1 88 Notes on Morvern, Argyllshire. [Sess. 



Almost an island, it has seaboard on three sides — viz., the 

 Sound of Mull and the waters of Loch Linnhe and Loch 

 Sunart ; and it is joined to the mainland only by' a narrow 

 neck of land. It is more with the Loch Aline district of 

 Morvern, however, that I am acquainted. After landing at 

 Loch Aline pier, which is the only means of communication 

 with the outside world, I had to journey about three miles 

 inland along the margin of the loch to the hamlet where I 

 lodged. The sides of the loch are steep and woody, the out- 

 line being too uniform to admit of any picturesque character, 

 at least toward the town part. But at the upper end it is 

 entirely changed, becoming bold and intricate, and receiving 

 two very romantic streams, which, forcing their tortuous way 

 in deep, rocky, and wooded channels, fall into it at opposite 

 angles. Here at least the loch deserves its name of the 

 " beautiful." Pursuing the course of these two streams, the 

 southern ascends the mountains, amid rocks and woods, and 

 the northern, which is the more important, conducts to a 

 narrow but green and prolonged valley, which leads to a chain 

 of lochs the first of which is Loch Arienas, where the water 

 has its origin. In the river Aline some fine pearls are occa- 

 sionally to be found. These are got from the fresh-water 

 mussel, which occurs very plentifully in the whole course of 

 the river. When the river is low with the summer droughts, 

 many shells may be gathered from one pool, but the number 

 of pearls to be found in them varies of course with the luck 

 of the individual. To show the abundance of fish in the 

 river, I will just mention one expedition I was at. Serenging, 

 or fishing with the net, is not often practised, but I happened 

 to be on the spot once when the order was given. It was at 

 midnight, and we had to cross the loch in a small boat, which, 

 with the weight of the net and the number of men in it, was 

 uncomfortably near the surface of the water. In crossing, I 

 had a fine opportunity of witnessing the occurrence of the 

 phosphorescence occasionally to be seen here. At every dip 

 of the oar the water dropped in sparkling gems, and a stream 

 of dancing light followed in the wake of the boat. It was 

 like sailing in a sea of fire. When the net had been circled 

 out we soon had evidence of a good haul. Careful manipula- 

 tion by experienced hands soon had 220 sea- trout, ranging 



