short of the intention. But in Glenco, the sound of harps and din of arms are now equally unheard, and the traveller, as he traverses the dreary solitude, might almost fancy that he saw the consequences of the slaughter. With the exception of some cottages at the lowest extremity of the glen, which, it is said, still belong to the representative of the old Glenco family, a substantial sheep farm-house at the point where it turns to the north, and where several persons were murdered in 1692, is the only vestige of human habitation. The sheep-farming system has done the work of extirpation more effectually than the secretary's massacre; and but slight traces now remain of the warlike tribe of this little valley, once the object of so much public concern, and ministerial apprehension.

From the lower extremity of Glenco, the road bends to the west for about five miles along the side of the arm of the sea, called Loch Leven, to the line of the great glen of Scotland, and the ferry of Ballichelish, at the point where that lake branches off from Loch Linne, penetrating inland for twelve miles, and at its eastern point almost touching the line of the general ridge of Scotland. The lake is from a mile and a half to a quarter of a mile in breadth, and is inclosed

on the south, east, and north, by high and almost perpendicular mountains, of various shapes, some of them green to the top, others terminating in bare rock and dusty streaks, having their bases in several places finely fringed with natural wood, consisting chiefly of ash, alder, birch, and hazel. The road to the ferry, passing through much wood of this description, stretches about half way between the foot of Glenco and the ferry, along the base of the celebrated slate mountain, on the sides of which are seen crowds of labourers busily employed in preparing the slates, and conveying them to the quay, and shipping them. On the west of the mountain appears the village of Ballachelish, with its long neat rows of slate-covered cottages, the habitations of the quarriers, and retailers of such commodities as are in constant demand in that situation. The crowd, the activity, noise, and bustling industry of this place, contrast agreeably with the stillness, solitude and silence of the scene behind. Argyle seems to be the chief slate county of Scotland, about five millions of slates being made annually in Easdale and its other islands, and three millions at Ballichelish and other quarries on the main land, forming nearly one half of the slate produce of the whole of the rest of Scotland. The revenue

derived by the proprietors of the Argyleshire quarries for the slates is said to be about 14,000l. per annum, and of this a considerable portion is brought into the division of Upper Lorn for the fine blue Ballichelish slates, for which there is a great and constant demand. The quarry is most conveniently situated for sea carriage, the waters of Loch Leven washing the side of the mountain from which a pier stretches into the lake. To the end of this pier may be lashed vessels of considerable burden, into which the slates are thrown from hand-barrows, rolled from the quarry; so that on the same spot the article is raised from the ground, manufactured, and shipped for any quarter of the world.

In this tract, between the bases of the mountains and the lake, appear some extensive and well-cultivated level fields, on which immense quantities of potatoes are raised. A portion of this produce intended for winter consumption is housed, and the rest is usually buried in pits with earth heaped over them, which is found to secure the potatoes from the frost. This valuable plant, together with herrings and milk, constitutes the food of the west highland population during the greater part of the year; and it is fortunately cultivated with success, not only on the low fields, but among the interstices of many

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wild and bleak mountains, where no other sign of vegetation is seen, except heath and moss. In some of these situations, for instance along the sides of Loch Fine, especially about the isthmus of Tarbat, oats are brought into rotation with the potatoes. Barley, it seems, does not thrive so well, otherwise it would naturally be the crop preferred, the distilleries af fording a constant demand, and a considerable price for that grain.

At the ferry of Ballichelish, on the south of the lake, there is a tolerably comfortable inn on this road, which is continued westward, in the tract of the great glen, down the side of Loch Linne, through the Argyleshire Appin, for twenty miles, to Oban and the sound of Mull, where the lake joins the Atlantic. Loch Leven is here about one eighth of a mile broad; but as the tide runs very strong, the passage is difficult except at the times of low and high water. the north side of the lake there is also a convenient inn; and there, by the receding of the mountain boundary, a moorish plain of considerable extent is formed, commencing with a narrow point on the east, and gradually widening till it reaches Loch Linne on the west, at the point of junction with Loch Leven. On some parts of this moor, potatoes and grain are raised;

On

but one is surprised that so much should still remain to be done towards its improvement, considering its apparent capabilities, and the facility with which its produce might be conveyed to a distance, the sea washing the whole length of two sides of its triangular figure. In the side of one of the mountains on the north, adjoining the road to Inverlochy, is a slate quarry, which seems to have been at one time wrought to a certain extent, but which has been abandoned, probably because the slate was found to be much inferior to that of Ballichelish in its vicinity.

The road from the ferry, diverging again towards the general ridge, turns to the north-east in the line of the great glen, and stretches for thirteen or fourteen miles by the east side of Loch Linne to Inverlochy and Fort William, in the district of Lochaber and county of Inverness. On the west side of the lake, the mountains of Morven, the most north-western district of Argyle on the main land, extend north-east almost, or altogether, to Locheil, or that end of Loch Linne, which stretches nearly due west from Inverlochy. Morven is described as "a dis"trict of Argyleshire having Appin on the "south and south-west, Mull on the west, and "Sunart on the north, divided from them all

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