of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



221 



enter the loch from the westward ; one of these issues from a deep, gloomy 

 ravine or canon, which terminates abruptly in bold headlands. The loch 

 is shallow at its extreme upper or east end, and there is a considerable 

 extent of nearly level marsh and meadow land that has probably been 

 formed by the silting up of this part of the loch. The length of Loch 

 Morar, as shown on the 'one-inch ' Ordnance Survey Map, is a little over 

 11 \ statute miles, but in the Spoilsman's Guide it is stated to be 'about 

 ' 14 miles long ; ' * the narrowest part (about 3|- furlongs) is near the east 

 end, at Sron an Drutain, and the greatest width (1 mile 4f furlongs) is at 

 the west end, near Bracorina. Several streams flow into the loch along 

 both the north and south sides : the largest is the River Meoble, formed 

 by the overflow waters of Loch Beoraid (a small loch about 3 miles south 

 of Loch Morar), and augmented by several rivulets in its course north- 

 wards, to where it falls into Loch Morar, near Camas Luinge, nearly 

 opposite, but a little west of, South Tarbet Bay. The overflow waters of 

 Loch Morar form the River Morar, which, flowing from the west end, 

 and after a tortuous course of about If miles, falls into the Atlantic. The 

 normal height of Loch Morar is about 31 feet above sea-level, but the 

 height varies considerably according as the season may be wet or dry. 



' Loch Morar belongs to Lord Lovat, Mr J. A. Macdonald of Glenala- 

 ' dale, Mrs Campbell of Callert, and Mrs Nicholson of Arisaig and Morar ; 

 ' it contains salmon, sea-trout, and loch-trout in great abundance, and yields 

 ' good sport to the angler. The loch fishes well all the summer months, 

 ' but salmon never rise well.' f It may be remarked here, by way of com- 

 parison, that angling for salmon in Loch Ness — also a deep loch — is 

 usually not very successful, though these fish abound in that loch also. 



Depth of Loch Morar. 



Loch Morar was sounded at four different places, as near as possible in 

 mid-channel, and here referred to as Stations I., II., III., and IV. The 

 extreme upper end of the loch is shallow, but, proceeding westward from 

 the head of the loch, the depth rapidly increases, so that at Station I. 

 (about 7 furlongs from the head of the loch) the sounding-lead touched 

 bottom at a depth of 59-§ fathoms (358 feet); the depth continued still 

 further to increase, so that at Station II., a little over a mile from 

 Station I. s the sounding-lead touched bottom at 100 fathoms (600 feet). 

 At Station III. (a little west of Aron Mhor, or a little over 3| miles from 

 the head of the loch) we obtained 103| fathoms (622 feet) ; the bottom at 

 Stations I. to III. appeared to be rock or gravel. Three soundings were 

 taken in the vicinity of Station IV. (about 3 furlongs west of South Tarbet 

 Bay). The first was with the dredge, which touched bottom, — the line 

 being straight up and down, — at 170 fathoms (1020 feet) ; when hauled 

 up the dredge-bag contained a quantity of fine mud. The second sounding 

 was taken with the sounding-lead (with reversing thermometers attached) ; 

 the bottom was touched at 156f fathoms (941 feet). The third sounding 

 was taken with the self-locking water-bottle, let down for a sample of 

 bottom water, and which when hauled up contained a mixture of water 

 and impalpable mud; the water-bottle touched bottom at 145 fathoms 

 (870 feet). The difference in depth shown by these three separate 

 soundings may, I think, be easily accounted for, in this way : the distance 

 of Station IV. from either side of the loch, opposite to where the soundings 

 were taken, is under half a mile ; the sides must therefore dip rapidly 

 downward to form a deep, precipitous, sub-aqueous ravine. The drifting 

 of the boat, though but for a short distance, by winds or currents during 

 the time intervening between the one sounding and the other, would thus 

 * Loc, cit.\ + Loc. ciU 



P 



