Gairloch In North-West Ross-Shire Part 62

"The peculiar wildness of this valley is rendered more impressive by the crowded population, for which, considering its aspect, it is remarkable. We think little, in this country, of deserted and solitary rudeness and barrenness, since they are of such daily and incessant recurrence; but when inhabited they impress us forcibly, and apparently from an unacknowledged sympathy with those whose lot it is to reside in them. Besides the small tenants who occupy the numerous black houses about this waste, and whose peat stacks are even more conspicuous than their dwellings, there is here a large farm house, a slated inn, which is also the post-office, and a salmon fishery. From the post-office there is a weekly packet to Stornoway, so that Pol Ewe reminds us of that world, of which, in a few weeks cruising about these seas, we are very apt to lose sight. The river is noted, both for the abundance and the goodness of its salmon, and is rented by Berwick fishermen; the produce, here and elsewhere on this coast, being carried across the country on horseback to the Murray Frith to be boiled for the London market, an arrangement which does not appear the best that could be devised, as it is a journey of two days.

The river abounds equally in trout, as does also Loch Maree; so that, for brothers of the angle as well as for trading Berwickers, Pol Ewe is one of the most enticing places on the west coast.

"A fortunate discovery which I made of some Allium ursinum (wild garlick) gave zest for a week to our hashed mutton and our insipid broth. The sea-beet and the Crambe maritima served for ordinary greens, and sorrel was always at hand for a fricandeau a l'oseille. The Cotyledon luteum, very unexpectedly, proved to be a good subst.i.tute for spinach; but, best of all, and most abundant, were the Chenopodia, common on all these sh.o.r.es, which ensured us a never-failing supply.

"Loch Maree lies so completely out of the road, and so far beyond the courage, of ordinary travellers, that, except by Pennant, I believe it has never been visited. The length is about fourteen miles, and the greatest breadth three, though in most parts it scarcely exceeds one; while, being bounded by high mountains, and having a very varied and irregular outline, its sh.o.r.es present a good deal of interesting scenery; the entire lake itself being displayed from many different points and under a great variety of aspects, so as to produce some of the finest specimens of this cla.s.s of landscape in the Highlands. In point of style, it ranks rather more nearly with Loch Lomond than with any other of the southern lakes, though still very far inferior.

"The most accessible and the finest general views may be obtained from the rocky hills that bound the exit of the river. The mountain outline, which is grand and various, presents a greater diversity of form and character than any of the Scottish lakes; but Ben Lair[11] is always the princ.i.p.al feature, graceful, solid, and broad. The middle ground is a great source of variety; splendid and wild, an intermixture of rock and wood, more easily compared with some parts of Loch Cateran than with any other well-known scenery, yet still different. The winding and wooded course of the Ewe adds much to its liveliness, the bright reaches glittering as they emerge from among the trees and rocks through which the river forces its way.

"The first day of creation was not more beautiful. July, the June of this country, was in its full glory. A few thin silvery clouds rested on the clear blue sky, and the sun shed a flood of light over the bright surface of the lake, which reflected every rock and every tree that hung over the gla.s.sy surface. Even the line of the sh.o.r.e was undistinguishable, except when the casual pa.s.sage of a gentle air, descending from the hills, ruffled for a moment the bright expanse; when the gay vision vanished, till again, as the breeze pa.s.sed off across the water, it collected its scattered fragments, reappearing in all its former brilliancy, and rivalling its original. Even the dark firs a.s.sumed a look of spring, and the barren and cold grey cliffs of Ben Lair seemed to rejoice in the bright sunshine.

While the warm brown and glowing purple of the heath, now in full blossom, tinged the faces of the nearer hills with that richness of colour known only to these mountainous regions, every summit, as it retired, a.s.sumed a purpler and a bluer tone, till the last peaks emulated the misty azure of the sky into which they melted, as if they had belonged rather to the fields of air than to the earth below.

