Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

ENN
501
ERI
The sound of this name is on the south, between it
and the island of Pomona; as it is narrow, and the
tide rapid, it should only be attempted with a fair
wind, and in moderate weather.
ENNERIC (The), a river in Inverness-shire,
rising in Loch Cluny, in Glenmoriston, which falls
into Loch Ness.
ENSAY, one of the Harris isles. It is about 2
miles long and 1 broad; is verdant all over, and
well-cultivated.
ENZIE. See Rathves.
EORAPIE-POINT. See Lewis.
EORSA, a small island of the Hebrides, lying
between the islands of Mull and Icolmkill. It is
inhabited.
EOUSMIL, an insulated rock about half-a-mile in
circuit, lying on the west side of North Uist. It is
noted for its seal-fishing.
EOY, a small island of the Hebrides, lying be-
tween Barra and South Uist.
ERCHLESS-CASTLE. See Stratbglass.
ERCILDOUNE. See Earlston.
ERES (St.), an old chapel in the parish of Wick,
Caithness ; a little below Ackergill tower.
ERIBOLL (Loch), an arm of the Northern
Atlantic, ocean, in the parish of Durness, in Suther-
landshire : see article Ddrness. It is about 1 1 miles
in length, and varies in breadth from 1 to 3 miles,
and in depth from 15 to CO fathoms. At Camisen-
dunbay, about 7 miles from its entrance, is excellent
anchorage, and a ferry, 2 miles broad. Its eastern
shore, from the Whiten-head southwards, presents a
series of caves and arches "the most extensive and
extraordinary," according to Macculloch, " on any
part of the Scottish coast." At its upper end is
some fine Alpine scenery, amongst mountains of
quartz and grey slate, in which Benhope [which
see] is conspicuous. Near the entrance of this loch
is the pleasant island of Hoan, about a mile in length
and half-a-mile in breadth ; and a little above Cam-
isendunbay ferry is another island, of nearly the same
dimensions, called Choarie.
ERICHT, or Erochd (Loch), a lake partly in the
parish of Fortingall, county of Perth, and partly in
the parish of Laggan, county of Inverness. It is
about 16 miles in length, and 1 mile in breadth. The
recent Statistical Account mentions, that accord-
ing to an ancient tradition, the district now covered
by the waters of this lake was formerly dry, and con-
stituted an entire parish called Feadail; and that the
entire parish, with its inhabitants, was overwhelmed
in one night, by the sudden bursting of an immense
oody of subterranean water. The tradition also
states, that for long afterwards the church and part
of the principal village could be seen under the water
in clear weather. Its waters are emptied into Loch-
Rannoch, which lies about 5 miles to the south,
whence they flow, through Loch-Tummel, into the
river Tay. There is no road to Loch-Ericht; but
it may be visited at its southern extremity, either
from the head of Loch-Rannoch, to which there is a
road along that lake, or from the inn at Dalnacardoch
on the Great North road. From either of these
places a huge extent of bog, muir, moss, and moun-
tain has to be traversed ; but by approaching from
Loch-Rannoch, a much less portion of this sort of
travelling is necessary than if the visiter attempts
to cross the mountains from Dalnacardoch. There
is no road along its banks, and no house, with the
exception of a solitary hunting-lodge, and the hut of
a shepherd near its upper extremity. Few, there-
fore, we should think, will be inclined to make the
attempt of penetrating to its northern extremity,
along its rocky margin, or climbing over the nearly
perpendicular precipices which almost entirely form
its boundary. Nothing can exceed the solitude and
desolation of its shores. Rocks bared by the winter
storm, — lofty, precipitous, and sometimes altogether
perpendicular, — surround it; and every where are
scattered huge blocks of stone which frost or tor-
rents of rain have detached from the mountains.
Vegetation seems here almost at an end. The bleat-
ing of sheep, the barking of the dog, or the cry of
the shepherd, seldom if ever break the silence of this
silent place : the visiter finds himself alone amid
the silence of nature, — of nature in its wildest form.
At the south end, where the waters of the lake are
discharged towards Loch-Rannoch, is a rock of 300
or 400 feet perpendicular height. Its summit is ac-
cessible with great difficulty ; and here is to be seen
an ancient fortification or place of strength, the la-
borious work of an early people who had at one time
inhabited this district. It is about 500 feet in length,
and 250 in breadth, over the walls. The walls are
upwards of 15 feet in thickness, and are constructed
of large squared broad stones, firmly laid together,
though without mortar. The general purpose of
such an erection is abundantly obvious ; but the time
when, or the people by whom, it was erected, it is
now impossible to ascertain On the east side of the
lake, about a mile or two from the south end, a small
cave is pointed out as having afforded shelter and
concealment to the young Chevalier after the battle
of Culloden. He had wandered previously for some
time amid the wilds of Moidart, the islands, and
Lochaber, and had made many hairbreadth escapes
from being taken by his ruthless pursuers, when,
learning that Cameron of Lochiel, and M'Donald of
Keppoch, two of his most devoted followers, were
concealed in Badenoch, he set off to them, and found
them at this cave on the shores of Loch-Ericht.
The cave is small, and is formed by detached blocks
of stone which, having fallen down to their present
situation, form a small opening which might receive
two or three individuals. The fugitives, however,
had enlarged its dimensions, by erecting a hut of
trees in front of its entrance, from which circum-
stance it obtained the name of the cage, by which it
was popularly known at the time. A more effectual
place of concealment, or one less likely to be in-
truded upon than this at Loch-Ericht, could hardly
have been selected Dr. Macculloch says: " At the
southern extremity, Loch-Ericht terminates in flat
meadows, vanishing by degrees in the moor of Ran-
noch, and in that wild and hideous country which
extends to Glen Spean along the eastern side of Ben
Nevis. This is indeed the wilderness of all Scotland.
The wildest wilds of Ross-shire and Sutherland are
accessible and lively, compared to this. They might,
at least, contain people though they do not ; which
this tract never could have done, and never will nor
can. I know not where else we can travel for two
days without seeing a human trace : a human trace,
— a trace, a recollection, of animal life ; and with
the dreary conviction that such a thing is impossible.
It is indeed an inconceivable solitude ; a dreary and
joyless land of bogs, a land of desolation and grey
darkness, of fogs ever hanging on Auster's drizzly
beard, a land of winter and death and oblivion. Let
him who is unworthy of the Moor of Rannoch be ban-
ished hither ; where he can go next, I know not; un-
less it be to New South Shetland. Every where else in
Scotland, wild as it may be, (and assuredly it is often
wild enough,) if we do not see the marks of a living
world, of something that speaks of man or beast or in-
sect, we can yet conceive that such things might have
been, or that they may be at some future time, ii
even there is not much expectation of life, there is
still the hope left. But, here, to live, is impossible ;
and if there are any trout in its waters, doubtless