At Cramond, at the mouth of the river Almond, above Edinburgh, was Alaterva, the chief Roman harbour on the southern coast of the Forth, where numerous coins, urns, sculptured stones, and the remnant of a harbour have been detected. The old Roman quays built along what must then have been the sea margin, have been found on what is now dry land, and although some silt carried down in suspension by the waters of the Forth may account for a part of the gain of low land, we yet require an upward movement of about twenty feet to explain the growth of the dreary expanse of mud now stretching along the shore and extending outwards, where it attains its greatest breadth, well-nigh two miles, across which vessels, even of light burden can now only venture at full tide. Had these shoals existed eighteen centuries ago, they would have prevented the Romans from selecting this as their chief port; whereas, if the land were now to sink twenty feet, Cramond would unquestionably be the best natural harbour along the whole of the south side of the Forth.[1]
Corresponding in level with the raised beach at Leith, above mentioned (or about twenty-five feet above high-water mark), is the Carse of Stirling, a low tract of land consisting of loamy and peaty beds, in which several skeletons of whales of large size have been found. One of these was dug up at Airthrie[2], near Stirling, about a mile from the river, and seven miles from the sea. Mr. Bald mentions, that near it were found two pieces of stag's horn, artificially cut, through one of which a hole, about an inch in diameter, had been perforated. Another whale, eighty-five feet long, was found at Dunmore, a few miles below Stirling[3], which, like that of Airthrie, lay about twenty feet above high-water mark. Three
