for Inverary. He travelled with such swiftness, although the snow lay deep upon the ground, that he arrived there within one day after the period of indemnity had expired. Sir John Campbell, sheriff of the county, in consideration of his disappointment at Fort William, administered the oaths to him and his adherents, and they returned to Glencoe, full of confidence in the protection of Government. In consequence of Breadalbane's representations, the King, with the most unfeeling composure, signed an order for putting about two hundred persons out of the protection of the proclamation; and a warrant to this effect was issued to the Master of Stair, Secretary of State for Scotland, who sent orders to Livingstone, the Commander-inChief, to put the unhappy inhabitants of Glencoe to the sword, that the rest of the refractory clans might be impressed with terror by the example.

In consequence of an order from Major Duncannon, Captain Campbell, of Glenlyon, marched at the head of his company into the valley of Glencoe, early in the month of February, 1691, on pretence of levying the arrears of the land-tax and hearth-money. Macdonald demanded of the officer the object of such a visit, who answered, upon his honour that he meant no injury either to him or to his people. In consequence of this declaration, Campbell and his soldiers were kindly received and treated in the most hospitable manner for fifteen days. At length the horrible hour of unsuspected slaughter approached. The Lord and Lady of Glencoe, and Campbell and some of his officers, spent the day, in the evening playing at cards together, and parted early, with mutual expressions of esteem. In the course of the evening young Macdonald observed that the guards were doubled; and, from other appearances amongst the soldiers, suspected treachery, and communicated his suspicions to his father, whose confidence in the honour of Campbell made him revolt at the idea. The youngman continued firm in his opinion, and at nightfall went, accompanied by his brother, amongst the soldiers, to make further observations: upon approaching a guard, they overheard a centinel express his dislike to the meditated business of blood to his comrade, observing, that he should have no objection to fight the Macdonalds in the field fairly, but that his soul revolted at butchering them in cold blood, "However," added he, "our officers are answerable for the treachery." Upon hearing this the young men hastened back with the intelligence to their father; but the massacre had commenced. Before they reached their house, the vollies of

death, and the shrieks of despair, rang through the gien, and, being unarmed, they preserved their lives by flight. The ferocious soldiery entered Macdonald's chamber, and, upon his starting up, they shot him through the head, and he fell dead in the arms of his astonished wife, who died distracted with horror the ensuing day. The huts of the tenants and dependants were surrounded, and every one within was put to death. Thirty-eight persons were butchered in their beds. The design was to murder all under seventy years of age, a.' mounting to about two hundred persons; but some detachments, happily for the survivors, did not arrive in time to se cure the passes, and, in consequence, one hundred and sixty escaped.

When these savage assassins had completed the massacre, they set fire to the houses, seized all the property they could find, and drove the cattle away. The night was one of the bitterest of the winter; and, when the day broke upon this horrible scene, women, who, with their infants, had fled naked from the murderers, were found frozen to death with their children, under rocks and hedges, at some distance from the glen.

Upon a representation of this barbarous outrage to the King, he endeavoured to throw the responsibility from his own head upon those who induced him to sign the sanguinary order; but as he never punished the perpetrators of the massacre with be coming vigour, it remains an indelible blot upon his charac

ter.

In this valley, I am told, there is a very extraordinary appearance, produced by the superinduced stratum of rock on the south side, which has not yet been elucidated. There is also a fine blue slate quarry, along the banks of Loch Leven, in the road to Glencoe. Under a sky of tears, I reached the hospitable roof of Appin-house, a seat belonging to the Marquis of Thomond, and occupied by Colonel Robertson Macdonald, and his amiable lady and family, who had recently returned from Ceylon. The situation of the house is elevated, and commands a charming view of that great arm of the sea called Loch Linnhe, the ruins of a castle, which nearly cover the island upon which they stand, the verdant island of Lismore, and the opposite and celebrated mountains of Morven. The plantations upon this estate are very extensive; upon the shores of the lake a little way from the house, are some vast globular rocks, well worthy of notice. Appin is a miserable-looking place, but the

country, as I proceeded to Shéan Ferry, is well wooded, and very beautiful. At this ferry I crossed Loch Creran; and, about four miles afterwards, Loch Etive, at Connell Ferry, which, on account of some opposing currents, is attended with some difficulty, and occasional danger. Near the road to Connell Ferry is the site of the celebrated city of Beregonium, once the capital of Scotland, and built by King Fergus II. It is supposed that this city perished in a volcanic eruption, great quantities of scoriæ of different kinds being found in and adjoining to the spot.

