for the carrying out of his scheme for the establishment of educational seats throughout his dominions. According to some authorities Pierre's son became thane of the Isle of Man, in A.D. 814. All this, however, is mythical. Equally fabulous is the tale of the origin of the armorial bearings adopted by the Frasers. The name of Fraser is said to be derived from the French word fraises, signifying strawberries. As the story runs, it is said that one Julius de Berry, a nobleman of Bourbon, invited Charles the Simple, of France, to a sumptuous feast at which delicious strawberries were served up to the guests. Charles signalised the occasion by conferring knighthood upon his host, who, at the same time, changed his name from Berry to Fraiseur, and assumed as his crest the representation of a bunch of strawberries. There can be no hesitation in relegating that account of the origin of the Fraser crest to the region of mythdom. The etymology of the name is sufficient to account for the coat armorial of the clan. Although the Frasers ultimately became one of the foremost families in the Highlands, yet their earliest grants of lands, in Scotland, were confined to the shires of Peebles and Haddington.

The ancestors of the Frasers, who first settled north of the Tweed, came over from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066. They had large possessions assigned them in Tweeddale and Lothian, by Malcolm Canmore (1056-1093). These were greatly

added to after the death of that monarch. A Gilbert de Fraser was witness to a charter to the monastery of Coldstream in the reign of Alexander I. (1107-1124); and Sir Simon. Fraser, who owned the family patrimony in East Lothian, made many donations to the religious at Kelso in the time of David I. (1124-1153). When William the Lion occupied the throne (1165-1214) a Bernard Fraser made a donation to the Abbey of Newbattle; and during the reign of Alexander II. (12141249) we read of Gilbert Fraser, “vice-comes of Traquair, Bernard Fraser of Drem, and Thomas Fraser. It is difficult to connect these Frasers with each other, though doubtless they belonged to a common stock. The eldest son of the above-mentioned Gilbert de Fraser had a son named Oliver who flourished between 1175 and 1179. He built Oliver Castle, the original stronghold of the Frasers in Peeblesshire. Here resided the last and greatest of their line, Sir Simon Fraser, the friend and co-patriot of Sir William Wallace, who along with Sir John Comyn, Governor of Scotland.

conquered the English, in three pitched battles near Roslin on one day, in 1303. He was the grandson of the "vice-comes," and nephew of William Fraser, Chancellor of Scotland from 1274 to 1280, and Bishop of St Andrews from 1279 until his death in 1297. Sir Simon Fraser suffered a cruel death in 1307 at the instance of the savage Edward I. whose usurpation of Scotland he nobly and bravely withstood.

His father, Sir Simon Fraser, already referred to as the probable founder of the older portion of Neidpath Castle, was a man of great influence and power. In addition to Neidpath he owned the castles of Oliver, Fruid, and Drumelzier, the ruins of which all attest the greatness of the Frasers. For many generations they were the hereditary High Sheriffs of Peeblesshire. Sir Simon was one of the "magnates Scotia," who, in 1285, supported the claims of the youthful Margaret (Maid of Norway) to the Scottish throne. His name appears, on the Ragman Roll, as having sworn fealty to Edward I. at Norham in 1296. He died three years later. His only son-the patriot and victor in the triple fight at Roslin -succeeded to his vast estates. At his death, in 1307, the extensive holdings of the Frasers in Peeblesshire were broken up. He left two daughters, the elder of whom, Mary, married Sir Gilbert Hay of Lochwarret (Borthwick), in Mid-Lothian. He was the ancestor of the noble House of Tweeddale. Mary carried along with her Neidpath Castle and adjacent estates. One of her descendants, a Sir William Hay who flourished in the first decade of the fifteenth century, took to wife Johanna, eldest daughter of Hugh de Gifford, of Yester, with whom he got the manor of Yester and advowson of the Church of St Bathan. Ultimately he became Lord Yester, and the family afterwards were known as the Hays of Yester. But they still continued to regard Neidpath Castle as their principal residence. They also held, in succession to the Frasers, the distinction of hereditary High Sheriffs of Peeblesshire.

