Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

GLE
693
GLE
Letterfearn. The mountain ridges abruptly rise to a
prodigious height. In many places these mountains
are rocky, and covered with heath to the summit ;
the interjacent valleys are pleasant, being clothed
with grass and some natural wood ; but the propor-
tion of arable ground is very inconsiderable. The
mountains appear to be composed of micaceous schist,
which is sometimes alternated with horn-blende slate,
and veins of granite appear traversing these strata in
various places.* The shores abound with fish, and
Loch-Duich receives an annual visit from shoals of
herring : see article Loch-Ddich. The lower end of
Glenshiel is occupied by Loch-Shiel : which see.
The great military road from Fort- Augustus to Ber-
nera passes through this parish. In the heights of
this parish is the pass of Glenshiel, famous for a
battle fought in June 1719, between the English
troops and the Highland adherents of King James,
led by the Earl of Seaforth, in which the latter were
defeated. Population, in 1801, 710; in 1831, 715.
Assessed property, in 1815, £1,211. Gross rental
£2,600. Houses, in 1831, 138 This parish, for-
merly a Vicarage, is in the presbytery of Loch-Carron,
and synod of Glcnelg. Patron, the Crown. Sti-
pend £158 6s. 8d. ; glebe £16. The parish-church
is in the district of Letterfearn. It was built in 1 758 ;
sittings 300 The parish-school is also in Letter-
fearn. Salary of master £28.
GLENSHIRA, a glen in the parish of Laggan, in
the western part of Badenoch, forming the basin of
the Spey for the first part of its course. Its princi-
pal feature is the grandeur of the mountains which
rise around, sending down numberless torrents, par-
ticularly from the northern side, to swell the waters
<)f the Spey.
GLENSHIRA, a picturesque and finely wooded
glen about 5 miles long, at the head of Loch-Fyne,
near Inverary.
GLENSPEAN, a beautiful glen in the parish of
Kilmanivaigin Lochaber ; commencing near the lower
end of Loch-Laggan, and following in a westerly di-
rection the course of the Spean.
GLENSTRAE, a wild glen which opens upon the
end of Loch-Awe, at the northern base of Sroin-
miolchoin, a mountain forming part of the eastern
boundary of Glenorchy. Macgregor of Glenstrae
had a mansion here, of which the site can hardly
now be traced among the heather, but of which the
following interesting tradition is still related : — His
son, who had been hunting in the neighbourhood,
met the young Laird of Lamond travelling with a
servant from Cowal towards Fort- William. They
* This valley is inhabited by the clan nf Macrae. The Mac-
raes, as we heard afterwards in the Hebrides, says Dr. Johnson,
•' were originally au indigent and subordinate clan, and having
no farms nor stock, were, in great numbers, servants to the Mac-
lennans, who, in the w r ar ot Charles I., tonk arms at the call of
the heroic Montrose, and were, in one of his battles, almost all
destroyed. The women that were left at home, being thus de-
prived of their husbands, like the Scythian ladies of old, married
their servants, and the Macraes became a considerable race."
This state of matters is stoutly denied by the writer of the
New Statistical Account, who pronounces it " an unworthy in-
vention." The Macraes and Maclenuans, except in the name
only, are one clan, united by every tie, and alike distinguished
for their deep-rooted attachment to the family of Seaforth,
for many centuries the sole proprietors of this country. One
instance of this attachment may serve as a specimen. Owing
to the side which William, Earl of Seaforth, espoused dur-
ing the troubles of 1715 and 1719, his lands of Kintail — a name
then common to this and the parish of that name— were forfeit-
ed to the Crown ; yet, during the years of the forfeiture it
baffled all the endeavours and policy of government and of its
commissioner, Ross of Fearne, to penetrate into this country,
or to collect any rents in Kintail. Seaforth's tenants were as-
sisted in their stout resistance by the advice and auimated by
the example of Donald Murchison of Auchtertyre, whose
name, had his talents beeu employed on a more conspicuous
theatre, the page of history would not blush to transmit with
honour to posterity. He regularly collected the rents, and
found means either of remitting them to Seaforth, who then
lived in France, or of snatching au opportunity of conveying
them safe to his chief in person.
