138 Mr. George Tate on Ancient Sculptured Mocks, Sfc. 



place in this publication. After again visiting these rocks, I 

 submitted sketches of them to a meeting of the Berwickshire 

 Naturalists' Club, on the 13th October, 1862; " which issued 

 in a determination to see these singular and mysterious 

 inscriptions on the spots where they yet remain."* This led 

 Dr. Johnston, then secretary of the club, to notice the subject 

 and to give a drawing of the Routing Linn Stone in his 

 ** Natural History of the Eastern Borders," published in 1853,t 

 in connection with his account of the Osmunda regalis, 

 which grew above the Linn. In October of the same year, 

 when president of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, I gave 

 in my address, a description of the principal figures on the 

 Routing Linn and Old Bewick Stones, with some general 

 views of their age and meaning — views then put forth for 

 the first time, and which, though not accordant with opin- 

 ions then current, have since been pretty generally adopted. 

 Some time subsequently, I submitted sketches of these in- 

 scribed stones to the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland ; and 

 occasional notices have since appeared in the proceedings of 

 this club regarding the discovery of these inscriptions. J Some 

 of these notices were reproduced in the Metropolitan Jour- 

 nals. The action of this club has stimulated inquiry and 

 research both in Northumberland and other parts of the king- 

 dom ; though perhaps the investigatin has been more fully 

 carried out in Northumberland than elsewhere ; for during 

 the last twelve years, several members of this club and their 

 friends have been quietly, yet successfully exploring the dis- 

 trict ; the Rev. Willam Procter and his family (especially 

 Mr. William Procter, jun.), Mr. William Wightman, and 

 Mr. Charles Rea, and others^ have made several additional 

 discoveries. 



As these inscribed stones are within the district this club 

 professes to explore, and as they have been visited and 

 examined by its members, it has been felt as a duty devolving 

 on it, to give in its Proceedings a full account of the 

 observations which have been made, with ample illustrations 

 of the sculptures themselves. Need I apologise for under- 

 taking this duty ? for at a meeting of the club held at Bead- 

 nell, on 27th May, 1858, it was " proposed by Mr. Dickson 

 and unanimously carried, that Mr. Tate be requested to 



* History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, vol. iii., p. 127. 



f Johnston's Natural History of the Eastern Borders, vol. i., p. 256. 



X History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, vol. iv., p. 233 ; Ibid, p. 337. 



