43o OF THE MURRAY FIRTH. 



a rich ocean, this coaft may, with fomc public aid, 

 recover its former fplendour, and even furpafs the 

 mod flouriftiing periods of the middle ages. This 

 conjecture is partly grounded on the public-fpirited 

 exertions of the nobility and gentry upon that fliore, 

 who during thefc laft 40 years have performed won- 



for the benefit of navigation and manufac"; 

 particularly in the articles of linen, lawns, nap; 

 ftockings, thread, linen-yarn, and bleaching. 'I 

 gentlemen have alfo expended ronfidcrable (urns in 

 repairing or extending the numerous, but fmall har- 

 bours of the coaft, in raifmg more commodious 

 houfes for their own reftdence, and that of their te- 

 nants. Every encouragement is given to the raifing 

 of clean-looking healthy villages, upon regular 

 plans, and with good materials. 



The families to whom Great Britain in general, 

 and this diftrict in particular, owe iuch obligations, 

 are thofeof the duke of Gordon, the carls of Fife, 

 Aberdeen, and Finlater, the Grants, Forbefes and 

 Fraziers ; families of great antiquity in the ScottiHi 

 annals, and famous for their heroic bravery againfl 

 the never-ceafing invafions of the Danes, of which 

 the encampments, tumuli, urns, and other appear- 

 ances upon the coaft are convincing evidences. 



This diftrict contains a fmall portion of Invcrnefs- 

 (hire ; the whole of Nairnlhire, Murrayfhire, Banff- 

 fhirc, and the north- eaft diftridt of Aberdcenfhire. 



Invernefs, the capital of the county, and the 

 whole northern divifion, beyond the Grai; 

 mountains, is a handfome town, pleafantly fituated 

 on a plain, and almoft furrounded by water. It con- 

 tains 7000 inhabitants, who fpeak the Erfe and Eng- 

 li(h promifcuoufly. On an eminence near the town 

 are the remains of a caftle, where, according to fome 

 hiftorians, the famous Macbeth murdered Duncan 

 his royal gueft. 



Two miles from Invernefs is Culloden moor, 

 whereon the i6th day of April, 1746, the rebel 

 army, confiding of 5000 men, were totally defeated 



by 



