Gazetteer of Scotland

SAL
"better adapted for pafture than til-
lage ; but, on the fea coafc, and in the
glens, there are confiderable fields of
arable land, of a good foil, and toler-
ably fertile. The ruinous abbey of
Saddel has been a large and magnifi-
cent building, erected in 1160 by So-
merled Lord of Kintyre and the Ifles,
for the monks of the Ciftertian order.
Near the point of Skipnefi ftands the
caftle of the fame name, a building of
great fize and antiquity ; though, e-
ven yet, it can fcarcely be called a
ruin. Upon every point of land are
to be feen fmall Danifh duns or forts,
the mod conliderable of which is the
Aird of Carradel, upon a high preci-
pitous rock : near it is a fmall ifiand,
on which are the veftiges of a vitrified
foil. In 1793, the population was
1341 ; decreafe 28 fince 17 ^5.
SAINT ABBS, SAINT AN-
DREWS, St. FERGUS, St. MA-
DOIS, &c. &c. Vide Abbs (St.),
Andrews (St.), Fergus (St.),
• Madois (St.), Sec. &c.
SALINE ; a parifh in Fifefhire, a-
bout 7 miles long from E. to W., and
6 broad at the middle, gradually be-
coming narrower towards the extre-
mities. Towards the E. it is hilly
and marihy, and the W. half is very
level. The foil is in general thin, on
a tilly bottom ; and the parifh is but
little enclofed. The village of Saline
is a neat rural place, containing about
200 inhabitants, and lying on the road
from Dunfermline to Auchterarder.
The whole parifh lies upon coal,
which, though of good quality, is lit-
tle wrought, on account of the neigh-
bourhood to the pits of Blairingone.
In 1793, the population was 950 ; de-
creafe 335 fince 1755.
Salisbury Craig; a remark-
able rock, lying on the E. fide of the
city of Edinburgh, being part of the
hill of Arthur' s-feat. It is noted chief-
ly for its fteep precipitous front of fo-
lid rock, which it prefents on the W.
fide towards the city, in the form of
an amphitheatre, the fummit of which
is 550 feet in height. But, independent
of the lingular appearance of the rock
itfelf, it is no lefs interefting to the na-
turalifl, from the materials of which
it is conrpofed, and the arrangement
of the ftrata. The great mafs of
whinftone or bafaltes is incumbent on
freeftone and clay. In one of the
freeftone quarries are found beautiful-
SAL
fpecimens of radiated hamathes, in-
termixed with Jleatites, green fibroug
ore of iron, and calcareous fpar, form-
ing altogether an uncommon mafs.
Veins of calcareous fpar are alfo met
with in many places ; and fine fpeci-
mens of talcy zeolite, and amethyfline
quartoze cryftals.
SALTCOATS ; a confiderable fea-
port town in Ayrihire, about 5 miles
N. W. from Irvine, fituated partly in
the parifh of Stevenfton, and partly in
that of Ardroffan. The harbour is ex-
cellent, admitting veffels of 320 tons,
and could eafily be rendered more
commodious. It has only of late
years become a place of any note ; it
being certain, that not more than 140
years ago, there were only 4 fmall
houfes, the inhabitants of which earn-
ed a fcanty livelihood by preparing
fait in their little pans and kettles.
About the year 1700, the place be-
coming the property of Sir Robert
Cunningham, he began to work the
valuable coal ftrata in the neighbour-
hood, and erected a harbour at Salt-
coats to facilitate the exportation.
He alfo built feveral large pans for
the manufacture of fait, of which
there is now made on an average up-
wards of 3000 bolls per annum. The
trade of lhip-building was alfo carried
on with fuccefs ; and in 25 years,
ending in 1790, there were built not
fewer than 64 veffels, of the total
tonnage of 7095, value upwards of
7o,oool. fterling. The number of vef-
fels belonging to this harbour in 1792,
was 41 of 4300 tons burden, and na-
vigated by 320 men. There are no
magiftrates, nor any local police in
Saltcoats ; no weelcly market, and
only one inconfiderable fair. No ton-
nage is paid for veffels; a fhore bai-
liff levies the fmall anchorage dues,
and carries into execution fuch regu-
lations as are neceffary for the load-
ing and failing of the veffels ; which
regulations the owners or mailers of
veffels come under a written obliga-
tion to fubmit to. In 1792, the po-
pulation was ftated thus :
Houfes. Inhabit*
In the Stevenfton or ) ,
S. fide of the town, ) "
In the Ardroffan > .
or N. fide of do. 5 53 ° '
• 119+
Total, , . 399.
z?i$