The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-04
Il CALIFORNIAN
ABROAD.
By Thomas Fitch
THE TROSSACHS.
Thomas Fitch
THE TROSsAChS.
Copyright 1eo4.l

From Edinburgh to Callender-ffty-
two miles, we Were whirled In one hour
and twenty minutes, passing on our
right Stirling Castle, which stands on
the edge of a steep nigh rock over
hanging the Firth of Forth. and Stirl-
ing plain. At Callander we left the
cars. and were soon in the midst of the
scenes so vividly depicted by the
magician of the North,
''FHo- this is Coilantogle Ford
And thou must keep thee with thy
sword"
I quoted the foregoing lines with fer
vor, and looked about me for apprecia-
ton. There were fifteen of US beside
the driver, sitting bolt upright in a
coverless, backless, comfortless wagon.
We We're gazing upon the spot desig-
mated by Walter Scott as the scene of
the combat between Fitz James and
Roderfck Dhu. A more unappreciative
set of wretches than the twelve British
tourists with whom it was our lot to
journey that morning, never gathered
together anywhere. After my quota
ton there was an awkward silence.
The British tourists breathed hard and
looked wild. My wife gazed at me with
tender pity in her eye. a g'lass-eyed
man outreached his arm, and pointing
to a small cascade above the ford. re-
marked:
There appears to be- dam there.
and yet l see no mill or other attempt
to utilize the water power.
I'm other words said I, there is a
fine dam by a mill site, but not mill
by a dam site.
1t was daring plagiarism, I admit,
a standard Nevada joke originated by
a Nevada editor, but it seemed appro-
pirate and 1 launched it..
The twelve British tourists looked
sorry.
Perhaps continued I, "the dam
was left there by Rodericlk Dhu as
some slight expression of his disgust at
the result of the fight between Mr.. F.
James and himself
Nobody smiled, nobody saw the point,
and all turned solemnly to the guide
books. to see if by chance any account
of the dam might be found there.
We came in sight of a beautiful lit
tie sheet of water-"Loch Vennachar,"
and skirted its shore for five miles and
watched the shadows thrown upon it's
silver breast by lofty Benledi, towering
above the mists Oh our right. Then we
passed through Gartchenzie Wood, 1.-The
wood of lamentations" once the resi-
dence of water kelpie who was
student of Nautilus. and attempted to
keep down population by drowning lit
tie children.
At the west end of Loeb Vennachar
we reached the spot where the chief of
Clan Alpine astonished Fftz James
with a dress parade.
instant through copse and heath
arose
Bonnets and spears and Bonded bows;
On right, on left, above below,
Sprung up at once the lurking foe;
From shingles gray their lances start
The bracken bush sends forth the dart,
The rushes and the willow wand
Are bristling into axe and brand.
And every tuft of brown gives life
To plaided warrior armed for strife"
And so past silver Archary, and un-
An we reach the pass of the Tros-
sachs "Bristled Territory" This is o.
wild glen and terminates at the foot of
Lock Katrine where q tiny steamer is
in waiting. We wind in and out. past
sloping banks, and wooded islands, and
waters, and rugged glens, all
walled in and frowned upon by lofty
and blanketed by mists.
n &c an Cla xx-ha To
and the Lady of the Lake interviewed
each other. Here is the COLLINS cave
where the aforesaid Ellen raised her
angel hymn and here, at the west
ern end of the lake the practical jostles
the ideal in the shape of an aqueduct,
by which the water of Lock Katrine is
carried thirty four miles to Glasgow.
From Stronalachar Pass we proceed
again by coach five miles to Ipversnaid
at the head of Loeb Lomond. Close to
the pier al Inversnaid is a pretty cas-
cade, the scene of Wordsworth's poem
of the Highland Girl Nice business
Mr.. Wordsworth was in, writing poetry
to a Highland girl, and cavorting about
On a pleasure trip. while his lawful
spouse. was left behind with a young
infant AT Grasmere.
At Inversnaid We embarked on the
steamer for Banock Pier Loeb Lo-
nond is twenty-four miles long and
seven miles wide, and no sheet of water
In Europe-Como not excepted-is more
or interesting. Here is
where the celebrated chivalric cattle
thief Rob Roy, was accustomed to re-
tire after raiding the lowlands, and
drink usquebagh. and dance the straps
they, and place his foot upon his ma
tive heath and all that sort of thing.
We pass the hundred isles (there are
thirty as a matter of fact), and skirting
the shore OF Inch Murrin, the largest
sland-a mile and a half in length by
A half mile wide-used as a deer park
by the Duke OF Montrose We reach
Balloch Pier and disembarking enter a
car. and in less time than an