92 Anniversary Address. 



hill is 180 yards in circumference, having a hollow in the centre 

 of the area; it is surrounded by a rampier of stone and earth, 

 which is yet in some parts 3 feet high. This entrenchment is 

 commonly called c The Cup and Saucer Camp/ Another camp 

 of a similar kind, but nearly obliterated, is seen on a hill half a 

 mile to the north-east. But, indeed, almost every hill is crested 

 with some remains of the aboriginal inhabitants of our country. 

 " A curious ancient custom is still observed in this neighbour- 

 hood. In the ravine at the base of Kettle-hill there is a well, 

 which was formerly visited every May-day by both old and young. 

 Into this well the pilgrims dropped a crooked pin, ( wishing a 

 wish ' at the same time, in the fond belief that before the year 

 closed, the presiding fairy or genius of the well would cause 

 the wish to be realized. The formal procession on May-day 

 morning has for some time been discontinued, but the supersti- 

 tion still lingers on; for, at the present time, young people, when- 

 ever they pass the well, drop into it a crooked pin, and ' wish 

 their wish/ Still some persons even advanced in life hesitatingly 

 express a doubt about the virtue of the observance. We saw a 

 number of crooked pins at the bottom of the well. The Rev. 

 Mr. Rigge informs me that a similar custom is observed in Lan- 

 cashire. A well springs out of the base of Humphrey's-Head, 

 a promontory running into Morecomb Bay; it is called the 

 ' Fairy's Well ' — and formerly every passer-by cast a pin into it 

 as an offering to propitiate the fairy who presides over the well — 

 and the ceremony is still observed by the superstitious/' 



Mr. Tate intended to accompany this note by a paper on 

 the Geology of Roddam dean. But to complete this paper it 

 was necessary to revisit the dean. The elements (mayhap the 

 fairy or genius of the dean) showed, however, a singular aver- 

 sion to any further exploration into the records which nature 

 has there left of her operations and exploits in the bygone ages. 

 " Sir," (he writes) " eight years before, when making researches 

 on Cheviot, I encountered near the summit the most fearful 

 thunder-storm I ever witnessed ; and this year having set off to 

 Roddam dean, I was overtaken by that awful thunder-storm 

 which lately did so much damage, and thus my further examina- 

 tion was cut short/' After two such warnings, I would not be 

 the man to urge Mr. Tate to make a third attempt. 



The next Meeting was at Dunse, on the 30th day of June. At 



