between Knox and Gibson counties, at Lat. 38° 27' N. The valley of White river is a real curiosity in the hydrography of the United States. The extreme eastern sources of Croghan's Fork rise within one mile from the bank of Ohio river, opposite Gallatin county, Kentucky. A ridge of hills winds at no great distance from its banks, and nearly parallel to the Ohio, from the Great Miami to the Wabash. The northwestern streams of this ridge are discharged into either the White river or Wabash. The valley of White river is in form of an ellipsis, 180 miles long, with a mean width of 60, embracing an area of 16,800 square miles, and comprising about one third part of the state of Indiana. There are but few, if any, equal sections of the United States exceeding in natural advantages this tract. In fertility of soil and mildness of climate, it is really a desirable region. The streams without falls, are, except in seasons of drought, navigable almost to their sources. See article Wabash. DARBY.

WHITHORN, a royal burgh in Wigtonshire, is situated eleven miles south of the burgh of Wigton, between the Luce and Wigton bays, about two miles west of the latter. It consists of one street, extending south and north, its length being nearly half a mile. It was constituted a royal burgh by James IV. in 1511. The number of inhabitants is 1200. The isle of Whithorn, three miles southeast, is the port of this borough.

But Whithorn is particularly deserving of notice on account of its antiquity and celebrity. It is the site of the Leucophibia of Ptolemy. It is the place where the gospel was first preached in Scotland, and where the first place of Christian worship was erected. The person to whom these two events are owing is St. Ninian, who lived in the end of the 4th and beginning of the 5th century; and Leucophibia became Candida Casa, and since Whithorn, from the circumstance, as is supposed, of the church being built of white stone. The bishoprick which St. Ninian established, was at Whithorn; and Whithorn continued from that period till 1689 the see of the bishop of Candida Casa or Galloway. Ninian died in 452; but his memory was so much venerated, that many places both in Scotland and England were called by his name, and there is no saint in the Romish calendar whose tomb was so often visited. The kings of Scotland not only visited Ninian's shrine themselves, but encouraged others to do so, and granted protection to all strangers coming from England, Ireland, or the Isle of Man, in pilgrimage to Whithorn. James IV. performed this pilgrimage about twenty times,-once on foot, in consequence of the dangerous illness of the queen on the birth of their eldest son. She recovered; a result that was attributed to the miraculous influence of the saint: and when her health was re-established, she and her husband, as a matter of gratitude, performed the same pious journey in circumstances of great pomp and magnificence: seventeen horses were employed in transporting the queen's baggage; three in carrying the king's, and one in carrying the chapel geir." James V. also paid visits to Ninian's tomb; and pilgrimages con

tinued to be made thither till 1581, when they were prohibited by an Act of Parliament.

A priory for Premonstratensian monks was founded at Whithorn by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, about the middle of the 12th century. The church of the priory formed the cathedral church of the diocese; the prior and canons composed the chapter of the bishops; and the prior was vicar-general of the see during a vacancy. Many eminent men, such as archbishop Beaton and Archbishop Dunbar, were connected with this priory.

Of all these ancient buildings, there is now scarcely any remains. They had been allowed indeed to fall into ruins before the year 1684, when Symson wrote his account of Galloway. Some mouldering walls were demolished in 1823 to make way for a new place of worship. Some traces of walls may yet be discovered; large vaults are entire, and four arches of the original building still remain; they formed part of the parish church, which was dismantled in 1823. When digging the foundation of the new church, walls and vaults were discovered ten or twelve feet under the surface; and from an attentive examination, we are of opinion that the cathedral and priory were of greater extent and magnificence than is commonly imagined, covering at least two acres of ground.

See Chalmer's Caledonia, iii. § Wigtonshire; and Murray's Literary History of Galloway. (T. M.)

WHITLEY, county of Kentucky, bounded W. by Wayne county of the same state, N. W. by Rock Castle creek separating it from Pulaski, N. by Laurel, E. by Knox, and S. by Campbell county in Tennessee. Length from N. to S. 30, mean breadth 20, and area 600 square miles. Extending in Lat. from 36° 35' to 37° 01' N., and in Long. from 6° 48' to 7° 14′ W. from W. C. The main volume of Cumberland river winds by a very circuitous channel over Whitley from S. E. to N.W. Chief town Whitley, C. H. By the post office list of 1831, there was a post office at Whitley, C. H. Population of 1830, 3807. DARBY..

