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THE  SCOTTISH 

LAND    TOURIST'S 

POCKET  GUIDE 

TO 

THE  PICTURESQUE  SCENERY; 

EMBRACING  THK 

SUBLIME  OF  PERTHSHIRE,  THE  SPLENDID  OP 

INVERNESS-SHIRE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL  OF  DUMBARTONSHIRE, 

THE  FALLS  OF  CLYDE, 

AND  MANY  OTHER  SUCH  ROMANTIC  SCENES. 

NEW  EDITION, 

BNURGED  BY  THE  INTRODUCTION  OF 

THE  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS  IN  SCOTLAND 

AHP 

ALL  THE  IMPORTANT  ROADS. 
Sixth     Thousand. 


GLASGOW : 

PUBLISHED    BY    W.    R.    M'PHUN,    ARGYLE    STREET » 

James  Gilbert,  49  Paternoster  Row,  London; 
Oliver  and  Boyd,  Edinburgh. 

1848. 


Uniform  with  this  Volume,  and  intended  as  a  Companwn  to  it> 
Price  2s.  6d. 

THE 

SCOTTISH  TOUBIST'S  STEAM-BOAT 

POCKET    GUIDE; 

Embracing  all  that  is  worthy  of  the  Tourist's  notice 

in  the  Western  Highlands  and  Islands 

of  Scotland. 

NEW  EDITION, 
WITH  A  RAILWAY  MAP  OF  SCOTLAND, 


CONTENTS. 


THE  RAILWAYS. 

Pa  pre 

Glasgow  and  Edinburgh, v. 

Glasgow,  Paisley,  and  Greenock,  ....  xiii. 

Glasgow  and  Ayrshire, xix. 

Caledonian, xxix. 

North  British,       , xxxviii. 

Edinburgh  and  Northern,        .  ...         xlviii. 

Railway  Systems  of  the  Centre  and  North  of  Scot- 

and,       .  .  ...     Ixii. 


FIRST  TOUR, 

PAGE 

From  Glasgow  to  the  Falls  of  Clyde :— Tollcross— Broom- 
house  Toll — Uddingston — Bothwell  grounds  and  castle — 
Blamyre  Priory— Bothwell  bridge — Bothwellhaugh — 
Hamilton — Hamilton  palace — the  Avon— Cadyow  castle 
—Clydesdale  orchards — Dalserf— Fall  of  Stonebyres— 
Cartland  Crags — Lanark— New  Lanark— Bonniton  Fall 
— Corra  Linn— New  route  indicated  for  returning  from 
Hamilton  to  Glasgow. 

SECOND  TOUR. 

From  Glasgow  to  Edinburgh  :— I.  By  Holytoun  and  Mid 
Calder  :  Camlachie — Parkhead — Holytoun — Half-way 
house — Mid  Calder — Hatton — Dalmahoy—  Edinburgh. 
— II.  By  Airdrie  and  Uphall :  Shettleston — Airdrie — 
Bathgate— Uphall— Edinburgh.— III.  By  Falkirk  and 
Linlithgow  :  Cumbernauld  —  Camelon— Falkirk — Lin- 
lithgow— Kirkliston — Edinburgh. — IV.  By  the  Forth  and 
Clyde  canal:  Port  Dundas — Lock  No.  16 — Grangemouth 
— Frith  of  Forth — Trinity  chain-pier.— V.  By  the  Union 
canal :  The  Tunnel — Avon  aqueduct — Slateford  aque- 
duct—Port Hopetoun.  25 

THIRD  TOUR. 

From  Glasgow  to  Stirling  and  the  Trosachs: — Different 
routes  indicated  :  Stirling — Bannockburn — Dunblane- 
Bridge  of  Allan — Doune — Callander — Lochlubnaig — 
Benledi — Loch  Vennachoir — Glenfinglas — The  Trosachs 
— Loch  Katrine — Route  to  Inversnaid  on  Loch  Lomond 
indicated — Route  by  Aberfoyle,  Gartmore,  and  Drymen    42 


CONTENTS. 

FOURTH  TOUR.  pack 

From  Glasgow  to  Loch  Tay,  Dunkeld,  Perth,  and  Loch 
Leven,  returning  by  Stirling: — Loch  Lubnaig — Bal- 
quhidder—  Edenchip — Lochearn  Head — St  Fillan's— 
Killin — Loch  Tay — Ben  Lawers — Kenmore — Taymouth 
castle — Abcrfeldie — Dunkeld — Tour  to  Blairgowrie — 
Route  to  Braemar — Tour  to  Blair  Athole — Killicrankie 
Loch  Rannoch  and  Tummel — Route  resumed  from  Dun. 
keld  to  Perth— Perth— Scone—  Pitcaithly— Stratherne — 
Kinross— Stirling.  62 

FIFTH  TOUR. 
To  Melrose,  Kelso  and  the  neighbourhood,  returning  by 
Dumfries  : — Lanark — Biggar — Peebles — Inverleithen— 
Selkirk — Yarrow — Melrose — Kelso — Hawick — Dumfries 
—Glasgow.  96 

SIXTH  TOUR. 

From  Inverness  to  Houna  inn  :— Inverness— Culloden— 
Fort  George — Route  to  Aberdeen  indicated — Beauly — 
Dingwall— Strathpeffer — Tain  —  Dornoch  —  Golspie  — 
Brora — Helmsdale  —  The  Ord  of  Caithness— Wick— 
Houna.  115 

SEVENTH  TOUR. 

From  Edinburgh  to  Aberdeen  ; — Kirkcaldy — Falkland — 
Cupar — St  Andrews — Dundee  —  Arbroath  —  The  Red 
head — The  Bell  Rock— Montrose— Bervie — Stonehaven 
— Dunnottar  castle— Aberdeen.  123 

EIGHTH  TOUR. 

From  Aberdeen  to  Tain  :— Old  Meldrum— Turriff— The 
Deveron — Banff—  Duff  house — Portsoy — Cullen — Foch- 
abers—  Gordon  castle — Route  through  Strathspey — Elgin 
— Abbey  of  Pluscarden — Forres  —  Turnaway  castle  — 
The  Findhorn — Nairn — Fort  George — Fortrose — Cro- 
niartv— Tain.  (  142 

NINTH  TOUR. 

From  Fort-William  to  Blair- Athole:— Bridge  of  Lundy— 
Bridge  of  Spean — Glen  Spean — Bridge  of  Roy — Loci* 
Lagga.i— Badenoch — Pitmain — Detour  to  Loch  Ericht 
—Kingussie — Alvie  —  Aviernore — Grantown  — Toman- 
toui — Corgarff—  Gairdenshiel — Detour  to  Pannanich — 
Castleton  of  Baemar—  Blair.  Athole.  160 

4PPENDIX  -—Principal  Roads  through  Scotland.  IV 


glasgow  and  edinburgh 
railway. 

Passengers  purposing  to  travel  by  the  Edinburgh 
Railway  are  recommended  to  take  Argyll  Street 
for  their  route,  and  coming  from  the  west  in  passing 
'*  M'Phuris  Cheap  Store  of  Knowledge"  to  drop 
in  at  No.  84  to  view  his  magnificent  Store  of  Books, 
which  of  itself  is  a  treat;  a  nice  amusing  volume 
may  be  easily  selected  here,  and  never  missed,  out  of 
his  immense  Store.  Leaving  this  and  passing  up 
Queen  Street,  on  the  left  is  the  Royal  Exchange,  as 
fully  described  in  the  companion  to  this  volume, 
"  M'Phun's  Guide  through  Glasgow."  At  the 
top  of  this  Street  we  reach  the  terminus,  the  un- 
seemly erection  facing  us  at  which  we  venture  to 
say,  is  one  of  the  most  offensive  objects,  that  ever  a 
traveller  looked  at,  in  the  most  humble  terminus  he 
ever  passed  through — a  disgrace  to  Glasgow  to  allow 
it,  and  a  greater  disgrace  to  the  Railway  Company  to 
perpetrate  it.  Should  time  permit  here,  it  will  add  to 
the  comfort  of  the  hard  jingle  you  are  going  into,  to 
step  in  (where  on  the  briefest  notice,  at  railway  speed 
in  short,  vou  may  have  a  comfortable  glass  of  wine 
and  a  sandwich,  or  "What  you  please,  Sir,")  at  our 
favourite  Restaurateur's,  "  Comrie  s  Royal  "  or  over 
the  way  at  our  old  acquaintance  of  «' the  Star," 
where  many  pleasant  afternoons  have  in  our  young 
days  been  spent;  or  in  the  elegant  saloon,  from  the 
courteous  lady  of  the  Wellington;  or  not  least, 
though  most  recently  established,  from  Mr  Josez, 
the  accomplished  English  landlord  of  the  North 
British,  who  seems  to  have  brought  with  him 
from  the  south  a  few  of  those  nicities  in   "com- 


11  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

fort"  (all  a  tourist  or  traveller  thirsts  for  when 
from  home),  which,  barring  the  disagreeable  near- 
ness to  the  rumbling  of  the  Railway,  makes  his 
house  very  comfortable.  Pass  now  into  the  train, 
two  steps  will  almost  do  it,  and  off  we  go,  not  as 
the  use  and  wont  saying  has  it,  at  Railway  speed, 
for  here  we  are  tugged  up  at  a  slow  pace  until  we 
reach  Cowlairs,where  we  have,  in  the  same  good  taste 
which  characterizes  the  approach  to  the  terminus, 
placed  all  around,  the  machinery,  and  unseemly 
workshops  of  the  mechanics.  Shortly  after,  how- 
ever, we  are  relieved  from  this  by  the  delightful  and 
highly  picturesque  scenery  of  the  Vale  of  Kelvin. 
Passing  through  a  deep  cutting  of  sandstone  we 
reach  the  first  station, 

BISHOPBRIGGS, 

(4 1  Mile- from  Glasgow .) 
On  leaving  this,  we  pass  through  another  of 
those  disagreeable  deep  cuttings  inseparable  from  an 
undertaking  of  the  kind,  gutting  out  the  very 
bowels  of  the  earth,  or  rather  stone,  at  pleasure,  as 
a  boy  would  toss  up  his  ball.  A  somewhat  agree- 
able part  of  the  journey  now  opens  to  view  in  the 
fertilized  country  on  both  sides,  which  having  pass- 
ed through,  we  are  whirled  into 

KIRKINTILLOCH 

(6*  Miles  from  Glasgow-) 
station.  The  barren  scene  which  immediately 
presents  itself  to  view,  forms  a  contrast  as  decided 
as  could  be  desired,  to  what  has  preceded  and  what 
follows,  and  shows  how  much  the  indolent  farmers 
in  this  locality  (so  near  Glasgow!)  could,  by  industry 


IN  SCOTLAND.  1" 

and  application,  improve  the  condition  of  their  farms* 
and  thereby  their  own  condition,  and  the  country  at 
large.      We  now  reach  the  station  of 

CROY, 

(Hi  Miles  from  Glasgow.) 
A  very  deep  excavation  is  made  here  through 
hard  compact  whinstone,  in  some  instances  so  im- 
mense as  to  extend  to  100  feet,  which  continues 
to  the  disagreeable  length  of  nearly  two  miles; 
on  emerging  from  this,  the  eye  is  relieved  by  turn- 
ing to  the  left,  and  taking  the  hasty  peep,  which,  now 
at  full  Railway  speed,  we  are  allowed,  to  view 
the  fine  mountain  scenery  which  presents  itself  to 
the  eye.  One  of  the  ends  of  the  stupendous  arches 
through  which  we  now  pass,  rests  on  the  remains  of  a 
Roman  camp, and  running  parallel  with  the  Railway 
on  the  left,  is  frequently  seen,  the  remaining  frag- 
ments of  the  Roman  wall,  few  of  which  have  been 
allowed  to  escape  the  hands  of  the  Goths  of  farm- 
ers in  this  quarter,  whose  reverence  for  antiquity 
does  not  appear  to  be  very  strong.  This  is  imme- 
diately followed  by  bleak  upland  moor.  We  are 
now  at  the  station  of 

CASTLECARRY, 

(15  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
and  darting  off  from  which,  we  approach  a  lofty  and 
somewhat  handsome  bridge  of  seven  arches,  the  Red- 
burn  Viaduct,  which  introduces  us  to  a  view  of  the 
fine  valley,  through  which  the  Forth  and  Clyde  Canal 
"slowly  and  silently"  moves  onward,  in  its  almost 
imperceptible  course.  We  now  reach  a  place  which 
is  only  worthy  of  mention,  from  its  having  been 
singled  out  as  the  spot  selected  by  a  few  "  patriots,*' 


IV  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

who  assembled  on  it  to  set  the  whole  British  do- 
minions at  defiance.  Tamfuir  Hill  takes  the  tra- 
veller through  the  Viaduct  on  the  Union  Canal, 
and  the  glaring  fires  of  the  Carron  Iron -Works 
now  present  their  hideous  aspect  to  view;  yet 
passing  this  scene,  as  we  have  done  on  a  very  still  and 
dark  evening  near  midnight,  it  presents  one  of  the 
most  imposing  and  awfully  grand  scenes  imagina- 
ble. This  is  a  sight  of  itself  actually  worth  going 
to  see;  for  many  miles  around  the  rude  red  glare  of 
the  thousand  reflections  is  refracted  on  the  eye  to 
such  an  extent  as  almost  to  dazzle  contemplation, 
the  Ochills  and  the  Grampians  vying,  one  would 
almost  think,  in  the  fine  touches  and  grand 
emboldened  objects  they  each  in  their  turn  present 
to  the  inquiring  eye.  But  we  pass  on  here  as  with 
a  thunderbolt,  and  now  returning  to  the  day  repre- 
sentation, we  pass  the  old  mansion  of  royalty, 
Stirling  Castle — Bannockburn — one  of  those  his- 
torical scenes,  which  a  female  has  only  had  the 
patriotism  to  step  forward,  and  make  the  theme  of 
spirit-stirring  romance  for  the  young  to  enjoy. 
Miss  Porter's  Scottish  Chiefs  should  bs  read  by 
every  one  who  passes,  even  at  Railway  speed,  over 
the  rugged  scene  now  before  us:  allowing  perhaps 
for  the  slight  touch  of  romance  thrown  around 
the  narrative,  it  is  the  best  picture  of  the  times 
Wallace  lived  in,  and  of  the  very  interesting  cir- 
cumstances in  which  he  was  placed,  extant.  Ban- 
nockburn is  next  in  view,  also  hallowed  to  every 
Scotsman,  as  the  scene  where  the  earliest  struggles 
for  Scottish  freedom  were  ever  made.  Wallace,  in 
1298,  in  a  field  immediately  adjoining,  achieved  one 
of  those  victories  which  would  have  now  entitled 


IN  SCOTLAND.  V 

}iim  to  a  monument  alongside  of  "The  Duke"  at 
the  Royal  Exchange  in  Glasgow.  Prince  Charles 
also,  in  1745,  celebrated  his  valour  in  the  same 
place.  These  by  Historians  are  styled  •'  The 
Battles  of  Falkirk."  A  very  interesting  scene  now 
opens  to  the  view  of  the  traveller,  abounding  with 
all  that  the  eye  could  desire  (if  the  Railway  would 
permit  it)  to  dwell  upon  :  a  complete  panorama  here 
presents  itself,  forming  a  scene  perhaps  unrivalled 
in  the  British  dominions.  This  brings  us  to  the 
station  of 

TALIIKK, 

(24  Miles  from  Glasgoiv,) 
at  which  place  the  engine  is  furnished  with  fresh 
coke,  a  very  plentiful  supply  of  which  abounds  in 
this  quarter.  We  now  enter,  at  a  short  distance 
from  this  the  Refreshment  Station,  as  it  is  not 
inappropriately  designated,  '*  Callendar  Hill,"  or 
Falkirk  Tunnel,  which  extends  to  nearly  900  yards 
in  length.  At  a  little  distance  from  the  Railway  is 
again  seen  relics  of  the  Roman  wall,  and  the  stone 
on  which  the  gallant  warrior  Wallace  stood,  with 
his  eagle-eye,  watching  the  approach  of  proud 
Edward  and  his  army.  The  Duke  of  Hamilton 
possesses  many  most  valuable  fields  of  coal,  iron, 
and  freestone,  in  this  district.  The  scene  above 
ground  is,  however,  very  uninteresting  to  the 
tourist,  presenting  nothing  beyond  a  well  culti- 
vated country.      On  passing  the  Station  of 

POLMONT, 

(24  \  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
we    enter   a    Viaduct     of    some    length,     extend- 
ing  to  20  arches  and  90  feet,  running  over  the 
a  2 


VI  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

Vale  of  Avon.  We  again  are  upon  classic  ground 
which  is  fully  described  at  page  31  in  the  body  of 
this  work.  The  scene  all  around  is  one  of  singular 
interest.  Once  the  abode  of  kings  and  the  birth- 
place of  princes,  now  in  ruins,  presenting  a  solitary 
and  dismal  aspect.      Passing  the  station  of 

LINLITHGOW, 

(29^  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
we  have  the  first  peep  of  the  stupendous  Pentland 
Hills.  On  a  very  considerable  eminence,  about 
a  mile  to  the  left,  we  see  prominently  before 
us  Binns  Tower,  built  for  an  Observatory, 
which  answers  all  the  purposes  of  a  landmark. 
The  estate  of  Binns  is  the  property  of  Sir  J.  G. 
Dalziel,  Bart.  After  passing  this,  we  have  for  a 
short  distance  a  fine  level  well-cultivated  country, 
with  the  Canal  close  by  our  side,  until  we  enter  a 
deep  cutting  in  whinstone,  which  ends  in  a  tunnel 
of  360  yards  in  length.     Approaching  the  station  of 

WINCHEURGH, 

(35  Miles  from  Glasgow,} 
we  pass  the  village  of  that  name,  famous  in  story, 
as  being  the  place  where  Edward  the  Second  first 
halted,  after  his  flight  from  the  battle  of  Bannock- 
burn.  Overhanging  rocks  now  intercept  the  view, 
until  we  reach  the  ruins  of  Niddry  Castle.  This 
was  once  the  property  of  Lord  Seton  of  Seton,  but 
now  belongs  to  the  Earl  of  Hopetoun.  This  castie 
is  famous  from  its  being  the  place  where  the  ill- 
fated  Queen  Mary,  under  the  escort  of  the  gallant 
Earl  or  Wiltoun,  took  shelter  for  the  night,  after 
her  escape  from  Lochleven  Castle,  in  1568.     Here 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Vll 

her  numerous  friends  rallied  round  her,  raising  her 
standard,  and  cheering  her  drooping  spirits  with 
the  bright  hope  that  they  might  be  able  again  to 
restore  her  to  those  royal  honours  which  she  bad 
lost.  But  alas  for  the  unfortunate  Mary  !  Her 
liberty,  though  gained,  was  to  be  but  of  short  dura- 
tion ;  for  soon  after  came  the  battle  of  Langside, 
which  ended,  as  cruel  fate  would  have  it,  in  compel- 
ling her  to  flee  a  fugitive  for  her  life,  and  never 
more  to  taste  of  that  blessing,  "  freedom,"  without 
which,  nothing  can  impart  enjoyment  here  below. 
She  was  soon  after  seized,  and  kept  within  the  soli- 
tary walls  of  a  prison  until  she  ended  her  painful 
existence.  Passing  onwards,  we  come  to  another 
stupendous  excavation,  generally  designated  the 
Winchburgh  cutting.  It  extends  for  more  than  four 
miles,  including  a  tunnel  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile. 
The  cutting  is  in  some  places  so  deep  as  70  feet, 
nnd  is  made  through  rocks  of  whinstone,  sandstone, 
ironstone,  coal,  and  other  valuable  mineral  substan- 
ces. On  the  left  we  have  Mr  Hogg's  estate,  Newliston 
House,  a  mansion  originally  erected  by  the  Earl  of 
Stair.  We  now  approach  a  stupendous  operation  for 
magnificence — a  viaduct  over  the  vale  of  Almond, 
which,  from  Us  imposing  and  gigantic  effect,  has, 
not  inappropriately,  been  termed,  the  greatest  achiev- 
ment  of  modern  times.  It  puts  us,  indeed,  in  mind 
of  the  wonders  of  ancient  Rome,  rather  than  of  what 
has  been  done  in  the  nineteenth  century.  The  via- 
duct consists  of  two  bridges,  separated  by  a  huge 
tnound  of  earth,  composed  of  36  arches,  each  .50 
feet  in  span,  and  varying  from  60  to  85  feet  in 
height.  On  passing  through  it,  the  Railway  taking 
a   mrve,  enables   the   spectator   to   enjoy  the  full 


Vlll  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

beauty  and  grandeur  of  this  laborious  undertaking. 
One  mile  more,  and  we  are  at  momentary  rest  at 
the  station  of 

RATHO, 

(39  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
on  starting  from  which,  we  shortly  pass  on  the 
right,  Norton  Cottage,  the  property  of  Alexander 
Ren  wick,  Esq.  The  rich  cultivation  of  the  fields, 
for  the  Edinburgh  market,  now  begins  to  be  con- 
spicuous, every  thing  around  in  this  the  month  of 
August,  when  we  now  write,  is  waiving  in  the 
richness  of  gorgeous  grandeur  over  the  lawn — here, 
a  bristling  corn-field,  made  resplendent  in  its  beauty 
by  the  tints  of  the  setting  sun — there,  orchards  so 
thickly  studded  with  fruit,  rich  and  luxuriant,  as  to 
remind  us  very  strikingly  of  "  the  clime  of  the  East, 
the  land  of  the  sun,"  with  all  around  breathing  the 
very  air  and  essence  of  nature's  wonderful  works, 
producing  on  the  mind  a  very  imposing — a  very 
impressive  effect.  But  we  must  proceed  to  the 
next  station, 

CORSTORPHINE, 

(43^-  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
where  railway  breathing-time  admits  only  of  a  peep 
at  the  interesting  and  thriving  village  of  that  name. 
The  venerable  church,  hallowed  by  the  recollections 
of  the  worshippers  of  four  centuries,  meets  the  eye 
prominently.  We  are  now  nearing  the  end  of  our 
journey.  The  look  out  here  forms  a  singularly 
striking  contrast  to  the  fittings-up  at  our  starting- 
place — the  very  workshops  and  engine-sheds  par- 
take so  much  of  this,  as  to  cause  strangers  to  ask 
how  it  should  be  so.  Those  handsome  erections 
uie  however,  altogether  worthy  of  the  noble  under- 


IX  SCOTLAND.  IX 

taking  for  which  they  were  put  up.  A  splendid 
verandah  in  front,  with  every  possible  convenience 
for  passengers  going  or  coming  by  the  Kailway — ■ 
spacious  booking-offices,  which  are  entered  by  two 
flights  of  steps — a  commodious  range  below,  afford- 
ing a  convenient  place  for  parade  until  the  train 
starts — a  long  line  of  minibuses  are  drawn  up 
immediately  beside  the  station,  each  Ifrady  to  con- 
vey passengers  to  some  distinctive  destination  in 
the  city  or  suburbs,  an  accommodation,  the  want  of 
which  is  much  complained  of  in  the  west  end. 

In  conclusion,  we  may  mention  that  this  Rail- 
way, extending  to  forty-six  miles,  cost  about  One 
Million  of  money,  and  took  about  four  years  in  its 
erection;  but  for  those  who  wish  a  more  detailed 
account  of  it  than  our  prescribed  limits  admit  of, 
we  must  refer  to  "  the  Railway  Guide,"  published 
by  Mr  Lizars  of  Edinburgh,  a  gentleman  whose 
praise  we  need  not  presume  to  sound,  for  it  hangs 
on  the  tip  of  ten  thousand  tongues,  and  will  leave 
his  name  as  imperishable  a  fame  as  classic  marble 
can  give  it. 


GLASGOW,  PAISLEY,  &   GEEENOCK 
RAILWAY. 

The  Booking  Offices  for  this  Railway  are  situ- 
ated on  the  south  side  of  the  River;  and  the  most 
direct  line  for  the  stranger  to  take,  in  going  to  it.  is 
along  Argyll  Street,  and  down  Jamaica  Street.  The 
train  first  passes  over  a  series  of  arches  of  consider- 
b 


X  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

able  a.t.tude,  underneath  which  run  King,  Nelson, 
and  Wallace  Streets  ;  and  on  the  right  are  seen  the 
factories,  with  their  tall  chimneys,  and  the  busy 
building-yards  and  shipping  on  the  Clyde.  The 
country  all  round  is  highly  cultivated.  Passing 
under  several  bridges  of  brick  arches,  the  Railway 
is  laid  for  about  a  mile  parallel  to  the  Glasgow  and 
Paisley  Canal.  Many  fine  mansions,  placed  in 
beautiful  lawns,  are  within  view  of  the  line,  and 
agreeably  diversify  the  scenery.  The  Clyde,  inter- 
vening between  the  eye  and  the  huge  hills  towering 
above  Dumbarton,  gives  a  lively  interest  to  the 
scene,  which  is  rich  in  natural  beauties,  from  what- 
ever point  beheld.  A  bridge  of  about  one  hundred 
/ards  long  carries  the  Railway  through  beneath  the 
urnpike  road.  Shortly  after,  we  pass  Craigton 
House,  the  property  of  Henry  Dunlop,  Esq.  To 
the  north-west  from  this  point,  on  an  elevated  ridge 
of  land  called  the  Knock,  is  situated  Queen  Blearie's 
Cross,  remarkable  as  the  place  where  Marjory 
Bruce,  daughter  of  King  Robert,  lost  her  life 
by  a  fall  from  her  horse,  while  engaged  in  hunt- 
ing.  She  was  the  wife  of  Walter  Stuart;  and  be- 
ing at  the  time  of  the  accident  near  the  period  of 
her  confinement,  she  was  killed  on  the  spot.  The 
Cesarean  operation  was  immediately  had  recourse 
to,  in  order  to  save  the  life  of  the  child  ;  and  here, 
with  this  fatal  romance  pertaining  to  the  circum- 
stance, was  ushered  into  the  world  the  first  of  the 
Stuart  dynasty. 

A  short  drive  brings  us  into  the  Arkleston  cutting, 
the  most  formidable  excavation  on  the  Glasgow  and 
Ayr  line.  It  is  55  feet  deep  in  some  places,  and 
includes  a  tunnel  200  yards  in  length*   Not  far  from 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XI 

where  we  emerge  from  it,  we  are  in  sight  of  the 
first  station, 

PAISLEY, 

(6}  Miles  from  Glasgow). 

So  far  as  we  can  see  the  town  of  Paisley  from 
the  Railway,  it  looks  miserable.  Close  upon  our 
view  is  the  Jail,  with  its  uninviting  front;  and  the 
general  aspect,  on  the  whole,  partakes  much  more 
of  squalid  confusion  than  of  commercial  greatness 
or  manufacturing  wealth  and  elegance.  The  most 
interesting  object  in  this  place  is  the  Abbey,  the 
ruins  of  which  attest  the  ecclesiastical  importance 
which  formerly  attached  to  it.  It  was  originally  a 
structure  of  great  extent  and  magnificent  design  ; 
and  the  ruin,  scathed  as  it  is  by  the  ruthless  hand 
of  time,  bears  incontestible  evidence  of  the  skill 
and  care  with  which  that  design  was  carried  into 
execution. 

The  Railway,  instead  of  going  as  before,  direct 
west,  inclines  considerably  to  the  north;  and  pass- 
ing  over  a  long  series  of  low  brick  arches^  and 
through  suburban  gardens,  it  crosses  Underwood 
Street  upon  an  arch  of  considerable  obliqueness, 
technically  termed  a  skew-bridge.  The  line  of 
Railway  is  then  carried  forward  on  an  embankment 
of  great  extent,  confined  by  retaining  walls,  and 
passing  in  close  continguity  to  the  Paisley  Race- 
Course.  About  two  miles  from  Paisley,  we  cross 
the  Black  Cart  river,  on  a  wooden  bridge  of  very 
plain  construction,  contrasting  very  sadly  with  the 
stupendous  and  almost  overpowering  grandeur  of 
those  noble  viaducts  we  met  with  on  the  line  from 
Edinburgh  to  Glasgow.  On  crossing  the  bridge, 
we  sweep  close  by  Blackstone  House,  the  mansion 


X!l  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

of  William  Napier,  Esq.  It  is  pleasantly  situated, 
and  surrounded  with  fine  wood,  although  the  gene- 
ral landscape  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood  is  any- 
thing but  inviting.  The  line  then  passes  through 
the  lands  of  Blackstone  till  it  meets  the  boundary 
of  Lord  Douglas's  estate  at  the  river  Gryffe,  which 
it  crosses  on  another  wooden  bridge.  At  every 
yard  of  progress  the  country  assumes  a  more  sterile 
aspect,  till  passing  the  road  to  the  village  of  Hous- 
ton. At  this  place  there  is  a  pretty  extensive 
bleachfield,  and  a  considerable  manufacture  of  silk 
and  cotton  goods.  Here  also  we  arrive  at  the 
station  of 

110  US  TOY, 

(9  J  Miles  from  Glasgow). 
On  leaving  Houston  station,  the  line  proceeds 
through  Fulwood  Moss,  chiefly  the  property  of 
Lord  Douglas;  which  brings  us  to  Dargavel  Moss; 
and  here  we  pass  an  edifice  of  considerable  antiquity, 
and  ipteresting  from  its  architecture.  It  was  built 
in  1584,  and  remains  still  in  nearly  the  same  state 
in  which  it  was  erected.  It  is  a  very  fair  specimen 
of  the  mansion  architecture  of  that  period,  exhibit- 
ing a  mixture  of  the  two  styles,  castellated  or  defen- 
sive, and  the  pure  mansion-house,  indicating  a  sort 
of  mutual  half-way  between  the  states  of  lawless 
rapine  and  civilized  tranquillity.  The  lower  storey 
is  composed  of  strongly  vaulted  apartments,  loop- 
holed  for  the  use  of  musketry,  and  highly  suggest- 
ive of  the  necessity  of  being  prepared  to  repel  the 
aggression,  so  characteristic  of  the  turbulent  spirit 
of  the  times  ;  while  the  upper  storeys  partake  more 
of  the  conveniences  connected  with  the  arts  of  peace. 


IN  SCOTLAND.  xiii 

The  house  and  estate  are  now  the  property  of  Wil- 
liam Maxwell,  Esq. 

The  Railway  operations  were  long  retarded  in 
Dargavel  Moss  by  the  marshy  nature  of  the  ground, 
which  occasioned  great  difficulty  in  procuring  a  solid 
bedding  for  the  rails.  Having  passed  the  Moss,  we 
enter  a  deep  cutting  through  Baranguy  Hill,  also 
the  property  of  Mr  Maxwell.  At  the  deepest  por- 
tion of  this  cutting,  the  Railway  is  crossed  by  a 
handsome  bridge  of  three  arches.  On  quitting  this 
Cutting,  the  line  traverses  a  heavy  embankment, 
over  a  portion  of  the  lands  of  Rossland,  the  pro- 
perty of  Matthew  Rodger,  Esq.  Shortly  after 
passing  West  Rossland  House,  on  the  left,  we  enter 
a  deep  excavation  through  Bishopton  Hill.  This 
cutting  extends  upwards  of  a  mile  in  length,  and 
includes  a  long  tunnel,  it  was  one  of  the  most  serious 
undertakings  connected  with  the  enterprise,  the 
whole  being  cut  through  the  whinstone  ridge  which 
intersects  the  valley  of  the  Clyde  at  this  point,  and 
of  which  the  rock  of  Dumbarton  Castle  forms  au- 
other  projecting  ramification. — We  next  pass 

BISHOPTON, 

( 1 2  j  Miles  from  Glasgow). 
Immediately  to  the  left,  and  overlooking  the  station, 
stands  Bishopton  House,  once  a  favourite  country 
residence  belonging  to  the  Primate  of  Glasgow:  it 
stands  high  upon  the  hill  side,  and  commands  a  most 
enchanting  view.  The  eye,  which  along  the  greater 
portion  of  the  Railway  from  Paisley  has  been  fatigued 
by  the  uninteresting  nature  of  the  scenery,  from  here 
till  the  end  of  our  journey  is  fully  compensated  by 
the  luxuriant  glories  of  the  landscape.      The  broad 


XIV  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

glancing  bosom  of  the  sunny  Clyde  stretches  out 
here,  all  alive  with  the  numerous  shipping  and 
steam  vessels  incessantly  plying  on  its  smooth  clear 
waters.  Farther  in  the  distance,  to  the  right,  the 
abrupt  and  rugged  peaks  on  which  is  situated  Dum- 
barton Castle  arrests  the  attention  ;  near  to  which  is 
the  town  of  Dumbarton,  built  upon  the  banks  of 
the  River  Leven.  In  the  distance,  we  see  towering 
in  grandeur  and  sublimity,  the  " cloud- capt"  summit 
of  Benlomond.  Not  far  to  the  south,  and  close 
upon  the  river  bank,  is  Erskine  House,  the  princely 
residence  of  Lord  Blantyre,  the  representative  of  a 
very  ancient  family,  which  has  long  held  extensive 
possessions  in  this  neighbourhood.  The  line  now 
proceeds  close  along  the  shore,  elevated  on  a  high 
embankment,  through  grounds  belonging  to  his 
lordship,  commanding  delightful  views,  till  we 
arrive  at  the  station  of 

WEST    TERRY, 

(15^  Miles  from  Glasgow;) 
on  leaving  which,  and  crossing  the  Houston 
road,  the  line  continues  close  to  the  Clyde,  com- 
manding most  enchanting  views  of  both  sides  of  the 
river,  increased  by  the  Arrochar  Hills  in  the  ex- 
treme distance.  The  Railway  next  passes  Finlay- 
stone  House,  many  years  the  principal  seat  of  the 
Earls  of  Glencairn,  now  occupied  by  Samuel 
Brown,  Esq.  Sweeping  onwards  between  the  river 
and  the  road,  through  the  lands  of  Broadrield,  be- 
longing to  S.  H.  Somerville,  Esq.,  we  cross  a  small 
bay,  upon  a  series  of  arches,  and  are  carried  through 
the  garden  of  Newark  Castle,  a  place  of  considerable 
antiquity,  and  remarkable  for  the  romantic  beauty 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XV 

of  its  situation.  It  was  originally  the  property  and 
residence  of  the  family  of  Dennistoun,  but  descend- 
ed to  the  Maxwells  of  Calderwood,  and  through  the 
same  descent  is  now  the  property  of  Sir  M.  Shaw 
Stewart,  Bart.      Close  to  this  Castle  is 

TORT-GLASGOW 

(20  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
Station ;  on  quitting  which,  we  pass  through  a 
portion  of  this  nobleman's  estate,  which  leads 
to  a  deep  excavation  through  Cartsburn  Hill.  We 
next  pass  through  the  extensive  Foundry  of  Messrs 
Caird  and  Co.,  and  are  immediately  thereafter 
lauded  at  the  Greenock  terminus. 


GLASGOW  &  AYRSHIRE  RAILWAY. 

This  Railway  branches  off  to  the  left  at  Paisley, 
going  into  the  interior  of  a  rich  and  fertile  country, 
from  which  circumstance  it  has  proved  a  much 
better  speculation  for  the  proprietors  than  the  Green- 
ock branch.  There  are  numerous  finely  situated 
mansions  and  pleasure-grounds  on  both  sides  of  the 
line,  and,  altogether,  the  landscape  is  of  a  cheerful 
and  smiling  character.  About  a  mile  and  a  half 
west  from  Paisley,  we  pass,  on  the  left,  the  village 
of  Millerston  ;  at  no  great  distance  westward  from 
which,  the  Railway  crosses  the  Johnstone  Canal. 
Before  reaching  Johnstone,  we  have  Elderslie 
House,  the  patrimony,  in  the  olden  time,  of  the 
heroic  Sir  William  Wallace,  and  closely  adjoining 
the  spot  on  which  that  brave  defender  of  his  couu- 


X-Vl  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

try's  independence  was  born.  The  estate  is  now 
the  property  of  Alexander  Speirs,  Esq.,  and  abounds 
with  rieh  and  beautiful  scenery.  We  now  arrive  at 
the  station  of 

JOHNSTONE, 

(10  Miles  from  Glasgow). 

Johnstone  Castle  is  a  large  mansion,  and  is  built 
in  the  modern  castellated  style  of  architecture.  It  is 
the  property  of  Ludovic  Houston,  Esq.,  a  gentleman 
whose  enlightened  benevolence  is  the  theme  of  ad- 
miration in  the  neighbourhood.  Milliken  House, 
the  property  and  residence  of  Sir  William  Milliken 
Napier,  Bart.,  stands  a  little  to  the  west.  Sir 
Wrilliam  is  the  direct  lineal  descendant  of  the 
celebrated  inventor  of  logarithms,  Napier  of  Mer- 
chiston.  This  mansion  is  very  splendid:  it  is  built 
after  the  Grecian  style,  and  is  surrounded  by  luxu- 
riant woods.  North  of  the  line  stands  the  village 
of  Kilbarchan,  near  which  is  Captain  Stirling's 
mansion,  Glentyon  House. 

We  now  for  a  considerable  distance  traverse  the 
lower  part  of  a  fine  valley,  affording  delightful 
views  of  the  richly- wooded  slopes  which  hem  in  the 
basin.  Looking  to  the  right,  close  by  the  margin 
of  a  noble  lake,  picturesquely  studded. with  islands 
clothed  with  wood,  is  seen  the  beautifully  situated 
mansion  of  Castle  Semple.  It  is  built  not  far 
from  where  at  one  time  the  old  Castle  of  the  Barons 
Sempill  stood.  They  were  a  powerful  family: 
their  possessions  and  influence  was  great.  The 
baronage  is  still  represented  by  the  Baroness  Sempill, 
but  the  estates  have  altogether  passed  into  other 
hands.  Castle-Semple  Loch,  now  known  by  Loch- 
winnoch,  extends  nearly  three  miles  in  length ;   it 


IN  SCOTLAND.  AVll 

is  the  source  of  the  Black  Cart  river,  which,  in 
conjunction  with  the  White  Cart,  falls  into  the 
Clyde  near  Renfrew.  The  loch  was  formerly 
larger,  but  by  draining  has  been  much  redu- 
ced. During  the  course  of  these  operations,  a  brass 
cannon  and  several  canoes  were  dug  out  of  the  mud 
in  which  they  had  been  imbedded.  The  cannon  is 
supposed  to  be  a  relic  of  the  Duke  of  Chatelher- 
ault's  army,  that  nobleman,  in  1560,  having  laid 
siege  to  Castle  Semple,  on  the  part  of  the  Protes- 
tant leaders.  The  present  mansion  is  surrounded 
by  fine  woods,  &c,  arid  is  the  property  of  Colonel 
Harvey.  Not  far  from  Castle  Semple,  on  the  left 
of  the  line,  is  the  village  of  Houston.  A  few  min- 
utes brings  us  to 

LOCHWINNOCH,    " 

(16  Miles  from  Glasgow;) 
on  passing  which,  towards  the  right,  we  have 
Barr  Castle,  aaruined  peel-tower  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  It  is  beautifully  situated,  near  the  banks 
of  the  river  Calder,  almost  on  the  confines  of  the 
county  of  Renfrew.  We  now  enter  the  parish 
of  Beith,  and  county  of  Ayr,  close  to  which  point  is 
a  place  called  the  Bog.  This,  as  indicated  by  its  name, 
is  a  complete  moss.  It  is  of  considerable  extent ;  and 
the  bottom  was  found  to  be  so  soft  and  yielding  as  to 
cause  great  additional  labour  and  expense  in  secur- 
ing the  embankment  which  carries  the  railway 
through  it.  The  rails  are  here  laid  on  longitudinal 
instead  of  transverse  sleepers,  so  as  to  render  them 
more  secure:  from  the  tremendous  vibration  caused 
by  this,  a  most  unpleasant  rumbliug  sound  is  pro- 
oueed  as  the  trains  pass  along.  On  passing  through 
this  Bog,  may  be  seen  the  Cuff  Hill,  supposed  to 


XVIll  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

have  been  the  site  of  a  Druidical  Temple.  On  it 
have  been  found  sepulchral  remains  of  widely  dif- 
ferent and  very  remote  ages,  both  bearing  incon- 
testible  evidence  of  having  been  deposited  before  the 
introduction  of  Christianity  into  the  neighbourhood. 
On  the  northern  side  of  the  same  hill  is  to  be  seen 
one  of  those  freaks  of  nature,  in  a  huge  rocking 
•tone,  weighing  nearly  twelve  tons;  yet  so  nicely 
poised,  that  it  can  be  put  in  motion  by  the  slightest 
touch.  After  passing  the  Bog,  a  short  run  brings 
the  train  to  the  station  of 


(18  Miles  from  Glasgow), 
The  village  of  Beith  is  about  a  mile  from  where 
we  stop,  and,  from  its  high  standing,  commands  an 
extensive  view  of  the  adjacent  country.  On  clear- 
ing this  station,  the  Railway  skirts  along  Kilbirnie 
Loch,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  small  lochs  in  Scot- 
land, which  is  about  two  miles  long,  and  half-a- 
mile  broad — the  banks  irregular,  and  delightfully 
waving  with  luxuriant  woods.  On  the  northern 
shore  of  the  loch  stands  the  village  of  Kilbirnie, 
romantically  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Garnock,  in  its  progress  intersecting  the  town. 
Near  the  station  of 

KILBIRNIE 

(20  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
numerous  blast-furnaces,  the  property  of  Messrs 
Alison,  Merry,  and  Cunninghame,  are  in  pro- 
gress of  erection,  some  of  which  are  in  present 
operation.  Kilbirnie  Kirk  is  one  of  the  early 
specimens  of  those  humbler  ecclesiastical  build- 
ings which,  subsequently  to  the  Reformation,  took 


IX  SCOTLAND.  XIX 

the  place  of  the  more  imposing  edifices  erected 
by  the  papal  hierarchy.  This  structure  possesses 
singular  attractions  to  the  genealogist,  from  the  rich 
and  accurate  emblazonment  of  the  armorial  bearings 
belonging  to  the  numerous  noble  families  allied  to  the 
Crawfords  of  Kilbirnie,  Earls  of  Crawford  and 
Lindsay,  whose  burial  vault  is  under  the  Kirk.  To 
the  antiquary  it  is  no  less  interesting,  from  the 
quaint  style  of  its  architectural  decorations.  Near 
to  the  village  stand  the  ruins  of  Kilbirnie  House,  the 
ancient  patrimonial  residence  of  the  Earls  of  Craw- 
ford. It  was  at  one  time  a  building  of  great  splen- 
dour and  extent.  In  1757  it  was  totally  destroyed 
by  fire,  and  has  remained  a  ruin  ever  since.  A 
short  distance  up  the  river,  situated  on  a  promon- 
tory of  considerable  elevation,  are  the  ruins  of  Glen- 
garnock  Castle,  once  the  princely  residence  of  the 
Cunninghames,  Lords  Glengarnock,  a  noble  family, 
which,  after  centuries  of  feudal  contests  with  the 
Crawfords,  ultimately  merged  in  that  house.  The 
house  of  Crawford,  in  its  turn,  has  yielded  to  the 
destructive  agency  of  time,  the  last  representative 
of  the  race,  Lady  Mary  Lindsay  Crawford,  having 
died  some  years  ago.  The  landscape  all  around 
this  is  most  enchanting.  About  a  mile  beyond 
the  western  extremity  of  the  loch,  passing  the  neat 
mansion  House  of  Pitcon    on  the  right,  we  reach 

DALRT, 

(22  Miles  from  Glasgow). 
The  country  here  abounds  with   fields  of  most 
valuable  ironstone,  and  extensive  furnaces  for  smelt- 
ing the  ore   have  been   erected  a  short  distance  to 
the  right  of  the  line.    Dairy  is  delightfully  situated 


XX  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

on  a  rising  ground,  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Gar- 
nock,  which  gently  meanders  with  almost  imper- 
ceptible motion  through  the  valley.  This  river 
receives  the  waters  of  two  tributaries,  the  Rye  and 
the  Caaf.  The  latter  is  remarkable  for  the  violent 
impetuosity  with  which  it  rushes  over  a  cascade 
near  the  Garnock,  falling  ultimately  into  the  sea 
at  the  harbour  of  Irvine.  The  branch  line  to  Kil- 
marnock diverges  here,  and  bends  gently  to  the  left. 
Passing  the  village  of  Dalgarvan,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Garnock,  we  command  a  fine  view  of  the  ruin- 
ed walls  of  the  time-honoured  and  once  stately 
Abbey  of  Kilwinning.  After  emerging  from  an 
excavation  here,  we  reach  the  station  of 

KILWINNING, 

(26  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
at  which  a  branch  diverges  on  the  right  to  Salt- 
coats and  Ardrossan.  The  landscape  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood is  very  poor,  nothing  being  to  be  seen  but 
barren  sand  hills,  and  sterile  plains,  swarming  with 
rabbits.  In  the  distance,  the  mist-shrouded,  storm- 
riven  peaks  of  Arran,  rise  from  the  bosom  of  the 
deep,  and  assume  a  prominent  and  picturesque  ap- 
pearance. To  the  geologist,  their  rugged  ridges 
present  a  rich  field  of  investigation. 

The  Abbey  of  Kilwinning,  situated  here,  was 
celebrated  for  the  beauty  and  magnificence  of  its 
architecture.  It  was  founded  in  1 140,  in  honour  of 
St.  Winning,  who  lies  interred  here.  It  was  de- 
stroyed at  the  Reformation,  by  the  same  mistaken 
zeal  which  caused  the  demolition  of  many  of  the 
finest  edifices  in  the  kingdom.  Kilwinning  is  also 
celebrated  as  the  seat  of  the  first  free-mason  lodge 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XXI 

held  in  Scotland.  Archery  has  constituted  a  fa- 
vourite pastime,  and  has  been  much  practised  in 
Kilwinning  from  a  very  early  period.  The  scene 
here  changes;  and  from  the  rugged  routine  of  exca- 
vation and  embankment,  we  have  an  agreeable  pros- 
pect in  the  picturesque  appearance  of  Irvine,  with 
the  masts  of  the  shipping  in  its  harbour  to  enliven 
the  scene.  To  the  right,  the  sea  sleeps  in  calm 
tranquility;  beyond  which,  the  rugged  peaks  of 
Arran  are  seen  towering  high.  To  the  let*t,the  grace- 
fully undulating  country  is  covered  with  thriving 
plantations,  rrom  the  midst  of  which  the  towers  of 
Eglinton  Castle  appear  prominent.  This  elegant 
mansion,  which  has  recently  been  rebuilt,  is  a  very 
extensive  specimen  of  the  modern  castellated  style, 
and  is  surrounded  by  spacious  lawns  and  gigantic 
trees  of  ancient  growth  ;  this  having  been  the  seat 
of  the  Montgomeries,  Earls  of  Eglinton,  for  nearly 
five  centuries.  In  1839,  the  long  disused,  and  al- 
most forgotten  pageant  of  a  tournament  was  revived 
here.  The  arrangements  for  the  tilting,  and  its 
chivalrous  accompaniments,  were  costly  and  mag- 
nificent ;  and  thousands  from  all  quarters  of  the 
kingdom  thronged  to  witness  the  alluring  spectacle. 
We  next  pass  the  village  of  Steveinston,  near 
which  there  are  extensive  coal-works,  the  property 
of  P.  Warner,  Esq.,  whose  residence  we  pass  on 
the  right.  The  landscape  now  becomes  more  in- 
teresting, as  it  is  enlivened  by  a  view  of  the  sea, 
with  its  marginal  coast,  and  the  numerous  craft 
passing  onward  to  the  Clyde.  On  the  right  is  the 
ancient  seat  of  the  Cunninghames,  a  large  and 
splendid  edifice  of  castellated  architecture.  Passing 
Saltcoats,  a  few  minutes  lands  us  at  the  station  of 


XX11  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

ARDROSSAN, 

(32  Miles  from  Glasgow). 

The  very  substantial  harbour  erected  here  gives 
to  this  place  an  importance  which  it  would  not 
otherwise  have.  It  affords  to  the  outward-bound 
shipping  a  safe  lodgment  when  winds  are  adverse. 
It  is  also  much  frequented  as  a  fashionable  bathing- 
place.  On  a  small  promontory  stands  the  dilapi- 
dated remains  of  Ardrossan  Castle,  a  place  of  great 
strength  and  considerable  importance  in  olden  times. 
It  is  remarkable  as  the  scene  of  one  out  of  many 
heroic  and  skilfully-executed  exploits  of  the  chival- 
rous Wallace.  The  most  authentic  traditions  re- 
cord that  this  castle  was  dismantled  and  reduced  to 
ruins  by  Oliver  Cromwell,  and  two  fragments  are 
all  that  now  remain  relics  of  its  former  grandeur. 
Steam-boats  start  from  this  port  for  Arran,  Belfast, 
and  several  other  places,  thus  shortening  the  dis- 
tance from  Glasgow  more  than  one-half  by  cutting 
through  the  country  on  the  railway,  in  place  of 
sailing  down  the  firth  by  the  vessels  which  start 
from  the  Broomielaw.  Lord  Eglinton,  with  his 
wonted  classic  taste,  has  here  erected  a  very  elegant 
mansion  for  his  sea-bathing  residence. 

On  the  main  line  we  cross  the  Garnock.  and 
the  water  of  Irvine,  just  before  their  junction  with 
the  sea.  Immediately  after,  we  arrive  at  the 
6tation  of 

IRVINE, 

(30  Miles  from  Glasgow). 
This  is  a  populous  and  thriving  town,  having  a 
well-protected  harbour  and  an  increasing  trade.    It 
derives  some  additional  interest  from  having  been. 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XXI 11 

the  first  spot  in  which  Burns  made  the  attempt  of 
combating,  on  his  own  account,  the  struggles  of  the 
world  for  gain. 

After  leaving  Irvine,  with  the  sea  close  upon  the 
right  hand,  and  the  Arran  mountains  forming  still 
a  prominent  and  pleasing  object  on  that  side— 
Goatfell  being  most  conspicuous. — we  next  pass 
the  Kilmarnock  and  Troon  Railway.  This  line, 
which  was  opened  chiefly  for  the  transit  of  coals,  in 
1810,  is  the  oldest  line  of  railway  in  Scotland. 
It  is  of  very  primitive  construction,  and  has  flanged 
rails,  instead  of  the  edge  rail  of  modern  use.  Close 
by  this  point,  near  Barossie  Mill,  a  branch  diverges 
from  the  main  line  of  the  Glasgow  and  Ayrshire 
Railway  to  Troon  harbour;  after  passing  which, 
we  reach  the  station  of 

TROON, 

(34  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
which  is  named  from  its  proximity  to  a  small  but 
improving  sea  port,  possessing  one  of  the  finest 
natural  harbours  on  the  west  coast.  It  is  in  the 
district  of  Dundonald,  and  is  now  the  property  of 
his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Portland,  who,  about  thirty 
years  ago,  built  a  splendid  pier  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  shipping  frequenting  the  port  :  he  also 
furnished  it  with  wet  and  dry  docks.  A  great 
quantity  of  coal  is  exported  from  this  harbour  for 
the  Irish  trade. 

We  next  approach  Fullerton  House,  the  princely 
mansion  of  the  Duke  of  Portland,  which,  along 
with  the  estate,  he  acquired  by  marriage.  It  is  a 
splendid  building,  and  is  most  delightfully  situated, 
among  richly  sheltering  woods,  to  the  left  com- 
manding a  most  extensive  and  enchanting  view  to- 


XXIV  FRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS  IN  SCOTLAND. 

*vards  the  sea.  From  this  point  we  have  a  fine 
view  of  Irvine  and  Troon  bays,  and  the  rising 
grounds,  which  gently  ascend  into  graceful  hills. 
Arran,  now  considerably  diminished  by  the  increas- 
ing distance,  still  lovely  in  its  misty  obscurity,  in- 
vites the  passer's  gaze  ;  and  in  front,  on  a  clear  day, 
the  gigantic  cliffs  of  Ailsa  Craig  may  be  seen  tower- 
ing in  the  sky,  above  a  thousand  feet.  A  little  be- 
yond Fullerton,  similarly  situated,  is  Fairrield 
House,  the  property  and  residence  of  William 
Campbell,  Esq.,  and  immediately  after 

MONKTON 

(36  Miles  from  Glasgow,) 
Station,  so  called  from  the  ancient  village  of  Monkton, 
a  short  distance  on  the  left.  In  the  olden  time,  it 
was  the  abode  of  ecclesiastics,  being  an  appanage 
of  Paisley  Abbey.  We  next  dart  through 
Prestwick,  another  spot  dedicated  to  the  abode  of 
members  of  the  priesthood  ;  and  a  few  minutes 
more,  we  reach  our  destination, 

AYR, 

(40  Miles  from  Glasgow)* 

m  KILMARNOCK  BRANCH  AND    CUMNOCK  EXTENSION. 

After  the  separation  of  the  trains  near  Dairy, 
the  Kilmarnock  Branch  proceeds  past  the  station 
for  the  important  village  of  Stewarton,  a  distance 
of  10f  miles,  to  Kilmarnock ;  and  the  line  has  been 
thence  extended  by  a  splendid  Viaduct  through 
the  glorious  scenery  of  Ballochmyle  to  Cumnock, 
famed  for  its  buttons  and  snuff-boxes. 


CALEDONIAN  RAILWAY. 

This  great  trunk-line  of  communication  betwixt 
Scotland  and  England  commences  with  two  forks, 
starting  from  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh  respect- 
ively, uniting  near  Carnwath  in  the  Upper  Ward  of 
Lanarkshire,  and  continuing  as  a  joint  trunk,  by 
the  way  of  Beatock  and  Lockerby,  through  the 
lovely  vale  of  Annandale,  as  far  as  Carlisle  in 
Cumberland,  where  the  Caledonian  Line  connects 
itself  with  the  u  Lancaster  and  Carlisle  Railway," 
the  "  Newcastle  and  Carlisle  Railway,"  and  the 
*  Maryport  and  Carlisle  Railway." 

THE  GLASGOW  FORK. 

We  begin  with  the  fork  from  Glasgow,  the  sta- 
tion for  which  is  that  of  the  Glasgow  and  Garn- 
kirk  Railway,  at  the  Townhead,  about  to  be  ex- 
tended, however,  on  a  grand  scale  to  Buchanan 
Street ;  although  the  ground  for  another  terminus 
at  Clyde  Terrace  has  long  been  staked  out  in  anti- 
cipation of  the  completion  of  the  works  of  the  Cale- 
donian on  the  south  side  of  the  Clyde. 

Starting,  meanwhile,  from  the  Townhead,  the 
line  leads  along  the  Germiston  embankment,  afford- 
ing a  view,  such  as  it  is,  of  the  rural  vicinage  of 
Glasgow,  and  proceeds  by  Gartcosh  and  Provan 
Mill,  through  an  unpropitious  looking  landscape 
to  the  Stepsroad  station,  which  is  A\  miles 
from  Glasgow,  and  thence  to  Garnkirk,  (7 
miles,)  the  site  of  the  ornamental  fire-brick 
works,  celebrated  for  the  superior  fire-resist- 
ing qualities  of  their  fire-clay,  which,  consisting 
almost  purely  of  silica  and  alumina,  (all  mixtures  of 
c 


XXVI  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

which  are  incapable  of  fusion  by  heat,)  excels  even 
the  clay  of  Stourbridge.  The  wealth  of  the  coun- 
try through  which  we  now  pass  is  not  upon  the 
surface  ;  we  are  now  in  the  heart  of  the  mineral 
district  ;  and  many  even  of  its  towns  and  vil- 
lages, at  least  of  its  excavated  areas,  acres  in 
extent,  may  be  said  to  be  under  ground.  The 
scene  which  salutes  the  gaze  at  Coatbridge,  (9j 
miles,)  the  centre  of  the  combined  influences  of 
soot,  smoke,  and  flame,  railway  transit,  and  the 
hot-blast,  is  to  the  stranger  most  astounding.  The 
very  noise  of  the  incessant  locomotion,  with  the 
tremendous  din  of  the  iron  works  for  an  accompani- 
ment, is  greatly  calculated  to  enhance  the  effect  of 
the  perpetual  day  maintained  throughout  these 
regions  by  the  blaze  of  the  Gartsherrie,  Langloan, 
Drumpeller,  Dundyvan,  and  Whifflat  furnaces. 
Beyond  Coatbridge  we  arrive  successively  at 
Holytown  station,  15  miles,  Motherwell  15,  and 
Wishaw,  18  miles  from  Glasgow,  all  on  the 
Wishaw  and  Coltness  Railway,  now  the  Caledonian. 
This  brings  us  through  the  wild  mineral  coun- 
try to  the  more  civilized  territory  about  Car- 
luke, 22  miles  from  Glasgow,  and  situated  on 
the  junction  line  of  thfi  Caledonian  proper,  and  to 
the  Lanark  station,  which  is  28  miles  from  Glas- 
gow, and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  far-famed  Falls  of 
Clyde,  described  at  page  17  of  this  volume.  The 
next  stage,  30g  miles  from  Glasgow,  is  the  Car- 
stairs  Junction,  where  the  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh 
forks  converge  on  a  triangular  platform  on  the  Float 
Moss,  and  whence  the  southern  trunk-line  proceeds 
to  Carlisle. 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


THE  EDINBURGH  FORK. 


I  We  must  now  proceed  to  bring  up  the  Edinburgh 
fork  to  the  point  at  which  we  have  arrived  from 
Glasgow,  the  distance  being  4  miles  shorter,  a 
circumstance  corrected  practically  in  the  working 
of  the  line  by  a  difference  of  ten  minutes  in  the 
time  for  starting  the  various  trains.  The  Edin- 
burgh terminus  of  the  Caledonian  is  situated  in  the 
Lothian  Road,  in  the  rear  of  Edinburgh  Castle — the 
line  emerging  from  Edinburgh  through  an  arch- 
way constructed  with  great  engineering  difficulty 
beneath  the  populously  tenanted  buildings  of  Gar- 
dener's Crescent.  The  line  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance skirts  the  north  base  of  the  Pentlands,  pur- 
suing its  path  from  the  first  on  the  confines  of 
agricultural  and  pastoral  life.  The  scenery  is  at 
first  exceedingly  picturesque  and  varied.  Dairy, 
Gorgie,  Inglis  Green,  are  passed  in  succession. 
The  Union  Canal,  and  public  road  at  Slateford, 
throw  rival  arches  over  the  Water  of  Leith,  in 
close  proximity  to  the  viaduct  of  the  railway,  and 
produce  much  pictorial  variety  in  this  romantic 
spot.  The  first  station,  5  miles  out  of  Edin- 
burgh, is  Currie.  In  its  neighbourhood  are 
Craiglockhart  House,  Redhall,  Colinton  House, 
Haiies,  Baberton  House.  The  celebrated  Hailes 
Quarry  and  pretty  village  of  Colinton  are  in  the 
immediate  vicinity.  The  landscape  of  Colinton 
parish  now  slopes  on  the  left  from  the  Pentland 
range,  rising  from  1450  to  1700  feet  from  the  level 
of  the  sea,  with  the  picturesque  heights  of  Craig- 
lockhart and  the  Fir  Hill  in  the  foreground,  and 
the  old  Lennox  Tower,  a  stronghold  of  the  Regent 
Morton,    seen    conspicuously   to   the  south-west. 


XXVlll  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS. 

Further  on  to  the  south  are  the  hill  of  Ravelrig, 
Dalmahoy  and  Kaimes  Hills,  or  Dalmahoy  Crags, 
and  Dalmahoy  House,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Mor- 
ton, and  the  mansions  of  Meadowbank  and  Ormis- 
ton  Hill.  To  the  station  appropriate  for  the  vil- 
lages of  Mid-Calder  and  Kirknewton,  the  distance 
from  Edinburgh  is  10  miles.  East  Calder  village 
lies  about  a  mile  east  of  Mid-Calder.  The  pro- 
spect is  here  opened  up  so  that  not  only  the  wide 
expanse  of  the  fruitful  Lothians,  but  also  consider- 
able portions  of  thirteen  different  counties,  from  the 
east  to  the  west  of  Scotland,  are  visible  from  the 
elevations.  The  Linhouse  viaduct  12 h  miles  from 
Edinburgh,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  works 
on  the  line,  and  a  striking  view  is  obtained  from 
it  of  the  hills  of  Fifeshire  and  the  Frith  of  Forth. 
The  station  for  West  Calder  and  Torphin  is  15 
miles  from  Edinburgh.  The  transit  over  bjeak 
ground  at  an  elevation  of  500  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea  becomes  now  inviting.  The  line  skirts 
the  Cobbinshaw  Water  Reservoir,  a  very  remark- 
able sheet  of  water  maintained  to  supply  the  Union 
Canal,  and  then  passes  by  Woolfords  and  Mosshat 
to  the  Auchingray  station,  20.J  miles  from  Edin- 
burgh ;  a  branch  to  the  well-known  and  extensive 
Wilsontown  Ironworks  being  intended  to  join  the 
main  line  previously.  From  Auchingray  the  line  pro- 
ceeds past  the  mansion  of  Ampherlaw,  and  crosses 
the  Falla  by  a  bridge.  It  then  passes  near  the 
long  and  somewhat  desolate- looking  village  of  Carn- 
ivath,  26  miles  from  Edinburgh  to  the  Caratairs 
Junction  station,  2CJ  miles  onwards. 

THE  MAIN  TRUNK. 

The  Glasgow  and   Edinburgh   forks,  properly 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XXIX 

speaking,  converge  at  Clyde  Ferry,  the  Carstairs 
Junction  being  formed  across  the  intermediate 
county  by  a  line  subtending  the  angle  of  junction, 
and  the  whole  triangle,  inclosing  half  a  superficial 
mile  of  flat  land,  called  the  Lampit  Holms,  innun- 
dated  at  times  by  the  Clyde ;  so  that  the  railway 
passes  along,  partly  on  timber  platforms,  with  free 
passage  for  the  flood  waters  underneath.  It  passes 
the  Clyde  by  a  timber  viaduct  at  the  old  float  ferry, 
the  only  means  of  crossing  which  was,  hitherto,  on 
the  large  float  employed  to  remove  carts,  cattle, 
carriages,  and  carcases,  (human  as  well  as  other- 
wise,) from  the  one  bank  to  the  other.  The  man- 
sions betwixt  and  Thankerton  station,  35J  miles 
from  Glasgow,  and,  of  course,  four  fewer  from 
Edinburgh,  are,  on  the  one  hand,  Westraw,  Petti- 
nain,  Cairngryffe,  and  Chester  ;  on  the  other,  Car- 
michael  House,  Eastend,  and  Carrington.  With 
exception  of  Carmichael  House,  remarkable  for  its 
plantations,  the  country  is  not  at  all  romantic ; 
though  wild  and  hilly,  it  is  denuded  and  pastoral ; 
the  Clyde  itself  has  list  its  most  attractive  features, 
and  its  waters,  though  silvery  as  molten  ore,  flow 
on  tamely  and  uninterestingly.  Tinto,  the  hill  of 
fire,  begins  to  preside  over  the  landscape  of  Upper 
Clydesdale;  its  elevation  above  the  sea  is  2312, 
and  height  above  the  Clyde  1/40  feet.  St  John's 
Kirk  passed,  the  contemplated  branch  to  Biggar 
and  Broughton  diverges  eastward.  Meanwhile, 
for  these  rather  important  places  in  this  thinly 
populated  country,  the  quiet  rural  village  of  Sym- 
ington, 374  miles  from  Glasgow,  is  the  temporary 
station.  Fatlips'  Castle  is  the  name  of  the  old 
ruin  perceived  on  leaving  Symington.  On  the 
right  are  the  little  village  of  Wiston  and  Dunga- 


XXX  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

vel  Hill,  with  two  peaks.  The  Clyde  is  now,  for 
some  distance,  on  the  left,  and,  beyond  it,  Laming- 
ton  village.  Crossing  the  Clyde  at  Hardington 
demesne,  the  line  then  skirts  the  other  bank  of 
the  river  by  Woodend,  Clydebridge,  and  Duneaton, 
to  Sidewood — the  Abington  station,  well  known  as 
the  resort  of  coursers,  46|  miles  from  Glasgow. 
Crawford  station,  at  which,  however,  the  passenger 
trains  do  not  stop,  is  only  a  short  distance  from 
Sidewood.  The  Annan,  the  Tweed,  and  the  Clyde, 
all  take  their  rise  in  this  part  of  the  county,  as  de- 
scribed in  our  w  Steamboat  Tourists'  Pocket 
Guide."  Crawford  Castle,  now  ruinous,  is  situate 
beyond  the  river.  A  chain  bridge,  of  75  feet,  here 
spans  the  Clyde.  Three  miles  farther  south,  the 
line  passes  Elvanfoot  and  Elvanwater  viaduct. 
Farther  onwards,  the  source  of  Clyde,  Howcleuch, 
Raecleuch,  and  Grisken.  Running  along  the 
Evan  Water,  it  passes  by  Auchen  Castle,  and  ar- 
rives at 


for  various  reasons  the  most  delightful  station 
on  the  road,  and  chiefly  for  the  "  attractions ,J 
of  the  refreshment-room,  animate  and  inani- 
mate. In  passing  this  portion  of  the  line,  the 
summit  level,  1)90  feet  above  the  sea,  has  been 
reached ;  and  we  now  commence  the  descent 
upon  Carlisle.  Before  quitting  Beatock,  however, 
it  is  proper  to  mention  that  it  is  the  station  for  the 
celebrated  ik  wells"  of  Moffat,  and  the  enchanting 
scenery  of  the  Greymare's  Tail,  St  Mary's  Loch, 
and  Yarrow,  the  very  birth-places  of  poetical  in- 
spirations. From  Beatock  inn,  succeed  cuttings  of 
no  very  agreeable  texture ;  but  at  last  on  a  long 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XXXI 

embankment,  we  reach  and  cross  the  Annan 
Water,  on  a  viaduct  of  350  feet  in  length. 

ANNANDALE 

this  opens  up  in  all  its  loveliness.  Wamphray, 
the  next  station,  is  69 1  miles  from  Glasgow.  Its 
neighbourhood  is  extremely  picturesque,  abound- 
ing in  cascades,  and  its  parish  church  is  romantic- 
ally situated  on  the  deep  and  woody  banks  of  the 
stream.  The  dark  woods  of  Raehills  appear  in 
the  distance,  and  Queensberry  Hill,  one  of  the 
highest  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  rising  immediately 
behind  them,  2 1 40  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Wamphray  Water  is  crossed  by  an  oblique  bridge 
of  iron  girders.  The  line  then  proceeds  past 
Girthhead  and  Dalmakeddar,  Dinwoodie, .  and 
Ja*dine  Hall,  to Nethercleuch  station,  /5  miles  from 
Ghsgow.  The  intended  branch  to  Dumfries  would 
haTe  diverged  at  this  place.  The  line  crosses  the 
Diyffe  Water  by  a  splendid  viaduct. 

LOCKERBV, 

a  narket  town  of  some  importance,  is  passed 
thiough  on  the  street  level-,  at  a  distance  of  now 
ony  26  miles  from  Carlisle  ;  and  shortly  afterwards 
the  beautiful  Milk  River  is  crossed  by  an  elegant 
bridge  of  six  arches,  amidst  a  scene  of  exquisite 
beiuty.  The  train,  skirting  Brackehall,  suddenly 
birsts  upon  a  gorgeous  view  of  the  line  in  front,  as 
it  ipproaches  Ecclefechan,  and  the  eye  beholds  the 
So  way  sparkling  in  the  sun  at  the  base  of  Criffel, 
wih  Skiddaw,  and  the  mountain  giants  standing 
mjjestically  around.  From  Ecclefechan  station, 
84 miles  from  Glasgow,  Hoddam  Castle,  the  resi- 
deice  of  General  Sharpe,  is  seen  to  the  north-west, 


XXXU  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

embowered  in  woods.  The  Burnswark  table-land 
rises  gloomily  above  the  station,  whence  the  branch 
line  to  Annan  diverges.  Close  to  Ecclefeohan,  the 
line  passes  Kirkconnel,  the  residence  of  Dr  Arnot, 
Napoleon's  physician  at  St  Helena,  and  crosses 
the  West  Gill  Burn  and  the  Mein  Water.  Frcm 
the  embankment,  many  imposing  views  of  Critfel 
are  obtained.  The  cross  roads  are  passed  b)  a 
long  bridge,  the  longest  on  the  line,  and  the  lovely 
river  Kirtle  is  crossed  on  a  splendid  viaduct.  Akng 
its  luxuriantly  wooded  banks  the  line  runs,  foi  a 
mile  and  a-half,  on  the  top  edge  of  the  eastmost 
one,  which  is  very  steep  and  precipitous,  affordiig 
a  charming  view  of 

DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

Near  the  viaduct  is  the  romantic  ruin  of  tie 
Tower  of  Rob  Gill,  the  noted  Border  freebooter, 
who  never  dreamed  that  the  railway  would  shrik 
around  his  dreaded  fastness.  Wyseby  House  aid 
Bonshaw  are  each  environed  with  scenic  beaut/ ; 
and  Woodhouse  Tower,  perched  on  a  craggy  piD- 
montory,  adds,  in  succession,  another  remarkaUe 
and  interesting  feature  to  the  landscape.  Kirte- 
bridge,  a  handsome  structure,  placed  amidst  ill 
this  romance  of  nature  and  of  time,  becomes  piota- 
resque  in  the  extreme.  A  spacious  cave,  the  hil- 
ing- place  of  the  Covenanters,  exists  in  one  of  tie 
crags  overhanging  the  Kirtle.  Curving  past  tie 
village  of  Newton,  the  line  reaches  the  Kirkpatruk 
station,  13|  miles  from  Carlisle. 

GRETNA  GREEN. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Kirkpatrick,  a  glimpse  }f 
the  tall  chimney  of  Messrs  Dixon's  factory  pr>- 


IK  SCOTLAND.  XXX1I1 

claims  the  approach  to  Carlisle.  The  next  place 
passed  is  Gretna  Hall,  and  then  Springfield,  where 
the  Glasgow,  Dumfries,  and  Carlisle  Railway's 
branch  to  Annan  and  Dumfries  will  join  the 
Caledonian,  after  which  the  line  reaches  Gretna 
station,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  far-famed  marriage 
place  of  run-away  couples,  who  "  marry  in  haste 
to  repent  at  leisure,' *  preferring  the  offices  of  a 
Scottish  blacksmith,  backed  by  the  law  of  the  land, 
to  those  of  an  English  clergyman,  and  the  more 
solemn  obligations  with  which  society  has  thought 
fit  to  guard  the  marriage  tie. 

We  are  now  shortly  at  the  River  Sark,  0  miles  only 
from  Carlisle,  the  boundary  line  betwixt  England 
and  Scotland.  It  is  crossed  by  a  stone  bridge,  the 
view  from  which  commands  Skiddaw  and  the  Kes- 
wick mountain  range.  Along  the  Guards  embank- 
ment, the  line  proceeds  to  Mossband,  and  thence 
reaches  the  Esk  river  of  *  Young  Lochinvar," 
taking  over  the  passengers,  however,  in  a  much 
more  comfortable  style  than  that  young  gallant, 
although  still,  indeed,  "  ford  there  is  none,"  but  a 
seven- arched  viaduct,  with  long  timber  framings 
to  accommodate  the  flood  waters.  The  Rockliffe 
Station  is  here,  and  be\ond  it  Ellerby  Scaur,  the 
River  Eden,  the  Canal  Company's  engine-house 
and  force-pump,  Primrose  Bank,  and  Stainton. 
Up  stream  are  seen  the  Talkin  Hills.  A  fine  pano- 
rama is  obtained,  in  front,  of  Carlisle,  flanked  by 
Caldbeck  Fells  and  Skiddaw,  with  Barrock  Fell  for 
a  background  to  the  picture,  out  of  which  the 
Castle,  the  Cathedral,  Trinity  Church,  Dixon 
Chimney,  (300  feet  high,)  and  the  Royal  Infir 
mary,  appear  as  conspicuous  objects.  The  inter 
vening  country  to  the  Eden,  passed  on  a  viaduct 


XXXIV  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

of  seven  arches,  is  level  and  uninteresting.  The 
General  Station  House,  Court  House  Square,  was 
designed  by  Mr  Tite,  architect  of  the  London 
Royal  Exchange,  and  is  calculated  to  afford  joint 
accommodation  to  all  the  railways  converging  on 
Carlisle,  viz.  : — The  Caledonian,  the  Lancaster 
and  Carlisle,  the  Newcastle  and  Carlisle,  and  the 
Maryport  and  Carlisle.  The  entire  length  of  the 
Caledonian  from  Glasgow  to  Carlisle,  is  104  miles; 
from  Edinburgh  to  Carlisle,  100. 


THE  NORTH  BRITISH  RAILWAY. 

The  Edinburgh  Terminus  of  the  North  British 
Railway  is  situated  beneath  the  North  Bridge. 
Passengers  betwixt  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow,  or 
Berwick-upon-Tweed,  will  indeed  be  agreeably 
surprised  on  observing,  for  the  first  time,  the  su- 
perior accommodation  now  afforded  them  at  the 
joint  station  of  the  c(  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow,"  and 
"  North  British"  Railway  Companies  on  Waverley 
Bridge.  With  a  projecting  stone  verandah  or  porch, 
formed  of  a  series  of  elegant  arches,  and  preceded 
by  a  handsome  railing  with  handsome  standards 
for  lamps.  The  fine  appearance  presented  by  the 
approach  to  the  station  is  fully  maintained  by  the 
interior  of  the  booking  offices,  which  are  lighted  in 
square  compartments  from  the  roof,  extending 
over  a  space  of  great  amplitude,  and  resting  upon 
corinthian  pillars,  whilst  the  centre  of  the  floor  is 
occupied  by  the  semi-circular  sweep  of  a  large 
compartment  for  the  accommodation  of  the  book- 
ing-clerks, their  tickets,  checks,  desks,  drawers, 
and  other    paraphernalia.      Tickets    are    issued 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


through  slits  in  the  pannelling  of  this  compartment. 
Spaces  have  been,  however,  reserved  at  the  end  of 
the  building,  for  the  issue  of  tickets  for  short 
trains.  Waiting  apartments  are  provided  for  the 
various  classes  of  passengers,  and  separate  doors 
lead  by  easy  and  elegant  flights  of  stairs  to  these 
apartments,  situated  on  the  platform  below,  in 
passing  down  to  which  the  tourist  would  do  well  to 
notice  that  the  under  story  is  fitted  up  for  refresh- 
ment rooms.  The  coup  oVoexl  of  the  platform  and 
station  of  the  joint  lines  is  magnificent.  The  com- 
bination of  the  two  lines  constitutes  a  grand  arcade, 
which,  in  capacity  and  elegance,  is  second  to  none 
in  the  kingdom. 

The  line  passes  over  the  site  of  the  Old  Physic 
Gardens  of  Edinburgh,  a  good  part  of  the  area  of 
which,  along  with  the  ancient  site  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege Church,  a  fragment  of  gothic  architecture 
removed  in  1848,  at  an  expense  of  nearly  L. 20,000 
to  the  Railway  Company,  in  purchasing  the  site 
and  providing  a  new  church,  forms  a  prolonga- 
tion, as  it  were,  of  the  Railway  Depot,  overlooked 
by  the  lofty  crag  of  the  Calton  Hill,  with  the 
battlements  of  Edinburgh  Jail  and  Bridewell 
perched  upon  it ;  and  the  tall  obelisk  to  the 
political  "Martyrs."  The  train  is  speedily 
plunged  into  the  tunnel,  which  perforates  the 
southern  spur  of  the  Calton  Hill,  on  emerging 
from  which  it  commands  a  glimpse,  on  the  right, 
of  the  venerable  ruins  of  the  Chapel  Royal  at 
Holyrood  House,  and  the  dark  turrets  of  the  Palace 
itself,  and  passes  by  Meadowbank  to  Jock's  Lodge, 
or  Piershill  Cavalry  Barracks,  under  the  London 
Road.  Edinburgh  is  on  all  hands  picturesque ; 
and  looking  backwards,  a  view  of  its  magical  and 


XXXVI  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

monumental  hill  strikes  the  eye  of  the  railway 
traveller  with  its  classic  and  columnar  splendours. 
The  view  into  the  open  landscape  a-head,  com- 
prising, on  the  one  hand,  the  woods  and  villas  of 
Duddingstone  and  vicinity,  and  on  the  other  the 
trees  and  buildings  of  Kestalrig  and 

PORTOBKLLO, 

with  the  immense  embayed  sweep  of  the  beautiful 
sand-belted  sea,  is  truly  enchanting.  Portobello  is 
the  favourite  watering-place  of  Edinburgh,  which 
the  easy  distance,  ready  access,  fine  residences, 
and  perpetual  influx  of  good  society  will  long  con- 
spire to  preserve  in  public  favour.  The  middle 
classes  especially  find  it  exactly  adapted  to  their 
ideas  of  what  the  Dutch  have  termed  rust  und  lust, 
and  the  Romans  before  them  rus  in  urbe9  (which 
we  will  not  translate  for  the  benefit  of  the  ladies, 
for  they  must  understand  very  well  what  is  meant.) 
The  Portobello  Station,  which  bestrides  the  prin- 
cipal street,  a  finely-shaded  avenue  of  trees  and 
houses,  is  3  miles  from  Edinburgh.  A  seaman  who 
had  served  his  country  in  the  capture  of  the  South 
American  port  which  bears  the  same  name,  was 
the  first  who  had  the  good  sense  to  cast  his  anchor 
for  life  on  these  lovely  sands ;  he  built  the  first 
cottage  on  the  spot,  and  he  gave  it  the  name  of  a 
scene  in  which  he  justly  gloried.  Portobello  has, 
since  that  time,  greatly  extended.-  Its  manufac- 
tories are  even  of  considerable  extent.  They  consist 
of  glass,  soap,  lead,  and  other  works.  But  tha 
staple  commodities,  in  the  season,  are  decidedly  tea 
and  salt  water.  Craigmillar  Castle,  the  beloved 
abode  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  may  be  distin- 
guished in  passing  along,  embowered  in  wood,  far 


IN    SCOTLAND.  XXXVU 

on  the  right.  The  line  spans  some  small  pretty 
streams  in  advancing ;  and  soon  gains  the  Church 
of  Inveresk,  topping  an  eminence,  and  adjoining  the 
fine  seats  of  Inveresk  House,  the  residence  of  the 
late  Sir  David  Milne,  and  New  Hailes,  the  seat  of 
Sir  Charles  Ferguson ,  with  the  picturesque  stream 
and  valley  of  the  Esk  flowing  past  the  position  oc- 
cupied by  the  Scots  Army  prior  to  the  Battle  of 
Pinkie,  the  bloody  field  of  which  the  line  is  now 
approaching.  Inveresk,  distant  from  Edinburgh 
o'£  miles  is  the  Station  for 

MUSSELBURGH.       -  .  f.     ■ 

A  burgh  more  renowned  as  the  scene  of  the  life 
and  adventures  of  Mansie  Waugh  and  their  illus- 
trious author,  Dr  Moir,  the  Delta  of  Blackwood's 
Magazine,  than  even  for  its  boasted  pre-eminence  in 
being  a  burgh  before  Edinburgh  was  a  burgh,  or,  for 
aught  we  can  see,  in  being  a  burgh  when  Edinburgh 
"is  nane."  The  .Roman  bridge  over  the  Esk, 
and  the  recollections  of  the  shrine  of  our  Lady 
of  Loretto  still  render  Musselburgh  attractive  in 
the  eyes  of  the  curious.  Its  fine  links,  embracing 
the  Edinburgh  race-course  and  local  golfing 
ground  are  probably  more  inquired  after.  Mus- 
selburgh unites  with  Leithand  Portobello  in  send- 
ing the  Lord  Advocate  to  Parliament.  From 
Inveresk  Station  the  railway  proceeds  through  a 
cutting  and  over  an  embankment  past  the  strange 
time-worn  fabric  of  Preston  Tower— a  tall  square 
monument  of  antiquity  on  the  left,  tolerably  entire, 
belonging  to  Sir  William  Hamilton  of  Preston,  the 
distinguished  professor  of  logic  in  Edinburgh  Uni- 
versity, and  situated  near  Prestonpans,  noted  at 
present  for  its  finely  flavoured  ale,  as  of  old  for 


XXXV1U  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAY8 

Prince  Charlie's  signal  victory  over  u  Johnnie 
Cope."     The 

TRANENT 

Station  at  Bankton,  10i  miles  from  Edinburgh,  is 
about  a  mile  from  that  populous  coal  village  or 
small  town,  and  fully  as  much  within  reach  of  the 
coast  villages  of  Prestonpans,  Cockenzie,  and  Port 
Seton — where  the  principal  salt  manufactures  of 
Scotland  used  to  be  carried  on ;  but  Tranent, 
crowning  the  rising  ground  on  the  right,  and 
marked  out  by  its  church  tower,  looks  also  quite  at 
hand.  Bankton  House  was,  we  believe,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  celebrated  Christian  soldier,  Colonel 
Gardiner,  who  fell  fighting  against  the  Clans 
at  the  corner  of  his  own  garden  wall  at  the  fatal 
Battle  of  Preston.  The  old  gothic  kirk  of  Seton  on 
the  left  marks  a  scene  of  departed  magnificence  ; 
but  Seton  Castle,  once  the  most  princely  abode  in 
Scotland,  is  now  gone.  The  next  station,  13£  miles 
from  Edinburgh,  is 

LONG-NIDDRY. 

Beyond  it  are  some  deeply  interesting  ruins 
known  as  Knox's  Kirk,  overgrown  with  ivy,  and 
pointed  out  as  the  first  place  in  which  Knox 
preached  the  reformed  doctrines  whilst  tutor  in  the 
family  of  a  staunch  reformer,  Douglas  of  Long- 
niddry.    Here  the  branch  line  of  5  miles  diverges  to 

HADDINGTON, 

the  county  town  of  East  Lothian,  celebrated  for  its 
weekly  corn -market,  and  containing  the  remains  of 
a  splendid  ecclesiastical  edifice,  "the  Abbey,"  dis- 
tinguished as  the  birth  place  of  John  Knox,  the 


IN  SCOTLAND.  XXXIX 

hero  of  the  Scottish  Reformation,  and  beautifully 
situated  in  a  sheltered  situation  at  the  foot  of  the 
Garleton  Hills,  which  intervene  betwixt  it  and  the. 
mayu  line  of  rails,  whilst  the  river  Tyne,  separating 
the  town  from  one  of  its  suburbs,  diversifies  the 
rich  circumjacent  landscape.  Haddington  is  one 
of  five  burghs  privileged  to  return  a  member  to 
Parliament  amongst  them ;  the  others  being  Jed- 
burgh, Lauder,  Dunbar,  and  North  Berwick. 
Passengers  for  Haddington,  and,  in  some  instances, 
North  Berwick  change  or  leave  their  carriages  at 
Long-niddry.  The  line  to  North  Berwick  is  not, 
however,  constructed  ;  and,  in  point  of  proximity, 
the  nearest  station  to  it  is 

DREM, 

a  small  village  17A  miles  from  Edinburgh  and  4 
miles  from  North  Berwick,  by  Dirleton.  The 
latter  is  a  pretty  rural  village  with  an  old  castle. 
North  Berwick  is  a  coast  burgh,  overlooked 
by  its  conspicuous  conical  height,  "  North  Ber- 
wick Law,"  a  prominent  object  in  the  land- 
scape of  the  Frith  of  Forth.  The  Law  itself, 
ascended  by  the  M  walk,  (so  named  from  its  form,) 
affords  fine  sea  and  land  views,  for  in  front  are  a 
string  of  rocky  islands,  Craigleith,  Feathery,  the 
Lamb,  and  the  far-famed  Bass — formerly  the  state 
prison  of  Scotland — confronted  on  shore  with  the 
castle  of  the  Douglasses,  the  glorious  ruin  of  Tan- 
tallan,  frowning  in  time- defying  strength  over  the 
beetling  cliff,  and  securely  mocking  the  fury  of  the 
surge.  North  Berwick  itself  contains  the  magnifi- 
cent ruins  of  an  ancieut  monastery.  The  tract  of 
cultivated  country  which  is  now  beheld  is  un- 
matched in  Scotland — we  may  say  the  world.     The 


xl  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

Bea  view  in  the  distance  is  splendid,  taking  in  the 
perfect  picture  of  the  woods  and  embayed  waters  of 
Tyninghame,  the  residence  of  the  Earl  of  Had- 
dington. On  the  right  a  monument  towers  upon 
the  Garleton  Hills,  to  the  memory  of  a  good  Earl 
of  Hopetoun,  erected  by  his  grateful  tenants.  Bal- 
lincreiff,  which  is  a  station  at  which  all  the  trains 
do  not  stop,  is  intended  to  accommodate  Aberlady 
and  Gulane  villages,  a  couple  of  miles  off  on  the 
coast.     The  next  station, 

LINTON, 

is  approached  by  a  viaduct  over  the  Tyne,  from 
which  may  be  seen  Trapain  Law,  near  which,  in  a 
valley  adjoining  the  post-road,  is  situated  the  ruins 
of  Kaimes,  one  of  Queen  Mary's  castles.  There 
is  now  a  weekly  grain  market  at  Linton.  A  farm 
steading,  accounted  a  model  in  completeness  and 
extent,  has  been  erected  at  Phantassie,  immediately 
beyond  it,  by  Mr  Mitchell  Innes.  Passing  West 
Barns  village  and  the  East  Lothian  watering  place 
of  Belhaven,  the  line  enters 

DUNBAR, 

the  half-way  station,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
parish  church.  Dunbar  is  a  fishing  station  and 
harbour  of  considerable  importance.  Situated  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Frith  of  Forth,  with  an  excellent 
harbour  recently  provided  for  it,  and  a  long  esta- 
lished  connection  with  the  herring  fishery  and 
curing,  the  influence  of  the  railway  upon  it  is  ex- 
pected to  tell  advantageously  in  process  of  time. 
Meanwhile  it  is  stationary,  curing  35,000  barrels 
of  herrings  a-year.  The  vestiges  rather  than 
ruins  of  the  old  castle  crown  the  rocks  adjacent  to 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Xll 

Dunbar  House,  the  occasional  residence  of  the 
Earl  of  Lauderdale,  who  chiefly  dwells  at  Thirl- 
stane  Castle,  Lauder.  The  line,  in  approaching 
the  town,  passes  an  iron  foundry,  and  it  contains 
also  a  soap  work.  We  observe  Broxburn  on  the 
left  after  leaving  Dunbar  station,  where  the  train 
is  delayed  watering  for  a  few  minutes  :  it  is  the 
residence  of  the  Duchess  Dowager  of  Roxburgh  ; 
and  shortly  after  the  woods  of  Thurston  on  the 
right ;  but  are  not  conscious  of  anything  peculiarly 
remarkable  along  the  line,  by  Mr  P.  H.  Hume'sfarm 
of  Lawfield,  till  reaching  the  celebrated  viaduct  over 
the  Dunglass  valley,  by  which  Mr  Miller,  C.E.  has 
signalised  himself  so  greatly  in  railway  engineering. 
This  work,  situated  near  the  far-famed  Pease  Pass, 
is  only  outshone  by  the  viaduct  of  the  same  civil 
engineer  across  the  Water  of  Ayr  at  Ballochmyle. 
Both  works  are  on  the  same  model.  The  Dun- 
glass  viaduct  crosses  the  valley  and  banks  by  six 
semicircular  arches,  each  60  feet  span,  and  then 
the  deep  ravine  by  a  single  arch,  135-  feet  span, 
rising  105  feet  above  the  level  of  the  stream  ;  so 
that  the  Pease  Bridge,  of  which  a  bare  glimpse  is 
caught  down  a  mountain  gully  before  entering  the 
tunnel  beyond  Cockburnspath  Station,  is  no  longer 
the  only  work  of  wonder  in  that  vicinity.  The 
next  station  is 

COCKBURNSPATH, 

or  t(  Coppersmith,"  as  the  country  people  call  it, 
situated  on  the  verge  of  the  Lammermoors,  where 
they  precipitate  themselves  into  the  sea.  Its  har- 
bour of  Cove,  Dunglas  House,  the  seat  of  Sir  John 
Hall,  Baronet,  Cockburnspath  Tower,  St  Abb's 
Head,  with  its  adjacent  fastness  (now  loose  enough 
d 


Xlii  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

in  ruins)  of  Fast  Castle,  (the  Wolf's  Crag  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott's  romance,)  and  last,  not  least,  the 
firm  but  seemingly  fragile  and  feathery  arch  of 
the  Pease  Bridge,  springing  beautifully  from  the 
deep  old  pass,  are  all  crowded  together  as  the  at- 
tractions of  this  locality.  Shortly  after  quitting 
Cockburnspath,  the  line  enters  a  very  long  and  dis-l 
mal  tunnel  at  a  place  called  Penmanshiel,  emerg- 
ing suddenly  in  the  wild  sequestered  valley  of  the 
Eye,  and  soon  arriving,  4 1 J  miles  from  Edinburgh, 
at 

GRANTSHOUSE, 

a  station,  whence  a  mountain  road  through  Pres- 
ton Cleuch  strikes  off  to  the  Berwickshire  capital  of 
Dunse,  a  poverty-stricken  but  pretty  town,  situated 
at  a  great  elevation,  itself  overlooked  by  the  still 
loftier  height  of  Dunse  Law,  near  which  is  Dunse 
Castle,  and  a  lovely  mountain  lake  fringed  with 
woods,  and  in  turn  overlooking  the  wide-spread 
valley  of  the  Merse,  the  garden  of  the  borders. 
From  Grantshouse,  pursuing  the  course  of  the 
Eye  for  some  distance,  the  line  reaches  the  Reston 
Station,  46|  miles  from  Edinburgh,  whence  there  is 
communication  established  by  coach  to  Dunse,  un- 
til the  completion  of  the  branch  line  to  that  place 
now  in  progress.  This  branch  will  cross  the 
Whitadder,  with  a  station  at  Chirnside  Paper 
Mill,  a  romantic  site,  accommodating  both  Chirn- 
Bide  and  Allanton  villages.  Coldingham  and  its 
fishing  port  are  within  reach  of  Reston  Station. 
It  is  celebrated  for  its  monastic  remains,  and  the 
neighbouring  scenery  of  St  Abb's  Head.  The 
next  station  is 

46 


IN  SCOTLAND.  xliii 


a  splendidly  wooded  spot,  50J  miles  from  Edin- 
burgh. The  station,  however,  being  situated  at 
Cocklaw,  with  a  view  to  accommodate  the  large 
and  populous  fishing  town  of  Eyemouth,  distant  a 
little  more  than  2  miles,  and  picturesquely  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Eye,  which  flows  past  Ayton, 
and  has  now  been  seven  times  crossed  over  and 
over  by  the  railway  line,  within  4  miles  distance. 
There  is  beyond  this  a  road- side  station  to  accom- 
modate the  fishermen  of  a  more  southerly  station, 
called  Burnmouth,  which,  along  with  the  village  of 
Ross,  nestles  unperceived  beneath  the  cliffs  on  the 
shore  at  a  Preventive  station  marked  by  a  flag- 
staff. At  Lamberton  Toll,  the  Eastern  Gretna 
Green,  the  boundary  betwixt  England  and  Scot- 
land is  crossed ;  and  the  line  soon  rushes  upon 
English  soil  towards  the  fortifications  of 

BERWICK-UPON  TWEED. 

These  fortifications  are  of  the  age  of  Elizabeth. 
They  are  pretty  entire,  and  completely  environ  the 
town,  affording  a  fine  promenade,  and  several 
admirable  sea  views,  in  which  the  sainted  Lindis- 
farne  or  Holy  Island,  the  Fames,  the  scene  of 
Grace  Darling's  humanity  and  heroism,  and  Bam- 
borough  Castle,  form  prominent  objects.  But  the 
Railway  Station,  approached  by  a  singular  relic  of 
the  olden  time,  the  old  Bell  Tower  of  the  outer 
fortifications  of  Berwick,  demolished  to  construct 
the  subsisting  ones,  is  close  by,  indeed,  partly  upon, 
the  site  of  the  impregnable  old  castle,  which,  like 
one  of  the  robber  fortresses  of  the  Rhine,  once 
frowned    where    it   now    totters  over    the    silver 


xl'lV  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

Tweed.  The  scene  from  the  castle  can  hardly  he 
surpassed,  although  the  landscape,  except  upwards, 
is  nearly  destitute  of  wood,  from  its  proximity  to 
the  sea.  Berwick  itself  shews  well  from  whatever 
quarter  approached.  Its  church  being  built  by 
Cromwell,  after  his  own  puritanical  taste,  is 
steepleless  ;  but  the  Town  Hall  has  got  what  the 
church  lacks ;  and  the  passing  stranger  can 
scarcely  tell  the  difference.  The  inhabitants,  in- 
cluding Tweedmouth,  number  about  11,000 — a 
gay  and  spirited  race,  devoted  to  trade  and  com- 
merce, but  inheriting  a  good  deal  of  the  clannish  j  I 
spirit  of  border  feud  and  foray  ;  which  it  is  to  be 
hoped  railway  communication  will  effectually  dissi- 
pate. The  railway  bridge  across  the  Tweed,  after 
completion  of  the  high  level  bridge  across  the 
Tyne  at  Newcastle,  completes  the  east  coast  chain 
of  communication  betwixt  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow 
and  London.  The  stone  bridge  to  be  completed  in 
1 850  is  to  consist  of  28  semicircular  arches,  each 
61  h  feet  span,  resting  upon  lofty  piers,  carrying  the 
level  of  the  railway  103  feet  above  high  water 
mark,  126  feet  above  low  water  mark,  and  135  feet 
above  the  deepest  part  of  the  bed  of  tfie  river.  The 
whole  length  of  the  bridge,  abutments,  and  wing 
walls,  will  be  2140  feet.  A  temporary  bridge  will 
serve  the  traffic,  accommodated  hitherto  by  omni- 
buses, and  until  the  completion  of  this  fabric. 


THE  EDINBURGH  AND  NORTHERN 
RAILWAY. 

This     recently     formed     railway    communicates 
through  Fife  with  both  Dundee  and  Perth,  diverg- 


IN  SCOTLAND.  xlv 

ing  at  Ladybank,  not  far  from  Cupar-Fife,  into  two 
forks,  and  crossing  both  the  Friths  of  Forth  and 
Tay  by  railway  steam  ferries — the  first  of  the  kind 
yet  attempted  in  Scotland.  The  distance  from 
Burntisland,  on  the  Frith  of  Forth,  to  Perth,  by  this 
line,  is  35|  miles,  and  to  Ferry  Port-on-Craig,  on  the 
Frith  of  Tay,  37  miles.  An  Act,  pa.ssed  in  1847, 
for  the  amalgamation  of  the  Edinburgh  and 
Northern,  and  Edinburgh,  Leith,  and  Granton 
Railways,  gives,  however,  to  this  line,  its  southern 
terminus  in  the  centre  of  Edinburgh,  and  brings  it 
into  close  connection  with  the  North  British  and 
the  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow  lines.  This  terminus, 
seen  from  Prince's  Street,  or  the  approach  in 
Canal  Street  near  the  North  Bridge  of  Edinburgh, 
is  of  low  elevation,  and  looks  like  a  raised  platform 
surrounded  by  offices,  presenting,  on  the  whole, 
a  chaste  and  tasteful  aspect.  The  platform  referred 
to  covers  over  the  passenger  station  below,  which 
is  reached,  on  the  left  hand,  by  descending,  and 
quitted,  on  the  right,  by  ascending  flights  of  steps, 
and  it  is  supported  in  front  by  a  row  of  splendid 
architectural  columns,  which  will  shew  to  much  ad- 
vantage whenever  the  access  from  Prince's  Street, 
through  the  well-known  premises  of  Mr  Trotter, 
purchased  by  the  Railway  at  a  cost  of  £38,000,  has 
been  completed.  The  start  for  the  north  com- 
mences through  one  of  the  most  remarkable  tun- 
nels yet  executed  in  connection  with  railway  enter- 
prise, and  second  in  singularity  only  to  the  cele- 
brated Thames  Tunnel  itself,  passing  immediately 
below  several  of  the  finest  streets  and  buildings  of 
the  new  town  of  Edinburgh,  including  the  tall  col- 
umn in  St  Andrew's  Square  in  commemoration  of 
the  Earl  of  Melville.     The  trains  for  the  north  de- 

4 


xlvi  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

part  only  six  times  a-day ;  but  those  for  Granton, 
Trinity,  and  Leith,  are  constantly  arriving  and  de- 
parting every  half  hour ;  and  the  station  thus  be- 
comes a  scene  of  incessant  animation.  The  tunnel 
from  Prince's  Street  to  Scotland  Street  is  a  steep 
incline,  and  the  trains  are  drawn  up  by  a  stationary 
engine,  the  not  very  ornamental  brick  stalk  of 
which  was  long  a  bone  of  civic  contention,  and  is 
now  reduced  to  a  low  elevation,  and  partially 
masked  with  stone-coloured  ornaments ;  but  one 
thing  is  certain,  it  will  never  rival  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  monument  in  architectural  appearance.  The 
wire-rope  by  which  the  trains  are  pulled  up  and  let 
down  the  incline,  glitters  in  the  passengers'  eye, 
like  a  golden  or  silver  snake,  as  it  stretches  from 
one  to  another  of  the  bevelled  pulleys  on  which  it 
runs.  After  an  easy  descent,  the  train  emerges 
at  Scotland  Street,  where  accessions,  with  a  consti- 
tutional nervousness  respecting  tunnels,  generally 
await  the  passenger  carriages.  Here  are  stationed 
breaksmen,  with  powerful  breaks  for  arresting  the 
career  of  runaway  trains,  which  have  sometimes 
plunged  down  the  incline  of  the  darksome  tunnel 
with  terrific  velocity.  Spare  ground  for  locomo- 
tives, &c,  is  also  formed  adjacent.  The  line  then 
passes  through  a  second  and  shorter  tunnel,  at 
Canonraills,  and  crosses  the  Water  of  Leith  in  the 
rear  of  Warriston  Crescent.  A  view  is  here  ob- 
tained of  the  small  turret  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Asylum,  and  the  square  gothic  tower  of  St  Ste- 
phen's Church,  distinctly  seen  on  the  left,  amongst 
other  buildings  of  that  quarter.  Close  by  where 
the  line  spans  the  Water  of  Leith,  the  private  way 
along  the  banks  has  been  diverted  and  thrown  over 
at  an  adjoining  point,  and  there  are  pretty  enclosed 


IN  SCOTLAND.  xlvil 

fields,  bouses,  and  gardens,  on  the  right.  A  glimpse 
is  here  afforded  of  the  north-east  outskirts  of  Edin- 
burgh, and  of  those  of  South  Leith.  The  banks  of 
the  cuttings  through  which  we  pass,  are  beautifully 
finished  and  grassy  ;  for  the  Granton  line,  short  as 
it  is,  was  formed  at  a  great  expense,  (upwards  of 
£300,000.)  Excepting  a  passing  sight  of  the  poli- 
cies of  Warriston  House,  the  view  is  now  excluded 
by  the  wall  and  coping.  The  turret-gate  only  of 
the  New  Cemetery  at  Bonnington  peeps  over  on 
the  line.  The  branch  to  Leith  shortly  afterwards 
diverges,  and,  passing  under  a  bridge  on  the  cross 
roads  to  Bonnington  and  Trinity,  the  train  reaches 
the  Trinity  Station,  in  about  ten  minutes'  run  from 
Edinburgh,  and,  without  stoppage,  passes  in  front 
of  the  old-fashioned  villas  that  line  the  heights  at 
Wardie,  to  the  newly  erected  inn  and  buildings  at 
Granton,  in  about  fifteen  minutes.  From  the  mo- 
ment of  reaching  Trinity,  there  is  a  most  delightful 
view  on  the  Frith,  as  the  line  sweeps  gracefully 
round  upon  a  lofty  embankment,  falling  down  to 
the  l^vel  of  the  pier  at  Granton  ;  along  the  course 
of  which  embankment  the  expanse  of  waters  pre- 
sent an  open  and  exhilarating  picture,  ornamented 
by  the  neighbouring  island  of  Inchkeith,  and  gene- 
rally enlivened  by  crowds  of  shipping  at  anchor, 
and  small  crafts  under  sail. 

GRANTON  PIER, 

erected  by  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch,  is  his 
Grace's  private  property  ;  and  it  is  thence  that  the 
principal  steamers  on  the  east  coast  now  take  their 
departure  for  London,  Newcastle,  Aberdeen,  Ork- 
ney, and  for  various  places  on  the  Forth.  It  is, 
however,  in  more  especial  connection  with  the  piei 


xlviil  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

at  Burntisland,  on  the  opposite  shore,  betwixt  and 
which  there  are  four  steam  vessels  plying  on  the  ferry. 
Mr  Napier  of  Glasgow  is  building  powerful  steam 
barges  lor  the  service  of  the  ferries  in  connection 
with  this  railway,  capable  of  taking  across  loaded 
trucks  and  carriages,~so  as  not  to  occasion  breaking 
of  bulk  or  passengers  shifting  seats.  Both  at  Gran- 
ton  and  Burntisland,  loaded  trucks  will  be  deposited 
on  the  decks  of  steam  barges  by  hydraulic  cranes, 
contracted  for  by  Mr  Armstrong  of  Newcastle. 
Meanwhile,  it  is  rather  a  long  walk  from  the  top  of 
the  pier  to  the  landing-slip  where  the  ferry  steamer 
lays  to,  and  passengers  had  better  take  notice  that 
they  are  upon  railway  time,  not  exceeding  five 
minutes  being  allowed  for  transferring  themselves 
from  the  interior  of  the  carriages  to  the  deck  of 
the  steamer.  The  luggage  van  is  taken  on  board 
bodily.  This  was  the  pier  at  which  her  Majesty 
landed  and  embarked  on  her  visit  to  Scotland  in 
1842,  and,  in  honour  of  the  occasion,  it  has  been 
named  "  Victoria  Pier,"  whilst  that  on  the  opposite 
shore  at  Burntisland  has  been  called  "Albert 
Pier."  The  time  taken  in  proceeding  across  to 
Burntisland,  5  miles,  is  stated  at  from  twenty  to 
twenty-live  minutes.  We  have  generally  found  it 
fully  half  an  hour.  The  panorama  of  the  Mid- 
Lothian  shore,  from  the  waters  opposite  Granton, 
is  highly  effective,  commingling  the  magnificent 
and  fantastical  outline  of  Arthur's  Seat,  and  the 
Crags  around  the  city,  with  the  fine  architectural 
ranges  of  its  buildings,  and,  nearer  at  hand,  the 
pleasant  houses  of  Trinity  and  Granton. 

5  BURNTISLAND 

neslles  at   the  base  of    an   elevated  ridge,  from 


IN  SCOTLAND.  xlix 

which  finer  views  still  of  land  and  sea,  city  and 
mountain,  are  presented — Inchkeith,  the  Bass, 
North  Berwick  Law,  Leith,  Portobello,  Aberlady 
Bay,  and  the  Pentlands — in  addition  to  the  pano- 
rama of  Edinburgh,  and  the  upward  scene,  including 
the  hallowed  Island  of  Inchcolme,  Cramond,  and 
Queensferry.  The  Castle  of  Rossend  overlooks 
the  harbour.  The  new  pier,  at  which  the  railway 
station  is  placed,  originally  built  by  the  Duke  of 
Buccleuch  and  Sir  John  Gladstone,  is  now  the  pro- 
perty of  the  railway,  and  cost  them  £90,000.  It  is  a 
structure  completely  suited  to  the  purpose ;  and  the 
adjoining  station  is  exceedingly  elegant,  connect- 
ing with  the  fine  building  of  the  Forth  Hotel, 
which  fronts  the  harbour,  and  ornamented  in  front 
with  a  graceful  colonnade  of  corinthian  pillars,  exe- 
cuted in  the  beautiful  Fifeshire  stone.  For  the 
formation  of  the  Station,  and  the  prolongation  of 
the  line,  the  seabanks  and  rocks,  east  of  Burntis- 
land, have  been  considerably  abraded.  The  Castle, 
Town,  and  Churches  are  not  much  seen,  from  the 
railway  passing  at  a  low  level  under  these  cliffs, 
and  the  burghers  of  Burntisland,  mindful  of  their 
bargain  with  Cromwell,  whereby  they  compelled 
him  to  pave  their  streets  and  build  their  harbour, 
on  condition  of  surrendering  at  discretion,  have  in- 
sisted on  having  flights  of  steps  for  access,  or  rather 
egress,  at  the  east,  some  of  which  flights,  if  not  ex- 
actly "  endless  labyrinths,"  most  decidedly  "  lead 
to  nothing."  The  highest  of  the  hills  that  sur- 
round the  town,  is  Dunearn,  695  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  and  the  Binn,  62«5  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  The  line  intersects  a  projecting 
arm  of  rock  running  out  into  a  little  headland,  and 
debouches  on  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  minia- 


1  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

ture  bays.  On  the  left  we  now  have  the  outskirts 
of  Burtisland,  including  Young's  Distillery  and 
Craighholm,  (one  of  a  row  of  self-contained  houses,) 
the  country  residence  of  the  late  Dr  Chalmers, 
with  a  back-ground  of  green  and  finely  swelling 
eminences.  On  the  right,  as  already  hinted,  are 
the  sands,  with  their  immense  sheet  of  blue  and 
placid  water,  hemmed  in  only  by  the  distant  out- 
line of  the  Mid- Lothian  shore.  The  Links  of  Burnt- 
island, over  which  the  railway  more  immediately 
passes,  are  celebrated  for  the  Scottish  game  of  golf. 
Inchkeith  again  occupies  a  conspicuous  place  in 
the  picture,  its  form  more  compact,  abrupt,  and 
near  to  the  eye.  Passing  through  a  tunnel  of  rock 
240  yards  long,  under  the  Witch  Hill,  we  reach 
the  little  sandy  Bay  of  Pettycur,  with  its  pier 
along  the  point  of  debarkation  for  the  northern 
stage  coaches — thence  through  an  extensive  rock 
cutting  we  reach  and  pass  the  Kinghorn  Station, 
where  only  half  the  daily  trains  halt.  We  have 
now  left  Inchkeith  in  the  rear  on  the  right,  and  find 
ourselves  alternately  on  a  high  embankment,  and 
in  a  cutting,  with  passing  snatches  of  the  landscape 
of  the  Forth  successively  presented  to  and  snatched 
from  view.     Approaching 

KIRKALDV, 

which  is  counted  14  miles  from  Edinburgh,  the 
view  opens  on  the  plains  to  the  left,  and  the  sea  on 
the  right.  We  soon,  however,  enter  a  cutting 
through  rock  of  the  transition  series — that  at 
Burntisland  being  igneous — and  over  a  lofty  and 
magnificent  viaduct,  arrive  opposite  "  the  lang  toun 
o*  Kirkaldy  "  The  singular  and  deserted-like  old 
church  of  Abbotshall  is  close  on  the  left  of  the  line, 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


li 


and  near  it  some  prettily  wooded  parks  and  man- 
sions, including  Raith  House,  with  its  splendid 
pleasure  grounds  and  plantations,  and  a  view  of 
Raith  Tower  on  the  top  of  Comrie  Hill  on  the  left. 
The  public  roads  out  of  Kirkaldy  are  carried  under 
the  line-  The  station  at  Balsusney'is  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  Kirkaldy — a  long  line  of 
beaport  fringing  the  Frith,  and  consisting  almost  of 
one  single  street,  characterised  by  a  declining 
bhipping  trade  to  foreign  parts,  and  exports  of 
coals,  linen  manufactures  and  machinery  (there 
being  very  extensive  machine  works)  coastwise.  On 
the  right  is  the  mansion  of  St  Bricedale,  the  man- 
sion of  William  Stark  Dougal,  Esq.  of  Scotscraig. 
The  next  station,  at  which  only  half  of  the  trains  stop, 
is  Sinclairstown,  a  mile  further,  taking  its  name 
from  the  Sinclairs  who  dwelt  in  the  ancient  Castle 
of  Ravenscrag,  which  stands  on /a  rock  jutting  out 
into  the  Forth  below  the  town  of  Pathhead,  (a  con- 
tinuation of  Kirkaldy,)  and  presents  a  more  pic- 
turesque appearance  from  the  sea  than  from  the 
line.  After  passing  again  through  a  cutting  of 
igneous  rock,  the  view  waxes  uninteresting,  until, 
near  Dysart,  we  cross  a  little  romantic  wooded  dell. 
A  little  on  the  right  stands  this  quaint  old  Scottish 
seaport  itself.  The  line  now  diverges*  directly 
northward,  passing  over  a  road  to  the  Dysart  Sta- 
tion (16  miles  from  Edinburgh)  after  which  a  road 
is  carried  over  in  passing  through  a  cutting  of  sand- 
stone, emerging  from  which  there  are  still  glimpses 
of  the  sea,  a  landscape  of  scrubby  trees,  Dysart, 
and  its  gardens,  on  the  right.  The  two  most  pro- 
minent summits  of  the  Lomonds  appear  on  the  left 
horizon.  On  the  right  are  low  woods,  and  as  we 
recede  from  the  sea  many  farm- steadings  are  scat- 


Hi  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

tered  about  the  well -cultured  country.  After 
passing  on  the  right  some  cot-houses,  and  the  large 
village  of  Gallatown,  we  enter  a  sandstone  cutting, 
emerging  from  which  an  open  country  is  seen  on 
the  right,  and  on  the  left  a  fir  plantation,  succeeded 
by  coalpits,  farmsteadings,  vitriol  works,  on  Orr 
Water,  and  a  white  mansion-house,  whilst  on  the 
right  are  low  green  woods,  farm- steadings,  and  a 
glimpse  of  the  Orr  Water.  Near  the  farm,  on 
the  left,  adjoining  the  village  of  Thornton,  the 
branch  to  Dunfermline  diverges.  A  full  view  is 
now  beheld  of  the  range  of  the  Lomonds,  displaying 
three  principal  peaks,  and  the  red  tiled  roofs  of 
the  village  of  Coaltown  are  seen  crowning  a  ridge 
of  ground  on  the  left  front  of  the  view.  Proceeding 
up  an  incline  through  a  deep  cutting  a  road  is  car- 
ried over  the  line,  and,  at  the  end  of  the  cutting, 
another;  the  country  becomes  more  picturesque 
on  the  right,  where  there  are  some  bleachfields, 
trees,  &c,  and  on  the  left  a  pretty  valley  scattered 
over  with  houses.  The  line  passes  by  a  fine  via- 
duct over  the  Leven  Water,  and  runs  alongside  the 
public  road  to 

MARKINCH. 

This  station,  21^  miles  from  Edinburgh,  is,  like 
all  the  others  on  the  line,  built  of  the  beautiful 
Portland  stone.  Issuing  from  it  there  is  a  fine 
view  of  Markinch,  with  its  old  Established  and 
new  Free  Churches,  and  houses  dispersed  in  pic- 
turesque confusion  over  an  abruptly  rising  ground, 
towering  up  behind  in  wooded  knolls.  The  line  is 
carried  across  a  shaded  walk  leading  into  this  de- 
lightful and  industrious  village,  and  over  a  road  at 
the  gas  work,  along  a  high  embankment,  with  one 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Ill* 

of  the  beautifully  wooded  knolls  descending  in  close 
proximity  on  the  left,  and  trees  close  upon  the 
right,  into  a  deep  cutting.  Through  the  vista  is 
beheld  the  remarkable-looking  hill  of  the  Mount, 
one  of  the  first  seen  on  our  journey  in  the  inland 
landscape  of  the  "  pleasant  land  of  Fife,"  and 
crowned  with  a  monument  to  the  late  gallant  Earl 
of  Hopetoun,  one  of  the  heroes  of  Waterloo.  The 
Mount  was  the  residence  of 

"  Sir  David  Lindsay  of  the  Mount, 
Lord  Lyon  King-at-Arma." 

Emerging  from  the  cutting,  we  have  an  undulating 
and  rather  open  country  on  the  left,  and  also  an 
open  country  screened  with  wood  on  the  right ;  near 
the  north  end  of  it  a  road  is  carried  over,  then 
another,  and  at  last  we  reach  the  Falkland  Road 
Station,  leading  to  the  town  and  Palace  of  Falk- 
land, situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Lomonds  to  the 
west.  The  champaign  is  now  open,  and  we  pass 
a  small  country  village  ;  eminences  and  undu- 
lating ground  on  the  right — farms  scattered  over 
the  plain  upon  the  left — are  carried  over  the  public 
road — the  country  around  well  divided  and  culti- 
vated ;  and  now,  as  well  as  previous  to  plunging 
into  the  cutting,  the  most  conspicuous  objects  are 
the  summits  of  the  hill  ranges.  Again,  carried  over 
the  public  road,  the  villages  of  King's  Kettle  and 
Fruchie  are  seen  to  the  left  and  to  the  right  re- 
spectively. Kettle  Station  is  26  miles  from  Edin- 
burgh. The  church  and  village  of  Fruchie  are  re- 
markable on  the  right,  after  passing  the  station.  A 
magnificent  plain  on  the  west  is  now  encircled  by 
an  amphitheatre  of  hills.  The  view  on  the  right  is 
slightly  wooded.     The  soil  is  in  culture,  but  ex- 


I'lV  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

tremely  light,  and  degenerates  to  moorland  on  ad- 
vancing.    A  road  is  carried  over  the  line  at 

LADYBANK  JUNCTION, 

situated  27  miles  from  Edinburgh,  and  5^  from 
Cupar,  where  some  little  delay  ensues  in  sepa- 
rating the  carriages  going  northwards  from  those 
going  west.  The  view  here  embraces  the  ex- 
tensive valley  of  the  Eden.  The  line  proceeding 
westwards  through  the  parish  of  Collessie  is  called 
the  main  line.  It  passes  along  the  left  fork  to- 
wards Lindores  and  Perth.  Proceeding  rapidly 
through  woods  on  the  level,  with  a  road  carried 
over,  or  carried  over  a  road,  alternately,  and 
finally  running  parallel  to  the  line,  the  scene  occa- 
sionally diversified  by  water,  clumps  of  wood,  and 
cottages,  ends  in  a  slightly  undulating  open  scene, 
bounded  by  a  circle  of  hills  ;  the  Mount,  capped  by 
its  monument,  still  seen  on  the  right.  The  line 
is  carried  right  over  the  top  of  the  antiquated 
village  of  Collessie,  but  soon  subsides  towards  a 
cutting,  where  a  slight  road  is  carried  over.  For 
some  distance  it  skirts  a  natural  slope  on  the  right, 
with  a  cutting  to  match  on  the  left,  the  road  still 
running  parallel.  A  farm- steading  appears  next 
on  the  left,  a  wooded  bank  on  the  right ;  the  road 
is  carried  over  near  a  number  of  old  church  ruins, 
whilst  the  beautiful  loch  of  Lindores,  which  the  line 
partially  intersects,  reposes  on  the  right,  encircled 
with  wood.  There  is  now  some  cutting  on  the 
left ;  on  the  right  there  is  the  loch,  its  villa  and  its 
islets  ;  on  the  left,  once  more,  an  old  church  and 
ruined  houses  ;  and,  at  the  end  of  a  cutting,  a 
viaduct  leading  to  the  lofty  and  romantic  embank- 
ment beyond,  turning  sharply  round  the  shoulder 


IN  SCOTLAND.  lv 

of  Clatcliart  Crag.  The  road  from  Falkland  and 
Auchtermuchty  passes  under,  through  the  gorge  of 
the  valley  of  Denmiln,  a  village  nestling  pic- 
turesquely below,  close  to  the  right.  On  clearing 
the  station  of 

LINDORES, 

which  is  32|  miles  from  Edinburgh,  and  the 
cutting  beyond  it,  one  of  the  most  inconceivably 
beautiful  pictures  bursts  upon  the  view  at  Milnden. 
Immediately  under  the  terrace-like  embankment, 
to  the  right  is  the  grim  and  tottering  ruin  of 
Milnden  Castle,  flanked  on  either  side  by  the 
stealing  and  dwelling-houses  of  a  farm,  and  the 
narrow  gorge  of  the  beautiful  valley  passing  on  to 
the  Tay,  which  opens  upon  the  vision  betwixt  the 
mighty  portals  of  rock  that  guard  the  entrance, 
like  sudden  enchantment,  shewing  the  cultivated 
carse  beyond,  and  the  smooth,  blue,  beautiful,  and 
yet  majestic  river  finely  relieved  against  a  rugged 
back-ground  of  hills.  The  lofty  railway  terrace, 
carried  at  a  fearful  elevation  above  the  stream, 
now  winds  round  the  angle  of  Clatchart  Crag,  sus- 
pended in  middle  air,  a  wild-looking  bit  of  hill 
country  intervening  to  the  left,  with  a  farm-house 
perched  upon  its  ridge,  and  a  deep  gully,  fringed 
with  young  greenwood,  descending  through  the 
gigantic  embankment.  The  line  curves  full  upon 
the  Tay,  round  the  angle  of  precipitous  rock  mid- 
way up — 100  feet  having  been  denuded,  and 
forming  an  impassable  wall  on  the  left— a  patch 
of  lovely  carse-land  lying  sweetly  at  the  base  01 
the  embankment  on  the  right.  The  course  of  the 
railway  is  now  westwards,  up  the  river;  within  k 
mile  from  Lindores  Station  it  reaches  New  burgh, 


Ivi  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

an  important  ship-building  and  manufacturing  town 
and  port  upon  the  Tay,  and  rushes  over  the  top- 
most of  its  houses— all,  except  one  row,  cut  off  by 
the  line  from  the  rest,  and  favoured  with  the 
means  of  intercommunication  in  the  form  of  a 
wooden  bridge.  The  line  now  takes  a  further 
curve  to  the  west,  presenting,  from  its  elevated 
platform,  a  singularly  interesting  view  of  New- 
burgh,  with  its  ancient  steeples  and  crowded 
houses,  and  shortly  after  reaches  Clunie,  whence 
it  is  continued,  amidst  unrivalled  scenery,  by  the 
celebrated  and  fashionable  watering-place  of  Bridge 
of  Earn,  or  Pitcaithly  Wells,  to  Perth  Tunnel,  and 
enters  the  fair  city  described  in  the  Land  Tourist. 

CUPAR  FORK 

diverges  from  Lady  bank  to  the  right,  and  inter- 
sects the  woods  of  Ramornie — proceeding  by  Bal- 
lomill  and  Russell  Mill  to  the  station  near  Spring- 
field. On  the  right  is  Crawford  Priory,  a  modern 
and  magnificent  mansion,  built  by  the  eccentric 
Lady  Mary  Lindsay  Craufurd,  and  now  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Earl  of  Glasgow.  Springfield  is  a 
bustling  village.  The  birth-place  of  Sir  David 
Wilkie  and  Scotstarvit  Tower  are  visible  from  the 
line,  which  runs  through  a  rich  and  beautiful 
country  on  a  fine  embankment  alongside  the  Bal- 
gone  Canal  to  the  town  of 


This  station,  32^  miles  from  Edinburgh  by 
the  railway,  is  the  county  town  of  Fife.  From 
Cupar  Station  the  line  runs  eastward  through  the 
farm  of  Kemback,  passing  the  beautiful  hill  of 
Kemback  on  the  right  to  the  station  at  Dairsie 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Mi 

Bridge.  The  scenery  in  the  parish  of  Kemback 
is  finely  wooded.  In  that  of  Dairsie  it  is  equally 
beautiful,  where  the  line  passes  close  to  the  church 
and  fine  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle.  Five  miles 
east  from  the  Dairsie  Station  is  Magus  Moor,  the 
scene  of  the  murder  of  Archbishop  Sharpe,  3d  May 
1679,  with  the  large  village  of  Strathkinnes  still  far- 
ther east.  The  river  Eden  is  seen  issuing  into  the  sea 
at  the  Guard  Bridge  of  six  fine  arches,  near  Eden- 
mouth,  the  nearest  port  to  Cupar,  where  vessels 
are  loading  and  unloading  grain,  coals,  and  other 
earthly  and  unearthly  produce.  From  Loggie  the 
branch  to  the  far-famed  ecclesiastical  city  of 

st  Andrew's, 

once  the  capital  of  all  Scotland,  strikes  off  by  west 
and  east  Edenside,  Gilmuir  Links  and  Cottage. 
The  main  fork  now  proceeds  to  Leuchars,  contain- 
ing a  hand-loom  population  of  700  souls.  Near 
Leuchars  is  the  beautiful  old  castle  of  Earlshall. 
On  the  east  side  of  the  railway  Pitlethie,  and  the 
old  uninhabited  houses  of  Ardit  and  Pitcullo,  and 
west  of  the  latter  Craigsanquhar.  The  parish 
church  of  Leuchars  exhibits  the  only  specimen  of 
Norman  architecture  to  be  seen  in  any  church  in 
Scotland.  Thence  the  railway  passes  Leuchars 
Castle  on  the  left,  Pitlethie  on  the  right,  and  after- 
wards, successively,  Rhynd,  Craigie,  Carbaikie, 
Morton,  and  Garpit,  over  Tents  Moor  to  Ferry- 
Port- on- Craig,  a  town  of  1600  inhabitants,  situated 
opposite  Broughty,  the  first  station  of  the  Dundee 
and  Arbroath  Railway,  out  of  Dundee  7-8ths  of  a 
mile  distant  by  water.  From  Ferry- Port-on-Craig 
a  branch  line  will  proceed  to  Newport  more  imme- 
diately opposite  Dundee.     In  the  meantime  the 


lviii  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

communication  will  be  maintained  by  one  of  the 
powerful  steam  barges  referred  to  in  the  outset. 


RAILWAY  SYSTEMS  OF  THE  CENTRE 
AND  NORTH  OF  SCOTLAND. 

It  remains  for  us  only  briefly  to  advert  to  those 
lines  connecting  at  Perth,  and  already  partially  or 
entirely  in  operation.     The  first  is 

THE  SCOTTISH  CENTRAL  RAILWAY, 

undoubtedly  a  portion  of  the  grand  centre  trunk- 
line  of  Scotland.  Its  head-quarters  are  in  Perth. 
The  course  which  it  pursues  from  Perth  is  by  Stir- 
ling to  the  (i  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow"  and  "  Cale- 
donian "  Railways,  at  Castlecarry.  Stirling, 
Bridge  of  Allan,  Doune,  Dunblane,  and  all  the 
picturesque  tract  of  country  through  which  the 
railway  passes,  are  minutely  described  in  the  pages 
of  our  Land  Tourist,  where  the  historical  associa- 
tions of  every  spot  will  be  also  found  summed  up. 
Not  far  from  the  junction  at  Castlecarry,  the  line 
traverses  the  classic  ground  of  Bannockburn,  the 
field  of  Scottish  independence.  But,  indeed,  every 
foot  of  central  Scotland  will  be  found  sacred  to  the 
noblest  memories  of  the  past ;  whilst  the  scenery 
encountered,  and  that  to  the  portals  of  which  this 
railway  leads,  as  the  highway  to  the  Scottish 
Highlands,  must  inevitably  attract  the  tourist. 
The  line  is  leased  to  the  Caledonian.  The  Lar- 
bert  Station  of  this  line  connects  with  Alloa,  Dun- 
fermline, and  Kincardine,  on  the  Forth.  Larbert 
is  the  first  station  from  the  junction  at  Greenhill, 
where  the  line  unites  with  the  Caledonian.    Before 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Hx 

reaching  Larbert,  the  Forth  and  Clyde  Canal  is 
carried  over  the  line  by  an  aqueduct,  and,  beyond 
the  station,  a  very  handsome  bridge  has  been 
thrown  over  the  river  Carron.  The  Bannockbura 
is  crossed  near  the  village  of  that  name,  for  which 
a  station  is  appropriated.  On  the  left  are  seen 
Gillies  Hills  and  the  Torwood  Hills,  the  scene  of 
the  defeat  of  James  III.  by  his  rebellious  nobles. 
The  line  passes  thence  through  one  of  the  most 
fertile  and  beautiful  districts  in  Scotland — rich  in 
historical  associations,  ringing  with  the  names  of 
Bruce  and  Wallace,  to 

STIRLING, 

long  the  seat  of  regal  power  in  Scotland,  and  still 
a  kingly-looking  spot,  nobly  crowned  with  towers. 
The  Stirling  Station  is  one  of  the  neatest  of  railway 
erections.  It  is  upon  the  model  of  the  Beattock 
Station  of  the  Caledonian,  tastefully  designed  by 
Mr  Tite.  But  few  railway  stations  in  Scotland 
can  boast  of  the  accommodation  here  anxiously 
afforded  to  passengers.  We  especially  allude  to 
the  luggage  apartment,  established  under  the  cus- 
tody of  the  head  porter,  where  tourists  and  travel- 
lers' luggage  may,  for  any  reasonable  length  of 
time,  be  correctly  and  safely  deposited  under  lock 
and  key,  a  ticket  with  particulars  being  given  in 
exchange  for  it,  as  at  Derby.  The  most  striking 
thing  in  the  aspect  of  Stirling  is  its  resemblance  to 
Edinburgh,  of  which,  at  the  first  glance,  it  seems  a 
miniature  copy  ;  although,  of  course,  many  of  the 
details  fail  to  correspond  on  examination.  The 
distinct  and  various  views  to  be  had  from  the  sum- 
mit of  the  Castlehill  have  been  the  theme  of  gene- 
ral admiration — grand  level  valleys  melting  in  the 


IX  PRINCIPAL    RAILWAYS 

far  horizon,  or  hemmed  in  by  precipitous  rocks — 
shelving  woods — the  town  and  Abbey  Craig,  with 
the  ruins  of  Cambuskenneth  Abbey — illuminated 
by  the  glittering  mazes  of  the  Forth,  which  here 
meanders  in  a  course  truly  serpentine — the  far-off 
vales  of  Allan,  Teith,  and  Upper  Forth,  in  another 
direction — all  these  alternately  salute  the  eye  from 
this  single  point  of  view.  Stirling  Castle  is  situ- 
ated at  the  top  of  Upper  Castlehill  Street.  The 
view  from  the  flag-staff  extends  from  Benlomond, 
Benvenue,  Ben  Ledi,  and  Benvoirlich,  through  the 
Trossachs,  to  Edinburgh.  There  are  two  courts  in 
the  interior  of  the  castle.  The  principal  building 
is  the  palace  of  James  V.,  adorned  by  curious  and 
interesting  sculptures.  Leaving  behind  the  stern 
and  abrupt  scenery  of  "  old  Stirling,  with  its  town 
and  towers,"  and  crossing  the  Forth  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  station  by  a  handsome  bridge,  we 
enter  on  a  country  rich  in  local  scenery,  and  full 
of  the  most  romantic  associations.  The  line  shortly 
j; crosses  the  Allan  Water,  and  enters  the  tunnel 
constructed  to  preserve  the  amenity  of  Mr  Stirling's 
beautifully  wooded  grounds  of  Kippendavie.  Tho 
train  then  ascends  from  the  Bridge  of  Allan,  an 
incline  of  1  in  75,  through  gravel  cuttings  and  sand 
embankments  of  a  heavy  character,  and  stops  at 
the  ancient  town  of 

DUNBLANE, 

famed  for  its  time-honoured  cathedral  and  its 
"Bishop's  Walk."  Running  for  a  considerable 
way  by  "the  banks  of  Allan  Water,"  the  line 
crosses  and  recrosses  the  stream  repeatedly.  The 
channel  of  the  Allan  has,  in  one  instance,  been 
diverted  from  its  natural  bed.     The  line  continu- 


IN  SCOTLAND.  Ixi 

ing  to  rise,  the  train  at  length  enters  a  heavy  cu  - 
ting,  and  passes  through  a  lengthened  tunnel.  In 
a  few  minutes  after  issuing  from  the  tunnel,  a  view 
is  obtained  of  the  fatal  field  of  SherifFmuir,  a  mile 
or  two  to  the  eastward.  The  line  then  enters  the 
beautiful  valley  of  Strathallan,  bounded  on  the 
west  by  the  Grampian  Mountains,  and  on  the 
east  by  the  Ochil  range,  proceeding  through  the 
grounds  of  Ardoch,  and  along  the  river  of  that 
name,  to  the  station  and  village  of  Blackford. 
The  town  of  Auchterarder,  half  a  mile  to  the 
west  of  the  line,  is  famous  for  having  originated 
the  late  Non-Intrusion  Controversy  of  Scotland. 
The  Kincardine  Viaduct,  which  is  next  reached,  is 
a  striking  object  on  the  line.  The  train  then 
passes  through  the  low- lying  flats  of  Strathearn, 
and  amongst  the  mazy  windings  of  the  river  Earn, 
crossing  and  re-crossing  it  several  times,  till  it 
reaches  the  Forgund  Station,  9  miles  from  Perth. 
After  quitting  Forgund,  a  fine  view  is  obtained  of 
Dupplin  Castle,  the  romantic  and  beautiful  seat  of 
the  Earl  of  Kinnoul,  situated  on  a  rising  ground 
about  a  mile  east  of  the  railway.  The  train  then 
reaches  the  junction  with  the  Edinburgh  and 
Northern  line  at  Moncreiff,  and  there  enters  Mon- 
creiff  Tunnel,  which  250,000  lbs.  of  gunpowder 
were  expended  in  blasting.  This  tunnel  is  a  mile 
and  a  quarter  in  length.  On  emerging  from  it  and 
its  relative  cutting,  the  magnificent  panorama  of 

THE  CITY  OF  PERTH 

and  its  neighbourhood  bursts  upon  the  view.  The 
approach  to  the  "  Fair  City"  in  this  direction  has 
been  long  and  justly  celebrated  ;  and  its  magical 
effects  are  rather  enhanced  than  deteriorated  in  the 
e2 


lxii  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

rapid  glances  afforded  from  the  windows  of  a  rail- 
way carriage.  On  approaching  near  the  town,  the 
line  seems  to  run  amidst  gardens  and  orchards, 
whilst  in  the  more  distant  view  are  presented  the 
fine  vista  of  the  Carse  of  Gowrie,  overlooked  by 
the  commanding  keep  of  Kinfauns  Castle,  renowned 
in  the  pages  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  as  the  residence 
of  Sir  Patrick  Charteris,  the  provost  and  protector 
of  the  city  against  the  profligate  companions  of 
David  Duke  of  Rothesay.  It  is  understood  that 
the  General  Terminus  at  Perth  will  ultimately  be- 
come one  of  the  most  spacious  and  complete  railway 
edifices  in  the  kingdom.  Perth  is  distinguished  by 
its  **  Inches,"  beautiful  and  spacious  public  grounds 
and  promenades,  devoted  freely  to  the  benefit  of 
the  inhabitants.  Some  of  the  streets  and  principal 
buildings  are  elegant  and  imposing,  and  the  sylvan 
beauty  of  the  South  Inch,  with  its  stately  avenues, 
greatly  enhances  the  aspect  of  the  town.  The 
North  Inch  was  the  scene  of  the  combat  between 
the  clans  Chattan  and  Quhele,  so  graphically  de- 
scribed in  Sir  Walter  Scott's  "  Fair  Maid  of 
Perth."  The  County  Buildings  of  Perth,  designed 
by  Sinirke,  are  very  fine ;  there  is  also  an  ele- 
gant monument  to  Provost  Hay  Marshall ;  but  the 
greatest  local  attraction  is  the  fine  old  "  Kirk  of  the 
Holy  Cross  of  St  John  the  Baptist."  The  neigh- 
bouring Palace  of  Scone,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of 
Mansfield,  is  worthy  of  a  visit,  both  on  account  of 
the  curiosities  it  contains  and  the  exquisitely  beau- 
tiful scenery  by  which  it  is  environed. 

Besides  the  junction  which  the  Scottish  Central 
Railway  forms  with  the  Edinburgh  and  Northern 
at  Moncreiff, .  there  will  radiate  northwards  and 
eastwards  from  Perth,  the  Dundee  and  Perth  Rail- 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


Ixiii 


way,  already  in  operation,  and  the  Scottish  Mid- 
land, with  its  branch  to  Dunkeld,  not  yet  com- 
pleted; the  latter  passing  by  Cupar-Angus  and 
Forfar,  through  the  great  strath  of  Scotland — 
Strathmore — to  the  junction  with  the  Aberdeen 
line  at  Frocheim.  The  Scottish  Midland,  like  the 
Scottish  Central,  forms  a  portion  of  the  Great 
Trunk  line  of  Scotland,  protracted  to  the  south  as 
the  Caledonian  ;  and  as  the  Caledonian  Company 
has  leased  both  of  these  lines,  whilst  already  hold- 
ing, in  conjunction  with  the  London  and  North 
Western  Railway,  the  remaining  lines,  affording 
direct  communication  through  England  to  London, 
when  the  line  to  Aberdeen  shall  have  been  com- 
pleted, the  600  miles  of  railway  from  London  to 
Aberdeen  will  be  the  longest  in  the  world  under 
one  management. 

