His Birthplace and its Influences. 5 



and threw down from the roof huge rocks, or 

 poured boiling water or molten lead upon 

 those who ventured to attack them. But 

 when the cattle had been safely housed this 

 was rarely attempted, for the moss-troopers 

 were in too great a hurry to sit down before 

 fortified places. 



In the meantime alarm beacons were 

 blazing from every hill-top, and church 

 towers were used for the same purpose. The 

 Cumberland and Westmoreland peaks and 

 towers, which were lighted up to call the sur- 

 rounding country to arms, were at Black- 

 combe, Skiddaw, Landale Top, Carlisle Cas- 

 tle, Mulcaster Fell, St. Bee's Head, Work- 

 ington Hill, Brampton Mote, Dale Raugh- 

 ton, and Penrith. In course of time there 

 grew up in Cumberland families of free- 

 booters, among whom the Graemes, the Rut- 

 ledges, and the Howards soon became as 

 dashing and fearless as the Elliots, Arm- 

 strongs and Scotts from the northern side of 

 the Border. This unsettled condition of 

 affairs led to the destruction of all morality 

 and order, with the result that on both sides 

 of the Border, freebooting and cattle-stealing 



