"Lovat Bridge, by which we returned, is a plain, handsome structure
of five arches, two of 40 feet span, two of 50, and the centre one

of 60. The curve is as little as possible. I learnt in Spain to
admire straight bridges; But Mr. Telford thinks there always ought

to be some curve to enable the rain water to run off, and because
he would have the outline look like the segment of a large circle,

resting on the abutments. A double line over the arches gives a
finish to the bridge, and perhaps looks as well, or almost as well,

as balustrades, for not a sixpence has been allowed for ornament on
these works. The sides are protected by water-wings, which are

embankments of stone, to prevent the floods from extending on
either side, and attacking the flanks of the bridge."

Nine miles further north, they arrived at Dingwall, near which a
bridge similar to that at Beauly, though wider, had been constructed

over the Conan. From thence they proceeded to Invergordon, to
Ballintraed (where another pier for fishing boats was in progress),

to Tain, and thence to Bonar Bridge, over the Sheir, twenty-four
miles above the entrance to the Dornoch Frith, where an iron

bridge, after the same model as that of Craigellachie, had been
erected. This bridge is of great importance, connecting as it does

the whole of the road traffic of the northern counties with the
south. Southey speaks of it as

"A work of such paramountutility that it is not possible to look
at it without delight. A remarkable anecdote," he continues,

"was told me concerning it. An inhabitant of Sutherland, whose
father was drowned at the Mickle Ferry (some miles below the bridge)

in 1809, could never bear to set foot in a ferry-boat after the
catastrophe, and was consequently cut off from communication with

the south until this bridge was built. He then set out on a journey.
'As I went along the road by the side of the water,' said he,

'I could see no bridge. At last I came in sight of something
like a spider's web in the air. If this be it, thought I, it will

never do! But, presently, I came upon it; and oh! it is the finest
thing that ever was made by God or man!'"

Sixteen miles north-east of Bonar Bridge, Southey crossed Fleet
Mound, another ingenious work of his friend Telford, but of an

altogether different character. It was thrown across the River
Fleet, at the point at which it ran into the estuary or little

land-locked bay outside, known as Loch Fleet. At this point there
had formerly been a ford; but as the tide ran far inland, it could

only be crossed at low water, and travellers had often to wait for
hours before they could proceed on their journey. The embouchure

being too wide for a bridge, Telford formed an embankment across
it, 990 yards in length, providing four flood-gates, each 12 feet

wide, at its north end, for the egress of the inland waters.
These gates opened outwards, and they were so hung as to shut with

the rising of the tide. The holding back of the sea from the land
inside the mound by this means, had the effect of reclaiming a

considerable extent of fertile carse land, which, at the time of
Southey's visit,--though the work had only been completed the year

before,--was already under profitablecultivation. The principal
use of the mound, however, was in giving support to the fine broad

road which ran along its summit, and thus completed the
communication with the country to the north. Southey speaks in

terms of high admiration of "the simplicity, the beauty, and
utility of this great work."

This was the furthest limit of their journey, and the travellers
retraced their steps southward, halting at Clashmore Inn:

"At breakfast," says Southey, "was a handsome set of Worcester china.
Upon noticing it to Mr. Telford, he told me that before these roads

were made, he fell in with some people from Worcestershire near the
Ord of Caithness, on their way northward with a cart load of

crockery, which they got over the mountains as best they could;
and, when they had sold all their ware, they laid out the money in

black cattle, which they then drove to the south."
The rest of Southey's journal is mainly occupied with a description

of the scenery of the Caledonian Canal, and the principal
difficulties encountered in the execution of the works, which were

still in active progress. He was greatly struck with the flight of
locks at the south end of the Canal, where it enters Loch Eil near

Corpach:--
"There being no pier yet formed," he says, "we were carried to and

from the boats on men's shoulders. We landed close to the sea shore.
A sloop was lying in the fine basin above, and the canal was full

as far as the Staircase, a name given to the eight successive
locks. Six of these were full and overflowing; and then we drew

near enough to see persons walking over the lock-gates. It had
more the effect of a scene in a pantomime than of anything in real

life. The rise from lock to lock is eight feet,--sixty-four,
therefore, in all. The length of the locks, including the gates

and abutments at both ends, is 500 yards;-- the greatest piece of
such masonry in the world, and the greatest work of the kind beyond

all comparison.
"A panorama painted from this place would include the highest

mountain in Great Britain, and its greatest work of art. That work
is one of which the magnitude and importance become apparent, when

considered in relation to natural objects. The Pyramids would
appear insignificant in such a situation, for in them we should

perceive only a vain attempt to vie with greater things. But here
we see the powers of nature brought to act upon a great scale,

in subservience to the purposes of men; one river created, another
(and that a huge mountain-stream) shouldered out of its place, and

art and order assuming a character of sublimity. Sometimes a beck
is conducted under the canal, and passages called culverts serve as

a roadway for men and beasts. We walked through one of these, just
lofty enough for a man of my stature to pass through with his hat

on. It had a very singular effect to see persons emerging from this
dark, long, narrow vault. Sometimes a brook is taken in; a cesspool

is then made to receive what gravel it may bring down after it has
passed this pool, the water flowing through three or four little

arches, and then over a paved bed and wall of masonry into the canal.
These are called in-takes, and opposite them an outlet is sometimes

made for the waters of; the canal, if they should be above their
proper level; or when the cross-stream may bring down a rush.

These outlets consist of two inclined planes of masonry, one rising
from the canal with a pavement or waste weir between them; and when

the cross-stream comes down like a torrent, instead of mingling
with the canal, it passes straight across. But these channels

would be insufficient for carrying off the whole surplus waters in
time of floods. At one place, therefore, there are three sluices

by which the whole canal from the Staircase to the Regulating Lock
(about six miles) can be lowered a foot in an hour. The sluices

were opened that we might see their effect. We went down the Bank,
and made our way round some wet ground till we got in front of the

strong arch into which they open. The arch is about 25 feet high,
of great strength, and built upon the rock. What would the

Bourbons have given for such a cascade at Versailles? The rush and
the spray, and the force of the water, reminded me more of the

Reichenbach than of any other fall. That three small sluices, each
only 4 feet by 3 feet, should produce an effect which brought the

mightiest of the swiss waterfalls to my recollection, may appear
incredible, or at least like an enormousexaggeration. But the

prodigious velocity with which the water is forced out, by the
pressure above, explains the apparent wonder. And yet I beheld it

only in half its strength; the depth above being at this time ten
feet, which will be twenty when the canal is completed. In a few

minutes a river was formed of no inconsiderable breadth, which ran
like a torrent into the Lochy.

"On this part of the canal everything is completed, except that the
iron bridges for it, which are now on their way, are supplied by

temporary ones. When the middle part shall be finished, the Lochy,
which at present flows in its own channel above the Regulating Lock,

will be dammed there, and made to join the Speyne by a new cut from
the lake. The cut is made, and a fine bridge built over it.