Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-25

quite annihilate the old religion in these
Highland fastnesses-and near it the vastest
and most curious cross on earth, hundreds
of feet in height cut into the escarpment
of the southern mountain wall; the Mause
where / am living and the little Free Church
at Fasnakyle bridge; and finally, the ham
let of Tomich, whose inhabitants are wholly
dependents of Lord Tweedmouth, whose
estate of 30, 900 acres, Geusachan Gaelic,
''place of the firs') stretches away to the
southwest behind the mountain walls which
shut in Glen Affric to its north.
A PAINTERS DIscoURAGEMENT.
In the British National Gallery or some
where in London, is a wondrous painting
of Strathglass. McWhirter, painter of the
"Three Graces." found the marvellous strath,
lived in this Manse for the many, many
months he was at work, and though he pro-
duced undoubtedly the most magnificent
landscape ever placed upon canvas, his own
desperate encouragement at being unable
to convey to others what he himself saw and
felt was pitiful commentary upon the occa-
sional utter inadequacy of the sublimest in
terpretations of art. Here upon this jutting
crag he stood. 1t is where the strath breaks
to the northwest into the higher, gloomier,
grander reach of Glen Affric. Strathglass
itself sweeps to the east and west with un-
obstructed views for half a score Of miles in
either direction. Ifyour fancy be q glow
ing one, put it to its most fervent test In
picturing the widest, sweetest, weirdest and
most gloriously beautiful spot within its
powers of creation, and you have not then
got even a glimpse of the magical fascina-
tions of Strathglass.
The entire southern horizon for a range of
20 miles is a serrated edge of rock and tir-
haf- oh1
ments of steel-gray stone; of lichened masses
OF rock and dead trees uprooted by bowling
tempests; of alder, oak and birch with
foliage SO luxuriant that. in the distance,
they seem like hanging banks OF moss; of
frs so dark in their green as TO almost stand
there like upright beds of purple heather,
and of countless misty indentations and
depths, here and there sinuously lined by the
feathery course of some foaming waterfall.
The bed of the strath, for all this distance,
while 1000 feet below where you are stand
ing, appears to the eye as smooth and level
as the hushed waters of some dreamful loch.
Only for that one thread OF silver gray, the
Glass river. winding from side TO side in
matchless curves and lines, and the white
specks OF crofters' huts which, In your fancy,
are transformed into far, faint sails, would
the illusion remain complete.
While to your left, mountain masses in
gigantic swaths, or like emerald headlands
in endless succession above some peaceful
shore, burst into view, advancing, retreat
ing, with interstices of opaline hue, where
the burns and mighty chasms are, as if color
in nature throbbed and ebbed until fading
away into a languorous death iu blue and
purple and mist
EVEN MORE GLORIOUS VIEWS.
IT, Al ,r,,& x,.,a .x;n .-o s&-.kl
and mountain views. From the north a
wild torrent comes pouring down from
weird Glen Cannich through a gorge so
deep and vast that even the roaring of the
cataracts is muffied and still. High above
this for 1000 feet leaps grand Knockfn or
"Fingal's Fort, its summit girdled by two
enormously thick walls of stone. Past this
to the south and west, uplands rise and roll
in matcless valley ascents to the wilds and
mysteries of lone Glen Affric. Behind, to
the north, far Ben Wyvis, giant monarch of
the North, thrusts its peak above dark and
stately mountain piles. Nam Suil, 'hill
of the eye" or "mount of the extensive
view," stands guard in the west; while the
whole far horizon pierced by hundreds of
grim old peaks. wreathed in endless bands
and wings of mist, seems like some vast
archipelago of massive crags endlessly
DOoecA W enc B ShoetAy sPoiAO Va tAuauSAAAS
seas.
If the mere outlining of this enchanted
spot so inadequately fails all power of de-
scription, what inspired pen or brush could
ftly linn its ever-changing formings,
scenes and hues? Glittering peak, blanched
cliff and threatening precipice burst through
the heather and sea-green copse. Away
among the heights the eagle wheels above
the gorges, or calls to the echoing peaks for
companionship in its solitudes. TumblIng
burns quiver and flash, or show cascades
like fecks of lace, from within the shadows.
And over all song of rivulet, burn and
river, over covert, copse and glen, over islet,
bog and tarn, floods the September sunshine,
painting for your feasting in unbound dyes.
Grand Strathglassi Noblest of all Scot
lands wondrous straths and valleys, be-
cause grandest one-fashioned by the infinite
Artfcer, and as yet unsmirched by the de-
filing touch of inns and guides and Gain.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.