WATER WAXING 103 



at her ; for the storm cam from the wast last nigcht 

 ye ken, and she* wull be waxing the morn ; but we 

 can gang doon to her and see . ' ' Down we accordingly 

 went, and she was decidedly waxing, he said. 



All this was a mystery to me at that time ; but 

 I learned from him that when the river is about to 

 flood, the rain that has fallen near its sources comes 

 pouring down from the gulleys and drains, and 

 propels the clear water before it, which then climbs 

 the dry stones of the channel, exhibiting a convex 

 surface, like wine in a glass filled to the brim. This 

 effect cannot be perceived where the river is in quick 

 motion : but in the little bays and pools that are 

 here and there in the channel, it is very visible : the 

 water will rise to some height before it is in the 

 slightest degree discoloured, and this in proportion to 

 the quantity of rain that has fallen near the sources ; 

 so that a stranger would not notice the change. In 

 strong spates it is afterwards of a reddish cast, and 

 fines by degrees into a porter colour, which gets 

 clearer and clearer till it resumes its wonted trans- 

 parency. It must be noted that I speak with refer- 

 ence to the Tweed only ; for it is obvious that every 

 river is coloured somewhat differently, according to 

 the nature of the soil from which, and through 

 which, it flows. Thus the Tay partakes much of the 

 dark moss and peat colour ; and on part of the 

 Inverness coast, where some of the rivers come 

 from a hard stony soil, they are never much dis- 

 coloured, or, if discoloured, in a different manner. 



* The Tweed, like a ship, is always called she, the feminine 

 gender giving it its due consequence. 



