A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland (1716) by Martin Martin — Indexed & Searchable Digital PDF Edition

Step aboard an open Hebridean birlinn in the final years of the seventeenth century and witness the Gaelic world of the Scottish Islands before the Jacobite Risings forever changed the Highlands.

Originally published at London in 1703 and issued here in its prized "Second Edition, very much Corrected" (London, 1716), A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland... To which is added, A Brief Description of the Isles of Orkney and Schetland is the earliest firsthand ethnographic, genealogical, and geographical survey of the Hebrides, St. Kilda, Orkney, and Shetland ever written by a native Gaelic-speaking Highlander. Born at Bealach on the Isle of Skye and educated at the University of Edinburgh, Martin Martin, Gent. (c. 1660–1718) served as factor and tutor to the Laird of MacLeod of Dunvegan and was commissioned by the Royal Society of London to survey every inhabited island off the western and northern coasts of Scotland.

This is the exact volume that Dr. Samuel Johnson read as a boy in his father's bookshop—inspiring Johnson and James Boswell to undertake their famous 1773 tour of the Hebrides, during which they carried Martin's book in their saddlebags as their constant companion and authority.

What You Will Discover Inside This 1716 Volume

• Clan Chiefs, Castles & Ancient Lordship of the Isles: Firsthand accounts of the seats, charters, and traditions of the great island families—including MacDonald of Sleat, MacDonald of Clanranald, MacLeod of Dunvegan and Harris, MacNeil of Barra (at Kisimul Castle), MacLean of Duart, Coll, and Lochbuy, MacKinnon, MacQuarrie of Ulva, MacDuffie of Colonsay, Campbell of Argyll and Jura, Stuart of Bute, Hamilton of Arran, and Fullerton (Mac-Louis) of Kirkmichael.
• The Coronation Stone at Finlaggan & the Tombs of Iona: Detailed descriptions of the ancient High Court of the Lords of the Isles at Loch Finlaggan in Islay, the Black Stones of Iona (I. Colmkil), and the royal burial ground housing 48 Kings of Scotland, 4 Kings of Ireland, and 8 Kings of Norway alongside the carved effigies of West Highland chiefs.
• Prehistoric Stone Circles, Duns & Sacred Wells: The earliest detailed survey of the cruciform megalithic avenue and circle at Callernish (Callanish) in Lewis, the Stones of Stenness and Dwarfie Stone of Hoy in Orkney, Pictish brochs, underground earth-houses, and healing wells where islanders performed the sunwise Dessil circuit.
• The 1697 Voyage to St. Kilda (Hirta): Martin's dramatic eyewitness narrative of life among the 200 Gaelic inhabitants of Britain's remotest island commonwealth—their perilous cliff-climbing for Solan geese and fulmars, their communal laws, and the notorious imposture of the false prophet Roderick.
• The Second Sight (Taish) & Highland Folk Medicine: Over thirty pages of documented case studies of the Second Sight across Skye, Lewis, Harris, Uist, and Man, alongside traditional Hebridean remedies using native simples, Dulse, Slake, Lapis Hecticus, and triple- and quadruple-distilled oat whisky (Trestarig and Usquebaugh-baul).
• Orkney & Shetland (Zetland): A complete survey of Kirkwall, St. Magnus Cathedral, the Palace of the Earls of Orkney, Norn-speaking Udal landholders, the Law-Ting court at Tingwall, Scalloway Castle, Lerwick's Dutch herring fleet, and the perilous rope-cradle of the Noss of Bressay.

What Makes This Fairbairn's Crests Digital Edition Unique?

