Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1886 - Slater's (late Pigot and Co's) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland

DIRECTORY
ARGYLESHIRfi
TOBERMORY,
WITH THE ISLANDS OF MULL, STAFFA, IONA, ULVA, TIREE AND COLL, AND THE DISTRICTS OF
ARDNAMURCHAN AND MORVEN.
niOBERMOKY is a thriving soaport and watering place on the
X north coast of the Island of Mull, 171 miles w.n.w. of Edinburgh,
62 n.w. of Inveraray, and 30 n.w. of Oban. It encircles the ex-
tremity <>f a line sheltered hay, and is one of iho safest harbours
among the western isles, being protected from the sound of Mull by
an island called Calve Island^ which stretches nearly across the
entrance, but leaving ample room at its northern point for the
largest vessels to enter the harbour — though few but small craft can
effect this at the south-east point, even at high water. About two
miles from Tobermory, in the sound of Mull, a lighthouse called
the Rnuagall, was erected in 1857. which has proved of great service
to vessels passing that way. Tho town is between two and three
miles from the mainland of Morvon, and derives its name from a
celebrated well or spring, called "Mary's Well," to which the
vulgar supers tit iously ascribe many imaginary virtues. The
Spanish admiral's ship Florida, one of the " Armada," when at
anchor here in 1583, was destroyed by an emissary of Queen
Elizabeth's Government. Part of the wood of this vessel was
presented to his Majesty George IV., on his visit to Edinburgh, by
Sir Walter Scott ; and there is in the possession of th« Dulte of
Argyll a large brass gun that belonged to tho same vessel, and
found many years Biuoe in Tobermory bay. On tho west aide of
the town are the remains of an ancient chapel, dedicated to the
"Virgin, and of a fortification, understood to bo of Norwegian origin.
Tobermory formerly belonged to the British Society for extending
the fisheries and improving the sea coast of the kingdom, but is now
the property of Alexander Allan, Esq/, of Aros. The town, which
was built in 1788, along with Ullapool, by the British Fishing Com-
pany, as the site of a fishing establishment and tho rendezvous of
herring vesscls.possesses two quays ; a new quay was begun in 1835,
by Colonel Campbell, of Knock, which was quite dry at low water ;
this subsequently proving inadequate, has been absorbed in a new
quay and pier, undertaken and constructed by F. W. Caldwell, Esq.,
proprietor of this part of the town, at a cost of upwards of £2,000.
It is deoper,more capacious, and in every respect au improvement,
and was opened in 1864, with offices, stores, waiting rooms, and a
cattle pen. It is a little to the north of the old quay, and nearer to
the entrance of the bay. The town has increased considerably in
this direction of late years, and the harbour is much frequented
both by steamers and sailing vessels, which renders better quay
accommodation necessary. As the only town in Mull and in a large
circumjacent district, both Hebridean and continental, it possesses
much provincial importance, and is the seat of a considerable
domestic trade. A branch of the Clydesdale Bank, Limited, is
establisbed here, and occupies a handsome building of stone, com-
pleted in 1865; it is situated in the main street, and contributes
much to the improvement of the town ; there is also a branch of the
North of Scotland Bauk, Limited, a fine buildiug, recently erected.
The places of worship are in connection with the Established, Free
and Baptist denominations. The Free church is a neat building,
erected a few years ago, a large proportion of the cose having been
defrayed by Alexander Allan, Esq., of Aros, one of the two local
proprietors. The Established church is a somewhat plain buildiug,
built in 1827-8, but occupies a commaudiug situation overlooking
the bay and island. Thg public schools adjoin the Established
church, and are in every respect a most creditable institution;
there is also a female Industrial school. There are four hotels, the
principal one being the Western Isles, erected in 1882-3, and is a
very fine building, situated on a bold and elevated position above
the principal pier. First-class accommodation may also be had at
the Royal and Mishnish Hotels. The Temperance Institute, the
gencrouB gift to the town of Alexander Allan, Esq., of Aros, is of
recent erection, and includes a reading room, well supplied with
newspapers, periodicals, &c, billiard room, circulating library, and
hall, capable of seating between 300 and 400 persons. In the
immediate neighbourhood is a beautiful loch called Mary's
Lake, situate between two finely wooded hills, extremely
precipitous in their descent. This pleasing spot belongs to
Alexander Allan, Esq., and the elegant mansion, erected on the
banks of the lake, has recently undergone extensive repairs.
