Ancient Iron Boat- Hook. 235 



of historical notices of inundations by the sea in Holland, causing 

 the destruction of vast numbers of human beings and cattle, and in 

 some instances permanently changing the face of nature. The ex- 

 treme lowness of that country makes it little surprising that many 

 such calamities should have taken place ; but we are less prepared 

 to hear of a tract 25 feet above the sea-level, and that not fronting 

 the open sea, but bordering a confined estuary, being on any occa- 

 sion submerged. It does nevertheless appear as if the sea had ac- 

 tually, on several occasions during the middle ages, covered large 

 portions of the coast in this part of Scotland, as well as in other dis- 

 tricts of the island. The Saxon Chronicle states that, in 1014, on 

 the eve of St Michael's day, " came the great sea-flood which spread 

 wide over the land, and ran so far up as it never did before, over- 

 whelming many towns, and an innumerable multitude of people." 

 Fordun describes the great flood of 1212, by which ancient Perth is 

 understood to have been destroyed. He speaks of great river floods 

 being on this occasion driven back by the swelling of the sea, and 

 the waters being thus raised so much above their usual level, that 

 not merely boats and cobles, but large ships were carried up into 

 the streets and highways. As this was probably only a river flood 

 overspreading the comparatively low grounds beside the Tay, near 

 its junction with the Almond, we cannot with confidence suppose 

 that it could have any eff'ect upon the Carse of Gowrie ; there is 

 more likelihood of such eff'ect from the sea-flood, commemorated by 

 the same author as taking place in 1267, when, on the day of the 

 eleven thousand virgins, a very great storm arose in the north ; by 

 which the sea, being roused to fury and overstepping its usual bounds 

 in a wonderful manner, levelled houses, towns, and trees, and brought 

 the greatest damage in many places, but particularly between the 

 Tay and the Tweed, The chronicler says, that such a flood had 

 not happened from the time of Noah ; and adds, that its effects are 

 still visible in his own day, upwards of a century and a half from its 

 occurrence. Matthew of Westminster adverts to several inunda- 

 tions of the 13th century, as producing extensive damage. One on 

 St Martin's eve, in the year 1236, was attended by a constant rise 

 of the sea during two days and a night, the strength of the wind 

 preventing its reflux. It carried ships with breach of anchor out of 

 harbours, broke down shores, and destroyed a multitude of people. 

 An occurrence in 1256, similar, except in there being no mention of 

 the sea, is worth quoting on the present occasion, as the author states 

 that bridges, hay-stacks, the dwellings of fishermen, with their nets 

 and boat-spears, and even children in their cradles were carried away. 

 With such events as these on record, within the period during which 

 iron implements have been in use, it does not appear very difficult 

 to account for the loss and embedding of the Inchmichael boat-hook, 

 without calling any greater geological forces into operation in the 

 case. We may suppose the sea-flood of 1267 to have borne a small 



