412 



CALEDONIAN CANAL. 



PART VIII. 



MAP OF CALEDONIAN CANAL 



seventeenth century to keep 

 the wild Highlanders in sub- 

 jection. Above it, hills over 

 hills arise, of all forms and 

 sizes, and of all hues, from 

 grass-green below to heather- 

 brown and purple above, 

 capped with heights of 

 weather-beaten grey; whilst 

 towering over all stands the 

 rugged mass of Ben Nevis 

 a mountain almost unsur- 

 passed for picturesque gran- 

 deur. Along the western 

 foot of the range, which ex- 

 tends for some six or eight 

 miles, lies a long extent of 

 brown bog, on the verge of 

 which, by the river Lochy, 

 stand the ruins of Inverlochy 

 Castle. 



The works at Corpach in- 

 volved great labour, and ex- 

 tended over a long series of 

 years. The difference be- 

 tween the level of Loch Eil 

 and Loch Lochy is ninety 

 feet, whilst the distance be- 

 tween them was less than 

 eight miles, and it was there- 

 fore necessary to climb up 

 the side of the hill by a flight 

 of eight gigantic locks, clus- 

 tered together, and which 

 Telford named Neptune's 

 Staircase. The ground passed 

 over was in some places very 



