Excerpt: ...in proportion, it was curious to listen to the vaunts of coming prowess that arose from the board. No limit was placed upon the victims who were to be gathered to their fathers, and loyalty and devotion knew no bounds.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848 edition. Excerpt: ...The European traders were, Italian, Ragusan, Austrian, and Dalmatian; and-in 1805, a few French, but under English colours, and with Mahzese crews. These bring French wines, and German and English cloth. They carry back fish and iron.--Heber's MS. Journal. " " In winter the greatest fishery is carried on. Holes are made in the ice, at small distances; and the net passed under from each of these to the next in sueeession, by means of a pole, until a largo tract is inolosed. Christmas is consequently as busy a time as Midsummer, and a mild winter is ruinous."--Ilebea-'.s MS. Journal. 'l' A poud equals thirty-six pounds of English weight; but some writers, among others the translator of Pallas': Travel: through the South of Russia, 8:0. state it as equal to forty.-,5 I The canal of communication between the Volga and the Don, according to Perry, (p. 3.) would have been 140 versts, because it would have followed the course of two other small rivers; the Lavla, which falls into the Don, and the Camishinka, which falls into the Volga: but the section for the canal would not much rflie Great projected a canal, and which it was Paul': intention to have completed. A draught of the intended commu nication between the Euxine and the Caspian Sea, by means of this canal, was first published by Perry, the English engineer, Wlrho was employed by Peter for the undertaking. That is not the least interesting part of Perry's narrative, which relates the conduct of the Russian government towards him, because it shows the false glare which played about the greatest sovereign they ever had. Russia is, and was, and ever will be, that point in the great circle of society, where the extremes of meanness and magnificence...

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: ...contains a tombstone erected by the author of "Waverley " to the memory of Helen "Walker (the Jeanie Deans of the "Heart of Midlothian.") DUMFRIES TO STRANRAER AND PORTPATRICK. 103 Dumfries To Stranraer And Portpatrick. By railway through Kirkcudbright and Wigton shires. This route affords the tourist an opportunity of viewing the extreme southern coast of Scotland. Leaving Dumfries, we proceed by Dalbeattie, a thriving place, near which is the old castle of Buittle, and i miles farther reach Castle Douglas--a neat and well-built town. In its vicinity is Carlingwark Loch, covering a surface of 100 acres, and studded with picturesque little islands. On a small island in the Dee, about a mile to the west, is Threave Castle, an old stronghold of the Douglases. A short distance to the south is Gelston Castle, a modern building, erected by the late Sir William Douglas. In the neighbourhood of Creetown are several valuable granite quarries, from which the new Liverpool docks were built. In the manse of this parish, Dr. Thomas Brown, the distinguished philosopher, was born in 1778; and he was buried in the old churchyard. The scene of a part of the novel of " Guy Mannering" is laid in this neighbourhood, and Dirk Hatteraiek's cave is pointed out on the coast between Creetown and Gatehouse. Kirkcudbright, the capital of the county, is situated 6 miles below the confluence of the Dee with the Tarff, these rivers here forming an estuary called Kirkcudbright Bay. A branch railway connects it with Castle-Douglas, from which it is distant about 11 miles. It is surrounded with terraced woods and romantic walks, and connected with the Borgue side of the Dee by a handsome metal bridge. The modern parish church is a conspicuous...

Excerpt: ... saddles, rode, as the custom is, with light snaffle bridles, leather guards over our feet, and broad wooden stirrups, and each carried his lunch in a pouch slung on the lassoing horn of his saddle. Four big, badly-trained dogs accompanied us. It was a ride of nearly thirty miles, and of many hours, one of the most splendid I ever took. We never got off our horses except to tighten the girths, we ate our lunch with our bridles knotted over saddle horns, started over the level at full gallops, leapt over trunks of trees, dashed madly down hillsides rugged with rocks or strewn with great stones, forded deep, rapid streams, saw lovely lakes and views of surpassing magnificence, startled a herd of elk with uncouth heads and in the chase, which for some time was unsuccessful, rode to the very base of Long's Peak, over 14,000 feet high, where the bright waters of one of the affluents of the Platte burst from the eternal snows through a canyon of indescribable majesty. The sun was hot, but at a height of over 8,000 feet the air was crisp and frosty, and the enjoyment of riding a good horse under such exhilarating circumstances was extreme. In one wild part of the ride we had to come down a steep hill, thickly wooded with pitch pines, to leap over the fallen timber, and steer between the dead and living trees to avoid being "snagged," or bringing down a heavy dead branch by an unwary touch. Emerging from this, we caught sight of a thousand Texan cattle feeding in a valley below. The leaders scented us, and, taking fright, began to move off in the direction of the open "park," while we were about a mile from and above them. "Head them off, boys " our leader shouted; "all aboard; hark away " and with something of the "High, tally-ho in the morning " away we all went at a hard gallop down-hill. I could not hold my excited animal; down-hill, up-hill, leaping over rocks and timber, faster every moment the pace grew, and still the leader shouted, "Go it, boys ..".