128 Transactions. 



party of the people who seized tliem to H.R.H. along with them. 

 They lie this night at Thornhill, and go on to-morrow. I have 

 not yet heard of the army's being come further than Carlisle. 

 By the best accounts I can have about 500 men are left in that 

 garrison. I have sent this by Dumfries, as I see no danger now 

 of letters being intercepted while H.R.H.'s army is about Carlisle. 

 The Highlanders paid for scarce anything in this country ; they 

 eat up poor Howit and Bow House, and paid nothing." 



We get an interesting confirmation of Mr Fergusson's state- 

 ment as to the conduct of the Highlanders in Dumfries in the 

 "Lochrutton Journal " — a manuscript account of the Rising left 

 by Rev. George Duncan, then minister of Lochrutton. Under 

 date Sabbath, 22nd December, Mr Duncan writes: — "A 

 melancholy day, the rebels in Dumfries. . . . They were 

 most rude in the town, pillaged some shops, pulled shoes off 

 gentlemen's feet in the streets. In most of the churches for some 

 miles about Dumfries no sermon. God be blessed ! we liad public 

 ■worship. I lectured I. Sam., iv. ; Mr John Scott, minister of 

 Dumfries, there being no sermon there, preached." The fourth 

 chapter of I. Samuel was a most appropriate subject of lecture, 

 for it refers to the defeat of the Israelites by the Pliilistines 

 at Ebenezer, when the ark was taken, and no doubt Mr Duncan 

 drew some startling parallels. 



The £2000 levied by Prince Charlie upon the town was raised 

 in the first instance by loans from various persons, and among 

 the subscribers for the £1000 raised after the Prince left we find 

 Mr Richard Lowthian and Miss Peggie Maxwell, sister of James 

 Maxwell of Carnsallocli (which tlien also belonged to the Kirk- 

 connell family), both of whom, no doubt, subscribed from reasons 

 of policy. The funds so borrowed were repaid by an assessment 

 at the rate of three per cent, upon the capital value of " houses 

 and buildings and goods, wares, merchandise, household furniture 

 and oyr perishable stuff in the burgh at the time of the aforesaid 

 demand ;" and to sliow how strictly that assessment was levied, I 

 may mention that the library books of the Presbytery of Dum- 

 fries, which, " as being perishable goods, are liable to be stented 

 in this view," were valued at £300, and an assessment of £9 

 paid thereon. 



In Dumfries the Prince stayed in the building which now 

 forms the Commercial Hotel, but two storeys have been added to 

 it since the time I am speaking of. It belonged to Mr Richard 



