32 Operations and Finds in Upper Nithsdale. 



former enumerates four stone whorls of different types, and two 

 dressed flat circular stones. He believes the latter to have been 

 used as stone weights, and we know that stones of various shapes 

 were often used as weights throughout the whole district, and 

 some of the larger stone weights are in use still at several farms 

 in Nithsdale. Mr Borland and Mr SuUey spent considerable 

 time in investigating the cairns and tumuli in Closeburn parish, 

 and the result of their operations was duly communicated to the 

 Dumfries newspapers at the time, and attracted considerable 

 meritorious notice from antiquarians. Mr Smith discovered 

 several stones of an ovoid form of the type shewn at page 53 of 

 the catalogue of the National Museum. This is one I picked up 

 on the side of the Nith at Sanquhar in a " children's house " on 

 the Washing-Green. You will observe it is slightly hollowed on 

 both sides, which indicates that it has been used as a hammer- 

 stone, the cavities being supposed to give a better hold for the 

 lingers and thumb. 



At Potholm in Eskdale I recently saw water-worn cup-like 

 stones found in the Esk in use in a stable as pots for oil used in 

 cleaning harness. This is certainly taking advantage of the 

 caprices of water as a potter. Almost a similar case occurs at 

 Old Kelloside, Kirkconnel, where a large water-worn block of 

 whinstone of basin-like shape has been used as a pig trough. 



I have often looked for something unique on the sweys in farm 

 kitcliens, but not until a few days ago did I find anything of 

 interest. Here is a crook, bearing at the lower end, on which 

 pots and pans are suspended, a zigzag extended device, while 

 round the circle of the loop are incised lines. It may not be 

 ancient, but certainly the maker has had in his mind ornamenta- 

 tion of a kindred nature. I remember seeing at Auchencloigh, 

 Ochiltree, the spindle of a distaff in black oak similarly 

 ornamented. 



It may not be out of place to record that about twenty years 

 aero a farm labourer was employed to remove some stumps of 

 wood from a meadow on the farm of Kelloside, Kirkconnel, in 

 order to clear the surface for a mowing machine. He removed a 

 larwe number of stakes, about three feet in length and six inches 

 in diameter. They had evidently been placed upright in a trench 

 and secured by wattles driven through mortice holes about one 

 foot from the bottom of (vach stake, and the earth packed around 

 them. In the mossy ground the stakes wei-e quite fresh, but in 



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