76 ON TUE AGEICULTURE OF THE 



acres ; and the average nuraber of persons to each house is from 

 5 to 6. The most ancient inhabitants of Eoss-shire, as of Scot- 

 land generally, were known by the name of Caledonians, but 

 whether they were Celts of the Cymric (or Kymric) or Erse 

 branch is still an undecided fact. History tells us that the 

 Scots, that hardy race of Celts that peopled the " Emerald Isle," 

 when it was known, not as Ireland, but as Scotland, emigrated 

 to this country, and after the third century occupied the western 

 coast of Scotland, from the Firth of Clyde to the northern boun- 

 dary line of Eoss-shire. Like those of almost every other county 

 in Scotland, the early inhabitants of Eoss and Cromarty were 

 frequently disturbed by ambitious and warlike invaders. The 

 Eomans, in their wild depredations in Caledonia, seem to have 

 stopped short before reaching the northern straths of Eoss-shire ; 

 for, with the exception of the discovery in a mound near Tarbet- 

 ness of a few Eoman coins, a rusty sword, and a few other 

 articles of Eoman fashion, no traces have been found of their 

 having been in the county at all. Erom the few Scandinavian 

 names thut occur in Easter Eoss, such as Tain and Dingwall, it 

 is evident that the Norsemen, who had taken possession of the 

 county of Caithness, had penetrated into Eoss-shire and planted 

 their abodes in the richest parts of the county. The Danes 

 also invaded the county, but neither they nor the fierce men of 

 the north were able to retain their hold for any length of time. 

 The natives rose in rebellion as one man and drove the invaders 

 from the county. Eor his heroism in these conflicts Munro 

 of Eerindonald had all the lands lying between Dingwall and 

 Alness water bestowed upon him by Malcolm 11. On Cromarty 

 Hill Wallace is said to have fought and won an important battle 

 against the English, while the conquering hand of Cromwell left 

 its print at Eortrose, where, as already stated, he destroyed a fine 

 cathedral. Probably the most important of all the battles known 

 to have been fought in the county was that between the armies 

 of the gallant Montrose and the Commonwealth, which was 

 fought in 1650 at Craigcaomeadharn, in the parish of Kincardine. 

 Here Montrose sustained a dreadful defeat, and having been 

 captured, he was conveyed to Edinburgh and executed. Much 

 as the county suffered from the battles which were necessitated 

 by the ambitious interference of foreigners, probably quite as 

 much bloodshed was caused, and as much damage done to pro- 

 perty, by unfortunate feuds which were every now and again 

 breaking out among the native rival clans. Eor several hundreds 

 of years, however, the social atmosphere of Eoss-shire has been 

 clear and tranquil; and since the beginning of the sixteenth 

 century the county has been gradually moving onwards in the 

 van of progress. Just about the time the Danes and Norsemen 

 were perpetrating their wild outrages against the untutored 

 natives of the East, a band of monks from lona, and headed by 



