132 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



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 woodlee, the seat of the Pringles, a border clan of some 

 note, is on the banks of the Gala, about two miles 

 above Galashiels ; and near it are the castles of Buck- 

 holm and Blindlee, from which it is said that two in- 

 veterate enemies of the owner of Torwoodlee used to 

 watch him in the time of Charles the Second (Pringle 

 being a Covenanter), in order to detect some symptom 

 of disaffection to the Government. Galashiels is an 

 energetic manufacturing town ; and its inhabitants 

 have much of the old border spirit smongst them. 

 Hence the poaching. 



The Leader rises amongst the western skirts of the 

 Lammermoors, from the recesses of wbich hills it draws 

 its supplies, although the greater part of its course is 

 through a low-lying and rich country. The upper 

 waters of the Leader can be best commanded from 

 Carfrae-Mill Inn, which is on the old coach-road from 

 Edinburgh to Kelso, but which is now rather difficult 

 of access. The two most convenient modes of getting 

 to the Leader are by walking or driving nearly six 

 miles over the hills from Stow, in the vale of Gala, to 

 Lauder, and by taking the omnibus, which runs twice 

 a-day from Melrose to Earlston, a distance of seven 

 miles. We believe, however, that the head of the 

 Leader might be readily reached by an adventurous 

 pedestrian from Heriot station, who might try to find 

 a road for himself across four miles of hilly country ; 

 but until that path has been discovered, we must be 

 content to recommend our readers to go to Lauder, 

 and fish up to Carfrae-Mill. About that point the Leader 

 separates into two streams, which are each again si- 



