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PART I.

A SKETCH, &c.

SECTION I.

Geographical situation and extent of the Highlands of ScotlandGrampians-Straths and Passes-General aspect-Inhabitants -Character-Language and habits of the Celtic tribes-Celtic kingdom-Removal of the seat of government to the Lowlands -Vestiges of architecture, and state of the early Highlanders.

THE tract of country known by the name of the Highlands of Scotland, occupies the northern extremity of Great Britain. Its maritime outline is bold, rocky, and, in many places, deeply indented by bays and arms of the sea. The northern and western coasts are fringed with groups of islands, while the eastern and southern boundaries are distinguished from the portion of Scotland denominated the Lowlands, by the strong and peculiar features impressed on them by the hand of Nature. A range of mountains known in Roman history by the name of Mons Grampius, and at

a latter period called Gransbane, and now the Grampians, constitutes the line of demarcation between these two distinct parts of the kingdom. Within this range, as every classical reader knows, is the celebrated scene of the noble stand for liberty and independence, made by the Caledonians against the invasion of the Romans. The physical structure of the Grampian boundary is as remarkable as the general direction is striking, regular, and continuous. It forms, as it were, a lofty and shattered rampart, commencing north of the river Don, in the county of Aberdeen, and extending across the kingdom in a diagonal direction, till it terminates in the south-west, beyond Ardmore, in the county of Dumbarton; and it presents to the Lowlands throughout, a front bold, rocky, dark, and precipitous. The Grampian range consists of rocks of primitive formation. The front towards the south and east presents, in many places, a species of breccia. In the centre, and following the line of the range, is a remarkable bed of valuable limestone, † containing many strata of marble‡ and slate. In the districts of Fortingall, Glenlyon, and Strathfillan, are found quantities of lead and silver ore. Over the whole extent there are numerous detached masses of red and blue granite, and garnets, amethysts, rock crystals, and pebbles, of great variety and brilliancy.

* Both derived from the Gaelic garbh-bein, the rugged mountains. + This great bed of limestone is first seen in Aberdeenshire. It sometimes rises to the surface for many miles, and then sinks and disappears, following, as it were, the direction of the surface of the mountainous country through which it passes. It runs from BraeMar to Athole, through the great forest, crossing the river Garry at Blair Castle, and the Tummel near the foot of Shichallain; and, taking a south-westerly direction, by Garth, Fortingall, and Breadalbane, passes through the centre of Lochtay, and the west end of Lochearn, and thence stretches through Monteith and Dumbartonshire, till it is lost in the Atlantic, north of the Clyde.

‡ The marble takes a fine polish. The prevailing colours are blue, green, and brown, intermixed with streaks of pure white. In Glentilt, within the forest of Athole, a quarry of the green marble has lately been opened, and wrought to advantage.

The continuation of this great chain, which at a distance appears uninterrupted, is broken by straths and glens, formed originally by the rivers and torrents to which they afford a passage. The principal straths are on the rivers Leven, Earn, Tay, and Dee. But besides these great straths, there are many glens and valleys, whose lower entrances are so rugged and contracted, as to be almost impassable, till opened by art. These are known

by the name of Passes, and are situated both on the verge of the outward line, and in the interior of the range. The most remarkable are Bealmacha upon Lochlomond, Aberfoyle and Leny in Monteith, the Pass of Glenalmond above Crieff, the entrance into Athol at Dunkeld, and those formed by the rivers Ardle, Islay, and South and North Esk. These passes, formerly so difficult to penetrate, by the excellent roads now formed along their sides, furnish the easiest entrance for horses, and the only one for carriages. Immediately within the external boundary, are also many strong and defensible passes, such as Killikrankie, the entrances into Glenlyon, Glenlochy, Glenogle, &c.*

On the line of the Grampians, there are many mountains of considerable altitude, such as Benlomond, Benlawers, Shichallain, &c. The views of the Highlands obtained

An apology may be necessary for stating facts so generally known. These boundaries constituted one of the principal causes which preserved the Highlanders a distinct race from the inhabitants of the plains. Thus we find that, for seven centuries, Birnam Hill, at the entrance into Athol, has formed the boundary between the Lowlands and Highlands, and between the Saxon and Gaelic languages. On the south and east sides of the hill, breeches are worn, and the Scotch Lowland dialect spoken, with as broad an accent as in Mid-Lothian. On the north and west sides are found the Gaelic, the kilt, and the plaid, with all the peculiarities of the Highland character. The Gaelic is universal, as the common dialect in use among the people on the Highland side of the boundary. This applies to the whole range of the Grampians; as, for example, at General Campbell's (Monzie) gate, nothing but Scotch is spoken, while at less than a mile distant on the hill to the northward, we meet with the Gaelic.

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