"No one can know the full value of summer who has not known it in a land of mountains; no one can feel, who has not felt it among the hills, the joy with which the sun can fill the mind, as it fills the atmosphere; the sense of beauty, of bounding, exuberant happiness in which it wraps our very existence as it does the landscape; giving to every feature, to the wildest mountain summit and the gloomiest valley, to the barest rock and the lowliest flower, charms to which all the glories of the richest cultivated country are insipid and tame.

"The northern margin of Loch Maree presents a great variety of close sh.o.r.e scenery, consisting of rocky and wooded bays and creeks rising into n.o.ble overhanging cliffs and mountains; and it displays also the finest general views of the lake. The effect of Sleagach, seen at once from its base to its summit, is perhaps more striking than that of any mountain in Scotland. Where the skirts of Ben Lair descend steep into the water, the scenes are often peculiarly original as well as grand. In one place[12] in particular, the remains of a fir forest, in a situation almost incredible, produce a style of landscape that might be expected in the Alps, but not among the more confined scope and tamer arrangements of Scottish mountains. Immediately from the water's edge, a lofty range of grey cliffs rises to a great height, so steep as almost to seem perpendicular, but varied by fissures and by projections covered with gra.s.s and wild plants. Wherever it is possible for a tree to take root, there firs of ancient and n.o.ble growth, and of the most wild and beautiful forms, are seen rising above each other, so that the top of the one often covers the root of the succeeding, or else thrown out horizontally in various fantastic and picturesque modes. Now and then some one more wild and strange than the others, or some shivered trunk or fallen tree, serves to vary the aspect of this strange forest, marking also the lapse of ages and the force of the winter storms which they so long have braved.

"The eastern extremity of the lake becomes insipid, terminating in a range of meadows, through which the stream winds its sluggish way. But beyond, all is rude and savage, displaying a chaos of wild mountains and a succession of white precipices and spiry snow-white crags, bright, cold, and dreary, and giving a character of polar sterility to the landscape, as if no living being, not even vegetable life, could here find home or refuge. Evening arrived as we reached this end of the lake, for not a breeze had blown to aid us. The long shadows of the mountains were now stretching across the water, and a vast and broad body of shade on the western hills gave a repose to the scene, so deep and so solemn, that even the liquid sound which followed the dip of the oars seemed an intrusion on the universal hush of nature. No living object was seen or heard, and even the occasional pa.s.sage of the bee that winged its evening way home to its mountain abode in the heath, disturbed a silence that appeared never before to have been interrupted. The last crimson at length vanished from the sharp rocky summits of the eastern hills, and all became alike wrapped in one gentle hue of tranquil grey. But it was the summer twilight of a northern July, and night was now but one long and lovely evening.

"It was with some difficulty that we explored our nocturnal way through the labyrinth of islands in the centre of this lake; as they are little raised above the water, and covered with scattered firs and with thickets of birch, alder, and holly, while they are separated by narrow and tortuous channels. The features of the whole are so exactly alike that no part can be distinguished from another. Inch Maree has been dedicated to a saint of that name, and it still contains a burial-place, chosen, it is said, like all those which are found in islands, to prevent depredations from the wolves of ancient days. This theory, however, seems disputable, because the extirpation of this animal is an event of considerable antiquity, and many of these burial-grounds seem of comparatively modern times. Here also there was a sacred well, in which, as in St. Fillan's, lunatics were dipped, with the usual offerings of money; but the well remains, and the practice has pa.s.sed away. Although now midnight, the heat was so great as to be almost oppressive, exceeding seventy degrees, an occurrence not very uncommon in these Highland valleys in summer. But the hot breeze served to fill our sails, and, by midnight, had brought us back to the river; nor were we sorry to find, some time after, on board of our vessel, the dinner which we had not calculated on deferring to the morning of a following day."

E.

EXTRACTS from the "New Statistical Account of Scotland."

"PARISH OF GAIRLOCH.

"PRESBYTERY OF LOCHCARRON, SYNOD OF GLENELG."

_Drawn up by the_ Rev. DONALD M'RAE, Minister of Poolewe, and dated September 1836.

