LOCH MORAR 331 



covered by the lake is 6,596 acres, or nearly 10| square miles. 



There" are several islands towards the west or seaward end 

 of the loch, and these and the surrounding low ground are 

 richly wooded. Towards the upper end, however, vegetation 

 becomes more and more scanty, and the hills rise with greater 

 abruptness, till at the head of the loch three peaks rise to 3,133, 

 2,718, and 2,818 feet. 



About two -thirds of the way up on the north side a narrow 

 neck or tarbet separates the loch from the sea in Loch Nevis. 

 Dr. Johnston points out that should the land be depressed 

 40 feet, Loch Morar would be converted into a submerged 

 valley like Loch Etive, with, I presume, a rapid at the present 

 Morar Fall corresponding to the Falls of Lora at Connel Ferry. 



With regard to the depth of the loch, Dr. Johnston writes : 

 " In April 1887 Sir John Murray took a series of eighteen 

 soundings down the centre of the loch, the greatest depth 

 recorded being 1,050 feet. ... In 1896 Sir John Murray and 

 the late Mr. Fred P. Pullar made a bathymetrical survey of the 

 whole loch with a wire-rope machine, but the chart they 

 prepared was not published, as it was found that the machine 

 employed was untrustworthy. It was, therefore, resolved to 

 make a complete new survey. This was carried out in June 

 and July 1902 by Dr. Johnston, Messrs. Garrett, Hewitt, 

 Parsons, and James Murray. . . . 



" The surface of the loch at the time the survey was made 

 in June 1902 was 30 '5 feet above sea-level, and in March 1903 

 the level was found to be 35 feet above the sea, a difference in 

 level of 4| feet. Altogether eleven hundred soundings were 

 taken in the loch, or about one hundred Foundings to the 

 square mile ; the maximum depth recorded was 1,017 feet. 

 This is less than previous results, but it is to be accounted for 

 by the use of wire-rope, which nearly always gives a lesser 

 depth than the soundings with ordinary sounding-lines. 



" Loch Morar is of simple conformation, the bottom falling 

 on all sides down to the deepest part, but with here and there 

 a few minor undulations of the lake floor. . . . 



" The deepest part of the loch is at the wide portion opposite 

 the mouth of the Meoble river, ... at a spot nearly midway 

 between the two ends of the loch. The area over 1,000 feet 

 in depth is not large, extending only to a little over 4 acres. . . . 



