Sketch of the Civil and Traditional History of Caithness, from the Tenth Century

Front matter

ACKERQILL TOWER, FROM THE SEA y <- y o W I C K ARMS W\ i r h WILLIAM RAE IIDCC'C'LXXXVII SKETCH of the CIVIL AND TRADITIONAL HISTORY OF CAITHNESS FROM THE TENTH CENTURY BY JAMES T. CALDER AUTHOR OF " POEMS FROM JOHN O'GROAT'S," ETC, ETC. ft SECOND EDITION WITH HISTORICAL NOTES BY THOMAS SINCLAIR, M.A. AUTHOR OF "HUMANITIES," ETC. MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS AV I C K WILLIAM RAE. THURSO : JOHN MALCOLM AND MISS RUSSELL. 1887, TO SIR GEORGE DUNBAR OF HEMPRIGGS, BARONET, is bis t'crlulttc IS RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. I HAD long cherished a desire to draw up something like a regvdar history of Caithness, but on making the requisite investigation, I found that neither the public records of the county, nor yet family papers, afforded sufficient materials for the purpose. The present work, therefore, is merely a sketch or outline mostly drawn from other sources, and in some measure aided by local tradition. The writer to whom I have been chiefly indebted for information regarding what may be called the ancient history of Caithness, is Torfæus, whose authority on this point is justly entitled to credit from the following circumstance : — When the Orkney Islands, of which Caithness formed a part of the earldom for so many hundred years, had, from increase of population and proximity to Scotland, become valuable as an appendage to the crown of Norway, an historiographer was appointed to reside in the island of Flotta, and to record all transactions of any public moment that took place in the two counties.

These were regularly entered into a diary or journal, entitled the " Codex Flatensis," or Book of Flotta. The work, which was one of national importance, was, for better preservation, afterwards deposited in the royal library at Copenhagen; and from it, and the " Orkneyinga Saga" — the latter a compilation of Jonas Jon næus, an Icelandic scholar — Torfæus drew the materials of his history. " Torfæus," says Chambers, " sustains the character

PREFACE.

. VIII of a faithful historian, and the facts which he details are pro bably as authentic as the early records of any portion of the British empire, while he has enabled us to correct several errors in the commonly-received accounts of Scotland." And Samuel Laing, a still higher authority on this point, says that " his history may be regarded as the only authentic record of affairs in the North for many ages." The period embraced, so far as regards Orkney and Caithness, is from 876 to 1260. The following are a few of the leading particulars of his personal history. Thormod Torfeson (Torfæus being the Latinised name) was a native of Iceland. His father, Torse Erlendsen, was a person of some consideration in that country. The son was born in 1636, and educated at the University of Copenhagen.

While attending this seminary, he became distinguished as a student ; and his classical acquirements were such that they afterwards procured him the honourable situa tion of historiographer to Christian V., King of Denmark. His great work, which he composed in Latin, was published about the year 1690, under the title of " Orcades, seu rerum Orcadi ensium Historiæ." He is also the author of another curious work entitled " Historia Vinlandiæ Antiquæ," which gives a description of the maritime adventures of the Norwegians and their alleged discovery of America five hundred years before Columbus. He died, according to the best accounts, in 1720 at the advanced age of 84. With regard to the more modern history of Caithness, my information has been chiefly derived from Sir Robert Gordon's elaborate work, entitled a " Genealogical History of the Earl dom of Sutherland," which contains a full account of the various feuds and conflicts which for so long a period existed between the two rival houses of Caithness and Sutherland.

PREFACE.

. IX Sir Robert, however, with all his industry and research, cannot be considered an impartial historian. He everywhere discovers a strong prejudice against the Sinclair family ; and his state ments in regard to them, and to Caithness matters in general, must be received with large deduction. The continuator of his history, Gilbert Gordon of Sallach, in a eulogy of his many virtues and talents, candidly admits that he was a man of a passionate temper, and a " bitter enemy." Sir Robert was the second son of Alexander, Earl of Sutherland, and Lady Jane Gordon, who was divorced by Bothwell, and was born at Dun robin 14th May, 1580. He received the best education that Scotland coidd afford at the time, having attended both the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews. He resided much at the court of King James I. of England.

