Meport of Meetings for 1887. By J. Hardy. 59 



Within Bowland policies, the party was shown a small burial 

 place, surrounded by a decaying stone wall, lying in such a 

 sheltered hollow as a poet would like to muse in, whether in 

 summer afterglow or in dimmer twilight, and a little trimming 

 up, and the planting of a shrub or two and some flowers would 

 sweeten a spot in which we understand comparatively recent 

 interments have taken place. The party was conducted through 

 Bowland House, which contains a large collection of Indian 

 curiosities, notably of representatives of the Hindoo pantheon. 

 In one of the rooms was shown the portrait of Brigadier- General 

 Alexander Walker, who was Governor of St Helena in 1822, in 

 succession to Sir Hudson Lowe. Sir H. Lowe was still governor 

 when Napoleon died, 5th May, 1821. In one of the cottages on 

 the estate, some of the party were fortunate enough to see what 

 are said to be window-blinds, once used in the dwelling of 

 Napoleon at St Helena. The portrait of the Eev. William 

 Walker, minister of the parish of Collessie in Fife, hangs along- 

 side that of his son, the General.- 1 ' In the 17th century, the 

 historian of "Selkirkshire" informs us, "Bowland belonged to 

 the Biddells of Eiddell, but was sold by Andrew Eiddell of 

 Haining in 1697, to Robert, son of John Eutherfurd of Edgerston. 

 With the Eutherfurds it remained until 1752, when it was pur- 

 chased by James Pringle, clerk of Session, and brother of George 

 Pringle of Torwoodlee. His son James, who succeeded his 

 uncle as laird of Torwoodlee, sold Bowland in 1788, to Mr Well, 

 an Edinburgh merchant, from whom it was bought in 1808 by 

 Brigadier-General Alexander Walker. General Walker married 

 Barbara, daughter of Sir James Montgomery, Bart., of Stanhope, 

 and was succeeded by his eldest son, now Sir W. S. Walker, 

 K.C.B., Chairman of the Board of Supervision." (Mr Craig- 

 Brown's Hist, of the County of Selkirk, i. p. 455). 



We presume, although we have no direct authority for the 

 statement, that the present mansion was built by General Walker, 

 and connected with an older one still used as servants' rooms. The 

 date on the entrance gate is 1812. The main building, which is 

 castellated in style, of the blue native Silurian grit, with white 

 freestone projecting porch, is very pleasantly situated on a sloping 

 park well ornamented with trees. The botanists in the party of 

 visitors were attracted by many large trees around the mansion — 



* The General spent thirteen years of active duty in the East India 

 Company's service, from which he returned in 1811. 