THE  DUNDEE  AND  PERTH  RAILWAY, 

passing  along  the  banks  of  Tay  through  the 
beautiful  and  fertile  Carse  of  Gowrie,  the  garden 
of  Scotland,  and  unparalleled  in  the  scenery  of 
wooded  valley,  noble  cliff,  and  broad  rolling  river, 
is  now  incorporated  as  a  portion  of  the  Dundee, 
Perth,  and  Aberdeen  Junction  Railway.  The 
length  of  the  Dundee  and  Perth  line  is  20  miles. 
It  was  opened  in  1847-  The  Dundee  and  New- 
tyle  Railway,  leading  up  from  Dundee  into  the 
Great  Strath  of  Scotland,  or  Strathmore,  was  leased 
to  it  in  1846,  as  was  subsequently  the  Dundee  and 
Arbroath  line.  The  Dundee  and  Perth  line  is 
about  to  be  carried  through  the  town  of  Dundee. 
The  Caledonian  line  has  since  leased  both  the 
Dundee  and  Perth,  with  its  accessory,  the  Newtyle 
and  the  Dundee  and  Arbroath  line.     The  bridge 


lxiv  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

on  the  Dundee  and  Perth  Railway,  leading  out  of 
Perth,  has  been  a  tedious  work  of  time,  though 
only  of  wood.  Its  length,  at  any  rate,  would  have 
been  great,  but  the  curvature  of  the  line  into  the 
segment  of  a  circle,  where  it  passes  the  river,  has 
added  to  it ;  and  from  the  wooden  arches  being 
also  continued  across  the  island  on  the  river  in  lieu 
of  an  embankment,  the  structure  is  altogether  one 
of  the  largest.  To  preserve  the  freedom  of  the 
upper  navigation,  the  first  arch  or  draw  upon  the 
bridge  from  the  west  is  of  50  feet  span.  The  act 
authorizing  its  construction  provides  that  the  lowest 
timbers  of  this  bridge  must  be  5  feet  above  the 
highest  known  flood-mark ;  and  we  believe  that, 
by  using  curved  logs  of  wood  in  place  of  straight 
ones,  they  will  even  be  5  feet  above  the  legal  height, 
thus  giving  ample  security  to  the  bridge  against 
the  disastrous  innundations  which  even  last  winter 
have  injured  Perth.  The  whole  course  of  the  line 
from  Perth  to  Dundee  is  along  the  Tay.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  do  adequate  justice  to  the  roman- 
tic beauty  of  the  scenery  of  Kinnoul  Cliffs  on  the 
one  hand  and  the  wooded  shores  and  islets  of  the 
river  on  the  other.  Shortly  after  entering  the 
Carse  lands,  many  acres  of  which  are  laid  out  in 
orchards,  through  which  the  line  and  the  common 
highway  pass  almost  on  the  level,  and  without 
fences  of  any  consequence,  the  line  reaches  the 
village  of  Errol.  Farther  on,  where  the  view  ex- 
pands in  amplitude,  whilst  the  scenery,  without 
abating  in  features  of  romance  and  beauty,  only 
adds  diversity  and  variety  to  its  charms,  the  line 
passes  Inchture  village,  and  also  before  the 
beautiful  grounds  of  Rossie  Priory,  the  seat  oi 
Lord  Kinnaird,  delightfully  situated  on  the  rising 


IN  SCOTLAND.  lxv 

ground  to  the  left,  and  the  square  tower  of  Castel 
Huntly,  not  far  from  the  village  of  Longforgan, 
Passing  by  a  tremendous  viaduct,  the  great  free- 
stone quarries  of  Milngavie — and  crossing  in  front 
of  the  remarkable  bay  and  lonely  churchyard  and 
village  of  Invergowrie — the  line  runs  along  the  face 
of  the  romanticj|<;liffs  of  Will's  Braes ;  and  by  a 
sea  embankment  skirts  the  town  of  Dundee  to  the 
station  at  Yeaman  shore.  The  Law  of  Dundee  a 
remarkable  eminence,  rises  above  the  town,  which  is 
of  vast  size,  beautifully  situated  at  the  base  and 
along  the  side  of  the  acclivity,  although  the  smoke 
incident  to  the  spinning- mills  and  manufactories 
with  which  the  place  abounds  shuts  out  the  view  of 
its  natural  beauties  for  about  six  days  out  of  the 
seven.  The  stranger  will  visit  the  ancient  cemetery 
termed  "the  Howff" — a  quaint  Scotch  word  for 
places  of  general  resort  or  rendezvous — and  Dud- 
hope  Castle,  formerly  held  by  the  Scrymgeours, 
hereditary  Constables  of  Scotland,  now  the  bar- 
racks. The  docks  are,  perhaps,  the  finest  for  their 
size  out  of  Liverpool,  and  the  town  is  embellished 
with  many  fine  public  buildings.  Its  Town  House, 
though  of  a  common- place  style  of  architecture,  is 
an  imposing  edifice,  finely  situated  in  the  High 
Street,  or  principal  square  of  the  town  ;  there  is  a 
beautiful  restoration,  by  Mr  Burn,  of  the  cruci- 
form churches  destroyed  by  fire ;  amongst  the 
other  buildings  may  be  particularized  the  Ex- 
change, Public  Seminaries,  New  Jail  and  Bride- 
well, &c.  But  the  grand  piece  of  local  masonry  is 
the  Old  Steeple,  a  remarkable  square  tower,  at- 
tached to  the  churches  already  mentioned,  and  of 
very  great  antiquity.     As  already  said,  however, 


lxvi  PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS 

the  line  now  forming  part  of  the  Aberdeen  Junc- 
tion will  be  carried  through  the  town  to  join 

THE  DUNDEE  AND  ARBROATH  LINE, 

which,  starting  from  the  western  side  of  the  new 
docks,  runs  under  the  sea  banks  and  rocks  to 
Broughty  Ferry,  and  passes  thence  through  links 
to  Monifeith,  Carnoustie,  and  Arbroath.  The 
scenery  is,  for  the  most  part,  tame  and  uninterest- 
ing, but  the  town  of  Arbroath  itself  possesses,  in 
the  ruins  of  its  magnificent  old  Abbey,  a  remark- 
ably attractive  feature.  The  locality,  moreover,  is 
celebrated  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  his  tale  of  tc  The 
Antiquary,"  of  which  it  is  the  cc  Fairport ;"  and 
the  cliffs  and  caverns  on  the  shore,  near  the  far- 
famed  Red-head,  have  acquired,  from  this  cause,  a 
certain  celebrity,  although  possessing  no  slight  de- 
gree of  it  in  themselves.  The  wonderful  Bell 
Rock  Lighthouse,  situated  12  miles  off  the  coast,  is 
directly  opposite  to  Arbroath,  and,  in  fine  weather, 
is  worthy  of  a  visit. 

From  Arbroath  the  northern  traveller  proceeds 
along  the  Forfar  and  Arbroath  line  as  far  as  Fro- 
cheim,  where  the  trains  diverge  along  the 

ABERDEEN  RAILWAY, 

opened  as  far  as  Montrose  and  the  quaint  little 
town  of  Brechin.  In  the  present  scarcity  of  money, 
it  is  understood  to  be  very  uncertain  whether  the 
Aberdeen  Railway  can  be  speedily  or  immediately 
finished  ;  but,  no  doubt,  so  soon  as  that  is  accom- 
plished, and  the  railway  communication  opened  up 
directly  from  London  to  the  north  of  Scotland,  im- 
taense  resources  of  traffic  will  be  developed.   From 


IN  SCOTLAND.  JXV1 

Arbroath,  the  trains  proceed  along  the  Arbroath 
and  Forfar  line,  northwards,  inclining  inland  to 
the  Frocheim  .1  unction.  The  first  station  is  Col- 
liston,  distinguished  only  by  a  flax-mill,  adjoining 
which  is  the  small  weaving  village  of  Marywell. 
These  places  are  in  the  parish  of  St  Vigean's. 
The  next  station  is  Leysmill.  Frocheim  is  then 
reached,  the  point  of  junction.  It  presents  the 
peculiar  phenomenon  of  a  busy  manufacturing 
community  rising  up  in  the  heart  of  a  strictly 
rural  district,  and  having  this  tendency  prior  to 
becoming,  as  it  has  now  done,  a  railway  centre,  it 
is  likely  to  receive,  from  that  cause,  a  very  de- 
cided impetus.  The  spinning  and  weaving  of  the 
linen  manufactures  are  the  occupations  of  Froch- 
eim. From  Frocheim,  the  line  proceeds  to  Guth- 
rie, distinguished  by  the  dark,  abrupt  mass  of  trap, 
known  as  Guthrie  Hill;  and,  traversing  that  parish, 
proceeds  by  several  road- side  stations  in  a  north- 
erly direction  from  the  junction  at  Frocheim, 
towards  the  South  Esk  River.  The  next  station 
is  the  Farnell  road.  Crossing  the  South  Esk, 
the  line  diverges,  in  one  direction,  by  Bridge  of 
Dun  and  Dubton  Stations,  on  the  right,  to  Mon- 
trose, and,  on  the  left,  to  Brechin, — -beyond  which 
points  it  has  not  yet  been  opened  ;  but,  resuming 
at  Montrose,  it  proceeds  by  Laurencekirk,  and, 
near  by  Stonehaven,  to  Aberdeen. 

Brechin  is  distinguished  by  its  Round  Tower  of 
Pictish  origin,  similar  to  the  round  towers  of  Ire- 
land, the  only  other  in  Scotland  being  at  Aber- 
nethy. 

Montrose,  in  its  almost  insulated  position  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Esk,  is,  at  least,  a  neat  and  pleasant, 


lXVlii         PRINCIPAL  RAILWAYS  IN  SCOTLAND. 

and  some  even  conceive  it  a  picturesque  place.  Its 
Links  are  renowned  as  the  chief  site  of  the  Scottish 
game  of  golf.  The  fine  Suspension  Bridge  at  Inch- 
brayock  is  an  attractive  object.  It  was  designed 
by  Captain  Sir  Samuel  Brown,  R.N.,  in  1828,  and 
finished  in  1829,  and  has  cost  about  £30,000. 
It  would  be  premature  to  speak  of  the 

GREAT  NORTH  OF  SCOTLAND  RAILWAY, 

and  the  numerous  lines  only  in  progress,  when  we 
are  compelled  to  dispose  thus  summarily  of  a  line 
which  is  all  but  completed.  The  reader  will  easily 
conceive  the  facilities  for  travelling  about  to  arise, 
and  the  urgency  for  securing,  in  the  meantime,  the 
means  of  giving  employment  to  the  people,  not 
only  on  their  own  account,  but  on  account  of  the 
country,  in  which  a  large  amount  of  railway  capital 
already  sunk  is  waiting  to  be  brought  into  play  by 
the  completion  of  the  various  lines. 


THE 

POCKET    GUIDE 

TO    THE 

PICTURESQUE 

SCENERY    OF    SCOTLAND. 


FIRST  TOUR 

FROM  GLASGOW  TO  THE  FALLS  OF  CLYDE. 

Tollcross,  3* — Broomhouse  Toll,  5|-  —  Uddingston,  6 
— Bothwell  grovnds  and  castle — Blantyre  Priory 
— Bothwell  bridge,  8 — Bothwellhavgh — Hamilton, 
1 0  J — Hamilton  palace — the  Avon —  Cadijow  castle 
—  Clydesdale  orchards — Dalserf  18 — Fall  of 
Stonebyres — Cartland  Crags — Lanark^  25 — New 
Lanark — Bonniton  Fall — Corra  Linn — New  route 
indicated  for  returning  from  Llamilton  to  Glasgow. 

The  Strath  of  the  Clyde  is  one  of  the  richest  agri- 
cultural districts  of  Scotland, — one  of  the  few  por- 
tions of  our  northern  part  of  the  island  which  may 
be  put  in  competition  with  the  fair  and  fertile  plains 
of  *  merry  England.'  There  are  richer  soils,  and 
perhaps  better  cultivated  districts,  in  Scotland,  but 
none  more  likely  to  please  an  eye  accustomed  to  the 
%vell- wooded  plains  of  England  than  Clydesdale.     It 

*  The  figures  in  the  synopsis  of  each  tour  dencte  the  diataiito 
in  miles  from  Glasgow. 


'I  GUiDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

offers  many  points  of  the  richest  sylvan  scenery  ; 
but  Both  well  Castle,  and  the  Falls  of  the  Clyde, 
form  the  principal  objects  of  attraction  to  the  lover 
of  the  romantic  and  picturesque. 

We  shall  suppose  our  tourist  to  adopt  the  usual 
route  from  Glasgow  to  the  Falls.  Leaving  the  city 
by  the  Gallowgate,  he  soon  passes  through  the  sub- 
urban villages  of  Camlachie  and  Parkhead,  and, 
about  three  miles  from  town,  the  village  of  Tollcross, 
to  the  south  of  which  are  the  Clyde  Iron  Works,  a 
very  extensive  establishment,  affording  employment 
to  about  one  thousand  persons.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river  is  seen  the  burgh  of  Rutherglen,  a 
place  of  considerable  antiquity,  but  offering  nothing 
to  attract  the  tourist.  Leaving  Ken  mure  on  the 
right,  and  Mount  Vernon  on  the  left,  he  passes 
Broomhouse  Toll,  where  the  road  divides  into  two 
branches;  that  to  the  left  leading  to  Edinburgh, — 
that  on  the  right — which  the  tourist  to  the  Falls  will 
pursue — to  Hamilton*  Passing  Daldowie  House, 
the  road  crosses  the  North  Calder  river  by  a  bridge, 
and  is  then  continued  through  a  line  plain,  with  the 
Clyde  close  on  the  right,  to  the  pleasant  little  village 
of  Uddingston. 

About  half  a  mile  beyond  Uddingston,  the  tourist 
passes  a  very  handsome  Gothic  gateway,  of  recent 
erection,  indicating  the  approach  to  Bothwell  castle, 
the  seat  of  Lord .  Douglas.  Permission  will  be 
readily  granted  at  the  lodge  here  to  any  decently 
attired  visitors  to  enter  and  perambulate  the  beauti- 
ful grounds  of  Bothwell.  A  serpentine  walk  con- 
d^c-ts  from  the  gate  to  the  modern  seat  of  Lord 
Douglas,  which  rises  on  the  high  but  finely  swarded 
bank  of  the  river,     It  is  a  handsome  but  ineffective 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  3 

structure,  considering  its  fine  locality;  and  in  itself 
offers  nothing  to  detain  the  visitor  from  pursuing 
his  route  a  few  hundred  yards  further  to  the  ancient 
castle  of  Both  well,  whose  lofty  weather-beaten  towers, 
shooting  above  the  masses  of  foliage  which  environ 
them,  form  a  fine  object  from  various  points  of  the 
surrounding  landscape. 

Both  well  castle  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  as 
well  as  picturesque  remains  of  feudal  times  in  Scot- 
land. It  is  a  large  oblong  quadrangular  building, 
of  a  reddish  sandstone  ;  234  feet  in  length,  and  100 
in  breadth  ;  flanked  by  two  lofty  towers  on  the  east, 
and  a  great  tower  at  the  west  end.  The  walls  ex- 
ceed 15  feet  in  thickness  in  some  parts,  and  are 
GO  feet  in  height  to  the  ramparts,  on  the  south  or 
river  front.  The  interior  buildings  have  nearly  dis- 
appeared, with  the  exception  of  the  walls  of  the 
chapel  at  the  east  end.  The  great  entrance  must 
have  been  in  the  centre  of  the  northern  front,  on 
which  side  the  principal  artificial  defences  would  be 
erected.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  taste  displayed  by 
the  noble  proprietor  in  the  style  of  the  surrounding 
grounds.  Mr.  Leighton,  indeed,  complains  of  an 
over-neatness  in  the  trimmed  walks  and  smooth- 
shaven  turf  in  the  vicinity,*  but  the  objection  cer- 
tainly did  not  occur  to  us.  Considerable  attention 
is  necessary  in  such  localities  to  prevent  them  becom- 
ing only  <  the  birth-place  of  ugly  weeds,'—- 


'  thistles  and  nettles  and  darnHs  rank, 


And  the  dock  and  henbane  and  hemlock  dank," — 
which  are  by  no  means  necessary  accessaries  towards 
the  effect  of  such  a  pile  as  Bothwell  castle. 

*  See  Letter-press  to  •  Swan's  Views  of  the  Ki\er  C?jtfe.* 


4  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Sir  Andrew  Murray,  sometimes  designated  '  Do- 
minus  de  BochweUY  sometimes  *  Dominus  de 
Clydesdale,'  was  one  of  the  stanchest  and  most 
powerful  of  Sir  William  Wallace's  compatriots. 
He  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Stirling  in  1297.  His 
son  Sir  Andrew,  joined  Bruce,  and  afterwards  mar- 
ried his  sister,  Christian.  In  1332,  he  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Roxburgh,  but  was  ransomed  ;  and,  in 
1335,  appointed  Regent  of  Scotland.  Edward  I. 
gave  Bothwell  castle  to  Aymer  de  Vallance,  Earl 
of  Pembroke.  In  1314,  Humphry  de  Bohun,  Earl 
of  Hereford,  and  several  other  English  nobles,  fled 
hither  for  refuge  after  the  defeat  at  Bannockburn. 
It  was  soon  afterwards  surrendered  to  Edward 
Bruce,  but  during  the  minority  of  David  Bruce 
again  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  Archibald 
the  Grim,  third  Earl  of  Douglas,  by  his  marriage 
with  the  grand-daughter  of  Sir  Andrew  Murray, 
brought  this  castle  and  the  surrounding  lordship  into 
the  possession  of  the  Douglasses,  with  whom  they 
continued  till  their  forfeiture  in  1445.  In  1488, 
Bothwell  was  bestowed  by  James  IV.  on  Patrick, 
Lord  Hales,  afterwards  created  Earl  of  Bothwell. 
It  was  forfeited  by  James,  the  fourth  Earl  of  Both- 
well,  in  1567.  After  a  variety  of  changes  the  lands 
and  estates,  though  not  the  titles,  of  Bothwell,  fell 
to  the  late  Lord  Douglas,  nephew,  by  the  female 
side,  of  the  last  Duke  of  Douglas.  He  was  created 
Lord  Douglas  after  his  accession  to  this  property  ; 
the  superiority,  however,  of  the  lordship  of  Both- 
well,  and  the  patronage  of  the  church,  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  Hamilton  family. 

The  grounds  of  Bothwell  are  very  finely  wooded, 
particularly  towards  the  river,  which  here  makes  a 


cr.ENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  5 

noble  sweep  between  the  high  and  umbrageous 
banks,  the  beauties  of  which  have  been  celebrated  in 
our  earliest  as  well  as  modern  minstrelsy.  If  the 
tourist  has  not  heard  of  '  The  exiled  Scotian  Maid,' 
who, 

"  By  fond  alluring  love  betrayed 

To  visit  Syria's  date-crown 'd  shore, 
In  plaintive  strains  that  soothed  despair, 
Did  *  Rothwell  banks  that  bloom  so  fair,' 

And  scenes  of  early  youth  deplore" — * 

he  will  thank  us  for  here  inserting  the  pleasing  tale 
in  old  Verstigan's  quaint  terms.  "  So  fell  it  out  of 
late  years,  that  an  English  gentleman,  travelling  in 
Palestine,  not  far  from  Jerusalem,  as  he  passed 
through  a  country  town,  he  heard  by  chance  a 
woman  sitting  at  her  door,  dandling  her  child,  to 
sing  *  Both  well  bank,  thou  bloomest  fair.'  The 
gentleman  hereat  wondered,  and  forthwith  in  Eng- 
lish saluted  the  woman,  who  joyfully  answered  him, 
and  said  she  was  right  glad  there  to  see  a  gentleman 
of  our  isle,  and  told  him  that  she  was  a  Scottish 
woman,  and  came  first  from  Scotland  to  Venice,  and 
from  Venice  thither,  where  her  fortune  was  to  be 
the  wife  of  an  officer  under  the  Turk  ;  who  being  at 
that  instant  absent,  and  very  soon  to  return,  she  en- 
treated the  gentleman  to  stay  there  until  his  return. 
The  which  he  did  ;  and  she,  for  country-sake,  to 
show  herself  the  more  kind  and  bountiful  unto  him, 
told  her  husband  at  his  home-coming,  that  the  gen- 
tleman was  her  kinsman  ;  whereupon  her  husband 
entertained  him  very  kindly,  and,  at  his  departure, 
gave  him  divers  things  of  good  value."f 

*  T-e^don's  Ode  on  Scottish  Music, 
f  "  Restitution  of  Decayed  lntel.iger.ee 


6  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Immediately  opposite  to  Bothwell  castle,  on  the 
summit  of  the  more  precipitous  southern  bank  of  the 
river,  are  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  Priory  of  Blan- 
tyre,  founded  by  Alexander  II.  <  Frere  William, 
Priour  de  Blantyre,'  swore  fealty  to  Edward  I.  at 
Berwick.  Walter  Stewart,  son  of  Sir  John  Stewart 
of  Minto,  was  created  commendator  of  Blantyre 
about  the  year  1579.  He  purchased  the  lands  and 
barony  of  Blantyre,  and  was  created  Lord  Blantyre  * 
in  1606.  The  remains  of  the  Priory  are  exceedingly 
picturesque,  and  harmonize  finely  with  the  weather- 
beaten  rock  which  juts  out  here  and  there  amid 
the  fantastic  foliage  which  clothes  the  rugged  and 
lofty  bank.  Of  course  tradition  affirms  that  there 
is  a  communication,  running  under  the  bed  of  the 
stream,  between  the  castle  and  the  priory.  It  is  much 
more  clearly  ascertained  that  the  latter  must  have 
possessed  a  good  orchard,  the  remains  of  which  are 
still  to  be  traced  in  a  few  moss-covered  apple  trees. 

A  visit  to  Bothwell  grounds,  castle,  and  priory, 
may  well  occupy  a  good  summer's  day;  but  with 
this  hint  we  must  now  take  the  road  again,  and  pro- 
ceed onwards  to  the  village  of  Bothwell,  a  mile-and- 
a  half  beyond  Uddingston.  The  church  of  Both- 
well,  designed  by  Mr.  Scott  of  Glasgow,  is  a  very 
handsome  building  in  the  modern  Gothic  style, 
with  a  tower  about  100  feet  high.  It  was  erected 
a  short  time  since,  the  old  church  being  thought  in- 
secure. A  little  further  on,  the  tourist  crosses 
Bothwell  bridge,  one  of  the  principal  points  in  the 
far-famed  locality  of  the  fight  between  the  covenan- 
ters and  the  king's  troops,  under  the  Duke  of  Mon- 
mouth in  1679.  Claverhouse  had  been  originally 
defeated  by  the  Cameronians  at  Loudon  hill,  and 


SCiiNLKY  OF  SCOTLAND.  7 

had  even  found  it  necessary  to  evacuate  Glasgow, 
leaving  his  antagonists  nearly  in  full  possession  of 
the  West  of  Scotland.  Unfortunately  the  heroic  in- 
surgents, instead  of  preparing  themselves  for  further 
contest,  spent  their  time  in  factious  polemical  debates, 
until  the  royal  army  was  once  more  in  a  condition  to 
encounter  them.  It  moved  slowly  forward  from 
Edinburgh  towards  Hamilton,  under  the  command 
of  James,  Duke  of  Buccleuch  and  Monmouth,  and 
reached  Both  well  moor  on  the  22d  of  June,  1679. 
"  The  insurgents  were  encamped  chiefly  in  the  Duke 
of  Hamilton's  park,  along  the  Clyde,  which  separ- 
ated the  two  armies.  Bothwell  bridge,  which  is 
long  and  narrow,  had  then  a  portal  in  the  middle, 
with  gates,  which  the  Covenanters  shut,  and  barri- 
cadoed  with  stones  and  logs  of  timber.  This  im- 
portant post  was  defended  by  three  hundred  of  their 
best  men,  under  Hackston  of  ftathillet,  and  Hall  of 
Haughhead.  Early  in  the  morning,  this  party 
crossed  the  bridge,  and  skirmished  with  the  royal 
vanguard,  now  advanced  as  far  as  the  village  of 
Bothwell.  But  Hackston  speedily  retired  to  his 
post,  at  the  end  of  Bothwell  bridge.  While  the 
dispositions  made  by  the  Duke  of  Monmouth,  an- 
nounced his  purpose  of  assailing  the  pass,  the 
more  moderate  of  the  insurgents  resolved  to  offer 
terms.  Ferguson  of  Kaitloch,  a  gentleman  of  landed 
fortune,  and  David  Hume,  a  clergyman,  carried  to 
the  Duke  of  Monmouth  a  supplication,  demanding 
free  exercise  of  their  religion,  a  free  parliament,  and 
a  free  general  assembly  of  the  church.  The  Duke 
heard  their  demands  with  his  natural  mildness,  and 
assured  them  he  would  interpose  with  his  Majesty 
in  their  behalf,  on  condition  of  their  immediatelv 


8  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

dispersing  themselves,  and  yielding  up  their  arms. 
Had  the  insurgents  been  all  of  the  moderate  opinion, 
this  proposal  would  have  been  accepted,  much  blood- 
shed saved,  and,  perhaps,  some  permanent  advan- 
tage derived  to  their  party ;  or  had  they  been  all 
Cameronians,  their  defence  would  have  been  fierce 
and  desperate.  But,  while  their  motley  and  mis- 
assorted  officers  were  debating  upon  the  Duke's  pro- 
posal, his  field-pieces  were  already  planted  on  the 
western  side  of  the  river,  to  cover  the  attack  of  the 
foot  guards,  who  were  led  on  by  Lord  Livingstone 
to  force  ^he  bridge.  Here  Hackston  maintained  Lis 
post  with  zeal  and  courage  ;  nor  was  it  until  all  his 
ammunition  was  expended,  and  every  support  denied 
him  by  the  general,  that  he  reluctantly  abandoned 
the  important  pass.  When  his  party  was  drawn 
back,  the  Duke's  army,  slowly,  and  with  their  can- 
non in  front,  defiled  along  the  bridge,  and  formed  in 
line  of  battle,  as  they  came  over  the  river  ;  the  Duke 
commanded  the  foot,  and  Claverhouse  the  cavalry. 
It  would  seem,  that  these  movements  could  not 
have  been  performed  without  at  least  some  loss,  had 
the  enemy  been  serious  in  opposing  them.  But  the 
insurgents  were  otherwise  employed.  With  the 
strangest  delusion  that  ever  fell  upon  devoted  beings, 
they  chose  these  precious  moments  to  cashier  thei 
officers,  and  elect  others  in  their  room.  In  this  im- 
portant operation,  they  were  at  length  disturbed  by 
the  Duke's  cannon,  at  the  very  first  discharge  of 
which  the  horse  of  the  Covenanters  wheeled,  and 
rode  off,  breaking  and  trampling  down  the  ranks  oi 
their  infantry  in  their  flight.  The  Cameronian 
account  blames  Weir  of  Greenridge,  a  commander 
of  the  horse,  who  is  termed  a  sad   Achan  in  the 


SCE.NERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  9 

camp.  The  more  moderate  party  lay  the  whole 
hlame  on  Hamilton,  whose  conduct,  they  say,  left 
the  world  to  debate,  whether  he  was  most  traitor, 
coward,  or  fool.  The  generous  Monmouth  was 
anxious  to  spare  the  blood  of  his  infatuated  country- 
men, by  which  he  incurred  much  blame  among  the 
high-flying  royalists.  Lucky  it  was  for  the  insur- 
gents that  the  battle  did  not  happen  a  day  later, 
when  old  General  Dalzell,  who  divided  with  Claver- 
house  the  terror  and  hatred  of  the  Whigs,  arrived 
in  the  camp,  with  a  commission  to  supersede  Mon- 
mouth, as  commander-in-chief.  He  is  said  to  have 
upbraided  the  Duke,  publicly,  with  his  lenity,  and 
heartily  to  have  wished  his  own  commission  had 
come  a  day  sooner,  when,  as  he  expressed  himself, 
*  These  rogues  should  never  more  have  troubled  the 
King  or  country.'  But,  notwithstanding  the  mer- 
ciful orders  of  the  Duke  of  Monmouth,  the  cavalry 
made  great  havoc  among  the  fugitives,  of  whom  four 
hundred  were  slain." 

Considerable  alterations  have  been  made  on  the 
features  of  the  field  of  battle  since  the  day  of  this 
unlucky  fight.  The  bridge  has  had  22  feet 
added  to  its  original  breadth  of  12;  the  moor 
over  which  the  royal  forces  advanced  to  battle  has 
been  all  brought  under  the  plough  ;  and  a  smart 
^ittle  villa  now  crowns  the  knoll  whence  they  *  shuir'd 
their  shot  down  in  the  howe.' 

The  level  grounds  which  stretch  from  Bothwell 
bridge  along  the  north-east  bank  of  the  river  are 
descriptively  termed  Bothwellhaugh,  and  once  form- 
ed the  estate  of  the  fierce  but  «  injured  Bothwell- 
haugh,' the  ass^sin  of  the  Regent  Murray.* 

*  See  Robertson's  '  History  of  Scotland,'  B.  v.—' J! order 
Minstrelsy,'  ted.  18^5)  vol.  iv.  p.  200. 


10  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

On  leaving  the  bridge,  the  tourist  passes  several 
handsome  villas,  and  the  cavalry  barracks,  after 
which  he  enters  the  ancient  town  of  Hamilton, 
erected  a  burgh  of  barony  in  1456,  and  a  royal  burgh 
in  1'548.  This  town  has  not  a  very  imposing  appear- 
ance; it  is  irregularly  built,  and  has  no  line  public 
buildings,  with  the  exception  of  a  fine  court-house 
iust  erected  in  the  suburbs,  near  the  barracks.  Its 
population  in  1831  amounted  to  9513,  of  whom  about 
700  are  engaged  in  weaving.  An  old  collegiate 
church,  of  the  date  1451,  existed  here,  but  being 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  palace,  was  pulled  down, 
with  the  rest  of  the  original  village,  about  a  century 
ago — The  principal  object  of  attraction  to  tourists 
is  Hamilton  palace,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Hamil- 
ton. It  is  ill  situated,  being  in  a  corner  of  the  ducal 
demesne,  and  still  close  upon,  the  town;  but  it  is  a 
magnificent  edifice  since  the  completion  of  the  exten- 
sive alterations  and  additions  begun  in  1826,  from 
designs  by  Hamilton  of  Glasgow.  The  principal 
front,  which  has  a  northern  aspect,  is  263  feet  in 
length,  and  60  in  height.  "It  is  divided  into  three 
stories  or  floors  ;  a  rustic  basement  story,  the  prin- 
cipal floor  in  which  are  the  public  apartments,  and  a 
chamber  floor  above.  The  elevation  of  this  front 
exhibits,  supported  on  a  rustic  basement,  an  exceed- 
ingly splendid  example  of  the  Corinthian  order, 
taken  from  the  remains  of  the  temple  of  Jupiter 
Stator  at  Rome,  one  of  the  most  enriched  and  cor- 
rect of  the  ancient  specimens  of  that  order,  which 
the  rude  hand  of  time  has  left  us  to  admire  and 
imitate.  We  believe  that  of  this  once  gorgeous  tem- 
ple, three  pillars  and  a  portion  of  tlxjentablature  are 
ail  that  now  remain.     Mr.  Hamilton  has,  with  great 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  1 1 

judgment,  selected  this  style  for  the  palace,  as  its 
susceptibility  of  ornament  and  decoration  is  more 
in  character  with  such  a  mansion  thart  any  other  he 
could  have  chosen,  and  its  light  and  airy  graces  are 
peculiarly  suited  to  the  low  situation  in  which  it 
was  to  be  erected.  In  its  length  the  front  is  broken 
by  three  projections,  one  at  each  end  and  one  in  the 
centre,  which  gives  variety  and  effect  to  the  eleva- 
tion. From  the  centre  projection  the  portico,  under 
which  is  the  grand  entrance,  stands  boldly  out,  rear- 
ing aloft  its  magnificent  columns,  with  their  enriched 
Corinthian  capitals,  and  supporting  an  equally  en- 
riched entablature  and  pediment.  The  portico 
consists  of  two  rows  of  six  columns,  one  behind  the 
other,  by  which  the  depth  and  grandeur  of  effect 
is  greatly  increased.  The  pillars  are  30  feet  6 
inches  in  height,  and  3  feet  2  inches  in  diam- 
eter, each  formed  of  an  entire  stone.  In  the  tym- 
panum of  the  pediment,  the  family  arms  are  carved 
in  bas  relief.  This  splendid  portico  rests  on  a  pro- 
jecting part  of  the  rustic  basement,  and  in  front 
there  is  a  grand  entrance  stair,  which  ascends  right 
and  left  into  it.  The  projecting  portions  at  each 
extremity  of  the  facade  are  ornamented  by  double 
pilasters  on  either  side  of  a  window,  which  on  each 
floor  lights  this  part  of  the  building  ;  and  the  reced- 
ing portions,  on  both  sides  of  the  portico,  have  four 
windows  on  each  flat,  well  proportioned  and  orna- 
mented by  cornices,  pilasters,  and  trusses.  The 
whole  elevation  is  surmounted  by  a  very  rich  enta- 
blature and  projecting  cornice.  At  the  west  end  of 
the  building  is  the  kitchen  wing,  the  front  of  which 
extends  100  feet  in  length.  The  gateway  to  the 
kitchen  court  isornamcnted  by  four  pilasters  having 


12  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Attic  capitals,  ami  a  din  tell  corniced  pediment,  under 
;vhich  there  is  a  lofty  archway  opening  to  the  court 
within.  The  mere  extent  and  height  of  the  north 
front  of  itself  gives  it  an  air  of  magnificence  and 
grandeur;  the  richness  of  the  entablature  and  the 
pilasters,  the  just  proportions  of  the  windows,  and 
the  elegance  of  their  cornices  and  pediments  add  to 
this;  but  the  splendour  of  the  portico,  and  great 
stair  arrests  and  rivets  the  attention  of  the  spectator, 
and  excites  even  feelings  of  the  sublime.  '1  he  prin- 
cipal ornament  however  of  this  building,  after  all 
that  can  be  said  of  its  individual  beauties,  and  they 
are  great  indeed,  is  the  admirable  proportion  of  its 
various  parts,  and  their  subordination  to  each  other; 
so  that  instead  of  attracting  separately,  or  standing 
forth,  as  if  each  looking  for  individual  and  particular 
admiration,  they  blend  their  beauties  and  create  one 
harmonious  and  perfect  whole.'* 

This  magnificent  building  stands  on  a  plain  be- 
tween the  town  and  the  river,  a  perfectly  level 
meadow  of  about  500  acres.  The  extent  of  the 
entire  policy  and  park  is  above  MOO  acres.  There 
is  a  fine  picture  gallery,  containing  the  celebrated 

*  Daniel    in    the    Lions'    Den,'    by    Kubens ;    the 

•  Marriage  Feast,'  by  Paul  Veronese;  a  noble  por- 
trait of  the  first  Earl  of  Denbigh,  by  Vandyke;  the 
1  Two  Misers,'  by  Matsys ;  and  a  fine  portrait  of 
Napoleon  by  David ;  with  many  other  excellent 
paintings.* 

*  A  visit  to  the  South  Calder  will  repay  the  tourist  if  dis- 
posed to  spend  a  little  time  at  Hamilton.  Crossing  the  Clvde 
bv  the  Edinburgh  road  he  takes  the  first  road  to  the  right, 
which  leads  to  Wishaw  castle.  Having  traversed  the  fine 
grounds  of  Wishaw  castle,  he  enters  those  of  Coltness ;  further 
on  to  the  right  is  JVIurdieston,  and  beyond,  AUanton  ;  but  the 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  13 

Leaving  Hamilton,  and  proceeding  by  the  Car- 
lisle road,  the  tourist  passes  several  neat  villas, 
amongst  which  are  Hutton-bank  and  Pease-bank,  on 
the  left ;  and  Woodlands,  Castlehill,  and  Barncluith, 
on  the  right.  About  a  mile  from  Han.ilton  he 
crosses  the  romantic  Avon*  by  an  old  bridge.  The 
banks  of  this  stream  are  bold  and  craggy, — in  some 
parts  wooded  to  the  water's  edge, — in  others, 

'  Shagg'd  with  thorn  and  tangling  sloe,' 

presenting  a  fine  intermixture  of  foliage  and  rock. 
The  bed  of  the  Avon  is  in  some  parts  400  feet 
beneath  the  surface  line  of  its  precipitous  banks. 
On  the  west  bank  are  the  ruins  of  Cadyow  or  Cad- 
zow  castle,  the  ancient  baronial  residence  of  the 
family  of  Hamilton  ;  their  situation,  embosomed  in 
wood,  darkened  by  ivy,  and  overhanging  the  brawl- 
ing torrent,  is  romantic  in  the  highest  degree,  f  In 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  Cadyow  is  a  grove  of  im- 
mense oaks,  the  remains  of  the  Caledonian  forest,  in 
which  are  still  preserved  a  few  of  the  ancient  and 
tierce  breed  of  cattle.  Cadyow  was  sacked  and 
dilapidated  by  the  party  of  the  Regent  Murray, 
after  the  battle  of  Langside.  On  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  Avon  stands  Chatelherault,  a  summer  house 
of  the  Duke  of  Hamilton's,  built  in  imitation  of  a 
chateau  of  that  name  which  his  ancestors  once  pos- 
sessed in  France,  and  from  which  the  family  received 


tourist  when  at  Coltness,  may  either  retrace  his  steps  to  Hamil. 
ton  by  Cleland  house  and  the  village  of  Motherwell,  or  by  the 
village  of  Wishawtown  and  Dalziel  Kirk. 

*  Pronounced  Aivon  or  Evan, 
t  See  Sir  Walter  Scott's  beautiful  ballad,  entitled,  '  Cadyw 
Castle,'  in  the  *  Border  Minstrelsy.' 


14  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

a  title,  it  is  an  uninteresting  building,  but  com- 
mands an  infinitely  finer  prospect  than  the  palace.  * 
About  a  mile  and-a-halt'  from  Avon  bridge,  the 
road  to  Lanark  turns  to  the  left,  and  enters  the 
orchard  district  of  Clydesdale,  which  is  enlivened 
by  numerous  splendid  seats.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
try id  this  district  rises  gently  from  both  sides  of  the 
Clyde,  and  presents  a  beautiful  intermixture  of 
orchards  and  coppice  wood,  corn  fields,  and  belts  of 
forest  trees.  "  As  the  middle  part  of  the  vale  of 
Clyde  is  sheltered  by  the  ascending  country  to  the 
eastward  from  the  blasts  which  from  that  quarter 
prove  prejudicial  to  the  early  blossoms  upon  fruit- 
trees,  this  is  considered  one  of  the  most  favourable 
situations  in  Scotland  for  orchards.  The  Clydes- 
dale orchards  lie  mostly  between  the  lowest  fall  of 
the  river  and  the  mouth  of  the  South  Calder.  They 
are  chiefly  of  apple  trees,  with  a  large  mixture  of 
pear  trees,  and  some  of  plums.  Few  of  the  orchards 
are  large;  but  many  small  ones  are  planted  in  dif- 
ferent quarters,  though  it  is  scarcely  supposed  that 
they  amount  to  more  than  between  200  and  800 
acres.  Even  on  this  favourable  spot,  however,  the 
produce  of  the  orchard  is  considered  as  precarious, 
trie  fruit  being  often  destroyed  in  the  blossom  by 
spring  frosts  and  caterpillars.  In  some  years,  the 
value  of  fruit  in  this  district  has  been  thought  to 
amount  to  between  ,£2000  and  £3000.  The  quan-* 
tiiy  of  the  fruit  is  said  to  be  greatly  increased,  bv 


*  The  village  of  Strathaven,  generally  pronounced  Straven, 
is  about  7  miles  up  the  vale  of  the  Avon,  on  the  north-west 
bi/ik.  The  country  around  is  bleak  and  moorish,  but  to  those 
who  honour  the  memory  of  the  Covenanters,  the  whole  of  the 
Avon  district  is  classic  ground. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  15 

cultivating  the  ground  around  the  trees,  and  using 
it  tor  a  kitchen  garden,  or  the  like  purposes.'*  A 
practice  which  seldom  obtains  in  the  English  or- 
chards. Among  the  finest  orchards  are  those  of 
Cambusnethan,  the  fruit  of  which  in  some  seasons 
produces  £  1200. 

Passing  Dalyell  manse  and  Dal  yell  house,  Cam- 
busnethan castle,  and  Garrion  house,  7  miles  be- 
yond  Hamilton,  the  road  enters  the  village  of  Dal- 
serf,  embosomed  in  the  midst  of  orchards.  To  the 
left  of  the  village  is  Dalserf  house  ;  on  an  eminence 
to  the  right  stands  Millburn  house;  and,  on  the 
opposite  bank,  Brounlee  and  Mauldslie  castle.  The 
latter  edirice  was  built  by  the  Earl  of  Hyndfordf  in 
1793.  It  is  104  feet  in  length,  and  58  in  breadth  ; 
and  is  flanked  by  towers.  Its  architect  was  Robert 
Adam  of  Edinburgh.  Farther  on  is  Milton,  built 
upon  a  small  peninsula  formed  by  the  river,  and 
connected  with  the  south  bank  by  a  bridge.  The 
next  seat  is  Waygateshaw,  the  country  residence, 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  of  the  notorious  and  un- 

*  '  Beauties  of  Scotland.*  The  proceeds  of  the  Clydesdale 
orchards  sometimes  reaches  L.4000  now. 

f  "  The  fate  of  the  earldom  of  Hyndford — which  has  now  be. 
coitip  extinct — is  rather  singular.  John,  the  third  Karl,  died 
in  1767,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  cousin. perman  and  name- 
sake. The  fourth  Karl  having  afterwards  died  without  issue, 
was  succeeded  by  Carmichael  of  Mauldslie.  By  him,  the  fifth 
Earl,  Mauldslie  castle  was  erected,  and  the  lands  laid  out  with 
considerable  taste.  He  dying  without  children,  wa^  succeeded 
by  his  brother,  the  sixth  and  last  Karl,  who  having  likewise 
died  without  children,  the  male  line  of  the  family  and  the  title 
became  alike  extinct.  The  entailed  estates  have  now  descend, 
ed  to  Sir  John  Carmichael  Anstruther  of  Anstruther,  Baronet, 
the  next  heir  of  entail  ;  the  unentailed  lands  of  Mauldslie  and 
the  castle,  came  to  the  present  proprietor,  Mr.  Nisbet,  a  nephew 
of  the  late  Earl."— Leigh  ton's  Illustrations  of  Swan's  Views  on 
the  Clyde, 


16  GUIDE  TO  THE  TICTURESQUE 

fo"tupate  Major  Weir  and  his  sister.  Two  mires 
and  a-half  beyond  Dalserf,  the  road  crosses  the 
Nethan  by  a  bridge,  at  a  little  village  called  -Nethan 
Foot.  Here,  to  the  right,  are  seen  the  ruins  of 
Draffen,  or  Craignethan  castle,  the  property  of  Lord 
Douglas,  and  the  supposed  prototype  of  Tillietudlem 
castle,  the  scene  of  so  many  adventures  in  '  Old 
Mortality.*  It  was  built  by  Sir  James  Hamilton 
of  Fynnart,  a  natural  son  of  the  first  Earl  of  Arran, 
and  the  architect  of  the  two  palaces  of  Falkland  and 
Linlithgow.  "  Craignethan  has  been  a  most  exten- 
sive and  important  fortress.  It  consists  in  a  very 
ancient  and  totally  ruinous  part,  the  style  of  which 
is  that  so  often  described  as  characterising  the  baron- 
ial mansion  of  the  earlier  ages,  and  in  a  portion  built 
in  the  style  of  Charles  II.'s  time,  but  a  little  less 
ruinous  ;  the  whole  enclosed  within  a  lofty  fortified 
wall.  In  the  more  ancient  and  dilapidated  portion 
of  the  castle,  a  room  is  pointed  out  as  one  in  which 
Queen  Mary  lodged  for  a  few  days,  after  her  escape 
from  Loch  Leven.  It  is  called  Queen  Mary's  room  ; 
and  the  fact  is  by  no  means  improbable,  as  Craig- 
nethan was  then  one  of  the  chief  seats  of  the  Hamilton 
family,  under  whose  protection  it  is  well  known  the 
Queen  lived  during  the  brief  interval  between  her 
escape  and  the  disaster  of  Langside.  The  steep 
banks  around  Craignethan,  with  the  windings  of 
the  stream  round  their  bases,  afford  some  scenery  in 
which  it  is  hard  to  say  whether  the  sublime  or  the 
beautiful  predominates."* 

Pursuing  his  route  the  tourist  passes  in  succession 
Clyde  Grove,  Lisbon  Hut,   Crossford  House,  the 

*  Chambers's  '  Picture  of  Scotland.'    Vol.  i.  p.  317. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  17 

village  of  Crossford,  and  Carfin,  ail  on  the  northern 
side  of  the  river.  The  road  then  enters  the  planta- 
tions of  Stonebyres,  which  are  of  great  extent  and 
variety.  The  vale  of  the  Clyde  has  now  very  sensi- 
bly contracted,  the  banks  of  the  river  become  broken 
and  precipitous,  and  the  channel  more  rocky,  while 
the  hollow  sounding  roar  of  water  prepares  you  for 
coming  in  sight  of  the  fall  of  Stonebyres,  the  lowest 
of  the  series  of  three  which  compose  the  Falls  of  the 
Clyde.  "  The  banks,"  says  Mr.  Leigh  ton,  "  are 
here  quite  perpendicular,  and  of  great  height  ;  and 
the  spectator  finds  himself  suddenly  placed  on  this 
projecting  point,  with  only  a  small  tree  to  support 
him.  In  front,  the  river  is  seen  pouring  over  a 
height  of  80  feet,  a  sheet  of  white  and  billowy 
foam.  As  at  the  fall  of  Corehouse,  the  river  makes 
here  three  distinct  leaps,  before  it  reaches  the*boiling 
chasm  below  ;  though  when  it  is  large  this  is  not 
observed,  and  the  water  is  projected  over  in  one  un- 
broken torrent.  The  rocks  which  overhang  the  fail 
are  black,  wild,  and  rugged,  and  appear  as  if  they 
had  undergone  the  action  of  fire ;  they  are  fringed 
with  trees,  but  these  possess  neither  the  beauty,  nor 
the  majesty,  of  those  which  overhang  the  other  falls. 
Indeed,  Stonebyres  has  a  much  more  horrid,  and 
savage  aspect  than  either  of  them.  The  very  dan- 
gerous situation  too,  from  which  it  is  viewed,  cer- 
tainly increases  this  feeling;  and  the  spectator  can 
hardly  continue  long  to  contemplate  a  scene  whei  e 
he  is  so  much  excited,  though  certainly  possessing , 
in  a  high  degree,  wild  and  savage  grandeur.  The 
grounds  on  both  banks  are  more  in  a  state  of  nature, 
than  those  either  of  Bonniton  or  Corehouse,  and 


18  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

nothing  has  been  done  to  modify  the  original  wild- 
ness  of  the  scene.  A  mill  has  been  erected  on  the 
very  brink  of  the  fall,  but  at  present  it  seems  to  be 
unoccupied.  It  is  possible,  from  the  place  where  it 
is  generally  viewed,  to  descend  to  the  bed  of  the  river, 
and  thus  to  go  almost  to  the  bottom  of  the  fall ;  but 
this  is  an  undertaking,  the  hazard  of  which,  few 
dare,  or  indeed  ought  to  risk,  as  the  slightest  false 
step  would  most  certainly  lead  to  instant  death.  Yet 
it  would  seem  that  Pennant  had  descended.  He 
says  of  this  fall,  <  it  consists  of  two  precipitous  cata- 
racts, falling  one  above  the  other  into  a  small  chasm, 
bounded  by  lofty  rocks,  forming  an  amazing  theatre 
to  the  view  of  those  who  take  the  pains  to  descend 
to  the  bottom.'  It  is  not  uncommon  to  observe 
some  quiet  brother  of  the  angle,  diminished  by  the 
height  by  which  he  is  seen,  almost  to  the  appearance 
of  a  pigmy,  who  has  overcome  the  dangers  of  this 
slippery  path,  plying  his  rod  in  the  foaming  abyss 
at  the  bottom  of  the  cataract,  disregarding  its  noise 
or  fury,  and  apparently  as  unconcerned  as  if  he  were 
following  his  sport  on  the  banks  of  some  silent 
stream,  flowing  amid  rich  and  fertile  meadows. 
Stonebyres  is  the  greatest  height  to  which  salmon 
can  ascend  in  the  Clyde.  Their  attempts  during 
spawning  season  to  overleap  the  fall,  are  incessant 
and  amusing;  but  its  great  height  baffles  their  ut- 
most efforts.  They  are,  however,  seen  continually 
springing  into  the  air,  their  bright  scales  glittering 
in  the  sunbeams,  and  again  falling  back  into  the 
raging  pool,  below  the  fall." 

Returning  to  the  high  road,  and  passing,  on  the 
right,    Gillbank,    Clydeville,   and    Kirkfield;    and 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND,  19 

Surinyside  on  the  left,  the  tourist  crosses  the  Clyde 
by  an  old  stone  bridge  of  three  arches.  The  road 
then  ascends  gently  for  about  a  mile,  and  reaches 
Lanark,  25  miles  from  Glasgow,  and  32  from  Edin- 
burgh. 

It'  the  tourist  wishes  to  visit  the  picturesque 
scenery  of  the  Cartland  Crags,  upon  the  river 
Mouss,  and  the  noble  bridge  thrown  over  this  pro- 
found chasm,  in  order  to  complete  the  new  line  of 
road  from  Glasgow  by  Wishawtown  and  Carluke, 
he  may  do  so  before  entering  Lanark,  by  the  road 
a  little  beyond  Sunnyside.  These  craigs  or  crags 
seem  to  have  been  formed  by  the  incessant  action  of 
the  river  Mouss,  which  has  worn  the  rock  down  to 
a  depth  of  400  feet.  The  bed  of  the  stream  is 
covered  with  huge  blocks  of  stones,  which  appear 
to  have  tumbled  from  the  impending  rocks  ;  on  either 
side  the  banks  are  richly  clothed  with  coppice  and 
pendant  shrubs.  The  access  from  the  top  to  this  '  zig- 
zag den'  is  difficult  and  hazardous.  On  arriving  at 
the  foot,  however,  the  adventurous  explorer  is  amply 
repaid  for  his  exertions.  "  Rocks  in  every  fantastic 
form,  and  precipices  overhung  with  wood,  meet  the 
view  on  every  hand  ;  and  the  beholder,  like  Sinbad 
in  the  Arabian  tale,  seems  to  have  got  into  a  valley 
from  which  there  is  no  possible  egress.  In  explor- 
ing the  recesses  of  Cartland,  the  varied  aspect,  and 
the  succession  of  wild  and  striking  scenery  exhibited 
in  its  many  windings,  add  greatly  to  the  eftect  its 
general  appearance  is  calculated  to  produce.  Here 
all  is  clothed  with  lofty  trees,  amidst  the  luxuriant 
vegetation  of  which,  the  rocks  at  intervals  appear 
waving  vvith  brushwood.     There,  from  the  oed  of 


20  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  stream,  rises  a  mural  precipice,  covered  with 
lichens  of  every  hue,  from  which  springs  out  fa* 
over  head,  a  small  solitary  tree,  sown  by  the  wind 
in  one  of  its  fissures,  and  appearing  to  grow  on  the 
bare  surface  of  the  rock.  The  water  seems  to  well 
from  the  bottom  of  the  precipice,  which  appears  tc 
bar  all  farther  progress.  As  we  approach,  however, 
the  dell  opens  up  to  one  side ;  and  thus  a  new, 
but  equally  interesting  scene  is  displayed  at  every 
bend  of  the  stream.  Jn  one  place  bare  jutting  rocks 
seem  almost  to  hang  in  the  air  far  above,  threaten- 
ing destruction  to  all  beneath  :  in  another  yawn 
caves  and  deep  recesses,  their  dark  openings  hung 
with  wild  flowers  of  varied  shape  and  colour.'** 

The  town  of  Lanark  is  not  a  very  interesting  place 
in  itself,  but  it  has  been  greatly  improved  in  appear- 
ance within  these  few  years  by  the  erection  of  several 
public  buildings,  and  the  extension  of  the  cotton 
works  in  the  vicinity.  It  is  well  provided  with 
good  inns,  and  had  a  population  of  7085  souls  in 
1831.  It  stands  on  a  fine  acclivity,  rising  gently 
from  the  Clyde,  from  which  it  is  distant  about  half- 
a-mile.  From  the  belfry  of  the  steeple,  the  spires  of 
Glasgow  may  be  counted  in  a  clear  day.  About  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  eastward  of  the  town,  are  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  church  of  Lanark.  Here  Sir 
William  Wallace  first  saw  his  wife,  according  to 
Blind  Harry  : 

"  Apon  a  day  to  ye  kirk  as  sche  went, 
Wallace  hyr  saw,  as  he  hys  eyne  can  cast, 
Yeprent  of  luffhym  punzett  at  ye  last 
So  asprely,  throuch  bewte  off  yat  brycrbt, 
With  gret  uness  in  presence  bid  he  micht. 

*  Leigh  ton. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  21 

He  knew  full  weyll  her  kynerent  and  her  blud, 
And  quhow  sehc  was  in  honest  oyss  and  gud." 

The  same  authority  informs  us  that  his  doughty 
hero  executed  summary  justice  in  this  town,  upon 
the  English  governor,  Hesilrig,  who  had  behaved 
insolently  to  him  ;  and  tradition  points  out  a  house 
at  the  head  of  the  Castlegate,  opposite  the  present 
church,  as  the  scene  of  this  transaction. 

"  Ye  wache  off  yaim  as  van  had  letill  heid, 

Partyt  yair  men,  and  diuerss  gats  zeid. 

Schyr  Jhone  ye  Grayme,  and  his  gud  cumpany, 

To  Schir  Robert  of  Thorn  full  fast  yai  hy  ; 

Wallace  and  hys  to  Kesilryg  sone  past, 

In  a  heich  houss  quhar  he  was  sleepand  fast, 

Straik  at  ye  dur  with  hys  fute  hardely, 

Quhill  bar  and  braiss  in  ye  flour  he  gert  ly. 

Ye  schirreffcryit,  *  Quha  makis  yat  gret  deray  ?' 

'  Wallace,'  he  said,  '  yat  yow  has  socht  all  day, 

Ye  wommannis  dede,  will  Ood,  yow  sail  der  by.* 

Hesilryg  thocht  it  was  na  tyme  to  ly, 

Out  off  yat  houss  full  fayne  he  would  haiff  beyne; 

Ye  nycht  was  myrk,  zeitt  Wallace  has  hym  seync,— 

Fircely  hym  straik,  as  he  come,  in  gret  ire. 

Apon  ye  heid,  birstyt  throuch  bayne  and  lyre. 

"\  e  scherand  suerd  glaid  till  bys  coler  bayne, 

Out  our  ye  stayr  amang  yaim  is  he  gane." 

New  Lanark  is  within  a  mile  of  the  old  town 
Its  site  was  once  a  wild  morass ;  but  the  great  com- 
mand of  water  recommended  it  to  the  choice  of 
Richard  Arkw right  and  David  Dale,  who  founded 
the  celebrated  cotton  mills  here  in  1785,  which  now 
afford  employment  to  nearly  three  thousand  hands. 
This  village  has  attained  additional  celebrity  from 
being  pitched  upon  by  the  celebrated  Robert  Owen, 
the  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Dale,  for  the  trial  of  his  new 
system  of  tuition  and  co-operation.  Some  of  his 
regulations  are  still  adhered  to,  but  Mr.  Owen  has 
withdrawn  from  the  establishment,  and  the  greater 


22  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

part  of  his  schemes  have  been  renounced  as  visionary. 
In  the  vicinity  is  a  pretty  little  cascade  called  Dun- 
daff  linn,  and  near  it  is  a  curious  rock  called  VYal- 
lace's  chair ;  traditions  of  that  hero  are  rife  in  the 
neighbourhood. 

The  tourist  should  visit  Bonniton  fall  before  see- 
ing the  finer  one  of  Corra,  though  the  latter  is  the 
nearer  from  New  Lanark.  He  proceeds  through  the 
pleasure-grounds  of  Bonniton,  by  a  romantic  path 
overhanging  the  deep  bed  of  the  stream.  The  fall 
of  Corra  is  about  a  mile  above  Lanark,  and  that  of 
Bonniton  a  mile  above  that  of  Corra.  Immediately 
above  the  Bonniton  fall  the  stream  is  broad  and 
placid,  but  making  a  sudden  bend  towards  the  north- 
east, it  throws  itself  over  a  perpendicular  rock  of  30 
feet  in  height. 

From  the  upper  fall  to  the  second,  that  of  Corra, 
the  river  is  confined  within  a  narrow  bed  between 
perpendicular  rocks,  in  some  places  exceeding  100 
feet  in  height.  Through  this  channel  or  gully  it 
rushes  with  great  noise  and  fury,  and  precipitates 
itself  from  a  height  of  about  84  feet  into  the  huge 
linn  or  basin  which  it  has  gradually  scooped  out  for 
itself  in  the  living  rock.  "  The  fall  is  interrupted  by 
the  rocks  so  as  to  form  three  distinct  leaps,  which, 
however,  are  not  much  more  than  perceptible,  and, 
when  the  river  is  flooded  by  the  rains,  merge  into 
one  stupendous  and  uniform  sheet.  Around  the 
basin,  and  encircling  it  entirely, — except  a  narrow 
passage  through  which  the  river  escapes, — precipices 
and  crags  of  tremendous  height  and  uncommonly 
picturesque  appearance  form  a  kind  of  vast  natural 
amphitheatre,  far  more  magnificent  than  any  th^t 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  23 

could  be  produced  by  art  or  man's  device.  The 
grandeur  of  the  fall,  taken  in  connexion  with  the 
sublimity  of  the  surrounding  objects — the  old  feudal 
castle  of  Corra,  on  the  very  brink  of  the  precipice, — 
the  horrid  chasm  beneath, — the  screaming  of  water- 
crows,  plovers,  and  other  tenants  of  the  rock, — the 
thundering  sound  of  the  cataract, — and  the  profusion 
of  dark  firs,  hazels,  and  mountain-ashes,  bending 
over  the  precipitous  crags, — form  a  scene  at  once 
tremendous  and  pleasing,  and  cannot  fail  to  strike 
an  unaccustomed  eye  with  astonishment.  Many  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  fall  is  caught  in  passing  along 
the  beautiful  walks  in  Bonniton  pleasure-grounds; 
but  one  of  the  finest,  perhaps,  though  a  more  distant 
one,  is  obtained  from  the  window  of  a  pavilion  erected 
by  Sir  James  Carmichael  of  Bonniton,  in  1708. 
Instead  of  the  perturbation  which  every  near  view 
of  the  fall  must  create,  the  spectator  can  here  look 
around  him  with  calmness  and  composure."* 

This  magnificent  fall  is  traditionally  reported  to 
have  taken  its  name  from  Corra,  a  daughter  of  one 
of  the  ancient  kings  of  Scotland,  who  was  drowned 
here  in  consequence  of  her  horse  having  taken 
fright  and  plur.ged  with  her  into  the  gulf  be- 
lowf 

*  "  TheWestern  Tourist," pp.  93,  94.— A  distinguished  living 
poet  was  admiring  this  fall,  when  he  overheard  a  well-dressed 
man  say  to  his  companion,  "  It  is  a  majestic  waterfall  •"  The 
poet  was  so  delighted  with  the  epithet,  that  he  could  not  re- 
sist  turning  round  and  saving,  "Yes,  sir,  it  is  majestic;  you, 
have  hit  the  expression  ;  it  is  better  than  sublime,  or  fine,  or 
beautiful."  The  unknown  critic  flattered  by  the  compliment 
pursued  his  strain  of  admiration  thus:  "Yes!  I  really  think 
it  the  majestickest,  prettiest  thing  of  the  hind,  I  ever  saw  !" 

f  If  the  tourist  wishes  to  proceed  to  Edinburgh,  he  may 


14  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

The  tourist  may  vary  his  return  to  Glasgow  in  an 
agreeable  manner  by  striking  off  from  Hamilton, 
oa  his  return,  to  the  road  by  Cambuslang  and 
Rutherglen.  It  will  conduct  him  through  some 
very  tine  sylvan  scenery  of  a  more  broken  and  diver- 
sified character  than  that  of  the  Bothwell  road. 
Several  of  the  Hamilton  coaches  take  this  line  to 
Glasgow — the  distance  is  about  a  mile  less. 

leave  Lanark  by  the  north-east  road  ;  cross  the  Mouss  by 
Cleghorn  bridge;  pass  Wilsontoun,  and  15  miles-  beyond 
Lanark,  the  village  of  West  Calder.  Proceeding  eastwards 
he  passes  Calder  House,  the  seat  of  Lord  Torpbichen,  and 
enters  Mid  Calder  upon  the  Almond.  He  then  successively 
passes  Calder  Hall,  East  Calder,  Ammondale  House,  Clifton 
Hall,  Bonnyton,  Hatton,  Dalmahoy  House,  Addiston,  Ric- 
carton,  Merchiston,  and  Dairy  ;  and  enters  Edinburgh  by 
West  Maitland  street.  This  is  a  very  beautiful  road  that  can 
be  travelled  throughout  the  greater  part  of  its  extent,  from  the 
village  of  West  Calder,  either  in  going  to  or  returning  from 
Glasgow. — There  is  another  road  from  Lanark  to  Edinburgh, 
by  the  village  of  Carstairs.  By  this  road,  at  4  miles  from 
Lanark  we  pass  Ked  Loch  on  the  left;  at  6  miles,  the  village 
of  Carnwath  ;  at  8  miles,  Kerswell  on  the  right ;  at  9  miles 
Reedford  bridge;  at  12,  Torbrax  toll;  at  14,  Crosswoodhill ; 
at  16,  ruins  of  Kaimes  castle;  at  IB,  Maggy  Lauder  inn  ;  at 
20,  Little  Vantage;  at  23,  Rankhead,  Ravelrig  house,  and 
Lennox  castle  ;  at  26,  Currie,  Woodhall,  and  Hailes  house; 
and  at  28,  Slateford,  a  romantic  little  village  upon  the  \\  ater 
of  Leith,  over  which  a  noble  aqueduct  has  been  thrown  to 
convey  the  waters  of  the  Union  Canal.     It  consists  of  8  arches, 

d  is  605  feet  in  length  and  60  in  height.     From  this  village 

Edinburgh  is  3  miles. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  25 


SECOND  TOUR. 

FROM  GLASGOW  TO  EDINBURGH. 

I.  By  Holy toun  and  Mid  Colder:  Camlachie — Park- 
head,  8 — Holytoun,  11 — Half-way  house,  22 — . 
Mid  Calder,  32—Hatton — JJalmahoy — Edinburgh, 
44. — II.  By  Airdrie  and  Up hall .  Shettlestone,  3 
— Airdrie,  lOf — Bathgate,  24  j — Uphall,  30f — 
Edinburgh,  42| III.  By  Falkirk  and  Linlith- 
gow :  Cumbernauld — Camelon — Falkirk,  2A\ — 
Linlithgow,  29| — Kirkliston,  38 — Edinburgh,  46§ 
— IV.  By  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal :  Port 
Dundas — Lock  No.  1 6 —  Grangemouth,  30 — Frith 
of  Forth — Trinity  chain-pier. — V.  By  the  Union 
canal :  The  Tunnel — Avon  aqueduct — Slateford 
aqueduct — Port  Hopetoun. 

I.  There  are  three  roads  usually  travelled  by  the 
coaches  and  mails  betwixt  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh. 
That  commonly  called  the  Mid  Calder  road  leaves 
Glasgow  by  the  suburb  of  Camlachie  ;  passes  Park- 
head  and  Tolcross  bar;  crosses  the  Calder,  5  miles 
from  Glasgow  ;  passes  successively  through  the  vil- 
lages of  Littleup,  7  miles, — and  BeHshill,  9  miles 
from  Glasgow  ;  crosses  the  Shirle,  and  enters  Holy- 
toun,  11  miles  from  Glasgow.  From  the  latter  town 
to  the  Kirk  of  Shotts  inn,  a  distance  of  6  miles,  and 
from  that  to  the  half-way  house,  22  miles  from 
Glasgow,  this  road  is  bleak  and  uninteresting, 
crossing  an  extensive  and  elevated  tract  of  moorland. 
One  mile  beyond  the  half-way  house  is  the  visage 
of  Whitburn.  Passing  successively  the  Swan  inn, 
Lathbrae,    Blackburn,    Seafield,    Kirk -Livingston, 


26  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

and  Howden,  we  reach  Mid  Calder,  at  the  distance 
of  32  miles  from  Glasgow.  This  is  a  very  pleasing 
village,  situated  on  the  hanks  of  the  Almond.  It 
has  a  fine  old  church,  in  the  Gothic  style.  Close  to 
the  village  is  Calder  house,  the  seat  of  Lord  Torphi- 
chen,  where  John  Knox  preached  the  doctrines  of 
the  Reformation  for  the  first  time  in  the  parish. 
Leaving  Mid  Calder  and  crossing  the  Almond  at  a 
very  interesting  point,  we  pass  West  Cocksiedean, 
and,  at  the  distance  of  3  miles  from  Mid  Calder,  the 
old  mansion-house  of  Hatton,  so  called  from  Lord 
Hatton,  the  younger  brother  of  the  infamous  Duke 
of  Lauderdale,  whose  seat  it  was.  Within  less  than 
a  mile  of  Hatton  is  Dalmahoy  house,  the  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Morton.  It  is  situate  in  the  midst  of  an 
inclosed  park  of  above  400  acres.  The  grounds  are 
picturesque  and  well  worth  visiting.  Passing  Ad- 
diston,  Riccarton,  Long  Herdmanston,  Gogar  bank, 
Saughton  hall,  Gorgie  mills,  and  Dairy,  the  traveller 
enters  Edinburgh  by  the  west  end  of  West  Maitland 
street. 

II.  Of  the  three  coach  roads  to  Edinburgh,  that 
by  Airdrie  and  Uphall  is  the  shortest.  The  first  two 
miles  are  on  the  same  line  with  the  above.  Near  to 
Shettlestone,  3  miles  from  Glasgow,  this  road  leaves 
the  Mid  Calder  road.  Passing  Rhinsdale,  Drum- 
pellier,  and  Langloan,  it  crosses  the  Monkland 
canal  at  Coat  bridge,  2|  miles  from  Airdrie.  The 
burgh  of  Airdrie  is  a  thriving  and  populous  town, 
situated  on  a  rising  ground,  between  two  rivulets. 
The  country  around  is  rather  bleak  and  moorish. 
Three  miles  from  Airdrie  the  road  crosses  the 
Calder  water,  and  then  passes  a  large  artificial  sheet 


SGKNE11Y  OF  SCOTLAND.  27 

of  water  covering  some  hundred  acres,  collected  as  a 
reservoir  to  feed  the  canal.  From  this  to  West 
Craigs  inn  the  country  is  very  bleak  and  moorish. 
Passing  Armadale  inn,  21  miles  from  Glasgow,  we 
reach  the  town  of  Bathgate  24|  miles  from  Glasgow, 
and  18  from  Edinburgh.  On  a  rising  ground  above 
the  town  is  an  elegant  building  recently  erected  as  a 
public  academy  for  the  children  of  parents  residing 
in  Bathgate,  and  handsomely  endowed  by  the  late 
Mr.  Newlands  of  Jamaica,  a  native  of  Bathgate. 
The  next  stage  is  Uphall  inn,  12  miles  from 
Edinburgh.  The  Hon.  Henry  Erskine,  and  Lord 
Erskine,  his  brother,  two  of  the  brightest  orna- 
ments of  the  bar  within  the  recollection  of  many, 
are  both  buried  in  Uphall  kirk.  Passing  the  village 
of  Broxburn,  Kilpunt,  Newliston  on  the  left,  and 
Milburn  to  the  right,  we  reach  Corstorphine  village 
within  4  miles  of  Edinburgh,  and  once  famous  for  a 
preparation  of  milk  called  Corstorphine  cream.  The 
church  is  a  very  venerable  Gothic  pile  in  the  form  of 
a  Jerusalem  cross.  It  was  in  ancient  times  collegiate. 
There  are  some  old  monuments  of  the  Forrester 
family  in  it.  From  this  point  the  road  continues 
along  the  south  side  of  Corstorphine  hill,  which  is 
thickly  adorned  with  fine  villas,  and  commands  a 
very  pleasing  prospect  of  the  country  to  the  foot  of 
the  Pentlands.  A  little  beyond  Colt  bridge,  the 
road  joins  line  I.  and  enters  Edinburgh. 

III.  The  third  and  longest  coach-route  betwix* 
Glasgow  and  Edinburgh  is  by  Cumbernauld,  Fal- 
kirk and  Linlithgow.  This  route,  however,  presents 
the  greatest  attraction  to  the  tourist,  both  in  respect 
of  scenery  and  antiquities.     Leaving  Glasgow  by 


28  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  High  street  and  Duke  street,  and  Bridewell,  the 
load  crosses  the  Monkland  canal,  passes  Fro  van. 
mill,  Frankfield  house,  Christon  village, 'Bedlay  inn, 
Mallanburn,  and  Condorrat,  and  reaches  the  village 
»f  Cumbernauld,  14  miles  from  Glasgow.  This  village 
is  rather  picturesquely  situated,  and  there  is  some 
fine  old  wood  in  the  neighbourhood.  Cumbernauld 
inn  is  about  a  mile  farther  on.  It  is  one  of  the  best 
country  inns  in  Scotland.  At  Castlecary,  where  the 
road  first  crosses  the  canal,  there  are  some  vestiges 
of  a  Roman  camp  ;  but  the  antiquary  will  find 
ampler  scope  for  research  and  imagination  atCamelon 
a  village  about  i£  mile  from  Falkirk,  within  halii 
a-mile  of  which,  to  the  north-west,  Vespasian  is  said 
to  have  founded  a  city  and  sea-port.  The  sea  is  now 
at  least  3  miles  distant  from  this  spot,  but  boats, 
anchors,  and  other  nautical  vestiges  have  been  dug 
up  here.  As  to  the  city,  there  is  no  trace  of  it,  save 
a  small  fragment  of  ruined  wall.  Falkirk  is  a  con- 
siderable and  an  ancient  town,  the  capital  of  a  district 
containing  above  30,000  souls  ;  and  famous  in  agri- 
cultural annals  for  its  trysts  or  cattle-fairs,  of  which 
there  are  three  held  annually.  The  church  of 
Falkirk  is  a  modern  building.  On  pulling  down 
the  old  edifice,  which  stood  on  the  same  spot,  a  stone 
was  found  with  an  inscription  purporting  that  it 
had  been  founded  by  Malcolm  Canmore,  A.  D.  1057. 
In  the  church-yard  are  the  graves  of  Sir  John 
Stewart  and  Sir  John  Graham,  who  fell  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Falkirk,  fought  in  1298.  The  monument  of 
the  latter  has  been  repeatedly  renewed. — The  in« 
ttcription  stands  thus : 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  29 

Meiite  inanuque  potens,  et  Valise  fidus  Achates, 
Conditur  hie  Gramus,  bello  interfectus  ab  AnglJ8. 
xii.  Julii  anno  1*98. 

TRANSLATION. 
Heir  lyes  Sir  John  the  Grame,  baith  wight  and  wbe. 
Ane  of  the  chiefs  who  rescewit  Scotland  thrise. 
Ane  better  knight  not  to  the  world  was  lent, 
Nor  was  gude  Grame  of  truth  and  hardiment. 

The  monument  ot  Sir  Robert  Munro  of  Foulis, 
«vho  was  killed  in  the  second  battle  of  Falkirk,  17th 
January,  1746,  is  also  to  be  seen  here.  This  battle 
was  fought  between  the  Highlanders  and  the  king's 
forces  under  General  Hawley.  The  latter  suffered 
himself  to  be  surprised,  and  was  signally  defeated. 
"  The  view  from  the  hill  of  Falkirk,  immediately 
behind  the  town,  Mr.  Bruce,  the  Abyssinian  tra- 
veller, declared  was  not  exceeded  for  extent,  grandeur, 
and  variety,  by  any  that  he  had  met  with  in  his 
travels.  Here  the  eye  takes  in  a  great  portion  of  the 
Ochil  Hills,  forming  part  of  that  mountainous  ridge 
which  commences  on  the  shores  of  the  German 
Ocean,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tay,  and  extends  to 
the  banks  of  the  Clyde.  In  an  opening  in  the  chain 
for  the  passage  of  the  Forth,  are  seen  several  de- 
tached rocks  or  crags,  on  the  highest  of  which  stands 
Stirling  Castle,  whose  antiquated  towers  and  venera- 
ble battlements  are  easily  distinguished  in  a  clear 
atmosphere.  Beyond  it,  the  eye,  gliding  over  the 
vale  of  Menteith,  discovers  afar  off  the  stupendous 
Grampians,  whose  dark  and  irregular  summits  look 
proudly  down  upon  the  smaller  green  hills  in  their 
front,  along  which  the  varied  tints  of  sun  and  shade 
are  successively  flitting.  Amidst  this  lofty  group 
the  conic  summit  of  Benledi  rises  conspicuous  over 
those  of  Benvoirlich  ami  others;  and  farther  to  the 


30  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

west,  beyond  the  infant  Forth,  is  the  towering:  sum- 
rait  of  Benlomoml.  Looking  northward  there  is 
seen,  at  one  glance,  the  rich  and  extensive  valley  of 
the  Carse,  thickly  studded  with  villages  and  scat- 
tered dwellings,  the  comfortable  abodes  of  trade  and 
industry  ;  the  majestic  Forth,  with  the  towns  of 
Culross,  Kincardine,  Clackmannan,  and  Alloa,  on 
the  opposite  shore  ;  and,  receding  fi'om  it,  the  finely 
cultivated  country  reaching  to  the  foot  of  the  Ochils. 
Immediately  beneath  is  Falkirk,  and,  beyond  it,  the 
celebrated  Carron  Works,  distinguished  by  the  thick 
volumes  of  smoke  perpetually  ascending  from  its 
furnaces.  At  the  farthest  extremity  of  the  valley, 
on  the  shores  of  the  Forth,  the  masts  of  the  shipping 
point  out  the  harbour  of  Grangemouth  ;  and,  lower 
down,  on  that  point  of  land  where  the  river  disap- 
pears from  the  sight,  is  seen  that  of  Borrowstowness. 
North  of  the  vale  will  be  observed  a  tract  of  ground, 
clothed  with  woods  and  plantations,  and  amongst 
them  a  number  of  elegant  houses  The  castmost  of 
these  is  that  of  the  Earl  of  Dunmore  ;  and  succes- 
sively extending  westward,  are  Stenhouse,  belonging 
to  Sir  William  Bruce;  Kinnaird,  the  patrimony  of 
the  Abyssinian  traveller;  Canon  Hall  (Dundas, 
Esq.  ),  and  Carron  Park  (  Caddell,  Esq.)  ;  and  onthe 
eminence,  directly  in  front,  is  the  village  of  Larbert, 
conspicuous  for  a  new  Gothic  church  ;  and  Larbert 
House,  the  seat  of  Sir  Gilbert  Stirling,  Bart."* 
In  the  neighbourhood  of  Falkirk,  2  miles  to  the 
north-west,  are  the  famous  Carron  Iron  Works. 
About  4  miles  from  Falkirk,  on  the  road  to  St. 
Ninians,  is  the  Tor  wood,  supposed  to  be  the  remains 

*  'The  Scottish  Tourist.'    Edinburgh  :  Stilling  &  Kenney. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  31 

of  the  great  Caledonian  Forest.  Upon  the  banks  of 
the  Carron  in  the  parish  of  Larbert,  once  stood  the 
famous  *  Arthur's  oven,'  about  which  antiquaries 
used  to  quarrel  so  fiercely,  until  the  proprietor  put 
an  end  to  further  controversy  about  it  by  pulling  it 
down !  In  the  vicinity  of  Falkirk,  and  especially 
within  the  grounds  of  Callander,  are  extensive 
remains  of  the  great  Roman  wall  which  extended 
betwixt  the  Friths  of  Clyde  and  Forth,  and  of  which 
a  minute  survey  is  given  in  «  Roys  Military  Anti- 
quities.' Its  length  from  Old  Kilpatrick,  on  the 
Clyde,  to  Caerriden,  on  the  Forth,  was  39,726  Ro- 
man paces,  which  agrees  nearly  with  the  modern 
measurement  of  36  miles,  620  yards. f 

Leaving  Falkirk,  the  road  to  Edinburgh  passes 
the  grounds  of  Callander  through  a  very  fine 
avenue  of  trees.  Within  a  mile  of  Falkirk  is  the 
village  of  Laurieston,  and  a  mile  beyond  it  that  of 
1  olmont.  Crossing  the  Avon  water  we  enter  West 
Lothian,  and  soon  after,  the  ancient  town  of  Linlith- 
gow. One  of  the  best  specimens  of  an  old  Scottish 
voyal  burgh  now  extant.  Linlithgow  is  quite  classic 
ground  with  antiquaries.  Our  friend  Chambers 
talks  very  rapturously  about  it.  "  To  any  one,' 
says  he,  "possessed  of  a  taste  for  the  history  and 
antiquities  of  Scotland,  or  who  may  entertain 
romantic  notions  regarding  both,  1  could  recommend 
no  higher  treat  than  that  which  is  to  be  gained  by  a 
leisurely  inspection  of  Linlithgow.  Its  ruined 
palace,  its  entire  old  church,  its  grotesque  well,  and 
no  less  than  all,  its  delightful  old-fashioned  self,  are 
objects  upon  which  1  could  write  volumes,  and  upon 

f-  See  '  Steam  Boat  Pocket  Guide,'  p.  11. 


32  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

which  very  good  volumes  might  be  written.  The 
houses  of  which  the  main  street  is  composed  are, 
general,  tall,  dark,  old-fashioned,  and  decayed ; 
somewhat  like  the  old  fabrics  which  compose  the 
Canongate  of  Edinburgh.  As  in  the  case  of  that 
celebrated  purlieu,  many  of  the  houses  of  Linlithgow 
formerly  belonged  to  the  nobility  attending  the 
court;  and,  as  such,  present  a  curious  picture  of  the 
simplicity  of  former  times,  as  well  as  a  melancholy 
delineation  of  the  tendency  of  all  things  to  decay. 
Much,  however,  as  we  admire  Linlithgow,  the  fact 
cannot  be  disguised,  that  of  late  years,  not  a  few  of 
these  interesting  old  edifices  have  been  plucked  from 
their  situations,  to  make  way  for  common-place 
handsome  edifices  of  a  modern  cast — like  good  old 
teeth  replaced  in  the  human  gums  by  round  unnatural 
tilings  of  yellow  bone — and  th.it,  amongst  the  most 
appalling  instances  of  such  Gothicism,  is  to  be  reck- 
oned the  renewal,  some  years  ago,  of  the  house  from 
which  the  Regent  Murray  was  shot."  The  prime 
object  of  attraction  in  Linlithgow  is  the  palace. 

"  Of  all  the  palaces  so  fair, 

JUiilt  for  the  royal  dwelling, 
In  Scotland,  far  beyond  compare, 

Linlithgow  is  excelling ; 
And  in  its  park,  in  jovial  June, 
How  sweet  the  merry  linnet's  tune, 

How  blythe  the  blackbird's  lay  ! 
The  wild  buck  bells  from  ferny  brake, 
The  coot  dives  merry  on  the  lake, — 
The  saddest  heart  might  pleasure  take 

To  see  a  scene 'so  gay," 

The  palace  is  a  quadrangular  edifice  covering 
upwards  of  an  acre  of  ground.  Externally  it  pre- 
sents rather  a  heavy  appearance  from  the  fewness 
and  narrowness  of  the  windows  opening  to  the  out- 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  d-S 

side — a  precaution  for  defence  ;  but  ths  internal 
court  is  very  fine.  Its  centre  is  occupied  with  the 
remains  of  a  beautiful  stone  fountain  built  by  James 
V.,  which  your  cicerone  will  probably  assure  you  had 
been  made  on  certain  festive  occasions  to  spout  claret 
The  west  side  of  the  palace  is  the  most  ancient  part 
of  the  building*,  and  probably  indicates  the  site  of  the 
tower  or  fort  built  here  by  Edward  I.  In  this  quar 
ter  of  the  palace  the  visitor  will  be  shown  the  roon 
in  which  the  unfortunate  Queen  Mary  was  born. 
Immediately  beneath  this  apartment  is  a  miserable 
little  vault  which  is  said  to  have  afforded  shelter  to 
James  111.,  when  in  danger  of  assassination  from 
some  of  his  unruly  barons.  The  king's  dressing- 
room  is  a  small  but  beautiful  apartment  commanding 
a  delightful  view  of  the  lake.  This  apartment  has 
recently  undergone  some  very  tasteful  and  appro- 
priate repairs  by  order  of  the  barons  of  exchequer. 
A  small  apartment  called  Queen  Margaret's  Bower 
will  likewise  be  specially  pointed  out  to  the  visitor. 
The  eastern  side  of  the  quadrangle  is  the  most  orna- 
mented. It  contains  a  noble  apartment  called  the 
Parliament  hall.  The  Royal  chapel  occupied  the 
south  side  of  the  building.  The  kitchens  were  in  the 
north-east  corner.  The  north  side  is  the  most  recent. 
It  was  built  by  James  VI.  This  beautiful  building 
was  devastated  by  fire  in  1746.  On  the  night  of  the 
81st  of  January  that  year,  "  about  a  thousand  of  the 
Royal  army,  then  marching  westwards  to  meet  the 
Chevalier,  lay  upon  straw  in  these  princely  halls. 
Hawley's  dragoons,  who  had  but  a  fortnight  before 
spent  here  the  night  of  their  disgrace  at  Falkirk, 
reposed  in  the  splendid  dining-room  which  occupied 


34  GUIDE  TO  THE  riCTUKESQUE 

the  second  flat  of  this  portion  of  the  building.  It 
has  always  hitherto  been  stated,  out  of  tenderness 
to  these  dastardly  rascals,  that  the  fire  was  acciden- 
tal. On  the  contrary,  it  was  perfectly  wilful.  In 
the  morning,  when  they  were  preparing  to  depart, 
the  deputy- keeper  of  the  Palace,  an  old  Jacobite  lady 
of  the  name  of  Gordon,  observed  them  deliberately 
throwing  the  ashes  of  the  fires  into  the  straw  whereon 
they  had  lain  ;  and  she  went  to  their  commander, 
the  redoubted  Hawley,  to  desire  that  he  would  inter- 
fere to  prevent  the  conflagration  of  the  Palace.  The 
general  at  first  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  her  remon- 
strances, but  finally,  on  her  becoming  importunate, 
avowed  that  he  would  not  cnre  though  his  fellows 
*  should  burn'  so  execrable  a  monument  of  the 
accursed  race  of  Stuart.  '  Weel,  weel,  then,  gene- 
ral,' cried  the  old  dame,  with  exquisite  sarcasm,  and 
at  the  same  time  trotting  off,  *  I  ken  what  to  do  in  a 
fire,  as  weel  as  ony  officer  in  your  army — I'll  just 
rin  awaP  The  infamous  scoundrels  left  the  Palace 
in  a  blaze  that  morning  ;  and  it  has  ever  since  con- 
tinued, what  it  now  is,  a  blackened  ruin."* 

Next  in  importance  to  the  Palace-  is  the  Church, 
one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  its  species  of  architec- 
ture extant  in  Britain.  It  is  182  feet  in  length  from 
east  to  west,  and  100  in  breadth.  The  steeple  ter- 
minates in  an  imperial  crown.  This  church  was 
founded  by  David  I.  the  great  church  builder  of 
Scotland.  The  western  division,  or  chancel,  is  not 
in  use,  but  is  tolerably  well  preserved.  Perhaps  the 
spot  of  greatest  interest  to  the  visitor  will  be  the 
south  a;sle,  in  which,  as  tradition  and  history  unite 
*  Chamber^  *  Ticture  of  Scotland.'    Vol.  IT.  p.  30. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  35 

in  affirming,  the  celebrated  apparition  appeared  to 
James  IV.  before  that  monarch  set  forth  on  the 
fatal  enterprise  which  terminated  in  the  battle  of 
Flodden.  We  shall  relate  the  story  in  the  words  of 
Lindsay  of  Pitscottie.  "  The  king  came  to  Lithgow, 
where  he  happened  to  be  for  the  time  at  the  council, 
Very  sad  and  dolorous,  making  his  devotion  to  God, 
to  send  him  good  chance  and  fortune  in  his  voyage. 
In  this  meantime,  there  came  a  man  clad  in  a  blue 
gown  in  at  the  kirk- door,  and  belted  about  him  a 
roll  of  linen  cloth  ;  a  pair  of  brotikins  (buskins) 
upon  his  feet,  to  the  great  of  his  legs  ;  with  all  other 
hose  and  cloth  conform  thereto  ;  but  he  had  nothing 
on  his  head,  but  syde  (long)  red  yellow  hair  behind, 
and  on  his  haffets  (cheeks),  which  wan  down  to  his 
shoulders;  but  his  forehead  was  bald  and  bare.  He 
seemed  to  be  a  man  of  two-and- fifty  years,  with  a 
great  pike-staff  in  his  hand,  and  came  first  forward 
among  the  lords,  crying  and  speiring  for  the  king, 
saying,  he  desired  to  speak  with  him.  While,  at  the 
last,  he  came  where  the  king  was  sitting  in  the  desk 
at  his  prayers  :  but  when  he  saw  the  king,  he  made 
him  little  reverence  or  salutation,  but  leaned  down 
grotling  on  the  desk  before  him,  and  said  to  him  in 
this  manner,  as  after  follows.  '  Sir  king,  my  mother 
hath  sent  me  to  you,  desiring  you  not  to  pass,  at  this 
time,  where  you  are  purposed  ;  for  if  thou  does,  thou 
wilt  not  fare  well  in  thy  journey,  nor  none  that 
passeth  with  thee.  Further  she  bade  thee  mell  with 
no  woman,  nor  use  their  counsel,  nor  let  them  touch 
thy  body,  nor  thou  theirs;  for,  if  thou  do  it,  thou 
wilt  be  confounded  and  brought  to  shame.*  By  this 
man  had  spoken  these  words  unto  the  king's  grace, 


36  ^UIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  even-song  was  near  done,  and  the  king  paused  on 
thir  words,  studying  to  give  him  an  answer  ;  but,  in 
the  meantime,  before  the  king's  eyes,  and  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  lords  that  were  about  him  for  the 
time,  this  man  vanished  away,  and  could  no  ways  be 
seen  or  comprehended,  but  vanished  away  as  he  had 
been  a  blink  of  the  sun  or  a  whip  of  the  whirlwind, 
and  could  no  more  be  seen.  I  heard  say,  Sir  David 
Lindsay,  lyon-herald,  and  John  Inglis,  the  marshal, 
who  were  at  that  time  young  men  and  special  ser- 
vants to  the  king's  grace,  were  standing  presently 
beside  the  king,  and  thought  to  have  laid  hands  pa 
this  man,  that  they  might  have  speired  further 
tidings  at  him  :  But  all  for  nought ;  they  could  not 
touch  him  ;  for  he  vanished  away  betwixt  them,  and 
was  no  more  seen."* 

The  Cross  well,  in  front  of  the  Town  house,  is  a 
very  beautiful  piece  of  architecture.  It  was  origi- 
nally built  in  1620;  the  present  edifice,  erected  in 
1805,  is  a  fac-simile  of  the  old  building. 

Leaving  Linlithgow,  the  road  crosses  the  line  ot    | 
the    Union    Canal, — passes   through  the   village  of    | 
Winchburgh, — near   to   the    10th   mile  stone  from    i 
Edinburgh  passes  the  ruins  of  Niddry  castle,  an  ob- 
ject of  considerable  historical  interest, — and  two  miles 
beyond,  it  enters  the  village  of   Kirkliston,   where     i 
Edward  I.  encamped  before  the  battle  of  Falkirk  in 
1293.      At  the  7th  milestone  the  road   crosses  the    : 
river  Almond,    which   divides   Mid  Lothian  from 
West  Lothian,  and  soon  after  joins  the  line  of  road 
from  Corstorphine. 

*  The  reader  will  scarcely  need  to  be  reminded  how  skilfully     jy 
this  most  poetic  legend  is  introduced  in  '  Marmion.* 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  37 

IV.  Many  tourists,  especially  those  travelling  with 
families  of  children,  prefer  canal  conveyance  betwixt 
the  two  cities.  We  shall  therefore  trace  the  two 
different  canal  lines  betwixt  Glasgow  and'Edinburgh. 
One  of  these  is  by  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal.  Tra- 
vellers wishing  to  avail  themselves  of  this  convey- 
ance will  proceed  to  Port  Uundas,  whence  boats  start 
for  Edinburgh  thrice  a  day.  The  following  objects 
are  amongst  the  first  which  present  themselves  on 
this  route.  On  the  right  the  extensive  foundries  of 
Messrs.  Baird,  on  the  left  Springbank  village  ;  after 
making  a  rapid  turn  to  the  right,  Kelvinside  ;  a  mile 
beyond  this,  the  great  arm  of  the  canal  which 
branches  off  to  Bowling  bay;*  Lambhill  house; 
Kenmuir  house  ;  Calder  church  and  manse  ;  Glorat 
house;  Bellfield  cottage;  Westfield  ;  the  town  of 
Kirkintilloch,  recently  invested  with  a  melancholy 
fame  in  the  annals  of  the  cholera;  Broomhill ;  Wood- 
burn  ;  the  village  of  Kilsyth,  near  to  which  the 
Marquis  of  Montrose  defeated  General  Baillie,  in 
a  sanguinary  battle  fought  on  the  15th  of  August, 
1645  ;  Craigmarloch  wood  ;  Bantin  ;  Nether  wood  ; 
Castlecary;  Underwood;  Dennyloanhead  ;  Bonny- 
muir,  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  radicalism  ;  Bonny- 
bridge  ;  Ounipace  ;  Mountriddle  ;  the  village  and 
church  of  Larbert ;  Lock  No.  16.  —  At  this  point  the 
traveller  leaves  the  boat  in  which  he  came  from 
Glasgow,  and  has  his  choice  of  walking  or  proceed, 
ing  by  another  boat  to  Grangemouth — supposing  him 
to  be  resolved  on  proceeding  to  Edinburgh  by  this 
line.  The  road  to  Grangemouth  proceeds  through 
the  village  of  Camelon  already  noticed  ;  on  the  left 
*  '  Steam  Boat  Pocket  Guide,'  p.  10. 


S8  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

is  Carron  Park  ;  on  the  right;  the  town  of  Falkirk, 
and  Callander  house.  Proceeding  onwards,  a  line 
view  is  obtained  of  the  Carse  of  Falkirk  stretching 
away  into  the  extreme  distance  on  the  right ;  and  on 
the  left  are  seen  the  Carron  Iron  Works.  On 
reaching  the  neat  little  port  of  Grangemouth,*  the 
tourist  will  probably  have  to  embark  in  a  ferry  boat 
to  be  rowed  to  the  steamer  at  some  distance.  The 
banks  of  the  Carron,  on  the  estuary  of  which  stream 
he  is  now  embarked  present  any  thing  but  a  pastoral 
appearance  when  the  tide  is  low,  being  covered  with 
mud  and  slime,  and  totally  destitute  of  vegetation. 
On  getting  fairly  into  the  frith  the  view  is  very 
beautiful,  and  its  beauties  expand  rapidly  upon  the 
sight.  On  the  south  are  the  ports  of  Borrowstow- 
ness  and  Grangemouth,  Kinniel  house,  and  Airth 
castle ;  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  frith  is  Tullyallan 
castle,  and  the  villages  of  Torryburn  and  Newmills. 
A  little  further  on  the  north  side  of  the  Forth  is  the 
village  of  Limekilns,  beyond  which  is  Broomhall, 
the  noble  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Elgin  ;  on  the  left,  be- 
yond this  point,  is  Blackness  castle,  Abercorn  kirk, 
and  Hopetoun  house.  The  following  enthusiastic 
description  of  the  scenery  of  the  upper  part  of  the 
frith  of  Forth  is  taken  from  an  article  in  *  Fraser's 
Magazine*  for  October,  1834.  The  reader  will, 
however,  please  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  writer  is 
voyaging  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that  which  he 
now  holds ;  namely,  up  the  river  towards  Stirling. 
"  The  sun  is  verging  towards  the  west,  and  casts 
down  his  golden  rays  upon  the  far-otf  Grampians. 
The  Forth,  now  widening,  now  narrowing,  assumes 
4  This  port  was  founded  by  Sir  Lawrence  Dundas  in  1777- 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  39 

the  appearance  of  a  lake;  of  which  the  banks  are 
overhung  on  either  hand  with  the  most  luxuriant 
wood  and  the  richest  pasturage.  Here  lie  the  lordly 
seat  and  grounds  of  Hopetoun,  there  the  less  magni- 
ficent, but  scarcely  less  striking,  residence  of  the 
Murrays.  And  now,  as  we  advance,  the  Ochils 
begin  to  push  themselves  forward  on  our  sight — 
the  green  and  beautiful  Ochils;  while  leftward  the 
hills  of  Cumbernauld  and  rearward  the  Lomonds 
place  us  within  an  amphitheatre  of  exquisite  beauty. 
Rich,  too,  is  the  scene  in  legendary  wealth  :  for 
there  is  scarce  a  promontory  which  does  not  support 
its  ruined  fortalice;  while  in  the  back-ground,  all 
that  remains  of  the  Tor  Wood  waves  to  the  breeze. 
How  glorious  is  that  sunset!  We  are  approaching 
Alloa.  Clackmannan  Tower  is  on  our  starboard 
quarter;  the  Ochils,  feathered  to  half  their  ascent, 
have  closed  in  upon  us ;  and  right  a-head  stands 
Stirling's  romantic  town,  sloping  upwards  as  if  to 
meet  the  castle,  under  whose  protection  it  seems  to 
lie.  Rich  and  fertile  fields  are  on  either  hand, 
through  which  the  Forth  winds  her  dark  and  tor- 
tuous course ;  and  over  the  whole  is  poured  a  gush 
of  mellowed  light  from  the  broad  red  orb,  which 
seems  to  rest  upon  the  summit  of  BenLomond.  Talk 
of  the  valleys  of  the  Tyrol,  of  the  Lake  of  Geneva, 
ot  the  Bay  of  Naples,  or  of  any  other  continental 
scene !  we  tell  you  that  we  have  seen  them  all,  and 
never  did  our  eyes  rest  upon  a  spectacle  so  magnificent 
as  that  which  is  now  before  us.  The  mountain-tops 
seem  to  be  on  fire, — a  darker  shade  is  cast  upon  the 
plain  ;  see,  the  sun's  disk  is  sinking.  Onwards,  on- 
wards, that  we  may  emerge  from  this  screen  of 
foliage  which  stands   between  us  and  his  parting 


40  GUIDE  T<     THE  PICTURESQUE 

smile!  Shall  we  not  succeed?  No,  he  is  gone! 
and  the  sky,  which  was  bright  as  burnished  gold  but 
a  moment  ago,  has  already  assumed  a  darker  and  a 
purple  hue.  Twilight  comes  over  us, — or,  as  the 
Scotch  call  it,  gloaming,  soft,  sweet,  exquisite  gloam- 
ing,— rendering  objects  more  and  more  confused,  yet 
not  diminishing  aught  from  their  beauty.  How 
still  is  the  air !  there  is  not  a  breath  moving,  and 
the  river  before  us  is  smooth  as  a  mirror.  What 
call  you  that,  the  Abbey  Tower  of  Cambuskenneth? 
— all  that  fervent  but  rude  hands  have  left  of  the 
once  sumptuous  abbey  of  Cambuskenneth !"  Between 
the  villages  of  North  and  South  Queensferry  the 
frith  contracts  to  the  breadth  of  about  2  miles.  Jn 
the  middle  of  this  strait  is  the  fortified  islet  of  Inch- 
garvie.  Above  North  Queensferry  is  Rosyth  castle, 
now  in  ruins;  and  on  an  eminence  near  South 
Queensferry  is  Dundas  castle,  the  original  seat  of 
the  family  of  Dundas,  and  still  the  residence  of 
Dundas  of  that  Ilk.  Further  on,  upon  the  northern 
shore,  is  Dalgetty  church,  and  in  succession,  Hill- 
side, the  bay  and  town  of  Aberdour,  and  the  island 
of  Inchcolm.*  On  the  south  side  of  the  frith  is  a 
line  wooded  point,  to  the  west  of  which  is  the  estuary 
of  the  Almond.  A  succession  of  elegant  marine 
villas  now  line  the  coast  to  the  Trinity  chain-pier. 
Among  these  are:  Lauriston  Castle,  Muirhouse. 
Granton,  Caroline  Park,  and  Royston  castle.  The 
Trinity  chain-pier  was  erected  in  1821.  It  is  700 
feet  long,  4  feet  wide,  and  10  feet  above  high  water 
mark.  Coaches  and  omnibuses  are  always  in  at- 
tendance to  convey  passengers  and  luggage  up  to 

*  The  monastery  of  Tnchcolm,  the  ruin?  of  which  are  still 
visible,  was  founded  in  1123  by  Alexander  1. 


SCENERV  OF  SCOTLAND.  41 

the  city.     The  total  distance  by  this  route  is  54 
miles. 

V.  The  distance  between  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh 
by  the  Union  Canal  is  57£  miles.  The  route  is  tbe 
same  as  that  just  indicated  up  to  Lock  No.  16  in  the 
vicinity  of  Falkirk.  At  this  point  the  Union  canal 
effects  a  junction  with  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canals 
by  a  series  of  11  lucks  descending  110  feet.  The 
passage-boats  do  not  of  course  pass  through  these 
locks,  but  the  passengers  walk  from  the  one  end  of 
the  series  to  the  other,  where  they  embark  on  the 
Union  canal.  The  line  of  the  canal  is  here  very 
elevated  and  commands  a  noble  view.  It  soon  enters 
a  tunnel  of  796  yards  in  length,,  cut  in  the  solid 
rock;  emerging  from  this  subterranean  passage,  it 
passes  Muiravonside  manse  and  church,  and  soon 
after  is  carried  over  the  beautiful  glen  of  the  Avon 
by  a  noble  aqueduct.  The  canal  then  proceeds  by 
Linlithgow,  Winchburgh,  and  Broxburn ;  at  the 
l&tter  village  making  a  very  circuitous  bend  of  about 
a  mile  and  a  half.  It  then  crosses  the  Almond  river 
by  another  noble  aqueduct.  Beyond  this,  on  the 
left,  is  Cliftonhall ;  about  1\  miles  from  Edinburgh 
is  liatho  village;  and  beyond  it,  in  succession, 
Gogar  Burn  aqueduct,  Long  Hermiston  village, 
Baberton,  Hales,  Dreghorn,  Colinton  house,  Craig- 
lockhart  castle,  and  Slateford.  At  the  latter  village 
the  canal  is  carried  across  the  water  of  Leith  by  a 
magnificent  aqueduct  of  nine  arches.  The  remain- 
ing distance  to  Edinburgh — 2^  miles — is  through  a 
rural  and  pleasingly  cultivated  district.  The  canal 
terminates  at  Port  Hopetoun,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  meadows  on  one  hand  and  Prince's 
street  on  the  other. 


42  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

TH1RB  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  STIRLING  AND  THE  TROSACHS. 

Different  routes  indicated:  Stirling,  27 — Bannock- 
burn — Dunblane — Bridge  of  Allan — Doune,  36 
—  Callander,  43^ — Lochlubnaig — Benledi  — Loch 
Vennachoir —  Glenfinglas —  Th e  Trosachs,  5 1  £  — . 
Loch  Katrine — Route  to  Inversnaid  on  Loch 
Lomond  indicated — Route  by  Aberfoyle,  Gartmore, 
and  Drymen. 

There  are  several  distinct  routes  from  Glasgow  to 
that  region  of  romance  and  beauty — the  Trosachs. 
In  the  'Western  Tourist's  Steam-boat  Pocket 
Guide' — to  which  we  have  made  frequent  reference 
in  the  course  of  the  present  Guide,  and  which  is  in 
fact  an  almost  indispensable  companion  to  tl.s  little 
volume — we  have  pointed  out  at  p.  81  the  route  to 
the  Trosachs  by  Dumbarton ;  and  at  p.  (37  another 
by  Loch  Lomond,  and  Rowardennan.  We  shall 
now  trace  a  very  favourite  route  by  Stirling.  The 
tourist  may  proceed  to  that  town  either  by  coach 
direct  from  Glasgow;  or  by  the  canal  to  Castlecary, 
and  from  thence  by  coach  ;  or  from  Grangemouth, 
by  the  steamer  from  Edinburgh.  In  our  second 
tour  we  have  pointed  out  the  principal  objects  worthy 
the  attention  of  the  tourist  up  to  all  these  points— 
Castlecary  is  11  miles  distant  from  Stirling.  The 
road  betwixt  these  two  points  passes  through  a  very 
interesting  district  of  country,  embracing  the  village 
of  St.  Ninian's  near  to  which  is  the  famous  field  of 
Bannockburn.  The  distance  of  Grangemoutb  from 
Stirling:  is  '27  miles  by  water.  Between  these  two 
routes   the   tourist   has  to  choose  in  travelling   to 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  43 

Stirling.  We  shall  suppose  him  to  have  made  his 
way  thither,  and  take  up  our  office  as  cicerone  in 
that  fair  town. 

Stirling  is  a  town  of  about  9000  inhabitants.  In 
external  appearance  it  greatly  resembles  .Edinburgh. 
The  streets  are  narrow,  and  the  houses  not  very 
handsome.  The  Castle  is  said  to  have  been  built 
by  the  Ficts.  It  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  Scottish 
army  which  defeated  the  Danes  at  Luncarty  in  the 
9th  century  It  became  a  royal  residence  in  the 
12th.  It  was  the  favourite  abode  of  James  1. ;  and 
the  birth-place  of  James  II.,  whose  memory  is  stained 
by  a  murder  which  he  perpetrated  here  with  his 
own  hand  on  the  earl  of  Douglas.      Here  too  James 

IV.  was  born;  James  V.,  and  the  unfortunate 
Mary,  crowned;  and  James  VI.  educated  by  his 
stern  preceptor,  Buchanan.  The  palace  occupies  the 
south-east  part  of  the  fortress;  it  uas  built  by  James 

V.  The  oldest  portion  of  the  castle  is  the  buildings 
on  the  south  side  of  the  square.  From  the  Castle 
hill  one  of  the  finest  and  most  celebrated  views  in 
Scotland  is  obtained.  On  the  north  are  the  'links 
of  Forth,'  as  the  windings  through  the  carse  of  Fal- 
kirk are  called,  and  in  the  background,  in  this  direc- 
tion, the  tine  mountain-range  of  the  Ochils.  On 
the  west  is  the  vale  of  iVienteith,  bounded  by  rugged 
mountains,  amongst  which  Benledi  rises  conspicuous0 
The  Campsie  hills  bound  the  horizon  on  the  south  ; 
to  the  east,  if  the  day  be  clear,  the  eye  is  carried  as 
far  as  Edinburgh.  The  lively  writer  in  Fiaser, 
whose  description  of  the  Frith  scenery  above  Grange- 
mouth we  have  quoted  in  the  preceding  tour,  thus 
resumes  his  office  of  landscape  amateur  from  this 
point:   "  We  never  did  behold  any  portion  of  low- 


44  oUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

land  scenery  worthy  of  being  compared  with  this. 
That  plain  towards  the  east,  traversed  by  tin 
*  windings  of  the  Forth,'  surpasses  in  beauty  ark 
fertility  all  that  our  imagination  had  conceived 
while  westward,  if  there  be  somewhat  less  of  water 
there  is  more  of  wood,  with  a  boundary  in  tin 
Grampians  than  which  nature  never  formed  an) 
more  striking.  Still,  you  must  pardon  us  it"  we  add. 
that,  beautiful  as  the  panorama  is,  it  does  not  atf'ecl 
us  with  the  same  tumultuous  sensations  which  we 
experienced  during  our  passage  from  Newhaven, 
We  feel  now  like  men  who  gaze  upon  one  of  Claude's 
landscapes ;  pleased,  yet  not  violently  so — soothed 
rather  than  agitated.  Then  we  were  entranced. 
No  doubt,  the  light  and  shade  on  those  green  Hills 
to  the  north  is  something  not  to  be  equalled  else, 
where.  See  how  the  hues  vary  as  the  thin  white 
clouds  roll  onwards — now  this  ridge  is  in  shadow, 
now  that;  and  anon  the  full  yellow  blaze  of  the 
mid-day  sun  falls  strongly  over  both.  And  then,  as 
our  vision  sweeps  eastward,  along  the  base  of  the 
range,  from  lordly  Kier  to  Alva  in  the  distance,  it 
is  impossible  to  deny  that  a  more  exquisite  inter- 
miivture  of  wood  and  water,  of  corn-field  and 
pasturage,  of  gentlemen's  seats,  farm  houses,  and 
scattered  villages,  never  wooed  the  eye  of  the  traveller 
to  pause  in  its  wanderings.  Therefore  we  readily 
grant  that  we  never  did  behold  a  parallel  to  what  is 
here ;  and  as  readily  perceive  why  the  good  people 
of  Stirling  should  be  proud  of  their  town  and  its 
localities.  But  we  have  mistaken  the  matter  some- 
what. You  are  not  entirely  swayed  by  a  considera- 
tion of  external  beauty.  You  have  other  reasons 
Ivi  your  amor  patriae — to  be  sure  you  have.      You 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  45 

ire  Vi  the  midst  of  things  and  places,  every  one  of 
which  is  sanctified  by  its  association  with  the  events 
m  the  olden  time.  There  lies  the  King's  Park,  for 
example,  for  ages  the  favourite  hunting-ground  of 
the  Scottish  monarehs;  and  nearer  still,  at  the  base 
of  the  castle  rock,  is  the  King's  Knot,  their  amphi- 
theatre when  they  found  it  convenient  to  witness 
the  rude  sports  of  their  lieges,  their  terraced  garden 
when  they  chose  to  be  alone.  Upon  the  elbow  of 
the  rock  itself,  too,  is  the  valley,  the  arena  of  many 
a  knightly  joust  and  mortal  duel ;  while  beyond  is 
the  Lady's  Hill,  upon  which  fair  dames  have  often 
sat  to  watch  the  progress  of  the  strife,  and  to  bestow 
the  guerdon  of  a  scarf,  and  their  own  sweet  smiles, 
upon  the  victor.  Pleasant  is  the  recollection  of  such 
scenes  and  such  times — now  that  they  are  gone,  and 
pleasant,  too,  the  thought  that  even  here,  where  we 
are  standing,  monarchs  and  their  peers  have  stood  ; 
not  to  idle  time  away,  as  you  and  we  are  doing,  but 
to  hold  counsel  on  grave  matters  of  state,  and  to  lay 
plans  for  their  own  aggrandisement.  Yet  you  may 
take  our  word  for  it,  good  burgher,  that  these  things 
are  pleasant  only  in  idea;  and  that,  evil  as  the  days 
may  be  on  which  we  are  fallen,  they  are  a  thousand 
times  better  than  those  of  Scotland's  independence." 
The  reader  will  find  much  amusing  antiquarian 
gossip  about  Stirling  and  its  vicinity  in  Chambers's 
*  Picture  of  Scotland.'  He  ought  also  to  possess 
himself  of  one  of  the  cheap  local  guides  to  the  anti- 
quities of  the  place,  if  he  means  to  make  an  extensive 
inspection  of  its  curiosities. 

The  field  of  Bannockburn  to  the  south-west  of 
Si.  Ninian's  will  be  visited  with  interest.  The 
battle  of  Bannockburn  was  fought  on  Monday  the 


46  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

'i4th  of  June,  1314.  Bruce's  forces  were  statiouei 
in  a  line  extending  in  a  north-easterly  direction  frou 
the  Bannock  to  the  village  of  Saint  Ninian*s.  proba 
bly  in  the  line  of  the  present  wood  from  Stirling  t 
Kilsyth.*  The  spot  where  the  royal  standard  wa 
pitched  is  still  shown  on  a  small  eminence  ealle< 
Brock's  brae  to  the  south-west  of  St.  Ninian  s.  Tht 
ground  in  front  of  Bruce's  line  was  part  of  a  pail 
or  chase : 

"  To  rightward  of  the  wild  affray, 
The  field  show'd  fair  and  level  way  j 

But,  in  mid-space,  the  Bruce's  care 
Had  bored  the  ground  with  many  a  pit, 
With  turf  and  brushwood  hidden  yet, 

That  foun'd  a  ghastly  snare. 
Rushing,  ten  thousand  horsemen  came, 
With  spears  in  rest,  and  hearts  on  flame, 

That  panted  for  the  shock ! 
With  blazing  crests  and  banners  spread, 
And  trumpet-clang  and  clamour  dread, 
The  wide  plain  thunder'd  to  their  tread, 

As  far  as  Stirling  rock. 
Down  !  down  !  in  headlong  overthrow, 
Horseman  and  horse,  the  foremost  go, 

Wild  floundering  on  the  field  I 
The  first  are  in  destruction's  gorge, 
Their  followers  wildly  o'er  them  urge  j— 

The  knightly  helm  and  shield, 
The  mail,  the  acton,  and  the  spear, 
Strong  hand,  high  heart,  are  useless  here! 
Loud  from  the  mass  confused  the  cry 
Of  dying  warriors  swells  on  high, 
And  steeds  that  shriek  in  agony ! 
They  came  like  mountain-torrent  red, 
That  thunders  o'er  its  rocky  bed ; 
They  broke  like  that  same  torrent's  wave, 
When  swallow'd  by  a  darksome  cave. 
Billows  on  billows  burst  and  boil, 
Maintaining  still  the  stern  turmoil, 
And  to  their  wild  and  tortured  groan 
Each  adds  new  terrors  of  his  own !" 

A  visit  to  Dumiat  or  Demyat,  the  loftiest  of  the 

*  See  .Vote  to  '  Lord  of  the  Isles.'  (Last  edit.)  p.  33(5. 


?^vF,ar  0#  SCOTLAND.  47 

Ochiis,  hi  the  distance  of  a  morning  walk  from 
Stirling,  will  repay  the  tourist.  The  view  from  its 
summit  is  beautiful  beyond  conception.*  He  may 
also  make  an  excursion  to  Dunblane,f  and  the 
Roman  camp  at  Ardoch.  Dunblane  is  6  miles  dis- 
tant from  Stirling.  Its  beauty  and  salubrity  is 
famed  throughout  Britain.  The  cathedral  is  one  of 
the  most  entire  now  existing  in  Scotland,  and  still 
preserves  a  few  of  its  original  prebend  stalls ;  they 
are  of  black  oak  richly  decorated.  The  choir,  or 
chancel,  is  the  only  part  still  in  use  for  worship. 
The  length  of  the  building  is  216  feet ;  its  breadth, 
76.  The  spire  is  an  awkward  erection,  12B  feet  in 
height.  Dr.  Robert  Leighton,  ordained  Bishop  of 
Dunkeld  in  1662,  and  afterwards  Archbishop  of 
Glasgow,  founded  a  valuable  library  here  which  still 
exists,  and  is  available  to  visitors.  The  remains  of 
the  bishop's  palace  are  to  be  sought  for  about  the 
centre  of  the  town.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  town 
is  a  fine  walk  along  the  banks  of  the  Allan,  under  a 
row  of  aged  but  luxuriant  beeches.  The  whole  vale 
of  the  Allan  is  in  the  highest  degree  picturesque 

*  ''An  amusing  anecdote,  in  illustration  of  the  interest 
which  the  Dumiat  prospect  claims,  is  related  of  the  Laird  of 
Spittal,  one  of  the  former  proprietors  of  this  mountain.  He 
happened  to  meet  with  some  English  gentlemen,  when  on  his 
travels  at  Rome.  The  conversation  turned  upon  views  and 
picturesque  scenery.  '  Of  all  the  prospects  that  I  have  ever 
beheld,'  said  one  of  the  gentlemen,  '  in  any  quarter  of  Europe, 
that  which  I  once  had  from  a  mountain  in  Scotland  called 
Dumiat,  is  the  most  magnificent.'  The  Laird  of  Spittal  had 
never  been  upon  that  part  of  his  property  ;  he  felt  some  con- 
fusion, and  was  silent;  he  hastened  home  from  Italy  and  loxt 
no  time  in  ascending  his  own  mom  tain." — Graham's  Sketches 
of  Perthshire. 

+  Dunblane  signifies  *  the  eminence  of  the  warm  or  she'ite.  wl 


48  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

and  romantic*  Sheriffmuir,  the  scene  of  the  battle 
betwixt  the  earl  of  Mar  and  the  duke  of  ArgyJc,  in 
1715,  is  2  miles  east  by  north  of  Dunblane.  The 
Roman  camp  of  Ardoch  is  6  miles  north-east  of 
Dunblane  on  the  road  to  Perth.  It  is  1060  feet  in 
length,  by  900  in  breadth,  and  might  have  contained 
26,000  men. 

By  proceeding  from  Dunblane  to  the  village  of 
Doune,  a  distance  of  4  miles,  the  tourist  will  fall 
into  the  line  of  road  usuaily  pursued  from  Stirling 
to  the  Trosachs.f  If,  however,  the  tourist  has 
returned  to  Dunblane  from  the  points  just  indi 
cated,  he  may  now  set  out  to  the  Trosachs,  either  by 
Aberfoyle  or  Doune.  The  latter  road  is  the  car- 
riage road.  It  crosses  the  Forth  by  the  bridge  to 
the  north  of  the  town,  whence  a  fine  view  is  obtained 
looking  down  the  river.  About  2  miles  forward, 
we  pass  the  road  leading  to  Blair  Logie,  and  at  a 
little  distance,  on  the  right,  Airthrey,  the  seat  of 
Lord  Abercrombie.  A  mile  farther  on  is  the  Bridge 
of  Allan,  a  beautiful  little  village  much  frequented 
by  visitors  in  the  summer-season.  The  road  now 
ascends  and  commands  a  charming  view  of  the  greal 
valley  of  the   Forth   from   Gartmore   to    Stirling. 

*  The  following  is  the  result  of  an  analysis  of  the  Dunblam 
mineral  waters,  by  Dr.  Murray,  of  Edinburgh.  The  speoifi* 
gravity  of  the  water  was  1  00475.  A  pint  of  it  was  found  t< 
contain  the  following  salts  : — 

Common  salt 24 

Muriate  of  lime 18 

Sulphate  of  lime 3*5 

Carbonate  of  lime 0'5 

Oxide  of  iron 017 


46-17 
■}  There  is  a  very  fine  picturesque  line  of  road  from  StiThn: 
to  Dumbarton  by  the  southern  verge  of  the  great  vale  of  Men 
teith  and  passsnp.  through  Kippen  and  Drymen. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  49 

A  little  beyond  the  Bridge  of  Allan,  the  tourist 
passes  Lecrou  cnurcn  ana  enters  i^eithsnire.  On 
approacning  the  viiiage  of  Doune,  the  castle  of 
tnat  name  constitutes  a  prominent  object.  It 
is  situated  upon  a  peninsula  formed  by  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Ardoch  and  Teith.  It  is  a  huge 
square  building,  erected  probably  in  the  1 1th  cen- 
tury by  the  earls  of  Ment.eith.  In  1745  this 
castle  was  occupied  by  Sir  Walter  Scott's  Gregor 
Ghlun  Dhu,*  nephew  of  Rob  Roy,  who  held  it  out 
for  the  prince  all  the  time  he  was  absent  with  his 
Highlanders  in  England,  although  so  near  to  Stir- 
ling. "  Doune  castle,"  says  Chambers,  "  has  been 
long  the  property  of  the  noble  family  of  Moray, 
which  derives  from  it  the  secondary  title  of  Lord 
Doune.  Most  readers  of  the  old  traditionary  poetry 
of  Scotland,  will  remember  the  beautiful,  pictur- 
esque, and  affecting  stanza,  which  concludes  the 
ballad  of  the  death  of  the  '  I'onny  Earl  of  Moray:' 

Oh  lang  may  his  lady 

Look  ower  the  Castle  Doune, 
Ere  she  see  the  Karl  o'  Moray, 

Come  sounding  through  the  toun. 

The  noble  family  of  Moray  have  at  present  a  smaller 
but  probably  more  convenient  mansion,  about  a  mile 
to  the  north-west,  termed  Doune  Lodge.  It  was 
formerly  designated  Cambus- Wallace;  and  some 
readers  may  take  interest  in  the  fact,  that  Prince 
Charles,  in  his  march  from  the  Highlands  towards 
Edinburgh,  stopped  a  little  at  the  gate  of  that  man- 
sion, and,  without  alighting  from  his  horse,  drank  a 
glass  of  wine,  which  was  presented  to  him  by  a 
young  iady  connected  with  the  then  lords  of  the 
*  •  Tad;-  of  the  Like.''    Canto  iv  Note  2. 


5'J  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

mar  or,  the  Edmondstones  of  Camhus- Wallace. 
The  village  of  Doune,  which  lies  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  of  the  castle,  is  noted  for  having  been 
in  former  times  distinguished  by  a  manufactory  of 
Highland  pistols.  Its  general  appearance,  which  is 
by  no  means  very  prepossessing,  was  greatly  im- 
proved, in  the  year  1«26,  by  the  erection  of  a  new 
parish  church  in  the  Gothic  style,  with  a  handsome 
tower.  For  this  useful  public  work,  the  pulpit  of 
which  is  particularly  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of 
the  chaste  beauty  of  the  Gothic  taste  in  which  it  is 
constructed,  the  parishioners  were  indebted  to  the 
Earl  of  Moray,  patron  and  chief  heritor  of  the 
parish."  The  road  continues  from  Doune  along 
the  northern  banks  of  the  Teith,  passing  Lanrick 
castle,  the  magnificent  seat  of  Sir  John  Macgregor 
Murray,  and  Cambusmore.  '•  Before  we  proceed 
farther  by  this  route,"  says  Mr.  Graham,  "  it  may 
not  be  uninteresting  to  notice,  that  it  appears  proba- 
ble, that  the  author  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake  first 
imbibed  his  taste  for  the  sublime  scenery  of  the 
Highlands,  which  he  has  so  felicitously  pourtrayed, 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  spot  where  we  now  stand.  It 
is  said,  that  in  his  juvenile  days,  he  delighted  to  pass 
some  months,  for  several  summers,  at  the  houses  of 
Newton  and  Cambusmore.  Here,  on  the  outskirts 
of  Benvorlich  and  Ua-var,  with  Benledi  full  in  his 
eye  on  the  west,  and  within  an  easy  ride  of  the  won- 
ders of  Loch  Katrine,  he  might  have  satiated  his 
poetic  imagination  with  the  sublime,  in  external 
nature;  and  with  the  heroic,  in  the  study  of  ancient 
Celtic  character."  This  account  is  corroborated  by 
what  Sir  Walter  himself  says  in  his  introductory 
notice  to  the  last  edition  of  the  *  Laoy  of  tue  Lake.* 


SCENERY   OF 'SCOTLAND.  5{ 

"  I  had  also  read  a  good  deal,  seen  much,  and  heard 
ti»oic,  of  tnat  romantic  country,  where  I  was  in  the 
habit  of  spending  some  time  every  autumn  ;  ana  trie 
scenery  of  Loch  Katrine  was  connected  with  the 
recollection"of  many  a  dear  friend  and  merry  expedi- 
tion of  former  days.  This  poem,  the  action  of  which 
lay  among  scenes  so  beautiful,  and  so  deeply  im- 
printed on  my  recollections,  was  a  labour  of  love, 
and  it  was  no  less  so  to  recall  the  manners  and  inci- 
dents introduced." 

Callander  is  an  uncommonly  beautiful  and  pic- 
turesque village,  and  has,  moreover,  a  very  good 
inn,  at  which  we  would  advise  the  tourist  to  spend 
a  day,  if  at  all  convenient,  and  employ  himself  in 
visiting  the  Craig  of  Callander,  the  Roman  camp, 
the  Bridge  of  Bracklinn,  the  Pass  of  Leney,  and 
Lochlubnaig.  The  latter  sheet  of  water  extends 
along  the  north-east  base  of  Benledi,  commencing 
about  3  miles  north-west  of  Callander.  "  It  is," 
says  Mr.  Leighton,  "  nearly  5£  mhes  in  length,  but 
is  scarcely  half  a  mile  in  breadth  at  any  part.  Go- 
ing from  Callander,  the  traveller  approaches  the 
lake  through  the  celebrated  Pass  of  Leney,  one  of 
the  ancient  almost  inaccessible  entrances  to  the 
Highlands.  A  road  has  now  been  formed  along 
the  banks  of  the  stream,  which  flows  from  Loch- 
lubnaig; but  such  is  the  nature  of  the  ground,  that 
even  yet  a  few  men  might  maintain  the  pass  against 
an  army.  The  splendid  scenery,  however,  alone 
arrests  the  attention  of  the  traveller;  and  his  taste 
is  gratified  with  all  the  variety  that  mountain,  rock, 
wood,  river,  and  waterfall,  can  combine  and  present 
to  form  the  picturesque.  After  issuing  from  toe 
pass,  Lochlubnaig  comes   into  sight,   and   here   tne 


52  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

b<>st  view  of  it  is  obtained.  From  the  great  hei^M, 
and  bold  and  rugged  appearance  of  the  mountains 
amidst  which  this  narrow,  winding  lake  lies  im- 
Dedded,  the  scenery  which  surrounds  it  is  exceedingly 
triking.  Benledi  is  here  a  most  prominent  object, 
and  that  portion  of  it  which  overhangs  and  darkens 
the  waters  of  the  lake,  exhibits  a  grand  but  very 
singular  appearance.  At  some  remote  period,  the 
mountain  seems  to  have  been  broken  over  at  the  top, 
and  the  enormous  fragments  scattered  in  that  direc- 
tion down  its  side,  like  the  debris  or  the  ruins  of  a 
former  world.  Armandave,  Ardchullerie  Beg,  and 
Ardchulierie  More,  at  different  distances,  raise  their 
giant  forms  in  frowning  majesty  above  the  lake,  and 
throw  their  broad  dark  shadows  over  it.  Stern 
grandeur  is  the  characteristic  of  the  scenery  around 
Lochlubnaig;  imposing  silence  reigns  around  ;  and 
a  sense  of  utter  loneliness  enters  into  the  very  soul 
of  the  beholder.  The  genius  of  solitude  seems  here 
to  have  taken  up  his  abode.  About  half  way  up  the 
east  side  of  the  lake  stands  Ardchullerie  house,  ren- 
dered peculiarly  interesting,  as  having  been  many 
years  the  residence  of  Bruce  of  Kinnaird,  the  cele- 
brated traveller.  In  this  retired  spot,  amid  the 
stern,  majestic  features  of  nature  which  it  presents, 
he  wrote  the  account  of  his  travels;  and  here  he 
found  an  asylum  from  the  abuse  and  persecution 
which  their  publication  brought  upon  him.  He 
was  charged  with  falsehood  and  misrepresentation 
by  his  contemporaries;  but  time,  and  the  travels  of 
others,  have  cleared  the  honest  fame  of  Bruce  from 
the  aspersions  with  which  he  was  loaded  ;  and  have 
confirmed  the  observation,  that  ignorance  and  folly 
may  be  as  much  displayed  in  scepticism  as  in  open- 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  53 

mouthed  wondering  credulity.  At  Lochlubnaig' 
we  are  again  among  the  scenery  ot  Sir  vVauer's 
roem  ot  the  Lauy  of  the  Lake ;  we  are  again  under 
the  influence  ot'  the  enchanter's  spell,  and  search  out 
the  localities  of  his  poem,  with  as  much  interest  as 
we  would  those  of  some  real  event.  It  was  up  the 
Pass  of  Leney,  that  the  cross  of  fire  was  carried  by 
young  Angus  of  Dun-Craggan,  who  had  just  been 
obliged  to  leave  the  funeral  of  his  father  in  order  to 
speed  forth  the  signal. 

"  Benledi  saw  the  Cross  of  Fire, 
It  glanced  like  lightning  up  Strathire. 
O'er  dale  and  hill  the  summons  flew, 
Nor  rest,  nor  peace,  young  Angus  knew  ; 
The  tear  that  gathered  on  his  eye, 
He  left  the  mountain  breeze  to  dry ; 
Until  where  Teith's  young  waters  roll, 
Betwixt  him  and  a  wooded  knoll  ; 
That  graced  the  sable  strath  with  green, 
The  chapel  of  Saint  Bride  was  seen." 

Here  the  messenger  delivers  up  the  signal  to  Nor- 
man of  Armandave,  who  was  about  to  pledge  his 
troth  at  the  altar  to  Mary  of  Tombea ;  and  the 
bridegroom  leaving  his  unwedded  bride,  starts  oif 
with  the  cross  along  the  shores  of  Lochlubnaig,  and 
away  towards  the  distant  district  of  Balquhidder. 
The  chapel  of  Saint  Bride  stood  on  a  small  and 
romantic  knoll  between  the  opening  of  the  pass  of 
Leney,  and  Lochlubnaig;  and  Strathire,  along 
which  the  cross  is  said  to  have  glanced  like  light- 
ning, is  situated  at  the  south  end  and  along  the 
eastern  side  of  Lochlubnaig.  Armandave  is  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Loch,  and  Tombea,  the  residence  ot 
Norman's   bride   is  also   in    the   neighbourhood."  * 

*  'Swan's  Lakes.*  The  view  of  Lochlubnaig  from  the 
south-east  given  in  this  woik  is  one  ot  Fleming's  happiebl 
•ketches. 


54  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Benledi  bounds  the  horizon  from  Callander  on  the 
north- west.  It  is  S009  feet  in  height.  J  he  name 
signifies  '  the  mountain  of  God.'  Its  south-west 
side  is  bare  and  tame ;  the  eastern  side  towards  Cal- 
lander rugged  and  picturesque;  the  northern  side 
impending  over  Lochlubnaig  very  grand.  The  view 
from  the  summit  extends  from  the  borders  of  Eng- 
land to  lnverness-shire. 

The  carriage-road  from  Callander  to  the  Trosachs, 
a  distance  of  10  miles,  runs  along  the  northern  banks 
of  Loch  Vennachoir  and  Loch  Achray.  We  may 
leave  Callander  either  by  the  north  road,  passing 
Through  Kilmahog  ;  or  by  the  south,  passing  through 
the  Carchonzie  woods:  the  northern  road,  as  being 
the  most  picturesque,  is  generally  preferred.  Quit- 
ting, upon  the  left,  the  plain  of  Bochastle  the 
1  sounding  torrent'  of  Carchonzie  is  seen  : 

("  Which,  daughter  of  three  mighty  lakes, 
From  Vennachoir  in  silver  breaks, 
Sweeps  through  the  plain,  and  ceaseless  mines 
On  BochasUe,  the  mouldering  lines 
Where  Home,  the  empress  of  the  world, 
Of  yore  her  eagle  wings  unfurl'd." 

Beyond  which,  is  '  Coilantogle's  ford,'  where  the 
gallant  Fitz-James  *  with  single-brand'  overcame 
the  tierce  Roderick  Dhu,  and  where,  after  the  fear- 
ful combat, 

"  He  falter'd  thanks  to  Heaven  for  life— 
Redeem'd,  unhoped,  from  desperate  strife." 

A  bridge  of  two  arches  conducts  the  tourist  across 
the  ford.  Loch  Vennachoir  now  opens  on  the  view. 
It  is  a  lovely  expanse  of  water  about  5  miles  ill 
length,  by  l£  mile  in  breadth.  Near  Blairgowrie, 
a  mile  beyond  Coilantogle,  very  fine  views  of  the 
lake  are  obtained  ;  at  Milntown,  about  a  mile  fusv. 


SCENEilY  OF  SCOTLAND.  55 

ther  on,  there  is  a  pretty  cascade  formed  by  a  small 
stream.  Proceeding  along  the  shores  of  the  iake,  \ve^ 
arrive  at  the  wooded  bank  called  Ccmlebhroine,*  or 
'  the  wood  of  Lamentation,'  so  called  from  its  being 
the  scene  of  a  dreadful  disaster  to  a  funeral  proces- 
sion, from  the  malice  of  a  kelpie,  or  river  demon,  as 
related  in  a  note  to  Canto  III.  of  the  '  Lady  of  the 
Lake.'  "About  a  mile  above  Loch  Vennachuir," 
says  Mr  Graham,  "  the  traveller,  as  he  approaches 
Brigg  of  Turk,  arrives  at  the  summit  of  an  emi- 
nence, where  there  bursts  upon  his  eye  a  sudden  and 
wide  prospect  of  the  windings  of  the  river  that  issues 
from  Loch  Achray,  with  that  sweet  lake  itself  in 
front ;  the  gently- rolling  river  pursues  its  serpentine 
course  through  an  extensive  meadow  ;  at  the  west 
end  of  the  lake,  on  the  side  of  Aberfoyle,  the  pro- 
perty of  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Monti  use,  is  situated 
the  delightful  farm  of  Achray,  the  level  field,  a  de- 
nomination justly  due  to  it,  when  considered  in  con- 
trast with  the  rugged  rocks  and  mountains  which 
surround  it.  From  this  eminence  are  to  be  seen 
also,  on  the  right  hand,  the  entrance  to  Glenfinglas; 
and,  in  the  distance,  Benvenue,  whose  northern 
shoulder  begins  to  excite  interest  by  its  wooded 
honours,  and  its  bold  and  varied  outline.  Notwith-  I 
standing  the  height  of  the  observer's  position  at  this 
place,  the  Trosachs  still  remain  concealed  from  his 
view  by  the  bold  shore  of  Loch  Achray,  on  the 
north.  An  uninterrupted  wood,  extending  far  up 
the  mountain,  and  skirting  the  lake  through  its 
whole  length,  with  the  road  winding  along  its  bor- 
der, is  finely  contrasted  with  the  southern  bank, 
which  is  bare  and  heathy." 

*  Pronounced  Co  J -civ -rain. 


Lb  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Before  reaching  Loch  Achrav  we  pass  a  road 
leading  off  to  the  right,  through  the  vale  of  Glenfin- 
glas, — a  lonely  tract  of  10  miles  extent,  once  a  royal 
hunting  forest,  now  the  property  of  the  earl  of 
Moray,  and  chiefly  occupied  by  tenants  of  his  own 
clan,  Stewarts.  An  adventurous  and  really  enthu- 
siastic pedestrian  tourist  will  not  fail  to  travel  up 
this  vale  to  Balquhidder,  through  Glermiain. 

The  tourist  is  now  proceeding  along  the  margin  of 
'  lovely  Loch  Achray,'  at  the  further  extremity  of 
which  is  the  inn  of  Ardcean-chrockan,  where  good 
accommodation  may  be  had,  if  the  house  is  not  al- 
ready choke- full,  and  where  guides  will  be  procured 
for  the  Trosachs. 

Immediately  upon  leaving  Achray,  the  Trosachs* 
come  into  view, — "  a  wildering  scene  of  mountains, 
rocks,  and  woods,  thrown  together  in  disorderly 
groups.' f — which  to  be  understood  at  all  must  be 
seen,  not  described  ;  but  we  cannot  deny  ourselves 
the  gratification  of  quoting  the  '  Mighty  Minstrels' 
poetical  description  of  the  scene  :  — 

"  The  western  waves  of  ebbing  day 
Roll'd  o'er  the  glen  their  level  way  ; 
Each  purple  peak,  each  flinty  spire, 
Was  bathed  in  floods  of  living  fire. 
But  not  a  setting  beam  could  glow 
Within  the  dark  ravine  below, 

*  That  is,  '  the  Bristled  territory  ' 
+  Sir  W.  Scott. — Mr.  Chambers  says:    "Perhaps  nothing     j 
could  give  the  reader  so  distinct  an  idea  of  the  scene,  as  to  sug- 
gest to  him  that,  if  a  heap  of  rude  stones  of  all  shapes  and     I 
sizes  were  first  thrown  down  into  a  ditch  or  trench,  then  these     ! 
powdered  with  a  thin  sprinkling  of  earth,  next  suppose  an  in- 
finite variety  of  curious  shrubs  to  grow  from  that  earth,  the 
whole  would  be  a  sort  of  miniature  of  the  Trosachs,  formed  as 
it  is  by  a  rude  and  irregular  range  of  rocky  hillocks,  in  the  hoi. 
low  bottom  between  two  hills,  and  sprinkled  over  by  such  a 
wilderness  of  bushes." 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  57 

Whore  twined  the  path  in  shadow  hid. 

Kour.d  many  a  rocky  pyramid, 

Shooting  abruptly  from  the  dell 

Its  thunder,  splinter'd  pinnacle; 

Round  many  an  insulated  mas3, 

The  native  bulwarks  of  the  pass, 

Huge  as  the  towers  which  builders  vain 

Presumptuous  piled  on  Shinar's  plain. 

The  rocky  summits,  split  and  rent, 

Form'd  turret,  dome,  or  battlement ; 

Or  seem'd  fantastically  set 

With  cupola  or  minaret, 

Wild  crests  as  pagod  ever  deck'd, 

Or  mosque  of  Eastern  architect. 

Nor  were  these  earth-born  castles  bare, 

Nor  lack'd  they  many  a  banner  fair  ; 

For,  from  their  shiver'd  brow  display'd, 

Far  o'er  the  unfathomable  glade, 

All  twinkling  with  the  dewdrops  sheen, 

The  brier  rose  fell  in  streamers  green, 

And  creeping  shrubs,  of  thousand  dyes, 

Waved  in  the  west-wind's  summer  sighs. 

Boon  nature  scatter 'd,  free  and  wild, 
Each  plant  or  flower,  the  mountain's  child- 
Here  eglantine  embalm'd  the  air, 
Hawthorn  and  hazel  mingled  there 
The  primrose  pale  and  violet  flower, 
Found  in  each  cliff  a  narrow  bower  ; 
Fox-glove  and  night-shade,  side  by  side, 
Emblems  of  punishment  and  pride, 
Group'd  their  dark  hres  with  every  stain 
The  weather-beaten  crags  retain 
With  boughs  that  quaked  at  every  breath, 
Grey  birch  and  aspen  wept  beneath  ; 
Aloft,  the  ash  and  warrior  oak 
Cast  anchor  in  the  rifted  rock  ; 
And,  higher  yet,  the  pine-tree  hung. 
His  shattered  trunk,  and  frequent  flung, 
Where  seeta'd  the  cliffs  to  meet  on  high, 
Its  boughs  athwart  the  narrowed  sky. 
Highest  of  all,  where  white  peaks  glanced, 
Where  glist'ning  streamers  waved  and  danced, 
The  wanderer's  eye  could  barely  view 
The  summer  heaven's  delicious  blue: 
So  wondrous  wild,  the  whole  might  seem 
The  scenery  of  a  fairy  dream." 

While  passing  through  the  Trosachs,  Ben  venue 
towers  oil  the  left  of  the  tourist,  and  Benan  on  the 


58  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

right.  A  dark  and  narrow  defile,  half  a  mile  in 
length,  opens  on  Loch  Katrine,  called  Ketturn  or 
Ketturin,  by  the  natives.*  *'  Before  the  present 
road  was  formed/'  says  Mr.  Leighton,  *  the  lake 
could  only  be  approached  in  this  direction  by 
what  was  generally  termed  the  Ladders.  These 
oonsisted  of  steps  very  imperfectly  cut  out  of  a 
precipitous  rocky  bank,  by  means  of  which,  and 
with  the  aid  of  ropes  suspended  from  trees  to  be 
grasped  by  the  hand,  the  adventurous  and  intrepid 
natives  of  this  romantic  land  were  accustomed  to 
pass,  often  laden  with  considerable  burdens,  from  the 
lower  district  of  the  Trosachs  to  its  more  elevated 
parts.  The  road  has  now  been  formed  with  incred- 
ible labour,  partly  by  encroaching  on  the  eastern  end 
of  the  lake,  and  partly  by  blasting  the  solid  rock, 
which  rises  to  a  great  height,  particularly  in  one 
place,  where  it  rises  perpendicularly  from  the  water 
to  a  height  of  scarcely  less  than  200  feet.  The  first 
appearance  of  the  lake  gives  little  promise  of  the 
wide  and  varied  expanse  to  which  it  stretches  out  as 
the  traveller  proceeds.  Sir  Waiter  has  indeed  well 
described  it  here  as 

"  \  narrow  inlet  still  and  deop, 
Affording  scarce  such  brc-adth  of  brim, 
As  served  the  wild  duck's  brodd  to  swim." 

In  advancing  onwards,  the  lake  is  lost  for  a  few 
minutes,  but  it  again  opens  with  increasing  gran- 
deur, and  presents  new  and  picturesque  views  at 
almost  every  step  as  we  advance.  Having  now 
fairly  opened  up  the  lake,  we  have  more  than  six 
iles  of  water  in  length  under  the  eye,  Ben- Venue 

*  In  Bleau's  Atlas,  published  in  1653.  it  is  spelt  Kenncrm. 


SCENEItY  OF  SCOTLAND.  ,rriJ 

rises  high  over  head  to  the  left;  and  the  mountains 
of  Aioquhar  terminate  the  prospect  to  the  we«t." 

Loch  Katrine  is  about  10  miles  in  length,  and  2 
miles  in  its  greatest  breadth.  It  is  usual  for  tourists 
to  cross  to  the  opposite  side,  and  after  having  sur- 
veyed Coir-nan  Uriskin,  or  '  the  Goblin's  Den,1  to 
sail  along  the  eastern  side  of  Ellen's  Isle,  and  visit 
the  <  silver  strand,'  where  Fitz-James  caught  his 
tirst  view  of  '  the  Lady  of  the  Lake.' 

