236 



onslaught of Pictish or other foes, and lay buried beneath the 

 ruins of the desolated forum and the adjoining chamber. A 

 more complete exploration of this ancient town is very desirable, 

 and the cost being but small, compared with the wealth of the 

 inhabitants, we may hope that the local Museum will shortly be 

 enriched by other valuable discoveries, that will clear up much 

 that is at present difficult to understand in the singular trans- 

 formations and alterations of the buildings, and the successive 

 occupations of this interesting Station. To judge from the 

 recent discovery of late British burial-cists, and other indica- 

 tions, it was inhabited, like the Settle Caves in Yorkshire, down 

 at least to the troublous times that followed the departure of the 

 Eoman legions from Britain, A.D. 411. 



The party, now not quite so numerous on account of many 

 members having to take an early train, retraced their steps, and 

 partook of an excellent and substantial tea, provided by Mr. 

 Weir, at the Golden Lion Hotel. Fourteen new members were 

 duly proposed and elected, and Mr. Ly all's "Memoir on the 

 Underground Fire" was read by the President; and Dr. Hoop- 

 pell laid us under yet further obligations by giving a lucid 

 resume of the results of the recent explorations at the Boman 

 town at the "Lawe," an account of which, up to the present 

 time, will be furnished by him for the Transactions ; after 

 which Dr. Bruce favoured us with some interesting criticisms 

 and observations. The salt manufacture of former days was 

 also discussed, and Mr. B. Y. Green showed two warrants of 

 George II. and III., constituting his great-grandfather collector 

 of the salt dues at South Shields.* 



I am not aware whether any member embraced the oppor- 

 tunity of botanising on the Ballast Hills, a singular attraction 

 to a town excursion, where so many curious plants have sprung 

 up from seed brought with the foreign ballast from the East 

 and South of Europe, India, and other lands, which are un- 

 known elsewhere in this country. These exotics have been 

 carefully recorded in our "New Flora of Northumberland and 



* "Beauties of England and Wales," Vol.'V., 155,ff., describes the Eoman Station and 

 Salt-works in 1803. 



