Chapter VI.

Scotland.

We proceeded north by train. Before, reaching Dundee the Tay Bridge is crossed. It was the scene of a terrible disaster in 1879. An excursion train, full of passengers, in trying to cross at night in a gale was lifted off the rails by the wind. Part of the bridge gave way, and the train fell into deep water. Being locked in the carriages, every one of the passengers was drowned.

The piles of the old bridge are still standing, and look very flimsy beside the present magnificent foundation and structure. Like the Forth Bridge, the line is double, so that no delay is caused in the traffic. As to the speed of trains, the highest is from 60 to 65 miles an hour. The brakes are exceedingly powerful, and a train can be stopped at very short notice. The thirdclass carriages are most comfortably cushioned, and patent springs are used, so that the motion of the train is not unlike that of a ship, yet without producing any feeling of sickness.

From Dundee we went out by a branch line to Alyth. We went over agricultural land, and looked at some very fine cattle and sheep. Where the country is richest the best breeds of English sheep are kept, also shorthorn cattle. Farming pays neither the landlord nor the tenant—whether it be agricultural or grazing. On this system with both parties it is a bare matter of living from hand to mouth. If a man could own his farm and work it as is done in New Zealand. grazing would pay well. But nearly all the land is owned by old families who have been wealthy and will not now bring their sons up to farm work. Thus the land is left to tenants, who each year are able to pay less and less rent, and who also proportionately lower the wages of their labourers.

Foreign competition is responsible for this.

The question is, "Do tangible advantages to the majority in the large towns compensate sufficiently this agricultural distress?"

On the way to Aberdeen we saw a hand of Gipsies camped on a vacant piece of land; they are looked upon as a great nuisance. The law can do little to check them. In the neighbourhood we saw numbers of wealthy men fishing, but never heard of a fish being caught.

Great sums are paid for fishing rights to the owners of land through which rivers and streams run. The number caught is so few that they cost the sportsman their weight in gold. This same thing (except in the case of royalty and such like—small results on the top of big outlay) applies to shooting. It pays the owner better to let his land out to the highest bidder for sporting purposes than it does to farm it. With most of the farms plenty of game exists, but like some armies, mostly on paper. Many of the would-be "shootists" come from America, of course, also from England. Thus the land-owner is able to secure fresh sportsmen each season.

If our New Zealand Acclimatisation Society have not already done so. it would be to the interests of sportsmen to import grouse. These are nearly as large as pheasants, and increase at a marvellous rate. Both the English and Scotch climates suit them, and there seems no reason why that of New Zealand should not be equally favourable. Aberdeen, which is very prosperous as a seaport, does perhaps the largest business in Scotland in sea fishing—the fish being sent by train all over the country. We were very much struck with the price of all kinds of goods exhibited in the shop windows, the rates being decidedly below those of London—qualities being equal. The railway to Ballater runs along the banks of the Dee. a little river not unlike the Maitai in Nelson. The Dee valley varies in width from two miles to 200 yards. Except along the river bank the country is very poor, and the hills grow little else than birch. From the railway quite a number of big country houses can be seen perched on commanding positions.

We did the nine miles from Ballater to Balmoral by bicycle through a birch forest, so dense that the road gets little sun and was in a very muddy state. On our way back we found a much drier, better road.

The situation of Balmoral Castle much resembles a certain locality on the slopes of our New Zealand Ben Nevis, built on a promontory formed by the winding Dee. almost surrounded by page 13 [unclear: s,] on one side high and heathernered (heather which we saw for the lost time and in full bloom); on an [unclear: er] as far as the eye can see, are high, birchcovered hills. The King and been stay here for a short time on [unclear: veral] occasions during the summer. may here be stated that out in New Zealand many people have no idea what busy life the King leads. Little time left him for pleasure or that can be silled his own.