the life of thomas telford-第53章

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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　enormous　exaggeration。　　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。

We　went　into　the　cut　and　under　the　bridge；　which　is　very　near　the

intended　point　of　junction。　　The　string…courses　were　encrusted　with

stalactites　in　a　manner　singularly　beautiful。　　Under　the　arches　a

strong　mound　of　solid　masonry　is　built　to　keep　the　water　in　dry

seasons　at　a　certain　height；　But　in　that　mound　a　gap　is　left　for

the　salmon；　and　a　way　made　through　the　rocks　from　the　Speyne　to

this　gap；　which　they　will　soon　find　out。〃



Arrived　at　Dumbarton；　Southey　took　leave　of　John　Mitchell；　who　had

accompanied　him　throughout　the　tour；　and　for　whom　he　seems　to　have

entertained　the　highest　admiration：



〃He　is　indeed；〃　says　Southey；　〃a　remarkable　man；　and　well　deserving

to　be　remembered。　　Mr。　Telford　found　him　a　working　mason；　who　could

scarcely　read　or　write。　　But　his　good　sense；　his　excellent　conduct；

his　steadiness　and　perseverance　have　been　such；　that　he　has　been

gradually　raised　to　be　Inspector　of　all　these　Highland　roads　which

we　have　visited；　and　all　of　which　are　under　the　Commissioners'　care

an　office　requiring　a　rare　union　of　qualities；　among　others

inflexible　integrity；　a　fearless　temper；　and　an　indefatigable

frame。　　Perhaps　no　man　ever　possessed　these　requisites　in　greater

perfection　than　John　Mitchell。　　Were　but　his　figure　less　Tartarish

and　more　gaunt；　he　would　be　the　very　'Talus'　of　Spenser。　　Neither

frown　nor　favour；　in　the　course　of　fifteen　years；　have　ever　made

him　swerve　from　the　fair　performance　of　his　duty；　though　the　lairds

with　whom　he　has　to　deal　have　omitted　no　means　of　making　him　enter

into　their　views；　and　to　do　things　or　leave　them　undone；　as　might

suit　their　humour　or　interest。　　They　have　attempted　to　cajole　and　to

intimidate　him　alike　in　vain。　　They　have　repeatedly　preferred

complaints　against　him　in　the　hope　of　getting　him　removed　from　his

office；　and　a　more　flexible　person　appointed　in　his　stead；　and　they

have　not　unfrequently　threatened　him　with　personal　violence。

Even　his　life　has　been　menaced。　　But　Mitchell　holds　right　on。

In　the　midst　of　his　most　laborious　life；　he　has　laboured　to　improve

himself　with　such　success；　that　he　has　become　a　good　accountant；

makes　his　estimates　with　facility；　and　carries　on　his　official

correspondence　in　an　able　and　highly　intelligent　manner。　　In　the

execution　of　his　office　he　travelled　last　year　not　less　than　8800

miles；　and　every　year　he　travels　nearly　as　much。　　Nor　has　this　life；

and　the　exposure　to　all　winds　and　weathers；　and　the　temptations

either　of　company　or　of　solicitude　at　the　houses　at　which　he　puts

up；　led　him　into　any　irregularities。　　Neither　has　his　elevation　in

the　slightest　degree　inflated　him。　　He　is　still　the　same　temperate；

industrious；　modest；　unassuming　man；　as　when　his　good　qualities

first　attracted　Mr。　Telford's　notice。〃



Southey　concludes　his　journal　at　Longtown；　a　little　town　just

across　the　Scotch　Border；　in　the　following　words：



〃Here　we　left　Mr。　Telford；　who　takes　the　mail　for　Edinburgh。



This　parting　company；　after　the　thorough　intimacy　which　a　long

journey　produces　between　fellow…travellers　who　like　each　other；　is

