TIIK TWEED — MILLFIELD PLAIN. 93 



the opportunity of seeing such a piscatory exhibition. 

 The eels of Till are almost worth fishing for. We 

 should by all means recommend a foray into this part 

 of Northumberland. The scenery and its memories are 

 most interesting. Mill field plain, the large alluvial 

 basin through which the Till flows, was once the head- 

 quarters of the British Druids ; and a sacred hill called 

 the Yevering Bell is said to have in those old days 

 overlooked a city more populous than any now in the 

 district. Tradition says King Arthur fought the first 

 of his twelve famous battles at the junction of the 

 Glen and Till. Near the quaint old town of Wooler is 

 the scene of the battle of Homildown Hill, and a little 

 further doAvn that of Flodden ; and from any part of 

 the ridge that rises up to the Cheviots, the course of 

 the march of the English army on the last occasion, 

 along the east bank of the Till, to where it crossed at 

 Twizel bridge — which still stands — may easily be seen. 

 No one can help wondering at the folly which per- 

 mitted such a movement, when it might have been so 

 easily opposed. Nearer Cornhill a rather more apo- 

 cryphal battle-field — that of Chevy Chace, as distinct 

 from Otterburne, which is in Eeed-water, on the other 

 side of the Cheviots — is pointed out. 



Learmonth-burn, which enters the Tweed a little 

 way above Cornhill, contains trouts. 



Net-fishing is practised at Coldstream, and also at 

 Tweedmill, three miles further down. There is good 

 trouting between these points. Below Tweedmill- cauld, 

 a famous run called the Chapel-stream gives the Tweed 

 unusual swiftness just where the Till slowly immerges, 

 and gives point to the bit of doggrel — 



