4 PEESIBENT'S ADDRESS. 



via Carlisle and the Glasgow and South "Western Eailway. 

 The journey was most enjoyable, and with pleasant companions 

 and much interesting talk seemed very soon over. On arriving 

 at the appointed quarters (the Commercial Hotel) the party 

 were much pleased to find such a comfortable, homely inn, and 

 one with a history. It was in the sitting-room which they 

 occupied that "Bonnie Prince Charlie" held High Court for 

 three days in December, 1745, having converted it into a little 

 palace. Here he held levees, and tried to extort a large sum 

 of money (said to have been £4,000) and 1,000 pairs of shoes 

 out of the Dumfriesians by threats, etc. A false alarm, how- 

 ever, caused him to beat a retreat, having first secured about 

 £1,100 in hard cash and 225 pairs of shoes for his followers, 

 and carrying off with him two of the most illustrious citizens 

 as hostages for the payment of the rest of the money. 



After partaking of needful refreshments, it was decided to 

 have a conveyance, and drive over to l^ew Abbey and the Sol- 

 way Fisheries, with a view to make arrangements with Mr. 

 Armistead as to the Monday's visit of the Club. After a 

 very delightful ride of seven or eight miles through lovely 

 rural scenery, and often through long and beautiful avenues 

 of splendid elms and trees of many kinds, ITew Abbey was 

 reached, which was partially inspected ; and then about a mile 

 further away we came to the " Shanty " at the Solway 

 Fisheries, the charming residence of Mr. and Mrs. Armistead 

 and their family, by whom we were most kindly received, and 

 who made arrangements, not only for showing the members of 

 the Club on Monday all the mysteries of this very successful 

 fish hatchery, which is situated almost under the shadow of 

 the high hill called Criffel, but also for their creature comforts. 

 The following day (Sunday) was spent in Dumfries and its 

 environs, some of the party attending the church where the 

 poet Burns and his family worshipped when living in Dumfries. 

 The town is full of memorials of Scotland's world-famed bard. 

 A very pleasant ramble by the banks of the Mth to the ruins 

 of Lincluden Abbey was also much enjoyed. This abbey was 

 built about the middle of the twelfth century by Uctred, Lord 



