Field Meetings. 75 



party might picnic on the green and hold a short business Dieeting. 

 Here a commanding view was obtained of a Jong stretch of the 

 Scotch and English coasts, which seemed almost to land lock the 

 Sol way, swelled at this time by a full tide that filled the estuary 

 of the Nith, and bathed in a glowing sunlight. Along the oppo- 

 site coast-line, ending in St. Bee's Head, could be seen the towns 

 of Silloth, Maryport, Workington, and Whitehaven, and the eye 

 rested beyond them on the bold outline of the Cumberland hills, 

 still flecked with snowy patches. Having made the ascent of the 

 hill, the party turned their steps down Kirkbean Glen, a deeper, 

 more picturesque, and well wooded ravine, terminating beside the 

 church and village. It was too early in the season to find many 

 plants in flower, but the biisy botanists found a sufliciency of 

 interesting specimens with which to fill their vasculums ; and if 

 their industry was not rewarded with many of great rarity, there 

 was in the constant and ever-varying loveliness of the scene — 

 albeit not yet arrayed in the blooming charms of " leafy June"- — a 

 rich reward for the visit, and sufficient inducement to explore its 

 every corner. Turning off" a little before reaching the foot of the 

 Glen, the company returned to Cavens, and jiassed through the 

 policies, for which 31 r Oswald had kindly given permission. Close 

 to the house — a substantial mansion of antique appearance — are 

 two magnificent trees, a plane and a chestnut, which were greatly 

 admii-ed. They next bent their steps towards Kiikbean Churchyard. 

 There are here no tombstones of great antiquity, the earliest date 

 noticed being in the early part of last century ; but there is one of 

 considerable interest because of its connection with Paul Jones, 

 the hero of many privateering exploits, and who has been styled 

 by an enthusiastic admirer, " the founder of the American navy.' 

 His father was gardener at Arbigland, in the time of Mr William 

 Craike, one of the most enterprising of agricultural improvers of 

 his day, and there Paul was boi'n. Over his father's grave he has 

 erected a large flat monument. From the inscription on this 

 tribute of filial respect it will be seen that the name which he 

 adopted, and under which he figures in story, was an alias formed 

 by an easy play upon that which properly belonged to him. It 

 is : " In memory of John Paul, senior, who died at Arbigland the 

 24th of October, 1767. Universally esteemed. Erected by John 

 Paul, juneur." The pedestrian part of the excursion ended at 

 Carsethorn, where a few fragments of the coialline fossil limestone 