Methinks men cannot be always grave, and with the hat over their brow. A young maiden will laugh as a tender flower will blow-ay, and a lad will like her the better for it; just as the same blithe spring that makes the young birds whistle, bids the blithe fawns skip.

"Woodstock."

THE LATE

REV. ALEX. WILLIAMSON, D.D.,

OF WEST ST GILES, EDINBURGH.

'N the "Border Magazine" for August, 1903, there appeared a biographical sketch of the Rev. Dr Williamson of West St Giles, Edinburgh, and it is now our painful duty to record his passing away, which took place on 28th April, 1911. Dr Williamson was a leal-hearted son of the Borderland, and contributed occasionally to the "Border Magazine." We had the privilege of his acquaintance, and spent some pleasant hours with him last summer, but instead of giving our own impressions of a delightful personality we prefer to quote the following appreciation from the Peeblesshire Advertiser":

With feelings of profound regret, we have this week to record the death of a distinguished and highly-esteemed son of Peebles-the Rev. Alexander Williamson, D.D., senior minister of West St Giles' Church, Edinburgh. Dr Williamson had been laid aside from pulpit duty for about a year, although able to move about in a quiet way. Two or three months ago, however, his illness assumed a more serious aspect, and he was confined to his room, and latterly to bed. It then became evident that the end was approaching, and on Friday night last week he passed peacefully away at his residence, 39 Lauder Road, Edinburgh.

Dr Williamson was born on the 31st July, 1833, in Peebles, so that at the time of his death he would in about three months have completed the seventy-eighth year of his age. He was the youngest of a family of seven, the others being all daughters. On his birth the town bell was rung, and the schools were granted a holiday. His father held the appointment of Town Clerk of the burgh at the time. We believe that Mr Williamson was well advanced in years when his son was born in 1833, and it is a somewhat notable fact that between the date of his father's birth and that of Dr Williamson's death a period of fully 150 years is bridged over-a long time for two generations. The young lad received his education at the Grammar School of Peebles, and there formed a life-long friendship with other two Peebles lads who also became distinguished in after life-the late Professor Veitch and Professor Calderwood. He subsequently entered upon his University course at Edinburgh, where he enjoyed personal associations with the Principal, Dr John Lee, who had been minister of Peebles previous to his appointment to the Chair of Church History in St Andrews, and was a friend of his father. During his University course the young student took an active part in some of the College Societies, and held office in several. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Peebles in 1859, and preached his first sermon in Manor Church on the following Sunday forenoon, and officiated in Lyne Church in the afternoon. For about two months he acted as assistant at Kelso, and then was presented by the Trustees of the Rev. Patrick Booth to the Church and parish of Innerleithen, and was ordained to that charge on the 17th November, 1859. There he laboured

with great fidelity and acceptance till 1875, when, greatly to the regret of a deeply attached congregation, he accepted, after having declined several calls, an invitation to become minister of West St Giles', Edinburgh. During his stay in Innerleithen a new church was built, and through his efforts a church was erected at Walkerburn, which is now a "quoad sacra" parish with an ordained minister.

In West St Giles', Mr Williamson laboured with the same diligence and with as much appreciation as had characterised his ministry in his former charge at Innerleithen. He took a great interest in educational matters, and served for two terms on the Edinburgh School Board. He also took an active interest in questions bearing on religion and morals, and in furtherance of his views on such topics his contributions to the Press-books, pamphlets, treatises, and articles in various journals— were very numerous. In 1896 the University of Edinburgh conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in presenting him for this honour Professor Taylor said-" As a preacher and a pastor, Dr Williamson's influence has extended far beyond those to whom he directly ministered. The Church of Scotland recognised in him one of its most esteemed ministers when it appointed him Convener of its Colonial Committee, an office of great responsibility, which he held for a number of years."

