tracts to half a mile in breadth, and receives the name of Loch-Eil; here there is a powerful current. Upon the left is seen Ardgour (— M'Lean, Esq.), and behind it a beautiful waterfall, which, from its whiteness, has received the name of Ardgour's Towel. Three miles from Coran Ferry are the farm-houses of Aryhoulan and Inverscald upon the left; and four miles farther is Stronchrigan upon the same side. On the opposite side are numerous cottages. From Coran Ferry a part of BenNevis is distinctly seen; after sailing nine miles farther, it appears in all its sublimity, and the tourist arrives at Fort-William, on the eastern shore of Loch-Eil.

In conducting the tourist from Fort-William to Inverness, through the Caledonian Canal, the remarkable objects to be seen on both sides shall be briefly noticed, referring for the description of those objects, whether of scenery or antiquities, to that part of THE THIRD LAND TOUR, embracing not only the route from Inverness to Fort-William, but also an account of that great national work the Caledonian Canal.

From Fort-William the steam-boat proceeds up LochEil, passing on the right the mouth of the river Lochy, on the banks of which are the ruins of the ancient Castle of Inverlochy, and, two miles from the Fort, reaches the basin of Corpach, at the western extremity of the Canal. On the right are several small islands, and in the vicinity is the Church of Kilmallie, and the monument erected to the memory of Colonel Cameron, who fell in the battle of Waterloo. At Corpach there are three locks, and in the space of the next mile, eight connected locks, each 180 feet long, and 40 feet wide, raising the Canal 64 feet to the level of Loch-Lochy, distant eight miles. On the right is the river Lochy, and Ben-Nevis towering with great grandeur to a height of 4380 feet; the summit and broken sides of the mountain are covered with continual snow, while its base is almost washed by the sea. country on the left, to a great extent, is the property of Colonel Cameron of Lochiel. On the north bank of the Lochy is Tor Castle in ruins. Proceeding onwards, there occur several aqueducts, passing mountain torrents. On the left is Strone, and the river Loy, which flows into the Lochy. Farther on, Erracht (Sir A. Cameron, Bart.),

The

and the villages of West and East Moy are passed on the left. On the right is the mouth of the river Spean; and before entering Loch-Lochy, there is a great regulating lock 180 feet long and 40 feet broad. A new channel has been cut for the Lochy, and the lake has been raised twelve feet above its former level.

Proceeding up Loch-Lochy, which is ten miles and a half in length, on the left is the fine bay of Arkeg, and beyond it, at some distance, Loch-Arkeg, embosomed in immense forests of pine. The distance between LochLochy and Loch-Arkeg is about a Scotch mile, or nearly 1 statute miles, and the road leads through a valley surpassing the Trossachs in romantic grandeur; it is called in Gaelic the dark mile. It strongly resembles the pass between Lochs Achray and Katrine, but decidedly surpasses it in extent and picturesque beauty. On the east side of the bay is the hill of Clunes, and on the right is Innerlui. The military road to Fort Augustus now runs along the south side of the lake for several miles. On the left is the house of Glastera, and on the right Letter-Finlay Inn.

On leaving Loch-Lochy, the Canal is continued for about two miles and a quarter. In this space there is cutting to the depth of forty feet, and here is the summit level of the Canal, being ninety feet above the western sea at Corpach, and ninety-four feet above the eastern sea at Clachnaharry, near Inverness. The steamer now enters Loch-Oich, which is about three miles in length. A large district of the surrounding country belongs to Colonel McDonald of Glengarry. Proceeding along the lake, on the left is Glengarry House, and the ruins of the Castle of Invergarry, once the family residence, situate near the mouth of the river Garry, which flows from Loch-Garry. The glen through which the Garry descends expands as the tourist ascends it, until he arrives at Loch-Garry; and farther north-west, the prospect rises in blue aeriel fantastic groups of broken rocks and mountains, and beyond these lies the gloomy region called Knoidart. The banks of this picturesque lake are covered with fine forests of birch and pine. Leaving LochOich, the Canal is again continued to Fort-Augustus, at the western end of Loch-Ness, a distance of five miles,

with the river Oich on the left. In the neighbourhood of Fort Augustus, there are five connected locks, the Canal crossing a part of the glacis of the Fort.

The vessel now enters and proceeds along Loch-Ness, which is nearly twenty-four miles long. The banks of this beautiful lake every where display a grandeur of mountain and forest scenery that cannot fail to strike the least observing. After passing, on the right, the river Tarff, on the left is Cherry Island House, and farther on, the mouth of the river Morriston, flowing through GlenMorriston, the opening into which is very fine, the mountains bounding it being clothed with forests in full vigour. On the right is Knocky House. Advancing onwards, the great mountain Mealfourvonie rises boldly from the shores of the lake to an altitude of 3060 feet on the left. Farther on, upon the right, is the House of Foyers (— Fraser, Esq.), and the celebrated Fall of Foyers upon the river of that name, which runs into Loch-Ness about a mile below the fall; also on the right the General's Hut, converted into an inn, and beyond it the ruins of the Old Kirk of Boleskine. About two miles farther on, on the left, are the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle, perched on a projecting rock, and commanding a noble view of the whole expanse of the lake. Beyond this ancient castle is Drumdrochet Inn; and farther on, upon the same side, are the fine woods of Obriachan. After passing on the right Dores Church, and Aldourie House, we reach the eastern end of Loch-Ness at Bona Ferry. The Canal is again continued to Loch-Dochfour; and on the left is Dochfour House (Baillie, Esq.) After leaving this small lake it is carried along the north side of the river Ness. On the left appear in succession Delcroy, and Ness Castle in ruins, Dochgarroch, and Donanchray. Proceeding onwards we pass on the right Bucht (Grant, Esq.) and on the left Kimmylies ( Baillie, Esq.) Here the canal descends, amid splendid scenery, to Muirtown, by four united locks, and a short distance farther passes through the great floating dock, and enters Loch-Beauly by the sea-lock at Clachnaharry Basin, the eastern extremity of the Canal.

