242 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN SCOTLAND CHAP, vn 



previously by Murchison, Keyserling, and De Verneuil 

 across Russia to the Ural Mountains, and was such a 

 favourite ditty at the Survey anniversaries that its 

 author was often asked to sing it. 



THE LAY OF SIR RODERICK THE BOLD AND THE EMPEROR OF 

 ALL THE RUSSIAS 



Am' The Auld Wife ayont the Fire ' 



The auld rocks ayont the sea, 

 The auld rocks ayont the sea, 

 The auld rocks ayont the sea, 



That rise upon the Ural. 

 There was a doughty Scottish knight, 

 A hammerman o' mickle might, 

 The Laird o' Taradale he hight, 



Gaed singing ' Tooralooral, 

 The auld rocks ayont the sea, 

 The Russian rocks ayont the sea, 

 I'll map the rocks ayont the sea, 



That rise upon the Ural.' 



To Petersburg the knight he gaed ; 

 The Czar cam down and to him said, 

 ' Ye're welcome here to mak a raid, 



Out ower as Tar's the Ural. 

 Frae west to east in ilka hole 

 Ye'll cast an ee, and 'twill be droll 

 But you will find a bed o' coal, 



And I'll sing Tooralooral. 

 The knight he cam across the sea, 

 The Scottish knight cam ower the sea, 

 To whack the Russian rocks for me, 



Right out across the Ural.' 



The knight he took a working squad 



De Verneuil and another lad, 



Count Keyserling, and scoured like mad 



(All singing Tooralooral) 

 Silurian rocks and guid Auld Red, 

 Wi' fish and shells baith in ae bed, 

 And Permian strata overhead, 



Right up against the Ural 

 These auld rocks ayont the sea, 

 Wi' Oxford Clay ayont the sea, 

 Erratics o' the Glacial Sea, 



Choke up against the Ural. 



