the life of thomas telford-第35章

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with　the　corn…fieids　to　which　they　are　contiguous；　and　affording　a

specimen　of　the　dreariness　and　desolation　which；　only　half　a　century

ago；　overspread　a　country　now　highly　cultivated；　and　become　a　most

copious　source　of　human　happiness。〃*＇1＇　　It　must；　however；　be

admitted　that　the　industrial　progress　thus　described　was　confined

almost　entirely　to　the　Lowlands；　and　had　scarcely　penetrated　the

mountainous　regions　lying　towards　the　north…west。　　The　rugged

nature　of　that　part　of　the　country　interposed　a　formidable　barrier

to　improvement；　and　the　district　still　remained　very　imperfectly

opened　up。　　The　only　practicable　roads　were　those　which　had　been

made　by　the　soldiery　after　the　rebellions　of　1715　and　'45；　through

counties　which　before　had　been　inaccessible　except　by　dangerous

footpaths　across　high　and　rugged　mountains。　　An　old　epigram　in

vogue　at　the　end　of　last　century　ran　thus：



　　　〃Had　you　seen　these　roads　before　they　were　made；

　　　　You'd　lift　up　your　hands　and　bless　General　Wade！〃



Being　constructed　by　soldiers　for　military　purposes；　they　were

first　known　as　〃military　roads。〃　　One　was　formed　along　the　Great

Glen　of　Scotland；　in　the　line　of　the　present　Caledonian　Canal；

connected　with　the　Lowlands　by　the　road　through　Glencoe　by　Tyndrum

down　the　western　banks　of　Loch　Lomond；　another；　more　northerly；

connected　Fort　Augustus　with　Dunkeld　by　Blair　Athol；　while　a　third；

still　further　to　the　north　and　east；　connected　Fort　George　with

Cupar…in…Angus　by　Badenoch　and　Braemar。



The　military　roads　were　about　eight　hundred　miles　in　extent；

and　maintained　at　the　public　expense。　　But　they　were　laid　out　for

purposes　of　military　occupation　rather　than　for　the　convenience　of

the　districts　which　they　traversed。　　Hence　they　were　comparatively

little　used；　and　the　Highlanders；　in　passing　from　one　place　to

another；　for　the　most　part　continued　to　travel　by　the　old　cattle

tracks　along　the　mountains。　　But　the　population　were　as　yet　so　poor

and　so　spiritless；　and　industry　was　in　so　backward　a　state　all　over

the　Highlands；　that　the　want　of　more　convenient　communications　was

scarcely　felt。



Though　there　was　plenty　of　good　timber　in　certain　districts；　the

bark　was　the　only　part　that　could　be　sent　to　market；　on　the　backs

of　ponies；　while　the　timber　itself　was　left　to　rot　upon　the　ground。

Agriculture　was　in　a　surprisingly　backward　state。　　In　the　remoter

districts　only　a　little　oats　or　barley　was　grown；　the　chief　part　of

which　was　required　for　the　sustenance　of　the　cattle　during　winter。

The　Rev。　Mr。　Macdougall；　minister　of　the　parishes　of　Lochgoilhead

and　Kilmorich；　in　Argyleshire；　described　the　people　of　that　part　of

the　country；　about　the　year　1760；　as　miserable　beyond　description。

He　says；　〃Indolence　was　almost　the　only　comfort　they　enjoyed。

There　was　scarcely　any　variety　of　wretchedness　with　which　they　were

not　obliged　to　struggle；　or　rather　to　which　they　were　not　obliged　to

submit。　　They　often　felt　what　it　was　to　want　food。。。。　　To　such　an

extremity　were　they　frequently　reduced；　that　they　were　obliged　to

bleed　their　cattle；　in　order　to　subsist　some　time　on　the　blood

（boiled）；　and　even　the　inhabitants　of　the　glens　and　valleys

repaired　in　crowds　to　the　shore；　at　the　distance　of　three　or　four

miles；　to　pick　up　the　scanty　provision　which　the　shell…fish

afforded　them。〃*＇2＇



The　plough　had　not　yet　penetrated　into　the　Highlands；　an　instrument

called　the　cas…chrom*＇3＇



＇Image＇　The　Cas…Chrom。



literally　the　〃crooked　foot〃the　use　of　which　had　been　forgotten

for　hundreds　of　years　in　every　other　country　in　Europe；　was　almost

