Memoir of the Chisholm

WITH HIS MOTHER. 163
to be ready himself, and to be sure to have
plenty of men to row the boats. As to sleep-
informed that hereabouts (upwards of thirty miles from
the sea) a great central group of mountains occur, spring-
ing from a rough table land or base, far above the ordinary
level of the country, and containing within their arms a
series of lakes highly elevated, and communicating by
rapid streams with one another. They occupy the whole
interior portions of Inverness and Ross-shires, and from
these central masses the land falls suddenly, on both sides
of the island, in lower separate chains of hills. The Chis-
holm's Pass is one of the connecting outlets between the
higher cluster of mountains, and the sub-alpine ridges
which skirt Strathglass ; and no doubt an immense flood
of waters, from the upper chain of lakes, at one time
poured down along its rocky slopes. These in many a
winding turn, and at a very considerable expense, have
now been surmounted by an excellent carriage road, made
partly as a pleasure drive, to open up the scenery to view,
and partly for the convenience of the Chisholm's Highland
tenants, who use it to convey the produce of their great
sheep farms, which extend over his section — and an im-
mense one it is — of the inland mountains. For about two
miles the road ascends the acclivity on the east, or north
side of the river, and opposite to Knockfin. Dense woods
of birch confine the view, except at occasional turns, where
the lowlands on the one hand are seen receding far away
in dim dark perspective ; while before us the ridges of the
mountains are shooting up higher, barer, and rougher, as
we advance.
" On surmounting the highest part of the road, a tole-
rably level plain extends before us, and is afterwards
found to continue to the edge of Loch Benevian. It is
traversed by several ridges of rough rocky knolls rising
M 2