Gazetteer of Scotland

ESK
of the family of Bargarron, about the
beginning of the laft century, which
trade has been kept up in the neigh-
bourhood ever fince. There are feve-
ral valuable fi filings on the Clyde. Lord
r.lantyre's eft ate poifefles 2 or 3 excel-
lent freeftone quarries ; and there are
feveral appearances of coal, but the
fearch has never been fully profecuted.
Mr/kine, a feat of Lord Blantyre, is a
fine building, furrounded with exten-
five parks and plantations. Popula-
tion in 1792, 808.
Esk, being evidently a corruption
of the Gaelic word Uij'g, which figni-
fies rjuater, is a name applied to many
rivers in Scotland ; in particular, to
one jn Dumfriesfhire ; to the North and
South EJks in Mid-Lothian ; and to the
North and South EJks in the county of
Forfar.
Esk, in Dumfriesfhire, rifes in the
upper extremity of the eaftern diftrict
of that county, and taking a S. W.
direction, forms for feveral miles the
boundary with England, and falls into
the head of the Sol way Frith. From
this river the diftrict through which it
runs has acquired the najpie.-of EJ&d/ffe,
formerly a lordihip or barony in the
family of Maxwell, but attainted on
account of the attachment of that fa-
mily to the houfe of Stuart.
Esks (North and South), in
Mid-Lothian, rife in the borders of
the county of Peebles, and uniting a-
bout a mile below the town of Dal-
keith, fall into the Frith of Fdrth at
Muffeiburgh.
Esk (Inorth), in Forfarfliire, has
Its fourpeamsngft the Grampian moun-
tains, on the borders of Aberdeenfhire,
and running eailward forms the bound-
ary between Angus and Mearns, pour-
ing into the German ocean, about %
miles 1ST. from Montrofe. From it
the noble family of Carnegie take the
title of Earl of North Elk.
Esk (South ), in the fame county,
alio takes its rife in the Grampians,
and pafTuig the town of Brechin, falls
into the ocean at Montrcfe. About
z miles from its mouth it expands into
a large bafon, into which the tide
flows; and contracting oppofite the
town of Montrofe, a neat wooden
bridge has been lately erected there,
on the poll: road from Arbroath to
that town. There are feveral valuable
falmou fifhings on the river, and form-
£TI
erly pearls of great value Were found 4 ,
but the muffel beds [mytllus edulis)
being greatly exhaufted, no fhells have-
been found old enough to produce the
pearls. The banks of the river are
ornamented with many elegant feats,
of which Brechin-caflle, RoJJte, and Kin-
naird, are the chief; the latter is the
refidence of Sir David Carnegie, whofe
anceftors were denominated from the
river, Earls of South Efk.
ESKDALE 5 the eaftern diftrict of
Dumfriesfhire, through which the ri-
ver EJk runs. Vide Esk.
ESKDALEMUIR ; a parifh in the
county of Dumfries, in that diftrict of
it to which the Elk gives its name ; it
is about 11 miles in length, and 8 in
breadth, extending along the 2 rivu-
lets, which, united, form the river
Elk. The furface is mountainous and
elevated, and only adapted for fheep
pafture ; but on the banks of the ri-
vers there are a few meadows or holms,
which admit of culture. On almoft
every hill, in the parifh are the marks
of encampments, fome of which are
rectangular, and fome of an oval or
circular form. Population in 1793,
619.
_ ESSIE and NEVAY ; an united pa-
rifh in* the county of Angus, occuping
part of the northern declivity of the
Sidlaw hills, and part of the valley of
Strathmore ; containing about 8 fquare
miles, or 5 130 fquare acreSj about one
half of which is cultivated. It is walk-
ed by the river Dean, and by 2 fmall
rivulets. The foil is various, being a
fertile loam and clay in the ftrath, de-
generating in proportion to the eleva-
tion ; a great part is enclofed and well
cultivated. There are veftiges of fe-
veral fortifications, which are afcribed
to the Romans, but are more probably
the works of the army of Edward I.
A fmall vein of filver ore, too inconli-
derable to be wrought, was difcovered
feveral years ago in the S. E. corner
of Effie ; and there is an excellent
freeftone quarry at the foot of Sidlaw,
the ftone of which is of a light gray
colour, and admits of a fine polifh.
Population in 1793, 630.
Etie, orE'rivE (Locfit) ; a navi-
gable inlet of the fea in Argyll 'hire,
near 20 miles long,, but of very un-
equal breadth ; its banks are pleafant,
being indented wit h creeks and bays,
affording fafe anchorage in any wind