lands on an eminence, to which it muft have been carried from fome eonfiderable diftance) meafiires i6 fiset above ground, and u 4 fiset broad, by ^ihtt thick j a oarioos mo- nunaent of the knowledge which onr forefitthers moft have had of the mechanic powers.

Cbwreb^ Stipend^ t^r^— Extenfive as tlus paiifli ffill is, it was much more fo before the late inctmibent, Mr Robert Thomfon, after much trouble and expence, got a part of it disjoined, and formed into a new ereftton, together with a part of the nei^bouring pariih of KilcadmooeH. In this laudable undertaking his merit Was the greater, as Us !!• ving at the time was only L. 50 a-year, with which he had to fupport and educate a nuiherous family. But he was a than who made little account of his private intereft when engaged in any fcheme^for the public good. He afiierwanb got his living augmented to what is at prefent enjoyed by the writer of this, namely, 6 chalders of bear, Kintyre mea- fure, and L. 18*, xo s. Sterling money, together with aglebe, and L^ la, 10 s. in lieu of mai^e. The Duke of Argyle b patron of the pariih.

Scboob^

qfKilUafi and Kikhenzie.

Scioals^r^Thert are 4. (chools m the paxiib ; x. of ^Kem is fupported bj the Society for Propagating Chriftian EaoW'* ledger and one bj the Koyal ISoontj i the other a by the heritors.

StatiJicalTaSli.,

NttnibcroffiimaiMb . -

male cUldreiiy

mile CermOh

vader loyeinoftfc iro0i 10 to 10 • from «o to $o» • from 50 to 7pt from ^o to zo^

of WHOWCVia •

Widowt, ^•lal noinber of Mib Population in 1 755, DecretfiB, Reatofthcptrifl^ Valued rent, KvBbcroflfentnfli Cotttxs, inchidinf lifids* Soils dfofib Amn ;eaHy,

4ftS

5«5

«7i

iSt zai SSO 371 7a» «35

1.^3:13:1

^feed,

Kittikvofbkckc^tafe, iMrica.

All

ttst

30a 3«

ztf

3«<S

Number of fti^

olougH

iMoTe-caipalMk^

Wat-baildeii|

miUeft,

mafons,

nuftftMSy

zo

I

i

- S 4 t

tDCKgta^'

t

a

ti|cfc-miUar and djcr» ' x

i»oor.-i»lf umber of paupers on the parflti rott %t* Amount of annual diftributioa to them L* 15. This fum is wholly colleded from the offerings of the tenantSt trade(« men» fenrants, and cottagers; for of 8 heritors^ among whom the property of the pariih is (fivided, none refides in it At prelent*

llie number of marriages, for 8 years paft, is, at an ave- x»ge9 24! ; and of baptifmsi 77^ f^ each year.

jtgricukftrij^m

6j^ it0tyUcal 4€Mmt

.jfyrifuhi&i^'^AM there are bot few isdofiucs in the pd^ nQif ngricaltural improir^ents are not greatly advanced in il4 From tbe attcsytioh, bowtVef, t^hich fome of tKe heri- tor9 have of late giveh to diefe matters, there is reafiMi' to belieTe that the face of tbe coontrj will iboa pnt on a bec- fer appcstrance^ The Duke of Argyle mAts it a cove- nant in the kafes which ht gtires has tenants, that diey fliall dmin and indoAf to a certain extent ^wcified ; and hb Grace e^pbjs a IkdfiDdi iitprovef to fuperintend the opeimtions.

, The average tetdrna daroogfaMt the parift is fn^olied to be, .firom oau 3^^ from bear atent 6; from potatoes from u to 15 ^ pblAtoes SK atmeft the onlj gieen crop ad- tivated bj iffieffrunmen* The qnanfif j of bens aAdpeas which hfbwn is not cortiderable i hot there is lealbit to believe, aa fhey anfwer well, that the eoltitation of them wiU be more atteoded to in a very (hort time. The*frrmen are alio be* ginniog to find the advantage of haviitg ferine cfaver and tye-grals, and the cultivation of thefe articles wtD probably, in a- ^ew years, be very confiderable, . A few have laiftd turnips, and no doubt many wonfit do Ib'if the lands wene bcloled. The greateft defeft in our fiuming, is the want of a proper intermixture of green with white crops. The ftrmeti, afld indeed the people in general, are a&ive, ind«flcioBs,.aad well behaved. No doubt their labour witt turn loon to more account, as better implemeitti of hdban* dry are now fatroduced among them. Hany, mfleadef the old Scotch plci^gh aftd 4 horfib, u£e now Small's light ^ough and only a horles, alkd a' few hate laid afide the driver. More attention is dfi> ^aiii w the breed of horfiea' and black cattle. There is only one bdhfi&rable iheep* flock in the parilh, in a mountainous fsrm. All the frr* mors have a few for their own nfis i theie are of the dd!* final! whifi^^fraed hind, which kafo mofo deficatn ttOi

ff KiUean Md Kikbemde. 63 1:

aad iacr wod, wid %tt Botf lb fobijeft to difinfies as Uie Gal- loveaj bread.

