Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/378

360 the climate is so wet, that the abundant crops of grass cannot, out of doors, be made into hay. To obviate this inconvenience, the duke has erected, from his own plans, barns, into which the grass, as soon as it is cut, is carried and there dried. These barns are very ornamental, as well as extremely useful; for they appear like so many noble castles, resembling in colour the inhabited mansion, with Gothic exteriors. Those parts of the barns which could not be built castle-like, are painted so as to complete the resemblance.

Inveraray, to me, is the noblest place in Scotland; but the climate of it is dreadful. I asked a lady if the streets were ever perfectly dry? She answered me, never; nor is there a bit of fresh meat to be got in the town during the whole winter. Salted beef, mutton, and herrings, are constantly prepared for the stock of food during that season; for there is not a fresh joint of any meat to be had for love or money. The duke, of course, has every thing he wishes; for having so much ground in his hands, he can kill from his own stock. At Inveraray the herring fishery begins about July, and lasts till November: the