513 



of it, in the direction of its length, so that the larger ends of 

 the rods would have overlapped each other about two inches, 

 had they not been separated by the body of the instrument ; 

 a small cord was then loosely wound round the ends of the 

 rod and the included celt : when thus arranged, the smaller 

 ends of the rods were brought together and tied, forming 

 vrhat sailors call a Spanish Windlass. The elasticity of the 

 rods keeping a constant strain, makes a more effective handle 

 than it would appear possible to form by ordinary tying, and 

 with much less expense of time and trouble. The iron celt 

 (No. 2) kindly given to Mr. Ball by Captain Adams, R.N., is 

 fixed in the bend of a club formed like a Scotch golf stick ; 

 by this arrangement, while the iron is so fixed that a stroke 

 serves to make it only the faster, the effectiveness of the 

 weapon is much increased by the weight of the knob at its 

 end. The accompanying figures illustrate the foregoing. 



Mr. Ball observed that these were, he thought, proofs of 

 the value of seeking explanation of antiquarian difficulties, 

 by observing the analogies afforded by the less civilized por- 

 tions of the human race, rather than by indulging in hypo- 

 thetical fancies. 



Mr. Oldham read a brief notice of a stone with Ogham 

 characters in the County of Waterford. 



The stone referred to (fig 1) is well known throughout that 

 portion of the country, by the name of Ballyquin stone. It 

 stands on the road to Curraghmore from Carrick-on-Suir, 

 about three miles and a half from that town. This road is 

 comparatively a new one, and the stone has been left standing 

 about three feet from the ditch on the south side. It is a 

 single block of the hard and coarse red conglomerate, so 

 abundant in the neighbourhood, and in the adjoining range 

 of the Commeragh mountains. In height it is eight feet, and 

 tapers gradually but irregularly from about four feet at the 

 base, to about one foot three inches at the top, and is about 



2x2 



