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under the hands of the teachers； educated the population into a
state of intelligence and aptitude greatly in advance of their
material well…being； and it is in this circumstance； we apprehend；
that the explanation is to be found of the rapid start forward
which the whole country took； dating more particularly from the
year 1745。 Agriculture was naturally the first branch of industry
to exhibit signs of decided improvement； to be speedily followed by
like advances in trade； commerce； and manufactures。 Indeed； from
that time the country never looked back； but her progress went on
at a constantly accelerated rate； issuing in results as marvellous
as they have probably been unprecedented。
Footnotes for Chapter VIII。
*＇1＇ Romilly's Autobiography；' ii。 22。
*＇2＇ Statistical Account of Scotland；' iii。 185。
*＇3＇ The cas…chrom was a rude combination of a lever for the
removal of rocks； a spade to cut the earth； and a foot…plough to
turn it。 We annex an illustration of this curious and now obsolete
instrument。 It weighed about eighteen pounds。 In working it； the〃
upper part of the handle； to which the left hand was applied；
reached the workman's shoulder； and being slightly elevated； the
point； shod with iron； was pushed into the ground horizontally； the
soil being turned over by inclining the handle to the furrow side；
at the same time making the heel act as a fulcrum to raise the
point of the instrument。 In turning up unbroken ground； it was
first employed with the heel uppermost； with pushing strokes to cut
the breadth of the sward to be turned over； after which； it was
used horizontally as above described。 We are indebted to a
Parliamentary Blue Book for the following representation of this
interesting relic of ancient agriculture。 It is given in the
appendix to the 'Ninth Report of the Commissioners for Highland
Roads and Bridges；' ordered by the House of Commons to be printed；
19th April； 1821。
*＇4＇ Anderson's 'Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland；'
3rd ed。 p。48。
*＇5＇ He was accompanied on this tour by Colonel Dirom； with whom he
returned to his house at Mount Annan； in Dumfries。 Telford says of
him： 〃The Colonel seems to have roused the county of Dumfries from
the lethargy in which it has slumbered for centuries。 The map of
the county； the mineralogical survey； the new roads； the opening of
lime works； the competition of ploughing； the improving harbours；
the building of bridges； are works which bespeak the exertions of
no common man。〃Letter to Mr。 Andrew。 Little； dated Shrewsbury；
30th November； 1801。
*＇6＇ Ordered to be printed 5th of April； 1803。
*＇7＇ 'Memorials of his Time；〃 by Henry Cockburn； pp。 341…3。
*＇8＇ 'Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Sir John Sinclair； Barb；'
vol。 i。； p。 339。
*＇9＇ Extract of a letter from a gentleman residing in Sunderland；
quoted in 'Life of Telford；' p。 465。
*＇10＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Salop； 18th
February； 1803。
*＇11＇ The names of Celtic places are highly descriptive。
Thus Craig…Ellachie literally means； the rock of separation； Badenoch；
bushy or woody； Cairngorm； the blue cairn； Lochinet； the lake of nests；
Balknockan； the town of knolls； Dalnasealg； the hunting dale；
Alt'n dater； the burn of the horn…blower； and so on。
*＇12＇ Sir Thomas Dick Lauder has vividly described the destructive
character of the Spey…side inundations in his capital book on the
'Morayshire Floods。'
*＇13＇ 'Report of the Commissioners on Highland Roads and Bridges。'
Appendix to 'Life of Telford；' p。 400。
CHAPTER IX。
TELFORD'S SCOTCH HARBOURS。
No sooner were the Highland roads and bridges in full progress；
than attention was directed to the improvement of the harbours
round the coast。 Very little had as yet been done for them beyond
what nature had effected。 Happily； there was a public fund at
disposalthe accumulation of rents and profits derived from the
estates forfeited at the rebellion of 1745which was available for
the purpose。 The suppression of the rebellion did good in many ways。
It broke the feudal spirit； which lingered in the Highlands long
after it had ceased in every other part of Britain； it led to the
effectual opening up of the country by a system of good roads；
and now the accumulated rents of the defeated Jacobite chiefs were
about to be applied to the improvement of the Highland harbours for
