46 



satisfied when a stem of it, picked up near Stotfield, was 

 sent to him. 



At the Lighthouse commence the celebrated caves 

 that are a prominent feature of the rocky coast for a con- 

 siderable distance, and that are known as the Covesea 

 Caves. The most remarkable of these are — Sir Robert's 

 Stable, the Sculptured Cave, Dumansdel Cave, and Helg's 

 Hole. The first is so named from the circumstance that 

 Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstowu, son of the famous 

 Wizard of that name, concealed his horses here during 

 the rebellion of 1745-46. The small bay in which it is 

 situated is a favourite place for picnics, and, little wonder, 

 for there is not a more beautiful spot along this part of 

 the coast. In the neighbourhood are some beautiful 

 instances of false or cross stratification, which are well 

 worthy of examination. Among the attractions of this 

 place not the least is the profusion of its wild flowers, of 

 which the following are the most deserving of notice : — 

 Asplenium marinum, Saxifraga granulata, Arenaria pep- 

 loides, Silene maritima, Scilla verna ; and, a little further 

 to the west, Ligusticum Scoticum, and Mertensia mari- 

 tima, the leaves of which taste like oysters. Scilla verna 

 is confined to a small spot above the stairs leading up 

 from the Stable. 



The Sculptured Cave is some distance to the west of 

 Sir Robert's Stable. The discovery of sculptures in the 

 caves at Wemyss suggested an examination of this cave 

 for similar remains. This was undertaken by Lady 

 Dunbar of Dnffus, who sent sketches of some figures on 

 the walls to Dr. Stuart of Edinburgh, the well-known 

 antiquarian. Although many of the figures are evidently 

 modern, Dr. Stuart came to the conclusion that there was 

 no doubt as to the antiquity of some of them, such as the 

 crescent, the sceptre, and the fish, all common on ancient 



