62 Di; AliCUIliALD'8 " CUKIUSITIES OF DUMFIUES." 



to the making of salt, one still saw the holes in the shore down 

 there such as must have been used for that purpose. 



Rev. Mr Andson said a curious fact was brought out, that 

 there w^ere a number of the wells which were not merely con- 

 sidered to be medicinal, but holy wells. One not referred to was 

 that of Cargen, in which offerings were cast, coins not unfre- 

 quently; and it was mentioned in the paper that bread, cheese, 

 and such things were sacred offerings. 



Mr J. S. Thomson, referring to Castledykes, said on going 

 over it the other day it was pointed out to him that there were 

 the remains there of the old moat that used to encircle the house. 

 He looked down and saw a deep excavation. \Vhether it was 

 part of the old moat he did not know, but certainly there was 

 such a thing as would have corresponded to it. Mr Barbour 

 seemed to think that the " stately cross of Dumfries " referred to 

 what would be the new Midsteeple at that time. But he was 

 under the impression that there was a cross independent of the 

 Midsteeple. Its site had been pointed out to him as having been 

 several yards south of the step of Mr Miller, the engraver's shop, 

 towards liank Street, where a few transverse stones were laid in 

 the pavement. Other people had told him that that was the site 

 of the old iish cross, as if there had been at one time two crosses 

 in the town. 



Mr Barbour said he would suggest that Mr Macdonald might 

 be kind enough to work up a little paper upon the life of Dr 

 Archibald. Ills father was minister of Duiiscoi-e, and a very emi- 

 nent man. There was a story told of him in the Presbytery 

 books. At that time the Presbytery dined, and every member 

 was required to be present, and if he was not present and could 

 not give a proper reason, he was fined. (Laughter.) Mr Archi- 

 bald of Dunscore one day came to the Presbytery meeting late, 

 and was asked why. His reply was that his pony could not be 

 " gruppit." (Laughter.) There were two or three appreciative 

 notices of Dr Archibald himself in the minutes of the Kirk-Session. 

 If the society wished it, he would give a short paper in regard to 

 the question of the Cross. (Applause.) 



The Rev. John Cairns, who presided, said they would all 

 have liked if the original author, Dr Macdonald, had been able to 

 o-ive the paper, but he thought Mr Macdonald had dune exceed- 

 ingly well in the circumstances, and had given them not only a 



