Gazetteer of Scotland

ARG
arid become more valuable: their
■rent-roll would be considerably aug-
mented; they would have sijrer pay-
ments of their rent ; and the tenants
would enjoy some of the comforts of
life, to which as fellow men they are
entitled. For further particulars on
this interesting subject, which it
would be foreign to the present work
to enter too minutely upon, the read-
er is referred to Dr. Smith's " Agri-
cultural Survey of Argyllshire." A no-
ther great obstacle to improvement,
may be found in a practice lately be-
come very common, viz. the intro-
duction of sheep^ and the conversion
of many small farms into one exten-
sive sheep-walk. By this system, 12
or IS families are thrown out of their
usual line of employment, and the
greater number obliged to emigrate.
The public loss can by no means be
compensated by the gains of a few:
individuals. To bankh that hardy
race by whom our fleets are manned
; and our battles fought, is surely a na-
tional loss ; and it must be a serious
misfortune to any district to have its
number much 'diminished, for it is
certain that, if industry be properly
directed, the riches and prosperity of
any country must be in proportion to
its population. For the honour of
Argyllshire it may be mentioned, that
this, practice is not followed by every
proprietor. Dr. Smith, in his Survey,
reports the following reply of a High-
land chieftain, who was advised to
remove his people, and put his land
ur.der sheep, as more profitable :
" Their forefathers," said he, *' got
and secured my estato by their blood
and their lives, and I think they have
a natural claim to a share of it." But,
besides the injury to population,
-sheep-walks totally prevent cultiva-
tion. No country can become rich
by pasturagealor.e ; andwhat is worse,
ft the present system is foil-owed, that
ground which has been rescued from
its wildness by the labour and indust-
ry of ages, will shortly return to its
former state ; and, though the rents
have been considerably raised at first
by the introduction of sheep, they
will, from want of improvement, again
fall, but can rise no higher. A num-
ber of islands are attached to this coun-
ty, of which the chief are Tyrie, Coll,
Jgyll, Isla, Jura, &ta|Fa, Ioolm-UU,
ARN
Sec which will be severally described,
under each article. Argyll gives the
title of Duke and Earl to the chief of
the family of Campbell, one of the
most powerful of the Scotish nobility.
The count/ is mostly peopled with
this clan ; and many gentlemen have
seats here who count themselves allied
to the duke. Argyllshire sends one
member to parliament, who is gene-
rally a near relation of the Duke. The
valued rent of the county is 149,5951.
10s. Scots, and the real rent l lt',752l.
Sterling. Population, including the
islands, in isol, 75,700.
ARISAIG ; a promontory on the
western coast of Jnverness-shire, in
the district of Glenelg.
.ARMDADE; a village in Suther-
landshire, seated on a bay of the same
name, which is an excellent fishing
station.
ARNGASK ; a parish nearly cir-
cular., having a diameter of about 4
miles. The soil is various. On some
of the hills it is light and shallow ;
but many fields are rich and fertile,
and capable of producing almost any
crop. The hills afford excellent pas-
ture, of which there is more than til-
lage in this parish. It supplies itself
with the necessaries of life, and spnds
to market a good deal of the produce
of 'the farms. The air is pure and
wholesome, not exposed to great
variations of the weather. There is
oneo^iarry of good moor-stone, which
is sufficient for all the building in the
parish. Three counties join, in this
parish, viz.. Perth, Kinross, and Fife,
and the road from Perth to Queens-
ferry passes through it. Population
in 1801, 564.
ARNIFORD(LOCH); a safe har-
bour on the W' coast of the isle of
Sk'y.
ARNOT .; a small river In Perth-
shire, which runs through the valley
of Glehfernat, in the parish of Mou-
lin ; and, uniting with the Briarachan,
forms the Ardle.
ARNTILLY or ARNTULLY ; a
•village in Perthshire, in the parish of
Kmclaven, consisting of 60 or 70
houses scattered in every direction,'
and' exhibiting a striking picture of
the ancient villages of the kingdom,
In 17.96, it contained nearly 300 inna*-
bitants.