14 
yection, between Invernefs and Fort-Wil- 
liam; and for 22 miles of its extent, run- 
ning in the. line of the intended canal, was 
found, by Mr. Downie, to have from 106 
to 129 fathoms’ depth of water, in its 
middle parts: near its ends, 35, 75, or 
even lefs. Its fides are very fteep; with 
arife of 1 foot in height, to 14 foot, in 
breadth; only, inthe bays, from the fhore, 
till you come to 20 fathoms’ depth of 
water inwards, which is at 70 cr 80 fas 
thoms’ diftance from the land, the decli- 
vity is more gradual, It occurred to Mr. 
Downie, that, in the bays of this like, 
mooring-chains with buoys, would be 
more convenient than anchors, for fhips 
to ride by. The whole bottom of this 
Jake is foft, brownifh mud. The wind 
blows much oftener, right up or right 
down the lake, than in any other dire€lion. 
The fqualls feldom happen, unlefs when 
the wind blows directly acrofs it. The 
waves, when the wind blows. along the 
Jake, are fuch as might be formidable to 
fmall boats, might give confidcrable ma- . 
tion to thips of 100 tens, but.in a thip of 
goo tons would be {carcely perceptible. 
Loch Och, according to Mr. Downite’s 
farvey, is about 43 miles, fouth-we& from 
Loch Nefs, in the iame line of diretion ; 
in length, about 34 m.les ; in breadth, 
varying from 7; to }of a mile. The 
fhore immediateiy arouad this lake, is low; 
in fome parts rocky ; in others, meadow- 
land. Its boitom confifis of feveral deep 
hollows, feparated by fhoals, which ex- 
tend acrofs it. It is fo narrow, that, 
though fhigs may fail through it with a 
fair wind, they muit be tracked through 
it, as in acanal, when the wind is calm 
or adverfe. Its whole bottom is foft mud. 
Loch Lochy, almoft 2 miles weit from 
Lech Oich, lies within the fame range of 
mountains, On its fouth-fice, the moun. 
tains extend in one unbroken ridge, near- 
ly to the weftern end ; at which, it is di- 
vided by feveral vaies. Along the north- 
fide, are guliies and frightful precipices, 
to the valley of Arkeg, at the weft end. 
Out of this yale, the mver Arkeg flows 
into the lake, at the bottom of a fpacious 
bay. This Jake is about 104 miles long; 
its breadth varying from 3 of a mile, to 
13 mile. Its greateft depch is from 74 to 
76 fathoms. . At the ealt end is a flat, on 
waich the depth of water varies from 7 
fathoms at the beach, '0 15, 17, of 20 
fathoms near tts ocher ide. ‘“Fowards the 
weft end, the water fheals to 20 fathoms 
at tre bay of fas keg. The bay of Arkcg 
,affords, every where, good anchorage. 
1 
At the eait-end,.is a fasall harbour, natu- 
Account of the Caledonian Canal. 
( Auguft 1, 
rally complete, 200 fathoms long, from 
nerth to fouth; 150 wide, from eafi to 
weft, and admirably adapted to prote& 
the entrance into a canal. Mr. Downie’s 
furvey, by which thefe facts were afcer- 
tained, was begun on the 31ft of Auguit, 
and finifhed on or before the 14th of Sep 
tember, 1803. 
In the mean time, Mr. Telford pur- 
chafed timber, oatmeal, and implements 
of labour, to the value of £.3631 11 103, 
He made borings, and trial-pits, not only 
at each fhore, where the fea-locks and 
bafons are to be made, but alfo, at the 
diftance of every half-mile, nearly along 
the whole line of the canal. He opened a 
rubble-fione and a free-ftone quarry ; and 
found and proved lime-fione, at feveral 
convenient places. Sheds and turf-houfes 
were, ailo, erected, by his order, for the 
workmen employed on the bafons, at the 
two ends of the line, and for thofe who 
wrought at one of the fone. quarries. . He 
found, that fir and birch timber, the 
growth, of the country, was to be obtain. 
ed at, from ro pence, to 14 pence for every 
cubic foot, and was very fit for ufe in the 
works of the canal. 
At Corpach, cn Loch Eil, upon the 
Welftern-fea, he began the excavation and 
conftruction of a bafon, the works on 
which have been carried on through the 
winter with conftant diligence. At 
Clachnacarry, on the fhore of Loch Beau- 
ly, uvon the Eatte:n-fea, he alfo fet out 
a bafon, and commenced the neceflary 
works. The dimenfions of each of thefe 
bafns or docks, are 400 yards in length, 
and more than 70 yards in breadth. He 
employed on thefe works, 150 labourers, 
at 1s. and 6d. each, daily wages. He 
depofited in ftore, at Fort-W1lliam, in Sep- 
tember laft, goo bolis of oat-meal, weigh- 
ing each boll, r40lb. Evglith; out of 
which the workers have been fince regu- 
lary {upplied at prime caft. He provided, 
alic, three {mall boats, and two large 
barges, for the navigation, which would 
be neceJary on the Ine of the canal. He 
found, upon enquiry, for the fatis‘aétion 
of the commiffioners, that there was no 
infiance of wood-wo:ks, fuch as mult be 
conftructed at the entrance of the Moray- 
Frith, having been, on that coaft, injured 
by worms. s 
He found, that no new labours of im- 
portance would be required, to enhance 
the expence abcve what it had formerly 
been eft mated at; except the removal of 
a quantity of mud and gravel, to deepen 
the bottom of Loch Oich ; in fome places, 
a {mali change of the line of the canal, and 
' the 
