Volume XIII Number XI. (COUNTIES OF MURRAY AND INVERNESS)
(SYNOD OF MURRAY, PRESBYTERY OF ABERNETHY.)
By the Rev. Mr JOHN GRANT.
About one half of it in the county of Murray, the other half in the shire of Inverness. The middle part being in Murray, and the two extreme parts of it in Inverness-shire. It is a little remarkable, that at the south east point of this parish, between Glenlochy and Glenbrown, the shores of Inverness, Murray and Banff meet; so that when standing on the Bridge of Brown, one may throw a stone into any of the three counties.

[Biographical Notes for the Minister adapted from the Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae
JOHN GRANT (1740-1820) born at Milton of Duthil, son of Sweton Grant and Elspet Grant; educated at King's College, Aberdeen (MA 1759); licensed by the Presbytery of Abernethy; ordained to Arrochar 27th September 1764; presented (to Abernethy) by James Grant, younger of Grant; translated and admitted 26th September 1765.
He was a short-built man though with broad shoulders and a good figure. Once when examining a man who had been balloted for the militia, and whom he wished, for his mother's sake, to get off, he objected to his being passed, saying, "Too short, too short." The man's pride was hurt, and he answered sharply, "Ye needna say that, Mr John, ye're no ane o' the Philistines yersel'." Many of his parishioners were serving in the army during the French War, and occasionally after sermon he gave information to his people as to its progress. One Sunday he announced with much satisfaction that Napoleon was dead, and that there would soon be peace. The report being incorrect, he was somewhat downcast when, next Sunday, he said, "My friends, it was not true what I told you last day. The scoundrel Bonaparte is alive yet, and doing as much mischief as ever." Many anecdotes are still reported of his kindly ways, and his deep interest in all parish affairs.
He married, 2nd March 1775, Christian (who died in 1832), daughter of James Grant of Clurie, and had issue—

James Augustus of Viewfield, Nairn, Chief Secretary to the Government, Bombay,
and Judge of the Court at Gujrat;
Peter, captain H.E.I.C.S., died in Madras 27th February 1810;
Sweton, divinity student, died 20th February 1810:
George, captain Bombay Infantry, died 1819;
Helen (married Alexander Grant of Dellachaple), died 1865. ]

Name, Extent, Soil, Surface, Climate, Etc.

[129] The name is descriptive of the situation of the church, with respect to the river Nethy, being near the entrance of it into the Spey. Abernethy, or the Inver, or termination of Nethy, is in Gaelic, Aberneich. The meaning of the name, Nethy, or Neich, is not known; that of Kinchardine, or Kinie-chairdin, is the “Clan of Friends.” In what follows, both parishes must be frequently mentioned [130] under the name of Abernethy.

It is 15 miles in length, and from 10 to 12 in breadth, and about 30 miles from the sea at Inverness, Nairn or Findhorn. The surface is very much diversified with corn-fields, woods, and mountains.

The soil is various; some parts deep, others thin and dry, some wet and cold. A stretch of about 3 miles of low, deep land and meadow, on the bank of the Spey, is often overflowed in times of floods. The Spey here runs smooth and slow, and of course the overflow is so too. Although many hundreds of acres are in this situation, and would increase greatly in their value, if free of this encroachment; yet it appears doubtful if embankments could save the ground; and still more problematical, whether the acquisition would be worth the expense, which behoved to be very great, on account of the great height to which Spey rises at certain times. What increases the difficulty is, the great body of water which, in time of floods, comes from the mountains in the Nethy and smaller rivulets, and which would come in behind the embankments; besides, the proprietor has a great deal of land on the other side in the same predicament, so that double embankments would be necessary. The arable ground bears but a small proportion to the uncultivated. A great proportion of the surface is covered with woods, much of it in hills, mountains, and rocks. The ground rises towards the mountains, and the air and climate vary accordingly, healthy everywhere. The people in general enjoy health to a degree that is not exceeded in many parts of the kingdom. The small-pox is the only disease that is remarkably fatal. Inoculation is not general, though, upon the whole, people’s prejudices against it are much removed.

Longevity:

ADonald Cameron is 98; A Marjory Grant is 101: It is to be regretted, that such persons are obliged to beg or be supported in their [131]quarters by the neighbours. A James Stuart, keeper of the Duke of Gordon’s forest, and game, is 93, a blooming, correct sensible man and comes to church the coldest day in winter. The last incumbent, Mr William Grant, who was 60 years minister of that parish died in 1764 Aged 98; and Robert Grant of Lurgg in 1772, 97 years old.

