Field Mcetirujs. 37 



have been intended for, unless it was a mere tribal boundary in 

 pi*e-liistoric times. Fragments of it are numerous in Durisdeer and 

 neighbouring parishes. A small quarry of tlie new red sandstone 

 w;xs also visited. The rain still kept pouring on in torrents, and 

 it was discussed anxiously whether the party should go further or 

 return. The majority resolved on the former course, and most of 

 the party decided on going to the head of Enterkin Pass at any 

 rate, as all were as wet as they could be. A cairn at the foot of 

 Steygail was pointed out as marking the spot where a shepherd 

 was killed by falling down the mountain in a snow storm a short 

 time since. Near the Kelpie's Linn some very fine bunches of 

 the Parsley Fern were secured. The Moonwort Fern also grows 

 there in some abundance. The ciii'ious Fescue Grass (Festuca 

 vivijmra) was also met with. Dotting the pathway up to the 

 head of Enterkin were many little tufts in full bloom of the 

 pretty, pink-flowered Sedum villosum. The only other plant met 

 with of note was the Cut-leaved Saxifrage. After passing the 

 Kelpie's Linn the pass became very steep, and the party had to 

 look after their footing, for a single slip would have sent them 

 down hundreds of feet to the bottom of the glen. Dr John 

 Brown, as quoted in Ramage's " Drumlanrig and the Douglases," 

 thus describes it in language which we cannot hope to imitate : — 

 " A few steps and you are on its edge, looking down giddy and 

 amazed into its sudden and immense depths. We have seen 

 many of our most remarkable glens and mountain gorges — - 

 Glencroe and Glencoe, Glen Nevis (the noblest of them all), the 

 Sma' Glen, Wordsworth's Glen Almain (Glenalmond) — where 

 Ossian sleeps — the lower part of Glenlyon, and many others of 

 all kinds of sublimity and beauty ; but we know nothing more 

 noticeable, more unlike any other place, moi'e impressive, than 

 this short, deep, narrow, and sudden glen. There is only room 

 for its own stream at the bottom, and the sides rise in one smooth 

 and all but perjjendicular ascent to the height, on the left, of 

 1895 feet— Thirstane Hill ; and, on the right, of 1875 feet— the 

 exquisitely-moulded Steygail, or Steep Gable, so steep that it is 

 no easy matter keeping your feet, and if you slip you might just 

 as well go over a bona fide mural precipice." The place where a 

 small party of Covenanters rescued some of their brethren from 

 the hands of a large body of dragoons was passed near the top of the 

 ascent. The di'agoons, if we are to believe the somewhat tra- 

 ditionaiy accounts of the affair which have been handed down, 



