SLANES CASTLE.

THE BULLER OF BUCHAN.

We came in the afternoon to Slanes Caftle, built upon the margin of the fea, fo that the walls of one of the towers feem 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 window, the eye wanders over the fea that feparates Scotland from Norway, and when the winds beat with violence must enjoy all the terrific grandeur of the tempeftuous I would not for my amusement wish for a ftorm; but as ftorms, whether wifhed or not, will fometimes happen, I may fay, without violation of humanity, that I would willingly look out upon them from Slanes Caftle.

ocean.

When we were about to take our leave, our departure was prohibited by the countefs till we fhould have feen two places upon the coaft, which the rightly confidered as worthy of curiofity, Dun Buy, and the Buller of Buchan, to which Mr Boyd very kindly conducted us.

Dun Buy, which in Erfe is faid to fignify the Yellow Rock, is a double protuberance of stone, open to the main sea on one fide, and parted from the land by a very narrow channel on the other. It has its name and its colcar from the dung of innumerable fea-fowls, which in the Spring chufe

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 thofe of a goofe. 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 foon turned our eyes to the Buller, or Bouilloir of Buchan, which no man can fee with indifference, who has either fenfe of danger or delight in rarity. It is a rock perpendicularly tubulated, united on one fide with a high fhore, and on the other rising steep to a great height, above the main fea. The top is open, from which may be feen a dark gulph of water which flows into the cavity, through a breach made in the lower part of the inclofing rock. It has the appearance of a vaft well bordered with a wall. The edge of the Buller is not wide, and to thofe that walk round, appears very narrow. He that ventures to look downward, fees, that if his foot fhould flip, he muft fall from his dreadful elevation upon ftones on one fide, or into the water on the other. We however went round, and were glad when the circuit was completed.

When we came down to the fea, we faw fome beats, and rowers, and refolved to explore the Buller at the bottom. We entered the arch, which

the

the water had made, and found ourselves in a place, which, though we could not think ourselves in danger, we could fcarcely furvey without fome recoil of the mind. The bafon in which we floated was nearly circular, perhaps thirty yards in diameter. We were inclosed by a natural wall, rifing fteep on every fide to a height which produced the idea of infurmountable confinement. The interception of all lateral light caufed 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-fea, I would condemn him to refide in the Buller of Buchan.

But terror without danger is only one of the fports of fancy, a voluntary agitation of the mind that is permitted no longer than it pleases. We were foon at leisure to examine the place with minute inspection, and found many cavities which, as the watermen told us, went backward to a depth which they had never cxplored. Their extent we had not time to try; they are faid to serve different purposes. Ladies come hither sometimes in the fummer with collations, and fmugglers make them ftore-houses for clandeftine merchandife. It is hardly to be doubted but the pirates of ancient times often ufed them as magazines of arms, or repofitories of plunder.

To the little veffels used by the northern rowers, the Buller may have ferved as a fhelter from

ftorms,

storms, and perhaps as a retreat from enemies; the entrance might have been ftopped, or guarded. with little difficulty; and though the veffels that were ftationed within would have been battered with stones showered on them from above, yet the crews would have lain fafe in the caverns.

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

BAMFF.

Of

We dined this day at the houfe of Mr Frazer of Streichton,who fhewed us in his grounds fome ftones yet standing of a druidical circle, and what I began to think more worthy of notice, fome 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 unufual to Englifhmen. The houses, whether great or fmall, are for the most part built of ftones. 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 ftory. 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 fome places is totally forgotten. The frames of their windows are all of wood. They are more frugal of their glafs than the English, and will often, in houses not otherwise mean, compofe a fquare of two pieces, not joining like cracked glafs, 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 fometimes found among good contrivers, there be a nail, which he may ftick into a hole to keep it from falling.

What cannot be done without fome uncommon trouble or particular expedient, will not often be done at all. The incommodioufnefs of the Scotch windows keeps them very clofely fhut. The neceffity of ventilating human habitations has not yet been found by our northern neighbours; and even in houses well built and elegantly furnished, a ftranger may be fometimes forgiven, if he allows himself to wish for fresher air.

Thefe