A NOVELTY IN SCOTLAND.

ccording to the Peebles Advertiser (which we confess we are not in the habit of reading regularly) we find that -

“Gold has been found among the quartz detrius in Olengaberburn, a small mountain rivulet which falls into the Meggat, about a mile and a half from St. Mary’s Loch.”

Timon of Athens when he discovered “gold, glittering gold” in the forest, could not have been more astonished with his discovery than was probably Mr. Macalister, the schoolmaster (and some schoolmasters do not care how low they stoop to pick up the auriferous metal), when his fingers closed with native quickness on those welcome little nuggets. We are told, however, that the quantity picked up is in weight equal to not more than half-a-sovereign. Small as the value was, however, the specimens were instantly despatched to the Chambers’ Institution at Peebles, where doubtlessly, from their extreme rarity, they will attract thousands and thousands of the curious to see what the precious ore is like. It is supposed to be the first bit of gold ever seen in those parts of Scotland. After all, we strongly suspect that it must have been dropt by some English traveller. It would be a surprise, indeed, if Caledonia should turn out a second California. Could the fact be only established that Scotland is nothing less than a large money-box, brimful of half-sovereigns, that only requires breaking open, what a sudden rush homewards there would be of all the Scotchmen at present domiciled in England! We suspect that the wooden figures outside the tobacconists’ shops even would join in the national race, all the runners of which would be picked out exclusively from “Scot’s lot!”

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