a journey to-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　through　a　hole　in　the　thatch；　which　gives　vent　to　the　smoke。
This　hole　is　not　directly　over　the　fire；　lest　the　rain　should
extinguish　it；　and　the　smoke　therefore　naturally　fills　the　place
before　it　escapes。　　Such　is　the　general　structure　of　the　houses　in
which　one　of　the　nations　of　this　opulent　and　powerful　island　has
been　hitherto　content　to　live。　　Huts　however　are　not　more　uniform
than　palaces；　and　this　which　we　were　inspecting　was　very　far　from
one　of　the　meanest；　for　it　was　divided　into　several　apartments；　and
its　inhabitants　possessed　such　property　as　a　pastoral　poet　might
exalt　into　riches。

When　we　entered；　we　found　an　old　woman　boiling　goats…flesh　in　a
kettle。　　She　spoke　little　English；　but　we　had　interpreters　at　hand；
and　she　was　willing　enough　to　display　her　whole　system　of　economy。
She　has　five　children；　of　which　none　are　yet　gone　from　her。　　The
eldest；　a　boy　of　thirteen；　and　her　husband；　who　is　eighty　years
old；　were　at　work　in　the　wood。　　Her　two　next　sons　were　gone　to
Inverness　to　buy　meal；　by　which　oatmeal　is　always　meant。　　Meal　she
considered　as　expensive　food；　and　told　us；　that　in　Spring；　when　the
goats　gave　milk；　the　children　could　live　without　it。　　She　is
mistress　of　sixty　goats；　and　I　saw　many　kids　in　an　enclosure　at　the
end　of　her　house。　　She　had　also　some　poultry。　　By　the　lake　we　saw　a
potatoe…garden；　and　a　small　spot　of　ground　on　which　stood　four
shucks；　containing　each　twelve　sheaves　of　barley。　　She　has　all　this
from　the　labour　of　their　own　hands；　and　for　what　is　necessary　to　be
bought；　her　kids　and　her　chickens　are　sent　to　market。

With　the　true　pastoral　hospitality；　she　asked　us　to　sit　down　and
drink　whisky。　　She　is　religious；　and　though　the　kirk　is　four　miles
off；　probably　eight　English　miles；　she　goes　thither　every　Sunday。
We　gave　her　a　shilling；　and　she　begged　snuff；　for　snuff　is　the
luxury　of　a　Highland　cottage。

Soon　afterwards　we　came　to　the　General's　Hut；　so　called　because　it
was　the　temporary　abode　of　Wade；　while　he　superintended　the　works
upon　the　road。　　It　is　now　a　house　of　entertainment　for　passengers；
and　we　found　it　not　ill　stocked　with　provisions。



FALL　OF　FIERS



Towards　evening　we　crossed；　by　a　bridge；　the　river　which　makes　the
celebrated　fall　of　Fiers。　　The　country　at　the　bridge　strikes　the
imagination　with　all　the　gloom　and　grandeur　of　Siberian　solitude。
The　way　makes　a　flexure；　and　the　mountains；　covered　with　trees；
rise　at　once　on　the　left　hand　and　in　the　front。　　We　desired　our
guides　to　shew　us　the　fall；　and　dismounting；　clambered　over　very
rugged　crags；　till　I　began　to　wish　that　our　curiosity　might　have
been　gratified　with　less　trouble　and　danger。　　We　came　at　last　to　a
place　where　we　could　overlook　the　river；　and　saw　a　channel　torn；　as
it　seems；　through　black　piles　of　stone；　by　which　the　stream　is
obstructed　and　broken；　till　it　comes　to　a　very　steep　descent；　of
such　dreadful　depth；　that　we　were　naturally　inclined　to　turn　aside
our　eyes。

But　we　visited　the　place　at　an　unseasonable　time；　and　found　it
divested　of　its　dignity　and　terror。　　Nature　never　gives　every　thing
at　once。　　A　long　continuance　of　dry　weather；　which　made　the　rest　of
the　way　easy　and　delightful；　deprived　us　of　the　pleasure　expected
from　the　fall　of　Fiers。　　The　river　having　now　no　water　but　what　the
springs　supply；　showed　us　only　a　swift　current；　clear　and　shallow；
fretting　over　the　asperities　of　the　rocky　bottom；　and　we　were　left
to　exercise　our　thoughts；　by　endeavouring　to　conceive　the　effect　of
a　thousand　streams　poured　from　the　mountains　into　one　channel；
struggling　for　expansion　in　a　narrow　passage；　exasperated　by　rocks
rising　in　their　way；　and　at　last　discharging　all　their　violence　of
waters　by　a　sudden　fall　through　the　horrid　chasm。

The　way　now　grew　less　easy；　descending　by　an　uneven　declivity；　but
without　either　dirt　or　danger。　　We　did　not　arrive　at　Fort　Augustus
till　it　was　late。　　Mr。　Boswell；　who；　between　his　father's　merit　and
his　own；　is　sure　of　reception　wherever　he　comes；　sent　a　servant
before　to　beg　admission　and　entertainment　for　that　night。　　Mr。
Trapaud；　the　governor；　treated　us　with　that　courtesy　which　is　so
closely　connected　with　the　military　character。　　He　came　out　to　meet
us　beyond　the　gates；　and　apologized　that；　at　so　late　an　hour；　the
rules　of　a　garrison　suffered　him　to　give　us　entrance　only　at　the
postern。



