a journey to-第6部分

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saw　the　lake；　he　must　have　been　very　incurious；　and　if　he　had　seen
it；　his　veracity　yielded　to　very　slight　temptations。

Lough　Ness；　though　not　twelve　miles　broad；　is　a　very　remarkable
diffusion　of　water　without　islands。　　It　fills　a　large　hollow
between　two　ridges　of　high　rocks；　being　supplied　partly　by　the
torrents　which　fall　into　it　on　either　side；　and　partly；　as　is
supposed；　by　springs　at　the　bottom。　　Its　water　is　remarkably　clear
and　pleasant；　and　is　imagined　by　the　natives　to　be　medicinal。　　We
were　told；　that　it　is　in　some　places　a　hundred　and　forty　fathoms
deep；　a　profundity　scarcely　credible；　and　which　probably　those　that
relate　it　have　never　sounded。　　Its　fish　are　salmon；　trout；　and
pike。

It　was　said　at　fort　Augustus；　that　Lough　Ness　is　open　in　the
hardest　winters；　though　a　lake　not　far　from　it　is　covered　with　ice。
In　discussing　these　exceptions　from　the　course　of　nature；　the　first
question　is；　whether　the　fact　be　justly　stated。　　That　which　is
strange　is　delightful；　and　a　pleasing　error　is　not　willingly
detected。　　Accuracy　of　narration　is　not　very　common；　and　there　are
few　so　rigidly　philosophical；　as　not　to　represent　as　perpetual；
what　is　only　frequent；　or　as　constant；　what　is　really　casual。　　If
it　be　true　that　Lough　Ness　never　freezes；　it　is　either　sheltered　by
its　high　banks　from　the　cold　blasts；　and　exposed　only　to　those
winds　which　have　more　power　to　agitate　than　congeal；　or　it　is　kept
in　perpetual　motion　by　the　rush　of　streams　from　the　rocks　that
inclose　it。　　Its　profundity　though　it　should　be　such　as　is
represented　can　have　little　part　in　this　exemption；　for　though　deep
wells　are　not　frozen；　because　their　water　is　secluded　from　the
external　air；　yet　where　a　wide　surface　is　exposed　to　the　full
influence　of　a　freezing　atmosphere；　I　know　not　why　the　depth　should
keep　it　open。　　Natural　philosophy　is　now　one　of　the　favourite
studies　of　the　Scottish　nation；　and　Lough　Ness　well　deserves　to　be
diligently　examined。

The　road　on　which　we　travelled；　and　which　was　itself　a　source　of
entertainment；　is　made　along　the　rock；　in　the　direction　of　the
lough；　sometimes　by　breaking　off　protuberances；　and　sometimes　by
cutting　the　great　mass　of　stone　to　a　considerable　depth。　　The
fragments　are　piled　in　a　loose　wall　on　either　side；　with　apertures
left　at　very　short　spaces；　to　give　a　passage　to　the　wintry
currents。　　Part　of　it　is　bordered　with　low　trees；　from　which　our
guides　gathered　nuts；　and　would　have　had　the　appearance　of　an
English　lane；　except　that　an　English　lane　is　almost　always　dirty。
It　has　been　made　with　great　labour；　but　has　this　advantage；　that　it
cannot；　without　equal　labour；　be　broken　up。

Within　our　sight　there　were　goats　feeding　or　playing。　　The
mountains　have　red　deer；　but　they　came　not　within　view；　and　if　what
is　said　of　their　vigilance　and　subtlety　be　true；　they　have　some
claim　to　that　palm　of　wisdom；　which　the　eastern　philosopher；　whom
Alexander　interrogated；　gave　to　those　beasts　which　live　furthest
from　men。

Near　the　way；　by　the　water　side；　we　espied　a　cottage。　　This　was　the
first　Highland　Hut　that　I　had　seen；　and　as　our　business　was　with
life　and　manners；　we　were　willing　to　visit　it。　　To　enter　a
habitation　without　leave；　seems　to　be　not　considered　here　as
rudeness　or　intrusion。　　The　old　laws　of　hospitality　still　give　this
licence　to　a　stranger。

