AGRICULTURE. 32 



and Skerry Ben, form part of a range of mountains, 

 extending from Sandside Bay on the north, to Helms- 

 dale on the south. Morven is the great mountain of 

 Caithness. It is 2331 feet high. It is regarded as the 

 great weather-glass of the county. When the mist 

 gathers about its base, rain is sure to follow ; but when 

 the mist ascends to the top and disperses, leaving the 

 majestic outline of the mountain exposed to view, then 

 the weather will be fine. " During harvest especially," 

 says a local writer, "all eyes are directed towards it; 

 and it never deceives. 



" In vision I behold tall Morven stand, 

 And see the morning mist distilling tears 

 Around his shoulders, desolate and yrand." 



From what we have already stated, it will be under- 

 stood that Caithness is by no means a fertile county. 

 Until a comparatively recent period agriculture was in 

 a very backward state. When Pennant visited the 

 county about a hundred years ago, he describes it as 

 little better than " an immense morass," with here and 

 there some fruitful spots of oats and here, and much 

 coarse grass. 



In those places where any agriculture was carried 

 on, the women did the work of horses. They carried 

 the manure on their backs to the field; and did the 

 most of the manual labour. The land could scarcely 

 be called ploughed. The Caithness plough was one- 

 stilted. It was dragged over the ground by a yoke of 

 oxen, driven by a woman. There were neither barns 

 nor granaries in the county. The corn was preserved 



