an3, Central Highlands of Scotland. 309 



the frith is only three leagues over; or a faft failing vefl'el 

 woiild fooa run with an eafterly wind from Fraferburgh to 

 Cromarty. 



If Cromartv Bay was made a roadftead, there wolild be 

 wanted a (torehoiife and fome other conveniencies, which 

 mav be on a fmall fcale, until the merits of the place have 

 been fully proved : allow an expenfe here of 5000I. 



The Caledonian Canal. 



I pafled along the whole line of this canal, that is, from 

 Invernefs on the call, to Fort William on the wc(t coaft. I 

 took much puins to examine into the nature of the navigation 

 of the lochs, their foundings, and anchoring places. For 

 tliis purpufe I applied chiefly to Mr. Guynn, who com- 

 manded the Lochnefs galley, in government fervice, thirty-fix 

 years; from him I obtained a very full and fatisfa(Story ac- 

 count of Lochnefs : he alfo took the foundings of Loch Oich 

 and a part of Loch Lochy for me. _ ■ 



From him I learnt that Lochnefs is twenty- two miles in 

 length, and from one to two and, a half miles in breadth ; 

 that its extreme depth is 135 fathoms, and generally 15 to 

 20 very near the (hores; that there are fix anchoring places 

 on the north, and four on the fouth fide; and that at each 

 end of the loch there is a good anchorage in from three to 

 five, eight, and ten fathom water. 



That a vcfiel palling from the well to the eaft end before 

 a wefterly wind, or in a contrary diredlon before an eafterly 

 wind, has nothing to do but run before the wind the whole 

 wav, which flie would do in from three to five hours, and 

 with contrary winds in moderate weather (he would work it 

 in from twenty-four to thirty-fix hours. : 



That the eafterly winds generally prevail from Klarch till 

 liie end of September, when the wefterly winds fet in, and 

 continue for the reft of the year. 



The foundings he took in Loch Lochy are from feven to 

 Ijxty-eight fathoms, with bold ftiores and good anchorage. 



In i7och Quoich, which is a fliort loch on the fummit 

 level, there are fome (hallow parts, but they may be made 

 fufliciently deep. 



[ next proceeded to examine the fupplies of water which 

 are on the fummit level, and for this purpofe I paffed up the 

 valley of Glengarcy to Loch Hourn at the back of Skye. In 

 this valley I foimd Loch Garry, which appears. to be upwards 

 of five miles in length, and from half a njile to one mile in 

 breadth: towards (he head of the valley is Loch Quoich, 

 wliich appears to be upwards of eight miles in length, and 

 X 3 from 