I^V^ 0fS0^umis.^^The wages ef ferrasts are conftaat- 1 J sdTancing. At preieiit a fervaat maa gets from L. I to L. xo apjear, and a iervaat maid L. 3, bafidea t va- riety of articles andor the name of bounty ; a dayJaboor* cr gets IS. a-day aad his Tiftoab; a uilor sod.s a fhoemaker 8d« for themakingof a pairof lhoes;acarpea« ter I f • 6 d. together, alU with their ▼idaals. Blaokfmitha are paid by to mach com from the merk-laad i a praftioe trottblefome to them aad the tenaats both, an'd which oaght to be laid afide, and aaooey fiibftituted in its place. The fiime obiervatioa will apply to the ichoelmafter on the pa- xochial eftabliihmeat.

AiomttagiM ami Lifiuhamu^^mJXht advaotages ef the pariih are, agood road, itsvidaify to the lea, aad to a mar- ket at Campbelltown, with abnadaace of aatoral maaaia from fea^wsre aad lime-ftoae.-- Its greatcft difrdvaatages mrc, want of timber, and fcardty ef fad ia many fiurms, oa which the peat-moflTes are aow eidtsafted.

APPENDIX.

.3 '•^ I.

*1 •"

.*,:.. 19.

Appendix.

tommtmieaifoni fy ji/exander Camegie^ Efq; TowthCIeri of MirduMf r^ardmf tie Statifiical Circwnftances of tba$ City. SceNa.IV.

^T^H£ city of Aberdeen, is one of the mofl ancient, and ^ is endowed with fome of the greateft privileges and immonitiesy of anj of the rpjal boroughs in Scotland.

AU hiftorioal aceounCs agree^ tha^ it was original! j erefi« cd into a royal bargh, towards the end of the ninth centory, by King Gregory of Scotland, firnamed the Great.

But the original charter of erefiion, and all the more^ an- cient title-deeds and records of the burgh, were, along with the town itHelf, burnt and deftroyed by the £ngUlh| as after noticed.

A very few charters and other grants, however, have been {aved \ the oldeft of which is a charter by King Wil* liam the Lyon, in fivour of the bargeflcs of Aberdeen and others be-north the Month, granted at Perth, but without any date or year, though it muft have been towards the end of tiie twelfth century, as that King only began to reign in 1165.

There are other two charters granted by the fame King William, to the borgefles of Aberdeen, of the toll of their chatties through the whole kingdom \ both of thetn dated at Aberdeen, the aSth of Auguft, without mentioning cither the year of God or King's reign, although, from the writing and feats, they appear to be of a later date than the

Vol. XIX- « former

d Appendix to the

iformer one, and have probably been granted during Kii^ William's refidence beret as he certainlj built a palace, and remained fome time with his Ceurt at Aberdeen.

The palace flood upon the iite of the prelentTrxnityjChuxcli and Trades Hofpital, in the Sbiprow ^ and upon Eling Wil« liam's leaving this country, he founded, in the lame place, a monafiery for the Trinity or Red Friars, which was burnt down and deftroyed along with the town. It was after- wards rebuilt about the year 1633, ^7 ^ William Guild, minifter in Aberdeen, who bequeathed uid left it for an hofpital to decayed tradefmen, befides fome other fnbjefis for buriaries at the Marifchall College, under the patronage ef the Convener Court*

In]i 306-79^ according to Hedor Boece, the citizens of Aberdeen, who had always lleadily aAered to and fitp> ported Robert Bruee^s intereft, being rendered defperate by the cruel and oppreffive ufage of a flrong Englifii garri- fon, kept in the caflle there by Edward I. they, along with a number of others, adherents to Brace's intereft, furprzfed and ftormed that garrifon, and put them to the fword, at fame time laid the caftle in ruins^ in order to prevent the Engli/h from returning,