The  common  termination  of  a  tour  to  the  Tro- 
sachs  is  to  sail  up  Loch  Katrine  to  Stronclachaig,  ami 
then  walk  to  Lochlomond,  and  taking  the  steam-boat 
at  Inversnaid,  return  to  Glasgow.*  "  From  ihe 
boat-house  at  Stronclachaig,  to  the  mill  of  Inver- 
snaid, is  a  distance  of  5  miles  through  a  wild  and 
barren  country.  About  mid- way  we  pass,  on  ihe 
left,  Loch  Arklet,  whose  surface  is  overshadowed  by 
the  lofty  Benlomond.  From  this  loch  the  little 
stream  of  the  Arkill  takes  its  rise,  and  flows  till  it 
falls  into  Lochlomond  over  the  cascade  at  Inversnaid 
mill.  A  little  beyond  the  loch,  the  traveller  reaches 
rather  a  striking  scene.  In  the  front  is  a  rustic 
bridge  over  the  brawling  stream,  and  upon  a  sort  of 
esplanade  above  stands  the  old  and  ruinous  garrison 
of  Inversnaid,  built  for  the  protection  of  the  district 
against  Rob  Roy  and  his  followers.  In  this  lonely 
fortress  the  famous  General  Wolfe  was  once  sta- 
tioned when  an  officer  in  the  Buffs.  One  of  the 
most  striking  and  touching  objects  about  this  lonely 
ruin,  is  the  little  neglected  cemetery  where  a  few 
green  hillocks  and  rude  stones  mark  the  spot  under 
which  the  bones  of  the  English  soldiers  rest,  who 
bade   adieu    to  life  amid    this   wilderness.      A    low 

*  See  '  Steam-boat  Pocket  Guide,'  p.  37 


60  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

mound   of  earth    is   all    that  encloses  thfo   h«rJ«T« 
place.1"'* 

There  is  another  and  very  interesting  route  hy 
which  the  pedestrian  or  equestrian  tourist  may  re- 
turn to  Glasgow.  Returning  to  the  Trosachs,  he 
will  find  a  foot-path  leading  off  from  near  the  west 
end  of  Loch  Achray  to  the  south-east.  This  road 
leads  to  Aberfoyle,  where  there  is  a  decent  inn, — a 
distance  of  b\  miles.  The  vale  of  Aberfoyle  is  a 
beautiful  seem*, — a  little  amphitheatre  environed  by 
mountains,  those  to  the  east  and  south  being  the 
Grampians.  The  Forth,  here  called  the  Avendow, 
or  Black  River,  traverses  the  vale;  its  source  is  about 
!2  miles  to  the  west  beyond  Lochcon,  but  about  a 
mile  above  Aberfoyle  it  receives  the  Duchray,  which 
rises  near  the  summit  of  Benlomond,  and  "which 
may  seem  to  many  to  have  an  equal  claim  to  be  the 
origin  of  the  Forth. "f  About  a  mile  to  the  west- 
ward of  the  inn,  the  lower  Lochard  opens  on  the 
view,  and  the  pass  of  Aberfoyle,  the  upper  Lochard, 
is  about  200  yards  beyond  the  other.  It  is  a  fine 
piece  of  water,  3  miles  in  length,  by  \\  in  breadth. 
There  is  a  fine  echo  here,  and  near  the  west  end  a 
pretty  cascade.  The  white  winter-lily  and  the 
Lobelia  grow  in  great  profusion  here.  Huge  pike 
have  been  caught  in  this  loch.  Two  miles  to  the 
west  is  Lochcon,  a  romantic  lake,  between  2  and  3 
miles  in  length.  From  the  head  of  this  last  men- 
tioned loch,  the  road  fetches  a  circuit  to  Inversnaid. 
There  is  also  another  foot-road  from  the  west  end  of 
Lochard  to  Rowardennan  or  Loch  Lomond,  from 
which  point  the  tourist  may  either  return  to  Glas- 
gow by  the  steam-boat,  or  travel  along  the  beautiful 
*  *  Lumsden'*  Guide.'  t  Graham. 


SCEXERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  CI 

road  which  skirts  the  eastern  shore  of  Loch  Lomond 
to  Drymen.  The  carriage-road  from  Aberfoyle 
proceeds  first  to  Gartmore,  a  distance  of  Smiles; 
thence  to  Drymen,  a  distance  of  7  miles,  across 
a  bleak  and  elevated  moor,  of  which  Mr.  Graham 
tells  us  the  following  curious  anecdote:  "  When 
Mr  Wilkes  arid  his  friend  Churchill  visited  Scot- 
land, about  1760,  they  proceeded  thus  far;  but  at 
this  spot,  horrified  with  the  forlorn  appearance  of 
the  scene,  and  apprehending  that  they  had  reached 
the  utmost  verge  of  Scottish  cultivation,  they  turned 
their  horses,  and  sought  shelter  for  the  night  at 
Buchanan  house.  The  Duke  of  Montrose  was  then 
in  London,  but  they  were  most  hospitably  enter- 
tained for  three  days,  by  his  Grace's  chamberlain, 
with  Highland  mutton  and  old  claret;  of  which 
they,  'nothing  loth,'  most  liberally  partook.  The 
satirical  poet,  on  reaching  London,  returned  this 
hospitality  by  writing  his  celebrated  poem,  entitled, 
*  The  Prophecy  of  Famine,'  in  which  he  introduces 
the  scene  of  Drymen  muir  with  abundant  effect  ; 
but  he  forgot  to  record  the  liberal  fare  of  Buchanan." 
From  Drymen,  if  we  wish  to  return  by  Dum- 
barton, we  proceed  to  Kilmaronock,  crossing  the 
Endric  about  half-way  between  these  points.  Here 
is  an  ancient  ruined  castle,  which  belonged  to  the 
family  of  Cochrane.  From  Kilmaronock  to  the 
Balloch  ferry  is  a  distance  of  4  miles,  or  to  Dum- 
barton 8  miles.  But  there  is  a  direct  route  to  Glas- 
gow from  Drymen,  a  distance  of  I7£  miles,  by  the 
vale  oi'thtf  Endric  and  Stockie  mui;\ 


62  GUIDE  TO  TH£  PICTURL'ftQCE 


FOURTH  TOUR. 

FROM  GLASGOW  TO  LOCH  TAY,  DUNKELD,  TERTH, 
AND  LOCH   LEVEN,    RETURNING  BY  STIRLING. 

Loch  Ijiihnaig — Balquhidder,  53  miles  from  Glas- 
gow— Edenchip — Locheam  head,  57  J — St  Fil- 
lans — Killin,  66^ — Loch  Tay — Ben  Lawers — 
Kenmore,  82^ — Taymouth  Castle — Aberfeldie — - 
Dunkeld,  106 — Tour  to  Blairgowrie — Route  to 
Braemar — Tovr  to  Blair  Athole — Killiecrankie — 
Loch  Rannoch  and  Tummel — Rovte  resumed  from 
Bunhcld  to  Perth — Perth,  120 — Scone — Pit- 
caithly — Stratherne—  Kinross,  131  ~  Stirling ,  157. 

The  usual  coach  route  from  Glasgow  to  Perth  is  by 
way  of  Stirling  ;  but  we  shall  take  up  the  tourist  at 
Loch  Lubnaig,  to  which  he  has  been  introduced  in 
the  preceding  tour.  The  ground  stretching  along 
the  northern  shore  of  this  lake  is  part  of  Strathire, 
the  frontier  territory,  in  this  quarter,  of  Clan 
Alpine.  At  8  miles  from  Callander,  the  road  which 
has  been  skirting  Loch  Lubnaig  turns  off,  and 
enters  a  valley  bounded  on  each  side  by  lofty  moun- 
tains. On  the  left  is  Loch  Voel,  amongst  '  the  braes 
of  Balquhidder;'  the  Kirktown  of  Balquhidder  lies 
near  the  outlet  of  the  lake.  The  mountain  scenery 
around  this  lake  is  interesting,  and  its  shores  are 
finely  varied  with  wood  and  rock,  bay  and  promon- 
tory 

"At  the  head  of  Lorh  Vool,  and  separate  from 
it  by  a  short  and  turbulent  stream,  is  Loch  Doine,  a 
small  but  picturesque  lake  of  about  a  mile  in  length, 
ft  is  also  an  expansion  of  the  same  river  which  after* 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  63 

wards  forms  Loch  Voel  and  Loch  Lubnaig.  This 
lake  is  likewise  well  worthy  of  being  visited,  although 
from  its  distance  from  any  of  the  great  roads,  and 
the  fatigue  of  traversing  the  moors,  strangers  but 
seldom  do  so.  The  number  of  scenes  in  Scotland 
of  surpassing  grandeur,  which,  from  this  circum- 
stance alone,  are  almost  entirely  unknown  to  tour- 
ists and  travellers,  will  be  subsequently  pointed  out 
as  this  work  proceeds.  The  enthusiast  in  Highland 
tradition  will  find  other  objects  of  interest  on  visit- 
ing Loch  Voel  besides  its  scenery,  for  on  its  shores 
Rob  Roy  long  resided, — there  many  of  his  exploits 
were  performed  and  are  still  narrated  by  the  in- 
habitants,— and  in  the  church -yard  is  pointed  out 
the  little  spot  of  earth,  where  all  that  remains  of  the 
warrior  has  long  lain  at  rest.  His  grave  is  covered 
by  a  simple  stone,  on  which  has  been  carved  a  sword 
— nu  appropriate  emblem  of  the  man,  and  of  his 
race  : 

*  Clan  Alpin's  omen  and  her  aid.' 
Living  in  a  civilized  age,  when  the  law  affords  every 
man  protection,  and  where  this  has  long  been  the 
case,  we  are  apt  to  look  at  such  a  character  as  Rob 
Roy,  as  little  better  than  a  public  robber;  but  we 
wrong  the  spirit  of  the  man  in  doing  so.  We  for- 
get the  sufferings  and  persecutions  which  his  race 
had  for  ages  endured  ;  and  of  which  he  seems  to  have 
had  his  full  share.  The  great  and  the  powerful 
were  all  arrayed  against  him  and  against  his  name, 
and  the  utter  extirpation  of  an  ancient  line  se«  ms  to 
have  been  long  determined  on ;  Rob  Roy  ought 
therefore  to  be  considered  what  he  truly  was — 
among  the  last  remains  of  the  genuine  Highlanders 
of  the  old  stock,  who  was  desirous  of  supporting  the 


64  uulDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

ancient,  privileges  and  independence  of  his  trihe.  Of 
his  being  a  freebooter,  and  his  heading  a  band  of 
desperate  banditti,  which  is  asserted  and  beliewd, 
there  is  no  evidence:  on  the  contrary,  he  was  never 
known  wantonly  to  make  an  unprovoked  assault,  or 
to  break  a  promise  he  had  once  made.  He  was 
generous  and  humane  to  all  who  suffered  from  dis- 
ease or  poverty;  and  he  cannot  be  denied  the  meed 
of  respect  for  his  bravery,  which  was  never  exerted 
against  the  unfortunate.  Rob  Roy  removed  with 
his  family  to  a  farm  in  Balquhidder,  after  he  had 
been  driven  from  his  residence  on  his  own  propert; 
of  Inversnaid.  The  farm  to  which  he  removed  hai 
been  taken  by  the  M'Larens,  who  were  connexion 
of  his  own  ;  but  Rob  and  his  M'Gregors  kept  then 
out  by  force.  The  M'Larens  were  also  related  t 
the  Stewarts  of  Appin,  and  to  them  they  applied  fo 
assistance  against  the  M'Gregors.  Appin  assem 
bled  a  strong  body  of  his  clan  to  assist  in  putting  hi 
friends  in  possession  of  the  farm.  The  two  parti 
came  in  sight  of  each  other  at  the  Kirktown  of  Bal 
quhidder,  where  they  paused  as  men  will  naturall 
do,  who  are  about  to  attack  friends  and  relations 
Rob  Roy  here  stepped  forward,  and  challenged  an 
of  his  opponents  to  fight  him  with  the  broad  swon 
and  thus  settle  the  dispute  by  single  combat,  insteai 
of  involving  the  whole  in  bloodshed.  The  challeng 
was  accepted  by  Stewart  of  Invernahyle.  Afti 
they  had  fought  for  some  time,  terms  of  accomm 
elation  were  proposed  and  agreed  to,  and  the  partie 
separated  without  bloodshed."* 

Passing  Edenchipon  the  left,  at  ],3£  miles  beyon 

#•  Letterpress  to  Swan's  '  Viewa  of  the  Scottish  Lakps." 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  65 

Callander,  the  tourist  reaches  an  excellent  inn  at 
LocheaPn  Head  The  loch  is  9  miles  in  length,  and 
about  1  in  average  breadth,  and  in  some  places  100 
fathoms  in  depth.  It  is  finely  described  by  Dr. 
MacCulloch,  who  says  :  "  Limited  as  are  the  dimen- 
sions of  Lochearn,  it  is  exceeded  ia  beauty  by  few 
of  our  lakes,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  for  many  beauties 
to  exist  in  so  small  a  space.  I  will  not  say  that  it 
presents  a  great  number  of  distant  landscapes  adapt- 
ed for  the  pencil ;  but  such  as  it  does  possess  are 
remarkable  for  their  consistency  of  character,  and 
for  a  combination  of  sweetness  and  simplicity,  with 
a  grandeur  of  manner  scarcely  to  be  expected  with 
such  narrow  bounds.  Its  style  is  that  of  a  lake  of 
far  greater  dimensions;  the  hills  which  bound  it 
being  lofty,  and  bold,  and  rugged  ;  with  a  variety  of 
character  not  found  in  many  of  even  far  greater 
magnitude  and  extent.  It  is  a  miniature  and  model 
of  scenery  that  might  well  occupy  ten  times  the 
space.  Yet  the  eye  does  not  feel  this.  There  is 
nothing  trifling  or  small  in  the  details  ;  nothing  to 
diminish  its  grandeur  of  style,  and  tell  us  we  are 
contemplating  a  reduced  copy.  On  the  contrary, 
there  is  a  perpetual  contest  between  our  impressions 
and  our  reasonings  ;  we  know  that  a  few  short  miles 
comprehend  the  whole,  and  yet  we  feel  as  if  it  was  a 
landscape  of  many  miles,  a  lake  to  be  ranked  among 
those  of  first  order  and  dimensions. 

"  While  its  mountains  thus  rise  in  majestic  sim- 
plicity to  the  sky,  terminating  in  bold,  and  various, 
and  rocky,  outlines,  the  surfaces  of  the  declivities 
are  equally  bold  and  various  ;  enriched  with  preci- 
pices and  masses  of  protruding  rock,  with  deep  hol- 
lows and  ravines,  and  with  the  courses  of  innuroe- 


66  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

rable  torrents  which  pour  from  above,  and  as  they 
descend  become  skirted  with  trees  till  they  lose  them- 
selves in  the  waters  of  the  lake.  Wild  woods  also 
ascend  along  their  surface,  in  all  that  irregularity  of 
distribution  so  peculiar  to  these  rocky  mountains ; 
less  solid  and  continuous  than  at  Loch  Lomond  ; 
less  scattered  and  romantic  than  at  Loch  Katrine ; 
but,  from  these  very  causes,  aiding  to  confer  upon 
Lochearn  a  character  entirely  its  own."  The  prin- 
cipal mountain  in  the  vicinity  is  Ben  Voirlich,  which 
attains  an  altitude  of  3000  feet  above  the  lake,  and 
3305  feet  above  the  sea.  From  its  summit  the  view 
stretches  to  the  English  borders,  and  the  eastern  and 
western  seas.  To  the  west  of  Ben  Voirlich,  is  the 
rugged  hill  of  Stuchachroan,  and  to  the  south, '  lone 
Glenartney.'  In  the  middle  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
lake  is  an  island,  once  the  last  hold  of  the  Neishes,  a 
family  at  deadly  feud  with  the  Macnabs.  During 
night  a  party  of  Macnabs  made  good  a  landing,  un- 
perceived,  on  the  island,  and  put  the  whole  to  the 
sword.  At  the  further  extremity  of  the  lake  is  the 
pretty  little  village  of  St.  Fillan's,  formerly  called 
Portmore.  This  is  the  place  of  meeting  of  the  St. 
Fillan's  Society,  founded  in  1819,  and  comprehend- 
ing most  of  the  gentlemen  of  property  in  the  west  of 
Perthshire.  *'  The  general  meetings  are  always  held 
in  the  latter  end  of  August,  when  the  members  attend, 
?ach  fully  dressed  in  the  ancient  garb  of  his  country. 
In  the  centre  of  a  piece  of  ground  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river  a  square  stage  is  erected,  on  which  a 
variety  of  the  athletic  exercises  and  sports  of  the 
country  are  exhibited.  A  portion  of  the  leve» 
ground  surrounding  the  sta^e  is  railed  in,  and  fur- 
nished with  seats  and  awnings  t'cr  the  accommoda- 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  67 

tton  of  the  judges,  the  members,  and  visitors  of  dis- 
tinction ;  and  behind  this  is  a  space  in  which  the 
members  who  cannot  find  accommodation  are  left  to 
walk  at  pleasure.  The  multitude  of  onlookers  are 
well  accommodated  behind  this,  for  the  plain  is 
nearly  two-thirds  enclosed  by  a  rapidly  rising  slope, 
where,  taking  their  siations,  they  overlook  the 
whole  like  the  spectators  in  the  gallery  of  a  theatre. 
The  amusements  generally  commence  with  a  com- 
petition of  pipers  ;  the  successful  candidate  in  which 
is  rewarded  with  a  set  of  new  pipes,  handsomely 
mounted,  and  worth  eight  or  ten  guineas.  Manly 
and  athletic  exercises  follow  ;  such  as  putting  the 
stone,  throwing  the  hammer,  leaping,  target  shoot- 
ing, and  racing  hoth  on  foot  and  in  boats.  Compe- 
titors in  dancing  also  appear;  in  this  part  of  the 
amusement,  the  ancient  Scottish  sword  dance  bears 
a  prominent  part.  The  victors  in  all  these  exercises 
receive  rewards,  of  which  between  thirty  and  forty 
are  distributed.  After  the  games  are  concluded,  the 
members  march  in  order  with  the  bagpipes  at  their 
head,  to  their  hall  in  the  village,  where  they  dine 
together."*  The  direct  route  to  Perth  from  Loch- 
earn  Head  is  by  St.  Fi Han's,  and  through  Strath- 
earn,  a  distance  of  36£  miles  ;  but  the  tourist  to 
Loch  Tay  will  leave  Lochearn  Head  by  Glenogle,  and 
then  enter  Glendochart,  through  which  the  road 
to  Killin  proceeds.  Killin  is  a  romantic  village  on 
the  banks  of  the  Dochart,  near  to  its  junction  with 
the  Lochy,  at  the  head  of  Loch  Tay.  The  inhabi- 
tants claim  for  their  village  the  honour  of  being  the 
burial  place  of  Fingal.    Mr.  Pennant  thus  describes 

*  Letter-press  to  Swan's  '  Views  of  the  Scottish  Lakes.' 


68  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  view  from  a  hill  above  the  manse  of  Kill'm  :— 
"  A  most  delicious  plain,"  he  observes,  "  spreads 
itself  beneath,  divided  into  verdant  meadows,  or 
glowing  with  ripened  corn  ;  embellished  with  woods, 
and  watered  with  rivers  uncommonly  contrasted. 
On  one  side  pours  down  its  rocky  channel  the 
furious  Dochart,  on  the  other,  glides  between  its 
wooded  banks,  the  geritle  Lochy,  forming  a  vast 
bend  of  still  water,  till*t  joins  the  first ;  both  termi- 
nating in  the  great  expanse  of  Loch  Tay.  The 
northern  and  southern  boundaries  suit  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  lake  ;  but  the  former  rise  with  superior 
majesty  in  the  rugged  heights  of  Firriarig,  and  the 
wild  summits  of  the  still  loftier  Laurs  ( Ben- 
La  wers),  often  patched  with  snow  throughout  the 
year.  Extensive  woods  cloth  both  sides,  the  crea- 
tion of  the  noble  proprietor.'* 

"  Killin,"  says  Dr.  MacCulloch,  "  is  the  most 
extraordinary  collection  of  extraordinary  scenery  in 
Scotland,  unlike  every  thing  else  in  the  country,  and 
perhaps  on  earth,  and  a  perfect  picture-gallery  in 
itself,  since  you  cannot  move  three  yards  without 
meeting  a  new  landscape.  A  busy  artist  might  here 
draw  a  month,  and  not  exhaust  it.  It  is  indeed 
scarcely  possible  to  conceive  so  many  distinct  and 
marked  objects  collected  within  so  small  a  space,  and 
all  so  adapted  to  each  other  as  always  to  preserve  one 
character,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  produce  so  end- 
less a  number  of  distinct  and  beautiful  landscapes. 
To  find,  however,  all  that  Killin  has  to  give  of  this 
nature,  it  is  necessary  to  pry  about  into  corners,  like 
a  cat ;  as  the  separate  scenes  are  produced  by  very 
slight  changes  of  position,  and  are  often  found  in 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  69 

very  unexpected  places.  Fir  trees,  rocks,  torrents, 
mills,  bridges,  houses,  these  produce  the  great  bulk 
of  the  middle  landscape,  under  endless  combinations ; 
while  the  distances  more  constantly  are  found  in  the 
surrounding  hills,  in  their  varied  woods,  in  the 
bright  expanse  of  the  lake,  and  the  minute  orna- 
ments of  the  distant  valley,  in  the  rocky  and  bold 
summit  of  Craig  Cailleach,  and  in  the  lofty  vision 
of  Ben  Lawers,  which  towers  like  a  huge  giant  to 
the  clouds,  the  monarch  of  the  scene." 

Loch  Tay  is  about  15  miles  in  length,  and  from  1 
to  2  in  breadth.  Its  depth,  in  some  places,  reaches 
100  fathoms.  No  tourist  will  think  of  comparing 
this  Loch  to  Loch  Lomond,  but  it  is,  notwithstand- 
ing, a  very  lovely  inland  lake,  and  the  road,  on  either 
side  of  it,  offers  a  succession  of  beautiful  landscapes. 
It  has  too,  its  presiding  mountain,  like  the  Dumbar- 
tonshire loch.  Ben  Lawers  rises  to  the  height  of 
4015  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  a  visit  to  the 
summit,  easily  made,  will  perhaps  still  more  richly 
repay  the  tourist  than  the  ascent  of  Ben  Lomond. 
"  Looking  to  the  south,  the  lake,  with  all  its  orna- 
ments of  wood  and  field,  lies  at  our  feet,  terminating 
towards  the  west  in  the  rich  valley  of  Kiliin,  and 
joining  eastward  with  the  splendour  of  Strath-Tay. 
Beyond  the  lake  the  successive  ridges  of  hills  em- 
bosoming Strathearn,  lead  the  eye  to  the  Ochils 
and  the  Campsie  Fells,  and  beyond  even  to  Edin- 
burgh. Dunkeld  and  its  scenery  are  also  distinctly 
visible;  and  we  can  make  out,  with  ease,  the  bright 
estuary  of  the  Tay,  the  long  ridge  of  the  Sidlaw 
hills,  and  the  plain  of  Stratnmore.  Westward,  we 
trace  the  hills  of  Loch-Lomond  and  Loch- Katrine, 


70  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

and,  indeed,  every  marked  mountain  as  far  as  Oban. 
Cruachan  and  BuaehailJe-Etive  are  particularly 
conspicuous.  To  the  north,  Shechallion  and  its 
adjoining  mountains,  with  the  valley  of  the  Tummel 
and  Loch-Rannoch,  as  far  as  Loch  Laggan,  which 
appears  like  a  bright  narrow  line.  In  this  direction 
the  eye  is  carried  as  far  as  Glencoe  and  Ben- Nevis, 
on  the  one  hand;  while,  on  the  other,  Ben-y-gloe 
lifts  its  complicated  summit  above  the  head  of  Fer- 
rogan  ;  and,  beyond  this  the  mountains  of  Marr  and 
of  Cairngorm,  at  the  head  of  the  Dee,  some  of  them 
marked  with  perpetual  snow,  are  the  last  that  can 
be  traced."*  There  is  a  road  on  either  side  of  the 
lake  from  Killin  to  Kenmore,  a  distance  of  16  miles ; 
the  north  is  the  best  for  carriages,  the  south  for  pe- 
destrians, and  for  those  who  wish  to  visit  the  cascade 
of  Acharn,  2  miles  west  from  Kenmore.  Before 
quitting  Killin,  however,  we  wish  the  tourist  to 
know,  that  by  proceeding  up  the  Dochart  to  Crian- 
larich,  he  may  from  thence  enter  Glenfalloch,  and 
descend  to  the  head  of  Loch  Lomond. 

Proceeding  along  the  northern  shore  of  Loch  Tay, 
the  tourist  passes  the  castle  of  Finlarig,  an  old  seat 
of  the  Campbells  of  Glenorchy,  built  about  the  year 
1520.  Halfway  between  Killin  and  Kenmore,  is  a 
large  circle  of  stones,  such  as  are  commonly  called 
Druid  stones.  At  the  eleventh  mile  from  Killin,  a 
road  stretches  off  on  the  left  to  Glenlyon.  As  the 
road  approaches  Kenmore,  we  pass  on  the  right,  not 
far  from  the  shore,  the  islet  of  Loch  Tay,  on  which 

*  c  Swan's  Views.*  Mr.  Swan  has  given  us  two  views  of  thia 
loch.  One  of  them  is  that  described  so  enthusiastically  by  Mr. 
Pennant  in  a  preceding  extract. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  71 

are  the  remains  of  a  priory,  founded  in  1122,  by 
Alexander  1.,  where  Queen  Sybilla,  natural  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  1.  of  England,  was  interred  here. 
This  island  was  well  defended  by  the  Campbells 
against  Montrose.  Crossing  a  handsome  bridge  of 
three  arches,  erected  over  the  Tay,  at  the  point 
where  it  emerges  from  the  lake,  we  enter  Kenmore, 
a  neat  clean  looking  village.  About  a  mile  to  the 
east  is  Taymouth  castle,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of 
Breadalbane,  whose  estate  extends  from  Aberfeldy, 
4  miles  to  the  eastward  of  this  place  to  the  Atlantic 
ocean  on  the  west,  a  distance  of  above  100  miles, 
comprehending  the  most  elevated  tract  in  the  High- 
lands, as  the  name  Breadalbane  imparts.  Kenmore 
castle  was  recently  rebuilt.  "  The  ancient  edifice 
was  called  Balloch  castle,  from  the  Gaelic  bealach,  a 
gap,  mouth,  or  opening  into  a  glen  or  valley  ;  hence 
Taymouth,  or  the  Castle  at  the  mouth  of  the  lake. 
Its  noble  proprietor  has  most  extensive  properties  in 
this  part  of  the  country?  and  his  pleasure  grounds 
are  of  immense  circumference.  The  old  castle  was 
erected  by  Sir  Colin  Campbell,  sixth  knight  of 
Lochaw,  and  also  the  bridge  over  the  Tay  at  the 
mouth  of  the  lake.  He  died  in  1583,  and  we  are 
informed  that  he  *  was  ane  great  justiciar  all  his 
time,  throchtht  quhile  he  sustenit  that  dadlie  feid  of 
the  Clangreigour  ane  lang  space.  And  besydes  that, 
he  caused  executist  to  the  death  many  notable  lym- 
meris-  He  behaddit  the  laird  Macgregour  himself? 
at  Candmoir  in  presence  of  the  Erie  of  Atholl,  the 
justice  clerk,  and  sundrie  other  noblemen.'  The 
style  of  architecture  of  the  present  castle  is  well 
suited  to  the  magnificent  scenery  with  which  it  is 


7-2  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

surrounded.  Its  interior  is  fitted  up  with  great 
elegance:  the  grand  staircase  is  allowed  to  be  the 
finest  in  Scotland;  and  the  suite  of  state  apartments 
is  peculiarly  superb.  The  Baron's  Hall,  in  particu- 
lar, having  a  great  window  of  stained  glass,  is  the 
beau  ideal  of  feudal  grandeur ;  in  the  castle  are  many- 
valuable  paintings.  The  valley  in  which  Taymouth 
is  situate  has  a  delightful  opening  in  the  direction  of 
Loch  Tay,  about  1  mile  towards  the  south-west. 
On  entering  this  demesne,  the  tourist  will  be  struck 
with  the  great  contrast  betwixt  the  rugged  wilder- 
ness he  has  just  traversed,  and  the  smooth  verdant 
lawn  on  which  he  here  treads.  The  Tay,  issuing 
from  the  lake,  meanders  gracefully  past  the  majestic 
mansion,  and  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the 
pleasure-grounds,  and  is  joined  about  a  mile  below 
by  the  river  Lyon  ;  now  considerably  increased  in 
size,  it  takes  a  rapid  course  in  a  north-eastern  direc- 
tion. The  grounds  are  above  2  miles  long,  and  1 
broad,  and  stored  with  every  thing  that  can  enchant 
and  interest  the  tourist :  they  are  bounded  on  the 
south  by  the  road  from  Kenmore  to  Aberfeldie ;  on 
the  north  by  that  leading  from  Kenmore  to  Weem ; 
within  the  policy  and  along  the  winding  banks  of 
the  river,  terraces  are  formed  of  capacious  breadth, 
and  to  an  extent  of  nearly  5  miles :  these  terraces 
are  connected  by  a  light  cast  iron  bridge,  which  has 
a  fine  effect.  Near  the  centre  of  the  park,  on  a  fine 
plain,  is  the  house ;  it  is  in  the  castellated  Gothic 
style,  on  the  plan  of  lnverlochy  castle,  and  has  an 
air  of  royal  grandeur.  The  undulating  nature  of 
the  ground  affords  a  pleasant  variety  of  sylvan  scenes, 
and  has  been  decorated  by  the  hand  of  taste,  scrupu» 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  7<* 

lously  nice  in  preserving  the  character  of  its  original 
appearance.  The  whole  is  beautifully  wooded  with 
shrubbery,  and  stately  aged  trees.  The  Bergeau 
Walk,  as  it  is  called,  '  where  scarce  a  sunbeam  wan- 
ders through  the  gloom,'  is  shaded  by  lofty  trees 
forming  a  grand  avenue,  which  is  arched  over  by 
their  branches,  and  thus  forms  one  of  the  most  en- 
chanting walks  imaginable.  It  extends  a  mile  along 
the  banks  of  the  river.  A  guide  will  point  out  the 
most  interesting  objects  of  this  charming  spot.  It 
is  bounded  by  mountains  covered  with  wood,  and 
watered  by  rivers  of  crystalline  transparency.  East- 
ward are  seen  the  hills  of  Dull,  shooting  up  from 
dark  Glen-Lyon.  They  are  lost  in  the  distance 
among  the  crags  of  Weem,  which  are  again  sur- 
mounted by  hills,  whose  russet  ridges  occasionally 
shoot  into  grey  sterile  peaks.  Looking  westward 
from  the  Temple  on  the  right,  is  the  bold  Ben-Law* 
ers,  rising  pre-eminent  over  the  neighbouring  moun- 
tains. On  the  left,  the  scene  is  of  a  milder  character ; 
the  centre  in  the  extreme  distance  is  occupied  by 
the  double-headed  Ben- More,  mingling  with  the 
hues  of  the  remotest  visible  horizon;  and  in  the 
foreground  are  Kenmore,  church,  river,  bridge  ;  and 
beyond  these  the  sweet  lake  itself,  (with  its  project- 
ing promontories  and  fertile  tracts  of  land  running 
far  into  it,)  extending  its  glassy  bosom  to  a  great 
distance,  until  it  is  lost  among  the  mountains. 
Immediately  behind  the  bridge,  and  near  the  shore, 
is  an  islet  with  the  remains  of  the  priory,  (already 
noticed,)  which  is  almost  hid  by  the  trees  that  shel- 
ter this  sacred  retreat,  the  whole  forming  a  most 
delightful  landscape."* 

*  Stirling  and  Kenney's  '  Scottish  Tourist.* 


74  GUIDE  TO  THE  FICTURE3QUE 

The  tourist  pursues  his  journey  down  the  rich 
strath  of  the  Tay,  now  a  majestie  stream.  About  3 
miles  beyond  Kenmore  he  passes  Bolf racks,  and  a 
mile  further  on,  Castle  Menzies.  He  then  reaches 
Aberfeldie,  near  to  which  is  the  fine  fall  of  Moness, 
celebrated  by  Burns  : — 

'*  The  braes  ascend  like  lofty  wa's, 
The  foaming  stream  deep  roaring  fa's, 
O'erhung  wi'  fragrant  spreading  shaws, 

The  birks  of  Aberfeldie. 
The  hoary  cliffs  are  crown'd  wi'  flowers ; 
White  o'er  the  linn  the  burnie  pours, 
And,  rising,  weets  wi'  misty  showers 

The  birks  of  Aberfeldie. 

Keeping  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Tay  we  pass 
the  castle  of  Grandtully  on  the  right ;  then  Ballechin 
on  the  left ;  then  Balnaguard  inn  on  the  right,  and 
Eastertyre  on  the  left.       Beyond  this  latter  point  , 
there  is  a  road  leading  to  Logierait.     A  mile  beyond  j 
Balnaguard,  is  the  village  of  Port,  and  a  mile  farther,  ! 
Balmacneil.     Beyond  the  latter  village  is  Kinnaird,  j 
a  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Atholl,  and  1£  mile  beyond 
Glenalbert     Passing  Dalguise  and  Ballalachan,  we 
reach  Dalmarnock,  3  miles  beyond  which  we  cross  | 
the  Braan,  at  the  village  of  Invar,  and  enter  Dun- 
keld. 

This  place  is  of  great  antiquity,  and  was  once  the  I 
capital  of.  ancient  Caledonia.     The  finest  approach  ' 
to  it  is  from  the  bridge  towards  the  north,  through  I 
the  great  Highland  pass.     "  There  are  few  places,"  , 
says    Dr.    MacCulloch,  "  of  which  the  effect  is  so 
striking,  as  Dunkeld,  when  first  seen  on  emerging  ! 
from  this  pass  ;  nor  does  it  owe  this  more  to  the 
suddenness  of  the  view,  or  to  its  contrast  with  the 
long  preceding   blank,  than   to    its   own    intrinsic 
beauty;  to  its  magnificent  bridge  and  its  cathedral,  j 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  76 

nestling  among  its  dark  woody  hills,  to  its  noble 
river,  and  to  the  brilliant  profusion  of  rich  orna- 
ment. The  leading  object  in  the  landscape  is  the 
noble  bridge  standing  high  above  the  Tay.  The 
cathedral,  seen  above  it,  aad  relieved  by  the  dark 
woods  in  which  it  is  embosomed,  and  the  town,  with 
its  congregated  grey  houses,  add  to  the  general  mass 
of  architecture,  and  thus  enhance  its  effect  in  the 
landscape.  Beyond,  rise  the  round  and  rich-swell- 
ing woods  that  skirt  the  river;  stretching  away  in  a 
long  vista  to  the  foot  of  Craig  Vinean,  which,  with 
all  its  forests  of  fir,  rises,  a  broad,  shadowy  mass, 
against  the  sky.  The  varied  outline  of  Craig-y- 
barns,  one  continuous  range  of  darkly  wooded  hill* 
now  swelling  to  the  light,  and  again  subsiding  hi 
deep  shadowy  recesses,  forms  the  remainder  of  this 
splendid  distance.  The  Duke  of  Athole's  grounds 
present  a  succession  of  walks  and  rides  in  every  style 
of  beauty  that  can  be  imagined ;  but  they  will  not 
be  seen  in  the  few  hours  usually  allotted  to  them,  as 
the  extent  of  the  walks  is  fifty  miles,  and  of  the  rides 
thirty.  It  is  the  property  of  few  places,  perhaps  of 
no  one  in  all  Britain,  to  admit,  within  such  a  space, 
of  such  a  prolongation  of  lines  of  access;  and  every- 
where with  so  much  variety  of  character,  such  fre- 
quent changes  of  scene,  and  so  much  beauty."  Dr. 
E.  D.  Clarke  pronounces  the  whole  scene  to  be  one 
which  "  perhaps  has  not  its  parallel  in  Europe." 
Of  the  cathedral  of  Dunkeld  Mr.  MacCulloch  says: 
"  Wanting  only  the  roof,  it  wants  nothing  as  a  ruin  ; 
and,  as  a  Scottish  ecclesiastical  ruin,  it  is  a  specimen 
of  considerable  merit.  The  choir  has  recently  been 
converted  into  a  parish  church  ;  but,  as  tne  restora- 
tions, with  very  little  exception,  have  been  made 


76  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

from  the  original  design,  no  injury  to  the  building; 
has  followed,  while  much  advantage  to  its  preserva- 
tion has  been  gained,  by  supporting  with  fresh  ma- 
sonry such  parts  as  were  falling  into  decay,  and  by 
removing  such  ruin  as  produced  disorder  without 
embellishment.  Though  the  early  history  of  this 
establishment  is  obscure,  it  is  understood  that  there 
was  here  a  monastery  of  Culdees.  Kenneth  Mac- 
alpine  is  said  to  have  brought  the  bones  of  St. 
Columba  hither  from  Iona.  Mylne  asserts  that 
there  was  a  religious  foundation  here  by  Constan- 
tinethe  Pictish  king,  in  729,  and  that  David  I-  con- 
verted it  into  an  episcopal  see  in  1127.  it  seems 
that  it  was  once  the  primacy  of  Scotland,  till  that 
was  transferred  to  St.  Andrews.  Among  the  bishops, 
Gavin  Douglas  is  a  name  not  to  be  forgotten  in 
Scottish  literature,  nor  William  Sinclair  in  the  his- 
tory of  Scottish  independence.  The  monument  of 
the  former  is  in  his  works,  more  imperishable  than 
brass  or  marble  ;  but  the  latter  demands  some  better 
monument  than  the  tablet  of  grey  stone  which  was 
inscribed  to  his  name.  His  spirit  was  worthy  of  his 
age,  of  the  proud  spirit  of  Bruce  and  Wallace.  On 
a  part  of  Edward  the  Second's  troops  landing  at 
Dunnibrissel  in  Fife,  with  the  intention  of  ravaging 
the  country,  Bishop  Sinclair,  with  sixty  retainers, 
joined  a  larger  band  which  was  raised  by  Duncan, 
earl  of  Fife,  and  attacking  the  invaders,  obliged 
them  to  retire  with  great  loss.  There  is  much  more 
uniformity  in  the  architecture  of  this  cathedral  than  | 
was  usual  in  our  Gothic  ecclesiastical  buildings. 
Nevertheless,  like  most  of  the  Scottish  specimens,  it  | 
is  compounded  of  several  styles  ;  including  the  Nor- 
man, together  with  every  one  of  the  varieties  ot  th« 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  77 

three  periods  of  Gothic  architecture  which  followed 
It.  Of  the  vtvy  lew  ancient  tombs  which  remain, 
the  most  remarkable  is  that  of  the  celebrated  Aiister 
More-mac-anrigh,  better  known  as  the  Wolf  of 
Badenoch.  It  is  a  statue  in  armour,  of  somewhat 
rude  workmanship,  with  a  lion's  head  at  the  feet, 
and  with  this  inscription  :  '  Hie  jacet  Alexander 
Seneschallus,  filius  Roberti  regis  Scotorum  et  Eliza- 
bethe  More,  Dominus  de  Buchan  et  Badenoch,  qui 
obiit  A.D.  1894"' 

From  Dunkeld  it  is  usual  to  make  a  few  short 
excursions  to  the  principal  points  of  scenery  in  the 
neighbourhood  :  to  Dunkeld  House,  the  seat  of  the 
duke  of  Athole  ;  to  Craig-y-barns,  from  the  summit 
of  which  there  is  a  noble  view  ;  to  the  cascade  of  the 
Braan,   Ossian's  cave,  and  the   Rumbling  Bridge. 

"  The  greatest  curiosity  of  Dunkeld,"  says  Dr. 
Clarke,  "  at  least  that  which  is  generally  esteemed 
such,  is  the  cascade  formed  by  a  fall  of  the  Braan, 
about  half  a  mile  from  the  ferry.  The  manner  in 
which  this  is  presented  to  the  spectator  has  been 
much  reprobated  by  several  of  our  modern  tourists, 
who,  anxious  to  show  their  taste  for  the  beauties  of 
nature,  hastily  condemn  the  smallest  interference  of 
art.  For  my  own  part,  I  entirely  differ  from  them 
respecting  the  cataract  of  the  Braan  at  Ossian's 
Hall.  I  consider  it  as  one  of  the  most  ingenious 
and  pleasing  ornaments  to  natural  scenery  I  ever 
beheld.  A  hermitage,  or  summer-house,  is  placed 
forty  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  fall  and  is  con- 
structed in  such  a  manner,  that  the  stranger,  in  ap- 
proaching the  cascade,  is  entirely  ignorant  of  his 
vicinity  to  it,  being  concealed  by  the  walls  of  this 
edifice.     Upon  entering  the  building,  you  are  struck 


78  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

with  a  painting  of  Ossian,  playing  upon  his  harp, 
and  tinging  the  songs  of  other  times.  The  picture, 
as  you  contemplate  it,  suddenly  disappears  with  a 
loud  noise,  and  the  whole  cataract  foams  at  once  be 
fore  you,  reflected  in  several  mirrors,  and  roaring 
with  the  noise  of  thunder.  It  is  hardly  possible  to 
conceive  a  spectacle  more  striking.  If  it  be  objected 
that  machinery  contrivance  of  this  sort  wears  too 
much  the  appearance  of  scenic  representation,  1 
should  reply,  that  as  scenic  representation  1  admire 
it,  and  as  the  finest  specimen  of  that  species  of  exhi- 
bition ;  which,  doubtless,  without  the  aid  of  such  a 
deception,  would  have  been  destitute  of  half  the  eiftct 
it  is  now  calculated  to  produce.  A  little  below  this 
edifice,  a  simple  but  pleasing  arch  is  thrown  across 
the  narrow  chasm  of  the  rocks,  through  which  the 
liver  flows  with  vast  rapidity.  About  a  mile  higher 
up  the  Braan,  is  the  Rumbling  Bridge,  thrown 
across  a  chasm  of  granite,  about  15  feet  wide. 
The  bed  of  the  river,  for  several  hundred  feet 
above  the  arch,  is  copiously  charged  with  massive 
fragments  of  rock  over  which  the  river  foams  and 
roars  like  the  waters  at  Ivy  Bridge  in  Devonshire. 
Approaching  the  bridge,  it  precipitates  itself  with 
great  fury,  through  the  chasm,  casting  a  thick  cloud 
of  spray  or  vapour  high  above  the  bridge,  and  agi- 
tating, by  its  fury,  even  the  prodigious  masses  which 
form  the  surrounding  rocks.  Few  objects  will  more 
umply  repay  the  traveller  for  the  trouble  of  visiting 
them,  than  the  woody  precipices,  the  long,  winding, 
shady  groves,  the  ruins  and  cataracts  of  Dunkeld." 
The  tourist  may  return  from  Ossian's  hall  along  the 
fice  of  Craig  Vinean,  whir -h  commands  a  delightfiu 
prospect. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  79 

Few  tourists  spend  any  time  at  Dunkeld  without 
visiting  biai/gowne,  12  miles  distant.  The  road 
winds  along  the  foot  of  the  Grampian3.  About  2 
miles  from  Dunkeld  is  the  Loch  of  Lows, — a  mile 
beyond,  Butterstone  loch, — 4  miles  farther  Loch 
Cluny, — and  within  2  miles  of  Blairgowrie  the  loch 
of  Marlie.  The  inn  of  Marlie  is  much  frequented 
during  the  shooting  season.  From  Blairgowrie  he 
may  pursue  his  route  to  the  Spittal  of  Glenshee,  and 
following  the  course  of  the  stream  upwards,  reach 
Castleton  Braemar,  where  there  are  good  inns.  The 
linn  of  Dee  is  about  4  miles  from  this,  and  a  delight- 
ful excursion  can  be  made  down  the  vale  of  the  Dee, 
or  that  of  the  Don. 

There  is  another  excursion  frequently  made  by 
tourists  while  at  Dunkeld,  to  Blair  Atholl.  The 
road  runs  northwards  along  the  banks  of  the  river 
for  a  distance  of  five  miles  from  Dunkeld.  About 
2  miles  beyond  Dowally,  the  straths  of  the  Tay  and 
the  Tummel  unite, — the  former  stretching  westward, 
the  latter  towards  the  north, — and  upon  the  tongue 
of  land  formed  by  their  union  is  the  village  of 
Logierait,  opposite  to  Ballinluig,  through  which 
the  road  passes.  Two  miles  beyond  Ballinluig,  the 
road  enters  Moulinearn,  where  there  is  a  good  inn. 
We  then  pass  in  succession,  Donavourd,  Ldradour, 
Black  Castle,*  and  Pitlochrie — where  a  road  strikes 

*  "  This  building  is  supposed  to  have  been  inhabited  by  an 
English  Baron,  who  married  a  Scottish  heiress  in  the  reign  oi 
Edward  I.  Remains  of  similar  towers  are  to  be  discovered 
along  the  whole  of  this  track.  Some  conjecture  that  they  were 
used  for  making  signals  by  fire  in  case  of  invasion  ;  othen. 
think  they  were  Tigh-Fa:ky~,  or  storehouses  for  the  security  of 
property,  in  case  ot  sudden  inroads  Mr.  Pennant  inclines  to 
the  former  opinion,  and  mentions,  that  he  and  his  fellow-tra- 
veller, Mr.  Stuart,  traced  a  chain  of  such  circular  buildings 


80  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

off  to  the  right  by  Moulin,  distant  If  nv.le.     The 
hills  now  begin  to  close  in  and  form  a  most  romantic 
scene.      Passing  Fascally,  beautifully  situated  upon 
a  tongue   of  land   formed   by  the   Garry   and    the 
Tummel,   the  tourist  enters  the  celebrated  pass  of 
Killiecrankie,  where  Dundee  fell  in  the  moment  of 
victory,  on  the  17th  of  July,  1689.     "  Dundee,"  says 
Chambers,  "  was  posted  on  this  occasion  upon  the 
rising  grounds  beyond  the  pass,  and   Mackay  ap- 
proached through  the  narrow  dangerous  defile  from 
the  low  country.     Dundee  permitted  the  royal  troops 
to  evolve  completely  into  the  open  ground,  and,  then 
descending  in  close  columns  upon  their  lines,  put 
them  at  once  and  completely  to  the  route.     He  him< 
self  was  killed  by  a  musket  bullet,  which  pierced  his 
body,  beneath  the  armpit,  as  he  was  pointing  the 
pursuit  with  his  sword.     The  pass  of  Killiecrankie 
is,  simply,  a  particular  part  of  the  vale  of  the  Garry 
where  the  hills  on  both  sides  approach  very  near 
and  descend   in   precipitous   rugged   steeps  to   tin 
rough  channel  of  the  stream.     The  whole  is  clothec 
with  natural  wood,  and  abounds  in  dense  shades  an 
horrid   depths,   such   as  must  appal   the   stoutest 
hearted  traveller.     Formerly  the  road  passed  alonj 
very  near  the  bottom  of  the  defile,  and  was  so  nar 
row,  and  so  dangerous  in  appearance,  that  the  Hes 
sian  troops,  in  1746,  being  ordered  to  advance  fron 
Dunkeld,  in  order  to  raise  the  siege  of  Blair,  fairl; 
turned  back  in  limine,  and  could  upon  no  account  b 
induced  to  pass  through  ;  the  whole  appearing  t 
them  like  the  entry  to  another  world.     It  has  los 

extending  from  the  Hill  of  Drummond,  near  Taymouth,  t^ 
wards  the  western  ocean."— -Stirling  and  Kenney's  *  Scottti 
Tourist.* 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  £» 

much  of  its  dreadful  character  in  modern  times, 
from  toe  oroaa  new  roaa  whicn  nas  been  led  securely 
aiong  tne  sunny  side  ot  the  pass,  half-way  up  the 
hills.  The  battle  ground  has  been  effectually  com- 
memorated by  a  tall  rude  obelisk  of  stone,  (rising 
from  a  level  field,  within  three  miles  of  Blair,  on 
the  right-hand  side  of  the  road,)  which  is  said  to 
mark  the  precise  spot  where  Dundee  fell." 

The  tourist  is  now  entering  Blair  A  thole,  or  *  the 
field  of  Athol ;'  a  beautiful  picturesque  region, 
abounding  in  the  most  varied  and  enchanting  scenery. 
The  grounds  of  Athole  House  should  be  visited— 
the  scenery  of  Glen  Tilt,  and  the  falls  of  the  Bruar. 
It  was  the  quick  and  tasteful  perception  of  our 
national  poet,  Burns,  which  created  much  of  the 
beauty  which  now  adorns  this  spot.  It  was  he  who, 
in  his  poem  entitled,  i  Bruar  A  thole's  Petition,' 
first  suggested  to  the  noble  proprietor  the  idea  of 
decorating  this  part  of  his  estate  with  plantations; 
and  now,  to  use  the  words  of  a  lady  tourist,  "  the 
shades  which  he  imagined,  have  actually  sprung  up, 
and  the  melodies  of  his  ideal  birds  resound  from 
their  branches.  Nothing  can  be  more  sudden  and 
luxuriant  than  the  growth  of  the  plants  scattered 
along  the  abrupt  back  of  the  Bruar,  fed  by  a  con- 
stant, though  scarce  visible  shower  from  the  ascend- 
ing mist  of  successive  cascades,  sheltered  from  every 
1 1  wind  by  the  rocky  walls  that  surround  them, — and 
(enjoying,  by  the  reflection  of  the  sun  from  their 
(flinty  bed,  a  degree  of  heat  scarce  inferior  to  that  of 
ija  hot-house;  the  tenderest  plants  are  here  sate  and 
flourishing.  It  would  be  unjust,"  continues  our 
i  authoress,  "  to  quit  the  boundary  of  this  wide  do- 
■nain,  without  adverting  to  an  improvement  of  the 


t&  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

most  lasting  and  extensive  nature,  which  is  f'ere  in 
a  state  of  daily  advancement,  those  bleak  and  naked 
mountains  which  repelled  the  eye  of  the  traveler, 
and  appeared  to  serve  no  other  visible  purpose  but 
that  of  a  frowning  barrier  to  the  last  retreat  of  un- 
conquered  valour,  are  now  assuming  a  very  different 
aspect, — plantations  of  an  almost  incredible  extent 
are  quickly  overspreading  their  dusky  and  rugged  sur- 
face,— the  Duke  plants  many  millions  of  trees  every 
year.  The  continuity,  the  extent,  of  these  lofty  and 
thriving  plantations,  reminds  me  of  the  beautiful 
fiction,  in  the  Spectator,  of  Hilpse  and  Shallam, 
where  the  disappointed  antediluvian  is  represented 
as  consoling  his  love-lorn  sorrows  by  adorning  the 
mountains  with  groves  of  his  own  creating.  To  be 
sure,  the  space  of  five  hundred  years,  which  Shallam 
devoted  to  this  useful  amusement  gave  room  for 
improvement  far  beyond  what  our  limited  three- 
score and  ten  admits  of.  Yet  in  this  instance  the 
parallel  does  not  entirely  fail ;  a  succession  of  our 
short-lived  Shallams  following  in  this  path  of  im- 
provement, with  a  noble  emulation,  the  steps  of 
their  predecessors,  may  equal  the  sole  exertions  of 
the  imaginary  planter."*  An  excursion  may  be 
made  from  Blair  Athole,  as  well  as  from  Blair 
Gowrie,  into  Braemar.  There  is  also  a  very  entic- 
ing route  from  Blair  Athole  to  Loch  Tummei  and 
Loch  Rannoch,  a  distance  of  36  miles,  by  a  good 
carriage  road.  The  river  Tummei  rises  in  Loch 
Rannoch,  and  joins  the  Tay  at  Logierait,  after  a 
course  of  only  25  miles;  "  but  notwithstanding  the 
shortness  of  its  course,"  says  Mr.  Leighton,  ■«  there 

*  Miss  Spence's  '  Letters  from  the  North  Highlands,*  pub- 
lished in  1817. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  83 

are  few  rivers  in  Scotland  to  be  compared  to  it ;  none 
wmcn  so  seidoin  presents  views  the  visitor  would 
pass  shgntly  over.  From  its  source  to  its  termi- 
nation it  exhibits  one  continued  series  of  the  most 
delightful  and  varied  landscapes.  Who  that  has 
once  seen  it,  even  though  years  may  have  rolled 
over  his  head,  can  ever  forget  the  valley  of  the  Turn- 
mel,  or  its  ever-changing  beauties  !  And  yet  how 
very  few  have  ever  visited  the  finest  portions  of  this 
stream.  Among  the  numbers  numberless  who 
perambulate  our  ancient  realm,  nine  out  of  every 
ten  leave  the  finest  portions  of  the  Tummel  unheeded 
and  unknown."  The  road  strikes  off  at  the  bridge 
over  the  Garry.  "  The  valley  is  here  close  and 
woody,  with  a  lofty  and  various  boundary,  so  nar- 
row that,  with  few  exceptions,  the  mountain  ac- 
clivities rise  abruptly  from  the  water,  leaving  no 
flat  land,  or  space  of  any  kind  on  its  margin.  '  The 
distinguishing  characters  of  this  place,'  says  Dr. 
MacCulloch,  '  consist  in  its  narrowness  and  pro- 
longation ;  in  the  sudden  rise  and  loftiness  of  the 
boundaries  ;  in  the  great  variety  of  their  rocky  out- 
line ;  in  the  wonderful  intricacy  of  their  surfaces, 
and  of  the  woods,  rocks,  and  ravines  which  cover 
and  intersect  them  ;  in  the  highly  ornamented  and 
varied  course  of  the  river  ;  and  in  the  exquisitf 
forms  and  arrangements  of  the  forested  and  scattered 
birches  which  here  constitute  the  only  wood.  So 
large  and  so  perfect  are  these  trees,  that  where  they 
form  continuous  woods  their  effect  on  the  landscape 
is  equal  in  richness  to  that  of  oak  forest,  round  full, 
and  swelling,  and  from  the  shape  of  the  land,  thrown 
into  broad  masses  of  endless  variety ;  while,  where 
they  are  disposed  in  groups  or  in  scattered  clumps 


84  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

or  where  they  stand  as  solitary  trees,  their  effects 
are  even  more  beautiful,  more  airy,  and  more  in 
character  with  that  general  lightness  which  here,  as 
at  Loch  Katrine,  forms  so  essential  a  part  of  the 
effect  of  the  scenery.' 

"The  opening  of  the  glen  of  Fincastle  affords  a 
pleasing,  though  but  a  momentary  relief,  amid  all 
this  *  greenery.'  This  valley  was  once  famous  for 
the  number  of  its  castles,  and  even  yet  the  ruins  of 
fifteen  can  be  traced.  The  great  fall  of  the  Tummel 
also  now  attracts  attention.  In  point  of  altitude  it 
cannot  be  compared  with  those  of  Foyers  or  the 
Clyde ;  but  it  has  its  own  distinct  characteristics, 
which  must  ever  m  ike  it  rank  among  the  first  of 
Scottish  cascades.  The  river  here  falls,  in  white 
foam,  over  a  height  of  sixteen  feet,  in  forms  so 
graceful,  so  varied,  and  so  well-marked,  that  the 
visitor  gazes  in  silent  admiration,  unheeding,  for  a 
time,  the  landscape  which  surrounds  it.  The  rocks 
and  trees  around,  however,  are  no  less  beautiful  and 
appropriate ;  and  the  general  landscape  is  rich  and 
romantic."  Loch  Rannoch  is  about  10  miles  in 
length,  and  2  in  breadth  ;  the  mountains  of  Breadal- 
bane  and  Lorn  close  the  view  towards  the  head  of 
the  loch,  on  the  east  is  the  lofty  Shechallion. 

But  we  must  now  resume  our  main  line  of  route 
from  Dunkeld  to  Perth.  The  distance  between 
these  places,  by  the  following  route  is  14  miles.  Two 
miles  beyond  Dunkeld  is  the  famous  hill  of  Birnam, 
beyond  which  the  scenery  becomes  rather  bleak  and 
sterile.  Six  miles  from  Dunkeld  is  the  village  of 
Auchtergaven,  and  a  mile  farther  on  the  mill  of 
Loak.  A  little  beyond  this  is  a  road  striking  off 
on  the  left  towards  the  Linn  of  Campsie.     Beyond 


SCKXE&Y  OK  8GOTLANU.  85 

this  point  13  the  field  of  Luncarty,  where  the  Danes 
were  defeated  hy  the  Scots.  Crossing  the  Almond 
by  a  bridge  of  3  arches,  and  passing  Few  House, 
and  Balherisie  and  Tulloch  printfields,  we  enter 
Perth. 

This  fine  town  occupies  the  centre  of  a  spacious 
plain,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tay,  28  miles  above  the 
confluence  of  that  river  with  the  sea.  Finely  wooded 
heights  of  gentle  ascent  environ  it  on  all  sides.  It 
chiefly  consists  of  two  long  streets  forming  right 
angles  with  the  line  of  the  river,  and  from  which  a 
number  of  new  streets  branch  off.  A  bridge  of  10 
arches  built  in  1772,  connects  the  city  with  a  suburb 
called  Brighron.  The  oldest  building  in  Perth  is  St. 
Johns  church.  Gowrie  House,  the  scene  of  a  singular 
transaction  in  Scottish  history,  now  no  longer  exists, 
the  ground  on  which  it  stood  being  occupied  by  the 
county  buildings.  The  Inches  are  beautiful  pieces 
of  public  pleasure-ground  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 
It  was  on  the  North  Inch  that  that  singular  com- 
bat took  place  betwixt  a  chosen  party  of  Mackays 
and  Macintoshes,  of  which  Sir  Walter  Scott  has  so 
effectively  availed  himself  in  *  The  Fair  Maid  of 
Perth.'  The  tourist  should  provide  himself  with  a 
local  guide  book  to  the  interesting  antiquities  and 
localities  of  this  ancient  city,  amongst  which  are 
Scone,  Dunsinan,  Luncarty,  and  the  grave  of  Bessy 
Bell  and  Mary  Gray. 

Mr.  Chambers  says  :  "  The  common  tradition  of 
Bessie  Bell  and  Mary  Gray  i3,  that  the  father  of 
the  former  was  laird  of  Kinnaird,  and  of  the  latter 
the  laird  of  Lynedoeh  ;  that,  in  the  words  of  the 
song,  they  were  *  twa  bonnie  lassies,'  and  an  inti- 
mate   friendship    subsisted    between    them.       The 


86  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

plague  of  1666  broke  out  while  Bessy  Bell  was  on  a 
visit  to  her  friend  at  Lynedoch.  In  order  to  avoid 
the  infection,  they  built  themselves  a  bovver  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  west  from  Lynedoch,  in  a 
very  retired  and  romantic  spot,  called  Burn  Braes, 
on  the  side  of  the  Branri  Burn,  which  soon  after 
joins  the  Almond.  Here  they  lived  for  some  time, 
supplied  with  food,  it  is  said,  by  a  young  gentleman 
of  Perth,  who  was  in  love  with  them  both.  The 
disease  was  unfortunately  communicated  to  them  by 
their  lover,  and  proved  fatal.  According  to  custom, 
in  cases  of  the  plague,  they  were  not  buried  in  the 
ordinary  places  of  sepulture,  but  in  a  secluded  spot, 
—the  Dronach  Haugh,  at  the  foot  of  a  brae  of  the 
same  name,  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  Almond. 
Some  tasteful  person  has  fashioned  a  sort  of  bower 
over  the  spot ;  and  there  *  violets  blue,  and  daisies 
pied,'  sweetly  blow  over  the  remains  of  unfortunate 
beauty." 

Scone  is  about  2  miles  north  from  Perth.  The 
house  of  Scone,  the  seat  of  the  Karl  of  Mansfield, 
is  a  modern  building,  occupying  the  site  of  the  an- 
cient palace  where  the  kings  of  Scotland  used  to  be 
crowned.  In  838,  the  Culdees  founded  an  Abbey 
here,  to  which  the  famous  stone  on  which  the 
kings  were  crowned  was  transferred  from  Dun- 
staffnage ;  Edward  I.  removed  it,  in  1296,  to 
Westminster  Abbey.  There  is  a  fine  collection  of 
paintings  in  Scone  House.  Kinfauns  House,  the 
seat  of  Lord  Gray,  is  at  the  distance  of  3  miles  from 
Perth,  on  the  Dundee  road.  There  is  a  good  col- 
lection of  paintings  and  some  antiquities  here.  The 
Bridge  of  Erne,  at  the  distance  of  3  miles  from 
Perth,  on  the  Edinburgh  road,  is  a  famous  watering 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


87 


place,  and  was  in  ancient  times  one  of  the  great 
Highland  passes.  At  a  little  distance  are  the  famous 
Pitcaithly  Wells,  known  to  all  the  real  or  fancied 
dyspeptic  patients  in  Scotland.  There  is  excellent 
accommodation  both  at  the  Bridge  and  wells  for 
visitors,  including  a  public  ball-room,  reading-room, 
and  table  d'hote.* 

The  scenery  surrounding  Pitcaithly  is  very  fine. 
Pennant  pronounces  the  view  from  the  neighbouring 
hill  of  Moncrieif  or  Moredun,  'the  glory  of  Scot- 
land. '  Towards  the  east  the  carse  of  Gowrie 
stretches  20  miles  along  the  noble  river,  at  the 
mouth  of  which  are  seen  the  town  of  Dundee  and 
Broughty  Ferry  ;  on  the  west  is  the  fine  strath  of  the 
Erne ;  on  the  north  the  horizon  is  bounded  by  the 
Grampians  with  Perth  in  the  foreground.     In  as- 

*  The  following  analysis  of  the  chemical  contents  of  a  wine 
gallon  measure  from  each  of  the  five  wells  here  was  made  by 
Mr.  Stoddart  of  Perth  :— 


Atmospheric  air,  -    -    - 

East  West' Spout 
WelL,WeU.WeU. 

Dum- 
barny 
Well. 

South 
Park 
Well. 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4  J 

L 

Carbonic  acid  gas,     -    - 

8 

8 

6 

5 

5  I 

Carbonate  of  lime,     -    - 

5 

5 

5 

5U 

5  1 

inch. 

Sulphate  of  lime,       -    - 

b% 

h% 

S 

3 

3    1 

M-iate  of    jjgj*:    _" 

100 
180 

92 
168 

82 
146 

f>7 
102 

44. 

84 

grains. 

Specific  gravity  of  a  galO 

Ion  of  each  more  thau> 
distilled  water,  -    -    j 

210 

198 

172 

124 

93    1 

The  following  is  Dr.  Murray's  general  analysis  of  the  saline 
contents  of  a  wine  gallon  of  the  water  : — 
Common  salt 


Muriate  of  lime 
Sulphate  of  lime 
Carbonate  of  lime 


31.3 


88  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTU11ESQUE 

cending  Strathcarn,  at  the  distance  of  about  4  miles 
above  the  Bridge,  we  pass  Dupplin  House,  the  seat 
of  the  Karl  of  Kinnoul.  In  this  neighbourhood  a 
sanguinary  battle  was  fought,  in  1333,  between  the 
Scots  and  English,  in  which  the  latter  gained  a 
decisive  victory.  il  Nearly  opposite  to  Dupplin 
House,"  says  Mr.  Chambers,  "  the  rivulet  May- 
enters  the  Erne,  forming  the  vale  so  well  known 
to  the  lovers  of  Scottish  song  by  the  title  of  Ender- 
may,  or  Invermay.  The  birches  which  grow  in 
Invermay  were  celebrated,  about  a  century  ago, 
by  Mallet,  in  a  pleasant  little  ode,  which  is 
known,  however,  to  have  been  only  written  to 
suit  an  air  which  had  long  before  existed  under 
the  same  name.  It  is  chiefly  around  the  house 
of  Invermay,  at  the  mouth  of  the  little  vale, 
that  these  trees  are  to  be  seen.  They  are  accom- 
panied by  a  prodigious  quantity  of  other  trees ;  and 
it  is  pleasing  to  know  that  the  whole  scenery  of  In- 
vermay is  worthy  of  the  attentions  which  the  muses 
of  music  and  poetry  have  conspired  to  bestow  upon 
it.  Through  the  wide  spread  pathless  woods,  the 
little  stream  dashes  over  a  series  of  cascades,  its 
course  generally  unseen  by  reason  of  the  trees,  and 
sometimes  on  account  of  overhanging  rocks.  At 
one  place  of  peculiar  ruggedness  and  picturesque 
beauty,  the  water  is  caused  by  the  rocks  to  make  a 
strange  noise,  which  is  perhaps  only  to  be  described 
by  the  uncouth  name  which  the  country  people  have 
given  to  it, — the  Humble  Bumble." 

Passing  up  the  strath,  we  reach  the  pleasant  town 
of  Crieff,  18  miles  from  Perth.  This  place  and  its 
environs,  is  spoken  of  in  rapturous  terms  by  Mr. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND,  89 

Chambers.  A  visit  to  it  will  enable  the  tourist  to 
make  various  excursions  of  great  interest.  Mr. 
MacCulloch  considers  Drummond  castle  absolutely 
unrivalled  in  the  Lowlands,  and  exceeded  in  the 
Highlands  only  by  Dunkeld  and  Blair.  "  Placed 
in  the  most  advantageous  position  to  enjoy  the  mag- 
nificent and  various  expanse  around,  it  looks  over 
scenery  scarcely  any  where  equalled.  With  ground 
of  the  most  commanding  and  varied  forms,  including 
water,  and  rock,  and  abrupt  hill,  and  dell,  and  gen- 
tle undulations;  its  extent  is  princely,  and  its  aspect 
that  of  ancient  wealth  and  ancient  power.  Noble 
avenues,  profuse  woods,  a  waste  of  lawn  and  pasture, 
an  unrestrained  scope,  every  thing  bespeaks  the 
carelessness  of  liberality  and  extensive  possessions ; 
while  the  ancient  castle,  its  earliest  part  belonging 
to  1500,  stamps  on  it  that  air  of  high  and  distant 
opulence  which  adds  so  deep  a  moral  interest  to  the 
rural  beauties  of  baronial  Britain." 

Of  Monzie,  the  seat  of  General  Campbell,  the 
same  authority  says:  "  The  great  beauty  of  this 
place  is  only  to  be  fairly  appreciated  from  the  hill 
above;  where  it  forms  the  middle  ground  and  con- 
spicuous feature  of  one  of  the  most  magnificent  of 
the  extended  landscapes  of  Scotland.  The  house 
itself  is  sufficient  to  give  a  centre  of  unity  to  the 
picture;  and  nothing  can  exceed  the  felicitous  ar- 
rangement of  the  rich  woods  which  surround  it, 
overhanging  its  valley,  and  rising  up  the  hills  in  all 
that  happy  mixture  of  carelessness  and  decision, 
which  holds  the  due  line  and  limit  between  the  pro- 
fusion of  nature  and  the  restraint  and  attentions  of 
art.     While  Monzie  may  offer  a  lesson  to  gentlemen 


90  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

of  the  capability  school,  it  occupies  a  species  of  un- 
decided and  undulating  ground  which  occurs  all 
over  Britain ;  and  whatever  art  has  done  here  may 
be  done  in  a  thousand  other  places.  But  few  parts, 
even  of  Scotland,  can  parallel  the  noble  landscape  in 
which  it  lies  ;  a  landscape  which  seems  to  have  been 
created  for  it,  arid  for  which  it  seems  to  have  been 
created  ;  a  continuous  scene  of  richness  and  beauty, 
of  wood,  and  cultivation,  and  hill,  retiring  in  varied 
and  endless  succession,  till  it  terminates  in  the  dis- 
tant blue  mountains  of  Loch  Earn." 

Having  made  this  digression  on  the  scenery  of  the 
neighbourhood  of  Perth,  we  return  to  the  main  line 
of  route  indicated  at  the  head  of  this  chapter.  Leav- 
ing the  Bridge  of  Earn,  the  tourist  passes  Kilgras- 
ton  and  Balmanno  Castle,  and  enters  Glenfarg,  a 
little  pastoral  valley  of  the  Ochils.  Beyond  this  is 
the  village  of  Milnathort;  and  1£  mile  farther  on 
is  the  town  of  Kinross,  17  miles  from  Perth.  There 
is  nothing  in  the  town  of  Kinross  itself  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  tourist;  but  Loch  Leven  and  its 
castle  will  interest  him  exceedingly.  "  This  beauti- 
ful expanse  of  water,"  says  Mr.  Leighton,  "  lies  in 
the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  burgh  of  Kin- 
ross, and  in  the  small  shire  of  that  name.  From 
Edinburgh  it  is  distant  about  27  miles,  and  26  miles 
from  Stirling.  Its  circumference  is  about  10  or  11 
miles;  and  its  bosom  is  studded  with  several  little 
islands,  which  break  the  uniformity  of  its  surface, 
and  increase  its  beauty.  The  general  character  of 
the  scenery  which  surrounds  it  is  soft  and  gentle, 
and  not  altogether  deficient  in  variety.  The  lovely 
▼ale  of  Kinross  environs  it  on  the  west  and  north-* 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  91 

west,  with  all  its  variety  of  plantations,  arable  and 
pasture  fields,  pleasure  grounds,  and  other  materials 
of  rural  beauty.  On  this  side  also,  «lose  to  the  mar- 
gin of  the  lake,  are  seen  the  ancient  town  of  Kinross, 
Kinross  House,  the  seat  of  Bruce,  and  its  adjacent 
garden  and  grounds.  About  a  mile  east  from  this, 
also  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  is  the  ruins  of  Bur- 
leigh Castle.  The  western  termination  of  the  Lo- 
mond hills  bounds  the  lake  on  the  north-east,  as  does 
the  hill  of  Bennarty  on  the  south-east  side.  In  this 
direction,  lying  between  the  west  Lomond  hill  and 
the  low  hill  of  Balbeddie,  is  a  level  tract  of  carse 
ground,  about  three  miles  in  length  and  one  in 
breadth,  through  which  the  water  of  Leven  Hows, 
after  leaving  the  lake,  towards  the  Frith  of  Forth. 
'  Loch  Leven,'  says  a  statistical  writer, l  is  popularly 
believed  to  be  mysteriously  connected  with  the  num- 
ber eleven,  being  eleven  miles  round,  surrounded  by 
eleven  hills,  fed  by  eleven  streams,  peopled  by  eleven 
kinds  of  fish,  and  studded  by  eleven  islands.  But 
some  of  these  properties  seem  quite  fanciful ;  others 
ar^  untrue.'  The  chief  islands  in  the  lake  are  only 
two  in  number:  ehe  island  opposite  Kinross,  on 
which  the  ruins  of  the  castle  stand,  and  St.  Serf's 
isle,  near  the  east  end,  on  which  are  the  remains  of 
a  religious  house.  This  religious  house,  it  is  alleged, 
must  have  been  originally  erected  here  upwards  of 
a  thousand  years  ago  ;  but  only  a  trifling  fragment 
of  the  ruins  is  now  left.  A  few  sheep  and  cattle 
which  feed  upon  its  grassy  surface,  are  now  the  only 
inhabitants  of  St.  Serf's  isle.  The  island  on  which 
the  ruins  of  the  castle  stand  is  about  two  acres  in 
extent ;   and  here,  it   is  said,  a  fortress  was  fiis»| 


92 


GUIDE  TO  THE  riCTURESQUE 


built  by  Congal,  the  son  of  Dongart,  king  of  the 
Picts.  '  In  the  wars  which  harassed  Scotland  dur- 
ing the  minority  of  David  II.,  the  castle  of  Loch- 
Leven  was  held  in  the  patriotic  interest  by  Allan 
de  Vipont,  against  the  troops  of  Edward  III.,  who 
acted  in  behalf  of  Edward  Baliol.  John  de  Strivilin 
blockaded  it,  erected  a  fortress  in  the  church-yard  of 
Kinross,  which  occupies  the  point  of  a  neighbouring 
promontory  ;  and  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake,  where 
the  water  of  Leven  issues  out  of  it,  it  is  said  that  he 
raised  a  strong  and  lofty  bulwark,  by  means  of  which 
he  hoped  to  lay  the  castle  under  water  and  constrain 
Vipont  to  surrender.  The  water  continued  to  rise 
daily,  and  the  besiegers  thought  themselves  certain 
of  success,  when  the  English  general  and  most  of  his 
troops  having  left  the  camp  to  celebrate  the  festival 
of  St.  Margaret  at  Dunfermline,  the  besieged,  seiz- 
ing the  favourable  opportunity,  (June  19,  1335  ) 
after  much  labour  and  perseverance,  broke  through 
the  barrier,  when  the  water  rushed  out  with  such 
impetuosity  as  to  overwhelm  the  English  encamped 
on  that  side.'  Loch- Leven,  however,  derives  its 
chief  historical  interest  from  the  fact  of  its  castle 
having  been  the  prison  of  Queen  Mary,  after  her 
surrender  to  the  confederated  Lords  at  Carberry 
hill.  In  the  reign  of  Robert  III.,  a  branch  of  the 
family  of  Douglas  had  obtained  a  grant  of  the  castle 
of  Loch-Leven.  with  lands  on  the  shore  of  the  lake. 
In  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Sir  Robert 
Douglas  of  Loch-Leven,  the  near  kinsman  of  the 
famous  James  Earl  of  Morton,  and  step-father  to 
the  equally  well-known  James  Earl  of  Murray, 
natural  brother  to  the  Queen,  was,  in  consequence 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  93 

of  his  connexion  with  the  leaders  of  her  disaffected 
subjects,  selected  as  the  jailor  of  the  unfortunate 
Mary,  who  was  imprisoned  here  on  the  16th  June, 
1567."  The  beauty  of  the  loch  has  been  not  a  little 
injured  of  late  years  by  an  attempt  to  drain  it !  A 
considerable  number  of  acres  have  been  laid  bare 
around  the  loch,  by  the  draining  off  of  several  feet 
of  water,  and  they  present  the  appearance  of  a  nar- 
row, stony,  sterile  belt  drawn  around  the  lake. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  the  village  of  the  Crook 
of  Devon,  on  the  road  from  Kinross  to  Stirling, 
are  three  remarkable  objects,  the  Devil's  Mill,  the 
Rumbling  Bridge,  and  the  Caldron  Linn.  The 
first  of  these  is  about  1J  mile  from  the  village. 
Here  the  Devon,  after  collecting  itself  in  a  deep 
pool,  formed  in  the  rock,  rushes  into  a  cavity  below, 
where  it  is  whirled  about  with  great  violence,  and 
occasions  a  beating  sound  like  the  working  of 
machinery,  against  the  sides  of  the  rock.  A  bout  4^0 
yards  below  the  Mill  is  the  Rumbling  bridge ;  "on 
each  side  the  rocks  rise  to  the  height  of  86  feet,  and 
approach  so  near  each  other,  that  a  bridge  of  22  feet 
span  connects  them.  The  scene  below,  as  seen  from 
the  old  bridge,  is  frightful,  and  cannot  be  contem- 
plated by  the  steadiest  head  without  awe  :  a  hand- 
some bridge  has  been  lately  erected  above  the  old  one. 
at  an  elevation  of  120  feet  from  the  bed  of  the  river  : 
looking  down  the  Devon  from  the  bridge,  the  pro- 
spect is  truly  sublime.  The  best  view  of  the  finely 
wooded  cliffs  connected  by  the  Rumbling  Bridge,  is 
from  a  gentle  eminence  opposite  to  it  upon  the 
south  bank.  The  river,  both  above  and  bflow. 
bounding  from  roclc  to  r  <-k,  each  forming  a  little 


94  C.r: IDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

cataract,  creates  a  constant  rumbling  noise,  hence 
the  name  of  the  Bridge  :  from  the  clefts  in  the  face 
of  the  rock  grow  bushes  and  trees,  among  which  daws 
and  hawks  nestle,  and  from  these  they  are  incessantly 
sporting,  thereby  giving  a  pleasing  animation  to  the 
scene.  A  mile  farther  down  is  the  Caldron  Linn, 
where  are  two  cataracts,  distant  from  each  other 
twenty-eight  yards.  The  upper  fall,  thirty-four 
feet  in  height,  declines  a  little  from  the  perpendi- 
cular ;  the  rocks  rise  out  of  the  channel,  and  there 
is  one  like  a  pillar,  horizontal  at  the  top,  by  which 
many  persons  have  passed  from  one  side  to  the  other. 
Between  these  falls  the  river  has  formed  three  round 
cavities,  having  the  appearance  of  large  caldrons  or 
boilers.  In  the  first,  the  water  is  perpetually  agi- 
tated as  if  it  were  boiling  ;  in  the  second  it  is  covered 
with  a  constant  foam  ;  in  the  third,  which  is  the 
largest,  being  22  feet  in  diameter,  it  is  placed  as  if 
spread  out  in  a  large  cooler.  These  cavities  are 
separated  from  each  other  by  ledges  of  rock  ;  they 
communicate,  not  by  the  water  running  over  their 
brim,  but  by  apertures  about  middle  depth  in  their 
ledges,  wrought  out  in  the  course  of  ages  by  the 
action  of  the  water.  The  lower  caldron  discharges 
the  water  into  the  last  fall  through  a  similar  aper- 
ture, having  the  appearance  of  a  door  or  large  win- 
dow hewn  out  of  the  rock:  through  this  opening, 
the  river  rushes  in  one  vast  and  rapid  torrent  over  a 
stupendous  pile  of  perpendicular  rocks,  into  a  deep 
and  romantic  glen.  The  noise  of  its  fall  is  tremen- 
aous,  and  the  rocks  seem  to  tremble  to  their  centre, 
whiie  the  mind  is  absorbed  in  emotions  of  wonder 
and  admiration.     The  height  of  the  rock  is  SS  feet, 


SCENERl  OF  SCOTLAND.  93 

and  the  fall  44.  The  most  complete  view  of  this 
magnificent  scene,  and  of  the  deep  and  finely  wood- 
ed deli  is  from  the  bottom  of  the  great  fall,  where  it 
has  the  appearance  of  a  prodigious  fountain  gushing 
Horn  the  solid  rock.  It  is  beheld  to  most  advantage 
between  one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when 
the  sun  shines  directly  in  front  of  it ;  a  vapour  con- 
stantly ascends  from  the  pool :  in  sunshine  this  va- 
pour exhibits  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  which, 
by  the  constant  agitation  of  the  air,  disperse,  and 
again  appear  in  the  most  beautiful  combinations." 

The  tourist  may  proceed  to  Stirling  from  the 
Crook  of  Devon*  by  Dollar  ;  a  distance  of  20  miles  ; 
or  by  Alloa,  a  distance  of  17| ;  or  he  may  pursue 
his  route  from  Kinross  to  Edinburgh  by  North 
Queensferry,  a  distance  of  16  miles. 


FIFTH  TOUR. 

TO  MELROSE,  KELSO  AND  THE  NEIGHBOURHOOD, 
RETURNING  BY  DUMFRIES. 

Lanark,  25 — Biggar,  37— Peebles,  52 — Inverleithen, 
58— Selkirk,! 3  — Yarrow — Melrose,S0—Keho,94 
— Hawick,  1 14 — Dumfries,  168^ — Glasgow,  240. 

We  have  conducted  the  tourist  in  our  first  tour, 
to  Lanark,  the  first  stage  in  this  extensive  route.— 
From  Lanark  to  Biggar  is  a  distance  of  12  miles. 
Biggar  is  a  neat  little  town,  situated  upon  a  plain, 
which  receding  from  the  banks  of  the  Clyde  east- 
wards nearly  joins  the  vale  of  the  Tweed.  '*  The 
metrical  history  of  Sir  William  Wallace,"  says 
Chambers,  "  makes  the  bog  near  Biggar  the  scene 


96  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

of  a  sanguinary  and  important  conflict  between  that 
hero  and  a  large  army  of  the  English.  Though 
resting  upon  no  proper  authority,  the  fact  seems  to 
derive  credibility  from  the  traditions  of  the  people, 
who  say  that  the  English  came  over  a  hollow  in  the  I 
hills  to  the  south,  called  Cors-Cryne,  while  the  Scots  I 
approached  from  Tin  to,  where  they  had  lain  en- 
camped all  night.  In  further  support  of  the  fact, 
there  yet  exists  near  the  supposed  battle-ground, 
a  circular  camp.  Wallace  is  said  to  have  come  into 
the  camp  of  the  English,  disguised  as  a  vender  of 
brooms,  in  order  to  observe  the  numbers  and  posi- 
tion of  his  enemy;  on  this  occasion  he  endured  at 
the  hands  of  the  Southrons  many  insults,  for  which 
he  took  ample  revenge  in  the  bloodshed  of  the  fol- 
lowing day.  A  hollow  rock  on  the  hill  of  Bizzy- 
berry,  a  mile  north  from  Biggar,  is  called  Wallace's 
Seat,  near  which  is  a  spring  called  his  Well ;  and 
the  hero  is  believed,  on  one  unfortunate  occasion,  to 
have  taken  refuge  here,  to  have  rested  on  this  rock, 
and  drunk  out  of  this  fountain." 

Leaving  Biggar,*  the  road  crosses  the  Spittal 
burn,  and  enters  Peebles-shire.  The  village  of 
Broughton,  5  miles  from  Biggar,  is  a  neat  and  thriv- 
ing little  place ;  near  to  it  is  Drummelzier  castle,  the 
ancient  seat  of  the  Tweedies,  but  which  has  passed 
by  marriage  to  a  branch  of  the  Hays.  Ten  miles 
beyond  Broughton  is  the  town  of  Peebles,  a  place  of 
great  antiquity,  and  of  some  manufacturing  trade. 
It  is  the  scene  of  the  well-kown  ancient  poem  en- 

*  From  Biggar  to  Dumfries  is  a  distance  of  48  miles  :  viz., 
Lamington,  6  ;  Abington  inn,  12| ;  Crawford  inn,  15| ;  Elvan- 
foot  inn,  18 ;  Durisdeer,  23 ;  Thornhill,  34 ;  Brownhill  inn,  37  ; 
Dumfries,  48. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  97 

titled  *  Peebles  to  the  Play,'  supposed  to  have  been 
written  by  James  I.  It  was  occasionally  a  royal 
residence.  In  the  centre  of  the  churchyard  at  the 
west  end  of  the  old  town  are  the  remains  of  the 
church  of  St.  Mary  ;  a  few  other  relics  of  antiquity 
are  scattered  about  in  various  parts  of  the  town. 
About  a  mile  to  the  west  of  Peebles  is  Neidpath 
castle,  anciently  the  chief  residence  of  the  Erasers, 
now  the  property  of  the  earl  of  Wemyss.  It  long 
held  out  against  Cromwell. — Horsburgh  castle  on 
the  road  to  Inverleithen,  was  formerly  the  family- 
seat  of  the  Horsburghs. — Six  miles  from  Peebles  the 
tourist  reaches  Inverleithen,  a  fine  watering-place, 
situated  in  a  sequestered  vale  at  the  junction  of  ;he 
Leithan  and  Tweed.  It  is  little  more  than  26  miles 
from  Edinburgh,  and  probably  owes  much  of  its 
popularity  to  the  circumstance  of  its  convenient  dis- 
tance from  the  capital. 

Crossing  the  Leithan,  we  pass  Traquair  House  ; 
at  a  short  distance  on  the  right  is  Pirn  ;  and  3  miles 
further  on  we  enter  Selkirkshire.  We  next  pass 
Ashiesteel,  the  residence  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  before 
he  became  proprietor  of  Abbotsford.  A  mile  be- 
yond Ashiesteel  the  road  crosses  the  Cadden  water, 
and  joins  that  from  Edinburgh  to  Selkirk ;  it  then 
passes  Fernalie  on  the  left,  and  Yair  -on  the  right, 
and  crosses  the  Tweed,  now  a  noble  river,  by  Yair 
bridge.  Diverging  from  the  banks  of  the  Tweed,  it 
next  crosses  the  Ettrick,  and  half-a-mile  beyond, 
enters  Selkirk. 

The  town  of  Selkirk  is  situated  upon  a  rising 
ground  overhanging  the  Ettrick.  Its  population  is 
*bout  7000.     It  was  built  by  the  English  in  1513, 


1)8  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

after  the  battle  of  Flodden.  "  The  ancient  and 
received  tradition  of  the  burgh  of  Selkirk  affirms, 
that  the  citizens  of  that  town  distinguished  them- 
selves by  their  gallantry  on  that  disastrous  occasion. 
Eighty  in  number,  and  headed  by  their  town-clerk, 
they  joined  their  monarch  on  his  entrance  into  Eng- 
land. James,  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  this 
gallant  troop,  knighted  their  leader,  William  Bry- 
done,  upon  the  field  of  battle,  from  which  few  of  the 
men  of  Selkirk  were  destined  to  return.  They  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  conflict,  and  were  almost 
all  slain.  The  few  survivors,  on  their  return  home, 
found,  by  the  side  of  Lady- Wood  Edge,  the  corpse 
of  a  female,  wife  to  one  of  their  fallen  comrades, 
with  a  child  sucking  at  her  breast.  In  memory  of 
this  latter  event,  continues  the  tradition,  the  present 
arms  of  the  burgh  bear  a  female,  holding  a  child  in 
her  arms,  and  seated  on  a  sarcophagus,  decorated 
with  the  Scottish  lion  ;  in  the  background  a  wood."* 
The  town  is  rife  with  traditions  about  the  battle,  and 
the  bravery  of  its  souter-sons,  many  of  which  Mr. 
Chambers  has  preserved  in  his  amusing  pages.  He 
describes  a  pennon  or  standard  taken  at  Flodden, 
and  still  in  possession  of  the  weaver-craft  in  Selkirk. 
"  Philiphaugh,  the  scene  of  Montrose's  defeat  is  an 
extensive  plain  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ettrick,  above 
Selkirk,  at  the  head  of  which  the  Yarrow  comes  out 
from  Newark's  '  birken  bower,'  to  join  her  sister 
stream.  The  confluence  of  the  two  waters  occasions 
apiece  of  very  fine  natural  scenery.  In  the  very 
■angle  formed  by  the  junction,  lies  Carterhaugh.  sup- 
posed to  be  the  scene  of  the  fine  fairy  ballad  of  Tam- 
lune.  Behind  this  a^ain,  on  the  face  of  an  eminence 
*  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  "  Border  Minstrelsy.' 


i 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  99 

Commanding  a  view  of  the  whole  vale,  and  embowered 
amidst  its  beautiful  new  woods,  is  '  sweet  Bowhill,' 
as  Sir  Walter  Scott  calls  it  in  his  Lay  of  the  Last 
Minstrel,  a  hunting  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Buceleueh. 
The  vale  of  Yarrow  parts  off  from  the  head  of 
Philiphaugh  towards  the  right,  that  of  Ettrick  to- 
wards the  left.  Yarrow  is  narrow  at  the  opening, 
and  somewhat  woody  for  the  first  few  miles,  but  the 
upper  and  greater  part  is  merely  composed  of  those 
green  pastoral  hills  which  have  been  already  de- 
scribed, with  small  haughs  which  would  be  very  fer- 
tile, but  for  the  humidity  of  the  climate.  Yarrow, 
partly  from  a  certain  melancholy  event  which  oc- 
curred upon  its  banks,  but  more  perhaps  from  its 
adaptation  to  rhyme,  has  been  the  subject  of  ballads, 
songs,  and  poems  innumerable.  The  last  distin- 
guished verses  written  upon  it,  were  those  by  Mr. 
Wordsworth,  called  «  Yarrow  Un visited'  and  *  Yar- 
row Visited,'  the  first  composed  eleven  years  before 
the  poet  had  seen  the  vale,  the  last  immediately  on 
having  for  the  first  time  seen  it.  Both  compositions 
refer  throughout  to  the  poetical  charm  thrown  over 
the  locality  by  the  ballads  of  which  it  has  been  the 
subject,  particularly  that  by  Mr.  Hamilton  of  Ban- 
go  ur,  beginning, 

Busk  ye,  busk  ye,  my  bonnie  bonnie  bride, 
Busk  ye,  busk  ye,  my  winsome  marrow  ; 

but,  without  being  aware  of  it,  the  poet  of  the  Lakes 
has  more  than  doubled  the  whole  charm  that  pre- 
viously existed,  by  his  own  sweet  little  poems,  some 
verses  of  which  may  here  be  quoted  as  descriptive  of 
the  scenery,  and  calculated  to  develop  in  the  best 
possible  style,  that  charm  to  which  so  frequent  allu- 
sion has  been  made. 


100  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 


And  is  this — Yarrow  ?—This  the  Strea.n 

Of  which  my  fancy  cherished 
So  faithfully  a  waking  dream  ? 

An  image  that  hath  perished! 
O  that  some  Minstrel's  harp  were  near, 

To  utter  notes  of  gladness, 
And  chase  this  silence  from  the  air 

That  fills  my  heart  with  sadness. 

\*et  why  ?— a  silvery  current  flows 

With  uncontrolled  meandering?, 
Nor  have  these  eyes  by  greener  hills 

Been  soothed,  in  all  my  wanderings. 
And  through  her  depths,  St.  Mary's  Lake 

Is  visibly  delighted ; 
For  not  a  feature  of  those  hills 

Is  in  the  mirror  slighted. 

A  blue  sky  bends  o'er  Yarrow  vale, 

Save  where  that  pearly  whiteness 
Is  round  the  rising  sun  diffused — 

A  tender  hazy  brightness  ; 
Mild  dawn  of  promise!  that  excludes 

All  profitless  dejection : 
Though  not  unwilling  here  to  admit 

A  pensive  recollection. 

Where  was  it  that  the  famous  Flower 

Of  Yarrow  Vale  lay  bleeding  ? 
His  bed  perchance  was  yon  smooth  mound, 

On  which  the  herd  is  feeding  : 
And  haply  from  this  crystal  pool, 

Now  peaceful  as  the  morning, 
The  water- wraith  ascended  thrice, 

And  gave  his  doleful  warning. 

Delicious  is  the  lay  that  sings 
The  haunts  of  happy  lovers, 
The  path  that  leads  them  to  the  grove, 

The  leavy  grove  that  covers  : 
And  pity  sanctifies  the  verse 

That  paints,  by  st»ngth  of  sorrow, 
The  unconquerable  strength  of  love  j 
Bear  witness,  rueful  Yarrow  !" 
No  tourist  should  neglect  an  opportunity  of  visit- 
ing this  truly  classic  region  in  Scottish  song.     Cross- 
ing the  Ettrick,  and  taking  the  first  read  to  the  left, 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  101 

he  passes  Philiphaugh  ;  a  little  farther  on  is  Carter- 
haugh  ;  a  mile  farther  up,  Bowbill ;  and  another 
mile  higher  up,  Newark  castle,  a  principal  scene  in 
the  *  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel.'  "  This  is  a  mas- 
sive square  tower,  now  unroofed  and  ruinous,  sur- 
rounded by  an  outward  wall,  defended  by  round 
flanking  turrets.  It  is  most  beautifully  situated, 
about  three  miles  from  Selkirk,  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Yarrow,  a  fierce  and  precipitous  stream,  which 
unites  with  the  Ettrick  about  a  mile  beneath  the 
castle.  Newark  Castle  was  built  by  James  II.  The 
royal  arms,  with  the  unicorn,  are  engraved  on  a 
stone  in  the  western  side  of  the  tower.  There  was  a 
much  more  ancient  castle  in  its  immediate  vicinity, 
called  Auldwark,  founded,  it  is  said,  by  Alexander 
III.  Both  were  designed  for  the  royal  residence 
when  the  King  was  disposed  to  take  his  pleasure  in 
the  extensive  forest  of  Ettrick.  Various  grants 
occur  in  the  records  of  the  Privy  Seal,  bestowing 
the  keeping  of  the  Castle  of  Newark  upon  different 
barons.  There  is  a  popular  tradition,  that  it  was 
once  seized  and  held  out  by  the  outlaw  Murray,  a 
noted  character  in  song,  who  only  surrendered 
Newark  upon  condition  of  being  made  hereditary 
sheriff  of  the  forest.  A  long  ballad,  containing  an 
account  of  this  transaction  is  preserved  in  the  *  Bor- 
der Minstrelsy.'  Upon  the  marriage  of  James  IV. 
with  Margaret,  sister  of  Henry  VIII.,  the  Castle  of 
Newark,  with  the  whole  Forest  of  Ettrick,  was 
assigned  to  her  as  a  part  of  her  jointure  lands. 
But  of  this  she  could  make  little  advantage;  for, 
after  the  death  of  her  husband,  she  is  found  com- 
plaining heavily,  that  Buccleuch  had  seized  upon 
these  lands.     Indn«»d.  the  office  of  keeper  was  latterly 


102  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTOntiaviUJe: 

held  by  the  family  of  Buccleuch,  and  with  so  firm  a 
grasp,  that  when  the  Forest  of  Ettrick  was  dis- 
parted, they  obtained  a  grant  of  the  castle  of  Newark 
in  property.  It  was  within  the  court-yard  of  this 
castle  that  General  Lesly  did  military  execution 
upon  the  prisoners  whom  he  had  taken  at  the  battle 
of  Philiphaugh.  The  castle  continued  to  be  an  occa- 
sional seat  of  the  Buccleuch  family  for  more  than  a 
century ;  and  here,  it  is  said,  the  Duchess  of  Mon- 
mouth and  Buccleuch  was  brought  up.  For  this 
reason,  probably,  Mr.  Scott  has  chosen  to  make  it 
the  scene  in  which  the  *  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel'  is 
recited  in  her  presence,  and  for  her  amusement."* 

On  the  banks  of  the  Yarrow,  opposite  Newark,  is 
the  farmhouse  of  Fowlshiels,  where  Mungo  Park 
was  born.  We  next  reach  the  church  of  Yarrow. 
Proceeding  still  westward,  we  reach  Gordon's  inn, 
18  miles  from  Selkirk;  and,  a  little  farther  on, 
Mount  Benger,  once  the  residence  of  the  Ettrick 
Shepherd.  Crossing  the  Douglas,  we  visit  Dryhope 
Tower  ;  on  the  left  is  Altrive  Cottage,  long  the  scene 
of  the  Shepherd's  too  generous  hospitality.  The 
tourist  now  approaches  '  lone  Saint  Mary's  silent 
lake'  from  which  the  Yarrow  takes  its  source.  It 
is  thus  beautifully  described  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  in 
h\<  introduction  to  Canto  2d  of  *  Marmion' — 

"  Nor  fen,  nor  sedge, 
Pollute  the  pure  lake's  crystal  edge ; 
Abrupt  and  sheer,  the  mountains  sink 
At  once  upon  the  level  brink  ; 
And  just  a  trace  of  silver  sand 
Marks  where  the  water  meets  the  land. 
Far  in  the  mirror,  bngni  and  bin?, 
Each  bill's  huge  outline  you  may  view  ; 

*  '  Schetky's  Illustrations.* 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  lYi 

Shaggy  with  heath,  but  lonely  bate, 

Kor  tree,  nor  bush,  nor  brake,  is  there,. 

Save  where,  of  land,  yon  slender  line 

Bears  thwart  the  lake  the  scatter*d  pine. 

Yet  even  this  nakedness  has  power, 

And  aids  the  feeling  of  the  hour  : 

Nor  thicket,  dell,  nor  copse  you  spy, 

"Where  living  thing  conceal'd  might  lie  ; 

Nor  point,  retiring,  hides  a  dell, 

Where  swain,  or  woodman  lone,  might  dwell ; 

There's  nothing  left  to  fancy's  guess, 

You  see  that  all  is  loneliness  : 

And  silence  aids— though  the  steep  hills 

Send  to  the  lake  a  thousand  rills ; 

In  summer  tide,  so  soft  they  weep, 

The  sound  but  lulls  the  ear  asleep  ; 

Your  horse's  hoof-tread  sounds  too  rude, 

So  stilly  is  the  solitude." 


It  is  connected  with  a  smaller  piece  of  water  called 
the  Loch  of  the  Lowes.  "  At  the  head  of  the  lake,1* 
says  Mr.  Leighton,  describing  one  of  Fleming's  finest 
sketches  in  '  Swan's  Lakes  of  Scotland,'  "and  directly 
over  the  old  tower,  are  the  braes,  or  four  hills,  of 
Chapelhope,  the  rugged  and  broken  outskirts  of  which 
are  celebrated  as  the  last  retreat  of  the  persecuted  Co- 
venanters. More  distant,  and  peeping  over  these,  is 
the  top  of  Carrifrangans,  a  dreadful  precipice  in 
IMoifatdale.  Towering  above  Carrifrangans,  though 
not  so  distant,  is  the  pointed  summit  of  the  White 
Coomb,  the  highest  mountain  in  the  south  of  Scot- 
land. The  following  description  of  this  mountain 
is  <:iven  by  Mr.  Hogg,  in  his  Statistics  of  Selkirk- 
shire, Agricultural  Journal  for  September,  1832. 
*  The  mountain,  then,  that  is  by  far  the  highest  of 
the  surrounding  district,  is  the  White  Coom  of  Pol- 
moody,  which  rises  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood 
uf  the  boundary  of  Selkirkshire  on  the  west,  though 
foot  touching  it.     It  is  the  highest  in  the  south  of 


104  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Scotland.  From  east,  west,  north,  and  south  it  is 
Been  with  its  broad  head,  like  Ben- Nevis  in  the 
north,  rising  above  all  its  brethren.  The  view  from 
this  mountain  is  prodigious,  and  not  to  be  equalled  in 
Scotland,  excepting  that  from  Ben-Lomond,  in  rich- 
ness and  variety.  The  Friths  of  Forth,  Clyde,  and 
Sol  way  are  all  in  view,  and,  it  is  said,  the  sea  at 
Berwick,  though  I  never  could  distinguish  it.  The 
whole  range  of  the  Grampians  from  Ben-Lomond 
to  Ben-Voirlich  is  seen:  the  Cheviot  hills  on  the 
east  borders  ;  all  the  high  mountains  of  Cumberland 
and  Westmoreland;  the  Isle  of  Man,  Arran,  and 
the  intermediate  mountains  of  Galloway,  Ayrshire, 
and  Nithsdale  rising  behind  each  other  like  waves  of 
a  stormy  sea.  It  is  said  that  fifty  towns  are  seen 
from  it,  which  I  doubt;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  it 
may  be  seen  from  fifty  towns.  If  Dr.  Walker's 
measurement  of  Hartfield  be  at  all  correct,  which  I 
likewise  doubt,  then  White  Coom  is  precisely  4040 
feet  above  the  Solway ;  for  the  difference  of  their 
elevation  was  ascertained  last  year  by  Mr.  Johnston.' 
The  low  grounds  on  the  left  are  called  Kirkstead 
Bents  ;  and  beyond,  on  the  same  side,  is  a  hill  called 
the  Brakenlaw.  Here  the  river  Meggat  joi  ns  the  lake. 
Over  the  top  of  this  hill  is  seen  a  portion  of  a  pre- 
cipitate and  rocky  craig  which  overhangs  Loch 
Skene.  The  river  Meggat,  before  joining  the  lake, 
flows  through  Meggatdale,  a  wild  district,  and  the 
principal  hunting  scene  of  the  royal  Stuarts  in  this 
part  of  the  country." 

Proceeding  onwards,  the  tourist  reaches  Birkhill, 
29  miles  from  Selkirk,  and  1 1  from  Moffat.  From 
this  place  a  visit  may  be  made  to  Dobb's  linn,  Loch 
Skene,  and  the  celebrated  cataract  called  the  Grey 


SCENERY  Or  SCOTLAND.  105 

Mare's  Tail.  But  we  must  return  upon  our  main 
line  of  route. 

The  road  from  Selkirk  to  Melrose  runs  along  the 
south  bank  of  the  Ettrick.  A  mile  from  Selkirk  it 
enters  Teviotdale  in  Roxburghshire.  Two  miles 
beyond  this  is  the  confluence  of  the  Ettrick  and 
Tweed,  whence  the  road  proceeds  along  the  banks 
of  the  latter  river,  round  the  base  of  the  Eildon 
hills,  passing  the  world-renowned  Abbotsford  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river.  Immediately  below  Abbots- 
ford,  the  Tweed  is  joined  from  the  north  by  Gala 
water.  A  mile  onwards  is  the  Pavilion,  the  resid- 
ence of  Lord  Somerville,  and  below  it  the  village  of 
Gattonside,  which  is  connected  with  the  town  of 
Melrose  by  a  wire-bridge  thrown  across  the  Tweed. 
The  Edinburgh  road  by  Gala  water  joins  that  along 
which  the  tourist  is  approaching  Melrose,  at  Melrose 
bridge. 

Melrose  is  finely  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Tweed.  It  is  "  a  curious  antique  little  place,  in  the 
form  of  a  triangle,  with  small  streets  leading  out  of 
the  corners."*  In  the  centre  of  the  triangle  is  the 
cross,  a  structure  supposed  to  be  coeval  with  the 
Abbey  itself;  but  it  is  the  latter  edifice  which  en- 
grosses nearly  the  whole  attention  of  tourists.  Mel- 
rose Abbey  was  founded  in  1136,  by  David  I.  The 
church,  which  alone  remains,  is  287  feet  in  length, 
and  157  in  greatest  breadth.  The  tower  is  84  feet 
in  height.  "  Its  ruins,"  says  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
11  afford  the  finest  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture 
and  Gothic  sculpture  which  Scotland  can  boast.  The 
stone  of  which  it  is  built,  though  it  has  resisted  the 
weather  for  so  many  ages,  retains  perfect  sharpness,  so 
*  CLurr.bcrs. 


106  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

that  even  the  most  minute  ornaments  seem  as  entire 
as  when  newly  wrought.  In  some  of  the  cloisters, 
there  are  representations  of  flowers,  vegetables,  &c, 
carved  in  the  stone,  with  accuracy  and  precision  so 
delicate,  that  we  almost  distrust  our  senses,  when  we 
consider  the  difficulty  of  subjecting  so  hard  a  sub- 
stance to  such  intricate  and  exquisite  modulation. 
This  superb  convent  was  dedicated  to  St.  Mary,  and 
the  monks  were  of  the  Cistercian  order.  At  the  time, 
of  the  Reformation,  they  shared  in  the  general  re- 
proach of  sensuality  and  irregularity,  thrown  upon 
the  Roman  churchmen.  The  old  words  of  Gala- 
e/titls,  a  favourite  Scotch  air,  ran  thus  : — 

O  the  monks  of  Melrose  made  gude  kale 

On  Fridays  when  they  fasted  : 
They  wanted  neither  href  nor  ale, 
As  long  as  their  neighbours'  lasted." 

The  eastern  portion  is  still  well-preserved,  and  the 
great  eastern  window  is  an  unrivalled  specimen  of 
lightness  and  elegance.  Sir  Walter  Scott's  poetical 
descriptions  of  the  Abbey  are  familiar  to  every 
reader,  but  we  shall  here  insert  them  to  refresh  the 
memory  of  the  tourist,  if  he  requires  it : 

If  thou  would'st  view  fair  Melrose  aright, 
Go  visit  it  by  the  pale  moonlight ; 
For  the  gay  beams  of  lightsome  day 
Gild  but  to  flout  the  ruins  grey. 
When  the  broken  arches  are  dark  in  night, 
And  each  shafted  oriel  glimmers  white 
When  the  cold  light's  uncertain  show 
Streams  on  the  ruin'd  central  tower  ; 
V\  hen  buttress  and  buttress,  alternately, 
Seem  framed  of  ebon  and  ivory  ; 
When  silver  edges  the  imagery, 
And  the  scrolls  that  teach  thee  to  live  and  die 
Wrhen  distant  Tweed  is  heard  to  rave, 
And  the  howlet  to  hoot  o'er  the  dead  man's  g  ave 
Then  go— but  go  alone  the  while- 
Then  view  St.  David's  ruined  pile ; 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  10/ 

And.  home  returning,  soothlv  swear, 
Was  never  scene  so  sad  and  fair. 

*  *  *  * 
By  a  steel-r.Tench'd  postern  door, 

They  enter'd  now  the  chancel  tali; 
The  darken 'd  roof  rose  high  aloof 

On  pillars,  lofty,  light,  and  small ; 
The  key-stone,  that  lock'd  each  ribbed  aisle, 
Was  a  fleur-de-lys  or  a  quatre-feuilie ; 
The  corbells  were  carved  grotesque  and  grim  , 
And  the  pillars,  with  cluster'd  shafts  so  trim, 
With  base  and  capital  furnish'd  around, 
Seem'd  bundles  of  lances  which  garlands  had  bound 

*  *  *  * 
The  moon  on  the  east  oriel  shone, 
Through  slender  shafts  of  shapely  stone, 

By  foliaged  tracery  combined  ; 
Thou  would'st  have  thought  some  fairy's  hand 
'Twixt  poplars  straight  the  osier  wand 

In  many  a  freakish  knot  bad  twined  ; 
Then  framed  a  spell,  when  the  work  was  done, 
And  changed  the  willow-wreaths  to  stone. 

The  whole  vicinity  of  Melrose  is  classic  ground  to 
the  poetical  or  antiquarian  tourist.  The  singularly 
topped  Eildon  hill — for  it  is  in  reality  but  one  bill 
with  three  summits — rises  to  the  height  of  1764<  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  river.  It  commands  a  most 
enchanting  prospect  of  the  south-east  district  of 
Scotland.  Nearly  two  miles  below  Melrose,  the 
Tweed  and  Leader  unite.  Their  point  of  junction 
is  characterised  by  fine  pastoral  features.  A  mile 
above  this,  up  the  Leader,  is  the  Cowdenknowes,  still 
waving  with  the  *  bonny  broom  ;'*  and  a  mile  beyond 

*  "  The  broom  of  Cowdenknowes  of  old  extended  over  the 
whole  hill,  and  along  the  haugh,  down  to  the  very  brink  of 
the  water.  It  is  said  to  have  been  so  tall  and  luxuriant  that 
a  man  on  horse-bark,  riding  through  it,  could  not  be  seen. 
The  author  of  these  sheets  was  shown  a  specimen  in  the  dining- 
room  of  Cowdenknowes  house,  that  reached  from  the  ground 
to  the  ceiling.  The  heroine  of  Crawford's  fine  song,  therefore, 
might  well  exalt  the  shrub  which  grew  here  over  that  of  all 
other  places,  in  the  versec 


108  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

this,  the  village  of  Earlston,  or  Ercildoune,  once  the 
residence  of  Thomas  the  Rhymer,  and  occasionally 
honoured  with  the  royal  residence  in  very  ancient 
times. 

From  Melrose  to  Kelso  is  a  continuous  succession 
of  the  most  exquisite  scenery.  A  mile  below  Mel- 
rose we  pass  the  village  of  Newstead  on  the  left, 
where  are  the  remains  of  an  ancient  ecclesiastical 
edifice,  called  Red  Abbeystead.  One  mile  farther 
is  Old  Melrose;  and  two  miles  beyond  this,  the  vil- 
lage of  Eildon.  Soon  after  the  point  of  junction  of 
the  road  from  Edinburgh  to  Jedburgh,  by  Lauder, 
we  pass  the  village  of  Newtown.  Here  a  road  strikes 
off  on  the  left  to  a  suspension  bridge  across  the 
Tweed,  erected  in  1818,  and  leading  to  Dryburgh 
Abbey,  which  the  tourist  ought  not  to  pass  unvisited. 
Nothing  more  exquisite  can  be  imagined  than  the 
effect  of  the  fine  ruins  of  this  abbey,  and  the  local 
scenery  around  it.  The  grounds  are  admirably  kept, 
and  access  readily  granted  to  any  respectable  visitor. 
In  St.  Mary's  aisle  were  deposited  the  mortal  remains 
of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  on  the  26th  of  September,  1832. 
A  mile  beyond  this  point,  on  the  road  to  Kelso,  is 
the  village  of  St.  Boswell,  at  which  a  great  annual 

More  pleasant  far  to  me  the  broom 
So  fair  on  Cowdenknowes, 

For  sure  so  sweet,  so  soft  a  bloom, 
Elsewhere  there  never  grows 
The  soil  of  the  Cowdenknowes  is  extremely  fine.  It  was  once 
cleared  of  broom,  cultivated,  and  finally  suffered  to  lie  in  fal- 
low ;  when  it  displayed  the  tendencies  of  its  original  nature  by 
again  growing  up  in  broom.  In  the  prespnt  improved  state 
of  agriculture,  it  is  not  likely  ever  to  be  again  put  to  such  a 
trial  {  but  the  broom  is  still  produced,  in  a  very  luxuriant 
state,  in  the  beautiful  pleasure-grounds  aiuehed  to  Cowden- 
knowes house."—  Chamb&rs. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  109 

cattle  and  hiring  fair  is  held.  Passing  Maxton 
church,  and,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  Mer- 
toun  house,  a  seat  of  Scott  of  Harden,  we  come  in 
sight  of  Littledean  Tower,  now  in  ruins.  About 
two  miles  north  from  Mertoun  is  Smallholme  Tower, 
the  favourite  feudal  ruin  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  who 
spent  a  great  part  of  his  childhood  in  the  immediate 
vicinity.  "It  is  situated,"  says  Sir  Walter,  in  the 
introduction  to  his  fine  ballad,  *  The  Eve  of  St. 
John,'  "on  the  northern  boundary  of  Roxburgh- 
shire, among  a  cluster  of  wild  rocks,  called  Sandi- 
know- Crags,  the  property  of  Hugh  Scott,  Esq.  ot 
Harden.  The  tower  is  a  high  square  building,  sur- 
rounded by  an  outer  wall,  now  ruinous.  The  cir- 
cuit of  the  outer  court,  being  defended  on  three  sides, 
by  a  precipice  and  morass,  is  accessible  only  from 
the  west,  by  a  steep  and  rocky  path.  The  apart- 
ments, as  is  usual  in  a  Border  keep,  or  fortress,  are 
placed  one  above  another,  and  communicate  by  a 
narrow  stair ;  on  the  roof  are  two  bartizans,  or  plat- 
forms, for  defence  or  pleasure.  The  inner  door  of 
the  tower  is  wood,  the  outer  an  iron  gate  ;  the  dis- 
tance between  them  being  nine  feet,  the  thickness, 
namely,  of  the  wall.  From  the  elevated  situation  of 
Smaylho'me  Tower,  it  is  seen  many  miles  in  every 
direction.  Among  the  crags  by  which  it  is  sur- 
rounded, one,  more  eminent,  is  called  the  Watchfohl% 
and  is  said  to  have  been  the  station  of  a  beacon,  in 
the  times  of  war  with  England.  Without  the 
tower-court  is  a  ruined  chapel.  Brotherstone  is  a 
heath,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Smaylho'me  Tower." 
Six  miles  from  St.  Bos  well's,  is  Makerston  ;  th» 
tourist  next  passes  the  castle  of  Roxburgh,  famous  in 
border  history  ;  then  crosses  the  united  stream  ot 


110  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  Teviot  and  Tweed,  by  a  noble  bridge,  and  enter* 
Kelso. 

Kelso  is  a  beautiful  town.  Its  principal  antiquity 
is  the  Abbey,  a  fine  specimen  of  Saxon  architecture. 
It  was  founded  in  1128-  Nearly  opposite  to  the 
ruins  of  Roxburgh  Castle,  is  Fleurs,  the  seat  of  the 
Duke  of  Roxburgh.  The  neighbourhood  is  thus 
described  by  Dr.  Douglas  : — "  The  beauties  of  the 
scenery  which  surround  the  site  of  the  ancient  city 
of  Roxburgh  exceed  all  description.  A  little  to  the 
west  of  this  the  public  road  lies  along  the  top  of  a 
precipice  lined  with  trees,  through  which  the  tra- 
veller perceives  the  Tweed,  rolling  *  dark,  drumly, 
and  deep,'  far  below  him.  At  a  distance,  on  the 
other  hand,  he  sees  the  Teviot  meandering  round  a 
large  plain,  and  bounded  by  a  rocky,  woody  bank. 
While  contemplating  these  rivers,  truly  beautiful  in 
low  water,  and  grand  while  in  flood,  the  spectator 
suddenly  loses  sight  of  them  and  every  thing  else  but 
the  wood,  which  overshadows  him  in  a  hollow  of  the 
way.  In  this  gloomy  path  he  goes  only  a  few  paces, 
until  a  most  enchanting  scene  opens  upon  him  all  at 
once  ;  the  prominent  features  whereof  are  the  Duke 
of  Roxburgh's  seat  at  Fleurs  ;  Sir  George  Douglas's 
at  Springwood  Park  ;  the  Teviot  on  the  right  and 
the  Tweed  on  the  left  hand;  two  beautiful  bridges 
over  these ;  and  Kelso,  in  all  its  glory,  full  in  the  tra- 
veller's eye  as  he  passes  eastward.  From  a  particular 
spot  in  the  village  of  Roxburgh  there  is  also  a  magni* 
ft  rent  view.  Under  the  spectator's  eye  the  parish  of 
Roxburgh  lies  fully  displayed,  like  a  map,  and  forms 
a  beautiful  landscape ;  the  Tweed  washing  its  bor- 
ders on  the  north,  and  the  Teviot  partly  on  the 
south.     There  is  an  observatory,  or  summer  house) 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  1  I  1 

built  on  the  top  of  Dun's  Law  (one  of  the  highest 
hills),  by  the  late  Hon.  Baron  Rutherford,  of  Fairn- 
ington,  which  commands  a  prospect  too  vast  and  too 
crowded  with  objects  for  particular  or  critical  descrip- 
tion. From  this  spot  the  eye  contemplates,  at  one 
view  lofty  irountains,  verdant  hills,  fruitful  plains, 
beautiful  nver*,  populous  towns,  extensive  woods, 
three  renowned  castles,  and  a  peej>.  ot  the  German 
Ocean." 

If  from  Kelso  the  tourist  should  wish  to  make  a 
circuit  by  the  eastern  coast,  the  route  and  distances 
are: — Coldstream,  9  miles  ;  Cornhill,  10£  ;  Berwick, 
23| ;  Ayton,  32£;  Houndwood  inn,  37£  ;  Renton 
inn,  40§ ;  Cockbumspath,  45 ;  Broxmouth,  52g  ; 
Dunbar,  54;  Linton,  59^  ;  Haddington,  65  ;  Tra- 
nent, 72  ;  Musselburgh,  66;  Portobello,  79;  Edin- 
burgh, 82;   Glasgow,  124. 

From  Kelso  to  Hawick  is  a  distance  of  20  miles. 
The  scenery  as  far  as  Eckford  is  very  beautiful. 
The  road  then  passes  (Trailing  kirk  and  manse, 
Shortiveacres,  Bonjedward,  Newton,  Denholm,  and 
Haughhead,  and  enters  Hawick.  If  time  and  con- 
venience permit,  the  tourist  should  explore  the  vale 
of  the  Jed  up  to  Jedburgh.  "  The  vale  of  the  Jed," 
says  Chambers,  '*  is  not  spacious ;  it  therefore  pre- 
sents no  such  view  as  that  of  Tweed  at  Kelso.  But, 
as  it  is  serpentine  and  irregular,  its  views,  if  not  so 
extensive  or  imposing,  are  much  more  varied,  infinite, 
and  even  picturesque.  At  every  step  one  takes  along 
the  banks  of  the  stream,  he  discovers  a  novel  and 
striking  variety  in  the  general  tone  of  the  landscape. 
On  this  account,  if  view  hunting  be  the  only  object 
of  any  of  my  readers,  and  should  he  also  wish  to  have 
pennyworths  for  his  money  and  time,  I  advise  him 


!12  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

by  afi  means  to  come  here.  Here  he  will  find  »« 
much  gross  amount  of  good  landscape  in  a  walk  of 
two  miles  along  the  Jed,  as  he  will  find  it  possible 
to  obtain  even  in  the  Highlands  in  a  whole  days 
ride.  1  f  better  authority  be  wanting,  reference  may 
be  made  to  Burns,  who  speaks  somewhere  of  •  Eden 
scenes  on  crystal  Jed,'  and  has  expressed  the  highest 
satisfaction  witl^  this  part  of  his  tour  through  the 
Arcadia  of  his  native  land." 

From  Hawick  to  Langholm  is  a  distance  of  23 
miles  by  Goldiland  tower,  Allanmouth  castle,  Binks, 
Irbleton,  Langholm  castle,  and  Redpath.  This  is 
all  Border  land,  and  famous,  therefore,  in  the  annals 
of  early  times.  From  Langholm  to  Annan  is  a  dis- 
tance of  16  miles.  In  this  part  of  the  route,  the 
tourist  makes  his  nearest  approach  to  a  spot  of  so 
great  notoriety  in  the  annals  of  Hymen,  the  famous, 
or  rather  infamous,  Gretna  Green. 

From  Annan  to  Dumfries,  a  distance  of  15£ 
miles,  the  road  is  through  a  fine  pastoral  district 
enlivened  with  maritime  views  of  the  Frith  of  Sol- 
way. 

Dumfries  is  71  £  miles  distant  from  Glasgow,  viz. 
— to  Thornhill,  14£  ;  to  Eccles,  20$ ;  to  Sanquhar, 
2rt^;  Muirkirk«42$;  Pioughlaml,47|;  Dykend,5l*; 
Strathaven,  53^  ;  Kilbride,  63$  ;  Rutherglen,  oi>^ ; 
Glasgow,  71^. 


CENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  113 

SIXTH  TOUR. 

FROM  INVERNESS  TO  HOUNA  INN. 

Inverness,  232 — Culloden — Fort  George  from  Inver- 
ness, 12j — Route  to  Aberdeen  indicated. — Beauty 
from  Inverness,  12| — Dingwall,  2l£ — Strathpeffcr 
—  Tain,  46£ — Dornoch,  73^—  Golspie,  84— 
Brora,  89 — Helmsdale,  lOOf— 27*e  Ord  of  Caith- 
ness—  Wick,  137i — Houna,  154£. 

In  the  eleventh  tour  laid  down  in  our  «  Steam  Boat 
Pocket  Guide,'  we  have  conducted  the  tourist  by- 
Fort  William  and  the  Caledonian  Canal,  to  Inver- 
ness ;  and  have  given  a  description  of  that  fine  town 
and  its  localities.  We  shall  devote  this  chapter  to 
the  delineation  of  several  different  pleasure  routes 
which  may  be  taken  from  this  point,  and  especially 
to  that  conducting  to  the  extreme  northern  point  of 
the  island. 

From  Inverness  to  Fort  George,  a  distance  of  12$ 
miles,  the  road  skirts  the  southern  shore  of  the 
Moray  frith.  At  the  distance  of  2£  miles,  a  road 
strikes  off  on  the  right  to  the  burgh  of  Nairn.  A 
mile  beyond  this  is  Culloden  House;  1  mile  to  the 
south  of  which  is  Culloden  moor,  where  the  hopes 
of  the  house  of  Stuart  were  annihilated  by  the  Duke 
of  Cumberland,  on  the  16th  of  April,  1746.  The 
battle  field  is  thus  described  by  the  Messrs.  Ander- 
sons in  their  excellent  *  Guide.' 

'*  It  is  quite  evident  that  no  Highland  troops 
should  have  fought  there,  even  though  their  object 
was  to  protect  and  cover  Inverness,  especially  when 


114  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURE3QUE 

opposed  by  horse  and  artillery :  and  it  seems  equally 
certain  that  there  was  something  worse  than  foolish- 
ness among  the  leaders  when  they  periled  their  cause 
on  an  open  heath,  while  a  rough  and  hilly  country 
was  so  near  them.  Had  the  rebel  army  also  fallen 
on  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  camp  at  Nairn,  the 
previous  night,  as  was  attempted,  they  would  have 
found  him  prepared  ;  for  the  duke's  Highlanders 
had  mixed  in  the  ranks  of  their  adversaries  during 
the  march,  and  sent  intelligence  every  half  hour  of 
their  approach.  There  being  no  tumulus  or  obelisk 
on  the  heath  to  mark  the  spot  where  the  contest  tooV 
place  (a  want  which  we  hope  to  see  soon  remedies 
by  a  public  subscription),  visitors  often  experience 
some  difficulty  in  finding  it;  and  we  must  therefore 
endeavour  to  assist  them.  The  battle  was  fovjght  on 
a  ridge  of  the  moor  just  where  its  general  surface 
begins  to  incline  towards  the  river  Nairn.  A  new 
carriage  road  from  Inverness  has  recently  been  made 
through  it,  which  touches  the  principal  line  of  graves 
at  their  northern  extremity.  Before  reaching  them, 
the  castle  of  Dalcross,  which  had  been  seen  raising 
its  square  massive  form  a  little  to  the  left  of  a  wood 
which  terminates  the  moor  on  the  east,  disappears 
from  the  view,  and  shortly  afterwards,  in  the  very 
opposite  direction,  the  pine-clad  conoidal  summit  of 
Dun  Daviot  comes  in  sight,  closing  in  the  vista  on 
the  south  -west.  Then,  where  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  road  before  the  passenger  (about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  in  length)  leads  the  eye  directly  to  the  top  of 
a  tabular  rocky  hill  bearing  south-east,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  5  or  6  miles,  it  will  be  found  that  a  straight 
line,  drawn  from  Dun  Daviot,  just  mentioned,  to 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND*  115 

Fort  George,  which  is  seen  rising  at  the  termination 
of  a  long  peninsula  jutting  out  into  the  Moray 
Frith,  will  cut  across  the  public  road  just  at  the 
collection  of  graves  sought  for.  They  consist  of  two 
or  three  grass  covered  mounds,  rising  slightly  above 
the  adjoining  heath,  at  the  distance  of  about  200  or 
300  yards  from  a  small  patch  of  corn  land  and  a 
cluster  of  cottages,  between  which  and  them  a  marshy 
hollow  also  intervenes.  On  all  sides  the  prospect  is 
here  bleak  and  dreary ;  while  the  general  smooth- 
ness of  the  ground,  points  it  out  as  favourable  for 
the  movements  of  cavalry  and  artillery,  but  propor- 
tionally ill  adapted  for  the  protection  or  defence  of 
the  foot  soldier.  Such  is  the  nature  of  the  ground 
on  which  Prince  Charles  Edward  ventured  to  peril 
his  cause  against  the  disciplined  troops  of  England. 
His  army  was  drawn  up  a  little  to  the  west  of  the 
graves,  in  a  line  right  across  the  moor  inclining  to- 
wards the  parks  of  Culloden  House." 

Fort  George  is  the  only  regularly  built  fortifica- 
tion in  Scotland.  It  occupies  the  extremity  of  a  low 
sandy  peninsula,  jutting  out  into  the  frith,  nearly 
opposite  to  Fortrose,  so  as  to  contract  the  entrance 
to  a  breadth  of  little  more  than  1  mile.  The  ram- 
parts on  three  sides  rise  nearly  from  the  sea,  which 
can  be  let  into  the  fosse  at  pleasure.  There  are  four 
bastions  mounted  with  80  cannon  ;  bomb-proof  ma- 
gazines; and  accommodation  for  3000  men.  The 
entire  works  cover  a  space  of  15  acres.  If  from  this 
point  the  tourist  wishes  to  proceed  to  Aberdeen,  his 
/oute  will  be  as  follows  :  to  Nairn  from  Inverness, 
15|  miles;  to  Forres,  10|  miles  farther:  to  Elgin, 
12;  to  Fochabers,  9;  to  Cullen,  12$;  to  Portsoy, 
5*  :  to  Banff,  1\  ;  to  Turreff,  11  ;  to  Old  Meldrum, 


116  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

17;  to  Aberdeen,  17|;  total,  118J  miles  from  In- 
verness. The  principal  points  of  scenery  on  this 
route,  are  at  Elgin  and  Fochabers. 

Another  agreeable  excursion  may  be  made  from 
Inverness  to  Beauly,  12  miles  to  the  north-west. 
The  road  passes  through  a  remarkably  fine  district 
called  the  Aird.  "  It  is  the  saying  of  a  thorough 
traveller,  that  there  are  not  many  rides  of  a  more 
various  and  animating  cast  than  that  from  Inverness 
westward  to  Beauly.  The  road  runs  along  the  bor- 
ders of  the  Beauly  Frith,  which  is  generally  enliv- 
ened by  boats  and  shipping;  and  there  is  an  air  of 
peculiar  comfort  and  opulence  in  the  cottages  and 
farms  by  which  it  is  skirted.  The  opposite  side  is 
singularly  rich  and  picturesque,  sloping  gently  down 
to  the  water's  edge,  and  covered  with  cultivation 
and  trees,  among  which  are  scattered  the  country 
houses  of  the  wealthy  proprietors.  Advancing  to 
the  west,  the  blue  mountains  of  Ross- shire  continue 
to  open  in  endless  variety ;  leading  the  eye  into 
numerous  wild  and  rocky  valleys,  at  the  entrance  of 
which  are  seen  plantations  of  fir,  and  the  cultivated 
grounds  of  the  Frasers,  Chisholms,  and  others,  who 
are  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  this  district." 
Beauly  is  a  neat  little  town,  not  unworthy  of  its 
name,  Beau  lieu.  There  are  in  the  vicinity  the 
ruins  of  a  priory,  founded  in  1230,  and  first  occupied 
by  French  monks,  who  conferred  the  name  on  the 
place.  Beaufort  castle,  the  principal  seat  of  Fraser 
of  Lovat,  is  a  fine  building,  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
old  castle,  which  was  burnt  down  in  1746.  A  mile 
and  a-half  from  Beauly  are  the  Falls  of  Kilmorack. 

*  Chambers. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND. 


i  i; 


"  Here  the  rivw  Beauly,  which  in  magnitude  rivals 
the  Clyde  or  the  Dee,  descends,  in  one  unhroken 
sheet,  over  a  precipice  of  20  feet  in  height,  into  a 
deep  cavern,  which  cannot  be  viewed  without  feel- 
ings of  apprehension.  There  it  remains  in  sluggish 
motion  for  a  time,  and  then  slowly  forces  its  passage 
through  narrow  openings  in  the  rock  ;  afterwards 
gliding  majestically  through  a  wooded  dale,  it  dis- 
charges itself  into  the  Moray  Frith.  On  the  northern 
side  of  the  cataract  a  tower  is  erected  upon  the  brow 
of  the  cliff,  from  whence  the  best  view  is  obtained  ; 
but  from  the  minister's  garden  that  overhangs  the 
river,  there  is  a  charming  view  of  the  Falls,  and  the 
romantic  situation  of  a  saw-mill  will  not  escape 
observation. 

Proceeding  from  Beauly  to  Dingwall,  the  tourist 
enters  Ross-shire,  and  draws  some  imposing  views 
of  the  grand  scenery  of  Wester  Ross,  "a  frightful 
tract  of  hills,  penetrated  by  a  few  lonely  roads,  and 
thinly  inhabited."  The  burgh  of  Dingwall  is  9 
miles  from  Beauiy.  It  is  a  dirty  looking  town,  but 
surrounded  with  beautiful  scenery.  Messrs.  Stir- 
ling and  Kenney,  in  their  excellent  '  Tourist's 
Guide,'  recommend  the  lover  of  the  picturesque,  to 
make  a  detour  from  Dingwall  through  the  delightful 
valley  of  Strathpeffer.  A  short  distance  to  the 
northwards  of  the  mineral  wells  in  Strathpeffer,  "is 
seen  the  lofty  Ben-  Wy vis,  3720  feet  high.  In  front 
of  the  well-house  rises  Knock  Farril,  on  which  is  a 
vitrified  fort.  The  whole  country  towards  Inver- 
ness is  distinctly  seen  from  hence,  besides  several 
interesting  valleys  in  the  neighbourhood.  Proceed- 
ing a  few  miles  south-west,  on  the  right  is  Coul 
House,  the  delightful  mansion  of  Sir  G.   S.  Mac- 


113  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

ketizie,  Bart.,  and  a  little  beyond  is  Tor  Achilty,  a 
hill  composed  of  plumb-pudding  stone;  and  here  a 
little  enthusiasm  may  be  excused  in  contemplating 
this  bewitching  scenery.  In  front  is  the  junction 
of  the  rivers  Conan  and  Rasay,  which,  just  previous 
to  their  union,  have  thrown  up  a  series  of  curious 
terraces  formed  by  stones  of  all  variety  and  shape, 
and  which,  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  are  covered  with 
natural  wood  of  every  form  and  beauty.  This  for- 
est reaches  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  likewise 
skirting  its  base  for  miles,  forms  a  delightful  wil- 
derness. The  Conan  sweeps  along  the  base  of  the 
hill  for  a  considerable  distance,  sometimes  gliding 
smoothly,  but  oftener  tumultuously  dashing  over 
broken  rocks  in  raging  violence;  it  has  at  one  place 
a  beautiful  fall.  Going  upwards  through  this  en- 
chantingly  wild  place,  reach  Loch  Achilty,  finely 
embosomed  in  hills,  with  its  banks  splendidly  wooded 
to  the  water's  edge.  At  the  other  extremity  of  this 
lake  is  Tor  Achilty  on  the  one  hand,  and  Craig- 
darroch  on  the  other;  a  beautiful  situation,  where 
Captain  Murray,  R.N.  has  erected  a  handsome  cot- 
tage, in  which  he  has  displayed  much  taste;  it  is 
placed  almost  upon  the  margin  of  the  loch  ;  behind 
the  cottage  are  rocks  of  immense  height,  with  natu- 
ral coppice-wood  shooting  from  their  crevices  in 
most  fascinating  forms.  Two  other  lakes  are  within 
an  hour's  walk  of  this  snug  retreat,  one  a  gem  set  in 
filigree — a  beautiful  circular  sheet  of  water,  occupy- 
ing in  calm  serenity  the  wooded  bosom  of  a  moun- 
tain— the  other  possessing  a  hollow  on  the  top  of  a 
great  ridge,  having  a  heronry  on  the  trees  of  its 
single  island." 

From  Dingwall  the  road  passes  along  the  northern 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND  119 

ahore  of  the  Frith  of  Cromarty,  through  a  fine  and 
well  cultivated  district  of  country.  Ben  Wyvis 
forms  the  most  conspicuous  object  on  the  west.  The 
top  of  this  mountain  was  never  known  to  be  without 
snow  till  the  very  warm  summer  of  1826.  About  5 
miles  from  Dingwall,  is  the  flourishing  village  of 
Evantoun.  Passing  Novar  and  bridge  of  Alness,  we 
reach  Invergordon,  at  the  distance  of  131  miles  from 
Dingwall.  Beyond  this  a  fine  view  is  obtained  of 
the  Frith  and  the  '  Souters  of  Cromarty,'  as  two 
hills  which  flank  the  mouth  of  the  Frith  of  Cro- 
marty are  called. 

The  next  stage  is  Tain,  26  miles  from  Dingwall. 
This  is  the  capital  of  Ross- shire.  It  occupies  a 
sloping  ground  on  the  south  shore  of  the  Frith  of 
Dornoch,  and  is  about  a  mile  from  the  sea.  "  The 
road  from  Tain  to  Dornoch,"  says  Mr.  Chambers, 
»'  is  one  of  the  most  singular  imaginable.  The  frith 
between  the  two  towns  is  pretty  much  like  that  of 
the  Forth,  though  smaller ;  and  Tain  stands  in  a 
relative  situation  to  Dornoch  nearly  similar  to  that 
which  Edinburgh  occupies  in  regard  to  the  town  of 
Kirkaldy.  Instead  of  going  directly  across  the 
water,  which  would  be  only  four  miles,  the  coach 
winds  round  the  bed  of  the  frith,  as  it  were  by  Stir- 
ling, a  distance  of  thirty-one.  There  is  a  ferry,  it 
is  true,  for  pedestrians  and  small  vehicles,  called  the 
Mickle  Ferry  of  Dornoch  ;  but  even  that  is  intoler- 
ably circuitous,  being  about  three  miles  above  Tain, 
and  five  above  Dornoch,  and,  therefore,  including 
the  two  miles  of  sea,  making  the  distance  in  all  ten 
miles."  The  coach  route  is  by  Bonar  Bridge,  a 
very  elegant  structure,  erected  in  J  8 12,  at  an  ex 
peiise  of  L.  14,000.     It  is  of  three  arches,  the  priuci 


120  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

pal  one  being  of  iron,  and  150  feet  in  the  span.  Two 
miles  beyond  the  bridge  is  Creich  Kirk,  where  are 
some  interesting  antiquarian  remains.  Clashmore 
inn,  10  miles  beyond  Bonar  is  situated  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Earldom  of  Sutherland,  the  im- 
mense estate  of  the  Marchioness  of  Stafford.  Dornoch 
is  a  poor  little  place,  although  once  the  residence  of 
the  Bishops  of  Sutherland  and  Caithness,  and  the 
county  town  of  Sutherland.  Advancing  along  the 
coast,  the  tourist  passes  several  pleasing  little  fishing 
villages,  such  as  Golspie,  Brora,  and  Helmsdale, 
"  where,"  says  Chambers,  "a  scene  of  activity  and 
prosperity  is  displayed,  quite  sufficient  to  reconcile 
the  most  zealous  and  unthinking  advocate  of  the  old 
system  of  sloth  and  clanship,  romance  and  starva- 
tion. The  people,  without  any  change  in  thei 
humble  virtues,  are  industrious  instead  of  indolent, 
well-lodged  instead  of  ill-lodged,  clean  instead  of 
filthy,  wealthy  instead  of  poor,  and  moreover  what 
is  best  of  all,  seem  perfectly  contented  with  their 
improved  condition.  The  interior  of  the  county  is 
now,  of  course,  almost  depopulated.  In  some 
parishes,  notwithstanding  their  being  perhaps  19 
miles  long  and  half  as  many  broad,  the  minister 
seldom  raises  a  congregation  of  more  than  half  a 
dozen  individuals."  Helmsdale  is  one  of  the  chief 
Herring  fishery  stations.  It  was  founded  only  in 
1814,  and  has  increased  with  astonishing  rapidity. 
For  3  miles  beyond  this  place,  the  road  ascends  till 
it  gains  the  top  of  a  stupendous  range  of  mountains 
called  the  Ord,  which  divides  Sutherlandshire  from 
Caithness.  On  the  left,  in  the  bottom,  is  Navidale, 
the  last  arable  farm  in  the  earldom  of  Sutherland. 
Berriedale  is  the  first  village  of  Caithness  which 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  \2\ 

the  tourist  on  this  line  enters.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood are  the  remains  of  a  very  ancient  castle,  once 
ihe  residence  of  the  Sutherlands,  lords  of  Berriedale. 
Five  miles  beyond  this  village  is  Dunbeath  castle 
and  inn  ;  at  the  7th  mile  a  road  takes  off  to  Thurso  ; 
the  tourist  then  passes  Latheron,  10  miles  ;  Notting- 
ham House,  12;  Swinie,  13;  Ulbster,  15;  Mill- 
town  of  Clyth  inn,  16  ;  East  Clyth,  19;  Hempriggs, 
24;  and  at  the  distance  of  27  miles  from  Berrie- 
dale enters  Wick,  the  county  town  of  Caithness. 
This  is  a  thriving  little  town  with  a  population 
of  2000  souls.  About  2  miles  beyond  Wick  are  the 
ruins  of  Girnigo  and  Sinclair  castles,  formerly  seats 
of  the  Earls  of  Caithness.  Twenty  miles  of  what 
Mr.  Chambers  pronounces  "  execrable  road,"  inter- 
vene between  Wick  and  the  hamlet  of  Houna,  the 
north-east  extremity  of  Scotland.  The  legend  of 
John  O' Groat  is  familiar  to  most  tourists.  "  A 
Lowlander  of  that  name,"  says  Chambers,  "  along 
with  his  brother  arrived  in  Caithness,  in  the  reign 
of  James  IV.,  bearing  a  letter  from  the  king  which 
recommended  them  to  the  gentlemen  of  the  county. 
They  procured  land  at  this  remote  spot,  settled,  and 
became  the  founders  of  families.  When  the  race  of 
Groat  had  increased  to  the  amount  of  eight  different 
branches,  the  amity  which  had  hitherto  character- 
ized them  was  interrupted  by  a  question  of  prece- 
dency or  chiefship.  One  night,  in  the  course  of 
some  festivity,  a  quarrel  arose  as  to  who  should  sit 
at  the  head  of  the  table  next  the  door  ;  high  words 
ensued  ;  and  the  ruin  of  the  whole  family  seemed  to 
be  at  hand  by  means  oi  iiml?  injudicious  dissension. 
In  this  emergency,  one  of  them  named  John,  who 
was  proprietor  of  the  ferry  over  to  Orkney,  rose, 


122  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE,   &C. 

and,  having  stilled  their  wrath  by  soft  language, 
assured  them,  that  at  next  meet'ng  he  would  settle 
the  point  at  issue.  Accordingly,  he  erected,  upon 
the  extreme  point  of  their  territory,  an  octagonal 
building,  having  a  door  and  window  at  every  side, 
and  furnished  with  a  table  of  exactly  the  same  shape  ; 
and,  when  the  next  occasion  of  festivity  took  place, 
desired  each  of  his  kin  to  enter  at  his  own  door,  and 
take  the  corresponding  seat  at  the  table.  The  strik- 
ing originality  of  the  idea  fairly  overcame  all 
scruples ;  and,  with  perfect  equality,  the  former 
good  humour  of  the  fraternity  was  also  restored. 
The  foundations  or  ruins  of  this  house  which  is 
perhaps  the  most  celebrated  in  the  whole  world  are 
still  to  be  seen." 

