COAST OF MORAY. 
\ 
I ''H I S fertile province is in general a champaign country, of a foil naturally 
rich and luxuriant, but fandy towards the coaft ; and, in the environs of 
thofe rocks reprefented in the plate, to a diftance of feveral miles, is very flat, and. 
near] y on a level with the fea. 
1 hefe are the plains celebrated in early ftory, as a thoufand years ago the feat of 
plenty, opulence, and eafe, of which the princes of Norway , by many an arduous en- 
ter prize and powerful armament, ftrove to maintain pofleffion, or render tributary 
*'° ^eir date ; but of whofe final diflodgement from their fortrefles, and relinquifh- 
inent of the country, the fuperb Obclilk at Forres* was fet'up as a memorial. 
The levelnefs and lightnefs of many parts of that fandy foil has expofed it, at 
t;naes i to alarming fluctuations. In feafons peculiarly warm and dry, when violent 
tn ds have occurred, they have, by wafting the loofe fands along, accomplifhed tire 
pm of many a field ; yet fortunately thefe, after lying ufelefs for years, accumulating 
mme and mud, along with the ftreams in rain, which fpread a quick vegetation, 
ave renewed the foil, and been reflored to arable lands, and contributed again to the 
ttchnefs of the plain. 
A vaft traft of this diftritt, lying between the town of Elgin and the coaft, 
te ms to have been, at no very remote period, an arm of the firth, which had infu- 
ate d the rifing grounds that terminate in the freeftone quarries and picturefque 
r °cks of CauJJie. Both written and traditionary annals concur with the appearance 
the country in evidence of this ^ and many fine eftates have been gained from 
*«e fea. 
^ Rose Island, which is ftill the name of the banks of a pleafant hill which lies 
ptween the loch of Splney and the ftiore, fpeaks its former fituation. Near to the 
u tfields of Rose Isle there was a free and independent college of the Recluse, 
ptl their chapel, for a double reafon, was called the Chapel of Unlachu , i. e. of the 
p’itaries ; both on account of die manner of life ol the religious order there, and 
ae detached fituation of their lands as an ifland. Thefe fields rife into hilly grounds 
V/ar ds the coaft, and there terminate in thofe bold freeftone cliffs, which fupply very 
p c dlent and durable materials for building; the more valuable, as they carve 
pm eafe, and are not eafily injured after by the weather. The malfes of rock are, 
°Wever, various hardnefs;* and the reiterated play of the ocean, efpecially the 
tlet rating power of the furge in winter ftorms, has excavated thefe romantic 
pperns, and formed the infulated rocks at CauJJie, of which a fpecimen is given in 
^‘ e plate ; while the various whirl of the rebounding torrents have fcooped out fuch 
Ce P cavities in the projecting cliffs, as in many places have perforated through; fo 
* See N° iz . 
U 2 
that 
