Washington. The ascent of Ben Nevis is not difficult to a respectable walker with a proper guide. The chapter before the last may contain enough antiquarian and typographical dissertation on a love story to render another here not absolutely necessary; accordingly that of the Earl of Menteith and of Annot Lyle, the lovers in the novel (whom the writer should, perhaps have mentioned before), may be untold by him, and for a reason of some validity during the tour that is supposed to be sketched in this work, their story is associated with scarcely any other places than those already described in the present chapter. They are said to have been married at Inverlochy Castle, after certain startling incidents had transpired, and a fatal result to these had been averted. They then visited Dunstaffnage, to which the bride proved heiress, and there, in merited bliss, they are supposed to have sometime dwelt. And thus "A Legend of Montrose,” after leading us through extended and noble scenery of the Highlands, locally ends near the western entrance to the Great Glen of Scotland that crosses the kingdom from sea to sea, and, by its lakes and watercourses, gives a pleasant and easy way to the eastern coast, to Inverness, the Highland Capital, and thence to the wild northern coasts and islands associated with the subject of the next work by Scott that will be sketched. XXV. "THE PIRATE." THE GREAT GLEN, AND THE NORTHERN COASTS OF SCOTLAND. Fourteenth Novel of the Series, written 1821; Published December, 1821; THE route of travellers from Bannavie and the neighborhood of Inverlochy and Ben Nevis is, on this tour, by a day's steaming through the Great Glen of Scotland and the Caledonian Canal that traverses it, to Inverness, the Highland capital. There is not, along this route, very much to be seen that is intimately associated with Scott's creations; but yet, there are pleasing varieties of lake and river and hill and mountain views, and of ancient castles and modern engineering art. There is also that Scottish Giessbach, the Falls of Foyers, subjects of verse by Burns and of prose by innumerable other writers. They are, indeed, very pretty, secluded, mountain-side cascades. In and around Inverness, at the eastern end of the canal, is another entertaining variety of objects. The town itself, neat and even handsome, is an emporium of Highland specialties, and thus is a nice place for shopping by tourists. At a couple of miles' distance, in different directions, are two or three curious "vitrified forts." Fifteen miles nearly east is the traditional, or nominal, scene of the chief part of the tragedy "Macbeth," - Cawdor Castle, a picturesque pile, perched above a mountain torrent, surrounded by large forest trees, and accessible only over a rattling drawbridge. To be sure King Duncan was not killed in it; but it is a much more interesting place for a royal murder than could have been the rude structure in which he probably was killed, as it is one of the best preserved baronial strongholds in Scotland. There are several names in its vicinity suggesting Shakspeare's immortal work. The ruins of the once beautiful cathedral of Ross, destroyed by a barbarous iconoclast to yield materials for a fort, are a dozen miles, across Loch Beauly, north-east from Inverness. Five miles east from the town is Culloden Moor, field of the memorable battle that in 1745 for ever defeated the Jacobites. There is, also, a deal else to be seen in this region, as local guides can testify; but time and space here are not sufficient for mention of all. The route from Inverness is to Dingwall, a sort of outpost to Strathpeffer, a hyperborean watering-place, and thence, beside Cromarty Firth and over hills, to Tain. Even now, the extreme north of the mainland is reached by that almost mythical but pleasant vehicle, a mail-coach, that goes to Wick and Thurso in Caithness. The former is a little port on the eastern coast. On the way thither from Tain, travellers cross Dornoch Firth at Meikle Ferry, a cool expanse of water. Afterwards, near Golspie, they pass Dunrobin Castle, partly seen from the road, a magnificent seat, very ancient in origin, of the Dukes of Sutherland. It rises grandly above a wide, circling sweep of sea-coast, of which it commands wonderful views, and along a portion of which travellers ride. They then cross Helmsdale, and then Berriedale, with its two deep, prettily wooded, and watered ravines. Some time after sight of Dun robin is lost, the road, still near the coast, enters Caithness by the Pass of Ord, or the Ord of Caithness, where it mounts thirteen hundred feet upon the bleak and bare, cold and lonely moorland sides of the Morven Hills, and commands a very extensive view over the North Sea, on which these hills there abut. Beyond the pass is continuous coast scenery, presenting, seaward, crags and waves, and inland, heathery or pasture ground, and mountain peaks, like the Paps of Caithness in the distance. Further north are wide extents of almost flat lands. Wick does not contain many "sights." The notable excursion from it is to the picturesque cliffs at Duncansby Head, the northeastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland, and to "John O'Groat's House," not a building, but a grass-grown site, partly mound, partly cellar, close to the shore of Pentland Firth. Near it is the odd little Houna Inn, the most northerly public house on the British continent. From Wick travellers may go by steamer directly to Lerwick on the Mainland of Shetland, from which visits are usually made to the scenery in which opens the action of this wild, magical story, "The Pirate," with its half Scandinavian strangeness. Only good sailors will probably make this voyage in comfort. During fine weather, a landing from the steamer may be effected at Sumburgh Head, the first natural scene described in the novel. It is nearly thirty miles southerly from Lerwick, and from it most of the localities of the earlier portion of the story can be, perhaps, most readily reached. Travellers will, however, be likely to go, as Scott went, to Lerwick, -a port that he reached on the 3d of August, 1814, during the voyage in the light-house yacht (mentioned on page 102, and described on page 226), when he so much surpassed the explorations by Dr. Johnson in the celebrated Hebridean Tour. The port of Lerwick, Scott wrote in his journal, “is a most beautiful place, screened on all sides from the wind by hills of gentle elevation. The town, a fishing village, built irregularly upon a hill ascending from the shore, has a picturesque appearance." It is a prettier place now. Scott, while his friend Erskine (then sheriff) tried riotous whalemen, explored the antiquities and remarkables of the neighborhood, and thus, as in Liddesdale, continued "making himself," and conceiving charms that he has associated with many strange places in the remote islands of Shetland and of Orkney. The scenes of the novel in the former are on the chief island, |