WICK, a royal burgh of Scotland, in the county of Caithness, is situated at the embouchure of the little river Wick. The town is small, and the lanes confined, though the chief streets are of a moderate size. The harbour, which was formerly only the estuary of the river, has been improved by new piers and quays, at an expense of about £12,000. The town has in consequence been much improved, and many new houses erected on the south side of the river. Wick is the county town of Caithness, and along with Kirkwall, Dornoch, Dingwall and Tain, sends a member to parliament. The population of the town is above 1000, and that of the town and parish 6713.

WICKLOW, a maritime county of Ireland. It is bounded by the sea on the east, by Dublin county on the north, by Kildare, Dublin and Carlow on the west, and by Wexford on the south. It is about 40 English miles long and 33 broad, and contains 781 square miles, or about 500,000 English acres. It contains 58 parishes, of which 49 are in the bish

oprick of Dublin, 6 in the diocese of Loughlin, and 3 in that of Ferns. The county is divided into 6 baronies and half baronies.

A great part of Wicklow is occupied with rocky mountains and bogs. In the N. and W. the mountains are bold and rugged, but in the east they are separated by fine wooded and romantic glens, such as those of Dargle, the Downs, the vale of Immalee, and Glendalloch. The central mountains consist of granite; and argillaceous schistus composes the lower hills. On the north is the remarkable chasm in a ridge of granite called the Scalp.

The minerals of Wicklow are gold, lead, and copper. Native gold has been found on the N.E. side of the mountains, Croughan Kenshela, in a stream which falls into the Ovoco. In 1796 £10,000 worth was found in pieces, one of which weighed 9, another 18, and a third 27 ounces. Government then explored the mines, but no veins were found, and the works were abandoned. Lead has been wrought at Glenmaher and Glendalloch, at the latter of which places there were in 1809 three smelting houses, and about 18000 cwt. of bar iron were make weekly. Copper has been wrought to a considerable extent at Cronebane and Ballymurtagh. The works at Cronebane produced in 1809, 3000 tons of ore at a cost of £8000. The works are now discontinued. Oxide of tin was found in the same stream in which gold occurred.

Wicklow has no river navigable within its limits. The Liffey rises in the N.W. of the county. The Ovoco runs into the sea at Arklow, the Fartrey does the same at Wicklow, and the Slaney rises in the S. W. of the county. Five of the streams produce fine waterfalls, the principal of which is at Powerscourt, 360 feet high. The chief lakes are Lough Bray, Lough Tay, Lough Dan, and the loughs of the seven churches.

The climate of Wicklow is remarkably fine, especially on the east coast. The myrtle grows in such profusion as to be used for stable brooms, and grapes ripen out of doors. The principal crops are wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes. Summer fallow being little known, the wheat follows the potatoe crops, and sometimes it is taken after white crops or upon the lea. The barley comes after potatoes or turnips. The crops are uncommonly abundant, though the soil is of a light quality. Dung, marl, and limestone gravel, are the chief manure. Scotch agricultural implements are now in general use.

Most of the improved breeds of cattle have been introduced. The dairies, which are numerous, are employed chiefly in feeding veal for the Dublin market. In the north early lambs are fattened to a considerable extent. The mountains of Wicklow afford good pasturage for sheep. The number of breeding ewes is about 20,000. The South Down are common, and many of the native flocks have been crossed with them. Merinos have also been introduced.

The principal manufactures of Wicklow are woollen and cotton goods. Besides the coarse woollens for common use, flannel is manufactured to a great extent. From 5000 to 7000 pieces were

sold annually before 1808 at the flannel sale at Rathdrum. The cotton manufacture was then carried on with much spirit at Stratford-upon-Slaney. The linen manufacture has always been inconsiderable.

The principal towns, &c. are Wicklow, the county town, Baltinglas, Blessington, and Carysfort, which were formerly burghs. The villages are Rathdrum, Bray, Arklow, Stratford-uponSlaney. Wicklow is boldly situated on the declivity of a lofty mountain. The church, which has a high square tower, is pleasantly situated on a lofty eminence. The jail, the court-house, and the market-house, are good modern edifices; and about a mile to the S.E. of the town are two light-houses. In 1816 Arklow employed from 100 to 150 boats in the herring-fishery, which has sometimes produced about £25,000 annually.

