144 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



Thomas sat on its banks, and a deal of Scotch mist 

 is hanging over its recesses and windings. But the 

 legend is a glorious one. And how the green and 

 golden livery of the broom on those knowes is mel- 

 lowed and beautified by that one simple song ! When 

 you get back to the George at Melrose to-night, you 

 may perhaps find some one to sing it to you. 



" O the broom, the bonny bonny broom, 



The broom o' the Cowdenknowes ; 

 I wish I were there witli my dear lad, 

 With his pipe and my ewes." 



The names of the locality are strung together in a 

 curious old song, by some one who called himself 

 " Minstrel Burn," which Sir Walter Scott was fond of 

 quoting 



" Sing Ercildoune and Cowdenknowes, 



Where Homes had ance commanding, 



And Dry grange wi' the milk-white ewes, 



'Twixt Tweed and Leader standing. 



# # # * 



For many a place stands in hard case, 



Where blythe folks kent nae sorrow, 



Wi' Homes that dwelt on Leader side, 



And Scotts that dwelt on Yarrow." 



The bare high knoll that you see standing to the 

 south-east of Earlston is Sandy knowe, where Scott 

 was brought up, and on it are the remains of Smail- 

 holm Tower, the scene of his ballad of " The Eve of 

 St. John." 





