We can go first to Callander,- -a central point from which such researches may be made, — and find near it the opening scene of this story, one of the shorter, yet one of the more exciting, of Scott's novels. Or we may go from Stirling to Crieff, and thence to Aberfeldy, three miles from which is Grandtully Castle, a supposed original of Tully Veolan in "Waverley" (page 141); and at which are the three beautiful falls of Moness, celebrated by Burns in the verses, "The braes ascend like lofty wa's, The foaming stream, deep roaring, fa's, Thence this excursion leads to Kenmore, also described by Burns, and near the magnificent seat of the Marquis of Breadalbane, Taymouth Castle. Thence the road leads along the border of Loch Tay-one of the noblest of Scottish lakes to Killin; and then past Rob Roy's country, Balquhidder, to Lochearnhead. Between the last named place and Callander, fourteen miles distant, is the Pass of Leni, and in it we are introduced to the action described in this "Legend of Montrose" From Callander our way will be nine miles to the Trosachs, and scenery of "The Lady of the Lake," sketched in chapter vii. No region, except that around Melrose and Abbotsford, is more thoroughly and delightfully associated with Scott and with his creations than this within the circuit of a dozen miles from the Trosachs: it deserves and rewards complete exploration. And before the "Legend" and its scenery are sketched, there cannot be a more proper introduction, than description of a wide, grand outlook upon this peculiarly attractive and suggestive region of his enchanted lands, from a point, identified with no one of his creations, yet commanding view of many places that are. This point is the summit of Ben Ledi, the great "Hill of God;" named thus because, it is said, the Druids there performed rites of fire-worship. The mountain and its top are easily reached from the Trosachs Inn by a walk of a few miles along the Callander road, and over the Brig of Turk, and thence, to the left, by a little path beside the Teith to a small hamlet, in the depths of Glenfinlas, encompassed by grand hills that rise close around it. This hamlet represents not a few found in the Highlands. It consisted, when the writer saw it, of one good, single-storied house, and a few long, low, narrow huts, rude and cheerless, with rough stone walls (some, of the better class only, whitewashed), and with thatched roofs sloping almost to the ground. From this place the way is over uneven declivities, directly to the summit of Ben Ledi, distinctly visible when the weather is proper for mountain excursions in Scotland. From the direction of this approach Ben Ledi appears to be a long ridge, rising to a rounded top, and declining rather steeply to the right (the south). Along the way is the variety of surface presented by bogs, streams, water-courses in grass, mosses, heather, peat, and gray, lichen-grown, broken rocks. The summit should be reached in about two hours from the Trosachs. It is almost covered with soft sward, grasses, and little plants. The natural features of the view from Ben Ledi are very diversified. Eastward, over the Pass of Leni, a deep ravine with steep sides, and over Strath Ire and gleaming reaches of Loch Lubnaig, are irregular elevations, beyond which rise the broad, long UamVar, and "lone" Glen Artney. Close to the north of these is the great depressed pyramidal form of Ben Voirlich; and to the south, the braes of Doune; and farther, the lowlands in several shires, in which tower Doune and Stirling and dark Abbey Craig. Beyond these are the large, dusky forms of the Ochil Hills, and almost over them, far distant, may be seen in clear weather the remotest eastward limit of the panorama, the German Ocean and the Bass Rock off North Berwick. Callander seems to be nearly at one's feet. South of it lies the placid lake of Menteith, with its fair Inch-mahome, the Isle of Rest, and beyond, a wide, rural country, bounded along the horizon by the extended but not high ridge of Campsie Fells, conspicuous towards the western end of which is the Earl's Seat. In this direction, closely below the crest of Ben Ledi, appear the lochs of Vennachar, Drunkie, and Achray, and, beyond them, a lofty ridge that hides Aberfoyle. More westward stands the dark, serrated, prolonged form of Ben Venue, backed by heights more wall-like in shape. Farther on towers great Ben Lomond, appearing triple-headed, and suggesting some aspects of Chocorua among the American White Hills. And then, all around westward and northward, the view sweeps - magnificent in extent and in scenery - from the Paps of Jura, south of west, to Moray Firth, east of north over intricate groups or ranges of mountains "that sentinel enchanted ground" about Loch Katrine, where "huge Ben Venue" stands like a giant, and Ben An heaves "high his forehead bare; " over upper Glenfinlas, near the foreground; and, miles distant, north-west, upon steep and sharp Ben More, one of the highest elevations in Scotland, and upon the mountains in Lord Breadalbane's estate, that nearly crosses the kingdom; over the far north, the dim peak of Ben Lawers on Loch Tay, the grassy braes of Balquhidder, and the great, green slopes above long Loch Voil; over deep Glen Ogle, the northern ridges of Ben Ledi itself, and finally, again, into the profound recesses eastward where lie Loch Lubnaig and the Pass of Leni. And this vast and varied and beautiful panorama is rendered more charming by its eloquent suggestions of the creations of the Great Magician. In the deep valley of Leni, eastward, and beyond Ben Voirlich north of that, are earlier scenes of "A Legend of Montrose." On one side is Rob Roy's country, Balquhidder; and, in an opposite direction, southward, the Highland district associated with Scott's delightful story taking its title from the chieftain's name. Around the towers of Doune and Stirling are scenes of "Waverley" and of the closing of the action of "The Lady of the Lake;" while, nearer, can be traced the course of "The Chase," that began the latter, and the sites of "The Combat" that ensued. Beyond the Trosachs are the haunts of Ellen Douglas, romantic enough for fairyland. And beside these many habitations of Scott's creations, we think