From  Houna  there  is  a  regular  ferry  to  the 
Orkney  islands.  The  distances  are :  Houna  to 
Berwick,  18  miles;  Berwick  to  Carra,  9;  Carra  to 
Ramsound,  6 ;  Ramsound  to  Kirkwall,  8.  Total 
41  miles. 

From  Houna  inn  to  Thurso,  by  the  post- road, 
winding  along  the  western  coast  of  Caithness  is  a 
distance  of  20  miles;  and  from  this  town  there  is  a 
good  road  to  Berriedale,  even  through  the  very  heart 
of  Caithness.  There  is  also  another  line  through  the 
centre  of  Sutherlandshire  to  the  head  of  the  Dor- 
noch I'rith. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND  123 

SEVENTH  TOUR. 

FROM    EDINBURGH   TO    ABERDEEN. 

Kirkcaldy,  13— Falkland,  24|—  Cupar,  30^—  St. 
Andrews,  40 — Dundee,  52^ — Arbroath,  69^  — 
The  Red  Head— The  Bell  Rock— Montrose, 
82J— ffurme,  94  f_  Stonehaven,  \0±l—Dun- 
nottar  Castle — Aberdeen,  120. 

The  tourist  may  cross  the  firth  of  Forth  by  the 
strain-boat  plying  betwixt  Newhaven  and  Petty- 
cur,  or  by  that  which  plies  between  the  former 
place  and  the  town  of  Kirkcaldy  ;  the  Dundee 
stage-coaches  generally  adopt  the  former  route ; 
the  latter  is  the  less  tedious,  unless  the  traveller 
wishes  to  visit  Kinghorn  which  is  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  westward  of  Pettycur. 
The  harbour  of  Kirkcaldy  is  not  very  commodious  ; 
the  town  itself  is  long  and  straggling,  consisting  of 
one  line  of  street.  Dr.  Adam  Smith,  the  author 
of  the  'Wealth  of  Nations,'  was  a  native  of  Kirk- 
caldy, and  the  house  still  exists  in  which  he  com- 
posed that  celebrated  work.  A  little  to  the  eastward 
of  this  port,  perched  on  a  high  rock  overhanging 
the  sea,  are  the  picturesque  ruins  of  Ravenshaugh 
castle — the  hoary  pile  so  beautifully  alluded  to  in 
Sir  Walter  Scott's  ballad  of  "  Rosabelle." 

From  Kirkcaldy  the  tourist  may  proceed  by 
Dysart,  Pittenweem,  Anstruther,  arid  Crail,  to  St. 
Andrews;  or  he  may  proceed  to  Falkland,  by 
Pathhead,  Plaisterer's  Inn,  and  New  Inn,  a  distance 
of  13^  miles.      Chambers  with  the  enthusiasm  o* 


1*24  GUIDE  TO  THE  PJCTURESQOE 

the  topographical  antiquarian,  says,  "  People  go  to 
the  Highlands  to  see  mountains,  and  to  Lanark  to 
see  equally  unideaed  cotton-mills;  and  it  *  moves 
one,*  in  the  words  of  Junius,  *  from  his  natural 
moderation,'  to  observe  the  foolishness  which  dic- 
tates and  conducts  such  excursions.  How  much 
more  rational  would  be  a  pilgrimage  to  Falkland, 
a  place  only  thirty  miles  from  Edinburgh,  rich  in 
delightful  associations,  and  perhaps  the  most  curious 
and  amusing  in  its  way  to  be  found  throughout 
Scotland  !"  The  modern  Falkland  constats  of  a 
small  market-place  from  which  a  number  of  narrow 
closes  and  wynds  radiate  in  all  directions  ',  most  of 
the  houses  are  thatched,  but  several  of  them  are  of 
great  antiquity.  The  situation  of  the  town  is 
pleasant ;  the  wide  and  fertile  valley  of  the  river 
Eden  spreading  on  one  side  ;  while  on  the  other 
towers  the  Easter  Lomond,  a  high  conical  hill 
visible  from  Edinburgh.  The  palace  of  Falkland 
was  erected  by  James  V.  It  was  the  favourite 
hunting-seat  of  Queen  Mary,  and  of  her  more  for- 
tunate son  James  VI.  The  last  royal  personage 
who  occupied  it  was  Charles  II.  In  1823,  Mr. 
Bruce,  the  proprietor  of  Falkland  estate,  commenced 
a  series  of  operations  designed  to  restore  this  ven- 
erable building  to  somethingof  its  pristine  splendour, 
or  at  least  to  preserve  it  from  final  dilapidation 
and  decay.  These  repairs  have  been  completed, 
and  the  antique  pile  saved  from  the  ruin  with 
which  it  was  threatened.  There  is  a  fine  view  of 
the  upper  half  of  Stratheden  from  the  palace.* 

*  From  Falkland  to  Perth  the  distances  are  as  follow : 
Strathmiglo  3  miles ;  Bridge  of  Earn  12  miles  (See  p.  IK))  ; 
Perth  15.§  miles  (See  p.  8b.) 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND  123 

Falkland  lies  at  the  bead  of  a  fine  strath  commonly 
called  the  c  Howe  o'  Fife' — a  valley  about  ten 
miles  broad  and  twenty  in  length,  stretching  to  the 
coast  in  the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Andrews.  At 
a  contracted  part  of  this  strath,  midway  between 
Falkland  and  St.  Andrews,  lies  Cupar,  the  county- 
town  of  Fife.  This  town  is  finely  situated  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  Eden.*  It  is  a  respectable  looking 
and  a  thriving  place.  Here,  in  remote  times,  the 
thanes  of  Fife  held  their  courts  of  justice  ;  and 
here,  in  1555,  the  satirical  dramas  of  David 
Lindsay  were  first  acted.  The  patrimonial  estate 
of  this  once  celebrated  poet,  called  the  Mount,  lay 
about  four  miles  to  the  north-west  of  Cupar.  The 
treaty  between  the  contending  factions  of  the 
Queen  Regent  and  the  Congregation  was  signed  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Cupar  in  1559.  It  couid 
formerly  boast  of  a  castle,  no  trace  of  which  is  now 
"visible,  the  site  being  occupied  with  the  public 
schools.  The  ancient  cross  of  Cupar  has  been 
conveyed  to  the  top  of  Wemyss  hill,  where  it  is 
seen  from  a  great  distance.  In  the  church  and 
jard  there  are  some  curious  monuments. 

From  Cupar  to  St.  Andrews,  by  Osnaburgh 
and  Guard  Bridge,  is  a  distance  of  9j  miles.  St. 
Andrews,  formerly  the  seat  of  the  primate  o 
Scotland,  is  a  much  interesting  though  sadly  de 
cayed  town.  While  approaching  it  '■  full  effect  i 
given  everywhere  around  to  the  tall  slender  spires, 
which,  rising  above  it,  indicate  to  the  most  ignorant 


*  This  river  rises  on  the  northern  side  of  the  west  Lomond 
T<.  is  joined  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  town  vt'  Cupar  by 
the  Lady  Burn.  The  ancient  castle  of  Cupar  stood  at  the 
point  of  junction  of  these  two  streams. 


J  26  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

stranger  its  being  a  place  of  no  ordinary  or  com- 
mon-place character;  but  on  a  near  view,  St. 
Andrews  is  found  to  be  but  the  ghost  of  a  fine 
city.  Its  ground-plan  is  almost  correctly  regular, 
and  the  various  houses  which  compose  its  two  best 
streets  have  been  at  one  time  uniform  in  point  of 
elegance.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  its  castle,  its 
cathedral,  its  numerous  colleges  and  religious 
houses,  must  have  conspired  to  render  it,  previous 
to  the  Reformation,  a  much  more  impressive  and 
beautiful  town  than  Edinburgh  ;  and,  indeed,  to 
place  it  near  to  the  rank  of  some  of  the  best 
cathedral  towns  of  England."* 

"  A  person  familiar  with  Scottish  history  enjoys 
a  rich  intellectual  banquet  in  St.  Andrews;  —  but 
if  the  visitor  be  one  to  whom  the  tales  of  other 
times  are  irksome, — one  who  finds  not  food  for 
meditation  in  ruins.  —  he  will  quit  it  in  disgust. 
The  contemplation  of  the  past  must  here  form  the 
sole  source  of  enjoyment  ;  for  these  mouldering 
walls  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  present.  There 
they  rise,  tower  and  keep,  turret  and  battlement — 
a  dim  index  to  the  history  of  years  over  which 
oblivion  already  hovers  !  They  echo  only  the 
monotonous  cries  of  the  birds  that  haunt  them  ; — . 
the  town  is  still  and  lifeless,  smitten  as  it  were 
with  the  curse  of  eternal  silence — and  a  few  de- 
serted sloops  and  small  craft  lie  rotting  iti  the 
port.  The  very  waves  that  lave  the  cliffs,  on 
which  this  once  proud  city  is  built,  have  a  mournful 
cadence,  as  if  they  sighed  over  '  the  glory  that  hath 
departed.' 

"  Tradition  ascribes  the  foundation  to  St.  Au- 
*  Chambers. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  127 

drews  to  St.  Regulus,  or  St.  Rule,  a  monk  of 
Achaia,  from  whom  it  derived  its  original  name 
Kilrule.  The  appellation  it  now  bears  is  derived 
from  St.  Andrew  the  apostle;  several  relies  of 
whom  it  formerly  boasted  of  possessing.  We  spent 
an  entire  day  in  the  University,  and  in  wandering 
over  the  ruins  of  Cardinal  Beaton's  castle,  and  the 
tower  of  St.  Regulus.  The  remains  of  the  castle  are 
situated  on  a  precipice,  and  look  down  on  those  waves 
on  which  the  stern  father  of  the  Reformation,  John 
Knox,  toiled  at  the  oar,  a  slave  in  a  French  galley. 
The  window,  from  which  the  intolerant  Beaton 
witnessed  the  martyrdom  of  the  pious  and  enlight- 
ened Wishart,  is  still  pointed  out  to  the  curious 
strauger.  The  faggots  which  fed  the  flame  that 
consumed  the  martyr  had  scarcely  shot  forth  their 
last  gleam,  when  the  cardinal,  shrieking  for  merry, 
was  hurled  down  bleeding  from  the  daggers  of  the 
avengers.  It  were  vain  to  attempt  a  minute  de- 
scription of  edifices,  some  of  them  the  relics  of  a 
thousand  years — all  of  them  interesting — but  all 
more  or  less  dilapidated.  St.  Andrews  belongs 
to  the  antiquarian  and  historian.  The  visitor 
of  a  day  can  but  moralize  and  marvel.  He 
seems  to  stand  among  the  fragments  of  a  mighty 
monument,  the  indistinct  characters  inscribed  on 
which  speak  not  of  the  puny  generations  that  read 
the  record,  but  of  a  giant-race  whose  bones  moulder 
beneath. 

"  A  public  promenade,  commanding  an  extensive 
prospect  sea-ward,  sweeps  between  the  edge  of  the 
cliff  and  the  lofty  wall  that  still  encircles  the 
cathedral  and  tower  of  St.  Rule.  There  is  an  air 
of  gentility  and  retirement  about  the  town,  U...L  is 


128  GUIDE  TO  THE  P1CTURESQCE 

riot  without  attraction  to  a  placid  mind.  The 
University,  though  admitted  to  be  in  a  declining 
state,  still  draws  together  the  majority  or'  the  youth 
of  Fife  and  Forfar  shires.  On  this  venerable 
institution,  St.  Andrews  in  a  great  measure  de- 
pends for  existence.  When  learning  deserts  her 
ancient  residence,  the  day  will  not  be  far  distant 
in  which  this  once  favoured  city,  in  which,  as  le- 
gends tell,  were  formerly  deposited  the  *  arm-bone, 
three  fingers,  and  knee-lid,'  of  St.  Andrew,  shall 
have  nothing  save  tenautless  walls  to  proclaim  its 
early  celebrity."* 

The  cathedral  of  St.  Andrews  was  founded  in 
1162  by  Bishop  Arnold;  and  completed  in  1318 
by  Bishop  Lamberton.  It  was  a  magnificent 
edifice,  370  feet  in  length — 65  in  breadth  ;  and 
170  across  the  transept.  It  was  demolished  in 
1559  by  the  over-zealous  reformers.  The  Uni- 
versity of  St.  Andrews  was  founded  in  1410  by 
Bishop  Wardlaw.  The  number  of  students  now 
attending  it  average  150. — The  parish-church  in 
South  street  contains  a  magnificent  monument  to 
the  memory  of  Archbishop  Sharpe  who  was  assassin- 
ated on  Magus  muir,  on  the  old  Cupar  road,  about 
three  miles  to  the  westward  of  St.  Andrews. 

From  St.  Andrews  to  Dundee,  is  a  distance  of 
12g  miles,  by  Leuchars  and  Wood  haven.  Before 
reaching  Leuchars,  the  road  crosses  the  Eden  by  a 
bridge  of  six  arches.  The  town  of  Dundee  pre- 
sents itself  to  the  tourist  approaching  from  this 
quarter  in  a  very  imposing  attitude,  extending 
along  the  opposite  side  of  the  estuary  of  th3  lay, 
which  is  here  about  2  miles  in  breadth — and  backed 
*  "  Ramble  in  the  North  Highlands."    Edinburgh,  18*5. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  1  29 

by  a  hi^h  conical  hill.  To  the  eastward  is  the 
village  and  castle  of  Broughty  on  a'spit  of  land 
running  out  into  the  frith  ;  westward  spreads  the 
fair  and  fertile  carse  of  Gowrie.  Dundee  is  a 
flourishing  town  with  a  population  of  about  40,000 
souls,  who  carry  on  an  extensive  trade  chiefly  in 
hempen  and  flaxen  manufactures.  The  church  is 
a  large  and  curious  structure.  Its  steeple,  or  tower, 
rising  to  the  height  of  156  feet,  is  the  most  pro- 
minent feature  in  the  place.  "  On  the  capture  of 
the  town  by  general  Monk,  in  1651,  the  governor 
(Lumsden)  held  out  with  a  party  in  the  steeple; 
but  was  at  last  compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion. 
The  reward  of  his  unavailing  bravery  was  imme- 
diate decapitation  ;  and  his  head  was  stuck  upon 
one  of  the  corner  ornaments  at  the  top  of  the 
tower.  This  ornament  happening  to  fall  down 
within  the  memory  of  the  present  generation,  an  iron 
spike  was  found  fastened  into  it,  on  which  one  of  the 
bones  of  the  brave  man's  head  was  still  sticking.* 
Among  the  eminent  natives  of  this  place  are  Hector 
Boethius,  the  historian;  Halyburton  the  reformer; 
and  Admiral  Duncan  the  hero  of  Camperdown. 
Graham  of  Claverhouse  became  connected  with 
Dundee  by  marrying  the  heiress  of  Dudhope 
castle,  the  ancient  possession  of  the  family  of 
Scrymgeour.  Dudhope  castle  was  transformed 
into  infantry-barracks  during  the  late  war.  It 
stands  on  the  ascent  to  the  Law  in  the  rear  of  the 
town.  "  The  panoramic  view  from  this  bill  is  ve-ry 
fine.  East  and  south  the  prospect  is  bounded  by 
the  reach  of  the  visual  organs  alone.  The  mouth  of 
the  Tay,  the  bay  and  towers  of  St.  Andrews,  the 
*  Chambers. 


JW  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

German  ocean  to  the  horizon,  and  the  greater  part 
of  Fifeshtre,  are  spread  out  as  in  a  map.  naming 
to  the  opposite  point  of  the  compass,  the  tiai'K 
ridges  of  the  Siediaw  hills,  with  a  broad  valley  in- 
tervening, and  the  more  distant  peaks  of  the 
Grampians,  meet  the  eye.  The  neighbourhood  of 
Dundee  affords  no  scene  at  all  to  be  compared  to  the 
glories  of  sunset  witnessed  from  the  top  of  the 
Law.  It  was  here  we  acquired  a  faint  idea  of  the 
impressiveness  of  twilight  in  those  wild  districts 
which  we  afterwards  traversed."* 

From  Dundeef  to  Arbroath  the  road  runs  along 
the  coast,  passing  the  village  and  dilapidated  for- 
tress of  Droughty  whence  there  is  a  ferry  to  tho 
opposite  shore  of  the  Tay  called  Ferry-port-on- 
Craig.  The  coast  of  Forfarshire  presents  a  suc- 
cession of  gentle  hills  and  is  low  and  shelving 
towards  the  coast  in  this  quarter,  it  assumes  a 
bold  and  precipitous  character  however  beyond 
Arbroath.  This  town  is  a  thriving  place,  and 
carries  on  a  considerable  trade  with  Russia.  It  is 
regularly  built  of  a  dull  reddish  sand-stone.  Its 
most  interesting  relic  of  antiquity  is  the  abbey, 
which  was  founded  in  1178,  by  William  the  Lion. 
Its  ruins  are  very  magnificent,  but  are  mouldering 
rapidly  away  under  the  touch  of  time,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  friable  nature  of  the  stones  of  which 
they  are  composed. 

The  tourist,  if  he  has  time,  ought  by  no  means 
to  omit  visiting  the  Red  head,  a  lofty  promontory 

*  "  Rambles  in  the  North  Highlands." 
f  From  Dundee  to  Dunkeld  the  distance  is   30  mii'cs  by 
Cupar. Angus;  From  Dundee  to  Brechin,  by  Fithie  and  For 
(ax,  2(54  miles ;  and  from  Brechin  to  Aruroath  13  mile*. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  151 

in  which  the  rocky  coast  beyond  Arbroath  suddenly 
terminates.  ihis ol»ject  is  interesting  to  the  geo- 
logist as  well  as  to  the  lover  of  the  picturesque  ; 
and  the  botanist  will  reap  an  ample  harvest  on  the 
intervening  coast.  At  Auchmithie,  a  fishing 
village  near  the  Red  head,  supposed  to  be  the 
scene  of  certain  passages  in  the  *  Antiquary,'  are 
some  vast  caves  and  perforations  in  the  rocks,  one 
of  which,  according  to  our  early  historians,  was  the 
haunt  of  a  family  of  cannibals  in  the  reign  of  James 
II.  Near  the  extremity  of  the  Head,  embosomed 
in  venerable  trees,  is  Ethie  house,  a  seat  of  the 
earl  of  Northesk. 

Twelve  miles  off  the  coast  is  the  Bell- Rock,  or 
Inch-Cape  Light-house.  "  In  pursuance  of  an 
act  of  parliament  passed  in  1806,  operations  with  a 
view  to  this  important  erection  were  commenced  in 
1807.  The  building  was  finished  in  October 
1810  ;  and  the  light  exhibited  for  the  first  time  on 
the  evening  of  February  1,  1811.  During  the 
progress  of  the  works,  a  floating  light  was  kept  up 
in  a  vessel  moored  a  short  distance  from  the  place. 
The  light-house  is  erected  on  a  rock  in  the  ocean, 
distant  about  twelve  miles  from  Arbroath,  and 
thirty  from  St.  Abb's  Head.  When  the  tides 
are  neap,  the  rock  is  scarcely  uncovered  at  low 
water.  But  at  spring  tides,  when  the  ebb  is 
greatest,  that  part  of  the  rock  which  is  exposed  to 
view  at  low  water,  measures  about  427  feet  in 
length  by  230  feet  in  breadth  ;  and  at  this  state  of 
the  tide,  its  average  height  above  the  surface  of  the 
sea  may  be  stated  at  four  feet.  From  the  higher 
part  of  the  rock  a  reef  extends,  in  a  south-western 
direction,  about    1000  feet.       At    high    water    the 


132  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

rock  is  wholly  covered,  to  the  de^th  at  froa>  ten  to 
twelve  feet.  The  light-house  is  of  a  circular  form. 
The  two  first  courses  of  the  masonry  are  sunk 
into  the  rock  ;  and  the  stones  of  all  the  courses  are 
of  dove-tailed  work.  The  ground-course  is  42  feet 
in  diameter  ;  and  the  building  gradually  diminishes, 
till,  as  it  rises  to  the  top  of  the  parapet  wall  of  the 
light-room,  it  is  only  13  feet  in  diameter.  The  total 
height  of  the  masonry  is  100  feet  ;  but,  including 
the  light-room,  the  height  is  115  feet.  From  the 
foundation,  the  edifice  is  solid  to  the  height  of  30 
feet.  Here  is  the  entry,  to  which  there  is  an 
ascent  by  means  of  a  rope-ladder  with  wooden 
steps.  At  the  door  the  walls  are  seven  feet  thick  ; 
but  gradually  diminish,  till,  at  the  parapet  wall  of 
the  light,  the  thickness  is  only  one  foot.  The 
light-room  which  was  15  feet  in  height  by  12  in 
breadth,  is  of  an  octagonal  form.  The  windows 
have  cast-iron  frames,  with  plates  of  polished 
glass  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  The  light,  which 
in  clear  weather  is  visible  at  sea  at  the  distance  of 
eighteen  miles,  is  from  oil,  with  argand  burners 
placed  in  the  focus  of  silver-plated  reflectors,  of  the 
form  of  a  parabolic  curve,  and  of  the  diameter  of 
two  feet.  The  light  revolves,  turning  on  its  axis 
once  in  six  minutes,  in  the  course  of  which,  a 
bright  and  a  dark-red  light  are  alternately  exhibited. 
Two  large  bells  attached  to  the  light-house  are 
tolled  iu  foggy  weather,  by  means  of  the  machinery 
which  moves  the  lights.  At  Arbroath  a  suite  of 
buildings  has  been  erected,  where  each  light-keeper 
has  three  apartments  for  the  accommodation  of  his 
family.  Three  of  the  light-keepers  are  always  at 
the  light-house,  where  they  remain  six  weeks  ai  a 


SCENEItY  OF  SCOTLAND.  133 

time  after  which  they  are  a  fortnight  on  shore  with 
their  families.  Connected  with  the  apartments 
for  theu*  accommodation,  a  signal-tower  has  been 
erected,  about  fifty  feet  in  height,  to  communicate 
with  the  keepers  at  the  rock.  The  total  expense 
of  this  magnificent  and  important  erection  was 
about  L. 60, 000."'*  Mariners  were  in  ancient  times 
warned  of  this  perilous  spot  by  the  tolling  of  a  bell, 
fixed  on  a  float  moored  near  the  rock.  An  old 
tradition  relates  that  the  bell  was  wantonly  cut 
away  by  a  pirate,  whose  vessel  was  afterwards 
cast  away  on  this  very  rock.  Southey  has  versified 
this  tradition  in  his  well-known  lines  commencing 
with, 

"  No  stir  in  the  air — no  swell  on  the  sea — 
The  ship  was  still  as  she  might  be,"  &c. 

From  Arbroath  to  Montrose  the  distance  is  J2J 
miles  by  the  coast,  and  17J  by  Brechin.  The 
road  from  the  Red  head  to  Montrose  presents 
some  fine  scenery,  which  is  thus  described  by  the 
author   of    *  Rambles  in    the    North    Highlands:' 

M  As  we  descended  a  gentle  hill,  over  which  the 
road  sweeps  gracefully  as  it  approaches  Montrose, 
a  prospect  of  rare  beauty  was  gradually  disclosed 
to  our  gaze.  To  the  left  rose  the  towers  of 
Kinnaird  castle,  embosomed  in  thick  woods  ;  be- 
yond them  shot  up  the  ancient  spires  of  Brechin, 
and  yet  farther  the  giant  Grampians. 

"  On  the  right  appeared  the  superb  House  of  Ros- 
sie,  and  the  manse  of  Craig,  almost  buried  in  pic- 
turesque foliage.  In  the  foreground  spreads  a  spa- 
cious circular  sheet  of  water,  communicating  with 
the  ocean  by  a  narrow  strait,  over  which  is  flung 
*  l  New  Statistical  Account  of  Scotland.' 


134  GUIDE  TO  THE  TICTURESQUE 

a  wooden  bridge  of  vast  length  and  graceful  propor- 
tions. On  a  fiat  peninsula,  extending  between 
this  basin  and  the  sea,  stood  the  town,  cneerfui 
and  compact.  This  peninsula  is  low,  and  verdant 
where  the  hand  of  the  builder  has  not  doomed  it 
to  barrenness.  At  its  further  extremity  rose  the 
high  cliffs  of  St.  Cyrus,  or  Ecclescraig,  washed  by 
the  waves  of  the  broad  ocean,  and  crowned  by  a 
handsome  church  and  airy  village.  A  chain  of 
cultivated  eminences,  tastefully  planted  and  adorned 
with  villas,  swept  round  three  sides  of  that  noble 
basin;  and  the  towering  summits  of  the  Gram- 
pians, blue  as  the  *  Peaks  of  Pindus,'  belted  the 
whole.  This  scene,  seen  as  we  beheld  it,  under 
a  mild  cloudless  sky,  and  at  that  hour  of  even-tide 
when  lights  become  mellow  and  shadows  deepen, 
seemed  rather  to  appertain  to  a  country  where  the 
face  of  nature  is  eternally  fresh,  radiant,  and 
serene,  than  to  a  bleak  boreal  land." 

Montrose — originally  written  probably,  as  still 
pronounced,  Monross* — is  an  agreeable  sea-port, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  South  Esk  river.  The 
population  of  the  parish  in  1755  was  4156;  in 
1821,  10,338;  and  in  1831,  1*2,655.  The  port 
possesses  108  ships,  amounting  in  all  to  11,000 
tons  burden.  The  church  buiit  in  1791  is  a  large 
plain  building.  A  new  and  handsome  steeple 
has  just  been  completed.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  structures  is  the  suspension  bridge, 
erected  in  1829.  It  is  432  feet  in  length.  The 
north  mail  goes  by  Montrose;  besides  which 
there  is  a  daily  coach  to  Edinburgh,  and  one  whien 
runs  daily  between  Perth  and  Aberdeen.  JJunng 
*  Ross,  a  promontory  ;  Mon,  or  Moinh,  the  back. 


SJENER\   OF  SCOTLAND*  13j 

«iv  or  seven  months  of  the  year,  the  Aberdeen 
steamboats  take  in  and  land  goods  and  passenger!  : 
—  Baldouy,  one  mile  from  Montrose,  was  the 
birth-place  of  Andrew  Melville,  the  reformer. 

The  road  to  Bervie,  or  Inverbervie,  which  i 
12^  miles  from  Montrose,  is  along  the  coast  of  the 
German  ocean.  On  crossing  the  North  Esk 
river,  we  enter  Kincardineshire.  At  the  mouth  of 
this  stream  are  the  bold  precipices  of  St.  Cyrus, 
famous  for  producing  agates  and  jaspers.  The 
coast-road  is  by  no  means  to  be  compared  in  scenery 
to  that  which,  entering  by  Gannachie  bridge,  tra- 
verses the  fine  inland  plain  called  the  '  Howe  of  the 
Mearns,'  and  descends  upon  Stonehaven  ;  but  it 
presents  some  fine  deep  ravines  and  wooded  dells. 
Bervie  lies  in  a  fertile  vale,  below  a  rugged  hill 
called  Craig-David.    The  population  is  about  1,200. 

From  Bervie  to  Stonehaven,  a  distance  of  10 
miles,  the  scenery  is  uninteresting.  The  latter 
town  is  not  seen  by  the  traveller  till  he  is  close 
upon  it:  an  abrupt  turn  of  the  road  brings  him  to 
the  brink  of  a  deep  declivity  at  the  base  of  which 
it  crouches.  About  two  miles  south  of  Stonehaven 
is  the  ancient  fortress  of  Dunottar,  occupying  a 
high  rock  projecting  into  the  sea,  and  considerably 
resembling  in  outline  that  on  which  Edinburgh 
castle  is  built.  This  fortress  was  built  by  an 
ancestor  of  the  Marischal  family.  In  1298  it  was 
taken  from  the  English  by  Sir  William  Wallace. 
Its  reputation  for  strength  stood  so  high  that  the 
regalia  of  Scotland  were  sent  here  for  protection  on 
the  approach  of  the  English  army  under  Cromwell, 
in  1650.  "  George  Ogilvie  of  Barras  commanded 
.Dunottar  castle,  in   wnich   it   was  known  to  the 


136  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

English  rebels  that  the  honours  ot  Scotland  then 
were.  The  English,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Thomas  Morgan,  were  very  desirous  to 
get  possession  of  the  regalia  ;  and  the  pride  of  Scot- 
land was  on  the  other  hand,  pledged  to  their  pre- 
servation. Ogilvie  made  various  remonstrances, 
that  he  was  not  sufficiently  garrisoned  or  pro- 
visioned to  resist  a  siege,  having  at  first  only  forty 
men  and  two  sergeants  with  him.  In  answer  to 
one  of  these,  the  Chancellor  Lowden  writes  him 
with  much  uncertainty  as  to  the  rendering  him 
aid  ;  but  at  the  same  time  says,  l  It  will  be  an 
irreparable  loss  and  shame,  if  these  things  shall  be 
taken  by  the  enemy,  and  very  dishonourable  for 
yourself.'  Matters  coming  to  extremities,  the 
governor  advises  with  his  wife,  (a  lady  of  great 
prudence  and  courage.)  She,  therefore,  forms  a 
very  happy  contrivance,  that  she  should  convey  the- 
honours  privately  out  of  the  castle,  and  secure  them 
without  her  husband's  knowledge  ;  that,  when  he 
should  be  put  to  it,  and  tortured  by  the  enemy,  he 
might  freely  declare  he  knew  not  where  they  were. 
In  order  thereto,  this  lady  sent  for  Mr.  James, 
Grainger,  minister  of  Kinneff,  his  wife,  in  whom 
she  had  great  confidence,  and  imparts  to  her  the 
danger,  she  promising  to  be  faithful.  They 
privately  carried  the  honours  out  of  the  said  castle 
to  Mr.  James  Grainger,  the  minister,  (the  other 
trustee,)  and  put  them  under  ground  within  the 
church  of  Kinneff — and  the  same  manner  how  the 
honours  were  transported  from  the  castle  thither, 
was  on  a  servant-woman's  back,  in  a  sack,  among 
hard  lint.  In  the  same  castle  were  certain  papers 
belonging  to  the  king  which  the  same  laay  saved, 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  137 

'  The  manner  how  the  king's  papers  were  conveyed 
out  of  the  castle  was  thus. — The  governor's  lady 
made  a  girdle  of  linens,  and  packed  them  up  and 
sewed  them  in  so  dexterously,  that  no  part  of  the 
girdle  appeared  more  bulkish  than  the  other, 
and  were  happily  carried  out  about  a  young  gentle- 
woman's middle,  whom  the  said  governor's  lady 
had  kept  in  the  said  castle  as  a  friend  (for  a  while 
before)  on  that  design.'  The  castle  surrendered 
upon  honourable  terms  ;  but  one  of  the  articles  of 
capitulation  was,  *  to  deliver  up  the  honours,  or 
give  a  rational  account  thereof;'  and  as  Ogilvie 
could  give  no  account  whatever,  he  was  confined 
ill  the  castle.  The  lady  being  threatened  with 
torture,  if  she  did  not  give  information  about 
them,  said  she  had  given  them  to  John  Keith,  who 
had  carried  them  abroad  to  the  king.  This  family 
suffered  severely.  They  continued  to  adhere  to  the 
same  story  ;  which  as  Keith  had  actually  gone 
abroad  to  the  king,  seemed  plausible.  Ogilvie 
and  his  lady,  after  suffering  very  cruel  usage,  and 
imprisonment  for  a  year,  were  liberated,  by 
authority  of  Colonel  Lilburn,  under  a  heavy  bond 
for  their  appearance.  The  lady  died  ;  and,  after 
the  Restoration,  the  above  John  Keith  was  made 
Earl  of  Kin  tore.  This  gave  rise  to  strong  re- 
presentations by  young  Ogilvie  of  Barras,  who 
complained  that  this  fabricated  story  of  the  lady, 
to  save  herself  from  the  torture,  and  to  deceive  the 
enemy,  should  have  obtained  such  credit  as  to 
induce  the  king  to  raise  John  Keith  to  the  peerage, 
and  give  him  a  pension,  upon  the  belief  that  he 
had  actually  saved  the  regalia,  wh/ch  had  b<w»« 
accomplished  by  his  father  and  mother,   without 


138  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

any  aid  whatever  from  John  Keith.  Ogilvie  was 
made  a  baronet  of  Nova  Scotia  ;  and  two  short 
tracts  were  drawn  up  by  Sir  George  Ogilvie,  and 
printed  at  Edinburgh  in  1701,  in  which  the  whole 
is  narrated  :  but  in  consequence  of  the  reflections 
contained  in  them  against  the  Kintore  family,  and 
indirectly  also  against  the  king,  for  being  duped  by 
John  Keith  and  the  Lord  Marischal,  the  tracts 
were  burned  by  order  of  the  Privy  Council.  Mr. 
Grainger  and  his  wife  had  a  yearly  pension  paid 
them  all  their  lifetime."* 

From  Stonehaven  to  Aberdeen  the  distance  is 
15  miles  through  a  region  unusually  sterile  and 
destitute  of  interest.  Aberdeen  is  the  third  city 
in  Scotland,  and  is  distinguished  both  as  a  sea-port, 
and  the  seat  of  a  university.  "  Long  before  Edin- 
burgh was  anything  but  the  insignificant  hamlet 
attached  to  a  fortress,"  says  Chambers,  "  and 
while  the  germ  of  the  mercantile  character  as  yet 
slept  at  Glasgow  in  the  matrix  of  an  episcopal 
city,  Aberdeen  was  a  flourishing  port,  and  the  seat 
of  a  set  of  active  and  prosperous  merchants.  Hav- 
ing thus  got  the  start  by  many  centuries  of  every 
other  commercial  city,  it  has  maintained  all  along 
to  the  present  time  a  certain  degree  of  advance  ; 
for,  though  not  at  present  the  chief  port  in  Scotland, 
it  is  certain  that  in  no  other  place  is  the  mercantile 
science  so  thoroughly  understood,  or  the  commercial 
character  carried  to  a  pitch  of  such  exquisite  per- 
fection. Aberdeen  has  been  as  much  distinguished 
in  history  by  the  gallantry  as  by  the  industry  of  its 
inhabitants  ;  insomuch  as  to  prove  that  the  pur- 
suits of  trade  are  by  no  means,  as  generally  sup- 
*  "  Ilamble  in  the  North  Highlands." 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  \S3 

pnso'l,  incompatible  with  elevation  of  sentiment  or 
generosity  of  character.  So  early  as  the  time  of 
Bruce,  they  had  performed  some  doughty  deeds  of 
arms.  At  a  later  period,  the  provost,  with  his 
little  baud  of  citizens,  is  allowed  to  have  turned  the 
fate  of  the  day  at  Harlaw,  though  at  the  expense 
of  his  own  life*  and  those  of  the  most  of  his  troops. 
On  various  other  occasions,  the  people  of  Aberdeen 
have  displayed  both  courage  and  good  conduct.  In 
a  word,  there  never  perhaps  was  a  popular  epithet  so 
deserved  as  that  of  '  The  Brave  Town  of  Aberdeen.' 
"  The  stranger  who  travels  from  the  south  ap- 
proaches Aberdeen  by  a  tine  bridge  over  the  Dee, 
more  than  a  mile  west  from  the  centre  of  the  town. 
He  enters  the  city  by  a  long,  spacious,  straight,  and 
regular  way,  denominated  Union  street,  which, 
when  completed  to  the  utmost  of  its  designed 
extetit,  as  in  all  probability  it  snon  will  be,  must 
turn  out  decidedly  the  finest  thing  of  the  kind  in 
the  kingdom.  Previously  to  the  opening  of  this 
way  in  181  1,  the  town  was  entered  by  a  series  of 
narrow  tortuous  streets,  running  nearly  parallel, 
but  which  are  now  rendered  in  a  great  measure 
desolate.  Union  street  crosses  over  a  deep  ravine 
which  happens  to  intersect  it,  and  through  which 
Tuns  a  stream  called  the  Den  Burn,  by  a  bridge  of 
one  arch  ;  the  span  of  which,  1 32  feet,  with  a 
rise  of  only  22,  is  believed  to  have  no  equal  in  the 
•world,  unless  that  of  Pont-y-Prydd  in  Wales, 
140  feet  in  span,  with  a  rise  of  35,  be  considered 
«is  matching  it.'* 

*  This  noble  person  by  name  Henry  Davidson,  lies  buried  at 
tit-  west  end  of  St.  Nicolas'  Church,  where  his  monument, 
\\iiii  a  statue,  is  still  to  be  seen. 


NO  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

The  old  town  of  Aberdeen  was  formerly  the 
seat  of  the  bishop,  and  had  a  large  cathedral  com- 
monly called  St.  Machar's.  Two  very  antique 
spires,  and  one  aisle,  which  is  used  as  a  church, 
are  now  the  only  remains  of  it.  The  bishopric 
was  founded  in  the  time  of  David  1.  The 
cathedral  had  anciently  two  rows  of  stone  pillars 
across  the  church,  and  three  turrets  ;  the  steeple, 
which  was  the  largest  of  these  turrets,  rested  upon 
an  arch  supported  by  four  pillars.  In  this  cathe- 
dral there  was  a  fine  library  ;  but,  about  the  yen* 
1560,  it  was  almost  totally  destroyed.  But  the 
capital  building  is  the  King's  college  on  the  south 
side  of  the  town,  which  is  a  large  and  stately 
fabric.  It  is  built  round  a  square,  with  cloisters 
on  the  south  side.  The  chapel  is  very  ruinous 
within  ;  but  there  still  remains  some  wooden 
work  of  exquisite  workmanship.  This  was  pre- 
served by  the  spirit  of  the  Principal  at  the  time  of 
the  reformation,  who  armed  his  people,  and 
checked  the  blind  zeal  of  the  barons  ofthe  Mearns  ; 
who,  after  stripping  the  cathedral  of  its  roof,  and 
robbing  it  of  the  bells,  were  going  to  violate  this 
seat  of  learning.  They  shipped  their  sacrilegious 
booty,  with  an  intention  of  exposing  it  to  sale  in 
Holland  :  but  the  vessel  had  scarcely  gone  out  of 
port,  when  it  perished  in  a  storm  with  all  its  ill- 
gained  lading.  The  steeple  is  vaulted  with  a 
double  cross  arch  j  above  which  is  an  imperial 
crown,  supported  by  eight  stone  pillars,  closed  with 
a  globe  and  two  gilded  crosses.  In  the  year  1631- 
this  steeple  was  thrown  down  by  a  storm,  but  was 
soon  after  rebuilt  in  a  more  stately  form.  This 
college  was  founded  in  1494,  by  William  Elphin- 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  141 

ston,  Mshop  of  this  place,  lord-chancellor  of  Scot- 
land in  the  reign  of  James  III.,  and  lord-privy- 
seal  in  that  of  James  IV.  But  James  IV.  claimed 
the  patronage  of  it,  and  it  has  since  been  called  the 
King's  college.  This  college,  and  the  Marischal 
college  in  the  New  Town,  form  one  university, 
called  the  University  of  King  Charles.  The 
library  is  large,  but  not  remarkable  for  many 
curiosities.  Hector  Boethius  was  the  first  Princi- 
pal of  the  college  ;  and  sent  for  from  Paris  for  that 
purpose,  on  an  annual  salary  of  forty  merks  Scots, 
at  thirteen  pence  each.  The  square  tower  on  the 
aide  of  the  college  was  built  by  contributions  from 
general  Monk  and  the  officers  under  him.  The 
old  bridge  over  the  river  Don,  is  a  curious  Gothic 
structure.      It  is  Byron's  *  Brig  o'  Balgownie.' 

New  Aberdeen  is  the  capital  of  the  shire  of 
Aberdeen.  It  is  built  on  a  hill  or  rising  ground, 
and  lies  on  a  small  bay  formed  by  the  Dee,  deep 
enough  for  a  ship  of  200  tons,  and  above  two 
miles  in  circumference.  The  buildings  (which 
are  of  granite  from  the  neighbouring  quarries) 
are  generally  four  stories  high  ;  and  have,  for  the 
most  part,  gardens  behind  them,  which  gives  it  a 
beautiful  appearance.  On  the  High  street  is  a 
large  church,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the 
Franciscans.  The  church  was  b^gun  by  bishop 
William  Elphinston  ;  and  finished  by  Gavin  Dun- 
bar, bishop  of  Aberdeen,  about  1500.  Bishop 
Dunbar  is  said  likewise  to  have  built  the  bridge 
over  the  Dee,  which  consists  of  seven  arches.  In 
the  middle  of  Castle  street,  is  an  octagon  building, 
with  neat  bas-relievos  of  the  kings  of  Scotland, 
(roin  James  I.    to  James  VII.      The  towu-In>a->e 


\4'2  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

makes  a  good  figure  and  has  a  handsome  spire  In 
the  centre.  The  county-building's,  erected  in  18*20. 
are  very  handsome.  The  grammar  school  is  a  low 
but  neat  building.  Gordon's  hospital  is  handsome; 
in  front  is  a  good  statue  of  the  founder:  it  maintains 
forty  boys,  who  are  apprenticed  at  proper  ages. 
The  infirmary  is  a  large  plain  building,  and  sends 
out  between  eight  and  nine  hundred  cured  patients 
annually.  But  the  chief  public  building  in  the 
new  town  is  the  Marischal  college,  founded  by 
George  Keith,  Earl  of  Marischal,  in  the  year 
1  593  ;  but  since  greatly  augmented  with  additional 
buildings.  The  average  number  of  students  is 
about  600. 


EIGHTH    TOUR. 

FROM   ABERDEEN   TO  TAIN. 

OldMeldrum,  \lh— Turriff,  34£—  The  Dcveron— 
Banff,  45$— Duff  House— Portsoy,  53—  Cul- 
len,  58| — Fochabers,  71  —  Gordon  Castle — Route 
throuyh  Strathspey — Elgin,  80 — Abbey  of  Plus- 
carden — Forres,  92 — Turnaioay  Castle — Th* 
Findhorn — Nairn,  102 J — Fort  George,  106— 
Fortrose,  107±—  Cromarty,  115£—  Tain  126. 

From  Aberdeen  to  Inverness,  by  the  coast-road,  ii 
a  distance   of    118J   miles:*      For    six    miles    th< 

*  From   Aberdeen  to  Fochabers  is  a  distance  of  54  tr.ileb 
viz.   To   Kintore  12';    to   fnvemrj  lo! r;  to  Hwr.t'y  U' 
Keith  4b'£  ;  and  to  Fochabers  in  Morayshire  51'—  From 


SCENERY  01   SCOTLAND.  143 

road  runs  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Don,  and  in 
the  itne  of  the  Inverury  canal.  Crossing  the  Don, 
the  eye  is  arrested  by  the  huge  truncated  mountain 
named  Benochie,  and  the  more  distant  line  of  the 
Grampians,  in  which  towers  the  lofty  Loch-na- 
garr.  Old  Meldrum  is  an  uninteresting  village 
17^  miles  from  Aberdeen.  Beyond  this  place  the 
country  is  dull  and  monotonous,  until  the  traveller 
descends  into  the  vale  of  Fyvie. 

Turriff,  at  the  distance  of  34J  miles  from  Aber- 
deen is  a  cheerful-looking  village,  situated  on  the 
Deveron  or  Doveran,  a  stream  which  takes  its  rise 
27  miles  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Spey,  on  the  con- 
fines of  the  counties  of  Aberdeen  and  Banff.  From 
Turriff  to  Banff  the  course  of  this  stream  is  from 
south,  to  north  and  the  road  runs  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  it.  "  Nearly  a  mile  above  the  point  where, 
passing  from  between  the  parishes  of  Alva  and  King 
Edward,  the  Doveran  first  touches  the  parish  of 
Banff,  it  enters,  with  a  sudden  turn,  into  a  rocky 
gorge,  whose  precipitous  sides  crowned  with  wood 
are  here  joined  by  a  semicircular  stone  arch.  From 
this,  the  view  stretches  above,  into  the  open 
country,  bounded  by  the  hill  of  Alva  ;  below,  it  is 
closed  by  a  succession  of  naked  rocks  and  steep 
wooded  banks,  among  which  the  stream  is  seen  to 
lose  itself.  The  grounds  on  the  margin  of  the 
river  continue  abrupt  and  precipitous,  for  nearly  a 
mile  farther  down,  when  they  gradually  recede, 
opening  out  into  a  fine  valley,  round  the  eastern 
side  of  which  the  river  takes  a  wide  sweep,  enclosing 
the  plain  on  which  Duff  House  is  situated.      O^ 

deen  to  Castleton  of  Braemar  is  a  distance  of  57  ItltlCe,  •'-  y 
Kincardine  O'Neil    This  is  a  most  interesting  route. 


144  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

pttsite  to  this  plain,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  river, 
the  ground  is  cut  by  the  rivulet  already  mentioned, 
issuing  from  a  woody  ravine.  Above,  is  a  fine 
declivity,  crowned  on  the  top,  and  fringed  along 
the  water's  edge,  with  wood  ;  its  surface  diversified 
with  breaks  and  swellings,  and  adorned  with 
patches  and  rows  of  trees.  Below,  rises  a  green 
hill,  presenting  to  the  river  and  sea  shore,  a  face  of 
considerable  height  and  steepness.  The  road 
from  Edinburgh  and  Aberdeen  winds  round  the 
verge  of  its  southern  inclination  ;  and  brings  the 
traveller  arriving  in  that  direction,  upon  a  pro- 
spect of  rather  uncommon  attraction.  On  the 
extremity  of  the  seaward  slope  of  the  hill,  where 
it  stretches  out  into  a  point  skirting  the  bay,  stands 
the  town  of  Macduff.  Just  where  the  bend  of  the 
river  commences,  rises,  on  the  western  side,  a  high 
abrupt  bank  ;  on  the  summit  of  which,  emerging 
from  the  gloom  of  a  thicket,  is  a  Gothic  mausoleum, 
(the  burying  place  of  the  Fife  family) — near  to 
which,  on  the  verge  of  the  bank,  stands  a  funeral 
urn,  containing  bones  dug  up  on  the  spot,  of  old 
the  cemetery  of  a  Carmelite  monastery.  A  little 
above,  on  the  same  side,  is  a  remarkable  round 
hill,  which  tradition  represents  as  being  artificial 
and  the  work  of  penance,  and  which,  now  crowned 
with  a  small  summer-house  or  temple,  forms  a 
striking  accessory  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  In 
one  or  two  places,  small  islands,  covered  with 
wood,  separate  the  stream  of  the  river  into  branches; 
avd  its  whole  course  between  the  two  bridges  of 
lianff  and  Alva,  (a  distance  of  two  miles — all 
?*japrehei)ded  in  Lord  Fife's  park,)*  affords  a 
*  A  high  degree  of  liberality  is  shown  by  the  noble  pro 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  145 

succession  of  beautiful  or  romantic  scenes  ;  though 
even,  perhaps,  as  it  is,  the  'capabilities'  of  the 
ground  have  not  received  full  justice  :  the  walks 
not  being  always  led  with  sufficient  skill  to  catch 
the  finest  points  of  view,  nor  the  necessary  open- 
ings for  the  same  purpose  left  in  the  wood."* 

The  town  of  Banff  is  11  miles  distant  from 
Turriff.  It  is  a  royal  burgh,  but  has  rather  de- 
creased in  population  of  late  years.  In  1821  the 
population  of  the  parish  was  returned  at  3,855  ;  in 
1831,  it  was  only  3J11.  The  writer  of  the 
recent  statistical  account  of  this  parish,  says  that, 
"the  burying-ground  affords  a  favourable  specimen, 
on  a  small  scale,  of  what  may  be  called  church-yard 
gardening,  being  tastefully  laid  out,  and  adorned 
with  flowers  and  shrubs.''  On  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  Deveron,  lies  the  modern  village  and  sea-port 
of  Macduff,  which  has  a  better  harbour  than  that 
of  Banff.  The  communication  between  the  two 
towns  is  by  a  fine  bridge  across  the  Deveron,  from 
which  looking  up  the  stream,  a  good  view  is  ob- 
tained of  Duff  House,  the  seat  of  the  earl  of  Fife. 
"  This  noble  mansion  was  built  eighty  or  ninety 
years  ago  by  William  Lord  Braco,  after  a  design 
by  Adams,  the  first  of  the  celebrated  architects  o{ 
that  name,  at  an  expense  of  about  L.  70,000 
The  style  is  purely  Roman.  The  body  of  the 
house  (for  the  wings  have  never  yet  been  added) 
is  of  an  oblong  shape,  and  consists  of  four  lofty 
stories.  The  first  is  a  rustic  basement,  over  which 
rise    two    stories    adorned     with     fluted    pilasters, 

prietor  in  the  freedom  granted  to  the  public,  of  waikUtji  in  A4f 
grou<i£a. 

*  "New  Statistical  Account  of  Scotland." 


J 46  GUIDE  TO  TBR  PICTURESQUE 

and  an  entablature  of  the  style  of  the  temple  of 
Jupiter   Stator  at   Rome.      Over  this  entabiaiuie, 
which   goes  round  the  whole  structure,  there  is  an 
attic    story,    surmounted    by   a   balustrade.       The 
four    corners    of    the     building     have    projections 
resembling    towers,    which    break    and    vary    the 
outline,  and   also  rise  to  a  greater  height  than  the 
other  parts  of  the  attic  story.      These   towers  are 
adorned  at  the  angles   by  an  upper  range  of  pilas- 
ters, with  an  entablature  of  the   composite  order, 
and  are  crowned  at  top  by  domical  roofs,  on  which 
octagonal  pedestal  chimneys  are  placed.     Both   the 
entrance  and   back  facades  have  also  central   pro- 
jections surmounted   by  pediments,  on   which   the 
family  arms  are  cut  in   bas  relief,  which,  with  the 
appended  achievements,  fill  the  entire  spaces  of  the 
face  of  the  pediments.     The  entablature  and  capitals 
of  the  pilasters,  as  well  as  the  smaller  ornaments, 
are  exquisitely  carved,  though   some  of  these  last, 
for    what  reason    I   know   not,   have  been  left  un- 
finished.     The  back  and   front  of  the  building  are 
precisely  alike,  except  that  the   basement   part   of 
the   projection    in    front   is   occupied   by  an   outer 
stair,  of  two  circular  ascents,  with   carved    stone 
balustrades.      The   principal    entrance   is  thus   on 
the  second   story.        From   an    arcade    below    the 
landing-place  of  the  outer  stair  there  is  an  entrance 
to  the  servants'  hall.       Duff  House,  to  be  seen   to 
advantage,    requires    to    be    beheld     pretty    near. 
There    is    too    little    variety   of   outline,    and    the 
colour  of  the  material   (freestone)  is  too  dingy  to 
strike  at  a  distance.      It  is  besides  desirable  that 
the    eye    should    be    diverted     from    the   confused 
assemblage  of   chimneys  and  slated    pavilions  i>y 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  147 

which  it  is  surmounted,  which  seem  to  create  an 
incongruous  mixture  of  the  castellated  and  the 
classic  styles.  Seen  so  near  as  to  discern  the  ela- 
borate ornaments,  the  appearance  of  Duff  House  is 
in  the  hrghest  degree  rich,  graceful,  and  majestic. 
Duff  House  contains  a  large  collection  of  paintings, 
many  of  which  are  interesting  and  valuable,  either 
as  specimens  of  art,  or  as  portraits  of  celebrated 
characters,  and  examples  of  the  costume  of  various 
ages  and  countries.  Among  the  more  excellent  of 
the  former  class  may  be  enumerated  a  portrait,  in 
perfect  preservation,  of  the  Constable  de  Bourbon, 
by  Titian,  This  has  been  allowed  by  the  best 
judges,  both  in  this  country,  and  on  the  continent, 
to  be  one  of  the  very  finest  specimens  of  the  great 
Venetian  colourist."* 

The  neighbourhood  of  Portsoy,  betwixt  Banff 
and  Cullen  is  interesting  to  the  mineralogist. 
Micaceous  schistose,  asbestos,  flesh-coloured  gra- 
nite, and  yellow  marble  occur  frequently  in  this 
district.  From  Portsoy  to  Cullen  the  road  runs 
through  a  rich  and  well-cultivated  district.  Cul- 
len consists  of  three  distinct  towns,  viz.  the  New 
Town  with  the  harbour,  the  Auld  Town  more 
inland,  and  the  Fish  Town,  a  suburb  exclusively 
inhabited  by  fishermen.  Cullen  House,  the  seat 
of  the  earl  of  Seatield,  is  a  splendid  mansion. 
The  park  extends  around  the  base,  and  is  carried 
up  the  side  of  Benhill,  or  Binhill,  a  mountain  1045 
feet  in  height. 

From  Cullen  to  Fochabers  is  a  distance  of  12j 
miles.  The  latter  place  is  a  small  rural  village, 
lying  in  the  deep  valley  of  the  Spey  on  the  eastern 
*  "  New  Statistical  Account  of  Scotland."    183G. 


143  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

bank.  It  is  a  mere  appendage  to  Gordon  castle, 
the  mansion  of  the  duke  ot  Gordon.  Yne  popuia 
tion  of  Fochabers  is  about  900.  '*  Gordon  castle 
is  a  magnificent  structure,  consisting  of  a  large 
central  building  of  four  stories,  with  spacious  two- 
storied  wings,  and  connecting  galleries  or  arcades, 
of  a  like  height ;  forming  altogether  a  front  of  540 
feet.  Behind  the  main  building  rises  a  square 
tower  six  stories  high,  and  made  to  harmonize 
with  the  general  design.  The  castle  is  faced  on 
all  sides  with  freestone,  and  encircled  by  an  em- 
battled coping.  It  stands  in  a  park  l.'iQO  acres  in 
extent,  adorned  with  a  variety  of  forest  trees  ot 
large  dimensions,  particularly  the  limes,  horse- 
chesnut  and  walnut  trees.  One  of  the  finest  is  a 
lime  behind  the  castle,  measuring  eighteen  feet  in 
girth,  whose  drooping  branches  cover  an  area  of 
upwards  of  200  feet  iu  circumference.  The  gar- 
dens occupy  about  twelve  acres;  and  the  grounds 
are  ornamented  by  a  large  pond,  where  the  lordly 
swan  holds  undivided  though  secluded  sway.  In 
the  castle  are  several  paintings,  copies  from  the 
old  masters,  by  Angelica  Kauffman  ;  and  a  large 
collection  of  family  and  other  portraits,  of  which  a 
few  are  by  Vandyke  Jamieson,  and  Sir  Peter 
Lely."» 

A  little  to  the  west  of  Fochabers,  the  road 
crosses  the  Spey  by  a  handsome  bridge.  The  river 
here  flows  in  a  broad  stony  channel,  one-half  of 
which  is  usually  dry  during  summer  ;  but  it  is 
often  swollen  into  a  mighty  torrent  by  heavy  rains 
failing  in  the  wilds  of  Badenoch.  It  traverses  the 
great  forests  of  Glen  more  and  Strathspey  ;  but  the 
*  "  Anderson's  Guide  p.  160. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND-  14.Q 

bank*,  become  low  and  tame  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  sea.* 

The  Spey  divides  Banffshire  from  Morayshire. 
Elgin  the  capital  of  the  latter  county  is  9  miles 
distant  from  Fochabers.  Elgin  stands  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Lossie,  a  sluggish  stream  which 
falls  into  the  Moray  frith  5  miles  to  the  north-east 
of  Elgin.  The  population  of  the  town  and  parish, 
in  1831,  was  6130.  The  new  church,  on  the  site 
of  the  old  church  of  St.  Giles,  is  a  handsome  struc- 
ture;  as  also  the  Elgin  Institution.  But  the 
most  interesting  and  magnificent  piece  of  architecture 
belonging  to  the  place  is  the  cathedral  of  which  we 
quote  the  following  description  from  the  New  Sta- 
tistical Account  published  in  183.5.  "  This  noble 
edifice  was  founded  by  Bishop  Andrew  Murray  in 
the  year  1*224,  on  the  site  of  the  church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  at  the  north-east  extremity  of  the 
town,  and,  as  he  lived  eighteen  years,  it  is  probable 
that  if  he  did  not  finish,  he  greatly  advanced  the 
building.  *  The  Wolf  of  Badenoch'  having  seized 
upon,  and  kept  violent  possession  of  some  of  the 
Bishop  of  Moray's  lands,  was  excommunicated  for 
this  outrage,  and  in  resentment  burnt  the  town, 
the  parish  church  of  St.  Giles,  the  Maisori  Dieu, 
the  cathedral,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  college  in 

*  If  the  tourist  wishes  to  explore  Strathspey,  he  may  pro- 
ceed by  either  side  of  the  Spey,  that  on  the  north-west  bank, 
however,  is  the  most  interesting.  At  14-  miles  distance  from 
Fochabers,  he  reaches  the  village  of  Rothes;  at  15£  crosses 
the  Spey  by  Craig  Ellachie  iron  bridge,  the  arch  of  which  is 
150  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  river  ;  at  21,  passes  Inveraven 
kirk:  at31|  reaches  the  famous  "  hanghs  o'  Cromdale;"  at 
35  reaches  the  village  of  Grantown  :  at  40|,  Tullochgorum  ; 
and  at  49  Aviemore  inn  on  the  great  Highland  road  between 
Perth  and  Inverness. 


150  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

the  year  1390.  The  cathedral  was  built  with  a* 
little  delay  as  possible,  in  the  form  of  a  Passion  or 
Jerusalem  cross,  having  five  towers,  two  at  each 
end,  and  one  in  the  centre.  In  the  interior  it  had 
what  is  called  the  nave  for  the  numerous  and 
splendid  processions  of  Christian  worship  under 
papal  guidance — aisles  for  the  reception  of  the 
multitude  to  witness  these  processions — and  achoir 
for  the  actual  performance  of  the  sacred  rites.  On 
the  north  side  was  the  chapter-house,  communi- 
cating with  the  choir  by  a  vaulted  vestry.  These 
essential  appendages  of  Romish  worship  necessarily 
occupied  a  space  of  great  magnitude,  as  the  follow- 
ing measurement,  which  is  nearly  accurate,  will 
show:  Length  of  cathedral  over  walls,  264  feet; 
breadth,  35  ;  traverse,  1 14  ;  height  of  centre  tower, 
198  ;  eastern  turrets,  60  ;  western  towers  without 
the  spires,  84 ;  side  wall,  36.  The  whole  was  of 
Gothic  architecture,  in  the  style  called  *  decorated 
English  ;'  and  although  the  grotesque  is  the  prevail- 
ing character  of  the  sculpture,  many  small  orna- 
ments, designed  with  taste,  and  executed  with  the 
utmost  delicacy,  are  yet  to  be  seen.  This  costly 
and  imposing  edifice  stood  entire  in  all  its  grandeur, 
until  the  government  of  the  Regent  Morton  was 
driven  to  the  miserable  shift  of  passing  an  act  of 
council  on  the  1 4th  February  1568  for  stripping 
the  lead  from  the  cathedral  churches  of  Aberdeen 
and  Elgin,  and  selling  it  to  pay  the  troops.  This 
order  was  too  faithfully  executed,  and  the  cathe- 
dral of  Moray,  thus  uncovered,  was  suffered  to 
decay  as  a  piece  of  Romish  vanity,  too  expensive 
to  be  kept  in  repair.  The  wooden  work  of  tb«> 
great  tower  gradually  decayed,  and,  the  foundation 
giving  way,  it  fell  in  the  year  1711.     The  remains 


SCFNERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  151 

of  this  venerable  pile  are  well  worth  the  examina- 
tion of  the  traveller,  The  chapter-house,  an  exact 
octagon,  37  feet  in  diagonal  breadth,  with  a  vaulted 
root*  34  feet  high,  and  supported  in  the  centre  by 
a  column  24  feet  high,  and  9  feet  in  circumference, 
on  which  rest  arched  pillars  from  each  angle  of 
the  sides,  is  in  good  preservation.  The  turrets  and 
walls  of  the  choir  on  the  east  end,  and  the  towers 
on  the  west,  between  which  was  the  grand  en- 
trance with  its  deep  recess  and  bivalved  door  richly 
ornamented,  are  still  standing  at  the  dimensions 
already  specified  ;  but  of  the  walls  of  the  nave  and 
traverse  only  a  few  fragments  remain.  A  com- 
mendable attention  has  been  paid  for  some  years 
past  by  the  Barons  of  Exchequer  in  Scotland,  and 
the  Commissioners  of  Woods  and  Forests  in  Eng- 
land, to  the  preservation  of  these  interesting 
relics,  and  grants  of  money  have  been  judiciously 
expended  in  clearing  away  the  great  mass  of 
rubbish  in  the  choir  and  nave,  by  which  the 
steps  to  the  altar  and  the  bases  of  the  pillars 
that  supported  the  arches  of  the  aisles  have  been 
uncovered,  so  that  a  tolerably  accurate  idea  may 
now  be  formed  of  the  extent  of  the  several  parts  of 
the  building.  Much  praise  is  due  to  the  present 
keeper*  for  the  zeal  and  diligence  with  which  he 
has  laboured  in  bringing  to  light  adjuncts  of  the 
fabric,  particularly  the  steps  leading  to  the  grand 
entrance,  and  a  porch  to  the  southuiost  aisle,  of 
which  there  was  no  record.  The  college  was  an  ap- 
pendage of  the  cathedral,  and  contained  not  only 
the  church  and  grave  yard,  but  also  the  bishop's 
Vouse,  audi  the  manses  and  gardens  of  the  tvventy- 

*  "  Joha  Shanks.  •» 


/52  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

two  canons.  It  was  enclosed  with  a  strong  stone 
wall  4  yards  high  and  900  yards  in  circuit, 
and  had  four  gates.  The  Pans  Port  or  eastern 
gateway  with  part  of  the  inclosing  wall,  is  still 
standing,  and  appears  to  have  had  a  portcullis,  iron 
gate,  and  porter's  lodge.  A  convent  of  Grey  Friars 
was  settled  in  Elgin  by  Alexander  II.  and  the 
ruins  of  their  church  are  to  be  seen  on  the  south 
side  of  the  town.  The  site  of  the  preceptory  of 
Maison  Dieu  may  be  traced  iu  the  middle  of  an 
arable  field  at  the  east  end  of  the  town,  but  no 
part  of  the  buildings  remain.  The  ruins  of  the 
abbey  of  Pluscarden  are  situated  in  the  vale  of  the 
same  name,  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  bridge  fronting 
the  south,  about  six  miles  westward  of  Elgin.  A 
lofty  stone  wall,  of  which  a  considerable  part  is 
standing,  inclosing  several  acres  of  ground.  The 
church,  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  stood  almost  in  the 
centre,  with  the  prior's  house  and  the  cells  of  the 
monks  adjoining.  The  dormitory,  which  has 
recently  been  roofed  in,  and  the  walls  and  windows 
repaired  in  the  same  style  as  the  original  building, 
was  on  the  second  floor,  at  the  south  east  end  of 
the  church,  and  under  it  was  an  arched  kitchen. 
The  latter  has  been  fitted  up  as  a  place  of  public 
worship  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  vale,  and  a 
clergyman  on  the  Royal  Bounty  resides  near,  and 
regularly  officiates.  The  inclosure  also  contained 
the  gardens,  the  burial  ground,  and  the  mill  for 
grinding  the  monks'  grain.  Every  attention  is 
paid  by  the  Earl  of  Fife,  the  proprietor,  to  preserve 
these  relics  from  farther  decay,  and  the  shrubberies 
and  walks  near  the  abbey,  and  the  plantations 
adjacent,  add  greatly  to  their  beauty  and  interest." 
Forres,    the  ancient    Van  is  of   Ptolemy,  is   12 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  153 

miles  from  Elgin.*"  A  low  hill  conceals  it,  till  the 
traveller  is  about  to  descend  upon  it.  It  is  a  quiet 
pleasant  town,  with  a  population  of  about  3000. 
According  to  the  Messrs  Andersons,  "  the  traveller 
will  not  fail  to  perceive  strong  indications  of  the 
Flemish  origin  of  the  people  in  their  fair  features, 
broad  dialect,  and  in  the  old  fashioned  style  of 
having  their  houses  generally  erected  with  their 
gables  towards  the  street,  and  in  the  low  Saxon 
archways  conducting  to  their  inner  courts  and 
small  dark  shops."  Half  a  mile  to  the  east  of  the 
town  is  a  carved  obelisk  of  great  antiquity  regard- 
ing which  antiquarians  have  had  much  controversy. 
It  is  commonly  called  Sweno's  Stone  ;  and  is 
generally  supposed  to  have  been  erected  in  com- 
memoration of  the  victory  obtained  in  the  11th 
century  by  Malcolm  II.  over  Sweno,  a  Danish 
invader.  It  is  an  interesting  monument  of  the  state 
of  the  arts  in  Scotland  at  that  period,  and  is  said  to 
be  the  finest  of  the  kind  in  Europe.  It  is  a  slab  of 
grey  stone,  about  23  feet  in  height,  nearly  four  in 
breadth,  and  1  foot  three  inches  thick.  The  sides 
are  covered  with  sculptured  ornaments  in  basso 
relievo,  representing  warriors,  and  one  of  them  are 
two  persons  bending  beneath  a  cross.  On  a  hill 
to  the  south  is  Nelson's  tower,  erected  by  private 
subscription,  to  commemorate  the  deeds  of  that 
hero.  On  an  eminence  at  the  west  end  of  the 
town,  formerly  stood  a  castle,  in  which  King 
Duffus  was  murdered  by  Donwald.  The  present 
ruins  are  those  of  a  more  recent  building,  erected 
on  the  original  site.      They  command  a  good  view. 

*  From  Forres  to  Grantown  is  22  miles :  viz.  Billiewaird 
inn  1£  j  Dava  inn  7;  Thomdhu  12  ;  Forres  22, 


]54  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

Forres  has  been  immortalized  by  Shakspeare,  its 
name  frequently  occurring  in  the  tragedy  of 
*  Macbeth.'  'The  Hoar  Moor,'  on  which  the 
usurper  is  said  to  have  met  the  witches,  is  situated 
about  rive  miles  distant,  on  the  road  to  Nairn, 
The  spot  is  denoted  by  a  small  clump  of  trees. 
"  No  tourist,"  says  Chambers,  "  should  pass  this 
part  of  the  country  without  seeing  Tarnaway 
castle,  the  seat  of  the  earl  of  Moray,  which  lies 
about  4  miles  to  the  north  of  Forres.  This  is 
an  irregular  edifice,  built  at  different  times. 
Thomas  Randolph,  the  nephew  of  Bruce,  and  his 
successor  as  Regent,  built  the  great  hall,  which, 
measuring  78  feet  by  forty,  is  said  to  be  capable  of 
containing  a  thousand  armed  men.  The  side  walls 
of  this  vast  apartment  were  originally  from  40  to 
50  feet  in  height ;  but  James,  Earl  of  Moray,  son 
of  him  who  was  killed  at  Dunnibrissle,  erected 
vaults,  about  two  hundred  years  ago,  for  domestic 
accommodation,  in  the  low  part,  from  10  to  12 
feet  high.  This  shut  up  the  original  entrance  to 
the  hall,  and  at  the  east  he  erected  a  staircase  for  a 
new  one.  The  floor  is  laid  with  freestone  slabs  ; 
and  at  some  distance  from  the  chimney  at  the  west 
end,  is  a  moulding  within  which  the  floor  is  raised 
several  inches.  On  this  elevated  space,  the  Earl 
used  to  sit  with  the  great  feudal  barons  ;  while 
their  vassals  and  retainers  occupied  the  lower  part 
of  the  hall,  agreeably  to  their  rank  and  consequence. 
The  late  Earl  of  Moray,  restored  the  hall  to  its 
original  dimensions,  and  connected  it  with  an 
imposing  mansion  in  the  Gothic  taste." 

Fietween    Forres   and    Nairn,   a  distance,  of   10 
miles,  the  traveller  crosses  the  Findhoru,  a  river  of 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  ],r:5 

inferior  size  to  the  Spey,  but  noted  for  its  terrific 
speats,  or  overflowings,  of  which  the  most  awful 
on  record  are  those  which  occurred  between  the 
(M  and  4th  August,  1829,  when  the  river  rose  50 
feet  above  its  level,  and  swept  away  the  very 
beautiful  bridge  which  crossed  it  on  the  Forres 
road.  "  At  Nairn,"  says  Dr.  Johnson,  "  we  may 
fix  the  verge  of  the  Highlands  ;  for  here  I  first  saw 
peat  fires,  and  first  heard  the  Erse  language.  We 
hid  no  motive  to  stay  longer  than  to  breakfast,  and 
Avent  forward  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Macaulay,  the 
minister  who  published  an  account  of  St.  Kilda, 
and  by  his  direction  visited  Calder  castle,  from 
which  Macbeth  drew  his  second  title.  It  has  been 
formerly  a  place  of  strength.  The  drawbridge  is 
still  to  be  seen,  but  the  moat  is  now  dry.  The 
tower  is  very  ancient  :  Its  walls  are  of  great  thick- 
ness, arched  on  the  top  with  stone,  and  surrounded 
with  battlements.  The  rest  of  the  house  is  later, 
though  far  from  modern."  The  Moray  firth  is 
about  9  miles  broad  opposite  Nairn. 

•*  A  few  miles  beyond  Nairn,"  says  the  author 
of  a  *  Ramble  in  the  North  Highlands',  a  "striking 
change  occurs  in  the  landscape  and  people.  The 
broad  lineaments,  and  plodding  self-satisfied  ex- 
pression of  the  lowland  countenance,  suddenly  gives 
place  to  the  keen  eye,  rigid  lineaments,  and 
melancholy  animation  of  the  Highlander.  The 
sharp  and  dissonant  accent,  which  had  accompanied 
us  in  all  its  gradations  from  the  Dee  to  the  Find- 
horn,  softened  abruptly  into  the  deep  nasal  tone  of 
the  Gaelic ;  and  the  dress,  the  deportment,  the 
habitations  of  the  inhabitants,  also  presented  a 
aiianii'est  and  almost  instantaneous  alteration.      In 


156  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

ban tl  and  Morayshires,  tiie  cottages  of  the 
peasantry  are,  in  general,  built  in  a  substantial 
manner,  and  adorned  with  woodbine  and  other 
parasitical  plants.  Their  site  is  almost  invariably 
well  chosen — either  near  a  grove  of  umbrageous 
trees,  or  on  the  margin  of  a  limpid  brook.  On 
the  frontier  of  the  Highlands,  this  attention  to 
comfort  and  taste,  in  a  great  measure,  disappears. 
The  mud-hut,  frailly  constructed,  on  the  verge  of 
a  waste — the  cultivated  patch,  unfenced,  and  over- 
run with  thistles  and  briars — the  turf  stack,  with 
a  group  of  squalid  children  at  play  on  its  sunny- 
side,  are  here  the  most  prominent  objects  in  the 
picture  of  humble  life."  The  distance  from  Nairn 
to  Fort  George  is  3£  miles;  to  Inverness,  15| 
miles.    We  have  described  the  Fort  at  p.  115,  ante. 

Crossing  the  firth  at  Fort  George,  which  is  here 
about  a  mile  broad,  we  enter  Ross-shire,  and  reach 
Fortrose,  distant  11  miles  from  Inverness,  and  8 
from  Cromarty.  This  town  is  finely  situated, 
and  possesses  the  remains  of  an  ancient  cathedral. 

From  Fortrose  to  Cromarty  the  public  road 
proceeds  inland  across  the  intervening  hills,  but 
there  is  a  footpath  along  the  lofty  cliffs  overhanging 
the  sea,  which  the  geologist  will  prefer.  The 
town  of  Cromarty  is  pleasantly  situated  on  a  low 
alluvial  promontory  washed  on  two  of  its  sides  by 
the  sea.  It  is  irregularly  built.  In  the  summer 
months  an  omnibus  plies  every  day  between  this 
place  and  Inverness,  passing  in  its  route  through 
Chanonrv,  Rosemarkie,  and  Arroch  ;  a  Leith 
steamer  also  calls  once  a  week.  The  population 
of  the  parish  was  2900  in  1831.  "  The  bay  of 
Cromarty,"  says  the  writer  of  the  last   Statistical 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  157 

Account  ot  the  parish,  "  was  deemed  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  world,  at  a  time  when  the  world 
was  very  imperfectly  known,  and  modern  dis- 
covery seems  to  have  done  nothing  to  lower  its 
character.  Almost  all  the  black-letter  historians 
dwell  upon  it  in  their  quaint  and  impressive 
language,  as  the  very  paragon  of  harbours.  Stow 
in  his  Chronicles  characterizes  it  as  *  an  exceeding 
quiet  and  saue  hauen.'  Boece  eulogizes  it  in  his 
preliminary  book  as  the  hail  (health)  of  seamen  ; 
and  it  has  been  described  by  Buchanan  in  elegant 
and  graphic  Latin,  (showing  us  that  the  poet  was 
not  wholly  sunk  in  the  historian,)  as  'formed  by 
the  waters  of  the  German  ocean,  opening  a  way 
through  the  stupendous  cliffs  of  the  most  lofty  pre- 
cipices, and  expanding  within  into  a  spacious  basin, 
affording  certain  refuge  against  every  tempest.' 
As  described  by  the  historian,  the  entrance  is  nar- 
row ;  the  headlands  lofty  and  precipitous,  and  so 
exposed  to  the  sea,  that  it  is  not  uncommon  during 
gales  from  the  north-east  to  see  waves  breaking 
upon  them  to  the  height  of  fully  100  feet;  but  so 
completely  sheltered  is  the  basin  within,  that  from 
most  points  of  view  it  presents  the  appearance  of  a 
lake.  In  breadth  it  varies  from  2  to  rather  more 
than  5  miles;  its  length  is  about  18;  the  depth 
averages  from  9  to  12  fathoms,  but  in  the  entrance 
in  some  places  it  exceeds  30 — a  depth  which  nearly 
doubles  that  of  the  frith  into  which  it  opens.  It 
has  frequently  been  described  by  seafaring  men, 
who  are  universally  acquainted  with  it,  and  who 
rarely  speak  of  it  without  an  enthusiasm,  the  re- 
sult of  many  a  grateful  association,  as  sulhciently 
capacious  to  shelter  the  whole  British  uavy.     Most 


138  GUIDE  TO  THE  TICTURESQUE 

of  the  springs  of  the  parish  are  of  a  petrifying 
quality.  The  water  of  nearly  all  the  draw- wells 
deposit  inside  our  tea-kettles,  ill  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  a  crust  of  lime  fully  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
thick  ;  and  some  of  our  rock  springs  are  so  largely 
charged  with  this  earth,  as  frequently  to  block  up 
their  older  channels,  and  burst  out  in  new  ones, 
which  are  to  be  choked  up  i»  turn.  There  is  one 
little  spring  which  moistens  a  stripe  of  precipice 
not  more  than  a  yard  in  breadth,  which  yet,  by 
this  process  of  shifting,  has  covered  an  extent  of  at 
least  twenty  yards  with  coral-like  petrifactions  of 
moss  and  lichens,  intermingled  with  gra*s  and 
nettle  stalks,  and  with  a  hard  breccia,  which,  more 
enduring  than  the  rock  on  the  edge  of  which  it 
has  formed,  projects  over  like  a  cornice,  for  nearly 
four  feet.  There  are  no  rivers  in  the  parish,  and 
the  streams  are  mere  runnels  ;  but  there  is  one  of 
these  (the  burn  of  Ethie)  which  from  its  cascades, 
and  the  beauty  of  its  scenery,  is  highly  deserving 
of  notice.  It  forms  the  extreme  boundary  of  the 
parish  towards  the  south,  and  runs  for  the  last  two 
miles  of  its  course  through  a  narrow  precipitous 
gulf  of  great  depth,  which  seems  to  have  been 
scooped,  by  some  frightful  convulsion,  out  of  an 
immense  bed  of  sandstone,  which  in  this  part  of  the 
parish  attains  to  an  elevation  of  above  250  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  traveller  advances 
a  few  yards  along  the  course  of  the  stream,  and 
finds  that  he  is  shut  in  from  almost  the  entire 
face  of  nature,  and  from  the  whole  works  of  man. 
A  line  of  mural  precipices  rises  on  either  hand — . 
here  advancing  in  gigantic  columns  like  those  of  an 
Egyptian  temple— there  receding  into  deep  solitary 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  Ij9 

recesses,  tapestried  with  ivy,  and  darkened  by  birch 
and  hazel.  The  cliffs  vary  their  outlines  at  every 
step,  as  if  assuming  in  succession  all  the  various 
combinations  of  form,  which  constitute  the  wild 
and  the  picturesque  ;  and  the  pale  yellow  hue  of 
the  stone  seems,  when  brightened  by  the  sun,  the 
very  tint  a  painter  would  choose  to  heighten  the 
effect  of  his  shades,  or  to  contrast  most  delicately 
with  the  luxuriant  profusion  of  bushes  and  flowers 
that  wave  over  every  shelf  and  cranny.  A  colony 
of  swallows  have  built,  from  time  immemorial,  in 
the  hollows  of  one  of  the  loftiest  precipices.  As 
the  traveller  proceeds,  the  dell  becomes  wilder  and 
more  deeply  wooded,  the  stream  frets  and  toils  at 
his  feet,  here  leaping  over  an  opposing  ridge,  there 
struggling  in  a  pool,  yonder  escaping  to  the  light 
from  under  some  fragment  of  cliff:  There  is  a 
richer  profusion  of  flowers,  a  thicker  mantling  of 
ivy  and  honeysuckle,  and  after  passing  a  semi- 
circular inflection  of  the  bank,  which,  waving  from 
summit  to  base  with  birch  and  hawthorn,  may 
remind  one  of  some  vast  amphitheatre  on  the 
morning  of  a  triumph,  he  finds  the  passage  shut 
up  by  a  perpendicular  wall  of  rock,  about  thirty 
feet  in  height,  over  which  the  stream  precipitates 
itself  in  a  slender  column  of  foam  into  a  dark  mossy 
basin.  A  little  cluster  of  hazels  fling  their  arms 
half-way  across — trebling  with  their  shade  the 
apparent  depth  of  the  pool,  and  heightening  in  ar* 
equal  ratio  the  effect  of  the  white  flicker  of  the 
cascade,  and  of  the  little  bright  patches  of  foam, 
which,  flung  from  the  rock,  incessantly  revolve  on 
the  eddy.  The  entire  scene  is  exquisitely  wild 
aiid  picturesque — such  a  one  as  the  painter  would 


160  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

love  to  transfer  to  his  canvas,  and  the  man  oi 
taste  delight  to  contemplate  ;  but  a  larger  body  of 
water  is  wanting  to  raise  it  to  the  dignity  of  the 
sublime.  There  are  two  other  cascades,  scarcely 
inferior  in  beauty,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  dell." 

Crossing  the  ferry,  skirting  the  base  of  the 
eastern  Souter,  and  then  traversing  a  low  level 
country,  we  enter  Tain,  a  small  irregularly  built 
town  of  about  2000  inhabitants.  And  here  we 
leave  our  tourist ;  referring  him  for  the  route 
northwards  from  this  part  to  Houna,  top.  119, 
ante. 


NINTH  TOUR. 

FROM  FORT-WILLIAM  TO   BLAIR- ATHOLE. 

Bridge  of  Lundy — Bridge  of  Spean,  7 — Glen 
Spean — Bridge  of  Roy,  10 — Loch-Laggan,  24 
— Badenoch — Pitmain,  52 — Detour  to  Loch 
EricJit — Kingussie,  53 — Alvie — Aviemore,  65 — 
Grantown,  79 —  Tomantoul,  93 — Corgarff,  1 02 — 
Gairdenshiel — Detour  to  Pannanich —  Castleton 
ofBraemar,  \'23±— Blair- Athole,  149. 

In  our  '  Steam-Boat  Pocket  Guide'  we  have  con- 
ducted the  tourist  from  Oban  to  Fort- William,  and 
described  Ben  Nevis,  and  the  parallel  roads  of  Glen- 
roy.  See  pp.  7.3 — 78.  We  have  also  conducted 
him  from  Fort- William,  by  steam,  to  Inverness. 
See  ibid.  11th  Tour.      We  will  now  escort  him  by 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  1G1 

land,  across  the  island  betwixt  Fort-William  and  ' 
Blair- Athole,  through  Badenoch  and  Strathsoey. 

Leaving  Fort- William,  the  tourist  pursues  a 
north-east  direction  through  Lochaber,  to  ttia 
Bridge  of  Lundy,  which  crosses  the  water  of 
Lundy,  a  tributary  of  the  Lochy.  He  then,  after 
traversing  two  or  three  miles  of  moorland,  crosses  the 
Spsean,  or  Spean,  by  a  handsome  bridge,  and  enters 
Glen  Spean,  by  a  road  running  along  the  north 
side  of  that  stream.  At  the  Bridge  of  Roy,  10 
miles  from  Fort- William,  we  cross  the  Ruaigh 
water  which  comes  down  from  Glen  Roy,  and 
joins  the  Lochy  at  this  point.  Here,  at  the  expense 
of  a  considerable  deviation  from  the  road  leading 
through  Glen  Spean,  the  tourist  may  follow  the 
course  of  the  Ruaigh,  and  obtain  a  sight  of  the  par- 
allel roads  of  Glen  Roy,  which  have  been  already 
described  in  the  '  Steam- Boat  Pocket  Guide,'  p.  *Jbt 

"  Glen  Spean  is,  on  the  whole,  an  interesting 
valley.  It  is  spacious  and  fertile  ;  and  the  moun- 
tains that  bound  it  are  wild  and  picturesque.  The 
ridge  on  the  left  bank  is  pierced  by  narrow  glens, 
each  of  which  sends  forth  a  tributary  torrent.  One 
of  them  penetrates  to  Loch-Triogh,  another  to 
Loch-Ouchan, — small  lakes  buried  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  mountains  to  the  south.  The  stream  issuing 
from  Loch-Triogh,  immediately  before  mingling 
with  the  Spean,  displays  a  succession  of  rapids, 
which  awaken  the  echoes  of  the  hills  by  their  gush- 
ing noise.  We  were  now  diving  fast  into  the  wilds 
of  Badenoch,  an  extensive  district  of  Inverness- 
shire  ;  but  we  did  not  perceive  that  deterioration 
in  the  habitations  and  appearance  of  the  peasantry 
so  obvious  in  the  northern  counties.     The  popula- 


162  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

tion  is  certainly  scanty,  and  the  space  of  ground 
under  tillage  limited  ;  but  the  natives  looked  happy 
and  prosperous,  and  agricultural  improvement  was 
evidently  on  the  advance.  As  we  drew  near  to 
Loch-Laggan,  the  current  of  the  Spean  became  less 
fierce,  and  the  mountains  increased  in  boldness. 
Low  pasture  lands  skirted  the  river  ;  and  the  lively 
green  of  the  birch  woods  on  the  heights  gave  the 
scene  a  peculiar  richness.  Curling  wreaths  of 
smoke  hung  trembling  over  the  tops  of  the  trees, 
and  pointed  out  the  sites  of  secluded  cottages.  The 
river  quits  the  lake  in  a  gentle  unruffled  stream  ; 
and  the  tributary  waters  from  Loch-Ouchan  join 
it  a  short  way  below.  Here  a  noble  eagle  was 
hovering  over  the  valley,  hunting  a  solitary  gull, 
which  had  found  its  way  thus  far  inland.  In  the 
end  he  struck  his  quarry  :  the  loud  swoop  of  his 
massy  wings  came  over  the  water  as  he  beat  the 
unhappy  trembler  to  the  earth.  This  kingly  bird 
was  probably  a  wanderer  from  the  cliffs  of  Ben- 
Nevis."* 

From  Spean  Bridge  to  Loch-Laggan  the  distance 
is  17  miles.  At  Craigbeag,  within  about  2  miles 
of  the  western  extremity  of  Loch-Laggan,  the 
tourist  leaves  the  district  of  Lochaber,  and  enters 
that,  of  Badenoch.  This  district  was  originally 
the  property  of  the  Comyns.  Bruce  bestowed  it 
on  his  nephew  Thomas  Randolph.  In  1371  it 
became  the  property  of  the  family  of  Stuart,  it  now 
belongs  to  the  Duke  of  Gordon.  Loch-Laggan  is 
about  10  miles  in  length,  and  1  in  general  breadth. 
It  lies  between  two  ridges  of  mountains,  the  decli- 

*  Ramble  in  the  North  Highlands. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  163 

Vlties  of  which  are  finely  wooded  to  the  water  edge. 
The  road  winds  along  the  northern  bank,  through 
a  thick  natural  forest,  the  remains  of  the  Coil 
Mhore,  or  great  Caledonian  forest.  The  scenery  of 
Loch-Laggan  is  of  a  softer  and  more  tranquil  char- 
acter than  usual  ;  there  is  no  savage  wildness  and 
sterility  about  it.  "  Tradition,"  says  Mr.  Leighton, 
"  has  been  busy  with  Loch-Laggan  and  its  shores, 
as  it  has  been  with  almost  every  lake  or  mountain 
in  the  Highlands.  In  early  ages  its  beauty,  or  the 
game  with  which  its  mountains  abounded,  attracted 
royalty.  ■  Fergus,  the  first  of  our  kings,'  long 
prior  to  the  time  when  the  Castle  of  Inverlochy  be- 
came a  royal  residence,  made  the  lake  and  its 
mountains  the  scene  of  his  amusements.  A  well 
known  spot  on  the  southern  shore  of  the  lake  is 
still  called  Ardmherigie,  or  the  height  of  Fergus. 
Two  of  the  islands  in  the  lake,  by  their  names  con- 
firm the  tradition.  One  of  them  is  Elan-na-Righ, 
or  the  king's  island,  and  still  exhibits  remains  of 
rude  masonry :  the  other  Elan-na-Conn,  or  the 
island  of  the  dogs,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the 
place  where  the  king  kept  those  necessary  assistants 
in  the  chase.  The  aboriginal  natives  of  this  place, 
however,  the  red  deer,  are  now  almost  entirely 
banished,  and  sheep  have  supplanted  in  modern 
times  the  objects  of  king  Fergus'  pleasure.  Still, 
however,  a  few  straggling  parties  and  individuals 
of  this  magnificent  animal  may  be  found  occasion- 
ally venturing  upon  a  stolen  visit  to  their  early 
haunts.  Not  long  ago  the  remains  of  no  less  than 
six  of  these  creatures  were  discovered  at  the  foot  of 
an  almost  perpendicular  precipice  near  the  top  of  a 
mountain  called  Wester  Biencan,  while  a  little  way 


164  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

from  them  lay  the  bones  of  the  dog  Gruim,  the  son 
of  Oscar,  one  or  the  finest  of  his  species,  which  had 
pursued  them  over  the  rocks. ,l* 

At  the  east  end  of  Loch-Laggan  there  is  an  inn 
where  the  lover  of  angling  will  find  good  quarters. 
Soon  after  passing  the  old  kirk  of  Laggan  ;  the 
tourist  comes  in  sight  of  the  Spey  meandering  east- 
ward through  a  wide  and  cultivated  valley,  with  the 
noble  mansion  of  Clan  Vurich's  chief,  Macpherson, 
crowning  the  northern  bank.  The  road  pursues 
the  southern  bank,  by  Dalchully,  Carrachy,  Shan- 
vail,  and  Ordan  hill,  beneath  which  latter  it  crosses 
the  Spey  near  to  Pitmain  ;  but  the  tourist  may 
cross  the  Spey  at  Laggan  new  kirk,  and  pursue  his 
route  to  Pitmain,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Spey — ■ 
Pitmain  is  18  miles  from  the  east  end  of  Loch- 
Laggan.  It  is  a  solitary  but  spacious  inn  command- 
ing a  line  view  of  the  Spey.  The  dilapidated  walls 
of  Castle  Ruthven,  or  rather  of  a  barrack  built  of 
its  ruins  in  1718,  appear  perched  on  a  green  mount 
on  the  opposite  bank.  James  Macpherson  the  cele- 
brated translator  of  Ossian,  was  born  in  1738,  in 
the  village  of  Ruthven. 

If  the  tourist  wishes  to  visit  Loch- Erich t,  or 
Errochd  in  genuine  Celtic,  by  pursuing  the  great 
north  road,  which  joins  the  route  we  have  now 
traced  near  Pitmain,  he  will  arrive  within  3  miles 
of  the  northern  extremity  of  this  noble  loch  at 
Dalwhinnie  inn,  in  Glen  Truim,  13  miles  from 
Pitmain.  This  lake  is  about  16  miles  in  lengtn. 
'*  Nothing.''  says  Mr.  Leighton,  "  can  exceed  the 
solitude  and  desolation  of  its  shores.      Hocks  bared 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  J  63 

by  the  winter  storm,  lofty,  precipitous,  an"!  some- 
times altogether  perpendicular  surround  it  ;  and 
every  where  are  scattered  huge  blocks  of  stone, 
which  frost  or  torrents  of  rain  have  detached  from 
the  mountains.  Vegetation  seems  here  almost  at 
an  end.  The  bleating  of  sheep,  the  barking  of  the 
dog,  or  the  cry  of  the  shepherd,  seldom  if  ever, 
breaks  the  silence  of  this  siient  place.  The  visitor 
finds  himself  alone  amid  the  silence  of  nature — of 
nature  in  its  wildest  form.  The  mind  is  over- 
powered and  subdued  by  the  emotions  which  are 
here  called  forth  ;  and  never  can  the  emotions  be 
altogether  erased  which  have  been  called  forth  by 
visiting  the  wild  and  lonely  Loch  Ericht.  At  the 
south  end,  where  the  waters  of  the  lake  are  dis- 
charged towards  Loch-Rannoch,  is  a  rock  of  300 
or  400  feet  perpendicular  height.  Its  summit  is 
accessible  with  great  difficulty,  and  here  is  to  be 
seen  an  ancient  fortification  or  place  of  strength, 
the  laborious  work  of  an  early  people  who  had  at 
one  time  inhabited  this  district.  It  is  about  500 
feet  in  length,  and  250  in  breadth,  over  the  walls. 
The  walls  are  upwards  of  fifteen  feet  in  thickness, 
and  are  constructed  of  large  square  broad  stories, 
firmly  laid  together,  though  without  mortar.  The 
general  purpose  of  such  an  erection  is  abundantly 
obvious  ;  but  the  time  when,  or  the  people  by  whom 
it  was  erected,  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain.  Like 
the  Druidical  circles,  or  the  Pictish  towers,  this 
fortress  might  form  the  ground-work  of  many  an 
ingenious  speculation,  much  angry  feeling  and  con- 
tention among  rival  theorists  ;  but  the  result,  as  has 
been  the  case  with  regard  to  all  the  remaining 
Works   of  the  early  inhabitants  of  the  Highlands, 


166  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

would  lead  to  little  else.  It  seems  now  altogether 
impossible  to  get  any  truth  or  certainty  upon  the 
subject.  If  antiquaries  had  devoted  themselves 
more  to  delineation  and  description,  than  ;to  theor- 
ising upon  incorrect  or  limited  knowledge,  their 
opinions  would  not  now  probably  be  so  much  at 
variance.  The  fortress  at  Loch  Erich t  is  worthy 
of  more  examination,  and  minuter  description  than 
it  has  yet  received.  On  the  east  side  of  the  lake, 
about  a  mile  or  two  from  the  south  end,  a  small 
cave  is  pointed  out  as  having  afforded  shelter  and 
concealment  to  the  young  Chevalier  after  the 
battle  of  Culloden.  He  had  wandered  previously 
for  some  time  amid  the  wilds  of  Moidart,  the 
islands,  and  Lochaber, — had  made  many  hair- 
breadth escapes  from  being  taken  by  his  ruthless 
pursuers,  when,  learning  that  Cameron  of  Lochiel, 
and  M*  Donald  of  Keppoch,  two  of  his  most  devoted 
followers,  were  concealed  in  Badenoch,  he  set  off 
to  them,  and  found  them  at  this  cave  on  the  shores 
of  Loch  ErLeht.  The  cave  is  small,  and  is  formed 
by  detached  blocks  of  stone  which  having  fallen 
down  to  their  present  sitaation,  form  a  small  open- 
ing which  might  receive  Two  or  three  individuals. 
The  fugitives,  however,  had  enlarged  its  dimensions 
by  erecting  a  hut  of  trees  in  front  of  its  entrance, 
from  which  circumstance  it  obtained  the  name  of 
the  cage,  by  which  it  was  popularly  known  at  the 
time.  A  more  effectual  place  of  concealment,  or 
one  less  likely  to  be  intruded  upon  than  this  at 
Loeh-Ericht,  could  hardly  have  been  selected. "* 
This  Loch,  however,  is  usually  visited  from  Loch* 
llannochj  in  Perthshire.      See  p.  84,  ante, 

*  Swan's  Lakes. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  167 

From  Pitmain  to  the  village  of  Kingussie,*  is  a 
distance  of  2  miles.  The  true  Celtic  appellation 
of  this  place  is  Ceannghiubhsaicke,  that  is,  *  the 
termination  of  the  Fir  Wood.'  Kingussie  is  on  the 
great  road  between  Inverness  and  Perth.  It  is  46 
miles  distant  from  Inverness.  From  Kingussie, 
the  road  runs  along  the  north  hank  of  the  Spey, 
passing  Alvie,  Aviemore,  and  Tullochgorum. 
Alvie,  in  Gaelic  Ealabhh  signifies  the  *  Lake  of 
Swans' ;  and  the  Lake  of  Alvie  has  from  time  im- 
memorial been  visited  by  swans  in  the  spring  season. 
This  Loch  is  a  small  sheet  of  water  formed  by  the 
Spey  ;  it  is  about  one  mile  in  length,  and  half-a- 
mile  in  breadth.  The  greatest  depth  is  65  feet. 
At  Belleville  a  district  of  this  parish,  Macpherson 
the  translator  of  Ossian  breathed  his  last.  On  the 
meadow  of  Belleville,  between  the  public  road  and 
the  Spey,  is  to  be  seen  Lochandhu  celebrated  in  Sir 
Thomas  Dick  Lauder's  novel  of  that  name.  It  is 
a  pond  nearly  of  an  oval  shape,  formed  by  the 
waters  of  the  Spey. 

"  No  village  in  the  north  of  Scotland,''  says  An- 
derson, "  can  compare  with  Grantown  in  neatness 
and  regularity,  and  in  beauty  of  situation.  The 
houses  are  of  a  small  size,  just  suited  to  the  condition 
of  the  inhabitants:  they  are  about  120  in  number,  of 
pretty  uniform  dimensions,  and  are  all  built  of  fine- 
grained whitish  granite.  The  simplicity  and  mass- 
iveness  of  every,  even  the  smallest  building  formed 

*  Kingussie  must  be  one  of  the  most  elevated  inland  pa- 
rishes in  the  island,  as  the  bed  of  the  Spey  is  here  about  850 
feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  average  velocity  of  the  river  in 
this  parish  is  about  3  miles  an  hour  ;  J.»s  depth  varies  from  2 
to  16  feet ;  and  its  width  averages  from  80  to  100  feet.— New 
Statistical  Account. 


108  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE 

of  this  stone,  render  it  neat  and  elegant.  **  About 
1^-  miie  to  the  east  is  castle  Grant,  the  noble  resi- 
dence of  the  chief  of  the  clan  Grant. 

From  Grantovvn,  the  route  may  be  pursued  along 
the  Speyto  Fochabers,  thus:  to  Inveravon,  13  miles: 
to  Aberlour,  20J  ;  to  Rothes,  244  ;  to  Fochabers 
34J.  But  our  present  route  now  leaves  Strathspey, 
and  proceeds  in  a  south-west  direction  to  Toman- 
toul  on  the  Avon,  14  miles  distant  from  Gran  town. 
There  is  a  good  inn  here.  Crossing  the  glen,  and 
pursuing  the  course  of  a  small  burn  called  the 
Conglan,  we  cross  a  succession  of  bare  hills  desti- 
tute of  wood,  and  come  in  sight  of  Corgarff,  which 
boasts  of  only  one  object  worthy  of  note — an  an- 
cient castle.  At  Gardenshiel,  the  road  crosses  the 
Gairden  water,  a  tributary  of  the  Dee.  And  here 
a  road  branches  off  on  the  left  towards  Bai later, 
and  the  bridge  of  Pannanich.  The  author  of  a 
'  Summer  Rambie  in  the  North  Highlands'  says, 
u  A  tame  uninteresting  mountain  scene  varied  only 
by  partial  glimpses  of  Ben-Aven,  and  other  snow- 
sprinkled  ridges,  prevails  between  Corgarff  and 
the  Dee.  So  soon,  however,  as  the  traveller  ap- 
proaches that  river,  the  view  undergoes  a  rapid,  or 
rather  instantaneous  change.  Emerging  f"om  a 
narrow  glen,  running  transversely  with  the  mag- 
nificent valley  through  which  it  flows,  he  beholds 
in  front  of  him  the  pass  of  Ballater,  and  the  steep 
wooded  cliffs  that  overhang  the  mineral  springs  of 
Pannanich.  The  river,  as  broad  and  powerful  as 
at  its  mouth  forty  miles  below  rushes  down  from 
the  mountain-wilds,  where  it  collects  its  strength 
among  crags  of  every  form  and  tint.  The  smaii 
*  Anderson's  Guide  to  the  Highlands. 


SCENERY  OF  SCOTLAND.  169 

village  of  Ballater  crouches  at  the  base  of  a  preci- 
pitous wood-crowned  rock,  that  rises  in  isolated 
majesty  in  the  centre  of  the  valley.  The  pump- 
room  of  Pannanich  is  perched  on  the  slope  of  a  hill 
on  the  opposite  bank,  the  serrated  top  of  which  is 
crested  by  sombre  fir,  the  dwarf  oak,  and  the  birch. 
The  broad  valley  stretches  eastward  many  miles  in 
noble  perspective ;  and  looking  westward  from  a  neat 
modern  bridge  thrown  over  the  stream  at  the  church 
of  Ballater,  the  eye  hails  the  perennial  snows  of 
*  dark  Loch-na-Garr.'  We  had  seen  glens,  and 
rivers,  and  mountains  in  abundance,  during  our 
rambiings,  yet  in  this  instance,  our  relish  for  moun  • 
tain  scenery  was  as  keen  as  ever.  Here,  on  the  eve 
of  bidding  adieu  to  the  Highlands,  perhaps  for  ever, 
it  created  a  sensation  of  joy,  that  our  farewell  glance 
was  riveted  on  one  of  the  grandest  objects  it  had  been 
our  fortune  to  behold." 

The  tourist  may  return  from  Ballater,  by  a  road 
running  along  the  Dee,  to  Castleton  ;  or  if  he  re- 
solves on  not  visiting  Pannanich,  he  will  pursue 
the  road  branching  off  to  the  right,  or  west,  at 
Gairdenshiel,  which  joins  the  road  from  Ballater 
to  Castleton  at  Craithienard,  about  half-way  be- 
tween these  two  places,  or  nine  miles  from  either. 
Six  miles  farther  up  the  strath,  the  road  crosses 
the  Dee.  "  The  view  from  the  bridge  here,  both 
up  and  down  the  river  is  peculiarly  imposing.  The 
spectator  stands  in  the  middle  of  a  section  of  the 
strath  of  from  three,  to  four  miles  in  length,  the 
hills  on  opp-  side  circling  so  as  to  form  one  terminal 
boundary  ;  while  those  opposite  do  the  same  in  a 
contrary  direction  at  the  other  end.  Each  concave 
bend  presents  an  aiupxe  receding  hollow.  Forests 
M  2 


110  GUIDE  TO  THE  PICTURESQUE,  &C. 

of  fir  clothe  both  sides  of  the  valley,  and  with  tire 
fir,  birch  is  mingled  in  large  quantities,  both  in 
distinct  masses  and  more  intimate  union.  This 
latter  tree  also  again  disposes  itself  amidst  the  corn- 
fields and  pasture  in  the  centre  of  the  valley.  Above 
the  woods  which  occupy  the  gentle  slopes  of  the 
spacious  hollows  on  either  hand,  and  the  heathy 
acclivities  which  succeed  chem,  rise,  in  frowning 
majesty,  amphitheatres  of  bare  and  lofty  alps."* 

From  Castleton  of  Braemar  to  Blair- Athole  may 
be  reckoned  26  miles,  requiring  1 1  hours  moderate 
walking.  But  we  must  refer  the  tourist  to  p.  79, 
ante, 

*  Anoerson's  Guide  to  the  Highlands. 


APPENDIX. 


TABLES 

OP 

THE  PRINCIPAL  ROADS  IN  SCOTLAND 

ALPHABETICALLY   ARRANGED. 


I.   ROUTES  FROM  EDINBURGH. 

No.  I.    Aberdeen,  by  Queensferry,  Perth,  and  Dundee, 
(See  Seventh  Tour.) 

Dean  Bridge  1  |  Perth  (seep.  85) 44 

Cramond  Bridge 6    Inchture  58 

South  Queensferry  (see  p.  40)  9    Dundee}  (seep.  128) 66 

North  ditto  Tsee  p.  40) II  '  Arbroath  (see  p.  130)   83 


Inverkeithingf  13 

Crossgates   17 

Kinross  (see  p.  90) 27 

Bridge  of  Earn  40 


Montrose  (see  p.  134)   96 

Bervie  (see  p.  135) 109 

Stonehaven  (seep.  135)   ...119 
Aberdeen  §  (seep.  138) 134 


f  Inverkeithing  to  Dunfermline,  4  miles. 

X  Dundee  to  St  Andrews,  see  p.  128  ;  to  Dunkeld,  see  p.  130. 

$  From  Aberdeen  to  Inverness,  see  No.  23. 

No-  2.    Aberdeen,  by  Perth,  Cupar-Angus,  Forfar,  and 
Brechin. 

Perth,  see  No.  1  (see  p.  85)  44  I  Brechin  (see  p.  133) 37 

Cupar-Angus 57    Laurencekirk 98 

Meigle  62    Stonehaven  (see  p.  i35)   ...111 

Forfar 74  |  Aberdeen  (see  p.  138)  .126 


1 72  PRINCIPAL  ROADS 

No.  6.   Aberdeen,  by  Kirkcaldy,  Cupar,  Dundee,  and  Forfar. 
(See  Seventh  Tour.) 

LeithorNewhaven(secp.l23)2  [  Cuparf  (see  p.  125)   31 

Ferry  to  Pettycur 9    Newport  42 

Kinghorn 1U  |  Dundee  (see  p.  128)  44 

Kirkcaldy  (see  p.  123)  13  I  Forfar  58 

Plasterer's  Inn  (seep.  123)  J9|    Aberdeen,  (see  p.  138) 110 

New  Inn 22  j 

f  Cupar  to  Dundee  by  Kilmany,  2  miles  shorter.— Cupar  to 
St  Andrews,  see  p.  125. 

No.  4.    Ayr,  by  Midcalder,  Strathaven,  and  Kilmarnock. 

Hermiston   6    Strathaven  42 

Midcalder 12     New  Mills    55 

New  Mains 30     Kilmarnock-f- 62 

Garrion  Bridge  34    Ayr    74 

+  Kilmarnock  to  Irvine,  7  miles. 
No.  5.    Ayr,  by  Carnwath  and  Douglas  Mill. 

Slateford  3  I  Douglas  Mill  38 

Currie  6    Muirkirk 51 

Causewayend  Inn 13     Cumnock 62 

Carnwath 25     Ayr 77 

Carstairs  (see  note,  p.  24)...  28  I 

No.  6.   Berwick,  by  Haddington  and  Dunbar. 

Dunbar 23 

Houndwood 43 

Berwick 57 


Portobello 3 

Musselburgh  6 

Tranent    10 

Haddington 17 

No.  7.   Berwick,  by  Dunse. 

Haddington,  see  No.  6 17  I  Chirnside 46 

Longformacus    34    Berwick   55 

Dunse  41  | 

No.  8.    Coldstream,  by  Dalkeith  and  Greenlaw. 

Dalkeith  7  I  Whitburn  Inn    30 

Blackshiels 15     Greenlaw :<3 

Carfrae  Mill    22  I  Coldstream 43 

No.  9.    Crieff,  by  Dunfermline. 

South  Queensferry    0  I  Yetts  of  Muckart 29 

North  Queensferry  11     Muthill .: H 

Dunfermline  16  I  Crieff. 47 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


173 


No.  10.   Dumfries,  by  Moffat. 


Moffat  52 

Burns     63 

Dumfries 73 


Pennicuick 10 

Nobiehouse 18 

Crook  Inn  35 

Tweedshaws    44 

No    11.   Dumfries,  by  Biggar  and  Thornhill. 

Rutherford  Castle  Inn 14 

Linton  17 

Biggar  (see  p.  95)  28 

Abingdon 40 

f  Elvanfoot  to  Leadhills,  6  miles. 


Elvanfootf  46 

Thornhill 62 

Brownhill 65 

Dumfries 76 


No.  12.   Dundee,  by  Kinross  and  Perth,  see  No.  1 66 

No.  13.   Dundee,  by  Kirkcaldy  and  Cupar,  see  No.  3 44 

No.  14.   Dunse,  by  Dalkeith. 

Whitburn  Inn,  see  No.  9...  30  I  Dunse  42 

Wectruther 32  | 


No.  15.   Fort- William,  by  Stirling  and  Callander. 
(See  Steam- Boat  Guide,  Ninth  Tour.) 


Stirling,  see  No.  37  35 

Bridge  of  Allan 39 

Doune 44 

Callander 52 

Lochearnhead.... 66 

Luib  Inn 75 

Crianlarich  Inn 83 


Tyndrum SS 

Inverouran  Inn 97 

King's  House  Inn 107 

Glencoe    116 

Ballahulish 121 

Fort-Williamf 136 


+  Fort- William  to  Blair- Athole,  see  Ninth  Tour. 

No.  16.    Glasgow,  by  Midcalder  and  Holytovvn. 
(.See  Second  Tour,  p.  25.) 


West  Maitland  Street  

Herdmanston 6 

Midcalder  (see  p.  26) 12 

Whitburn    20 


Kirk  of  Shotts  (see  p.  25)...  27 

Holytown 33 

Glasgow  44 


No.  17.    Glasgow,  by  Bathgate  and  Airdrie.   (See  Second 
Tour,  p.  26.) 


Colt  Bridge 

Corstorphine  (see  p.  27)  ....    4 

Upball  Inn  (seep.  27) 12 

Bathgate 19 


West  Craigs  Inn  (sec  p,  27}  23 

Airdrie  (see  p.  26) 32 

Shettlestone 41 

Glasgow   44 


174 


PRINCIPAL  ROADS 


No.  18*  Glasgow,  by  Linlithgow  and  Faliirk. 
(Sec  Second  Tour,  p.  27.) 

Corstorphine  (see  p.  36)  ...    4  |  Camelon 22£ 

Kirkliston  (see  p.  36) 9    Cumbernauld  (see  p.  28)  ...  33 

Linlithgow  (-ce  p.  31) 17    Glasgow  47 

Falkirk  (see  p.  28) 24  | 

No.  19.   Inverary,  by  Stirling  and  Callander. 

Stirling,  see  No.  42  (see  p.        I  Dalmally 100 

43) 35    Cladich ......107 

Tyndrum,  see  No.  17., 88  |  Inverary 116 


No.  20.    Inverness,  by  Perth,  Aberdeen,  and  Huntly. 

Aberdeen,  see  Nos.  1.  &  3.. .134  Fochabersf  (see  p.  147)   ...192 

Kintore J47  Elgin  (see  p.  149)   .,...201 

Inverury 150  Forres  (seep.  152). ..„ 2!3 

Pitmachie    159  Nairn  (seep.  155) 223 

Huntly 173  Inverness 240 

Keith    183 

f  Route  from  Fochabers,  through  Strathspey,  see  note,  pp. 
149,  1GS. 


No.  21.    Inverness,  by  Perth  and  Dunkeld. 
(The  Highland  Road.) 


Perth,  see  No.  1 44 

Auchtergaven 53 

Dunkeld  (see  p.  74)  59 

Moulinearn  Inn  (see  p.  79)  68 
Pass  of  Killicrankie(seep.80)  72 
Blair-Athole  (see  p.  81)  ...  76 
Dalnacardoch 87 


Dalwhinnie ,...100 

Pitmain  (seep.  164) ....113 

Aviemore  (see  p.  167) 126 

Bridge  of  Carr    ,.133 

Freeburn 142 

Moy , , 115 

lnvernessf  156 


f  Route  from  Inverness  to  Beauly,  see  p.  116. 


Dalkeith 7 

Blackshiels  15 

Carfrae  Mill    22 

Lauder ...... 26 


No.  22.   Jedburgh,  by  Lauder. 

St  Boswells 39 

.Ancrum    43 

Jedburgh 46 


No.  23.   Jedburgh,  by  Galashiels  and  Melrose. 

Fushie  Bridge 11  I  Melrose 36 

Torsonce  Inn 24  j  Ancrum 45 

Oalashieis    32  1  Jedburgh 48 


IN  SCOTLAND. 


175 


No.  24     Kelso,  by  Whitburn  Inn. 


Whitburn  Inn,  see  No.  9...  30  {  Keteof 12 

W(est  Gordon 34  | 

+  Kelso,  by  the  eastern  coast,  to  Glasgow,  124  miles,  seep.  111. 
No.  25.    Kelso,  by  Lauder  and  Earlston. 

Smailholm   37 

Kelso  (see  p.  110) 43 

No.  26.   Lanark,  by  Carnwath.     (See  note,  pp.  23,  24.) 

Carnwath,  see  No.  5 25 

Carstairs  28 


Lauder,  see  No.  22   26 

Earlston    32 


Lanark  (seep.  120)   31 


No.  27.    London,  by  Berwick,  Newcastle,  and  York. 


Berwick,  see  No  6   57 

Belford 73 

Alnwick   87 

Ftlton   98 

Morpeth    107 

Newcastle* 121 

Durham 136 

Darlington  ...154 

Northallerton 170 

Thirsk  , 179 

Easingwold 190 

York 203 

Tadcaster 213 

Ferrybridge 225 

Doncaster    240 

Rossington  Bridge 244 


Barnby  Moor 254 

Scarthing  Af.oor 26") 

Newark 27', 

Bennington 283 

Grantham    ..292 

Stretton    305 

Stamford  313 

Stilton  327 

Alconbury    .'334 

Huntingdon 340 

Arrington    354 

Buckland 305 

Ware.    378 

Waltham  Cross 887 

London 399 


*  The  following  is  an  itinerary  of  the  Newcastle  and  Carlisle 
Railway  : — 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  Northumberland,  to 


The  Tyne  River  Viaduct      2 
Blavdon,  or  Scotswood  ...    3f 

Wvlam   7| 

Stocksfield,  or  Bywell 12 

Corbridge  10^ 

Famley  Tunnel 17 

Hexham 20 

South  Tyne  Viaduct  22| 

Four  Stones  24£ 

Haydon  Bridge  21- 

Bardon  Mill  31 

Haltwhistle  37f 

Haltwhistle  Tunnel 38± 


Greenhead 40| 

Rose  Hill 43 

Low  Row",  Cumberland...  46 
Milton,  or  Bramptom  Sta- 
tion      48| 

How  Mill  52£ 

Corby  and  Wetherall  Via- 
duct    55y 

Cross  the  river  Kden 

Carlisle  Town  Station 60 

Carlisle  Canal  Station,  at 
the  Basin .<  £>\\ 


170 


PRINCIPAL  ROADS 


No.  28.   London,  by  Selkirk,  Hawick,  Carlisle,  and  Man- 
chester. 


Fushie  Bridge 11 

Torsonce  Inn 24 

Galashiels    32 

Selkirk  (see  p.  97) 39 

Hawick 50 

Mosspaul  Inn 63 

Langholm  (see  p.  112) 73 

Longtown    85 

Carlisle 94 

Hesketh  103 

Penrith 112 

Shap  123 

Hux 131 

Kendal 139 

Burton 150 

Lancaster 161 


Preston 183 

Manchester*  212 

Bullock  Smithy 223 

Macclesfield 231 

Ashbourne  2fi0 

Derby   273 

Kegworth    284 

Loughborough   290 

Leicester 801 

Market  Harborough 315 

Northampton 333 

Lathbury 218 

VVoburn    357 

Dunstable    366 

Redburn  375 

London 400 


Garstang 172 

No.  29.    Morpeth,  by  Coldstream. 

Coldstream,  see  No.  9 48  I  Whittingham 73 

Corn-hill    49     Weldon  Bridge 83 

Wooler 61  |  Morpeth   92$ 

No.  30.   North  Berwick. 

Musselburgh  6  I  Dirleton  19 

Prestonpans 9    North  Berwick  22 

Aberlady 15  I 

No.  31.    Gban,  by  Stirling  and  Callander. 

Tyndrum,  see  No.  15   88  1  Taynuilt  114 

Dalmally 100  |  Oban 122 

*  The  following  is  an  itinerary  of  the  Manchester  and  Liver 
pool  Railway  :— 

Liverpool  to 


Huyton  6 

Whiston 7| 

Kendrick's  Cross 9 

St   Helens   and    Runcorn 

Railway 11£ 

Grand  Junction  Railway...  14- 

Newton  Road   16 

f'fo  Newton  £  m. 

L.  <  To  Wigan  7£  m. 
CTo  Leigh  5  in. 

To  Warrington  5  m.— R. 
V/igan  Railway  16J 


Kenyon  Stocks 13£ 

Bolton  and  Leigh  Railway  i9± 

Bury  Lane 20£ 

Bolton  Road 26* 

L. — To  Bolton  7  m. 

To  Warrington  10  m. — R. 
Wigan  &  Manchester  canal  26"* 
Eccles 27f 

L.— To  Manchester  3f  m. 

To  Warrington  141  W«—  R. 
Manchester £1 


IN  SCOTLAND.  J  J  t 

No.  82.    Perth,  by  Kirkcaldy  and  Falkland.    (See  Seventh 

Tour.) 


Strathmiglo 2S 

Bridge  of  Earn  36 

Perthf 10 


Kirkcaldy,  see  No.  3  (see  p. 

1*3)    13 

New  Inn  22 

Falkland  (see  pp.  123,  124)   25 

f  Perth  to  Dunkeld,  see  p.  84. 

No.  33.   Portpatrick,  by  Ayr. 

Glasgow,  see  No.  16 44  1  Ayr    7S 

Kilmarnock 66  |  Portpatrick,  see  No.  61 138 

No.  34.   Portpatrick,  by  Dumfries. 


Dumfries,  see  No.  10  73 

Castle-Douglas  92 

Gatehouse  107 

Newton-Stewart 125 


Glenluce 1 11 

Stranraer 151 

Portpatrick 15'J 


No.  35.     St  Andrews.    (See  p.  125.) 
Cupar,  see  No.  3 31  |  St  Andrews 41 

No  36.  St  Andrews,  by  Dysart  and  Anstruther.  (Seep.  123.) 

Kirkcaldy,  see  No.  3 13  I  Anstruther 36 

Dysart  15     Kilrenny  37 

Leven    23|  Crail 10 

Largof 26     Kingsbarns 43 

Colinsburgh 38    St  Andrews  (see  p.  125)   ...  50 

Pittenweein 34  | 

f  The  direct    road  from  Largo  to  St  Andrews  is  13  miles 
shorter  than  the  coast  road  by  Crail. 

No.  37.    Stirling,  by  Linlithgow  and  Falkirk. 


Kirkliston    9 

Linlithgow  17 

Falkirk 24 

Larbert 27 


Bannockburn 33 

St  Ninians   31 

Stirling 35 


No.  38.   Stirling,  by  Queensferry,  Dunfermline,  and  ADoa. 

Dunfermline,  see  No.  10...  16  j  Alloa  (see  p.  39)., 32 

Torryburn  (see  p.  38)  21     Stirling 39 

Kincardine 20  | 


178 


PRINCIPAL  ROAtfS 


No.  39.  Thurso,  by  Inverness  and  Tain. 

Inverness,  see  No.  20  241 

Beauly  (see  p.  U(i)    254 

Dingwallf  (see  p.  117) 262 

Invergordon  (see  p.  119)  ...27G 

Tain  (see  pp.  119,  160) 288 

Meikle  Ferry  (see  p.  119)...293 
Dornoch  (seep   120) 298 


Golspie ,.,-.309 

Lothbegg 319 

Helmsdale 326 

Berridale  (see  p.  120)   336 

Ulbster 350 

Wick  (seep.  121)  3fl3 

Thurso  (see  p.  122)    384 


f  Detour  from  Dingwall  to  Strathpeffer,  see  p.  117. 


II.  ROUTES  FROM  GLASGOW. 

No.  40.    Ayr,  by  Kilmarnock. 
Cathcart  3  I  Kilmarnockf 22 


Kingswells  Inn  I3J 

Fenwick  18  I 


Monkton  30 

I  Ayr* 34 

f  Glasgow  to  Kilmarnock,  by  Paisley  and  Stewarton,  31  miles. 
t  Ayr  to  Whithorn,  by  New  Galloway  and  Wigton,  74  miles. 


No.  41.   Ayr,  by  Greenock  and  the  Coast. 


Greenock,  see  No.  47  22 

Innerkip  u 28 

Largs 37 

Fairlie 40 

West  Kilbride 44 

Ardrossan  ..< 47 


Saltcoats  50 

Kilwinning it 

Irvine   57 

Monkton 65 

Ayr  69 


No.  42.  Callander,  by  Aberfoyle. 

Kelvin  Bridge   3  I  Aberfoyle  (see  p.  60) 27 

New  Kilpatrick 6     Port  of  Menteith    30 

Drymen  (see  p.  61)  18    Callanderf  (see  p.  51)  37 

Gartmore  (see  p.  61), 24  I 

f  From  Callander  to  the  Trosachs,  see  p.  54. 

No.  43.   Carlisle,  by  Hamilton  and  Abingdon. 

Bothwell  (see  p.  6)    9  Beatock  Bridge 56  f 

Hamilton  (seep.  10) 10^  Lockerby "0 

Lesmahagow  22  Ecclefechan 76 

Douglas  Mill 28  Gretna  Green 86 

Abingdon 37  Carlisle ., 95 

Elvanfoot 42 


IN  SCOTLAND.  179 

No.  44.    Carlisle,  by  Dumfries. 

Dumfries,  see  No.  45  83  I  Gretna  Green 107 

Annan  .« 99  1  Carlisle 116 

No.  45.   Dumfries,  by  Kilmarnock. 

Kilmarnock,  see  No.  40  ...  221  Sanquhar 55' 

Mauchline  31     Thornhill 08 

Old  Cumnock 37  |  Dumfriesf  83 

f  See  another  route  to  Glasgow  from  Dumfries,  p.  112. 
No.  46.   Fort-William,  by  Tarbet  and  Tyndrum. 

Tarbet,  see  No.  50 35  j  Tyndrum 56 

Auldtarnan  Inn 45     Fort- William,  see  No.  17...103 

Crianlarich  Inn 51  | 

No.  47.    Greenock,  by  Renfrew. 

Govan     (see     Steam-Boat       I  Bishopton  Inn    19 

Guide,  p.  6)  3    Port-Glasgow  (seeibid.p.12)  19 

Renfrew  (.see  ibid.  p.  8)  ...    6  I  Greenock  (see  ibid.  p.  13)     22 

No.  48.    Greenock,  by  Paisley. 

Paisley f    8  1  Port-  Glasgow   (see  Steam. 

Bishopton  Inn    14        Boat  Guide,  p.  1 2) 21 

I  Greenock  (see  ibid.  p.  13)     24 
f  Paisley,  to  Port- Glasgow,  by  Bridge  of  Johnstone  and 
Kilbarchan,  2  miles  longer. 

No.  49.    Hawick,  by  Lanark,  Peebles,  and  Selkirk. 


Lanark,  see  No.  52    25 

Biggar   37 

Broughton    42 

Peebles 52 


Inverleithenf 5S 

Yair  Bridge 69 

Selkirk 73 

Hawick 84 


f  Inverleithen,  by  Galashiels  and  New  Road  to  Selkirk,  4 
miles  longer. 

No.  50.    Inverary,  by  Dumbarton,  Luss,  and  Tarbet.     (See 

Steam-Boat  Guide,  Fifth  Tour.) 
Kilpatrick  (see  Steam-Boat       I  Tarbet  (see  ibid.  p.  39) 35 

Guide,  p.  10)     10     Arroquhar  (see  ibid.  p.  43)   37 

Dumbarton  (see  ibid.  p.  27)  14     Cairndow    Inn    (see   ibid. 

Renton 17        p.  47) 50 

Luss  (see  ibid,  pp  36,  39)..  27  |  Inveraryf  (see  ibid,  p.  47)    60 

f  Other  routes  to  Inverary,  see  Steam-Boat  Guide,  p.  31. 


ISO  PRINCIPAL  ROADS  IN  SCOTLAND. 

No.  51.   Inverness,  by  Tarbet  and  Fort- William. 

Fort- William, see  No, 46..  103  J  Invermoriston 137 

Letter  Finlay  Inn 118     Drumindrochit  Inn 150 

F -Art- Augustus    132  1  Invernessf    165 

+  Inverness  to  Houna  Inn,  see  p.  113. 

No.  52.   Lanark.     (See  First  Tour- ) 

Broomhouse  Toll   5|  j  Dalserf  (see  p.  15) 18 

Bollwell  village  (see  p.  2)    9      Lanark,  (see  p.  20) 25 

Hamilton  (see  p.  10) lOf  | 

No.  53.  Oban,  by  Inverary.  (See  Steam-Boat  Guide,  Seventh 

Tour.) 
Inverary,  see  No.  50  (see       |  Dalmally  (see  ibid.  p.  55)     76 

Steam- Boat  Guide,  p.  47     60  j  Taynuiltf  ^see  ibid.  p.  56)    88 
Cladich 69  I  Obanf  (see  ibid.  p.  59) ....  100 

f  From   Inverary  to  Taynuilt,  by  Port  Sonachan  Ferry, 
7  miles  shorter. 

t  Route  from  Oban  to  Fort- William,  see  Steam-Boat  Guide, 
Ninth  Tour. 

No.  54.   Perth,  by  Stirling.     (See  Fourth  Tour.) 

Stirling,  f  see  No.  56  (see  p.        |  Ardoch . .  39 

4:3    27    Muthill 45 

Bridge  of  Allan  (see  p.  43)    31     Crieff  (see  p.  88) 48 

Dunblane  (see  p  47) 33     Methven   54 

Doune  (see  p.  49)  36  [  Perth  (see  p.  85) 65 

+  Stirling  to  Perth,  by  Auchterarder,  5  miles  shorter.    Route 
from  Stirling  to  Dumbarton,  see  p.  48,  note. 

No.  55.    Port-Patrick,  by  Ayr. 

Avr,  see  No.  40 31  j  Ballantrae 68 

May  bole 43    Stranraer 86 

Girvan 55  j  Port-  Patrick 94 

No.  56.    Stirling,  by  Cumbernauld.     (See  Third  Tour.) 

Cumbernauld  (see  p.  28)  ..   14  I  St  Ninians  (see  pp.  30,  46)    26 
Denny  Loanhead  (see  p.  37)  17  |  Stirling  (see  p.  43) 27 

No.  57.    Stirling,  by  Kilsyth. 

Kirkintilloch  (see  p.  37)   ..     8  j  St  Ninians  (see  pp.  30,  46)     28 

Kilsyth  (see  p.  37) 13    Stirling  (see  p.  43) 29 

Denny  Loanhead  (see  p.  37)  19  1 


, 


vc  .  C  asffr  , 


M'PHUMT'S 

SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

STEAM-BOAT 

POCKET  GUIDE; 


1 

ORTHY    OF    Tli 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    ALL    THAT    IS    AV 

STRANGER'S    NOTICE 

IN    THE 

WESTERN  HIGHLANDS  AND  ISLANDS 


A  NEW  EDITION, 
WITH  EXTENDED  DESCRIPTIONS  AND  ADDITIONAL  TOUJ 


RS 


WILLIAM  WALLACE  PYFE,  F.R.S.S.A  , 

Vice-President  of  the  Cuvierian  Society.  Editor  of  the  Provincial 
Souvenir,  and  other  Works. 


FIFTH    THOUSAND. 


GLASGOW  ; 

PUBLISHED    BY    W.    R.    M'PHUN,    ARGYLE    STREET; 

James  Gilbert,  49  Paternoster  Row,  London; 
Oliver  and  Boyd,  Edinburgh. 


]848 


PREFACE. 


The  object  which  has  been  aimed  at  in  the  following  pages 
is  to  furnish  the  tourist  with  an  accurate  and  intelligent  guide 
to  the  principal  points  of  scenery,  and  the  most  interesting 
localities,  in  our  Western  Highlands.  The  truth  of  the  adage 
—'a  great  book,  a  great  evil,' — is  seldom  more  deeply  felt  than 
when  one  is  travelling.  In  such  circumstances  an  ordinary 
octavo,  or  even  a  fashionable  duodecimo,  is  often  found  to  be 
an  exceedingly  troublesome  companion.  No  tourist  can  com- 
fortably '  take  the  road'  with  a  book  in  his  pocket  exceeding 
snuff-box  dimensions.  Under  this  conviction  we  have  arranged 
our  materials  in  the  smallest  convenient  form.  The  limits  we 
have  prescribed  to  ourselves  have  indeed  imposed  upon  us  a 
necessity  for  great  condensation  and  brevity,  yet  we  are  not 
aware  that  we  have,  in  a  single  instance,  withheld  any  really 
useful  information  from  the  tourist :  nay  we  have  sometimes, 
it  will  perhaps  be  thought,  used  a  Cicerone's  privelege,  and 
anticipated  more  questioning  than  some  who  may  place  them- 
selves under  our  guidance,  feel  inclined  to  put  us  to.  In  select- 
ing and  arranging  the  different  routes  laid  down  in  the  follow- 
ing pages,  we  have  studied  to  instruct  the  tourist  how  he  may 
employ  his  time  to  most  advantage ;  not  exactly  how  he  may 
get  over  the  most  ground  in  the  least  posible  time, — but  how 
he  may  see  most  of  what  is  really  most  worthy  of  being  seen  in 
the  Western  Highlands,  in  any  given  number  of  hours  or  days 
The  first  excursion  suggested  to  him  are  limited  to  a  few 
hoars  in  length,  such  as  he  may  achieve  in  an  odd  morning  or 


IV  PREFACE. 

afternoon.    For  the  next  it  will  be  necessary  that  he  set  apart 
an  entire  day.    The  last  class  of  routs  are  of  a  mo$ft  ambitious 
character  and  undefined  in  length ;  some  of  them  may  indeed 
be  accomplished  in  a  couple  of  days,  hut  others  will  employ 
entire  week,  and  all  of  them  may  be  indefinitely  varied  an 
protracted  at  the  tourist's  pleasure. 

By  amplifying  descriptions,  and  indicating  many  new  and 
interesting  excursions,  the  present  edition  is  enlarged  to 
fully  twice  the  size  of  preceeding  ones,  and  supplies  to  the 
tourist  the  most  minute  and  accurate  information  he  can 
obtain. 

The  "spirit  of  the  age,"  the  growing  taste  for  the  histor- 
ical and  literary  associations  of  our  native  scenery,  we  have 
not  neglected.  The  index,  a  new  and  useful  feature  of  the 
present  issue,  attests  the  multitude  and  variety  of  references 
to  places,  events,  and  authors. 

In  this  revision,  notices  of  all  the  recent  improvements  on 
Glasgow  Harbour,  the  river  Clyde,  its  numerous  watering- 
places,  their  steam  conveyances,  ferry  and  hotel  accomoda- 
tions, have  been  introduced;  abundance  of  statistics  added; 
and  descriptions  of  the  more  popular  resorts,  Lochlomond, 
Bute,  Arran,  Largs,  the  Clyde  Lochs,  &c,  elaborated  by 
masses  of  topographical  information;  whilst  the  more  strik- 
ing objects  in  more  distant  steam  tours,  Staffa,  Iona,  Mull, 
Jura,  Islay,  Skye,  the  Spar  Cave  of  Strathaird,  &c,  have  also 
been  enlarged  to  suit  the  increased  facilities  of  access. 

WILLIAM  W.  FYFE. 

Grzenlaw  Cottage, 
My,  184G. 


CONTENTS, 


The  Clyde,     ... 
Introductory  Tour,  ~' 


FIRST  TOUR. 


Paisley — North  Bar — Erskine — Bowling  bay— The  Grand  Junc- 
tion canal — Dnnglass— Dumbarton — Newark  .castle— Port-Glas- 
gow—Greenock,    

SECOND  TOUR. 

Glasgow  to  Helensburgh  and  Roseneath: — Helensburgh— Roseneath 
— Ardincaple— The  Gairloch, 

THIRD  TOUR. 

Glasgow  to  Dunoon  and  Rothesay,  with  a  description  of  the  Island 

of  Bute: — Holy  loch — Kilmun — Dunoon— Bawkie  bay — Toward 

point— Rothsay — Mount  Stewart — Kilchattan  bay— the  Garroch 

head — Port-Bannatyne — Loch  Fad, 

FOURTH  TOUR. 
Glasgow  to  Largs:— Gourock— Laven  Tower — The  Cloch— Inner- 
kip— Ardgowau — Wemyss  bay — Largs, 

FIFTH  TOUR. 
Glasgow  to  Loch  Lomond  and  Loch  Long:— Two  routes  indicated 
—Rock  and  castle  of  Dumbarton — Town  of  Dumbarton— Bonhill 
—Alexandria — Balloch  ferry — Loch  Lomond — Islands— Bealma- 
cha  —  Inveruglass  —  Rowardennan — Inversnaid — Glenfalloch — 
Land  route  to  Tarbet — Ascent  of  Benlomond  —  Arroquhar 
Loch  Long, 

I  SIXTH  TOUR. 

Glasgow  'to  Inverary:— Arroquhar— Ardgarten— The  Cobbler— 
Glenkinlass — Cairndow— Inverary — Or,  II.    Ardintenny— Loch 

,  Goil  head— St.  Catherine's— Inverary— Or,  III.  Kilmun— Loch 
Eck — Strachur — Inverary— Or,  IV.  Rothsay— Loch  Straven— 

Loch  Ridan — East  Tarbet — Lochgilphead — The  Crinan  canal 

Otter  ferry — Cregan  ferry— Inverary, | 

t  SEVENTH  TOUR. 

Inverary   to  Oban:— Claidich— Loch  Awe— Dalmally— Taynull 

Loch  Etivc— Ben  Cruachan— Ardchattan  priory— Connel  ferry— 
Dunstaffuage  castfe—  Oban, I! 


VI  CONTENTS. 

[EIGHTH  TOUR. 

„  PAGE 

From  Oban  to  Mull,  Staffa,  and  Iona: — I  Kerrera — Lismore— Duart 
castle — Artornish — Aros — Loch-na-Keal — Laggan  Ulva — Ulva — 
Staffa — Or,  II.  General  description  of  Mull — Tobermorry— Min- 
gary  castle—Description  of  Staffa— Of  Iona, 142 

NINTH  TOUR.] 
From  Oban  to  Fort- Willliam:— Two  routes  indicated — Connel  ferry 
— Shean  ferry— LochCreran — Portnacross— Ardshill — Balabulish 
ferry — Loch  Leven — Bennavear — Glencoe — Coran  ferry — Loch 
Eil— Fort  William — Ben  Nevis— Parallel  roads  of  Glenroy— In- 
verlochy  castle, 172 

TENTH  TOUR. 

From  Fort-William  to  the  isle  of  Skye: — Corpach — Fassifein  house 
— Glennnnan — LochShiel — Borrodale — Arisaig — Different  routes 
to  the  Spar  cave — Ardavaser — Armadale — Sleat — Knock — Cam- 
buscron—  Loch-in-Daal —  Broadford  —  Loch  Slapin — Kilmore— 
The  Spar  cave— Sconsor — Raasay—  Struan — Talisker — Bracadale 

— Dunvegan— Portree, 189 

ELEVENTH  TOUR. 
From  Fort- William  to  Inverness: — Corpach — Neptune's  staircase — 
Highbridge —  Loch  Lochy — Letterfiulay  —  Loch  Arkeg — I.och 
Oich— Fort  Augustus — Fall  of  Foyers— the  General's  hut— Glen 
Urquhart — Loch  Dochfour  —  Muirton  —  Inverness— Caledonian 
canal, 202 

TWELFTH  TOUR. 
From  Glasgow  to  Tarbertand  Islay;— East  Tarbert — West  Tarbert 
— West  Loch  Tarbert — Port  Askaig— Description  of  Islay,     .       212 

THIRTEENTH  TOUR. 
From  Glasgow  to  Oban  by  the  Crinan  canal:— Lochgilphead— Oak- 
field — Bellanach— Loch  Crinan— the  CraignMi  islets—Loch  Craig- 
nish   Shuna— Luing — Torsa — Balnahuay— Garveloch  isles— Seil 
— Easdale— Oban, 219 

^FOURTEENTH  TOUR. 
Glasgow  to  Campbelton: — Airdlamont  point— Skipness — Camp- 
belton— Southend— the   Mull  light-house— Machriuiuish  bay— 
i   Ailsacraig, 224 

FIFTEENTH  TOUR. 

Glasgow  to  Millport,  Ardrossan,  and  Arran:— Largs— Millport— 
Peucross  castle— Ardrossan— Arran— Tours  in  Arran,    .       .       229 

Index, 245 


SCOTTISH    TOURIST'S 

STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE. 


THE  CLYDE. 

"If  a  man  had  nothing  el?e  to  do  than  to  make  tours,  I  know  not 
where  or  how  he  could  better  spend  his  money  and  his  time,  than  in 
wandering  up  and  down  and  about  the  shores  of  the  Clyde,  and  those 
of  all  the  lochs  that  open  into  it,  and  in  ferreting  out  the  endless  cor- 
ners and  nooks  in  which  it  abounds.  Castles,  towns,  ships,  islands, 
rocks,  mountains,  bays,  creeks,  rivers,  cascades,  trees,  lakes,  cliffs, 
forests,  country-seats,  cultivation — what  is  there,  in  short,  which  may 
not  be  found  on  the  shores  of  the  Clyde  ?  A  ad  what  is  there  of  all  these 
which  is  not  beautiful?" — Macculloch. 

Before  submitting  any  particular  routes  to  the 
choice  and  convenience  of  the  tourist,  we  shall 
endeavour  to  make  him  a  little  acquainted  with  the 
source  and  windings  of  the  noble  stream  on  whose 
waters  and  ample  estuary  he  purposes  to  shape  his 
course  to  so  many  different  points  of  interest  and 
romantic  beauty. 

