Dr. Johnston's Journal of a visit to Jar dine Hall. 417 



they were. That they are of Roman manufacture is un- 

 doubted ; but for what purpose were they made ? The 

 specimens in Sir William's cabinet were found in a peat 

 moss on his estate ; and in the same moss there were found 

 a small brass kettle and pot, which are also in his possession. 

 Pennant delineates a pot exactly similar to the one we were 

 examining. Upon the whole, this was an interesting day ; 

 and a pleasing variety to those we had of wandering " here 

 awa, there awa." 



Sunday, Sept. 15th. The rain continued to fall without 

 interruption ; and the Annan had risen higher than it had 

 done for several years back. Lessening in severity however, 

 we ventured to the Parish Church at Applegirth ; which is 

 distant rather more than two miles from Sir William's resi- 

 dence. The Reverend Dr. Dunbar is a clergyman much 

 above the average of parish ministers in appearance, manners, 

 and talents ; and his sermon was composed with care, and 

 delivered with chaste propriety. It was chiefly doctrinal, 

 after the fashion of Presbyterians ; and this seemed to me 

 an error, considering that the class to whom it was preached 

 were principally agricultural labourers. From the Manse 

 garden we had an extensive view of the Annan, which had 

 now risen above its banks, and overflowed all the adjacent 

 haughs. Corn fields were flooded, and here and there people 

 were busy removing the crop from amongst the water; while 

 in other places carts were standing axle-tree deep in the 

 water, arrested while the work of removal had been going 

 on. The scene reminded me strongly of a similar one de- 

 scribed by Thomson in his " Autumn." — 



"And still 

 " The deluge deepens ; till the fields around 

 " Lie sunk and flatted in the sordid wave ; 

 " Sudden the ditches swell ; the meadows swim. 

 " Red from the hills, innumerable streams 

 " Tumultuous roar ; and high above its banks 

 " The river lift, before whose rushing tide, 

 " Herds, flocks, and harvests, cottages and swains 

 " Roll mingled down." 

 The poet has very probably drawn his picture from scenes 

 which he must have seen when a youth in his native district, 

 exaggerating the details a little after his own way. In the 

 churchyard at Applegirth, there grows a very fine and very 

 large ash tree ; from which in the good old times, the Branks 



