THE BRORA 231 



that the most easterly basin may almost now be considered a 

 separate loch. A large burn, the Alt Smeoral, which enters 

 the most westerly basin, is apparently forming by degrees a 

 third constriction in the loch, but the area of deep water is 

 here larger than in the other basins, so that this process takes 

 longer. The Bathymetrical Survey of the loch was made in 

 October 1902, when the level above the sea was ascertained 

 to be 92-9 feet. The Ordnance Survey of July 1870 found the 

 elevation to be 9T3 feet. The highest drift-mark found in 

 1902 was fully 7 feet above the level surveyed, and it was 

 estimated that the variation in level may be 9 feet. The 

 drainage area of the loch is nearly 140 times its extent, which 

 gives a very great capacity for water supply, yet in summer the 

 river commonly runs down to a practically unfishable condition. 



The members of the Bathymetrical Survey found the maxi- 

 mum depth to be 66 feet about a mile and a half from the head 

 of the loch. The mean depth was found to be 22| feet. The 

 report states : " Loch Brora is extremely irregular in con- 

 formation, varying greatly in width, with corresponding 

 undulations of the lake-floor. There are four basins, in which 

 the depth exceeds 30 feet. Proceeding from the foot of the 

 loch, the first, smallest, and shallowest basin has a maximum 

 depth of 31 feet. Passing through the first narrows, where a 

 depth of 7 feet was observed, one enters the second expansion 

 of the loch, which is shallow until Eilean nam Taoileag is passed, 

 the second basin lying to the north of that island, and having 

 a maximum depth of 43 feet. Passing through the second 

 narrows, where a depth of 9 feet was found, one enters the third 

 and deepest basin, enclosing the maximum depth of 66 feet, 

 which was recorded approximately near the centre of the basin. 

 Passing through the third and most northerly narrows, in which 

 depths of 4 and 7 feet were recorded, one enters the fourth and 

 largest basin ; this basin is cut into two portions by the slight 

 shoaling of the bottom where the alluvial cone laid down by the 

 Alt Smeoral projects into the loch, the deepest water to the 

 south-east being 59 feet, and to the north-east 64 feet, while on 

 the shoaling the greatest depth observed was 50 feet." 1 



The Carrol Rock is a conspicuous and picturesque object on 

 the southern shores, a bold buttress, projecting from the low 

 1 Royal Geographical Society volume ; London, 1 908. 



