PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



121 



town. Beyond, upon the right bank, the woods are encircled by the 

 concave sweep of the Cromdale Hills, the valley again narrowing 

 all the way down past Aberlour, although the river has yet further 

 increased in size and rapidity of current, having received the con- 

 siderable waters of the Dulnan above Grantown, and the clear 

 crystal waters of the Avon at Ballindallocli. All along these 

 grand reaches of the valley are patches of land clear of timber 

 — growing bright luxuriant broom, with sheep-pastures between 

 — all at one time, not so very remote, shrouded in dense and 

 sombre pine, as still is the case in the true forest tracts. The 

 railway embankment too is clothed in rich garb in summer, until 

 it is hard to say whether broom or birch, bracken or gowan, sweet- 

 brier and dog-rose, or self-sown larches, succeed best in the struggle 

 for supremacy. All of these growing upon the light gravelly soil 

 which composes the whole alluvium and river-banks, vie with one 

 another in clothing these old river-terraces in the richest and most 

 luxurious garb. 



As we have said, the rivers Feshie, Dulnan, Xethy, and Avon 

 are the principal tributaries of Spey which join their forces with 

 the parent stream within the boundaries of the middle district of 

 Strathspey, i.e. between Upper and Lower Craigellachie. 



Of the lowest division of Spey — viz. so-called Speyside — we next 

 come to speak. Speyside lies between Lower Craigellachie and 

 the sea. At Craigellachie the road-bridge spans one of the deepest 

 pools of Spey, and near it the railway, which runs through Glen 

 Itothes, is carried over by a handsome iron bridge. The river 

 has now developed more intense energy, breadth, depth, and im- 

 petuosity, and bears on a vast, rapid body of water, having added 

 to its volume the waters of the Fiddich, which rise far up 

 among the hills of the Glen Fiddich Deer Forest, in the great 

 Cam Districts, which lie between Ben Rinnes and the eastern 

 spurs of the Cairngorms. With many a noble curve, and with 

 almost resistless force, the Spey rushes onward through the 

 plain of Rothes, sweeping round the bases of Ben Aigan and 

 the cliffy shores of reddened quartzite about a mile below. 

 Then, pent up by the abrupt bend formed at the great Pass 

 of Sourdan, which is rent out or cut through the hills which 



