Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/237

Rh by a small lake or two, and soon got a perfect view of Fort George, the Firth by it, and the bold shores of Rosshire in the back-ground, with Inverness and its mountains on the left hand. At a distance Fort George looks like a large castle in the sea; for the flat sands to the east of the fort (the only dry approach to it) are, even at a moderate distance, confounded with the sea, which bounds it on every other side. Indeed the sea seems to have been robbed by damming up the oblong sand bank, whereon the fortification is erected.

Fort George is in complete repair, and fit for defence. As for Fort Augustus and Fort William, they are now only make-believe forts.

The entrance into Fort George struck me with awe; for as the carriage drove to the outer gate, "stop" was the word, with fierce centinels on every side, crying, "who goes there?" My name being given, they slowly marched to the governor, or fort major, for permission to enter. After waiting a considerable time, the outer gate was thrown open, and the postillion bid to come on. Thump, thump, went the horses' feet over a draw-bridge and through a covered way, with wood on the bottom, sounding like thunder; and