48 Transactions. 



Another means by which light is to be thrown on pre-historic 

 times is by studying the remains of man's handiwork, which are 

 to be found upon and in tlie groiind. No one can travel far in 

 Galloway, especially in the moorland ])arts of it, without coming 

 upon standing stones, cairns, camps, or kilns. While the purpose 

 or meaning of single and circles of standing stones, like those at 

 Holywood in the immediate neighbourhood of Dumfries, and at 

 less known places in both Dumfries and Galloway, is still involved 

 in obscurity, they are nevertheless objects of much interest. Many 

 circles have been destroyed within the present century, and othei'S 

 doubtless will disajipear. Speaking to a farmer about a large 

 stone standing in a field, he remarked — " Aye, there was a ring o' 

 them at ae time, but that's the only ane left. The rest were ta'en 

 to big dykes and mak' yett posts." Such is the succinct history of 

 too many Druidical circles. And so with cairns : we know places 

 in Galloway where the stones have been carried away to build 

 dykes, and the sepulchral kists — the last resting places of mighty 

 dead — are uncovered and desolate. Cairns are still being used as 

 quai-ries. Only their sites remain in Dumfries ; so in Galloway, 

 unless some respect is paid to *' the auld grey cairns," they will no 

 more be found, and only scarcely visible grassy spots among the 

 heather will mark the tombs of heroes. Camps, forts, and 

 clusters of stones, supposed to be kiln-floors, but which we think 

 have been the floors of bee-hived shaped houses, will also be swept 

 away before the march of agriculture. Of these remains the 

 study is very intei'esting, and is all the more delightful th.it it has 

 to be followed in the wildest and most remote parts of the district. 

 A large volume might be written on the cairns, camps, tfec, of 

 Dumfries and Galloway. On the beautiful hills of Nithsdale 

 and Annandale we have little round forts on hill tops and com- 

 manding eminences. These are within sight of each other from 

 one end of the district to the other, so that if an enemy approached 

 any point the rising pillar of cloud by day, or the ruddy flame of 

 burning whins by night, woiild spread an alarm far and wide. 

 At Burnswark square Roman and round British and Norse forts 

 are to be found side by side. At Ho) mains Fort the defending 

 ditch has been cut out of the solid rock : who did it, and how did 

 they do it % What kind of implements did they use 1 At the 

 mote of Urr we find Roman, Celtic, and Saxon remains com- 

 bined. Was it the Caerbantorigum mentioned by Ptolemy 1 is 

 a question calling for settlement. While the Society might 