From the Ferry to Oban, about four miles, the country, which is rocky, is marked by volcanic appearances, which constantly attracted my notice until I reached the flourishing and beautiful little town of Oban. This town, which is concealed from the Western Ocean by the island of Kerrara, is finely situated for trade and commerce. It has a bay, which is of a semicircular form, from twelve to twenty fathoms deep, is capacious enough to hold five hundred sail of merchantmen, and has two entries, one from the south, and the other from the north; it is well protected against the westerly winds, and the fury of the Atlantic, by Mull, and other islands before it. Only a few years since, this town presented nothing but two or three houses, amongst which was a store-room built by a trading company of Renfrew. The local advantages soon afterwards became so obvious, that the Duke of Argyle, and other persons interested, exerted themselves to promote its prosperity; but a respectable and enterprising individual, of the name of Stevenson, and his sons, to one of whom I had a letter of introduction, and who settled here in 1778, have most contributed, by their spirited undertakings in various branches of traffic, to raise it to its present consequence. They principally supply the Hebrides in their vicinity with merchandise; they carry on a large coasting trade; deal in meal, kelp, cattle, hides, &c. and carry on the business of ship-building. There is no place upon the coast of Scotland better adapted, on account of its excellent harbour and road, than Oban, for a great seaport and fishing station.

In times like the present, when we are contending with a most subtle and formidable enemy, this place is peculiarly worthy of the notice of Government, as affording an admirable situation for a royal dock and arsenal. There is a ready communication open with Glasgow, by the Clyde, for the conveyance of stores; Loch Linnhe is navigable to Fort William

which has an easy access with Fort Augustus and Fort George, where a considerable body of troops might be lodged, or barracks might be erected in the neighbourhood of Oban. Ships of war and transports might sail for the West Indies or America, from the west coast of Scotland, with any wind, at all times of the year; and, if the constitution and the garrulous curiosity of the country would admit of it, this coast would be well suited for fitting out expeditions which should be really se

Gret.

Oban was much enlivened by the expectation of the Duke of Argyle who, I found on my arrival, was with a party of friends visiting some of the Hebrides. In the neighbourhood of Oban there are some beautiful walks, particularly one to Dunollycastle, along the bay of Oban. This castle was once the residence of the ancient Scottish Sovereigns; and an aquatic excursion to the castle of Dunstaffanage, near Connell Ferry, will amply remunerate the trouble of reaching it. The remains of this castle stand on a bold rocky promontory, jutting into Loch Etive. This castle was founded by Ewin, a Pictish Monarch, contemporary with Julius Cæsar. It is said that, when visiters unexpectedly arrive at this castle, and there are not sufficient provisions within for their entertainment, an hospitable telegraph namely, a table-cloth, is hoisted upon a pole on the battlements, which is a signal for certain tenants of the proprietor to bring supplies of fresh salmon, or any other fish which may be in

season.

At Oban I engaged a vessel to carry me over to Mull.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Highland character elucidated-Highland sensibility-Highland haughtiness-craft-fidelity-shrewdness-Highlander's notion of an Englishman-Highland honesty-anecdote-Highland hospitalitycourtesy-affection-affecting anecdote Highland hardihood-causes of Highland civilization-Scottish loyalty-Highland oaths-Highland

inns.

DURING my stay at Oban, the mountaineers whom I had just left frequently afforded me matter for reflection, and I now submit to my readers the result of my obşervations, and the information which I derived with regard to their national character. Although, from all that I could learn, it appears that the distinguishing features of the Highland character are vanishing away, and blending with that of their southern and eastern neighbours, yet much still remains to arrest the attention and gratify the curiosity of the tourist. In the early history of the Highlanders a most romantic sensibility was one feature in their national character. The following undoubted anecdote, amongst many others that might be produced, will illustrate the remark :- When the Macleans of Loch Buy possessed in sovereignty the south side of the island of Mull, the chase afforded them both food and recreation. On a day when a great hunt was intended to be given by the chief of the clan, he ordered one of his attendants, named Gore, or Godfrey, to stand at a certain pass, and not to permit a stag to escape in that direction, on peril of losing his life. In the chase some deer forced their way by him, notwithstanding every precaution, and the haughty and enraged chief, instead of putting him to death convened his clan, and ignominiously chastised him on the summit of a peak; pierced to the heart by a sense of the disgrace, the oppressed Highlander immediately afterwards seized the child of the chief from the arms of its nurse, who was standing amongst the clan, and leaped from the peak with the infant in his grasp, with whom he alighted in safety upon a rock below. The distracted father looked down with terror upon his child, and implored the Highlander to restore it, offering him forgiveness, rewards, and honours, for his compliance. Gore declared that he would not make up his mind until the chief had endured