﻿INTRODUCTION. 
  

  

  19 
  

  

  Geological 
  Society, 
  in 
  1860, 
  speaking 
  of 
  this 
  deposit, 
  says 
  : 
  

   "I 
  infer 
  the 
  age 
  to 
  be 
  probably 
  that 
  of 
  either 
  the 
  red 
  or 
  

   mammaliferous 
  crag 
  of 
  England." 
  

  

  North 
  of 
  Collieston 
  the 
  coast 
  line 
  is 
  formed 
  of 
  steep 
  

   grassy 
  braes, 
  composed 
  of 
  fine 
  soft 
  clayey 
  loam, 
  20 
  to 
  40 
  feet 
  

   deep, 
  without 
  stones 
  of 
  any 
  size, 
  and 
  covered 
  with 
  a 
  luxurious 
  

   vegetation, 
  which, 
  in 
  the 
  season, 
  is 
  studded 
  with 
  beautiful, 
  

   rich, 
  golden 
  tufts 
  of 
  Cowslips 
  (Primula 
  veris). 
  About 
  a 
  mile 
  

   north 
  of 
  the 
  Church, 
  and 
  upon 
  an 
  outstanding 
  rock, 
  are 
  

   the 
  ruins 
  of 
  the 
  old 
  Castle 
  of 
  Slains, 
  which 
  " 
  belonged 
  

   originally 
  to 
  the 
  Earls 
  of 
  Buchan, 
  and 
  became 
  afterwards 
  

   for 
  many 
  generations 
  the 
  seat 
  of 
  the 
  noble 
  family 
  of 
  

   Erroll 
  " 
  (Pratt). 
  This 
  building 
  was 
  destroyed 
  by 
  James 
  VI. 
  

   in 
  1594. 
  Here 
  there 
  are 
  some 
  low 
  points 
  of 
  rock 
  which 
  

   run 
  far 
  out 
  to 
  sea. 
  The 
  coast 
  is 
  cut 
  into 
  numerous 
  creeks, 
  

   chief 
  amongst 
  which 
  is 
  St. 
  Catherine's 
  Dub, 
  at 
  Collieston, 
  

   said 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  last 
  resting-place 
  of 
  the 
  St. 
  Catherine, 
  one 
  of 
  

   the 
  Spanish 
  Armada, 
  wrecked 
  in 
  1588. 
  Colour 
  is 
  given 
  to 
  

   this 
  story 
  from 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  guns 
  of 
  considerable 
  size 
  and 
  

   of 
  fine 
  quality 
  have 
  at 
  various 
  times 
  been 
  recovered 
  from 
  

   the 
  bottom 
  of 
  the 
  "Dub." 
  There 
  are 
  also 
  many 
  caves, 
  

   known 
  as 
  Hell's 
  Lum, 
  the 
  Drooping 
  Cave 
  of 
  Slains, 
  Cave 
  

   Arthur, 
  etc. 
  

  

  As 
  we 
  proceed, 
  the 
  rocks 
  attain 
  a 
  greater 
  elevation 
  and 
  

   present 
  many 
  beautiful 
  forms, 
  such 
  as 
  detached 
  stalks 
  

   rising 
  from 
  the 
  sea, 
  high 
  beetling 
  cliffs 
  that 
  hang 
  frown- 
  

   ingly 
  over 
  the 
  surging 
  billows, 
  and 
  in 
  one 
  place 
  a 
  fine 
  

   circular 
  bay, 
  around 
  which 
  the 
  rocks 
  stand 
  perpendicularly. 
  

   Upon 
  these 
  the 
  Kittiwake, 
  Guillemot, 
  Jackdaw, 
  and 
  Starling 
  

   breed 
  in 
  thousands. 
  Here, 
  also, 
  Herring 
  Gulls 
  annually 
  

   congregate; 
  and 
  until 
  1885, 
  when 
  they 
  were 
  shot, 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  

   Peregrine 
  Falcons 
  bred 
  upon 
  a 
  point 
  known 
  as 
  the 
  Bock 
  

   of 
  Ogstone. 
  From 
  this 
  the 
  fishing 
  village 
  of 
  Whinnyfold, 
  

   locally 
  known 
  as 
  Finnyfauld, 
  near 
  the 
  south 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  

   Bay 
  of 
  Cruden, 
  is 
  soon 
  reached. 
  The 
  Bay 
  of 
  Cruden 
  

  

  