Imperial gazeteer of Scotland, or, Dictionary of Scottish topography > Volume 1

ARDVERIKIE.
74
ARGYLE.
rooms on the ground-floor are approached. Many
of these have thirteen and fourteen points; the
greater number are royal heads, and to none would
the most experienced deer-stalker take exception.
The ornaments of the corridor are also those of
the bed- rooms above stairs, in each of which,
placed directly above the chimney-piece, the highly
polished osfronth of a deer, surmounted by a pair of
branching antlers, invites the wearied sportsman to
dream of the adventures which await him among
the corries and passes of the forest next morning. —
The surrounding scenery is quite in keeping with
the style of the lodge and its internal arrangements.
The loeh in front is a sheet of water about eight
miles in length, with less than the usual comple-
ment of islands on its surface, and possessing no-
thing in its appearance which raises it above medio-
crity among the list of Highland lakes. See Laggan
(Loch). Yet, apart from scenic effect, it is not
without claims to consideration; for it abounds
with quantities of the finest black trout; and of the
three little islands which stud its surface, the two
nearest the lodge have traditional associations which
invest them with no common interest. On one of
these, called Eilan-an-Bigh — ' the King's Island' —
are still visible from the windows of the lodge some
remains of rude masonry which the country people
say mark the residence of the ancient kings of Scot-
land, when they came to hunt in the adjoining
forests; and quite close to it is Eilan-an-Conn —
' the Dogs' Island' — which, as the name implies,
was used by these barbaric and sporting monarchs
as a kennel. The Gaelic name of the spot on
which the lodge stands connects these loose tradi-
tions with a very ancient and obscure portion of
Scottish history; for Ardverikie means, it is said,
' the residence of Fergus.' There is, however, very
fair ground for believing that the district of country
now occupied by the Marquis of Abereorn as a deer
forest, was in former times a favourite hunting-
ground with the Scottish kings. A mound is
pointed out in the garden round the lodge, covered
with fox-gloves, dockens, waving goose-grass, this-
tles, and a variety of other weeds, beneath which
the dust of Fergus and four other monarchs is said
to repose ; and really the place looks genuine
enough. We prefer, however, relying upon the
fact that the surrounding country has from time im-
memorial contained the most favourite haunts of the
red deer, and that in those wild times when the
Majesty of Scotland harboured principally in Inver-
ness-shire, their hunting propensities would natu-
rally lead them to the banks of Loch Laggan. — The
scenery about Ardverikie lodge is almost entirely
destitute of those abrupt and massive features, and
that bold outline, which give to the Lochaber hills
so noble and prominent a character; nor has it the
bleak, deserted, solitary appearance of the moors
which occupy the east of Badenoch; but the land
slopes gently up on each side of the loch, in gradu-
ally ascending heights clothed a good way from the
water's edge with birch, hazel, aspen, and mountain
ash, — the natural growth of the country, — and
opening as it ascends into spacious corries. Smooth
summits of plain unpretending outline terminate the
view, which has, infact, little except its natural and
unadorned character to recommend it. Her Ma-
jesty, however, could see from the windows of the
lodge patches of snow still lingering on Corarder;
and the unassuming grace of the woods, the bril-
liant verdure in which the brackens clothe the whole
scene, the unsophisticated air of everything around,
might not prove unacceptable after the stately mag-
nificence of Windsor-Park and the elaborate agri-
culture of the Home-Farm With respect to the
forest, it is as yet almost in its infancy; for though
in former times the number of deer on it was very
great, the introduction of sheep into this part of the
country about sixty years ago drove them off to
seek for cleaner pasture and more secure resting-
places. The ground which the lodge occupies has
been rented from Macpherson of Cluny , the proprie •
tor, by the Marquis of Abercom, on a long lease.
Its extent may be estimated from the fact that it
has a circumference of forty miles, and embraces
within its ample space, besides the large grazing-
ferms of Galovy and Camdanoch, Benalder, with its
numerous comes. The Marquis, upon obtaining
his lease, threw the farms once more into forest,
and introduced new herds of deer. It is said that
not less than from 9,000 to 10,000 sheep could be
kept on this extent of land, which is famous for the
richness of its pasture — has now, after a very few
years' preservation, a stock of more than 2,000 red
deer — and which, surrounded as it is by the for-
ests of Mar, Athol, Breadalbane, Gaick, the Mo-
nadh-Liadh, and Invereshie, must rapidly increase
its present numbers — Ardverikie is about 37 miles
from Fort- William, 16 from Dulmhenny the nearest
post, and 10 from the parish church of Laggan.
The road from Fort William to Laggan crosses the
mouth of Glennevis, and passes the old castle of
Inverlochy, still pretty entire. Funning through
Torlundy-moss, at the base of Ben-Nevis, it pro-
ceeds through a countiy little cultivated, but appa-
rently susceptible of much improvement. Only
here and there occurs a rig of com or of potatoes,
with a straggling cot-house nestled in a forest of
peat-stalks. At Spean-bridge, 9 miles on the way,
the road enters Glen-Spean. From Spean, as far as
Tullish, the strath is well-cultivated. The Spean-
water winds through a rocky channel, occasionally
hidden by groves of birch and oak. Bounded on
the north by the hills of Achnavitie and Eeinama-
gach, and on the south by the high bills of Unachan,
Lianaehan, and Ben-Chinaig, Strathspean presents
a landscape not often .surpassed in beauty. From
Tullish the road passes through a district exceed-
ingly barren : grey rocks and patches of luxuriant
heather, thrown about and intermingled as if from
the hand of a sower, form the basework of the scen-
ery. In a drive of 9 miles some three houses only
are to be seen, and two of the three are shepherds'
boothies. A mile or two from the west end of Loch
Laggan^ the road enters Badenoch. The drive
along the north shore is most delightful. The hills
slope abruptly down to the lake, and for several
hundred yards up, the hill-sides are covered with
weeping birches, fantastically - shaped oaks, and
mountain-ashes.
AEDVOIELICH. See Eakx (Loch).
AEDVEAICK. See Asstnt.
ABDWALLUM, a post-office station, subordinate
to Stranraer, Wigtonshire.
ABDWELL, an estate in the parish of Stonykirk,
Wigtonshire. It comprises a bay, a headland, and
other places of its own name, and is a centre of in-
fluence to a considerable surrounding district; and
at Ardwell inn is a post-office. See article Stont-
kikk.
AEGYLE, a district of Argyleshire. It is sepa-
rated from Lorn by Lochs Melfort, Avich, and Awe,
— from Knapdale, by Loch Gilp and the Crinan
Canal, — and from Cowal, by Loch Fyne. The name
Argyle is said to be derived from Earra Gheidheal,
'the countiy of the Western Gael;' and certainly
this district is well entitled to the name, both from
the eminent grandeur and romance of its highland
scenery, and from the number and prominence of
its old historical associations. See Ahay (The),