168 TRANSACTIONS. 
pavement was a stone with a rudely carved inscription, of which 
only this fragment remained : 
SANCT 
NI lz 
This stone was lifted, and affixed to the wall of the cave for better 
preservation, but some mischievous youths broke it. The protect- 
ing grating was put up to prevent further malicious acts, and the 
fragments of the stone were taken for greater security to Kidsdale 
House. Numerous incised crosses were exposed—in all seven on 
the living rock and twelve on separate stones. Some of these are 
of the rudest and most primitive workmanship, and are approxi- 
mately assigned to the fourth century. Others are more elaborate, 
and shew Runic ornamentation. At the entrance to the cave was 
also found a stone with a large cup hollowed out in its centre, so 
placed as to receive the drip from the rock, and with a drain laid 
from it to carry the overflow into the centre of a mound at a little 
distance. Probably this was a semi-natural baptismal font, or it 
may have been simply used as a receptacle for the collection of 
pure water. The cave has shared in the veneration attaching to 
the shrine of St. Ninian, and was also a common resort of pilgrims. 
The smooth surface of one of the rock faces bears a great many 
initials of visitors. Most of these are quite modern; but the 
antique form of the characters as well as the dates attached shew 
that in several instances we have here preserved the rude chiselling 
of men who lived two centuries or more ago. Such are these: 
“Tlor J] P, 1634. IL, 1664. IC, 1678. AM, 1684.” No 
doubt James IV. and other royal pilgrims would also visit the 
cave, but the stone bears no record of this. 
In withdrawing to this remote and sea-girt retreat for purposes 
of meditation or penance, St. Ninian would be following the 
example of his teacher, St. Martin, and of other early Churchmen ; 
and there is every reason to believe that it would be used by him 
as an occasional residence. The scene is one fitted by its solitude 
and grandeur deeply to impress a reverent mind. The seaward 
prospect from the beach or the cliffs above is also in clear weather 
a charming one, embracing the Mull of Galloway, the peaks of the 
Isle of Man, and a part of the Irish coast. The visitors on Satur- 
day saw it under the disadvantage of a haze, which obscured the 
distant land points ; but a flowing tide, under a brilliant sun, and 
the water flecked by an occasional sail, made up a picture of no 
small beauty. 