TOUR V.

FROM GLASGOW TO CAMPBELTOWN IN CANTYRE, 96 MILES. AND TO THE CRAIG OF AILSA.

In sailing to Arran, the steam-boat proceeds from Glasgow, as in the two preceding voyages, to the western opening of the Kyles of Bute, and the Point of Ardlamont.* It then bears across the mouth of Loch-Fine, to

* At Rothesay, in Bute, steam-boats from Glasgow regularly ply by Rothesay to Arran, in summer, which may be distant from Bute, at the nearest point, about five or six miles south-west.

Arran, or the Island of Mountains, extends from north to south about twenty miles, and from east to west ten miles. It is indented with various bays, particularly Lamlash, at the south-east quarter, covered by Holy Island, where 500 vessels may ride at anchor; besides Brodick Bay to the north-east; and Loch-Ransa at the northern extremity. The island is watered by a number of streams, which abound with trout and salmon. It is rugged and mountainous in the extreme; and the higher districts are composed of naked rocks or mountains covered with heath. The mineralogy of the island is most interesting, and it abounds in scenes of romantic grandeur. The Hamilton family have long been the almost sole proprietors of Arran, the population of which is about 6127.

After the battle of Largs, in 1263, Arran became the property of the M'Donalds, Lords of the isles; long afterwards, the property of the island was vested in the Crown. The Hamilton family acquired it in 1474 by the marriage of James, the first Lord Hamilton, with the Princess Mary, widow of Lord Thomas Boyd, to whom it was granted as a dowery.

At Loch-Ransa, where the tourist may first land, are the ruins of the ancient royal castle of Ransa, consisting of two square towers united. At the head of a glen, receding from this lake, is the mountain of Ceim-na-Callich, from the summit of which a very extensive prospect is obtained. To the north-east of Loch-Ransa is the noted sea-mark called the Cock of Arran, a large block of sandstone rising to a considerable height. Near this coal was once wrought, having all the qualities of that of Kilkenny; and there were also numerous salt-pans.

Brodick, the principal village in the island, is beautifully situate upon the bay of that name, and is surrounded by the most varied and beautiful scenery. To the north, and embosomed in plantations, is the ancient castle of Brodick, modernized and partly occupied by the Duke of Hamilton's gardener. It was held by the

the Point of Skipness; here a grand view of this noble lake, with the mountainous coasts of Cowal and Knap

English in 1306, when it was surprised by the partizans of Robert Bruce, who put the garrison to the sword. It was demolished by the Earl of Ross in the reign of James II. but it is said to have been rebuilt by James V. and to have been garrisoned by Cromwell. From the headland that forms the southernmost point of Lamlash Bay, called King's-Cross Point, Bruce and his friends sailed for the opposite coast of Ayrshire, when he made his last desperate but successful attempt to recover the crown of Scotland. Between Loch Ransa and Brodick Bay, inland, is Goatfell, the highest mountain in the island, being of the elevation of 2864 feet. It is composed of enormous piles of granite, shaped like wool-packs, clothed only with lichens and mosses, and inhabited by the eagle and ptarmigan. Its summit commands a most magnificent prospect from it the three kingdoms and the Isle of Man are seen at On the southern shoulder of the mountain is a piece of granite, of the shape of a parallelogram, and of great dimensions, placed horizontally upon other blocks. In Glen Rosie, in the vicinity of this mountain, are many cairns and obelisks. Glen Sannox, to the southward, resembles Glencoe in Argyllshire, or Orinish in Skye, and is scarcely inferior to either. In general, the interior of the island abounds with beautiful Highland scenery.

once.

At the bottom of Lamlash Bay is the small village of Lamlash, much resorted to in the bathing season. Holy Island, in front of the bay, rises in a conical form to the height of 1000 feet; and upon the east side are immense ranges of columnar cliffs. In this isle are shown the cave of St. Molios, his well, his chair, and chapel.

South of Lamlash Bay is Whiting Bay; and, more southward still, upon the coast, is the range called the Dipping Rocks, rising perpendicularly, in a columnar form, to the height of 300 feet. In one part, the action of the sea has formed a grand arch. From the brink of the rock a stream pours through an aperture, and falls into the sea far from the base. In rainy weather it forms an arch of foam, which is seen from a great distance.

Southward of the Dipping Rocks is the Castle of Kildonar (Marquis of Bute) in ruins; it was conferred by Robert III. on one of his sons. Opposite is the small island of Plada, with its light-house.

Beyond Kildonar Castle, and a short way from Kilmory Kirk, is an excavation by the sea, called the Black Cave. It is 80 feet high at the mouth, 40 feet wide, and 100 feet long. Along its sides are ranges of irregular basaltic pillars; and near the end is a great opening from above, caused by a partial falling-in of the roof.

Upon the western shore, above Drumodun Point, there are some stupendous cliffs, in which are several large caves; the largest is called Fingal's, still believed by the natives to have been the occa