1884-1885.] 335 



village of Cairncastle, with its church and quaint slated spire, 

 was reached. Here a few minutes in the graveyard well repaid 

 the visitors. The ancient church of " Karkasteli " (now Cairn- 

 castle) has still a fragment of wall remaining, deliciously clothed 

 with fuchsias in luxuriant bloom. It is recorded in the Terrier 

 of Pope Nicholas IV. of the thirteenth century, but the church 

 itself may be much older. There are many old and curious 

 headstones in the churchyard. One to Hugh Ross dates from 

 1656, another about as old is sacred to Jean Boyd, and at the 

 top, surrounded by an elaborate scroll, is a round face much 

 like that cut by rustic boys out of a turnip, which it is doubt- 

 ful whether is intended for a representation of the Jean 

 Boyd aforesaid or of a cherubim. To Patrick Lorimer 

 and his wife Helen Bell, date 1728, and to his brother 

 and wife, is a stone with a very elaborate quartering of 

 arms. Of this and other stones sketches and rubbings were 

 taken. Leaving here, and climbing still more slowly, the 

 cavalcade wound up the new road close by the summit of 

 Knock Dhu, getting more and more striking views of Scotland, 

 of Ailsa Craig, and of the Isle of Arran, as they ascended. 

 Exactly at the summit of the pass are some earthworks — two 

 circular, and one square — but not rising very high above the 

 general level. A couple of hundred yards off is a cairn of 

 stones, known as the " Headless Cross." Whether the cairn 

 was once surmounted by a wooden cross, long since decayed, or 

 what other origin there may be for the title, is not now clear. 

 Half a mile beyond, the party, under the guidance of the Rev. 

 Canon Grainger, M.R.I. A., was led to a really valuable relic. 

 This is a block of stone about 3ft. square, upon which are 

 inscribed two fine crosses. This is known as " The Priests' 

 Grave." Close by are the remains of another structure, com- 

 monly termed a giant's grave, more generally known to anti- 

 quarians as a kistvaen, an oblong sepulchral chamber, formed 

 of upright stones covered with slabs. From this place a start 

 was made on foot for the summit of Knock Dhu, or the Black 

 Mountain, whose precipitous head is so conspicuous from the 



