The roads of Liddesdale, in Dandie Dinmont's days, could not be said toexist, and the district was only accessible through a succession oftremendous morasses. About thirty years ago the author himself was thefirst person who ever drove a little open carriage into these wilds, theexcellent roads by which they are now traversed being then in someprogress. The people stared with no small wonder at a sight which many ofthem had never witnessed in their lives before.