138 LOCH LOMOND AND BEN LOMOND. 



of the natural landscape could compensate in some 

 degree for the poorer qualities of the soil. 



The whole length of the lake is seven or eight, and 

 its breadth three or four miles in the widest part. An 

 extremely narrow part towards the upper end, which 

 is crossed by a ferry, divides it into what are called the 

 upper and lower lakes. An elevated ridge of hardwood 

 land, over which the road passes near this narrowest 

 part, afforded me from its summit a view of the lower 

 lake, which would not suifer in comparison with many 

 either of our English or our Scottish lakes. Its surface 

 was calm and still ; beyond it rose a wooded ridge of 

 rounded hills, purpled by the broad-leaved trees which 

 covered them, and terminated at the foot of the lake by 

 a lofty, so called, lion s back lower considerably than 

 Arthur s Seat, yet still a miniature Ben Lomond. On 

 the nearer side, low swamps bearing scrub-pine and 

 other stunted fir-trees intervened in many places between 

 the water s edge and the hills behind ; but the irregular 

 outline of the shore, and the dense clothing of pine and 

 other mixed wood upon every jutting point of land, 

 softened down the wildness which, in a bleak winter s 

 day, the immediate shores of the lake must often present. 

 Comfortable white-walled houses, scattered here and there, 

 associated also, with all that was seen, ideas of human 

 industry and of the progress of material civilisation in a 

 new country, made one see, in fancy, what this unsubdued 

 spot is yet to become, and think of the high and beautiful 

 imaginings its natural scenery is yet to awaken in the 

 breasts of many generations of future visitors. 



At the lower end of the lake, and at the distance of 

 ten or twelve miles from St John, a large hotel has been 

 built on a stony spot conveniently situated, as regards 

 the beauties and amusements of the spqt, for the accom 

 modation of parties from the city. A settlement of free 

 blacks from the Chesapeake, of whom I saw one at work 