"I.--TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

"_Name._--The name of the parish is compounded of gearr--short, and loch. The parish takes its name from a salt water loch of the same name. At the end of this loch, the natives point out a hollow spot of ground which they choose to denominate 'the Gairloch' by way of distinction, as they allege that the parish takes its name from it; but it evidently derives its name from the salt water loch, or rather bay, for, comparing it with most of the other salt water lochs on the west coast, it scarcely deserves the name of loch.

"_Hydrography, &c._--Few parishes on the west coast can boast of more magnificent mountain scenery, as the traveller can testify who has sailed down the picturesque Lochmaree.

The princ.i.p.al mountain in the range is Slioch, or Sliabhach; its elevation above the level of the sea cannot be less than three thousand feet. The traveller who, from the west end of Lochmaree, takes a view of the scenery before him, cannot fail to be struck with astonishment at the wild grandeur of the scene presented to his view; the much admired and far-famed Lochmaree, with its four-and-twenty wooded islands; the range of mountains, commencing on the right and left, and extending four miles beyond the east end, of Lochmaree; Lochmaree itself, eighteen miles long, appearing in the distance like an amphitheatre of nature's own workmanship, and presenting to the eye of the stranger an impenetrable barrier.

"_Hydrography._--Lochmaree, as already stated, is eighteen miles long, and one and a half mile broad at an average. The greater part of it is sixty fathoms deep, so that it has never been known to freeze during the most intense frosts.

About the centre of the loch is an island called 'Island Maree,' on which is a burying-ground supposed to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary; hence the name of the island and of the loch. This is one conjecture; another is, that some of the Danish kings were buried in this island, and that the original name of it was 'Eilean nan Righ,' which came to be p.r.o.nounced 'Eilean Maree.' The number of tombstones in the burying-place, with inscriptions and hieroglyphical figures which few now-a-days can satisfactorily decipher, gives a plausibility to this conjecture which is not easily got over. As it is a doubtful subject, and likely to remain so, a third conjecture may be ventured. There lived, a great many years ago, in this part of the Highlands, a great and good man called 'Maree,' who had his princ.i.p.al residence on this same island; after his death his admirers prefixed Saint to his name. Many of his generous and benevolent deeds are, to this day, recounted by the people of this and the surrounding parishes.

"On the centre of this island is a deep well, consecrated by the said Saint Maree to the following purpose. To this same well are dragged, volens nolens, all who are insane in this or any of the surrounding parishes, and after they have been made to drink of it, these poor victims of superst.i.tious cruelty are towed round the island after a boat, by their tender-hearted attendants. It is considered a hopeful sign if the well is full at the time of dragging the patient to the scene. In justice to the people of this parish it may be stated, that they have not such an unbounded belief in the healing virtues of the well, and the other parts of the transaction, as their most distant neighbours appear to entertain. The belief in such absurdities is daily losing ground in the Highlands; and there is little doubt that, in course of a few years more, the clouds of superst.i.tion that overhang the moral horizon of our Highlands will be dissipated by the better education of the peasantry.

"There is only one river worthy of particular notice in this parish, viz., the 'Ewe,' which issues from Lochmaree, and is only one mile long from its source to its confluence with the arm of the sea called 'Lochewe.' This beautiful stream abounds with salmon of the very best description. It is surpa.s.sed by no river on the west coast for angling; and hence it is, during the summer months, frequented by gentlemen from all parts of the kingdom for this healthy and delightful exercise. An English military gentleman killed one hundred salmon and grilse, in the course of a few weeks, during the summer of 1834; and I am credibly informed that the late proprietor, Sir Hector Mackenzie of Gairloch, Bart., frequently killed twenty salmon in one day. Besides Gairloch, Lochewe is the only other salt water loch in the parish. This loch, into which the waters of Lochmaree fall, is from eight to ten miles long. Near the mouth of it is a fertile and well cultivated island, called Isle Ewe. Much attention and expense were bestowed upon the improvement of this island by the present proprietor, Sir Francis Alexander M'Kenzie of Gairloch, Bart., before he came into the full possession of the Gairloch estate. The two princ.i.p.al headlands jutting out on each side of Lochewe, are Ru Rea on the south, and Green Stone Point on the north side.

