OF LOCHABER, 3£> 



low the junction of the Roy and Spean, push their roots into 

 the very bed of the latter river, just above the House of Inch; 

 From hence they run westward up the glen, forming its south 

 side, with a straight and highly inclined face. The side of 

 the mountain Craig-dhu, constituting the north wall of Glen 

 Spean, has a front as even and as steep, as that of those oppo- 

 site to it. Just above the narrow entrance of the glen, the 

 hills on each side of the valley are about half a mile asunder ; 

 but some miles farther up, they begin to recede greatly from 

 one another, and they seem to sink in their elevation as the 

 bottom of the valley rises. The whole length of Glen Spean, 

 from Inch to the Pass of Muckul, is about twenty miles. This 

 pass, affording an opening between Glean Spean and the Val- 

 ley of the Spey, is the summit level between them. Although 

 it is not productive of any streams, it disparts the waters that 

 run to the eastern and western seas ; and yet the highest part 

 of its bottom, is only elevated a few feet above the present le- 

 vel of Loch Laggan. By a reference to the map, it will be 

 seen, that the river Pattaig, after issuing from its loch, has a 

 directly north-east direction, as if it were about to run towards 

 the river Spey, which is certainly its most natural course ; but 

 just before coming upon the bottom of the Pass of Muckul, it 

 meets with the rock laid down in the map, which compels it to 

 make a sudden and capricious bend to the west, at a very acute 

 angle to its former line, and after a slow run of somewhat 

 more than two miles, a considerable part of which is na- 

 vigable by a boat, it empties itself into the upper end of 

 Loch Laggan. This lake is eight or nine miles in length. 

 On the north side, the mountains are partly of gentle acclivi- 

 ty, but in some places, they rise almost perpendicularly to a 

 very considerable height. Although those on the south side 

 are of inconsiderable elevation, yet they are bold and rocky to 



the 



