It is now, it seems, more than two months since I arrived at
Liverpool from
N. York
, and more than three since I left the latter of these cities. After
arriving in
London I
continued nearly a month in the city, first visiting places and institutions of
importance and becoming acquainted with books and book-sellers, and instruments,
and instrument-makers. Having informed myself of circumstances and characters I
made a number of purchases, and engagements, and set off in a steam packet which
runs between
London
and
Edinburgh.
After a passage of 3½ days we arrived on the
Forth, where the scenery of
Scotland began to
open upon our view. This was characterized by what is known as
North Berwick Low, and
Bass Rock at
the entrance of the
Firth
, as well as several other elevated places, presenting the first
appearance of those masses of
Rock, of which
Scotland seems very much composed. After having a pretty
rough passage along the British coast of the
German
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ocean, during which
most of the passengers, and myself too, at last became sick, we found a
beautiful contrast in the tranquility and glossy smoothness of the
Forth. I
continued in
Edinburgh 10 days, and then passing over to
Glasgow, and staying some days,
I set out for
Loch
Lomond,
Rob Roy's cave, the
Highlands,
Loch Kattrine and the
Trosachs, returning by
Callender,
Doune and
Stirling to
Edinburgh, down the
Forth in a steamboat. I stayed two or
three days between
Loch Lomond and
Loch Kattrine, among the mountains, in a house or rather a cluster
of buildings, called the Garrison, which had been built 120 years ago, or more,
as a station for troops, to keep in check the wild clansmen of those times and
subdue them to the English power. The garrison is about a mile from
Rob's Cave,
and from a spot where they tell us his house probably stood. One object for
staying here was to be for some time in the country of the shepherds, whom I
visited in their
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cottages to observe their mode of
life and opportunities and customs and state of society. This is the tour which
is very commonly made by people from
England and the
Lowlands of Scotland, and its objects have had much
interest added to them by the writings of
Sir W. Scott. While in
Loch Lomond I attempted to visit the
summit of Ben Lomond, the highest mountain but one in
Scotland, but when near the top I was
driven back by a storm, and was thus prevented from seeing those extensive
prospects, which constitute the principal object of the ascent.