Transactions. 25 



irruptions, or perhaps some State disagreement, has in a manner 

 defaced that regular ornament, otherwise the cankrous teeth of 

 time have gnawn out the impressions, as evidently appears by 

 those ruinous heaps. Nor is the Arnotus in all parts portable, 

 notwithstanding her shores are so delightful. In the midst of the 

 town is their market place, and in the centre of that stands their 

 tolbooth, round which the rabble sit, that nauseate the very air 

 with their tainted breath, so perfumed with onions that to an 

 Englishman it is almost infectious. But the kirk is comely, and 

 situated southward, furnished once a week with moveable spectrums 

 (you know what that means), yet the outside than the inside is 

 more eminently embellished, if sepulchres and tombstones can be 

 said to be ornaments ; and where death and time stand to guard 

 the steeples, whose rings of bells seldom or rarely exceed the 

 critical number of three. Here also you may observe a large and 

 spacious bridge that leads into the country of Galloway, where 

 thrice in a week you shall rarely fail to see their maidmankins 

 dance corantos in tubs. So on every Sunday some as seldom miss 

 to make their appearance on the stool of repentance." Theophilus : 

 " Then it seems by your relation they keep time with their 

 commers, that hazard their reputation for a country custom (or the 

 love of liquor) rather than omit a four-hour's drinking." Arnoldus: 

 " That's true enough ; and it's an antient practice among the 

 female sex to covee together (about that time) as naturally as 

 geese flocked together to the capitol. Now, the very name of 

 Commer they mightily honour ; but that of Gossip they utterly 

 abominate, as they hate the plague or some mortal contagion." 

 The anglers had reason to remember Sanquhar. Theophilus 

 says : '' Dangers foreseen are the sooner prevented, and I 

 design to sleep in a whole skin as long as I can. Zanker, 

 farewell ! I am giad to see thee behind me, and no need 

 of a chirurgeon. Zanker stands situate on a flat or level, 

 surrounded with excellent corn fields; but more remote it's 

 besieged with mountains that are rich in lead mines, and though 

 the people hereabouts are destitute of ingenuity, and their 

 fields for the most part impoverished for want of cultivation, yet 

 are their rivers and rivulets replenished with ti'out. Zanker is a 

 town, and a corporation too, though not bulky in buildings ; yet 

 there is a bailiff, master sometimes of a brew-house, whose enter- 

 tainments (in my opinion) may easily be provided you reflect on 



