Anniversary Address. 191 



Our next object of interest was an ancient fort, on an 

 adjoining hill, called " The Rings/' and said to contain a 

 number of circular foundations, the dwellings of the Ancient 

 British people ; of the fort there can be no doubt, in-as-much 

 as there are distinct rampiers on the northern side, but I 

 much question the ancient circular dwellings, as I was in- 

 formed that stones had been taken some years ago from the 

 inside of the fort, in order to erect a wall further to the south. 

 Near this fort are ^^The Shearers" — more than twenty stones 

 standing nearly in a line and extending above 100 yards — 

 these stones are embedded about a foot in the earth ; tradition 

 says they were shearers who were transformed into stone in 

 consequence of reaping corn upon a Sunday. There were 

 various opinions about " The Shearers," some thinking they 

 were a part of the defence of the fort, others, that they had 

 been a fence to keep cattle, &c., within reach ; but I confess 

 they are mysterious and I cannot agree with either theory, 

 for these reasons — they would have formed but a poor defence 

 to the fort, as the land is nearly level for some considerable 

 distance in that direction ; and, if they had been erected for 

 the purpose of confining cattle, &c., a larger space would have 

 been enclosed. The party here separated, some returning 

 towards Hownam Mains, others (myself amongst the num- 

 ber), visiting Hownam Kirk, where there are several ancient 

 burial places and curious tombstones. Affixed to the kirk is 

 a portion of a chain called " The Jougs," which in former 

 times had a circular iron to fit the neck attached to it, for 

 the purpose of placing offenders against morality, &c., in 

 durance vile, and exposing them before the whole congrega- 

 tion. 



In the neighbourhood of Hownam, at Linton Loch, about 

 twenty-five years ago, a number of skeletons of deer were 

 found about 20 feet deep in peat moss ; only one skull and a 

 pair of magnificent antlers have been preserved, the remain- 

 der having crumbled away on exposure to the air. The 

 weather during the day was most favourable, and dinner was 

 served at 4 o'clock in the open air, after which the Members 



