Journal as a Pedlar, 1789-90
SEPT. 22.—Left this place, and proceeded eastwards about three miles, to Prestonpans. This town is larger but not so regular as the last, neither are the houses so good, but rather ruinous; the streets on account of the numerous salt-pans, black and narrow, and the buildings, if so they may be called, dismally exhibiting the effects of Time's all-devouring jaws, tottering on the brink of dissolution, and threatening every gale of wind to be the eternal residences of their possessors. About a mile to the southward of this, the battle of Prestonpans was fought, where the gallant Colonel Gardiner fell, whose house stands near the place of action. Leaving this place, with little success, I pursued my way eastward, passing a little village on the shore, called Cockenzie, composed chiefly of salt-pans and the workmen's huts. Five miles farther east, I came to another village called Aberlady. Here I propose to spend the night and moralize on the toils and disappointments of the day.
SEPT. 23.—Rose by day-break, and proceeded on my pilgrimage. The country for about three miles to the east of this, along the shore, is a sandy level, interspersed with little hillocks, and inhabited by innumerable swarms of rabbits, under the dominion of an old weaver, whose sole prerogative and occupation it is, in the winter season, to apprehend, execute, and dispose of them to the best advantage.
Entered about nine o'clock the town of North-Berwick, a seaport, situated at the extremity of a long sandy bay. About half-a-mile south from this, a high hill rises, named North-Berwick Law, and is seen at a vast distance both by sea and land.
With much difficulty I reached its top, on which is erected the two jaw-bones of a whale, and over them a pendant streams in the wind. The view from this is really beautiful; the wide German ocean spreading in the east far as the eye can reach. The county of Fife and wild enormous ranges of mountains to the north, while the Frith of Forth stretching to the west, lies spotted with rocks, ships, and small islands. After satisfying my curiosity, descend to North-Berwick, where I intend to repose for this night.
SEPT. 24.—Left this place, and continued eastwards, passing along a very steep and rocky shore, till I came to a place called Comly-bay, where a few solitary fishermen live. At the eastern extremity of this bay, the shore rises so high that I was forced to take to hands and feet, and climb for a considerable way, till I reached the summit of it. Here I had a near and an agreeable view of the Bass, a large rock, almost circular, rising out of the sea to the dreadful height of 600 feet, and distant from the shore about a mile, giving the spectator an awful idea of its Almighty Founder, “Who weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance;” who by one word raiseth into existence this vast universe, with all these unwieldy rocks; and Who will, when His almighty goodness shall think fit, with one word, command them to their primitive nothing. The ruins of an old castle are still to be seen on its south side, which was formerly used as a place of confinement to many of the persecuted Presbyterians. Prodigious numbers of Solan geese build among the cliffs of the rock. The method used to catch their young is somewhat dangerous. As soon as it is perceived that the young are arrived at their proper bigness, which they do ere capable of flying (this happens generally about the middle of July), then the climber has a rope fixed round his middle with a feather pillow bound on his breast, to prevent sharp pointed crags from wounding him in his ascent or descent. Being thus secured, he is let down over the verge of the rock, till he come to the nests of the geese, while flying and screaming around him in vast multitudes and of nameless kinds, deploring the loss of their unfortunate young. A considerable number of boats are stationed below, ready to receive the fowls, as soon as he drives them from their holes. This is easily effected. The birds unable to support themselves, and falling from such a height, are so stunned, that before they can recover themselves, they are snatched from the sea and secured. This method they yearly repeat, sending those caught to Edinburgh, where they are generally sold at two shillings and two shillings and sixpence each. The climber, who, at this season, resides constantly on the island, has a little but built, where he sells liquor, bread, cheese, &c., for the accommodation of those sportsmen who visit the rock for the diversion of shooting. The shore all along here is exceedingly high and rugged, while a ceaseless surf rolls impetuously among the precipitated fragments below. Proceeding a mile further east, I came to the remains of an old fortification, known by the name of Tamtallan. It is built on the verge of a high shore overhanging the sea, nearly opposite to the Bars, and distant from it a long mile, composed of three towers, about sixty paces from each other, and joined by a strong high wall, all seemingly whole, except the west tower, which hangs in ruins. I measured the wall, and found it in many places more than ten feet thick, and strongly cemented. The whole building is about six storeys, quite inaccessible towards the sea, and seems to have been deeply trenched toward the land. This place and the Bass, are both the property of Sir Hugh Dalrymple of Leuchie, proprietor of a large estate in this country, of that name, and superior of the town of North-Berwick.