the life of thomas telford-第36章

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

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

county　of　Caithness；　there　was　　scarcely　a　farmer　who　owned　a

wheel…cart。　　Burdens　were　conveyed　usually　on　the　backs　of　ponies；

but　quite　as　often　on　the　backs　of　women。*＇8＇　　The　interior　of　the

county　of　Sutherland　being　almost　inaccessible；　the　only　track　lay

along　the　shore；　among　rocks　and　sand；　and　was　covered　by　the　sea

at　every　tide。　　〃The　people　lay　scattered　in　inaccessible　straths

and　spots　among　the　mountains；　where　they　lived　in　family　with

their　pigs　and　kyloes　（cattle）；　in　turf　cabins　of　the　most

miserable　description；　they　spoke　only　Gaelic；　and　spent　the　whole

of　their　time　in　indolence　and　sloth。　　Thus　they　had　gone　on　from

father　to　son；　with　little　change；　except　what　the　introduction　of

illicit　distillation　had　wrought；　and　making　little　or　no　export

from　the　country　beyond　the　few　lean　kyloes；　which　paid　the　rent

and　produced　wherewithal　to　pay　for　the　oatmeal　imported。〃*＇9＇

Telford's　first　recommendation　was；　that　a　bridge　should　be　thrown

across　the　Tay　at　Dunkeld；　to　connect　the　improved　lines　of　road

proposed　to　be　made　on　each　side　of　the　river。　　He　regarded　this

measure　as　of　the　first　importance　to　the　Central　Highlands；　and　as

the　Duke　of　Athol　was　willing　to　pay　one…half　of　the　cost　of　the

erection；　if　the　Government　would　defray　the　otherthe　bridge　to

be　free　of　toll　after　a　certain　periodit　appeared　to　the　engineer

that　this　was　a　reasonable　and　just　mode　of　providing　for　the

contingency。　　In　the　next　place；　he　recommended　a　bridge　over　the

Spey；　which　drained　a　great　extent　of　mountainous　country；　and；

being　liable　to　sudden　inundations；　was　very　dangerous　to　cross。

Yet　this　ferry　formed　the　only　link　of　communication　between　the

whole　of　the　northern　counties。　　The　site　pointed　out　for　the

proposed　bridge　was　adjacent　to　the　town　of　Fochabers；　and　here

also　the　Duke　of　Gordon　and　other　county　gentlemen　were　willing　to

provide　one…half　of　the　means　for　its　erection。



Mr。　Telford　further　described　in　detail　the　roads　necessary　to　be

constructed　in　the　north　and　west　Highlands；　with　the　object　of

opening　up　the　western　parts　of　the　counties　of　Inverness　and　Ross；

and　affording　a　ready　communication　from　the　Clyde　to　the　fishing

lochs　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Isle　of　Skye。　　As　to　the　means　of

