Just at the end of the town we met a gentleman wearing a top-hat and a frock-coat, so we appealed to him.  The hour was too late to find us lodgings, but he said, if we wished to do so, we could shelter in his distillery, which we should come to a little farther on our way.  His men would all be in bed, but there was one door that was unlocked and we should find some of the rooms very warm.  We thanked him for his kindness and found the door, as he had described, opening into a dark room.  We had never been in a distillery before, so we were naturally rather nervous, and as we could not see a yard before us, we lighted one of our candles.  We were about to go in search of one of the warmer rooms when the thought occurred to us that our light might attract the attention of some outsider, and in the absence of any written authority from the owner might cause us temporary trouble, while to explore the distillery without a light was out of the question, for we might fall through some trap-door or into a vat, besides which, we could hear a great rush of water in the rear of the premises, so we decided to stay where we were.

The book we had obtained at Hawick contained the following description of the Langholm “Common Riding,” which was held each year on July 17th when the people gathered together to feast on barley bannock and red herring, of course washed down with plenteous supplies of the indispensable whisky.  The Riding began with the following proclamation in the marketplace, given by a man standing upright on horseback, in the presence of thousands of people: 

   Gentlemen,—­The first thing that I am going to acquaint you with are
   the names of the Portioners’ Grounds of Langholm:—­

  Now, Gentlemen, we’re gan’ frae the Toun,
  An’ first of a’ the Kil Green we gang roun’,
  It is an ancient place where Clay is got,
  And it belangs to us by Right and Lot,
  And then frae here the Lang-Wood we gang throu’
  Where every ane may breckons out an’ pu’,
  An’ last of a’ oor Marches they be clear,
  An’ when unto the Castle Craigs we come,
  I’ll cry the Langholm Fair and then we’ll beat the drum.

Now, Gentlemen.  What you have heard this day concerning going round our Marches, it is expected that every one who has occasion for Peats, Breckons, Flacks, Stanes, or Clay, will go out in defence of their Property, and they shall hear the Proclamation of the Langholm Fair upon the Castle Craigs.

  Now, Gentlemen, we have gane roun our hill,
  So now I think it’s right we had oor fill
  Of guid strang punch—­’twould make us a’ to sing. 
  Because this day we have dune a guid thing;
  For gangin’ roun’ oor hill we think nae shame,
  Because frae it oor peats and flacks come hame;
  So now I will conclude and say nae mair. 
  An’ if ye’re pleased I’ll cry the Langholm Fair. 
  Hoys, yes! that’s ae time!  Hoys, yes! that’s twae times!! 
  Hoys, yes! that’s the third and the last time!!!