OS1/17/10/66A

Continued entries/extra info

Roshven, Fortwilliam
13 Oct 1880

There is a considerable Hill (2576 ft.) on my property here in Lat 56 [degrees] 50 [minutes] N: Long. 5[degrees] 41 [minutes] 30 [seconds] W approximately) the name of which the natives pronounce Roshven. In the best old county map (Thomson's I believe, published by Keith Johnston) it is marked Roshvein and it is so spelt in the titles to my property. In the Admiralty Chart (2496) it is spelt Rosbheinn. I always spell it myself Roshven to prevent 99 percent of Her Majesty's subjects calling it Roshvain; but I have no serious objection to any of the above mentioned spellings. I [illegible, ? pentuce]

However to think that the nomenclature Am Fros-bheinn which I find in the Six Inch Ordnance Map (Sheet 135, I think) is really too eccentric. I have reason to suppose that this was taken from the etymological theory of a former, not very literary, minister at Arisaig, who fancied he knew Gaelic (I beg pardon, I suppose the Ordnance office will only recognise it as Gaidhealig).
My object in writing is to [express?] a hope that in the Ordnance Map in the one inch scale, which is not yet published, the name of my hill will appear in some rational spelling.
I am
Your obt. [obedient] servant
Hugh Blackburn
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics in the University of Glasgow, formerly Fellow of Trin [Trinity] Coll [College] Cambridge

addressed to Col. J. Bayley
Ordnance office
Southampton

Transcriber's notes

[Hand-written notes] Fwarded [forwarded] to Colonel Cooke 25 Octr. [October] 1880 [signed] I. Bayley D.G.R.E.

F K 876