University of Virginia Library

In the woods of Essilmont, there is a most romantic looking pinnacle overhanging the water Ythan. Nature has scooped in it a beautiful little gallery. There the late Miss Gordon, of Essilmont (an old castle, the seat of the Cheynes of Essilmont, was daily soon surrounded by the children of the neighbouring peasantry, teaching them all things needful to their situation in life—their duty to God and the world.

Ythan rises in Forgue, out of Fondland Hill, from two springs; is about 15 miles long, without reckoning its windings; and has six ferry boats; is deep and black, and hence dangerous, Yet it abounds with pearls, which, were they waited for till they became ripe, would turn to good account. Hence one of our poets (Hawthornden, in an epitaph on a nobleman buried here), addressing himself to his river in a melancholy strain, hath said—

The top-pearl in the crown of Scotland, is reported to have been found in Kelly, a little brook that falls into Ythan in Methlick parish. Sir Thomas Menzies of Cults having procured it—for beauty and bigness, the best at any time found in Scotland, —and having found, by the judgement of the best jewellers in Edinburgh, that it was most precious, and of a very high value, went up to London and gifted it to the king, —this was in the year 1620,—who, in retribution, gave him 12 or 14 chalders of victual about Dumferline, and the custom of merchant-goods in Aberdeen during his life.

In the reign of King Charles I., the trade was considered of sufficient moment to be worthy the attention of the Parliament. The pearls of Scotland long shared with those of Bohemia the reputation of being the best found in Europe, though they were held to be very far inferior to those found in the East. —[Description of the Diocese of Aberdeen, and notes to it; presented to the Spalding Club by the Earl of Aberdeen.]