and fattened on
the grass of the sloping part of it, like beasts grazing the roof of a
cathedral. He had charge besides of the solan geese that roosted in the
crags; and from these an extraordinary income is derived. The young are
dainty eating, as much as two shillings a-piece being a common price,
and paid willingly by epicures; even the grown birds are valuable for
their oil and feathers; and a part of the minister's stipend of North
Berwick is paid to this day in solan geese, which makes it (in some
folks' eyes) a parish to be coveted. To perform these several
businesses, as well as to protect the geese from poachers, Andie had
frequent occasion to sleep and pass days together on the crag; and we
found the man at home there like a farmer in his steading. Bidding us
all shoulder some of the packages, a matter in which I made haste to
bear a hand, he led us in by a locked gate, which was the only admission
to the island, and through the ruins of the fortress, to the governor's
house. There we saw, by the ashes in the chimney and a standing
bed-place in one corner, that he made his usual occupation.

This bed he now offered me to use, saying he supposed I would set up to
be gentry.

"My gentrice has nothing to do with where I lie," said I. "I bless God I
have lain hard ere now, and can do the same again with thankfulness.
While I am here, Mr. Andie, if that be your name, I will do my part and
take my place beside the rest of you; and I ask you on the other hand to
spare me your mockery, which I own I like ill."

He grumbled a little at this speech, but seemed upon reflection to
approve it. Indeed, he was a long-headed, sensible man, and a good Whig
and Presbyterian; read daily in a pocket Bible, and was both able and
eager to converse seriously on religion, leaning more than a little
towards the Cameronian extremes. His morals were of a more doubtful
colour. I found he was deep in the free trade, and used the ruins of
Tantallon for a magazine of smuggled merchandise. As for a gauger, I do
not believe he valued the life of one at half-a-farthing. But that part
of the coast of Lothian is to this day as wild a place, and the commons
there as rough a crew as any in Scotland.

One incident of my imprisonment is made memorable by a consequence it
had long after. There was a warship at this time stationed in the Firth,
the _Seahorse_, Captain Palliser. It chanced she was cruising in the
month of September, plying between