which is Ardgour, at the outlet of Loch Leven, and at a distance of some miles to the westward we see the mountains of Glencoe. Here, too, we obtain the first glimpse of Ben Nevis. Connel Ferry sepa rates Loch Linnhe from Loch Eil, up which our route lies. At the angle formed by Loch Eil, in changing its direction to the west, we see Fort Willium (48 miles) (Hotel: Caledonian), originally constructed under the directions of General Monk, and subsequently rebuilt on a greatly superior scale in the reign of William III., containing a bomb-proof magazine, and barracks to accommodate 100 men. The village of Muryburgh, close to Fort William, contains a monument to the memory of Maclachan of Aberdeen, the celebrated Gaelic scholar.

(The tourist must disembark at Fort William if he wishes to make the ascent of Ben Nevis. This mountain, 4406 ft. above the level of the sea, is the highest in Scotland. The ascent is most readily effected on the north side.

The tourist should, by all means, take a guide, whose charge is 7s. or 8s. At the elevation of about 1500 ft. is a small lake, above which vegetation ceases. In fine, clear weather, the view from the summit is extensive and magnificent, extending over a range of 120 miles. On the south and east we see Ben Cruachan, Ben Lomond, Ben More, Ben Lawers, and many other mountains. On the other sides the views comprise the whole expanse of country between the hills of Caithness and the most distant mountains in the Hebrides, including innumerable glens and lochs. On the northeast side of the mountain is a precipice of nearly 1200 ft.)

About 1 mile from Fort William, near the River Lochy, is the ruined

castle of Inverlochy, belonging to Lord Abinger, near which, in 1645, Montrose defeated the Covenanters under the command of the Duke of Argyll. It is said to have been occupied by the Pictish sovereigns, when on their hunting expeditions among the wilds of Glen Roy. (From Fort William a coach starts daily for the pass of Glencoe and Loch Lomond.) Proceeding on our route, we reach the Caledonian Canal at Corpach, and take omnibuses to Bannavie, where travellers pass the night. (Hotel : Lochiel Arms.)

It is conjectured, with great show of reason, that the whole of the valley now traversed by the Caledonian Canal, connecting the North Sea with the Atlantic, in conjunction with the three intervening inland lochs, has once been a strait between them. This canal was commenced early in the present century, and completed in October, 1822. It is 60 miles in length, of which 22 are artificially constructed, the rest being taken up by the lochs above mentioned. Its average depth is 15 feet, and its greatest elevation is at Loch Oich, which is nearly 100 feet above Inverness and Fort William. The differences of level are compensated by 28 locks, of which many are contiguous, each measuring about 160 feet long by 36 broad. These remarkable works, entrusted to the celebrated en

gineer Telford at the outset, cost, between 1803 and 1827, the sum of £973,271. On the death of Telford, a Mr. Walker was employed to complete them, but difficulties were in the way at that time, and it was only in 1843 that Government could be induced to sanction a contract for £5,000,000, to secure the completion of the scheme within three years. The canal was re-opened in April,

1847, and, setting apart the injuries temporarily caused by the great flood of 1849, has steadily prospered since.

From Loch Eil to Loch Lochy is a distance of 8 miles. On the way we ascend, independently of the three locks of Corpach, eight others called Neptune's Staircase, leaving, on the right, the village of Corpach, and, afterwards, on the left, the church of Kilmaillie; near which we see an obelisk in memory of Colonel John Cameron. Sir Walter Scott composed the inscription. Three miles further we remark, on the right, the ruins of Tor Castle, the ancient residence of the chief of the clan Chattan; and, on the left, the lands of West and East Moy, opposite the confluence of the Spean and the Lochy.

Loch Lochy is 10 miles in length by of a mile in width; but at the point where it receives the waters of Loch Arkaig its width is nearly doubled. Here, on the left, we see Auchnacarry, the seat of Cameron of Lochiel, chief of the clan that bears his name, embowered in woods. On the opposite shore we notice Glenfintaig House.

