1883.] EXCURSION TO ETTRICK FOREST. 61 



EXCURSION TO ETTRICK FOREST. 



kHE autumn excursion of the Scottish Arboricultural Society took 

 place on October 3i'cl, to the estate of Bowhill, in Ettrick Forest, 

 the property of the Duke of Buccleuch. Bowhill is situated in 

 the county of Selkirk, on the banks of the Yarrow, classic as the 

 birthplace of pastoral song aud as the scene of many a struggle famous 

 in the annals of Border chivalry. But from a forestal aspect, few districts 

 in Scotland can afford the same deep interest to arboriculturists as the 

 small county of Selkirk, a secluded corner of the southern highlands of 

 Scotland. It was for centuries one of the principal hunting resorts of 

 the Scottish kings, and was thus graphically described in ancient ballad:— 



' Ettricke Foreste is a fair forest. 



In it grows many a semelie tree ; 

 There's hart, and hynd, and dae, and rae, 



And of a' wilde beastes great plentie.' 



David I., "William the Lion, Alexander If., Alexander III., James V., 

 Mary Queen of Scot?, and her unfortunate husband Daruley, all delighted 

 in the sylvan sport which the mountains and dells, deep secluded woods 

 and bosl<y braes afforded, and Queen Mary is said to have been the last 

 Eoyal personage who rode through the 'Dowie dens o' Yarrow,' intent 

 after the 'goodly hynd' or fieec hart. Tradition says that James V. 

 converted great part of the forest into sheep-walks, aud that from his 

 reign began the decay of the fine natural woods which included so many 

 • semelie trees.' Ettrick Forest was specially famous for its excellent Oaks, 

 as is proved by a reference to old chronicles. By a mandate of Edward I., 

 in 1291, Simon Fresel, keeper of the forest of Selkirk, was ordered to give 

 to certain noblemen and gentlemen of Scotland a number of stags (Cervus) 

 and Oaks (Qnercus). William, Bishop of St. Andrews, received 30 stags ; 

 Eobert, Bishop of Glasgow, 20 stags and G3 Oaks (were these Oaks for the 

 repair of the roof of the chancel of the cathedral of St. Mungo ?) Brother 

 Brian, two stags and four Oaks. Edward I. likewise granted to the monks 

 of Melrose 40 Oaks from the same forest. The abbey of Kelso having been 

 burned by the English, David II. granted permission to the monks to cut 

 wood in Selkirk and Jedburgh forests for the repair of their religious 

 house. The men of Ettrick Forest were conspicuous for their bravery at 

 the battle of Floddeu, and they received in recognition a grant of forest 

 rights. The implacable resentment of the English reduced the burgh of 

 Selkirk to ashes, and James V. made a grant of a thousand acres of the 

 forest to the ' Souters '—the trees for the purpose of rebuilding their houses, 

 and ' defense againis owre auld innemyis of Ingland.' In the accounts of 

 the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, circa 1490, a payment is entered 

 'Davide Achinsone to feel axtreis in the Forest, and to get cart lymmouris 

 to briog hame quhelis fra Melrose.' About 1510 the king granted a lease 

 of lands in Selkirkshire to Patrick Murray and held him bound to maintain 

 the plantations of Oak and of all other trees necessary. In Elliot and 



