Morning journal and courier., 1893-09-16
wAKEMAN,s WANDRRINGs.

The Ancient Home or hODert tne Bruce-The Poet Traveller Chances Upon n Scottish Gipsy Camp in Love- Iy AnnandaIe-PIcture Scenes and An 0utcast GipsY Prince Becomes our Correspond ent,s Companion fin Visit to tho OIden Homo of Scottish Patriot king-Lochmaben Burgh and Lakes
 Ruins of the uightiest of Border Castles.
 LoCKERBIE, Scotland, Sept. 1. rc the Editor of the JonRsAL AND CouRIKR: Tramping over the hills which separate the Lend of Burns in Ayrshire from the Land of Burns h Dumfriesshire, on g vague and indolent sort of 8 pilgrimage to the birthplace of Carlyle in Annandale, l came upon a little band of Scottish Gipsies among whom were some old and prized ao- quaintances. found them in the nest-lke hollow of a winsome brae beside the wind ing Anan river. They were between Jardine Hall and the ancient clschan, Ap- plegarth, where Edward I, on his way to l the siege of Caerlsverock, made oblations at the altars of St. Nicholas aud Thomas a Beckett, in the once noted but HOW extinct
 
 ] as was tramplng soutkward along the great turnpike road from Carlisle to Glas- ] gow, the hoods of their tents and their "whummeled" or upturned carts in ragged l outline against the blue sheen of the gen. \ tle river balow.
 My impulse was to press on to Lochma- | ben or Lockeroie for the night; but there I Is, fear that tsint of Gipsy blood within l me that ever draws me irresistibly to this outcast, vagsbond race. l resolutely
 turned my face to the south. After little halted. A tiny coppioed hillock had hid the brown tents. Where I stopped the
 road wound with the river bank. l looked
 back along the brae. l saw now the camp 1 fires; the pots hanging from the kettle
 sticks; the bairns romping among the don keys and dogs; some men stretched 1azily i upon the eward; and swarthy women
 crooning over their daily gossip together.
 This banished my resolution. All my own 1 vagabond sentiment for the lifo of the tent
 and the road swept in upon my heart like l tide of home coming cheer. In moment
 more was being hugged, actually hugged by score of Gipsies, men and women re-
 ceiving royal greetings of welcome; and
 soothing as best could shrill reprosches
 for having the thought to pass them by
 And I set this down in a simple recital, fol
 it led to my being conducted by Scottish
 Gipsy prince to the ancient home of {
 Scottish patriot king whose ancestral hsb; tation was here in the very heart of beau ' teous Annsndsle.
 Between Eskdsle on the east and Niths dale the on west lies this sweet and pastors , Annandale. Though not among the mos , noted, yet it Is still one of the most lovel, , l valleys of the Scottish border. To tn leisuraly and sentimental pilgrim tsrryini among its pleasing scenes, 1t appeals witl = goodly fascination. It Is but tiny vale : 30 miles long; the river Annan, from whicl 1t takes It's name, having its source in tn Hartfell mountains, and winding with gen B tie flow through and between charscteristi , Scottish villages, Its banks dotted wit
 humble crofts, larger fsrmsteade, and al
 the lang syne features of Scottish countr
 homes. Though the valley Is accorded D
 special fame among the Scottish peopl
 themselves, and Is scarcely ever visited b
 l COurlsls, 70 Ino It bcoI16 tudb HI a loW Psi
 ticulars 1t possesses extraordinary inter
 est.
 Within the distance of one days tram
 across five parishes through which wind
 the gentle Amman, can be seen one of tn k most ancient and certainly one of the mos historic, castle ruins of Scotland, the fir, ' home In Scotland of Robert the Bruce, 6
 at Lochmabsp the birthplace at Annan C
 the greatest and most unfortunate of a
 Scottish preachers, Edward Irving; th \ | wonderful phenomena of the tides of tn J Solwsy Firth, which are perhaps better ot
 served from the great Amman visduct COT
 neoting England with Scotland than at an
 other spot along tke Solway shores; an
 the birthplace and burial place of the on
 philosopher, critic and essayist who hs ,s undoubtedly left deeper impression upo # intellectual minds In Great Britain an 1t America than any other individual wh ). ever adorned and perplexed this country d grabbed, crafty, mighty and glorious ol 1t Thomas Carlyle
 Il It was in the middle of the afterneo
 when I found my Gipsy friends. Many sy the band were absent. Those who T sr mained were chiefly old men left to mir G. the camp and bother at all manner of tin Id ering upon broken donkey carts, donk is gear that required mending, and pans, DO b. and kettles which were being renewed to true tinsmith style for peasant housewiv e, round about; many young chauvies (Gip ed ohildren) at all sorts of ohildren's rus lie games, fairly dressed and roysteringly ha re py; and the gaunt old spAe wives, too