COUNTIES OF EOSS AND CEOMAETY. 75 



almost a stranger for many hundreds of years. Little more than 

 a century and a half ago the magistrates of Inverness, anxious to 

 know something of their hitherto unknown neighbours at Ding- 

 wall, despatched a deputation of their number to " exj^lore the 

 town, interview the inhabitants, and report." In the course of 

 " a few days " the deputation returned with the news of their 

 expedition ; and we believe their formal report is engrossed in 

 the Council Eecords of Inverness. Dino-wall is now about an 

 hour's ride from Inverness. Verily we live in changed times ! 



Eegular communication between Eoss-shire and the south by 

 sea was established in 1839, when the steamship " Duke of 

 Sutherland " began to trade in the Moray Eirth, sailing between 

 Leith, Inverness, and Invergordon, and calling at all the inter- 

 mediate ports, going and coming, which occupied about a week. 

 Some time after that two steamers began to sail from Invergordon 

 once a week, but since the extension of the Highland Eailway 

 into the county there has been scarcely any regular communica- 

 tion by sea. A steamer sails from Leith to Cromarty, Invergor- 

 don, and Inverness, through the Caledonian Canal to Liverpool 

 once a fortnight. In 1 862 the Highland Eailway was opened 

 into Invergordon, and two years later or thereby it was extended to 

 Tain and Bonar Bridge ; and now it runs right through to Wick 

 and Thurso, allowing the blood of commerce to circulate freely 

 from Land's End to John O'Groats. The benefits conferred on 

 the whole north by the efficient railway communication it now 

 enjoys have been ahnost incalculable. 



Pojpulation, &c. 



The following table shows the population at various periods 

 .since the beginning of the present century : — 



180], 53,525 



1811, 60,853 



l.h21, 68,828 



1841, 78,685 



Increase since 1801, . . 27,430 

 Decrease since 1851, . . 1,752 



It will be seen from these figures that, while the population has 

 increased largely during the present century, the past twenty- 

 tive years liave diminished that increase very considerably. The 

 attractions for emigration, the extension of sheep-farming and 

 deer forests, the absolution of crofts by large farms, and the high 

 rate of wages in the southern counties of ^Scotland, have all been 

 mentioned as active agencies in bringing about this decrease ; 

 and doubtlessly they have all hud something to do in the matter. 

 The number of inhabited houses in 1851 was 15,941 ; in lS(il, 

 10,728 ; and in 1871, 15,7 13— decrease, 228. The parliamentary 

 constituency in 1855-50 was 879, and in 1875-7(3, 1580. The 

 present population is ecj^uul to only about one person for every 25 



1851, 82,707 



1861, 81,406 



1871, 80,955 



