CHAPTER VI. 



THE BASS ROCK. 



The Bass Rock — History of its Gannets from the earhest 

 times — As bequeathed to us by historians and travellers 

 — Beginning witli " The Scotichronicon," in 1447 — Quotations 

 from authors and criticisms on their credibility. 



Early History of Bass Gannets. — It will be readily ad- 

 mitted that it is worth while reciting the strange old stories, — 

 bound up as they are with many facts and some legends, — 

 which travellers and historians of the Middle Ages have 

 bequeathed to us about the Bass Rock and its remarkable 

 birds ; and as they can hardly be curtailed without spoiling 

 their quaintness, it is necessary to give them in some detail. 

 I shall, therefore, make no scruple in occupying this chapter 

 with some long extracts, and it will be found that they will well 

 repay the trouble of perusing with some care and attention. 

 A certain amount of repetition must, therefore, be pardoned 

 in this chapter, yet to avoid this as much as possible I have 

 resolved, except in a few cases, not to give the Latin originals, 

 but only a careful translation of them. There is much which 

 might here be dwelt upon with great advantage, besides the 



