the life of thomas telford-第52章

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and　by　Aberfeldy　to　Dunkeld。　　At　the　latter　place；　the　poet　admired

Telford's　beautiful　bridge；　which　forms　a　fine　feature　in　the

foreground　of　the　incomparable　picture　which　the　scenery　of　Dunkeld

always　presents　in　whatever　aspect　it　is　viewed。



From　Dunkeld　the　party　proceeded　to　Dundee；　along　the　left　bank　of

the　Firth　of　Tay。　　The　works　connected　with　the　new　harbour　were　in

active　progress；　and　the　engineer　lost　no　time　in　taking　his　friend

to　see　them。　　Southey's　account　is　as　follows：



〃Before　breakfast　I　went　with　Mr。　Telford　to　the　harbour；　to　look

at　his　works；　which　are　of　great　magnitude　and　importance：　a　huge

floating　dock；　and　the　finest　graving　dock　I　ever　saw。　　The　town

expends　70；000L。　on　these　improvements；　which　will　be　completed　in

another　year。　　What　they　take　from　the　excavations　serves　to　raise

ground　which　was　formerly　covered　by　the　tide；　but　will　now　be　of

the　greatest　value　for　wharfs；　yards；　&c。　The　local　authorities

originally　proposed　to　build　fifteen　piers；　but　Telford　assured

them　that　three　would　be　sufficient；　and；　in　telling　me　this；　he

said　the　creation　of　fifteen　new　Scotch　peers　was　too　strong　a

measure。。。。



〃Telford's　is　a　happy　life；　everywhere　making　roads；　building

bridges；　forming　canals；　and　creating　harboursworks　of　sure；

solid；　permanent　utility；　everywhere　employing　a　great　number　of

persons；　selecting　the　most　meritorious；　and　putting　them　forward

in　the　world　in　his　own　way。〃



After　the　inspection　at　Dundee　was　over；　the　party　proceeded　on

their　journey　northward；　along　the　east　coast：



〃Near　Gourdon　or　Bervie　harbour；　which　is　about　a　mile　and　a　half

on　this　side　the　town；　we　met　Mr。　Mitchell　and　Mr。　Gibbs；　two　of

Mr。　Telford's　aides…de…camp；　who　had　come　thus　far　to　meet　him。　　The

former　he　calls　his　'Tartar；'　from　his　cast　of　countenance；　which

is　very　much　like　a　Tartar's；　as　well　as　from　his　Tartar…like　mode

of　life；　for；　in　his　office　of　overseer　of　the　roads；　which　are

under　the　management　of　the　Commissioners；　he　travels　on　horseback

not　less　than　6000　miles　a　year。　　Mr。　Telford　found　him　in　the

situation　of　a　working　mason；　who　could　scarcely　read　or　write；　but

noticing　him　for　his　good　conduct；　his　activity；　and　his　firm

steady　character；　he；　has　brought　him　forward；　and　Mitchell　now

holds　a　post　of　respectability　and　importance；　and　performs　his

business　with　excellent　ability。〃



After　inspecting　the　little　harbour　of　Bervie；　one　of　the　first

works　of　the　kind　executed　by　Telford　for　the　Commissioners；　the

party　proceeded　by　Stonehaven；　and　from　thence　along　the　coast　to

Aberdeen。　　Here　the　harbour　works　were　visited　and　admired：



〃The　quay；〃　says　Southey；　〃is　very　fine；　and　Telford　has　carried

out　his　pier　900　feet　beyond　the　point　where　Smeaton's　terminated。

This　great　work；　which　has　cost　100；000L。；　protects　the　entrance

of　the　harbour　from　the　whole　force　of　the　North　Sea。　　A　ship　was

entering　it　at　the　time　of　our　visit；　the　Prince　of　Waterloo。

She　had　been　to　America；　had　discharged　her　cargo　at　London；　and　we

now　saw　her　reach　her　own　port　in　safetya　joyous　and　delightful

sight。〃



The　next　point　reached　was　Banff；　along　the　Don　and　the　line　of　the

Inverury　Canal：



〃The　approach　to　Banff　is　very　fine；〃*＇4＇　says　Southey；　〃by　the

Earl　of　Fife's　grounds；　where　the　trees　are　surprisingly　grown；

considering　how　near　they　are　to　the　North　Sea；　Duff　House

