WILDNESS OF ANCIENT SCOTLAND. 119 



The parish of Laggan (in Badenoch, county of Inver- 

 ness) extends from north-east to south-west, upwards of 

 twenty miles, but the breadth of the inhabited part is 

 only about three miles. It is bounded on the north by 

 " Monadh-Liadh," or the Grey Mountain — a prodigious 

 ridge of inaccessible rocks, — and various rivers, rising in 

 the Grampians, run through it. Loch Laggan lies on the 

 south-west extremity of the parish ; it is very deep, with 

 a bold rocky shore, and it is surrounded with w r oody 

 mountains. On the south side is the " Coil More," or 

 Great Wood, the most considerable relic of the great 

 Caledonian Forest. This wood, which extends five miles 

 along the loch side, is the scene of many traditions. At 

 the east end of the loch are two islands, one of them 

 much smaller than the other. On the larger are the side 

 walls still remaining of a very ancient building, made of 

 common round stones, but cemented with mortar. This 

 is said to be the place where the kings of the Picts 

 retired from hunting and feasted on their game. The 

 neighbouring island, which is called "Eilean nan Con," 

 or the Island of Dogs, is said to be the place where the 

 hounds were confined. In the middle of the parish is a 

 perpendicular rock, upwards of one hundred yards in 

 height, and most difficult of access, yet with remains of 

 fortifications upon it ; while in the wood south of the loch 

 is a place long held sacred, which, it is said, is the burial- 

 place of seven ancient Caledonian kings. These kings, 

 tradition says, always came here to hunt with their retinue 

 and hounds during the greater part of the summer ; and 

 the time assigned is about the period when the Scots 

 were driven by the Picts beyond the Tay, and had their 

 seat of government at Dunkeld. 



Still larger and as wild is the parish of Kilmonivaig, 



