Agnews of Lochnaw

40 SOCIAL CONDITION OF WIGTOWNSHIRE. [l33°-
at, for forty hogsheads, £3 : 18 : 4 ; making the price per hogs-
head Is. 10d.!
We have carefully weighed the various theories as to the
woods of Galloway as respects the year 1330 ; and whilst
we deprecate the cold scepticism which would level all the
ancient forests at a blow, we equally doubt the existence of any
such monarchs of the forest, now unmatched for size, as are
sometimes said to have been grown on the site of mosses in
bleak exposures. Common sense will lead us to the mean, which
is probably the true conclusion. On the east of the county, along
the Cree, there was, in the fourteenth century, some remains of
the primeval forest ; but as respects the peat-mosses further
west, the woods (which certainly did once exist there) belonged
to an age far anterior to 1330 ; wherever the slopes were protected
from the west and south-west gales, no doubt there were frequent
patches of trees ; and in all the glens and ravines which abound
in the Bhinns (excepting the narrowest portion towards the
Mull, where the sea-blast has full sway) there was, we may feel
assured, a strong natural growth of oak, interspersed with birch
and alders (willows prevailing near the streams) ; with an under-
growth of hazel and thorn (black and white). We write popu-
larly, and not scientifically, and therefore shall not enter on the
subject of what other varieties may have existed ; endeavouring
merely to give an outline of general features. As to the size of the
timber, that may be safely determined — by an examination of
what now exists in sheltered glens, where it has remained un-
thinned and uncared for — not to have been large. Great misap-
prehension exists as to the real dimensions of trees dug out of
mosses. A trunk of very ordinary size lying across a peat
breast, or intercepting a drainer in his operations, strikes a
casual observer as enormous, an idea which a careful mea-
surement and comparison with trees of average height in the
neighbourhood will entirely dissipate. It must be understood
that we restrict these remarks to the Ehinns, although we
believe them to be applicable to the whole of Galloway.
There was no lack of chapels at this date.