ABERDEEXSHIRE. 



ABERDEENSHIRE. 



10 



The principal rivers of the county are the Dee, the Don, the Ythan, 

 the Ugie, and the Deveron, Dovern or Doveran, with their respective 

 tributaries. These rivers flow into the sea in the order we have 

 named, from south to north and west, from Kincardineshire to 

 Banffshire. 



The Dee rises in the south-western part of the county, in the moun- 

 tains which separate Aberdeenshire from Inverness-shire. It rises 

 on the side of the mountain Breriach, at an altitude of above 4000 feet, 

 and flows for about 12 miles in a S.S.E. direction to the junction of 

 the Geauley, a stream 1 miles long, from which its course is E. by N. 

 for about 1 2 miles to Newton, below the castle of Br.iemar. In this 

 part of its course it receives several mountain-streams. In the upper 

 part of the Dee are several falls, or 'linns,' of which the principal, from 

 its turbulence, is the Linn of Dee ; the river here forces its way by 

 four successive fall.s or rapids through a passage of rock, so narrow 

 in some places that persona have been found hardy enough to step 

 across it. The falls of Coirmulzie and Garvalt, both below the Linn 

 of Dee, are much admired. From Newton the Dee flows about 7 



N r . by E. to the kirk of C'rathie, and then turning to the E. by N., 

 flows, with slight variations, in that direction for about 60 miles to 

 its outfall at Aberdeen. Its whole course is about 96 miles. About 

 24 miles above its outfall it quits Aberdeenshire, and after flowing 

 10 miles through Kincardineshire, returns to the border, and for the 

 rest of its course separates the two counties. It receives the Gairden 

 or Gaini, 18 miles long, on the left bank, about 6 miles below 

 C'rathie kirk ; and the Muick, 12 miles long, on the right bank, about 

 2 miles lower down. In the upper part of the Muick are two small 

 but picturesque lakes. Dhu-loch, ' the Black Lake,' is supposed to 

 obtain its name from its being overshadowed by the lofty cliffs of 

 Craig Dhu-loch, which rise from its southern border to a height of 

 more than 1000 feet. A mountain-rill falls into it on the north side 

 from a height of more than 200 feet. Loch Muick is about two miles 

 long from south-west to north-east, and half a mile broad. It receives 

 a stream from Dhu-loch, and others from the surrounding mountains : 

 and its waters are remarkable for their coldness even in the mid.-rt of 

 r. There is a small island near its south- western end, where 

 sea-gulls are always to be found. A little below the Muick, another 

 l';dl.< into the Dee on the left bank ; this stream is the outlet 

 of two small lakes, Loch Connor, surrounded by birch-woods and 

 studded with m ill inlands, and Loch Dawan. The Dye, the largest 

 feeder of the Dec, and the Avcn it tributary, belong chiefly to Kin 

 cardineshire. The Dye joins the Dee on the right bank in Kincardine- 

 shirc. Two small lakes, Loch Drum and Loch Skene, are connected 

 with the Dee by streams which flow into it on the left bank, after it 

 again touches the border of the county. The Dee is a rapid stream ; 



ablations sweep away good soil to leave instead an unproductive 

 sand. It is valuable for its salmon fishery. The mouth of the Dee 

 forum the harbour of Aberdeen. On Deeside, about 60 miles from 

 Aberdeen, where the scenery is wildly magnificent, her Majesty has 

 purchased Balmoral for her occasional residence. The Don rises in 

 a peat-moss on the western border of the county, about 1640 feet 

 above the level of the sea : its course is first N.E., to the neighbour- 

 hood of Kildrummy kirk, 30 miles ; then E., about 28 miles, to Inve- 

 rury ; and then S.E., about 20 miles, to its outfall in the North Sea 

 at Old Aberdeen. Its whole course is about 78 miles. In the upper 

 l> irt of its course the Don receives several mountain-streams ; and is 

 VITJ- rapid, shallow, and subject to inundations. It affords excellent 

 angling for small trout. At Inverury it receives the Urie or Ury, its 

 most imjx>rtant tributary. Ita course is here very slow ; but it is still 



to overflow, and this liability baa been increased by the number 

 of drains cut for agricultural purposes. The salmon fisheries at Kin- 

 tore, about 12 miles above its mouth, were once of considerable value ; 

