168 REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 189'/. 



is popularly understood to take its rise. It was difficult 

 to realise that this desolate spot is the birth place of the 

 beautiful stream which forms one of the principal attractions of 

 of the Merse. All drank from the spring, including Dr 

 Hardy, who accompanied the Dunbar party, and who, strange to 

 say, had never visited the place before. Dr Hardy was never 

 again able to attend a Field Meeting of the Club, a circumstance 

 which invests this excursion with a peculiar and pathetic 

 interest. 



Leaving the White Well, the combined party now 

 visited Johnscleugh, an old Border Laird's house, 

 coasiderably modernised. The apartments on the ground 

 floor, however, still retain their original stone vaulting. 

 Mr Wilson, Abbey St. Bathans, remarked that the height 

 of the water-table and chimney collars above the existing 

 slated roof showed that the house had originally a 

 thick roof of thatch. Some stones were observed lying at 

 the end of the house, which had apparently belonged to 

 a crow-stepped gable. Mr Wilson was informed by the 

 shepherd that these had formed no part of the dwelling 

 house, but had beea removed from the gable of an adjoining 

 outhouse. In the south wall of the main building is an 

 interesting example of the old Scottish " iagle-neuk." It 

 is partly built up, and encumbered with a modern fireplace, 

 but the original arch is still displayed. The north portion 

 of the structure also contains, on the ground floor, a vaulted 

 apartment of considerable size, now used as a place of storage. 

 Johnscleugh formerly belonged to a branch of the Home family. 

 It is now the property of the Earl of Haddington. 



The arrangements of the Dunbar party necessitated their 

 leaving earlier than their fellow-members from Duns, who 

 remained to lunch on the banks of the Whitadder, here a 

 tiny moorland burn. The company included Mr Eichard 

 Stephenson, Ohapel ; Miss J. Stephenson, and the Masters 

 Caverhill ; Mr James Darling, Priestlaw, guest ; Mr J. Ferguson 

 and Mrs Ferguson, Duns ; Mr Joseph Wilson, Duns ; Herr Albe, 