dined together at a little house on the Black-mount,
between Tyndrum and King's house; but, unfor-
tunately quarrelling during the evening, dirks were
drawn, and the young Macgregor was killed. La-
mond instantly fled, and was hotly pursued by some
of the Clan Gregor. "With difficulty he outstripped
his foes, and reached the house of the old laird of
Glenstrae, whom he besought earnestly to afford
him protection. " You are safe here, whatever you
may have done," said the laird, as he led Lamond
into his house. The pursuers arriving, informed the
unfortunate father of what had occurred, and de-
manded the murderer ; but Macgregor refused to
deliver him up, as he had passed his word to protect
him. His wife and daughter, with many tears, be-
sought him to yield to the wishes of his clansmen,
but the laird sternly refused to break the pledge
which he had given, or to yield to their entreaties,
and bade them be silent. " Let none of you dare to
injure the man," said he; " Macgregor has promised
him safety, and, as I live, he shall be safe while in
my house !" He afterwards, with a party of his clan,
escorted the youth home ; and on bidding him fare-
well, said, " Lamond, you are now r safe on your own
land, I cannot, and I will not protect you farther !
Keep away from my people ; and may God forgive
you for what you have done !" Shortly afterwards
the name of Macgregor was proscribed, and the aged
laird of Glenstrae became a wanderer without a name
or a home. But the Laird of Lamond had now an
opportunity of returning the kindness he had re-
ceived, by protecting Macgregor and his family,
which he hastened to improve, receiving the fugi-
tives into his house, and shielding them from their
enemies, until the cold-blooded policy of the Earl of
Argyle towards the devoted Clan Gregor, prevailed
against that of more generous rivals. In the MS.
diary of Robert Birrell, is the following entry :
" The 2 of October (1603,) Allester M'Gregour of
Glainstre tane be the Laird of Arkynles, bot escapit
againe; bot efter, taken be the Earle of Argyill the
4 of Januar; and brocht to Edinburghe the 9 of
Januar 1604, with mae of 18 his friendis, M'Gre-
gouris. He wes convoyit to Bervick be the Gaird,
conforme to the Earlis promese ; for he promesit to
put him out of Scottis grund. Swa he keipit ane
Hieland-manis promes; in respect he sent the Gaird
to convoy him out of Scottis grund : Bot thai wer
not directit to pairt with him, bot to fetche him bak
agane ! The 18 of Januar, at evine, he come agane
to Edinburghe ; and vpone the 20 day, he was hangit
at the croce, and ij (eleven) of hes freindis and
name, upone ane gallous : Himselff, being chieff, he
wes hangit his awin bicht aboue the rest of his
friendis."
GLENSTRATHFARRAR, a very romantic and
picturesque glen in Inverness-shire. The prevailing
rock is gneiss everywhere stratified and varying in
colour from red to gray and white. The strata range
from north-east to south-west and dip to the east
under various angles, and are frequently very tortuous
in their direction. The gneiss is traversed by veins
of granite and quartz. The most frequent imbedded
mineral is precious garnet. A valuable mine of gra-
phite or blacklead was discovered by accident here
in 1816 ; it occurs not in veins or regular beds, but
in irregular masses imbedded in the gneiss.
GLENTANAR, or Glentanner, a mountain
and forest district in Marr, Aberdeenshire, once a
separate parish, but now united to Aboyne : which
see. The forest of Glentanner is very extensive,
and is celebrated for the excellence of its oak-trees.
GLENTARKIN. See Loch-Earn.
GLENTILT, a narrow vale or mountain-pass 13
miles in length, coming down from the northern ex-