meandered, and circled about, and returned upon itself again and again
and again, as if knotted into a silver chain, which it was difficult to
imagine to be all one stream. The history of Scotland might be read from
this castle wall, as on a book of mighty page; for here, within the
compass of a few miles, we see the field where Wallace won the battle of
Stirling, and likewise the battle-field of Bannockburn, and that of
Falkirk, and Sheriffmuir, and I know not how many besides.

Around the Castle Hill there is a walk, with seats for old and infirm
persons, at points sheltered from the wind. We followed it downward, and
I think we passed over the site where the games used to be held, and
where, this morning, some of the soldiers of the garrison were going
through their exercises. I ought to have mentioned, that, passing
through the inner gateway of the castle, we saw the round tower, and
glanced into the dungeon, where the Roderic Dhu of Scott's poem was left
to die. It is one of the two round towers, between which the portcullis
rose and fell.



EDINBURGH.--THE PALACE OF HOLYROOD.


At eleven o'clock we took the rail for Edinburgh, and I remember nothing
more, except that the cultivation and verdure of the country were very
agreeable, after our experience of Highland barrenness and desolation,
until we found the train passing close at the base of the rugged crag of
Edinburgh Castle. We established ourselves at Queen's Hotel, in Prince's
Street, and then went out to view the city. The monument to Sir Walter
Scott--a rather fantastic and not very impressive affair, I thought--