ed in foreign trade, and one floop used as a coafter. Veffels, of a confiderable fize, are built here. There is a manufacture of check and bed tikes, and also of ropes, by the Meffrs Wood.

Ecclefiaftic State.-Sir John Anstruther is fole patron of the church of Ely. There are a few Seceders, Independents, and Bereans; but the great body of the people belong to the Eftablished Church. The ftipend of Ely is 801. old ftipend, and 201. lately given voluntarily by Sir John Anftruther, in all 100l. The fchoolmafter's falary is 111. Part of the parish lies in the very heart of Kilconquhar parish, owing to this, that at the disjunction, the proprietor of Ely wifhed all belonging to that barony to be in the parish.

Mifcellaneous Obfervations.-Near the town of Ely, is the cave of M'Duff, Thane of Fife, a ftupendous arch, in the face of Kincraig rocks, fronting the fea. In this place, Macduff hid and defended himself, by a fortification, against his purfuers, when he was flying from M'Beath, to the King's fon, Malcolm, in England. The inhabitants of Earlsferry, (fo called from Earl M'Duff,) ferried him over to North Berwick; and out of gratitude, when the King's fon was reftored, he got the town made a Royal Borough, which it ftill is, and retains all its privileges, but that of sending a member to Parliament, which privilege it loft, owing to its being unable to maintain its member, and its having petitioned to be relieved from the burden. It is in the fame fituation with Falkland, Newburgh, and fome other towns in Scotland. Tradition fays, that, among other things, Macduff obtained this privilege from the King, that, on the ap plication of a criminal, the town is obliged to ferry him over immediately, and dare not ferry over his purfuers, till he is half way over the Frith. This, it is faid, was claimed and

granted

granted in the cafe of Carnegie and Douglas of Finhaven, A tumulus was opened here fome years ago. In it were found feveral bones of a remarkably large fize. They were fent to the Mufaeum of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries. Real rubies have been got on the fhore, which were gradually washed from the rocks. Some of them were sent to Dr Black, Profeffor of Chemistry in the University of Edinburgh.

To the east end of the harbour of Ely, and at a small distance from it, Wadehaven is fituated; fo named, it is faid, from General Wade, who recommended it to government as proper for a harbour. Others call it Wadd's Haven. How it got that name, if the right one, is not known. It is very large, and has deep water, in fo much that it would contain the largest Men of War, drawing from 20 to 22 feet water.

NUM

NUMBER XXXIX.

PARISH OF KILMANIVAIG.

(COUNTY OF INVERNESS.-PRESBYTERY OF ABERTARPH, AND SYNOD OF GLENELG.)

By Mr THOMAS Ross, Minifler.

Extent.

HE length of this parish, from fouth to north, is about

TH

60 miles, and its greatest breadth 20. It is bounded by the parish of Kilmalie to the weft, by Fortingal to the fouth caft, by Laggan to the east, by Glenelg and Kintail to the north, and by Boleskine to the north east. Its appearance is very much diverfified by ranges of lofty mountains towards the extremities, interfected by extenfive glens in different directions, and rapid rivers, which all discharge themfelves into the river Lochy, the common refervoir, which runs into a branch of the Atlantic at Fort-William.

Climate. From the vicinity of this parish to the western ocean, and its being furrounded by very high mountains, which attract the clouds, the climate is extremely rainy; confequently, the inhabitants, though in other refpects healthy, are frequently troubled with the rheumatifm.

Soil

Soil-Owing to the irregular furface, and vaft extent of this parish, the foil is extremely various, but chiefly partakes of a light fandy nature, and fometimes of a black loam.

Agriculture has made little progrefs in this country, as the whole parish' is more fuited to grazing, particularly sheepfarming; another cause that may be affigned for this, is, that the wetness of the climate is an invincible bar to the raising of corn, fufficient for the fubfiftence of the inhabitants. The only crops are barley, oats, and potatoes; the last of which is the staple commodity. The number of sheep in this parish amounts to about 60,000, that of black cattle to 1500, and the number of horfes may be computed at 500.

Population.-The number of inhabitants amounts to about 2400, of whom about 1200 are Proteftants, and 1200 Roman Catholics, The return to Dr Webster in 1755, was 1400 Papists, and 1595 Proteftants, total 2995. The decrease confequently is, at least, 495 fouls.

women.

Wages and Prices.-Mafters of families in this country labour under difficulties in regard to fervants, being obliged to give a fhilling per day to the men, and a fixpence to the The prices of most of the commodities of life are exceedingly extravagant, oat meal in particular, which, communibus annis, may be rated at 18 s. only 8 ftones to the boll, and feed corn at the fame price. Owing to the want of a public market, the price of beef and mutton cannot be af certained; none being nearer than that of Inverness.

Manners. The fame hofpitality which characterised the ancient Caledonians, of whom they may be confidered the genuine defcendants, continues to be practifed. Another

qualification

qualification which they have derived from their ancestors, and which they poffefs, in a confiderable dégree, is courage. Civilization and induftry are making daily progrefs; and were they fet upon a proper plan, and had due encouragement, they would become as flourishing as their local fituation would permit. From the well known characters of the proprietors, little doubt can be entertained that this will be the cafe.

Language. The Gaelic is the language of the natives, who fpeak it in as great purity as in any part of the Highlands. Many of them understand the English language, and fpeak it with accuracy.

Church. This parish was formerly connected with the bishoprick, and afterwards with the fynod of Argyle, and prefbytery of Lorn, till the year 1724, when it was difmembered from faid prefbytery, and united to those parishes which now compofe the prefbytery of Abertarph, and form a part of the fynod of Glenelg. The minifter's ftipend is a thousand pounds Scotch, though there is ftill a great deal of unexhaufted tiends. There is neither manfe nor glebe; in place of which the heritors allow the prefent incumbent 20 1. Sterling yearly. There are two miffionaries who are partly connected with this parish, and two Roman Catholic clergy

men.

Schools. There is one parochial fchool here, with a falary of 151. Sterling per annum, and other perquifites arifing from baptifms and marriages, together with fchool-fees. There are generally from 20 to 50 fcholars thoughout the year. In this parish are likewife two Society fchools; but, owing to VOL. XVII.

3 Z

the