the life of thomas telford-第72章

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of　60。　　The　curve　is　as　little　as　possible。　　I　learnt　in　Spain　to

admire　straight　bridges；　But　Mr。　Telford　thinks　there　always　ought

to　be　some　curve　to　enable　the　rain　water　to　run　off；　and　because

he　would　have　the　outline　look　like　the　segment　of　a　large　circle；

resting　on　the　abutments。　　A　double　line　over　the　arches　gives　a

finish　to　the　bridge；　and　perhaps　looks　as　well；　or　almost　as　well；

as　balustrades；　for　not　a　sixpence　has　been　allowed　for　ornament　on

these　works。　　The　sides　are　protected　by　water…wings；　which　are

embankments　of　stone；　to　prevent　the　floods　from　extending　on

either　side；　and　attacking　the　flanks　of　the　bridge。〃



Nine　miles　further　north；　they　arrived　at　Dingwall；　near　which　a

bridge　similar　to　that　at　Beauly；　though　wider；　had　been　constructed

over　the　Conan。　　From　thence　they　proceeded　to　Invergordon；　to

Ballintraed　（where　another　pier　for　fishing　boats　was　in　progress）；

to　Tain；　and　thence　to　Bonar　Bridge；　over　the　Sheir；　twenty…four

miles　above　the　entrance　to　the　Dornoch　Frith；　where　an　iron

bridge；　after　the　same　model　as　that　of　Craigellachie；　had　been

erected。　　This　bridge　is　of　great　importance；　connecting　as　it　does

the　whole　of　the　road　traffic　of　the　northern　counties　with　the

south。　　Southey　speaks　of　it　as



〃A　work　of　such　paramount　utility　that　it　is　not　possible　to　look

at　it　without　delight。　　A　remarkable　anecdote；〃　he　continues；

〃was　told　me　concerning　it。　　An　inhabitant　of　Sutherland；　whose

father　was　drowned　at　the　Mickle　Ferry　（some　miles　below　the　bridge）

in　1809；　could　never　bear　to　set　foot　in　a　ferry…boat　after　the

catastrophe；　and　was　consequently　cut　off　from　communication　with

the　south　until　this　bridge　was　built。　　He　then　set　out　on　a　journey。

'As　I　went　along　the　road　by　the　side　of　the　water；'　said　he；

'I　could　see　no　bridge。　　At　last　I　came　in　sight　of　something

like　a　spider's　web　in　the　air。　　If　this　be　it；　thought　I；　it　will

never　do！　But；　presently；　I　came　upon　it；　and　oh！　it　is　the　finest

thing　that　ever　was　made　by　God　or　man！'〃



Sixteen　miles　north…east　of　Bonar　Bridge；　Southey　crossed　Fleet

Mound；　another　ingenious　work　of　his　friend　Telford；　but　of　an

altogether　different　character。　　It　was　thrown　across　the　River

Fleet；　at　the　point　at　which　it　ran　into　the　estuary　or　little

land…locked　bay　outside；　known　as　Loch　Fleet。　　At　this　point　there

had　formerly　been　a　ford；　but　as　the　tide　ran　far　inland；　it　could

only　be　crossed　at　low　water；　and　travellers　had　often　to　wait　for

hours　before　they　could　proceed　on　their　journey。　　The　embouchure

being　too　wide　for　a　bridge；　Telford　formed　an　embankment　across

it；　990　yards　in　length；　providing　four　flood…gates；　each　12　feet

wide；　at　its　north　end；　for　the　egress　of　the　inland　waters。

These　gates　opened　outwards；　and　they　were　so　hung　as　to　shut　with

the　rising　of　the　tide。　　The　holding　back　of　the　sea　from　the　land

inside　the　mound　by　this　means；　had　the　effect　of　reclaiming　a

considerable　extent　of　fertile　carse　land；　which；　at　the　time　of

Southey's　visit；though　the　work　had　only　been　completed　the　year

before；was　already　under　profitable　cultivation。　　The　principal

use　of　the　mound；　however；　was　in　giving　support　to　the　fine　broad

road　which　ran　along　its　summit；　and　thus　completed　the

communication　with　the　country　to　the　north。　　Southey　speaks　in

terms　of　high　admiration　of　〃the　simplicity；　the　beauty；　and

utility　of　this　great　work。〃



This　was　the　furthest　limit　of　their　journey；　and　the　travellers

retraced　their　steps　southward；　halting　at　Clashmore　Inn：

〃At　breakfast；〃　says　Southey；　〃was　a　handsome　set　of　Worcester　china。

Upon　noticing　it　to　Mr。　Telford；　he　told　me　that　before　these　roads

were　made；　he　fell　in　with　some　people　from　Worcestershire　near　the

Ord　of　Caithness；　on　their　way　northward　with　a　cart　load　of

crockery；　which　they　got　over　the　mountains　as　best　they　could；

and；　when　they　had　sold　all　their　ware；　they　laid　out　the　money　in

