miles shorter than the main road round the head of the firth by Beauly. The whole of the Black Isle is well peopled; but the portions to the eastward of Kessock Ferry are comparatively little frequented by the tourist. They, however, demand a brief notice in the following tour.

Kessock Ferry is about a mile from Inverness, and the plain on which it is built advances on the waters of the firth, so as to confine them to a width of three quarters of a mile. The chain of hills which line the Great Glen of Scotland on the north side are prolonged along the margin of the Black Isle and beyond the opening of the Cromarty Firth, and form a stretch of hill coast of softened outline and highly variegated surface. To the west of Kessock, the sea, having pierced this range of hills, expands into the beauteous basin of the Beauly Firth. The sail across Kessock Ferry is worth taking for the varied and lovely view presented on all sides. To the east are the wooded crags of the Ord Hill, and to the west those of Craig-Phadric. On the summit of the ascent from Kessock (two miles from the ferry), the Cromarty road follows a sloping hollow, which conducts to the bay and village of Munlochy, near which are the parks and extensive plantations of Belmaduthy (Sir Evan M-Kenzie, of Kilcoy, Bart.)

Three miles beyond Munlochy the mansion-houses of Rosehaugh (Sir James M'Kenzie, Bart.) and of Avoch (Alexander M'Kenzie, Esq.) are passed on the left, and immediately after the sea-shore is regained at the little fishing village of that name. A mile further on we reach Fortrose, a small burgh, which occupies the root of the northern of two long peninsulas, which, projecting from either side, again confine the firth to a ferry of about a mile in width-the extremity of the southern promontory being occupied by Fort-George. Fortrose was the cathedral town of Ross. It still boasts of a fragment (the south aisle) of the cathedral, the rest of the building having been used as a quarry in constructing Cromwell's fort at Inver

ness.

It was of the purest and most elaborate middle-pointed architecture of the early part of the fourteenth century. The sharpness of the mouldings at the present day is remarkable, and the ruin is deservedly admired as betokening a structure of rare ecclesiological merit. There are five lights in the remaining eastern window, and the rood turret is still entire,

A canopied tomb, that of the Countess of Ross, who is said to have founded the cathedral, has been a fine work. Here the Mackenzies of Seaforth have their family burying ground. Fortrose has a comfortable inn, and an academy at which several eminent individuals have laid the foundation of their distinction in life-among others, Sir James Mackintosh, a name held in peculiar estimation in the north.

The sea-coast between Fortrose and Cromarty has acquired a geological interest from the writings of Hugh Miller on the lias deposit and fossil concretions at Eathie, the burn of which exhibits the junction of the granite and old red sandstone rocks. The cliffs are otherwise interesting both to the geologist and botanist.

The road to Cromarty, passing through the old burgh of Rosemarkie, a mile beyond, and associated with Fortrose, ascends a very deep alluvial gully, which seams the hills behind at right angles, and leads, in a straight line, across the peninsula to the Cromarty Firth, between Newhall (Shaw M'Kenzie, Esq.) and Pointzfield (Sir George Gunn Munro), whence it skirts, for some miles, a picturesque coast to Cromarty, a town which has declined much in importance by the rivalry of Invergordon, on the north side of the firth, the latter being more contiguous to the important districts of Easter and Wester Ross. It still, however, retains its value as a harbour of refuge, being completely sheltered by the detached rocks at the entrance called the Souters of Cromarty. The roadstead is capacious enough for the largest fleet, and the firth is altogether a very fine sheet of land-locked water. The situation of the town is very beautiful, and it commands a view of nearly the whole bay. Immediately above it is Cromarty House (Mrs. Rose Ross), which occupies the site of a castle of the old Earls of Ross. An obelisk has been erected in memory of Hugh Miller, the author of "Old Red Sandstone," and other well-known works, who was a native of Cromarty. Among other objects of interest connected with him is a wellexecuted metal sun-dial standing in a garden behind the house of his uncle, and constructed by him in the earlier part of his life. The "Doocot" and other caves, "Macfarquhar's Bed," etc., are within two miles of the place. A road about a mile and a half in length crosses the hill behind the town and

extends from the Cromarty Hill to the Moray Firth, and about a mile above the town there is an extensive prospect. There is little to invite a prolonged sojourn in the town, even the inns exhibiting a marked want of the indications of frequent

concourse.

WESTER ROSS.

INVERNESS BY MAIL FROM DINGWALL TO THE WEST COAST OF ROSS-SHIRE AND SKYE.

In the summer months the Skye mail-coach leaves the National Hotel, Dingwall (13 miles north of Inverness), on the mornings of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, arriving in the evening at Kyle Akin in Skye, and returning same evening to Balmacarra Inn. As these days may vary, the tourist must consult the Time Tables of the month, or enquire at the coach-office at Inverness.

