a journey to-第7章

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through　which　the　way　must　be　picked　with　caution。　　Where　there　are
hills；　there　is　much　rain；　and　the　torrents　pouring　down　into　the
intermediate　spaces；　seldom　find　so　ready　an　outlet；　as　not　to
stagnate；　till　they　have　broken　the　texture　of　the　ground。

Of　the　hills；　which　our　journey　offered　to　the　view　on　either　side；
we　did　not　take　the　height；　nor　did　we　see　any　that　astonished　us
with　their　loftiness。　　Towards　the　summit　of　one；　there　was　a　white
spot；　which　I　should　have　called　a　naked　rock；　but　the　guides；　who
had　better　eyes；　and　were　acquainted　with　the　phenomena　of　the
country；　declared　it　to　be　snow。　　It　had　already　lasted　to　the　end
of　August；　and　was　likely　to　maintain　its　contest　with　the　sun；
till　it　should　be　reinforced　by　winter。

The　height　of　mountains　philosophically　considered　is　properly
computed　from　the　surface　of　the　next　sea；　but　as　it　affects　the
eye　or　imagination　of　the　passenger；　as　it　makes　either　a　spectacle
or　an　obstruction；　it　must　be　reckoned　from　the　place　where　the
rise　begins　to　make　a　considerable　angle　with　the　plain。　　In
extensive　continents　the　land　may；　by　gradual　elevation；　attain
great　height；　without　any　other　appearance　than　that　of　a　plane
gently　inclined；　and　if　a　hill　placed　upon　such　raised　ground　be
described；　as　having　its　altitude　equal　to　the　whole　space　above
the　sea；　the　representation　will　be　fallacious。

These　mountains　may　be　properly　enough　measured　from　the　inland
base；　for　it　is　not　much　above　the　sea。　　As　we　advanced　at　evening
towards　the　western　coast；　I　did　not　observe　the　declivity　to　be
greater　than　is　necessary　for　the　discharge　of　the　inland　waters。

We　passed　many　rivers　and　rivulets；　which　commonly　ran　with　a　clear
shallow　stream　over　a　hard　pebbly　bottom。　　These　channels；　which
seem　so　much　wider　than　the　water　that　they　convey　would　naturally
require；　are　formed　by　the　violence　of　wintry　floods；　produced　by
the　accumulation　of　innumerable　streams　that　fall　in　rainy　weather
from　the　hills；　and　bursting　away　with　resistless　impetuosity；　make
themselves　a　passage　proportionate　to　their　mass。

Such　capricious　and　temporary　waters　cannot　be　expected　to　produce
many　fish。　　The　rapidity　of　the　wintry　deluge　sweeps　them　away；　and
the　scantiness　of　the　summer　stream　would　hardly　sustain　them　above
the　ground。　　This　is　the　reason　why　in　fording　the　northern　rivers；
no　fishes　are　seen；　as　in　England；　wandering　in　the　water。

Of　the　hills　many　may　be　called　with　Homer's　Ida　'abundant　in
springs'；　but　few　can　deserve　the　epithet　which　he　bestows　upon
Pelion　by　'waving　their　leaves。'　　They　exhibit　very　little　variety；
being　almost　wholly　covered　with　dark　heath；　and　even　that　seems　to
be　checked　in　its　growth。　　What　is　not　heath　is　nakedness；　a　little
diversified　by　now　and　then　a　stream　rushing　down　the　steep。　　An
eye　accustomed　to　flowery　pastures　and　waving　harvests　is
astonished　and　repelled　by　this　wide　extent　of　hopeless　sterility。
The　appearance　is　that　of　matter　incapable　of　form　or　usefulness；
dismissed　by　nature　from　her　care　and　disinherited　of　her　favours；
left　in　its　original　elemental　state；　or　quickened　only　with　one
sullen　power　of　useless　vegetation。

It　will　very　readily　occur；　that　this　uniformity　of　barrenness　can
afford　very　little　amusement　to　the　traveller；　that　it　is　easy　to
sit　at　home　and　conceive　rocks　and　heath；　and　waterfalls；　and　that
these　journeys　are　useless　labours；　which　neither　impregnate　the
imagination；　nor　enlarge　the　understanding。　　It　is　true　that　of　far
the　greater　part　of　things；　we　must　content　ourselves　with　such
knowledge　as　description　may　exhibit；　or　analogy　supply；　but　it　is
true　likewise；　that　these　ideas　are　always　incomplete；　and　that　at
least；　till　we　have　compared　them　with　realities；　we　do　not　know
them　to　be　just。　　As　we　see　more；　we　become　possessed　of　more
certainties；　and　consequently　gain　more　principles　of　reasoning；
and　found　a　wider　basis　of　analogy。

