conduct in this respect, in point of humanity, and of enlightened and patriotic policy, will be afterwards noticed when we come to consider the present state and future prospects of the Scottish Highlands in general.

Boundaries

the coun

try.

ELGIN, OR MORAYSHIRE.

THE

HE county of Elgin, or Moray Proper, forms the midand face of dle or principal district of the ancient county of Moray. Its boundaries, excepting along the shores of the Moray Frith, have not been determined by natural limits; as in the upper part of the country it is intersected in many places by districts belonging to the counties of Inverness, Nairn, and Banff. In general, however, its form resembles that of the county of Banff. It rests upon a northern exposure; its upper part towards the south consists of a portion of that very mountainous region which forms the head of the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Perthshire, and which gives rise to all the great rivers in the north of Scotland. As it descends on the north towards the Moray Frith, the country becomes more low and valuable. In general, it may be described as bounded, therefore, on the north, by that branch of the German ocean called the Moray Frith; on the east and south-east by Banffshire; on the south-west by Inverness-shire; and on the west by the counties of Inverness and Nairn. It extends about forty-two miles in length, and its average breadth is about twenty. Of this extent there are more than 200 square miles, denominated the Lowlands

of Moray, lying between the Frith and a chain of hills which stretch in a direction nearly parallel thereto, at the distance of about eight miles from the shore. This may be described as a champaign country, though diversified by many gentle rising grounds; which being all either covered with trees, or cultivated by the plough, form a landscape in general greatly superior in beauty, fertility, and riches, to any northward of the Grampian mountains. The remainder of this district, about 600 square miles in extent, must be regarded as a hilly country, divided into numerous fertile valleys along the banks of the different streams of water, which all terminate in the Spey, Lossy, or Findhorn; the only rivers in this district which discharge themselves into the sea. The uppermost part of the district, called Brae Moray, is occupied by extensive forests.

Waters.

Of the waters of this county it may be observed, that Findhorn, the Findhorn rises in the hills of Strathspey, Herrick, and Strathearn, in the county of Inverness; and after traversing near fifty miles, in a north-easterly course, through the counties of Inverness, Nairn, and Elgin, falls into the Frith at the harbour of Findhorn, about five miles north of the town of Forres.

The river Lossy has its source in the hills between Lossy. Dollas and Strathspey in this district; and running northeasterly about twenty miles, falls into the Frith at the port of Lossiemouth, situated about six miles north from Elgin.

The Spey has already been mentioned as rising in the Spey. hills between Lochaber and Badenoch in Inverness-shire; and that it terminates its course at the village of Gairmouth, at the north-eastern extremity of this county. During the last thirty miles of its course, it is a great and rapid torrent; but in the country of Strathspey this

Waters river, with all its branches, flows through channels nearly level; from which in many seasons, towards the evenings of sultry days in August, a most pernicious mildew appears to arise, which, confined by the overhanging hills, pours over the low grounds, and settling on the unripe corn blasts the milky substance of the ear, and sometimes destroys in one night the expectation of the most promising crop, and which can alone be saved either by a brisk wind or a heavy rain clearing off this clammy vapour before its poison is fixed in the stem, and rendered fatal by the power of the next day's sun.

Though none of these rivers are navigable, the Spey and Findhorn are notwithstanding of great consequence to the country, on account of the salmon fishings: and the timber from the forests in Strathspey is floated down the first of these rivers to Gairmouth.

There are several lakes in this district, of which Loch Spynie is the only one of importance. It is three miles long and one broad, and appears to have been formerly a frith or bay of the sea, though it is now shut up at the east and west ends by a long extent of valuable land. Accordingly the land between the lake and the sea still retains the name of Ross Isle; and mary beds of sea shells, particularly oysters, are found on the banks of the lake several feet below the surface of the earth. It abounds with pike and perch, and is frequented by swans. It has lately been drained to a considerable depth; but it is still far from being reduced to the smallest possible extent.

The Loch of Cots is in the same neighbourhood, and was originally a part of the sea, being described as a bay in the Cartulary of Moray, in the thirteenth century. Loch Nabee, which is at no great distance from these, is about three miles in circumference, and is in the milide of