C0RRIAR1CH and GLEN-ISSHJA. 
A YOUNG Lady of confiderable tafte and fenfibility, who paffed over the im- 
menfe mountain Corriarich , on her way from Fort Augujlus to Badmoch, and 
thence vifited Glcv-ifhia, has written a very animated defcription of the journey ; and 
though her letter abounds with more local delineation, and freer Tallies of a lively ima- 
gination than has been indulged, or perhaps was attainable in thefe memoirs ; yet it 
feems to form fo 1'uitable an accompanyment to the romantic view of the annexed 
Plate, that it is chofen to fupply the place of any other account of it that might be 
attempted. 
“ We underftood that our way fouthward towards the Athol mountains and Dun- 
keld, was only to be found by crofting the enormous aggregate of hills, called Corria- 
rieh ; the winding afcent unto the fummit is faid to be not lei's than nine miles ; it tow- 
ered before us indeed, a prodigious height into the Ikv. 
" On this bold enterprize, we fet out with the earlieft morn ; the fun (hone through 
the fogs of the lake,* and enlightening the rugged brows of the mountain, feemed to 
invite us to thefe higher regions, and a purer fky. 
“ We afcended for about an hour and half, by various windings on many a hill, 
and in pafling, looked down into feveral gloomy glens; they were bordered with 
cheerlefs groves of decaying trees, and in their dark receffes the torrents of the 
mountains held a perpetual roar. Some of thefe glens feemed to defeend to an im- 
meafurable depth, and became refolved into difmal gtilphs ; one flniddered to look 
down into the horrible abyfs, as into regions of lafting darknefs, where the fun beams * 
had never Ihone — Some of the gentler declivities of the mountains however, formed 
a kind of open valleys, which wateredby gentler ft reams, were cloathed with frefh 
verdure, and gave a more chearful appearance to the tra&s of parched heath, and 
grey tops of the projefting rocks by which they were feparated. Looking round the 
valt tract of mountainous defert, obfervable from the eminence which we had gained; 
I was not a little pleafed, to obferve a hamlet at the foot of a valt cliff, which pro- 
tefiledit from the North. Even when there is variety of grandeur in the profpebt, the 
imagination is foon tired with afeene totally void of inhabitants : the humbleft cot- 
tage affords the idea offome foci al comfort. On a bench offods near the door of one, 
fat an elderly man, but apparently frefh and vigorous; his countenance would have 
paffed for the prime of life, had not his grey hairs indicated its decline. His one arm 
held a ftately goat, which he regarded with apparent affefition; others of the flock, 
were gathering near, evidently wifhing to (hare in his attention. — In more favourable 
climates, where fhepherds fed their flocks in richer paftures, and found their opulence 
increafe with their profperity ; vie have heard much of their tender attachment towards 
them. But I did not expeft to fee fo much of the paftoral life, in thefe bleak and dreary 
regions. While intent on other interefting circumftances of the hamlet, in this fo ex- 
alted and folitary fituation, I was furprized with the wild mufic of a plaintive fong, ut- 
tered in a clear melodious voice, which commanded a mournfu. attention, and turning 
round, obferved a young damfel in the entrance of a thicket, carelefsly leaning her 
fhoulder againft a tree ; in her hand fire held a broken bough, which at times fup- 
ported her arm, or was waved in air in artlefs attitudes which varied with the fong. 
“ Her head and arms were bare; her black- locks waved in the wind; over her 
fhoulders hung the corner of a plaid, which feemed fligbtly bound about her waift ; the 
whole figure was not ungraceful, but full of wildnefs and rude as the furrounding hills. 
“ There are fongs of tender melancholy, which feem at unifon with the enjoyment 
of rural feenes ; but this was widely different, feemed full of lamentation, of forrows 
irremediably fevere, or broken with few intervals of joy : perhaps was a too faithful 
exprefiion of the dreary viciflirudes of the lot in life to which fhe was configned, and 
of the gloomy grandeur of the feenery to which fhe was innured. Such fituations muff 
unavoidably diffufe a geneial gloom over the fancy, and greatly cloud the finer 
affe&ions of the heart. 
* Lock-Nets 
H h 
The 
