The Dandle Dinmont Terrier. 277 



and was an excellent fisherman. He married a 

 gipsy girl, and had six children, James (the " Piper") 

 being the youngest, and born in 1 734. 



Dr. Brown says : " This Piper Allan lived in 

 Coquet Water, piping, like Homer, from place to 

 place, and famous not less for his dogs than for his 

 music, his news, and his songs. The Earl of 

 Northumberland of his day offered the piper a small 

 farm for one of his dogs, but after deliberating for a 

 time, Allan said, " Na, na, ma lord, keep yir ferum ; 

 what wud a piper do wi' a ferum? " 



No doubt this dog was one of the same strain 

 with which the piper's father had hunted the otter, 

 about a dozen of which he kept for the purpose. It 

 was he who said of one of his crack dogs, " that 

 when Peachem gives mouth I dare always sell 't 

 otter's skin ! " Another well-known dog of his was 

 called Charlie, which, after doing some excellent 

 work in assisting to kill otters in a fish pond of Lord 

 Ravensworth's, at Eslington Hall, the steward wished 

 to buy at Allan's own price. This was, however, 

 refused with the expression that " the whole estate 

 wad nae buy Charlie." These stories certainly 

 favour the supposition that there was a strain of 

 hound in such terriers otter hound, of course, and, 

 judging from their appearance and characteristics, 

 I believe this was the case. 



