CHAP. X. CALEDONIAN CANAL. 415 



regulating lock a little to the north of Loch Doughfour ; 

 five contiguous locks at Fort Augustus, at the south 

 end of Loch Ness ; another, called the Kytra Lock, 

 about midway between Fort Augustus and Loch Oich ; 

 a regulating lock at the north-east end of Loch Oich ; 

 two contiguous locks between Lochs Oich and Lochy ; a 

 regulating lock at the south-west end of Loch Lochy ; 

 next, the grand series of locks, eight in number, called 

 " Neptune's Staircase," at Bannavie, within a mile and 

 a quarter of the sea ; two locks, descending to Corpach 

 basin ; and lastly, the great entrance or sea-lock at 

 Corpach. 



As may naturally be supposed, the execution of these 

 great works involved vast labour and anxiety. They 

 were designed with much skill, and executed with equal 

 ability. There were lock-gates to be constructed, prin- 

 cipally of cast iron, sheathed with pine planking ; public 

 road bridges crossing the line of the canal, of which 

 there were eight, constructed of cast iron and swung 

 horizontally. There were many mountain streams, 

 swollen to torrents in winter, crossing under the canal, 

 for which abundant accommodation had to be provided, 

 involving the construction of numerous culverts, tunnels, 

 and under-bridges of large dimensions. There were 

 also powerful sluices provided to let off the excess 

 of water sent down from the adjacent mountains into 

 the canal during winter. Three of these, of large dimen- 

 sions, high above the river Lochy, are constructed at a 

 point where the canal is cut through the solid rock ; and 

 the sight of the mass of waters rushing down into the 

 valley beneath, gives an impression of power which, 

 once seen, is never forgotten. 



These great works were only brought to a completion 

 after the labours of many years, during which the diffi- 

 culties encountered in their construction had swelled the 

 cost of the canal far beyond the original estimate. The 

 rapid advances which had taken place in the interval 



