SCOTCH PIE. 337 



confines of the counties of Perth, Inverness, and Argyle. 

 Tangled roots, and solitary time-riven trees, even groups, 

 are seen here and there, in places nearly inaccessible, and 

 which denote that the Eannoch forest stretched across 

 the country, forming a vast sweep of mingled boughs 

 and columns, now ascending heights that were nearly 

 perpendicular, now stooping into valleys, and again cover- 

 ing vast plains, mingling as they went on with ancient 

 fir-woods, of which traces still remain, on the rivers Ness 

 and Beauly, the Findhorn, Dee, and Spey, and forming 

 a wide brotherhood with those of Glen-morna-albin, or 

 the great Caledonian forest, as also with the more western 

 districts. 



Men in old times knew little of our value. At one period 

 the demand for our timber was so trifling, that the laird 

 of Grant obtained only one shilling or eighteenpence for 

 as many as a labourer could cut down in a long summer 

 day. But years went on, saw-mills were set up, and 

 a newly-discovered method of removing even the state- 



z 



