78 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



But the situation of this castle is quite in keeping with its architectural 

 decorations and character. It stands in a valley, at the head of a beau- 

 tiful lake nearly a mile in length, absolutely embosomed in finely- wooded 

 hills — in fact, amidst all the ornaments of nature : and this I think is 

 saying enough of it. The land about it — a great recommendation, in my 

 eye — is also excellent, quite equal to feeding good sized beasts, I should 

 imagine ; but Mr. Hay is not a great farmer, although he has one of the 

 best arranged home steads I ever met with in any country, and equal to 

 a great extent of business. 



It being one of those fine days in November which in my opinion equal 

 those of any other month in the year, and which, although they may 

 cast somewhat of a sombre tint over nature, impart by no means a dis- 

 advantageous one to woodland scenery, I very much enjoyed a walk 

 through this fine domain with Mr. Hay, who accompanied me to pay my 

 respects to Captain Maxwell, residing in a nice hunting box at the extre- 

 mity of it, also the property of Mr. Hay. " We shall find him in the 

 stable," said Mr. Hay (it being stable hour), '' for he is a great man for 

 condition ;" and there, in truth, did we find him, and in some alarm as 

 to the fate of the eye of one of his hunters which had received a slap 

 from a thorn. I assured him there was nothing to fear, and that a light 

 dose of physic and warm water fomentations would soon perform a cure ; 

 which they did. He had in his stable a five-year-old gelding bred by his 

 father, quite thorough-bred, and next to the King of the Valley, and old 

 John Bull, the largest horse of that description I ever remember to have 

 seen. If he make a hunter, he is a trump for a roomy country. We 

 afterwards called at the Cottage, where some of the party from Dunse 

 were assembled on the same errand as ourselves — to pay our respects to 

 Lord Eglinton. Here <' Nimrod was sold." I was told to look out of 



