SCOTLAND. 



molt known, which Mr. Kirwan defcribes as being an argil- 

 laceous iron-ftone of a blueifh-grey, internally of a darit 

 ochre-yellow. It is found in flaty mafles, and in nodules, in 

 an adjacent coal-mine, of which it fometimes forms the roof. 

 At the Carron-works this ore is often fmclted with the 

 red greafy iron ore from Ulverilon, in Lancafhire, which 

 imparts eafier fufion, and fuperior value. Calamine and zinc 

 are alfo found at Wanlock-head ; and it is faid that plum- 

 bago and antimony may be traced in the Highlands. Coal has 

 been worked for a fuccefiion of ages. Pope Pius II., in his 

 defcription of Europe, written about 1450, maintains that he 

 ' beheld, with wonder, black Itones given as alms to the poor of 

 Scotland. But the ufe of this mineral may be traced to the 

 twelfth century. The earlielt account given of the Scottifh 

 coal is contained in a book publiflied by one George Sinclair, 

 who calls himfelf profefTor of philofophy at Glafgow, but 

 his name cannot be traced in the univerfity lift. He explains 

 with fome e.xadtnefs the manner of working coal, and men- 

 tions the fubterraneous walls of whin which interfedt the 

 ftrata, particularly a remarkable one, vifible from the river 

 Tyne, where it forms a cataraft, and pafTmg by Pretton- 

 Pans to the fhore of Fife. JVIr. Williams has recently given 

 his obfervations on this fubjeft with much praftical fcill. 

 The Lothians, and Fifethire particularly, abound with this 

 ufeful mineral, which alfo extends into Ayrrtiire ; and near 

 Irvine is found a curious variety, called ribbon coal. A 

 Angular coal, in veins of mineral, has been found at Caftle- 

 Leod, in the eaftern divifion of Rofsfliire. Among the 

 lefs important minerals of Scotland, is the new earth found at 

 Strontian, in the diflrift of Sunart, and parifli of Ardnamur- 

 clean, Argylefhire, which is now introduced into numerous 

 fyftems of mineralogy and chemillry. Ben Nevis affords 

 beautiful granite. Fine llatuary marble is found in Affynt, 

 and at Blair Gowrie, in Perthfhire. A black marble, fretted 

 with white, like lace-work, occurs near fort William ; dark 

 brown with white at Cambuflang, Clydefdale. Jafpcr is 

 found in various parts ; Arthur's feat offers a curious va- 

 riety : and on the weftern (hore of Icolmkill, are many 

 curious pebbles of various defcriptions. FuUer's-earth is 

 found near Campbeltown, in Cantire ; and it is fuppofed 

 that there mull be a vaft mafs of talc, equal to that of Muf- 

 covy, in the mountains which give rife to the river Findom, 

 as large pebbles of it are fometimes found in that dream. 



Natural Curtofitus. — Scotland, like other mountainous 

 countries, abounds with Angular fcenes and natural cu- 

 riofities. The caves on the fliore near Colvend, in Gal- 

 loway, are well worthy of notice ; and the heautiiul falls 

 of the Clyde, near Lanark, have defervedly excited much 

 attention. On the ealt of this part of Scotland, are the 

 paftoral vales of the Tweed and Teviot, celebrated in fong ; 

 the deep pafs of t!ie Peaths ; and the romantic rock of Bafs, 

 the haunt of the folan goofe. The bafaltic columns of Ar- 

 thur's feat, near Edinburgh, deferve infpetlion. On the 

 northern {liore of the Forth, near Dyfart, a coal-mine has, 

 for ages, been on fire, probably from decompofed pyrites, 

 and has fupplied Buchanan with a curious defcription. 

 The beauties of Loch Lomond have been often delcribed, 

 but the trofacs, or fingular liills around lake Ketterin, form 

 a new acquifition to the traveller. The hills of Kinnoul, 

 near Perth, conftitute a great curiofity, prefenting a mafs of 

 uncommon minerals. The numerous lakes and mountains need 

 not be again mentioned. Many of the rocks off the coaft of 

 Aberdeenfhire aliume fingular forms of arches, pillars, &c. ; 

 and the fpace from Trouphead to Portfoy abounds in 

 uncommon rocks, and fingular marine productions. The 

 caves of Nigg, in Rofsfhire, are worth vifiting, and the 

 more northern fhores prefent innumerable wild fcenes of 



favage nature. Near Lathron, in Caithnefs, is a large cave, 

 into which the inhabitants fail to kill leals. Nofs Head pre- 

 fents a fingular quarry of flate, marked with various me- 

 tallic figures. The ides Stroma, near the northern (hore, 

 preferve dead bodies for a long time without corruption. 

