496 OF THE EAST COAST FROM THE 



1 rendezvous of the fhi; hich frequent the 



northern leas, wi: on clean ground, 



and ride fafely till the florins have abated, 

 though nature hath done fo much for t fit of 



navigation, fome thing is left for the exercife of ini- 

 aid. The harbour can, at prcfent, contain in 

 perfect fafety, 40 or 50 fail of vellels drawing 12 

 feet water, and is capable of b< (tended, fo as 



in it a fi drawing 2: 



by whic! , not only cafual merchantmen, but 



fmall ihips of war, with their convoys, would find 



i molt defirable refuge, when purfued by fuperior 

 force. 



Peterhead is a neat well-built 1 for 



the falubrity of its air*, and the virtues of its mine- 

 ral waters ; on thefe accounts, as well as the falt- 

 water bathing, it is the refort of ; ompany 



during thefummer months, and hath every ajv 

 ance of a thriving, plentiful, and happy pi 



The coaft from Peterhead, fouthward, exhibits al- 



* Abcrdeenfhire hath the rcputat markaMy hcal- 



:-,d the inhabitants are diiringuifhcd tor then longc\ii\ , 

 this, 1 had two instances in one day, fome years ago, when ; 

 ling in that country ; the firil was a venerab' n.nn then 



in his hnn- ;nd by various particulars,:: 



as his our. ( ::. 'J he leccnd inli. 



ordin;; '.:iforn.id that a farmer had reached the 



age of 130, I paid him a vifit, and received the following parti- 

 culars from himfelf in anfwer to my queftions : That he was horn 

 in 1648 ; being too young in C rnn.well's time for carrying arms, 

 he was fent to the woods to cut fliafts for halberts ; at other times, 

 hewasoidered toaflift at the blackimitir that he married 



his laft wife at the age of 1 20, and was able to go about the tarn;, 

 till within the laft two years, when his fight failed him. In this 

 fituation I found old Peter Garden, who, as I had taken the liber- 

 ty of aft ing feveral queltions, thought he had a right to aflc my/ 

 name, from whence I came, and where bound, hoping I would 

 not be offended, if a;. lib blefling, which he did 



with much gravity. His .firmed every particular, and 



faid, that flic had been his fervant, and afterwards marricci 

 for a bit of bread. The old man died the enluing winter. His 

 portrait is in the jJofleffiVn of fome nobleman or gentleman of that 

 country, whofe name I do not rcmembu . 



moft 



