274 BUNAWE-CONNEL FERRY. from Port Sonnachan. A monument to | partly within the Marquis of BreadalAdmiral Lord Nelson stands in the vicinity of Taynuilt, the earliest erected in Britain, a granite block about 12 feet high. bane's deer forest. Etive Water makes two fine falls, the first at Coinletter, the second and best at Dalness, about 5 miles from the loch's head; and the 822. BUNAWE is a village on the Vrogie streamlet, which joins at 2 miles River Awe, adjacent to its mouth, 1 above Dalness, makes a cascade of very mile north-east of Taynuilt. It has a striking character, both for the great key post office, maintains a ferry across depth of the descent and for the romantic Loch Etive, and is the best starting-wildness of the rock screens. Etive point for ascending Bencruachan and Water, up to the Dalness fall, abounds exploring Glenetive. An extensive iron-in salmon, grilse, and sea-trout, and is work, called the Lorn Furnace, adjoins everywhere a rich stream for anglers; it, established in 1753, employing directly or indirectly about 600 persons; importing ore from Lancashire, and smelting this into iron of the finest quality. Inverawe House, a seat of A. Campbell, Esq., of Monzie, is in the vicinity. 823. LOCH ETIVE deflects from the Frith of Lorn at Dunstaffnage Castle, and penetrates first 10 miles eastward to Bunawe, then 11 miles north-eastward to the mouth of Etive Water. It expands northward, immediately within the mouth, into Ardmucknish Bay, then suddenly contracts to a strait at Connel Ferry, and thence has a variable width of from a quarter of a mile to about 1 mile. It looks, in many views, like a chain or series of inland lakes. Its lower half shows a comparatively Lowland character, diversified and picturesque; while its upper half is alpine,-grandly romantic, brilliantly sublime, evoking the highest utterances of admiration from such master-critics of scenery as Wilson and Wordsworth. Two lateral glens, which descend to its left side above Bencruachan, Glennoe and Glenkinglass, respectively 4 and 9 miles long, partake largely of its sublimity. Benstarive, at the left side of its head, rises sternly and savagely to a height of about 2500 feet. Glenetive, which brings down Etive Water 16 miles south-westward to the loch's head, commences amid wild alpine moors, overhung by Buachaille-Etive, with an altitude of 2537 feet above the level of the sea; descends to the base of Benstarive, and lies but, in consequence of its wild seclusion, far from any inn, it is little fished. 824. ARDCHATTAN HOUSE, the seat of S. J. Popham, Esq., on the north shore of Loch Etive, 4 miles north-west of Taynuilt, is a massive, high-roofed, ancient edifice, originally a prior's house. Some fragments of the priory to which it bebelonged, including a tasteful arch, still stand in the vicinity; and an ancient burying-ground adjoins them, containing some curious old grave-stones with effigies and Celtic inscriptions. The priory was founded for Cistercian monks, in 1231, by Duncan M'Coull, the ancestor of the Lords of Lorn. The church was a cruciform structure, 66 feet by 28 within walls, surmounted at the intersection by a square tower. A national council, conducted in Gaelic, was held by Robert Bruce, in Ardchattan Priory, after the battle of Methven. A ruined ancient church, supposed to occupy the site of a Culdee cell, stands at Balmodan, on the brow of a hill, three-quarters of a mile north of Ardchattan. 825. CONNEL FERRY, on Loch Etive, 23 miles above Dunstaffnage, on the road from Oban to Appin, has inns on both sides. The ferry lies across a vexed, rocky strait, and would be perilous to strangers, but is managed with scarcely ever an accident by the native boatmen. The loch's channel here suddenly contracts to about 680 feet, and is reefed two-thirds over by rocks left bare to the height of 5 feet at low water; so that dur OBAN. ing much of the return tide, laden as it is with accumulation from the River Awe, the current forms a foaming cataract, with from 3 to 4 feet of perpendicular descent; and emits a continuous roar, which, in calm weather, is heard at a considerable distance. Sir Walter Scott, in his "Lord of the Isles," supposes Dunstaffnage to hear "the raging of Connel with his rocks engaging." This cataract is thought to be the Lora of Ossian, alluded to in the lines "These are not thy mountains, O Nathos! 275 present century. Its front toward the bay curves in the form of a crescent, and comprises a long series of neat, slated, white-washed houses, of two and three storeys. Its interior contains many wellbuilt, commodious tenements in the main thoroughfares, and inferior or small ones in the rear. Its outskirts display some new, handsome, large houses, and a number of neat, ornate cottages. The Caledonian Hotel is a spacious, lofty, pleasing edifice; the offices of the National and the City of Glasgow Banks are Nor is that the roar of thy climbing waves," ornamental; and the Free Church, situ826. OBAN stands on a semicircular ated on the face of the rising ground be bay, confronted by the northern part of hind the town, is an elegant structure, Kerrera. The bay is from 12 to 24 in light early Gothic architecture, with fathoms deep, has capacity and anchor- a low Norman tower and pointed spire. age for upwards of three hundred sail of Two lines of quay, one of them