BUTE. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 451 



ornamented land not often surpassed even on the main- 

 land of Scotland. The valley which separates this divi- 

 sion from the northern one, is also woody ; and is ren- 

 dered picturesque by the rugged forms and height of 

 the hills which bound it to the north ; as well as by 

 the very pleasing lakes already described which occupy 

 so large a portion of its extent. The town of Rothsay 

 yields to few places on the coast, either for the retired 

 beauty of the situation, or for the magnificence of the 

 mountain scenery which bounds the horizon; while its 

 interest is enhanced to the painter, as well as to the anti- 

 quary, by the picturesque remains of its ancient and royal 

 castle. 



The small bay of Kaimes, and the valley which opens 

 from it, present scenes of a similar character; while the 

 long tract to the northward is occupied by a high range 

 of pasture land, containing a few farms scattered in 

 interesting situations along its sides ; but owing more 

 of their attraction to the views they afford of the moun- 

 tains and lochs of the mainland, than to their own peculiar 

 positions, or to the forms of the land surrounding them. 

 The beauty arising from these circumstances, still increases 

 in proceeding northwards, and in approaching nearer to 

 the Argyllshire coast. Few scenes exist in the High_ 

 lands of Scotland of a more romantic character than 

 those which occur in the narrow passage of the Kyles, 

 which presents, throughout, a labyrinth of promontories, 

 rocks, and islands. While the navigation is peculiarly 

 intricate, at every turn all further progress seems to be 

 denied through the intricate combination of land and 

 water ; the sea winding among broken rocks and woody 

 shores, or under overhanging cliffs and lofty mountains ; 

 and appearing to have usurped the place, as it has adopted 

 the characters, of an alpine river. 



It is almost unnecessary to say that with one of the 

 mildest climates of Scotland, Bute is also one of the most 

 rainy. But the forms of the hills and the consequent 