A party of the Engliih, who happened to be in the ndgb- bourhoody came immediately to revenge the diCifter wfaidi had befatten their countrymen ^ but they were met and en- gaged by tha Aberdonians and their affoclates, in the church-yard of St Nicholas, where the Englifli were totally defeated with great daughter* Although Boeoe does not fpecify the particular year when thefe de^ts of the Eng- lifli happened at Aberdeen, yet, from its coane£doa widi the fubje6b of the context, where it is introduced in the life of Bilhop Henry Cheyne, it appears to have been at or near the above period, and he thus relates them : " Eo ^'pro^e tempore Brufianip Aberdooeafem arcem quam

** aliquot

StatiJHeal jfce&unt of Aberdeen. 3

^ aiiqpol amos nudmo com Scotoram incommodo Angli *' teimerftBti Abetdonenfibus plurimum fuppetiarnm afie* * rentibiiSyezpDgnataiii. Ti capiimc, csefis iis qui ejus cufto- ^ diaB fberant deiUnati ; ac paulo poft, ne Anglis ullum '< Aberdoniae fuperefiet refugium^ omni fupellediti ezhauf- ^ tam, folo arqoanmt. Angli amiflse ards, cceforumque ^ ccmtnibiliuiiii trifli nundo afiedi^ coaAis copiis, Aberdo- ** niam movent, animo acceptam injuriam ulcifcendi. Id *' ttbi AberdonisB noBctatum, Brnfiani fimul cum civibus '* illicoy oppido, egrei& funt, cum hollibus dimicaturi. Jo- ^ annes Frifarius Brnfiani ezercitns, qui turn Aberdonis ^ fnerat, dux, (nb ita animom accendet ad pugnam, ut non ^ tam ad certamen, qnam ad certam viAoriam, progredi vi« ** derentur. Inita pogna, acerrimi certatum. ViAoria «* tandem (fed cnienta) Scotis ceffit, Anglorumque plurimi " eo pneKoewfi, paud rivi captt, xari fugere, adeo acriter ^ in pttgna perduramnt. Placuit viAoribus quos captoa ^'habebant, ad terrorem extra oppidum furca fufpendere ; ^ fed Tetnere Caoonici, atqae ut cte&rum corpora ad porti- ^ cam Templi Divi Nikolai terra conderenturi apud Frife- ^ rinm atque Appuli prasfeAum obtinuerant, ubi eorum ofla, ^ cum dtuHa, is rd mooumentum, adhnc ccmuntur/'

la 1398, Robert Bmce, after bebg defeated in different ^i^K^B^ctttSy came to Aberdeen^ at which*^ttme he was fo exceedingly fick, that he began almoft to dcffpair of the re- cover j <if hiB health, as wdl as of his kingdom } but being encouraged, and ofieved affiSancCi both in^ men and money, by the Citizens of Abeideen, and joined by a confiderable number of ihem, he went northward in fearch- of t^ Eng- lifli army, commanded by J6hn Cuming Earl of Bucban, and Mottbray, an Engliib General, whom ht came up with, and engaged, upon the iid ef May in that year, near to the tamk of'Inverury, where a moft bloody battle tofued i and ritlxmgb Bruce waa tSien fb we4k, that he was obliged to be

fupported

4 appendix to tbe

fupported on hprfeback during the efigagement, yet be tt* lalljr routed the Englilh with great daughter. He fooa after- wards recovered his health \ andjhis national affairs every day , ivore a roore favourable afpefi, this being tbe firft vifiory which he had obtained.

The firfi charter now extant in favour of the burgh itfel^ is granted by King Robert Bruce, in 1310, which contaias filfo a gift and f onveyiince to the commnnity of the Royal Foreft of Sfocket« Befides which, be, by feveral other charters, granted various farther privileges an4 imninnitica to the burgh and citizens of Aberdeen, feveral of whidi are likewife ftill extant from the 13x4 downward to

In 13339 Edwarfl III. of England having fent a fleet of Ihips to ravage th^ eaft coail of Scotland, a body of Englidi lanc^ed, and, by furprife, attacked the town pf Aberdeen tn the night-time, killed % great nv|mber of the inhabitants, find burnt and dcftroyed the town for fix days together, in revenge of the feveral defeats which thfir countrymen had there receive^. A°<^ Boece, in his Hiftory of tbe Lives of the Biihops of Aberdeen, thus relates that direful cataftrophe which befel the town, vu^.— ^<* Per id tempu^ triginta naves f* Anglican^, in Qatione portui Aberdonenfi ptoxima nofia ^y jecere anchoras, unde expofitse copies in terram pene Abtr- *' doniuni prips funt ingreffse, quam cives eas adveniffe fen- *^ ferunt. Sequutus pavor ingens, terrorque omnium \ pt, *' hominum, mulierum, atquepuerorum fngientium tiirmps, f' paffim vifls complerentur. Angli accepta clade (cojns ^* ante meminimus) apud Aberdoniam ixa perciti, com- ** plures Aberdonenfium truci<iant } urbeqi, fimulatque ** Pontificis et Cauonicorum srdes, omni fupelledili popula- f* tus incendunt. Arfit Aberdonia fex dies, lugnbre intuen- f tibus fped^ciilum. Peperoer^ hoftes templis, pietate ^l 0(0^1 religiQfqruin quoqu^ Abl^tysi cuapdibus adbibi^is,

