daring expedient of buying up almost all the cattle
for sale, that they might become the exclusive owners. This might have
succeeded so far, but it was a dangerous expedient, and could not
continue; and other energetic men, both in the north and south, began
to oppose them. My own father became their greatest opponent, and,
though single-handed, for years conducted as large a business in summer
as themselves.

Mr James Anderson, Pitcarry, who is still alive and tenant of Pitcarry,
was also an extensive dealer, and sent large droves to England--a man
who through life has enjoyed the respect of all classes, of great
coolness, and proverbial for his rectitude. The writer was sleeping
with him at Huntly the night of an Old Keith market; and in the morning
Mr Anderson was in the middle of a deep discussion, when his topsman
knocked at the door. On being asked what he wanted, he said he had lost
four cattle. "Go and find them," was Mr Anderson's answer, and he
immediately resumed the discussion. My father often told how Mr
Anderson and he were at a dinner at Haddington, given by the East
Lothian Farmers' Club, on the day of the cattle market, when Mr Rennie
of Phantassie was chairman, and where, after dinner, a discussion arose
about an Act of Parliament. Mr Anderson told them they were all wrong,
and that the contents of the Act were so and so. The books were brought
from the Council Chambers, when Mr Anderson was found right, and all
the East Lothian gentlemen wrong. He is a very well-informed man, and
has all the Acts of Parliament at his finger-ends. I was present at a
Hallow Fair when a cross toll-bar was erected, and many paid the toll
demanded. At last Mr Anderson came up with his drove, and having the
Act of Parliament in his pocket at the time, he broke down the toll-bar
and sent the keeper home to his honest calling.

But James Milner, Tillyriach, was perhaps the most remarkable among all
the cattle-dealers of the time. He was a very large tall man, with
tremendously big feet--a great man for dress--wore top-boots, white
neckcloth, long blue coat, with all the et-ceteras, and used
hair-powder. He was, withal, very clever, and had an immensity of
mother-wit. He rode the best horse in the country, kept greyhounds, and
galloped a horse he called the "Rattler." The rides he took with this
animal are the talk of the country to this day. The Rattler was very
fast, and would jump over anything. There was no end to the har