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lake, and waste, could be seen with such striking and sometimes awful effect. Immense tracts of land are devoted to the pasturage of sheep. It has been estimated that Inverness-shire alone (next to Argyleshire the greatest sheep rearing county in Scotland), contains 1,200,000 imperial acres of sheep walks. The Inverness sheep fair, held annually in June, is one of the most important in Scotland, and has this peculiarity, that the sheep are valued by the reputation of the districts in which they are bred.

Deer-forests and grouse shootings are also very extensive in these counties, and most of them are celebrated both for the quality and quantity of the game.

BLAIR-ATHOLL TO INVERNESS BY COACH.

This is one of the few remaining roads still traversed by a good four-horse coach

The tourist at first passes through a wild alpine territory, and proceeding along the banks of the Garry, at the distance of ten miles and a half, reaches the inn of Dalnacardoch.* The country between Dalnacardoch and Dalwhinnie (thirteen miles), presents a most desolate and cheerless aspect. Half way there are two mountains, named the Badenoch Boar and the Atholl Sow, at which the mountain streams part in opposite directions, some running eastward to join the Truim and the Spey, while others fall into the Tay. This spot is the proper separation between the counties of Inverness and Perth. The savage pass

through the Grampians between Dalnacardoch and Dalwhinnie is called Drumouchter. The inn of Dalwhinnie is surrounded by a larch plantation, the only green and pleasing object on which the eye can rest for many miles around. It is situated at the distance of about a mile from the head of Loch Ericht, on the west side of which is the mountain Ben-auler. (A road parts off from this by Laggan and

* Dalnacardoch to Kingussie.-A pretty walk and a considerable saving of distance to the pedestrian may be obtained by striking straight northwards from Dalnacardoch across the hills, and following, after the watershed is crossed, a stream which forms three beautiful lochs in succession, until the road finally emerges by Ruthven Barracks. Distance about 25 miles.

Spean Bridge, towards the Caledonian Canal. As a military way, it formerly was continued from the east end of Loch Laggan by Garviemore, over the difficult hill of Corryiarrick to Fort-Augustus). Leaving Dalwhinnie, at the distance of six miles the post road crosses the Truim, and four miles further crosses the Spey. At Invernahavon, near the junction of these rivers, a celebrated clan battle was fought in the reign of James I. between the Mackintoshes and Camerons. Glen Truim was the property of the late Col. M'Pherson. The mountains which skirt the road on both sides are bleak and bare, and dull and uninteresting in their forms. Passing the village of Newton of Benchar,* commenced not long since by the late Mr. M'Pherson of Belleville, the tourist reaches the farm-house of Pitmain, where he will enjoy an extensive view of the valley of the Spey, and of the high black rock of Craig Dhu, the rendezvous of the M'Phersons. Badenoch (the district name of this part of Inverness-shire) was anciently the possession of the great family of the Comyns, who ruled here during the reigns of the early Scottish sovereigns. The remains of many of their numerous fortresses are still visible. The vast possessions of this family were forfeited on account of the part which they took in the wars between Bruce and Baliol. Badenoch now belongs to various proprietors, the principal of whom are James Evan Baillie, Esq., of Kingussie and Glenelg (now owner of the greater part of the old Gordon estates), Cluny Macpherson, Sir John Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch, and Mackintosh of Mackintosh.

Kingussie inn and village are a mile beyond Pitmain. The inn is a handsome new building erected by Mr. Baillie, opposite to which, on the other side of the Spey, are the ruins of Ruthven Barracks, destroyed by the Highlanders in 1746. On the same mount once stood one of the castles of the Comyns. It was at this place that the Highlanders reassembled to the number of 8000 two days after their defeat at Culloden, and here they received from Prince Charles the order to disperse. About two miles distant, on * From Newton of Benchar the road to Fort-William by Loch Laggan strikes Here are relics of a Roman encampment, of which the lines are still dis

off.

cernible.

KINRARA-AVIEMORE INN.

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the north side of the Spey, is Belleville, the residence of Macpherson, the translator of Ossian, and a native of the district. He died here in 1796. The house stands on the site of the ancient castle of Raits, the principal stronghold of the Comyns. A little further on a view is obtained of Invereshie, the seat of Sir John Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch, on the south bank of the Spey of Loch Insh, through which the river passes, and of some of the highest of the Grampians.

Kinrara, the favourite seat of the late Duchess of Gordon, and now the property of the Duke of Richmond, is a short way beyond. The high rocky crag on the north banks of the Spey is Tor Alvie. On its eastern brow is a rustic hermitage, and at the other extremity of the ridge an enormous cairn of stones, on one side of which is a tablet with an inscription to the memory of the heroes of Waterloo. On the left of the landscape is Loch Alvie, with its neat manse and church. The scenery around Kinrara consists of a succession of birch forest, intermixed with open glades, irregular clumps, and scattered trees. The discordant characters of wild mountain landscape and of ornamental park scenery are thus combined, as at Taymouth and other extensive domains. Beyond Kinrara, on the right, are the great fir woods of Rothiemurchus (Sir J. P. Grant), supposed to cover from fourteen to sixteen square miles. The Spey here takes several majestic sweeps, and supplies a noble foreground to these forests.

Aviemore Inn (thirteen miles from Kingussie) is now reached, and the tourist enters Morayshire. Cairngorm, famous for a peculiar kind of rock crystals, rises immediately opposite to the inn.* The mountains on the left are extremely bare and rugged, but towards the west they terminate in the beautiful and bold projecting rock of Craig

The pedestrian may from this point scale the mountain pass on the east flank of Ben-muich-dhui, the rival of Ben Nevis, and proceed by Castleton of Braemar to Aberdeen or Perth. The journey to Castleton will occupy an entire day, and ought to be undertaken only by persons in robust health, and in no case without a guide. Those unequal to the fatigue of walking may engage ponies at Aviemore Inn, where a guide may also be obtained. The charge for the latter is 5s. per day, and the same sum for a pony. Of course it is indispensable that tourists should carry an ample supply of provisions along with them.