ABE 
the fouth, and a flat blowing fand on the north, extending’ 
along the coaft for many miles. By the eafterly and north- 
eaft dorms the fand-was driven in a long ridge acrofs the 
harbour’s mouth, and formed what was called the bar. 
Upon this bar the depth of water at low' tide was fome- 
times not above three feet. Clearing away the land, 
though but a partial and temporary remedy, was a matter 
of great expence to the community. If it w as cleared one 
week fo as to have five or fix feet of w'ater at ebb, a frefh 
(lorm the next week undid all that had been done. The 
town at lafi came to the refolution of ereCling a ftrong pier 
on the north fide of the harbour. This pier is 1200 feet 
in length, and gradually increafes in thicknefs and height 
as it approaches to the lea, where the head or rounding is 
fixty feet in diameter at the bale, and the perpendicular 
elevation is thirty-eight feet. The whole is built of gra¬ 
nite, the mod durable done known; many of the outfide 
Hones are above three tons weight, with hewn beds. It 
was built under the direction of Mr. Smeaton; and the 
expence, amounting to above 17,0001. is defrayed by 
doubling the harbour-dues, which are chiefly paid by the 
inhabitants.—A little to the fouth of the bar, they have 
now a depth of feventeen fathoms at low water; and at 
the harbour’s mouth, from eight to nine fathoms, where 
they had formerly but a few feet. 
Aberdeen once enjoyed a good (hare of the tobacco 
trade. At prefent its imports are from the Baltic, and a 
few merchants trade to the Weft indies and North Ame¬ 
rica. Its exports are (lockings, thread, falmon, and oat¬ 
meal. The firft is a mod important article, as appears by 
the following (late of it: for, for this manufacture, 20,800 
pounds worth of wool is annually imported, and j6oo 
pounds worth of oil. Of this wool are annually made 
69,333 dozen pairs of dockings; worth, at an average, 
il. ios. per dozen. Thefe are the work of the country- 
people in almoft all parts of this great county, who get 4s. 
per dozen for (pinning, and 14s. per dozen for knitting; 
fo that there is annually paid them 62,329b 14s. There 
is, belides, about 2000I. value of (lockings manufactured 
from the wool of the county.—The thread manufacture is 
anotherconfiderable article, though triflingin comparifon 
of the w'oollen.—The falmon-fiftieries on the Dee and the 
Don are a good branch of trade. About forty-fix boats 
and 130 men are employed on the firft; and, in fome years, 
167,0001b. of fifti have been fent pickled to London, and 
about 930 barrels of faltedfifli exported to France, Italy, 
See .—The fiftiery on the Don is far lefs confiderable. The 
filh of this river are taken in cruives above the bridge ; a 
praftice contrary to the ancient laws of the kingdom, un- 
lefs where the nature of the water rendered the net-fiftiery 
impracticable. The inhabitants likewife export confider¬ 
able quantities of pickled pork, which they fell to the 
Dutch for victualling their Eaft-India (hips and men of 
war; the Aberdeen pork having the reputation of being 
the beft cured of any in Europe for keeping on long voy¬ 
ages.—“It is however remarkable, (Mr. Knox obferves,) 
that there is not a Angle decked veffel fitted out from Aber-- 
deen for the herring or white fifheries. Here is now an 
excellent harbour; an aCtive people, converfant in trade, 
and poflefled of capital; feated within fix hours failing of 
the Long Fortys, and two days failing of the Shetland Iftes. 
This inattention is the more extraordinary, as the exports 
of Aberdeen, though very confiderable, do not balance 
the imports in value. The herring and w hite fiftieries, 
therefore, if profecuted with vigour, and cured and dried 
with judgment, would not only extend the fcale of ex¬ 
ports, but alfo furnifh the outward-bound veflels with 
freights, and better aflortments for the foreign markets. 
The falmon of the Dee and Don are taken in great abun¬ 
dance, cured in the higheft perfection, and greatly valued 
at the European markets. If the merchants, in addition 
to thefe, (hould alfo export the cargoes of fifty or fixty 
veflels conftantly employed in the herring and white fifti¬ 
eries, the port of Aberdeen would in a few years become 
the moil celebrated mart of ftlh now exifting.’ 2 
ABE r> ~ 
From a round hill at the weft of the city, flow two 
fprings, one of pure water, and the other of a quality re- 
fembling German Spa. Aberdeen, with Aberbrothwick, 
Brechin, Montrofe, and Inverbervie, returns one mem¬ 
ber to parliament. 
