138 



YARROW YANYL. 



seaport and borough in the Isle of Wight, situated 

 nt the eastern point of the mouth of the river Yar, 

 from which the name is derived, and directly oppo- 

 site to the town of Lymington, with which there 

 is a constant communication. The town consists 

 of several well-built streets, the houses having a 

 very neat appearance, from being constructed with 

 freestone. The market-house, a plain substantial 

 building, has an upper apartment, appropriated for 

 the uses of the corporation and all public business ; 

 baths, with every convenience, have recently been 

 established. Yarmouth has several times suffered 

 severely by the attacks of the French; and in the 

 reign of Richard II. they entirely destroyed it by 

 fire, having first pillaged it. The trade of this 

 place is not extensive, the chief article of exporta- 

 tion being a tine white sand obtained here, used in 

 nuiking glass and earthenware ; the imports, coals 

 and timber. It formerly sent two members to 

 parliament, but was disfranchised in 1832. Popu- 

 lation, in 1831, 586; in 1841, 567. 



YARROW, OE MILFOIL (Achillea millefoli- 

 HJ) ; a weed, distinguished by the excessively dis- 

 sected leaves; hence the name, which signifies a 

 thousand leaves. The flowers are small, white, 

 and disposed in a terminal corymb. The whole 

 plant has a strong and disagreeable odour. 



YARROW; a celebrated pastoral stream of 

 Scotland, in Selkirkshire, which rises at a place 

 called Yarrow Cleuyh, and, running east a few 

 miles, forms a beautiful lake, called the loch of the 

 JLows, which discharges its waters into St Mary's 

 loch. Issuing from the latter, the river, after a 

 course of about sixteen miles through the ancient 

 district of Ettrick forest, joins its waters to those 

 of the Ettrick, two miles above Selkirk. Near 

 Newark castle, it forms highly romantic and pic- 

 turesque scenery. 



The parish oi Yarrow is eighteen miles in length, 

 and sixteen at its greatest breadth. It is estimated 

 to contain 60,000 acres, and, by the census of 1841, 

 had a population of 1264 inhabitants. Of this ex- 

 tensive district the ancient parish of Duchoire forms 

 the eastern portion, that of Kirkhope the south- 

 eastern, and that of St Mary (annexed at the re- 

 formation) the western. The surface is mountain- 

 ous, but interspersed with fertile valleys, which, 

 with some of the declivities, are cultivated, 

 though the prevailing employment of the inhabi- 

 tants is in rearing sheep, of which there are usually 

 from 50,000 to 60,000 upon the hills. The view 

 on every side is broken by lofty mountains, and of 

 these the range termed the Black-house Heights, 

 rises in considerable grandeur to an elevation of 

 2370 feet above the level of the sea; whilst the 

 windings of the Ettrick and the Yarrow, contribute 

 to enhance the romantic beauty of the scenery. 

 Though now quite destitute of natural wood, this 

 district still retains the ancient appellation of Et- 

 trick Forest, the remains of which, principally 

 oak, lie hidden in the mosses ; there are, however, 

 at Hanging Shaw, a venerable but ruinous seat of 

 the Murrays, as well as upon several farms, some 

 flourishing and very extensive plantations. The 

 present church was erected in 1640, on a more cen- 

 tral situation than St Mary's, the ancient parish 

 church, but the old cemetery of the latter is still 

 used. Vestiges of numerous feudal castles and 

 mansions are discernable ; and on the summit of 

 Kersope Hill stood a monument, termed Tait's 

 Cross,. but the purpose for which it was erected is 

 unknown. It is recorded that on and near its site. 



in 1722, were seen at one view more than 12,000 

 ewes folded arid milked. Between Yarrow-kirk 

 and St Mary's loch, stands Mount Benger, the re- 

 sidence of the lute James Hogg, whose poetical 

 genius has thrown an additional charm over :i dis- 

 trict already celebrated in song. Some of the 

 finest verses he ever wrote were composed on the 

 ancient cemetery of St Mary's kirk. We are tempt- 

 ed to extract a few. 



O lone St Mnrv of the wave*. 



Ill ruin lic thine ancient aisle, 

 While uVr tin yr uixl !,. l\ graTC*. 



The mooreodu l>ny. :unl plover* wail; 



But mountain spirits DM tin- :-.i\i- 

 Oft o'er tliee sound tin- requiem dread, 



And warrior shades, anil spectres pale. 

 Still linger by the quiet dead. 



Ye-i. many a chief of ancient day* 



.Sleeps in thy rulil anil liallow'd soil, 

 Hearts thiit would thread tin' lore.-.! n.an-, 



Alike for spousal or for spoil. 



'I hat wist not. ween'd not. to recoil 

 Before the might of mortal foe. 



Hut thirsted for the Border broil, 

 The shout, the clang, the overthrow '. 



Here lie those who, o'er flood and field, 



Were hunted as the osprey's brood, 

 Who braved the power of man, and seal'd 



Their te-tinmmes with their Mood : 



But long as waves that wilder'd Hood, 

 Their sacred memory shall he dear, 



And all the virtuous and the good 

 O'er their low graves shall drop the tear. 



Here sleeps the last of all the race 



( )f these old heroes of the hill, 

 ! tern as the storm in heart and face ; 



Gainsaid in faith or principle. 



Then would the fire of heaven fill 

 The orbit of his faded eye ; 



Yet all within was kindness still, 

 Benevolence and simplicity. 



Here lie old Border bowmen good ; 



Hanger and stalker bleep together, 

 Who for the red-deer's stately brood 



Watch'd. in despite of want and weather, 



Beneath the hoary hills of heather: 

 Even Scotta, and Kerrs, and 1'ringles, blended 



In peaceful slumbers, re-t together, 

 Whose fathers there to death contended. 



Here lie the peaceful, simple race, 



'I he first old tenants of the wild, 

 Who stored the mountains of the chase 



With flocks and herds whose manners mild 



Changed the baronial castles, piled 

 In every glen, into the cot, 



And the rude mountaineer beguiled, 

 indignant, to his peaceful lot. 



Here rural beauty low reposes, 



'1 he blushing cheek and beaming eye, 

 The dimpling smile, the lip of roses, 



Attractors of the burning sigh, 



And love's delicious pangs, that lie 

 Enswathed in pleasure s mellow mine : 



Maid, lover, parent, low and high, 

 Are mingled in thy lonely shrine. 



Dryhope castle, a ruin near the eastern extremity 

 of St Mary's loch, was the residence of Mary 

 Scott, the flower o' Yarrow, renowned in song, and 

 who having been married to Elliot of Minto, be- 

 came the ancestress of the lady who wrote "the 

 Flowers of the Forest." It is singular, indeed, the 

 number of poetical associations with which this 

 district is connected. " The Song of the Outlaw 

 Murray," the " Douglas Tragedie," and the oldest 

 verses to the "Yellow-haired laddie," all belong to 

 these scenes. But the best known of the ancient 

 ballads is " The Dowie Dens of Yarrow," which is 

 supposed to have suggested to Hamilton of Ban- 

 gour the more modern song beginning, " Busk ye, 

 busk ye, my bonnie bride." Hence, also, the plain- 

 tive strain of Logan, " Thy braes were bonnie, 

 Yarrow stream," &c., and Wordsworth's fine effu- 

 sions, " Yarrow Unvisited," "Yarrow Visited, "and 

 " Yarrow Revisited." 



YAWL. See Boat. 





