SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



Then succeeds a long and dreary moor, a tedious ascent up ihe 

 mountain See-cliuimin or Cummin's seat, whose summit is of a 

 great height and very craggy. Descend a steep road, leave on the 

 right Loch-Taarf, a small irregular piece of water, decked with 

 little woody isles, and abounding with Char. After a second steep 

 descent, reach Fort Augustus "*, a small fortress, seated on a plain 

 at the head of Loch. Ness, between the rivers Taarf and Oich ; the 

 last is considerable, and has over it a bridge of three arches The 

 fort consists of four bastions ; within is the governor's house, and 

 barracks for 4-00 men : it was taken by the rebels in 1746, who 

 immediately deserted it, after demolishing what they could. 



Lock- Ness is twenty- two miles in length ; the breadth from one 

 to two miles, except near Castle Urquhart, where it swells out to 

 three. The depth is very great ; opposite to the rock called the 

 Horse-shoe, near the west end, it has been found to be 140 fa- 

 thorns. From an eminence near the fort is a full view of its whole 

 extent, for it is perfectly stiait, running from east to west, with a 

 point to the south. The bounckiry from the fall of Fyres is very 

 steep and rocky, which obliged General Wade to make that detour 

 from its banks, part on account of the expense in cutting through so 

 much solid rock, partly through an apprehension that in case of a 

 rebellion the troops might be destroyed in their march, by the 

 tumbling down of stones by the enemy from above : besides this, 

 a prodigious arch, must have been flung over the Glen of Fyers. 



This lake, by reason of its great depth, never freezes, and dur- 

 ing cold weather a violent steam rises from it as from a furnace. 

 Ice brought from other parts, and put into Loch-Ness, instantly 

 thaws ; but no water freezes sooner than that of the lake when 

 brought iuto a house. Its water is esteemed very salubrious ; so 

 that people come or send thirty miles for it : old Lord Lovat in 

 particular made constant use of it. But it is certain, whether it be 

 owing to the water, or to the air of that neighbourhood, that for 

 seven years the garrison of Fort Augustus had not lost a single man. 



The fish of this lake are salmon, which are in season from 

 Christmas to Midsummer, trouts of about 2lb. weight, pikes and 

 eels. During winter it is frequented by swans and other wild fowls. 



* Its Erse name is Kil-chuimin^ or the burial-place of the Cummins. It 

 li on the road to the isle of Skie, which is about 52 miles off ; but on th 

 whole way there is not a place fit for th reception of man or horse. 



