242 NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 



and fro on those solid deeps to attempt that har- 

 bour, you are not much mistaken. 



Theoph. Is there any town on those rocky 

 foundations ? 



Am. Yes surely there is ; for we now discover 

 the pleasant shores of beautiful Brunt-Island, 

 guarded with rocks that front the harbour and 

 the pier of Leith ; over whose rubified sands we 

 must plough the ocean, to those delectable flou- 

 rishing ports ; provided the vessel be tite and 

 unleaky, as questionless this is, design'd for our 

 passage. 



Theoph. However, I'll remind you of our ha- 

 zardous passage from Innerbrachy to the famous 

 Ness, as at another time our personal hazard, 

 when fording over Forres, and the rapid Tre- 

 spey ; besides other great rivers and rivulets in 

 our march, of very swift and violent motion ; 

 which we often discharg'd without the artifice 

 of boats : and yet I cannot help that natural an- 

 tipathy and aversion, that I find against timber 

 fortifications ; nor can I think them such sove- 

 raign security, but that sometimes they are ac- 

 compani'd with difficulties and danger. It's 

 true, I grant, that no man has an infallible pro- 

 tection for life ; nor a pre-knowledg of sickness 

 nor sudden solution. 



Am. Well then, if so, transplant those fears 



