Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-23
NO TEARS SHED BY HIS NEIGHBORs

15.-Lying between Eskdale on the east and
Nithsdale on the west is the sweet and pas
toral ,Annandale, though not among the
most noted yet one of the most lovely val
1eys of the Scottish border. To the leisurely
aud sentimental pilgrim tarrying among its
pleasing scenes, it appeals with goodly fas-
cination. 1t is but tiny vale, 80 miles
long. the river Amman, from which it takes
its name, having its source in the Hartfell
mountains, and winding with gentle flow
through and between characteristic Scottish
villages its banks dotted with humble crofts,
larger farmsteads, and all the lang syne fea-
lures of countryside Scottish homes
Though the little valley is accorded no spe-
cial fame among the Scottish people them
selves, and is scarcely ever visited by tour
lists, to me it seems that in a few particulars
it possesses extraordinary interest. Within
the distance of one days tramp across five
parishes through which winds the gentle
Amman, can be seen one of the most ancient,
and certainly one of the most historic, castle
ruins of Scotland, the first home in Scot
land of Robert the Bruce, at Lochmaben;
the birthplace, at Amman, of the greatest
and most unfortunate of all Scottish preach
ers, Edward Irving; the wonderful phenom-
ena of the tides OF Solway Firth, which are
perhaps better observed from the great An
nan viaduct connecting England with Scot
land than at any other spot along the Sol
way shores; and the birthplace and burial
place of the one philosopher, essayist and
critic who has undoubtedly left a deeper
impression upon intellectual minds in Great
Britain and America than any other in
dividual who ever adorned and perplexed
this country-crabbed, crafty, mighty and
glorious old Thomas Carlyle.
CURIOUS LAKES AND FISHES.
At about the center of Annandale, in the
parish OF Lochmaben, are eight curious lit
lie lakes, shallow and with sedgy shores. In
these are found the vendace fishes, from five
to six inches In length, nowhere else discov-
cradle in Great Britain, of a brilliant siIvery
appearance, and in anatomy and favor much
resembling those famous American ciscoes
which, in June, attract such hosts of an.
glers to the shores of Lake Geneva, in Wis
consin. They are the most delicate fish
known to the British gourmand. Their
heads are extraordinarily marked, in
a puce-colored transparent substance,
with the perfectly-defned figure
of a neart, through which, when
freshly caught, the brain may be seen.
Along the haughs and moss-banks of the
Iochs the deadly adder turks; and the peas
antry will tell you that these dreadful
reptiles are kept down by their implacable
foes, the herons, which are certainly con-
tinually seen dodging in and out among,
and lowering over, the surrounding reeds
and moses.
About mile from the ancient burgh town
of Lochmaben, on a tongue-shaped penin-
sula which extends into the lake called the
OHstle-loch, are found the ruins of the
4ha
Whether or not it was The original residence
of the Bruces, granted by David L, in 1124,
or an enlarged successor built in the thir-
teenth century, it covered 16 acres of ground,
and is known to have been absolutely im-
pregnable before the invention of gun
powder.
The prim and ancient town of Amman, at
the side of the Solway where the AMMAN
water flows into that estuary, is burg of
quaint, old granite homes, inhabired by
quaint, old granite Scotch folk, rich, con-
tented. indolent Great square houses, great
square doors, great square windows with
great square faces in them, tell the story of
olden thrift, and older border powess, with
and then a quiet era of as profitable snug
Cling, whose headquarters were in the
sheltering port Here is the old Academy,
now a stately residence, where Carlyle once
was schooled, and where he was afterward
its master in mathematics; and for Salem's
memories of Mather they will recall for you
the wonderful career of that inspired and
holy man, Edward Irving, whom, for living
too closely to mis- divine Model, the stern old
Presbytery degraded from holy orders; and
then they will take you to the little house
in Butt Street, Fish Gross, where he was
born, and over whose door the simple in
scrip1on, "At this house Edward Irving
was born August, 1892 He left neither
an Enemy nor A Wrong Behind him." will
remain through time Frightening epitome
Of endless fame while those who broke his
sanity life and heart will moulder in for
gotten graves.
EVERY HOUSE A CASTLE
Leading from Amman to the English side
Of the Soiway is a vast railway viaduct one
and one-half miles in length. One cannot
resist the temptation to cross this into rock
cirt Cumberland; for at its southern ap-
proaeh is one of the oldest little villages
along the whole English border. This is
Bowness 1t consists, of one long compact
ly-built street, perched up there above the
wild Soiway tides like an eagles nest Sc
curely hung upon some crag edge, out5lut-
ting above a sea-swept precipice. What
brave old houses have these Bowness folk;
every one solid as a castle.
These people of the Cumberland border
are fishermen and "stat smen." The latter
term applies, in two northwest counties Of
England, Westmoreland and Cumberland, to
those who farm their own land, il it does
not exceed halEacre in area; and lands
have descended for centuries in the same
familie Some are both Statesmen" and
fishermen; and all are descended from a Gen.
turies-old line of men who could equally
we'll turn their hands to the plough, to snug
CLING, to the temporary bloody trade of
moss troopers, or to the nets. And it was
not so very long ago that salmon were so
plentiful in the. Solw8y that servants en-
gaging to masters on the English or Scottish
side of the Firth stipulated that "salmon or
other fish should not be given them ofteuer
than three davs in the week" Strange,
qniet, GOd-iearing souls these Bowness folk,
with giant frames and wOndrous height;
with wide, fair brows great blue or hazel
ewes and leonine heads Of haxen hair; and
with dumb. sodden, speechless ways to the
end, which brings them at last from behind
the Roman Raltars Of their sturdy home
walls to the drear old church yard, dug out
of the fosse where once tine mighty Roman
defences stood. Tarrying or going, one
NAV well say of all Bowness folk:
Here are the quaint old homes with the quaint
old hearts.
Where life to all is measured in three parts;
A simple way: The birth, the toll, the rest!
WHEN THE TIDE COMES IN.
But a certain alertness OF attention, an un-
conscious habit and attitude OF listening as
IL were. true OF every man, woman and
child on both sides of the Firth, discloses
that the tide is coming up from the Irish
Sea, These folk will tell you they can hear
il 90 miles away. Long before this, if you
are standing on the cliff edge. you will see