enlarged merchant vessels, and is perfectly shel- and improved in 1836, afford commodious tered from every wind. Its shores partly berthage to vessels. The town commands rise into cliffs, and are partly diversified most of the trade between Loch Crinan with indentations; and its skirts behind and Loch Eil; is the centre for tourists the town rise into moderately sized hills. to all Lorn and all the neighbouring The grounds which environ it are high | Hebrides; and enjoys some favour as a and winding enough to give it the appear-watering-place. Its chief inns are the ance of a large, intricate, picturesque Caledonian, the King's Arms, the Argyle lake; and yet not so high as to prevent Arms, the Woodside, the George, the a pedestrian from obtaining, by a few Oban, and the Albert. Its lodging-houses minutes' easy walk to any of their van- are numerous, but high-priced, and often tage-points, a clear, extensive, panoramic insufficient for the demand. It has a view of the waters and seaboards of the key post office, and a number of local inFrith of Lorn, overhung in the distance stitutions; and it offers many facilities by the Alps of Bencruachan and Mull. of conveyance, public and private, by The waters abound in curious molluscs land and by water, to suit the wishes of and small monsters of the deep; the rocks tourists. It ranks as a parliamentary are a study to geologists; the neighbour-burgh, and is grouped in the franchise ing tracts are full of interest to at once with Inverary, Campbelton, Irvine, and the botanist, the antiquary, and the painter; and many places, either close at hand or within easy distance, afford delightful walks, and present a great variety of charming landscape. Ayr. Its population at the census of 1851 was 1871. Oban was visited by the royal squadron, in the autumn of 1847, on their way to Iona and FortWilliam ; and it made very brilliant displays of welcome and rejoicing. See Oban dates only from 1713, and has risen mainly since the beginning of the | 855-858. north-west of Lochgilphead, is a place | Gothic edifice, with a square tower. on the Crinan Canal where nine locks occur, occasioning so much detention, that passengers on the canal usually get out and walk. Cairn ban Inn here is neat and pleasant, and serves as a good, station for anglers. Several small trouting lochs are in the neighbourhood; and, Add Water, which passes 21⁄2 miles to the north, with a total course of 12 miles south-westward to the head of Loch Crinan, abounds with good trout, and has a preserved salmon fishery. Achindarroch, on the south side of the canal, in the vicinity of Cairnban, is the seat of Alexander Campbell, Esq. See 778. 828. KILMICHAEL GLASSARY, on Add Water, in the lower part of the vale of Glassary, was long a great baronial capital, but is now a mere church hamlet, with a post office under Lochgilphead. Kirnan, about 1 mile from it, was the property of the forefathers of Thomas Campbell, the poet; and Kilmichael manse was the place where he wrote his well-known, beautiful lines, "On visiting a scene in Argyleshire." 829. KILMARTIN village, with a post office under Lochgilphead, and a parish church, stands in a beautiful vale, watered by the rivulet Skeodnish, and flanked by steep, wooded hills. It was rebuilt about the year 1835, and is now one of the neatest villages in the Kilmartin House, a seat of Mr. Malcolin of Poltalloch, and the ruin of Carnassarie Castle, once the residence of Bishop Carswell, afterwards a residence of Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck, and one of the cradles of the Earl of Argyle's insurrection against James VII., are in the neighbourhood. 830. KINTRA hamlet, at the head of Loch Craignish, has a post office under Lochgilphead, and a good inn. Barbreck House, in its northern neighbourhood, is the seat of Rear-Admiral Campbell. The vale above Barbreck is Isaid to have been the scene of a battle between the Norsemen and the Dalriadans, fatal to a Scandinavian prince of the name of Olave; and a tumulus in it is pointed out as marking Olave's grave. 831. KILMELFORT, at the head of Loch Melfort, has a post office under Lochgilphead, and a very old parish church. Loch Melfort is a sea-loch, 4 miles long, and 13 mile wide, sprinkled with islets. Its name signifies "the lake of the high eminences, or lumps of land," and alludes to the tumulated appearance of hill ranges which line its shores. A cave on its north side, at a secluded spot thickly environed with wood, is traditionally said to have been the abode of the first settlers in Lorn, till they found time and materials to build houses. Ardmaddy Castle, on the OUDE WATER-KILNINVER. coast, 2 miles north of the mouth of Loch Melfort, belonged to the Macdougalls, Lords of Lorn; passed to the Campbells of the house of Argyle, and is now a seat of the Marquis of Breadalbane. Pennant was hospitably entertained at it, and wrote a vision which he imagined himself to have had here, on the social condition of the Highlands. A small cave in the face of a neighbouring rock is pointed out as a hiding-place of Lord Neil Campbell in the persecuting times of the Stuarts. A belt of sea called Clachan Sound, which extends northward from Ardmaddy Castle, between the mainland and Seil, resembles the Kyles of Bute, but is narrower, more diversified, and of richer character; and is spanned, at the narrowest part, by a one-arched bridge. 