Transactions. 47 



cottages and smaller farm houses. Then the saying, " Out of the 

 world and into Col vend," had a meaning. Now it would be an 

 anachronism. There is no more popular resort in the South of 

 Scotland ; no place where one would feel himself less out of the 

 world, or more outside civilization. Visitors come annually from 

 all parts of the kingdom to spend their holiday in Col vend — from 

 Edinburgh and Glasgow, from Oxford and Cambridge, from 

 London and places beyond. And, returning, carry with them 

 such pleasant memories as induce others, friends, and acquaint- 

 ances to follow in their steps. 



Fifty years ago there were no public conveyances in the 

 parish. No railway had yet come near, not even to Dumfries. 

 There were two daily coaches which run between Edinburgh and 

 Dumfries, and two between Glasgow and Dumfries, and there 

 were two which ran between Dumfries and Kirkcudbright, pass- 

 ing through Dalbeattie and Castle-Douglas. No one then could 

 perform the journey from either Edinburgh or Glasgow to Col vend 

 in one day. Then, all journeys from Col vend to any of the neighbour- 

 ing towns, Castle-Douglas or Dumfries, had to be done on foot. In 

 those days men, and even women, thought it a small matter to 

 walk to Dumfries, transact their business, and return home, 

 doing their thirty, and in some cases their forty, miles with little 

 or no rest. Now the railway has reached to Dalbeattie, and 

 between Dalbeattie and Colvend 'buses run close. All the 

 summer months, from the end of May until the beginning of 

 October there run three 'buses daily, and two run between Dal- 

 beattie and Douglas Hall. 



Many curious stories are told of the effect which the first 

 sight of a railway train in motion produced on the spectator. A 

 story was told me not long ago of the efltect which the sight pro- 

 duced on one of my parishioners, a simple woman who had hardly 

 ever been beyond the place of her birth. A kind lady friend in 

 Dumfries had invited her to come and spend a few days at her 

 house in town, and had given her instructions liow to come by 

 train from Dalbeattie. The time for her arrival came, but no 

 traveller turned up. Three or four hours, however, after the 

 expected time she did arrive, and on being asked how fjhe had 

 missed the train she said, " The train just geed by like." In her 

 inexperience she doubtless expected that the train, like an 

 ordinary conveyance, would stop and pick her up on the road. 



Fifty years ago our po.stal facilities and privileges were in 



