PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



119 



many small burns, and in winter from snow torrents, which leave 

 the great hills scarred and tattered with gaunt screes and gullies 

 right and left of the railway line. 



The Calder river is the first stream of consequence which joins 

 the Spey on the north or left bank. It rises high up amongst the 

 highest hills of the Western Monadhliath mountains and round 

 the base of Cearn Dearg, and gathers its rills in the dark bosom 

 of Loch Dubh. Its whole course partakes more of the character 

 of a mountain stream with steeply rising banks, though at the same 

 time aspiring in name to the dignity of a river. All the above 

 area may be said to be included within the boundaries of Upper 

 Badenoch. 



Below Creag Dhubh and where Glen Truim joins the Spey, the 

 great river widens out and assumes a nobler appearance, the valley 

 also increasing in breadth and importance. From the junction of 

 Truim downwards, lovely natural birch-woods clothe the river 

 banks and knolls, and perhaps few places in Scotland can boast 

 of such lovely birches as are to be seen about Kinrara and Avie- 

 more, or near the mouth of the river Feshie. These birch-trees grow 

 very straight, with white clean stems, the finest being those upon 

 the gravelly ridges or alluvial deposits of the river-banks, whilst 

 others struggle far up the sides of the rocky gorge at Creag Dhubh 

 and crown the rugged steeps of Kinrara and the Eock of Upper 

 Craigellachie. Around Kincraig also and about the shores of lovely 

 Lochs Inch and Alvie, as well as at the other localities named, the 

 birch are quite Norwegian in the appearance of their growth, not 

 stunted and twisted and with rough corrugated bark as is too often 

 the case in many parts of our Highland glens, but smooth and clean 

 and silvery white. 



The meadow-lands along the Spey in Lower Badenoch are still 

 greatly subject to flooding, although much has been done by em- 

 banking and cutting to reduce the areas of flood-water. Many 

 parts remain in a wet and marshy condition long after the 

 floods subside, and here and there are deep holes scooped out 

 in the light gravelly soil, of which nearly all the haughs are 

 composed, which have from time to time imprisoned numerous 

 large pike. The loch of Insh is a fine large sheet of water — 



