7J0 THE WEST SHORE. purple specimens occur. But that the rocks do positively contain fine agates, known as " Kinnoull stones," we had oc cular evidence. The castle of Kinnoull formerly stood on the slope of the hill, though there are no traces of it now, but the "Castle of Kinfanus" may yet be seen, described by Smith of the Wynd, in " The Fair Maid' as " a goodly forta lice, indeed. A brave castle, the breast plate and target of the bonnie course of the Tay." The chivalrous and romantic history of its first settler, in connection with the origin of the knightly family of Char ting, Lords of Kinfanus, is interesting. The citizens of Perth had, for several generations, found a protector and pro vost in tho family of Kinfanus, which was often necessary at tho peri:xl when tho strength of tho feudal aristocracy frequently controlled their rights and in sulted their privileges. When Sir Wil liam Wallace had expelled the English invaders from his native country, he sailed for France, in hopes to obtain as sistance from the French monarch, to aid tho Scots in regaining their inde pendence. When near Dieppe, his ves sel was boarded by the ship of a cele brated pirate, bearing tho blood-red flag, called the " Red Rover," and command ed by Thomas do Longucville, who called himself a friend of tho sea and an ene my to all who sailed upon it His suc cessful piracies, courage, wonderful pow er, etc, mado him a terror to all, and tho capture of tho ship having Wallace on board was declared inevitable by the cnpUin, as no vessel could escape the Rod Rover. Wallaco smiled and sternly replied, " I will clear tho seas of this rover." Call ing all his men together, Lo directed them to arm themselves, and lie flat up on deck, so as to bo out of sight He then permitted tho Red Rover to cast out his grappling irons, but received him and his men on deck with a desperate and unexpected rencounter. Wallace dashed the sword from the Rover's hand and they fell on deck, locked in each other's arms in a desperate grip. Wal lace conquered; the Rover's men threw down their arms and begged for mercy. The victor granted them their lives, but took possession of their vessel and sailed into harbor with the flag of the Scottish lion on his shield of gold, raised above the piratical flag. At Wallace's request, the robberies which the pirate had com mitted were forgiven by the French king, who offered to take him into his service, but the Rover had contracted so great a friendship for his generous con queror, that he insisted on uniting his fortunes with those of Wallace. He re turned with him to Scotland, and fought by his side in many a bloody battle, where the prowess of Sir Thomas de Longueville was inferior to that of none, save of his heroic conqueror. His fate was more Lrtunate than that of his pa tron. Being distinguished for the beau ty as well as strength of his person, he rendered himself acceptable to the heir ess of the ancient family of Charteris, who bestowed on him, with her hand, the fair baronial castle of Kinfanus and the domains annexed to it The lordly place, or a more modern successor, upon which I looked from the hill of Kinnoull, while recalling the ro mance of chivalry of its origin, stands amid the fertile scenes adjoining it, over hanging the broad and winding Tay, the queen of the valley. A pleasant incident is associated with my Kinnoull day. I accosted a benevo lent looking Scotch lady in the street, in quired the direction, and was answered that she herself was going that way, as she lived on the slope of the hill, and if I would permit, would bo pleasod to join me in my walk. We entered into con versation, and I derived much intelli