COUNTIES OF PwOSS AND CEOMAKTY. 71 



cultural border on the east, is extremely mounter'nous and 

 wild. The hills and mountains are chiefly in clumps or chains, 

 and in in many cases they reach to a great height. Ben 

 Wyvis is probably the finest mountain in the county, though 

 other two or three exceed it in elevation. Ben Dearg, Ben 

 Alton, and Ben Sloich are each close on 4000 feet high, while 

 Ben Wyvis is only 3700. The west coast is exceedingly rugget^ 

 and winding. In a straight line the west coast of Eoss-shire 

 measures only about 70 miles; while by following the inden- 

 tations, the length extends to something like 400 miles. The 

 number of lochs and small 'lakes in the two counties is extra- 

 ordinary. A la,rge number o.re small, but still a few are 

 of a considerable size. Chief among these may be mentioned the 

 beautiful Loch Maree, which extends to some 18 miles in length, 

 and which is surrounded with as delightful mountain scenery as 

 is to be met with anvwhere in Scotland. The mountains rise on 

 both sides almost perpendicularly, and are fringed at the base with 

 rich plantations of larch and fir. The tops of the mountains are 

 bare and water-worn ; but '' about half-way down [says a recent 

 writer], the combined beauty and sublimity of the scenery are 

 such as to strongly affect the dullest imagination; and when 

 we come in sight of the little island towards the lower end of the 

 loch, the picture may be said to be complete — a picture which, 

 we venture to say, puts fairly into the shade the much-vaunted 

 beauties of the Trossachs and of Lochlomond." The majority of 

 these lochs are well stocked with fish of various kinds ; and on 

 the whole, very few counties equal Eoss-shire in the facilities it 

 affords the lovers of the " gentle art." The rivers are numerous, 

 while the small streamlets and mountain torrents can be counted 

 in scores. The principal rivers on the east coast are the Carron, 

 the Conan, and the Alness ; the latter two drain a great portion 

 of the southern division of the county, and fall into the Cromarty 

 Firth ; while Carron drains a considerable extent of the northern 

 end, and empties itself into the Dornoch Firth at Bonar Bridge. 

 On the west coast the largest rivers are the Ewe, another Carron, 

 and the Broom. The river Ewe flows out of Loch ^laree, falls 

 into the sea at Loch Ewe, and is considered one of the best 

 angling streams in Britain. Salmon and sea-trout are abundant ; 

 and it is recorded that the former average about IG pounils 

 in weight. On the uther rivers generally the sui»i>ly of salmon 

 and trout is very good, and the ([uality of the lish is excelluul. 

 The large majority of the lochs and rivers are reserved by their 

 owners, or let to angling tenants; but still there is abundance 

 of tishing at the coniniand of the tourist. 



Boss and Cromarty stand supreme with respect to grouse- 

 mooi-s, and deer forests. I'he latter are numerous, and some of 

 them very large ; the total breadth under deer, as already stated, 



