36 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



Black Bull, that house was full ; when J found apartments had been 

 taken for me at the White Swan, and of which, — although, like all other 

 White Swans, nothing out of the common way — I had no reason to com- 

 plain. Moreover, the landlord is a sportsman, and that, like charity, 

 covers many sins. However, on my departure, I gave mine host of each 

 house a hint which it is not necessary to mention here, but which must 

 be attended to against another hunting season ; and it was promised 

 such should be the case. 



As the town of Dunse has been called the " Melton Mowbray of the 

 North," a short description of it may be required. Were I to give it by 

 word of mouth, I should say '' it is not a bad sort of a dull-looking 

 country town," looking perhaps duller than common in the cut-throat 

 month of November. Although it takes its name from the Celtic word 

 Dun, a hill, it stands on quite level ground ; but as it is said to 

 swarm with lawyers, it may be no misnomer after all. Its size may be 

 guessed at from the number of its inhabitants, which are somewhere 

 about three thousand ; and it has been the birth-place of several eminent 

 men. The new Town-house is certainly a handsome building-, and there 

 is a health-giving Spa in the neighbourhood, of whose virtues, however, 

 I am unable to speak, as, during the month I spent at this " Melton 

 Mowbray of the North," I never drank aqua pura, much less aqua 

 medicata. 



In less than an hour after my arrival at Dunse I went to seek for Lord 

 Elcho, And where did I find him ? In splendid apartments, fitting and 

 becoming the heir apparent to the Earl of Wemyss, one of the wealthiest 

 noblemen in all Scotland, and himself residing — when at home — at 

 Amisfield, in East Lothian, one of the finest and largest mansions in that 



