( *99 ) 
the Oaks [landing in the Woods, have that Blacknefs 5 
fo that, I prefume, the Blacknefs accrues from the 
Water. 
There are many Places, where Woods do nor now 
grow 5 albeit, People endeavour to Cultivate them $ and 
yet the Modes in thefe Places are well (lored with this 
kind of under-ground Timber, both Oak and Firr, but 
efpecially Firr 5 fuch are Orkney, the Lewes (which are 
Ifles,) Cathnefs , Tarbarinefs , and the Coaft of Buchan. 
But yet it would appear, that there have been Woods of 
Old in thefe Places, or how elfe could they come to 
thefe Modes : And for a farther Proof of this Inference* 
be pleafed to take Notice of the following Account, which 
gave occafion to this Letter. . 
In the Year 1651. I being then about 19 Years Old, 
and occaficnally in the Parifh of Lochbrun , palling from 
a Place called Achadifcald , to Gonnazd , I went by a 
very high Hill, which did rife in a conftant fleepnefs 
from the Sea $ only in lefs than half a Mile up from the 
Sea, there is a Plain a v bout half a Mile round 5 and from 
thence the Hill rifes in a conftant fteepnefs, for more 
than a Mile in Afcent. This little Plain was at that 
time all covered over with a firm (landing Wood 3 which 
was fo very Old, that not only the Trees had no green 
Leaves, but the Bark was totally thrown off which 
the Old Countrymen, .who were in my Company, 
told me, was the univerfal manner in which Firr Woods 
did terminate 5 and that in 20, or 30 Years after, the 
Trees would ordinarily caft themfelves up from theRoor^ 
and that they would lie in heaps, -till the People would 
cut them, and carry them away. They likewife did 
let: me fee, that the .outfide of thefe (landing white 
Trees, and for the fpace of one inch inward, was dead 
white Timber 5 but what was within that, was good 
folid Timber, even to the very Pith, and as full of 
Kozin as it could (land in the Wood. 
