otherwise called the shire of Wick, is the most northern county of all Scotland; bounded on the east by the ocean, and by Strathnaver and Sutherland on the south and south-west: from these it is divided by the mountain of Orde, and a continued ridge of hills as far as Knockfin, then by the whole course of the river Hallowdale. On the north it is washed by the Pentland or Picland frith, which flows between this county and the Orkneys. It extends 35 miles from north to south, and about 20 from east to west. The coast is rocky, and remarkable for a number of bays and promontories. Of these, the principal are Sandside-head to the west, pointing to the opening of Pentland frith; Orcas, now Holborn-head, and Dunnet-head, both pointing northward to the frith. Dunnet-head is a peninsula about a mile broad, and seven in compass; affording several lakes, good pasture, excellent mill-stones, and a lead mine. Scribster bay, on the north-west is a good harbour, where ships may ride securely. Rice-bay, on the east side, extends three miles in breadth; but it is of dangerous access, on account of some sunk rocks at the entrance. At the bottom of this bay appear the ruins of two strong castles, the seat of the earl of Caithness, called Castle Sinclair, and Gernego, joined to each other by a draw-bridge. Duncan's bay, otherwise called Dunby-head, is the north-east point of Caithness, and the extremest promontory in Britain. At this place, the breadth of the frith does not exceed 12 miles, and in the neighbourhood is the ordinary ferry to the Orkneys. Here is likewise Clythene's point east, and Northhead pointing north-east. The sea in this place is very impetuous, being in continual agitation from violent counter tides, currents, and vortices. The only island belonging to this county is that of Strom, in the Pentland frith, at the distance of two miles from the main land, extending about a mile in length, and producing good corn. The navigation is here rendered very difficult by conflicting tides and currents, which at both ends of the island produce a great agitation in the sea. At the south end, the waves dance so impetuously, that the sailors term them the merry men of May, from the name of a gentleman's seat on the opposite shore of Caithness, which served them as a landmark, in the dangerous passage between the island and the continent. The property of this island was once disputed between the earls of Orkney and Caithness; but adjudged to the latter, in consequence of an experiment, by which it appeared, that venomous creatures will live in Strom, whereas they die immediately if transported to the Orkneys. The county of Caithness, though chiefly mountainous, flattens towards the sea coast, where the ground is arable, and produces good harvests of oats and barley, sufficient for the natives, and yielding a surplus for exportation. Caithness is well watered with small rivers, brooks, lakes, and fountains, and affords a few woods of birch, but is in general bare of trees; and even those the inhabitants plant are stunted in their growth. Lead is found at Dunnet, copper at Old Urk, and iron ore at several places; but these advantages are not improved. The air of Caithness is temperate, though in the latitude of 58°, where the longest day in summer is computed at 18 hours; and when the sun sets, he makes Caithness, so small an arch of a circle below the horizon, that the people enjoy a twilight until he rises again. The fuel used by the inhabitants of Caithness consists of peat and turf, which the ground yields in great plenty. The forests of Morayshire and Berridale afford abundance of red deer and roe-bucks; the county is well stored with hares, rabbits, grouse, heathcocks, plover, and all sorts of game, comprehending a bird called snow-fleet, about the size of a sparrow, exceedingly fat and delicious, that comes hither in large flights about the middle of February, and takes its departure in April. The hills are covered with sheep and black cattle; so numerous, that a fat cow has been sold at market for 4s. sterling. The rocks along the coasts are frequented by eagles, hawks, and all manner of sea fowl, whose eggs and young are taken in vast quantities by the natives. The rivers and lakes abound with trout, salmon, and eels; and the sea affords a very advantageous fishery. Divers obelisks and ancient monuments appear in this district, and several Roman chapels are still standing. Caithness is well peopled with a race of hardy inhabitants, who employ themselves chiefly in fishing, and breeding sheep and black cattle: they are even remarkably industrious; for between Wick and Dunbeath, one continued tract of rugged rocks, extending 12 miles, they have formed several little harbours for their fishing boats, and cut artificial steps from the beach to the top of the rocks, where they have erected houses, in which they cure and dry the fish for market.

According to Mr Pennant, this county is supposed to send out in some years about 20,000 head of black cattle, but in bad seasons the farmer kills and sells great numbers for sale. Great numbers of swine are also reared here. These are short, high backed, long bristled, sharp, slender, and long nosed; have long erect ears, and most savage looks. Here are neither barns nor granaries; the corn is threshed out, and preserved in the chaff in byks; which are stacks, in the shape of bee hives, thatched quite round, where it will keep good for two years. Vast numbers of salmon are taken at Cattle-hill, Dunnet, Wick, and Thurso. A miraculous draught at this last place is still talked of, not less than 2500 being taken at one tide within the memory of man; and Mr Smollett informs us, that, in the neighbourhood, above 300 good salmon have been taken at one draught of the net. In the month of November, great numbers of seals are taken in the caverns that open into the sea, and run some hundreds of yards underground. The entrance of these caverns is narrow, but the inside lofty and spacious. The seal hunters enter these in small boats with torches, which they light as soon as they land, and then with loud shouts alarm the animals, which they kill with clubs as they attempt to pass. This is a hazardous employment; for should the wind blow hard from sea, these adventurers are inevitably lost. Sometimes a large species of seals, 12 feet long, have been killed on this coast; and it is said the same kind are found on the rock Hiskir, one of the Western islands. During the spring, great quantities of lump fish resort to this coast, and are the prey of the seals, as appears from the number of skins of those fishes which at that season float ashore. At certain times also the seals seem to be visited by a great mortality; for, at those times, multitudes of them are seen dead in the water. Much limestone is found in this Caithness, county, which when burnt is made into a compost with turf and sea plants.

The discovery of coal has long been an object of great importance in this part of Scotland. In the years 1801 and 1802 some attempts were made for this purpose at the expense of government. But although the business was conducted by persons well skilled in such matters, and long persevered in, it has entirely failed, which leaves little hope of future success.

The following is the population of the county of Caithness according to the parishes, taken at two different periods, namely in 1755 and in 1798, and extracted from the Statistical History of Scotland.

| Parish | Population in 1755 | Population in 1798—1798 | |----------|-------------------|------------------------| | Bower | 1287 | 1592 | | Canisbay | 1481 | 1950 | | Dunnet | 1235 | 1399 | | Halkirk | 3575 | 3180 | | Latheron | 3675 | 4006 | | Olrick | 875 | 1001 | | Reay | 2262 | 2208 | | Thurso | 2963 | 3146 | | Wattin | 1424 | 1230 | | Wick | 3938 | 5000 |

Total 22,215 24,802 22,215