 but the fish are now intercepted by stake-nets near the mouth of the 

 river. Pearls are said to have been formerly found in the Don. The 

 Don is navigable to the bridge of Old Aberdeen for small craft. The 

 Urie rises in Gartly parish, and flows by C'ulsamond and Rayne into 

 the Don, which it joins on the left bank at Inverury : its course is 

 about 24 miles. The tributaries next in magnitude are the Earnon or 

 Krnan, the Noughty or Nochtie, and the Bucket, all of which join it 

 nn the left bank above the junction of the Urie ; and the Leochel or 

 Leouhal, which joins it on the right bank at Alford below Kildrummy. 

 The Ylkan rises near the north-western border of the county ; and 

 flows first 4 miles eastward, then 5 milea north-east to Towie, 

 the anrimt seat of the Barclays, and thence its course is, with some 

 variation, S.K. by Fyvie kirk, the village of Ellon, the kirk of 

 Buchan, and the village of Newburgh, 28 miles, into the North 

 Sea. Its whole course is about 37 miles. The Ythan is a slow and 

 gentle stream ; but from the extensive system of drainage adopted 

 in the lands through which it flows it is subject to rise suddenly. 

 It has a considerable volume of water ; but near the sea spreads out 

 into a wide shallow basin, navigable only for small craft. The entrance 

 is obstructed by a bar ; and the shifting sands in the channel render 

 the navigation dangerous. Vessels of 90 tons ascend to Newburgh, 

 a uiilu up the river. Tin; Yt.han .(bounds with trout of variouskinds, 

 eels, flounder-", and salmon. There are two salmon li.-liings,one at the 



ij of the river, the other at the village of Ellon, about 5 miles 

 up t.li.; st.riKiin. Many hundred tons of mussels and cockles are taken 

 yearly. The pearl mussel is found, and the pearl fishery was formerly 



thought of sufficient importance to be the subject of a grant by 

 patent. There is a prevalent tradition that the large pearl in the 

 Scottish crown was found in the Ythan, or in the Kelly, one of its 

 tributaries ; and about the middle of the last century a gentleman of 

 Aberdeen received lOOi from a London jeweller for pearls found here. 

 But few of any value are found now ; it is a favourite amusement 

 for schoolboys to fish for them in summer when the water is low. 

 The tributaries of the Ythan are all small. The Blackwater, or Little- 

 water, or Water of Gight, joins it on the left above Methlick kirk ; 

 the water of Kelly on the right below Methlick kirk, the Ebrie on 

 the left between Methlick kirk and the village of Ellon, and another 

 stream from Udney kirk, on the right, a little above Ellon. The Ebrie 

 is about 12 miles long, and each of the others about 8 miles long. 



The Ugie is formed by two streams, of which the North Ugie rises 

 to the south of Aberdour and flows S.E. by the kirk of Strichen ; 

 the South Ugie rises between Strichen and Monquitter kirks, and flows 

 E. by S. Their course below the junction is about 6 miles into the 

 North Sea at Buchau Haven near Peterhead. The Ugie is a very slow 

 stream, and it is apt to overflow after falls of rain. It contains an 

 abundance of black or burn trouts ; but few salmon are found in it. 



The Dcreron or Doveran 'rises in Aberdeenshire, in which it runs N. 

 for about 7 miles, then N. by E. through Banflshire for about 5 miles, 

 after which it forms the boundary of the two counties for about 3 

 miles, and re-entering Aberdeenshire has a circuitous course of 13 

 miles, when it returns to the border. The remainder of its course is 

 partly in Banffshire and partly on the border. Its whole length is 

 about 51 miles. It is a rapid stream, flowing for a considerable part 

 of ita course through a deep narrow vale, and is subject to serious 

 floods. One of its principal tributaries is the Bogie Water, which 

 joins the Deveron near Huntly. Both the Bogie and the Deveron 

 contain excellent trout ; pearls of trifling value are sometimes found 

 in the Deveron. Near the mouth of the Deveron a salmon fishery is 

 carried on. The burns of Turriff and King Edward (13 miles and 9 

 miles long respectively), which join the Deveron on the right bank, 

 belong to Aberdeenshire ; the more important tributaries, the Black- 

 water and the Cantly, which join it on the left, belong wholly or chiefly 

 to Banffshire. 



