The Gaelic Coineach Odhar Fiosaiche, or Kenneth MacKenzie, the Brahan Seer or "Warlock of the Glen", was the most highly respected of the Scottish prophets. The one-eyed magician foresaw the future through a hole in a smooth pebble that he always carried with him. Most of this predictions concerned 17th century Scotland, but he also foretold the Industrial Revolution and developments such as gas and water mains: "Fire and water shall run in long streams through all the streets and lanes of Inverness" and locomotives: "Long strings of carriages without horses shall run between Dingwall and Inverness." The Brahan Seer forecast a gloomy future for Scotland:

"The day will come when the jaw-bone of the big sheep will put the plow on the rafters; when the sheep shall become so numerous that the bleating of one shall be heard by the other from Conchra in Lochalsh to Bun-da-Loch in Kintail, they shall be at the height of their price, and henceforth will go back and deteriorate, until they disappear altogether, and be so thoroughly forgotten that a man finding the jawbone of a sheep in a cairn, will not recognize it, or be able to tell what animal it belonged to. The ancient proprietors of the soil shall give place to strange merchant proprietors, and the whole Highlands will become one huge deer forest; the whole country will become so utterly desolated and depopulated that the crow of cock shall not be heard north of Druim-Uachdair; the people will emigrate to islands now unknown, but which shall yet be discovered in the boundless oceans after which deer and other wild animals in the huge wilderness shall be exterminated and browned by horrid black rains. The people will then return and take undisturbed possession of the lands of their ancestors...

"The day will come when a river in Ester Ross shall be dried up.

"At bleak Runish in Lochs, they will spoil and devour, at the foot of the drags, and will split heads by the score.

"The day will come when there shall be such dire persecution and bloodshed in the county of Sutherland, that people can ford the river Oykel dryshod, over dead men's bodies.

"A severe battle will be fought at Ardelve market stance, in Lochalsh, when the slaughter will be so great that people can cross the ferry over dead men's bodies. The battle will be finally decided by a powerful man and his five sons, who will come across from the Strath (the Achamore district).

"A battle will be fought at Ault-nan-Torcan, in the Lewis, which will be a bloody one indeed. It will truly take place, though the time may be far hence, but woe to the mothers of sucklings that day. The defeated host will continue to be cut down till it reaches Ard-a-chaolais [about 7 miles from Ault-a-Torcan], and there the swords will make a terrible havoc.

"When a holly bush shall grow out of the face of the rock at Torr-a-chuilinn [Kintail] to a size sufficiently large to make a shaft for a sledge-cart, a battle will be fought there.

"However unlikely it may now appear, the Island of Lews will be laid waste by a destructive war, which will continue till the contending armies, slaughtering each other as they proceed, shall reach Tarbert in Harris. In the Caws of Tarbert, the retreating host will suddenly halt; an onslaught, left by a left-handed Maclaod, called Donald, son of Donald, will then be made upon the pursuers. The only weapon in this champion's hand will be a black sooty cabar, taken off a neighboring hut; but his intrepidity and courage will so inspire the fugitives that they will fight like mighty men, and overpower their pursuers. The Lews will then enjoy a long period of repose."