302 LAXGHOLM BRIG. TAUT VIII. 



the rest, of Telford' s hewing ; for he was already be- 

 ginning to set up his pretensions as a craftsman, and took 

 pride in pointing to the superior handiwork which pro- 

 ceeded from his chisel. About the same time the bridge 

 connecting the Old with the New Town was built across 

 the Esk at Langholm, and upon that structure 

 he was also employed. Many of the stones in it 

 were hewn by his hand, and on several of the 

 blocks forming the land-breast his tool mark is 

 still to be seen. 

 Not long after the bridge was finished, an unusually 

 high flood or spate swept down the valley. The Esk 

 was " roaring red frae bank to brae," and it was gene- 

 rally feared that the new brig would be carried away. 

 Andrew Thomson, the master mason, was from home 

 at the time, and his wife, Tibby, knowing that he was 

 bound by his contract to maintain the fabric for a 

 period of seven years, was in a state of great alarm. 

 She ran from one person to another, wringing her 

 hands and sobbing, " Oh ! we'll be ruined we'll all be 

 ruined ! " In her distress she thought of Telford, in 

 whom she had great confidence, and called out, " Oh ! 

 where's Tammy Telfer where's Tammy ? " He was 

 immediately sent for. It was evening, and he was soon 

 found at the house of Miss Pasley. When he came 

 running up, Tibby exclaimed, " Oh, Tammy ! they've 

 been on the brig, and they say it's shakin' ! It '11 be 

 doon ! " " Never you heed them, Tibby," said Telford, 

 clapping her on the shoulder, "there's nae fear o' the 

 brig. I like it a' the better that it shakes it proves it's 

 weel put thegither." Tibby's fears, however, were not 

 so easily allayed ; and insisting that she heard the brig 

 " rumlin," she ran up so the neighbours afterwards used 

 to say of her and set her back against the parapet as if 

 to hold it together. At this, it is said, " Tarn hedged and 

 leuch ;" and Tibby, observing how easily he took it, at 

 length grew more calm. It soon became clear enough 



