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Gigha and Cara, Argyleshire

Historical Description

GIGHA and CARA, a parish, in the district of Cantyre, county of Argyll, 21½ miles (S. by W.) from Tarbert; containing 550 inhabitants. Some persons derive the name of the former of these two districts from the compound Gaelic term Eilean-Dhia, signifying "God's island"; others are of opinion that it may be traced to the word geodha, "a creek", applied on account of the numerous inlets and bays here. The word Cara is supposed to signify "a monastery". The parish consists of two islands, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, between the southern portion of the island of Islay and the peninsula of Cantyre, and separated from the latter by a channel three miles and a half across, in which the current is often extremely strong, especially at new and full moons. They are both but little elevated above the sea: the highest point in Gigha, called Creag-bhan, or "the white rock", rises only to an elevation of 400 feet; and Cara, situated a mile and a half south of the former island, has in this respect the same general appearance. Gigha measures in length from north to south almost seven miles, and is two miles and a half in extreme breadth; Cara is nearly a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth, and the two isles comprise together about 4000 acres, of which half are arable, ten acres under plantation, and the remainder pasture and waste.

The coast of Gigha is computed at twenty-five miles in extent, being very circuitous in consequence of the great number of its creeks. On the west side it is bold and rocky, and contains near the middle a cave called the Great Cave, and another named the Pigeons' Cave from the many wild-pigeons frequenting it. Though rugged, however, along the larger part of the western line, there are at the two extremities, and on the eastern side, several bays well adapted for bathing, and containing a fine white sand, formerly exported in large quantities to Dumbarton for the manufacture of glass. In about the centre of the eastern coast is the bay of Ardminish, ornamented at its head by the church and manse, and resorted to by vessels that take away produce, or bring to the island coal, lime, and other commodities. A little northward of this is the bay of Drimyeon, a spacious and secure retreat; and firm anchorage is also usually found in all the other bays in the island, especially in that of Tarbert, within a mile of its north-eastern extremity. Between Gigha and Cara is the small uninhabited islet of Gigulum; and between this and Gigha is a sound affording good anchorage for large shipping. This sound is much used by government cutters, and by vessels trading with the northern Highlands, as well as by vessels from England and Ireland, which visit this and the adjacent parish of Killean for the purchase of seed- potatoes. The princi pal entrance to the sound is from the east; the western entrance is much more dangerous, there being many rocks in it. The most prominent headland in the parish, called Ardminish point, is on the north side of the bay of that name. At the south-west end of Gigha is Sloc-an-leim, or "the springing pit", a subterraneous passage 133 feet long, into which the sea rushes with considerable fury. The shore of the island of Cara is rocky and steep, except towards the north-east; and at its southern extremity is a precipitous rock, 117 feet high, called the Mull of Cara, thronged by sea- fowl, and the resort of hawks. Around this coast also, and that of the other islands, mackerel, sea-perch, lythe, rock-cod, and many other fish are found; and cod, ling, and large haddocks may be obtained on the banks, two or three miles distant. Some rocky portions of the surface of Gigha are covered with various species of lichen, of which parmelia, stictaramalina, and lecanora are much esteemed as valuable dyes; and the juniper is abundant and prolific upon the eastern coast. Many tracts are covered with stunted heath; but the surface is in different places pleasingly diversified with knolls and hillocks, profusely ornamented w ith the wild or musk rose. On the coast are found the ulva-latissima, used as a pickle, and the different kinds of Carigean moss.

The SOIL consists of loam, in some parts containing an admixture of sand, clay, and moss; it is tolerably fertile, and produces good crops of bear, oats, potatoes, and turnips. The land is particularly adapted to the growth of the last, but in consequence of the demand for seed-potatoes, especially for Ireland, more attention is paid to the cultivation of these than of turnip crops. The lands in the parish are held by two families, one having 25/31 parts, and the other 6/31 parts. Of these properties, the larger is undergoing rapid improvement: good houses, and fences or dykes, have of late been constructed; much is being done in the way of draining, and it is upon this property that a suitable rotation of crops is best followed. On the other property there are fewer signs of progress visible. In the parish is a corn mill, to which a new road was lately formed at a cost of £250; the mill itself has heen repaired, and among other improvements that have been found of general advantage is the draining of the Mill-dam loch, affording an opportunity to the people to obtain from it turf for fuel. A few sheep are reared, and many from other places are wintered here; about 1000 hogs, also, are annually brought at the close of autumn from Jura and other contiguous parts, to be tended at the rate of 2s. 6d. each for five months. The strata of the parish comprise mica-slate, felspar-slate, quartz, and hornblende, with chlorite-slate, crossed in many places at right angles by basaltic dykes; and boulders of hornblende are frequently to be seen both on and a little below the surface, measuring two and three feet in diameter. Traces of copper are observable in Gigha, and of iron-ore at the south end of Cara. The plantations, which are but few, consist of oak, ash, larch, plane, Scotch fir, and pineaster, the latter being less affected by the sea air and storms than any of the other kinds. The annual value of real property in Gigha and Cara is £2091.

The population exhibit more of the maritime than of the agricultural character; the young men generally become sailors, and a large proportion of the rest are engaged in fishing for cod and ling for several months, beginning about Candlemas. Upwards of twenty boats, carrying four men each, are engaged in this pursuit; the fishermen proceed to the banks already referred to, north-west and south-west of the parish, and usually take as many fish as enable them, after plentifully supplying their own families, to dispose of about fifty tons. When cured, the fish are sold at Glasgow, Greenock, and Campbelltown, at from £10 to £14 per ton. Besides the fishing-boats, and twenty boats of smaller size, a vessel of thirty tons and another of fourteen are employed in carrying agricultural produce to market; they convey annually, on the average, 800 tons of potatoes, 400 quarters of bear, and 150 quarters of oats, besides blackcattle, horses, sheep, and pigs, and a considerable portion of dairy produce. Coal, lime, and other articles are imported; and vessels of large burthen visit the parish from Ireland, England, and the Clyde, for potatoes, and sometimes for cod and ling. A steam-boat, running between Loch Tarbert and Islay, passes Gigha three times a week in summer, and once a week in winter. There is also a ferry from each of the properties to Tayinloan, a hamlet on the mainland, where is the receivinghouse for letters. Gigha is rather in advance of the Hebrides in general, in point of cultivation of the land, and intelligence of the inhabitants: its advantages for improvement are very considerable at present, and are likely to continue so. Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Cantyre, synod of Argyll, and the patronage belongs to the Duke of Argyll: the minister's stipend is £266, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum. The church was built about the year 1780, and is in tolerable repair. The parochial school affords instruction in English and Gaelic, with all the usual branches; Latin is also taught: the master has a salary of £25. 13., and about £14 fees. In 1844 a good parochial school-house and master's house were built. At the distance of a mile from the present church may be seen the walls of the former edifice, with a stone font, standing in the midst of the burying-ground. About the centre of Gigha is Dun-Chifie, formerly, as is traditionally reported, a strong fortification occupied by Keefie, the King of Lochlin's son, who is said to have been killed here by Diarmid, one of the heroes of Fingal.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, 1851 by Samuel Lewis
CountryScotland

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