Minerals. but hitherto such hopes have only been productive of disappointment. A mineral resembling coal has indeed been found. It emits a hot vivid flame when burning, but without much dissolution of parts, or diminution of size, after it becomes extinct; so that, instead of coal, it seems to be an earthy substance, impregnated with volatile inflammable matter. It is usually got near the surface of the earth. In the burn of Hempster is found white spar of the purest quality. When put into the fire, a very slight degree of heat makes it throw out a considerable portion of phosphoric light, which gradually decays as the stone cools, and is again recruited as the stone is heated anew. When reduced to a powder, it puts on an exceeding brilliant and beautiful appearance during ignition. In electrical experiments it is a non-conductor; nor does it seem soluble in acids.

Lead, iron pre, &c.

Wick.

In the parish of Reay a slender vein of lead ore has been discovered, but in circumstances that afforded no inducement to work it. Iron ore is found in the same neighbourhood. Sir John Sinclair has also discovered, near Thurso, a small vein of yellow mundick, and also considerable quantities of white mundick. Mr Raspe, a German mineralogist, near the same place, discovered a regular vein of heavy spar, mixed with lead and crystals, three feet in breadth; but the mine has never been wrought. A copper mine, near the Old Castle of Wick, was once begun to be wrought, but the undertaking was afterwards dropped.

This county contains one royal borough, Wick, on the south-east coast; and also the town of Thurso, on the north coast. Wick stands on the estuary of a small river of the same name. The town is small, and the streets narrow and confined; but it contains several good build ings. The town and lands of Wick were anciently a part

of the earldom of Caithness. On the application of Wick. George Earl of Caithness, a charter was granted b King James the Sixth of Scotland, of date the 24th September 1589, erecting the town of Wick into a royal borough. On the 8th October 1672, his great grandson, another George Earl of Caithness, disponed the whole earldom of Caithness, including the lands and tenements of the town of Wick, to John Campbell of Glenorchy, afterwards created Earl of Breadalbane; by whose successor in title it was sold in 1718 to the family of Sinclair of Ulbster. On a general order from the convention of royal boroughs, the set or government of the borough of Wick was ultimately fixed in 1716; by which, in all time coming, the consent of the original founders of the borough, and their successors, was declared to be necessary to the election of magistrates. By this set the old magistrates make out a list, called a leet, consisting of two, out of which a provost; four, out of which two bailies, are to be chosen by the burgesses on the roll; and the leet must be presented thirty days before Michaelmas to be approved of by the superior. The provost and the two bailies, thus elected, have the right of choosing seven counsellors, a treasurer, and a dean of guild. In consequence of these regulations, Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, and his predecessors, have annually been in the practice of approving a leet presented to them of the magistrates to be chosen. Wick is one of five boroughs, each of which chooses a delegate for returning a member to parliament for the northern district. The income or common good of the town is very trifling; but it is on the increase, and arises from customs payable on different articles sold at market, shore-dues on ships, &c..

Wick is the county town, or capital of the shire, and consequently the seat of the sheriff-court. Along with Kirkwall, Dornock, Dingwall, and Tain, it sends a mem

Thurso. ber to parliament. The harbour, at present, is quite na tural, and very inconvenient; but several of the proprie tors have it contemplation to erect a new harbour, which, if completed, would not only be of great importance to the town, but also to the kingdom at large, by saving many vessels which are wrecked on this coast; there being no safe harbour between Cromarty Frith and the Orkneys. If this harbour is completed, the town will also receive a considerable addition to its size towards the south, where a new town is to be feued, on a neat and regular plan, on the estate of Sir Benjamin Dunbar. The chief branch of commerce and industry is the fisheries, which are prosecuted with great attention.

Thurso.

