Altitudes of some of the principal Hills and Mountains of Scotland, mostly derived from the Ordnance Survey. 2,853 land Ridge, Edinburghshire 1,880 Cruachan Ben, Argyleshire Dunrich Hill, Roxburghshire 1,830 3,670 - 2,995 - 2,421 - 2,258 - 1,890 • 2,865 2,635 8,777 Vales.- As already observed, the level tracts of Scotland are but few, and limited in extent, as compared with those of England. The most important are the low alluvial lands (carses) on the banks of the Forth and Tay, with the Merse of Berwickshire, and that part of Strathmore that lies in Angus and East Perthshire. The first, usually called the Carse of Stirling and Falkirk, occupies the country on both sides the Forth, from Borrowstonness on the south, and Kincardine on the north, westward to Gartmore, having attached to it the level lands on the Teith and the Allan. The towns of Stirling, Alloa, and Doune are in this level. The first is a very striking object: the rock on which the castle and town are built rising on the west and north sides almost perpendicularly from the plain, and declining rapidly to the east and south. The soil of the carse is eminently fertile; producing the most luxuriant crops of wheat, beans, &c. The view from the ramparts of Stirling Castle is particularly grand. The level lands on the Tay, and its tributary the Earn, are of very considerable extent; and that portion denominated the Carse of Gowrie, being the tract between Dundee and Perth, bounded by the Sidlaw hills on the north, and the Tay on the south, is decidedly the richest and finest country in Scotland; and is not, in fact, inferior to any in the empire. Strathearn, or the low ground on each side the Earn, from Crieff to Rhind Point, where it unites with the Tay, consists in most places of rich alluvial land of great fertility, though in this respect it is surpassed by the Carse of Gowrie. The view from the hill of Kinnoul, immediately to the east of Perth, is most striking. The valleys of the Tay and Earn are also seen to great advantage from several points of the Ochill hills. The view not only embraces a large expanse of this rich and highly cultivated valley, with the course and confluence of its noble rivers, but commands, in the distance, the Grampian range. Hence it may readily be conceived to be, if not superior, certainly not inferior, in point of variety, extent, and magnificence, to any other in the empire. The Merse of Berwickshire extends from the Leader Water along the Tweed to Berwick, occupying most of the low and generally level part of the county, or nearly half its surface, having within it the towns of Greenlaw, Dunse, and Coldstream. The soil of the Merse is loamy, and generally excellent; and its farming is not surpassed by any to be met with anywhere else. By Strathmore, in its more confined sense, is meant the low country in Angus and Perthshire, stretching from Laurencekirk in the former to Methven in the latter. This, however, includes part of the valley of the Tay, already noticed. That part of Strathmore that lies in Angus is not generally flat, but has its surface diversified by gentle eminences: it is of various degrees of fertility; portions of it remaining waste and uncultivated. It wants, indeed, some of those characteristics, that are, in England, understood to be inseparable from vale land. Besides the above, there are several smaller straths. Of these the most important and valuable seem to be Teviotdale, or the low country along the Teviot, in Roxburghshire; Tynedale, or the low rich country along the Tyne, in East Lothian; and the How of Fife, or the low rich land along the Eden, in Fifeshire. The surface of these straths is gently varied: they consist, for the most part, of a loamy soil, and are in a high state of cultivation. Moors. It would be useless to attempt particularising the Scottish moors: they are too frequent and extensive, in most parts of the country, to require, or, indeed, to admit of specification. The moor of Rannoch, lying between Schiehallion, Cruachan Ben, and Ben Nevis, seems, however, to be entitled to some notice. It includes a vast extent of rocks, lakes, and morasses, elevated about 1,000 feet above the level of the sea; and is one of the most dreary, wild, and worthless districts imaginable. It is not inhabited, and is seldom even visited. There is a somewhat similar tract on the west coast of Cromarty and Sutherland, stretching from the southernmost point of the former to Loch Inchard in the latter, about 10 miles inland. Though without any great hills, and not very elevated, it is extremely rugged, bleak, and miserable. The soil of most of the Scottish moors, as well as many of the mountains, is peat, which, being impregnateb witn water, is supposed to exert a very unfavourable influence over the climate. SECT. 3. Rivers and