might also introduce many kinds of fishes which we yet

want.

When lakes are shallow, and easily drained, the sediment at their bottom is found to make excellent arable land. A valuable improvement of this kind was cheaply obtained some years ago at Lochfanish, in the neighbourhood of Campbelton. Another is nearly effected at Lochan-du'il, in the parish of Kilcalmonel; and those who have property on the banks of Lochow, talk of deepening the outlet from it, so as to lower its surface, and enlarge its shores. It is much to the credit of former proprietors that such a project was set on foot, and some progress made in the work, when the acquisition of more territory was of little value, in comparison to what it is at present.

Lochow, like Lochness, and some other lakes in Scotland, is seldom subject to freezing. It may be proper to observe under this section, that some lakes may be converted to reservoirs for the watering of land.

SECT. VI.-MINERALS.

WHAT minerals may be in this county, is a matter that has not yet been sufficiently explored. A lead mine has beeh for a long time wrought on the borders of it near Tyndrom, on Lord BREADALBIN's property*; and another at Strontiant, on the property of Sir JAMES RIDDEL. Some appearances of lead ore have been also discovered in

* This work has lately intermitted.

† On this above 200 people are employed; the proprietor gets 1-8th of the produce, in pigs, free of all charges. The annual produce of the mine at present is about 300 tons.

Glen-.

Glenurchay, in Appin, and in the parish of Kilmalie* A copper mine has been found in the parish of Kilmartin, but not so far wrought as to ascertain its value.

It was said that the natives of this county were in use, some years ago, to make their own iron; and heaps of iron dross, or slag, are found in many places among the mountains (then covered with woods), said to be the remains of their founderies. But no iron ore is now observed of so good a quality as to merit any attention; a circumstance rather unfavourable to the tradition.

Coals are found in the neighbourhood of Campbelton, but they have not yet been wrought to any greater extent than what serves the town, which consumes about 4500 tons a year. The coal is rather of an inferior quality; but it is said that better coal might be got by going deeper, and being at more expense. There is also an appearance of coal in Kenlochalin, in Morven, and also in Mull. It is probable that, in other parts of the county, coal may be also found, if properly searched for. The Writer was shown a small piece of excellent coal lately dug up by a man casting peats (in Derichulin) in Glenurchay; but whether it got there by some strange accident, or grew in the place, is uncertain, as the spot has not yet been examinedt.

Freestone, of various colours and qualities, is found in Kintyre: there are many other kinds of stone in the county, which admit of being dressed and hewn. The most beautiful of them is that of which the Duke of

* A lead mine has been also wrought for some time in the island of Islay.

This circumstance deserves the more notice, that a judicious man from the low country (Mr. HISLOP), who had been casting peats here some years ago, used to say that he suspected there was coal in it.

ARGYLL'S

ARGYLL's castle at Inveraray is built, the lapis ollaris; said to be the same with that of the King of DENMARK'S palace at Copenhagen. A stone, somewhat similar in colour, but harder and coarser in the grain, is found in Glenurchay, and seems to be the same with that of which the old crosses and monuments in Icolumkill were formed. On this kind of stone, time and weather seem to make little or no impression; so that it is the fittest of any for monuments.

Esdale and its neighbourhood abound in slates, of which about five millions have for some time been sold annually, at 25s. per thousand*. A slate quarry is also wrought in Balechelish, in Appin, and there are slate rocks on the estate of Mr. CAMPBELL, of Ross, in North Knapdale, but not yet wrought.

A kind of granite, which takes such a polish as to resemble spotted marble, is found near Inveraray. A marble quarry has been wrought at Ardmady, in Lorn; but the colour, being a dull red streaked with white, rendered it less marketable than it might otherwise have been, and occasioned its being given up, with some losst. A kind of grey marble is also found on LOCHIEL's estate, in Kilmaliet. Some more may, perhaps, be discovered in other parts of the county; though none of them, probably, will be found so valuable as the beautiful marble of the island of Tiree.

* This work employs commonly about 300 men, whose wages amount to above 4000% a year. The slate quarry at Balechelish employs about 90.-Statistical Account.

It may be proper to observe here, for the sake of those who may not know it, that marble is of the same quality with limestone; so that farmers within reach of the quarry at Ardmady, may avail themselves of a vast heap of broken stones and rubbish there prepared to their hand. A particular description of this marble may be seen in Mr. WILLIAMS's Natural History of the Mineral Kingdom,

Limestone,

Limestone, which is more value than marble, because easier wrought, abounds in most parts of the county, in somuch, that we may be said to have, not quarries, but almost mountains of it.

CHAP. II.

STATE OF PROPERTY.

THE continent of Argyleshire is divided among 156 proprietors. Of the estates of these proprietors,

The whole amount of the valued rent of these estates is 99247. 8s. ld*. This valuation, according to which

the

* In this, Luing, Seil, Shuna, and Kerera, are included. The valuation of the other islands, Mull, Iona, Tiree, Coll, Lismore, Jura, Colonsa,

Oronsa,

the land tax, ministers' stipends, schoolmasters' salaries, &c. are imposed, was made up in the year 1751, and was at that time half of the real rent, after deducting all public burthens. The number of proprietors at that time was 200; so that they have decreased at the rate of one for each year since that period: there were, besides, at that time, a very considerable number who held small estates in wadset, or mortgage; a species of tenure which is now gone out of use in this county. Such persons held a sort of middle rank between tenants and proprietors. Till within these 40 or 50 years past, estates were seldom sold in this county: luxury had not then reached us; proprietors lived at home, and subsisted chiefly on the gross produce of their own lands. But now the case is otherwise; an expensive mode of living is introduced; gentlemen resort frequently to the metropolis, and no reproach is attached to the loss of an estate, as the case is become so common. At present, a purchaser might find 150,000/ worth, ready to meet him in the market; this, however, though a private loss, may be a public benefit. A spirit of industry and adventure is excited by the prospect of obtaining one day a spot of one's native land, which he may call his own. The greatest evil which attends the fluctuation of property is, that estates are sometimes bought by strangers, who have no attach

Oronsa, Islay, and Gigha, amounts to 2541%. 17s. 9d. and the number of proprietors in them is 25. Thus, the valued rent of the whole county is 12,466. 5s. 10d. sterling; a trifle more than 1-25th of the valuation of all Scotland, which is 322,7167. 13s. 4 d.

The Commissioners who took the valuation of this county, seem to have done it with great exactness. A landlord in North Knapdale had a servitude of a night's lodging upon one who held of him, for which, in the proof taken of the value of his estate, there is set down, "Item for Cuidvich, 20s."

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