SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 
Atlantic, are so rugged and rocky, that hardly any vegeta¬ 
tion can be discovered; yet the glens, ravines, and hollows, 
betwixt these mountains, are extremely favourable to pas¬ 
turage, and under the improved system of management 
adopted by the Marquess of Stafford and other great pro¬ 
prietors, have been converted into extensive sheep farms. It 
is weil known that the western coasts of Britain are more 
subject to heavy rains, brought by the westerly winds from 
the Atlantic Ocean, than the eastern; ,and on the coast of 
Sulherlandshire, whenever the wind blows from the west 
or north-west, heavy rains constantly ensue; and it is sup¬ 
posed that there is no part of Scotland more subject to rain 
than the western district of the county of Sutherland. On 
the coasts of the numerous bays, there are many rugged 
and partially arable fields; but the climate, from the con¬ 
stant rains and mists, does not second the favourable pro¬ 
perties of the soil. From this prevalence of rain, the west 
and north-west sides of the county are damp, and the interior, 
though in a less degree, is the same, in consequence of its 
high mountains, lakes, and swampy mosses; but on the 
south-east side, which is generally termed the coast side, 
they complain, that in the summer months in general they 
experience too little rain. Eaeh shore is fringed with a 
narrow border of arable soil, and on the south-east coast it 
extends from a few hundred yards to about one mile in 
breadth. The valleys are occupied by numerous lakes and 
rivers, the chief of which are Loch Shin, which stretches 20 
miles from north-west to south-east, and is about 1 mile 
broad, and abounds with salmon and trout; Loch Assynt, 
6 miles long and 1-j broad; Loch Naver, Loch Hope, Loch 
Lyal, Loch "More, Loch Brora, and Baden Loch, all abound¬ 
ing with trout. The rivers and streams, as may be supposed 
in such a mountainous country, are numerous. The most 
considerable of the rivers is the Oikel, or frith of Dornoch, 
which is navigable 12 miles for vessels of 50 tons; the water 
of Fleet, or Strathfleet; the water of Brora; the water of 
Helmsdale. On the northern and western coasts is the water 
of Hallidaie, the water of Strathy, the river Naver, the waters 
of Kenloch, Hope, and Eribol. The north-west and west 
coasts are indented by numerous bays of great extent, and have 
many promontories extending into the ocean. These are Cape 
Wrath, Far-out-head, Whiten-head, and Strathy-head. Some 
small islands are scattered along the coast, few of which are 
inhabited. Rock crystals and pebbles are found in many 
parts; and beautiful garnets are found on the coast, in the 
parish of Tongue; and specimens of native gold have been 
found in the parish of Kildonan. Sutherland has been an 
earldom in the Sutherland family since the year 1057. It 
sends one member to parliament; aud Dornoch, the county 
town, is classed with the burghs of Tain and Dingwall in 
Ross-shire, Wick in Caithness, and Kirkwall in Orkney. 
There are three great deer forests; and other kinds of 
game are found in great plenty, as common and alpine hares, 
moorfowl, black cocks, ptarmigans, wild pigeons, and par¬ 
tridges. 
The valued rent of the county is divided among the several 
heritors as follows:— 
Earldom of Sutherland, lordship' 
> 
of Strathnaver, and barony of! 
. 16,951 
2 
2 
Assynt, including Wadsetters, * 
I 
Lord Reay .. 
. 3,720 
8 
5 
Skibo . 
11 
6 
Bighoun. 
0 
0 
Poyntzfield . 
13 
4 
Balnagowan . 
18 
0 
Lord Ashburton . 
0 
0 
Cadboll . 
0 
o 
Embo. 
. 346 
8 
o 
Opisdale . 
. 253 
6 
8 
Creech . 
. 200 
0 
0 
Achany ... 
. 194 
2 
8 
£26,193 10 9 
773 
The real rent has been estimated at about 40,000/.per annum. 
In consequence of the peculiar situation of the property 
in this county, the right of voting for the commissioner of 
the shire differs from the rest of Scotland, being vested in 
all persons having 200/. Scots of valued rent, whether hold¬ 
ing of the crown or a subject superior. 
In no part in Scotland have greater changes and improve¬ 
ments taken place within the last 20 years, than in the 
county of Sutherland, which, from a variety of causes, both 
moral and physical, long laboured under peculiar disadvan¬ 
tages, in comparison with other parts of the country. It 
was here that the feudal system appeared to make its last 
stand; and, while in other parts the last traces of that rude 
and ancient state of property and manners were fast dis¬ 
appearing, they still prevailed in Sutherlandshire in all their 
vigour; nor was it easy to see how a breach could be made 
in the system, while this county continued to be in a manner 
debarred, both by physical obstructions, and by the want 
of all practicable communications, from all intercourse with 
the more civilized parts of the country. By the enterprize 
and exertion, however, of the landed proprietors, these ob¬ 
structions to a free and extended intercourse were at length 
done away; and this advantage, while it tended in every 
view to improve the trade and agriculture of the county, 
paved the way also for a total change in the tenure by which 
property was held, and for the gradual abolition, in conse¬ 
quence, of that state of manners to which the feudal system 
gave rise. In order to give a clear view of these changes, 
and their effects, it will be proper to describe the state of 
the county antecedent to the year 1800, taking for our 
guide Mr. Loch’s judicious account of the improvements 
made in this rude and remote part of the island. 
One of the most important obstacles to the improvement 
of Sutherlandshire was its secluded situation, being cut off 
from all intercourse with the rest of the kingdom. On re¬ 
ferring to the map of Scotland, it will be observed, that the 
island narrows towards its northern extremity, and that the 
four northern counties of Ross, Cromarty, Sutherland, and 
Caithness, are detached from the more southern counties of 
Scotland by the Moray frith, which almost crosses the county. 
This district, it will be observed also, is still more cut off 
from the southern counties, and intersected in itself by four 
inlets of the sea, stretching into the country, to the very base 
of the mountains, which constitute by far the larger portion 
of this part of the island. These inlets, or friths, are the 
Beauly frith, which, extending from Fort George to Beauly, 
separates Ross-shire from the county of Inverness; the frith of 
Cromarty, which intersects the counties of Ross and Cromarty; 
the frith of Dornoch, which divides the counties of Ross 
and Sutherland ; and Loch Fleet, which intersects this latter 
county. From a mere inspection of the map, however, no 
adequate idea can be formed of the practical obstacles which 
these friths opposed to the communications between different 
parts of the country. Ferries were indeed necessarily esta¬ 
blished at these different inlets of the sea; but they were 
totally unprovided with every thing necessary for the accom¬ 
modation of passengers. There was only one of them, that 
nearest to Inverness, provided with piers. There were no 
inns; nothing to shelter the traveller from the inclemency 
of this variable and boisterous climate, while the natives were 
slowly and unskilfully putting his horse and carriage into 
the wretched boats; not to mention the risk of crossing these 
narrow friths, hemmed in between mountains, and exposed 
to violent gusts, which, suddenly bursting forth from the 
hollow glens, leave little time to prepare for the stonn; while 
the various eddies and currents also added to the delay, if not 
to the dangers of the passage. Equally rude and unfit for 
travelling were the roads which connected these ferries. Be¬ 
yond the Dornoct frith, indeed, no road existed; so that 
the county of Sutherland was not only cut off from all 
means of communication with the rest of the kingdom, but 
its interior means of communication were even more de¬ 
ficient. On the coast side road, the track for a carriage to 
follow was traced out by two narrow ruts along the ground; 
9 L and 
Vol. XXIII. No. 1607. 
