The general features of this part of Scotland, are varied and striking, consisting of lofty mountains, deep glens, and inlets of the sea entering far into the land. In consequence of the mountainous nature of the soil, the country is almost wholly pastoral. Ben Cruachan and the mountains of Lorn, Ben More in Mull, and Goatfell in Arran, are particularly distinguished for their height and sublime appearance. The inlets of the sea, or sea-lochs, as they are called, are very numerous; the principal ones being Loch Fyne, Loch Long, Loch Goil, Loch Etive, Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil. Loch Awe is the only fresh

water lake of any importance, but it is one of great beauty. The scenery, taken as a whole, is of the most pleasing and picturesque description, and on this account, as well as from its accessibility by means of steamboats and stage-coaches, it is much visited by tourists. Glencoe, Loch Awe, Loch Etive, and Arran, stand unrivalled in beauty and magnificence; and, in addition to these places, Argyllshire has two great attractions for tourists-Iona and Staffa-both of which are visited almost daily by large numbers from Oban during the summer months. The tourist's head-quarters in Argyllshire are Inverary and Oban.

The islands of Bute and Arran, although forming, with a few other diminutive islands, a separate county, may almost be considered a part of Argyllshire, as they are geologically as well as topographically connected with it.

The Crinan Canal is of great service to tourists in this part of Scotland, as in the route from Glasgow to Oban and Inverness it saves the circuitous and stormy passage round the Mull of Cantyre. The distance is further reduced by the swift steamers on the Clyde, by which passengers are conveyed in one day, and in the most comfortable manner, from Glasgow by Ardrishaig and Oban to Bannavie, the southern termination of the Caledonian Canal. In returning, a still greater distance can be accomplished in the same time, as, on arriving at Glasgow, the tourist is in time for the train to Edinburgh, and there, he is still in time to catch the express train for London. Those extra conveniences of transit by steamers and stage-coaches only exist during the summer months.

THE CLYDE DUMBARTON-PORT-GLASGOW-THE GARELOCH-HELENSBURGH-GREENOCK.

Starting from the Broomielaw of Glasgow in one of the steamboats,* a few minutes' sail brings us to the mouth of the Kelvin, a stream celebrated in Scottish song. The village on

* By taking the railway train from Glasgow to Greenock (running hourly to suit the steamers), the tourist may leave about an hour after the steamer's departure from Glasgow. (See Murray's Time Tables).

the left is Govan. About two miles below Govan, on the same side of the river, is Shieldhall, and on the right Jordanhill, the seat of James Smith, Esq. A little further down the river, and on the same side, is Scotstoun (Miss Oswald). On the left is Elderslie House, the seat of Archibald Spiers, Esq.; and about a mile further down is Blythswood House, the seat of Archibald Campbell, Esq. Between the two lastmentioned places is Renfrew Ferry, where a near view may be obtained of the antiquated burgh town of Renfrew. In the neighbourhood, Somerled, Thane of Argyle and Lord of the Isles, who had rebelled against Malcolm IV., was defeated and slain in the year 1164. The barony of Renfrew was the first possession of the Stewart family in Scotland, and it now gives the title of Baron to the Prince of Wales. The collected waters of the two Carts and the Gryfe flow into the Clyde at Inchinnan, a mile and a half below Renfrew. Near Inchinnan Bridge the Earl of Argyll was taken prisoner in 1685. On the left, near the river, was the old mansion-house of Erskine, anciently the seat of the Earls of Mar, and latterly of the Blantyre family. Robert, eleventh Lord Blantyre, who perished accidentally in the commotions at Brussels in 1830, erected the new mansion which crowns the rising ground a little further down. The tourist is now half way between Glasgow and Greenock. The river here widens out into a broad expanse, assuming the appearance of a lake. On the right is Dalnotter Hill, from which point is taken Horatio MacCulloch's famed view of the Clyde. The lofty heights immediately to the north are the Kilpatrick Hills, and the village on the narrow plain between them and the river, is Kilpatrick, said to have been the birth-place of St. Patrick, the tutelar saint of Ireland.

