Scenes and legends of the north of Scotland : $b or, The traditional history of Cromarty — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Scenes and legends of the north of Scotland : $b or, The traditional history of Cromarty
John Stuart Mill · en
in the bay of Cromarty. Below the town of Tain a strip of land, once
frequented by the militia of the county for drill and parade, has been
swept away within the recollection of some of the older inhabitants;
and there may be traced at low water (says Carey in his notes to Craig
Phadrig), on the range of shore that stretches from the ferry of
Kessock to nearly Redcastle, the remains of sepulchral cairns, which
must have been raised before the places they occupy were invaded by the
sea, and which, when laid open, have been found to contain beams of
wood, urns, and human bones.--But it is full time that man, the proper
inhabitant of the country, should be more thoroughly introduced into
this portion of its history. We feel comparatively little interest in
the hurricane or the earthquake which ravages only a desert, where
there is no intelligent mind to be moved by the majesty of power, or
the sublimity of danger; while on the other hand, there is no event,
however trivial in itself, which may not be deemed of importance if it
operate influentially on human character and human passion.
[Sidenote: THE STORMS OF THE FIVE WINTERS.]
It is not much more than twenty years since a series of violent
storms from the hostile north-east, which came on at almost regular
intervals for five successive winters, seemed to threaten the modern
town of Cromarty with the fate of the ancient. The tides rose higher
than tides had ever been known to rise before; and as the soil exposed
to the action of the waves was gradually disappearing, instead of
the gentle slope with which the land formerly merged into the beach,
its boundaries were marked out by a dark abrupt line resembling a
turf wall. Some of the people whose houses bordered on the sea looked
exceedingly grave, and affirmed there was no danger whatever; those who
lived higher up thought differently, and pitied their poor neighbours
from the bottom of their hearts. The consternation was heightened
too by a prophecy of Thomas the Rhymer, handed down for centuries,
but little thought of before. It was predicted, it is said, by the
old wizard, that Cromarty should be twice destroyed by the sea, and
that fish should be caught in abundance on the Castle-hill--a rounded
projection of the escarpment which rises behind the houses, and forms
the ancient coast line.
[Sidenote: DONALD MILLER’S WARS WITH THE SEA.]