SCOTTISH GARDENS 



arrow. Next, Mackie shot at a raven flying over- 

 head, and brought it to the ground, and the King 

 was satisfied, although poor MacLurg missed his 

 mark altogether. 



In after years, when the widow's words had been 

 fulfilled by Bruce coming to his own and being acknow- 

 ledged King of Scots, he sent for the widow and 

 asked her to name the reward she had earned by 

 her timely hospitality. 



" Just gie me," said she, " yon wee bit hassock o' 

 land that lies atween Palnure and Penkiln" two 

 streams flowing into Wigtown Bay. 



The King granted her request. The " bit hassock/' 

 being about five miles long and three broad, was 

 divided between the three sons, from whom descended 

 the families of Murdoch of Cumloden, Mackie of 

 Larg, and MacLurg of Kirouchtrie. Cumloden re- 

 mained the property of the family of Murdoch 

 till 1738, when it was sold to the Earl of Galloway 

 to discharge an accumulation of debt. The fine 

 shooting of the founder of the family is com- 

 memorated in the arms borne by his descendants, 

 and duly enrolled in the Lyon Register, viz., Argent, 

 two ravens hanging palewise, sable, with an arrow 

 through both their heads fess-wise, proper. 



In the Justiciary Records of Scotland there is 

 brief record of a horrible outrage perpetrated upon 

 Patrick Murdoch of Cumloden in 1605. Robert and 

 John, sons of Peter M'Dowall of Machermore, a near 

 neighbour of Cumloden, were arraigned upon a charge 



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