Loch Lyddoch, six miles long, and about one mile broad, is partly in Perthshire, and partly in Argyleshire; and a portion of the Rannoch, or north-western division of Perthshire, is here seen on the east of the elevated side of the plane of Scotland, which stretches to the north along the moor. The noise and rapid evanescent motion of the infinite variety of glittering torrents and streamlets, leaping down the craggy sides, gushing from the dark recesses, and winding along the rich green bases of these stupendous masses, serve to enliven this wild, extended scene, where the eye is relieved by no vestige of human habitation. Further on, the appearance of desolation increases, as the road stretches along the height of the ridge, which divides the upper part of the glens of Urchay and Etie. On the right, the black mountain shoots up to the heavens in separate dark masses, some dusky brown mosses above, and short heath below, being the only marks of vegetation; and on the left, nothing is seen but a vast extent of mossy moor, covered with heath; the gloom of which is hardly diminished by the gray colour of stones which are scattered over its surface. No green spot occurs to cheer the dismal prospect; and the traveller concludes that he has reached the extreme of desolation, till on arri

ving at the Glenetie side of the ridge, the eye suddenly encounters the horrible aspect of the vast mountain of Buachailetie (the Etie Shepherd), which, from the summit to the base of its immense bulk, presents only the sharp perpendicular edges of innumerable layers of bare rock, without, on that side, the slightest trace of vegetation. The shape of the ground, as seen from the height after passing the black mountain, is a wide circular plain, with a gentle declination from the level of the moor towards the west, where two narrow passes, one (Glenetie) stretching to the south-west, the other (Glenco) to the north-west, which is the line of the road, open into a labyrinth of the wildest and most stupendous masses. The plain presents an uniform surface of heath and stones, save the little spot of green in the middle-an oasis in the desert-where the King's House stands on the banks of the Etie river, which rolls along the plain, from the moor to the western barrier; and, entering the south-western pass under the dark brow of the Shepherd, dashes through the glen, and discharges its waters into the east end of Lochetie. The King's House is the only human habitation in view, and although but an indifferent inn, may well be regarded as a palace in this dreary wilderness.

Nearly along the whole of this extent of nineteen miles, from Tyandrum to Tyanree, or the King's House, through the upper or eastern portion of the Glenurchay division, decaying roots of pine-trees, many of which were of great size, appear on each side of the road, and in the lower part of the mountain sides; and in the intervening corries and narrow dells, as well as on the banks of the rivers and lakes, patches of natural fir and other trees may be seen, affording the strongest indications that the tract was formerly covered with a forest of Scotch fir and other indigenous wood. Similar forests, it will hardly be questioned, spread over all the valleys, hills, moors, and mosses of Scotland, although in many places the indications are not so distinctly visible as in this quarter, where the decay of a considerable part of the forest has been but recent, and where some of it still exists. Much of these extensive forests was cut down from various views, chiefly to prevent their affording shelter and rallying points to those, who maintained the independence of the nation during the efforts, that in different ages were made to subdue the country; and a great part perished by natural decay-the pasturing of sheep and cattle on the ground where they stood, and want of inclosure, effectually, in the

highlands, preventing their reproduction. A ship of immense size having been constructed at Syracuse, by the celebrated Archimedes, 200 years before the Christian era, a proper mainmast, as Athenæus relates, could be found only in the mountains of Britain. The Emperor Severus, according to Herodian and Dion Cassius, employed, in the year 207, legions, auxiliary troops and natives, in cutting down the forests of Scotland, in which undertaking he is said to have lost 50,000 men, probably from the pestilential effect of the swamps, as well as the opposition of the Scots. At a later period, 24,000 axes were employed by John, Duke of Lancaster, for the same purpose. Woods in the north were cut down and burned by the Danes; some forests near Inverary were destroyed by King Robert Bruce, in an expedition against Cummin; and the following order by Monk, (when left in Scotland by Cromwell, to crush any at-. tempts that might be made to restore the royal family of that period,) to cut down certain woods about Aberfoyle, is yet extant: "Whereas "the woods of Milton and Glenshart in Aberfoyle parish are great shelters to the rebells " and mossers, and do thereby bring many in"conveniences to the country thereabouts"These are to desire you on sight hereof to

give order for the cutting down of the woods " with all possible expedition, that so they may "not any longer be a harbour or shelter for "loose, idle and desperate persons; and hereof you are not to fayle. Given under my "hand and seale at Cardrosse, the 17th May, "1654, George Monk.-To the right honour"able the Earl of Earth" (Airth).

These circumstances sufficiently account for the bleak and naked appearance of many of the hills and moors of Scotland, which were once clothed with the finest forests; and much has been done, and still continues to be done, to restore this woody covering, although in several places recent plantations have been grubbed up where they were injudiciously formed on ground more valuable for pasture or tillage. Large logs of oak have been discovered in the highland mosses, even on the north of the Tay; but pine is the wood usually found in the mosses to the north of the Forth, and oak in the mosses on the south of that river.

Notwithstanding the wild and desolate *general aspect of a great part of the tract, the road at this time, from the 23d September to the 4th October, was far from being solitary. After passing, on the 23d September, the point where the road from Lochearn-head and Crief