Field Meetings. 105 



ments taken of it in 1872 gave a girth of fourteen feet at the 

 ground and of nine feet at a height of eight feet. Corresponding 

 measurements made on Saturday were 16 feet 9 inches, an 

 increase of 2 ft. 9 in.; and 10 ft. 6 in., an increase of 1 ft. 6 in. 



The house, which is picturesquely quaint, consists of three 

 distinct portions, evidently built at different periods — a square 

 block in the centre, with a round tower at the west front ; and 

 an oblong on either side and projecting in both directions beyond 

 the central portion of the building. A vaulted chamber still 

 survives, which had apparently formed the ground storey of an 

 old square keep that preceded the present building. Eliock was 

 at one time a possession of a cadet branch of the Crichtons, Lords 

 of Sanquhar, and it is believed to have been the birthplace of 

 the Admirable Crichton, the sixteenth century prodigy of learn- 

 ing and chivalry about whose name time has gathered many 

 legends. The reputed natal chamber is now partly incorporated 

 in a bedroom adjoining the study and partly in the passage. Mr 

 Veitch's father, who was also in holy orders, filled for a long 

 time an ecclesiastical position in Jerusalem, and the house con- 

 tains many memorials of the family's residence in the Holy Land, 

 One of the most interesting is the apple of Sodom, which from 

 its tempting but deceptive appearance has supplied a figurative 

 piirase to describe a course of vicious pleasure. Mr Veitch 

 has also a small archaeological collection. The gem of it is 

 a Jacobite snuff-box. This particular form of mull was so 

 contrived as to enable adherents of the Stewart family 

 outwardly to conform to the loyal customs of the day 

 without doing violence to their political conscience. It is 

 mounted with silver. On a band just under the lid is the 

 motto, " Suum cuique," " To every man his own." On the silver 

 lining of the lid is a device of crossed swords with the letters 

 J.R., and the figure 8 worked into it, meaning Jacobus Rex viii. 

 On the top of the lid is a pictorial representation of a stream. 

 Holding this snuff-box in his left hand, the old Jacobite could 

 quite honestly join in the toast of " The King," for before raising 

 the glass to his lips he passed it above the box ; the gesture in 

 conjunction with the picture supplied the qualification " over the 

 water ; " and he drank to the health not of William but of the 

 Old Pretender. There has recently been added to the collection 

 a celt which was got in the foundation of a cottage on the estate 

 when an addition was being made to it. Another recent acquisi- 



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