to be accounted for by the pressure of the Atlantic on the west shores of Scotland. The lonely little inn of Letter Findlay is the only house at first seen on Loch Lochy; but when the west end is nearly reached, the traveller discovers, in a recess on the right side, the house of Auchnacarrie, which was the residence of the gallant and unfortunate Locheil, before he entered upon the fatal campaign of 1745. The canal, after leaving this loch, descends in a precipitous series of locks, called Neptune's Staircase, into Loch Eil, a continuation of Loch Linnhe, the arm of the sea formerly mentioned.

At this point the glen is more spacious than anywhere else. It is, however, the spaciousness of a moor. The river Lochy, which issues from the lake of the same name, pours its voluminous and impetuous flood toward Loch Eil on the left; and beyond it Ben Nevis is seen to rear his enormous head, with the vale of Glen Nevis withdrawing from his mighty side into the solitudes of Lochaber. At the distance of little more than a mile is the town of Fort William, so called from a fortress of the same name built for the repression of Highland turbulence, and now nearly disused.

A cluster of glens to the south of the great Glen, is remarkable for a natural phenomenon, usually called the Parallel Roads of Glenroy, such being the name of the vale in which the wonder is most conspicuously marked. It consists of a set of terraces, in most places three in number, extending along both sides of these vales for many miles, the uppermost eighty-two feet above the second, which, again, is two hundred and twelve feet above the first. The common people represent these terraces as roads formed at the command of Fingal, an early hero, for his convenience in hunting; but they are in reality ancient beaches of inland seas, raised into their present position by successive upheavals of the land-phenomena with which modern geologists are familiar.

WESTERN ISLANDS.

The Western Islands are generally bleak and rugged in surface, and occupied by a very poor class of tenantry. In some of them, particularly Skye and Eigg, the scenery attains to a savage grandeur. It is not possible here to present a particular description of any besides the isle of Staffa, so remarkable for its basaltic structure. It is about a mile and a half in circumference, and bears no human habitation, its only useful tenants being a small herd of black cattle. At the point of greatest elevation, toward the southwest, this island is one hundred and forty-four feet high. On the northeast it presents a face of somewhat less height, composed of basaltic columns, and penetrated by several caves of various sizes, into which the sea occasionally breaks with the report of thunder. This face, according to Dr. M'Culloch, is formed of three distinct beds of rock, of unequal thickness, inclined toward the east in an angle of about nine degrees: the lowest is a rude trap tufa; the middle one is divided into columns placed vertically to the planes of the lowest bed; and the uppermost is an irregular mixture of small columns and shapeless rock-the whole being partially covered by a fine verdure. The central columnar part having in some places given way, is the occasion of the numerous caves by which the island seems perforated.

At the northeast point of the island, the dipping of the rocks is so low as to afford a safe landing-place at any time of the tide. Proceeding thence, the visiter is conducted along the northeast face, and is introduced to the Clamshell (Scallop) cave, where a curious confusion in the columnar structure is observable. The columns on one side are bent, so as to form a series of ribs not unlike the inside view of the timbers of a ship, while the opposite wall is formed by the ends of columns, bearing a general resemblance to the surface of a honeycomb. This cave is thirty feet in height, and sixteen or eighteen in breadth at the entrance; its length being one hundred and thirty feet, and the breadth contracting to the termination. Next occurs the noted rock Buachaille (the herdsman), a conoidal pile of columns, about thirty feet high, lying on a bed of curved horizontal ones, visible only at low water. There is here an extensive surface, resembling that of the Giant's Causeway, and composed of the broken ends of pillars once continuous to the top of the cliff. The colonnade is now for some distance upright and very grand, till the visiter reaches the Uaimh Binn (Musical cave), usually called Fingal's cave, by far the most impressive and interesting object in the island. It opens from the sea with a breadth of forty-two

feet, a height of sixty-six feet above the water at mean tide, the pillar on one side being thirty-six feet high, and that on the other eighteen. The depth of the recess is two hundred and twenty-seven feet, and the breadth at the inner termination twenty-two. The sides within are columnar throughout; the columns being broken and grouped in many different ways, so as to catch a variety of direct and reflected tints, mixed with secondary shadows and deep invisible recesses. As the sea never ebbs entirely out, the only floor of this beautiful cave is the fine green water, reflecting from its white bottom tints which vary and harmonize the darker tones of the rock, and often throwing on the columns flickering lights, which its undulations catch from the rays of the sun without.

CHAPTER XLIII.

ANTIQUITIES.

THERE are in Scotland, and particularly in the district between the Firth of Tay and Moray Firth, numerous mounds, upright slab stones, and carved stones, which are supposed to have been raised as monuments over slain warriors by the early inhabitants of the country, or by the Danes or other northern nations who occasionally invaded it in remote times. The most remarkable examples of mounds are two at Dunnipace, on the Carron, in Stirlingshire, and one at Fettercairn, in Kincardineshire.