the　only　tool　employed　in　tillage　in　those　parts　of　the　Highlands

which　were　separated　by　almost　impassable　mountains　from　the　rest

of　the　United　Kingdom。



The　native　population　were　by　necessity　peaceful。　　Old　feuds　were

restrained　by　the　strong　arm　of　the　law；　if　indeed　the　spirit　of

the　clans　had　not　been　completely　broken　by　the　severe　repressive

measures　which　followed　the　rebellion　of　Forty…five。　　But　the　people

had　hot　yet　learnt　to　bend　their　backs；　like　the　Sassenach；　to　the

stubborn　soil；　and　they　sat　gloomily　by　their　turf…fires　at　home；

or　wandered　away　to　settle　in　other　lands　beyond　the　seas。　　It　even

began　to　be　feared　that　the　country　would　so　on　be　entirely

depopulated；　and　it　became　a　matter　of　national　concern　to　devise

methods　of　opening　up　the　district　so　as　to　develope　its　industry

and　afford　improved　means　of　sustenance　for　its　population。

The　poverty　of　the　inhabitants　rendered　the　attempt　to　construct

roadseven　had　they　desired　thembeyond　their　scanty　means；　but

the　ministry　of　the　day　entertained　the　opinion　that；　by　contributing

a　certain　proportion　of　the　necessary　expense；　the　proprietors　of

Highland　estates　might　be　induced　to　advance　the　remainder；　and　on

this　principle　the　construction　of　the　new　roads　in　those　districts

was　undertaken。



The　country　lying　to　the　west　of　the　Great　Glen　was　absolutely

without　a　road　of　any　kind。　　The　only　district　through　which

travellers　passed　was　that　penetrated　by　the　great　Highland　road　by

Badenoch；　between　Perth　and　Inverness；　and　for　a　considerable　time

after　the　suppression　of　the　rebellion　of　1745；　it　was　infested　by

gangs　of　desperate　robbers。　　So　unsafe　was　the　route　across　the

Grampians；　that　persons　who　had　occasion　to　travel　it　usually　made

their　wills　before　setting　out。　　Garrons；　or　little　Highland　ponies；

were　then　used　by　the　gentry　as　well　as　the　peasantry。　　Inns　were

few　and　bad；　and　even　when　postchaises　were　introduced　at　Inverness；

the　expense　of　hiring　one　was　thought　of　for　weeks；　perhaps　months；

and　arrangements　were　usually　made　for　sharing　it　among　as　many

individuals　as　it　would　contain。　　If　the　harness　and　springs　of　the

vehicle　held　together；　travellers　thought　themselves　fortunate　in

reaching　Edinburgh；　jaded　and　weary；　but　safe　in　purse　and　limb；

on　the　eighth　day　after　leaving　Inverness。*＇4＇　　Very　few　persons

then　travelled　into　the　Highlands　on　foot；　though　Bewick；　the　father

of　wood…engraving；　made　such　a　journey　round　Loch　Lomond　in　1775。

He　relates　that　his　appearance　excited　the　greatest　interest　at　the

Highland　huts　in　which　he　lodged；　the　women　　curiously　examining

him　from　head　to　foot；　having　never　seen　an　　Englishman　before。

The　strange　part　of　his　story　is；　that　he　set　out　upon　his　journey

from　Cherryburn；　near　Newcastle；　with　only　three　　guineas　sewed　in

his　waistband；　and　when　he　reached　home　he　had　still　a　few

shillings　left　in　his　pocket！



In　1802；　Mr。　Telford　was　called　upon　by　the　Government　to　make　a

survey　of　Scotland；　and　report　as　to　the　measures　which　were

necessary　for　the　improvement　of　the　roads　and　bridges　of　that　part

of　the　kingdom；　and　also　on　the　means　of　promoting　the　fisheries　on

the　east　and　west　coasts；　with　the　object　of　better　opening　up　the

country　and　preventing　further　extensive　emigration。　　Previous　to

this　time　he　had　been　employed　by　the　British　Fisheries　Society

of　which　his　friend　Sir　William　Pulteney　was　Governorto　inspect

the　harbours　at　their　several　stations；　and　to　devise　a　plan　for

the　establishment　of　a　fishery　on　the　coast　of　Caithness。

He　accordingly　made　an　extensive　tour　of　Scotland；　examining；　among

