geance, even in sight of their own lord of the manor.
"They only abstained for a short time; and no sooner had Sir David and the other gentlemen taken leave of each other in the most polite and friendly manner, as border chiefs are wont to do since border feuds ceased, and had departed to a sufficient distance, than the clan, armed with bludgeons, pitchforks, and such other hostile weapons as they could find, rushed down in a body; and before the chiefs on either side had reached their home, there was neither English tenant, horse, cow, nor sheep, left upon the premises.
"When first I knew any thing about the colony, old Will Faa was king or leader, and had held the sovereignty for many years.
"Meeting at Kelso with Mr Walter Scott, whose discriminating habits and just observation I had occasion to know from his youth, and at the same time seeing one of my Yetholm friends in the horse market, I merely said to Mr Scott, "Try to get before that man with the long drab coat, look at him on your return, and tell me whether you ever saw him, and what you think of him." He was so good as to indulge me; and rejoining me, said, without hesitation, "I never saw the man that I know of; but he is one of the gypsies of Yetholm, that you told me of several years ago." I need scarcely say that he was perfectly correct.
The descendants of Faa now take the name of Fall, from the Messrs Falls of Dunbar, who, they pride themselves in saying, are of the same stock and lineage. When old Will Faa was upwards of eighty years of age, he called on me at Kelso, in his way to Edinburgh, telling me that he was going to see the laird, the late Mr Nisbet of Dirleton, as he understood that he was very unwell; and himself being now old, and not so stout as he had been, he wished to see him once more before he died.
"The old man set out by the nearest road, which was by no means his common practice. Next market-day, some of the farmers informed me that they had been in Edinburgh, and had seen Will Faa upon the Bridge, (the South Bridge was not then built); that he was tossing about his old brown hat, and huzzaing with great vociferation, that he had seen the laird before he died. Indeed Will himself had no time to lose; for, having set his face homewards by the way of the sea coast, to vary his route, as is the general custom of the gang, he only got the length of Coldingham, when he was taken ill, and died.
"His death being notified to his friends at Yetholm, they and their acquaintance at Berwick-Spittal, Horncliff, &c. met to pay the last honours to their old leader. His obsequies were continued three successive days and nights, and afterwards repeated at Yetholm, whither he was brought for interment. I cannot say that the funeral rites were celebrated with decency and sobriety, for that was by no means the case. This happened in the year 1783 or 1784, and the late Mr Nisbet did not long survive."
We have occupied so much of our space with Mr Smith's interesting and accurate details, that we can only find room at present for a limited portion of our remaining original materials, and must restrict ourselves to a few additional traits.—Of the kingly demeanour and personal achievements of old Will Faa, many curious particulars are related. He never forgot his high descent from the 'Lords of Little Egypt.' He also claimed kindred with the Messrs Falls of Dunbar, with whom he affected to maintain some sort of family intercourse; and he is said to have paid them a regular visit once a-year. On solemn occasions he assumed, in his way, all the stately deportment of sovereignty. He had twenty-four children, and at each of their christenings he appeared dressed in his original wedding-robes. These christenings were celebrated with no small parade. Twelve young hand-maidens were always present as part of the family retinue, and for the purpose of waiting on the numerous guests who assembled to witness the ceremony, or to partake of the subsequent festivities. Besides Will's gypsey associates, several of the neighbouring farmers and lairds, with whom he was on terms of friendly intercourse (among others, the Murrays of Cherrytrees), used to attend these christenings.—In