a　melancholy　thing。　　A　man　more　heartily　to　be　liked；　more　worthy　to

be　esteemed　and　admired；　I　have　never　fallen　in　with；　and　therefore

it　is　painful　to　think　how　little　likely　it　is　that　I　shall　ever

see　much　of　him　again；how　certain　that　I　shall　never　see　so　much。

Yet　I　trust　that　he　will　not　forget　his　promise　of　one　day　making

Keswick　in　his　way　to　and　from　Scotland。〃



Before　leaving　the　subject　of　Telford's　public　works　in　the

Highlands；　it　may　be　mentioned　that　875　miles　of　new　roads　were

planned　by　him；　and　executed　under　his　superintendence；　at　an

expense　of　454；189L。；　of　which　about　one…half　was　granted　by

Parliament；　and　the　remainder　was　raised　by　the　localities

benefited。　　Besides　the　new　roads；　255　miles　of　the　old　military

roads　were　taken　in　charge　by　him；　and　in　many　cases　reconstructed

and　greatly　improved。　　The　bridges　erected　in　connexion　with　these

roads　were　no　fewer　than　twelve　hundred。　　Telford　also　between　the

year　1823　and　the　close　of　his　life；　built　forty…two　Highland

churches　in　districts　formerly　unprovided　with　them；　and　capable　of

accommodating　some　22；000　persons。



Down　to　the　year　1854；　the　Parliamentary　grant　of　5000L。　a　year

charged　upon　the　Consolidated　Fund　to　meet　assessments　and　tolls　of

the　Highland　roads；　amounting　to　about　7500L。　a　year；　was

transferred　to　the　annual　Estimates；　when　it　became　the　subject　of

annual　revision；　and　a　few　years　since　the　grant　was　suddenly

extinguished　by　an　adverse　vote　of　the　House　of　Commons。　　The　Board

of　Commissioners　had；　therefore；　nothing　left　but　to　deliver　over

the　roads　to　the　several　local　authorities；　and　the　harbours　to　the

proprietors　of　the　adjacent　lands；　and　to　present　to　Parliament　a

final　account　of　their　work　and　its　results。　　Reviewing　the　whole；

they　say　that　the　operations　of　the　Commission　have　been　most

beneficial　to　the　country　concerned。　　They　〃found　it　barren　and

uncultivated；　inhabited　by　heritors　without　capital　or　enterprise；

and　by　a　poor　and　ill…employed　peasantry；　and　destitute　of　trade；

shipping；　and　manufactures。　　They　leave　it　with　wealthy　proprietors；

a　profitable　agriculture；　a　thriving　population；　and　active

industry；　furnishing　now　its　fair　proportion　of　taxes　to　the

national　exchequer；　and　helping　by　its　improved　agriculture　to　meet

the　ever…increasing　wants　of　the　populous　south。〃



Footnotes　for　Chapter　XIV。



*＇1＇　We　have　been　indebted　to　Mr。　Robert　Rawlinson；　C。E。；　in　whose

possession　the　MS。　now　is；　for　the　privilege　of　inspecting　it；　and

making　the　above　abstract；　which　we　have　the　less　hesitation　in

giving　as　it　has　not　before　appeared　in　print。



*＇2＇　Mr。　Rickman　was　the　secretary　to　the　Highland　Roads

Commission。



*＇3＇　Referring　to　the　famous　battle　of　Bannockburn；　Southey　writes

〃This　is　the　only　great　battle　that　ever　was　lost　by　the　English。

At　Hastings　there　was　no　disgrace。　　Here　it　was　an　army　of　lions

commanded　by　a　stag。〃



*＇4＇　See　View　of　Banff　facing　p。　216。





CHAPTER　XV。



MR。　TELFORD'S　LATER　YEARSHIS　DEATH　AND　CHARACTER。



When　Mr。　Telford　had　occasion　to　visit　London　on　business　during

the　early　period　of　his　career；　his　quarters　were　at　the　Salopian

Coffee　House；　now　the　Ship　Hotel；　at　Charing　Cross。　　It　is　probable

that　his　Shropshire　connections　led　him　in　the　first　instance　to