Gazetteer of Scotland

NEL
is clay ; aii3 in tlie fouthem diftrict,
it is a rich heavy mould : from the
c'oaft of the Moray Frith there is a re-
gular afcent to the S. terminating in
the hill of Urckatiy, which is elevated
^oo feet above the fea level. On the
N. fide of the hill of Geddes are the
veftiges of an old cattle, called Gaijleil-
Fiorilab, i. e. Finlay's cajlle, which has
been a ftrong building ; and on the E.
fide of the fame hill are the remains
of the cajlle of Punt, which is faid to
have been a refidence of the powerful
family of Cumin. In 1794, the popu-
lation was 2400; increafe 702 fince
1755-
Nairn River is called in Gaelic
Uifg Neame, " the water of alders,"
from the number of trees of that fpe-
cies which grow on its banks. It rifes
in the high mountainous diftricT: of
Badenoch, in Invernefsfhire; and, after
a courfe N. E. through the whole
length of the county of Nairn, falls
into the Moray Frith, at the royal
burgh of Nairn, about 50 miles from
its fource. The falmon fifhings at its
mouth, are the joint property of the
Earl of Findlater, and Mr. Davidfon
of Cantray, who rent them at 72I.
fterling^xiT- armum.
NAVAR ; a mountainous parifh in
Forfarfhire, united to Lethnot in 1723.
Vide Lethnot.
Naver, or Navern (Loch) ; a
lake in Sutherlandfhire, in the parifh
of Far, 6 miles long by 3 broad.
Naver, or Navern River, rifes
from the lake of the fame name ; and,
after a courfe of 28 or 30 miles, falls
into the ocean, near the promontory
of Stratby-head. It is the largeft river
in the count)', and gives name of
Strathnaver to the diftrict through
which it runs ; from whence the
Countefs of Sutherland takes her fe-
cond title of Baronefs.
Neattie (Loch); a lake in In-
vernefs-fhire, in the parifh of Kiltar-
lity ; about a mile long, and half a mile
broad. It abounds with trout, and dif-
charges its waters by a rivulet of the
fame name into the Beaulie.
Nell (Loch); a fmall lake in
Argyllfhire, in the parifli of Kilmore
and Kilbride ; about 2 miles long,
and half a mile broad. It has its name
from the Gaelic word N'Eall, figni-
fying n'Jkuan, on account of the great
number of thofe fowls which frequent
NES
NENTHORN; a parifli in Ber-
wickfhire ; about 4 miles long, and
3! broad, containing 1900 acres. The
furface is in general level, declining
towards the S. ; the foil is remark-
ably good, except towards the N.
where it is poor muir ground, on a
cold tilly bottom. There is plenty
of whin and freeflone, fit for building;
and clay and fhell marl are found iu
confiderable quantity. In 1791, the
population was about 400 ; decreafe
about 100 fince 1755.
Ness (Loch) ; a beautiful lake in
Tnvernefs-fliire, 22 miles long, and
from 1 to 2tj broad; its depth, in the
middle, is from 60 to 135 fathoms.
It fometimes, efpecially after long
continued rains, rifes 8 or 10 feet
perpendicular above low water-mark.
It is fo deep, even at its fides, except-
ing at the points of Ton- and Fovers t
that a fhip of the line might fail with-
in her length of the fhore from end to
end, on either fide of the lake. The
fcenery around this expanfe of water
is grand and magnificent in a high de-
gree ; and, to a perfon failing on its
furface, the high hills on each fide
prefent a delightful view of wood,
pafture, cultivated lands, rivers, rug-
ged and broken precipices. The lake
abounds with trout ; and fometimes
a few falmon are found to have palled
the cruives in the river Nefs, when
the water is high. The water of the
lake is efteemed' very falubrious, but
is faid to prove laxative to ftrangers
not in the habit of ufing it, though it
certainly poffeffes no mineral impreg-
nation. It never freezes in the fe-
vered: winter, and, in frofty weather,
is covered with a thick haar or milt,
which has the appearance of fmoke.
The lake is often agitated by winds,
which, fweeping from W. to E. and
confined in their pafiage through the
Gknmore-na' '-h' 'alabin, caufe immenfe
waves to break againft its rugged
banks : but, like other lakes, its wa-
ters have been greatly agitated, when
there were no extraordinary currents
of wind that could ruffle its furface.
On the ift November 1755, at the
time of the great earthquake at Lif-
bon, the water of Loch Nefs was agi-
tated in an extraordinary manner.
The water rofe rapidly, and flowed
up the lake from E. to W. with a-
mazing impetuofityy the waves being