182 
according to solar observations, is West Long. 
ling brid: 
Thence, 
little interru 
now named Frith of Forth,) is resumed down to Fife- 
ness on the north, and St Abbs Head on the south, 
where it meets the German Ocean. Between these 
two points the distance is between 35 and 40 miles. 
The direct course of this river is scarcely less than 
100 miles; but its sinuosities do not traverse a short- 
cr s than 200. Its depth from Stirling bridge 
to the mouth is from 3 to $7 fathoms, or more; be- 
tween Inch Garvie and the North Ferry it is 35; 
and somewhat further west, opposite to Rosyth castle, 
where the breadth is 3000 yards, it is 21 fathoms, 
whence it ually shallows upwards.* Part of the 
bottom is here covered with ‘sleech or mud 20 feet 
deep, deposited on freestone, The tide flows a mile 
above Strling bridge, or between 70 and 80 from 
‘the sea in a straight line, until it is interrupted by 
a rock across the channel, where stream tides rise 
five feet. It flows and ebbs regularly twice in twenty- 
four hours ; but the flood and ebb run about two hours 
Jonger in the middle than along the shore, and it rises 
at most about four fathoms in,a ‘stream. Besides this, 
however, there are i 
ties, above Queensferry, and particularly from.Culross 
to Alloa, or, beginning at the mouth of the river Car- 
ron and Borrowstounness, continue downwards, These 
irregularities consist in an intermission of the tide dur- 
ing the flood ; and before high water the sea ebbs. On 
the contrary, while the sea and before low water, 
the ebb intermits, and a flow commencing continues 
some time ; after which the ebbing is resumed until 
low water. This is seen during two hours, and the ir- 
regularity oceupies more of the river according as it, i 
iss or tide. These irregularities are well. 
mere ‘the nae of leakies. Ane 
¢ principal rivers tributary to the Forth are, the 
Goodie, rising in the Loch of Monteith, the Teith, and, 
Allan, above Stirling bridge ; and below it, the Dovan, 
Carron, Avon, Almond, Leith, Esk, Leven, Tyne, and. 
others. There is, besides, a communication, by means 
of a navigable canal, ne the river Clyde, which pre- 
Serves on intercourse between the east 
of Sato. and. west coasts 
t would take a long time to describe the natural 
productions of the Forth, and hitherto they have met 
FORTH. 
particular currents, or irregulari- b 
have accidentally strand- 
odtneonaalens 4s RIM We 
that five or six hundred years ago they also frequented 
this river. The porpoise is seen i 
in the water; one specimen of the | 
whale, was killed in 1815, near Stirling : the sun fish is 
occasionally taken; and the opah, or gold fish, has also 
occurred, But there are others, the constant source 
of valuable and productive fisheries ; such as salmon, 
mon is on at ing, W i 
all the. nei , and allows a ity for ex- 
Se ee 
ed at this part of the Forth, that the inhabi ‘of 
Stirling were, during a long time, ided with it at 
oaauinss thane einoaaer which became a 
particular eee nor is it long since it was al 
ed. Two ies on a smaller recently 
established on the south side of the river, at Abercorn, 
and near Queensferry, and their pee 
Vast shoals of herring resort periodically to the Forth, 
and afford employment to many hands in their capture, 
as well as ample subsistence to the poor ; but they are 
neither so large nor so much esteemed as those 
on the west coasts of Scotland. Nevertheless, their 
of the river KA six or eight miles above Queen a 
Haddock, cod, ee re fisheries, are 
lower down than Leith. Skate, flounders, and 
are common ; turbot is obtained in sufficient quantity 
to supply Edinburgh market at prices not immoderate, 
that is, from four to ten shillings, according to size and 
scarcity ; but most of it goes to London, Some time 
ago, contracts were made for turbot, at two shillings 
See 
it the sandy bays u 
ten aed Gan ht. This being ascribed to the un- 
skilfulness of the , an experiment was 
by others purposely brought from places noted for it; 
z 
| Hl 
tell 3 
gn FS 
ep eiee 
Loeira! 
35 
if 
HE 
i 
aE 
if 
i 
e3 P25 
| 
: 
is so in the metropolis, that 
appl ape ine hp. gto 
in ” 
pee ad nen umbers, they are sold 
FE 
per p A 
"Mony of the mollusca, rg besides the two latter. 
which we have alluded to, inhabit the Frith ; and pro- 
bably the majority are yet ; 
tinia, nereids, are seen in great variety and beauty ; 
learn from history, productions, 
