FALKIRK TO EDINBURGH. 39 



-sible post, and it depends more upon liim whether or 

 not the drove " goes weaving away as canny as pos- 

 sible/^ The drover's cry always tells an old crafts- 

 man down wind if anything is wrong, without ever 

 seeing the cattle. If they are going ^^ sweetly/^ they 

 should be two or three deep, the same thickness all 

 along, and streaming away like a flock of wild geese. 

 If once they take a panic and run off, they might go 

 for miles, and never settle, and even the clatter of 

 a little burn might do it. 



Some very good drovers come from the Western 

 Islands, and none were better known to fame at Fal- 

 kirk than " Willy liun-her-outj^ but only three or 

 four of the true old sort are left. Willy got the name 

 from running down a quey at Aikey Fair of Old Deer ; 

 but he was so weary after his performance, that a light 

 which was applied for a bet to the sole of his feet 

 quite failed to awaken him. The droves generally 

 travel about twelve miles a day, with a break of two 

 or three hours about noon. Once the drovers only 

 got 2s. or Is. 6d. a day, and no watching-money, but 

 the better ones earn 3s., and Is. for watching at night 

 till September, and Is. 6d. when the nights are 

 longer. 



Many used to buy meal, and carry it on their backs ; 

 and an unpopular one, who was called " Talavera, '' 

 from his constant allusions to that passage of his 

 soldier life, had his supply very freely salted by his 

 comrades. Being of a penurious disposition, he would 

 ■mot throw it away, and went through three remark- 



