The Scottish Naturalist. 329 



things. Below we find evidences of change — here we have 

 evidences of permanency. The old names are still descriptive 

 of the present physical features. The Kins are still bold striking 

 headlands, the Drums still appear as long ridges ; on the rising 

 ground to the west of Perth, Tullylumb and Tulloch are still 

 hillocks. We often find an epithet true at the present day to the 

 minutest particulars. Let us take a scene on the banks of the 

 Almond. Before doing so, notice for a moment the name of the 

 river. In the local pronunciation the "1" and the "d" dis- 

 appear, — and rightly so, for they never should have been there. 

 Amon yery fairly represents the pronunciation of the Gaelic 

 word signifying "water." The Celtic inhabitants spoke of the 

 river on the banks of which they lived as Amon, *' the water," just 

 as a Glasgow man speaks of going " down the water." When 

 Gaelic ceased to be spoken, "Amon," " the water," lost its mean- 

 ing, and became a proper name. We find the word applied to 

 other rivers, as is but natural— as the Almond, near Edinburgh. 

 Under a slight change we find it frequently as the Avon ; but 

 whether Almond or Avon, it is the Gaelic word meaning water — a 

 word cognate with the Latin anrnis, a river. Just above the 

 bridge of Almond, at Almondbank, the river has cut a channel 

 through the sandstone rocks which rise up on each side in 

 high and frequently precipitous cliffs. In some parts a level 

 space is found extending from the present channel of the stream 

 to the base of the clift". One such spot is called Cromwellpark, 

 the site at present of a bleach-field. This name was thought to 

 point to Oliver Cromwell. Consequently we are told that when 

 the Protector was in Perth, he had a small advanced camp in 

 this place to check the approach of the Highlanders. This story 

 was regarded as receiving complete confirmation when, on digging 

 the foundations for a house there, a square piece of iron weighing 

 thirty pounds was found, which, of course, could be nothing else 

 than a cannon-ball which Cromwell's Ironsides had brought 

 with them to check the approach of the Highlanders, and which 

 they had neglected to take with them on their departure. Such 

 is the tradition as I find it recorded in the first edition of the 

 'Statistical Account of Scotland/ under the article "Parish of 

 Redgorton," a tradition which is still current. Now, without 

 referring particularly to the fact that in 1651 Cromwell did pay 

 a sharp and short visit to Perth — that he came with a part of his 

 army on the ist of August, that he sat before the town on the 

 2d, that he entered it on its surrender on the 3d, and that we 