The population in 1790 was 58,000, and in 1821, 115, 162, the Catholics being to the Protestants as 10 to 1. See Fraser's General View of the Agriculture of the County of Wicklow, 1801, Radcliffe's Report of the Agriculture and Live Stock of the County of Wicklow, 1812, and Mr. Griffith's Report of Dr. Fellows, on the Mineralogy of the neighbourhood of Dublin.

WIGAN, a town of England, in Lancashire, is situated on the small river Douglas, near its source, and on the Liverpool canal. The town, though irregular, is neat, and contains many handsome houses. The parish church consists of a nave, chancel and side aisles, and contains some good monuments. There is also a chapel, five meeting houses for dissenters, and two Roman Catholic chapels. The other buildings are a town-hall, a liberally endowed free-school, a blue coat school for boys, a dispensary, and a commodious workhouse. At the north end of the town stands the monument erected in 1679 by Mr. Rigby to the memory of Sir Thomas Tyldesley. The manufactures consist of home made linens, checks, fustians, calicoes, and other cotton fabrics. Brass and pewter works, and large iron furnaces and forges, have been established in the vicinity. The trade has been greatly extended by the Liverpool canal. Close to the town, near Scholes bridge, a valuable mineral spring, called Wigan Spa, has been discovered. About a mile north of Wigan is Haigh-hall, the venerable mansion of the Earl of Balcarras. Wigan sends two members to parliament, chosen by about 200 voters. Population of the burgh in 1821, 3176 houses, 3366 families, 3254 do. engaged in trade. Total number of inhabitants 17,716.

WIGHT, ISLE of. See HAMPSHIRE, Vol. X. p.

233.

WIGTON, a town of England, in Cumberland, is situated on the river Wiza, which runs past the west and north side of the town. It consists of one main street, about three-fourths of a mile long, and some smaller ones, and contains many good houses. The church, built in 1788, is a handsome building. The Sunday school, built in 1820, is an excellent edifice, and holds 400 children. There is also a free grammar school, and an hospital for six widows of protestant clergymen in the county. The manu

factures are printed cottons, ginghams, calicoes, checks, &c. One of the chief calico manufactories is at Spittle, a quarter of a mile from Wigton. There are three excellent inns in the town. Population of the township in 1821, 729 houses, 956 families, 128 do. in agriculture, 761 in trade, and total pop

ulation 4056.

WIGTON, a town of Scotland, and the capital of the county of the same name, is situated on an abrupt eminence about 200 feet above the level of the sea, on the western banks of Wigton Bay, within a quarter of a mile from the mouth of the river Bladenoch. The town extends in a sloping direction from almost the summit of this hill, till within 180 feet of the bay. Wigton was never a place of much opulence or commercial importance, and no thoroughfare is connected with it. It consists principally of one street, fully a quarter of a mile in length, running nearly from west to east, of the usual width at the two extremities, but diverging so in the centre as to leave a vacant space of considerable extent. Till about the year 1810, this space was public property, uninclosed, and serving as a cattle market; but about that time it was enclosed nearly in the form of a parallelogram, planted with shrubs, evergreens and forest trees, beautified with broad walks, having a large bowling green in the centre. It is distant 105 miles south-west from Edinburgh, its latitude being 54° 52' north (nearly on the same parallel as Durham), and its longitude 4° 22′ 30′′ west.

Wigton was made a royal burgh in the reign of David II. This honour was probably conferred upon it in 1341, when it was established as the chief town of the earldom or county of Wigton, conferred on Sir Malcolm Fleming. The county (but not the title), with its capital was thirty years afterwards sold to Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway; and on the forfeiture of this family, annexed to the crown in 1453. In 1581, it is specified as one of the king's free burghs in the west. But Wigton was a place of importance long before it was erected into a royal burgh. It must have existed previously to 1267, when Dervorgille, daughter of Allan, Lord of Galloway, founded there a monastery for black nuns, as it is then mentioned by its present name as a place well known. The castle of Wigton, which belonged to the king, is spoken of as an important fortress about the latter period, and Chalmers thinks it was built at least a century before that date. This castle was in the hands of Edward I. in 1291, being delivered to him till the claims of the different competitors for the crown were decided. He committed it to the charge of Walter de Currie (laird of Dunskey), and successively of others, and ultimately conferred it on John Baliol as the Scottish king. This castle has now disappeared; but it is understood to have been situated on the banks of the Bladenoch south of the town, at a place where in ancient times that river fell into the bay. The fosse is quite discernible; and though the foundation of the walls cannot be traced, mortar and other remains, indicative of an ancient building, are still to be observed. The monastery founded by Dervorgille was situated on

