a journey to-第4节

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chapels　served　by　clergymen　of　English　or　Irish　ordination；　and　by
tacit　connivance　quietly　permitted　in　separate　congregations
supplied　with　ministers　by　the　successors　of　the　bishops　who　were
deprived　at　the　Revolution。

We　came　to　Aberdeen　on　Saturday　August　21。　　On　Monday　we　were
invited　into　the　town…hall；　where　I　had　the　freedom　of　the　city
given　me　by　the　Lord　Provost。　　The　honour　conferred　had　all　the
decorations　that　politeness　could　add；　and　what　I　am　afraid　I
should　not　have　had　to　say　of　any　city　south　of　the　Tweed；　I　found
no　petty　officer　bowing　for　a　fee。

The　parchment　containing　the　record　of　admission　is；　with　the　seal
appending；　fastened　to　a　riband　and　worn　for　one　day　by　the　new
citizen　in　his　hat。

By　a　lady　who　saw　us　at　the　chapel；　the　Earl　of　Errol　was　informed
of　our　arrival；　and　we　had　the　honour　of　an　invitation　to　his　seat；
called　Slanes　Castle；　as　I　am　told；　improperly；　from　the　castle　of
that　name；　which　once　stood　at　a　place　not　far　distant。

The　road　beyond　Aberdeen　grew　more　stony；　and　continued　equally
naked　of　all　vegetable　decoration。　　We　travelled　over　a　tract　of
ground　near　the　sea；　which；　not　long　ago；　suffered　a　very　uncommon；
and　unexpected　calamity。　　The　sand　of　the　shore　was　raised　by　a
tempest　in　such　quantities；　and　carried　to　such　a　distance；　that　an
estate　was　overwhelmed　and　lost。　　Such　and　so　hopeless　was　the
barrenness　superinduced；　that　the　owner；　when　he　was　required　to
pay　the　usual　tax；　desired　rather　to　resign　the　ground。



SLANES　CASTLE；　THE　BULLER　OF　BUCHAN



We　came　in　the　afternoon　to　Slanes　Castle；　built　upon　the　margin　of
the　sea；　so　that　the　walls　of　one　of　the　towers　seem　only　a
continuation　of　a　perpendicular　rock；　the　foot　of　which　is　beaten
by　the　waves。　　To　walk　round　the　house　seemed　impracticable。　　From
the　windows　the　eye　wanders　over　the　sea　that　separates　Scotland
from　Norway；　and　when　the　winds　beat　with　violence　must　enjoy　all
the　terrifick　grandeur　of　the　tempestuous　ocean。　　I　would　not　for
my　amusement　wish　for　a　storm；　but　as　storms；　whether　wished　or
not；　will　sometimes　happen；　I　may　say；　without　violation　of
humanity；　that　I　should　willingly　look　out　upon　them　from　Slanes
Castle。

When　we　were　about　to　take　our　leave；　our　departure　was　prohibited
by　the　countess　till　we　should　have　seen　two　places　upon　the　coast；
which　she　rightly　considered　as　worthy　of　curiosity；　Dun　Buy；　and
the　Buller　of　Buchan；　to　which　Mr。　Boyd　very　kindly　conducted　us。

Dun　Buy；　which　in　Erse　is　said　to　signify　the　Yellow　Rock；　is　a
double　protuberance　of　stone；　open　to　the　main　sea　on　one　side；　and
parted　from　the　land　by　a　very　narrow　channel　on　the　other。　　It　has
its　name　and　its　colour　from　the　dung　of　innumerable　sea…fowls；
which　in　the　Spring　chuse　this　place　as　convenient　for　incubation；
and　have　their　eggs　and　their　young　taken　in　great　abundance。　　One
of　the　birds　that　frequent　this　rock　has；　as　we　were　told；　its　body
not　larger　than　a　duck's；　and　yet　lays　eggs　as　large　as　those　of　a
goose。　　This　bird　is　by　the　inhabitants　named　a　Coot。　　That　which
is　called　Coot　in　England；　is　here　a　Cooter。

Upon　these　rocks　there　was　nothing　that　could　long　detain
attention；　and　we　soon　turned　our　eyes　to　the　Buller；　or　Bouilloir
of　Buchan；　which　no　man　can　see　with　indifference；　who　has　either
sense　of　danger　or　delight　in　rarity。　　It　is　a　rock　perpendicularly
tubulated；　united　on　one　side　with　a　high　shore；　and　on　the　other
rising　steep　to　a　great　height；　above　the　main　sea。　　The　top　is
open；　from　which　may　be　seen　a　dark　gulf　of　water　which　flows　into
the　cavity；　through　a　breach　made　in　the　lower　part　of　the
inclosing　rock。　　It　has　the　appearance　of　a　vast　well　bordered　with
a　wall。　　The　edge　of　the　Buller　is　not　wide；　and　to　those　that　walk
round；　appears　very　narrow。　　He　that　ventures　to　look　downward
sees；　that　if　his　foot　should　slip；　he　must　fall　from　his　dreadful
elevation　upon　stones　on　one　side；　or　into　water　on　the　other。　　We
however　went　round；　and　were　glad　when　the　circuit　was　completed。

