250 Report of the Meetings for 1898. 



man in the military service of the East India Company. It was 

 dated 1804, and jjave Scott power to sub-let either the cultivated 

 or pastoral grounds of the estate, and the lease was to hold for 

 six years. The grandfather, probably, of the present Laird 

 of Whytbank, negotiated the lease on the part of General 

 Eussell, and Mr Rutherford read the following hitherto 

 unpublished letter from Sir Walter to Mr Pringle relative 

 thereto : — 



Edinburgh, Nov. 1810. 



Dear Sir, 



I have not the least objection to pay £105 (or one hundred 

 guineas) for my present occupation of Ashiestiel, as I am quite satisfied 

 that if you did not think such a rise of rent reasonable in the circum- 

 stances you would not propose it. And I now agree with you that it will 

 be the better to take from year to year than to enter into another lease. 

 I would only put you in mind that I wish the fishings to be entirely at 

 my disposal, as a cross-grained tenant might be troublesome upon that 

 point.' I think also with the additional rent you might spare the wood for 

 new gates when he cuts any, and I would pay the workmanship, etc., but 

 on this point 1 come within your own will. 



Mrs Scott joins me in kind compliments to Mrs Pringle, and regard me. 

 Dear Sir, 



Very truly your faithfull servant, 



WALTEE SCOTT. 



P.S. — The water will not, I think, be an object to the tenant, though 

 it is a sine qua non with me. 



The inference from this was that Scott held the place as 

 yearly tenant until he removed to Abbotsford. 



Mr Rutherford was warmly thanked by the Rev. Mr Paul, 

 Roxburgh, on behalf of the Club. Some of the party went down 

 to Tweedside to look on an oak, beneath the shade of which was 

 one of Scott's favourite seats, and some leaves were plucked to 

 be sent as souvenirs to friends in London and America. 

 Another group looked for traces of the Peel or tower, the 

 nucleus of the present mansion, and were successful in making 

 out that portions of its walls exist, and that the modern walls 

 are extensions. These are in the western portion of the 

 edifice, and one of them is yet the wall of the small library 

 room used by Scott, of which the wall is five feet thick. On the 

 floor immediately below, the wall is six feet in thickness at the 

 base, and had in recent if not in Scott's time, an arched stone 

 roof and was called ' the dungeon.' The is now away, and the 

 place is fitted up as a wine cellar. From the floor rises what 