Original 18th-century copies of Martin's 1716 Second Edition command upwards of $1,500 at antiquarian auctions and lack a modern genealogical index. Our archival digital edition has been carefully prepared for genealogists, clan historians, and Scottish heritage researchers:

• 100% Intact Original Scan & Embedded OCR: All 422 original historical pages retain their authentic 18th-century letterpress appearance and native searchable OCR text layer—allowing you to search instantly (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) for any surname, island, parish, or keyword.
• Non-Destructive Archival Cleaning: All 7 blank flyleaves and empty foldout stubs from the original digitization have been removed so every page turn delivers rich historical text.
• New 10-Page Back-of-Book Genealogical & Topographical Index: Includes a newly compiled alphabetical index of 89 Surnames, Clans & Historical Figures (with 1716 spelling variants such as Mack-Donald, Mack-Leod, Mack-Lean, Mack-Neil, and Mack-Louis) and 172 Islands, Parishes, Castles & Lochs, complete with exact printed page numbers and a direct PDF page-offset formula (Merged PDF Page = Printed Page + 34).
• Branded Front Matter & Interactive PDF Bookmarks: Features 4 pages of Fairbairn's Crests front matter, an antique Victorian woodcut cover illustration, and clickable PDF chapter bookmarks for every island from Lewis and Skye to Iona, St. Kilda, Orkney, and Shetland.

Surnames, Clans & Historical Figures Indexed in This Volume (89 Entries)

Aidanus, Alexander III, Argyle (Campbell, Earl & Duke of), Ballantine (of Keams), Banhus / Gethus, Beaton (Fergus, James, Neil & Doctor Beaton, hereditary physicians), Belus, Boethius, Bothwell (Hepburn, Earl of), Brion (Judge of Ila), Buchanan, Campbell (Sir Hugh of Caddel, John, Malcom, Roderick), Cassil (Kennedy, Earl of), Charles I, Charles II, Chattan (Clan-Chattons), Columbus (St. Columba), Cooper (Mr. Alexander), Cratilinth, Cromwell (Oliver),Culdei, Darnley (Lord), Donald (King of the Isles), Donald Bane,Donald-Chuan, Dow / Black (Daniel), Erick, Erach (John), Evan / Ewen (King), Fairweather (Capt.), Fake (John), Fergus I, Ferguson (Major), Fin-Mac-Coul, Fleming, Frost (Capt.), Fullerton / Mac-Louis (of Kirkmichael), Garioch (William), George of Denmark (Prince), Gilbrid, Graham (Bishop), Hamilton (Duke of, & Lord George), Hepburn, Jackson (Capt.), James III, James IV, James V, James VI, Johnston, Kenneth II, Kerswell (Bishop John), Kirkaldy (William, of Grange), Knox (Bishop), Laurence, Law (Bishop), Leaths (Capt.), Lesly (Bishop, & House of), Lotch (Capt.), Mac-Alister (of Lergy), Mac-Callum, Mac-Crain (Gillouir), Mac-Donald / Macdonald (Sir Donald of Sleat, Allan of Moydart / Clanronald, Ranal of Benbecula, Allan of Moron, Angus of Ila, Archibald, Hugh, James of Capstil, Neil), Mac-Duffie (of Colonsay), Mac-Ewan (Daniel & Dongal), Mac-Fingone / Mac-Kinnon (Abbot John, Abbot Lachlan, & Laird of), Mac-Ilikenich, Mac-Intosh (Margaret Miller alias), Mac-Kenzie (Sir Alexander of Coul, & Earl of Seaforth), Mac-Lean (Sir John of Duart, Coll, Lochbuy, Torlosk, John), Mac-Lennan (Alexander), Mac-Leod / Mackleod (Laird of, Sir Normand of Bernera, Mr. Alexander, Allen, & Mac-Leod of Rasay), Mac-Neil / Mackneil (of Barra, of Gigay, John, Murdock), Mac-NMilli (Donald), Mac-Normand (John), Mac-Phade (Finlay & John), Mac-Pherson (Mr. Dougal), Mac-Quarie / Mac-Ouery (of Ulvay), Mac-Swen (Mr. John), Mac-Vanich, Mac-Vurich, Magnus (King of Norway), Martin (M. Martin & Mr. Daniel), Mary (Queen of Scots), Meilochen, Miller (Margaret), Monro (Donald), Montgomery (of Skelmorly), Morison (Mr. Daniel, Mr. Kenneth, John of Bragir, John of Talisker, Mrs.), Morton (Douglas, Earl of), Muir (William), Murray (Sir Robert), Nicholson (Mr. Daniel & Bishop William), Ninian (St.), O'Gorgon, Peters (Capt.), Pitcairn (Dr.), Reid (Bishop Robert), Roderick (of St. Kilda), Rosa (King), Ross (Finlay & Thomas), Roy (Donald), Sacheverel, Seaforth (MacKenzie, Earl of), Sinclair (Henry & William, Princes of Orkney), Smallet (of Dunbarton), Somerled (Thane of Argyll), Sporran (Paul), Stewart / Stuart (of Bute, of Estick, Daniel, Patrick & Robert Earls of Orkney, King Robert II & III), Sutherland (Mr. James), Tairville, Terleti (Anna), Turnbull (Bishop John), Ulaus (King of Norway), Wallace (Mr.), Warner (T., Printer), William III.

