k's Cave. Strangers who visit this place, the
scenery of which is highly romantic, are also shown, under the name of
the Gauger's Loup, a tremendous precipice, being the same, it is
asserted, from which Kennedy was precipitated.

Meg Merrilies is in Galloway considered as having had her origin in the
traditions concerning the celebrated Flora Marshal, one of the royal
consorts of Willie Marshal, more commonly called the Caird of Barullion,
King of the Gipsies of the Western Lowlands. That potentate was himself
deserving of notice from the following peculiarities:--He was born in the
parish of Kirkmichael about the year 1671; and, as he died at
Kirkcudbright 23d November 1792, he must then have been in the one
hundred and twentieth year of his age. It cannot be said that this
unusually long lease of existence was noted by any peculiar excellence of
conduct or habits of life. Willie had been pressed or enlisted in the
army seven times, and had deserted as often; besides three times running
away from the naval service. He had been seventeen times lawfully
married; and, besides, such a reasonably large share of matrimonial
comforts, was, after his hundredth year, the avowed father of four
children by less legitimate affections. He subsisted in his extreme old
age by a pension from the present Earl of Selkirk's grandfather. Will
Marshal is buried in Kirkcudbright church, where his monument is still
shown, decorated with a scutcheon suitably blazoned with two tups' horns
and two cutty spoons.

In his youth he occasionally took an evening walk on the highway, with
the purpose of assisting travellers by relieving them of the weight of
their purses. On one occasion the Caird of Barullion robbed the Laird of
Bargally at a place between Carsphairn and Dalmellington. His purpose was
not achieved without a severe struggle, in which the gipsy lost his
bonnet, and was obliged to escape, leaving it on the road. A respectable
farmer happened to be the next passenger, and, seeing the bonnet,
alighted, took it up, and rather imprudently put it on his own head. At
this instant Bargally came up with some assistants, and, recognising the
bonnet, charged the farmer of Bantoberick with having robbed him, and
took him into custody. There being some likeness between the parties,
Bargally persisted in his charge, and, though the respectability of the
farmer's character was proved or admitted, his trial before the Circuit
Court came on accordingl