"ne

Statiftkal Account of Aberdeen. ^

y ne corribiu £iciilifve yeato per aera afib, qui tnm ferte *' vebeaiens erat admodaniy qoid damni paterentur. Fah '* annus quo Aberdonia foneftam banc dadem acoepit, a " Chrifto incamato tcrdus fapra millefimuon tercentefimuiix ** tricefimnai."

Alio, in 23361 Edward III. invaded Scotland, and march* ed with an army as &r northward as Invemeis, daring which time the citizens of Aberdeen went out and attacked a party of Englifli forces, who had landed at Dnnnottar, and killed their General. In revenge of which, Edward, Jipon his return from Invemeis, made a violent attack upon the town of Aberdeen, put the greateft part of the inhabi- tants to the fword, and again burnt and deftrojed the town. At which time, as well «s the 1333, all the more ancient charters and records belonging to the community, (a few ez« cepted) were loft. Some years afterwards, the town was re- built of new, and confiderably enlarged, particularly toward the hills, upon which the principal part of it now ftands, viz. the Woolman-hill, St CatharineVhill, the Port-hill, and Caflle«hill, (the old town having lain along the Greea aod Sbiprow, Sec. eaftwards), and- in this the citizens were greatly affifled by King David Bruce, for their fteady loyal- ty and attachment both to himfelf and his father \ and the fame King David refided for fome time at Aberdeen, where he erefied a mint, as appears from fome pieces of money coined there ; and the whole town, after being rebuilt as above, was afterwards called the New Towh of Ahtriimf in contrardiftinftion to the Old, which had been burnt down. Boece, if ho likewiie gives an account of the laft, as well as the former burning of the town, thus relates the fecond, viz. '* King Edward, dradand to tyne all the firength of ^' Scotland, came with XLM men to the relief of the Caflle f f ^ Lochcndors, and ^tx he had ftoflM it with provifioos.

fS AppemBxtbthe

^ht cuast ^th bkodjiWiMd tiuwifjti Blorraj ; mdon im ^'ittorning to Mar,, he burnt the town of Aberdeen."

in X41X, Donald, the Chief of the ifles, with an army of

4BBCOiuttTjmen, hatving nfeade an:ftttack, and feized npon

Rols and Murraj, proceeded fouthwards as fiu- aa Stntfa-

^fcogie^ mnd Aneatened to hrrade Aiaerdeen ; the citizca^ to

« oonfidevable number, aiong .with Robert ;DaT]dfiaa, their

ttiien Provoft,'beutg joined: by the End of MiBrr, and nan j

of the Bobi&yand gentrj of Aogns, MeamB^ and Aber-

tieenfliire, went northward in feaich of Donald and Usfbr-

lecs, and caine.ni» widi them at a final! Tillage called Har-

law, abont fixteen Englilh miles from Aberdeen, what

dwre enfoed a m^ defperate and bkiod j battle, wfakh con-

tinned with great fury nntil night ieparatedtbem ; and each

.parly claimed the TiAorj. Many were flain in this faattk

on. both fides, particolarly Provoft Davidfon, and a confi-

deaahle anmber of the principalcitiaens of Aberdeen.

In September i644,.doring the tme of the dvil wars*

'the Marquis of Montroie, with an army of about 2000 men,

liaving approached the town of Aberdeen, and fnmmonrd

' it to iisrreader to him, the Magiflrates, after advifiag

with Lord Bnrleigh, who then commanded in the town a

foro^ nearly equal in number to the affaihnts, refiifed to

•give op the towo, npon which a hatde enfiied within half

an En^iih mile of the:town, at a place called the Crab-

. fione, near to the Ju(lice*miUs, where Montrofe prevailed,

«Bd«iany of the principal citizens were killed.

