and Central Highlands of Scotland. 301 



they are inveftigated, tlie more important they will appear, 

 and the public will hcconie more tuHy convinced, that the 

 general interclh of the BritiOi einpire are extenfively con- 

 nefted with the feveral improvements which are mentioned 

 in your lord(hips' in(tru6i.ions.> 



Of Bridges and Roads. 



The ohRacIes which at prefent obftruft the communica- 

 tions in the north of Scotland are numerous and well known, 

 liot on'v to the inhahiiants, but to every perfon who has 

 travcUed liirough, or even inquired into the date of, the 

 counh'v. 



Previous to the year 1742, the roads were merely the tracks 

 of black cattle and horfes,, interfecled by numerous rapid 

 llreams, which being frequently fwoln into torrents by hea\y 

 rains, rendered them dangerous or impaflable. The military 

 roads, which were formed about this time, having been laid 

 out with other views than promoting commerce and induftry, 

 are gen-erallv in fueh directions, and fo inconveniently deep 

 as t(j be nearly nulic for the purpofes of civil life; and ir» 

 thofe part* where they ^re tolerably accelhblc, or where roads 

 liave fince been, funned by .the inhabitants, the ufc of them 

 is very much circunifcribed from the want of bridges over 

 fome of the principal rivers. 



The genera! comicci^jons of the country may be dated as 

 leading, from l;lJjiiburgh; t9| the north and north- wed coun- 

 ties, by njeans- of one ,rpa(l throuQ;h the Highlands, and hx 

 another ahjiig the c<i,ft coail and. fouth Ihore of the Aiurray 

 Frith to the town of Invernefs, and from thence through 

 Beauley and Dingwall, to Tain in Rofs-diire. Frum Glafgow 

 and Greenock, the comnuinications by land are through 

 Argylelhire, ,lo die weflern parts of Invernefs and Rofs-lliire, 

 and to the Hiores oppofite tlie whole of the Hebrides. There 

 is an in,Trpoftant coramuaijcatipn from Invernefs weftward, 

 acrofs the country to Fort Auguftus and Fort William, and' 

 from Fort, Auguftus there ^re. juii the velliges remaining of 

 what w,a.s puce a military, ryad^to Bernera, oppofite.the back 

 of the lf!e of Sk!yc. . . 



In confidering thefc lines of roads, it appears moft regular 

 to beirin on the borders of the improved country, and wmx to 

 the leats i^f, ,c9nvfiii'ircc.ai)d iudultry. In proceeding from 

 Edinburgh northivarda, by the eall coaft and Moray Frilii 

 to Invernefs, or through the central Highlands to the fame 

 place, and from thence to Tain on the Dornoch Friih in 

 Kof.s-fliiirCp;wx fijid the communications intercepted, and wc 

 learn ihiii accidents frequently happen from- tUu want of a 



brid 



g« 



