The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-20 00:00:00

HER MAJE

IR ATnoL

BLAIR ATHOL, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18.
A heavy shower of rain came on at one o'clock yes-
terday, and continued to fall in torrents for upwards
of two hours. This necessarily compelled her Ma-
jesty to defer her drive until a late hour in the after-
noon, and Prince Albert was also obliged to retreat
from the moors above Bruar, where his Royal High-
' ness was enjoying excellent sport. The Prince left
the Castle shortly after breakfast yesterday in Lord
Glenlyon's phaeton, accompanied by his noble host.
Lord Charles Wellesley followed on horseback, and
shot on the moors, with his Royal Highness. Lord
Glenlyon still maintains his determination not to
shoot, but always accompanies his royal guest to
point out the best places for finding the game. Within
the space of two hours the two sportsmen bagged
fifteen brace of grouse, seven brace of which were
killed by the Prince.
The rain ceased to fall at half-past three o'clock,
and the mountain tops were again seen in rugged
outline streaming through the mists, in which they
had been so long enveloped. As soon as the sun made
his appearance, the carriages were ordered to convey
her Majesty to the Falls of the Tummel. The royal
party left the Castle in two carriages and four, pre-
ceded by outriders, and on passing by Killiecrankie
her Majesty ordered the postilions to stop, and stood
up in the carriage to look through a gap, which has
lately been made by Mr. Butter, of Fascaly. One of
the most beautiful views in this neighbourhood had
long been hidden by the rich foliage which fringes
the banks of the Garry ; but by the judicious removal
of a few trees and shrubs, the traveller is now ena-
bled to pause on the brow of the hill, and see the
Garry glittering in the noontide sun, and the whole
of the precipitous defile through which General Macay
passed with his troops before Claverse fell upon him
with his wild Highlanders.
As on the previous occasion when visiting the Pass
her Majesty addressed several questions to an old
Highlander, named William Macdonald, who haunts
this neighbourhood. The old man is exceedingly
proud at having been selected by her Majesty to point
out the beauties of his native land, and still dilates
with loquacious enthusiasm on being thus honoured
by his Sovereign.
The postilions were then ordered to drive on along
the high road to Perth, and, on arriving at the bridle
road, which leads to the Falls of the Tummel, her
Majesty alighted, and proceeded on foot to view the
waterfall. Her Majesty walked at a rapid pace along
this road, which is nearly a mile in length, and was
not, as may be supposed, in a fit state for ladies, on
account of the heavy rains which had lately fallen.
Her Majesty, however, heeded neither the mud nor

the loose gravel, but walked leaning on the arm of
Prince Albert, Lord Glenlyon acting as cicerone.
Lady Caroline Cocks, Lady Canning, and the other
members of the royal suite were also of the party.
On arriving at the confluence of the two rivers, where
the Tummel first falls over the rocks into the Garry,
her Majesty expatiated in enthusiastic language on
this meeting of the waters. The view at this spot is
singularly beautiful, and not being within the beaten
track of tourists, is seldom visited. The Tummel
wanders forth from its peaceful dwelling-place in
Loch Tummel, which lies embosomed amongst the
Fergan Hills, where huge Schehallion upheaves its
vastness and hides his lofty head in the clouds, it
then meanders through a richly wooded country to a
huge ledge of rocks, which it overleaps as if impa-
tient of restraint, and rushes headlong into the Garry.
The fall yesterday was increased in magnificence by
the immense body of water which came rushing down
in torrents from the mountain streams.

After having passed three quarters of an hour in
viewing the beauties of this spot, and in the imme-
diate neighbourhood, her Majesty walked back to the
carriages and returned to the Castle ; a slight contre-
temps, however, occurred in their road home. Her
Majesty, having again ordered the postilions to stop
at Killiecrankie, the outriders got off their horses to
hook on one of the traces of Lord Glenlyon's carriage.
The horses, finding themselves at liberty, left the out-
riders to return home on foot, whilst they took French
leave, and galloped back to the Castle.
Her Majesty rose early this morning, and took her
usual morning walk in the grounds, accompanied by
the Prince and the Princess Royal. At eleven o'clock,
her Majesty and the Prince, attended by two servants
with led ponies, left the Castle on foot, and, unat-
tended by any of their suite, forded the river Garry,
and proceeded to climb the precipitous hill which
overhangs the back of the Castle. Her Majesty suc-
ceeded in attaining the summit of a rocky mountain,
a work of much labour and some peril, as some parts
of the precipitous hill are almost perpendicular, and
her Majesty was compelled to climb on foot up the
rocks which thrust their hoary moss-grown heads
through the heather.
Her Majesty and the Prince in their descent
mounted their ponies at the foot of the bill, and
cantered back to the Castle at twelve o'clock. If her
Majesty be not too much fatigued with her moun-
tainous ramble of this morning, it has been arranged
for the royal party to drive up Glen Tilt, to afford
her Majesty an opportunity of viewing the wild beau-
ties of the Forest of Athol. Prince Albert will
accompany her Majesty. But, as the wind is north-
erly, the deer will, in all probability, have retreated
to the adjoining forest of Brae Mar, which belongs
to Lord Fife, but is at present rented by the Duke of
Leeds. We fear, therefore, that the Prince will not
be able to enjoy deer-stalking with any great success
unless the wind should shift round to the southward
during the afternoon.
Lord Aberdeen's pack of otter hounds, with their
keepers, are still here, and it is expected that some
excellent sport may be had near the Falls of Bruar,
as vast numbers of these destructive creatures are
known to haunt these waters. Others have also been
seen frequently in the water of Tilt, but if the hounds
were once to get scent of the deer, the keepers would
not be able to whip them back to their amphibious
prey, and the hounds have, therefore, been carefully
excluded from the Glen.

Her Majesty is expected to visit Wemyss and Loch
Raunoce during her sojourn here; but all these pro-
jected excursions are of course contingent upon the
weather, which continues to be far more favourable
than is usual in Scotland at this advanced period of
the season.—Post.