the life of thomas telford-第54章

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lay　immediately　outside　the　town；　the　region　beyond　was　as　sterile

as　it　is　possible　for　land　to　be　in　such　a　latitude。　　〃Any　wher；〃

says　an　ancient　writer；　〃after　yow　pass　a　myll　without　the　tonne；

the　countrey　is　barren　lyke；　the　hills　craigy；　the　plaines　full　of

marishes　and　mosses；　the　feilds　are　covered　with　heather　or　peeble

stons；　the　come　feilds　mixt　with　thes　bot　few。　　The　air　is　temperat

and　healthful　about　it；　and　it　may　be　that　the　citizens　owe　the

acuteness　of　their　wits　thereunto　and　their　civill　inclinations；

the　lyke　not　easie　to　be　found　under　northerlie　climats；　damped　for

the　most　pairt　with　air　of　a　grosse　consistence。〃*＇3＇　　But　the　old

inhabitants　of　Aberdeen　and　its　neighbourhood　were　really　as　rough

as　their　soil。　　Judged　by　their　records；　they　must　have　been

dreadfully　haunted　by　witches　and　sorcerers　down　to　a　comparatively

recent　period；　witch…burning　having　been　common　in　the　town　until

the　end　of　the　sixteenth　century。　　We　find　that；　in　one　year；　no

fewer　than　twenty…three　women　and　one　man　were　burnt；　the　Dean　of

Guild　Records　containing　the　detailed　accounts　of　the　〃loads　of

peattis；　tar　barrellis；〃　and　other　combustibles　used　in　burning

them。　　The　lairds　of　the　Garioch；　a　district　in　the　immediate

neighbourhood；　seem　to　have　been　still　more　terrible　than　the

witches；　being　accustomed　to　enter　the　place　and　make　an　onslaught

upon　the　citizens；　according　as　local　rage　and　thirst　for　spoil

might　incline　them。　　On　one　of　such　occasions；　eighty　of　the

inhabitants　were　killed　and　wounded。*＇4＇　　Down　even　to　the　middle　of

last　century　the　Aberdonian　notions　of　personal　liberty　seem　to

have　been　very　restricted；　for　between　1740　and　1746　we　find　that

persons　of　both　sexes　were　kidnapped；　put　on　board　ships；　and

despatched　to　the　American　plantations；　where　they　were　sold　for

slaves。　　Strangest　of　all；　the　men　who　carried　on　this　slave　trade

were　local　dignitaries；　one　of　them　being　a　town's　baillie；　another

the　town…clerk　depute。　　Those　kidnapped　were　openly　〃driven　in

flocks　through　the　town；　like　herds　of　sheep；　under　the　care　of　a

keeper　armed　with　a　whip。〃*＇5＇　　So　open　was　the　traffic　that　the

public　workhouse　was　used　for　their　reception　until　the　ships

sailed；　and　when　that　was　filled；　the　tolbooth　or　common　prison　was

made　use　of。　　The　vessels　which　sailed　from　the　harbour　for　America

in　1743　contained　no　fewer　than　sixty…nine　persons；　and　it　is

supposed　that；　in　the　six　years　during　which　the　Aberdeen　slave

trade　was　at　its　height；　about　six　hundred　were　transported　for

sale；　very　few　of　whom　ever　returned。*＇6＇　　This　slave　traffic

was　doubtless　stimulated　by　the　foreign　ships　beginning　to

frequent　the　port；　for　the　inhabitants　were　industrious；　and　their

plaiding；　linen；　and　worsted　stockings　were　in　much　request　as

articles　of　merchandise。　　Cured　salmon　were　also　exported　in　large

quantities。　　As　early　as　1659；　a　quay　was　formed　along　the　Dee

towards　the　village　of　Foot　Dee。　　〃Beyond　Futty；〃　says　an　old

writer；　〃lyes　the　fisher…boat　heavne；　and　after　that；　towards　the

promontorie　called　Sandenesse；　ther　is　to　be　seen　a　grosse　bulk　of

a　building；　vaulted　and　flatted　above　（the　Blockhous　they　call　it）；

begun　to　be　builded　anno　1513；　for　guarding　the　entree　of　the

harboree　from　pirats　and　algarads；　and　cannon　wer　planted　ther　for

that　purpose；　or；　at　least；　that　from　thence　the　motions　of　pirats

might　be　tymouslie　foreseen。　This　rough　piece　of　work　was　finished

anno　1542；　in　which　yer　lykewayes　the　mouth　of　the　river　Dee　was

locked　with　cheans　of　iron　and　masts　of　ships　crossing　the　river；

not　to　be　opened　bot　at　the　citizens'　pleasure。〃*＇7＇　　After　the

Union；　but　more　especially　after　the　rebellion　of　1745；　the　trade

of　Aberdeen　made　considerable　progress。　　Although　Burns；　in　1787；

briefly　described　the　place　as　a　〃lazy　toun；〃　the　inhabitants　were

displaying　much　energy　in　carrying　out　improvements　in　their