A　hut　is　constructed　with　loose　stones；　ranged　for　the　most　part
with　some　tendency　to　circularity。　　It　must　be　placed　where　the
wind　cannot　act　upon　it　with　violence；　because　it　has　no　cement；
and　where　the　water　will　run　easily　away；　because　it　has　no　floor
but　the　naked　ground。　　The　wall；　which　is　commonly　about　six　feet
high；　declines　from　the　perpendicular　a　little　inward。　　Such
rafters　as　can　be　procured　are　then　raised　for　a　roof；　and　covered
with　heath；　which　makes　a　strong　and　warm　thatch；　kept　from　flying
off　by　ropes　of　twisted　heath；　of　which　the　ends；　reaching　from　the
center　of　the　thatch　to　the　top　of　the　wall；　are　held　firm　by　the
weight　of　a　large　stone。　　No　light　is　admitted　but　at　the　entrance；
and　through　a　hole　in　the　thatch；　which　gives　vent　to　the　smoke。
This　hole　is　not　directly　over　the　fire；　lest　the　rain　should
extinguish　it；　and　the　smoke　therefore　naturally　fills　the　place
before　it　escapes。　　Such　is　the　general　structure　of　the　houses　in
which　one　of　the　nations　of　this　opulent　and　powerful　island　has
been　hitherto　content　to　live。　　Huts　however　are　not　more　uniform
than　palaces；　and　this　which　we　were　inspecting　was　very　far　from
one　of　the　meanest；　for　it　was　divided　into　several　apartments；　and
its　inhabitants　possessed　such　property　as　a　pastoral　poet　might
exalt　into　riches。

When　we　entered；　we　found　an　old　woman　boiling　goats…flesh　in　a
kettle。　　She　spoke　little　English；　but　we　had　interpreters　at　hand；
and　she　was　willing　enough　to　display　her　whole　system　of　economy。
She　has　five　children；　of　which　none　are　yet　gone　from　her。　　The
eldest；　a　boy　of　thirteen；　and　her　husband；　who　is　eighty　years
old；　were　at　work　in　the　wood。　　Her　two　next　sons　were　gone　to
Inverness　to　buy　meal；　by　which　oatmeal　is　always　meant。　　Meal　she
considered　as　expensive　food；　and　told　us；　that　in　Spring；　when　the
goats　gave　milk；　the　children　could　live　without　it。　　She　is
mistress　of　sixty　goats；　and　I　saw　many　kids　in　an　enclosure　at　the
end　of　her　house。　　She　had　also　some　poultry。　　By　the　lake　we　saw　a
potatoe…garden；　and　a　small　spot　of　ground　on　which　stood　four
shucks；　containing　each　twelve　sheaves　of　barley。　　She　has　all　this
from　the　labour　of　their　own　hands；　and　for　what　is　necessary　to　be
bought；　her　kids　and　her　chickens　are　sent　to　market。

With　the　true　pastoral　hospitality；　she　asked　us　to　sit　down　and
drink　whisky。　　She　is　religious；　and　though　the　kirk　is　four　miles
off；　probably　eight　English　miles；　she　goes　thither　every　Sunday。
We　gave　her　a　shilling；　and　she　begged　snuff；　for　snuff　is　the
luxury　of　a　Highland　cottage。

Soon　afterwards　we　came　to　the　General's　Hut；　so　called　because　it
was　the　temporary　abode　of　Wade；　while　he　superintended　the　works
upon　the　road。　　It　is　now　a　house　of　entertainment　for　passengers；
and　we　found　it　not　ill　stocked　with　provisions。



FALL　OF　FIERS



Towards　evening　we　crossed；　by　a　bridge；　the　river　which　makes　the
celebrated　fall　of　Fiers。　　The　country　at　the　bridge　strikes　the
imagination　with　all　the　gloom　and　grandeur　of　Siberian　solitude。
The　way　makes　a　flexure；　and　the　mountains；　covered　with　trees；
rise　at　once　on　the　left　hand　and　in　the　front。　　We　desired　our
guides　to　shew　us　the　fall；　and　dismounting；　clambered　over　very
rugged　crags；　till　I　began　to　wish　that　our　curiosity　might　have
been　gratified　with　less　trouble　and　danger。　　We　came　at　last　to　a
place　where　we　could　overlook　the　river；　and　saw　a　channel　torn；　as
it　seems；　through　black　piles　of　stone；　by　which　the　stream　is
obstructed　and　broken；　till　it　comes　to　a　very　steep　descent；　of
such　dreadful　depth；　that　we　were　naturally　inclined　to　turn　aside
our　eyes。

