Red and white book of Menzies

a.d. T793.] THE FOURTH BARONET OF CLAN MENZIES. 411
to think that both parties would be gainers by it, the poor would be better
provided for, and the country would not be infested by so many sturdy beggars
as pour in upon it from the north during the months of June, July, and August.
" Miscellaneous Remarks. — The roads upon the whole are in tolerable
good order ; of late a great deal has been done to improve them, and much still
remains to perform. The king's road between Stirling and Inverness passes
through this parish. There are no turnpikes. The country roads are made and
kept in repair by the statute work, exacted in kind ; but it is to be wished that
this mode were altered, and that the occupiers of land were assisted in a moderate
sum of money. By laying out their money judiciously, the work would be better
done, earlier in the season, and to a far greater extent.
" The people are sober, regular, and industrious ; they are lively, cheerful, and
given to hospitality. Crimes are daily becoming more rare, gross offenders are
held in great disgrace. A notorious drunkard is despised in the highest degree ;
the people enjoying in a reasonable degree the comforts and conveniences of life,
and in general appear happy and contented with their condition. Their condition,
however, might be meliorated if proprietors would grant them leases of their farms ;
all of them are tenants that may be removed at the proprietor's will. It has been
said that they would become indolent if leases were granted to them, but
experience shows that this objection is ill-founded. There are many Druidical
temples in this parish, and a very great number of old castles, many of them like
watch-towers. There is in one glen no less than the ruins of 1 5 of them : it is
called Fincastle or Fonnchaisteal, the land of castles.
" All the names of places are apparently Celtic. Kynnachan — this place is
close by the old forest Schichatlin ; here the gentlemen were in use to assemble
for the chase, and to uncouple their hounds, hence the etymology appears to be
Coinneamb nan con, ' the meeting of dogs ; ' Shierglass, ' always running clear,'
from the rapidity of the river Garrie, which flows close by it ; Duntanlich, ' the
castle of Tumble.'"
The greater part of the parish of Dull is on the west of the parish of Weem,
and on the east of Weem marches the parish of Logierait, as part of it belonged
to the Menzies' of that Ilk, and part of it still belongs to branches of the Menzies'
of Pitnacree. We herewith give an abridged extract regarding it, as described in
1793. It is the only other parish where the wearing of the kilt is referred to : —
"Parish of Logierait.— The general character of the people of this parish
is sufficiently respectable. The virtues of humanity, frugality, and industry — the
best ornaments of human nature — flourish among them. In the war, which
terminated in the beginning of his present Majesty's reign, many became soldiers,
and were distinguished for their valour. But military life has no longer the same
charms in their eyes. In an inland place such as this there are few temptations