Inverfarigaig All who are up the Canal should see this grand sight which the late Professor Wilson has declared "the most magnificent in Britain.” On the opposite side of Loch Ness is " Mealfourvonie," a mountain of considerable height (2,400 feet), rising from a round base to a domelike summit. Divach Burn, which empties itself into Loch Ness near Urquhart Castle, rushes down the northern side of the mountain, traverses a deep, romantic glen, and makes there an enormous leap, which, in times of heavy rain, may advantageously compare with the lower Fall of Foyers. On the side of this mountain there is a small tarn from which issues a stream called, "Ault Suidhe," or "The Resting Burn," which in the early years of the seventeenth century was connected with a terrible tragedy. There having been a feud between the Macdonnells of Glengarry and the Mackenzies of Ross-shire, a party of the Macdonnells of Glengarry crossed the hills to Beauly, and burned the Church of "Cill-a-Chriosd," in which was a congregation of Mackenzies. In the pursuit that followed, the leader of the Macdonnells sprang across a chasm of the "Ault Suidhe." An adventurous Mackenzie leaped after him, but fell short, and hung by the branch of a tree which he had grasped. Macdonnell turned, cut the branch with his knife, and the unfortunate Mackenzie dropped into the gulf, and was killed. The pibroch composed by Macdonnell's piper, while "Cill-a-Chriosd" was burning, is still known by the name of the church. Two miles further on the steamer touches at Inverfarigaig Pier, near to which is the pass of that name, an opening very little broader than the roadway which runs through it. It is one of the most romantic gorges in this part of Scotland. Both sides are covered with wood, except where the bald-headed Black Rock rises like a weather-beaten guardian of the pass. The summit of this rock was in ancient times the site of a vitrified fort, called Dun Jardil. A distinguished geologist, Dr. James Bryce, of Edinburgh, was, in July, 1877, killed by a fall of rock while examining the strata in this pass. A memorial stone, pointing out the spot where the accident occurred, has since been erected by geological friends. Further on, near Drumnadrochit, stands the hoary ruin of Urquhart Castle, besieged by Edward First when trying to subdue Scotland. It is a very fine ruin, and must have been a place of great strength, reminding one of the poet's words "Time has made beautiful that which at first Temple Pier, was only terrible.” Glen Urquhart, which opens up Urquhart above this castle, belongs to the Earl of Seafield, and in it is his own residence of Balmacaan. The beauties of Glen Urquhart have been often celebrated. The painter, Phillip, had a cottage here, situated near the fine falls of Dhivach. A comfortable and wellkept hotel at Drumnadrochit forms a favourite summer resort. On the occasion of a visit in the autumn of 1860, the late Shirley Brooks contributed a letter to Punch, which helped to make the spot famous. "The inn," he wrote, "whence these lines are dated, faces a scene which, happily, is not too often to be observed in this planet. I say happily, sir, because we are all perfectly well aware that this world is a Vale of Tears, in which it is our duty to mortify ourselves, and make everybody else as uncomfortable as possible. If there were many places like Drumnadrochit, persons would be in fearful danger of forgetting that they ought to be miserable." inn has been often noticed in print, and always with commendation. The following verses are from an old "visitors' book": : Stop, Traveller! with well pack'd bag, And hasten to unlock it; You'll ne'er regret it, tho' you lag Stop, Angler! with your rod and creel, Stop, Artist! with your sketching-book, At Urquhart Castle ye should look- Stop, every one! who would combine, The The Right Hon. John Bright writes as follows :— "In Highland glens 'tis far too oft observed, Here, deer and grouse have not supplanted men. Shirley Brooks, before quoted, and his friend, John Phillip, made frequent excursions from Drumnadrochit up through Glen Urquhart to Corrimony, and across the hill to Glenaffric, which is described as "a glen of the most exquisite beauty, and on the road may be seen every variety of Highland scenery, rich and wooded, wild and bleak, and a fierce, grim cataract (the Dog Falls), worth coming any distance to see." This excursion is often extended to Strathglass, and tourists wishing to vary their route a little, and having time to spare, may find their way down past Struy, the Dreim, and Falls of Kilmorack, to Beauly Station, on the Highland Railway-10 miles distant from Inverness. Four miles from Temple Pier the steamer passes Abriachan Abriachan, where a pier has recently been erected. It is a pretty little spot, with a steep slope partially wooded, and a rural hamlet perched on a grassy eminence. The stream here has a picturesque channel, leaping down by a series of steps to find its repose in Loch Ness. A curious old burying ground lies close at hand-a grassy space in the midst of the copse, looking down upon the lake. In the centre is a rude square enclosure of stakes and branches, forming what seems a family buryingplace. An