COLDSTREAM TO HAWICK. 171 



The Hawick ram sale is of old date^ and at one 

 time fat sheep,, tied by the legs^ were shown along 

 with them in the street. The Highland flockmasters 

 very seldom come now, but do nearly all their business 

 through commission agents, like Murray, the Swans, 

 and Kennedy, &c., of Edinburgh, who have quite 

 superseded the dealers. Once all the business was 

 done by private sale, till Mr. Eiddellof Hindalea 

 sold the " Calroust Rams '' by auction in Ha- 

 wick Market a wholesome innovation on the private 

 system, which must have dated back to the Union. 

 Hawick and Moffatt are now the Cheviot capitals, to 

 which Ettrick, Yarrow, all the Dumfriesshire districts, 

 and the dales journey once a year for interchange 

 of stock and good Border fellowship. At Hawick 

 alone, from 1,500 to 2,000 rams are sold, at all prices 

 from £21 to .€2 10s. In exceptional cases they will 

 range as high as £50, and Linhope, Hindhope, 

 Hopesrigg, Georgefield, and East Middle have gene- 

 rally carried the day. The sale of Leicester rams has 

 also much increased, and the principal Hawick dis- 

 trict supplies come from East Middle and Spittal. 



To pass through Hawick without having an intro- 

 duction to Dr. Grant and his Dandie Dinmonts was 

 not to be thought of. We first met him in the outskirts 

 journeying professionally towards Teviotdale, with 

 three of them in his dog-cart. Greyhounds, terriers, 

 otters, and a good practice form his quadruple tie to 

 the district, and he has almost ceased to think of his 

 native Highlands. His house is a faithful reflex of 