Islands, Parishes, Castles & Places Indexed in This Volume (172 Entries)

Aberdeen, Altvig, Anstruther, Ard-Nin-boothin, Ardminurchin, Arran, Aros Castle,Armidill,Ascrib, Avon, Back, Baelliminich, Baelly Petris, Bael-nin-Killach, Barove, Barra / Barray, Barvas, Bein Vore, Bein-chro, Bein-nin, Bein-store,Beinbrek, Belfast, Benbecula, Berinsay, Bernera / Berneray (Great, Little, Harris & Barra), Bernstill, Biggai, Birkin Isles, Birsa,Boreray (North Uist & St. Kilda), Bornskittag, Borodill, Borve (Lewis, Harris & Skye), Bowling-head, Bragar, Brassa (Bressay) & Noss of Brassa, Bretill, Brodick Castle & Bay, Broadford, Buckquoy, Burray (Orkney & Shetland), Bute (Boot), Buya,Cairn-warp, Calve, Camstinvag, Canna / Cannay, Capstil, Caray, Carlvay, Carn of Coll, Carvay, Cavay, Clachan (Rasay), Classerniss (Callanish Stones), Clet, Coll, Colonsay / Collonsay, Conney Isle, Copinsha, Copveaul, Corchattachan, Corpich, Cory Vrekan (Corryvreckan), Coul, Cousmil, Cowal,Cracoviaca,Criniveal,Crokbreck, Cul, Cumbray, Dal Yaul, Deer-Sound, Dell, Down-Allin, Down-Owle, Down-rossel, Druim-cruey, Duart Castle & Bay, Dun-Cann, Dun-coradil, Dun-David, Dun-Derig, Dun-eisten, Dun-Evan, Dun-fir-Volg, Dun-owle, Dun-Skeriness, Dun-Skudborg, Dun-Taelk, Dunbarton, Duncansbay, Dungisbie-Head, Dunnivag, Duntulm Castle, Dunvegan Castle, Eda, Edinburgh, Egg (Eigg) & Skur Egg, Egginess, Elwick, Ensay, Eorobie, Eoropy-Point, Eorsa, Erisca (Eriskay), Estick, Evie, Ey (Stornoway), Fair Isle, Fiaray, Fife, Finlagan (Islay), Fisholm, Fladda, Fladda-Chuan, Flannan Isles, Flodgery, Foula, Fuda, Galan, Gallan-head, Garbost, Garieu, Garve, Gasker, Gigay (Gigha), Gilliman, Glascow (Glasgow), Glass / Scalpa, Glenelg, Glenmore, Glenslyte, Gometra, Grahamshall, Greafe, Green Isle, Grenim, Griminis, Groban, Habost, Hakashie, Harlas, Harries (Harris), Haveroy, Hawsker, Heldersta, Helisha, Hermetra, Heisker / Heiskir, Hogh-more, Holm (Skye, Orkney & Tingwall), Hoy, Hunish, Hushiness, Ila (Islay), Ilan Nin Gillin, Ilan Viceain, Illeray, Inchkenneth, Innerness (Inverness), Iona / I. Colmkil, Ireland, Isa, Islesay (Ailsa Craig), Jura / Jurah & Paps of Jurah, Kaillach, Keams, Kerston (Stromness),Kialifay,Kigg, Kilbarr, Kil-Blain, Kilbride (Skye & Arran), Kil-Chattan (Bute & Gigay), Kil-Chiaran, Kil-Cholmkill, Kil-Chovan,Kilihan Alen, Kilicranky,Killearn, Killinchen, Kilmartin, Kilmichel (Bute & Arran), Kilmoor / St. Mary's, Kilmore, Kilrow, Kilsyth, Kilwichk-Ewin, Kintyre, Kirkibost (Lewis & North Uist), Kirkwall, Kirnbug, Kirvig, Kismul Castle, Knapdale, Knock-Cronm, Knockow, Kylakin, Kyle of Rona, Kyle of