The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-17
Letter from Onr European Correspondent.

A most beautiful and instructive journey
is from Glasgow to Edinburgh through Loeb
Lomond, Loeb katrine and the Trosach.
/ What is the Trosach? 1t is a wild, mar
row mountain pass from Loeb katrine to
/ Calender, and once the home of Roderic!l
Dhu. The country through which we pass
is full of romantic interest, and which has
been greatly increased by the vivid magin-
alton of Sir Walter Scott.
From Glasgow to Loeb Lomond, there is
not much to be seen worthy of note, but
! upon taking the steamer at Loeb Lomond,
then the beautiful scenery commences
/ What is there so beautiful about Lock Lo-
monde 1t is lake full of islands-beauti-
full green islands-in dark blue water, and
/ every island is covered with different kind
of shrubbery. One is covered with green
fern with yellow blossoms; another is GOV.
cred with pine trees; another with moss,
and so on; but all different. You cannot
1 see three fourths of 4 mile head of you
/ but as the boat glides on your way is opened
up to you. For twenty-four miles we sail
on this beautiful lake, passing on our right
! Ben Lomond, which is three peaked noun
| tain, very black and barren, but very high,
! and not remarkable for its beauty, but as
being the highest mountain near the lake.
Our steamer landed us at lnverary About
one mile from Inverary is the cave Of Rob
/ Roy. The cave is quite extensive, with a
very narrow opening. From Inverary we
! take an outside passage by coach to Loeb
! katrine, through the mountains, and take
the steamer again through Lock Katrine to
! Shonachladar Pier, and then commences
! the beautiful ride through the Trosach and
! Highlands of Scotland to Calender saw
| the rock against which Fitz James placed
| his back and detied the whole band of Rod
erick Dhu to combat; but Roderick Dhu had
promised Fitz James to convey him safely
GAS far as Coilantogle's ford,"
and reaching which he challenged him to
combat. He had requested his band to re
main behind, and not to follow them:
"See, here, all vantageless stand
Arm'd, like thyself, with single brand:
| For this is Colantogle's ford
And thou must keep the, with thy sword. -
l saw the spot where the comLat took place
| The result was that Fitz James b, -ame the
victor. Roderick Dhu was disarm. and
taken captive to Sterling. Roderick LUIS
band becoming distressed over their chief S
prolonged absence, came down from the
mountains to the ford, discovered the place
where the fight occurred, but not finding
| Roderick, went back to the mountains again
and went to their old misunderstanding
cattle and fighting neighboring clans. Cal
lender is small, quaint town, from which
place we take the train for Sterling, which
is one of the oldest and oldest towns in
Scotland. There is a large castle built upon
high rock, which overlooks the town.
This castle was besieged by Edward l, in
1904, and having taken it with great diff
Guilty, it remained in the possession of the
! English until their defeat at Bannockburn.
In the time of the Stuarts it became royal
residence, and WAS the birth place of James
II and James V. In this part, called the
Nalva, on the southeast side, is shown the
Douglass room, where James II killed the
Earl of Douglass for entering into a cove
nant with the Earls of Rose and Craw-
ford, which he feared would prove prejudi-
cial to his own authority. Sec how care
fully and how seriously one robber guarded
his domains against the encroachments OF
another.
From Sterling we take the cars direct
for Edinburgh, passing through Dumblane,
where Jessie, "the flower of Dumblane,' y
was born. Edinburgh, the modern Athens,
was reached by sundown-a beautiful city,
beautifully located. l don't believe there
is finer depot in the world than that Of
Edinburgh. Edinburgh castle commands
a lofty position upon high hill. From
this castle, at o'clock every day, gun is
fired to give the correct time. 1t is fired
by electricity. About one mile distant is
Nelson's monument, upon which is a large
ball. At / o'clock in the afternoon the
ball drops down the staff, produces an cleo
trio spark, which fires off the cannon
der the brow of King Arthur's seat. This
place has always been of great interest to
me, owing to the murder of David RiZZio
pronounced Ritzio, and the spirited con
versation between Mary Queen of Scots
and John Knox. The building is square
with court inside. We were shown the
reception room of Queen Mary, which il
quite large, and in which she had many
stormy debates with John Knox, who il
this very room, told the Queen "that she
would go to hell;' there was no salvation
for her; and the Queen laughed in his face
The next room is the sleeping apartment o
the Queen, containing her bed, which i.
nearly gone, but was no doubt, very beau
} tiful in its time. 1t has four high slende
posts, surrounded with rich red damasl
curtains, trimmed with heavy gold fringe
} and green loopings. The room also con
tains her mirror work stand and tapestry
board, of which the Queen was very font
ofworking. The floor, which was of stone
: was covered with straw mating. A small
room on the left was the Queens dressing
room, and on the right was the room wherein
she received her most intimate friends al
irregular room hardly more than eight fee
: by six feet Here in this room was Davi(
, Rizzio murdered by Lord Darnley, tn
, Queens husband, and a band Of assassin
headed by Ruthven. The Queen had pre-
2 pared dinner in which David Rizzio wa
r invited, and whilst at dinner the assassin
: entered by a private entrance, attacked
3 Rizzio in the presence of the Queen, VIII
f ran behind the Queen and begged her t.
S protect him, when he was stabbed ant
+ dragged out through the Queens sleepin.
S apartment and reception room, and agail
I stabbed to the death at the head of TIL
r stairway. A dark stain in the floor is sail
to have been the poor unfortunate Italian
a blood. Ruthven then returned to the Quee
4 and demands of her a cup of wine ant
: threatens to cut her into pieces if she give
T. Al IL Al