small quantities, they arrange themselves in a spherical manner, and form drops. "This, I believe, is the sum of all that has been said upon this subject, and the sum total of all I shall say to night, for I am rather inclined to be weary.” CHAPTER VI. SCOTLAND. SECTION I. THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND. OUR travellers had a very pleasant voyage until they came off the coast of Scotland, when a strong east wind setting in, with a heavy swell of the sea, the captain was glad to take shelter in the frith of Cromarty, the most safe, extensive, and commodious bay or harbour of Scotland, and one of the finest in Europe, perhaps in the world. This truly excellent but much neglected harbour, the Portus Salutis of the Romans, is about twenty two miles in length, and in some parts four in breadth; the entrance is narrow and bold, being formed by two huge lofty rocks, which project into the sea, till they approach within a mile of each other, and therefore defend this fine bay completely from winds and storms. rocky promontories, or islands, thus approaching each other, and being very nearly alike in form, are called by the natives, the Sooters of Cromarty, meaning the wooers. Such in fact is the vast extent of sea room in this bay, and such its length, breadth, and depth, that almost the whole of the British navy might ride with safety within it; besides which the anchorage ground for many miles up is so smooth, and so perfectly desirable, that were a vessel even driven from her cable, little or no damage would be incurred. These Dr. Walker resolved, now that they were so near Loch Ness, to take a survey of that lake; and on their road visited Inverness, where there is a manufactory of ropes and canvass. Having partly dined on some of the celebrated salmon caught in the river Ness, they strolled to Craig Phadraik, a vitrified fort, as it is called; the stones compos. ing its walls, have every appearance of having been partly melted by fire. "Are we far from Forres, Sir," said Edward, as they returned to Inverness, " Shakspeare has almost made that classic ground?" "Too far for us to visit it just now," replied the Doctor. "But you will have nothing to regret, for it is picturesque only in the mind's eye,' to apply a quotation from the poet who threw a charm round every thing he touched. Forres has at present but little to boast of. It has indeed a remarkable column in its neighbourhood, said to have been erected to commemorate the expulsion of the Danes in the reign of Malcolm II. about the year 1008. EDWARD.- DR. WALKER.- "No: I never did; but I understand it is rather a curiosity. It is twenty five feet in height, and three in breadth, and is covered to the top with figures on horseback. "And now for Loch Ness. "The great curiosity of Loch Ness is, that it never freezes; the river of the same name into which it discharges itself, is six miles in length; no ice is ever seen upon it, but it smokes in frosty weather. About seventeen miles, perhaps more from this place, is a lake called Lochan Wyn, or Green Lake, which is always covered with ice, winter and summer. "I cannot account," said Dr. Walker, "for this last phenomenon; now the number of springs and fountains in Loch Ness, may prevent its waters freezing. This lake has been sounded in many parts with a line of 500 fathoms, but no bottom found.” "Loch Ness is surrounded by rocks and woods, and is particularly wild and romantic. On the north side stands the remains of the famous castle of Urquart, seated on a rock and surrounded by a great ditch, which was formerly sup plied with water from the lake. "I suppose you ken why 'tis called Loch Ness," said their guide? "No, indeed," replied the Doctor, "I do not." "Why then I'll tell ye," rejoined the Highlander. "Nisus, an Irish Chief, wi his wife Donadilla, settled a colony on Stratharig, and yon promontory, where he took up his residence is to this day called Down Dearmill. He being the first man who ever launched a boat upon the loch. It was called Loch Nisus after him, and so in time it was changed to Loch Ness." "Can "Thank you my good friend," said Dr. Walker. you tell us the name of that high mountain in the distance." GUIDE." Meal-fuor-voury. It is about four miles west of the castle, and it is said to be two miles perpendicular from the lake. On the top of it is a lake of cold fresh water, about thirty fathoms in length, and six broad. No stream runs to or from it, and it has never yet been fathomed. 'Tis always full, and never freezes.” Having gratified their curiosity with the picturesque scenery in its environs, they continued their journey, and passing over the beautiful bridge which crosses the Fyers, they proceeded to the stupendous falls of that river. "What a beautiful object is that bridge," observed Edward, as they caught a view of it in one of the windings of the road. high is it, Sir? It appears to hang in the air.' 66 How DR. WALKER." It is 100 feet above the level of the water, and its being composed but of one arch, and uniting those two enormous rocks, it has indeed a surprising as well as beautiful effect." SECTION II. EDINBURGH "We must not," said Dr. Walker, "stay much longer in Scotland; for really Edward some months have elapsed since we left Dublin, and here we are still in the British Isles. Edinburgh must be the next and last place, that must detain us on this side of the Tweed." On their road to the capital of Scotland, they did