James, with whom he seems to have been a favourite, conferred on him the honour of knighthood, and he also granted him a yearly pension for life of £200 stg. Sir Robert was the ancestor of the Gordon stone family, to whom he bequeathed a large estate in the county of Elgin. He died about the year 1650. Among other works which I consulted, and which supplied me with some important facts and details, may be mentioned Mackay's " History of the House and Clan of Mackay," Hen derson's " Agricultural View of Caithness," Barry's " History of Orkney," Peterkin's " Notes of Orkney," Balfour's " Odal Rights and Feudal Wrongs," Brand's " Description of Orkney, Shetland, and Caithness," " Pennant's Tour," the " Origines Parochiales Scotiæ," and a most interesting volume entitled, " An Account of the Danes and Norwegians in England, Scot land, and Ireland," by J. J. Worsaae, Royal Commissioner for the preservation of the National Monuments of Denmark. For much interesting information connected with the rentals,

PREFACE.

. X roads, and pedigrees of some of the principal families in the county, I am indebted to Sir John Sinclair of Dunbeath ; James Sinclair, Esquire of Forss ; John Henderson, Esquire, Banker, Thurso ; Mr James Mackay, Messenger-at-Arms, Thurso ; and Mr George Petrie, Clerk of Supply for the county of Orkney. Mr Sinclair of Forss furnished me with the valuable paper on the Caithness roads, and Mr Mackay with the curious docu ment entitled the " Liberties of Thurso." I would have gladly given, had they been sent me, some more pedigrees of Caith ness families, as genealogical details of this kind are to many persons exceedingly interesting. I have not, from my slight acquaintance with such subjects, touched on the geology, botany, or ornithology of the county. In this respect, however, Caithness presents a wide and varied field, and one which, in skilful hands, I have no doubt would afford materials for a highly interesting volume.

The work which I have ventured to publish is, as I have said, merely an imperfect Sketch. Such as it is, however, it may afford some interest to local readers ; and with the help of additional sources of information, should any such cast up, it may prove useful to some future writer in supplying materials for a fuller and more connected history of the county. J. T. CALDER. 1861.

PREFACE.

TO SECOND EDITION. The first edition of my work on Caithness having been received by the public with a degree of favour exceeding my most sanguine hopes, it is with great pleasure that I now publish a second impression, in which the reader will find a good deal of new and curious information bearing on the civil and traditional history of the county. This has been derived from various sources. To John Henderson, Esq., W.S., in Thurso, I have once more to express my obligations. That gentleman, besides furnishing me with additional notices of his own, very kindly favoured me with the perusal of a manuscript entitled " The past and present state of Caithness," by his brother, the late Patrick Brodie Henderson, M.D., which dis plays great research on the part of the writer, and is particularly valuable as embodying the statistics of the county from about the year 1700 down to 1837.

Dr. Henderson was the eldest son of the late William Henderson, Esquire, Sheriff- Substitute of Caithness, and appears to have been a man of more than ordinary talent and accomplishment. He died at Dingwall, in 1840, of fever caught in the discharge of profes sional duty. I might have considerably enlarged my book by giving more of the antiquities and statistics of the county from Dr. Hender son's compilation ; but details of this kind, though interesting

PREFACE.