Rivers and Lakes

[131] The only river of any note, besides the Spey, is the Nethy, which, rising in the high hills, intersects the parish, running through or near the fir woods, for above 7 miles, and empties itself into the Spey. In dry weather, it is very inconsiderable, but after rains or thaws, it swells so as to bring down loose all the timber that is cut in the woods, either to the saw-mills or to the Spey, whence it is sent in rafts to the sea at Garmouth. There are several lakes in Kinchardine; the most considerable of which, is the oval basin in Glenmore, nearly two miles diameter. It is in the bottom of the glen, surrounded by fir-woods, rising gradually towards the mountains. Here is a pleasant scene in a fine summer day. In Glenmore likewise, there is a green loch, in extent about one acre, full of small fat green trout. At the foot of Cairngorm, is Loch Aven, from whence the river of that name issues, containing plenty of trout, but dry and indifferent ones to eat.

Cave and Mountains

At one end of this loch, surrounded with vast mountains, is a large natural cave, sufficient to hold a number of men secure from snow, rain, or wind. People often lodge here for nights, some from necessity, others when hunting or fishing. It is commonly called Chlachdhian, of the “Sheltering Stone.”

Of the whole range of mountains in view of the parish, the Cairngorm, (or blue mountain), is the most remarkable. Stones of value are sometimes found at and near it, but rarely now, and that [132] sometimes by chance or accident; at other times, by digging for them. Some pretend to know the vein where they may most likely be. It is an employment not worth following. Numbers of stones of variegated colours and regular sides, as if cut out by the lapidary, are found above ground, particularly after thaws or floods, which wash off the surface, but when examined, seldom worth any thing. These high mountains, to the south of the parish, occasion much cold and frost. Cairngorm is seldom free of some snow any time in summer. On the tops of these high mountains, there is very little pasture, but a downy foggy cover on the rocks. The fir-woods never grown up the sides of these high hills, or approach the regions of cold. Cairngorm commands an extensive view. Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness, are seen from it.

Woods, and the Progress of Manufacture

Besides a great deal of birch and alder, there are two very large fir-woods in these parishes, almost meeting in one place. The fir-wood of Abernethy, belonging to Sir James Grant, is of great extent, and of an exceeding good quality, and very thriving; but is kept from coming to a great size, by a constant manufacture, for about 60 years backward. Before then, the making of deals by saw mills was little known, and less practised. The first and early method of making deals, was by splitting the wood with wedges, and then dressing the boards with the ax and adze. A high room in Castle Grant appears to be floored with deals made this way, and never planed. The marks of the adze across the boards are still visible. And though this floor appears to be of great antiquity, such is the superlative quality of the timber that it may continue as sound as it is now hundreds of years hence. This floor has another mark of antiquity, the nails [133] appear to have been made by a country-smith, according to the times; the bonnets being as broad as a small halfpenny. Afterward the country people got the small-framed saw. There being no demand for deals, neither did they know how to send them out of the country, the heritors took any thing they could get for the wood that was manufactured. It is not a very long time back since the Laird of Grant got only a merk a-year, for what a man choosed to cut and manufacture with his axe and saw; people now alive remember it at 1s:8d. a-year, afterwards it came to 3s. 4d. and then the Laird of Rothiemurchus, commonly called Maccalpin, brought it up to 5s. a-year, and 1 lb. of tobacco.

Brigadier Alexander Grant, (who died in 1719), attempted to bring home masts from his woods of Abernethy to London. But though a man of great enterprise in his military profession, did not persevere in this, owing to the many difficulties he had to encounter, such as the want of roads in the woods, skill in the country-people, all kinds of necessary implements. About the year 1730, a branch of the York-building Company, purchased, to the amount of about £7000 of these woods of Abernethy, and continued till about the year 1737 ; the most profuse and profligate set that ever were heard of then in this corner. This was said to be a stock-jobbing business. Their extravagancies of every kind ruined themselves, and corrupted others. Their beginning was great indeed, with 120 working-horses, wagons, elegant temporary wooden houses, saw-mills, iron mills and every kind of implement and apparatus of the best and most expensive sorts. They used to display their vanity by bonfires, tar-barrels, and opening hogheads of brandy to the country-people, by which 5 of them died in one night. They had a Commissary for provisions and storage, at an handsome salary; and, in the end, went off in debt to the proprietors [134] and the country.

But yet their coming to the country was beneficial in many respects; for, besides the knowledge and skill which was acquired from them, they made many useful and lasting improvements. They made roads through the woods. They erected proper sawmills. They invented the construction of the raft, as it is at present, and cut a passage through a rock in Spey, without which, floating to any extent could never be attempted. Before their time, some small trifling rafts were sent down Spey in very awkward and hazardous manner, 10 or 12 dozen of deals, huddled together, conducted by a man, sitting in what was called a Currach, made of a hide, in the shape, and about the size of a small brewing-kettle, broader above than below, with ribs or hoops of wood in the inside, and a cross-stick for the man to fit on ; who with a paddle in his hand, went before the raft, to which his currach was tied with a rope. This rope had a running-knot or loup round the man’s knee in the currach, so that if the raft stopt on a stone, or any other way, he loosed the knot, and let his currach go on, otherwise it would sink in a strong stream; and when, after coming in behind the raft again, and loosing it, he proceeded again to make the best of his way. These currachs were so light, that the men carried them on their backs home from Speymouth. There is one of them now in the parish of Cromdale below this. The York-building Company had 18 of these currachs in their employ at first, with which they made little progress, till Mr Aaron Hill, one of their number, constructed the large raft, as it is at present, consisting of two or three branders of spars in the bottom, joined end to end, with iron or other spars, and a rope though them, and conducted by two men, one at each end, who have each a seat and oar, with which they keep the raft in the proper direction. It is pleasant [135] to see a number of them going down at once; each of them carry down variously, according to the quality of the timber, from £10 to £15 to £20 worth; and at an average, the expense of each raft to Speymouth, is about £1:10s.

