The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-09-12
OUR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE
LETTER NUNBER ONE
THE SCOTTISH LAKES.

hundred years ago IL was a small city OF
less than $4,000 inhabitants and with
out Importance, but to-day it is the
commercial metropolis OF Scotland, and
has a population Of 100000. It's inhabi-
tants have shown a remarkable enter
prise in building up manufactures, and
in developing the mineral resources of
the neighboring counties. The almost
numberless tall chimneys with their
clouds Of smoke, and the continual
noise Of numerous iron works, remind
US of our own Pittsburgh.
To the tourist the city has few attrac-
tions. The chief of these is the old
cathedral. which was built in the
twelfth century and is one of the few In
all Scotland which survived the mad
fury Of the populace during the Reforma-
tion. The building is very large, more
| than three hundred feet long, and most
Of its carvings aud interior decorations
are in a fine state of preservation. Its
crypts are the finest and most massive
of any in the kingdom. But the pride
Of the cathedral is its beautiful great
stained glass windows, of which it has
forty-four, from twenty-five to thirty
| feet in height, each representing some
well-known Bible event. These win
dows were made about ten years ago at
Munich, and are the perfection Of mod
ern art. Adjoining the cathedral is the
metropolis, or cemetery, beautifully laid
out aud containing many fine monu-
ments. Conspicuous among these is one
I to John Knox, whose body, however, is
buried at Edinborough. We noticed
also that of John Dick, the eminent
theologian. Other things in the city,
worthy of mention, are George Square
with its colossal monument to SirWalter
Scott; Glasgow Green containing fine
monument to Nelson, England's favor
ite hero; and the new university build
ings. In one of the poorest streets in
the old city we are shown the quarters
once occupied by Cromwell.
The most noticeable thing about the
city TO an American just landed, is the
massiveness and solidity ofthe buildings,
for they are mostly Of cut stone with
tile or slate roofs. There are almost no
buildings made Of wood and but few Of
brick, and the streets are all paved with
stone. This gives an impression that
the city is built to stand for all time,
and accords with our generally accept
ed opinion Of Scotch thoroughness. Yet
miles aud miles Of streets with stone
houses and stone paving, everything
stone, gives tho city a monotony Of dull
color which finally becomes wearisOme,
until the eye longs for some bright color,
and for even little outside paint.
Strolling down to one Of the public
squares, one evening, member OF our
party found an excited crowd Of two or
three hundred working men discussing
the merits OF Professionalism and CathOl-
icism. One had been making speech
on the subject, and was reading proof
passages from a small Testament. Some
one gave notice that the next night
there would be a discussion on the IA
vorite Scotch eme-foreordination. In
what American city, or any city in the
world outside Of Scotland, will you find
day laborers discussing until late at
night questions in theology and meta
physics
The increased length of the day, ow-
ing to the extreme northern latitude, is
plainly noticeable, for I was able to read
fine print by daylight after 10 o'clock at
night, while daybreak comes about
O'Clock. Indeed, in clear weather the
morning and evening twilight almost
overlap. The policeman with his pot
shaped cap is everywhere, a constant
terror to the evil disposed small boys,
who at once take to their heels when
the cry is raised, ''The boobies are COM
ing" / knew a worthy American lady
who on her first day in Glasgow in an
innocent way asked, "What kind Of a
musical instrument is a bobby ?"
Leaving Glasgow by early train, we
soon reached Balloch on Loeb Lomond
where we take steamer for Inversnaid
near the opposite end Of the lake, a sail
OF nearly thirty miles. a Scotch mist
as it is politely called I'VE should say a
rain storm, soon settled down upon US,
and although it was the Fourth Of July
and we had on our overcoats, we were
shivering in the cold wind. The High.
landers have a saying that "when Ben
LOmond puts on his night-cap the rain
will come down." and as we looked uT
toward the mountain and saw his head
obscured with clouds, and the rain fall.
ing around Us, we decided that there ar,
weather signs which are true. Sailing
up the lake which is surrounded by
Scotland's highest mountains, we are in
the midst Of scenery scarcely equaleC
by any lake in Europe, Maggiore il
Italy, alone excepted.
, Nearly every mountain pass, rocE
and village is associated with some o.
Scott's characters. We see Balloct
castle, beyond a ruined fortification. 3
traditional stronghold of Fingal: 8
beautiful wooded island, the deer park
, Of the Duke Of Montrose; Rob Roy.
= prison; a rock from which he dipped re.
fractory captives in the lake until they
were willing to pay the required ran.
/ som, and his cave which also sheltered
, Robert the Bruce. Near Inversnaid {.