In about an hour's sail after leaving Glasgow we reach Bowling [Inns: Frisky Hall; Sutherland Arms], one of the stations of the Dumbartonshire Railway, where passengers may land for Loch Lomond and the Trosachs. The Great Junction Canal, which unites the east and west coasts of Scotland by means of the Firths of Forth and Clyde, joins the latter at this point. At a short distance below, on the right, is the little promontory of Dunglas Point, the western termination of Antoninus' Wall or Graham's Dyke, with the ruins of Dun

glas Castle, formerly the property of the Colquhouns of Luss, but now belonging to Buchanan of Auchintorlie. On this spot a conspicuous, though small, monument has been erected to the late Henry Bell, who introduced steam-navigation on the Clyde. Proceeding onwards, Dumbarton Rock* rises from the point of junction of the Leven and Clyde, to a height of 560 feet, measuring a mile in circumference, and terminating in two points, one a little higher than the other. Dumbarton was the place of confinement of the patriot Wallace. The highest peak of the rock is still called "Wallace's Seat," a part of the castle" Wallace's Tower," and a huge two-handed sword, said to have belonged to him, is still shewn. During the wars which desolated Scotland in the reign of Queen Mary, this formidable fortress was taken in a remarkable way by Captain Crawford of Jordanhill, a distinguished adherent of the king's party. Two miles further down the river, on the left, is Finlayston, formerly the family mansion of the Earls of Glencairn, now the seat of Graham of Gartmore, and on the right, a short distance to the north, formerly stood the old

*For the History of the County of Dumbarton, see Mr. Joseph Irving's work, 4to.

"Taking advantage of a misty and moonless night to bring to the foot of the castle rock the scaling ladders which he had provided, he chose for his terrible experiment the place where the rock was highest, and where, of course, less pains were taken to keep a regular guard. This choice was fortunate; for the first ladder broke with the weight of the men who attempted to mount, and the noise of the fall must have betrayed them, had there been any sentinel within hearing. Crawford, assisted by a soldier who had deserted from the castle, and was acting as his guide, renewed the attempt in person, and having scrambled up to a projecting ledge of rock where there was some footing, contrived to make fast the ladder, by tying it to the roots of a tree, which grew about midway up the rock. Here they found a small flat surface, sufficient, however, to afford footing to the whole party, which was, of course, very few in number. In scaling the second precipice, another accident took place :One of the party, subject to epileptic fits, was seized by one of these attacks, brought on perhaps by terror, while he was in the act of climbing up the ladder. His illness made it impossible for him either to ascend or descend. To have slain the man would have been a cruel expedient, beside that the fall of his body from the ladder might have alarmed the garrison. Crawford caused him, therefore, to be tied to the ladder, then all the rest descending, they turned the ladder, and thus mounted with ease over the belly of the epileptic person. When the party gained the summit they slew the sentinel ere he had time to give the alarm, and easily surprised the slumbering garrison, who had trusted too much to the security of their castle to keep good watch."

castle of Cardross, in which Robert the Bruce died. Approaching Port-Glasgow, we pass the Castle of Newark, a large quadrangular building, which, after having belonged in succession to a branch of the Maxwells, and to the Belhaven family, is now the property of Sir M. Shaw Stewart, Bart.

Port-Glasgow was founded in 1668 by the merchants of Glasgow, for the embarkation and disembarkation of goods; but since the river was deepened, its importance has much declined.

[Hotels Tontine; White Hart; Buck's Head; Royal. Population, 43,206.] 1 hour's sail from Glasgow.

The situation of Greenock is at once beautiful and convenient for commerce. Whin-hill (the rising ground at the back of the town), commands an extensive prospect, and the view from the pier, embracing the mountains of Argyllshire and Dumbartonshire, is perhaps the finest possessed by any harbour in the kingdom. Close upon the quay stands the custom-house, an elegant and commodious building, while streets extend over the rising ground behind. In Cathcart Street and at the west end of the town, there are several