GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND IMPORTANCE 
OF SUTHERLAND, CAITHNESS, AND 
WEST CROMARTY. 
The counties of Sutherland and Caithness, the most northerly 
of the mainland of Scotland, possess a very extensive coast-line, 
together being more than three parts surrounded by sea, Sutherland 
itself having a sea-board of at least two-thirds of its total cir- 
cumference. They are bounded on the west by the more northern 
portion of the Great Minch, — the channel that lies between the 
mainland and the Outer Hebrides, — a rich and comparatively 
unworked area of the great Stornoway herring-fishery. On the 
north and north-west the broad Atlantic laves its great cliffs and 
headlands, a few solitary islets alone intervening, such as North 
Kona and Souliskeir. The eastern shores are washed by the waters 
of the North Sea, until the south-east corner is reached at Dornoch, 
and here the southern coast is bounded by the still waters of the 
Dornoch Firth, and Kyle of Sutherland. 
The whole of this coast-line teems with fish, a vast mine of 
wealth almost untouched on the west side ; but the want of good 
and sufficient harbour- and pier- accommodation, in many places 
prevents the proper development of these fisheries. 
Following the boundaries at the head of the Dornoch Firth in 
the south, comes the Kyle of Sutherland, which latter stretches its 
tidal waters inland to a little beyond the mouth of the river 
Cassley. Proceeding westward, the river Oykel resumes the office 
of the Kyle, and for some ten miles, between Eosehall and Oykel 