The  Clyde  is  the  third  Scottish  river  in  magni- 
tude. Its  sources  are  so  near  to  those  of  the  Tweed 
and  the  Annan  that  these  three  rivers  are  commonly 
said  to  rise  'out  o'  ae  hill  side.'  Not  that  this  is 
exactly  and  geographically  true,  but  the  proximity 
of  the  fountain-heads  of  these  streams  is  nevertheless 
remarkably  close.  They  issue  from  the  base  of 
one  and  the  same  hill,  near  the  point  of  union  of 
B 


'J  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

three  Scottish  counties.  Popular  fancy  has,  how- 
ever, overstrained  itself  somewhat  to  bring  this  to 
pass,  since  the  stream  called  the  Daer,  which  rises 
in  Dumfriesshire,  and,  with  its  tributary  the  Pow- 
trail,  joins  the  stream  bearing  the  name  of  Clyde 
four  or  five  miles  west  from  its  source,  is,  at  this 
point,  a  river  of  fifteen  miles  in  length,  even  the  Pow- 
trail  being  nine  at  its  confluence  with  the  Daer.  The 
waters  of  the  Elvan  flow  in  immediately  afterwards, 
at  Elvanfoot ;  and  the  Elvan  has,  by  this  time,  run  a 
course  of  eight  or  nine  miles  from  its  source  on  the 
Green  Lowthermountain,sothat  the  Clyde  must  be 
said  to  have  its  sources  in  the  whole  tributaries  of  the 
mountain  district,  consisting  of  the  Lowthers,  Lead- 
hills,  Queensberryhill,  and  the  range  intermediate 
betwixt  it  and  the  Hart- Fell.  Some  of  these  sum- 
mitsrise  nearly  3000  feetabove  the  levelof  the  ocean, 
a  fact  which  seems  to  have  carried  a  contemporary 
writer  absolutely  into  the  clouds.  "  Why,"  he 
exclaims,  "the  source  of  a  river  is  a  thing  some- 
times difficult  to  determine  :  it  maybe  in  a  neglected 
marsh,  or  in  a  mere  exudation  from  an  unsightly 
rock ;  the  clouds  which  show  themselves  on  these 
towering  mountains,  ploughing  their  rugged  sides, 
and  irrigating  lawns  and  valleys  in  their  progress, 
may  be  said  to  be  the  source  of  the  Clyde  !"  We 
suspect  we  must  either  submit  to  this  easy  solution 
of  the  mystery,  or  leave  off  vvhere  we  began  by 
implicitly  adopting  the  popular  rhyme  : — 

u  Annan,  Tweed,  and  Clyde, 

Rise  a'  out  o'  ae  hill  side. 

Tweed  ran,  Annan  wan, 

Clyde  fell,  and  brack  its  neck  ower  Ccrra  Linn." 

Thus,  as   already  noticed,  we   may  well  refer 
the  origin  of  the   Clyde  to  the  point  of  union  of 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  3 

the  three  counties  of  Peebles,  Dumfries,  and  Lan- 
ark. Their  springs  are,  however,  fully  1500  feet 
above  the  sea-levei.* 

Within  a  few  miles  of  its  source,  the  Clyde  as- 
sumes the  appearance  of  a  river  by  the  accession 
of  a  number  of  mountain-streams  from  the  Lead 
hills,  one  of  the  principal  of  which  is  the  Glen- 
gonar.  On  entering  the  parish  of  Lamington,  in 
the  upper  ward  of  Lanarkshire,  it  begins  to  flow 
through  a  more  open  country,  and  between  broad 
fertile  haughs.  Near  to  the  village  of  Biggar,  a 
low  tract  of  ground  extends  from  the  vale  of  Clyde 
to  that  of  the  Tweed  ;  and  popular  tradition  repre- 
sents the  arch-wizard,  Michael  Scott,  as  having 
laboured  assiduously  to  add  the  waters  of  the  former 
stream  to  those  of  the  latter,  by  employing  his  imps 
in  cutting  a  channel  through  this  gullet.  The  marshy 
character  of  the  soil  here  seems  to  indicate  the 
existence,  in  former  times,  of  a  considerable  collec- 
tion of  water,  which  may  have  had  some  communi- 
cation with  the  Clyde. 

The  character  of  the  Clyde  until  it  reaches  the 
first  fall  which  occurs  in  its  course  is  that  of  a 
calm  and  almost  sluggish  stream,  creeping  listlessly 
and  circuitously  along  through  a  channel  in  some 
places  filled  with  sedge-plants  and  reeds.  At  Bon- 
ington,  a  little  above  the  town  of  Lanark,  it  sud- 
denly throws  itself  in  one  broad  unbroken  sheet 
over  a  rocky  ledge  of  about  30  feet  in  height.  It 
now  assumes  a  totally  different  character  from  that 
which  marked  the  upper  portion  of  its  course : 
its  channel  being  bounded  on  each  side  by  'a  stu- 

*  New  Statistical  Account  of  Scotland. 


4  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

pendous  natural  masonry'  of  perpendicular  rocks, 
it  rushes  through  the  narrow  chasm  thus  formed 
with  arrowy  swiftness,  and,  alter  having  struggled 
along  a  rugged  bed  for  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile,  it  again  precipitates  itself  into  Corra  linn, 
in  three  distinct  leaps,  amounting  altogether  to  84 
feet.  When  swollen  with  rain,  the  river  appears 
to  throw  itself  over  the  rock  in  one  unbroken  mass. 

The  third  fall  of  the  Clyde  occurs  at  Stonebyres, 
about  two  miles  below  the  town  of  Lanark,  and 
four  from  Corra  linn.  But  we  must  refer  the 
reader  to  the  Scottish  Land  Tourist's  Pocket  Guide 
and  Road  Book,  for  a  more  minute  description  of  the 
celebrated  falls  of  Ciyde,  where  he  will  find  them 
most  particularly  delineated. 

The  middle  ward  of  Lanarkshire  commences  at 
the  junction  of  the  Nethan  with  the  Clyde.  This 
is  a  remarkably  rich  district,  and  the  Clyde  here 
pursues  its  course  through  a  succession  of  orchards, 
whose  fruit,  an  author  avows,  "  bobs  against  the 
head  of  the  passing  traveller,  and  dips  in  the  rush- 
ing stream."  A  little  below  the  junction  of  the 
Avon,  the  Clyde  passes  the  town  of  Hamilton, 
famous  amongst  epicures  for  its  veal,  and  amongst 
tourists  for  the  splendid  pile  called  Hamilton 
palace,  with  its  fine  gallery  of  paintings.  This 
district  is  of  deep  interest  to  the  national  historian, 
being  the  principal  scene  of  those  transactions  which 
have  branded  the  name  of  Claverhouse  with  ever- 
lasting notoriety.  Three  miles  below  Hamilton  the 
Clyde  passes  the  beautiful  village  of  Both  well  and 
the  magnificent  ruins  of  Bothwell  castle.  Our 
friend  Chambers  here  fixes  the  frontiers  of  the 
poetical    and    romantic    district    of   the    Clyde,    af- 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GLIDE.  5 

finning,  in  his  own  quaint  style,  that  all  below  this 
point  thecountry  is  "mill-ridden — fairly  subjugated, 
tamed,  tormented,  touzled,  and  gulravished  by  the 
demon  of  machinery."  This  is  somewhat  too  broadly 
sketched:  at  all  events  it  does  not  apply  to  the 
character  of  the  scenery  on  the  Clyde  from  Both- 
well,  or  Blantyre,  to  Glasgow.  Mr.  Chambers 
will  be  surprised,  perhaps,  to  learn  that  even  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  Glasgow,  the  scenery  of 
our  river  is  highly  sylvan,  and,  in  some  points, 
picturesque.  If  the  tourist  be  a  stranger  in  Glas- 
gow, and  can  indulge  himself  with  a  stroll  for  a 
couple  of  hours  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  above 
the  city,  we  are  sure  he  will  entertain  a  different 
idea  of  its  character,  and  the  scenery  through  which 
it  flows  in  our  immediate  neighbourhood. 

The  current  of  the  Clyde  immediately  above 
Glasgow  averages  about  2£  miles  an  hour;  in  a 
high  fresh,  it  is  increased  to  4  miles.  At  the  upper 
end  of  the  Broomielaw,  the  river  is  410  feet  wide. 
Its  breadth  increases  very  slowly,  and  for  a  distance 
of  7  miles  below  the  city,  it  is  confined  within  arti- 
ficial embankments  formed  of  whinstone  laid  in 
imitation  of  ashlar  work.  There  are  four  stone 
and  two  timber  bridges  over  the  Clyde  at  Glas- 
gow. Stockwell  street  bridge  Was  founded  by 
Bishop  Rae  in  1345.  This  bridge  for  a  period  of 
upwards  of  four  centuries,  formed  the  regular  line 
of  communication  between  the  city  and  the  south- 
west districts  of  Scotland.  It  had  received  various 
enlargements  and  became  415  feet  long,  and  34 
wide  within  the  railing.  Hutchesons'  bridge,  near 
the  foot  of  the  Saltmarket,  is  406  feet  long,  and  36 
feet  wide  within  the  parapets.      The  Jamaica  street, 


6  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

improvements,  consequent  on  the  opening  of 
Glasgow  bridge,  ten  years  ago,  prognosticate  simi- 
lar changes  upon  the  avenues  of  the  city,  soon  after 
the  other  bridge  improvements  are  effected  ;  and 
it  is  not  long  since  the  public  journals  of  Glasgow 
had  to  deplore  the  commencement  of  operations 
for  depriving  the  Stockwell  bridge  of  its  antiquity. 
The  papers  particularly  lamented,  on  this  occasion, 
the  removal  of  the  centre  arch,  erected,  at  her  own 
expense,  by  the  pious  Lady  Lochore,  who  had  pro- 
perty on  both  sides  of  the  bridge  in  Bishop  Rae's 
time.  The  story  of  this  bridge  is  certainly  curious. 
It  originally  had  eight  arches,  and  was  twelve  feet 
wide;  but  during  Glasgow  fair,  1671,  the  south 
arch  fejl  down,  crowded  with  people,  not  one  of 
whose  injuries  proved  fatal.  The  two  extreme 
arches  were  built  up  in  1777,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
fining the  channel  of  the  river ;  and  an  addition  of  ten 
feet  was  at  this  time  made  to  the  breadth  of  the 
bridge.  In  1821,  it  received  the  further  addition 
of  iron  footpaths,  suspended  upon  frames.  It  was 
upon  occasion  of  the  recent  proposition  to  rebuild 
it,  that  one  of  our  municipal  wiseacres  moved,  ''that 
Stockwell  bridge  be  rebuilt ;  but  that  the  old 
bridge  be  left  standing  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  public  till  such  time  as  the  new  one  is  put  up 
in  its  place."  The  motion  is  recorded  in  the 
columns  of  Punch.  Much  discussion  has  been  caused 
by  the  attempts  to  throw  railway  bridges,  at  high 
levels,  over  the  Clyde,  which,  however,  are  op- 
posed by  the  admiralty,  from  the  apprehension 
of  their  injuring  the  harbour.  Jamaica  Street 
or  Glasgow  bridge,  opened  January,  1836,  is  560 
feet  long  over  the  newels,  and  sixtv  feet  wide  over 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  / 

the  parapets.  The  Broomielaw  quay  was  first 
formed  in  1688.  Its  original  extent  was  from  the 
mouth  of  St.  Enoch's  burn  to  Robertson  street. 
The  harbour  is  now  3680  feet  long  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river,  and  2250  on  the  southland  can  receive 
vessels  of  600  tons  register.  The'  "first  steam-boat 
on  the  Clyde  was  the  Comet,  which  began  to  ply 
between  Glasgow  and  Greenock  in  1812.*  There 
are  now  100  steam-vessels  belonging  to  the  Clyde. 
Some  of  them  are  nearly  600  tons  burden,  and  have 
engines  of  300  horse  power.  These  large  boats 
come  up  to  Glasgow  with  ease  at  full  tide;  when 
they  lose  the  tide,  however,  they  are  compelled  to 
remain  at  Greenock  till  it  flows  again.  The  pre- 
sent average  depth  of  the  river,  from  Glasgow  to 
Dumbarton,  is  about  fifteen  feet  at  full  tide.  The 
dredging  machines  are  daily  facilitating  the  navi- 
gation of  the  river,  f 

It  is  proper  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  tourist 
to  the  fact,  that  all  these  vast  facilities  for  com- 
merce, now  presented  by  the  harbour  of  the  Broo- 
mielaw, have  been  effected  by  the  enterprise  of  the 

*  This  boat  was  built  according  to  the  directions  of  Henry 
Bell,  "  an  untutored  engineer,  and  citizeu  of  Glasgow,"  who 
also  constructed  its,  steam-engine  himself.  The  name  he  gave 
it  was  suggested  by  the  appearance  of  the  comet  of  1811.  Its 
engine  was  at  first  of  only  three  horse  power,  but  was  subse- 
quently increased  to  six.  A  monument  has  been  erected  to  his 
memory  on  a  very  conspicuous  site,  viz.  Dunglass  castle,  so  that 
no  passenger  can  sail  on  the  Clyde  without  being  reminded  ot 
the  first  person  who  commenced  to  ply  steam  boats  on  this  river. 

t  In  Dr  Thomson's  work  on  "  Heat  and  Electricity,"  it  is 
stated,  that  the  breadth  of  the  Clyde  at  Glasgow  is  410  feet,  and 
its  mean  depth  3£  feet ;  the  quantity  of  water  discharged  per 
second  7 Of  cubic  feet,  amounting  to  2,417,760,000  cubic  feet, 
47^,017,448  imperial  gallons,  or  1,877,053  tons.  The  Clyde 
drains  one-thirtieth  of  Scotland— one-eighty-third  part  of 
Great  Britain. 


o  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

inhabitants  of  Glasgow  within  the  last  fifty  years. 
Fifty  years  ago,  small  craft  called  gabberts,  of  35 
to  45  tons  burthen,  could  alone  approach  the 
Broomielaw;  for  Port- Glasgow,  as  the  name  im- 
ports, was  then  almost  exclusively  used  as  the 
harbour,  and  wieks  might  elapse  without  a  single 
keel  being  seen  at  the  Broomielaw.  The  instruc- 
tions which  the  Parliamentary  Trustees  of  1770 
gave  to  their  engineer,  Mr  Golbourn,  of  Chester, 
were  to  deepen  the  river  so  that  vessels  drawing 
six  feet  water  might  come  up  to  the  Broomielaw. 
This  he  effected  by  erecting  117  jetties,  by  1775, 
which,  confining  the  river,  caused  a  scour  of  the 
bottom  through  the  rapidity  of  the  tidal  ebb  and 
flux,  so  that  the  requisite  depth  was  thus  obtained. 
From  that  time,  the  additions  and  improvements  to 
the  harbour  progressed,  till,  in  1 82 1 ,  vessels  drawing 
13 J  feet  water  could  come  up  to  the  Broomielaw; 
and  it  can  now  receive  ships  of  600  tons  burthen, 
and  16  or  17  feet  draught.  An  engineer  is  con- 
stantly engaged  on  the  river,  at  a  salary  of  £500 
per  annum.  And  the  dredging  machines  employed 
in  it  are  six  in  number,  with  two  great  diving-bells, 
steam-tugs,  and  other  accessories  for  carrying  on  the 
deepening  operations,  at  an  expense,  in  the  mean- 
time, of  nearly  .£50.000  per  annum.  This  expen- 
diture is,  however,  only  to  extend  over  a  period  of 
io  years,  and  not,  as  Professor  Kohl,  a  late  German 
tourist,  supposes,  in  perpetuity.  It  arises  out  of  the 
estimated  expense  of  £800, 000, required  for  carrying 
through,  within  fifteen  years,  the  improvements  of 
the  act  of  1840;  extending  the  limits  of  the  har- 
bour, both  above  and  below;  constructing  the  wet- 
dock  at  Windmillcroft;  deepening  the  river  to  17 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  y 

feet  throughout,  <fcc.  The  tonnage  and  harbour 
duties,  entirely  laid  out  in  the  improvement  of  the 
river,  which  amounted,  in  1771,  to  little  more 
than  £1000,  now  amount  to  £50,000  per  annum. 
The  customs'  duties  collected  at  Glasgow,  exceed 
£500,000  per  annum.  The  vessels  loading  and 
unloading  at  the  Broomielaw,  trade  to  all  parts  of 
the  world — to  India,  the  West  Indies;  and  vessels 
may  constantly  he  observed  on  the  berth  for  Cal- 
cutta, Bombay,  Madras,  Singapore,  Manilla,  in 
the  east;  Sydney,  New  South  Wales,  and  Adelaide, 
in  South  Australia;  even  New  Zealand;  besides 
those  in  the  old  Glasgow  trade  with  Virginia, 
Jamaica,  Antigua,  St.  Kitts,  Barbadoes,  Gibraltar, 
Holland,  Stockholm,  and  Ireland.  The  North 
American  timber  trade  is  also  an  immense  one; 
the  single  house  of  Pollock,  Gilmour,  &  Company, 
who,  however,  still  chiefly  resort  to  the  harbour 
of  Port-Glasgow,  ship  annually  6,000,000  cubic 
feet  of  timber,  own  twenty-one  large  ships,  of 
12,000  tons  registered  tonnage,  and  employ  500 
seamen.  The  aggregate  tonnage  of  the  sailing 
vessels  belonging  to  Glasgow  is  at  least  100,000 
tons,  and  that  of  the  steamers  upwards  of  10,000. 
In  descending  the  river,  the  tourist  will  notice 
the  navigation  line  pointed  out  by  buoys,  anchored 
to  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  nodding  their  black 
and  red  visages  above  its  surface.  In  the  night 
navigation,  a  series  of  little  houses  or  "  biggins," 
fitted  up  with  lights,  are  erected  at  regular  inter- 
vals of  a  mile,  on  rocks  and  sand  banks,  in  lieu  of 
the  old  "  parches  "  or  heaps  of  stones  sustaining  a 
pole  and  a  basket — the  un romantic  relics  whereof 
still  decorate  the  banks. 


10  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 


INTRODUCTORY  TOUR. 

Glasgow — the  Highlands — Security  and  convenience 
with  which  they  may  be  traversed — Glasgow  to  Fort- 
William  and  bach— the  Highland  Steamers — 
Partick — Govan  —  Greenock  —  Gourock  —  Kempoch 
Point  —  Knock  Point — Largs — Helensburgh — Rose- 
neath  and  the  Gareloch — Loch  Long — Holy  Loch — 
Kilmun  —  Sandbank  —  Dunoon  —  Cowal  —  Bute  — 
Mount  Stewart — Rothesay — Point-house — Port-Ban- 
natyne — Kaimes  Castle — Toward  Point  and  Castle — 
Achavullin. 

Kyles  of  Bute — A  rdin  tumuli — Southhall — LochStra- 
ven — Loch  Ridan — Small  Craft — River  Ruel — Colin- 
trae — Burnt  Isles — Vitrified  Fort — Loch  Strowan — 
Gilangreig  and  A  rchibald  of  A  rgyle — A  rdlamont  Point 
— Loch  Fyne — Inch  Marnoch — Skipness  Castle  and 
coast  of  Cantyre — Arran — Herring  Fishery  on  Loch 
Fyne — Lamont  House — Skate  Island — East  Tarbet 
and  Loch — Knapdale — Tarbet  Castle — Ossians  Hill  of 
Love. 

C Ri N an  C A N al — Lochgilphead — A  rdrishaig — In ve rary 
— Crinan  Loch — Duntroon  Castle — Sound  of  Jura — 
Jura — Scarba  and  Mull — Loch  Craignish — Barbreck 
House —  Whirlpool  of  Corrievreckan — Dorresmore — 
Little  Loch  Craignish — Craignish  Castle — Sound  of 
Shuna — Loch  Melford — The  Slate  Islands — Sound 
ofCuan — LochEochan — Ardincaple — BenCruachan. 

Oban — Mrs  Grant  of  Laggan — Hebredean  Excursions 
— Dunolly  Castle — Dunstaffnage — Steamer  at  Oban 
— Sound  of  Kerera  —  Duart  Castle  and  Johanna 
Baillie's  "Family  Legend'1'' — Ancient  Beregonium — 
Linnhe  Loch — Lismore — Loch  Creran — Eriska — 
Coasts  of  Appin  and  Morven — Port-Appin — Lismore 
Ferry — Castle  Stalker — Appin  Kirk — Portnacroich 
— Little  Shuna — Kingerloch — Appin  House — Ard- 
sheal — the  Stuarts  of  Appin — Dursa  Mineral  Spring 
and  Inn — StuarCs  Cave — Loch  Leven  and  Lochaber 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  1  J. 

— Ardgour — Ardnamurchan  and  Glemoe — Loch  Eil 
— Cor  ran  Ferry — Ardgour  s  Towel. 

Fort- William — neighbouring   scenery,  and  overland 
route  home. 

As  cooks  study  to  provoke  the  appetite  by  a 
whet,  we  conceive  it  not  impolitic,  through  the 
medium  of  a  glimpse  at  the  scenes  of  beauty  and 
grandeur  which  characterize  the  western  Highlands 
and  Islands  of  Scotland,  to  stimulate  the  curjosity 
of  the  tourist.  Our  object  in  chalking  out  a  pre- 
liminary tour  shall  be  to  show  how  much  of  the 
most  famous  of  these  scenes  may  be  viewed  or  visit- 
ed within  the  space  of  two  days  Steam  Voyaging; 
recommending  the  traveller  to  pursue  his  home- 
ward path  by  land,  from  the  point  at  which  we  may 
part  company,  under  the  *'  safe  conduct  "  of  The 
Scottish:  Land  Tourist's  Guide,  which  is  to  be 
obtained  at  Mr  M'Phun's  celebrated  Book  Store, 
8i  Argyll  Street,  Glasgow;  or  should  his  time  be 
too  limited  to  admit  of  his  doing  justice  to  such  a 
pilgrimage,  we  shall  contrive  to  perch  him  atop, 
or,  in  case  of  a  lady,  place  her  within  "  The  Mar- 
quis of  Breadalbane  "  Coach,  a  safe  and  expeditious 
conveyance  now  passing  through  the  Highlands. 

Glasgow,  the  most  important  city  in  Scotland 
as  to  means  and  active  commerce,  is  so  situated 
as  to  offer  to  tourists  facilities  that  no  other  place 
can  boast  of,  whether  in  railway  conveyance  or  by 
water,  and  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  Clyde  that 
flows  through  it,  leads,  in  the  shortest  time  imagin- 
able, to  all  the  sublime  scenery  of  the  Western 
Highlands,  while  the  countless  steamers  that  daily 
leave  her  ports,  are  of  the  best  construction  to 


12  THE  SCOTl'ISH  tourist's 

ensure  safety  and  comfort,  and  cheap  to  a  degree 
of  minute  economy. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  be  brief,  which  must  be 
of  great  consequence  to  travellers,  it  is  necessary 
to  go  at  once  to  matters  of  fact,  although,  were 
we  to  indulge  our  fancy,  an  essay  might  be  written 
to  prove  what  requires  no  authority.  We  will 
only  state,  that  there  is  no  country  whose  ancient 
history,  romantic  and  everchanging  scenery,  and 
national  peculiarities,  deserve  more  reflection  than 
those  of  the  Highlands  of  Scotland — and  when  we 
think  of  the  songs  of  Ossian,  and  the  days  of  Fin- 
gal,  we  are  bound  to  exclaim  in  the  language  of  a 
modern  poet — 

"  Tie  the  land  of  deep  shadow,  of  sunshine  and  shower, 

Where  the  hurricane  revels  in  madness  on  high; 
For  there  it  has  might  that  can  war  with  its  power, 
In  the  wild  dizzy  cliffs  that  are  cleaving-  the  sky 
Then,  hurra  for  the  Highlands — 
The  stern  Scottish  Highlands — 
The  home  of  the  clansman,  the  brave  and  the  free, 
Where  the  clouds  love  to  rest 
On  the  mountain's  rough  breast, 
Ere  they  journey  afar  o'er  the  islandless  sea." 

Andrew  Park. 

To  one  who  can  really  reflect  on  the  "  sublime 
and  beautiful,"  there  are  endless  attractions  for  the 
sweetest  and  most  endearing  reflection.  The 
romantic  scenery  of  Lochlomond,  with  its  towering 
Ben,  that  overlooks  the  valleys  of  Scotland  and 
the  myriad  summits  of  the  hills;  the  numberless 
islands  that  lie  in  halcyon  repose  in  the  Atlantic, 
the  gorgeous  and  wild  scenery  of  Glencoe  and  the 
Trossachs,  the  stupendous  peaks  of  Arran,  the  ba- 
saltic wonders  of  Staffa,  and  the  historical  relics  of 
Iona, raise  the  soul  from  "nature  up  to  nature's  God;" 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  13 

— while  to  the  scientific  mind,  inexhaustible  sub- 
jects of  natural  history,  and  sources  for  antiquarian 
investigation,  every  where  meet  the  eye,  and  offer 
new  light  to  the  mysteries  of  yet  undefined  truth. 

We  have  wandered  the  Highlands  of  Scotland 
with  Switzers,  and  although  they  acknowledged 
the  fact,  that  their  own  hills  are  higher,  they  have 
declared,  with  enthusiastic  rapture,  that  the  moun- 
tains of  Scotland  outrival  them  in  point  of  variety 
and  changefulness  of  aspect,  while  the  generality 
of  the  people  are  hospitable,  intelligent,  and  unas- 
suming; and  the  better  classes  are  distinguished 
for  urbanity  and  ease  of  manner  far  exceeding  the 
inhabitants  of  even  the  land  of  Tell. 

The  day  is  fast  going  by,  when  Scotland  was 
regarded  as  a  mere  spot  on  the  map  of  the  world, 
and  when  the  English  supposed  us  a  people  among 
whom  they  durst  not  travel  without  entering  into 
the  local  customs  and  habiliments  of  the  nation 
among  wkom  they  sojourned;  yet  even  to  this  day 
it  is  too  evident  that  many  of  our  southern  breth- 
ren consider  the  plaid  or  tartan  trews  a  passport 
through  the  Highlands;  and  it  is  a  fact,  that  while 
the  Scottish  lowlander  is  seldom  seen  in  such  a 
costume,  the  English  too  frequently  adopt  this  dress 
from  motives  of  apprehension,  while  on  all  hands 
they  are  received  with  the  highest  respect  and  the 
most  courteous  welcome. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  the  works  of 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  known  to  all  intelligent  stran- 
gers, and  the  late  visits  of  her  majesty,  known  to 
almost  all  the  world,  have  proved  that  if  security 
and  esteem  for  strangers  can  be  boasted  of  in  any 
nation   on  earth,    Scotland   "bears   the   bell." — . 


14  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

Where  do  we  hear  of  heartless  treachery,  of  rapine, 
or  murder?  certainly  never  in  Scotland  among  its 
sequester'd  glens  and  hills,  where  it  might  be  sup- 
posed the  surest  opportunities  for  such  deeds  are 
afforded;  for  these  can  only  co-exist  with  the  pre- 
judices of  false  instruction,  instilled  into  children 
in  remembrance  of  the  feudal  times. 

The  roads  through  the  Highlands  of  Scotland 
are  the  best  and  safest  in  the  world.  Conveyances 
are  to  be  had  at  all  stages;  and  comfortable  and 
commodious  inns,  with  every  thing  requisite  for 
comfort,  are  to  be  gained  with  ease  and  indulged  in 
at  prices  not  exceeding  those  charged  in  any  city; 
wmile  passenger  vessels  ply  daily  at  prices  not 
exampled  in  respect  of  economy  anywhere  else  in 
the  known  world. 

For  the  purposes  of  such  an  excursion  as  we 
are  about  to  describe,  we  at  once  select  the  pas- 
sage by  the  Highland  steamers, Shandon  or  Brenda, 
from  Glasgow  to  Oban,  thence  by  the  Dolphin  to 
Staffa,  Iona,  and  back,  and  on  to  Fort- William, 
with  a  land  route  from  Fort- William  back  to  Glas- 
gow, or  continuation  of  the  journey  to  Inverness, 
or  wherever  the  voyager  inclines. 

Leaving  Glasgow  according  to  the  summer  ar- 
rangements of  Messrs  Thomson  and  Maccon- 
neli's  or  Messrs  Burns's  Highland  steamers, 
which  always  commence  with  May,  and  of  which 
a  monthly  anouncement  is  generally  kept  up  in  the 
Glasgow,  Paisley,  Greenock,  Kilmarnock,  and 
Ayr  papers,  the  tourist  proceeds  down  the 
Clyde  to  Greenock,  surrounded  by  the  beautiful 
villa  and  landscape  scenery  particularized  in  the 
first  of  the  following  tours.     Passing  in  succession 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  15 

on  either  hand  the  suburban  beauties  of  Partick, 
and  the  Shaksperean  reminiscences  of  Govan; 
Bowlings'  lovely  bay,  the  ruined  fortress  of  Dun- 
glass  ;  and  then  leaving  to  the  right  the  marked 
features  of  Dumbuck  and  Dumbarton.  About 
two  hours  and  a  half  will  be  occupied  by  the 
voyage  from  Glasgow  to  Greenock  ;  and  as  the 
Highland  boats  always  leave  the  Broomielaw  at 
the  timely  hour  of  5  o'clock  in  the  morning,  (the 
mornings  of  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Friday,)  the 
tourist  will  leave  Greenock  about  8  a.m.  The 
bustle  of  the  harbour,  and  imposing  architecture  of 
the  Custom-house,  will  excite  some  interest  here,  as 
■will  also  the  terrace-like  appearance  of  the  town 
itself,  which  is  a  sort  of  parody  upon  "  the  groans 
of  the  Britons,"  for  the  heights  descend  so  abruptly 
to  the  shore  that  the  land  seems  to  drive  the 
town  into  the  sea,  while  the  sea  drives  it  back 
upon  the  land.  And  yet  there  are  many  good 
houses  in  and  about  the  town  of  Greenock.  The 
thick-set  villas  of  the  neighbourhood  possess  a 
particularly  fine  appearance.  Gourock,  which 
is  about  to  be  lighted  up  with  gas,  under  the  au- 
spices of  a  Jocal  company  just  formed,  prolongs  the 
pleasing  effect  of  these  multitudinous  retreats 
along  the  shore  towards  the  Cloch ;  while  the 
superstition-haunted  "  Kempoch-stane  "  attracts 
the  gazer's  eye  at  Kempoch  point,  the  western 
promontory  of  Gourock  bay  ;  and  Knock  point, 
which  marks  the  vicinity  of  the  glorious  battle- 
field of  Largs,  kindles  the  fire  of  patriotic  enthu- 
siasm.— -Nor  will  a  melancholy  feeling  be  awantins: 
in  recollecting  the  fate  of  the  Comet  steamer,  run 
down  in  these  waters  in  1S2/5.     The  white  and 


IT)  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

shining  aspect  of  Helensburgh  salutes  the  view 
upon  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Gareloch,  confront- 
ed by  tho  Italian  facade  and  wooded  slopes  of  the 
ducal  residence  of  Roseneath.  Ben  Lomond,  by 
no  means  leaving  the  "dark  clouds  to  preside  o'er 
the  scene,"  majestically  presides  in  person! — 
Away  back  in  the  steamer's  wake  stretches  the  sil- 
very Clyde,  the  expanding  bosom  of  the  seaward 
frith  trends  to  the  southward;  while  Loch  Long 
runs  to  the  north,  and  the  Holy  Loch  to  the  north- 
west, the  waters  thus  diverge  off  in  the  sheen  of  the 
sweet  morning  rays,  like  one  of  the  radiata,  and  a 
huge  specimen  of  the  "  starfish"  it  is,  exceeding  all 
the  megatheria,  or  other  monsters  ever  imagined  ! 
In  these  lovely  waters  ply  innumerable  steamers  in 
every  direction,  waking  into  life  the  deep  repose 
with  which  they  are  usually  invested. 

As  the  vessel  holds  on  her  way,  the  progress  of  sea 
coast  civilization  will  nowhere  be  more  noted  than 
on  the  shores  of  the  Holy  Loch,  as  seen  in  passing 
its  mouth.  The  old  square  burial  vault  of  the 
Argyle  family  at  Kilmun,  is  no  longer  the  most 
prominent  of  objects.  At  the  very  head  of  the 
Loch,  the  new-sprung  village  of  Sandbank,  with  its 
wooden  jetty  invitingly  projecting  into  the  quiet 
waters,  may  be  descried  ;  and  the  Loch  steamer, 
"  Juno,"  may  be  seen  pushing  her  way  up  to  the 
spot.  Dunoon,  with  its  castle  projecting  from  the 
centre  of  the  village,  stretches  along  the  main  shore 
of  the  frith,  together  with  the  shattered  walls 
of  castle  Crock-i-villie,  and  the  ancient  mansion 
house  of  Dunoon,  in  ruins.  Toward  Point  termi- 
nates  the  extremity  of  Cowal,  which  district  runs 
out   into  a  peninsular  form  betwixt  the  frith  of 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  17 

Clyde  and  Loch  Fyne,  and  the  Island  of  Bute 
lies  before  the  tourist.  On  its  eastern  coast, 
Mount  Stewart,  the  elegant  seat  of  the  Marquis 
of  Bute,  is  no\v  visible  ;  the  town  and  castle  of 
Rothesay,  the  Point-house,  for  many  seasons  in 
succession  occupied  by  the  late  learned  and  elo- 
quent professor  of  Greek,  Sir  Daniel  Sandford, 
Port-Bannatyne,  Kaimes  castle,  and  the  old 
tower  which  formed  the  ancient  seat  of  the  Ban- 
natynes.  On  the  mainland  opposite  are  Toward 
Point  Light-house,  and  Castle  Toward  ruins,  the 
ancient  fastness  of  the  Lamonts,  with  the  mansion 
of  the  late  Kirkman  Finlay,  Esq.,  M.  P.;  Acha- 
vullin.  We  here  enter  the  Kyles  of  Bute,  in  a 
north-westerly  direction  from  the  Clyde.  The  bay 
of.  Rothesay  is  crescent-shaped  and  encircled  by 
hills.  The  whole  Island  of  Bute  is  eighteen  miles 
long  by  five  broad;  and  the  valley' in  which  Loch 
Fad  is  situated,  intersects  the  island  at  a  low  level, 
not  much  above  high  water  mark,  from  near  Rothe- 
say to  Scalpsie  Bay,  on  the  opposite  shore.  In 
advancing  through  the  Kyles,  at  Ardin,  on  the 
Cowal  shore,  are  numerous  tumuli,  piled  over  the 
remains  of  roving  Norsemen  slain  by  the  natives. 
Another  two  miles  further  we  come  to  Southhall, 
near  the  mouth  of  Loch  Slraven.  Glancing  up 
this  loch,  imagination  fancies  that  the  bare,  bold, 
highland  hills  standing  aloof,  and  in  many  instan- 
ces alone,  may  be  seen  separating  themselves  from 
the  gentler  slopes  of  the  wooded  and  watered  dis- 
trict of  Cowal.  The  scenery  of  the  Kyles  passage, 
with  Loch  Straven  and  Loch  Ridan  opening  into 
it,  has  been  much  and  justly  admired  ;  the  hills,  if 
not  gigantic,  are  pleasing  in  appearance,  especi- 


IS  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST^ 

ally  where,  descending  at  various  turnings  perpen- 
dicularly into  the  water,  they  seem  to  landlock  the 
passage,  which  once  and  again  is  unexpectedly 
opened  up  in  the  steady  progress  of  the  vessel. 
Cultivated  below,  and  heath-clad  above,  the  hills 
of  the  Kyles  of  Bute,  are  also  varied  by  copses 
and  screens  of  thriving  plantations  ;  while  the  inden- 
tations of  the  sea,  alternating  with  the  small  head- 
lands, give  in  succession  a  cheering  series  of  pic- 
tures. In  this  favourite  passage,  a  numerous 
flotilla  of  small  craft  is  ever  to  be  encountered  ; 
every  little  creek  and  harbour  having  its  "trade" 
to  the  ports  of  the  Clyde,  such  as  the  smacks  of 
from  twelve  to  thirty  tons,  from  the  mouth  of  the 
little  river  Ruel,  which,  employed  in  summer  at  the 
herring  fishing,  are  engaged  at  other  times  in  the 
export  of  potatoes,  (for  which  this  district  is  famed) 
and  generally  return  with  cargoes  of  manure. 

Three  miles  from  Loch  Straven  is  the  ferry  of 
Colintrac;  and  close  to  it  the  rocky  isles  called 
the  Burnt  Isles,  in  one  of  which  (the  most  nor- 
therly), Mr  Smith  of  Jordanhill  discovered  the  in- 
teresting remains  of  a  vitrified  fort.  We  now 
reach  the  opening  of  Loch  Ridan,  the  entrance 
into  which,  as  well  as  that  into  Loch  Strowan,  is 
or  a  highly  romantic  character.  Chronology  has 
also  something  to  do  with  the  romance  which  in- 
vests the  entrance  into  Loch  Ridan ;  the  little 
island  of  Gilangreig  here  situated  in  the  centre 
of  the  Kyles,  having  been  fortified  by  the  unfor- 
tunate Archibald,  Earl  of  Argyle,  when  he  at- 
tempted to  resist  the  government  test,  and  with 
an  armament  from  Holland,  rose  in  rebellion,  in 
concert  with  the  Duke  of  Monmouth,  in  1685.    Gil- 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  19 

angreig  was,  however,  abandoned  without  resistance 
to  the  royal  forces ;  and  Argyle  himself,  being  af- 
terwards seized  at  Inchinnan,  Renfrewshire,  at  a 
stone  close  to  the  bridge,  was  beheaded  at  Edin- 
burgh, as  Monmouth  was  on  Tower  Hill.  The 
ruins  of  the  castle  and  fortifications  of  Gilangreig, 
which  were  blown  up  by  king  James's  squadron, 
are  still  to  be  seen  on  the  islet.  The  passage  of 
the  Kyles  now  diverges  to  the  south ;  and  the 
Kyles  altogether  terminate  at  the  point  of  Ard- 
lamont.  The  steamer  passes  into  the  entrance  of 
the  great  Loch  Fyne,  leaving  the  beautiful  Inch 
Marnoch  on  the  left,  a  mile  in  extent,  and  con- 
taining the  ruins  of  an  ancient  chapel.  Right  in 
front  may  now  be  seen  the  remains  of  one  of  the 
most  capacious  strongholds  in  the  Highlands, 
Skipness  castle,  on  the  coast  of  Cantyre.  The 
ancient  square  keep,  of  four  storeys.,  is  still  inha- 
bited. It  stands  within  a  high  and  extensive  in- 
closing wall,  and  has  two  small  projecting  towers. 
Still  farther  to  the  left,  the  towering  peaks  of 
Arran  cleave  the  midway  sky.  But,  leaving 
these  objects,  the  steamer  weathers  the  point,  and 
enters  the  ample  bosom  of  Loch  Fyne.  This  ex- 
tensive arm  of  the  sea  is  about  12  miles  in  length, 
and  averages  from  4  to  5  in  breadth,  with  a  varia- 
tion of  from  12  to  3.  The  herring  fishery,  for 
which  this  loch  is  celebrated,  begins  in  July  or 
August  and  continues  till  1st  January,  vast  shoals 
frequenting  the  loch  at  a  period  when  their  quality 
is  superior  to  that  of  any  other  fishing  season. 
Twenty  thousand  barrels,  of  the  value  of  25s.  each, 
used  annually  to  be  taken  and  cured  here ;  but 
"  the  take  "  has  of  recent  years  visibly  declined, 


20  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

"although  (as  in  1845)  it  is  occasionally  abundant. 
Lamont  house,  the  residence  of  General  Lamont, 
is  situated  on  the  Cowal  shore ;  but  the  steamer 
now  stands  for  the  opposite  coast  of  Cantyre, 
which  rises  wild  and  precipitous  before  us.  The 
object  is  to  call  at  east  Tarbert,  and  half  way 
across,  Skate  Island  falls  in  our  way.  East  Tar- 
bert is  a  thriving  village  in  a  sterile  looking  coun- 
try. It  is  situated  at  the  head  of  East  Loch  Tar- 
bert, on  an  isthmus  of  no  more  than  half  a  mile 
in  breadth,  connecting  the  districts  of  Cantyre 
and  Knapdale.  The  harbour  is  safe,  when  entered, 
but  critical  to  take.  Tarbert  castle  ruins  (where 
James  II.,  sojourned  when  on  a  tour  to  sub- 
due his  rebellious  subjects)  overlook  it  on  the 
left  from  a  lofty  rock.  We  come  now  within  the 
scope  of  Ossian's  poetry,  for  Moaldhu,  the  termina- 
tion of  Sliamhgaoil,  or  the  Hill  of  Love,  (where 
Diarmid,  the  ancestor  of  the  Campbells  was  kill- 
ed,) rises  towards  Inverneil.  In  nearing  this  place, 
the  coast,  although  maintaining  its  mountainous 
character,  loses  its  rugged  aspect  and  gradually 
improves.  At  length  the  steamer  reaches  the 
basin  of  the  Crinan  Canal,  at  both  ends  of  which 
passengers  are  now  transferred,  so  that  the  pas- 
sage from  Glasgow  to  Inverness  is  performed,  by 
the  boats  leaving  Glasgow  on  Tuesdays  and  Fri- 
days, in  two  days;  Oban  being  reached  at  5  P.M., 
on  the  first  day,  and  Fort- William  the  same  even- 
ing. We  fcave  accordingly  followed  the  course 
of  these  steamers,  rather  than  of  that  which,  leav- 
ing Glasgow  on  the  Monday  morning,  passes 
round  the  Mull  of  Cantyre  for  Oban  and  Skye, 
12  at   Portaskaig   in   Islav,     It  would  be  a 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  21 

powerful  glance  that  could  reach  up  Loch  Fine 
to  Inverary,  but  were  it  possible,  none  ever  met 
with  a  better  reward  than  is  offered  to  the  view 
at  the  far  off  head  of  the  loch.  Inverary  castle 
and  environs,  with  their  gorgeous  back  ground  of 
mountains,  and  the  handsome  town  of  Inverary 
embayed  in  the  graceful  sweep  of  the  waters,  all 
blend  together  into  one  of  the  finest  pieces  of 
scenic  magnificence  ever  beheld.  We  can,  how- 
ever, afford  to  say,  that  a  glimpse  may  be  had  of 
Lochgilphead,  situated  up  Lochgilp,  only  two 
miles  distant  from  Ardrishaig,  which  may  be  call- 
ed its  seaport,  and  indeed  were  Lochgilp  only 
dredged  so  as  to  permit  steam  boats,  <fcc,  to  go 
up  to  the  village,  it  might  easily  become  a  sea- 
port for  itself.  The  Crinan  Canal  is  not  of  a 
construction  to  facilitate  greatly  the  transit  of 
passenger  vessels,  and  the  steamers  especially  are 
rendered  inconveniently  narrow  to  suit  the  pas- 
sage. The  time  also  which  is  taken  in  passing 
through  it,  owing  to  the  long  detention  at  the 
bridges,  is  such  as  to  induce  many  passengers  to 
prefer  walking  the  length  of  the  canal  on  foot, 
which  they  can  easily  do  at  present  in  much  less 
time  than  the  boats  take  to  pass  through.  The 
canal  is  0  miles  long,  contains  15-  locks,  and  is 
navigable  for  vessels  of  200  tons  burthen.  It 
maybe  stated  in  round  numbers  that  about  20,000 
passengers  annually,  pass  through  it  by  steam 
boats.  The  canal  revenues  are  nearly  £2000,  and 
its  expenditure  some  £200  under  that  amount. 
Crinan  Loch,  which  gives  the  canal  its  name, 
opens  into  the  Sound  of  Jura.  The^scenery  at 
its  mouth,  where  a  perfect  archipelago  of  little 


'S2  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

isles  occur,  is  at  once  wild  and  beautiful,  although 
in  both  respects  inferior  to  that  at  the  mouth  of 
a  loch  opening  immediately  to  the  north, — Loch 
Craignish — of  which  a  fine  view  is  obtained.  The 
Crinan  end  of  the  canal  boasts  only  the  accommo- 
dation of  a  small  public  house ;  and  after  the  te- 
dium of  the  canal  navigation,  winding  through  the 
barren  intricacies  of  a  passage  cut  through  mica 
slate  and  chlorite  schist,  at  least  an  hour's  respite 
would  be  acceptable  to  enjoy  our  ease  in  our  inn. 
All  that  the  tourist  will  have  seen  in  his  canal 
transit,  is  not  of  great  account.  The  first  mile  from 
the  basin  presents  the  tomb  of  Mr  Campbell  on  the 
site  of  an  old  chapel ;  the  next,  Oakfield  House,  a 
beautiful  mansion;  then  an  extensive  marsh,  with 
the  great  road  to  the  coast  of  Lorn  and  Appin  on 
the  right;  five  miles  farther,  the  great  Crinan 
moss,  of  5000  acres  in  extent,  dotted  with  cairns, 
and  watered  by  the  river  A<ifl;  the  conical  hill  of 
Dunad,  on  which  are  the  remains  of  an  alarum  tower; 
on  the  left  the  village  of  Ballanach.  A  road  runs 
from  Ballanach  to  Keii's  Ferry,  twelve  miles  off, 
where  there  is  regular  communication  with  Islay 
and  Jura  ;  but  boats  are  readily  enough  procured  at 
Crinan.  At  length  he  emerges  on  Loch  Crinan, 
with  Duntroon  Castle  ( Malcolm  Esq.),  an  an- 
cient building,  but  modernized  in  the  interior, 
rising  right  a-head,  amid  the  rugged  features  of 
the  mainland;  and  in  the  distance  the  singular 
conical  peaks  of  Jura,  the  mountains  of  Scarba 
and  of  Mull.  Along  the  coast,  near  the  point  of 
Craignish,  the  trap  rocks  assume  fantastic  appear- 
ances, frequently  forming  perfect  resemblances  of 
castellated  ruins.      The  nearest    islands    of  the 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  16 

archipelago,  on  which  the  steamer  now  enters,  are 
some  of  them  bold  and  rocky,  others  wrooded  and 
even  cultivated.  A  chain  of  them  stretches  away 
up  the  centre  of  Loch  Craignish,  an  arm  of  the 
sea  running  far  into  the  district  of  Lorn,  with 
Barbreck  House  at  its  head.  Far  on  the  left, 
betwixt  Jura  and  Scarba,  lies  the  whirlpool  or 
whirlpools — for  there  is  more  than  one  vortex — of 
Corrievreckan,  caused  by  the  impinging  of  opposite 
currents  on  a  rock  in  its  centre.  The  strait  is 
certainly  avoided  by  mariners  as  dangerous,  still 
large-sized  vessels  may  pass  it  at  any  time,  and 
it  is  occasionally  practicable  even  for  boats. 
Where  the  boat  passes  betwixt  an  island  and 
Craignish  Point,  the  strait  is  named  Dorres-more, 
or  the  Great  Door,  leaving  to  the  south  the  rugged 
coast  of  Knapdale.  Little  Loch  Craignish,  with 
Craignish  Castle,  on  an  eminence,  are  passed  a 
mile  farther  on.  We  have  purposely  taken  the 
preliminary  tourist  in  this  direction,  because  we  be- 
lieve that  the  most  picturesque  bit  of  all  our 
Highland  steam -boat  touring,  lies  exactly  betwixt 
the  Crinan  canal,  and  Ardincaple  Point  or  Kerrera 
Sound,  through  this  western  archipelago  of  change- 
ful beauty.  In  our  thirteenth  tour,  they  are  de- 
scribed more  at  large,  and  in  language  fitter,  than 
we  can  pretend  to — the  words  of  Dr  Macculloch. 
Suffice  it  that  the  passage  of  the  steamer  through 
the  intricacies  of  the  isles,  operates  like  a  kalei- 
doscope on  the  eye,  throwing  out,  at  every  revolu- 
tion of  the  paddles,  new  combinations  of  figure, 
colouring,  and  grouping,  in  an  endless  variety  of 
pictures,  heightened  in  beauty  by  the  lavish  grace 
which  nature  has  imparted  to  the  rocks  and  trees, 


24  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

not  of  the  islands  only,  but  equally  of  the  main 
headlands  and  mountains;  and  to  the  waters,  alike 
of  land-locked  ocean  lochs  and  bays.  He  who 
has  once  feasted  his  eyes  on  these  picturesque  and 
multiform  landscapes,  will  no  longer  wonder  that 
enthusiasts  should  have  preferred  it  as  far  before 
Loch  Lomond,  as  Loch  Lomond  before  all  the 
other  scenery  in  Scotland.  Even  the  slate  islands 
are  varied  and  animated  scenery.  Through  the 
narrow  sound  of  Shuna,  and  across  the  mouth  of 
Loch  Melford,  lies  the  steamer's  course  in  bois- 
terous weather.  Shuna  is  a  small  wooded  island. 
Luing,  which  is  large,  is  separated  from  it  by  the 
sound  on  the  east,  and  contains  the  Marquis  of 
Breadalbane's  slate  quarries.  The  remains  of  a 
fort  are  visible  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  Winding 
through  this  intricate  group  of  slate  islands,  in 
which  are  included  Scarba,  Lunga,  Luing,  Shuna, 
Seil,  and  the  circular  island  of  Easdale,  the 
steamer,  after  threading  the  Sound  of  Cuan,  betwixt 
the  frith  of  Ling  and  Seil,  and  passing  the  mouth 
of  Loch  Feochan,  enters  the  Sound  of  Kerrera  and 
arrives  at  Oban.  Seil  is  a  singular  island;  its 
western  coast,  which  the  steamer  passes,  is  one 
perpendicular  wall  of  rock,  lashed  by  the  swell  of 
a  tremendous  sea;  whilst  its  eastern  shore  is  so 
near  to  the  mainland,  that  a  bridge  has  been 
thrown  across  its  narrow  Sound  of  Clachan. 
Beyond  the  point  of  Ardincaple,  is  Ardincaple 
House;  and  at  Loch  Feochan,  the  mighty  Ben 
Cruachan  is  seen  touring  far  inland. 

Oban  is  the  point  for  visiting  Mull,  Staffa,  and 
Tona.  It  has  grown  first  into  a  large  and  flourish- 
ing village,  and  thence  into  a  Parliamentary  burgh, 


STEAM- BO  AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  *2,J 

"the  Charing-Cross  of  the  Hebrides,"  since  Mrs 
Grant  of  Laggan  began  to  indite  from  it  her 
"  Letters  from  the  Mountains,"  and  while  yet  a 
girl,  fell  almost  in  love  with  "  the  old  Collector." 
Yet  how  fresh  and  true  are  her  imperishable  de- 
scriptions. "  The  collector's  dwelling-house  forms 
part  of  the  Custom-house  ;  it  stands  on  the  verge 
of  this  fine  bay.  The  tide  flows  up  to  the  door, 
but  retires  half  a  mile  back,  and  discovers  a  scene 
very  new  and  amusing  to  me,  who  have  never  been 
at  the  sea-side  except  in  embarking  and  debark- 
ing. Vast  stones,  where  the  footing  is  difficult, 
mixed  with  gravel,  shells,  and  sea-weed,  compose 
the  extensive  beach,  which  the  ebbing  sea  leaves 
naked.  *  *  *  *  From  this  chosen  spot,  where  a 
large  brook  discharges  itself  into  the  sea,  a  peace- 
ful long  green  valley  opens  from  the  shore.  Glen 
Shealeachar,  the  Vale  of  Willows,  is  the  name  of 
this  verdant  and  pastoral  glen.  The  cottages  lie 
in  clusters  on  the  sides  of  the  sloping  hills,  or  in 
sequestered  nooks  below  rocks  interspersed  with 
patches  of  earth,  tufted  with  yellow  broom  or  moun- 
tain ash,  which  nod  so  wildly!  And  the  people 
have  so  much  the  air  of  loving  and  helping  one 
another !  and  their  goats  are  such  familiar 
fanciful-looking  creatures  !  I  am  so  fond  of  the 
kids  that  dance  and  frisk  with  so  much  humour 
and  meaning,  and  cry  so  like  children,  I  would 
fain  have  one  of  them  to  follow  me  tame,  and  am 
sadly  distressed  when  I  must  needs  eat  them.  I 
think,  if  ever  I  run  wild  on  the  rocks,  which  at 
times  I  feel  much  inclined  to,  I  shall  not  be  a 
shepherdess  but  a  goatherdess.  These  creatures 
have    more   sense  and   spirit   than   heavy-headed 


26  THE  SCOTTISH  tourist's 

sheep  ;  they  differ  just  as  Highlanders  do  from 
plodding  lowlanders.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
house,  (the  Collector's,)  and  within  a  small  distance 
of  it,  rises  a  hill  quite  detached  from  all  others, 
and  as  like  a  sugar  loaf  as  if  the  resemblance  had 
been  designed  by  art.  It  is  small  compared  to  the 
lofty  heights  that  overlook  it.  The  fine  prospect 
seen  from  the  house,  is  commanded  to  great  ad- 
vantage from  this  little  eminence.  *  *  *  Of  the 
fine  views  from  this  spot,  I  cannot  enumerate 
the  islands  I  see,  nor  the  groups  of  fantastic  dark 
blue  mountains  rising  in  others  too  distant  for  dis- 
tinction. Just  such  a  prospect,  I  dare  say,  Ulysses 
had  from  the  heights  of  his  dear  rocky  Ithaca; 
he  looked  on  Zante  and  Cephalonia,  as  I  do  on 
Mull  and  Tiree."* 

The  tourist,  if  satisfied  at  this  point  with  his 
preliminary  progress,  may  avail  himself  of  the 
opportunity  to  return  by  the  coach  which*  runs 
daily,  in  summer,  betwixt  the  Caledonian  hotel  in 
Oban,  and  the  Argyle  hotel,  Inverary.  Should  he 
choose  to  make  Oban,  for  a  time,  the  centre  point 
of  his  excursions,  as  the  Hebridean  tourists  very 
frequently  do,  he  will  not  only  find  S  tafia  and 
Iona  worthy  of  a  visit,  but  Dunolly,  Dunstaffnage, 
and  Beregonium,  as  well  as  the  inland  lakes, 
Loch  Etive  and  Lochawe.  As,  however,  the 
boats  Brenda  and  Shandon  go  in  summer,  be- 
tween Glasgow  and  Fort- William,  in  one  day,  we 
propose  continuing  this  preliminary  steam-boat 
tour  to  the  latter  point.  The  Inverness  steamers 
reach  Oban  on  Tuesday  and  Friday  mornings ;  the 
Glasgow  steamers  in  the  evenings  of  these  days : 
*  Letters  from  the  Mountains,  Vol.  I.,  Letter  VI. 


STEAM-BOAT   POCKET   GUIDE.  27 

the  boat  leaves  for  Skye  on  Tuesday  afternoon, 
returning  to  leave  for  Glasgow  on  Thursday  even- 
ing, or  Friday  morning.  Steamers  for  Staffa 
and  Iona,  sail  every  Wednesday  and  Saturday ; 
and  occasionally  make  excursions  to  Loch  Leven 
and  Glencoe.  The  island  of  Kerrera  is  memor- 
able for  the  death  of  Alexander  II.,  and  was  the 
rendezvous  of  Haco's  Norse  fleet.  Proceeding  out 
of  Kerrera  Sound  from  Oban,  we  pass  Dunolly 
Castle  ruins,  clad  with  ivy,  on  a  lofty  isolated  rock, 
the  ancient  seat  of  the  M'Dougals  of  Lorn,  on 
the  right;  and,  to  the  north-west,  observe  the 
distant  Sound  of  Mull,  on  the  east  coast  of  which 
island  stands  the  picturesque  castle  ruins  of  Du- 
art,  the  scene  of  Johanna  Baillie's  celebrated 
drama  of  "  The  Family  Legend."  M'Lean  of 
Duart,  taking  a  disgust  at  his  lady,  a  sister  of 
the  earl  of  Argyle,  in  order  to  rid  himself  of  her, 
cruelly  exposed  her  on  a  small  rock,  which,  at 
high  water,  was  overflowed  by  the  sea ;  whence 
she  was  rescued  by  some  of  her  paternal  adherents 
who  were  passing  in  a  boat;  and  M'Lean,  after 
being  allowed  to  go  through  the  solemn  farce  of  a 
mock  funeral,  was,  in  revenge,  assassinated  at  Edin- 
burgh by  one  of  her  brothers.  We  now  reach 
the  mouth  of  Loch  Etive,  and  have  in  front, 
the  island  of  Lismore,  at  the  opening  of  Linnhe 
Loch.  Near  the  south  point  of  Loch  Etive  stands 
Dunstaflhage  castle,  the  ancient  stronghold  of  the 
Lords  of  Lorn ; — near  the  north  point  antiqua- 
rians fancy  they  have  the  site  of  the  ancient  Pict- 
ish  city  of  Beregonium.  And  Dr  Walker  told  Dr 
Jameson,  that  the  pumice  there,  which  Dr  Garnet 
held  to  evince  undoubted  volcanic  appearance,  is 


28  THE  SCOTTISH  tourist's 

the  scoriae  from  iron  furnaces,  worked  at  that 
place,  by  our  ancestors. 

The  islands  of  the  Linnhe  Loch,  and  its  waters 
crowded  with  shipping,  again  heighten  and  vary 
the  picturesque  features  of  the  scene.  On  the 
Lismore  coast,  are  seen  the  deserted  Roman 
Catholic  seminary  of  Kilchiarn,  and  the  island 
church  and  manse.  Loch  Creran,  with  the  small 
island  of  Eriskaat  its  entrance,  opens  into  Linnhe 
Loch  six  miles  from  Dunstaffnage.  We  have 
now,  upon  the  right,  the  coast  of  Appin,  with  Airds 
a  mile  from  Eriska,  Port-Appin  village,  and 
Lismore  ferry  ;  on  the  left  the  coast  of  Mor- 
ven.  Farther  on  the  right,  about  a  mile,  is  castle 
Stalker,  surrounded  by  the  sea,  and  behind  it 
Appin  kirk.  Another  mile,  and  we  have  Portna- 
croich  village  and  ferry,  with  little  Shuna  island. 
— On  the  left  of  the  loch,  Kingarloch  House  and 

hills.      Appin  House  ( Downie  Esq.)  is  shortly 

above  Portnacroich  on  the  right ;  and  on  the  shore 
immediately  below  it,  will  be  observed  an  im- 
mense block  of  micaceous  granite,  about  thirty 
feet  in  circumference,  resting  upon  three  small 
stones,  about  a  foot  from  the  ground.  The  Point 
of  Ardsheal,  and  Ardsheal  House,  are  five  miles 
from  Appin  House.  The  whole  coast  of  Appin  is 
deeply  indented,  and  finely  diversified,  with  coast- 
sprinkled  islands ;  while  the  interior,  which  is  rich 
in  verdure,  and  sheltered  with  groves  of  oak,  is 
intersected  with  deep  glens,  and  rushing  streams, 
and  rich  in  the  most  magnificent  varieties  of 
mountain  and  lake  scenery.  It  was,  in  feudal 
times,  the  country  of  the  Stuarts,  as  commemo- 
rated in  a  fine  ballad  in  Blackwood's  Magazine: — > 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  29 

"  I  sing  of  a  land  that  was  famous  of  yore, 

The  land  of  green  Appin,  the  ward  of  the  flood ; 
Where  every  grey  cairn  that  broods  o'er  the  shore, 

Marks  the  grave  of  the  loyal,  the  valiant,  or  good ; 
The  land  where  the  strains  of  grey  Ossian  were  framed, 

The  land  of  fair  Selma,  the  reign  of  Fingal, — 
And  late  of  a  race  that  with  tears  must  be  named, 
The  noble  Clan  Stuart,  the  bravest  of  all. 
Oh-hon  an  Rei!  and  the  Stuarts  of  Appin  ! 
The  gallant,  devoted  old  Stuarts  of  Appin! 
Their  glory  is  o'er, 
For  the  clan  is  no  more, 
And  the  Sassenach  sings  on  the  hills  of  green  Appin." 

There  is  a  mineral  spring  near  Ardsheal  Point, 
which  is  the  resort  of  invalids,  and  Durser  inn 
and  lodging  houses  have  lately  been  erected  for 
their  accommodation  by  Stuart  of  Ardsheal.  Stuart 
of  Ardsheal,  a  cadet  of  the  family  of  Appin, 
having  sought  refuge  in  a  cave  near  this,  con- 
cealed by  a  waterfall,  after  the  battle  of  Culloden, 
was  warned  of  the  approach  of  the  soldiers,  and 
escaped  them,  through  the  affected  admiration  of 
an  idiot  boy  for  the  drum.  Hound  the  point 
opens  Loch  Leven,  running  betwixt  Appin  and 
Lochaber,  with  Ballahulish  ferry  on  its  southern 
shore.  Lochaber  district  takes  its  name  from  the 
loch,  near  which  Banquo  was  killed.  The  hills 
of  Ardgour  are  seen  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Linnhe  Loch;  a  road  there,  leads  to  the  lead- 
mines  of  Strontian,  in  Ardnamurch'an,  and  a  fine 
view  is  also  obtained  of  the  sharply  aspiring  moun- 
tains of  Glencoe.  At  the  Strait  of  Ardgour, 
where  the  water  contracts  to  half-a-mile  in 
breadth,  being  thence  upwards  named  Loch  Eil, 
is  situated  the  ferry  of  Corran,  where,  however, 
the  current  is  very  powerful.  Ardgour  is  situated 
on  the  left,  with  a  white  waterfall  behind  it,  faceti- 


30  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

ously  called  Ardgours  towel.  Ben- Nevis  here  be- 
gins to  be  seen,  and  continues,  during  the  inter- 
vening nine  miles  to  Fort- William,  to  develope,by 
degrees,  its  full  grandeur  and  sublimity.  Fort- 
William,  which  took,  from  an  ancient  castle  in  the 
vicinity,  the  name  of  the  garrison  of  Inverlochy, 

"The  war-pipe  and  pennon  are  at  Inverlochy," 

was  originally  built  chiefly  of  earth,  and  of  a  tem- 
porary character,  but  with  accommodations  for 
2000  men,  by  General  Monk,  in  the  time  of  Crom- 
well. The  present  fort,  of  stone  and  lime,  was 
built  on  a  smaller  scale  in  the  reign  of  William 
III.,  and  is  an  irregular  triangular  work,  with  bas- 
tions mounting  fifteen  twelve-pounders,  defended 
by  a  ditch,  glacis,  and  ravelin,  containing  a  bomb- 
proof magazine,  and  accommodations  for  two  field 
officers,  two  captains,  four  subalterns,  and  ninety- 
six  privates.  The  proper  name  of  the  adj  oining  town, 
originally  Gordonsburgh,  is  now  Maryburgh,  not 
Fort- William,  it  having  been  named  after  queen 
Mary,  as  the  fort  after  her  husband.  It  consists 
of  one  short  street,  running  parallel  to  the  water, 
and  several  short  ones  at  right  angles.  Here  we 
are  but  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  entrance  of 
the  Caledonian  canal.  In  our  ninth  tour,  Fort- 
William,  Inverlochy,  the  ascent  of  Ben-Nevis,  and 
visit  to  Glencoe,  are  minutely  described.  In  the 
vicinity  may  be  visited  the  ancient  Black  Castle 
of  Inverlochy,  Glennevis  waterfall,  the  vitrified 
fort,  the  rocking-stone,  Fingal's  cave,  the  Dark 
mile  of  Locherlick,  the  parallel  roads  of  Glenroy, 
Prince  Charles's  monument,  at  the  head  of  Loch- 
sheil,  showing  where  he  waited  for  the  gathering  of 


yrEAM-BOA.T  POCKET  GUIDE.  31 

the  clans  in  1745  ;  Sir  John  Cameron's  monument. 
From  hence,  also,  the  tourist  may  proceed  to  Inver- 
ness, by  Inverlochy  Castle,  Lochiel,  Loch  Lochy, 
Loch  Oich,  Tobernaceaun,  or  the  well  of  the  seven 
heads,  Invergarry  Castle,  Fort- Augustus,  Glen- 
morriston,  Fall  of  Foyers,  Urquhart  Castle,  the 
vale  and  glen  of  Urquhart,  the  hill  of  Mealfour- 
vinie,  commanding  a  view  of  the  Moray  frith, 
Ross-shire,  Strathglass,  Stratherrick,  Strathnairn, 
and  about  forty  lakes  ;  the  banks  of  Loch  Ness, 
-  Dochfour  house,  Caledonian  canal,  Timnahurich, 
or  the  hall  of  the  fairies,  and  Craig  Phaedric,  to 
Inverness.  But  our  object  in  conducting  the 
tourist  to  Fort- William,  on  this  preliminary  excur- 
sion, was  to  enable  him  to  return  to  Glasgow 
within  the  space  of  two  or  three  days,  after  a  glance 
at  the  most  wondrous  of  our  Highland  and  island 
regions.  We  accordingly  recommend  him  to 
take  advantage  of  the  daily  direct  conveyance 
which  has  been  established  through  the  Highlands, 
by  the  Marquis  of  Breadalbane  coach.  The  route 
to  Glasgow  is  by  the  banks  of  Loch  Linnhe, 
Ballahulish  ferry,  along  the  beautiful  valley  of 
Glencoe,  by  Blackhill,  with  Ossian's  cave,  the 
meeting  of  the  three  waters,  the  royal  forest,  the 
hill  of  Shehalian,  passing  near  General  Wade's  old 
military  road,  best  known  as  the  Devil's  staircase, 
the  moors  of  Rannoch,  the  marquis  of  Breadalbane's 
famed  deer  forest  of  the  Black  mount,  the  hills  of 
Glenorchy,  Tyndrum,  marquis  of  Breadalbane's 
lead  mines,  Dalnary,  or  King's  Field,  the  Holy 
Pool  of  Strathfillan,  Glenfalloch,  Rob  Roy's  cave, 
and  down  Loch  Lomond,  in  connection  with  the 
new  steamer  Water  Witch,  by  Inversnaid,  the  land- 


32  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

ing  port  for  Loch  Catrine  and  the  Trossacbs 
Tarbert,  and  through  the  lovely  maze  of  the  twenty 
four  islands,  to  Balloch  Castle,  Balloch  suspension 
bridge  and  castle,  thence,  by  coach  again,  to 
Tilliechewan  castle,  the  vale  of  Leven,  Dum- 
barton, and  the  banks  of  the  Clyde  to  Glasgow — 
thus  proceeding  through  a  line  of  communication 
unequalled  in  Europe  within  the  distance,  and 
combining  more  variety,  beauty,  grandeur,  and 
sublimity  of  scene,  than  any  other  we  could  name. 
The  coaches  referred  to  start  from  Fort- Wil- 
liam at  5  a.  m.,  and  run  throughout  the  summer, 
commencing  1st  June. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  33 

FIRST  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  GREENOCK. 

The    Kelvin — Govan,    2* — ShieldhalL-Jordanhill 
— Scotstown — Elderslie — Renfield — Renfrew,  6. 

— .The     Cart,    7 Paisley—North    Bar—Er- 

skine,  1IJ Bowling  bay — The  Grand  Junction 

canal — Dunglass,  13. — Dumbarton,  16 New- 
ark castle — Port- Glasgow,  22. — Greenock,  25. 
Starting  from  the  Broomielavv  on  board  one  of 
the  numerous  steam-vessels  plying  between  Glasgow 
and  Greenock,  eight  minutes  sail  brings  you  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Kelvin,  where  the  ferry-boat  probably 
adds  a  passenger  or  two  to  the  company.  The 
Kelvin,  a  stream  not  unknown  in  Scottish  ballad 
poetry,  descends  from  the  Campsie  hills,  a  range 
about  12  miles  to  the  north  of  Glasgow.  It  flows 
through  a  vale  highly  picturesque  in  many  places, 
especially  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Glasgow.  The 
village  on  your  left,  as  you  proceed  down  the  river, 
is  Govan.  Facing  the  Clyde,  at  the  back  of  Mr 
Dreghorn's  property,  is  a  large  mound  called  the 
Doomster's,  supposed  to  have  been  the  original 
execution  place  of  the  Glasgow  criminals.  The  tall 
and  symmetrical  spire  of  the  new  parish-church 
here  forms  a  very  pleasing  object  in  the  landscape,  f 
The  Govan  lads  are  skilful  quoit-players,  the  level 
sandy  banks  of  the  river  affording  them  excellent 

*  The  numbers  given  in  the  synopsis  of  each  tour  denote  the 
distance  from  Glasgow. 

f  The  village  of  Govan  is  supposed  to  bear  some  resemblance 
to  that  of  Stratford-upon-Avon,  the  birth-place  of  Shakspeare; 
to  render  this  resemblance  still  more  striking,  the  tower  and 
spire  of  the  new  church  were,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Smith 
of  Jordanhill — who  furnished  the  design — copied  from  those  of 
its  illustrious  archetype. 


34  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

opportunity.  The  tourist  should  not  omit  to  no- 
tice, leaving  Glasgow,  the  works  of  Napier  &  Co. 
Since  184.0,  when  they  supplied  the  engine  of  the 
British  Queen,  of  the  two  steam  frigates  Vesu- 
vius and  Stromboli,  engaged  at  the  capture  of  St. 
Jean  d'Acre,  and  of  the  four  Clyde-built  trans- 
atlantic liners,  Britannia,  Acadia,  Caledonia,  and 
Columbia,  of  1200  tons  burthen,  and  440  horses 
power  each,  Messrs  Napier,  (or  rather  Mr  Robert 
Napier,  the  other  brother,  Mr  David  Napier,  hav- 
ing settled  in  London),  have,  in  fact,  supplied  in 
every  direction  the  engines  of  our  great  steam 
marine.  The  left  bank  of  the  river  presents  the 
scarcely  less  celebrated  building  yards  of  Messrs 
Wingate,  and  Messrs  Todd  &  M'Gregor.  The 
latter,  in  1840,  turned  out  the  celebrated  iron  ship, 
of  400  tons,  "  the  Iron  Duke,"  employed  as  an 
Indiaman,  and  have  since  continued  to  launch  a 
number  of  elegant  steamers  of  the  same  material. 
They  are  at  this  moment  building  iron  steam  fri- 
gates of  2000  tons  for  government.  The  glass- 
works and  pottery  further  down  on  the  right,  are 
the  Verreville  works ;  and  the  dry  docks  and  slips 
for  repairing  vessels,  are  those  of  Mr  Barclay,  and 
Messrs  Rowan  &  Co.  Partick  flour-mills,  upon 
the  Kelvin,  belong  to  the  bakers  of  Glasgow,  who 
acquired  them  in  reward  for  supplying  the  Regent 
Murray's  army  with  bread,  at  the  battle  of 
Langside.  Near  the  ferry,  or  point-house,  at 
the  junction  of  Kelvin  and  Clyde,  is  Yorkhill 
House,  belonging  to  Graham  Gilbert,  Esq.  Op- 
posite Shieldhall,  is  the  Glasgow  Royal  Lunatic 
Asylum  at  Gartnavel,  an  immense  pile  of  build- 
ing.    To  return  to  the  quoits  of  Govan,  and  the 


STEAM-BOAT   POCKET  GUIDE.  35 

ground  for  this  manly  pastime.  From  Glasgow  to 
Partick  on  one  side  of  the  river,  and  to  Govau 
on  the  other,  a  series  of  suburban  villas,  many  of 
them  very  pleasant  retreats,  meet  the  eye  in  pretty 
quick  succession.  There  is  a  good  foot-path  and 
ride  along  the  left  bank  as  far  as  Govan.  Immedi- 
ately after  passing  this  village,  the  Kilpatrick  hills 
appear  in  the  horizon,  on  the  right ;  and  soon  after 
the  Ayrshire  hills  appear  on  the  extreme  left,  and 
the  Cowal  hills  of  Argyleshire  in  front.  A  little 
below  Govan  church,  is  a  tine  silk- throwing  factory, 
the  property  of  Mr.  Pollok.  It  is  built  of  free  stone, 
and  is  150  feet  long  from  east  to  west.  Its  interior 
economy  is  admirable. 

About  2  miles  below  Govan,  on  the  same  side  of 
the  river,  is  Shieldball,  the  residence  of John- 
ston, Esq.,  proprietor  of  one  of  the  most  extensive 
cotton  factories  in  Glasgow.  On  the  right,  '  con- 
spicuo  in  loco,'  is  Jordanhill,  the  seat  of  James 
Smith,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  of  well-known  literary 
character.  This  mansion  was  built  in  1780,  on  the 
site  of  an  ancient  castle,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
reign  of  James  VI.  the  abode  of  the  intrepid  Captain 
Crawford,  of  whom  more  anon.  A  little  farther 
down  the  river,  and  on  the  same  side,  is  Scotstown, 
the  seat  of  Miss  Oswald.  The  house  is  an  ancient 
one,  but  has  received  several  modern  additions. 
Up  to  this  point,  and  a  little  beyond  it,  the  left 
bank  of  the  Clyde  is  the  more  pleasing. 

The  river  is  now  sensibly  widening,  and  has 
thrown  off  that  canaUlike  character  which  it  pre- 
sented for  some  distance  below  Govan.  On  either 
hand  are  glades  opening  towards  the  stream,  and 

*'  Through  which  the  distant  palace  now  and  then 
Looks  lordly  forth." 


36  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

An  elegant  mansion  on  the  left  is  Elderslie,  the 
seat  of  the  ancient  family  of  Speirs ;  and  about  a 
mile  farther  down  is  Renfield,  the  seat  of  Camp- 
bell of  Blythswood.*  The  Grecian  elevation  of 
this  latter  mansion  is  much  admired.  It  is  from  a 
design  by  Gillespie,  the  architect  of  two  of  the 
finest  modern  edifices  in  Glasgow — the  Roman 
Catholic  chapel  in  Clyde  street,  and  the  Inde- 
pendent chapel  in  George  street. 

Between  Elderslie  and  Renfield  is  Renfrew  ferry, 
where  you  obtain  a  near  view  of  the  ancient  burgh 
of  Renfrew  itself.  A  railway  has  been  constructed 
from  Renfrew  to  Paisley,  on  which  a  coach  starts 
every  hour.  The  burgh  of  Renfrew  gives  the  title 
of  baron  to  the  prince  of  Wales.  The  first  mem- 
bers of  the  Stuart  family  had  a  house  here: — 

"  but  of  it  no  trace 
Remains  to  tell  the  traveller  where  stood 
The  boasted  structure." 

In  the  neighbourhood  is  a  tumulus,  said  to  mark  the 
spot  where  Somerled,  thane  of  Argyle,  and  lord  of 
the  Isles,  was  defeated  and  slain  by  Angus  in  1164. 
But  these  are  themes  on  which  we  must  not  dwell. 
Near  to  Renfield  house  is  the  mouth  of  the  Cart, 
or  WhiteCart,  as  it  is  sometimes  distinctively  called, 
up  which  is  seen  Inchinnan  bridge,  at  the  junction 
oFthe  Cart  and  Gryffe,  and,  at  three  miles  distance, 
the "  large  manufacturing  town  of  Paisley,  backed 
by  the  Glenifter  hills.  Paisley  tourists  are 
accommodated  at  Renfrew  jetty;  but  one  or  two 
small  steam-boats,  drawing  not  above  three  feet  of 
water,  used  to  ascend  the  Cart,  and  ply  regularly 
betwixt  Paisley  and  Dunoon,  and  some  intervening 
*  This  is  frequently  called  Blythswood  House. 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  37 

spots.  Here  are  the  first  resorts  of  the  holiday- 
folks,  where  they  especially  spend  their  Saturday 
afternoons.  These  are  the  three  inns,  the  one 
Renfrew  ferry-house,  situated  farthest  up  the 
river,  the  other  two,  Woodro'w's  and  another,  hav- 
ing bowling-greens  attached,  and  being  in  the 
summer  afternoons  alway  the  scenes  of  scientific 
contests  at  bowls,  quoits,  &c.  A  monument  of 
Gothic  structure,  which  rises  over  the  town  of 
Renfrew,  erected  in  pursuance  of  the  resolutions 
of  a  public  meeting,  is  the  Blythswood  Testi- 
monial, combining  an  excellent  academy  with  the 
preservation  of  the  memory  of  the  late  Mr  Camp- 
bell of  Blythswood.  A  charge  of  one  penny  is 
made  for  landing,  or  embarking,  at  Renfrew  wharf, 
which,  however,  is  remitted  to  those  proceeding 
by  the  horse  railway  to  Paisley,  the  striking  spires 
of  which  town  may  here  be  observed  in  the  dis- 
tance. The  prospect  here  is  still  such  as  sixty 
years  since  charmed  the  cold  calculating  eye  of 
Pennant,  when  he  said : — "  On  the  left,  the  water 
of  Inchinnan  opens  to  view;  the  prospect  up  is  the 
most  elegant,  and  the  softest  of  any  in  North 
Britain  ;  the  expanse  is  wide  and  gentle ;  the  one 
bank  bare,  the  other  adorned  with  a  small  open 
grove.  A  little  isle,  tufted  with  trees,  divides  the 
water,  beyond  the  fine  bridge  of  Inchinnan, 
receiving  the  united  waters  of  the  White  and 
Black  Cart;  and  the  towrn  and  spire  of  Pais- 
ley, backed  by  a  long  and  fertile  range  of  rising 
land,  close  the  scene."  Blythswood  House, 
with  its  Ionic  portico,  erected  in  1821,  from 
the  designs  of  Mr  Gillespie  Graham,  adds  great- 
ly to  the  effect  from  the  river  of  these   lovely 


38  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

places.  It  was  near  to  Inchinnan  bridge  that  the 
gallant  marquis  of  Argyle  was  captured  by  his 
pursuers  in  1685.  A  royal  palace  once  stood  near 
this  spot ;  its  site  is  now  occupied  by  a  farm-stead- 
ing.    Opposite  are  Yoker  Lodge  and  distillery.  * 

Before  arriving  at  Erskine  ferry,  you  pass 
North  Bar,  a  large  and  now  dilapidated  mansion,  but 
pleasantly  situated  close  upon  the  river,  under  the 
shade  of  some  tine  old  lime  trees.  North  Bar  was 
formerly  the  seat  of  Lord  Sempill.  It  was  built 
iii  1676;  alienated  to  Lord  Sempill  in  1741;  and 
acquired  by  Lord  Blantyre  in  1812.  Allan  Rum- 
say's  Peggy,  of  'the  Gentle  Shepherd,'  is  said  to  have 
been  born  near  to  this  place.  The  landscape  is 
now  beginning  to 

*  open  wide 
Ita  varied  treasures  to  the  raptured  sight." 

The  tourist  to  Dumbarton  by  land-conveyance  from 
Glasgow  may  here  obtain  a  fine  point  of  view  by 
ascending  Ualnottar  hill,  on  the  right  bank,  above 
the  village  of  Old  Kilpatrick. 

At  a  little  distance  from  the  river,  on  the  left,  is 
the  old  mansion-house  of  Erskine,  the  ancient  seat 
of  the  earls  of  Mar,  whose  family  name  it  retains. 
In  1638,  the  property  of  Erskine  was  alienated  to 
Sir  John  Hamilton,  from  whose  grandson  Lord 
Blantyre  purchased  it  in  1703.  The  late  Lord 
Blantyre,  who  was  killed  by  a  stray  shot  during 
the  popular  movements  in  Brussels  in  1830,  erected 
the  splendid  new  mansion,  in  the  Old  English  ma- 
norial style,  which  crowns  the  rising  ground  on 
*  Here,  and  at  a  mile  from  Cart  river,  the  two  islets  are 
called  Collins  and  Newshot  isles.  Tennant  &  Co.'s  alkali- works 
are  on  the  right,  1£  miles  from  Newshot;  Mr  Collins'  paper- 
mill,  of  Dalmuir,  the  earliest  in  Scotland;  and,  hid  in  a  valley, 
Dnntocher  cotton- works. 


STEAM-BOAT   POCKET  GUIDE.  39 

the  same  side  of  the  river,  about  a  couple  of  gun- 
shots from  the  water-edge.  The  house  extends 
185  feet  in  front,  besides  the  kitchen-court  and 
nursery-wing.  It  contains  75  rooms,  of  which  7 
are  public  rooms  of  great  magnificence.  The  pic- 
ture-gallery is  118  feet  in  length. 

The  tourist  is  now  half-way  between  Glasgow 
and  Greenock,  and  a  very  fine  point  of  scenery  is 
here  attained.  The  river  has  expanded  consider- 
ably, and  assumed  the  appearance  of  a  lake,  closed 
apparently  in  front  of  you,  and  bounded  on  either 
side  by  finely  clothed  heights,  or  gently  rising  banks 
fringed  with  trees.  The  lofty  heights  on  the  right, 
with  the  naked  escarpment  on  their  summit,  are 
the  Kilpatrick  hills,  and  the  village  in  the  narrow 
plain  between  them  and  the  river  is  Kilpatrick ; 
the  little  bay  or  bight  into  which  you  are  now 
steering  is  Bowling  bay,  and  the  snug-looking  white 
house  near  the  thick  foliaged  limes  is  Bowling  inn. 

Just  as  you  come  opposite  to  the  inn,  you  per- 
ceive the  mouth  of  the  Great  Junction  canal,  which 
unites  the  east  and  west  coasts  of  Scotland,  by 
means  of  the  friths  of  Forth  and  Clyde.  The 
length  of  the  navigation  from  the  Forth  to  the 
Clyde  is  35  miles ;  the  medium  width  at  the  sur- 
face is  56  feet,  and  at  the  bottom  27 ;  the  depth  is 
about  10  feet.  The  number  of  locks  is  39.  The 
rise  from  the  eastern  sea  to  the  summit  level  at 
Wineford  is  156  feet ;  the  descent  from  Wineford 
to  the  Clyde,  150  feet.  This  great  work  was  begun 
in  1768  and  finished  in  1790.  It  cost  £200,000 
and  has  paid  remarkably  well.  Tt  is  connected 
with  Glasgow  by  a  cut  of  about  2J  miles  in  length. 


£0  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

It  admits  vessels  of  19  feet  beam,  68  feet  keel, 
and  8  feet  draught  of  water ;  grain,  iron,  and 
Eoal,  forming  the  chief  articles  of  traffic;  and  timber, 
osnaburghs,  linens,  herrings,  salt,  stones,  and  malt 
liquors,  being  next  in  importance.  Thirty-three 
drawbridges,  10  large  aqueducts,  and  upwards  of 
30  small  ones  or  tunnels,  cross  the  canal  in  its 
course  betwixt  the  estuaries:  the  most  magnificent 
of  these  aqueducts,  of  four  grand  arches,  83  feet 
high,  is  across  the  valley  of  the  Kelvin,  400  feet 
wide,  at  Mar$hill,  and  cost  £8,500.  This  roman- 
tic dell  is  a  thickly  and  softly  wooded  seclusion, 
through  whose  picturesque  gorge  the  limpid  river, 
eighty  feet  below,  steals  with  noiseless  step.  The 
canal  possesses  six  reservoirs,  which  cover  400  acres, 
and  contain  more  than  12,000  lockfuls  of  water, 
with  means  for  more  than  doubling  the  supply. 
The  canal,  at  one  part,  comes  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  the  Clyde,  and  here  a  short  junction,  for 
the  benefit  of  Paisley,  was  opened  in  1839. 

"Through  CaiTon's  channel,  now  with  Kelvin  joined, 
The  wondering  barks  a  ready  passage  find : 
The  ships,  on  swelling  billows  wont  to  rise, 
On  solid  mountains  climb  to  scale  the  skies ; 
Old  ocean  sees  the  fleets  forsake  his  floods, 
Sail  the  firm  lands,  the  mountains,  and  the  woods ; 
And  safely  thus  conveyed,  they  dread  no  more 
Hough  northern  seas  which  round  the  Orkneys  roar. 

Not  thus  the  wave  of  Forth  was  joined  to  Clyde 
When  Eome's  broad  rampart  stretch'd  from  tide  to  tide, 
With  bulwarks  strong,  with  towers  sublimely  crowned, 
While  winding  tubes  conveyed  each  martial  sound. 
To  guard  the  legions  from  their  painted  foes, 
By  vast  unwearied  toil  the  rampart  rose, 
When  fierce  in  arms  the  Scot  by  Carron's  shore 
Resigned  for  war,  the  chase  and  mountain  boar ; 
As  the  chafed  lion,  on  his  homeward  way, 
Returns  for  vengeance  and  forgets  the  prey. 

Wilson's  Clyds. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  4l 

It  has  been  proposed  to  carry  a  branch  to  Dura- 
barton,  so  that  vessels  may  avoid  the  shallow  navi- 
gation of  the  Clyde  above  the  mouth  of  the  Leven. 

Looking  down  the  river,  you  now  perceive  that 
the  banks  of  the  supposed  lake  have  parted  a-head 
of  you  ;  and,  on  rounding  a  projecting  craggy  point, 
you  have  a  wide  expanse,  no  longer  of  river,  but  of 
frith  before  you.  This  little  promontory  is  Dun- 
glass*  point,  the  western  termination  of  Antoninus's 
wall,  or  'Graham's  dyke;'  the  wild  fragments  which 
add  so  much  picturesque  beauty  to  it  are  the  ruins 
of  Dunglass  castle,  which  must  not  be  confounded, 
however — as  it  has  been  by  many  tourists  and 
tourist's  guides,  to  the  utter  perversion  of  much 
historical  and  legendary  anecdotef — with  the  East 
Lothian  fastness  of  the  same  name.  The  present 
castle  was  formerly  the  property  of  the  Colquhouns 
of  Luss,  whose  arms  still  appear  upon  it.  It  is  now 
the  property  of  Buchanan  of  Auchintorlie.  A  large 
portion  of  these  fine  ruins  fell  during  a  violent  gale 
of  wind  in  the  spring  of  18*23.  The  tourist  has 
now  a  distant  view  of  the  towns  of  Port- Glasgow 
and  Greenock,  and,  in  the  extreme  distance,  in  this 
direction,  the  high  mountains  of  Cowal. 

On  the  left  hand,  in  the  distance,  are  now  seen 
the  church  and  manse  of  Erskine,  }3ishopton  house, 
and  Drums;  on  the  opposite  side  are  Milton  island 
and  Milton  house,  Dumbuck  house  at  the  foot  of 
Dumbuck  hill,  Garshake,  Chapel  Green,  and  Sil- 
verton  hill ;   but  the  tourist's  eye  is  almost  excla- 

*  This  word  in  (he  Gaelic  means  '  Grey  fortress.' 
+  Mr.  Leighton,  the  intelligent  and  industrious  compiler  of 
the  letter-press  descriptions  accompanying  Swan's  '  Views  on 
(he  Clyde,'  was  the  first  of  our  local  topographers  to  notice  and 
correct  this  oft-reheated  blunder. 


42  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

sively  arrested  by  the  rock  and  castle  of  Dumbar- 
ton, which  rises  suddenly  from  the  point  of  junction 
of  the  Leven  and  the  Clyde  to  the  height  of  560 
feet.  The  rock  consists  of  a  huge  conical  mass  of 
hard  grained  basalt,  in  some  parts  slightly  columnar. 
It  may  be  seen  at  a  great  distance  from  different 
parts  of  the  surrounding  landscape.  But  the  de- 
scription of  this  object  belongs  to  another  tour. 
About  mid-distance  between  Dumbuck  and  Dum- 
barton, the  tourist  obtains  his  first  view  from  the 
river  of  *  the  lofty  Ben  Lomond.' 

Opposite  Dumbarton  castle  on  the  left,  is  West 
Sea  bank  ;  and  beyond  the  Leven  on  the  right,  is 
Leven  grove,  the  seat  of  James  Ewing,  Esquire. 
Two  miles  farther,  on  the  left,  is  Finlayston,  a  seat 
of  Graham  of  Gartmore,*  and  for  many  years  the 
family-mansion  of  the  earls  of  Glencairn  ;  on  the 
right  are  Clyde  bank  and  Clyde  cottage.  Ap- 
proaching to  Port- Glasgow,  the  spectator  is  struck 
with  the  appearance  of  a  fine  old  castellated  build- 
ing, now  deserted:  this  is  Newark  castle,  the  pro- 
perty of  Lady  Shaw  Stewart,  and  once  a  residence  of 
the  family  of  Maxwell.      It  was  built  in  1599. 

The  tourist  has  now  reached  Port- Glasgow, 
where  the  steamer  runs  up  for  a  few  minutes 
alongside  of  the  ^uay.      The  river  is  here  about  2 

*  A  Graham  of  Gartmore  married  Lady  Margaret,  daughter 
of  William,  twelfth  earl  of  Glencairn.  John,  the  fifteenth 
earl,  having  died  without  issue,  in  1796,  the  estate  of  Finlay- 
ston, but  not  the  title  of  Glencairn,  devolved  on  the  family  of 
Gartmore.  In  Finlayston  house  were  preserved  four  ancient 
silver  cups  which  had  been  used  by  the  celebrated  reformer 
John  Knox  in  the  administration  of  the  sacrament.  They 
were  presented  by  Lord  Glencairn  to  the  parish  church  of  Kil- 
malcolm, and  some  years  ago  gifted  to  the  college  museum  of 
Edinburgh,  where  they  are  now  deposited. 


STEAM-BOAl'  POCKET  GUIDE.  43 

miles  across,  but  attached  to  the  Port  are  two  ca- 
pacious harbours,  substantially  built  and  complete- 
ly sheltered  from  the  storm.  The  first  dry  or  grav- 
ing dock  in  Scotland,  was  constructed  here  in  1762. 
Some  time  ago  an  act  of  Parliament  was  obtained 
for  converting  the  bay  of  Newark,  which  is  natu- 
rally adapted  for  the  purpose,  into  a  spacious  wet 
dock,  where  vessels  of  the  largest  class  may  lie  se- 
curely afloat  in  every  state  of  the  tide.  This  is 
the  only  dock  of  the  kind  on  the  west  coast  of 
Scotland,  and  already  forms  a  very  important 
addition  to  the  harbour  accommodation  of  Port- 
Glasgow.  We  introduce  these  statistical  particu- 
lars of  places  at  which  the  tourist  may  touch,  as 
likely  to  prove  of  passing  interest.  We  may 
mention,  that  the  rise  and  fall  of  Port- Glasgow, 
which,  in  1710,  was  constituted  the  principal 
custom-house  port  of  the  Clyde,  and  for  a  time 
took  the  lead  of  its  rival  Greenock,  are  alike  un- 
paralleled in  rapidity.  The  first  place  fixed  upon 
by  the  magistrates  of  Glasgow  for  their  harbour, 
was  Dumbarton  ;  but  after  much  discussion,  the 
municipal  authorities  of  'that  place  rejected  the 
proposition,  lest  "  the  concourse  of  mariners  wTould 
raise  the  price  of  provisions  to  the  people."  Troon, 
for  a  similar  reason,  gave  the  proposal  a  similar 
repulse.  The  ground  on  which  Port- Glasgow 
stands  was  then  purchased  from  Sir  Patrick 
Maxwell,  of  Newark,  with  the  right  of  forming  a 
harbour  there.  The  town  was  erected  into  a 
burgh  of  barony  in  1775,  and,  by  the  late  Burgh 
Reform  Act,  was  joined  with  Kilmarnock,  Ruther- 
glen,  Dumbarton,  and  Renfrew,  in  returning  a 
member    to     Parliament.       The     river    is    two 


44  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

miles  broad,  but  very  shallow;  the  navigable  chan- 
nel being  not  above  200  yards  wide.  Port-Glas- 
gow was  founded  in  1667,  by  the  merchants  of 
Glasgow,  who  felt  aggrieved  at  the  harbour-dues 
exacted  from  them  at  Greenock.  There  is  little  of 
interest  about  this  place  ;  but  it  is  backed  by  a 
pleasing  range  of  green  hills,  and  commands  a  line 
sea  view. 

In  proceeding  towards  Greenock,  the  steamer 
successively  passes  Ardarden  house,  Ardmore  house, 
Camis-Eskan,  Kilmahew  castle,  and  Drumfork 
house,  all  on  the  right  side  of  the  frith,  but  the 
channel  followed  by  the  boat  approaches  near  to  the 
left  side  After  a  sail  from  Glasgow,  of  from  two 
to  two  hours  and  a  half,  according  to  the  state  of 
the  tide  and  weather,  you  are  landed  on  the  quay 
at  Greenock,  one  of  the  finest  sea-ports  in  the  king- 
dom. The  harbours  cover  an  extent  of  20  acres, 
and  are  capable  of  containing  above  500  merchant 
vessels.  The  river  is  here  about  4  miles  broad,  but 
the  navigable  channel  does  not  exceed  300  yards  in 
width  :  the  greater  part, of  the  expanse  of  the  frith 
being  occupied  with  an  immense  sand-bank  extend- 
ing from  Dumbarton  to  the  buoy  off  Whitefarlane 
point,  a  little  below  Greenock.  If  the  tourist 
wishes  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  history 
and  localities  of  Greenock,  he  should  put  himself 
in  possession  of  Weir's  history  of  the  place.  If 
his  leisure  permit,  he  should  sail  3  miles  farther 
down  the  river  to  Gourock,  by  doing  which,  he  will 
obtain  a  distinct  view  of  the  finest  shores  of  the 
Clyde,  with  the  Argyleshire  mountains;  or  he 
may  take  a  trip  across  to  the  pleasant  watering- 
place  of  Helensburgh ;   or  he  may  gratify  himself 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  45 

surveying  the  surrounding  scenery ;  for  though 
"  the  Count  do  Merci  possesses  a  beautiful  house, 
that  stands  upon  the  top  of  the  hill,  with  fine 
terraced  gardens  sloping  down  to  the  river  side, 
which  yield  a  delicious  prospect  to  the  eye  ;  yet 
beautiful  as  this  situation  is,  the  House  of  Greenock 
would  have  been  infinitely  more  noble,  had  it  been, 
according  to  the  original  plan,  above  the  terrace, 
with  the  street  opening  down  to  the  harbour ; 
indeed  in  that  case  it  would  have  been  the  most 
lovely  site  in  Europe." — Hence  the  eye  ranges 
over  a  fine  and  extensive  bay.  Greenock  stretches 
about  two  miles  and  a  half  along  the  shore,  but 
the  breadth  of  the  town  is  inconsiderable.  On  the 
east,  the  wandering  eye  is  first  arrested  by  the 
grey  fortress  of  Dumbarton,  so  fraught  with  the 
associations  of  Scotland's  elder  day,  and  from 
thence  may  penetrate  far  up  the  valley  of  the 
Clyde.  Northwards,  Benlomond  and  Benledi  are 
seen  towering  above  ail  other  objects,  and  even 
the  waters  of  Loch  Lomond,  with  a  few  of  their  en- 
chanted isles,  can  be  distinguished.  On  the  west, 
rise  the  mountain  summits  of  Argyleshire,  in  tumul- 
tuous grandeur — their  dark  frowns  retorted  in  the 
sullen  faces  of  the  lochs  that  invest  them.  South- 
wards, the  land  is  now  spread  out  in  flats,  now 
broken  into  points  and  islands,  amongst  which  Ailsa 
Craig  stands  like  a  solitary  watch-tower  guarding 
the  entrance  of  the  frith.  The  most  animated  por- 
tion of  the  picture  is  that  long  since  noticed  from  ano- 
ther point  of  view  by  Pennant,  "  the  prospect  of 
the  ports  of  Port-  Glasgow  andGreenock,  continually 
animated  with  the  movement  of  ship3  and  the  busy 
haunt  of  commerce."    All  this  may  the  tourist  behold 


46  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

by  ascending  the  heights  behind  Greenock,  from 
which,  in  a  clear  day,  his  eye  can  roam  from  the 
high  peaks  of  Arran,  along  the  towering  and  rug- 
ged outline  of  the  Argyleshire  mountains,  and  up 
the  river  nearly  to  Glasgow.  The  view,  from  the 
quay  itself,  is  perhaps  the  finest  commanded  by  any 
sea-port  in  the  kingdom. 

If  the  tourist  wishes  to  return  to  Glasgow  by 
/and,  the  distances  are  :  Greenock,  22 — Port- Glas- 
gow, 19j — Bishopton  inn,  12£ — Renfrew,  6£— 
Govan,  3.  Or  he  may,  after  leaving  Bishopton 
inn,  take  the  Paisley  road  by  Barnsford  toll, 
which  is  about  2  miles  longer.  But  the  railway 
trains,  at  the  hours  of  9^,  10J,  12J,  3|,  5j,  are 
swiftest  and  surest. —  See  Land  Tourist. 


SECOND  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  HELENSBURGH  AND  ROSENEATH. 

Helensburgh,  29 — Roseneath,  30 — Ardincaple — • 
the  Gairloch. 
We  have  now  transported  the  tourist  to  the 
other  side  of  the  frith.  From  Dumbarton  rock 
to  the  quay  or  place  of  anchorage  for  vessels  plying 
lo  Helensburgh,  is  a  sail  of  about  an  hour  and  a 
half  by  the  steam-boat ;  which  proceeds  first  to 
Greenock,  and  then  crosses  to  Helensburgh.  There 
is  little  worthy  of  particular  notice  along  the  coast 
from  Dumbarton  to  Helensburgh.  It  appears 
well-wooded,  and  rises  gradually  as  it  recedes,  till 
in  some  places  it  attains  a  considerable  elevation. 
The  distance  of  Helensburgh  from  Glasgow,  by 
land,  is  only  23  miles.  The  road  is  continued  to 
Dumbarton  through  Cardross  village. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  47 

Helensburgh  is  four  miles  by  water  from  Greenock , 
which  enables  the  railway  steamers,  built  by  Messrs 
Barr  and  M'Nab  of  Paisley,  and  celebrated  for  their 
swiftness,  to  keep  up  hourly  communication  during 
the  season  betwixt  this  and  other  watering  places, 
in  connection  with  the  trains  of  the  Greenock 
and  Glasgow  railway.  Five  or  six  steamers, 
however,  also  ply  daily  betwixt  Glasgow  and  Helens- 
burgh, during  seven  months  of  the  year,  two  or 
three  of  which  continue  their  daily  trips  even 
during  the  winter.  The  landscape  beauties  of 
Helensburgh  will  be  apt  to  attract  and  please  the 
tourist.  Amongst  them,  the  leading  feature  which 
acts  as  a  foil  to  set  off  the  rest,  is  the  gay  aspect 
of  the  whitened  town  itself.  Unlike  the  oriental 
cities,  which  at  a  distance  charm  the  traveller  with 
their  fairy-like  beauty,  and  dwindle  upon  near 
approach  into  a  labyrinth  of  narrow  dirty  lanes — 
Helensburgh  will  stand  the  test  of  closer  scrutiny  ; 
for  being  feued  upon  a  regular  plan,  it  is  pic- 
turesquely arranged  in  terraces  overlooking  the 
placid  waters  of  the  frith  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Gareloch.  Such  attractions  are  here  presented  of 
the  kind  which  the  wealthy  Hollanders  so  early 
and  so  admirably  appreciated,  under  the  name  of 
"  lust  und  rust,"  that  from  the  town  of  Helensburgh 
up  to  the  apex  of  the  Gareloch,  approaching  within 
a  mile  and  a  half  of  Loch  Long,  the  "  lust  hauses  " 
of  the  "  merchant  princes"  of  Glasgow  already  line 
the  west  shore  almost  without  intermission.  The 
mansion  house  of  Ardencaple,  with  its  beautiful 
pleasure  grounds,  and  the  projecting  point  of  Row, 
where  a  constant  ferry  is  established,  greatly  assist 
to  diversify  the  landscape. 


48  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

Helensburgh  is  a  rapidly  increasing  village, 
chiefly  composed  of  neat  looking  villas,  the  property 
of  Glasgow  citizens,  who  use  them  as  bathing- 
quarters  during  the  summer.  It  is  about  a  mile  in 
length,  and  extends  along  a  fine  gently  curving 
bay,  protected  on  the  one  side  by  the  hill  of  Aid- 
more,  and  on  the  other  by  Roseneath  point.  The 
shore  is  flat  and  well-adapted  for  bathers.  Helens- 
burgh was  founded  above  half-a-cehtury  ago  by  Sir 
James  Colquhoun,  the  lord  of  the  barony,  who 
named  it  after  his  lady,  Helen.  The  ground  is  to 
be  feued  on  a  regular  and  extensive  plan  ;  but  it 
is  only  within  these  six  years  that  this  place  rose 
into  fashionable  repute.  A  mile  to  the  westward 
is  the  pleasant  inn  of  Ardincaple ;  and  a  mile  and 
a  half  farther  are  the  village  and  the  kirk  of  Row, 
which  is  the  parish-church  of  Helensburgh. 

Crossing  the  mouth  of  the  Gair  loch  we  reach 
Roseneath  point — a  finely  wooded  peninsula  of 
about  7  miles  in  length  by  2  in  breadth,  dividing 
Loch  Gair  from  Loch  Long.  The  castle  or  palace 
of  the  duke  of  Argyle  here  forms  the  chief  object 
of  attraction  to  most  tourists.  It  occupies  the  site 
of  a  fine  old  castle  which  was  burnt  down  in  1802. 
It  is  a  noble  mansion  in  the  Italian  style,  184  feet 
in  length,  by  121  in  breadth:  having  two  fronts, 
one  towards  the  north,  and  the  other  facing  south- 
wards. The  northern  front  is  adorned  with  a  mag- 
nificent portico  of  the  Ionic  order.  A  circular 
tower,  surmounted  by  a  ballustrade,  rises  from  the 
centre  of  the  building;  and  the  offices,  which  are 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  house,  are  also  orna- 
mented with  a  tower  90  feet  in  height,  forming 
a  conspicuous  object  from  different  points  of  the 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  49 

frith.  To  the  north  of  the  palace  are  the  manse 
and  church  of  Roseneath,  to  which  you  may  be 
ferried  across  on  Sundays.  Roseneath,  including 
the  parish  of  Row,  belonged  at  one  time  to  the 
M'Aulays.  They  long  had  a  deadly  feud  with 
the  Campbells,  but  were  ultimately  obliged  to  yield 
to  that  powerful  and  numerous  clan.  The  name 
has  been  derived  by  some  from  Rhos-noeth,  or  *  the 
naked  promontory;'  by  others  from  Rhos-na-choich, 
or  *  the  promontory  of  the  virgin.' 

A  sail  up  the  Gair  loch,  if  the  tourist  has  time 
and  opportunity,  will  well-reward  his  trouble. 
The  lower  portion  of  the  loch,  from  Row  point 
downwards,  is  of  a  softer  and  more  tranquil 
character  than  the  upper ;  but  the  whole  is  re 
markably  different  in  character  from  that  of  the 
other  lochs  opening  into  the  frith,  and  should  be 
visited  for  the  sake  of  contrasting  its  softer  beauties 
with  the  sterner  arid  sublimer  features  of  the  other. 

Above  the  church,  on  the  Roseneath  side  of  the 
loch,  is  the  mansion-house  of  Baremman.  On  the 
other  side  we  successively  pass  Ardenconnel  the 
seat  of  Sir  James  Coiquhoun,  the  mill  of  Auld- 
mounie,  and  Blairvadich.  Two  miles  farther  on 
is  Shandon,  and  a  mile  and  a  half  beyond  is  Fas- 
lane.  At  the  head  of  the  loch,  on  the  west  side,  is 
the  farm-house  of  Fernicary,  the  residence  of  the 
family  of  the  name  of  Campbell  who  have  rendered 
themselves  so  conspicuous  in  the  propagation  of 
certain  religious  views  generally  designated  as  the 
*  Row  heresy.'  A  walk  of  about  twenty  minutes 
from  the  head  of  the  loch  to  the  summit  of  the  ris- 
ing grounds  above  it  brings  the  tourist  in  sight  of 
Loch  Long  and   the  opening  of  Loch   Goyle.      1 1' 


60  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

beauty  of  landscape  can  gratify  the  taste  of  the 
tourist,  he  will  willingly  linger  near  Roseneath. 
Roseneath  Castle,  the  Marquis  of  Lome's  beauti- 
ful palace,  stands  on  the  one  hand,  in  embowered 
repose.  The  clachan  and  villas,  farm-houses  and 
cottages,  stretch  away  stragglingly  along  the 
margin  of  the  well- wooded  lake.  Cultivated  slopes 
terminate  upwards  either  in  screens  of  plantation 
or  brown  heath ;  and  what  the  hills  want  themselves 
in  height,  is  supplied  by  the  mountain  tops  that 
bound  the  waters  of  Loch  Long  behind.  Up  to  the 
very  Gareloch-head  runs  a  fine  carriage  drive  ; 
the  whole  loch -side  is  traversed  with  shady  walks, 
fringed  with  beautiful  hedge-rows  ;  while  opposite, 
in  thick  succession  beneath  the  glance  of  the  eye, 
the  dwellings  on  the  eastern  shore  lie  finely  to  the 
view ;  and  upwards  the  dark  blue  and  fantastic  peaks 
that  bar  the  farther  progress  of  the  waters,  stand 
for  an  admirable  representation  of  our  Scottish 
Alps  in  miniature.  And  the  water  is  as  smooth 
and  symmetrical  a  sheet  as  expands  its  bosom  to 
a  highland  sky.  Quarters  are  rather  scarce  at 
Roseneath,  and  the  more  temporary  the  scarcer. 
At  the  ferry-house  opposite  Row,  there  is  excellent 
accommodation  both  for  man  and  beast,  parti- 
cularly for  the  latter.  There  is  a  church,  a 
manse,  three  good  schools,  everything  except  a 
good  inn,  on  the  delightful  privacy  of  the  Rose- 
neath shore.  There  are  now  two  good  inns,  however, 
at  Lochgarehead,  to  which  the  steamers  ply,  touch- 
ing at  Helensburgh,  Row,  and  Shandon,  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  loch,  Roseneath  and  Millrow 
Point  on  the  western,  and  also  at  Lochgarehead 
village.     The  tourist  bound  for  Loch  Long,  if  he 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  51 

wishes  to  gain  the  proper  point,  must  proceed  on- 
wards to  Portincaple,  where  there  is  a  ferry  to  the 
hill  at  the  mouth  of  Loch  Goyle,  called  "  Argyle's 
Bowling- Green,"  or  to  Colport,  where  there  is  a 
ferry  to  Ardintinny. 

THIRD  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  DUNOON  AND  ROTHSAY,  WITH  A 
DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  ISLAND  OF  BUTE. 
Holy  loch — Kilmun,  35 — Dunoon,  34 — Bawkie 
bay  —  Toward  -point  —  Eothsay,  44  —  Mount 
Stewart — Kilchattan  bay — the  Garroch  head — 
Port-Bannatyne,  48 — Loch  Fad,  47. 
This  is  an  exceedingly  interesting  trip,  and  may 
generally  be  performed  within  twelve  hours.  The 
steamer  will  probably  coast  from  Greenock  to  Kem- 
poch  point,  a  distance  of  3  miles,  and  then  stand 
across  towards  Dunoon.  The  view  during  this 
part  of  the  passage  is  uncommonly  fine.  On  the 
right,  the  softly  wooded  peninsula  of  Roseneath  is 
seen  stretching  out  into  the  frith,  with  the  open- 
ings of  Loch  Long  and  the  Holy  loch  ;  in  front 
are  the  wooded  shores  of  Argyleshire,  backed  by  lofty 
hills,  behind  which  are  seen  the  blue  summits 
of  still  more  gigantic  mountains  rising  in  the  far 
distance  ;  on  the  left  is  the  fine  bay  of  Kempoch, 
terminating  at  the  Cloch  point;  in  the  frith  are  the 
islands  of  Cumbray  near  at  hand,  the  island  of 
Bute  at  a  greater  distance,  the  mountain-summits 
of  Arran  peering  over  Bute,  and  in  the  extended 
distance,  the  shadow-like  outline  of  the  craig  of 
Ailsa.  As  the  steamer  nears  the  Argyle  coast,  the 
eye  has  an  opporfonity  of  exploring  a  considerable 


52  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

portion  of  the  scenery  on  either  side  of  the  Holy 
loch,  and  the  noble  group  of  mountains  at  ils 
head.  Coasting  along  shore,  we  pass  a  series  of 
cottages  and  villas  presenting  little  remarkable,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  we  find  ourselves  at  the  village 
of  Dunoon,  wher  a  considerable  exchange  of  pas- 
sengers is  probably  effected,  the  village  being  large 
and  always  crowded  with  bathers. 

Here,  if  the  tourist  inclines  to  go  ashore,  he  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  making  a  trip  to  the  head 
of  the  Holy  loch — a  distance  of  about  4  miles — 
before  the  boat  returns  from  Rothsay,  or  in  time 
for  some  other  boat  returning  to  Glasgow  in  the 
evening ;  or  he  may  walk  round  the  head  of  the 
loch  to  Kilmun,  where  he  will  probably  find  a 
steamer  returning  to  Glasgow.  These  arrange- 
ments, however,  must  be  regulated  by  the  intima- 
tions given  in  the  sailing-tickets  of  the  different, 
boats  exhibited  at  Dunoon.  The  walk  to  Kilmun 
will  amply  repay  the  tourist  by  conducting  him 
into  real  Highland  scenery,  and  affording  him  an 
opportunity  of  inspecting  the  ruins  of  the  collegiate 
church  of  Kilmun,  founded  by  Sir  Duncan  Camp- 
bell, in  1442,  with  the  burying  place  of  the  family 
of  Argyle.  He  may  even — if  he  has  started  from 
Glasgow  at  an  early  hour — have  an  opportunity  of 
pursuing  the  road  leading  from  Kilmun  to  Loch 
Eck,  so  far  at  least  as  to  gain  a  sight  of  the  lower 
extremity  of  that  beautiful  little  inland  lake.  If 
he  finds  that  there  is  to  be  no  steam -conveyance 
from  Kilmun  to  Glasgow  the  same  day,  and  is 
disinclined  to  the  fatigue  of  resuming  his  walk  to 
Dunoon,  he  can  get  himself  ferried  across  to  tho 
Lazaretto  point — by  which  means  he  will  save  a  <iU- 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  53 

tance  of  about  three  miles — and  pursue  his  route 
close  along  the  shore  to  Hunter's  quay,  where  the 
boats  from  Dunoon  generally  call  before  crossing  to 
Greenock  or  Gourock. 

In  the  town  of  Dunoon  itself,  there  is  little  to 
interest  the  tourist,  except  its  line  and  diversified 
sea-ward  views.  The  castle  of  Dunoon,  however, 
is  a  relic  of  antiquity  worth  visiting.  It  was  once 
a  royal  residence,  and  a  strong  fortress,  the  posses- 
sion of  which  often  formed  an  object  of  keen  con- 
tention in  troublous  times.  Bruce  conferred  the 
hereditary  keepership  of  this  castle  on  the  family  of 
Sir  Colin  Campbell  of  Lochaw,  an  ancestor  of  the 
duke  of  Argyle.  It  was  the  residence  of  the 
Argyleshire  family  in  1673,  but  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighteenth  century,  was  allowed 
to  fall  into  a  state  of  entire  ruin  ;  the  stones  have 
been  abstracted  to  build  the  adjacent  cottages,  and 
little  more  than  the  crumbling  outline  of  a  few 
walls  here  and  there  appearing  above  the  sod  re- 
mains to  mark  the  site  of  this  once  important  castle 
and  palace.  Mr.  Campbell,  the  proprietor  of  the 
beautiful  marine  villa  immediately  adjoining  the 
castle,  has  laid  open  a  part  of  the  western  wall  of 
this  relic;  but  it  is  impossible  to  trace  the  ground- 
plan  with  any  thing  like  distinctness.  Dunoon 
was  in  ancient  times  the  seat  of  a  bishopric.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  ancient  parishes  in  Scotland,  and 
the  seat  of  the  presbytery  of  the  bounds.  The 
minister  of  Dunoon  officiates  every  third  Sunday 
at  Kilmun.  The  Secession  church  has  a  neat 
little  chapei  here.  The  parish-church  is  finely 
situated  ou  the  brow  of  an  eminence  which  rises 
abruptly  from  the  beach. 


54  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

The  jetty  for  landing  passengers  in  all  states 
of  the  tide  at  Dunoon,  was  erected  by  a  private 
joint-stock  company  in  1835  ;  it  extends  130  yards 
into  4j  fathoms  water,  and  pontage  of  one  penny 
is  exigible.  At  Kilmun,  Mr  Napier  has  built  a 
stone  quay.  It  would  be  hard  for  the  casual 
visitor  at  Dunoon  to  believe  that  he  looked  upon 
a  site  of  royal  greatness.  Yet  vestiges  of  the 
architecture  of  religious  magnificence,  as  well  as 
of  that  of  strength  and  power,  from  time  to  time 
turn  up  on  this  delapidated  spot.  There  are  still 
a  number  of  vaulted  apartments  existing  entire 
under  the  ruins  of  the  castle,  whose  antiquity  is 
too  great  to  be  defined.  But  of  the  three  towers 
of  which  it  consisted,  whereof  one  looked  up  the 
frith,  another  in  an  opposite  direction,  while  a  third 
guarded  the  landward  approach,  it  is  only  of  the 
first,  which  must  have  been  of  a  circular  form,  that 
any  distinct  traces  remain  ;  and  the  remains  of 
a  small  sally  port  may  be  seen  on  the  side  parallel 
with  the  frith.  In  clearing  away  the  ruins  of 
the  old  chapel,  for  the  erection  of  the  present  church, 
a  beautiful  gothic  window,  which  had  been  previ- 
ously plastered  up,  was  discovered,  suitable  to  the 
style  of  a  chapel  attached  to  a  royal  court.  Tra- 
dition has  it  that  this  was  the  site  of  a  nunnery, 
of  which  however  no  trace  has  ever  been  found. 
The  Tom-a-mhiod,  "  hill  of  the  court  of  justice," 
the  "  Gallow  hill,"  and  the  "  cuspars,"  or  butts  for 
archery,  are  still  retained  in  the  adjacent  topo- 
graphy. Dunoon,  in  fact,  was  the  original  seat 
of  the  Great  Stewards  of  Scotland  ;  of  Walter  the 
son  of  Fleance,  who  was  made  Dapifer  Regis  to 
Malcolm    Canmore ;    and   of    Alan,    constituted 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  ^O 

SeneschallusScotise  by  King  Edgar.  The  Stewarts 
held  it  till  the  reign  of  David  II.,  when  it  was  taken 
by  Baliol,  A.  D.  1333  ;  but  retaken  in  1334  by 
Robert  the  Steward,  who  had  remained  concealed 
in  Bute,  and  was  aided  by  Colin  Campbell  of 
Lochow,one  of  the  ancestors  of  the  family  of  Argyle. 
Robert  became  the  first  king  of  the  Stewart  family, 
by  succeeding  David  II.,  and  in  gratitude  created 
Campbell  of  Lochow  hereditary  keeper  of  the 
castle.  Archibald,  earl  of  Argyle,  in  1544,  accord- 
ingly offered  here  a  powerful  opposition  to  the 
armament  of  the  earl  of  Lennox,  who,  with  18 
vessels,  and  800  soldiers,  entered  the  Clyde  and 
sought  to  obtain  the  regency,  supported  by  Henry 
VIII.  Argyle,  unable  to  resist  the  artillery  of 
Lennox,  was  obliged  to  retreat  with  loss.  This 
spot  is  haunted,  like  every  other  association  linked 
with  her  name,  by  the  interest  and  melancholy 
attaching  to  the  history  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots. 
It  is  erroneously  stated  that  she  visited  Dunoon  in 
August,  156S.  Tn  1568,  the  year  of  her  escape 
from  Lochleven,  Mary  was  otherwise  engaged  ; 
she  was  in  fact  intercepted  and  defeated  at  Lang- 
side,  by  the  Regent  Murray,  on  her  way  to  Dum- 
barton ;  and  after  the  battle,  scarcely  paused  till 
she  entered  England,  and  her  18  years'  captivity 
terminating  in  death.  "  The  summer  and  autumn 
of  1563,  were  spent  by  Mary  in  making  various 
excursions  through  the  country,"  as  we  learn  from 
her  elegant  historian  and  apologist,  Mr  Glassford 
Bell.  "  Shortly  after  the  rising  of  Parliament,  she 
set  out  for  Glasgow,  and  from  thence  went  on  to 
Dumbarton  and  Loch  Lomond.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood of  its  romantic  scenery  she  spent  some  days, 


5(i  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

and  then  crossed  over  to  Inverary,  where  she 
visited  her  natural  sister,  the  Countess  of  Argyle, 
to  whom  she  was  much  attached.  Upon  leaving 
Inverary  she  passed  over  the  Argyleshire  hills,  and 
came  down  upon  the  Clyde  at  Dunoon." 

The  tourist  is  now  landed  for  a  space,  we  shall 
suppose,  on  the  Cowal  district.  He  will  find  the 
country  near  Dunoon  present  a  fine  sloping  as- 
pect to  the  sea  ;  but,  we  cannot  help  telling  him, 
that  he  is  nevertheless,  (in  the  words  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Mackay,)  within  easy  distance  of  that  in  which 
a  Highland  tourist  must  needs  rejoice — "  a  bold 
and  even  grand  collocation  of  hill  and  valley." 
He  will  therefore  even  take  our  advice,  and  per- 
form a  few  peregrinations  under  our  guidance, 
within  the  united  parishes  of  Dunoon  and  Kil- 
mun.  The  region  is  a  miniature  of  Highland 
scenery  ;  beautiful  with  dignity,  rather  than  grace- 
ful with  sublimity.  The  wild  groupings  of  its 
hills  form  the  features  by  which  it  is  chiefly  dis- 
tinguished. To  the  westward  of  Dunoon,  rises  the 
hill  termed  the  Bishop's  seat,  and  near  to  Castle 
Toward,  the  still  more  singular  elevation  of 
Buachil-itkean,  1220  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  ;  but  the  highest  of  the  Cowal  hills  is  Ben- 
more,  2500  feet.  These  summits  all  afford  mag- 
nificent views  of  the  neighbouring  counties,  and 
of  the  western  islands.  The  Benmore  range 
forms  part  of  the  wild  western  banks  of  Loch  Eck  ; 
which,  from  the  top  of  the  finely  grouped  hills,  at 
the  head  of  the  Holy  Loch,  will  amply  reward 
the  gazer  with  the  pictorial  contrast  which  the 
ruggedness  of  one  of  its  shores,  and  the  tameness  of 
the  other,  parted  by  its  placid  inland  waters,  pre- 


STEAM-BOA.T  POCKET  GUIDE.  57 

sent  to  the  eye.  Indeed,  the  whole  scene  from 
this  platform  is  one  of  no  ordinary  interest.  The 
three  lovely  and  romantic,  wooded  and  watered, 
planted  and  cultivated,  valleys  of  Glenmassan, 
Eachaig,and  Glenfinnart,  may  here  be  said  to  meet, 
and  blend  themselves  together,  in  the  smoother 
surface  of  the  Holy  Loch,  at  its  inland  extremity. 
— At  the  northern  extremity  of  Loch  Eck  especi- 
ally, the  grandest  features  of  Highland  scenery 
are  presented.  "  The  rocky  and  shattered  face 
of  the  mountain  range,"  (says  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mackay,) 
"  on  the  eastern  side,  presents  to  the  imagination 
the  appearance  of  some  huge  and  interminable 
Babel-like  ruin,  its  summit  retreating  and  lost 
in  the  distance  ;  while  on  the  western  side  of 
this  entrance,  the  eye  is  constrained  to  rest  in 
turn  on  the  very  striking  appearance  of  hill  and 
corri's,  forming  the  dark  and  mysterious  recesses 
of  coire-an-ti."  The  long  extended  arms  of  Kil- 
mun  and  Dunoon,  having  now  almost  invested  the 
shores  of  the  Holy  Loch,  on  the  one  hand,  and  of 
the  frith  from  near  the  lazaretto  to  Seward  point  on 
the  other,  the  effect  of  the  fine  Alpine  background 
of  the  district  is  greatly  heightened  by  the  proxi- 
mity of  the  cheerful  dwellings  of  men.  At  the 
lazaretto,  vessels  loaded  with  cotton  discharge  their 
cargoes,  and  perform  quarantine.  It  will  thus  be 
seen,  that  the  locality  of  Dunoon  is  regaining,  or 
has  quite  regained,  the  importance  it  possessed  in 
the  eighteenth  century,  as  the  principal  avenue  to 
the  Highlands,  ere  the  new  route  by  Loch  Lomond 
was  opened.  Besides  the  alternate  church  services 
in  the  parish  churches  of  Dunoon  and  Kilmun,  two 
Sabbaths  in  the  one,  and  one  in  the  other,  a  mis- 
sionary officiates  in  Kilfinnan  chapel. 


58  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Passing  the  castle,  the  steamer  skirts  aiont? 
Bawkie  bay,  the  shore  of  which  is  ornamented  with 
several  pleasing  villas.  On  reaching  Toward  point, 
another  fine  scene  bursts  upon  the  eye  of  the  tourist. 
On  the  neighbouring  heights  on  the  right,  are  seen 
the  venerable  ruins  of  Toward  castle,  the  ancient 
seat  of  the  Lamonts;  and  at  a  little  distance,  em- 
bosomed in  young  plantations,  Castle  Toward,  the 
modern  mansion  of  Kirkman  Finlay,  Esq.  A 
second  arm  of  the  frith  appears  stretching  to  an  in- 
definite distance  along  the  Argyleshire  coast,  while 
the  opposite  coast  is  formed  by  the  large  island  of 
Bute,  in  which  the  bay  and  town  of  Rothsay  are 
conspicuous.  Stretching  across  this  the  entrance 
to  what  is  called  *  the  Kyles  of  Bute'  the  tourist  is 
quickly  landed  on  Rothsay  quay.  There  are  boats 
leaving  Rothsay  for  Glasgow,  up  to  a  late  hour  in 
the  day,  so  that  the  tourist  will  probably  have  an 
opportunity  of  spending  an  hour  or  two  ashore  if 
he  chooses. 

Rothsay  is  an  ancient  royal  burgh,  with  a  popu- 
lation of  nearly  6000  souls,  which  is  greatly  in- 
creased during  the  summer-season  by  the  immense 
shoals  of  visitors  and  bathers  who  crowd  to  this 
favourite  watering-place,  which  from  some  local 
peculiarities  possesses  a  drier  atmosphere  and 
milder  climate  than  any  other  watering-place  on 
the  west  coast.  It  is  not  a  remarkably  interesting 
town  in  itself,  or  in  its  landward  scenery;  but  the 
view  across  towards  Cowal  is  noble,  and  it  posses- 
ses, in  the  remains  of  an  ancient  royal  castle,  the 
favourite  residence  of  Robert  III.,  one  of  the  finest 
ruins  in  Scotland.  This  castle  was  burned  by  the 
earl  of  Argyle  in  1685.     The  oldest  portion  consists 


STEAM-EOAT  TOCKET  GUIDE.  59 

of  a  circular  court  of  1 38  feet  in  diameter,  surround- 
ed by  a  very  thick  wall.  The  entrance  to  this  part 
of  the  building  is  from  the  north.  The  closet  in 
which  Robert  III.  died  is  still  pointed  out. 
Strangers  should  supply  themselves  with  a  small 
history  of  the  castle  which  is  sold  by  the  book- 
sellers in  Rothsay. 

The  island  of  Bute  is  about  18  miles  in  length, 
and  4  of  average  breadth.  It  is  intersected  with 
good  roads,  and  can  be  easily  explored  in  every 
direction.  The  western  side  of  the  bay  of  Rothsay 
commands  a  noble  view  of  the  entrance  to  the 
Kyles,  and  the  mouth  of  Loch  Striven,  with  the 
lofty  shores  of  Cowal.  Several  fine  villas  are  planted 
along  this  part  of  the  coast ;  but  the  principal  point 
of  attraction  between  Rothsay  and  Kilchattan  bay, 
is  Mount  Stewart,  the  seat  of  the  marquess  of  Bute. 
The  grounds  here  are  well  laid  out  and  finely 
wooded.  The  village  and  bay  of  Kilchattan,  be- 
tween Mount  Stewart  and  the  Garroch  head,  are 
worth  visiting.  The  Garroch  head  itself  is  a 
curious  promontory,  visible  at  a  great  distance 
along  the  frith.  It  consists  of  "  a  collection  of  steep 
and  narrow  ridges,  placed  in  a  parallel  manner, 
and  separated  by  deep  and  solitary  valleys;  each 
ridge  being  crowned  by  precipices  of  naked  rock, 
and  the  whole  diversified  by  other  unexpected  re- 
cesses, and  sometimes  by  small  lakes."*  It  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  main  part  of  the  island  by  a  low 
marshy  tract.  From  Ben  Varagen,  its  highest 
point,  a  fine  view  is  obtained  of  the  Clyde  above 
and  beneath  Bute,  the  island  of  Bute  itself,  the 
two  Cumbrays,  the  ^oast  of  Ayrshire,  the  moun» 
*  Macculloch. 


60  THE  WESTERN  TOURIST*S 

tain-district  of  Arran,  and  the  Argyleshire  hills. 
From  the  Garroch  head  to  Ettrick  bay,  the  coast 
chiefly  consists  of  a  succession  of  lofty  sand-hills, 
here  and  there  displaying  little  glens  of  considerable 
beauty.  Ettrick  bay  is  an  extensive  indentation 
of  the  coast,  but  presents  little  remarkable,  except 
a  fine  view  of  Arran  towards  Glen  Sannox. 

The  walk  to  Ettrick  bay  from  Port-Bannatyne, 
across  the  island,  is  very  pleasing.  The  shores  of 
Bute,  between  these  two  points,  are  seen  to  most 
advantage  from  the  Kyles.  If  the  tourist's  time 
is  limited,  he  should  make  his  first  excursion  in 
Bute  to  Port  Bannatyne,  which  is  the  most  pleas- 
ing watering-place  on  the  whole  island,  and  may 
he  attained  by  a  walk  of  about  4  miles  along  the 
shore,  to  the  east  of  the  town  of  Rothsay.  While 
at  Port-Bannatyne,  the  tourist  is  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Kaims  castle.  During  the  height  of 
the  season,  the  steamers  which  arrive  at  Rothsay 
towards  evening,  generally  proceed  to  Port-Banna- 
tyne, a  distance  of  only  2  miles  by  water,  where 
they  anchor  for  the  night. 

Loch  Fad  lies  towards  the  centre  of  the  island  of 
Bute,  about  three  miles  south  from  Rothsay.  It  is 
5  miles  in  length,  but  in  few  places  above  half  a 
mile  broad.  Its  scenery  is  by  no  means  peculiarly 
interesting,  but  it  has  obtained  some  celebrity  on 
account  of  the  late  Edmund  Kean  having  selected 
a  spot  on  its  banks  for  his  residence.  His  cottage 
and  grounds  were  purchased  after  his  death  by  the 
marquis  of  Bute.  This  eccentric  Thespian,  after 
his  "potations  pottle  deep,"  in  M'Corkindale's, 
used  to  convey  himself  to  his  moss-house,  chiefly 
by  water,  in  a  canoe,  and  where  the  canoe  could 
not  carry  him — Kean  carried  it. 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  61 

As  we  know  no  more  established  loitering  ground 
for  the  steam-boat  excursionist  than  Bute,  it  may 
be  appropriate  to  mention,  for  the  especial  use  of 
the  Bute  tourist,  whose  trips,  with  praiseworthy 
perseverance,  maintain  the  strict  character  of  perio- 
dicity, season  after  season,  extending  from  Friday 
or  Saturday  afternoon  till  Monday  morning,  weekly, 
— what  this  retreat  was  in  the  palmy  days  of  Kean. 
It  then  had  in  the  ground  floor,  a  dining-room 
furnished  in  a  costly  manner;  and  behind  it  a  li- 
brary stocked  with  valuable  books,  engravings,  stage 
paraphernalia,  swords,  daggers,  &c.  In  the  lobby 
stood  an  admirable  bust  of  the  owner.  On  the 
second  floor,  Was  an  elegant  drawing  room,  deco- 
rated with  fancy  papers,  full  of  scenic  representa- 
tions from  history  and  mythology.  The  drawing- 
room  windows  command  so  enchanting  a  view  of 
Loch  Fad,  and  of  the  outer  expanse  of  land  and 
sea,  as  rivets  itself  with  fascination  on  the  behold- 
er's memory.  The  fine  perception  of  local  beauties 
with  which  the  garden  and  grounds  were  laid  out, 
amidst  the  windings  of  the  rocks,  added  greatly  to 
the  charms  of  the  spot ;  while  to  consummate  its 
attractions,  the  celebrated  "  fog-house,"  with  its 
massive  rustic  pillars,  and  paved  with  pebbles  from 
the  rock,  commanded,  from  the  top  of  the  eminence, 
glimpses  of  Loch  Fad  below,  and  of  Rothesay  be- 
yond, with  the  blue  outlines  of  the  Argyleshire 
mountains  on  the  horizon. 

Loch  Fad  is  but  one  of  several  lakes  contained 
by  the  little  island  of  Bute;  yet  it  is  the  most 
considerable  of  any  of  them,  being,  though  scarcely 
half  a  mile  broad,  fully  five  miles  long.  From  the 
rocky  and  picturesque  appearance  of  its  surround- 


62  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

ing  hills,  it  is  considered  quite  a  miniature  picture 
of  the  larger  Highland  lakes.  Their  broken  out- 
line excites  a  varied  interest;  while  the  wild  peaks 
of  the  Arran  mountains,  and  the  summits  of  the 
Cowal  hills,  furnish  appropriate  back  grounds  to  the 
pictures  on  either  hand.  The  lake  is  three  miles 
south  from  the  town  of  Rothesay;  the  way  leads 
past  the  works  of  Mr  Thorn,  the  celebrated  engin- 
eer. The  names  of  the  other  lakes  in  Bute  are 
Ascog,  or  Askaig,  Quien,  and  Auchenteery;  but 
they  are  all  of  minor  interest. 

Rothesay  has  been  not  unaptly  termed  the 
"  Montpelier  of  Scotland,"  where  consumptive  pa- 
tients, unable  to  endure  any  other  air,  find  it  pos- 
sible to  breathe  with  comfort.  After  the  old  castle, 
of  which  more  anon,  the  county  buildings  and 
prison  constitute  its  most  striking  edifice.  This 
spacious  and  castellated  structure  was  built  in 
1832,  at  a  cost  of  £4000.  The  court  hall  con- 
tains a  splendid  portrait  of  the  marquis  of  Bute. 
The  churches,  of  which  there  are  several  of  various 
denominations,  are  of  common-place  architecture. 
Adjoining  the  parish  church,  still  stand  the  walls 
of  the  choir  of  Rothesay  cathedral,  of  which  the 
nave  was  taken  down  in  1692  to  provide  stones  for 
building  the  Protestant  church.  Pennant  mentions, 
on  the  authority  of  Keith,  that  two  of  the  bishops 
of  the  isles,  under  the  Protestant  Episcopacy,  were 
buried  here.  The  ancient  church  was  dedicated 
to  the  Virgin  Mary;  at  this  time  it  was  a  chapel 
under  the  church  of  Kingarth,  another  parish  in 
the  island,  and  possessed  for  a  short  time  by  the 
monks  of  Paisley.  The  existing  windows  in  the 
room  are  of  the  style  of  the  thirteenth  century,  at 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  63 

which  period  it  is  recorded  as  an  independent  par- 
sonage. Three  monuments — two  canopied  on  the 
walls,  and  one  in  the  centre  of  the  floor,  popularly 
regarded  as  effigies  of  "  the  stout  Stuarts  of  Bute," 
Associates  of  the  immortal  Wallace,  turn  out  to 
consist  of  the  figure  of  a  recumbent  knight,  in  one 
instance,  in  armour  of  the  period  of  Robert  III. ; 
with  the  arms  of  the  royal  family;  and  in  the 
other,  figures  of  a  lady  and  a  child,  ruder  in  exe- 
cution, but  perhaps  a  century  later. 