but stop to take a view of the interesting Loch Leven, where the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots, was confined in a castle on a small island in the middle of the lake. It was night when our travellers entered Edinburgh, and Edward was up early the next morning, being anxious to view a city of which he had heard a great deal during his travels in Scotland. The first place our travellers visited was the castle. Having crossed the High-street, they entered the parade which is 350 feet in length and 300 in breadth, and divides the castle from the town. Having passed the draw-bridge, they mounted the rock by the winding path which leads to its summit, and which is defended at an angle where the road turns towards the west by a battery mounted with twelve and eighteen pounders, which point to the north-west; indeed these formidable engines of war, face you very generally on all sides. Here are the guard and store-houses. Further on, the declivity of the hill is occupied by the powder-magazine (which is bomb-proof) houses for the governor and other officers, and the new barracks. The area of the castle is occupied by a chapel, and on the east side stand the apartments formerly occupied by royalty. In the south-east angle of the square, is shewn an apartment in which James VI. was born. A small aperture is pointed out as communicating through a long passage to the grass market. When Mary was near her confinement, a string, to which a bell was fastened, was conveyed through this passage, which was to have announced to the Roman Catholic friends of the Scottish queen, the birth of her child, in order that they might convey it away to be educated in the faith of its mother. In an apartment of this part of the castle, the regalia of Scotland is preserved. In the year 1818, the Prince Regent granted a commission to some of the principal inhabitants of the city, empowering them to break open the room in which they were deposited, and ascertain whether they were there or not, as many reports had spread abroad that they had been secretly removed. They were however found in a high state of preservation, and were replaced in the chest which had contained them. The castle not only overlooks the city, its environs, gardens, the new town, and a fine rich neighbouring country, but commands a most extensive prospect of the river Forth, the shipping, the opposite coast of Fife, and even some hills at the distance of 40 or 50 miles, which border upon the Highlands. "The castle," said Doctor Walker, as they descended its serpentine road, "was deemed impregnable before the use of artillery. It was probably built by the Saxon king, Edwin, whose territories reached to the Frith of Forth, and who gave his name to Edinburgh, as it certainly did not fall into the hands of the Scots, till the reign of Indulphus, who lived in the year 953. "The town was built for the benefit of protection from the castle, and a more inconvenient situation for a capital can scarcely be conceived, though few excel it in point of beauty. The High-street is on the ridge of a hill, lying east and west, and on each side of it are lanes or streets running down towards it from the north and from the south. It is full a mile long, is broad and well paved, and the houses being lofty and of hewn stone, it has certainly an imposing appearance; it is built on a rising ground, and gradually ascends from the Holyrood House, until it reaches the base of the rock on which the castle is placed, and which is inacces. sible on all sides, but one. When Mary landed, the French who accompanied her, called it Lislebourg, from its being surrounded on all sides but one with water. From the castle they proceeded to Holyrood House, the inner quadrangle of which was planned by Sir Robert Bruce, and built under his immediate direction in the reign of Charles I. It is very magnificent, and of modern architecture, round this quadrangle runs an arcade, adorned with pilasters; and the interior contains a superb suite of apartments for the Duke of Hamilton, who is hereditary keeper of the palace, and for other noblemen. Its long gallery contains portraits of all the kings of Scotland, down to the time of the revolution; the greater part of them are copies by modern artists. James VII. when Duke of York, intended to have made considerable improvements in and about this palace, and truly it stands much in necd of them, for at present nothing can be more uncomfortable than its situation; at the bottom of bleak and craggy mountains, without a single tree near it to enliven or vary the scene. At the time of the revolution the fury of the lawless mob, destroyed the beautiful chapel which James had built; it is said to have been a most perfect specimen of gothic architecture. During this time of confusion, the rabble penetrated into the silent and sacred repositories of the dead, where they exposed to view a vault which had been hitherto undiscovered, and in which were found the bodies of James V. and his first queen, and that of Henry Darnley. Heriot's hospital next attracted their attention. It is built on a rising ground to the south-east of the castle. It is of a quadrangular form, the sides being 40 feet square. It is of the gothic order, and its angles are mounted by turrets. The arms of the founder, George Heriot, goldsmith to James VI. are placed over the north gateway; and in the centre of the quadrangle stands his statue in the costume of |