on both sides, of its numerous bays, but it averages from 3 to 5 miles, having on the east the Cumbraes 5 miles and the Ayrshire coast 8 miles off, and on the west Inch- oiarnoch (with an area of 675 acres) close at hand, and Ardrishaig, the highway to the Hebrides, within little more
than two hours sail of Rothesay.The island has an area of 31,161 acres, two-thirds of which are arable, the remainder consisting of hill-pasture, plantings, moors, and sheets of water. Of the latter there are six. The largest, Loch Fad, 3 miles from Rothesay, is nearly 3 miles in length and about -
The islands of Bute and Inchmarnoch, excepting the small estates of Ascog and Ardbeg, the burgh lands, and one or two trifling holdings adjoining the town, belong to the marquis of Bute, whose favourite seat, Mount Stuart, is four miles from Rothesay on the eastern shore. The house, for which a much better site, commanding a view all round the island, might have been found, was begun in 1719 by the second earl, and finished after his death, in 1723, by Lady Bute, a daughter of the first duke of Argyll. It is a plain unpretentious mansion of moderate dimensions, recently much improved internally by the present marquis.
To the geologist, Bute offers little attraction as compared with Arran ; yet the masses of conglomerate on the beach and forming the bold cliffs at Craigmore ; the dykes of trap which crop up strikingly through the red sandstone and conglomerate at Ascog, and which may be traced shore ward towards Bogany Point and across the island to Ettrick Bay; and the vitrified forts at Dunnagoil (Garroch- head) and Island-bui (Kylcs),- whether the result of volcanic action or only of beacon fires is doubtful, will not be found unworthy of his notice. To the anti quary and the student of medieval history Bute offers ample scope. The Druidical monuments, and the barrows, cairns, and cists are numerous throughout the island, as are also the remains of ancient chapels. For an account of Rothesay Castle and its deeply interesting historical associations, see Rothesay. Another object of interest is St Blane s chapel, picturesquely situated in a sheltered nook in the parish of Kingarth. It is believed to have been founded in the reign of Malcolm Canmorc, towards the close of the llth century, on the site of a much older edifice. This seems not improbable, as St Blane, who is &aid to have been a nephew of St Cattan, lived in the latter half of the 6th century. At all events, the names of both saints have been perpetuated in connection with the chapel and the neighbouring bay of Kilchattan. In the year 1204, Walter, Steward of Scotland, anxious " for the souls of kings David and Malcolm, and the souls of his own father and mother," as well as for " the salvation of himself ar.d heirs," granted a charter conveying St Blane s, with all its valuable belongings in Bute, " to the monastery at Paisley, and the monks serving God therein." Time out of mind the chapel has been a ruin, surrounded by numerous graves of the forgotten dead ; and having passed long ago from the custody of the church, it again belongs, with the lands attacheel to it, to a Stuart, Lord Bute.
There are still extant and habitable several old mansions in Bute, one or two of which may be pointed cut. The most considerable is Kamcs Castle, three miles north-west of Rothesay. It stands in an extensive well-wooded park opposite the fine bay of the same name. It was long the residence of the Bannatyne family, a member of which, Lord Bannatyne, a judge of the Court of Session, projected the Highland Society in 1784, and founded the village of Port-Bannatyne, an abode of hardy fishermen, and now also a flourishing watering-place. lvalues estate and castle are now the property of Lord Bute. Ascog House, about three miles from Rothesay in the opposite direction coastwise, is another old mansion in the Scottish baronial style. Standing on a richly-wooded height, it commands extensive views of the firth, and whether regarded from the road or the water contributes largely to enhance the beauty of perhaps the finest lanelscape in the island. The estate of Ascog belonged at one time to a branch of the Bute family. In 1815 it was purchased by the late Mr Robert Thorn, C.E., of the Rothesay spinning- mill, who acquired celebrity by successfully engineering the introduction of water to the town of Greenock.
The island is divided into four parishes, Rothesay, New Rothesay, Kingarth, and North Bute.
Established churches, with a Gaelic chapel, two Free churches, with a Gaelic chapel, one United Presbyterian church, and three chapels Episcopalian, Baptist, and
Roman Catholic ; while at Kingarth there arc two