Mr. George Tate on Ancient Sculptured Rocks, 8fc. 145 



pretty well ascertained — Routing (from rout-a, Isl.,) means to 

 bellow ; and is applied both in Northumberland and in Scot- 

 land to the bellowing of cattle. When the burn is swollen 

 with the rainfall from the hills, it becomes a torrent ; and 

 falling over the cliff into the Linn, with a loud noise like the 

 routing or bellowing of cattle, it is called the Routing Linn. 



This rock {Plate I., drawn on the scale of one fourth of 

 dn inch to the foot,) is the largest of all the inscribed stones 

 discovered ; and yet it is but a fragment, for part of it has 

 been quarried away on the south side ; it is in situ, rising 10 

 feet above the ground on the south side, with a short abrupt 

 slope to the south, and a larger slope towards the north and 

 west ; it is 60 feet in length from east to west, and 40 feet 

 in its broadest part. Rising so much above the ground, it is 

 more ridged and irregular in its surface than most other 

 rocks. Untrimmed by art, it is rough as nature has left it, 

 and yet over all parts — over ridges and hollows, as well as 

 over smoother places, the mysterious figures have been in- 

 cised. How many figures may have been on this rock origin- 

 ally, it is impossible to say ; now, fifty-five are traceable on 

 its northern and western slopes, and five more on its weather- 

 worn and deeply guttered southern aspect.* Doubtless, the 

 whole stone had been covered with inscriptions, and origin- 

 ally there would not be less than one hundred figures. 



Most of the figures are typical forms. One of them has 

 a hook-like process at the side ; here is an arched figure like 

 a recessed Gothic doorway ; here are concentric circles with 

 two and three grooves issuing from them ; here are horse- 

 shoe forms, and here is the singular figure with nine radia- 

 ting grooves from the top of the outer circle. This appen- 

 dage was first noticed in 1855, when Mr. John Stuart, 

 Secretary of Antiquaries of Scotland, and myself, visited this 

 stone. One outer ray is directed south 20° east, the other 

 south 150 west, and the middle ray south by east. Some 

 of the compound figures are peculiar ; there is the plant-like 

 form, with its stem, branches, and floral heads; there are two 

 circles a little apart, united by a groove passing from centre 

 to centre, reminding one of the curious and unexplained 

 spectacle ornament on the Scottish sculptured stones ; and 

 there are other two circles with long tails uniting and ending 

 in cups, and which perchance, might conventionally repre- 

 sent comets. 



* The five weather-worn figures on the southern aspect are common forme, 

 and are not shewn on the plate. 