When　we　came　down　to　the　sea；　we　saw　some　boats；　and　rowers；　and
resolved　to　explore　the　Buller　at　the　bottom。　　We　entered　the　arch；
which　the　water　had　made；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　place；　which；
though　we　could　not　think　ourselves　in　danger；　we　could　scarcely
survey　without　some　recoil　of　the　mind。　　The　bason　in　which　we
floated　was　nearly　circular；　perhaps　thirty　yards　in　diameter。　　We
were　inclosed　by　a　natural　wall；　rising　steep　on　every　side　to　a
height　which　produced　the　idea　of　insurmountable　confinement。　　The
interception　of　all　lateral　light　caused　a　dismal　gloom。　　Round　us
was　a　perpendicular　rock；　above　us　the　distant　sky；　and　below　an
unknown　profundity　of　water。　　If　I　had　any　malice　against　a　walking
spirit；　instead　of　laying　him　in　the　Red…sea；　I　would　condemn　him
to　reside　in　the　Buller　of　Buchan。

But　terrour　without　danger　is　only　one　of　the　sports　of　fancy；　a
voluntary　agitation　of　the　mind　that　is　permitted　no　longer　than　it
pleases。　　We　were　soon　at　leisure　to　examine　the　place　with　minute
inspection；　and　found　many　cavities　which；　as　the　waterman　told　us；
went　backward　to　a　depth　which　they　had　never　explored。　　Their
extent　we　had　not　time　to　try；　they　are　said　to　serve　different
purposes。　　Ladies　come　hither　sometimes　in　the　summer　with
collations；　and　smugglers　make　them　storehouses　for　clandestine
merchandise。　　It　is　hardly　to　be　doubted　but　the　pirates　of　ancient
times　often　used　them　as　magazines　of　arms；　or　repositories　of
plunder。

To　the　little　vessels　used　by　the　northern　rovers；　the　Buller　may
have　served　as　a　shelter　from　storms；　and　perhaps　as　a　retreat　from
enemies；　the　entrance　might　have　been　stopped；　or　guarded　with
little　difficulty；　and　though　the　vessels　that　were　stationed
within　would　have　been　battered　with　stones　showered　on　them　from
above；　yet　the　crews　would　have　lain　safe　in　the　caverns。

Next　morning　we　continued　our　journey；　pleased　with　our　reception
at　Slanes　Castle；　of　which　we　had　now　leisure　to　recount　the
grandeur　and　the　elegance；　for　our　way　afforded　us　few　topics　of
conversation。　　The　ground　was　neither　uncultivated　nor　unfruitful；
but　it　was　still　all　arable。　　Of　flocks　or　herds　there　was　no
appearance。　　I　had　now　travelled　two　hundred　miles　in　Scotland；　and
seen　only　one　tree　not　younger　than　myself。



BAMFF



We　dined　this　day　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Frazer　of　Streichton；　who
shewed　us　in　his　grounds　some　stones　yet　standing　of　a　druidical
circle；　and　what　I　began　to　think　more　worthy　of　notice；　some
forest　trees　of　full　growth。

At　night　we　came　to　Bamff；　where　I　remember　nothing　that
particularly　claimed　my　attention。　　The　ancient　towns　of　Scotland
have　generally　an　appearance　unusual　to　Englishmen。　　The　houses；
whether　great　or　small；　are　for　the　most　part　built　of　stones。
Their　ends　are　now　and　then　next　the　streets；　and　the　entrance　into
them　is　very　often　by　a　flight　of　steps；　which　reaches　up　to　the
second　story；　the　floor　which　is　level　with　the　ground　being
entered　only　by　stairs　descending　within　the　house。

The　art　of　joining　squares　of　glass　with　lead　is　little　used　in
Scotland；　and　in　some　places　is　totally　forgotten。　　The　frames　of
their　windows　are　all　of　wood。　　They　are　more　frugal　of　their　glass
than　the　English；　and　will　often；　in　houses　not　otherwise　mean；
compose　a　square　of　two　pieces；　not　joining　like　cracked　glass；　but
with　one　edge　laid　perhaps　half　an　inch　over　the　other。　　Their
windows　do　not　move　upon　hinges；　but　are　pushed　up　and　drawn　down
in　grooves；　yet　they　are　seldom　accommodated　with　weights　and
pullies。　　He　that　would　have　his　window　open　must　hold　it　with　his
hand；　unless　what　may　be　sometimes　found　among　good　contrivers；
there　be　a　nail　which　he　may　stick　into　a　hole；　to　keep　it　from
falling。

What　cannot　be　done　without　some　uncommon　trouble　or　particular
expedient；　will　not　often　be　done　at　all。　　The　incommodiousness　of
the　Scotch　windows　keeps　them　very　closely　shut。　　The　necessity　of
ventilating　human　habitations　has　not　yet　been　found　by　our
northern　neighbours；　and　even　in　houses　well　built　and　elegantly
furnished；　a　stranger　may　be　sometimes　forgiven；　if　he　allows
himself　to　wish　for　fresher　air。

These　diminutive　observations　seem　to　take　away　something　from　the
dignity　of　writing；　and　therefore　are　never　communicated　but　with
hesitation；　and　a　little　fear　of　abasement　and　contempt。　　But　it
must　be　remembered；　that　life　consists　not　of　a　series　of
illustrious　actions；　or　elegant　enjoyments；　the　greater　part　of　our
time　passes　in　compliance　with　necessities；　in　the　performance　of
daily　duties；　in　the　removal　of　small　inconveniences；　in　the
procurement　of　petty　pleasures；　and　we　are　well　or　ill　at　ease；　as
the　main　stream　of　life　glides　on　smoothly；　or　is　ruffled　by　small
obstacles　and　frequent　interruption。　　The　true　state　of　every
nation　is　the　state　of　common　life。　　The　manners　of　a　people　are
not　to　be　found　in　the　schools　of　learning；　or　the　palaces　of
greatness；　where　the　national　character　is　obscured　or　obliterated
by　travel　or　instruction；　by　philosophy　or　vanity；　nor　is　public
happiness　to　be　estimated　by