THE GLENKENS IN THE OLDEN TIMES. 137 
ceremonies. There are similar druidical stones to be found in 
Orkney. 
The only Roman remains to be found in the Glenkens is a 
portion of the so-called Roman road that led from Ayr to Kirkcud- 
bright. This line of road can still be easily traced from Dalmel- 
lington till opposite Dalry Village, where it merg‘es into the present 
public road to Kirkcudbright. That portion of it from Ayr to 
Dalmellington was carefully surveyed and examined by Dr Mac- 
donald, late of Kelvinside College, Glasgow, who found at least 
some of the characteristics of a Roman road in it. That portion 
in the Glenkens was in regular use until 1800, when a more level 
road was made. It is about 15 feet broad, whereas the old native 
roads are only tracks 6 or 7 feet in width. It has strongly-built 
culverts, whereas the native roads have only fords over the small 
streams, and on the whole there seems little doubt it was at least 
widened and repaired by the Romans. Old roads marked on 
the Ordnance Maps as Roman can easily be traced on the farm of 
Altrye, in Dalry, and at Holm of Dalquhairn, in Carsphairn. This 
line of road evidently came from Dumfries, as it goes through the 
farm of Shinnelhead, in the parish of Tynron, and enters Dalry 
parish on the top of Altrye hill at the watershed between the two 
counties, 1700 feet above sea level. That road joined the old road 
near Dalmellington, and so led on to Ayr. Dr Macdonald and I 
examined that road in July, 1894, where marked on the map as a 
Roman road ; but we found neither kerb stones nor pavement, or 
anything to indicate that it was Roman. ‘The shepherds called it 
a Cadger’s road. 
There are at least three distinct moraines in the Glenkens ; 
one a little way up the stream that feeds Loch Dungeon, on the 
Kells Rhynns. The ice has brought the debris down from the 
highest point of the hills. There is another by the side of a burn 
that flows past the steading of Holm of Dalquhairn, which has 
evidently come from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, 2635 feet. It 
forms many knolls or hillocks, which are called the “ Alwhanny 
knowes.” Another moraine is at the foot of the “ Meaul” of 
Garryhorn, also in Carsphairn, quite close to Woodhead lead mines. 
It is called by the shepherds ‘‘ The lumps.” 
There is a cairn of large stones on the top of the Kells 
Rhynns called “The Carlin’s Cairn,’ which has an _ historical 
tradition attached to it. It is said that when Robert Bruce was 