the east of the burgh, terminating on an abrupt ridge overlooking the bay, but no remains of it can be traced. There was a large cemetry connected with it, where, within these fifty years, bones and other sepulchral remains were dug up. The friars of this place, though they had to profess poverty and practice mendicity, were possessed of considerable property, originating for the most part in temporary grants of fisheries, lands, &c. and of gratuities given them by the various kings of Scotland who lodged with them on their pilgimage to St. Ninian's tomb in Whithorn. In 1502, James IV. gave 14 shillings to the pipers of Wigton for music. And the subsequent year he presented the priest of Wigton with 40 shillings to perform "a Dirge and Soul-mass" for his brother John, Earl of Mar, of whose death he there first got intelligence. The first church in Wigton was consecrated to St. Machute, an obscure saint, who died in 554. It originally belonged to the priory of Whithorn, but was afterwards a free rectory, of which the king was patron. There is a MS. in the Advocates' Library (Jac. V. 8. 8.) containing curious notices relative to religious houses; among other things, a donation (1495) is mentioned from William M'Garvey, vicar of Penningham, of various houses and crofts in or near the burgh (which are most minutely described), to support "a chaplaine in St. Machutus in Wigtoun." When the present church was built, we have not ascertained; the east gable is of great antiquity, being the remains of a former building, probably that of the church of the venerable St. Machute. In the churchyard are several ancient monuments and inscriptions, particularly one or two which seem to have been transferred thither from the cemetry of the monastery.

The inhabitants, with the exception of a few Irish settlers, are nearly all natives, either of the burgh or county. The names of families that are still most prevalent in Wigton, such as M'Kie, M'Kinnell, &c. were the predominant names so early as the year 1495. (Vide the MS. above referred to.) The inhabitants of this place are extremely respectable, and no where can be found more interesting and refined society. They are generally in comfortable circumstances in their respective stations, and some of them have attained considerable opulence. Property is much subdivided: there are few steady tradesmen that are not proprietors of a house; and the numerous crofts, or acres as they are called, adjacent to the burgh, are the property of the various classes of the citizens. They are a reading, inquisitive people; and while they have had for above thirty years a large subscription library, not a few of them possess extensive private collections. Crime is nearly unknown, and the obligations of piety and morality are held sacred. There is, in addition to the parish church, a dissenting chapel. The burgh school has long been eminent; and there are not wanting instances of individuals educated at this seminary that have attained to distinction and honour in various quarters of the world. Wigton, with New Galloway, Whithorn and Stranraer, send a member to parliament. The population amounts to about 1000. Vide Caledonia;

so that these two places, when finished, will probably be superior to any other harbour on the western coast of Scotland. In this county, the fresh water locks, though numerous, are extremely small. Dowalton or Longcastle in the Machers, which is probably the largest, is about two miles long by one in breadth.

