FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



THE SUTHERLAND FORESTS. 



[Chiefly from the communication of Mr. TAYLOR.] 



THE bounds of the Sutherland forests have been much 

 limited of late years, as a necessary consequence of the 

 improved system of sheep farming which has universally 

 taken place. 



Recurring to former days, the two largest and most 

 important of these forests were the Dirrie-Chatt and the 

 Dirrie-More. 



The Dirrie-Chatt, or the forest of Sutherland proper, 

 was, according to its ancient boundaries, a very extensive, 

 varied, and celebrated hunting forest ; it extended parallel 

 with the eastern coast of Sutherland, and at a short 

 distance from it, and it included the interior parts of the 

 county towards the west and north, until it joined the 

 Dirrie-More, and thence passed in an easterly direction to 

 Caithness, along the old boundary with Strathnaver. 



An elevated tract of ground from Ben-Leod, near the 

 confines of Assynt, runs eastward through the centre of 

 the county of Sutherland to Ben-Griam-Beg, and from 

 thence to the heights of Knockfin, at the march between 



