of worship are but thinly attended, though some adherents of the Established Church attend in the Sabbath evenings, and also in the forenoons, when the weather is inclement.

Besides the ordinary collections for the poor, the average amount of church collections yearly for religious and charitable purposes is about L.12.

Education.-There are six schools at present in the parish, three of which are parochial,-one in Castle Douglas, one in Rhonehouse, which is the original parish school, and one in Gelston. The other three are unendowed, and on the teachers' own adventure. All the unendowed schools are conducted by females. Two of them may almost be reckoned infant schools. In the third, besides all the ordinary branches of education, sewing, drawing, music, and French are taught.

The parochial schoolmaster of Rhonehouse alone has a dwelling-house; but all the three school-houses are large, well-aired, and convenient.

The branches of education generally taught in the parish schools are, reading, writing, arithmethic, geography, mathematics, Latin, Greek, French, and Italian. The fixed salary paid by the heritors is L.51, 6s., which is equally divided among the three schoolmasters. The teacher in Castle Douglas receives also about L.7, 10s. from a sum of money mortified by Sir William Douglas, and about L.15 as his share of the seat-rents in the church galleries. The other two teachers receive from the same sources about L.3 and L.7, 10s. each. The average amount of schoolfees in Castle Douglas is L. 120, and in each of the other schools about L.32 per annum.

The people are, in general, very much alive to the benefits of education. No part of the parish is so distant from one or other of the schools as to prevent attendance. The magistrates of Castle Douglas have the privilege of sending sixteen poor children to school, on the Douglas mortification; and the trustees and shareholders in the church galleries exercise the same privilege in regard to the other schools. Education is thus brought within reach of the poorest inhabitant; and there is hardly an individual, a native of the parish, of suitable age, who cannot read and write. The proportion of scholars to the whole population is a little less than one to five. Perhaps it might be of advantage to have a second school endowed in Castle Douglas to act as a nursery to the present one, which is rather overcrowded.

Literature.-There is an excellent subscription library in Castle

Douglas, consisting of nearly 1200 well selected and valuable volumes. Subscribers have alone the privilege of reading. The terms of admission are L.3, 3s., and an annual subscription of halfa-guinea. There are also a circulating library, and a juvenile library for the use of the children attending the Sabbath school.

Charitable and other Institutions.-There are two poor houses in the parish, the one erected and the other rented by the heritors and kirk-session. In these, about thirty poor persons, some of whom have families, are lodged, and receive the usual allowance of out-door paupers to spend as they please. A matron is appointed to take charge of the helpless, and orphan, or deserted children. She has free apartments assigned her, and receives, per month, for taking charge of an orphan child, from 5s. to 7s. 6d. ; and for a paralytic or disabled person, from 10s. to 18s. per month, according to the nature of the case. This plan is attended with less expense, and a greater amount of comfort to the poor, than the system of paying for a separate lodging for each.

Savings Bank.-The Savings Bank of Castle Douglas was opened for public business on 24th December 1840, and on 20th November 1841, there were in 25 accounts, balances to the amount of

دو

104 Accounts,

220 Accounts,

241 Accounts,

L.196 0 0

668 11 10

. 1638 0 8

2022 17 10

On 20th November 1842, 20th November 1843, and on 4th January 1844, As the institution is yet in its infancy, little can be said regarding its ultimate success. Hitherto that has been as great as could reasonably be expected; and from the subjoined statement of accounts and classification of depositors, it appears that a considerable number of individuals in those classes whose benefit it chiefly contemplates, take advantage of the institution.

Poor and Parochial Funds.-The average number of persous receiving parochial aid is 55. The sums allowed to them vary from 9d. to 5s. per week, the average allowance being Is. 8d. The annual amount of contributions for the relief of the poor is about L.330. This sum is raised by a legal assessment, amounting to L.300, and the half of the ordinary collections at the parish church, amounting to L.30, the other half being retained by the session to meet the current expenses, and relieve the occasional poor. There is also the interest of L.100, given by Miss Harriet Douglas, now Mrs Congar, of New York, one of the heirs of Sir William Douglas, which is expended in the purchase of coals, and distributed, in equal proportions, among the poor in Castle Douglas, Rhonehouse, and Gelston. The legal assessment was imposed in 1837-38. It began at the rate of 5d. per pound upon the real value of property in the parish. It steadily increased at the rate of 1d. per pound each year, until it reached 8d. per pound. The rate is imposed upon all tangible property above the value of L.3 per annum. The landlords pay the one-half, and the tenants the other half. naged at an expense of L.25 yearly, including salary, the remainder being expended in paying the persons appointed to value the different properties, and in providing the necessary accommodation for the permanent committee of management, which meets once a-month.