But　we　visited　the　place　at　an　unseasonable　time；　and　found　it
divested　of　its　dignity　and　terror。　　Nature　never　gives　every　thing
at　once。　　A　long　continuance　of　dry　weather；　which　made　the　rest　of
the　way　easy　and　delightful；　deprived　us　of　the　pleasure　expected
from　the　fall　of　Fiers。　　The　river　having　now　no　water　but　what　the
springs　supply；　showed　us　only　a　swift　current；　clear　and　shallow；
fretting　over　the　asperities　of　the　rocky　bottom；　and　we　were　left
to　exercise　our　thoughts；　by　endeavouring　to　conceive　the　effect　of
a　thousand　streams　poured　from　the　mountains　into　one　channel；
struggling　for　expansion　in　a　narrow　passage；　exasperated　by　rocks
rising　in　their　way；　and　at　last　discharging　all　their　violence　of
waters　by　a　sudden　fall　through　the　horrid　chasm。

The　way　now　grew　less　easy；　descending　by　an　uneven　declivity；　but
without　either　dirt　or　danger。　　We　did　not　arrive　at　Fort　Augustus
till　it　was　late。　　Mr。　Boswell；　who；　between　his　father's　merit　and
his　own；　is　sure　of　reception　wherever　he　comes；　sent　a　servant
before　to　beg　admission　and　entertainment　for　that　night。　　Mr。
Trapaud；　the　governor；　treated　us　with　that　courtesy　which　is　so
closely　connected　with　the　military　character。　　He　came　out　to　meet
us　beyond　the　gates；　and　apologized　that；　at　so　late　an　hour；　the
rules　of　a　garrison　suffered　him　to　give　us　entrance　only　at　the
postern。



FORT　AUGUSTUS



In　the　morning　we　viewed　the　fort；　which　is　much　less　than　that　of
St。　George；　and　is　said　to　be　commanded　by　the　neighbouring　hills。
It　was　not　long　ago　taken　by　the　Highlanders。　　But　its　situation
seems　well　chosen　for　pleasure；　if　not　for　strength；　it　stands　at
the　head　of　the　lake；　and；　by　a　sloop　of　sixty　tuns；　is　supplied
from　Inverness　with　great　convenience。

We　were　now　to　cross　the　Highlands　towards　the　western　coast；　and
to　content　ourselves　with　such　accommodations；　as　a　way　so　little
frequented　could　afford。　　The　journey　was　not　formidable；　for　it
was　but　of　two　days；　very　unequally　divided；　because　the　only
house；　where　we　could　be　entertained；　was　not　further　off　than　a
third　of　the　way。　　We　soon　came　to　a　high　hill；　which　we　mounted　by
a　military　road；　cut　in　traverses；　so　that　as　we　went　upon　a　higher
stage；　we　saw　the　baggage　following　us　below　in　a　contrary
direction。　　To　make　this　way；　the　rock　has　been　hewn　to　a　level
with　labour　that　might　have　broken　the　perseverance　of　a　Roman
legion。

The　country　is　totally　denuded　of　its　wood；　but　the　stumps　both　of
oaks　and　firs；　which　are　still　found；　shew　that　it　has　been　once　a
forest　of　large　timber。　　I　do　not　remember　that　we　saw　any　animals；
but　we　were　told　that；　in　the　mountains；　there　are　stags；　roebucks；
goats　and　rabbits。

We　did　not　perceive　that　this　tract　was　possessed　by　human　beings；
except　that　once　we　saw　a　corn　field；　in　which　a　lady　was　walking
with　some　gentlemen。　　Their　house　was　certainly　at　no　great
distance；　but　so　situated　that　we　could　not　descry　it。

Passing　on　through　the　dreariness　of　solitude；　we　found　a　party　of
soldiers　from　the　fort；　working　on　the　road；　under　the
superintendence　of　a　serjeant。　　We　told　them　how　kindly　we　had　been