342 Report of Meetings for 1380. By J. Hardy. 



rose the curiously wrinkled block of bare green hill, with specks 

 of crag, where Sandyknowes tower was expected to be visible, 

 but was obviously intercepted by the higher end of the ridge, 

 being that in front of us. We turned in by the smithy, where 

 the blackcap warbler was heard, and passed through the village, 

 where the school is the principal establishment. Refreshing 

 ourselves at the cooling fountain, we crossed a burn where a 

 tree of aspiring proportions at the one end quite dwarfed the 

 high arched tiny bridge. Here the fine woods behind the 

 church were entered, and three plants of Epipactis latifolia were 

 descried by the wayside. The church is small and humble. 

 There is an outside stair and door for the private gallery of the 

 Lord of the manor. The iron jougs or hals-fang was suspended 

 by a chain at one of the doors. "Repd. 1820 " is the epigraph 

 over one door; and 1658 surmounts the other, while another 

 original stone placed below the threshhold is marked JVLLE. 

 1658. 



The other division having overtaken us here, I shall now in- 

 corporate Mr Douglas's narrative : — The others taking leave 

 with some reluctance of the beautiful and solemn precincts of the 

 abbey, placed themselves under the leadership of Mr Graham, 

 who led the way at a rattling pace up the hill. The first object 

 to claim attention was the colossal statue of Wallace, which 

 stands on the height overlooking the river. It is of red sand- 

 stone, and is 21 feet in height, standing on a pedestal 10 feet 

 high. It was executed by Mr Smith, Darnick, commissioned by 

 the Earl of Buchan, Sir Walter Scott's friend. The high road 

 was shortly afterwards regained, and a flying visit was made to 

 Bemersyde House, the romantic seat of the ancient family of 

 Haig, where a fine chestnut tree growing on the lawn was 

 inspected. Thence the way led through the village and along 

 the dusty road to G-aitheugh, where a halt was made; and the 

 party, seated on the top of the bank, enjoyed the lovely prospect 

 spread out before them. The air was close and somewhat murky, 

 and hence the distant view was not so clear as it often is ; but 

 lying within a moderate compass was the fairest landscape to be 

 found in the south of Scotland, and one which defies the power 

 of words to describe its romantic beauty. So lovely was the 

 scene that some would fain have spent a considerable time in 

 admiring it, but the inexorable leader, after consulting his 



