280 AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LAIED 



Sealed in large ham bag .... 64 

 Sealed of silver in little harn bag . , . 1300 

 Sealed in little harn bag . . . 50 ' 



In all, 614, 8s. lOd. in hard cash. 



That gave the new laird a good start, and he managed 

 to keep it. Not by sitting tranquilly at home, content 

 to draw his rents; for these brought in little cash, 

 being chiefly paid in kind sheep, capons, grain, etc., 

 for which it required good business habits and 

 connection to find a market. 



The Scottish cattle trade with England was an 

 important source of revenue to Galloway landowners, 

 and the annual despatch of the autumn drove marked 

 an event even more important than the corn harvest. 

 The lairds bought in summer stock from the peasantry 

 who bred ' nolt,' fed them on the home pastures, and 

 at the end of August in each year sent them off to 

 the English markets. Large proprietors kept their 

 droves separate; smaller ones combined their cattle, 

 so as to make up a considerable drove. Most animated 

 and picturesque must have been the scenes on the 

 road, involving, no doubt, a prodigious amount of 

 strong language, strong drink, and competition for 

 grazing by the way ; the last-named consideration 

 affording a welcome opening for profits to owners of 

 pasture along the route. 



Sir Alexander's first speculation in this line was 

 unlucky. On 28th August 1711 Mr. Patrick Maxwell 

 received 50 guineas ' to carry my drove to England ' ; 

 on llth November he brought back 2372, 10s. 7|d. 

 sterling, and received a present of 3 ' for his pains 