 Near Tong is the cave Frafgill, about fifty feet high and 

 twenty wide, variegated with a thoufand colours, which are 

 loll in each other with a delicacy and foftnefs that no art can 

 imitate. On the eall of Durnefs is the cave of Smo, within 

 which is the relemblance of a gate, fucceeded by a fmall lake 

 of frelh water, containing trout ; the extent of this fub- 

 terraneous lake has never been explored. The Angularity 

 of the coall of Edrachills, fouth of Loch Inchard, may like- 

 wife be mentioned as a natural curiofity, as may alfo the 

 grand cataracl of Kineag river, and the cave of Gandeman, 

 near Affyijt Point. The cafcade of Glarama, in the heights 

 of Glen Elchaig, is truly fublime, amidft the conftant dark- 

 nefs of hills and woods. Ben Nevis will, of courfe, attraCl 

 notice from its fingular form and elevation. According to 

 Mr. Williams, it conflfts of one folid mafs of red granite, 

 which he traced at the bafe for four miles along the courfe 

 of a rivulet on the eaft ; the height of this mafs he com- 

 putes at 3600 feet, and above it are ftratificd rocks, the nature 

 of which he does not explain, but he fays that thofe on the 

 fummit are fo hard and tough, that wrought iron is inferior 

 to them in thefe qualities. The llupendous precipice on 

 the north-eaft fide exhibits almoft an entire feftion of the 

 mountain. In Argylefhire the marine cataracl of Loch 

 Etif, the beautiful lake of Awe, and the environs of In- 

 verary, prefent the chief objefts of curiofity. 



Sketch of the Agriculture. — Scotland, with refpeft to agri- 

 culture, exhibits great variations, from caufes partly of a 

 moral, but chiefly of a phyfical nature. To give his readers 

 jull ideas on this fubjeft, fir John Sinclair, in his " General 

 Report," has divided the country into nine diilrids, each 

 diftinguifhed by fome peculiarities of furface, or relative 

 circumilances, from the reft. The firft diftrift includes the 

 counties of Roxburgh, Berwick, and. the three Lothians, 

 and may be jultly termed, by way of eminence, the agri- 

 cultural diltridl, as the art of hufbandry is carried on there 

 in as great perfeftion as in any country in Europe. The 

 proportion of land in cultivation is very confiderable, and 

 its farmers are, in general, remarkable for their intelligence, 

 indullry, and capital. In this dillrift is fituated the metro- 

 polis of Scotland, which unites to fignal advantages of 

 fituation, a dei^ree of art and elegance in its buildings, un- 

 known in any other town in Great Britain. As it is the feat 

 of the courts of law, the public offices, and a celebrated uni- 

 verfity, the population within its bounds is much greater 

 than its agriculture or commerce would otherwife require. 

 The feveral counties which compofe this diftrift may be thus 

 difcriminated. Roxburghfhire, the moft foutherly, has a 

 great extent of hills of confiderable elevation, and only 

 adapted for the palluring of fheep ; but it alfo includes the 

 rich vale of Teviot, which is one of the moft improved trails 

 in the kingdom. Berwickfhire, though a large fhare of its 

 furface is likewife beft fuited for paiture, contains in the 

 Merfe, foil at once fertile and well cultivated. Eaft Lothian, 

 throughout the greater part of its extent, is a rich and 

 highly improved plam, diverfified by a few gentle eminences ; 

 and yields to no county in Great Britain the palm of fupe- 

 riority in agriculture. Mid-Lothian, though inferior in foil 

 to Eaft Lothian, neverthelefs raifes excellent corn and p;reen 

 crops, and likewife derives wealth from horticulture in the 

 vicinity of Edinburgh. Weft Lothian, befides being noted 

 for the carefulnefs of its agriculture, in the more cultivated 

 parts, is ornamented with many extcnfive plantations, while 



its 



