COLDSTREAM TO HAWICK. 167 



fflSAfflE ¥L 



" For til from his den the otter drew ; 

 Grayling and trout their tyrant knew, 

 As between reed and sedge he peers 

 With fierce round snout and shariiened ears ; 

 Or prowling by the mountain cool, 

 "Watches the stream or swims the pool." 



Scott. 



The Hawick "Lads" — Messrs. Oliver's Auction Sales — The Hawck Rara 

 Sale — Dr. Grant's Otter Hounds — His Dandie Dinmonts — Robin's 

 Education — Sandy and Billy — Mornings with the Doctor on the 

 Teviot, Ale, and Jed. 



AWicK is not the prettiest ; but there is a sturdy ;, 

 industrial independence about it which gives it 

 a hi^h rank among Border towns. It reroonstrated 

 in good set terms with Manchester for rejecting 

 Milner Gibson and John Bright; it plumes itself 

 on being peopled by the descendants of heroes who 

 fell at riodden ; and one of its poets has packed its 

 greatness into this couplet — 



" Spite of lawless fraud and pUlage, 

 Hawick rose by trade and tillage." 



The last trace of their martial ardour is to be found 

 in the selection of a '' cornet" annually. Garlick 

 Jock^ Black Wat, and '^Adam Hart (carter)" are all on 

 the roll, and two of them flourished when the " town 



