366 Anniversary Address. 



care and kindness, and let his gamekeeper give it a plentiful 

 supply of rabbits. The party here divided. A small 

 portion, under the able guidance of the Rev. A. Davidson, 

 went to examine several ancient British camps on the farms 

 of Yetholm Mains in Scotland, and Elsdonburn in Northum- 

 berland. For the following description I am indebted to the 

 able pen of the Rev. A. Davidson : — " There is one camp on 

 the top of each of the two hills on the ground of Yetholm 

 Mains, called The Burnt Hamiltons, or Burnt Humbildons. 

 These, as time pressed, were passed without ascending the 

 hills ; but the entrance and zigzag approach up the steep 

 southern face could be distinctly seen. On a high level 

 ridge to the south of the western hill, and close to it, several 

 stone circles and circular hollows were seen, denoting, as the 

 party thought, the ordinary dwellings of the ancient inhabi- 

 tants in time of peace. On the east of this ridge, a deep 

 ravine runs N.N.E., and as it falls into Halterburn, closely 

 skirts the eastern side of the hill. Along the side of this 

 ravine, next the old village site, there is traceable for four 

 or five hundred yards a deep ditch, the earth from which is 

 thrown up close to the edge of the ravine. By this means 

 the left bank is much heightened, and a very strong 

 protection given to the village on the east. The trench 

 stops at the point where it touches the eastern base of the 

 hill, and from its strength and direction the ancient dwellers 

 had evidently to fear enemies coming upon them from the 

 east. 



" About two short miles more brought the party to the 

 large and interesting Camp of Elsdonburn, the best defined 

 of any in the district. It is nearly circular, and it occupies 

 a projecting point of a spur running eastward from the hill 

 called Coutsnouth. Its strength and importance are shown 

 by three very strong concentric circles of which it is formed. 

 The inside area is about If acres, studded with the circular 

 foundations of ancient dwellings. The three ramparts seem 

 to have been of equal strength, and a peculiar feature in 



