3S REt'ORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1906 



straight avenue running the whole length of the Pinetum, 

 one of which bears the following dedication: — "Planted by 

 North, 9th Earl of Stair, on the marriage-day of the Prince 

 and Princess of Wales, 10th March 1863." Strong tempta- 

 tion as there was on such a day of warmth and brightness, 

 wedged in between a series of too literal fulfilments of a 

 wet St. Swithin's, to linger amid the peace and verdure of 

 this sylvan scene, the summons of the Organizing Secretary 

 dare not be disregarded, as he ordered the carriages to 

 advance at ten minutes behind scheduled time. 



From Oxenfoord the road leads through Pathhead a 

 straggling village which occupies both sides for a distance 

 of half-a-mile or more, and contains a population of upwards 

 of six hundred. The necessity for ascending the steep 

 gradient on which it stands was not at first apparent to 

 those acquainted with the direct line to Crichton, but was 

 accounted for by the situation of the Pictish dwelling on 

 Crichton House Farm, which formed the immediate objective. 

 Continuing along the highway to the Lang Faugh road, 

 the members were reminded of the exposure to which earlier 

 generations were subjected, as, seated in the Mail Coach, 

 they made their way up Soutra Hill to the Royal Burgh 

 of Lauder, and onward to the Border Burgh of "merry" 

 Carlisle. Turning at right angles to the South, the party 

 soon reached the barlej' field belonging to 

 Pictish Mr James Pringle, tenant of the House Farm, 



Dwellinsf. whose crop with his permission was to be 

 sacrificed for the benefit of the curious. Unable 

 to be present in person, he very kindly deputed his brother, 

 Mr Wm. Pringle, Crichton Schoolhouse, to lead the members 

 to the South-East side, where a modern stairway has been 

 provided by the proprietor, Henry Callander, Esq., of Preston- 

 hall, to enable visitors to enter the ancient dwelling. Provided 

 with candles, they descended in relays and entered through 

 a kind of tunnel, their guide directing attention to the peculiar 

 features of the interior. With the exception of another in 

 the adjoining parish of Borthwick, this souterrain or weem is 

 unique in this part of Scotland. Referring to the former an 

 anonymous writer in an appendix to Pennant's "Tour in 

 Scotland" (1799), compares it with one he had visited near 