"_Climate._--The climate is mild, although extremely rainy.

This may be accounted for, partly by the mountainous character of the country, and partly by other causes. The prevailing winds are the west and south; and at whatever season of the year it blows from these quarters, we are almost certain of torrents of rain. Easterly winds invariably bring us dry weather, and hence they are welcome visitants, although they warn us to wear additional coverings. The easterly winds are more prevalent in the month of March and first half of April, than at any other season of the year. But there has been a marked change in the climate for some years back. Instead of the deep falls of snow, and the long-continued frosts that were wont to starve the black cattle, smother the sheep, and fertilize the soil in former years, we have now mild weather and very much rain. Notwithstanding the extreme wetness of the climate, and the people's frequent exposure in the open air, their princ.i.p.al employment being fishing, they are in general healthy, and of robust const.i.tutions.

"_Geology and Mineralogy._--This and the neighbouring parish of Lochbroom afford numerous displays of interesting geological phenomena. Old red sandstone and quartz rock abound, but gneiss and its various subordinate formations may be considered the prevailing formation. Upwards of one hundred and fifty years ago, when the science of mineralogy was comparatively in its infancy in Scotland, and when the spirit of speculation and adventure did not move with such bold strides as in later times, a Sir James Kay sent several people to work at veins of iron ore, on the estate of Letterewe, along the north side of Lochmaree, in this parish. I understood they continued to work successfully for several years; but as wood was their sole fuel for conducting the operations, they were obliged to desist when the wood in the neighbourhood was exhausted. The ruins of one of the furnaces for working the ore are within a few hundred yards of the manse of Poolewe; and those of another are ten miles farther up, along the north side of Lochmaree.

A spot is pointed out to the pa.s.ser by, near the east end of Lochmaree, where they buried their dead. It is, to this day, called 'Cladh nam Sasganach,' the burying-ground of the Englishmen. Highlanders look upon all who do not speak the Gaelic language as Sasganaich, or Englishmen. At a later period, some other individual, or perhaps the same, thought he had discovered a vein of silver ore, in another place along the north side of Lochmaree; but after digging to a considerable depth, the undertaking was abandoned, without yielding a remunerating return to the spirited adventurer.

"II.--CIVIL HISTORY.

"_Eminent Men._--This parish has been as fortunate as most of its neighbours in being the birth-place and residence of eminent characters; but the only person whom I shall at present mention, is William Ross, the celebrated Gaelic bard. This individual was born in the parish of Strath, Isle of Skye, in the year 1762. After receiving as liberal an education as the school of Forres at that time could afford, he was appointed parochial schoolmaster of Gairloch, when about twenty-four years of age. In that situation he continued four years. He died in his twenty-eighth year; and his remains are deposited in the churchyard of Gairloch. 'As a writer of Gaelic songs' (to quote from a short memoir prefixed to a collection of his songs, published four years ago), 'William Ross is ent.i.tled to the highest praise. In the greater number of his lyrics, the bard leads us along with him, and imparts to us so much of his own tenderness, feeling, and enthusiasm, that our thoughts expand and kindle with his sentiments.'

"_Landowners._--The landowners of the parish are Sir Francis Alexander M'Kenzie of Gairloch, Bart.; Sir George Stewart M'Kenzie of Coul, Bart.; Duncan Davidson, Esq. of Tulloch; James Alexander Stewart M'Kenzie, Esq. of Seaforth; and Hector M'Kenzie, Esq. of Letterewe.

"_Parochial Registers._--There were no parochial registers kept in the parish previous to the year 1802; since that period they have been regularly kept.

"III.--POPULATION.

"_Character of the People._--The ancient population of this parish, as far back as the oldest living inhabitants can remember, was comparatively rude and uncultivated. There are now living in the parish some who remember the time when there was only one or at most two Bibles in the parish, besides the minister's. What, in such a state of things, could be expected of the manners of the inhabitants? Yet these same individuals will unhesitatingly affirm, that people were more generous and more n.o.ble-minded at that period, than they are now.