Two miles distant from Loch Lochy is Loch Oich, the little village of Laggan lying between them. Loch Öich is 31⁄2 miles long. Its breadth varies from to onesixth of a mile. It contains two or three small wooded islands. On its north-west bank it receives the Garry, near the mouth of which we see the ruins of Invergarry Castle, the residence of the chief of the Macdonnels, burnt by the Duke of Cumberland in 1745. Above it rises Craig-na-Phithick, or "The Raven's Rock," which was the ancient war-cry of the family.

From Loch Oich we descend to Loch Ness, by seven locks, a distance of2 miles, occupying one hour

and a half. At the west extremity of Loch Ness is Fort Augustus, between the Oich and the Tarff, built after the insurrection of 1715. Loch Ness is about 24 miles long. Its breadth varies from 3 of a mile to 14 mile; it is very deep, and has never been known to freeze. Its banks are clothed with more varied and picturesque scenery than is to be found about the other two lochs.

Nine miles from the entrance to Loch Ness is the Foyers Pier. Here the steamer waits to allow the passengers the opportunity of visiting the far-famed FALLS OF FOYERS, which are about of a mile from the Foyers Hotel. There are two falls: the lower, by far the most beautiful, is about 55 feet high; the higher, which is divided into two, only about 28 feet. A bridge of a single arch connects the two banks of the river. These falls can be seen to most advantage from below the bridge. From the rocks which tower above the lower fall, a good view can be obtained of Loch Ness, over which rises, to a height of more than 3000 feet, the peak of Mealfourvournie.

Two miles beyond the mouth of the Foyers, on the same bank, we pass Inverfarigaig, overhung by the Black Rock, which presents the form of a lion, and is crowned by the fort of Duniardd. miles further we observe Castle

Two

Urquhart, which has the reputation of being the last of the fortresses in Scotland to surrender to Edward I. At the rear of this castle appears Glen Urquhart, containing a rich extent of territory in good cultivation. (Here is a good hotel, called Drumnadrachet.) Approaching the north-east of Loch Ness, we see Aldourie House, the birthplace of Sir James Mackintosh.

Eight and a half miles from Drumnadrochet a strait of about

of a mile in length unites Loch Ness with Loch Dochfour, on the banks of which latter we notice Dochfour House. Passing through this small lake, the canal runs parallel with the River Ness, which waters the fertile valley of its and leaves successively, on name, the right, Ness Castle, and Ness Side, and farther on, on the left, Craig Phadrick, beyond which stretches Loch Beauly. Finally, passing between the heights of Torvain and Tomnahurich, the steamer stops 1 mile from Inverness, in the Muirtown Lochs (6 miles from Loch Ness), near which are stationed public conveyances to convey the tourists to the town of Inverness. Route 23).

(See

ROUTE 21.

EDINBURGH TO GLASGOW BY STIRLING,

THE TROSSACHS, AND LOCHS KATRINE AND LOMOND.

HIS excursion may be made in one day, but in that case no stop can be made at Stirling or any other point on the way. Tickets for the excursion are sold at Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Leaving Edinburgh by the Waverley Station, and passing through the tunnel, we see on the left the Pentland Hills, and on the right Donaldson Hospital; afterwards, crossing the River Leith, we leave, on the right, Corstorphine Hill; and pass in succession Corstorphine (3 miles), Gogar (5 miles), and Ratho (84 miles). Here is a branch line to Bathgate. On the right is Kirliston, the church of which belonged formerly to the Knigh.s Templars. We now cross Almond Water, which separates Mid-Lothian from Linlithgow shire. An agreeable and extensive view is here afforded us, comprising the shores of the Firth of Forth. On the right is Newliston Park, formerly the residence of the Earl of Stair, who was deeply implicated in the tragical massacre of Glencoe.

