Ferguson — Ogham-inscribed Stone from Mount Music. 193 



culty in accepting it as the supposed proper name Ailluattan. I agree 

 that the penultimate a is indistinct, but I think I see it also, and that 

 the penultimate group itself in its' terminal digits looks more like n 

 thanr; but I observe — what makes it impossible that it should be n, — 

 that its initial digits extend far across the arris, and that so definitely 

 as to force the conclusion that these are either the rudera of an 

 original r, or some combination of ^7 with three following digits not 

 capable of any rational assimilation (unless possibly they be meant, 

 collectively, formal) ; and I think there are examples of the terminal r 

 elsewhere, inscribed in its initial parts distinctly across the stem-line 

 and running off in its terminal parts to one side of it. 



If this be a form of Ailiter, we shall be under no necessity to tax 

 our powers of imagination to account for the accompanying cross. It 

 is only necessary for me, on this part of the subject, after what I have 

 already put forward, here and elsewhere, to say that I do not concur 

 in the theory, that this cross — or the cross in general, on such monu- 

 ments—is otherwise than of contemporaneous origin with the associated 

 inscription ; and that I do not conceive that any evidence has been ad- 

 duced to showthat this particular monument was designed to stand other- 

 wise than it appears to have been standing when first found. As a pillar, 

 one end or the other must have been buried in the earth to such a 

 depth as to conceal some of the characters ; and that this should be so 

 need excite no surprise when we remember that the Ogham on the 

 pillar-stone of Eochaid Argthach was inscribed on the end of the pillar 

 that was fotalamh, "under the ground."* 



The Maltese Cross appears to be associated with other commemora- 

 tions of pilgrims. Two such crosses are appended to the Maumanorigh 

 inscription near Dingle, the concluding characters of which seem to 

 read Nalilter ; and a cross of the same character occupies the field of 

 the circle representing the terrestrial globe over which the pilgrim 

 paces, with his staff in his hand, in the curious design copied by Mr. 

 Du Noyer from a sculptured stone at St. Grobinet's, in Cork. 



I have as yet said nothing of the intermediate group, read 

 Maqi, but take this occasion to indicate something observable 

 in it, which, if my eyes do not deceive me, is also observable 

 in the group which has been read maqi on the " Furuddran" Tina- 

 hally pillar. [Ante, p. 186]. I refer to the apparent protrac- 

 tion, in finer lines, of the digits which, if not prolonged across the 

 arris but confined to its upper margin, would sound q; but which, if 

 carried over and extended beyond it, would have the force of r. In 

 the Tinahally example the prolongations are more definite than in the 

 case before us, and that half of the composition which would yield q 

 being boldly and distinctly cut, suggests very persuasively that some 

 double or alternative reading is intended. Here the distinction is not 



* Another example of a buried reading is found in the Breastagh monument. See 

 post, page 201. 