. XII to a few, appear dry and uninviting to the majority of readers, who relish most the events and incidents of local history when they are related in anything like a readable style. A work chiefly intended for the public must contain somewhat of the element of popularity. Before concluding, I would here express my obligation also to Mr Alexander Gunn, Braehour Cottage, in the parish of Halkirk, for the striking tradition resjiecting the capture of Sutherland of Dirlot by Mackay, his uncle, and for several new and authentic particulars connected with the famous duel which was fought by Sinclair of Olrig and Innes of Sandside. To those conductors of the press who honoured me with favourable notices of the first edition of my book, I have to return my best thanks. The only critical objection of any moment I have seen, is the numerous details of barbarous clan fights, and still more barbarous assassinations, in the olden time, which it has been said have a tendency to shock the feelings of the reader.

There is no doubt some truth in this ; but if I had purposely omitted all mention of atrocities of this nature, I would not have acted the part of a faithful annalist. I may observe, further, that, so far as regards ancient criminal statistics, Caithness does not present a darker moral picture than any other county in Scotland. Outrages fully as revolting and cruel as any I have described will be found in the local records of them all. Human nature in its progress from barbar ism to civilisation is everywhere the same ; and to the Christian philanthropist the present condition of Caithness, compared with what it was in former times, will afford a pleasing and happy contrast. I have only further to add that I have carefully revised the text, and corrected several inaccuracies which had crept into

PREFACE.

. XIII the former edition, so that it is hoped the work as now pub lished will be found still more worthy of the public approba tion. No doubt errors will be found in this new edition also ; for it would be ridiculous presumption in a mere annalist to claim exemption from the common frailty. J. T. CALDER 18G3. PUBLISHER'S

PREFACE.

. This work was first published in 1861, and having been rapidly sold off, has now* been long out of print. The author had prepared a second edition, containing a considerable body of new, interesting, and valuable matter, and was contemplating its early publication, having even written the preface for it, when his lamented death occurred in 1864. The present publisher, having purchased the copyright of the work, at length issues this second edition exactly as it was prepared for publication by the author. A great deal of new matter appears in the text, and a great deal more in the appendix, but both text and appendix stand here precisely as they left Mr Calder's own hands. But these twenty-three years have seen fresh light cast on some portions of Caithness history, and have themselves brought changes with them that require to be recorded, and accordingly a number of supplementary notes have been added, with the view of bringing the information contained in the work in both these respects down to the present date.

These supplementary notes have been written in part by Mr Thomas Sinclair, M.A., the best living authority on Caithness history, and in part by various local gentlemen well known in the county for their stores of Caithness lore, among whom we must select for special acknowledgments Mr Charles Bruce, J. P. of Caithness, F.S.A. Scot., who supplies the article on the Hill of Wick case, Mr George Miller Sutherland, solicitor, and Mr

PREFACE.

XV James Grant, teacher, Forres, who contributes the communi cation on plants lately found in the county. A Map of Caithness has been inserted, reduced from the Ordnance Survey Map, which, it is hoped, will still further enhance the value of the work. The few illustrations given of well known places in the county will, perhaps, be appreciated by natives at a distance, at least, as they call up thoughts of former days. February, 1887. MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. James Traill Calder, author of this work, was the son of George Calder and Janet Reid, and was born on the 18th October, 1794, at Stangergill, near the village of Castletown, in Caithness. His father was at that time gardener to James Traill, Esq. of Ratter, but was afterwards for many years farmer and innkeeper in Castletown. When a boy of four, Calder lost in a fever the use of one of his limbs, and never recovered it.

He received his education first at the parish school of Olrig under Mr John Abernethy, afterwards mini ster of Bolton, and then at the parish school of Dunnet, which was at that time very ably conducted by Mr John Dunn, afterwards minister of Kirkwall. On leaving school, Calder was for a short time tutor in the family of Mr Gunn, Dale, and a little later in that of Mr Madrid, Watten, and then entered the University of Edinburgh as a student of arts in November, 1814. His academical course was interrupted by his appointment to the parochial school of Canisbay in 1815, and though he eventually completed the usual four years' curriculum of the student of arts, he did not do so till -1832. His career at college was one of distinction, more especially in the department of mental philosophy. In 1820 he took the fourth prize in the logic class, and in 1832 the second in the moral philosophy, then taught by the celebrated Professor Wilson. After settling in Canisbay, Calder began occasionally to

PREFACE.