At present, there are 4 saw mills in Abernethy.

Glenmore Wood

About 8 years ago, the Duke of Gordon sold his fir-wood of Glenmore, in the barony of Kinchardine, for £10,000 Sterling to an English Company. There were some inferior companies tried it formerly, but were not successful. It appears pretty certain now, that this Company will succeed in bringing away all the wood within their contract, before their lease is out, which was 26 years; and it ought to be the wish of every well-thinking person, that they may have profit in the end, as they do much good in the country. They are regular and just, and carry on their business in every department of it with much exertion and propriety. This was the oldest, the largest, and the best quality of fir-wood in Scotland, and the best accommodated for water-carriage to the Spey, by means of the loch before described, that is in the heart of it, and out of which a river issues, that brings down even their masts loose to Spey, a distance of 5 or 6 miles. The quantity of spars, deals, logs masts and ship-timber, which they send to Garmouth or Speymouth yearly, is immense, and every stage of the process of manufactory, brings money to the country; generally once a yea, they send down Spey a loose float, as they call it, of about 12,000 pieces of timber, of various kinds ; whence they send it to England, or sell it round the coast. For some years, they have sent great numbers of small masts or yards to England to the King’s yards, and other places, and have built about 20 vessels of various burdens at Garmouth [136]or Speymouth, all of Glenmore fir.

Among others, there is one now on the stocks, above 500 tons. Without doubt, these manufactures raise the price of labour and other articles, and make servants for the farmer more difficult to be got. The fir-woods of this country exceed all the natural fir-woods in Scotland put together, without comparison. Sir James Grant’s woods of Abernethy, of many miles circumference; next, the Duke of Gordon’s, in Glenmore; then Mr Grant of Rothiemurchus’s, who is supposed to have more trees than either of them; then the Duke’s again; after that, the Laird of McIntosh’s in Glenfishy, all in a line, of about 20 miles in length, on the south side of Spey, and all having the advantage of abundance of water to bring them to Spey. Besides, Sir James Grant has another wood, of an excellent quality, on the other side of the country, on the river Dulnan

Quadrupeds and Birds Etc

Red-deer, roe, foxes, hares, moorfowl, partridge, tarmagen, eagles, hawks, and the other birds common in the Highlands of Scotland, abound here.

Population

According Dr Webster’s report, the population then was 1670. The exact number in this parish at present is 1769, of which 262 are below 7 years of age. Births, at an average for 6 years past, 45; marriages 10.

Produce, and State of Husbandry

The animal productions consist of black cattle, sheep, some goats and horses. The principal proprietor does not encourage great sheep farms, nor are there any large tracts laid waste for such flocks. It is computed, that two or three farms in Abernethy which are wholly given to sheep, and what the English Company have in their own possession in Kincardine without tenants, had about 200 inhabitants when let in small [137] farms. However, the sheep are greatly increased of late years, and the farmers endeavour to keep as many cattle as formerly; so that, like Pharaoh’s kine the one consumes the other. The sheep are almost all of the black-faced kind, though few have the breed genuine, but crossed. By the tenants increasing their number of sheep, and still striving to keep up their former number of black cattle, neither the sheep can be expected to be sold fat, nor the cattle in general in decent marketable condition; by which means they must always be sold at prices inferior to that they would fetch if properly grazed; so that the parish in general is only a nursery for raising lean cattle and sheep, to be fattened elsewhere.

The cattle being often half starved in the winter, owing to having too many for the straw, and sent in summer to hills covered with sheep, are often presented to the drovers in August and September with the former year’s hair on them. Such in the parish as do justice to their cattle in strawing them sufficiently, and grazing them well in summer, have very comely good cattle. But there are the fewest, the tenants in general keeping their numbers of black cattle while the sheep are insensibly increasing around them. The promiscuous pasturage of sheep and black cattle is unnatural, and must be a losing game; people see the error but do not mend it.

