passage. But, nevertheless, at periods of spring-tide, or even
when the ordinary flood was accelerated by high winds, this road was
altogether covered by the sea; and tradition had recorded several fatal
accidents which had happened on such occasions. Still, such dangers
were considered as remote and improbable; and rather served, with other
legends, to amuse the hamlet fireside, than to prevent any one from
going between Knockwinnock and Monkbarns by the sands.

As Sir Arthur and Miss Wardour paced along, enjoying the pleasant
footing afforded by the cool moist hard sand, Miss Wardour could not
help observing that the last tide had risen considerably above the
usual water-mark. Sir Arthur made the same observation, but without its
occurring to either of them to be alarmed at the circumstance. The sun
was now resting his huge disk upon the edge of the level ocean,
and gilded the accumulation of towering clouds through which he had
travelled the livelong day, and which now assembled on all sides, like
misfortunes and disasters around a sinking empire and falling monarch.
Still, however, his dying splendour gave a sombre magnificence to the
massive congregation of vapours, forming out of their unsubstantial
gloom the show of pyramids and towers, some touched with gold, some with
purple, some with a hue of deep and dark red. The distant sea, stretched
beneath this varied and gorgeous canopy, lay almost portentously still,
reflecting back the dazzling and level beams of the descending luminary,
and the splendid colouring of the clouds amidst which he was setting.
Nearer to the beach the tide rippled onward in waves of sparkling
silver, that imperceptibly, yet rapidly, gained upon the sand.

With a mind employed in admiration of the romantic scene, or perhaps
on some more agitating topic, Miss Wardour advanced in silence by her
father's side, whose recently offended dignity did not stoop to open
any conversation. Following the windings of the beach, they passed
one projecting point of headland or rock after another, and now found
themselves under a huge and continued extent of the precipices by which
that iron-bound coast is in most places defended. Long projecting reefs
of rock, extending under water and only evincing their existence by here
and there a peak entirely bare, or by the breakers which foamed over
those that were partially covered, rendered Knockwinnock bay dreaded by
pilots and ship-masters. The crags which ros