Travisactions. 31 



four corners. The cottages of the chief's retainers clustered 

 about it, and these were enclosed within a strong outer wall, 

 whose great gate, with lofty circular arch only recently destroyed, 

 faced the north. In 1532 the tower suffered from fire, but it 

 was restored, and continued to be inhabited for another century 

 and a half. 



Lag was the ancestral home of the Griersons, a family that 

 occupied a distinguished position in Nithsdale for many genera- 

 tions. They come into authentic history in the fifteenth century. 

 At Sauchieburn, where in 1488 the unfortunate King James III. 

 was defeated, and later in the day treacherously murdered, 

 Roger Grierson, who fought on the rebel side, was wounded. 

 Another Roger after him fell at Flodden, 1513. About the 

 same time John Grierson was principal of King's College, 

 Aberdeen, and head of the Dominican Order of Friars in this 

 country. In 1593 fifty-four horsemen under Gi-ierson of Lag 

 took the side of Lord Maxwell, as Warden of the Western 

 Marches, in the encounter witli the Johnstones of Annandale at 

 Dryfe Sands. 



But the most noted of the race was Sir Robert Grierson, who 

 was born at Dalskairth, Troqueer, in 1655, succeeded to the 

 estates of Lag and Rockhall in 1669, was made a Baronet in 

 1685, and died in Dumfries in 1733. In the persecutions he was 

 more feared than even Claverhouse himself. He was responsible 

 for the drowning of Margaret M'Lachlan and Margaret Wilson 

 in the rising tide where the Bladenoch falls into Wigtown Bay, 

 and for the execution of Edward Gordon and Alexander 

 M'Cubbin at Haugh Hill, near the church of Irougray. The 

 memory of Lag, the persecutor, continued to be held in such 

 odium that when his great-grand-daughter wished to place a 

 monument over his grave in the old churchyard of Dunscore, 

 she was compelled to abandon her intention by the strong 

 expression of popular feeling against it. 



This Laird of Lag was the prototype of Sir Robert Red- 

 gauntlet in the weird episode, "Wandering Willie's Tale," in 

 Sir Walter Scott's novel. Redgauntlet Castle stands for the old 

 Tower of Lag itself. The Wood of Pitmurkie, " that is a' fou o' 

 black firs," where Steenie the Piper met tlie mysterious horse- 

 man, was in the Glen of Laggan. It is now called Crolo Wood, 

 and its reputation as an uncanny place still survives in the fear 

 tliat the rustics have to pass that way after dark. And " the 