This mismanagement is not peculiar to this district; many neighbouring parishes and counties go on in the same tract. While people follow the sheep system as they do, common sense would seem to dictate to them, that they ought to let the whole hill pasturage go with the sheep, and only keep as many cattle as their inland farms would graze properly in the summer. By these means fewer beasts would exceed in value the present number. Few horses are reared in this parish, and great numbers of small ones used in it by the generality of the tenants, which takes a great deal of money yearly out of it, and which might be much remedied, if every farmer were to rear a foal every second or third year. Proprietors ought to attend to this and encourage it.

The crops here are, barley, oats, rye, potatoes, chiefly the small black oats; on some farms pease and a good deal of white oats. The crops here are often precarious, and frequently misgive to a very distressing degree. There are only 5 farms in the parish [138] in any degree of improvement: On these there are good houses, offices, and some good enclosures, limed and prepared with green crops for grass, which answers well. Pease grow well in limed fields here. These farms have the advantage of the best climate in the parish. They are ploughed with English or Scotch ploughs, according to the ground. Upon these, there are good horses, oxen, carts, and the other modern implements. The want of hard wood in the country is a drawback; because, without it, there can be no durable instruments of husbandry. There are several neat farm-houses built of late through the parish; but the farms themselves in general are in no better state than they were 100 years ago. The braes, or Highland parts of the parish, are not subjects for the modern improvements in husbandry, but they might be much benefited by lining, the limestone and peats being near their fields in one quarter, but hitherto that has not been attempted.

The absurd ridiculous method of run-ridge still takes place in a great part of the parish. The produce of the parish is corn and potatoes; it never maintains its inhabitants, and often, when a failure happens in the crop, falls far short; some often buy meal for 6 months in the year. After a pretty exact calculation, it is found, that only about 6 firlots of meal grow at an average of years, in the two parishes, for each person in them. It is shown thus: There are 7 mills in these parishes, 2 of them superior to the rest ; and , upon sure information, computed, at an average of years, at 20 bolls mixture for each, i.e. for both = 40 bolls; 5 small mills, at 8 bolls, each = 40 bolls; Total multure = 80 bolls

The multure here being the 33d part, gives the whole produce, except feed and horse corn, namely 2640 bolls. [139]1 boll to each person of the number of inhabitants, is 1769 Bolls. ½ boll to each, is 884 Bolls. Total: 2653 Bolls.

This shows what attention ought to be given to increase the value of cattle, because all depends on the return from cattle, sheep, wool, butter, and cheese, for paying rent, servants, etc.

Language

The common living language of the people, in which they converse, do their business, and are instructed, is the Gaelic; and the names of places are all Gaelic ones.

Rent and Heritors

The valued rent is £1553:16s Scots; the gross land-rent of the two parishes, besides the woods, is about £1500 Sterling.

The heritors are two, Sir James Grant and the Duke of Gordon. The Earl of Moray has the superiority of these lands in the parish, of Sir James Grant’s, which are in the country of Elgin, one of the many instances of feudal absurdity, which separates the superiority from the property.

Stipend, Schools, Poor, Etc

Sir James Grant of Grant is patron. The stipend is only £64; a process of augmentation is now depending. The glebe about 5 acres of middling land. The manse and offices lately repaired. The Church of Abernethy is elegant, and the church of Kinchardine, 8 miles from Abernethy, a very good sufficient plain house lately repaired; both church–yards well enclosed with a wall and hedge, and a belt of wood about 3 yards broad.

There are two schools in the parish [140] and a catechist from the Royal bounty. The parochial salary is 200 merks, and a good school-house. The Society’s salary in Kinchardine is £9, and one of the best school-houses in the Highlands.

There is no parochial fund for the poor, but the weekly collections in the church, which will not exceed £6 a-year at an average, there being no residing heritors. These collections are not sufficient to buy shoes for the poor, for the half of the year. They live on the farmers, by begging from door to door. It is in this way the parishioners give their charity chiefly, which they do very liberally. To keep within bounds, the parishioners bestow 100 bolls of meal a-year on the poor that beg, and other donations sent to such as, by age or infirmities, or confined at some home. This calculation is within the truth, and easily made: A family that gives regularly to such objects will, in the common way, consume a pack of meal each week, which exceeds three bolls in the year to such a family. This is a heavy burden upon the tenants, and calls upon heritors to contribute to their relief.

Wages, Fuel, Etc

Men servants get from £2:10s, to £3 in the half year, women 18s. and £1, and some more; men labourers generally 1.s the day; women, 6d. when engaged for the day at peats, etc. Servants are only engaged here for the half year, which is attended with great inconveniencies and much loss of labour to the farmer. In short there are hardly any regulations for servants in the north of Scotland, which is severely felt.

The fuel of the parish is peat and wood, with which all, upon the whole, are well supplied, tho’ the casting, winning, and leading of them, makes them much more expensive than coals are to such as have easy access to them. Besides, there not being such a comfortable constant fire, there is much waste of time, cattle, and carts, in all the operations of them; and after a risk of being ill fired after all, or getting few of them home, and these in bad order in rainy seasons.