. XVII contribute poetical pieces to the Inverness Courier, which had been but lately started by Mr Robert Carruthcrs, and this connection brought him into correspondence with a fellow-contributor who was afterwards to make an honoured name in literature, Hugh Miller. They used to send their writings each to the other, and exchange criticisms upon them, and Calder prophesied even at that early stage that his correspondent, whatever might be said of his poetry, was certainly destined to shine among writers of English prose. They never met, however, either then or in after life, though Miller, when once in Caithness, called at the Canisbay school house in the hope of seeing his old correspondent. In 1825 Calder caused some sensation in Caithness by the publication — through a friend, without the author's own knowledge — of his poem " Macroary," a satire on a local probationer, which touched on some phases of religious life in the north; and during the years 1826 and 1827 he carried on a controversy with Mr Alexander Ewing, Independent minister of Thurso, defending the Established Church against Mr Ewing's attacks in a series of vigorous pamphlets.

When the John O'Groat Journal was established at Wick in 1836, Calder became one of its principal contributors, and he collected a number of his contributions — chiefly poems and tales — in a volume, entitled "Sketches from John O'Groat's," which was published by subscription in 1842. In that same year he visited Edinburgh, and saw a good deal of the poets, Robert Gilfillan and David Vedder. In 1846 he published, at Edinburgh, "The Soldier's Bride," and in 1849, "St. Mary's Fair, and other Poems." Calder was now beginning to feel the effects of advancing years, and finding that his health was unequal to the work

PREFACE.

. of his school, he engaged, in 1850, a permanent substitute, and finally, in 1856, retired altogether from the school on the petty pension of £25 a year. With this income he removed to Dunnet, and lived with his step-mother, coming occasionally to Wick or Thurso to deliver a popular lecture or visit an old friend. One of his lectures was on National Education • and it shows the liberality of his mind that so early as 1853 he advocated the opening of parochial schools to qualified teachers of all denominations, though he incurred blame from his friends in the Established Church for doing so. In 1856 he collected greater part of his best poems in a single volume, which was published under the title of "Poems from John O'Groat's ;" and about the year 1858 he began gathering materials for the present work, which was published in Glas gow in 1861.

While in Glasgow in connection with its publication, he was entertained by the Glasgow Caithness Association and presented with a testimonial. The next winter he spent in Orkney with his brother, Mr Peter Calder, at Stronsay, and on his way back to Caithness in June, 1 863, was taken ill in Kirkwall, and removed to Elwick Bank, the residence of his brother Marcus, where he died on the 14th of January, 1864. rage CONTENTS.

Chapter I

General Description of the County, State of Agriculture and Roads— Origin of John O'Groat's House — The Kennedys of Stroma — Wick — The Herring Fishing — Thurso — Harold's Tower — Population — Appearance and Characteristics of the People — Clannishness — Glasgow Caithness Association— Ancient Military Spirit of the Youth— Tinkers— Representatives at the Scottish Parliament, etc 1

Chapter II

The Original Inhabitants of the County — Standing Stones in Latheron— Subdued by Sigurd, the Norwegian Earl of Orkney — Rattle of Clontarf— Death of the Earl of Orkney and Caithness — Remarkable Prodigy — Legend of the Piper of the Windy Ha' — Thorfin, the celebrated Viking 49

Chapter III

Cruel Death of the Norwegian Governor at Duncansbay — Tale of the "Poisoned Shirt" — Sweyn, the famous Freswick Pirate — Siege of Bucholie Castle — Escape and Adventures of Sweyn — Earl Ronald, Founder of the Cathedral of Kirkwall, murdered at North Calder in the parish of Halkirk 64

