The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-10-01

| dlmIV see ireland and the Atlantic
to the north. Loch Katrine seemed
almost at our feet. Loeb Long and
several smaller lakes, the country OF
Rob Roy, Arthur's Seat, the Sault-
bury Crags, Dundarton Castle, Ster-
ling Castle, with the fields of Sterling
bridge, Falkirk and Bannockburn.
the Wallace monument ca Abbey
Craig were plainly in view. Glas-
gov and Edinburgh castles were only
hidden by smoke. Clouds to the
north hid Ben Nevis, which may
sometimes be seen, but all the other
noted highlands answered to roll-call.
All around them till the view was IN
tercepted by clouds Oh the north and
the sea on the west, arose a thousand
lofty craigs, some Of the most beau
tiTul symmetry of outline and some
IN most fantastic shapes, until we
realized the meaning Of the express
sion thai Scotland was made "of the
remains Of a former world" Direct
ly at our foot lay Loeb Lomond, the
most beautiful of Scottish lakes. the
northern half pent up by the high
lands, the southern widening into
broad expanse, with twenty-four isl
ands Of surprising loveliness with
the ivy-clad ruins Of six castles upon
its islands and shores. | enclose
some heather from the side of Ben
Lomond. | would send you some
Of his ''top-knot" but for the fact that
like other old gentlemen he parts
his hair very wide in the middle.
How we got down the mountain and
what Of fainting and cramps before
morning, never ask me. 1t paid
nevertheless. We had fine view
of DumbartOn castle from the cars.
1t is like Edinburgh and Sterling
Castles, upon the summit of rock
which seems inaccessible. 1t is said
to contain the twO-handed sword of
William Wallace. The Doctor has
timed our visit to Melrose to "see
the Abbey, right by the pale moon
light" Leaving here in the after
noon we went to the keepers lodge
and arranged for admission and
guide when the moon arose, and
drove to Dryburgh Abbey, about
five miles distant. Southern Scot
land surpasses in fertility and beauty
any part of England | have seen.-
Adjoining the village and in fer
tile plain reaching to the Cheyiot
hills there are within the distance of
a mile, and in a straight row. three
hills a little higher than East hill,
Symmetrical in shape and uniform in
shape, height and intervening dis
tance. They are strikingly beauti-
full, owned by the Duke of Buccleuch,
whose country palace is at their base.
From these hills the Romans called
this place Tremontium. Dryburgh
Abbey is on the Tweed, a large river
even here 80 or 40 miles from the
sea. 1t is a noble ruin-the cathe-
dral and monastery, covering, |
should think. more than an acre of
ground, perhaps two. Some of the
rooms are perfect, most Of them un-
rooted, and in some places the walls
are entirely gone. In the centre
of the room, called the Abbot's room,
there is a great tree, which may be
four or five hundred years old. /
send you sprig from the celebrated
Iew tree by the entrance, known to
be eight hundred years old. Walter
Scott, you know, is buried within
the ruins of the cathedral, near the
high altar, with his mothers family.
The idea prevails that these English
and Scotch ruins are sadly ''out of
repair" The fact is quite otherwise.
They all belong to noblemen, and
are kept, with lawns and walks with.
in and without, with as much care as
Eldridge Park. What a burthen
these monasteries must have been to
the country (although richly endow-
ED one may judge from the fact that
Melrose Abbey and Dryburgh Abbey
are less than five miles apart, and
Dryburgh Abbey, | judge, would ac-
commodate one hundred monks. It's
chapter house still contains stone
benches for more than one hundred.
A Perilous Canoe Voyage.
4 party of six armed men arrived
at this place yesterday from Fort