LOCHS : BERWICKSHIRE COAST. 11 



nearly a mile and a half in circumference*. Hoselaw covers 

 thirty acres, has an oblong form, and is three-quarters of a mile 

 in circumference ; its greatest depth does not exceed fifteen feet, 

 and it is terminated on the west by a moss of great extent t. 

 Linton is " nearly circular in form, and contains fifty acres ; it 

 occupies a natural basin formed by hills of considerable height, 

 surrounding it on the north, east and south, and cultivated 

 almost to their summits. Towards the west it opens into the 

 valley of the Kale, into which, by a copious stream, it discharges 

 its waters. The whole of the surface of these fifty acres was 

 formerly covered with water ; it is now partially drained, and it 

 exhibits the*appearance of a verdant morass, interspersed with 

 three or four pools of water, in which are found excellent trout, 

 closely resembling those of LochlevenJ." 



The coast to the north of the Tweed offers a striking contrast 

 to the southern coast. The aspect is at the offset comparatively 

 tame, but within two or three miles its bold character begins 

 to be developed, and it opens on us with rough and grander 

 features as we trace it northwards §. It is a fit dyke to the sea 

 of blue and wild waters that roll everlastingly in front, hemming 

 the troubled waves and casting them back in foam even when 

 roused by the storm to madness. Twice daily these waves touch 

 their dyke, and twice daily recede far within it, leaving a strip 

 of black rocks that afford ground for the growth of an abundant 

 crop of sea- weed ; and food and shelter for innumerable rock- 

 fish, shell-fish, worms, moUusks and zoophytes. 



Nor less interesting is the sea-board to this rocky shore. It 

 is a precipitous wall from 40 to fully 400 feet in height, sinuous 

 and uneven, now bending to circumscribe a bay, and anon rising 

 into the lofty headland. The face of it is in some places of 

 sandstone, and then it is comparatively smooth ; but, to a greater 

 extent, it is black and rough, excavated in many places with 

 caves and darksome recesses, and, in many others, fronted with 

 blocks and buttresses of isolated rocks. In describing the 

 parish of Cockburnspath||, the late Rev. A. Baird has given a 

 sketch, which, with little change, is applicable to the entire Ber- 

 wickshire coast. He writes — 



"Along this bold sea-line occur some very interesting and 

 striking pieces of coast scenery. Of these, one of the most pic- 



* Stat. Ace. Roxburghshire, p. 160. t Ibid. p. 148. I Ibid. p. 146. 



§ " From the boundaries of the township of Berwick on the south the 

 coast trends N.N.W. for eight miles and a half to St. Ebb's or St. Abb's 

 Head, where it takes a W.N.W. direction for nine miles, until it is met by 

 the boundaries of East Lothian." — Kerr's "View of Berwickshire, p. 2. 



II Sometimes written Coldbrandspethe, and always pronounced Copper- 

 smith, or Cobberspith. 



