THE Brus INSCRIPTION AT ANNAN. io 
surface. The next letters up to N are conjectural. The 
parts inked are what we thought fixed the letters. The N 
at the end of the line is certain. The numerals are cut much 
less deeply than the letters. Isn’t it suspicious not to find 
Roman numerals? Anyway here is the inscription, in case 
it amuses you to look at it.”’ 
‘“ Yours sincerely, 
W. R. HA .tipay.”’ 
Dull as the adventures of the antiquary are supposed by 
a cold external world to be, it is perhaps lawful for one of 
the tribe to own that there have been occasions when the 
sensations have bordered on excitement. It was indeed a 
rare pleasure thus to see the long lost inscription sweep once 
more into antiquary ken, and to know that it was no 
vanished myth, but a palpable lapidary fact, completely and 
critically vouched for by a young but already experienced 
and distinguished archeologist. 
Needless to report, the letter was warmly acknowledged, 
and further enquiries were in due course gratified by further 
particulars, including excellent photographs of the recovered 
relic. Especially interesting was a letter containing a close 
and detailed description of the stone, the inscription, and 
the character and condition of the lettering. 
July 26, 1914. 
DeEaR NEILSON, 
‘“Many thanks. I’m glad to hear that this is a find. . . 
I’m afraid that the stone is a long way from Glasgow at 
present, and greatly as we should enjoy it, it is improbable 
that you’ll find the opportunity to inspect it. But as regards 
the text, I don’t think it matters. The crux is one which 
only the study can supply. Where the stone is gone, the 
surface is absolutely gone. The letters that are extant are 
certain and clear. I have drawn out the inscription life-size 
fairly carefully, and as regards scale fairly successfully—a 
long job: i.e., if you lay the drawing I am sending you on 
top of the stone the letters will coincide. The paper, too, I 
have cut roughly to the dimensions of the stone’s surface, 
though it is perhaps a fraction of an inch too long at the top, 
the uncut edge. 