other　harbours；　that　of　Annan；　from　which　he　proceeded　northward　by

Aberdeen　to　Wick　and　Thurso；　returning　to　Shrewsbury　by　Edinburgh

and　Dumfries。*＇5＇　　He　accumulated　a　large　mass　of　data　for　his

report；　which　was　sent　in　to　the　Fishery　Society；　with　charts　and

plans；　in　the　course　of　　the　following　year。



In　July；　1802；　he　was　requested　by　the　Lords　of　the　Treasury；　most

probably　in　consequence　of　the　preceding　report；　to　make　a　further

survey　of　the　interior　of　the　Highlands；　the　result　of　which　he

communicated　in　his　report　presented　to　Parliament　in　the　following

year。　　Although　full　of　important　local　business；　〃kept　running；〃

as　he　says；　〃from　town　to　country；　and　from　country　to　town；　never

when　awake；　and　perhaps　not　always　when　asleep；　have　my　Scotch

surveys　been　absent　from　my　mind。〃　　He　had　worked　very　hard　at　his

report；　and　hoped　that　it　might　be　productive　of　some　good。



The　report　was　duly　presented；　printed；*＇6＇　and　approved；　and　it

formed　the　starting…point　of　a　system　of　legislation　with　reference

to　the　Highlands　which　extended　over　many　years；　and　had　the　effect

of　completely　opening　up　that　romantic　but　rugged　district　of　country；

and　extending　to　its　inhabitants　the　advantages　of　improved

intercourse　with　the　other　parts　of　the　kingdom。　Mr。　Telford

pointed　out　that　the　military　roads　were　altogether　inadequate　to

the　requirements　of　the　population；　and　that　the　use　of　them　was　in

many　places　very　much　circumscribed　by　the　want　of　bridges　over

some　of　the　principal　rivers。　　For　instance；　the　route　from

Edinburgh　to　Inverness；　through　the　Central　Highlands；　was

seriously　interrupted　at　Dunkeld；　where　the　Tay　is　broad　and　deep；

and　not　always　easy　to　be　crossed　by　means　of　a　boat。　　The　route　to

the　same　place　by　the　east　coast　was　in　like　manner　broken　at

Fochabers；　where　the　rapid　Spey　could　only　be　crossed　by　a

dangerous　ferry。



The　difficulties　encountered　by　gentlemen　of　the　Bar；　in　travelling

the　north　circuit　about　this　time；　are　well　described　by　Lord

Cockburn　in　his　'Memorials。'　〃Those　who　are　born　to　modem

travelling；〃　he　says；　〃can　scarcely　be　made　to　understand　how　the

previous　age　got　on。　　The　state　of　the　roads　may　be　judged　of　from

two　or　three　facts。　　There　was　no　bridge　over　the　Tay　at　Dunkeld；

or　over　the　Spey　at　Fochabers；　or　over　the　Findhorn　at　Forres。

Nothing　but　wretched　pierless　ferries；　let　to　poor　cottars；　who

rowed；　or　hauled；　or　pushed　a　crazy　boat　across；　or　more　commonly

got　their　wives　to　do　it。　　There　was　no　mail…coach　north　of

Aberdeen　till；　I　think；　after　the　battle　of　Waterloo。　　What　it　must

have　been　a　few　years　before　my　time　may　be　judged　of　from　Bozzy's

'Letter　to　Lord　Braxfield；'　published　in　1780。　　He　thinks　that；

besides　a　carriage　and　his　own　carriage…horses；　every　judge　ought

to　have　his　sumpter…horse；　and　ought　not　to　travel　faster　than　the

waggon　which　carried　the　baggage　of　the　circuit。　　I　understood　from

Hope　that；　after　1784；　when　he　came　to　the　Bar；　he　and　Braxfield

rode　a　whole　north　circuit；　and　that；　from　the　Findhorn　being　in　a

flood；　they　were　obliged　to　go　up　its　banks　for　about　twenty…eight

miles　to　the　bridge　of　Dulsie　before　they　could　cross。　　I　myself

rode　circuits　when　I　was　Advocate…Depute　between　1807　and　1810。

The　fashion　of　every　Depute　carrying　his　own　shell　on　his　back；　in

the　form　of　his　own　carriage；　is　a　piece　of　very　modern

antiquity。〃*＇7＇　　North　of　Inverness；　matters　were；　if　possible；

still　worse。　　There　was　no　bridge　over　the　Beauly　or　the　Conan。

The　drovers　coming　south　swam　the　rivers　with　their　cattle。　　There

being　no　roads；　there　was　little　use　for　carts。　　In　the　whole

count