FORT　AUGUSTUS



In　the　morning　we　viewed　the　fort；　which　is　much　less　than　that　of
St。　George；　and　is　said　to　be　commanded　by　the　neighbouring　hills。
It　was　not　long　ago　taken　by　the　Highlanders。　　But　its　situation
seems　well　chosen　for　pleasure；　if　not　for　strength；　it　stands　at
the　head　of　the　lake；　and；　by　a　sloop　of　sixty　tuns；　is　supplied
from　Inverness　with　great　convenience。

We　were　now　to　cross　the　Highlands　towards　the　western　coast；　and
to　content　ourselves　with　such　accommodations；　as　a　way　so　little
frequented　could　afford。　　The　journey　was　not　formidable；　for　it
was　but　of　two　days；　very　unequally　divided；　because　the　only
house；　where　we　could　be　entertained；　was　not　further　off　than　a
third　of　the　way。　　We　soon　came　to　a　high　hill；　which　we　mounted　by
a　military　road；　cut　in　traverses；　so　that　as　we　went　upon　a　higher
stage；　we　saw　the　baggage　following　us　below　in　a　contrary
direction。　　To　make　this　way；　the　rock　has　been　hewn　to　a　level
with　labour　that　might　have　broken　the　perseverance　of　a　Roman
legion。

The　country　is　totally　denuded　of　its　wood；　but　the　stumps　both　of
oaks　and　firs；　which　are　still　found；　shew　that　it　has　been　once　a
forest　of　large　timber。　　I　do　not　remember　that　we　saw　any　animals；
but　we　were　told　that；　in　the　mountains；　there　are　stags；　roebucks；
goats　and　rabbits。

We　did　not　perceive　that　this　tract　was　possessed　by　human　beings；
except　that　once　we　saw　a　corn　field；　in　which　a　lady　was　walking
with　some　gentlemen。　　Their　house　was　certainly　at　no　great
distance；　but　so　situated　that　we　could　not　descry　it。

Passing　on　through　the　dreariness　of　solitude；　we　found　a　party　of
soldiers　from　the　fort；　working　on　the　road；　under　the
superintendence　of　a　serjeant。　　We　told　them　how　kindly　we　had　been
treated　at　the　garrison；　and　as　we　were　enjoying　the　benefit　of
their　labours；　begged　leave　to　shew　our　gratitude　by　a　small
present。



ANOCH



Early　in　the　afternoon　we　came　to　Anoch；　a　village　in　Glenmollison
of　three　huts；　one　of　which　is　distinguished　by　a　chimney。　　Here　we
were　to　dine　and　lodge；　and　were　conducted　through　the　first　room；
that　had　the　chimney；　into　another　lighted　by　a　small　glass　window。
The　landlord　attended　us　with　great　civility；　and　told　us　what　he
could　give　us　to　eat　and　drink。　　I　found　some　books　on　a　shelf；
among　which　were　a　volume　or　more　of　Prideaux's　Connection。

This　I　mentioned　as　something　unexpected；　and　perceived　that　I　did
not　please　him。　　I　praised　the　propriety　of　his　language；　and　was
answered　that　I　need　not　wonder；　for　he　had　learned　it　by　grammar。

By　subsequent　opportunities　of　observation；　I　found　that　my　host's
diction　had　nothing　peculiar。　　Those　Highlanders　that　can　speak
English；　commonly　speak　it　well；　with　few　of　the　words；　and　little
of　the　tone　by　which　a　Scotchman　is　distinguished。　　Their　language
seems　to　have　been　learned　in　the　army　or　the　navy；　or　by　some
communication　with　those　who　could　give　them　good　examples　of
accent　and　pronunciation。　　By　their　Lowland　neighbours　they　would
not　willingly　be　taught；　for　they　have　long　considered　them　as　a
mean　and　degenerate　race。　　These　prejudices　are　wearing　fast　away；
but　so　much　of　them　still　remains；　that　when　I　asked　a　very　learned
minister　in　the　islands；　which　they　considered　as　their　most　savage
clans：　　'Those；'　said　he；　'that　live　next　the　Lowlands。'

As　we　came　hither　early　in　the　day；　we　had　time　sufficient　to
survey　the　place。　　The　house　was　built　like　other　huts　of　loose
stones；　but　the　part　in　which　we　dined　and　slept　was　lined　with
turf　and　wattled　with　twigs；　which　kept　the　earth　from　falling。
Near　it　was　a　garden　of　turnips　and　a　field　of　potatoes。　　It　stands
in　a　glen；　or　valley；　pleasantly　watered　by　a　winding　river。　　But
this　country；　however　it　may　delight　the　gazer　or　amuse　the
naturalist；　is　of　no　great　advantage　to　its　owners。　　Our　landlord
told　us　of　a　gentleman；　who　possesses　lands；　eighteen　Scotch　miles
in　length；　and　three　in　breadth；　a　space　containing　at　least　a
hundred　square　English　miles。　　He　has　raised　his　rents；　to　the
danger　of　depopulating　his　farms；　and　he　fells　his　timber；　and　by
exerting　every　art　of　augmentation；　has　obtained　an　yearly　revenue
of　four　hundred　pounds；　which　for　a　hundred　square　miles　is　three
halfpence　an　acre。

Some　time　after　dinner　we　were　surprised　by　the　entrance　of　a　young
woman；　not　inelegant　either　in　mien　or　dress；　who　asked　us　whether
we　would　have　tea。　　We　found　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　our　host；
and　desired　her　to　make　it。　　Her　conversation；　like　her　appearance；
was　gentle　and　pleasing。　　We　knew　that　the　girls　of　the　Highlands
are　all　gentlewomen；　and　treated　her　with　great　respect；　which　she
received　as　customary　and　due；　and　was　neither　elated　by　it；　nor
confused；　but　repaid　my　civilities　without　embara