Perthshire. The TAY is one of the most beautiful and considerable rivers in the Island, traversing this whole county, amidst the richest districts of the middle range of Scotland and forming of itself the principal ornament to some of the most romantic tracts in nature; its source is in one of the highest and wildest eminences in the western highlands, where the extremity of Perthshire borders on Argyleshire, from whence it rushes with singular velocity through the gloomy hollow of Glendochart; pursuing a north-east direction, it passes Killin, pleasantly situated on a neck of land, between the two points, where the placid. Lochy and the turbulent Tay strongly contrasting each other in character, form the great expanse of water called LOCH TAY, which is fifteen miles long and about one broad; lofty mountains surround this charming lake, encircling a wooded, populous, and well-cultivated district; two good roads pervade the whole, on eminences over-hanging each side of the water, and command every species of the sublime and beautiful in landscape; these scenes are varied happily by the three great bends of Loch Tay, the last of which discloses all the ornamented demesne of Tay-mouth, the Earl of Breadalbane's. Loch Tuy is in many places a hundred fathoms deep, and within as many yards of the shore, fiftyfour; until of late this Lake was supposed to be as incapable of freezing, as LOCH NESS, but about the twentieth of March 1771, so uncommon was the cold, that this vast body of water was frozen over, in one part, from side to side in a single night, and so strong was the Ice as greatly to damage a boat which was caught in it. LOCH TAY abounds with Pike, Perch, Eels, Salmon, Charr, and Trout, of the last some have been taken that weighed above thirty pounds. The Tay makes its exit from the Lake, through an elegant stone bridge of five arches at Kenmore, a village beautifully situated, and overlooking the Lake, and the river issuing from it. The LYON descending from Loch Lyon, in that division of Perthshire called Breadalbane, falls into the Tay below Fortingal. The TUMEL issues from Loch Rannoch, (which is about Eleven miles in length, and one in breadth, and in which are no other fish than Trouts, small Char, and Bull Trouts, which last, according to Mr. PENNANT, are sometimes taken four feet and a half long,) and after forming a small Lake, which bears its name, falls into the GARRY, which descends from the Mountains Eastward of Lock Ericht. It was on a part of this river at the pass of Killicrankie, that in 1746 a body of Hessians made a halt, and refused to march further, it appearing to them as the ne plus ultra of habitable country. The Garry, increased by the BRUAR and TILT from the northern Mountains, meets the Tay below the romantic (and of late, the much talked of) spot of Fascally. The Tay, afterwards joined by the river BRAAN coming from the hills east of Loch Tay, flows to Dunkeld, the venerable remains of whose Abbey present a fine object, close to the river, and in the midst of the Duke of Athol's numerous plantations and pleasure grounds, which cover more than a thousand acres. The Tay makes a considerable circuit to meet the ISLA from Angus. The ALMOND or AMMON from the Grampian hills, reaches the Tay nearly opposite to Scone, from whence it passes to Perth; and so beautiful is its approach to this town, that the Roman Legions burst into the exclamation of, Ecce Tyberim! From Perth the export of Salmon to London and the Mediterranean is extensive, three thousand Salmon have been caught in one morning, weighing one with another sixteen pounds a-piece; the whole capture being forty eight thousand pounds. The fishery begins on St. Andrews day, and ends August 26th Old Style; the rents of the fisheries amount to three thousand pounds a-year. Lock Earn is a beautiful lake, from which issues THE EARN, and between this lake and the village of Crieff, no fewer than five stone bridges are built across it. The course of the Earn is parallel with the Tay, through the fertile vale of Strathearn, until after a course of about thirty four miles, the two rivers join near Newburgh. Thus is formed that vast Estuary called the Firth of Tay, at the head of which is the flourishing Port of Dundee; this Firth narrows much as it approaches the sea, into which it falls beneath Broughty Castle. The Lakes in this County are very numerous, which as well as the rivers, present to the Angler ample sources of amusement. The Salmon, Trout, Whitlings, and variety of other fish are every where abundant. Renfrewshire. THE CLYDE (before mentioned) and its Estuary passing by Glasgow to the sea below Greenock, bounds this county on one side, the GRIEF and the DUCHAL, rising from the hills behind Port Glasgow, join their streams before reaching