CODS. 255 



Scotland. It was " originally a small basin in 

 the rock, with which the sea communicated by 

 means of a natural tunnel ; but as the bottom was 

 very little below the medium level of the sea, it 

 was nearly dry at low water. It having occurred 

 to Colonel M'Dowall that by increasing the size 

 and depth of this basin he might, at all times and 

 seasons of the year, have a constant supply of sea- 

 fish, he quarried and blasted the rocks both at 

 the sides and bottom, till he had formed a circular 

 excavation of about fifty feet in diameter; and 

 there is now, I believe, at low tide about eight 

 feet of water left ; so that the fish have an ample 

 allowance of their native element at all times, and 

 a fresh supply every flood-tide, which rises in the 

 pond about six feet. There is a high wall built 

 on the upper edge of the rock surrounding the 

 pond, to prevent poaching in this unusual pre- 

 serve ; and a grating is fixed before the tunnel to 

 prevent the escape of the fish, and below high- 

 water mark the sea-weed clings to the rocks, 

 giving them in that respect a perfectly natural 

 appearance. A cottage, in which the female 

 keeper and her son reside, adjoins the pond. . . . 



" The door opens to a small landing-place at 

 the top of a flight of steps which leads to the 

 water's edge, where there is a platform of rock, 

 which, at that time, was only about two inches 

 above the level of the water ; and below the ledge 

 on which I was standing was another, about a 

 foot under water — less or more. No sooner did 

 the party make their appearance at the top of 

 the stairs than there was a general commotion 

 among the fish, and they rushed towards the plat- 

 form, pushing and jostling each other in their 



