ARRAN, lying about twelve miles south from Bute, is something more than twenty miles long and from eight to eleven miles broad ; and contains, by the latest estimation, more than 100;000 acres, of which only a seventh part may be fit for cultivation. It is an extremely rugged and mountainous country, particularly the northern part, in which the valleys are deep and romantic. Goatfield, a mountain nearly in the centre of the island, is about 3000 feet high, and a few others approach to the same ele vation. The climate, in winter, is exceedingly se vere; and, like that of all the other western isles, moist during the other seasons. With the exception of a few farms, the whole island belongs to the Duke of Hamilton, who has very lately begun to take an interest in its improvement, and expended a consider able sum in making roads, bridges, and small har bours. Game is in great abundance, particularly grouse, which are surprisingly numerous on the mountainS. Limestone, marl, and slate, are found in different parts, and there are indications of coal also. The herring fishery is prosecuted to great ad vantage. Arran has two remarkably fine harbours, Lamlash on the east side, and Ranza on the north. Its agriculture does not seem to have
proved much since the time when Pennant visited it. The arable land of a farm is still occupied in in. termixed ridges, or what in Scotland is called res. rig, by a society of tenants, who interchange their ions every year, or every two years at the possessions ; and, adjoining to this portion, common pasture is allotted for their cows, under the charge of a herd. The highest grounds are held in coal monty by the tenantry at large ; and, as soon as the crops are removed, the live-stock pasture indiscri minately over the whole island. See the Article ARRAN in the Encyclopadia.
The CuMBRAxs are two small islands on the coast of Ayrshire, but do not, as has been inadvertently stated in the article AYRSHIRE, make a part of that county. The largest, which belongs to the Marquis of Bute and the Earl of Glasgow, contains about four square miles, of which a half is cultivated; and the smallest, the property of the Earl of Egli*. ton, only one mile, on which there is a light-house, with four or five families, and a great number of rabbits.