In  addition  to  the  circular  court  of  the  old  castle 
already  noticed,  formed  by  tall  thick  walls,  there 
exist  four  round  towers  upon  the  flanks,  and  a 
square  erection,  constituting  the  present  entrance, 
projecting  betwixt  the  two  towers,  on  the  north- 
east side,  which  Pennant  ascribes  to  Robert  III., 
who  died  in  the  castle  from  grief,  on  learning  of 
the  capture  of  his  poetic  son,  afterwards  James  I. 
It  has  been  suggested,  that  this  interesting  struc- 
ture, which  has  manifestly  been  built  at  different 
periods,  originated  in  1098,  wTith  Magnus  Bare- 
foot, king  of  Norway,  and  was  one  of  the  fortalices 
erected  by  him  to  secure  his  conquest  of  the  west- 
ern isles.  Its  ponderous  appearance,  lumpish- 
ness,  dulness,  and  the  doleful  aspect  of  its  dingy 
red  stones,  have  all  been  inveighed  against. 
But  in  spite  of  its  antiquarian  interest,  the  castle 
of  Rothesay  has  always  seemed  to  us  a  picturesque 
and  attractive  object  beyond  most  ruins.  It  is 
situated  on  a  singularly  elevated  mound,  sur- 
rounded with  terraces  and  a  deep  moat ;  the  ivy 
creeps  over  it  in  decay,  and  several  splendid  ash 
trees  lift  their  umbrageous  shelter  over  its  mould- 
ering relics.     Miss  Catherine  Sinclair  has  some 


(54  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST  S 

curious  notices  of  these  trees ;  one  it  seems  con- 
tinued to  grow  on  the  summit  of  a  stone  arch,  till 
it  attained  a  girth  of  nine  feet,  and  then  it  fell  to 
the  ground  ;  "  and  after  so  long  setting  an  ex- 
ample of  frugality,  in  living  without  nourishment, 
it  became  a  means  of  overfeeding  others,  having 
been  cut  into  a  dining  table,  for  George  IV.:  "  an 
old  thorn,  within  the  castle,  fell  in  November,  1839, 
having  grown  to  six  feet  in  circumference,  and  45 
feet  high.  The  marquis  of  Bute,  whose  good 
taste  cannot  be  impeached,  about  30  years  ago 
caused  the  rubbish  accumulated  within  the  castle 
to  be  cleared  away,  rendering  the  royal  apart- 
ments, the  towers,  chapel,  and  dungeon,  all  easily 
accessible.  Husbec,  grandson  of  Somerled,  hav- 
ing attacked  the  castle  of  Rothesay  in  1228,  along 
with  Olave,  king  of  Man,  with  80  ships,  was 
killed  in  the  assault,  but  the  castle  was  taken 
with  a  loss  of  390  men.  Haco  took  the  castle, 
and  the  whole  island,  in  1293.  After  the  battle 
of  Largs,  it  was  re-taken  by  the  Scots.  It  was 
occupied  by  the  English  in  the  reign  of  John 
Baliol, — in  1311  submitted  to  Bruce, — was  seized 
by  Edward  Baliol  in  1334,  when  occupied  by  the 
high  steward  of  Scotland,  the  progenitor  of  the 
crown, — and  soon  after,  the  unarmed  natives  of 
Arran  and  Bute,  rose  and  drove  Alan  Lile,  the 
English  governor,  and  his  party,  from  the  castle 
with  stones!  Robert  II.  visited  it  in  1376  and 
1381.  The  lame  king  Robert  III.,  is  the  only 
king  who  seems  to  have  permanently  resided  in 
it.  It  was  in  his  reign  that  the  first  Scottish 
dukedom,  the  dukedom  of  Rothesay,  was  created 
in  solemn  council,  held    at   Scone  in   139S,  and 


STEAM-BOAT   POCKET  GUIDE.  6") 

conferred  on  David,  earl  of  Carrick,  prince  and 
steward  of  Scotland,  his  eldest  son.  As  connected 
with  this,  now  one  of  the  titles  of  the  heir  appa- 
rent of  the  British  crown,  we  may  cite  the  extra- 
ordinary fate  of  the  original  duke  of  Rothesay. 
Well  might  the  Scottish  people  entertain  a  pre- 
judice against  the  title  for  ages  after  !  Hector 
Boece's  narrative  is  the  most  explicit  extant  of 
the  circumstances  referred  to  :  after  noticing  the  t 
death  of  queen  Annabella  Drummond,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  say: — "Be  quhnis  deth,  succedit  gret 
displeseir  to  hir  son,  David  Duk  of  Rothesay; 
for,  during  hir  life  he  wes  haldin  in  virtews  and 
honest  occupatioun :  efter  hir  deith  he  began  to 
rage  in  all  maner  of  insolence ;  and  fulyeit  Vir- 
ginia, matronnis,  and  nunnis,  be  his  unbridiilit 
lust.  At  last  King  Robert,  informit  of  his  young 
and  insolent  maneris,  senit  letters  to  his  brother 
the  Duk  of  Albany  [the  second  Scotch  dukedom 
created]  to  intertene  his  said  son,  the  Duk  of 
Rothesay,  and  to  leir  him  civill  and  honest  man- 
eris. The  Duk  of  Albany,  glad  of  thir  writtingis, 
tuk  the  -Duk  of  Rothesay  betwix  Dunde  and 
Sanct  Androis,  and  brocht  him  to  Falkland,  and 
inclusit  him  in  the  tour  thirof,  but  ony  meit  or 
drink.  It  is  said  ane  woman,  havand  commisera- 
tioun  on  this  Duk,  leit  meill  fall  down  throw  the 
loftis  of  the  toure :  be  quhilkis  hes  life  wes  cer- 
tene  dayis  savit.  This  woman  fra  it  wes  knawin, 
wes  put  to  deith.  On  the  same  maner  ane  othir 
woman  gaif  him  milk  of  hir  paup  throw  ane  lung 
reid ;  and  wes  slane  with  gret  cruelte,  fra  it  wes 
knawin.  Then  wes  the  Duk  destitute  of  all  mor- 
tall  supplie;  and  brocht  fmalie  to  sa  miserable  and 


66  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURISTS 

hungry  appetite,  that  he  eit,  nocht  allanerlie  the 
filth  of  the  toure  quhare  he  wes,  bot  hes  awin 
fingaris  to  hes  gret  marterdome.  His  body  wes 
beryit  in  Lindoris,  and  kithit  miraklis  mony  yeris 
efter ;  quhil  at  last  king  James  I.  began  to  punis 
his  slayaris ;  and  fra  that  time  furth,  the  miraclis 
ceissit."  A  story  like  this  it  would  be  difficult  to 
parallel.  On  the  death  of  his  brother,  James  be- 
came duke  of  Rothesay.  An  Act  of  Parliament, 
1409,  declared  "that  the  lordship  of  Bute,  with 
the  castle  of  Rothesay,  the  lordship  of  Cowal, 
with  the  castle  of  Dunoon,  the  earldom  of  Car- 
rick,  the  lands  of  Dundonald,  with  the  castle 
of  the  same,  the  barony  of  Renfrew,  with  the 
lands  and  tenantries  of  the  same,  the  lordship  of 
Stewarton,  the  lordship  of  Kilmarnock,  with  the 
castle  of  the  same,  the  lordship  of  Dairy;  the 
lands  of  Noddisdale,  Kilbride,  Narristoun,  and 
Cairtoun  ;  also  the  lands  of  Frarynzan,  DrumElll, 
Trebrauch,  with  the  fortalice  of  the  same  '  princi- 
pibus  primogenitis  regum  Scotiae  successorum 
nostrorum,  perpetuis  futuris  temporibus,  uniantur, 
incorporentur,  et  annexentur.'  "  The  dukedom 
of  Rothesay  has  since,  as  well  as  the  stewartry  of 
Scotland,  earldom  of  Carrick,  lordship  of  the 
isles,  and  barony  of  Renfrew,  been  vested  in 
the  eldest  eon  and  heir  apparent  of  the  crown, 
the  right  passing  to  the  eldest  surviving  son, 
should  the  first  born  die  without  an  heir,  and  re- 
verting to  the  sovereign  in  person,  when  there  is 
no  son  or  heir  apparent.  To  have  done,  however, 
with  the  royal  recollections  of  Rothesay  and  its 
castle.  Oliver  Cromwell,  that  destroying  angel, 
and  his  rude  soldiery,  sadly  battered  it ;  its  ruin 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  67 

was  completed,  by  its  being  fired  in  1686,  by  one 
of  the  Argyle  family. 

There  are  two  principal  inns  in  Rothesay,  the 
Bute  Arms  and  the  Clydesdale  ;  besides  minor 
houses,  and  abundance  of  lodgings,  of  which  a 
business  is  made  by  many  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
bay  presents  a  fine  crescent  to  the  water,  and  along 
the  eastern  lirnb  the  villas  have  been  disposed 
with  considerable  uniformity  and  precision.  To 
the  westward  the  arrangement  of  the  buildings  is 
more  of  a  chance-medley  description  ;  but  alto- 
gether, their  number,  variety,  and  commodious 
character,  indicate  the  popularity  of  the  place  as 
a  resort  of  the  opulent  citizens  of  Glasgow. 
High  Street,  King  Street,  Prince's  Street,  Bi- 
shop Street,  Argyle  Street,  Montague  Street, 
Castle  Street,  Castlehill,  Bridge  Street,  Bridgend, 
Mill  Street,  Guildford  and  Tarbet  Street,  are  the 
names  of  the  principal  streets.  Some  of  the  streets 
and  villas  climb  well  up  the  gentle  and  variegated 
slope  that  hems  in  the  crescent-shaped  bay.  And 
intermingled  with  herbage,  shrubbery,  and  trees,  is 
the  little  town,  with  its  atmosphere  so  bland,  that 
though  rain  and  wind  may,  as  Pennant  says,  be  its 
evils,  no  mists  or  thick-rolling  fogs  from  the  sea 
ever  infest  it ;  snow  is  scarcely  ever  known  to  lie, 
and  even  that  of  a  severe  winter,  remarkable  for 
its  depth  and  duration  in  other  places,  was  in  this 
island  scarce  two  inches  deep.  Rothesay  is  well 
entitled  to  be  considered  a  pleasant  retreat. 
The  English  author  just  quoted  seems  to  have 
been  enchanted  with  it.  He  talks  with  ravish- 
ment of  throstles  and  other  birds  of  song  filling 
the  groves  with  their  melody.     The  scenes  which 


68  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

it  commands  in  and  beyond  the  bay  are  also  fine 
and  interesting  ;  the  rugged  summits  of  Argyle's 
Bowling-green ;  Mr  Kirkman  Finlay's  splendid 
edifice  of  Toward  Castle,  with  its  tasteful  pleasure 
grounds  ;  and  last,  not  least,  the  animated  bustle 
of  the  gay  and  crowded  steamers  at  the  handsome 
and  commodious  little  harbour. 

There  are  generally  four  steam  vessels  in  sum- 
mer, and  two  in  winter,  plying  betwixt  Glasgow  and' 
Rothesay  daily;  railway  steamers  between  Rothe- 
say and  Greenock  ply  three  times  a-day,  to  keep 
up  the  communication  with  the  Glasgow  and 
Greenock  railway  terminus  ;  other  steamers  daily 
touch  at  Rothesay,  passing  from  Glasgow  to  Loch 
Fyne,  touching  at  Tarbert,  Lochgilphead,  Inverary, 
and  the  western  coasts  and  islands ;  and  during  the 
summer  months  a  steamer  communicates  with 
Arran. 

Rothesay  cotton-mill,  moved  by  water  power, 
the  reservoirs  of  which  are  a  triumph  of  the 
engineering  skill  of  the  celebrated  Mr  Thorn  of 
Rothesay,  is  one  of  the  lions  of  the  place  ;  it  con- 
tains 23,6d8  spindles,  and  employs  360  persons. 

The  great  desideratum  of  Rothesay,  as  a  water- 
ing place,  seems  to  be  baths  and  bathing  machines ; 
but  those  wants,  so  common  to  all  the  Clyde  water- 
ing places,  save  Helensburgh  and  Largs,  which 
have  splendid  suits  of  baths,  and  Dunoon,  which 
possesses  bathing-boxes,  if  much  felt,  are  little 
complained  of.  The  town  is  lighted  with  gas  ; 
and  on  the  north-east  angle  of  the  bay  there  is  a 
light-house,  with  a  revolving  and  intermittent  light. 

The  naturalist  will  find  the  geology  of  Bute 
imperfectly  noted  by  Pennant  and   Jameson,  the 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  CD 

latter  having  visited  in  wet  weather  and  lost  all  his 
specimens.  The  whole  island,  to  the  north  of 
Rothesay,  is  of  primitive  rock,  micaceous  schistus, 
ardesia,  and  schistose  talc ;  veins  of  quartz,  and 
basaltic  veins  traverse  the  strata  in  various  di- 
rections. Trials  have  been  made  for  coal  in  the 
northern  parts  of  the  island.  The  north  side  of 
Rothesay  bay  is  entirely  composed  of  primitive 
rock,  so  also  is  the  north  side  of  Scalpsa  bay, 
which  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
and  nearly  opposite  to  Rothesay  ;  but  the  south 
sides  of  these  bays  are  composed  of  red  argillaceous 
sandstone  and  sandstone  breccia,  so  that  the 
junction  of  primary  and  secondary  strata  occurs 
in  these  bays.  Betwixt  Rothesay  and  Kilchattan 
bay,  the  lowest,  most  beautiful,  and  best  cultivated 
part  of  the  island,  the  strata  are  of  red  argillace- 
ous sandstone  and  sandstone  breccia,  traversed 
with  basaltic  veins.  There  are  raised  beaches 
inland  upon  several  parts  of  the  shore,  with  banks 
of  coral  and  sea  shells,  these  banks  being  usually 
of  the  millepora  polymorphia  in  many  curious 
varieties.  From  Kilchattan  bay  to  Garrochhead, 
the  country  becomes  as  high  as  at  the  north  end, 
with  abrupt  perpendicular  crags  characteristic  of 
basalt,  sometimes  columnar,  frequently  containing 
hornblend.  Lime  has  been  found  in  this  part  of 
the  island.     (Professor  Jameson.) 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 


FOURTH  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  LARGS. 

Gourock,  27 — Laven  tower,  29 — The  Clock,  31— 
Innerkip,  32—Ardgowan —  Wemyssbay — Largs,  40. 

This  excursion  will  afford  the  tourist  some  fine 
sea-views,  although  it  leads  him  along  the  less 
picturesque  shore  of  the  frith.  In  a  preceding 
tour  he  has  been  conducted  to  Greenock.  Leaving 
that  port,  the  steamer  makes  direct  for  Kempoch 
point,  about  3  miles  farther  down.  The  principal 
villas  on  the  shore  to  the  left  are  Rosebank,  Sea- 
bank,  Glenpark,  Finnart,  Ladyburn  house,  and 
Bridgend.  Gourock  is  a  considerable  village,  oc- 
cupying the  western  side  of  a  capacious  bay.  It 
commands  a  noble  sea-view ;  and  the  walks  along 
the  shore,  towards  the  Cloch,  are  very  beautiful ;  it 
also  possesses  greater  facilities  for  steam-conveyance 
either  up  or  down  the  river,  than  any  other  village 
on  the  frith.  The  Comet  steam-boat  was  run 
down  by  the  Ayr  steam-packet  off  Kempoch  point 
on  the  21st  of  October,  1825,  when  upwards  of 
forty  lives  were  lost.  She  sunk  only  a  few  yards 
from  the  shore.  A  very  neat  chapel-of-ease  has 
recently  been  erected  here.  Kempoch  bay,  stretch- 
ing from  the  point  of  that  name  to  the  Cloch  light- 
house, is  becoming  a  favourite  place  of  resort. 
The  shore  is  already  well-filled  with  neat  substan- 
tial houses,  which  may  be  regarded  as  a  continua- 
tion of  Gourock  village. 

A  mile  farther  along  this  coast  is  the  old  ruin  of 
Laven  tower,  crowning  a  fine  eminence;   in   its* 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  71 

delapidation,  little  interest  lingers  around  it.  The 
ruins  are  those  of  a  large  square  tower,  and  are  men- 
tioned by  Crawford  in  his  History  of  Renfrewshire, 
as  an  ancient  possession  of  a  family  of  the  surname 
of  Morton,  which  failed  in  the  person  of  Alan 
Morton  of  Laven,  who,  in  1547,  alienated  the 
lands  to  William,  Lord  Semple.  They  now  be- 
long to  the  Shaw  Stewarts,  who  also  hold  Dun- 
rod,  the  adjoining  possessions  of  an  ancient  branch, 
now  extinct,  of  the  Lindsays,  commemorated  amidst 
the  fame  of  the  Innerkip  witches,  in  a  rhyme 
which  appears  to  have  escaped  Chambers  : 

"  In  Innerkip  the  witches  ride  thick, 

And  in  Dunrod  they  dwell ; 
The  greatest  loon  amang  them  a' 

Is  auld  Dunrod  hansel!" 

Kempoch  Point,  already  mentioned,  is  another  "  be- 
witched" locality  in  this  parish  of  Innerkip.  Here 
saint  Kempoch  dispensed  favourable  winds  to 
mariners  ;  and  the  point  which  forms  the  western 
termination  of  Gourock  bay  is  crowned  by  a  long 
upright  fragment,  called  "  the  Kempoch  stane," 
of  the  same  light  blue  columnar  porphyry  of  which 
its  mass,  abutting  from  a  hill  of  the  same  materials, 
that  has  been  extensively  quarried,  consists.  The 
stone  bears  no  inscription  to  indicate  why  it  was 
placed  in  this  upright  position,  which  it  still 
retains,  although  Mr  R.  Chambers,  in  his  Picture  of 
Scotland,  seems  to  suppose  that  it  no  longer  exists. 
Long  subsequent  to  St.  Kempoch's  days,  supersti- 
tion haunted  the  "  Kempoch  stane."  At  the  trial 
of  the  Innerkip  witches,  1662,  Mary  Lamont,  aged 


VI  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

eighteen,  confessed  that  she  and  others,  in  compact 
with  the  Enemy  of  man,  "  held  a  meeting  at  Kem- 
poch,  where  they  intended  to  cast  the  long  stone 
into  the  sea,  there  to  destroy  boats  and  ships.' " 
We  question  if,  in  our  own  day,  the  St.  Kempoch 
superstition  be  abandoned,  and  believe  that  the 
sailors'  preference  for  the  ballast  of  Gourock  has 
some  relation  to  it.  Gourock  bay  is  regarded  as  the 
best  anchoring  ground  on  the  coast,  and  being  with- 
out obstruction  in  the  shape  of  bank  or  shoal,  is 
much  resorted  to. 

We  believe  that  the  village  of  Gourock  has  been 
longer  a  seabathing  resort  than  any  other  place  on 
the  coast.  Its  extension  recently  has  been  im- 
mense ;  innumerable  villas  having  been  built  to 
the  west  of  the  Point  by  the  frequenters  from 
Glasgow,  Paisley,  &c. — Omnibuses  now  run  to  the 
far  extremity  of  the  houses  from  Port- Glasgow 
and  Greenock  several  times  a-day. 

On  the  forfeiture  of  tne  Douglas  estates,  in  1455, 
the  lands  of  Gourock,  part  of  their  barony  of  Fin- 
nart,  were  conferred  on  the  Stewarts  of  Castlemilk, 
who  sold  them,  in  1784,  to  Duncan  Darroch,  Esq., 
father  of  Major- General  Darroch,  the  present  pro- 
prietor. But  the  old  castle  of  Gourock  was 
entirely  removed  in  the  year  1747.  The  mo- 
dern mansion  house  was  built  near  its  site ; 
and  a  short  way  up  the  glen,  the  late  proprietor 
erected  a  mausoleum  in  which  his  remains  are 
deposited. 

We  may  cite  a  remarkable  trait  of  the  ancient 
maritime  repute  of  Gourock,  at  a  time  when,  as 
seaports,  Greenock  and   Port- Glasgow  were  un- 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  <  6 

known.  By  an  indenture  entered  into  at  Edinburgh, 
27th  Dec*,  1494,  between  the  celebrated  Scotch 
admiral  Sir  Andrew  Wood  of  Largs,  and  others,  on 
behalf  of  King  James  IV.,  for  one  of  his  voyages 
undertaken  to  quell  the  turbulence  of  the  western 
isles,  with  "  Nicholas  of  Bour,  Maister  under 
God,  of  the  schip  called  the  Verdour,"  it  is  agreed 
that  "  the  said  Nicholas  sail,  God  willing,  bring 
the  said  Verdour,  with  mariners  and  stufFfor  them 
as  effeirs,  to  the  Goraik,  on  the  west  bordour  and 
sey,  aucht  mylis  fra  Dunbertain,  or  tharby,  be  the 
first  day  of  the  moneth  of  May  next  to  com,  and 
there  the  said  Nicholas  sail,  with  grace  of  God, 
ressave  within  the  said  schip  thre  hundreth  men 
boden  for  wer,  furnist  with  ther  vitales,  harnes 
and  artilzery,  effeirand  to  sa  mony  men,  to  pass 
with  the  Kingis  hines,  at  his  plessure,  -and  his 
lieutennents  and  deputies,  for  the  space  of  twa 
monthis  next,  and  immediat  followand  the  said 
first  day  of  May,  and  put  thaim  on  land,  and  res- 
save  them  again." — Like  Innerkip,  Gourock  was 
created  a  burgh  of  barony  previous  to  the  union, 
without  the  inhabitants  having  availed  themselves 
of  the  privilege.  It  was  the  first  place  in  Britain 
where  red  herrings  were  prepared,  towards  the  end 
of  the  17th  century.  None  are  cured  here  now  ; 
nor  is  the  salt  manufacture,  for  which  pans  were 
at  one  time  erected,  prosecuted.  In  an  attempt 
made  for  coal  about  #  1780,  copper  ore  was  dis- 
covered in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  village,  which 
promised  well  both  in  richness  and  quality,  had 
the  mining  not  been  mismanaged  by  a  company 
chiefly  engaged  in  England.     Amongst  others  in  th<* 


I 


74  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

neighbourhood  are  three  modern  villas,  called  La- 
ven  temple,  Laven  castle,  and  Glen  Laven  cot- 
tage. Another  mile  farther  on  is  the  Cloch  light- 
house, one  of  the  most  important  beacons  on  the 
Clyde.  It  is  a  circular  tower  rising  to  the  height 
of  80  feet,  erected  at  a  point  where  the  frith  sud- 
denly changes  its  direction.  The  jurisdiction  of 
the  water-baillie  of  Glasgow  terminates  here. 
There  is  here  a  regular  ferry  to  and  from  Dunoon 
on  the  opposite  coast.  The  view  from  the  Cloch 
point  is  superb :  embracing  an  extensive  prospect 
towards  the  mouth  of  the  frith  on  the  one  hand, 
and  up  the  river  towards  Dumbarton  on  the 
other ;  while  immediately  opposite  are  the  varied 
summits  of  the  Argyleshire  mountains,  the  village 
of  Dunoon,  and  the  finely  wooded  shores  of  Baw- 
kie  bay,  and  Roseneath  point. 

Proceeding  along  the  coast — which  here  trends 
in  a  southerly  direction — we  pass  Ardgowan,  the 
seat  of  Sir  M.  S.  Stewart,  Bart. ;  and  immediately 
afterwards  descry  the  beautiful  village  of  Innerkip, 
one  of  the  sweetest  watering-places  on  the  whole 
west  coast  of  Scotland.  We  are  inclined  to  think, 
that  fine  and  varied  as  the  situations  are  which  oc- 
cur along  either  shore  of  the  frith,  there  is  no  one 
superior  to  Ardgowan,  or  perhaps  equal  to  it  in 
point  of  command  of  scenery  on  the  frith.  We 
have  now  an  extensive  view  of  the  coast  before  us, 
to  Wemyss  point,  rounding  which  we  have  the 
Cumbray  islands  right  a-head  of  us.  Kelly  house, 
the  seat  of  Robert  Wallace,  Esq.,  lateM.  P.,  is  a  hand- 
some villa,  embosomed  in  woods.  The  counties 
of  Renfrew  and  Ayr  are  here  divided  by  KellJ 
burn. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  75 

Burns  altered  a  fantastic  old  song  relating  to 
this  neighbourhood: — 

There  lived  a  carle  in  Kellyburn  braes 

(Hey  an'  the  rue  grows  bonnie  wi'  thyme,) 
And  he  had  a  wife  was  the  plague  o1  his  days  ; 
And  the  thyme  it  is  withered,  and  rue  is  in  prime. 
When  Cromek  desired  Mrs  Burns  to  inform  him 
respecting  the  songs  which  her  husband  had  eked 
out  or  amended,  she  ran  her  finger,  he  said,  over 
the  pages,  saying,  "Robert  gae  this  ane  a  brushing; 
and  this  ane  gat  a  brushing  also."     But  when  she 
came  to  the  "  carle  of  Kellyburn  braes,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "  He  gae  this  ane  a  terrible  brushing." 
And  much  need  it  had  of  it ! 

Kelly  House  is  very  finely  situated,  overlooking 
the  beautiful  bend  of  the  frith  called  Wemyss  bay, 
and  commanding,  like  Ardgowan,  a  noble  prospect. 
Mr  Wallace  has  enlarged  the  house,  improved  the 
land,  and,  in  fact,  restored  the  applicability  of  the 
name,  CoilU,  a  wood,  or  coppice,  by  the  extensive 
plantations,  both  useful  and  ornamental,  which  he 
has  formed.  The  romantic  and  finely  wooded  dell 
through  which  Kelly  burn  flows,  is  called  Kelly 
glen  ;  and  the  situation  of  the  garden  here  set 
down  is  peculiarly  delightful.  Blackcock  and 
pheasants  have  been  introduced  into  the  region  by 
Mr  Wallace. 

The  most  striking  improvement  in  this  quarter 
is  that  in  progress  at  Wemyss  bay,  which  is  destined 
to  be  laid  out  on  a  regular  feuing  plan  for  villas,  and 
promises  to  become  the  Clifton  of  the  Clyde.  Natu- 
rally protected  it  ova.  north.and  east  winds,it  possesses, 
throughout  the  year,  a  very  mild  atmosphere,  com- 
manding beautiful  sea  views,  twenty  miles  long,  by 
six  or  eight  broad,  including  the  finely  clothed  island 


76  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

of  Bute,  the  mountain  scenery  of  Argyleshire,  and 
the  lofty  peaks  of  the  island  of  Arran.  It  will 
form,  perhaps,  the  only  instance  in  Scotland,  of  a 
watering-place  laid  out  from  the  beginning,  on  a 
regular  and  systematic  plan.  The  public  walks 
and  pleasure  grounds  already  made  and  in  course 
of  formation,  joined  to  an  entire  seclusion  from  all 
thoroughfare,  will  give  to  Wemyss  bay  the  ap- 
pearance and  quiet  of  an  extensive  private 
demesne,  commanding  the  finest  views  of  the 
frith  of  Clyde,  and  intersected  with  walks  and 
drives  in  endless  variety.  There  are  to  be  a  land- 
.  ing-pier,  at  which  local  steam-boats  will  call 
frequently,  every  day — a  private  hotel,  with  par- 
lours and  bed-rooms  for  the  accommodation  of 
yisitors — a  public  hotel,  near  the  harbour,  with 
convenientstables,<fcc. — sites  reserved  for  churches, 
and  for  a  public  school,  in  appropriate  situations — - 
hot  baths,  in  connection  with  a  reading-room 
and  billiard-room — bathing  places  for  both  sexes, 
conveniently  situated  along  the  beach,  excavated 
from  the  rocks,  and  screened  from  observation — 
and  a  public  bowling-green,  quoiting  ground,  and 
curling  pond.  Wemyss  bay  being  on  the  main- 
land, is  of  easy  access  at  all  times  by  excellent 
roads,  as  well  as  by  steam  packets,  and  even  at 
present  is  but  four  hours  distant  from  Edinburgh,and 
two  from  Glasgow,  eighteen  hours  from  Manchester 
and  Liverpool,  and  twenty-four  from  London!  As 
respects  baths,  their  deficiency  on  the  coast  is 
remarkable;  those  of  Largs  and  Helensburgh,  with 
the  bathing  boxes  of  Dunoon,  being  about  the 
extent  of  the  existing  accommodation  of  that  kind, 
the  completion  of  this  plan  becomes  a  desideratum., 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  77 

The  next  promontory  is  Knock  point,  on  round- 
ing which  we  come  in  sight  of  the  village  of  Largs, 
finely  situated  under  some  commanding  eminences, 
at  a  small  distance  from  the  shore.  This  is  a 
fashionable  watering-place.  It  is  well-sheltered  on 
the  north  and  east,  and  the  air  is  thought  to  be 
peculiarly  good,  but  the  beach  is  unfavourable  to 
bathers.  The  village  is  large,  and  pretty  well  sup- 
plied with  shops ;  there  are  also  hot  and  cold  baths, 
a  public  reading  room,  a  subscription  library,  a  re- 
gular post,  and  a  Secession  chapel,  besides  the  parish 
kirk.  A  succession  of  very  fine  villas  appears 
along  the  shore  towards  Fail  ley.  The  bay  of 
Largs,  though  well-sheltered  by  one  of  the  Cum- 
bray  islands  which  stretches  across  its  mouth,  is 
nevertheless  peculiarly  exposed  to  the  wind,  which 
often  pours  down  upon  it  from  Loch  Rid  an  with 
great  violence.  Largs  is  celebrated  as  having  been 
the  scene  of  Haco,  king  of  Norway's  defeat,  in  1263. 
Two  miles  to  the  south  is  Brisbane  house,  the  scat 
of  the  family  of  that  name;  and  2  miles  to  the 
east  is  Kelburn,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Glasgow, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  which  is  a  fine  glen  and 
cascade.     For  an  account  of  Millport,  see  Tour  15. 

The  line  of  coast  along  which  we  have  now  con- 
ducted the  tourist  presents  no  bold  scenery — no- 
thing to  overwhelm  or  astonish  the  mind  of  the 
spectator;  its  features  are  rather  those  of  the 
pastoral  landscape.  A  series  of  gentle  eminences, 
in  some  instances  finely  wooded,  and  always  fring- 
ed with  at  least  a  coppice-growth,  runs  along  the 
coast  at  a  little  distance  from  the  beach.  Amongst 
these  are  scattered  a  number  of  villas  and  hamlets, 
nestled  and  quiet  each   in  its  sylvan  spot.      In  the 


/  O  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

proverb,  u  out  of  the  world  and  into  Largs/'  the 
tourist  feels  the  reflection  of  his  own  sensations  on 
finding  himself  hemmed  in  by  thje  hills  of  Greenock, 
Kilmalcolm,  Lochwinnoch,  Kilbirnie,  and  Dairy, 
which  hold  a  kind  of  general  meeting  on  the  east- 
ern border  of  Largs,  and  cut  it  off  completely  from 
the  cultivated  country  on  the  north,  east,  and  south- 
east. The  hills  terminate  abruptly  in  descending 
to  the  shore,  and  for  a  mile,  from  the  north  bound- 
ary, present,  at  their  base,  a  perpendicular  wall  of 
rock,  50  or  60  feet  high  above  the  road,  south  of 
which  stands  a  green  conical  mountain.  Farther 
to  the  south,  the  Noddesdale  water,  an  impetuous 
stream,  runs  past  the  fine  and  picturesquely  situ- 
ated mansion  of  Sir  Thomas  Makdougal  Brisbane, 
into  the  frith.  A  beautiful  plain  extends  nearly 
a  mile  from  the  beach  to  the  mountains,  behind 
the  village  of  Largs.  The  coast  line  is  almost 
parallel  to,  and  confronts  the  beautiful  shore  of 
Bute ;  exhibiting  the  entrance  of  the  Kyles,  and 
the  fine  headlands  of  Cowal  and  of  the  larger 
Cumbray,  with  a  background  of  splendid  Alpine 
scenery.  Nothing,  however,  can  surpass  the  beauty 
and  romance  of  the  landscape  within  its  own  area. 
Kelburne  House,  a  seat  of  the  earl  of  Glasgow,  is 
situated  a  mile  and  a-half  south-east  of  the  village, 
and  half  a  mile  from  the  shore ;  and  there  occurs 
immediately  behind  it,  a  glen,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
long,  of  the  most  romantic  character.  The  glen 
is  terminated  by  a  lofty  precipice,  over  which 
tumbles  a  fine  cascade.  The  whole  chasm,  which 
in  a  naked  state  would  be  tremendous,  is  clothed 
and  decorated  with  sylvan  beauty.  Another  cas- 
cade, of  50  feet  perpendicular,  with  a  finely  scooped 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  79 

basin,  occurs  near  the  house.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood are  also  Skelmorlie  Castle,  belonging  to  the 
ea,rl  of  Eglinton  ;  Knock  Castle,  now  in  ruins,  the 
property  of  a  branch  of  the  Frasers  of  Lovat ;  and 
Fairley  Castle,  the  scene  of  the  ballad  of  "  Hardy- 
knute,"  now  belonging  to  the  earl  of  Glasgow ; 
with  Fairley  village,  beautifully  situated  on  the 
coast. 

The  village  of  Largs  itself,  in  connection  with 
the  surrounding  scenery,  is  eminently  beautiful. 
It  is  neat  and  cheerful ;  and  during  the  summer 
months  is  a  favourite  resort  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Glasgow,  Paisley,  and  Greenock,  who  accord  it  a 
preference,  from  combining  all  the  luxuries  of  town 
life,  with  the  rural  and  marine  felicity  of  the  coast. 
Its  air,  if  keener  than  that  of  Rothesay,  is  quite 
as  pure.  Besides,  it  boasts  of  the  convenience  of 
an  elegant  suit  of  baths,  built  by  subscription  in 
1816,  and  modelled  after  the  Seafield  baths  near 
Edinburgh.  It  possesses  a  reading  room,  a  public, 
and  several  circulating  libraries.  A  bank,  and  a 
great  fair  on  St.  Colm's  day,  in  June,  add  further 
to  its  importance.*  The  handsome  parish  church, 
which  has  an  ornamented  spire,  has  on  its  north  side 
an  aisle  of. singular  character,  built  by  Sir  Robert 
Montgomery  of  Skelmorlie,  in  1636.  It  com- 
prises an  arch  and  two  compartments,  richly  and 
tastefully  carved,  supported  by  eighteen  Corinthian 
pillars,  surmounted  by  cherubim,  with  several  paint- 
ings on  the  roof,  and  in  various  parts  escutcheons, 
and  scriptural  texts.  There  isavaultbelow, to  which 
Sir  Robert  repaired  for  his  devotions,  recording  the 
fact  in  an  enigmatical  inscription  on  his  leaden  cof- 
fin.    The  whole  coast  abounds  with  villas.     In  the 


80  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

architecture  of  these  vilas  no  positive  standard  of 
taste  appears  to  have  been  consulted:  some  of  them 
are  simple  and  elegant,  —  others  as  absurd  and  in- 
congruous as  the  most  fantastic  fancy  could  devise, 
—but  all  of  them  enjoy  to  the  fullest  perfection  th  • 
renovating  freshness  of  ocean's  breeze.  The  anti- 
quarian may  indulge  his  research  in  this  neighbour- 
hood. Besides  the  celebrated  defeat  mentioned  above, 
this  part  of  the  coast  was  a  frequent  point  of  attack, 
in  the  early  history  of  the  country.  Vestiges  of 
castles,  fortifications,  &c,  may  be  discovered. 

The  land-route  from  Largs  to  Glasgow  is  as 
follows  :  Largs,  32f— Fairley,  28-f—  Dairy,  22f— 
Beith,  18— Hollywood,  13J — Quarrelton,  10J— 
Paisley,  7|.     The  Ayrshire  railway  passes  Dairy. 

FIFTH  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  LOCH  LOMOND  AND  LOCH  LQ^G. 

Two  routes  indicated — Rock  and  castle  of  Dumbar- 
ton, 16 — Town  of  Dumbarton — Bonhill,  19  — 
Alexandria — Balloch  ferry,  2 1 — LodUT^omond — 
Islands  —  Bealmacha  —  Inverugla&flfRowar  den- 
nan — Inversnaid — Glenfalloch,  50 — Land  route 
to  Tarbet — Ascent  of  Benlomond — Arroquhar, 
39 — Loch  Long. 

This  delightful  trip  can  easily  be  made  in  one 
day.  Leaving  Glasgow  by  an  early  steamer  for 
Dumbarton,  the  tourist  may  sail  up  to  the  head 
of  Loch  Lomond, — return  to' Tarbet, — oross  the 
isthmus  to  Arroquhar, —  embark  on  Loch  Long, — 
sail  down  that  tine  loch, — cross  the  frith  to  Green- 
ock,— and  find    himself  again  in    Glasgow  before 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  81 

nijht-fall.  Or,  supposing  that  he  has  spent  the 
night  at  Helensburgh,  or  Dunoon,  or  Rothsay,  he 
can  proceed  on  this  tour  the  next  day,  by  crossing 
over  to  Greenock  in  time  to  join  the  steamer  of 
that  day  for  Loch  Long,  in  which  he  will  proceed 
to  the  head  of  that  loch  ;  he  will  then  cross  from 
Arroquhar  to  Tarbet;  and  at  the  latter  place  he 
will  get  on  board  the  Loch  Lomond  steamer,  on  its 
return  from  the  head  of  the  loch,  and  proceed  by  it 
from  Tarbet  to  the  Balloch  ferry,  at  the  lower 
extremity  of  the  loch,  whence  he  will  be  conveyed 
by  land-carriage  to  Dumbarton.*  The  only  dis- 
advantage attending  this  second  route  is  that  the 
tourist — if  he  must  return  to  Glasgow  the  same 
day — will  not  have  an  opportunity  of  visiting  the 
upper  portion  of  Loch  Lomond,  which,  though  not 
equal  in  soft  and  tranquil  beauty  to  the  lower  part, 
has  nevertheless  very  imposing  scenery  of  its  own, 
and  indeed  is  thought  by  many  tourists  to  be  the 
finer  portion  of  the  lake. 

In  our  first  tour,  we  conducted  the  tourist  to  the 
rock  of  Dumbarton j"  (p.  42).  This  is  one  of  those 
isolated  conical  rocks  which  occur  in  different  parts 
of  Scotland,  and  respecting  which  so  many  theories 
have  been  promulgated.  We  have  no  theory  of 
our  own  to  propose  respecting  it,  or  its  brother 
Dumbuck,  which  the  tourist  has  passed  only  a 
tew  minutes  ago;    we  agree  with   Macculloch  in 

*  Of  course,  the  same  route  can  be  pursued  by  starting  from 
Glasgow  in  the  morning  by  the  Loch  Long  steamer,  instead  of 
taking  that  for  Dumbarton. 

fThis  word  is  supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  Dunbr/tton, 
that  is,  *  the  fort  of  the  Britons.'  If  so,  etymology  is  in  favour 
of  the  spelling  Dunbarton  j  but  Dumbarton  more  generally 
obtains.  „ 


82  THE  scottish^tourist's 

his  observations.  Pennant  notes  it  as  "  rising  in 
a  strange  manner  out  of  the  sands,  and  totally  de- 
tached from  every  thing  else  " — Professor  Jameson, 
as  rising  from  the  plain  in  a  similar  manner  with 
Arthur's  Seat,  near  Edinburgh,  but  much  more 
striking,  from  the  great  flatness  of  the  country. 
It  is  composed  of  black  basalt,  but  upon  the  side 
facing  the  town  he  observed  a  basalt  tuff  covered 
with  sandstone.  Glancing  over  the  country  as  it 
extends  towards  Loch  Lomond,  it  rises  gradually 
until  the  prospect  is  bounded  by  vast  mountains  ; 
and  there,  at  Luss,  upon  the  banks  of  the  lovely 
Loch  Lomond,  the  highland  strata  of  micaceous 
schistus  and  other  primitive  rocks  make  their 
appearance,  extending  towards  the  Clyde,  and 
forming  a  considerable  part  of  its  north  bank  from 
Dumbarton  to  Roseneath.  The  true  description 
of  Dumbarton  rock  is,  that  it  is  an  isolated  basalt, 
tending  to  the  prismatic  form,  slightly  columnar,  of 
560  feet  precipitous  elevation,  a  mile  in  circumfer- 
ence at  the  base,  and  situated  amidst  red  sandstone 
formations,  nearly  a  mile  apart  from  any  other  ba- 
salt. The  magnetic  peculiarities  of  some  of  its  parts 
have  been  noticed  so  early  as  by  the  historian  Buch- 
anan. The  late  Professor  Anderson,  of  Glasgow, 
experimented  upon  a  large  exposed  rock  on  the 
south  side,  and  near  the  top  of  the  western  peak,  ( pro- 
bably the  very  rock  referred  toby  Buchanan,)  mark- 
ing, with  paint,  the  magnetic  portions  and  direction 
of  the  poles.  The  true  Scottish  thistle,  ( Carduus 
Marianus,)  really  a  rare  plant  in  the  country,  has  its 
tyabitat  on  the  rock  ;  and  singularly  enough,  Ossian, 
lamenting  the  desolation  of  his  "Balclutha,"  which  is 
supposed  to  have  been  Dumbarton,  says, "  the  thistle 
shakes  tb°re  its  lovely  head."     We  must  concur  in 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  83 

pronouncing  it  a  'magnificent  rock;'*  and  we  do 
not  feel  inclined  to  dispute  with  Robert  Chambers 
the  probability  of  its  having  been  "projected  out 
of  the  earth  by  some  strange  convulsion  of  nature. "f 
Mineralogists  inform  us  that  this  rock  is  of  a  ba- 
saltic nature;  that  it  has  a  tendency  to  the  prismatic 
form  ;  and  that  some  parts  of  it  are  strongly  mag- 
netic. It  is  a  bifurcated  or  double-peaked  hill, 
being  cleft  towards  the  summit  by  a  narrow  and 
deep  chasm.  One  of  the  peaks  thus  formed — the 
western — is  a  little  higher  than  the  other,  but  not 
so  broad  ;  but  the  difference  is  not  very  discernible. 
The  Clyde  and  Leven  wash  the  southern  and 
western  sides  of  the  rock.  It  is  joined  to  the 
mainland  by  a  low  sandy  isthmus  over  which  the 
frith  appears  at  one  time  to  have  flowed.  Hardyng, 
who  wrote  in  1334,  thus  describes  it: 

"  And  pass  on  furtherwarde  to  Dunbertayne, 
A  castel  strong,  and  harde  for  to  obtayne ; 
In  wbiche  castel  Saincte  Patrike  was  borne 
That  afterwarde  in  Irelande  did  winne; 
About  the  whiche  floweth  even  and  morne 
The  western  seas,  without  noyse  or  dinne, 
"When  forthe  of  the  same  the  streames  doe  rinne 
Twisein  xxiv  hours,  without  any  faile, 
That  no  marine  maie  that  stronge  castel  assaile." 

The  entrance  to  the  castle  is  on  the  south-west 
side  of  the  rock.  From  the  gateway  here  a  long 
broad  flight  of  steps  conducts  to  the  governor's 
house, — a  wretched  mass  of  masonry,  in  no  keeping 
with  the  features  of  the  rock  and  surrounding 
scenery,  and  highly  worthy  of  all  the  anathemas 
with  which  Macculloch  has  visited  it.  From  the 
governor's  house,  a  stair  ascends  the  northern  side 

«  The  Highlands  and  Western  Isles.    Vol  II.  p.  3. 
f  Picture  of  Scotland.    Vol.  II.  p.  390. 


84  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

of  the  ravine  to  the  point  where  the  rock  Is  parted 
into  its  two  heads.  Here  are  the  barracks  for  the 
garrison,  the  state-prison,  the  duke  of  York's 
battery,  the  armoury,  and  the  water-tank.  From 
this  point  a  steep  stair  conducts  to  the  summit  of 
the  western-peak  on  which  the  flag-staff  is  erecttd. 
Here  are  seen  the  relics  of  a  small  circular  build- 
ing which  some  antiquaries  conjecture  to  have 
been  a  Roman  pharos  or  light-house.  The  view 
from  this  point  is  extensive,  varied,  and  magnifi- 
cent. Towards  the  east,  the  eye  traces  the  finely 
wooded  vale  of  the  Clyde  as  far  nearly  as  Tinto. 
Beneath  you  is  the  river  covered  with  shipping, 
and  widening  gradually  out  into  lake-like  amplitude 
towards  the  west.  On  the  opposite  shores  are  the 
hills  of  Renfrewshire,  with  the  busy  harbours  of 
Port- Glasgow  and  Greenock  at  their  base,  and  the 
fine  lively  bay  of  Gourock  stretching  away  beyond 
them.  Crossing  from  the  latter  point  to  the 
Argyleshire  coast,  the  eye  traces  the  promontory  of 
Roseneath,  backed  by  the  mountains  of  Cowal,  and 
then  skirts  along  the  rugged  outline  of  the  more 
distant  Argyleshire  hills  towards  the  towering 
form  of  Benlomond.  The  vale  of  the  Leveu 
can  also  be  distinctly  traced  from  the  point  where 
it  issues  from  its  parent-loch  to  its  junction  with 
the  Clyde  beneath  the  feet  of  the  spectator.  Im- 
mediately below  the  castle  is  the  plain  and  town  of 
Dumbarton. 

Dumbarton  is  supposed  by  many  to  have  been 
the  ancient  Alcluith,  the  capital  of  the  Strath 
Clyde  Britons;  but  on  this  point  a  good  deal  of 
controversy  exists.  Bede  informs  us  that  the 
castle  of  Dumbarton   was  reckoned  the   strongest 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  85 

fortress  of  Scotland  in  his  days.  It  was  governed 
by  the  infamous  Menteith  during  the  Bruce  and 
Baliol  wars;  and  to  this  place  the  unfortunate 
Wallace  was  escorted  after  his  surprisal  by  that 
traitor  to  his  country's  weal  and  honour,  previous 
to  his  being  sent  to  England  to  abide  his  mock 
trial.  This  circumstance  is  perhaps  the  strongest 
evidence  we  now  possess  for  the  authenticity  of  a 
relic  which  is  preserved  In  the  armoury  here,  ;nd 
shown  to  strangers  as  the  veritable  sword  of  *  the 
Wallace  wight.'  In  the  early  and  troubled  pe- 
riods of  Scottish  history  the  possession  of  such  a 
fortress  and  position  as  Dumbarton  formed  an 
object  of  perpetual  conflict ;  and  it  accordingly 
experienced  all  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune  attached 
to  such  an  unenviable  distinction.  It  was  taken 
and  retaken  by  storm  and  escalade  and  stratagem 
a  hundred  times:  so  that  to  relate  its  eventful 
history  would  require  a  volume.  It  was  the  last 
place  that  held  out  for  Queen  Mary  after  her  flight 
into  England;  but  it  was  taken  in  a  well-conducted 
night-enterprise  on  the  2d  of  May  1571,  by  Cap- 
tain Thomas  Crawford  of  Jordanhill  and  a  small 
party  in  the  service  of  the  regent  Lennox.  The 
particulars  of  this  gallant  achievement  are  related 
by  Mr.  Leighton  in  his  letter-press  to  Swan's 
'Views  on  the  Clyde.'  The  articles  of  union 
stipulate  that  this  castle,  with  those  of  Stirling, 
Edinburgh,  and  Blackness,  shall  always  be  kept  in 
repair  and  garrisoned. 

The  town  of  Dumbarton  is  situated  on  the 
Leven,  about  a  mile  from  the  Castle  rock.  It  is 
an  irregular  built  town,  and  possesses  no  object  of 
remarkable  interest.     Dumbarton  is  14£  miles  from 


86  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Glasgow  by  the  road  ;  and  as  the  chief  thorough- 
fare to  the  western  Highlands,  is  enabled,  by  the 
resort  of  tourists,  to  support  two  excellent  inns. 
As  the  castle,  after  all,  is  the  grand  feature  of 
attraction,  it  may  be  as  well  here  to  recapitulate 
the  incidents  in  the  escalade  of  1571.  Mr.  Pennant 
has  signalized  this,  as  forming  an  exploit  which 
may  vie  with  the  greatest  attempts  of  that  kind : 
with  the  capture  of  the  Numidian  fortress  in  the 
Jugurthine  war,  by  Marius,  in  Sallust ;  or  the  more 
horrible  surprise  of  Fescamp,  by  the  gallant  Bois- 
rose,  in  Sully's  memoirs.  Buchanan's  account 
is  the  more  romantic,  although  we  believe  the  more 
recent  one  of  Mr.  Tytler  to  be  the  more  authentic. 
A  man,  who  had  once  been  warden  in  the 
castle,  and  knew  every  step  upon  the  rock 
familiarly,  either  for  a  bribe,  or,  as  Buchanan 
asserts,  being  uxorious,  and  in  revenge  for  his  wife 
having  been  accused  and  punished  for  theft  by 
Lord  Fleming,  Queen  Mary's  governor,  consented 
to  betray  it.  Having  sent  forward  a  few  light 
horse,  who  stopped  all  passengers,  and  prevented 
communication  with  the  castle,  Captain  Crawford  of 
Jordanhill,  marched  from  Glasgow,  on  31st  March, 
1571,  (the  truce  between  the  parties  expiring  that 
day,)  and  arrived  about  midnight  at  Dumbuck, 
where  he  was  joined  by  Cunningham  of  Dumf- 
whassel,  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  skilful  officers 
of  his  time,  Captain  Hume,  and  100  men.  Crawford 
here  explained  to  the  soldiers  the  hazardous  object 
of  their  expedition,  and  provided  them  with  ropes 
and  scaling  ladders.  The  bottom  of  the  rock  was 
clear,  while  the  top  was  involved  in  a  heavy  fog  ; 
but  on  their  way,  the  bridge  over  a  brook,  running 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  87 

between  the  fields,  was  found  broken  down,  and  a 
fire  was  seen  at  a  small  distance,  which  Buchanan 
supposes  must  have  been  an  ignis  fatuus.  The 
night  was  far  advanced  when  they  reached  the  bot- 
tom of  the  rock,  and  they  resolved  to  scale  to 
the  summit,  where  there  would  be  fewest  sentinels. 
The  weight  and  eagerness  of  the  first  who  ascended 
the  ladders,  brought  them  down.  Listening,  and 
finding  that  the  noise  had  not  betrayed  them, 
they  succeeded  in  fixing  their  steel  hooks  securely 
in  the  crevices,  and  gained  a  small  ledge,  where 
they  found  an  ash  tree  growing.  They  tied  their 
ropes  to  the  tree,  drew  up  their  companions,  and 
made  fast  their  ladders  for  a  further  ascent.  They 
had  reached  the  middle  of  the  rock,  and  day  was 
breaking,  when  a  most  astounding  casualty  ob- 
structed them.  One  of  the  soldiers  was  seized 
with  an  epileptic  fit,  in  the  act  of  ascending  the 
ladder,  and  clenched  it  so  desperately  that  he  could 
not  be  removed.  "With  the  utmost  presence  of 
mind,  Crawford  caused  him  to  be  lashed  to  the 
steps,  and  turning  it  round,  enabled  the  men  to 
pass.  When  day  began  to  dawn,  there  was  only  a 
high  wall  to  surmount,  but  the  footing  at  the  bottom 
of  it  was  narrow  and  precarious.  It  was  more  easy  to 
advance  than  retreat,  and  fixing  their  ladders  to 
the  copestone,  Alexander  Ramsay,  Crawford's 
ensign,  with  two  soldiers,  ascended,  and  being  in- 
stantly discovered  by  the  sentry,  leapt  down  and 
slew  him.  Ramsay  sustained  the  attack  of  three 
of  the  guard,  till  Crawford  and  his  soldiers  having, 
by  the  weight  and  their  struggles,  thrown  down  a 
portion  of  the  old  wall,  rushed  in  through  the 
breach  shouting  "  a  Darnley  !  a  Darnley  !"     The 


88  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

panic-struck  garrison  did  not  resist.  The  governor 
escaped  by  a  postern,  into  a  boat  on  the  Clyde,  and 
fled  to  Argyleshire.  The  archbishop  of  St.  An- 
drews, less  fortunate,  was  taken,  tried  for  the 
murder  of  Darnley,  hanged,  and  quartered. 

The  port  of  Dumbarton  boasts  of  some  impor- 
tance, owning  about  2000  tons  of  shipping;  and 
indeed,  Dumbarton  at  one  time  possessed  the 
valuable  privilege  of  levying  the  customs  and  duties 
of  the  Clyde,  every  vessel  being  bound  to  take 
clearances  at  Dumbarton ;  and  was  even  entitled  to 
exact  "  offers  dues,"  as  they  were  termed,  from  all 
foreign  vessels  coming  into  the  Clyde,  strangers 
having  been  obliged  to  offer  their  goods  and  mer- 
chandise, imported  into  the  Clyde,  to  the  burgh  of 
Dumbarton,  "  at  such  expense  and  rate  as  the 
strangers  offerers  shall  not  have  the  power  to  under- 
sell the  same  to  others."  Glasgow  also  laid 
claim  to  these  privileges.  The  vessels  of  Dum- 
barton, however,  enjoy  at  this  moment  the 
important  exemption  from  all  dues  in  the  har- 
bours of  Glasgow  and  Port- Glasgow.  The 
limpid  waters  of  the  Leven  cause  its  banks  to  be 
covered  with  bleaching  and  print  fields ;  but  the 
great  glass-works,  established  in  1776,  of  which 
the  three  cones  form  conspicuous  features  in  the 
view,  although  of  late  but  in  partial  operation, 
paid  at  one  time  (1818)  £119,000  a-year  in 
duties  to  government,  employed  300  people,  and 
consumed  16,000  tons  of  coal.  The  town  moor, 
of  4,000  acres  in  extent,  has  been  a  fertile 
source  of  litigation  with  adjoining  proprietors  ; 
and  when  terminated  in  favour  of  the  burgh,  the 
law  proceedings  were  found  to  have  cost  £10,000, 
the   entire    value   of    the    land.     Arriving   from 


STEAM- BO  AT  POCKET  GUIDE.         H9 

Glasgow  by  land,  tourists  sometimes  make  it  the 
starting  point  for  the  Trosachs,  or  for  the  land- 
route  to  Inverary,  to  which  places  the  distances 
are  as  follow  : 

TO  THE  TROSACHS. 

Levenbank,  3  miles;  Kilmaronock  castle,  8; 
Drymen,  9;  Gartmore,  15^;  Aberfoyle,  18|  ; 
opening  of  the  Trosachs,   24^-. 

TO  INVERARY   BY  HELENSBURGH. 

Cardross,  3£ miles;  Helensburgh,  5j;  Ardincaple 
inn,  9^-;  Faslane,  15;  Portineaple  ferry,  17£;  Fin- 
nart,  18;    Arroquhar,  26  ;    Inverary,  4-9 J. 

TO   INVERARY   RY   LUSS. 

Renton,  2|  miles;  Alexandria,  3J;  Fru in  water, 
7£;  Luss,  12^;  Inveruglas,  16;  Tarbet,  20£ ; 
Arroquhar,  21^;  Glencroe,  25|;  Rest  and  be 
Thankful,  29;  Cairndow,  36;   Inverary,  46. 

Tourists  for  Loch  Lomond,  who  have  arrived  by 
the  early  morning-steamer,  are  allowed  about  half 
an  hour  to  take  breakfast  in  Dumbarton.  About 
half-past  nine  a  coach  starts  for  the  loch.  Cross- 
ing the  Leven  by  a  high  and  rather  narrow  bridge, 
the  coach  pursues  a  pleasant  road  running  along 
the  banks  of  the  Leven.  This  stream  forms  the 
outlet  of  the  waters  of  Loch  Lomond.  Its  descent 
is  small,  and  its  course  is  therefore  calm  and  slow ; 
it  is  a  fine  stream,  however,  and  worthy  of  the 
praise  bestowed  upon  it  in  Smollett's  well-known 
verses:  "  On  Leven's  banks  while  free  to  rove," 
&c.  Smollett  was  born  at  Bonhill,  about  2  miles 
from  Dumbarton ;  and  a  monument  to  the  memory 
of  the  illustrious  novelist  has  been  erected  here  by 
his  cousin  Smollett  of  Bonhill.     It  consists  of  a 


90  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Tuscan  column  surmounted  by  a  vase  and  bearing  a 
fine  inscription: — 

Stay,  Traveller ! 

If  elegance  of  taste  and  wit, 

If  fertility  of  genius, 

And  an  unrivalled  talent 

In  delineating  the  characters  of  mankind, 

Have  ever  attracted  thy  admiration, 

Pause  awhile 

On  the  memory  of  Tobias  Smollett,  M.  D. 

One  more  than  commonly  endowed,  with 

Those  virtues  which  in  a  Man  and  a  Citizen, 

You  would  praise  or  imitate ; 

Who,  having  secured  the  applause  of  posterity, 

By  a  variety  of  literary  abilities, 

And  a  peculiar  felicity  of  composition, 

Was,  by  a  rapid  and  cruel  distemper, 

Snatched  from  this  world  in  the  5 1st  year  of  his  age. 

He  lies  interred  near  Leghorn  in  Italy. 

In  testimony  of  his  many  and  great  virtues, 

This  empty  monument, 

The  only  pledge,  alas!  of  his  affection, 

Is  erected 

On  the  banks  of  the  Leven, 

The  scene  of  his  birth,  and  of  his  latest  poems, 

By  James  Smollett  of  Bonhill, 

His  cousin, 

Who  would  rather  have  expected  this  last 

Tribute  from  him. 

Go  and  remember 

This  honour  was  not  given  alone  to  the 

Memory  of  the  deceased, 

But  for  the  encouragement  of  others. 

Deserve  like  him,  and  be  like  him  rewarded. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  91 

The  ode  in  which  Smollett  apostrophized,  in 
«■'  Humphrey  Clinker,"  the  last  and  best  of  his 
novels,  the  Leven  or  Soft  River,  deserves  also  to 
be  here  at  length  recorded:  it  is  certainly  one  of 
the  finest  and  most  graceful  compositions  in  the 
language : — 

Ode  to  Leven  Water. 

On  Leven's  banks  when  free  to  rove 
And  tune  the  rural  pipe  to  love, 
I  envied  not  the  happiest  swain 
That  ever  trod  th'  Arcadian  plain. 

Pure  stream !  in  whose  transparent  wave 
My  youthful  limbs  I  wont  to  lave ; 
No  torrent  stains  thy  limpid  source; 
No  rocks  impede  thy  dimpling  course, 
That  sweetly  warbles  o'er  its  bed, 
With  white  round  polish'd  pebbles  spread ; 
While  lightly  poised  the  scaly  brood 
In  myriads  cleave  thy  crystal  flood ; 
The  springing  trout  in  speckled  pride ; 
The  salmon,  monarch  of  the  tide ; 
The  ruthless  pike  intent  on  war* 
The  silver  eel,  the  mottled  par: 
Devolving  from  thy  parent  lake 
A  charming  maze  thy  waters  make, 
By  bowers  of  birch  and  groves  of  pine 
And  hedges  flowered  with  eglantine. 

Still  on  thy  banks,  so  gaily  green, 
May  numerous  herds  and  flocks  be  seen ; 
And  lasses  chanting  o'er  the  pail; 
And  shepherds  piping  in  the  dale ; 
And  ancient  faith  that  knows  no  guile ; 
And  industry  embrowned  with  toil ; 
And  hearts  resolved,  and  hands  prepared 
The  blessings  fney  enjoy  to  guard." 

The  above  inscription  is  not  that  upon  Smol- 
lett's tomb,  but  a  translation,  given  by  Dr  An- 
derson in  his  life  of  Smellett,  from  the  original 


92  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Latin  inscription  partly  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Johnson. 
Proceeding  onwards,  we  pass  through  the  pleasant 
village  of  Renton,  which  is  chiefly  occupied  by  the 
persons  employed  in  the  neighbouring  print-fields  of 
Dalquhurn  and  Cordale,  and  the  bleaching -works 
on  the  banks  of  the  Leven.  Passing  Bonhill  house 
on  the  right,  we  perceive  Bonhill  village  finely 
situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Leven  ;  and  a 
little  farther  on  we  pass  through  the  small  village 
of  Alexandria.  The  principal  mansion  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  this  village  is  Tillichewen  castle, 
a  noble  modern  edifice  in  the  castellated  Gothic 
style,  occupying  a  commanding  situation,  and  sur- 
rounded by  very  fine  plantations.  A  little  beyond 
Woodbank,  near  the  fourth  mile-stone  from  Dum- 
barton, the  road  strikes  off  on  the  right  to  Balloch 
ferry,  whither  the  passengers  by  the  coach,  who 
intend  to  visit  the  head  of  the  lake  the  same  day, 
are  conveyed.  On  reaching  the  river's  side,  the 
passengers  step  on  board  a  lighter  by  which  they 
are  conveyed  up  the  river  to  the  steamer  which  is 
seen  riding  at  anchor  at  the  foot  of  the  loch.  This 
is  perhaps  the  most  disappointing  part  of  the  whole 
day's  tour.  You  find  yourself  and  your  fellow- 
passengers  assisted  into  an  awkward  looking  boat, 
which  is  slowly  pushed  up  the  shallow  stream  by 
poles.  The  banks  of  the  river  are  low  and  feature- 
less, and  the  same  character  appears  to  attach  itself 
to  the  shores  of  the  lake.  While  then  the  lighter 
is  making  her  tedious  approach  to  the  steamer,  we 
shall  occupy  the  tourist's  attention  with  some  gene- 
ral notices  of  the  sheet  of  water  on  whose  broad 
bosom  he  is  about  to  embark.  We  shall  then 
accompany  him  to  the  head  of  the  loch  by  water; 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  93 

but  first,  we  must  not  omit  to  mention  the  magni- 
ficent property  formed  in  the  lower  district  by- 
James  Ewing,  Esq.,  of  Glasgow,  by  the  judicious 
combination  of  various  extensive  purchases,  under 
the  name  of  Leven  vale.  The  Leven  is  the  only 
stream  that  flows  out  of  the  loch.  On  the  site 
of  the  old  ferry,  near  Balloch  inn,  a  handsome 
suspension  bridge  has  been  erected  by  Sir  James 
Colquhoun  of  Luss,  at  an  expense  of  £1500.  The 
other  chief  streams  flowing  into  Loch  Lomond,  be- 
sides the  Endric,  are  the  Falloch,  water  of  Luss, 
Finlass,  and  Fruin.  There  are  in  all  thirty  islands  of 
different  sizes  in  the  loch.  Inches  Lonaig,  Tavan- 
nach,  Moan,  Conachan,  Cree,  Galbraith,  and  other 
nine,  are  in  Dumbartonshire  ;  Inch  Cailliach,  Fad, 
Cruin,  Torr,  Clar,  Back,  and  six  more,  in  Stirling- 
shire. Inch  Murrin  is  not  included  in  either  county, 
and  forming  with  Inch  Cruin,  Torinch,  and  Inch 
Cailliach,  a  belt  of  islets  from  south-west  to  north- 
east, on  a  straight  line  across  the  broadest 
part  of  tbe  lake,  lying  directly  in  front  of  the 
navigation  from  Balloch,  is  the  first  object  on 
which  the  eye  of  a  nautical  tourist  rests  in  his  trip 
up  the  lake.  This  islet  is  1^-  miles  in  length,  and 
nearly  half  a  mile  broad,  and  has  a  hunting  lodge 
and  offices  upon  it.  Inch  Cruin,  "  the  round 
island,"  was  formerly  an  establishment  for  the 
insane.  Inch  Torr  is  beautifully  covered  with 
oaks  and  lofty  birch  trees.  Inch  Cailliach,  "  the 
island  of  old  women,"  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
amidst  the  green  and  golden  islets  of  a  landscape 
unsurpassed  by  the  most  fairy-like  districts  of 
Scotland  ;  it  is  exquisitely  wooded,  even  cultivated, 
and  in  ancient  times  was  the  seat  of  a  nunnery, 


94  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

(the  "  old  women,")  a  parish  church,  and  a  ceme- 
tery. Inch  Clar,  beside  it,  is  also  finely  wooded,  and 
resembles  it  in  general  appearance  and  beauty. 
Inch  Moan, or  "moss  island,"  supplies  the  villagers 
of  Luss  with  fuel.  Inch  Fad,  "  the  long  island," 
is  imperfectly  wooded,  but  is  fertile  and  inhabited* 
Inch  Frechlan,  "  the  shaggy  island,"  a  rock  op- 
posite Luss,  is  thus  characterized  by  its  *'  shaggy" 
ferns.  Inch  Conachan,  or  Colquhoun's  island, 
forms,  with  Inch  Tavannach,  and  Inch  Moree, 
a  cluster  of  three,  under  natural  oakwood  and 
some  fir:  it  is  uninhabited ;  but  in  Inch  Tavannach, 
or  "monk's  island,"  one  family  resides.  Inch  Gal- 
braith  was  the  seat  of  an  ancient  castle,  once  the 
residence  of  the  Galbraiths,  the  ruins  of  which  still 
exist  amidst  a  few  overshadowing  trees,  and  are 
now  the  habitation  of  the  osprey.  Johnson,  in  his 
bilious  return  from  the  tour  to  the  Hebrides,  seems 
to  have  seen  the*  osprey's  nest,  but  not  to  have 
been  in  the  most  amiable  mood  when  he  visited  the 
islets.  "From  Glencroe,"  says  he,  "we  passed 
through  a  pleasant  country  to  the  banks  of  Loch 
Lomond,  and  were  received  at  the  house  of  Sir 
James  Colouhoun,  who  is  owner  of  almost  all  the 
thirty  islands  of  the  loch,  which  we  went  in  a  boat 
next  morning  to  survey.  The  heaviness  of  the 
rain  shortened  our  voyage,  but  we  landed  on  one 
island  planted  with  yew,  and  stocked  with  deer, 
and  on  another,  containing  not  perhaps  more  than 
half  an  acre,  remarkable  for  the  ruins  of  an  old 
castle,  on  which  the  osprey  builds  her  annual  nest. 
Had  Loch  Lomond  been  in  a  happier  climate,  it 
would  have  been  the  boast  of  wealth  and  vanity  to 
own  one  of  the  little  spots  which  it  incloses,  and 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  95 

to  have  employed  upon  it  all  the  arts  of  embellish- 
ment. But  as  it  is,  the  islets  which  court  the 
gazer  at  a  distance,  disgust  him  at  his  approach, 
when  he  finds,  instead  of  soft  lawns  and  shady 
thickets,  nothing  more  than  uncultivated  rugged- 
ness." — The  Doctor  certainly  had  not  an  eye  for 
the  picturesque.  To  counteract  the  injustice  Dr 
Johnson  has  done  Loch  Lomond,  we  must  cite  the 
description  of  a  Scotchman.  In  Humphrey 
Clinker,  which,  though  a  novel,  abounds  in  chaste 
and  accurate  descriptions,  Dr  Smollett,  who  Qf  all 
our  writers  has  the  very  best  title  to  portray  this 
scene,  exclaims,  "  I  have  seen  the  Lago  di  Gardi, 
Albano,  De  Vico,  Bolsena,  and  Geneva,  and, 
upon  my  honour,  I  prefer  Loch  Lomond  to  them 
all ;  a  preference  that  is  certainly  owing  to  the 
verdant  islands  that  seem  to  float  upon  its  surface, 
affording  the  most  enchanting  visions  of  repose  to 
the  excursive  view.  Nor  are  the  banks  destitute 
of  beauties  which  even  partake  of  the  sublime. 
On  this  side  they  display  a  sweet  variety  of  wood- 
land, corn  fields,  and  pasture,  with  several  agreeable 
villas  emerging  as  it  were  out  of  the  lake,  till,  at 
some  distance,  the  prospect  terminates  in  huge 
mountains,  covered  with  heath,  which  being  in 
bloom,  affords  a  very  rich  covering  of  purple. 
Everything  here  is  romantic  beyond  imagination. 
This  country  is  justly  styled  the  Arcadia  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  I  don't  doubt  but  it  may  vie  with  Ar- 
cadia in  everything  but  climate.  I  am  sure  it 
excels  it  in  verdure,  wood,  and  water.  "What  say 
you  to  a  natural  basin  of  pure  water  thirty  miles 
long,  and  in  some  places  seven  miles  broad,  and 
in  many  above  100  fathoms  deep,  having  four  and 
twenty  habitable  islands,  some  of  them  stocked 


96  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

with  deer,  and  all  of  them  covered  with  wood  ;  con- 
taining immense  quantities  of  delicious  fish,  salmon, 
pike,  trout,  perch,  flounders,  eels,  and  powans — 
the  last,  a  delicate  kind  of  fresh-water  herring, 
peculiar  to  this  lake  ;  and  finally  communicating 
with  the  sea  by  sending  off  the  Leven,  through 
which  all  these  species  (except  the  powan)  make 
their  exit  and  entrance  occasionally."  The  pheno- 
mena of  these  waters  are  very  much  the  effects  of 
light  and  shade.  "  The  blue  belt,"  the  indicator 
of  coming  storms,  is  finely  marked  upon  its  suscep- 
tible surface,  being  occasioned  by  the  intermit- 
tent atmospheric  action  which  the  close  proximity 
of  the  mountain  inequalities  produce,  some  parts 
being  agitated  while  others  are  unruffled.  The 
average  depth  of  the  lake,  at  the  south,  is  twenty 
fathoms  ;  towards  the  northern  extremity,  where 
the  lake  is  100  fathoms  deep,  and  never  frozen,  its 
hue,  particularly  in  the  shadow  of  the  mountains, 
is  dark  as  Erebus.  The  three  wonders  for  which 
Loch  Lomond  once  was  famed,  were — "waves 
without  winds  "  (the  phenomenon  of  the  "  blue 
belt,"  already  explained);  "fish  without  fins" 
(vipers,  which  occasionally  swim  from  island  to 
island — or,  as  Bleu  in  his  Atlas,  1653,  has  at- 
tempted to  explain,  the  species  of  eel  vulgarly  cal- 
led powans);  "  and  a  floating  island."  As  for  the 
floating  island,  Camden,  the  learned  author  of  the 
Atlas  Britannica,  mentions,  in  his  time,  an  island 
called  Camstradden,  with  a  house  and  orchard, 
which  has  certainly  disappeared.  There  is  also 
a  tradition  that  Keith  Macindoill,  a  contemporary 
of  Finmacoull  or  Fingal,  in  the  fifth  century,  con- 
structed such  an  island,  of  large  square  beams  of 
oak.  firmly  mortised  into  one  another.     An  island 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  97 

near  the  west  end  of  the  lake,  now  stationary,  has 
the  honour  of  being  identified  by  tradition  with  this 
native  marvel,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  at  one 
time  a  mass  of  floating  moss;  and  certainly,  as  Cam- 
den says,  if  this  old  distich  of  Neckham  be  true : 
Ditatur  fluviis  Albania,  saxea  ligna 
Dat  Lomund  multa  frigiditate  potens. 
Scotland's  enriched  with  rivers :  timber  thrown 
Into  cold  Lomond's  waters  turns  to  stone. 

who  can  say  aught  against  the  petrifying  influences 
of  the  queen  of  Scottish  lakes? 

For  scenic  effect,  various  points  of  view  have 
been  commended.  Loch  Lomond  can  afford  to 
be  gazed  on  in  almost  every  combination  of  its 
magical  features  in  their  fitful  phases.  And 
where  its  beauty  recedes,  it  is  only  to  reveal  its 
sublimity.  Strone  hill,  to  the  north  of  Luss,  has 
generally  been  selected  by  artists,  as  affording  a 
bird's  eye  view  of  the  lake  scenery,  where  it  is  most 
beautifully  diversified  with  land,  wood,  and  water. 
In  the  ascent  of  Ben-Lomond,  on  the  opposite  side, 
similar  glimpses  of  enchantment  salute  the  eye  ;  but 
the  leading  feature- — the  Ben  itself — being  omitted, 
are  soon  lost  in  the  sweep  and  diversity  of  the  wide 
and  abounding  range  of  objects.  Near  Inversnaid 
and  Rob  Roy's  cave,  the  grouping  of  the  moun- 
tains, their  bold  outlines,  strong  lights  and  dense 
shadows,  realize  the  pictures  of  Salvator  Rosa. 
An  exquisite  view  is  afforded  from  the  summit  of 
"  that  little  lonely  isle,"  Inch  Tavannoch,  or  monk's 
island,  300  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  lake  (for 
all  these  islands  are  summits  of  the  submersed 
Grampian  chain,)  where  the  dotted  silver  of  the 
lake's  placid  surface  lies  unrolled  at  the  gazer's 
feet,  in  all  the  combinations  of  a  perfect  fairy-land, 
n 


98  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

By  and  by,  we  shall  return  to  the  lower  extremity 
of  the  lake,  and  pursue  the  land- route  to  Tarbet  for 
the  benefit  of  the  pedestrian  tourist. 

Loch  Lomond,  says  Dr.  Macculloch,  "  is  un- 
questionably the  pride  of  our  lakes, — incomparable 
in  its  beauty  as  in  its  dimensions, — exceeding  all 
others  in  variety  as  it  does  in  extent  and  splen- 
dour,— and  uniting  in  itself  every  style  of  scenery 
which  is  found  in  the  other  lakes  of  the  Highlands.*' 
It  is  not  always  we  agree  with  the  mineralogical 
doctor,  but  we  subscribe  to  the  opinion  he  has  here 
pronounced.  Loch  Lomond  is  indeed  a  loch  un- 
matched in  Scotland ;  and  though  Wordsworth 
contends  ingeniously  for  the  superiority  of  his  own 
Winandermere,*  we  think  there  are  faw  tourists 
who  will  not  allow  that  the  Scottish  lake  is  the 
finest  in  the  kingdom.  Dr.  Clarke, — that  acute 
and  well-informed  traveller  in  many  lands, — is  of 
opinion  that  Europe  contains  only  two  other  lakes 
which  can  be  put  in  competition  with  our  Lomond, 
namely,  the  far-famed  Lago  Maggiore,  and  the  less 
generally  known  Maelar  lake  in  Sweden.  The 
ancient  name  of  this  lake  was  Loch  Leven, — a 
name  retained  by  the  stream  which  issues  from  it, 
and  derived,  it  is  supposed,  from  the  Gaelic  Llevyn, 
signifying  *  smooth.'  It  is  principally  in  Dumbar- 
tonshire ;  but  the  county  of  Stirling  embraces  a 
considerable  extent  of  its  eastern  shore.  Its  length 
is  nearly  30  miles.  Near  to  its  southern  extremity 
it  spreads  out  into  a  breadth  of  about  6  miles  ;f 

'  *  See  that  delightful  little  manual  for  Westmoreland  tourists, 
the  Guide  to  the  Scenery  of  the  Lakes,  by  William  Words- 
worth. 

f  Dr.  Graham. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUI1>E.  99 

towards  the  middle  it  is  contracted  to  little  more 
than  2;  and  this  breadth  decreases  northwards,  un- 
til at  its  northern  extremity  it  does  not  exceed  200 
yards.  The  depth  of  its  waters  also  varies  con- 
siderably; in  the  southern  portion  it  seldom  ex- 
ceeds 60  feet;  whilst  to  the  north  of  Luss  it  is 
found  to  be  from  200  to  400  feet.  The  extremity 
of  the  Kilpatrick  chain  of  hills  approaches  the 
south-east  corner  of  the  lake.  From  this  point,  a 
rather  level  tract  of  country  extends  along  the 
eastern  shore;  after  which  the  mountainous  banks 
of  the  lake  are  continued  northwards  in  a  succession 
of  gradually  rising  terraces,  terminating  in  the  giant 
form  of  Benlomond.  The  upper  extremity  of  the  lake 
is  surrounded  by  the  noble  mountains  of  Glen- 
falloch,  while  the  western  shore  is  bounded  by  the 
Arroquhar  and  Luss  hills.  From  these  moun- 
tains and  hills  a  vast  number  of  streams  and  '  brat- 
tling brooks'  discharge  themselves  into  the  lake ; 
its  principal  tributary,  however,  is  the  Endric, 
which  flows  into  the  south-east  corner  of  the  lake. 
It  is  alleged  that  the  waters  of  Loch  Lomond  have 
increased  considerably  during  the  lapse  of  ages, 
and  that  the  ruins  of  houses  are  still  visible  beneath 
the  water  in  some  parts.  We  know  not  what 
truth  there  may  be  in  this  ;  but  we  suspect  it  to  be 
only  a  poetical  fiction  common  almost  to  every  exten- 
sive sheet  of  inland  water.  The  total  superficies  of 
this  lake  is  nearly  20,000  acres.*     The  property  on 

*  During  the  dreadful  earthquake  at  Lisbon  in  1755,  the 
surface  of  Loch  Lomond  was  greatly  agitated  ;  the  water  sud- 
denly rose  above  its  ordinary  level,  and  then  sunk  greatly  below 
the  usual  height;  and  this  unnatural  motion  continued  for  a 
considerable  time.  A  boat  was  carried  40  yards  beyond  the 
water's  edge. 


100  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST*  S 

the  left  bank  of  the  lake  belongs  principally  to  the 
families  of  Smollett,  Buchanan,  and  Colquhoun ; 
that  on  the  right,  almost  entirely  to  the  duke  of 
Montrose.  About  two-thirds  of  the  loch,  and 
most  of  the  islands,  are  in  the  county  of  Dumbar- 
ton ;  the  rest,  with  the  right  bank,  are  in  the 
county  of  Stirling.  The  steam-boat,  in  ascending 
the  loch,  keeps  almost  exactly  in  the  line  of  division 
between  the  two  counties. 

The  steamer  is  now  fairly  under  weigh,  and 
rapidly  approaching  Jnchmurrin,  the  first  and 
largest  island  in  Loch  Lomond.  This  island  is 
finely  clothed  with  wood,  and  is  employed  as  a 
deer-park  by  the  duke  of  Montrose.  A-t  its  south- 
west end  arc  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  castle,  once 
the  principal  messuage  of  tne  earldom  of  Lennox. 
On  reaching  the  north-east  point  of  this  island, 
the  eye  ranging  from  the  mouth  of  the  Endric,  on 
the  east,  to  a  little  below  the  mouth  of  the  Finlas, 
on  the  west,  surveys  the  loch  in  its  greatest  ampli- 
tude of  breadth.  Beyond  this  point  it  gradually 
contracts,  until  beyond  Ross  island  it  never  exceeds 
one  mile.  From  the  point  now  reached  by  the 
steamer  a  very  fine  view  is  obtained  of  the  fair  and 
fertile  vale  of  the  Endric.  The  steamer  next  ap- 
proaches the  little  island  of  Clairinch  from  which 
the  Buchanans  took  their  slogan  or  war-cry; 
passing  which,  it  skirts  Inchcailloch,  or  the  Nun's 
island,  opposite  the  north-east  corner  of  which  a 
pause  is  made  for  a  moment  to  land  passengers  at 
Bealmacha,*  a  celebrated  highland  pass,  through 
which  many  a  foray  has  descended  into  the  Lennox. 
Here  some  tourists  choose  to  land,  and  pursue  their 
*  See  Lady  of  the  Lake,  Canto  iv.  St.  4.  and  Notes. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  101 

inquiries  into  the  surrounding  localities,  previous 
to  proceeding  along  the  banks  to  Rowardennan. 
Balloch  Castle  will  be  observed  on  the  right  shore 
of  the  loch,  as  well  as  the  Castle  of  Butturich, 
rebuilt,  on  the  ancient  site,  by  Buchanan  of  Ardoch. 
Arden  House,  on  the  left,  contains  the  only- 
original  portrait  of  the  hero  of  these  parts,  the 
celebrated  Rob  Roy  Macgregor,  known  to  exist. 
Ross  Priory,  a  turreted  edifice,  is  associated  with 
the  name  of  Sir  Walter  Scott;  it  was  here  that 
the  mighty  magician  was  wont  to  reside  when 
visiting  the  scenes  from  which  he  borrowed,  and  to 
which  he  lent  his  enchantments.  It  is  situated  at 
the  expanded  valley  of  the  Endrick,  which  opens 
up  upon  the  lake,  and  at  the  termination  of  whose 
beautiful  vista  may  be  descried  the  obelisk  to  the 
memory  of  the  great  Scottish  scholar,  wit,  and 
poet,  George  Buchanan,  who  was  born  in  the  little 
village  of  Killearn.  Lord  Napier  of  Merchiston, 
the  inventor  of  logarithms,  long  studied  and  resided 
in  an  old  mansion  on  the  banks  of  the  Endrick, 
engaged  in  those  abstruse  problems  in  the  science 
of  numbers,  his  solutions  of  which  have  so  much 
facilitated  the  progress  of  philosophical  calculation. 
The  admirer  of  natural  beauty  will  enjoy,  from  the  £ 
steamer,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Endrick,  a  scene  off 
surpassing  richness.  Inch  Grange,  and  Inch  Tor,  | 
are  near  at  hand, covered  with  wood.  Off  the  Endrick  \ 
mouth  are  Inch  Aber  and  Inch  Clar.  Views  are 
gained  from  different  aspects  of  the  seat  of  the 
duke  of  Montrose,  Buchanan  House,  and  the  kirk  jf 
and  manse  of  Buchanan  on  the  right.  Inch  Cail-  * 
leach  contains  the  singular  monuments  of  the  Mac- 
gregors,  descendants  of  king  Alpin,  having  been 
the  Macgregors'  burying  place,  and  once  possessing 
an  ancient  church.     The  tourist  now  pursues  his 


102  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

journey  through  the  pass  and  alon#  the  banks  of 
the  loch,  to  Itowardennan.  On  emerging  from 
the  pass,  a  magnificent  view  of  the  lake  bursts  upon 
the  sight:  a  sheet  of  water  of  about  10  miles  in 
length,  and  at  least  5  in  breadth,  skirted  on  both 
sides  by  luxuriant  woods,  and  spotted  with  islands 
of  various  extent  and  form  and  appearance, — some 
inhabited  and  under  cultivation,  some  bare  and 
barren, — some  scarcely  appearing  above  the  water 
line,  others  towering  to  the  height  of  300  feet  above 
it, — and  all  .closed  in  and  surrounded  with  a  mag- 
nificent girdle  of  mountain  heights.  The  boat  now 
proceeds  across  the  loch  towards  Luss,  passing  in 
succession  Inch  fad,  Inchmoan  or  the  Peat  island, 
and  Inchcruin  or  the  Round  island;  and,  on  the 
left,  Inchcardach,  Buckinch,  Inchcarachan,  Inch- 
lonag,  and  Inchtavannach.  These  islands  are 
evidently  the  summits  of  some  of  the  more  advanced 
Grampians*  emerging  from  the  lake. 

Luss  is  a  beautifully  situated  village,  and,  as 
commanding  one  of  the  finest  views  of  the  loch 
will  engage  our  attention  while  tracing  the  land 
route  along  the  western  side  of  the  loch.  From 
Luss  northwards  the  breadth  of  the  lake  contracts 
rapidly  ;  its  finely  wooded  banks  are  thus  brought 
close  upon  the  eye,  and  the  indentations  of  the 
margin  grow  bolder.  About  3  miles  beyond  Luss 
is  the  ferry  from  Inveruglas,  on  the  west,  to  Rowar- 
dennan  on  the  east  side  of  the  loch.  The  steamer 
crosses  to  the  latter  point,  and  lands  passengers. 
Rowardennan   is   situated   at    the    base   of    Ben- 

*  This  mountain-range  commences  at  the  hill  or  promon- 
tory of  Ardmore  (p.  48);  and  extends  across  the  country  in 
a  north-east  direction  to  the  Girdleness  of  Aberdeen. 


STEAM- BOAT  FOCKET  GUIDE. 


103 


lomond,  and  is  the  point  from  which  travellers 
generally  commence  the  ascent  of  the  mountain. 
If  the  tourist  wishes  to  make  the  ascent  the  first 
day,  he  must  now  land  and  forthwith  commence 
his  toilsome  march  up  the  shoulder  of  the  moun- 
tain under  the  direction  of  a  guide  who  can  he 
procured  at  the  inn ;  but  some  tourists  prefer  to 
ascend  to  the  head  of  the  loch  in  the  steamer,  and 
returning  by  it  to  Tarbet,  land  and  remain  there  for 
the  night.  Next  morning  they  may  get  rowed 
across  to  Ro  warden  nan  at  an  early  hour,  so  as  to 
have  accomplished  a  visit  to  the  summit  of  the 
Ben  in  time  to  return  to  Dumbarton  by  that  day's 
boat.  About  a  mile  to  the  north  of  Rowardennan 
the  boat  passes  Rob  Roy's  rock,  which  rises  abruptly 
from  the  water  to  the  height  of  about  30  feet,  and 
is  surmounted  by  another  precipice  considerably 
higher.  The  steamer  now  crosses  to  Tarbet,  and 
after  landing  passengers,  again  crosses  the  loch  to 
the  mill  of  Inversnaid.  It  was  here  that  Words- 
worth penned  his  beautiful  and  well-known  verses 
to  a  '  Highland  girl.'  A  short  distance  inland, 
from  this  point,  is  Inversnaid  fort,  built  in  1713 
to  repress  the  daring  inroads  of  the  freebooters  who 
infested  the  low  country.  There  is  a  foot-path,— 
*  a  stern  and  lone,  yet  lovely  road,' — from  Inver- 
snaid mill  to  the  head  of  Loch  Katrine  by  Loch 
Arclet;  and  tourists  for  the  Perthshire  lakes  usually 
strike  off  at  this  point.  A  stream  issuing  from 
Loch  Arclet  forms  a  fine  cascade  at  the  mill  of 
Inversnaid.  A  short  distance  above  Inversnaid  is 
Rob  Roy's  cave,  once  the  hiding  place  of  the  hunted 
outlaw,  and  celebrated  also  as  having  afforded  shel- 
ter  to    Robert    Bruce   after    his    discomfiture    at 


104  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Strathfillan  by  MacDougall  of  Lorn.  The  tourist 
has  now  reached  the  head  of  the  loch  and  the  en- 
trance of  Glenfalloch.  The  scenery  though  here 
wild  and  desolate  is  somewhat  tamer  in  character 
than  we  may  have  been  led  to  expect  from  the  bold- 
ness and  sternness  of  that  through  which  we  passed 
alter  leaving  Tarbet. 

We  have  now  conducted  the  tourist,  by  steam, 
from  the  foot  to  the  head  of  Loch  Lomond.  We 
shall  now  carry  hirn  rapidly  around  the  shores  of 
the  lake ;  after  which  we  shall  ascend  Benlomond 
with  him.  We  would  here,  however,  advertise 
him  that  during  the  return  of  the  boat  to  Tarbet 
he  must  make  up  his  mind  whether  he  will  return 
to  Dumbarton  by  it,  or  adopt  the  more  general 
route  by  Loch  Long,  as  little  time  for  deliberation 
will  be  allowed  on  reaching  Tarbet  where  the 
steamer  makes  an  exchange  of  passengers  with  the 
Loch  Long  steamer. 

The  pedestrian  tourist  instead  of  striking  off  the 
road  from  Dumbarton  towards  the  Balloch  ferry 
pursues  his  route  by  the  road  inclining  westwards. 
At  the  fifth  mile  stone  he  passes  Cameron  house, 
the  seat  of  a  branch  of  the  Smollett  family,  where 
Johnson  and  Boswell  spent  a  night  so  pleasantly 
with  the  commissioner.*  Soon  after  you  come 
close  upon  the  margin  of  the  Jake  and  obtain  a 
fine  view  of  it  in  the  direction  of  Inchmurrin  and 
Clairinch.  At  the  sixth  mile-stone  you  pass 
Belvidere  house;  at  the  seventh,  Arden  house, 
behind  which  rises  Dunfion  or  *  the  hill  of  Fingal.' 
You  then  cross  the  water  of  Fruin  which  flows 
through  Glenfruin,  the  scene,  in  1602,  of  a  dread* 
*  See  Tour  to  the  Hebrides. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  105 

ful  massacre  of  the  Colquhouns  by  their  hereditary 
foes  the  MacGregors.*  Pursuing  his  route  through 
the  country  of  the  Colquhouns,  the  tourist  reaches 
the  beautiful  village  of  Luss,  13  miles  from  Dum- 
barton. The  road  to  this  point,  if  it  does  not  pre- 
sent the  finest  views  of  the  lake  itself,  is  nevertheless 
so  interesting  that  the  pedestrian  can  experience 
no  tedium.  He  is  always  in  due  proximity  to  the 
lake,  which,  whether  in  "the  bright  green  meadows 
sprinkled  with  ash  trees  that  sometimes  skirt  the 
margin, — or  the  white  pebbled  shores  on  which  its 
gentle  billows  murmur  like  a  miniature  ocean, — or 
its  bold  rocky  promontories  rising  from  the  deep 
water,  rich  in  wild  flowers  and  ferns,  and  tangled 
with  wild  roses  and  honeysuckles, — or  its  retired 
bays  where  the  waves  sleep,  reflecting  like  a  mirror 
the  trees  which  hang  over  thein,"f — is  ever  an 
object  of  deep  interest  and  constantly  varied  attrac- 
tions. Strone  hill,  behind  Luss,  affords  one  of  the 
finest  points  for  viewing  the  lake,  with  its  *  faery 
crowd  of  islands.'  From  Luss  to  Tarbet,  a  distance 
of  7^  miles,  the  road  is  extremely  beautiful,  being 
continued  close  upon  the  margin  of  the  lake  but  at 
such  an  elevation  as  affords  the  eye  free  scope  to 
survey  its  scenery.  The  point  of  Firkin,  at  the 
17th  mile  stone  from  Dumbarton,  is  a  fine  soft 
peninsula  running  out  nearly  half-way  across  the 
lake.  The  mountains  on  the.  left  hand  too  have 
now  assumed  a  more  imposing  altitude,  and  are 
nobly  clothed  in  most  places  with  wood.  Nothing  j 
can  exceed  in  picturesque  beauty  the  situation  of  | 
Tarbet  village  and  inn  ;   and  here,  if  the  tourist's  ' 

*  See  Lady  of  the  Lake,  Canto  ii.  St.  20.  and  Note, 
f  Maceulloch. 


105  THE  SCOTTISH  TOUltlST  S 

time  permits,  would  we  advise  him  to  spend  a  day 
or  two,  as  the  point  from  which  he  can  best  make, 
a  variety  of  excursions  along  the  shores  and  to  all 
points  of  this  matchless  lake.  From  Tarbet  up- 
wards to  the  head  of  the  loch  the  road  is  carried 
*  onward  amid  the  copse'  along  the  western  shore, 
through  the  country  of  the  Macfarlanes,  a  sept  as 
turbulent  and  fierce  though  not  so  numerous  as  the 
MacGregors  of  the  opposite  shores.  The  breadth 
of  the  lake  is  now  greatly  narrowed;  the  hills  on 
either  side  tower  up  to  a  vast  height,  and  cast  their 
deep  shadows  far  across  it,  while  their  shoulders 
run  out  into  bold  rugged  promontories,  between 
which  the  waters  of  the  lake  sleep  deep  and  dark 
almost  under  the  feet  of  the  traveller.  Opposite 
Upper  Inveruglas 

"  Where  a  wild  stream,  with  headlong  shock, 
Comes  brawling  down  its  bed  of  rock," 

is  a  small  and  beautifully  wooded  *  islet  lone,*  on 
which  may  still  be  seen  the  relics  of  a  castellated 
mansion  once  the  seat  of  the  Macfarlanes.  The 
road  at  the  head  of  the  loch  conducts  to  Tynedrum 
and  Glenorchy. 

Ben  Lomond  is  3175  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
lake,  which  is  22  feet  above  that  of  the  sea.  Jn 
altitude  this  noble  mountain  is  considerably  sur- 
passed by  several  other  Scottish  mountains;  but 
none  tell  upon  the  eye  more.  Seen  from  the  shores 
of  the  lake  its  general  appearance  is  that  of  a  trun- 
cated cone,  with  one  shoulder  running  out  towards 
the  south-east.  Dr.  Graham  is  of  opinion,  how- 
ever, that  Ben  is  seen  to  greatest  advantage  from 
the  north-east.  In  travelling  from  Stirling,  by 
Aberfoyle,  this  mountain  presents  a  fine  pyramidal 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  107 

form  of  equally  proportioned  sides.  Rowardennan* 
is  the  most  eligible  point  from  which  to  commence 
the  ascent.  The  distance  from  the  inn  to  the 
summit  of  the  mountain  is  6  miles,  and  the  time 
usually  spent  in  ascending-  3  hours.  The  first 
stage  of  the  ascent, — for  it  consists  of  three  pretty 
distinctly  marked  stages, — is  principally  over  rock 
and  heath,  and  through  portions  of  wet  spungy 
moss.  Towards  the  summit  the  toil  becomes  more 
severe.  The  scene  from  the  top  is  thus  described 
by  Dr.  Graham :  "  At  the  bottom  of  the  moun- 
tain, one  of  the  finest  lakes  in  Europe  is  seen, 
through  its  whole  extent  of  about  thirty  miles; 
stretching  out  from  small  beginnings,  to  a  breadth, 
towards ^s southern  extremity,  of  about  six  miles; 
its  surface  beautifully  diversified  with  islands,  and 
its  shores  skirted  with  woods,  and  houses,  and  cul- 
tivated grounds.  In  the  range  of  the  horizon, 
from  the  east,  by  the  south,  to  the  south-west,  the 
eye  is  successively  presented  with  the  rich  plains 
of  Stirlingshire  and  the  Lothians;  the  heights  of 
Lanarkshire  ;  the  vales  of  Renfrewshire  ;  the  coast 
of  Ireland;  Kin  tyre,  and  the  Western  ocean. 
But  the  circumstance  which  will  perhaps  appear 
the  most  striking  to  the  stranger,  is  the  idea  which 
he  will  now,  for  the  first  time,  be  enabled  to  form 
of  the  great  outline  of  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  ; 
for  which  no  station  is  better  adapted  than  Ben- 
lomond,  where  the  prospect  is  unencumbered  by 
the  interference  of  auy  other  hills.  From  the  east, 
where  the  Ochills  have  their  commencement, 
directing  the  eye  westwards,  by  the  north,  through 

*  Literally, *  the  Row  of  Dennan.' 


108  the  Scottish  tourist's 

a  space  of  more  than  half  the  circle  of  the  horizon, 
you  are  presented  with  a  vast  amphitheatre,  bounded 
every  where  by  lofty  mountains,  whose  shades 
gradually  melt  away  from  the  sight,  and  blend 
themselves  at  length  with  the  blue  colours  of  the 
sky.  In  this  stupendous  scene,  the  traveller  will 
recognise  Benlawers,  Benvorlich,  and  Benledi,  on 
the  north-east;  Cruachan  and  Benevis  on  the  west ; 
Benmore  on  the  north  ;  the  Paps  of  Jura,  and 
Goatfield  in  Arran,  on  the  south-west.  Hi3  eye 
will  be  relieved  from  time  to  time  by  dwelling  on 
the  beautiful  lakes  of  Perthshire,  some  of  which 
are  so  near  as  to  be  seen  in  bird's-eye  prospect. 
The  mountain  itself  affords,  besides,  a  great  variety 
of  scenery.  To  the  south-east  it  stretcher  out  into 
a  slope  of  very  gentle  declivity.  The  north  side 
is  awfully  abrupt ;  it  presents  a  concave  precipice 
of  many  hundred  yards  in  depth.  He  must  pos- 
sess firm  nerves  who  can  approach  the  brink,  and 
look  down  unmoved.  When  you  descend  into  this 
concavity,  by  the  ravine  already  mentioned,  it  ap- 
pears to  form  a  semicircular  bason  of  vast  extent. 
A  gun  fired  in  this  concavity,  returns  a  long  and 
variously  reverberated  echo ;  though,  from  the 
rareness  of  the  atmosphere  on  the  summit,  the  re- 
port of  a  gun  is  there  extremely  faint.  In  the 
variable  weather  of  July  and  August,  the  traveller 
has  sometimes  the  awful  enjoyment  of  sitting  in  a 
serene  atmosphere  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
whilst  the  thunder-cloud  rolls  below,  and  the  livid 
lightning  flashes  between  him  and  the  surface  of 
the  lake.  Caught  in  this  situation,  let  him  not 
linger  long  upon  the  summit,  but  retire  as  fast  as 
he  can  from  a  spot  where  the   variations  of  the 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  IQ9 

weather  are  sudden,  and  the  war  of  the  elements 
far  more  formidable  than  on  the  plain."* 

From  Tarbet  to  the  shores  of  Loch  Long  is  a 
delightful  walk  of  about  half-an-hour  across  the 
neck  of  the  peninsula  rising  between  Loch  Lomond 
and  Loch  Long.  The  inn  of  Arroquhar  is  22 
miles  from  Dumbarton.  It  is  situated  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Loch  Long  within  half-a-mile  of 
its  head.  Immediately  opposite  to  it,  on  the 
western  shores  of  the  loch,  is  Ben  Arthur,  or  the 
Cobbler,  with  its  singularly  fantastic  peaks.  Arro- 
quhar was  formerly  the  seat  of  the  chief  of  the 
Macfarlanes;  it  is  now  the  property  of  Sir  James 
Colquhoun  of  Luss.  The  mansion-house  was 
converted  into  an  inn  by  the  late  duke  of  Argyle, 
who  fitted  it  up  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
public;  but  it  is  now  again  converted  into  a  private 
mansion.  A  good  inn  has  however  been  built  at 
a  little  distance  towards  the  head  of  the  loch. 

Loch-  Long,  like  many  other  Highland  lochs,  is 
an  inlet  or  arm  of  the  sea.  It  is  about  24  miles  in 
kngth,  and  runs  between  the  counties  of  Dumbar- 
ton and  Argyle.  The  coast  is  very  bold  and  steep, 
particularly  where  Loch  Goil  branches  off  to- 
wards the  west.  Tradition  points  it  out  as  the 
scene  of  a  Norwegian  invasion  in  the  reign  of 
Alexander  III.  when  a  fleet  of  60  vessels,  under 
Haco,  sailed  up  the  loch,  drew  their  boats 
* 'Sketches  of  Perthshire,'  pp.  161—165.  It  sometimes, 
however,  happens  that  while  the  storm  is  rushing  and  roaring 
on  the  lake,  and  far  up  the  sides  of  Ben,  his  head  is  muffled 
in  a  still  and  dead  calm.  Dr  Macculloch  very  beautifully  de- 
scribes an  instance  of  this  which  happened  to  his  own  obser- 
vation, see  '  Highlands  and  Western  Islands,'  Vol.  I.  pp. 
203—205. 


110  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

across  the  isthmus  into  Loch  Lomond,  and  ravaged 
the  surrounding  country.  They  then  proceeded 
down  the  frith  of  Clyde,  hat  having  landed  in 
Ayrshire,  were  defeated,  with  the  loss  of  16,000 
men,  in  the  battle  of  Largs  (see  p.  77).  Haco 
himself  escaped  with  difficulty,  and  died  of  grief  in 
the  Orkneys.  The  upper  extremity  of  this  loch  is 
so  enclosed  by  mountains,  in  many  places  fringed 
with  a  fine  copsewood,  that  it  resembles  a  fresh 
water  lake,  and  is  only  recognised  as  an  arm  of  the 
sea,  at  low  water,  by  the  long  lines  of  brown  weeds 
which  then  appear  clinging  to  the  rocks  on  either 
shore.  "  I  know  not,"  says  Dr.  Macculloch,  '*  but. 
that  the  first  view  of  this  spot  disappoints  those 
who  have  just  quitted  the  magnificent  scenes  of 
Loch  Lomond, — simple  and  unpretending  as  it  is ; 
but  he  who,  after  spending  a  few  hours  at  Arro- 
quhar,  leaves  it  with  the  same  impression,  may 
proceed  to  Inverary  as  fast  as  he  pleases,  for  he 
would  gain  nothing  by  longer  abode!"  We  heartily 
re-echo  the  learned  doctor's  sentiment.  The  tourist 
who  sees  and  feels  no  beauty  in  the  scenery  of  the 
head  of  Loch  Long  may  rest  assured  he  has  no  eye 
for  Nature's  magnificence.  He  is  unworthy  to 
put  foot  in  *  deep  Glencroe ;'  and,  if  he  will  visit 
Inverary,  we  would  advise  him  to  go  thither  by 
steam,  and  remain  perdue  in  the  cabin  all  the  time. 
A  noble  view  may  be  obtained  from  the  top  of  the 
wild  and  bold  hill  that  separates  Loch  Long  from 
the  Holy  loch.  Arriving  at  the  mouth  of  Loch 
Long,  the  steamer  makes  across  the  frith  for 
Greenock,  and  from  thence  proceeds  to  Glasgow, 
where  the  tourist  of  one  day   is  landed   by  nine 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  Ill 

o'clock  in  the  evening,  after  having  explored  some 
of  the  finest  scenery  in  the  Highlands,  and  travelled 
a  distance  of  above  100  miles. 


SIXTH  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  INVERARY. 

Arroquhar,  39 Ardgarten,  41.—  The   Cobbler — 

Glenhinlass,     47. —  Cairndow,      53. -—Inverary, 
62^. —  Or  II.  Ardentinny,  40. — Loch  Godhead, 
48.  —  St.    Catherine's,  55. — Inverary,  58. —  Or 
III.  Kilmun,   35. — Loch  Eck,   37. — Strachur, 
50. — Inverary. —  Or  IV.   Rothsay,   44. — Loch 
Straven,  50. — Loch  Ridan,  53. — East  Tarbet, 
71. — Lochgilphead,   86.  —  The    Crinan   canal — 
Otter  ferry.  —  Gregg  an  ferry.  — Inverary,  108. 
A  trip  to  Inverary  will  require  the  better  part 
of  two  days.      The  tourist  has  his  choice  of  several 
different  routes.      He  may  either  proceed  from  Ar- 
roquhar, by  Cairndow,  to  Inverary  ;  or  by  Loch 
Goil,  and   St.  Catherine's  ;   or  by  the  Holy  loch, 
Loch  Eck,  and   Strachur ;   or  by  Rothsay,  Tarbet, 
and  Lochgilphead. 

I.  We  shall,  in  the  first  instance,  suppose  the 
tourist  to  proceed  from  Arroquhar,  to  which  point 
we  have  conducted  him  in  last  tour,  (see  p.  109.) 
Starting  from  the  inn  at  this  place,  the  tourist  fol- 
lows the  road  winding  round  the  head  of  Loch 
Long.  Crossing  the  Teang  water,  which  dischar- 
ges itself  into  the  head  of  the  loch,  he  enters  Ar- 
gyleshire,  and  pursues  the  road — now  skirting  the 
western  shore — till  within  a  fewyards  of  Ardgarten 
house,  which  is  finely  situated  on  a  low  point  of 
land   projecting   into   the   lake.      Here   the   road 


112  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURISTS 

diverges  at  nearly  right  angles,  to  the  right,  and 
bidding  adieu  to  Loch  Long  the  traveller  enters 
the  desolate  but  magnificent  valley  of  Glencroe. 
This  glen  is  about  6  miles  in  length,  and  is  conti- 
nued in  Glenkinlass  to  Loch  Fyne.  It  is  said  to 
resemble  Glencoe.  The  entrance  on  the  right  is 
guarded  by  Ben  Arthur,  or  the  Cobbler,  whose  bold 
and  fantastic  summit  has  so  often  intruded  itself  on 
the  tourist's  attention  since  he  left  the  Lennox,  and 
fairly  entered  the  Highlands.  The  ascent  to  the  foot 
of  the  Cobbler  himself,  is  not  very  difficult;  it  is 
however  a  task  of  some  danger  and  difficulty  to  seat 
one's  self  on  the  highest,  peak,  which  is  a  square 
mass  of  rock,  shooting  up  to  the  height  of  200 
feet,  "like  a  gigantic  tower  rooted  on  the  mountain's 
brow."*  The  view  from  the  summit  embraces 
Loch  Katrine,  Loch  Lomond,  the  whole  sinuous 
extent  of  Loch  Long,  Loch  Goil,  the  Gair  loch, 
and  Loch  Fyne.  The  frith  of  Clyde  may  be 
also  traced  throughout  its  whole  extent,  the  Cum- 
brays,  the  mountains  of  Arran,  the  craig  of  Ailsa, 
and  perhaps  the  island  of  Mull. 

The  road  through  Glencroe  ascends  gently  for 
about  three  miles  ;  it  then  becomes  very  steep,  and 
is  carried  in  a  zigzag  form  to  the  summit  of  the 
pass,  where  a  seat  has  been  prepared,  and  a  stone 
erected  with  the  inscription,  "  Rest  and  be  thankful." 
Passing  a  small  and  featureless  sheet  of  water  called 
Loch  Restal  on  the  left,  the  road  gradually  descends, 
through  Glenlochan  till  you  enter  Glenkinlass. 
The  road  proceeds  through  this  solitary  vale,  one 
wild  scene  <of  beauty  and  grandeur  still  succeeding 
another,  until,  at  the  distance  of  two  or  three  miles 
*  Macculloch 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  113 

# 

the  mind  is  relieved  by  emerging  from  amidst  its 
horrors  to  the  light  of  day. 

But  perhaps  we  should  rather  have  conducted 
the  steam-boat  tourist,  (who  may  consider  our 
route  to  Arroquhar  as  over-Ian^,  though  on  the 
bosom  of  Loch  Lomond,)  thither  by  water.  The 
way  is  up  Loch  Long  ;  and  the  lower  part  of  this 
Loch  is  by  no  means  unworthy  the  passing  notice 
of  any  tourist  having  an  eye  for  the  picturesque. 
Entering  it  from  the  frith  of  Clyde,  after  standing 
round  Roseneath  point,  the  stern  view  presents 
the  Cloch  lighthouse,  and  the  opposite  shore  of 
the  frith.  To  the  left  is  seen  the  opening  of  the 
Holy  Loch,  Dunoon,  the  Cowal  coast,  Toward 
Point  and  Castle  stretching  away  into  the  dis- 
tance, the  view  being  blocked  up  by  the  extreme 
point  of  Bute,  and  the  "  muckle  and  little  Cum- 
braes."  Ascending  the  loch  towards  Ardintinny, 
the  Roseneath  hills,  somewhat  tame  of  aspect,  run 
out,  on  the  right,  into  a  point  at  Colport  ferry, 
where  the  bold  peak  of  Crochnaish  stands  forth 
to  confront  and  frown  them  into  insignificance. 
Ardintinny,  the  imagined  scene  of  Tannahill's  song 
"  The  lass  o'  Ardintinny " — for  poor  Tannahill, 
we  believe,  never  saw  either  the  place  or  the  per- 
son— lies  snugly  and  sweetly  on  a  narrow  belt  of 
verdure  at  the  very  angle  of  the  seeming  cul-de-sac 
thus  formed  by  the  approximation  of  the  Roseneath 
ground  and  Crochnaish.  It  is  backed  by  a  lofty 
ridge  of  picturesquely  wooded  mountains.  Ex- 
actly in  the  angle  lies  the  embowered  mansion  of 
Ardintinny,  embosomed  in  handsome  pleasure 
grounds.  Immediately  preceding  it  on  the  left,  is 
the  village  of  Ardintinny,  which,  as  well  as  Banks's 


114 

excellent  inn,  has  recently  received  considerable 
accessions  for  the  accommodation  of  summer  visi- 
tors, in  the  shape  of  bathing  quarters.  The  lower 
ferry  on  Loch  Long  is  now  between  Ardintinny  and 
Colport,  about  2  miles  across — the  charge  one  shil- 
ling for  the  boat,  be  the  passengers  more  or  less. 
The  ferry  used  to  be  somewhat  farther  up,  round  the 
bend  of  the  Loch,  and  was  once  in  the  only  direct 
line  of  communication  betwixt  Inverary  and  the 
lowlands,  the  very  ferry,  we  presume,  commemor- 
ated by  Campbell  in  his  famous  ballad: — 

A  chieftain,  to  the  Highlands  bound, 

Cries,  "  Boatman,  do  not  tarry, 
An'  I'll  gi'e  ye  a  silver  pound 

To  row  me  o'er  the  ferry:" 
M  An'  wha  be  ye  wad  cross  Lochgoil, 

This  dark  and  stormy  water  ?" 
"  Oh,  I'm  the  chief  of  Ulva's  isle, 

And  this  lord  Ullin's  daughter." 

Every  schoolboy  knows  the  sequel.  The  ferry  is 
difficult  to  cross  in  rough  weather — the  long  swell 
of  the  frith  expending  its  fury  in  the  recesses  of 
Loch  Long,  much  higher  up  than  Loch  Goyle  mouth, 
which  the  old  ferry  crossed.  Loch  Goyle  here 
branches  off  to  the  north-westward,  Loch  Long 
protracting  its  course  to  the  north-east.  Five 
miles  from  Ardintinny,  round  the  projecting  point 
of  Corran,  (or  the  bending  water,)  is  the  ferry 
from  Portincaple  on  the  east  shore  of  Loch  Long, 
to  the  foot  of  the  saw-toothed  mountain,  faceti- 
ously designated  "  Argyle's  bowling-green,"  on 
the  north  shore  of  Loch  Goyle ;  the  duke's  people 
having  formerly  been  in  the  habit  of  making  their 
way  thence  (but  certainly  not  bowling  it)  to  Loch- 
goilhead,  whence  there  is  a  road  seven  miles  to 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  115 

St.  Catherine's.  And,  by  the  way,  to  any  one  de- 
sirous of  a  "  new  cut "  to  Inverary,  an  excellent 
communication  is  open,  we  believe,  all  the  year 
round,  partly  by  the  old  Highland  route,  which, 
besides  the  facility  it  offers,  forms  a  pleasing 
variety  to  the  ordinary  routes.  The  regular 
steam-boat  voyage  of  90  miles,  from  Glasgow  to 
Inverary,  lasts  generally  "  from  morn  till  noon, 
from  noon  to  dewy  eve — a  summer's  day."  A 
steamer,  however,  leaves  Glasgow  in  the  spring 
and  summer  months,  every  morning  at  7  o'clock, 
passing  into  Loch  Goyle  at  half-past  10,  or  rather 
calling  shortly  before  that  hour  at  Ardintinny. 
Passing  Castle  Carrick  on  the  left  Loch  Goyle  shore, 
about  noon  this  steamer  meets,  at  Lochgoilhead, 
a  coach  from  St.  Catherine's  with  passengers  from 
Inverary,  which  immediately  returns  with  passen- 
gers for  Inverary  in  exchange,  who  are  ferried 
across  in  a  small  steamer ;  thus  may  these  mag- 
nificent pieces  of  water  be  made,  in  both  direc- 
tions up  and  down,  the  means  of  abridging  space, 
and  adding  variety  of  scenery  to  the  tour  of  a  day. 
Although,  however,  we  have  at  this  pause  thrown 
in  this  additional  hint,  we  must  not  overlook 
the  course  via  Arroquhar,  which  we  had  so 
far  proceeded  in  describing.  Another  steamer, 
then,  proceeds  up  Loch  Long  to  Arroquhar;  and 
supposing  the  tourist  to  avail  himself  of  it,  he 
may  retrace  with  us  his  steps  once  more  into 
Glencroe.  Mrs  Grant  of  Laggan  declines  to 
tell  "  the  horrors  of  Glencroe,"  through  which 
she  travelled  in  "  a  dismal  rainy  day."  Johnson, 
we  think,  was  in  no  better  luck.  Pennant  terms 
it  "  the  seat  of  melancholy,  seldom  cheered 
with  the  rays  of  the  sun."     Well,  then,  a  few  miles 


116 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 


further,  the  eye  is  delighted  with  a  view  of  Loch 
Fyne,  of  which  a  glimpse  is  obtained  through  the 
opening  of  the  mountains.  After  passing  the  farm- 
house of  Stroan  on  the  right,  and  Ardkinlass  on 
the  left,  a  short  walk  leads  to  the  comfortable  inn 
of  Cairndow.  From  this  point,  tourists  have  an 
opportunity  at  least  once  a-day  of  crossing  over 
the  loch  to  Inverary  by  the  steam-boat ;  but  if  not 
disposed  to  wait  for  this  conveyance,  a  walk  of  9^ 
miles  around  the  head  of  the  loch,  which  is  very 
narrow,  will  conduct  the  tourist  to  Inverary. 

Inverary  is  the  county-town  of  Argyleshire, 
although  it  only  consists  of  about  a  hundred  houses. 
It  is  built  at  the  lower  end  of  a  small  bay,  looking 
partly  across  it  towards  the  head  of  the  loch,  and 
partly  fronting  towards  the  loch,  which  is  here 
2%  miles  broad.  It  has  two  good  inns,  and 
private  lodgings  can  be  easily  procured.  Inve- 
rary castle,  the  mansion  of  the  duke  of  Argyle  is 
a  heavy  square  building,  at  the  mouth  of  Glen- 
aray,  and  about  half-a-mile  distant  from  the  town. 
It  is  built  of  a  dark  coloured  micaceous  slate.* 
The  public  rooms  are  very  handsome  and  contain 
some  fine  tapestry,  but  little  attention  is  paid  to 
the  mansion  by  the  present  duke.  The  parks 
and  grounds  however  are  very  extensive,  and  pre- 
sent some  fine  views  through  their  green  forest 
glades.  In  the  saloon  some  stands  of  arms  used  by 
the  Campbells  in  the  '  forty-five'  are  tastefully  ar- 
ranged on  the  walls.  One  of  the  most  remarkable 
objects  in  this  neighbourhood  is  the  conical  hill  of 
Dunequoich, — 'an  wooded  knoll  fantastical,' — which 

*  It  was  begun,  by  Archibald,  duke  of  Argyle,  in  1745s. 
The  architect  was  the  elder  Adam. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  117 

elicited  Mrs  Grant's  especial  admiration,  when 
she  visited  this  "city  of  the  mountains."  **  I  wish 
you  could  but  once  see,"  she  says,  "  the  moon 
shine  on  Loch  Fyne,  and  the  shadow  of  Dune- 
quoich  falling  on  the  great  house.  Now,  you  must 
observe,  the  bay  forms  a  perfect  crescent.  The 
castle,  surmounted  by  Dunequoich  aforesaid,  and 
skirted,  at  great  distance,  by  offices,  adorns  one 
end  of  the  crescent;  on  the  very  edge  of  the  bay 
stands  Inverary,  a  mean-looking,  yet  cheerful  and 
populous  place,  deriving  a  peculiar  beauty  from  its 
situation,  'Tis  one  street  facing  the  water ;  and 
beyond  it,  a  fine  road,  surrounded  by  a  beautiful 
lawn,  sprinkled  with  prodigious  beech-trees,  sweeps 
from  one  horn  of  the  crescent  to  the  other."  This 
lady  mentions,  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
duke  of  her  day  to  remove  the  old  town,  in  order 
to  augment  the  solitary  grandeur  of  the  house. 
This  has  been  done ;  but  the  result  she  predicted 
with  tolerable  accuracy.  "  Nature  here  is  so  vast 
and  grand,  that  the  works  of  art  diminish  to  noth- 
ing in  her  awful  presence."  The  interior  of  the 
castle  is  well  worth  seeing — especially  the  old 
feudal  hall,  hung  round  with  all  the  panoply  of 
war.  Mrs  Grant's  fine  description,  is  even  yet 
applicable:  "  First  then,  the  gothic  grandeur  of 
the  hall,  open  to  the  top  and  lighted  by  a  cupola, 
delighted  me ;  'tis  like  a  receptacle  for  the  train 
of  a  mighty  chieftain,  and  quite  in  unison  with  the 
boldness  of  the  neighbouring  scenery.  There  is  a 
kind  of  gallery  or  corridor  carried  round  this  hall, 
from  which  you  enter  the  upper  rooms  ;  the  doors 
of  these  you  see  all  in  one  view  as  you  stand  in 
the  hall.     'Tis  not  like  any  thing  you  ever  saw 


118  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

before ;  *  yet  I  am  sure  you  would  admire  it.  We 
were  suddenly  ushered  into  a  beautiful  summer 
parlour,  which  had  a  sashed  door  that  opened  into 
a  beautiful  lawn.  Will  you  believe  me  when  I  tell 
you  that  I  thought  for  a  moment  I  was  in  the  open 
fields,  surrounded  by  people  engaged  in  rural  sports, 
the  scene  was  so  lively,  and  rushed  so  suddenly  on 
me.  The  first  thing  that  awoke  me  to  the  know- 
ledge of  what  I  was  about,  was  the  different  style 
of  the  countenances  from  those  I  was  accustomed 
to  see.  What  should  this  be,  but  a  room  hung 
with  Gobelin's  tapestry,  whose  magical  perfection 
of  resemblance  made  you  think  the  haymakers 
lived  and  moved."  When  Burns,  mounted  on 
"  Jenny  Geddes,"  made  his  first  Highland  tour, 
in  June,  1787,  he  found  the  principal  inn  of 
Inverary  occupied  by  a  visiting  party  to  the  late 
duke,  and  wrote  on  the  window  of  the  inn: 

"  Whoe'er  he  be  that  sojourns  here, 
I  pity  much  his  case, 

Unless  he's  come  to  wait  upon 
The  lord  their  god  his  grace; 

There's  naething  here  but  highland  pride, 
But  highland  cauld  an'  hunger ; 

If  Providence  has  sent  me  here, 
'Twas  surely  in  his  anger." — 

He  afterwards  wrote  to  his  friend  Ainslie,  from 
Arroquhar,  "  I  write  you  this,  on  my  tour  through 
a  country  where  savage  streams  tumble  over  savage 
mountains,  thinly  overspread  with  savage  flocks, 
which  starvingly  support  as  savage  inhabitants." 
The  town  of  Inverary  joins  with  Ayr,  Irvine,-; 
Campbelton,  and  Oban,  in  returning  a  member  to[; 
Parliament.  It  is  now  high  time  we  were  taking 
the  tourist  out  of  the  shadow  of  Dunequoich,  which 

*  Camperdown  House,  near  Dundee,  appears,  though  on  a 
smaller  scale,  to  be  constructed  on  the  same  model. 


STEAM-BOA.T  VOCKKi:  GUIDE  1  1  'J 

shoots  up  from  the  water's  edge  to  the  height  of 
700  feet,  and  is  covered  to  the  top  with  fine  full 
grown  trees.  There  is  a  road  to  Glenorchy  and 
Loch  Awe  through  the  vale  of  the  Aray. 

At  a  little  distance  from  Inverary  is  the  seques- 
tered glen  of  Essachosan.  On  the  way  to  it, 
through  a  long  avenue  of  elms,  the  tourist's  atten- 
tion may  he  called  to  'the  marriage- tree.'  This  is 
a  large  lime,  whose  trunk  separates  a  few  feet  above 
the  ground  into  two  principal  stems,  which  are  re- 
united at  the  height  of  about  20  feet  by  means  of  a 
smaller  branch  which  extends  from  the  one  and  is 
ingrafted  into  the  other.  About  three  miles  below 
the  town  is  the  bridge  of  Douglas,  thrown  over  the 
stream  of  that  name.  The  scenery  is  here  very 
picturesque  ;  the  bridge  is  very  ancient,  and  sup- 
posed to  have  been  constructed  by  the  Romans. 
The  views  of  Loch  Fyne,  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  Inverary  are  varied  and  beautiful.  In  front  of 
the  castle  it  spreads  out  into  a  noble  bay,  forming 
an  irregular  circle  of  about  15  miles  in  circum- 
ference. This  great  arm  of  the  sea  is  32  miles  in 
length,  from  its  mouth  at  Skipness  castle  on  the 
frith  of  Clyde,  to  Glenfyne ;  its  breadth  varies  from 
3  miles  to  12. 

II.  We  will  now  re-conduct  the  tourist  from 
Inverary  to  Glasgow,  by  way  of  St.  Catherine's 
and  Loch  Goil.  St.  Catherine's  is  about  4  miles 
distant  from  Inverary,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
loch,  3  miles  below  Cairndow.  From  this  place, 
the  distance  to  Loch  Goil  head  is  7  miles  by  an 
excellent  road.  There  is  much  wild  and  romantic 
beauty  about  the  upper  portion  of  Loch  Goil. 
Macculloch  is  of  opinion  that  a  rude  valley  in  the 


120  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

vicinity  is  worth  visiting.  Indeed  the  general 
surface  of  Lochgoilhead  parish  is  very  rugged. 
From  its  barren  mountains  crop  out  huge  rocks 
and  precipices.  The  road  from  St.  Catherine's  ferry 
is  itself  very  steep,  crosses  a  high  ridge,  and  descends 
into  a  sweet  valley,  which,  though  flanked  by  bare 
and  treeless  summits,  is  both  wooded  and  cultivat- 
ed below.  The  mountains  of  the  western  ex- 
tremity of  the  Grampian  range  running  into  the 
parish,  possess  highly  expressive  names,  as  Ben- 
una,  the  hill  of  grass  ;  Benanlochan,  the  hill  of 
the  loch  ;  Benluibhain,  the  hill  of  herbs  ;  Benthio- 
laire,  the  hill  of  water  cresses  ;  and  Bendonich,  the 
hill  of  St.  Donich.  Ardkinglass  castle,  is  rendered 
Aird  aclioinglass,  in  the  old  statistical  account, 
"the  residence  of  the  grey  dog,"  on  the  supposition 
that  the  great  extent  of  plain  ground  around  it  pecu- 
liarly admitted  of  the  pleasures  of  the  chase.  Cairn  - 
dow  is  the  first  and  only  stage,  on  the  military  road 
betwixt  Inverary  and  Arroquhar  ;  it  is  but  a  small 
hamlet,  near  the  northern  extremity  of  Loch  Fyne, 
but  has  an  excellent  inn,  and  a  steamer  from  In- 
verary crosses  every  morning,  in  good  time  for 
breakfast.  Formerly,  persons  going  to  the  low 
country  required  to  climb  the  duke's  bowling- 
green,  or  to  sail  in  an  open  boat  from  one  head- 
land to  another,  exposed  to  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  weather.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  serious  undertak- 
ing, especially  in  the  winter  season,  to  go  by  water  to 
Greenock.  The  road  presently  pointed  out  from  St. 
Catherine's  to  Lochgoilhead  village,  is  now,  how- 
ever, traversed  by  a  coach.  Lochgoilhead  village 
itself,  contains  but  a  small  population.  Drumsairy 
House,  with  fine  woods  and  rocky  hills,  adjoins  it; 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  121 

several  neat  cottages  have  recently  been  built  at  the 
head  of  the  loch,  as  the  locality  is  desirable,  and  the 
proprietor  disposed  to  feu.  The  craggy  sterility 
of  the  shores  on  both  sides  of  the  loch  is  concealed, 
and  they  ornamented,  by  the  beautiful  coppices  of 
oak,  chesnut,  ash,  lime,  beech,  pine,  larch,  spruce, 
mountain-ash,  <fcc,  which  skirt  them.  Mr  Dou- 
glass of  Glenfinnert,  has  planted  a  good  deal 
along  the  south  side  of  Loci}  Goyle.  A  considerable 
trade  in  bark  is  done  from  these  coppices,  which 
are  cut  down  in  succession  every  21st  year. 

The  tourist  should  not  fail  to  examine  the 
caves  of  this  district,  which  are  numerous  and  re- 
markable. Uamhmhsi  Sain  Reock,  "the  cave  of 
the  son  of  swarthy  John,"  derives  its  name  from 
having  been  the  sanctuary  of  one  of  the  lairds  of 
Ardkinglass,  (whose  patronymic  that  is,)  during 
a  whole  year.  The  interior,  dry  but  dark,  is 
spacious  and  nearly  circular,  being  more  than 
seventy  feet  in  circumference,  and  ten  feet 
high,  with  vaults  resembling  cellars  all  around, 
and,  in  one  part,  a  narrow  passage  leading  to  a 
small  chamber,  not  unlike  a  sleeping  chamber. 
Uamh  ne  plundarain  is  the  most  remarkable  of 
the  many  caves.  Its  small  opening,  concealed  by 
thick  heath  and  ferns,  is  at  the  bottom  of  a  small 
area,  between  two  rocks,  in  the  face  of  a  steep  hill, 
a  narrow  and  troublesome  passage  six  feet  long, 
through  which  a  person  of  ordinary  size  can  creep 
with  difficulty.  These  caves  were  frequently 
in  former  times  infested  by  banditti, — but  as 
often  employed  in  preserving  the  persons  and 
property  of  the  inhabitants  during  predatory 
wars.      In    Macculloch's  opinion,  a  glen  of  this 


122  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST^ 

neighbourhood  called  Hell's  glen,  "  equals,  or  per- 
haps exceeds  Glencroe  in  wildness  and  character."" 

From  the  head  of  the  loch  there  is  a  good  road 
along  the  western  side  to  Ardentinny  ;  (see  p.  51.) 
but  the  tourist  will  probably  descend  the  loch  into 
Loch  Long  by  the  steamer.  The  principal  feature 
in  Loch  Goil  is  Carrick  castle,  an  ancient  seat  of 
the  Dunmore  family.  It  is  a  fine  and  impressive 
ruin,  situated  on  a  high  and  nearly  insulated  rock, 
above  which  tower  very  lofty  mountains.  From 
this  point  to  where  Loch  Goil  branches  off  from 
Loch  Long,  the  shores  are  bold  and  magnificent. 
The  peninsular  point  opposite  to  Ardentinny  is 
called  Corran.  It  is  the  extremity  of  that  range 
of  hills  whose  singularly  rugged  outline  attracted 
the  early  attention  of  the  tourist  when  first  sailing 
down  the  frith,  and  which  is  called, — *  quasi  lucus 
a  non  lucendo', — Argyle's  Bowling  green.  The 
tourist  is  now  embarked  on  Loch  Long  from  which 
we  have  already  conducted  him  to  Glasgow,  (see 
p.110.) 

III.  There  is  another  short  route  by  which  the 
tourist  may  either  proceed  to,  or  return  from  In- 
verary,  namely,  by  Strachur  and  Loch  Eck.  Stra- 
chur  is  a  finely  situated  inn  about  5  miles  further 
down  the  loch  than  St.  Catherine's.  There  is  a 
regular  ferry  from  Creggans,  5  miles  below  Inve- 
rary,  to  Strachur ;  and  during  the  season  a  steam- 
boat plies  betwixt  Strachur  and  Inverary,  so  as  to 
complete  the  regular  line  of  communication  from 
Glasgow  by  Kilmun  and  Loch  Eck  to  Inverary, 
which  is  a  favourite  route.  Strachur  is  12  miles 
from  Ardentinny  by  Glenfinnart,  and  7  from 
*  Highlands  and  Western  Isles,  Vol.  II.  p.  11. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  123 

Loch  Eck.  Coppices  of  oak,  ash,  birch,  alder,  elm, 
hazel,  and  mountain-ash,  are  very  extensive  in 
Strachur  ;  and  one  clearing  of  the  whole  has  been 
estimated  at  £6,000  or  £7,000.  The  Strachur 
caves  are  equally  curious  with  those  of  the  neigh- 
bouring parishes ;  one  is  remarkable  for  the  length 
of  time  during  which  a  stone  thrown  into  it  con- 
tinues to  roll  with  a  noise  as  if  it  were  rolling  over 
sheets  of  copper ;  and  another  has  alternations,  so 
far  as  it  has  been  explored,  of  corridors  and  apart- 
ments, the  former  wide  enough  each  to  admit  four 
men  abreast,  and  the  latter  large  enough  each  to 
contain  fifty  men.  Amongst  the  hills  thus  caverned 
appear  some  of  a  perfectly  conical  form  :  in  other 
places  remarkable  standing  stones  figure  in  the 
landscape.  On  the  Loch  Fyne  shore,  Castle 
Lachlane  is  an  elegant  building,  and  Strachur 
House  is  a  fine  modern  mansion.  The  introduc- 
tion of  sheep-stock  on  the  hill  pastures  has  helped 
to  exchange  their  black  and  heathy  to  a  more  ver- 
dant character.  The  road  along  Loch  Eck  pro- 
ceeds for  some  distance  through  a  delightful  fringe 
of  trees  and  copse,  and  presents  an  agreeable  suc- 
cession of  aspects.  But  once  the  steam  conveyance, 
for  some  seasons  interrupted,  is  again  resumed,  the 
scenery  of  the  loch  will  principally  be  seen  from 
the  water ;  the  mountains,  though  not  lofty,  are 
finely  formed,  graceful  and  varied  in  outline,  some 
of  them  green  to  the  top,  others  sloping  down 
to  the  lake,  while  others  are  precipitous  and  rocky. 
In  fact,  many  routes  may  be  found  far  less  interesting 
and  pleasant,  than  that  which  the  homeward  bound 
traveller  takes  from  Inverary,  when  he  proceeds  by 


124  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

,  the  head  of  Loch  Eck.  Carriages  are  provided  at 
Strachur  to  convey  the  regular  passengers  to  Loch 
Eck,  where  they  embark  in  a  small  steamer  which 
conveys  them  to  the  foot  of  the  loch,  whence  they 
are  again  transported  by  cars  to  Kilmun  or  the 
Holy  loch,  where  a  steamer  waits  to  convey  them 
to  Glasgow.  Loch  Eck,  in  the  estimation  of  Dr. 
Macculloch,  "  is  not  worth  exploring  :"  we  beg  to 
differ  from  him,  though  we  do  not  mean  to  apply 
to  it  the  epithets  either  of  exquisite,  grand,  or  sub- 
lime. It  is  a  very  pleasing  miniature  lake,  em- 
bosomed in  green  mountains  of  graceful  and  rounded 
outline.  Its  margin  is  here  and  there  fringed  with 
a  slight  coppice,  but  in  general  edged  by  the  firm 
green  turl'  which  clothes  the  mountain-feet,  and 

"  soft  it  seems  to  lie 
And  tenderly  protected," 

amongst  the  green  hills  of  Cowal.  Its  length  is 
about  6  miles  ;  its  breadth  seldom  exceeds  half-a- 
mile.  It  occupies  the  centre  of  the  peninsula 
formed  by  the  approach  of  Loch  Fyne  and  Loch 
Long  to  each  other.  Its  principal  tributary  is  the 
Cur  which  rises  in  the  Loch  Goil  mountains,  and 
flows  into  the  north  side  of  Loch  Eck,  after  a  tor- 
tuous course  through  the  vale  of  Strachur.  At 
its  southern  extremity  Loch  Eck  discharges  its 
waters  by  the  Eachaig,  which  enters  the  head  of 
the  Holy  loch  after  a  course  of  about  2J  miles. 
Both  these  rivers  afford  fine  trout ing  ;  the  latter 
especially  after  an  August  flood,  when  large  quanti- 
ties of  sea-trout  enter  the  stream  from  the  Holy 
loch.  Near  the  head  of  Loch  Eck  is  a  little  round 
hill  called  Tom-a-ehorachasich,  near  to  which  tra- 
dition  represents  a  certain  prince   of  Norway  to 


STEAM-BOAT  TCCKET  GUIDE.  125 

have  been  defeated,  slain,  and  buried,  in  a  contest 
with  the  natives.  There  is  much  beauty  in  the 
road  between-  Loch  Eck  and  Kilmun,  especially  at 
the  point  where  as  from  a  platform  you  catch  the 
first  blue  gleam  of  the  Holy  loch. 

IV.  It  now  remains  for  us  to  conduct  the  tour- 
ist to  Inverary  by  the  long  route,  or  the  whole 
extent  of  Loch  Fyne.  We  have  already  in  our 
third  tour  conducted  him  to  Rothsay,  (see  p.  58). 
From  this  point  the  steamer  generally  proceeds  up 
the  Kyles  of  Bute,  as  the  narrow  strait  between 
Bute  and  the  mainland  of  Argyleshire  is  called. 
After  passing  the  mouth  of  Loch  Straven,  the 
steamer  approaches  the  ferry,  and  the  channel 
rapidly  narrows.  "  Though  the  passage  of  the 
Kyles,"  says  Macculloch,  "  is  everywhere  inter- 
esting, it  is  more  particularly  beautiful  between 
this  ferry  and  the  entrance  of  Loch  Ridan,  where 
it  is  contracted,  as  well  as  varied,  by  four  islands. 
These,  and  the  forms  of  the  land  on  both  sides, 
render  the  passage  so  narrow  and  intricate,  that, 
for  a  considerable  space,  it  seems  to  be  at  an  end, 
repeatedly,  in  working  through  it.  It  is  the  same 
indeed  for  nearly  four  miles  through  this  intricate 
and  narrow  strait  ;  the  land  closing  in,  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  appear  to  meet  from  the  opposite 
sides.  Thus  while,  in  some  places,  we  feel  as  if 
passing  through  the  labyrinths  of  art  alpine  river, 
in  others  we  appear  to  be  enclosed  within  a  lake. 
It  is  only  by  the  fall  and  rise  of  the  tide,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  sea-weeds  on  the  rocks,  that  we 
are  led  to  suspect  the  maritime  nature  of  this  chan- 
nel ;  since  it  is  so  far  removed  from  the  sea,  and  so 
involved  in  all  that  class  of  ornament  and  scenery 


126  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

which* we  are  accustomed  to  associate  with  fresh 
water,  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  divest  ourselves 
of  the  idea  of  being  in  an  inland  lake.  At  the 
same  time,  it  is  no  less  beautiful  than  extraordi- 
nary ;  the  land  rising  suddenly  and  high  from  the 
water,  often  into  lofty  cliffs  interspersed  and  varied 
with  wood,  the  trees  growing  from  the  fissures  of 
the  rocks  even  at  the  very  margin  of  the  sea,  and 
aiding,  with  the  narrowness  of  the  strait  and  the 
height  of  the  land,  to  produce  a  sober,  green,  sha- 
dowy tone  of  forest-scenery,  which  adds  much  to 
the  romantic  effect  of  this  fairy-like  sea."  This  is 
at  once  a  correct  and  engaging  description. 

Leaving  the  entrance  to  Loch  Ridan*  also  upon 
the  right,  the  steamer  soon  emerges  from  the  con- 
fined channel  into  the  open  space  between  Aird- 
lamont  point  on  the  mainland,  and  Ettrick  bay  in 
Bute.  The  majestic  heights  of  Arran  are  seen 
here  in  a  very  imposing  form.  On  rounding 
Airdlamont  point  the  steamer  is  supposed  to  have 
entered  Loch  Fyne.  Here  on  the  left  is  Inchmar- 
nock  with  the  remains  of  a  chapel ;  and  soon  after 
we  pass  another  islet  called  Skate  island,  from 
which  there  is  an  extensive  prospect  up  Loch  Fyne. 
The  coast  of  Kintyre  as  here  seen  on  the  left  is 
peculiarly  wild  and  rugged,  and,  as  the  boat  nears 
Last  Tarbet,  seems  to  forbid  all  approach  by  its 
impending  rocks.  The  harbour,  however,  once 
entered  is  remarkably  secure.  We  shall  have  a 
subsequent   opportunity   of  describing    this    place 

*  This  beautiful  little  loch,  as  well  as  Loch  Straven,  may  be 
easily  visited  by  a  boating-party  from  Rothsay  or  Port-Banna- 
tyne.  Care  should  be  taken,  however,  not  to  allow  the  boat  to 
get  aground  by  the  receding  of  the  tide,  if  the  party  ascend  the 
loch,  as  it  U  very  shallow  at  the  upper  extremity. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  127 

in  our  next  tour.  Loch  Fyne  merits  a  few- 
general  observations.  The  loch  owe3  its  cele- 
brity to  its  herrings,  which,  time  out  of  mind, 
have  enjoyed  a  pre-eminent  reputation,  even 
amongst  the  "  kings  of  fish.'*  From  July  or 
August,  to  the  1st  of  January,  annually,  Loch 
Fyne  swarms  with  herring  shoals  of  superior 
quality  to  any  found  in  the  western  seas.  At  one 
time  20,000  barrels  of  herrings,  valued  at  25s.  a 
barrel,  were  actually  caught  and  cured  within  its 
confines.  The  take,  of  late  years,  has  however 
declined.  Loch  Fyne  extends  32  miles  in  length 
from  the  frith  of  Clyde,  in  a  north-westerly  direc- 
tion, betwixt  the  islands  of  Bute  and  Arran,  form- 
ing the  intermediate  boundary  of  the  districts  of 
Cowal  and  Kintyre.  Lochgilp,  the  arm  which  it 
sends  out  on  the  west  side,  is  half  way  up.  The 
opinion  of  Pennant,  that  the  herring  periodi- 
cally emigrates  from  within  the  arctic  circle  to  the 
British  seas,  to  deposit  its  spawn,  is  rejected  by 
modern  zoologists.  Yarrell  *  states  that  the  herring 
inhabits  the  deep  waters  all  round  the  British 
coasts,  and  approaches  the  shores  in  the  month 
of  August  and  September,  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
positing its  spawn,  which  takes  place  in  October,  or 
the  beginning  of  November.  The  mode  of  fishing 
for  herrings  is  by  drift  nets.  It  is  found  that  the 
fish  strike  the  nets  in  much  greater  numbers  when 
it  is  dark,  than  when  it  is  light ;  the  darkest  nights, 
therefore,  and  those  in  which  the  surface  of  the 
water  is  ruffled  by  a  breeze,  are  considered  most 
favourable.  To  this  we  shall  have  occasion  to  allude 

*  British  Fishes. 


128  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

when  we  conduct  the  tourist  to  Oban.  Leaving1 
Tarbet  and  pursuing  our  course  northwards,  we 
pass  Barmore  island,  and  the  rugged  district  of 
Maoldhu,  on  the  left,  after  which  we  gain  a  sight 
of  the  village  of  Lochgilphead  and  the  extremity  of 
the  Crinan  canal.  This  canal  is  only  9  miles  in 
length,  but  has  no  fewer  than  15  locks.  It  was 
formed  to  save  doubling  the  Mull  of  Kintyre,  which 
is  both  a  tedious  and  dangerous  navigation,  espe- 
cially to  small  vessels.  The  anchorage  otF  the 
point  of  Silvercraigs  near  Loch  Gilp,  is  a  very 
striking  and  picturesque  spot ;  and  hence  onwards 
to  Inverary,  on  this  side,  the  whole  shore  is  inter- 
esting. The  opposite  shore,  however,  offers  nothing 
remarkable,  with  the  exception  perhaps  of  Castle 
Lauchlan.  Opposite  to  Minart,  at  some  distance 
from  Silvercraigs,  is  Kilmory,  and  on  the  right 
Kilfinan  church,  and  Gordon  bank  ;  farther  on  we 
pass  Otter  ferry  ;  3  miles  farther,  Lochgair  house  ; 
3  miles  more,  Minart  ;  then  Crarae  inn  ;  and  2 
miles  farther  on,  Goatfield.  Three  miles  from  this 
point  is  Creggan  ferry  nearly  opposite  to  Strachur 
park.   (See  p.  49.) 

SEVENTH  TOUR. 

INVERARY    TO  OBAN. 

