HIGHLANDS OF PERTHSHIRE. 



CHAPTER II. 



DUNBLANE. DOTJNE. DOTJNE CASTLE. INN AT DOUNE. CALLANDEE. THE TBO- 

 SACHS. LOCH ZATEINE. POET MENTEITH. CALLANDEE CAMP. 



ON the 4th of July, at six o'clock in the morning, our pedes- 

 trian tour actually commenced. A Gillie-truish-an-arnish (An- 

 glice, a baggage-carrier) was procured for us by our obliging host 

 of the Dunblane Arms, a most comfortable house, by the way, 

 where the fare is excellent and the charges moderate. Our Gillie 

 trudged along with the impedimenta (the impediments of travel- 

 ling) ; his clatter was interesting, for he knew the Highlands of 

 Perthshire, and the Lowlands too, it may be presumed. He was 

 able to point out the chief mountains of the former, and the posi- 

 tion and direction of the passes, lochs, and rivers of both. His 

 acquaintance with the prominent outlines of the country was 

 serviceable, for he knew all the towns of Perthshire, their dis- 

 tances and bearing from each other ; and being besides a person 

 of observant habits, he was pretty well qualified to aid those 

 who wished to be acquainted with the physical, moral, and reli- 

 gious condition of the occupants of the country, as well as to 

 see something of its picturesque beauties. From Dunblane to 

 Doune the country is open, and has a bare appearance, fringed 

 or dotted here arid there with woods, rather than adorned with 

 trees. The Scotch are a thrifty people. Trees are very useful as 

 shelter, but they are often detrimental to the operations of agri- 

 culture. The country however is not unenclosed ; but the fences 

 have more of a useful than of an ornamental character. The 

 road is of an up-hill and down-vale nature ; nothing hinders the 

 traveller from getting a glimpse of the scenery in all situations, 

 and generally a good view is obtainable. 



Soon after seven o'clock we reached Doune, a half-highland, 

 half-lowland town, of no great pretensions either for its size or its 

 situation. Here the Teith, the most important tributary of the 

 Forth, is a fine and rapid river ; it sets in motion the immense 

 wheels of the celebrated Deanston cotton-mills. The castle of 



