an ancient castle in the neighbourhood of Fort-William in Inverness-shire. It is adorned with large round towers; and, by the mode of building, seems to have been the work of the English in the time of Edward I. who laid large fines on the Scotch barons for the purpose of erecting new castles. The largest of these towers is called Cumins'. But long prior to these ruins, Inverlochy, according to Boece, had been a place of great note, a most opulent city, remarkable for the vast resort of French and Spaniards, probably on account of trade. It was also a seat of the kings of Scotland, for here Achaisus in the year 790 signed (as is reported) the league offensive and defensive between himself and Charlemagne. In after-times it was utterly destroyed by the Danes, and never again restored.

In the neighbourhood of this place were fought two fierce battles, one between Donald Balloch brother to Alexander lord of the Isles, who with a great power invaded Lochaber in the year 1427: he was met by the earls of Mar and Caithness; the last was slain, and their forces totally defeated. Balloch returned to the Isles with vast booty. Here also the Campbells under the marquis of Argyle, were in February 1645, defeated by Montrose. Fifteen hundred fell in the action and in the pursuit, with the loss only of three to the royalists.