Antiquities

There is a large oblong square building near the church, called Castle-Roy, or the Red-Castle, one side [141] 30, the other 20 yards, the height about 10. It never was roofed, has no loop holes, and only one entrance to the inside. Neither history nor tradition give any satisfying account of it.

Eminent and Remarkable Men

The Honourable John Grant, late Chief Justice of Jamaica, was a native of this parish. At Knock of Kinchardine, in the other extremity of the parish, was born in the 1700 John Stuart, commonly called, and well known by the name of John Roy Stuart. His mother was 55 years old when he was born. The one of these gentlemen was as remarkable for certain talents, as the other was eminent in the station which he so lately filled. John Roy Stuart, served for several years as lieutenant and quarter-master in the Scots Grays, till the year 1740, when he applied for a company in the 42d Regiment, which being denied to him, he left the kingdom, went for some time to the continent, and afterwards to France, where he died in the year 1752, only a captain. By these means, his talents were lost to himself and to his country. He had education, without being educated; his address and his figure, showed his talents to great advantage. He was a good poet in Gaelic and English.

Roads and Bridges

It was only about the year 1764, when the present proprietor Sir James Grant entered to the estates, that roads were begun in this part of his estate, called Strathspey, which is about 30 miles in length. Since which period, he has made above 130 miles, when the whole is added together. The roads in this parish, are remarkably good, and going on yearly, by means of the statute-labour. The great roads are made through these parishes by Sir James Grant and the Duke of Gordon. Cross roads [142] are now going on, which will prove highly serviceable. The Duke of Gordon has made one uncommonly good cross-road; from Glenmore to the Spey, for his English Company.

There is one excellent bridge, built about 25 years ago, by Sir James Grant on the river Nethy, at his own expense, and 2 smaller bridges to the east by him, with some assistance from the county of Inverness. Another bridge is begun, on a very troublesome rivulet, near the church of Kincahrdine on the Duke of Gordon’s property, with assistance from the county of Inverness. The heritors of the county of Inverness assess themselves, with much spirit, for building bridges, etc. which cannot indeed be said for the proprietors of the low parts of Elgin. Sir James Grant has lately made about 7 miles of a very difficult and expensive road, from Castle Grant, past his own march in the hills to shorten the way, at least to open new communications with Forres and Elgin, and this at his own private expense. And yet, the people concerned in the trade in these towns, and the numerous proprietors of the lower estates, seem to be in danger of forgetting to come forward to meet him. They have hitherto done nothing of their part of it; and while they continue so inactive, his great expense and labour will be lost. The time was when Highlanders were said to be averse to have any roads made in, or to their country. But it is a little singular to see the inhabitants of the west of Murray, who always pretended to superior civilizations to the highland people, to outdone here. It is hoped therefore they will come forward next season to save their reputation. The advantages and satisfaction of the private roads here, and of the king’s high road from Fort George to Perth, through the east end of the parish, with its numerous bridges, are so many and do sensibly felt when contrasted with the state of the country some years ago, that it is unnecessary to take up room here in relating it.

Manufacturers

There are no manufacturers is these parishes, but that of wood, as has been already mentioned. A woollen manufacturer, for Scots serges, stuffs, tartans, etc. might be tried with a prospect of advantage in some part of [143] of this country, where the women understand the spinning of wool very well for such purposes; and where there is plenty of wool. Something of this kind, and the spinning of flax, would be of the greatest service for procuring subsistence to poor people, and keeping them from begging, which numbers are obliged to do, for want of employment of this kind. Raising of flax has been and is tried, but has not come any great length as yet, owing to several causes. Several parts of the lands near the Spey are very well adapted for such a crop; but it never can be expected to answer in the braes or highlands of the parish; the soil and climate being totally against it. Furnishing such people as are unacquainted with the kind of crop with seed, without any price paid for it or at a very low rate, might with proper directions given them, bring this a greater length and do much good. The want of employment, and the large tracts of land laid under sheep in many parts of the Highlands, has increased the number of beggars much. And if the price of leather advances a little further, beggars will not be able to travel for want of shoes; as they will not be able to get as much as buy them. Such highland shoes as the people here wear, have increased within these 20 years from 20d. and 1s. to 3s. and 3s. 6d the pair.

