Some old rude tale that suiteth well 
The ruins wild and hoary— 
the strongholds into which they retreated with their herds and 
flocks when threatened by attack, and from which they sallied, 
when the larder was empty, to prey upon the flocks and herds of 
their more industrious neighbours. Perched on some hill, or rising 
ground—on the edge of a precipice or the banks of a torrent, they 
rise with their grey walls usually three stories high. Into the lowest of 
these, in the hour of danger, the cattle were driven for security ; the 
second and third accommodated the family and its dependants, in a 
fashion that, I fear, would have made the hair of a modern sanitary 
officer stand on end, if any sanitary officer would ever have dared to 
present himself upon his errand. On the top of the towers hung 
the iron grating, which held the beacon fire, that was used to warn 
against invasion, and to gather the Border clans together, which 
passed on from tower to tower with incredible rapidity the warning 
note. From these towers they issued, ‘ knowing,” Camden says, 
“no measure of law but the length of their sword,” whenever 
the dish of spurs was served upon the table, as a signal that the 
larder was empty ; or when, as the mother of one of the Grahams 
said on a like occasion—“‘Ride, Rowley, the hough’s in the pot”—to 
prey upon their southern neighbours with that characteristic regard 
for honesty, which we have already seen animating Armstrong of 
Gilnockie. It was the way they lived. Ina marriage contract of 
the period between a Scott and Elliott, it is arranged that the father- 
in-law should keep the bride, to receive in return the products of the 
first Michaelmas moon. You remember, I dare say, the story of Wat 
of Harden, the ancestor of Scott. On one occasion, when the village 
herd was driving out the cattle to pasture, the old laird heard him call 
loudly to drive out Harden’s cow, ‘“ Harden’s cow!” echoed the 
affronted chief, “is it come to that pass?—by my faith they shall 
soon say Harden’s kye!” and, sounding his bugle, summoned his 
followers, and next day returned with a noble herd. His des- 
cendant made a spirited ballad of the incident, of which I quote 
three stanzas :— 
