superb bridges over it, a very splendid addition. In front the Aray precipitates itself into that beautiful arm of the sea, called Loch Fyne, whose sheet of water near forty miles in length, and bounded on each side by bare and lofty mountains, grandly contrast the woods of Inverary. The average breadth of this Loch is not more than four miles, and its depth sixty or seventy fathoms; it receives and returns a tide on each side of the Isle of Arran, which sands directly opposite to its entrance; it is beautifully indented with bays, and surrounded with wellwooded hills from July to December its waters are filled with Herrings, which are of a superior quality, when it is crowded with fishing vessels. The fishers express in very strong language the quantities of Herrings, asserting that the Loch contains one part of water and two of fish. There are annually caught and cured in this arm of the sea upwards of 20,000 Barrels. In the Isle of Arran there are rivers abounding with Trout and Salmon; and there are in this county many small Lochs all full of fish. LOCH LEVEN, a magnificent sheet of water, very broad, but irregularly indented, is about twelve miles in circumference. Some Islands are dispersed in this great expanse of water; the most remarkable is that standing alone in the middle of the Lake, and distinguished by the captivity of MARY STUART, in June 1567: her escape was effected the May following, by the assistance of Young DOUGLAS, brother of the Governor of the Castle. Historians differ respecting the motive which influenced him: some attributing it to avarice, others to one more probable, of a ge

nerous passion for the QUEEN; which, considering her Charms, and the Youth of her deliverer, has the greatest appearance of truth. The castle, and the ruins of a building, where it is said this ill-fated Princess was lodged, still remain. Some trees are yet standing on this spot, probably coeval with MARY, under whose shade she may have sat, expecting her escape, which was at length effected by the enamoured DOUGLAS. Its present state has been thus described by one whom a premature fate alone prevented from arriving at high poetic excellence.

No more its arches echo to the noise

Of joy and festive mirth. No more the glance
Of blazing taper thro' its windows beams,

And quivers on the undulating wave:

But naked stand the melancholy walls,

Lash'd by the wintry tempests, cold and bleak,
That whistle mournful thro' the empty halls,
And piecemeal, crumble down the tow'rs to dust.
Equal in age, and sharers of its fate,

A row of moss-grown trees around it stand;
Scarce here and there, upon their blasted tops,
A shrivell'd leaf distinguishes the year.

BRUCE.

Loch Leven produces Pike, Perch, Trout of peculiar redness and excellence, and of about six pounds weight; of which great quantities are sent at certain seasons to the market of Edinburgh. There is also a species called the Gally Trout, which are only caught by the fishermen from October to January, and are split, salted, and dried for winter provision; by the description, Mr. PENNANT supposes them to be Charr, only of a size superior to any caught in

England or Wales; some being two feet and a half long. In the month of September great numbers of Eels are caught; they are then going down the stream of the Leven towards the sea, and nets are placed across the river during the night, wherein astonishing quantities are taken.

All the waters of this county hold out to the Angler an assurance of amusement, from their variety and great abundance of fish..

Banffshire.

THE SPEY is by far the most rapid river yet described; nothing can be imagined more desolate than the commencement of its course, as it tumbles in a succession of cataracts from the base of the vast mountain of the Coriaraich; a small lake of the same name in the centre of the rocks and precipices of the northern highlands of Inverness-shire for a time conceals its force; from whence, with various windings and an unparalleled velocity, it pursues a north-east direction. The Spey afterwards divides this county from that of Moray and Inverness, passing through the great Pine forests which encircle Castle Grant: long before it reaches the small town of Fochabers near its mouth, the Spey widens considerably, and, becoming navigable, transports the abundant Pines which clothe its hills; preserving, however, to the last, strong traits of its native rapidity. Its impetuosity after much rain, when swelled by the torrents from the neighbouring mountains, is almost beyond conception in 1768

this river overflowed the adjacent fields to a vast extent, swept off the corn, and tore up the trees; Salmon were found dashed among the rocks at a hundred yards distance from its channel. The extensive and magnificent territory of CASTLE GORDON is a new feature to the Spey, which, notwithstanding, is sometimes a dangerous neighbour from its furious inundations, and which render the bed of the river wide and full of gravel, and the channel very shifting. About three miles north of Fochabers, this river (after receiving numerous streams in the course of above seventy miles) empties itself into the sea at the village of Speymouth. From this river the Highland district of Strathspey is called, which is famous for its SOLDIERS, and for giving name to a very striking and popular species of SCOTTISH Music.

The Salmon Fishery on this river is very great; sufficient fish to fill seventeen hundred barrels are caught in the season, and the shore is rented for 1,200l. per annum.

In the south-west angle of the county rises the river AVEN or AAN, which, dividing part of Inverness from Banffshire, falls into the Spey at Inveraan. The DEVERON rises on the south side, and reaches the sea below Banff; and the UGIE, which runs on the south, divides this from Aberdeenshire.

These rivers, especially the Spey, produce Salmon and fine fish of various other sorts. The Aven abounds with Trout.

Berwickshire.

THE BLACK-ADDER has its source near the town of Greenlaw. The WHITE-ADDER descends from the north-eastern part of the county; these streams unite near the village of Chirnside, are then called the ADDER, and flow into the Tweed near Berwick. The small river EYE comes from the north-east, and terminates its short circular course at the port of Eyemouth.

The LAEDER (perhaps a corruption of LAUDER) flows along the east side of the town of Lauder; over which, as well as the Tweed, (which river it afterwards joins,) an elegant bridge is now built. The TWEED is a large beautiful river, partly bounding the county on the south, and reaching the sea below Berwick. All these streams contain great abundance of various kinds of fish.

Caithness.

THE river or water of THURSO gives name to the town of Thurso, which it passes on the west side, and descends into Dunnett Bay, at its south-west extremity. It rises from Loch More, a beautiful Lake in Halkirk Parish in Caithness. It abounds with Salmon, and is noted for a draught of that fish on the 23d of July O. S. 1743-4, when at ONE Haul there were caught Two thousand five hundred and sixty ordinary sized Salmon. The WICK, originating in the lake of Wattin, forms a fine bay beneath the