Miscellaneous Observations

The size of the people is generally very good at an average 5 feet 6, 8 and 10 inches, and many above that height; handy and active in their persons; generally sagacious and well informed according to their station; frugal and economical, and in general very sober. There is no whisky still in the parish, because there is no grain for it. None have been condemned for a capital crime, since the days of the regality jurisdiction. They make hardy, clean, tractable solders when in the army; numbers of them are excellent marksmen. Their chief attachment is to Highland corps, which Government ought to make always as provincial as possible; this would increase their attachment, and their spirit to a degree that none can understand but such as know their tempers. A man that is [144] is harsh and austere, and fond of severity and punishment, is not fit to command a Highland corps; but their officers, do them justice, speak to them in a discreet friendly manner, and encourage them by a little familiarity, and they find them respectful, attached and obedient. The vagabonds that are recruited in cities and towns, ought never to be allowed to mix with them,

The method adopted by Government of late, in making their Highland Fencibles provincial ones, is a wise measure, and will answer the end proposed. It is peculiar to this parish to have two heritors who have got each a Fencible regiment. The Duke of Gordon and Sir James Grant, and who have not only raised them in three weeks and a few days, but have each of them supernumeraries, for additional companies, in forming of a considerable part of second battalions, if Government should need them; and all recruited in an easy, discreet, smooth manner, without force or compulsion. Men so pleasantly got, and so content when well used, cannot miss of giving satisfaction to their officers, and may be relied on by the nation. The people here are loyal to a degree that cannot be surpassed; amazingly attached to their King, because they like his character and his virtues, and that he is a good man.

Political or religious fanaticism have got no footing here; of course it is very easy to live in peace among them. There are no religious sectaries here, the people being all of the Established Church. Their language, their garb, their social situation, their climate and modes of husbandy, have kept them hitherto a people different in character and manners, from the inhabitants of the low country, and from being misled by the doctrine of those itinerant fanatics that infest the coast. The poisonous doctrines of political pamphlet writers, have made no progress among them; yet many of the people here seem often much dissatisfied with their condition in some respects. [145] What they complain of chiefly is, the method followed in letting their farms when their leases are expired. It is seldom that the tenants are called on to renew till within a few months of the term of removal, and then perhaps left for years in suspense, before they are settled with, and tried for some addition every year; and every year receiving a summons of removal. The offers received are generally kept private; and when they get a lease, it is only for 15 or 19 years, which they think too short. The effects of this method are very bad, both for master and tenant. For during the last 2 or 3 years of the lease, they are under apprehensions of being removed, and of course plough up what they ought not, or would not, if they were certain of continuing; and all this while, careless about the repairs of their houses and building. By these means, they either hurt themselves, if they continue, by renewing, or their successor if they remove, and the proprietors interest in either case. Besides that while people are kept long in suspence, it occasions much unhappy anxiety, and restlessness of mind.

The following or some such rules, if attended too, might be beneficial both to master and tenants. 1st: That tenants ought to be settled with, at least a year before the expiration of their leases. 2nd: That no private offers ought to be admitted at all. They are often, when injudicious, unsafe for the master and precarious for the tenant. Because a tenant is at a loss how to act, when he knows not what is offered by others, and of course may offer different times above himself. A public roup would be fairer that private offers, because then a person sees what he is doing. Besides that when people are pressed by necessity, or hurried by their passions, it is dangerous to rely on their offers. The method of encouraging people to offer privately or publicly upon each other is most hurtful to the very essence of Christianity, by destroying friendship and good will, and introducing much ill will, revenge and quarrels. It is common to hear of peoples threatening to offer for their neighbours [146] possessions several years before they expire. In short the ill temper produced by theses unlucky interferences, sometimes lives longer than the leases. It is hard therefore, to throw unnecessary temptations in the way of people; and therefore what might remedy all this and answer better, is, 3rdly: That the matter, after being well informed, and due consideration of the nature, quality, climate, advantage and disadvantages of each farm, should set a specific rent so it, as high as he thinks it can bear, and then offer it to the possessor, and to none other, if he does not reject it, paying due regard at the same time to abilities, industry, character, and principle; and if the possessor declines it, then to give it to some other proper person, who may think it worth that rent. 4thly, That when a proprietor gets good tenants he ought to give two or three nineteens, with a certain rise of rent at certain periods. This would make their minds easy, and induce them to act with spirit, because of their having a pretty sure prospect that they or theirs might reap the fruits of their industry. Fifteen or 19 years leases are very bad for people of circumstances and industry; because when a industrious man upon a short lease puts his farm in the best order he can, he makes it the greater temptation for others to offer for it and remove himself. There is another thing which the tenants of the principal proprietor complain of much, and which they reckon a grievance, tho’ it is only the consequence of their agreement by their leases, that is, paying for the building or reparation of church, manse and school-house. This was no doubt introduced in time of wadsets or mortgages, of which there are none now on the estate. It would be equally for the interest of the heritor to take all this on himself, as is generally done over all Scotland, and substitute an addition to the rent in place of it. This would likewise be most pleasant to any incumbent; because, when any thing is wanted in that way, the people murmur and complain, and look upon themselves as distressed by the minister.

