47$ OF THE COAST FROM CAPE WRATH 



tide-harbour for a few vefiels of fmall burden, and 

 might be improved. But at the diftano* of j miles 

 north is Sinclair bay, a capacious road, with good 

 anchorage for (hipping of any fize. As this bay : 

 directly on the eaft entrance of the Pentland tirth, 

 as Thurfo does on that of the weft, the cxj 

 of a harbour on the former muft appear obvious to 

 any perfon who choofes to confidcr the fubjeft, and 

 who wifhes to afiift the dill relied mariner, and pro- 

 mote the commerce of his country. Of Hill 

 importance will this place appear, when it is known, 

 that from Wick to the firth of Cromarty, a diftancc 

 of 60 miles, the ihore is I ;,y, and utterly in- 



admifliolc to fea-veflels of any fize, tlv , of 



Dornoch cxcepted, which, however, are of no great 

 utility to navigation, by reafon of fhallows and 

 quick-fands. Neither can the firth of Cromarty*, 

 though one of the lined harbours in the world, be 

 conftdered as an afylum to fhips in diftreis, becaufe 

 it lies out of the general track of navigation. The 

 .ie obfervation is applicable to the harbour of In- 

 vernefs, whitfh lies dill further from the courfe of 

 fhipping. The coaft along the Murray firth, though 

 more commodioufly fituatcJ, is, however, deftitute 

 of good harbours j conlequently, a Jhip paffing from 

 one fide of Great Britain to the other, by the Pent- 

 land firth, cannot be accommodated with the fmal- 



* Twenty-two miles in length, in fome parts 4 in breadth, the 

 entrance narrow and bold, being formed by two lofty rocks, which 

 project into the fea, till they approach within a mile of each other, 

 and therefore defend the fine bay from winds and ftorms. Thcfe 

 rocks thus approaching each other, and having alfo a fimilar ap- 

 pearance, are called by the natives, Tfa Sootors ofCromariy^ whicn, 

 in the Scottilh language, means wootrs, or lovers. 



At a fmall diftance from the entrance of the firth, is Cromarty; 

 a place riling into fome con fcquence, through the liberality and un- 

 wearied zealof Mr. Roft above mentioned. At the head of the 

 firth (lands Dingwall, the capital of the county, a poor ruinous 

 place, chiefly compofed of hovels, though its ntuation is delight- 

 ful, the country fertile, and the waters, both fait and frcfli, 

 abound in fim. 



4 left 



