Day Eight - Perth to Dundee

By 6 a.m. next morning we are all astir though Conning and Melville had been up half the night driving off some cows who had threatened to wreck our tents while we had slept quite unconscious of the danger.

Perth water chuteAs we are preparing breakfast a party of maidens enter the field they cannot resist Conning's captivating manner and soon they are the best of friends.

He sits and beams down upon them and forgets for a while his blistered feet and the various hardships he has suffered on the way.

The order from Mr Shaw to come and clean the porridge pot awakens him from his dream and after a lingering farewell he returns.

The proposal to go to the swimming baths is made so we make our way there to have a swim.

After having each done a length or two and watched McLean give exhibitions on the water "schute" we return feeling quite refreshed.

We prepare an early dinner so that we may get started on our last and longest journey to Dundee.

Kinnoull Hill FollyBy one o'clock the waggon is ready and a little later we take the road.

Clattering across the High Street we reach the bridge that spans the Tay and turn on to the Dundee road.

By the foot of Kinnoull Hill we rest while the rain begins to fall.

We harness ourselves once more to the waggon and march steadily on for another two miles.

On reaching Kinfauns we halt again and a rush is made to a little shop where we replenish our stock of Biscuits.

Into the heart of the "Carse of Gowrie" we wend our way and by long fields of yellow corn we tramp along the soft level road.

At a small shop a quarter of a mile above the village of Errol we order from the old lady some Lemonade and sit down on a bench in her garden and dispose of it. After resting a while we move off all hands are at the ropes as we encounter a steep incline on the road.

"When Johnny comes marching home again Harrah! Harrah!" Conning's feet are again troubling him and he feels very thankful that we are indeed marching home.

Longforgan Provision Stores signWe rumble through Inchture and rounding the road we view the Tay and familiar scenery of the Fifeshire hills.

Reaching Longforgan we halt at the village grocer's and crowd into his shop in search of more refreshment.

Having revived our strength we pull out the waggon and continue again on the road.

Darkness is beginning to fall as we reach Invergowrie and from the road we can see the lights of Newport across the river.

We take the high road which runs by Liff station into Lochee

 

Tay Bridge at night

We meet the gaze of the people as we pass and hear with interest their remarks. "That is the same crowd that passed last Saturday" says one while an old lady remarks to her companion "Look at that poor lad behind, he seems to have a lot of bother with his feet".

Dundee smoke stacks and Dundee Law

Knocked down trek cart9.30 p.m. we reach the gate of Barrack Castle and pull up the waggon to have it unloaded. We take down the waggon and carry it over to its corner while each takes his baggage and returns home.

Thus the camp is disbanded and with a feeling of regret we realise our march is ended.

No more to lie under the star shine and be lulled to sleep by the sound of rushing streams and the sighing of the winds.

So ends the journey of 109 miles, so ends the "Tramping Camp" of the 1st Dundee Troop Boy Scouts.

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