Gazetteer of Scotland

FO Y
feldom known to leave it, choofing
rather to fubmit to many inconveni-
ences than to emigrate.
Foyers, or Fvers ; a fmall river
in Invernefs-fhire, noted for the ftu-
pendous waterfall of the fame name.
The river takes its rife amongft the
lofty mountains of the parifh of Bole-
ikine and AbertarfF, and pouring thro'
the vale of Foyers, falls into Lochnefs,
nearly in the middle between the eait-
ern and weftern extremities of that
lake. The vale is as romantic as can
well be fuppofed ; the banks of the
river and the fides of the mountains
are covered with weeping birch, and
here and there the mountains prefent
their naked precipitous fronts, from
which huge fragments of rock have
been hurled to the bottom : and here
the beautiful plant, the Alchimilla alp-
ina grows in the greateft abundance
and luxuriance. Dr. Garnett, whole
defcription of the falls of the Dovan
has already been quoted, defcribesthe
falls of Foyers with equal accuracy
and elegance. " Having left our hor-
fes," fays he, f at General's Hut, we
were conducted by our landlord to
the falls. We firft vifited the upper
one, which is about a mile and a half
from the houfe, and nearly half a mile
above the lower fall. Here the river
Foyers being confined on each fide by
fteep rocks, precipitates itfelf with
great velocity, forming a very fine ca-
taract. A little below the fall a bridge
lias been thrown over by the proprie-
tor, Frazer of Foyers, from which the
fall is feen ; but, in order to obtain a
proper view of it, we, with fome dif-
ficulty, fcrambled down the fteep
banks to the rocks below,£rom whence
Ave beheld this romantic fcene in per-
fection. The bridge and rocks formed
a fine frame or fore-ground, behind
which, at the diftance of perhaps 30
vards, appeared the firft part of the
fall : the fecond, and mod important
break; was a few yards nearer, and
the Ioweft almoft under the arch. Our
guide was prefent when very acaurate
meafurements were taken of thefe
falls. The following particulars are
therefore put down from his informa-
tion : feet.
From the arch of the bridge to
the furface of the water, after
the Ioweft part of the fall, - 200
Height of the fall, - - - - . 70
FO Y
The bridge was built about 12 years
ago ; before which time, the only paf-
fage over this torrent was a rude alp-
ine bridge, confirming of fome fticks.
thrown over the rocks, and covered
with turf. It was croffed by the pea-
fantry on foot, butmuft certainly have
turned giddy the fteadieft head, un-
accuftomed to fuch fcenes. About
3 years before the prefent bridge was
built, a neighbouring farmer, on his
way home from Invernefs, had called
at the General's Hut to fhelter him-
felf from the inclemency of the ftorrri,
and drive out the invading cold, by re-
inforcing the garrifon in the ftomach!
Here he met with fome old acquaint-
ance, with whom he converfed of
former times, without obferying the
frequency of the circulating glafs.
The fnow continued to fall in thick
flakes, and they were fitting by a com-
fortable fire ; at laft, when the fumes
of the whifky had taken pofTeffion of
his brain, and raifed his fpirits to no
ordinary pitch, he determined to go
home. When he came to this place,
having been accuftomed to crofs the,
rude bridge on foot, he habitually
took thus road, and forced his horfe
over it. Next morning, he had fome
faint recollection of the circumftance,
though the feeming impoffibility of
the thing made him fufpect that it
was a dream ; but, as the ground was
covered with fnow, it was very eafy
to convince himfelf ; he accordingly
went, and when he perceived the tracks
of his horfe's feet along the bridge, he
fell illj and died fhortly afterwards.
In our way to the lower fall, our guide
fhewed a cave of confiderable ftze,
near the river, where the freebooters
ufed to fhelter themfelves in turbulent
times. There was a way of efcape
towards the water, fhould the main
entry be difcovered. Our next object
was the lower fall. When we came to
the two rude pillars before mentioned,
we left the road, and went down the
fide of the hill. The defcent to the
point of view is difficult, but we were
amply repaid for our trouble. The
following particulars are put down
from the information of our guide :
feet.
From the top of the rocks to the
furface of the water, - - - 470.
Height of the fall 111 one continued
ftrearn, ------- 207