xvI 
Firtu oF Tay. 
SECHO AT SL YARN OD: 
porium, Leith, beneath, where the fpring-tides fometimes rife fifteen and fixteen 
feet, and to feventeen or eighteen when the water is forced up the firth by a 
violent wind from the north-eaft. Almoft every league of this great eftuary is 
terminated with towns or villages, the effects of trade and induftry. The ele- 
gant defcription of the coaft of Fife, left us by Fohnfton *, is far from being ex- 
aggerated ; and may, with equal juftice, be applied to each fhore. 
Firesuire, bounded by the firths of Forth and: Tay, projects far into the fea; 
a country flourifhing by its induftry, and happy in numbers of ports, natural, 
artificial, or improved. Coal and lime, the native productions of the county, 
are exported in vaft quantities. Excepting the unimportant colliery in Suther= 
land, thofe at Largo Wood, midway between the bay and S+#. Andrews, are the laft 
on this fide of North Britain. The coafts in general of this vaft province are 
rocky and precipitous ; but far from being lofty. The bays, particularly the 
beautiful one of Largo, are finely bounded by gravelly or fandy fhores ; and the 
land, in moft parts, rifes high to the middle of the county. Towards the 
northern end, the river Edin, and its little bay, by fimilarity of found point out 
the Tinna of the old geographer. 
The eftuary of the Tay limits the north of Fifefire. Before the mouth extends 
the fand retaining the Briti name of Aber-tay, or the place where the Tay dif- 
charges itfelf into the fea. The Romans preferved the antient name, and Latinized 
it into Tava. The entrance, at Brough-tay caftle, is about three quarters of a 
mile wide ; after which it expands, and goes about fourteen miles up the coun- 
try before it aflumes the form of a river. At the recefs of the tides there ap- 
pears a vaft extent of fands, and a very fhallow channel; but the high tides waft, 
even as high as Perth, veflels of a hundred and twenty tons. The fhores are low, 
and the ground rifes gently inland on the fouthern fide: on the north it continues 
low, till it arrives at the foot of the Grampian hills, many miles diftant. In 
fome remote age the fea extended on the north fide far beyond its prefent 
bounds. At a confiderable diftance above the flourifhing port of Dundee, and 
remote inland, anchors have been found deep in the foil +. When thefe parts were 
deferted by the fea, it is probable that fome oppofite country was devoured by an 
inundation, which occafioned this partial defertion. 
From thence to Aberbrothic, in the fhire of Angus, noted for the venerable re- 
mains of its abbey, is a low and fandy fhore. From Aberbrothic almoft to Mon- 
trofe, arifes a bold rocky coaft, lofty and precipitous, except where interrupted by 
the beautiful femicircular bay of Lunan. Several of the cliffs are penetrated by 
® See Tour in Scotland, 1772. part ii. p. 212. t Douglas's Eafi Coaft of Scotland, 14. 
moft 
