on with the boasted luxuriousness of Moray, as an illustration of
how chastisement and comfort are blended in a state of things which is
benignly adjusted for the moral discipline of man, and the correction of
moral evil."

The heat in the province of Moray during the summer of 1829 was unusually
great. In May the drought was so excessive, as to kill many of the
recently planted shrubs and trees. As the season advanced, the
variations in the barometer became so remarkable, that observers began to
lose all confidence in this instrument.

The deluge of rain, which produced the flood of the 3d and 4th of August,
fell chiefly on the Monadhlradh mountains, rising between the south-east
part of Lochness and Kingussie, in Badenoch, and on that part of the
Grampian range forming the somewhat independent groups of the
Cairngorums. The westerly winds, which prevailed for some time
previously, seem to have produced a gradual accumulation of vapour to the
north of our island, and the column, being suddenly impelled by a strong
north-easterly blast, was driven towards the south-west, its right flank
almost sweeping the Caithness and Sutherland coasts, until rushing up and
across the Moray Frith it was attracted by the lofty mountains just
mentioned, and discharged in fearful torrents. There fell at a great
distance from the mountains, within twenty-four hours, about one-sixth of
the annual allowance of rain; on the mountains themselves the deluge that
descended, must have been so enormous as to occasion surprise that a
flood, even yet more tremendous in its magnitude and consequences, did
not result from it.

The mouth of the Findhorn is described as the most important scene of
action. The banks of this river are well defended by rocks on either
side, and its whole course is distinguished by the most romantic scenery.
At the part where it is crossed by the old military bridge of Dulsie, the
scenery is of the wildest character. The flood was most tremendous at
this bridge, for the water was so confined that it filled the smaller
arch altogether, and rose in the great arch to within three feet of the
key-stone, that is to say, forty feet above the usual level. This fine
old bridge sustained but little damage, while many of the modern
buildings were entirely swept away. At another part of the river, it is
stated, as a curious illustration of the height to which the stream had
risen, that a gardener waded into the water as it