Gazetteer of Scotland

ISL
report of the rev. Mr. Richmond, Was
4500.
Irvine ; a river in Ayrfhire, which
takes its rile in the E. fide of Loudon-
hill, in the parifh of Loudon; and paff-
• jng by Dertitle, Neiu-milns, Galjton,
and R'ucario-Lvri-, falls into the Frith of
Clyde at the town of Iryine, where
its mouth forms the harbour of that
town. In great floods it brings down
vaft quantities of land, which forms a
bar at the entrance, on which the
depth of water at fpring tides is ge-
nerally from 9 to 11 feet; in high
ftorms, with a S. or S. W. wind, it
is fometimes 16 feet. This river forms
the boundary betwixt the bailiwicks
of Cunningham and Kyle, in the fame
way as the Ayr forms the boundary
betwixt Kyle and Carrick.
ISLA, 1SLAY, or ILA ; one of the
Hebrides. Vide Ilay.
Is la, or Ila ; a river in Fcrfar-
fhire. It has its fource in the Gram-
pian mountains, feveral miles north-
ward of Mount-Blair : bathing the
foot of that hill, it turns eaftward,
traverfes the long narrow vale of Glen-
ijhi, below which it forms a cafcade
70 or 80 feet perpendicular, called
the Reeky linn : after pafling the linn,
it forms a deep pool of water, called
Corral, famous for its trouts ; it then
divides into two branches, which,
uniting again, form a pleafant ifland,
called the Stanner [flam!, of feveral
acres : it afterwards proceeds weft-
ward through the valley of Strathmore,
receiving the Dean at Glammifs-caftle,
the Melgam at Airly-caftle, and E-
ncht near Cupar: by thefe rivers its
fize is confiderably increafed, and now
flowing with a fmooth and gentle
courfe, it falls into the Tay at Kincla-
i<eiu There are only 3 bridges over
this river ; one at or near Airly-cajlle,
another near the church of Ruthven,
and a! third near Cupar. In rainy fea-
fons it proves very prejudicial to the
adjacent fields ; increafed by many
rapid torrents, it overflows its banks,
and fometimes, with relifllefs force,
fweeps away whole harvefts, and de-
ftroys " the well-earned treafures of
the labouring year." Near its junc-
tion with the Tay, it poileuTs feveral
valuable falmon fifhings, but the filh
are fmaller, and inferior to thofe of
the Tay.
hi..\ is alfo the name of a river in
JUR
BanfFfhire, which takes its rife on the
borders of Invernefsfliire, and empties
itfelf into the Deveron, after a Ihort
and rapid courfe of about 12 miles,
during which it receives many ftreams
from the mountains, which caufe it
frequently to overflow its banks after
a fall of rain. It gives name to a dis-
trict of Banffihire, Stratbijla, contract-
ed Slryla.
JURA ; one of the Hebrides, lying
oppofite to the diftric~t of Knapda'le in
Argyllfhire, to which county it is po-
litically annexed. It extends fully
30 miles in length, and is on an aver-
age 7 broad ; it is the moft rugged of
the Weftern Ifles, being compofed
chiefly of huge rocks, piled on one
another in the utmoft diforder, naked,
and incapable of cultivation. The
chief of thefe mountains extend in the
form of a ridge, from S. to N. nearly
in the middle of the ifland ; they are
4 in number, which are termed the
Paps of Jura, and are coufpicuous at
a great diftance, terminating the weft-
ern profpect from the continent, and
are often covered with clouds and
darknefs. The fouthern one is termed
Beinu-achaolais, " the mountain of the
Sound," as being near to the Sound
of Ifla ; the next and higheft, Beinn-
an-oir, " the mountain of gold ;" the
third, Bt'inn-fheunta, " the confecrated
mountain ;" and, that to the north,
Corra-bhein, " the fteep mountain."
Mr. Pennant afcended Beinn-an-oir
with much difficulty : it is compofed
of large Hones, covered with mofles
near the bafe ; but, all above were bare,
and unconnected with each other:
" the whole," fays he, " feemed a vaft
cairn, erected by the Ions of Saturn."
The grandeur of the profpecl from
the top compenfated for the labour
of attending the mountain. From the
W. lide of the hill ran a narrow ftripe
of rock into the fea, called " tbejlide
of the old hag." Jura itfelf difplayed
a ftupendous front of rock, varied with
innumerable little lakes, of the moft
romantic appearance, and calculated
to raife grand and fublime emotions
in the mind of the Spectator. To the
S. the illand of Ilay lay almoft under
his feet, and, beyond that, the N. of
Ireland; to the E. Gigha, Kintyro,
Arran, and the Frith of Clyde, bound-
ed by Ayrfhire, and an amazing tract
of mountains as far as Biwhmond, and