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The River Doon
DOON (The), a river which traverses
Ayrshire,; and, during
the whole of its course in that county, forms the
boundary-line between the districts of Carrick and Kyle.
It is popularly said to originate in Loch Doon, but really
rises in two mountain streams from which that lake
receives its principal surplus waters. One of these
streams, called Gallow-lane, wells up among the broad
boundary mountain-ridge of Kirkcudbrightshire, within
half-a-mile of the remote source of the Galloway Dee; the
other, called Eagton-lane, issues from Loch Enoch, at the
boundary between Kirkcudbrightshire and Ayrshire; and both
pursue a northerly course of about 7 miles, till, at its
southern extremity, they fall into Loch Doon. At the
northern extremity, whence the united streams now called
the Doon emerge, two tunnels, cut out of the solid rock,
receive the river, [see next article, DOON (Loch)] and
pour it impetuously down into a deep gorge 300 feet deep,
only about 30 feet wide, and a mile in length. For 2 miles
from the loch, the river flows due north; and it then
bends gradually round, and, for about 7 miles, flows to
the north-west. Over all this distance, with the exception
of the fine vale of Dalmellington on its northern bank,
the grounds which press upon its verge are, for the most
part, heathy or unwooded knolls and hills of chilly and
uninviting aspect. About 2 miles below Patna it again
bends, and, over a distance of 5 miles, flows westward;
and then, a little below Cassilis-house, flows northward
and to the north of west, till it falls, 3 miles south of
Ayr, into the frith of Clyde. But, over its whole course
from below Patna to its embouchure, it describes numerous
curvatures, sinuously wending round many a sylvan knoll,
and rioting at will among the beauties of a delly and
undulating landscape. Here its channel is, for the most
part, ploughed into a huge furrow from 10 to 200 feet,
and, at the top, from 30 to 150 yards wide, the sides of
which are richly clothed in natural wood and plantation.
Such especially is its appearance both above and below the
point where the river is spanned by 'the Auld Brig
o'Doon,' and flows past 'the haunted kirk of Alloway,' and
over all the space which was most familiar to the eye of
the Ayrshire bard.
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