SCOTLAND'S "TERRA INCOGNITA."*
THE present craze, not only in Scotland, but outside of it, for
the picturesque region of Dumfriesshire and Galloway, to which these two elaborate volumes bear testimony, is no doubt a tribute to the genius of the author of The .Raiders. But it is also a revival, aided, it must be allowed, by latter- day improvements in locomotion. For nearly a century, and in spite of the exertions of Sir Walter Scott, aided by the most industrious of literary jackals, Joseph Train, Galloway was little better than a terra incognita. It is probable that even now there is not one in a hundred of the English and American tourists who nowadays crowd to the "Murder Hole" that is aware of the fact that the prototypes of Jeannie and Effie Deans belong to the district over which so much enthusiasm is nowadays expended. Yet the South-West of Scotland has done its duty in making the history—particularly the early history—of the country. It was the cockpit of the border feuds which succeeded the War of Independence. It played a peculiar, if not a perfectly patriotic, part in that war itself. Its glens and caves are full of the memories of the ecclesiastico- political strain and stress which are conjured up by the words "• Reformation " and "Covenant." There is a world of meaning in such a passage as this in Sir Herbert Maxwell's book :-
"In the whole of her borders, Dumfriesshire cannot show a single church approaching the proportions or beauty of Jed burgh, Kelso, Melrose, or Dryburgh beyond her eastern border, or Lincluden, Sweetheart, Dundrennan, Whithorn, or Glenluce • (1.) A History of Dumfries and Galloway. By Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart.. M.P. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons.—(2.) Bammes in Galloway. By Malcolm McL. Harper. Dalbeattie : Thomas Fraser ; London :
T. Fisher Unwm.
beyond her western. On the other hand, the fortresses of Dumfriesshire are on a scale far exceeding anything possessed by Galloway, which, with the possible exception of Thrieve on the Dee, has no feudal remains rivalling the mighty piles of Caerlaveroclr, Morton, and Lochmaben."
However the fact may be accounted for — perhaps the
close proximity of this region to Scotland, and the mixing of races in it have something to do with it—there
is no question that Dumfriesshire and Galloway have always been fervid from the religious point of view. Sir Herbert Maxwell makes this perfectly clear as regards the Christianise- tion of the district of which the ancient parish of Whithorn is the centre, by Ninian. Here Sir Herbert's very considerable knowledge as an arcl3sallogist comes to his aid, chiefly in the way of correcting tradition and removing Aberglaube. Yet inclined to scepticism, as he can hardly help being, he testifies that- "Ninian's mission was a complete success. Whatever may have been the national religion professed by the Novantie- whether, as is probable, it was a primitive form of Animism, modified by Druid magic on the one hand, and the classical cult of Rome on the other—they embraced Christianity for the time, and Ninian was able to go farther afield and preach the Gospel in Northern parts. But the new faith was not destined to endure long. The Roman power was tottering, and though Stilicho repeatedly sent legions to maintain the province in its full extent to the Wall of Antonine, he had as often to withdraw them"
Anarchy followed, Christianity was swept out of Galloway, and the balk of the population relapsed into paganism :—
" But apparently Ninian, who, it is supposed, died about the year 432, was spared the anguish of seeing the total wreck of his labours, for, says Allred, 'he was buried in the church of the blessed Martin, which he had built from the foundation.' Nor is it certain that the church at Whithorn ever lacked a band of the faithful to carry on the services even in the darkest hour, for notices of it occur from time to time in the Irish Annals during
the remainder of this century It is perhaps to Whithorn therefore alone among the towns of Scotland that honour is due for having maintained the worship of the Almighty uninterrupted for fifteen hundred years."
