Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 457 



berries. Wild berries have rarely been scarcer. 



Priest Hill (669 feet) lay to the right between Whithaugh 

 and Brox. 



Sandyholm on our right, is one of those " handy " places, 

 sufficient to keep a family in comfort. A neat cottage and the 

 requisite farm buildings for such a little place, makes it a thing 

 of beauty from the passer by road or rail. Such desirable places 

 are now gradually being incorporated into the bigger farms. 

 Mr John Elliot, the tenant, afterwards joined the company in 

 their excursion and at dinner. He was thoroughly conversant 

 with the history of every place of note in the dale. He was 

 fresh and hearty when we saw him, but died on the 26th 

 September, in his 82nd year. 



We shortly after pass over the bridge across the Hermitage 

 Water, which, a few yards further down, joins the Liddel. On 

 the peninsula formed by the junction of the two streams, are 

 one or two buildings of some interest. 



In regard to the Blacksmith's shop at the end of the bridge, 

 a story is told connected with the juvenile exploits of Andrew 

 Scott, afterwards Professor of Oriental Languages ; who was 

 the son of Scott of Lower Burmouth, a schoolmaster in this 

 parish and author of the " Beauties of the Border," and " Border 

 Exploits,'' both of topographical value. Andrew, while about 

 19 years of age, walked back and forwards, to and from his 

 father's residence, every morning and evening, to Castleton, a 

 distance of upwards of 5 miles, to teach in a school. One day 

 he called on the blacksmith of this smithy, provided with a 

 pocket full of pennies, and asked the smith whether he would 

 allow him a blow with the fore or sledge hammer at the horn or 

 rounded point of the anvil for a penny. The blacksmith 

 acquiesced. Throwing a penny on the hearth, Andrew took his 

 shot, but failed to obtain the desired effect. Another penny, 

 and yet another, when off came the horn of the anvil, and the 

 scholar walked out quite satisfied with his strength of arm and 

 determination of will, leaving the blacksmith to provide himself 

 with another anvil out of the threepence of stakes. Near the 

 church, which also stands on the peninsula before mentioned, is 

 a small cottage, till recently used by Miss Telfer, daughter of 

 James Telfer, the poetic schoolmaster of Saughtree, as a school, 

 in the walls of which is an inscription pourtrayed in Bruce 

 Armstrong's Liddesdale, p. 90. 