Dr Williamson celebrated his ministerial jubilee on Wednesday, 17th November, 1909, being fifty years that day since he had been ordained by the Presbytery of Peebles to the pastoral charge of the Parish Church at Innerleithen. There was a large and most enthusiastic meeting on the auspicious occasion, and Dr Williamson was presented with a chastely designed oxydised silver casket, bearing the inscription:-" Rev. Alexander Williamson, D.D.-17th November, 1909. Innerleithen, 1859; West St Giles', 1909." Inside the casket was a cheque for £500. In making the presentation, Colonel Martin said "that valuable as this casket and its contents are, a much more valuable and a really greater treasure lies in the wealth of esteem, regard, and love resident in the casket of the hearts of those who wish to honour you." Nor was Mrs Williamson forgotten, for at the same time she was presented with a purse and £17.

Dr Williamson was no idler; he led a busy life. He was gifted with the pen of the ready writer, and he used that gift to good purpose. He was a prolific writer. For many years he was editor of the "Juvenile Missionary Record," and during the period of his editorship the circulation mounted up from some hundreds to close upon 50,000. Among his numerous works may be mentioned "Light from Eastern Lands," and "Glimpses of Peebles; or forgotten chapters in its history," a book of great interest to Peebleans, by recalling scenes and events of the olden time.

Dr Williamson had an intense love and admiration for his native town and county. At the meetings of the Peeblesshire Society, of which he had been Chaplain since 1864, and the Edinburgh Peeblesshire Union, of which he had been honorary president for several years, it was quite a treat of no ordinary kind to listen to him describing the historical legends and traditions of the county, the beauty of its woods and glens, its finely-rounded hills, the siller Tweed, with its numerous clear and transparent tributaries, and the amenities of the " Auld Burgh Toon" itself, with its attractive

situation and picturesque surroundings. He had a strong personality, both as a preacher and a man, and, with a cheery smile, and frank, affable, and straightforward manner, he carried sunshine with him wherever he went, and endeared himself to all with whom he came into contact. He is survived by his widow (a daughter of the late Mr Robert Tod, Cardrona Mains, Peeblesshire), and the sincerest sympathy is extended to her in her bereavement by all who had the privilege of the acquaintance of her late husband and herself.

tor in Peebles, but the wander-lust was in his blood. The thirst for travel soon seizing him again, he sought and obtained command of a Government expedition to explore the Niger.

Mungo Park's servant used to describe the touching scene when he parted with his wife. "Say the word, Ailie," he said, shaken by her fears and grief, "and I stop at home." But, "No," she said, go and do your duty."

The premonitions of love, alas, are but too sure. The exploring party, after achieving considerable

Among the literary effects of the late Rev. Dr Alexander Williamson, of West St Giles', Edinburgh, there has been found an interesting letter to Dr Williamson's father, the Town Clerk of Peebles, from his intimate friend, the intrepid explorer, Mungo Park. The "Scotsman," in reproducing the epistle, stated that it had hitherto been unpublished, but this is a mistake, as it appears in Dr Williamson's Glimpses of Peebles,' published many years ago.

After his earlier travels, Park settled as a doc

success in its purpose, were descending the Niger in a canoe, but being set upon by natives, the canoe overturned, and Mungo Park and his companions were drowned.

THE LETTER.

The following letter was penned on board ship at Spithead, on the eve of setting sail :

"To Mr Alex. Williamson, writer, Peebles. Dear Friend, I embrace this opportunity of sending you a few lines to inform you that we are on board, and expect to sail for Africa in a few hours.

When I saw you at Edinburgh I had every reason to believe that all thoughts of the expedition were for the present laid aside. On my arrival in London I was informed that the Ministry were still desirous to send out the expedition, but that the plan was somewhat altered, particularly in respect to the number of troops to be employed in it. The alterations appeared to me very judicious, and I was immediately offered the chief command of it, both civil and military, and was assured that no person should be employed in it but such as I approved. I have accordingly got Mr Anderson for my second in command, and George Scott of Singlie for draughtsman, so that we are all three schoolfellows. Mr Anderson and me have brevet commissions, with temporary and local rank, in order to make the redcoats shoulder their hoops. We expect to be at St Jago in about twenty days hence, where we must purchase fifty African cavalry, alias Jackasses. We then proceed Gooree, and then into the Gambia.

to

"If all things succeed according to our expectations, we expect to be again in England on this day twelvemonth, but if we have to go round by the West Indies it will take us three or four months more. Excuse the scrawl, for it, blows hard, and the vessel rolls very much. Give my compliments to Mrs Williamson and Miss Sommers, to Colonel Murray, the Sheriff, and all my good friends at Peebles. I remain, your sincere friend, MUNGO PARK. Crescent, Transport, Spithead, Jany, 29th, 1805.

