CASTLE OF KILCHURN.

LOCH-AW.

is a fine running pattern of foliage and flowers, and excepting the figures, all in good taste.

On an eminence on the South fide of this vale dwells M'Nabb, a fmith, whofe family have lived in that humble ftation fince the year 1440, being always of the fame profeffion. The firft of the line was employed by the Lady of Sir Duncan Campbell, who built the castle of Kilchurn when her husband was abfent. Some of their tombs are in the church-yard of Glen-Urqhie; the oldest has a hammer and other implements of his trade cut on it. At this place I was favored with feveral Highland proverbs, inferted in the Appendix. After breakfast, at a good inn near the village, was there present at a chriftening, and became fponfor to a little Highlander, by no other ceremony than receiving him for a moment into my arms this is a mere act of friendship, and no effential rite in the church of Scotland.

Purfue my journey, and have a fine view of the meanders of the river before its union with Loch-Aw: in an ifle in the beginning of the lake is the castle of Kilchurn, which had been inhabited by the prefent Lord Breadalbane's granfather. The great tower was repaired by his Lordship, and garrisoned by him in 1745, for the fervice of the Government, in order to prevent the Rebels from making ufe of that great pafs crofs the kingdom; but is now a ruin, having lately been ftruck by lightening.

At a place called Hamilton's Pass, in an instant burst on a view of the lake, which makes a beautiful appearance; is about a mile broad, and fhews at left ten miles of its length. This water is prettily varied with ifles, fome fo fmall as merely to peep above the furface; yet even these are tufted with trees; fome are large enough

to

to afford hay and pafturage; and in one, called Inch-bail, are the remains of a convent *. On Fraoch-Elan †, the Hefperides of the Highlands, are the ruins of a castle. The fair Mego longed for the delicious fruit of the isle, guarded by a dreadful ferpent: the hero Fraoch goes to gather it, and is destroyed by the monster. This tale is fung in the Erfe ballads, and is tranflated and published in the manner of Fingal.

The whole extent of Loch-Aw is thirty miles, bounded on the north by Lorn, a portion of Argylefhire, a fertile country, prettily wooded near the water-fide. On the N. E. are vaft mountains: among them Cruachan towers to a great height; it rifes from the lake, and its fides are fhagged with woods impending over it. At its foot is the difcharge of the waters of this Loch into Loch-Etive, an arm of the fea, after a turbulent course of a series of cataracts for the space of three miles. At Bunaw, near the north end, is a large falmon fishery; alfo a confiderable ironfoundery, which I fear will foon devour the beautiful woods of the country.

Pafs by Scotstown, a fingle houfe. Dine at the little village of Cladih. About two miles hence, on an eminence in fight of the convent on Inch-bail, is a fpot, called Croif-an-t-fleuchd, or

The country people are still fond of burying here. Infular interments are faid to owe their origin to the fear people had of having their friends corpfes devoured by wolves on the main land.

+ This island was granted by Alexander III. in 1267, to Gillcrift M'Nachdan and his heirs for ever, on condition they should entertain the King whenever he passed. that way.

Or the Great Heap.

Μουντ CRUACHAN.

SCOTSTOWN.

the

INVERARAY.

the crofs of bowing, becaufe, in Popish times, it was always cuftomary to kneel or make obeifance on firft fight of any confecrated place *.

Pafs between hills finely planted with feveral forts of trees, fuch as Weymouth pines, &c. and after a picturesque ride, reach

Inveraray, the caftle the principal feat of the Dukes of Argyle, chief of the Campbells; was built by Duke Archibald, is quadrangular with a round tower at each corner; and in the middle rifes a fquare one glazed on every fide to give light to the staircase and galleries, and has from without a most disagreeable effect. In the attic story are eighteen good bed-chambers: the ground-floor was at this time in a manner unfurnished, but will have feveral good apartments. The caftle is built of a coarfe lapis ollaris, brought from the other fide of Loch-Fine, and is the fame kind with that found in Norway, of which the King of Denmark's palace at Copenhagen is built. Near the new caftle are fome remains of the old.

This place will in time be very magnificent: but at present the fpace between the front and the water is difgraced with the old town, compofed of the moft wretched hovels that can be imagined. The founder of the castle defigned to have built a new town on the weft fide of the little bay the house ftands on: he finished a few houses, a cuftom-house, and an excellent inn: his death interrupted the completion of the plan, which, when brought to perfection,

• Druidical stones and temples are called Clachan, churches having often been built on fuch places to go to Clachan is a common Erfe phrafe for going to church.

In the Galic, Inner-aora.