Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: |tobk0 ihrmujh the ganii of OHAPTER I. ON THE ROAD TO AYR—THE DAISY—SCENERY IN THE VICINITY OF KIL- MARNOCK—CRAIGIE CASTLE—EARNWEIL HILL—SYMINGTON— THE CRADLE-LAND OF BURNS—THE BRAMBLE—A PECULIARLY SITUATED MONUMENT—A LUDICROUS ADVENTURE—MONKTON. Intent upon a pilgrimage to the cottage wherein the immortal poet, Robert Burns, first saw the light, aiid the interesting places in its immediate vicinity, I left Kilmarnock one beautiful summer morning before its inhabitants were stirring, and having crossed the Irvine by the new bridge at Riccarton, held onward, regardless of " the lang Scots miles" which lay between me and the goal of the journey. Nature was newly waken from the slumber of night—the sun poured its exhilarating rays from the radiant east, and in its strength was quickly dispelling the vapoury mist which hung over the river and floated lazily across the fields, as if reluctant to depart and allow the god to quaff the pearly drops of dew which decked the grass and hedges. A solemn stillness— which was occasionally broken by the distant lowing of cattle and the chirrup of a lightsome bird—pervaded the scene, for the village was wrapt in slumber, a slumber fated soon to be broken by the deep-toned bell in the church spire calling the labouring poor to renew the turmoil of life. As the gate of the domain which surrounds Caprington Castle was neared the scene became more romantic and grand, for the estate of Treesbank, with its manor-houso peering fromthe bosom of its woods, came in view, as also Craigie Hill and the rugged chain of eminences running east. At Peace- and-Plenty the miners were preparing for toil, and several smoked their pipes with a gusto which showed how they enjoyed the beauty of the flowers which decked the little plots in front of their dwelling...