ATHELSTANEFORD TO COLDSTREAM. 15S 



pleasantly on our Cumbrian ear. " There^s a good un, 

 there^s noe doot of it ;" but even this eulogium is 

 not quite to his mind, and he adds apologetically, 

 '' I canna spak oot for this wind.'^ " Here's a good 

 skinned yen.'' " Sic a sheep again there, gentlemen^ 

 — j85 for a start of Jam sure-ly.'' 



Then comes the Polwarth prelude, but the speaker 

 is equal to it, and no wiud interferes with the glowing 

 assurance that their ^' heads, rumps, and skiyis are the 

 wonder of the world'' The tall and limber-looking 

 shepherd, Andrew Paterson, in drab leggings, and 

 with a handkerchief in his hand for the final polish^ 

 brings the first of the thirty-five into the ring, and 

 " Ten pounds ten times over" was the first auctioneer's 

 remark on him. ^^ Look at him. Oh dear! I'll 

 get £20 for him in a minit, I'm sure o't ;' and Mr. 

 Wilson of Hay mount drew first blood at twenty-four. 

 Bidders went much sharper for No. 5, and it was "36 

 ten times over ;" and when it was at 60, with a good 

 round of Border music, the seller had only this dry 

 eulogy for his audience, that they had " taken a ter- 

 rible deal of time.'" One pound more, and it was Mr. 

 Wilson^s again. " Here's a better yen," said the 

 shepherd, mantling with delight ; but the bidders soon 

 discounted his speech for him. As for No. 10, " It's 

 no use wasting any time. Come! Jwenty for a start," 

 and he got it; and the £60 top finish of last year 

 bet^veen Mr. Purvis and Sir George Dunbar^s agent 

 was converted into a £71 between Torrence of Sis- 

 terpath and Douglas of Eoss-shire. As Mr. Usher 



