370 



CHAPTER XXII. 



RIVERS OF THE MORAY FIRTH. 



SPEY takes its rise in a small loch, situated on the braes 

 of Badienoch, and bordering on Lochaber, in Inverness- 

 shire. Colonel Thornton,, in his Sporting Tour, relates 

 that out of this insignificant expanse of water, a pike 

 was taken of the enormous weight of one hundred and 

 forty-six pounds ; and in Loch Alvie, which is not far 

 distant, he himself caught one that measured in length 

 five feet four inches, and weighed forty-eight pounds. 

 From Loch Spey to the Moray Firth, the course of the 

 river is not less than one hundred miles. Throughout 

 its entire progress, it presents no natural obstacle to 

 the ascent of salmon, which accordingly, having escaped 

 over the cruive-dyke above Fochabers, wend their way 

 up, during close-time, to its highest sources. The first 

 tributaries worthy of mention which Spey receives, are 

 the Triuni and Tromie waters, both of which are con- 

 nected with hill-lochs, Lochs Quoich, Vroltan, and 

 Turlich, containing abundance of small trout. After 

 passing Kingussie, and before entering Rothie-murcus, 

 Spey expands into a lake, termed Loch Inch, escaping 

 from which, it is joined by the Feshie water from Glen- 

 Feshie. Lochs Alvie, Rothie-murcus, Morlich, Pitten- 

 lish, and Garten, also empty, in close succession, their 

 surplus contents into its channel. The breadth of Spey, 

 on its transit through this district, may be reckoned 