Cladtch,  9 — Loch  Awe,  12 — Dalmally,  16 — Tay- 
nirilt,   28 — Loch   Etive — Ben    Cruachan — Ard- 
ckattan  priori/  —  Connd  ferry ,  35 — Dunstaffnage 
castle,  38 — Ooan,  40. 
This  is  a  pleasant  tour,  and  if  performed  by  land 

will  afford  the  tourist  an  opportunity  of  visiting 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  129 

two  of  our  finest  inland  lakes, — Loch  Awe  and 
Loch  Etive.  The  traveller  first  passes  through 
Glenaray,  the  first  4  miles  of  which  are  finely 
wooded.  At  the  distance  of  6  miles,  the  road 
ascends  a  bleak  and  steep  hill,  on  surmounting 
which,  and  beginning  to  descend  towards  Cladich, 
a  fine  view  is  obtaiued  of  Loch  Awe,  divided  into 
two  branches  and  darkly  overshadowed  by  the  lofty 
Ben  Cruachan.  This  is  called  '  Burke's  view,' 
having  arrested  the  attention  and  excited  the  ad- 
miration of  the  author  of  the  *  Essay  on  the  Sub- 
lime and  Beautiful.'  At  this  point  Ben  Cruachan 
is  immediately  in  front  of  the  spectator.  Towards 
the  east  are  seen  the  castle  of  Kilchurn,  and  the 
openings  of  Glenstrae  and  Glenorchy;  westwards 
the  lake  appears  like  a  river  winding  its  sinuous 
course  among  dark  heathy  hills  and  moors.  A 
wooded  island  at  the  feet  of  the  spectator  is  Innis- 
dubh,  or  the  Black  island ;  beyond  it  is  Innishail, 
or  the  Fair  island,  on  which  are  the  remains  of  a 
small  monastery,  with  a  burial  place  containing 
several  very  ancient  tombstones.  Farther  up  the 
loch  is  Innisfraoch,  or  the  Heather  isle,  the  Hes- 
perides  of  Highland  tradition.  There  are  upwards 
of  twenty  islets  in  this  loch.  Loch  Awe  is  about 
-'  4  miles  in  length  ;  but  in  the  greater  part  of  its 
extent  not  above  a  mile  in  breadth.  It  discharges 
its  waters  into  Loch  Etive  by  the  river  Awe, 
which  flows  from  an  offset  in  its  northern  side, 
near  the  eastern  extremity,  through  a  wild  ravine 
in  the  western  buttress  of  Ben  Cruachan.  The 
shores  of  this  lake,  and  the  recesses  of  the  sur- 
rounding mountains,  were  the  retreat  of  th<< 
C  ampbells  when  hard-pressed  by  their  foes ;  and 
K 


130  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

fheir  sense  of  the  security  here  afforded  them  was 
expressed  in  the  well-known  taunt,  'It's  a  far  cry 
to  Lochow !'  Ben  Cruachan  is  3400  feet  in  height 
and  his  base  occupies  an  area  of  20  square  miles. 
Kilchurn,  or  Coalchuirn  castle,  was  built  in  1440 
by  the  lady  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell  of  Glenorchy, 
who  applied  the  principal  portion  of  seven  years 
rents  of  her  husband's  estates  to  this  purpose.  Sir 
Colin  was  a  knight-templar,  and  at  this  time  i 
foreign  parts.  It  is  a  noble  relic  of  feudal  gran- 
deur ;  and,  according  to  Macculloch,  "  in  the 
Western  Highlands  at  least  claims  the  pre-emi- 
nence, no  less  from  its  magnitude  and  the  integrity 
of  its  ruins,  than  from  the  very  picturesque  arrange- 
ments of  the  building."  The  rocky  elevation  on 
which  it  stands  is  connected  by  a  flat  alluvial 
meadow  with  the  higher  shore,  and  at  no  very  re- 
mote period  may  have  been  an  insulated  rock.  It 
was  garrisoned  so  late  as  1745;  but  having  been 
thoughtlessly  stript  of  its  roof  has  fallen  into  decay. 
There  is  excellent  trout-fishing  on  Loch  Awe,  and 
good  accommodation  for  fishers. 

There  is  a  good  inn  at  Dalmally;  and  from  it  a 
fine  view  is  obtained  of  the  beautiful  vale  of 
Glenorchy.  The  road  from  Dalmally  to  Taynuilt 
passes  the  new  church  of  Glenorchy,  and  takes  a 
long  circuit  round  the  head  of  the  loch.  Two  miles 
from  Dalmally,  we  cross  the  river  Strae  which 
descends  through  Glenstrae  on  the  right.  After 
any  considerable  fall  of  rain  there  is  a  cataract  up 
this  glen,  at  a  point  visible  from  the  bridge,  formed 
by  a  small  stream  which  throws  itself,  in  four  suc- 
cessive leaps,  over  a  precipice  200  feet  in  height. 
Passing  the  farm-house  of  Corry,  the  road  skirts 


'STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  131 

the  wooded  base  of  Ben  Cruachan,  the  tourist  hav- 
ing the  great  arm  of  the  lake  by  which  its  waters 
are  discharged  on  his  left.  At  the  distance  of 
7  miles  from  Dalmally,  an  extensive  view  of 
the  lake  and  its  islands  is  obtained.  From  this 
point,  the  road  begins  to  ascend  the  side  of  Ben 
Cruachan,  and  through  the  magnificent  pass  of 
Awe,  where  John  of  Lorn,  the  son  of  Allaster, 
made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  repel  the  Bruce.* 
Proceeding  onwards  about  a  couple  of  miles,  Loch 
Etive's  waters  come  in  sight,  and  the  little  village 
of  Bunawe.  Crossing  an  old  bridge,  and  passing 
the  church  on  the  right,  we  arrive  at  the  inn  of 
Taynuilt  on  the  south  side  of  Loch  Etive. 

The  finest  portion  of  this  lake  is  the  upper  part, 
from  Bunawe  ferry.  From  this  point  the  loch 
stretches  to  the  foot  of  Buachaille  Etive,f  a  dis- 
tance of  about  10  miles,  amidst  very  impressive 
mountain-solitudes.  Bunawe  js  the  point  from 
which  the  ascent  of  Ben  Cruachan  can  be  best 
effected.  "  Compared  to  Ben  Lomond,  Cruachan," 
says  Macculloch,  is  (also)  a  giant,  and  its  grasp  is 
no  less  gigantic.  From  the  bold  granite  precipices 
of  its  sharp  and  rugged  summit,  which  is  literally 
a  point,  we  look  down  its  red  and  furrowed  sides 
into  the  upper  part  of  Loch  Etive,  and  oyer  this 
magnificent  group  of  mountains,  which,  extending 

*  While  Bruce's  main  body,  engaged  in  a  skirmish  with  the 
men  of  Lorn,  detained  their  attention  to  the  front  of  their  posi- 
tion,  another  party  ascended  the  mountain  with  a  select  body 
of  archery,  and  from  the  heights  above  the  pass  so  galled  the 
Argyleshire  men  that  their  resistance  was  speedily  changed 
into  a  precipitate  flight.     See  Note  D  to  *  Lord  of  the  Isles.' 

f  The  elegant  cone  of  this  mountain  forms  also  a  principal 
feature  in  the  scenery  of  the  upper  part  of  Glencoe,  whicb 
may  be  entered  from  the  head  of  Loch  Ktive. 


132  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

northward  and  eastward,  display  one  of  the  finest 
landscapes  of  mere  mountains  in  the  Highlands. 
Its  commanding  position  not  only  enables  us  thus 
to  bring  under  our  feet  the  whole  of  this  group  as 
far  as  Appin  and  Giencoe,  and  even  to  Ben  Nevis, 
but  opens  a  view  of  the  whole  of  the  eastern  ocean  of 
mountains,  reaching  from  Rannoch  as  far  as  Ben 
Lawers  and  Ben  Lomond,  and,  beyond  them,  to 
lands  which  only  cease  to  be  visible  because  they 
at  length  blend  with  the  sk)\  So  marked  also  are 
their  characters, — so  rocky  and  precipitous  their 
summits,  and  so  varied  their  forms, — that  this  land- 
scape excels,  in  variety  as  in  picturesque  character, 
all  other  landscapes  of  mere  mountains,  excepting, 
perhaps  that  from  Ben  Lair  in  Ross-shire.  The 
view  which  it  yields  of  the  opener  country  is  not 
much  inferior  to  that  of  Ben  Lawers,  if  indeed  it 
is  inferior  ;  and,  in  this  respect,  it  can  only  be 
compared  with  that  mountain  and  Ben  Lomond. 
While  it  looks  down  on  the  long  sinuosities  of 
Loch  Awe,  and  over  the  irregular  lands  of  Lorn, 
bright  with  its  numerous  lakes,  it  displays  all  the 
splendid  bay  of  Oban  and  the  Linnhe  loch,  with 
Jura,  Isla,  and  all  the  other  islands  of  this  coast : 
commanding,  besides  the  horizon  of  the  sea,  even 
beyond  Tirey  and  Coll,  together  with  the  rude 
mountains  of  Mull,  and  the  faint  and  blue  hills  01 
Rum  and  Sky, — a  scene  as  unusual  as  it  is  render  - 
ed  various  by  the  intermixture  of  land  and  water, 
by  the  brilliant  contrast  of  those  bright  and  intri- 
cate channels  with  the  dark  and  misty  mountains 
and  islands  by  which  they  are  separated,  and  by 
the  bold  and  decided  forms  of  all  the  elements  of 
this  magnificent  landscape." 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  133 

Our  province  is  principally  on  the  water,  and  we 
pause  to  commend  Loch  Awe  to  the  attention  of 
the  tourist— as  presenting,  at  its  extremities,  scenes 
of  beauty  and  interest  that  have  not  hitherto  been 
sufficiently  appreciated.  Loch  Awe  is  thirty  miles 
in  length,  but  for  the  most  part  not  exceeding  one 
mile  in  breadth,  although  not  less  than  four  miles 
broad  at  the  opening  of  the  river  Awe :  yet,  even 
at  the  broadest,  its  expanse  is  absorbed  in  the 
grandeur  of  its  mountains,  the  far-flung  shadows 
of  the  lofty  Ben  Cruachan  being  confronted  by 
the  striking  and  magnificent  forms  of  Ben  Laoidh, 
Ben-a-chleidh,andMeall-nan-Tighearnan.  Should 
the  tourist  obtain  a  pleasure-boat,  he  will  be  well 
rewarded  for  his  pains  by  a  sail  along  the  full 
extent  of  the  lake.  A  number  of  islands,  heighten- 
ing the  beauty  of  the  scene,  lie  at  the  opening  of  the 
river  Awe.  Innes  Fraochor,  the  heather  isle,  con- 
tains an  ancient  castle,  once  the  residence  of  the 
chief  of  the  Macnaughtans,  a  small  but  solitary 
fortalice,  its  isolated  walls  overshadowed  by  trees 
and  bushes,  the  haunts  of  waterfowl.  This  island 
is  the  fabled  Hesperides  of  Celtic  poetry,  which 
sings,  with  all  the  felicity  of  classic  song,  of  its  de- 
licious serpent-guarded  apples.  Dr  Beattie,  in  his 
"  Scotland  Illustrated,"  has  woven  out  of  this 
a  lengthened  legend.  Innishail,  or  the  fair 
island,  which  lies  nearer  Cladich,  contains  the 
remains  of  a  small  monastery,  once  of  Cistercian 
nuns,  celebrated  for  the  humility  and  purity  of 
their  lives  and  manners.  Its  old  churchyard  has 
many  curious  ancient  tombstones,  some  sculptured 
with  religious  emblems,  others  with  the  warlike 
claymore,  figures  of  mail-clad  knights,  crusaders, 


134  THE  SCOTTISH  TOUllIST's 

and  even,  in  one  instance,  a  coronet,  arms,  and 
numerous  quarterings.  To  the  east  are  seen  the 
openings  of  Glenstrae  and  Glenorchy,  and  the  eye 
traces  the  course  of  either  valley  by  the  mountains 
which  enclose  it,  till  they  lessen  gradually  in  the 
distance.  Glenstrae  was  formerly  the  home  of  Clan 
Alpine — the  Macgregors  ;  not  a  stone  of  whose 
dwellings  now  remains,  although  the  Highlander 
still  retains  many  traditions  of  their  prowess. 
From  behind  a  stone,  still  pointed  out,  in  one  of 
the  wild  corries  of  Ben  Cruachan,  the  last  of  the 
outlaws  that  was  chased  as  a  wild  beast,  shot  the 
blood-hound  set  upon  his  track,  when  unable  to 
prolong  his  flight.  Far  to  the  westward,  the  long 
winding  lake  glitters  like  a  silvery  snake  amidst 
its  dark  setting  of  heathy  hills  and  moors.  For 
six  miles  west  to  Port  Sonnachan,  on  the  southern 
shore,  the  scenery  can  hardly  be  matched  in 
Great  Britain .  It  afterwards  possesses  less  variety, 
beauty,  and  grandeur,  till  near  its  western  extremity. 
Loch  Awe,  whatever  may  have  once  been  the  case, 
no  longer  empties  itself  westward  into  the  ocean. 
The  river  Awe  discharges  its  waters  into  Loch  Awe, 
at  Bunawe,  from  its  northern  side.  No  other  Scot- 
tish lake  empties  itself  by  a  lateral  channel  so  near 
its  head,  or  principal  feeder  ; — and  the  alteration 
of  a  very  few  feet  of  level,  would  even  now  cause 
Loch  Awe  to  escape,  like  other  similar  bodies  of 
water,  by  its  south-western  end,  where,  for  several 
miles,  the  bed  and  embankments  of  a  large  river 
may  yet  be  traced  in  all  its  windings,  proving  that 
this  fine  body  of  water  formerly  emptied  itself  by 
the  valley  of  Kilmartin  into  Loch  Crinan.  The 
lateral  gorge  at  the  foot  of  Ben  Cruachan,  through 


i 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  135 

which  its  waters  presently  flow,  bears  evident  marks 
of  having  been  disrupted  by  a  subsequent  convul- 
sion of  nature.  Approaching,  after  a  long  sail, 
the  western  end  of  Loch  Awe,  we  arrive  amongst 
the  scenes  of  Thomas  Campbell's  early  inspirations, 
when  he  wrote  : — . 

On  visiting  a  Scene  in  Argtleshire. 

"At  the  silence  of  twilight's  contemplative  hour, 

I  have  mused  in  a  sorrowful  mood, 
On  the  wind-shaken  weeds  that  embosom  the  tower 

Where  the  home  of  my  forefathers  stood. 
All  ruin'd  and  wild  is  their  roofless  abode, 

And  lonely  the  dark  raven's  sheltering-  tree; 

And  travell'd  by  few  is  the  grass  covered  road, 
Where  the  hunter  of  deer  arid  the  warrior  trode 

To  his  hills  that  encircle  the  sea." 

At  Kil-neuair,  on  the  south  side  of  the  lake,  we 
approach  the  fine  ruin  of  a  church,  with  an  oratory 
close  by  it,  indicated  as  once  an  important  religious 
station  by  the  beauty  of  the  workmanship  and  the 
traditions  connected  with  the  church.  The  tradi- 
tion concerning  the  building  of  this  church,  is,  that 
the  stones  were  quarried  and  dressed  on  Loch- 
Fyne  side,  near  Killevin;  and,  on  an  appointed  day, 
such  numbers  of  people  attended  as  to  form  one 
continuous  file  from  Killevin  to  Kil-neuair,  a  dis- 
tance of  twelve  miles,  so  that  each  stone  was 
handed  from  man  to  man,  from  the  quarry  to  its 
place  in  the  building.  Superstition  declared  the 
church  to  be  haunted,  long  after  it  ceased  to  be 
used  as  a  place  of  worship,  by  the  spirits  of  the 
dead  emancipated  from  purgatory.  A  tale  is  told 
of  a  tailor,  who  dared  to  disbelieve  in  ghosts,  and 
wagered  he  would  make  a  pair  of  trews  within  th« 
sacred  walls  at  midnight.    He  set  up  his  torch  and 


136  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

sat  boldly  down  to  work,  but  had  scarcely  well  be- 
gun, when  a  sepulchral  voice  demanded  his  atten- 
tion to  a  hand  of  gigantic  size,  emerging  from  a 
tomb,  "  am  faic  thu  a  chrdg  mhor  liath  so  a  thail- 
lair?  "  (seest  thou  this  huge  hoary  hand,  tailor?) 
"  Chi  mi  sin  's  fuaighidh  mi  so,  thubhairt  an  thail- 
lair,"  (I  see  that,  but  will  sew  this,  said  the  tailor). 
"  Am  faic  thu  an  ceann  mor  liath  so  a  thaillair  ?  " 
(seest  thou  this  large  grey  head,  tailor?)  "  Chi  mi 
sin  's  fuaighidh  mi  so,  thubhairt  an  taillair,"  (I  see 
that,  but  will  sew  this,  said  the  tailor).  This  con- 
versation continued  till  the  entire  skeleton  emerg- 
ed, when  the  tailor  fled ;  and  just  in  time,  says  the 
tradition,  for  the  bony  hand  outstretched  to  seize 
him,  struck  and  left  its  impression  on  the  wall. 

A  ruin  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  lake  is 
pointed  out  as  the  residence  of  Mac  Mich  Iain. 
It  stands  upon  a  rock,  rising  from  the  waters  of  the 
lake  on  one  side,  and  is  all  around  steep  and  rug- 
ged, without  a  pathway,  so  that  to  be  entered,  it  is 
scaled  with  difficulty.  Tradition  thus  announces 
the  cause  of  its  destruction  by  fire.  Mac  Mich 
Iain,  as  the  sovereign  chief  of  the  district,  demand- 
ed, amongst  other  privileges,  one  which  God  and 
nature  teach  to  be  the  right  of  the  husband  alone 
on  the  marriage  day.  Una,  the  fair  daughter  of  a 
powerful  vassal,  about  to  be  espoused  to  a  worthy 
youth  who  had  won  her  heart,  pleaded  and  wept 
for  exemption,  whilst  her  lover  remonstrated 
against  the  pain  and  disgrace ;  but  the  chief  was 
inexorable.  The  marriage  was  nevertheless  pro- 
ceeded with,  the  feast  was  spread,  Mac  Mich  Iain 
had  come  to  share  it,  when  suddenly  the  bride- 
groom was  missed  from  the  board,  and  the  alarm 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  J  37 

was  in  the  same  instant  raised,  that  Fionn-chairn 
Castle  was  in  flames  !  The  full  suspicion  flashed 
upon  the  chief,  and  forth  he  rushed  for  vengeance. 
The  willing  youth  encountered  and  slew  him  in  an 
intervening  wood ;  thus  the  sway  of  Mac  Iain  was 
over,  and  Fionn-chairn  Castle  became  a  ruin. 

The  western  extremity  of  the  lake  is  much 
diversified  by  hill  and  dale ;  the  land  rises  abruptly 
from  the  margin  of  the  lake,  to  the  elevation  of 
1000  feet.  Along  the  base  of  this  range  of  hills, 
there  is  a  thriving  belt  of  copse  wood,  consisting 
of  oak,  ash,  birch,  hazel,  <fcc,  which,  together  with 
the  projecting  headlands,  and  rich  verdure,  reach- 
ing to  the  very  summit,  presents  to  the  eye  of  the 
spectator  a  strikingly  bold  and  beautiful  outline, 
especially  in  sailing  along  Loch  Awe.  The  ridge 
of  hills  extends  westwards  about  seven  miles  con- 
tinuously to  Duntroon.  About  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  north-west  end  of  Loch  Awe,  Loch 
Elderline  is  beautifully  situated,  a  few  feet  higher, 
embosomed  in  mountains,  and  adorned  with  plan- 
tations, whose  lights  and  shades  are  enshrined  in 
its  calm  unruffled  surface.  Beautiful  and  exten- 
sive views  are  commanded  from  Craiginterave,  or 
the  Bull  Rock,  a  mile  west  of  the  ford  of  Loch 
Awe  ;  from  Benvan,  adjoining  the  hill  of  Kilmartin. 
1200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  command- 
ing Ben  Cruachan,  Benloi,  hills  of  Glencroe,  Cowal, 
and  the  Ayr,  Kintyre,  and  Arran  coasts ;  from 
the  cairn  of  Duchara,  the  property  of  Mr  Camp- 
bellof  Glenmore,  which  commands  the  western 
coast  for  sixty  miles;  but  especially  from  the  hill 
above  Poltalloch,  where  the  range  of  view  extends 
from  the  island  of  Islay  to  the  mountains  of  Mull, 


138  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Morven,  Kingairloch,  and  Appin,  embracing  an 
unrivalled  variety  of  picturesque  objects,  grouped 
and  placed  before  the  eye  in  one  panorama — the 
coast  fractured  into  islands  and  indented  into 
long  peninsular  ridges — Loch  Craignish,  immedi- 
ately beneath  the  spectator,  its  steep  and  rugged 
southern  shore  clothed  luxuriantly  with  woods, 
full  grown  trees  and  rocky  caves  crowding  on  one 
another;  its  natter  northern  coast  smiling  with 
corn  fields,  and  terminating  in  the  plantations  of 
Craignish  Castle — island  High  and  island  Ma- 
casken,  parallel  with  the  shores  of  Loch  Craig- 
nish, both  pleasantly  diversified  with  broken 
knolls  and  scattered  woods  divided  by  little  dells 
of  highest  verdure.  Numerous  other  islands  and 
islet  rocks,  with  creeks  between  gleaming  in  the 
sun,  occupy  the  centre  of  the  picture  ;  beyond 
which,  in  front  of  the  spectator,  rises  the  huge 
rounded  mass  of  Scarba,  separated  from  the  sister 
island  of  Jura  by  the  far-famed  gulf  or  whirlpool 
of  CorryvrecJcan  ;  while  every  variety  of  sea  craft 
is  seen,  from  the  stately  ship  under  a  cloud  of  can- 
vass to  the  slender  skiff  floating  like  a  sea  gull 
on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  each  pursuing  its 
devious  course.  Having  enjoyed  as  much  of  these 
summit  views — the  finest  panoramas  of  the  Scot- 
tish Highlands — as  time  will  permit,  the  tourisf 
may  return  to  the  head  of  the  lake. 

Loch  Etive  as  aptly  merits  a  page  of  descrip- 
tion as  Loch  Awe,  to  which  we  have  devoted  so 
many.  It  is  a  navigable  inlet  of  the  sea,  twenty 
miles  in  length.  The  breadth  is  unequal.  It 
bends  upwards  north-eastwards  from  Bunawe 
ferry,  to  a  point  where  the   Etive  water  enters 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  139 

« 

from  Etive  glen.  Four  miles  below  Bunawe,  or 
seven  from  its  confluence  with  the  sea  at  Dun- 
staflhage,  chafes  the  loud  ocean  cataract  of  Connel 
ferry.  This  celebrated  fall  of  salt  water  is  occa- 
sioned by  a  ridge  of  rugged  and  uneven  rocks, 
which  runs  two-thirds  across  the  channel,  over 
which  the  violence  of  the  ebbing  tide  discharges 
itself  with  the  noise  of  the  loudest  cataract ;  and 
no  sailing  vessel,  even  with  a  fresh  breeze,  can 
stem  the  rapid  current,  yet,  by  the  skill  of  the 
boatmen,  the  ferry  of  Connel  is  rendered  perfect- 
ly safe.  Professor  Wilson  has  supplied  us  with 
a  general  description  of  this  loch.  "  Loch  Etive," 
says  he,  "  between  the  ferries  of  Connel  and  Bun- 
awe,  has  been  seen  by  almost  all  who  have  visited 
the  Highlands — but  very  imperfectly;  to  know 
what  it  is,  you  must  row  or  sail  up  it,  for  the 
banks  on  both  sides  are  richly  wooded,  assume 
many  fine  forms,  and  are  often  well  embayed ;  while 
the  expanse  of  water  is  sufficiently  wide  to  allow 
you,  from  its  centre,  to  command  a  view  of  many  of 
the  distant  heights.  But  above  Bunawe,  it  is  not 
like  the  same  loch.  For  a  couple  of  miles  it  is  not 
wide,  and  it  is  so  darkened  by  enormous  shadows,that 
it  looks  even  less  like  a  strait  than  a  gulph — huge 
overhanging  rocks  on  both  sides  ascending  high, 
and  yet  felt  to  belong  but  to  the  bases  of  moun- 
tains that,  sloping  far  back,  have  their  summits 
among  clouds  of  their  own  in  another  region  of 
the  sky.  Yet  they  are  not  all  horrid,  for  nowhere 
else  is  there  such  lofty  heather — it  seems  a  wild 
sort  of  brushwood;  tall  trees  flourish,  single  or  in 
groves,  chiefly  birches,  with  now  and  then  an  oak, 
and  they  are  in  their  youth  or  their  prime — and 
even  the  prodigious  trunks,  some  of  which  have 


140  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

been  dead  for  centuries,  are  not  all  dead,  but 
shoot  from  their  knotted  rind  symptoms  of  life  un- 
extinguishable  by  time  and  tempest.  Out  of  this 
gulph  we  emerge  into  the  upper  loch,  and  its 
amplitude  sustains  the  majesty  of  the  mountains, 
all  of  the  highest  order,  and  seen  from  their  feet 
to  their  crests.  Cruachan  wears  the  crown,  and 
reigns  o'er  them  all — king  at  once  of  Loch  Etive 
and  Loch  Awe.  But  Buachaille  Etive,  though 
afar  off,  is  still  a  giant,  and  in  some  lights  conies 
forward,  bringing  with  him  the  Black  mount  and 
its  dependants,  so  that  they  all  seem  to  belong  to 
this  most  magnificent  of  all  Highland  lochs.*  *  * 
But  even  in  the  shores  of  Loch  Etive,  there  is 
much  of  the  beautiful.  Ardmatty  smiles,  with  its 
meadows,  and  woods,  and  bay,  and  sylvan  stream  ; 
other  sunny  nooks  repose  among  the  grey  granite 
masses  ;  the  colouring  of  the  banks  and  braes  is 
often  bright ;  several  houses  or  huts  become  visible 
no  long  way  up  the  glen  ;  and  though  that  long 
hollow — half  a  day's  journey,  till  you  reach  the 
wild  road  between  Inveruran  and  King's  House — 
lies  in  gloom,  yet  the  hillsides  are  cheerful,  and 
you  delight  in  the  green  sward,  wide  and  rock 
broken,  should  you  ascend  the  passes  that  lead  in- 
to Glencreran  or  Glencoe." 

Dunstaffnage,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Etive,  already 
described,  was  built  about  the  end  of  the  thirteenth, 
and  inhabited  by  the  lords  of  Argyle  till  the  mid- 
dle of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  originally  con- 
tained the  stone  seat,  now  in  Westminster  abbey, 
on  which  the  Scottish  monarchs  were,  crowned  at 
Scone,  to  which  are  attached  the  Latin  couplet: — - 

Ni  fallat  fatum,  ficoti  quocumque  locatum 
Invenient  kipidem,  regnare  tenentur  ibidem 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  141 

The  next  point  which  the  tourist  makes  for  ig 
Connel  ferry,  about  7  miles  from  Taynuilt.  Be- 
tween these  two  places,  the  ruins  of  Ardchattan 
priory,  and  Ardchattan  house,  are  seen  on  the  north 
side  of  the  loch.  The  road  now  descends  and 
skirts  the  margin  of  the  loch'  to  the  ferry.  In  the 
distance  are  seen  the  dark  mountains  of  Mull  and 
Morven,  and  the  green  island  of  Lismore.  On 
the  right  is  the  point  of  Ardnamucknish,  and  on 
the  left  the  venerable  ruins  of  Dunstaffnage  castle. 
A  ledge  of  rocks  crosses  the  lake  near  Connel  ferry, 
and  occasions  a  very  turbulent  rapid  at  half-ebb. 
The  Pictish  capital  of  Berigonium  has  been  placed 
by  some  antiquaries  in  this  neighbourhood.*  There 
are  some  vitrified  forts  in  the  vicinity. 

Three  miles  beyond  Connel  ferry  are  the  ruins 
of  Dunstaffnage  castle  at  the  entrance  of  Loch 
Etive.  They  occupy  the  rocky  extremity  of  a  low 
peninsular  point  projecting  from  the  southern  shore. 
Seen  from  the  land  this  castle  presents  a  heavy 
square  mass  of  building;  from  the  sea  it  appears 
to  much  greater  advantage.  It  was  inhabited  by 
the  lords  of  Argyle  down  to  1455,  when  it  was 
taken  and  garrisoned  by  Bruce  after  his  success  at 
the  pass  of  Awe  (see  p.  131).  It  is  now  a  royal  castle; 
the  duke  of  Argyle  being  hereditary  keeper.  It  was 
from  this  castle  that  the  celebrated  stone  on  which 
our  Scottish  monarchs  were  wont  to  be  crowned 
was  transported  to  Sconej"  by  King  Kenneth  in 
*  The  tourist  wishing  to  visit  the  supposed  site  of  this  an. 
cient  city,  will  cross  the  ferry,  and  proceed  northwards  to 
Craignook.  Connel  ferry  is  22 r  miles  from  Balahulish  inn: 
vix.  Ferry  |;  Craignook  2| ;  Shean  ferry.  5,-;  Loch  Creeran 
ferry  6i ;  Appin  kirkDj;  Portnacross  inn  10.};  Balahulish 
inn  29f, 
t  See  Maeculloch'o  learned  disertation  on  this  and  ome  other 


1  42  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST' S 

834.  At  Scone  all  our  kings  were  crowned  on  it 
till  the  time  of  Robert  Bruce,  when  "  King  Ed- 
ward Langschankis  took  the  said  chair  of  merbyll 
to  Westmonister,"  where  every  Scotsman  who  has 
visited  the  abbey  has  doubtless  had  it  pointed  out 
to  him  and  its  history  detailed  by  the  cicerones  of 
the  place. 

Oban  is  a  pleasant  and  thriving  village  of  about 
100  houses,  situated  at  the  head  of  a  tine  semicir- 
cular bay,  and  closely  sheltered.  The  high  cliffs  on 
the  north  side  of  the  bay  command  one  of  the  finest 
views  in  Scotland.  They  terminate  in  a  rocky 
promontory  surmounted  by  Dunolly  castle,  an 
ancient  keep  of  the  MacDougals  of  Lorn,  whose 
representative  resides  here  in  Dunolly  house.  Oban 
is  now  much  frequented  as  sea-bathing  quarters ; 
there  are  some  powerful  chalybeate  springs  in  the 
neighbourhood.  It  is  about  30  miles  distant  by 
water  from  Fort  William,  43  from  the  Crinan 
canal,  and  1*2  from  the  opening  of  the  sound  of 
Mull. 


EIGHTH  TOUR. 

FROM  OBAN  TO  MULL,   STAFFA,  AND  IONA. 

7.  Kerrera — Lismore,  8 — Duart  castle — Artor- 
nish — Aros,  27 — Loch-na-Keal,  31 — Laggan 
Ulva,  38—  Ulva—Staffa,  50.  Or,  II.  General 
description  of  Mull — Tobermory,  11 — Mingary 
castle,  1 8 — Description  of  Staffa —  Of  Iona. 

Tourists  wishing  to  visit  the  Hebrides  usually 
procure  a   boat  at  Oban   to   convey  them   to   the 

parts  of  history  connected  with  DunstafFnage,  in  the  second 
volume  of  his  *  Highlands  and  Western  islands.' 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  1  4  3 

island  of  Mull.  I3ut  steam-boats  sail  pretty  fre- 
quently during  the  summer  from  Glasgow  to 
Tobermory  in  Mull,  and  sometimes  visit  Staffa 
and  Iona,  touching  at  Oban  on  their  way;  and 
tourists  generally  prefer  the  greater  safety  and  con- 
venience of  this  mode  of  conveyance. 

I.  If  a  sailing-boat  is  preferred,  the  usual  route 
is  to  cross  over  to  Kerrera,  and  from  this  island, 
by  the  ferry-boat,  to  Achnacraig  in  Mull.  We 
then  proceed,  by  Duart  and  Aros,  to  the  island  of 
Ulva,  where  a  boat  can  be  procured  for  the  adjoin- 
ing islands  of  Staffa  and  Iona. 

Kerrera  is  a  narrow  rugged  island  about  5  miles 
in  length,  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a  channel 
scarcely  exceeding  half-a-mile  in  breadth,  and 
forming  a  natural  breakwater  to  the  bay  of  Oban. 
It  presents  few  objects  of  attraction  to  the  tourist, 
excepting  the  fine  view  which  it  commands  of  the 
surrounding  islands  and  the  adjacent  shores.  It 
was  here  that  Alexander  II.  died  while  meditating 
his  expedition  in  1249;  and  here  that  Haco  of 
Norway  assembled  his  island-powers  for  his  ill-fated 
descent  on  the  coasts  of  Scotland.  (See  pp.  77,  and 
109.) 

The  isle  of  Lismore  may  he  visited  before  enter- 
ing the  sound  of  Mull.  It  is  a  fertile  island,*  about 
9  miles  in  length,  by  2  in  breadth.  Its  chief  pro 
duce  is  barley.  It  formed  in  ancient  times  the 
episcopal  residence  of  the  diocese  of  Argyle,  whose 
bishops  were  frequently  styled  *  Episcopi  Lis- 
morienses.'f  There  are  the  ruins  of  a  church,  with 
some  tombs,  upon  it ;  and,  until  recently,  a  Roman 

*  Lioc  more,  that  is,  '  the  Great  garden.* 
+  Its  last  prelate,  Robert  Montgomery,  died  in  1553 


144  THE  SCOTTISH  tourist's 

Catholic  college.  In  this  island  there  is  a  small 
lake  containing  sea-trout,  although  it  has  no  visible 
communication  with  the  sea.  The  bay  of  Oban 
is  seen  to  greater  advantage  from  Lismore  than 
even  from  Kerrera;  but  it  is  not  usual  for  tourists 
from  Oban  to  land  at  Lismore.  After  nearing  ir, 
steamers  leave  it  upon  the  right,  and  bear  up  the 
sound  of  Mull. 

Steering  westwards,  and  entering  the  sound  of 
Mull,  we  pass  the  Lady  rock,  near  the  point  of 
Lismore, — a  rock  visible  only  at  low  water,  on 
which  Maclean  of  Duart  exposed  his  wife,  a 
daughter  of  the  lord  of  Lorn,  in  the  hope  that  the 
rising  tide  would  relieve  him  from  a  woman  against 
whom  he  had  conceived  a  mortal  aversion.  Duart 
castle*  is  here  seen  on  the  left,  on  the  brink  of  a 
high  cliff  of  the  shore  of  Mull.  It  was  the  seat 
of  the  chief  of  the  Macleans, — *  the  wild  palace  of 
wilder  chieftains.'  The  main  building  is  a  large 
square  tower  of  Norwegian  strength,  the  walls  be- 
ing nine  feet  thick.  A  small  garrison  was  stationed 
here  till  a  recent  period.  It  is  4^  miles  from  Ach- 
nacraig  ferry.  The  channel  betwixt  Mull  and 
Morven  is  deep  and  finely  curved.  The  island 
shores  on  the  left  are  mountainous  and  rugged 
compared  with  those  of  the  mainland  on  the  right. 
A  few  cultivated  patches  here  and  there  arise  on  tile 
Morven  side;  and  almost  every  promontory  on  either 
side,  is  crowned  with  some  mouldering  relic  of  feudal 
and  perhaps  Scandinavian  ages.  "  In  fine  weather," 
says  Sir  Walter  Scott,  "a  grander  and  more  im- 
pressive scene,  both  from  its  natural  beauties  and 

*  The  scene  of  Miss  Baillie's  beautiful  tragedy  entitled  '  the 
Family  Legend.'  . 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  145 

associations  with  ancient  history  and  tradition,  can 
hardly  be  imagined.  When  the  weather  is  rough, 
the  passage  is  both  difficult  and  dangerous,  from 
the  narrowness  of  the  channel,  and  in  part  from 
the  number  of  inland  lakes,  out  of  which  sally 
forth  a  number  of  conflicting  and  thwarting  tides, 
making  the  navigation  perilous  to  open  boats.  The 
sudden  flaws  and  gusts  of  wind  which  issue  "with- 
out a  moment's  warning  from  the  mountain-glens, 
are  equally  formidable :  so  that  in  unsettled 
weather,  a  stranger,  if  not  much  accustomed  to 
the  sea,  may  sometimes  add  to  the  other  sublime 
sensations  excited  by  the  scene,  that  feeling  of  dig- 
nity which  arises  from  a  sense  of  danger."*  Pass- 
ing up  the  sound,  Artornish  castle  is  seen  on  the 
mainland  side.  Its  situation  is  wild  and  romantic 
in  the  highest  degree,  having  on  the  one  hand  a  high 
and  precipitous  chain  of  rocks  overhanging  the  sea, 
and  on  the  other  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  beau- 
tiful salt-water  loch  called  Loch  Aline. f  The 
tourist  will  recognise  in  it  the  seat  of  the  '  lofty 
Lorn'  and  the  scene  of  the  bridal-festivities  so  in- 
auspiciously  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  the  royal 
fugitives,  in  the  *  Lord  of  the  Isles.'  Passing 
Scallasdale  in  Mull,  Aros  castle,  another  residence 
of  the  Island-kings,  next  greets  the  eye.  It  occupies 
the  projecting  rocky  point  of  a  deep  bay  in  the 
shore  of  Mull  nearly  opposite  to  Artornish.  From 
Aros,:):  the  tourist  may  proceed,  through  a  dreary 
valley,  to  the  head  of  Loch-na-Keal,  on  the  oppo- 

*  Professor  Wilson  has  beautifully  described  Loch  Sunart, 

both  in  calm  and  tempest,  in  his  poem  of  '  Unimore.'    See 

Blackwood's  Magazine  for  August,  1831.     Part  I. 

f  Note  A  to  *  Lord  of  the  Isles.' 

X  Aros  is  9  miles  from  Tobermory,  and  18  from  Achnacrai£. 

L 


146  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

site  side  of  the  island,  a  distance  of  4  miles,  and 
thence,  7  miles  farther,  to  Laggan  Ulva,  a  village 
opposite  to  the  small  island  of  Ulva.  Here  he  will 
be  ferried  across  to  Ulva,  where  there  is  an  inn, 
and  boats  always  in  readiness  to  convey  visiters  to 
StafFa  and  the  other  islands.  Near  to  Ulva,  on  its 
western  side,  is  the  basaltic  islet  of  Gometra;  and 
on  the  south  side  is  the  little  green  isle  of  Inch- 
ken  netb. 

II.  Before  sketching  the  route  usually  pursued 
by  the  steam-boats  we  shall  here  borrow  Dr.  Mac- 
culloch's  general  account  of  the  island  of  Mull. 
That  learned  geologist  calls  it  "a  detestable  island," 
and  affirms  that  it  is  "  trackless  and  repulsive,  rude 
without  beauty, — stormy,  rainy,  and  dreary." 
This  is  unreasonably  severe,  and  untrue.  What 
follows  is  conceived  in  a  more  moderate  strain: 
"  Mull  is  a  heap  of  rude  mountains,  and  almost 
every  point  on  its  shores  is  rocky  or  precipitous; 
while,  with  slender  exceptions,  it  is  an  entire  mass 
of  trap  rocks.  Benmore  is  the  highest  mountain, 
and  the  ascent  is  neither  very  tedious  nor  difficult. 
I  found  it  to  be  3097  feet  high.  The  view  is 
various  and  extensive.  StafFa,  lona,  The  Treshin- 
ish  isles,  Coll  and  Tirey,  with  Ulva,  Gometra, 
Colonsay,  Eorsa,  and  other  objects,  are  seen  beauti- 
fully diversifying  the  broad  face  of  the  western  sea, 
distinct  as  in  a  map ;  while,  to  the  southward, 
Scarba  and  Jura,  with  the  smaller  isles  of  the 
Argyleshire  coast,  recede  gradually  in  the  distant 
haze.  The  rugged  surface  of  Mull  itself  excludes 
the  objects  to  the  eastward;  but  Loch  Scridon 
forms  a  beautiful  picture  beneath  our  feet ;  its  long 
and  bright  bay  deeply  intersecting  with  its  dazzling 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  !  '  / 

surface  the  troubled  heap  of  mountains.  The 
southern  coast  of  Mull  is  nearly  one  continuous 
range  of  lofty  precipices,  well-known  to  those  who 
visit  Staffa.  There  is  little  interest  in  Loch  Don 
and  Loch  Speliv :  but  the  former  is  the  station  of 
the  Oban  ferry.  Loch  Buy  is  equally  uninterest- 
ing; and  the  cliffs  of  this  shore  will  disappoint 
him  who  has  seen  those  of  Sky.  On  the  western 
extremity,  where  the  trap  ceases,  they  become 
much  more  interesting  though  less  striking  at  a 
distance:  forming  the  low  granite  point  of  the 
Ross,  whence  there  is  a  short  transit  to  Iona.  I 
might  indeed  spend  a  few  pages  in  describing  the 
singular  wildness  of  this  strange  shore;  its  laby- 
rinths of  red  rocks  and  green  waves,  the  fairy 
scenery  of  its  deep  recesses  and  shrubby  ravines, 
its  thousand  bays  and  dells  and  glades,  where  thou- 
sands might  live,  each  in  his  little  paradise,  un- 
knowing and  unknown." 

Tobermory  is  a  fishing  village  on  the  north 
coast  of  Mull,  near  the  entrance  of  the  sound  into 
Loch  Sunart.  It  is  finely  situated  at  the  head  of 
the  inner  recess  of  a  well-protected  bay.  It  derives 
its  name, — which  signifies  *  the  well  of  our  Lady 
Mary,' — from  a  holy  well  in  the  neighbourhood. 
It  was  founded  in  1788  by  the  British  Fishery 
company;  but  appears  scarcely  to  have  realized  the 
expectations  of  its  projectors.  There  is  a  good  inn 
here  and  a  reading-room.  The  steam-boat  generally 
arrives  in  the  evening,  and  sails  next  morning  for 
Stafla.  On  the  south  side  of  the  bay  is  Dumfrin, 
the  fine  mansion  of  Maclean  of  Coll.  There  is 
scenery  in  this  neighbourhood  capable  of  recalling  to 
the  Italian  traveller  the  recollection  of  Terni  itself. 


148  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST^ 

"  Sacheverel,  150  years  ago,"  says  Lord  Teign- 
mouth,  "  was  struck  with  its  resemblance  to  Italian 
scenery.  A  lake  is  enclosed  by  an  amphitheatre 
of  hills,  covered  with  oak,  interspersed  with  tor- 
rents forming  picturesque  cascades." 

Mull  is,  in  Campbell's  Political  Survey,  regarded 
as  the  Maleos  of  Ptolemy ;  and  in  Camden's 
Britannia,  as  the  Mille  of  Pliny.  Nothing  could 
possibly  illustrate  the  blind  dogmatism  with  which 
Johnson  wrote,  better  than  his  telling  us  that  the 
isle  of  Mull  "  is  not  broken  by  water  nor  shot 
into  promontories,  but  is  a  solid  and  compact 
mass" — whereas,  so  much  is  Mull  indented  by  bays 
and  marine  lochs,  that,  though  measuring  in 
extreme  diameter  not  more  than  35  miles,  it  pos- 
sesses a  circumference  along  the  sinuosities  of  its 
coast,  of  upwards  of  300  miles.  Still  Mull,  with 
its  420  square  miles  of  surface,  must  be  confessed 
to  be,  as  Lord  Teignmouth  has  designated  it,  "  a 
vast  moor." — Johnson,  who  crossed  it  on  horse- 
back, a  species  of  exercise  to  which  he  once 
declared  he  would  prefer  having  a  porter  to  come 
and  kick  him,  suffered,  he  says,  "  a  day  of  incon- 
venience, for  the  country  is  very  rough,  and  my 
horse  was  but  little  ;"  and  forthwith  the  Doctor 
falls  a  moralizing  on  the  possibility  of  improving 
the  face  of  the  country.  "  It  is  natural,"  he  says, 
"  in  traversing  this  gloom  of  desolation,  to  inquire 
whether  something  may  not  be  done  to  give  nature 
a  more  cheerful  face  ;  and  whether  those  hills  and 
moors  that  afford  heath,  cannot,  with  a  little  care 
and  labour,  bear  something  better  ?"  Mull,  how- 
ever, still  continues  more  of  a  pastoral  than  of  an 
agricultural   country,  being  much  more  peculiar 


3TEAM-B0AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  149 

in  this  respect  than  Skye,  although  both'islands  are 
characterized  by  nearly  the  same  central  altitudes, 
those  of  Mull,  amongst  which  Benmore  rises  up- 
wards of  3000  feet,  being  similar  to  the  Cuchullins 
of  Skye.  It  is  principally  with  the  coasts  of  Mull 
we  have  however  to  do.  They  are,  to  a  great 
extent,  steep,  bold,  and  rocky,  forming  tremendous 
precipices,  as  at  Loch  Buy  on  the  south;  although 
often  they  are  low,  yet  still  rocky  and  dangerous, 
the  coast  being  generally  covered  with  immense 
masses,  detached  from  the  neighbouring  cliffs,  with 
seldom  any  sandy  beach.  Towards  the  Ross  or 
south-west  extremity,  the  coast  is  comparatively 
low.  It  is  greatly  intersected  on  the  west  side, 
where  the  principal  arms  of  the  sea  are  Loch 
Scridon  and  Loch-na-Keal. 

Auchnacraig,  where  we  land  from  Oban,  via 
Kerrera,  is  situated  a  little  distance  from  the  shore, 
and  near  it  are  some  considerable  plains,  which 
are  cultivated,  in  some  places  wooded,  and  greatly 
enliven  the  scene.  The  rocks  upon  the  shore  of 
Loch  Spelive  do  not  rise  to  any  great  height,  but 
there  are  land  cliffs  behind  them  considerably 
higher.  A  good  road  runs  along  the  shore  of  the 
island,  from  Auchnacraig  to  Tobermory,  which  is 
generally  to  be  preferred  to  coasting.  For  about 
a  mile  from  Auchnacraig,  we  pass  through  little 
wooded  glens,  extremely  pleasant  in  a  country 
where  wood  is  rare.  A  mile  further,  the  steep 
ascent  of  the  hills  terminates,  in  some  cases,  in 
extensive  plains,  several  hundred  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  covered  over  with  loose  dark 
brown  stones,  with  hardly  a  trace  of  vegetation, 


150  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

and  the  silence  of  this  desert  is  disturbed  only  by 
the  rushing  of  cold  piercing  winds  across  the 
mountain.  Smaller  platforms,  separated  from 
each  other  by  basaltic  crags,  succeed  one  another 
up  to  the  summit  of  the  mountains.  Towards 
Tobermory,  the  mountains  become  gradually  lower ; 
but  towards  the  west,  the  central  range  of  variously1* 
shaped  mountains  appears,  and  amongst  them 
Benmore  rises  with  much  dignity.  The  glens  are 
deep  and  steep.  Still  proceeding  towards  Tober- 
mory, with  hills  upon  one  hand,  the  land  on  the 
other  in  a  short  time  becomes  low,  stretching  out 
in  a  point,  on  which  is  situated  Duart  Castle, 
towards  the  sound  of  Mull. 

From  Auchnacroish  to  Aros,  the  shores  are  low, 
but  the  hills  rise  to  a  considerable  height.  At 
Aros,  there  is  a  small  colonade  of  basalt,  upon  which 
are  still  the  remains  of  the  old  castle,  once  inha- 
bited by  M' Donald,  lord  of  the  isles.  The  route 
hence  across  the  island  to  Laggan-Ulva,  is  very 
indifferent,  and  leads  amongst  lofty  hills  to  the 
plain  of  Knock,  head  of  Loch-na-Keal.  This  ex- 
tensive loch  is  bounded  on  one  side  by  Benmore, 
and  other  neighbouring  hills,  that  extend  towards 
the  sea,  forming  lofty  crags,  like  Salisbury  crags 
near  Edinburgh ;  on  the  opposite  side,  are  the  hills 
that  bound  the  road  leading  to  Laggan-Ulva. 
Benmore  has  been  remarked  by  St.  Fond,  to  have 
much  the  appearance  of  Vesuvius.  Some  of  the 
promontories,  and  columnar  ranges  on  Loch-na- 
Keal,  and  the  Sound  of  Ulva,  are  either  clothed 
with  ivy,  or  decorated  with  the  scattered  remains  of 
oak  and  ash  coppices,  and  present  solitary  studies 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  151 

not  deficient  in  artistic  interest ;  and  some  basaltic 
veins  left  alone,  amidst  the  erosion  of  the  sur- 
rounding rock,  now  rise  high  above  the  surface, 
with  the  most  deceptive  resemblance  to  the  ruined 
walls  of  castles.  Crossing  the  mouth  of  Loch-na- 
Keal,  from  Laggan-Ulva,  we  land  under  high  cliffs, 
which  bound  a  considerable  extent  of  shore.  On 
the  isle  of  Inch  Kenneth,  Sir  Alan  Maclean 
("  for  in  that  country,"  says  Johnson,  "  every  man's 
name  is  Maclean,")  wished  to  convince  Johnson 
that  he  could  trace  the  foundations  of  the  ancient 
college  or  monastery.  Johnson,  however,  noticed 
a  venerable  chapel,  which  still  stands  entire,  but 
roofless,  60  feet  long,  and  30  broad ;  with  a  bas- 
relief  of  the  Virgin  on  one  side  of  the  altar ;  "  and 
by  it,"  says  the  lexicographer,  "  lies  a  little  bell, 
which,  though  cracked  and  without  a  clapper,  has 
remained  there  for  ages,  guarded  only  by  the 
venerableness  of  the  place."  It  was  Sir  Alan 
Maclean  who  escorted  Johnson  to  Iona;  he 
showed  him,  en  route,  M'Kinnon's  cave  in  Mull. 
Johnson  describes  its  mouth  as  fortified  with  vast 
fragments  of  stones ;  the  bottom,  as  far  as  the  flood 
rushes  in,  is  encumbered  with  large  pebbles,  but  as 
they  advanced,  spread  over  with  smooth  sand. 
The  breadth  is  about  45  feet ;  the  roof  rises  in  an 
arch  almost  regular  to  about  30  feet.  Having 
passed  inward  from  the  sea  to  a  great  depth,  they 
found  a  narrow  passage,  perhaps  not  more  than  six 
feet  wide,  obstructed  by  great  stones,  and  came  to 
a  second  cave,  in  breadth  25  feet,  where  the  air 
was  very  warm,  but  not  oppressive,  or  loaded 
with  vapours,  or  showing  tokens,  by  the  light,  of  a 


152  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

feculent  or  corrupted  atmosphere.  Here  was  a 
square  stone,  called,  as  they  were  told,  FingaVs 
Table.  A  lofty  promontory,  called  the  Great  Bourg 
head,  occurs  at  the  entrance  of  Loch  Scridon. 
This  loch,  which  is  pretty  extensive,  is  bounded  on 
both  sides  by  basaltic  hills ;  and  at  its  upper  ex- 
tremity there  is  a  grand  group  of  them  congregat- 
ing nearly  to  Loch  Spelive,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  island.  Crossing  the  loch  near  its  mouth,  and 
walking  along  the  shore,  it  appears  low,  until  we 
approach  Artown,  where  it  juts  out  into  a  promon- 
tory, presenting  several  very  beautiful  ranges  of 
basaltic  columns. 

Johnson's  island  friend  thought  this  headland, 
(which  he  calls  Atun,)  "not  less  worthy  of  curio- 
sity than  the  shore  of  Staffa."  "  Not  long  after," 
he  adds,  "  we  came  to  another  range  of  black 
rocks,  which  had  the  appearance  of  broken  pi- 
lasters, set  one  behind  another  to  a  great  depth." 
Proceeding  from  Artown  to  Bunesan,  a  little 
river  runs  near  the  latter  place  into  the  sea.  Loch 
Artineg  is  situated  towards  the  southern  extre- 
mity of  the  island,  termed  the  Ross,  which  is  low, 
intersected  with  lakes,  and  diversified  with  na- 
tural wood.  Its  shores  are  low,  rugged,  and 
broken  with  large  empty  fissures.  We  proceed  to 
Loch  Buy,  by  Gribon,  Carseg,  and  Innimore, 
where  the  rocks  upon  the  coast  rise  <to  a  most 
tremendous  height,  many  ranges  of  basaltic  co- 
lumns towering  above  each  other  with  vast  mag- 
nificence. This  stupendous  scene  is  rendered 
doubly  magnificent,  when  the  southern  shores  of 
Mull  are  obscured    by  a  tempest,  which  is   not 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  153 

seldom.  The  dashing  of  the  furious  ocean  below, 
and  the  fall  of  vast  cascades  from  the  rugged 
summits,  seen  dimly  through  the  clouds,  present 
a  scene  of  extraordinary  sublimity.  We  have 
thus  conducted  the  tourist  round  the  entire  coast 
of  Mull,  excepting  its  northern  extremity,  from 
Laggan-Ulva  to  Tobermory.  A  boat  may,  how- 
ever, be  obtained  from  Loch  Scridan,  to  row 
along  the  lofty  coast  to  Laggan-Ulva.  From 
Laggan-Ulva  to  Torloisk,  the  shore  is  rugged ; 
but  the  country,  particularly  near  Torloisk,  is  in 
several  places  well  cultivated.  The  basaltic 
formation  continues  from  Torloisk  to  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  island,  and  thence  to  Tobermory. 
Johnson  remarks,  that  this  port  "appears  to  an 
inexperienced  eye,  formed  for  the  security  of  ships  ; 
for  its  mouth  is  closed  with  a  small  island,  ( Calve 
island,)  which  admits  them  through  narrow  chan- 
nels into  a  basin  sufficiently  capacious.  They 
are  indeed  safe  from  the  sea,  but  there  is  a  hollow 
between  the  mountains,  through  which  the  wind 
issues  from  the  land  with  very  mischievous  vio- 
lence." Tobermory  was  built  in  1788,  at  the 
same  time  as  Ulla  Pool,  by  the  British  Fishing 
Company,  as  the  site  of  a  fishing  establishment, 
and  the  rendezvous  of  the  herring  vessels.  An 
upper  town  surmounts  a  cliff  at  the  back  of  the 
former,  and  consists  almost  wholly  of  poor  cot- 
tages or  miserable  huts.  Tobermory  is  the  place 
where  legal  forms  respecting  the  herring  fishery 
are  attended  to.  Still,  the  place  was  not  consid- 
ered flourishing,  till  of  late  years  it  has  risen  into 
importance  from  the  convenience  of  its  situation  for 
victualling  and  sheltering  ships. 


154  TnE  SCOTTISH  tourist's 

Quitting  Tobermory  we  enter  Loch  Sunart  and 
perceive  the  heavy  swell  of  the  Western  ocean  com- 
ing in  upon  us.  The  sound  between  Tobermory 
and  Artornish  varies  in  breadth  from  1^  to  2  miles; 
opposite  to  Ardnamurchan  the  breadth  is  between 
4  and  5  miles.  Seven  miles  distant  from  Tober- 
mory, on  the  mainland,  are  seen  the  ruins  of  Min- 
garry  castle.  The  bold  rugged  headland  of  Ard- 
namurchan here  shoots  far  westward.*  Rounding 
the  sea-beat  point  of  Cullach  we  obtain,  in  fine 
weather,  an  extensive  view  of  the  numerous  islands 
off  Mull  including  the  Treshinish  isles,  Tirey,  Coll, 
Muck,  Egg,  and  Rum,  and  far  in  the  north-west, 
the  shadowy  outlines  of  South  Uist  and  Bana. 

StafFa  is  about  8  miles  distant  from  the  western 
coast  of  Mull,  and  6  from  the  island  of  Ulva.  It 
is  a  mass  of  basaltic  rock,  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  in  length,  by  half  a  mile  in  breadth.  Its  gene- 
ral outline  is  that  of  an  insular  oval.  Seen  from 
a  distance,  it  seems  only  a  round  lumpish  rock;  on 
nearing  it,  its  fine  columnar  structure  becomes  visi- 
ble. The  most  elevated  point  is  towards  the  south- 
west, where  the  rock  attains  an  elevation  of  about 
144  feet.  Tourists  usually  proceed  from  the  south- 
east point  along  a  basaltic  causeway,  broad,  but  of 
unequal  height,  and  sloping  like  a  glacis  from  the 
water  to  the  base  of  the  higher  columns.  The  first 
cave  approached  is  the  Clam  cave,  on  one  side  of 
which  the  basaltic  columns  appear  bent  or  curved 
like  the  ribs  of  a  ship.  Nearly  opposite  to  this 
cave  is  a  small  island  called  Buachailie,  or  *  the 

*  Campbell  resided  some  time  in  the  vicinity  of  this  noble 
promontory  ;  and  here  it  was  that  he  composed  his  '  Exile  of 
Erin/  and  much  of  his  '  Pleasures  of  Hope.' 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  155 

Herdsman,'  which  is  entirely  composed  of  small 
pillars  closely  agglomerated.  From  this  islet  to 
the  entrance  of  Fingal's  cave  the  pillars  form  one 
continued  colonnade,  beneath  which  we  pursue  our 
path  on  the  causeway  already  mentioned,  until  on 
rounding  a  projecting  abutment,  the  splendid  en- 
trance of  Fingal's  cave  bursts  upon  our  view. 
This  cave  runs  into  the  rock  in  the  direction  of 
N.E.  by  E.  The  height  from  the  water  at.  mean 
tide  to  the  top  of  the  arch  at  the  entrance  is  66  feet; 
its  breadth  42.  .  Its  whole  length  is  227  feet.  No- 
thing can  surpass  "the  beautiful  symmetry  of  this 
wondrous  pile,  resembling,  yet  surpassing  the  imi- 
tative efforts  of  man, — the  regular  arrangement  of 
its  massy  columns,— the  richness  and  variety  of  the 
tints  which  adorn  them,  more  brilliant  than  the 
hues  which  the  painted  panes  of  the  window  of  a 
Gothic  church  shower  on  its  clustered  pillars, — 
the  dark  shadows  afforded  by  the  intermediate  re- 
cesses,— the  sombre  grandeur  of  the  ponderous 
roof,  and  the  smooth  pavement  which  the  sea  sup- 
plies, when  tranquil,  to  this  stately  temple.  To 
borrow  the  language  of  the  poet :  — 

"  '  Here,  as  to  shame  the  temples  deck'd 
By  skill  of  earthly  architect, 
Nature  herself,  it  seem'd,  would  raise 
A  minster  to  her  Maker's  praise!    . 
Not  for  a  meaner  use  ascend 
Her  columns,  or  her  arches  bend ; 
Nor  of  a  theme  more  solemn  tells 
That  mighty  surge  that  ebbs  and  swells. 
And  still,  between  each  awful  pause, 
From  the  high  vault  an  answer  draws, 
In  varied  tone  prolonged  on  high, 
That  mocks  the  organ's  melody 
Nor  does  its  entrance  front  in  vain 
To  old  Iona's  holy  fane, 
That  Nature's  voice  might  seem  to  say, 
*  Well  hast  thou  done,  frail  child  of  clay ! 


1.56  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

Thy  humble  powers  that  stately  shrine 
Task'd  high  and  hard— but  witness  mine  !'  "* 

The  bard  himself  whose  noble  lines  we  have  just 
quoted  has  given  us  a  beautiful  prose  description  of 
this  cave.  "  This  palace  of  Neptune,"  says  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  "  is  even  grander  upon  a  second  than 
the  first  view, — the  stupendous  columns  which 
form  the  sides  of  the  cave,  the  depth  and  strength 
of  the  tide,  which  rolls  its  deep  and  heavy  swell  up 
to  the  extremity  of  the  vault, — the  variety  of  tints 
formed  by  white,  crimson,  and  yellow  stalactites, 
or  petrifactions,  which  occupy  the  vacancies  be- 
tween the  base  of  the  broken  pillars  which  form 
the  roof,  and  intersect  them  with  a  rich,  curious, 
and  variegated  chasing,  occupying  each  interstice, — 
the  corresponding  variety  below  water,  where  the 
ocean  rolls  over  a  dark  red  or  violet-coloured  rock, 
from  which,  as  from  a  base,  the  basaltic  columns 
arise, — the  tremendous  noise  of  the  swelling  tide, 
mingling  with  the  deep-toned  echoes  of  the  vault, — 
are  circumstances  elsewhere  unparalleled." 

lona,  'the  Island  of  the  waves,' — or  Icolmkill, 
'the  Isle  of  the  Cell  of  Columbus' — is  about  10 
miles  south  from  StafYa.  It  is  nearly  3  miles  in 
length  and  one  in  breadth;  and  is  separated  from 
Mull  by  a  narrow  navigable  sound.  Its  highest 
point  is  towards  the  north,  where  the  rock  reaches 
an  altitude  of  about  400  feet.  It  is  the  property 
of  the  duke  of  Argyle,  who  draws  about  £350  per 
annum  from  it. 


*  For  an  interesting  account  of  this  island,  we  refer  the 
reader  to  an  able  little  volume  entitled  "M'Lean's  Historical 
Account  of  lona.'1 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  li>7 

It  argues  something  in  favour  of  the  necessity 
of  such  a  task  as  ours,  that  Staffa,  the  most  won- 
drous of  the  western  isles,  remained  unnoticed 
and  unknown  till  within  the  last  50  or  60  years. 
Buchanan  indeed  has  noticed  it,  as  he  notices 
everything,  cursorily.  Martin  does  not  once  refer  to 
it.  It  was  only  by  accident  that  Sir  Joseph  Banks, 
having  heard  of  it,  while  on  his  way  to  Iceland, 
in  August,  1772,  from  an  English  (not  Irish,  as 
generally,  but  erroneously,  stated)  gentleman,  Mr 
Leach,  "  brought  it  out,"  by  publishing  the  details 
of  his  visit,  with  beautiful  illustrations,  in  the  second 
volume  of  Pennant's  Tour.  Indeed,  it  is  not  until 
approaching  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  its  shores, 
that  the  wonders  of  Staffa  begin  to  develop  them- 
selves,— a  fact  referred  to  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  in 
the  Lord  of  the  Isles. 

Then  all  unknown  its  columns  rose, 
Where  dark  and  undisturbed  repose 

The  cormorant  had  found ; 
And  the  shy  seal  had  quiet  home, 
And  welter'd  in  that  wondrous  dome. 

Sir  Joseph  Banks,  who  is  still  very  frequently  and 
very  justly  quoted,  in  reference  to  Staffa,  has  ex- 
patiated as  finely  as  either  Scott  or  MacCulloch, 
and  indeed  seems  to  have  originated  the  leading 
idea  of  Sir  Walter's  poetry.  ''Compared  to  this, 
what  are  the  cathedrals  or  the  palaces  built  by 
man  !  mere  models  or  playthings,  imitations  as 
diminutive,  as  his  works  will  always  be  when  com- 
pared to  those  of  nature.  Where  is  now  the  boast  of 
the  architect  ?  regularity,  the  only  part  in  which  he 
fancied  himself  to  excel  his  mistress  Nature,  is 
here  found  in  her  possession,  and  here  it  has  been 
for  ages  undescribed.     Is  not  this  the  school  where 


158  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

the  art  was  originally  studied,  and  what  has  been 
added  to  this  by  the  whole  Grecian  school?  a 
capital  to  ornament  the  column  of  nature,  of  which 
they  could  execute  only  a  model ;  and  for  that 
very  capital  they  were  obliged  to  a  bush  of  Acan- 
thus ;  how  amply  does  nature  repay  those  who 
study  her  wonderful  works!"  The  early  describers 
of  Staffa  seem  to  have  participated  of  that  advant- 
age of  original  inspiration  which  poets  envy  in  Ho- 
mer. Sir  Joseph's  companion,  Uno  Van  Troil,  the 
learned  bishop  of  Linkeoping,  afterwards  arch- 
bishop of  Upsal,  remarks,  "  How  splendid  do  the 
porticos  of  the  ancients  appear  in  our  eyes,  from 
the  ostentatious  magnificence  of  the  description 
we  have  received  of  them  ;  and  with  what  admira- 
tion are  we  seized  on  seeing  even  the  colonnades 
of  our  modern  edifices !  But  when  we  behold  the 
Cave  of  Fingal,  formed  by  nature  in  the  island  of 
Staffa,  it  is  no  longer  possible  to  make  a  com- 
parison ;  and  we  are  forced  to  acknowledge,  that 
this  piece  of  architecture,  executed  by  nature,  far 
surpasses  that  of  the  Louvre,  that  of  St.  Peter's  at 
Rome,  and  even  what  remains  of  Palmyra  and 
Paestum;  and  all  that  the  genius,  the  taste,  and  the 
luxury  of  the  Greeks  were  ever  capable  of  invent- 
ing."— "We  are  always  sorry  to  disenchant  the 
tourist,  but  with  regard  to  the  name  Fingal's 
Cave,  the  connection  of  which  to  the  hero  of  Ossian 
no  one  has  ever  been  able  to  trace,  we  entertain 
some  doubts  of  its  authenticity.  It  originated  with 
Banks,  whose  account  of  the  matter  is  this  :  "  We 
asked  the  name  of  it ;  said  our  guide,  the  Cave  of 
Fhinn;  what  is  Fhinn,  said  we  ?  Fhinn  Mac  Coul, 
whom  the  translator  of  Ossian's  works  has  called 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  159 

Fingal.  How  fortunate  that  in  this  cave  we  should 
meet  with  the  remembrance  of  that  chief  whose 
existence,  as  well  as  that  of  the  whole  epic  poem, 
is  almost  doubted  in  England."  And  might  it  not 
be  suggested  that  Sir  Joseph's  southern  ear  was  in 
the  first  instance  at  fault,  and  that  the  name  first 
given  by  the  guide  was  one  to  which  the  cavern 
is  justly  entitled  from  the  resonance  of  the  waves, 
Uaimh  Binn,  "  the  cave  of  music."  The  Ossianic 
controversy  was  then  raging  hotly,  and  there  was 
no  subject  on  which  a  Celt  was  more  likely  to  be 
cross-interrogated  by  strangers  ;  so  that  if  Sir 
Joseph,  mistaking  Binn  for  Fhinn,  should  have 
next  asked,  "  what  is  Fhinn?"  what  could  the  poor 
guide  think,  but  that  there  was  a  change  of  sub- 
ject :  such,  we  fear,  may  be  the  real  origin  of  the 
name  Fingal's  Cave. 

The  name  Staffa  is  correctly  enough  referred 
to  the  Norse  tongue,  in  which  staf  signifies  a 
stave  or  prop.  The  points  for  the  tourist's  at- 
tention are,  1.  The  Scallop  or  Clam  Cave;  2,  the 
Buachaille,  or  Herdsman  Island  ;  3,  the  Cause- 
way, and  the  Great  Face  or  Colonnade  ;  4,  Fin- 
gal's, or  the  Great  Cave  ;  5,  the  Boat  Cave ;  and, 
6,  the  Cormorants,  or  M'Kinnon's  Cave,  at  the 
south-western  extremity  of  the  island.  The  latter, 
indeed,  is  little  visited,  in  consequence  of  the 
frauds  and  indolence  of  the  boatmen,  but  is  never- 
theless striking,  from  the  regularity  and  simplicity 
of  its  form.  The  Boat  Cave,  a  long  gallery  like 
that  of  a  mine,  is  accessible  only  by  sea  ;  and,  as 
the  sea  never  ebbs  out  of  it,  the  only  floor  of  this 
cave  is  beautiful  green  water.   Even  the  great  cave 


160  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

can  only  be  properly  seen  when  entered  in  a  boat. 
It  is  surprising  how  much  of  the  beauty  of  all  the 
views  of  the  caves  and  their  openings  is  allied  to 
the  softening  and  deepening  of  light  and  shade 
in  and  around  them.  The  most  interesting  points 
of  view  are  those  on  the  south  of  the  island,  com- 
manding the  range  of  the  grand  facade,  and  the 
openings  of  the  caverns.  On  the  north-east  coast 
are  four  small  caves,  noted  for  their  reverbera- 
tions when  the  sea  breaks  into  them,  which  are 
as  loud  as  discharges  of  ordnance.  So  numerous, 
however,  are  the  caves,  that  the  whole  island 
may  be  said  to  be  perforated  with  them  all 
round ;  but  the  wonders  explored  by  visitors  are 
confined  chiefly  to  the  eastern  side,  in  consequence 
of  the  surge  which  lashes  the  other  parts  of  the 
island  rendering  them  difficult  and  dangerous  to 
explore.  From  the  end  of  the  causeway,  about 
low  water,  if  possible  by  the  light  of  the  morning 
sun,  is  the  appropriate  time  and  place  for  viewing 
the  great  cave  ;  for,  from  this  position,  the  front 
presents  a  solid  mass  of  great  breadth  of  surface, 
and  the  entrance  of  the  cave  forms,  as  it  were, 
a  frame,  which  gives  relief  to  the  view.  Other 
views,  scarcely  less  striking,  may  be  obtained  from 
the  western  smaller  causeway.  MacCulloch  de- 
clares, that  it  is  with  the  morning  sun  only  the 
great  face  of  StafFa  can  be  seen  in  perfection. 
As  the  general  surface  is  undulating  and  uneven, 
great  masses  of  shadows  are  thus  produced,  so  as 
to  relieve  that  which,  in  a  direct  light,  appears 
a  flat  insipid  mass  of  straight  wall.  Thesi 
breadths  are  farther  varied  by  secondary  shadows! 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  1  61 

and  reflections,  arising  from  smaller  irregularities, 
while  the  partial  clustering  of  the  columns  pro- 
duces a  number  of  subsiding  groups,  which  are 
not  only  highly  beautiful,  both  in  themselves  and 
as  they  combine  with  and  melt  into  the  larger 
masses,  but  which  entirely  removes  that  dryness 
and  formality  produced  by  the  incessant  repetition 
of  vertical  lines  and  equal  numbers.  Staffa  is  in 
the  same  longitude  as  the  celebrated  Giant's  Cause- 
way,on  the  north-east  coast  of  Ireland, and  is,  by  Pen- 
nant, designated,  like  it,  a  genuine  mass  of  basalt, 
or  giant's  causeway,  but  in  most  respects  superior 
to  the  Irish  in  grandeur.  The  surface  of  Staffa 
is  covered  with  rich  verdure,  and  in  summer  is 
pastured  by  black  cattle.  Sir  Joseph  Banks's 
party  carried  their  tent  and  baggage,  when  they 
landed,  near  the  only  house  upon  the  island,  and 
began  to  cook  their  supper.  There  is  now  neither 
a  house  nor  a  shepherd's  hut  upon  the  island. 
And  though  a  green  and  fertile  island,  it  has  no 
trees  on  it,  and  presents  no  rare  or  peculiar  plants. 
The  present  proprietor  of  Staffa  is  Ronald 
M'Donald,  Esq. 

An  account  of  Iona  would  necessarily  be  im- 
perfect without  some  sketch  of  the  history  of  its 
founder,  the  great  apostle  of  the  Highlands.  And, 
in  the  first  place,  we  concur  with  Pennant,  not 
only  that  the  name  Iona  is  derived  from,  but  is 
the  Hebrew  word  signifying  a  dove,  and  agreeing 
with  Columba,  a  Latin  word  of  exactly  the  same 
signification,  under  which  the  Romans,  at  or  after 
their  advent  in  Britain,  attempted  to  appropriate 
to  themselves  the  name  and  the  fame  of  the  saint. 


1 62  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'  S 

The  ancient  name  of  the  island  was  I,  or  Jluy; 
and,  after  the  death  of  Columba,  it  came  to  be 
called  I-columb-kill.  Pennant  listened  to  the 
many  absurd  traditionary  fables  of  the  saint's 
turning  his  back  on  his  native  soil  of  Ireland,  with 
warm  resentment ;  we  rather  incline  to  think  that 
he  left  it  in  the  pure  missionary  spirit  of  an  early 
Christian,  with  the  view  of  enlightening  and  con- 
verting other  lands:  He  had  already  done  much 
good  himself  in  Ireland,  having  founded  the  mo- 
nastery or  college  of  Benchor,  and  acquired  a  vast 
reputation  for  sanctity  there,  where  Christian 
labourers  were  then  comparatively  abundant. 
Any  warmth  relative  to  his  departure,  must  have 
arisen  from  the  anxiety  to  retain  him,  which  we 
know  to  have  existed.  Be  that  as  it  may,  having 
converted  the  Pictish  king,  Bridius,  to  the  faith, 
the  saint  obtained  from  him  the  island  of  I  to 
found  his  monastery,  and  settled  in  it  shortly 
after  the  year  in  which  he  left  Ireland,  565.  As 
the  name  Columba  sufficiently  indicates,  the  life 
of  the  saint,  when  written,  was  compiled  in  Latin. 
.It  was  subsequently  extracted  out  of  the  Pope's 
library,  and  translated  out  of  the  Latin  into  Erse, 
by  Father  Calohoran.  The  numerous  legends 
concerning  the  saint,  which  savour  so  peculiarly 
of  monkish  manufacture,  have  hence  got  afloat — 
such  as  his  vow  never  to  make  a  settlement  within 
sight  of  Ireland;  his  first  attempting  Oransay,  but 
finding  it  too  near  that  hated  island;  and  his  re- 
peating the  experiment  at  Huy,  which  had  proved 
unsuccessful  at  Oransay,  erecting  on  each  hill, 
which  he  ascended,  a  heap  of  stones ;  and  then, 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE,  1C3 

when  king  Bridius  had  refused  him  an  audience, 
and  ordered  his  palace  gates  to  be  shut  against 
him,  his  instantly  causing  them  to  fly  open  by  the 
power  of  his  word;  as  also  his  possessing  the 
faculty  of  second  sight,  and  foretelling  the  victory 
of  Aidan  over  the  Picts  and  Saxons  in  the  mo- 
ment of  its  occurrence.  But  the  most  ridiculous  of 
all  these  monkish  tales,  is,  perhaps,  the  story  of 
the  sacrifice  of  Oran,  the  saint's  companion,  by 
his  submitting  to  be  buried  alive,  as  a  human  vic- 
tim required  to  propitiate  the  evil  spirit  who 
nightly  threw  down  the  walls  of  St.  Oran's  chapel, 
(the  most  antique  of  ruined  religious  fabrics  on  the 
island,)  as  they  were  built.  The  legend  asserts 
that  three  days  after  St.  Oran's  immolation,  when 
St.  Columba  had  his  grave  opened,  in  order  to 
take  a  farewell  look  of  his  companion  and  friend, 
Oran  irreverently  answered  to  the  effect,  that 
"  The  isle  of  the  brave  is  no  curiosity ;  nor  is  hell 
the  place  it  is  represented." — "  Earth,  earth  upon 
him,  ere  he  blab  more,"  was  the  exclamation  of 
Columba;  and  the  unhappy  Oran  had  no  further 
opportunity  of  telling  "  the  secrets  of  his  prison- 
house."  We  must  believe,  however,  that  a  man 
who,  even  in  so  rude  an  age,  excited  the  respect 
and  veneration  acquired  by  Columba,  must  have 
led  an  exemplary,  and,  indeed,  a  useful  life ;  and, 
in  his  own  lifetime,  it  has  been  stated  by  his 
biographers,  that  he  founded  100  monasteries, 
365  churches,  and  ordained  3000  priests  of  the 
venerable  sect  of  Culdees.  From  the  religious 
institute  of  Iona,  proceeded  the  monasteries  of 
Govan,  Dunkeld,  Abernethy,  Dundee,  Kilormant 


164  the  scoiTisrt  tourist's 

or  St.  Andrews,  Melrose,  Malmesbury,  Lindisfarne 
or  Holy  Island,  and  Coldingham,  instruments  in  - 
the  conversion  of  the  Picts,  the  Middle  Angles, 
the  Mercians,  and  East  Saxons.  Some  of  the 
apostles  of  Iona,  so  called  from  their  always  hav- 
ing twelve  brethren  in  each  college,  preached 
over  Germany,  Hungary,  Greece,  and  Austria. 
The  universities  of  Paris  and  of  Pavia  are  said  to 
have  been  founded  by  natives  of  Iona.  The  roving 
Norsemen,  in  796,  burnt  the  monastery;  attacked 
it  again  in  801;  a  third  time,  in  807,  put  sixty- 
eight  of  the  monks  to  the  sword,  and  obliged  the 
remainder,  with  the  abbot,  to  seek  safety  in  flight. 
The  monastery  remained  depopulated  for  seven 
years,  when  it  received  the  new,  or  reformed, 
order  of  Cluniacs ;  who,  however,  did  not  abide 
scaithless,  for  the  Norse  came  in  greater  numbers 
than  ever,  and  made  sacrifice  of  the  abbot  and 
fifteen  of  his  associates. 

The  nunnery  consecrated  to  St.  Oran  was  filled 
with  canonesses  of  St.  Augustine.  They  were 
permitted  to  live  in  community  for  a  considerable 
time  after  the  reformation,  and  wore  a  white  gown, 
and  above  it  a  rochet  of  fine  linen.  But,  as  Pen- 
nant observes,  this  nunnery  never  could  have 
existed  in  the  days  of  St.  Columba,  who  was  such 
a  misogamist  that  he  would  not  even  suffer  a  cow 
to  come  within  sight  of  his  sacred  walls,  out  of  an- 
tipathy to  the  sex,  '  S  far  am  hi  bo,  bidh  bean;  's 
far  am  bi  bean,  bidh  mallacha,  "  where  there  is  a 
cow,"  quoth  he,  "there  must  be  a  woman;  and  where 
there  is  a  woman  there  must  be  mischief." — Tf, 
however,  we  are  to  believe  the  same  authority,  the 


STEAM-BOAT  POClvET  GUIDE.  1G5 

race  of  cows  lived  to  have  revenge  on  his  saintship, 
at  least  on  his  walls.  For  Pennant  tells  us  that 
when  he  visited  Iona,  the  floor  of  the  church  was 
covered  some  feet  thick  with  cows'  dung,  and  he 
had  difficulty,  with  fair  words  and  a  bribe,  to  pre- 
vail on  the  lazy  descendants  of  St.  Columba  and 
his  associates,  to  remove  a  great  quantity  of  it, 
and  by  that  means  reveal  the  tomb  of  the  last 
prioress.  The  account  which  he  gives  of  her 
tomb  is  curious.  Her  figure  is  cut  on  the  face  of 
the  stone  ;  an  angel  on  each  side  supports  her 
head,  and  above  them  is  a  little  plate  and  comb  : 
half  the  surface  is  filled  with  the  form  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  with  head  crowned  and  mitred,  the  child 
in  her  arms,  and  sun,  and  moon,  to  denote  her 
queen  of  heaven,  a  scroll  at  her  feet,  proceeding  -. 
from  the  prioress,  Sancta  Maria  or  a  pro  me.  The 
inscription  round  the  lady  is: — 

"  Hie  jacei  Domina  Anna  Donaldi  Terleti 
(Charles)  filia,  quondam  Priorissa  de  Iona  quae 
obiit  anno  mo  do  ximo  ejus  animam  Altissimo  com- 
mendamus." 

Another  fragmentary  inscription  runs  : — 

"Hicjacet  Marita  filia  Johan :  Lauchlani  Domini 
de  .  .  .  .  propitietur  Deus." 

Reilic  Ouran — the  burying  place  of  Oran — is  a 
vast  enclosure,  and  the  principal  place  of  sepulture. 
Of  the  regal  mausoleum,  founded  by  Fergus,  cer- 
tain slight  remains,  built  in  a  ridged  form,  and  known 
as  Jomaire  nan  righ,  or  the  ridge  of  the  kings,  are 
now  only  to  be  discovered.  Yet  the  Dean  of  the 
Isles,  who  wrote  in  1549,  mentions  that  in  his  time 
there  were  three,  built  in  form  of  little  chapels ;  on 


166  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

3ne  inscribed  Tumulus  Regum  Scotice,  in  which 
•vere  deposited  the  remains  of  48  monarchs,  begin- 
ning with  Fergus  II.,  and  ending  with  the  famous 
Macbeth  ;  on  a  second,  inscribed  Tumulus  Regum 
Hibernice,  in  which  were  contained  four  Irish 
monarchs;  and  on  a  third,  Tumulus  Regum  Nor- 
wegice,  containing  eight  Norwegian  princes.  The 
interment  of  so  many  crowned  heads  here,  is 
ascribed  to  an  ancient  prophecy,  importing  that 
"  seven  years  before  the  end  of  the  world  a  deluge 
shall  drown  the  nations  ;  the  sea  at  one  tide  shall 
cover  Ireland,  and  the  green-headed  Islay,  while 
Columba's  Isle  shall  swim  above  the  flood." 

Oran's  chapel  is  situated  here.  His  grave  is 
marked  by  a  plain  red  stone.  In  a  recess,  formed 
with  three  neat  pointed  arches,  Pennant  observed 
a  tombstone  with  a  ship  and  several  ornaments  ; 
had  the  ship's  sails  been  furled,  he  would  have  held 
the  deceased  as  descended  from  the  ancient  kings 
of  -Man,  of  the  Norwegian  race,  who  used  those 
aims.  A  piece  of  a  cross  within  the  chapel  is 
inscribed,  "  Hsec  est  crux  Lauchlani  M'Fingan 
et  ejus  filii  Johannis,  abbatis  de  Hy,  facta  An. 
T)  m.nost.cccclxxxix."  Another  inscription  is  in- 
teresting, as  relating  to  Macdonald  of  Islay  and 
Bantyre — the  friend  of  Bruce,  who  was  present  at 
Bannockburn — and,  by  poetical  license,  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  Lord  of  the  Isles.  "Hie  jacet  corpus 
Angusii  filii  Domini  Angusii  M'Domhnill  de  Hay." 
The  grave -stone  of  Ailean  Nansop,  a  chieftain  of 
Maclean,  is  ornamented  with  carving,  and  a  ship 
A  Maclean  of  Col  appears  in  armour,  with  a 
sword  in  his  left  hand  ;  a  Maclean  of  Duart,  witb. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  167 

armour,  shield,  and  two-handed  sword ;  and  a 
Maclean  of  Lochbuy  grasp3  in  his  right  hand  a 
pistol,  in  his  left,  a  sword.  About  seventy  feet  south 
of  the  chapel,  beneath  a  red  and  polished  stone,  lies 
a  nameless  king  of  France.  The  memory  of  a 
famous  old  doctor  in  Mull,  is  thus  preserved  : — 
Hie  jacet  Johannes  Betonus  Maclenorum  familioo 
medicus  qui  mortuus  est  19  Novembris,  1657, 
Aet.  63.     Donaldus  Betonus  fecit,  1674. 

Ecce  cadit  jaculo  victricis  mortis  iniquae, 
Qui  toties  alios  solverat  ipse  malo. 

Soli  DEO  GLORIA. 

It  is  amusing  to  find,  in  a  late  publication,  a  bar- 
barous and  mutilated  version  of  this  ingenious 
inscription,  put  forth  as  owing  to  a  Mr  Angus 
Lamont,  "  captain  or  governor  of  the  sacred 
relics,"  as  "  never  seen  in  print"  Why,  it  is 
correctly  in  Pennant  seventy  years  since  ;  as,  in- 
deed, are  most  of  the  inscriptions  extant.  Dean 
Frazer  of  the  Isles,  had  collected,  and  presented 
to  the  earl  of  Argyle,  prior  to  1688,  three  hundred 
of  the  inscriptions,  which  were  afterwards  lost  in 
the  family  troubles.  Of  these,  scarcely  more  than 
three  are  now  extant  and  perfect. 

The  cathedral  of  Iona,  164  feet  long,  consists  of 
a  transept,  a  choir,  and  tower  seventy  feet  high, 
lighted  on  one  side  by  a  window,  perforated  with 
quatrefoils,  and  on  the  other,  by  a  circular  light 
with  spiral  mullions.  The  church  pillars  possess 
the  peculiar  diversity  of  rude  sculptures,  seen  in 
our  ecclesiastical  architecture  of  about  the  thir- 
teenth century.  Of  these  sculptures,  some  en- 
numeration  is  due  to  the  visitor.     We  may  mention 


168  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

such  as  are  figured  in  Pennant.  The  principal 
ones  are  on  the  architrave  surmounting  the  door  of 
the  chancel — two  dragons,  supposed  to  be  emblema- 
tical respectively  of  the  law  and  gospel  dispensations, 
from  the  one  exhibiting  its  terrors,  while  the  other 
holds  in  its  teeth  a  vine  branch  ;  this  is  succeeded 
by  some  scroll  work  ;  Christ  riding  on  the  ass  ;  a 
double  figure  of  lions  linked  by  the  necks,  the 
aegis  of  eternity  above  them  ;  angels  harping  be- 
fore the  throne,  on  which  the  Saviour  is  seated  on 
high  ;  Peter  cutting  off  the  ear  of  Malchus,  for 
which  purpose  the  apostle  employs  not  a  sword 
but  an  axe  ;  the  disciples  and  the  band  of  Roman 
soldiers  ;  but  perhaps  the  most  curious  of  the 
whole  is  the  angel  weighing  souls,  while  the  fiend, 
in  shape  of  beast,  hovers  with  outstretched  claws 
over  the  balance  to  clutch  the  unworthy  that  shall 
be  found  wanting. 

The  altar  of  white  marble,  veined  with  grey, 
vulgarly  alleged  to  have  reached  from  side  to  side 
of  the  chancel,  but  which,  when  seen  by  Mr  Sa- 
cheverel  almost*  entire,  was  but  six  feet  by  four, 
owed  its  demolition  to  the  supersitious  belief  that 
a  piece  of  it  conveyed  to  the  possessor  success*  in 
whatsoever  he  might  undertake  !  The  recumbent 
figure  on  the  tomb  of  abbot  MacKinnon,  near  the 
altar,  is  splendidly  sculptured.  The  inscription 
round  the  altar  is  : — - 

"Hicjacet  Johannes  MacFingone,  abbas  deHuy, 
qui  obiit  Anno  Domini  Millesimo  quingentesi- 
rn.o,  cujus  animoc  propitietur  Deus  altissimus. 
Amen." 

On  the  other  side  is  the  tomb  of  abbot  Kenneth; 
on  the  floor,  the  figure  of  an  armed  knight,  with  a 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  169 

shell  by  his  side,  and  a  dog  at  his  feet,  as  if  re- 
turned from  the  feast  of  shells  in  the  hall  of 
Fingal. 

In  the  cathedral  court  or  church-yard  are  two 
crosses;  a  very  elegant  one  called  St.  Martin's  cross, 
formed  of  one  piece  of  red  granite  fourteen  feet 
high  ;  and  one  called  St.  John's  cross,  much  mu- 
tilated. On  the  paved  way,  continued  in  a  line 
from  the  nunnery  to  the  cathedral,  stands  Mac- 
leane's  cross,  one  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  which 
where  standing  in  the  island  at  the  time  of  the 
Reformation,  but  were  immediately  afterwards 
almost  entirely  demolished  by  the  mandate  of  a 
provincial  synod,  which  sat  in  the  island.  A  little 
north-west  of  the  door  of  Oran's  chapel,  is  the 
pedestal  of  a  cross,  beneath  which  lie  concealed 
the  sacred  stones  called  Clacha-brath,  which  many 
visiting  the  island  thought  it  incumbent  to  turn 
round,  in  the  idea  that  the  brath,  or  end  of  the 
world,  would  not  arrive  till  the  stone  on  which 
they  stood  was  worn  through.  Mr  Sacheverel 
says,  there  were  originally  three  splendid  globes 
of  white  marble,  placed  in  three  stone  basins,  but 
the  synod  ordered  them,  and.  sixty  stone  crosses,  to 
be  thrown  into  the  sea.  The  precincts  of  the 
tombs  were  of  old  held  sacred,  and  enjoyed  the 
privileges  of  a  girth  or  sanctuary. 

North  of  the  monastery,  are  the  remains  of  the 
bishop's  house  ;  and  to  the  west  of  the  convent, 
the  abbot's  mount ;  with  traces  of  the  early  econo- 
my of  the  monks,  the  gardens,  ruins  of  a  kiln,  of  a 
granery,  of  a  mill  and  mill-dam. 

As  a  general  resume  of  the  objects  of  interest 
on  this  celebrated  island,  we  may  therefore  repeat, 


170  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

that  the  island  contains  450  inhabitants,  part  of 
whom  are  congregated  in  a  village  near  the  church. 
The  celebrated  ruins  consist  of  a  cathedral,  a  nun- 
nery, and  St.  Oran's  chapel.  The  cathedral,  or 
church  of  St.  Mary,  is  small  and  cruciform;  the 
height  of  the  tower  is  70  feet;  its  architecture  is 
rude  and  inelegant.  On  the  north  side  of  the  altar 
is  the  tomb  of  Abbot  Mackinnon,  who  died  in  A.n. 
1500.  Opposite  to  this  tomb  is  that  of  Kenneth 
Mackenzie,  Earl  of  Seaforth.  Of  the  nunnery, 
the  remains  are  scanty;  the  chapel  contains  the 
tomb  of  the  last  prioress,  Anna,  dated  1511.  St. 
Oran's  chapel — a  small  building  60  feet  by  20 — 
contains  some  tombs,  and  is  surrounded  by  the 
principal  remaining  monuments,  now  unfortunately 
much  defaced  by  weather  and  the  footsteps  of 
visiters.  In  this  hallowed  cemetery, — this  con- 
\entional  asylum  of  the  dead,  which  religion  or 
superstition  happily  respected,  even  amid  the  fury 
of  perpetual  warfare, — repose,  according  to  dubious 
tradition,  the  bones  of  upwards  of  forty  Scottish, 
besides  French,  Irish,  and  Norwegian  kings ;  and 
of  many  lords  of  the  isles,  bishops,  abbots,  and 
chieftains,  especially  of  the  Macdonalds,  a  clan  of 
Norwegian  origin,  indicated  by  their  appropriate 
armorial  bearing,  the  warlike  galley.  On  the 
west  side  of  Martyr  street  is  Maclean's  cross,  a 
beautifully  carved  pillar.  It  is  said  that  360  votive 
crosses  at  one  time  adorned  this  island ;  but  thut 
by  order  of  the  synod  of  Argyle  they  were  ail 
thrown  into  the  sea  in  1560f 

"  In  Johnson's  powerful  and  acute  understanding," 

f  Tradition  affirms  that  some  of  them  were  carried  to  Loch 
Fynea  and  there  sunk  opposite  Strachur._ 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  171 

says  the  anonymous  writer  last  quoted,  "  the  caustie 
shrewdness  of  the  critic  too  often  prevailed  over 
his  poetical  feelings;  yet  of  his  susceptibility  to  the 
poetry,  no  less  than  to  the  charities  of  that  religion 
which  he  loved  and  venerated  as  essential  to  the 
peace,  the  dignity,  and  happiness  of  mankind,  the 
immortal  passage  which  records  the  emotions  ex- 
cited in  his  breast,  by  the  prospect  of  Iona,  affords 
unquestionable  proof:  *  We  were  now  treading  that 
illustrious  island,  which  was  once  the  luminary  of 
the  Caledonian  regions,  whence  savage  clans  and 
roving  barbarians  derived  the  benefits  of  knowledge, 
and  the  blessings  of  religion.  To  abstract  the  mind 
from  all  local  emotion  would  be  impossible  if  it 
were  endeavoured,  and  would  be  foolish  if  it  were 
possible.  Whatever  withdraws  us  from  the  power 
of  our  senses, — whatever  makes  the  past,  the  dis- 
tant, or  the  future,  predominate  over  the  present,— 
advances  us  in  the  dignity  of  thinking  beings.  Far 
from  me,  and  from  my  friends,  be  such  frigid 
philosophy  as  may  conduct  us  indifferent  and  un- 
moved over  any  ground  which  has  been  dignified 
by  wisdom,  bravery,  or  virtue.  That  man  is  little 
to  be  envied,  whose  patriotism  would  not  gain  force 
upon  the  plains  of  Marathon,  or  whose  piety  would 
not  grow  warm  among  the  ruins  of  lona.'  Yet 
it  was  not  till  the  present  day,  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Iona  fully  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  the  Gospel. 
When  a  modern  missionary,  Legh  Richmond,  visited 
the  island,  divine  service  was  performed  in  it  only 
four  times  in  the  year.  Mr.  Richmond  repeatedly 
addressed  these  islanders :  and  his  account  of  his 
visit  to  them,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  pro- 
ductions of  his  well-known  pen."     A  neat  pallia- 


172 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 


mentary  church  and  manse,  and  a  school-house, 
have  been  since  erected,  and  a  minister  appointed 

to  the  island Returning  from  Iona  to  Tobermory, 

tourists  sometimes  visit  Mackinnon's  cave  on  the 
western  shore  of  Mull,  about  8  miles  north  from 
Gribon  point. 


NINTH  TOUR. 

FROM  OBAN  TO  FORT  WILLIAM. 

Two    routes    indicated  —  Connel  ferry,    5 — Shean 

ferry,      10 — Loch     Creran — Portnacross,    \o — 

Ardshill — Balahulish  ferry,  22 — Loch  Leven — • 

JBennavear — Glencoe — Coran   ferry,   25 — Loch 

Eil — Fort    William,    34 — Ben    Nevis — Parallel 

roads  of  Glenroy — Inverlochy  castle. 

-  Tourists  from    Glasgow   for    Fort    William   or 

Inverness   generally  proceed    in   the  first   place  to 

Oban,  by  Lochgilphead  and  the  Crinan  canal  (see 

13th  tour.)      There  are  two  routes  from  Oban  to 

Fort  William :   the  one,  the  coast-line,  by  Connel 

ferry  and  Appin,  which  is  the  shorter  of  the  two; 

and  the  other  by  Taynuilt,  Dalmally,  and  Glencoe. 

(See  pp.  130,  1*31.) 

Returning,  by  the  road  which  skirts  Loch  Etive, 
to  Connel  ferry,  (see  p.  141.)  we  cross  the  loch,  and 
pursue  our  route  northwards,  and  pass  the  ruins  of 
Barcaldine  castle,  within  a  short  distance  of  which 
the  road  turns  to  the  right,  and  Loch  Creran  comes 
into  view.  The  distance  betwixt  Connel  ferry  and 
Shean  ferry  across  Loch  Creran  is  5  miles,  through 
a  romantic  district  of  country.  The  shores  of 
Loch  Creran  are  finely  wooded,  and  above  the  ferry 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  173 

at  Shean,  where  the  views  are  soft  and  cultivated, 
they  rise  into  chains  of  graceful  mountains.  After 
crossing  Connel  ferry  on  Loch  Etive,  however,  it 
may  be  as  well  to  visit  the  ruins  of  Ardchattan 
priory,  of  Vallis  Caulium  monks,  founded  A.D. 
1250,  by  Duncan  MacCoul,  ancestor  of  the  Mac- 
Dougals  of  Lorn.  The  ruins,  and  also  a  high-roofed 
house,  part  of  the  ancient  monastery,  both  encased 
in  ivy,  are  situated  amidst  a  rich  undulating  and 
wooded  park.  The  priory,  burned  by  Colkitto 
during  Montrose's  wars,  measures  only  twenty- 
eight  paces  by  thirteen,  and  little  of  it  now  re- 
mains except  the  entrance  gable.  The  order  of 
Vallis  Caulium  were  reformed  Cistercians,  follow- 
ing the  rule  of  St.  Bennet,  brought  into  Scotland 
about  1230,  by  Malvoisin,  bishop  of  St.  Andrew's, 
and  established  at  Pluscardine,  Elginshire,  Beauly, 
Inverness-shire,  and  Ardchattan,  Argyllshire.  Nor 
is  this  the  only  distinction  of  which  Ardchattan 
boasts.  It  was  here  that  Robert  Bruce  held  the 
last  parliament  at  which  the  business  was  con- 
ducted in  Gaelic  ;  but  which  Pennant  thinks  was 
more  probably  only  a  council,  for  he  remained  long 
master  of  this  country  before  he  got  entire  pos- 
session of  it. 

The  first  direct  object  of  interest  on  the  road  be- 
twixt the  ferries,  is  the  magnificent  set  of  cliffs 
called  the  "  Craig  an  Righ,"  or  king's  rocks,  a 
hard  conglomerate  or  breccia,  composed  of  a  great 
variety  of  primitive  and  trap  rocks ;  and  to  the 
north-west  of  them,  about  400  yards  in  advance,  a 
small  bifurcated  eminence  is  the  supposed  site  of 
the  far-famed  Beregonium.  It  is  now  generally 
allowed  to  have  been  a  vitrified  fort,  the  popular 


174  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 

name  for  which  is  Dun  MacSniachan;  but  an  ad- 
joining cliff  is  still  called  Dun  Bhailan  Righ,  "hill 
of  king's  town,"  which,  at  the  period  of  Pennant's 
visit,  was  reputed  amongst  the  country  people  to 
have  had  on  its  summit  seven  towers  ;  and  several 
excavations,  with  a  dyke  round  them,  were  pointed 
out  to  him,  besides  two  rude  erect  columns,  about 
six  feet  high  and  nine  in  girth,  in  the  Straid-a- 
Mharagaid,  or  market  street.  Some  years  ago,  a 
stone  coffin,  an  urn,  and  a  sandal,  were  found  in 
the  ground  behind.  Notwithstanding  the  scorisa 
or  pumices  of  different  kinds  dug  up,  demonstrating 
the  volcanic  origin  of  the  Dun  MacSniachan  inclo- 
sures — both  oblong,  and  respectively  160  and 
100  paces  in  circumference,  being  separated  by 
an  interval  of  120  paces — there  is  nothing  to  pre- 
clude its  having  been,  not  at  best,  as  Pennant  sur- 
mises, but  at  least  such  a  city  as  Caesar  found 
in  our  island  at  the  time  of  his  invasion,  an  oppi- 
dum  or  fortified  town,  surrounded  with  a  rampart 
and  foss,a  place  of  retreat  from  invaders;  nay,  there 
is  nothing  to  prevent  its  having  been,  as  stated  in 
what  he  calls  apocryphal  history,  (meaning  Boe- 
thius  and  Buchanan — but  Boethius  and  Buchanan, 
in  all  instances  in  which  we  can  trace  their  re- 
searches, drew  from  the  most  authentic  sources, 
and,  considering  their  learning,  their  genius,  and 
the  periods  at  which  they  wrote,  must  have  posses- 
sed many  sources  of  historical  information  lost  to 
us,)  there  is  nothing,  we  say,  advanced  to  confute 
the  probability  of  this  having  been  the  veritable 
Beregonium,  founded  by  Fergus  II.,  and  for  many 
ages  the  chief  city  of  Scotland.    As  for  Loch  Creran 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  175 

it  is  encircled  with  mountains  resembling  in  their 
contour  those  of  Loch  Etive.  On  crossing  at  Shean 
ferry,  the  road  skirts  the  loch,  passes  the  islet  of 
Eriskeir,  and  Airds  house,  and  the  church  of  Ap- 
pin,  to  Portnacross,  where  there  is  a  ferry  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Linnhe  loch.  Leaving  Kin- 
garloch  on  the  left,  and  Letter  Shuna,  and  Appin 
house,  we  pursue  a  most  romantic  road  along  the 
margin  of  the  Linnhe  loch,  to  Ardshiel,  at  the  en- 
trance of  Loch  Leven  ;  we  then  turn  westwards 
along  the  shore  of  the  last  mentioned  loch  till  we 
reach  Balahulish  ferry.  Some  striking  landscapes 
occur  here,  particularly  as  we  approach  to  the  nar- 
row strait  which  forms  the  ferry. 
-  Loch  Leven,  says  Dr.  Macculloch,  "  from  its 
mouth  to  its  farthest  extremity — a  distance  of 
twelve  miles — is  one  continued  succession  of  land- 
scapes on  both  sides;  the  northern  shore  being 
accessible  by  the  ancient  road  which  crosses  the 
Devil's  Staircase;  but  the  southern  one  turning 
away  from  the  water  near  to  the  quarries.  The 
chief  beauties,  however,  lie  at  the  lower  half;  the 
interest  of  the  scenes  diminishing  after  passing  the 
contraction  which  takes  place  near  the  entrance  of 
Glencoe,  and  the  farthest  extremity  being  rather 
wild  than  beautiful."  About  3J  miles  above  Bala- 
hulish ferry,  the  loch  is  again  contracted  in  another 
strait  called  the  Dog's  ferry.  In  the  basin  between 
these  ferries  are  several  islets,  one  of  which  called 
St.  Mungoe's  isle  is  used  as  a  burying  place  by  the 
people  of  Glencoe  and  Lochaber.  At  the  upper 
end  of  Loch'Leven  there  is  a  wild  mountain  stream 
which  holds  a  singularly  tortuous  course  amid 
masses  of  rock  which  almost  conceal  it  from  view. 


176  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

As  the  tourist  may  deem  it  necessary  to  recall, 
at  this  stage,  the  circumstances  of  the  noted 
"  Massacre  of  Glencoe,"  we  cannot  present  a  more 
succinct  version  than  that  of  Mrs  Grant  of  Lag- 
gan* : — 

"  Glencoe  has  often  been  described  to  me  as  very 
singular  in  its  appearance  and  situation  ; — a  glen 
so  narrow,  so  warm,  so  fertile,  so  overhung  by 
mountains,  which  seem  to  meet  above  you, — with 
sides  so  shrubby  and  woody  !  the  haunt  of  roes  and 
numberless  small  birds.  They  told  me  it  was  un- 
equalled for  the  chorus  of  'wood  notes  wild'  that 
resounded  from  every  side.  The  sea  is  so  near 
that  its  roar  is  heard,  and  its  productions  abound. 
It  was  always  accounted  (for  its  narrow  bounds)  a 
place  of  great  plenty  and  security.  In  this  ro- 
mantic retreat,  where  a  blue  stream  bends  its  course 
with  a  half-circular  sweep,  through  the  most 
peaceful  and  secluded  of  narrow  vales,  the  match- 
less melody  of  the  sweet  voice  of  Cona  first 
awaked  the  joy  of  grief.  On  that  account  you 
may  believe  the  glen  peopled  with  images  that  are 
*  pleasant  yet  mournful  to  the  soul.'  .  .  . 
I  shall  come  down  to  the  safer  walks  of  common 
life,  and  tell  you  the  sad  story  that  has  made  this 
glen  frequent  in  the  songs  of  modern  bards, 
and  has  even  found  its  way  to  the  page  of  history, 
to  blot  it  with  crimes  unequalled  in  our  age  and 
country.  But  first,  that  you  may  estimate  duly  the 
renown  of  this  little  glen,  I  must  tell  you  what  a 

tuneful  and  warlike  tribe  inhabited  it.     The  tribe 

• 

*  Letters  from  the  Mountains,  Letter  IX. 


STEA  M-  BO  AT  POCK  ET  G  U I DE.  177 

of  MacDonalds,  called  Maclans,  or  sons  of  John, 
who  dwelt  in  this  sequestered  spot,  were  all,  as  the 
country  people  say,  born  poets  ;  and  this  belief  was 
so  well  established,  that  if  a  Maclan  could  not 
rhyme,  his  legitimacy  was  called  in  question - 
whatever  his  other  merits  might  be,  he  was  no 
genuine  Maclan.  This  is  not  only  strange,  but 
very  true.  The  first  possessers  of  this  peaceful 
retreat,  were  led  to  take  a  powerful  interest  in  the 
songs  of  Selma,  by  the  proud  consciousness  of 
dwelling  in  the  spot  made  sacred  by  the  birth  of 
the  tuneful  hero.  The  profound  seclusion  in  which 
they  lived  encouraged  meditation  ;  the  noble  objects 
which  surrounded  them,  and  shut  out  the  world, 
sublimed  it.  The  plenty  their  retreat  afforded  to 
their  hunting  and  fishing  pursuits,  afforded  leisure 
for  the  muse.  .  .  .  Whether  it  was  by  these 
mechanic  means,  or  by  superior  powers  of  imagi- 
nation, this  tuneful  tribe  claimed  all  the  respect 
due  to  superior  talents ;  to  which  was  added,  that 
paid  to  distinguished  courage.  When  they  were 
induced,  by  the  fatal  feuds  so  common  in  old  times, 
to  attack  any  other  tribe,  it  was  not  easy  to  pur* 
sue  them  into  their  retreats ;  and  then  they  sallied 
forth  again  with  the  hardiness  produced  by  im- 
punity. Thus  they  became  fearless  themselves, 
and  feared  by  others.  To  be  concise,  they  were 
always  with  the  Stuarts,  their  neighbour  clan,  and 
against  their  opponents,  which,  in  the  end,  pro- 
voked no  common  vengeance.  In  the  year  1691, 
or  later,  it  was  required  that  all  heads  of  tribes 
in  that  district  should  take  the  oaths  to  govern- 
ment at  Inverary.     Now,  this  was  a  hard  pill,  for 


178  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

the  Highlanders  could  never  forgive  King  Wil- 
liam for  dethroning  his  uncle.  'Twas  quite  out  of 
their  style  of  doing  injuries ;  and  the  reasons  for 
so  doing  were  beyond  their  comprehension. 

"Probably  M'lan  was  not  the  least  sorry  that  a 
violent  storm  made  the  mountains  impassable 
about  the  last  days  of  grace,  so  he  made  a  de- 
claration before  some  magistrate  about  Fort- 
William,  that  he  would  have  gone  to  take  the 
oaths  if  he  could.  This  informality  was  seized  on 
as  a  pretext  by  some  enemy  whom  he  had  in  the 
army,  whose  ancestors  had  probably  suffered  from 
the  fury  of  a  Glencoe  eruption.  A  company 
marched  out  from  the  fort,  under  pretence  of 
quartering  in  the  glen  till  the  oaths  were  taken. 
They  were  received  with  the  most  hospitable 
kindness;  the  officers  were  lodged  in  Glencoe's 
house — the  soldiers  with  his  tenants.  This  hap- 
pened in  the  joyous  days  of  Christmas,  when  it  is, 
if  ever,  that  these  persons  have  plenty  and  good 
cheer.  Glencoe  was  not  well,  but  sat  up  and 
played  at  cards  the  last  night,  out  of  courtesy  to 
the  officers.  At  midnight,  the  soldiers  got  the 
word  of  command ;  every  man  went  in  and  thot 
his  host,  and  then  bayonetted  the  boys  and  old 
people.  It  was  a  clear  frosty  night.  The  dis- 
charges of  shot  through  the  echoing  glen,  alarmed 
those  who  had  given  up  their  beds  to  their 
guests,  and  slept  in  bye  places.  Of  these  I  cannot 
exactly  recollect  how  many  escaped  to  the  moun- 
tain, to  suffer  every  extremity  of  cold,  hunger, 
grief,  and  fear.  I  have  not  nerves  for  the  whole 
detail ;  suffice  it,  that  Glencoe's  last  breath  was 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE,  179 

spent  in  a  devout  aspiration;  that  his  super- 
annuated father  was  murdered  in  his  bed  by  an 
ensign,  whose  name  should  never  be  pronounced 
or  written ;  and  that  his  eldest  son,  in  his  eighth 
year,  was  stabbed  by  the  same  ruffian,  when  on  his 
knees  imploring  mercy.  The  present  laird,  an 
infant  two  years  old,  was  carried  off  to  the  hills 
by  his  nurse,  unobserved.  The  only  other  male 
in  the  chief's  house  who  escaped,  was  the  bard; 
as  every  shift  had  been  made  to  accommodate  the 
strangers,  he  slept  in  some  odd  corner.  Next 
day,  there  was  neither  smoke  seen,  nor  voice  heard 
in  this  close-peopled  glen,  which  before  contained 
about  300  inhabitants.  The  bard  sat  alone  upon 
a  rock,  and,  looking  down,  composed  a  long  dismal 
song.  Now,  you  are  waiting  to  hear,  with  a  sav- 
age delight,  of  the  punishments  inflicted  on  these 
midnight  assassins.  No  such  matter;  the  cry  of 
blood  resounded  over  all  Europe,  and  the  hero  of 

Nassau  heard   it  as  if  he  heard   it  not 

William  was  a  hero  after  all ;  but  authority,  pure 
at  the  source,  is  often  poisoned  in  the  channels. 
Yet,  though  he  could  not  remedy  the  evil,  he 
ought  to  have  avenged  it.  Now,  you  would  know 
how  the  chief  agent  in  this  villany  ended?  he 
died  at  a  ripe  old  age,  abundantly  prosperous. 
But  who  saw  his  nightly  visions,  or  felt  his  se- 
cret pangs?  The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  never 
fails  to  do  right,  though  we  cannot  always  see  how.,, 
In  length,  Glencoe  is  nearly  nine  miles,  and  is 
now  without  the  least  appearance  of  any  human 
habitation,  or  even  vegetation  to  support  a  few 
tame  animals   connected  with   the   most  humble 


180  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

household  ;  as  if  the  place  had  been  proscribed  of 
heaven,  as  the  habitation  of  either  man  or  beast. 
The  road  from  Ballahulish  is  carried  along  the 
edge  of  Loch  Leven,  about  two  or  three  miles, 
with  numerous  indentures.  In  many  places, 
where  it  has  been  blasted  out  of  the  perpendicular 
rock,  a  parapet,  on  the  side  next  the  water,  ren- 
ders it  perfectly  secure.  The  tide  here  seems  to 
insinuate  itself  between  lofty  mountains,  running 
in  different  directions,  greatly  enhancing  the  pic- 
turesque effect.  Three  separate  mountain  groups, 
of  the  second  altitude,  here  present  themselves  to 
the  eye,  forming  successively  Corry-Yusachan, 
Glenoe,  and  Glencoe ;  while  various  cottages, 
the  great  slate-work  of  Ballahulish,  a  lime  kiln, 
and  other  wayside  objects,  aid  the  landscape, 
along  with  the  islands  on  the  lake,  and  woods, 
and  residences  at  the  base  of  the  mountains. 
The  river  Coe  joins  the  lake  at  Invercoe.  The 
old  house,  the  scene  of  the  infamous  massacre,  is 
at  a  little  distance,  a  perfect  ruin.  The  horror, 
without  which  it  cannot  be  beheld,  is  heightened 
by  the  solemn  majesty  of  the  surrounding  scene. 
For  about  two  or  three  miles  up  Glencoe,  the 
scenery,  though  on  a  bold  scale,  is  not  very  differ- 
ent from  other  Highland  valleys.  A  little  farther, 
however,  and  the  height  and  steepness  of  the  hills 
become  terrible,  a  face  of  perpendicular  rock, 
rising  like  a  huge  black  wall,  from  the  margin  of 
a  small  lake  formed  by  the  river,  with  a  pretty 
fall  of  water. 

Through  a  narrow  opening  betwixt  this  rocky 
rampart  and  a  nearer  hill,  a  pointed  rock  risea 


STEAM-IiOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  181 

into  view,  to  a  height  far  beyond  both,  and  seems 
to  lean  forward,  as  if  out  of  an  embrasure.  The 
narrow  part  of  the  glen  here  bends  eastward,  with 
naked  mountain  crags  of  the  wildest  forms  shoot- 
ing up  on  both  sides  to  the  skies.  The  high  road  to 
Tyndrum  passes  through  the  glen  ;  but  from  the 
vast  torrents  of  stone  continually  brought  down  by 
the  tempests,  and  spreading  as  they  descend  to  a 
width  of  300  yards,  can  only  be  maintained  at  a 
considerable  expense.  In  no  other  part  of  Britain 
do  the  mountain  summits  consist  so  wholly  of 
bare  crags.  About  the  middle  of  the  glen,  at  the 
height  of  200  or  300  feet,  is  a  yawning  chasm  in 
the  face  of  the  mountain,  which  few,  if  any,  have 
ever  explored.  No  pencil  can  convey  an  adequate 
idea  of  subjects  so  immensely  and  savagely  grand. 
Yet  finer  features,  and  traces  of  minutest  beauty, 
which  the  artist  may  select  amongst  the  dells  and 
passes,  are  here  to  be  found  amid  nature's  mighti- 
est works.  Between  some  of  the  mountains, 
burns,  forming  fine  cascades,  descend  through 
woody  passes  communicating  with  other  glens. 

The  allusions,  in  our  quotation  from  the  "Letters 
from  the  Mountains,"  to  Glencoe,as  the  birth-place 
of  Ossian,  arise  from  the  Coe  being  taken  for 
Ossian's  "roaring  stream  of  Cona;"  while  the  hill 
of  Marmor  rises  on  the  south;  "  Con-Fion,"  the 
hill  of  Fingal,  on  the  north  of  the  vale  ;  and  here 
also  is  "  Scur-no-Fionn,"  the  mountain  of  the  Fin- 
galians. 

Where  the  road,  quitting  the  banks  of  Loch 
Leven,  turns  south  to  Glencoe,  the  head  of  the 
loch    is     excluded    from    view    by     Scurachie 


182  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

The  falls  of  Kynlochmore  at  the  head  of  the  loch 
are  formed  hy  a  small  stream  which  precipitates 
itself  over  a  precipice  nearly  100  feet  in  height. 
From  the  top  of  Bennavear,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  ferry,  a  noble  view  is  obtained  of  lochs  Sunart, 
Etive,  Creran,  and  Leven,  and  the  long  inlet  of  the 
Linnhe  loch,  with  their  enclosing  mountains,  and 
Ben  Nevis. 

Glencoe  may  be  most  advantageously  visited  from 
Balahulish.  The  entrance  to  it  on  this  side  is 
through  a  finely  varied  district  of  fruit-trees,  corn- 
fields, meadows,  and  copsewood,  which  contrasts 
strongly  with  the  utter  desolation  of  the  region  be- 
yond it.  The  pass  ascends  between  dark,  lofty,  and 
precipitous  ridges.  At  the  highest  point  of  the 
ascent  the  dismal  moor  of  Rannoch  opens  on  the 
view,  in  which  the  solitary  inn  of  King's  house* 
appears  in  the  distance  like  a  caravansera  in  the 
desert.  "  There  is  nothing,"  says  Dr.  Macculloch, 
"  to  which  the  scenery  of  Glencoe  can  be  compared: 
there  arc  only  two  scenes  with  which  it  can  be 
named :  Coruisk  in  Sky,  and  Glen  Sannox  in 
Arran.  But  there  is  no  resemblance,  in  either 
case.  Coruisk  is  a  giant,  before  which  this  valley, 
even  such  as  it  is,  sinks  into  insignificance.  Glen 
Sannox  is  single  and  simple  in  its  sublimity;  a 
terrible  vacuum.  In  Glencoe  every  thing  is  wild 
and  various  and  strange :  a  busy  bustling  scene  of 
romance  and  wonder:   terrific, — but  terrific  from 

*  This  is  the  military  road  to  Tyndrurn.  King's  house  is 
28>  miles  from  Fort  William;  9|  miles  beyond  it  is  Inveroran  ; 
2  miles  further,  the  road  crosses  the  Orchy  which  flows  through 
Glenorchy  on  the  right;  4  miles  from  the  bridge  of  Orchy,  the 
road  touches  upon  the  borders  of  Perthshire ;  and  3  miles  fur* 
ther  it  reaches  Tyndrurn  at  the  head  of  Strathfillan. 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  183 

its  rudeness,  and  its  barrenness,  and  its  spiry  rocks, 
and  its  black  precipices,  not  from  sublimity  of  forms 
or  extent  of  space.  In  its  own  character,  it  excels 
all  analogous  scenes :  and  yet  there  is  in  it  that 
which  art  and  taste  do  not  love, — a  quaintuess  of 
outline ;  forms  unusual  in  nature,  and  therefore 
extravagant, — when  painted,  appearing  fanciful  and 
fictitious  rather  than  true.  Such  it  is  also  when 
viewed  in  nature  :  we  rather  wonder  than  admire: 
and  the  gloom  of  its  lofty  and  opposing  precipices, 
the  powerful  effect  of  its  deep  shadows,  the  impres- 
sion produced  by  its  altitude  and  extent  and  bulk, 
are  injured  by  a  form  of  outline  which  attracts  the 
eye  as  unnatural,  and  which  forces  it  to  analyze 
and  reason  instead  of  allowing  it  to  feel." 

We  now  return  again  to  Balahulish,  and  pursue 
our  route  towards  Fort  William.  Crossing  the 
ferry  of  Balahulish  the  tourist  leaves  Argyleshire 
and  enters  the  district  of  Lochaber,  pnsses  the 
hamlet  of  Onich,  and  reaches  Corran  ferry,  9  miles 
from  Fort  William  and  3  from  Balahulish.  This 
ferry  divides  Loch  Linnhe,  from  Loch  Eil.  Fort 
William  and  the  adjacent  town  of  Maryburgh  are 
situated  on  a  bend  of  the  latter  loch,  near  the  con- 
fluence of  the  river  Lochy.  The  fort  was  erected 
in  King  William's  reign.  The  town  was  founded 
by  James  VI.  It  was  formerly  named  Gordons- 
burgh,  being  built  on  the  duke  of  Gordon's  pro- 
perty, but  was  subsequently  named  from  King 
William's  consort.  It  contains  about  1500  inhabi- 
tants. The  first  military  position  here  was  esta- 
blished by  Cromwell  for  a  strong  Highland  garrison ; 
it  was  then  called  Inverlochy.  The  tourist  while 
at    Fort   William   should,    if  time   permit,   ascend 


184  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Ben  Nevis,  and   visit  Inverlochy  castle,  and  the 
parallel  roads  of  Glenroy. 

Ben  Nevis  rises  abruptly  from  the  plain  to  the 
east  of  Fort  William.  Its  altitude  is  4368  feet, 
and  its  ascent  usually  occupies  4  hours.  It  is  gen- 
erally considered  to  be  the  highest  in  Britain.  Ben 
Muicdhu,  the  highest  summit  of  the  Cairngorum 
mountains  is  next  to  it ;  hut  Ben  Nevis  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  isolation,  and,  on  the  west  side  at  least, 
of  rising  almost  immediately  from  the  sea.  Its 
northern  part  towards  Inverlochy  consists  of  two 
distinct  ascents  or  terraces,  creating  the  appearance 
of  one  mountain  placed  on  another.  On  the  level 
top  of  the  lower  of  these  is  a  small  tarn  at  an  ele- 
vation of  1700  feet  above  the  sea.*  The  upper 
portion  of  the  mountain  is  a  mass  of  porphyry. 
At  the  height  of  1800  feet  vegetation  nearly  ceases, 
and  the  road  is  continued  over  huge  blocks  of 
stone,  or  gravelly  beds  called  scarnacks.  The  sum- 
mit itself  is  utterly  bare.  "  If  any  one  is  desirous,'* 
says  Maceulloch — in  a  paragraph  which  we  perceive 
several  of  our  brother-tourists  have  stolen  from  the 
learned  doctor  without  the  shadow  of  acknowledg- 
ment— "  to  see  how  the  world  looked  on  the  first 
day  of  creation,  let  him  come  hither.  Nor  is  this 
nakedness  at  all  hyperbolical ;  since  the  surfaces  of 
the  stones  are  not  even  covered  with  the  common 
crustaceous  lichens ;  two  or  three  only  of  the 
shrubby  kinds  being  barely  visible.  It  is  an  ex- 
tensive and  flat  plain,  strewed  with  loose  rocks, 
tumbled  together  in  fragments  of  all  sizes,  and 
generally  covering  the  solid  foundation  to  a  con- 

*  From  a  point  a  little  beyond  Inverlochy  castle,  the  touri&t 
can  ascend  as  far  as  the  tarn  on  a  poney. 


STEAM- BOAT   POCKET  GUIDE.  185 

siderable  depth.  While  these  black  and  dreary 
ruins  mark  the  power  of  the  elements  on  this 
stormy  and  elevated  spot,  they  excite  our  surprise 
at  the  agencies  that  could  thus,  unaided  by  the 
usual  force  of  gravity,  have  ploughed  up  and 
broken  into  atoms  so  wide  and  so  level  a  surface 
of  the  toughest  and  most  tenacious  of  rocks.  Cer- 
tainly Nature  did  not  intend  mountains  to  last  for 
ever ;  when  she  is  so  fertile  in  expedients  as  to  lay 
plans  for  destroying  a  mountain  so  apparently  un- 
susceptible of  ruin  as  Ben  Nevis."  On  gaining  the 
summit,  if  the  day  is  clear,  the  spectator  will  com- 
mand a  vast  and  imposing  prospect, — his  eye  rang- 
ing across  the  whole  breadth  of  Scotland  from  the 
German  ocean  to  the  Atlantic.  On  the  east  is  the 
great  glen  of  Scotland  with  its  continuous  chain  of 
lochs.  Towards  the  south  and  east  are  the  Moun- 
tain-Titans, Ben  Cruachan,  Schihallien,  Benmore, 
Benlawers,  Bennevis,  and  Benlomond,  with  a  host 
of  less  aspiring  summits.  In  the  far  distance  are 
the  hills  of  Caithness,  the  far-receding  capes  of 
Ireland,  and  the  scarcely  discernible  mountain- 
outlines  of  the  Outer  Hebrides.  In  the  far  south- 
west is  the  island  of  Colonsay  at  the  opening  of  the 
sound  of  Mull;  and  apparently  under  the  feet  of 
the  spectator,  though  actually  at  a  distance  of  30 
miles,  the  verdant  isles  of  Lismore  and  Shuna. 
On  the  north-eastern  side  is  a  terrific  precipice 
which  shoots  up  from  a  point  1500  feet  below  to 
the  very  summit  of  the  mountain. 

The  parallel  roads  of  Glenroy  are  about  12  miles  to 
the  north-east  of  Fort- William.  The  road  to  them 
is  by  Highbridge,  and  the  Badenoch  road  as  far  as» 
Keppoch,  whence  a  point  strikes  off  on  the  left  down 


186  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Glenroy.  These  roads  are  composed  of  sand  and 
gravel,  and  occupy  corresponding  elevations  on  both 
sides  of  the  glen,  in  a  direction  perfectly  horizontal. 
Wherever  they  come  to  a  vacuity  in  the  hill,  they 
bend  inwards  till  they  find  the  natural  level  ;  and 
where  they  come  to  a  river,  instead  of  sinking  down 
to  the  level  of  its  bottom,  or  running  across  on  an 
artificial  viaduct,  they  turn  up  the  banks  of  the 
river,  keeping  still  their  horizontal  direction,  till 
they  reach  the  level  of  the  bottom  of  the  stream, 
when  they  cross,  and  pursue  the  course  of  the 
stream  on  the  opposite  bank  till  they  reach  the 
streak,  where  they  proceed  forward  as  before. 
There  are  three  of  these  terraces  rising  one  above 
the  other,  and  having  an  average  breadth  of  60 
feet.  Such  roads  occur  in  some  other  glens  of 
Scotland,  and  also  in  some  parts  of  the  continent. 
Dr.  Mac Cul loch's  theory  of  their  formation  is  :-— 
"  The  parallel  roads  are  the  shores  of  ancient  lakes, 
or  of  one  ancient  lake,  occupying  successively  dif- 
ferent levels,  and  long  since  drained.  In  an  exist- 
ing lake  among  hills/it  is  easy  to  see  the  very  traces 
in  question,  produced  by  the  wash  of  the  waves 
against  the  alluvial  matter  of  the  hills.  By  thi3 
check,  and  by  the  loss  of  gravity  which  the  stones 
undergo  from  immersion  in  water,  they  are  distri- 
buted in  a  belt  along  the  margin  of  the  lake  :  a  belt 
broadest  and  most  level  where  there  are  most  loose 
materials,  and  where  the  declivity  of  the  hill  is 
least, — narrowest  and  most  imperfect  where  these 
circumstances  are  different, — aud,  wherever  rocks 
protrude,  ceasing  to  be  formed.  In  every  one  of 
these  points,  the  shores  of  a  living  lake  agree  pre- 
cisely with  the  lines  of  these  valleys  ;  and  were  such 


STEAM- BO  AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  187 

a  lake  suddenly  drained  now,  it  would  be  a  Glen 
Roy.  Thus  also  is  explained  the  coincidence  of  the 
great  terraces  and  deltas  of  Glen  Roy  with  the 
lines.  In  the  living  lake,  the  delta  at  the  main 
entrance  is  necessarily  prolonged  into  its  shores,  as 
are  those  of  the  lateral  streams:  and  this  is  precisely 
what  occurs  in  Glen  Roy.  Ancient  Glen  Roy 
was  therefore  a  lake,  which,  subsiding  first  by  a 
vertical  depth  of  eighty-two  feet,  left  its  shore,  to 
form  the  uppermost  line;  which,  by  a  second  subsi- 
dence of  212  feet,  produced  the  second ;  and  which, 
on  its  final  drainage,  left  the  third  and  lowest,  and 
the  present  valley  also,  such  as  we  now  see  it.  At 
its  lowest  level  at  least,  it  formed  a  common  lake 
with  the  valley  of  the  Spean,  of  which  lake  Loch 
Laggan  remains  a  memorial,  as  does  Loch  Treig  of 
the  portion  which  occupied  that  valley.  Whether 
Glen  Cloy  was  united  with  this  great  lake  at  its 
lowest  extremity,  is  a  difficult  point  to  be  examined 
immediately;  but  I  have  already  shown,  that  from 
the  high  level  of  its  communication  through  Glen 
Turrit,  there  could  have  been  no  communication  at 
that  end.  Thus  far  all  is  simple  ;  but  the  difficulty 
that  remains,  is  to  account,  not  merely  for  the  waste 
or  destruction  of  the  barriers  which  dammed  these 
lakes,  but  for  the  places  which  they  must  have 
occupied."  The  doctor  goes  on  to  say  that  of  these 
barriers  "  there  must  have  been  one  at  Loch  Spey, 
at  least  equal  to  the  present  difference  of  its  elevation 
and  of  that  of  the  uppermost  line.  But  that  is 
trifling  ;  and  it  is  not  very  difficult  to  suppose  causes 
capable  of  wearing  it  down  to  the  present  level  of 
this  waterhead.  There  must  have  been  another  at 
Loch    Laggan.      If    Glen    Spean    and    Glen    Roy 


188  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

formed  a  common  lake  at  the  level  of  the  higLest  of 
the  lines,  of  which  there  are  no  indications,  that 
obstruction  must  have  had  an  elevation  of  about 
J300  feet,  as  before  shown  :  if  this  was  not  the  case, 
except  at  the  lowest  level,  one  of  ten  feet  would 
have  been  sufficient.  In  this  case,  Glen  Roy,  at 
its  two  higher  levels,  was  a  distinct  lake,  and  must 
have  had  a  dam  towards  Glen  Spean,  where  the 
two  valleys  join,  which  must  have  given  way  at 
successive  intervals,  before  these  two  valleys  formed 
one  common  lake.* 

Inverlochy  castle,  once  according  to  tradition  the 
seat  of  Pictish  royalty,  is  situated  between  Fort 
William  and  High  bridge,  about  2  miles  from  the 
former  place.  The  buildings  cover  a  space  of  about 
1600  square  yards.  It  is  probable  that  this  castle 
was  founded  by  the  Cummin  family.  In  its  neigh- 
bourhood Donald  Balloch,  brother  to  Alexander, 
Lord  of  the  Isles,  defeated  the  earls  of  Caithness 
and  Mar  in  1427  ;  and  in  1645  the  marquess  of 
Montrose  here  defeated  the  Campbells  under 
Argyle.f 

*  From  Glenroy  the  tourist  may  proceed  a  few  miles  farther 
along  the  Badenoch  road  to  Loch  Laggan,  a  sheet  of  water 
about  9  miles  in  length,  and  from  one  to  two  in  breadth.  There 
is  good  risbing  on  this  lake,  which  is  fed  by  the  Paetrag,  and 
discharges  itself  by  the  Spean  into  the  Lochy. 
f  See  '  Legend  of  Montrose.' 


8TEAM-B0AT  POCKET  GLIDE.  189 

TENTH  TOUR. 

FROM  FORT-WILLIAM  TO  THE  ISLE  OF  SKYE. 

Corpach,    4. — Fass>fern    house,    10. —  Glenfinnan, 
]$. — Loch  Shiel— -Borrodale,  34. — Arlsaig,  38 
Different  routes  to  the  Spar  cave — Ardavaser,  50. 
Armadale,  52 — Sleat,  53. — Knock,  56. — Cam- 
buscron,  62. — Loch-in-Daal — Broadford,  72. — 
Loch  Slapin,  78. — Kilmore,  82. — The  Spar  cave, 
86 —  Sconsor  —  Raasay —  Struan —  Taliskcr  — 
Bracadale — Dunvegan — Portree. 
A  visit  to  the  isle  of  Skye  may  be  conveniently 
made  from    Fort   William.      The  tourist  proceeds 
first  to  Corpach  at  the  west  end  of  the  Caledonian 
canal.      Here  at  the  church  of  Kilmalie  is  an  obelisk 
to   the   memory  of  Colonel    Cameron   who   fell   at 
Waterloo,   at   the   head  of  the  79th   regiment,  <ir 
Cameron  Highlanders;   and   in  the  neighbourhood, 
on  the  summit  of  a  hill  1200  feet  high,  are  the  re- 
mains of  a  vitrified  fort,  one  of  the  most  entire  of 
these  singular  structures  that  has  yet  been  examined. 
Passing    Fassifern   house,   the   seat   of   Sir   Ewan 
Cameron,  we  reach   the  head  of  Loch   Eil,  from 
which   there  is  a  fine   view   of   Ben    Nevis  ;    and 
the  road  now  enters  a  narrow  pass  from  which  we 
emerge  into  Glenfinnan  at  the  head  of  Loch  Shiel. 
Several  miles  of  this  long  and  narrow  lake  can  be 
seen  from  this  point.      It  is  a  silent,  solitary  spot; 
yet  it  was  here  that  the  first  movement  was  made 
towards  a  rebellion  which  threatened  to  convulse 
the  empire.      Prince  Charles  Stuart  landed  at  Bor- 
rodale  in  Moidart,  on  the  25th  of  July,  17-45.     On 
the  18th  of  August  he  sailed   up  Loch  Shiel  as  far 


190  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

as  Glenalladale  ;  and  next  day  he  proceeded  to  the 
head  of  the  loch,  and  landing  entered  Glenfinnan 
about  mid-day.  Here  he  was  met  by  Lochiel  at 
the  head  of  between  seven  and  eight  hundred  of  the 
clan  Cameron,  and  Macdonald  of  Keppoch  with  about 
200  men.  The  marquess  of  Tullibardine  unfurled 
the  prince's  standard,  and  held  it  till  the  commis- 
sion of  regency  was  read  in  the  audience  of  the 
little  army.  A  monument  in  commemoration  of 
the  event  has  been  erected  here  by  Macdonald  of 
Glenalladale. 

The  road  from  hence  passes  through  scenery 
finely  diversified  with  broken  and  rugged  rocks, 
copsewood,  bare  tracts  of  heather,  and  little  farms. 
It  then  winds  through  a  woody  defile,  and  skirts 
the  bays  and  promontories  of  Loch  Aylooh,  under 
bare  and  towering  heights.  About  16  miles  from 
Glenfinnan,  on  the  left,  is  Borrodale,  where  Prince 
Charles  found  his  first  and  last  asylum.  Four 
miles  farther  on  is  Arisaig,  on  Loch-na-Gaul, 
whence  there  is  a  ferry  to  Skye.  If  the  weather  be 
favourable,  the  tourist  should  here  hire  a  boat  to 
convey  him  directly  round  the  point  of  Sleat  to  Loch 
Slapin,  the  locality  of  the  Spar  cave,  a  distance 
from  Arisaig  of  25  miles.  Or,  he  may  take  the 
regular  ferry  to  Ardavaser  in  Skye,  a  distance  of  12 
miles,  and  go  from  thence  by  land,  either  by  the 
eastern  side  of  Loch  Slapin  and  Loch  Eyshort,  or 
by  Armadale,  Sleat,  and  Knock  castle.  The  lattei 
route  is  generally  preferred. 

Armadale,  the  residence  of  Lord  Macdonald,  is 
2  miles  distant  from  Ardavaser.  It  is  a  fine  GothiG 
building  of  recent  erection,  surrounded  with  young 
plantations    which    contrast  beautifully   with    the 


STEAM- BO  AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  191 

bold  and  rugged  coasts  on  the  opposite  shore  of 
the  sound.  Lord  Macdonald  is  proprietor  of  two- 
thirds  of  the  island.  One  mile  further  on  is  the 
church  of  Sleat.  The  cemetery  which  surrounds 
the  parish-church  of  Sleat  contains  some  old  monu- 
ments of  the  Macdonalds  :  chiefly  flat  stones,  on 
which  are  represented  various  emblems  of  mor- 
tality. Within  the  church  is  a  monument,  bearing 
a  well-merited  inscription,  from  the  pen  of  Lord 
Lyttleton,  to  the  memory  of  Sir  James  Macdonald. 
The  eastern  coast  of  Skye  is  agreeably  diversified  by 
wood,  other  parts  of  the  coasts  of  the  island  having 
been  stripped  of  it.  The  little  bay  and  castle  of 
Knock,  3  miles  farther  on,  form  a  picturesque 
scene.  Six  miles  beyond  this  we  pass  the  village  of 
Cambuscron,  on  the  bay  of  Oronsay.  Whilst  oppo- 
site to  Oronsay,  Loch  Hourn opens  to  the  view,  in 
all  its  expanse,  enclosed  by  rugged  mountains. 
From  Cambuscron,  the  road  passes  by  Loch-in- 
Daal,  through  a  tract  of  red  and  blue  sandstone. 
Beyond  a  dreary  moor  of  some  miles,  towers  a  lofty 
peak,  shaped  like  Vesuvius,  called  Ben-na-Caillich. 
At  its  base  stretches  the  bay  of  Broadford,  and  on 
its  shore  the  village  of  the  same  name,  consisting  of  a 
few  houses,  and  the  mansion  of  Mackinnon  of  Corry- 
chatachan,  the  ancient  hospitality  of  which  has  been 
celebrated  by  Pennant  and  Johnson.  Striking  off 
Irom  Broadford,  across  a  heathy  moss  towards  Loch 
Slapin,  the  tourist  pursues  a  dreary  road  of  10 
miles  to  Kilmore,  whence  he  has  yet  4  miles  to 
travel  ere  he  reach  the  Spar  cave,  upon  the  farm 
of  Glassnakill.  Instead,  however,  of  doubling  the 
head  of  the  loch,  he  may  procure  a  boat  at  the 
farm-house  upon  the  north  shore,  and  proceed  in  it 


192  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

to  the  Spar  Cave  of  Strathaird,  which  is  not  the 
only  object  the  tourist  in  search  of  the  pictur- 
esque ought  to  visit  in  Skye,  for  both  Loch  Cor- 
uishk,  (Loch  Corriskin  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles,) 
and  Glen  Sligachan  may  be  included  in  one 
lengthened  day's  exploring — all  of  them  being 
best  approached  by  boats.  The  order  in  which 
they  can  most  advantageously  be  taken,  is,  first 
the  Spar  Cave,  then  Loch  Corriskin,  (we  prefer  the 
popular  name,)  and  lastly,  Glen  Sligachan.  In- 
deed, it  is  equally  imprudent  to  visit  either  of 
these  scenes  by  land.  The  Spar  Cave  is  some- 
times difficult  of  access,  from  the  dashing  of  the  sea 
into  its  narrow  recess.  We  shall,  though  not  ex- 
actly for  that  reason,  refer,  in  the  first  instance,  to 
Loch  Corriskin  and  Glen  Sligachan.  The  Loch 
is  reached  from  Strathaird  by  proceeding  round 
Aird  Point,  nearing  on  the  way  the  small  island 
of  Soa,  and  obtaining  a  view  of  the  remarkable 
islands  of  Rum,  Muck,  and  Eig.  We  first  enter 
Loch  Scavaig,  with  which  Loch  Corriskin  com- 
municates. It  is  a  scene  of  terrible  majesty, 
being  bounded  by  huge,  shattered,  metallic-look- 
ing mountains  of  bare  dark  rock ;  Garshben, 
Scuir-nan-Eig,  and  Scuir  Dhu,  on  the  left,  and 
Scuir-nan-Stree  on  the  right,  with  the  little  island, 
Eilan-nan-Lice,  at  its  base,  taking  its  name,  "  the 
Island  of  the  Slippery  step,"  from  a  dangerous 
pass  in  the  face  of  the  rock,  rendering  the  access 
by  land  so  difficult.  Ascending  the  river  which 
falls  into  Loch  Scavaig,  for  250  yards,  we  emerge 
from  its  rocky  channel,  on  the  stunted  sward  of  the 
margin  of  a  narrow  fresh  water  lake  two  miles  in 
length,  with  a  few  rocky  islets  partially  covered 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  193 

with  dwarf  mountain  ash  and  long  grass,  the 
uaunt  of  sea  gulls.  It  is  Loch  Corriskin,  of 
vvhich,  in  the  language  of  Turner,  by  whose  magic 
pencil  it  has  been  depicted,  "  no  words  could  have 
^iven  a  truer  picture  of  this,  one  of  the  wildest  of 
natures  landscapes,"  than  those  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott.  Glen  Sligachan,  which  stretches  from  Loch 
Brittle,  adjoining  Loch  Scavaig,  across  the  island 
to  Loch  Sligachan,  can  not  only  be  compared  to, 
but  is  considered  to  surpass  Glenco,  in  the  stern 
grandeur  of  character  by  which  both  are  marked. 
At  the  farther  end  of  the  glen,  eight  miles  distant, 
will  be  found  an  inn ;  the  only  other  house  to  be 
seen  is  Mr  M'Millan's  neat  farm-house  of  Camu- 
sunary,  at  the  western  end.  The  breadth  of  the 
valley,  betwixt  its  precipitous  mountains,  varies 
from  a  mile  to  a  few  hundred  yards  in  breadth ; 
its  two  little  lakes,  near  Camusunary  are  named 
Loch-nan- Aanfn,  and  Loch-na-Creich.  Amidst 
the  wild  and  needle-pointed  pinnacles  of  its  moun- 
tains the  red  deer  may  be  seen  browsing,  and  on 
its  wild  shaggy  sides  large  flocks  of  goats.  The 
solemn  and  death-like  silence  of  this  savage  glen 
is  only  broken  by  the  violence  of  the  mountain 
torrent,  which,  ever  and  anon,  disturbs  the  rugged 
path,  if  path  it  can  be  called,  in  the  uneven  bottom 
of  the  valley,  or  by  the  dismal  moaning  of  the  wind 
amongst  the  blasted  scuirs  of  Cuchullin.  The 
impress  of  this  solitude  is  not  unfrequently  heigh- 
tened by  the  mysterious  wreathings  of  the  mist 
around  the  fantastic  mountain  tops. 

