People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1893 — ACROSS THE WATER. [ARTICLE]

ACROSS THE WATER.

Our Germany Correspondent Tells of Scotland’s Beauty. ( Halle A. S. i oct.< Editor Pilot—Not only variety of scenery is conducive to wear away the weariness of travel, but also variety of exertiorf. After one has ridden on a train or boat any length of time he is delighted to feel once more the firmness of mother earth. So our party reasoned. An examination of any good map will show that Loch Lomond and Katrine lie very close to each other and that it must be a delightful walk for a party of five to make the trip. In this conclusion we were not in the least disappointed. The distance is about five miles and the first real walk that we had made since we had left home. Then through that beautiful little valley of Arklet Water, ridged on either side by large sloping mountains, on whose sides the shepherd plied his lonely life,, It w T as about noon and was inclined to be rainy. Large, black clouds, would appear over the mountain tops and roll down the slopes in the valley below. It is a threatening sight as one beholds in his rear the valley suddenly filled with volumes of black clouds, whose deep blue lend to the green of the mountain side a peculiar. sombre appearance. Our road wound up through the valley, by a ruined castle, peasant’s huts, small streams from the country above, until we were conscious of the romantic little lake of Katrine. We remember this in connection with Scott’s beautiful poem, “Lady of the Lake.” We are nearing the scene of that wonderful product of descriptive genius. To visit this place without having read this poem is to pass the place ignorant of the beauty of the surroundings as they have been harmonized in romance and poetry, is to be ignorant of the fact that on its shores a life has been lived which indicates the seat of deeds worthy of a people so accustomed to chase and war. Scott has so faithfully depicted this region that any other guide book is unnecessary, besides the “Lady of the Lake.” In what little I have to say on this part of the country will be in reference to his poem. We were conscious of nearing Katrine, for in the distance could be seen the gables of the hotel, which serves as a basis of operations for this part of the country—at American prices, however. As we rounded a small incline, suddenly, in •

“One burnished sheet of living gold. Loch Katrine lay beneath him vool’d.” A small steamer was in waiting at the pier and at three in ths afternoon we started toward the east end of the Loch, where we were to see Ellen’s Isle, where she sheltered James-Fitz-James after he had been separated from his companions in the chase. This same James was the king of Scotland. Katrine is about nine and one-half miles long and very narrow, so that you were in constant sight of either shore. We had not gone far when it began to rain. One of those small, quick nimbic clouds discharged its moisture as it passes over the mountain tops. The poets words were as appropriate to us as at the time of the adventure of James-Fitz-James; for in truth,

“A whirlwind swept Loch Katrine’s breast. Her billows reared t heir snowy creast.” But it was only one of those clouds which momentarily darken nature only to break forth soon in more radiant smiles. True it was for in the distance “From Ben Venue’s gray summit wild.” the clouds broke forth and his noble form majesticly came to view and the country around in “random ruin piled” revealed the fact that the forces of nature had handled this part of the country pretty roughly. Loch Katrine does not serve as a place of romance only, for it is made to supply the city of Glasgow with her water. This is a gigantic work to conduct the water for 800,000 people for such a distance, over a mountain chain of considerable distance. But the Scotch are noted for their engineering skills. All this time we were darting around small islets which are very numerous at the eastern end of the Loch and the passengers were in constant bustle for fear that Ellen’s Isle wbuld escape their notice. It was not long, however, before we neared a small island covered with a thick foliage, which was to permanently rest in our memory as the island home of “fair Ellen.” There was no sign of habitation on the island and it was remarkably close to the shores of the lake. It was here also that Rob

Roy hid his band at times during his raids in the lowlands. Our stay here was not long and we hid adieu to this lovely spot where. ’"ln answer c«oed the Cushat dove Her notes of peace, and rest, and love.” and directed our course toward the Trosachs, a wild mountain pass of great natural beauty. But we could not follow the Poet’s words when he says: ‘•Then stranger go! Good speed the while. Nor think again of the lovely isle.'* For it was here that the main incidents of the poem rest and forget the retreat of Ellen w’ould be to destroy the beauty of the poem. We passed quickly into a wild, ragged mountain pass and,

"In the deep Trosachs’ wildest nook His solitary refuge took.’’ The road through this pass is not long—not more than a mile and here was so different to that which we had been accustomed to that we unconsciously hurried along, "Yet often paused, so strange the road. So wondrous were the scenes it showed ” ♦ ♦ » « * * “So wondrous wild the night Seem the scenery of a fairy dream.’’ We passed rapidly along and were soon along the shores of Loch Achroy, a quiet lake at the earstern edge of the Trosachs and the poet again spoke truth when he said of Achroy as the war-like tumult surged along its quiet banks: “Alas, thou lovely lake! That e’re Thy banks should eelio sounds of fear.” But true they did even for a threatening shower was heralded by the resounding thunder from lake to mountain. Soon we came to the Bridge of Turk. This little stone bridge spans the brook of Turk. Here we had our first experience with native Highland Scotch brogue. Three small boys were on the bridge fishing and we undertook to enter into conversation with them but found we were utterly unable to get much information of use to us. Their ancestors must have been on the topmost part of Babel when the tongues were confused. At this place are installed together a few houses and formed our first introduction to European village life. We began our search for the inn of the place and found that it was kept by the doctor of the village and the accommodation consisted in two rooms which served all the purposes of family and traveler. As we still had plenty of time we concluded to tread on to the nearest town which was a few miles distant.

A village usually consists of a store, inn, stable, and several residences. The peasants cluster themselves together partly for social enjoyment and partly as a relic of the past when it was absolutely necessary that they come together as a means of protection to warlike bands. The inhabitants vary in number. In this place not more; than one hundred, and their principal business was that of herding sheep on the surrounding mountain slopes. Very little farming is attempted at such a place, and it consists almost entirely of cattle raising and the growth of sufficient hay to sustain them during the winter. Their life is one continual strain of monotony which is only during the summer months by the intrusion of the visitor who seeks a glass of milk or some information as to their life and country around.