be desired. The northern side, is a range of lofty mountains covered with heath. For several miles from the east of the loch there are many plantations of fir, some of them very extensive. The general elevation of the country marks it, as the highest ground in Scotland. Nevertheless, on the top of a mountain in this region of mountains, is Loch Tarff, about a mile wide, with several small islands in it: from this lake flows the river Tarff, which is famous for its cataracts, called the Falls of Fyers. Near these falls is a small inn, which retains the appellation of the General's Hut; because Gen. Wade when making these roads resided here. The depth of water in this loch is from 106 to 129 fathoms, in the middle parts, to 85, 75, or less, near its end. The sides are very steep, the rise being a foot in height to a foot and a half in breadth. The bays are not so steep, yet in them, 20 fathoms depth, is scarcely 70 or 80 fathoms from the shore. Loch Ness has been known to vary in the height of its surface as much as ten feet. The excessive steepness of the sides of Loch Ness, has suggested the propriety of laying down mooring chains for the use of merchant ships intending to an chor in the loch; this would save time, labour, and expence, in anchors and cables: what renders this convenience more desirable is the consideration that merchant ships carry no superfluity of strength for labour. The whole of the bottom of Loch Ness is soft mud of a dark brownish colour when wet, and appears to consist of the lighter part of the soil of the surrounding mountains, that has for ages been continually washed into the loch by innumerable torrents, which rush down the sides of the mountains during rains. It will afford good anchoring ground enough, in all parts, independent of the mooring chains. It is a curious circumstance, that the wind always blows right along this loch: but this is easily explained: for the two ranges of mountains on either side of the loch, controul the course of the wind when it makes an angle with the direction of the loch, and divert it from the course it would pursue, to that of the channel, which they make for it; so that the clouds are often seen sailing by the same wind above the mountains, in angles four or five points distant from that which blows on the surface of the loch. The gales of wind, &c. in Loch Lochie are the same as those in Loch Ness. It has been observed that the waters of Loch Ness never freeze: and report affirms that a line of a thousand fathom bas been employed in vain to sound the bottom. This, however, like many other marvels is erroneous: as appears sufficiently from what we have already observed. What is no less extraordinary, it is asserted that iron lying under water in Loch Ness, never becomes rusty. These effects are attributed to somewhat of a sulphureous exhalation, which is thought to rise from the bottom of the lake. It may not be easy to ascertain this: but the non-freezing of the lake may possibly be owing to its situation in a kind of hollow bason, and to the effect which this has on the wind: as we see that ponds, only a few feet deep below the surface, are not frozen by those winds which have congealed others not so protected, to the depth of several inches. It is certain that somewhat of a steam is seen to hover over the lake in very severe frosts: this may be nothing more than exhalation rendered visible by the great purity of the air: but the facts demand the investigation of philosophy before we admit or deny them. Fort Augustus is situated on a plain at the west end of Loch Ness. It is capable of containing four or five hundred men. It is formed by four bastions. Below the fort is a small pier, for the use of vessels which navigate the Loch; and over the river Oich, which runs from Loch Oich, is a bridge of three arches, which connects the south and north districts. The country all around is wildly beautiful, and sublime. The sides of Loch Lochy are equally mountainous and wild, as those of Loch Ness. The military road made under the direction of general Wade is continued along the south side of this loch, in some places winding around the mountains, in others, rising over very considerable ascents, till it reaches Fort William, which is the western termination of that general's labours. But before we arrive at Fort William, we must direct our attention to that highrising mountain, Ben Nevis, which is evidently part of a much greater mass that in very remote ages, included not only the principal, now distinguished by this name, but two adjoining, not equal in height; between these mountains, are immense gullies from whence possibly has flowed that earth which now forms most of the flat land about Fort William. It would be foreign from our purpose to enter into all the political motives which rendered the formation of this canal desirable in a former paper of this kind when describing the courses of the new roads forming in the Highlands, we alluded to some of them; and others may be sufficiently understood without being particularized. It is certain that the genius of the Highlanders does not lead them to exertions in manufactures or commerce. Individuals, indeed, who direct their attention to these subjects succeed well and carry them on to profit, but this is not the general turn of the hardy inhabitants of these northern regions. Accustomed to activity, to much walking and exercise, they with difficulty reconcile themselves to sedentary, or studious professions. Hence they have rather preferred to seek their fortunes in distant climes than to descend to the lowlands, and engage in those establishments which offer employment and emolument to the industrious. The