Scalpa,Laggan, Lambholm,Lamlash,Lerwick,Lergy, Lettir-hurr, Lewis, Lincro, Lindisfairn, Lingay (North Uist, Barra & Mull), Linmull, Lismore, Loch-arnifort, Loch-Brakadil, Loch-Bruist, Lochbuy, Loch-Carlvay, Loch-Colmkill, Loch-Dale, Loch-Effort / Eishort, Loch-einard, Loch-Eport, Loch-Erifort, Loch-Eynord, Loch-fad, Loch-fallart, Loch-Finlagan, Loch-Finishbay, Loch-Grace, Loch-Guirm, Loch-Kenistil, Loch-Lay, Loch-Levin, Loch-Maddy, Loch-Partan, Loch-Portry, Loch-Rogue, Loch-Scafford, Loch-scah-vag, Loch-scowsar, Loch-Screford, Loch-Sea-fort, Loch-siant, Loch-Skeriness, Loch-slapan, Loch-sligichan, Loch-Stennis (Stenness), Loch-Stokness, Loch-Stornvay, Loch-Tarbat (Harris & Jura), Loch-tua, Loch-Uge, Lochaber, Lochy, London, Lungay, Marvag, Melbost, Mellisay, Minginis, Mingoy, Minriness, Mogstat, Moron, Mournagh-Hill, Moy Castle, Moydart, Muck, Muldonish, Mull, Murray (Moray), Nave, Nerbols, Ness, Nisbost, Nonsuch, North-Uist (North-Vist),ophir / Orphir, Ord, Ordy, Orkney, Orney, Oronsay (Skye & Colonsay), Oservaul, Ouirsa, Pabbay (Lewis, Harris, Barra & Skye), Pabble, Papa Westra, Papa-Stour,Pentland / Pightland Firth, Port Escock (Port Askaig), Portry (Portree), Quedam, Quillin (Cuillin Mountains), Rasay (Raasay), Rigg, Rins (Rinns of Islay), Rive, Rona (North Rona, North Uist & Skye), Ronad, Ronsa (Rousay), Ross (Shire of), Rothsay (Rothesay), Rowdil (Rodel), Rue (Muckle Roe & Little Roe), Rum, Samphrey, Sand, Sanda (Sanday), Sandreray, Sartle, Scalloway & Scalloway Castle, Scalpa (Harris & Skye), Scarba, Scarp, Schetland (Shetland / Zetland),Scornifiey,Sellay, Shadar / Shiadir, Shanabost, Shapinsha, Shirem, Siant (Shiant Isles),Skeal-house, Sker-boren,Skeriness, Skerries (Out Skerries), Skerybreck, Skie (Isle of Skye), Slait / Sleat, Soa (Skye & St. Kilda), Soa-Brettil,Soroby, Soulisker, South-Ronalshaw, South-Uist (South-Vist), St. Kilda / Hirta, Stack N'armin, Stennis, Stornvay (Stornoway), Strath, Stromness, Stronsa, Swoonard (Sunart), Swinburgh-head, Swinna, Talisker, Tangstill, Taransay, Tarbat (Jura), Texa, Timan, Tingwall, Tire-iy (Tiree),Tobermory (Tonbir Mory), Tollosta, Torrin, Troda, Trondra, Troterness (Trotternish), Tulm, Udsta, Uge (Uig), Ulva / Ulvay, Ulweal, Unst,Ushiness,Uzia (Uyea), Vacksay, Vaila, Valay (Vallay), Vaternis (Waternish), Vattersay, Vemantry, Vevay, Viskway, Waes (Walls), Westra (Westray), Whalsey, White-Haven, Whitfarlan, Wick, Wuya, Yell.

Digital Edition Specifications

Please Note: This listing is for a standalone digital PDF download. Immediately after checkout, you will receive a secure download link to save the complete 436-page indexed PDF to your computer, tablet, or e-reader.