"P.S.-I almost forgot to tell you that we have the Eugenia, sloop of war, for our particular convoy, and she is not to quit us until we are landed. I hope we shall see a fight between her and some of the French privateers.-M. P."

THE BORDER WATERING
PLACE.

SOME IMPRESSIONS OF A CITY VISITOR.
FEW years ago, in the course of a
wandering holiday, I arrived on a
summer afternoon in one of the
numerous wind-swept, red-roofed,
old-world townlets that stud the northern shore
of the Firth of Forth. The day was one of the
most brilliant of an exceptionally fine July. In
a sky of purest blue a few silver-edged clouds
floated with scarcely perceptible motion. The
heat was intense, and the life of the little place,
insignificant at the best, was practically at a
standstill, except that here and there, at the
corners of the many wynds that twisted to the
main street from the higher ground behind,
stood groups of bronzed, blue-jerseyed fisher-
men, their hands in their pockets, smoking in
silence, and gazing dreamily across the shim-
mering waters of the Firth to the coast of East
Lothian, which was barely visible through the
quivering heat haze. Suddenly, on turning a
corner, I saw a solitary figure which seemed
familiar, and on a nearer approach I was
than surprised to recognise a fellow-townsman

"e

and at one time a near neighbour in the old Border burgh where my early years were spent. The surprise was mutual, and after preliminary explanations we compared notes. I found that my friend had been experimenting, trying fresh fields and pastures new on his annual holiday, and I gathered that the experiment had not been altogether a success. We had a brief crack" about old times, but the afternoon sun wearing steadily down gave warning that many miles lay between me and my destination for the night, and as I said "goodbye" before continuing my journey by the green links of Elie to the sandy shores of Largo Bay my old friend remarked, in the broad Border tongue one so loves to hear in unexpected places, "Ye may talk about yer fancy waiterin' places as ye like-there's nae place like Spittal." Spittal! the very name brought to my mind a crowd of recollections that served to keep me thinking during the remainder of my journey. Familiar in the days of childhood and youth, the Border watering place had for long been by me, if not altogether forgotten, at least to a great extent overlooked. Yet there I first first saw the broad bosom of Mother Ocean, there as a toddling bairn I waded in the surf, built sand castles to be destroyed by the incoming waves, and explored the mysteries of the rock pools. A few years later, in schoolboy days, the Sunday school excursion, otherwise the 'bairns' trip," was annually an outstanding event. Even yet I have a vivid recollection of the morning assembly in the Market Place, the singing of Shall we gather at the river?" the procession to the railway station, the long day at the seaside, crammed so full of delightful experiences, and the noisy home-coming in the train, when the boisterous spirits of obstreperous children made the teachers' lives, for the time being, a burden. School days came to an end. In early business life one or two visits were paid to Spittal, and then came the inevitable wrench, the Borderland was left behind, and amid other scenes and with fresh interests the memories of the North Northumbrian coast gradually faded. The chance meeting with a fellow-Borderer in an out-of-the-way Fifeshire town revived these memories, and the result was that I formed a resolution to revisit Spittal, a resolution which, two years later, I was able to carry into effect.