labour of digging this canal has coincided with the habits of the people; and not less than fifty who had taken passage for America, returned from the vessel in which they were embarked, on receiving assurances of employment in this undertaking, before it could well be said to be begun. We shall now report some of those circumstances which have attended the progress and execution of the intention of the legislature in this undertaking. ordinary low water in the river; an important work, and executed with great rapidity by the exertions of above 200 labourers. The foundation of the lock on Loch Ness near Fort Augustus is 24 feet below the level of the summer surface of the Jake; this renders it necessary to cut a new channel for the river through the rock on the north side, in order to get at a foundation of rock, the soil being too open to warrant the cutting to so great a depth. Besides cutting a new course for the river Lochie, it is proposed to raise Loch Lochie 12 feet above its present level, the shores in general being steep, very little land, except at the east end, will be overflowed by raising the loch, and as there is some deep cutting at the summit, it is proposed to remove back the soil, which is on the surface of the present meadow at the east end of the Loch, and to bring the ground which must be excavated at the summit to raise the low ground at the east end of the loch, and when raised to the proper height to cover it again with the soil which had been removed back, with the addition of that which covered the land to be occupied by the canal near the summit. The course of the river Lochie it is intended shall be changed into a new channel, to be formed along the bottom of the bank on the south side-and the deserted part of the present bed of the river will be taken for the canal. The sea lock at Corpach on Loch Eil will be cut out of the rock, and it is proposed to make a small bason within it, which also will be cut out of the rock, so as to admit a number of vessels with the flowing tide, which after the gates are clos, ed may ascend the locks at leisure. The locks inland, will rise 7 feet 9 inThe act of parliament for undertaking ches each, and will be united in clusters: the Caledonian Canal was passed July 27, this considerably reduces the expence of 1803. As the object was well understood their erection, because separate locks during the discussion on the bill, the com- must be complete in all their parts, wheremissioners held their first meeting imme-as of locks in combination the back of one diately, on the 30th, and issued general directions for advancing the business. The line intended to be occupied by the canal, was found on inspection to be uncommonly favourable to the purpose. The course of the river Ness has been altered, by throwing up an embankment of above a thousand yards in length; and twelve feet in height above the line of makes the front of its fellow. In one group eight locks are united, in another four. Loch Eiland Loch Doughfour are to be deepened by means of steam engines, the scarcity of provender rendering the keeping of horses very expensive. Loch Eil, up as far as Fort William, has always been frequented by shipping, and is a safe navigation and harbour, Finding after accurate inspection that at a small additional expense the canal might be enlarged to adinit the passsage of thirty-two gun frigates, the committee directed the locks to be increased in length from 162 feet to 170 feet, and the breadth from 38 to 40 feet. The average depth being 20 feet. The canal itself is 20 feet deep, 50 feet wide, at bottom, 110 feet wide at top. By this improvement the canal is rendered capable of affording accommodation on occasion, to upwards of forty-vessels of war, which without it would have been excluded. Of course, these dimensions will accommodate the largest merchant vessels. A considerable proportion of the materials for this work has been found within a reasonable distance of it :—such as timber, stone, lime, &c. tween the soil thus derived, and that derived from the Ocean. We learn, that near Inverness, at some distance from the Sea, the soil is so loose that the water rose and fell with the tide, and there was great apprehensions that a proper foundation for the locks and other masonry would not have been found. This apprehension was, however, at length happily removed, and one place afforded a soil of sufficient solidity to answer the desired end. This has of course been adopted, though under some disadvantage to the entrance of the canal. Such are the labours of man, and such the accommodations required by commerce! Here we behold vast excavations, to which the solid rock is not allowed to afford any effectual impediment; itis penetrated for miles in length: there we see canals suspended high in air and rivers flowing far below: here we find a lake raised several feet above its level, part of its lately-restraining banks carried elsewhere, and adventitious earth covered with a native and natural soil: there we behold a river diverted from its bed, and carried through rocks, its antient boundaries; here we see a loch deepened by paring The number of labourers on the canal which during the first year was about 150, in the second year was increased to 900, and in 1805 to 1163. The times of potatoe planting, and of the herring fishery lessen the number of workmen; as might naturally be expected. To accommodate this accession of population, temporary sheds and huts have been erected where necessary; stores of oat-away parts of its subaqueous elevations, and meal have been formed, (to be sold out at prime cost) a small brewery has also been established, to check, and if