386 Mnj or- General Roy’s Account of the 
prefled, by his Royal Highnefs the late Duke of Cumberland, at 
the battle of Culloden in the following year, convinced Go- 
vernment of what infinite importance it would be to the State, 
that a country, fo very inacceffible by nature, ihould be tho- 
roughly explored and laid open, by eftablifhing military pofts 
in its inmoft recefles, and carrying roads of communication to 
its remoteh parts. With a view to the commencement of 
arrangements of this fort, a body of infantry was encamped at 
Fort Auguftus in 1747, under the command of the late Lord 
Blakeney, at that time a Major-General ; at which camp my 
much refpedted friend, the late Lieutenant-General Watson, 
then Deputy Quarter-Mafter-General in North Britain, was 
officially employed. This officer, being himfelf an engi- 
neer, adtive and indefatigable, a zealous promoter of every 
ufeful undertaking, and the warm and heady friend of the in- 
duhrious, flrh conceived the idea of making a map of the High- 
lands. As afliftant Quarter-Maher, it fell to my lot to begin, and 
afterwards to have a confiderable fhare in, the execution of that 
map ; which being undertaken under the aufpices of the Duke 
of Cumberland, and meant at firh to be confined to the 
Highlands only, was neverthelefs at lah extended to the Low- 
lands ; and thus made general in what related to the mainland 
of Scotland, the iflands (excepting fome lefler ones near the 
coah) not having been furveyed. 
Although this work, which is hill in manufcript, and in an 
unfiniffied hate, poflefies confiderable merit, and perfe&ly an- 
fwered the purpofe for which it was originally intended ; yet, 
having been carried on with inhruments of the common, or 
even inferior kind, and the fum annually allowed for it being 
inadequate to the execution of fo great a defign in the beh 
manner, it is rather to be confidered as a magnificent military 
a iketch, 
