All Gallowshiels the daring challenge heard,
Full blank they stood, and for their piper fear’d;
Fearless alone, he rose in open view,
And in the midst his sounding bagpipe threw.”
Then the poem tells the history of the competitions, the piper deducing his origin from Colin of Gallowshiels, who bore the identical bagpipe at the battle of Harlaw with which he himself was resolved to maintain the glory of the piper race. The second book commences with the following exquisite description of the instrument:—
“Now in his artful hand the bagpipe held,
Elate the piper wide surveys the field;
O’er all he throws his quick, discerning eyes,
And views their hopes and fears alternate rise.
Old Glenderule, in Gallowshiels long fam’d