River Ports. Lakes, &c. Rivers and River Ports. The rivers of Scotland, having their sources and channels in a more mountainous, rugged,' country, differ materially in character from the English rivers; being in general purer, more rapid, more interrupted by rocks and cataracts, and more liable to sudden overflowings. Owing, also, to the greater altitude whence they descend, and the comparatively limited extent of level ground through which they flow, they are not nearly so available for the purposes of navigation as the rivers of England. With the ex ception of the Clyde, they almost all run east, north, or south, but principally east. There is not, indeed, on the whole western coast of Scotland, from Cantire northwards to Cape Wrath, the embouchure of a single considerable river. Tweed, &c. The Tweed, during the latter part of its course, forms the boundary between Scotland and England; but, as its sources and principal tributaries are all in the former, it is properly considered a Scotch river. It rises on the east side of Errickstane Hill, about 6 miles from Moffat. Its course is first north-east, to Peebles; then east, with a little inclination to the south, to Melrose; it next passes Coldstream and Kelso; and, pursuing a north-easterly direction, falls into the sea at Berwick. The descent from the source of the Tweed to Peebles is 1,000 feet, and thence to Berwick about 500 feet more.-(New Statistical Account of Scotland, p. 2.) The waters of the Tweed are particularly pure and limpid. The first part of its course is through a fine pastoral county; and the latter through one that is rich and well cultivated. Including windings, its length is reckoned at rather more than 100 miles. Notwithstanding it conveys a large body of water to the sea, it is not navigable for any considerable distance. The salmon fisheries on the Tweed are of great importance: in this respect, indeed, it is second only to the Tay. Among the principal tributaries of the Tweed is the Etterick, which, flowing from the southern parts of Selkirkshire, joins it at the Eildon Hills. A little lower down it receives the Gala, from Edinburghshire, and the Leader, from the borders of East Lothian. The Teviot rises in Roxburghshire, on the confines of Dumfriesshire; and, flowing north-east, and receiving several tributaries, it falls into the Tweed at Kelso. The Till rises in Northumberland, near Ingram, and, pursuing a north-westerly course, falls into the Tweed at Tilmouth. Near Berwick the Tweed receives the Adder, a considerable river, composed of the united streams of the Blackadder and Whiteadder, having their sources in the Lammermoor hills. The basin of the Tweed is estimated at about 1,870 square miles. Berwick, so celebrated in border history, lies on the north side of the Tweed, close to its mouth. It has a pier, with a light-house at its head. At low spring ebbs there are not more than 5 or 6 feet water on the bar; but at high water it has from 3 to 3 and 4 fathoms. The channel does not exceed a cable's length across; and is diffi cult to take in stormy weather, or when there is much fresh water in the river. Forth, &c.-Proceeding northwards along the coast, we meet with the great arm of the sea, extending westwards from the Isle of May to Kincardine. This, which is the Bodotria of Tacitus, is now called the Frith or æstuary of the Forth, from its receiving, at its remotest extremity, the river of that name. The Forth has sometimes been reckoned the chief of the Scotch rivers; but, in point of of magnitude, it is decidedly inferior to the Tay. It originates in several mountain streams that rise on the east side of Ben Lomond. Its course is easterly, with many sinuosities, by Aberfoyle, Stirling, and Alloa, till it unites with the Frith of Forth at Kincardine. Its most important tributary, the Teith, has its sources a little more to the north, and is the channel by which Lochs Katherine, Venacher, Voil, Lubnich, &c., are drained of their surplus water. It pursues a south-easterly course past Callendar and Doune, bringing to the Forth, a short way above Stirling, a volume of water greater than its own. The Forth is joined, somewhat lower down, by the Allan, flowing south from Perthshire, and the Devon, flowing west from Kinross-shire. Except near its source the Forth is by no means a rapid river. For the greater part of its course, it flows, with many windings, through a flat, low, rich country. The distance, in a direct line, from the source of the Forth to Kincardine, is only about 35 miles; but by water it is about three times that distance. It is navigable for vessels of 70 tons as far as Stirling; but its course below the latter is so very tortuous, that, though the distance from Stirling to Alloa, by the road, be only about 7 miles, it is more than 23 by