A

short distance farther we pass, on the right, the ruins of Niddry Castle. Leaving Winchburgh (12 miles), where Edward 11. made his first halt after the Battle of Bannockburn, we reach Linlithgow (17 miles) (see Route 16), Polmont (22 miles), and arrive at Lurbert (28 miles), the burialplace of Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller. Here is a junction with the line from Glasgow. We then

Brae, on which the tourist will find the "Bore Stone," said to mark the spot where the standard of Bruce was planted during the battle. To the westward is Gillies Hill, where were stationed the camp-followers who eventually decided the fortunes of the day. When the contest had been carried on for some hours with varying success, they unexpectedly made a move to the front: the English, taking them for a fresh army, were seized with a panic and fied, leaving the victory to the Scotch. This spot can be conveniently visited from STIR

hanging the Forth and the plain called The Carse of Stirling. It was once a stronghold of great importance; Edward I. besieged it in 1304, and, having taken it with the greatest difficulty, it remained for ten years in the possession of the English, until their defeat at Bannockburn. In the time of the Stuarts it became a royal residence, and was the birthplace of James II. and James V. In the part called the Palace, on the south-east side of the castle, is shown the Douglas Room, where James II. killed the Earl

of Douglas for entering into a covenant with the Earls of Ross and Crawford, which he feared would prove prejudicial to his own authority. On the west side is the ancient Chapel Royal, now used as an armoury.

From the castle walls we have a wide and attractive prospect, especially from a point near the governor's house called "The Lady's Look-out." On the west is the vale of Menteith and the heights of Ben Lomond, Benvenue, Ben-A'an, Ben Ledi, Ben Voirlich, and others of lesser note. On the north and east we observe the Ochill Hills, and, on the south, the Campsie Hills, while immediately beneath us appear the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, Abbey Craig, surmounted by the Wallace Monument, and the Bridge of Allan. To the north is the "Heading Hill," where executions used to take place, and to the south the cemetery containing the statues of John Knox and others conspicuous for their exertions in the Presbyterian cause. We notice also the King's Garden, and, farther on, the King's Park.

Stirling contains several public buildings, amongst which are Cowan's Hospital, with its quaintly designed garden in the Dutch style; Greyfriars Church, in which James VI. was crowned in 1567, John Knox preaching the sermon on that occasion; Argyll's Lodging, formerly the property of Sir William Alexander (afterwards Earl of Stirling), the founder of the colony of Nova Scotia, and subsequently in the possession of the Earls of Argyll; and Mar's Work, said to have been partially built by the Earl of Mar from the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey. This last is situated near Abbey Craig, and consists only of a tower and gateway. It contains the tomb of

James III., restored in 1865 by command of the Queen, and bearing an inscription to that effect.

Leaving Stirling, the railway crosses the Forth, passing on the left the castle hill, and on the right Abbey Craig and the Ochill Hills. A short distance beyond Airthrey, famed for its mineral springs, we reach the Bridge of Allan (39 miles) (Hotels: Royal, Queen's), a charming village, attracting many visitors during the season to take the waters and baths of Airthrey.

Farther on we pass on the right Keir, and on the left Kippenross. Skirting the pleasantly wooded banks of Allan Water, we reach DUNBLANE (41 miles) (Hotel: Dewar's). Here are the ruins of a cathedral situated on an eminence, the base of which is washed by the river. Leaving Dunblane, the first station is Downe (45 miles). The castle is one of the most imposing ruins of its kind in Scotland, standing on a mound at the confluence of the Teith and the Ardoch. Tradition alleges it to have been built by the Regent Murdoch, Duke of Albany, who was afterwards beheaded on the Castle Hill of Stirling. It is square-built, with walls 80 feet high and 10 feet thick. There are several dungeons on the ground floor, and many of the apartments are spacious and in good preser

vation.

The Bridge of Doune, across the Teith, was built, as we are informed by an inscription on one of its parapets, by Robert Spittal, Tailor to Margaret, wife of James IV., and the founder of Spittal's Hospital at Stirling.

Leaving Doune, we pass on the right the Braes of Doune, and see Doune Lodge, or Cambuswallace, the residence of the Earl of Moray; farther on, to the left, are the ruins of Kilmaldock Church; and,