6q4 philosophical transactions. [anno 1712. 



clif, in Monmouthshire, we had some variety of formed stones : but what 

 pleased me most was an asteria, or column star-stone, beset with sprigs its 

 whole length, issuing from the commissures of the plates. This county abounds 

 with entrochi; one of which I saw in a rock at the isle of Barry, above 15 

 inches in length ; and another about 10 inches long, but as thick as a cane. 

 We took their figures and dimensions, but could not get off the stones with- 

 out breaking. 



At Kaerphily Castle the people showed us an inscription, as they supposed, 

 on one of the steps of the tower. I must confess I am not fully satisfied whe- 

 ther it were ever designed for reading, or for some kind of antique ornament ; 

 but rather incline to the latter. The stone was not designed for a step, there 

 being none of the same kind in the whole staircase. The marks were mostly 

 worn out by treading; and it is possible they might be once more uniform. 

 Were it the old Celtic character, which Caesar says was like the Greek, it 

 would be a noble discovery : but I fear our ancestors, if ever they had any 

 writing, have left us none upon stones. 



Observations on the Antiquities and Natural History of Ireland. By Mr, 

 Edw. Lhwyd, in his Travels through that Kingdom. N° 335, p. 503. 



The most remarkable curiosity we saw by the way towards the Giant's Cause- 

 way, was a stately mount, at a place called New Grange, near Drogheda; 

 having a number of huge stones pitched on end round about it, and a single 

 one on the top. The gentleman of the village, Mr. Charles Campbel, ob- 

 serving that under the green turf this mount was wholly composed of stones, 

 and having occasion for some, employed his servants to carry off a considerable 

 parcel of them ; till at last they came to a very broad flat stone, rudely carved, 

 and placed edgewise at the bottom of the mount. This they discovered to be 

 the door of a cave, which had a long entry leading into it. At the first enter- 

 ing we were obliged to creep; but still as we went on, the pillars on each side 

 of us became higher and higher ; and coming into the cave, we found it about 

 20 feet high. In this cave, on each hand of us, was a cell or apartment, and 

 another proceeded straight forward, opposite to the entry. In those on each 

 hand was a very broad shallow basin of stone, situated at the edge. The basin 

 in the right hand apartment stood in another; that on the left hand was single; 

 and in the apartment straight forward there was none at all. We observed 

 water drop into the right hand basin, though it had rained but little in many 

 days; and suspected that the lower basin was intended to preserve the super- 

 fluous liquor of the upper, (whether this water were sacred, or whether it was 

 for blood in sacrifice) that none might come to the ground. The great pillars 



