34 REPORT (W MEETINGS FOR 1901 



disappear, as it is said already to have disappeared from 

 other islets of the Firth. Let the writer be permitted to 

 plead with visitors to preserve a natural curiosity in the 

 place where nature has planted it. Another rare plant of 

 the Rock is the wild beet-root. The commonest of the 

 island flowers are varieties of the SiU'ite or catchfly, which 

 have literally overgrown it, lavishly bestowing their blooms 

 of white or of rich pink wherever roothoLl was to be 

 found." 



Another plant, from Tantallon, which, iu the course of the 

 day's excursion, puzzled some of the members of the Club, 

 has been identified by Captain Norm:in as Lepidium latifolium, 

 broad-leaved pepper-crop, or pepper- wort, a specimen of which 

 he obtained from the same spot fifteen years ago. 



Amid gathering clouds and falling rain we embarked in 

 succession, some in fishing boats, some on Mr Dent's steamer, 

 to return to the shore. But — again to quote our President's 

 words — "We must not take our leave of the Bass without 

 referring to what was certainly the most stirring episode in 

 its history, to wit, the siege which it sustained when held 

 by a handful of daring adventurers for the deposed King 

 James the Second. After the Revolution of 1689, certain of 

 Claverhouse's officers were confined in the cells which had 

 lately been vacated by the ' Martyrs.' Their guards were 

 not numerous, and one day, when most of the latter were 

 out of the prison, employed in unloading a coal vessel, the 

 prisoners contrived to clap-to the gates so as to bar them 

 out. This occurred in 1691, and for nearly three years from 

 that time the Jacobite captives remained masters of the fortress. 

 Doubtless they were materially indebted to the fact that the 

 Government had its hands full elsewhere, and that at first 

 it did not take their resistance very seriously. The possession 

 of a good stock of ammunition was also in their favour, as 

 was the difficulty of landing on the Rock. Still they must 

 be credited with the displa}' of much resourcefulness and 

 determination. When their food supplies threatened to become 

 exhausted, they recruited them by means of predatory incur- 

 sions on the neighbouring coasts, and piratical attacks on 

 passing vessels. In course of time, too, they managed to 



