Anniversay Address 311 



could muster four hundred warriors as its quota to it's lord's 

 array. The Bow-butts is a field to the westward, formerly- 

 devoted to the training of archers. One of the pendicles of 

 land, called the l Postman's rig,' in 1766 belonged to Ninian 

 Leitch, which he and his predecessors had held rent-free as 

 a salary for being baron officer since 1693. The tradition is, 

 that its first possessor was once dispatched to Edinburgh by 

 the Earl, with an urgent message. Next morning, however, 

 his lordship observed him loitering about, in apparent neglect, 

 and ordered him to condign punishment ; when he shewed 

 that he had already accomplished the journey to the capital, 

 and done everything required. The earl was so pleased 

 with his promptitude, that he granted him the ' Postman's rig' 

 in perpetuity. The family held a horn, which is still pre • 

 served, which had been used in delivering messages and 

 summonses. The churchyard is situated at the bottom of a 

 hill-side, almost out of view of the castle. The church has 

 been a humble one, of an oblong form ; of it the foundations 

 alone now exist. Near it is the burial vault of the Earls of 

 Home: a plain structure, corresponding to the church to 

 which it was appended. It appears to have been renovated. 

 The tombstones are all modern. Of the ' rude forefathers of 

 the hamlet, ' there is not even ' a frail memorial.' In the 

 south-east corner, a green mound is called the 'Pest Knowe,' 

 which is said to have been heaped above persons who died of 

 the plague. Modern excavations have not detected any 

 tokens of either bones or sepulchral remains. Perhaps it is 

 only a pile of earth, excavated from the foundations of the 

 church or the burial vault. Above the churchyard, on an 

 elevation, are five pine trees, on a narrow selvage of ground ; 

 which is said to be the only remnant, pertaining to the original 

 owners, of the ancient barony of Hume. An ancient road 

 traverses the country here, passing Hume byres and crossing 

 towards the churchyard by a bridge, but formerly by a ford, 

 through a marsh which is now dried up. Near it some years 

 ago, a man, in mining, dug out thirty-six horse shoes, of a 



