The John Buchan Trail - "The Island of Sheep"
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A cache and dash with fine views of Tweedsmuir.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"The days passed in a delightful ease. We walked and rode over the hills, and picnicked by distant waters. The streams were low and the fishing was poor, though Peter John did fairly well in the lochs, and got a three-pounder one evening in the park lake with the dry fly. It was only a month to the Twelfth, so Morag the falcon was not permitted on the moors, but he amused himself with flying her at pigeons and using her to scare the hoodies. The months at Laverlaw had made Barbara well again, and she and Mary, with their clan about them, were happy; even Sandy's absence was not much of a drawback, for his way was the wind's way, and any hour he might appear out of the void. It was lotus-eating weather in a land which might have been Tir-nan-Og, so remote it seemed from mundane troubles. When I gave a thought to my special problem it was only to remind myself that for the moment we were utterly secure. The pedlar who took the Laverlaw round from Hangingshaw had his coming advertised hours in advance; the baker's and butcher's carts had their fixed seasons and their familiar drivers; and any stranger would be noted and talked over by the whole glen; while, as for the boundary hills, the shepherds were intelligence-officers who missed nothing. All the same I thought it wise to warn the keepers and Stoddart and Geordie Hamilton that I had a
private reason for wanting to be told in good time of the coming of any stranger, and I knew that the word would go round like a fiery cross."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
John Buchan was born in 1875 in Perth, the eldest of five children, whose father was a minister. The family moved to Pathhead, Fife, where the other four were born. Although they then moved to Glasgow where he first attended Hutcheson's Grammar School, then to Glasgow University and Brasenose College Oxford, he spent plenty of time down with his grandparents at Broughton in the Scottish Borders, around which this series of caches is based.
Following his studies in Classics, he firstly worked on the "Spectator" magazine, whilst reading for the Bar, to which he was called in 1901. He then moved to South Africa to work in government and diplomacy until 1903, which introduced him to the country which would influence the first in the series, "Prester John" (1910). He returned to work on the "Spectator" and the Bar, and married Susan Grosvenor in 1907, from which they had four children. It was at this time he became a director of the Edinburgh publishing house Thomas Nelson & Son, having befriended Thomas Nelson, a descendant of the founder, at Oxford.
From around this time, he ventured into politics, becoming in 1911 the Unionist candidate for Peebles and Selkirk, and on the outbreak of the First World War, worked firstly on the staff of "The Times" on the western front, and then in intelligence. It was between 1915-1919 that he wrote four of the five "Hannay" novels which form part of this series of caches.
Following the War, Buchan turned more towards his writing, producing both novels and historical novels, and combined this with a directorship of Reuters. He and his family moved to Elsfield Manor, Oxfordshire, but he retained strong links with Scotland, combining amongst his titles "M.P. for the Combined Scottish Universities" and "President of the Scottish Historical Society". In 1932, he was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George and in 1933/4, he was the High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Following this, he was created Baron Tweedsmuir of Elsfield in 1935, and in the same year, Governor-General of Canada, the office of which he held until his death in Montreal on 6th February 1940 following a stroke.
Although his ashes are buried at Elsfield, there is a section in the John Buchan Centre in Broughton which reflects the impact of his time in South Africa and the desire expressed earlier in his life that his remains should be buried there. This seems to have been overlooked at the time of his death, but a memorial by way of a plaque affixed to a monolith has been dedicated to him overlooking the Ebenezer Dam in the Magoebaskloof region in South Africa, the area in which he was inspired to write "Prester John".
Richard Hannay is now our hero, and this is the fourth in the series (it was a more appropriate spot, as you'll see!). "The Island of Sheep" was written in 1919 but set a dozen or so years later than the other novels. Contrary to first impressions, the Island of Sheep is not one of the Hebridean Isles, but "the Norlands" which are the Faroe Islands. Like the others, it is well worth reading, if you have not already done so (or again, if you have!).
This is a letterbox cache - you'll see why!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"The John Buchan Story" (http://www.johnbuchanstory.co.uk) has now moved to Peebles and the opening details are as follows:
Easter Weekend (from Good Friday) until the end of October, Monday to Saturday.
Times:
10.00 am to 4.30 pm.
Admission:
Adults: £2
Children: free
John Buchan Society Members: free
Outwith these times, we are happy to open the Museum for groups (up to 30 people).
Winter Season
We especially welcome groups in the winter months and can customise your visit to your particular interests.
Easter Weekend - Friday to Monday inclusive, and from 1st May to mid-October daily between 2-5pm: Adults £2, Children 50p. It can be opened at other times and available for large groups by arrangement.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * FTF: THESEARCHDOG * * *
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Arj uvag nf bs 29/5/2023: ZGG