Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/86

68 neat; and all about the bridge is extremely romantic.

From Dulsie bridge to Fort George, 16 miles. The old military road cannot be travelled all the way in a carriage; and even much of the new part of the road is very rough and bad, till after you have crossed the River Nairn. Before you come to Calder Castle, as you are driving on, observe the entrance into Cromarty Firth, on the further side from you of the Murray Firth, which is the arm of the sea nearest to you. The old road leaves Calder at some distance to the right; the new road, which I went, goes close by its walls, on the left. Had I known it, I might, if I had chosen it, have seen the inside of the house at Calder, and the bed on which the unfortunate King Duncan was murdered, at Inverness Castle. As soon as you leave Calder, you will have to go through the Burn of Calder; it is passable; but it is frightful for the poor horses, by reason of the broad bed of huge stones in it.

In Fort George there is a tolerably good inn, and nothing can be more civil than the officers of the Fort; but no carriage is permitted to go up to the door of the inn, nor is there any