OCTOBER 265 



flowed through the gap, enabling the demon to escape to 

 sea, to be seen no more, but leaving ample proof to a 

 generation seeking after a sign, in the form of a sandbank 

 at the place where he left his shovel. 



Now this must have happened between the years 1214 

 and 1300, the span of Michael Scot's life ; but one may 

 peer beyond that era into the dimmest past, and find that 

 neither oral tradition nor written record indicates any 

 lord of Makerstoun other than a Makdougal, which is the 

 name borne by the present possessor. The house of 

 Makerstoun was, and is, a branch of the ancient Celtic 

 clan Macdougal or Macdowall, who still own much land 

 in Galloway and Argyll. But the Celtic blood of the 

 present laird contains a strong blend of Saxon. Descended 

 in the male line from the Pringles of Gala, in the female 

 line from ' Auld Wat o' Harden ' and Mary Scott, ' the 

 Flower o' Yarrow,' and by a later marriage from Anne 

 Makdougal of Makerstoun, none can boast a richer 

 admixture of ancient Border blood than he. 



These thoughts and the like crowded into memory as I 

 hurried down the woodland path that leads to the Trows, 

 but you may be sure that they did not clog my footsteps. 

 Too many of the golden hours had sped already ; for in 

 the house where I was lodged were certain royal guests, 

 and all we humbler mortals were expected to parade 

 at breakfast to do them honour. Ay, and to sit right 

 on to the end till the last slice of toast had been 

 munched, the last tea-cup emptied, so that it was 

 high noon before I got my gear rigged up. 



The river was very low too low to excite much hope 

 of sport but there had been much rain in the night, and 

 the fisherman warned me that ' she ' was waxing already, 