Cottagers

There is a class of people much neglected, at least very little attended to, not only here but in most countries in the Highlands, i.e. the cottagers. They not only have their houses from subtenants, but sometimes from the subtenants of subtenants; and few of them allowed to keep a milch cow or horse, even for paying for them. This, in a country where there is not constant employment for such, by daily labour, must of course keep them miserably poor, and force them often to beg [147] or tempt them to pilfer. If heritors were to assign small spots of land for them in centrical places, near the principal farms, from whence labour might be expected most, and let each of them have a house and garden, and about two acres of ground for corn and potatoes, this would maintain a cow, and perhaps a small house; and they might join about ploughing their spots [four or six would be enough together; crowding a number of poor people together might defeat the design]. This might answer well for small tradesmen, such as country shoemakers, tailors, weavers, etc. and promote their comfort, honesty and usefulness to the neighbourhood.

Cattle markets

[146] The people here, as well as in many parts of the Highlands, have but too much cause to complain [147] of losses sustained by the failures of little drovers. It is thought by some, that this might be prevented from being so frequent. The common method of buying of cattle is for any one that attempts droving to call a market for himself when he sees proper. The necessity, ignorance, or greed of many, induce them often to venture their cattle, for a shilling or two more a-head, with a man that would be ruined if he lost a crown a-piece by his parcel at Falkirk. Sales are by these means often partial, and seldom general – picking a few beasts here and there out of parcels. It is thought, a few public markets in centrical places, corresponding to the fairs in the south, would answer better; that heritors ought to attend to this, and that they and their factors should get the best information in their power of the prices of the times, and get men of character and substance to come as buyers; and that factors should attend them, and persuade the tenants to sell in a reasonable moderate way, according to the times: This might make the sale more general, and often prevent much money from being lost to tenants, and of course, to heritors. For, surely, considering what a fatiguing, hazardous business droving is, men that pay well ought to be much sought after, and much encouraged.

State of Glebes

Here, though out of place, a few observations occur to be made on the original and general designation of ministers glebes, the [148] legal quantity being four acres and a little grass. It would appear that it was thought then, that ministers were to live abstracted from this earth altogether. There is such a difference between four acres in some places or countries and others, that there was no justice in the general rule. What purpose can many glebes of four acres of poor land in many parts of the Highlands answer; Will such a glebe maintain cattle to plough itself, or two horses to lead the minister’s peats? Which way is his family to get fuel brought home, or meal carried from the low country, at the distance of 30 or 40 miles or more? Was it supposed, that the ministers would be able, at any rate when old, to go on foot through their large parishes from one preaching place to another, at many miles distance, through frost and snow; Therefore without regard to quantity, every glebe ought to maintain two cows, and two good horses for ploughing, for the ministers’s riding, for leading his peats and meal from any distance necessary. It is said heritors reckon it a great hardship that the Court of Session should deem for victual ministers in parishes which pay no victual-rent, and perhaps when enough is not produced for the inhabitants. Some heritors grudge every thing that is given to their clergy, as if they had no right to any thing. But besides that victual is the only payment that keeps pace with the times, does it not appear a greater hardship, that a minister should send [149] to a great distance for what his family requires, and therefore it would seem equitable, that at any rate 20 or 14 bolls meal and bear should be ordered; which, with the produce of the glebe, might be supposed to answer for the consumption of the house.

Progress of Civilization

[148]It is worth observing, what change there is in the modes of thinking of the people within the last 45 years. Two events have contributed, in a remarkable manner, to a better way of thinking, and submission to order and government. The rebellion of 1745-6 in its good effects, and the subsequent abolition of the jurisdiction act. Previous to that period property was chiefly protected by force, and the existing laws know in theory, but little regarded in many parts of the Highlands. Thieving was a trade in many countries, and carried on on a large scale, with much contrivance and sagacity, and countenanced sometimes in private by those who undertook, for a certain pay called black meal, the protection of neighbouring districts. President Forbes of Culloden paid his proportion of this assessment, before the 1745, to [149]to a certain person to the west of him, whose power and influence were so great, that he would have ruined his estate if he had, refused to comply. The land of Moray being, it seems, always a land of plenty, seems to have been devoted to be plundered. The people to the west appear to have claimed a right to a share of the productions of it. They used to regret, that their corn-stacks would not drive like their cattle.

There is a remarkable correspondence between Allan Cameron of Lochiel, and the Laird of Grant about 120 years ago, wherein the principles of the times are clearly seen. The correspondence is published in Sir John Dalrymple’s Collection of original papers and letters. The story is briefly thus; a party of the Camerons had come down, to carry a spreadh of cattle, as it was called, from Moray; they unluckily carried off the cattle of Grant of Moynes in Nairn shire. Moynes complained to his Chief, the Laird of Grant, and he sent a party after them, and after a sharp conflict, brought back the cattle. Lochiel writes a letter to his friend the Laird of Grant, regretting the misfortune, asserting that when his friends went out, they did not intend to trouble his Honour’s land; nor did they know that Moynes was a Grant, otherwise they would not have gone near him, or troubled him more than any man in Strathspey, but they went to Moray-land, he says, “where all men take their prey”.