A distinct class of mounds, called moot or moat hills, are common in the southwestern and several other districts. They are generally of a square form, with a flat top. It is believed that they served as places for the administration of justice in rude ages.

Of the carved stones a remarkable example is termed Sueno's pillar. This curious and interesting stone, of which the accompanying engraving gives a correct representation, is situated at a short distance from the town of Forres, in the county of Elgin. It is only a few yards off the road leading from Elgin to Inverness. It is admitted on all hands to be the most singular monument of the kind in Great Britain, perhaps in Europe. Many of our most distinguished antiquarians are indeed of opinion that it has no parallel in any country, Egypt excepted. It is cut out of a large block of granite stone of the hardest kind to be found in Scotland. In height it measures twenty-five feet, and in breadth, near its base, nearly four feet. It is divided into seven departments. It is sculptured on both sides; but that which looks in an eastern direction is by far the most interesting, not only because it is more crowded with figures than the other, but because those figures are executed in such a manner as shows that those by whose instructions it was erected, regarded it as that which would chiefly perpetuate whatever occurrence it was intended to record. The highest department of the obelisk contains representations of nine horses, each having a rider, who is apparently rejoicing at the accomplishment of some important object, most probably of some great victory which has been gained. The figures on this division of the stone are more defaced by time than those on the other divisions, but are still sufficiently distinct to prevent any mistake as to what they are. In the next department appear a number of men all in a warlike attitude. Some of them are brandishing their weapons, while others, as if exulting at some joyful event, are represented as holding their shields on high. Others, again, are in the act of joining hands, either as if mutually congratulating each other, or as a pledge of reciprocal encouragement and assistance. In the centre of the next line of figures appear two warriors, who seemingly are either making preparations for, or are already engaged in single combat, while their respective friends are witnessing the conflict with the liveliest interest. Next we have a group of figures witnessing one of their number beheading, in cold blood, the prisoners who had been taken in war. Close by is a

kind of canopy, which covers the heads of those who have been executed. This canopy is guarded by men each bearing a halberd. A number of dead bodies are lying on one side. Next are trumpeters blowing their trumpets, in testimony, no doubt, of the triumph which has been obtained by the parties, to commemorate whose deeds the monument was raised. In the next division we have a troop of horses put to flight by a band of infantry, whose first line are armed with bows and arrows, while those which follow are accoutred with swords and targets. In the next and last department of the stone, the horses seem to be seized by the conquering party, the riders are beheaded, and the head of the chief or leader is suspended, which is probably meant to denote the same degradation as if it were hung in chains. The other side of the obelisk is chiefly occupied with a large cross. Beneath it are two persons evidently of great consequence. They are accompanied by a retinue of attendants, and embrace each other as if in the act of becoming reconciled together. Such is a description of this very extraordinary monument. As to its origin, or the particular events it was intended to commemorate, we are unfortunately left in uncertainty. Every historian, every traveller, and indeed most of the antiquarians in Scotland, have all more or less turned their attention to the subject; but no two of them are agreed as to the purposes for which it was erected. Some suppose, from the circumstance of the cross being on the obverse side, that it was planted to commemorate the first establishment of Christianity in Scotland. This, however, is very unlikely for, had such been its object, it is difficult to see what connexion so many warlike figures could have had with it. Others maintain that it was raised in memory of the battle of Mortlach, which battle, having been gained by the Scots over the Danes, eventually led to the expulsion of the latter from the kingdom. This is also a very improbable hypothesis, the battle in question having been fought nearly twenty miles from the spot where the stone is erected. In fact, there is scarcely any event of national importance that occurred between the commencement of the tenth and the end of the twelfth centurys-for the date of the pillar is generally supposed to lie between those two periods-but has been supposed by some antiquarian or other to have been the cause of its erection.

The hypothesis of the Rev. Charles Cordiner, a distinguished northern antiquarian of the last century, respecting the origin of this monument, appears to us the most probable. His opinion is that it was raised to commemorate the defeat and expul sion from Scotland, by the Scots, of those Scandinavian adventurers mentioned in the "Annals of Torfans," who, joined by a number of chieftains from the opposite coast of Caithness, had, in the ninth century, established themselves at the neighboring promontory of Burghead, and who, during the one hundred and fifty years they kept possession of the place, committed the most serious depredations throughout the surrounding country. In support of his hypothesis Mr. Cordiner reasons in this way:— In their sanguine endeavors to extend their sway, and at the same time secure a more speedy retreat to their lines, when carrying off booty, or baffled in any attempt, the aid of cavalry was of essential and almost indispensable importance, and naturally became the distinguishing characteristic of their forces.

