Gazetteer of Scotland

FOR
be made, at a fmall expence, to permit
veffels to unload at the foot of that e-
minence on which the borough ftands.
There is one quarry of limeftone, but
there is neither freeftone nor granite
fit for building. South of the town,
on a rifing ground, ftands the houfe of
Bands-yards, the feat of Mr. Urquhart,
commanding an extenfive profpect,
and furrounded with extenfive planta-
tions. In 1793, the population of the
country part of the parifh of Forres
was 589.
FORSA ; a fmall ifiand of Argyll-
fhire, adjacent to the ifiand of Eafdale.
It abounds with flate, and its miner-
alogy is fimilar to that ifiand. Vide
Easdale.
Forse; a confiderable river in
Caithnefs, which takes its rife in the
parifh of Halkirk, nearly in the cen-
ter of the county ; running N. it dif-
charges itfelf into the Pentland Frith,
at a fmall village to which it gives its
name.
Fort Augustus. Vide Augus-
tus (Fort.)
Fort Charlotte. Vide Char-
lotte (Fort.)
FORTEVIOT; a parifh fituated
on the fertile banks of the river Erne,
that gives name to the rich and beauti-
ful ftrath in Perthfhire, through which
it runs. The parifh ftretches acrofs the
level of the ftrath, comprehending
fome of the higheft of the Ockil hills :
befides being interfered by the river
Erne, the river May flows through it,
in a beautifully variegated courfe ; fall-
ing into the Erne near a ftone bridge
of 6 arches. This little river frequently
fwells to great fize, and defcends from
the hills with great rapidity, making
oonfiderable devaftations on the banks
and adjacent grounds. On its banks
is fituated Invermay, the refidence of
Colonel Belches, one of the moft ro-
mantic and pleafant fpots in Strath-
erne. Around it are extenfive plan-
tations, and natural trees ; amongft
which, the birk or birch hold a con-
fpicuous place, and perpetuates the
remembrance of the fcenery defcribed
in the ballad to which it gave rife :
*' The Birks of Livertnay." This river
alfo exhibits fome natural curiofities
and cafcades, that defervedly attract
£he attentionof ftrangers; (vide May.)
Haly-hill, in this parifh, was once the
fite of the royal refidence ; but the
FOR
traces of the building are very indi-
ftinct. Population in 1798, 970.
Fort George, Vide George
(Fort.)
Forth : one of the moft confider-
able and important rivers in Scotland.
It takes its rife in the N. fide of Ben-
lomond mountain, in Dunbartonfhire,
and running from W. to E. nearly the
whole breadth of the kingdom, forms
that Frith or arm of the German ocean
to which it gives its name. After
leaving its fource, it fhortly expands
into a beautiful lake, from which it is
precipitated in full ftream over a per-
pendicular rock ; it then forms ano-
ther expanfion, a third, and a fourth,
before it defcends into the low coun-
try : even at its fource, while it is only
an inconfiderable rill, which a child
might ftep over, it winds in the fame
manner, and forms the fame links, as
when become more majeftic it paffes
through the Carfe of Stirling. In its
courfe through the mountains it re-
ceivesfrom them innumerabletributary
ftreams, which fhortly increafe its vo-.
lume, and render its fcenery truly pic*
turefque and magnificent. About 6
or 8 miles above Stirling, after receiving
a large fupply of water from the united
rivers of Teath, Allan, and Ardoch, it
enters that extenfive plain, which is
termed the Carfe of Stirling and Fal-
kirk. Through this valley the river
winds in a manner fcarcely to be de-
fcribed : it feems as if unwilling to
leave the fruitful and delightful coun-
try through which it runs, and as if
wifhing to prolong the term of its ftay
by lengthening its courfe : its mean-
ders are fo extenfive and frequent, as
to form a great many beautiful penin-
fultz, on one of which, immediately
oppofite to the caftle of Stirling, ftands
the ruinous tower of the abbey of Cam-
bufkenneth, the only remnant of that
venerable pile, which was one of the
richeft religious houfes in the king-
dom. Here the fcenery is truly in-
terefting : the fertile fields, the man-
fions and policies, almoft infulated by
the turns of the river, the ruinous ab-
bey, the white fails of the veffels ap-
pearing in every direction, all increafe
the beauty of the fcene. Some idea
may be formed of the windings of this
noble river, when it is mentioned, that
by land the diftance from Stirling to
Alloa is only 6 miles ; while by water