* BRÆMAR.-INVERCAULD.-PASS OF CAIRNGORM. "Here first beneath the hawthorn bush, The spring-flower scents the gale: Awakes the smiling vale. Here, oft by wild and wimpling stream, From alpine summits bald, The bard has sung his Doric theme " The Bowers of Invercauld.'" &c. 151 In the district of Bræmar is a mountain, called the "Lesser Cairngorm," which it is important the tourist should know how to distinguish from the real Cairngorm; for, although the latter is accessible on this side, the enterprise is one that will occupy many hours, and require an effort of no mean consideration even to the robust pedestrian. This mountain we briefly mentioned in our sketch of Inverness-shire, to which it belongs, and shall here confine our observations to the scene so ably represented in the engraving. The Highland deer-stalker, like the chamois hunter of the Alps, requires no small share of fortitude in the pursuit of his game; and to be successful, he must, like the former, have a constitution tempered by long and frequent exposure to the keen blasts of the desert. The stately red deer, like the chamois, keeps far aloof from the haunts of men. As in the plate before us, the adventurous native must track the noble herd through the snow, and from his ambush pick out the stragglers. Accidents have often occurred during severe winters in the exercise of this dangerous calling; and not a pass in the Grampians but has its catalogue of hair-breadth 'scapes, or sudden catastrophes. On New Year's Day, in the year 1799, a party of huntsmen in the forest of Gaich, headed by a gentleman of the name of M'Pherson, proceeded the previous night to a hut on the hill, that they might be out early in the morning in quest of the deer. During the night, a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning came on, and before morning the hut was entirely destroyed; the walls were scattered in fragments, and every individual perished, leaving an impenetrable mystery as to the real circumstances of the case. By some, the catastrophe was attributed to the fall of an avalanche from the adjoining height, where the snow, having accumulated to a great depth, had suddenly slipt its perch, and overwhelmed the hut and its inmates. Others assign electricity as the cause; while the natives invest the whole with many dark, superstitious surmises, which, in a country like this, • The surface of Cairngorm is, in some places, sprinkled over with those crystals which have obtained the name of Cairngorms, and are generally washed down by streams from cavities in the rocks. Scotch topaz and beryl are likewise found here, but more plentifully on the south side, in the alluvia of the Dee and the Don. so mysterious a calamity was too well calculated to strengthen. The rifles of the party were found twisted, as if from the effects of lightning; but the bodies of the men themselves appeared when found as if they had been suffocated in bed; only one of the party was found a little way beyond the spot where the hut had stood. In this, as in almost every country where the ancient barons or feudal chiefs were much given to this pastime,* the superstitious belief of invisible hunting seems to have prevailed. Speaking of this, as popularly received in the neighbouring country of "woody Ross," the author of "Albania" has the following highly poetical passage: "There oft is heard at midnight, or at noon, And horns hoarse-winded, blowing far and keen :- Forthwith the hubbub multiplies, the gale Labours with wilder shrieks, and rifer din Of hot pursuit; the broken cry of deer Mangled by throttling dogs; the shouts of men, Starts at the noise, and both the herdsman's ears To what to whom he owes his idle fear, To ghost, to witch, to fairy, or to fiend; The town of Elgin stands in an open, alluvial, and fertile valley, skirted by low terraced banks on the margin of the Lossie. It is a flourishing town, having a well conducted weekly print, an extensive public library, with the benefit of an excellent academy; and is much resorted to by families in easy and affluent circumstances, who find in Elgin most of those rational pleasures and advantages which attend a residence in the capital. The buildings of a public nature-particularly the new church-are of chaste design and able execution. The church, in the Grecian style, is considered the finest specimen For an account of, perhaps, the most gorgeous hunt on record, the reader may refer to that given in féte to James V., by the earl of Athol, 1528.-LINDSAY, page 266. And also "the hunting given by the same nobleman for the entertainment of the queen," 1563, in which were killed three hundred and sixty deer, five wolves, and some roes.-Barclay. Logan, vol. ii. p. 49. ELGIN, CATHEDRAL.-GORDON CASTLE. 153 of a sacred edifice in the north of Scotland. The others are the Infirmary,* the Episcopal Chapel, and a richly endowed institution for the support of old people, and for the education of the poorer classes.* The streets, like those of some other old episcopal towns, abound with picturesque and fantastic-looking houses, which, besides every variety of shape, often display projecting wooden balconies and piazzas, overhanging and partly encroaching on the public way. But the pride of Elgin is its venerable Cathedral, long styled the "lantern of the North," similar to that of Haddington, which was anciently designated the "lamp of Lothian." Of this magnificent temple the two square towers alone are left standing, each eighty-four feet in height, but which were formerly terminated by lofty spires. The large intermediate door-way, and part of the great window above, are entire. The body of the cathedral measured two hundred and eighty-two, by eight-six feet, over the walls: the transept was one hundred and fifteen feet in length; while, in the centre of the whole, a superb tower, supported on massive pillars, rose to the height of two hundred feet.-But it is not necessary here to enter into a minute detail of its admirable proportions and elaborate workmanship, the latter of which is not surpassed by that of any existing edifice in the kingdom. The whole was surrounded by a wall of nearly a thousand yards in circuit, with entrances by four different gates. The resident officials consisted of a dean, a chancellor, archdeacon, chanter, treasurer, and twenty-four canons, each of whom had a house and garden within the precincts. This magnificent pile was founded in July, 1224, by Bishop Andrew Moray, and completed afterwards, through the exertions of several popes, who directed collections to be made for that purpose in various parts of Europe, and sent artisans and architects from Rome to forward and superintend the execution of the work. The scene represented in the engraving, is that of its destruction in 1390, by the ferocious" Wolf of Badenoch"-son of King Robert II., already noticed in these pages-who, having been excommunicated for some heinous outrage by the bishop of Moray, assembled a tumultuary army of Highland vassals, and burned this stately pile, "without," says Scott, "incurring punishment, or even censure, from his feeble-minded sovereign, for an act which combined the glaring crimes of rebellion and sacrilege." Its rebuilding was commenced by bishop Grey's Hospital," for the sick poor of the town and county, was founded and amply endowed by Dr. Grey, of the East India Company's service, a native of Elgin; and opened for the reception of patients in 1819. The "Elgin Institution" was founded by another philanthropic native of the same place, and long in the same service, Lieutenant-General Anderson-consisting of an Hospital, a School of Industry, and a Free School-in which latter department, two hundred and thirty children are now (1835) receiving a gratuitous education, suited to their future prospects or capacities. These noble monuments of native philanthropy are the source of innumerable blessings to the town and county. |