water. Hence it is little navigated in this part of its course, except by steam-vessels. Ships of 300 tons burden ascend the Forth to Alloa, which may be regarded as its principal port. There is good and secure anchoring ground in the channel of the river, or rather bay, between Grangemouth and Queensferry. Forth and its tributaries are supposed to drain about 800 square miles. There are valuable salmon fisheries near Stirling, and in several other parts of the river. The great canal, joining the Forth and Clyde, commences at Grangemouth, on the Frith of Forth, near the mouth of Carron Water. The Tay, &c. The Tay is the greatest of the Scotch, and, in respect of the quantity of water it conveys to the sea, it is the greatest even of the British, rivers. It rises in the high mountainous country a little to the north of Loch Lomond; and, flowing north-east by Killin, expands into the beautiful long narrow lake called Loch Tay. Issuing thence, its course is north and east to Logierait; south to Dunkeld; east to Kinclaven; south, inclining a little to the west, to Perth; north-east to the point of Rhind; then, north-easterly, past Dundee, till it falls into the sea between Tentsmoor Point and Buttonness. From Rhind Point to Dundee the channel of the river expands into an æstuary called the Frith of Tay. From its source to Dunkeld the Tay flows with a rapid current, partly through a very wild, and partly through a highly picturesque, romantic, country. Its subsequent course, as far as Perth, is through a comparatively fruitful country; and, from the latter to the sea, it flows through the richest and finest valley in Scotland. From Buttonness to Dundee the river is navigable for ships of 500 tons burden; and, at high water, vessels of above 100 tons burden reach Perth, 20 miles above Dundee. Two light-houses have been erected on Buttonness to mark the entrance to the river. The bar at its mouth has 2 fathoms water over it. Dundee, the port of the Tay, is a large, rapidly improving, and highly important manufacturing and commercial town. It has wet docks and a pier harbour. The latter dries at low ebb; but at high water springs it has a depth of 14 or 15 feet, and at neaps of 9 or 10 feet. Large ships anchor in the channel of the river. The mouth and channel of the Tay are a good deal incumbered with sand-banks; and its navigation it rather difficult, partly on that account, and partly from the strength of the tides. (Norie's Sailing Directions for the North Sea, p. 106.) Among the more remarkable of the tributaries of the Tay may be mentioned the Lyon, which joins it near Fortingal. The Tummel has its sources in the moor of Rannoch, and, flowing through the loch of that name, is joined near the pass of Killiecrankie by the Gary, from the confines of Loch Ericht. The united river falls into the Tay at Logierait. Near Kinclaven, the Tay receives the united waters of the Airdle, the Isla, and other rivers flowing south from the mountains on the confines of Aberdeenshire. At Rhind Point it receives its important tributary the Earn, flowing eastward from Loch Earn. The basin of the Tay comprises a space of about 2,400 square miles; and Mr. Smeaton ascertained that it carries to the sea more water than even the Thames. Its course from its source to Buttonness is estimated at about 116 miles. It is the finest salmon river in Great Britain: its fisheries let for a large sum; the fish being mostly conveyed, packed in ice, to London. South and North Esks. These rivers rise in the Grampian mountains, on the confines of Aberdeenshire, and, flowing south-east, fall, the first into the sea, a little below Montrose, and the latter about 4 miles more to the north. Montrose is situated on the north side of the river, about 14 miles from its mouth. Two light-houses have been erected on its extreme north-east boundary. The channel is narrow; but there are 15 or 18 feet water on the bar at low ebbs, so that middling-sized ships may run in at any time of the tide. The basin of Montrose, above the town, has a fine appearance on a map; but it is too shallow to be of any use. Notwithstanding the recent improvements, the narrowness of the channel, and the rapidity of the tides, make it advisable for ships entering Montrose to employ a pilot. Dee. This river has its sources in the highest part of the Grampian mountains, at the point where the south-western extremity of Aberdeenshire unites with Inverness-shire. It flows east, by the castle-town of Braemar, Glengairn, and Durris, till it falls into the sea, on the south side of New Aberdeen. It receives many tributaries, but none of very material importance. The total length of the Dee, from its source to its mouth, following its various windings, is between 80 and 81 miles; but a straight line, drawn between the two extremes, |