Tho touriBt will be much gratified by visiting! this picturesque
scenery, including; the three cascades, ouo of which isparticularly
grand. Commandingly situated above the town are the County
Buildings, a substantial erection of stone, embracing the sheriff's
court and procurator fiscal's offices, &c. Here the sheriff substitute
holds an ordinary and small debts court, every Wednesday during
sessions; a police court is also held here as business requires.
Tobermory is the polling station at county elections for all voters
residing in the islands of Mull,|Cull, lona, Tiree,Ulva,and in Morveu.
By ascending a hill in the neighbourhood a view of the islands
of Tired, Coll, Eigg, Muck, Skye and various others of smaller
importance is obtained. The union poorhouse, erected for the
reception of the poor of the six surrounding parishes, distant
rather better than a mile from Tobermory, is capable of accommo-
dating 130 inmates, and cost £7,700. The quoad sacra parish of
Tobermory contained in 1881 a population of 1,353.
Mull, which is about twenty-six miles long, and in some places
twenty-four miles broad, has been much improved of late. Bein-
more, the highest mountain in the island, is said to approach 3,000
feet above the level of the sea. The island contains many remains
of ancient castles, &c, among which are those of Duart, once the
stronghold of the chief of the Macleans, occupying the brink of a
high cliff' which shoots out from the coast of Mull into tho sound,
opposite Oban, and Aros castle, the stronghold of the Lords of the
Isles. On the western side, close to the Ross of Mull, is worked a
quarry of red granite of porphyry, some of which was employed by
the Duke of Sutherland in the internal improvements of Dunrohin
Castle. Fairs in Mull: at Salen, a large horse fair is held ou the
first Thursday after the 20th of August, or on the 20th if a Thursday,
and for cattle and sheep on the Tuesday beforo the second Wodnes-
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day in May, and the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in October
at Craiganure, Morvcn,aud the islands of Coll and Tiree, fairs are
held a few days before those at Salen. Tho Mull Agricultural
Association, under the presidency of the Duke of Argyll, liulds an
annual show of cattle and produce at Salon about the middle of
September. Population in 1881, 5,229.
The celebrated Island of Staffa is about fifteen miles distant
from Mull. To give a description of thi3 magnificent production of
nature is, it must be confessed, extremely difficult. AU who have
s«on Fingal'sCave concur in the opinion that, when it first hursts
upon the view, the effect is indescribable— awe and astonishment so
completely fill the mind that there is no room for minor emotions.
The island, when seen from a distance, appears a round, lumpish,
uninteresting rock, and not till approached within less than a
quarter of a mile does it unfold to a visitor the museum of wonders.
