74 MR BAIRD ON THE " FAIRY STONES." 



cifully ducked by the White Lady, — and of the usual spot itself of 

 that fair creature's residence, the pastoral Valley of Grlendearg. These 

 several scenes occur within a very few miles of each other, and in each 

 and all of them there is an interest and charm of no common nature, 

 whether we consider their own inherent beauties, or the many pleasing 

 associations which either the genius of the poet's pen, or the deeds of 

 other years, have thrown around them. Of these various scenes, 

 however, the last is the one which at present is more immediately in- 

 teresting to us, as it is the scene where not only many of the principal 

 events of the romance are supposed to have taken place, hut where 

 also the curious substances occur which are to form the subject of our 

 present speculations. This pleasing little valley commences about two 

 miles westward from the town of Melrose, its general direction being 

 from north to south, and extending in length about five miles. It is 

 watered by a limjDid little mountain stream, named the Elwand or 

 Allan Water, which, after forming some very pleasing scenes, dis- 

 charges itself into the Tweed on its northern bank, and near the site 

 of the ancient bridge across that river. Towards the south, the valley 

 thus opens into the wider vale of the Tweed, while at its northern 

 extremity is situated the ruin of Hillslop Tower, the undoubted 

 Glendearg of the romance. 



There are several ways of access to this valley leading from different 

 directions, but to see and to examine its scenery to the greatest advan- 

 tage, the most interesting, although certainly not the shortest, is by 

 the streamlet's side, along a winding path through Langlee-wood, the 

 property of Lord Sommerville. During this part of the walk the 

 scenery is very pleasing, although much contracted ; but on leaving it 

 a wider glen gradually opens to view, bounded on one side by a pre- 

 cipitous bank or scaur of a reddish colour, varied here and there by a 

 few intermingled patches of green sward, and on the other by a series 

 of more gently swelling eminences, forming, from their more cultivated 

 appearance, a striking contrast to those opposite to them. Proceeding 

 onwards this kind of scenery continues for some time with little inter- 

 ruption, till we arrive at a scene somewhat different, an amphitheatre 

 of scaurs and precipices thickly strewed with copsewood, at the foot of 

 which the streamlet is seen working its troubled way. This spot is 

 generally known by the name of the " Fairy " or " Nameless Dean," 

 and it is in this part of the valley, as the name itself suggests, that 

 the " Fairy Stones," as they are vulgarly called, are most frequently 

 found. These are of various sizes, from that of a bean to two or 

 sometimes three inches in circumference, and of a great variety of 

 shapes, some exhibiting the exact appearance of hunting-caps, some 

 of tea-pots, kettles, buttons, walnuts, &c., &c. Grenerally speaking, 

 however, their usual form is roundish, with a flattened base ; and they 

 are all seemingly composed of a pretty pure clay, which yields more 

 QT less readily to the knife. They are almost invariably found by 