The system is ma-
L.15 as the clerk's

Besides the regular poor, a good many persons require occasional aid. These are relieved by the kirk-session, out of the half of the ordinary collections, which the law allows them to retain. There is no disposition among the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief, but, on the contrary, there is the most mortifying eagerness to get upon the roll. They look upon it as their natural and legal right, and receive, without gratitude, the pittance that is given without charity. This deplorable effect, the destruction of the proper feelings that ought to exist between the givers and receivers of charity, seems to be inseparable from the system, and is one of the strongest objections to its adoption. In some few cases, it is to be feared that the poor refrain from making the exertions to maintain themselves, of which they are capable; or, having an opportunity of earning a livelihood, as most of them have at certain seasons of the year, they still apply for the benefit of the public fund; and there is seldom any appa

rent reluctance in children to allow their aged parents and relations to come upon the parish.

There is not much private charity now exercised in the parish, as it is thought inconsistent with a main object of so large an annual expenditure upon the poor, the suppression of vagrancy and public begging. Many families, however, are still favoured with a weekly visit from the poor persons whom they were in the habit of serving before the introduction of the poor rate; and the collections at the church have not been sensibly diminished.

Fairs.-There are seven fairs held in the parish in the course of the year, viz. at Castle Douglas, for the sale of horses, on the 11th February if it happen to be a Monday, if not, on the Monday following; at Castle Douglas, for horses and hiring, on the 23d March, or Monday after; at Castle Douglas, for the sale of hoggets, on the first Monday of April; at Keltonhill, for horses and hiring, on the 17th June, O. S.; at Castle Douglas, for lambs, on the Monday before the fair of Minniehive, which is held on the second Friday of August; at Castle Douglas, for horses and hiring, on the 23d September or Monday after; and at Castle Douglas for horses, on the Monday after the 13th November, O. S.

Formerly all these fairs were held at Kelton hill; but, with the exception of that in June, they have been transferred to Castle Douglas, the multiplication of places of entertainment, and, especially, the convenience of the banks, having rendered the change advisable, and even necessary.

Inns, Alehouses, &c.-There are twenty-three inns and alehouses in the parish, besides two grocers' shops, licensed to retail ardent spirits,―a number greatly exceeding the wants of the population. Several such houses have been closed within the last three years, and it is greatly to be desired that their number were still farther reduced. Of this, however, there appears a great probability, as the use of ardent spirits has been considerably diminished, since public attention began to be directed to the cause of temperance, and several of these houses are understood to be doing very little business, and very little harm. Upon the whole, they do less injury to the morals of the people than, at first sight, is apt to be supposed; for a considerable number of them are places of entertainment for farmers and dealers attending the fairs and markets, and are very little frequented except on these occasions.

Fuel.-Coal is the fuel commonly used in the parish. It is

KIRKCUDBRIGHT,

M

brought from Cumberland to the ports of Palnackie and Tongland Bridge. At certain seasons, when their servants and horses are not necessarily engaged in agricultural operations, the farmers send for coal to Dalmellington, in Ayrshire, a distance of thirty-six miles from Castle Douglas. Here it costs less than the same weight of English coal; but it is also much less durable; and, taking into account the long land carriage, in reality no cheaper The common cart-load of shipped coal, containing 8 bushels, or 12 cwt., costs about 9s., besides cartage, which is 2s. 6d. more. Peat is found in the parish, but it is not very extensively used as

fuel.

Written January 1841.
Revised January 1844.

PARISH OF BALMAGHIE.

PRESBYTERY OF KIRKCUDBRIGHT, SYNOD OF GALLOWAY.

THE REV. ALEX. GIBSON, MINISTER.

I. TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

THE name of this parish has been adopted from that of the principal estate which it contains. An Irish chief named M'Ghie settled here in early times, and the property he acquired was long retained by his descendants. Hence the name of the family estate and also of the parish. The Gaelic prefix Bal signifies a dwelling.

Boundaries, &c.-The parish lies about the middle of the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and is of irregular figure. To the eastward it is separated from the parishes of Kelton, Crossmichael, and Parton, by the river Dee; to the northward, from Kells, by the Black water of Dee; on the west, it is bounded by the parish of Girthon; and on the south, by those of Twynholm and Tongland. The greatest length, from south-east to north-west, is about nine miles, and the greatest breadth from east to west, about seven.

Topographical Appearances.-To the south-east the surface of the parish is in general level, but in all other directions it is hilly, though not mountainous. The higher parts of the parish command a very extensive view, including, among other objects, the Cars