ABERDEENSHIRE, comprehends the diftriCts of 
Mar, Garioch, Strathbogie, and the greater part of Bu¬ 
chan; and fends one member to parliament. Itiswafhed 
on the eafr and north by the ocean, and abounds in fea- 
ports; from whence there is a fafe and ready paffage to the 
Orkneys and Shetland lfles, the Greenland fiftieries,, Nor¬ 
way, and the regions round the Baltic ; the German coaft, 
Holland, Flanders, and France. It is watered by nume¬ 
rous dreams, all of them the refort of falmon, and whofe 
banks difplay very extenlive plantations of natural woods. 
ABERDOUR, a fmall town in Fifefhire, Scotland, on 
the frith of Forth, about ten miles N. W. of Edinburgh. 
In old times it belonged to the Viponts; but in 1126 it 
was transferred to the Mortimers by marriage, and after¬ 
wards to the Douglafles. William lord of Liddefdule, 
furnamed the FLoiuer of Chivalry , in the reign of David II. 
by charter conveyed it to James Douglas, anceftor to the 
prefent noble owner the, Earl of Morton. 
ABERFORD, a market-town in the Weft Riding of 
Yorkfliire, 188 miles from London. It (lands on the great 
Roman caufeway, which, all thew'ay to Caftleford-bridge, 
appears as entire as when firft made, though it is upwards 
of feventeen hundred years old. Under the town runs the 
river Cock; and near it may be feen the foundation of an 
old fort, called Caftle-cary. Here was formerly a priory 
of Francifcan friars.—This town has been many years 
noted for its manufactory of pins; but otherwife it is a 
place of no trade. It has a market on Wednefday, and 
five annual fairs, viz. the lad Monday in April, the laft 
Monday in May, the firft Monday in October, the firft 
Monday after St. Luke, and the firft' Monday aftfer All 
Souls. W. Ion. 2. 45. lat. 53. 52. 
ABERFRAW, a (mall town in Anglefea, North Wales, 
twenty miles from Holyhead. It derives its name from 
the river Aber, on the banks of which it is fituated. On 
one fide it is furrounded by fand-banks; and, on the oppo- 
fite, by fine fertile land, producing, in particular, remark¬ 
able fine barley. Though Aberfraw is now an inconfider- 
able place, it was formerly the refidence of the famous 
prince Llewellyn, the remains of whofe houfe are yet to 
be feen. The river is navigable, in the fummer feafon, 
for veflels from thirty to forty tons burthen, up to its 
quay. The living is in the king’s gift, and worth 300L 
per annum. 
ABERGAVENNY, a large, populous, and flourifliing, 
tow'n, in Mcnmouthfhire, feated at the confluence of the 
rivers U(k and Gavenny. It has a fine bridge over the Ufk, 
confiding of fifteen arches; and being a great thorough¬ 
fare from the weft part of Wales to Bath, Briftol, Glou- 
cefter, and other places, is well furniftied with accommo¬ 
dation for travellers. It is furrounded with a wall, and 
had once a caftle. It carries on a confiderable trade in 
flannels, w'hich are brought hither for (ale from the other 
parts of the county. It is governed by a bailiff, recorder, 
and twenty-feven burgeffes.—The environs oi Aberga¬ 
venny are rich and beautiful, and, like the reft of the vale 
from Brecknock, abound with the inoft charming variety 
of landfcape. The profpefts are terminated at proper 
diftances with mountains, among which, at the oppofite 
(ide of the town, Skirid-vawr and Blorencli raife their 
confpicuoits heads. The mountains in this neighbourhood 
abound with iron-ore, coal, and lime; and thereon have 
been lately erefted feveral capital iron-works. Aberga¬ 
venny is j 6 miles from Monmouth, and 144 from London- 
W. Ion. 2. 45. lat. 5. 50. Abergavenny appears to have 
been the Gibbanium of Antoninus, and the town of Ufk 
his Burrium . 
ABERGELY, a village of Denbighfhire.—A bf.r- 
guilly, or Aber.ger.lech, a town of Carmarthea- 
Ihire, 
A B ERL AD Y, 
