Gazetteer of Scotland

INTRODUCTION. vii
rising in the mountainous diftrict of Lochaber, and rufhing furioufly into the
Eaftern Sea. The Toy difcharges into the Ocean, below Dundee, a greater
quantity of water than perhaps any river of Britain. In this diftrid:, too, the
Dee and Don, and the E/ks, very large rivers, pour into the fea a great volume
of water. In the fouthern diftricl, we have the Forth, the Clyde, and the
Tweed ; and the numerous rivers which empty themfelves into the Irifh Sea
and Solway Frith ; the Ayr, the Girvatip the Southern Dee, the Nith, tlj&
Annan, and the Liddah
FORESTS.
The ancient forefts of Scotland have been greatly diminifhed in extent,
i while our improvident anceftors never thought of replacing them by planta-
tions. Of the ancient Sylva Caledonia, or Caledonian foreft, the moft confi-
derable remains are in the diftricts of Marr and Glentanar ; in Rannoch ; in
Glenmore and Strathfpey ; and in Alfarig, in Rofs-fhire. The fir is the moft
common wood; but the oak and other deciduous trees are not wanting.
Thefe forefts, fome of which extend no lefs than 30 or 40 miles in length,
would, doubtlefs, be a fource of great riches to the proprietors, and to the
country at large, did not the want of roads, and the diftance from the fea,
preclude the pofiibility of land carriage ; and the plan of floating down the
rivers is not fo practicable, owing to the rifk. of being fhivered by the frequent
and high falls. Notwithstanding thefe obftacles, however, feveral companies
have fucceeded in floating upon the Spey and Dee, by cutting canals where
the falls are fo high as to injure the wood.
CLIMATE.
Situated in the midft of a great ocean, and in fuch a northern latitude,
Scotland cannot boaft of a regular climate. In different places the climate
varies confiderably. From its infular fituation, however, the cold in winter is
not fo intenfe as in fimilar latitudes on the Continent ; and in fummer, the
heat, efpecially on the coaft, is moderated by the fea breezes. In winter, the
thermometer feldom finks fo low as it does in the S. of England ; but the
length of that feafon is generally more protracted. Like other mountainous
countries, it is much fubject to rain ; and the mountains being generally
higheft on the W. coaft, and declining towards the E., has been thought to
be the caufe why the weftern coaft is moft rainy. We are inclined to believe
this, owing to the prevalence of the weft wind, which brings humidity from