Dumfriesshire and Galloway have, from their border position, played an important part in the history of Scotland,—a part the importance of which Sir Herbert Maxwell does not in any way exaggerate. In the earlier struggles between England and Scotland, the Galloway men were allowed the place of honour in the van of the Scottish army. It was owing to, though not by, Galloway that Scotland secured her independence. Her most critical period, indeed, was after, not before, the battle of Bannockburn. David IL, the son of Robert Bruce, was then nominally King of Scotland. But he was a weakling. Edward Balliol, son of Brace's rival for the throne, had seized one portion of his kingdom ; while Edward III. of England, the very competent grandson of Edward I., had seized another. As a matter of fact, Dumfries and Kirkcudbright were for a time portions of England; while Wigtownshire, one of the two divisions of Galloway, was Scottish territory. As a sequel to an expedition which had for its primary object the recovery of Dumfriesshire, David marched into Durham, met an English force at Nevill's Cross, and was taken prisoner. It was at this crisis, when Scotland, under a Balliol, might have become not only in reality but in name a dependency of England, that William Douglas, Lord of Gallo- way, figured as the saviour of his country, though probably for selfish reasons. In the first place, he appeared in Galloway with a powerful force, and, by coercing the Barons, secured it for David. Then when Edward UI., on Balliol's resigning all his claims in his favour, seemed to have an opportunity of succeeding where his grandfather failed, and had actually invaded Scotland as far as Haddington, with a view to its conquest, he found the country so devastated, that he had to withdraw to prevent his army from being starved. The Scots were able, in the course of his retreat, to inflict such losses on him that he made up his mind that Scotland was not for him. At all events, he resumed negotiations for the release of David. As a matter of fact, he was released, after eleven years' captivity, in 1357. A clause was inserted in the treaty between the two countries to the effect that peace should prevail for a thousand years. Scotland, however, fell under the yoke of the most selfish and turbulent
noblesse, except that of France, which ever cursed a country. Dumfriesshire and Galloway probably fared worse than any other regions, owing to their proximity to England. Sir Herbert Maxwell retells with great lucidity the story of the border feuds, which are stained with blood and treachery, and which, though they have afforded material for the art of the historical romancist, and are likely to supply more, are essentially unlovely. It was at the Reformation that the Scottish middle class asserted itself. Such, at all events, is Froude's view, and perhaps Sir Herbert Maxwell would have done well to emphasise it to a greater extent than he has done. The politico-social aspect of the Reformation has not yet, indeed, had full justice done to it. Political reasons at least must be taken along with religions ones as an ex- planation why Dumfriesshire and Galloway not only accepted the Reformation, but adhered to and suffered for the Covenant.
The bulk of Sir Herbert Maxwell's interesting volume is taken up with ecclesiastical and political history. But he has not neglected the other aspects of Galloway and Dumfries- shire history,—their agriculture, their social customs, their smuggling, their literature. He makes interesting allusions to literary and other personages, such as Robert Burns and Paul Jones, who by residence, birth, or adventures have given a certain distinction to the district. It is a pity that Sir Herbert had not bestowed some more pains on that portion of Burns's biography with which he deals. John Gibson Lockhart was born two years before Burns died, and yet the latter is represented as having told him of the circumstances under which he wrote "Tam o' Shanter !" It is also a matter of regret that Sir Herbert did not bring his narrative beyond the dose of the eighteenth century, because he is thus unable to say anything of such a notable Galloway product as Carlyle.
In addition to Sir Herbert's volume, the intending visitor to Dumfriesshire and Galloway should possess himself of Mr. Malcolm McL. Harper's Rambles in Galloway. It is one of those second editions which from the amount of rewriting that has been done, and from the new literary material that has been collected and utilised, may fairly be accounted new books. Here and there, perhaps, Mr. Harper's enthusiasm and eloquence may seem to be tainted with provincialism. But his topographical and archieological information are so great and have been so well utilised, that though his book discharges all the functions of a guide-book, it is something much more and better. This is, indeed, an all but perfect work of the class to which it belongs, and ought to draw attention to a region the beauties of which are quite as remarkable as those picturesque horrors which, like Highland mountains, have had their effect upon the character of a population.
Previous page
