Cuningham’s Ledge.—This ledge of rock has its name from Mr Charles Cuningham, Writer to the Signet, and successor to Mr Gray, as Secretary and Cashier to the Light-house Board.
Port Hamilton.—This creek is situate at the south-eastern extremity of the House-rock, and derives its name from Mr Robert Hamilton, Sheriff of Lanarkshire, and ex officio one of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses; who first landed here in the year 1805, accompanied by Mr Rennie and the writer, with a view further to ascertain the practicability of erecting the proposed Light-house, as noticed at page [95]. Mr Hamilton has been a zealous member of the Bell Rock Committee since the period of its institution in the year 1807, and, from his literary habits, he has taken much interest in the pages of this work.
Port Rennie—is situate in the north-eastern part of the House-rock, and derives its name from the late Mr John Rennie, the celebrity and extent of whose works as a Civil Engineer are well known to the public. Mr Rennie was consulted by the Light-house Board relative to this work. His reports will be found in Appendix, No. [IV.]; and his plan in [Plate VII.]
Port Stevenson—enters from the north-eastern side of the Rock, and forms the principal landing-place in that direction; it was named for the writer by Mr Hamilton, at the landing above alluded to, in the year 1805.
The Abbot’s Ledge—forms the north-western extremity of the House-rock, and derives its name from a tradition (for we can find no authentic record) of one of the Abbots of Aberbrothwick having erected an Alarm-bell, to forewarn mariners of their danger in approaching the Bell Rock.
Sir Ralph the Rover’s Ledge—forms the south-western extremity of the House-rock, and takes the name of Sir Ralph the Rover from a noted pirate who is said to have landed upon it, and carried away the Alarm-bell. This traditionary story is beautifully alluded to in a ballad by Mr Southey in his Minor Poems, which, with his permission, is included in Appendix, No. II. page [438].
Dunnichen Ledge,—on the north-western side of the Rock, is named in compliment to Mr Dempster of Dunnichen, who is mentioned in the Introduction, page [5].
Dunskey Ledge,—which is contiguous to the former, is named in compliment to Sir James Hunter Blair of Dunskey, first Preses of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, as mentioned at page [6].
Arniston Ledge.—Named in compliment to the late Lord Chief-Baron Dundas of Arniston, who, while Solicitor-General and Lord Advocate of Scotland, took an active part in Light-house affairs; and visited the Bell Rock in the year 1812, as noticed at page [413].
Rattray Ledge.—In compliment to Mr Baron Clerk Rattray, who, while Sheriff of the Shire of Edinburgh, as noticed at page [98], was ex officio one of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, and, as one of the Bell Rock Committee, took much interest in the work.