port。*＇8＇　　In　1775　the　foundation…stone　of　the　new　pier　designed　by

Mr。　Smeaton　was　laid　with　great　ceremony；　and；　the　works　proceeding

to　completion；　a　new　pier；　twelve　hundred　feet　long；　terminating　in

a　round　head；　was　finished　in　less　than　six　years。　　The　trade　of

the　place　was；　however；　as　yet　too　small　to　justify　anything　beyond

a　tidal　harbour；　and　the　engineer's　views　were　limited　to　that

object。　He　found　the　river　meandering　over　an　irregular　space　about

five　hundred　yards　in　breadth；　and　he　applied　the　only　practicable

remedy；　by　confining　the　channel　as　much　as　the　limited　means

placed　at　his　disposal　enabled　him　to　do；　and　directing　the　land

floods　so　as　to　act　upon　and　diminish　the　bar。　　Opposite　the　north

pier；　on　the　south　side　of　the　river；　Smeaton　constructed　a

breast…wall　about　half　the　length　of　the　Pier。　　Owing；　however；

to　a　departure　from　that　engineer's　plans；　by　which　the　pier　was

placed　too　far　to　the　north；　it　was　found　that　a　heavy　swell

entered　the　harbour；　and；　to　obviate　this　formidable　inconvenience；

a　bulwark　was　projected　from　it；　so　as　to　occupy　about　one　third　of

the　channel　entrance。



The　trade　of　the　place　continuing　to　increase；　Mr。　Rennie　was

called　upon；　in　1797；　to　examine　and　report　upon　the　best　means　of

improving　the　harbour；　when　he　recommended　the　construction　of

floating　docks　upon　the　sandy　flats　called　Foot　Dee。　　Nothing　was

done　at　the　time；　as　the　scheme　was　very　costly　and　considered

beyond　the　available　means　of　the　locality。　　But　the　magistrates

kept　the　subject　in　mind；　and　when　Mr。　Telford　made　his　report　on

the　best　means　of　improving　the　harbour　in　1801；　he　intimated　that

the　inhabitants　were　ready　to　cooperate　with　the　Government　in

rendering　it　capable　of　accommodating　ships　of　war；　as　far　as　their

circumstances　would　permit。



In　1807；　the　south　pier…head；　built　by　Smeaton；　was　destroyed　by　a

storm；　and　the　time　had　arrived　when　something　must　be　done；　not

only　to　improve　but　even　to　preserve　the　port。　　The　magistrates

accordingly　proceeded；　in　1809；　to　rebuild　the　pier…head　of　cut

granite；　and　at　the　same　time　they　applied　to　Parliament　for

authority　to　carry　out　further　improvements　after　the　plan

recommended　by　Mr。　Telford；　and　the　necessary　powers　were

conferred　in　the　following　year。　　The　new　works　comprehended　a

large　extension　of　the　wharfage　accommodation；　the　construction　of

floating　and　graving　docks；　increased　means　of　scouring　the　harbour

and　ensuring　greater　depth　of　water　on　the　bar　across　the　river's

mouth；　and　the　provision　of　a　navigable　communication　between　the

Aberdeenshire　Canal　and　the　new　harbour。



＇Image＇　Plan　of　Aberdeen　Harbour



The　extension　of　the　north　pier　was　first　proceeded　with；　under　the

superintendence　of　John　Gibb；　the　resident　engineer；　and　by　the

year　1811　the　whole　length　of　300　additional　feet　had　been

completed。　The　beneficial　effects　of　this　extension　were　so

apparent；　that　a　general　wish　was　expressed　that　it　should　be

carried　further；　and　it　was　eventually　determined　to　extend　the

pier　780　feet　beyond　Smeaton's　head；　by　which　not　only　was　much

deeper　water　secured；　but　vessels　were　better　enabled　to　clear　the

Girdleness　Point。　This　extension　was　successfully　carried　out　by

the　end　of　the　year　1812。　A　strong　breakwater；　about　800　feet　long；

was　also　run　out　from　the　south　shore；　leaving　a　space　of　about　250

feet　as　an　entrance；　thereby　giving　greater　protection　to　the

shipping　in　the　harbour；　while　the　contraction　of　the　channel；　by

increasing　the　〃scour；〃　tended　to　give　a　much　greater　depth　of

water　on　the　bar。



＇Image＇　Aberdeen　Harbour。



The　outer　head　of　the　pier　was　seriously　injured　by　the　heavy

storms　of　the　two　succeeding　winters；　which　rendered　it　necessary

to　alter　its　formation　to　a　very　flat　slope　of　about　five　to　one

all　round　the　head。*＇9＇



＇Image＇　Section　of　pier…head　work。



New　wharves　were　at　the　same　time　constructed　inside　the　harbour；

a　new　channel　for　the　river　was　excavated；　which　further