MOY-AND-DALROSSIE, a parish, partly in the
county of Nairn, but chiefly in the county of Inverness,
12 miles (S. E.) from Inverness; containing 967
inhabitants, of whom fifteen are in that portion within
the county of Nairn. This place comprises the ancient
parishes of Moy and Dalrossie, which appear to have
been united at a distant period not precisely ascertained.
The former of these parishes is supposed to have derived
its name from the Gaelic term Magh, signifying " a meadow
or plain ", which is its character; but the name of
the latter is of doubtful origin: by some writers it is
thought to have been derived from the Gaelic Dalfergitssie,
signifying " the valley of Fergus", of which, however,
there is no corroborative evidence. With great
appearance of probability Moy is thought to have been
originally called Starsach-na-Gael, descriptive in the
Gaelic language of its position at a pass between the higher
and the lower territories. This pass, which is bordered
by mountains on both sides, is so narrow that it might
be easily defended by a few men against the largest
numbers of assailants, and was consequently of great
importance to its highland proprietor, who could at any
time make predatory incursions into the lower countries
with perfect security, and prevent any of the clans from
proceeding through his territories without his permission.
So .sensible, indeed, of their dependence upon him were
the neightjduriiig chieftains, that they willingly agreed to
pay a certain tax, consisting of a portion of their l)oDty,
as often as they passed through this defile with the spoils
they had taken in their frequent depredations. The
lands, ii. the year 1336, were granted by the Bishop of
Moray to William, seventh Lord Mackintosh, chief of
the clan Chattan, which consisted of sixteen different
tribes, each having its own leader, but all united under
the government of the chieftain, of whose baronial residence,
on an island in Loch Moy, there are yet considerable
remains. Deadly feuds often arose between
the Mackintoshes and the Cummings; and numerous
tumuli are left, which were raised over those slain in conflict.
Near the pass previously noticed was a spacious
cavern, to which the women and children retired with
their cattle during the absence of the clan, and in which
they remained in safety under the protection of the very
few men whom it was necessary to leave for the defence
of the pass.
During one of these feuds, the clan Gumming so far
prevailed over the Mackintoshes as to force them to retreat
for refuge to their stronghold on the island of
Loch Moy; and damming up the outlet through which
a river issued from the lake, they raised the waters to
such a height as nearly to inundate the island, and
threaten their destruction. In this emergency, one of
the Mackintoshes constructed a raft, and, furnished with
the necessary apparatus, approached the outlet during
the night, and perforating the dam, which was of boards,
with numerous large holes, stopped them with plugs
having cords attached to their extremities, and fastened
all these to one common rope. When the whole of the
preparations were adjusted, pulling this rope, the plugs
were all withdrawn at once; and the accumulated waters,
rushing with irresistible impetuosity, swept away the
dam, the bank of turf which inclosed the lake, and the
entire forces of the Cummings that had encamped behind
it. Such was the rapidity of the torrent that it
bore down the raft with the bold adventurer who had contrived
it, and who, after having thus effected the deliverance
of his clan, perished in the midst of his enemies,
the Cummings.
In the rebellion of 1745-6, the Young Pretender, on
his approach to Inverness finding that it was occupied
by Lord Loudoun, with an army of 2000 of the king's
forces, diverted his route to the castle of Moy, the seat
of the chieftain of the clan Mackintosh, who was at that
time serving with his chief vassals under Loudoun at
Inverness. On reaching the castle, he was cordially received
by Lady Mackintosh, who, mustering the remainder
of the clan, which had been left for her protection,
placed herself at their head, and rode before them as
commander, with pistols at her saddle-bow, to raise the
neighbouring clans, for the service of the prince. Loudoun,
receiving intelligence of the Pretender's movements,
made a sudden march to Moy during the night,
in the hope of faking him by surprise, and making him
his prisoner. At the approach of Loudoun's troops, the
few Mackintoshes that remained, dispersing themselves
in different parts of the woods, fired upon the royal
columns as they advanced, and imitating the war-cries
of Lochiel, Kcppoch, and other well-known clans, threw
them into the utmost confusion and dismay. The royal
forces, thinking that the whole Highland army was at
hand, and distracted by the darkness of the night, retreated
to Inverness, and in such disorder that the event,
which took place on the I6th of February, 17-16, is still
recorded as the " Rout of Moy ".
The PARISH is about thirty miles in length and five
miles in breadth; comprising an area of about 150 square
miles, of which fifty are in the district of Moy; and
containing 96,000 acres, of which 3000 are arable and
in cultivation, 1600 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder hill pasture, moorland, and waste. Its surface,
generally elevated, is diversified with numerous
hills of various height, and intersected by mountainous
ranges dividing it into glens: the glens form the habitable,
portions, and are watered by rivers along the banks
of which are found the small tracts of arable land. The
mountains are not remarkable either for their height or
for any peculiarity of feature; the highest has an elevation
of about '2500 feet above the level of the sea. There
is but one range of any importance, that of the Monadhlia
hills, one of the widest ranges in the country; it is
stocked with deer and every variety of game, and is
marked with many glens, through the largest of which
flows the river Findhorn. This river has its source
among the hills of the range, issuing from a chasm in a
remarkable mass of rock called the Cloven Stone. In
its course it receives tributary streams from the various
glens it passes, and is subject to extraordinary degrees
of elevation and depression. The swiftness of its current
is so great as to bear away before it large portions of the
soil which interrupt its progress, the stream forming for
itself a straight channel, through which it flows without
deviation; and it rises frequently with such rapidity,
that a boat crossing it at low water is often carried away
by the torrent before it can reach the opposite shore. The
only other stream that has any claim to be considered
as a river is the Funtack, which issues from Loch Moy,
and, after flowing through the small glen to which it
gives name, falls into the Findhorn within the parish.
