Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/141

Rh closing the scene. To the east is the course of the river, with islands adding to its beauty; and a rich vale towards Musselburgh, Preston Pans, and Haddington, bounded by the great rock in the sea, called the Bass. To the south-east, Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags rise boldly, sheltering the palace of Holyroodhouse. On the west are the towns, the castle, and a rich vale beyond them, bounded by gigantic mountains; and the Pentland Hills finely close the scene to the south-west. Such is the charming prospect from Calton Hill. But as that hill is the common, daily, and nightly lounge of all the vagabonds and loose tribe of the town, the walk over it must be taken with a gentleman in company, else women of any description will be insulted.

The view from Arthur's Seat is very extensive, and worth the trouble of a fatiguing walk to it. It is called by that name from a tradition, that Arthur, King of England, sat at the top of this mountain to behold a sea-fight. In going up to Arthur's Seat, I passed by St. Anton's, or St. Anthony's well, of extremely pure water, also the ruins of St. Anthony's Chapel, or Restalrig Church.

At a short mile in the Musselburgh road are new barracks; the square before them forms a spacious