the benefit of the general population。
The harbour of Wick was one of the first to which Mr。 Telford's
attention was directed。 Mr。 Rennie had reported on the subject of
its improvement as early as the year 1793； but his plans were not
adopted because their execution was beyond the means of the
locality at that time。 The place had now； however； become of
considerable importance。 It was largely frequented by Dutch
fishermen during the herring season； and it was hoped that； if they
could be induced to form a settlement at the place； their example
might exercise a beneficial influence upon the population。
Mr。 Telford reported that； by the expenditure of about 5890L。； a
capacious and well…protected tidal basin might be formed； capable
of containing about two hundred herring…busses。 The Commission
adopted his plan； and voted the requisite funds for carrying out
the works； which were begun in 1808。 The new station was named
Pulteney Town； in compliment to Sir William Pulteney； the Governor
of the Fishery Society； and the harbour was built at a cost of
about 12；000L。； of which 8500L。 was granted from the Forfeited
Estates Fund。 A handsome stone bridge； erected over the River Wick
in 1805； after the design of our engineer； connect's these
improvements with the older town： it is formed of three arches；
having a clear waterway of 156 feet。
The money was well expended； as the result proved； and Wick is now；
we believe； the greatest fishing station in the world。 The place
has increased from a little poverty…stricken village to a large and
thriving town； which swarms during the fishing season with lowland
Scotchmen； fair Northmen； broad…built Dutchmen； and kilted
Highlanders。 The bay is at that time frequented by upwards of a
thousand fishing…boats and the take of herrings in some years
amounts to more than a hundred thousand barrels。 The harbour has
of late years been considerably improved to meet the growing
requirements of the herring trade； the principal additions having
been carried out； in 1823； by Mr。 Bremner；*＇1＇ a native engineer
of great ability。
＇Image＇ Folkestone Harbour。
Improvements of a similar kind were carried out by the Fishery
Board at other parts of the coast； and many snug and convenient
harbours were provided at the principal fishing stations in the
Highlands and Western Islands。 Where the local proprietors were
themselves found expending money in carrying out piers and harbours；
the Board assisted them with grants to enable the works to be
constructed in the most substantial manner and after the most
approved plans。 Thus； along that part of the bold northern coast of
the mainland of Scotland which projects into the German Ocean； many
old harbours were improved or new ones constructedas at Peterhead；
Frazerburgh； Banff； Cullen； Burgh Head； and Nairn。 At Fortrose；
in the Murray Frith； at Dingwall； in the Cromarty Frith；
at Portmaholmac； within Tarbet Ness； the remarkable headland of the
Frith of Dornoch； at Kirkwall； the principal town and place of
resort in the Orkney Islands； so well known from Sir Walter Scott's
description of it in the 'Pirate；' at Tobermory； in the island of
Mull； and at other points of the coast； piers were erected and
other improvements carried out to suit the convenience of the
growing traffic and trade of the country。
The principal works were those connected with the harbours situated
upon the line of coast extending from the harbour of Peterhead；
in the county of Aberdeen； round to the head of the Murray Frith。
The shores there are exposed to the full force of the seas rolling in
from the Northern Ocean； and safe harbours were especially needed
for the protection of the shipping passing from north to south。
Wrecks had become increasingly frequent； and harbours of refuge
were loudly called for。 At one part of the coast； as many as
thirty wrecks had occurred within a very short time； chiefly for
want of shelter。
The situation of Peterhead peculiarly well adapted it for a haven
of refuge； and the improvement of the port was early regarded as a
matter of national importance。 Not far from it； on the south； are
the famous Bullars or Boilers of Buchanbold rugged rocks； some
200 feet high； against which the sea beats with great fury； boiling
and churning in the deep caves and recesses with which they are
perforated。 Peterhead stands on the most easterly part of the
mainland of Scotland； occupying the north…east si