Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

HAUuis. 297
the command of a leader, to whom, unlike their two-
legg-ed enemies, they pay such implicit deference, as to
follow him, even to death ; making, as the politicians
above-mentioned do the hack writer, his folly the mea-
sure of what little sense they may possess. The leading
fish is selected and driven by boats, noises, and harpoons,
till he runs ashore; when all the rest imitate him, think-
ing-, doubtless, if they think at all, that he is going to
make conquests on terra firma, and that what is sauce
for the goose must be sauce for the gander.
To any person who may delight in euphonous names,
and is desirous of exercise in orthography, pronunciation,
and etymology, I may recommend the lochs and farms
that lie from here to the point of Roneval. You must,
on this account, take one general description of the
scenery for the whole ; as these names are neither to be
written nor pronounced in prose nor verse a second time.
Once is quite enough. What would Horace have thought
of Ghoecrabba, Trolamarig, Groesava, Gremishader, Pro-
clapul, Beckieweck, and Nishishee. It is well that his
journey to Brundusium was not a voyage along the
eastern shore of Harris. But there is nothing so bad that
we cannot find a worse. For what is this to Wales;
Avhere I have travelled through Trwsgwl, and Trygy-
vylchi, and Synodfymnonddewy, andUwchmynydd, and
Moelgwmguwch, and Castellgronwbefyrobenllyn; all
within the limits of a shorter epistle than his. But the
scenery of this shore compensates for the names. It is
not only beautiful, but singular ; and that singularity is
here doubly striking, because it is utterly unlike to every
thing else which occurs throughout the islands.
The character of the ground resembles much that of
Loch Cateran ; and these lochs only want trees to be often
as beautiful. The mountains which bound them all are
lofty, with rugged but graceful outlines; their surfaces