Page:Ancient and modern history of Buckhaven in Fife-shire.pdf/2



AMONGST several ancient records, this Buckhaven is not mentioned. There was a set called Buccaniers, who were pirates, that is to say, sea-robbers; and, after a strict search was made for them, they dispersed: what of them escaped justice in the southern climate, are said to have sheltered at or near Berwick-upon-Tweed. After a very smart battle among themselves, they divided; and, it is said, the party who gained the Bucky-battle, fearing the English law to take place, set northward, and took up their residence at this Buckhaven, so called not only from the great quantity of buckies that are found in and about that place, but on account of the battle they had with their neighbours at Berwick, when they divided, which was then called bucking one another, but is now named boxing or fighting. Another party of these Buckers settled in another town northward of Banff,called Bucky, near the river Spey, which is a large sea-town. But among all the sea-towns in Scotland, the fishers still retain a language quite different from the people in the country, and they almost all shift the letter H, and use O instead thereof, which no people in Scotland do but themselves.——There is a corruption of speech in almost every county over Britain, and likewise they use different tones and ways of pronouncing words