But  to  return  to  the  Spar  Cave  of  Strathaird. 
A  guide  is  required  in  consequence  of  the  proprie- 
tor, Mr  Macallister,  having  been  obliged  to  baild 
O 


194  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

up  and  defend  the  entrance  against  unauthorized 
persons,  who  had  rudely  despoiled  it  of  its  stalac- 
tite ornaments,  which,  at  one  time,  hung  in  perfect 
groves  of  long  translucent  crystals,  from  its  roof 
and  sides.  Time  has  likewise,  as  yet,  scarcely 
obliterated  the  traces  of  torch  smoke,  indiscreetly 
introduced  instead  of  candle  light  amidst  the 
wonders  of  this 

"  Mermaid's  alabaster  grot 

Who  bathes  her  limbs  hi  sunless  well, 
Deep  in  Strathaird's  enchanted  celL" 

The  visitor  should  be  aware,  that  the  whole  inte- 
rior is  very  moist,  and  that  there  is  a  continual 
dripping  of  water  from  the  roof.  The  entrance 
to  the  cave  is  30  feet  in  breadth,  500  in  length, 
100  high;  the  passage  beyond  is  7  feet  broad, 
15  to  20  feet  high ;  60  feet  of  its  length  are  level, 
and  55  have  a  steep  ascent,  with  a  succeeding 
level  of  a  few  feet.  Hitherto  the  sides  are  black. 
During  the  ascent  of  28  feet  beyond,  they  are, 
however,  white  as  ice.  From  a  breadth  of  8  feet, 
covered  by  a  bright  and  dazzling  vaulted  roof, 
sustained  on  the  right  by  a  grand  Gothic  column, 
this  passage  expands  as  we  advance,  to  10  feet  in 
width  and  40  in  height;  and  finally,  into  a  magnifi- 
cent saloon  of  surpassing  splendour,  nearly  circular, 
and  of  20  feet  diameter,  its  walls  entirely  composed 
of  sparry  incrustations,  brilliant  and  sparkling  as 
diamonds,  polished  by  the  lapidary's  art.  In  the 
bottom  is  a  pool  of  limpid  water,  4  or  5  yards 
broad,  surrounded  by  the  most  fanciful  mouldings, 
in  substance  resembling  white  marble.  Leaving 
out  Glen  Sligachan,  should  it  be  too  remote, 
suppose  we  proceed  in  a  boat  from   Glassnakill 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  195 

directly  to  the  cave,  which  is  upon  the  west  side. 
"  Crossing  Loch  Slapin,"  says  the  anonymous 
tourist  to  whom  we  have  been  indebted  for  much 
of  this  chapter,  "  I  proceeded  along  the  rugged 
coast  of  Strath,  to  its  point  called  the  Aird, — a 
promontory  which  penetrated  by  caverns  or  severed 
into  buttresses,  in  some  places  projecting  far  in 
tabulated  ledges  over  the  sea,  tinted  richly  with 
yellow,  green,  and  other  colours,  presents  a  strik- 
ingly beautiful  and  majestic  front  to  the  stormy 
ocean ;  to  the  ravages  of  which  its  shattered  and 
perforated  precipices  bear  ample  testimony.  Re- 
flecting the  rays  of  an  unclouded  sun,  it  offered  a 
brilliant  contrast  to  the  dark  forms  of  Rum  and  the 
neighbouring  islands  which  rose  to  the  southward. 
One  of  the  caves  is  pointed  out  as  that  in  which 
the  Pretender  found  a  retreat.  We  rowed  slowly 
under  the  Aird,  every  cove  or  buttress  deserving 
attention,  till  the  opposite  headland  beyond  Loch 
Scavig  discovered  itself,  and  as  we  entered  the  bay, 
we  perceived  the  precipitous  and  serrated  ridges  of 
the  Coolin  mountains,  towering  in  all  their  gran- 
deur above  the  shores,  and  terminating  a  perspec- 
tive formed  by  the  steep  sides  of  the  two  prominent 
buttresses  of  the  range,  and  enclosing  the  gloomy 
valley  and  deep  dark  waters  of  Loch  Coruisk,  from 
which  the  principal  peaks  rise  abruptly.  The 
fabled  Upas-tree  could  not  produce  desolation  more 
complete  than  that  which  characterizes  this  savage 
but  sublime  scene.  The  sea-fowl  retain  undisturbe  <1 
possession  of  a  solitary  islet  in  the  lake.  On  the 
shore  of  Loch  Slapin  is  the  celebrated  spar-cave  of 
Strathaird.  The  entrance  to  it  is  formed  by  a 
natural  passage  between  high  perpendicular  walls 


1 06  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

of  rock,  smooth  as  if  wrought  by  the  chisel.  The 
cave  is  low  and  winding,  exhibiting  for  some  dis- 
tance little  spar  ;  when,  becoming  incrusted  with 
this  brilliant  substance,  it  suddenly  passes  over  a 
high  mound,  on  which  its  roof  rests,  supported  by 
massy  columns  crowned  by  capitals  of  pendent  icicles. 
From  this  majestic  portal,  a  steep  descent  conducts 
to  a  pool  of  the  clearest  water.  It  is  only  within  a 
few  years,  that  this  cave  was  brought  to  light. 
Its  beauty  and  magnificence  when  first  discovered, 
— before  it  had  been  despoiled  of  its  stalactitic 
decorations  by  the  contemptible  pilfering  of  incon- 
siderate travellers, — is  spoken  of  with  rapture  by 
those  who  enjoyed  the  singular  good  fortune  of 
witnessing  it.  What  a  proof  does  the  unobserved 
toil  of  Nature,  constructing,  during  ages,  a  mo- 
nument of  its  workmanship  so  splendid  in  the 
dark  recesses  of  a  rock,  afford  of  the  might  and 
skill  of  the  guiding  hand  of  Him  who  directs  her 
operations  where  no  eye  but  His  surveys  them,  as 
well  as  on  those  vast  fields  of  space  on  which 
worlds  may  gaze  with  wonder  and  delight  !''*  The 
entrance  to  the  cave  is  by  a  huge  gap  in  the  rocky 
coast  30  feet  in  breadth,  500  in  length,  and  100  in 
height.  Through  this  avenue  the  visiter  ascends 
to  the  arched  mouth  of  the  cave. 

The  road  from  Broadford  northwards  to  Sconsor 
passes  under  bare,  precipitous,  and  lofty  hills, 
deeply  channelled  by  streams,  forming  part  of  the 
range  of  the  Coolin,  or  Cuchullin.  The  sound 
separating  the  little  island  of  Scarpa  from  Skye,  is 
the  principal  rendezvous  of  the  herring-vessels. 
The  isle  of  Raasay  is  opposite  Sconsor,  the  laird'a 
4*  Saturday  Magazine,  No.  171. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  19? 

mansion  appearing  embosomed  in  treea."  The  an- 
cestors of  the  present  proprietor,  Macleod,  possessed 
Skye,  and  an  extensive  tract  of  the  mainland  of 
Scotland,  but  were  driven  into  the  narrow  precincts 
which  he  at  present  occupies  by  the  Mackenzies, 
after  a  severe  contest  and  successive  battles.  Struan, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  island,  to  which  the  road 
proceeds  across  a  dreary  moor,  is  on  the  shore  of 
Loch  Bracadale.  The  coast  is  bold  and  romantic : 
the  entrance  of  the  bay  is  guarded  by  an  island 
crested  by  singular  rocks,  called  Macleod's  table, 
arid  off  an  adjoining  promontory  shoot  aloft  three 
needle-shaped  rocks,  known  by  the  name  of  Mac- 
leod's maidens.  Some  steep  hills  separate  the  bay 
from  Talisker,  which  is  seen  from  a  considerable 
height — a  large  farm-house,  surrounded  by  forest- 
trees,  in  a  richly-green  valley  opening  to  the  sea, 
and  enclosed  by  steep  ridges,  one  of  which,  the 
Brishmeal  hill,  is  basaltic, — a  spot,  as  Johnson  ob- 
serves, destined  by  nature  for  a  hermitage.  The 
beach  abounds  with  beautiful  zeolite.  The  eleva- 
tion of  the  Brishmeal  hill  is  800  feet ;  in  form  and 
material  it  resembles  the  Scuir  of  Egg.  The  im- 
mediate approach  to  its  summit  on  one  side,  is  a 
narrow  passage  guarded  by  two  basaltic  columns 
standing  like  sentinels,  formed  by  two  perpendi- 
cular and  lofty  walls,  reticulated  by  the  transverse 
section  of  the  strata  of  which  they  are  composed, 
and  opening  at  length  on  a  magnificent  panoramic 
view  embracing  the  towering  peak  of  the  Storr, — 
the  rugged  ridges  of  the  Coolin,  Egg,  Rum, — and 
Canna  bounding  the  southern,  and  the  continuous 
chain  of  the  Long  Island  the  western,  horizon. 
The  bay  of  Loch  Bracadale  affords  an  excellent 


198  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

harbour;  it  was  once  celebrated  as  a  favourite  re* 
sort  of  herrings,  but  has  been  long  and  unacount- 
ably  deserted  by  these  capricious  fish.  A  dreary 
moor  intervenes  between  this  bay  and  that  of 
Dunvegan.  The  castle  of  Dunvegan  is  the  ancient 
residence  of  Macleod,  chief  of  the  clan  of  that 
name,  or,  as  he  is  more  properly  designated,  Mac- 
leod of  Macleod.  Its  dimensions  are  not  imposing: 
but  its  situation,  over-hanging  the  water,  and  in  an 
unfrequented  extremity  of  a  remote  island,  and  the 
traditionary  history  and  the  relics  which  attest  the 
truth  of  the  legends,  invest  Dunvegan  with  ro- 
mantic interest.  Sir  Walter  Scott  concludes  his 
'  Letters  on  Demonology  and  Witchcraft,'  with  an 
account  of  a  night  passed  by  him  in  the  haunted 
apartment  of  this  castle ;  and  well  might  such 
awful  themes  be  associated,  in  the  imagination  of 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  with  the  isle  of  Skye.  For  this 
island  was  once  celebrated  for  the  second  sight;  and 
Bracadale,  of  all  its  wild  districts,  was  the  most 
favoured  with  this  supernatural  gift : 

*'  Framing  hideous  spells, 

In  Sky's  lone  isle  the  gifted  wizard-seer 

Lodged  in  the  wintry  cave,  with  Fate's  fell  spear, 

Or  in  the  depths  of  Uist's  dark  forest  dwells. 


To  monarchs  dear,  some  hundred  miles  astray, 
Oft  have  they  seen  fate  give  the  fatal  blow : 
The  seer  in  Sky  shriek'd  as  the  blood  did  flow, 
When  headless  Charles  warm  on  the  scaffold  lay." 

The  northern  vessels,  in  their  passage  through 
the  Minsh,  often  seek  shelter  here.*  The  road  to 
Portree  skirts  several  arms  of  the  sea,  the  shores  of 
which  are  cultivated,  exhibiting   corn  and  plauta- 

*  A  packet-boat  plies  twice  in  the  week  between  the  har- 
bour  of  Dunvegan  and  Harris. 


STEAM- DO AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  199 

tions,  interspersed  with  cottages  and  some  good 
houses.  The  little  town  of  Portree,  on  the  edge 
of  its  bay  and  excellent  harbour,  consisting  of  neat 
and  well-constructed  houses,  contrasts  strikingly 
with  the  generally  dreary  aspect  of  the  island ;  it 
contains  a  church,  an  inn,  and  a  gaol,  the  sheriff's 
court  of  the  island  being  held  here.  Portree  is 
supposed  to  derive  its  name  from  the  circumstance 
of  James  V.  of  Scotland  having  put  into  its  har- 
bour during  his  tour  through  the  Hebrides.  The 
island  of  Raasay  lies  parallel  to  the  coast  for  some 
miles ;  and  at  its  northern  extremity  is  the  small 
isle  of  Rona.  To  westward  of  this  place  is  a 
scene  of  uncommon  grandeur:  a  small  pass  en- 
closed between  the  high  and  precipitous  summit  of 
Storrhead,  and  a  cluster  of  enormous  piles  of  black 
rock,  round  and  massy,  or  tapering  and  columnar, 
the  base  of  which  is  strewed  with  fragments  of  the 
same  material.  The  north-west  promontory  of 
Skye  is  celebrated  for  its  scenery;  the  basaltic  for- 
mation prevailing  in  many  places.  The  point  of 
Duin  has  been  well-delineated  by  Dr.  Macculloch, 
and  Quirang  of  more  recent  notoriety,  by  Major 
Murray.  Quirang  is  evidently  the  crater  of  an 
extinct  volcano.  It  is  situated  on  a  hill  top  of 
about  1000  feet  in  height.  There  is  a  level,  oblong, 
green  platform  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow,  encir- 
cled completely  by  detached,  columnar,  pyramidal 
masses  of  rock,  through  the  interstices  of  which 
views  are  obtained  of  the  sea  and  surrounding 
country. 

In  the  general  divisions  of  Skye,  the  largest  of 
the  Western  Isles,  are  comprised  Sleat,  the  south- 
ern division,  Minginish  the  central  portion,  and 


200  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

the  three  extensive  tracts  of  Trotternish,  Water- 
nish,  and  Kilmuir,  into  which  the  northern  por- 
tion is  separated  by  Loch  Snizart  and  Loch  Follart, 
two  great  arms  of  the  sea. 

The  mode  of  proceeding  to  Skye  by  the  ferries 
is  now  greatly  superseded  by  the  steamers,  which 
call  off  Arisaig  and  Isle  Oronsay,  where  there  is  a 
small  steam -boat  inn,  on  their  way  to  Portree,  "  the 
King's  Port  or  Haven,"  where  King  James  V. 
for  sometime  lay  at  anchor  in  his  voyage  round 
Scotland.  The  village  of  Portree  is  situated  up- 
on an  inland  bay,  the  entrance  of  which  is  marked 
by  two  rocky  headlands  with  fine  cliffs,  forming 
the  commencement  of  a  magnificent  coast  range, 
and  consists  of,  perhaps,  20  houses,  including  a 
good  inn,  a  bank,  a  church,  and  a  jail.  By  the 
present  summer  arrangements  of  Messrs  Burns 
and  Messrs  Thomson  and  M'Connell's  Highland 
steamers,  the  Shandon,  with  passengers  only,  pro- 
ceeds from  Glasgow  for  Portree,  calling  at  Ardri- 
shaig,  Oban,  Tobermory,  &c,  every  Tuesday  and 
Friday  Morning  at  5  o'clock;  and  the  Toward 
Castle,  or  Antelope,  with  goods  and  passengers, 
every  Monday  and  Thursday  morning.  The  pro- 
duce of  Skye,  as  of  most  of  the  Western  Islands, 
consists  principally  of  sheep  and  black  cattle. 

From  Armadale  or  Arisaig,  the  islands  of  Rum, 
Eig,  and  Muck,  are  most  conveniently  visited. 
Rum  is  bleak  and  mountainous;  both  it  and  Eig 
are  only  approachable  on  the  east.  The  Scuir  of 
Eig  is  a  lofty  peak,  surrounded  by  peculiarly  pre- 
cipitous cliffs.  The  island  is  signalized  by  an  act 
of  Highland  vengeance,  only  paralleled  in  more 
recent  times  by  the  deeds  of  the  French  marshal!, 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  201 

Bugeaud,  in  the  African  caverns  of  Dliara.  On 
the  south  of  the  island  is  a  large  cave,  whose  floor, 
to  those  possessing  a  relish  for  horrors,  presents 
itself  strewn  with  fragments  of  human  skeletons; 
the  whole  inhabitants,  who  had  there  taken  refuge 
from  the  Macleods,  having  been  suffocated  in  it 
by  smoke,  at  the  command  of  their  implacable 
chieftain. 

Skye  itself  is  connected  with  the  melancholy 
story  of  Lady  Grange,  whose  husband,  Lord 
Justice  Clerk  Grange,  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Mar, 
had  her  secluded  in  a  hut  in  Skye,  and  then  trans- 
ferred to  Uist,  and  to  St.  Kilda  where  she  remained 
seven  years,  and  was  then  brought  back  to  Uist 
and  Skye ;  and  finally,  died  in  Waternish,  and  was 
buried  in  the  churchyard  of  Timpan,  and  all  lest 
she  should  reveal  his  connection  with  the  rebel 
chiefs  of  1815,  to  which  she  was  privy.  She  con- 
trived to  enclose  a  letter  in  a  clue  of  worsted,  sent 
for  sale  to  Inverness  market,  it  was  delivered  at 
its  destination,  and  a  government  vessel  was  sent 
in  search  of  her,  but  without  avail. 

Another  atrocity  was  perpetrated  in  the  old 
castle  of  Duntulm,  in  the  16th  century;  a  nephew 
of  Donald  Gdrm  Mor  having  been  fed  with  salt 
beef  to  occasion  the  torments  of  thirst,  of  which 
he  died. 

Nor  can  the  wanderings  of  Prince  Charles 
Edward,  in  Skye,  under  the  escort  of  Flora  Mac- 
donald,  latterly  Mrs  Allan  Macdonald  of  Kings- 
burgh,  in  this  island,  be  passed  over.  The  princo 
landed  in  female  attire,  and  received  shelter  at 
Kingburgh,  Portree,  Raaza,  Scorribreck,  and 
other  places,  until  safer  hiding  was  provided  on 
the  mainland  of  Scotland. 


202  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

ELEVENTH  TOUR. 

FROM  FORT-WILLIAM  TO  INVERNESS. 

Corpach,    4 — Neptune's   staircase — Highbridge— 
Loch   Lochy — Letter finlay,  15 — Loch    Arkeg- 
Loch  Olch — Fort  Augustus,  30 — Fall  of  Foyers. 
43 — the   Generals   hut — Glen   Urquhart — Loch 
Dochfour — Muirton — Inverness,    62 —  Caledon- 
ian canal. 

When  at  Fort- William,  the  tourist  from  Glas- 
gow has  accomplished  nearly  three-fourths  of  the 
journey  to  Inverness,  through  the  great  glen  of 
Scotland.  Few  tourists,  therefore,  return  from 
this  point  without  having  sailed  up  the  Caledonian 
canal,  to  the  capital  of  the  Highlands.  The  first 
stage,  between  Fort-William  and  Letterfinlay,  is 
far  from  inviting.  At  Corpach  are  three  locks, 
and  a  mile  beyond  it,  a  series  of  eight  locks,  called 
Neptune's  staircase.  Each  lock  is  180  feet  long, 
40  broad,  and  20  deep ;  and  the  total  rise  is  64 
feet  to  the  level  of  Loch  Lochy,  which  is  90  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  canal  at  Corpach.  Passing 
the  villages  of  West  and  East  Moy,  the  steamer,  2 
miles  farther,  enters  the  loch.  On  the  right  is  the 
mouth  of  the  Spean ;  over  the  deep  and  rocky  chan- 
nel of  which,  1^  mile  from  its  mouth,  is  thrown 
a  picturesque  bridge  called  Highbridge. 

Loch  Lochy  is  10  miles  in  length,  by  about  1  in 
breadth.  Its  greatest  depth  is  76  fathoms.  It  is 
enclosed  on  all  sides  by  lofty  mountains,  which  rise 
up  sudden  and  unbroken  from  the  water's  edge,  but 
present  little  to  interest  or  relieve  the  eye.  Near 
the  west  end,  however,  there  is  a  fine  bay,  that  of 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  203 

Arkeg.  At  the  eastern  side  of  tbis  bay  Ss  the  hill 
and  house  of  Cluness;  farther,  on  the  right,  is  In- 
nerlui,  and  at  a  little  distance  on  the  same  side,  the 
small  inn  of  Letterfinlay,  3  miles  from  the  east  end 
of  the  loch.  The  surrounding  district  of  Lochaber 
is  the  country  of  the  clan  Cameron.  Kinloch-lochy, 
near  the  eastern  end  of  this  loch,  in  1544,  was  the 
scene  of  a  desperate  fight  between  the  Frasers  under 
Hugh,  fifth  Lord  Lovat,  and  the  Macdonaldsof  Clan- 
ronald.  At  the  south-west  end  of  Loch  Lochy  is 
an  extensive  glen,  which  runs  westward  into  the 
district  of  Moidart.  In  the  bottom  of  this  glen  is 
Loch  Arkeg,  the  picturesque  and  romantic  beauty 
of  which  is  enthusiastically  praised  by  Mr.  Leigh- 
ton,  who  exhorts  all  tourists  who  spend  a  day  at 
the  Neptune  inn,  to  pay  Loch  Arkeg  a  visit.*  The 
opening  of  this  glen  upon  Loch  Lochy  is  divided 
by  a  ridge  of  hills  into  two  gorges  of  unequal 
breadth.  This  dividing  ridge  commences  at  the 
hill  of  Cluness  mentioned  above,  and  gradually 
rises  as  it  ascends  the  glen,  till  it  terminates  abrupt- 
ly in  a  lofty  wooded  precipice  the  base  of  which  is 
washed  by  the  waters  of  the  lake.  In  the  southern 
of  these  glens  or  gorges,  is  Achnacary,  the  family 
mansion  of  Cameron  of  Lochiel ;  the  road  to  the 
lake  is  through  the  other,  which  is  a  narrow  wood- 
ed pass  called  the  Miledubh,  or  Mark  mile.'  "  After 
penetrating  through  the  pass,  and  just  before  enter- 
ing on  the  lake,  a  small  stream  which  falls  over  the 
rocks  to  the  north,  forms  a  pleasing  cascade,  finely 
fringed  with  trees  and  underwood  which  over- 
hang and  almost  dip  into  its  waters.  Immediately 
afterwards  the  lake  begins  to  appear,  small  appar- 
*  Lakes  of  Scotland,  p.  130, 


204  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

ently  at  first  but  gradually  enlarging  as  we  advance. 
Ascending  a  small  hill  a  short  way  up  its  northern 
shore,  its  whole  extent  is  opened  up,  stretching  far 
to  the  west,  surrounded  with  dark  and  lofty  moun- 
tains, its  shores  richly  wooded,  and  indented  by 
winding  bays  and  jutting  promontories.  Two  or 
three  small  islands  speck  its  bosom,  and  immediate- 
ly opposite,  on  the  southern  shore,  a  dark  forest  cf 
natural  pine  trees  of  great  size  frowns  over  it. 
Looking  to  the  east,  across  the  lower  portion  of  the 
]ake,  we  have  the  opening  of  Achnacary,  with  its 
house  and  pleasure-grounds,  and  in  the  distance  the 
waters  of  Loch  Lochy,  with  the  mountain-barrier 
on  its  opposite  shore.  Altogether  Loch  Arkeg 
affords  scenery  of  the  finest  description ;  and  it  is 
questionable  if  it  is  excelled,  or  even  equalled  by 
any  of  our  Scottish  lakes.  The  shores  of  this 
romantic  lake  more  than  once  gave  shelter  to  Prince 
Charles  after  his  discomfiture  at  Culloden."* 

The  distance  between  Loch  Lochy  and  Loch 
Oich  is  about  2  miles ;  in  which  space  the  ascent 
is  9  feet  9  inches.  Leaving  the  village  of  Laggan 
on  the  right,  the  steamer  enters  Loch  Oich,  which 
forms  the  summit-level  of  the  Caledonian  canal. 
It  is  a  small  lake  about  4  miles  in  length  and  1  in 
breadth.  About  1J  mile  forward  on  the  left  is 
Glengarry,f  near  the  mouth  of  which  is  the  man- 
sion house  of  Mac  Donnel  of  Glengarry,  chief  of 
the  clan  Coilla,  and  the  ruins  of  Invergarry  castle, 
burnt  by  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  in  1746.      In 

*  Lakes  of  Scotland,  p.  137-8. 

t  The  road  through  Glengarry  to  Loch  Hourn  Head,  by 
Tomandown,  is  32  miles.  From  Tomandown  to  Cluany  is  10$ 
miles. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  205 

the  back  ground  are  the  Killeanan  hills,  which  rise 
above  Corrieglass.  At  the  east  end  of  the  loch  is 
Aberchalder,  on  the  water  of  Callander ;  from  this 
to  Fort  Augustus  is  5  miles.  The  glen  betwixt 
Loch  Oich  and  Loch  Ness,  is  intersected  by  a  low 
rocky  ridge,  on  the  south  side  of  which  the  road 
proceeds,  and  on  the  other  the  canal. 

Fort  Augustus  is  situated  at  the  south-west  ex- 
tremity of  Loch  Ness,  between  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Oich  and  a  small  stream  called  the  Tarff.  It 
was  built  shortly  after  the  rebellion  of  1715. 
There  are  six  locks  here  ;  and  while  the  steam  boat 
is  descending  through  them  into  Loch  Ness,  passen- 
gers may  land  and  examine  the  surrounding  country. 

Loch  Ness  is  about  24  miles  in  length  ;  its 
average  breadth  is  about  I  mile.  It  is  of  great 
depth  in  many  places,  and  never  freezes.  It  is 
surrounded  by  mountain-ranges  between  1200  and 
1500  feet  in  height,  but  of  a  uniform  monotonous 
character.  Their  bases,  however,  where  they  skirt 
the  lake,  are  decked  with  a  fine  copsewood.  This 
mountain-girdle  is  continuous  and  undivided,  ex- 
cept by  the  glens  of  Urquhart  and  Moriston,  on 
the  north ;  about  midway,  on  the  same  side,  the 
horizon  line  is  broken  in  upon  by  the  towering 
dome-like  head  of  Mealfourvounie,  which  rises  to 
the  height  of  3060  feet.  The  road  from  Fort 
Augustus  to  Inverness  runs  along  the  south  side 
of  the  lake;  and  the  Messrs.  Andersons  in  their 
excellent  •  Guide  to  the  Highlands  and  Islands,' 
and  Mr.  Leighton  also,  recommend  the  stranger  to 
travel  along  the  banks,  instead  of  sailing  up  the 
long  uniform  vista  of  the  lake ;  but  this  course  is 


206 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURISTS 


seldom  taken  by  tourists.*  Leaving  Fort  Augustus 
by  the  steam  boat",  the  mouth  of  Glenmoriston  is 
passed  on  the  left,  and  some  miles  further,  on  the 
right,  the  house  of  Knocky.  A  few  miles  farther 
on  the  same  side,  is  Foyer's  house,  and  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Foyers.  Here  the  steamer  stops  in 
order  to  afford  passengers  an  opportunity  of  view- 
ing the  famous  fall  of  Foyers. 

The  Foyers  is  a  small  river  which  takes  its  rise 
amongst  the  lofty  mountains  in  the  parish  of  Boles- 
kine  and  AbertarfF,  and  pouring  through  the  woody 
and  rocky  glen  of  Foyers,  falls  into  Loch  Ness 
nearly  about  the  middle  of  that  lake.  In  order  to 
view  all  the  beauties  of  the  fall,  the  tourist  should 
obtain  a  guide  from  one  of  the  neighbouring  cot- 
tages. When  the  stream  is  not  swollen  by  rain,  the 
body  of  water  is  small ;  but  the  depth  of  the  fall 
and  the  surrounding  scenery  always  render  it  an 
object  of  great  beauty.  There  are,  in  fact,  two 
falls,  but  both  are  comprehended  under  the  appel- 
lation of  the  Fall  of  Foyers.  The  following  is 
Mr.  Leighton's  description  of  the  falls  : — "  The 
lower  fall,  which  is  first  approached  in  this  way,  is 
by  much  the  higher,  and  more  striking  of  the  two. 
After  ascending,  to  a  considerable  height,  the  hills 
which  form  the  north  boundary  of  Loch  Ness,  the 
tourist  descends  toward  the  bank  of  the  river  by  a 
well  constructed  footway,  and  at  length  finds  him- 
self on  a  narrow,  bat  lofty  ridge  of  rock  covered 
with  green  turf,  which  rises  from  the  bed  of  the 
river,  and  is  nearly  surrounded  by  its  waters.    Here 

*  The  Messrs.  Anderson  advise  the  land-tourist  from  Inver- 
ness to  follow  the  southern  road  from  Inverness  to  Foyers,  and 
to  cross  thence,  or  from  Inverfarikaig,  to  Urquhart. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  207 

the  fall  meets  his  astonished  view  immediately  in 
front  of  where  he  stands.  The  spectator  is  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  with  rocks  or  enormous  height, 
fringed  with  tangled  masses  of  shrubs  and  small 
plants,  nourished  by  the  constant  spray  which 
ascends  from  the  boiling  waters  beneath.  Oak  and 
pine  trees  of  fantastic  shape,  grow  from  every  rent 
and  crevice  of  these  rocky  walls,  adding  a  wild 
grace  and  beauty  to  what  would  otherwise  be  a 
scene  of  horror.  Clouds  of  vapour  for  ever  ascend  ; 
and  the  roar  and  din  of  the  falling  waters  are  never 
silent.  Altogether  the  lower  fall  of  the  river  Foyers 
is  a  scene  of  the  utmost  sublimity  and  awe  ;  and 
even  the  boldest  cannot  stand  on  the  ledge  of  rock 
we  have  mentioned,  and  behold  its  waters  tumbling 
from  above  into  the  dark  chasm  beneath,  without 
his  feelings  being  excited  in  the  highest  degree. 
Many  varied  opinions  as  to  the  height  of  this  fall 
have  been  given,  but  we  believe,  we  are  correct, 
when  we  say  that  it  is  about  ninety  feet  high.  The 
upper  fall  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
lower.  The  height  is  only  about  forty  feet,  but  it 
also  exhibits  great  grandeur  ;  and  were  it  not  for 
the  neigbourhood  of  the  other,  it  would  be  more 
admired  than  it  is.  Here  the  river  sweeps  its  dark 
brown  waters  through  a  smooth  meadow  field, 
until,  reaching  the  edge  of  the  rock  oyer  which  they 
are  precipitated,  they  break  into  white  foam,  and 
disappear  in  the  abyss  beneath.  Lofty  rocks,  and 
varied  wood,  also  lend  their  aid  to  the  scene,  and  a 
picturesque  and  airy  bridge  spans  the  river,  renders 
it  more  pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  better  adapted  for 
the  pencil  of  the  artist,  than  the  lower  fall. 

Proceed;ng  onwards   we  pass    the   old    kirk   of 


208  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Boleskin,  on  the  right,  and  a  little  beyond  it  the 
General's  hut — now  a  good  inn — 18  miles  from 
Inverness.  About  2^  miles  from  this,  on  the  left, 
<r  are  seen  the  ruins  of  the  fine  old  castle  of  Urquhart, 
on  the  western  promontory  of  the  bay  of  Urquhart. 
To  the  north  of  this  is  the  kirk  of  Kilmuir  and 
the  inn  of  Drumindrochet,  at  the  mouth  of  Glen 
Urquhart,  one  of  the  richest  and  most  beautiful 
valleys  in  the  Highlands.*  About  2  miles  from 
this  inn  there  is  a  fine  cascade,  formed  by  a  small 
burn  falling  over  a  very  lofty  ledge  of  rock.  Glen 
Urquhart  chiefly  belongs  to  Grant  of  Grant,  a  branch 
of  the  Seafield  family.  The  road  by  the  shore  from 
Drumindrochet  to  Glenmoriston,  a  distance  of  13 
miles,  is  one  of  extreme  beauty.  At  the  ferry  of 
Bona,  8J  miles  from  Drumindrochet,  the  steamer 
enters  Loch  Dochfour  by  a  narrow  channel  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length.  At  Lochend,  the 
steamer  again  enters  the  canal,  which  proceeds 
between  a  peculiarly  shaped  hill  called  Tom-na- 
hurich,  and  the  high  gravel  banks  of  Tor-a-bhean,t 
to  Muirton,  where  it  descends  by  four  locks  to  the 
level  of  Loch  Beauly,  an  arm  of  the  Moray  frith. 
The  steam-boats  stop  at  Muirton  which  is  about  a 
mile  distant  from  the  stone  bridge  of  Inverness. 

Inverness  is  a  beautiful  town,  though  we  cannot 
go  the  length  of  Dr.  Macculloch  in  assigning  it  the 
palm  of  beauty  over  Edinburgh.  It  is  situate  in 
a  plain  near  the  estuary  of  the  Ness,  and  occupies 
both  sides  of  the  river.  We  shall  here  quote  the 
description  of  its  locality  given  by  its  own  citizens, 
the  Messrs  Anderson:— 

*  Messrs.  Anderson, 
i  Pronounced  Torvean. 


STEAM-liOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  209 

i(  Inverness  stands  in  a  focus,  where  three  large 
openings  meet  one  another ;  namely,  the  basins  of 
th£  Moray  and  Beauly  friths,  and  the  great  glen 
ofukAlbyn,  itself  also  once  the  channel  of  the  sea, 
an«Nstill  covered  throughout  more  than  half  of  its 
surface  with  the  waters  of  a  chain  of  inland  lakes. 
The  mountains  which  skirt  and  hem  in  Loch  Ness 
diverge  at  its  eastern  extremity;  arid  those  on  the 
south  side,  assuming  an  easterly  direction  towards 
Nairnshire,  and  finally  subsiding  into  a  smooth, 
inclined,  and  unbroken  ridge  nearly  twenty  miles 
long,  leave  as  the  termination  of  the  Great  Glen  a 
wide  champaign  country,  which  extends  to  the 
shores  of  the  Moray  frith.  On  the  opposite  side 
of  the  valley  the  mountains  gradually  give  place  to 
round-backed  hills,  with  tabular  summits  and  rocky 
sides,  which  approach  within  a  mile  of  Inverness, 
terminating  in  the  celebrated  vitrified  fort  of  Craig 
Phadric,  where  they  are  cut  across  by  the  waters 
of  the  sea  as  these  proceed  from  the  main  frith  to 
fill  the  inner  basin  of  the  loch  or  frith  of  Beauly ; 
but,  resuming  their  course  on  the  Ross-shire  coast, 
the  same  line  of  hills  is  prolonged  along  the  edge  of 
the  sea  towards  Fortrose  and  the  Sutors  of  Cro- 
marty. Standing  thus  on  a  beautiful  plain,  skirted 
by  variously  shaped  bills,  which  are  diversified 
with  hanging  woods,  cultivated  fields,  and  protrud- 
ing frontlets  of  rock,  Inverness  still  farther  possesses 
the  advantage  of  having  a  bank  of  terraced  ground 
rising  behind  it  on  the  southern  side  of  the  town 
which  commands  the  finest  views,  and  on  which 
some  of  the  newest  houses  and  most  beautiful  villas 
of  the  neighbourhood  have  been  erected.  This 
bank,   which   is   about   ninety  feet   high,  forms   a 

r 


210  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURISTS 

portion  of  a  great  gravel  terrace,  or  coast-line,  winch 
extends  from  the  confines  of  Loch  Ness,  through 
Inverness,  Nairn,  and  Moray  shires,  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Spey,  having  a  line  of  similar  heighc 
and  characters  opposed  to  it  on  the  Ross-shire 
coast,  and  thus  indicating  a  former  elevation  of  the 
sea,  or  some  other  great  body  of  water  nearly  cor- 
responding with  the  summit  level  of  the  Great 
Glen,  which  lies  between  the  lakes  Oich  and 
Lochy.  The  surface  of  this  terrace  composes  a 
second  plain  above  that  on  which  the  town  of  In- 
verness chiefly  stands,  spreading  itself  out  till  it 
joins  the  base  of  the  hills  on  the  south.  This  plain 
is  of  various  breadth  (generally  from  one  to  two  or 
three  miles),  is  highly  cultivated,  and  adorned  by 
numerous  country-seats.  The  distant  mountain 
screens  which  close  in  the  view  around  Inverness 
are  also  of  very  varied  aspect.  The  serrated  moun- 
tains about  Loch  Ness  terminate  in  the  high  dome- 
shaped  summit  of  Mealfourvounie,  a  well-known 
land-mark  to  all  the  country  round,  and  to  the 
navigators  of  the  adjoining  friths.  Towards  the 
west  the  hills  of  Strathconon  and  Strathglass, 
at  the  head  of  Loch  Beauly,  rise  in  clusters  of  snow- 
clad  peaks,  while  almost  the  whole  northern  horizon 
is  occupied  by  the  huge  shapeless  mountains  of  Ben 
Weavis,  in  Ross-shire  (upwards  of  3700  feet  in 
height),  and  its  extensive  ramifications,  which  are 
disposed  in  long  round-backed  heathy  chains,  over- 
topping the  eminences  which  rise  from  the  margin 
of  the  frith  of  Cromarty.  Towards  the  east,  the 
waters  of  the  Moray  frith,  stretching  out  into  the 
German   ocean,  conduct   the  eye  to  the  dim   and 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  211 

distant  mountain-ranges  of  Sutherland,  Caithness, 
and  Banff  shires.'* 

The  population  of  the  town  and  parish  of  Inver- 
ness in  1791,  was  7,930  ;  in  1831,  14,324,  of  whorl 
9,663  belonged  to  the  town.* 

The  principal  objects  of  interest  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Inverness,  are  :  — 

Craig  Phadric,  a  vitrified  fort,        2  miles  W. 

Basin  and  entrance  of  the  Caledo- 

donian  canal,  1J  W. 

Culloden  moor,  5  SE. 

The  Clava  cairns,  6  SE. 

Fort  George,  12£  E. 

Cawdor  castle,  15  E. 

The  Caledonian  canal  was  partially  commenced 
by  government  in  the  year  1802.  The  north-eastern 
portion,  as  far  as  Fort- Augustus,  was  opened  in 
the  summer  of  1818  ;  and  on  the  23d  and  24th  of 
October,  1822,  the  first  voyage  was  made  from  sea 
to  sea.  The  whole  distance  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  German  ocean  is  60^  miles  ;  of  which  40  are 
through  natural  sheets  of  water,  and  only  22  re- 
quired to  be  cut  ;  the  total  disbursements  up  to  the 
1st  of  May,  1831,  were  £990,559.  The  present 
depth  of  the  cuttings  is  15  feet;  the  contemplated 
depth  is  20.  The  present  rate  of  duty  on  sailing- 
vessels  or  steam-boats  is  one  farthing  per  ton  per 
mile.  The  produce  of  this  tonnage  does  not  exceed 
£'±000  a-year. 

*  There  is  a  daily  mail  coach  from  Inverness  to  Aberdeen, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  to  Dingwall,  Tain,  and  Thurso,  on  the 
other;  two  daily  coaches  by  the  coast-read  to  Elgin  and  Aber- 
deen ;  one  daily  during  the  summer-season,  to  Perth  by  the 
Great  Highland  road ;  and  coaches  to  Strathpeffer  and  Cro- 
marty. 


212  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

TWELFTH  TOUR. 

FROM  GLASGOW  TO  TARBERT  AND  ISLAY. 

East    Tarbert,    71. —  West    Tarbert,    73.—  West 

Loch  Tarbert — Port  Askaig,  96. — Description 

of  Islay. 

We  have  already  conducted  the  tourist  from 
GlasgowtoEast  Tarbert  on  Loch  Fyne,(  see  p.126.) 
This  is  an  exceedingly  picturesque  fishing-village, 
situated  upon  a  very  narrow  isthmus  uniting  the 
peninsula  of  Kintyre  to  the  district  of  Knapdale, 
and  separating  East  from  West  Loch  Tarbert. 
The  entrance  to  the  harbour  is  intricate,  the  channel 
being  filled  with  rocks  which  seem  to  bar  all  access. 
In  the  immediate  neighbourhood  is  the  castle  of 
Tarbert,  now  in  ruins.  In  1685,  this  stronghold 
was  the  rendezvous  of  the  unfortunate  Argyle  dur- 
ing his  unsuccessful  attempt  in  conjunction  with 
the  duke  of  Monmouth.* 

The  transit  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  loch 
of  Tarbert  across  the  low  isthmus  already  noticed, 
is  about  two  miles.  It  was  the  ancient  practice  to 
drag  vessels  of  a  small  size  across  this  isthmus,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  long  and  dangerous  circumnavi- 
gation of  the  Mull.  In  '  the  Lord  of  the  Isles' 
Robert  Bruce  is  represented  as  having  recourse 
to  this  expedient  : — 

"  It  was  a  wondrous  sight  to  see 
Topmast  and  pennon  glitter  free, 
High  raised  above  the  greenwood  tree ! 
As  on  dry  land,  the  galley  moves, 
By  cliffs,  and  copse,  and  alder  groves." 

*  The  land-rout  from  this  place  to  Campbeltown  is  as  fol- 
lows:— West  Tarbert,  2 ;  Clachan,  or  Kirktoun  of  Kilcalmo- 
nell,  12;  Killcan  mill,  151;  Tayanloan,  19.};  Kiliean,  20*, 
Barr  inn,  25;  Kilchinzie,  32;  Kirkmichacl,  33|;  Campbel- 
town, 37|. 


STEAM-BOAT   POCKET   GUIDE.  213 

The  small  stream  on  the  right,  as  we  proceed  to  ■ 
West  Tarbert,  separates  the  parishes  of  South 
KnapdaleandKilcalmonell.  About  midway  we  pass 
Cairnbaii,-so  called  from  a  large  cairn  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood  ;  farther  on  is  the  road  to  Inverary,  lead- 
ing off  on  the  right.  The  new  quay  is  a  little 
beyond  West  Tarbert.  The  scenery  of  this  isthmus 
is  fine,  though  not  to  be  compared  to  that  between 
lochs  Lomond  and  Long,  (see  p.  109.)  At  West 
Loch  Tarbert  we  get  on  board  the  Islay  steamer, 
No.  2,  or  that  which  performs  the  latter  half  of  the 
voyage  betwixt  Glasgow  and  Islay. 

The  sail  down  West  Loch  Tarbet,  which  is 
about  ten  miles  in  length,  is  very  pleasant.  Dr 
Maculloch  says  it  is  "exceedingly  beautiful  without 
being  strictly  picturesque.  The  ground  is  neither 
high  nor  bold  ;  but  the  shores  are  varied  in  form 
and  character — often  beautifully  wooded,  and  in 
many  places  highly  cultivated."  The  principal  resi- 
dences on  its  shores  are  Dippen  cottage,  Stonefield 
house,  Grassfield,  Kilhammaig,  and  Kintarbert  on 
the  east ;  and  Escairt  house,  Dunmore,  and  Ard- 
patrick,  on  the  opposite  side.  Almost  all  these 
mansions  belong  to  families  of  the  name  of  Camp- 
bell. On  the  right  is  the  hill  of  Sliamhgaoil ;  and 
the  island  of  Ellanda-Gallaghan.  About  midway, 
on  the  west,  is  the  village  of  Laggavoulin,  or 
'the  Mill  hollow/  and  towards  the  lower  extremity, 
the  Clachan,  or  Kirktoun  of  Kilcalmonell ;  beyond 
which  is  the  hill  of  Dunscaith. 

A  fine  view  presents  itself  on  getting  out  of  the 
loch.  In  front  are  the  conical  summits  of  Jura, 
with  the  islands  of  Islay  and  Mull  ;  to  the  south, 
the  islets  of  Cara  and  Gi#ha  :  to  the  south-east  the 


214  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

long  peninsula  of  Kintyre ;  and  in  the  distance 
behind  the  lofty  Goatfell  of  Arran.  Standing  up 
the  sound  of  Islay,  a  strong  current  is  perceptible, 
and  sometimes  a  very  rough  state  of  sea  is  encoun- 
tered here.  The  approach  to  Islay  is  rather  for- 
bidding ;  it  is  certainly  not  the  '  green  and  fertile 
shore'  of  the  poet,  but  on  the  contrary  presents  a 
very  bleak  and  barren  appearance.  Port- Askaig  is 
23  miles  from  West  Tarbert.  There  is  a  good  inn 
here,  and  the  surrounding  scenery  is  pleasing 

The  island  of  Islay  is  about  25  miles  in  length, 
by  22  in  breadth.  Its  general  character  is  moun- 
tainous, though  it  has  a  considerable  extent  of  flat 
and  cultivated  land.  The  elevated  tract  is  chiefly 
towards  the  northern  point.  In  the  south  the  island 
is  deeply  indented  by  Loch-in-Daal,  a  spacious  but 
shallow  bay,  terminated  by  the  point  of  Rinns  on 
the  west,  and  by  the  mull  of  Oe  on  the  east.  On 
the  opposite  side  is  Loch  Gruinard,  which  is  also  a 
deep  but  shallow  indentation,  and  seems  to  have 
been  at  some  period  united  to  Loch-in-Daal,  so  as 
to  have  divided  the  present  island  into  two.  This 
island  is  chiefly  the  property  of  Walter  Frederick 
Campbell,  Esq.  of  Islay  and  Shawfield,  M.  P. 
It  comprehends  three  parishes,  Killarrow,  Kilcho- 
man,  and  Kildalton.  The  population  amounts  to 
!  13,000.  Whisky  is  a  great  article  of  trade.  The 
Islay  distilleries  have  of  late  yielded  an  yearly 
revenue  of  £30,000  to  government.  Islay  was  one 
of  the  principal  possessions  of  the  Lords  of  the  Isles; 
and  contains  numerous  remains  of  the  strongholds 
of  the  Macdonalds. 

A  day's  tour  here  may  embrace  the  following 
objects.    Leaving  Port-  Askaig,  and  passing  through 


STEAM- BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  215 

the  sound  of  Islay,  the  tourist  may  explore  the 
coast  of  Jura,  which  he  will  still  find  as  in  the 
laconic  age  of  Dean  Munro  of  the  Isles,  "well 
manured,  and  the  inward  part  of  the  country  clad 
with  wood."  Jura  is  34  miles  long;  and  two 
miles  off  its  north-eastern  point  lies  Scarba,  three 
miles  in  length  and  breadth ;  but  the  tide  of  Corrie- 
vreckan,  betwixt  ifcand  Jura,is  so  violent  that  neither 
Bail  nor  oar  can  pass  it,  excepting  at  particular 
times.  The  other  islands  at  the  opening  of  the 
Linnhe  Loch,  adjacent  to  Scarba,  are  referred  to 
in  our  Preliminary  Tour  (p.  2-1).  Betwixt  Islay 
and  Jura  is  the  Cairn  Island,  taking  its  name 
from  a  heap  of  stones.  And  close  to  Jura,  the 
little  isle  of  Freughilein,  with  the  old  thick  walls 
of  its  ruined  square  tower,  the  castle  of  Claig, 
that  guarded  once  the  eastern  entrance  of  the 
sound,  and  was  the  prison  where  the  Macdonalds 
kept  their  captives.  Access  to  Jura  is  best  ob- 
tained by  the  bay  and  harbour  of  Small  Isles, 
called  also  the  Bay  of  Meil,  w^hich  is  highly 
picturesque,  overshadowed  on  the  west  by  the 
Paps,  and  sheltered  on  the  east  by  several  little 
islands  clothed  with  heath,  which  leave  small  en- 
trance channels  on  the  north  and  south.  Jura  is 
the  most  rugged  of  all  the  Hebrides,  being  chiefly 
composed  of  vast,  naked,  sterile  mountains — a 
mass  of  weather-beaten  barrenness.  It  was  once 
named  by  the  Norwegians,  Deira,  or  the  "  Isle  of 
Deer,"  from  the  numbers  of  these  noble  animals 
upon  it,  which,  however,  have  decreased  to  from 
400  to  500  in  all,  but  retain  their  superiority  of 
size.  The  rude  sheelings  in  which  the  goat-herds 
of  Jura  dwell,  are  mostly  conical  in  form,  we  pre- 


216  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

sume,  after  the  Paps.  The  three  largest  of  these 
singular  mountains  are  Beinn-a-Chaolois,  or  "the 
Mountain  of  the  Sound ; "  Beinn-Shianta,  or  "the 
Hallowed  Mountain  ;"  and  Beinn-an-Oir,  or  "tho 
Mountain  of  Gold,"  which  is  the  highest,  and  of 
about  2,700  feet  elevation.  Seen  from  the  sum- 
mit of  these  great  natural  cairns,  Jura  itself  is  a 
stupendous  scene  of  rock,  amongst  which  are 
several  remarkable  whin  dykes,  and  interspersed 
with  innumerable  small  lakes.  Islay  extends  like 
a  map  beneath  the  eye,  the  northern  coast  of 
Ireland  is  seen  beyond  it ;  and  to  the  south  lie 
Gigha  and  Cara,  Cantyre  and  Arran,  with  the 
Frith  of  Clyde  bounded  by  the  Ayrshire  shore ; 
■while  Colonsay,  Oronsay,  Mull,  Iona,  and  all  the 
neighbouring  group  of  islands,  even  to  the  long 
extents  of  Tiree  and  Col  fading  dimly  away  in  the 
distance,  are  scattered  over  the  Western  Ocean. 
That  rare  bird,  the  ptarmigan,  is  still  to  be  seen 
in  this  wild  island.  Jura  has  always  been  cele- 
brated for  the  longevity  of  its  inhabitants.  The 
whole  population  of  Jura,  with  but  few  exceptions, 
reside  on  the  east  side  of  the  island,  where  con- 
siderable agricultural  improvements  have  been 
lately  made.  But  the  west  side  presents,  through- 
out its  whole  extent,  a  bold,  rocky  and  rugged 
coast,  with  at  least  fifty  of  the  most  magnificent 
caves  in  Scotland,  capable  of  furnishing  dry 
and  comfortable  lodging  to  the  benighted  tourist. 
Uaghlamaich,  the  largest,  faces  the  Atlantic, 
about  38  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  em- 
braces an  area  of  1,312  feet,  with  a  dry  and  level 
floor,  beneath  a  beautifully  arched  roof  which 
scarcely  admits  a  drop  of  water.     Some  of  these 


STEAM-  BO  AT  POCKET  GUIDE.  217 

spacious  caves  are  called  Corpachs,  from  the 
dead  having  been  placed  in  them  on  their  way  to 
Oransay  and  Iona  for  interment,  awaiting  a  favour- 
able voyage.  A  note  to  the  NewStatistical  Account 
presents  the  subjoined  legend  of  Corryvreckan.* 
Three  ferries  communicate  with  Jura ;  two  from 
the  mainland,  Kennachdrach  from  Craignish,  Lagg 
from  north  Knapdale,  and  Feolin  on  the  sound  of 
Islay,  at  the  south  end  of  Jura,  directly  opposite 
Port  Askaig.     Having  devoted  a  day  to  Jura,  the 

*  According  to  a  tradition  still  believed  in  the  Hebrides, 
Corryvreachkan,  or  the  cauldron  of  Breachkan,  received  ita 
name  from  a  Scandinavian  prince,  who,  during  a  visit  to  Scot- 
land, became  enamoured  of  a  princess  of  the  Isles,  and  sought 
her  for  his  bride.  Her  wily  father  dreading  the  consequences 
of  the  connection,  but  fearful  to  offend  the  king  of  Lochlin, 
gave  his  consent  to  their  marriage,  on  condition  that  Breach- 
kan should  prove  his  skill  and  prowess  by  anchoring  his  bark 
for  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  whirlpool.  Too  fond 
or  too  proud  to  shrink  from  the  danger,  he  proceded  to  Loch- 
lin, to  make  preparations  for  the  enterprise.  Having  consulted 
the  sages  of  his  native  land,  he  was  directed  to  provide  him- 
self with  three  cables,  one  of  hemp,  one  of  wool,  and  one  of 
woman's  hair.  The  first  two  were  easily  procured;  and  the 
beauty  of  his  person,  his  renown  as  a  warrior,  and  the  courtesy 
of  his  manners,  had  so  endeared  him  to  the  damsels  of  his 
country,  that  they  cut  off  their  own  hair  to  make  the  third, 
on  which  his  safety  was  ultimately  to  depend ;  for  the  purity 
of  female  innocence  gave  it  power  to  resist  even  the  force  of 
the  waves.  Thus  provided,  the  prince  set  sail  from  Lochlin, 
and  anchored  in  the  gulf.  The  first  day  the  hempen  cable 
broke.  The  second  day  the  woollen  cable  parted.  There  still 
remained  the  gift  of  the  daughters  of  Lochlin.  The  third  day 
came,  the  time  had  nearly  expired,  his  hopes  were  high,  his 
triumph  was  almost  achieved,  but  some  frail  fair  one  had 
contributed  her  flaxen  locks,  the  last  hope  failed,  and  the 
bark  was  overwhelmed.  The  prince's  body  was  dragged 
ashore  by  a  faithful  dog,  and  carried  to  a  cave  that  still  bears 
his  name,  in  which  the  old  men  point  out  a  little  cairn,  where 
tradition  says  the  body  of  Breachkan  was  interred.  From 
that  time,  as  the  legend  tells,  the  whirlpool  was  called  Corry- 
vreachkan. 


218  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST  S 

tourist  should,  in  the  course  of  another,  pay  a  visit 
to  Colonsay  and  Oransay,  which  form,  in  fact,  one 
island  when  the  tide  retires,  but  are  separated  at 
flood-tide  by  an  arm  of  the  sea,  a  mile  broad  at 
the  usual  passage,  although,  at  their  nearest  ap- 
proximation, the  islands  are  not  then  more  than 
100  yards  apart.  The  joint  length  of  these  islands 
is  about  12  miles.  M'Neill  of  Colonsay  is  the 
proprietor.  The  Priory  of  Oransay  is  known  as 
one  of  the  most  extensive  and  interesting  monastic 
remains  in  the  Western  Isles.  In  the  ruined 
church,  the  tombstones  of  its  ancient  possessors 
are  still  to  be  seen,  with  the  remains  of  the  cloisters 
and  other  monastic  buildings.  Part  of  the  in- 
scription is  still  legible  on  an  ancient  cross  near 
the  church,  "Usee  est  crux  Colini  Prior,  Orisoi 

obiit  m.dx "     In  the  middle  of  a  loch  in 

Colonsay  are  also  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle  or 
fort,  situated  on  an  island,  a  stronghold  to  which 
the  lords  of  Colonsay  used  to  retire  from  danger. 
The  mansion  house  of  M'Neill  of  Colonsay,  who 
retains  most  part  of  the  island  under  culture  in 
his  own  hands,  is  situated  close  to  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal ruins,  in  a  scene  of  wild  and  solitary  beauty. 

Islay  is 'divided  into  three  parochial  districts, 
Kilchoman  on  the  west,  Killdalton  on  the  south, 
and  the  united  parishes  of  Killarow  and  Kilmeny 
on  the  east  and  north  parts.  The  whisky  of  the 
island  is  much  famed  for  its  fine  quality,  and  the 
three  distilleries  of  Lossit,  Taiant,  and  Bowmore, 
alone  produce  60,000  gallons.  Besides  Roman 
Catholic  relics,  such  as  granite  crosses  and  ruined 
places  of  worship,  the  island,  as  at  the  Mull  of 
Oa,  <fcc,  contains  the  ruins  of  Danish  forts. 
For  a  day's  journey  in  Islay  from  Port  Askaig, 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  219 

a  district  of  country  alternately  wild  and  cultivated, 
we  reach  the  inn  of  Bridgend,  whence  a  short  ex- 
cursion may  be  made  to  Loch  Finlaggan.  Taking 
the  road  along  the  north  side  of  Loch-in-Daal,  we 
arrive  at  the  bay  of  Sunderland.  From  thence  we 
may  proceed  to  the  village  of  Skeipo;  and  thence 
to  Portnahaven.*  Leaving  Portnahaven,  and  pro- 
ceeding along  the  north-west  coast,  we  come  to  the 
church  of  Kilchoman;  and  thence  pursue  our  route 
still  along  the  shore  to  Loch  Gruinard.  From  the 
head  of  this  loch  a  walk  of  four  or  five  miles  will 
reconduct  us  to  Bridgend.  Next  day  the  tourist 
may  proceed  to  Bowmore  about  3  miles  to  the 
south-west,  on  the  shore  of  Loch-in-Daal.  This  is 
a  considerable  village,  of  from  ]  200  to  1500  inhabi- 
tants. From  Bowmore,  the  tourist  may  proceed 
to  the  bay  of  Laggan  and  Port  Ellinor.  A  few 
miles  further  on  is  Ardmore,  whence  round  the 
coast  to  Port-Askaig  there  is  little  to  interest  the 
tourist. 


THIRTEENTH  TOUR. 

FROM  GLASGOW  TO  OBAN,  BY  THE  CRINAN  CANAL. 

Lochgilphead,  86  —  Oakjield — Bellanach — Loch 
Crinan —  The  Craignish islets — IjOcIi  Craignlsh 
v—  Shuna — Luing —  Torsa — Balnahuay —  Gar- 
veloch  isles — Seil — Easdale,  112 — Oban,  129. 
In  our  seventh  tour  we  conducted  the  tourist  to 

Oban,  by  way  of  Inverary.     This  route  is  not  so 

*  The  Giant's  causeway  is  only  30  miles  distant  from  Port- 
nahaven; and  the  tourist  may  easily  get  himself  conveyed 
thither  by  a  fishing-boat.  J 


"220  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST 

often  followed  as  that  by  steam,  which  we  shall 
now  briefly  sketch. 

The  first  section  of*  this  route,  namely,  from 
Glasgow  to  Lochgilphead,  has  been  already  sketched 
in  the  fourth  section  of  our  sixth  tour.*  If  the 
tourist  wishes  to  remain  at  the  eastern  end  of  the 
canal  during  the  night,  he  will  find  good  accom- 
modation at  x\rdrissaig  point  inn,  or  in  the  village 
of  Lochgilphead.f  On  entering  the  canal,  a  good 
view  is  obtained  of  Lochgilphead,  and  Kilmory, 
the  seat  of  Sir  John  Ord.  Two  miles  from  the 
sea-lock,  on  the  left,  is  Oakfield.  The  canal  here 
passes  through  an  extensive  tract  of  marshy  unin- 
teresting country.  Passing  the  village  of  Bellanach, 
whence  a  road  on  the  left  leads  to  Keii's  ferry,  Loch 
Swin,  distant  12  miles,  we  enter  the  bay  or  loch 
of  Crinan.  Upon  the  right  is  the  modernized 
castle  of  Duntroon ;  and  northwards,  on  the  same 
side,  Loch  Craignish,  a  fine  arm  of  the  sea,  inter- 
sected by  a  chain  of  islands  which  stretch  exactly 
through  its  centre,  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  shore. 
"  The  total  number  of  these,"  says  Dr  Macculloch, 
"within  and  without  the  loch,  exceeds  twenty, 
besides  islets  and  rocks  which  have  no  names,  and 
which  *o  one  has  thought  it  worth  his  while  to 
count.  Outside  of  the  point  of  Craignish,  which 
is  the  western  boundary,  there  are  five  principal 
islands,  besides  satellites.  The  names  remind  us 
somewhat  of  Dutens*  list  of  presentations  to  the 
court  of  Turin, — Kenrick,  Melikan,  Kelikan,  and 
Carmichael:  they  are  certainly  not  more  euphon- 
*  Pages  125—128. 

f  There  is  a  road  from  Lochgilphead,  by  West  Tarbert  to 
Campbelton ,  a  distance  of  51  miles;  and  another  to  Inverary, 
by  Carrick,  P  ort-Leckan,  and  Kilbride,  a  distance  of  22 £  miles. 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  221 

ous,being  Macfadyen,Rusantrue,  Resave,Garvrisa, 
and  Baisker.  In  spite  of  their  names,  however, 
they  are  beautiful  little  islands:  beautiful  from  the 
brilliancy  of  their  verdure,  from  the  intricate  and 
picturesque  arrangements  of  their  cliffs  and  shores, 
and — what  may  well  excite  surprise — from  their  an- 
cient and  solitary  trees,  perched  about  the  rocks  or 
high  on  their  summits,  or  stuck  in  some  fissure  of 
a  cliff  and  hanging  down  their  knotted  and  bending 
branches  into  the  very  sea.  And  these  trees  are 
oaks,  without  shelter  or  protection, — braving  all  the 
gales  of  this  boisterous  country,  and  having  thu3 
braved  them  for  centuries,  when,  at  the  present 
day,  not  a  plant  higher  than  heath  can  raise  its 
head  beyond  the  surface !  This,  I  must  own,  is 
fairly  beyond  my  sylvan  philosophy.'*  When  the 
doctor's  philosophy  is  at  fault,  it  would  ill  become 
us  to  attempt  the  solution  of  any  phenomenon. 
We  leave  the  problem  therefore  with  the  tourist ; 
and,  confining  ourselves  to  our  own  province,  pro- 
ceed to  inform  him  that  the  same  high  authority 
has  pronounced  the  island-scenery  of  Loch  Craignish 
to  be  as  much  superior  in  variety  and  beauty  to 
that  of  Loch  Lomond,  as  the  latter  loch  is  to  the 
meanest  of  the  Scottish  lochs  ! 

The  steam-boat  pursues  its  track  through  the 
Dorishmore,  or  *  Great  gate,'  between  the  point  of 
Craignish  and  one  of  the  chain  of  islets  just  de- 
scribed. Iona  and  Islay  are  now  in  sight ;  on  the 
south  are  the  rugged  shores  of  Knapdale ;  and  to 
the  north  the  islands  of  Shuna  and  Luing,  with 
Loch  Melfort  opening  to  the  right.  In  rough 
weather  the  steam-boat  generally  takes  the  sound 
of  Shuna.    This  island  is  about  3  miles  in  length, 


222  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

It  is  rocky,  rude,  and  uneven  ;  but  so  finely  clothed 
with  brushwood  and  low  trees  that  it  "  looks  like 
an  ornamental  park."  The  island  of  Luing  forms 
the  opposite  coast  of  the  sound.  It  is  a  long  heathy 
ridge,  without  much  picturesque  beauty  in  itself,  but 
commanding  some  very  fine  sea-views.  The  little 
island  of  Torsa  is  united  to  Luing  at  low  water. 
Two  miles  from  the  point  of  Luing  is  Blackmill 
bay,  opposite  which  is  the  island  of  Lunga.  Three 
miles  farther  north  is  the  slate  islet  of  Balnahuay, 
and  farther  to  the  west  the  Garveloch  isles. 

The  sound  of  Cuan  runs  between  the  northern 
extremity  of  Luing  and  the  island  of  Seil.  ,  This 
island,  says  Dr  Macculloch,  as  it  is  the  most  ex- 
tensive is  by  much  the  most  varied  in  this  quarter. 
"  On  the  north  side  it  presents  a  rude  hilly  ridge, 
terminating  in  the  sea  by  perpendicular  cliffs  of 
bare  rock ;  but  the  remainder  is  an  undulating  and 
fertile  green  land,  descending  gently  to  the  water, 
and  deeply  indented  on  the  east  side  by  sinuosities. 
The  shores  on  this  side  in  particular  are  beauti- 
fully varied  by  cultivation,  green  meadows,  rocks, 
and  trees ;  while  the  narrowness  of  the  strait  which 
here  separates  it  from  the  mainland,  allows  it  to 
partake  of  all  the  advantages  of  the  opposite  coast, 
which  is  high  and  wooded,  varied  by  cliffs  em- 
bosomed in  fine  oak  trees,  by  deep  bays  and  creeks, 
and  by  cultivation, — displaying,  besides,  at  Ard- 
maddy,  all  those  marks  of  ornamental  attention, 
which  cause  the  whole  to  look  as  if  it  was  the 
favoured  seat  of  opulence  and  taste.  It  is  a  com- 
mon trick  of  travellers  to  explain  one  place  by  an- 
other, '  ignotum  per  ignotius ; '  and  therefore  I  may 
as  well  share  in  the  privilege,  by  saying  that  this 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  223 

aarrow  strait  somewhat  resembles  the  Kyles  of 
Bute  ;  hoping  nevertheless  that  this  is  not  unknown 
to  you.  But  I  must  not  forget  to  say  that  the 
whole  length  of  this  entertaining  passage  is  not  less 
than  three  miles ;  being  alike  diversified,  through 
the  whole  of  this  course,  by  the  variety  of  the 
coasts  on  both  sides,  and  by  four  or  five  small  islands 
which  lie  in  it,  as  well  as  by  the  flexures  which 
often  seem  to  stop  all  further  passage  by  closing 
the  land  of  the  opposed  shores.  For  a  space  of  two 
miles,  the  distance  between  these  never  exceeds  two 
hundred  yards  ;  while,  the  land  on  each  side  being 
generally  high,  it  assumes  the  appearance  of  an 
alpine  river.  During  the  last  half-mile,  they  ap- 
proach within  fifty  or  sixty  yards  ;  and  here,  a 
bridge  of  one  high  arch  is  thrown  over,  uniting  the 
island  to  the  main, and  presenting  the  only  instance 
in  Britain  of  such  a  junction.*  In  Shetland,  there 
are  two  islands  united  in  a  similar  manner.  The 
strait  at  this  part  is  rocky  where  the  water  runs, 
and  only  admits  the  passage  of  boats  for  about  two 
hours  before  and  after  high  water.  When  full,  it 
would  scarcely  be  suspected  to  be  sea  ;  but,  at  low 
water,  the  weeds  betray  its  nature.  It  is  navigated 
by  the  country  boats,  as  it  much  shortens  the  pas- 
sage along  shore."  On  the  west  side  of  Seil  is  the 
circular  islet  of  Easdale  celebrated  for  its  slate- 
quarries,  which  have  been  wrought  for  upwards  of 
120  years.  After  passing  Easdale,  and  the  point 
of  Ardincaple,  Loch  Feochan  opens  on  the  right, 
and  a  distinct  view  of  Ben  Cruachan  (see  p.  130) 
is  obtained.  To  the  north  is  the  island  of  Kerrera 
with  the  ruins  of  Gylen  castle  occupying  its 
southern,  point.  We  have  already  noticed  the 
The  Mcnai  Strait  excepted. 


224  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

sound   which   runs  between  this   island  and  thejj 
mainland  to  the  bay  of  Oban  (see  p.  143.) 


FOURTEENTH  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  CAMPBELTON. 

Airdlamont  point —  Skipness — Campbelton,  96 
— Southend — the  Mull  light-house — Machrihi- 
nish  bay — Ailsa  craig 

The  Campbelton  steamers  generally  go  by  the 
kyles  of  Bute  (see  p.  125),  and  the  north  end  of  the 
island  of  Arran.  Crossing  the  mouth  of  LochFyne, 
from  Airdlamont  point  to  the  point  of  Skipness  in 
Kintyre,  a  distance  of  12  miles,  a  fine  view  is  ob- 
tained of  the  loch,  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  hills 
of  Cowal,  and  on  the  west  by  Knapdale  and  Kin- 
tyre.  In  the  far  north  is  seen  the  gigantic  Ben 
Cruachan;  and  on  the  left  are  the  granite  peaks  of 
Arran . 

From  Skipness  to  Campoe^ton,  passing  up  the 
sound  of  Kilbrannan,  is  a  succession  of  very  inter- 
esting coast-views  on  either  side.  The  kirk  of 
Clunaig,  Corsaig  house',  Cour  house,  Barmolloch 
manse,  Carnadale  house  and  kirk,  Torrisdale  castle, 
Saddale  house,  and  Ardnacross,  appear  success- 
ively on  the  mainland ;  on  the  left  are  the  varied 
shores  of  Arran. 

Campbelton,  anciently  called  Ceannloch,  that  is, 
'  the  Head,'  or  '  End  of  the  loch/  and  sometimes 
Kilkerran — is  pleasantly  situated  near  the  southern 
extremity  of  Kintyre,  on  a  fine  bay,  popularly 
called  Campbelton  loch.     "  Fertile  as  is^the  west 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  225 

coast  in  harbours,  there  is  not  one  that  excels  this ; 
which,  besides  being  spacious  enough  to  contain  a 
large  fleet,  is  perfectly  land-locked,  easily  entered, 
md  has  the  best  possible  holding-ground.  The 
iigh  and  bold  rock,  Devar,  covers  it  from  the  sea 
completely:  being  attached  to  the  land  on  the  south 
side  by  a  spit  of  shingle,  which  has  probably,  in 
later  times,  rendered  that  a  peninsula  which  was 
once  an  island.  The  rock  produces  some  beautiful 
varieties  of  green,  as  well  as  of  brown  porphyry, 
easily  wrought,  to  be  obtained  of  any  size,  and  ex- 
tremely ornamental  when  polished,  but  as  yet 
neglected.  To  the  south,  the  harbour  of  Campbel- 
ton  is  bounded  by  the  high  and  bold  mountain-land 
which  forms  the  mull  of  Kintyre;  but,  northward, 
the  country  is  merely  hilly.  This  latter  boundary 
is  bare  and  without  beauty;  but  the  southern  one 
is  not  only  bold  and  various,  but  is  tolerably 
wooded,  in  a  country  where  much  wood  is  not  ex- 
pected. The  burying- ground  of  Kilkerran,  named 
after  Saint  Kiaran,  is  a  very  pleasing,  and  not  an 
unpicturesque  spot.  The  castle  of  Kilkerran, 
which  once  stood  here,  is  said  to  have  been  built 
by  James  V. ;  but  it  is  imagined  that  there  was  a 
castle  long  before  that,  which  was  taken  by  Haco 
in  his  expedition  already  mentioned.  Some  caves 
along  the  shore  are  pointed  out,  where  St.  Kiaran 
is  reported  to  have  lived  the  life  of  a  hermit :  and 
Kilhouslan  here  also  preserves  the  traces  of  its  an- 
cient burying-ground  and  chapel.-  Campbelton, 
with  Stornoway  and  Inverlochy,  is  one  of  the  three 
boroughs  erected  by  James  VI.  with  the  professed 
view  of  civilizing  the  Highlands.  It  is  a  place  oi 
considerable  but  variable  commerce;  as  that  com- 
Q 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

inerce  consists  in  the  herring-fishery,  itself  unfor- 
tunately too  variable.  It  occupies  the  end  of  the 
bay  on  both  sides,  and  is  a  town,  not  only  of  a  very 
reputable  appearance,  but  of  considerable  extent 
and  population.  Some  extensive  piers  serve  for 
receiving  the  smaller  class  of  shipping ;  and  as  it 
is  always  swarming  with  fishing-boats  and  vessels 
*f  different  kinds,  it  forms  one  of  the  gayest  and 
jveliest  scenes  imaginable.  Detached  villas  and 
single  houses,  scattered  about  the  shore  and  the 
sides  of  the  hills,  not  only  add  much  to  the  orna- 
mental appearance  of  the  bay,  but  give  an  air  of 
taste  and  opulence  to  the  whole.  A  more  pictur- 
esque and  beautiful  situation  for  a  maritime  town 
could  not  well  be  found ;  and,  from  different  points, 
it  presents  some  fine  views, — uniting  all  the  confu- 
sion of  town-architecture  with  the  wildness  of 
alpine  scenery,  the  brilliancy  of  a  lake,  and  the  life, 
and  bustle,  and  variety  incidental  to  a  crowded 
harbour  and  pier.  There  is  a  very  beautiful  and 
perfect  stone  cross  at  the  market  place,  which, 
popular  report  says,  was  brought  from  Iona  at  tha 
reformation.  The  sculptures  are  as  fresh  as  if 
but  just  executed,  and  consist  of  various  foliages 
and  Runic  knots,  designed  and  wrought  with  great 
taste,  together  with  some  emblematical  figures  of 
demons  and  angels,  to  which  the  same  praise  can- 
not be  assigned.  It  is  not  difficult  to  perceive,  on 
examining  the  land  round  Campbelton,  that  the 
sea  once  flowed  between  the  harbour  and  Mach- 
rihinish  bay  on  the  west  coast,  so  that  the  Mull  of 
Kintyre  was  formerly  an  island.  Much  of  that 
tract  has  lately  been  drained  and  cultivated. 
Through  this  flat,  a  canai  leads  to  a  coal  mine, 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  227 

situated  near  the  bay;  the  produce  of  which,  though 
not  of  a  good  quality,  serves  for  the  consumption 
of  the  town.  The  bay  itself  is  wide,  open,  sandy, 
and  shallow,  producing  a  great  surf  in  west  winds, 
nor  is  there  anything  picturesque  in  this  quarter; 
unless  it  be  under  the  high  cliffs.  The  same  may 
indeed  be  said  of  the  country  in  general  round 
Campbelton ;  although  it  is  pleasing,  and,  were  it 
better  wooded,  would  even  be  beautiful."* 

The  parish  of  Campbelton  is  about  11  miles  in 
length,  from  north  to  south.  Its  population  is 
above  9000.  This  district  was  anciently  in  pos- 
session of  the  Macdonalds,  the  descendants  of  the 
Somerleds.  It  was  granted  to  the  Argyle  family  for 
expelling  the  Macdonalds.  The  highest  land  in 
the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  town  is  Ben- 
gullion  hill,  from  the  top  of  which  are  seen  Islay, 
Jura,  and  Gigha,  to  the  north-west;  Ireland,  with 
the  isle  of  Rathlin,  on  the  south-west ;  and  Arran 
and  Bute  on  the  north-east.  From  Campbelton 
to  Southend  is  a  fine  drive  of  about  10  miles.  The 
distance  from  Southend  to  the  Irish  coast  is  23 
miles.  Nine  miles  from  Southend  is  the  Mull 
lighthouse,  on  the  extremity  of  a  ridge  of  heathy 
hills,  some  of  which  rise  to  the  height  of  800  feet. 
It  is  a  circular  tower  40  feet  in  height,  and  240 
above  the  sea.  The  distance  from  this  to  the 
nearest  point  of  Ireland,  Ballycastle,  is  only  18 
miles.  No  tourist  should  jspend  a  day  in  Camp- 
belton, without  crossing  to  Machrihinish  bay, 
which  opens  upon  the  Atlantic,  and  receives  the 
full  swell  of  the  ocean  waves. 

j*  Highlands  and  Western  Isles.  Vol.  IT.  pp.  63—66. 


228  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

Campbelton  is  73J  miles  from  Inverary  by 
the  land  route. 

Ailsa  craig  is  distant  from  Campbelton  about 
22  miles,  and  about  9  from  the  bay  of  Girvan  in 
Ayrshire.  It  is  a  rock  nearly  perpendicular,  of 
the  height  of  1100  feet.  Its  circumference  at  the 
base  is  about  2  miles.  The  only  beach  is  on  the 
north-east  side ;  upon  the  west  side  there  are  stu- 
pendous ranges  of  precipitous  basaltic  rocks,  which 
are  seen  to  the  greatest  advantage  from  a  ship  or 
boat  at  a  little  distance.  The  rock  of  Ailsa  assumes 
a  variety  of  picturesque  forms,  according  to  the 
point  from  which  it  is  viewed.  It  is  covered 
with  myriads  of  sea-fowl,  whose  discordant  scream- 
ing is  deafening  and  incessant.  There  are  also 
goats  and  rabbits  upon  it.  The  proprietor,  the  earl 
of  Cassilis,  lets  Ailsa — from  which  he  takes  his  title 
as  a  British  peer — to  a  tenant  for  L.30  per  annum; 
and  this  rent  is  paid  from  the  young  gannets  which 
are  taken  for  the  table,  and  the  feathers  of  the 
numerous  birds  that  frequent  Ailsa. 

Near  the  beacon,  on  the  east  side,  are  the  vestiges 
of  the  huts  of  fishermen.  At  a  great  height  are 
the  ruins  of  a  square  tower  or  chapel.  By  whom 
it  was  built  or  inhabited  is  altogether  unknown. 
A  few  yards  from  it  is  a  fine  spring  of  water 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  225 

FIFTEENTH  TOUR. 

GLASGOW  TO  MILLPORT    ARDROSSAN,  AND  ARRAN. 

Largs,  40 — Millport,  47 — Pencross  casUe,  52 — 
Ardrossan,  51 — Arran,  70 — Tours  in  Arran. 

In  our  fourth  tour  we  conducted  the  tourist  to 
Largs.  From  Largs  to  Millport,  on  the  western 
side  of  the  larger  Cumbray,  is  a  distance  of  7 
miles.  Millport  is  a  remarkably  clean  and  pleasant 
looking  village,  well  adapted  for  sea-bathing.  It 
has  a  warm  southern  exposure,  and  a  noble  view 
down  the  frith  and  towards  Arran.  Though  re- 
tired and  isolated,  its  facilities  for  communication 
with  Glasgow  are  considerable,  as  the  Largs  boats 
always  call  at  Millport,  and  lie  in  the  bay  during 
the  night.  The  island  is  about  2 \  miles  long, 
and  1 J  broad.  It  is  the  property  of  the  earl  of 
Glasgow,  and  the  marquess  of  Bute.  The  former 
nobleman  has  a  fine  cottage  orn6e  at  the  east  end 
of  the  village.     The  population  is  8C0. 

Leaving  Millport  for  Ardrossan,  the  steamer 
passes  Pencross  or  Portincross  castle,  on  a  point  of 
the  mainland,  5  miles  from  Milport.  The  beach 
here  is  remarkably  fine.  A  short  way  on  is  Ar- 
neil ;  and  further  on  Boydston.  Two  miles  from 
this  is  the  town  and  harbour  of  Ardrossan,  a 
fashionable  sea-bathing  village.  The  late  earl  of 
Eglinton  expended  enormous  sums  in  the  attempt 
to  improve  this  place ;  he  projected  a  canal  from 
Ardrossan  to  Glasgow,  built  a  noble  harbour,  and 
planned  a  town  of  regular  and  elegant  streets ;  but 
his  trustees  had  not  deemed  it  expedient  to  carry 
forward  his  lordship's  plans.     The  present  earl 


'^30  THE  SCOTTISK  TOITHTST'S 

however,  on  coming  of  age,  commenced  a  spirited 
and  successful  prosecution  of  the  project  almost 
single-handed,  and  even  attained  additional  depth 
of  water  and  other  improvements  through  the 
medium  of  modern  engineering.  On  Friday,  28th 
April,  1845,  he,  accordingly,  had  the  satisfaction  of 
opening  it.  A  large  amount  of  traffic,  even  in 
advance  of  this  improvement,  had  risen  up  at  Ar- 
drossan.  Such  had  been  the  success  of  the  Lon- 
dondery  and  Belfast  steamers  laid  on  at  this  sta- 
tion, in  connection  with  the  railways,  that  they 
might  be  said  to  monopolise  at  times  the  greater 
part  of  the  Glasgow  trade.  A  great  traffic,  also 
under  railway  auspices,  had  been  opened  up  be- 
twixt Ardrossan  and  Fleetwood,  in  the  line  of  in- 
tercommunication betwixt  Glasgow,  and  Liver- 
pool, Manchester,  London,  <fcc.  Still  more  recently 
a  steamer  was  started  to  Sligo,  and  one  by  Mr 
Matheson  of  Achany,  M.P.,  proprietor  of  the  re- 
mote Hebridean  island  of  the  Lews  or  Lewis. 
By  Messrs  M'Kean  &  Lamont's  Fleetwood 
steamers,  the  London  newspapers  are  frequently 
brought  to  Glasgow  within  24  hours  of  publica- 
tion ;  we,  ourselves,  have  visited  Ireland  by  one  of 
their  Belfast  steamers,  and  returned  the  same  day; 
extraordinary  feats  have  also  characterized  the 
Sligo  passage ;  and  the  steam  conveyance  to  Arran 
twice-a-day,  must  be  acknowledged'to  be  a  vast  im- 
provement. The  Ardrossan.railway,  which  is  just  a 
continuation  of  the  Ayrshire  line  from  Kilwinning, 
leads  down  to  the  harbour.  ( See  Land  Tourist's 
Guide,)  And  an  elegant  new  town,  with  its 
streets,  crescents,  and  minster-like  churches,  is 
rising  rapidly  round  the  spot  where  the  castle  of  Ar- 


THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S  231 

drossan,  previous  to  the  middle  of  the  fourteentn 
century,  was  the  residence  of  an  ancient  family  of 
that  name,  from  whom  it  passed  by  marriage  to 
the  Eglinton  family.  It  was  destroyed  by  Crom- 
well. The  sea-port  town  of  Saltcoats  is  within  a 
mile  of  Ardrossan,  and  nineteen  miles  from  Ayr. 

Those  steam-boats  which  do  not  proceed  on  the 
Ayrshire  coast  farther  than  Ardrossan,  generally 
run  over  to  the  island  of  Arran,  and  lie  in  Lamlash 
bay  all  night ;  whence  they  proceed  to  Glasgow 
next  morning.  This  is  the  most  tedious  convey- 
ance to  Arran,  and  will  consume  nine  or  ten  hours; 
most  tourists  prefer  the  route  by  Bute.  In  either 
case  the  steamer  will  first  make  for  Brodick  bay. 

No  tourist  ought  to  neglect  an  opportunity  of 
visiting  Arran.  If  he  can  spend  an  entire  week 
upon  this  noble  island,  he  will  find  himself  amply 
repaid  by  its  varied  and  magnificent  scenery.  As 
a  field  for  the  geologist,  it  is  unrivalled  in  Scotland ; 
its  botany  is  also  peculiarly  rich  ;  but  it  is  its  un- 
rivalled mountain-scenery  which  constitutes  its 
great  and  predominant  attraction,  and  renders  the 
northern  or  nearest  part  of  the  island  so  conspicu- 
ous and  interesting  an  object  from  every  point  of 
the  frith  of  Clyde.  Steam-boats  from  Glasgow  to 
Arran,  by  Bute,  generally  touch  first  at  the  Corrie 
point  about  four  miles  from  Brodick;  they  then  steer 
into  Brodick  bay  at  the  mouth  of  Glen  Rosa ;  and 
after  landing  passengers  at  Brodick,  proceed  round 
Corriegills  point  to  Lamlash  harbour,  where  they 
anchor  for  the  night.  The  voyage,  by  this  route, 
is  generally  accomplished  in  about  seven  hours  ; 
the  Campbelton  boats,  when  they  do  not  touch  at 
any  intermediate  -point  between  Brodick  and  Grce- 


232  'TEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE. 

nock,  run  the  distance  in  about  six  hours.  There 
aro  boats  regularly  plying  to  Arran  from  Glasgow 
thrice-a-week. 

If  the  tourist's  time  is  limited  to  one  or  two  days, 
we  would  advise  him  to  proceed  at  once  to  Brodick, 
and  employ  his  time  in  exploring  Glen  Rosa,  or 
ascending  Goatfell.  If  to  either  of  these  excur- 
sions he  can  add  a  visit  to  Glen  Sannox,  he  may 
consider  himself  to  have  seen  the  most  striking 
features  of  Arran,  Lamlash,  though  well- worth 
visiting,  will  not  repay  the  tourist  for  neglecting  a 
visit  to  any  of  the  other  three  points  we  have  in- 
dicated. We  shall  hastily  sketch  the  principal 
objects  embraced  in  the  entire. circuit  of  this  inter- 
esting island. 

The  village  of  Brodick  is  scattered  along  the 
margin  of  a  beautiful  bay  opening  to  the  ea^t.  The 
fore-ground  of  this  bay  is  finely  diversified  with 
clumps  of  trees,  houses  and  cottages,  interspersed 
with  patches  of  cultivated  ground  and  glittering 
sand.  The  back-ground  to  all  this  consists  of  a 
noble  amphitheatre  of  hills,  rising  gradually  from 
either  extremity  of  the  bay,  and  receding  inland, 
until  they  reach  an  elevation  of  nearly  3000  feet, 
in  the  serrated  ridges  and  peaks  of  Benhuish,Ceim- 
na-cailiach,  and  Goatfell.  Between  the  shoulders 
of  the  mountains,  the  eye  traces  several  noble  glens, 
the  finest  of  which  is  glen  Rosa.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  bay  the  battlements  of  Brodick  castle 
are  seen  rising  above  some  fine  old  trees  which 
clothe  a  considerable  portion  of  the  rising  ground 
in  this  quarter  ;  and  beyond  and  above  all  towers 
the  elegant  conical  summit  of  Goatfell.  Goatfell 
may  be  ascended  by  a  good  pedestrian  in  about 


THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST^  233 

two  hours,  from  the  door  of  Brodick  inn.  We  spent 
three  and  a  half  hours  in  ascending  it  from  Glen 
Rosa.  Some  prefer  ascending.it  from  the  Corrie. 
A  guide  should  he  taken  from  whatever  point  the 
ascent  is  made,  otherwise  a  stranger  will  probably 
incur  much  useless  fatigue,  and  perhaps  place  him- 
self in  some  danger.  The  altitude  of  this  moun- 
tain is  stated  in  the  'Statistical  Account  of  Scotland ' 
at  2840  feet.  From  the  summit  of  Goatfell  the 
tourist  may  proceed  along  the  ridge  at  the  head  of 
Glen  Rosa,  and  down  into  Glen  Sannox.  From 
Sannox  he  may  return  by  the  shore — a  beautiful 
road — to  Brodick,  where  there  is  an  excellent  inn. 
The  distance  of  Brodick  from  Lamlash  is  about  five 
miles.  The  road  commands  some  very  fine  views, 
particularly  looking  back  upon  the  mountains  above 
Brodick,  and  at  the  point  where  the  bay  of  Lam- 
lash, first  comes  into  view.  Whiting  bay,  beyond 
Lamlash,  is  a  fine  bay.  The  road  along  the  coast 
here  presents  many  beautiful  points.  If  the 
tourist  chooses  to  circumambulate  the  island,  he  can 
easily  do  so,  as  there  is  an  excellent  road,  generally 
pretty  close  along  the  shore.  On  the  first  day  he 
may  reach  the  Blackwater  foot,  where  he  will  find 
comfortable  accomodation.  The  second  day's 
journey  will  bring  him  to  Loch  Ranza,  where 
there  is  also  a  decent  inn ;  and  the  next  day  he  can 
proceed  to  Brodick,  either  by  the  coast  road  wind- 
ing along  the  shore,  or  by  the  middle  road  which 
crosses  the  mountains,  and  enters  the  head  of  Glen 
Sannox.  The  principal  objects  in  the  first  day's 
route  are  the  fine  and  ever  shifting  views  which 
occur  along  the  western  and  southern  coast.  Chi 
the  second  day,  after  leaving  the  Blackwater  foot. 


234  'SHE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S 

he  should  visit  the  point  of  Drumodune,  and  the 
celebrated  caves  a  little  beyond  it,  which  are  said 
to  .have  afforded  shelter  to  the  Bruce.  The  neigh- 
bourhood of  Loch  Ranza  will  also  afford  him  an 
evening's  amusement.  The  third  day's  tour, 
whether  he  take  the  inland  or  the  coast  road,  will 
present  to  him  some  of  the  finest  marine  and  sylvan 
scenery  in  Scotland.  A  good  pedestrian  should 
not  fail  to  ascend  Glen  Sannox,  cross  over  the  ridge 
at  its  Jiead,  and  descend  upon  Brodick  by  Glen 
Rosa. 

"  The  greatest  part  of  the  island  of  Arran,"  says 
a  recent  writer,  "  as  seen  from  the  coast  of  Ayr- 
shire, presents  the  appearance  of  a  picturesque 
mass  of  rugged  mountains,  rising  bleak  and  bare, 
directly  from  the  sea,  and  seemingly  unadorned  by 
vegetation,  and  totally  incapable  of  cultivation  ; 
but  as  the  spectator  nears  the  shore,  its  aspect 
gradually  softens,  and  milder  scenes  are  seen  to 
mingle  with  that  barren  grandeur,  which,  in  truth, 
still  forms  the  main  characteristic  of  the  landscape. 
Cultivated  inclosures  adorn  the  sloping  banks 
which  approach  the  sea ;  and  here  and  there, 
spread  over  the  uplands,  in  the  glens,  and  on  the 
winding  shores,  wreaths  of  blue  smoke,  curling  on 
the  hill  side,  give  token  of  the  scattered  cottages 
of  the  peasantry.  *  *  *  As  the  visitor  enters  Bro- 
dick Bay,  the  scene  becomes  exceedingly  beautiful. 
The  lofty  precipices  and  gloomy  shadows  of  the 
rugged  ridge  of  Ben  Ghnuis,  which  often  throws  a 
twilight  hue  over  the  deep  hollow  of  Glen  Rosa, 
and  strongly  contrasts  with  the  open  and  swelling- 
character  of  the  hills  around  Glen  Cloy,  the  cliffs 
of  Corriegills,  the  white  and  sloping  beach  which 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  j  235 

rounds  the  bay,  the  embattled  castle  towering 
above  its  surrounding  woods,  the  green  inclosures, 
and  beyond  these,  thclong  expanse  of  brown  heath, 
from  which  arises  the  grey  peak  of  Goatfell :  aM 
these  form  a  scene  of  surpassing  beauty,  such  as 
cannot  be  excelled  by  the  romantic  scenery  of  the 
far-famed  Frith  of  Clyde."* 

The  ascent  of  Goatfell,  or  Ben  Ghaoil,  "  the 
Mountain  of  the  Winds,"  is  usually  effected  by  a 
narrow  track  to  the  eastward  of  Cnocan  Burn, 
which  flows  into  the  sea  at  Brodick — and  after 
emerging  from  the  cultivated  region,  is  first  over 
peat-moss,  and,  where  the  ascent  becomes  more 
steep,  over  the  native  rock  and  barren  soil,  which 
yields  but  a  meagre  vegetation,  and  affords  a  scanty 
subsistence  to  a  few  sheep  which  feed  on  the 
mountain  side.  Near  the  summit  of  Goatfell,  and 
also  on  the  south  shoulder,  the  granite  suddenly 
rises  in  perpendicular  cliffs,  assuming  the  artificial 
appearance  of  huge  Cyclopean  walls.  "  Having  ' 
reached  the  highest  point  of  Goatfell,"  says  the 
writer  last  quoted,  "  the  eye  suddenly  rests  on  a 
scene  which  cannot  fail  to  inspire  the  lover  of 
nature  with  astonishment  and  delight.  The  jagged 
and  spiry  peaks  of  the  surrounding  mountains  ;  the 
dark  hollows  and  deep  shady  corries  into  which 
the  rays  of  the  sun  scarce  ever  penetrate ;  the  open 
swelling  hills  beyond ;  the  winding  shores  of  Loch 
Fine;  and  the  broad  Frith  of  Clyde,  studded  with  its 
peaceful  and  fertile  islands ;  the  rugged  mountains 
of  Argyllshire;  and  the  gentle  curves  of  the  hills 
of  the  western  isles,  their  outlines  softened  in  the 

*  Ramsay's  Tour  in  Arran. 


236  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURISTS 

disGafice,  form  a  sc^ire  of  most  surpassing  grandeur 
and  loveliness.  In  all  its  varying  aspects  it  is  a 
scene,  the  memory  of  which  can  be  dwelt  on  with 
pleasure ;  whether  it  be  seen  in  the  early  morn- 
ing when  the  white  mists,  drawn  upwards  from  the 
glens,  float  along  the  hills  and  half  conceal  their 
giant  peaks ;  or,  in  the  gloom  of  an  autumn  even- 
ing, when  the  descending  clouds,  urged  onwards 
by  the  blasts,  flit  swiftly  across  the  mountain  sides, 
while,  ever  and  anon,  their  gloomy  shoulders  loom 
largely  through  the  rolling  masses,  and  seem  to 
the  beholder  to  double  their  vast  proportions ;  or, 
in  the  mellow  light  of  a  summer  sunset,  when  the 
shadows  of  the  hills  fall  far  athwart  the  landscape, 
and  the  distant  Atlantic  gleams  brightly  in  the 
slanting  rays  of  the  setting  sun  ;  while,  as  he  sinks 
below  the  horizon,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the 
lofty  summits  of  Jura  and  the  isles  from  the  gor- 
geous masses  of  clouds,  among  which  he  dis- 
appears." 

Glen  Rosa,  or  as  it  is  called,  as  seen  from 
Brodick  shore,  Glen  Shant,  "  the  Valley  of  En- 
chantment," is,  indeed,  eminently  beautiful,  its 
little  bridge  and  brawling  stream,  and  rows  of 
dark  green  pine,  its  wilderness  of  wood  and  shel- 
tered cottages  crowded  in  front  of  a  majestic  back 
ground  of  alps.  It  is  situated  upon  the  west  and 
south  sides  of  Goatfell,  is  5  miles  long,  and  about 
half  a  mile  broad,  with  high  bounding  mountains. 

In  the  locality  of  Brodick,  the  Castle  has  been 
much  modernised  by  the  Marquis  of  Douglas. 
The  original  part  of  the  castle  consists  of  a 
large  high  quadrangular  tower,  on  the  south  side 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  237 

of  which  tnere  was  a  large  square  area,  surrounded 
by  a  high  and  thick  wall  pierced  by  embrasures. 
The  old  stronghold  was  surprised,  in  1306, by  James 
Lord  Douglas,  Sir  Robert  Boyd,  and  other  par- 
tizans  of  Robert  the  Bruce  ;  and  the  island  is 
otherwise  memorable  for  affording  shelter  to  that 
admirable  hero,  and  for  having  been  the  point 
whence  he  made  his  descent  on  Turnberry  Castle, 
on  the  opposite  coast  of  Ayrshire,  and  commenced 
the  War  of  Scottish  Independence.  Brodick  Castle 
was  demolished  in  1456,  but  rebuilt  by  James  V. 
Oliver  Cromwell  added  to  it  the  angular  bastion 
on  the  north  and  garrisoned  it  with  eighty  men, 
against  whose  excesses  the  islanders  rose  up  and 
slew  them,  every  one. 

The  magnificent  mountain  valley  of  Glen  San- 
nox has  been  pronounced  by  Macculloch  the  most 
picturesque  as  well  as  the  most  accessible  in  the 
island;  and  the  manufactory  of  the  baryites,  of 
which  a  rich  vein  was  discovered  on  the  precipi- 
tous edge  of  the  Sannox,  in  the  midst  of  its  sub- 
lime and  romantic  scenery,  is  worthy  of  notice. 
Glen  Sannox  is  only  divided  from  Glen  Rosa  by  a 
mountain  ridge,  on  the  south  side  of  Ciormhor,  a 
high  conical  hill  where  the  eagle  has  his  eyrie, 
forming  alike  the  upper  extremity  of  either  glen. 
In  the  northern  range  of  hills  that  bound  the 
hollow  of  Glen  Sannox  is  a  remarkable  fissure, 
called  Ceum  na  Cailleach  or  "  the  Carlin's  Step," 
forming  a  deep  indentation  in  the  summit  of  the 
mountain,  whence  a  narrow  gully  descends  into 
the  glen.  The  hill  forming  the  east  end  of  the 
range,  on  the  north  side  of  Glen  Sannox,  is  called 
Suithi  Fheargus  or  "  Fergus's  Seat." 


238  THE  SCOTTISH   TOURIST'S 

On  the  shore  from  Brodick  to  Lamlash  the  suc- 
cession of  objects  is  varied,  besides  the  mountains 
Dun  Fion  and  Dubh,  by  the  deep  chasm  of  Corrie- 
gills,  whose  high  but  mouldering  cliffs  veil  their 
faces  in  dispersed  patches  of  vegetation,  Clachland 
Point,  Hamilton  Rock,  and  the  Holy  Isle.  This 
isle  is  striking  from  its  conical  form,  towering 
1000  feet  high,  and  affording  an  astonishing  view 
from  its  arduous  summit.  Some  of  its  colum- 
nar cliffs  are  also  picturesque,  though  devoid  of 
the  regularity  of  those  of  Staffa.  But  what  adds 
peculiarly  to  its  singularity  is  the  tangled  growth 
of" that  beautiful  shrub,  the  arbutus  uva  ursi,  by 
which  it  is  covered,  the  whole  surface  scarcely 
bearing  any  other  plant;  and,  in  their  season,  its 
bright  scarlet  berries  contrast  exquisitely  with  the 
rich  dark  green  of  its  elegant  foliage.  A  smooth 
curved  recess,  in  a  mass  of  sandstone  beneath, 
produces  an  echo  similar  to  that  of  the  whispering 
gallery  of  St.  Paul's.  St.  Molios,  a  disciple  of 
St.  Columba,  was  the  eremite  of  the  Holy  Isle, 
and  occupied  a  cave  in  it.  After  he. had  made 
numerous  converts,  he  removed  to  the  Shiskin 
district  of  Arran,  where  he  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  120.  Lamlash  Bay,  the  largest  indentation 
in  Arran,  protected  by  the  Holy  Isle,  extends  in  a 
semicircle  from  Clachland  Point  on  the  north,  to 
King's  Cross  on  the  south.  The  latter  point  con- 
tests with  Brodick  Castle  battlements  the  tradi- 
tionary fame  of  having  been  that  where  Robert 
Bruce  watched  the  mysterious  beacon  flame  at 
Tumberry,  intimating  that  the  oportunity  had  ar- 
rived for  making  his  descent  on  the  Ayrshire  coast. 
Of  the   two   entrances   into    Lamlash   Bay,   left 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE  239 

by  the  Holy  Isle,  the  southern  is  preferred,  except 
by  those  well  acquainted  with  the  channels.  In 
the  shelter  of  this  excellent  haven,  vessels  of  any 
size,  and  almost  to  any  number,  can  lie  at  anchor. 
The  village  at  the  bottom  of  the  bay  is  beautifully 
situated  amongst  thriving  young  wood,  backed  by 
swelling  mountains;  and  it  boasts  of  an  inn  whose 
excellent  host  is  a  model  for  Bonifaces. 

Proceeding  round  the  shore  of  Arran  to  Black-  j 
water  foot,  Glen  Ashdale  discharges  its  water  into  / 
Whiting  Bay ;  but  the  ash  trees  from  which  the  ( 
glen  derived  its  name  grace  it  no  more,  and  a  few 
alder  bushes  occupy  their  places.     Where  Glen 
Ashdale  becomes  narrow,  the  waters  form  a  cas- 
cade of  more  than    100   feet  perpendicular,  and 
when  the  burn  is  swelled,  people  may  pass  dry 
between  the  water  and  the  rock  over  which  it  falls.  | 
Another  cascade  of  50  feet  perpendicular  falls  im- 
mediately behind  the  first,  but  the  access  to  it  is 
attended  both  with  difficulty  and  danger.      Cnoc-  J 
ankelly  or  Knocklecarleu,  "Hill  of  Consultation," 
situated  in  Whiting  Bay,  is  named  from  the  people 
having  assembled  in  it  to  deliberate  in  cases  of  \ 
invasion.     Whiting  Bay  possesses  the  accomoda-  1 
tion  of  an  inn.     Passing  Learg  a  mhor,  the  coast 
range  of  rocks  commences,  or  comes  down  from  in-  /* 
land  at  Learg  a  beg,  and  maintains  a  splendid  range 
of  lofty  precipices  along  the  shore  to  Kildonan.  \ 
At  Dippin  Point,  they  rise,  perhaps,  300  feet  per- 
pendicular ;  and  in  one  place  the  sea  has  scooped 
out  a  curious  natural  arch,  detached   from  the 
body  of  rocks.     A  rough  and  difficult  foot-path 
forms  the  only  track  beneath  the  cliffs,  which,  like 
those  of  Benan,  are  still  and  solitary,  and  without 


240  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST^ 

a  sounu  save  the  dash  of  the  breaking  waves,  the 
shrill  cries  of  the  water-fowl,  and  the  incessant 
cawing  of  rooks  that  float  in  airy  circles  round  the 
overhanging  verge.     Beyond  these  rocks,  we  de- 
scend into  a  beautiful  plain,  part  of  Kildonan  farm, 
;;  belonging  to  the  Marquis  of  Bute.     At  the  lower 
f  extremity  of  this  plain,  on  the  sea  bank,  are  situ- 
l  ated  the  ruins  of  Kildonan  castle,  which,  when 
\  entire,  has  not  been  without  magnificence.     Be- 
yond Kildonan  is  situated  the  vale  of  Auchinhew, 
bounded  by  the  rocks  of  Struye  on  the  south,  but 
extending  northwards  as  far  back  as  the  base  of 
Knocklecarleu.     The  vale  is  traversed  by  ravines 
formed  by  streams  of  water.     Opposite  to  it  is 
situated  the  beautiful  island  of  Pladda,  belonging 

J  to  the  Marquis  of  Bute,  with  its  elegant  light- 
house, separated  by  a  channel  of  about  a  mile  in 
breadth  from  the  mainland.  In  one  of  the  burns 
in  Auchinhew,  the  erosion  of  veins  in  the  strata 
has  caused  a  narrow  aperture,  through  which  a 
burn  is  projected  from  the  summit  of  the  rock,  and 
sailors,  to  whom  it  forms  a  land  mark,  have,  with 
characteristic  absurdity,  dubbed  it  "the  pissing 
mare! "  Eiss  a  mor  or  "  the  Great  Fall,"  however, 
descends  100  feet  perpendicular  from  a  lofty  pre- 
cipice into  a  magnificent  amphitheatre  surround- 
ed by  perpendicular  cliffs.  This  picturesque 
water-fall  is  situated  to  the  north-east  of  the  farm 
of  Auchinhew,  and  with  the  sun  at  the  gazer's  back 
presents  a  beautiful  circular  iris.  We  pass  the 
Mill  of  Auchinhew,  opposite  to  Pladda.  Still 
further  south,  near  the  Struye  rocks,  is  the  high 
and  perpendicular  cascade  Levencorrach,  or  "the 
Black  Dogs  Fall ;  "   and  tracing  this  burn  to  the 


STEAM- BOA/I  POCKET  GUIDE.  241 

mount  at  Ess  Coom,  it  forms  a  cascade  of  more  < 
than  100  feet  perpendicular.     Among  the  Struyc 
rocks,  there  is  a  considerable  hollow,  where  some 
farms  are    situated.     Those  rocks  present  along  { 
the  sea  coast  bold  cliffs  of  400  or  500  feet  perpen-  | 
dicular.     To  the  south  of  this  place,  the  sea  has 
scooped  out  a  vast  cave  called  the  Black  Cave,  80  j 
feet  high  at  the  mouth,  in    breadth  40,  and  its  ] 
length  about  100  feet.     The  Struye  rocks  extend 
from  east  Benan  to  Torlin  farm  ;  a  fine  section 
may  be  seen  on  the  north  side  of  the  road,  some- 
what  further   east   than    Benanhead.      Between 
Benanhead    and    Lag   lies    an    extensive    track 
of  undulating  table  land.     From  the  Struye  rocks 
to  the  Brown  Mills  there  is  an  extent  of  more 
than  ten  miles,  with  perhaps  20,000  acres  of  arable 
land.     Between  the  sandy  beach  of  Lag  and  Kil- 
bride point,  two  long  promontories  are  formed  by 
vertical  dykes.     Southend  Harbour,    one  of  the 
most   curious  objects  on  this  coast,    is   entirely 
natural.     Two  long  dykes,  one  of  them  very  thick, 
form  its  east  and  west  boundaries  ;  a  small  trans- 
verse dyke,  stretching  from  east  to  west  between 
the  two,  forms  a  jettee  which  shelters  the  interior 
of  the  port  from  the  fury  of  the  waves,  and  leaves 
on  the  west  side  a  wide  entry  for  vessels,  which,  in 
this  regular  and  beautiful  basin,  may  lie  at  anchor 
in  safety  from  every  wind;  while,  as  if  to  perfect 
the  architecture,  a  pretty  large  dyke,  stretching  to 
the  east,  bounds  the  port  on  the  land  side,  and  forms 
a  quay  on  the  sandy  beach.     On  the  summit  of 
Torchastle,  above  Southend,  is  a  Danish  fort.      At  i 
Lag,  there  is  an  inn  and  a  distillery.     Crossing  | 
Snrarag,  and  Torlin  waters,  (on  which  is  situated 


-42  _^  ov^aXTISH  TOURIST'S 

the  parisu  ciiurch  of  Kilmory,)  we  come  to  Slaou- 
ridh,  on  which,  (far  up)  is  situated  Glen  Rie  Mill, 
and  further  on,  we  have  the  mass  of  rounded  hills 

(called  Leac  a  Breac,  rising  to  a  considerable 
height.  We  now  enter  the  vale  of  Shiskin,  inter- 
sected by  the  Blackwater,  and  arrive  at  Black- 
water  foot,  the  ferry  to  Campbelton.  The  principle 
feeder  of  the  Blackwater  is  the  Clachan  burn, 
which  descends  from  the  hills  behind  the  village 
of  Shedog,  and  is  frequenty  flooded.  There  is  a 
singular  cairn  on  an  elevated  plain  in  the  mouth 
of  the  valley,  near  the  village  of  Shedog,  a  large 
artificial  green  mound,  and  it  was  here  that  St. 
Molios  died.  His  grave,  a  stone  coffin  with  the 
figure  of  an  abbot  mitred,  and  holding  a  lituus 
or  pastoral  staff,  is  shown  in  the  burying-ground 
at  the  mouth  of  Clachan  Glen.  Many  tall  obe- 
lisks, scattered  between  Shiskin  and  Mauchric, 
point-traditionally  to  the  graves  of  Ossian's  heroes. 
p  The  sea  bank  is  cliffy  from  the  mouth  of  the 
/  Blackwater  to  the  Vale  of  Mauchrie.  Approach- 
\  ing  the  hill  of -Drummoduin,  a  bold  and  majestic 
\  cliff  'facing  the  sea,  sends  off  into  it  a  ledge  of  low 
rocks  called  Drummoduin  Point.  Northwards, 
the  sea  bank  forms  a  spacious  amphitheatre ;  and 
where  it  again  projects,  the  cliffs  are  waterworn 
into  a  number  of  caves,  one  of  which,  the  well- 
known  King's  Cove,  is  famed  throughout  the 
island,  as  "having  once  been  the  residence  of  the 
patriot  Bruce;  and,  in  earlier  times,  of  the 
renowned  hero  Fingal,  whose  image,  with  those 
of  his  mighty  hunters  and  their  dogs,  may  still 
be  seen  rudely  sculptured  on  the  walls  :  still  more 
recently  it  has  been  used  as  a  place  of  worship 


STEAM-BOAT  POCKET  GUIDE.  243 

by  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  The  Vale  of 
Mauchrie  stretches  along  the  head  of  Mauchrie 
Bay,  exhibiting  an  open  sea  beach.  The  river 
has  cut  a  deep  channel;  and  its  mouth,  though 
very  incommodious,  is  used  as  a  boat-harbour. 
A  small  lake,  situated  north  of  the  river,  might 
be  converted  into  a  harbour,  by  a  channel  from 
the  river,  and  an  unskillful  attempt  was  made  for 
that  purpose.  On  the  coast  of  Mauchrie  Bay 
near  Tormor,  there  is  a  remarkable  pitchstone 
vein.  The  alluvial  tract  of  Glen  Loadh,  com 
municating  with  Brodick  Bay,  through  Glen  Shir 
rag,  is  here  bounded  by  the  sloping  eminence  of 
King's  Hill.  The  strata  to  Glen  Iorsa  rise  on  the 
coast  in  low  cliffs.  Glen  Iorsa  is  a  deep  chasm, 
through  which  the  river  Iorsa  flows  from  behind 
Coom-na-Caillich.  A  wonderful  hollow  in  the 
Granite  Mountains  conducts  to  Glen  Rosa  ;  for 
granite  mountains,  almost  all  bare  rock,  with 
hardly  any  show  of  herbage,  bound  its  upper  part 
with  their  abrupt  and  rugged  summits.  There  is 
a  large  obelisk,  probably  druidical,  in  the  mouth 
of  the  valley  overlooking  the  sea. 

The  entire  line  of  coast  from  Iorsa  water  to 
Loch  Ranza,  is  bounded  by  an  elevated  cliff,  with 
a  strip  of  cultivated  land  between  it  and  the  sea. 
The  natural  woods  at  Whitefarlan  are  picturesque. 
Between  the  two  high  granite  mountains, .  Ben-^N 
bhairn  and  Muil  na  daimh,  is  an  immense  corry  / 
or  hollow,  with  Corry-in-lochan,  a  beautiful  lake( 
of  great  depth,  in  its  bottom.     The  rugged  Glen  7 
Catacol  expands  at  its  broadest  part  into  a  beauti-    I 
ful  valley.     Loch  Ranza  extends  about  a  mile  in-    1 
land;  beyond  which,  Glen  Ranza  extends  south- 


244  THE  SCOTTISH  TOURIST'S  GUIDE. 

westwards  two  miles,  to  the  base  of  Tornedneon. 
Near  its  head,  a  green  peninsula  intersects  the 
loch  on  its  northern  side.  On  the  point  of  the 
peninsula  are  the  ruins  of  Loch  Ranza  castle, 
characterized  by  traces  of  lingering  magnificence. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  one  of  our  Scottish 
kings,  and  occupied  by  them  when  they  came  to 
hunt  in  Arran.  Fordun  mentions  it  as  a  royal 
castle  in  1380.  It  was  latterly  the  occasional 
residence  of  the  family  of  Skelmorlic,  ancestors  of 
the  Earl  of  Eglinton. 

To  complete  the  circuit  of  the  island,  the  tourist 
may  either  pass  by  the  shore,  or  inland  by  the 
road  through  Glen  Chalma  dael  and  Glen  Sannox. 
By  the  former,  he  encounters  the  Fallen  Rocks  at 
Scriden,  the  massive  fragments  of  which  encumber 
the  shore  ;  the  fall  was  heard  in  Bute  and  Argyle. 
He  next  comes  to  the  Cock  of  Arran,  a  large 
stone  on  the  beach,  forming  a  well-known  land- 
mark to  seamen.  Formerly  seen  from  sea,  it 
presented,  in  some  positions,  the  appearance  of  a 
large  cock  in  the  act  of  crowing  ;  but  some  idle  or 
malicious  persons  have  since  broken  off  the  head, 
which  now  lies  beside  the  decapitated  body,  on 
the  ground.  The  salt-pans  and  coal  mines,  now 
deserted  save  by  the  solitary  otter,  are  next  ap- 
proached. A  peculiar  air  of  solitude  reigns  a- 
round  this  quiet  place.  The  shore  is  rocky  and 
precipitous,  and  the  deep  clear  water  almost 
approaches  the  grassy  bank,  along  which  an  un- 
certain track  marks  the  traveller's  footsteps.  The 
grey  ruins  still  stand  on  the  unfrequented  shore, 
and,  though  in  themselves  uninteresting,  lend  to 
this  tranquil  spot  an  additional  charm. 


INDEX. 


Aber,  Inch,  101 
Aberchalder,  205 
Add,  River,  22 
Ailsa  Craig,  45, 228 
Airds,  28;  House,  175 
Alexander  II.,  143;  III.,  109 
Alexandria,  92 
Aline,  Loch,  145 
Alpin,  Clan,  101,  134 
Andersons,  Messrs,  205,  208 
Anderson,  Professor,  82 
Antoninus'  Wall,  41 
Appin,  28,  Stuarts  of,  ib.,  Kirk,  175 
Ardarden  House,  44 
Ardavaser,  190 
Ardchattan,  141,  Priory,  173 
Ardencaple,  Gareloch,  47-8 
Ardenconnel,  49 
Ardgarten  House,  111 
Ardgour,  29 ;  's  towel,  30 
Ardgowan,  74 
Ardin,  tumuli,  27 
Ardincaple  point,  223 
Ardintinny,  113 

Ardkinglass,  116,  120;  caves,  121 
Ardlamont  point,  19,  126,  224 
Armadale,  190 
Ardmatty,  140 
Ardmore,  44 
Ardnacross,  224 
Ardnamucknish,  141 
Ardnamurchan,  29 
Ardpatrick,  213 
Ardrisshaig,  220 
Ardrossan,  229 
Ardsheal,  28, 175 

Argyll,  Arch,  of,  18;  Duke  of,  11G, 
156;  'sBowling  green,  51, 114, 122 
Arieaig,  190,  200 
Arkeg,  203 
Arneil,  229 
Aros,  145,  150 

Arran,  19,  231  ;  Cock  of,  214 
Arroquhar,  109 
Artineg,  Loch,  153 
Artornish,  145 
Artown,  162 


Ashdale,  Glen.  239 

Auchinhew,  240 

Auchnacarry,  203 

Auchnacraig,  143, 149 

Auchnacroish,  150 

Auldmounie,  49 

Awe,  Loch,  129;  Pass  of,  131;  133 

Ay  loch,  190 

Back  Inch,  93 

Baelmacha  Pass,  100 

Baillie  Miss  J.,  27,  144 

Baisker,  221 

Balclutha,  82 

Ballanach,  22 

Ballahulish,  29,  175 

Balloch,  92, 101 

Balnahuay,  222 

Banks,  Sir  Joseph,  157 

Barbreck  House,  23 

Barefoot,  Magnus,  63 

Baremman  House,  49 

Barmolloch,  224 

Barmore  Island,  123 

Barra,  154 

Barytes,  237 

Baths,  Bathing  Boxes,  68,  76 

Bawkre  Bay,  57 

Beattie,  Dr.,  133 

Beauly,  Loch,  208 

Bede,  Ven.,  84 

Bell,  Mr  Glass  ford,  55 

Bellanach,  220 

Beinn-a-chalois,  216 

Ben-a-cleidh,  133. 

Benan,  241 ;  anlochan,  120 ;  an- 
oir,  216;  arthur,  109,  112;  awe, 
131;  bhairn,  243;  cruachan, 
129-30-31;  donich,  120;  huish, 
232;  ghnuis,  234;  goil,  235; 
laoidh,  133;  Iomond,  16,42,  97, 
103,  106;  luibhain,  120;  more, 
cowal,  56 ;  mull,  149;  na  caillich, 
191 ;  navear,  182 ;  nevis,  30, 
181;  shianta,  216;  thiolaire, 
120:  una,  120;  van,  127;  v»- 
rage,  59 

Beregoniurn  27  111 ,  173 


246 


Biggar,  3 

Bishop's  seat,  56 ;  ton  House,  41 

Blackwater  foot,  233,  242 

Blaeu's  Atlas,  96 

Blairvadich,  49 

Blantyre,  5 

Blythswood  House,  3G;  testimo- 
nial, 37 

Boat  Cave,  Staffa,  1.50 

Boethius,  Hector,  05 

Boleskin,  208 

Bonhill,  89,  92 

Bonnington  Fall,  3 

Borrodale,  190 

Bothwell,  4 

Bracadale,  Loch,  197 

Bridius,  Ring,  162 

Brisbane,  77;  Sir  T.  M.,  78 

Brishmeal  hill,  197 

Broadford,  19J,  190 

Brown  Mills,  241 

Britannica  Atlas,  96 

Broomielaw,  5,  7 

Bruce,  King  Robert,  103,  131,  141 
174,  237,  238,  242 

Buachaille,  Etive,  131. 140 
„  Staffa,  154 

Buacbil-ithean,  56 

Buchanan,    George,    82,    86,    87. 
101,  167 

„       ofArdoch,  101 
Bunawe,  131 
Bunesan,  152 
Burke,  Edmund,  129 
Burns,  Robert,  75,  118 
Burnt  Isles,  18 
Bute,  17,-59 
Butturich,  101 
Buy,  Loch,  147,  149,  152 
Cailliach,  Inch,  '■<■'> 
Cairn  Island,  215  £ 

Cairnban,  212 
Cairndow,  110,  120 
Caledonian  Canal,  189,  202,  211 
Callach,  154 
Calohoran,  Father,  162 
Cambden,  Lord,  96 
Cambuscron,  191 
Cameron's  House,  104 
Camis-eskan,  44 
Campbells,  the,  116, 129;  Dr  John, 

148;  Thomas.  114,  135 
Campbelton,  224 
Campsie  Hills,  33 
Camstradden,  96 
Camusunarv,  193 
Cantyre,  19,  20 
Cardross,  46 


Carnadale,  224 

Carrick  Castle,  115, 122 

Carseg,  152 

Cart,  the,  36 

Catacol,  Glen,  243 

Cawdor  Castle,  211 

Ceim-na-Caillich,  232,  237 

Chalmadael,  Glen,  214 

Chambers,  Mr  R.,  4,  71,83 

Chapel  Green,  41 

Ciormor,  237 

Clachan,  Sound  of,  24;  Glen,  242 

Clachland  point,  238 

Claig, 215 

Clam  Cave,  Staffa,  154 

Clar,  Inch,  93 

Clarke,  Dr  E„  98 

Clava,  Cairns,  211 

Claverhouse,  Vis,  Dundee,  4 

Cloch, 15,  70,  74 

Cloy  Glen,  234 

Clunaig  Kirk,  22 

Cluness,  203 

Cnockan  Burn,  23d 

Colinsay,  141  218 

Colintrae,  18 

Coll,  146,  154 

Collin's  Islet,  38 

Colport  Ferry,  113-14 

Columba,  St,  162 

Colquhouns  of  Luss,  93,  105 

Comet  Steamer,  7, 15,  70 

Conachan, Inch,  93 

Connell  Ferrv,  139, 141,  172 

Coe,  River,  180 

Corpachs,  180,  202,  217 

Corrie,  231 

Corriegills,  231,  234 

Corieglass,  205 

Corrievreckan,  23,  215,  n.,  217 

Corriskin,  Loch,  192 

Corrychatachan,  191 

Corsaig,  224 

Cour  House,  224 
Corry  in  lochan,  243 

Cowal,  16,  59 

Craig-an-righ ,  173 

Craiginterave,  137 

Craignish  Castle,  23, 128,  Loch.  22, 

220,  Little  Loch,  23 
Craig  Phadric,  211 
Crarae  Inn,  128 
Cree,  Inch,  93 
Creran,  Loch,  28,  72 
Creggan's  Ferry,  122 
Crinan  Canal,  20,  21;  Loch,  2],  220- 

Moss,  22 
Crock-i-villie,  16 


247 


Crocnaish,  1]3 

Cromek,  Mr,  75 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  66,  237 

Crura,  Inch,  93 

Cuan,  Sound,  222 

Cuchullin,  192 

Culdees,  the,  163 

Culloden  Moor,  211 

C  umbrae,  229 

Cur,  the,  124 

Daer,  the,  2 

Dalmally  Inn,  130 

Dalmuir,  38 

Dalnottar,  38 

Dark  Mile,  the,  203 

Darrocb,  General,  72 

Devil's  Staircase,  175 

Devar  Rock,  224 

Dippin  Cottage;  213,  Point,  239 

Dochfour,  Loch,  208 

Dog's  Terry,  175 

Doomster's  Mound,  30 

Don,  Loch,  147 

Donald  Gorm  Mor,  201 

Dorresmore,  221 

Douglas,  119;  Marquis  of,  236;  of 
Glenflnnart,  121 

Drumfork,  44 

Drumindrochet,  208 

Drummoduin,  234,  242 

Drums,  41 

Drumsuiry,  120 

Duart,  144 

Duchara,  137 

Dumbuck,  41 

Dumfrin,  147 

Dunad,  22;  barton,  41,  81,  84; 
Bhail  an  righ,  174;  dubh,  238; 
equoich,  110;  fion,  101  (Arran) 
238;  glas,  41;  Mac  Sniachan, 
174;  more,  213;  oily,  27,  142; 
noon,  10,  52;  rod,  71;  seaith, 
213;  staffnage,  27,  140;  tocher, 
38;  troon,  22,  220;  vegan,  198 

Dursr  Inn,  29 

Eachaig,  57,  124 

Easdale,  24,  223 

Eck,  Loch,  52,  56, 123 

Edward  Longshanks,  142 

Eglinton,  Earl  of,  79,  229,  244 

Eilean-nan-cer,  192 

Eig,  154,  200 

Eil,  Loch,  29, 183 

Eis-a-mhor,  240;  a-beg,  241 

Elderline,  Loch,  137 

Elderslie  House,  36 

E  Uanda-gallaghan,  213 

E  Ivan,  2 ;  foot,  2 


Endrick,  the,  93,  99;  valley,  101 

English  ideas,  13 

Eorsa,  146 

Eriska,  28,  175 

Erskine,  38 

Escairt,  213 

Essachossan,  Glen,  119 

Etive,  Loch,  27, 138 

Ettrick  Bay,  60,  126 

Ewing,  Jame3,  Esq,,  93 

Ey  short,  190 

Faoade,  great,  of  Staffa,  160 

Fad,  Loch,  17,  60 

„    Inch,  93 
Fairley,  79 
Fallen  Hocks,  244 
Falloch,  93 

"  Family  Legend,"  the,  27 
Faslane,  49 
Fassifern,  184 
Feochan,  Loch,  24,  223 
Feolin  Ferry,  217 
Fernicary,  49 
Finlaggan  Rocks,  219 
Fingal's  Table,  152;  Cave,  15-",  242 
Finlass,  93 

Finlay,  Kirkman,  Esq.,  68 
Finlayston,  42 
Fionn-chairn  Castle,  107 
Firkin  Point,  105 
Follart,  Loch,  200 
Forth  and  Clyde  Canal,  30 
Fort- Augustus,  205 ;  George,  211 } 

William,  39,  183 
Foyers,  206 
Frechlin,  Inch,  94 
Freughilin,  215 
Fruin,  93 

Fyne,  Loch,  19, 116, 119,  127,  224 
Gabberts,  8 
Galbraith,  Inch,  93 
Garveloch,  47  ;  head,  50 
Garnet,  Dr,  27 
Garrochhead,  59 
Garshake,  41 
Garshben,  192 
Gartnavel,  34 
Gareloch  Isles,  222 
Garvrisa,  221 
George  IV.,  63 
General's  Hut,  208 
"  Gentle  Shepherd,"  the,  33 
Giant's  Causeway,  219 
Gilangreg,  18 
Glassnakill,  191 
Clasgow,  5,  11 ;  Earl  of,  77-81 
Glenary,  116;  croe,  111,115; 

[■9,    104 ;    oe,    180  j    finu 


248 


finnert,57;  fruin,  104;  fyne,  119; 
kinglass,  112;  lochan,  112;  mas- 
san,  57;  orchy,  129;  strae,  129- 
134;  shealeachar,  25;  garry,  204; 
alladale,  190;  roy,  parallel 
roads  of,  185 ;  co,  massacre 
of,  176,  182 

Goat  fell,  232,  235 

Gemetra,  140 

Goulbourn,  Mr.,  of  Chester,  8 

Gourock,  15,  70,  72 

Gov an, 33 

Goyle,  Loch,  114, 119 

Graham,  Dr,  106 

Graham's  Dyke,  41 

Grant,  Mr,  of  Laggan,  24,  115, 
117, 176 

Grange,  Inch,  101 

Grange,  Lady,  201 

Greenock,  15, 44 

Griban,  152 

Griunard,  Loch,  214,  219 

Gylen  Castle,  223 

Haco  of  Norway,  77,  109,  113 

Hamilton  point,  238 

Hardyknute,  79 

Hardyng,  Chronicler,  83 

Hartfell,  2 

Helensburgh,  16,  44,  46 

Herring  Fishery,  19 

Highbridge,  202 

Highlands  and  Islands,  1 1 

Holy  Isle,  238 

Holy  Loch,  16,  52 

Hunter's  Quay,  52 

Inch  Marnoch,  19, 126 

Inchinnan,  36 

Inch  Kenneth,  146,  151 

I-Columb-Kill,  162 

Innerkip,  74:  Witches,  71 

Innisdubh,  129 

Innisfraoch,  129,  133 

Innishail,  129,  133 

Innimore,  152 

Inverary,  21,  116 

Invercoe,  180 

Inverlochy,  30,  181,  188 

Inversnaid,  97,  103 

Inverness,  208 

Inveruglas,  102 

Inveruran,  140 

Iona,  156;  Cathedral,  107 

Islay,  214,  218 

Isles,  Dean  of  the,  165 

James,  I.,  63;  IV,  73 

Jameson,  Dr,  27,  68,  82 

Johnson,  Dr,  92,94, 104,  U8, 151,  \»o 

Jom aire  nan  Rigb,  loo 


Jdrdanhill,  35 

Kaimes  Castle,  17,  60 

Real,  Loch-na-,  145,  149 

Kean,  Edmund,  60 ;  Moss-house,  01 

Keil's  Ferry,  22,  220 

Kelburn,  77,  78 

Kelly,  74 

Kempoch,  15,  70,  71 

Kennachdrach  Ferry,  217 

Kenneth,  King,  141 

Kerrera,  Sound  of,  24,  27,  143,  223 

Khol,  Professor,  8 

Kilbrannan  Sound,  224;  calmon- 
nell,  212;  chattan,  59;  chiarn, 
23,  129,  130;  lanan  hills,  205; 
finnan,  191,  200 ;  haminaig,  213 ; 
kerran,  225;  learn,  101 ;  madan, 
239,  240 ;  mahew,  44 ;  more,  191, 
200;  mory,  128;  mun,  16,  52; 
neuair,  135;  patrick  hills,  35, 
Old,  38 

King's  Cove,  242;  Cross,  238; 
House,  140;  Hill,  243 

Kingarloch,  175 

Kinloch-locby,  203 ;  more,  182 

Kintarbet,  213 

Kintyre,  126 

Knapdale,  20;  South,  212 

Knock,  77,  79 ;  Castle,  191 

Knocklecarleu,  239 

Knocky  house,  206 

Kyles  of  Bute,  17,  18,  59, 125 

Lachlane  Castle,  123 

Lag,  Arran,  241 ;  Ferry,  217 

Laggan,  204;  Ulva,  146,  1J3 

Lagguvulin,  213 

Lamlash,  231,  233,  237 
,Lamont  house,  20 

Largs,  77,  79,  229 

Laven  Tower,  70 

Lazaretto,  52,  57 

Leac  a  breac,  212 

Learg  a-mhor  ;  a-oeg,  239 

Letterfinlay,  202 ;  Shuna,  175 

Leighton,  Mr,  41,  85,  203 

Lennox,  Earldom,  99 

Leven,  42,  89,  93;  Loch  29;  cor- 
rach,  240 

Lismore,27,  142 

Lochaber,  29,  183 

Loch  End,  208;  Lomond,  93,  97; 
Lochy,  202  ;  Long,  16,  109,  103 
Limine,  127,  175;  na  Real,  145, 
119,  190;  nan  Aanan,  193:  iu- 
Daal,  191,  214;  na  Creich,  93 

Lochgilphead,  220 

Load)),  Glen,  243 
Lonaig,  Inch,  93 


349 


LOTH,  John  of,  131 

Love,  hill  of.  20 

Luing,  24,  222 

Lunga,  24,  232 

Luss  Water,  93,  102,  105 

MacAskin,  Island,  138 

Macculloch,  Dr,  23,  passim 

M'Corkindale's,  Rothesay,  00 

M'Donald,  Flora,  201 ;  of  the  Isles. 

150 
M'Dougals  of  Lorn,  142 
M'Fadyen,  221 
M'Farlanes,  the,  106 
M'Gregors,  the,  101,  105,  134 
M'Lean,of  Coll,  151 ;  Sir  Allan,  il>, 

of  Duart,  27,  144  ;  Mr,  lona,  150 
M'Kay,  Rev.  Dr,  57 
M'Kindoill,  Keith,  96 
Machrihinish  Bay,  227 
Mackinnon's  Cave,  Mull,  151;  Staf- 

fa,  159 
Mac  Mich  Iain,  136 
MacNaughtans,  the,  133 
Marnoch  Inch,  124 
Martin,  Mr,  157 
Mary  burgh,  30,  183 
Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  55,  85 
Mauchrie,  262 
Mealfourvounie,  205 
Meal-nan-Tighearnan,  133 
Meil  Bay,  215 
Melford,  Loch,  24 
Menteith,  traitor,  85 
Mile  Dubh,  203 
Millport,  229 
Millrow,  50 

Milton  Island,  41,  House,  II 
Minart,  128 
Mingarry  Castle,  154 
Minginish,  199 
Minsh,  the,  198 
Maoldhu,  20 
Moan,  Inch,  93 
Molios,  St,  238,  2!2 
Monk,  General,  30 
Montrose,  Duke  of,  99 
Moree,  Inch,  94 
Morristoh,  205 
Mount  Stewart,  17,  59 
Morven,  28,  144 
Moy,  202 
Muck,  154,  200 
Muirton,  208 
Mull,  146 

Mul  na  dhaim,  243 
Murrin,  Inch,  93 
Napier  of  Merchiston,  101 
Neptune's  Staircase,  2i2 


Ness,  Loch,  205 

Newark  Castle,  42 
Oakfield  House,  22,  220 
Oban,  24 
Oe,  Mull  of,  214 
Oich,  Loch,  204 

Onich,  183 

Oran,  St,  163  ;  Chapel,  1GG 

Oransay,  218;  Bay,  191 ;  Isle,  2«i 
Osprey,  the,  94 

Ossian,  20,  82,  181,  242 

Otter  Ferry,  128 

Paisley,  37 

Partick,  34 

Pennant,  Mr,  63,  68,  81,  86,  127 

Pladda,  210 

Poltalloch,  137 

Port  Appin,  23 ;  Askaig,214;  Ban- 
natyne,  <>U;  Ellinor,  219;  Glas- 
gow, 8,  42;  Incross  Castle,  293 \ 
Incaple,  50,  114;  Nacross,  175- 
Nacroich,  23;  Nahaven,  219; 
Ree,  198, 2X) ;  Sonnachan,  124 

Ptarmigan,  the,  216 

Raasay,  190 

Ramsay,  Allan,  38;  Ensign,  87; 
Mr  A.  C,  235 

Ranza,  233,  243 

Reilic  Ouran,  165 

Renfleld,  36 

Renfrew,  36 

Renton,  92 

Resave,  221 

Restal,  Loch,  112 

Rest  and  be  thankful,  1 13 

Richmond,  Rev.  Leigh,  in 

Ridan,  Loch,  17,  77,  125 

Righ,  Island,  138 

Rinns,  Point,  214 

Robert  III.,  63 

Rob  Roy  Cave,  97,  101;  Roch,  103 

Rosa,  Glen,  233,  2o6 

Roseneath,  16,  48 

Ross,  of  Mu.J,  147,  149,  152:  Island, 
180 

Rothesay,  17,  58;  Dukedom  of,  6a 

Row,  49 

Rowardinan,  101 

Ruel  River,  18 

Rum,  154,  200 

Sacheverel,  Mr,  148 

Saddale,  224 

St  Catherine's,  115,  119 

St  Fond,  Professor,  l„0 

St  Mungo's  Isle,  175 

Saltcoats,  231 

Sandbank,  16 

Sannox,  Glen,  233,  237 


250 


Scalpsa  Ray,  17.  09 

Scarba,  24,  116,  190 

Scavaig,  Loch,  192 

Sconsor,  196 

Scotland's  stone,  chair,  140 

Scott,  Michael,  3;  Sir  Walter,  13, 

101,  104.  156,  194,  198,  Ac. 
ScotstoAvn,  35 
Scridon,  Loch  146,  149,  214 
Scuir  Dhu,  nan-Eig,  nan- S  tree,  192 
Sell,  24,  222 
Seward,  Point,  57 
Shandon,  49 
Shant,  Glen,  234 
Shean  Ferry,  172 
Sliedog,  242 
Shiel,  Loch,  189 
Shieldhall,  34 
Shirrag,  Glen,  243 
Shiskin,  242 
Shuna,  24 
Silvercraigs,  123 
Silverton,  41 
Sinclair,  Miss  C,  63 
Skate  Island,  20 
Skeipo,2l9 
Skelmorlie,  79 
Skipness,  Castle,  19,  119;  Point, 

224 
Skye,  190,  199 
Slaodridh,  242 
Slapin,  190 

Sleat  Islands,  21  •.  Point,  100,  199 
Sliamgaoil,  20,  213 
Sligachan,  Glen,  192 
Small  Isles,  215 
Smollet,  Dr.  89,  95 
Smurag,  241 
Snizart.  Loch,  200 
Soa. 192 

Somerled,  of  Argyle,  36,  &c. 
Sonnachan.  Port,  134 
Southend    Harbour,  Arran,  211 ; 

Kintyre,  227 
Southhall,  17 
Spar  Cave,  190,  \C2 
SpeUv  Loch,  147,  149 
Staffa,  154 
Steamers,  7,  14,  16,  2%  26.200, 213, 

224,  229,  <fec. 
Stewart,   Shaw,  71    74;  stout  of 

Bute,  63 
Strachur,  122;  Caves,  123 
Strathfillan,  n.,  182 
Straven,  Loch,  17,  18,  59,  123 
Strone  hill,  97,  105 
Strowan,  Loch,  18 


Struan,  197 

Struye,  rocks,  216 

Stuart.  Prince  Charles  Edward, 
189,  201 

Sunart,  Loch,  147,  154 

Sunderland,  Bay,  219 

Swen,  Loch,  220 

Tallisker,  197 

Tannahill,  Robert,  113 

Tarbet,  Lochlomond,  105;  east,  20, 
126,  212;  west,  Ljch,  213 

Tarff,  205 

Tavanach, Inch,  93 

Teang  water,  111 

Teignmouth,  Lord,  113 

Thistle,  Scottish,  82 

Tiree,  146,  154 

Tobermory,  117,  153 

Tom-a-chorachasich,  121;  na-hu- 
rich,  208 

Tor,  Inch,  93 

Tor-a-bhean.208 

Torchastle,  241 

Torlin,  241 

Torloisk,  153 

Tormer,  213 

Tornedneon,  214 

Torrisdale,  22* 

Torsa,  222 

Treshinish,  146,  151 

Troil,  Uno  Van,  158 

Trotternish,  200 

Tumuli  Regum,  166 

Tyndrum,  m.,  It2 

Tytler,  Mr,  86 

Uaghlamaich,  216 

Uist,  South,  154 

Ulva,  46,  154 

Urquhart,  205,  203 

Vallis  Caulium,  order  of,  173 

Verreville,  30 

Walker,  Rev.  Dr,  27 

Wallace,  Sir  W.,  85;  of  Kellv,  , 

Waternish,  200 

Wemyss  Bay,  74 

Whitefarlan  Point,  44 ;  Arran,  243 

Whiting  Bay,  239 

Willows,  Vale  of,  25 

Wilson,  Professor,  139 

Wood,  Sir  Andrew,  73 

Woodbank,  92 

Wordsworth,  98,  103 

Yarrell,  Mr,  127 

Yoker     Lodge,    Provost     Lums 

den's,  38 
Torkhill  House,  34 
Yusachan,  Corry,  213 


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