Regions　mountainous　and　wild；　thinly　inhabited；　and　little
cultivated；　make　a　great　part　of　the　earth；　and　he　that　has　never
seen　them；　must　live　unacquainted　with　much　of　the　face　of　nature；
and　with　one　of　the　great　scenes　of　human　existence。

As　the　day　advanced　towards　noon；　we　entered　a　narrow　valley　not
very　flowery；　but　sufficiently　verdant。　　Our　guides　told　us；　that
the　horses　could　not　travel　all　day　without　rest　or　meat；　and
intreated　us　to　stop　here；　because　no　grass　would　be　found　in　any
other　place。　　The　request　was　reasonable　and　the　argument　cogent。
We　therefore　willingly　dismounted　and　diverted　ourselves　as　the
place　gave　us　opportunity。

I　sat　down　on　a　bank；　such　as　a　writer　of　Romance　might　have
delighted　to　feign。　　I　had　indeed　no　trees　to　whisper　over　my　head；
but　a　clear　rivulet　streamed　at　my　feet。　　The　day　was　calm；　the　air
soft；　and　all　was　rudeness；　silence；　and　solitude。　　Before　me；　and
on　either　side；　were　high　hills；　which　by　hindering　the　eye　from
ranging；　forced　the　mind　to　find　entertainment　for　itself。　　Whether
I　spent　the　hour　well　I　know　not；　for　here　I　first　conceived　the
thought　of　this　narration。

We　were　in　this　place　at　ease　and　by　choice；　and　had　no　evils　to
suffer　or　to　fear；　yet　the　imaginations　excited　by　the　view　of　an
unknown　and　untravelled　wilderness　are　not　such　as　arise　in　the
artificial　solitude　of　parks　and　gardens；　a　flattering　notion　of
self…sufficiency；　a　placid　indulgence　of　voluntary　delusions；　a
secure　expansion　of　the　fancy；　or　a　cool　concentration　of　the
mental　powers。　　The　phantoms　which　haunt　a　desert　are　want；　and
misery；　and　danger；　the　evils　of　dereliction　rush　upon　the
thoughts；　man　is　made　unwillingly　acquainted　with　his　own　weakness；
and　meditation　shows　him　only　how　little　he　can　sustain；　and　how
little　he　can　perform。　　There　were　no　traces　of　inhabitants；　except
perhaps　a　rude　pile　of　clods　called　a　summer　hut；　in　which　a
herdsman　had　rested　in　the　favourable　seasons。　　Whoever　had　been　in
the　place　where　I　then　sat；　unprovided　with　provisions　and　ignorant
of　the　country；　might；　at　least　before　the　roads　were　made；　have
wandered　among　the　rocks；　till　he　had　perished　with　hardship；
before　he　could　have　found　either　food　or　shelter。　　Yet　what　are
these　hillocks　to　the　ridges　of　Taurus；　or　these　spots　of　wildness
to　the　desarts　of　America？

It　was　not　long　before　we　were　invited　to　mount；　and　continued　our
journey　along　the　side　of　a　lough；　kept　full　by　many　streams；　which
with　more　or　less　rapidity　and　noise；　crossed　the　road　from　the
hills　on　the　other　hand。　　These　currents；　in　their　diminished
state；　after　several　dry　months；　afford；　to　one　who　has　always
lived　in　level　countries；　an　unusual　and　delightful　spectacle；　but
in　the　rainy　season；　such　as　every　winter　may　be　expected　to　bring；
must　precipitate　an　impetuous　and　tremendous　flood。　　I　suppose　the
way　by　which　we　went；　is　at　that　time　impassable。



GLENSHEALS



The　lough　at　last　ended　in　a　river　broad　and　shallow　like　the　rest；
but　that　it　may　be　passed　when　it　is　deeper；　there　is　a　bridge　over
it。　　Beyond　it　is　a　valley　called　Glensheals；　inhabited　by　the　clan
of　Macrae。　　Here　we　found　a　village　called　Auknasheals；　consisting
of　many　huts；　perhaps　twenty；　built　all　of　dry…stone；　that　is；
stones　piled　up　without　mortar。

