Gazetteer of Scotland

SLA
ferve the cufioms of the other inhabit-
ants of the Hebrides aridWeftern High-
lands : they bring up their children in
the hardieft manner, allowing them to
run without fhoes or (lockings, till
they are 8 or 10 yeai-s old : they live
hardy themfelves, ufing no bed, ex-
cept a layer of heath, with a coverlid
of rug ipread over them. In Sky
there are many ruins of Danifli forts,
watch-towers, beacons, temples, and
fepulchral monuments. All the forts
are named duns; as Diin-Skudhorg,
Dun-Derig, Dun-Sker'mefs, Dun-David,
&c. Many valuable minerals have'
been difcovered ; but none have been
wrought to any advantage. In many
places the hills exhibit marks of vol-
canic fire. In the parifh of Strath,
limeftone and marl are abundant ;
and there is fome marble of an infe-
rior quality. Near the village of
Sleat are found marcafites of various
kinds, and finely variegated pebbles.
A valley near Loch Fallart produces
fine agates ; and many of the rivulets
contain topazes, walhed down from
the hills in mountain torrents. Rock
cryftals, and other precious ftones,
are alfo found, after heavy rains, a-
mong the debris, at the foot of the
hills. The S. and W. coafts abound
with corai, both red and white. The
whole ifland belongs to two proprie-
tors, viz. the Laird of Macleod, and
Lord Macdonald. The ifland is di-
vided into 7 parifhes ; containing, in
1790-8, by the returns made to Sir
John Sinclair, 14,470 inhabitants ; in-
creafe 3218 fince 1755.
Skurr-Choinich, and Skurr-
Dkonuil ; two mountains in Argyll-
shire, in the pariih of Ardnamurchan ;
the former elevated 2364 feet, and the
latter 2730 feet above the fea level.
SLAIN3; a parifh in Aberdeen -
fhire, on the fea coaft of Buchan, of
a triangular figure, about 5 miles long,
and ;, broad. The extent of fea coaft
is about 6 miles ; two thirds of which
are rocky, and the other fandy. The
rocks are in general high, and indent-
ed with immenie chaifns, and exca-
vated in many places to a great ex-
tent. One of thefe caves is upwards
of 200 feet long ; and another of them,
well known by the name of the Drop-
ping Cave, or the White Cave of Slains,
is a great curiofity ; every part is co-
vered with ftaladtical incrullations, of
SLE
the pni'eft white. The river" Ythat!
falls into the fea at this parifh, form-*
ing the boundary with the parifh of
F^veran ;' its mouth forms a tolerable
harbour for fmall veffels. The fur-
face is in general level, and the foil
fertile ; and, except enclofures, agri-
cultural improvements have been car-
ried on with great diligence and acti-
vity, chiefly owing to the great a-
bundance of marl, limeftone gravel,
and lliell land, with which the pariih
abounds. The only plantations are
around Gordon-Lodge^ the elegant re-
fidence of the Gordons of Pitlurg.
Upon a peninfulated rock, the foot
of which is wafhed by the fea, are
the remains of the old caftle of SlahiSi
which was demolished in 1594 by
King James VI. upon the rebellion of
the Earl of Huntly : it afterwards be-
came the property of the Earls of Er-
rol ; but, in 1791, it was difpofed of,
along with the other lands belonging
the Ear! of Errol in this parifh, to
Mr. Callander of Crichton ; whofe
brother, Sir John Callander, now pof-
fefles them. There are the ruins of
a fmall chapel, of great antiquity, laid
to have been built about the begin-
ning of the 7th century, and dedicat-
ed to St. xldampmnan, the friend and
difciple of St. Columba. In 1791*
the population was 1117J decreafc
169 fince 1755.
SLAMANNAN, or St. LAW-
RENCE ; a pariih in Stirling'fhire, ii-
tuated in the S. W. corner of the
county. It is about 5 miles long, and
from 3 to 4 broad, lying on the banks
of the A-von. Near this river the foil
is light and fertile ; but, at a fmall
diftance, it becomes a ftrong clay, and
gradually degenerates into a muiry
or mofiy cold foil, upon which the
crops rarely come to perfection. Be-
fules feveral caftles, there were 2 coni-
cal artificial mounts, fimilar to thofe
at Dunk ace ; but one was lately le-
velled, and the church of St. Lawrence
erected upon it. Jtn 1792, the popu-
lation was 1010; decreafc 199 liner
1755-
. SLEAT; a pariih in Invernefs-
fhire, in the ifland of Sky, 17 miles
long, and from 1 to $\ broad. The
two extremities are hilly, and adapted
for pafture ; and the middle, for about
5 miles, is arable, with a deep clay
foil. On the W. fide there are 3 con-