interesting object may be observed just outside this enclosure; two flat stones lie together, one quite plain, the other adorned with a decorated cross of very tasteful workmanship, belonging apparently to a pre-Reformation period. At the foot of the cross is the outline of a shears, probably of more recent date; and the supposition is that the stone has been brought from the tomb of some Templar in connection with old Urquhart Castle. Another interesting object is a stone with a round hole in the centre, which goes by the name of a baptismal font. According to legend, St. Columba from this font baptized the heathen Caledonians of the surrounding country. The font is said to be always filled with water, even in the driest weather. A Chapel is also said to have stood near the burying-ground. On the north-eastern extremity of Loch Ness is Aldourie, in the old baronial style, the residence of Aldourie Edward G. Fraser Tytler, Esq., a lovely spot, and a house that has nothing to jar on the eye that loves the beautiful. It was the birth-place of Sir James Mackintosh, the philosopher, statesman, and historian. On the opposite side, Dochfour House, a fine modern building in the Italian style, the seat of Evan Baillie, Esq., is next seen. A little further on is the source of the river Ness, and about half a mile beyond it, is Dochgarroch Lock. About three miles from Dochgarroch is Tomnahurich, a singularly shaped hill, rising from a level plain. Its summit is reached by a zig-zag road up through the trees that cover its sides, and on the top is the "City of the Dead," one of the most delightful places one could imagine for resting after "life's fitful fever" is over. The hill has a striking resemblance to a ship turned keel uppermost, and no visitor should miss seeing this old place, where it is said the prophet bard, Thomas of Ercildoune, is buried—indeed, tradition says the hill was piled over his remains—a tomb as eternal, and almost as great, as the pyramid built over the bones of Cheops. There are many legends about this hill, which is said to have been a favourite haunt of fairies, when fairies there were. In a few minutes after passing Tomnahurich the steamer arrives at her destination. On a fine evening when the sun is going down, the view of Inverness and its surroundings from this point is lovely-the Castle on its elevated site looking quite picturesque, and the broad clear river winding its way to the sea; the hills in the background gay with purple heath and green ferns, look beautiful in the mellow light. In the distance the wooded braes of the "Black Isle" have a charming effect, whilst the Moray Firth shines like a sheet of silver all the way down to Fort George. Cabs and omnibuses from the different hotels await the steamer's arrival at Muir- Inverness town (the landing place for Inverness), and passengers will find plenty of good accommodation in the town, Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, is a town with a population of about 18,000. It is an ancient burgh, having received in the twelfth century a charter from William the Lion. The situation is extremely interesting. The greater part of the town-the business part― occupies the flat on both sides of the river, but new streets and numerous villas stretch along the terrace, which rises above the valley. The Castle hill is the most accessible point from which a view can be obtained, and a very fine view it is, stretching from Mealfourvonie, at Loch Ness, to Ben Wyvis, in Ross-shire, and taking in, a diversified scene of hill and valley, river, firth, and woodland. The wooded hill which terminates the slope opposite the Castle hill is Craig Phadrick, well known to the antiquarian as having on its summit the remains of a vitrified fort, and where Hugh Miller made some of his earliest discoveries in Geology. In the town itself the visitor will observe the new Town Hall, recently erected at a cost of £12,000, and opened in January, 1882, by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. The building originated in a bequest of £5,000, left by a neighbouring proprietor, the late Mr. Grant, of Bught. In front of the Town Hall stands a very handsome Fountain, the gift of an old Invernessian (the late Dr. Forbes), and in its foundation is embedded the old "Clach-na-cuddin Stone," from which, in days gone by, all public proclamations were made. Union Street is generally admired for its regular and lofty buildings; and the railway station, with the hotel on one side, and suite of offices on the other, form a fine block. Four miles from Inverness is the battle field of Culloden, where the Stuart cause was finally crushed, in 1746. Professor Blackie says he has seen most of the fair cities of Europe, besides the finest in Africa, and one of the finest in Asia, and has always felt that, making allowance for its smaller proportions, Inverness may hold its ground against the best of them, and is in many of its most striking features superior to the great majority. "Such a happy combination of sea and land beauties, so much central culture with such an amplitude of wild environment, is very seldom to be found, not to mention the fresh breeziness, and comparative mildness and proved salubrity of the |