executing　these　improvements；　he　suggested　that　Government　would　be

justified　in　dealing　with　the　Highland　roads　and　bridges　as

exceptional　and　extraordinary　works；　and　extending　the　public　aid

towards　carrying　them　into　effect；　as；　but　for　such　assistance；　the

country　must　remain；　perhaps　for　ages　to　come；　imperfectly　opened　up。

His　report　further　embraced　certain　improvements　in　the　harbours　of

Aberdeen　and　Wick；　and　a　description　of　the　country　through　which

the　proposed　line　of　the　Caledonian　Canal　would　necessarily　pass

a　canal　which　had　long　been　the　subject　of　inquiry；　but　had　not　as

yet　emerged　from　a　state　of　mere　speculation。



The　new　roads；　bridges；　and　other　improvements　suggested　by　the

engineer；　excited　much　interest　in　the　north。　　The　Highland　Society

voted　him　their　thanks　by　acclamation；　the　counties　of　Inverness

and　Ross　followed；　and　he　had　letters　of　thanks　and　congratulation

from　many　of　the　Highland　chiefs。　　〃If　they　will　persevere；〃　says　he；

〃with　anything　like　their　present　zeal；　they　will　have　the

satisfaction　of　greatly　improving　a　country　that　has　been　too　long

neglected。　　Things　are　greatly　changed　now　in　the　Highlands。　　Even

were　the　chiefs　to　quarrel；　de'il　a　Highlandman　would　stir　for　them。

The　lairds　have　transferred　their　affections　from　their　people　to

flocks　of　sheep；　and　the　people　have　lost　their　veneration　for　the

lairds。　　It　seems　to　be　the　natural　progress　of　society；　but　it　is

not　an　altogether　satisfactory　change。　　There　were　some　fine

features　in　the　former　patriarchal　state　of　society；　but　now

clanship　is　gone；　and　chiefs　and　people　are　hastening　into　the

opposite　extreme。　　This　seems　to　me　to　be　quite　wrong。〃*＇10＇

In　the　same　year；　Telford　was　elected　a　member　of　the　Royal　Society

of　Edinburgh；　on　which　occasion　he　was　proposed　and　supported　by

three　professors；　so　that　the　former　Edinburgh　mason　was　rising　in

the　world　and　receiving　due　honour　in　his　own　country。　　The　effect

of　his　report　was　such；　that　in　the　session　of　1803　a　Parliamentary

Commission　was　appointed；　under　whose　direction　a　series　of

practical　improvements　was　commenced；　which　issued　in　the

construction　of　not　less　than　920　additional　miles　of　roads　and

bridges　throughout　the　Highlands；　one…half　of　the　cost　of　which　was

defrayed　by　the　Government　and　the　other　half　by　local　assessment。

But　in　addition　to　these　main　lines　of　communication；　numberless

county　roads　were　formed　by　statute　labour；　under　local　road　Acts

and　by　other　means；　the　land…owners　of　Sutherland　alone

constructing　nearly　300　miles　of　district　roads　at　their　own　cost。



＇Image＇　Map　of　Telford's　Roads。



By　the　end　of　the　session　of　1803；　Telford　received　his

instructions　from　Mr。　Vansittart　as　to　the　working　survey　he　was

forthwith　required　to　enter　upon；　with　a　view　to　commencing

practical　operations；　and　he　again　proceeded　to　the　Highlands　to

lay　out　the　roads　and　plan　the　bridges　which　were　most　urgently

needed。　　The　district　of　the　Solway　was；　at　his　representation；

included；　with　the　object　of　improving　the　road　from　Carlisle　to

Portpatrickthe　nearest　point　at　which　Great　Britain　meets　the

Irish　coast；　and　where　the　sea　passage　forms　only　a　sort　of　wide

ferry。



It　would　occupy　too　much　space；　and　indeed　it　is　altogether

unnecessary；　to　describe　in　detail　the　operations　of　the　Commission

and　of　their　engineer　in　opening　up　the　communications　of　the

Highlands。　　Suffice　it　to　say；　that　one　of　the　first　things　taken　in

hand　was　the　connection　of　the　existing　lines　of　road　by　means　of

bridges　at　the　more　important　points；　such　as　at　Dunkeld　over　the

Tay；　and　near　Dingwall　over　the　Conan　and　Orrin。　　That　of　Dunkeld

was　the　most　important；　as　being　situated　at　the　entrance　to　the

Central　Highlands；　and　at　the　second　meeting　of　the　Commissioners

Mr。　Telford　submitted　his　plan　and　estimates　of　the　proposed

bridge。　　In　consequence　of　some　difference　with　the　Duke　of　Athol　as

to　his　share　of　the　expensewhich　proved　to　be　greater　than　he　had

estimatedsome　delay　occurred　in　beginning　the　work；　but　at　length

it　was　fairly　started；　and；　after　being　about　three　years　in　hand；

the　structure　was　finished　and　opened　for　traffic　in　1809。



＇Image＇　Dunkeld　Bridge。