Chapter IV

Battle on the Hill of Clairdon — Barbarous usage of the Bishop at Scrabster by Wicked Earl Harold — William the Lion comes to Caithness to punish Earl Harold — Adam, the Bishop of Caithness, burnt to death in his own Palace at Halkirk — Alexander II. hastens from Jedburgh, enters the County, and executes nearly the whole of those that were implicated in the burning of the Bishop — Adam succeeded by the celebrated Bishop Gilbert Murray — Haco, King of Norway, on his way to Largs, levies an impost on the natives of Caithness . . . .75 CONTENTS. XX

Chapter V

Page. Reginald Cheyne — Tradition respecting him and his two Daughters —The Keiths of Ackergill— Ackergill Tower— The ancestor of the Gunns settles in Caithness— Story of Helen Gunn, the " Beauty of Braemore" — Battle of Harpsdale — Battle between the Keiths and Gunns at Tannach— Treachery of the Keiths at the Chapel of St. Tayre — Revenge of the Gunns . . .88

Chapter VI

The rule of the Norwegian Earls in Caithness terminates — The Sinclairs of Roslin — William Sinclair, the Chancellor, invested with the Earldom of Caithness — His son William, second Earl of Caithness, killed at Flodden— Tradition respecting what is termed the "Drum Head Charter" — John, Earl of Caithness, invades Orkney — Battle of Summerdale— Earl and all his men slain — Curious Orkney Tradition — Sutherland of Duffus assassinated in Thurso 102

Chapter VII

George Sinclair, fourth Earl— Banishes William and Angus Gunn of Berriedale, and seizes their Castle — The Earl of Sutherland and his Lady poisoned at Helmsdale — The Earl of Caithness becomes Curator of Alexander, Earl of Sutherland, then a minor — Alexander marries his Lordship's Daughter — Flies afterwards to Strathbogie —Siege of Dornoch by the Master of Caithness and Mackay of Strathnaver — The Sutherland Hostages cruelly put to death — Master of Caithness imprisoned and starved to death at Girnigoe — George, Earl of Caithness, dies at Edinburgh — His Character 115

Chapter VIII

George, the fifth Earl of Caithness, kills with his own hand Ingrain and David Sinclair, the keepers of his late father — Series of Fights and Raids between him and the Earl of Sutherland—Town of Wick burnt— Battle of Clyne— Story of Arthur Smith, the Coiner— Desperate Skirmish in Thurso between the Sutherland Commissioners and the friends of the Earl of Caithness, in which John Sinclair of Stirkoke is slain— Criminal Process instituted by both parties— MelecS in the High Street of Edinburgh jo* CONTENTS. XXI Page,

Chapter IX

Tragical Disaster which befel Colonel George Sinclair in Norway —The Earl of Caithness employed by Government to quell a species of Rebellion got up by Patrick, Earl of Orkney, and his natural son, Robert— Takes the different posts occupied by the Insurgents, and sends the Prisoners to Edinburgh— Two serious Charges, the one of Incendiarism, and the other of being accessory to the slaughter of Thomas Lindsay, brought against the Earl — He is outlawed and denounced as a Rebel — Escapes to Orkney — Sir Robert Gordon, who is commissioned to apprehend him, has the keys of Castle Sinclair, etc., delivered up to him — Lord Berriedale gets the management of the Property, and an Annuity is settled on the Earl— Great Distress in Caithness and Orkney occasioned by Famine — The Master of Berriedale (son of William, Lord Berriedale) takes the National Covenant — Sir James Sinclair of Murkle raises a body of Caithnessmen and joins the Covenanters — Mowat, the Laird of Freswick, espouses the Royal cause, and joins Montrose — Death of the old Earl — Affair between Macalister, the Freebooter, and the inhabitants of Thurso .... 142