Lochiel mentions the number of killed and wounded of his friends in the skirmish; and says, they were all so much taken up about the curing of their friends, that they could not attend to my business of the time. But when that was over, he was willing to refer the whole to their mutual friend Seaforth, which was done; and it does not appear, that Seaforth had much difficulty in making the two chieftains as good friends as they were before.

A little after this period, the Laird of Grant was obliged to build a stable within his court, to prevent his own brother from taking away his best horses. This stable was then taken down about 40 years ago. The incumbent remembers when the people of this country kept out a watch in the summer-months, for protecting their cattle, and these watches kept up by a round of duty, and reliefs at certain periods. In this country, where that business was not followed [150] professionally for some time past, the people is several places and passes were often obliged to be discreet and hospitable to these intruders, as the went to the low countries, and no doubt there were connivers and aiders among them, who knew very well for what they were so.

The humiliation produced by the defeat [150]of the undertaking of 1745-6, and the wise plan of employing the Highlanders in 1757, in the public cause, contributed by the degrees to introduce loyalty and submission to the laws into the very seats of disaffection and rapine. The conduct of the people, when employed in support of the nation, showed that they were only missed at home. It is to be regretted, that so many thousands of these now loyal brave people have been forced to a foreign shore by necessity, for want of employment, habitations, or ground to subsist on. However advantageous the sheep-farming may be, it is possible it may be overdone; and in every sense, it is cruel in many places at present. It is dangerous in these times to drive poor people to desperation, as it may make many disposed to join in tumults and riots, who would never think of them if they had a home and the common necessaries of life. To increase our gratitude for the protection afforded by our constitution to the lives and propertied of the individuals in these countries at present, we will mention the blessings we enjoy by the abolition of the jurisdiction act in the year of 1748. That delegation of feudal power was dangerous in the extreme, because it was generally abused. When we consult the traditional history of the country for a century and upwards past, and the extraordinary conduct of some of these despots, the bailies of regality, and the preciousness of life and property often within their jurisdiction, one is excited to grasp with fondness the Government that has annihilated their dangerous power, They often punished crimes [151] by committing greater ones themselves. They often, no doubt, tried by jury; but some of them, at other times, in a summary, arbitrary, and extraordinary manner.

A few instances will be enough to mention, in case the reader should imagine, that these things were lately done in Tippoo Sultan’s dominions. One of them lived in this parish, named Robert Grant, commonly called Bailie More. It is said he used to hang people for disobliging him. He seldom called juries: He hanged two brothers on a tree within a thousand yards of this town, and buried both in one grave, on the roadside. The grave and stones above it are still visible.

Another, named James Grant, commonly called Baile Roy, who lived long in this parish, hanged a man of the name Stewart, and after hanging him, set a jury on him, and found him guilty. The particulars are too long to be inserted here. The Bailie had many reasons for being in such a hurry. The man was, unluckily for him, wealthy and abounded in cattle, horses, sheep and goats, all of which were instantly driven to the Bailie’s home; Stuart’s children set a-begging, and his wife became deranged in her mind, and was afterward drowned in a river: It is not very long since. This same Bailie Roy, on another occasion, hanged two notorious thieves, parboiled their heads, and set them up on spikes afterward. At another time, he drowned two men in sacks, at the bridge of Billimon, within a few hundred yards of this manse, and endeavoured to compel a man from Glenmore, in the barony of Kinchardine, to assist him, and the excecutioners he had with him in the business; which the man refusing to do, the Bailie said to him, If you was within my regality, I would teach you better manners than to disobey my commands. This Bailie bought a good estate.

There was another of them, called Bailie Bain, in this country; who became so odious, that the country-people drowned him in the Spey, near the church of Inverallan, about 2 miles from hence. They took off his boots and gloves, left them on the bank, and drove his horse through a rugged place, full of large stones. The tract in the land, boots, etc, discovered what had become of him; and when a search was made for him down the river, a man met the party near the church of Cromdaele, who asked them, what they were searching for? they answered, for the Bailie’s body ; upon which, he said, “Turn back, turn back, perhaps he is gone up against the river, for he was always acting against Nature.”

As their power was great, and generally abused, so many of them enriched themselves. They had many ways of making money for themselves: such as
1. The Bailie’s Derek, [152] as it was called, or a day’s labour in the year from every servant on the estate.
2, Confiscation, as they generally seized on all the goods and effects of such as suffered capitally.
3. All fines for killing game, black sheep or cutting green wood, were laid on by themselves and went into their own pockets. These fines amounted to what they pleased almost.
4. Another very lucrative perquisite they had, was, what was called the Herial Horse, which was, the best horse, cow, ox or other articles, which any tenant on the estate possessed at the time of his death. This was taken from the widow and children for the Bailie, at the time they had most need of assistance. This amounted to a great deal on a large estate. This practice was abolished by the late Sir Ludovick Grant in this country, in the year 1738.