277 a deep, romantic, rocky ravine, and forms a waterfall. Salmon collect in a pool below the fall, and are caught in a regu lar fishery at the mouth. Loch Scammadale is 2 miles long, and half a mile broad, lies in a hill-girt basin, and is well stocked with trout and perch. Loch Line, 2 miles further east, sending down an affluent to Loch Scammadale, measures little more than a mile in circuit, but contains finer and larger trout than almost any other water in the Western Highlands. 834. KILNINVER hamlet, on Euchar Water, near the mouth, has a post office under Lochgilphead, and a parish church. Several cairns and standing-stones in its vicinity mark the scenes of ancient deeds of blood; and one called Carn Chellain, or Collin's Cairn, on a conspicuous spot on the old line of road to Loch Awe, commemorates the assassination of an ancestor of the Duke of Argyle, when returning victorious at the head of his men from a raid against some of the neighbouring clans. Loch Feochan, striking north-eastward from the mouth of Euchar Water, is a sea-loch 5 miles 832. OUDE WATER issues from Loch Brallaig, and runs 4 miles south-westward to the head of Loch Melfort. The upper part of its course is flanked by hills; and a part about 2 miles from its mouth is a grand gorge, walled on both sides by rocks several hundred feet high, and traversed by the public road. Loch Brallaig is nearly 2 miles long, and over-long and a mile broad, flanked by high, hung on the north side by a picturesque range of hills about 800 feet high. 833. EUCHAR WATER runs 4 miles, -first south-westward, next north-westward, from Loch Scammadale to the sea. Its banks are finely wooded; and its channel, about a mile from the sea, passes into rocky promontories, and leading up to fine glen scenery. Loch Nell, 1 mile north-east of it, and sending down a stream to its head, is a sheet of fresh water 2 miles long and half a mile broad, well stocked with char, salmon, small sea-trout, and very large common trout. 885. PORT CRINAN is situated on | miles, and rolled into numerous green eminences of less than 300 feet in height, separates it from the Atlantic. Craignish Castle, formerly the property of the Campbells of Jura, now the seat of C. F. T. Gascoigne, Esq., stands on the peninsula, 2 miles from the point. Part of the castle is an ancient strong fortalice, which resisted a siege of six the north-east side of the upper part of Loch Crinan, and has a wharf and slip, a recently erected light-house, and an excellent inn. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent the night of the 18th of August 1847 on board of the Royal Yacht at Port Crinan, and left for Ardverikie on the morning of the 19th. Loch Crinan extends 4 miles north-weeks by Colkitto, but most is a modern westward to the upper part of the Sound of Jura. Its head is narrow and tame, but most of its north-east side, gemmed with Duntroon Castle, and deeply cut by Loch Craignish, abounds with character; and its mouth, 3 miles wide, between Ardnoe Point on the left, and Craignish Point on the right, with the north end of Jura in front, and a group of islands on its own surface, is strikingly picturesque. 836. DUNTROON CASTLE, 1 mile north-west of Port Crinan, occupies a romantic site in front of knolls, rocks, and wood. It was long the seat of an ancient branch of the Campbells, who designated themselves of Duntroon, but is now the property of Mr. Malcolm of Poltalloch. It is an old baronial pile, originally suited to resist the blows of warfare, but has been altered into a comfortable modern residence. Colkitto thought to capture it in 1644, but concluded it to be impregnable. 837. LOCH CRAIGNISH opens from the lower part of the north-east side of Loch Crinan, and penetrates 6 miles to the north-east. Its width diminishes from 3 miles at the mouth to 7 furlongs near the head. Its surface is adorned with numerous green islets, chiefly in chains along the sides, a few of them crowned with old trees. A peninsula commencing in a point, widening to 2 mansion. Craignish Point, and a small island near it on the south, called Garbhreisa, are faced with cliffs, and the strait between them bears the name of the Great Door. This is swept by a rapid tidal current, but has a deep channel, and is the ordinary passage of the steamers from Port Crinan to the north. 838. JURA extends north-north-eastward from within a mile of Islay to within a mile of Scarba. The channel which separates it from the mainland decreases in width from 12 miles at the south to 3 miles near the north, and bears the name of the Sound of Jura. The island is 21 miles long, and from 7 to 11⁄2 mile broad-broadest near the south, narrowest at the north; and is nearly bisected, in the middle, by a sea-loch on the west. Most of its surface is a ridge of mountain, bleak and rugged, extending from end to end. The southern part shoots into three conical peaks, called the Paps of Jura, the loftiest 2675 feet high, all figuring grandly in a multitude of views both near and remote; but the northern part rises nowhere higher than 912 feet, on the summit of Clachben. The western declivities are abrupt and savage, torn with torrents, and almost destitute of verdure; and they go so close to the shore, in bare, rocky skirts, as to leave space for only a very few inhabi |