The　bridge　is　a　handsome　one　of　five　river　and　two　land　arches。

The　span　of　the　centre　arch　is　90　feet；　of　the　two　adjoining　it　84

feet；　and　of　the　two　side　arches　74　feet；　affording　a　clear

waterway　of　446　feet。　　The　total　breadth　of　the　roadway　and　foot

paths　is　28　feet　6　inches。　　The　cost　of　the　structure　was　about

14；000L。；　one…half　of　which　was　defrayed　by　the　Duke　of　Athol。

Dunkeld　bridge　now　forms　a　fine　feature　in　a　landscape　not　often

surpassed；　and　which　presents　within　a　comparatively　small　compass

a　great　variety　of　character　and　beauty。



The　communication　by　road　north　of　Inverness　was　also　perfected　by

the　construction　of　a　bridge　of　five　arches　over　the　Beauly；　and

another　of　the　same　number　over　the　Conan；　the　central　arch　being

65　feet　span；　and　the　formerly　wretched　bit　of　road　between　these

points　having　been　put　in　good　repair；　the　town　of　Dingwall　was

thenceforward　rendered　easily　approachable　from　the　south。　　At　the

same　time；　a　beginning　was　made　with　the　construction　of　new　roads

through　the　districts　most　in　need　of　them。　　The　first　contracted

for；　was　the　Loch…na…Gaul　road；　from　Fort　William　to　Arasaig；

on　the　western　coast；　nearly　opposite　the　island　of　Egg。



Another　was　begun　from　Loch　Oich；　on　the　line　of　the　Caledonian

Canal；　across　the　middle　of　the　Highlands；　through　Glengarry；

to　Loch　Hourn　on　the　western　sea。　　Other　roads　were　opened　north

and　south；　through　Morvern　to　Loch　Moidart；　through　Glen　Morrison

and　Glen　Sheil；　and　through　the　entire　Isle　of　Skye；　from　Dingwall；

eastward；　to　Lochcarron　and　Loch　Torridon；　quite　through　the　county

of　Ross；　and　from　Dingwall；　northward；　through　the　county　of

Sutherland　as　far　as　Tongue　on　the　Pentland　Frith；　while　another

line；　striking　off　at　the　head　of　the　Dornoch　Frith；　proceeded

along　the　coast　in　a　north…easterly　direction　to　Wick　and　Thurso；

in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　John　o'　Groats。



There　were　numerous　other　subordinate　lines　of　road　which　it　is

unnecessary　to　specify　in　detail；　but　some　idea　may　be　formed　of

their　extent；　as　well　as　of　the　rugged　character　of　the　country

through　which　they　were　carried；　when　we　state　that　they　involved

the　construction　of　no　fewer　than　twelve　hundred　bridges。　　Several

important　bridges　were　also　erected　at　other　points　to　connect

existing　roads；　such　as　those　at　Ballater　and　Potarch　over　the　Dee；

at　Alford　over　the　Don：　and　at　Craig…Ellachie　over　the　Spey。



The　last…named　bridge　is　a　remarkably　elegant　structure；　thrown

over　the　Spey　at　a　point　where　the　river；　rushing　obliquely　against

the　lofty　rock　of　Craig…Ellachie；*＇11＇　has　formed　for　itself　a　deep

channel　not　exceeding　fifty　yards　in　breadth。　　Only　a　few　years

before；　there　had　not　been　any　provision　for　crossing　this　river　at

its　lower　parts　except　the　very　dangerous　ferry　at　Fochabers。

The　Duke　of　Gordon　had；　however；　erected　a　suspension　bridge　at　that

town；　and　the　inconvenience　was　in　a　great　measure　removed。

Its　utility　was　so　generally　felt；　that　the　demand　arose　for　a　second

bridge　across　the　river；　for　there　was　not　another　by　which　it

could　be　crossed　for　a　distance　of　nearly　fifty　miles　up　Strath　Spey。



It　was　a　difficult　stream　to　span　by　a　bridge　at　any　place；　in

consequence　of　the　violence　with　which　the　floods　descended　at

particular　seasons。　　Sometimes；　even　in　summer；　when　not　a　drop　of

rain　had　fallen；　the　flood　would　come　down　the　Strath　in　great

fury；　sweeping　everything　before　it；　this　remarkable　phenomenon

being　accounted　for　by　the　prevalence　of　a　strong　south…westerly

wind；　which　blew　the　loch　waters　from　their　beds　into　the　Strath；

and　thus　suddenly　filled　the　valley　of　the　Spey。*＇12＇　　The　same

phenomenon；　similarly　caused；　is　also　frequently　observed　in　the

neighbouring　river；　the　Findhorn；　cooped　up　in　its　deep　rocky　bed；

where　the　water　sometimes　comes　down　in　a　wave　six　feet　high；　like

a　liquid　wall；　sweeping　everything　before　it。



To　meet　such　a　contingency；　it　was　deemed　necessary　to　provide

abundant　waterway；　and　to　build　a　bridge　offering　as　little

resistance　as　possible　to　the　passage　of　the　Highland　floods。

Telford　accordingly　designed　for　the　passage　of　the　river　at

Craig…Ellachie　a　light　cast…iron　arch　of　150　feet　span；　with