The city of Aberdeen has rec^ved varions granta fSrom

libiiiteen <&fireot Sovereigns of Scotland, from King "Wil-

. ' Kam the Lyon, downward to King James VL inclnfive, all

. extant in the town's chaitiilary. Ahd in 1638, the whole

of thefr.preoeding grants and charters were, by a charter

/leom King Charles I. not only ratified and confirmed, bnt

tllb the burgh was of new ereOed. And by the fame

charter,

Statijlkal Account (^Aberdeen. f

cli4rtery the Provoft and Bailies are created and oonfiitmedi Sherifi, Coroners, and Juftices of the Peace» within Hm iHlrgh, and whole bounds of the freedom-lands. The Pbq)- -voft being named Sheriff and Coroner-principal, and the four Bailies, SheriCs and Coroners-depnte \ whick federal offices of Sheriffi and Juftices of the Peace, the Magiflratea of Aberdeen have been in the confiant pra&ice of exerci^ £Ag to the preienC day, in all canfies coming before them ia thefii capacities^ and pf holding quarter*feffions for the burgh, in the lame manner as the Juftices of the county* Tha Magiftrates have farther granted to them, bj bid charter, the Cune powers, jurifilidioo, and authoritj within the pott, harboor, and flood-mark of Aberdeen, and whole beunda thereof, as well as within the rivers of Dee and Dm, xa the two bridges, as they have within the burgh itfelf and liberties, and have always ezerdfed that jurildidion and authority accordingly*

The Town-coondl and Dean of Guild of Aberdeen havo likewiie, by the &me charter from King Charles I. fidi power and authority committed to them, of vifiting, escami- ning, and trying all wei^ts and mea&ires nfied in buying and feUiDg, not only in the town, but alio through tho whole county of Aberdeen, which they have in like man- ner been in the pradice of ezercifing; and of holding drcnit and itinerant couns for that purpofe, in the different prindn pal country towns, where any kind of trade or merchandifis is carried on.

The forelaid charur and confirmation by King Charles L with the whole other writs and title-deeds therein confirm* ed, and ri^ts and privileges thereby granted to the burghs were afterwards folemnly ratified by different aAs of the Par« liameai of Scotland, particularly by two a£b, in 1641, and t68x.

vrona

f Append to tbS

From the 13361 when the town was laft bmnt, to dd 1398; there does not appear to have been any regular pnUic records kept ; but ff om the laft mentioned period to the ^refent time, (except for about twelve jears in the b^in* niog of the fifteenth ceiitury)^ there ia a rtgidar and nmn- terrupted feries of records of the aAs and procedure^ boch of the Town-Council and Bailie-cdurts, all in good order and condition, confifting of above Seventy Vcdtimes, remaining in the town's chartulary, coiitainingy in whole, a period of near 406 years.

The burgh of Aberdeen comprehends but one panflip called St Nicholas, which has no landward or oountiy bounds, but is limited to the burgh itfelf, which does not extend above two Engliih miles in circumferenee, and is furrounded on all -fides by the parifli of Old Macbar, ex- cept towards the eaft. The Magiftrates, however, by the above charters and afis of Parliament, enjoy and exerciic ^e fame powers and jurifdi&ion as they have within the burgh or royalty, over a large trad of land in the ndgh- bourfaood of the town, confifting of what is called the liber- ties or freedom, which will extend in circuit from twelve t# fourteen Engliih miles.

Before the Reformation, there were feveral chapels with- , in the burgh and royalty annexed to, and dependent upon, the pariih-church, particularly St MtfTj's Chapel, under the Ealft Church, where the Highland Congregation now meets for worlhip ; St Catherine's Chapel, which ftood upon the hill of that name \ St Ninian's Chapel, at the CaftlehiQ, part of which ftill remains ; and St Clement's Chapel at Footdee, which has been lately rebuilt, and is ftill occupied as a place of worihip, under the patronage of the Council*

There was another chapel, called St John's, fituated within the royalty of the burgh,^ although without- the bounds of the pariih of St Nicholas, upon that croft of

land

Siati/lical \4cQ0uM of Aberdeen. 9

hmd, cdUed St John's Croft, where the Chapel of Eafe to the pariih of Old Machar now ftandsi The Magifirates and Council appear to have purchafed the patronage of St John'89 on account of its victnit j to the town« and fitua- tion within the royalty. There were likewife monafterieft of feveral di&rent orders of Friars eftabliihed in Aberdeen, befide the Trinity. or Red Friars already utie&tianed, viz. the Black Friars in the SchoolUBl, where .Gordon's Hofpi* tal and the Grammar-fchool now fiand ; the Carmelite or White Friars, along the fouth fide of the Green ; and the Grey Friars, in the Broadgate, where the Marifchal Col- lege and Church are now fitoated.

