boundaries. SUTHERLANDSHIRE. Extent and RETURNING to what may be called the continent, that is, to the mainland of Scotland, we come, on the west of Caithness, to the county of Sutherland. It is one of the largest in Scotland, containing about 2310 square miles, or 1,478,400 English acres; yet, in consequence of the vast extent of its mountainous districts, its value is far from being considerable. As Caithness forms the northeastern angle of the island of Great Britain, the county of Sutherland may be considered as the continuation of the island towards the west and south. It extends across the island from sea to sea; it is about eighty miles in length, from north-west to south-east, and forty miles in breadth; bounded on the north-east by Caithness; on the east and south-east by the German Ocean and the Frith of Dornoch ; on the south and south-west by Ross-shire; on the west by the Atlantic Ocean; and on the north by the Great North Sea. In the language of the country, it comprehends the districts of Strathnaver on the north-east, Assint on the south-west, and Sutherland properly sa called. Strathnaver was formerly a county of itself. Sutherland must be considered as entirely a Highland county. The Gaelic is throughout the popular language; and, with the exception, perhaps, of a village or two on the east coast, was formerly the sole dialect of the inhabitants. The face of the country is extremely mountainus and rocky. The great body of it exhibits nothing to the eye but vast groups or piles of mountains tower-Face of the Country. ing in succession above each other. The greater part of these appear covered with heath; though their sloping sides, in proportion as they descend, become gradually covered with verdure. Some of these mountains, however, are covered with extensive forests. Amidst this wild and rude magnificence of nature are many valleys, each of which contains a stream, and frequently a lake, of considerable extent; the scenery around which, during the summer, is extremely interesting, more especially in consequence of the effect produced by contrasting the verdant banks of these sheltered waters with the rude mountains and extensive heaths with which they are surrounded. Upon the coast are many fine arable fields; but still the surface, though in a less degree, partakes of the rugged appearance of the interior of the country. The general physical structure of the county seems to be this: The chains of mountains diverge like rays from its centre towards the east, the west, and the northern seas, forming between the mountains long and narrow glens, along which the rivers run, and often spread abroad their waters into lakes. Each glen or long strath forms a sort of separate district, sometimes forty miles in length; and the inhabitants at each extremity of such a strath have much more easy communication with each other than with their neighbours at the distance of only six, eight, or ten miles, in the next valley, from whom they are separated by a rude group of rugged and lofty mountains and rocks, the habitations of goats and deer. At the terinination of the chains of mountains towards the north and west seas, the valleys between them are so low, that the waters of the ocean form many deep bays, or lochs as they are called in the Highlands. The northern side of Sutherland may be considered, upon North coast. the whole, as running in a direct line from east to west, although, in the manner now mentioned, the sea enters, in Waters, many places, far into the land, forming convenient stations for ships. This northern boundary terminates on the west at Cape Wrath or Barve Head (Cape Ebudium of the ancients), which forms the north-west point of the island of Great Britain. From Cape Wrath the coast suddenly turns due south, and is broken, like that already mentioned, by deep bays or arms of the sea. The eastern coast, between the Ord of Caithness on the north-east, and the Frith of Dornoch on the south-west, has also some indentations, by the sea advancing into the bosom of the country; but these are trifling, compared to the long lochs or gulphs on the north and west coasts. The great Frith of Dornoch, however, which divides Sutherland from Ross-shire, at the south-eastern boundary of the former, and north-east of the latter, ought to be considered as an exception. Holladale river. Naver. On the northern side of the county, the first stream is that called Holladale, which forms a part of the boundary with Caithness, and which we formerly mentioned. It takes its rise in the parish of Kildonan, and, taking a northerly direction, falls into the Pentland Frith five or six miles south-east of Strathy Head. Proceeding westward is the stream called Strathy, rising out of a loch of the same name, and falling into a creek called Strathy Bay, formed by the promontory called Strathy Head. These, and other waters, are of little importance in themselves, being chiefly torrents, which, when swelled by the rains that fall in floods on the mountains, become terrific; but in fine weather they are beautiful, but ordinary streams. Next, to the westward, is the stream called Naver or Navern. It rises out of a lake of 2 the same name in the parish of Far. The lake is no less than six miles in length and three in breadth. After a course of twenty-eight or thirty miles, the Navern falls into the ocean near the promontory of Strathy Head. It is the largest river in the county, and gives the name Waters of Strathnaver to the district through which it runs, from whence the Countess of Sutherland takes her second title of baroness. It is to be observed, that from the action of the tempestuous ocean of the north upon the coast here, it is, in every quarter, indented or hollowed out into caverns, some of which are very large. There is a natural arch below Far Head, where a fishing boat may pass with oars. Next, to the westward, on the northern coast, Torrysdale. is the river called Torrysdale. It rises out of the Loch Loyal, or Laoghall, in the parish of Tongue. This lake is four miles long and one broad. The river discharges itself into the Northern Sea at the village of Torrysdale. Here the water is twenty yards wide and thirteen feet deep at spring tides. At this village is a salmon-fishing of some value. Tongue Bay, to the westward, is a long arm of the Tongue Bay. sea, skirted on each side with corn fields, inclosed pastures, and farm-houses. It advances five miles into the land. To the westward the coast is high and rocky, and intersected by several small creeks; in one of which (Port Voisgaig) there is a quarry of grey slate, and another of excellent flags, both easily wrought, which are conveyed by boats to different parts of the country. The rocks along the coast are hollowed into caves, or formed into arches or pillars; some of them so regular that they seem to be the work of art. Uaidhe Mbor Fbraisgill, the Great Cave of Fraisgill, extends more than half a mile under ground. It is about fifty feet high and twenty feet wide at the entrance, and grows narrow by degrees, till at last a man can scarcely creep in it. Its sides are variegated with a thousand colours, which are lost in each other with a delicacy and softness that no art can imitate. Upon entering the cave, the mind is impressed with a pleasing sort of awe, which is heightened by the solemn gloom Islands. Coast. iness of the light, the clang of the sea-birds that nestle in it, and the mournful dashing of the waves against the adjacent rocks. Numbers of seals are found in this cave. On the coast here are some islands, the chief of which are, Ealan na Coomb, or Ealan na Noimph, i. e. “the Island of Saints;" Ealan nan Roan, or " the Island of Seals," and "the Rabbit Island." Ealan na Coomb had formerly a chapel and burial-place in it, the traces of which are still to be seen. On the south side of the island, the sea, after passing for several yards through a narrow channel, spouts up into the air, sometimes to the height of thirty feet, through a hole in a rock, which, in shape and size, is like the moon at full; and a few seconds afterwards, there is a discharge of water from the east side of the island, with a noise and appearance resembling the explosion of a cannon. This happens only when it is half-flood and a smart gale at north-west. Ealan na Roan is about two miles in circumference, and is inhabited by four families, consisting of thirty-six persons. It is formed of a mixture of sand and a reddish kind of pebble, which appear as if baked together. About seventeen years ago, part of the ground near the middle of the island sunk in without visible cause, any and, to use Milton's words, -left i' the midst a horrid vale. The Rabbit Island, which lies in the entrance of Tongue Between the Bay of Tongue and the next bay to the west. |