382 RuUTHWELL Runic INSCRIPTION. 
Stephens discovered a word that never existed.’’ Full particu- 
lars can be obtained by consulting Haigh’s “ Conquest of Britain 
by the Saxons,’’ Stopford Brooke’s “ History of Early English 
Literature,’’ Sweet’s “ Anglo-Saxon Reader,’’ Stephens’ “ Runic 
Monuments of Scandinavia and England.”’ 
STANDING STONES OF LAGGANGAIRN. By Miss FLEMING- 
Hamitton, Craighlaw. 
These stones are on a small hillock or rising ground close 
to the upper waters of the Tarff—actually in New Luce parish, 
but only just across the march from Kirkcowan parish, and it was 
from this side I visited them, and took photographs in August, 
1904. They are most inaccessible, quite three miles from any 
road, over a very rough and wet moor, and not less than eight 
miles from Kirkcowan village. Sir Herbert Maxwell says in 
“Topography of Galloway ’’ that they stand close to the old 
pack-horse track from Kirkcowan to New Luce, and the line 
of this route is shown on all but the very newest maps ; however, 
it is practically untraceable now. Sir Herbert gives the meaning 
of the name as “ Lagan-y-carn ”’ (hollow of the cairns), and about 
a quarter of a mile off is the farmhouse of Kilgallioch, which he 
translates “Church of the Standing Stones,’’ so that they were 
evidently considered remarkable in very early times. I am 
sorry the photos are so small, but it was impossible to take any 
large apparatus to such an out-of-the-way spot. However, I 
think they show clearly the character of the crosses carved on 
the stones. They are what, I believe, is called the Greek Cross— 
all sides equal—and bear smaller crosses formed simply of two 
incised lines on the angles. I do not know of any similar ones, 
at anyrate in Galloway. The story related of them is that there 
were originally three, but that the farmer at Laggangairn took 
one to make a new lintel for his house. Vengeance, however, 
fell swiftly ; his collie dogs went mad, and bit him; he also went 
mad, and no help being available in that desolate region, his 
wife and daughter settled the matter by smothering him between 
two “cauf beds.’’? Sir Herbert says they placed the stone over 
his grave. I could not find it, however, and the shepherd at 
Kilgallioch, who was only newly come, could not assist me. 
At Kilgallioch itself are three remarkable Holy Wells, called 
