282 Walk from Aberdeen. 



nature of the debris that had fallen from it, got so entangled in 

 it that his horse broke its leg, and soon afterwards died." 



To this mode of action of water, we have always referred the 

 frightful ravines, that commence not at the top, but on the ac- 

 clivities of hills, in many parts of Scotland ; and of which there 

 are examples near to Edinburgh, in the mountains between 

 Noble House and Moffat. But not only water bursts out from 

 the rocks in the manner already mentioned, but air also rushes 

 forth with incredible violence through the rents and fissures of 

 the mountains. The strange and fearful noises heard during 

 the raging and howling of the tempest, may at times be in part 

 traced to these emanations from below. 



The tumult and noise of the flood and storm in our High- 

 lands, are thus forcibly pourtrayed in the " Account of the 

 Great Floods of 1829 :" 



" On the evening of Monday the 3d of August, we were 

 roused, while at dinner, by the accounts the servants gave us of 

 the swollen state of the rivers, and, in defiance of the badness of 

 the night, the whole party sallied forth. We took our way 

 through the garden, towards our favourite Mill Island. ' John,' 

 said I, to the gardener, as he was opening the gate that led to 

 it, ' I feai" our temple may be in some danger if this goes on. 

 ' Ou, Sir, it's awa' else !' replied he, to my no small dismay ; 

 and the instant we had passed out at the gate, the Divie (river) 

 appalled us ! 



" Looking up its course to where it burst from the rocks, it 

 resembled the outlet to some great inland sea, that had suddenly 

 broken from its bounds. It was already 8 or 10 feet higher 

 than any one had ever seen it, and setting directly down against 

 the sloping terrace under the offices, where we were standing, 

 it washed up over the shrubs and strawberry-beds, with a strange 

 and alarming flux and reflux, dashing out over the ground 10 

 or 15 yards at a time, — covering the knees of some of the party, 

 standing, as they thought, far beyond its reach, — and, retreat- 

 ing with a suction, which it required great exertion to resist. 

 The whirlpool produced by the turn of the river, was in some 

 places elevated 10 or 12 feet above other parts of it. The flood 

 filled the whole space from the rocks of the right bank on the 

 east, to the base of the wooded slope, forming the western boun- 



