Report of Meetings. By James Hardy. 273 



less, alongside the tree-encompassed modern house. A wild 

 burn runs near it, leaving its margin widely encumbered with 

 gravel. Goats are said to be kept at Dryhope. We had first 

 encountered the black-faced breed of sheep above Sundhope. 

 Sheep, however, were very much out of sight during the day. 



But before reaching Dryhope we had crossed the Douglas 

 burn, (the reputed scene of the "Douglas Tragedy,") which 

 derives its early supplies from the Black-house heights, on the 

 farm once held by the Laidlaws, where Hogg was a shepherd 

 at 18 years of age, and where he continued 12 years, deriving 

 information from books in his master's library, and by un- 

 wearied practice acquired his unrivalled facility in song writing. 

 Altrieve, where the poet died, is opposite Dryhope burn. Ere 

 we were aware, we had reached the loch, and looked down on its 

 calm waters, and sunk shores. The reflection of Bowerhope 

 Law on the opposite side, with its patches of green, its grey 

 rocks, its purple streaks of heath, and the mackerel sky over- 

 head, dappled with blue, called forth expressions of admiration 

 and delight. 



" Far in the mirror bright and blue, 

 Each hills huge outlines you may view." 

 As a piece of folk-lore we are told that " St Mary's Loch is as 

 deep as Bowerhope is high." Bowerhope house, nestling near 

 the shore of the lake, is not without the attraction of trees and 

 bushes and green meadows. This farm has been long held, 

 and still is, by the Ettrick Shepherd's relations, the Laidlaws, 

 who are a very ancient race in the "Forest." 



We pass Kirkstead burn near the lower end of the lake 

 We ought to have climbed to St Mary's churchyard, which oc- 

 cupies a space of level ground at a considerable height above the 

 shore of the lake. It was, however, thought that there might 

 be time for walking back to it. The ruins of the old church are 

 nearly obliterated, but the plan of the foundation is still re- 

 cognisable. From it is to be had the most complete upward 

 view of the lake and its precincts. Some interments have taken 

 place in the churchyard lately, I am told, and it is still in good 

 preservation, and has some good headstones and monuments. 

 Mr Bell, schoolmaster at Yarrow, states that "the enclosing 

 wall was lately repaired, and the cost defrayed out of money left 

 by the late Mr and Mrs Scott, Eldinhope, and ought to be in 

 good order. The great age reached by the Scott family buried 

 there is remq,rkable." 



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