to Dunkeld, which formerly passed through it, is now ploughed up. Perhaps the community of no city in the kingdom are in possession of a finer or more extensive green; and the inhabitants do not neglect their good fortune. Cows grazing; women washing and bleaching linens; groups of the inhabitants enjoying a walk, or some more active amusement; and companies of soldiers exercising, are continually enlivening the scene, which is in the highest dégree delightful.

During the season of salmon-fishing, a walk on the North Inch has an additional interest. In good seasons, thirty, forty, or fifty salmon are sometimes taken at one hawl; and there have been instances of a number much and incredibly larger. The vast quantity of this exquisite fish which the river annually produces, is mostly consumed in London; and the inhabitants of Perth justly complain of the

to the chiefs to pick out thirty men on each side, and decide the quarrel in the North Inch of Perth, in presence of the King; and they undertook that the conquering party should be honoured by him. They accepted the proposals, and thirty on each side were chosen by their chieftains. They met in a place surrounded by a deep trench, around which galleries were built for the spectators. When they were ready to engage, one of the M'Intoshes was seized with a panic, and hid himself. This accident stopped them, till Henry Winde, a saddler in Perth, advanced, and offered to supply his place for half a French golddollar. The terms were accepted; the combat began, and was carried on with redoubled fury on both fides, until, twenty-nine of the M'Kays were killed. The remaining one unwounded, wifely judging that he could not resist the impetuosity of Henry Winde, and ten M'Intoshes who were left alive, jumped into the river Tay, swam to the other side, and escaped."

the difficulty they have in procuring a dish which nature has provided them. This arises from the circumstance of all the fishings in the neighbourhood being farmed by two houses only, who find it their interest to forward a regular supply to the London market. In days of no very ancient date, servants used to stipulate, that they should not be obliged to dine upon salmon more than twice a-week!

On the west side of the Inch stands Balhousie. The situation of this mansion on a swelling bank, crowned with aged trees, is fine. Behind the house, secluded from view, is a flour-mill, the water that drives which, tradition says, was procured from the town's lead, or aqueduct, by the artifice of a former proprietor. This crafty knight of elder times, begged a boon of his sovereign, which being granted, bore the modest aspect of a boot-full of water from the canal at a given spot; but when he produced the boot, it was deficient in a sole, and thus he obtained a continual current for the mill of Balhousie *.

Returning from our walk on the Inch, Charlotte Street leads us to the Bridge, where we will now take

our

When the Balhousie cut was originally taken off, does not appear. Mr Cant has the following note: "The boot of Balhousie is a strong stone-work on the east bank of the aqueduct, in which is a round hole, with a ring of iron at both ends, thirtytwo inches round, for conveying water from the aqueduct to the mill of Balhousie, by contract and agreement betwixt the Eviots of Balhousie and the town of Perth. the town, the following contract is recorded. maid at Perth the 19th June 1464, betwixt the alderman, baillies, counfell, and communitie of Perth, and Richard Eviot

In the archives of "This indenture,

Our station. This edifice, of which Perth is justly proud, is very modern; having been finished only in 1771. It is a simple and unadorned, but stately and elegant structure; and has resisted an accumulated pressure of ice and water, which could not have been. exceeded by any of the inundations which threw down similar buildings of former ages at this place. More than one have given way to the impetuosity of floods. The great inundation in the thirteenth century, (which Boece fabled to have destroyed ancient Bertha), swept away a stately bridge; and in 1621, a building of ten spacious arches was carried off. After the demolition of the latter, many unsuccessful attempts were made for its restoration. A subscription was made by James VI. Charles Prince of Wales, and a long list of noblemen and gentlemen; but the king's death suspended the scheme, and the turbulence of the succeeding reign prevented the execution of the design. For the following century and a half, the opposite bank of the river was gained only by ferrying. At length, the present Bridge was built by a subscription, which was in a great degree procured, and entirely given effect to, by the public spirit