at sight of Stirling of "The Lord of the Isles ;' and Glenfinlas tells the ballad, bearing its name, that he wrote of it. Everywhere, indeed, there seems to be a memorial of some passage of romance or of history. Truly the ascent of Ben Ledi can give a healthy walk up a grand, breezy hill-side, and a view that will reward and inspire us. Travellers while at the Trosachs should not only gain, if possible, this view, and explore the country of "The Lady of the Lake" (described on pages 53 to 69), but also visit, if at no other time, Aberfoyle and Loch Ard (pages 180–3), -scenes of "Rob Roy:" and Ledeard cascade, a scene both of that (page 183) and of "Waverley" (page 144); and finally, then, or during excursions suggested already in this chapter, the opening scenes of "A Legend of Montrose." "It was," begins that story, "towards the close of a summer's evening, during the anxious period which we have commemorated [the middle of the great civil war], that a young gentleman of quality, well mounted and armed, and accompanied by two servants, one of whom led a sumpter-horse, rode slowly up one of those steep passes, by which the Highlands are accessible from the Lowlands of Perthshire. Their course had lain for some time along the banks of a lake, whose deep waters reflected the crimson beams of the western sun. The broken path which they pursued, with some difficulty, was in some places shaded by ancient birches and oaktrees, and in others overhung by fragments of huge rock. Elsewhere, the hill, which formed the northern side of this beautiful sheet of water, arose in steep but less precipitous acclivity, and was arrayed in heath of the darkest purple." This "gentleman of quality was the Earl of Menteith, who soon encountered, and made acquaintance with, another travelling horseman, — that celebrated and entertaining soldier of fortune, Captain Dugald Dalgetty. This worthy joined company with the Earl, and, with him, rode up the pass just described, now, as already intimated, identified, — the Pass of Leni. The writer hopes that many other travellers may be enabled to see its wild, romantic, and intensely Scottish scenery under effects of light and of shadow, as magnificent as those that ennobled it when he saw it. Southward was a wide prospect over the lowlands of Stirlingshire, then presented in all the verdure of summer, and the brightness of its sunshine. Along one side of the way, for perhaps a mile, dashed and tumbled a very picturesque stream. On either hand, hills arose in long slopes covered with thick whin and heather, or with patches of broom and birches and small oaks, until the road ascended to the craggy shores of Loch - Lubnaig. Over the dark waters of this long and narrow lake towered the steep, varied, imposing mass of Ben Ledi, around whose sublime head hovered great sombre thunder-clouds, underlighted by rays of the setting sun, yet casting deep shades over the stern, bare cliffs and heights of the summit of the pass. This scenery is indeed impressive; and yet Americans can justly feel that Franconia, with her glory of hills and forests, presents views that are superior in noble picturesqueness. Birkhill, residence of "Tombea's Mary," betrothed of "Norman, heir of Armandave," in "The Gathering" of "The Lady of the Lake" (page 63), is not far from the crest of the pass; and on a wooded knoll, near the former, stood the Chapel of St. Bride. Travellers may advance northward, as Lord Menteith and Cap. tain Dalgetty are supposed to have advanced, and find, to the left, a delightful view into the Balquhidder district - - an almost triangular, meadowy vale, more cultivated now than the neighboring land, - and environed by high, smooth hills, relieved in aspect by scattered tracts of forest. The grave of Rob Roy, who is so intimately associated with the district, is pointed out on a northern slope. Beyond Balquhidder, and an extent of wild country, is Lochearnhead. The party in the story is supposed to have turned to the right, to the eastward, here, and to have traversed a road by the side of Loch Earn, about half its length (of nearly seven miles), to Ardvoirlich (now a gentleman's seat), the reputed original of Darnlinvarach of the story, the castle of Angus M'Aulay. There the lord and captain tarried awhile, and there the latter, in a business-like manner, joined the military service of the former; that is, of the Royal cause in Scotland. There, the story shows us, many Highland chiefs held council on the King's affairs, and were, by Menteith, rallied to action in His Majesty's behalf. There also with dramatic and proper effect appeared James Graham, the "Great" Marquis of Montrose, whose name adorns the title of this novel. This heroic nobleman, at that time only thirty-three years old, and who, as Lodge has said, "deserved to have his memory preserved and celebrated amongst the most illustrious persons of the age in which he lived," was commissioned, by the King, Lieutenant of those royal forces to be then raised in Scotland. And at this Darnlinvarach, the story tells us, were gathered the earlier members of that famous army with which he did such gallant service. To this rendezvous came, also, Sir Duncan Campbell, ambassador from the Marquis of Argyll, who marshalled the forces opposed to the King, and who represented "the Scottish Convention of Estates." Sir Duncan, however, gained little satisfaction for himself, or for those who sent him. He accordingly returned to his associates. He was accompanied by Dugald Dalgetty, created a major, and, for this occasion, an ambassador to Argyll at his ancestral castle, Inverary. The business of the major's mission related to a proposal by Argyll, through Campbell, for a truce to civil feuds, a mere pretext, treatment of which imposed peculiar risk upon any royalist messenger to the great "insurgent" "McCullum More," as the Marquis was styled in the Highlands. Travellers after leaving the region of the Trosachs will be led by the route of this tour, and by the geography and the attractions of the country, in the direction taken by these ambassadors, who first went by ways then devious and difficult to Sir Duncan's castle on the west coast, that travellers, after awhile, may now be enabled to identify. |