Address of the Vice-President. 27 



The Moat of Urr is reckoned the largest in Scotland. 



Our Society had an opportunity of examining two good 

 examples— the Moat of Baltnaclellan and the Moat of Dairy. 



The Moat of Balmaclellan is 18 feet 4 inches in height, 

 and the circumference at its base measures 2614 feet. 



Both it and the Moat of Dairy appear to have been sur- 

 rounded, at least partially, with a ditch. 



At the Moat of Uit and in its neighbourhood have been 

 found at different times, spears, vessels or utensils, and coins.* 



The Tumuli and Sepulchral Cists 



of early times have proved the great storehouses of ancient 

 relics ; and, like geological strata, supply us with interesting 

 and valuable materials for the history of early and pre- 

 historic times. As it was the practice to bury the dead in 

 . costume, their gi-aves furnish us with articles illustrative of 

 the dress and ornaments of the early inhabitants, and even 

 of their weapons and utensils. 



The terms Barrow, Tumulus, and Cairn are said to be 

 all of similar import, synonymes of one another and of our 

 word mound, all indicating interment, it being customary to 

 pile up over the graves of the dead heaps of stones— the size 

 of the heap indicating the honour or esteem in which the 

 deceased was held. 



In one of the Society's excursions Cairnholy was visited, 

 the supposed burial place of the valiant King Galdus,— the 

 first of the Scottish kings, according to Buchanan, who ven- 

 tured to cope with the Roman power ; and it is also said that 

 the route to and from Whithorn, where the pilgrims rested 

 on theii way to the shrine of St. Ninian, was marked by 

 cairns from the Nith, the Doon, and the Irish Sea. But in 

 both these cases the traditionary accounts require to be col- 

 lected and compared with each other and with the facts and 

 circumstances. 



* See Sutislic.U AcL-ount of Urr. 



