A TRIP ABROA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 61, 7 March 1912, Page 5

A TRIP ABROA.

; (By a Traveller.) , Avr—lac I ; Replace (T Purrs —is a : \v;y aid towa, d ding back vro.a 1202, j ard w.’irh Burns deseri ur, r.r. r.naur- { ;; ;■,;■;;f< I;;; A'V l;'iU a f'V “.’'.Oil. ft 111011 | and bonny basics.” The noted old | “brig” was built fifty years afterwards and is now only used for pedestrian traffic. The new “brig” her between it and the railway bridge. In a room upstairs in the Tam o’ Shantrr Inn is the chair in which Burns often sat, and the tankard from which Tam ■had his “drappis” the night of hit: famous ride. The cottage wherein Burns fir,At saw the light is on the road to the Brig o’ Doon, and if thlvtehed and whitewashed, and of course left in good repair. We wore shown the room Burns was born in and many interesting relics of the poet. At ono end of the cottage there is what appears to have been a, sort of stable. About two miles from the cottage is the monument standing in neatly laid out grounds of about an acre and overlooking the “Bonnie Doon.” In a compartment on the ground floor there are prints, etc., on view connected with the poet’s 'works and a fine bust older looking than the juvenile portraits we usually see of ■him. From the top there is a good view of the district around. The brig o’ Doon is close by and is a rather narrow stone bridge .of a single arch spanning the stream, which is very pretty. Needless to say only pedestrian traffic is allowed upon the bridge. Close to the monument’is a comical piece of statuary representing Tam o’ Shanter and Suter Johnny. Alloway’s auld haunted kirk where Aukl Nick led the music is not far from the monument. The guide, who was proud of being a Campbell, recited “Tam o’ Shanter” in proper style, and pointed out all the places of interest where Tam saw the “cutty sark,” etc. The auld kirk at Ayr is very interesting. Ayr, like Start ford-on-A von, is a “Mekka,” and the number of pilgrims and admirers of the “Bard of Ayrshire” that visit it each season is enormous. It is said that 25,000 persons enter the monument every year.

Glasgow, the isecond city in the United Kingdom, has a population of over 784,000, and is the moist important seaport, in Scotland, The Clyde is lined with nearly six miles of quays which cost about eight million's. Tlie principal thoroughfare of the city seems to be Sanchiehall Street, which contains some isplendid buiWihgs and very fine shops. Tlie grand hid cathedral of St.’ Mungo (the, p { | HHm *|entutw tann >is weloworth taj visit. Mip attended iian evening service and htlfe mipiiMr itpreiched ■ at excellent and scholarly sermon—so I was told, for he was “sue vera braid” in his delivery that I could not follow half Jit said. Tlie cathedral has a beautiful interior and splendid stained windows, and as Sir Walter Scott remarks in “Rob Roy”': “Will stalin' as lang’ a® the world keep hands and gunpowder 'off 1 it:”’ In George Sqmlre" thebe ■Are-very fine” Statues of Queen Victoria, Prince \ Albert, . and ‘ also Scott, Burns, and many others of Scotland’s worthies; Kelvin Grove, near the University and the scene of the well known song, is a beautiful suburb, where tlie present exhibition has been built. The old “Rocket” locomotive ■and other interesting steam engines ■ are on view there. Some of the 'ancient trees of the G rove of other days still remain. Rauken Glen, a very fine pleasure resort to the south, is roaohed by train via Thornileigh Bank and G if nock; Langside, a suburb, is passed. It was once a milage pear the town. The tram station is called Battlefield on account of being the sits of the battle of Langsidc where the Regent Murray defeated Mary Queen of Seotts, May 18th, 1568. Not far away is Cathcart Castle, now in ruins, from where Mary watched the battle. Harvest operations were in progress and the landscape looked beautiful. The view from Keppock Hill in the north is very fine and gives one -a good idea of the vastness of the city. A. trip was taken to the lakes and trossaoks leaving Queen (St. station by rail to Balloch, 22 miles. En route °ue sees* something of the busy Clyde .i-nd its 'shipping. At Kilbowie, near Clydebank, is Singer’s great factory. Near Bowling is Dungings Castle .and Audhcntorlio House. At Dumbarton there is the old castle on the river 'hank, and eight miles away on the- left bank we get a view of Greenock. At Dumbarton the Levin is crossed and we soon arrive at Balloch pier, Loch Lomond, and embark in the lino steamer Princess May for Invorsnard, a run of twenty miles. A ■stoppage is made at Tarhet to put down and take up passengers. The trip up the lake was very Interesting and pleasant, Ben Lomond 3200 ft. on the right, the many-wooded islands and reflections making up a beautiful picture. At Inversnaid coach is taken for Stronachlacher, on Loch Katrine, through, very fine scenery. The drive takes about an hour. A cottage—now in ruins—is shown by the gnide; where Rob Roy once resided. At Stronachlacher the trip ils continued to Loch Katrine by the steamer Sir Walter Scott. This beautiful lake is far smaller than Loch Lomond, being 9 miles long; trie former is 24. Ellen’s Isle, made famous in the “Lady of tho Lake,” is passed, and in less than no hour the pier is reached where wo again take tlie coach drive through the Trossaeks and on to Aherfoyle, about seven miles. The Trossaeks are described as “n. mingling of purple eraig, silver grey birch, oak coppice, and green herbage.” We were driven to the Bailie Niolunl Jar vie Inn at Aberfoyle. It stands on the site of the old inn where the Bailie ami others arranged a, meeting with Roll Roy. From Aberfoyle Glasgow is reached by train via Kirkintilloch. Edinburgh (the modern Athens) has a population of over 320,000. Tho in-

