90 



numerous bones of hyenas. Flint flakes and chips were also found, and Mr. 

 Symonds remarks: "In that lower cave are associated the remains of ancient 

 men and extinct mammalia ; and what with the evidence of the old river bed and 

 the stalagmite, I doubt if there be better authenticated evidences of the antiquity 

 of man in the records of cave history. " The state of preservation in which many 

 of the remains exist is marvellous— such as the marks of the hyena's teeth or the 

 reindeer's horns. There is a very interesting collection of these relics of the past to 

 be seen in the Gloucester Museum. Whetlier the hills have been upheaved since the 

 hyenas dragged their prey into these their dens, or whether the Wye has cut its 

 course through the rocks by gradual friction, I will leave to geologists to decide. 

 An ingenious calculation was once made by an eminent engineer that the Wye 

 had taken eleven million of years to form its present channel. There are two 

 clearly marked camps and one strong military position in the district. Perhaps 

 the British camp on Little Doward Hill may be the most interesting from its 

 commanding position and clearly marked character, in shape being an irregular 

 oval, and adjoining and extending into a quadrangle. The area of the camp 

 within the vallum being somewhat more than 20 acres. On the north east and 

 north west is a double vallum, protected in one place by a single rampart lower 

 down the hill. On three sides no artificial defence was necessary, as the whole 

 occupies the summit of a steep cliff. There is also another camp near Symond's 

 Yat where extensive fortification works are visible. There also, it is asserted, 

 Offa's dyke is to be clearly traced. The Buckstone visible from many points, is 

 also an interesting spot to visit. As a rocking stone it resembles the Logan-stone 

 in Cornwall, and consists of a mass of old red conglomerate about 19ft. long; 

 breadth, 13ft. ; circumference, 52ft. ; height, 12ft. or 13ft. A rock basin in the 

 top, and a rude arch in the eastern comer has given rise to curious speculations as 

 to Di-uidical usage. From it is perhaps one of the most extensive woodland 

 views in England. 



I must now apologise for this fragmentary and incomplete sketch, conscious 

 that I have exhausted your patience rather than my subject. 



