Ossian Collection > Journal of a tour in Scotland in

THE BLACK ISLE 167
thro' a young wood of firs, of considerable
extent, self-sown. Crossed the ferry which
is the best in Scotland. But the best ferry
is a bad thing. They have no good means
of getting carriages on board, and there was
considerable difficulty with one of the horses.
As soon as we arrived at our Inn, I sent for
Mr Kennedy. He was surprized to see how
compleatly his ointment had done its work.
The proud-flesh is gone, and the tumour has
nearly, and he says it will soon heal.
Sunday, September 12. — Walked to the
mouth of the Canal. It opens into a fine
road-stead doubly sheltered by the opposite
coast of the Black Isle ; and by the points
of Fort George and Channerty Point, which
cover the entrance of the Bay. The masonry
at the mouth is about ten feet above high
water mark : the locks large enough to admit
a 32 gun frigate, the largest which has ever
been made. There was a difficulty at the
mouth from the nature of the bottom, being
a mud so soft that it was pierced with an
iron rod to the depth of sixty feet. A founda-
tion was made by compressing it with an
enormous weight of earth and stones, which
were left during twelve months to settle,