IN MORAYSHIRE. 371 



The greater quantity of the sand is drifted into the 

 river, and its effects have been very remarkable. Many 

 years ago the mouth of the river having become blocked 

 up with sand, it cut out for itself its present channel, 

 which conducts it, by a more direct course, to the sea. 

 In consequence of this, the old town of Findhorn had 

 changed its situation, from the east to the west side of 

 the river, and its site has since been covered by the sea. 

 Previous to this, however, the inhabitants, carrying with 

 them the stones of their former houses, had removed 

 across the river, and erected the present village. On the 

 retiring of the tide from the bay, the river almost disap- 

 pears, being swallowed up by the sand, and quick-sands 

 are formed. The effect resulting from the same cause, 

 the drifting in of the sand is very different at high wa- 

 ter. In consequence of the channel of the river having 

 been filled up, the bay has increased in breadth. The 

 sand constantly carried down by the river has formed a 

 bar, which prevents the entrance of large vessels ; and 

 the river, probably owing to its increased breadth, and 

 this bar depriving it of the impetus acquired in the course 

 of its descent, is, at spring-tides, unable to force its way 

 into the sea, when it is made to flow back, and inundate 

 a considerable extent of carse-land situated at the head 

 of the bay. It was at one time proposed to render the 

 river navigable by dredging. And it is proposed to en- 

 deavour to save the adjoining carse-land, which is of the 

 richest quality, from the monthly inundation to which it 

 is at present subject, by building a wall along the river 

 side. 



I venture to suggest, that the plan Nature employs for 

 fettering down sand should first be imitated, and that 

 seeds of the Arundo arenaria, Elymus arenarius, and 



