been gratified with lefs trouble and danger. We came at laft to a place where we could overlook the river, and faw a channel torn, as it feems, through black piles of ftone, by which the ftream is obftructed and broken, till it comes to a very steep defcent, of fuch dreadful depth, that we were naturally inclined to turn afide, our eyes.

But we vifited the place at an unfeasonable time, and found it divefted of its dignity and terrour. Nature never gives every thing at once. A long continuance of dry weather, which made the rest of the way eafy and delightful, deprived us of the pleasure expected from the Fall of Fiers. The river having now no water but what the fprings fupply, fhowed us only a swift current, clear and fhallow, fretting over the afperities of the rocky bottom; and we were left to exercise our thoughts, by endeavouring to conceive the effect of a thousand ftreams poured from the mountains into one channel, ftruggling for expanfion in a narrow paffage, exasperated by rocks rifing in their way, and at last discharging all their violence of waters by a fudden fall through the horrid chafm.

The way now grew lefs eafy, defcending by an uneven declivity, but without either dirt or danger, We did not arrive at Fort Auguftus till it was late. Mr. Bofwell, who, between his father's merit and his own, is fure of reception wherever he comes, fent a fervant before to beg admiffion and entertainment for that night. Mr. Trapaud, the governor, treated us with that courtefy which is fo closely connected with the military character. He came out to meet

us

us beyond the gates, and apologized that, at fo late an hour, the rules of a garrifon fuffered him to give us entrance only at the postern,

FORT AUGUSTUS.

In the morning we viewed the fort, which is much less than that of St. George, and is faid to be commanded by the neighbouring hills. It was not long ago taken by the Highlanders, But its fituation feems well chofen for pleasure, if not for ftrength; it ftands at the head of the lake, and, by a floop of fixty tons, is fupplied from Inverness with great convenience.

We were now to cross the Highlands towards the western coaft, and to content ourselves with fuch accommodations, as a way fo little frequented could afford. The journey was not formidable, for it was but of two days, very unequally divided, because the only house where we could be entertained, was noț further off than a third of the way. We foon came to a high hill, which we mounted by a military road, cut in traverfes, fo that as we went upon a higher ftage, we faw the baggage following us below in a contrary direction. To make this way, the rock has been hewn to a level, with labour that might have broken the perfeverance of a Roman legion,

The country is totally denuded of its wood, but the ftumps both of oaks and firs, which are still found, fhew that it has been once a forest of large timber. I do not remember that we faw any animals, but we were told that, in the mountains, there are ftags, roebucks, goats, and rabbits.

We did not perceive that this tract was poffeffed by human beings, except that once we faw a corn-field, in which a lady was walking with fome gentlemen. Their house was certainly at no great distance, but fo fituated that we could not defcry it.

Paffing on through the drearinefs of folitude, we found a party of foldiers from the fort, working on the road, under the fuperintendence of a ferjeant. We told them how kindly we had been treated at the garrison, and as we were enjoying the benefit of their labours, begged leave to fhew our gratitude by a small present.

AN OCH.

Early in the afternoon we came to Anoch, a village in Glenmollifon of three huts, one of which is distinguished by a chimney. Here we were to dine and lodge, and were conducted through the first room, that had the chimney, into another lighted by a fmall glass window. The landlord attended us with great civility, and told us what he could give us to eat and drink. I found fome books on a shelf, among which were a volume or more of Prideaux's Connection.

This I mentioned as fomething unexpected, and perceived that I did not please him. I praised the propriety of his language, and was anfwered that I need not wonder, for he had learned it by grammar.

By fubfequent opportunities of obfervation I found that my hoft's diction had nothing peculiar. Thofe Highlanders that can fpeak English, commonly speak it well, with few of the words, and little of the tone by which a Scotchman is diftinguifhed.

Their

Their language feems to have been learned in the army or the navy, or by fome communication with those who could give them good examples of accent and pronunciation. By their Lowland neighbours they would not willingly be taught; for they have long confidered them as a mean and degenerate race. These prejudices are wearing faft away; but fo much of them ftill remains, that when I asked a very learned minister in the islands, which they confidered as their most savage clans: "Thofe, faid he, that live next "the Lowlands."

the day, we had time The house was built

As we came hither early in fufficient to survey the place. like other huts, of loose ftones; but the part in which we dined and flept was lined with turf and wattled with twigs, which kept the earth from falling. Near it was a garden of turnips, and a field of potato. It stands in a glen, or valley, pleasantly watered by a winding river. But this country, however it may delight the gazer or amuse the naturalift, is of no great advantage to its owners. Our landlord told us of a gentleman who poffeffes lands, eighteen Scotch miles in length, and three in breadth; a space containing at least a hundred fquare English miles. He has raised his rents, to the danger of depopulating his farms, and he fells his timber, and by exerting every art of augmentation, has obtained a yearly revenue of four hundred pounds, which for a hundred fquare miles is three halfpence an acre.

Some time after dinner we were furprized by the entrance of a young woman, not inelegant either in mien or drefs, who asked us whether we would have

tea.

tea. We found that he was the daughter of our hoft, and defired her to make it. Her conversation, like her appearance, was gentle and pleasing. We knew that the girls of the Highlands are all gentlewomen, and treated her with great refpect, which fhe received as cuftomary and due, and was neither elated by it, nor confused, but repaid my civilities without embarraffment, and told me how much I honoured her country by coming to furvey it.

She had been at Inverness to gain the common female qualifications, and had, like her father, the English pronunciation. I prefented her with a book, which I happened to have about me, and fhould not be pleafed to think that the forgets me.

In the evening the foldiers, whom we had paffed on the road, came to spend at our inn the little money that we had given them. They had the true military impatience of coin in their pockets, and had marched at least fix miles to find the first place where liquor could be bought. Having never been before in a place fo wild and unfrequented, I was glad of their arrival, because I knew that we had made them friends, and to gain ftill more of their good-will, we went to them where they were carousing in the barn, and added fomething to our former gift. All that we gave was not much, but it detained them in the barn, either merry or quarrelling, the whole night, and in the morning they went back to their work, with great indignation at the bad qualities of whisky.

We had gained so much the favour of our host, that, when we left his houfe in the morning, he walked by us a great way, and entertained us with

conversation