Strong gale from the W. Not much rain but rivers full from yesterday. Drove to Yarrowford = wire from Brunton.1 It was to see a niece named Nancy Moffat2 who has subacute rheumatism. Met Met Mrs + Miss L3 as I went up + was rather annoyed to get a wire when I got home asking me to go up. I had however first to go to Lilliesleaf which I did + saw the hounds in full cry at Riddell. They had met a Grundiston + run down country + found again at Newhouse. Did Broadmeadows in evening. Altogether I drove 45 miles : mare = 21½ + Macaulay 23½.4 Passed 6 Female [?] + the 2 first juveniles.5
1 The ‘best guess’ is Adam Brunton of Catslackburn, Yarrow who was tenant of a cottage owned by Yarrow Parish Council.
2 This may well be Agnes Elizabeth ‘Nancy’ Moffat (1886-), born Kirkpatrick Durham, Kirkcudbright but recorded in the 1901 Census at Yarrowford as servant to the Reverend Robert Borland (1844-1912) at Yarrow Manse. Borland was the author of ‘Yarrow Its Poets and Poetry’ and ‘James Hogg The Ettrick Shepherd’, a memorial volume.
3 Assume Margaret Pattison Lang née Graham (1821-1914), of Broadmeadows, wife of Hugh Morris Lang (1817-1900), banker and landed proprietor, and her daughter Margaret Graham ‘May’ Lang (1861-1958), who was later to take up cycling [see diary entry 13 May 1916],
4 This is the best evidence yet that Dr Muir’s travel was significantly if not mostly horse-drawn.
5 The Editor would be pleased to have suggestions what these were.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 