Chapter X

George, sixth Earl of Caithness, not distinguished by any remarkable qualities — Landing of Montrose in Caithness — He takes up his Headquarters in Thurso — Compels the Heritors aDd Ministers to sign a Bond of Allegiance, which they all do except the Minister of Bower — Is joined by Sinclair of Brims, Hugh Mackay of Dirlet, and Hutcheon Mackay of Seoury — Lays siege to the Castle of Dunbeath, which soon surrenders — Is defeated on the confines of Ross-shire, apprehended by Macleod of AssyDt, sent to Edinburgh, and executed — Castle of Dunbeath re-taken — Henry Graham, the brother of Montrose, makes his escape to Orkney — Cromwell plants a Garrison in Ackergill Tower — Curious Extracts from the Session Records of Canisbay regarding some of his troops that were stationed there— Kaids in Caithness by the Mackays of Strathnaver — Severe reprisal by the Laird of Dunbeath — The Earl of Caithness a supporter of the Government in suppressing Conventicles — Appears before the Presbytery in that capacity — His Death CONTENTS. XXII Page 242

Chapter XI

The late Earl, before his death, sells his Property and Title to John Campbell of Glenorchy— Glenorchy marries the Countess- Dowager — George Sinclair of Keiss disputes the Title — Battle of Altimarlach — The Sinclairs lose the day — Anecdote of Glenorchy's Piper — Glenorchy hated by the inhabitants of Caithness — His Estate in the County divided into several portions and sold 184

Chapter XII

John Sinclair of Murkle succeeds to the Earldom — Duel between Sinclair of Olrig and Innes of Sandside— Lord Macleod, son of the Earl of Cromarty, enters the County with a party of Rebels for the purpose of procuring men — Headquarters in Thurso — Several of the Proprietors in the County keen Jacobites — Alexander, now Earl of Caithness, and George Sinclair of Ulbster, staunch supporters of the Hanoverian dynasty — Lord Macleod, having got only a few men to join him, leaves the County — Achgillan and his Band of Robbers— Plot to murder and rob the Laird of Freswick — Story of Marshall, the Robber of Backlas — French Revolution and Rebellion in Ireland — The Caithness Fencibles 194

Chapter XIII

Prelature of Caithness — Bishop's Lands — Tradition regarding the Lews Chieftain and the Bishop's Daughter — Caithness intensely Popish before the Reformation — Dr Richard Merchiston of Bower, long after the Reformation, falls a martyr to his zeal against Popery — State of Education in Caithness — Edinburgh Caithness Association 216

Chapter XIV

Memoirs of Distinguished Caithness Clergymen— Different Religious Persuasions in the County— Anecdote of Sir William Sinclair of Keiss 226

Appendix

. Page. Ancient State of Husbandry, Handicrafts, etc., in Caithness — Memoranda connected with Public Roads in the County of Caithness — Extracts from Old Inventories of the Titles of the Estate of Malcolm Groat or Warse — Valuation of the County in 1760 and 1798 — Earls of Caithness of the Sinclair Family after Caithness was disjoined from Orkney, and erected into a separate Earldom — Armorial Bearings of the Earls of Caithness — Pedigree of the Mey Family — Pedigree of John Sinclair. Esq. of Barrock — Letter of Mr Sinclair of Forss to the Author — Pedigree of the Forss Family — Testament of Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath, in Caithness — Mutiny of the High School Boys — Young Sinclair of Mey 272 POSTSCRIPT. Colonel George Sinclair — Caithness Proprietors and Wadsetters 1668 — Liberties of the Town of Thurso — The Caithness Fencibles — Lord Caithness's Steam Carriage — The Battle of Altimarlach — Gleanings from Douglas Peerage of Scotland, and other sources 301 NOTES TO SECOND EDITION.

