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Pont Maps of Scotland, ca. 1583-1614 - Pont texts

Cowell (continued)

Pagination: 86v-87r

Transcription of text:

Thir two glennis ar devyded be a ledge of hills, at the sowdermost end of Loch-arkgaig is a church in ane Iland called Iland Columb-kill, it is ten myll betuix this Iland and the kirk of Kilmaille in Loch-yiell.

Spean or Speachan river cuming out of Lochlagan at the marchis of Badenoch, falleth in the river Lochy, at the southeast end of Loch-lochy, hard by is the churche of Kilmanevag, the uthir best river is Roy cuming directly from the head of Spey river, and not a myl betuix the springs of both, it falleth in Spean about the Keppach, the draught of thir two rivers have much good grownd, and manie dwellings upon them.

The Cumins were of old Lords of thir cowntrey of Lochabyr. After it fell out that one of them wes mislykead be the people who therwpon be a devyce of a hous built upon the water and a trap in the floor therof destroyed manie of the people, wherof they relate a long storie, but it succeeded so avill, that he left the cowntrey and never dwelt anie more therein. the two part therof doth now pertyne to the house of Huntley, and the rest to Mackintoise, sum the Earls of Argyl pretend to hold about Lochyiell whiche the Cheeff of the Clanchameron hold in possession.

It is two myles from Innerloquhy to the kirk of Kilmaille, of old ther wes a church build in thir town upon a hill, above the Church which now is, and standeth in the town, the people report of a battell focht in old tyme hard by thir churche, and how long after, hirds feeding ther cattell in that place, in a cold season, made a fyre of dead mens bones ther scattered, who being all removed except one mayd who took up her cloathes and uncovered herself sum part hir, a sudden whirle wind threw sum of the ashis in her privie member, wherwpon she conceaved and bore a sone called Gillie-dow-mak-Chravolick that is to say the black chyld sone to the bones, who after becam learned and relligious and built thir Churche whiche now standeth in Kilmaille.

Ardgaur followeth nixt upon the firth, westward and nearer the sea, the first inhabitants dwelling as is reported in ane Ile wer chased thence be a monster. the nixt inhabitants were a race called clan Maister, wherof the cheef man having offended his Lord Mack-oneil who therwpon gave it to some(?) of Mac-Lean. Cowl is the principall dwelling, hard upon the sea. ther are dyvers glennis in that cowntrey, altho it be of smal extente. the principal is Conglen sum 12 myles of lenth, whair is abowndance of good pastur and plentie of firrwood, of great and fair timmer. upon the southsyd of thir glen, ther is another called Glen-Scaffadell, ther being a ledge of hills betuix the two glennis. ther is good firrwood upon the water of Scaffadill easie to be transported, the wholl baronie of Ardgowr is 25 merk land. Thair is the uthir glen called Glen-gour, wherin is a freshe water Loch, and salmon fishing as in the former, the river Gour runneth throch Glengaur, the wholl cowntrey is a great deall better for pasture than for cornis.

Kean-gear-loch is nixt to Ardgour, thir cowntrey is very roughe and montanous, hills are on the westsyd, and the sea on the south or southeast syde therof, it is not fertill in cornis but fishe and fleshe in abundance. ther is one castell in it called Castell Nagair. The inhabitants ar called Siell-Eachin. They are descended of Mac-Lean of Loch-buy. The wholl Clan-Lean ar devyded into two races or trybs. Thir Maclean of Loch buy is called Seill-Eachin and the Clan-Lean of Dowart in the Ile of Mull ar called Seill-Laughlan, they ar both of once race, and of two brethren, the eldest named Hector and in Irish Eachin, the uthir Laughlan, now the Clan-Lean of Dowart ar the principall, they all wer of old dependers and followers of Mackoneill Lord of the Iles, who advanced them but the great ones of his hous decaying they ross up.

The nixt cowntrey is Morverne, it is profitable in cornis milk stoar and fishes. therin is one castell perteyning to Siel Lauglan alias Mac-Lean of Dowart, the castell is called Ard Torenish. it stands upon the south end of the cowntrey upon the sea.

Swyneord is nixt and ovir aganis Morverne, a fertill and profitable cowntrey, for fishe, salmond, cattell, milk &c. ther ar good pastures, having glennis and good feeding for cattell among mowntayns, upon the nordeast syd therof, and upon the uthir syd ane sealoch betuix Morverne and it, it is reconed 30 merk land, it were holden be the Clan ean of Mackoneil, Lord of Yla and Cantyre. the paroch Church is yland Fynan, which standeth in a freshe water Loch called Loch-soell. Muydeord is on the nordwest syd of thir Loch and Suyneord upon the south syd. Lochabyr and Ardgaur at the east head therof, out of thir loch runneth a river of the same name westward into the sea, it hath abowndance of salmond when thair ar no speets nor rayne but fair weathir. ther be sundrie good glennis upon the nordwest syd of thir loch. One of them called Glen-seanan, with the river Seanan running throch the same. Another glen is ovir aganis Swyneord in Mudeord called Glencalmadill with a river of that name, thir glennis ar for pastur, but scarss of corne lands. thir cowntrey were also holdin be the Clane-lean of Mackoneil.

Ard-na-Murchen is next to Swyneord on the westsyd therof or sumquhat southwest. holdin as the former be the clan-Lean, thir is a fertill grownd for cornis, cattell, fishes, and all uthir necessaries, ther is therin a castell on the sea called Castell Megarie. The Clan ean Murquenich wer the old inhabitants, dispossessed be the campbells who have    
Continued