We　had；　by　the　direction　of　the　officers　at　Fort　Augustus；　taken
bread　for　ourselves；　and　tobacco　for　those　Highlanders　who　might
show　us　any　kindness。　　We　were　now　at　a　place　where　we　could　obtain
milk；　but　we　must　have　wanted　bread　if　we　had　not　brought　it。　　The
people　of　this　valley　did　not　appear　to　know　any　English；　and　our
guides　now　became　doubly　necessary　as　interpreters。　　A　woman；　whose
hut　was　distinguished　by　greater　spaciousness　and　better
architecture；　brought　out　some　pails　of　milk。　　The　villagers
gathered　about　us　in　considerable　numbers；　I　believe　without　any
evil　intention；　but　with　a　very　savage　wildness　of　aspect　and
manner。　　When　our　meal　was　over；　Mr。　Boswell　sliced　the　bread；　and
divided　it　amongst　them；　as　he　supposed　them　never　to　have　tasted　a
wheaten　loaf　before。　　He　then　gave　them　little　pieces　of　twisted
tobacco；　and　among　the　children　we　distributed　a　small　handful　of
halfpence；　which　they　received　with　great　eagerness。　　Yet　I　have
been　since　told；　that　the　people　of　that　valley　are　not　indigent；
and　when　we　mentioned　them　afterwards　as　needy　and　pitiable；　a
Highland　lady　let　us　know；　that　we　might　spare　our　commiseration；
for　the　dame　whose　milk　we　drank　had　probably　more　than　a　dozen
milk…cows。　　She　seemed　unwilling　to　take　any　price；　but　being
pressed　to　make　a　demand；　at　last　named　a　shilling。　　Honesty　is　not
greater　where　elegance　is　less。　　One　of　the　bystanders；　as　we　were
told　afterwards；　advised　her　to　ask　for　more；　but　she　said　a
shilling　was　enough。　　We　gave　her　half　a　crown；　and　I　hope　got　some
credit　for　our　behaviour；　for　the　company　said；　if　our　interpreters
did　not　flatter　us；　that　they　had　not　seen　such　a　day　since　the　old
laird　of　Macleod　passed　through　their　country。

The　Macraes；　as　we　heard　afterwards　in　the　Hebrides；　were
originally　an　indigent　and　subordinate　clan；　and　having　no　farms
nor　stock；　were　in　great　numbers　servants　to　the　Maclellans；　who；
in　the　war　of　Charles　the　First；　took　arms　at　the　call　of　the
heroic　Montrose；　and　were；　in　one　of　his　battles；　almost　all
destroyed。　　The　women　that　were　left　at　home；　being　thus　deprived
of　their　husbands；　like　the　Scythian　ladies　of　old；　married　their
servants；　and　the　Macraes　became　a　considerable　race。



THE　HIGHLANDS



As　we　continued　our　journey；　we　were　at　leisure　to　extend　our
speculations；　and　to　investigate　the　reason　of　those　peculiarities
by　which　such　rugged　regions　as　these　before　us　are　generally
distinguished。

Mountainous　countries　commonly　contain　the　original；　at　least　the
oldest　race　of　inhabitants；　for　they　are　not　easily　conquered；
because　they　must　be　entered　by　narrow　ways；　exposed　to　every　power
of　mischief　from　those　that　occupy　the　heights；　and　every　new　ridge
is　a　new　fortress；　where　the　defendants　have　again　the　same
advantages。　　If　the　assailants　either　force　the　strait；　or　storm
the　summit；　they　gain　only　so　much　ground；　their　enemies　are　fled
to　take　possession　of　the　next　rock；　and　the　pursuers　stand　at
gaze；　knowing　neither　where　the　ways　of　escape　wind　among　the
steeps；　nor　where　the　bog　has　firmness　to　sustain　them：　　besides
that；　mountaineers　have　an　agility　in　climbing　and　descending
distinct　from　strength　or　courage；　and　attainable　only　by　use。

If　the　war　be　not　soon　concluded；　the　invaders　are　dislodged　by
hunger；　for　in　those　anxious　and　toilsome　marches；　provisions
cannot　easily　be　carried；　and　are　never　to　be　found。　　The　wealth　of
mountains　is　cattle；　which；　while　the　men　stand　in　the　passes；　the
women　drive　away。　　Such　lands　at　last　cannot　repay　the　expence　of
conquest；　and　therefore　perhaps　have　not　been　so　often　invaded　by
the　mere　ambition　of　dominion；　as　by　resentment　of　robberies　and
insults；　or　the　desire　of　enjoying　in　security　the　more　fruitful
provinces。

As　mountains　are　long　before　they　are　conquered；　they　are　likewise
long　before　they　are　civilized。　　Men　are　softened　by　inte