FORT AUGUSTUS. 
HIS fortrefs is fo remotely fituated, that it has not oeen vifited by many tra- 
vellers. The defcriptions which have been given of it are very general and 
very fhort. It is not indeed a fubjefl which admits of long detail ; and little more 
can be done, at prefent, than to recite the few obfervations made by previous wri- 
Fort Aitgujlus is feated on a plain at the head of the great lake called Loch Nefs, 
bordered on each fide by the rivers Taarf and Oich. The fort confilts of four baf- 
tions: the Governor’s houfe is within, and barracks for four hundred men. 
From an eminence near the fort, is a full view of the whole lake; for it is per- 
fectly ftreight, running from eaft to weft, with a point to the fouth. It is furrounded 
by a crowd of lofty mountains, great part of which is clothed with wood. This 
beautiful lake has a great refemblance to fome parts of the lake of Lucerne , efpe- 
cially towards the eaft end. 
Loch Nefs is fkreened on the north-weft by the great mountains of Urquhart and 
Meal/ourvony, and bordered with coppices of birch and oak. The adjacent hills are 
adorned with many extenfive forefts of pine, which afford fhelter to the cattle, and 
are the retreat of flags and deer. There is much cultivation and improvement on 
the banks of Loch Nefs, and the paflure grounds in the neighbouring valleys are ex- 
cellent. 
We enjoyed along its banks a mofl romantic and beautiful feenerv, generally in 
woods of birch or hazel, mixed with a few holly, whitethorn, afpin, afh and oak; 
but open enough, in all parts, to admit a fight of the water. Sometimes the road 
was ftreight for a confiderable diftance, and refembled a fine and regular avenue ; 
in other places, it wound about the fides of the hills which overhung the lake ; the 
road was frequently cut through the rock, which, on one fide, formed a folid wall, 
on the other, a fteep precipice. 
In many parts we were immerfed in woods; in others, they opened, and gave a 
view of the fides and tops of the vaft mountains foaring above ; fome of tbefe were 
naked, but in general covered with wood, except on the mere precipices, or where 
the grey rocks denied vegetation, or where the heath, glowing with purple blolToms, 
covered the furface. 
The form of thefe hills was very various and irregular, either broken into fre- 
quent precipices, or towering into rounded fummits cloathed with trees; yet not fo 
clofe but to admit a fight of the fky between them. Thus for many miles there was 
no pofiibility of cultivation ; yet this track was occupied by diminutive cattle, by 
fheep, or by goats : the laft were pied, and lived moft luxurioufly on the tender 
branches of the trees. 
The wild animals that pofTeffed this piflurefque feene were (lags and roes, black 
game and grous ; and on the fummits, white hare* and ptarmigans. Foxes are fo 
ters. 
numerous 
