THE BASS ROCK 193 



sailors intent on fowling two hundred miles* or more from 

 the rock. In addition to this, so great is their greediness 

 that should they see near the rock a more delicate fish than 

 that which they may be bringing from afar, dropping their 

 prey, they attack the former with great force, and when 

 caught bear it to their young, and if they should see it (as 

 often happens) taken away from their young by men, they 

 will supply fresh food again and again, with unwearied 

 labour until, after sunset, they are hindered by darkness. 

 Lastly the captain of the fort derives ample provision from 

 them yearly for himself and others, not only sticks and fishes, 

 and the young birds themselves (which, since they possess 

 a delicate flavour, are sent for sale to the neighbouring 

 towns), but he also gets much money from the bird's feathers, 

 and their fat which is of great value, for its use is believed 

 to be a present remedy against gout and other diseases of 

 the body. So great is the number of these birds, that when 

 they are upon the rock just before dawn, and you should 

 go across to them in ship, you would think that the whole 

 rock was manifestly white, though by its cliff it is naturally 

 black. It measures about five furlongs in circumference, 



* As pointed out by Mr. Southwell the "hundred" is omitted in Father 

 Dalrymple's free translation, which reads " two myles and oft tymes 

 mair"; probably Dalrymple thought that such a distance as two hundred 

 miles was too incredible to be true. Gesner (t.c.) said they went six 

 miles, and tliought that was very far. 