By T. Sinclair, M.A. The Rev. Timothy Pont, M.A., Minister of Dunnet, and the Boundary of Caithness — Road Money under the Old System — Holborn Head — Mermaid Stories — Origin of the Groat Family — Gow the Pirate — Distinguished Caithness Students — AVick in 1608 — First House in Pulteneytown — The Sinclairs of Lybster — Rev. Charles Cordiner and Oldwick Castle — Thurso Parish Register— Miller Institution — Bridge of Thurso — Mysterious Stories — Rent of Caithness in 1702 — Evictions in 1810 — Payment of M.P.'s in Scottish Parliament — Tumuli of Caithness — Treaty of St Clair — Standing Stones — The Swansons — The Gunns— The "Drumhead'' Charter — Earl John of Caithness — George, Fourth Earl of Caithness — Feuds between Caithness and Sutherland — The Macivers and Gunns— Colonel George Sinclair's Expedition to Norway — Burning of Sandside's Cornyard — Montrose's Invasion of Caithness — The Ulbster Sinclairs — Contest for the Earldom of Caithness— The Tongside Duel — The Stevenson Family— The Ratter Family— Au Ancient Legal Document, etc CONTENTS.

XXIV MISCELLANEOUS. Page. Early Notice of Caithness — Sketch of the Hill of Wick Case — Price of Farm Produce from 1750 to 1810 — Livings of Caithness Clergy — Copy of Wick Charter — The "Swelchie" of Stroma— Castles Sinclair, Girnigoe, and Mey — Dr. Morrison, Canisbay — Archdeacon Barbour — An Old Wick Charter — John O'Groat's House — Late Botanical Finds — Distinguished Visitors — Members of Parliament since 1796— Provosts of Wick since 1790 — Caithness Volunteers — Industrial and Art Exhibitions — Caithness Associations — Ornithology of the County .... 339 CAITHNESS IN 1887. The Telegraph —The Railway — Harbour Extension — Harbour Trust — Burgh Extension — Water Supply — Herring Fishing — Manufactures — Local Taxation — New Buildings in Wick and Thurso— The New Cemetery — Education — Life Saving Appliances — Social Influences — Area, Rental, and Population of Caithness — Agriculture — Fiars' Prices — County and Burgh Roads, etc 359 ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. Ackergill Castle from the Sea . . . f Frontispiece J Wick Arms . ( Vignette) Map of Caithness 1 John O'Groat's House 12 Old Man of Wick . S9 Castles Sinclair and Girnigoe 122 Scraiister Roads, Thurso . 218 Outel: Harbour of Wick ........ 256 New Bridge of Wick

Chapter I

Caithness is the most northern county on the mainland of Scotland. It bore originally, with Sutherland, the Gaelic name of Cattey or Cattadh. The present name is of Scandi navian origin. In the old Norse the county was called Katanes, which means the naze (Anglice, the nose) of Cattey; and this corresponds exactly with the appearance of the district, which forms a real naze, shooting out in a north eastern direction at Duncansbay-head. Caithness extends from south to north about forty miles, and from east to west about thirty. It is divided from the Orkneys by the Pentland Firth, and from the county of Sutherland by a picturesque mountain range, stretching from the celebrated headland of the Ord to Drumholisten on the north Atlantic. The greater part of Caithness is what geologists term a secondary formation, consisting chiefly of " flagstone with more or less calcareous matter.

WTith the exception of the Ord, which is a mass of granite, all the other headlands and rocks around the sea-coast are mostly composed of sandstone. The general aspect of the county, which measures in area about 712 square miles, is flat; and this peculiarity is rendered still more striking by the almost total absence of wood. There are a few plantations, as at Castlehill, Berriedale, and one or two other places, but A it requires much nursing and shelter to get them to attain to any height. The only tree that indicates congeniality with the soil is the common "bourtree," or elder, which thrives everywhere, and without any protection from the northern blast. This is the more remarkable, as the county would seem, at one period, to have been almost a complete forest. It contains a vast deal of moor or peat-moss, the well-known product of decayed vegetable matter ; and, in cutting for fuel, trunks of birch, pine, hazel, and other trees have been very frequently found with the bark quite entire.