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CHAPTER XXII. 



THE HIGHLANDS. 



THE Highlands comprise the four large counties of Argyll, 

 Inverness, Koss, and Sutherland, and the greater part of 

 Perth, Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, and Nairn. Adding to 

 these the Hebrides, Shetlands, and other islands, this is 

 at least one-half of Scotland. 



I have already remarked upon the appearance presented 

 by these desolate regions, almost destitute of trees, and 

 with scarcely even heather ; everywhere steep and naked 

 rocks, streams of water of all sizes, lakes, falls, foaming tor- 

 rents, immense mosses, perpetual snows and rain, and 

 violent winds from the North Sea. It seems as if rural 

 economy could have nothing to do with such a country. 

 The Highlands have had their share, however, of the 

 change which is being effected in Scotland. Their share, 

 too, has not been the least, for these mountains have been 

 the scene of one of the most complete revolutions of this 

 revolutionary age. What has taken place, has been alto- 

 gether exceptional in its character, and deserves a special 

 notice; the more so, as the legality and utility of such a 

 radical change has been strongly debated. The argu- 

 ments raised on the subject have left wrong impressions 

 on the minds of many, which it is important should be 

 rectified. The Highlands were the scene of that syste- 

 matic depopulation which made such a noise in Europe 



