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Updated: June 29, 2025
"For," said Andrew, "some of their chiefs and grit men are birling at the usquebaugh in by there, and dinna want to be disturbed; and the least we'll get, if we gang ramstam in on them, will be a broken head, to learn us better havings, if we dinna come by the length of a cauld dirk in our wame, whilk is just as likely."
Na, na, chap, we are no ganging to the laird's, but to a blithe birling at the Brokenburn-foot, where there will be mony a braw lad and lass; and maybe there may be some of the laird's folks, for he never comes to sic splores himsell. He is all for fowling-piece and salmon-spear, now that pike and musket are out of the question. 'He has been at soldier, then? said I.
"Alas, mother," said the young man, with a faltering accent, "but to cross the sea " "The sea! who am I that I should fear the sea? Have I never been in a birling in my life never known the Sound of Mull, the Isles of Treshornish, and the rough rocks of Harris?" "Alas, mother, I go far far from all of these. I am enlisted in one of the new regiments, and we go against the French in America."
So saying, he led the way out through the halls and trances that were weel kend to my gudesire, and into the auld oak parlour; and there was as much singing of profane sangs, and birling of red wine, and blasphemy and sculduddery, as had ever been in Redgauntlet Castle when it was at the blythest. But Lord take us in keeping! What a set of ghastly revellers there were that sat around that table!
"Pretty night for our work, sir," came a cheery voice. "Might ha been made for us." "Where are we?" asked the boy. "Yon's Seaford Head, sir," as a great white dimness thrust out of the mist towards them. "We're layin along close inshore. See that glimmer forrad on the port-bow? Ah, it's gone again! That's the Seven Sisters. And between the last o them and Beachy Head lays Birling Gap.
Lay that in Nelson's hands and we'll see." The dusk was falling fast; the sea stilled; a breathing calm was everywhere. "This here's Beachy Head. Birling Gap's yonder where there's a last glimmer yet. Don't go that road. Soon as the tide's down, round the Head, and climb t'other side. It falls away there. Make for Lewes along the top o the Downs. There's a camp o soldiers there.
Might ha know'd he was on the King's business, and the Gentleman with two minutes' start streakin away for Birling Gap like a bullet from the bow." "Aw, he'll be out again than?" drawled the waterman, sleepy and Sussex. "Out again!" shouted Big Jerry, and clapping the handkerchief to his ear, thrust it beneath the other's eye of mildew. "What's that? blood, ain't it? whose? mine. How?
It was told in the "persecuting" lore of the parish that the great "Peden the Prophet" had often used it as a pulpit, his congregation being seated round the semi-circle and the Mays Water birling and singing handily below in case of children to be baptized.
There's no a hair on ayther o' the Weirs that hasna mair spunk and dirdum to it than what he has in his hale dwaibly body! Settin' up his snash to me! Let him gang to the black toon where he's mebbe wantit birling on a curricle wi' pimatum on his heid making a mess o' himsel' wi' nesty hizzies a fair disgrace!"
My certie, ye're ill to serve! Do ye think we havena heard o' your grand popinjay wark yonder, and how ye bleezed away as muckle pouther as wad hae shot a' the wild-fowl that we'll want atween and Candlemas and then ganging majoring to the piper's Howff wi' a' the idle loons in the country, and sitting there birling, at your poor uncle's cost, nae doubt, wi' a' the scaff and raff o' the water-side, till sun-down, and then coming hame and crying for ale, as if ye were maister and mair!"
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