The great sinuosity of the Forth is the first in order as in magnitude, and has already been fully described in our article FORT1I.
The length of the firth of the 'Fay, from Button Ness to Perth, is scarcely more than half that of the Forth, not exceeding twenty-six miles, while it has the character of an inland sea throughout. Though not very open to the sea, it is a bad harbour, from its want of water, but still more from the difficulty of an entrance encumbered and obstructed by banks and shifting shoals. It is, however, the medium of a con siderable commerce; while, in splendour and wealth, and in picturesque beauty, its banks even exceed those of the firth of Forth. Nor does it shoal so rapidly above. At present, the ebb is such in the upper parts of this last inlet, as to leave an enormous extent of mud dry at low water, and every year the salt marshes gain on it, so as to indicate the day when it will become, far below Alloa, what it is now near Stirling, a tortu ous river, creeping through flat meadows. It is more probable that the greater obstructions to the firth of Tay will be extended near its entrance, where the most rapid accumulation of alluvium is taking place, and thus, at some future period, it may become an in land sea, of a far different character; while above, the rich lands of the Carse of Cowrie are extending, by the lateral addition which the process of projecting embankments produces.
Were the basin of Montrose what it appears to be in the map, it would be one of the most enviable har bours in the world; but it possesses no water, and is absolutely useless. Hence, also, even to the Murray Firth, there is not an indentation that requires to be named; and even this is a deceptive spot to those who might be tempted to judge of it from the general as pect, both of itself and of the surrounding laud. The total depth of this great sinuosity is seventeen miles, of which seven belong to the Firth of Beauley. In picturesque beauty it cannot well be exceeded, whether we regard the mountain outline, or the richness and cultivation of its shores. But the navigation is sin
gularly difficult and dangerous; and it is thus a most unfortunate entrance to the Caledonian canal. So shallow is the water, that even the smaller class of vessels can only pass it with an expert pilot; as the navigable depth is limited to the wandering river, whose blind course, between banks of mud and sand, is concealed by the water, which never ebbs from these shallows. Nor is the anchorage at Inverness much better; being deficient in depth, though secure from sea and wind.
If it were a compensation to the defects already enu merated, of the eastern shore of Scotland, the harbour of Cromarty might atone for any thing. This magni ficent and truly inland sea is twenty miles in length, and at one point seven in breadth; while with respect to beauty, whether of its mountain outline and bound ary, or of cultivation and richness of aspect, it ex ceeds all the others with which it might be put into competition. As a mere harbour, it is capable of holding the fleets of Britain, though shallow and use less in its remoter parts; and as a harbour, also, it is not only easy of access, but rendered so obvious by the height of its entrance through the lofty and cor responding Suters, that it may be taken without a pilot in the darkest night, and in the worst weather. Were it possible that commerce and capital should ever find their way to Cromarty, it might even super sede every rival port on the eastern coast of Britain.
The Firth of Dornoch, or Tain, is about twelve miles long, and its course is both intricate and con tracted at the middle. It is also shallow in its upper part, where it might otherwise form a safe harbour, were any harbour required in the vicinity of Cromar ty. The Fleet is the last of these sinuosities. But this is little more than a contest between shoals and marshes; and as it has now been dammed by a mound with a sluice, which forms a road superseding a former ferry, it will, in no long time, become a series of meadows and marshes, to be ultimately consolidated into a valuable tract of land.