A VISIT TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF ROBERT BURNS.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 156, 6 July 1877, Page 7

A VISIT TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF ROBERT BURNS.

& . A few years ago I had the pleasure of spending a week's holidays in proximity to Burns' cottage. Having plenty of leisure, 1 had a good opportunity of visiting ail the places in the district rendered immortal by Scotia's greatest poet To the disgrace of Scotland, this comfortable looking little thatched cot, in which Burns spent the first seven years of his life, is now leased ns a public house. Being the week of Ayi races, the house waa crowded with country people and visitors from far and near, all drinking, of course. The house is much the same as when the poet lived in it. In one room I saw ah original portrait of Bums, and in the oldfashioned kitchen the bed in which he was born, the well-worn grate, and the

four-framed window, "as when he saw them last." IN umbers of visitors who come from a distance carve their initials on the tables, chairs, and walls of the rooms, so that more than once they have had to be replaced by new ones. At the rear of tho cottage is a splendid hall, in which Burns' anniversary is held ; it is a great contrast to tho humble cottage in front of it Among the crowd, fiere was a man up in years, in his shirt sleeves ; my guide informed me that this was the village blacksmith, who had come across the street to havo his morning glass with a " drouthy neibor" farmer, 1 after shoeing his horse. I was told that the couple I formed a real hic-siruile to Tarn O'Shanter and the smith : " That every naig was cad a shoo on, Tho smith and thee gat. roaring foil on." A short distance farther on the Carrick road, leading to the river Doon, we come to Alio way Kirk. The ruin, which is near the roadside, stands in the middle of the churchyard, and the first tomb I observed on entering was that of Burns' lather. An old man keeps the graveyard in order, and in expectation of a small gift describes to strangers Tarn O'Shanter's ride. From our standpoint, wo could see " Tho cairn, Where hunters found tho murdered bairn," right down to the river Doon. The old man recited the poem in " quid braid Scotch," at the same time pointing out the noted places mentioned by Burns : " And near the thorn aboon the well, Where Mango's mither hanged hersol'." Then round to the other side of the Kirk, he pointed through a dilapidated ! window, and solemnly said : "At winuoek-bimker i' the east?' eto. To satisfy t ;myself and the old man too, I looked into the interior, but nothing met my gaze but rank weeds and grass overshadowed by a young tree. Tho walls of the Kirk had been newly repaired to keep then, from crumbling down. The old bell with a bit of rusted chain still dangles on the gable facing to the toad. The people in the district seem to have a great reverence for the bell. It was proposed to take it down some time ago, but the ■*• old identities" rose en masse, and prohibited the sacrilege. A new church, more fitting the requirements of the district, has been built on the other side of the road. The old brig over the Doon is two or threo hundred yards from the Kirk, so Tarn had not a very long race, though Maggie just gained the keystane in time and no more, for " Sho left behind her am grey tail." The old bridge is overgrown with ivy, and very little u-?ed. A new and very substantial looking bridge has been erected a little farther up the stream. Between ths Kirk and the brig, and overlooking tho banks and braes o' bonny Doon, arises a magnificent monument to Bums' memory. An old man keeps the grounds here too, and shews visitors all the sights, and tells many quaint old stories of bygone days. After examining the monument, my guide led the way down to a little cottage embowered in evergreens. Not being aware of its occupants, I got rather a start when I saw Tarn O'Shanter and Boutor Johnny, sitting at a table " gettin' fou and unco happy." They had their auld Scotch bonnets on, and their tumblers of frothing ale in their hands, drinking to each other's health. The figures are cut out of white sandstone, and are the work of a self-taught sculptor. A little nearer the Doon, right on the bank, stands the shell palace. It is built entirely of shells of every description, with a handsome fountain playing in the centre.

Retracing my steps towards Ayr, I came to the racecourse, which lies in the outskirts of the city. The races wore in full swing, and a great concourse of people had assembled to witness them. On entering the grounds, I was struck by the powerful build of the gentlemen, and the no less beauty of the ladies, which brought to my mind the beautiful couplet —

" Aul-1 Ayr, whum ne'er a town surpasses For honest men and pretty .asses." As is customary at such meetings, there were all sorts of games to catch the unwary. I was greatly interested with a young but powerful preacher, whom tlie stewards of the races requested in not very elegant language to stop his address. He declined to do so, when the stewards sent a brass band to play him down. There wore people present who desired to hear him, so the band had to beat a retroat. In very plain language he showed the evil

consequences of attending races, especially to young* men. Thero was something ver}'- telling in his honest, plain speaking.

In one of the main thoroughfares of Ayr stands the Wallace Tower, a high Gothic building, having in front a statue of Wallace leaning on his sword. We next come to the " twa brigs o' Ayr." The old bridge is not much used now, it being very steep and narrow. The new bridge, proud of its architectural beauty, says to the old one : " Will your poor narrow footpath of a .Mtreot, Whore two wheelbarrows tremblo when they meet, Your ruiriM, formless bulk o' afcano and limo, Compare wi' bonny brigs o' modern time 1" To which the old bridge replies : " I'll be a brig when you're a shapeless cairn V It seems the old brig's prophecy will be verified ere long, if steps are not taken immediately to repair the foundations of the new bridge. There are some very handsome buildings in Ayr, The

two roads leading from Ayr to Alio way are lined nearly all the way with gentlemen's villas. Pilgrims from every clime repair to the lowly cot where the poet was born, to Alloway's old haunted kirk, and the banks and braes o' bonny Doon. I often recall with pleasure and profit the scenes and hallowed memories of my visit to the birthplace of .Burns. J. P. Waitepeka, June 30, 1877.