The number of Advocates, dr Lawyers^ ih Aberdeen^ under the incorporation charter, will be feen firom the Aberdeen AbnanackA; although five or fix do not praftife before the Courts, and fome othen are- removed from town*

EnBion of the Ut^» Pier^ and tie great Adtv^mtages arifing from i>.^^Tbe Neiy Piw lately erected ontbe north fide of the entry of the harbour of Aberdeen, and 'at the mouth of the river Dee, extending to laoo feet in length along the fide of that river, and a confiderable way. into the fea, was begun to be built in Jvne 1775, ^^^ wasfiniflied in OSober 1780, according to a plan furniflied by John Smeaton, Efq; engineer \ the expence whereof, and of the additions which have been made to it, by his advice and direfiions, fince it was built, particularly a jettie Or catdi pier, for ihekering the fliipping within the harboHr from the violent inrun of the fea in M^ft^rly ftorm^,. has amounted to about L. 18,000 Starling- Tbts expense has .been de« frayed, partly by fome fmall funds formerly belonging to the harbour, but chiefly will be paid by the doubling of the fliore and harbour dues upon the trade and ihippiog of

Vol. XIX. b the

10 Appendix to the

the place, in confequeiice of an aft of Parliament oliCaincd for that porpofey but witbotlt ao j public aid or contribnuos whatever.

Bj the erefiion of this pier, the oavigadon channel at the eatry of the barboor has been deepened and improTcd to a degree much beyond any thing that was preTioafly cx- peCked, akfaongh it be aoo £eet fliorter than Mr Smeaton's original plan, which was im whole 1400 feet ia lengtiu Before ereftion of the North Pier, the harbonr-moath was always rcrj much interrupeed, and ibmetimes almoft ea* tirely ihut np by a bar, or large bank of fliiftaig land, upon whichy at low water, there was fometimcs not above 18 inches or % feet in deepnefe ; and at high water, even in Ijpring-tides, . not above xj.fiect^ and as this bar wasfire* quently flii&iag and varying its fituatioo, according as it was aded upon by the ftonns of the lea or the floods of die river, few (hipping were m fafety to take the harbour nndl firft it was founded by a pilot, and the fituation of the bar, as well as the deepaefii of water, afcertained ; whereas, linoe the North Pier was Indlti fmall vefiels, drawing 7 or 8 feet, have come into the harbonr at low-water ; and at liigh*waicev, on fpring^tides, there is now from r8 to 10 feet in deepneis at die entry, as the former bar, or bank offend, is now, by the confinement of the river, and the increafed velocity of the cnrrent, carried out bto the fea at leaft a quarter of a mile farther dian it fbrmerly was ; fe that we now fee vefleb of oonfiderable burden, in the violence of a ftorm blowing right t^pon the land, making for and failing into the harbour with (afety, even without the affiftance of any pilot, whidi no fliip coidd have before attempted, with- out the greateft danger of beitfg wrecked on die bar, or fome part of the adjacent coaft.

The

Statijlical Account of Ahcri^cn. ti

72r Battery 9 (^r.— The batteries erefied by the town in X78X and 1781, for defence of the harbour and ihipping, have coft about L. laoo ; and they have mounted upon them ten new iron cannon, twelve pounders* The town liave likewife two brais field-pieces, three pounders, with a proportionable quantity of (hot, amunition and laboratory flores. They have alio 400 ftand of fmall arms, or muC- kets, depofited in the town's armory, and kept always in excellent order by a tradeCoian, who has a yearly falary for that purpofe.

Of the Municipal Form of Gcnemnunt^ or Set of the Burgh. «^-With refpeft to the prefent municipal conHitution and form of government of the burgh of Aberdeen, which has now fubfifted, and been invariably obferved, for no le£s than two centuries downward to this day, it is /ounded chiefly upon the a£b of Parliament 1469 and 1474, by which *' All ^' officers and Members of the Councils of Burghs are ap« ** pointed to be annually eleAed : That the Auld Goun- *' cil of the town fliall chufe the New in fie number as ac« ^ cords to it : And that the New and Auld Councils to* *^ gether fliall chufe all the (aid officers : That the craft ^ ffiall chufe a perfon of their number, that fliall alfo have ^ a vote in the eleflion of thefe officers : And that four «' worthy peribns of the Auld Council for the year before '' fliall be chofen yearly to fit with the New CounciL"

It appears, however, that thefe afis of Parliament were not in any part obferved by the »Town-Council of Aber- deen for above zao yetirs after they were pafied. On the contrary, they perfifled in following what they called the ancient form of government, and auld confuetude of the burgh, by which it appeal^, that the number of the mem- bers of Council often fluduated and varied very much, from • ^0 to 3(11 ^ and that, when once they were eleded or alTum-

cd.

