CHAP. VIII. CKA1G-ELLACH1E BRIDGE. 385 



road, from Fort William to Arasaig, on the western coast, 

 nearly opposite the island of Egg. Another was begun 

 from Loch Oich, on the line of the Caledonian Canal, 

 across the middle of the Highlands, through Glengarry, 

 to Loch Hourn on the western sea. Other roads were 

 opened north and south ; through Morvern to Loch Moi- 

 dart ; through Glen Morrison and Glen Sheil, and through 

 the entire Isle of Skye ; from Dingwall, eastward, to Loch- 

 carron and Loch Torridon, quite through the county of 

 Ross ; and from Dingwall, northward, through the county 

 of Sutherland as far as Tongue on the Pentland Frith ; 

 whilst another line, striking off at the head of the Dornoch 

 Frith, proceeded along the coast in a north-easterly direc- 

 tion to Wick and Thurso, in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of John o' Groats. There were numerous other subordi- 

 nate lines, which it is unnecessary to specify in detail ; 

 but some idea may be formed of their extent, as well as 

 of the rugged character of the country through which 

 they were carried, when we state that they involved the 

 construction of no fewer than twelve hundred bridges. 

 Several important bridges were also erected at other 

 points to connect existing roads, such as those at Ballater 

 and Potarch over the Dee ; at Alford over the Don ; and 

 at Craig-Ellachie over the Spey. 



The last-named bridge is a remarkably elegant struc- 

 ture, thrown over the Spey at a point where the river, 

 rushing obliquely against the lofty rock of Craig-Ellachie, 1 

 has formed for itself a deep channel not exceeding fifty 

 yards in breadth. Only a few years before, there had not 

 been any provision for crossing this river at its lower 

 parts except the very dangerous ferry at Fochabers. The 

 Duke of Gordon had, however, erected a suspension bridge 

 at that town, and the inconvenience was in a great 



1 The names of Celtic places are 

 highly descriptive. Thus Craig-Ella- 

 chie literally means, the rock of sepa- 

 ration ; Badenoch, bushy or woody ; 



the lake of nests ; Balknockan, the 

 town of knolls ; Dalnasealg, the hunt- 

 ing dale ; AWn dater, the burn of 

 the horn-blower ; and so on. 



Cairngorm, the blue cairn ; Lochinet, 



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