90 Field Meetings. 



for uothing. do you think you could make a profit out of it ?" 

 The reply was poetically nonchalant — " I might, if your G-race 

 wad stand between me and the sheep-rot and the winter wreaths." 



At Shinnel Forge the excursionists turned off the road that 

 leads by the Clone Pass to Moniaive, and entered the narrow valley 

 of the Shinnel. At this point the glen presents features of great 

 beauty, with its cover of natural wood and its hill-line of pictures' jue 

 and curiously contrasted form — the conical slopes of Tynron Doon 

 neighboured by the rug-g'ed and precipitous Craigturrah. The 

 Doon has its wealth of legend, associated with the Romans, who 

 had a camp on its top, and with Robert Bruce, who is said to have 

 found a retreat here from his enemies. There is also a tale of a 

 lady who lived in the castle on the hill-top, who is said to have 

 required an ox's tongue every morning for breakfast. One 

 morning she was aroused by an extraordinary lowing of cattle, and 

 looking out on a hill-side covered by a herd of oGo, she appealed 

 to her husband to know what was the cause of this parade. She 

 was informed that she saw there her year's breakfasts. This, 

 according- to one form of the legend, was a device lo cure her of 

 an extravagant caprice. A prettier version has it that the 

 matutinal tongue was a contrivance of a compassionate lady to 

 secure the daily killing of an ox, so that a miser lord might be 

 compelled to share the perishable contents of his larder with the 

 poor. 



At the village of Tynron Kirk the party were joined by Mr 

 James Laurie, merchant, and Mr John Laurie, schoolmaster. In 

 the house of the former gentleman lliey were privileged to see a 

 curious work of art in the form of an elegant, high-backed arm- 

 chair made entirely of buffalo horns, except the seat, which had 

 been sent as a gift from Kansas city ; and also books connected 

 with his business extending far back into last century. For the 

 business which Mr Laurie now conducts, and which is known far 

 and near in connection with the special blend of spirit known as 

 '• Tynron Kirk," is one of ancient origin. Generations ago Tynron 

 was a centre for distribution to a wide area of wines and spirits, 

 of palm oil and tar for sheep smearing in the days before patent 

 dips, and of such things as Swedish iron for horse shoes. The 

 books throw some curious light on the fluctuations of prices. Tea, 

 for example, we find as dear as seven and eight shillings a pound 

 last century ; sugar and soap correspondingly high priced ; then 



