SELKIRK. 53 



below the town, for with sorrow did I see there, 

 the other day, the commencement of a tannerie 

 quite close to the mill-lead, and there are no 

 tanks used. 



Stands on the south side of the Ettrick, on 

 the face of a hill, l The Birse,' and the Sutors of 

 Selkirk are well known. It is famous, inas- 

 much as they can show the colours which they 

 brought off from the fatal battle of Flodden 

 Field in 1513, and which I have seen. Its men, 

 1 The Flowers of the Forest,' being, it is said, the 

 only body who kept the field and were in battle 

 array next morning after the ever to be lamented 

 event. It is now a thriving place, the mills of 

 Roberts, Brown, and Waddle, giving employ- 

 ment to many hands. The lap-stone has thus 

 given place to the shuttle. I may mention an 

 instance of generosity here. In the time of 

 scarcity of water, Lord Napier allows the mill- 

 owners to draw freely on the Loch of St Mary ; 

 this is regulated by means of a sluice near the 

 loch ; no doubt, in 1859, so dry a season, the fish 

 would get a fright, as many feet of water from 



