Transactions, 61 



Low Nunton, Conchieton, and Cairneyhill (Borgue) — -a total of 21', 

 many of which, it is only fair to point out, are mere grassy rims 

 of stones encircling a hollow. I have examined C5 myself, and of 

 these the following 16 are quite or very nearly quite untouched, 

 and would, no doubt, repay a properly conducted investigation — 

 Cairn Kinna, Cairn north-east of Clachaneasy Bridge, Knockman 

 Cairn, Drumfern Cairn, Rorie Gill's Cairn, and Cairn on the 

 Parliament Knowe (all in Minnigaff) ;'. Cairn to the west of 

 Auchenlarie Burn (Anwoth), Cairn at Clachan Pluck (Balniaghie), 

 Meikle Cairn, Minnydow (Kirkpatrick-Durham), Lower and 

 Higher Slew-Cairns, Barnhourie Mill Cairn, Powbrade Cairn 

 (South wick). Cairn on Galtway Hill (Kirkcudbright), Cairn at the 

 March Cleugli (Kelton), the North Cairn at High Barcaple (Tong- 

 land). That only 16 out of 65 should now remain intact surely 

 involves a heavy charge of vandalism against our forefathers. 

 Rifling a cairn seems, indeed, to have been with many a farmer 

 the readiest (and therefore the right) method of obtaining stones 

 for his dykes. But what would said farmer's feelings have been 

 had some thoughtless laird swooped down upon his family grave, 

 say in Kirkmabreck (where not one cairn remains), and made 

 havoc amid his lettered slabs and gilded monuments ? What 

 should we ourselves say ? And yet, because a cairn is old, and 

 there is a chance when ransacking it of coming on something 

 novel, we let all our better sentiment vanish and cast respect for 

 the ancient dead to the winds ! And after all how little, how 

 very httle, have we learnt here in Galloway of the construction 

 and real meaning of cairns, notwithstanding all our digging and 

 trench -cutting. "With the single exception of the grave at 

 Conchieton (described fully by me in our " Transactions," vol. 6, 

 page 152), there is positively no authentic evidence regarding the 

 contents of any one of the scores of excavated cairns, "We have 

 no account, I mean, accurate enough to be trustworthy of even 

 the contents which were seen after the internal structure — the 

 important part — had been heedlessly rent asunder. Many of these 

 sixty-five cairns are unspoilt to a measurable extent; one can 

 ascertain, that is, their basal circumference, their over-curve 

 diameter, and their height at least approximately. In one or two 

 cases, indeed, examination might prove that the real secret of the 

 cairn had baffled its would-be destroyers, and that though 

 hundreds of cartloads of stones had been removed, still the kist- 



