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Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912

"Sir Walter Scott and the Border Minstrelsy"

Told by Buccleuch to seek aid from Martin
Elliot in Liddesdale, Telfer does so. He runs up Teviot four miles to
his brother-in-law, Jock Grieve, who mounts him. He then rides off at
a right angle, from Teviot to Catlockhill, says the Elliot ballad,
where he is rehorsed by Martin's Hab. The pair then take the fray to
Martin Elliot at Preakinhaugh on Liddel water, and Martin summons and
leads the pursuers of the Captain.
This, to Colonel Elliot's mind, is all plain sailing, all is feasible
and natural. And so it IS feasible and natural, if Colonel Elliot can
find a Catlockhill anywhere between Coultartcleugh and Preakinhaugh.
On that line, in Mr. Veitch's words, Catlockhill "is to be sought."
But just as Mr. Veitch could find no Catslockhill between
Coultartcleugh and Branksome, so Colonel Elliot can find no Catlockhill
between Coultartcleugh and Preakinhaugh. He tells us {112b} indeed of
"Catlockhill on Hermitage water." But there is no such place known!
Colonel Elliot's method is to take a place which, he says, is given as
"Catlie" Hill, "between Dinlay burn and Hermitage water, on Blaeu's map
of 1654.


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