PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 261 
remarkable. This day the view to the south-west was unfor- 
tunately obscure, the Solway and the shores of that inlet could 
not be seen, but to the south-east and north-west the atmos- 
phere was clear. As the long-drawn line of pedestrians 
neared the summit, the eyes of the Botanists were delighted by 
large quantities of the Rubus chamemorus, or cloud-berry, in 
full fruit. This fine Alpine plant is rarely found below the 
altitude of 1,800 feet, but it is spread all along the higher 
summits of the Border hills. After a long gaze over the bright 
landscape, the party descended to the Kielder woods, fine natural 
copses, remnants of the old Border forests which it was recom- 
mended in Queen Elizabeth’s time should be cut down or 
burned, ‘‘so that the misdemeaned people might not harbour 
therein.” We are informed that some years ago the remains of 
a burnt forest were discovered near the Lewis-burn, in a peat 
moss. The trees all bore marks of having been submitted to 
the action of fire. The line of railway now traverses the route 
taken by the Liddesdale borderers in their forays against the 
Fenwicks of Wallington. In one of the Cotton MSS. Sir Robt. 
Musgrove reports, ‘* When Liddisdaill people make any inva- 
cions to the Fenwickes they goe without Bewcastell 10 or 12 
miles, and goe by the Perl Fell withoute the Houe-head near 
Keldar, and soe along above Cheapchase.” 
The great stronghold of the border thieves was at the head of 
the Lishap burn, a feeder of the Lewis burn. Sir William Eure 
writing from Hexham to Cardinal Wolsey, on the 26th of July, 
1536, says, ‘‘The rebelles of Tyndale make some besyness in 
Tyndale, where their dwellings was, and in noe place else they 
mele or docs hurt; their abydings is in a place called Lushburn 
Nowles, a marvellous strong place of woodds and waters.” At 
Kielder the party rested for a long time, enjoying the fine view 
from the front of the castle. The building itself is well-known 
to be utterly unworthy of its position, but it was erected at a 
period, about a hundred years ago, when architecture was at its 
lowest ebb. Leaving Kielder, the party set off for a four mile 
walk at a sharp pace across the dry and springy moors, to the 
Plashetts Colliery. On their way they passed through the 
24 
ft 
