Field Meetings. 85 



fechan, where a few minutes were spent at the grave of Thomas 

 Carlyle. Near to the resting-place of the great seer is the tomb 

 of " Robert Peal" (the reputed grandfather oF Sir Robert Peel), 

 who "died April ye 4th, 1749;" and many other distinguished 

 sons of Annandale are interi'ed here. Proceeding next to the 

 village, a visit was paid to the little house in which Carlyle was 

 born ; and before leaving Ecclefechan a number of the party made 

 the acquaintance of Mr Graham, the genial postmaster, by whom 

 they were shown a number of interesting letters from Lord 

 Nelson to Mr Graham's grand-uncle, Dr Thomas Graham, who 

 was assistant-surgeon on board the same ship in which Nelson 

 was a " mirldy " — probably the Seahorse. Dr Graham, who was 

 drowned at Liverpool, was one of the founders of the Athenjeum 

 Library there. Mr Graham also shewed the company a curious 

 old pistol, which is supposed to have belonged to Lord Nelson. 

 Dr Graham at one time obtained a brace of pistols from the 

 Admiral, and it is thought probable that this may be one of them. 

 There is a small plate on the side with the inscription " Parks 

 & Co.," and the pistol is so constructed that by a spring a dagger 

 shoots out under the barrel. Leaving Ecclefechan at half-])ast 

 five, the party returned via Lockerbie and Lochmaben, arriving 

 in Dumfries at nine o'clock. 



The following Plants were found during the day : Ranuiicuhis 

 Jlammula, PajMver rha;as, Fuvmria officinalis, Polygala vulgaris, 

 Vicia angustifolia, Spergxda arvensis, and Coniuvi maculatum 

 (hemlock), which was very abundant near Repentance Tower. 

 Comarum 2mhcstre, Menyanthes trifoliata (bog-bean), Galium 

 2)alustre, and G. uliginosum, at the small lake near to Hoddam 

 Castle. Galium saxatile, Sileue injlata, HyperlcxLin lierfoliatum, 

 H. pulchrum (not yet in flower). Reseda luteola, Scrojjhularia 

 nodosa, at Ecclefechan. Orohus tuberosus, Euphorbia ^je;;/?<s, 

 Sedicm acre, S. teleiMum, Callitriche vertxa, Linaria vulgaris, 

 Bjnlobium montana, E. palustre, Lonicera periclymenum, Jasione 

 inontana, Pyrola minor (rare), Orchis masculata, Habenaria 

 bifolia, and Listera ovata, along the road side. Saw Linaria 

 cymbalaria growing at the gateway of Hoddam Castle, and Iris 

 pseudacorvs in full bloom in the Lochar Moss. 



