Field Meetings. 233 



missioner, Gold Coast Colony, voiced the thanks of the company 

 to Mrs Gordon for the great kmdness which she had extended to 

 them ; and she assured them that the visit had been a source of 

 pleasure to herself. 



The return drive to Castle-Douglas was made by way of 

 New-Gallowav Station and Laurieston Village. The opposite 

 shore of Loch Ken was now skirted and seen under the mellowing 

 influence of a westering sun, which brought out in all its bright- 

 ness the purple crown of heather-clad Bennan. Moss-dale with 

 its associations of " Sammle Tamson," brought us distinctly 

 within "The Raiders " zone. Then we crossed the Dee on the 

 little bridge where Crockett locates the stampede of the fire- 

 maddened, gipsy-driven cattle. Beyond we note the house of 

 Little Duchrae, the novelist's birthplace, wreck of a recent fire; 

 and we skirt the pretty sheet of water named on the map Wood- 

 hall Loch, but known to residents as it is to readers of Crockett 

 as one of two Stewartry Loch Grennochs. Laurieston village is 

 the Clachanpluck of "the Raiders;" and that is really its ancient 

 designation, by which it figures, for example, in the royal charter 

 granted in 1629, which constituted the land of Riddings into the 

 royal burgh of New-Galloway. It provided that no competing 

 fairs or weekly markets were to be held in the district around 

 New-Galloway bounded on the various sides by Castlefairn (in 

 Glencairn), Clachanpluck, Blackford of Fudie, and Lurg hill. 



Passing Glenlochar the speculation was recalled which has 

 sought to build a vanished abbey on a place-name. "Abbey- 

 yard " is really a reminiscence of the ownership of farms and 

 farm buildings in Crossmichael by the Abbey of Lincluden ; and 

 the abbey at Glenlochar, of which neither stone nor record exists, 

 is the mere creature of a dream. 



