Gazetteer of Scotland

PEN
violence againft the rocks, that the
fpray is carried fome miles over land,
and falls down like a lhower of rain.
In the Frith are feveral whirlpools,
called Welh ofSivinna, near the ifland
of Szvinna ; others near the ifland of
Fiftala. The navigation is rendered
more hazardous by the ifland of Stro-
ma and the Pentland Skerries, which
lie near its middle : near the N. fide
of the former ifland there is an exceed-
ing dangerous whirlpool, called the
S-tvalchie of Stroma, by the force of
which the fea is covered with a white
foam to a conftderable diftance. At
the S. fide of the fame ifle is another
dangerous place, in which the waves
are dreadfully agitated, Called the
Merry men of Mey, from the Mcy, a
gentleman's feat, on the oppofite coaft
of Caithnefs. Notwithftanding thefe
dangers, the Pentland Frith may be
croffed and failed through without
great danger, if mariners take care to
enter it at the proper time ; but, at
no time is it pofiible to caft anchor in
any part of it ; and thofe who have
attempted it, have either been obliged
to cut their cables, or they would in-
ftantly have been overwhelmed with
the fury of the waves. This danger-
ous ftrait is the great thorough fare
from the eaftern to the weftern coafts
of the kingdom, and is the terror of
the boldeft failors, and the grave of
thoufands. When a W. or S. W.
wind caufes an increafe of the cur-
rent, fearce any veffel is able to with-
ftand the tempeftuous furge.
■ White are the decks with foam, the
winds aloud
Howl o'er the- mads, and fing through
every fhroud ;
Pale, trembling, tir'd, the failors freeze
with fears,
And inftant death in every wave appears."
To render the navigation rather more
fafe, a light-houfe is erected on the
Pentland Skerries, which lie nearly in
the middle of the E. end of the Frith.
But, it w r ere furely to be wifhed, that
the canal prcpofed from Invernefs to
Foil William was carried into effect,
by which this dangerous and circuit-
ous navigation might be avoided.
Pentland Hills; a ridge of
hills, which begin about 4 miles W.
•©f Edinburgh, and extend a confider-
able way towards the weftern borders
PEN
of Mid-Lothian. They are covered
with rich pafture, affording excellent
pafture to numerous flocks of lheep.
In the valleys between them run feve-
ral romantic dreams, particularly the
North Efk, Glencrofs, and Logan wa-
ters ; the two latter of which difpute
the honour of being the fcene of Ram-
fay's " Gentle Shepherd ;" (vide Glen-
cross.) Some of the hills are of con-
fiderable elevation ; the moft north-
erly, called the hill of Caerketan craig,
being 1450 feet above the level of the
fea, and the hillof Capelazv, to theweft-
ward of it, is about 100 feet higher.
The Logan-houfe hill, ftill farther W.,
and the higheft range of the Perulands,
was found by geometrical merifura-
tion, and repeated barometrical ob-
fervations, to be exactly 1700 feet a-
bove the level of the fea at Leith.
The E. end of this hill is fomewhat
abrupt ; and, on the N. fide, the
naked face of the rock appears of a
lively white when feen at a diftance,
at the height of 1460 feet above the
fea level. This (tone has got the name
of Pctunfe Pentlandica, from its re-
femblance to the materials which are
employed in China for the manufac-
ture of their porcelain. As it is the
only example of this compound ftone
found in Britain, or even in Europe,
a fhort defcription of it will not be
confidered as fuperfiuous. Some fpe-
cimens of it are white, fome of a ffefli
colour, and others are of a cream co-
lour, with fmall red fpots. The pieces
are in general of irregular forms ; but
it is alfo found in layers about three
quarters of an inch thick, and bended
in various directions. Nodules of the
fame fubftance, of the fize of peas,
are alfo found in different parts of the
rock. It is cornpofed of filiceous and
argillaceous earth, infuch proportions,
that it may be manufactured into any
fort of earthen ware, without any ad-
dition. The reft of the hills are moftly
cornpofed of granite, fome of it ca-
pable of receiving a fine polifh. Other
minerals are found in confiderable
quantities, and there are many indi-
cations of metallic ores. The foun-
tains from whence the city of Edin-
burgh is fupplied with water, rife a-
mongft thefe hills. The Braid and
Blackford hills are a continuation of
the fame ridge.
Pentland Skerries; certain