August, the crowning month of summer, had arrived, when the gradually shortening days and the ripening grain, with here and there touches of crimson and gold on the foliage, gave token that the leafy verdure and the long,

lingering twilights of midsummer had passed, and the days of mellow autumn were at hand. On an early day of the month I found myself, after an interval of many years, settled in comfortable surroundings at "Spittal-by-the-Sea." After such a long absence I regarded my holiday as something in the nature of an experiment, and I could not conceal from myself the fact that my impressions might differ greatly from those of my immature years. But after

I had been only a few hours in the place and had found time to look around and renew my acquaintance with its once familiar features, any doubts I had formed as to the success of my experiment were immediately and for ever dispelled. Spittal, though in some respects altered, improved, and brought more "up-todate," had not I found, lost those peculiar and unique charms which to my mind make it different from any other watering place I have visited. Were I asked to name the chief characteristic of a holiday in Spittal, I should unhesitatingly answer-"Rest. Accustomed as I had been to the somewhat strenuous holiday life of the Fifeshire and Forfarshire resorts, the contrast struck me at once. Charming as many of these places undoubtedly are, the idea of rest does not seem to be associated with them. From early morn till late evening, in the height of the season, golfers, male and female, young and old, are in evidence at every turn-a crowd at the first tee eager to drive off, another crowd at the home hole watching the returning players, the language of golf everywhere, discussions as to foursomes and singles, matches and handicaps, to the exclusion of every other topic-all interesting enough no doubt within reasonable limits, but at times rather tending to bore any one who has never had a severe attack of the golf fever. How different is homely Spittal. True, there is a golf course, and a good one too, at Goswick, a few miles down the Northumbrian coast, but it is too far away to form a feature in the life of the place. At the time of my visit there was not even a bowling green. Recently, however, one has been opened, but it is surrounded by walls, and, consequently, except to the devotees of the ancient game, is not much in evidence. By the great majority of visitors to Spittal the holiday is regarded not as a means of assiduously devoting oneself to any particular pastime or pursuit, but as an absolute rest, free from exertion of any kind. A typical Spittal day begins soon after sunrise. When the sea shimmers and sparkles like silver in the rays of the morning sun a few early risers may be seen strolling leisurely along the

Promenade enjoying the fresh morning air and acquiring thereby a prodigious appetite for the morning meal. Later come the bathers, and many a merry shout and much laughter and good-natured "chaff" are heard as they disport themselves among the surf or breast the white breakers. Before breakfast congregate those who quaff the waters of the Spa Well, for to many regular visitors the day's programme would be incomplete without a morning draught of the caller and not unpalatable water. All day long the sea front is thronged with promenaders moving leisurely along or standing in groups, talking of old times and absent friends, while the salmon fishers on the beach always attract interested crowds. The accents of Hawick, Kelso, Jedburgh, Galashiels and the other Border towns are strangely intermingled, for nine-tenths of the visitors hail from the Borderland. In the afternoon there is a Pierrot entertainment-a recent innovation-which is a source of great delight to the juveniles, and helps their elders to pass an idle hour. As a rule the programme is a fair specimen of its class, and would not do discredit to a watering place of greater pretensions than Spittal, besides, when in holiday mood, one is not disposed to be too critical. In fine settled weather, with a land wind, there are no more delightful hours in Spittal than those of the summer evenings, and when the full moon rises over the sea and bathes the beach and the cliffs in its silver light the scene is one that lingers long in the memory.

To many one of the chief attractions of Spittal is its proximity to Berwick-on-Tweed, that grand old Border burgh, with such a wealth of chequered history, one of the most interesting towns in the three Kingdoms, and one that is well worthy of more than a casual visit. The views from its walls are superb, especially that of the Tweed valley, with the Border hills in the far distance. Ferry boats ply between Berwick and Spittal, oared by hardy old "salts," but there are indications that in course of time these, like the old steamboat "Susan," familiar to generations of Borderers, will disappear, as more patronage appears now to be extended to the motor boats recently introduced. Their chief recommendation is speed, as the pleasure derived from a passage in a rowing boat is infinitely greater -and who would be in a hurry at Spittal? The ferry had a wonderful fascination for me. I used to cross at all times of the day, but my favourite crossing was when the flood tide coincided with the sunset hour, when the broad surface of the Tweed resembled a mass of glow