an inch above another, and neither tree nor shrub. The standard
pole stood erect without a flag. The rock has two summits, one much
broader and higher than the other. When we were near to the top of the
lower eminence we had the pleasure of finding a little garden of flowers
and vegetables belonging to the soldiers. There are three distinct and
very noble prospects--the first up the Clyde towards Glasgow--Dunglass
Castle, seen on its promontory--boats, sloops, hills, and many buildings;
the second, down the river to the sea--Greenock and Port-Glasgow, and the
distant mountains at the entrance of Loch Long; and the third extensive
and distant view is up the Leven, which here falls into the Clyde, to the
mountains of Loch Lomond. The distant mountains in all these views were
obscured by mists and dingy clouds, but if the grand outline of any one
of the views can be seen, it is sufficient recompense for the trouble of
climbing the rock of Dumbarton.

The soldier who was our guide told us that an old ruin which we came to
at the top of the higher eminence had been a wind-mill--an inconvenient
station, though certainly a glorious place for wind; perhaps if it really
had been a wind-mill it was only for the use of the garrison. We looked
over cannons on the battery-walls, and saw in an open field below the
yeomanry cavalry exercising, while we could hear from the town, which was
full of soldiers, 'Dumbarton's drums beat bonny, O!' Yet while we stood
upon this eminence, rising up so far as it does--inland, and having the
habitual old English feeling of our own security as islanders--we could
not help looking upon the fortress, in spite of its cannon and soldiers,
and the rumours of invasion, as set up against the hostilities of wind
and weather rather than for any other warfare. On our return we were
invited into the guard-room, about half-way down the rock, where we were
shown a large rusty sword, which they called Wallace's Sword, and a trout
boxed up in a well close by, where they said he had been confined for
upwards of thirty years. For the pleasure of the soldiers, who were
anxious that we should see him, we took some pains to spy him out in his
black den, and at last succeeded. It was pleasing to observe how much
interest the poor soldiers--though themselves probably new to the
place--seemed to attach to this antiquated inhabitant of their garrison.

When we had reached the bottom of the rock along the same ro