HIGH LANDS, a term generally applied to the higher parts of a country, as. for example, Highlands of the Hudson, as defining a certain high and picturesque region on the river Hudson, in the state of New York; but the term has a more special appli cation to a particular district in Scotland. This district has no political or civil boun dary. Separated by only a vague line of demarkation from the division called the Lowlands, the Scottish Highlands may be briefly described as that portion of the n. and n.w. of Scotland in which the Celtic language and manners have less or more lingered until modern times. The Highland line, as it is usually called, extends diago nally across the country from Nairn on the Moray firth to Dumbarton on the Clyde; but the mountainous part of the counties of Banff, Moray, Aberdeen, Kincardine, and Perth are also understood to be included in the designation highlands. Caithness might be excluded as being a generally level country; but throughout the Highlands there are rich level tracts, none being more so than the eastern division of Ross-shire. The Hebrides (q.v.) or Western isles are included in the Highlands, but the isles of Orkney and Shetland, though to the n., are distinctly excluded, by reason of the Nor wegian origin of the inhabitants.
Highlands are full of lofty hills, some green and pastoral with tracts of heath, and others rugged and bare, varying in height from 1000 to 4,000 ft., and having gen erally narrow valleys between, or else lakes and arms of the sea. called loehg. Besides the grander features, there are impetuous mountain torrents, picturesque ravines, and valleys or glens, in which, and on the sides of the hills. are seen the huts of the abo rigines. Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the country is the line of valleys from Inverness to fOrt William. in which lies a series of navigable lochs, united by artificial channels to form the Caledonian canal. Growing up under a system of elanship, the state of society in the Highlands was antiquated and unsatisfactory, in a national point of view; while the country was almost impenetrable to travelers, or to any species of traffic. The first great attempt to reform this state of affairs was the opening up of the
country by roads in different directions, under the superintendence of gen. Wade, about The next great act of melioration was the abolition of heritable jurisdictions (q.v.), including the ancient privileges of the heads of clans, about 1748. And lastly, not to speak of tlie planting of schools and churches, much was clone by the establish ment of the Highland and agricultural society in 1784. Since these events, the ancient patriarchal system has given place to improvements as regards communications, agri culture, dwellings, education, and other modern conditions, including a gradual substi tution of English 'for the Gaelic language. Latterly, there has been a keen spirit of progress in the Highlands, Great irtimbers of the Celtic inhabitants, who had little chance of improving their eircumstanceS'on the spot, have been dispOssessed, and their place taken by stock-farmers with capital from the Lowlands. Sec SUTHERLAND. While a new character has thus been given to extensive Highland pasturages, the value of estates has been further and very remarkably advanced by being let for the pursuit of game to sportsmen, chiefly persons of rank and opulence from England. What, there fort:, with improved farming and shootings, Highland estates have of late Years r'sen mn9nsely m value. Inverness is usually spoken of as the capital of the highlands.
i and is noticed under its proper head. The Highland counties are also noticed individu ally. There are sundry popular guide-books for tourists iu the Highlands; and for impute topographical and other details, we may refer to the Guide to the lands and Rands of Scotland, by G. and P. Anderson, Loud. 1834; 4th ed. 1863.