It ' Appendix io the

ed, they were in general continued during their file, or lb lon^ as thej did not difier with the perfons who had afliun- ed them : And that the five firft Magiftrates, or officers of the barghy viz» the Provoft (for many years 'ftyied AUer- man) and the four Bailies, were alone ekAed annoaDy at bead-courts of the citizens, called Curut CapitaUt^ although femetimes without mentioning by whom the eleftion cren of thefe officers was made, but for the moft part expreffed to be, Cum communi omnium burgenjium eonfin/k, affenfm^ et voto ; which eleftion, however, was«certainly equally iUegal^ and againft the direftion of the ads of Parliament, as the continuing the members for life.

This ancient cuflom was at laft, in 1590, openly dialkn- ged and complained upon as arbitrary and illegal, by a Mr John Cheyne, then a member of Council, who infifted that they fhould make an annual eledion, in terms of thefe fta- tutes, which they not only refufed to comply with, bat ex- pelled Mr Cheyne from the Council, as a perfon unfit and improper to be of their number.

He was, however, foon joined by a Mr Ewen, and many other burgefles of equally patriotic principles, who raifed a profecution againfi the Magiftrates and Council before the Courts of Sefiion and Exchequer, widi concoarfe of his Majefty's Advocate, for obliging them to comply with the terms of the fore&id ftatutes. The confequence whereof was, that the Council at laft, in Odober X59I9 (after la- menting the fall of what they declared to be die aold co&« fuetude and ancient form of government of ^e boigh) agreed to follow the diredions of (aid fiatutes, and accord- ingly made an eleftion in the terms thereof for the fellow* lAg year, ending at Michaelmas 1592.

It appears, however, that Mr Cheyne, «nd his affodatcs, did not get into power upon th^ new conftitudon, which they had the merit to produce \ ^d that, at the eafiiing

Michaelmas

' StatiJUcal Account of Aberdeen. 13

Michaelmas ele£tioii, thej aiTembled in arms in different parts of the Hown, 00 purpofe cq overawe the proceed- ings, of the Council. For compofing of which violent suiimofities'y a conference enfned between a certain number of the Cooncil and the leaders of the dtizens. The refult whereof happilj produced a fubmiflion by the feveral par- ties concerned, of all the matters in difpute betwixt them, to his Majefij Kbg James VI. as overfman, and twelve others as arbitrators : Who, by a decreet-arbitral, of date the 7di of December 15931 fubfcribed by them and the parties themfelves, in tcltimony of their approbation, fixed and appointed the Magifirates and Council for that year, ending at Michaelmas X593, by name, confiding of nineteen perfons, viz. feventeen guild-brethren and two crafdmen : And decerned and appointed that the afk of Parliament concerning the eledion of Magifirates, Council, and Office- men within burgh, ihould be precifely obferved in all time thereafter.

This decreet-arbitral was, in a few days after its date, read, and unanimouily ratified by the whole burgefles and citizens of the ftown, convened together for the purpofe, who, at fame time, folemnly fwore to obtemper and obey the faid decreet thereafter in all points. And which, with another decreet*arbitral, pronounced by the CommiiConers of Boroughs in July 1596, finding the craftfmen entitled to ten votes in the annual ele&ion of the Magiftrates, Dean of Guild, and Treafurer, form together what is now called the fet, or mnnicipal conftitution of this burgh, which has been . uniformly obferved as an invariable rule and ftandard in the annual eledion of the Magiftrates and Council to this day.i

By it, the conftituent members of the Town-Council con- lift of nineteen in number, feventeen whereof are guild- Vrethren, and two of them deacons of crafts: Four of the M^rcb^nt-Co^nciUors only are continued by elefiion for

another

14 Appendix te the

another jear, and the remaining fifteen nembeis are aarni* ally changed and go out » And all of them are yearly ekft- ed, without any preference or difcrimination, firom a roll or lift of the whole burgefles of guild in town, and of the fix deacons of trades, previoufly made xxp for the purpofe, from which the leets of the new Council are taken, and deler- mined always according to the majority of votes of the Council upon the day of the annual eledion, which is hdd upon the Wednefday preceding Michaelmas day. ' After eledion of the nineteen members of the new Comi*' cily the Magiftrates, and other office-bearers for the eniuiog year, are eleded theflTame day out of the feventeen Mer- ehant-CounfellorSy by the majority of votes of die new and old Councik together, and fix deacons of crafb, confitiBg of forty perfons in whole, viz. thirty guild-brethren and tes craftfmen V, and in cafe of an equality of votes in any of the iteps of eleflion, the Provoft, or fenior Magifirate prefbrt; has a decifive or cafting vote, befide his own individaal and proper voice.

