OF LOCHABER, 61 



these valleys was then sent and discharged, histead of going 

 as formerly through the Pass of Muckul towards the East Sea. 

 The state which matters had now assumed, will be understood 

 at one view, by a reference to Plate VIII. fig. 4. Glens Gluoy 

 and Roy were now completely evacuated of their stagnant wa- 

 ter. But of the Glen Spean lake, besides those remnants that 

 remain to this day under the name oi Lochs Treig and Laggan ; 

 there were then three smaller portions, as represented in fig. 4. 

 These must have long survived the great catastrophe, since 

 the name of Kenmuir, or The End of the Lake; given to each 

 of the rocky necks of land, which served as barriers to confine 

 their western or lower extremities, sufficiently denotes that 

 these minor lakes, must have continued to exist after the Gae- 

 lic language was in use. It is a remarkable coincidence, and 

 worthy of notice, that the little valleys remaining after the dis- 

 charge of these smaller lakes, exhibit the same ravines and 

 falls, that accompany all those on the greater scale in this 

 neighbourhood, and that also appear in the case of the analo- 

 gous example of Subiaco in Italy. The causes which produ- 

 ced the evacuation of these smaller lakes, were evidently slow 

 in their operation ; it must have been gradually effected by 

 the river alone working in obedience to that invariable law, 

 by which running-water has a constant tendency to reduce the 

 course over which it flows, to one uniform and regular decli- 

 vity. 



From all that has come under my observation in the course 

 of this interesting investigation, I am satisfied, that the district 

 of Lochaber, and the country connected with it, will be found 

 to merit frequent and minute inspection ; and that it will be 

 considered as affording many facts, from which important geo- 

 logical inferences may be drawn. It appears to me, that the 

 evidence displayed by its different parts, is admirably calculated 

 to illustrate all the varied mechanical operations of stagnant 



and 



