Gazetteer of Scotland

APvN
diftrfd, to have its number much di-
minifhed ; for, it is certain, that if in-
duftry be properly directed, the riches
and profperity of any country muit be
in proportion to its population. For
the honour of Argyllfhire, we may
mention that this practice is not fol-
lowed by every proprietor. Dr. Smith,
in his Survey, reports the following
reply of a Highland chieftain, who
was advifed to remove his people, and
put his land under iheep, as more pro-
fitable. " Their forefathers," laid he,
" got and fecured my eftate by their
blood and their lives, and, I think,
they have a natural claim to a fhare
of it." But, behdes the injury to po-
pulation, f beep-walks totally prevent
cultivation. No country can become
ilch by pafturage alone ; and, what is
worfe, if the prefent fyftem is followed,
that ground which has been refcued
from its wildnefs by the labour and
induftry of ages, will fliortly return to
its former ftate ; and, though the rents,
which have been confiderably raifed
at firft by the introduction of fheep,
will, from want of improvement, again
fall, but can rife no higher. A num-
ber of iflands are attached to this
county, of which the chief are, Tyrie,
Coll, Mull, Ilia, Jura, Staffa, Icolm-
kill, Sec. which will be feverally de-
fcribed under each article. Argyll
gives the title of Duke and Earl to the
chief of the family of Campbell, the
moit powerful of the Scottiih nobility.
The county is moftly peopled with
this clan ; and many gentlemen have
feats here, who count themfelves allied
to the Duke. Argyllfhire fends one
member to parliament, who is gene-
rally a near relation of the Duke. The
valued rent of Argyll is 149,595!. 10s.
Scots, and the real rent 112,7521. fter-
ling. In 1791-8, the population of the
whole county, including the iflands,
amounted to 76,101.
ARNGASK parifh is nearly circu-
lar, having a diameter of about 4 miles.
The foil is various. On fome of the
hills it is light and {hallow ; but many
fields are rich and fertile, and capable
cf producing aimofc any crop. The
hills afford excellent pafture, cf which
there is more than tillage in this pa-
rifh. It iupplies itfelf with the necef-
faries of life, and fends to market a
good deal of the produce of the farms.
The air is pure and whcldbme, not
ARR
expofed to the great variations of ihe
weather. There is one quarry of good
moor-ftone, which is fufficient for all
the building in the parifh. Three
counties join in this parifh, viz. Perth,
Kinrofs, and Fife. The number of
inhabitants in 1745, was 736; fince
which period, they have decreafed to
554, which is the number in 1790.
ARRAN ; an ifland, lying in the
Frith of Clyde, between. Ayrfhire and
Kintyre. It was by the Romans' call-
ed Glotta, or Glotta JEJluarhmi. Its
form is in fome degree oval, and ex-
tends from N. to S. nearly 24 miles,
and from E. to W. about 14. It is
probable that this ifland was of confi-
derable importance in very ancient
times. There are many traditions of
Firigal, who is fuppofed to have here
enjoyed the pleafures of the chafe ;
and many places retain his name. It
was ceded by Donald Bain to the Nor-
wegian invader Magnus ; but reco-
vered from Acho his fucceffbr, about
the year 1264. It then became the
property of the crown. Robert Bruce
retired here during his diftreffes, fol-
lowed by his faithful vaffals. About
the year 1334, it formed part of the
eftate of Robert II. fteward of Scot-
land. James III. when he matched
his lifter to Lord Boyd, created him
Earl of Arran, and gave the ifland for
a portion. On his difgrace, it was be-
llowed on Sir James Hamilton ; and
in the Hamilton family it ftill remains.
The coaft is in many places indented
with various harbours. In particular,
at the S.E. quarter, is the beautiful
and commodious harbour of Lamlafh,
covered by an iflet, where 500 veflela
may ride at anchor. To the north-
ward of Lamlafh is Loch Ranfa, an-
other fpacious harbour, but inferior
in extent and fafety to Lamlafh. The
face of the country is rugged and
mountainous. Goatfield, or Gaoil-
bbchi, the higheft hill, rifing 1840 feet
above the level of the fea, is nearly jn
the center of the ifland. The other
principal mountains are Beinbarran,
Cunmacallacb, and Grinnanathol. The
Cock of Arran, towards the northern
extremity, is a famous fea mark. The
lakes in the ifland are about 5 in num-
ber, and from 2 of them iflue fine ri-
vers. The lofty parts of the ifland
are either bare rocks, or covered with
heath and fern- In the vales and bord-