possible, to exclude the pernicious habit of drinking whiskey. Cows also are kept for the purpose of supplying milk. And thus the rudiments of civilization and the connections which result from sound policy are established amid wilds and mountains, amid of the Grampians themselves. The time of passing a 38 feet dock will be about 20 minutes; a 40 feet lock, 22 minutes; a 43 feet lock, 25 minutes. The smallest size of vessels trading to the Baltic is about 75 feet in length, 21 feet in width, draught of water 12 feet; burthen 120 tons. The largest size, is about 130 feet long, 35 feet wide, draught of water 19 feet; burthen 650 tons. The excavations and borings which have taken place in varions spots in the course of this canal, are not without their interest and instruction to Geologists and Mineralogists, as they shew, apparently, the results of long continued decomposition of the component parts of mountains, and at the same time the distinctions be there we see vast reservoirs obedient to the arm of man, whose contents rise and fall at command, and render their different levels subservient to the general good. We cannot but wish success to such magnificent undertakings, we cannot but think highly of that age and nation which has strength, spirit and skill to execute them: the science which plans them, the munificence which supports them, the politeness and discretion which distinguish the conduct of those who are placed in the truly honourable office of directing them, are all entitled to the marked respect and applause of the present age, to the veneration and encomiums of posterity. These works have already excited the astonishment of foreigners, who wonder at our capability of carrying on works of such magnitude at the moment when we are obliged to support, for our very exis tence, perhaps endless war against the whole world. We find that lately arrived at Inverness, two Russian gentlemen, of the Board of Inland Navigation of that Empire. They are deputed by the Russian Government, and have obtained permission of ours, to study the various branches of civil engineering, as practised in Britain. For this purpose they have already, in company with Mr. Telford, examined many of the principal works of this nature in England and Scotland, and have travelled northward, with the view of attending, for some time, to the operations going forward on the Caledonian Canal. A Map of Scotland; constructed from Original Materials obtained under the Authority of the Parliamentary Commissioners for making Roads and building Bridges in the Highlands of Scotland, with whose Permission it is now published, by their much obliged and obedient Servant, A. Arrowsmith. Four sheets, large elephant paper. Price £3.13s. 6d. Dated June 25, 1807. devoted themselves to knowledge, have studied the improvements of science, which have done so much honour to modern days! Little did the first projector of latitude and longitude foresee to what critical nicety that principle would be improved, and of what satisfactory correctness that simple intersection was capable. Little could he anticipate the services done to navigation, as well as to civil polity, by the establishment of that test to which observation and estimate might be brought. When once truth, or a test of truth, is established, by what refinements it may be followed can never be foreseen by any. It was, in reality, a very important degree of merit to which art had arrived, when it was able to lay down in delineation the true position and figure of a country, to mark the headlands, the rivers, EVERY man of reflection has been the shores, with accuracy, and to warn frequently struck with the thought," What the adventurous navigator by its sands and would those, whom we are accustomed to rocks of those which required him to keep admire as ancients, say, could they be- a sharp look out: but, it was not satisfachold the improvements of modern times?" tory to those who wished to render a map The science of geography may be quoted a picture of the country it included, and with great advantage as an instance deser- to estimate the causes, as well as the ving of consideration on such an inquiry. courses, of rivers, the features of a counIt has discovered a great portion of the try, the plains and levels, the hills and world of which antiquity knew nothing. mountains, which it offered. In short, a The descriptions of Herodotus and Strabo, kind of perpetual bird's eye view, looking the labours of Thales and Ptolemy, inclu- perpendicularly down, and answering the ded but a part of the globe, and the rela-purposes of a model, was wanted by the tive situations of the countries they described, as known to them, were but approximations to the truth, at the best. The Romans, who dignified their empire with the compliment of being Orbis Very awkward were most of the essays Terrarum, are convicted of sheer vanity, when we compare the countries to present this gratification: we have seen they subjugated withthose more exten-mountains of immense height placed on sive regions, which happily never felt the floating sands of the desert; and matheir yoke; and if Alexander sighed ny a river has been made to run up one for other worlds to conquer, it was be-side of a mountain-for the pleasure of cause he had no adequate information on the extent of that, which he ridiculously induced to enshrine him as a deity. Those who knew not even the true form of the globe, had surely much to learn; those who knew not the dimen-dities is extremely well calculated to intro. sions of the globe, nor the properties of its various climates, nor the productions they yielded for the use of man, nor their capacity of sustaining inhabitants, nor