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liament, passed for the purpose of applying some remedy to the inconvenience, the peo

ple were amaist gane wild." The walls of the large court-house still remain, and one end of it is about to be converted into a modern house.

The range of hills which divides Athol from Strath-Tay is, for about two miles from its termination, covered with planted wood, consisting of pine, oak, chesnut, beech, and ash trees, from the bottom to the summit, on the steep side of the Tummel, and down a portion of the easier slope on the Strath-Tay side; the lower part being occupied as pasture and corn lands. The highest part of the eastern point of the range terminates in an abrupt rock. Under this point, an open plain or terrace of considerable extent, called the Table Land, spreads out, and displays distinct vestiges of the fort, built there by King Robert the Second. Below the eastern projection of the Table Land, the sides of which are covered with wood, a triangular rich and well-cultivated field, or haugh, raised a little above the level of the rivers, stretches eastward 'for half a mile to the point of junction. At the base of this field, the road from the Tummel ferry winds round the bottom of the Table Land to the Tay ferry, at the village, where there is an inn with every necessary accommo

dation for travellers, and their horses. To any one who has observed the rich appearance, and highly improved state, of the districts of Athol and Strath-Tay, from the entrance into the Grampians at the Dunkeld pass, to Blair in Athol and Taymouth; and the number and elegance of the gentlemen's seats in these valleys; it will seem not a little surprising that an improvement, so essential as bridges over the Tay and Tummel, should still remain wanting. But when it is considered at how late a period the spirit of improvement became generally prevalent in the highlands, the real ground of surprise will appear to be, that so much has been done in so short a time. The present representative of the noble family of Athol, eminently distinguished for his extensive and public spirited improvements, has long had in contemplation the erection of a bridge over the Tummel at this point; and as the representative of the noble family of Braidalbane, also distinguished for his improvements, has property in the neighbourhood, it may be concluded that these districts will not be long deprived of so obvious and essential an advantage. The inn and two or three other houses in the village are substantial buildings, with slated roofs; but the remaining habitations, not above half a dozen, are merely old

highland cottages, of stone walls, without cement, and straw-thatched roofs. A smith, a small grocer, and a carpenter or two; besides the innkeeper, who is also the ferryman, are the principal inhabitants; but considering the fertility of the surrounding country, and convenient centrical situation of this village, it can hardly be doubted but that the erection of bridges over the Tay and Tummel would soon render it a place of considerable size and important commercial activity.

The valley of Strath-Tay, reckoning from Logierait to the eastern point of Drummond hill at Taymouth, is about twelve or thirteen miles long, and about six miles broad, to the summits of the hills on each side. It is said to be part of Braidalbane, although it seems more naturally to form one of the districts of Athol, and is the finest and richest Strath in the highlands of Scotland. The mountain ranges, on each side, generally rise with a steep ascent from the depth of the valley; and a considerable portion of its breadth consists of an extensive level plain of haugh or holm land of the richest quality. The clean appearance of the spacious fields, where neither unseemly bank, surface stones, nor noxious weed, offend the eye; the long straight and deep furrows; the regular,

equal, and well-formed ridges; the intermixture of the green of the turnip and potatoe tops, and clover, and rye-grass, with the yellow of the corn stubble; all evince a state of high cultivation, fertility, and abundance. The higher grounds, the sides of the hills, and spaces between the numerous knolls or hillocks, which rise in some parts of the valley, exhibit similar evidence of high cultivation, and stronger proof of improvement. The holms on the banks of the river, with any cultivation, will appear rich and productive. Superior industry, skill and attention, are necessary to ensure the fertility of the higher and hilly grounds. On such grounds in this strath, unsightly banks, surface stones, and rocky uncultivated pieces, still, in some places, disfigure the fields, and point out the difficulties which have been already overcome, while they show that something still remains to be done. The knolls, or hillocks, which could neither be removed nor subjected to the plough, have been inclosed and planted with the thriving and favourite oak. The valley rather widens at the upper end, called Appina Mheinarich (the Menzies's Appin), to distinguish it from the Stewart's Appin, in Argyleshire, and displays a larger proportion of the rich haughs or holm lands. The whole of the

valley on the hill sides, elevated grounds, and hillocks, at the foot of the hills, and on the plain, and by the sides of the river, is richly wooded with beech, ash, chesnut, and other timber trees, especially the oak, and also with the several varieties of the pine. The fields in the plain are elegantly divided by hedge rows. The largest of British rivers rolls slow and majestic through the middle of this beautiful valley, at times fully seen shining between its flat banks among the broad fields, and sometimes almost hid by the trees through the openings of which the evanescent motion of its waters occasionally appear. Craggy rocks, dark heath, green pasture, and thick woods, are intermingled on the higher portion of the ridges, from which the mountain torrents are sometimes seen, at other times heard, among the woods, dashing to the valley below-a valley uniting in itself all that is gay and delightful, in the richest roughness and fertility of the finest plain country, with every thing that is sublime and impressive in highland scenery.

It was impossible that these improvements could be effected, without a considerable diminution of the population, as compared with that of the ancient feudal or clanish period, when the object was to crowd, within a given space,

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