own race. He joined in and enjoyed the fights between the "Auld and
the New Toon," and incidentally acquired a Scots accent that somewhat
alarmed his loyal father, who had named him after the Hanoverian
Georges. Proving himself a good fighter, he earned the praise of his
Scots acquaintances, and a general invitation to assist them in their
"bickers" with "thae New Toon blackguards."

He loved to climb and clamber over the rocks, peeping into "all
manner of strange crypts, crannies, and recesses, where owls nestled
and the weasel brought forth her young." He would go out on all-day
excursions, enjoying the thrills of clambering up to what appeared to
be inaccessible ledges, until eventually he became an expert
cragsman. One day he came upon David Haggart {14a} sitting on the
extreme verge of a precipice, "thinking of Willie Wallace."

For fifteen months the regiment remained at Edinburgh. In the spring
of 1814 the waning star of Napoleon had, to all appearances, set, and
he was on his way to his miniature kingdom, the Isle of Elba (28th
April). Europe commenced to disband its huge armies, Great Britain
among the rest. On 21st June the West Norfolks received orders to
proceed to Norwich by ship via Leith and Great Yarmouth. The
Government, relieved of all apprehension of an invasion, had time to
think of the personal comfort of the country's defenders. With
marked consideration, the orders provided that those who wished might
march instead of embarking on the sea. Accordingly Captain Borrow
and his family chose the land route. Arrived at Norwich, the
regiment was formally disbanded amid great festivity. The officers,
at the Maid's Head, the queen of East Anglian inns, and the men in
the spacious market-place, drank to the king's health and peace. The
regiment was formally mustered out on 19th July.