The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-17
WAKEMAY'S WANDERyCS.
The Ancient Home Of Robert The
Bruce.

nandale-Pioturesqu Scenes and
Groupings-An outeast Gypsy Prince
Becomes Our Correspondence Com
panion in Visit 60 the olden Home
of a Scottish Patriot Prince-Looh-
maben Burgh and Lakes-Ruins Of
the Mightiest Of Border Castles.
(Copyright)
Lockerbie, Scotland, Sept. Tramp
ing over the hills which separate the
Land of Burns in Ayrshire from the Land
Of Burns ia Dumfriesshire, on a vague
and indolent sort Of pilgrimage to the
birthplace of Carlyle in Annandale, I
came upon little band of Scottish gip-
sizes among whom were some old and
priced acquaintances. l found them in
the nest-like hollow of winsome brae
beside the winding AMMAN river They
were between Jardine Hall and the an
cient clachan, Applegarth, where Edward
l., on his way to the siege of Caerlave-
rock, made oblations at the affairs of St.
Nicholas and Thomas Beckett, in the
once noted but now extinct Applegarth
church; and I could just see, as l was
tramping southwark along the great turn
pike road from Carlisle to Glasgow, the
hoods of their tents and their ''whum-
meled" or upturned carts in ragged out
line against the blue sheen of the gentle
river below.
My impulse was to press on to Lochma-
ben or Lockerbie for the night but there
is, Fear, that faint of gypsy blood within
me that ever draws me irresistibly to this
OlltpHGt bDnd rorplIJfn1Ey
turned my face to the south. After lit
tie halted, A tiny coppiced hillock had
hid the brown tents. Where l stopped
the road wound with the river bank. 1
looked back along the brae ] saw now
the camp-tres; the pots hanging from the
kettlesJicks; the BARNS rOmping among
thedOnkeys and dogs; some men stretched
lazily upon the sward; and swarthy wo-
men grooming over their daily gossip to-
gether. This banished my resolution.
All my own yagabond sentiment for the
life OF the tent and the road swept in
upon my heart like tide of homecoming
cheer. In moment more l was being
Rugged, actually Rugged by a score of
glpsies, men and women; receiving 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 Annandale.
Between Eskdale on the east and
Nithsdaelon the west lies this sweet and
pastoral Annandale. Though not among
the most noted, yet it is still one of the
most lovelys valley of the Scottish border
10 the lelSurely and sentimental pilgrim
tarrying among its pleasing scenes, it APP
peals with good fascination. 1t is but
tiny vale, 30 miles long; the river Amman,
from which it takes its name, having its
sources 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
feature of Scottish country homes.
Though the valley is accorded no special
fame among the Scottish people them
selves, and is scarcely ever visited by
tourists, to me it seems that in few par
ticulars it possesses extraordinary inter-
est.
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 unfor- |
tunate of all Scottish preachers, Edward |
Irving; the wonderful phenomena of the |
tides of the SOlway Firth, which are per-
haps, better observed from the great An
nan 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 essayist, who has undoubtedly |
laff
minds in Great Britain and America than
any other individual VINO ever adorned
and perpleXed this country-crabbed.
crafty, mighty and glorious old Thomas
Carlyle.
1t was in the middle of the afternoon
when found my gypsy friends. Many
of the band were absent. Those who re-
manned were chiefly old men left to mind
the camp and pother all manner of tink-
ering upon broken donkey carts, donkey
gear that required mending, and pans.
pots and kettles which &were being re-
newed in true tinsmith style for peasant
housewives round about: many YOUNG
chauvies Gypsy children) at all sorts of |
children's rustic games, fairly dressed |
and roysteringly happy; and the gaunt |
old spae-wiVes, 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 any gypsy camp well |
in hand, while bravely preparing the
evening meals against the younger wan
derer's return.
During the interval had leisure for
eXaminetion of the picturesque camp and !
for learning much of the ways and annual !
of this single community of
Scottish gipsies. There were twelve
tents and half q dozen 'whummeled" |
carts The whummeling of Scottish or |
northern English gypsy cart means the |
turning OF the same upside down. This, !
with the addition of a blanket or some fir |
branches, makes a capital roof under |
which to pass a summer 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 fne ash trees |
We're at either side; and the purling river.
for campside needs for men |
and beasts, from which lucious fish |
could occasionally be legally taken, as |
their camping place was duly rented |
from the laird Of the manor, was almost |
at their feet.
Hero were representatives of all the |
Scottish Gypsy families Of nOte-the Dun |
bars, Faas or Falls, Baileys, Boswells |
and Blythes most of them descendants |
from Clydesdale and Yetholm Gipsies |
whoce progenitors figured, if not in the |
history, in the ballad and romantic litera- |
f1,pa of Scotland tpavo oil