Field Meeting — Burnfoot. 143 



Edinburg'h. A little further alcng- the banks of the stream, and 

 just at the foot of the manse g-arden, is another piece of ancient 

 masonry, which has obviously been part of the abutment of a 

 bridge. It has been a narrow structure, about ten feet in breadth, 

 the north and south sides being still well defined. There are also 

 some of the surface paving stones still in position. It lies on the 

 line of a Roman road, and this naturally leads to the conjecture 

 that it may have been constructed by the legionaries and the 

 craftsmen who accompanied them. This, however, is not a neces- 

 sary inference, as it may be the work of later generations who 

 used the Eoman way, and the narrowness of the structure gives 

 some colour to this hj'pothesis. 



Driving through the new' town of Langholm, past the 

 Academy, and skirting the ducal demesne, the horses had another 

 bit of stiff collar work as they threaded their way among the 

 moorland that overhangs the upper valley of the Esk, among 

 which is Craigcleuch, the residence of General Sir John Ewart. 

 Soon afterwards Burnfoot mansion came into view, nestling cosily 

 among a wealth of umbrageous trees in a little circular plain in a 

 cup of the hills by the side of the streamlet, " the Burn," from which 

 it has received its name. Colonel Malcolm here awaited his 

 visitors, accompanied by his son-in-law, Captain Palmer Douglas 

 of Cavers, Mrs Palmer Douglas, and several other relatives. He 

 extended to them a cordial welcome ; and after a short walk in the 

 grounds and a peep into the conservatories, they were conducted 

 to a marquee, in which the people of the parish, old and 

 young, had been feted on the previous day in honour of the 

 royal diamond jubilee. Here a substantial luncheon was served. 

 Before rising from the table Mr Murray, Dumfries, voiced the 

 thanks of the company to Colonel Malcolm for his kindness in 

 inviting them to his charming residence and for the generous 

 hospitality extended to them. Colonel Malcolm assured them that 

 it afforded him great pleasure to receive the visit, and remarked 

 on the good to be derived from a study of the works of God 

 in nature and from antiquarian pursuits, recalling the saying 

 that there is nothing in the present which has not its roots in the 

 past. 



Adjourning to the museum, which forms an annex to the 

 mansion-house, the visitors had pointed out to them many of the 

 more interesting objects in the extensive and valuable collection. 



