PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



33 



Sutherland. A rapid sketch of this country will be found where 

 we have described the coast-line and the Dornoch Firth. 



The Shin is remarkable for the shortness of its course, and the 

 great length of the loch out of which it flows. Lochs Merkland 

 and Griam are also connected with Loch Shin in the north-west, so 

 that the water area itself, of which the river Shin is the outlet, is 

 of great extent. The drainage area on the west of Loch Shin is 

 very narrow indeed, and there are no burns of any importance ; 

 but on the east this area is much larger, and the rivers Fiack and 

 Tirry flow into it from this side. It is a wild stretch of moorland 

 this, with much flow ground dotted with lochs and brulochans, the 

 haunt of Greenshanks and Eed-throated Divers. 



Along the east side of Loch Shin lies Shin'ness, famous as 

 being the first place where the late Duke commenced his experi- 

 ments in making the Sutherland reclamations. They have suc- 

 ceeded here best of all, though they produce a sorry return for 

 the immense amount of capital expended. What planting has 

 been done has also been largely a failure, and that this should 

 be the case is the more difficult to understand, seeing that at 

 one time the greater part of the county was covered with trees. 



In former years White-tailed Eagles bred on an island in Loch 

 Fiack, as also they did on Ben Hee, as related in the Oothcca 

 Wolleyana (see under the species). Wild Geese also bred here, 

 but seem to have now quite deserted the locality. Many of the 

 smaller burns running into Loch Shin from the west are lined with 

 birch, but there is comparatively little wood along the loch. The 

 river, from its leaving the loch down to Achany, is wide and stony; 

 but shortly after that, from the falls down to the Kyle, it is wholly 

 rocky and very narrow in places, and thus, once the reservoir lochs 

 are full, holds its water much longer than most rivers. At Achany 

 and about the Lairg station there is a great extent of fir planta- 

 tions. Lower down, the sides of the river are clothed with birch and 

 rowan trees, which give most beautiful tints in the autumn season. 



Crossing the hill by the mail road from Lairg, over some very 

 good grouse ground, we descend rapidly down to Rosehall, so well 

 known to readers of St. John's books. It has changed much 

 since his day. The estate has been divided into three, and much 



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