B

of Balhousie, the said bowt shall be taen up and newlie maid of threttie twa inche of wydnes within at baith the endis, and bandit with iron baith within and without at baith the ends." This stone-work was lately repaired, and the rings adjusted according to the original contract, in presence of commissioners appointed by the Earl of Kinnoul, now proprietor of Balhousie, and the magistrates of Perth. The descent of the water into the canal of Balhousie through the ring, forms a strong cascade, where people, afflicted with rheumatisms and colds, bathe to be relieved of their complaints."

spirit of a nobleman, who had retired with honour from the diplomatic service of his country; but who, in his retirement, did not neglect the welfare of his neighbourhood. The village of Bridgend, formerly inconsiderable and neglected, has, since the building of the Bridge, become thriving and populous; and the value of land on that side of the river has risen rapidly. But this building has contributed, not to the prosperity of Perth and its neighbourhood alone; it has been productive of benefit to all the north of Scotland.

Turning again towards the town, we enter George Street; which was opened since the building of the bridge. In this street, among other handsome houses, are the Bank, and the Glovers Hall. This last (a large and handsome room) is the scene of all public

amusements.

We are now returned to the High Street, at the east end of which stands the Prison and Town-House, occupying the site of the ancient chapel of the Virgin. This erection was close to the great gate of the old Bridge †, and the priests had access to the river by a stair called our Lady's Steps. Here there is now a small quay, which is chiefly

*The Earl of Kinnoul.!

"The old Bridge was a stately building, and a great ornament of the town. It was in a line with the principal street where the Town Hall now stands, and had a very strong gate at the entry from the street. In the time of inundations it was often in danger by the water gorging, both on the side of Perth and Bridge-end on the opposite side of the river. There is extant, among the records belonging to the abbacy of Scone, an order from King Robert Bruce to the abbot and monks, to allow the magistrates of Perth the liberty of digging stones out

of

PRISON, TOWN-HOUSE, AND OLD BRIDGE.

19

chiefly occupied by boats with cured cod, haddocks, and other fish from the north seas, which remain until their cargoes are disposed of. The jail contains a sufficient number of apartments, but they are cold and dirty, and the building is so insecure, that justice as well as humanity calls loudly for a new prison. Want of unanimity in the county has hitherto prevented so desirable an acquisition; but it now forms

of the quarries of Kincarochie and Balcormac for building the bridge of Tay, the bridge of Earn and the kirk, which, on account of its simplicity, I give to the reader.

"Robertus, Dei gratia, Rex Scotorum, religiosis Abbate et conventui de Scona, dilectis et fidelibus suis, salutem: Vos roga. mus, quatenus ad instantiam nostram, concedere velitis licentiam capiendi lapicidiorum de Kynkarachi et Balcormac, pro edifica tione ecclesiæ de Perth, et pontium de Perth et Eryn, ita quod dicta licentia non cedat vobis in damnum aut præjudicium. Datum, apud Glascuæ, quarta die Julii anno regni nostri vigesimo tertio." The above order was granted A. D. 1329.

A considerable citizen of Perth, called Dundee, has recorded several events, with their dates, in a miscellaneous manuscript in my possession, begun A. D. 1570, and continued by his son to A. D. 1636. He says, "The falline doune of the three buwis of the brig of Tay be the greit wattir and of Lowis Vairk on the 20 of Decembir, in anno 1573."

"The downe falling of 5 bowis of the brig of Tay on the 14 day of Janeveir, in anno 1582 zeiris."

"The downe falling of the bra trein pillaris of the brig of Tay on the 29 day of Decembre, in anno 1589 zeiris.”

Among the records belonging to the house of Pitthevlis, there is an order from the King and secret council for allowing the magistrates of Perth the liberty of stones out of the quarry of Pitthevlis for repairing the bridge, on payment of fifty merks yearly, until the bridge is finished. The order is dated, A. D.

1599