340 Meport of Meetings for 1886. % J. Hardy. 



some authors. The descent from the top of the bank to the 

 chain bridge is precipitous, and proved rather trying to some of 

 the party, but they all got down in safety, and crossed the Tweed 

 Dy the elegant structure which, thanks to Lady Grizell Baillie, 

 has superseded the ferry. 



The Orchard on the left, at the turn of the road, was planted 

 by the Earl of Buchan in 1788, and is said to be very productive.* 

 A little farther on, on the right is the quarry reputed to have 

 furnished the stone for the erection of Melrose Abbey. 



Dryburgh Abbey was the first point of attraction, and here 

 the members were received by the intelligent and courteous 

 custodier, Mr Brown, who conducted them over the ruins, and 

 shewed the many objects of interest which are to be seen, in- 

 cluding the tomb of Sir Walter Scott. A few paid a visit to the 

 venerable yew close by, said to be coeval with the abbey ; and a 

 handsome hemlock spruce growing in the cloisters was much 

 admired. Round the exterior of the garden the throatwort bell- 

 flower ( Campanula latifolia) grew in rich profusion. 



There is no reason for the assumption that because in modern 

 times the excellent Dryburgh soil nourishes majestic oaks and 

 other timber trees, that it should be associated with the Druids, 

 to whom a superstitious attachment still clings in numerous 

 minds. The name is Anglo-Saxon. There had been a fortified 

 burgh here on a dry site, not like the Mere-toun, the town on the 

 lake to which our future walk tended. We never think of 

 ascribing to Druids, the Drydens, Dryhopes, Dryburns, Drylaws, 

 Dryganges, Drythropples, and similar epithets distributed on 

 both sides of the Borders. They express accurately as Dryburgh 

 does, the character of the places. 



At the Abbey the party became two bands, and I now follow 

 the division who chose to walk to Mertoun by the riverside. 

 The noble trees — beech, oak, elm, ash, and sycamore, so exuber- 

 antly foliaged and stately — were each of them a picture. 

 We passed through among these vegetable giants down the 

 green pastures to the walk, where, the day being sultry, we 

 enjoyed the cool sweep of the always progressive river. Then 

 seated on the green sward, the floral rarities that Dr. Stuart, Mr 

 W. B. Boyd, and others had brought were subjected to a scrutiny. 

 Mr Dunlop had with him Erineum pyrinum on the foliage of the 



* Loudon's Encyclop. Gard., p. 1251. 



