We then walked some distance to see Wallace’s Monument, the most conspicuous object for many miles round, and which had only just been erected to perpetuate the memory of that great warrior, having been opened by the Duke of Atholl in 1869.  We paid twopence each for admission, and in addition to climbing the hill to reach the entrance to the monument we had to ascend a further 220 feet by means of a flight of 246 steps before we could reach the top.  There were several rooms in the basement, in one of which we found an enthusiastic party of young Scots who were vociferously singing: 

Scots, wha hae wie Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has often led,
Welcome to your gory bed,

    Or to victorie.

* * * * *

Lay the proud usurpers low! 
Tyrants fall in every foe! 
Liberty’s in every blow! 

    Let us do or die!

These were the first and last verses of the poem written by the immortal Burns to represent Robert Bruce’s address to his army before the Battle of Bannockburn.  We did not reveal our nationality to the uproarious Scots, but, after listening to the song, which we had never heard sung before, and the cheers which followed it, in which we ourselves joined, we went quietly past them, for fear they might treat us as the “usurpers” named in the last verse and “lay us low.”

[Illustration:  WALLACE MONUMENT.]

On reaching the top of the monument we had a magnificent view, which well repaid us for our exertions in climbing up the craig and ascending the tower, and we lingered awhile to view the almost fairy-like scene that lay below us, with the distant mountains in the background.  On descending, we entered our names in the visitors’ book and took our departure.

Just as we were leaving, our attention was attracted by a notice which informed us that Cambuskenneth Abbey was only one mile away, so we walked along the banks of the Forth to that ancient ruin.  The abbey was supposed to have taken its name from one Kenneth, who fought a successful battle with the Picts on the site where it was built.  A Parliament was held within its walls in 1314 by King Robert Bruce, but the abbey was destroyed, with the exception of the tower, in 1559.  The chief object of interest was the tomb of James III, King of Scots, and his Queen, the Princess Margaret of Denmark, who were buried near the High Altar.  The tomb, which appeared quite modern, recorded that King James died June 11th, 1488, and that “This Restoration of the Tomb of her Ancestors was executed by command of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, A.D. 1865.”

We now walked back to Stirling, and were again among the windings of the River Forth, which are a striking feature whether viewed from Wallace’s Monument, the Castle walls, or the cemetery.  To follow them in some places, the traveller, it was said, would have to go four times farther than by the straighter road.