Not many years ago, Inverness was the Ultima Thule of the British Tourist; now it is only a resting-place, whence to start afresh for scenes of greater diversity, in which the grand and the beautiful are intermixed, and where the industry of man in reclaiming a naturally barren soil presents an interesting field for examination. We should strongly advise the tourist to pursue some of these routes. If his time be limited, he may make the most of it by taking a run by mail along the north-eastern or coast road, but he cannot see the country in all its wildness and beauty without diverging thence either from Dingwall by Strathpeffer and the Loch Carron road to Lochs Maree and Torridon, and the splendid scenery of Gairloch, Applecross, and Kintail; or from Beauly up Strathglass and Strath Affrick; or from Bonar Bridge or Golspie, through the interior of Sutherland to the districts of Assynt and Cape Wrath, and thence more or less along the northern coast towards Caithness.

Ross-shire is intersected by a series of valleys, along which are carried roads conducting westwards to Skye and the sister Hebrides. The first of these now to be described is the main western mail road. As far as Strathpeffer (5 miles) there extends a fine arable plain, bordered on the one hand by the

sunny braes which lead up to a higher plateau, from which springs the mighty irregular dome of Ben Wyvis* (Ben Uaish, the mountains of storms, 3415), and on the opposite by the ridge of Knockfarrel (a large and interesting vitrified fortress), which conceals from view the woods and policies of Brahan Castle, the seat of Mackenzie of Seaforth. On the high ground lies the picturesque Italianlooking lake of Ousie. Castle Leod, an old abode of the Earls of Cromarty (now represented by the Marchioness of Stafford), stands near the further end of the Strath, passing which, the road ascends a ridge studded with the villas built round the mineral wells of Strathpeffer. This quarter of the country was the scene of two desperate clan battles fought in the end of the fifteenth century-the one between the Mackenzies and the Macdonalds of the Isles, and the other between the Mackenzies and the Munros of Ferindonald, in both of which the “Caberfaeh” was victorious. The Spa Hotel or Inn of Balarnacan is half a mile past the pump-room.

Quitting the first valley, the road immediately enters on that of Contin and Coul (Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Bart.), which is encircled by as beautifully clad birch and pine woods, and hills of diversified forms and features, as are to be seen in any part of the Highlands. We then cross the Blackwater at the bridge and inn of Contin, and on the left pass Loch Echiltie, a most enchanting little lake. Our course turns suddenly northwards, and, after breasting a steepish ascent overhung with oaks and weeping birch trees, and giving us a peep of the falls of Rogie below on the right, ushers us on the great upland moorish pastures which surround Loch Garve.t Ascending westwards, we soon reach Loch Luichart, around which are the shooting grounds and deer forest of Sir James J. R. Mackenzie of Scatwell, Bart. The lodge is at the further end.

"For the ascent the best starting place is Strathpeffer, which is ten miles from the top, while Dingwall is twelve. The mountain resembles a horse shoe; the upper ridge being three or four miles from one extremity to the other, but rising very gradually from the end nearest to Strathpeffer which ought to be ascended first, and the ridge kept till the other end is reached on which stands the cairn."— Grierson's Rambles among the Scottish mountains.

From the inn of Garve, thirteen miles from Dingwall, a road proceeds northwards to Loch Broom-more particularly noticed afterwards.

Two miles on, at the bridge of Grudie, the water of that name comes tumbling down on the right from Loch Fannich, and here we ascend through a small birch wood and the remains of an ancient oak forest, until, emerging from an inclined rocky pass, we enter Strath Bran, a great open plain, stretching for ten or twelve miles before us, and forming the summit level of the country. Our approach to the soft climate of the west coast here becomes perceptible in the superior greenness of the pastures; while the mountains also, at the same time, become grander and more elegant in their outline. The three peaks of Scuirvullin in Strathconnon bound the view on the left; those of Foin Bhein, 2979 (Fingal's hill), and the clustered alps of Loch Fannich on the right. The inn of Auchnanault -the most conspicuous and welcome object on the plain before us-is eleven miles from Garve Inn. Five miles on is Auchnasheen, after passing which the course of the main post road is found to decline rapidly towards the salt-water inlet of Loch Carron. The scenery all along consists of wild open heaths and mountains, nowise remarkable, except for their fine green pastures, and the remains here and there visible of the great oak forest, which at one time appears to have covered the whole country. As we approach the open shores of Loch Carron, numerous beautiful terraces show themselves round the valley, and then broad patches of corn-land regale the eye, increasing in number and size as we near the village of

*

JEANTOWN,

(25 miles from Auchnanault), and where the comforts of a superior inn may be enjoyed.

The tourist is now in the domains of Mackenzie of Applecross, and, if desirous of proceeding to Skye, the mail will con

* A good carriage road strikes off from thist by a rapid descent through a wild pass called Glendochart, to the inn of Kinlochewe, at the upper end of Loch Maree, whence the road is continued on the left bank of that lake to Slattadale. From this it makes a circuit by Gairloch-head to Poolewe, p. 485. Another road branches off from the inn of Kinlochewe, in a south-westerly direction, to Loch Torridon (distant 12 miles), the group of peaked mountains at the top of which are particularly grand.

+ Pedestrians coming eastwards from Jeantown may reach Kinlochewe by a hill path which strikes off the same Loch Carron road, 1 mile on the west side of Craig Inu. It affords magnificent views of the mountains about Lochs Torridon and Maree, and by not going round by Auchnasheen saves 8 miles.