PORT-OF-MONTEITH.
PORTONKILL, small bay in Kirkmaiden parish, Wigtonshire.
PORTOUR, harbour on north coast of Durness, Sutherland.
PORTPATRICK, seaport village and parish on west coast of "Wigtonshire. The village stands at narrowest part of North Channel, 6J miles by road, but 1\ by railway, south-west of Stranraer, and unobstructedly opposite Donaghadee in Ireland; took its name from a foolish legend about St. Patrick; possessed importance for a time as the packet station of Scotland and north of England to Ireland; is ensconced on a small bay within a deep natural amphitheatre ; began in 1821 to get a grand artificial harbour, carried on till 1843, and then left off incomplete; lost its importance, and began to decline, at establishment of steam communication with Ireland by more facile routes ; and now has a post office, with money order and telegraph departments, designated of Wigtonshire, a terminal railway station, Established and Free churches, and a public school. Pop. 586. The parish measures 5f miles by 4J, and comprises 9094 acres. Eeal property in 1880-81, 6379. _ Pop. 1285. The entire coast is a series of rocks and cliffs, rising abruptly or murally from deep water, partly fissured and cavernous, and partly attaining heights of about 130 feet. The interior is irregularly undulated, includes remarkably small aggregate of level ground, and consists largely of flat-topped hiUs. Chief objects are Dunskey House, Dunskey ruined castle, and two circular fortifications.
PORTPATRICK RAILWAY, railway, 62J miles long, from junction with Castle-Douglas and Dumfries Railway at Castle-Douglas, curvingly westward to a point near Portpatrick village, with two short branches to respectively Stranraer harbour and north pier of Portpatrick harbour. It was authorized in 1857 on a capital of 460,000 in shares and 150,000 in loans; and it is worked by the Cale-donian.
PORTRACT, seat in Holywood parish, Dumfriesshire.
PORTRAMSAY, village, with large well-sheltered harbour, on west coast near north-east end of Lismore Island, Argyleshire.
PORTREE, sea-loch, town, and parish in Skye district, Inverness-shire. The loch is on east coast of Skye Island, opens from Raasay Sound, strikes about 2^ miles westward, has grand cliffs guarding north side of its entrance, is flanked and over-hung by romantic mountains, and forms an excellent land-locked natural harbour. The town stands on an eminence near the loch's head, 30 miles west-by-north of Strome Ferry, and 109 west of Inverness ; got its name, signifying 'king's harbour,' from a visit to it by James v. when making a progress round the Hebrides ; ranks as the capital of Skye and seat of sheriff courts ; and has a head post office with all departments, steam communication southward, northward, and to Strome Ferry station, 3 banking offices, 4 hotels, some fine residences, Established, Free, United Presbyterian, and Episcopalian churches, and a public school with about 114 scholars. Pop. 858. The parish comprises a portion of Skye around the town, and all Raasay, Fladda, and Rona islands, and measures, inclusive of these islands and the intersecting straits, about 20 miles by 12. Real property in 1880-81, 7843. Pop. 3191. The section in Skye Island measures 17f miles along the coast ; extends from Loch Inord on the south to a line 5J miles beyond Portree on the north; has a mean breadth of not more than about 3 miles; presents to the sea long ranges of stupendous romantic cliffs ; includes some low tracts at heads of lochs and bays ; and consists chiefly of lofty hills and mountains, with an intersecting glen. Chief antiquities are two circular dunes, and ruins of a Romish chapel.
PORTSBURGH, old suburb, once a burgh of barony, west-south-west of Grassmarket, Edinburgh.
PORTSEATON, seaport village adjacent to east end of Cockenzie, Haddingtonshire. It had twelve saltpans in former part of 17th century ; it now shares in the commerce and fisheries of Cockenzie ; and it acquired in 1880 a new harbour at a cost of 11,000.
PORTSKERRY, small bay and fishing village at mouth of river Halladale, on north coast of Sutherland, 15 miles west-south-west of Thurso. Pop. 387.
PORT-SONNACHAN, hamlet on east side of Loch Awe, 7| miles south-west of Dalmally, Argyleshire. It has a hotel.
PORTSOY, seaport at terminus of branch railway, 7^ miles west of Banff. It dates from old times ; presents an irregular but interesting appearance ; is notable for exportation of beautiful quartz and very ornamental serpentine, found in its vicinity ; publishes a weekly newspaper ; was designed in 1879 to have a public water supply ; and has a post office, with money order and telegraph departments, designated of Banffshire, 2 banking offices, 2 hotels, a quoad sacra parochial church, Free, United Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Roman Catholic churches, and a public school of 1877 with accommodation for 430 scholars. Pop. of town, 2090; of quoad sacra parish, 2312.
PORTUISGEN, creek on south coast of Ross district, Mull Island, Argyleshire.
PORTVADIE, small bay on east side of lower part of Loch Fyne, Argyleshire.
PORTVASGO, small bay and flag quarry near Rabbit Island, in Kyle of Tongue, Sutherland.
