286 president's address. 



the larches. We followed the river banks to Morpeth, passing 

 Bothal Church, unpretending in its architecture, containing an 

 altar tomb in memory of some of the former lords of Bothal ; 

 Bothal Castle on a fine situation, and, before the days of im- 

 proved artillery, of considerable strength. The portion now 

 remaining probably gives an inadequate idea of what it was 

 once, in stateliness and importance, when the residence of the 

 Bertrams, descendants of the Baliols : it was in their possession 

 in the twelfth century, if not earlier, passing aftei'wards by mar- 

 riage to the Ogles and then to the ducal house of Portland, in 

 whose possession it still remains, together with the patronage of 

 the valuable living. Under the sheltered bank of the river, a 

 a little higher up, are the nearly obliterated remains of a chapel 

 dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Near at hand is a spring of 

 water where we, like many pilgrims of an earlier day, quenched 

 our thirst. After a beautiful walk we arrived at Morpeth, and 

 mustered about eighty in number, and very appetising the walk 

 seemed to have been, as those who had arrived first had been 

 unable to await the arrival of the remainder of the party, or the 

 appointed hour, for the substantial meal which awaited us at the 

 "Black Bull." 



The Second Meeting was held on the 18th of June, on " the 

 Derwent above Shotley," conveniently reached by the recently- 

 opened Derwent Valley Eailway. We left Newcastle at 10-20 

 P.M. in number about fifty. We proceeded some distance up the 

 course of the river from Shotley, when we divided, the larger 

 number diverging to the Healey Field Lead Mine under the 

 guidance of Mr. Muschamp, one of the proprietors, who aff'orded 

 them all facilities for seeing the mine, and hospitably entertained 

 them at luncheon. The other division walked on to the beau- 

 tiful scenery of the Sneap. During the walk we had a fine view 

 of the Houndsgill Viaduct, and more than enough of the ugly 

 chimneys and furnaces of the ironworks, which seem to do 

 their utmost to spoil the country by the hideous volumes of 

 black smoke which they belch forth. In the river bed we saw 

 in many places circular holes in the Millstone Grit where 



