162 Fii'ld Mefitivf/n. 



erected on an adjoiniiii;- heiglit to tlie nienioiy of the Rev. 

 James Renwick, the last of the martyrs, who was a native of this 

 village. The party now divided, a few going to visit the Caitloch 

 Cave, while the majority proceeded on foot to Craigdarroch, about 

 two miles distant. On ari-ival, the latter were cordially welcomed 

 by Mr A. Fergusson and hospitally entertained. This family is 

 the oldest in the parish, and has been on many occasions nobly 

 distinguished. During the persecution of the Covenanters, the 

 Fergussons were the staunch friends of the oppressed. In 1689, 

 at the battle of Killiecrankie, John Fergusson, one of the noble 

 defenders of the " Kingly Covenant," was slain, and the saddle 

 on which he rode is now preserved at Craigdarroch, and was 

 exhibited to the party. A number of interesting objects were 

 exhibited ; chief among them was " The Whistle " of the contest 

 sung by Burns. It is not an ebony whistle, as described by the 

 poet, but tawny-coloured and probably of olive wood. It is 

 mounted in silver, on which the Fergusson coat of arms is 

 inscribed, and the words — "Whistle won by Craigdarroch, sung 

 by Burns." 



" Thy Hue that have struggled for Fieedom with Bruce 

 Shall heroes and patriots ever produce ; 

 So thine be the laurel, and mine be the bay ; 

 The field thou has won, by yon bright god of day." 



Mr Fergusson also exhibited a document which was only recently 

 discovered among family papers, and is of great interest. This 

 was the last will and testament of Annie Laurie, subscribed by 

 two witnesses, and written upon a sheet of paper. Having 

 visited the gardens and grounds the party took leave of Mr 

 Fergusson, but before doing so, on the motion of Mr Brown, they 

 accorded him a hearty vote of thanks. Returning to Moniaive 

 and joining the other party, they commenced the homeward 

 joui'ney under a pelting thunder shower of hail and rain. The 

 next place visited was Barjarg, and here they were cordially 

 welcomed and hospitably entertained by Mr Hunter-Arundell. 

 Having partaken of refreshments they were shown a number of 

 handsomely illuminated manuscripts of pre-Reformation dates. 

 One of these was a copy of the Magna Charta on vellum. It 

 was of Mr Hunter-Arundell's library that Carlyle, in writing 

 to his brother in 1833, says — "Yesterday I drove over to 

 Barjarg in the middle of a thick, small rain, to get the keys of 

 the Library, wliich I find most handsomely left for me, so that I 



