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

Knapdale/Cantyr/Lorne; Kearera.Canna; Barray - Uist - Haray

Pagination: 89v-90r

Transcription of text:

Eastward from Dunawordie two myles is a smal Iland of a myle long and half myl broad called Avon. Upon the syd therof to Kyntyr a good harbor Upon the east end is the Sheep Iland. heir the current and sea streams run furiously. Upon the westsyd of Dunawardie 2 myle therfra is a fyne glen called Glenbreagrie, thair is fyne and fertill corne lands, a river it hath with salmond fishing, at the mouth of thir river beginneth the great headland, called the mull of Cantyre in old tyme it wes Epidium promontorium, montanous neer the headland, and unfit for shipping having no havens neer hand. Deer and roes wonted to be heir, but now ther be none in all Cantyre. from the mowntayne of thir promontorie a man may discerne the corneland and howsis in Irland. In Cantyre are ten paroch kirks more then the Abay of Saidill. 24 myles ar beuwix Ila and Cantyre and four myles ar to Arrane.

Kearera Thir Ile pertynis to MacCoul of Lorne, it is neer Dunolith ovir aganis the northend of that Iland Dunoliff standeth not far from Dunstaffage. it is fertill in corne and plentie of pasture is in it, fishies also in the neighbour sea, it is two myles and a half or therby, and not ane myle in breadth, ther is a smal castell on the south west corner of it, called Dundouchy. heir are many foxes danngerous for sheep, they ar greater then the ordinarie, and more bold,

Cola it pertyneth to sum of the race and name of Macklean, fertil it is in corne specially barly, aboundant also of fishe rownd about.

Eig it is fertill of corne and grass for pasture, fishe also many, but they have no skil of fishing. a litle churche it hath cal'd Kil-donain wher the Lord of the cowntrey resideth, ther is a hie strait montayne upon the southwestsyd of it, whair the inhabitants have sure refuge in tyme of dannger from enemies. upon the top therof is a small loch, and therin ane Iland, it is 30 merk land. it is 3 myle in lenth, and 2 in bredth.

Iland na Muick that is to say the Swyne Iland, south it lyeth from Eig. it hath corne, grass, and fiche, it hath a strenth built upon a rock. it perteyneth to the Bishop of the Iles, it is 6 merk land.

Rum is a big Iland upon the westsyd of Eig, and upon the southeast of Canna, it perteyneth to the Laird of Cola, it hath two towns, on upon the nordwest syd cald Kilmore, the uthir upon the southwest syd called Glen-harie, it hath no corneland, but about the said two townis, the rest is for pasture, it hath great mowntayns and many deer, more it hath certaine wildfowlis about the bignes of a dowe, gray coloured, whiche ar scarss in uthir places, good meat they ar, but that to them who are not acquaynted, they tast sumwhat wild.

Canna it perteyneth to the Captain of the Clan-rannald, it lyeth nixt to Rumm, west therfra betuix it and Viist. it hath cornis, milk and fichies and the forsaid fowlis.

Barray Barra is 5 myles long, it hath many glens fitt for pasture, it hath also cornis in reasonable plentie, the seas have stoar of fichies. ther be sum Ilands on the north syd pertyning to the Lord of it, as Erisga, Fuda, Linga, Fera, and dyvers uthirs. To the southwest or south of it ar also dyvers small Ilands fertill as the rest. none do go with boats into thois Ilands, in the summer and harvest season befor the Lord therof have his dutyes payd to him, whiche the half of all thair cornis, buttir, cheiss, &c. and he hath an officiar resident ther for that uss. the names of thois Ilands ar Watersa, Sandera, Pappa, Mewla, Bearnera. ther is one church in Barra, upon the north or nordeast syd calid Kilbarray. in thir toun is a spring of fresche water whilk the inhabitants do believe doth prognostige warrs when they ar to be, be drops of blood seen therin. there is also a spring of freche water falling from a green hillok above the churche, falling into the sea hard by with thir water ar caried downe in the sea innumerable quantities of smal cokils so smal as they show no more but the rudiment of ther shellfische and a litle from that, upon the sea sands, ar digged up verie great number of great and fair cokils, wherof the people carie away to ther uss infinit quantities without diminution of the stoar. Neer the kirk of Kilmore the sea hath almost with continowall wraking rent the Iland in two. The inhabitants ar cald Clan-Neill-Barray, for thois Ilands spoken of doe al perteyn to Mckneil of Barray. Ane castel it hath in the south end in a litle Iland upon a rock in a freshe loch called Kisimull, a fresh Loch that is betuix thir Kisimul and Kilbar, the town is cald Arinstill, one small river is in thir yle cald Quir, the south part of Barra pertynd of old to Macdonald Lord of Cantyre and Yla

Viist is nixt to the north of Barray, ther be 6 myles of sea betuix them full of dyvers Ilands. Viist is fertill of corne milk and abowndance of salmond and whytfishe ther is also plentie of wildfoull specially wild geess. In thir Ile ar many small towers buildt in freshe water lochis, ar strenthis in trowblesum tymes. The Ile is rough and mossie, manie lochis also ther be many great and hie mowtaynes upon the southeast part therof, whair the greatest plentie of fishing is. the most part of the habitable lands ar upon west or nordwest syd. the sea cumeth into the fresche water lochis, so that almost all the water of the Iland tasteth saltish, wher it be freche springs and fowntayns, here doth grow much barly. The oldest men report thir Ile to be much empayred and destroyed be the sands ovirblowing and burieing habitable lands, and the sea hath followed and made the loss irrecovarable. ther ar destroyed the townes and paroch churches of Kilmarchir moir and Kilpetil, and the church of Kilmorrie is now called Kilpetil, that is the church of the muir, for so it lay of old neerest the muirs, but now the sea and the sands have approached it. there be sum remaynes of the destroyed churches yit to be seen, at low tyds or ebbing water. One castel is in this Ile called Beinwhail, one church also at the south end called Kilfadrik - whair is a town with thrie churches in it. that we have sayd is touching the south end of the Ile, the owner therof is the Captain of the clan-rannald, of the race of Seil-Allein, or clan-rannald being of the clandoneil descended of Mac-Doneil his house. The north end of Viist is a pleasant and profitable cowntrey fertil of cornis specially Barly with plentie of fiches, specially harring, milk also, and thois commodities that cum of cattell. ther is not far ane Iland called Heisker, and dyvers other Ilands also, al pertyning to the lord of thir cowntrey, whair yearlie ar fulled innumerable numbers of seals.

The yland of Haray doth pertyn to Mac-Loyd, who is styled after thir Ile, it is plentifull of cornis, fiches, milk, buttir, cheess & great stoar of deer ar also in this cowntrey. thir cwuntrey maketh up but one Ile with the Lewis, being devyded be a smal cutt of land, two bayis of the sea or salt lochis cuming on both     Continued