SUTHERLANDSII1RE, an extensive county In the north of Scot land, stretches from the Dornoch Frith and (lemma Ocean, along which It has a sea-comet of about 24 miles, across the island to the Atlantic Ocean and tho North Sea ; having along the Atlantic from lnverkirkaig Bay to Cape Wrath a sea-coast of 62 miles, and along the North Sea from Cape Wrath eastward a seacoast of 68 miles (in both cases excluding the bays and indentations from the calculation). The county lies between 57' 48' and 58' 33' N. tat, 3' 40' sud 5' 20' W. long. Its area is 1886 square miles, or 1,207,188 statute acres. Its length varies from 42 to 00 miles, and its breadth from 42 to 54 miles. The population was 25,793 in 1851. Tho county returns one member to the Imperial Parliamout.
Several small !glands along the west and north coasts belong to the county: four of them are inhabitml; the three largest are Oldany, Cale., and Hands. Mande is remarkable for the altitude and wild grandeur of its cliffs. Along the north coast, the lofty peaks of the litack and islands, belonging to this county, are conspicuous In clear weather at a distance of some miles from the coast. Island lioau, the Rabbit Islands, Island Roan, and Holy Island, are near to the coast., and form, in some instances, natural breakwaters.
Surface, Coast-Line, Hydography, and Cornmunications.—Sutherland is a mountainous and pastoral district, The interior of the county consists of a succession of mountains, ranges of hills, and extensive moors, separated by strathe and mountain glens, divergiug from the principal valleys, which open towards the coasts. Among these mountain ranges, one of great altitude, which contains several of the highest mountains in Great Britain, separates the west and north coasts of the county from its southern shore and valleys, and rums iti a lino nearly parallel with the shores of the Atlantic and North Sea. Ben More of Assynt attains an elevation of 3231 feet. Ben lice (2859 feet), and Ben Spinnuo (2565 feet), mark the prolongation of this range to tho North Sea. The coast near this point treuds almost duo east from Cape Wrath, the north-west point of Scotland, a cliff 600 feet high, on which is a lighthouse with a revolving light. The
same range stretches to near the Caithness boundary. In keeping with the bold character of this range are the magnitude of many lakes at the base of the mountains, the depth and abruptness of the open ings and passes, the expansion of widely-spread mountain sides and considerable mosses and bogs, and the variety of romantic valleys and rugged &us and hollows. Assynt and Edderachillis, on the west coast, are remarkable for the ruggedness and inequalities of the surface. Along the north coast the same description of country continues, in a more modified form. The sea-coaets present headlands, promontories, and numerous cliffs of the boldest description. In the central districts of the county are several extensive valleys, with numerous low bills clothed with rich pasturage, and comprising valuable tracts of arable laud. With the exception of the Ord of Caithness, the eon-coast along the ehore of the German Ocean is flat and sandy.
The county is abundantly watered by the Oykill, the Fleet, and their tributary streams; all of which have their source within the county. The salmon-fishings are valuable. Except the Frith of Dor noch and the short testuary of the Fleet, none of the rivers aro navigable. The western district of Sutherland is remarkable for a great number of fresh-water lakes. Loch Shin forms the largest of a chain of lakes, which extends almost continuously from near the head of the Domicil Frith on the east coast to Loch Laxford, a salt water loch of the Atlantic on the west coast. Loch Assynt, which is surrounded by some of the highest and most picturesque mountains of the county, is the largest lake along the west coast ; Loch Hope and Loch Eribol, and the Kyles of Tongue and Dorness, are conspicuous on the north coast. At Scullomie, in the Kyle of Tongue, is a harbour, in which coasters may find refuge : it is always a6eessible. Since 1811 the whole circuit of Sutherlandshire has been provided with excellent and well-kept roads and numerous bridges, embankments, and mounds necessary to connect them.