It is irregularly oval, extending from north to south, and measuring
about one mile and a half in circumference; it presents au uneven
table-land resting on cliffs of variable height— the highest point
occurring between the " Great Cave " and the " Boat." The caves
are so numerous that they may be said to perforate at brief intervals
the whole face of the island; but those that occur on tho south and
north sides are remarkable neither for their beauty nor for magni-
tude, and five on the north-east are distinguished chiefly for making
loud reverberations when the surge of tho sea breaks into them
and which- i-esemble the distant discharge of heavy ordnance. Pro-
ceeding towards tho south from the landing place, tho objects of
chief interest which challenge the visitor's notice and admiration
are— first, the Scallop or Clamshell cave; second, Buachaille, or
Herdsman ; third, the Causeway and the Face or Colonnade; fourth,
Fingal's, or Great Cave ; fifth, the Boat Cave ; sixth, the Cormorants,
or Mackinnon's Cave. At the Scallop or Clamshell Cave, the
columns on one side are bent so as to form a series of ribs, not un-
like the inside of a ship; it is 30 feet in height, 1G to 18 feet in
breadth at the entrance, and its length is about 130 feet. The rock
Buachaille the Herdsman is a pile of columns about 30 feet high,
visible only at low water. The Causeway here presents an exten-
sive surface. It is formed of tho broken ends of columns, once
continuous to the height of the cliffs. This alone exeeeds the noted
" Giant's Causeway," as well in dimensions as in tho diversity of
its surface. The Great Face is formed of three distinct beds of
rocks, of unequal thickness, inclined towards the east in an angle
of about nine degrees. It is only with the morning sun that the
Great Face of Staffa can be seen in perfection, as the general sur-
face is undulating and uneven, great masses of light and shadow
are thus produced, so as to rolieve that which, iu direct light, ap-
pears a flat, insipid mass of strong wall. The Cormorants, or Mac-
kinnon's Cave (though little visited in consequence of the fraud and
indolence of the boatmen) is easy of access, and terminates in a
gravelly beach, where a boat may be drawn up. The Boat Cave ia
accessible only by the sea. Staffa is visited five or six times a week
by the steamboat from Oban; tho visitors 'are generally landed at
Fingal's Cave, and stay about an hour on the island to examine its
wonders.
The far-famed island of Iona, or Icolmkill, or Icclumb-kill, or
I (pronounced Ee), the Island of the Cell of Columba, the earth of
which may be termed royal, is about three miles in length and ono
and a half in breadth. It was once the luminary of the Caledonian
regions, " whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the
benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion." It is separated
from Mull by a channel of about a mile in width ; it is 9 miles south-
vest of Staffa, and about 36 west of the nearest part of the district
called Morven, on the Mainland of Scotland, and iB resorted to
during summer by the autiquariau, the historian, tho tourist, and
even the fashionable— who crowd numerously, some to explore or
examine, and others to behold and admire the sacred ruins that on
landing arrest the attention of every stranger ; these are pointed
out by a person deputed by his grace the Duke of Argyll. Here tho
visitor finds bimself surrounded by the graves of tlioso who were
royal and noble and holy in Caledonia and Hibernia a thousand
years ago ; while the thick walls, the massive arches, and the finely-
wrought pillars of the many sacred edifices which in remote agos
flourished in this sanctified isle, supply tho deepest reflections,
and awaken the most solemn feelings in the contemplative mind.
A parliamentary church was erected here in 1828, and there is also a
parliamentary school. The inhabitants have made a profitable
traffic by disposing of the channel pebbles to visitors, who now fre-
quent the island. They assert that the pebbles of a certain appear-
ance are endowed with many secret virtues, given to them by their
tutelar Saint, Columba. Population iu 1881 (with Kilfinichen and
Kilvickeon), 1,995.
PoiiT-NA-CtmuACH, "The Bay of the Boat," on tho south-west
side, derives both its name and importance from a tradition of its
having been the landing place of the currach, the hide boat of St.
Columba.
The Isle of Ulva, separated from Mull by a channel of about ouo
hundred yards broad, is said to produce the best kelp in the West-
ern Islands. There is a great number of basaltic columns on tho
shore, and on the south side is a cave 60 feet long, 58 broad, and 30
in average height, having an arched entrance in tho face of an
abrupt rock, with a span of 37 feet. About a mile to the north, a
mountain stream falls in one unbroken descent from a rock GO feet
in height, directly into the sea. The island is now the property of
Francis William Clark, Esq. j,p. who resides there.
Tiree, westward of Mull, and distant 30 miles from Tobermory,
is a fertile island, fourteen miles long, and from one to five broad ;
it abounds in marble, of which it is said tho rocks on its shore aro
entirely composed; but for some unexplained cause, the quarries
cannot be profitably worked. In the churchyard at Soroby, is a
beautiful monumental cross, inscribed " Soror Anna Abbatissa de
Y." Thoro is a harbour at Heynish, and' a quay which was built
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