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.
“Notes on Answers C and D.
“Peculiar cast of Gypsey Features, every where distinguishable, &c.
“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 observations 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 that he was going to see the Laird, the late Mr. Nesbit, 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, same of the farmers informed me, that they had been in Edinburgh, and 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. Nesbit did not long survive.”