The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-09-23

-Tramping over the hills which
separate the Land of Burns in AYR
shire from the Lapd of Burns inDum
fresshire, on q vague and incident
sort of pilgrimage TO the birthplace
of Carlyle in Annandale, I came up
on little band of Scottish Gipsies
among whom were some old and
priced acquaintance found them
in the nest like hollow of a winsomt
brae beside the winding AMMAN river
They were between Jardln Hall and
the ancient clachan, Applegarth
where Edward l., on his way to the
siege OF Caerlaverock, made obla.
tions at the affairs of St Nicholas
and Thomas Beckett, in the once
noted but now extinct Appiegarth
church; and could just see, as |
was tramping southwark along the
great turnpike road from Carlisle to
Glasgow, the hoods of their tents and
their "whummeled" or upturned
carts in ragged outline against the
blue sheen of the gentle river below.
My impulse was to press on to
Lochmaben or Loekerbie for the
night; but there is, | fear, that faint
of Gypsy blood within me that ever
draws me irresistibly to this outcast
vagabond race. resolutely turned
my face to the south. After a little
l halted. A tiny coppiced hillock
had hid the brown tents Where
stopped the road wound with the
river bank. | looked back along
the brae. l saw now the camp-ires
the pots hanging from the kettle
sticks; the BARNS romping among
the donkeys and dogs; some men
stretched lazily upon the sward; and
swarthy women grooming over their
daily gossip together. This Danish
ed my resolution. All my own vag
abond sentiment for the life of the
tent and the road swept in upon my
heart like a tide of Homecoming
cheer. In moment more | was be-
ing Rugged, actually Rugged! by a
score of Gipsies, men and women re
ceiving royal greetings of welcome;
and soothing as best | could shrill
reproaches for having had the
thought to pass them by, And |
set this down in simple recital, for it
led to my being conducted by a
Scottish Gypsy prince to the ancient
home of a Scottish patriot king whose
ancestral habitation was here in the
very heart of beauteous Annadale.
Between Eskdale on the east aud
Nithsdale on the west lies this sweet
and pastoral Annandale. Though
not among the most noted yet it is
still one of the most lovely valleys
of the Scottish Border. To the ies-
urely and sentimental pilgrim larry
ing among its pleasing scenes, it APP
peals with goodly fascination. 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 be-
tween characteristic Scottish vii,
lagos, its banks dotted with humble
crofts, larger farmsteads, and all the
lang syne features of Scottish coun-
try homes. Though the valley ia
accorded no special fame among the
Scottish people themselves, and is
scarcely every visited by tourists, to
me 1t seems that in few particulars
1t 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 Scotland of Robert the Bruce
at Lochmaben; the birthplace at
Amman of the greatest and most
unfortunate Of all Scottish preach
ers, Edward Irving; the wonder.
full phenomena of tie tides of
the Solway Firth, which are
perhaps better observed from the
great Amman viaduct connecting
England with Scotland than at any
other spot along the Solway shores;
and the birthplace and burial place
of the one philosopher, critic and es
sayest who has undoubtedly left
deeper impression upon intellectual
minds in Great Britain and Ameri
ca than any other individual who
ever adorned and perplexed this
country grabbed, crafty mighty and
glorious old Thomas Carlyle.
1t was in the middle of the after
noon when l found my Gypsy friends.
Many of the band were absent.
Those who remained were chiefly
old men left to mind the camp and
pother at all manner of tinkering
upon broken donkey carts, donkey
gear that required mending, and
pans, pots and kettles which were
being renewed in true tinsmith STYLE
for peasant housewives round about;
many young chauvies (Gipsy chill
dren) at all sorts of children's rus
tic games, fairly dressed and roy
steringly happy; and the gaunt old
sPaewives, too far advanced in years
for the labors and articles of the
road, who still always serve to hold
the reins of good government in an,
Gypsy camp well in hand, while
bravely preparing the evening meals
against the younger wanderers re-
turn.
During the interval | had leisure
for examination of the picturesque
camp and time for learning much of
the ways and annual journeyings of
this single community of Scottish
Gipsies There were twelve tents
and half a dozen ''whummcled" carts.
The whummeling of Scottish or
northern English Gypsy cart means
the t1rning ofthe same upside down
This, with the addition of blank
ct or some fir branches, makes cap
ital roof under which to pass a sum
mer night. Altogether there was
accommodation for from two to three
score Gipsies. The followed brae
chosen for the camp always had its
patch of sunlight, which Gipsies
dearly love. Larch, fir and few