black　cattle；　which　they　then　drove　to　the　south。〃



The　rest　of　Southey's　journal　is　mainly　occupied　with　a　description

of　the　scenery　of　the　Caledonian　Canal；　and　the　principal

difficulties　encountered　in　the　execution　of　the　works；　which　were

still　in　active　progress。　　He　was　greatly　struck　with　the　flight　of

locks　at　the　south　end　of　the　Canal；　where　it　enters　Loch　Eil　near

Corpach：



〃There　being　no　pier　yet　formed；〃　he　says；　〃we　were　carried　to　and

from　the　boats　on　men's　shoulders。　　We　landed　close　to　the　sea　shore。

A　sloop　was　lying　in　the　fine　basin　above；　and　the　canal　was　full

as　far　as　the　Staircase；　a　name　given　to　the　eight　successive

locks。　　Six　of　these　were　full　and　overflowing；　and　then　we　drew

near　enough　to　see　persons　walking　over　the　lock…gates。　　It　had

more　the　effect　of　a　scene　in　a　pantomime　than　of　anything　in　real

life。　The　rise　from　lock　to　lock　is　eight　feet；sixty…four；

therefore；　in　all。　　The　length　of　the　locks；　including　the　gates

and　abutments　at　both　ends；　is　500　yards；　the　greatest　piece　of

such　masonry　in　the　world；　and　the　greatest　work　of　the　kind　beyond

all　comparison。



〃A　panorama　painted　from　this　place　would　include　the　highest

mountain　in　Great　Britain；　and　its　greatest　work　of　art。　　That　work

is　one　of　which　the　magnitude　and　importance　become　apparent；　when

considered　in　relation　to　natural　objects。　　The　Pyramids　would

appear　insignificant　in　such　a　situation；　for　in　them　we　should

perceive　only　a　vain　attempt　to　vie　with　greater　things。　　But　here

we　see　the　powers　of　nature　brought　to　act　upon　a　great　scale；

in　subservience　to　the　purposes　of　men；　one　river　created；　another

（and　that　a　huge　mountain…stream）　shouldered　out　of　its　place；　and

art　and　order　assuming　a　character　of　sublimity。　　Sometimes　a　beck

is　conducted　under　the　canal；　and　passages　called　culverts　serve　as

a　roadway　for　men　and　beasts。　　We　walked　through　one　of　these；　just

lofty　enough　for　a　man　of　my　stature　to　pass　through　with　his　hat

on。　　It　had　a　very　singular　effect　to　see　persons　emerging　from　this

dark；　long；　narrow　vault。　　Sometimes　a　brook　is　taken　in；　a　cesspool

is　then　made　to　receive　what　gravel　it　may　bring　down　after　it　has

passed　this　pool；　the　water　flowing　through　three　or　four　little

arches；　and　then　over　a　paved　bed　and　wall　of　masonry　into　the　canal。

These　are　called　in…takes；　and　opposite　them　an　outlet　is　sometimes

made　for　the　waters　of；　the　canal；　if　they　should　be　above　their

proper　level；　or　when　the　cross…stream　may　bring　down　a　rush。

These　outlets　consist　of　two　inclined　planes　of　masonry；　one　rising

from　the　canal　with　a　pavement　or　waste　weir　between　them；　and　when

the　cross…stream　comes　down　like　a　torrent；　instead　of　mingling

with　the　canal；　it　passes　straight　across。　　But　these　channels

would　be　insufficient　for　carrying　off　the　whole　surplus　waters　in

time　of　floods。　　At　one　place；　therefore；　there　are　three　sluices

by　which　the　whole　canal　from　the　Staircase　to　the　Regulating　Lock

（about　six　miles）　can　be　lowered　a　foot　in　an　hour。　The　sluices

were　opened　that　we　might　see　their　effect。　　We　went　down　the　Bank；

and　made　our　way　round　some　wet　ground　till　we　got　in　front　of　the

strong　arch　into　which　they　open。　　The　arch　is　about　25　feet　high；

of　great　strength；　and　built　upon　the　rock。　　What　would　the

Bourbons　have　given　for　such　a　cascade　at　Versailles？　The　rush　and

the　spray；　and　the　force　of　the　water；　reminded　me　more　of　the

Reichenbach　than　of　any　other　fall。　　That　three　small　sluices；　each

only　4　feet　by　3　feet；　should　produce　an　effect　which　brought　the

mightiest　of　the　swiss　waterfalls　to　my　recollection；　may　appear

incredible；　or　at　least　like　an　enormous　exaggeration。　　But　the

prodigious　velocity　with　which　the　water　is　forced　out；　by　the

pressure　above；　explains　the　apparent　wonder。　　And　yet　I　beheld　it

only　in　half　its　strength；　the　depth　above　being　at　this　time　ten

feet；　which　will　be　twenty　when　the　canal　is　completed。　　In　a　few

minu