From the 5th of April 1787 to the 5th of April 1788

6492

16,870 60,477 O

83,839

* This was shipped in one veffel for Stockholm.

25,032 3200,

89,241 299,881 5

417,354 5

NUMBER VII.

PARISH OF CAVERS.

(COUNTY OF ROXBURGH.-PRESBYTERY OF JED BURGH.-SYNOD OF MERSE AND TIVIOTDALE).

By the Rev. Mr THOMAS ELLIOT, Minifter.

THE

Form, Extent, and Appearance.

HE parish of Cavers is irregular in its form, and of confiderable extent, being upwards of 20 miles long from W. to E. and from 7 to 2 broad. The appearance of the western part of the parish is hilly, and that of the eastern flat Some of the hills are of confiderable height; from one of them, called the Wife, may be seen both the east and west

feas.

Rivers, Soil, and Produce.-The foil in the lower part of the parish, from the church to the eastern boundary, at the confluence of the two rivers, Tiviot ar d Rule, is rich and fertile, and produces good crops of wheat, oats, barley, and peafe. Clover, rye-grafs, and turnips, are alfo raised in confiderable quantities. The land there lets from 15 s. to 30s. per acre. The foil of the upper parts is perfectly adapted to the purpose to which it is chiefly applied, viz. the breeding of theep.

VOL. XVII.

M

Sheep

68

Sheep and Wages-The number of sheep in the parish is about 12,000; they are of the long white-faced kind, which bear the fhort clothing wool. The breed has been much meliorated of late, by means of rams got from the borders of the Cheviot hills, and the wool now fells at from 14s. to 175. per ftone. A common labourer will earn 14 d. per day in funimer, and rod, in winter. A man-fervant employed in farm work, gets from 61. to 71. per annum, with victuals; a maid-fervant, from 3 1. 10 s. to 4 1. 10 s. A fhepherd, on a farm where the master refides, instead of wages, is allowed to keep fheep; and on a led farm, is allowed three score and ten, and a milk cow, which may be valued at 181.

Proprietors, Rent, &c.-There are 11 heritors in the parish, and, except the Duke of Buccleugh, all the principal ones refide in it. The valued rent is 18,921 1. 16s. 8 d. Scotch. The real rent is about 4700 l. Sterling.

Population. The number of births, deaths, and marriages, cannot be precisely ascertained, as few of the Seceders enter their childrens names in the parish register. From Dr Webfter's report, however, it is certain, that the population of the par fh has increased confiderably within these 40 years. The number of inhabitants at present (1794) is about

The number of fouls, in 1755, was

Increase

1300

993

307

Church and Pcor.-GEORGE DOUGLAS, Efq; of Cavers is patron of the parish. The living confifts of 83 1. 6 s. 8 d. Sterl. in money, and 2 and a half chalders of grain, half meal, half barley; together with a manfe and garden, and a glebe of 11 English acres. Befides the parish church, there is a chaple of ease erected, for the convenience of the western parts

of

of this parish, and that of Hawick The chaplain who performs the duty, is partly paid by the Duke of Buccleugh, and the minifters of Cavers and Hawick, and partly from a fubfcription by the people. The number of poor receiving weekly fupport is about 40, for which the heritors affefs themselves, to the amount of 1401. yearly. The weekly collections are given by the kirk-feffion to the poor not belonging to the lift of penfioners. There is, in the village of Denholm, a Cameronian meeting-houfe, which is attended by feveral of the inhabitants and neighbourhood, who are between 2 and 3 miles diftant from the kirk; few of them, however, join in communion with them.

Eminent Men.-Lord Heathfield, fo juftly famed for his military exertions, particularly his gallant defence of Gibral

tar,

GEORGE AUGUSTUS ELIOTT, Lord HEATHFIELD, the 9th fon of Sir Gilbert Eliott, Bart. of Stobs, was born at the paternal eftate in the year 1718. He fhewed an early inclination for a military life, and foon became an officer in the 23d regiment of foot, the Royal Welsh Fufileers. He left this regiment, and went into the corps of engineers at Woolwich, where he continued till the year 1740, when he became adjutant in the ad troop of horse guards. He ferved in Germany, and was woun ded at the battles of Dittengen and Fontenoy. In March 1759, he was appointed to the 15th regiment of light dragoons; and, in the Auguft following, headed the fecond line of horfe under the Marquis of Granby, at the battle of Minden. Being conftituted a lieutenant general, he was, in 1762, ordered from Germany, for the purpose of affifting, as fecond in command, at the memorable reduction of the Havannah. He was ap pointed Commander in Chief in Ireland in 1774, but being dif gufted, on his arrival, he made a request to be recalled, which was complied with; and, upon the death of Lord Cornwallis, he was made Governor of Gibraltar in his place, which fortrefs. he bravely defended during the late fiege, in the years 1779, 1780, 1781, and 782 In 1783, he was granted a penfion of 2000l. per annum, and created a Knight of the Bath; and, in 1787, was raised to the dignity of a peer of Great Britain. The

honours

tar, in the years 1779, 1780, and 178.1, is fprung from the family of Stobs, now represented by Sir William Eliott, Bart. one of the principal heritors of this parish.

Antiquities-The remains of the Roman or Saxon fortification, called Catrail, runs through this parish, from S W. to N. W. towards Selkirk and Galla Water. There are feveral camps to be found in the upper part of this parish, Some of them appear to have been Roman camps, and others Saxon *.

NUM

honours which he had thus justly acquired, he did not long en joy, for he died in the year 1790.

* At a place called Carlenrigg, a number of Roman urns were dug up about 5 years ago; but when these camps were formed, or the urns depofited, the prefent incumbent has never been able to difcover. At Prieft-haugh, a great number of gold coins were found, supposed to have been depofited by fome of the attendants of Queen Mary, when the vifited Bothwell at the Hermitage Castle. At a fmall wood, near Carlenrigg Chapel, the famous JOHN ARMSTRONG was taken and flain.