Mifcellaneous Obfervations.-Drochil Caftle, at the conflu ence of the Terth with the Lyne, was built by Morton, Regent of Scotland. He was beheaded before it was finished.

In fome parts of this parish the lands are thirled to mills, to the extent of the fixteenth of all the oats raised; horse corn, and the feed fown on the farm, only excepted. So heavy a thirlage leads the farmer fometimes to fow other grain, when, if it were not for the thirlage, oats would be the more profitable crop.

NUM.

NUMBER XIX.

PARISH OF KIRKMAIDEN.

By the Rev. Mr ROBERT CALLANDER.

Situation, Extent, &c.

HIS parish is in the county of Wigton, prefbytery of Stranraer, and fynod of Galloway. It is bounded on the north by Stonnykirk parish; from which, to the fouthermoft point, or the Mull of Galloway, it is about 10 miles long; on the weft it is bounded by the Irish Sea; on the eaft by the Bay of Glenluce; and is about 2 miles broad. The general appearance of the parish is hilly. Moft of the flat grounds produce good crops of corn.

Bays, c-Mary-Port, thought to be called fo in honour of the Virgin Mary, is a small bay on the eastern shore, which is thought a fafe anchoring place when the wind blows from the weft. But Drumore, where fhips of burden fre quently put in, in bad weather, is the fafeft of any in the parifh. Befides thefe there are Curgie and Kilfstay Bay. There was once a pier at the Bay of Port Neffock; but it is now in ruins. This would be a commodious place for fhipping, if a good harbour were built. Ships anchor with fafety when the weather is stormy from the east. On this fhore, towards the fouth, in the warm feafon of the year, there is a vaVOL. I.

riet

riety of marine plants growing at the foot, and on the cliffs of the rocks. There is a fea weed, of which a confiderable quantity of kelp is made. Samphire grows in confider ble plenty, and is gathered for pickling. In going from Weft Tarbert to the point of Mull, there rifes a very bold and elevated coaft. It is about the extent of a mile, and projects itfelf as the boundary between the Irish Sea and the Bay of Luce. In a high wefterly wind, a prodigious swell and weight of fea rolls around that point. It is awfully grand. Here the fea has formed caverns, which are rendered dreadful by a fetting in tide and a strong wefterly wind. The noife is like loud claps of thunder. On the extremity of the point in a fine day, there is a charming profpect of the north of England, Ifle of Man, Ireland, &c. Ships pafs and repass this point from England, Ireland, and the west of Scotland. There have been several wrecks. It feems to be a proper fituation for a light-houfe. There is abundance of fish every where on the coaft, of good quality and great variety, The fhell-fish, oysters and lobsters, are very good of their kind.

Barley and oats quantity is con

Produce, &c.-This parish abounds in corn and cattle. Potatoes and other vegetables are plentiful. The farmers lay their account with paying one half of their rent by the fale of cattle, and the other half by corn. thrive in this foil and climate, and their fiderable.. The farmers export annually between 200 and 300 bolls, Linlithgow meafure. The boll of barley fells this year (1790) at 13 s.; oats at 10s. 6d. per ball. Winchefter bufhel of barley will weigh, at an average, about 46 or 47 lbs. English. The farmers are induftrious, and are making improvements, by liming, &c. The rent of any farm does not exceed L. 150 per annum. A farm of the beft ground

The

in the parish was lately let at 17 s. per acre. The rental of the parish is about L. 2600 per annum.

Population. Annual average of births, from 1716 to 1726,

In 1717, nearly 37 died of the small-pox. In 1721, 46 died, mostly of fevers. In 1725, there were 43 who died, moftly of the fmall-pox. In 1785, 47 died, moftly of an epidemical fever. The return of the population to Dr Webfter was 1051. In 1773, there were 212 families, and goo perfons above 6 years of age. At prefent (1790) the num ber of inhabitants is 1380, and of families 285.

Church, School, &c.-The remains of the old church is on

the

the farm of the Mull. It was fuppofed to have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The prefent one is more centrical, and was built A. D. 1633. The Earl of Stair is patron. There are two other heritors; but only one of them refides. The ftipend has not yet been augmented, and is only 55 l. 10 s. without any victual. The glebe is confiderably short of being legal. At the public school, English, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, navigation, and a little Latin, are taught. The falary is 100 merks, and L. 2: 8:0 Sterling, for educating 12 poor boys, out of a mortified fund. English is taught at I s. the quarter; writing and arithmetic at 1 s. 6d. With the emoluments of precentor and feffion clerk, the income will not exceed L. 17 or L. 18 Sterling. Near the northern extremity of the parish is another school; the falary about a guinea, and L. 1:12:0 Sterling for teaching 8 poor boys, out of the fame mortified fund. There is generally a third school, without falary, in winter, at the southern extremity of the parish. In both these last, education is at 1 s. the quarter; and the masters have the privilege of going about with the scholars, and lodging with their parents. The number of the scholars at the three schools, taken together, may be about 120.

Poor. The poor belonging to this parish are well provided. Befides the ordinary collections, there are the following funds. Mr Andrew M'Murray merchant in London left L. 100, the yearly intereft of which is to be applied to the benefit of the schoolmaster, for educating 20 poor boys, natives of this parish. The late Andrew McDowal, Efq; Lord Bankton, one of the Judges of the Court of Seffion, left to the poor of this parish L. 100. The yearly intereft is divided among them. The late William Adair, Efq; of Flixton, left to the poor L, 400, 3 per cent, confol. annuity. These

three