the fact of their being inhabited,-with what delight would those liberal spirits, who geographer who sat in his closet, to enable him to study regions which he had never seen, and to traverse in meditation inaccessibilities which he could not so much as think of attempting to behold. We coming down again on the other. have known cities placed in the sea instead of on shore; and islands transformed into lakes, or, vice versa, lakes into islands.A recollection of such absur duce the map before us to advantage. In this we find the brooks and watercourses originate in gullies between the hills: we observe in some counties extensive plains, while others are broken into precipices, various in direction, and dissi main land of Scotland. the whole was finished, with the exception of the Isles, and of some very inconsiderable spots in the Highlands. milar in form. Not only the roads and discovered, that his Majesty's library containother results of human labour are marked, ed an original survey of the whole of the but also the face of the country as presentWe dis This survey was commenced in the year ed by the operations of nature. 1747, under the direction of Colonel, aftertinguish, in the first place, chains of wards Lieutenant General Watson, the mountains strongly marked; in the sequarter master general of Scotland, and carcond place, masses of hills infinitely va- ried on principally by General Roy, assisted ried included among them, in the third by several officers of the engineers, each of place, those insulated (and often conical) whom surveyed the districts allotted to him. risings, which the Scotch call laws, and They first surveyed the Highlands, and in which arrest the attention of a traveller 1752 it was determined to extend the survey journeying through that part of the king-to the southern part of Scotland. In 1754 dom. The lochs and rivers are marked with equal distinctness, and contrary to most geographers (and especially to those who have lately engaged the labours of Mr. Lowry), Mr. Arrowsmith has put no colour at all on his waters, not even a short coasting. It is certain, that distinctness is consulted by this omission, and that it affords an opportunity of determin-fy ing, by the different colour of the outline, whether the shore be bold or flat, rocky or sandy. This is remarkably the fact in a map so full of work, by reason of its numerous mountains, as that before us; and the strong and black delineations of some of them start up, as it were, with so much greater effect.-Mr. A. has inserted many cross roads as well as the principal; he has marked parks, forests, and other inclosures: and, for the first time, the towns which have post-offices in them are marked with a star, and their distances from Edinburgh in figures. This is a valuable addition, and has been, we understand, obtained by some trouble Having obtained his Majesty's gracious and by repeated applications to the Post-permission. We employed Mr. Arrowsmith, Office at Edinburgh. as being a geographer of high reputation, to copy and reduce the original survey. The astronomical observations said to have been This map contains many hundreds, we might say thousands, of names of places, never before inserted in any map; and we presume that in point of correctness we may frankly recommed it to the public. At least, we can answer for such parts of it as we have travelled over, and for which we dare trust our memory. If we had any doubts, they must be removed by the history of this performance, which we shall transcribe from the third Report of the Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges. p. 29. The inconvenience to which We were subjected by the want of an accurate map of Scotland, as mentioned in our last Report, caused us to enquire into the practicability of remedying the defect; and in this We have succeeded beyond our expectations, as it was Many years afterwards, his Majesty granted permission to General Roy to publish from the survey (which is on a scale of nearly two inches to a mile) an improved map of Scotland; but after collecting such astronomical observations as might serve to bound and verithe survey, General Roy suspended his intention, and never afterwards resumed it. beginnings, is not strictly trigonometrical, The survey having proceeded from small but depending chiefly on the magnetic meridian, which experience has demonstrated to be peculiarly various in different parts of Scotland; and General Roy must have found it very difficult in the then scarcity of known positions and authentic charts of the coast, to have combined the various unconnected parts of the survey in a manner worthy of difficulties, however, have been since in a such a laborious and accurate work. These great degree overcone, and We have reason to believe that no labour has been spared in procuring information for the adjustment and improvement of the map. collected by General Roy, have not been found; and in order to render the map cor rect and complete in every respect, it has become necessary for Mr. Arrowsmith to form an extensive collection of new materials, to which We have contributed our best endeayours by consulting Mr. Payfair, Professor in the University of Edinburgh, Mr. Jackson of Ayr, and several other centine persons of eminence, in order to supply some of the most important paruculars. The nap which Mr. Arrowsmith has pro duced after two years labour, has received an unanimous testimony of its ace racy from all persons acquainted with the various parts of Scotland. It has been of singular advintage to the beauty of this map, that Mr. Pal Sandby, who has since bec ne so well known for his talents as an artist, was employed in |