ISLES OF SCOTLAND. 



THE Isles of Scotland consist of three clusters ; the Hebrides,* 

 or Western Islands, the Orkneys, and the Islands of Shetland. 



The WESTERN ISLANDS, or HEBRIDES, are situate on the 

 north-~west coast of Scotland, between 35 and 59 deg. of north lati- 

 tude, and are supposed to exceed 300 in number ; but there are not 

 more than thirty whose sizes render them deserving notice. Of 

 these the principal are Arran, Hay, Jura, Mull, Skye, Lewis, and Har- 

 ris, which form one island ; North Uist, and South Uist, Iona, or 

 Icolm-kill, Staffa, and Hirta, or St. Kilda. 



The isle of Arran is about twenty-four miles in length, and where 

 widest about fourteen in breadth. It consists chiefly of a series of 

 rough and broken mountains, from one of the highest summits of 

 which, named Goatfell, in the centre of the island, the view extends 

 at once to Ireland and the Isle of Man, and even into South Britain. 

 There are several rivulets and four or five lakes of fresh water in 

 this island. The number of inhabitants is about 7000, and the chief 

 place the village of Ranza. This island, with the island of Bute, 

 which is about twelve miles long, and four broad, and some others of 

 inconsiderable size, constitute the county or shire of Bute The chief 

 town of Bute is Rothsay, which has a castle, and gave the title of 

 duke to the eldest sons of the kings of Scotland, as it now does to the 

 prince of Wales. Rothsay is likewise a royal burgh. The number 

 of inhabitants in the island of Bute is about 4000. 



The island of Hay is twenty-four miles long, and nearly eighteen 

 broad. The soil is good, and might by industry be rendered ex- 

 tremely productive. The whole island is the property of Mr. Camp- 

 bell of Shawfield. A lead mine was discovered here in 1763. The 

 number of inhabitants is about 7000. 



Jura, about thirty miles long, and seven or eight broad, is separated 

 from Hay by a narrow sound, from one to four miles broad. It is one 

 of the most rugged of the Western Islands, which are in general 

 mountainous. The mountains called the Paps of Jura, which are a 

 range of eminences of a conical form, present a singular appear- 

 ance. One of them has been found to have an elevation of 850 

 yards, though it is greatly exceeded in height by the loftiest, named 

 Ben-an-Oir. The number of inhabitants is supposed to be not more 

 than 1000. 



The isle of Mull is nearly thirty miles long, and in some places 

 almost as broad. It is very rugged and mountainous, like the other 

 Western Isles. It contains two parishes, but only one village, named 

 Tobermory, near the northern part of the island, where a fishing sta- 

 tion has lately been erected. There are several ruins of ancient cas- 



"* Anciently called the Hebudes. The origin of the modem name Hebrides is 

 aot known, except it be a corruption of Hebudes. 



