STROMNESS. i 



the necessity of sending to the ponds in the 1824. 

 fields for water, and groups of girls bearing Ji^ne. 

 tubs, slung on two poles, were constantly seen 

 passing along the pathways. On Mr. Ma- 

 nico's return he was accompanied by the Ba- 

 ron d'Ende, Chambellan de S. M. le Roi de 

 Saxe ; who was making the tour of the Ork- 

 neys, and to Avhom I paid every attention in 

 my power. 



Accompanied by two of the officers, I 

 walked into the country to see some Druidical 

 remains, situated at Stenhouse, about six or 

 seven miles from the town, and on the borders 

 of an extensive lake, which communicates at 

 high water with the sea. The first of these 

 remarkable monuments consisted of three flat 

 slabs of sandstone, standing upright, and from 

 ten to fifteen feet in height. One entire slab 

 lay flat on the ground, and I afterwards heard 

 that it had been intentionally thrown down by 

 some ardently inquisitive antiquary, to ascer- 

 tain how deeply it had been embedded in the 

 earth ; but he was afterwards unable to place 

 it as it was before, to the great chagrin of some 

 of the old Orkney women, who hold these 

 ruins in great reverence. The fallen stone 

 had been embedded two feet and a half, and 

 the space in which the four had stood was 



