Gazetteer of Scotland

CRI
CRI
ground ; the arable foil is light and
thin, except at the E. end, where there
is a deep loam. There are fome mea-
dows on the banks of the Frith, and
the rivulets which run into it. The
feafons are generally early, and the
crops heavy. The two rivers Shin and
Cajsly run through the parifh, which
is alio watered on the S. by the Ockel.
There are alfo feveral lakes abounding
with trout, of which the largeft are
called Loch Migdol, and Loch Elft.
A ridge of hills runs parallel to the
Frith, the higheft of which, in the
weftern extremity, is called Bein-morc
AJJint. There is a great deal of na-
tural wood, principally of oak and
birch ; there are alio feveral thriving
plantations of fir. The great quantity
of mofs with which this diftrict a-
bounds, furnifh plenty of fuel ; many
large fir trees are dug up in cutting
the peats. A vaft number of fheep
and black cattle are reared on the
wafte lands. Near the church is an
obelifk 8 feet long, and 4 broad,
faid to have been erected in memory
of a Danifh chief, who was interred
here. On the top of the Dun of Criech
is a fortification, which is faid to have
been erected about the beginning of
the 12th century by an anceftor of
the Earl of Rofs. Exteniive machinery
for fpinning cotton was about 20 years
ago eftablifhed by a company, at the
head of which was George Dempfter,
Efq. of Dunnichen. That patriotic
gentleman having purchafed a large
eftate, Skibo, in this parifh, and having
the management of another eftate,
Pulrojfie, acquired by his brother Cap-
tain Dempfter, laboured with the moft
indefatigable exertions towards the
improvement of the country, and the
benefit of the inhabitants. An at-
tempt to defcribe the plan, and enu-
merate the means he adopted in car-
rying this plan into execution, would
far extend our limits ; fufficeitto fay,
that by his exertions a company for
fpinning cotton was eftablifhed in that
remote country, and his benevolent
intentions have been attended with
the greateft fuccefs. Subjoined to the
Statiftical Account of Criech., Mr.
Dempfter has communicated his ideas
on the fubject of Highland improve-
ments, and the means which were a-
dopted on his eftate in the parifh of
Criech. Population in 1791, 1730.
CRIEFF ; a fmall town and parifli,
about 18 miles W. of Perth, in the
fame county. The town is built on
a rifing ground near the foot of the
Grampians ; it has a fine fouthern ex-
pofure, and a delightful profpect of
hills, woods, valleys, and rivers, to the
W. Crieff is nearly the fecond town
in Perthfhire, and is much reforted to
in the fummer months for its healthy
lituation. It has a tolbooth, with a
decent fpire, containing the % town
clock, and a good bell ; it has alfo a
large andelegantaffembly-room, which
is fometimes honoured with the pre-
fence of the nobility and gentry of
Perthfhire. Although it has no regu-
lar government, the different trades
have erected themfelves into corpora-
tions, for the fupport of decayed mem-
bers and widows. The chief manu-
facture carried on is making that kind
of thin linen caWz&ftlefias ; and 2 pa-
per mills have been lately erected. As
Crieff is on the line of the great mili-
tary road, it is much frequented by
travellers and drovers. The parifh is
naturally divided into Highland and
Lowland, of which the latter divilion
is completely furrounded by rivers.
The Pow, the Maderty, the Torot,
and Earn, all abound with trout and
falmon. The Highland divilion a-
bounds with all forts of game, and the
river Almond which runs through it,
contains trout. The foil is moitly light
and gravelly ; in the vicinity to the
town it is loam. The parilh is well
cultivated, and the gieateft part en-
clofed. There is a good bridge over
the Earn at the town ; at the other end
of which a thriving village, Bridgend,
has been lately built. There are no
feats or antiquities cleferving notice.
Population of the town in 1793, 2071 ;
in the whole parifh, 2640.
Criffel, or Crawfel; a ridge
of mountains in the county of Dum-
fries, the higheft of which, Douglas
Cairn, is elevated 1900 feet above the
level of the fea. The foil on its fides
affords rich pafture for the numerous
flocks of iheep which are fed upon it.
CRIMOND ; a parifh in the diftrict
of Buchan, in Aberdeenfhire. It lies
upon the coaft, nearly at an equal dif-
tance from the towns of Frazerburgh
and Peterhead. The figure is trian-
gular, the bafe being nearly 3 miles,
and the height of the triangle about