fortrefs, on the top of the hill; to which, in old times, the natives
retreated on any invafion. A little farther, on a plain, is a small
Roman camp,
*, called by the Highlanders Fortingal, or the Fort
of the Strangers: themselves they ftile Na fian, or defcendents of
Fingal. In Fortingal church-yard are the remains of a prodigious
yew-tree, whofe ruins measured fifty-fix feet and a half in circum-
ference.

Saw at the house of Col. Campbell of Glen-Lion, a curious walkingftaff, belonging to one of his ancestors: it was iron cafed in leather, five feet long; at the top a neat pair of extended wings, like a caduceus; but, on being fhaken, a poniard, two feet nine inches long, darted out.

He alfo favored me with the fight of a very ancient brotche, which the Highlanders ufe, like the fibula of the Romans, to fasten their veft it is made of filver, is round, with a bar cross the middle, from whence are two tongues to faften the folds of the garments: one fide is ftudded with pearl, or coarse gems, in a very rude manner; on the other, the names of the three kings of Cologne, CASPAR, MELCHIOR, BALTAZAR; with the word confummatim. It was probably a confecrated brotche, and worn not only for ufe, but as an amulet. Keyfler's account of the virtues attributed to their names confirms my opinion. He fays that they were written on flips of paper in this form, and worn as prefervatives against the falling-fickness:

• It poffibly might have been made during the expedition of Severus, who penetrated to the extremity of this island. It was the most northern work of the Romans of which I had any intelligence.

GREAT YEW.

Gafpar

ROADS.

Gafpar fert Myrrham, Thus Melchior, Balthazar Aurum ;
Solvitur a morbo Chrifti pietate caduco.

Return South, and come at once in fight of Loch-Tay. The day very fine and calm, the whole scene was most beautifully repeated in the water. I must not omit that on the North fide of this lake is a moft excellent road, which runs the whole length of it, leading to Tiendrum and Inveraray, in Argyleshire, and is the route which travellers must take, who make what I call the petit tour* of Scotland. This whole road was made at the fole expence of the prefent Lord Breadalbane; who, to facilitate the travelling, alfo erected thirty-two ftone bridges over the torrents that rush from the mountains into the lake. They will find the whole country excell in roads, partly military, partly done by ftatute labor, and much by the munificence of the great men.

I was informed, that Lord Breadalbane's eftate was fo extenfive that he could ride a hundred miles an end on it, even as far as the Weft Sea, where he has alfo fome iflands. These great properties are divided into diftricts, called Officiaries: a ground officer prefides over each, and has three, four, or five hundred men under his care. He fuperintends the duties due from each

• Which comprehends the route I have defcribed; adding to it, from Taymouth, along the road, on the fide of the lake, to Killin, 16 miles; from thence to Tiendrum, 20; Glenorchie, 12; Inveraray, 16; Lufs, on the banks of Loch-Lomond, 30; Dunbarton, 12; Glasgow, 15; Sterling, 31; Edinburgh, by Hopetoun House, 35; a tract unparalleled, for the variety and frequency of fine and magnificent scenery.

to

to their Lord, fuch as fetching peat, bringing coal from Crief, &c. which they do, at their own expence, on horfes backs, travelling in ftrings, the tail of one horse being fastened by a cord, which reaches to the head of the next: the horses are little, and generally white or grey; and as the farms are very small, it is common for four people to keep a plough between them, each furnishing a horse, and this is called a horse-gang.

The north fide of Loch-Tay is very populous; for in fixteen square miles are seventeen hundred and eighty-fix fouls on the other fide, about twelve hundred. The country, within these thirty years, manufactures a great deal of thread. They spin with rocks*, which they do while they attend their cattle on the hills; and, at the four fairs in the year, held at Kinmore, above fixteen hundred pounds worth of yarn is fold out of Breadalbane only: which fhews the great increase of industry in these parts, for less than forty years ago there was not the left trade in this article. The yarn is bought by perfons who attend the fairs for that purpofe, and fell it again at Perth, Glasgow, and other places, where it is manufactured into cloth.

Much of this may be owing to the good fense and humanity of the chieftain; but much again is owing to the abolition of the feudal tenures, or vaffalage; for before that was effected, (which was done by the influence of a Chancellor +, whofe memory Scotland

* Their Lord gives among them annually a great number of fpinning-wheels, which will foon cause the difufe of the rock.

+ Earl of Hardwick, who may be truly said to have given to the North Britons their great charter of liberty.

Aug. 1.

RANNOCH.

PINE FORET.

ROES.

gratefully adores for that fervice) the Strong oppreffed the Weak, the Rich the Poor. Courts indeed were held, and juries called; but juries of vaffals, too dependent and too timid to be relied on for the execution of true justice.

Leave Taymouth; ford the Lion, and ride above it thro' fome woods. On the left burfts out a fine cafcade, in a deep hollow, covered with trees: at a small diftance to the Weft is Castle Garth, a small caftle feated like Castle Campbell, between two deep glens. Keep afcending a steep hill, but the corn country continues for a while: the scene then changes for a wild, black, and mountainous heath. Defcend into Rannoch, a meadowy plain, tolerably fertile: the lake of the fame name extends from East to Weft; is about eleven miles long, and one broad: the Northern bank appears very barren; part of the Southern finely covered with a forest of pine and birch, the first natural woods I had seen of pines: rode a good way in it, but observed no trees of any fize, except a birch fixteen feet in circumference: the ground beneath the trees is covered with heath, bilberies, and dwarf abutus, whofe gloffy leaves make a pretty appearance. This place gives fhelter to black game, and Roes. These animals are found from the banks of Loch Lomond, as far North as the entrance into Cathness: in fummer their hair is short, fmooth, gloffy, and red; at approach of winter grows long and hoary, and proves an excellent defence against the rigor of the Highland air. The weight of a full grown Roe is 60 lb. The horns of the fecond year are ftrait, flender, and without any branch in the third become bifurcated: in the fourth, trifurcated, and grow more fcabrous and stronger, in proportion

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