176 THE Scoto-NorsE PERIOD IN DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
Dumfries artificial earth-heights were the strongholds of the early 
Norse settlers. | Tynwald in all likelihood corresponded to the 
Tingwall of Manx fame, and from that hill the Norse law would go 
forth for the south of Scotland, after the fashion sung in the 
sagas. To pass on to another aspect of our subject—the place 
names—-there is really no room for question. You have the Norse 
termination, “by’’ and “bie,’’? in such names as Lockerbie, 
Netherby, Canonbie; the familiar “holm,’’ as in Kirkholm and 
Twynholm, scattered all over the county. Then follow such 
other Norse terminations as “ gill ’’ in Middlegill or Caplegill ; 
“rigg,’’ as in Buckrigg or Oakrigg ; “fell,’’ meaning a hill, some- 
times disguised as a suffix, as in Criffel; “ hope,’’ as in Blacks- 
hope ; “ beck,’’ as in Craigbeck ; and “ thwaite,’’ the Norse word 
* for clearing, in Murraythwaite, recalling the Crossthwaite, near 
Keswick. All these Norse names are in themselves unmistake- 
able evidence of a Norse occupation of the district. Those who 
are familiar with the place names of the Lake district will be 
struck with the similarity to names there. Take, also, the 
familiar folk name of Johnstone in Dumfriesshire. 
‘‘ Within the vale of Annandale 
The gentle Johnstones ride; 
They ha’e been here a thousand years, 
An’ a thousand mair they’ll bide.’’ 
Johnstone is simply the Norse Johansen—to this day the most 
common name in Iceland, the oldest of the Norse colonies in 
whose sages we have a perfect mine of wealth in regard to Norse 
habits and customs. So are Annandale and Iceland curiously 
linked together. The place-name, Merkland, has a remarkable 
association. You have there a rather striking relic of the Norse 
occupation. These Merklands, with their Half Merklands, Two 
Merklands, Three Merklands, are very significant from a legal 
point of view. Innes, in his “ Scottish Legal Antiquities,’’ in a 
suggestive passage, emphasises the significance of the Norse 
system of rental—not classifying by acreage, but classifying by 
another method of valuation ; and he lays it down broadly that the 
west of Scotland bears the traces of the Norse occupation from 
this Merk taxation classification, differentiating it from the east 
coast. That is interesting from another point of view. It means 
that the Norse were familiar with coinage, that is, they did not 
wish rent paid in kind or produce. We infer from their famili- 
