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

Cowell (continued)

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Pagination: 84v-85r

Transcription of text:

Not far from Dunoliff ther is a fresche water Loch called Loch-faighin, and not far from the head therof a church called Kilmoir. In the Churche town ther is a spring of fresche water, whiche hath therin a kynd of small black fisches not found elswhair, whiche fishes the townsmen do observe never to encreas in number, or in quantitie but stil to remayne small ones, therfor the people do call them Eish Saint, that is the holy fisches. in thir cowntrey ar many wild gray geess.

Loch-na-yeall is nixt to thir cowntrey of Glenfaighin, whiche serveth it self waill, with corn buttir, milk and cheess and flesche. In thir loch ar manie Loch-leeches.

Mucarne followeth, whiche lyeth from Dunstaffage sowtheast, it hath a Churche called Kilelspic Kerrell, and a small river going by the church called Neant, fruitfull of salmond, it runneth from the south to the north, and falleth in Loch-aediff. it is not a full myle betuix the mouth of the river Aw, and thir litle river. In Loch-aediff ar dyvers kynds of fische slain. Mucarne Iyeth upon the south syd of Lochaediff and upon the north syd of Loch-Aw.

There is one Church upon the north syd of Loch-aw called Kilchreanan a myle from the ferry of Loch-aw. it is 5 myles betuix Kilchreanan and Kilespic Kerrill in Mucarne, and one myle betuix Kilespic Kerrell and the mouth of the river Aw. it is alledged thir river and the profits therof to stand for 100 merk land of the 700 merk lands of Lorne. but it is not to be compared to the land althoch thir river of Aw be plentifull in fisches specially salmon. the laird of Inner-aw is called Mac-Donachie, alias Campbell, who hath sum lands upon the eastsyd of thir river and upon the southsyd of Loch-aediff.

Nixt to Inner-aw is a glen called Glen-kindglas and a small river running throw the same called Kineglass.

Not far from thence and nixt therto is a glen called Glen-noo, good for pasturage, with sum cornis also. it lyeth upon the west syd of Glen-kindglas and betuix it and the river Aw.

At the head of Loch-aediff ther is a glen called Glen-aediff, plentifull of fische and flesche. the river aediff runneth throch it, and so into the loch.

Beandirloch is upon the north syd of Loch-aediff, ovir aganis Mucarne upon the south syd of the loch, it is devyded betuix two owners, it is cald Bean-aedir-da-loch that is a mowntayn betuix two Lochis, and so it lyeth betuix Loch-aediff and Loch-Greverin.

The south syd of thir cowntrey perteyneth to the Laird of Caldor and the north-syd to the laird of Glen-wurquhy. Upon the south syd of Bean-adir-da-loch lyeth Ardchattan, a pryorie renowned in old tyme as the habitation of relligious men, it hath a small town, and the remaynis of a good Churche. the teynds of many of the nixt lands pertyned therto, yea many of the teynds of Lochabyr to thir day. it hath a paroche Churche besyd the Abbay Churche upon the syd of a hill looking to the East and South East, called Kil-Bedan, but the pryorie itself is more pleasantly seeted, the cowntrey about is good and fertill both for corn and pasturage. At the west end of thir cowntrey near the sea is a small Chappell cald Kilchallumkill. a myl from the ferry of Gonnaill in Lorne, in the village therof, ther is a hie hill rownd and playne about, levell above, a spring of water upon the top therof, it seemeth to have been a fort of old, the cowntrey people do speak of giants as builders or inhabiters therof. in thir towne ther ar abowndance of pumick stonis floating upon the water, if they be throwne in the same, not elswhair in thir quarters to be fownd but in thir chappell towne cald in English St. Colmis Chappell.

The northsyd of thir cowntrey pertyning to the Laird of Glen-wrquhy hath a castell not far from thir Chappell called Bar-chaildein. it is thrie myles betuix the Gonnaill forsaid and the ferry of the Sian, which is betuix Beanadir-da-loch and the Appin. Thir north Bean-adir-da-loch is a good and commodious cowntrey, it lyeth on the south syd of Loch Greverin and the Appin. On the uthir syd therof being the northsyd ther is a glen at the head of the Loch called Glen-greverin, therin is a fresche water Loch upon a myl from the sea. In Loch greverin ther is a hie mountayne upon the northsyd therof, in the midpart therof betuix the sea and the mowntayn ther is a Chappell called Craikwherre-ellan, ther ar springs of fresche water and the opinion of the wholsomnes of the water draweth many people thither upon St. Patrcks day yearlie in hope of health from disceasis be drinking therof, the town or village of Ardnacloich is hard by, renowned for a well also wher they alledge if a diseased person go, if he be to dye he shall find a dead worm therin or a quick one if health be to follow.

Appin is fertill according to the clime, the Stewarts of surname ar possessors, holding the same of the Earles of Argyl. ther is a hie hill upon the southwestsyd therof hard by the sea, ovir aganis the ferry to the Isle of Lismor. Upon that hill, a craig, great and big is a great pallace, therin a great hole quyt throch this they do call Cloich holl, or the stone hollowed throch. Ther is a pretie tour in the Appin not far fra this stone, build on a rok in the sea, very neer the land called Iland Stalker, the sea all alongst hath plentie of fishes. a quarter myl from the castell is a small Iland scarss of a myl of lenth perteyning to the Lord of the castell, it is the most fertill of all the small Ilands scattered in abowndance upon that coast.    
Continued