In cafe of any of the thirty guild-brethren or ten tradef<^ men being abfenc from the election, the Town-Cooncfl and the Craftfmen are refpedfnlly authorifed by the fiet, to ekft any other qualified perfons of the clafi, to fupply the place of and vote for fuch abfents. Upon the whole, it is belie^ ved, from a comparative examination, that the prefent mo* nicipal confiitution, or fet of thb burgh, will be found not only to be a perfeft contraft to its own more arbitrary and ancient fyftem of government, but alfo to be mnch more liberal and free than moft of the other royal boroa^ of Scotland. Becaufe, in many of them, fome of the members of Council, and even Magiftratcs, do ftill continue in office during life, or fo long as they agree with the party in power. And in others, feveral of the member^ of Cooocil ^rc entitled to keep ^hejr. feats without elc^ion for a fecond

year.

Statijlical Account of Aherdeen. 15

ytar, ia confequence of their havisg enjoyed certain offices for the preceding. Whereas^ in Aberdeen^ every Magi- Urate and member of Cooncily even the old foiir, muft be annually defied, witbont regard to any office which they may have formerly held \ and fifteen of the whole number arc yearly changed and go out.

N. jS. The fubftance of the principal hiftorlcal fads con« tained in the above narrative (which do not appear in anjf of the town's records) are taken from a fmall treatife, en- titled) *' A Survey of the City of Aberdeen," printed and publifhed in 1685, to all appearance by a burgefs or citizen, under the iignature of Pbilo Politicus, which has always been h^ld, and appears to be authentic^ except in point of chronology, and to correfpond in all the eflential fa£ls with the other authors cited and referred to by him, viz. Camb« den, Spotifwood, Fordan, and Boece's hiflories.

Building of the Bridges o/'DoN and Dee*

Bridge of Don. — In 1281, Henry Cheyne (nephew of John Comyn, who was killed by RoKert Bruce at Dumfries in X305), fiicceeded to the biflioprick of Aberdeen. After Comyn's death, Biihop Cheyne, from his being fo near a relation to Conaya, as well as many others in Scotland, were greatly enraged at Robert Bruce upon account of Comyn's death, and openly efpouTcd the intereS and party of the Comyns. For this reafon, after Robert Bruce became fet« tied in the Throne and Government, Biihop Cheyne was obliged to fly into England, and. remain there forfeveral years, during which time the revenues of his biihoprick re* mained unapplied. But King Robert, having been after* ' wards reconciled to Bithop Cheyne, was pleafed to allow him to return and poiTels the lee of Aberdeen as formerly. The Biihop was fo happy upon hit being again received into the

Ring's

5 Appendix^ i^c.

's favour, that, upon hirretum home, he, with the cofi'' *nce and approbation of his Sovereign, applied the whole of his bilhoprick, ^hich, during his ab&nce in Eng- lad accumulated to a confiderable fum, towards build- e bridge over Don, of one large Grothic arch, whexe it ilands, upon the great high-road leading northward A.berdeen ; and it appears to have been built about the *. :320. Bifhop Cheyne died in 1329.

uige of Dee. — Bifhop William Elphinfion left a confi- ble legacj to bmld a bridge over tbe river Dee, near . erdeen, as well as for the ere^on of an Univerfitj at Old " berdeen, where the Biihop*s Cathedral flood, but died in 15 14, before any thing was done in the building of the bridge. Gavin Dunbar, fon to Sir James Dunbar of Cum- nock, by Elifabeth daughter of the Earl of Sutherland, and uncle to Gavin Dimbar, Archbifhop of Glafgow, having fucceeded to the bi(hoprick of Aberdeen in 15x8, he foon thereafter caufed collect and receive the money which had been left by Bifhop Elphinfion for the building of this bridge ; and having alfo contributed himfelf a conaderable fum of money to that work, he caufed ered the greateft part of the bridge where it now flands, of feven arches, about the year 1530, although it was not finifhed till after his death* This bridge having gone into** decay'about the year 1720, it was rebuilt out of the funds belonging to itfelf by the Ma^ giflratcs and Town-Council of Aberdeen ftom 1720 to 1724, and is at this day one o£ the neatefl and beft fet down bridges to the river of any in Scotland.

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