I 



298 OK THE HIGHLANDS. 



way at the southern extremity, they descend ab- 

 ruptly through the Pass of Leny, and discharge 

 themselves into the alluvial country, at Callender : 

 having occupied in their progress, three great dis- 

 tinct stages or levels. Higher still, Loch-Earn 

 furnishes the next example. Its waters rushing 

 through the long range of hills to the east, flow 

 more quietly along the valley of Strath-Earn, till 

 at the opposite extremity, they find their passage 

 into the yet lower level of the sea. In the tract 

 of the Tay, which is the remaining instance I 

 proposed to mention, a similar succession of de- 

 scending stages may be observed. From Strathfil- 

 lan, the highest inhabited valley in Scotland, the 

 water has worked itself by the foot of Ben-More, 

 into Glen-Dochart. Hence it descends into the 

 magnificent alpine hollow of Loch-Tay ; and after 

 suffering this interruption of its stream, runs with 

 a considerable inclination, till it reaches the lower 

 part of the great strath, where it meets the Tum- 

 mel, and takes its leave of the Highland levels, at 

 the vast opening into the low country, which it 

 has made for itself, through the mass of the moun- 

 tains, a few miles below Dunkeld. 



It is also worthy of observation, that the direc- 

 tion and dip of the primitive strata are sometimes 

 found to vary a little, as we advance from the Pass 

 of Leny, into the interior of the Highlands. This 

 however, is only an effect of local circumstances. 

 The general line of inclination and direction * re- 

 mains uniform \ but, in particular places, there is 



