us beyond the gates, and apologized that, at fo late an hour, the rules of a garrifon fuffered him to give us entrance only at the postern.

FORT AUGUSTUS.

In the morning we viewed the fort, which is much less than that of St. George, and is faid to be commanded by the neighbouring hills. It was not long ago taken by the Highlanders, But its fituation feems well chofen for pleafure, if not for ftrength; it ftands at the head of the lake, and, by a floop of fixty tons, is fupplied from Inverness with great convenience.

We were now to cross the Highlands towards the western coast, and to content ourselves with such accommodations, as a way fo little frequented could afford, The journey was not formidable, for it was but of two days, very unequally divided, because the only house where we could be entertained, was not further off than a third of the way. We foon came to a high hill, which we mounted by a military road, cut in traverses, fo that as we went upon a higher ftage, we saw the baggage following us below in a contrary direction. To make this way, the rock has been hewn to a level, with labour that might have broken the perfeverance of a Roman legion,

The country is totally denuded of its wood, but the stumps both of oaks and firs, which are still found, fhew that it has been once a forest of large timber. I do not remember that we saw any animals, but we were told that, in the mountains, there are ftags, roe、 bucks, goats, and rabbits.

R 4

We

We did not perceive that this tract was poffeffed by human beings, except that once we faw a corn-field, in which a lady was walking with fome gentlemen. Their house was certainly at no great distance, but so fituated that we could not defcry it.

Paffing on through the drearinefs of folitude, we found a party of foldiers from the fort, working on the road, under the fuperintendence of a ferjeant, We told them how kindly we had been treated at the garrifon, and as we were enjoying the benefit of their labours, begged leave to fhew our gratitude by a small present.

A NOCH.

Early in the afternoon we came to Anoch, a vil lage in Glenmollison of three huts, one of which is distinguished by a chimney. Here we were to dine and lodge, and were conducted through the first room, that had the chimney, into another lighted by afmall glass window. The landlord attended us with great civility, and told us what he could give us to eat and drink. I found fome books on a shelf, among which were a volume or more of Prideaux's Connections

This I mentioned as fomething unexpected, and perceived that I did not please him. I praised the propriety of his language, and was anfwered that I need not wonder, for he had learned it by grammar.

By fubfequent opportunities of obfervation İ found that my hoft's diction had nothing peculiar. Thofe Highlanders that can speak English, commonly speak it well, with few of the words, and little of the tone by which a Scotchman is distinguished.

Their language feems to have been learned in the army or the navy, or by fome communication with those who could give them good examples of accent and pronunciation. By their, Lowland neighbours they would not willingly be taught; for they have long confidered them as a mean and degenerate race. These prejudices are wearing faft away; but fo much of them ftill remains, that when I asked a very learned minister in the islands, which they confidered as their most favage clans: "Thofe, faid he, that live next "the Lowlands."

the day, we had time The houfe was built but the part in which

As we came hither early in fufficient to survey the place. like other huts, of loose ftones; we dined and slept was lined with turf and wattled with twigs, which kept the earth from falling. Near it was a garden of turnips, and a field of potatoes. It ftands in a glen, or valley, pleafantly watered by a winding river. But this country, however it may delight the gazer or amuse the naturalift, is of no great advantage to its owners. Our landlord told us of a gentleman who poffeffes lands, eighteen Scotch miles in length, and three in breadth; a space containing at leaft a hundred fquare English miles. He has raised his rents, to the danger of depopulating his farms, and he fells his timber, and by exerting every art of augmentation, has obtained a yearly revenue of four hundred pounds, which for a hundred fquare miles is three halfpence an acre.

Some time after dinner we were furprized by the entrance of a young woman, not inelegant either in mien or drefs, who afked us whether we would have

tea.

tea. We found that he was the daughter of our hoft, and défired her to make it. Her conversation, like her appearance, was gentle and pleafing. We knew that the girls of the Highlands are all gentle, women, and treated her with great respect, which she received as customary and due, and was neither elated by it, nor confused, but repaid my civilities without embarrassment, and told me how much I honoured her country by coming to furvey it.

She had been at Inverness to gain the common fe male qualifications, and had, like her father, the English pronunciation. I prefented her with a book, which I happened to have about me, and should not be pleased to think that the forgets me.

In the evening the foldiers, whom we had paffed on the road, came to spend at our inn the little money that we had given them. They had the true military impatience of coin in their pockets, and had marched at least fix miles to find the first place where liquor could be bought. Having never been before in a place fo wild and unfrequented, I was glad of their arrival, because I knew that we had made them friends, and to gain ftill more of their good-will, we went to them where they were carousing in the barn, and added fomething to our former gift. All that we gave was not much, but it detained them in the barn, either merry or quarrelling, the whole night, and in the morning they went back to their work, with great indignation at the bad qualities of whisky.

We had gained fo much the favour of our hoft, that, when we left his houfe in the morning, he walked by us a great way, and entertained us with

converfation

converfation both on his own condition, and that of the country. His life feemed to be merely paftoral, except that he differed from fome of the ancient Nomades in having a fettled dwelling. His wealth confifts of one hundred fheep, as many goats, twelve milkcows, and twenty-eight beeves ready for the drover.

From him we first heard of the general diffatif. faction which is now driving the Highlanders into the other hemifphere; and when I afked him whether they would ftay at home, if they were well treated, he answered with indignation, that no man willingly left his native country. Of the farm, which he himself occupied, the rent had, in twentyfive years, been advanced from five to twenty pounds, which he found himfelf fo little able to pay that he would be glad to try his fortune in fome other place. Yet he owned the reasonableness of raifing the Highland rents in a certain degree, and declared himself willing to pay ten pounds for the ground which he had formerly had for five.

Our hoft having amufed us for a time, refigned us to our guides. The journey of this day was long, not that the diftance was great, but that the way was difficult. We were now in the bosom of the Highlands, with full leifure to contemplate the appearance and properties of mountainous regions, fuch as have been, in many countries, the laft fhelters of national diftrefs, and are every where the scenes of adventures, ftratagems, furprizes, and escapes.

Mountainous countries are not paffed but with difficulty, not merely from the labour of climbing;

for