Of smaller streams, the Crudm, about 8 miles long, flows into 

 the North Sea between the Ythan and the Ugie ; and the Rathm, 11 

 miles long, between Cairnbulg Point and Kiunaird's Head, near the 

 town of Fraserburgh. Aberdeenshire does not contain any lakes of im- 

 portance. They have been already mentioned in the notice of the 

 river Dee. 



The only canal in the county is the Aberdeenshire Canal, opened in 

 1807, which begins in the harbour of Aberdeen, and runs up the valley 

 of the Don parallel to the course of that river and near to it on the 

 right bank, and terminates at Port Elphinstone in Kintore parish, but 

 close to the town of Iverury; its length is 18J miles. A tide-lock 

 connects the canal with the harbour of Aberdeen. The total fall is 

 about 133 feet to high-water mark in Aberdeen harbour. Lime, coal, 

 manure, and bark are carried up ; and stone, slate, grain and meal, 

 brought down. There is daily communication between Aberdeen and 

 Port Elphinstone. 



The principal roads are : 1, From Edinburgh by Montrose to 

 Aberdeen (entering the county at Dee bridge near Aberdeen), con- 

 tinued by Ellon and Cruden, to Peterhead, and thence to Fraserburgh. 

 2, From Aberdeen by Old Meldrum, Turriff, and King Edv, ard 

 (pronounced Kinedart) to Banff. 3, From Aberdeen by Kintore, 

 Inverury, and Huntly, to Elgin and Inverness. 4, From Aberdeen 

 up the valley of the Dee by Peterculter, Drumoak, Kincardine O'Neil, 

 Ballater, and Tulloch, to C'astletoun of Braemar ; and thence south- 

 ward across the Grampians to Blair Gowrie and Perth. 5, From 

 Peterhead by Longside and Old Deer to Banff. The Aberdeen Railway 

 traverses the eastern side of the county, from ths city of Aberdeen, 

 and is continued to Perth. A part of the Great North of Scotland 

 Railway (Aberdeen, Banff, and Inverness) is now being constructed at 

 the Aberdeen end of the line. 



Gfoloyy, Ac. The mountain district of Braemar is chiefly granitic ; 

 the mountains frequently present tabular summits with steep preci- 

 pitous sides. Ben Macdhui has precipices of more than 1000 feet high. 

 Conical summits are not so frequent, but Cairn Toul and Loch na 

 ( iar have that form. At the foot of the precipices or steeper slopes 

 considerable masses of granitic debris are observable. The granite 

 of Braemar is chiefly pure ; the mica is the least of its constituent 

 minerals : the felspar and quartz are in about equal proportions. 

 Some of the granite is porphyritic. In the upper part of the valley 

 of the Dee a large mass of syenite is found ; but this belongs chiefly 

 to Perthshire. The neighbourhood of A berdecn, for some miles around 

 that city, especially towards the west, is occupied by granite. The 

 principal mass forms rounded hills west of Aberdeen between the Don 

 and the Dee, and extends to the northward of the Don. The granite 

 is quarried in large quantities (chiefly of gray granite), and shipped at 

 Aberdeen for London and other places. Granite is also found on the 

 I ;ink-i of the Don, and of its tributary the Urie ; near the banks of 

 the Ythan ; near the Doveran ; and in the parishes of Kraserburgh, 

 Longside, and Peterhead, near the coast. It is quarried in Drumblado 

 and Peterhead. The granite is frequently found disintegrated, so as 

 to be easily dug into by the pickaxe and spade ; yet large blocks of 



