BEAULY.-FALLS OF KILMORACK.

51

mentioned, transported to Inverness, by order of Cromwell. Here resided the celebrated historian, Bishop Leslie-the biographer, Dr. Gregory Mackenzie -and another physician of the same name, author of "The Art of preserving Health." Here the famous Scottish lawyer and statesman, Sir George Mackenzie, often retired from courts and senates, to enjoy the delightful and secluded walks. And here, also, the late Sir James Mackintosh, the wellknown historian and eloquent senator, received the rudiments of his education. The magnificent valley of Beauly-a plain nearly two miles wide, watered by the broad sweeping river of that name, and encompassed by a ring of high terraced banks-is a scene on which the eye reposes with peculiar delight. The surface of the plain, and the sides of the hill which slope down to it, are elegantly chequered with cultivated fields, and dense woods of birch and fir. On the west, where the acclivities approach each other, the eye penetrates the gorge of a rocky opening, through which the descending waters form the picturesque falls of Kilmorack. The lower falls are situate about two miles from the village of Beauly, immediately beneath the parish church. They are less remarkable for their height than for breadth and volume, and for the beautiful accompaniments of lofty rocks, smooth green banks, and hanging woods, which encircle them. The river, dashing from between two lofty precipices, where it is confined to an extremely narrow channel, suddenly expands into an open semicircular basin, through which it slowly glides, and is then precipitated over its lower edge in a series of small cataracts.*

The next group of waterfalls occurs about three miles up the river, at the top of a most romantic ride, called the Drhuim. This, in character, is the most completely Highland and beautiful part of the course of the Beauly river. On either hand the mountain acclivities are steep and rocky, and the intermediate valley not above four hundred yards in breadth. Woods of birch and fir encompass the whole scene, especially on the north side; and the edges of the river are fringed all along with rows of oak, weeping birch, and alder. In one part, half way up the strath, near the cottage of Teanassie, the waters plunge through a rocky passage encircling high pyramids of stone, slanting up in isolated masses in the midst of the stream-gigantic witnesses of its ceaseless and consuming power. This is the point represented in the annexed engraving.

The bridge of Lovat which spans the Beauly, is a handsome modern structure, and highly ornamental in the landscape. The surface of the opposite hill is diversified with small patches of corn land, allotted by Sir Simon Fraser, of Lovat, to the veteran soldiers of his clan who had served under him in the American war; thus securing a substantial provision for his dependents by a slight tax on their industry --the best of all pensions, and redounding to the lasting honour of the chief.

Immediately below this scene, the turmoil of the waters subsides into smooth dark linns, while the rocks at the same time recede and give place to daisied banks, and sweet patches of corn-fields.

On the southern bank of the river, on a high conical mound, rising above a perpendicular sheet of rock, is the vitrified structure of Dunfion,* recently thrown open to public inspection by the taste and liberality of Mr. Fraser, of Lovat, who has also formed a beautiful drive along his own side of the river, so as to include this interesting and romantic scenery. At the further end of the Drhuim, the road begins to ascend towards the interior of the country; and here the river is seen pouring down on each side of a high rounded hill, covered with oak and birch, at the lower extremity of which it forms the second set of small but beautiful cataracts. This wooded hill is the island of Aigas-for the river parts into two and encircles it-noted as having been the temporary retreat to which Simon, the last Lord Lovat, conducted the dowager Lady Lovat, whom he had forced to become his wife-when letters of fire and sword were issued against him, and the principal families of his clan, by King William, in 1697.†

The ancient Priory of Beauly stands on a fertile spot near the brink of the river, surrounded by aged trees, which give to its venerable walls an air of congenial sanctity and seclusion. The name, beau lieu, was no doubt suggested by the beauty of the situation. It was founded in 1230 by John Bisset, of Lovat, but received various additions from his successor. The monks belonged to the order of Valliscaulium, a reform of the Cistercian, and following the rule of St. Benoît, or Benedict. They were introduced from France by Malvoisin, bishop of St. Andrews, about the period above named; and established also at Pluscardine in Elginshire, and Ardchattan in Argyll. They led an austere and solitary life, and afforded, says Mr. Anderson," an asylum within these walls to many natives of the Highlands, whom either bodily infirmity, or a distaste for the coarse manners of their countrymen, disqualified for more active occupations. The remains of an orchard still attest the fertility of the ground, and the attention which the good old monks paid to horticulture. At the Reformation, when the last prior resigned it along with his lands in trust to Lord Lovat, its revenues were considerable. It is now a mere shell; the roof is fallen in, the area occupied with rubbish, and the closely set graves of the Clan Fraser and their allies. Beside the high altar repose the ashes of the

• The cross sections of this vitrified fort displayed several layers of charcoa, earth, and bones.

+ See the description of this and the adjacent scenery in the highly interesting "Guide to the Highlands," already quoted;-an indispensable Vade-Mecum for the northern counties.