Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/288

Loch Eil, a salt water lake, is in shape something like a compass half opened; running from west to east as far as the angle, and then southwest, to enter into Linnhe Loch, an arm of the sea. A traveller from Fort William, whether he proposes to return south, either by the Appin road, or through Glen Coe to Tyndrum, must keep close by the side of Loch Eil, till the ferry at Ballaheulish, at the mouth of Loch Leven, where that lake also empties itself into Loch Linnhe. The Appin road from that ferry continues south-west close to the sea: the new road towards Tyndrum runs nearly by the south bank of Loch Leven, until it enters Glen Coe. This glen runs nearly east to King's-house, in the Black Mount. The road by the devil's staircase is at the head of Loch Leven, but now never travelled: it is, however, the continuation of the military road from the Black Mount to Fort William. Even so late as in General Wade's time, they knew not the art of road making so well as they do now; for his military roads generally go up and down mountains, never dreaming that he could wind round the bases of them.