a　square；　odd；　and　not　unhandsome　pile；　built　by　Adams　（one　of　the

Adelphi　brothers）；　some　forty　years　ago；　a　good　bridge　of　seven

arches　by　Smeaton；　the　open　sea；　not　as　we　had　hitherto　seen　it；

grey　under　a　leaden　sky；　but　bright　and　blue　in　the　sunshine；　Banff

on　the　left　of　the　bay；　the　River　Doveran　almost　lost　amid　banks　of

shingle；　where　it　enters　the　sea；　a　white　and　tolerably　high　shore

extending　eastwards；　a　kirk；　with　a　high　spire　which　serves　as　a

sea…mark；　and；　on　the　point；　about　a　mile　to　the　east；　the　town　of

Macduff。　　At　Banff；　we　at　once　went　to　the　pier；　about　half　finished；

on　which　15；000L。　will　be　expended；　to　the　great　benefit　of　this

clean；　cheerful；　and　active　little　town。　　The　pier　was　a　busy

scene；　hand…carts　going　to　and　fro　over　the　railroads；　cranes　at

work　charging　and　discharging；　plenty　of　workmen；　and　fine　masses

of　red　granite　from　the　Peterhead　quarries。　　The　quay　was　almost

covered　with　barrels　of　herrings；　which　women　were　busily　employed

in　salting　and　packing。〃



The　next　visit　was　paid　to　the　harbour　works　at　Cullen；　which　were

sufficiently　advanced　to　afford　improved　shelter　for　the　fishing

vessels　of　the　little　port：



〃When　I　stood　upon　the　pier　at　low　water；〃　says　Southey；　〃seeing

the　tremendous　rocks　with　which　the　whole　shore　is　bristled；　and

the　open　sea　to　which　the　place　is　exposed；　it　was　with　a　proud

feeling　that　I　saw　the　first　talents　in　the　world　employed　by　the

British　Government　in　works　of　such　unostentatious；　but　great；

immediate；　palpable；　and　permanent　utility。　　Already　their　excellent

effects　are　felt。　　The　fishing　vessels　were　just　coming　in；　having

caught　about　300　barrels　of　herrings　during　the　night。。。。



〃However　the　Forfeited　Estates　Fund　may　have　been　misapplied　in

past　times；　the　remainder　could　not　be　better　invested　than　in

these　great　improvements。　　Wherever　a　pier　is　needed；　if　the　people

or　the　proprietors　of　the　place　will　raise　one…half　the　necessary

funds；　Government　supplies　the　other　half。　　On　these　terms；

20；000L。　are　expending　at　Peterhead；　and　14；000L。　at　Frazerburgh；

and　the　works　which　we　visited　at　Bervie　and　Banff；　and　many　other

such　along　this　coast；　would　never　have　been　undertaken　without

such　aid；　public　liberality　thus　inducing　private　persons　to　tax

themselves　heavily；　and　expend　with　a　good　will　much　larger　sums

than　could　have　been　drawn　from　them　by　taxation。〃



From　Cullen；　the　travellers　proceeded　in　gigs　to　Fochabers；　thence

by　Craigellachie　Bridge；　which　Southey　greatly　admired；　along

Speyside；　to　Ballindalloch　and　Inverallen；　where　Telford's　new　road

was　in　course　of　construction　across　the　moors　towards　Forres。

The　country　for　the　greater　part　of　the　way　was　a　wild　waste；　nothing

but　mountains　and　heather　to　be　seen；　yet　the　road　was　as　perfectly

made　and　maintained　as　if　it　had　lain　through　a　very　Goschen。

The　next　stages　were　to　Nairn　and　Inverness；　from　whence　then

proceeded　to　view　the　important　works　constructed　at　the　crossing

of　the　River　Beauly：



〃At　Lovat　Bridge；〃　says　Southey；　〃we　turned　aside　and　went　four

miles　up　the　river；　along　the　Strathglass　roadone　of　the　new

works；　and　one　of　the　most　remarkable；　because　of　the　difficulty　of

constructing　it；　and　also　because　of　the　fine　scenery　which　it

commands。。。。。



〃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　paramount　utility　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　profitable　cultivation。　　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　res