298 AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LAIRD 



the district, breathing the class bitterness engendered 

 by land enclosure : 



' Against the poor the lairds prevail 



With all their wicked works, 

 Who will enclose both hill and dale, 



And turn corn-fields to parks. 

 The lords and lairds they drive us out 



From mailings where we dwell ; 

 The poor man cries, " Where shall we go ? " 



The rich say, " Go to hell ! " ' 



Travelling was slow and difficult in Galloway before 

 the era of Macadam. The only mail road in the province 

 was the military one to Portpatrick, then called Port 

 Montgomerie, which was the chief line of communica- 

 tion with Ireland: once off that, travellers had to 

 follow the pack-horse tracks, which did not admit of 

 carriages on springs. Nevertheless Sir Alexander, be- 

 sides frequent visits to Edinburgh and his annual 

 journey to London for the parliamentary session, moved 

 about a good deal. Thus 



'Aug. 15, 1724. Returned from the west 

 country from seeing my lords Eglintoun, 

 Dundonald, Wigtoun & Loudoun, wheren 

 half-a-guinea given to my nephew Sandie Sterling. 

 Stewart is compted 16 6 0' 



Lady Jean also took occasional jaunts, to Edinburgh, 

 and to Moffat for the waters. 



In 1720 Sir Alexander went farther afield. Having 

 paid 3 'to Baily Osburn for a blue coat to wear in 

 travelling/ he notes, ' 11 June. N.B. That day begun 

 my journey to Aix-la-Chapelle.' 