The town of Thurso, on the northern side of the coast of Caithness, stands at the extremity of a spacious and beautiful bay, being the western part or branch of the Bay of Dunnet, where the river Thurso falls into the sea. The scenery round the town has considerable natural magnificence. On one side, a spacious bay, formed on the east by the bold and lofty promontory called Dunnet Head, and on the west by Welbrown Head; both which cover the bay from the tremendous waves of the Pentland Frith. These, in storms of wind from the west or from the north, beat with dreadful violence against these headlands, and present an awful prospect to the eye. On the opposite side of Pentland Frith, in view of Thurso, at the distance of eight leagues, the Hoy Hills in Orkney, rising gradually from the summit of a range of rocks of tremendous height which overhang the sea, rear their majestic heads, and contribute greatly to the grandeur of the prospect.

At the bottom of this beautiful bay, as already noticed, where the river Thurso falls into the sea, the town stands. Between the town and Holburn Head, in the western side

of the bay, is the anchoring ground known by the name of Thurso. Scrabster Road, which is skirted by a beautiful green bank, in form of a crescent, extending from the town to the extremity of the point of Holburn Head. The country, to the west, south, and east of the town, rises by a gentle acclivity to the extent of some miles; and the intermediate space presents a rich prospect of well cultivated fields and pleasant villas, particularly of Thurso East, anciently called Thurso Castle, the seat of Sir John Sinclair; the improvements around which are extensive. The town is irregularly built, containing no edifices of any note except the church, which is an old substantial Gothic building in good repair. A new town, on a regular plan, is beginning to be feued on the banks of the river, in a pleasant elevated situation and such is the spirit of improvement in the neighbourhood, that inclosed lands let as high as L.5, 5s. per acre. Though the ancient history of this town cannot be traced with any degree of certainty, it is probable, from many circumstances, that in former times it was a place of considerable trade and consequence. Indeed, its happy situation, at the mouth of a river possessing a valuable salmon-fishing, and a natural harbour, must have carly rendered it a place of note. The town is a borough of barony, holding of Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, Baronet, as superior. The charter of erection was granted in 1633, by King Charles the First, in favour of John Master of Berrydale, by which it was entitled "to all and sundry privileges, immunities, and jurisdictions, belonging to a free borough of barony of Scotland," and to hold a weekly market and five free fairs yearly; of which only two are kept. It is governed by a magistracy of two bailies and twelve counsellors, elected by the superior, and retained in office during the superior's pleasure. The principal manufacture of the town is coarse

Thurso. linen cloth. There is a bleachfield and a tannery in the neighbourhood, which promise to succeed. For the convenience of trade, there is here established a branch of the Bank of Scotland, which is of material advantage, not only to the county of Caithness, but also to the Orkneys.

Harbour.

The harbour is about to be improved. An act of parliament for that purpose has been obtained; and it is intended to make the harbour as complete as possible, so as to admit vessels of from 300 to 500 tons, at least in spring-tides; also to have a dock, a regulating weir, and a slip for ship-building. The whole expence will probably exceed L.10,000. Eight vessels, employed in the fisheries or the coasting trade, belong to the town. Corn and meal are exported to the value of L.12,000 Sterling annually, and fish to a larger amount. A great part of the salmon taken in the river is boiled, and sent to London in kits, to the amount, at an average, of 700 or or 800 kits; besides about 250 barrels, taken here and in the neighbourhood, which are pickled and exported. The herring-fishery is sometimes very considerable. Upwards of 7000 barrels are usually cured annually at the port of Thurso for exportation. Of these two-thirds are salted as white herrings, and the remainder are smoked as red herrings. A considerable cod-fishery is also carried on. Before the commencement of the war of the French revolution, a London fishing-vessel or cod-smack was never seen in the Pentland Frith. Being driven from the Dogger Bank by the annoyance of French and Dutch privateers, they ventured to explore the northern coasts of Caithness and Sutherland in search of cod; and now, as a proof of their success, and that they find no danger in the experiment, it is no uncommon thing to see five-and-twenty London smacks at once lying at anchor in Scrabster Roads. They come upon the coast in September, and continue until March;