Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-06

stone. They show the room where one of the
kings of Scotland murdered the Black Doug
lass, and had his body thrown out of the win
dow. Also we'll formerly very deep, into
which in those old barbarous times, prisoners
were thrown, never to be heard of again. 1t
would be impracticable to refer TO all the his
torical associations which cluster around this
castle. The view from the castle as well rs
from the terraces is magnificent. About 30
miles of the valley of the Forth are visible.
1t is one of the most picturesque and winding
rivers in the world. In one place it trayerses
% miles, while in a straight line ii would be
only I. Many of the Scottish mountain peaks
are in sight. Ben this and Ben that, but none
of them are of very great height The Gram
plan hills extend along the eastern horizon.
On wooded emnence across the valley.
stands a monument to William Wallace, the
Scottish deliverer, said to be on the spot
where he stood and commanded his army dur
ing famous battle in which the English
forces were defeated. Cambuskenneth Abb
hey, in ruins, but square tower still stand
ing, is on the banks of the Forth south of
Stirling. There is an equestrian statue of
Robert Bruce in the esplanade near the castle.
At points in the terrace wall, they show Queen
Mary's favoritc lookout, and now they have
also Queen Victoria's lookout. Wherever
you go in Scotland, you find "reminiscences
of Queen Mary. A few soldiers are on duty
here, and they have the charge of the castle.
Leaving Stirling, proceeded by rail to
Calender, and there took carriages for the
TRosACHs.
We rode through a fine country, Astounding
with fat pastures and fat sheep, and fields of
potatoes and turnips, looking as though they
were very backward. 1t is called very
cold and wet season even for Scotland. The
roads are macadamized all the way, and are
smooth and level. There is not muchup and
down hill, although winding along amongst
hills. The hill slopes on either hand are
green and grassy. The heather is mostly on
the tops of the hills, and we gotno near view of
it, The Scottish lochs or lakes are pretty
pieces of water, bordered by few trees and
shrubs sometimes, but otherwise trees are
very scarce. In few instances we for
ests, but not many of them. The trOsachs is
a famous pass in Scotland, but there are a
dozen passes or notches in Maine and New
Hampshire more wild and picturesque. There
is a lake on one side of it, and hill on the
other, and it is very pretty scene.
We stopped here to lunch at a summer ho-
tel, are after another short ride we reached
LocH KArRINE.
At this point, the scenery is more wild.
The lake lay before us,
"with islands that, empurpled bright,
1 Foated amid the silver light,
And mountains that like giants stand
To seminal enchanted land"
We embarked on small steamer which
runs on the lake. This lake and its sur
roundings are all consecrated, if | may use
the word, by the genius of Scott Ellen's
Isle has rocky shore, and is covered with
growth of wood. The exact place where
Ellen Douglass and her father had their
lodge or bower was not pointed out, but we
were shown the sandy shore of the lake
where she found Fitz James, afterwards
James " of Scotland,) and took him
wounded and bleeding in her boat across to
the island; also the place where Fitz James
and Roderick Dhu had their desperate fight.
For further particulars, you are referred to
the "Iady of the Lake" We steamed the
length of this lake, and then took carriages
| for
LocH LoMoSp.
At the north end of Loeb Lomond, is fine
cascade or rather a succession of cascades,
called Inversnaid Falls. A light bridge
crossed the foaming cataract at one point, and
at the foot of the fall we ventured out on the
rocks to view its rushing food. We en-
barked on Loeb Lomond on another steamer,
and our route led us about 30 miles, with
Ben An and a variety of other mountains,
from oOOO to 1000 feet in height, APP
peared and disappeared from time to time.
There were also fishing villages cultivated
fields, sheep pastures of great extent, and
gentlemen's residences here and there, with
ornamented and well kept grounds. The
scenery is somewhat like that of the Andres
coggin in Shelburn, n. H., and yet more like
that on the upper Connecticut. 1t differs,
however, frow either. Trees are very scarce
except on the margin of the lake, and those
not tall. The mountain sides are green with
grass, diversified with the darker hue of the
heather Sheep are feeding all the way up.
There are few rocky cliffs Rocks here are
soon covered with moss, owing to the moist
ure of the climate. So railway entertainments
are green slopes, instead of bare and insight
ly beds of gravel, as with US. l think some
pains are taken to make them smooth and
green. Often they are bright with daisies,
buttercups, and pink or blue flowers, some of
them blue bells. The daisy is small white
flower, with single rows of petals, and yellow
pistils. The buttercups are like ours but
with short stems, and more delicate flowers
We had a fine day for this excursion, though
cloudy. There was very little rain, and about
as little sun visible. The air was refreshing,
and it was neither very cold nor very hot.
| When we left the steamer, we took the cars
for Glasgow, about 80 miles. Our days
journey, by rail, steamer and carriages, must
have been about $50 miles. b.
General News.