Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

told them positively that I was not the shoemaker, but they would not believe me; and when I had entered the boat I had engaged, with five men, four to row and one to steer, as they will not go out with fewer, lest they should be blown off the coast, the crowd followed me, pressing me to measure them, as they had tarried long for me, and it would perhaps be late before I returned. Thinking the young man from St. Andrews my foreman, they begged him to take some measures for me; and he going into the interior of Angus to his friends, with not too much in his purse, told me he was once or twice almost tempted to take money from some fat stout fisherwomen, and farmer's wives, who, from the fish bones, and empty bottles, he saw lying about them, as well as from the colour of their faces, and their frequent and loud peals of laughter, seemed not only to have eaten and drunk heartily, but to be in excellent health and spirits, and easy circumstances. From what I had said in the house, and now at the boat, a doubt began to arise among them, whether I were really the shoemaker or not. At length a fine healthy woman, with a blooming young woman, her daughter, came to me, and very civilly asked me if I would allow them to look at my hands, without my gloves; which immediately being done, they went off to those that had not come on board, saying, I could not be the person, as my hands were white, with long small fingers, and not like a shoemaker's. Pugh, said the rest, that is nothing; he is the master; he does not work; London shoemakers and tailors go in their coaches; and, you know, it would be a terrible thing for a man, unless he had a fine white hand, to ven

ture to measure, or even touch the foot of a London lady.

Having given the boatmen a shilling each, being what they demanded, and left these simple, and seemingly happy people, I proceeded on my excursion, and was much pleased with the majestic and stupendous appearance of the RedHead. It seems in height to be about a hundred feet perpendicular, and consists of a red, hard, sandy coloured rock; encrusted in many places with a red species of moss, similar to that which grows on brick and old stone walls; but, as there was a great swell in the sea, and the waves rolled with great violence at the bottom, and had hollowed it underneath, so as to make many parts of the rock overhang the sea, I durst not approach near enough to ascertain, if there were any other physical causes for the peculiar dark redish colour of the rocks all along this part of the coast. Myriads of gannets, or solan geese, seagulls, king's-fishers, and other sea birds, were perpetually on the wing, over our head; fetching food for their young, in nests on the shelves of the rock, near the top, screaming and making a noise, which, with that of the tremendous waves, dashing and breaking at the foot, conveyed a peculiar sound, which, however pleasant it may be to some, did not excite any pleasant emotions in my mind. I had a quadrant with me, for taking altitudinal and longitudinal distances; but the violent agitations of the boat prevented me from taking the altitude of RedHead, as I intended.

Keeping by the sea-coast, on my way to Montrose, I passed Lunan. The bay of Lunan, which is very narrow, but deep, insinuates itself very pleasantly

into a small bay or bason of land, well cultivated, and presents a station for ships, so extremely safe and commodious, that I wonder it has not attracted the capital and enterprize of commercial people. Every thing here is on a small scale. The bay is small, the parish is small, the church is small, and I fear the ministers stipend is but small. The whole souls of the parish of Lunan do not amount to 300. The church is not bigger than a large dining-room. The line of road through this part of the country is tolerably good, and the fields in general under excellent culture. I entered Montrose, passing by an elegant bridge of seven arches, over the South Esk, and was not a little surprised at the singular taste of the people, who have in general the ends of their houses towards the street.

MONTROSE.

I was much pleased with the neat appearance of the gentlemen's houses, many of whom choose to reside here, and in this neighbourhood, not only during the winter, but also the summer; but sorry to find that the people do not live in such harmony and friendship as could be wished. For, not long ago, the landed gentlemen had a splendid ball in the townhall, while it was written over the ball-room door, "None of the burgesses to enter here." Some of the gentlemen's daughters would have had no objections to have seen the handsome young men of the town, but the law was passed, and the squires had determined it should be obeyed. Soon after, the burgesses had a much more splendid and numerously-attended

ball, and it was written over the door, "None but burgesses to enter here."

I visited the schools, which are in a fine airy situation in the Links, or Common, at a small distance from the town, and the English chapel, which is neat, and has a well toned organ; as also the mad-house, where I was sorry to find so many totally deprived of their reasoning faculties. The parish church is large and well attended, though there is a misunderstanding between the people and their pastors. One of the clergymen, it seems, who has zeal enough, and whom the people had chosen in preference to others, to shew his piety and respect for the sabbath, would not suffer any of his hearers to read newspapers, or any but religious books on that day. This, which happened some years ago, began a quarrel, which is not yet ended; and, which will, in all probability, oblige the clergyman to give up his living. Archbishop Laud wished for an act of parliament, authorising the people to amuse themselves on the sabbath-day in any way they pleased; but the clergyman here was in the habit, it seems, of going through the streets on the Sunday afternoons; and, when he saw more than two of them together, ordering them to separate and retire to their devotions.

I was sorry to hear of the fate of a young lady, of respectable connections, not far from this place. A number of strolling players, having some years ago gone to the north country, to try what they could pick up, and been seen by this lady, she unfortunately fell in love with one of them. The player, having learned the conquest he had made, was ex

tremely glad, and professed his regard in return. When the players were about leaving the burgh where the young lady resided, and which is about forty miles north of Aberdeen, agreeably to a concerted plan, the young lady made her escape from her father's house, and was escorted by another player, who had been appointed to conduct her to. Montrose. When they had got their prize there, and she thought herself happy, her happiness was in a moment blasted; for the young man, who had' conducted her to Montrose, thought he had as good a right to her as the other. The young man with: whom she fell in love insisting she was his, and proceeding to blows to vindicate his right, received, in the presence of the young lady, a cut with a clasped knife across the belly, from the person that conducted her thither, that laid his bowels open. The person who had done the deed, upon the cry of murder, was instantly seized. However dreadful, the wound hap-, pened not to be mortal, the vitals being injured, but not quite cut through. Dr. Bate, being fortunately at hand, the bowels were examined and put in, and the gash sewed up. And when the wound was healed, which was not for several months, they were married but having no independent fortune, and her parents utterly abandoning her, she and her husband are, at this day, and have been ever since this foolish step, the constant companions of poverty and want,

When a certain nobleman's sister fell in love with Mr. C. and there was danger, notwithstanding all that was said to her, that she would inform him of her favourable opinion, the nobleman went into C.'s company, spoke friendly, and laid a bet of five

« VorigeDoorgaan »