Agnews of Lochnaw

598 THE TWELFTH HEREDITARY SHERIFF. [1747-
lieir ; but he also predeceased his father, dying whilst in garrison
in Gibraltar ; and the Sheriff was eventually succeeded by his
fifth son Stair, who, notwithstanding the old gentleman's preju-
dices, had become " a scoundrel of a merchant," as which he had
visited Virginia. Sir Stair married Mary, daughter of Thomas
Baillie of Polkemet, from which place her brother took his title
as a Lord of Session.
The Sheriff never acquired a taste for agricultural improve-
ment, but continued to let things jog on in the old way, and to
be satisfied with baillie-work. As he grew old he became more
and more systematic in his habits, and every day rode to a gravelly
bank called the Scar, lying on his own property about five miles
from Lochnaw. This curious spot of land, or natural pier, runs
straight into Lochryan for a considerable distance ; an extent
of half a mile being never covered by the highest tides. On
returning from one of these rides the old gentleman had a severe
fall from his horse, which resulted in his death.
Although, owing to a contrariety of circumstances retarding
his promotion in early life, the Sheriff never attained to high
military command, yet few men of his position were better known
or thought of in their generation. As an officer he was resolute
and efficient, and as a magistrate and a neighbour he was shrewd,
genial, and true-hearted.
Three distinguished authors, two of whom had a decided
leaning to Jacobitism, and an especial hatred to the political
party of which the Sheriff was an adherent, have paid handsome
tributes to his memory.
Sir Walter Scott says — " Sir Andrew Agnew, famous in Scot-
tish tradition, was a soldier of the old military school, stiff .and
formal in manners, brave to the last degree, and somewhat of a
humourist." 1 And in a letter to his great-grandson 2 he writes,
" My best thanks attend Sir Andrew Agnew for the very inter-
esting collection of letters and orders respecting the siege of Blair,
when it was so well defended by Sir Andrew's ancestor."
1 Scott's History of Scotland.
2 The late Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw, Bart. , M. P.