the town of Renfrew; the BLACK and WHITE CART, descending from the Southern and Eastern parts of the Shire after the Calder runs into the first, unite with the Grief before that river falls into the Clyde. Loch Winnoch is a beautiful water, about three miles in circuit, from which the Black Cart issues, the, White Cart passes the Village of Eaglesham, it next reaches Pollochshaws, near this place is Lang side hill, noted for the defeat of Queen MARY, after her escape from Loche Leven Castle in 1568, a little farther down the river, is Crookstone castle, the once favourite. retreat of the same Princess. Strangers are here shewn to this day, the inauspicious Yew, under whose shade, tradition says, she first commenced her fatal connection with her then beloved DARNLEY; this. river then flows to Paisley, which stands on its west side, and afterwards joins the Clyde. In these Waters the Trout, Perch, and other fish, will furnish a sufficient portion of entertainment to the lover of Angling. Koss. The BEAULEY, or BEWLEY, finds its source in the Lakes of Archieg and Maddy, in the most northern part of Inverness-shire, and shapes its course chiefly to the south-east until it constitutes the Firth of Beauley, which turning to the north-west contracts itself into a narrow strait opposite to the mouth of the Ness, the junction of these waters form the Murray Firth, which as it turns by the north-west round the points of Fortrose' and Fort George, divides Ross from Inverness-shire; the course of this river from its native mountains is singularly wild, until it reaches the district of Straithglass, where the river Glass joins it. The Beauley particularly abounds with Trout and Salmon. The fisheries are valuable, ' (that belonging to the Lovat estate rents at 1201. per ann.) and are farmed by a Berwick Company. The CONAN and ORRON descend from the west through woody banks, and uniting their streams meet the sea near Dingwall. The Orron rises in the mountains of this Shire, little north of the Beauley, and meeting other streams flowing from Loch Gillon and Loch Luichart, forms the beautiful Firth of Cromartie. Dingwall, the small capital of Ross-shire, is situate at the head of this fine bay, (which divides this county from Cromartie,) where the whole Navy of Great Britain might lie with ease, and ships of two hundred tons may sail up above two thirds of its length, which extends thirty miles from the Sutters of Cromartie, (which are two hills that form its entrance, projecting considerably into the water) to a small distance beyond Dingwall. Loch Maree, near eighteen miles long, and in some parts four broad, abounds with Salmon, Char, and large Trout. There are many other Lochs, which, as well as the rivers, will to the Angler supply much amusement. Many of the Lochs are properly inlets of the sea, where the fisheries are already productive, and promise to be highly improved. Roxburghshire. The TWEED (already noticed) enters this county at the mouth of the river Ettrick, and the richness and beauties of the valleys through which it flows, recal to the travellers' memory the old song, "How sweet are the Banks of the Tweed." The TIVIOT descends from the mountains in the south west angle of this shire, and passing nearly through the centre of it, after receiving many streams in its course, mixes its waters with the Tweed near Kelso; at which place, in 1797, a handsome stone bridge of six arches over the Tweed, below its confluence with the Tiviot, was swept away by their impetuous current. Jedburgh stands upon the west side of the river JED, above its junction with the Tiviot, opposite to their confluence, is placed the elegant villa of the Marquis of Lothian. The ALE is the only river that falls into the Tiviot from the north west. The Town of Hawick is situated at the mouth of the Slitridge, by which it is divided in 1767, by the bursting of a cloud upon the higher grounds, this river rose twenty-two feet, and swept away several houses so entirely, that not a vestige of them remained. The LIDDEL runs through the southern angle of the county, from thence called Liddisdale (chiefly employed in pasturage), is the only river in the shire that flows in that direction, and joins the Esk at Solway Moss. Dr. ARMSTRONG, a native of this pastoral district, in his Poem on the "Art of preserving Health," thus commemorates the Liddel: : -Unknown in song; tho' not a purer stream, Rolls toward the western main. Hail, sacred flood! May still thy hospitable swains be blest In rural innocence; thy mountains still 'Teem with the fleecy race; thy tuneful woods For ever flourish; and thy vales look gay With painted meadows, and the golden grain! The Angler that repairs to the waters of Roxburghshire will ever find them pay ample tribute to his skill. |