ITS DIVISIONS. 105 



" The Earls of Huntley possessed in former times by far 

 the most extensive range of hills and deer forests in Great 

 Britain ; they commenced at Benavon, in Banffshire, and 

 terminated at Ben-nevis, near Fort William, a distance of 

 about seventy miles, without a break, with the exception 

 of the small estate of Rothiemurcus, which is scarcely two 

 miles in breadth where it intersects the forest. 



" This immense tract of land was divided into seven 

 distinct portions, each of which was given in charge to the 

 most influential gentlemen in its neighbourhood. The 

 names of the divisions or forests were, firstly, Benavon, 

 in Banffshire ; secondly, Glenmore, including Cairngorm ; 

 thirdly, Brae-fcshie ; fourthly, Gaick * ; fifthly, Drum- 

 nachder ; sixthly Benalder, including Farrow ; and, lastly, 

 Lochtreig, which extended from the Badenoch march to 

 Ben-nevis : these are all in Inverness-shire. 



" These divisions are very extensive ; Benavon com- 

 prehends about twenty square miles, Glenmore the same 

 quantity, Brae-feshie about fifteen, Gaick about thirty, 

 Drumnachder twenty-five, Benalder fifty, and Lochtreig 

 sixty ; in all about two hundred and twenty square miles. 



" The whole of this vast track was not solely appropriated 

 for breeding deer, for tenants were allowed to erect shiel- 

 ings on the confines of the forest, and their cattle were per- 

 mitted to pasture as far as they chose during the day, but 

 they were bound to bring them back to the shielings in the 

 evenings ; and such as were left in the forest over-night 

 were liable to be poinded. 



" These regulations answered very well between Hunt- 

 ley and his tenants, but they made an opening for small 

 * Spelt also Gaivick, and Gaig. 