ii;iid,;;!p are pr ; of Prince' ; Street, vei.i is very wide, a'-sui ■ throc-cuai'tvre. .L a. mile long and jto ho o.;0 t,o iin, <k slreLs i.i Ire.; ope. it j’..s the advan.a o .a built v..\ one side only. i) i .... . : t;. r.i 1 • are: 1 ><> it;:.l \Vi ,re. ... Last (i.;:■ ’ r-. a are! the gr,\V;u re railway station, TJio West Gardens are on the slope of what wo know as a gully and which was once the Nor Loch and has liven divined, and or. too other side stands the famous castle. iae gardenia r..iv u,.’! l.dd ,al i., flower beds, etc. . The fior. 1 sleek ' . ,I | .h ’ • a splendid piece' of'- work, tne ornamoated race and figures iioing a lovely design of diff; renal odour a iiowcriup plants, and lio; : "great nuhds are troughs id which are growing suitable dwarf plants in bloom. Tills gigantic clock is useful’ rt| well as ornamental as it keeps correct time, being worked by electric power. The memorial tc Sir Walter Scott in ,the gardens ns a lino column of (Jot,hie architecture' 2001:1.• high by G. Kemp. The marble statue is by Steell. About tJre monument there arc 64 statuettes in niches each representing a character in the novelist’s works. In these gardens there are also many other memorials, to Dr Livingstone, Allan Ramsay, Sir Jas. Simpson (the discoverer of chloroform) and to othersf’ginous men. Part of the gardens is on a level with Princes Street. Gallon'’ burying ground contains among other■ notable memorials one to the political martyrs of 1794. On the opposite side of,the street is the entrance, up a flight ol ■steps to Cal ton Mill, mi wilificli is the Observatory, the National' Menuinent which looks like the ruins of a Grecian temple. It was begun in 1822' intended to ho a ' fnbdel of the Parthenon of Athens, and was to he erected to Kite memory of those Scottish officers and men who fell in the Peninsula War and at Waterloo. It never u as finished for when it became known that the original intention was to be altered the enthusiasm died out. Nelson s monument is an imposing one and i-s in the form of a gigantic telescope, at the base of which are cannon captured during the Crimean War. The view of the ' city and country around from Cal ton Hill is a splendid one, and so is that 0 f <‘Edinburgh by Night” from tine same! “coign of vantage.” fdlHL'

The Castle.—Passing ; along the fine drill ground, called the esplanade, and over the is entoied through an archway in which 1 tbc grooves of tho portcullis are still ;hP evidence; ' A'' yards I,el(nv the liahlemc-nts;of battery fi a neatly kept little cemetery wherein tdogt? tHatMflfee- pets are ‘ IjfeMStoving its little || V 'Mfyjga rot’s Oh a pel .1 tj said to be the most ancient buildingin the city and was built for the use ■of the wife of Malcolm Canmore. Close by is that famous and ancilant piece of ordnance known as Men’s Meg. In the Crown Boom is the regal m of Scotland, the crown of Robert Bruce, .coronation,.rigg of Charles' 1./l.Sv&fd' of State, etc., all very interesting. In built for ber■ fri- lo&l/ is shown the rpoipnin which -hpr sop,darnes 1. was born, andl Hie w -do-tv from which he, as an infant, was lowered in a basket to her frjemls below. From the Castle esplanade to Holy rood Palace is about ■a mile along High Street, which is called the Lawnmarket (linen market) near the Castle, and Canongate (Oaaiqn Road) loading to the palace. This street is full of of historical interest. Near thei Bstwnmarket is the house where Burns once resided. On entering High Street to the right is St. Giles’ Cathedral, erected to the memory of, the city’s patron saint in tire 9th century. It has been restored at great cost by Dr William Chambers, once Lord 'Provost. Within its ancient walls are many memorials, amongst'them to John Knox, Montrose, Argyle, Jenny Geddes, who used her stool as a protest against the newfangled form of worship introduced during the reign of Charles 1. There are also enshrined many worn war banners of Scottish Regiments. Tlhio spire is peculiar, being .shapp«| |ik© a crown and is a well-known land mark The old clock lias been counting the‘fleeting hours for two hundred years, so we were informed. Near the cathedral i stood the old city prison known 'as the “Heart of Midlothian,” and there is a heart-shaped device- oh the pavement marking its site.'” -At' the ’-ear of the oh'nreh is an equestrian statue of Charles 11., and close by in the -street a flat -stone with “1.K.1572” in brass letters, which is said to' Ins where the mortal remains of John Knox are lying. The stern old Reformer who the Regent Morton declared “never feared the face of man" also blew the blast of the trumpet against the “Monstrous Regiment of Women.” Ho had two wives, however. In the Canongate is Moray House, where Oliver Cromwell once resided and nearly opposite is th - old toll booth. In the Parish Churchyard is a monument to •'the poet Forgusson, erected by Burns.