The soil varies much in the different divisions of the county. The lower grounds, particularly those on the coast, are very rich and fertile; while the higher soils, though mostly arable, are thin, gravelly, and unproductive. The barony of Baldoon in the Machers, stretching south from the Bladenoch along the Wigton bay, is the Carse of Gowrie of the south. The Rhyns also is extremely rich, though from the sandy nature of the soil in some places, the crops are very precarious, and hence in that district prices often differ much from those of the rest of the county. The most improved system of agriculture is every where pursued, though the best specimens may be found on the estate of Baldoon. Of the relative proportions of land in crop and in pasture, we have a correct idea from the fact, that out of 288,960 English acres which the county contains, 101,136, or 35 per cent, are under cultivation, and 187,824, or 65 per cent, in pasture. It may not be improper to state, that property in land is here very little subdivided. There are four or five large proprietors whose united estates comprehend the half of the whole county, and compared with other shires, there are few whose estates vary from £500 to £1000 of rental. Agriculture, though now brought to perfection in Wigtonshire, was, till within less than a century, in a very rude state. Marshal Stair was the first to introduce agricultural improvements into this county, as his sister, the countess of Loudon (who died in 1770 aged 100), did into Ayrshire. This celebrated general in 1728 retired from public business, and spent the remain der of his days either in the counties of Wigton or Linlithgow (in both of which he had a residence), in the quiet pursuits of private life. He adopted the most approved modes of cultivation he had witnessed either in England or on the continent. He practised the horse-hoeing system: he introduced the Lucerne and Saint Foin grasses; in addition to potatoes, he cultivated turnips, carrots and cabbages with the plough: he subdivided and enclosed his lands: drained swamps and mosses: and altogether exhibited a skill and an enterprize such as to effect a revolution in agriculture in the two counties in question. Lord Stair died in 1747, but the influence of his example continued: and since his death, Wigton has had the advantage of various skilful agriculturists, both landlords and tenants, to whom she is deeply indebted. Two agricultural societies have long existed in Wigtonshire; and the present race of farmers, in point of intelligence and professional skill, are highly respectable.

Notwithstanding what hath been said respecting the harbours and other advantages of this county, it has little or no trade or manufactures. Though it is the seat of three branches of the customhouse, introduced in 1710-(namely at Wigton, Stranraer, and Portpatrick), yet this is owing to the prevalence

of smuggling from Ireland and the Isle of Man, as much as to its commercial importance. At the Revolution, Wigtonshire had no shiping except three or four vessels, chiefly for fishing, belonging to Stranraer. And such has been its improvement, chiefly of late, that in 1819 it could boast of 106 vessels admeasuring 4312 tons, averaging upwards of forty tons each. Of these vessels, seven are employed in foreign trade, mostly with Canada; twelve in the fishing trade, for which purpose they pay an annual visit to the shore of the Western Highlands; and eighty-seven in the coasting trade. The chief imports are black cattle and horses from Ireland, chiefly for the English market; coals, lime, merchant-goods, slate, free-stone, iron, with wood from Canada; the chief exports are the produce of agriculture. There are no manufactures carried on in Wigtonshire except for home consumption.

Wigtonshire is not distinguished for mineral wealth. No mines of any kind have been found, with the exception of a copper mine near the Borough-Head, which the proprietor has lately begun to dig. Quarries of coarse slate has been met with, but none of good quality; and slate is still imported. This county abounds with burghs and villages,of which, we have already given an account of Portpatrick, Whithorn, and Wigton. (See these articles). Stranraer, the next in eminence, is beautifully situated on a plain at the head of Lochryan. It was constituted a royal burgh by James VI. in 1617; but owing to the invidious interference of Wigton, which dreaded it as a rival, its charter, it is supposed, was not confirmed till the time of William and Mary. It forms the great thoroughfare to Ireland; it is larger than any other town in the county, its population being above 2000. Glenluce stands about 500 yards from the Luce, at the head of the bay of that name. The population may be about 500. Newton-Stewart lies on the banks of the Cree, eight miles north of Wigton, and contains about 1200 inhabitants. Garlieston, about the same size as Glenluce, lies on the west of the Wigton bay. The Isle of Whitborn, on the same bay, southward, is, properly speaking, the port of Whithorn, from which it is distant about three miles. FortWilliam, a small place, but possessing a good harbour, is on the east coast of the Luce bay.

But Wigton is distinguished for nothing so much as the antiquity and number of its religious houses. The oldest church in Scotland was built near the site of the present Whithorn, as mentioned in our account of that burgh; and in the 12th century a monastery was founded there by Fergus, Lord of Galloway. The same person established another called Saulseat-(sedes animarum)—near Stranraer. Rolland, Lord of Galloway, founded, in the same century, the abbey of Glenluce; and the abbey of Wigton was established in the 13th century by Dervorgille, daughter of Allan, last Lord of Galloway, and mother to John Baliol, the Scottish king. There were also numerous churches and chapels of inferior note founded at or before the time when these monasteries were erected. Wigtonshire at the Reformation contained twenty-one parishes, with various subsidiary chapels, either the property of some