Loch Moy is nearly two miles in length, and about
three-quarters of a mile in breadth; its depth in some .
places is eighteen fathoms, and being surrounded with
woods of hanging birch, it has in summer a truly
picturesque appearance. There are two islands in the
lake, the larger of them containing the remains of the
ancient castle, near which have been traced the foundations
of a street supposed to have comprised the houses
of those vassals who lived with their chief. On this
island is an elegant monument erected in 18'24, by Lady
Mackintosh, to the memory of her late husband. Sir
iEneas Mackintosh, Bart. The other island is merely
a rude heap of stones, thought to have been artificially
formed into a mound, for the administration of justice
by the chieftain; and till near the close of the last century
it had remaining a gallows for the execution of criminals.
The Findhorn formerly abounded with salmon,
which within the last few years have greatly diminished
in number; and trout, char, and eels are still abundant:
the trout, though not large, are of excellent quality,
and afford good sport to the angler. Loch Moy is
more noted for char and eels than for trout.
The SOIL of the arable lands is of good quality, generally
either alluvial or a fine black mould, producing
favourable crops of grain of all kinds, with potatoes and
turnips. The system of husbandry is beginning to
improve; and under more favourable tenure, the farm
buildings and offices are assuming a more substantial
and commodious arrangement, especially on the lands
of Mackintosh and Tomatin, where many comfortable
farm-houses have been built. Of the hill pastures, cora-
prising nearly 92,000 acres, about 23,000 are common;
and of all this extensive tract scarcely 1000 acres are
susceptible of cultivation. In their present state these
districts afford excellent pasturage for sheep and blackcattle,
on the rearing of which the farmers principally
depend for their support. The expense and difficulty of
procuring lime have hitherto precluded any considerable
effort for the improvement of the lands; and though
there is every probability that lime might be obtained
within the parish, instead of bringing it from a distance,
yet no attempts have been made to work it.
The annual value of real property in Moy and Dalrossie
is £3646. Though originally abounding with wood,
there is little ancient timber remaining, except on the
lands of Moy Hall, the property of the Mackintoshes;
and most of the plantations are of recent growth. Mr.
Macbean has within the last few years planted one
million and a half of trees on his lands at Tomatin. The
primitive rocks are generally granite and gneiss, interspersed
with large boulders of sienite: in the east end
of the parish is a quarry of granite of fine texture and
colour, well adapted for buildings of every kind, and
more especially for such as require strength and durability.
Moy Hall, the seat of Alexander Mackintosh,
Esq., chief of the clan Chattan, is a handsome modern
mansion, situated in a richly-wooded demesne near the
northern extremity of Loch Moy. It was erected in
1807, by Sir jEneas Mackintosh, and consists of a central
quadrangle with two wings. In the grounds near the
house is a beautiful monument of marble, erected to the
memory of the late Mrs. Mackintosh, who died in
London in 1840, by her surviving husband the present
proprietor. There are also handsome mansions at Tomatin
and Corrybrough, on opposite banks of the river
Findhorn, beautifully seated in well planted-grounds, and
inhabited by their respective proprietors.
No village has been formed within the parish; neither
is there any trade or manufacture carried on,
beyond the weaving of tartans and blankets for domestic
use, which affords employment to the females during
winter. The population is very much scattered, and
the hamlets are few, and distant from each other.
Markets for the sale of cattle, horses, and other commodities,
are held monthly at Freeburn, where there is
a commodious inn, on the Saturday following the Muir
of Ord markets: a market for lambs is also held annually,
about Lammas. Facility of communication with
Inverness and the neighbouring towns is maintained by
good roads, of which the great Highland road from
Inverness to Perth passes for seven miles through the
parish; and by bridges over the river Findhorn, of which
the most important is one built in 1829, at a cost of
£y600, to replace a previous structure that had been
destroyed by flood. Ecclesiastically the parish is within
the bounds of the presbytery of Inverness and synod of
Moray. The minister's stipend is £'234. 3. 4., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum; patrons,
the Mackintosh family, of Geddes. There are two
churches, in which the minister oflSciates on alternate
Sabbaths. The church of Moy, situated on the margin
of the loch, near the northern extremity of the parish,
was erected in 1765, and thoroughly repaired in 1829;
it is a plain structure containing 360 sittings. Dalrossie
church, at a distance of nine miles from that of
Moy, and on the bank of the Findhorn, is a very an-
cient structure of small pebbles, containing 380 sittings.
The members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school is well attended; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house and garden, and the
fees average about £10 annually. There are several
other schools, partly supported by the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge, and by other societies.
In the south-western portion of the parish are numerous
mineral springs, one of which is strongly impregnated
with sulphuretted hydrogen, but the exact proportion
has not been ascertained: several of these springs have
been used medicinally with considerable success.
O MUCK, an island, in the parish of Small Isles,
district of Mull, county of Argyll; containing 6S inhabitants.
The Gaelic name of this little verdant island
of the Hebrides, Elan-nan- Muchd, literally signifies " the
Isle of Swine ". It is about two miles in length, less
than one mile in breadth, and lies four miles south-bywest
from the island of Eigg. The surface is pretty low,
with the exception of one hill, and even this is of no
great height; the soil is generally good. The coast is
rocky, and indented with several creeks, which afford
shelter for fishing-boats, but no safe anchorage for
vessels: in two of these creeks are small piers. The
rearing of black-cattle, and a fishery of cod and ling
here, are productive. The chief want of the inhabitants
is fuel, which they procure from Ardnamurchan and
other neighbouring places. On the north side of the
island lies Elan-nan-Each, the " Island of Horses ", which
is of inconsiderable extent, but affords good pasture.
Muck formerly contained many more inhabitants than
it does at present.