Читать книгу Horae subsecivae. Rab and His Friends, and Other Papers - John Brown - Страница 27

Indeed, I believe it is too true, though it was inferred only, that her mistress and friend spent a great part of a winter night in trying to coax her dear little ruffian out of the centre of the bed. One day the cook asked what she would have for dinner: "I would like a muttonchop, but then, you know, Duchie likes minced veal better!" The faithful and happy little creature died at a great age, of natural decay.

But time would fail me, and I fear patience would fail you, my reader, were I to tell you of Crab, of John Pym, of Puck, and of the rest. Crab, the Mugger's dog, grave, with deep-set, melancholy eyes, as of a nobleman (says the Master of Ravenswood) in disguise, large vis-aged, shaggy, indomitable, come of the pure Piper Allan's breed. This Piper Allan, you must know, lived some two hundred years ago in Cocquet Water, piping like Homer, from place to place, and famous not less for his dog than for his music, his news, and his songs. The earl of Northumberland, of his day, offered the piper a small farm for his dog, but after deliberating for a day, Allan said, "Na, na, ma Lord, keep yir ferum; what wud a piper do wi' a ferum?" * From this dog descended Davidson (the original Dandie Dinmont) of Hyndlee's breed, and Crab could count his kin up to him. He had a great look of the Right Honourable Edward Ellice, and had much of his energy and wecht; had there been a dog House of Commons, Crab would have spoken as seldom, and been as great a power in the house, as the formidable and faithful time-out-of-mind member for Coventry.

* I have to thank cordially the writer of the following

letters. They are from the pen of Mr. Robert White,

Newcastle-on-Tyne, author of the History of the Battle of

Otterburn, and one of the last of the noble band of literary

and local antiquarians of which "Muncaster" has so long been

the seat, up to all traditional lore and story of the stout-

hearted Border.

"In the second series of your Horo Subsecivæ. p. 162, you

allude to the dog Crab being come of the pure 'Piper Allan's

breed, and say that the said 'Piper Allan lived some two

hundred years ago in Cocquet (Coquet) Water.'

"In Northumberland and over the Borders, James Allan is

generally known as Piper Allan. He was born about 1733, and

after leading a strange life, towards his seventieth year he

stole a horse at Gateshead in the county of Durham, and took

it to Lilliesleaf in Roxburghshire, where he was apprehended

and sent to Durham jail. He was found guilty, and received

sentence of death, but was reprieved, and afterwards had his

punishment mitigated to perpetual imprisonment. After being

confined for nearly seven years, his health failed, and he

was removed to the House of Correction, where he lived about

five months, and died at Durham, November 13th, 1810, aged

about 77 years.

"Some time ago in Willis's Current Notes, which are now

discontinued, an original letter of Sir Walter Scott was

printed, in which is the following paragraph:—

"'I should be glad to see a copy of the Alnwick work upon

Allan, whom I have often seen and heard, particularly at the

Kelso Races. He was an admirable piper, yet a desperate

reprobate. The last time I saw him he was in absolute

beggary, and had behaved himself so ill at my uncle's

(Thomas Scott of Monklaw) house, that the old gentleman,

himself a most admirable piper, would not on any account

give him quarters, though I interceded earnestly for him,

"the knave," as Davie tells Justice Shallow, "being my very

good friend." He was then quite like a pauper, with his

wife, and an ass, in the true gipsy fashion. When I first

saw him at Kelso Races, he wore the Northumberland livery, a

blue coat, with a silver crescent on his arm.' (Allan was

piper to Her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland.)

"The father of Jamie Allan was named Willie, and he also was

a good piper, besides being an excellent fisher and a keen

otter-hunter. He had two favourite dogs for the latter

sport,—Charley and Phoebe,—and such was the wisdom of the

former that he used to say, If Charley could speak he would

sell the otter's skin.' Probably Crab may have been of this

kind.

"James Davidson of Hindlee was a great fox hunter, and his

breed of terriers—the pepper-and-mustard class—were the

best over all the country. I have seen the genuine breed

long ago at Ned Dunn's of the Whitelee at the head of

Redesdale. Among common dogs they were something like the

Black Dwarf among men, long-bodied animals with strong short

legs, wiry haired, and at the first look not unlike a low

four-footed stool, such as I have seen in houses in the

south of Scotland forty years ago. They were sent in to the

fox when he was earthed, and fought him there. They seemed

at first when out of doors to be shy, timid things, and

would have slunk away from a fierce collie dog, but if he

seized one of them, and the blood of the little creature got

up, it just took a hold of him in a biting place, and held

on, never quitting till he found to his cost he had caught a

tartar."

"I am now convinced, from what I have gleaned of the life

of James Allan, and a notice in Mackenzie's History of

Northumberland, that your Piper Allan was William, the

father of James. He was born at Bellingham in 1704. He was

nearly six feet high, of a ruddy complexion, and had much

shrewdness, wit, and independence of mind. In early life he

became a good player on the bagpipes. He mended pots and

pans, made spoons, baskets, and besoms, ana was a keen and

excellent fisher. In the Valley of Coquet he married a gipsy

girl, named Betty, who bore him six children, and James was

the youngest save one; but she died in the prime of life. He

was married a second time to an unfortunate daughter of a

Presbyterian minister.

"Among his other pursuits, he excelled especially in the

hunting of otters, and kept eight or ten dogs for that

particular sport. Please turn to my previous letter, and in

the passage, 'if Charley could speak,' etc., dele Charley

and insert Peachem. This dog was Will's chief favourite, and

such confidence had he in the animal, that when hunting he

would at times observe, 'When my Peachem gi'es mouth, I

durst always sell the otter's skin.' Charley was also an

excellent dog. Lord Ravensworth once employed Willie to kill

the otters that infested his pond at Eslington Hall, which

he soon accomplished; and on going away, the steward, Mr.

Bell, offered, in his Lordship's name, to buy Charley at the

Piper's own price. Will turned round very haughtily, and

exclaimed, 'By the wuns, his hale estate canna buy Charley!

"He was a capital piper, and composed two popular tunes, 1

We'll a' to the Coquet and Woo,' and 'Salmon Tails up the

Water.' These I never heard, and probably they may be lost.

When his end drew near, he was something like Rob Roy in his

neglect of religious impressions. When reminded that he was

dying, he exclaimed, 'By Jing, I'll get foul play, then, to

dee before my billie, wha's ten years aulder!' When still

closer pressed to ponder on his condition, he said, 'Gi'e me

my pipes, and I'll play ye "Dorrington Lads" yet.' Thus he

exhausted his last breath in playing his favourite strain.

He died 18th February 1779, aged seventy-five years, and was

buried in Rothbury Churchyard. His son James was born at

Hepple, in Coquetdale, March 1734.

"The following verses on old Will are in the 'Lay of the

Reedwater Minstrel:'—

"A stalwart Tinkler wight was he,

And weel could mend a pot or pan;

And deftly 'ull could thraw a flee,

An' neatly weave the willow-wan'.

"An' sweetly wild were Allan's strains,

An' mony a jig an' reel he blew;

Wi' merry lilts he charm'd the swains,

Wi' barbed spear the otter slew.

'Nae mair he'll scan, wi' anxious eye,

The sandy shores of winding Reed;

Nae mair he'll tempt the finny fry,—

The king O' Tinklers, Allan's dead.

"Nae mair at Mell or Merry Night

The cheering bagpipes Wull shall blaw;

Nae mair the village throng delight,

Grim death has laid the minstrel law.

"Now trouts, exulting, cut the wave;

Triumphant see the otter glide,

Their deadly foe lies in his grave.

Charley and Phcebe by his side.