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Of consequence, as it was the great object of Caledonian policy and valor to seize their horses, in order to defeat their enterprises; so when, at a fortunate period, they succeeded in totally routing the Scandinavian bands, and compelling them to leave their shores, if they wished to erect a conspicuous memorial of the event, the most striking article would be to exhibit the seizure of the horses, and the inflicting a capital penalty on their riders; and this is done in the most conspicuous department of the column.

"It is moreover evident, from the concurring testimony of history and tradition, that part of the troops and warlike adventurers which had embarked in the grand expedition undertaken by Olaus, prince of Norway, about the year 1000, did reinforce the garrison at Eccialsbacca, in the burgh of Moray, and made some daring advances toward the subduing of the surrounding countries—and that, soon after that period, their repeated defeats induced them wholly to relinquish their settlement in that province.

"No event was therefore more likely to become a subject of national gratitude and honor, than those actions in which the princes of Norway and their military adherents were totally defeated, and which so fully paved the way for returning peace to smile over these harassed and extensive territories. And, in consequence of the

Scandinavian forces finally evacuating their posts, a treaty of amicable alliance might be formed between Malcolm and Canute, or Sueno, king of Norway; and the august figures on the base of the cross have been sculptured to express that important reconciliation, while the figures on the adjacent edge of the obelisk, which are joined hand in hand, and in attitudes of friendly communication, may allude to the new degrees of mutual confidence and security which took place after the feuds were settled that are represented on the front of the column."

The traditions of the country are certainly more in favor of this view of the matter than of any other hypothesis which has been advanced. The very name, indeed, given to the pillar, viz., "Sueno's Stone," which it has retained from time immemorial, shows that the opinion of the peasantry in the district always has been, that that Norwegian monarch must have been, in some way or other, connected with its erection.

There is another very entire and curious specimen at Aberlemno, in Forfarshire. A third, at Meigle, is remarkable as containing a representation of one of the war chariots used by the original inhabitants of the country.

In the north of Scotland, and in Orkney, there are some surviving examples of a very remarkable class of early buildings, to which the common people now give the name of "Picts' houses," as supposing them to have been built by the Picts. They are generally round buildings, of no great height, with round vaulted tops, altogether built of courses of dressed stone without mortar, and containing for the most part one central chamber, and several long, narrow recesses in the thickness of the wall.

Circular mounds, the remains of British and Danish camps, are common on the tops of the Scottish hills, having probably been the places to which the early people retired with their flocks in times of danger. On several hills, particularly in Perthshire and Inverness-shire, there are remains of walls, presenting appearances as if the stony materials had been artificially vitrified. It is not yet clearly ascertained whether these "vitrified forts," as they are called, were works of our Caledonian ancestors, or the effect of accident, though the former is certainly the more likely supposition.

The weapons used by the aboriginal people are often found, consisting of stoneaxes, arrow-heads of flint, &c. Necklaces, bracelets, and other ornaments used by them, barbarous in style, but generally of gold, are also often found. In various districts, druidical circles still exist in a tolerably entire state; but none on so large or regular a scale as those of Stonehenge and Abury.

There are remains of roads and camps formed by the Romans in their hesitating and imperfect attempts to subdue North Britain; and of the wall built under the Emperor Antoninus, between the Firths of Forth and Clyde, with forts at regular intervals, it is still possible to discern a few traces.

The next class of antique objects are the remains of the Gothic fanes, reared on account of religion during the period when the Romish church was triumphant. These are everywhere very numerous, but in few cases tolerably entire. Excepting two cathedrals, those of Glasgow and of Kirkwall (in Orkney), all of that class of structures are in ruins. The abbeys, priories, and other conventual and collegiate establishments, are in every instance gone to decay. Melrose abbey, the cathedral of Elgin, and the collegiate church of Roslin, are the most beautiful of these ruinous buildings.

Melrose abbey stands in one of the vales of the Tweed, in the county of Roxburgh, having that river flowing on the north of it, and the Eildon hills looking down upon it from the south. The first abbey of Melrose stood about two miles east from the present, on the same bank of the Tweed, in a peninsula formed by a turn of the river, and terminating in a rocky precipice of some elevation. Hence the name Mail-ross, which in Celtic signifies a naked promontory, or tongue of land. The spot is still occupied by a hamlet called old Melrose, to distinguish it from the larger village which surrounds the present abbey. This first house was a foundation of great antiquity, having been erected soon after the commencement of the seventh century. It was tenanted by an association of the Culdees, the primitive Christian clergy of Scotland and is stated by Bede to have become an establishment of great celebrity so early as the year 664. It was here that the famous St. Cuthbert commenced his monastic life, and acquired the reputation which in his old age occasioned his transference to the greater monastery of Lindisfarne. The first monastery of Melrose, how