Population in 1801, 1437 " 1811, 2755 " 1821, 4518 " 1831, 4445

The causes of the increase are various, and too numerous to be mentioned here. Among these, however, may be mentioned the habit of early marriage, and the system of letting the land in lots. The lot of lands this year in the possession of one family may, before twelve months are over, be divided into three equal portions,--in other words, three distinct families live upon the produce of it.

The yearly average of births for the last seven years, 100 " of marriages for do. 40 No register of deaths kept in the parish.

The average number of persons under fifteen years of age, 1693 " " betwixt fifteen and thirty 1128 " " " thirty and fifty, 927 " " " fifty and seventy, 602 " " upwards of seventy, 95

The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of 50 and upwards, 5 The number of bachelors upwards of fifty years of age, 16 " of widowers do. do. 18 " of unmarried women upwards of forty-five years of age, 76 " of families, 795 " of inhabited houses, 791 " of houses now building, 6

There are only four blind individuals within the bounds of this parish; ten fatuous persons; and six deaf and dumb; four of the latter belong to one family, and two to another.

"_Language, &c._--The language generally spoken is the Gaelic. I am not aware that it has lost ground within the last forty years. Some young men, indeed, who have received a smattering of education, consider they are doing great service to the Gaelic by interspersing their conversation with English words, and giving them a Gaelic termination and accent. These corrupters of both languages, with more pride than good taste, now and then introduce words of bad English or of bad Scotch, which they have learned from the Newhaven or Buckie fishermen, whom they meet with on the coast of Caithness during the fishing season. The Gaelic, however, is still spoken in as great purity by the inhabitants in general as it was forty years ago.

"The houses of the people in general have but one outer door, and as they and their cattle go in by that one entrance,--the bipeds to take possession of one end of the house, and the quadrupeds of the other,--it cannot be expected that a habitation common to man and beast can be particularly clean. Some of the people, indeed, are now getting into the way of building byres for their cattle, contiguous to their dwelling-houses; and it is acknowledged even by the most indolent that a great improvement is thus effected. It is hoped that the practice may soon become more general. When the young people go to kirk or market, few appear more 'trig or clean;' and a stranger would hardly be persuaded that some of them lived in such miserable hovels.

When a girl dresses in her best attire, her very habiliments, in some instances, would be sufficient to purchase a better dwelling-house than that from which she has just issued.

"The people are in general contented with their situation and circ.u.mstances. If they have a lot of lands, gra.s.s for two or three cows, and fishing materials, they seldom have any further objects of ambition. Owing to the means of education not being commensurate with the increase of population, the intellectual character of the people does not keep pace with their moral and religious character. They are naturally a shrewd, sensible, steady sort of people.

With a few exceptions, they are of good moral character.

They seldom quarrel among each other; and when they have any differences, these are generally settled by the proprietors or factors. A law-suit is seldom heard of from this parish.

"When I advert to their religious character, I am constrained to acknowledge my fear that their knowledge of the truths of our holy religion is more of the head than the heart. The form of G.o.dliness is not so much wanting as its power. I do not mean, however, that in this respect the people of this parish are not on a parity with those of the neighbourhood.

"Smuggling was carried on to a great extent in this parish some years ago, but is now very much on the decrease; indeed while there is a vestige of such a demoralizing practice remaining there can be but slender hopes of moral improvement. It may be mentioned to the honour of one of the heritors, that he has erected a licensed distillery, for the sole purpose of giving a death-blow to the smuggling on his estate.

"IV.--INDUSTRY.

"_Agriculture._--The number of families employed in agriculture, including those who employ servants, is 556; male servants upwards of twenty years of age, 86; female servants of all ages, 141. Number of acres under wood, 5000.

The woods are generally kept in good condition, by thinning, pruning, &c.

"_Rent of Land._--Average rent of arable land is from 10s to 1 per acre; rent of grazing a cow or ox for a year, from 1 to 2; rent of pasturing a ewe or sheep for a year, from 1s 6d to 2s 6d.